| Ai no Kusabi | |
|---|---|
 The English first volume of the novel, subtitled Stranger |
|
| 間の楔 (Ai no Kusabi) |
|
| Genre | Yaoi, Science fiction |
| Light novel | |
| Author | Rieko Yoshihara |
| Illustrator | Katsumi Michihara |
| Publisher | Koufuusha Shuppan |
| English publisher |  Digital Manga Publishing |
| Demographic | Female |
| Magazine | Shousetsu June |
| Original run | October 1990 – October 1987 |
| Volumes | 1 (Japan), 6 (North America) |
| Original video animation | |
| Director | Akira Nishimori Katsuhito Akiyama |
| Writer | Naoko Hasegawa |
| Studio | AIC |
| Released | August 1992 – May 1994 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Episodes | 2 |
| Original video animation | |
| Director | Katsuhito Akiyama |
| Writer | Yoshiwara Rieko |
| Studio | AIC |
| Episodes | 13 |
Ai no Kusabi (間の楔)[n 1] is a Japanese novel written by Rieko Yoshihara. Originally serialized in the yaoi magazine Shousetsu June between December 1986 and October 1987, the story was collected into a hardbound novel that was released in Japan in 1990. This futuristic tale is set in a world where men are assigned various social classes based on their hair color. Iason Mink, a high-class Blondie, runs into Riki, a black-haired Mongrel, and makes him his "Pet." As Riki learns of the dangers Iason faces by keeping him, he finds himself developing feelings for his master. Focusing on the ill-fated love between Iason and Riki, Ai no Kusabi also explores issues of caste systems and social exclusion.
The novel was partially adapted into a two-episode anime original video animation (OVA) by Anime International Company (AIC), with the first episode released in August 1992, and the second in May 1994. In November 1993, an audio drama entitled Erogenous Dark was released focusing on a time period left unexplored in the original novels. A new thirteen episode anime OVA adaptation, also from AIC, is scheduled to begin releasing in Japan in spring of 2010.
The novel is licensed for an English language release in North America by Digital Manga Publishing which is publishing the novel across six volume series, with the first released in November 2007.
Contents |
Ai no Kusabi takes place on the world of Amoi, ruled over by a computer named Jupiter. Jupiter has installed a number of strict social rules to its society. Among other things, social status is determined by hair color, Blonde being the highest, down to black or dark brown being the lowest. The Blondies, genetically engineered by Jupiter, are the highest social class and occupy the capital city of Tanagura. They travel to the satellite pleasure city of Midas, which has an independent slum area called Ceres. Under Jupiter's restrictions, the Blondies are sterile and forbidden from indulging in sexual activities. Blondies keep "pets" (young teenagers) purely for voyeuristic purposes and they are kept for about a year before being discarded. Further emasculation is seen in the "Furniture," young boys who serve the Blondies. Contrary to popular belief, the hair-color caste system only applies to those working in Tanagura and not in Ceres. The true separation is between those genetically created in a lab (those in Tanagura) and "mongrels" formed the natural way (those in Ceres). However it was written in the novel that Tanagura even manipulated the 'natural' births of Ceres, ensuring that its population did not grow by restricting the number of female births.
Riki, a boy with pure black hair and black eyes, leads the street gang Bison in Ceres. At his side constantly was his second-in-command and pairing partner Guy. Bison was the cock of the walk in Ceres. Riki always told Guy he was going to get out of the slums.
One day he disappeared ...
Riki was out trying to steal a car in Midas when he was set upon by citizens of Midas. When they were about to kill him, a blondie interfered and saved Riki. Riki felt he owed him a debt for this, and offered to pay him with the only thing he had - his body.
The blondie was Iason Mink, the leader of Tanagura's syndicate and the most powerful man in the city. After Iason received his 'payment' from Riki, he decided to take him as his pet. Iason's friend Raoul warns him that he thinks keeping a mongrel pet is a bad idea.
Iason kept Riki as his pet for three years, which caused a lot of rumors to fly in Tanagura. Riki was too old to be kept as a pet (most are teens), plus he's a mongrel (when expensive, well-bred pets are available), and Iason kept him for much too long. The rumors also said the unthinkable - that Iason had broken the laws of Jupiter and had sex with his pet,(which is true).
Riki begs Iason for his freedom, and Iason grants him a year of freedom and allows him to go back to Ceres. Riki is welcomed back into Bison and returns to a normal life. He has changed, however, and is unable to forget the time he spent as Iason's pet.
When the year passed, Iason decided he wanted Riki back, and tells Raoul that he will get him back and that although he removed Riki's pet ring, he never cancelled his registration. Raoul warns Iason not to go against Jupiter and the laws of Tanagura. He refuses to be the one to tamper with Iason's mind.
Through his former furniture Katze, now a black marketeer, Iason arranges for Kirie, a young member of Bison, to set a trap and catch the gang. This ends with Bison being arrested. Riki was let go and told to return to his master, as he was listed as a runaway pet. The rest of Bison is set free on Iason's orders. Kirie's reward for turning against his gang is to have his mind tampered with and be turned into a docile pet himself. (However, one has to wonder, did Iason do all of this to not only have Riki all to himself, but also, punish Kirie for being a traitor and for being against Riki from the start and to also cover his tracks, since he is the one responsible for the break up of Riki's friends & his eventual kidnapping.)
After Riki is let go he rendezvous with Guy and after Guy suggests they return to being pairing partners again, he tells Guy about being Iason's pet. Guy is enraged by this and beats Riki up and throws him out. Riki decides to return to Iason.
After Riki returns to Iason he learns of the taboos Iason has broken to keep him with him, and of how Iason has protected him from the fate of former pets. Iason even decides to grant Riki a bit of further freedom by allowing him to work with Katze in the black market.
Guy misses Riki and doesn't want to believe that Riki has abandoned Bison. Instead, Guy decides that Iason is to blame, that he stole Riki away from them which in a sense is true. But no matter what feelings Riki has for his master, he did return to him on his own, even though we know that part of the reason he did return is no. 1.) a sense of obligation to said master and 2.) the break up of his gang, the sense of abandonment from his former friend, and the feelings of no where else to go.) As a result, Guy decides to get Riki away from Iason.
Guy kidnaps Riki one day while he is walking down the street and takes him to Dana Bahn. He demands an explanation of Riki's true feelings, and Riki hedges in giving them to him. Riki tells Guy that he is not the same person, and that this won't blow over. He'll never be free of Iason, and that as long as he wears Iason's pet ring. Or rather, as long as he has the ring on, he can be close to Iason. "So, take it off," Guy says. Guy therefore removes Riki's pet ring by castrating him.
Guy takes Riki elsewhere and gives him some painkillers, then contacts Iason and arranges to meet him in Dana Bahn. Riki activates a tracer in his watch and thereby contacts Katze. Katze helps him and together they go to Dana Bahn to stop Guy from whatever he intends to do.
Iason, thinking Riki is in Dana Bahn because of the tracer in the pet ring, meets Guy there. Guy gives Iason a box containing Riki's pet ring, telling Iason that there's now nothing to tie Riki down. Iason tells Guy he'll kill him. Iason hits Guy hard sending him flying to the wall and twists his arm. Guy activates explosives that he has placed in Dana Bahn before Iason kicks him making him lose consciousness.
Riki and Katze arrive. Riki enters Dana Bahn and is reunited with Iason. Riki asks Iason to save Guy and not leave him to the explosions, telling Iason that they (Riki & Iason) have driven Guy to this madness. For Riki's sake, Iason picks up Guy and carries him out. Riki can barely walk and Iason moves slowly so that Riki can keep up.
As they approach the front gate a huge explosion wracks Dana Bahn. Iason throws Guy ahead and grabs Riki, jumping and throwing him forward at the last minute. The gates of Dana Bahn collapse and slice Iason's legs off just above the knees. Riki is forced to leave him there while he takes Guy out of Dana Bahn.
Riki sees Katze, who has been waiting outside, and tells him to help Guy. Riki tells Katze that Iason is still inside and that he protected him and now can't move. Katze becomes angry at Riki for leaving Iason there, but Riki is going back to Iason.
Katze gives Riki some Black Moon cigarettes, which are poisonous. He heads back into Dana Bahn and sits down with Iason. They share a last kiss in the form of touching the end of the cigarettes together and finally die in each others embrace.
Outside, Jupiter gives out an anguished cry. Raoul whispers Iason's name as streams of electricity strike the city. Katze sits down in a chair back at his place and cries as he tries to smoke a cigarette. Guy stands in the ruins of Dana Bahn and thinking about what Katze said, what all has happened, and the pain of losing one arm ... and Riki.
Riki is proud, fierce and defiant, but his experiences change him. Some men living in the slums feel he has lost his spark. He is torn between his pride and the feelings he has for Iason that he is unwilling to acknowledge. . In the audio book, 1990s OVAs and first drama CD, he is played by Seki Toshihiko. In the later drama CDs he is played by Itou Kentarou.
Iason becomes interested, obsessed, and finally falls in love with Riki. He has an elegant and calm manner that hides a passionate, ruthless and unforgiving nature. For Riki, Iason is willing to flaunt and break all taboos. In the audio book, 1990s OVAs and first drama CD, he is played by Shiozawa Kaneto. In the later drama CDs he is played by Ookawa Tooru.
Written by Rieko Yoshihara, the individual chapters of Ai no Kusabi were serialized in the yaoi magazine Shousetsu June between December 1986 and October 1987. The chapters were collected and published as a single hardbound novel in 1990. The novel is icensed for an English language release in North America by Digital Manga Publishing which published the novel across six volume series.[2][6] The first volume was released on November 20, 2007; as of March 2009, five volumes have been released.[7][8] In June 2009, DMP made the first volume ofAi no Kusabi, Stranger, available as an Amazon Kindle e-book.[9]
An audiobook was the first spinoff from the novels, being released on 31 May 1989.
Five soundtracks were released:
The first drama CD was released in November 1993, called 間の楔 DARK-EROGENOUS.
Three more drama CDs were released by a different company through 2007 and 2008.[10]
Anime International Company created a two-episode anime Original Video Animation adaptation for the series. The first episode was released in August 1992, and the second in May 1994.[3] Directed by Akira Nishimori and Katsuhito Akiyama, the episodes were based on a screenplay written by Naoko Hasegawa. They featured character designs by Naoyuki Onda and music composed by Toshio Yabuki.[4][11]
A second thirteen episode anime OVA adaptation, also from AIC, is scheduled to begin releasing in Japan Sping 2010. Akiyama will again direct and Onda will provide the character designs. The screenplay, however, will be written by Yoshihara herself.[11]
An 8 minute digest of the first episode has now been released and can been viewed on youtube.[12]
Mania's Danielle Van Gorder felt the prose of the first novel was "florid", and criticized the finishing point of the second novel as anticlimactic.[13][14] She found the characterization of Iason in the third novel to be realistic and compelling,[15] and felt the theme of the fourth novel was power.[16]
Patrick Drazen has described the Ai no Kusabi OVA as a "magnum opus" of the yaoi genre, and the setting as dystopian, similar to Fritz Lang's Metropolis.[5] Jonathon Clements and Helen McCarthy describe the society of Ai no Kusabi as being like that of Ancient Greece, where power is restricted to a class, and women do not figure significantly. They consider it ironic that Jupiter is a feminine computer, and describe her as being like Ghost in the Shell's Motoko Kusanagi — Jupiter is "a man-made idea of the female in a world run by masculine elites".[4] Anime News Network's Maral Agnerian praised its interesting, well-developed plot and "fleshed out and complex" work. She also praises it for being one of the few series from its time to contain "actual gay sex in it instead of the usual angsty moping and shoujo-esque sparkly kisses", while noting that the scenes are primarily in the second episode.[17] Anime News Network's Justin Sevakis highlighted the OVA as a "Buried Treasure", calling it "one of the best yaoi anime". He described Riki and Iason as both being "alpha-males", rather than a seme/uke pairing, and noted how the costuming was elegant for the higher eschalons of society and revealing for the lower classes. He criticized the OVA's adaptation of the story, explaining that it was assumed all viewers would be already familiar with the tale through Shousetsu June.[18]
 |
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.
|
| Template:Safesubst: | |
|---|---|
| 間の楔 (Ai no Kusabi) | |
| Genre | Yaoi, Science fiction |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Rieko Yoshihara |
| Illustrated by | Katsumi Michihara |
| Published by | Koufuusha Shuppan |
| English publisher | Digital Manga Publishing |
| Demographic | Female |
| Magazine | Shousetsu June |
| Original run | October 1987 – October 1990 |
| Volumes | 1 (Japan), 6 (North America) |
| Original video animation | |
| Directed by |
Akira Nishimori Katsuhito Akiyama |
| Written by | Naoko Hasegawa |
| Studio | AIC |
| Released | August 1992 – May 1994 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Episodes | 2 |
| Original video animation | |
| Directed by | Katsuhito Akiyama |
| Written by | Yoshiwara Rieko |
| Studio | AIC |
| Episodes | 13 |
Ai no Kusabi (間の楔)[n 1] is a Japanese novel written by Rieko Yoshihara. Originally serialized in the yaoi magazine Shousetsu June between December 1986 and October 1987, the story was collected into a hardbound novel that was released in Japan in 1990. This futuristic tale is set in a world where men are assigned various social classes based on their hair color. Iason Mink, a high-class Blondie, runs into Riki, a black-haired Mongrel, and makes him his "Pet." As Riki learns of the dangers Iason faces by keeping him, he finds himself developing feelings for his master. Focusing on the ill-fated love between Iason and Riki, Ai no Kusabi also explores issues of caste systems and social exclusion.
The novel was partially adapted into a two-episode anime original video animation (OVA) by Anime International Company (AIC), with the first episode released in August 1992, and the second in May 1994. In November 1993, an audio drama entitled Erogenous Dark was released focusing on a time period left unexplored in the original novels. A new thirteen episode anime OVA adaptation, also from AIC, is scheduled to begin releasing in Japan in spring of 2010.
The novel is licensed for an English language release in North America by Digital Manga Publishing which is publishing the novel across six volume series, with the first released in November 2007.
Contents |
Ai no Kusabi takes place on the world of Amoi, ruled over by a computer named Jupiter. Jupiter has installed a number of strict social rules to its society. Among other things, social status is determined by hair color, Blonde being the highest, down to black or dark brown being the lowest. The Blondies, genetically engineered by Jupiter, are the highest social class and occupy the capital city of Tanagura. They travel to the satellite pleasure city of Midas, which has an independent slum area called Ceres. Under Jupiter's restrictions, the Blondies are sterile and forbidden from indulging in sexual activities. Blondies keep "pets" (young teenagers) purely for voyeuristic purposes and they are kept for about a year before being discarded. Further emasculation is seen in the "Furniture," young boys who serve the Blondies. Contrary to popular belief, the hair-color caste system only applies to those working in Tanagura and not in Ceres. The true separation is between those genetically created in a lab (those in Tanagura) and "mongrels" formed the natural way (those in Ceres). However it was written in the novel that Tanagura even manipulated the 'natural' births of Ceres, ensuring that its population did not grow by restricting the number of female births.
Riki, a boy with pure black hair and black eyes, leads the street gang Bison in Ceres. At his side constantly was his second-in-command and pairing partner Guy. Bison was the cock of the walk in Ceres. Riki always told Guy he was going to get out of the slums.
One day he disappeared ...
Riki was out trying to steal a car in Midas when he was set upon by citizens of Midas. When they were about to kill him, a blondie interfered and saved Riki. Riki felt he owed him a debt for this, and offered to pay him with the only thing he had - his body.
The blondie was Iason Mink, the leader of Tanagura's syndicate and the most powerful man in the city. After Iason received his 'payment' from Riki, he decided to take him as his pet. Iason's friend Raoul warns him that he thinks keeping a mongrel pet is a bad idea.
Iason kept Riki as his pet for three years, which caused a lot of rumors to fly in Tanagura. Riki was too old to be kept as a pet (most are teens), plus he's a mongrel (when expensive, well-bred pets are available), and Iason kept him for much too long. The rumors also said the unthinkable - that Iason had broken the laws of Jupiter and had sex with his pet,(which is true).
Riki begs Iason for his freedom, and Iason grants him a year of freedom and allows him to go back to Ceres. Riki is welcomed back into Bison and returns to a normal life. He has changed, however, and is unable to forget the time he spent as Iason's pet.
When the year passed, Iason decided he wanted Riki back, and tells Raoul that he will get him back and that although he removed Riki's pet ring, he never cancelled his registration. Raoul warns Iason not to go against Jupiter and the laws of Tanagura. He refuses to be the one to tamper with Iason's mind.
Through his former furniture Katze, now a black marketeer, Iason arranges for Kirie, a young member of Bison, to set a trap and catch the gang. This ends with Bison being arrested. Riki was let go and told to return to his master, as he was listed as a runaway pet. The rest of Bison is set free on Iason's orders. Kirie's reward for turning against his gang is to have his mind tampered with and be turned into a docile pet himself. (However, one has to wonder, did Iason do all of this to not only have Riki all to himself, but also, punish Kirie for being a traitor and for being against Riki from the start and to also cover his tracks, since he is the one responsible for the break up of Riki's friends & his eventual kidnapping.)
After Riki is let go he rendezvous with Guy and after Guy suggests they return to being pairing partners again, he tells Guy about being Iason's pet. Guy is enraged by this and beats Riki up and throws him out. Riki decides to return to Iason.
After Riki returns to Iason he learns of the taboos Iason has broken to keep him, and of how Iason has protected him from the fate of former pets. Iason even decides to grant Riki a bit of further freedom by allowing him to work with Katze in the black market.
Guy misses Riki and doesn't want to believe that Riki has abandoned Bison. Instead, Guy decides that Iason is to blame, that he stole Riki away from them which in a sense is true. But no matter what feelings Riki has for his master, he did return to him on his own, even though we know that part of the reason he did return is no. 1.) a sense of obligation to said master and 2.) the break up of his gang, the sense of abandonment from his former friend, and the feelings of no where else to go.) As a result, Guy decides to get Riki away from Iason.
Guy kidnaps Riki one day while he is walking down the street and takes him to Dana Bahn. He demands an explanation of Riki's true feelings, and Riki hedges in giving them to him. Riki tells Guy that he is not the same person, and that this won't blow over. He'll never be free of Iason, and that as long as he wears Iason's pet ring. Or rather, as long as he has the ring on, he can be close to Iason. "So, take it off," Guy says. Guy therefore removes Riki's pet ring by castrating him.
Guy takes Riki elsewhere and gives him some painkillers, then contacts Iason and arranges to meet him in Dana Bahn. Riki activates a tracer in his watch and thereby contacts Katze. Katze helps him and together they go to Dana Bahn to stop Guy from whatever he intends to do.
Iason, thinking Riki is in Dana Bahn because of the tracer in the pet ring, meets Guy there. Guy gives Iason a box containing Riki's pet ring, telling Iason that there's now nothing to tie Riki down. Iason tells Guy he'll kill him. Iason hits Guy hard sending him flying to the wall and twists his arm. Guy activates explosives that he has placed in Dana Bahn before Iason kicks him making him lose consciousness.
Riki and Katze arrive. Riki enters Dana Bahn and is reunited with Iason. Riki asks Iason to save Guy and not leave him to the explosions, telling Iason that they (Riki & Iason) have driven Guy to this madness. For Riki's sake, Iason picks up Guy and carries him out. Riki can barely walk and Iason moves slowly so that Riki can keep up.
As they approach the front gate a huge explosion wracks Dana Bahn. Iason throws Guy ahead and grabs Riki, jumping and throwing him forward at the last minute. The gates of Dana Bahn collapse and slice Iason's legs off just above the knees. Riki is forced to leave him there while he takes Guy out of Dana Bahn.
Riki sees Katze, who has been waiting outside, and tells him to help Guy. Riki tells Katze that Iason is still inside and that he protected him and now can't move. Katze becomes angry at Riki for leaving Iason there, but Riki is going back to Iason.
Katze gives Riki some Black Moon cigarettes, which are poisonous. He heads back into Dana Bahn and sits down with Iason. They share a last kiss in the form of touching the end of the cigarettes together and finally die in each others embrace.
Outside, Jupiter gives out an anguished cry. Raoul whispers Iason's name as streams of electricity strike the city. Katze sits down in a chair back at his place and cries as he tries to smoke a cigarette. Guy stands in the ruins of Dana Bahn and thinking about what Katze said, what all has happened, and the pain of losing one arm ... and Riki.
| This section requires expansion. |
Riki is proud, rebellious, fierce and defiant, but his experiences change him. Some men living in the slums feel he has lost his spark. He is torn between his pride and the feelings he has for Iason that he is unwilling to acknowledge. . In the audio book, 1990s OVAs and first drama CD, he is played by Seki Toshihiko. In the later drama CDs he is played by Itou Kentarou.
Iason becomes interested, obsessed, and finally falls in love with Riki. He has an elegant and calm manner that hides a passionate, ruthless and unforgiving nature. For Riki, Iason is willing to flaunt and break all taboos. In the audio book, 1990s OVAs and first drama CD, he is played by Shiozawa Kaneto. In the later drama CDs he is played by Ookawa Tooru.
Written by Rieko Yoshihara, the individual chapters of Ai no Kusabi were serialized in the yaoi magazine Shousetsu June between December 1986 and October 1987. The chapters were collected and published as a single hardbound novel in 1990. The novel is icensed for an English language release in North America by Digital Manga Publishing which published the novel across six volume series.[2][6] The first volume was released on November 20, 2007; as of March 2009, five volumes have been released.[7][8] In June 2009, DMP made the first volume ofAi no Kusabi, Stranger, available as an Amazon Kindle e-book.[9]
An audiobook was the first spinoff from the novels, being released on 31 May 1989.
Five soundtracks were released:
The first drama CD was released in November 1993, called 間の楔 DARK-EROGENOUS.
Three more drama CDs were released by a different company through 2007 and 2008.[10]
Anime International Company created a two-episode anime Original Video Animation adaptation for the series. The first episode was released in August 1992, and the second in May 1994.[3] Directed by Akira Nishimori and Katsuhito Akiyama, the episodes were based on a screenplay written by Naoko Hasegawa. They featured character designs by Naoyuki Onda and music composed by Toshio Yabuki.[4][11]
| # | Title | Director | Screenplay | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akira Nishimori[3] | Naoko Hasegawa | August 1992 | |
| 2 | Katsuhito Akiyama[3] | Naoko Hasegawa | May 1994 | |
A second thirteen episode anime OVA adaptation, also from AIC, is scheduled to begin releasing in Japan Fall 2010. Akiyama will again direct and Onda will provide the character designs. The screenplay, however, will be written by Yoshihara herself.[11]
Mania's Danielle Van Gorder felt the prose of the first novel was "florid", and criticized the finishing point of the second novel as anticlimactic.[12][13] She found the characterization of Iason in the third novel to be realistic and compelling,[14] and felt the theme of the fourth novel was power.[15]
Patrick Drazen has described the Ai no Kusabi OVA as a "magnum opus" of the yaoi genre, and the setting as dystopian, similar to Fritz Lang's Metropolis.[5] Jonathon Clements and Helen McCarthy describe the society of Ai no Kusabi as being like that of Ancient Greece, where power is restricted to a class, and women do not figure significantly. They consider it ironic that Jupiter is a feminine computer, and describe her as being like Ghost in the Shell's Motoko Kusanagi — Jupiter is "a man-made idea of the female in a world run by masculine elites".[4] Anime News Network's Maral Agnerian praised its interesting, well-developed plot and "fleshed out and complex" work. She also praises it for being one of the few series from its time to contain "actual gay sex in it instead of the usual angsty moping and shoujo-esque sparkly kisses", while noting that the scenes are primarily in the second episode.[16] Anime News Network's Justin Sevakis highlighted the OVA as a "Buried Treasure", calling it "one of the best yaoi anime". He described Riki and Iason as both being "alpha-males", rather than a seme/uke pairing, and noted how the costuming was elegant for the higher eschalons of society and revealing for the lower classes. He criticized the OVA's adaptation of the story, explaining that it was assumed all viewers would be already familiar with the tale through Shousetsu June.[17]
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