The young man, Andou Minato, was deeply engrossed in a certain social game.
Its name was Dark Resonance—commonly known as “Dakurezo”—a simulation RPG set in a cruel world.
Despite its brutal content and lack of ethical considerations, it became a game of hegemonic status due to its fascinating characters and excellent storyline.
And so, while spending peaceful days playing such a game, he suddenly found himself transported into that very world.
Without knowing the cause, he was thrown into a world that, while great to play in, was the last place he wanted to experience in reality.
However, in that worst-case scenario world, Minato pondered.
He had no intention of interfering with the original story… it belonged to the people living in this world and to the protagonist.
Yet, even so, in such an extreme and harsh world, he couldn’t help but feel the desire to lend a hand…
Popular Reviews
It delivers humor at just the right moments, and the artwork is stunning—definitely sexy. Plus, it comes with a compelling plot.
Primarily, across these 11 volumes, the story revolves around Raizou and Kon in the mystical realm of kamis. The paper dolls used to absorb and heal their master's injuries by exchanging bodily fluids play a central role. While the concept might seem a bit unusual, even if you're not well-versed in Japanese terms, the narrative becomes clear as the chapters progress.
Additionally, this manga beautifully explores the romantic stories of other kamis and their masters, not solely concentrating on Raizou.
In conclusion, it encompasses all the elements one could desire in a yaoi manga, all wrapped up in one. :D
It might get a little bit confusing at first since it requires you to think and imagine all sorts of supernatural things happening in the household.
The people in this household are kotodama users, who make a living using words that contain power. They can ensure business success, kill people, and do all sorts of things just by speaking the words. In exchange, their bodies take damage according to the deeds they perform. The more horrible the deeds, the more damage their bodies endure. Then there are kami, human paper dolls made solely for the sake of kotodama users. The kamis absorb their masters' wounds and hurt themselves in the process.
It will get better and better as you read it. This manga contains multiple stories of characters in the household. Sometimes it's simple and funny, while other times it's a tragedy that will make you tear up.
There are three stories among many that really touched me:
1. Raizou - Kon couple. Their story is heartwarming, about the cheerful Raizou who falls in love with Kon, a young kami always questioning his purpose in this world.
2. Genma - Himi couple. It's about a boy who loves someone he can't touch. That boy grows up to be quite a twisted man, eventually binding Himi in every way possible so she will always be by his side for the rest of his life.
3. Shoui - Asari. This one is really my favorite couple. It's about Shoui, who bears a heavy burden as the head of the house. Since he was young, he wanted someone by his side, someone he could trust, and that someone happened to be his kami, Asari. Unfortunately, Asari actually hates him. Nevertheless, Shoui still binds Asari to him and loves him until the very end.
The art is good but not exceptional. There are many sex scenes, actually almost in every chapter, but somehow it doesn't feel perverted; instead, it feels natural. The only flaw is that some chapters are missing on online reading sites. But overall, it's a great read.
HOW. COULD. I.
[STORY]
At the start, the narrative zeroes in on Raizou, a carefree individual who relocates to a mansion with six unique strangers after the passing of his last living relative. There, he quickly finds himself drawn to Kon, a reserved and handsome resident. Unbeknownst to him, his life in the mansion would revolve not only around his attraction to the enigmatic boy but also around the secret enterprise that all residents were involved in.
Oh, no way, they weren't drug dealers.
The plot didn't solely concentrate on Raizou's and Kon's relationship either. As it advanced, it unveiled the heart-wrenching, tragic, and beautiful tales of the mansion's residents and those Raizou encountered in the business. Each coupling was presented with its own arc, spanning 5-10 chapters.
Simply put, even though the series began with Raizou's tale, its primary focus was on the fate of the individuals entangled in such a violent and intricate business, their pursuit of happiness amidst limited freedom, and the bonds between the masters and their kotodamas.
I had little anticipation for "Ze" since I'd never heard of it, but what I read completely took me by surprise. The story wasn't your typical mainstream yaoi. I was astonished by the concept of the business and the strong connections between the pairings.
I was also captivated by how author Yuki Shimizu structured the pairings' arcs, with the final arc serving as the pinnacle of the entire series. Many people complained that the ending was insufficient, but to me, it was flawless—a tidy conclusion that neither revealed nor concealed too much.
The only issue I had with the story was the abundance of flashbacks. The timeline constantly shifted back and forth, requiring the reader's full attention to grasp where they currently stood. Even so, I was amazed at how some arcs interlinked in subtle ways.
[CHARACTERS]
As mentioned earlier, the story delves beyond Raizou and Kon's relationship. Remarkably, despite the large number of characters, none are mere shadows. Every character has their own thoughts and contributes, even slightly, to how the story unfolds. They influence each other, even those in different arcs.
Initially, I didn't pay much heed to the other characters, but when I read their arcs—BOOM. I fell in love with everyone.
My favorite was Konoe and Kotoha's. Their relationship started as something innocent and adorable, but when Kotoha eventually bestowed his painful responsibility upon them, they struggled tirelessly to find a solution where neither would be harmed. The depth of love and care they shared brought tears to my eyes.
My second favorite was Shoui & Asari's arc, mainly because Asari came off as somewhat of an asshole to me, haha. Third was the whole Rikiichi + Waki + Magane arc, followed by Genma & Himi's, Raizou & Kon's, and the least was Ryusei & Moriya's. Some additional pairings appear in the book but don't have standalone arcs.
[ART]
The main reason I overlooked this book initially was probably due to the artwork. Published 12 years ago, it carries an old-yaoi vibe (think the era of Junjou Romantica). But now that I've finished the entire series, I realize there are other books with a similar older aesthetic. And "Ze's" artwork is actually quite decent, if not outright beautiful.
One of the most visually stunning moments in the book, to me, was Asari's flashback just after his revival. The memories of him and Shoui together were depicted in a two-page spread, with those blurry-kind-of-lines. It may seem like a minor detail, but the visuals there perfectly complemented the situation and successfully made me cry.
My only complaint is that I had trouble distinguishing some characters because they either shared similar hairstyles or changed their hairstyles at certain points in the story (especially those with backstory arcs).
[OVERALL]
I regret reading it only today. I truly don't understand why this book isn't mentioned in yaoi forums or other websites I've visited before. I just wish more people would give this book a chance. The story was outstanding, the characters were all exceptional, and the bonds between the pairings... damn, everything was executed beautifully.
10/10 without any doubt.
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