What do you think?
Rate this book
Deep Love アユの物語 [Deep Love: Ayu no Monogatari] #1
Deep Love アユの物語 1 [Deep Love: Ayu no Monogatari 1]
援助交際、妊娠、出産、そしてエイズ……。時代に流され、失望し、知らないうちに自分を傷つけてしまう少女たちを描いた衝撃の問題作――!! おばあちゃんの死によって齎（もた）らされた義之（よしゆき）との出会いが、アユの運命を変える!! 心臓病を患（わずら）う義之の手術代のため、アユは地道に働いていたのだったが……。大人たちの欲望が、義之を愛するアユの心をズタズタに裂いていく……。そんななか、突然の病魔がアユを襲う――!! 世紀の愛の奇跡、いよいよ完結!! ２７０万人が涙した『Deep Love』シリーズが、ついに待望のコミック化!!
248 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2004
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 18, 2019
I've never cried this hard over anything. Be it a book, graphic novel, manga, or show/movie.
This manga ripped my heart right out of my chest and blew it.
This manga ripped my heart right out of my chest and blew it.
October 22, 2012
4/5 stars. Abandon hope all ye who enter here.
October 15, 2023
Umm it was a bit explicit, maybe more.
July 27, 2014
Deep Love was so agonizing that I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. Some of the horrific scenes even felt like they were branded on the back of my eyelids. Goddammit, never has there been a manga this depressingly raw.
January 17, 2020
The book is about a teenage girl that live a sad life put that's life and yes there are scenes that make the reader feel that her life is unfair and is messed up. This manga isn't for kids that cry over BS boys it's for people that are more in to the slice of life categorie not a romance manga and am glad that it's not romance. This manga can teach some ignorant kids how messed up life is
August 14, 2020
My hands literally can't stop shaking and my head can't wrap itself after I read this manga like it is so so sad man. We see a young schoolgirl being handled by shady people as well as having unprotected sex with dirty b**tards for the sake of money. My non continuous question throughout reading this manga, where was her parents in all of this taking place??!!!!!!
She then befriends the old woman and then later on, she befriends her adopted son Yoshiyoki who has a chronic illness (there was not much information about the cause). To tell you the truth, I f*cking hated Yoshiyoki's father for being a nasty d*uchebag towards Ayu and using her as a toy just like the rest of the men she unfortunately encountered.
This manga not only made me really upset but very angry like I can't put it into proper words of what to say. It makes you just feel helpless because it is sadly enough happening in our world💔💔💔💔
She then befriends the old woman and then later on, she befriends her adopted son Yoshiyoki who has a chronic illness (there was not much information about the cause). To tell you the truth, I f*cking hated Yoshiyoki's father for being a nasty d*uchebag towards Ayu and using her as a toy just like the rest of the men she unfortunately encountered.
This manga not only made me really upset but very angry like I can't put it into proper words of what to say. It makes you just feel helpless because it is sadly enough happening in our world💔💔💔💔
February 22, 2016
see full review @ Katie's Corner
Today’s review will be a bit different from all my reviews. Normally I never combine works into one review, however, today I made an exception, as al 4 works are part of one big series called Deep Love: real. I have read these short stories when I was first introduced to the manga world and I remember I stayed all night awake as it was something that made me cry and couldn’t let me go. I remember that that for the last 2-3 months I had this weird feeling, I wanted to re-read this series, but I forgot the name, and because I had to look up my old notebook where I was keeping which books I read, as soon as I saw the title I knew it was it. However, let me get back to the review. As I have already mentioned the review covers 4 stories: Pao’s story, Ayu’s story, Host and Reina’s Fate. Each one is around 2 volumes long and can be read without reading the main series – Real. However, if you are interested in Real, there are only 23 chapters available, so if you don’t know Japanese, you’ll have to wait until someone will take it up to translate.
It’s true you can read the stories in any order, however, I believe the best order to read the is:
· Pao’s story
· Ayu’s Story
· Host
· Reina’s Fate
This way everything will fall in order and you’ll know the whole story. So, why should you actually read these stories? Well, the only thing I can say is realism. Yes, Yoshi as the author is outstanding at presenting the life in its real colors. So, let’s start our journey.
First is Pao, a puppy. Yes, the whole story is from the dog’s POV, and that makes the story even more frightening. Discover the cruelty of the human beings, but do not worry there are kind humans amongst us too. The whole story makes you wonder in which category do you actually fall into?
Second is Ayu, a young girl, who sells her body. You might not like Ayu as a character because she’s a prostitute, however, you can’t ignore the harsh reality that she is living in. similar to Pao’s story Ayu encounters both cruel and kind people. There’s death on her way, but the grandma and Pao are the ones who help her put away her job and live happily. But Yoshi being the realist makes Ayu start selling her body again, however, now you are encouraging her, you want it to end fast and it does. And if you have read Pao’s story you already know how it ends. Tragically doesn’t really describe it.
And here come’s in the main story Real, or if you want a short version, read the Host (The drawing is much better). It is time for Yoshioki to tell his story. Yup, he’s the kid with the heart decease, for whom Ayu has started working again. With his parent dead and the love of his life not near him, he applies to work in a host club. You’ll ask why? The answer is absolutely simple he wants to understand Ayu. Again take a journey into the “underworld” and try to live it without getting scarred. The story takes a quite optimistic turn at one point, however, Yoshi doesn’t disappoint and again the main Hero ends up all alone, twice brokenhearted, but at least he’s alive, but as one could say it would have been better for him to be dead.
And with that we are nearing the last story: Reina’s fate. If you have already read the previous stories you know that Reina is Ayu’s friend who was raped and kept the child. She named her kid Ayu and it is the time to see how her life will go on. I the beginning I though at least her story will have a happy ending, however, everything changes when Ayu becomes blind and Reina start selling her body to take care of her. No happy ending for her, she’s abused by her boss, her lover is killed in front of her and she goes mad. But to know more and how her story ends you’ll need to read the story yourself.
If you ask me whose story is the most tragic I would say either Yoshoiki’s or Reina’s but in the end I will still choose Yoshioki, why? If you read the story you’ll understand. He loses too much and he remembers everything. Are you ready for a thrilling journey into the life of teens and young adults? Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below. Stay tune for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!
XOXO
Katie
Today’s review will be a bit different from all my reviews. Normally I never combine works into one review, however, today I made an exception, as al 4 works are part of one big series called Deep Love: real. I have read these short stories when I was first introduced to the manga world and I remember I stayed all night awake as it was something that made me cry and couldn’t let me go. I remember that that for the last 2-3 months I had this weird feeling, I wanted to re-read this series, but I forgot the name, and because I had to look up my old notebook where I was keeping which books I read, as soon as I saw the title I knew it was it. However, let me get back to the review. As I have already mentioned the review covers 4 stories: Pao’s story, Ayu’s story, Host and Reina’s Fate. Each one is around 2 volumes long and can be read without reading the main series – Real. However, if you are interested in Real, there are only 23 chapters available, so if you don’t know Japanese, you’ll have to wait until someone will take it up to translate.
It’s true you can read the stories in any order, however, I believe the best order to read the is:
· Pao’s story
· Ayu’s Story
· Host
· Reina’s Fate
This way everything will fall in order and you’ll know the whole story. So, why should you actually read these stories? Well, the only thing I can say is realism. Yes, Yoshi as the author is outstanding at presenting the life in its real colors. So, let’s start our journey.
First is Pao, a puppy. Yes, the whole story is from the dog’s POV, and that makes the story even more frightening. Discover the cruelty of the human beings, but do not worry there are kind humans amongst us too. The whole story makes you wonder in which category do you actually fall into?
Second is Ayu, a young girl, who sells her body. You might not like Ayu as a character because she’s a prostitute, however, you can’t ignore the harsh reality that she is living in. similar to Pao’s story Ayu encounters both cruel and kind people. There’s death on her way, but the grandma and Pao are the ones who help her put away her job and live happily. But Yoshi being the realist makes Ayu start selling her body again, however, now you are encouraging her, you want it to end fast and it does. And if you have read Pao’s story you already know how it ends. Tragically doesn’t really describe it.
And here come’s in the main story Real, or if you want a short version, read the Host (The drawing is much better). It is time for Yoshioki to tell his story. Yup, he’s the kid with the heart decease, for whom Ayu has started working again. With his parent dead and the love of his life not near him, he applies to work in a host club. You’ll ask why? The answer is absolutely simple he wants to understand Ayu. Again take a journey into the “underworld” and try to live it without getting scarred. The story takes a quite optimistic turn at one point, however, Yoshi doesn’t disappoint and again the main Hero ends up all alone, twice brokenhearted, but at least he’s alive, but as one could say it would have been better for him to be dead.
And with that we are nearing the last story: Reina’s fate. If you have already read the previous stories you know that Reina is Ayu’s friend who was raped and kept the child. She named her kid Ayu and it is the time to see how her life will go on. I the beginning I though at least her story will have a happy ending, however, everything changes when Ayu becomes blind and Reina start selling her body to take care of her. No happy ending for her, she’s abused by her boss, her lover is killed in front of her and she goes mad. But to know more and how her story ends you’ll need to read the story yourself.
If you ask me whose story is the most tragic I would say either Yoshoiki’s or Reina’s but in the end I will still choose Yoshioki, why? If you read the story you’ll understand. He loses too much and he remembers everything. Are you ready for a thrilling journey into the life of teens and young adults? Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below. Stay tune for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!
XOXO
Katie
January 12, 2015
It brings out the human in you.
This was my very FIRST slice of life manga I have ever read before.I wanted something real to read or close to it,bills,problems,payments,jobs,life choices and I found it.A manga so close to real life its magnificent in all its glory.It brings you up it brings you down it even makes you question yourself and your ways of life.It makes you cry happy tears,sad tears it feels your heart with real pain real feelings for each character in it.After I finished this manga it made me lay in bed and think how thankful I should be for my life and how it could always be worst and how there is someone out there in pain or having it worst or having the worst of luck right now.It makes you wanna help others get by makes you wanna do something that would make your heart flip and flop with kindness.Make you hold tighter on your hope and wishes in life even more ever than before.All in all its worth ten stars for being a manga that is so inspiring to anyone,for those weak at heart it not for you,or those who has been given things in life or just spoil rotten it not for you or it make you real depress and question yourself even more...for those of you who think certain things like having a std is gross and that the persons should die alone is just a evil person in my opinion is wrong.But lets face the fact many of you don't have a std and many of you who does or close or worst than it or have illness or just rotten luck or are rape victims in real life you SHOULD read it its for you guys...it will bring you up from darkness if you in it..it will put you in high spirits.:) For those who say loose all hope don't listen to them its for you guys For I am a rape victim for I was rape and I caught three stds from it one was incurable it will make you cry but it will make you strong.Read it. At least try to.You might be overjoyed in the end. You might loves this cause it has some relation to yourself in real life.
This was my very FIRST slice of life manga I have ever read before.I wanted something real to read or close to it,bills,problems,payments,jobs,life choices and I found it.A manga so close to real life its magnificent in all its glory.It brings you up it brings you down it even makes you question yourself and your ways of life.It makes you cry happy tears,sad tears it feels your heart with real pain real feelings for each character in it.After I finished this manga it made me lay in bed and think how thankful I should be for my life and how it could always be worst and how there is someone out there in pain or having it worst or having the worst of luck right now.It makes you wanna help others get by makes you wanna do something that would make your heart flip and flop with kindness.Make you hold tighter on your hope and wishes in life even more ever than before.All in all its worth ten stars for being a manga that is so inspiring to anyone,for those weak at heart it not for you,or those who has been given things in life or just spoil rotten it not for you or it make you real depress and question yourself even more...for those of you who think certain things like having a std is gross and that the persons should die alone is just a evil person in my opinion is wrong.But lets face the fact many of you don't have a std and many of you who does or close or worst than it or have illness or just rotten luck or are rape victims in real life you SHOULD read it its for you guys...it will bring you up from darkness if you in it..it will put you in high spirits.:) For those who say loose all hope don't listen to them its for you guys For I am a rape victim for I was rape and I caught three stds from it one was incurable it will make you cry but it will make you strong.Read it. At least try to.You might be overjoyed in the end. You might loves this cause it has some relation to yourself in real life.
October 20, 2013
A very twisted and depressing story. It depicts reality, for some people who lives in the comfort of their home, family and friends they would really see this as just an exaggerating manga but hey, let's all accept it, this story might actually be happening in those dark corners of this world where we have never been. I believe this manga showed how cruel the world is, how life can be this rotten. I felt so much pity to Ayu, at first she did all of those because she felt so empty but in the end she also did those things because she found someone to protect. I didn't stop crying when I reached the middle of this story until the end. I cried a lot, I cried when grandma died, I cried when Ayu worked so hard to earn for the operation, I cried when she was getting so thin and someone called her "anorexic" not knowing she eats a little to save more money, I cried when she gave her burger to the beggar and the beggar called her an "angel", I cried when she learned she has aids, I cried when her friend named her daughter "Ayu". I cried so much, I felt so depressed after reading this. I couldn't sleep thinking about how this story could be so true to someone, how there is someone out there living a life like this and I'm just lying in my warm bed doing nothing to save those lost lives. This really deserves a 5 star.
August 11, 2017
This is one damn mean manga. I cried my eyes out...
Beware, you may feel despair and hopelessness when reading this. It tells you about the beauty and the cruelty of live. There is also a lot of social criticism. I won't go deeper into that issue, I am too exhausted after reading this, let me just say this is one amazing work and I ask you to read it.
We have this 17-year-old girl without a purpose in live and not knowing what happiness is. She sells her body and lives at her gigolo's flat, having no other place to return to. Besides him she has only one other friend, who also sells her body. One day she meets an old lady and befriends her. Through her she finds that there can be happiness in this dark and dirty world. But live isn't fair...
read: 17.09.13; 22.02.14; 13.02.16
Beware, you may feel despair and hopelessness when reading this. It tells you about the beauty and the cruelty of live. There is also a lot of social criticism. I won't go deeper into that issue, I am too exhausted after reading this, let me just say this is one amazing work and I ask you to read it.
We have this 17-year-old girl without a purpose in live and not knowing what happiness is. She sells her body and lives at her gigolo's flat, having no other place to return to. Besides him she has only one other friend, who also sells her body. One day she meets an old lady and befriends her. Through her she finds that there can be happiness in this dark and dirty world. But live isn't fair...
read: 17.09.13; 22.02.14; 13.02.16
January 14, 2016
I quickly read it today, and I must say it has touched me to my very core. I teared up. The story is so actual to nowadays' problems and modern values that it stung me right in my feelings. Ayu is a perfect prototype for a lot of young people who feel that their existence is useless, bleak, and they do the most obscure things to justify their existence. The way Ayu was dying, the way she self-sacrificed herself for Yoshiyuki's sake moved me to tears. The way she loved him and craved a better life, craved the slim possibility to save him touched me. Ayu is a perfectly pure character, despite the 'filth' she considered herself to be, only because she was selling herself for money. I loved the story, very tragic but with a well emphasized moral. 5 stars out of 5.
January 1, 2013
This is a tearjerker. I swear. I've only been moved so many times by well written manga, this time it felt different. It was a beautiful story, I just hope that Yoshiyuki finds something wonderful to fulfil the life that Ayu had worked so hard to save. His father was such an ass, but he did well later on.
There is a lot of drama in this. But I liked that it reflected current issues in society. It's a beautiful story.
There is a lot of drama in this. But I liked that it reflected current issues in society. It's a beautiful story.
August 28, 2012
This was a first for me and I like that it is more extreme than most manga. No, I didn't like what Ayu did to herself and I know I called her a stupid ***** several times, but she did try to redeem herself...I cried and was fuming by the end of the Pao's story, but any manga or book that can me react like that is a keeper to me. :]
....And now I have to read it again!
....And now I have to read it again!
April 5, 2016
definitely not safe for work...
inspiring but at the same time heart-wrenching. lots of deaths. lots of pain. ive also read the other volume in the male lead's view, which also comprised of deaths and painful experiences. so i stopped there and didn't continue the rest of the volumes, because my heart can no longer take the tragedies occuring one after another..
so yeah. this is tragic.
inspiring but at the same time heart-wrenching. lots of deaths. lots of pain. ive also read the other volume in the male lead's view, which also comprised of deaths and painful experiences. so i stopped there and didn't continue the rest of the volumes, because my heart can no longer take the tragedies occuring one after another..
so yeah. this is tragic.
February 18, 2015
i loved the first part of this and couldn't put it down but the ending ruined it for me. i thought the ending was cheesy and over dramatic. it could've been much better than that and more believable. but overall i did enjoy it.
January 29, 2018
La historia es absorbente y muy dura, para los 2 tomos que abarca. Y seamos claros, es un dramón. Pero creedme cuando os digo que me ha encantado.
Seguir leyendo>>
December 13, 2016
If your looking for a sad story of a girl selling he body for money, having people die around her, losing everything, and having every possible bad thing happen to her in the end...then this is the story for you....
November 23, 2017
This manga has showed the picture of today’s society. Hardly all girls and women are selling their bodies just for the money. Also, boys and men are the biggest criminals because they are impatient towards their desire
November 4, 2012
saddest manga eveer
June 5, 2014
Deep Love: Ayu's story, was not your typical teen romance but was well written and did make me cry. Yoshiyuki story continues in Deep love: Real and DEEP LOVE - HOST .
August 13, 2015
es que acaso el mangaka no sabe que tengo sentimientos :(
November 6, 2015
Loved the story and it was so, so sad :c
I'm not a crazy fan of the drawings but the storyline compensated for it, I can assure you.
I'm not a crazy fan of the drawings but the storyline compensated for it, I can assure you.
November 29, 2016
mature manga, but characters with conflicting stories. a really good read.
September 22, 2017
Reading for the second time. I'm not crying anymore.
January 15, 2025
the year just started............. this is already the worst book i read. i stopped reading it after she died of aids.
i am sick of authors giving their characters stds as a way of "punishment" i see that everyone is giving this book such high praise but i hated it. this story did not handle the subject of hiv/aids well AT ALL. it's just as bad, if not WORSE than what tyler perry does. i will have a video coming soon about this on my channel because this book pissed me off.
i am sick of authors giving their characters stds as a way of "punishment" i see that everyone is giving this book such high praise but i hated it. this story did not handle the subject of hiv/aids well AT ALL. it's just as bad, if not WORSE than what tyler perry does. i will have a video coming soon about this on my channel because this book pissed me off.
January 26, 2022
Soooo
I was not emotionally prepared for this book
This book is extremely deep and makes you just feel really really bad where you just kind of sit there and reevaluate your life
I don't even know if I hate this book or I love it but lknjongbhnjmknojb
Don't read it if you're are not mentally ready to go through a rollercoaster of emotions
I was not emotionally prepared for this book
This book is extremely deep and makes you just feel really really bad where you just kind of sit there and reevaluate your life
I don't even know if I hate this book or I love it but lknjongbhnjmknojb
Don't read it if you're are not mentally ready to go through a rollercoaster of emotions
November 27, 2018
*3.75
I haven't re-read this story in a long while, but I definitely don't remember feeling this much sadness last time. Maybe because I'm older now and understand more of the struggle Ayu has to face and it's just hitting in all of my feels...?
I haven't re-read this story in a long while, but I definitely don't remember feeling this much sadness last time. Maybe because I'm older now and understand more of the struggle Ayu has to face and it's just hitting in all of my feels...?
July 19, 2017
Pain is real
December 28, 2019
It's so dark and everything happens so quickly. You feel hope but at the same time hopeless. I'm curious about what she will do at the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews