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Wielka Wojna Zodiaku
Raz na dwanaście lat odbywa się Wielka Wojna Zodiaku. Dwanaścioro odważnych wojowników noszących imiona znaków chińskiego zodiaku staje do rytualnej walki, na szali kładąc swoje życia i dusze. Ten, kto zwycięży, będzie mógł spełnić jedno jedyne życzenie…
Light Novel
Light Novel
Paperback
First published May 19, 2015
27 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
NisiOisiN
288 books967 followersNisio Isin (西尾維新 Nishio Ishin), frequently written as NisiOisiN to emphasize that his pen name is a palindrome, is a Japanese novelist and manga writer. He attended and left Ritsumeikan University without graduating. In 2002, he debuted with the novel Kubikiri Cycle, which earned him the 23rd Mephisto Award at twenty years of age.
He currently works with Kodansha on Pandora, the Kodansha Box magazine, and Faust, a literary magazine containing the works of other young authors who similarly take influence from light novels and otaku culture. He was also publishing a twelve volume series over twelve months for the Kodansha Box line; Ryusui Seiryoin was matching this output, and the Kodansha Box website stated that this is the first time in the world two authors have done twelve volume monthly novel series simultaneously from the same publisher.
In February, 2008, his novel Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases was released in English by Viz Media. Del Rey Manga has already released the first volume in his Zaregoto series. His Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari and Katanagatari novels have been adapted into anime series. Nekomonogatari (Kuro) has been adapted into an anime TV movie, and Kizumonogatari will be release in theaters this year. Monogatari Series: Second Season, adapted from 6 books in Monogatari Series will air in July 2013. Another of his works, Medaka Box (manga), has been adapted into a two-season anime series.
He currently works with Kodansha on Pandora, the Kodansha Box magazine, and Faust, a literary magazine containing the works of other young authors who similarly take influence from light novels and otaku culture. He was also publishing a twelve volume series over twelve months for the Kodansha Box line; Ryusui Seiryoin was matching this output, and the Kodansha Box website stated that this is the first time in the world two authors have done twelve volume monthly novel series simultaneously from the same publisher.
In February, 2008, his novel Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases was released in English by Viz Media. Del Rey Manga has already released the first volume in his Zaregoto series. His Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari and Katanagatari novels have been adapted into anime series. Nekomonogatari (Kuro) has been adapted into an anime TV movie, and Kizumonogatari will be release in theaters this year. Monogatari Series: Second Season, adapted from 6 books in Monogatari Series will air in July 2013. Another of his works, Medaka Box (manga), has been adapted into a two-season anime series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 14, 2020
3.5/4 star.
Fast paced, morose and dark.
Really enjoyable.
Fast paced, morose and dark.
Really enjoyable.
October 24, 2017
I have to admit this book really disappointed me. I have to come to really enjoy NisiOisiN's books I've read so far, but this one didn't meet expectations. The premise of this book is really intriguing, as it features the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac fighting it out to be the lone victor and have a wish granted. That part is awesome, but the structure of the chapters was not. Once I realized the pattern of how deaths occur, I was kind of bored. When you start a chapter and immediately know who the next death is before reading a single line, the fun of wondering who is next is sucked out of it. This book had potential, but it was squandered in my opinion. I give it a 3.25 out of 5.
October 10, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Juni Taisen: Zodiac War is a battle royale type of novel in which 12 warriors representing various Chinese Zodiac animals battle in a fight to the death. Although from Viz, this is not a manga - the only illustrations are collected on the cover and used as chapter headings. The novel itself is what we'd come to expect from a light novel type of story: minimal world building and twisty turns as each contestant is eliminated.Story: 12 combatants are required to come every 12 years to fight in a battle royale to the death. Each represents a zodiac sign and mysterious 'god like beings' bet on the results. Only one is allowed to survive until the end and that person will be granted any wish.
The book is cleverly organized by viewpoints: each chapter starts with a graphic of the character and their background. Then it follows their viewpoint until they either kill or are killed. The killings are, of course, imaginative and each character's unique (and supposedly hidden) talent/ability/strength is often used against them to create their end.
The world building is non existent - everything is 'mysterious beings' etc., who will clear out an entire town in order to create their betting coliseum of death. The focus is more on each character, how they think they will win, and how they eventually die. The special abilities felt lazily written - they didn't really tie in nicely to the Zodiac sign and I admit I was disappointed that the characters didn't tie in to the zodiac aspect strongly. The 'power up' abilities were more about how the author could find ways to use it against the characters rather than for the characters to win.
The book is a fast read, about two hours. At 250 odd pages, it sounds like a lot but this is not densely worded and the pace moves quickly. You have enough time to get into one character and then they are probably going to die. The shifting POVs allow the story to move at an interesting pace; it's almost like reading a compendium of short stories though it all unfolds chronologically that day of the battle.
The ending was a bit disappointing and more like an O Henry short story rather than a Battle Royale manga or Hunger Games. The lack of world building and very light tone make this ultimately a quick but fairly unsatisfying read.
There is a companion anime to this released the same time as the English license. Author NisiOisiN is best known for his Bakemonogatori and Medaka Box - psychological thrillers and horror. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
November 1, 2017
THE MAIN VILLAIN REVIEWS
Fans of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games Trilogy will definitely enjoy NisiOisiN's Juni Taisen: Zodiac War. Set in Japan, twelve warriors, each representing the Chinese Zodiac, will fight to the death. The sole winner will be granted any wish.
What makes Juni Taisen: Zodiac War appealing even to the hardcore fans of The Hunger Games is it bends some rules. For example, some of the characters don't stay dead. How does that affect the tournament? Each character has their own story to tell-- some would kill just to join the Zodiac War, while others have no choice. Repeating patterns will have readers curious: why do most of the characters claim that they have seen one of the participants but couldn't place their thoughts where and when?
The characters' abilities will surely keep readers entertained and holding on to their seats. Twist and turns could happen anytime. The characters are human-- they are flawed and ready to get ready just for the sake of saving themselves.
NisiOisiN's Juni Taisen: Zodiac War is entertaining, quick, and full of action that turns the story in the most unexpected ways. Highly recommended.
Fans of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games Trilogy will definitely enjoy NisiOisiN's Juni Taisen: Zodiac War. Set in Japan, twelve warriors, each representing the Chinese Zodiac, will fight to the death. The sole winner will be granted any wish.
What makes Juni Taisen: Zodiac War appealing even to the hardcore fans of The Hunger Games is it bends some rules. For example, some of the characters don't stay dead. How does that affect the tournament? Each character has their own story to tell-- some would kill just to join the Zodiac War, while others have no choice. Repeating patterns will have readers curious: why do most of the characters claim that they have seen one of the participants but couldn't place their thoughts where and when?
The characters' abilities will surely keep readers entertained and holding on to their seats. Twist and turns could happen anytime. The characters are human-- they are flawed and ready to get ready just for the sake of saving themselves.
NisiOisiN's Juni Taisen: Zodiac War is entertaining, quick, and full of action that turns the story in the most unexpected ways. Highly recommended.
October 30, 2017
This was a pretty straight forward book.
Every 12 years 12 representatives of the zodiac have a battle royale with the prize being any wish. There are hints of a bigger plot, but this is a self contained story about a group of fighters killing each other.
I really liked it. Most of the characters were either likable or had distinct personalities, and the hints about the type of world this would happen in were interesting. Viz did a good job with the book's packaging too.
Nisioisin is a really good writer, though it's surprising he wrote this since this is nothing like the Monogatari series or the Zaregoto series (in letting the majority of the characters be men and writing in 3rd person kind of way).
My biggest problem with this book was just how predictable it was. I knew who would win, and it became clear exactly when a character would die. The how wasn't always obvious, but the who was.
But it's the journey not the destination that matters, or something.
Of all the characters, my favorite sections were Monkey, Sheep, and (surprisingly) Tiger.
One character remained a mystery to end sadly.
Final Thoughts: I liked it, but I wish it was a little less predictable (considering how he wrote it I get why it couldn't be and I really enjoyed how he wrote it, but still).
Every 12 years 12 representatives of the zodiac have a battle royale with the prize being any wish. There are hints of a bigger plot, but this is a self contained story about a group of fighters killing each other.
I really liked it. Most of the characters were either likable or had distinct personalities, and the hints about the type of world this would happen in were interesting. Viz did a good job with the book's packaging too.
Nisioisin is a really good writer, though it's surprising he wrote this since this is nothing like the Monogatari series or the Zaregoto series (in letting the majority of the characters be men and writing in 3rd person kind of way).
My biggest problem with this book was just how predictable it was. I knew who would win, and it became clear exactly when a character would die. The how wasn't always obvious, but the who was.
But it's the journey not the destination that matters, or something.
Of all the characters, my favorite sections were Monkey, Sheep, and (surprisingly) Tiger.
One character remained a mystery to end sadly.
Final Thoughts: I liked it, but I wish it was a little less predictable (considering how he wrote it I get why it couldn't be and I really enjoyed how he wrote it, but still).
October 16, 2020
3.5
I enjoyed the book, I liked the interesting characters. Bunny was probably my favorite of course. Beyond that, the book was your pretty standard battle royale kind of book. I recommend it for those who like light novels and fighting plots. And who like interesting characters because you do go in depth with the 12 characters for the most part.
I enjoyed the book, I liked the interesting characters. Bunny was probably my favorite of course. Beyond that, the book was your pretty standard battle royale kind of book. I recommend it for those who like light novels and fighting plots. And who like interesting characters because you do go in depth with the 12 characters for the most part.
May 2, 2018
Not bad. It was a fast read and had to make sure not to read the table of contents because it was easy to see whom would win. It was well written and I enjoyed it. Nisioisin is a creative writer and I would still read his stuff. Bakemonogatari was better.
December 12, 2017
4 out of 5 stars on Looking Glass Reads.
I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by NisiOisin before. Not only that, I’ve only just started watching Bakemonogatari. Finally I can say that I’ve read something by this author! I happened to come across an absolutely beautiful copy of The Zodiac War by NisiOisin in my local bookstore not too long ago and immediately picked up a copy.
This book is about the Zodiac War, a battle that occurs every twelve years between fighters which represent each of the twelve zodiacs. What you see is pretty much what you get here. The story opens with the introduction of this year’s Zodiac War by the overseer of the event before following each of the combatants as they utilize everything they possibly can in order to secure victory.
The point of view changes rather frequently in this book. Yet where other books I’ve read have trouble with story flow while switching between only two character’s point of view, this novel makes twelve points of view feel like the most natural thing in the world. Each fighter, or nearly each fighter, gets a section from their point of view. The transitions from one chapter to the next were extremely smooth. The point of view was never confusing, and each character’s voice was distinct enough to stand out from the rest.
The character’s themselves were a very eclectic bunch. All were masters at something whether it was a fighting style, weapon type, or a more fantasy based ability. Personalities were also incredibly varied. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t like reading about, nor any one character that I particularly disliked. Each one was very interesting in their own right.
The book is divided into ‘Battles’ as opposed to chapters. Though titled differently they work the same, dividing the book at appropriate points and are further broken down into shorter sections. Each new chapter features an image of the character who’s point of view we follow in that chapter as well as a short biography page that tells a little bit about the character’s background.
One of the interesting parts of the novel is that it only follows the Zodiac War. We see the participants fighting against one another, struggling to win. Some fight because that’s their job. Other’s fight because there was no way to turn down the invitation to fight. And some just want the wish they will be granted if they win.
Needless to say, this is a very fast paced book. A lot happens within 250 pages. There is plenty of fight scenes, some great strategizing, and I loved every second of it. What isn’t talked about is the larger implications of what the Zodiac War is and what it means. That isn’t to say that this is never discussed at all. Enough background is given both about the Zodiac Wars themselves and through some character’s pasts that readers get a solid idea of what it is and what it means. However, as the narrator states, this is a game on two levels. A physical one for the fighters, and a game of politics and money for those who organize it. And the latter is not something that the fighters, especially while on the battlefield, are thinking about in any great detail.
I would be interested to read more about these characters and this world. Thankfully, we do have a little more available to us. There is a one shot manga included within an anthology called Ogiri which features one of these characters, something I will definitely be searching for in the near future.
It isn’t very often that we get a high quality light novel release like The Zodiac War. This is a hardback with a beautiful dust jacket featuring all of the Zodiac War’s participants. Beneath the dust jacket is a gorgeous cream colored hardback covered in the character's depicting the various animals of the zodiac and the same diamond shaped title and author image from the dust jacket. This is a book you’ll want to display, and if you’re like me, minus the dust jacket.
I really enjoyed The Zodiac War by NisiOisin. In the near future I’ll be both looking for the manga anthology Ogiri as well as watching the anime based off of this book. If you like fast paced stories with some light fantasy elements, definitely pick up this book. I highly recommend it.
I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by NisiOisin before. Not only that, I’ve only just started watching Bakemonogatari. Finally I can say that I’ve read something by this author! I happened to come across an absolutely beautiful copy of The Zodiac War by NisiOisin in my local bookstore not too long ago and immediately picked up a copy.
This book is about the Zodiac War, a battle that occurs every twelve years between fighters which represent each of the twelve zodiacs. What you see is pretty much what you get here. The story opens with the introduction of this year’s Zodiac War by the overseer of the event before following each of the combatants as they utilize everything they possibly can in order to secure victory.
The point of view changes rather frequently in this book. Yet where other books I’ve read have trouble with story flow while switching between only two character’s point of view, this novel makes twelve points of view feel like the most natural thing in the world. Each fighter, or nearly each fighter, gets a section from their point of view. The transitions from one chapter to the next were extremely smooth. The point of view was never confusing, and each character’s voice was distinct enough to stand out from the rest.
The character’s themselves were a very eclectic bunch. All were masters at something whether it was a fighting style, weapon type, or a more fantasy based ability. Personalities were also incredibly varied. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t like reading about, nor any one character that I particularly disliked. Each one was very interesting in their own right.
The book is divided into ‘Battles’ as opposed to chapters. Though titled differently they work the same, dividing the book at appropriate points and are further broken down into shorter sections. Each new chapter features an image of the character who’s point of view we follow in that chapter as well as a short biography page that tells a little bit about the character’s background.
One of the interesting parts of the novel is that it only follows the Zodiac War. We see the participants fighting against one another, struggling to win. Some fight because that’s their job. Other’s fight because there was no way to turn down the invitation to fight. And some just want the wish they will be granted if they win.
Needless to say, this is a very fast paced book. A lot happens within 250 pages. There is plenty of fight scenes, some great strategizing, and I loved every second of it. What isn’t talked about is the larger implications of what the Zodiac War is and what it means. That isn’t to say that this is never discussed at all. Enough background is given both about the Zodiac Wars themselves and through some character’s pasts that readers get a solid idea of what it is and what it means. However, as the narrator states, this is a game on two levels. A physical one for the fighters, and a game of politics and money for those who organize it. And the latter is not something that the fighters, especially while on the battlefield, are thinking about in any great detail.
I would be interested to read more about these characters and this world. Thankfully, we do have a little more available to us. There is a one shot manga included within an anthology called Ogiri which features one of these characters, something I will definitely be searching for in the near future.
It isn’t very often that we get a high quality light novel release like The Zodiac War. This is a hardback with a beautiful dust jacket featuring all of the Zodiac War’s participants. Beneath the dust jacket is a gorgeous cream colored hardback covered in the character's depicting the various animals of the zodiac and the same diamond shaped title and author image from the dust jacket. This is a book you’ll want to display, and if you’re like me, minus the dust jacket.
I really enjoyed The Zodiac War by NisiOisin. In the near future I’ll be both looking for the manga anthology Ogiri as well as watching the anime based off of this book. If you like fast paced stories with some light fantasy elements, definitely pick up this book. I highly recommend it.
November 28, 2017
A solid, but not spectacularly interesting Battle Royale story. This is a true Battle Royale, no punches pulled when it comes to characters dying in bloody ways.
If you're looking for a sweeping epic with grandiose setup and character development, you've come to the wrong book. Besides a brief interlude about a character before each chapter, this book is focused on thoughts about actions and then the actual actions taking place. Most of the combatants don't know each other, and some don't even know the renown of the abilities of the fighters. Fights are swift, some being settled in a matter of a line or two. There are many instances where you'll likely be screaming at these characters to make more intelligent decisions / be more cautious, but alas, they'll often run into avoidable problems.
The victor of the battle seemed pretty obvious for how it was going. I wasn't sure how we were supposed to feel towards the scenario we saw. Like, one of the "villains" of the scenario could easily be seen as an intelligent mastermind, someone worth rooting. Some of the "heroes" are not as cunning or intelligent again, some of them were just lucky, so I didn't really feel like rooting for them. I use the term hero and villain here just to mean characters with a disadvantage but they work together / try their best to overcome a single enemy, and villain as "characters with overwhelming odds in their favor that would normally be rooted against as people like underdogs". I don't know, I didn't care for the underdogs as much.
Despite the story being about granting a wish, we don't really get to see this wish in action, and we don't learn too many of the wishes other losers held. Is there more to this? Will there be a follow-up novel? Is this story some sort of commentary on people living in society (the reader) not always getting what they want / not seeing things fulfilled satisfyingly? I dunno. Maybe gotta read some other impressions and take a look at the Afterward.
If you're looking for a sweeping epic with grandiose setup and character development, you've come to the wrong book. Besides a brief interlude about a character before each chapter, this book is focused on thoughts about actions and then the actual actions taking place. Most of the combatants don't know each other, and some don't even know the renown of the abilities of the fighters. Fights are swift, some being settled in a matter of a line or two. There are many instances where you'll likely be screaming at these characters to make more intelligent decisions / be more cautious, but alas, they'll often run into avoidable problems.
The victor of the battle seemed pretty obvious for how it was going. I wasn't sure how we were supposed to feel towards the scenario we saw. Like, one of the "villains" of the scenario could easily be seen as an intelligent mastermind, someone worth rooting. Some of the "heroes" are not as cunning or intelligent again, some of them were just lucky, so I didn't really feel like rooting for them. I use the term hero and villain here just to mean characters with a disadvantage but they work together / try their best to overcome a single enemy, and villain as "characters with overwhelming odds in their favor that would normally be rooted against as people like underdogs". I don't know, I didn't care for the underdogs as much.
Despite the story being about granting a wish, we don't really get to see this wish in action, and we don't learn too many of the wishes other losers held. Is there more to this? Will there be a follow-up novel? Is this story some sort of commentary on people living in society (the reader) not always getting what they want / not seeing things fulfilled satisfyingly? I dunno. Maybe gotta read some other impressions and take a look at the Afterward.
June 23, 2018
The premise of this story is about 12 warriors chosen to fight in a proxy war that is held once every 12 years. Battle royale is a genre that have saturated the market in recent years, given rise by the likes of Hunger Games and even Fate series, it is inevitable that Juuni Taisen will be compared to them.
I have started this book after finishing it's anime, so I went in with the knowledge of what will happen. And as many others have pointed out, it is predictable. But if you start this book with the mindset of wanting to be thrilled and/or you enjoy seeing the angst and grandeur melodrama just like what you can expect in other Battle Royale, then you will not enjoy this book.
What this book manage to do however is putting realistic and human response in a fantasy setting. It touches on philosophical questions in situations played out throughout the Zodiac war. Like the moral ethics of Rabbit, the question of 'how to do the right thing' by Tiger, the pacifist Monkey trying to save everyone, Rat dying ninety-nine times so that he could live one uninteresting life, just to name a few.
The book even ends off with a very anticlimactic ending, one where it ended off going along the lines of 'Life goes on, as usual.' It's a nihilistic book at its best, and that works for me. But it is also predictive and uninteresting at its worst.
On a personal note, I truly enjoyed it, and came to love every single characters. I would give it a 4/5 or even a 4.5/5. But on a much more level-headed mind, I would give it a 3/4 due to editing problems that I have caught here and there.
ps. I do wish that one day I will still get to know what Monkey's plans truly were. Though I do have a few slight ideas from clues in the book itself.
I have started this book after finishing it's anime, so I went in with the knowledge of what will happen. And as many others have pointed out, it is predictable. But if you start this book with the mindset of wanting to be thrilled and/or you enjoy seeing the angst and grandeur melodrama just like what you can expect in other Battle Royale, then you will not enjoy this book.
What this book manage to do however is putting realistic and human response in a fantasy setting. It touches on philosophical questions in situations played out throughout the Zodiac war. Like the moral ethics of Rabbit, the question of 'how to do the right thing' by Tiger, the pacifist Monkey trying to save everyone, Rat dying ninety-nine times so that he could live one uninteresting life, just to name a few.
The book even ends off with a very anticlimactic ending, one where it ended off going along the lines of 'Life goes on, as usual.' It's a nihilistic book at its best, and that works for me. But it is also predictive and uninteresting at its worst.
On a personal note, I truly enjoyed it, and came to love every single characters. I would give it a 4/5 or even a 4.5/5. But on a much more level-headed mind, I would give it a 3/4 due to editing problems that I have caught here and there.
ps. I do wish that one day I will still get to know what Monkey's plans truly were. Though I do have a few slight ideas from clues in the book itself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2018
L gave me their copy after reading, saying they had no sympathy for any of the characters and I was prepared for the worst. But actually it wasn't so bad?
So it looks like Juni Taisen is a prologue to a manga illustrated by Hikaru Nakamura (who also drew the cover for the novel) and I guess that makes sense considering how fast Juni Taisen just... went down. You get a few sub-chapters for each 'fight' and the battles don't usually last long. A blessing, from what I've seen of NisiOisiN's fight scenes to be honest, but also doesn't really give me the feeling that these people are the world's greatest fighters. We could chalk it up to 'well all of them are good so it's a matter of who's better right?' but honestly? After the hype we saw of Boar and how deadly she was, how femme fatale, how strong, and then bam she's just dead--I kinda feel cheated you know?
Two specific points I like: the combatants' bio that appears before their chapters. I like some of them and think they're interesting characters from their bio. Too bad the actual novel doesn't really show much of any of that.
Another is Tiger's disappointment about life in general. I didn't really think I'd like her as much as I did but her chapters were pretty good. It shows how an innocent and naive person can react to war and death and I liked that.
All in all the novel's not too bad, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it.
So it looks like Juni Taisen is a prologue to a manga illustrated by Hikaru Nakamura (who also drew the cover for the novel) and I guess that makes sense considering how fast Juni Taisen just... went down. You get a few sub-chapters for each 'fight' and the battles don't usually last long. A blessing, from what I've seen of NisiOisiN's fight scenes to be honest, but also doesn't really give me the feeling that these people are the world's greatest fighters. We could chalk it up to 'well all of them are good so it's a matter of who's better right?' but honestly? After the hype we saw of Boar and how deadly she was, how femme fatale, how strong, and then bam she's just dead--I kinda feel cheated you know?
Two specific points I like: the combatants' bio that appears before their chapters. I like some of them and think they're interesting characters from their bio. Too bad the actual novel doesn't really show much of any of that.
Another is Tiger's disappointment about life in general. I didn't really think I'd like her as much as I did but her chapters were pretty good. It shows how an innocent and naive person can react to war and death and I liked that.
All in all the novel's not too bad, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it.
April 3, 2023
The positives--it's a fast read; the chapters are short and it's an easy read. If you enjoy the battle royale genre, then this is one. Is it creative? Sometimes. I'm rather doubtful that this is the only one of it's kind--taking on the Chinese Zodiac as the background. Some of the more philosophical waxing parts are fine, some fall flat. The characters are the strength, so it's kind of a shame that they go by so quickly. There is the element that absolutely nothing is a surprise--everything from the table of contents to the cover to chapter titles tells you what is about to happen. It's not a case of "your literary prowess makes you privy to predict what's about to happen" like, no, the book is screaming at you "this character is about to die, now read it happen." With absolutely zero sense of antiipation, the book loses some enjoyability. It really just wasn't my cup of tea, but I can appreciate elements of it and recognize that others might enjoy it more than I did. (Also, I'm bitter cause, spoiler, my zodiac representative didn't win, so...)
February 17, 2024
it was the middest book i have ever read. i guess this in itself is an acomplpishment huh... it has 255 pages and only the last 50 pages had me captivated and moved. those last 50 pages were awesome and the only reason i am rating this 3 stars instead of 1 (and the foreshadowing). the first 200 pages i kept rollling my eyes and at one point i literally yelled WHO CARES WHO CARES WHO CARES. the other fighters (besides Monkey, Rat, Ox and especially Tiger) had the same inner monolouge and the same explanations over and over and over again. i didnt care for any of them till Tiger and Ox. i had expected Rat to be my favourite since i love an underdog story but even tho his power is so awesome and i will certainly let that power inspire me if i decide to write a fantasy story, his personality was so banal i wanted to smack him on the head. this wasnt helped by the fact that even with his power he still acted his age (miserable teenage boy). anyway. kind of a waste of time and definetely a waste of money. i wonder if i can return it
May 21, 2019
This is such a guilty pleasure read of mine. In my heart I knew it should not have been a 5 star read, yet here we are.
The anime was probably 3.5 not bad but not great. So, whenever I read the light novel I was not expecting much and was pleasantly surprised.
The story itself is very predictable if you know the backstory of the Chinese zodiac (or if you read the chapter outline). Putting that aside the writing for this light novel was outstanding. The best writing in a light novel I have read yet. It was beautifully detailed. The characters were surprisingly deep (not all that fleshed out in some cases) but even still they were human with humble wishes. Despite them being strong warriors most with supernatural powers. The powers were very unique. The warriors had some resemblance to the zodiac animal they were portraying. It was a quick read not sure if it's for everyone, enjoyable nonetheless.
The anime was probably 3.5 not bad but not great. So, whenever I read the light novel I was not expecting much and was pleasantly surprised.
The story itself is very predictable if you know the backstory of the Chinese zodiac (or if you read the chapter outline). Putting that aside the writing for this light novel was outstanding. The best writing in a light novel I have read yet. It was beautifully detailed. The characters were surprisingly deep (not all that fleshed out in some cases) but even still they were human with humble wishes. Despite them being strong warriors most with supernatural powers. The powers were very unique. The warriors had some resemblance to the zodiac animal they were portraying. It was a quick read not sure if it's for everyone, enjoyable nonetheless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2018
I picked this up because of the anime adoption and wanted to see how different it was. The anime added more to the story with the addition of most of the fighter's backstories. The book didn't contain that and I was surprised when I started. Overall, I enjoyed the novel as much I enjoyed the anime! I also was happy to see that 11/12 fighters had profiles expect for one which didn't surprise me (but I would still have loved to learn more about them!)
Ushii (Warrior of the Ox) became my favorite along with Dokku (Warrior of the Dog). Oh and I was SUPER happy on how far Inonoshishi (Warrior of the Boar) went because I'm a boar! ...Loved it!
Ushii (Warrior of the Ox) became my favorite along with Dokku (Warrior of the Dog). Oh and I was SUPER happy on how far Inonoshishi (Warrior of the Boar) went because I'm a boar! ...Loved it!
December 11, 2017
Una experiencia curiosa leer a Nisio, esta novela ligera para adultos aunque predecible tiene una narrativa creativa en cuanto a los sucesos que van marcando el "torneo" o la guerra del zodiaco. Me parece que, incluso para una novela ligera, le falto desarrollo y profundidad en los personajes.
Me parece una obra decente, curiosa y creativa, aunque no en el sentido de lo que la mayoría de los lectores esperan. Me hizo pasar un buen rato de entretenimiento, aunque poco trascendente, no todo debe ser genial y esta obra como los vinos: "una lectura para cada momento".
Me parece una obra decente, curiosa y creativa, aunque no en el sentido de lo que la mayoría de los lectores esperan. Me hizo pasar un buen rato de entretenimiento, aunque poco trascendente, no todo debe ser genial y esta obra como los vinos: "una lectura para cada momento".
June 10, 2017
在我沒關注的時候，它默默從漫畫變成小說變成動畫
原本是《大斬》（《大斬》是西尾跟很多漫畫家合作的短篇集）裡和中村光合作的一個短篇漫畫
＜どうしても叶えたいたったひとつの願いと割とそうでもない99の願い＞
（無論如何都想實現的唯一１個願望，和其他９９個無所謂的願望）
當時就對風格殊異的人物很有興趣
看了小說後，覺得西尾的戰鬥場景描寫跟角色設定果然很棒
能夠從短篇漫畫中回溯寫出這樣的戰爭......不愧是中二之神西尾
因為看過漫畫一開始就知道贏家，雖然會好奇贏取的方式，但是也是在知道除了贏家外的人都會死的前提之下閱讀
十二人說多不多說少不少，西尾巧妙的設計下，道德議題、自卑、戀愛、原則、尊嚴、希望等等全都一網打盡寫進去，到最後你投入的太深，反而對贏家做出的願望感到有點莫可奈何。
但他也是深思熟慮100次後決定的，誰也無法說什麼。
真想知道其他戰士的願望是什麼
請讓我再次讚嘆，中二之神西尾的戰爭場面真的是燒腦的好看
原本是《大斬》（《大斬》是西尾跟很多漫畫家合作的短篇集）裡和中村光合作的一個短篇漫畫
＜どうしても叶えたいたったひとつの願いと割とそうでもない99の願い＞
（無論如何都想實現的唯一１個願望，和其他９９個無所謂的願望）
當時就對風格殊異的人物很有興趣
看了小說後，覺得西尾的戰鬥場景描寫跟角色設定果然很棒
能夠從短篇漫畫中回溯寫出這樣的戰爭......不愧是中二之神西尾
因為看過漫畫一開始就知道贏家，雖然會好奇贏取的方式，但是也是在知道除了贏家外的人都會死的前提之下閱讀
十二人說多不多說少不少，西尾巧妙的設計下，道德議題、自卑、戀愛、原則、尊嚴、希望等等全都一網打盡寫進去，到最後你投入的太深，反而對贏家做出的願望感到有點莫可奈何。
但他也是深思熟慮100次後決定的，誰也無法說什麼。
真想知道其他戰士的願望是什麼
請讓我再次讚嘆，中二之神西尾的戰爭場面真的是燒腦的好看
November 30, 2017
Battle Royale as written by Nisioisin, the author of the Monogatari series.
This book is actually pretty good! At first, the chapter structure annoyed me, since it made the deaths predictable, but I realized that the deaths weren't what mattered.
This book is the textbook definition "It's about the journey, not the destination", and I'm completely fine with that. The journey was batshit insane, and I loved it ^_^
This book is actually pretty good! At first, the chapter structure annoyed me, since it made the deaths predictable, but I realized that the deaths weren't what mattered.
This book is the textbook definition "It's about the journey, not the destination", and I'm completely fine with that. The journey was batshit insane, and I loved it ^_^
March 7, 2018
Very entertaining, fast-paced read that was brought down by the predictability of the chapter format and a slightly unsatisfying ending. Some parts were overly wordy & faux deep but that's to be expected from a NisiOisiN novel. Would have liked to know more about the mysterious 'they' and get a little deeper into the character's wishes but I knew I wouldn't get much of that going in based off of previous experience with LNs
September 9, 2018
85/100 (2018 Reading Challenge)
Another enjoyable NisiOisiN read. Like battle royal & Fate/Stay night (Fate/zero et al.) named after the Chinese Zodiacs in this case. Was fun at keeping on toes to who would win, only real flaw would say is that could have been longer, give you more time to know the characters but loved it never the less. But I’m a sucker for his work since my first episode of Bakemonogatari & glad we are getting it in the UK at all.
Another enjoyable NisiOisiN read. Like battle royal & Fate/Stay night (Fate/zero et al.) named after the Chinese Zodiacs in this case. Was fun at keeping on toes to who would win, only real flaw would say is that could have been longer, give you more time to know the characters but loved it never the less. But I’m a sucker for his work since my first episode of Bakemonogatari & glad we are getting it in the UK at all.
October 4, 2019
The premise is interesting and some of the fights are nice and action-packed, but overall it was really disappointing. I figured out very early on what order the characters would die in, so I also knew early on who the winner was. In the parts between the fights, I wasn't really interested in what was going on or what the characters were thinking about since I didn't really like any of them.
I normally like Nisioisn's writing, but this one was a huge letdown.
I normally like Nisioisn's writing, but this one was a huge letdown.
September 3, 2025
This was a great book, but it had an intense storyline. I liked the characters in the book and got to know each of them, but one character that I fought to understand was Rabbit, he was just so psychotic. Maybe he was supposed to represent the dark side of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac, I'm unsure but he definitely was a creepy character that I felt very uncomfortable reading about. He seemed dead. I hope that the sequel of this book the second Zodiac war gets translated into English.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2017
It was a solid read and I enjoyed some of it's twists and turns. However, it belongs to a class of books that have done it better.
The anime looks amazing but doesn't stray at all from the book in any fashion. It's probably preferable to just watch it then read it as you won't be missing anything.
The anime looks amazing but doesn't stray at all from the book in any fashion. It's probably preferable to just watch it then read it as you won't be missing anything.
May 15, 2018
One of those series that doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is: twelve people with unusual powers kill each other in creative ways. So don't expect the hints about the war having a purpose to go anywhere, but it's decent for what it is. My main complaint is that, since we know Rat will win from meta-knowledge, the victory and lack of wish were anticlimactic.
November 27, 2018
Easily the worst book I've read by NisiOisiN. We spend a short chapter from the pov of each of the 12 characters, and they all die at the end. I'm not sure why he thought making it clear in advance who would die in each chapter was a good idea. Not having anyone to "follow" throughout the book really hurt the flow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2017
Started reading this because of the anime. Honestly, feel incompleted after the whole book. After all, it is a light novel, with 12 characters in it that pages restriction sort of limits character development. Still love the plot though!
January 23, 2018
I liked the anime, so I was excited to read the light novel. The LN is more focused on the fights, but I did enjoy reading each fighter's insights on things. It helped fleshed out some things I wasn't sure about in the anime.
February 10, 2018
I really tried to give this guy a chance, but I just couldn't get into it at all. I don't know if it's the translation or whatever, but I think I'll only give this guy another chance when I can read the original source.
October 12, 2020
I liked the concept but felt it was a bit lacklustre due to the repetitive nature of the descriptions and the fact they weren't very imaginative. The characters were cool with interesting backgrounds, but the battles were over too quickly and too predictably.
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