サイコロジカル〈下〉曳かれ者の小唄

Zaregoto #5

by NisiOisiN, Ｔａｋｅ

死線の蒼（デッドブルー）×堕落三昧（マッドデモン）×害悪細菌（グリーングリーングリーン）。戯言遣い絶体絶命。戯言シリーズ第四弾。

Genres: Light Novel, Mystery, Fiction, Japanese Literature

292 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2002

About the author

Nisio 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.

Reviews

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck you, NisiOisiN. What the fuck was this. I don't even know how to react to this but say I hated that this novel went there and that it was actually a pretty good execution and that pisses me off.

So Psychological has two volumes (don't ask me why but Japan isn't too big on thick books. For example, Murakami's 1Q84 and Wind-Up Bird Chronicle both came out in 3 volumes) and this is the second one, obviously. The first volume ended at a cliff-hanger where Ikkun and co. find Utsurigi Gaisuke's mutilated corpse in the impregnable 7th tower. There's no one else who can come in and out of this tower without leaving a trace in the highly advanced automatic locks and security systems... except the person who created this system in the first place. Who happens to be Kunagisa Tomo.

Shadou Kyouichirou, the leader in this Research Facility, jumps at the chance to replace his murdered test subject cum researcher with an even better sample: Kunagisa Tomo herself. Just like Utsurigi was pretty much blackmailed and forced into remaining in that facility, Shadou plans on blackmailing Kunagisa by using the only person she cares for against her. But of course Ikkun has other ideas.

Before I get to the meat of the actual mystery, lemme just take a moment to say how much of a fucking mess Ikkun is. But I guess that's really how complex humans and human emotions are isn't it? But I just checked reviews for the first novel and some people were saying stuff like 'But why are the other characters so hard on Ikkun?? It doesn't seem fair?' and as we go along the series we see that it's fucking justified. That emptiness which he'd warned us about time and again and which we might have written off as just teenaged angst is starting to show in full glory here. Also the reason why he is the same as Zerozaki Hitoshiki especially in that scene where Ikkun seems to have completely broken down and started going 'Time to create a masterpiece. I'm going to cut them into little pieces.'. As Zerozaki had said in Ningen Shiken, the difference between them is that Ikkun is kind, while Zerozaki is not; both of which are failures but Ikkun's kindness has put him on this path where he hurts and destroys the ones he loves simply because he loves them.

Okay, to talk about the mystery bits:

I have to admit that NisiOisiN played fair here; he gave us enough clues that in retrospect supported that completely ridiculous reveal in the epilogue. Especially in the bit where Ikkun gives us his fake reveal in order to cast suspicion away from Kunagisa; Ikkun was pretty transparent about how ridiculous his explanation was and that it won't really stand against logic. This mystery is completely different from the rest that Ikkun has had to solve so far because what he had to do was create it himself.

Yeah, he admits to Aikawa later that he had to solve it in the reverse. But isn't that what we usually do? Nah. What he meant was that he knew what was going on, that there was only one logical explanation, but that's an explanation he cannot give because he was Kunagisa's friend and Kunagisa wouldn't have wanted him to solve this mystery in the first place.

What simply happened was that Kunagisa went to free Utsurigi, but Utsurigi wasn't only trapped physically. What he needed to do was die in order to free himself from the research facility.

And that's what he set out to do. Utsurigi kills Koutari, another researcher who was conveniently faceless because his hair covered his face for most of the novel until he suddenly shaved it all off after Utsurigi's 'murder'. That was just a way to switch between characters, of course. Koutari's corpse was mutilated in order to hide the fact that he wasn't Utsurigi.

Ikkun either suspected or knew this from the get-go. Here we have him as an unreliable narrator again, and he kept so many things from us it's a wonder we're still here. If I didn't love you so much, Ikkun, I swear. But he can't very well say that because this was Kunagisa's plan and he didn't want to implicate the fake Koutari and ruin the charade. So what he did is spend the whole volume going around in circles looking for a way to spin a story so sound no one can argue the logic even though it's completely false.

Needless to say, he failed. In the end, he had to implicate Koutari after all, if only to save Kunagisa. But he'd also spun a lie so ridiculous and confusing all the geniuses in the facility bought it only because it was ridic enough that it could have been the truth: 'Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth' and all that jazz. Except of course, Ikkun was just talking out of his arse and there's really some other more sound explanation for this locked room crime but he doesn't want you to go there.

The plan was simply 'to confuse the others and get the hell out of there'. You're left with the sense of being cheated. Really? A fucking tightrope using the stiff arms cut off a corpse as anchor? That's where you went, Nisio?

And then the epilogue happened and Aikawa points out the many holes in Ikkun's logic and he admits that yes. He fucking lied. And it was the best he could come up with at such a short time. Aikawa leaves and another man comes in; it's Koutari. And he sits in front of Ikkun and continues the conversation Ikkun had with Utsurigi. Starting with 'did you cut off the arms because of the fingerprints?'

You fucking sly bastard, Ikkun.

[Lemon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tbh, I don't know what's the truth anymore but I had to agree his 'solution' is forced, desperate but I totally didn't see that ending (or I'm just stupid since I should have expected it)

[Kakuzō Akutagawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 4 was the perfect prologue and v5 was the perfect conclusion to the perfect prologue.

"Make Hell the Hell named Hell. Massacre the Massacre named Massacre. Guilt the Guilt named Guilt. Despair the Despair named Despair. Confuse the Confusion named Confusion. Dominate the Domination named Domination. Don’t hold back, none can obstruct us. Be proud, we, of this beautiful world. This is the bedroom of the verge of death, rampage all you want as the verge of death allows it."


My thoughts after reading "Psycho Logical:(part two) Sour Little Song"
Written by NisiOisiN
Illustrated by Take
↓
Translation:
I read the Fan-translation made by Suiminchuudoku and it was a very damn good translation, the translator notes were very good and with the exception of 1 or 2 spelling mistakes, it was a very fun reading experience. As with volume 4, I'll be rereading this book two more times in the future(when vertical releases it and when I read them in Japanese) so maybe I'll update my thoughts on translations when I read them.
↓
The story:
After the slow-paced volume 4 and the crazy end it had, volume 5 picks up right after where it left. Ii, Tomo, and Suzunashi Neon find themselves in the middle of a mystery. Ii with the help of a new character has to solve the mystery because if he doesn't not only he but his companions will be in great danger.
↓
Enjoyment:
NisiOisiN you monster, how do you manage to write mystery soo good and well crafted?
This volume has some incredibly memorable moments, the feelings, the characters, and the mad crazy situations were absolutely fascinating.
This book was filled with madness after madness after plot twist after plot twist after action after incredible monologues. This book had me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of it, I can't believe how amazing it was. I'm sure there are some scenes that I will never be able to forget due to the sheer amount of raw emotion they made me feel.
This volume had some tidbits about Ii's past and a lot of character development, really. I still can't believe the madness of some moments and how amazing it felt to read a book like this.
Yeah, zaregoto v5 is incredibly enjoyable.

↓
The verdict:
Being the second half of the story, this book manages to live up to his already incredible predecessor and even manages to surpass it by almost tenfold.
I've never seen a mystery so well crafted in a book before and on top of having such an incredibly crafted mystery to have an incredible solution on top of it is just madness.
Definitely the best aspect of this book was the epilogue, it was so damn good that I had to reread it just to make sure I read what I read.
Talking about v4 & v5 as a whole I can say that it's like riding a roller coaster: during the first half of the ride you appreciate the scenery, enjoy the conversations with the other passengers, relax and lay back, close your eyes. And when you open them you suddenly are already 5000 meters into the stratosphere and getting ready to start the fun part that is the decent. The madness of the whole thing blinds you, the way it makes your heartbeat go faster, that looming sense of danger. And when you finally think you've reached the bottom and think it's over you find that the rollercoaster still has a long way to go, filled with curves, twist, turns, and loops. By the end of it, you even start to question yourself if what just happened was even real.
So yeah Volume 4 was the perfect prologue and v5 was the perfect conclusion to the perfect prologue...
Zaregoto 4 & 5 are a 9.5/10.
(It was an incredible book but it didn't make me go "holy fuck, this I'm reading a masterpiece" as v2 did)

[Lanmreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Là phần nối tiếp của tập trước, tập này vẫn giọng kể siêu cấp dị và có phần khó chịu, khó hiểu đúng cái chất của Nisioisin nói chung và series này nói riêng. Nhưng nó vẫn hợp gu, lôi kéo mình hồi hộp đọc đến cuối cùng và plot twist vẫn xuất hiện ngay những dòng cuối trang sách. Dù đa phần các tập trong series này toàn plot twist đến phút cuối như thế nhưng mà đa số lần nào cũng vẫn khiến tôi phải ồ wao =))). Càng đọc càng thích Aiwaka Jun quá choii oiii

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

25% of it was confusing, 50% of it was boring but the rest was pretty damn good.

[vr · Rating 4 out of 5]

:)

[Belenwarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como siempre, la sorpresa siempre viene al final aunque se haya resuelto el crimen, "no importa la trama sino los personajes"

[Lybraa · Rating 4 out of 5]

9.65/10

[Adam Slattery · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 2nd best so far