[serenade_beta]

Thread for discussing the Mushi to Medama (Insect and Eyeball) light novels.

Author: Akira
Illustrator: Mitsuki Mausu

The series has completed at six volumes.

1. 蟲と眼球とテディベア (Insect, Eyeball, and Teddybear)
2. 蟲と眼球と殺菌消毒 (Insect, Eyeball, and SakkinShodoku/Sterilization Disinfection)
3. 蟲と眼球とチョコレートパフェ (Insect, Eyeball, and Chocolate Parfait)
4. 蟲と眼球と愛の歌 (Insect, Eyeball, and the Song of Love)
5. 蟲と眼球と白雪姫 (Insect, Eyeball, and Snow White)
6. 蟲と眼球とダメージヘア (Insect, Eyeball, and Damage Hair)

The series was supposed to end at five volumes, but the author decided to write a sixth later.

Spoiler for covers:

Synopsis...
A simple way is my detailed one in the manga thread-
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=65887

And for fun, the synopsis by JP wiki:

Usagawa Rinne, a normal female high-school student, was spending happy days with her lover, Sakaki Guryuu. However, the peaceful days shattered suddenly, On the night of Sakaki's birthday, Sakaki witnessed Rinne get killed after her eyeball was gouged by a girl named "Gankyuu Eguriko" as well as witnessed Rinne revive as if nothing had happened. To the shocked Sakaki and confused Rinne, Gankyuu Eguriko speaks of an "Eden's Apple"...

Hmm... This more blunt and to-the-point one sounds better...

Here are some color illustrations from the six volumes (placed in separate spoiler tags to prevent unwanted spoiling):

Spoiler:

Spoiler for vol.1:

Spoiler for vol.2:

Spoiler for vol.3:

Spoiler for vol.4:

Spoiler for vol.5:

Spoiler for vol.6:

I've only read one volume so far, so I can't say much now (will later, when I do read them).

For volume 1:

Art-wise... I considered the manga artwork superior at first. After reading through the volumes, I now think that the artwork between the manga and novels both have their good points. Though I still think the hooded man and Guriko look better in the manga.
Story... I was surprised at the number of differences between the novel and manga. The overall plot and outcome was the same, but there were still plenty of differences, like significantly less comedy.

Spoiler for and also...:

-Snake gets more appearances.
He doesn't just disappear after he first meets Guryuu. Also, he talks to Guryuu after he wakes up after getting knocked out by Guriko.

-More details, speeches/lines are longer

-There is no time period where Rinne and Guryuu distance from each other. Mostly because of the way everything (the past and about the Apples) were revealed, and Rinne was a bit more accepting. The pasts were revealed a lot more frankly in the novel, especially Guryuu, who has part of his past revealed in this volume and told in narration...)
Rinne's past was a bit different. Her father didn't completely abuse her until she broke, but she simply didn't have any reason to live in the world.

-The Dream World Beast dies differently.
In the novel, it gets killed by Guryuu's forces.
In the manga, it commits suicide.
Both works...

I thought about translating the first chapter as a teaser for non-Japanese readers, but I gave up after three pages.
Besides being hard to translate, I found it difficult to hold a book in one hand while typing with another.
There was also a person that suggested such a project at Baka-Tsuki, but it didn't seem to go well. First of all, why did that person translated "蟲" to "Worm"...


Hope this gets animated~ It is complete, after all. And it also has a drama CD...