Storey 83 Otsufchi

Art 83 Kendi Ofwa

GOTH
Story by Otsuichi
Art by Kendi Oiwa

Translation - Lori Riser

English Adaption - Anthony C Andora
Retouch and Lettering - Skooter
Graphic Designer - Jennifer Carbajal
Editor - Alexis Kirsch

GOTH Volume 1
©OTSUICHI 2003 ©KENDI OIWA 2003
Edited by KADOKAWA SHOTEN
First published in Japan in 2003 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION.
Licensed by KADOKAWA CORPORATION for distribution by VIZ Media,
LLC.
English translation © KADOKAWA CORPORATION

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or trans¬

mitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the
copyright holders. This manga is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to
actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
 IV

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Hill
'■/#{?*/**0/
 AND THE
YEAH...THAT GUY RUNS
IS CREEPY. OFF WITH
‘EM, RIGHT?

BY THE WAY,
DID YOU KNOW YEAH/
THAT THERE'S
A WRIST
rrs so
DISGUSTING.
CUTTER IN
OUR SCHOOL,
TOO?

WELL, SHE
DOESN'T TALK
MUCH, AND
SHE IS SORT
OF A LONER.

9
10
12
13
 ...ALSO
BUSTS IN
MY COLP-
\BLOOPBP
x SOUL.

t WANT A HANP, TOO.

Momos
HANP....
15
 iiffiF
\.}.HE, THREW
\AWAY SOME WHOA,
MEMOS WITH THAT'S
. \THE TEST HARSH/
'QUESTIONS.

MAYBE

16
18
...ANP I CAN
CA&FUUy
i.kgg’&m’M
-T?A$H
LATBZ.
4>takbn
four...

...TUB WBP
ZOOM
TPASHCAN
REMAINS...

19
20
24
26
 EVEN THOUGH I
FOUNP A POLL
LIKE THIS...

•SUT'lfcHB IS THE
ONE, WHEZE WOULP
THB'HAN PS BE?
\ ...I CANT JUST
% ASSUME THAT
\ HBS THB ONB.

THERE IS
A FACULTY
MEETING
TODAY...

OH, I
FORGOT
...SO DON'T
TO
COME INTO
MENTION
THE FACULTY
SOME¬
ROOM
THING...
WITHOUT
A GOOD
Y REASON. ^

27
28
29
30
 STILL. AT
TUB FACULTY
GUESS V‘--N MEETING.
TLL LOOK Wi
AROUNP 1 r
A LITTLE m
LONGER. / '
32
36
38
39
 YORU
MORINO.
 W-WHAT
ARE YOU
TALKING
ABOUT?!

LET MB
GO!'

MY
SISTER'S
HAIR IS
LONG ANP
BLACK
TOO.
AN$mR
MB//

JUST LIKE
HERS.

42
46
 THAT WAS ONLY
THE ENPlOF MAY.

can you
TEACH ME
HOWTO
MAKE THAT
FACIAL umAe&ym
EXPRESSION
TOO?
pmj0m morino?

48
...SO NOW, we BOTH HAVB NOKINO STAKTBP
SONBONB TO TALK TO. TALKING TO MB...
thby eemp mb of
THS INCIPBNT...
 "THERE IS NO
MEANING BEHIND
THIS ACTION."
*

"BUT IT
RESONATES
IN MY MIND. IT
HAS A HOLD ON
ME AND WON'T
LET GO."
"MAY lO:'
 YOU'VE
HEARD
carrying a shopf
ABOUT
SOMETHING
baa as she w.
LIKE THIS, / , , j I POUND
HAVEN'T ror fhe bus. 7 this
/ NOTEBOOK
THE VICTIMS you?
Of THOSE wom(5W CalU the OTHER
BIZARRE SERIAL. , 1 DAY BY
MURDERS THAT Kasumi MaA ACCIDENT.
THE MEDIA'S
GOING CRAZY
OVER.
When 1 her ot

55
 we
W1!. Neves?
PIP TALK
ABOUT HOW
STRANGe
we wesze
ACTING...

...BUT INSIPe,
we BOTH
ACKNOW-
eepGepiT. h
60
 I AM 50
DONE WITH
THIS...

IS THIS SOME
KIND OF SICK WHY CANT
JOKE? IF IT WE FIND
AU. ENDS UP IT? WE'VE
BEING A UE,
THAT WOULD LOOKED
k SUCK.' a FOR HOURS/
I'M TIRED OP
7 THIS PlLTHy
PLACE/
&UGS AND
> WEEDS
EVERYWHERE/,
 THAT WAS OUR ENCOUNTER
WITH NANAMI MIZUGUCHI.

HER INTESTINES HAP TURNEP SLACK ANP WERE WRARREP

AROUNP THE TREE. THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO SHOW
WHAT SHE LOOKEP LIKE BEFORE HER PEATH.

MAT BE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING

IN THE FIRST RLACE.

RIGHT WHEN WE WERE ABOUT TO WALK AWAY, MORINO

SILENTLY RICKEP UR MIZUGUCHI'S CLOTHES LYING ON THE
GROUNP ANP STUFFEP THEM INTO HER BAG.

63
 SHE WANTEP
ME TO &m
BACK THE
NOTEBOOK
THATT
\ACOPENTALLY
TOOK HOME.
 ARE you
PLANNING
ON STAYING
IN THOSE
CLOTHES FOR
-v\ A WHILE?
68
69
 MUBPBBBB
HUNTS FOB...
 TO
MEDITATE
OVER AN
ACTION.

THE ACT OF
REALIZING
ONE'S SIN.

IF SIN IS
TELL ME, ABSOLVED
WOULD
YOU?
WHAT IS
LEFT TO
EXRATE?
75
 AH, NO, SHE
HASN'T BEEN BACK
HOME SINCE SHE
LEFT THE HOUSE
YESTERDAY. X
WONDER WHERE
SHE WENT?

DID YOU
HAPPEN TO
SEE A BROWN
NOTEBOOK
IN HER
ROOM?
77
SO THIS
IS THE
REASON.
 PUT WOULP THE MUZPBZEK ACT A6MN
AFTE!? LOSING HIS NOTEBOOK?

ALSO, SOMEONE BLSB BESIPES THE MUFPEFEF

COULP HAVE TAKEN NORtNO...
81
82
 UM, NO,
ACTUALLY, I'M
A FRIEND OF
A GIRL NAMED
MORINO.
84
85
86
87
 INDEED

.1 THOUGHT
I'D LOST
IT THEN.
 MISS
MORI NO
IS IN My
APARTMENT
HOUSE.
93
 T PBOPBP TO TAKB HONE SOUVENIRS:
A SBT OB KNIVBS ANP THB PRAWING
OB MULTIPLE CROSSES.
1 PON'T THINK SHB RBAUZBP
THAT THB OWNER WAS THB
NOTEBOOK MURPERER.

STtc. IAL THAN kr S H l e«i> Ak-WVL. koTi M A * TSl»G,AN o C,McU

 I PUT My NEIGHBOR
KOUSUKE, WHO I
CHERISHED LIRE My
OWN BROTHER, INTO
A WOOPEN BOX ANP
BURIEP HIM ALIVE, PEER
WITHIN THE GROUNP.
...WHICH IS
THE MOST
INHUMANE?
...A WAY THAT
TAKES AWAY
ALL YOUR
FREEDOM,
KILLING
YOU WITH
THE HUNGER
TO LIVE.
105
106
109
 I...I CAN'T
DO THAT.

I'M STILL
ALIVE// YOU'VE
BEEN
BURIED

YES...

BECAUSE
IT'S NO
FUN
BURYING
A DEAD
BODY.

THERE'S A TUBE-
UICE OBJECT
STICKING OUT
NEAR YOUR FACE,
ISN'T THERE?

IF I POUR
WATER INTO
THAT VENT
__

HOLE, YOU
WILL END UP
DROWNING.

110
 AND BESIDES, I'LL
COMMIT SUICIDE
BEFORE YOU

112
 HER WORPS, LIKE A SINGLE
PROF OF BLACK INK IN WATER...

...SRREAP OYER MY HEART LIKE

A BLACK MOTTLEP PATTERN.
117
119
120
 ...WHO RETURNS
TO THE SCENE
OF THE CRIME
FOR ONE REASON
OR ANOTHER.
124
 t PON'T BBMBMBBK WHAT WB TALKBP , u
ABOUT ON THB WAY BACK TO MY, HOUSB

AU, T KNOW IS.THATiWB.BOTHlCHOBB,

BLANP CONYBZWMWM& ’

"now. sHopLPMmmm?^
tha mWmmmSmiWe
126
 whbn pip t Become someoNe who
THINKS NOTHING OF KILLING FeOFLe?

t usep TO Be A KINP,
LAW-ABIPING CITIzeN.

I FeALLY PIP LOve FOUSUKe

TOO...BUT STILL...
129
130
131
133
YOU SAW YORU
MORINO ALIVE
AND TURNED
PALE. THEN, YOU
RAN WITH YOUR
TOWARDS
135
DIDN'T YOU
PICK UP My
NOTEBOOK
NEAP THE
PAPK?

136
 r FELT LIKE t WAS TFAFFEP IN A COFFIN AT THS
EPGE OF PAFKNESS WHEFE NOTHING WAS VISIBLE.

AT THAT MOMENT, T HAP NO IPFA

HOW MUCH TIME HAP FASSEP By.

WHY WAS T BOFN WITH

SUCH A TAINTEP SOUL?

'PECIAL tAMMA* <W.MA* MID®*H.lS|X.OkA* FIN-' * ABE* CHI HAVA* rWACGMf*ft'TeS'i*4A-** MfTVWlkTSUaAN©
*
J

I DON'T
BELIEVE
THAT DOING
SO WILL
ABSOLVE
MY CRIME,
BUT...
 YOU DON'T if you
HAVE TO WANT TO
FEEL GUILT TURN
FOR WHAT HE yOURSELF
DID. THAT'S IN, I'M NOT
THE PATH HE GOING TO
CHOSE. stop you.

3UT

...COULD
you WAIT
FOP HALF
A YEAR...
IF NOT A
MONTH?
144
146
/ / I
148
149
151
 WE WERE
IDENTICAL, SO
WE LOOKED
THE SAME ON
THE OUTSIDE,
I UNDERSTOOD BUT OUR
THE CONCEPT PERSONALITIES
OF "DEATH" WERE A LITTLE
MORE THAN DIFFERENT.
MY YOUNGER
SISTER AND...I
WAS A SADISTIC
CHILD.

V.
152
 I WAS THE
ONE WHO
SUGGESTED
THAT WE
PRETEND
TO BE DEAD
BODIES AND
SCARE PEOPLE.
154
SHE DIDN'T
CALL ME,
SO I LEFT
HER ALONE,
THINKING
THAT'S
WHAT SHE
WANTED.
157
, VANS,
161
162
HEAR THE
SOUNP...
 ABOUT THE
TIMES WHEN
YOU WERE
YOUNG AND
WE STILL LIVED
AT THE FAMILY
HOUSE-

166
 I HAVE
TO GET
STRAIGHT HELLO,
TO THE GRANDMA?
POINT. DID A
IT'S ME,
BOY MY AGE
YORU.
VISIT YOU
RECENTLY?

OH, YORU/
IT'S BEEN
A LONG
TIME...

167
WHY DID
you LIE?
170
171
173
174
175
176
180
181
184
 I FIRST
MET HIM
IN THE
0TH
GRAPE.

IT WAS IN
A MUSEUM
SHOW¬
CASING
CROSS-
SECTIONS
OF THE
HUMAN BOPY.

SO I KNEW FROM THE START

THAT HE WAS PANGEROUS.
188
189
 I WANTED
TO KNOW
YOUR PAST
FOP SIMILAR
REASONS.
191
THE YOUNGER
SISTER, YUU,
WAS TIMID
COMPARED
TO YORU.
193
194
199
204
HOW¬
EVER...
206
207
208
212
 FOUR HOURS HAP ALREAPY RASSEP
WHENIREGAINEP CONSCIOUSNESS
ANP NY RORES HAP SEEN UNVEP

THERE WAS NO TRACE OF THEN

LEFT EXCERT FOR A HUGE...

...AMOUNT OF SLOOP ON THE FLOOR.

215
216
 DID
YOU.

...WE WERE
ACTUALLY
PLAYING
TOGETHER
IN THE SHED..
...AND
WE WERE
TRYING TO
PRETEND
LIKE WE
WERE
HANGING
OURSELVES.
 ...BUT
THAT'S
WHEN IT
HAPPENED...

...THE \
ROPE 1
THAT WAS
SUPPOSED
TO
SUPPORT
MY SISTER
BROKE.

I DIDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH
STRENGTH SO
I DESPERATELY
HELD ON TO HER
AS SHE RAGED
WITH PAIN.

SHE KICKED ”
ME IN THE
STOMACH
SEVERAL TIMES.
I EMBRACED HER
FROM BEHIND
BECAUSE
I DIDN'T WANT TO
LET HER DIE...

218
219
221
POSTSCRIPT: THE MAKING OF SCW, THE MANGA--OTSUICHI

THIS IS THE MANGA VERSION BY KENDI OIWA OF THE NOVEL

PUBLISHED BY KADOKAWA SHOTEN, GOTH. THE STORY IS ABOUT A HIGH
SCHOOL COUPLE, "ME" AND "MORINO," WHO HAVE A SPECIAL HOBBY AND,
FOR SOME REASON, ALWAYS GET TANGLED UP IN MURDER MYSTERIES.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY STRANGE HOW THEY GET INVOLVED IN A MURDER
CASE EVERY SINGLE TIME, BUT THEY CONVENIENTLY DO SO. THEY ARE
ABSOLUTELY IDIOTIC. HOWEVER, I CAN ALSO INFER THAT THEY GET
INVOLVED ON PURPOSE BECAUSE UNLESS THEY DO, THERE IS NOTHING
TO WRITE ABOUT. WHAT A NONSENSICAL SERIES... I THINK THE AUTHOR
IS A LITTLE STUPID. THAT AUTHOR IS ME, THE ONE WHO'S WRITING THIS
SENTENCE. THE ORIGINAL NOVEL WAS A COLLECTION OF SIX SHORT
STORIES. EACH STORY COVERED IN THIS BOOK HAS BEEN CONVERTED
INTO MANGA AND PUBLISHED IN A MAGAZINE CALLED "SHONEN ACE." IT
IS ALSO KENDI OIWA-SSNSEl'S FIRST BOOK. HE DRAWS VERY ENTICING
ART. WHEN PEOPLE LAID EYES ON HIS ILLUSTRATION OF THE FEMALE
CHARACTER MORINO, EVERYONE AGREED THAT IT WAS "THE SPITTING
IMAGE OF THE CHARACTER FROM THE NOVEL." FOR AN ARTIST WITH SUCH
A PROMISING FUTURE LIKE OIWA-SENSEI, I WONDER HOW APPROPRIATE
IT IS THAT HIS FIRST COMIC BOOK IS BASED ON A NOVEL LIKE THIS.
WHEN OIWA-SENSEI BECOMES A HIT FOURS YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WITH
SOME MANGA, I'M WORRIED THAT HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO WANT TO
ERASE THE RECORD THAT HE EVER DID THE ILLUSTRATIONS FOR GOTH.
I CAN IMAGINE HIS DISCONTENTED FACE WHEN A REPORTER INTERVIEWING
HIM ABOUT THE "SECRETS TO SUCCESS" INADVERTENTLY ASKS HIM
ABOUT GOTH. THAT'S MEAN, OIWA-SENSEI, YOU WENT TOO FAR.
SPEAKING OF WHICH, I PLAN TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE TITLE,
&CnU, MEANS. IN MY NOVEL, I EXPLAINED IN A ROUNDABOUT MANNER THAT GOTH
IS "A CULTURE, A FASHION AND A STYLE." I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT I COULD WRITE IN SUCH AN IRRESPONSIBLE MANNER. HOWEVER, IT WAS
VERY DIFFICULT TO DEFINE GOTH WITH ONE WORD. FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS PROBABLY
APPROPRIATE TO CALL PEOPLE WHO WEAR BLACK CLOTHES AND PALE MAKEUP
WITH METAL CROSS ACCESSORIES GOTH. IN ONE OF HIS ARTICLES, A FILM CRITIC
CALLED ACTRESS ANGELINA JOLIE GOTH FOR COLLECTING EXECUTION EQUIPMENT
AT HER HOME. IN OTHER WORDS, IN SUB-CULTURAL LANGUAGE, PEOPLE LIKE
THAT ARE COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS GOTH. BY THE WAY, THE CONCEPT OF
THIS PIECE IS VERY SIMPLE: "EACH TIME THE MANY MONSTERS WHO APPEAR IN THE
STORIES ATTACK THE HEROINE, THE HERO SUBTLY SAVES HER." IT'S A CLICHED
FANTASY STORY THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I JUST SUBSTITUTED
MONSTERS, DEVILS, VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES WITH ABNORMAL CRIMINALS. I'M
GOING TO UNVEIL RIGHT NOW THAT PRINCESS PEACH, WHO FOR SOME REASON
GETS ATTACKED BY KOOPA EVERY SINGLE TIME, EQUALS MORINO. I NEVER INTENDED
TO ILLUSTRATE THE INTERNAL ASPECTS OF THESE ABNORMAL CRIMINALS, NOR DID
I WANT TO ILLUSTRATE ABNORMAL MURDERS. WHAT I HAD IN MIND WAS JUST THE
DESIRE TO MAKE IT INTERESTING FOR THE READERS. I JUST PORTRAYED A SUITABLE
DEPICTION OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY THAT THE READER WOULD GET ADDICTED
TO AND THERE WAS A NEED TO WRITE ABOUT A MURDEROUS SITUATION THAT WOULD
PORTRAY THE ATROCIOUSNESS OF THE ENEMY. ACTUALLY, I HAD NO INTEREST IN
WRITING ABOUT SUCH CRUEL MURDERS. PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG THERE. I'M
SERIOUS. I CAN'T POSSIBLY BE WRITING THIS FOR FUN. ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO
MUCH TO THE READERS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ THIS. THANK YOU OIWA-
SENSEI, WHO MADE THE COMIC BOOK MORE EROTIC THAN THE ORIGINAL NOVEL,
FOR WORKING SO HARD. INCIDENTALLY, I'M GOING TO INFORM THE READERS WHO
ENJOYED THE MANGA VERSION OF GOW--IN THE NOVEL, THERE ARE MORE STORIES
THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT, INCLUDING SOME WITH DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.