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Zetsuai 1989
Written between 1989 and 1991, Zetsuai 1989 is one of the most famous
Shounen-ai classics and helped spreading the genre across Japan.
Originally started as spin-off of Captain Tsubasa doujinshi Dokusen Yoku,
work of Minami Ozaki herself, the series consist of five volumes, pubblished
in Japan on Margaret magazine.
The title, "Zetsu-ai" is a compound created by Minami Ozaki
which has been translated as "desperate love", although her
favourite English translation is "everylasting love".
The series' ending is very open and, because of the extreme success, Minami-sama
picked it up the story after few years with Bronze.
From the series has been taken an OVA, released in 1992-
Zetsuai 1989 has licensed in few countries including mine (Italy) but no English
editions so far.
English scanslations were made by Obsession.
For summary (volume by volume), take a look at the Zetsuai
page.
Bronze: Zetsuai since 1989
Sequel for Zetsuai 1989, in Bronze Minami Ozaki has the chance
to develop more the twisted relationship between the main characters.
A little bit more explicit than the prequel (because of few -light- sex scenes),
consist of a more heavy plot (including a rape) and more drama.
The mangaka started it in 1992 and slowly ended it, because of an illness, after
releasing fourteen volumes, with an hanging ending. To fix it, she drew
a doujinshi called Ai ni Obore, Ai ni Shisu.
From the series has been taken an OVA so far, released in 1996.
Bronze has been licensed only in Germany and Spain.
The title is currently being scanslated in some languages, for English readers
the mandatory stop is Game
over or Continue?.
For summary (volume by volume), take a look at the Bronze
page.
Doujinshi
Minami Ozaki-sama seems to have been more prolific in doujinshi world than
in series ones.
I sooo hardly tried to built up a full list, but they're simply to much, so
I'm listing here the only one I found translated.
For a full list, you're free to take a look Sadomina's
Zetsuai page, Onami's
dojinshi or Zetsu's
page, since they already made a wonderful job with the list!
For the one scanlated, visit this
page instead.
Still a work-in-progress, check back soon.
OVA's and musics
Both Zetsuai and Bronze have their own OVA, an acronim for Original Video Animation,
what you usually call anime.
Talking about music, we can say that, relating to the series -and it's prequel
Dokusen Yoku doujinshi- has been released several music albums and two
drama CD.
For a full list, take a look at the proper
page.
Characters
Profiles come from Sadomina's
Zetsuai page, I already said I suck at summarizing and such? :P
Koji Nanjo
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Birthdate: December 24th.
Zodiac: Capricorn
Bloodtype: A
Body sizes: 191 cm - 78 kg
Youngest of three Nanjo brothers (and a sister, Nadeshiko), the famous
idol comes from a very rich and old family.
He has been the leader of a motorcycle gang and, at the 10th class, he
left school to become a popsinger; since then, affairs and scandals are
ordinary and he attracts many problems by tending to act before thinking.
Is known for his coldness towards everything and everyone but in him lye
deep emotions and passions, which he expresses through his songs.
Koji’s favourite colors are black and red. He is really good at judo,
kendo, karate and aikido. He loves longhaired women and doesn’t like
kids.
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Takuto Izumi
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Birthdate: August 15th
Zodiac: Leo
Bloodtype: 0
Body sizes: 178 cm - 60 kg
Reserved and unapproachable young man with a dark past: at the age of
5 he watched his mother murdering his father for love, when he got hurt
on his left hip, where now has a big scar.
His whole passion bears on soccer and he plays the ball like he's obsessive
about it to let out all his anger, pain and hate. He also loves animals,
to straighten and cooks willingly and good.
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Serika & Yugo Izumi
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Takuto’s younger siblings. After their parent’s death they
got adopted (alongside Takuto, who prefered leaving when he got old enough
to support himself) by a wealthy family related to their mother.
While Serika is a big fan of Koji Nanjo,
Yugo doesn't really like him and is a little jealous because he’s
spending so much time with his brother.
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Katsumi Shibuya
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Birthdate: October 1st (
Zodiac: Libra
Bloodtype: B
Body sizes: 170 cm - 54 kg
Koji’s manager and best friend.
When his sister Madoka died after long suffering, Koji was there to sing
a song special to her. Thereupon the record company of his Uncle signed
Koji on.
Katsumi is very open minded and smart. He flirts with everything that
can move.
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Toshiyuki Takasaka
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Birthdate: September 15th
Zodiac: Virgo
Bloodtype: A
Body sizes: 175 cm - 68 kg
Koji’s Agent at Shibuya Productions.
He’s always quite nervous and stressed, which is not unusual because
of Koji’s affairs.
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Hirose Nanjo
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Birthdate: March 22nd
Zodiac: Aries
Bloodtype: AB
Body sizes: 182 cm - 72 kg
The eldest of the Nanjo brothers, spent his whole life to be his father’s
perfect son and heir. He trained hard in kendo, but it was always his
brother Koji who was more talented and therefore prefered by their father.
At their first (and last) important traditionel duel Koji defeated him.
What Hirose refused to understand is why Koji doesn’t care for family
traditions.
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Akihito Nanjo
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Birthdate: October 1st
Zodiac: Libra
Bloodtype: B
Body sizes: 170 cm - 54 kg
The second of the Nanjo brothers, he enormously hates his brother Koji
and it shows it all the time. He always was and still is very jealous
of Koji because their father prefered him instead of himself and his beloved
brother Hirose.
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Hisaya Kunihide
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Becomes part of Izumi’s soccer team as goalkeeper while Koji was
staying in coma. Hirose used him for his evil plans against Koji. His
girlfriend is Eri, the girl who tried to kill Koji at his final concert
before retiring.
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Mieko Minamimoto
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Lover of Koji (in earlier volumes of Zetsuai) and famous actress which
also shooted together with Koji, she spoils the man even buying him a
Ferrari F-40.
Her last appereance is when she pays a visit to Koji when is in coma,
hoping to wake him with a kiss.
She has got a younger sister (Yuka) who Koji used to distract the media
from Izumi.
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Koji (the dog)
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The little puppy Takuto found beside Koji near garbagecans. He got killed
by a car.
Although being a dog and somehow useless character, it's important to
me since to Izumi he and Koji-the-man where related, and had a breakdown
when the dog got killed.
More to this, Izumi was kicked of his previous appartment because him
keeping the dog, and found no other home for the both of them because
of the puppy presence. In the end, the death of Koiji leads Izumi to finally
start living with Koiji-the-man
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Links
Official site.
If you're a Japanese reader, then it's a must-to-see.
Onami's dojinshi central.
A complete site on all Ozaki-sama works, including some doujinshis scanslations
link.
Sadomina's Zetsuai Shrine.
A really complete site with gallery included.
Zetsu's page. Complete
lists of material related to the series, it's more useful if you can read Germany.
Wikipedia.
Includes summary and some infos about the series.
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