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This brutally honest and incisive manga explores the dark side of unrequited love. The inability of people to truly reach one another; the futility of waiting for a “no” to turn into a “yes”; the twisting of one’s love target into an abstract idea or, worse, fundamental part of one’s identity; the willingness, even eagerness, to be hurt by the one you love.

The six main characters in this story (with the possible exception of Kanai) are perverted in the truest sense. Not in that they have outlandish sexual preferences, but in that they consistently seek out what is bad for them, with disastrous emotional consequences ... to themselves and others. Most people at one point or another will desire something that’s not healthy, be it junk food, alcohol, or an ex, but will at least try to hold back some of the time. These characters embrace it fully. We see them choose over and over again to get hurt, and/or hurt others, rather than letting go. As a result, they may come off to the reader as obsessive, clingy, deluded, masochistic, cruel, or just plain illogical.

But just because the characters are questionable does not make this a bad manga. If anything, it’s the opposite. If Kuzu no Honkai unsettles you (and it should), it’s because the emotions ring true. You may not like the characters, but you can’t say they’re unrealistic or lack depth. What I especially appreciate is that while the characters may lie or equivocate on the outside, they never lie to themselves; they are fully aware of their actions/motivations, and that makes it so much more devastating. As an added bonus, Kuzu no Honkai also shows that you don’t need death, violence, trauma, or really any externally driven plot to make a fantastic(ally tragic) love story.

If you’ve ever felt unrequited love, you will surely find something to relate to here. It’s a great choice for those who don’t need every story to have a happy ending, and who don’t mind when a work of art hits close to home.