The Empty Box And Zeroth Maria Vol. 1 by Eiji Mikage (translation by Luke Baker). Originally published in the U.S. by Yen On (Yen Press), 2017. Approx. 200 pages.
The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria (referenced for the remainder of the review as "Zeroth") is one of those novels which grabbed my interest from the first sighting. Boasting an intriguing title, as well as hauntingly beautiful artwork (by 415), it challenges you to look away. A seven volume light novel series which ran in Japan from 2009 to 2015, Western audiences are now being treated to this engaging, mind-bending series in the...well, is "Groundhog Day" an official genre title yet?
First, here's the blurb:
From Goodreads:
"Kazuki Hoshino leads the easy-going life of a typical high school student--until the appearance of a new girl in his class turns his world upside down! Introducing herself with a promise to "break" Kazuki is abnormal enough to make an impression, sure, but why does she seem so familiar...?"
From Yen Press' site:
"Kazuki Hoshino treasures nothing more than his ordinary life, and March 2 should have been an ordinary day. The arrival of a transfer student, the mysterious Aya Otonashi, shouldn't have shattered the world he knows. He's never seen this girl before in his life, but she says she's met him thousands of times--and declares war on him for a crime he can't even remember... As the truth begins to unravel, nothing is as it seems, and at the heart of it all is a wish powerful enough to change everything..."
There's nothing like a unsolicited declaration of war by a beautiful transfer student to throw an average high schooler's life into complete and utter turmoil.
Otonashi's personal crusade is predicated upon her search for a mysterious Box which has transformed their ordinary classroom into a 'Rejecting Classroom'; doomed to repeat the same day (March 2nd) for eternity. Said Box is in the possession of one of the classroom's students, bequeathed to them, with the promise of the ability to grant any one wish whatsoever, by a mysterious, shadowy, ethereal 'benefactor'. Otonashi, by a process of elimination narrowed down over the course of more than 13,000 jumps, has determined that Kazuki is in possession of the Box, and she will break him, take possession of it, and end the soul-crushing infinite loop.
Given a premise like that; the reader might feel as though the story is near its climax right off the bat. However, with a premise like this, there is obviously so much more than meets the eye. Eiji Mikage presents us with a story full of twists, turns, and slowly unfolding answers. His pacing over the course of the 200 pages is impeccable; keeping the reader fully engaged and invested, even when no direct answers are forthcoming.
Let’s look at the book piece by piece:
Story:
Absolutely fantastic. The concept of a vessel by which a wish (wishes) can be granted is as old as time. Also tied into the narrative is the ever-underlying moral of ‘be careful what you wish for’.
The concept of ‘re-doing’ the same day/time period over and over is not new, either (hence the earlier Groundhog Day reference). However, what Mikage has done is taken these tried and true elements and reshaped them into something entirely unique, and entirely his own.
The end result is a warped take on a 'genie in a lamp' theory; instead giving us a mysterious gamemaster, one whose motivations may not be entirely benevolent.
There are, of course, the hallmarks of many light novels present here; slice of life elements, romance, even shades of horror. Yet, what makes Zeroth superb as a story is the sense of utter urgency and reality which Mikage infuses it with. We’ve all seen stories where characters are caught in a loop. But I’ve personally never seen the psychological trauma of such a quandary depicted as well as it is with the mentally weary cast of Zeroth. It makes for a truly haunting and harrowing experience.
Throughout the story, there are feints and headfakes galore; as Otonashi and Kazuki attempt to untangle the myriad mysteries of the Rejecting Classroom. To Mikage’s credit, none of these twists are arbitrary or forced. The only concern I had came towards the end, when I feared that the proceedings would devolve into an Another-esque bloodbath - luckily, that incident wove itself into the overall narrative, moving us closer to a satisfying resolution.
In the end, the door is left open for subsequent novels; and yet, Volume 1 works wonderfully as a standalone work as well.
Characters:
The dramatis personae for Zeroth initially reads off as familiar, with nearly every “-dere” type being represented. There is an outgoing, extrovert, somewhat goofball best friend to Kazuki, a cool-as-a-cucumber rebel ace student, a female friend who is at a glance materialistic, but in actuality is sensitive and kind, and finally, you have the quiet, mysterious love interest of Kazuki. You can tell, however, that Mikage has and intimate, and very personal, level of caring invested in his crafting of these characters, and it shows in their development.
For our protagonists, especially Otonashi and Kazuki, we get to bear witness to their development from not only the point at which the narrative begins; but also their evolution from the point at which the Rejecting Classroom began its endless cycle. As mentioned earlier, we see their despondency, their emerging hopes, their dashed hopes, their dreams, and their nightmares. It is all relatable; it is nearly palpable. We witness the ebbs and flows of the emotions of these young people, feelings of love grow and wane, anger swells and dissipates, fear motivates and deters, and the knowledge of a perennially present daily disaster looms ever overhead.
Every day, the students must fight towards a return to normalcy, even if normalcy will only bring pain. Even though they might never be able to feel 'normal' after reliving the same day over twenty-seven thousand times. There are no guarantees in a return to normalcy; the only guarantee is madness and despair within the endless loop of the Rejecting Classroom.
All in all, The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria is a compelling, character-driven psychological drama, totally engrossing, and absolutely unique. Highly recommended to all light novel fans, as well as to those who might want to test the light novel waters, and want something original to sample. Grab a copy today (Amazon).
Cover/Art:
The art for Zeroth is done by 415, and the artist’s work truly captures the mood and essence of the story. These pictures are complex, beautiful, and haunting; everything the book is as well. There are gorgeous color pieces at the beginning; but sadly, only two or three interior black and white illustrations. All are fantastic, though.
Otonashi's personal crusade is predicated upon her search for a mysterious Box which has transformed their ordinary classroom into a 'Rejecting Classroom'; doomed to repeat the same day (March 2nd) for eternity. Said Box is in the possession of one of the classroom's students, bequeathed to them, with the promise of the ability to grant any one wish whatsoever, by a mysterious, shadowy, ethereal 'benefactor'. Otonashi, by a process of elimination narrowed down over the course of more than 13,000 jumps, has determined that Kazuki is in possession of the Box, and she will break him, take possession of it, and end the soul-crushing infinite loop.
Given a premise like that; the reader might feel as though the story is near its climax right off the bat. However, with a premise like this, there is obviously so much more than meets the eye. Eiji Mikage presents us with a story full of twists, turns, and slowly unfolding answers. His pacing over the course of the 200 pages is impeccable; keeping the reader fully engaged and invested, even when no direct answers are forthcoming.
Let’s look at the book piece by piece:
Story:
Absolutely fantastic. The concept of a vessel by which a wish (wishes) can be granted is as old as time. Also tied into the narrative is the ever-underlying moral of ‘be careful what you wish for’.
The concept of ‘re-doing’ the same day/time period over and over is not new, either (hence the earlier Groundhog Day reference). However, what Mikage has done is taken these tried and true elements and reshaped them into something entirely unique, and entirely his own.
The end result is a warped take on a 'genie in a lamp' theory; instead giving us a mysterious gamemaster, one whose motivations may not be entirely benevolent.
There are, of course, the hallmarks of many light novels present here; slice of life elements, romance, even shades of horror. Yet, what makes Zeroth superb as a story is the sense of utter urgency and reality which Mikage infuses it with. We’ve all seen stories where characters are caught in a loop. But I’ve personally never seen the psychological trauma of such a quandary depicted as well as it is with the mentally weary cast of Zeroth. It makes for a truly haunting and harrowing experience.
Throughout the story, there are feints and headfakes galore; as Otonashi and Kazuki attempt to untangle the myriad mysteries of the Rejecting Classroom. To Mikage’s credit, none of these twists are arbitrary or forced. The only concern I had came towards the end, when I feared that the proceedings would devolve into an Another-esque bloodbath - luckily, that incident wove itself into the overall narrative, moving us closer to a satisfying resolution.
In the end, the door is left open for subsequent novels; and yet, Volume 1 works wonderfully as a standalone work as well.
Characters:
The dramatis personae for Zeroth initially reads off as familiar, with nearly every “-dere” type being represented. There is an outgoing, extrovert, somewhat goofball best friend to Kazuki, a cool-as-a-cucumber rebel ace student, a female friend who is at a glance materialistic, but in actuality is sensitive and kind, and finally, you have the quiet, mysterious love interest of Kazuki. You can tell, however, that Mikage has and intimate, and very personal, level of caring invested in his crafting of these characters, and it shows in their development.
For our protagonists, especially Otonashi and Kazuki, we get to bear witness to their development from not only the point at which the narrative begins; but also their evolution from the point at which the Rejecting Classroom began its endless cycle. As mentioned earlier, we see their despondency, their emerging hopes, their dashed hopes, their dreams, and their nightmares. It is all relatable; it is nearly palpable. We witness the ebbs and flows of the emotions of these young people, feelings of love grow and wane, anger swells and dissipates, fear motivates and deters, and the knowledge of a perennially present daily disaster looms ever overhead.
Every day, the students must fight towards a return to normalcy, even if normalcy will only bring pain. Even though they might never be able to feel 'normal' after reliving the same day over twenty-seven thousand times. There are no guarantees in a return to normalcy; the only guarantee is madness and despair within the endless loop of the Rejecting Classroom.
All in all, The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria is a compelling, character-driven psychological drama, totally engrossing, and absolutely unique. Highly recommended to all light novel fans, as well as to those who might want to test the light novel waters, and want something original to sample. Grab a copy today (Amazon).
Cover/Art:
The art for Zeroth is done by 415, and the artist’s work truly captures the mood and essence of the story. These pictures are complex, beautiful, and haunting; everything the book is as well. There are gorgeous color pieces at the beginning; but sadly, only two or three interior black and white illustrations. All are fantastic, though.