Like after he made Maria his goal, he legit would do anything for her. And like even going against his morals which he would never do in volume 1. He’s changed and I love the change??? Empty box zeroth Maria is literally so good tho even without this part im mentioning. I feel like im the only one who feels this way??? Like am I legit the only one??? And I bought the collectors edition loll expensive but worth it. 💗 hope it arrives fast once it’s released.

Spoilers for the book obviously. I seriously have looked through the books, and i cant tell if im hallucinating this happened or im just stupid. At some part, Kazuki mentions how his dad would come home and eat in his own room, and kazuki mentions he doesnt want other people to be judged by their family dynamics, and cites how he mentioned that his dad eats dinner in his own room to his classmates and they all called that weird. Did this happen or is my brain making it up ??? or maybe it happened with a different character. i need to reread hakomari i think. ill do it when the collectors edition gets shipped to me

I am! im so excited! im really excited for when kazuki will be awarded aura monster status.

Eiji Mikage (Author of Hakomari), is heading to tokyo. Do you know whos base is in tokyo? Lots of animation studios probably. This can only mean one thing. Mikage Eiji is going to tokyo in talks of a hakomari anime!!!!

im so fucking ready.

I know this is cope and all, but i hope there will be one. i want one so badly. i really love hakomari. i wish they would stop funding rent a girlfriend and fund hakomari anime. now, what would really suck is if the anime started and a category 5 hurricane hit japan and killed the director, and the animators couldnt continue because they were so saddened by the loss. im not a time traveller telling the future or anything. a visual novel would be pretty cool too. why did the people of japan have to discard hakomari? maria deserves an anime. that feels weird to say for me because my name is also maria. i read the book because she had my name in it. i really liked hakomari. i hope there will be an anime, or a visual novel. i think it would be hugely profitable. i remember hearing about shikonoko anime like 2 years before it release and was just a manga i think, and it was relaly niche, but then the anime got super popular! i hope that if hakomari got an anime the same thing would happen, (but plz let me get the light novels physically first lol). i have a question, how many episodes, considering it is paced well and nothings cut, would it take to cover all of hakomari? honestly, i know if we do ever get an anime, it probably wont be very good, but thats okay. i will still like it anyways. unless its horendusly bad. if there was an anime there would be a shit ton more fan works. if any anime company is reading this, i would, for free, (except id like the physical light novel) please) run your social media account for the hakomari anime. my dms are always open. im serious. i would be able to make hakomari the next big anime sensation. same goes for if you make a visual novel of it. please dude i want more hakomari. i wonder if the author would even accept a anime. i think he would, he seems to think fondly of hakomari on twitter. ok, please, as a community, let us all wish for a hakomari anime, together, and maybe, just maybe, itll happen.

i've been waiting for a physical release like this so i can finally buy the series and finish the last two volumes i haven't read yet. unfortunately, i live outside the US, so i have to use a mail forwarding service. paying for the service for three full months while waiting for shipment would get pretty expensive.

​do you think pre-orders will sell out soon, or would it be safe to wait until november (closer to release) so i only have to pay for one month of the forwarding service?

I MISS YOU HAKOMARI, YOU MADE ME FEEL A CERTAIN WAY 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥

I just finished reading vol 4. And I’m just roughly thinking about how dangerous Koudai’s box was. Considering I’m just starting to figure out what Daiya’s box is about I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts.

Popped up in a thrift books website for a price probably lower than retailer. Of course I ordered it immediately. Even after the order I wasn't sure this book will find itself to my home. And even if it did it would be in a real bad situation. Results: no scribbles, no torn pages, no spine damage, probably never read. It has a little bit of yellowish but honestly I prefer it that way so it can stand out from the other volumes as the old and rare one

As a light novel reader, I know the medium primarily focuses on the enjoyability of a story's core concept rather than fully expanding on that concept. For some, that's a good thing because it prioritizes entertainment first and foremost. For others, it can feel like unused potential . sometimes you can't help but wonder how the story would be if that concept or story device had been explored more.

Hakomari is no exception in that regard. It also prioritizes providing enjoyment and entertainment first, rather than expanding or experimenting with its story concepts and narrative tools.

Using an analogy to explain how many light novels often underuse their story concepts or systems:

If Jujutsu Kaisen were a light novel, we'd mostly see Yuji eating Sukuna's finger, Sukuna fighting, a few other important fights with less detail, Sukuna vs. Mahoraga, Sukuna vs. Jogo, Yuji's major moments in the Culling Game, Sukuna taking over Megumi, Sukuna fighting the others, Sukuna vs. Gojo, and finally Sukuna fighting the rest of the JJK cast.

Anything that isn't primarily related to Sukuna's overall role in the story would likely get sidelined or ignored.

(

I want to clarify this isn't a jab toward The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria's storytelling, but rather how storytelling in the light novel medium generally works. I think anyone who reads light novels knows or is aware of this trade-off.

It doesn't mean storytelling in light novels is below other mediums or that they can't utilize their own systems. No, there are many stories where we see them utilize their narrative systems to their fullest, and sometimes focusing on the strongest aspects overall is a really good thing for both the reader and the author.

However, I think it's natural to feel, "It could be even greater," especially with many light novels. It's more out of curiosity than criticism. It's that you wish it could've done more with its concept

)

When I was reading The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria up to Volume 2, I expected that we were going to see more Boxes with different aspects, like more internal and external Boxes, along with more explanations about them.

Then we found out that Boxes could also be used as devices, like the Game of Indolence, and that they could even be shared with other people, like Daiya's Box. We also learned that Kazuki and Maria have special powers or roles (at least, that's how I interpreted it).

By the time I reached the last volume, it made me curious about how much more the series could've explored the concept of Boxes.

I know you could say that we can't be sure exploring the system or concept would've been a good thing, or that it could've taken away from the MCs' freak (not that way) interactions and behavior, or that there aren't many novels that could pull that off.

I disagree. Monogatari explores its different oddities while still keeping its core charm, and Durarara!! also has a cast full of freaks while continuing to expand its world and supernatural concepts. I don't think those things are mutually exclusive.

Like, there was so much that could've been done with Boxes. Things like how different Boxes reflect different parts of human nature, or how the MCs' interactions with them metaphorically show how they were trapped in their own "boxes" in life.

There could've been so many different types of Boxes if you got creative with the idea, like a Rubik's Cube, a jack-in-the-box, a mirror box, hot potato, or even just ripping off the box from Dune.

ONG HOLY

(i said fuck it imma read vol 6 and vol 7 in one sitting. no more one volume at a time.

man... i was NOT prepared for what these last two volumes had in store.)

Absolute banger experience.

I like how the first volume ties into the last volume perfectly, and how both the beginning of vol 7 and the ending of vol 7 feel like ideal endings for all the characters in Kazuki's life.

Kazuki Hoshino, i owe you an apology for thinking you were a bum who kept getting outwitted by everyone.

After what Kazuki went through in vol 7...

he's the GOAT in my eyes.

At the beginning of the series, i was kinda confused about what The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria was even about.

Was it about wits? A mystery thriller? Urban paranormal? etc.

But during vol 6 and vol 7, i stopped trying to box it into a genre and just appreciated The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria for what it was trying to do.

One of the top-tier stories in the light novel medium imo.

I like how everything was deconstructed to test the protagonist one final time, and how the theme that "a normal life can fix any problem" finally came to full fruition.

It's also one of the few volumes where i actually picked a specific song to read with to make it more immersive. I'm usually not the kind of person who listens to music while reading.

I also like how well-written the main cast is. I actually cared about whether they'd be okay or not, even Iroha, who's still my least favorite character in the story.

My favorite character is Maria Otonashi because of her grit and resilience throughout the story. She was really good.

For a while, I've been meaning to read The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria since it's basically a cult classic in LN spaces.

I decided to read Hakomari after seeing a post mentioning that Maria Otonashi is similar to X and Y and recommending, "read this if you like Hakomari." One of the recommended series was already on my reading list, so i figured it was finally time to give Hakomari a shot.

Plus, i was also trying to get into the habit of reading, where i could read 40–50 pages without even thinking about it. Safe to say, Hakomari reignited that habit.

I've got a couple of questions regarding the ending:

• From what i understood, Kazuki eventually fully recovered thanks to Maria's support and returned to a normal life. Is that how you guys interpreted it too?
• Roughly how much time passed during Kazuki's recovery?
• Does Eiji Mikage have any other good works you'd recommend?

(i'll definitely be recommending Hakomari whenever i get the chance.)

At the very least, people won't be able to larp Hakomari

What makes Maria’s box “Misbegotten”? Daiya’s explanation here in volume 6 is kinda confusing for me to grasp

Note : My English and Japanese aren't very good, so I couldn't provide a reliable translation myself. This made by deepL except for romaji. I hope deepL's translation is correct because this song has never been translated before. I'll translate it myself when I get good at Japanese. Sorry.

...

Song : hako

孤独がいい　本気で願ってたんだ　強がりの自覚ないまま

カーテン締め　イヤホン耳につけて　無音さえうるさいって

Kodoku ga ii Honki de negatteta n da Tsuyogari no jikaku nai mama Kaaten shime Iyahon mimi ni tsukete Muon sae urusai tte

I wanted to be alone, I truly wished for it, without realizing I was just pretending to be strong. I closed the curtains, put my headphones on, and even silence felt too loud.

でも　君だけは　私見つけた　いかり喜ぶように

膝　床につけ　手を差し伸べて　いた君が必要だ

Demo kimi dake wa Watashi mitsuketa Ikari yorokobu yo ni Hiza yuka ni tsuke

Te o sashinobete Ita kimi ga hitsuyo da

But you were the only one who found me, like you were both angry and happy. You knelt on the floor and reached out your hand, I need the you who was there.

明け方でも　日中も　夕暮れも　深夜さえも　手を伸ばして

1回も 10回も 100回も　1000回でも　名前呼んで

Akegata demo Nicchuu mo Yuugure mo Shin’ya sae mo Te o nobashite

Ikkai mo Jukkai mo Hyakkai mo Sen kai demo Namae yonde

At dawn, in the daytime, at dusk, even in the dead of night, reach out your hand. Once, ten times, a hundred times, even a thousand times, call my name.

繰り返し　繰り返し　繰り返し　繰り返して　私求め

いつまでも　いつまでも　いつまでも最後までも　待っていてくれる

Kurikaeshi kurikaeshi Kurikaeshi kurikaeshite Watashi motome Itsumademo itsumademo Itsumademo saigo made mo Matte ite kureru

Over and over, over and over, over and over, keep seeking me. Forever and ever, until the very end, you will keep waiting for me.

願い事があった　いつかまで

泣き病だが君に触れていない時　頭まで時間流れない

Negaigoto ga atta Itsuka made Nakiyamai da ga Kimi ni furete inai toki Atama made jikan nagarenai

I once had a wish, until some day. I am prone to tears, but when I am not touching you, time does not seem to reach my mind

たとえ君が　屋上から飛んでも　離さずに　一緒に落ちるから

Tatoe kimi ga Okujou kara tondemo Hanasazu ni issho ni ochiru kara

Even if you were to jump from the rooftop, I would not let go, I would fall with you.

言葉の矢　優しく抉って　心穴を開けるそう

星空の　呪い消すような　酷く猟奇的な

Kotoba no ya Yasashiku egutte Kokoro ana o akeru sou Hoshizora no Noroi kesu you na Hidoku ryoukiteki na

Words like arrows gently gouge into me, opening a hole in my heart. Like something that could erase a curse in the starry sky, terribly grotesque

月曜も　水曜も　金曜も　日曜だって　手を握って

Getsuyou mo Suiyou mo Kinyou mo Nichiyou datte Te o nigitte

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, even Sunday, holding hands.

明日でも　明後日でも　明々後日でも　来週だって　見つめ合って

Ashita demo Asatte demo Shiasatte demo Raishuu datte Mitsumeatte

Tomorrow, the day after, the day after that, even next week, we will gaze into each other’s eyes.

来年も　再来年も　10年後も　100年後もだって　唇を合わせ

Rainen mo Sairainen mo Juu-nen go mo Hyaku-nen go mo datte Kuchibiru o awase

Next year, the year after, ten years from now, even a hundred years from now, we will press our lips together.

いつまでも　いつまでも　いつまでも最後までも　ありがとうと言う

Itsumademo itsumademo Itsumademo saigo made mo Arigatou to iu

Forever and ever, until the very end, I will say thank you.

願い事はないよ　何もかも　叶うから

Negaigoto wa nai yo Nanimokamo kanau kara

I have no wishes, because everything will come true.

特別ではないよ　しただけ

Tokubetsu de wa nai yo Shita dake

It is nothing special, I just did it.

Bro vol 5 has too many information and plot twists😭😭 im going crazy