Zaregoto volume 2 rambles and notes
So I reread Strangulation: Kubishime Romanticist (aka vol 2 Zaregoto) AGAIN and this time I decided to make little notes as a went along. BIG TIME spoiler warning ahead because I just made notes where there was big time foreshadowing, def dont read this if you intend to read Zaregoto yourself
Prologue
“never having loved is the same as never having lived” great quote
Early on in the story ii introduces this idea that him and zerozaki are the same and yet different in ways that cant really be explained.
The idea is they could’ve both turned out to be like the other, say if the circumstances were different and this is what they used to explain their affinity and I guess you could say attraction ;) to each other.
Chapter 1
I will always adore the kimchi scene. Like he wanted to eat tasty food after being in such a crazy scenario the month before and yet all he comes to is ordering kimchi with absolutely no rice.
ii talking about college being a space with curiously friendly people, striking up conversation like you’ve been buddies for life and this is so true, especially true since Mikoko is a humanities person (not to stereotype but I personally find people who study these more sociable and friendly than stem majors). Also we get some acknowledgement of II’s horrible memory
Hilarious that ii orders kimchee again and goes oops and the lunch lady gives him even more than the last time, his poor tongue
Iis loserness is very relatable. He doesn’t dislike boredom and he enjoys doing nothing more than others. Time to contemplate his own life and escape the hustle of life, ii just happens to like doing this more than others what an edge lord (i get him truly)
Miiko describing II’s scowl and saying he always looks like he’s contemplating something. Hard to approach. Also mentions an AT Field so I much appreciate the EVA reference, once again II is relatable as ever.
“lovers and drunks have something in common they shove their happiness in other peoples faces” beautiful. And they were both not around during this time, one gone home already and the others still drinking
Honestly theres something sooooo wow about ii describing his maybe killers appearance in such detail. He doesn’t really do this with any other character in this novel (within the story def not he has met a lot of interesting people. Like aikawa especially).
Once again he describes how different they are and yet it felt like they were looking in a mirror.
“he had my heart and I had his eyes” is such a romantic line for some reason. Even tho it is describing two people that are attacking each other. “we stayed there for as long as 5 hours or maybe 5 seconds” also kind of makes it sound like they’re lost in the moment. Earlier in the story II mentions there is “above all else no romance” which is real interesting that there is emphasis on that specifically despite all this. Their first meeting is so good, especially this stuff. They’re sort of captivated by each other because of how they see the similarities in each other its just so good.
Extra notes:
Mikokos jealousy over Emoto is evident early on with the comment she made about feeling jealous if Ii chan remembered Emoto and not her
Feminist comment is real interesting idk I guess Ii is a gender neutral asshole, not expecting any sort of message like that in this story especially knowing the events that transpire going forward
Chapter 2
Iis rooms is so him. Naked light bulb. His wardrobe not jam packed with options oh what a boring guy
Miiko Asano description is hitting way too close to home for me. 22 years old working various gigs…. Unapproachable at first but pretty cool after oh what a girl I love
Subdued demeanour, default expression being a glare
Hahahaha taking about bringing a guy (Zerozaki) back to his room. Schmoozing with the serial killer everyone is talking about under the schijo bride
Apparently the exact definition of schmoozing is to talk to someone in order to impress or manipulate them which is real interesting
Eight Queens game. Gets harder as you progress and Ii plays it on his own and he can vent his frustration in losing on his own which is so in character for him. It’s also a good metaphor for how the mysteries in Zaregoto play out as a whole so this is super meta.
I forgot how delinquent Muimui was
The conversation with Zerozaki about what a friend is, is one of my favourites
Muimui drunk being like, my brains flipped upside down so my cerebrum and cerebellum are switched which is so real lmfao
Zerozaki and II have yet to talk about Zerozakis motive for killing. Instead talking about ‘stupid irrelevant things’ and saving the best for last
Tomoe has this weird infatuation or fixation I guess with Mikoko like she wishes she was like her. And she shares this with II
Also when the murder happens “it probably wasn’t anything to worry about” would’ve been a dead giveaway if it wasn’t for the phone call that took place later on in the chapter
And of course the last thing II thinks of before going to bed after hanging out with these new friends and bringing Mikoko home is what is Zerozaki doing right now I wonder if he’s killing anybody….
Chapter 3
Mikoko is so obvious about her crush its hilarious, II is just very oblivious (or maybe hes not stupid unreliable narrator)
The interrogation stuff was also really great because its like Ii didn’t even try to be not suspicious but thats just the way he is. And to react to Tomoes death in that way is so bizarre but its very in character considering the first arc
Ii and Zerozaki at karoke is a real joy, I could reread this part of the story an infinite amount of times and never get sick of it.
Some highlights though:
general discussion on what it means to kill
The time that passes, they apparently are in that booth for ~4 hours and theres a period of silence for around 1 (although I think this is just Ii being dramatic), and then they go to Tomoes place. They basically hang out all night
Zerozaki saying “would any girl go that far to learn the address of a random guy? You might not put it past a guy but this is a girl” and then he smiles at Ii.
“I liked her zero and hated her zero” about Mikoko is just a brutal way to express indifference, I love that line
discussion on why people die and mentioning apoptosis? genes? Kind of hilarious
Zerozakis sleeping face (aw) looking like Ii’s huh…
Chapter 4
Miiko buying antiques and just chilling with her part time job, like I said before I am her I wanna be her.
Aikawa just licking and biting Ii’s neck. That should be me tbh.
And Muimuis little convo w Ii in the cafeteria earlier on the in the chapter was good.
I got a little lazy w my annotating but Aikawa jun time is always great and we got that in this chapter
Chapter 5
Mikoko and Ii going shopping is kinda sad when you know what happens next. She couldn’t express her feelings and also ii is a dumbass so he doesn’t even know lmao
“The sick masochist freak and the sick sadistic freak. It’s a match made in freaking heaven” (Aikawa Jun about Ii and Zerozaki)
Ii saying “What a Riot” like Zerozaki does. The foil is foiling (this happens again later with zerozaki saying its all nonsense, the foil is really foiling)
Chapter 6
It really picks up this chapter with Mikoko dying, like thats just crazy.
Also typical of mr unreliable narrator, but you can pinpoint the moment where its like alluding to the fact that he is hiding something (Sasaki says so) and then your like “oh he fucking swallowed the cloth Mikoko used to strangle herself”
Chapter 7
They make Akiharu seem like a real dickhead, maybe he is. Especially the ‘I didn’t believe in boy-friendships’ but even more funny is Ii thinking same-gender friendships weren’t possible either LOL.
“Im used to not being liked. In fact, its being liked thats weird for me” Okay edge lord defective product, (but low-key relatable ish)
Also Akiharu saying it looks like ii could kill someone reaffirms the damn foil with Zerozaki. Beautiful.
I’m like way too lazy to dissect the dream sequence but I appreciate it very much. Its quite good. And its really funny that after he wakes up he’s like aw wtf I got main character syndrome and thought I could dissect her psyche just from a short conversation with her when she was still alive.
More Zerozaki stuff,,, obviously he saves Ii from the Dark Garb situation. Here’s some random lines/moments I like:
“I didn’t even have to wonder wo it was. I knew him as well as myself” (Ii about Zerozaki)
“Hm? Hey dont doze off on me. At least give me your address first” and of course my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE
“Yo. Morning, sunshine”.
Just the fact that Zerozaki watched over Ii all night is yk great, like im so wow. About that
And then Ii quips like “duh, the killer was Muimui”
Chapter 8
Beginning of the chapter is basically Ii talking about himself and how he thought he could get away with being happy all alone, but he was wrong, and he also calls himself a loser which yeah he is but in the most interesting way
Muimui confrontation… “is your knight in shining armour (Zerozaki) waiting outside?”
Also some appreciation for the toxic Yuri with Muimui and Mikoko!! Three cheers,,, she even says she loves her and she LITERALLY killed FOR her. Crazy stuff I forget how yuri-ful nisioisin shit can get
Muimui: Then kill me now
Ii: Nah die on your own.
(Shady af comebacks)
Cries the final conversation with Zerozaki in this volume… :(
Also ohmygod the whole string of murders is so ridiculous but its my fave like (they way it carried out) ONLY SECOND to the volume 6 murders lmfao
Once again theres emphasis on them talking for 2 hours about random shit before parting ways.
“Zerozaki is there someone you love”
“Hell no man, incidentally I hate myself the most. Or maybe you” Just crazy. Its really nice that in nice moment though ii, admits he does love someone (Kunagisa Tomo) and then we see her next chapter
Extra note and question I still have is did Ii know Mikoko had feelings for him or was he really ignorant up until the end. This guys a fucking liar through and through so idk.
Chapter 9
Okay, so I should probably revisit that last chapter again because it puts the murders into perspective, I guess Ii had an inkling of what happened very early on (like after the first murder) and maybe even knew that Mikoko liked him then but wasn’t 100% sure at that point.
Also really sad that he will forget her, in fact I dont think she comes up again in future volumes even in mention, the only new character we see again later is Zerozaki (and Miiko too).
“I wanted you to save me” What a grim suicide note. And Ii probably doesn’t even care or want to remember (and cant remember)
In a way I guess him and Kunagisa are very fitting for each other I mean he calls himself a defective product anyways. They’re both fit for each other and that is clear in not only this part but in future Zaregoto volumes too.
Final Thoughts
This reread was great and I noticed things I didn’t before. What makes this volume really great in my opinion is Ii's relationship with Zerozaki, and after that I would say the string of murders themselves while these are great it is unfortunate that we never see most of these characters again. however that does make this volume a great one to read on its own (which I have done several times already). I guess the x/y thing never meant anything in the first place? like a side of fries as Ii said, which I was initially upset about but I guess its kinda smart it like big time threw me off too.
