ai no kusabi

While sometimes translated as 'wedge of love,' a more correct translation of the name is 'wedge of interval.' Ai apparently can mean both love or space/interval in Japanese. Another translation often given is 'the space between.'

Daijisen defines 間の楔 as a pin, or lynchpin, that secures a joint between two beams or posts - a 'stopgap measure' or something that otherwise bridges a gap.¹

Katze gives a bit of explanation behind the name when he says to Riki: "Do you know what a wedge is? It's something that strongly links two opposites together, like you and Iason. I suppose people could call it love."

Quick & dirty

Ai no Kusabi novel

Author: Yoshihara Rieko
Illustrator: Michihara Katsumi
Serialized In: Shousetsu June
When: 1986-1987

In 1990 Yoshihara reworked the story and published it as a hardcover book. It was reworked again in 2001 and published with new illustrations by Michihara. This third version is currently being released in English from DMP's yaoi imprint.

Ai no Kusabi OVA

Produced by: AIC (Anime International Company)
Distributed by: June Video
Directors: Nishimori Akira (pt. 1) and Akiyama Katsuhiro (pt. 2)
Character Design: Onda Noyuki
Date: 1992 (pt. 1) & 1994 (pt. 2)

The OVA is only available officially in Japanese by special order from Shousetsu June. It supposes some familiarity with the novel. It was fansubbed by The Lupin Gang who provided a introduction with the fansub explaining some of the concepts so fans wouldn't be so confused, this is the version most English-speaking fans are familiar with.

Dark Erogenous (audio drama)

In 1993 an audio drama was produced that covered the three years that Riki spent as Iason's pet, thereby covering the period only hinted at in the novel and its anime adaptation.

Soundtracks

There are five music cds that have been produced in Japan to accompany Ai no Kusabi. The first four were available separately, and at one time all were available packaged as a limited edition box.

Original soundtrack (OVA 1 soundtrack)
Sense of Crisis (new music)
Sympathy (OVA 2 + some new instrumental music)
Ambivalence (new music)
Sound selections from Ai no Kusabi (music from the other cds, remixed)

About fanlistings

A fanlisting is a place for people to come together and declare their love for something, thereby building the biggest list of fans of that thing from around the globe. This hobby began with fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and mushroomed from there. The headquarters for the effort is at TFL and TAFL.

This is the TAFL approved fanlisting for the Ai no Kusabi OVAs, and the TFL approved listing for the novel. If you're also a fan in any way, shape, or form, please join the listing!