Deep Love is a Japanese cell phone novel series written by Yoshi, and is officially the first in its literary genre. The series includes four novels which were later published by Stars Publishing from December 2002 and July 2003. The series launched with Deep Love: Ayu no Monogatari, followed by Deep Love: Host, Deep Love: Reina no Unmei, and Deep Love: Pao no Monogatari. The novels were adapted into five manga series: three illustrated by Yū Yoshii, and one each drawn by Tetsu and Akiyo Kurosawa. Deep Love has also had two live-action series air on TV Tokyo: Ayu no Monogatari and Host. A live-action film was released in theaters in 2004. Literary critic Minako Saitō panned the novels, suggesting that if it had been entered into a new writer competition in a literary magazine, it would have been rejected in the first round. She goes on to say that there might not even be any need to review such a work.
Synopsis
Ayu no Monogatari
This series follows Ayu, a high school girl who moonlights as a prostitute. She views the world as filthy, hypocritical, and hedonistic, and believes that money is the most important thing in the world. She lives with her boyfriend Kenji, a gigolo with a drug problem, and spends her school days with her friend Reina, her only friend. Ayu's outlook on life changes after she meets an old woman, even going so far as to adopt Pao, an abused stray dog. However Ayu ends up betraying the old woman by stealing money that was intended to be used on an operation for her "son" Yoshiyuki. Ayu steals the funds to help her boyfriend, who ends up dying before he could repay the cash. Ayu tries to repay the money by honest means, but is forced to return to prostitution. In the meantime Ayu's friend Reina has started prostituting herself. She's bullied by several of her classmates, who trick her into going to a karaoke bar with them- only for them to abuse her and carve "whore" onto her leg before leaving Reina to be raped by several boys. Ayu eventually graduates from school and develops a friendship with Yoshiyuki after the death of the old woman. She eventually manages to raise 2 million yen, the amount the old lady stated was needed for the operation, and gives it to Yoshiyuki's father - only to discover that the operation costs 10 million. Unbeknownst to Ayu, Yoshiyuki's father ends up spending it on frivolities and fun rather than on his son. Ayu continues to prostitute herself, but is slowly beginning to waste away. She finally realizes that she has AIDS. With the last of her strength, Ayu sends Pao to deliver Yoshiyuki his Christmas gift; a necklace which means eternal love, he returns the gesture with a recorded CD telling her that he wants to take her to Okinawa. Ayu finally collapses after hearing this and quietly passes away as it begins to snow. 3 years later Yoshiyuki is seen at her grave and passes Reina and her child - also named Ayu.
Real
Real follows Yoshiyuki, who is reeling from the death of Ayu. He decides to become a host after visiting the host club Platinum in Shibuya. Yoshiyuki's choice is met with open scorn by everyone except for Taku, Platinum's number one host, who believes that he could become something more.
Pao no Monogatari
This story arc is told from the perspective of Pao, Ayu's dog. After experiencing neglect and abandonment from his owners, Pao watches his mother slowly starve to death. He's separated from his siblings and wanders around the city, gaining further abuse from various people.
Host
Host picks up Yoshiyuki's story, as he continues to try to survive after Ayu's passing. He's emotionally unstable and is willing to do anything to kill the pain, including working at a host bar and becoming a prostitute.
Reina no Unmei
After she's raped in a karaoke bar, Reina becomes pregnant and decides to carry the baby to term. She has a baby girl, who Reina names Ayu after her now-deceased friend. As time passes Reina falls in love with a boy and decides to confess that she's a single mother, only for him to promptly break up with her. To make matters worse, Ayu takes a tumble down the stairs, necessitating an emergency surgery. As a result, Ayu is now blind, which threatens to shatter Reina's happiness forever.
Characters
; Ayu One day, Ayu finds 1.5 million yen in Granny's drawer, which she is saving for her "son" Yoshiyuki. Ayu "borrows" the money to help Kenji, whose drug addiction has gotten the better of him. When Kenji dies, Ayu sells her body to earn the money back. She also finds out that her friend Reina has been raped. An infuriated Ayu exacts revenge on the leader, Keiko. Ayu later reveals to Granny that she had taken the money for Yoshiyuki's surgery to help her boyfriend and he had wasted it. She also reveals that she is trying to earn it back by prostitution. Granny does not respond to this. After Granny's death, Ayu vows to earn the money back without selling her body. At this point, Ayu completely changes, her outlook is not as grim as it initially was, now that she feels that she has a purpose. ; Reina ; Granny ; Yoshiyuki ; Pao
