PSYCHOLOGICAL

From Aerandria Scans:Rinko is an ordinary girl who was born with a mysterious birthmark on her left arm. But when that mark starts to get darker, strange accidents begin to happen everywhere around her, involving even the people she cares about. What will the powerful magic awakening inside Rinko bring her?In 1987, Purple Eyes in the Dark was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for the shoujo manga category.

Habaki (police officer) and En (writer) are a pair who grew up together in the same orphanage. En struggles with abnormal pheromone secretion: sensitive not only to his partner, but to others as well. To make things worse, En developed a genetic mutation where common suppressants are no longer effective - at least, that's how it appears.A clueless Habaki continues to neglect his career prospects for En's well-being. On his first day as a transfer at a new jurisdiction, he begins to investigate an omega rape case. Meanwhile, producing excessive amounts of pheromones, En reaches out for Habaki as he enters his estrus cycle almost as if he's an omega...Show more

Popular high school student Suwa Daisuke has no interest in dating newcomer Aikawa Hinako, a quiet loner. That's because she recoiled from his flirtatious touch, and he took it as a personal affront. Daisuke informs one of his buddies that he wouldn't date her, not knowing Hinako was listening. Daisuke's attitude changes after he accidentally hears her confession in an abandoned church; she's been sexually abused by her stepfather and has given up a child for adoption. His former annoyance turns to compassion and concern. Hinako is unaware that he knows her terrible secret. Believing him to have no romantic interest, she becomes more relaxed and comfortable in his company. Their relationship faces a lot of obstacles, including jealous classmates.

This is part 2 of Gambling Emperor Legend Zero, picking up a few years after the cliffhanger ending of part 1.

On the secluded island of Rokkenjima, Battler Ushiromiya and his family were trapped and murdered under unusual circumstances attributed to Beatrice, the Golden Witch.After continually challenging the existence of magic and powerful witches, Battler has become the Game Master of the board involving the mysterious events that occured. To prove his understanding of the mystery, he must defeat Erika Furudo, the detective and piece for the witch Bernkastel. Meanwhile, a childlike Beatrice, reborn through Battler's efforts, struggles to regain her former personality for Battler's sake.As the new game begins, the unfolding events are brought into existence by two objective observers: the Witch of the Theatre, Featherine Augustus Aurora, and her chosen reader, Ange Ushiromiya, Battler's sister as she is in 1998.On Rokkenjima in 1986, love becomes important to understanding the truth behind the events, particularly as it pertains to George and Jessica Ushiromiya, and the servants Shannon and Kanon.

From Turtle Paradise:16-year-old Kizuna stalks the city at night, flirting with middle-aged salary men and coercing them out of their money. The thrill should be enough to satiate her, but Kizuna remains unsatisfied with her everyday life That is, until the beautiful Inoue Yuki, also living in "Birdcage Manor" approaches Kizuna with a job proposition- to model in the nude for Yuki's cousin, a painter and fellow resident Yusei Asai!

Change 123 follows Motoko Gettou, a not-so-average teenage girl. Orphaned at an early age after the death of her mother, she was taken in by her "three fathers," each a master of a different style of martial arts or combat-training. Under the care of each parent, a young Motoko was subjected to excessively rigorous training. So much was the physical and mental strain that Motoko developed three split-personalities, known as the HiFuMi, consisting of the ever hard-headed Hibiki, quick and agile Fujiko, and cute and immature Mikiri, each individually skilled in combat skills learned from each master. One day, a man begins to harass a terrified Motoko, now in high school, as he catches her alone down an alleyway. A classmate of hers, Teruharu Kosukegawa, tries to help Motoko, only in time to watch as an infuriated Hibiki kicks the harassing man directly across his path straight into a car. Returning to herself, a shocked Motoko promises Kosukegawa she will do anything if he doesn't tell her secret. From here poor Kosukegawa must manage a flurry of combat fighting and ecchi madness as he is brought along for the ride of his life into the chaotic lifestyle of HiFuMi. But what initially developed as a friendship seems to have become more to Kosukegawa as he longs to tell Motoko his feelings for her -- if he can manage to survive long enough to confess, let alone find the opportune moment. What will transpire?From Baka-Updates:In Change 123, we meet Motoko, a girl with a very strange problem. In order to cope with her 3 adoptive fathers' incredibly intensive training methods, she developed multiple personalities, each with a different martial specialty. But what happens if none of them can beat her opponent on their own? And what further nugget of wisdom will be imparted by the great Kamen Raider?

From Wasurenagusa:Wada Tatsuki seems to be an ordinary bus driver, living a simple and peaceful life. However there is a heavy burden he holds in his heart, a terrible thing that he has done in the past. What if one day the man he hurt appears and wants to take revenge?

In the year 2038, a white light descended on the center of Tokyo and stole the memories of over one million people. The cause of this horrible incident was not determined, and no cure was to be found. The government formed a separate city beneath Tokyo to house and care for the victims of the incident and branded them as "KIDz." Regardless of their age, they truly are like children, and they must be retaught everything they once knew. Noa Ikurumi, a boy genius who lives in this isolated society, is just taking one day at a time and dreaming of finally being allowed to go back out into the world. But Noa's life will once again change drastically on the day that he is taken hostage by a terrorist with some surprising information about his identity...

Soyoung Gu is a women of abundant wealth and beauty, who also happens to be living under the identity of her older sister. However, someone claiming to be Soyoung herself appears in front of her one day... +

1) Is it wrong to eye your body"As long as Kakuno's willing to look at me, it's okay."Hazumi was helped by his classmate, Kakuno, who saw him being harassed by some upperclassmen. His heart stolen by Kakuno's strong and beautiful body, Hazumi told Kakuno that he wanted to see it all. Kakuno obliged, but as time passed their relationship became no clearer.They started out as strangers, neither lovers nor friends. Which would it be, if any?2) Night fallsStirred by the rustling sounds of the leaves, the boy awakes to find a stranger in his house. Surprised but undeterred, he tries to befriend the mysterious guy that hangs out in his sister's room after night falls. Time pasts and his sister disappears, trying to go after the guy who decided to leave. Will he see his sister again? What about the stranger of the night?3) The end resultContinuation of the second story.

When Shouta finally finds a clue to his missing brother's disappearance, he mysteriously wakes up in a room he's never seen before.The events of this room are broadcast online, and the only link with the outside is voice chat with the viewers of the broadcast.In the midst of this extreme environment, a battle royale style murder game begins!

A story about two college friends with girlfriends, who fall in love and engage in a relationship which is then scrutinized by all involved.

Once, Shirou and his little brother were captured by bandits and then forced to work for them. Shirou is not only forced into the bandit lifestyle himself, but is also forced to become the bandit leader's, Sougetsu-sama's, sex toy. Night after night, day after day, he is forced to gratify the leader's sexual appetite. Though Shirou is extremely strong and is able to fight off any attacker's, he cannot, for the life of him, repel Sougetsu-sama's advances. Shirou hates the bandit leader with all his might, yet cannot deny the sexual gratification that the man brings him.The bandit leader, Sougetsu-sama, has many lovers. Yet, why does he constantly keep coming back to the violent and unwilling Shirou, when he already has a bevy of willing partners at his beck and call? Sougetsu-sama's partiality towards Shirou is not only puzzling, but it also creates jealousy amongst some of his lover who views the strong Shirou as nothing more than a rabid dog because of his violent nature.Born with beautiful, natural red-hair at a time in Japan when such traits were tantamount to being vilified as a demon; Shirou seems to epitomize the ultimate characteristic of the bloodthirsty fiend. He is feisty and refuses the bandit leader with all his might; and as a result, ends up being raped by Shougetsu-sama most of the time. What will be the outcome of their struggle? Will there ever be a balance between them, or will this game of cat and mouse continue?

From Evil Flowers:Kako Saeki is a senior in high school. She has been modeling and harboring her love for her favorite art teacher, Enjoe. Her heart breaks when she finds out that her love is actually engaged. Now, Kako's innocent love takes a dangerous turn when she finds out who is he engaged to.....

Ikebukuro, Tokyoa neighborhood where twisted love prowls!! A series of street slashings in Ikebukuro begins to connect total strangers: A teenage girl with no personality of her own; a beat writer for a third-rate tabloid; a teacher suspected of harassment; an informant based in Shinjukuand a headless rider straddling a pitch-black motorcycle!! Meanwhile, the slasher continues to terrorize the night, all in search of"him"!?

"Sensei, is this a boy or a girl?""Do you want to know?"Ichijo Mashiro and fellow classmates are enlisted in a mysterious weekly class that takes the form of a shared nightmare. Like most teenagers, Mashiro has a secret.. he's neither fully male nor female!So far, Mashiro's been able to live life as a boy, but all this changes when he's informed of a new class he 'must' partake in order to graduate from his elite preparatory school. To pass, he must find the key and the one way to find it is to enter into a nightmare world, where his body and soul are put at the mercy of the worst kind of enemies -- other school students, who are battling to find the key.From renowned author Mizushiro Setona, comes a riveting epic mystery that lies between the students, that will have you engrossed from one page to the next. Happiness, sadness, blood and tears will all be shown, but which one leads to an ending? Take the next step into the world of After School Nightmare!From Go! Comi:Like most teenagers, Mashiro Ichijo has a secret. But Mashiro's secret is that he's neither fully male nor female! So far, Mashiro's been able to live his life as a boy, but all this changes when he's informed of a new class he must take in order to graduate from his elite prep school. To pass, he must find the "Key"and the only way to find it is to enter into a nightmare world where his body and soul are put at the mercy of the worst kind of enemies: his classmates!

From: http://wiki.puella-magi.netGirl is surrounded by the darkness, with voice calling her out from somewhere.She escapes from the darkness that is inside a suitcase, what appears before her eyes are an unknown room and an unknown man. Only fragments of memories left, and her name, Kazumi.

The story is set in Japan a millennium from now. Five children the protagonist Saki, Satoru, Maria, Mamoru, and Shun have been born and raised in a tranquil town that can be described as a utopia, overflowing with water and green foilage. The world is ruled by people who have the "cursed power" or the "gods' power" of telekinesis. After a certain incident, Saki and the others come to realize the true nature of their world. Before long, they learn everything, including the bloody history that brought humanity to this state. The five throw themselves into life-threatening adventure and fighting to protect friends and a world on the brink of collapse.

Watanuki Kimihiro is a high school student plagued by yokai and ayakashi spirits with a strong attraction to him. The spirits are invisible to others and encounters with them are extremely troublesome. When he stumbles into a shop that grants wishes, however, events in his life promise to become more unusual. The shop is owned by Yuuko Ichihara a mysterious and beautiful (sometimes playful) witch of many names and esoteric renown. For a price, she offers to grant Watanuki's wish to be rid of the spirits. The price, according to Yuuko, must be of equal value and so, as payment, he temporarily becomes Yuuko's part-time employee a maid to be precise! Watanuki's job also seems to consist of small errands dealing with the supernatural including the household chores. His love interest Himawari Kunogi, and "rival" Doumeki Shizuka, occasionally join him in his work as per Yuuko's request. The three become increasingly close despite Watanuki's annoyance with Doumeki. Yuuko constantly refers to "hitsuzen", meaning inevitability, destiny, or fate, as being the driving force in the world. She states that there is no such thing as coincidence, and that every single action and decision is inevitable, because without them, other related events in the future could not happen.

From acme: Dame BL is "a collection of BL oneshots written by some of the lesser-known participants in the genre (and some you may be familiar with already), with a focus on less conventional settings and characters. We're very far away from high school here, which hopefully you'll agree makes a pleasant change of pace." 1. Be Here to Love Me (KUMOTA Haruko) The relationship of a foot-fetishist and his cunning colleague. 2. Kou no Kawa (MOROZUMI Sumitomo) Set in ancient times, a village is near starvation due to a bad harvest. For some reason, the young chief takes care of a cursed man he finds lying in the river... 3. Khaa Thoong (Est Em) Can the young Thai kick-boxer rekindle the thirst for competion in a senior boxer after his devastating defeat? Column 1 (AOYAMA Toomi) Useless Side Characters Column 2 (Kashima) Obsession/Favoritism Column 3 (KUSAMA Sakae) Terror! Kappa Lake 4. Natsu no Saigo ni Yosete (UMEMATSU Machie) Two elderly men reminisce about their lives together over a bowl of peaches. 5. Locas! (OKADAYA Tetuzoh) Jean-Luc fell in love through correspondence in a chat with Al. What will occur, when he will decide to meet off-line? Is it really Al that wrote to him in chat? 6. And Robo (CHIBA Ryouko) A touching tale of robot clones... or something. 7. Shinumade BL Shindemo BL (Takeuchi Sachiko) 8. Tonari wa Nani wo Suru Hito zo (UNO Jinia) The unusual love a man has for his fan in the hot summer. 9. Soldier (Zin) A nazi sadist and a prisoner in camp. Excitement, desire, but... what about love? Attachment? Column 4 (KEVIN Komine) Column 5 (COTORINO Deathco) Eronashi BL Column 6 (PSYCHE Delico) Column 7 (YONEDA Kou) 10. Muhou no Shounen (Mochimeko) A story involving a Reckless Young Man and some scary faced gangsters. 11. Ima Doushiteru (ROTTA Ikumi) The funny relationship between a man who has a fetish for soft/chubby things and his fatty otaku-friend. 12. It Must Be (MOMOYAMA Naoko) A story about two professional cyclists and their travails.

Hiro's brother Atsuya is dating Hiro's childhood friend and secret crush Hikari. Hiro's affection for Hikari will lead him to commit an un-punishable crime against his older brother. At least, he thinks it is un-punishable, until he is kidnapped and imprisoned by a group of people wearing animal masks. The judging is about to start! Basicly same principles of "gore Game of concealed murderer" as in Doubt.

From MangaHelpers: In the 1950s, an old woman was brutally murdered on the face of a clock tower by her adopted daughter. Two years later, the clock tower is known as the 'ghost tower' and it is supposedly haunted. Through an unusual series of events, a young NEET man named Amano Taichi is attacked by someone or something in the same clock tower, and finds himself bound to the clock face to be killed in the same way as the old woman. Luckily for Amano, he doesn't meet the same fate. He's rescued by a mysterious person who claims his name is Tetsuo. Tetsuo is searching for a treasure that is connected with the ghost tower, and he wants Taichi to be his partner. Taichi, whose life has mostly consisted of poverty, loneliness, and pornography, is enticed by the idea of gaining extreme wealth. He's further convinced when a house fire leaves him without a home and depends on Tetsuo's charity. The adventure is going to be very dangerous, since the same 'enemies' who attacked Taichi before seem certain to try something again! Not to mention, Taichi really knows very little about his new partner.

Asako Minami has a "unique constitution." He senses the lingering thoughts of the deceased and experiences the circumstances under which they died with his own body in a reaction similar to stigmata. This proves useful in solving difficult cases with the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Investigations Unit Six. Asako's partner is the reserved Superintendent Kuroiwa Hiroto, rising through the MPD ranks despite doubting his own abilities.The first volume of this manga was seinen, but it has been revived as BL in .Bloom magazine.+

When one door shuts, another opens.There are a lot of things that Kouki doesn't have no hobbies, no friends, no lover, no stable job, and no will to live. So when a random tussle with some kids gets him stabbed, he thinks maybe this is finally his ticket out of this crappy life. But just as he's about to pass out he sees a beautiful "angel" How is Kouki supposed to cope when less than a month later, he's mysteriously healed, has astronomical bills to pay, and suddenly has the same beautiful angel as his amnesiac roommate?+

Keiichirou Mishima is a 15-year-old guy living with his mom until she suddenly decides to fly to Paris to be with Keiichirou's dad. His mom arranges with his uncle Shirasaki to let him stay at his mansion with his two cousins Marie and Tomari, who he met many years before when he stayed with them for a short while. However, Keiichirou has forgotten nearly everything about back then, including why his cousins apparently now hate him.

In 1998, Battler Ushiromiya's younger sister Ange has lived a miserable life being raised by her Aunt Eva, the only survivor of the murders on Rokkenjima. Bullied and unhappy, Ange finds solace in the diary of her cousin Maria and the world of magic until she rejects its existence. However, with Eva's death and the inheritance of Beatrice's titles, Ange receives an offer from the witch Bernkastel on how to bring back her lost family. Meanwhile, in 1986, Battler Ushiromiya and the Golden Witch Beatrice continue their game, with Battler aided by Ange, hailing from twelve years in the future, in hopes of saving their family at last.

From Easy Going Scans:Five different people are gathered in an abandoned hospital after getting a mysterious phone call, and the mastermind behind the curtains holds their families hostage. He orders them to figure out the one culprit who killed his brother... Or otherwise, they will all die.

From Storm in Heaven:Mizuki is a girl who wants to run away from her life. As she smiles at everything sad that happens to her, her soul becomes heavier day by day. Her escape door is Adam, an English singer. But is he really real, or is everything they've been through just a dream? Adam sees his dead Japanese girlfriend in Mizuki, but strangely, nobody, apart from a girl who met her at the gates of heaven, can see Mizuki. This is a story that takes place somewhere between dream and reality.

Shun and his older brother have a little strange relationship...WARNING: CONTAINS INCESTKoganei's story "Kusatta Rasen" and also "Ayaui Kyouen" in which the Makino brothers appear can be found in the main series -Rakuda Tsukai to Ouji no Yoru( http://www.batoto.net/comic/_/comics/rakuda-tsukai-to-ouji-no-yoru-r10706 )

From ADV: Henrietta barely survived a brutal attack that killed her family. 'Rescued' by the Social Welfare Agency, her injuries were repaired with robotic components and she was brainwashed. Lost with the memory of her family's deaths was almost every trace of her own humanity. Now, she is an extraordinarily lethal cyborg assassin, obediently working with her handler Giuseppe to carry out her deadly tasks. Despite her conditioning and programming, Henrietta still has the heart of a young girl. She has not completely forgotten how to love, yet the very emotion is contrary to her training and programming. Can the Gunslinger Girl survive? Can she find peace in a struggle against her very nature?

Ganymede, the youngest prince of Troy, is trapped in a world of eternal night and beautiful white flowers that never wilt. Apollo - the man responsible for his imprisonment - visits him often, never quite telling him what he has been brought there for.The all-powerful Zeus, the omniscient Hades, the inquisitive Apollo -- this is the tale they weave, using Ganymede's presence to fulfill their whims...

A compilation of short stories:1) The Guardian -Kazuhiko Saibara finds himself dead in the woods surrounding his family's summer villa. As the family servant digs his grave, Saihara's feeble-minded younger brother gazes absently upon the scene, and Saihara himself begins to recount the events that led to his demise.- PresenceDear2. Show Me Heaven -A smile of a skinny angel opens up a closed-minded man's heart.3) Sora no Uragawa -Yousuke, Tamotsu and Satoshi are high school buddies until tragedy breaks them apart. Ten years later the death of one of them brings the remaining two friends back together and past wounds are torn open.- Aarinfantasy4) A Chance Encounter in the Cosmos -A hideously ugly starship captain captures a beautiful prisoner of war.- PresenceDear

"The King's orders are absolute. Fail to obey, and you will be punished."Thirty years ago, in the remote Yonaki Village, a black envelope is delivered to a single villager. The command inside threatens to draw the entire population into a terrible tragedy! Take a deep breath, steady your heart, and prepare for a shocking, terrifying survival horror adventure!(Source: Crunchyroll)

Truck-kun's latest victim finds out what it's really like to have the Ultimate Cheat Skill.Shockingly, there are no slave harems.

From Midnight Scans:As a child, Beniko had two close friends, Umi and Sora. They were twin brothers that lived next door but due to his "Brother-Complex" jealousy Umi stopped being friends with her and soon moved away. Sora stayed and he and Beniko devoloped a relationship but later tragedy hit as he tried to save Beniko. Umi reapears with the same voice, looks, but a more twisted personality than before. How will Beniko confront the twisted love and affection given to her by Umi, instead of from Sora?!

Summer 1983...Hinamizawa is a tranquil village, but its inhabitants have been plagued by strange deaths and unexplained disappearances seemingly every year. Some say it's the terrifying curse of Hinamizawa's legendary deity, Oyashiro-sama, causing victims to be spirited away by monsters, but is this town harboring dark, horrying secrets even more sinister than any supersition or myth?Solution to Onikakushi-hen. Unlike Meakashi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen's story is drastically different from the plot of its Question arc. In Tsumihoroboshi-hen, Rena experiences a situation similar to Keiichi's in Onikakushi-hen, as she makes a terrible mistake and becomes distrustful of her former friends. It is the first chapter with a (seemingly) happy ending, although some tips reveal a sinister twist.The story is divided into a total of eight chapters: four "Question" arcs and four "Answer" arcs. Each chapter keeps the same main characters, but ends in a different way. However, each chapter gives valuable answers, hints, and clues to the previous one, while at the same time bringing forth even more mysteries.The question arcs are: Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, Tatarigoroshi-hen and Himatsubushi-hen.The answer arcs are: Meakashi-hen, Tsumihoroboshi-hen, Minagoroshi-hen and Matsuribayashi-hen.The side story arcs are: Onisarashi-hen, Yoigoshi-hen, and Utsutsukowashi-hen+

Explores the lives of the famous yet not famous people that lived in our world--such as Nikola Tesla, Typhoid Mary, the woman behind the Winchester Mystery House, Kou Yoshio, and much much more. Art by Araki Hirohiko and Onikubo Hirohisa, all stories by Araki Hirohiko.

From bl-gyaru:Niia is a good student who always has top grade of the class. One day, his teacher found out that he's smoker so to received recommendation letter from school, he's willing to do anything for his teacher.

A collection of stories:1. Rakuda Tsukai to Ouji no Yoru2. Rakuda Tsukai ga Kieta Asa3. Oboreru Sakana (Drowning Fish)Living in a house of constant fights, An has learned to drown his feelings in the water. He has never felt love, and doesn't desire it - people call him cold.Usami, the illegitimate son of a wealthy business man, is a player who dumps his girlfriends when they fall in love with him. He doesn't deserve to be loved... how can they love him, when he doesn't love himself?Will the fish be caught by the lonely net, or will each sink to the bottom weighed down by unrequited feelings?4. Ibitsu na Kakera (Broken Pieces)A story about a flame of unexpressed feelings, controlling and eating away into the blood relation. A brothers' forbidden love.5. Kusatta Rasen (Rotten Spiral)What is the true relationship between high schooler Ataru Koganei and the famous actor Shuu Kanai?6. Ayaui Kyouen

Ryuugamine Mikado is a boy who seeks for the exciting life of the big city--who yearns for an unmundane life; a hoodlum, a stalker denpa-girl, an informant, a champion fighter, a black-market doctor, and the Headless Rider astride a black motorcycle. But despite how different they are, all of these stories are interconnected by mysterious incidents going on in Ikebukuro: mysterious kidnappings, a pharmaceutical group supposedly performing human experiments, and the mysterious "colorless" gang known as the "Dollars." From then on, the existence of supernatural cases and a gang called the Yellow Turbans will rise to the surface, and Ikebukuro will pushed to the breaking point.+ Heroman manga+ Barbara manga

[From Lililicious]:A story about two classmates who become friends, Sahoko and Rio. Rio is depressed and self-abusive and isn't loved by her "family" (which consists of her father, stepmother, and stepbrother), but Sahoko seems to be the bright spot in her life. Sahoko also seems to have a mysterious past and doesn't seem to have a good relationship with her parents; she lives with her aunt. It's also hinted at that Sahoko and Rio have met once before, when they were much younger...

Fran can make anyone into anything, raise the dead, switch heads and bodies, and give you those eyes that you've always wanted. But do you actually want them? Is it a good thing to raise the dead? Do the ends justify the means? And does Fran care?

Chiaki Sakaguchi appears to be a sociable, popular high school senior, but he carries a dark secret with him that he can tell no one about not even his closest friends. When Chiaki meets fellow student Eiji Yukimura an under-achieving social misfit for the first time, he believes he's found someone who can understand his inner pain. As the two become closer, Chiaki learns that Eiji has a secret also a secret so dark, it threatens to overshadow his own. United by common dysfunction and angst, Chiaki and Eiji begin to search for pleasure together beyond their pain. Will the pair's growing bond enable them to break free of their troubled pasts and create a brighter future? Or is the damage that's been done to both of them beyond any healing that love can provide?

Garai is a Japanese Catholic Priest, who is unable to give up his lifelong sexual relationship with Yuki, a beautiful and sadistic young master criminal. Yuki's malicious crimes have become more and more extreme over the years, claiming many innocent lives, and Garai is tormented by guilt at his inability to stop them

From Anime News Network:In a near future, technology has firmly taken root into society at large. Cybernetic implants are nothing uncommon and robots roam as plentiful as humans, all connected through their "ghosts" to the electronic datastreams of the net. Major Kusanagi Motoko and the Public Security Section 9 find themselves in a constant battle with the newly created wave of technological terrorists and cyber-hackers. But things take a turn once Motoko gets involved in a certain case involving an extremely dangerous "ghost" hacker nicknamed the Puppeteer, as she dives deeper and deeper into the limitless reality of the net, to reach her own startling conclusions.

From Viz:In a world that has become 70% harsh desert, the Rainbow Council of the International Peace Keeping Forces, a team of super-powered global security guardians, have a growing crisis on their hands. No. 5, one of their own and known within the council as their top marksman, has left his post and gone rogue. It's up to the other guardians to track him down--but No. 5, with his mysterious companion Matroshka, won't go down without a fight.

On the secluded island of Rokkenjima, owned by the rich and powerful Ushiromiya family, mysterious murders begin to occur as outlined on the epitaph of the Golden Witch Beatrice, whose existence has been continually denied by Battler Ushiromiya.When Beatrice defaults a win against Battler, she loses the will to continue and withdraws. As Battler waits for her to awaken, the witches Bernkastel and Lambdadelta wreck havoc upon the game board and the fates of those on Rokkenjima. When Battler re-enters the game to take the game board back for Beatrice, he discovers the circumstances have changed.In 1986, detective Erika Furudo has joined the inhabitants of Rokkenjima, approaching the murders from a "mystery" perspective in contrast to Battler's approach of "anti-fantasy" and denying magic. As Erika's investigation begins, the consequences of Natsuhi Ushiromiya's past actions regarding an offer from the family head, Kinzo, surface.