Synopsis: A 17 year old girl, named Ayu, is selling her body for money. She is depressed, doesn't believe in happiness, and thinks that the world is rotten and that the only way to make it in this rotten, immoral world is to become rotten yourself. She thinks that love is nothing more than an unwanted burden that will get in the way of her job. She leads a miserable life, until she meets a very kind old lady, and an abandoned dog whose tongue has been cruelly cut out...
Just from observing the old lady, her persistence, and will to do good, Ayu starts to change, both herself and her opinion of the world...

*end synopsis*

*enter opinions*

This manga basically completely and utterly reveals the sad truth of the world today. I think I liked it so much (and still do) because it is a tragic, romantic story of redemption.

I really liked the powerful emotions it evokes. They are really easy to relate too. Although in the manga, the emotions are a bit extreme, many of us (by which I mean humans) have experienced the emotional trauma on a lesser scale.

All the major characters are brilliant. They each personify an undeniable truth of the world. One portrays the absolute doubting and untrusting nature of humans. Another depicts our ability and willingness to persevere through hardship for a higher cause. The third clearly shows that we must enjoy what time we have, because it's our most precious and the scarcest of all resources.

The entire story is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs, and by the end you wish that it hadn't ended, or, sometimes you even wish that you hadn't gone on it at all. But, as with roller coasters, you'll remember the thrill that you got while riding it, and you'll find yourself wanting to ride it (or, in this case, read it) again.

I believe that this is possibly the best manga I've ever read. I know it's definitly in the top three. Of my three candidates, this is the one that grabbed me and controlled my emotions the best.

I give it a 10 and advise any manga fan to read it.

NOTE: THIS STORY IS NOT FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES! IT'S RATED MATURE FOR GOOD REASON! PLEASE USE GOOD JUDGEMENT AS TO WHEN AND WHERE YOU READ IT! (Remember what the main character does for a living!)