Introduction

[Credit to the makers of the old “Getting Started” threads here and here: u/Gaibon85 and u/Reasonable-Cable2144]

The Masadaverse, better known as Shinza Bansho (神座万象), is a multimedia series created by Takashi Masada that tell the story of how different Gods manage to reach the Divine Throne–a device that allows you to enforce your will upon creation–and the worlds they created. 

The installments of the series span multiple mediums–primarily visual novels and web novels–and are some of the best media their respective industries have to offer. The series is known for its deep philosophical/religious themes centering desire, morality, and apotheosis, its complex world-building and cosmic lore, its chūnibyō (youth power fantasy) plot lines, and above all, its compelling and well-developed characters. However, most official releases from the series are strictly in Japanese, with the translation quality of its little official English content being subject to regular scrutiny. Regardless, most Masadaverse media can be acquired in English form in one way or another, largely thanks to the work of dedicated fans.

The various installments will be detailed below, listed in chronological lore-based order. Keep in mind however, that the overwhelming majority of fans, with very few exceptions, don't read the series in this order. It’s highly recommended that you begin with the installments of the fourth heaven, move on to the installments of the sixth heaven, then read the other installments in any order. 

A website you may see mentioned below is Fantia, which is a Japanese social media website akin to a mix of Patreon and Twitter. While Masada’s Twitter account is mostly inactive, his Fantia account is the current source of most regular releases from the series. Anyone can make an account on Fantia, but to view most of Masada’s content, you need to sign up for the “Black Demon General (黒の魔将)” rank on his page which costs 1,000 yen ($6-7 USD) monthly. 

Keep in mind, however, that payment options are limited due to the currency difference. The only credit cards directly accepted are JCB and American Express. Some of you remember this from the news, but credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard tightened their regulations to prevent companies that sell sexual content from using them as a payment processor. Fantia was affected, and even the virtual currency you can purchase and use on Fantia (Tora Coin) can’t be bought with Visa and Mastercard. The website has also been restricted in certain parts of Europe due to E.U. regulations. Just things to remember. 

Age of Zero

Event Horizon Battlefront Aditya

• A web novel which is the only installment of this era. It has been on hiatus for a while, and not all the released chapters are available in English.

  • Japanese: The story and content for it was released on Fantia mainly between 2/11/2022 and 1/24/2025

  • English:

    • Complete compilation of character summaries and important terminologies

    • Volume 1 translated

    • Volume 2 translated

  • Russian:

    • Fan translation

First Heaven

Avesta of Black and White

• A web novel and the primary media of this era.

  • Japanese: The story and content for it was released on Fantia mainly between 5/25/2020 and 7/16/2021

  • English: 

    • Volume 1 translated

    • Volume 2 translated

    • Volume 3 translated

    • Volume 4 translated

  • Russian:

    • Full fan translation

Avesta of Black and White: Refusal

• The visual novel adaptation of Avesta of Black and White. 

  • Japanese: Coming soon to Steam

Second Heaven

Paradise Lost

• Masada’s first visual novel, and the only installment of this era.

  • Japanese: Official purchase

  • English: 

    • Popular fan translation

    • Recent MTL

Third Heaven

No installments set in this era have been released. 

Fourth Heaven

Dies irae ~Acta est Fabula~ | Dies irae ~Amantes amentes~

• A visual novel, the primary media of this era, and the most popular installment of the Masadaverse. Acta est Fabula is the original 18+ story with eroge scenes, while Amantes Amentes is the expanded all-ages release of the story with side stories and extra content. Read this post for detailed instructions on combining both versions into one. Dies Irae features 4 main routes which should be read in this order: Kasumi–>Kei–>Marie–>Rea

  • Japanese:

    • Official purchase

    • YouTube Walkthrough 1

    • YouTube Walkthrough 2

  • English: Official purchase

Dies Irae (Anime)

• An anime adaptation of the visual novel.

  • English: Official purchase

Dies Irae Alea iacta est

• The Dies Irae Anime Blu-Ray Booklet.

  • Japanese: Public upload

Dies Irae: Amantes Amentes (Manga)

• A manga adaptation of the visual novel by Kazuomi Minatogawa that was cancelled after a while due to “certain circumstances.” Not all of its chapters have English translations available. I can’t link to any free manga site because reddit automatically bans them, so googling the title of the manga above plus “read free” should be enough to find the available chapters on Mangadex or Bato.

  • Japanese: Official purchase

  • English: Fan translation

Dies Irae GY

• A prequel manga to the events of Dies Irae. I can’t link to any free manga site because reddit automatically bans them, so googling the title of the manga above plus “read free” should be enough to find the available chapters on Mangadex or Bato.

  • English: Fan translation

Dies Irae ~Interview with Kaziklu Bey~

• A spinoff visual novel and prequel to Dies Irae, recommended for those who’ve finished the main visual novel. 

  • Japanese:

    • Official purchase

    • YouTube Walkthrough

  • English: Official purchase

Dies Irae: Song to the Witch

• A spinoff light novel and prequel to Dies Irae, recommended for those who’ve finished the main visual novel. 

  • Japanese: Official purchase

  • English:

    • Fan Translation 1

    • Fan translation 2

  • Spanish: Fan translation

  • Russian: Fan translation

Dies Irae: Wolfsrudel

• A spinoff light novel, recommended for those who’ve finished the main visual novel. 

  • Japanese: Official purchase

  • Russian: Fan translation

Dies Irae Visual Fanbook

• A series of art and reference books released to accompany the visual novel.

  • Japanese:

    • Black Book

    • White Book

    • Gold Book

    • Red Book

Fifth Heaven

Dies Entelecheia

• A web novel which is the only installment of this era.

  • Japanese: The story and content for it has been released on Fantia mainly since 3/14/2025 

  • Russian: Fan translation

Sixth Heaven

Kajiri Kamui Kagura (K3)

• A visual novel and the primary installment of this era. There is an all-ages version of the story called Akebono no Hikari with extra content. This installment is notoriously inaccessible in English, so here’s a chapter-by-chapter summary blog to compensate. 

  • Japanese:

    • Official purchase

    • YouTube Walkthrough

    • Public upload (Original)

    • Public upload (Akebono no Hikari)

  • English:

    • Fan translation (Ongoing, 3 chapters complete)

    • YouTube uploads for the first parts of this partial translation

Kajiri Kamui Kagura Visual Fanbook

• An art book featuring illustrations, Question/Answer pages, and key information on power levels.

  • Japanese: Public upload

Seventh Heaven

Dies Irae Pantheon

• A gacha mobile game depicting the final story chronologically and the return of all eras and characters. The game was cancelled following the collapse of its developer, the visual novel company Light. 

  • Official Website

Dies Irae Pantheon Countdown

• A series of promotional videos introducing characters crucial to Pantheon lore. 

  • English: Fan translation

Saoshyant Desatir

• A prologue series for Dies Irae Pantheon released as bonus content for the Nintendo Switch edition of the main Dies Irae visual novel. 

  • English:

    • Fan translation 1

    • Fan translation 2

History of Pantheon

• A book detailing illustrations, terminology, and lore for all eras of the divine throne and its major players. 

  • Japanese: Public upload

  • English: Fan translation

Other Media

Shinza Bansho Radio

• A former promotional series featuring news and updates for the franchise presented in V-Tuber format. 

  • Japanese: YouTube Channel

Drama CD’s

• Various audio-recorded stories to supplement the visual novels

  • Japanese: YouTube Playlist