Ishin Nishio (西尾維新, Nishio Ishin) (1981 - ) is a Japanese novelist. He attended and left Ritsumeikan University without graduating ^[1].

In 2002, he debuted with the novel "Kubikiri Cycle" (クビキリサイクル), which earned him the 23rd Mephisto Award at only twenty years of age^[2]. The main character of the story, known as "Ii-chan," showed popularity as the main character of his Zaregoto Series.

He currently works with Kodansha on Faust, a literary magazine containing the works of other young authors who similarly take influence from light novels and otaku culture.

For his pen name he uses kunreishiki romanization, which turns it into a palindrome: NISIO ISIN.

His hobbies are travelling and visiting bookstores at the destinations of his travels.

Nishio's work is characterized by references to other novels, as well as parodies of famous manga series. Among these, Hellsing and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure references are particularly common. He is well-regarded as an author who has blended the conventions of mystery novels and character-driven light novels.

As well as stepping on the conventions and stereotypes of anime and light novels, he is known for creating characters with unusual features, such as extremely strange names which are wordplay, such as Nanananami Nanami, Shikigishi Kishiki, Sagano Usagi, Byouinzaka Kuroneko (which translates roughly as Black Cat of Hospital Hill).

In November of 2005, the series was completed, with nine volumes total. Illustrations are by take. The Ningen Series has been released as a related series. All books have been released in Japan by Kodansha Novels.

• "Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savan to Zaregoto Tsukai" February 5, 2002, ISBN 4-06-182233-0
• "Kubishime Romantist: Ningen Shikkaku, Zerozaki Hitoshiki" May 8, 2002, ISBN 4-06-182250-0
• "Kubitsuri High School: Zaregoto Tsukai no Deshi" August 5, 2002, ISBN 4-06-182267-5
• "Psycho Logical (Part One) Utsurigi Gaisuke no Zaregoto Koroshi" November 5, 2002, ISBN 4-06-182283-7
• "Psycho Logical (Part Two) Hikaremono no Kouta" November 5, 2002, ISBN 4-06-182284-5
• "Hitokui Magical Satsuriku Kijutsu no Niounomiya Kyoudai" July, 2003, ISBN 4-06-182323-X
• "Nekosogi Radical (Part One) 13 Kaidan" February 8, 2005, ISBN 4-06-182393-0
• "Nekosogi Radical (Part Two) Akaki Seisai vs. Tounaru Shu", June 7, 2005, ISBN 4-06-182399-X
• "Nekosogi Radical (Part Three) Aoiro Savan to Zaregoto Tsukai", November 8, 2005, ISBN 4-06-182400-7

Connected to the Zaregoto Series, it is also known as the "Zerozaki Ichizoku Series." The illustrations are also provided by take. This series has also been published by Kodansha Novels.

• "Zerozaki Soushiki no Ningen Shiken", February 6, 2004, ISBN 4-06-182359-0
• "Zerozaki Kishishiki no Ningen Knock", November 7, 2006, ISBN 4-06-182509-7
• "Zerozaki Magashiki no Ningen Ningen", which is planned for serialization beginning in April of 2007, in the literature magazine "Mephisto."

• "XXXHOLiC, Another Holic Randoruto-kan Aerosol", Kodansha, August 1, 2006, ISBN 4-06-213509-4
• "Death Note, Another Note Los Angeles BB Renzoku Satsujin Jiken", Shueisha, August 1, 2006, ISBN 4-08-780439-9

• Light novel