Kurozuka
| Kurozuka | |
| 黒塚 (Kurozuka) |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Romance, Action, Supernatural, Sci-fi |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Baku Yumemakura |
| Illustrated by | Takashi Noguchi |
| Published by | Shueisha |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Magazine | Super Jump |
| Original run | January 6, 2003 – December 12, 2006 |
| Volumes | 10 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Tetsuro Araki |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Network | Animax, BS11 |
| Original run | October 7, 2008 – December 23, 2008 |
| Episodes | 12 |
Kurozuka (黒塚 Kurozuka) is a novel and Japanese manga series written by Baku Yumemakura and illustrated by Takashi Noguchi. The manga was first serialized in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Super Jump starting in 2003 by Shueisha and ended in December 2006. An anime adaptation by Madhouse was announced by Japanese anime television network Animax in May 2008[1] and ran between October and December 2008, spanning a total of 12 episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Story
The series begins in 12th century Japan and centers on Kuro, a character based loosely on the legendary Japanese swordsman Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Kuro and his servant, Benkei, meet a beautiful and mysterious woman named Kuromitsu while on the run from Kuro's elder brother, who seeks his life. Kuromitsu and Kuro fall in love, but he soon discovers that she harbors a terrible secret: she is a vampiric immortal. Following an attack by his pursuers, Kuro is badly injured and must imbibe Kuromitsu's blood to save his own life. Kuro is then betrayed and attacked by Benkei, who has been subverted by a shadowy organization called the Red Army, and Kuro's head is severed, which interferes with his transformation into a fully immortal being.
Kuro loses consciousness and wakes up centuries later in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian Japan. The surviving citizens have fallen under constant oppression by the Red Army, and Kuro is quickly found and recruited by an underground revolutionary movement called Haniwa. The remaining episodes follow Kuro's fight with the Red Army and its host of elite warriors, who have been enhanced by samples of Kuromitsu's blood, and his quest to find his inexplicably lost love.
The starting plot for the series is probably inspired by Kurozuka, a 1939 Japanese dance-drama, which features a man-eating ogress named Kuromitsu,[2] as well as the life of Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
[edit] Characters
- Kuro (クロウ) Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese), Brad Swaile (English)
- Kuromitsu (黒蜜) Voiced by: Romi Park (Japanese), Janyse Jaud (English)
- Benkei (弁慶) Voiced by: George Nakata (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
- Karuta (歌留多)Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara
- Kuon (久遠) Voiced by: Miyu Irino
- Izana (居座魚) Voiced by: Inoue Kazuhiko
- Saniwa (沙仁輪) Voiced by: Toshiko Fujita
- Kurumasou (車僧) Voiced by: Banjou Ginga
- Rai (ライ) Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima
- Kagetsu (花月) Voiced by: Kaori Yamagata
- Tonba (トンバ) Voiced by: Ken Uo
- Hasegawa (長谷川) Voiced by: Tohru Ohkawa
- Arashiyama (嵐山) Voiced by: Miki Shinichiro
- Man in Black (黒づくめの男) Voiced by: Junpei Takiguchi
[edit] Media
[edit] Manga
The Kurozuka manga was adapted from the original novel by author Baku Yumemakura and was illustrated by Takashi Noguchi. Serialized in Shueisha's Super Jump, the series spans ten volumes. The first was released in January 2003 and the last in December 2006.
[edit] Anime
The anime adaptation of Kurozuka is produced by Madhouse and Animax.[1] It began on October 7, 2008, on Animax.[1] The opening theme is "SYSTEMATIC PEOPLE" by Wagdug Futuristic Unity with Maximum the Ryo of Maximum the Hormone. The closing theme is "Hanarebanare (ハナレバナレ)" by Shigi.
[edit] Episode List
| EP# | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "The Plain of Adachi-ga-hara" "Adachi Gen" (安達原) |
October 7, 2008 |
| Kuro and Benkei are on the run from their pursuers when they come across this house in the middle of the mountains. When they arrive at the house they come across the owner, who is this beautiful & mysterious woman named Kuromitsu. Kuro falls ill and the two decide to stay the night at Kuromitsu's house on the one condition they don't go in her room. What dark secret lies behind those walls? | ||
| 02 | "The Tomb of Karma" "Innen Tsuka" (因縁塚) |
October 14, 2008 |
| Kuro drinks the blood of the immortal Kuromitsu, but while their bloods mix and the power takes effect he is attacked by an evil enemy and another who who Kuro would never expect. | ||
| 03 | "Asuka" "Asuka" (明日香) |
October 21, 2008 |
| 04 | "Haniwa Man" "Haniwa Jin" (埴輪人) |
October 28, 2008 |
| 05 | "Saniwa" "Saniwa" (沙仁輪) |
November 4, 2008 |
| 06 | "Miitsu" "Miitsu" (御稜威) |
November 11, 2008 |
| 07 | "Kagura Village" "Kagura Mura" (神楽村) |
November 18, 2008 |
| 08 | "The Ghost-Weep Vine" "Kikoku Tsuta" (鬼哭蔦) |
November 25, 2008 |
| 09 | "Running the Gauntlet" "Sou Fuu Ka" (走風火) |
December 2, 2008 |
| 10 | "The Castle of Mirage" "Genei Jou" (幻影城) |
December 9, 2008 |
| 11 | "The Unending War" "Ikusa Rinne" (戦輪廻) |
December 16, 2008 |
| 12 | "The Black Tomb" "Kuro no Zuka" (黒乃塚) |
December 23, 2008 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Sony's Animax to Produce, Run Anime of Kurozuka Manga". http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-05-01/sony-animax-to-produce-run-anime-of-kurozuka-manga.
- ^ "Kurozuka, from Kabuki World". http://www.kabuki21.com/kurozuka.php.
[edit] External links
- Official Animax Kurozaka anime website (Japanese)
- Kurozuka (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
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