Rozen Maiden

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Not to be confused with Maiden Rose.
Rozen Maiden
Rozen Maiden Vol 1.jpg
North American cover of Rozen Maiden Vol. 1
ローゼン・メイデン
(Rōzen Meiden)
Genre Comedy, Drama, Supernatural, Fantasy
Manga
Written by Peach-Pit
Published by Gentosha (1st edition)
Shueisha (2nd edition)
English publisher
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Comic Birz (1st edition)
Weekly Young Jump (2nd edition)
Original run September 2002 – June 2007
Volumes 8 (Birz Comics edition)
7 (Young Jump Comics edition) (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed by Kō Matsuo
Written by Jukki Hanada
Mari Okada
Tsuyoshi Tamai
Music by Shinkichi Mitsumune
Studio Nomad
Licensed by
Madman Entertainment
Network TBS, BS-i
Original run 7 October 2004 – 23 December 2004
Episodes 12 (List of episodes)
Anime television series
Rozen Maiden: Träumend
Directed by Kō Matsuo
Written by Jukki Hanada
Mari Okada
Tsuyoshi Tamai
Music by Shinkichi Mitsumune
Studio Nomad
Licensed by
Madman Entertainment
Network TBS, BS-i
Original run 20 October 2005 – 5 January 2006
Episodes 12 (List of episodes)
Original video animation
Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre
Directed by Kō Matsuo
Written by Jukki Hanada
Music by Shinkichi Mitsumune
Studio Nomad
Licensed by
Madman Entertainment
Released 22 December 2006 – 23 December 2006
Episodes 2 (List of episodes)
Manga
Written by Peach-Pit
Published by Shueisha
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Weekly Young Jump
Original run 17 April 2008 – ongoing
Volumes 6 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed by Mamoru Hatekayama
Written by Tomomi Mochizuki
Music by Shinkichi Mitsume
Studio Studio DEEN
Network TBS, BS-i
Original run July 4, 2013[1] – scheduled
Portal icon Anime and Manga portal

Rozen Maiden (ローゼンメイデン Rōzen Meiden?) is a manga series created by art-duo Peach-Pit. The story centers on Jun Sakurada, a young hikikomori boy that forms a bond with Shinku, a living doll of the "Rozen Maiden" series, who was created by the mysterious dollmaker Rozen hundreds of years ago. The series examines the living habits and personality of each of the Rozen Maidens whom Jun encounters, as well as their quest to become the perfect girl, named "Alice".

Rozen Maiden was originally serialized in Monthly Comic Birz from 2002 to 2007 and in English by Tokyopop from 2006 to 2008. A new manga series started in April 2008, now in Weekly Young Jump, but still published monthly. The manga was adapted as a two-season anime: Rozen Maiden, airing from October to December 2004, and Rozen Maiden: Träumend, from October 2005 to January 2006. A following two-part special, Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre, aired on December 2006. The anime held various differences from the original plot of the manga. An upcoming new series was revealed in November 2012, set to premiere in July 2013.[2]

Contents

Plot[edit]

Main article: List of Rozen Maiden characters

The plot revolves around Jun Sakurada, a middle school student who refuses to go back to school after being traumatized by an embarrassing experience. Since then, he avoids leaving his house and spends the day ordering goods online and returning them before the grace period ends. When Jun receives a letter asking "yes or no", he becomes skeptical, but circles "yes". Soon after, the letter vanishes and a wood case appears in his room. Inside the box is a very realistic doll which, after being wound starts moving on its own and introduces herself as Shinku, the fifth doll of the Rozen Maiden series.

In the following, Jun becomes Shinku's "medium", a human host that provides the doll with his own life energy, allowing her to walk and use magic. This bond is symbolized by a ring worn by both parties. Now, Jun and Shinku must participate in the "Alice Game", a competition between the Rozen Maiden dolls to capture each other's "Rosa Mystica", their primary life source. Once a doll is defeated in combat, she loses her Rosa Mystica to the opponent, and becomes an inanimate doll. The last doll who remains standing wins the Alice Game, will become a girl of utmost beauty and purity named "Alice", just as their creator Rozen wanted.

In the first season of the anime, the main antagonist was Suigintou but was destroyed by a team effort led by Shinku. In the second season of the anime Rozen Maiden: Träumend, Shinku, Jun, and the other dolls, meet two additional Rozen Maidens: Barasuishou and Kanaria. Suigintou reappears, as she is resurrected by Rozen himself, and this time she has a "medium", an ill girl named Megu. With all the seven dolls awoken, the "Alice Game" grows near to its conclusion. Adding to the mystery of Rozen, there is also Enju and Shirosaki, who operate their own doll shop, and the strange Laplace's Demon, who appears during battles talking in riddles. In the last episode, Barasuishou successfully defeats the other dolls. However, she was revealed to be Enju's creation and not a true Rozen Maiden. She was destroyed when she was unable to contain the "Rosa Mystica" of the other dolls.[3] The series ends unresolved as Rozen appears at the last minute, restoring the life of his dolls, except for Hinaichigo and Souseiseki and with Kirakishou, the real seventh Rozen Maiden, making a brief appearance.[3]

Media[edit]

Manga[edit]

Main article: List of Rozen Maiden chapters

First series[edit]

The Rozen Maiden manga, produced by Peach-Pit, has been serialized in two different magazines: Monthly Comic Birz from 2002 to 2007, and Weekly Young Jump from April 2008 onwards. It has garnered quite a few followers, including Japan's former Prime Minister, Taro Aso, who gained the nickname "Rozen Aso" after being seen reading volume one of the Birz manga in public, allegedly while waiting at Tokyo International Airport. Aso remarked about the manga, "Although it looked girlish, I was impressed that its story was so deep."[4]

After March 2007, publication of Rozen Maiden in Comic Birz stopped for three months. Some speculated that the editorial department lost Peach-Pit's draft, while others said there was some kind of disagreement between Peach-Pit and the editorial department.[5] The finale of Rozen Maiden was serialized in the July 2007 issue, with Peach-Pit apologizing to the readers for the abrupt ending, essentially a deus ex machina.[6]

Second series[edit]

In March 2008, a one-shot manga titled Shōjo no Tsukurikata (少女のつくり方?, lit. How to Make a Girl) appeared in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine, briefly telling the story of the making of Shinku.[7] Soon afterward, Peach-Pit announced that Rozen Maiden would start a new serialization in Weekly Young Jump magazine in the April 17, 2008 issue.[8]

The second manga series began in Weekly Young Jump, though continues to release monthly. Individual chapters are referred to as "Tales" instead of "Phases". In this manga, Jun Sakurada is a university student who finds himself in possession of a magazine titled "How to Make a Girl", which comes with a box containing doll parts. He decides to put together the doll from the parts and after receiving mysterious communications from someone claiming to be a past version of him, is soon able to awaken Shinku. The series follows Jun's struggles to deal with his new life with Shinku, and elucidates many of the mysteries brought about by the sudden ending of the previous manga series. This series is an alternate reality where the middle-school Jun initially received the letter telling him he had won a prize, but did not follow the instructions to reclaim it.

In accordance with starting the serialization of the second series, Young Jump announced the production of a remodeled edition (新装版) of the original manga series. Young Jump published the remodelled edition on a monthly basis, with a total of 7 books. The new books are adorned with golden covers and new cover art, featuring each of the Rozen Maiden dolls in order of their creation. Each book contains a promotional colored post-card, and new color pages were added.[9]

Anime[edit]

See also: List of Rozen Maiden episodes

The first manga was adapted into a two-season anime. The first season ran from 7 October 2004 to 23 December 2004. The second season appeared a year later, it was subtitled Träumend (トロイメント toroimento?, German for "dreaming"), and ran from 20 October 2005 to 5 January 2006. In 2006, a two-episode special titled Ouvertüre (オーベルテューレ ōberutyūre?, German for "overture") was aired on December 22 and 23, further expanding on the background of the characters.

The anime adaptation, although using the same premise as the manga, develops a different story, and introduces original characters that have not made an appearance in the manga. Both TV series and the special were directed by Kō Matsuo and aired in Japan in TBS and BS-i (now BS-TBS). The Japanese bands Ali Project and Kukui provided the opening themes and closing themes, respectively, of each production. In TV Asahi's "Top 100 Anime Ranking" polled in 2006, Rozen Maiden was ranked 9th on the list.[10]

The second season, Rozen Maiden: Träumend, was an original arc that diverges from the manga. Continuing from the first season, Jun has not yet returned to middle school, but studies at home to compensate for the lost time. He is also more willing to socialize, especially with his classmate Tomoe, and he has grown fond of living with the ever-present Rozen Maiden dolls.

A new anime adaptation will air in Summer 2013.[11] The anime will be directed by Mamoru Hatakeyama at Studio DEEN, with Tomomi Mochizuki serving as the Scriptwriter.[12] Shinkichi Mitsume will return as the music composer for the series as well as Ali Project once again performing the opening theme. The cast from the previous anime will return to reprise their respective roles.

TV Special and OVA[edit]

Question book-new.svg
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A two-episode special called Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre gives insight on Suigintou's creation, and the start of her rivalry with Shinku. Ouvertüre is set at some point during Träumend, around episodes six and seven; the story is mostly told by Souseiseki, who has heard about her childhood, and takes place as a flashback to the 19th century in London. The story reveals Suigintou was the first Rozen Maiden created, but she was left unfinished without a torso nor a Rosa Mystica. It was Shinku who helped her walk on her own. Suigintou suspects Shinku helped her out of pity. Eventually, Suigintou was given her own Rosa Mystica and her characteristic black wings by Rozen himself. Suigintou was very happy for this and when she meet Shinku she thought that they finally can be friends. However, Shinku told Suigintou that she can't be a Rozen Maiden as she isn't complete and the Rozen Maiden were created for the purpose to become Alice the ultimate girl and Suigintou is not like them. This caused Suigintou to believe that Shinku helped her only because Shinku felt pity and look down upon her. Since then she vowed to defeat Shinku and win the Alice Game. Suigintou also broke a gift from Rozen himself given to Shinku which she greatly loved which started the enmity between them.

A 7 minute episode called Duell Walzer OVA tells the story of the fictional puppet show Detective Kunkun, the TV show that the Rozen Maidens enjoy watching while living with Jun. The story is about how Detective Kunkun foils the evil cat's plans to steal a gem from another character. The single episode was released on the Rozen Maiden: Duellwalzer video game.

CDs[edit]

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Main articles: Rozen Maiden Albums and Rozen Maiden Drama CDs

A variety of CDs have been released for Rozen Maiden, largely involving Drama CDs, or original soundtracks. Rozen Maiden OST and Rozen Maiden Drama CDs. In addition the Rozen Maiden Soundtracks were composed by Shinkichi Mitsumune.

Rozen Maiden – ローゼンメイデン　ドラマＣＤ

  • Translation: – Rozen Maiden – Drama CD
  • Release Date: 6 June 2004
Character Voiced by
Shinku (真紅) Miyuki Sawashiro「沢城 みゆき」
Sakurada Jun (桜田 ジュン) Kobayashi Sanae「小林沙苗」
Sakurada Nori (桜田 のり) Hisakawa Aya 「久川綾」
Suigintou (水銀燈) Noto Mamiko 「能登麻美子」
Hinaichigo (雛苺) Kaneda Tomoko 「金田朋子」
Suiseiseki (翠星石) Mizuki Nana 「水樹 奈々」
Tomoe Kashiwaba (柏葉 巴) Kawasumi Ayako「川澄綾子」
Laplace no Ma (ラプラスの魔) Nakata Jouji 「中田 譲治」

This drama CD was released prior to the anime and used a different set of voice actresses than the anime.

Video Games[edit]

A PlayStation 2 visual novel, Rozen Maiden: Duellwalzer, was released on April 27, 2006. The game was developed by Taito.[13]

Video game publisher 5pb. will develop an adventure game for the Playstation 3 and PS Vita consoles, set to be released in Fall 2013.[14]

Other[edit]

Several Rozen Maiden artbooks have been published. Two artbooks called Rozen Maiden Entr'acte and Rozen Maiden ERINNERUNG have been released as well as two novels called Die Romane der Rozen Maiden - Schwarzer Wind and Die Romane der Rozen Maiden - Kalkgrun Augen.[15][16] Both fashion doll companies Jun Planning and Volks have released a series of Rozen Maiden dolls. The Planning dolls are based on their Pullip and Dal Doll models.[17] Volks' Rozen Maiden-inspired designs are released as Super Dollfies.[18]

Reception[edit]

THEM Anime Reviews gave the anime 4 stars out of 5.[19] Animebox Reviews gave the anime series an overall 4 out of 5, animation style and quality a 4, sound a 5, and story and characters both a 3[20] Anime News Network's Carl Kimlinger gave the series a c, saying that its attempts at serious drama are derailed by hackeyed sequences, paper-thin characterizations and crude morals. He also claimed that its value as light entertainment is destroyed by its attempts at being more serious.[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New Rozen Maiden Anime Previewed in Images". Anime News Network. June 9, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013. 
  2. ^ ""Rozen Maiden" New Anime Series Confirmed". SeventhStyle. November 18, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012. 
  3. ^ a b "Alice". Rozen Maiden: Träumend. Episode 12. January 26, 2006 (2006-01-26).
  4. ^ Aso, Taro; Ishizuka, Ryota (2007). 『自由と繁栄の弧』. pp. 296–305. ISBN 978-4-344-01333-9.  「やっぱり読んでいたんですね 直撃 ! ローゼンメイデン疑惑?」
  5. ^ "Rozen Maiden Serialization Suspended". Comi Press. January 30, 2007 (2007-01-30). Retrieved January 22, 2011 (2011-01-22). 
  6. ^ "PEACH-PIT Apologizes for Rozen Maiden Incident". Comi Press. June 26, 2007 (2007-06-26). Retrieved January 22, 2011 (2011-01-22). 
  7. ^ "Peach-Pit Draws One-Shot Manga in Young Jump Mag". Anime News Network. March 17, 2008 (2008-03-17). Retrieved January 22, 2011 (2011-01-22). 
  8. ^ "Rozen Maiden Confirmed to Restart in Young Jump Mag". Anime News Network. March 24, 2008 (2008-03-24). Retrieved January 22, 2011 (2011-01-22). 
  9. ^ Web Young Jump - Rozen Maiden by Shueisha
  10. ^ TV Asahi's Top 100 Anime Ranking 2006
  11. ^ "New Rozen Maiden Anime to Air This Summer". Anime News Network. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013. 
  12. ^ "New Rozen Maiden Anime Reunites Cast, Brings In Studio DEEN". Anime News Network. April 21, 2013. 
  13. ^ Rozen Maiden: Duell Walzer - PlayStation 2 - IGN
  14. ^ "Rozen Maiden Inspires PS3/PS Vita Adventure Game by 5pb.". Anime News Network. Retrieved 21 April 2013. 
  15. ^ Schwarzer Wind (Die Romane der Rozen Maiden) in Amazon.co.jp
  16. ^ Rozen Maiden Books in Amazon.co.jp
  17. ^ Rozen Maiden, Pullip, and Dal Doll Collaboration Archived by the Wayback Machine beta.
  18. ^ TBSishop Archived by the Wayback Machine beta.
  19. ^ "Rozen Maiden". THEM. Retrieved 2011-08-27. 
  20. ^ Rozen Maiden - Animebox Reviews
  21. ^ Kimlinger, Carl. "Rozen Maiden DVD 3 Review". Review. Anime News Network. Retrieved 21 April 2013. 

External links[edit]

Rozen Maiden by Peach-Pit
Works by Peach-Pit
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