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Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku

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Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku
Cover of volume 1
GenrePolitics, Gambling, Comedy
Manga
Written byHideki Ohwada
Published byTakeshobo
MagazineKindai Mahjong Original
Kindai Mahjong
DemographicSeinen
Original run2006 – present
Volumes5 (List of volumes)
Original video animation
Directed byTsutomu Mizushima
Produced byKōsei Kawase
Written byHideki Ohwada
Music byRyūji Takaki
StudioTYO Animations
ReleasedFebruary 26, 2010
Episodes3

Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku (ムダヅモ無き改革, Reform with no Wasted Draws, also known in English as The Legend of Koizumi) is a satirical mahjong manga by Hideki Ohwada. It was initially irregularly serialized in the Kindai Mahjong Original manga magazine published by Takeshobo, then switched to bimonthly serialization on Takeshobo's other mahjong manga magazine Kindai Mahjong in April 2009. An anime adaptation was released on February 26, 2010 as an original video anime. The premise of the manga is that international diplomacy is settled on the mahjong table, with real-life politicians depicted as masters of mahjong. The Japanese title is a parody of Junichiro Koizumi's slogan, "Reform with no Sanctuary" (聖域無き改革, Seiiki Naki Kaikaku).[1]

Characters

Though based on real-life politicians, the characters are, as the manga's disclaimer notes, "works of fiction and not really related to any real-life people".

Japan

The 89th Prime Minister of Japan, the main protagonist of the story. Armed with a natural talent for mahjong, passed down from his grandfather Matajiro Koizumi, Junichiro defends Japanese interests and integrity against the heads of the world's superpowers, even after his retirement from politics. Signature skills include "Goumoupai" (轟盲牌, scraping tiles with a tight grip to make white tiles), and "Rising Sun", a 13-tile wait (Kokushi Musou) won by Tsumo with the 1-Pin, symbolizing the Japanese sun. He is voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa in the anime adaptation
Member of the Japanese Diet who is perhaps overly eager and enthusiastic about the privileges of being a Diet member. He was held hostage by the Americans twice to lure Koizumi to the mahjong table. Though doubted by his peers who think he won his seat by fluke, Koizumi acknowledges Taizō as a bringer of luck. He is voiced by Jun Fukuyama in the anime adaptation.
Another Diet member, she appears as the Prime Minister's aide and provides relevant commentary about the state of affairs on the mahjong table. She is voiced by Shizuka Itō in the anime adaptation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs who eventually became the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan. Known as an able sharpshooter (since he represented the Japanese shooting team in the 1976 Summer Olympics) and plays mahjong in support for Koizumi. Won against General Kim in a game of mahjong with the "Emerald Green" hand (All green). He is voiced by Kinryū Arimoto in the anime adaptation.
The 90th Prime Minister of Japan. In a game against Russian president Vladimir Putin, he placed Koizumi's son Kotaro Koizumi in place of his missing father. The swap was seen through by Putin, and Abe was shamed into committing seppuku. The public was told that he resigned due to diarrhea.
93rd Prime Minister of Japan. Appears in the omake comics of the manga volumes and the OVA. An obedient puppet to the Chinese leadership. Turns out he acts this way because he had been infested by a squid-like alien. Voiced by Keiji Fujiwara.
The alien-like wife of Yukio Hatoyama in the OVA. Voiced by Hitomi Nabatame.

United States of America

The 43rd President of the United States, a gambling prodigy since his days in Texas. A man who believes that the ends justify the means. During a game of mahjong against Koizumi in a Japan-U.S. summit in Okinawa, where the stakes are a F-15 Eagle for every 1000 points, Bush suffered a humiliating defeat despite ganging up on Koizumi 3-on-1. He played Koizumi again in Dallas with his father, but lost again. His moves include "Patriot Tsumo" and "Bush Doctrine Riichi". He is voiced by Nobuo Tobita in the anime adaptation.
The 41st President of the United States, often referred to as "Papa Bush". In his mind, he was disgraced by the Japanese twice: the first is when he was being shot down above Ogasawara in World War II, the second is when his son was defeated in Okinawa on the mahjong table. He summoned Koizumi to the Texas Schoolbook Depository in Dallas (by kidnapping Taizō) in order to settle the score with mahjong. In the end, he sacrificed himself to save his son from dying at the mahjong table against Skorzeny. His special move is the "Apocalypse Now Ron" (where "ron" is winning by picking a discard). He is voiced by Tesshō Genda in the anime adaptation.
The former United States Secretary of State. He utilized the advanced technologies of the United States to catch people cheating in mahjong. He served during Papa Bush's match against Koizumi and Bush's match against Skorzeny, and both times he and his high-tech unit failed to detect the true nature of their opponent's sleight-of-hands.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

The leader of North Korea. A rogue who uses underhanded tactics to ensure his own victory, such as attempting to assassinate his opponent Koizumi in order to incapacitate him. He is also a sore loser, as seen when he lost against Koizumi and Aso, he launched a Taepodong missile in retaliation. His special move is the "Democratic People's Riichi", where he declares riichi while discarding a north tile. He was blown overboard the USS George H.W. Bush by jet engine exhausts after his loss and had most of his body eaten by sharks, but he returned as a mechanical cyborg. He is voiced by Misugi Ootori in the anime.
The eldest son of General Kim. He replaces the anonymous North Korean official for the mahjong match on the USS George H.W. Bush for the OVA. He wears Mickey Mouse ears (in reference for his real-life attempt to sneak into Japan "to visit Disneyland" using a false identity) and is shown to have relations with Macau. He is voiced by Wataru Takagi.

People's Republic of China

The President of the People's Republic of China in the anime-original story. Immensely proud of China's long history and recent technological advances. Voiced by Banjō Ginga.
The Premier of the People's Republic of China in the anime-original story. In the match against Japan on the Three Gorges Dam, he uses computer technology and Baidu to calculate the probability of Koizumi's hand being the Rising Sun. Voiced by Rokurō Naya.
The founder of the People's Republic of China in the anime-original story. Throughout his life he had hoped to turn China into lush green farmlands, so he brought this grudge back to the land of the living (represented by All greens) in the mahjong match against Koizumi in Tiananmen Square. Voiced by Kenji Utsumi.

Cambodia

Plays alongside Chairman Mao in the match against Koizumi in the anime-original story. Can be influenced by Mao to give him the tile he wants.

Russian Federation

The second President of Russia who rose from being a KGB officer. A stoic man who mastered judo and sambo, and hid needles in his hands. He came to Japan to play mahjong with the members of the Japanese Diet as part of a Russo-Japanese Summit, sending Japan into massive debt with his winning streak. Special moves include "Kolkhoz Riichi" and the "Baltic Fleet" (Four quads of bamboo tiles, worth 1,583,296,743,997,800 points in total because they were playing without point limits) as well as the "Siberian Express Ron". He is voiced by Jōji Nakata in the anime adaptation.
Third Russian President, playing a secondary position to Putin in the match against Wagner. To support Putin, he used the "Sovkhoz Riichi" to fool Reinhard into thinking that Medvedev has more than he put up. In the end, Medvedev sacrificed himself so that Putin could finish his "Siberian Express" (Nine gates).

United Kingdom

Former British Prime Minister who came to watch the Russo-Japanese match in the secret basement of the National Diet Building. Had once played Papa Bush with the depleted uranium tiles Putin and Koizumi were playing with.

The Vatican

  • Pietro (ピエトロ)
A white knight serving the pope. Once saved Koizumi from a North Korean abduction and led him to the battle in the Vatican.
The current Pope of the Vatican. Summoned Koizumi to test his strength in order to counter a new global threat. Capable of walking on thin air and reenacting the first seven days of the Genesis on the mahjong table, accompanied by a boys choir. His special moves are the "Sainte-Trinite" (DaiSanGen) and "Logos" (All honors).

Ukraine

The 13th Ukrainian Prime Minister. A woman of many faces. She was recommended by Putin to be one of the Earth representatives in place of Margaret Thatcher because of her health concerns, since Tymoshenko was the strongest woman in Europe in Putin's mind. Though Putin calls her a gas witch and issued a warrant for her arrest, he would have preferred not to have anything to do with her unless the times demand it. She is voiced by Rina Satō in the anime adaptation.
  • Eleonora Pavlichenko (エレオノーラ・パヴリチェンコ)
Aid to Tymoshenko, who Eleonora calls "big sister". Like Tymoshenko, she has some skills at rolling the dice.

Fourth Reich

Once called the "Most Dangerous Man in Europe", Skorzeny was the one who infiltrated the Vatican to bring a message from the Fourth Reich. After Earth's leaders accepted Hitler's challenge, Skorzeny returned by a Nazi UFO. He, along with Rudel, are Papa Bush's opponents for the third match between the Earth Alliance and the Fourth Reich. Signature moves include "Operation Greif" (All terminals and honors) , "Operation Panzerfaust" (Three colour triplets), and "Operation Eiche" (a riichi in coodination with Rudel's hand).
The immensely arrogant "King of Opera" that Hitler admired. He was revived by Josef Mengele so that he can participate in the showdown against Earth's leaders. His winning hands are Ring of Nibelung (Four quads, where each quad is an opera of the cycle), Tannhäuser (Seven pairs), Meistersinger (All simples three colors straight no-points hand with three ura dora), and Lohengrin (Single suit hand).
Wagner's partner in the match against Putin and Medvedev. Despite trying to complete his mission to defeat the Russians, Reinhard's advances did not impress the prideful Wagner. Though a loyal officer himself, he is not able to comprehend Medvedev's act of self-sacrifice.
The demonic doctor otherwise known as the "Angel of Death". An overall perfectionist who has a deep fascination with twins and the medical sciences. He was able to accomplish a number of medicinal feats that include biological engineering, human cloning, and resurrection. Hands include "Where are the twins?!" (Seven pairs) and "Designer children" (Single suit seven pairs), exemplifying his obsession with twins.
  • Mariel (マリエル)
Mengele's personal nurse attendant. She had been biologically engineered so that she could determine the mahjong tiles by only using her ears, restructure mahjong walls with invisible speed, and serve as the new host of Mengele's brain.
The much-feared "King of Airstrikes" who is also the "Greatest Enemy of the Soviet People". His battlefield experiences as an ace pilot have led to a heightened sense of awareness that allowed him to sense the situations on the mahjong table. Specializes in coordinated air and land attacks, signified with his hands "Nosedive Bomber" (Straight through) and "Iron Crossfire" (Balkenkreuz; in coodination with Skorzeny's riichi).
Rudel's rear gunman. Though he does not participate in the mahjong match, he tells the backgrounds of the fearsome Nazi pair, Skorzeny and Rudel.
The Reichsmarschall of Nazi Germany. Set to play in the fourth game, against Benedict XVI, but Hitler deemed him unworthy of the role.
The Deputy Führer of Nazi Germany. Set to play alongside Göring but Hitler repelled them with thunder from the skies and made his appearance.
The charismatic Führer of Nazi Germany and "The Greatest Evil of the 20th Century".
  • Tristan Goebbels (トリスタン・ゲッベルス)
The fictional grandson of Joseph Goebbels, a Hitler Youth born on the moon, making him a mondenkind. Plays alongside Hitler against Benedict XVI.
  • Isolde Goebbels (イゾルデ・ゲッベルス)
The twin sister of Tristan Goebbels.

Anime

In August 2009, an anime version of Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku was announced with the release of the second bound volume of the manga.[2] The anime, released on February 26, 2010, is in the form of an OVA with three episodes, the first being an adaptation of a manga arc and the other two being new stories written by Hideki Ohwada. Episode 1 was uploaded onto YouTube and Nico Nico Douga on December 30, 2009 by the producer Kōsei Kawase since they "have no money so [they're] borrowing server space".[3]

Reception

The first bound volume of the manga was published on September 5, 2008. In three days, the manga was sold out throughout the bookstores of Tokyo, and Takeshobo had to print additional shipments five days after the first publish date.[4] The manga also sold out on Amazon.co.jp, where the manga once placed among the top 3 on its daily sales rankings.[1] By November, Takeshobo reported that the first volume sold over 150,000 copies.[5] News commentators attributed the manga's sales to the enduring popularity of the former Prime Minister Koizumi[1] and an increasing awareness of politics in Japan.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c 小泉純一郎元総理風男が主役の麻雀マンガが大人気, Ameba News. 2008-09-14
  2. ^ http://www.takeshobo.co.jp/mgr.m/main/shohin?shohin_cd=3011202
  3. ^ Kōsei Kawase, 「ムダヅモ無き改革」　第1話「北」の巻. Nico Nico Douga. (Uploader comments) 2009-12-30.
  4. ^ a b 小泉元首相モデルのマージャン漫画 「ムダヅモ無き改革」爆発的売れ行き, J-CAST News. 2008-09-17
  5. ^ December issue of Kindai Mahjong Original, cover.
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