Nabari no Ō

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Nabari no Ō

The cover of the first volume of the original Japanese manga release
隠の王
Genre Action, Comedy, Drama, Supernatural
Manga
Author Yuhki Kamatani
Publisher Flag of Japan Square Enix
English publisher Flag of Canada Flag of the United States Yen Press
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Flag of Japan Monthly GFantasy
Original run 2004 – ongoing
Volumes 9
TV anime
Director Kunihisa Sugishima
Studio J.C.Staff
Network Flag of Japan TV Tokyo, TV Aichi, TV Osaka, TV Hokkaido, TV Setouchi, TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting
Original run April 6, 2008 – ongoing
Episodes 26

Nabari no Ō (隠の王? lit. Ruler of Nabari) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuhki Kamatani. The series premiered in Japan in Monthly GFantasy in 2004 and is currently still in serialization. Square Enix is also publishing the individual chapters in collected volumes with eight volumes released as of March 27, 2008. The series has been licensed for an English language release in North America by Yen Press, with the first volume scheduled for release in May 2009.

J.C.Staff created a twenty-six episode anime adaptation of the Nabari no Ō manga series. Directed by Kunihisa Sugishima, the series premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 6, 2008. The episodes subsequently air on other TXN networks, including TV Aichi and TV Osaka.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Set in the modern age, the story is about Rokujo Miharu, who just wanted to live a normal life and inherit a restaurant. At the moment, his biggest problem was the constant pestering from Kouichi Aizawa and Thobari Kumohira, who started a Nindō (忍道? lit. "Way of the Ninja") Club. Miharu wanted nothing to do with "ninjas" and turns them down every time. But soon, he is attacked by an actual group of ninjas and is protected by Kouichi and Kumohira. There, Miharu learns of the hidden ninja world Nabari, the roles of his classmate and teacher in that world, and of the hijutsu Shinrabanshō (森羅万象? lit. "all things in nature") within him. The hijutsu, containing all the world's knowledge, is sorely coveted after in Nabari. And because of that, Miharu cannot return to his normal life. He must become the "Ruler of Nabari" to survive.

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Nabari no Ō characters
Miharu Rokujo (六条 壬晴 Rokujō Miharu?)
Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya
The protagonist of series, Rokujo is a 14-year-old middle school student. He holds Nabari's hijutsu, the Shinrabanshō, in his body. He pretends to act indifferent to those around him in order to protect them from getting hurt, though he is not averse to acting in a rather innocent and cute way in order to get what he wants. He remembers little of his childhood, and had lost his parents at a young age. His only goal is to inherit his family's okonomiyaki store.[1]
Thobari Kumohira Durandal (雲平・帷・デュランダル Kumohira Tobari Dyurandaru?)
Voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa
Rokujo's and Kouichi's 25-year-old teacher in the "front world". Born in Ireland, Kumohira is actually a ninja of the Banten village in the world of Nabari. He is entirely devoted to protecting Rokujo, and wants him to become the ruler of Nabari. He has an intense hatred of transport, such as trains and buses, and would not get on one until Rokujo manages to "persuade" him. He went to Japan because his grandfather was a "Japan otaku" and "ninja fanatic", who forced him to go to learn to become a ninja, and was unable to return home for ten years (partly due to his phobia of vehicles).[2] In the anime, he is the temporary leader as the current leader is away,[3] while in the manga, he is not just a stand-in, but actually has the power to arrange for a temporary leader.[4] According to Aizawa, Kumohira has probably recorded Banten's kinjutsu through verbal communication. [5]
Kouichi Aizawa (相澤 虹一 Aizawa Kōichi?)
Voiced by: Satoshi Hino
Rokujo's 14-year-old classmate who studies nindō under Kumohira. Though he normally has an energetic attitude when around others, he is serious and relentless when it comes to his ninja duties,[6] and is apparently fascinated with death. It is later revealed that his love of death is a result of his own inability to die.[7][8] His immortality is attributed to the holder of the Shinrabanshō during the Edo Period,[9] who was a medical practitioner, experimenting with placing the wisdom of the Shinrabanshō into animals, since humans usually died. There were only two survivors of the experiments, both of whom gained immortality as a result.[10] Kōichi's ultimate goal is to find a way to die, as well as ensure that "monsters like [himself] are never created again."[11]
Raimei Shimizu (清水 雷鳴 Shimizu Raimei?)
Voiced by: Ayumi Fujimura
She is a 14-year-old guardian of the world of Nabari, and the head of the Shimizu clan. She is also a Fūma-nin (風魔の忍 Fūma no nin?, "Wind Magic/Demon Ninja") who prefers fighting with a sword (named Kurogamon (黒我聞?))[12] over using ninjutsu, claiming to be a samurai. She has the tendency to mistake one person for another,[13] or reveal information she means to keep to herself, when excited.[14] Five years ago, her older brother, Raikō, annihilated their clan, and she has sworn to kill him in revenge.[15]

[edit] Media

[edit] Manga

The manga series is written and illustrated by Yuhki Kamatani. It started serialization in the Japanese shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy in 2004. As of March 27, 2008, Square Enix has published eight bound volumes in Japan. The manga has been licensed by Yen Press for distribution in English in North America. The manga will initially be serialized in Yen Press' Yen Plus anthology magazine, the first issue of which will go on sale on July 29, 2008. The first English volume of the manga will be sold in early 2009.[16]

[edit] Anime

Main article: List of Nabari no Ō episodes

An anime adaptation directed by Kunihisa Sugishima, and animated by J.C.Staff premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 6, 2008.[17] The series is currently airing weekly, with each episodes subsequently airing on various other TXN networks, including TV Aichi, TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting, TV Osaka, TV Setouchi, and TV Hokkaido[18] The series is expected to run for a total of twenty-six episodes.[19]

[edit] Reception

Nabari no Ō was a finalist in the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival and was a recommended title. [20]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (November 2004). Nabari no Ō 1. Square Enix, 13. 
  2. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2005). Nabari no Ō Vol. 2. Square Enix, page 117. 
  3. ^ "Ordered Mission". Nabari no Ō. 2008-04-27. No. 4, season 1.
  4. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2005). Nabari no Ō Vol. 2. Square Enix, 62. 
  5. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2005). Nabari no Ō Vol. 2. Square Enix, 75. 
  6. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2006). Nabari no Ō Vol. 4. Square Enix, pages 31-44. 
  7. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2007). Nabari no Ō Vol. 7. Square Enix, page 78. 
  8. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2007). Nabari no Ō Vol. 7. Square Enix, page 138. 
  9. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (March 2008). Nabari no Ō Vol. 8. Square Enix, page 51. 
  10. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (March 2008). Nabari no Ō Vol. 7. Square Enix, page 52. 
  11. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (March 2008). Nabari no Ō Vol. 8. Square Enix, page 62. 
  12. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (October 2005). Nabari no Ō Vol. 3. Square Enix, page 106. 
  13. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2005). Nabari no Ō Vol. 2. Square Enix, page 14. 
  14. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (March 2008). Nabari no Ō Vol. 8. Square Enix, page 99. 
  15. ^ Kamatani, Yuhki (April 2006). Nabari no Ō Vol. 4. Square Enix, pages 155-117. 
  16. ^ Yen Press Announces Titles to Run in Anthology Mag. Anime News Network (April 19, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
  17. ^ Nabari no Ō (TV). Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
  18. ^ Official Nabari no Ō site - 放送情報 (Broadcasting information) (Japanese). nabari.tv. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
  19. ^ Official Nabari no Ō site - 各話紹介 (Episode introductions) (Japanese). nabari.tv. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
  20. ^ 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival. Retrieved on 2008-06-04.

[edit] External links