Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese anime
series, created by Ryōsuke Takahashi
and Sunrise
. It was broadcast between October 6, 2006 and April 6, 2007 on the Japanese internet streaming channel, GyaO.
Ending theme
Insert song
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, created by Ryōsuke Takahashi
Ryosuke Takahashi
is a Japanese anime director, screenwriter, and producer. He is among Sunrise's most renowned and noted directors, with his work epitomizing much of Sunrise's work in the 1980s, pioneering the real robot genre, with such noted works as Armored Trooper Votoms, Fang of the Sun Dougram and several...
and Sunrise
Sunrise (company)
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
. It was broadcast between October 6, 2006 and April 6, 2007 on the Japanese internet streaming channel, GyaO.
Story
The series is set in the Bakumatsu era, with the Shogunate being in its final years, and war fast approaching. When Akizuki Yōjirō, a dark and mysterious mercenary, nears something supernatural with some kind of importance to him, the ornament on the end of his sword hilt waves in its direction, his eyes glow mysteriously, and he is driven to go after it. He comes across a traveling theater group who is out for revenge for the killing of the parents of the group's leader, and whose mysterious playwright likes to secretly help along events of history. Yōjirō joins them to lend them his skill against their enemies, while dark conspiracy continues to follow behind him.Characters
- Age: 17
- The legendary , Akizuki Yōjirō is the bearer of the legendary sword, , tasked with the quest of utilizing its blade to destroy the , a supernatural object said to appear during times of unrest and revolution. Akizuki was once a close confidante, friend and bodyguard of the late Sakamoto RyōmaSakamoto Ryomawas a leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate during the Bakumatsu period in Japan. Ryōma used the alias .- Early life :Ryōma was born in Kōchi, of Tosa han . By the Japanese calendar, this was the sixth year of Tenpō...
, whose assassination he failed to prevent and which continues to haunt him to the current day. During the midst of his quest to destroy the Hasha no Kubi, he visits YokohamaYokohamais the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
and happens to meet the Yuyama troupe, an adventuring kabukiKabukiis classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
group, and its leader Yuyama Kakunojō. While in the city, Akizuki senses the aura of the Hasha no Kubi within an auction held in the Shanghai Club, soon breaking through its confines in attempting to cut it in half; however, even if its head appeared to have been cut, the spirit of the elusive Hasha no Kubi was not destroyed and still remains, with Akizuki continuing in his quest to find and destroy it. It is also told that he seems to have some feelings to Yuyama Kakunojō.
- A young woman and leader of the Yuyama troupe, Kakunojō's parents, shipping and wholesale merchants, were murdered by Hario Genba as part of the Ansei PurgeAnsei PurgeThe Ansei Purge was a purge, in 1858 and 1859, of over 100 people from the bakufu, various han, and the Japanese Imperial court...
s for being a staunch supporter for the EmperorEmperor Komeiwas the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867.-Genealogy:Before Kōmei's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ;, his title was ....
, when she was still a young child, and was saved from death in the same incident by the brave actions of her late father's acquaintance, Zagashira, and apprentice, Ebisu. With her home destroyed in the same fire, Kakunojō, along with Zagashira and Ebisu, formed the Yuyama troupe and visit various regions around the country, to seek Hario, those who murdered her parents and exact revenge upon them. Their group was soon joined by Ibaragi Sōtetsu, an intelligent playwright, and later by Shiranui Kozo and Kakashi no Keishin, both of whom were attracted to the group's ideals. Later during the series she develops strong feelings for Akizuki.
- The extremely intelligent playwright of the Yuyama troupe, Ibaragi Sōtetsu is respected by each member of the group, who call him Sensei. He works secretly to attain the Lord's Head and is in business with the infamous Nakaiya early on in the story.
- Born in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to a BritishBritish peopleThe British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
royal navyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vice admiralVice AdmiralVice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
father and a JapaneseJapanese peopleThe are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
mother, formerly a tayū in YoshiwaraYoshiwaraYoshiwara was a famous Akasen district in Edo, present-day Tōkyō, Japan.In the early 17th century, there was widespread male and female prostitution throughout the cities of Kyoto, Edo, and Osaka. To counter this, an order of Tokugawa Hidetada of the Tokugawa shogunate restricted prostitution to...
, Kanna Sakyōnosuke is tasked with being the bodyguard of Katsu KaishuKatsu Kaishuwas a Japanese statesman, naval engineer during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and early Meiji period. Kaishū was a nickname which he took from a piece of calligraphy by Sakuma Shōzan. He went through a series of given names throughout his life; his childhood name was and his real name was...
, as part of a request from H.S. ParkesHarry Smith ParkesSir Harry Smith Parkes was a 19th century British diplomat who worked mainly in China and Japan...
, the head of British mission in Yokohama, and is an extremely talented fighter, armed with two guns, each of the RemingtonRemington ArmsRemington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
New Model Army ConversionRemington Model 1858The Remington New Model, was a percussion revolver manufactured by Eliphalet Remington & Sons in .36- or .44- caliber revolver used during the American Civil War. Known as it was used primarily by Union soldiers, and widely favored over the standard issue Colt Army Model 1860...
type. He seems to harbor some feelings for Yuyama Kakunojō, who reminds him of his Japanese mother.
- An actor of the Yuyama troupe under the stage name Yuyama Seijūrō, Shiranui joined the group after one of Sōtetsu's plays saved him from being executed. He slept with a policeman's wife. The police killed his wife and framed him for murder. He enjoys visiting the red-light district.
- A tayū, highest rank of the oiranOiranwere courtesans in Japan. The oiran were considered a type of "woman of pleasure" or prostitute. However, they are distinguished from the yūjo in that they were entertainers, and many became celebrities of their times outside the pleasure districts...
, who is the most famed and influential of the Sekkakurō, a pleasure house located in the Yukaku, Yokohama's pleasure quarters. She rivals the famous Yokohama oiran of the time Kiyu from Gankurō. Her influential clientele include Katsu Kaishu and H.S. Parkes. Kotoha is also a staunch supporter of the Yuyama troupe, and during a discussion with Sōtetsu, arranged for the group to perform during a night at the Sekkakurō.
- One of the actors of a troupe, Ebisu was an apprentice of Kakunojō's household, who had treated him very well. When the household was being burnt and Kakunojō's parents were murdered before his very eyes by Hario Genba as part of the Ansei Purges, Ebisu attempted to protect Kakunojō, and while doing so, he was burnt by the resulting fire, forced to live the rest of his life with bandages covering his face and body.
- The strongman of the Yuyama troupe, Kakashi is a good-hearted person who joined the group for a similar reason to Shiranui.
- Zagashira simply means the head of the troop. His real name remains unknown. The manager of the Yuyama troupe, Zagashira looks after the group's accounts. He used to work for Kakunojō's father. Zagashira saved Kakunojō from the fire that destroyed her household.
- One of the child actors of the Yuyama troupe, Benimaru, along with Kobako, was saved by Akizuki from a near fatal incident, and are both grateful to him for saving their lives.
- One of the child actors of the Yuyama troupe, Kobako, along with Benimaru, was saved by Akizuki from a near fatal incident, and are both grateful to him for saving their lives.
- The chief of staff of the newly formed fully modernized Imperial Army (or the new government army) and a samurai from Satsuma. Under the authority of Prince ArisugawaPrince Arisugawa Takahitowas the 10th head of a cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family and a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy.-Early life:thumb|left|Prince Takehito was born in Kyoto as a scion of the house, one of the shinnōke branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were eligible to succeed to...
, he was in charge of capturing EdoEdo, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
where the 15th Shogun Tokugawa YoshinobuTokugawa Yoshinobuwas the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...
resides. Saigo Takamori is a firm believer in the privileges of the samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
class.
- The chief of staff of the Shogun's Edo army and a native of Edo city. He was working desperately to avoid bloodshed in Edo. With support from the British and French representatives, he arranged a meeting with Saigō Takamori in Edo to negotiate for peace on behalf of the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu. He was formerly the Navy Magistrate of the Shogun's Navy. Kaishu was mentor to Sakamoto Ryōma (who initially attempted to kill him, however, instead became his bodyguard).
- A famous liberal and progressive samurai from TosaTosa DomainThe was a feudal domain in Tosa Province of Japan during the Edo period. Its official name is . Some from the domain played important roles in events in the late Tokugawa shogunate...
, Sakamoto Ryōma was greatly respected by Akizuki, who was his bodyguard and close confidant. Sakamoto negotiated an alliance between Chōshū-han and Satsuma-han, two Imperialist clans who had traditionally been bitter rivals towards each other; However, he was later assassinated in a KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
inn in 1867.
- A mysterious Yokohama merchant formerly known as Kuroiwa Sennosuke, Nakaiya Jūbē was presumed to be dead after the fire at his company headquarters the Bronze Palace in 1861. Nakaiya Jūbē mysteriously reappeared in 1868 in a secret auction inside the Shanghai Club trying to sell the Head of the Conqueror. He sent Hario Genba to protect Kawai Tsuginosuke and the Gatling gunGatling gunThe Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
s the latter bought during the same auction. Nakaiya seems to know about the Ansei Purges, and is well acquainted with British merchant T.B. GloverThomas Blake GloverThomas Blake Glover, Order of the Rising Sun was a Scottish merchant in Bakumatsu and Meiji period Japan.-Early life :...
, from whom he acquires his weapons.
- A swordsman who murdered Kakunojō's parents and attempted to kill her, whose face was forever to be remembered by Ebisu. Hario is a bearer of the ancient Jiwari-ken technique of swordsmanship, which attempts to create a continuous fissure within the earth's surface as a result of the vertical movement of one's sword, but which is stopped with the application of water within its path. He later serves in Yokohama as Kawai Tsuginosuke's bodyguard, as ordered by Nakaiya Jūbē, and is instantly recognized by Ebisu, who moves to inform the rest of the troupe and later traces him to an underground auction held in the Shanghai Club, where Hario had been accompanying Kawai. After witnessing Akidzuki's attempt to destroy the Hasha no Kubi, Hario becomes very intrigued with Akizuki and attempts to find and kill him the next day, to the extent of even ignoring his job to protect Kawai and his Gatling guns. Later, Hario is cornered by Akizuki and the Yuyama troupe in the midst of a sun-brazen wheat field, and when they attempt to kill him, a sniper, Saiga Magozō, sent by Nakaiya, attempts to shoot him, and Hario soon dies.
- A retainer of the NagaokaNagaoka, Niigatais a city located in the central part of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture, behind the capital city of Niigata...
clan in North East Japan, Kawai Tsuginosuke arrives in Yokohama to purchase two Gatling guns in order to ensure the armed neutrality between the Shogunate and Imperial forces that had maintained by the Nagaoka clan.
- A sniper working for Nakaiya Jūbē, Saiga Magozō is first seen firing a critical shot at Hario Genba, as per Nakaiya's orders. He is a descendent of the Saiga IkkiSaiga IkkiThe , based in Ōta in Kii Province, were one of many Ikkō-ikki groups in feudal Japan.In particular, the members of the Saika Ikki, along with the monks of the Negoro-ji, were renowned for their expertise with the arquebus, and for their expert gunsmiths and foundries...
warrior clan, who once rebelled against Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
during the Sengoku period.
- A well-respected high priest of the village of Koma-no-Sato in modern day Saitama PrefectureSaitama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. He is a direct descendent of the 3000 men and women mission led by Xu FuXu FuXú Fú ; was born in 255 BC in Qi, and served as a court sorcerer in Qin Dynasty China. He was sent by Qin Shi Huang to the eastern seas twice to look for the elixir of life. His two journeys occurred between 219 BC and 210 BC. It was believed that the fleet included 60 barques and around 5,000 crew...
, the immortal mage to seal and dispose the Head of the Conqueror in Japan. He enjoys good food and simple village life.
- The head of the British mission in Yokohama. He arranges for Kanna Sakyōnosuke to be the bodyguard of Katsu Kaishū.
- A Scottish arms merchant and industrialist based in Nagasaki. He works closely with Nakaiya Jūbē and often supplies him weapons, including Saiga's sniping rifle.
Staff
- Planning: Kenji Uchida, Kazumi Kawashiro
- Original creator: Hajime YatateHajime Yatateis a pseudonym for the collective contributions of the Sunrise animation staff.-Name:"Hajime Yatate" is considered named after a quote of Matsuo Bashō's Oku no Hosomichi:-Credited series:...
, Ryōsuke TakahashiRyosuke Takahashiis a Japanese anime director, screenwriter, and producer. He is among Sunrise's most renowned and noted directors, with his work epitomizing much of Sunrise's work in the 1980s, pioneering the real robot genre, with such noted works as Armored Trooper Votoms, Fang of the Sun Dougram and several... - Series composition and script: Junichi Miyashita
- Character designs: Yuusuke Kozaki
- Art director: Jirou Kouno, Emi Suzuki
- Color design: Takako Suzuki
- Cultural advisor: Hidehiko Maki
- Design works: Etsonobu Iwanaga, Takayuki Yanase
- Calligraphy design: Masumi Narita (Fudejiya)
- CGI works: Saori Kibe
- Photography director: Tatsuya Nomura
- CGI planning and 3DCG: Kentaro Sasaki
- Editor: Yukiko Nojiri (Winds)
- Music: Hideyuki FukasawaHideyuki Fukasawais a Japanese composer. He has often worked with Capcom but is also involved in his freelance composing work. He had a minor role in Onimusha 2 as an assistant sound engineer and programmer to Tarō Iwashiro, the acclaimed music composer of that particular game but it was his work on Chaos Legion, a...
- Sound director: Sadoyoshi Fujino
- Sound effects: Mitsuru Kagayama (Fizz Sound CreationFizz Sound Creationis a sound effects company working in the television, movie, radio, video, CD, cassette and game animation industry in Japan.-Company history:The company was founded in 1971 by as...
) - Recording adjustments: Norio Nishizawa
- Recording assistant: Yoshie Somazawa
- Sound effects production: Clues
- Music producers: Keiichi Nozaki, Noboru Mano
- Music production: Victor Entertainment, Sunrise Music
- Producers: Keiichi Matsamura, Koji Morimoto
- Series director: Ryōsuke Takahashi
- Chief director: Yoshimitsu Ohashi
- Production: SunriseSunrise (company)is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
, Bandai VisualBandai Visual, is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and... - Copyright: ©2006 SUNRISE INC.
Theme songs
Opening theme-
- Performance: FictionJunction YuukaFictionJunction YUUKAis a pop duo, part of Japanese composer Yuki Kajiura’s solo project FictionJunction, consisting of Yuuka Nanri and Kajiura .-Biography:...
- Lyrics, composition, arrangement: Yuki KajiuraYuki Kajiura, born August 6, 1965 in Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese composer and music producer. She has provided the music for several popular anime series, such as one of the Kimagure Orange Road movies, Noir, .hack//SIGN, Aquarian Age, Madlax, My-HiME, My-Otome, .hack//Roots, Pandora Hearts, Puella Magi...
- Performance: FictionJunction Yuuka
Ending theme
-
- Performance: Takako & The Crazy Boys
- Lyrics and composition: Takako Shirai
- Arrangement: Takako & The Crazy Boys
Insert song
-
- Performance: Chiaki IshikawaChiaki Ishikawais a Japanese singer/songwriter. She is also the lead vocalist of Japanese musical duo See-Saw. Many of her songs, both solo and with See-Saw, have been used as theme songs in various anime series. Since 2003, her popularity abroad as part of See-Saw and as a solo artist has risen significantly...
- Lyrics and composition: Chiaki Ishikawa
- Arrangement: Masaru Nishida
- Performance: Chiaki Ishikawa
Merchandise
DVD- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 1 - episodes 1〜2; release date: January 26, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 2 - episodes 3〜5; release date: February 23, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 3 - episodes 6〜8; release date: March 23, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 4 - episodes 9〜11; release date: April 27, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 5 - episodes 12〜14; release date: May 25, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 6 - episodes 15〜17; release date: June 22, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 7 - episodes 18〜20; release date: July 27, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 8 - episodes 21〜23; release date: August 24, 2007
- Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 9 - episodes 24〜26; release date: September 28, 2007