Ginga Legend Weed
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Takahashi
. It is a sequel to Takahashi's 1980s manga Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
, and focuses on Weed, an Akita-Kishu
mix and the son of Gin, the original series' protagonist. Weed, named after the English word for wild plant, leaves his birthplace to search for his father in the Ōu Mountains
. Upon arriving, Weed immediately begins protecting Ōu and its soldiers from dangerous threats. As the series progresses, Weed and his allies journey throughout Japan, aiding those in need and preventing takeovers.
Ginga Legend Weed was originally serialized in the magazine Weekly Manga Goraku
from 1999 to 2009. Publisher Nihon Bungeisha released 60 bound volumes
and later reprinted early volumes. ComicsOne
licensed the series for release in Canada and the United States, but issued only three volumes before it went out of business. Ginga Legend Weed has not been relicensed and distributed in the English language.
In addition to the main series, Takahashi authored several side stories and books relating to Weed and the supporting cast. In 2005, Studio Deen
produced an anime
series that aired on Animax
. The show was released on several DVDs between 2006 and 2007 in Japan, and was licensed and distributed in Taiwan and several Nordic countries
. Takahashi also published a prequel to Ginga Legend Weed entitled Ginga Legend Riki, which follows Gin's father. After Ginga Legend Weeds run, Takahashi began producing a sequel entitled Ginga Legend Weed: Orion, which follows Weed's four children.
. After the puppy's mother Sakura dies, an English Setter
named GB pledges to bring him to the Ōu Mountains and reunite him with his father. GB decides to name the pup Weed, after the English word for wild plant
, because he is "small but powerful". Upon arriving at Ōu, the pair learn that a monstrous creature is wreaking havoc and Ōu has fallen into turmoil. Gin is away, on a desperate search for his mate, so Weed, GB, and the other Ōu soldiers meet a team of dogs led by the German Shepherd Dog
Jerome. Jerome explains that the monster is a mutated dog that escaped from a laboratory after killing several scientists. Weed's group joins them and they succeed in killing the monster, though lose several soldiers in the process.
The series then introduces Hōgen and Genba, the Great Dane
brothers who plan to create an army and overthrow Gin. When Gin and his close friends John and Akame are found by Hōgen and his troops, Akame escapes to alert Ōu, while Gin, John, and Hiro (a dog loyal to Gin) are taken as hostages. John escapes, but is killed while acting as a diversion for Hiro. Akame locates Weed and explains the situation, prompting him to search for dogs to join Ōu's army. Gin escapes and starts recruiting soldiers. Hōgen, alone after having to mercy kill
Genba, launches his attack on Ōu. Weed clashes with Hōgen and is injured, but spirits of dead Ōu soldiers appear to give him strength. Weed defeats Hōgen but chooses not to kill him. Hōgen stumbles away and is found by Shōji Sudou, a policeman whose partner was killed by Genba and Hōgen. Shōji shoots and kills Hōgen.
Later, Weed encounters a dog named Yukimura, and learns that a group of monkeys have been terrorizing the area. Leading them is Shōgun, a vicious baboon that feeds on young monkeys and puppies. Shōgun had previously attacked Yukimura and his family, permanently damaging his adopted father Saheiji. Weed, his comrades, Yukimura, and several rebellious monkeys attack Shōgun and his followers. Yukimura is able to injure Shōgun enough to ensure his death, but dies in the process. Saheiji reveals that Yukimura was Weed's brother: Sakura, too sick to care for all of her children, had given two of her puppies to Saheiji to raise as foster sons.
While Jerome is in Hokkaidō
, he is captured by a Russia
n German Shepherd named Victor, who aims to conquer the island. Jerome escapes and alerts Hakurō, a former Ōu soldier who resides in Hokkaidō. Hakurō and several of his sons are attacked and killed by Victor's forces. Gin and Weed go to Hokkaidō, but are unable to defeat Victor's troops. Jerome rejoins the Ōu soldiers with Lydia and Maxim, two subordinates of Victor. Angry at Maxim's betrayal, Victor orders a friend of Maxim, Alam, to kill him. Alam feels an intense regret for following orders, but later learns that Maxim survived. Alam decides to drown Victor by dragging him underwater and entangling him in seaweed
. With Victor gone, Lydia chooses to stay with Jerome while Maxim and his remaining subordinates swim back to Russia.
While traveling, Weed meets his other brother, Joe. Joe dislikes Gin for leaving Sakura unattended in the Alps. He is unaware that Sakura had left Ōu under the false impression that Gin was dead, and that Gin had been unaware of Sakura's leaving. Joe explains that a large hybrid bear has attacked and killed his mate, Hitomi. Weed's group joins Joe to defeat the animal. During the battle, GB dies saving Weed, and Weed vows to avenge him. Weed knocks himself and the bear into a river. The bear dies after hitting a floodgate
and Weed manages to survive. He returns to Ōu and learns that his mate, Koyuki, is pregnant. Weeks later, she gives birth to four pups.
. It is a sequel to his 1980s series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
, and follows the son of Gin, the title character from the original series. It began serialization in Weekly Manga Goraku
magazine in 1999. The Japanese publisher Nihon Bungeisha
released the series in collected volumes
from January 2000 to September 2009. Cumulatively, 60 volumes were published. In October 2006, Nihon Bungeisha released the first volume of a reprinted edition of Ginga Legend Weed. The company has released 22 volumes of the reprint edition, with the latest published in December 2007. The American company ComicsOne
licensed the series for release in the United States
and Canada
in 2000 with the first three volumes released between March and June 2001. Additionally, they provided an Adobe Digital Editions
e-book
version. ComicsOne later went bankrupt. American publisher DrMaster
acquired the rights to some of ComicsOne's titles, but not Ginga Legend Weed. While the physical copies are out-of-print
, the e-book version is still available.
Under their G-Comics imprint, Nihon Bungeisha released several Ginga Legend Weed omnibus editions labeled as "specials". A series of three specials were released in April 2004 called . Throughout 2009 and 2010, another set of eight "specials" were produced: Tabidachi Hen (September 2009), Senshi no Shōmei Hen (October 2009), Inuzoku no Tsutome Hen (November 2009), Otoko no Yakusoku Hen (December 2009), Taiman Shōbu Hen (January 2010), Taishō no Utsuwa Hen (February 2010), Dōshu Taiketsu Hen (March 2010), and Uketsuga Reshi Kiba Hen (April 2010).
named Mel, who is a character in the main series, and the story of Takahashi's past dog Hanako. , a collection of art, essays, and personal experiences pertaining to the attachment between people and animals, was released in November 2001. In 2002, Nihon Bungeisha released a magazine called Weed World, which centered around Ginga Legend Weed and related material. In total, 5 issues were published between March and May. In January 2002, an art book entitled was released. , a book containing character biographies and statistics, was released in May 2003. In November 2005, , an omnibus
volume containing the prequel Ginga Legend Riki and Weed Gaiden, was released.
produced a 26-episode animated adaptation
of Ginga Legend Weed, directed by Toshiyuki Kato. In Japan, the series aired from November 3, 2005 to May 11, 2006 on Animax
with the SKY PerfecTV!
service. Dohatsuten, a Japanese band, performed both the opening and ending themes, Ginga Densetsu Weed and , respectively. On December 7, 2005, Imperial Records
released a single
containing the themes and karaoke
versions. The full soundtrack for the series, composed by Y2 DOGS, was released by Imperial Records on January 25, 2006. The entirety of Ginga Legend Weed was initially released on 13 DVDs published between February 17, 2006 and March 1, 2007. On August 29, 2008, a complete box set containing all 13 discs was released. The electronics company Sankyo created a Ginga Legend Weed pachinko
game that utilizes the anime character designs.
Top-Insight International licensed Ginga Legend Weed for release in Taiwan
. The company released seven individual DVDs, and one complete box set. The series aired in Taiwan on China Television
. Future Film licensed and released the series in Finland
. The company released Ginga Legend Weed on eight separate DVDs between August 2, 2006 and December 5, 2006. On November 14, 2007, Future Film released the entire series on a collector's edition
. The release was bundled with a Weed booklet and mobile phone charm. In Sweden
, AudVid distributed the series in one box set on June 15, 2007. The set included an extra 16-page booklet. The Finnish and Swedish releases included both Swedish and Finnish subtitles
. In Denmark, Scanbox Entertainment released eight DVDs containing the series in 2007, and in 2008 produced two box sets containing episodes 1-13 and 14-26, respectively. In addition to a Danish dub
, Scanbox's release included Danish and Norwegian
subtitles.
sales chart in Japan for the week December 9–15, 2008. Its sales numbers for the week were 20,059 copies, for a cumulative total of 21,320 since its release.
Ginga Legend Weed was featured on Jason Thompson
's House of 1000 Manga segment on Anime News Network
. He praised the series for its story and took note of the "flavor" of having a combination of physically realistic dogs, "shōnen tropes", the dogs' knowledge of the human world (such as job occupations and dog breeds), and dog behavior involving honor, loyalty, honorific
s, and aura
s. However, Thomson noted that the "noble melodrama sometimes gets to be a little much", and felt that several characters, with the exception of Weed, began "to blur together" due to the difficulty of drawing a very large cast of dogs. Additionally, he commented that the fights weren't visually "exciting", as dogs are "lacking prehensile
arms". Overall, Thomson felt that the series was unique, stating that "no one else [is] making manga quite like this." In a later installment of House of 1000 Manga, Thompson expressed his preference for Takahashi's original work, Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin, stating that it felt "more exciting and natural" than its "stiffer and more pompous" sequel.
Takahashi began a sequel to Ginga Legend Weed, entitled , in issue #2173 of Manga Goraku, released on July 24, 2009. The first collected volume was released by Nihon Bungeisha in November 2009. Currently, ten volumes have been published and the series is ongoing. The new series follows Weed's offspring: Bellatrix, Rigel, Sirius, and, in particular, Orion. They are all named after astronomical phenomenon: Orion after the Orion constellation
, Rigel after the star Rigel
, Sirius after the star Sirius
, and Bellatrix after the star Bellatrix
. Orion bears a close physical resemblance to Riki and possesses an inborn strength, but is crude and hot-headed. Rigel shares Orion's fiery temperament while Sirius, who resembles Weed, is level-headed and a peace-keeper. Bellatrix, Weed's only daughter, is portrayed as immature.
An earthquake
and subsequent volcanic eruption separates Orion from his parents and siblings. Joe locates Orion and brings him to safety but disappears in the process, while the other siblings are put under the charge of the Ōu soldier Sasuke. With the Ōu Mountains in complete disarray, new threats arrive to exploit its weaknesses. Three sons of the Irish Wolfhound
Kamakiri, a platoon leader for Hōgen, wish to avenge their father's death. Kurohabaki Masamune, the leader of the Kurohabaki Clan of ninja dogs, aims to take over Ōu and strengthen his army. He is the adoptive son of the former Kurohabaki leader Terumune and was previously denied leadership of the clan, despite his striving for approval. Instead, Terumune decided that his blood-related son Yamabiko, born after Masamune's arrival, would become leader. Thereafter, Masamune banished Terumune and took control of the clan. He holds a grudge against Yamabiko and plans to find and kill him. Meanwhile, members of the Kurohabaki clan roam Ōu, gathering recruits and killing those who resist.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Takahashi
Yoshihiro Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist. He writes under a pen name in which his first name Yoshihiro is spelled out in hiragana .Takahashi was born September 18, 1953, in Higashinaruse, Akita. He was very interested in drawing growing up and, in the 60's, started publishing small comics in several newspapers...
. It is a sequel to Takahashi's 1980s manga Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin Silver") is an adventure manga by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It was published by Shueisha in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1987, and collected in 18 bound volumes...
, and focuses on Weed, an Akita-Kishu
Kishu
The , sometimes called Kishu Ken or Kishu Inu, is a Japanese breed of dog, developed there for thousands of years. It is descended from ancient medium-sized breeds and named after the Kishu region, now Wakayama Prefecture. This breed is similar to the Akita Inu and the Shiba Inu but predates both...
mix and the son of Gin, the original series' protagonist. Weed, named after the English word for wild plant, leaves his birthplace to search for his father in the Ōu Mountains
Ou Mountains
The are a mountain range in the Tōhoku region of Honshū, Japan. The range is the longest range in Japan and stretch south from the Natsudomari Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture to the Nasu volcanoes at the northern boundary of the Kantō region. Though long, the range is only about wide...
. Upon arriving, Weed immediately begins protecting Ōu and its soldiers from dangerous threats. As the series progresses, Weed and his allies journey throughout Japan, aiding those in need and preventing takeovers.
Ginga Legend Weed was originally serialized in the magazine Weekly Manga Goraku
Weekly Manga Goraku
is a Japanese weekly manga magazine published since 1968 by Nihon Bungeisha which targets a demographic of middle aged men instead of one of the more common targets of seinen or shōnen manga. The magazine is published every Friday....
from 1999 to 2009. Publisher Nihon Bungeisha released 60 bound volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
and later reprinted early volumes. ComicsOne
ComicsOne
Comics One was an American distributor of Asian Comics , established in 1999. ComicsOne was based in Fremont, California...
licensed the series for release in Canada and the United States, but issued only three volumes before it went out of business. Ginga Legend Weed has not been relicensed and distributed in the English language.
In addition to the main series, Takahashi authored several side stories and books relating to Weed and the supporting cast. In 2005, Studio Deen
Studio DEEN
is a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* Urusei...
produced an 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 that aired on Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
. The show was released on several DVDs between 2006 and 2007 in Japan, and was licensed and distributed in Taiwan and several Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
. Takahashi also published a prequel to Ginga Legend Weed entitled Ginga Legend Riki, which follows Gin's father. After Ginga Legend Weeds run, Takahashi began producing a sequel entitled Ginga Legend Weed: Orion, which follows Weed's four children.
Plot
Several years after the events of Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin, Gin's son is born in the Japanese AlpsJapanese Alps
The is a series of mountain ranges in Japan that bisect the main island of Honshū. The name was coined by William Gowland, the "Father of Japanese Archaeology," and later popularized by Reverend Walter Weston , an English missionary for whom a memorial plaque is located at Kamikochi, a tourist...
. After the puppy's mother Sakura dies, an English Setter
English Setter
The English Setter is a breed of dog. It is part of the Setter family, which includes red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. It is a gun dog, bred for a mix of endurance and athleticism.- Appearance :...
named GB pledges to bring him to the Ōu Mountains and reunite him with his father. GB decides to name the pup Weed, after the English word for wild plant
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
, because he is "small but powerful". Upon arriving at Ōu, the pair learn that a monstrous creature is wreaking havoc and Ōu has fallen into turmoil. Gin is away, on a desperate search for his mate, so Weed, GB, and the other Ōu soldiers meet a team of dogs led by the German Shepherd Dog
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
Jerome. Jerome explains that the monster is a mutated dog that escaped from a laboratory after killing several scientists. Weed's group joins them and they succeed in killing the monster, though lose several soldiers in the process.
The series then introduces Hōgen and Genba, the Great Dane
Great Dane
The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...
brothers who plan to create an army and overthrow Gin. When Gin and his close friends John and Akame are found by Hōgen and his troops, Akame escapes to alert Ōu, while Gin, John, and Hiro (a dog loyal to Gin) are taken as hostages. John escapes, but is killed while acting as a diversion for Hiro. Akame locates Weed and explains the situation, prompting him to search for dogs to join Ōu's army. Gin escapes and starts recruiting soldiers. Hōgen, alone after having to mercy kill
Coup de grâce
The expression coup de grâce means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. The phrase can refer to the killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the consent of the sufferer...
Genba, launches his attack on Ōu. Weed clashes with Hōgen and is injured, but spirits of dead Ōu soldiers appear to give him strength. Weed defeats Hōgen but chooses not to kill him. Hōgen stumbles away and is found by Shōji Sudou, a policeman whose partner was killed by Genba and Hōgen. Shōji shoots and kills Hōgen.
Later, Weed encounters a dog named Yukimura, and learns that a group of monkeys have been terrorizing the area. Leading them is Shōgun, a vicious baboon that feeds on young monkeys and puppies. Shōgun had previously attacked Yukimura and his family, permanently damaging his adopted father Saheiji. Weed, his comrades, Yukimura, and several rebellious monkeys attack Shōgun and his followers. Yukimura is able to injure Shōgun enough to ensure his death, but dies in the process. Saheiji reveals that Yukimura was Weed's brother: Sakura, too sick to care for all of her children, had given two of her puppies to Saheiji to raise as foster sons.
While Jerome is in Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, he is captured by a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n German Shepherd named Victor, who aims to conquer the island. Jerome escapes and alerts Hakurō, a former Ōu soldier who resides in Hokkaidō. Hakurō and several of his sons are attacked and killed by Victor's forces. Gin and Weed go to Hokkaidō, but are unable to defeat Victor's troops. Jerome rejoins the Ōu soldiers with Lydia and Maxim, two subordinates of Victor. Angry at Maxim's betrayal, Victor orders a friend of Maxim, Alam, to kill him. Alam feels an intense regret for following orders, but later learns that Maxim survived. Alam decides to drown Victor by dragging him underwater and entangling him in seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
. With Victor gone, Lydia chooses to stay with Jerome while Maxim and his remaining subordinates swim back to Russia.
While traveling, Weed meets his other brother, Joe. Joe dislikes Gin for leaving Sakura unattended in the Alps. He is unaware that Sakura had left Ōu under the false impression that Gin was dead, and that Gin had been unaware of Sakura's leaving. Joe explains that a large hybrid bear has attacked and killed his mate, Hitomi. Weed's group joins Joe to defeat the animal. During the battle, GB dies saving Weed, and Weed vows to avenge him. Weed knocks himself and the bear into a river. The bear dies after hitting a floodgate
Floodgate
Floodgates are adjustable gates used to control water flow in flood barriers, reservoir, river, stream, or levee systems. They may be designed to set spillway crest heights in dams, to adjust flow rates in sluices and canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow entirely as part of a levee or...
and Weed manages to survive. He returns to Ōu and learns that his mate, Koyuki, is pregnant. Weeks later, she gives birth to four pups.
Manga
Ginga Legend Weed was written and illustrated by Yoshihiro TakahashiYoshihiro Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist. He writes under a pen name in which his first name Yoshihiro is spelled out in hiragana .Takahashi was born September 18, 1953, in Higashinaruse, Akita. He was very interested in drawing growing up and, in the 60's, started publishing small comics in several newspapers...
. It is a sequel to his 1980s series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin Silver") is an adventure manga by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It was published by Shueisha in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1987, and collected in 18 bound volumes...
, and follows the son of Gin, the title character from the original series. It began serialization in Weekly Manga Goraku
Weekly Manga Goraku
is a Japanese weekly manga magazine published since 1968 by Nihon Bungeisha which targets a demographic of middle aged men instead of one of the more common targets of seinen or shōnen manga. The magazine is published every Friday....
magazine in 1999. The Japanese publisher Nihon Bungeisha
Nihon Bungeisha
, or , is a book and magazine publisher established in 1959 and based in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.-Magazines:*Weekly Manga Goraku*Bessatsu Manga Goraku*Manga Goraku Nexter*Golf Lesson Comic*Manga Pachinko Dairenshō...
released the series in collected volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
from January 2000 to September 2009. Cumulatively, 60 volumes were published. In October 2006, Nihon Bungeisha released the first volume of a reprinted edition of Ginga Legend Weed. The company has released 22 volumes of the reprint edition, with the latest published in December 2007. The American company ComicsOne
ComicsOne
Comics One was an American distributor of Asian Comics , established in 1999. ComicsOne was based in Fremont, California...
licensed the series for release in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 2000 with the first three volumes released between March and June 2001. Additionally, they provided an Adobe Digital Editions
Adobe Digital Editions
Adobe Digital Editions is ebook reader software from Adobe Systems built using Adobe Flash. It is used for acquiring, managing and reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications. The software supports PDF, XHTML , and Flash-based content...
e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
version. ComicsOne later went bankrupt. American publisher DrMaster
DrMaster
DrMaster Publications Inc. is an American distributor of manga and manhua with offices in the United States, Republic of China and Japan. It was headquartered in Fremont, California....
acquired the rights to some of ComicsOne's titles, but not Ginga Legend Weed. While the physical copies are out-of-print
Out-of-print book
An out-of-print book is a book that is no longer being published. Out-of-print books are often rare, and may be difficult to acquire.A publisher will usually create a print run of a fixed number of copies of a new book. These books can be ordered in bulk by booksellers, and when all the...
, the e-book version is still available.
Under their G-Comics imprint, Nihon Bungeisha released several Ginga Legend Weed omnibus editions labeled as "specials". A series of three specials were released in April 2004 called . Throughout 2009 and 2010, another set of eight "specials" were produced: Tabidachi Hen (September 2009), Senshi no Shōmei Hen (October 2009), Inuzoku no Tsutome Hen (November 2009), Otoko no Yakusoku Hen (December 2009), Taiman Shōbu Hen (January 2010), Taishō no Utsuwa Hen (February 2010), Dōshu Taiketsu Hen (March 2010), and Uketsuga Reshi Kiba Hen (April 2010).
Related books
Nihon Bungeisha released several books authored by Takahashi that relate to the main series. , first released on August 9, 2001 and re-released in December 2007, is a collection of four short stories, including a side-story about a Golden RetrieverGolden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
named Mel, who is a character in the main series, and the story of Takahashi's past dog Hanako. , a collection of art, essays, and personal experiences pertaining to the attachment between people and animals, was released in November 2001. In 2002, Nihon Bungeisha released a magazine called Weed World, which centered around Ginga Legend Weed and related material. In total, 5 issues were published between March and May. In January 2002, an art book entitled was released. , a book containing character biographies and statistics, was released in May 2003. In November 2005, , an omnibus
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
volume containing the prequel Ginga Legend Riki and Weed Gaiden, was released.
Anime
In 2005, Studio DeenStudio DEEN
is a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* Urusei...
produced a 26-episode animated adaptation
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....
of Ginga Legend Weed, directed by Toshiyuki Kato. In Japan, the series aired from November 3, 2005 to May 11, 2006 on Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
with the SKY PerfecTV!
SKY PerfecTV!
SKY PerfecTV! is a direct broadcast satellite service that provides satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services to households in Japan, owned by parent company SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation....
service. Dohatsuten, a Japanese band, performed both the opening and ending themes, Ginga Densetsu Weed and , respectively. On December 7, 2005, Imperial Records
Teichiku Records
Teichiku Records is a Japanese record label, run by the Teichiku Entertainment company, that specialises in enka, kayōkyoku, and similar music. Teichiku is an abbreviation for , the former name of the company...
released a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
containing the themes and karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
versions. The full soundtrack for the series, composed by Y2 DOGS, was released by Imperial Records on January 25, 2006. The entirety of Ginga Legend Weed was initially released on 13 DVDs published between February 17, 2006 and March 1, 2007. On August 29, 2008, a complete box set containing all 13 discs was released. The electronics company Sankyo created a Ginga Legend Weed pachinko
Pachinko
is a type of game originating in Japan, and used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device, filling a niche in gambling in Japan comparable to that of the slot machine in Western gambling. A pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine, but...
game that utilizes the anime character designs.
Top-Insight International licensed Ginga Legend Weed for release in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The company released seven individual DVDs, and one complete box set. The series aired in Taiwan on China Television
China Television
China Television Company, Ltd. was established on September 3, 1968 by the then-ruling Nationalist Party of the Republic of China . The party owned the majority stake of the network...
. Future Film licensed and released the series in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The company released Ginga Legend Weed on eight separate DVDs between August 2, 2006 and December 5, 2006. On November 14, 2007, Future Film released the entire series on a collector's edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
. The release was bundled with a Weed booklet and mobile phone charm. In Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, AudVid distributed the series in one box set on June 15, 2007. The set included an extra 16-page booklet. The Finnish and Swedish releases included both Swedish and Finnish subtitles
Subtitle (captioning)
Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. They can either be a form of written translation of a dialog in a foreign language, or a written rendering of the dialog in the same language, with or without added...
. In Denmark, Scanbox Entertainment released eight DVDs containing the series in 2007, and in 2008 produced two box sets containing episodes 1-13 and 14-26, respectively. In addition to a Danish dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
, Scanbox's release included Danish and Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
subtitles.
Reception
The 55th volume of Ginga Legend Weed was listed as number 30 on the OriconOricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
sales chart in Japan for the week December 9–15, 2008. Its sales numbers for the week were 20,059 copies, for a cumulative total of 21,320 since its release.
Ginga Legend Weed was featured on Jason Thompson
Jason Thompson (writer)
Jason Thompson is a manga critic, journalist, writer and comics artist.-Life and career:...
's House of 1000 Manga segment on Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
. He praised the series for its story and took note of the "flavor" of having a combination of physically realistic dogs, "shōnen tropes", the dogs' knowledge of the human world (such as job occupations and dog breeds), and dog behavior involving honor, loyalty, honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
s, and aura
Aura (paranormal)
In parapsychology and many forms of spiritual practice, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object . The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, it is said that all living things and all objects...
s. However, Thomson noted that the "noble melodrama sometimes gets to be a little much", and felt that several characters, with the exception of Weed, began "to blur together" due to the difficulty of drawing a very large cast of dogs. Additionally, he commented that the fights weren't visually "exciting", as dogs are "lacking prehensile
Prehensility
Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term prehendere, meaning "to grasp."-Examples:Appendages that can become prehensile include:...
arms". Overall, Thomson felt that the series was unique, stating that "no one else [is] making manga quite like this." In a later installment of House of 1000 Manga, Thompson expressed his preference for Takahashi's original work, Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin, stating that it felt "more exciting and natural" than its "stiffer and more pompous" sequel.
Legacy
In 2002, Takahashi began publishing , a prequel to Ginga Legend Weed and Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin. It was originally serialized in the Weed-centric magazine Weed World, published by Nihon Bungeisha, between March 31, 2002 and December 10, 2002. In March 2003, Nihon Bungeisha released the collected chapters in a single book and in December 2005, it was included in the omnibus Ginga Densetsu Weed Tokubetsu Han with Weed Gaiden. A reprinted edition of Ginga Legend Riki was released in March 2007. The one-shot follows Riki, father of Gin and former leader of the Ōu soldiers. Riki, though sired by the prized bear hound Shiro, is born a runt and never homed. After his mother Yamabuki is returned to her owner, Riki, stricken with sadness, decides to visit her. During his trek, Riki is attacked by a pack of dogs and falls into a river. Riki is rescued by Shiro, who advises him about the importance of strength and leaves, not knowing Riki is his son. Influenced by Shiro, Riki aims to become strong and continually visits his mother. On a later trip, Riki sees a young boy, Daisuke, hit by a truck on a mountain road and sent over the road railing. Riki howls for help, but instead attracts the dogs that had attacked him. Riki defends Daisuke until Shiro and his owner, Gohei, arrive. Shiro learns that Riki is his son. The book ends with Gohei and Shiro fighting the bear Akakabuto. A bullet becomes lodged in Akakabuto's brain, making him insane. Riki watches as the bear grabs Shiro and they fall off a cliff.Takahashi began a sequel to Ginga Legend Weed, entitled , in issue #2173 of Manga Goraku, released on July 24, 2009. The first collected volume was released by Nihon Bungeisha in November 2009. Currently, ten volumes have been published and the series is ongoing. The new series follows Weed's offspring: Bellatrix, Rigel, Sirius, and, in particular, Orion. They are all named after astronomical phenomenon: Orion after the Orion constellation
Orion (constellation)
Orion, often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous, and most recognizable constellations in the night sky...
, Rigel after the star Rigel
Rigel
Rigel is the brightest star in the constellation Orion and the sixth brightest star in the sky, with visual magnitude 0.18...
, Sirius after the star Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
, and Bellatrix after the star Bellatrix
Gamma Orionis
Bellatrix, also known by its Bayer designation Gamma Orionis , is the third brightest star in the constellation Orion, the twenty-seventh brightest star in the night sky, and one of the brightest second-magnitude stars....
. Orion bears a close physical resemblance to Riki and possesses an inborn strength, but is crude and hot-headed. Rigel shares Orion's fiery temperament while Sirius, who resembles Weed, is level-headed and a peace-keeper. Bellatrix, Weed's only daughter, is portrayed as immature.
An earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
and subsequent volcanic eruption separates Orion from his parents and siblings. Joe locates Orion and brings him to safety but disappears in the process, while the other siblings are put under the charge of the Ōu soldier Sasuke. With the Ōu Mountains in complete disarray, new threats arrive to exploit its weaknesses. Three sons of the Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhound
The Irish wolfhound is a breed of domestic dog , specifically a sighthound. The name originates from its purpose rather than from its appearance...
Kamakiri, a platoon leader for Hōgen, wish to avenge their father's death. Kurohabaki Masamune, the leader of the Kurohabaki Clan of ninja dogs, aims to take over Ōu and strengthen his army. He is the adoptive son of the former Kurohabaki leader Terumune and was previously denied leadership of the clan, despite his striving for approval. Instead, Terumune decided that his blood-related son Yamabiko, born after Masamune's arrival, would become leader. Thereafter, Masamune banished Terumune and took control of the clan. He holds a grudge against Yamabiko and plans to find and kill him. Meanwhile, members of the Kurohabaki clan roam Ōu, gathering recruits and killing those who resist.