Kara no Kyokai
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese novel
series, authored by Kinoko Nasu
and illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi
. It is also known under the nickname . Its subtitle
is The Garden of Sinners.
-based website, , with its final two chapters being released at Comiket 56
in August 1999. Nasu and Takeuchi later formed Type-Moon
, and in 2001, featured a portion of the book in its 2001 Tsukihime
fandisk, Tsukihime PLUS-DISC, which saw Kara no Kyōkai gain significant popularity, leading it to be released as a dōjinshi
publication at Comiket 61 on December 30, 2001.
On September 2002, a drama CD based on the series was released, and on August 6, 2004, noted publisher Kodansha
released the series as a commercial publication, which enjoyed immense popularity, with 5000 limited-edition versions of the novel being sold almost immediately upon release. Both editions of Kara no Kyōkai altogether sold more than 500,000 copies. In 2009, Del Rey Manga
began printing the Kara no Kyōkai novel. This was confirmed in the first volume of Del Rey's Faust
release. The series is regarded as being set in a world parallel to that of another Type-Moon series, Tsukihime
, with the protagonist of the series, Shiki Ryōgi, possessing similar abilities as Tsukihimes protagonist, Shiki Tohno
, and another Tsukihime character, Aoko Aozaki's sister, Tōko Aozaki (who was briefly mentioned in Tsukihime), also being featured.
The series was being adapted into an anime
movie series, divided into seven chapters, which were animated by the studio ufotable
. The first chapter, titled , premiered across Japanese theaters
on December 1, 2007, with the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters, , , , , , being released soon after on December 29, 2007, followed by January 26, 2008, May 24, 2008, August 16, 2008, December 20, 2008, and August 8, 2009 respectively. In connection with the movie's release, the novels were once again being reprinted, as three volumes with new illustrations.
An American premiere of the 5th chapter was held on May 22, 2009 at the Anime Boston convention.
The official Japanese website had announced that the series will be shipped on Blu-ray with a new chapter, Gekijō-ban Kara no Kyoukai Shūshō: Kara no Kyoukai, in English and Japanese subtitles with a retail price of 52,500 yen (about US$620). A DVD of the said chapter was released on February 2, 2011. Aniplex of America
released the imported Blu-ray box set on February 8, 2011.. The box was immediately sold out and has not been reissued since.
and Fate/stay night
, with many of its characters becoming prototypes to characters in Type-Moon's later works. In particular, Mikiya Kokutō has been described as the prototype for Shiki Tohno
, the hero of Tsukihime
, who possesses the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception that were first introduced as a characteristic of Kara no Kyōkais protagonist, Shiki Ryōgi. Other characters have made appearances in other works by Type-Moon. Mikiya Kokutō's employer, Tōko Aozaki, is implied to be the puppet maker in the third Fate/stay night scenario, Heaven's Feel, and she is mentioned as the creator of Shiki Tohno's glasses in Tsukihime
, where her younger sister, Aoko, appears. Aoko is also the heroine of Mahōtsukai no Yoru
.
As one of Kinoko Nasu's earliest works, it also introduces some of the most fundamental concepts in the universe of Type-Moon's works, including souls, Akasha, Counter Force, Magic and Magecraft, and Origin.
However, upon meeting Mikiya, she gradually finds happiness through their relationship and a schism develops between her two personalities. As a result, she winds up in a traffic accident and is left in a coma for two years. When she awakens, she finds herself unable to connect her past memories to her current identity. Reunited with Mikiya, now employed as an investigator for Tōko Aozaki, Shiki assists Tōko's detective agency, Garan no Dou, whenever combat is required, while struggling to come to terms with her identity.
When she awakens, she is reunited with Mikiya Kokutō, a friend who had fallen in love with her and promised to attend college with her. Mikiya, whose hopes of attending college with Shiki had been crushed when she fell into her coma, dropped out of college and began working as an investigator for a puppet-maker and powerful sorceress, Tōko Aozaki. To remain close to Mikiya, his sister Azaka also joins Tōko's detective agency, Garan no Dou. With Mikiya, Shiki works for Tōko to investigate paranormal events and resolve them with force if necessary.
}
}
1996
1998
1999
2008
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
series, authored by Kinoko Nasu
Kinoko Nasu
is a Japanese author, best known for writing the novel Kara no Kyoukai and visual novels Tsukihime and Fate/stay night. Renowned for a unique style of storytelling and prose, Nasu is amongst the most prominent visual novelists in Japan.-Biography:...
and illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi
Takashi Takeuchi
is a Japanese artist, noted as the co-founder of Japanese visual novel and anime development and production enterprise TYPE-MOON, and for his illustrations on TYPE-MOON's visual novels, Tsukihime and Fate/stay night, which were both later adapted into anime and manga series. He has frequently...
. It is also known under the nickname . Its subtitle
Subtitle (titling)
In books and other works, a subtitle is an explanatory or alternate title. For example, Mary Shelley used a subtitle to give her most famous novel, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, an alternate title to give a hint of the theme. In library cataloging the subtitle does not include an...
is The Garden of Sinners.
History
Kara no Kyōkai originated in October 1998 as a series of five chapters released online on Nasu and Takeuchi's dōjinDojin
, often romanized as doujin, is a general Japanese term for a group of people or friends who share an interest, activity, hobbies, or achievement...
-based website, , with its final two chapters being released at Comiket 56
Comiket
, otherwise known as the , is the world's largest self-published comic book fair, held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. The first Comiket was held on December 21, 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. Attendance has since swelled to over a half million people....
in August 1999. Nasu and Takeuchi later formed Type-Moon
TYPE-MOON
is a Japanese game company, best known for their visual novels, co-founded by author Kinoko Nasu and illustrator Takashi Takeuchi. It is also known under the name for its publishing and corporate operations...
, and in 2001, featured a portion of the book in its 2001 Tsukihime
Tsukihime
is a Japanese eroge dōjin visual novel game created by Type-Moon, who first released it at the Winter Comiket in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C.Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, which has been serialized since 2004 in...
fandisk, Tsukihime PLUS-DISC, which saw Kara no Kyōkai gain significant popularity, leading it to be released as a dōjinshi
Dojinshi
is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. Dōjinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term dōjinshi is derived from and . Dōjinshi are part of a wider...
publication at Comiket 61 on December 30, 2001.
On September 2002, a drama CD based on the series was released, and on August 6, 2004, noted publisher Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
released the series as a commercial publication, which enjoyed immense popularity, with 5000 limited-edition versions of the novel being sold almost immediately upon release. Both editions of Kara no Kyōkai altogether sold more than 500,000 copies. In 2009, Del Rey Manga
Del Rey Manga
was the manga-publishing imprint of Del Rey Books, a branch of Ballantine Books, which in turn is part of Random House, the publishing division of Bertelsmann. It was formed as part of a cross-publishing relationship with Japanese publisher Kodansha. Some of the Del Rey titles, such as Tsubasa...
began printing the Kara no Kyōkai novel. This was confirmed in the first volume of Del Rey's Faust
Faust (magazine)
is a literary magazine published irregularly by Kodansha since 2003. Self-described as a "Fighting illustory magazine." Square bound like novels, all volumes have remained in print. Faust features young writers and a style derived from light novels...
release. The series is regarded as being set in a world parallel to that of another Type-Moon series, Tsukihime
Tsukihime
is a Japanese eroge dōjin visual novel game created by Type-Moon, who first released it at the Winter Comiket in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C.Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, which has been serialized since 2004 in...
, with the protagonist of the series, Shiki Ryōgi, possessing similar abilities as Tsukihimes protagonist, Shiki Tohno
Shiki Tohno
is a character and protagonist of the Japanese visual novel,Manga and anime series Tsukihime, its sequel Kagetsu Tohya and its spinoff Melty Blood, created by TYPE-MOON...
, and another Tsukihime character, Aoko Aozaki's sister, Tōko Aozaki (who was briefly mentioned in Tsukihime), also being featured.
The series was being adapted into 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....
movie series, divided into seven chapters, which were animated by the studio ufotable
Ufotable
is a Japanese animation studio founded in October 2000 and located in Nakano, Tokyo Prefecture. A unique hallmark seen in many of their works is a claymation sequence.-TV series:*Weiß Kreuz Glühen *Mobile Suit Gundam SEED...
. The first chapter, titled , premiered across Japanese theaters
Cinema of Japan
The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
on December 1, 2007, with the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters, , , , , , being released soon after on December 29, 2007, followed by January 26, 2008, May 24, 2008, August 16, 2008, December 20, 2008, and August 8, 2009 respectively. In connection with the movie's release, the novels were once again being reprinted, as three volumes with new illustrations.
An American premiere of the 5th chapter was held on May 22, 2009 at the Anime Boston convention.
The official Japanese website had announced that the series will be shipped on Blu-ray with a new chapter, Gekijō-ban Kara no Kyoukai Shūshō: Kara no Kyoukai, in English and Japanese subtitles with a retail price of 52,500 yen (about US$620). A DVD of the said chapter was released on February 2, 2011. Aniplex of America
Aniplex
, formerly known as Sony Pictures Entertainment Visual Works Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment Visual Works Inc., is a Japanese anime and music production and distribution enterprise owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan and established in January 1997...
released the imported Blu-ray box set on February 8, 2011.. The box was immediately sold out and has not been reissued since.
Setting and Themes
Kara no Kyōkai is set in an alternate universe to TsukihimeTsukihime
is a Japanese eroge dōjin visual novel game created by Type-Moon, who first released it at the Winter Comiket in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C.Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, which has been serialized since 2004 in...
and Fate/stay night
Fate/stay night
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
, with many of its characters becoming prototypes to characters in Type-Moon's later works. In particular, Mikiya Kokutō has been described as the prototype for Shiki Tohno
Shiki Tohno
is a character and protagonist of the Japanese visual novel,Manga and anime series Tsukihime, its sequel Kagetsu Tohya and its spinoff Melty Blood, created by TYPE-MOON...
, the hero of Tsukihime
Tsukihime
is a Japanese eroge dōjin visual novel game created by Type-Moon, who first released it at the Winter Comiket in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C.Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, which has been serialized since 2004 in...
, who possesses the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception that were first introduced as a characteristic of Kara no Kyōkais protagonist, Shiki Ryōgi. Other characters have made appearances in other works by Type-Moon. Mikiya Kokutō's employer, Tōko Aozaki, is implied to be the puppet maker in the third Fate/stay night scenario, Heaven's Feel, and she is mentioned as the creator of Shiki Tohno's glasses in Tsukihime
Tsukihime
is a Japanese eroge dōjin visual novel game created by Type-Moon, who first released it at the Winter Comiket in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C.Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, which has been serialized since 2004 in...
, where her younger sister, Aoko, appears. Aoko is also the heroine of Mahōtsukai no Yoru
Mahotsukai no Yoru
, officially subtitled as Witch on the Holy Night, is a novel written by Type-Moon co-founder Kinoko Nasu, initially released on July 28, 1996...
.
As one of Kinoko Nasu's earliest works, it also introduces some of the most fundamental concepts in the universe of Type-Moon's works, including souls, Akasha, Counter Force, Magic and Magecraft, and Origin.
Story
Mikiya Kokutō becomes intrigued by the mysterious series of violent deaths occurring in his town and Shiki Ryōgi, a beautiful but unsociable girl. As he tries to become closer to Shiki, he realizes that Shiki is connected to the mysterious deaths and that the supernatural forces involved with both could kill him. It is revealed that in Shiki's family, certain members of her family possess two distinct personalities, both aware and conscious of one another, but possessing different qualities. The dual consciousness, and Shiki's upbringing as a demon hunter, has caused her to reject other human beings.However, upon meeting Mikiya, she gradually finds happiness through their relationship and a schism develops between her two personalities. As a result, she winds up in a traffic accident and is left in a coma for two years. When she awakens, she finds herself unable to connect her past memories to her current identity. Reunited with Mikiya, now employed as an investigator for Tōko Aozaki, Shiki assists Tōko's detective agency, Garan no Dou, whenever combat is required, while struggling to come to terms with her identity.
Main Characters
Kara no Kyōkai follows the story of Shiki Ryōgi, a teenage girl who possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception", a supernatural ability that allows the user to see the inherent mortality of everything (both living and non-living) in the form of lines and a single point (which is the "origin" of the object). Trained as a demon hunter, Shiki originally possessed two distinct personalities, a male personality SHIKI (織), and the original female personality Shiki (式), until a traffic accident kills her male personality and leaves Shiki comatose for two years.When she awakens, she is reunited with Mikiya Kokutō, a friend who had fallen in love with her and promised to attend college with her. Mikiya, whose hopes of attending college with Shiki had been crushed when she fell into her coma, dropped out of college and began working as an investigator for a puppet-maker and powerful sorceress, Tōko Aozaki. To remain close to Mikiya, his sister Azaka also joins Tōko's detective agency, Garan no Dou. With Mikiya, Shiki works for Tōko to investigate paranormal events and resolve them with force if necessary.
Chapter listing
- Chapter 1 – Thanatos.
- Chapter 2 – …and nothing heart.
- Chapter 3 – ever cry, never life.
- Chapter 4 – garan-no-dou.
- Chapter 5 – Paradox Paradigm.
- Chapter 6 – Fairy Tale.
- Chapter 7 – …not nothing heart. recalled out summer
Animated films
Releases:- May 21, 2008 (Japan DVD 1: 俯瞰風景 - Thanatos) (Fukan Fukei)
- June 25, 2008 (Japan DVD 2: 殺人考察(前) - ...and nothing heart) (Satsujin Kosatsu)
- July 23, 2008 (Japan DVD 3: 痛覚残留 - ever cry, never life) (Tuskan Zanryu)
- December 17, 2008 (Japan DVD 4: 伽藍の洞 - garan-no-dou)
- January 28, 2009 (Japan DVD 5: 矛盾螺旋 - Paradox Paradigm) (Mujun Rasen)
- July 29, 2009 (Japan DVD 6: 忘却録音 - Fairy Tale)
- December 9, 2009 (Japan DVD 7: 殺人考察(後) - ...not nothing heart)
Theme songs
- Each of the theme songs to the series are performed by KalafinaKalafinaKalafina is a Japanese band formed by composer Yuki Kajiura in 2007, mainly to perform theme songs for the anime Kara no Kyōkai. The band debuted in January 2008 with two original members from Yuki Kajiura's FictionJunction project, Wakana Ōtaki and Keiko Kubota...
, a project formed by 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...
.-
- "Oblivious"
-
}
}
-
- "Aria"
- "Sprinter"
- "Fairytale"
- "Seventh Heaven"
Manga
- "Kara no Kyōkai the Garden of sinners", Sphere Tenku (September 15, 2010 - , Japanese online magazine "Saizensen")
Chronological timeline
1995 (Movie 2)-
- March
- Mikiya meets Shiki for the first time on a snowy night.
- April
- Shiki enters high school and gets acquainted with Mikiya.
- September
- Murders begin to occur in the city. The most likely suspect is Shiki, but Mikiya thinks otherwise.
- March
1996
-
- February
- Shiki is involved in a traffic accident and spends two years in hospital in a coma.
- February
1998
-
- March
- Mikiya enters a university after graduating from high school.
- May
- Mikiya sees one of Tōko's dolls at an exhibition.
- Mikiya meets Tōko.
- Mikiya quits attending the university halfway through.
- June (Movie 4)
- March
- Shiki awakens. After getting discharged, Shiki agree to work for Tōko.
- July (Movie 3)
- Shiki confronts an assassin that can bend anything with her mind who suffers from constant pain.
- August
- recalled out summer – Möbius ring
- September (Movie 1)
- Suicides begin to occur at an abandoned building.
- October–November (Movie 5)
- A boy runs away from home, after having killed someone. While he is getting beaten by former classmates, Shiki helps him get away and he asks her for a place to hide.
- August
1999
-
- January (Movie 6)
- A mage resides in a girl's academy, using faeries to create havoc. Shiki infiltrates with the help of Mikiya's sister, Azaka.
- February (Movie 7)
- The murders from four years ago resume, and Shiki finally confronts the killer.
- January (Movie 6)
2008
- recalled out summer – Möbius link