is a manga

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 Mitsuru Hattori

Mitsuru Hattori

is the pen-name of a Japanese manga author born in Mie Prefecture on October 8, 1977. He is mostly known for his series which was adapted into a 13 episodes anime series by the studio Artland....

, which has been serialized in 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...

's Weekly Shōnen Magazine

Weekly Shonen Magazine

, also known as Shōnen Magazine, is a shōnen manga magazine published by Kodansha, first published on 17 March 1959. Despite some unusual censorship policies , it's mainly read by an older audience, with a large portion of its readership falling under the male high school or college...

 from issue 33 of 2005 to issue 21-22 of 2008. It has been adapted into a TV 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, directed by Kōichirō Sōtome and written by Mamiko Ikeda

Mamiko Ikeda

is a female Japanese script writer for anime. She has worked on such series as Victorian Romance Emma, Daa! Daa! Daa! and numerous others.-Head Script Writer:*Kyouran Kazoku Nikki*Di Gi Charat Nyo!*Grrl Power*Himawari!...

, which premiered in Japan on numerous television stations from July 2007, and a video game.

Plot

Within the Kanagawa prefecture lies the seaside city of Umineko

Black-tailed Gull

The Black-tailed Gull is a medium-sized gull, with a wingspan of 126-128 cm. The bird is resident in East Asia, including China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. It is a vagrant to Alaska and northeastern North America....

. There, Okiura Kaname, 2nd year high school student, attends , or Umisho for short. He is also the manager of the Umisho's swim team though he himself doesn't know how to swim. In fact, he is afraid of the water stemming from an incident which occurred some years ago. While he was at the beach, he had nearly drowned when a 'mermaid' pulled him under the water. He joined the school's swimming club in order to learn how to swim, but the club is filled with weirdos, who don't teach him swimming.

One day, a floating house arrives at the shores of Umisho bearing two persons. One of these is a cheerful, sunny, happy-go-lucky girl named Ninagawa Amuro, a transfer student to Umisho, and the other is her father. Her incredible swimming speed makes her an instant hit with the swimming club, but Okiura is surprised, as she reminds him of the mermaid he saw only once in his early childhood. After her floating house is destroyed during a storm she moves to Kaname's house.

The fictional island, where the series is set, is modeled on the real island of Enoshima

Enoshima

is a small island, about 4 km in circumference, at the mouth of the Katase River, which flows into Sagami Bay in Japan. Part of the city of Fujisawa, it is linked to the Katase section of the same city on the mainland by a 600 meter-long bridge...

 in Fujisawa, Kanagawa

Fujisawa, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 407,731 and a population density of 5,870 people per km². The total area is 69.51 km²-Geography:...

.

Characters

Second year student, and a new transfer student from Okinawa at Umishō. Despite her being a dedicated and skilled swimmer, she finds difficulties in performing at competitions due to her not being used to the rules and environment of professional swimming (for instance, in her first attempt at swimming in a pool, she bumped her head on the pool's edge on the opposite end from where she started, and cried for some time from the headache, since she was used to swimming in the open ocean). Among her other uncommon habits, she prefers swimming nude, and has no shame of doing so, especially Kaname. The X's she wears on her head where given to her by her grandmother and is so dedicated to the story her grandmother told her about if she was to lose them, she actually suffers the symptoms that were later explained by her father that his mother "made them all up". She has deep feelings for Kaname, and in the end of the series, she surprises him with a kiss. In the Manga, she and Kaname get married, have a son and are seen wandering the sea together.

Second year student, and the swimming team's manager. He had a traumatic experience involving a creature he describes as a mermaid

Mermaid

A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...

 during his childhood, and after which he has been afraid of swimming ever since. However this scenario started to change after Amuro's arrival at Umishō. Always in trouble due to Amuro's unpredictable behavior, he usually denies his growing feelings for her. In the last episode it is revealed that she is the "mermaid" that he saw when he was a kid, but she wasn't trying to drown him. Instead she was trying to save him from drowning as he slipped off the rock he was standing on. The anime series ends with her surprising him with a kiss, while the manga series ends with him married to her with a son and wandering on the sea just like when he just met her.

Third year student, and vice-captain of the swimming team. The most rational and serious character, she serves as the straight man of most characters and can't stand the antics of Ikariya. Just after meeting Amuro, she realizes her hidden potential and recruits her to the swimming team, after challenging her to a match and being impressed with her speed in the water. She ends up being a grade school teacher.

A first year student, nicknamed . Too small for her age, she is usually mistaken as a junior high student. Despite being a member of the swimming team, she is still learning how to properly swim by taking lessons from Kaname. She later teams up with Nanako because both of them have small breasts.

Team Captain, nicknamed Ikamasa. Third year, muscle-bound, and obsessed with shaving his and other people's body hair, and with wearing revealing Speedo bikini swim suits. He is, in fact, the most annoying character of the swim team, driving most of the characters crazy from his antics. It is stated by Sanae that the only reason he is the captain is because she and Momoko needed three students to start the swim club, and just dragged him in. However, due to her tendency to make up stories this might not be true. By the end of the manga series, he becomes a bar owner and promises Orizuka that his bar will always remain opened whenever she wants to complain about her students.

A second year. Admired by the boys, she is very self-conscious when people stare at her. Her secret promiscuity is a recurring gag in the series: she wears skimpy lingerie under her clothes, she has a collection of kokeshi

Kokeshi

, are Japanese dolls, originally from northern Japan. They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. One...

s (Japanese dolls) in her bedroom and although she doesn't like people looking at her, she likes to look at members of the opposite sex or anything that resembles them (ie a giant statue or a large horn). It's revealed when Kaname goes to her house that apparently she got this sexual behavior from her parents, who often engage in sexual roleplay. She is a very skilled swimmer as she almost won the Kantou Tournament in 200 meters the year before the series starts. Her grandfather is the creator of the Shizu Group. She also has feelings for Kaname, however it is uncertain.

First year student. A famous swimmer and model who transfers to Umishō in order to get close to Kaname, for whom she has had a crush since childhood. She considers Amuro as a rival and competes with her for Kaname's attention. She has a noticeable small fang and wears a swimsuit different from the rest of the team. Like Maki she has small breasts, and has a huge contempt for girls with big breasts like Amuro and Shizuka. She forms an "Alliance" with Maki to help make their breasts grow.

A third year student. A co-founder of Umisho's swimming club and Orizuka's childhood friend. Usually tends to bring trouble to those around her. She also makes up stories and lies just to tease others, and to also gain other guys attention.

A first year.

A second year, and one of the members of the swimming team.

A second year.

A first or second year, and another pervert of the swimming club. Likes girls with big breasts, and out of almost all of the girls in the swimming club, he takes the most interest in Shizuka.

A first or second year, and another perverted member of the swimming club. He wears large glasses and is quite intelligent. His choice of swimsuit, like Ikuta, is a speedo(albiet more modest).

Iori

A manga only character. He is the personal trainer of Maaya and also happens to be a top model featured in weekly column in swimming magazine. He actually happened to only be Maaya's coach so that he could get close to Okiura, her childhood friend because he really wanted to be his coach. He actually has zero interest in girls and those is in truth he is a homosexual as he says this out loud in front of everyone.

Taku Ikariya

A manga only character. He is the younger brother of Masa and competes in the same tournament as his brother (even in the same events as him). He has also been said to look like his brother only cooler looking (he even is better at swimming and studying then his brother). He also happened to be on the same swimming team as Momoko and Masa in elementary and middle school. He seems to have a crush on Momoko and they seem to get along as well. He goes to Shogyo all-boys senior high school. He seems to have a rivalry with his brother for Momoko's attention.

Manga

• First volume: released January 17, 2006, ISBN 4063636186
• Second volume: released April 17, 2006, ISBN 4063636623
• Third volume: released August 17, 2006, ISBN 4063637107
• Fourth volume: released December 15, 2006, ISBN 4063637646
• Fifth volume: released April 17, 2007, ISBN 9784063638202
• Sixth volume: released July 17, 2007, ISBN 9784063638554
• Seventh volume: released October 17, 2007, ISBN 9784063639025
• Eighth volume: released March 15, 2008, ISBN 9784063639667
• Ninth volume: released June 17, 2008, ISBN 9784063621143

Anime

The series has been adapted into an anime television series, which premiered in Japan from July 3, 2007 on Chiba TV

Chiba TV

, doing business as , is a Japanese commercial terrestrial television broadcasting company headquartered at 11-25 Miyako-chō 1-chōme, Chūō-ku, Chiba serving Chiba Prefecture but spill-over is received in the neibouring prefectures. It is a member of the Japanese Association of Independent...

, Tokyo MX, and numerous other UHF television stations

UHF anime

refers to the anime broadcast by independent stations generally located in the Kanto, Chukyo and Kansai regions of Japan, who are members of the Japanese Association of Independent Television Stations . Other common names for UHF anime include and...

. Animated by Artland

Artland (anime studio)

is a Japanese animation studio. It has produced numerous noted anime series, including the award-winning Mushishi and epic Legend of the Galactic Heroes...

, it is being directed by Kōichirō Sōtome and written by Mamiko Ikeda

Mamiko Ikeda

is a female Japanese script writer for anime. She has worked on such series as Victorian Romance Emma, Daa! Daa! Daa! and numerous others.-Head Script Writer:*Kyouran Kazoku Nikki*Di Gi Charat Nyo!*Grrl Power*Himawari!...

.

Staff

• Original Creator: Mitsuru Hattori
  Mitsuru Hattori
  is the pen-name of a Japanese manga author born in Mie Prefecture on October 8, 1977. He is mostly known for his series which was adapted into a 13 episodes anime series by the studio Artland....
  
  
• Planning: Hiroaki Morita, Yoshirō Kataoka
  Yoshiro Kataoka
  , also known by the nickname Hagera, is an anime producer and production designer. He has worked for the Tōkyū Agency, Asatsu DK, and NAS, and he currently works as a full time advisor at Marvelous Entertainment...
  
  
• Series Composition: Mamiko Ikeda
  Mamiko Ikeda
  is a female Japanese script writer for anime. She has worked on such series as Victorian Romance Emma, Daa! Daa! Daa! and numerous others.-Head Script Writer:*Kyouran Kazoku Nikki*Di Gi Charat Nyo!*Grrl Power*Himawari!...
  
  
• Character Design and Chief Animation Director: Rie Nishino
• Art Director: Chikako Shibata
• Color Designs: Tomoko Yamazaki
• Photography Director: Satoshi Fujita
• Editing: Hiromasa Mastumura
• Sound Director: Kazuya Tanaka
• Music: Yasumasa Satō
• Music Producers: Michiko Koyanagi
• Music Production: 5pb.
  5pb.
  is a Japanese video game manufacturer and record label for video game and anime music. 5pb. formed on April 6, 2005 after Chiyomaru Shikura left Scitron to begin the company as its executive director, the position he still holds. The company name is derived from the phrase "The Five powered &...
  
  
• Sound Effects: Noriko Izumo (Suwara Production)
• Sound Studio: Delfi Sound, Seion Studio
• Sound Production: DAX Production
• Promotion: Tomoko Hasegawa, Teruhiko Satō, Katsunori Takahashi, Yuri Koya
• Associate Producers: Noriko Doi, Tetsuko Otani
• Producers: Bunpei Ogawa, Hiroyuki Ōmori
• Executive Producer: Hidenobu Watanabe
• Director: Kōichirō Sōtome
• Animation Production: Artland
  Artland (anime studio)
  is a Japanese animation studio. It has produced numerous noted anime series, including the award-winning Mushishi and epic Legend of the Galactic Heroes...
  
  
• Production: Umishō Production Committee (Geneon Entertainment, Marvelous Entertainment, 5pb., Pony Canyon Enterprise
  Pony Canyon
  is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
  
  )

Episodes

>

#	Title	| Original air date

Theme songs

• Opening theme: "Dolphin☆Jet"

Lyrics and composition: Chiyomaru Shikura, arrangement: Kōji Ueno, performance: Ayane

Ayane (singer)

is a female Japanese singer who has performed theme songs for games and anime. She made her major singing debut in 2004 with the single KIZUNA～絆. Her first album ARCHIVE LOVERS was released in 2007. She is attached to 5pb...

• Ending theme:

Lyrics and composition: Urara Takai, arrangement: Kōji Ueno, performance: Ayumi Murata

Ayumi Murata

is a female Japanese singer from Tokyo, Japan. She has also played the role of Minako Aino in the Sailor Moon musicals from 2001 to 2002.-Anime voice roles:*Happiness! *Kappa no Kaikata...

Internet radio

An internet radio

Internet radio

Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...

 version of the anime series, , was first streamed on the Japanese websites Ōnsen

Onsen

An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...

 and BEWE from May 16, 2007 and June 27, 2007. A continuation, , began streaming on July 4, 2007. The first version of the series featured Hitomi Nabatame

Hitomi Nabatame

is a Japanese voice actress. She is affiliated with Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is known as , , , or . She also sings opening themes for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu under the name Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers.-Anime:...

, voice actor of Momoko Orizuka, while the continuation featured Nabatame and Aki Toyosaki

Aki Toyosaki

is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. She had her first major voice acting roles in 2007, voicing Amuro Ninagawa in Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō and Su in Shugo Chara!...

, voice actor of Amuro Ninagawa.

Video game

5pb inc. published an Umisho game on PlayStation 2, under the 5gk. (The Five Games and Kid) title.

External links

Mitsuru Hattori's official website Weekly Shōnen Magazines official manga website Tokyo MX's official Umishō website Umisho video game page