Kurogane Communication
Encyclopedia
is a manga
series written by Hideo Kato and illustrated by Tomomasa Takuma. The individual chapters were originally serialized in Dengeki Daioh
in 1997 and published in three tankōbon
volumes by MediaWorks
. Set in a post-apocalyptic world in which a lone human
survivor, a girl named Haruka, lives with a family of five robots. The manga series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Go! Comi
.
The series was adapted into a twenty-four episode anime
series by APPP. It premiered in Japan on WOWOW
on October 5, 1998 and ran until its conclusion on March 29, 1999. The anime series was released to Region 1 DVD
in North America by Media Blasters
. A two volume light novel series, written by Mizuhito Akiyama
, was also published in Japan in 2003 by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko
label.
. Surviving the war in cold sleep, she is awakened by five robot
s about 30 years later. Things are fine, but she is constantly haunted by sudden flashback
s and dream
s about her parents. There is also a constant danger of roving war machines and threats like water depletion, yet despite all this, life is still in quite good shape. The robots are her family and friends, and do everything they can to help the human girl. However, deep inside Haruka is yearning to meet other surviving humans.
In the ending of the anime adaption, Haruka discovers that surviving humans left Earth to build a colony on Mars, and she takes a surviving battleship to join them. The epilogue shows her years later when she returns to Earth with a daughter and meets her old robot comrades.
in 1997. The individual chapters were also published in three tankōbon
volumes by MediaWorks
. It is licensed for an English language release in North America by Go! Comi
, which released the first volume in July 2008.
series adaptation based on the manga chapters. The anime series premiered in Japan on WOWOW
on October 5, 1998 and ran until its conclusion on March 29, 1999. It was released to Region 1 DVD
in North America by Media Blasters
.
The series uses two pieces of theme music, both performed by Yui Horie
. "My Best Friend" is used for the opening, while "Dear Mama" is used for the ending.
, was published in Japan in September 2003 by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko
label.
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 by Hideo Kato and illustrated by Tomomasa Takuma. The individual chapters were originally serialized in Dengeki Daioh
Dengeki Daioh
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by ASCII Media Works under the Dengeki brand. Many manga serialized in Dengeki Daioh were later published in tankōbon volumes under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics imprint. The magazine is sold every month on the 27th...
in 1997 and published in three tankōbon
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...
volumes by MediaWorks
MediaWorks (publisher)
was a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group known for their brand magazines and book labels. These included such well-known magazines as Dengeki Daioh, and Dengeki G's Magazine, along with MediaWorks' main light novel publishing imprint Dengeki Bunko. The company was merged with ASCII...
. Set in a post-apocalyptic world in which a lone human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
survivor, a girl named Haruka, lives with a family of five robots. The manga series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Go! Comi
Go! Comi
Go! Comi was an imprint of the American manga publishing company, Go! Media Entertainment, LLC. They published such series as After School Nightmare, Cantarella, Her Majesty's Dog, Tenshi Ja Nai!! and Crossroad...
.
The series was adapted into a twenty-four episode 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 by APPP. It premiered in Japan on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
on October 5, 1998 and ran until its conclusion on March 29, 1999. The anime series was released to Region 1 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in North America by Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
. A two volume light novel series, written by Mizuhito Akiyama
Mizuhito Akiyama
is a Seiun Award winning author noted for his science fiction light novel series Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu. He graduated from Hosei University, where he had learned about writing novels in a seminar class under guidance from his teacher, Professor Mizuhito Kanehara, from whom Akiyama took his...
, was also published in Japan in 2003 by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko
Dengeki Bunko
is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works . It was established in June 1993 with the publication of Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania volume one, and is a light novel imprint aimed at a male audience...
label.
Plot
Haruka is an ordinary teenage girl, but her life is extraordinary because as far as she knows, she is the sole human survivor of a global nuclear warNuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
. Surviving the war in cold sleep, she is awakened by five robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s about 30 years later. Things are fine, but she is constantly haunted by sudden flashback
Flashback (psychological phenomenon)
A flashback, or involuntary recurrent memory, is a psychological phenomenon in which an individual has a sudden, usually powerful, re-experiencing of a past experience or elements of a past experience. These experiences can be happy, sad, exciting, or any other emotion one can consider...
s and dream
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
s about her parents. There is also a constant danger of roving war machines and threats like water depletion, yet despite all this, life is still in quite good shape. The robots are her family and friends, and do everything they can to help the human girl. However, deep inside Haruka is yearning to meet other surviving humans.
In the ending of the anime adaption, Haruka discovers that surviving humans left Earth to build a colony on Mars, and she takes a surviving battleship to join them. The epilogue shows her years later when she returns to Earth with a daughter and meets her old robot comrades.
Characters
- Haruka is a thirteen-year old girl, and initially the only known human survivor on earth. During the final war, her parents put her in a cold sleep chamber, sacrificing themselves to help the machine obtain the necessary temperature. She slept in the machine for thirty years before being discovered by her robot family a year before the time frame the series is set in. Her thinking is very positive and she is a hardworking person. She loves all the robots and considers them her family. In the anime series, she is voiced by Yui HorieYui Horieis a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. She is sometimes affectionately nicknamed by her Japanese fans.She hosts a radio show called and is the founding member of the singing group, Aice5. She is also a member of the band Kurobara Hozonkai, with the name YUIEL...
.
- Spike is a domestic robot constructed to look like a humanoid. Spike's job is mostly to keep up with Haruka and repair some mechanical equipment. In the anime series, he is voiced by Hiromi IshikawaHiromi Ishikawais a Japanese voice actress and stage actress from Tokyo, Japan. She is represented by two talent agencies: 81 Produce and Caramel Box, and was formerly represented as a stage actor by Theatre Echo.-Anime:*Bonobono...
.
- Angela is a dueling robot, resembling a human female in her twenties. She masks her face and initially hates humans and wanted the other robots to kill the sleeping Haruka rather than wake her. She eventually warms to Haruka when Haruka gives her an Angela Rose. Her job is to protect Haruka and the others from hostile robots that may attack and any other dangers. In the anime series, she is voiced by Rica Fukami.
- Reeves is a mean-looking, but effeminate speaking maintenance robot with high skill levels in matters like cooking. Reeves sometimes acts as Haruka's father figureFather Figure"Father Figure" is the U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael and released on Columbia Records in 1988 as the third single from the album Faith.-History:...
. In the anime series, he is voiced by Norio Horiuchi.
- Cleric is the group's source of information who gathers and processes data. He also serves as the "teacher" of Haruka and the others, holding daily lectures. In the anime series, he is voiced by Houchu Ohtsuka.
- Trigger is a ball-shaped robot who likes to collect guns. In the anime series, he is voiced by Junko ShimakataJunko Shimakatais a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Anime:*Kumomaru and Kirimaru in Anpanman*Kiki in Beyblade*Ichiro in Crayon Shin-chan*Roboka and Chinchao in Doraemon*Kaka in Dragon Quest*Trigger in Kurogane Communication...
.
- Kanato is a boy similar to Haruka's age whom Haruka and the others discover living in some jungle ruins. Unlike Haruka, he hates machines and robots, abusing his own and acting very aggressively. He treasures his mother-robot with both disgust and respect. After meeting Haruka and getting to know her, he begins to develop romantic feelings for her. In the anime series, he is voiced by Yuka ImaiYuka Imaiis a freelance female Japanese voice actress who was previously represented by Gekidan Moonlight.-Anime:*Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!! *Banner of the Stars *Boys Be.....
.
- Honi is Kanato's guardian robot. Designed for war and having a programming glitch, Honi desires to kill all humans but Kanato. In the anime series, he is voiced by
- Lillith & Alice are Kanato's robot-servants, constructed to look like teenager girls with jewels in their foreheads. They are obsessed with their master and even show signs of human loveLoveLove is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
. In the anime series, they are voiced by Etsuko KozakuraEtsuko Kozakura, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese voice actress from Mizuho and works at Ohsawa Jimusho. She is married to fellow voice actor Jin Domon.Etsuko also voices Tuffy in the Tom and Jerry series.- Notable voice roles :* Atashinchi - Yuri Ishida...
and Naomi NagasawaNaomi Nagasawa, now known as is a Japanese voice actress from Toyonaka, Osaka who was formerly represented by Aoni Production and is presently represented by Ken Production. She was once married to Ryōtarō Okiayu, with whom she had a daughter. They are now divorced...
, respectively.
Manga
Written by Hideo Kato and illustrated by Tomomasa Takuma, Kurogane Communication was serialized in Dengeki DaiohDengeki Daioh
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by ASCII Media Works under the Dengeki brand. Many manga serialized in Dengeki Daioh were later published in tankōbon volumes under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics imprint. The magazine is sold every month on the 27th...
in 1997. The individual chapters were also published in three tankōbon
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...
volumes by MediaWorks
MediaWorks (publisher)
was a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group known for their brand magazines and book labels. These included such well-known magazines as Dengeki Daioh, and Dengeki G's Magazine, along with MediaWorks' main light novel publishing imprint Dengeki Bunko. The company was merged with ASCII...
. It is licensed for an English language release in North America by Go! Comi
Go! Comi
Go! Comi was an imprint of the American manga publishing company, Go! Media Entertainment, LLC. They published such series as After School Nightmare, Cantarella, Her Majesty's Dog, Tenshi Ja Nai!! and Crossroad...
, which released the first volume in July 2008.
Anime
APPP produced a twenty-four episode animeAnime
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 adaptation based on the manga chapters. The anime series premiered in Japan on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
on October 5, 1998 and ran until its conclusion on March 29, 1999. It was released to Region 1 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in North America by Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
.
The series uses two pieces of theme music, both performed by Yui Horie
Yui Horie
is a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. She is sometimes affectionately nicknamed by her Japanese fans.She hosts a radio show called and is the founding member of the singing group, Aice5. She is also a member of the band Kurobara Hozonkai, with the name YUIEL...
. "My Best Friend" is used for the opening, while "Dear Mama" is used for the ending.
Light novels
A two volume light novel adaptation, written by Mizuhito AkiyamaMizuhito Akiyama
is a Seiun Award winning author noted for his science fiction light novel series Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu. He graduated from Hosei University, where he had learned about writing novels in a seminar class under guidance from his teacher, Professor Mizuhito Kanehara, from whom Akiyama took his...
, was published in Japan in September 2003 by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko
Dengeki Bunko
is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works . It was established in June 1993 with the publication of Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania volume one, and is a light novel imprint aimed at a male audience...
label.