Princess Ai
Encyclopedia
is a manga
co-created by Courtney Love
, Ai Yazawa
, Misaho Kujiradou, and DJ Milky (a pen name for Stu Levy
), and is published in English
by Tokyopop
.
The story deals with an amnesiac girl named Ai who was torn from her homeland, and awakens in present-day Tokyo
. Remembering nothing of her life except her own name, the only clue she has to her identity is a heart-shaped box.
, Japan
. With only a heart-shaped box to clue her in on her past, Ai makes her living as a rock star at Club Cupid. She falls in love with a sensitive musician, Kent, to the chagrin of Kent's gay, possessive roommate, Hikaru. But Hikaru is the least of Ai's worries when gun-toting talent agents and demons seeking to take control of Ai's homeland, Ai Land, are hot on her trail.
Kent
Hikaru
Fa'an
Nora
Kaz
Tess
Meggi
Alexa
Kemo
Takeshi
Hayabusa
Jen
Yoshi
Mika
and D.J. Milky, Princess Ai was written and illustrated by Misaho Kujiradou and featured character designs by Ai Yazawa
. Princess Ai was published in three volumes from July 6, 2004 to February 7, 2006. Tokyopop re-released the series in one volume, Princess Ai Ultimate Edition (ISBN 978-1-4278-0728-1), on October 9, 2007. Madman Entertainment
released Princess Ai in New Zealand and Australia. The series is also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in France by Soleil Manga, in Italy by J-Pop, in Finland by Punainen jättiläinen
, and in Russia by Comix-art
.
The sequel, Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn, is currently being published by Tokyopop, who has released two volumes as of January 2010. It is also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in France by Soleil Manga, and in Italy by J-Pop.
also published a 128-page coloring book
, Color Me Manga: Princess Ai (ISBN 978-0762431328), on November 12, 2007.
Princess Ai Book 1: Comic Application for iPhone and iPod touch, is available from December 6, 2008.
FREE MANGA! [Princess Ai]: Comic Application for iPhone and iPod touch, is available from February 25, 2009.
A digital version of the manga has been released in Japan on the Nintendo WII via its WiiWare
digital download service.
's life story, with Ai as Love's fantasy alter ego. It should be noted that Ai means "love" in Japanese; thus, the name is a reference to both Courtney Love and Ai Yazawa
, who drew the initial Princess Ai character design. It is also generally believed that Kent, the sensitive, blonde guitar player who becomes Ai's love interest, is based on Courtney Love's late husband, Kurt Cobain
. Another connection to the real-life Love is Princess Ai's heart-shaped box, which figures prominently in the story. "Heart-Shaped Box
" was a hit song by Nirvana
, and was inspired by a heart-shaped box Courtney Love gave Cobain as a present.
Princess Ai is currently being adapted to be an animated film titled "Princess Ai ~Ai-land Chronicles~". It was described as "Totally new blend of live action and animation in Gothic Lolita fashion." A trailer was made for the manga
by Satelight
(Arjuna
, Gene Shaft, Vampire Hunter D
: Bloodlust, Heat Guy J
), and is believed to be part of the new production.
There was a release of the single "Broken Leash" from volume 2 of Princess Ai. It was featured on Tokyo Pop's "ANIME TRAXX Volume 1" which can be downloaded in iTunes. A full album of Princess Ai, with new and old songs from the manga, has now been released via iTunes.
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...
co-created by Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
, Ai Yazawa
Ai Yazawa
is a Japanese manga author. Her pen name comes from Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.-Biography:Yazawa started her manga publishing life in 1985. She studied in a fashion school but later dropped out. Throughout her 15 years of publishing, she wrote over 10 series in Ribon...
, Misaho Kujiradou, and DJ Milky (a pen name for Stu Levy
Stu Levy
Stuart J. "Stu" Levy is the founder, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of the manga media company Tokyopop. Levy also produces, directs, and writes for graphic novels, film and television....
), and is published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
.
The story deals with an amnesiac girl named Ai who was torn from her homeland, and awakens in present-day Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Remembering nothing of her life except her own name, the only clue she has to her identity is a heart-shaped box.
Plot summary
A young, amnesiac alien girl known only as Princess Ai is mysteriously transported to TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. With only a heart-shaped box to clue her in on her past, Ai makes her living as a rock star at Club Cupid. She falls in love with a sensitive musician, Kent, to the chagrin of Kent's gay, possessive roommate, Hikaru. But Hikaru is the least of Ai's worries when gun-toting talent agents and demons seeking to take control of Ai's homeland, Ai Land, are hot on her trail.
Characters
Ai- The main character of the story. Ai is the product of a relationship between her Human father, King Sei, and a [dead]Dougen (Angel) female. Because of the war that rages between the Humans and the Dougen in Ai-Land, Ai's true parentage was kept a secret, even from Ai herself. Due to her mixed heritage, Ai sprouted wings on her back and has the ability to control people's emotions with her singing.
Kent
- A young man who works at the Shinjuku University library part time. Kent was one of the first people to discover Ai after she appeared in Tokyo, and offered her a place to stay, an action which caused a lot of friction with his roommate Hikaru. Like Ai, he is of a mixed heritage, being half JapaneseJapanese peopleThe are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
and half AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and uses this fact to help Ai come to grips with her dual heritage.
Hikaru
- Kent's gay roommate. Hikaru has a huge crush on Kent and a hatred for Ai fueled by jealousy. Later on in the series, he makes peace with Ai and becomes one of her biggest supporters.
Fa'an
- A street musician with strangely compelling lyrics who helps Ai discover her flair for singing. He has a knack for appearing and disappearing at just the right time. He watches out for Ai, and is associated with the fallen (Princess Ai : Prism of Mignight Dawn).
Nora
- A leader of the revolutionaries in Ai-Land, this Angel wants equality—not superiority—over Humans...but not everyone shares his views. He got really close to Ai and sent her to Earth for her safety .
Kaz
- Nora's radical cousin who believes that the Human royal family must be conquered at all costs. Much to Nora's dismay, Kaz dispatched Tess to capture Ai. But later on , he discovers the truth about Ai and understands Nora's point .
Tess
- One of the 3 Furies of Ai-Land, she was sent to search out and drag Ai back to her planet. After a radical change of heart, she becomes Ai's protector.
Meggi
- The second Furie sister to be sent out to fetch Ai. She is devoted to Kaz and repelled by flowers.
Alexa
- One of the Furie Sisters. She is Tess's sister, and Kaz's last hope to return Ai to Ai-land. It's suspected that she has a crush on Takeshi.
Kemo
- One of the angels who helped with the second revolution, and is in league with Kaz. However, he now harbours a personal revenge against Ai, and is on the brink of insanity. (Princess Ai : Prism of Mignight Dawn)
Takeshi
- Tough, tattooed, and tawdry, he's a VIP at the nightclub Club Cupid who just happens to work for H.T.A., the hottest talent agency in Japan.
Hayabusa
- Takeshi's boss, the powerful president of H.T.A., who's allegedly connected with the Yakuza (the Japanese mob).
Jen
- The one singer at Club Cupid who takes the time to befriend Ai. Later on in the story Jen dies getting Ai's necklace back from a robber.
Yoshi
- Ai's personal assistant. He is sometimes mistaken for a very tall woman.
Mika
- A rude woman at Club Cupid. Calls Ai trashy. Wants Takeshi to notice her own talent instead of Ai's.
Manga
Co-created by Courtney LoveCourtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
and D.J. Milky, Princess Ai was written and illustrated by Misaho Kujiradou and featured character designs by Ai Yazawa
Ai Yazawa
is a Japanese manga author. Her pen name comes from Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.-Biography:Yazawa started her manga publishing life in 1985. She studied in a fashion school but later dropped out. Throughout her 15 years of publishing, she wrote over 10 series in Ribon...
. Princess Ai was published in three volumes from July 6, 2004 to February 7, 2006. Tokyopop re-released the series in one volume, Princess Ai Ultimate Edition (ISBN 978-1-4278-0728-1), on October 9, 2007. Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
released Princess Ai in New Zealand and Australia. The series is also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in France by Soleil Manga, in Italy by J-Pop, in Finland by Punainen jättiläinen
Punainen jättiläinen
Punainen jättiläinen is a Finnish small publisher of Japanese manga and Korean manwha. It was founded in April 2005 by its CEO, Antti Grönlund. However, the publisher was acquired by Tammi in 2009...
, and in Russia by Comix-art
Comix-ART
Comix-ART is a comics imprint of russian book publisher Domino It serves as a translator and the licensor of graphic novels, manga, manhwa and Original English-language manga. Comix-ART, founded in 2008 with headquarter in Saint Petersburg, releases its titles in collaboration with Eksmo, another...
.
The sequel, Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn, is currently being published by Tokyopop, who has released two volumes as of January 2010. It is also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in France by Soleil Manga, and in Italy by J-Pop.
Volume list
Books
Multiple books based on Princess Ai have been published by Tokyopop. A 72-page art book, Princess Ai: Roses & Tattoos (ISBN 978-1-59816-747-4), which included poetry by D.J. Milky, was published on February 13, 2007. On March 12, 2008, Princess Ai: Rumors From The Other Side (ISBN 978-1-4278-0822-6), a fan book which contained twelve short stories, was published. Additionally, a colored comic strip collection, Princess Ai of Ai-Land: The Comic Strip Collection (ISBN 978-1-4278-1163-9), was published on July 8, 2008. On September 1, 2008, Princess Ai: Encounters (ISBN 978-1-4278-1310-7) was released; it featured Princess Ai meeting characters from other Tokyopop manga. Running PressRunning Press
The Running Press is a member of the Perseus Books Group, the imprint is the publisher of fiction, non-fiction, cooking, humor, and kit books. The publisher's offices are located in Philadelphia, but many of the corporate functions take place in New York City....
also published a 128-page coloring book
Coloring book
A coloring book is a type of book containing line art for a reader to add color using crayons, colored pencils, marker pens, paint or other artistic media...
, Color Me Manga: Princess Ai (ISBN 978-0762431328), on November 12, 2007.
Future books/products
A special edition of Prism of Midnight Dawn (The manga book and a dvd of the Princess Ai music and music videos) was made available on December 11, 2008.Princess Ai Book 1: Comic Application for iPhone and iPod touch, is available from December 6, 2008.
FREE MANGA! [Princess Ai]: Comic Application for iPhone and iPod touch, is available from February 25, 2009.
A digital version of the manga has been released in Japan on the Nintendo WII via its WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
digital download service.
Production information
The Princess Ai manga is a loose adaptation of Courtney LoveCourtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
's life story, with Ai as Love's fantasy alter ego. It should be noted that Ai means "love" in Japanese; thus, the name is a reference to both Courtney Love and Ai Yazawa
Ai Yazawa
is a Japanese manga author. Her pen name comes from Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.-Biography:Yazawa started her manga publishing life in 1985. She studied in a fashion school but later dropped out. Throughout her 15 years of publishing, she wrote over 10 series in Ribon...
, who drew the initial Princess Ai character design. It is also generally believed that Kent, the sensitive, blonde guitar player who becomes Ai's love interest, is based on Courtney Love's late husband, Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
. Another connection to the real-life Love is Princess Ai's heart-shaped box, which figures prominently in the story. "Heart-Shaped Box
Heart-Shaped Box
"Heart-Shaped Box" is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. The song was released as the first single from the group's third and final studio album, In Utero, in 1993. It was one of two songs from the album mixed by Scott Litt in order to augment...
" was a hit song by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, and was inspired by a heart-shaped box Courtney Love gave Cobain as a present.
Princess Ai is currently being adapted to be an animated film titled "Princess Ai ~Ai-land Chronicles~". It was described as "Totally new blend of live action and animation in Gothic Lolita fashion." A trailer was made for the 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...
by Satelight
Satelight
is a Japanese animation studio.-History:The studio was founded on December 1995, in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, their first project being Bit the Cupid, the world's first fully digitally-animated television series. The name Satelight consists of S for Sapporo, A for Animate, T for Technology and E for...
(Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
, Gene Shaft, Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D
is a series of Japanese novels written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano since 1983.To date, twenty-two novels have been published in the main series, with some novels comprising as many as four volumes...
: Bloodlust, Heat Guy J
Heat Guy J
is a 26 episode science fiction anime series created by Escaflowne director Kazuki Akane and Satelight.Heat Guy J was licensed and distributed in the U.S. in 2003 by Pioneer . It is set for re-release by Funimation Entertainment in the fall of 2009. The first 13 episodes of the show also was...
), and is believed to be part of the new production.
There was a release of the single "Broken Leash" from volume 2 of Princess Ai. It was featured on Tokyo Pop's "ANIME TRAXX Volume 1" which can be downloaded in iTunes. A full album of Princess Ai, with new and old songs from the manga, has now been released via iTunes.
Further reading
External links
- Princess Ai at Tokyopop's website
- Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn at Tokyopop's website