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Saki (manga)
Encyclopedia
is an ongoing Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by Ritz Kobayashi. The story revolves around a first-year high school girl named Saki Miyanaga who is brought into the competitive world of mahjong
by another first-year, Nodoka Haramura. The manga has been serialized in Square Enix
's Young Gangan since February 3, 2006, and has been collected into eight tankōbon
volumes in Japan as of June 2011. A 25-episode anime
adaptation by Gonzo aired between April and September 2009 on TV Tokyo
. A spin-off manga illustrated by Aguri Igarashi
, Saki Achiga-hen episode of Side-A, began serialization in the September 2011 issue of Monthly Shōnen Gangan
and will also be adapted into an anime by Studio Gokumi in spring 2012.
at zero, neither winning nor losing, a skill said to be more difficult than actually consistently winning. However, her friend Kyōtarō from middle school, completely unaware of such circumstances, convinces her to visit the school's small mahjong club upon entering into high school. After the club discovers her ability, they recruit her permanently and convince her to win instead of breaking even. She easily does so with her skill and discovers a new love for mahjong. This leads the team to enter the prefecture's high school mahjong tournament with the goal of reaching the national high school competition.
The side-story manga, Saki: Achiga-hen Episode of Side-A, follows a girl named Shizuno Takakama, an old friend of Nodoka Haramura, who used to be in Achiga Girls Academy's mahjong club together. A few years after the club disbanded and the two split up, Shizuno spots Nodoka on television as she makes her stride in mahjong. Wanting to see her old friend again, Shizuno decides to revive the Achiga Mahjong Club so that she can face Nodoka in the inter-high national championships.
series is serialized in Square Enix
's biweekly seinen manga magazine, Young Gangan. Serialization began on February 3, 2006, and is still ongoing, with a new chapter in every issue. Square Enix is also collecting the chapters in tankōbon
volumes. The first volume was released on December 25, 2006, and as of June 25, 2011, eight volumes have been released. A 4-koma
series written by Saya Kiyoshi, , began serialization in Young Gangan from June 17, 2011. A spin-off
manga series written by Kobayashi and illustrated by Aguri Igarashi
, , launched in the September 2011 issue of Square Enix's Shonen Gangan magazine sold on August 12, 2011.
adaptation of Saki was announced in the 24th issue of Young Gangan. The series was adapted by Gonzo, directed by Manabu Ono, and written by Tatsuhiko Urahata, From episode fifteen onwards, animation production was done by Picture Magic. On January 31, 2009, a 105-second promotional video began streaming on the anime's official website. The series aired on TV Tokyo
and its affiliate stations between April 6 and September 28, 2009. It is also streamed with English subtitles on Crunchyroll
. A second anime project was announced in June 2011 and was later revealed in October 2011 to be an adaptation of Saki: Achiga-hen. Ono and Uruhata will return as director and writer and animation production will be done by Studio Gokumi. The series will air in spring 2012.
The series has five pieces of theme music
; two opening themes and three ending themes. The first opening theme is "Glossy:MMM" by Miyuki Hashimoto
used between episodes 2 and 14; this was also used as the ending theme in episodes 1 and 25. The second opening theme is Bloooomin'" by Little Non used between episodes 15 and 25. The first ending theme is by Kana Ueda
, Ami Koshimizu
, Rie Kugimiya
, Ryōko Shiraishi
, and Shizuka Itō
used in episodes 2-6, 8-9, and 11-14. The second ending theme is by Ueda and Koshimizu used in episodes 7, 10, 16, 18 and 22. The third ending theme is by Ueda, Koshimizu, Kugimiya, Shiraishi and Itō used in episodes 15, 17, 19-21, 23-24.
, and later released on April 22, 2009. Gonzo collaborated with Sega
in developing the arcade mahjong video game based on the series, and it is based on the MJ4 Ver.C network mahjong game. The game includes a Saki Single Mode, where the player can play with Saki characters instead of matching-up with opponents online. Another mahjong video game was developed by Alchemist
for the PlayStation Portable
, and was released in March 2010 in Japan under the name Saki Portable.
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 Ritz Kobayashi. The story revolves around a first-year high school girl named Saki Miyanaga who is brought into the competitive world of mahjong
Mahjong
Mahjong, sometimes spelled Mah Jongg, is a game that originated in China, commonly played by four players...
by another first-year, Nodoka Haramura. The manga has been serialized in Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
's Young Gangan since February 3, 2006, and has been collected into eight 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 in Japan as of June 2011. A 25-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....
adaptation by Gonzo aired between April and September 2009 on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
. A spin-off manga illustrated by Aguri Igarashi
Aguri Igarashi
is a female Japanese manga artist. She is the illustrator for best selling manga series, Bamboo Blade.- External links :*...
, Saki Achiga-hen episode of Side-A, began serialization in the September 2011 issue of Monthly Shōnen Gangan
Monthly Shonen Gangan
is a manga imprint of Square Enix . It publishes manga in several magazines aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese market. Its magazines are home to some popular manga series which were adapted into anime series, like Fullmetal Alchemist, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit,...
and will also be adapted into an anime by Studio Gokumi in spring 2012.
Plot
Saki Miyanaga, a high school first-year student, hates mahjong because her family would always force her to play it and punish her regardless of the outcome of the game. Due to this, she learned how to keep her scoreJapanese Mahjong scoring rules
Japanese Mahjong scoring rules are used for Japanese Mahjong, a game for four players common in Japan. The rules were organized in Taishō to Showa period as the game became popular....
at zero, neither winning nor losing, a skill said to be more difficult than actually consistently winning. However, her friend Kyōtarō from middle school, completely unaware of such circumstances, convinces her to visit the school's small mahjong club upon entering into high school. After the club discovers her ability, they recruit her permanently and convince her to win instead of breaking even. She easily does so with her skill and discovers a new love for mahjong. This leads the team to enter the prefecture's high school mahjong tournament with the goal of reaching the national high school competition.
The side-story manga, Saki: Achiga-hen Episode of Side-A, follows a girl named Shizuno Takakama, an old friend of Nodoka Haramura, who used to be in Achiga Girls Academy's mahjong club together. A few years after the club disbanded and the two split up, Shizuno spots Nodoka on television as she makes her stride in mahjong. Wanting to see her old friend again, Shizuno decides to revive the Achiga Mahjong Club so that she can face Nodoka in the inter-high national championships.
Characters
- Saki Miyanaga is a first-year student and is the titular character of the story. Her family has broken apart, Saki lives alone with her father while her sister and mother live together in Tokyo, and she initially joins the mahjong club so she can reach the Nationals to see her sister again, a top-ranked mahjong player in high school tournaments. She is notorious for her ability to score zero points every round, a skill she developed from playing mahjong with her family to prevent her from either winning or losing since she would be punished for either result. She is also skilled in her ability to read her opponents and the flow of the game. A mahjong move she favors most is rinshan kaihō and she is at her best when playing barefooted. At the mahjong tournament, she is assigned the captain of the team.
- Nodoka Haramura is a first-year student who attends the same school as Saki and is a member of the mahjong club. She was the previous year's National Middle School Individual Champion. Nodoka carries her penguin doll, affectionately named Etopen, to give her a sense of calmness when playing mahjong. Her skill in mahjong comes from extensive practices in online mahjong. When playing real mahjong, she tends to views the game as if it is digital mahjong; this tendency allows her to ignore other players' presences in the game, giving her an edge against players who rely on the ability to manipulate their presence. At the mahjong tournament, she is the vice-captain of the team. Her nickname is (which is the same as her screen name in online mahjong) after her play style, quickly and efficiently racking up points as fast as possible. At first she berates Saki for not even trying but afterwards when she does try her hardest, she warms up to her and they become close. She is left-handed.
- Yūki is Nodoka Haramura's friend from middle school who is also a member of the mahjong club. She is highly skilled during east wind match, though she has short attention span and makes more mistakes as the game progresses. Due to her poor calculation ability, Yuki is assigned the vanguard of her team in the mahjong tournament. She is very fond of tacoTacoA taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety...
s and is often seen eating one, which is also her main energy source when playing mahjong. Additionally, food with names similar to tacos, like takoyakiTakoyakiis a popular ball-shaped Japanese dumpling or more like a savory pancake made of batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan...
can increase her skill partially as well.
- Hisa is the leader of the mahjong club and the President of the school's Student Congress. She is highly skilled in mahjong and is good at reading people's hand and mind. She is also skillful at baiting her opponents into traps. Hisa has a tendency to choose hands with a high risk of completion, and the more pressure she is under, the more likely she is to do so. Nodoka disapproves of this, finding it illogical; however Hisa found herself to be more likely to win through hands with high risk in stressful games. She is formerly known as Hisa Ueno and once played with Mihoko in a middle school tournament.
- Mako is Hisa's friend, and is also a member of the mahjong club. She grew up in a family-owned mahjong parlor, and when she takes her glasses off while playing, she can remember past games she's witnessed similar to the current game and use this knowledge to help her win. She faces difficulties when playing against beginner players like Kaori, where their discarded tiles show little to no pattern at all.
Manga
Written and drawn by Ritz Kobayashi, the Saki mangaManga
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 is serialized in Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
's biweekly seinen manga magazine, Young Gangan. Serialization began on February 3, 2006, and is still ongoing, with a new chapter in every issue. Square Enix is also collecting the chapters in 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. The first volume was released on December 25, 2006, and as of June 25, 2011, eight volumes have been released. A 4-koma
Yonkoma
thumb|right|150px|Traditional Yonkoma layout, a comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom...
series written by Saya Kiyoshi, , began serialization in Young Gangan from June 17, 2011. A spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
manga series written by Kobayashi and illustrated by Aguri Igarashi
Aguri Igarashi
is a female Japanese manga artist. She is the illustrator for best selling manga series, Bamboo Blade.- External links :*...
, , launched in the September 2011 issue of Square Enix's Shonen Gangan magazine sold on August 12, 2011.
Anime
An 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....
adaptation of Saki was announced in the 24th issue of Young Gangan. The series was adapted by Gonzo, directed by Manabu Ono, and written by Tatsuhiko Urahata, From episode fifteen onwards, animation production was done by Picture Magic. On January 31, 2009, a 105-second promotional video began streaming on the anime's official website. The series aired on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
and its affiliate stations between April 6 and September 28, 2009. It is also streamed with English subtitles on Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is an American website and international online community focused on streaming East Asian media including anime, manga, drama, music, electronic entertainment, and auto racing content...
. A second anime project was announced in June 2011 and was later revealed in October 2011 to be an adaptation of Saki: Achiga-hen. Ono and Uruhata will return as director and writer and animation production will be done by Studio Gokumi. The series will air in spring 2012.
The series has five pieces of theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
; two opening themes and three ending themes. The first opening theme is "Glossy:MMM" by Miyuki Hashimoto
Miyuki Hashimoto
is a Japanese female singer from Saitama Prefecture. She is signed to Lantis, a label which contribute songs to anime and video games.- Singles :* Koko ni Iru kara... # Koko ni Iru kara.....
used between episodes 2 and 14; this was also used as the ending theme in episodes 1 and 25. The second opening theme is Bloooomin'" by Little Non used between episodes 15 and 25. The first ending theme is by Kana Ueda
Kana Ueda
is a Japanese Seiyū employed by I'm Enterprise. She is best known as the voices of Yumi Fukuzawa in Maria-sama ga Miteru, Rin Tohsaka in Fate/Stay Night and Hayate Yagami in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's and Strikers...
, Ami Koshimizu
Ami Koshimizu
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Production Baobab management. She was born in the city of Kokubunji in Tokyo Prefecture. She is an award winning voice actress.-Career:*She graduated from Aomori Yamada High School...
, Rie Kugimiya
Rie Kugimiya
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with I'm Enterprise.Kugimiya's most famous roles include Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, Happy in Fairy Tail, Kagura in Gintama, Nagi Sanzenin in Hayate no Gotoku!, Shana in Shakugan no Shana, Louise in Zero no Tsukaima, Taiga Aisaka in Toradora!, and...
, Ryōko Shiraishi
Ryoko Shiraishi
is a voice actress from Nara, Japan who works for Aoni Production. Due to her low and gentle voice, she is often cast as either the effeminate-and-kind young man or the sexually mature but sweet-and-sensitive supporting lady...
, and Shizuka Itō
Shizuka Ito
is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She is currently represented by Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is also known as , , , , or .Itō and fellow voice actress Hitomi Nabatame formed a voice acting unit called "Hitomi Nabatame and Shizuka Itō"...
used in episodes 2-6, 8-9, and 11-14. The second ending theme is by Ueda and Koshimizu used in episodes 7, 10, 16, 18 and 22. The third ending theme is by Ueda, Koshimizu, Kugimiya, Shiraishi and Itō used in episodes 15, 17, 19-21, 23-24.
Video games
A mahjong video game was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo International Anime FairTokyo International Anime Fair
The Tokyo International Anime Fair also known as Tokyo International Animation Fair is one of the largest anime trade fairs in the world, held annually in Japan. The first event was held in 2002 as "Tokyo International Anime Fair 21". The event is held at Tokyo Big Sight, a convention and...
, and later released on April 22, 2009. Gonzo collaborated with Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
in developing the arcade mahjong video game based on the series, and it is based on the MJ4 Ver.C network mahjong game. The game includes a Saki Single Mode, where the player can play with Saki characters instead of matching-up with opponents online. Another mahjong video game was developed by Alchemist
Alchemist (company)
is a Japanese video game developer. It specializes in the development of visual novel video games ports for use on home video game consoles such as the PlayStation 2 and the defunct Dreamcast.-Dreamcast:*Baldr Force EXE*Chocolat: Maid Cafe Curio...
for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, and was released in March 2010 in Japan under the name Saki Portable.
External links
- Manga official website
- Anime official website
- Saki anime at TV TokyoTV Tokyois a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...