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Shi (comics)
Encyclopedia
Shi is a fictional comic book
character created by writer/illustrator William Tucci
. She first appeared in Razor Annual #1 (1993), and has since appeared in books by a variety of publishers, most notably, Tucci's company, Crusade Comics. Shi is a young woman of mixed Japanese
and American
ancestry drafted into a modern-day "shadow war" between descendents of the infamous sohei
warrior monk
s of medieval Japan. As the story is deeply rooted in Japanese history and mythology
, "Shi" literally translates to death
(死) in Japanese, and her signature weapon is the naginata
.
The series is known for its scenes of stylized violence, and originated during an American comics publishing fad sometimes called "bad girl comics
". The series often touches on spiritual issues, especially as they pertain to Ana's dual background in the traditions of the yamabushi
warrior monks, and Christianity
.
Shi has also appeared in several crossovers with characters from other publishers, including Lady Death
, Daredevil
, Vampirella
and Cyblade
.
ese warrior and her mother Catherine is an American
Catholic missionary
. As a child, Ana witnessed the brutal murder of her father and brother at the hands of an upstart Yakuza
thug named Masahiro Arashi. After this, she swore revenge on the Yakuza and set out to become one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Ana was trained by her grandfather Yoshitora in the martial arts. In order to disguise herself, she painted her face white in order to resemble Tora No Shi ("Tiger of Death"), a legendary female warrior of medieval Japan
. Ana herself acquired the name "Shi" ("Death" in Japanese) for her ferocity and ruthlessness.
Bent on impressing the leaders of the Osaka crime syndicate, Arashi leaves a calling card
with every murder he commits – a simple coin
engraved with the kanji
for death, Shi. Escaping the hitman
, Ana is consequently spirited away and raised by Yoshitora amid the sacred temples of Kyoto
. There Yoshitora secretly trains Ana in the ways of the Sohei so that she could seek out Arashi and avenge her family's honor.
Still clutching the coins left on the bodies of her brother and father, this vengeful obsession consumes Ana's very being as she completely gives herself to "Shi" - the living embodiment of Death, a demon
who since childhood, has terrified while encouraging her in her crusade of vengeance
.
However, Shi is soon confronted by her mother's Catholic teachings, and Ana's life soon becomes one of inner conflict between her programmed mission of revenge and the Christian faith she secretly harbors.
Eventually, her conscience forces her to rein in her bloodthirstiness; once her parent's killer Masahiro was finally sent to prison, Shi renounced killing and became the manager of a New York art gallery. From time to time she still takes on her Shi persona to aid the innocent.
It is this duality that rages in Ana's soul
that will not permit her to totally succumb to the death demon that terrorizes her. In the end, it is Ana's faith and the ethereal visions of her Sohei ancestors that shepherd her along the Way of the Warrior. The series often touches on spiritual issues, especially as they pertain to Ana's dual background in the traditions of the yamabushi
warrior monks, and Christianity
.
", a warrior of feudal Japan. As such, she is a skilled martial artist and swordsperson.
s and has sold more than 4 million comic books and also grossed over 25 million dollars in prints, toys and other merchandise worldwide while garnering several international creative and printing awards.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character created by writer/illustrator William Tucci
William Tucci
William Tucci is an illustrator, writer and filmmaker best known among American comic book audiences for his creator-owned title and character, Shi.-Career:...
. She first appeared in Razor Annual #1 (1993), and has since appeared in books by a variety of publishers, most notably, Tucci's company, Crusade Comics. Shi is a young woman of mixed Japanese
Japanese people
The 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 American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry drafted into a modern-day "shadow war" between descendents of the infamous sohei
Sohei
were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power, obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate....
warrior monk
Warrior monk
The term Warrior monk may refer to:* Sōhei, a type of Japanese warrior* Knights Templar, Knights Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights, warriors during the Crusades* Shaolin Monastery, a Chinese monastery renowned for monks who were experts in the martial arts...
s of medieval Japan. As the story is deeply rooted in Japanese history and mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
, "Shi" literally translates to death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
(死) in Japanese, and her signature weapon is the naginata
Naginata
The naginata is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades in the form of a pole weapon. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class in feudal Japan, and naginata were also used by ashigaru and sōhei .-Description:A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved...
.
The series is known for its scenes of stylized violence, and originated during an American comics publishing fad sometimes called "bad girl comics
Bad girl art
Bad girl art is a superheroines art form genre coined after the analogy of good girl art which also includes strong female characters in comic books...
". The series often touches on spiritual issues, especially as they pertain to Ana's dual background in the traditions of the yamabushi
Yamabushi
' are Japanese mountain ascetic hermits with a long tradition as mighty warriors endowed with supernatural powers. They follow the Shugendō doctrine, an integration of mainly esoteric Buddhism of the Shingon sect, with Tendai and Shinto elements...
warrior monks, and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
Publication history
Shi debuted in Razor Annual #1 published by London Nights Studio. The issue was written and drawn by William Tucci. Shi then appeared in her own series, Shi: The Way of the Warrior, which ran for 12 issues all published by Tucci's own Crusade Comics. The original 12 issues were later collected into three trade paperbacks and the whole series was collected in a Definitive Shi TPB (in black and white). The first series was followed by several limited mini-series: Shi: Senryaku (1995), Shi: Heaven and Earth (1997), and Shi: Akai (2001) by various publishers.Shi has also appeared in several crossovers with characters from other publishers, including Lady Death
Lady Death
Lady Death is a fictional character, a comic book goddess created by Brian Pulido and Steven Hughes. Lady Death first appeared in Evil Ernie #1 by Eternity Comics in December 1991. Lady Death then reappeared in the Evil Ernie: The Resurrection mini-series published by Pulido under his now defunct...
, Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, Vampirella
Vampirella
Vampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...
and Cyblade
Cyblade
Cyblade is the name of a fictional character from Top Cow Productions. She is a member of Cyberforce.-Publication history:After her initial appearances in other comics, Cyblade was one of two properties to win the first Pilot Season in 2007, meaning Cyblade would appear in her own eponymous...
.
Fictional character biography
Shi is a young woman named Ana Ishikawa. Her father Shiro is a JapanJapan
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...
ese warrior and her mother Catherine is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Catholic missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. As a child, Ana witnessed the brutal murder of her father and brother at the hands of an upstart Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
thug named Masahiro Arashi. After this, she swore revenge on the Yakuza and set out to become one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Ana was trained by her grandfather Yoshitora in the martial arts. In order to disguise herself, she painted her face white in order to resemble Tora No Shi ("Tiger of Death"), a legendary female warrior of medieval 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...
. Ana herself acquired the name "Shi" ("Death" in Japanese) for her ferocity and ruthlessness.
Bent on impressing the leaders of the Osaka crime syndicate, Arashi leaves a calling card
Calling card
Calling card may refer to:* Visiting card, a card originally used socially to signify a visit made to a house if the occupant were absent, or as an introduction for oneself; the precursor to the modern business card...
with every murder he commits – a simple coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
engraved with the kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
for death, Shi. Escaping the hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
, Ana is consequently spirited away and raised by Yoshitora amid the sacred temples of Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. There Yoshitora secretly trains Ana in the ways of the Sohei so that she could seek out Arashi and avenge her family's honor.
Still clutching the coins left on the bodies of her brother and father, this vengeful obsession consumes Ana's very being as she completely gives herself to "Shi" - the living embodiment of Death, a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
who since childhood, has terrified while encouraging her in her crusade of vengeance
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
.
However, Shi is soon confronted by her mother's Catholic teachings, and Ana's life soon becomes one of inner conflict between her programmed mission of revenge and the Christian faith she secretly harbors.
Eventually, her conscience forces her to rein in her bloodthirstiness; once her parent's killer Masahiro was finally sent to prison, Shi renounced killing and became the manager of a New York art gallery. From time to time she still takes on her Shi persona to aid the innocent.
It is this duality that rages in Ana's soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
that will not permit her to totally succumb to the death demon that terrorizes her. In the end, it is Ana's faith and the ethereal visions of her Sohei ancestors that shepherd her along the Way of the Warrior. The series often touches on spiritual issues, especially as they pertain to Ana's dual background in the traditions of the yamabushi
Yamabushi
' are Japanese mountain ascetic hermits with a long tradition as mighty warriors endowed with supernatural powers. They follow the Shugendō doctrine, an integration of mainly esoteric Buddhism of the Shingon sect, with Tendai and Shinto elements...
warrior monks, and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
Powers and abilities
Shi was trained by her grandfather to be a "soheiSohei
were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power, obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate....
", a warrior of feudal Japan. As such, she is a skilled martial artist and swordsperson.
Merchandise
Through William Tucci's Crusade Fine Arts, Shi has been printed in four languageLanguage
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
s and has sold more than 4 million comic books and also grossed over 25 million dollars in prints, toys and other merchandise worldwide while garnering several international creative and printing awards.
Crossovers
- AvengelyneAvengelyneAvengelyne [uh-venj-ah-leen] is a fictional comic book character co-created by Rob Liefeld and Cathy Christian, and originally published in 1995 by Maximum Press. By the end of the 1990s, Avengelyne had a stint at Awesome Entertainment and enjoyed a short stint at Avatar Press. Avengelyne returned...
/Shi - Image comicsImage ComicsImage Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
/GEN 13 - Number 13C - Cyblade/Shi and Shi/Cyblade - "The Battle For Independents" (1995)
- DaredevilDaredevil (Marvel Comics)Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
/Shi and Shi/Daredevil (1997) - Fallen AngelFallen Angel (comics)Fallen Angel is an American fictional comic book heroine created and owned by writer Peter David and artist David Lopez, who appears in her self-titled monthly series. It was published by DC Comics from July 2003 until it was canceled with issue #20 in May 2005 because of low sales. It resumed...
(IDW)/Shi (Fallen Angel v2 #17-19) - Grifter/Shi: Final Rites #1-2 (1996)
- Razor & Shi Special (1994)
- Shi/VampirellaVampirellaVampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...
- Vampirella/Shi
- Vampirella #7-9 (features Shi)
- WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
/Shi: Dark Night of Judgment (2000) - Tenth Muse/Shi: Bluewater One Shot (2007)
- Jetta/Shi: Arrow Of Destiny (2008)
External links
- A short biography
- Shi at Crusade Comics website
- Shi page at Crusade Fine Arts
- Avatar Press
- Shi by William Tucci
Reviews
- Shi #12
- Year of the Dragon #1, #2 and #3
- Poisoned Paradise #1 and #2