Tail of the Moon
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese shōjo manga
series written and illustrated by Rinko Ueda
. The series began serialization in Margaret
magazine in 2002 and ran until 2007. The individual chapters have been collected into fifteen tankōbon
volumes by Shueisha
; the first on March 25, 2003 and the last on August 24, 2007. The series has been licensed by Viz Media
for an English-language North American release as part of their Shojo Beat
imprint.
in her village in southern Iga
. Though she is already fifteen, she is a terrible ninja and has made no progress whatsoever. As a result, her grandfather gives her a special mission: to go to Segachi, marry Hanzō Hattori, the leader of the main branch ninja family, and bear his child. She is accompanied by Mamezo, her longtime friend, companion, and foster child. Once they arrive it becomes apparent that Hanzō has no intention of marrying anyone, and worse yet, it seems Usagi has a much more refined rival. It is clear that as Usagi spends more time with Hanzō, she is growing on him, though the fact that he is constantly bombarded with new potential brides makes Usagi self-conscious.
, or
Mamezo
, or
Princess Sara
Ranmaru Mori
Kame
Mitsuhide Akechi
Oda Nobunaga
magazine in 2001, but was soon followed by another oneshot, in 2002, and then the series, Tail of the Moon. The Tail of the Moon manga
was serialized in Margaret
from 2002 until its completion in 2007. Both the prequel and the series are licensed by Viz Media
in North America for an English language release as part of their Shojo Beat
line of manga. Viz also previewed the series in their now-defunct Shojo Beat magazine. The series is also licensed for release in Taiwan by Sharp Point Press
. Beginning in October 2010, the series is being re-released as bunko editions in Japan.
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 Rinko Ueda
Rinko Ueda
is a Japanese manga artist who does mainly shojo manga. Her works are primarily serialized in Margaret magazine, with series published in collected volumes by Shueisha, though she has also been featured in fellow Shueisha publication Ribon, as well as illustrating the novel adaptation of her own...
. The series began serialization in Margaret
Margaret (magazine)
is a biweekly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Shueisha, primarily for girls from 11 to 15 years old, although some stories are read by adult women. It was first released as a weekly magazine in 1963. In 2009, the circulation was 154,584...
magazine in 2002 and ran until 2007. The individual chapters have been collected into fifteen 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 Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
; the first on March 25, 2003 and the last on August 24, 2007. The series has been licensed by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
for an English-language North American release as part of their Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine formerly published in North America by Viz Media. Released in June 2005 as a sister magazine to Shonen Jump, it featured serialized chapters from six manga series, as well as articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty...
imprint.
Plot
The story takes place in the Tenshō Era of Japan. Usagi is a bumbling ninja-in-trainingNinja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
in her village in southern Iga
Iga Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iga bordered on Ise, Ōmi, Yamato, and Yamashiro Provinces.-Geography:...
. Though she is already fifteen, she is a terrible ninja and has made no progress whatsoever. As a result, her grandfather gives her a special mission: to go to Segachi, marry Hanzō Hattori, the leader of the main branch ninja family, and bear his child. She is accompanied by Mamezo, her longtime friend, companion, and foster child. Once they arrive it becomes apparent that Hanzō has no intention of marrying anyone, and worse yet, it seems Usagi has a much more refined rival. It is clear that as Usagi spends more time with Hanzō, she is growing on him, though the fact that he is constantly bombarded with new potential brides makes Usagi self-conscious.
Characters
Usagi Momochi- A young ninja-in-training who seeks to marry Hanzō Hattori in order to bear his child for the sake of her family. Her one skill is the making of medicinal herbs, because she suffers from constant stomach aches and sought to find a medicine that would cure them. She is rather inept as a ninja and widely considered a "ninja failure," though she steadily improves over time and eventually becomes a competent ninja. She's in love with Shim-no-Hanzō. Usagi is very kind-hearted, such as when she tries to get Kami no Hanzō and Princess Sara together because she hopes it would make Hanzō happy, and innocent, having learned how babies are made when her friend Kame only after she instructs Usagi on how to seduce Ranmaru in order for them to escape his prison alive. She becomes a better ninja after an attack on Iga. In the end she and Shimo-no-Hanzo have a family together with three girls and a son named Hanzo ( including Mamezo) Usagi is an orphan; her father was apparently killed by a bear on the "Mountain of Death" and her mother died in childbirth along with the baby.
, or
- A dedicated and talented young ninja who is head of the Hattori clan of Segachi. He is also called to distinguish him from the two other people named "Hanzō Hattori" (including the historical Hanzō HattoriHattori Hanzo, also known as , was a famous samurai and ninja master of the Sengoku era, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. Today, he is often a subject of modern popular culture.-Biography:...
). Since Hanzō was eleven, he held the difficult position of leading the weakening Hattori clan.He at first he opposed getting married because of his love for Sara but as he spends more time with Usagi he helps her do better in ninjutsu and falls in love with her.In the end he and Usagi have a family together with three girls and a son named Hanzo(including Mamezo).
Mamezo
- Usagi's constant companion and foster child. He is a young boy who looks to be between six to eight years old, although he seems somewhat more skilled in every day tasks than Usagi, even helping her to get dressed. When Mamezo was a baby, he was found by Usagi's dog, Shiro, and it is believed by Hanzō that Mamezo's fear of dogs stems from this incident. Later on it seems that Mamezo's deepest wish is to have Usagi as his mother and to have Hanzō as his father. Eventually, Mamezo encounters his real parents who reject him, as his father tries to force him to forget his past and his mother states that she cannot love him as much as she loves his baby brother, thus making Mamezo cut ties with them. Mamezo's grandfather entrusts him to Usagi's care after knowing that Mamezo can never become a court noble. Mamezo later becomes engaged to his childhood friend, Watari and becomes a skillful shinobi ninja.
- Usagi's rival. Yuri is more talented than Usagi at ninjutsuNinjutsuor may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
, but seems to be threatened by the way Usagi's good-natured and straightforward behavior seems to affect Hanzō. Shortly after she arrives, she attempts to poison Usagi but fails due to Usagi's immunity. Later, she develops a girlish crush (which later develops to full-on romantic feelings) on Goemon, mentioning to Usagi how "lucky" she is to have Goemon so devoted to her. She claimed to have been qualified as a ninja at the age of seven, though Hanzō finds out that it had actually been Yuri's twin sister, Yuna, who achieved the feat. Yuri's desperation and ruthless determination to become a ninja had been to escape the shadow of her sister. She sees her grandfather and friend die during the attack on Iga, becomes a qualified ninja, and forms a relationship with Goemon.
, or
- A relative of Shimo-no-Hanzō Hattori, this Hanzou is the historical(Hattori HanzoHattori Hanzo, also known as , was a famous samurai and ninja master of the Sengoku era, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. Today, he is often a subject of modern popular culture.-Biography:...
) and is from the Hattori clan of Okazaki in Upper Iga, hence his being referred to as Kami-no-Hanzō (上の半蔵 "Upper-(Iga)-Hanzō") to distinguish him from the other ninja also named "Hanzō Hattori" (including his father Yasunaga),While he is a notorious playboy, he is in a relationship with Sara, the daughter of Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. Their relationship is one that his father reservedly accepts, not only because (as the manservant of Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
) the Hattori clan is current warring against her father, but also her father's aim to obliterate all ninja in Japan. He is devoted to and protective of Sara, refusing to allow her to go on an assignment because she is pregnant with their child. They eventually have a daughter named Kaguya. Hanzō compares him to Hikaru GenjiHikaru Genjiis the protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. In the story, he is described as the most handsome man in the world and he attracts all women. Genji is the second son of Emperor Kiritsubo , but he is delegated to civilian life for political reasons and begins a career as an imperial...
from The Tale of GenjiThe Tale of Genjiis a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
.
Princess Sara
- The daughter of the feudal warlord Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, Princess Sara is a talented ninja, but is considered an enemy by many ninja clans due to her father's actions and assassins are regularly sent after her. She is attended by a loyal retainer, Rikimaru, who is also a ninja. It is revealed that Sara climbs three mountains every day to stay fit. She once faked a marriage to Shimo-no-Hanzō to save Iga from an attack by her father and remains an ally of the ninja of Iga. Though she despises Kami-no-Hanzō's flirting, her love for him is so strong that she would rather die than live without him. She becomes pregnant with Kami-no-Hanzō's child. Her daughter Kaguya is eventually born after the attack on Iga and was delivered with Usagi's help.
- He was once engaged to be married to Usagi, and grew up taking care of her in their ninja village. Goemon canceled the engagement because he so injured on an assignment that he felt he had no choice but to cancel it as he could no longer take of Usagi. However, he appears to still hold feelings for Usagi, and actively interferes with communications between Hanzō and Usagi. He is one of the few ninja who survived the attack on Iga because he was on an assignment that night. When he breaks the code of the ninja and starts stealing money, Usagi stops him. While he continues to remain protective of Usagi and greatly wishes for her happiness, he eventually marries Yuri.
- Another feudal lord, Ieyasu's son and wife were killed by Princess Sara in the manga (although that is not historically true). Usagi first met him in the woods when gathering herbs to tend to a wounded soldier. Later, he stitched up Usagi's forehead when she ran into a wall and he hired her as an herbalist to assist his current herbalist, Yukimaru. After much begging on Usagi's part, he allows Sara and Kami-no-Hanzō to be together. Kami-no-Hanzō's father, works for him and this is the reason that he will not allow Kami-no-Hanzō and Sara to be together. Usagi also inspires him to gain control of Japan in order to establish peace and prosperity. He lets Usagi work and live with him.
- Ieyasu Tokugawa's chief herbalist, a beautiful young man who has studied western medicine. Originally Usagi believed him to be a woman, due to his good looks, while Yukimaru believed Usagi to be a boy. Yukimaru has a fear of women, and Usagi makes him uncomfortable, though he falls in love with her.
Ranmaru Mori
- The most loyal follower underneath Oda Nobunaga. He is in charge of hunting down Iga ninja, but somehow falls deeply in love Usagi. He even tries to have his way with her and goes so far as to say that as he was having sex with her best friend Kame, he imagined that it was with her. After the attack on Iga, he sets out to look for Usagi, but finds the dead and burned Kame, and later kidnaps Usagi. He is a bitter rival of Mitsuhide, who was granted the Sakamoto Castle, which had been previously held by Ranmaru's family. He dies protecting Usagi.
Kame
- Usagi's best friend since childhood, they are like sisters to one another. She is a beautiful and outstanding ninja, but had once been picked on for being a slow learner and Usagi would have to save her. She graduated second-to-last, in front of only Usagi, as she would constantly give into Usagi's demands to play. When she discovers that Usagi is Hanzo's bride elect, Kame is relieved that someone will care for Usagi when she cannot. While she loves Goemon, Kame becomes Ranmaru's lover in order to learn about the plans for the attack on Iga; she has no compunction whatsoever to seduce any man and kill him to protect her home and Usagi. Kame dies saving Usagi during the attack on Iga.
Mitsuhide Akechi
- A loyal retainer of Nobunaga and the holder of Sakamoto Castle, Mitsuhide is thoughtful man with moderate political views and an open mind. He is a devoted husband and father to his wife, Hiroko, and their daughter, Tama. He suffers from failing eyesight. When Usagi makes medicine to improve his vision, Mitsuhide realizes that not all ninja are bad. He secretly helps the Iga ninja, though is eventually discovered by Ranmaru. Mitsuhide is forced to lead the eventual attack on Iga and Ranmaru's machinations force Mitsuhide out of Nobunaga's favour, Mitsuhide leads a rebellion against Nobunaga as revenge for Hiroko, who committed suicide in hopes it would atone for Mitsuhide's perceived slight on Nobunaga. Though Mitsuhide is believed to have died in the attack after being captured by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces, he continues to secretly live as a monk named Tenkai with Ieyasu.
Oda Nobunaga
- A powerful warlord conquering clans in Japan and on the verge of unifying the entire nation, Nobunaga is temperamental and despises all ninja, but is also known for recognizing a person for their abilities rather than their social status. He is the father of Princess Sara, as well as Sara's older sister Toku and her brother Nobukatsu. His constant shifting moods make him unpredicatable, forcing many lords like Mitsuhide and Ieyasu to act extremely carefully around him. Usagi's talents eventually reach him and he forces her to remain as his herbalist, which she agrees to for the sake of finding Hanzō and dissuading him from taking revenge for the destruction of Iga. During Mitsuhide's revolt, Hanzō pretends to kill Nobunaga to appease Mitsuhide's desire for revenge, but really doesn't, and Nobunaga walks into the flames Mitsuhide had created and is found dead after the fires burn out.
Manga
Written and drawn by Rinko Ueda, was originally published as a oneshot in MargaretMargaret (magazine)
is a biweekly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Shueisha, primarily for girls from 11 to 15 years old, although some stories are read by adult women. It was first released as a weekly magazine in 1963. In 2009, the circulation was 154,584...
magazine in 2001, but was soon followed by another oneshot, in 2002, and then the series, Tail of the Moon. The Tail of the Moon 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...
was serialized in Margaret
Margaret (magazine)
is a biweekly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Shueisha, primarily for girls from 11 to 15 years old, although some stories are read by adult women. It was first released as a weekly magazine in 1963. In 2009, the circulation was 154,584...
from 2002 until its completion in 2007. Both the prequel and the series are licensed by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
in North America for an English language release as part of their Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine formerly published in North America by Viz Media. Released in June 2005 as a sister magazine to Shonen Jump, it featured serialized chapters from six manga series, as well as articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty...
line of manga. Viz also previewed the series in their now-defunct Shojo Beat magazine. The series is also licensed for release in Taiwan by Sharp Point Press
Sharp Point Press
Sharp Point Press is a Taiwanese publisher of manga and music. It was founded in June 1982.-History:*1982 - Company established. Mainly publishes military and models related books.*1985 - Started publishing annual Zodiac fortune telling handbook....
. Beginning in October 2010, the series is being re-released as bunko editions in Japan.