Teito Monogatari
Encyclopedia
is a massive Japanese historical fantasy
epic written by Hiroshi Aramata
.
from an occultist perspective. The premise is based on the idea that the curse of Taira no Masakado
greatly influenced the city's history from its inception to the beginning of the 21st century. Set across several generations, the plot revolves around multiple characters and their struggles with the seemingly immortal majin Yasunori Katō
, who wants to cripple the Japanese Empire by destroying Tokyo
. The story makes heavy use of real historical events and characters from all throughout Edo's history. It also strongly incorporates elements of folklore from all over the world, especially Japan
and China
. Mystical concepts referenced in the novel include:
The historical characters who play major or supporting roles in the plot include:
The chronology of the first ten volumes spans from 1908 to 1999, while the eleventh and twelfth volumes go back and fill in more history around 1930's--1940's. When the novel was republished in 1995, volumes 11 and 12 were inserted in between volumes 5 and 6.
, translator and author Hiroshi Aramata
was inspired by discussions with anthropologist Komatsu Kazuhiko about sources of the strange and the mysterious in Japanese folklore
. These discussions inspired Aramata to share this knowledge with general readers in the form of fiction
. Thus, as a side project, Aramata began work on a fantasy romance that would incorporate lesser known concepts of the occult
into recognizable Japanese history. . He entitled the novel Teito Monogatari in the style of classic Japanese epics
.
The first volume of the novel was released in 1985 by Kadokawa Shoten
and became a bestseller, selling over 3.5 million copies in Japan alone. Since then, the series has enjoyed a following in the realm of Japanese pop-literature. Subsequent additions were made to the main series until it was composed of 10 volumes. The tenth volume was intended to be the final volume, but due to the success of this main series, additional eleventh and twelfth volumes were written, bringing the main series up to a total of 12 volumes. An extra volume was also written, and was intended as a side story
(taking place in a contemporary time period). In addition, there were several spin-off series written intended to elaborate on some of the main characters and the plot of the main series.
, folklore
and mythology
into a compelling fantasy drama
. The author Hiroshi Aramata
was quickly recognized for his incredible command of knowledge as displayed through the story. The novel's success helped popularize him as a respected national intellectual
and a specialist in Japanese folklore
.
Since the novel's initial publication, the franchise
it spawned has gone on to enjoy increasing respect and success in the realm of Japanese pop culture. The novel and subsequent franchise it created is recognized as having ignited a resurgence of popular interest in certain aspects of Japanese folklore
, specifically such topics as onmyoji and oni. This trend continued with such popular works as Baku Yumemakura's
novel Onmyoji (and subsequent film adaptation
of the same name) and Natsuhiko Kyogoku's Kyōgokudō (京極堂) series, both of which came in the wake of Teito Monogatari's success. . The publication of Teito Monogatari is listed as a significant event in the history of Japanese fantasy literature
in John Clute and John Grant's The Encyclopedia of Fantasy
. Professor of Human Geography
Paul Waley
claims that the publication of Teito Monogatari helped educate an entire generation of Japanese readers about Tokyo's former status an Imperial
Capital..
The franchise's influence can be felt in a great deal of popular media to emerge from Japan, such as anime
, literature
and video games. The story of Teito Monogatari has been adapted into manga
, stage productions, two big-budget live-action films, a successful four-part OVA series, and two live-action spin-off productions. Examples of popular works the story has influenced include the Shin Megami Tensei
video game series and the manga
/anime
Tokyo Babylon
by Clamp
.
The antagonist of the series, the infamous Yasunori Kato
, has become an iconic figure in Japanese popular culture
, having inspired several clones, parodies and homages in various Japanese media, much of which have been exported to the West. The most recognizable of these derivative characters is M.Bison, the antagonist of the immensely popular Street Fighter
franchise, who has gone on to become an icon in the video game community.
Despite continuing success in Japan, the novel and franchise it spawned still remain virtually unknown in the West.
, covering the plot of the first 1/3rd (the first four volumes) of the novel, was produced by Exe Studios and distributed by Toho Studios. Released in 1988, it became the 8th highest grossing film of the year. The film was eventually distributed to English speaking countries under the title Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis
. The success of this adaptation prompted the production of two live-action follow-ups: Tokyo: The Last War
/Teito Taisen (1989) (loosely based on the eleventh book of the series) and a side story
Teito Monogatari Gaiden
(1995) (loosely based on Karakuri Dōji, one of the spin-off novels). As of today, no North American release plans have been made for either of the live-action sequels.
There was also a four-part OVA anime
produced in 1991 by Madhouse
. The anime was adapted to the US by Streamline Picture in 1999 under the title Doomed Megalopolis
.
Historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy and related to historical fiction, which makes use of specific elements of real world history. It is used as an umbrella term for the sword and sorcery genre and sometimes, if fantasy is involved, the sword-and-sandal genre too...
epic written by Hiroshi Aramata
Hiroshi Aramata
is a Japanese author, translator, and screenplay writer, as well as a specialist in natural history and cartography.His most popular novel was Teito Monogatari , which has sold over 3.5 million copies in Japan alone. He also wrote Alexander Senki, a novel which eventually evolved into the anime...
.
Overview
The story is a retelling of the history of EdoEdo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
from an occultist perspective. The premise is based on the idea that the curse of Taira no Masakado
Taira no Masakado
was a samurai in the Heian period of Japan, who led one of the largest insurgent forces in the period against the central government of Kyoto.-History:...
greatly influenced the city's history from its inception to the beginning of the 21st century. Set across several generations, the plot revolves around multiple characters and their struggles with the seemingly immortal majin Yasunori Katō
Yasunori Kato
is a fictional character, the antagonist of the Japanese historical fantasy series Teito Monogatari, created by Hiroshi Aramata.Since his first cinematic appearance in 1988, Yasunori Kato has gone on to become a well known and well respected archetype in Japanese popular culture having inspired a...
, who wants to cripple the Japanese Empire by destroying 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...
. The story makes heavy use of real historical events and characters from all throughout Edo's history. It also strongly incorporates elements of folklore from all over the world, especially 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...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Mystical concepts referenced in the novel include:
- onmyodoOnmyodois a traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology, a mixture of natural science and occultism. It is based on the Chinese philosophies of Wu Xing and Yin and yang, introduced into Japan at the turn of the 6th century, and accepted as a practical system of divination...
- shikigamiShikigamiShikigami are a kind of spirit, found in Japanese Mythology summoned to serve a practitioner of onmyōdō, much like a western familiar. Shikigami cannot be seen by most people, but according to the Heian period onmyōji who were said to control them, shikigami often looked something like a...
- Feng ShuiFeng shuiFeng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
- Kimon Tonkou
- shugendoShugendois a highly syncretic Buddhic religion or sect and mystical-spiritual tradition which originated in pre-Feudal Japan, in which enlightenment is equated with attaining oneness with the . This perception of experiential "awakening" is obtained through the understanding of the relationship between...
- kodoku
- evil eyeEvil eyeThe evil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike...
The historical characters who play major or supporting roles in the plot include:
- Tachibana no HayanariTachibana no Hayanariwas a Heian period Japanese government official, calligrapher, and member of the Tachibana family. He travelled to China in 804, returning in 806. He died while traveling to exile in Izu Province for supposed participation in an imperial succession controversy. His most famous remaining...
- AteruiAteruiwas the most prominent chief of the Isawa band of Emishi in northern Japan. The Emishi were an indigenous peoples of North Japan, who were considered hairy barbarians by their Japanese conquerors....
- Tōyama KagemotoToyama Kagemotowas a hatamoto and an official of the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo Period of Japanese history. His ancestry was of the Minamoto clan of Mino Province. His father, Kagemichi, was the magistrate of Nagasaki. Kagemoto held the posts of Finance Magistrate, North Magistrate, and subsequently the...
- Hirata AtsutaneHirata Atsutanewas a Japanese scholar, conventionally ranked as one of the four great men of kokugaku studies, and one of the most significant theologians of the Shintō religion. His literary name was Ibukinoya.-Life and thought:...
- Hijikata ToshizōHijikata Toshizowas the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...
- Ichimura TetsunosukeIchimura Tetsunosukewas a member of the Shinsengumi and Hijikata Toshizō's page.Although commonly believed to be a fictional character, Ichimura Tetsunosuke was a real member of the Shinsengumi. Born in the year 1854, Tetsunosuke was the third son of Ichimura Hanemoki...
- Enomoto TakeakiEnomoto TakeakiViscount was a samurai and admiral of the Tokugawa navy of Bakumatsu period Japan, who remained faithful to the Tokugawa shogunate who fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin War...
- Edward and Henry SchnellEdward and Henry SchnellEdward and Henry Schnell were two brothers of Dutch extraction and German arms-dealers active in Japan. After the enforced opening of Yokohama to foreign trade, Edward, who in the 1850s had served in the Prussian Army and spoke Malay, must have arrived in Japan not later than 1862, as he had a 7...
- Prince SawaraPrince Sawarawas the 5th son of Prince Shirakabe , by Takano no Niigasa. In 781 he was named heir-presumptive after his elder brother succeeded the abdicated Emperor Kōnin as the Emperor Kanmu....
- Sugawara no MichizaneSugawara no Michizane, also known as Kan Shōjō , a grandson of Sugawara no Kiyotomo , was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan...
- Thomas BlakistonThomas BlakistonThomas Wright Blakiston was an English explorer and naturalist.Born in Lymington, Hampshire, England, Blakiston was the son of Major John Blakiston, second son of Sir Matthew Blakiston, 2nd Baronet...
- Kōda RohanKoda Rohanwho used the pen name was a Japanese author in the Meiji period. His daughter, Aya Kōda, was also a noted author who often wrote about him.Kōda wrote "The Icon of Liberty", also known as "The Buddha of Art" or "The Elegant Buddha", in 1889. A house in which Kōda lived was rebuilt in 1972 by the...
- Satō Nobuhiro
- Joseph NeedhamJoseph NeedhamNoel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
- Mori ŌgaiMori Ogaiwas a Japanese physician, translator, novelist and poet. is considered his major work.- Early life :Mori was born as Mori Rintarō in Tsuwano, Iwami province . His family were hereditary physicians to the daimyō of the Tsuwano Domain...
- Torahiko Terada
- Karl HaushoferKarl HaushoferKarl Ernst Haushofer was a German general, geographer and geopolitician. Through his student Rudolf Hess, Haushofer's ideas may have influenced the development of Adolf Hitler's expansionist strategies, although Haushofer denied direct influence on the Nazi regime.-Biography:Haushofer belonged to...
- Shoma Morita
- Makoto Nishimura
- GakutensokuGakutensokuGakutensoku , the first robot to be built in Japan, was created in Osaka in 1929. The robot was designed and manufactured by biologist Makoto Nishimura...
- Shibusawa Eiichi
- Kyōka IzumiKyoka Izumiis the pen name of a Japanese author of novels, short stories, and kabuki plays who was active from the late Meiji to the early Shōwa periods. He is best known for a characteristic brand of Romanticism preferring tales of the supernatural heavily influenced by works of the earlier Edo period in...
- Masatoshi Ōkōchi
- Noritsugu Hayakawa
- Goto Shinpei
- Korekiyo Takahashi
- Ikki Kita
- PuyiPuyiPuyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
- Kanji Ishiwara
- Ōtani KōzuiOtani Kozuiwas the 22nd Abbot of the Nishi Honganji sub-sect of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism in Kyoto, Japan. He is known for expeditions to Buddhist sites in Central Asia, such as Subashi....
- Shūmei Ōkawa
- Masahiko Amakasu
- Yukio MishimaYukio Mishimawas the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
- Haruki KadokawaHaruki Kadokawais a Japanese publisher, film producer, director and screenwriter. He was the son of Genyoshi Kadokawa and inherited the position of president of the publishing house Kadokawa Shoten in 1975. Under his guidance, the company soon branched into film production, and by 1994 Kadokawa had produced close...
The chronology of the first ten volumes spans from 1908 to 1999, while the eleventh and twelfth volumes go back and fill in more history around 1930's--1940's. When the novel was republished in 1995, volumes 11 and 12 were inserted in between volumes 5 and 6.
List of Volumes in the main Teito Monogatari novel
- Vol. 1: Great Spirit of Tokyo
- Vol. 2: City of the Demon
- Vol. 3: The Great Earthquake (in reference to the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake1923 Great Kanto earthquakeThe struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
) - Vol. 4: Movement of the Dragon
- Vol. 5: Advent of the Devil
- Vol. 6: The Phoenix
- Vol. 7: Rampant Evil (The Demon's Journey of 100 Nights)
- Vol. 8: Shrine of the Future
- Vol. 9: Power of the Morning Spirit
- Vol. 10: Resurrection
- Vol. 11: Great War in the Capital
- Vol. 12: Greater East Asia
History
While participating in the creation of Heibonsha World EncyclopediaHeibonsha World Encyclopedia
The is one of Japan's two major encyclopedias, the other being the Encyclopedia Nipponica. The World Encyclopedia is widely held to be the most complete and up-to-date encyclopedia in the Japanese language.-Formats:...
, translator and author Hiroshi Aramata
Hiroshi Aramata
is a Japanese author, translator, and screenplay writer, as well as a specialist in natural history and cartography.His most popular novel was Teito Monogatari , which has sold over 3.5 million copies in Japan alone. He also wrote Alexander Senki, a novel which eventually evolved into the anime...
was inspired by discussions with anthropologist Komatsu Kazuhiko about sources of the strange and the mysterious in Japanese folklore
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
. These discussions inspired Aramata to share this knowledge with general readers in the form of fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
. Thus, as a side project, Aramata began work on a fantasy romance that would incorporate lesser known concepts of the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
into recognizable Japanese history. . He entitled the novel Teito Monogatari in the style of classic Japanese epics
Monogatari
is a literary form in traditional Japanese literature, an extended prose narrative tale comparable to the epic. Monogatari is closely tied to aspects of the oral tradition, and almost always relates a fictional or fictionalized story, even when retelling a historical event...
.
The first volume of the novel was released in 1985 by Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
and became a bestseller, selling over 3.5 million copies in Japan alone. Since then, the series has enjoyed a following in the realm of Japanese pop-literature. Subsequent additions were made to the main series until it was composed of 10 volumes. The tenth volume was intended to be the final volume, but due to the success of this main series, additional eleventh and twelfth volumes were written, bringing the main series up to a total of 12 volumes. An extra volume was also written, and was intended as a side story
Side story
A side story is a story that occurs alongside established stories set within a fictional universe. As opposed to a prequel, sequel, or interquel, a side story takes place within the same time frame as an existing work....
(taking place in a contemporary time period). In addition, there were several spin-off series written intended to elaborate on some of the main characters and the plot of the main series.
Awards
- In 1987, the novel won the Nihon SF Taisho AwardNihon SF Taisho AwardNihon SF Taishō Award is a Japanese science fiction award. It has been compared to the Nebula Award as it is given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan or SFWJ...
for best Japanese science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
/fantasyFantasyFantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
story
Legacy
When first published, the novel was critically praised for seamlessly tying together an unprecedented amount of accurate historyHistory of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
, folklore
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
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...
into a compelling fantasy drama
Fantasy literature
Fantasy literature is fantasy in written form. Historically speaking, literature has composed the majority of fantasy works. Since the 1950s however, a growing segment of the fantasy genre has taken the form of films, television programs, graphic novels, video games, music, painting, and other...
. The author Hiroshi Aramata
Hiroshi Aramata
is a Japanese author, translator, and screenplay writer, as well as a specialist in natural history and cartography.His most popular novel was Teito Monogatari , which has sold over 3.5 million copies in Japan alone. He also wrote Alexander Senki, a novel which eventually evolved into the anime...
was quickly recognized for his incredible command of knowledge as displayed through the story. The novel's success helped popularize him as a respected national intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
and a specialist in Japanese folklore
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
.
Since the novel's initial publication, the franchise
Franchise
Franchise generally means a right or privilege. It may refer to:*Suffrage, the civil right to vote*Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business, such as:...
it spawned has gone on to enjoy increasing respect and success in the realm of Japanese pop culture. The novel and subsequent franchise it created is recognized as having ignited a resurgence of popular interest in certain aspects of Japanese folklore
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
, specifically such topics as onmyoji and oni. This trend continued with such popular works as Baku Yumemakura's
Baku Yumemakura
is a Japanese science fiction and adventure writer. He is best known for writing Jōgen no Tsuki wo Taberu Shishi , which won both the Seiun Award and the Nihon SF Taisho Award...
novel Onmyoji (and subsequent film adaptation
Onmyoji (film)
is a Japanese movie that was released in 2001 and sent to the US in 2004. Directed by Yōjirō Takita, it tells of the exploits of Abe no Seimei, the Onmyoji from the court of the Emperor. He befriended bungling court noble, Minamoto no Hiromasa, who enlists his aid to defend the Heian emperor...
of the same name) and Natsuhiko Kyogoku's Kyōgokudō (京極堂) series, both of which came in the wake of Teito Monogatari's success. . The publication of Teito Monogatari is listed as a significant event in the history of Japanese fantasy literature
Fantasy literature
Fantasy literature is fantasy in written form. Historically speaking, literature has composed the majority of fantasy works. Since the 1950s however, a growing segment of the fantasy genre has taken the form of films, television programs, graphic novels, video games, music, painting, and other...
in John Clute and John Grant's The Encyclopedia of Fantasy
The Encyclopedia of Fantasy
The Encyclopedia of Fantasy is a 1997 reference work on fantasy, edited by John Clute and John Grant. Other contributors include Mike Ashley, Neil Gaiman, Diana Wynne Jones, David Langford, Sam J. Lundwall, Michael Scott Rohan, Brian Stableford and Lisa Tuttle.The book was well-received upon...
. Professor of Human Geography
Human geography
Human geography is one of the two major sub-fields of the discipline of geography. Human geography is the study of the world, its people, communities, and cultures. Human geography differs from physical geography mainly in that it has a greater focus on studying human activities and is more...
Paul Waley
Paul Waley
Paul Waley is a professor of Human Geography at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Grand nephew of the famous scholar Arthur Waley, the younger Waley is also a noted scholar and author and specializes in Japan.-Career:...
claims that the publication of Teito Monogatari helped educate an entire generation of Japanese readers about Tokyo's former status an Imperial
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
Capital..
The franchise's influence can be felt in a great deal of popular media to emerge from Japan, such as 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....
, literature
Japanese literature
Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of Buddhism in Japan...
and video games. The story of Teito Monogatari has been adapted into 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...
, stage productions, two big-budget live-action films, a successful four-part OVA series, and two live-action spin-off productions. Examples of popular works the story has influenced include the Shin Megami Tensei
Shin Megami Tensei
is a console role-playing video game from Atlus that was originally released on October 30, 1992 and later on several platforms, although no installment was released outside of Japan. It was originally released on the Super Famicom and was later ported to the PC Engine Super CD-Rom and Mega-CD...
video game series and 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...
/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....
Tokyo Babylon
Tokyo Babylon
is a manga series created by Clamp. The series follows Subaru Sumeragi, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils....
by Clamp
Clamp
Clamp may refer to:*Clamp , a device used to hold an object in a fixed position*Wheel clamp, a device used with road vehicles to prevent theft or enforce parking restrictions*Riser clamp, a device used to support vertical piping...
.
The antagonist of the series, the infamous Yasunori Kato
Yasunori Kato
is a fictional character, the antagonist of the Japanese historical fantasy series Teito Monogatari, created by Hiroshi Aramata.Since his first cinematic appearance in 1988, Yasunori Kato has gone on to become a well known and well respected archetype in Japanese popular culture having inspired a...
, has become an iconic figure in Japanese popular culture
Japanese popular culture
Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present but also provides a link to the past. Japanese cinema, cuisine, television programs, manga, and music all developed from older artistic and literary traditions, and many of their themes and styles of presentation...
, having inspired several clones, parodies and homages in various Japanese media, much of which have been exported to the West. The most recognizable of these derivative characters is M.Bison, the antagonist of the immensely popular Street Fighter
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
franchise, who has gone on to become an icon in the video game community.
Despite continuing success in Japan, the novel and franchise it spawned still remain virtually unknown in the West.
Spin-offs
- The series: A multi-volume novel starring Tatsuto Kuroda, the grandson of the feng shuiFeng shuiFeng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
expert Shigemaru Kuroda from the main Teito Monogatari novel, as he struggles with various spiritual disturbances across Japan. The fourth volume of this series was made into a live-action film titled in 1997.: A spin-off of the main story, set in 1998.: A prequel to the Teito Monogatari series, set during the Edo periodEdo periodThe , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.: A follow-up to Teito Gendan, set during the Bakumatsu.: The "secret origins" of Yasunori KatōYasunori Katois a fictional character, the antagonist of the Japanese historical fantasy series Teito Monogatari, created by Hiroshi Aramata.Since his first cinematic appearance in 1988, Yasunori Kato has gone on to become a well known and well respected archetype in Japanese popular culture having inspired a...
. This collection features the writings of a multitude of Japanese authors.: A 2005 horror film by Takashi MiikeTakashi Miikeis a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
. Yasunori KatōYasunori Katois a fictional character, the antagonist of the Japanese historical fantasy series Teito Monogatari, created by Hiroshi Aramata.Since his first cinematic appearance in 1988, Yasunori Kato has gone on to become a well known and well respected archetype in Japanese popular culture having inspired a...
leads an army of twisted yōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
on an invasion of 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...
. Was made in cooperation with Hiroshi AramataHiroshi Aramatais a Japanese author, translator, and screenplay writer, as well as a specialist in natural history and cartography.His most popular novel was Teito Monogatari , which has sold over 3.5 million copies in Japan alone. He also wrote Alexander Senki, a novel which eventually evolved into the anime...
and Shigeru MizukiShigeru Mizukiis a Japanese manga author, most known for his Japanese horror manga GeGeGe no Kitaro . A specialist in stories of yōkai, he is considered a master of the genre...
.
Film Adaptations
In 1987, a cinematic adaptationTokyo: The Last Megalopolis
is a tokusatsu historical fantasy film produced in 1987 by Exe and distributed in 1988 by Toho Studios. It is the first live-action adaptation of the Teito Monogatari series by Hiroshi Aramata.-Plot:...
, covering the plot of the first 1/3rd (the first four volumes) of the novel, was produced by Exe Studios and distributed by Toho Studios. Released in 1988, it became the 8th highest grossing film of the year. The film was eventually distributed to English speaking countries under the title Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis
Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis
is a tokusatsu historical fantasy film produced in 1987 by Exe and distributed in 1988 by Toho Studios. It is the first live-action adaptation of the Teito Monogatari series by Hiroshi Aramata.-Plot:...
. The success of this adaptation prompted the production of two live-action follow-ups: Tokyo: The Last War
Tokyo: The Last War
Tokyo: The Last War is a tokusatsu dark fantasy/historical fiction film directed by Takashige Ichise and distributed by Toho Studios. It is an adaptation of the eleventh book of the Teito Monogatari novel by Hiroshi Aramata...
/Teito Taisen (1989) (loosely based on the eleventh book of the series) and a side story
Side story
A side story is a story that occurs alongside established stories set within a fictional universe. As opposed to a prequel, sequel, or interquel, a side story takes place within the same time frame as an existing work....
Teito Monogatari Gaiden
Teito Monogatari Gaiden
Teito Monogatari Gaiden is a tokusatsu horror/fantasy film...
(1995) (loosely based on Karakuri Dōji, one of the spin-off novels). As of today, no North American release plans have been made for either of the live-action sequels.
There was also a four-part OVA 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....
produced in 1991 by Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
. The anime was adapted to the US by Streamline Picture in 1999 under the title Doomed Megalopolis
Doomed Megalopolis
is an anime rendition of the Japanese historical fantasy epic Teito Monogatari . Like it's live-action predecessor, Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis, the anime is only an adaptation of the first 1/3rd of the original novel. It was released by Toei in 1991 as a 4-part OVA...
.
External links
- Teito Monogatari vol. 1 at Amazon.co.jp
- Japanese Wikipedia entry on the Teito Monogatari series
- Toho Kingdom Page: Basic Information on the Teito Monogatari film adaptation and its sequel