Kido Shinsengumi Moeyo Ken
Encyclopedia
Moeyo Ken, known in Japan as is a PC video game and anime
about magical girl
variants of Shinsengumi
, a police force, and of Sakamoto Ryunosuke and his illegal companion, Nekomaru. Originally an OVA
, it was also adapted into a television series. Moeyo Ken was created by Hiroi Oji
, creator of the Sakura Wars
series, with character designs by Rumiko Takahashi
, the creator of Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha
.
towards Kyoto
with his newly-licensed yōkai
Nekomaru. The law in the story states that to be in legal possession of such a creature that it must be licensed. The Shinsengumi
are enforcers of this law.
Anime OAV: The main characters are three girls from the Shinsengumi who battle yokai and ayakashi (demons and spirits) to protect the city of Kyoto.
and field commander of the Mobile Shinsengumi. She has a habit of breaking her sword in battle, and a tendency to rack up debts wherever she goes. Yuko is slightly scatterbrained and has pink hair, and enjoys making fun of Okita's breasts.
Kondo seems to be the fondest of the three girls of Oryou, since she frequently imagines the older woman committing suicide if Ryuunosuke were to return to Shanghai. To prevent this from happening, she comes up with various harebrained ideas to keep the young man in Kyoto by making him fall in love with a local waitress named Sayoko. Most of her plans to make the pair fall in love fail miserably, and soon her plans become less about preventing his departure and more about succeeding.
Kondo somewhat resembles the female version of Ranma Saotome from Ranma ½
, with her tomboyish attitude, huge appetite, crazy schemes and constant debts.
and the Mobile Shinsengumi's crackshot sharpshooter. While she may be an expert on guns, she is not an excellent cook (due to having a bad sense of taste). Not much of her background is known, but apparently she cannot remember her mother's face and the only photo she has of her is missing a face. As a result, Gennai created a "mother" robot that is an exact double of Toshie, which caused some confusion.
Hijikata seems to be the most intelligent of the three girls, since she is seen relaxing in a hot spring by reading a Jules Verne book. She is also the most logical of them, to the point where Kondo often claims she's like a machine. She also strongly resembles a female version of Rumiko Takahashi's Sesshomaru, since she has similar long white hair, Chinese-influenced clothes, an icy attitude and is dismissive of slapstick.
(Japanese) Jessica Schwartz (OVA), Nancy Novotny
(TV Series) (English)
is the daughter of Soji Okita
. She uses all sorts of weapons including shikigami of the legendary beasts (Genbu, Byakko, Seiryu and Suzaku). Kaoru takes it personally when she's told about her breast size.
It is revealed later in the series that Okita is actually only half human, having a kitsune
mother who married Soji Okita and later abandoned her daughter, claiming she couldn't live among humans. She also has a kitsune
older brother. Additionally, she develops a major crush on Ryuunosuke.
(Japanese) Evan Slack (OVA), Blake Shepard
(TV Series) (English)
is the son of Oryo, president of the Shinsengumi
. Ryuunosuke was sent to Shanghai at the age of ten to learn more about the world. He recently returned from Shanghai and brought a monster named Nekomaru to Kyoto for registration. Ryunosuke is a bit odd and has a peculiar sense of humor, but he is nevertheless determined to help out the Mobile Shinsengumi. He seems to also have a crush on Yuko. In the 8th episode of the series he temporarily turns into a girl because Nekomaru killed him with soap and switched his soul
with that of a female.
(Japanese) Edwin Neal
(English)
is a bakeneko, a monster cat, who traveled with Ryunosuke from Shanghai to Kyoto. Nekomaru whines and cowers whenever there is trouble, which becomes more understandable as the series goes on because Gennai frequently uses him as a guinea pig.
Nekomaru is 300 years old and seems to have a fair amount of power. His most useful ability is being able to transfer one of his nine lives to someone who has died, resurrecting them in perfect health. He seems particularly fond of Ryunosuke and seems to want the young man to be happy.
Gennai does have a ruthless side: he often uses Nekomaru to test his inventions, which frequently has unpleasant results for the monster cat. And if people around him aren't sufficiently helpful, he acquires gleaming eyes and a demonic rumbling voice. Nekomaru claims that Gennai is even more of a monster than he is.
Gennai strongly resembles Dr. Tofu from Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½
.
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....
about magical girl
Magical girl
belong to a sub-genre of Japanese fantasy anime and manga. Magical girl stories feature young girls with superhuman abilities, forced to fight evil and to protect the Earth. They often possess a secret identity, although the name can just refer to young girls who follow a plotline involving magic...
variants of Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
, a police force, and of Sakamoto Ryunosuke and his illegal companion, Nekomaru. Originally an OVA
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
, it was also adapted into a television series. Moeyo Ken was created by Hiroi Oji
Hiroi Oji
, real name , is a manga author. He co-authored Samurai Crusader with Ryoichi Ikegami. He also wrote the Sakura Taisen manga.-Original creations:*Diamond Daydreams*Kuso Kagaku Sekai Gulliver Boy*Madō King Granzort*Madō King Granzort: Bōken-hen...
, creator of the Sakura Wars
Sakura Wars
is a Japanese media franchise created by Ouji Hiroi, and is developed and owned by Sega and licensed by Red Entertainment and Sega. The franchise centers on a series of dramatic fantasy and science-fantasy tactical role-playing adventure video games, which consist of tactical wargame and dating sim...
series, with character designs by Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
, the creator of Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha
InuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
.
Plot
Anime TV Series: Set in an alternate universe Meiji Era, the lead male character of the story, Ryunosuke Sakamoto, is travelling from ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
towards 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:...
with his newly-licensed yōkai
Yōkai
are 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...
Nekomaru. The law in the story states that to be in legal possession of such a creature that it must be licensed. The Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
are enforcers of this law.
Anime OAV: The main characters are three girls from the Shinsengumi who battle yokai and ayakashi (demons and spirits) to protect the city of Kyoto.
Yuko Kondo
is the daughter of Isami KondoKondo Isami
was a Japanese swordsman and official of the late Edo Period, famed for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi.-Background:Isami, who was first known as Katsugorō, was born to Miyagawa Hisajirō, a farmer residing in Kami-Ishihara village in Musashi Province, now in the city of Chōfu in Western...
and field commander of the Mobile Shinsengumi. She has a habit of breaking her sword in battle, and a tendency to rack up debts wherever she goes. Yuko is slightly scatterbrained and has pink hair, and enjoys making fun of Okita's breasts.
Kondo seems to be the fondest of the three girls of Oryou, since she frequently imagines the older woman committing suicide if Ryuunosuke were to return to Shanghai. To prevent this from happening, she comes up with various harebrained ideas to keep the young man in Kyoto by making him fall in love with a local waitress named Sayoko. Most of her plans to make the pair fall in love fail miserably, and soon her plans become less about preventing his departure and more about succeeding.
Kondo somewhat resembles the female version of Ranma Saotome from Ranma ½
Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
, with her tomboyish attitude, huge appetite, crazy schemes and constant debts.
Toshie Hijikata
is the daughter of Toshizo HijikataHijikata Toshizo
was the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...
and the Mobile Shinsengumi's crackshot sharpshooter. While she may be an expert on guns, she is not an excellent cook (due to having a bad sense of taste). Not much of her background is known, but apparently she cannot remember her mother's face and the only photo she has of her is missing a face. As a result, Gennai created a "mother" robot that is an exact double of Toshie, which caused some confusion.
Hijikata seems to be the most intelligent of the three girls, since she is seen relaxing in a hot spring by reading a Jules Verne book. She is also the most logical of them, to the point where Kondo often claims she's like a machine. She also strongly resembles a female version of Rumiko Takahashi's Sesshomaru, since she has similar long white hair, Chinese-influenced clothes, an icy attitude and is dismissive of slapstick.
Kaoru Okita
Anime voices: Haruna IkezawaHaruna Ikezawa
is a voice actress born in Athens, Greece, but raised in Kanagawa Prefecture. She was formerly affiliated with 81 Produce, but as of 2002, she is affiliated with Oscar Promotion...
(Japanese) Jessica Schwartz (OVA), Nancy Novotny
Nancy Novotny
Nancy Novotny is a radio personality and an American voice actress working with ADV Films and Seraphim Digital, known for her roles in English-language dubbed anime, such as Yomi in Azumanga Daioh, Yuka in Elfen Lied and Madlax in Madlax...
(TV Series) (English)
is the daughter of Soji Okita
Okita Soji
, was the captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi, a special police force in Kyoto during the late shogunate period. He was one of the best swordsmen of the Shinsengumi, along with Saito Hajime and Nagakura Shinpachi....
. She uses all sorts of weapons including shikigami of the legendary beasts (Genbu, Byakko, Seiryu and Suzaku). Kaoru takes it personally when she's told about her breast size.
It is revealed later in the series that Okita is actually only half human, having a kitsune
Kitsune
is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
mother who married Soji Okita and later abandoned her daughter, claiming she couldn't live among humans. She also has a kitsune
Kitsune
is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
older brother. Additionally, she develops a major crush on Ryuunosuke.
Ryunosuke Sakamoto
Anime voices: Chisa YokoyamaChisa Yokoyama
is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokyo. She is founder and head of her own voice company called Banbina after leaving Arts Vision. When she was a high school student, she was an assistant of Jump Broadcasting Station of Weekly Shōnen Jump...
(Japanese) Evan Slack (OVA), Blake Shepard
Blake Shepard
Blake Shepard is an American animator, visual artist, and voice actor who works for anime series at ADV Films and Seraphim Digital...
(TV Series) (English)
is the son of Oryo, president of the Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
. Ryuunosuke was sent to Shanghai at the age of ten to learn more about the world. He recently returned from Shanghai and brought a monster named Nekomaru to Kyoto for registration. Ryunosuke is a bit odd and has a peculiar sense of humor, but he is nevertheless determined to help out the Mobile Shinsengumi. He seems to also have a crush on Yuko. In the 8th episode of the series he temporarily turns into a girl because Nekomaru killed him with soap and switched his 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...
with that of a female.
Nekomaru
Anime voices: Mayumi TanakaMayumi Tanaka
is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo currently affiliated with Aoni Production.She is best known for the roles of Ryuunosuke Fujinami in Urusei Yatsura, Pazu in Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Monkey D. Luffy in One Piece, Krillin, Yajirobe and Uranai Baba in Dragon Ball...
(Japanese) Edwin Neal
Edwin Neal
Edwin Neal is an American actor, perhaps best known for his role as the Hitchhiker in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre or his role as Lord Zedd in Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. He has been a top voice talent and actor for years appearing on screen and off in such diverse projects as The Lord of the...
(English)
is a bakeneko, a monster cat, who traveled with Ryunosuke from Shanghai to Kyoto. Nekomaru whines and cowers whenever there is trouble, which becomes more understandable as the series goes on because Gennai frequently uses him as a guinea pig.
Nekomaru is 300 years old and seems to have a fair amount of power. His most useful ability is being able to transfer one of his nine lives to someone who has died, resurrecting them in perfect health. He seems particularly fond of Ryunosuke and seems to want the young man to be happy.
Gennai Hiraga
is the Mobile Shinsengumi's resident mad doctor who builds new weapons and gadgets to aid the team in stopping unlicensed monsters from destroying Tokyo. Most of his gadgets are useless and/or dangerous, such as the digging machine fueled by monsters' power. However, he is an excellent cook and a few of his gadgets are actually useful.Gennai does have a ruthless side: he often uses Nekomaru to test his inventions, which frequently has unpleasant results for the monster cat. And if people around him aren't sufficiently helpful, he acquires gleaming eyes and a demonic rumbling voice. Nekomaru claims that Gennai is even more of a monster than he is.
Gennai strongly resembles Dr. Tofu from Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½
Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
.
The Tsubame Group
are the villains in the Meji Era representing the new government and try to return monsters to their old selves before monster registration was effective. The compose of mean girl , handsome and fearless and the short and strange . They greatly resemble Team Rocket from the Pokémon franchiseExternal links
- Moeyo Ken at Funimation
- Moeyo Ken at A.D. VisionA.D. VisionA.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
(archive) Official site (archive) Moeyo Ken game - EnterbrainEnterbrainis a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...