Otogi Zoshi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese animated
television series produced by Production I.G.
A manga
adaptation was published in Comic Blade
in 2005.
and follows Minamoto no Hikaru, the younger sister of Minamoto no Raikō, on a quest to save Japan. The "Tokyo Chapter" follows the reincarnations of Hikaru and her comrades as the ancient evils of days past manifest themselves in present-day Tokyo.
, where the people of the capital of Kyoto
are in deep agony, focusing their last hopes on the retrieval of the five magatama
that represent the five elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth). Legend has it that when the magatama are laid together, their circle of Affinity will save the capital from suffering and whoever places the last stone is to become the emperor.
Three of the Magatamas are scattered throughout Japan
. The Emperor, relying on the prophecies of Abe no Seimei
, delegates the task of recovering the three lost Magatamas to Minamoto no Raikō of the Minamoto clan
. However, Raikō is struck by an epidemic and barely able to move. Instead his younger sister, Hikaru, secretly takes his place.
Hikaru is joined by Watanabe no Tsuna
, Usui Sadamitsu
, Urabe no Suetake
and Kintarō
and manages to collect all but one magatama: the Magatama of Fire.
Hikaru returns to the capital with news that Shutendouji, who possesses the missing magatama, has plans to attack. The court does not believe her, but Hikaru and her party decide to stop Shutendouji and recover the last magatama. With the five magatama in hand, Seimei's true intent is revealed. The onmyoji plans to create a circle of Enmity and bring about the destruction of the capital in order to save it.
Hikaru confronts Abe no Seimei, only to find out that he is none other than Mansairaku, her love. She tries to shoot him with an arrow but she is constantly held back by her feelings. Hikaru keeps demanding that Mansairaku stop his destructive spell, but he does not listen. She charges towards him with her dagger, but fails to pierce his heart, and he continues with the spell.
Just after the final pillar of light appears and the destruction of the capital begins, Hikaru starts to play her flute, a sound that Mansairaku always loved. Hikaru then tries to remove one of the Magatamas and stop the spell. When she tries, her flute falls on the Magatama of Fire and breaks it, causing the spell to end. As a result, Hikaru's and Mansairaku's souls fly to heaven.
As the capital settles from its near destruction, Sadamitsu and Kintaro, the only surviving heroes of Hikaru's group, lay to rest the souls of Hikaru, Tsuna and Urabe. Kintaro asks Sadamitsu, " Where did they go?" To which Sadamitsu answers, "They went off to this place full of flowers, some place far away."
Hikaru's brother, Raiko, has been missing for a year when she sees him for the first time amidst a crowd of people in Tokyo. While the story evolves, Hikaru is confronted with even stranger events, like the appearance of a ghost train on the Yamanote-Line and the recurring encounters with Mansairaku.
Eventually, Hikaru finds out the locations where paranormal phenomena are occurring are related and interacting because of their affinity with the five elements. The Japanese capital is, once again, threatened with destruction. Hikaru, Hikaru's party and Mansairaku join forces to restore the circle of Affinity and save Tokyo. Having put right the ancient wrongs, Mansairaku vanishes and Hikaru's brother returns.
from 6 July 2004 to 4 January 2005, totaling 24 episodes.
On 22 March 2005, NTV aired the first part of the "Special Chapter". Also known as , the episode takes place one year before the events of the Tokyo Chapter and focuses on Urabe. The second part, , aired the following week. The special takes place before the events of the Tokyo Chapter and focuses on Mansairaku, who reflects on his deeds while talking to a stranger about his mission to guard the city.
, while Kenji Kawai
composed the music for the "Tokyo Chapter".
The first opening theme is ("Zen"), performed by Attack Haus, while the first ending theme is ("Hoshi ni Negai o"), performed by Chieko Kawabe
. The second opening theme ("Ashita wa Kyou to Onaji Mirai"), performed by Gomes the Hitman, while the second ending theme is ("Cry Baby"), performed by Chieko Kawabe
.
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....
television series produced by Production I.G.
A 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...
adaptation was published in Comic Blade
Comic Blade
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Mag Garden. It was first published in February 2002 and is sold on the thirtieth of each month. The manga series are published in tankōbon under the imprint.-Serialized manga:...
in 2005.
Plot
The story is divided in two story arcs. The "Heian Chapter" takes place in Kyoto during the Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
and follows Minamoto no Hikaru, the younger sister of Minamoto no Raikō, on a quest to save Japan. The "Tokyo Chapter" follows the reincarnations of Hikaru and her comrades as the ancient evils of days past manifest themselves in present-day Tokyo.
Heian Chapter
The "Heian Chapter" is set in the middle of the Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, where the people of the capital 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:...
are in deep agony, focusing their last hopes on the retrieval of the five magatama
Magatama
Magatama , are curved beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jōmon period.They are often found inhumed in mounded tumulus graves as offerings to deities . They continued to be popular with the ruling elites throughout the Kofun Period of Japan, and are often romanticised as indicative of...
that represent the five elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth). Legend has it that when the magatama are laid together, their circle of Affinity will save the capital from suffering and whoever places the last stone is to become the emperor.
Three of the Magatamas are scattered throughout 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...
. The Emperor, relying on the prophecies of Abe no Seimei
Abe no Seimei
was an onmyōji, a leading specialist of onmyōdō during the middle of the Heian Period in Japan. In addition to his prominence in history, he is a legendary figure in Japanese folklore and has been portrayed in a number of stories and films....
, delegates the task of recovering the three lost Magatamas to Minamoto no Raikō of the Minamoto clan
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
. However, Raikō is struck by an epidemic and barely able to move. Instead his younger sister, Hikaru, secretly takes his place.
Hikaru is joined by Watanabe no Tsuna
Watanabe no Tsuna
' was a Japanese samurai, a retainer of Minamoto no Yorimitsu , one of the earliest samurai to be famed for his military exploits.-In Legend:...
, Usui Sadamitsu
Usui Sadamitsu
' was a warrior of the mid-Heian period. His official name was '.According to Otogizōshi stories compiled several centuries later, Sadamitsu was a retainer of the Japanese legendary hero Minamoto no Raikō. Sadamitsu is known as one of The Four Guardian Kings under Raikō. Alternatively, in Konjaku...
, Urabe no Suetake
Urabe no Suetake
Urabe no Suetake was a retainer of the legendary hero Minamoto no Yorimitsu , supposedly during the Heian period in 12th century Japan. Suetake assisted Raikō throughout his life, being referred to as one of The Four Guardian Kings under Raikō. Suetake originated from the House of Seiryū...
and Kintarō
Kintaro
is a folk hero from Japanese folklore. A child of superhuman strength, he was raised by a mountain hag on Mount Ashigara. He became friendly with the animals of the mountain, and later, after catching Shutendouji, the terror of the region around Mount Ooe, he became a loyal follower of Minamoto no...
and manages to collect all but one magatama: the Magatama of Fire.
Hikaru returns to the capital with news that Shutendouji, who possesses the missing magatama, has plans to attack. The court does not believe her, but Hikaru and her party decide to stop Shutendouji and recover the last magatama. With the five magatama in hand, Seimei's true intent is revealed. The onmyoji plans to create a circle of Enmity and bring about the destruction of the capital in order to save it.
Hikaru confronts Abe no Seimei, only to find out that he is none other than Mansairaku, her love. She tries to shoot him with an arrow but she is constantly held back by her feelings. Hikaru keeps demanding that Mansairaku stop his destructive spell, but he does not listen. She charges towards him with her dagger, but fails to pierce his heart, and he continues with the spell.
Just after the final pillar of light appears and the destruction of the capital begins, Hikaru starts to play her flute, a sound that Mansairaku always loved. Hikaru then tries to remove one of the Magatamas and stop the spell. When she tries, her flute falls on the Magatama of Fire and breaks it, causing the spell to end. As a result, Hikaru's and Mansairaku's souls fly to heaven.
As the capital settles from its near destruction, Sadamitsu and Kintaro, the only surviving heroes of Hikaru's group, lay to rest the souls of Hikaru, Tsuna and Urabe. Kintaro asks Sadamitsu, " Where did they go?" To which Sadamitsu answers, "They went off to this place full of flowers, some place far away."
Tokyo Chapter
The "Tokyo Chapter" follows the reincarnations of Hikaru and her comrades in present-day Tokyo. Hikaru is a high school student and the landlady of an apartment housing called Minamoto Heights. While her tenants include the freelance writer Tsuna, the fortuneteller Urabe, Sadamitsu and a little boy named Kintaro.Hikaru's brother, Raiko, has been missing for a year when she sees him for the first time amidst a crowd of people in Tokyo. While the story evolves, Hikaru is confronted with even stranger events, like the appearance of a ghost train on the Yamanote-Line and the recurring encounters with Mansairaku.
Eventually, Hikaru finds out the locations where paranormal phenomena are occurring are related and interacting because of their affinity with the five elements. The Japanese capital is, once again, threatened with destruction. Hikaru, Hikaru's party and Mansairaku join forces to restore the circle of Affinity and save Tokyo. Having put right the ancient wrongs, Mansairaku vanishes and Hikaru's brother returns.
Broadcast
Otogi Zoshi aired on Nippon TelevisionNippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
from 6 July 2004 to 4 January 2005, totaling 24 episodes.
On 22 March 2005, NTV aired the first part of the "Special Chapter". Also known as , the episode takes place one year before the events of the Tokyo Chapter and focuses on Urabe. The second part, , aired the following week. The special takes place before the events of the Tokyo Chapter and focuses on Mansairaku, who reflects on his deeds while talking to a stranger about his mission to guard the city.
Music
The music for the "Heian Chapter" was composed by Hideki TaniuchiHideki Taniuchi
is a Japanese composer. He was co-composer of some of the Death Note original soundtracks and Real Drive and composer of the music for Gyakkyō Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen. He also composed music used in episodes 1-8 of the anime Aoi Bungaku and the "Heian Chapter" of the anime Otogi Zoshi.-External...
, while Kenji Kawai
Kenji Kawai
, born April 23, 1957 in Shinagawa, Tokyo, is a Japanese music composer, for motion pictures, anime movies, video games and televised programs. He has contributed to the musical scores for numerous films from Japan and other countries in Asia, working in film genres as diverse as anime, horror,...
composed the music for the "Tokyo Chapter".
The first opening theme is ("Zen"), performed by Attack Haus, while the first ending theme is ("Hoshi ni Negai o"), performed by Chieko Kawabe
Chieko Kawabe
is a female Japanese pop singer, model, radio host and actress. She was born on February 24, 1987 in Tokyo. She is a graduate of Toshima, Tokyo. As of her marriage to producer Masato Ochi on August 8, 2008, her legal name is .- Career :...
. The second opening theme ("Ashita wa Kyou to Onaji Mirai"), performed by Gomes the Hitman, while the second ending theme is ("Cry Baby"), performed by Chieko Kawabe
Chieko Kawabe
is a female Japanese pop singer, model, radio host and actress. She was born on February 24, 1987 in Tokyo. She is a graduate of Toshima, Tokyo. As of her marriage to producer Masato Ochi on August 8, 2008, her legal name is .- Career :...
.