The Kouga Ninja Scrolls
Encyclopedia
is a historical fantasy
novel written in 1958-1959 by the Japan
ese author Futaro Yamada
. The novel was adapted into several comics, a live-acion film and an animated series. It been translated into English by Geoff Sant, and was published by Del Rey
in December 2006.
. The story centers around two rival ninja
clans; the Iga and the Koga; whose no-hostilities treaty is lifted by retired shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu
to settle a succession dispute within the government concerning which of Ieyasu's grandsons is destined to become the third Tokugawa Shogun. Due to years of selective breeding, the members of Koga and Iga have all developed inhuman abilities at the cost of several of them being born physically disfigured or otherwise abnormally mutated.
At the center of the conflict is Koga and Iga's two young heirs; Gennosuke and Oboro respectively; who had fallen in love in the hopes of not only bringing their clans together in peace but also to mix the bloodlines of their families so as to undo the genetic damage endured by both. The novel traces the course of the conflict as both clans endure heavy losses and ultimately bringing Gennosuke and Oboro to face each other on the field of battle.
by Haruo Koyama., a manga by Torao Asada., a manga by Masaki Segawa., a TV anime
series produced by GONZO
based on Masaki Segawa's manga., a movie directed by Ten Shimoyama.
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...
novel written in 1958-1959 by the 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...
ese author Futaro Yamada
Futaro Yamada
was the pen name of , a Japanese author.He was born in Yabu, Hyogo.In 1947, he wrote a mystery novel and was awarded a prize by a novel magazine .He was discovered by Edogawa Rampo and became a novelist....
. The novel was adapted into several comics, a live-acion film and an animated series. It been translated into English by Geoff Sant, and was published by Del Rey
Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...
in December 2006.
Plot
This story is quite similar to Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. The story centers around two rival ninja
Ninja
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...
clans; the Iga and the Koga; whose no-hostilities treaty is lifted by retired shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was 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...
to settle a succession dispute within the government concerning which of Ieyasu's grandsons is destined to become the third Tokugawa Shogun. Due to years of selective breeding, the members of Koga and Iga have all developed inhuman abilities at the cost of several of them being born physically disfigured or otherwise abnormally mutated.
At the center of the conflict is Koga and Iga's two young heirs; Gennosuke and Oboro respectively; who had fallen in love in the hopes of not only bringing their clans together in peace but also to mix the bloodlines of their families so as to undo the genetic damage endured by both. The novel traces the course of the conflict as both clans endure heavy losses and ultimately bringing Gennosuke and Oboro to face each other on the field of battle.
Adaptations
, a mangaManga
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...
by Haruo Koyama., a manga by Torao Asada., a manga by Masaki Segawa., a TV 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....
series produced by GONZO
GONZO
, stylized as GONZO, is a Japanese anime studio, owned by the company's corporate parent, the GDH group. In June 2006, it signed a long-term output deal with the anime television network, Animax, which saw Animax broadcasting all of Gonzo's anime titles across all of its networks around the world,...
based on Masaki Segawa's manga., a movie directed by Ten Shimoyama.