Zipang (anime)

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Zipang


caption = Cover of DVD Vol. 1
ja_name = ジパング
ja_name_trans = Jipangu
genre = Military science fiction, Alternate historyInfobox animanga/Anime
title =
director = Kazuhiro Furuhashi
studio = Studio Deen
episodes = 26
network = flagicon|Japan Tokyo Broadcasting System
network_other = flagicon|Philippines QTV
first = 2004-10-07
last = 2005-03-31

nihongo|"Zipang"|ジパング|Jipangu is a twenty-six episode Japanese anime television series directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi and produced by Studio Deen. It aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System in Japan from late 2004 to early 2005, and was licensed for release in North America by Geneon Entertainment with DVD release starting in September 2006. It was adapted from the manga of the same name by Kaiji Kawaguchi.

Plot

The newest, most advanced destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the JDS "Mirai", sets sail from Japan on a training exercise with the United States Navy. Enroute, they encounter a strange meteorological anomaly. The "Mirai" loses contact with her sister ships and finds herself sailing by the unmistakable silhouette of a Imperial Japanese Navy battleship, the "Yamato".

The "Mirai" eludes the Imperial Japanese fleet and, reluctantly, the crew realizes that they have traveled sixty years into their past to the early days of World War II. Their first desire is to return home, and to ensure that they have a home to which to return they decide to do nothing that will change history. That good intention does not last long, however, and gradually they are drawn into the conflict, though they continue to refuse to choose one side over another. The struggle of the crew from a modern, peaceful, and wealthy Japan to resist the nationalistic appeal of defending their country, knowing that in this time it is ruled by a brutal, totalitarian and militaristic government is the central theme of "Zipang." Their rescue of a Japanese navy officer from the past, Lt. Commander Kusaka, who in actuality should have perished in the normal timeline, causes unstoppable and devastating changes in the past when the man seeks to create a stronger Japan no matter what the cost.

Episode Synopses

*Episode 1. The Mirai Sets Sail - The JDS "Mirai" sets sail from Japan as one of a four ship squadron going to Hawaii to participate in a joint exercise with the United States Navy. In the vicinity of Midway Island they encounter a strange meteorological anomaly. The "Mirai" loses contact with her sister ships but finds herself sailing straight for what can only be the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship "Yamato".

*Episode 2. Midway - The "Mirai" finds itself in the middle of the Combined Fleet formation of the night before the Battle of Midway. First, "Mirai" is signaled by the Yamato, then two destroyers attempt to block its path, but it successfully eludes the Imperial Japanese fleet. Reluctantly, the crew realizes that they have traveled sixty years into their past, to the eve of the Battle of Midway. They witness the battle but make the difficult decision to not become involved so as not to affect history. Captain Umezu decides that, since they obviously cannot enter Pearl Harbor to reprovision as originally planned, they should head back to Yokosuka.

*Episode 3. Drifters - Kadomatsu rescues an Imperial Japanese Navy officer, Lt. Commander Kusaka, from a sinking seaplane. The "Mirai"’s crew is split over the fact that they may have changed history. The "Mirai" is discovered by an American submarine, USS "Guardfish".

*Episode 4. Mirai’s Battle - The "Mirai" narrowly escapes the American sub’s torpedoes. A panicked sailor in the CIC launches an ASROC. Captain Umezu considers sinking the sub but, at the last moment, self-destructs the ASROC. The Americans escape with knowledge of a new Japanese ship with incredible capabilities. Kusaka learns that the ship is from the future.

*Episode 5. Kusaka’s Choice - Kusaka is given access to the "Mirai"’s record room and learns the outcome of the war and the future of Japan. He decides to throw in his lot with the "Mirai". The VTOL Umidori is sent on a recon mission over the Japanese naval base at Chichi-jima in the Ogasawara Islands to evaluate the situation before sailing towards Honshu. The over-confident pilot is engaged by two Japanese floatplane fighters whose pilots think it suspicious that the odd-looking plane should be trying to escape, despite the presence of the hinomaru insignia.

*Episode 6. Order of Attack - The VTOL recon plane damages the two fighters and forces them to ditch without injuring their pilots, but its weapon systems officer is killed, the "Mirai"’s first casualty. Kusaka proposes that the "Mirai" go to Singapore under Japanese occupation, rather than Japanese mainland, to refuel and reprovision, He believes that he can arrange the resupply, armed with forged documents and fake currency produced onboard the ship. Having examined Japanese Navy's personnel records in "Mirai's" record room extensively, Kusaka is certain that there is no one in Singapore who would recognize him. Onboard the battleship Yamato, Admiral Yamamoto summons Lt. Tsuda, a naval intelligence officer, to investigate the strange warship flying hinomaru that mysteriously appeared and quickly disappeared in the midst of the Combined Fleet just before the Battle of Midway.

*Episode 7. Malay Railway - Kadomatsu and Kusaka travel by the Malayan Railway to Singapore, while the "Mirai" hides in the Anambas Archipelago. Kadomatsu gets a view of the colonized people and has a close call with a brutal Kempeitai inspection. In Singapore, Kusaka requisitions a tanker to carry supplies for a "special mission" for the navy. While waiting for the ship to sail, Kadomatsu and Kusaka attend a party. There, Kusaka is shocked to run into Lt. Tsuda, his kohai from the naval academy, who, according to Mirai's records, should not have been anywhere near Singapore. He remarks to Kadomatsu that this is no longer his past, since the actual events are already diverging from the records of Mirai's past--as evidenced by Tsuda's appearance. Kadomatsu refuses to believe this and punches Kusaka in the face. In the meantime, the "Mirai" is spotted by a local fisherman.

*Episode 8. The Pursued - The two from the "Mirai" arrange for a tanker loaded with fuel and provisions to rendezvous with the destroyer. But Lt. Tsuda, having recognized Kusaka and realizing something odd is afoot, has found out about the ship. After being informed of the fisherman's discovery of a hidden Japanese warship in Anambas, he realizes that his encounter with Kusaka and his mission regarding the mystery ship are connected. He has the tanker’s crew replaced with his own men and confronts Kusaka after the ship sets sail.

*Episode 9. Deadline - Tsuda reveals that, in addition to the crew of the tanker, he has put together a sizable task force at Singapore around the cruiser Kashii for dealing with the mystery ship that he has been ordered to investigate, should it become necessary. However, Kusaka and Kadomatsu convince Tsuda that force will not work and ensures that the "Mirai" is fueled and provisioned accordingly. Tsuda has an opportunity to tour the "Mirai" but has difficulty coping with knowledge of the future. Kusaka tells Tsuda that the future is not fixed as recorded in "Mirai's" history, since its very presence is actively forcing changes, and that their job is to ensure that these lead to a "better" future for Japan. Specifically, he informs Tsuda that he intends to convince Captain Umezu and Admiral Yamamoto to change the outcome of the Battle of Guadalcanal. Captain Umezu accepts Kusaka's suggestion, though with much difficulty, and calls for a meeting of the senior officers to plan their moves.

*Episode 10. Interchange - Lt. Commander Oguri and Lt. Satake visit the crew of the tanker and the sailors from the 21st and 20th centuries have an opportunity to learn about each other--and Oguri consequently arrives late and drunk to the staff meeting called by Captain Umezu. Plans for Guadalcanal are developed. Kikuchi thinks the "Mirai" should intercept the U.S. fleet and inflict enough casualties to convince the latter not to press the attack but Kusaka argues that Americans would not give up so easily and instead proposes to fly to the Japanese base at Truk to convince Admiral Yamamoto to withdraw Japanese forces instead so as to avoid the battle.

*Episode 11. Guadalcanal Island - Kusaka is flown in the Umidori to meet Yamamoto at Truk Island. The IJN staff find the idea of a ship from the future hard to believe. American Marines in the attacking task force discuss stereotypes of the Japanese soldiers and get a more realistic view from their commander, General Alexander Vandegrift. Admiral Yamamoto asks Kusaka what has happened to him on the "Mirai", to which Kusaka replies that the experience opened his eyes as a Japanese. When Yamamoto asks what happened to him as a naval officer, Kusaka hands in his dirk in implicit resignation from the navy. Yamamoto, however, replies that the dirk is not his to accept--he can only hold on to it for a while.

*Episode 12. The Arrow of Sagittarius - A landing party from the "Mirai" on Guadalcanal has close calls with both the Japanese on the island and with the attacking American forces. The "Mirai" witnesses the Battle of Savo Island, where the Allied naval force covering the landing is destroyed by the Japanese Eighth Fleet under Admiral Gunichi Mikawa. When the Japanese fleet withdraws without attacking American transports, the crew of "Mirai" think history as they know it--in which the fear of US Carrier forces caused the Japanese fleet to withdraw prematurely--remains unchanged, but Admiral Mikawa remarks to his staff that he is in fact aware that U.S. carriers are far away and cannot intervene. The withdrawal, in fact, is a part of a larger strategy.

*Episode 13. The Land of Gold - Kadomatsu and his landing party use a laser designator to guide a blank Harpoon missile to strike the American supply depot, an attack which harms no one but demonstrates their ability to do so. But the Americans do not retreat as the "Mirai"’s crew expect, but instead send out patrols into the jungle to ferret out suspected Japanese infiltrators. Meanwhile, a large Japanese fleet unrecorded in history, led by the battleship "Yamato", arrives to shell the American marines. Kusaka radios Kadomatsu from Umidori--now stowed in "Yamato's" hangar--to reveal his vision for a new country that is neither the militaristic empire of his time nor the defeated Japan of the future. He calls his ideal land Zipang. He reminds Kadomatsu that they are caught up in a war and that Japan cannot just withdraw from the fight without striking some blow at the Americans. In particular, Kusaka argues that, if the 1st US Marine Division, a vital component in the US strategy in the Pacific, is wiped out on Guadalcanal before the Japanese withdraw, it will make it easier for Japan to arrange an honorable peace treaty with the United States--as a first step towards his vision. Kadomatsu refuses to consider this and calls Kusaka a murderous madman.

*Episode 14. Collision - The "Yamato" fires on the American forces on Guadalcanal, but the "Mirai" uses its Aegis combat system and Sea Sparrow missiles to intercept and destroy the shells in flight. After tense several minutes during which the "Mirai" aims its missiles at the "Yamato", Admiral Yamamoto agrees to withdraw his battleships and evacuate Japanese personnel from Guadalcanal.

*Episode 15. The Living and the Dead - On Kusaka’s advice, Yamamoto calls off the attack and orders the withdrawal from Guadalcanal to begin. While trying to reach their helicopter for extraction, the "Mirai"’s landing party is forced into close combat with an American Marine patrol. They kill them but the taking of other human lives leaves them in shock. It is especially hard on Kadomatsu.

*Episode 16. The Will of Major Okamura - The "Mirai" landing party assists in the evacuation of the Japanese engineers from Guadalcanal. Kadomatsu goes into the jungle alone to look for stragglers. He encounters Lieutenant Commander Okamura (who is identified as a major in the fan-dubbed version and as a lieutenant in the official Geneon version, but as a member of Japanese Navy ground forces would be correctly ranked at a lieutenant commander). Okamura displays admirable bravery and dedication by staying behind to look for the rest of his men.

*Episode 17. Zipang Initiation - The "Mirai" enters the Japanese naval base at Truk Island under Admiral Yamamoto’s sponsorship and the crew looks forward to a shore leave. The Army and the Navy disagree about the operation to recapture Guadalcanal and a delegation from the Army insists that the battle for Guadalcanal resume, with an elite army regiment under Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki, en route from Guam, leading the way. After the meeting with the army officers, Admiral Yamamoto flies into rage and orders his staff to devise a plan that could convince Mirai's crew to join his cause, saying that the ship is essential for avoiding needless sacrifices. Captain Umezu meets Admiral Yamamoto who suggests that the "Mirai" base itself at Yokosuka, its home port in the 21st century, so that the presence of both the ship and its crew can help change the minds of the contemporary Japanese and make them amenable to accepting an early peace with the Americans. Kusaka conspires with the Lt. Col. Masanobu Tsuji, the head of the army delegation visiting Truk, so that he can leave for Japan and meet retired general Kanji Ishiwara, whom he calls the “man who started the war” (presumably on the account of his role in the Manchurian Incident).

*Episode 18. Reunion - Kadomatsu learns that the operations on Guadanlcanal are to resume--under an imperial decree--and blames Kusaka for this development. He goes ashore with Lt. Tsuda to talk to Kusaka--and is shocked to see him in a car heading towards the airfield with Lt. Colonel Tsuji. Kadomatsu tries to stop Kusaka but fails. As "Mirai" prepares to sail to Yokosouka, Lt. Commander Taki, a naval staff officer, plots with Admiral Matome Ugaki, the Combined Fleet Chief of Staff and a hardliner in the navy, to destroy the "Mirai" by arranging to have radio messages about her movements transmitted in a code that they know has been cracked by the Americans--so that it would be destroyed by an American, rather than Japanese, attack. Kusaka meets General Kanji Ishiwara, a famous army officer who is out of office for criticizing the war, at a lecture that the general gives at the Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.

*Episode 19. The Other Staff Headquarters - When some of the Combined Fleet staff balk at the idea of sending badly needed destroyers to escort the "Mirai", Lt. Commander Taki proposes that a new submarine, the I-21, be sent instead, with himself onboard to observe. Yamamoto reminds Taki that he is essentially protecting Japan's future--and without Japan, there is no navy. However, Taki retorts--silently--that without the navy, there can be no Japan. Together, Kusaka and General Ishiwara develop a plan to create Kusaka’s vision of Zipang, an undefeated Japan, with its economic heartland in Manchuria. Specifically, Kusaka reveals the 1959 oil strike at Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, in Manchuria, which could supply many times Japan's needs for decades. Ishiwara is astonished and agrees that this single piece of information could change everything about Japan's future and that the first thing they have to ensure is to create a coalition of bickeing Japanese factions--the army and the navy as well as business interests--behind their vision of the future. In the meantime, Commander Hutton (again, referred to as a "Lieutenant Commander" or "Lieutenant" in English dubbed versions, despite his rank being correctly identified in Japanese), the leader of an elite U.S. Navy bomber squadron unexpectedly summoned to board the carrier USS "Wasp", plays poker at a bar in Townsville, Australia, with his old friend, Commander Chris Evans. Evans is the captain of the "USS Guardfish", the U.S. submarine that encountered the "Mirai" shortly after its arrival from the future. Commander Evans tells Hutton about the Japanese warship with unbelievable capabilities--such as a flying torpedo capable of tracking its target. As Commander Hutton and his crew arrive onboard the "USS Wasp", the commander of the task force, Admiral Noyes remarks that Commander Hutton has never lost anyone under his command in battle so far. After being briefed on his mission, Commander Hutton responds angrily to the captain of the "Wasp" when he is not given the specifics about the target his men are to attack--and is subsequently informed of the events on Guadalcanal from the episode Arrow of Sagittarius. In Japan, Lt. Tsuda meets General Ishiwara to find out where Lt. Commander Kusaka is--and the General reveals Kusaka's whereabouts under one condition, that Tsuda help him arrange a meeting with retired Admiral and former prime minister Yonai Mitsumasa.

*Episode 20. Submarine I-21 - Kadomatsu goes to the I-21 to consult about an approaching scout plane the "Mirai" has detected. Taki takes Kadomatsu prisoner and the I-21 submerges, leaving the "Mirai’s" crew confused and unsure about what to do as time runs out. The mystery plane is indeed American, but "Mirai" uses its ECM system to jam the radio waves and prevent the pilot from reporting back. Nevertheless, Commander Hutton correctly suspects that a distortion field that suddenly appeared on USS "Wasp's" radarscope is the work of the mysterious Japanese warship and recommends an attack. The episode ends as the USS "Wasp" launches a massive air strike against the "Mirai".

*Episode 21. 1 versus 40 - On the I-21, Kadomatsu tries to get a warning to the "Mirai" via Morse code but is stopped by Taki. At first, "Mirai" attempts to leave the scene, rather than stand and fight, but Taki forces the issue by ordering the I-21 to surface so that it would be left vulnerable to an air attack. Rather than leave I-21 to be attacked by the Americans, Captain Umezu decides to stay around and face the attack. Oguri thinks they should engage the Americans afar, taking advantage of their technological advantage, but Kikuchi argues that they should wait until the range closes, since the supply of the long range Standard missiles is limited. In fact, Kikuchi thinks he can spare lives by demonstrating Mirai's firepower to destroy only a fraction of the American strike force, so that the rest would be frightened away. The strike force from the USS "Wasp" finds the destroyer. Using its advanced weapons, the "Mirai" shoots down two thirds of the American aircraft in less than a minute. However, although the Americans are shocked, they don't slacken their attack, leaving the "Mirai's" crew dumbfounded. Commander Hutton, in particular, presses his attack by diving his plane into the bridge of the ship from the future (though bailing out at the last second so it is not suicide). The "Mirai" is damaged and suffers numerous casualties.

*Episode 22. Warning - The "Mirai" monitors radio traffic indicating that the "Wasp" is preparing a second strike. Since the radar and the main cannon are damaged, Gunnery Officer Kikuchi recommends launching a Tomahawk missile to destroy the "Wasp" rather than wait for the second wave to strike. Lt. Commander Oguri suggests instead that a Harpoon missile be used instead to damage the flight deck instead. Kikuchi counters, however, that during the Battle of Coral Sea, USS Yorktown was back in operation only after 3 hours' repairs after a similar damage, and besides, since "Mirai" came back in time, Allied forces have constantly seen it as an enemy and sought to destroy it, "Mirai" can't run forever and hold back punches if its crew are to survive. Captain Umezu agrees but first sends a warning to the "Wasp" and orders that the Tomahawk be self-destructed if the American ship calls off the second attack. Unfortunately, the American Admiral Noyes believes the warning is a bluff. The I-21 observes the launch of the Tomahawk and Kadomatsu lays the blame for the upcoming loss of lives on Taki, which makes an impression on Capt. Shimamoto, the submarine’s commander. It is revealed that, just two months before they were to graduate from the Maritime Defense Academy, the Gulf War broke out and the prospect of Japan sending warships in support of US operations against Iraq was raised. Kikuchi decided to drop out rather than risk the possibility of being involved in killing--which led to Kadomatsu and Oguri coming to blows. Kikuchi decided to stay in the SDF for the sake of their friendship.

*Episode 23. Sinking the "Wasp" - The Tomahawk missile hits the "Wasp". Its explosion and resulting secondary explosions from the carrier’s munitions and armed aircraft destroy the ship and it sinks. The crew abandons ship before it goes down so not all are lost. Gunnery Officer Kikuchi is racked with guilt over his decision, even though he still believes it the only acceptable option. On the I-21, Lt. Commander Taki wants to launch torpedoes to sink the "Mirai", but Kadomatsu says the sub will have to surface to make the attack, since its batteries are nearly dead from following the destroyer at high speed submerged. Surfacing will make it vulnerable to retaliation. Captain Shimamoto, supports Kadomatsu’s statement, even though it is not really true. Taki is ordered to abort his mission and report back to Japan, but warns Kadomatsu that he will not find safety in Japan as they are many like him who wish to see the "Mirai" stopped.

*Episode 24. The Dead and the Alive - Following the previous episodes' events, people on all sides are having hard time coping with what has so far transpired. On a U.S. destroyer carrying the survivors of the battle against the "Mirai", Commander Hutton is a drunken wreck, seized by the nightmares of the battle and melancholy over the many subordinates he lost. On the Mirai, the crew is also coping with the shock of the battle and loss of their comrades--to the point that Gunnery Officer Kikuchi had to be sedated. On Guadalcanal, where the Ichiki detachment has just been wiped out, Lt. Commander Okamura is tending to a group of tattered Japanese survivors. The survivors include a very dejected Lt. Colonel Tsuji. Okamura convinces Tsuji that he must report to the Imperial GHQ about the difficulties that the Japanese troops are facing on Guadalcanal and urge a prompt evacuation to save the lives of thousands. In Tokyo, General Ishiwara meets Admiral Yonai at a restaurant, who remarks that "Mirai" must be destroyed for the sake of Japan's future.

*Episode 25. Coming Home - Upon "returning" to Yokosuka, the crew of "Mirai" find that the navy has arranged to have them dock away from the harbor, under the guns of a naval artillery battery. Feeling suspicious, "Mirai" contacts the Yokosuka Naval Base to demand that someone with real authority be sent to negotiate the conditions of their stay. The navy brass are divided over what to do, but Admiral Yonai enters the conference room to volunteer himself as the envoy and goes to "Mirai" alone. Onboard the "Mirai", Yonai remarks to Captain Umezu and Kadomatsu that he'd rather see "Mirai" reduced to a pile of scrap metal. He reminds them that they are not of this era and that it is best that Japan lose the war to awaken her people from the allure of imperialism and militarism. Even if the defeat costs lives of millions, it is necessary to shock the Japanese people into rejecting the military dictatorship so that Japan could prosper for the next 100 years. Yonai suggests that the crew of "Mirai" should seek to preserve their lives so that they can help rebuild the postwar Japan, not involve themselves needlessly in changing the course of the war, even for the sake of saving lives. Kadomatsu has trouble accepting this line of argument. Meantime, the car carrying Lt. Commander Taki and another naval officer runs over a young boy near the harbor--who, in next episode, is revealed to be Kadomatsu's (in this period) eight year old father. At the same time, Lt. Tsuda meets Lt. Commander Kusaka at Hotel New Grand in Yokohama, where the latter reveals his plans for 'Zipang' and announces that he will be soon leaving for Manchuria.

*Episode 26. The Place of Return - Having been granted a shore leave by the Japanese Navy, Kadomatsu goes to his father's home town in Tokyo's Fukugawa district to find him and unburden himself of old family ghosts--his father and grandfather had an extremely uneasy relationship. However, he finds out to his shock that his father, as an 8 year old in this era, was hit by a car (carrying Lt. Commander Taki) and died three days before. Stunned, Kadomatsu finally accepts that Japan of this time is not the Japan of his future and decides to hunt down Kusaka, who is actively changing the past. He visits former Prime Minister Yonai with his new resolve and learns that Kusaka is most likely heading to Hsinking, Manchuria, seeking to fulfill his and General Ishiwara's dream of using Manchuria as the economic heartland of a powerful undefeated Japanese Empire. Admiral Yonai offers to arrange contact with his colleagues in Shanghai who might be able to help, but Kirin is far away from Shanghai. Kadomatsu returns to "Mirai" to inform the captain of his decision to leave the ship to pursue Kusaka on the Asian mainland and learns that the navy has agreed to provide "Mirai" with supplies on the condition that her crew submit to the Imperial Navy command and help them with strategic planning for the war, among other things. The crew has finally accepted that the only way to survive in this era is to cast their lot with the Japanese Empire after all. However, in case the navy might attempt to take over the ship against their will, the crew has rigged the ship with explosives. In the meantime, Lt. Commander Kusaka is heading to Manchuria in a train under an assumed name, Wang To-Hai (王拓海)(To-hai is Takumi in Chinese pronunciation), disguised as a Chinese. The episode ends in a cliffhanger: the future fate of the "Mirai" remains as uncertain as ever. Kadomatsu has just arrived at Shanghai, starting his search for Kusaka in China. Kusaka is engaged in his own schemes in China as he seeks to change the course of the war.

Characters in "Zipang"

*Kadomatsu Yosuke(角松洋介) - JMSDF Commander and second-in-command of the "Mirai". He adheres strictly to the ideals of the postwar Self Defense Forces and considers saving lives, regardless of consequences, as his most important duty. His father was also a JMSDF officer and appears frequently in flashbacks.
*Kusaka Takumi(草加拓海)- An IJN Lt. Commander whose courier plane was shot down during the Battle of Midway and rescued by Kadomatsu. He considers the encounter with the "Mirai" as an opportunity to change the history for the "better" (from his perspective, at least.) He rejects both the militarism of the Japanese Empire and shame of defeat that he attributes to the postwar Japan. Instead, he seeks to create a new undefeated Japan that he calls "Zipang." While he admires the humanism of Kadomatsu, he dismisses it as a luxury unsuited for wartime and is willing to shed a great deal of blood in pursuit of his ideals.
*Kikuchi Masayuki(菊池雅行) - JMSDF Lt. Commander, Gunnery Officer of the "Mirai", and a classmate of both Kadomatsu and Oguri from the Officer Candidate School. He had joined the Self Defense Force for economic reasons and consistently seek to avoid situations where he might be forced to take lives. In 1991, just the possibility of Japan sending warships to support U.S. operations against Iraq during the Gulf War was enough to cause him to resign from the academy--although his commitment to friendship with Kadomatsu and Oguri is such that he decided not to resign when his departure threatened to strain their friendship. His fear of taking human life backfires on him badly when he holds back punches against the U.S. naval aircraft attacking Mirai--and results in a serious damage to the "Mirai" and many casualties. In addition, he is extremely fearful of changing the past--and its possible consequences: from the minute the "Mirai" goes back to the past, he warns everyone of the dire danger of changing the past.
*Oguri Kouhei (尾栗康平)- JMSDF Lt. Commander, Navigation Officer of the "Mirai", and a classmate to both Kadomatsu and Kikuchi. Unlike Katomatsu and Kikuchi, he is not racked by inner conflict following the "Mirai's" arrival in 1942. Rather, he is a happy-go-lucky character who believes that they went back in time for a reason.

Principal cast

DVD Release

"Zipang" was licensed for release in North America by Geneon Entertainment with DVD release starting in September 2006.

*Screen Ratio: Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic)
*Layers: Single Side, Single Layer
*Release Date: 9/5/2006
*Subtitles: English
*Packaging: Keep case
*Audio Tracks: ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Stereo and JAPANESE: Dolby Digital Stereo

Media

*The Japanese company Pit Road has released a 1/700 scale plastic kit of the JDS "Mirai" that includes a tilt-rotor MVSA-32J Umidori (Seagull), also in 1/700 scale.

*The Japanese company F-Toys has produced a set of five “trade” kits that include the "Mirai", the MVSA-32J Umidori, the USS "Wasp", the I-21 submarine and a Type 2 float plane. The set was released on March 21, 2005 and the scales vary.

*A game version of "Zipang" (in PlayStation 2 format) was released by Bandai in Japan on May 26, 2005.
* [http://www.mmv.co.jp Marvelous Entertainment Inc.] of Tokyo released the soundtrack CD on March 24, 2005 (catalogue number MJCD-20025).

Continuity Errors/Mistakes

*In the English dub version, most commissioned officers are addressed by the rank “Lieutenant”, even though their rank insignia indicate they may be a Major, Colonel, Commander or Lt. Commander. (Most Navy captains and above are given their correct rank, except for the captain (艦長) of the USS "Wasp," who is also referred to as "Lieutenant" in the subtitles for some reason best known to Geneon)--despite that he is clearly wearing the insignia of a naval captain and is referred to as "Captain" (大佐) in Japanese.
*In a map of Indonesia, a city in Sumatra is incorrectly spelled as "Tubuk Linggau", when the correct name is actually "Lubuk Linggau".
* While in Johor, Kusaka and Kadamatsu board a train at Muar. The train station depicted in Muar was not built until after the war.
* To sink the USS "Wasp," the "Mirai" uses a Tomahawk. Aegis Destroyers typically handle ship-to-ship conflicts with Harpoon missiles. While Tomahawk is a submarine/air/ship ground attack missile intended for attacking land targets, there was an antiship Tomahawk missile variant (TASM) which was retired in the early 1990s. More importantly, Japanese Self-Defence Force ships are not allowed to carry offensive weaponry such as Tomahawk missiles. This is either a mistake or an indication that the "Mirai" exists in an alternate universe.

ee also

The Final Countdown
Axis of Time

External links

* [http://www.e-morning.jp/ZIPANG/index.html "Zipang" at the "Weekly Morning" site (Japanese)]
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*imdb title|id=0963150|title=Zipang
* [http://ps2.ign.com/objects/732/732145.html "Zipang" (the game) at the "IGN" site]