Black Cat (manga)

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Black Cat


caption = Cover of the manga Black Cat, volume 1.
ja_name = ブラックキャット
ja_name_trans = Burakku Kyatto
genre = Adventure, Fantasy, Science fictionInfobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Kentaro Yabuki
publisher = flagicon|Japan Shueisha
publisher_en = flagicon|United States Shōnen Jump
flagicon|Canada VIZ Media
flagicon|Australia flagicon|New Zealand Madman Entertainment
publisher_other = flagicon|Singapore Chuang Yi
flagicon|France Glénat
flagicon|Italy Star Comics
flagicon|Germany Carlsen Comics
demographic = Shōnen
magazine = Weekly Shōnen Jump
first = 2000
last = 2004
volumes = 20 [Ann manga|id=3070. Accessed 2007-02-21.] Infobox animanga/Anime
title =
director = Shin Itagaki
studio = Gonzo
licensor = flagicon|US flagicon|Canada Funimation
flagicon|UK MVM Films
flagicon|Australia flagicon|New Zealand Madman Entertainment
flagicon|France Kaze
network = flagicon|Japan Animax, TBS
network_other = flagicon|Singapore flagicon|Malaysia flagicon|Hong Kong flagicon|Philippines flagicon|India flagicon|KOR Animax
flagicon|United States FUNimation Channel
flagicon|Australia flagicon|New Zealand Adult Swim
first = 6 October 2005
last = 30 March 2006
episodes = 24citeweb|url=http://www.animax-asia.com/schedule/download/sea-daily-schedule-apr07.pdf
title=Animax Southeast Asia's official daily schedule for April 2007|accessdate=2007-05-13|format=PDF] Infobox animanga/Novel
light = yes
title = Black Cat: Hoshi no Zanshou
author = Tomohito Ōsaki
publisher = flagicon|Japan Shueisha
first = October 2005
last =
volumes = 1

nihongo|"Black Cat"|ブラックキャット|Burakku Kyatto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki with an anime adaptation. It was serialized in Japan in Shueisha's "Weekly Shōnen Jump" and collected in 20 "tankōbon" volumes. It is licensed in English in North America by VIZ Media, with 15 volumes published as of August 2008.

The series was adapted by Gonzo as a 24-episode animated television series, directed by Shin Itagaki. It aired in Japan on the anime satellite television network Animax and the terrestrial TBS network from October 6 2005 to March 30 2006. One episode, the 15th, was not broadcast by TBS, but only by Animax. This episode was included on the Japanese DVDs and broadcast by Animax on its other international networks worldwide (including dubbing and translating the series on its English-language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia). The anime is licensed for distribution in North America by Funimation. The DVDs are being released in the United Kingdom by MVM Films, and in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment.

ummary

The story centers on a man named Train Heartnet who withdrew from an elite group of assassins called the "Toki no Bannin" (時の番人; the Chronos Numbers) to become a "Sweeper" (a bounty hunter).

In Train's world, there is a secret organization, Chronos, that rules one third of the world's economy through underground control of almost every kind of business. To maintain the balance of the world, Chronos is essential, and therefore, there is the need to have people to protect Chronos. Besides all normal erasers, there are special elite assassins with Orichalcum-made weapons called the Chrono Numbers. Chrono Numbers have their numbers engraved on their body and their weapon. There were twelve total Chrono Numbers, but when Train Heartnet, an unsurpassable shooter, decided to join Chronos in their cause, the number XIII was founded. No one that was targeted by Train Heartnet, also known as Black Cat, for bringing "bad luck", and his extremely quick movements and attacks, ever survived. The name Black Cat was the most feared among assassins.

His only objective was "to be the best". In one of his missions, he had to kill a target, but the target's child was at the scene. Train, recalling his childhood trauma, could not kill the target in front of his child, leading to him being shot by the target's bodyguard.

Eventually, he met Saya Minatsuki, who was a sweeper. Through his contact with Saya, Train changed drastically, a change that culminated with leaving Chronos. However, a man who admired Train in an obsessive way, Creed Diskenth, did not accept that an elite assassin was being changed that way. Creed then set out to kill Saya, while Train was not there. Train reached the scene too late and tried to fight Creed, but he escaped.

Two years later, Train is a Sweeper, traveling with his partners Sven Vollfied and Eve. Their lives as sweepers are about to be changed when the present is invaded by the past: Creed Diskenth, after two years of being away, returns. And he wishes to meet Train, with a proposal to become his partner.

A running gag in the anime is usually for a white cat to appear at a time when a character makes a joke but also appears in different places such as in Eve's crystal ball and on one page of Sven's newspaper in episode 13 and 21. The white cat also appears as a shield used by Train whenever Kyoko wants to kiss him.

*This Is the plot for the Anime series, the Manga Plot begins two years after Train has left Chronos with slightly different events on how Train comes to meet Sven, Eve, Rinslet, and any other characters.

Main characters

;Train Heartnet:anime voices|Takashi Kondō|Jason Liebrecht:Also known as Black Cat and the main protagonist in the story, he starts as a ruthless assassin but learns compassion from Saya Minatsuki. After his change of heart (after he met Saya) , he works as a sweeper alongside Sven and Eve. He always wears a bell around his neck to remind him of what he once was and could once more become. He has a gun made just for him by Chronos, called Hades. He also has a soft spot for women and children, especially when tears are shed.

;Sven Vollfied:anime voices|Keiji Fujiwara|Brandon Potter:Sven was once an agent for the IBI. These days, he is a 30-year-old, perpetually-broke sweeper and Train's partner. When he meets Eve, he befriends her and treats her like a person instead of a weapon. He has an eye that can see a few seconds or minutes into the future, but it either puts a strain on him or drains all his energy. This eye was given to him at the age of 23 by his precognitive IBI partner and close friend, who used his power to see Sven's demise and sacrificed himself to save him. Sven follows a strict "gentlemen's code" and never ignores a woman in trouble.

;Eve:anime voices|Misato Fukuen|Brina Palencia:A genetically-engineered bio-weapon, she uses nanotechnology to transform her body. While she was raised like a lab rat, Sven treats her like a real person and opens up her world. She tends to follow Sven, and since he and Train are so close, she treats Train as her rival as both a Sweeper and an object of Sven's attention. Eve later looks up to Sven as her father. She is affectionately called "princess" by Train. She also has photographic memory. In nearly every episode, she is seen reading a new book. It becomes a sort of gag in early episodes as she read an Aesop's fable about mice putting a bell around the neck of a bad cat, which she mimicked, placing a large bell around Train's neck.

;Rinslet Walker:anime voices|Yukana|Jamie Marchi:A world-class thief also known as Rins who will work for anyone, from the government to mob bosses. She claims she can steal anything and manipulate any man. She sometimes works alongside Train and Sven. She always has money in her pockets, regardless of how it might have gotten there.

;Creed Diskenth:anime voices|Shinichiro Miki|Chris Patton:An ex-Eraser of Chronos, and admirer of Train. His obsession with Train leads him to kill the Sweeper Saya Minatsuki, believing that she bewitches him. Soon after leaving Chronos, he forms a group known as the Apostles of the Stars to start a revolution against the world status quo which he considers corrupt. His greatest wish is to have Train join him as one of the leaders of his group. His primary weapon is a sword called Imagine Blade or Kotetsu which he can extend and transform to any appearance, including invisibility.

;Saya Minatsuki:anime voices|Megumi Toyoguchi|Caitlin Glass:Before her death Saya was an accomplished sweeper, whose fun loving spirit and easy likability made her Train Heartnet's first real friend. Her involvement with him lead to his more human outlook on life and his departure of the Chrono numbers.:After seeing how close the two were, Creed grew jealous of the "witch", saying that she was clouding Train's mind. Creed murdered Saya with the use of his sword, the Kotetsu. She died in Train's arms during a fireworks show, the thing she was most looking forward to see. Because of the bond that she and Train shared, her positive influence remains with him long after she had died. While she was alive she was always seen wearing a yukata, which she especially liked because of her interest in traditional clothing, and the fact that she thought she looked cute in it.

Glossary

; Sweepers: In the world of "Black Cat", Sweepers are professionals that specialize in capturing criminals for rewards. Sweepers are not unlike bounty hunters; they are licensed by the government and free to move about as they please, however, unlike real-life bounty hunters Sweepers are internationally accepted and endorsed by the governments of the world and respected for their contribution to maintaining justice. Pamphlets with information on criminals are spread throughout the world in public places like bars, where Sweepers hang out. : Sweepers vary in their appearance and style of fighting, and many times conflicts erupt among themselves when two or more sweepers go after the same target. The criminals that Sweepers have to capture are classified in levels, which range from F to SS, F being the least dangerous and SS the most dangerous. Legendary criminals who may never be captured are considered SS, the most violent and powerful. An example of the SS is Creed Diskenth, leader and the most powerful member of the Apostles of the Stars.

; Chronos: Chronos is the secret organization that rules one third of the world through underground business in various areas. Despite being a secret society, most characters who spent at least some of their time digging into the underworld know that they exist. Incidentally almost all speaking characters in the series seem to know of Chronos and the Numbers. Most of the Chronos members occupy high positions, such as mayors and politicians, among others. To protect the interests of Chronos, assassins are employed and are in the command of the three wise men in charge of Chronos, the highest of them being Willzark. Willzark commands a secret force of the best assassins in the world, sworn to protect Chronos, called the ChronosNumbers (also called the Chrono Numbers or simply the Numbers), which range from No. I to No. XIII (More information on the Characters Section). : Lower in the hierarchy are the Chronos Erasers, which are assassins in service of Chronos. An example is Creed Diskenth. Other members of Chronos play important roles in the story in the manga, such as Carl Walken, which is the mayor of a town that raised Train and asks him personally to take out a Taoshi who has been causing considerable damage in his city, Gyanza Rujike. : In the anime, the Zero Numbers send a swarm of nano-machine beasts to destroy the Chronos Headquarters while the Numbers were away on Craken Island, killing the three wisemen. Financial support from practically all sources is cut, but Sephiria, No. I, and the remaining numbers decide to continue in Chronos, although they will have to raise it from its ashes.

; The Apostles of the Stars: Sometimes simply referred to by the characters in "Black Cat" as "The Apostles", they are revolutionary group led by Creed Diskenth. Their aim is to "clean the world of filth"; that is to say, kill people who cannot achieve the Power of Tao. Naturally, every member of the Apostles of The Stars has a power of Taoshi origin, which are awakened through the Shinkitou, a drink only concocted by Master Taoshis, such as Shiki. However, because of the fact that some of them only aquired taoist powers through this drink, thry are a bit misguided, not even bothering to test this drink on everyone.Another member of the Apostles, Maro, is also from the forbidden Continent, and together with Shiki, they bear the most traditional Tao power, such as controlling and summoning bugs (Shiki), using ink marks (Shiki) and controlling gravity (Maro). : Other members of the Apostles rely on more "deviant" powers, such as Creed's "Imagine Blade" in the manga, which is a sword that can expand for miles depending on Creed's mental power, even though in the anime Creed's power is just the materialization of a small invisible sword, in replacement for his old Kotetsu, broken by Train. Other Tao powers include Kyoko's "Fire Breath", Charden's "Blood", Durham's "Magic Shot" or Echidna's "Gate". : The Apostles do not just wish to bring about a world revolution, but they seek revenge against Chronos. Creed due to his expulsion after killing Saya, and Shiki and Maro due to the war that happened between the Taoshi and Chronos long ago, which decimated the Taoshi from the Secret Continent. Although Tao has been the primary source of the Apostles' power, Creed also relies on Doctor's investigations on Nanomachines to grant him eternal power and elevate him to a god.

; The Taoshi War: Many decades in the past, there was a war between the Taoshi and Chronos. Chronos eventually won, even though not all Taoshi were killed. The survivors among the Taoshi that make an appearance in Black Cat are no more no less than Shiki and Maro, which upon meeting Creed grant him the power of Tao in exchange for an alliance which objective was to destroy Chronos and bring about a revolution to this planet, which would choose the Taoshi among the people, and rid everyone else.: In the anime, the only Number in the current Chronos that witnessed this War was Mason, who himself became a Taoshi and was granted with the Sacred Technique. However, he had kept this from everybody in Chronos, planning the Eden project for a long time (More information below).

; Nanomachines, Eve, Dr. Tearju, and Dr. Kanzaki: The nanomachine investigation by Dr. Tearju Lunatique allowed her to achieve the knowledge that might allow her to create a prototype of a human that could transform and eventually become the ultimate weapon. In the manga, Creed Diskenth financed the research of Dr. Tearju, hired by Torneo Ludman, to create Eve, which would be the perfect weapon for him to use, while in exchange Torneo promised to have Dr. Tearju research nanomachines in the areas that were of Creed's interest, such as the legendary immortality nanomachines. : Eventually, Dr. Tearju realizes she couldn't continue her research, and for the sake of mankind's safety, quit. However, due to blackmail from her former assistant, one of the Apostles, Dr. Kanzaki, she was forced to give him the nanomachine research documents, the information therein he then used and perfected, turning Creed into a being with godlike powers. Worth noting is that in the Anime, Dr. Tearju didn't give the documents, they were instead stolen by the Doctor. In the anime, he also used them to produce the Eden machine that would activate when combined with Eve.

; The Zero Numbers and Eden (Anime Only): The Zero Numbers are the Chrono Numbers gathered by Mason to aid him in the Eden project, which he planned since Eve's creation by Dr. Tearju. Eden refers to both the plan and colossal flying machine created by the Zero Numbers, with the aim to bring about a "world peace". The main plan involved spreading a cloud of mind controlling nanomachines on the planet, turning every single person on Earth into creatures without a mind of their own, only capable of obeying the Zero Numbers. The Zero numbers were also implanted with nanomachines that allowed them to be immortal within Eden's energy field. : After kidnapping Eve from Train and Sven, Mason allows her to merge with Eden's control program Adam, setting the Eden plan in motion. It is revealed that Mason deliberately left Eve in Train and Sven's care, with the intention of preparing her mind for Eden through her interaction with the two.

Reception

Media

Manga

"Black Cat" was published in Japan by Shueisha in "Weekly Shōnen Jump" from 2000 to 2004 and collected in 20 tankobon volumes. It is licensed in English in North America by VIZ Media, with 15 volumes published as of July 2008.cite web | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=3070 | title=Black Cat (manga) | publisher=Anime News Network | accessdate=2008-02-04]

Anime

"Black Cat" was adapted as a 24-episode anime television series by Gonzo, directed by Shin Itagaki. It first aired on 6 October 2005 in Japan, and its final episode aired on 30 March 2006. The anime vaguely follows the manga, but only at a few points such as the battle at Creeds castle (however the anime does not end there as the manga does).Fact|date=April 2008 Characters remain the same with the same names, but how they meet and interact is quite different.

Music

Original Soundtrack

There was an original soundtrack CD released in 2006, entitled "Black Cat Original Soundtrack Nikukyu". It contains 24 tracks, including 1 TV-sized opening theme and 2 TV-sized ending themes and numerous background music.

*Release date: March 15, 2006

*Songs List:01 - Konoyo no Uta (Piano ver.)
02 - Katarare Zaru Mono no Densetsu
03 - Kuroki Neko
04 - Gekkou
05 - Si,tu sei diverso
06 - ACCETTAMI
07 - Shi wo Kizamu Byoushin
08 - Futten
09 - White Jacket
10 - Fureau Kokoro
11 - Bounty Hunter
12 - Gureigu Yard
13 - Hungry Kitchen
14 - Yajuu no Chi
15 - Kinji Rareta Kioku
16 - Tsumeato
17 - Your Sou
18 - Red Zone
19 - Genzai
20 - The Toranpu
21 - Konoyo no Uta
22 - Daia no Hana (Anime ver.)
23 - Namida Boshi (Anime ver.)
24 - Kutsuzure (Anime ver.)

Light novel

With the permission from the author, Kentaro Yabuki, Tomohito Ōsaki wrote a light novel.

Black Cat: Hoshi no Zanshou (ISBN 4087031608)
*Release date: October, 2005

Drama CDs

There were three drama CD's released in 2005, although now one of them is now out of print.citeweb|url=http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=NEOSL-10812
title=CDJapan.co.jp on the Drama CD of Black Cat|accessdate=2007-07-28]

Black Cat Drama CD Series 1
*Release date: February 28, 2005Black Cat Drama CD Series 2
*Release date: July 1, 2005Black Cat Drama CD Series 3
*Release date: October 14, 2005

The cast for the voice actors in the drama CD is the same as the anime.

Video games

There were 2 video games released in Japan.

BLACK CAT ～Kikai Shikake no Tenshi～ - Playstation 2

*Release date: March 30, 2006 BLACK CAT ～Kuro Neko no Concerto(Kyousou Kyoku)～ - Nintendo DS

*Release date: June 21, 2007

Video game appearances

"Black Cat" characters appeared in "Jump Super Stars", with Eve as a playable character, while Traub and others are support or help. Train and Eve are also battle characters in the sequel, "Jump Ultimate Stars".

References

External links

* [http://www.j-blackcat.com "Black Cat" official site] jp icon
* [http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/blackcat/ TBS's "Black Cat" anime official site]
* [http://www.blackcat-tv.com FUNimation's Official "Black" Cat site]
*ann anime|id=5245
*ann manga|id=3070