Kino's Journey

:anime voices|Junko Midori (Japanese anime), Jennie Welch (English anime), Akeno Watanabe (second video game):Shishou is Kino's master who taught her marksmanship. She lives in the forest and does not travel. Her name literally means "mentor" or "master" in Japanese. In the final episode of the anime, which chronologically takes place before most other episodes, the gunsmith that made The Cannon told Kino he gave the gun to a young woman that insisted everyone call her "Shishou". She traveled between countries and stirred up trouble wherever she went, meaning that Shishou was once a traveler.

Media

Light novels

"Kino's Journey" began as a series of light novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa, and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. The series originally started serialization in MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine "Dengeki hp" with the release of volume six on March 17, 2000. [cite web|url= http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/users_s/d_hp/archive_hp/hp_1_10.php#hp06|title="Dengeki hp" volume 6|publisher=ASCII Media Works |accessdate=2008-03-23|language= Japanese] The first bound volume of the series was published on July 10, 2000 by ASCII Media Works under their "Dengeki Bunko" publishing label. As of October 10, 2008, twelve volumes have been published. The eighth volume of "Kino's Journey", originally published in October 2004, was "Dengeki Bunko"'s one-thousandth published novel. [citeweb|url=http://www.honya-town.co.jp/hst/HTdispatch?nips_cd=997877193X |title=Kino's Journey Japanese light novel volume 8 listing|publisher=Honya Town|accessdate=2008-06-07|language=Japanese] An additional volume entitled Nihongo|"Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- Country of Theater -Kino-"|キノの旅 -the Beautiful World- 劇場の国 -KINO-|Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- Gekijō no Kuni -KINO- was only released as a promotional gift for the second animated movie. [cite web|url= http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/topics/070320_moviefes/index.php|title=Dengeki Bunko Movie Festival press release by ASCII Media Works|publisher=ASCII Media Works|date=2007-10-30|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] A collection of special chapters entitled "Kino's Journey: the Sigsawa's World" came with the first volume of ASCII Media Works' light novel magazine "Dengeki Bunko Magazine" on April 10, 2008.

The light novel series has also been translated into Chinese and Korean, and is in the process of being translated into German. Tokyopop has licensed of the novels under the original title "Kino no Tabi" for release in North America, and the first volume was published on October 3, 2006. The chapter order of Tokyopop's English release of the first volume differed from the original Japanese release. According to Tokyopop representatives, there are issues with the licensor that have resulted in the delay of the remaining volumes. As such, there is no release date set for the second volume. Tokyopop used images from chapter-title pages from the original novels for use as the English novel covers. For instance, the first novel uses the sixth chapter-title page from the first novel, and the second novel uses the second chapter-title page also from the first novel.

A spin-off of the regular series under the title "Gakuen Kino" was also created. The first volume of the spin-off series was released on July 10, 2006 under "Dengeki Bunko", and the second volume was released on July 10, 2007. The series is a collection of parodies originally published in three spin-off magazines of "Dengeki hp": "Dengeki p", "Dengeki h", and "Dengeki hpa". The spin-off features Kino as a magical girl in a school setting. "Gakuen Kino" was translated into Chinese in January 2007 and Korean in May 2007.

Art books

A ninety-six-page art book containing illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi was released by ASCII Media Works in March 2003. The book contained illustrations from "Kino's Journey" and the "Allison" series of light novels, which is created by the same people as with "Kino's Journey". Also included in the art book are original illustrations never released in the novel volumes, and an original "Kino's Journey" short story by Keiichi Sigsawa.cite web|url= http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/page2.php|title=ASCII Media Works' listing of additional "Kino's Journey" books|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] Three picture books were also released by ASCII Media Works under their "Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel" label. The first, released on December 3, 2003, contained forty-eight pages and is entitled Nihongo|"Country of Memories -Their Memories-"|記憶の国 -Their Memories-|Kioku no Kuni -Their Memories-. The first picture book came bundled with an audio CD containing image songs (one of which is based on the tune of Pachelbel's Canon). The second book, released on March 30, 2005, contained eighty pages and is entitled Nihongo|"The Traveler's Story -You-"|旅人の話 -You-|Tabibito no Hanashi -You-. The second book was released in two editions, with the difference between the two being a DVD of the first animated film "Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something –Life Goes On–". The third book, released on December 25, 2007, contained forty pages and is entitled Nihongo|"My Country -Own Will-"|わたしの国 -Own Will-|Watashi no Kuni -Own Will-. The third book came bundled with a DVD of the second animated film "Kino's Journey: Country of Illness -For You-".

Anime

An anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T and Genco, and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura, aired on the WOWOW satellite television network between April 8, 2003 and July 8, 2003, containing thirteen episodes. [citeweb|url= http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/kino2.php|title="Kino's Journey" official episode listing|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-24|language=Japanese] [cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1965&page=25|title=Kino's Journey (TV) episode listing|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2008-03-24] [citeweb|url=http://www.wowow.co.jp/drama_anime/kino/epi.html|title="Kino's Journey" episode list at WOWOW|publisher=WOWOW|accessdate=2008-03-24|language=Japanese] The anime series was also broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax, who also aired the series across its worldwide networks in Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia. The episodes were released on six DVD compilations released between June 18, 2003 and November 19, 2003; the first volume contained three episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained two episodes. The series was re-released on DVD in popular editions again in six volumes, with the first three volumes bundled together and sold on January 19, 2005, and the last three volumes bundled together and sold on February 16, 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.kinonotabi.com/dvd.html|title=DVD section at the anime's official website|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese ] In addition to the main series, there is also a twelve-minute long prologue entitled "Episode 0: The Tower Country -Freelance-" which was released as an original video animation with the first animated movie's DVD release on October 19, 2005.cite web|url=http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/page5.php|title=CD/DVD section at ASCII Media Works' official website for "Kino's Journey"|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese]

The thirteen-episode anime series has been licensed for North American distribution by ADV Films. The episodes were initially released on four DVD compilations released between February 24, 2004 and June 29, 2004; the first volume contained four episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained three episodes. The first DVD volume was sold in two editions, with the difference between the two being a series box all four DVDs could fit inside.citeweb|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1965|title=Kino's Journey (TV)|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate= 2008-03-24] A DVD box set entitled "Kino's Journey: The Complete Collection" was released on October 25, 2005 containing three discs. [citeweb| url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/releases.php?id=5310|title=Kino's Journey - Thinpak Collection (DVD 1-4 of 4)| publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate= 2008-03-24]

Visual novels

"Kino's Journey" has been adapted into two visual novel adventure games for the PlayStation 2 by Tycoon and ASCII Media Works. The first game, entitled "Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World-", was released on July 17, 2003, and a "best" version was later released on November 25, 2004. Most of the story for the first game is taken from volumes one, two, three, five, and six of the original light novels, but there is one scenario written specifically for the game by Keiichi Sigsawa. [cite web|url=http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/kino1.php|title=Kino's Journey first visual novel official website|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] The second game, entitled "Kino's Journey II -the Beautiful World-", was released on December 1, 2005, and a "best" version was later released on March 8, 2007. Like the first game, most of the story is taken from the light novels, but there is another original scenario written by Sigsawa. [cite web|url= http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/kino2/system.php|title=Second Kino's Journey visual novel gameplay system|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] Additionally, the second game came bundled with a thirty-six page book entitled Nihongo|"Various Stories -a Beautiful Dreamer-"|いろいろな話 -a Beautiful Dreamer-|Iroirona Hanashi -a Beautiful Dreamer- containing the story of the original scenario written for the game. [cite web|url=http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/kino2/special.php|title=Second Kino's Journey visual novel special bundle|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] Both of the visual novels were voiced, mainly using the same cast from the anime series. At one time, ASCII Media Works had planned to release a version for the PlayStation Portable. [cite web|url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/549/549974p1.html| title=TGS 2004: New PSP Games Announced|publisher=IGN| date=2004-09-21|accessdate=2008-03-23]

Movies

Two anime movies have been created as part of the "Kino's Journey" series. The first, Nihongo|"Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something –Life Goes On–"|何かをするために―life goes on.―|Nanika o Suru Tame ni –life goes on.– was produced by A.C.G.T and directed by Takashi Watanabe. It premiered in Japanese theaters on February 19, 2005. Spanning thirty-minutes, the film is a prequel to the series, showing Kino being trained by her teacher, learning to ride Hermes, and discovering her naturally excellent marksmanship before eventually deciding to return the original Kino's coat to his mother.

The second film, Nihongo|"Kino's Journey: Country of Illness -For You-"|キノの旅：病気の国 -For You-|Kino no Tabi: Byōki no Kuni -For You-, premiered on April 21, 2007 as one of the three movies released at Dengeki Bunko's Movie Festival. [cite web|url=http://www.dengekibunko-movie.com|title= Dengeki Bunko Movie Festival official website|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese ] Produced by Shaft and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura, it follows Kino and Hermes journey to a highly advanced country where the people live confined in a sealed environment. By request of her father, Kino tells about her travels to a sick girl who is hospitalized there.

Music and audio CDs

A "Kino's Journey" drama CD was available through mail order via volume fifteen of MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine "Dengeki hp" released on December 18, 2001. [cite web| url=http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/users_s/d_hp/archive_hp/hp_11_20.php#hp15|title="Dengeki hp" volume 15|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] The drama tracks on the CD were originally broadcast on ASCII Media Works' radio program "Dengeki Taishō" in 2001. Two pieces of theme music were used for the anime: one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "All the way" by Mikuni Shimokawa and the ending theme is "the Beautiful World" by Ai Maeda; both singles were released on June 18, 2003.cite web|url=http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/page5.php|title=CD/DVD section at the ASCII Media Works' official website for "Kino's Journey"|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] The original soundtrack for the first visual novel was released on July 24, 2003. The ending theme for the first animated film was Nihongo|"Hajimari no Nichi"|始まりの日 by Ai Maeda, and was released on Maeda's "Night Fly" album on March 16, 2005. The second animated film's ending theme is "Bird" by Mikuni Shimokawa, and the single was released on March 14, 2007.

Reception

As of the release of the eleventh light novel on October 10, 2007, over 5.6 million copies of the novels have been sold in Japan.cite web|url=http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/page1.php|title=ASCII Media Works' official listing of the light novels|publisher=ASCII Media Works|accessdate=2008-03-23|language=Japanese] The first novel which was published in the US generated positive reviews. Newtype USA named it the Book of the Month for November 2006 and called it "inviting and addictive," [cite web|url=http://www.newtype-usa.com/reviews/index.php?itemid=343&catid=38|title=Book of the Month - November 2006: Kino no Tabi Volume 1|publisher=Newtype USA|accessdate=2008-03-23] while AnimeOnDVD said it "sucks you in," and "allows you to experience the journey" with the main character. [citeweb|url= http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/manga/manga.php?manga_view=2794|title=Anime on DVD Reviews: Kino no Tabi (novel) Vol. #01|accessdate=2008-03-23] The series has ranked three times in Takarajimasha's light novel guide book "Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!": second in 2006, fifth in 2007, and sixth in 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.kinonotabi.com Official website] ja icon
* [http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/d_original/kino/index.php "Kino's Journey"] at ASCII Media Works ja icon
* [http://www.dengekibunko-movie.com/movie_kino.html Second animated film's official website] jp icon
* [http://www.tokyopop.com/popfiction/books.php?book=2 "Kino's Journey"] at Tokyopop
* [http://www.kinosjourney.com/about.shtml "Kino's Journey"] at ADV Films
*ann anime|id=1965