March Comes in Like a Lion

March Comes in Like a Lion
March Comes in Like a Lion
Sangatsu no Lion.jpg
The cover of the first chapter in Young Animal
3月のライオン
(Sangatsu no Raion)
Genre Romance, Sports (Shōgi), Comedy
Manga
Written by Chika Umino
Published by Hakusensha
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Young Animal (from its fourteenth issue of 2007)
Original run July 13, 2007 – ongoing
Volumes 6
Anime and Manga Portal

March Comes in Like a Lion (3月のライオン Sangatsu no Raion?, lit. March Lion; alternatively called Sangatsu no Lion or 3gatsu no Lion; officially translated as March Comes in Like a Lion) is an ongoing manga series by Chica Umino, best known for Honey and Clover.[1][2] It began serialization in Hakusensha's seinen manga magazine Young Animal from its fourteenth issue in 2007 (published on July 13, 2007).[3] A television commercial announcing the series was also aired by Hakusensha on numerous Japanese television stations, which was also posted on its official website.[1] In 2009, the series was nominated for the 2nd Annual Manga Taishō[4], and it won this award in 2011[5]. Also in 2011 it won the Kodansha Manga Award in the general category (shared with Chūya Koyama's Uchū Kyōdai).[6] To date, six tankōbon volumes of the series have been released.

Contents

Story

The series is set in Tokyo, following the everyday life of a 17-year old shōgi player, Rei (lit. "Zero").[1] While describing the series, Umino noted that she based the setting of March Comes in Like a Lion on research she conducted herself, whereas in her earlier and most famous work, Honey and Clover, she had already been familiar with its setting.[2]

The protagonist Rei is a 17-year old professional shōgi player, who lives by himself, not having a real family, and has scarcely any friends. Among his acquaintances is a family, which consists of a young woman, Akari, and two young girls, Hinata and Momo, and who also keep a numerous number of cats.

Characters

Main characters

Rei Kiriyama (桐山 零 Kiriyama Rei?)
The protagonist of the series. 17 years old. A five dan, Rei became a professional shōgi player while in middle school. His parents and sister died in a traffic accident, and after that he was taken care of by his father's friend Kōda and became his apprentice in shōgi. After becoming a professional shōgi player and after completing middle school, he became independent of him and decided not to attend high school. After feeling a "need" to attend school however, Rei later joined a high school after a one-year delay. He lives in the city of Rokugatsu-chō (June town).
Akari Kawamoto (川本 あかり Kawamoto Akari?)
A resident of Sangatsu-chō (March town), she is the eldest of three sisters. Her mother died and subsequently she took care of two younger sisters. In the mornings, she helps her elderly grandfather run a traditional wagashi (Japanese confectionery) shop, Mikazuki-dō, while in the evenings, she works as a hostess for a bar in Ginza, Misaki, which her aunt manages. She often calls Rei "Rei-kun".
Hinata Kawamoto (川本 ひなた Kawamoto Hinata?)
The second of the three sisters. A middle school student. She sleeps in late in the mornings till the very last minute and often makes bentos by herself. She calls Rei, "Rei-chan". Like her elder sister Akari, she likes taking care of Rei.
Momo Kawamoto (川本 モモ Kawamoto Momo?)
The youngest of the three sisters. A preschool student, she attends a daycare center. Pure and innocent, she has a bit of a selfish streak at times. Her favorite anime character is Bodoro (modelled on My Neighbour Totoro's Totoro). She calls Rei, "Rei-chan".

Kōda family

Kōda (幸田?)
Rei's shōgi teacher. He was both Rei's father's friend and rival in shōji. He cared for Rei like he did for his children and taught him shōgi.
Kyōko Kōda (幸田 香子 Kōda Kyōko?)
Kōda's daughter. She is four years older than Rei. Beautiful and hot tempered. Implied she raped Rei when he still lived at the Kōda residence.
Ayumu Kōda (幸田 歩 Kōda Ayumu?)
Kōda's son and Kyōko's younger brother. He is of the same age as Rei. After losing to Rei in shōgi, he stopped playing shōgi, and afterwards started confining himself to his room and only playing video games.

Professional shōgi players

Harunobu Nikaidō (二海堂 晴信 Nikaidō Harunobu?)
Rei's self-proclaimed "best friend" and "lifelong rival". A four dan, he has played with Rei since they were children. Even though he might appear to be healthy, he is in fact in poor health. He is from a good family. He is modelled after actual real-life shōgi player Satoshi Murayama.
Tōji Sōya (宗谷 冬司 Sōya Tōji?)
The current meijin. He has longed for a rival like Rei. Similar to Rei, he became a professional shōji player in middle school.
Issa Matsumoto (松本 一砂 Matsumoto Issa?)
26 years old. Five dan. He is 181 centimeters tall. A quite expressive and enthusiastic person, he can be aggressive at times as well. He comes from the countryside. He is a fan of Akari.
Tatsuyuki Misumi (三角 龍雪 Misumi Tatsuyuki?)
26 years old. Six dan. He is often called "Sumisu" (for "Smith"). He is 180 centimeters tall. A bit aloof, he gets along well with Matsumoto.
Shōichi Matsunaga (松永 正一 Matsunaga Shōichi?)
65 years old. A seven dan. He is a veteran who has been a professional shōgi player for over 40 years. He comes from Fukushima.
Yasui (安井?)
A six dan. Upon losing a match, he lost his temper, thus resulting in him divorcing his wife.

Other characters

Yūsuke Takahashi (高橋 勇介 Takahashi Yūsuke?)
A middle school student. A childhood friend and classmate of Hinata's, they are quite close to each other. He is the son of a milkman. He is the ace of his school's baseball team and aims to be a pro. Since Rei became a shōgi pro in middle school, Yūsuke greatly looks up to him. In order to realize his dream to become a professional, he wishes to proceed to a high school in Shikoku to participate in the kōshien baseball tournament.
Someji Kawamoto (川本 相米二 Kawamoto Someji?)
The grandfather of the three Kawamoto sisters. He runs a traditional wagashi shop, Mikazuki-dō. Even though he may appear to be unexpressive, he actually dotes on his grandchildren a lot, in particular Momo. Along with Akari, he likes to watch over Rei.
Hanaoka (花岡?)
The butler of the Nikaidō family, who has been in continuous service for them for over 45 years. A gentle and kind elderly man, he has taken care of Harunobu ever since he was a baby.
Takashi Hayashida (林田 高志 Hayashida Takashi?)
A teacher of the high school where Rei decided to join. He is a big fan of shōji and regularly reads shōgi magazines. He is the only one in the high school who had heard of Rei being a professional shōgi player though when he first knew of him joining, he presumed he only had the same surname. He speaks in a very friendly manner with Rei and is often concerned when Rei becomes lonely.
Misaki (美咲?)
The aunt of the three Kawamoto sisters. She, helped by Akari, manages a bar in Ginza called "Misaki".
The cats
The three cats of the Kawamoto household. The first two cats, the black and white and orange ones, were the first two gathered, while the white cat is a new arrival. Their names are unknown. They are big-eyed and always apparently hungry. The third cat looks strikingly like an owl.

Volumes

The series has been serialized by Hakusensha in Young Animal since 2007 issue 14. It has been collected in six bound volumes as of July 2011.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Chika Umino, Kazuhiro Kumagai, Shokotan's Newest Manga". Anime News Network. 2007-07-16. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-07-16/chika-umino-kazuhiro-kumagai-shokotan's-newest-manga. Retrieved 2007-07-26. 
  2. ^ a b "Honey & Clover's Umino to Start Manga in Young Animal". Anime News Network. 2007-04-30. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-04-30/honey-and-clover's-umino-to-start-manga-in-young-animal. Retrieved 2007-07-26. 
  3. ^ "Honey & Clover's Chika Umino's Latest to Start July 13". Anime News Network. 2007-06-22. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-22/honey-and-clover's-chika-umino's-latest-to-start-july-13. Retrieved 2007-07-26. 
  4. ^ "10 Titles Nominated for 2nd Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. 2009-01-18. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-18/10-titles-nominated-for-2nd-manga-taisho-awards. Retrieved 2009-06-14. 
  5. ^ "Umino's March comes in like a lion Wins Manga Taisho". Anime News Network. 2011-03-17. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-03-17/umino-march-comes-in-like-a-lion-wins-manga-taisho. Retrieved 2011-05-15. 
  6. ^ "March comes in like a lion, Space Bros. Win Kodansha Manga Awards". Anime News Network. 2011-05-12. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-12/march-comes-in-like-a-lion-space-bros-win-kodansha-manga-awards. Retrieved 2011-05-15. 
  7. ^ "March Comes in Like a Lion's Cover by Berserk's Miura". Anime News Network. 2009-01-06. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-06/march-comes-in-like-a-lion-cover-by-berserk-miura. Retrieved 2009-01-17. 

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb — The weather is traditionally wild at the beginning of March, but fair by the end. a 1625 J. FLETCHER Wife for Month (1717) II. i. ‘I would chuse March, for I would come in like a Lion.’.. ‘But you’d go out like a Lamb when you went to hanging.’… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • lion — see a live dog is better than a dead lion March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb a mouse may help a lion when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion until the lions produce their own historian, the story of the hunt will glorify… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • March — see March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb April showers bring forth May flowers on the first of March, the crows begin to search so many mists in March, so many frosts in May a peck of March dust is worth a king’s ransom …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • March — (Roget s IV) n. Syn. spring month, beginning of spring, Lent, windy month, month that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb; see also month , spring 2 …   English dictionary for students

  • Lion Books (manga) — Lion Books Series ライオンブックス (Raion Bukkusu) Genre Fantasy …   Wikipedia

  • Like a Virgin — Studio album by Madonna Released November 12, 1984 …   Wikipedia

  • Augie March — This article is about the Australian rock band. For the book by Saul Bellow, see The Adventures of Augie March. Augie March …   Wikipedia

  • The Wind and the Lion — Infobox Film name = The Wind and the Lion caption = promotional poster for The Wind and the Lion director = John Milius producer = Herb Jaffe Phil Rawlins (associate) writer = John Milius starring = Sean Connery Candice Bergen Brian Keith John… …   Wikipedia

  • Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • Manga Taishō — Awarded for Manga awards Country Japan First awarded 2008 Currently held by Chika Umino, for March Comes in Like a Lion …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”