Time Stranger Kyoko

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Time Stranger Kyoko


caption = Cover of Japanese volume 1
ja_name = 時空異邦人KYOKO
ja_name_trans =
genre = Magical girl, RomanceInfobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Arina Tanemura
publisher = flagicon|Japan Shueisha
pubsliher_en = flagicon|USA Viz Media
publisher_other = flagicon|Spain Planeta DeAgostini
flagicon|Germany Egmont Manga & Anime
flagicon|Sweden Egmont Kärnan
flagicon|Finland Egmont
flagicon|Thailand Bangkoch Comics
demographic = Shōjo
magazine = Ribon
first = September 2000
last = September 2001
volumes = 3Infobox animanga/OVA
title = Leave it to Chocola
director = Masatsugu Arakawa
writer = Fumihiko Shimo
studio = Production I.G, Transarts
episodes = 1
released = flagicon|Japan 2001
runtime = 11 minutes

nihongo|"Time Stranger Kyoko"|時空異邦人KYOKO| is a Japanese manga by Arina Tanemura. There are three volumes in the series. Viz Media has licensed the series and will be releasing the English version in North America starting in July 2008. cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3175|title=Time Stranger Kyoko (manga)|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2007-08-17]

An OVA was released in 2001 for the manga publisher's "Ribon Festival", which mainly centered around the character Chocola. cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1058|title=Time Stranger Kyoko (OAV)|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2008-05-02]

tory Synopsis

In the 30th Century, the Earth has united as one country called Earth. Kyoko is the princess of the country and is protected by the last remaining of the Dragon clan (Ryuuzoku): Hizuki and his younger brother Sakataki (the princes of Ryuuzoku). She has attended primary school and junior high school and is currently in senior high where no one knows her true identity as the nation's first princess. When The Smashers gang turn up at Kyoko's and Witzig/Uitoshiku (the leader of The Smashers) takes a liking to Karen (Kyoko's friend) she has no choice but to reveal her identity to save the school

She is then offered the chance by her father reading from a user manual, to pass the throne onto her twin sister Ui, who has been in a coma-like state since she was born. To wake her, she has to assemble 12 power stones and their owners, the "Strangers", and awaken their powers. But just as she thought she was getting close to finally being able to speak with her sister, her sister murmurs in her sleep that she was born alone.

Kyoko is the "Time Stranger" and the leader of them all. She has the "Scorpion Cane" which can talk and helps her find the other Strangers. Kyoko can also "Time Halt" (stop the time) and "Time Slip" (go back in time). All the Strangers seem to be the head of their clan.

Characters

Main

; nihongo|Kyoko Suomi|朱臣 響古|Suomi Kyōko / nihongo|Time Stranger|時空 異邦人|Taimu Sutorenja anime voice|Risa MizunoKyoko is the first Princess of Earth Nation and, at the beginning of the story, is seen as selfish, spoiled and lazy. Not to say Kyoko doesn't have any redeeming qualities such as being empathetic and usually puts other peoples' lives before her own. As the story proceeds, Kyoko learns different lessons and becomes a better person. Gradually, Kyoko realizes she's in love with Sakataki. At the end of the manga, she gets engaged to him.

Kyoko's goal is to find the twelve God Stones and the Telepaths that can use them so they can move the giant clock that supposedly keeps her younger twin sister, Ui, asleep and she can hand over her princess duties to her and Kyoko can live her life freely. It is later revealed that Kyoko had known since she was about ten years old that she wasn't biologically part of the Royal family and the real reason she wants to hand over her duties as a princess to Ui is because she believes they are rightfully hers. What Kyoko didn't know was that her body was actually Ui's in the first place and that when the clock was moved it wouldn't just awaken Ui it would force Ui's soul back into her body, in turn pushing Kyoko's soul out. Kyoko had been told by The King that he had found her on the day Ui was born and secretly adopted her into the Royal family without anyone's knowledge when she was a baby. At the end, when she returns to Earth, she takes over the body of The King's deceased wife.

Kyoko wields The Time Scorpion Cane, which is the form her God Stone, the Time-Space Stone, took when it reacted to her nobility. It is a non-offensive type of tool that she uses to go back in time and stop time for short periods of time. It's powers are;

Time Halt: Allows Kyoko to stop time for short instances.

Time Slip: Allows Kyoko to travel to any period in time, past-wise.

Time Return Excellent: Allows Kyoko to banish people into the time frame they came from.

; nihongo|Sakataki Jin|神 逆滝|Jin Sakataki / nihongo|Crystal Stranger|水晶 異邦人|Kurisutaru Sutorenja anime voice|Iori HayashiSakataki is a serious, straitlaced 17-year-old who only wants Kyoko to stop living on a whim and start acting more mature. He is one of Kyoko's bodyguards and rarely smiles, which is understandable considering his past. Sakataki is a Prince of the dragon kirito and would have been the next Chief had it not been for the fact that the Ryuuzoku (dragon kirito) had been wiped out when he was five, dispite that the Ryuuzoku were know widely for their exceptional skills in combat. Sakataki doesn't get most jokes and he can't spot sarcasm. He's been in love with the princess, Kyoko, for a while but didn't realize it until later. He gets engaged to her at the end of the manga.

Sakataki is the telepath that can use the Crystal God Stone and with it he can manipulate crystal. His powers as The Crystal Stranger are;

Sakataki Crystal Sword: Allows Sakataki to repeatedly impale enemies with massive sharp crystals that he can form anywhere.

; nihongo|Hizuki Jin|神 氷月|Jin Hizuki / nihongo|Ice Stranger|魔氷 異邦人|Aisu Sutorenja anime voice|Makoto Ueki

Hizuki is a very mysterious man that does things his way and at his own pace. He enjoys a good joke and is seen joking with Kyoko on a few occasions. Hizuki smiles most of the time even in situations of danger or peril which only thickens the amount of mystery around him. He admits he's in love with Kyoko and after he was caught by his brother, Sakataki, kissing her while she was asleep and was jailed, Sakataki reveals that Hizuki had been found by their late father and because of this, Sakataki was treated better than Hizuki. Later on, it is revealed that Hizuki is a Mazoku (Demon kirito: mix of Human and demon DNA, immortal to all weapons except for the cursed sword, Li Nite) and was also the one who destroyed the Ryuuzoku village out of spite. He claims that it was not Sakataki who was saved that day, but him (referring to how Sakataki still called Hizuki "Brother" even though everyone knew that Hizuki was an outcast) and because of this belief, Hizuki tried to get Sakataki to kill him until Sakataki revealed that he knew Hizuki destroyed the village from the beginning. His God Stone is, Ironically, the cursed mazoku slaying sword, Li Nite. His powers as the Ice Stranger are unknown.

At the end of the manga, Ui asks to be engaged to him. It is assumed that because Hizuki kissed her body (when Kyoko was still in it), she remembers the gesture.

Palace Household

; nihongo|Ui Suomi|朱臣 憂|Suomi UiUi is Kyoko's younger twin sister and is asleep for most of the series. When she's awake she doesn't smile, is somewhat detail oriented, blunt, and likes food. After Sakataki and Kyoko are engaged, Ui asks to be engaged to Hizuki. She apparently loves him, and dreams of him kissing her, which isn't exactly her fault...

; nihongo|King Chikyuu|地球 王|Chikyū OuThe King of Earth Nation, he cares deeply for Kyoko even though he knows she's going to leave someday. His wife, Kiyu, died 16 years ago after giving birth to Ui. Kyoko takes over Kiyu's body after returning to Earth.

; nihongo|Chocola|ちょこら|Chokora / nihongo|Chocolina M120|チョコリーナM120|Chokoriina M120 anime voice|Rumi ShishidoChocola is The King's android. She considers herself The King's lover and sometimes goes over to Kyoko's school to deliver his messages. She runs on chocolate and likes to play.

; nihongo|Cane-chon|杖ちょん|Kein Chon / nihongo|Time Scorpion Cane|タイム・スコーピオン・ケイン|Taimu Sukopion KeinKyoko's guide through her adventure and is later revealed to be her real father, Chronos; God of Time. He tries to seem enigmatic but Kyoko and her friends tend to bring out the worst in him.

; nihongo|Priest|司祭|paterenuHe is the one that told Kyoko about how to wake up Princess Ui, although he was and is rather uninformed.

trangers

; nihongo|Karen Momoto|桃人 華蓮|Momoto Karen / nihongo|Flower Stranger|桃華 異邦人|Furawa SutorenjaA pink-haired Kirito (a new species of human made from human DNA combined with animal or plant DNA). She has a phobia of boys-she will cry or break into a rash if one touches her. She fell in love with a collector when he didn't cause her symptoms to appear, and agreed to stay with him and look after his flower garden. However, she found out he planned to sell her, but she stayed around because she hoped that he would love her so much he wouldn't be able to sell her when the time came. His actions towards her gave her the courage to love, and she hopes to do so again, even if her symptoms do appear, as she wants to love someone so much the pain will disappear. At the end, she is in love with Toba.

Her powers as the Flower Stranger are;

Karen Flower Carolina: Creates a huge pile of flowers useful for blockades.; nihongo|Sarai Onishi|黄西 砂来|Onishi Sarai / nihongo|Thunder Stranger|雷鳴 異邦人|Sanda SutorenjaThe younger brother of Widoshiku. He is in love with Mizuno. He loves her so much, he is willing to save her even when she doesn't want to be saved.

His powers as the Thunder Stranger are;

Falling Thunder Deathbed: His sword becomes a lightning conductor and shoots lightning.; nihongo|Mizuno Souba|蒼波 水乃|Sōba Mizuno / nihongo|Aqua Stranger|流水 異邦人|Akuwa SutorenjaThe younger sister of Ginga Souba. She can turn into a mermaid. She is in love with her brother. She is so madly in love with him, she rejects Sarai's frequent declarations of love for her. She relies on the imprisoned mermaid Lartuone for advice, but when she hands over the Thunder Stone (which she stole), she discovers Lartuone has been deceiving her so she can get the Thunder Stone, which she needs to activate the shell she stole from the leader of the Sakanazoku clan. When Lartuone is defeated, and she travels back in time to retrieve the shell, she realises she has been running away from everything. She thanks Sarai for saving her by kissing him, but warns him not to let it go to his head.

Her powers as the Aqua Stranger are;

Mizuno Aqua Mermaid: Restores the ocean.; nihongo|Youju Samidori|茶碧 葉樹|Samidori Yōju / nihongo|Leaf Stranger|木葉 異邦人|Rifu Sutorenja; nihongo|Fuuma Chiryoku|芽緑 風麻|Chiryoku Fūma / nihongo|Wind Stranger|疾風 異邦人|Uindo Sutorenja; nihongo|Toba Sarashi|煌紫 鳥羽|Sarashi Toba / nihongo|Bird Stranger|飛鳥 異邦人|Bado SutorenjaHe is in love with Karen.; nihongo|Rin Homura|焔 燐|Homura Rin / nihongo|Fire Stranger|火炎 異邦人|Faia Sutorenja; nihongo|Setsuna Shiraki|白季 刹那|Shiraki Setsuna / nihongo|Snow Stranger|白雪 異邦人|Sunou Sutorenja; nihongo|Yami Rikoku|麗黒 夜深|Rikoku Yami / nihongo|Dark Stranger|暗闇 異邦人|Daku Sutorenja

mashers Gang

; nihongo|Widoshiku|ウィドシーク|Widoshiku or Witzig in the English versionIs the leader of The Smashers gang and claims to have 285 girlfriends and 45 younger brothers. When he first appears with his gang he causes trouble at Kyoko's school and causes her to reveal her identity as the Princess. His personality is humorous but he plays a seemingly small but significant role as the guy who reveals secrets. Because his clan forcibly removed the Seals from the Aqua and Thunder God Stones, he and his brother are cursed to die when a bruise around their foreheads connects together. He left with Ginga to find a cure. His younger brother is Sarai (Thunder Stranger).

; nihongo|Ginga Souba|蒼波 銀牙|Sōba Ginga anime voice|Satoshi TsuruokaIs the second in command for The Smashers gang and comes across as a serious guy. He is Widoshiku's best friend and follows him almost everywhere. Even when Ginga isn't with Widoshiku, he can still hear if people are talking about him and, if he's in trouble, can be at his side in an instant. He left his clan to follow Widoshiku when he goes off to look for a cure for the God Stone disease. he is Mizuno's older brother.

Other

; nihongo|Chronos|クロノス|KuronosuIs the God of Time and Kyoko's real Father. When Kyoko was born he convinced The King of Earth Nation to let Kyoko use Ui's body for 16 years so she could survive. He's fairly lonely without Kyoko around, but he willingly gives her up so she can be with Sakataki. She is still in contact with him.

Volumes

;Japanese
# ISBN 4-08-856265-8 published in March 2001
# ISBN 4-08-856296-8 published in July 2001
# ISBN 4-08-856333-6 published in December 2001

Trivia

* Tanemura was originally planning to make "Time Stranger Kyoko" longer, though Ribon had her shorten it.
* Because of the above, Yami's story was published as a story book that Takanari wrote in "The Gentlemen's Alliance †".

References

External links

* [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=462 T.H.E.M. Anime Review's T.S.K. review]
* [http://www.mikomi.net/strangers/ The Time Stranger Kyoko Fanlisting]