Nabari no Ō

within him. The hijutsu, containing all the world's knowledge, is sorely coveted after in Nabari. And because of that, Miharu cannot return to his normal life. He must become the "Ruler of Nabari" to survive.

Characters

; nihongo|Miharu Rokujo|六条 壬晴|Rokujō Miharu: anime voices|Rie Kugimiya: The protagonist of series, Rokujo is a 14-year-old middle school student. He holds Nabari's hijutsu, the Shinrabanshō, in his body. He pretends to act indifferent to those around him in order to protect them from getting hurt, though he is not averse to acting in a rather innocent and cute way in order to get what he wants. He remembers little of his childhood, and had lost his parents at a young age. His only goal is to inherit his family's okonomiyaki store. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |volume= 1 |year= 2004 |month= November |publisher= Square Enix |pages= 13]

Yoite (宵風):"Voiced by": Mitsuki Saiga:A 16-year-old ninja in the Kairōshū who uses the forbidden technique "kira". This technique shoots the user's ki into the body of a target and controls it from the inside out, which can cause the target's bones to break or their body to completely explode. The cost of using this technique is the loss of the user's life force, gradually losing their five senses and eventually dying. According to volume 4, he has roughly two more months to live. He appears to be very sensitive, as he used the kira technique and almost killed a delivery man just because he called him a "cute kid". He is also shown to eat at a rapid pace. After first abducting Miharu and taking him to an abandoned train car, Yoite tells Miharu his friends will die from the ki he implanted inside them; unless Miharu utilizes the Shinrabanshō to grant his wish, to be "erased" from existence. This turns out to be a lie, but Miharu still aims to grant the wish. Yoite usually wears all black, with leather gloves, and a tan-colored gatsby cap.

; nihongo|Thobari Kumohira Durandal|雲平・帷・デュランダル|Kumohira Tobari Dyurandaru: anime voices|Daisuke Namikawa: Rokujo's and Kouichi's 25-year-old teacher in the "front world". Born in Ireland, Kumohira is actually a ninja of the Banten village in the world of Nabari. He is entirely devoted to protecting Rokujo, and wants him to become the ruler of Nabari. He has an intense hatred of transport, such as trains and buses, and would not get on one until Rokujo manages to "persuade" him. He went to Japan because his grandfather was a "Japan otaku" and "ninja fanatic", who forced him to go to learn to become a ninja, and was unable to return home for ten years (partly due to his phobia of vehicles). [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2005 |month= April |volume= Vol. 2|pages= page 117] In the anime, he is the temporary leader as the current leader is away, [cite episode | title = Ordered Mission | series = Nabari no Ō | airdate = 2008-04-27 | season = 1| number = 4 ] while in the manga, he is not just a stand-in, but actually has the power to arrange for a temporary leader. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2005 |month= April |volume= Vol. 2|page= 62] According to Aizawa, Kumohira has probably recorded Banten's kinjutsu through verbal communication. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2005 |month= April |volume= Vol. 2|page= 75] He is also related to Miharu in someway but it's not yet revealed.

; nihongo|Kouichi Aizawa|相澤 虹一|Aizawa Kōichi: anime voices|Satoshi Hino: Rokujo's 14-year-old classmate who studies nindō under Kumohira. Though he normally has an energetic attitude when around others, he is serious and relentless when it comes to his ninja duties, [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2006 |month= April |volume= Vol. 4|pages= pages 31-44] and is apparently fascinated with death. It is later revealed that his love of death is a result of his own inability to die. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2007 |month= April |volume= Vol. 7|pages= page 78] [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2007 |month= April |volume= Vol. 7|pages= page 138] His immortality is attributed to the holder of the Shinrabanshō during the Edo Period, [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2008 |month= March |volume= Vol. 8|pages= page 51] who was a medical practitioner, experimenting with placing the wisdom of the Shinrabanshō into animals, since humans usually died. There were only two survivors of the experiments, both of whom gained immortality as a result. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2008 |month= March |volume= Vol. 7|pages= page 52] Kōichi's ultimate goal is to find a way to die, as well as ensure that "monsters like [himself] are never created again." [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2008 |month= March |volume= Vol. 8|pages= page 62]

; nihongo|Raimei Shimizu|清水 雷鳴|Shimizu Raimei: anime voices|Ayumi Fujimura: She is a 14-year-old guardian of the world of Nabari, and the head of the Shimizu clan. She is also a nihongo|Fūma-nin|風魔の忍|Fūma no nin|"Wind Magic/Demon Ninja" who prefers fighting with a sword (named nihongo|Kurogamon|黒我聞) [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2005 |month= October |volume= Vol. 3|pages= page 106] over using ninjutsu, claiming to be a samurai. She has the tendency to mistake one person for another, [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2005 |month= April |volume= Vol. 2|pages= page 14] or reveal information she means to keep to herself, when excited. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2008 |month= March |volume= Vol. 8|pages= page 99] Five years ago, her older brother, Raikō, annihilated their clan, and she has sworn to kill him in revenge. [cite book |last= Kamatani |first= Yuhki |title= Nabari no Ō |publisher= Square Enix |year= 2006 |month= April |volume= Vol. 4|pages= pages 155-117 ] However, after the truth was revealed about how they died, her anger faded. She and her brother made up, but are still on the opposite sides. Yet, Raikou claims that he still loves his sister as he had said it to Gau and was worried about Raimei when Kouga attacked her.

; nihongo|Kazuhiko Yukimi|雪見 和彦|Yukimi Kazuhiko: "Voiced by": Kenjirō Tsuda: A 27-year-old ninja and member of the Kairōshū who acts as a squad leader on missions. He lives with Yoite, and is protective of him, caring for him as his health degenerates. He is also a comrade of Raikō, who occasionally goes out on mission with Yukimi and addresses him as a senior. While he tries to act cool, he is also known for childish outbursts, which are usually directed at Raikō. In the latest chapters, Yukimi finally found out the details of Yoite's past before they met from Yoite's half-brother, Tsukasa. When informed of Yoite's defection from Kairoushuu and his subsequent escape with Miharu, Yukimi went out of his way to fight with Raikou, who initially advised him against protecting Yoite considering that would make him a traitor to Kairoushuu, but finally chose to turn a blind eye and revealed to Yukimi Yoite's destination after Yukimi insisted he could not leave Yoite alone. He returned to Hattori's mansion in time to fend off the Kasa assassins duo Makoto and Itsuwari from Yoite. Although he lost his right arm, he managed to fatally shoot Makoto in the process.

Media

Manga

The manga series is written and illustrated by Yuhki Kamatani. It started serialization in the Japanese shōnen manga magazine "Monthly GFantasy" in 2004. As of March 27 2008, Square Enix has published eight bound volumes in Japan. The manga has been licensed by Yen Press for distribution in English in North America. The manga will initially be serialized in Yen Press' "Yen Plus" anthology magazine, the first issue of which went on sale on July 29, 2008. The first English volume of the manga will be sold in early 2009. [citeweb|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-04-19/yen-announces-titles-to-run-in-anthology-magazine|title=Yen Press Announces Titles to Run in Anthology Mag|publisher=Anime News Network|date=April 19 2008|accessdate=2008-04-19]

Anime

An anime adaptation directed by Kunihisa Sugishima, and animated by J.C.Staff premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 6, 2008. [cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9102 |title= "Nabari no Ō" (TV) |publisher= Anime News Network |accessdate=2008-05-06 ] The series is currently airing weekly, with each episodes subsequently airing on various other TXN networks, including TV Aichi, TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting, TV Osaka, TV Setouchi, and TV Hokkaido [cite web|url= http://www.nabari.tv/onair.html |title= Official "Nabari no Ō" site - 放送情報 (Broadcasting information) |work= nabari.tv |accessdate= 2008-05-06 |language= Japanese ] The series is expected to run for a total of twenty-six episodes. [cite web|url= http://www.nabari.tv/story.html |title= Official "Nabari no Ō" site - 各話紹介 (Episode introductions) |work= nabari.tv |accessdate= 2008-05-06 |language= Japanese ]

On August 19, 2008 Funimation, on the behalf of d-rights, sent cease and desist orders to the fansub groups who were subtitling the series, to prevent copyright infringement, even though they have not licensed the series. [cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-08-11/3-titles-fansubs-pulled-on-behalf-of-japan-d-rights|title= 3 Titles' Fansubs Pulled on Behalf of Japan's d-rights|publisher= Anime News Network |accessdate=2008-08-28 ]

Reception

"Nabari no Ō" was a finalist in the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival and was a recommended title. [cite web|url=http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/english/festival/2005/recommend/magazine.php|title=2005 Japan Media Arts Festival|accessdate=2008-06-04]

References

External links

* [http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/gfantasy/story/nabari/ Official Square-Enix "Nabari no Ō" manga website] ja icon
* [http://yenpress.us/?page_id=450 Official Yen Press "Nabari No Ou" manga website]
* [http://www.nabari.tv/ Official "Nabari no Ō" anime website] ja icon
* [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/nabari/ Official TV Tokyo "Nabari no Ō" anime website] ja icon
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