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Friday, 24 December 2010

Yosuga no Sora


Yosuga no Sora

Yosuga no Sora
Yosuganosora package.jpg
Yosuga no Sora original visual novel cover
ヨスガノソラ
GenreDrama, Romance, Comedy,Harem
Game
DeveloperSphere
PublisherSphere
GenreADV, Visual novel
Rating18+ (PC)
PlatformPC
ReleasedDecember 5, 2008
Manga
Written byTakashi Mikaze
Published byKadokawa Shoten
DemographicSeinen
MagazineComp Ace
Original runMay 26, 2010 – ongoing
Volumes1
TV anime
Directed byTakeo Takahashi
Studiofeel.
NetworkAT-X
Original runOctober 4, 2010December 20, 2010
Episodes12
Anime and Manga Portal

Yosuga no Sora (ヨスガノソラ?, lit. "Sky of Connection") is a Japanese romance/drama adultvisual novel developed by Sphere. The game was originally released for Windows PC on December 5, 2008.[1] It has since been adapted into a serialized manga and a TV anime series. A sequel/fan disk titled Haruka na Sora was released later on October 24, 2009 which contains new and expanded scenarios for several characters from the original game.[2]


Tragically orphaned by an automobile accident, the Kasugano twins travel to their grandparents' countryside residence via railcar, hoping to reconstruct the shards of a shattered life. With an uncertain future, Haruka Kasugano clings to memories of the past, hoping to find the strength he needs to protect his ailing sister. With a destiny irrevocably tied to that of another, Sora Kasugano clings to moments of the present, drawing comfort and security from the company of her brother. Two lonely souls so physically alike, yet spiritually divergent, unaware of the challenges these conflicting expectations will unveil in the days to come.[3]
[edit]
Plot


[edit]Characters

[edit]Main characters

Haruka Kasugano (春日野 悠 Kasugano Haruka?)
Voiced by: none (game), Hiro Shimono (anime)
The protagonist of the series. With a gentle appearance and slim profile, in many ways Haruka is the splitting image of his fraternal twin sister Sora. Personable and honest, he forges lasting friendships with remarkable ease. Haruka copes with the loss of his parents with a stout heart, burdened with the knowledge that the future of his delicate sister depends on him. As a result, he has a tendency to dote on his sister and worry about her constantly. He cannot swim either. The Kasugano siblings are well regarded around the village, as their grandfather was once a doctor there.
Sora Kasugano (春日野 穹 Kasugano Sora?)
Voiced by: Hiroko Taguchi (game, anime)
The main heroine of the series, she is a quiet, fragile and reclusive girl, and fraternal twin sister to the main protagonist. Ill and frail since birth, Sora was denied the sort of independent life that many take for granted. Yet beneath Sora's angelic doll-like appearance lies a troublesome personality that’s prone to withdrawn laziness and demonstrates a rather severe lack of social graces. In all honesty, Sora doesn't care for anyone else, and would much rather just surf the Internet and eat instant food, for as long as Haruka is always by her side. It's implied that her strong bond with Haruka, strengthened as a result of the tragic loss of their parents, may be leading her towards fantasies of incest between twins. She hates Nao, although it is implied that they were once good friends. She is often seen carrying a rabbit doll, which she received as a present before she and Haruka left the village.
Nao Yorihime (依媛 奈緒 Yorihime Nao?)
Voiced by: Yuka Inokuchi (game, anime)
Beautiful, intelligent and an excellent swimmer, Nao is Haruka's next-door neighbour and childhood friend. When the Kasugano twins last visited the area, their departure was particularly painful for Nao, who had grown quite close to Haruka, to the point of having sex with him on one occasion, about which she feels guilty. Upon their return, she attempts to rekindle their former close relationship. Nao’s compassion and maturity projects a sense of sisterly love towards others, though for Haruka there is a deeper and more intimately sensual feeling. Sora harbors great resentment towards the popular Nao, though she resists every request to explain the reasons why, although it is likely because Sora saw the pair having sex when they were younger.
Akira Amatsume (天女目 瑛 Amatsume Akira?)
Voiced by: Kayo Sakata (game, anime)
The ever-cheerful Akira lives alone at a small yet sacred Shinto shrine. Since the passing of her foster father two years ago, she has been in the care of Yahiro, who lives nearby. Akira’s energetic liveliness is contagious to those around her, with an innocent personality that makes befriending the girl second nature. Due to her residence, Akira spends much of her time practicing the habits and traditions of a miko (shrine maiden), including performance of requisite ceremonies and holiday festivals. She also devotes a lot of her time to helping the elderly in the village, making her beloved by all. She is later revealed to be Kazuha's half-sister.
Kazuha Migiwa (渚 一葉 Migiwa Kazuha?)
Voiced by: Ryōko Ono (game, anime)
The stunning daughter of an influential magnate, Kazuha lives a cultured life that some might compare to that of modern princesses. Sharp-minded and attentive to detail as a result of her parents' constant travels and long distance liaisons, she learned from a young age to behave responsibly and befitting her social standing. Nevertheless, Kazuha does not consider herself superior to others, and doesn't hesitate to lend a helping hand whenever asked. Kazuha is an experienced viola player, yet she shies away from playing in competitions, preferring to play only for those she cares for. She dotes on Akira constantly and worries excessively for her well-being, and this leads some to speculate that they may be romantically involved. However, it is later revealed that Akira is Kazuha's older, illegitimate sister from a different mother.
Motoka Nogisaka (乃木坂 初佳 Nogisaka Motoka?)
Voiced by: Tae Okajima (game, anime)
Motoka is a college student struggling to make ends meet, working as a maid in the Migiwa Household to pay for her tuition expenses. While not ideally suited for household chores, her warm compassion and captivating personality offset these deficiencies. She is best friends with Ifukube Yahiro, a notorious drinker, which makes Motoka’s low tolerance to alcohol a particularly hazardous social issue, especially since she has a particular fondness for the taste of sake.

[edit]Supporting characters

Kozue Kuranaga (倉永 梢 Kuranaga Kozue?)
Voiced by: Yukari Minegishi (game, anime)
Chairman of the Student Body, a position of serious responsibility and important functions, Kozue is often seen as a stick in the mud by her peers. She nevertheless cares for them, only nagging to mitigate the potential community damage. This often proves to be a full time job however.
Yahiro Ifukube (伊福部 やひろ Ifukube Yahiro?)
Voiced by: Ryōko Tanaka (game, anime)
Best friend to Nogisaka Motoka and proprietor of a family owned candy store, the rouge looking Yahiro would prefer spending her time sleeping and drinking. In truth, the ill tempered and sardonic mannerisms hide Yahiro’s true personality: a woman whose past is a field littered with the shattered glass of lost dreams, forgotten promises, and broken romances.
Ryouhei Nakazato (中里 亮平 Nakazato Ryōhei?)
Voiced by: Takurou Nakakuni (game, anime)
For all his faults and freakish behavior, Ryouhei is the kind of person you can always count on, in spite of being a self-confessed idiot. Carefree and spontaneous, he brands himself as the ultimate ladies man, applying cheesy pickup lines whenever a pretty face draws near. Yet when the situation calls for it, Ryouhei can offer profoundly sound advice, with an eye that quickly identifies the root of a problem.

[edit]Development

[edit]Staff

[edit]Release history

The game was originally released for Windows PC on December 5, 2008.[4] A sequel/fan disk titled Haruka na Sora was released later on October 24, 2009 which contains full scenarios for Kozue and Yahiro, an expansion to Sora's story from the original game, and additional bonus material.[5]

[edit]Adaptations

[edit]Anime

Yosuga no Sora was adapted into a 12-episode anime series that started airing on October 4, 2010. Each episode consists of a 22-minute feature segment and a 3-minute omake segment. The main plot of the anime is presented in a multi-arc branching format that independently tells the stories of Kazuha, Akira, Nao, and Sora while sharing certain common episodes. The title of each episode incorporates the names of the characters it concerns. The bonus segment focuses on Motoka's story, relying more extensively on humor and super deformed character designs. Each segment has its own ending credit sequence in each episode.

[edit]Episode list (Main Feature)

(In brackets are the episode numbers for each arc, e.g. (A3) is the third episode in Akira's arc)

#TitleOriginal air date
01 (AKNS1)"Distant Memories"
"Haruka na Kioku" (ハルカナキオク)
October 4, 2010
After the sudden death of their parents, Haruka and his twin sister Sora move to the house formerly inhabited by their late grandfather, in a small village they often visited as children. There, Haruka encounters several of the residents, some of whom are old friends, but Sora stays at home, refusing to go to school even as Haruka starts attending. Realizing that Haruka is growing more and more distant and slipping from her grasp, Sora goes to Haruka's room at night and appeals to Haruka as she removes her clothes...
02 (AK2)"Akira Embarrassed"
"Akira Hazukashi" (アキラハズカシ)
October 11, 2010
Sora asks Haru to take her measurements so she can have a uniform made, and finally starts attending school with Haruka, though she is disappointed to find that she and Haruka are in different classes. While cleaning the swimming pool as part of a mixed gym, Akira accidentally soaks Kazuha who forgot her swimsuit, and so Akira takes her to dry off. Haruka finds Kazuha's phone and goes to return it, only to overhear a sensual-sounding conversation in which Kazuha addresses Akira as "Onee-chan" (big sister).
03 (K3)"Indecision"
"Tsukazu Hanarezu" (ツカズハナレズ)
October 18, 2010
When Kazuha realizes that Haruka has overheard their conversation, she chases him down to clear up any misunderstanding. She reveals that Akira is, in fact, her illegitimate older sister, born of a different mother. Due to her family's societal standing, Kazuha's father is not able to acknowledge Akira as his daughter, causing Kazuha to be resentful of her father and to feel a burden of guilt and responsibility towards the always-hard-working Akira. To help lift Kazuha's spirits, Haruka invites her out on a date, and they subsequently realize and admit their rapidly-progressing feelings towards each other. Meanwhile, Akira continues to try her best on her own, but collapses, apparently due to exhaustion.
04 (K4)"Haruka's Heart"
"Harukazu Hāto" (ハルカズハート)
October 25, 2010
On their way home from school, Haruka and Kazuha are interrupted by a frantic Yahiro, who is concerned over the non-appearance of the always-responsible Akira as usual. They discover Akira at her home, collapsed due to exhaustion, and Kazuha proceeds to blame herself and her infatuation with Haruka for not noticing Akira's condition. Akira recovers a few days later, but confronts Kazuha about her abandonment of Haruka and the inappropriate sense of guilt she feels regarding their father's actions. Realizing the truth of Akira's words, Kazuha withdraws into a state of depression while struggling to determine what to do. The day of the festival arrives, and Kazuha works up the courage to appear, where she is reunited with Haruka. Haruka informs Kazuha that her father had been supporting Akira financially in secret all this time and, when Kazuha witnesses her father praising Akira, she realizes that she had misjudged him. Thus, she was able to move past her codependency towards Akira and pursue a whole-hearted romantic relationship with Haruka.
05 (A3)"Darkness Revealed"
"Yami Akiraka ni" (ヤミアキラカニ)
November 1, 2010
Haruka is standing near the girls locker room, overhearing Akira's and Kazuha's conversation. Haruka notices that Akira has been acting strange lately, and decides to talk to her alone at school the next morning. He sees the sad look on Akira's face and becomes worried, and wants to help Akira find her mother's pendant (after remembering her losing it as a child). They go in search for the pendant by a tree they would play by as kids, only to Haruka's horror that the tree had been removed by a landslide. He attempts at digging around for it, but without any luck. The two go to Akira's to take a bath, and have a romantic moment together. From there, Haruka goes to the festival, and, after seeing Akira cry while dancing the sacred dance, rushes off to see what had happened.
06 (A4)"I Won't Give Up"
"Akiramenai yo" (アキラメナイヨ)
November 8, 2010
Haruka enters Akira's room and stops her from burning something, which is her mother's missing journal, where it is written that Kazuha and Akira has a chance of mistaken identity. With the journal, he suggests to Yahiro and Kazuha a DNA test to prove things once and for all. Yahiro refuses, but, despite disapproval from her mother, Kazuha agrees. Haruka informs Akira at the shrine the next day that the DNA results will be out in five days, but Akira disappears on the fifth day. Haruka finds her at the train station, where they talk until the evening. When the DNA results arrive that night, Kazuha and Sora delivers it to Akira, who is still at the station, but she buckled, too scared to read it. It is then that Kazuha's mother appears, and tells everything at their home, where Akira is shown the lost pendant, returned to her by someone who found it at the mountains, basing on the name engraved on its back. She reveals that she and Akira's mother had shared the same hospital room, and, one day Akira pulled the pendant off of her neck as Mrs. Migiwa held her in her arms. After hearing that Akira's mother had passed away, she gave the pendant to her to make her feel, at least, the presence of a mother. Akira then reads the DNA results, and it read negative, which means Akira is born of a different mother. There, Kazuha's mother let her keep the pendant, and apologizes to Akira. She later confesses her love for Haruka and vice-versa.
07 (NS2)"Sinful Maidens"
"Tsumi na Otomera" (ツミナオトメラ)
November 15, 2010
Sora asks Haru to take her measurements so she can have a uniform made. The next day Nao comes over to bring Haruka some mosquito repellent, since Sora is scared of mosquitoes, and then leaves almost immediately. The next day Ryouhei invites Haruka to the school rooftop to take a peek at the girls cleaning the pool. Haruka warns Ryouhei, though, not to peek at Nao, and leaves. Much later Ryouhei tells Nao that Haruka, “the prince she has been waiting for,” has a crush on her; but she thinks he does not like her. The truth is that something happened between the two many summers ago: Nao, trying to escape the noise of her arguing parents, ran to Haruka's house. At that time Haruka was sleeping at their veranda, and was surprised to see Nao on top of him with her clothes undone. Until now Nao feels guilty for what she did. However, Ryouhei, even Akira and Kazuha, is into the act of bringing Haruka and Nao together. They did so by making the two meet at school pool on a Sunday. When they were changing after the swimming lesson, Haruka rushes into the girls' locker room when Nao was scared by a black cat inside a box. The school supervisor hears their chatter, but the two were able to hide inside a box before he catches them. Thinking it was just the cat, he leaves. There, Nao gets to know that Haruka does not hate her, only that he was just surprised at the events of that summer day, dispelling her assumptions. Meanwhile, Sora shows her hatred of Nao, whom she thinks is the reason why Haruka has been preoccupied the past couple of days, at home on her laptop.
08 (N3)"Darkened Sky"
"Nao Kuraki Sora" (ナオクラキソラ)
November 22, 2010
By now Sora is showing her hatred of Nao in the open, even infront of Ryohei and Nao herself. One afternoon Sora, attracted by the smell of curry cooking in the kitchen, catches Haruka and Nao making love in the living room. Sora throws Nao out of the house, warning her not to see Haruka ever again, since it is the second time she catches the two doing the "dirty deed." She then throws the curry they cooked down the drain, as she only wants Haruka's cooking. Nao becomes lonely after that, and though she wants to see Haruka, she has to hide because Sora is always nearby. However, Haruka is always optimistic Sora will forgive and accept them both, as he, after knowing from Ryouhei that she changed, wants Nao to return to being a cheerful, caring, and lighthearted person. Sora lightens up a bit to the sight of Haruka and Nao being together, but still has some resistance, and prefers to distance herself from the two. It is for this reason that she never joined Haruka and Nao along with Ryouhei, Kazuha, Akira, and Motoka for the annual summer trip to the beach.
09 (N4)"Distant Feelings"
"Haruka na Omoi" (ハルカナオモイ)
November 29, 2010
Sora decides to follow everyone at the beach, but at the moment she got off the bus, news that a young man was rescued from drowning unconscious. As Sora looks over, she finds out that the boy in question is Haruka. However, Nao acted quickly and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. With that event, Sora becomes even more insecure, eventually telling Haruka not to leave home and tells all sorts of excuses just to make him stay. One day, Sora made Haruka choose between her and Nao, but he just shrugs it off and proceeds to school with Nao as if nothing is wrong. That afternoon Haruka finds Sora missing after receiving a text from her saying "they'd leave the place." Akira, Kazuha, and Ryouhei joins Nao and Haruka in search of her, until, amidst the rain, Nao finds Sora at the bus stop. Refusing to go with Nao, Sora runs out of the bus stop, angrily telling her that she is the reason why Haruka has changed. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning strikes the bus stop and burst into flames. Sora then remembers she forgot her stuffed bunny inside. Nao rushes in to retrieve the only memento Sora has of her mother, causing her to be nearly trapped inside. After receiving the rescued item, Sora reveals to Nao her insecurities with her, that she is afraid Haruka would leave her alone. The next night, Sora joins everyone during the Summer Festival at the shrine. This time, Sora is more receptive of Nao.
10 (S3)"As for a Bird's Faked Cry"
"Tori no Sorane wa" (トリノソラネハ)
December 6, 2010
Haruka is trying to start a new life over with Nao, but Sora is always at the back of his mind, since, lately, she seems not to accept Nao, and that she seems to be teasing him. Haruka suggests a date with Nao, but cannot get to tell Sora about it, even disguising it as if he will be spending time with Ryouhei. During the date, though, Nao notices that Sora is never far from Haruka’s mind, him buying things for his sister rather than for her, and eventually spoiling their date. They plan to make croquette curry upon arriving home, but is canceled when Haruka finds Sora not feeling well in her room after having a bad dream. The next day Nao notices that Haruka tries to hide his date with her from Sora, but she just went along. One night, Haruka catches Sora masturbating in her room while mentioning his name, much to his dismay—she is enamored with him ever since that one summer day in their childhood when Haruka kissed Sora while playing.
11 (S4)"The Uncertain Pair"
"Sorameku Futari" (ソラメクフタリ)
December 13, 2010
Haruka takes Nao on a date again, but he cannot shake the sight of Sora masturbating that night from his mind. Eventually Haruka hits his limit and tries to get rid of those thoughts by taking Nao to a hotel, but she rejects his act and asks if he really loves her. Haruka is unable to answer and returns home. Soon after, Sora gets a fever and Haruka stays home to take care of her. That evening, Sora, with her fever subsided, confesses her feelings to Haruka and the two make love, beginning a relationship. This did not go unnoticed, as everyone, especially Kozue and Nao, begins to see the twins spend more and more time with each other. Until, one afternoon, when Kozue and Nao decide to visit the Kasugano residence, they catch the twins in the middle of making love.
12 (S5)"To the Distant Sky"
"Haruka na Sora e" (ハルカナソラヘ)
December 20, 2010
Kozue runs away in shock at the sight of the twins making love, while Nao calmly left the scene, but Sora wouldn't even care. Haruka thinks of ditching school, but she tells him to think little of it. Kozue tells him the next day that she'll never talk to him again, while Nao effectively ends her relationship with him after his apology. That night Haruka fights with Sora when he tells her that they stop doing it, even inadvertently hitting her. Things get complicated when they find out that their parents left no money for the two, and in order to survive they have to be taken under custody of their relatives, but this means them living apart. That afternoon Haruka awakens to find Sora missing and her room in a mess. He goes looking for her after receiving a text from Sora which sounds like a suicide note. Nao even helps him in looking for her everywhere, mentioning to him about her confrontation with Sora, saying she has seen the two making love that summer day, and that "now they are even." Haruka then remembered the lake Akira mentioned the other day. Haruka finds Sora there, and his attempt to stop her from going deeper in to the lake ended in them drowning, nearly resulting in a double suicide. Days later the two leave the place to live overseas with a distant relative, hoping to find happiness elsewhere. Though Kozue disagrees, Nao believes they will do just fine, even if she knows that they may be wrong.

[edit]Drama CD

The game release of Yosuga no Sora was supplemented by several drama CDs made available to pre-ordering customers at select Japanese retailers.

[edit]Manga

Yosuga no Sora has been adapted into a manga of the same title, serialized since the May issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Acemagazine.[6]

[edit]Music

The OST for the original game, with music composed by Manack, was released by Sphere on 27 February 2009.

The OST for the anime adaptation, with music composed by Manabu Miwa (Manack) and Bruno Wen-li, consists of both new compositions and newly-arranged versions of tracks from the original game. It will be released on two CDs, subtitled "Arrange" and "New", accompanying the Japanese Blu-ray Disc release of the anime with volumes 1 and 3 respectively.[7]

[edit]References

  1. ^ "Official game website for Yosuga no Sora" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  2. ^ "Official game website for Haruka na Sora" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  3. ^ "Eroge Review Yosuga no Sora". Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  4. ^ "Official game website for Yosuga no Sora" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  5. ^ "Official game website for Haruka na Sora" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  6. ^ "Comp Ace's official Yosuga no Sora manga webpage" (in Japanese). Comptiq. Kadokawa Shoten. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  7. ^ "Official Yosuga no Sora Anime Blu-Ray/DVD Release Webpage" (in Japanese). Starchild. King Records. Retrieved 2010-10-26.

[edit]External links

Sunday, 5 December 2010

Hell Girl 地獄少女, Jigoku Shōjo

The cover of eighth Japanese DVD compilation of the second season released by Aniplex on August 22, 2007
地獄少女
(Jigoku Shōjo)
Genre Horror, Mystery, Supernatural
TV anime
Directed by Takahiro Ōmori
Written by Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio Studio Deen
Licensed by

Australia New Zealand Madman Entertainment
Canada United States Funimation
United Kingdom Revelation films
Network Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX, Kids Station
English network

Canada United States IFC
India Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Republic of China Hong Kong Animax Asia
Singapore Okto
Original run October 4, 2005 – April 4, 2006
Episodes 26 (List of episodes)
Manga
Written by Miyuki Etō
Published by Kodansha
English publisher Canada United States Del Rey Manga
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Nakayoshi
Original run October 2005 – 2008
Volumes 9
TV anime

Hell Girl: Two Mirrors
(Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori)
Directed by Takahiro Ōmori
Written by Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio Studio Deen
Licensed by Canada United States Sentai Filmworks
Network Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX, Kids Station
English network India Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Republic of China Hong Kong Animax Asia
Original run October 7, 2006 – April 6, 2007
Episodes 26 (List of episodes)
TV drama
Directed by Makoto Naganuma
Studio Izumi TV Production
Network Nippon Television
Original run November 4, 2006 – January 27, 2007
Episodes 12
Game
Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura
Developer Compile Heart
Rating CERO: B (Ages 12 and up)
Platform Nintendo DS, PS2
Released September 27, 2007 (DS), September 19, 2009 (PS2)
TV anime

Hell Girl: Three Vessels
(Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae)
Directed by Hiroshi Watanabe
Written by Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio Studio Deen
Licensed by Canada United States Sentai Filmworks
Network Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX
Original run October 4, 2008 – April 4, 2009
Episodes 26 (List of episodes)
Anime and Manga Portal

Hell Girl (地獄少女, Jigoku Shōjo?), also known as Jigoku Shōjo: Girl from Hell is an anime series, produced by Aniplex and Studio Deen. It focuses on the existence of a supernatural system that allows people to take revenge by having other people sent to Hell via the services of the mysterious titular character and her assistants who implement this system. Revenge, injustice, hatred, and the nature of human emotions are common themes throughout the series.

It premiered across Japan on numerous television stations, including Animax, Tokyo MX, MBS and others, between October 4, 2005 and April 4, 2006. Following the success of the first season, the series was followed soon after into a second, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (地獄少女 二籠?), which premiered October 7, 2006 across Japan on Animax.[citation needed] A live-action television series adaptation started airing in Japan on Nippon Television from November 4, 2006.[citation needed] A third season of the anime, further continuing the series, was first announced on the mobile version of the series' official website Jigoku Tsūshin.[1] The official title of the third season was announced to be Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (地獄少女 三鼎?).[2] and began airing on Japanese TV October 4, 2008.[3]
Contents
[hide]

[edit] Plot
Main article: List of Hell Girl characters

Most episodes are self-contained short stories in which the series narrates the suffering of a different individual caused by one or more antagonists. In general during each arc, the protagonists' dramas are explained in detail from the start of their grudges, through the escalation of their torment until it becomes unbearable and they resort to accessing the Hell Correspondence website. Although in general, the client gives the antagonist a chance, he or she usually ends up pulling the string on his or her doll and sending the antagonist to hell. Once they have pulled the string, before taking the antagonist to hell, Ai Enma punishes the person for his or her sins with the help of her companions.

In the first season, the story soon follows a journalist named Shibata Hajime, a former blackmailer, and his daughter Tsugumi who shares a strange connection with the Hell Girl as they investigate the truth behind the Hell Girl. In the second season, a mysterious young girl from Hell, named Kikuri who is able to travel freely between Earth and the Twilight realm where Ai resides, is introduced. Later, the plot centers around Takuma Kurebayashi, a boy who is blamed by his townsfolk for causing disappearances around the town that are in reality caused by the townsfolk using the Hell Correspondence. In the third season, some time after Ai's death, Kikuri returns to recruit Ai's assistants along with a yōkai named Yamawaro, who accepts an old offer from Ai to become her fourth assistant. The story follows Ai's mysterious revival from death and subsequent inhabitation of the body of a young schoolgirl, Yuzuki Mikage.
[edit] Hell Correspondence

The medium through which a client contacts Ai Enma has changed over the centuries. Initially clients would write the names of whom they hated on an ema, which later changed to sending a letter to the address appearing in a three-column newspaper advertisement only visible to those with enough hatred. Once the internet became available, people could access the Hell Correspondence website, otherwise known as the "Hotline to Hell". Soon after, the site was adapted into a mobile version that could be accessed from cell phones.[4]

Each medium can only be used at midnight by one who harbors a desire for revenge against their object of hatred. Should someone submit the name of someone against whom they bear a grudge or immense hatred, and their request is accepted, Ai Enma will take them to a realm of perpetual twilight where she offers them a straw doll, one of her companions, with a red string wound around its neck and describe to the client the details of their contract; should the client pull the string tied around the doll's neck, she will ferry the target of the revenge straightaway to Hell. However, once the client's life has ended, he or she, too, will go to Hell, and a black crest-shaped mark appears on the client's chest to serve as a permanent reminder of this and their decision to send someone to Hell. However, this mark is no guarantee that the person themselves won't be sent to hell by another client.
[edit] Media
[edit] Anime
Part of a painting by Kawanabe Kyōsai, featured in the opening theme of Hell Girl
Main article: List of Hell Girl episodes

The Hell Girl anime series is produced by Aniplex and Studio Deen. It is directed by Takahiro Ōmori and written by Hiroshi Watanabe. The first season spanned 26 episodes and premiered across Japan on Animax between October 4, 2005, and April 4, 2006. The series' second season, premiered from October 7, 2006 across Japan on Animax. Animax also later translated and dubbed both the first[citation needed] and second seasons[citation needed] of the series into English for broadcast across its English language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and also aired the series across its other networks worldwide in various other languages, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Europe and other regions. The first season of the series was also licensed for North American distribution by FUNimation. The U.S. cable/satellite channel IFC announced in September 2007[5] that it acquired Hell Girl from Funimation, which then premiered on July 9, 2008.[6] Section23 Films announced that Sentai Filmworks has licensed the second season of the series, with the first DVD set shipping on May 25, 2010, and the second set on July 27.[7] On June 24, 2010, Section23 Films announced that Sentai has also the third season of Hell Girl, under the subtitle Three Vessels. The first set will be released on September 28, 2010,[8] followed by the second set to be released on November 30, 2010.
[edit] CDs
Main article: List of Hell Girl soundtracks

Two original soundtrack albums were released for Hell Girl. The first album contains twenty-four tracks and was released on January 25, 2006 by Sony Music Entertainment under the catalog number SVWC-7331.[9] The second album contains twenty-six tracks and was released on April 19, 2006 by Sony Music Entertainment under the catalog number SVWC-7348.[10]

Two original soundtrack albums were released for Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori. The first album contains twenty-three tracks and was released on January 24, 2007 by Sony Music Entertainment under the catalog number SVWC-7440.[11] The second album contains twenty-three tracks and was released on March 21, 2007 by Sony Music Entertainment under the catalog number SVWC-7454.[12]

Two original soundtrack albums were released for Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae. The first album contained twenty-eight tracks and was released on December 17, 2008 by Sony Music Entertainment under the catalog number SVWC-7597.[13] The second album contained twenty-seven tracks and was released on March 4, 2009 by Sony Music Entertainment under the catalog number SVWC-7612.[14]
[edit] Manga

The Hell Girl anime series was later adapted into a manga, which featured art by Miyuki Etō (永遠 幸, Etō Miyuki?). It has been serialized in Kodansha's Nakayoshi shōjo manga magazine since October 2005. While the stories are mostly original, chapters 4 and 10 are adapted from their respective anime episodes (in the first season), while chapter 2 is adapted from anime episode 9. Chapter 17 is adapted from episode 8 of the second season.

Due to the difference in media, Ai's modus operandi in the manga is somewhat different from the anime. Ai has been seen attending the same schools as some of her student-clients. Also, the straw figurine with the string was not featured in the first few chapters. Subsequently, its appearance is no longer as ubiquitous as its anime counterpart. Ai's clients need only to accept the contract, and the victims' torture by Ai and her helpers would then begin. In some cases, the torture begins after she has rung her bracelet in front of her victim (and not before as seen in the anime). The appearance of the boat in which Ai uses to ferry her victims to Hell is reduced as well. Notably, Sentaro Shibata is featured, but Tsugumi and Hajime are not. Also, Kikuri has made appearances from volume 4 onwards. Takuma appears towards the end of the manga, though not as young as his anime counter part. Detective Meshiai and Hotaru Meshiai also appear. Though Hajime doesn't appear, the biography Hajime wrote does, as a source of information on Ai for Meshiai and Takuma, implying that Hajime does have a presence in the manga universe. Subtle nods to the anime are scattered through out the manga, such as Gill du Ronfell's cameo in volume 6.

The manga has recently been licensed by Del Rey Manga, and the first volume, titled Hell Girl, was released January 2008. The second volume was released in May 2008.
[edit] Live action

Hell Girl was adapted into a single live-action television drama series that premiered on Nippon Television from November 4, 2006 spanning 12 half-hour episodes. The series was directed by Makoto Naganuma. The theme song for the series is "Dream Catcher" by Olivia Lufkin.[15]

Hisahiro Ogura, the actor who portrays Wanyūdō in the live-action adaptation is also the Japanese male narrator at the beginning of every episode of the anime series. Eriko Matsushima retains her role as Ai's grandmother in the live action series.
[edit] Cast

* Ai Enma: Sayuri Iwata
* Ren Ichimoku: Kazuki Kato
* Hone Onna: Aya Sugimoto
* Wanyūdō: Hisahiro Ogura
* Ai's Grandmother: Eriko Matsushima
* Hajime Shibata: Kazuhiko Nishimura
* Tsugumi Shibata: Saaya Irie

[edit] Episodes
# Title Original air date
1 "Cracked Time"
"Hibiwareta Jikan" (ひび割れた時間) November 4, 2006[16]
Yu Miyazuki is relentlessly bullied by Sakurako Endo after being accepted into a university. She decides to contact Hell Correspondence and types in Endo's name, but decides not to submit it. The next day, Yu is forced by Endo and her gang to shoplift, where she is almost caught, and again she types her name but does not submit it. As punishment for failing to shoplift, Endo forces Yu onto an older male and takes a picture of them. Yu almost is hit by a truck, but is saved by Ai who gives her Wanyuudo. Her university application is denied then after Endo shows off the pictures and tells her teachers that Yu was the shoplifter. Yu then sends Endo to Hell when she refuses to admit to what she did, and finds out that Endou bullied her because she got into the university and not her. Despite this, Yu decides to try for the university again someday soon.
2 "The Boy in the Box"
"Hako no Naka Shōnen" (箱の中の少年) November 11, 2006[17]
Daichi Nizushima is a young boy who has frozen himself from the outside world by locking himself in his bedroom. After his father's death, Makoto Shinoda, a manager for the company his father worked at, tells Daichi's sister that he believes it is Daichi's fault because he did not speak with his father. Daichi's decides to access Hell Correspondence and types in Shinoda's name before being given the straw doll. His sister digs deeper into the company and finds evidence that they might have contributed to his death, but she is chased down and falls down a flight of stairs. Daichi looks at his father's blog and realizes that he committed suicide because he was given too much work to finish and is computer illiterate, and was harassed by Shinoda for this. After finding out about his sister's injury, Daichi pulls the string and sends Shinoda to Hell. The next day, Daichi tears down the cardboard on his window and decides it is finally time to see the outside world.
3 "A Baby's Dream"
"Midorigo no Yume" (嬰児の夢) November 18, 2006[18]
A young girl named named Shoko has already had three abortions, but still wishes to have children with her husband Seichi Toriumi, who works at an office as a manager. Because Shoko seems unable to have children, Seichi sleeps with Mari, another girl whom he has also married, but has promised to divorce for Shoko. Instead though, he plans to divorce Shoko because she can not get pregnent. Shoko finds this out and types Mari's name into Hell Correspondence, but decides against it. The next day, Shoko sees Seichi at the store with Mari, and as it turns out, they have a daughter, as well as another child on the way. Devastated, Shoko attempts to call Mari and speak with her about this, but Mari does not believe her. As Shoko showers, she feels pain in her womb and is told by her doctor to give up on ever having children now. Knowing her marriage is forever lost, Shoko contacts Hell Correspondence and sends it. When she is not given an immediate response, she attempts to commit suicide. Ai brings her to her world where she is saved, and gives her the straw doll. Shoko pulls the string and sends her cheating husband to Hell.
4 "Dusk"
"Ōma no Migiri" (逢魔の砌) November 25, 2006[19]

5 "The Epitaph of Lies"
"Itsuwari no Bohimei" (偽りの墓碑銘) December 2, 2006[20]

6 "The Red Thread of Promise"
"Yakusoku no Akai Ito" (約束の赤い糸) December 9, 2006[21]
A young schoolgirl, Sachi, is seen entering the name "Mako" on Hell Correspondence, and submitting it. Her phone immediately rings, and it is Mako, saying that she knows that Sachi has cursed her. Mako is a girl who lives at an abandoned warehouse, who saved Sachi as a young child by killing her tutor who was sexually abusing her by pushing him down a flight of stairs. Mako and her made Red Thread bracelets to promise they would be friends forever, but Mako proves more mean then loyal. When Mako destroys Sachi's bedroom, soils her reputation and almost kills her crush, Minegi, by the same method of pushing him down a stairwell, Sachi pulls the string on the straw doll. It is then revealed that Mako and Sachi are the same person, with Mako being another personality that Sachi created due to her abuse. Mako's half is sent to Hell while Sachi remains in the mortal world, trying to rebuild her reputation.
7 "Sweet Temptation"
"Amai Yūwaku" (甘い誘惑) December 16, 2006[22]

8 "Miracle of the Holy Night"
"Seiya no Kiseki" (聖夜の奇跡) December 23, 2006[23]

9 "The Fake Compensation"
"Nise no Daishō" (偽の代償) January 6, 2007[24]

10 "Memories of Sorrow"
"Kanashimim no Kioku" (悲しみの記憶) January 13, 2007[25]

11 "Darkness of the Real World, Part. 1"
"Arawashisei no Yami" (現し世の闇 前編) January 20, 2007[26]

12 "Darkness of the Real World, Part. 2"
"Arawashisei no Yami" (現し世の闇 後編) January 27, 2007[27]

[edit] Video game

Hell Girl has also been adapted into a video game for the Nintendo DS entitled Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura, which was developed by Compile Heart and released in Japan on September 27, 2007. Compile Heart made a PS2 version entitled "Jigoku Shōjo Mioyosuga" released on September 17, 2009.
[edit] Reception
Wiki letter w cropped.svg This section requires expansion.

Dominic Nguyen wrote "The 40-page vignettes don't have as much depth as 25 minutes of television, and if you finish the whole book in one sitting, you may get the feeling that you've read the same chapter five times with different characters. But if you give yourself some time to digest each story, you will understand the sinister beauty of Hell Girl."[28]
[edit] References

1. ^ "Third Hell Girl Anime Series Greenlit for Production (Updated)". Anime News Network. 2007-12-28. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-12-28/third-hell-girl-anime-series-greenlit-for-production. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
2. ^ "New Hell Girl Anime Named: Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae". Anime News Network. 2008-03-19. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-19/new-hell-girl-anime-named-jigoku-shoujo-mitsuganae. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
3. ^ "Bandai Channel Official Jigoku Shōjo Page". http://www.b-ch.com/contents/feat_jigoku_syojo/. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
4. ^ "Hell Professor vs. Hell Girl". Hiroshi Watanabe. Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae. 2009-02-21. No. 20. 15 minutes in.
5. ^ Anne, Becker (12/9/2007). "FC Boosts Anime, Acquires Three Series". Reed Business Information. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/111541-IFC_Boosts_Anime_Acquires_Three_Series.php. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
6. ^ "Hell Girl Anime Debuts on IFC's Linear Channel Tonight". Anime News Network. 2008-09-30. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-09-30/hell-girl-anime-debuts-on-ifc-linear-channel-tonight. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
7. ^ "Sentai Adds Asu no Yoichi, Eyeshield 21, Hell Girl 2". Anime News Network. 2010-02-26. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-02-26/sentai-adds-asu-no-yoichi-eyeshield-21-anime. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
8. ^ "Sentai Acquires Xan'd, Hell Girl Season 3 Anime, Adds New Dubs". Mania.com. 2010-06-24. http://www.mania.com/sentai-acquires-xamd-hell-girl-season-3-anime-adds-new-dubs_article_123457.html.
9. ^ "Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack". Neowing. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SVWC-7331. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
10. ^ "Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack 2". Neowing. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SVWC-7348. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
11. ^ "Jigoku Shōjo Futagomori Original Soundtrack". Neowing. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SVWC-7440. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
12. ^ "Jigoku Shōjo Futagomori Original Soundtrack 2". Neowing. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SVWC-7454. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
13. ^ "Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae Original Soundtrack". Neowing. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SVWC-7597. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
14. ^ "Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae Original Sound Track -Soushoku-". Neowing. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SVWC-7612. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
15. ^ "Drama Detail Data: 地獄少女 JIGOKU-SHOUJO" (in Japanese). Furusaki Yasunari. http://www.tvdrama-db.com/drama_info/p/id-39512. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
16. ^ "Story: Episode 1" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_01.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
17. ^ "Story: Episode 2" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_02.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
18. ^ "Story: Episode 3" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_03.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
19. ^ "Story: Episode 4" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_04.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
20. ^ "Story: Episode 5" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_05.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
21. ^ "Story: Episode 6" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_06.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
22. ^ "Story: Episode 7" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_07.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
23. ^ "Story: Episode 8" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_08.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
24. ^ "Story: Episode 9" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_09.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
25. ^ "Story: Episode 10" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_10.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
26. ^ "Story: Episode 11" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_11.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
27. ^ "Story: Episode 12" (in Japanese). Nippon Television Network Corporation. http://www.ntv.co.jp/jigoku/story_12.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05. [dead link]
28. ^ Nguyen, Dominic. "Hell Girl". Newtype USA. 7 (1) p. 106. January 2008. ISSN 1541-4817.

[edit] External links

* Jigoku Shōjo official website (Japanese)
* Jigoku Shōjo @ Bandai Channel (Japanese)
* Hell Girl @ Bandai Channel (Japanese)
* Hell Girl: The Official Anime Website from FUNimation
* Hell Girl: Independent Film Channel
* Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori @ Bandai Channel (Japanese)
* Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae @ Bandai Channel (Japanese)
* Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae @ Studio Deen (Japanese)
* Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae @ Tokyo MX (Japanese)
* NTV's official website for Jigoku Shōjo Live Action (Japanese)
* Official Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura Nintendo DS website (Japanese)
* Jigoku Shōjo (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
* Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
* Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

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