Shutendoji (manga)

Legend of Shutendoji
Cover of volume 1 of Legend of Shutendoji by Fusosha, art by Akemi Takada (1998)
手天童子
(Shutendōji)
Manga
Written byGo Nagai
Published byKodansha
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Magazine
Original runSeptember 5, 1976 – April 30, 1978
Volumes9
Novel series
Written byYasutaka Nagai
Illustrated byGo Nagai
Published byKadokawa Shoten
ImprintKadokawa Novels
Original runJuly 1986 – June 1989
Volumes6
Novel series
Written byShigekazu Kitamura
Published byJICC
ImprintAdventure Novels
Original runOctober 1987 – December 1987
Volumes2
Original video animation
Directed byJunji Nishimura (1-2)
Jun Kawagoe (3)
Masatomo Sudo (4)
Written byMasashi Sogo
Music byFumitaka Anzai
StudioStudio Signal
Licensed by
Released December 21, 1989 – December 21, 1991
Runtime50 minutes (each)
Episodes4
Video game
PublisherEnix
GenreRPG
PlatformNEC PC-9801
ReleasedOctober 1990
Manga
The Legendary Demon Slayer Shutendoji
Written byGo Nagai
Illustrated byMasato Natsumoto
Published byAkita Shoten
MagazineChampion Red
Original runOctober 2002 – December 2005
Volumes7

Shutendoji (Japanese: 手天童子, Hepburn: Shutendōji), also known as Legend of Shutendoji, is a Japanese manga series created by Go Nagai which combines elements from Japanese folklore with science fiction. An OVA series was released beginning in 1989 and ending in 1991, for a total of 4 episodes.

In 2002, a remake/sequel titled The Legendary Demon Slayer Shutendoji (降魔伝 手天童子, Gōmaden Shutendōji) started being published in the magazine Champion Red, being one of the series that were released in the first issue of the magazine.

Plot

Artist and writer Ryuichiro Shiba and his wife, Kyoko, are visiting a temple to make a promise of marriage to their ancestors. At that moment, however, two oni appear before them and fight to death; one of them carrying a baby on his mouth. After defeating his opponent, the oni gives Ryuichiro and Kyoko the baby and declares that he will return for him after 15 years. After said period of time, strange events start happening around the baby, now a teenager named Jiro Shutendo.

Characters

Main characters

Jiro Shutendo (手天童子郎, shutendou jirō)
Voiced by: Ryo Horikawa

The fifteen-year-old protagonist of the story, he is an oni.

Miyuki Shiratori (白鳥美雪, shiratori miyuki)
Voiced by: Sumi Shimamoto

Jiro's schoolmate and love interest. She becomes infatuated with him after he rescues her and a schoolmate from some bullies. In terms of characterisation, she fits both the ingenue and damsel in distress archetypes, given that, throughout the narrative, she often ends up naked and captured at the hands of the manga's antagonists.

Ryuichiro Shiba (柴竜一郎, shiba ryūichirō)
Voiced by: Michihiro Ikemizu

Jiro's adoptive human father.

Kyoko Shiba (柴京子, shiba kyōko)
Voiced by: Sanae Takagi

Jiro's adoptive human mother.

Goki (護鬼, goki)
Voiced by: Tessho Genda

One of the two oni created to protect Jiro. He looks relatively humanoid, unlike most oni, and acts as a mentor for Jiro.

Senki (戦鬼, senki)
Voiced by: Daisuke Gori

One of the two oni created to protect Jiro. He brought him as a baby to his parents.

Allies

Yusuke Shiratori (白鳥勇輔, shiratori yūsuke)

Miyuki's older brother and Jiro's first and best friend.

Naojiro Oyama (大山 直次郎, oyama naojiro)

A friend of Yusuke who is a descendant of ancient oni. He's the heir of a yakuza family trained through generations to protect Jiro.

Riki Muso (無双 力, muso riki)

A human descendant of ancient oni and another friend to Yusuke. She is a strong female oni who hides under the guise of a rowdy, masculine-looking girl with a love for professional wrestling. Her nickname is "Ricki".

Kosaku Kaji (梶 工作, kaji kosaku)

Another descendant of an oni, a timid, bookish boy with psychic abilities.

Yashi Koya (小谷 椰子夫, koya yashi)

Another descendant of an oni and the last member of Yusuke's gang. He is a plump boy with superhuman strength that practises sumo wrestling. He's nicknamed "Koyatashi".

Enemies

Yonen Majari (魔邪利 妖念, majari yonen)

The high priest of Ankoku Jashin Kyo ("School of the Evil God from Darkness"), an evil cult who worships demons. His goal is killing Jiro.

Kukai Jawanbo (邪腕坊 苦海, jawanbo kukai)

Majari's lieutenant, a powerful priest who wields a double kusarigama.

Iron Kaiser (アイアンカイザー, aion kaisa)
Voiced by: Akio Ohtsuka

Kukai's son, who grew and became a military cyborg in order to avenge his father.

Original manga publication

Prototype

Before starting serialization, Nagai created a 57-page oneshot titled Shutendoji, published in the issue of February 1975 in the Shōjo magazine Princess, published by Akita Shoten.[1][2][3] While this manga has some similarities, it is a completely different story, as well as being a Shōjo manga instead of Shōnen. It would later be renamed as Jashin Senki (邪神戦記) or Princess Han Shutendoji (プリンセス版手天童子).[2][3]

Original serialization

Shutendoji started being published as a serialized series from September 5, 1976, to April 30, 1978, in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine by Kodansha.[2][4]

The manga was originally compiled in 9 volumes, and would later be re-published several times.

  • Kodansha (KC Magazine, 1977–1978)
Japanese release dateVol.
April 5, 19771
May 10, 19772
July 20, 19773
August 20, 19774
March 25, 19785
June 25, 19786
July 25, 19787
September 20, 19788
November 25, 19789
  • Kodansha (KC Special, 1985)
Japanese release dateVol.ISBN
August 6, 198514061011529
August 6, 198524061011537
September 6, 198534061011545
October 5, 198544061011553
November 6, 198554061011561
  • Kodansha (Goka Aizoban, 1988–1989)
Japanese release dateVol.ISBN
September 17, 198814061769081
September 17, 19882406176909X
October 17, 198834061769111
November 17, 19884406176912X
December 17, 198854061769138
January 17, 198964061769146
  • Fusosha (Fusosha Bunko, 1996–1997)
Japanese release dateVol.ISBN
August 30, 199614594020534
September 30, 199624594020755
October 30, 199634594021042
November 30, 199644594021204
December 30, 199654594021476
January 30, 199764594021719
  • Fusosha (Legend of Shutendoji, 1998)
Japanese release dateVol.ISBN
April 1, 199814594024580
April 1, 199824594024599
May 10, 199834594024696
June 10, 19984459402470X
July 10, 199854594025064
August 10, 199864594025072
  • Kodansha (Kodansha Manga Bunko, 2001)
Japanese release dateVol.ISBN
October 12, 200114063600971
October 12, 20012406360098X
November 12, 200134063600998
November 12, 200144063601005

Besides the printed volumes, the manga has also been published in 10 ebook format volumes by ebookjapan.[5] The series has also been published in some compilations of other Nagai's manga.

Publications outside Japan

d/visual published the full series in Italy from 2004 to 2005.

Italian release dateVol.ISBN
July 23, 200414902751046
October 15, 200424902751097
December 17, 200434902751151
February 18, 200544902751399
April 15, 200554902751402
April 29, 200564902751410
June 30, 200574902751429
September 2, 200584902751437
October 26, 200594902751445

Novels

Two series of novels based on the manga were released during the 1980s. The first one was written by Yasutaka Nagai and was released in 6 volumes from 1986 to 1989 by Kadokawa Shoten.[6][7][8]

  • Kadokawa Shoten (Kadokawa Novels)
Release dateVol.SubtitlePagesISBN
July 19861Oni no Kechimyaku (鬼の血脈)2184047740217
March 19882Oni Tenshi (鬼天使)2044047740225
June 19883Jakyo no Wana (邪教の罠, jakyō no wana)1884047740233
October 19884Ankoku tera no Shito (暗黒寺の死闘, ankoku tera no shitō)1944047740241
February 19895Samayo Eru Oni Tachi (彷徨える鬼たち)198404774025X
June 19896Saraba Itoshiki Oni Tachi (さらば愛しき鬼たち)2014047740268

The second one was written by Fusamichi Kitamura and published in two volumes published in 1987 by JICC under the label Adventure Novels.[6][9][10]

  • JICC (Adventure Novels)
Release dateVol.PagesISBN
October 198712824880633062
December 198722504880633070

OVAs

The manga was adapted into 4 OVAs released from 1989 to 1991.[11] The OVAs were originally released on VHS and later on laserdisc, both times by Nippon Columbia.

No.TitleLengthDirected byOriginal release date
1"Chapter of Hyoki"
"hyōki no shō" (憑鬼の章)
47 minutesJunji NishimuraDecember 21, 1989 (1989-12-21)
2"Chapter of Goma"
"gōma no shō" (降魔の章)
46 minutesJunji NishimuraJuly 1, 1990 (1990-07-01)
3"Chapter of Tekki"
"tekki no shō" (鉄鬼の章)
49 minutesJun KawagoeMarch 1, 1991 (1991-03-01)
4"Chapter of Ongoku"
"ongoku no shō" (鬼獄の章)
54 minutesMasatomo SudoMarch 1, 1991 (1991-03-01)

They were re-released in DVD format also by Columbia in 2001.[12][13][14][15]

Releases outside Japan

The OVAs were released in the US by ADV Films[16] in VHS (4 tapes) and later on DVD (2 discs).

They were also released in Italy by Dynamic on VHS and in Latin America on TV by Locomotion.

Staff and production notes

  • Distributor: Nippon Columbia
  • Original work / organization: Go Nagai
  • Planning work: Dynamic Planning
  • Director: Junji Nishimura (1, 2), Jun Kawagoe (3), Masatomo Sudo (4)
  • Scenario: Masashi Sogo
  • Work supervision: Hideyuki Motohashi (1, 2)
  • Animation supervisor: Satoshi Hirayama (3, 4), Masatomo Sudo (4)
  • Character design: Satoshi Hirayama (3, 4)
  • Mecha design: Masahiko Okura (3, 4)
  • Art director: Masazumi Matsumiya (1, 2), Masuo Nakayama (3, 4)
  • Director of photography: Tadashi Hosono (1, 2, 3), Akihiko Takahashi (4)
  • Sound director: Akira Yamazaki
  • Music: Fumitaka Anzai
  • Animation work: Studio Signal
  • Production: Nippon Animation
  • Cast: Ryo Horikawa (Jiro Shutendo), Sumi Shimamoto (Miyuki Shiratori), Michihiro Ikemizu (Ryuichiro Shiba), Sanae Takagi (Kyoko Shiba), Rei Sakuma (Tanemura), Hiroya Ishimaru (Kitani), Tessho Genda (Goki), Daisuke Gori (Senki), Osamu Kobayashi (Yonen Majari), Shigeru Sakahara (Yusuke), Yoko Matsuoka (Rickey), Kiyoyuki Yanada (Naojiro), Kiyoshi Kawakubo (Oyama), Akio Otsuka (Iron Kaiser), Rihoko Yoshida (Captain Persis), Ryusei Nakao (Major Gill), Sakiko Tamagawa (Sonia), Chikao Otsuka (Oniryu), Koji Yada (Ishi)

Source(s)[11] [17][18]

Video game

Along with the OVAs, a Role-playing game for the NEC PC-9801 was released by the Japanese company Enix in October 1990.[19][20][21]

The Legendary Demon Slayer Shutendoji

The Legendary Demon Slayer Shutendoji (降魔伝 手天童子, Gōmaden Shutendōji) is a manga created by Go Nagai and Masato Natsumoto, which was originally published from August 19, 2002 (cover date October 2002,)[22] to October 19, 2005 (cover date December 2005),[23] in Akita Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Champion Red. While it has a similar setting, the story is different from the original series.

No. Release date ISBN
1April 17, 2003 (2003-04-17)978-4-253-23063-6
2September 25, 2003 (2003-09-25)978-4-253-23064-3
3April 15, 2004 (2004-04-15)978-4-253-23065-0
4September 22, 2004 (2004-09-22)978-4-253-23066-7
5February 19, 2005 (2005-02-19)978-4-253-23067-4
6August 20, 2005 (2005-08-20)978-4-253-23068-1
7December 20, 2005 (2005-12-20)978-4-253-23069-8

References

  1. ↑ 神保町裏通り日記. Carrot Museum (in Japanese). Japan: Kudan Shobo. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  2. 1 2 3 手天童子 [Shutendoji] (in Japanese). Japan: The World of Go Nagai. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  3. 1 2 "Go Nagai works list 1971-1975". Nagai Go Special Corner (in Japanese). Japan: eBOOK Initiative Japan Co. Ltd. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  4. ↑ "Go Nagai works list 1976-1980". Nagai Go Special Corner (in Japanese). Japan: eBOOK Initiative Japan Co. Ltd. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  5. ↑ "TV anime list". Nagai Go Special Corner (in Japanese). Japan: eBOOK Initiative Japan Co. Ltd. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
  6. 1 2 小説イラスト関係(永井豪) (in Japanese). Japan: Go book quest. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  7. ↑ 永井 豪イラスト単行本リスト(PART1) [Go Nagai - Illustration book list (part 1)]. Nagai Go (in Japanese). Japan: Dynamic Land. Archived from the original on 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  8. ↑ 『手天童子』二部作. Adventure Novels (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  9. ↑ ゲームブック倉庫番 @ ウィキ - JICC出版局(宝島社) (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  10. 1 2 "Original Video Ka Sakuhin List" [Original Video works list] (in Japanese). Japan: The World of Go Nagai. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  11. ↑ "手天童子(1) <憑鬼の章・降魔の章> [DVD]" (in Japanese). Japan: Amazon.com, Inc. 17 March 2001. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  12. ↑ "手天童子 Vol.1 「憑鬼の章」 「降魔の章」" (in Japanese). Japan: Seven and Y Corp. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  13. ↑ "手天童子(2) <鉄鬼の章・鬼獄の章> [DVD]" (in Japanese). Japan: Amazon.com, Inc. 17 March 2001. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  14. ↑ "手天童子 Vol.2 「鉄鬼の章」 「鬼獄の章」" (in Japanese). Japan: Seven and Y Corp. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  15. ↑ "Catalog". USA: ADV Films. Archived from the original on March 31, 2001. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  16. ↑ "Shutendoji" (in Japanese). Japan: allcinema. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  17. ↑ "Shutendoji (OVAs)" (in Japanese). Japan: Go-mania. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  18. ↑ "Shuten Doji". United Kingdom: Anime Video Games. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  19. ↑ "Shuten Doji Release Information for NEC PC98". USA: Gamefaqs. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  20. ↑ "Shuten Douji Fiche RPG". Carrot Museum (in French). France: Legendra. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  21. ↑ "Champion Red #2002-10". Magazine Box (in Japanese). Japan: Akita Shoten. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  22. ↑ "Champion Red #2005-12". Magazine Box (in Japanese). Japan: Akita Shoten. Archived from the original on 2008-06-09. Retrieved 2009-10-30.