Inugami (manga)

Inugami
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring 23 (left) and Fumiki Shimazaki (right) with a litter of inugami
犬神
Genre
Manga
Written byMasaya Hokazono
Published byKodansha
English publisher
  • NA: Manga Planet (digital)
ImprintAfternoon KC
MagazineMonthly Afternoon
Original runJuly 25, 1996 – August 24, 2002
Volumes14
Manga
Inugami Re
Written byMasaya Hokazono
Illustrated byAki Shimizu
Published by
MagazineLine Manga
Original runOctober 14, 2020 – September 6, 2022
Volumes4

Inugami (Japanese: 犬神; lit. 'Dog God') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masaya Hokazono. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon from July 1996 to August 2002, with its chapters collected in 14 tankōbon volumes. The story is about a boy who finds an inugami, a dog god of Japanese mythology.

A revised and expanded version by Hokazono, titled Inugami Kai[a], was serialized digitally in Leed Publishing's Leed cafe online platform, with its chapters collected in ten volumes. It was licensed for an English-language translation in North America by Manga Planet.

A remake of Inugami, titled Inugami Re[b] and illustrated by Aki Shimizu, was serialized digitally through Line Manga from October 2020 to September 2022, with its chapters collected in four volumes.

Synopsis

An inugami dog can scarcely remember his past, only knowing that he has been ordered to spy on humans. Hosting a distinctive "23" tattooed on his ear, he has the ability to not only quickly recover from injuries but also grow spikes on his back. His abilities include, but are not limited to, passing on his power to anyone who happens to touch his blood. Unfortunately, his unusual power also attracts the attention of those interested in acquiring his power.

Having wandered into the city, the inugami finds himself in an abandoned building where Fumiki Shimazaki, a young aspiring poet, frequents. After listening to Fumiki's poetry for some time, the inugami befriends the boy and eventually learns to speak, much to Fumiki's surprise. Through their friendship, the inugami comes to realize that not all humans are bad. However, a pharmaceutical corporation soon learns of the inugami's existence. Realizing that the inugami's regenerating cells could lead to immortality, the corporation attempts and succeeds at acquiring his genes. Soon, the company ends up creating terrifying monsters. The inugami ends up in a fight with one of these monsters and, for a moment, questions the goodness of humans who have created these monsters. In that fleeting moment of doubt, a different inugami, with the intent to kill humans, appears.

Characters

23
One of the main characters and an inugami that befriends Fumiki. Initially silent and animalistic, 23 develops human speech from listening to Fumiki's poetry. 23's exact origins are left ambiguous, but he emerged from the mountains with an internal command to "gaze upon man." Through his interactions with Fumiki and later Mika, 23 develops an appreciation for humanity.
As an inugami, 23 possesses a degree of control over his bodily structure, mostly manifesting in the form of spikes and horns. He is capable of recovering from otherwise fatal wounds, though it takes him longer compared to other inugami; an enormous gash in his stomach heals over in just a week. He is capable of communicating and spreading memories telepathically with other inugami, dogs, and eventually Fumiki, which later develops into a psychic link.
Fumiki Shimazaki (島崎 史樹, Shimazaki Fumiki)
The main human protagonist of the series, a high schooler who loves to read and write poetry. At the beginning of the series he is very shy and introverted, but he grows more confident as time goes on. He forms an emotional and later psychic bond with 23, and is frequently distressed when 23 cannot be located. After coming into contact with 23's blood during an encounter with the inugami Eight, he develops a healing ability similar to but slower than 23's.
Mika Harada (原田 美伽, Harada Mika)
Mika Harada is the childhood friend of Fumiki. In contrast to Fumiki, she's quite bold and extroverted. After following Fumiki to the abandoned building and nearly getting attacked by a mutated rat, Mika learns about 23 and bonds with him alongside Fumiki. Mika frequently feels "out of the loop" due to Fumiki's habit of running off without her to go find 23. At one point, she begins dating another student in her and Fumiki's class, but she quickly ditches him to hang out with Fumiki.
Kiryu (桐生)
The main antagonist of the series. A skilled clairvoyant gifted with powerful telepathy and precognition, Kiryu desires to use the inugami to access the mysterious otherworld Tokoyono for his own means.
Zero (ゼロ)
An inugami with black fur. Like 23, he emerged from the mountains with the instruction to "gaze upon man," though unlike 23 his impression of humanity is quickly soured by interactions with hunters and police officers. After massacring several civilians, 23 and Zero engage in a battle that culminates in Zero being beheaded. Still alive, Zero is taken in by Kiryu who, after pacifying Zero with a psychic projection of a torii gate, desires to use him to access Tokoyono.
Zero possesses body-modifying abilities similar to 23, but rather than horns he attacks with cnidocyte-lined tentacles that he uses to cut people to pieces.

Publication

Written and illustrated by Masaya Hokazono, Inugami was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon from July 25, 1996,[c] to August 24, 2002.[d] Kodansha collected its chapters in fourteen tankōbon volumes, published from January 23, 1997,[7] to November 22, 2002.[8] Kodansha republished the series in seven bunkoban volumes from December 12, 2002,[9] to February 8, 2003;[10] a new edition in six volumes from October 10, 2008,[11] to February 7, 2009;[12] and the complete edition in four volumes from December 12, 2012,[13] to March 13, 2013.[14]

Hokazono later drew a revised and expanded version. Titled Inugami Kai, it was serialized digitally in Leed Publishing's Leed cafe online platform, with its chapters collected in ten volumes between March 28, 2017, and July 27, 2018.[15][16] It was licensed for an English-language translation in North America by Manga Planet.[17] 72 chapters were translated in total, from November 19, 2019, to July 23, 2020.[1]

A remake of Inugami manga, titled Inugami Re and illustrated by Aki Shimizu, was serialized digitally through Line Manga in planned two parts. The first part ran from October 14, 2020,[18][19] to September 6, 2022.[20] Asahi Shimbun Publications collected its chapters in four volumes, published three tankōbon volumes from October 20, 2020,[21][22] to March 18, 2022,[23] and released the fourth volume digitally on October 2, 2023.[24]

Volumes

No. Release date ISBN
1January 23, 1997[7]978-4-06-314147-4
2June 23, 1997[25]978-4-06-314153-5
3November 21, 1997[26]978-4-06-314167-2
4April 23, 1998[27]978-4-06-314178-8
5September 22, 1998[28]978-4-06-314189-4
6February 22, 1999[29]978-4-06-314199-3
7July 22, 1999[30]978-4-06-314214-3
8December 16, 1999[31]978-4-06-314226-6
9April 21, 2000[32]978-4-06-314239-6
10September 22, 2000[33]978-4-06-314250-1
11February 22, 2001[34]978-4-06-314261-7
12August 23, 2001[35]978-4-06-314271-6
13May 23, 2002[36]978-4-06-314293-8
14November 22, 2002[8]978-4-06-314308-9

Inugami Kai volumes

No. Release date ISBN
1March 28, 2017[15]978-4-84-584983-3
2April 28, 2017[37]978-4-84-584984-0
3May 29, 2017[38]978-4-84-584985-7
4July 28, 2017[39]978-4-84-584986-4
5September 28, 2017[40]978-4-84-584987-1
6November 29, 2017[41]978-4-84-585243-7
7January 29, 2018[42]978-4-84-585274-1
8March 28, 2018[43]978-4-84-585297-0
9April 28, 2018[44]978-4-84-585314-4
10July 27, 2018[16]978-4-84-585338-0

Inugami Re volumes

No. Release date ISBN
1October 20, 2020[22]978-4-02-214289-4
2March 22, 2021[45]978-4-02-214315-0
3March 18, 2022[23]978-4-02-214338-9
4October 2, 2023[24]—

Reception

By 2020, Inugami Re manga had sold over 1.5 million copies in circulation.[46]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: 犬神・改
  2. ↑ Japanese: 犬神Re, Hepburn: Inugami rebirth
  3. ↑ Debuted in the magazine's September 1996 issue,[3] which was released on July 25.[4]
  4. ↑ Finished in the magazine's October 2002 issue,[5] which was released on August 24.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Inugami Kai". Manga Planet. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  2. ↑ 犬神. Mangapedia (in Japanese). Voyage Group. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ もくじ [Contents]. Monthly Afternoon (in Japanese). No. September 1996 issue. Kodansha. Table of contents. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  4. ↑ もくじ [Contents]. Monthly Afternoon (in Japanese). No. July 1996 issue. Kodansha. Table of contents. Retrieved June 28, 2024. […] 当選者の 発表はアフタヌーン9月号(7月25日発売)誌上にて。
  5. ↑ もくじ [Contents]. Monthly Afternoon (in Japanese). No. October 2002 issue. Kodansha. Table of contents. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ もくじ [Contents]. Monthly Afternoon (in Japanese). No. August 2002 issue. Kodansha. Table of contents. Retrieved June 28, 2024. […] ※の発表はアフタヌーン10月号(8月24日発売)誌
  7. 1 2 犬神（1） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  8. 1 2 犬神（14）＜完＞ (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  9. ↑ 犬神（1） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  10. ↑ 犬神（7）＜完＞ (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ 新装版 犬神（1） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ 新装版 犬神（6） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ 犬神 完全版 出会い編 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  14. ↑ 犬神 完全版 胎動編 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  15. 1 2 犬神・改 （1） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  16. 1 2 犬神・改 （10） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  17. ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 18, 2019). "'Manga Planet' Manga Subscription Service Launches With Toward the Terra, My Favorite Carrera, More Series". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  18. ↑ 志水アキ [@SHIMZAK] (October 14, 2020). 【犬神Re(ﾘﾊﾞｰｽ)】LINEマンガにて連載中！毎週火曜日更新！作画:志水アキ 企画:獅子唐 原案:外薗 昌也 https://manga.line.me/product/periodic?id=Z0000879 犬神誕生から23年の時を経て Re-birth 再誕！待望の連載スタート (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2024 – via Twitter.
  19. ↑ Pineda, Antonio (September 8, 2020). "Aki Shimizu to Launch Inugami Re Manga This Fall". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 8, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  20. ↑ Cayanan, Joanna (September 6, 2022). "Aki Shimizu's Inugami Re Manga Ends 1st Part". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 7, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  21. ↑ 外薗昌也「犬神」誕生から約23年、志水アキがリメイクした新作1巻. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. October 20, 2020. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  22. 1 2 犬神Re 1 (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun Publications. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  23. 1 2 犬神Re 3 (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun Publications. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  24. 1 2 Cayanan, Joanna (October 19, 2023). "Aki Shimizu's Inugami Re Manga Series Ends With 4th Volume". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  25. ↑ 犬神（2） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  26. ↑ 犬神（3） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  27. ↑ 犬神（4） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  28. ↑ 犬神（5） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  29. ↑ 犬神（6） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  30. ↑ 犬神（7） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  31. ↑ 犬神（8） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  32. ↑ 犬神（9） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  33. ↑ 犬神（10） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  34. ↑ 犬神（11） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  35. ↑ 犬神（12） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  36. ↑ 犬神（13） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  37. ↑ 犬神・改 （2） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  38. ↑ 犬神・改 （3） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  39. ↑ 犬神・改 （4） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  40. ↑ 犬神・改 （5） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  41. ↑ 犬神・改 （6） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  42. ↑ 犬神・改 （7） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  43. ↑ 犬神・改 （8） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  44. ↑ 犬神・改 （9） (in Japanese). Leed Publishing. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  45. ↑ 犬神Re 2 (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun Publications. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  46. ↑ 犬神Re. Sonorama Plus (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun Publications. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024. […]累計150万部以上を売り上げた外薗昌也の傑作が、[…]
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.