Black Rock Shooter Explained

Ja Kanji:ブラック★ロックシューター
Ja Romaji:Burakku Rokku Shūtā
Creator:Huke
Type:ova
Director:Shinobu Yoshioka
Producer:Takanori Aki
Music:Ryo
Studio:Ordet
Released:July 24, 2010
Runtime:50 minutes
Episode List:List of Black Rock Shooter episodes#OVA
Petite Rock Shooter
Developer:Imageepoch
Genre:RPG
Platforms:Browser game
Released:March 9, 2011
Black Rock-chan
Type:manga
Author:Ringo
Publisher:Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic:Shōnen
Magazine:4-Koma Nano Ace
First:March 9, 2011
Last:February 9, 2012
Volumes:1
Black Rock Shooter: Innocent Soul
Type:manga
Author:Sanami Suzuki
Publisher:Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic:Seinen
Magazine:Young Ace
First:June 4, 2011
Last:May 4, 2012
Volumes:3
Black Rock Shooter: The Game
Type:manga
Author:TNSK
Publisher:Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic:Seinen
Magazine:Comptiq
First:August 10, 2011
Last:August 10, 2012
Volumes:2
Type:tv
Music:Hideharu Mori
Network:Fuji TV (Noitamina)
First:February 2, 2012
Last:March 22, 2012
Episodes:8
Episode List:List of Black Rock Shooter episodes#Television series
Petite Rock Shooter: Sexy Wakusei no Nazo o Oe
Developer:Imageepoch
Genre:Shoot 'em up
Platforms:iOS
Released:September 2012
Type:tv
Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall
Director:Tensho
Studio:TMS Entertainment (production)[1]
(animation)
Licensee:Disney Platform Distribution (streaming rights)
Network:Tokyo MX, SUN, KBS Kyoto, TV Aichi, BS11, Animax
First:April 3, 2022
Last:June 19, 2022
Episodes:12
Episode List:List of Black Rock Shooter episodes#Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall (2022)
Video game
Content:
Portal:yes

is a Japanese media franchise based on characters created by illustrator Ryohei Fuke, also known as Huke. It revolves around its eponymous character, a mysterious black haired girl with a blazing blue eye. The original illustration inspired a song of the same name by Supercell featuring the Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, which gained popularity on the Nico Nico Douga website.

A 50-minute original video animation based on the franchise was produced by Yutaka Yamamoto's studio Ordet, written by Nagaru Tanigawa and Shinobu Yoshioka, and directed by Shinobu Yoshioka. A "Pilot Edition" was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in September 2009, before the full version was released on DVDs bundled with select magazines from July 24, 2010, subtitled in seven languages, followed by a retail release on December 17, 2010. An eight-episode anime television series, produced by Ordet and Sanzigen, aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between February and March 2012. A new anime television series titled Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall ran for 12 episodes aired from April to June 2022.

The franchise has also spawned several manga series and a video game for the PlayStation Portable titled , each set in their own universe.

Plot

See also: List of Black Rock Shooter characters. While each piece of media takes place in its own universe, they each focus around Black Rock Shooter, a mysterious black haired girl who possesses a burning blue eye and a powerful cannon that can shoot rapid shots at high speed. Other characters also appear in more than one form of media.

The OVA focuses on a girl named Mato Kuroi, who befriends another girl, Yomi Takanashi, upon entering school. As the two start to drift apart, with Yomi becoming jealous of Mato's friendship with Yuu Kotari, Yomi suddenly disappears. As Mato searches for her, she is taken to a strange world where she meets the mysterious Black Rock Shooter, who merges with her and helps her search for Yomi, fighting off the evil Dead Master who possessed her. The first television series uses the same characters from the OVA in a similar but slightly different storyline. As Mato enters middle school and becomes friends with Yomi, she soon faces personal troubles and the influence caused by another world where Black Rock Shooter fights other girls.

The manga series, Black Rock Shooter: Innocent Soul, follows Black Rock Shooter and her serpent partner, Ron, as they venture the Hazama, a world between Heaven and Earth where stagnant souls that have had regrets become trapped. Left alone, these souls can become demons that can pull in other souls, so it is up to Rock to stop them so they may ascend to heaven. Black Rock-chan is a comedy series following the everyday life of a chibi-styled Black Rock Shooter named Rock-chan and her babysitter De-chan.

Black Rock Shooter: The Game takes place in the year 2051, where Black Rock Shooter, also known as Stella, is awoken from slumber and enters a futuristic battlefield where alien forces have invaded the Earth and have been terrorizing the planet for 19 years. She must fight off the aliens while also trying to regain her memories.

The anime Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall follows a plot similar to the game. Black Rock Shooter, also known as Empress, awakens from slumber in 2062 and learns an AI called Artemis rebelled against humanity and terrorized the planet with an army of machines. She must fend off the machines while also trying to regain her memories and fend off attacks from her former comrades, Strength and Dead Master.

Production

Background

Original work and Supercell song

The origins of Black Rock Shooter date back to an original character illustration titled "Black Rock Shooter" by illustrator Ryohei Fuke, best known by his handle 'Huke', who posted it on his blog and the online artist community Pixiv on December 26, 2007.[2] [3] Ryo of Supercell was inspired by the illustration and created the song "Black Rock Shooter" based on that character using vocals from the Vocaloid singing synthesizer Hatsune Miku.[4] [5] [6] Huke joined Supercell and provided the illustrations used in the music video of the song, which was later posted online on the video sharing website Nico Nico Douga on June 13, 2008, which as of August 2009 had over 2.2 million views.[2] The song was later used as the opening theme for the 2012 anime television series. The song has also been included in as a playable song.

OVA and pilot

Produced by Yutaka Yamamoto's studio Ordet and directed by Shinobu Yoshioka, an original video animation (OVA) project based on "Black Rock Shooter" and its music video was announced on August 22, 2009.[7] The screenplay was written by Nagaru Tanigawa and Shinobu Yoshioka, and character design was done by Yuusuke Matsuo. The music was composed by Ryo and the ending theme song is "Braveheart" performed by The Gomband.[8]

A "Pilot Edition" of the anime was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) on September 30, 2009, by Good Smile Company.[7] The pilot contains three short animated videos showing the same scenes from the anime while playing different versions of the song "Black Rock Shooter", much like in anime music videos. The first video uses the instrumental track from the original version of "Black Rock Shooter", the second video uses the "2M Mix" remix of the song with vocals using Hatsune Miku Append, and the third video uses the instrumental version of the "2M Mix". The DVD/BD also came bundled with an image booklet and a CD containing the vocal and instrumental versions of the "2M Mix".[9]

The full 50-minute version of Black Rock Shooter is subtitled in seven languages,[10] and was released as a free DVD bundled with Hobby Japan magazine on July 24, 2010. The OVA also came with Gakken's Megami Magazine on July 30, 2010, Animedia magazine on August 10, 2010,[11] and is also packaged with Figma and Nendoroid Black Rock Shooter figurines. A retail version was released on December 17, 2010, in special (BD+DVD) and regular (BD) editions. Both editions feature a 30-second test short stop motion video as a bonus featuring a remix of "Black Rock Shooter" by Joe Hahn, the DJ of Linkin Park, as well as its making-of video.[12]

Anime adaptations

See also: List of Black Rock Shooter episodes.

Black Rock Shooter

An eight-episode anime television series of Black Rock Shooter[13] [14] was produced by Ordet with CG production by Sanzigen, and was directed by Shinobu Yoshioka, with the script written by Mari Okada, animation direction and character design by Yusuke Yoshigaki and CG battle direction by Hiroyuki Imaishi.[15] Fuji TV, Good Smile Company, Toho, Mages, Aniplex, Dentsu and Ultra Super Pictures were involved in the production. The opening theme is by Supercell, sung by Hatsune Miku, while the ending theme music is by Supercell sung by Koeda.[16]

Dawn Fall

On September 16, 2021, a new anime television series titled Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall was announced.[17] It is produced by TMS Entertainment under its UNLIMITED PRODUCE by TMS label, animated by Bibury Animation Studios and Bibury Animation CG and directed by Tensho, with scripts written by Makoto Fukami in cooperation with Ryō Yoshigami. Character designs are provided by Masayuki Nonaka and Yō Nakagawa, both of whom also serving as chief animation directors.[1] Disney licensed the anime as one of its first in a move to release more Asian-produced content on its streaming platform Disney+.[18] The opening theme is "Aseed" by Zaq, while the ending theme is "Before the Nightmare" by Kanako Takatsuki.[19] [20]

Release

Black Rock Shooter aired on Fuji TV's noitamina slot between February 2 and March 22, 2012, and was being streamed in eight languages a day after its initial broadcast.[21] The series was released on DVD and BD on June 22, 2012, in a box set containing the original soundtrack and an Insane Black Rock Shooter Figma figurine.[22] The television series is licensed in Australia and New Zealand by Siren Visual.[23] Manga Entertainment released the series in the United Kingdom as a subtitle-only DVD boxset on May 13, 2013.[24] Discotek Media licensed the anime in North America and released it with an English dub on July 27, 2021.[25] [26]

Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall aired from April 3 to June 19, 2022, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[27] The international release dates on Disney+ vary between regions, beginning from April 30, 2022, in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand;[28] May 25, 2022, in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Singapore.[29] On October 18, 2022, the series was released on Hulu in America and Disney+ in Canada.[30]

Reception

Black Rock Shooter—the first season—was awarded for technical achievement in broadcast animation at the 65th Motion Picture and Television Engineering Society of Japan Awards in 2012.[31]

Spin-off media

Video games

See also: Black Rock Shooter: The Game. A role-playing video game, titled, was developed by Imageepoch for the PlayStation Portable[32] and was released on August 25, 2011. Set in a different universe to the OVA, it features animated cut scenes by Ufotable.[33] The opening theme for the game is "No Scared" by One Ok Rock.[34] A limited edition Premium Box of the game was released, bundled with a Figma figurine of the game's antagonist, White Rock Shooter.[35] The game was published digitally by NIS America via the PlayStation Store in North America on April 23, 2013, and in Europe on April 24, 2013.[36]

A browser game titled was released on Nico Nico Douga on March 9, 2011, featuring illustrations by CHAN×CO. Imageepooch are developing an iOS follow-up titled for release in September 2012.[37] Various Black Rock Shooter elements have been made available for the Japanese PlayStation Home.[38] Characters from Black Rock Shooter also appear in the PSP game Nendoroid Generation, produced by Namco Bandai, Good Smile Company and Banpresto, based on the Nendoroid series of figures.[39] The game was released on February 23, 2012.

Manga

A four-panel comic strip manga titled, illustrated by Ringo, was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's 4-Koma Nano Ace magazine from the April 2011 and March 2012 issues. The series features super-deformed versions of Black Rock Shooter and Dead Master, respectively, named Rock-chan and De-chan.[40] A single tankōbon volume of Black Rock-chan was released on February 4, 2012. Another manga by Sanami Suzuki, titled, was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine from the July 2011 and June 2012 issues.[41] Three volumes were published for Innocent Soul from November 4, 2011, and June 4, 2012. A manga adaptation of Black Rock Shooter: The Game illustrated by TNSK was serialized from September 2011 and September 2012 issues of Kadokawa Shoten's Comptiq.[42] The first volume of The Game was released on February 10, 2012, and the second and last on September 26, 2012.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TVアニメ「ブラック★★ロックシューター DAWN FALL」2022年春に放送決定. Natalie.mu. ja. 8 October 2021. 16 July 2024.
  2. Web site: https://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/449/449394/. ja:スランプに悩む自分を変えた「ブラック★ロックシューター」. "Black Rock Shooter" Which Changes You Who is Worried About a Slump. ASCII Media Works. August 28, 2009. August 22, 2022. ja.
  3. Web site: https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/279688. ja:ブラック★ロックシューター. Black Rock Shooter. Pixiv. Huke. December 26, 2007. August 22, 2022. ja.
  4. Web site: http://fmvs.jp/news/music/log/eid2003.html. ja:そばにいるね、キセキを凌ぐネットで最も再生された曲発売. The Most Viewed Songs That Surpassed "I'm by Your Side" and "Miracle" on the Net Are Released. meVIEWsa radio. December 25, 2008. July 27, 2010. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090909101453/http://fmvs.jp/news/music/log/eid2003.html. September 9, 2009.
  5. Web site: 「流行りモノ調査隊 第54回 話題のネットスター PART2」. Investigating the Latest Craze: #54 Net Stars Part 2. Oricon. August 5, 2008. March 25, 2010. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120224151117/http://rn.oricon.co.jp/special/20080805_02.html. February 24, 2012.
  6. Web site: ブラック★ロックシューター :: supercell. Black Rock Shooter :: Supercell. Supercell. July 27, 2010. ja. April 13, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150413060145/http://supercell.sc/brs/. dead.
  7. Web site: Black Rock Shooter Anime with Yutaka Yamamoto Confirmed for Spring. Anime News Network. August 22, 2009. July 27, 2010.
  8. Web site: Cast・Staff. Huke / BRS Project. July 27, 2010. July 26, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100726142821/http://www.blackrockshooter.jp/en/cast.html. dead.
  9. Web site: Black Rock Shooter -Pilot Edition-. Good Smile Company. August 1, 2010.
  10. News: Black Rock Shooter DVD to Be Subtitled in 7 Languages. Anime News Network. July 7, 2010. July 27, 2010.
  11. Web site: Animedia, Megami Mags to Bundle Black Rock Shooter. Anime News Network. April 9, 2010. July 27, 2010.
  12. Web site: Black Rock Shooter to Add Extra with Linkin Park's Hahn. Anime News Network. July 26, 2010. July 27, 2010.
  13. News: Black Rock Shooter Gets New TV Anime in January. Anime News Network. August 18, 2011. August 18, 2011.
  14. Web site: Black Rock Shooter TV Anime's Promotional Video Posted. Anime News Network. October 27, 2011. October 27, 2011.
  15. Web site: Black Rock Shooter TV Staff Revealed in New Promo Video. Anime News Network. November 3, 2011. November 3, 2011.
  16. Web site: December 27, 2011. Supercell Performs Black Rock Shooter TV's Ending Song. December 27, 2011. Anime News Network.
  17. Web site: Artist huke Launches New Black Rock Shooter Anime Project. Anime News Network. September 16, 2021. September 16, 2021.
  18. Web site: Disney+ Slate Of Asia-Pacific Fare Includes Series Led By K-Pop Star Kang Daniel. Pedersen. Erik. Deadline Hollywood. October 13, 2021. October 13, 2021.
  19. Web site: December 25, 2021. Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall Anime's Teaser Unveils Main Cast, Opening Song Artist. December 25, 2021. Anime News Network.
  20. Web site: February 11, 2022. Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall Anime's New Video Unveils Story, More Cast, Ending Song, April 3 Debut. February 11, 2022. Anime News Network.
  21. Web site: January 27, 2012. Black Rock Shooter TV Anime to Be Streamed Worldwide in 8 Subbed Languages. January 27, 2012. Anime News Network.
  22. Web site: ブルーレイ・DVD. Blu-ray/DVD. March 22, 2012. Noitamina. ja.
  23. Web site: June 21, 2012. Siren Visual announces Black Rock Shooter, Un-Go dub release. September 20, 2012. Anime News Network.
  24. Web site: December 17, 2012. Manga to Release Complete FMA Brotherhood Blu-ray, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Eureka Seven AO and Black Rock Shooter. December 17, 2012. Anime News Network.
  25. News: December 14, 2020. Discotek Licenses Kodocha, KenIchi, Daimos, Black Rock Shooter. Anime News Network. December 14, 2020.
  26. Web site: May 5, 2021. Discotek Releases Black Rock Shooter, City Hunter 2, Mahoraba, Lupin III: Return of Pycal Anime on July 27. May 5, 2021. Anime News Network.
  27. Web site: October 8, 2021. Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall Anime Unveils Staff, Spring 2022 Premiere. October 8, 2021. Anime News Network.
  28. Web site: Disney Plus Adds Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall, Summer Time Rendering Anime in Southeast Asia. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Anime News Network. May 5, 2022. May 30, 2022.
  29. Web site: Beloved franchise Black Rock Shooter returns with new anime series on Disney+. HardwareZone. May 23, 2022. May 30, 2022.
  30. Web site: Alex. Mateo. Hulu Streams Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall Anime. Anime News Network. October 19, 2022. October 21, 2022.
  31. Web site: August 2, 2012. Black Rock Shooter, Wandering Son TV Anime Win Technical Awards. August 3, 2012. Anime News Network.
  32. News: August 15, 2010. Black Rock Shooter Gets Role-Playing Game. Anime News Network. August 15, 2010.
  33. Web site: November 24, 2010. Ufotable Makes Black Rock Shooter Game's Anime Footage. November 24, 2010. Anime News Network.
  34. Web site: June 9, 2011. Black Rock Shooter, Legend of Heroes, Class of Heroes Videos. June 9, 2011. Anime News Network.
  35. Web site: February 7, 2011. Daily Video: Black Rock Shooter PSP Game Promo. February 7, 2011. Anime News Network.
  36. Web site: April 6, 2013. Black Rock Shooter Game Gets U.S. Release on April 23. April 6, 2013. Anime News Network.
  37. Web site: September 3, 2012. New iOS Petite Rock Shooter Game Announced. September 3, 2012. Anime News Network.
  38. Web site: 「ブラック★ロックシューター」×PS Home コラボレーション企画発動!. Black Rock Shooter × PS Home Collaboration Project Starts!. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101127134047/https://playstationhome.jp/entertainment/backnumber/brs.html. November 27, 2010. August 31, 2010. Sony. ja.
  39. Web site: May 9, 2011. Daily Video: Nendoroid Generation Game Teaser. May 15, 2011. Anime News Network.
  40. Web site: March 7, 2011. Black Rock Shooters 4-Panel Manga Launches This Week. March 7, 2011. Anime News Network.
  41. Web site: May 4, 2011. Black Rock Shooter Gets Manga in Young Ace This June. May 4, 2011. Anime News Network.
  42. Web site: ja:コンプティーク 2011年9月号. Comptiq September 2011 issue. http://www.comptiq.com/release/comptiq/comp1109.html. March 29, 2012. Kadokawa Shoten. ja.