Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Explained

Ja Kanji:FAIRY TAIL 100年クエスト
Ja Romaji:Fearī Teiru: Hyaku-nen Kuesuto
Genre:Adventure, fantasy[1]
Type:manga
Author:Hiro Mashima
Illustrator:Atsuo Ueda
Publisher:Kodansha
Imprint:Shōnen Magazine Comics
Magazine:Magazine Pocket
First:July 25, 2018
Volumes:18
Volume List:List of Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest chapters
Type:tv series
Music:Yasuharu Takanashi
Studio:J.C.Staff
Licensee:Crunchyroll
Network:TXN (TV Tokyo)
First:July 7, 2024
Episodes:7
Portal:yes

Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and storyboarded by Hiro Mashima, and illustrated by Atsuo Ueda. It is a sequel to Mashima's previous series, Fairy Tail. The manga was launched in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket manga app in July 2018, and is licensed by Kodansha USA for an English release in North America. As of August 2024, eighteen volumes have been released in Japan. An anime television series adaptation produced by J.C.Staff premiered in July 2024.

Plot

One year following the demise of Zeref and Acnologia, Natsu Dragneel and his team from the Fairy Tail wizard guild disembark to the continent of Guiltina in northern Earthland for the 100 Years Quest, a mission that has been unaccomplished for over a century. Their client, the immortal Dragon Slayer Elefseria, reveals that the quest's purpose is to seal renegade dragons called the Five Dragon Gods—Selene, Ignia, Mercphobia, Aldoron, and Viernes—each of whom rivals Acnologia in strength and threatens to cause worldwide destruction. Natsu subdues Mercphobia with aid from Ignia, Igneel's malicious biological son, who challenges Natsu to strengthen himself for a one-on-one battle.

Meanwhile, Fairy Tail recruits a new member, Touka, unaware that she is merged with another wizard named Faris. Claiming to be the White Wizard, the century-old leader of a malevolent white magic cult, Faris brainwashes Fairy Tail in a crusade to erase sources of powerful magic. Once Natsu's team rescues their guildmates, Wendy Marvell separates Touka and Faris after the latter is deceived by Selene into awakening the slumbering Aldoron, who is killed by Natsu. Despite Faris's actions, the team saves her and Touka's home, the parallel world of Elentear, after learning Selene has been blackmailing Faris with its destruction.

Selene seizes control of Diabolos, a Dragon Slayer guild that feuds with Fairy Tail over the 100 Years Quest, and pits the two guilds against each other to retrieve knowledge of Athena, a weapon built by Elefseria's pupil for use against the Five Dragon Gods. However, they are forced to unite against Ignia's ally Dogramag, a sixth Dragon God believed to have been slain by Elefseria, who ends hostilities with Selene after Dogramag is killed. Further investigation reveals Athena to be the true, mechanical White Wizard utilized by Gold Owl, an alchemist guild formed from Viernes's disembodied will. Persuaded by Lucy Heartfilia to rebel, Athena helps Natsu kill Viernes by restoring the dragon's physical form.

As the last remaining Dragon God, Ignia reveals his plan to recreate the Dragon King Festival, a historic event in which Acnologia exterminated the dragon race; to this end, he has the slain Dragon Gods resurrected and drives the others berserk. The battle is joined by Faris's counterpart native to Earthland, a black wizard imbued with power from Acnologia's dismembered arm.

Production

Development on a sequel for Fairy Tail began prior to the release of the original manga's final tankōbon volume following its end of publication in July 2017.[2] Series creator and artist Hiro Mashima initially had no intention to continue the story himself, as the project's developers had decided that another artist would draw it. He was later asked by the manga's editor to be involved as the series storyboarder.[3] Mashima revealed the sequel's development in a tweet on April 5, 2018.[2] On June 27, Mashima announced that the manga was tentatively titled,[4] which was confirmed on July 4 to be drawn by Atsuo Ueda.[5]

Media

Manga

The manga was launched with two chapters in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket manga app on July 25, 2018, while the first chapter was simultaneously published in the 34th issue of Weekly Shōnen Magazine.[5] [6] The following chapters were released weekly until September 5, 2018, when they transitioned to a biweekly release schedule.[7] The manga was published for an English language release by Kodansha USA in August 2019.[8] [9]

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced during the "Hiro Mashima Fan Meeting" livestream in September 2021.[10] The anime series is produced by J.C.Staff and directed by Toshinori Watanabe, with Shinji Ishihira serving as chief director, Atsuhiro Tomioka supervising scripts, Yurika Sako designing the characters, and Yasuharu Takanashi composing the music. It premiered on July 7, 2024 on TV Tokyo and its affiliates.[11] [12] The opening theme song is "Story" performed by Da-ice, while the ending theme song is performed by Boku ga Mitekatta Aozora.[13] Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia.[14] Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[15]

Episodes

Reception

The manga's first tankōbon volume debuted at the eleventh spot of Oricon's weekly Japanese sales charts for printed comics.[16]

Anime News Network's Rebecca Silverman gave the first volume an overall "B" score, considering its two storylines to be a "promising start" to the series, and praising the setting for expanding the original story's mythology. However, she criticized its slow pace and inconsistencies to the previous series. Silverman opined that Ueda does a "very credible job" copying Mashima's artstyle, calling the differences "fairly negligible".[17]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest. Kodansha USA. June 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504165539/https://kodansha.us/series/fairy-tail-100-years-quest/. May 4, 2022. live.
  2. Web site: Hodgkins. Crystalyn. Hiro Mashima Launches New Manga on June 27, Also Plans Fairy Tail Sequel & Spinoff Manga. Anime News Network. August 3, 2018. April 5, 2018.
  3. Book: Mashima, Hiro. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, Volume 1. Illustrated by Atsuo Ueda. 2018. Kodansha. Afterword. 978-4-06-513398-9. Hiro Mashima.
  4. Web site: Sherman. Jennifer. Hiro Mashima Reveals Fairy Tail City Hero Spinoff Manga. Anime News Network. August 3, 2018. June 27, 2018.
  5. Web site: Sherman. Jennifer. Atsuo Ueda Launches Fairy Tail Sequel Manga on July 25. Anime News Network. August 3, 2018. July 4, 2018.
  6. Web site: Ressler. Karen. Fairy Tail's Happy Spinoff Manga Launches. Anime News Network. August 3, 2018. July 25, 2018.
  7. Ueda. Atsuo. atsuwo521. 1034655191109255168. August 28, 2018. 今週より『FAIRY TAIL 100 YEARS QUEST』は隔週更新になります。なので、次の更新は9月5日になりす。もともと隔週更新で開始予定でしたが、単行本をなるべく早く出すために6話までは毎週更新でした。という訳なので今後ともよろしくお願いします!. "FAIRY TAIL 100 YEARS QUEST" will be updated every other week from this week. So the next update will be September 5. Originally we planned to start every other week update, but to update books as soon as possible, up to 6 stories were updated every week. So I hope for your continued support in the future!. Japanese. August 29, 2018.
  8. Web site: Sherman. Jennifer. Kodansha Comics, Vertical Add Bakemonogatari, Cells at Work! Code Black, Granblue Fantasy Manga. Anime News Network. March 13, 2019. March 13, 2019.
  9. Web site: Fall 2019 New Licensing Announcements from Kodansha Comics + Vertical. Kodansha Comics. March 13, 2019. March 11, 2019.
  10. Web site: Loo. Egan. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Sequel Manga Gets TV Anime. Anime News Network. September 11, 2021. September 11, 2021.
  11. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Anime's Teaser Reveals Cast, Staff, July Debut. Anime News Network. March 12, 2024. March 12, 2024.
  12. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Anime Reveals More Cast, July 7 Premiere. Anime News Network. May 23, 2024. June 7, 2024.
  13. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Anime's New Video Reveals Da-iCE's Opening Song. Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. June 7, 2024.
  14. Web site: Mateo. Alex. Crunchyroll to Stream Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, The Elusive Samurai, True Beauty, More Anime for Summer Season. Anime News Network. July 3, 2024. July 3, 2024.
  15. [DISTRIBUTION ANNOUNCEMENT] Muse has acquired the license to: 『Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest』]. April 22, 2024. May 24, 2024. www.facebook.com.
  16. Web site: Ressler. Karen. Japanese Comic Ranking, November 5-11. Anime News Network. November 14, 2018. July 4, 2024.
  17. Web site: Silverman. Rebecca. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest GN 1 - Review. Anime News Network. November 8, 2019. July 4, 2024.