| Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl | |
| Ja Kanji: | 十兵衛ちゃん |
| Ja Romaji: | Jūbei-chan |
| Creator: | Akitaro Daichi, Madhouse |
| Type: | tv series |
| The Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch | |
| Director: | Akitaro Daichi |
| Music: | Toshio Masuda |
| Studio: | Madhouse |
| Network: | TV Tokyo |
| First: | April 5, 1999 |
| Last: | June 28, 1999 |
| Episodes: | 13 |
| Episode List: | List of Jubei-chan episodes |
| Type: | tv series |
| The Counter Attack of Siberia Yagyu | |
| Music: | Toshio Masuda |
| Studio: | Madhouse |
| Network: | TV Tokyo |
| First: | January 7, 2004 |
| Last: | March 31, 2004 |
| Episodes: | 13 |
| Episode List: | List of Jubei-chan 2 episodes |
| Portal: | yes |
is a Japanese anime television series created by Akitaro Daichi (Fruits Basket, Tsukikage Ran). Jubei-chan follows Jiyu Nanohana, a modern junior high school girl and unwilling heir to the Yagyu Jubei school of swordsmanship. The series is recognized for its magical girl stylings, including a mystical artifact, the Lovely Eyepatch, that serves as the source of the heroine's power.
Jubei-chan comprises two television series, which were originally licensed in the U.S. by two companies. The Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch premiered April 5, 1999 and revolves around Jiyu Nanohana coping with her newly entrusted powers and responsibilities and the centuries-old feud between the Yagyu and Ryujoji schools. The Counter Attack of Siberia Yagyu premiered January 7, 2004. The second series introduces Freesia Yagyu, daughter of Yagui Jubei and self-proclaimed heir to the Lovely Eyepatch. The Counter Attack of Siberian Yagyu focuses on Jiyu and Freesia's developing friendship and subsequent rivalry.
The series was broadcast worldwide through Animax. The Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch was licensed in North America by Bandai Entertainment.[1] The rights to The Counter Attack of Siberian Yagyu were held by Geneon Entertainment.[2] Both series were licensed by Media Blasters in 2012.[3] The series premiered on Toku in the United States in January 2016.
See also: List of Jubei-chan episodes.
The main conflict in is between the Yagyu Jubei and Ryujoji schools. The rivalry was seemingly ended 300 years before the events of the series, when Yagyu Jubei defeated the Ryujoji school champion. Dying from his wounds, Jubei told his loyal companion Koinosuke to find someone with "plump, bouncy bon bons" and give her his eyepatch, which contained a lifetime's worth of sword techniques. Unknown to Koinosuke, the Ryujoji clan plots their revenge.
After 300 years of searching, Koinosuke finds Jiyu Nanohana in modern Japan. Her figure makes her the ideal candidate to be the next Jubei. He approaches her and tries to give her the eyepatch but she steadfastly refuses. Only when they are attacked by a Ryujoji swordsman does she don the eyepatch and dispose of him. They eventually find out that the Ryujoji clan believes it will be vindicated once the reincarnation of Jubei is defeated.
The introductory episodes follow the "Monster of the Week" formula: in this case, her teachers and peers constantly challenge her. Later episodes delve into her father's pain of losing Jiyu's mother, the sacrifice that Jiyu has to make in order to live a double-life as Jubei, and the Ryujoji Family Curse.
See also: List of Jubei-chan 2 episodes.
Like the previous series, the plot of begins in Yagyu Jubei's lifetime. The Northern Yagyu were driven out of Japan into Siberia by the Edo Yagyu. After living several years in Siberia, they changed their name to the Siberian Yagyu. The leader of the Edo Yagyu sent Jubei Yagyu to assassinate Kita Ressai, the head of the Siberian clan. Jubei did not wish to carry out the order, but traveled to Siberia anyway. During his time there, he fell in love and had a daughter named Freesia. Some time later he caught up with Kita Ressai, the leader he had been sent to assassinate. Over Jubei's objections, Kita Ressai provoked a duel between the two while on a frozen body of water. In the heat of the battle, Kita Ressai broke through the ice, drowning Jubei Yagyu's wife and daughter along with him. Freesia remained frozen in a glacier for 300 years, until global warming caused enough of the glacier to melt to free her.
Freesia then learns of the Lovely Eyepatch that her father left to his successor. Freesia is furious when she learns that the Lovely Eyepatch was not left to her, but rather Jiyu Nanohana. Determined to claim the Lovely Eyepatch as the daughter of Jubei Yagyu, she tracks down Jiyu Nanohana, intent on defeating Jiyu and making her suffer. At the same time, the Siberian Yagyu learn of the appearance of Jubei Yagyu the Second and track down Jiyu Nanohana in an attempt to satisfy their 300-year-old grudge against Jubei Yagyu.
What ensues is a three way battle between the Siberian Yagyu, Freesia Yagyu and Yagyu Jubei's successor, Jiyu Nanohana. A major theme of the series is power and how differently people react to it. Jiyu does not want the responsibility and she's afraid to lose herself for power while Freesia does not understand anyone who is not willing to have more power.
See main article: List of Jubei-chan characters.
The Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch
The Counter Attack of Siberia Yagyu