Sekirei Explained

Ja Kanji:セキレイ
Type:manga
Author:Sakurako Gokurakuin
Publisher:Square Enix
Magazine:Young Gangan
First:December 3, 2004
Last:August 21, 2015
Volumes:19
Volume List:List of Sekirei chapters
Type:tv series
Director:Keizō Kusakawa
Music:Hiroaki Sano
Studio:Seven Arcs
Network:Chiba TV, KBS Kyoto, Nagoya Broadcasting Network, Sun TV, Tokyo MX, TV Hokkaido, TV Kanagawa, TV Saitama, AT-X, TVQ
First:July 2, 2008
Last:September 17, 2008
Episodes:12 + OVA
Episode List:List of Sekirei episodes
Type:tv series
Sekirei: Pure Engagement
Director:Keizō Kusakawa
Music:Hiroaki Sano
Studio:Seven Arcs
Network:AT-X, KBS Kyoto, Nagoya Broadcasting Network, Sun TV, Tokyo MX, TV Hokkaido, TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting
First:July 4, 2010
Last:September 26, 2010
Episodes:13 + OVA
Episode List:List of Sekirei episodes#Sekirei: Pure Engagement (2010)

is a Japanese manga series by Sakurako Gokurakuin. The manga was serialized in Square Enix's manga magazine Young Gangan between December 2004 and August 2015. A special epilogue volume to the manga began serialization in the same magazine in May 2017. An anime adaptation produced by Seven Arcs and directed by Keizō Kusakawa aired in Japan between July and September 2008, and a second season aired between July and September 2010. Both seasons were licensed in North America by Funimation, until their license expired in 2017. The central character of the series is Minato Sahashi, a who has failed his college entrance examinations two years in a row. His life changes, however, when he meets several women with special powers called "Sekirei" and is dragged into a battle to possibly decide the fate of the world.

Plot

In Tokyo, known as, in 2020, 19-year-old Minato Sahashi is extremely intelligent, yet due to his major lack of self-confidence has failed the college entrance exam twice.

The same day of his second failure, Minato meets a girl named Musubi, who literally falls out of the sky on top of him. Minato soon learns that she is a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the "Sekirei", and she chooses him as her "Ashikabi", one of the mysterious set of humans that have the genetic trait and can make a contract by kissing the Sekirei; this binds the Sekirei to the Ashikabi and allows them to use their full power in elimination battles with other Sekirei. Made up of 108 cute girls, attractive buxom women and, the Sekirei battle in a competition known as the "Sekirei Plan" organized by Hiroto Minaka, the chairman and founder of the mysterious and powerful MBI Corporation.

Minato quickly learns that being the partner of a Sekirei is not all fun and games, especially when five other Sekirei choose him as their Ashikabi, each also forming a contract/bond with him. Now Minato must find a way to survive both the life-threatening battles of the Sekirei Plan and his partners' fierce competition for him.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Sakurako Gokurakuin, Sekirei was serialized in Square Enix's manga manga magazine Young Gangan between December 3, 2004,[1] and August 21, 2015.[2] Square Enix published 18 volumes between June 25, 2005, and October 24, 2015.[3] [4] A sequel to the manga titled began serialization in Young Gangan on May 2, 2017,[5] and finished on March 16, 2018.[6] Its chapters were collected in a single volume (numbered 19th) on April 25, 2018.[7]

Yen Press licensed the series in North America and released the first volume digitally in November 2015.[8] The publisher later released the volumes in ten 2-in-1 omnibus volumes from July 18, 2017, to November 12, 2019.[9] [10] [11]

Drama CD

A drama CD entitled Sekirei Original Drama CD was released on July 25, 2007 by Frontier Works.[12]

Anime

The first 12-episode anime series adaptation produced by the animation studio Seven Arcs and directed by Keizō Kusakawa aired in Japan between July 2 and September 17, 2008. The anime is licensed by Aniplex in Japan. The first season is mostly faithful to the overall story structure of the manga series, covering roughly the first fifty-one chapters of the series. The opening theme is and the main ending theme is "Dear sweet heart"; both songs are performed by Saori Hayami (#88 Musubi), Marina Inoue (#9 Tsukiumi), Kana Hanazawa (#108 Kusano) and Aya Endo (#2 Matsu). The ending theme used in episode eleven is by Hayami. Six DVDs of the first season were released between October 22, 2008[13] and March 25, 2009.[14] The sixth DVD volume was supplemented with an original video animation (OVA) episode,, featuring Kusano participating in the shopping race with Musubi and Tsukiumi. A Blu-ray box set of the first season was released on June 30, 2010 with three Blu-ray discs and one additional CD.[15] At Anime USA 2009, Funimation announced that the anime's first season was licensed and a DVD box set was released on November 23, 2010.[16] [17]

A second season entitled began airing on July 4, 2010[18] on Tokyo MX and on July 6, 2010 on some other Japanese networks.[19] The first episode of Sekirei: Pure Engagement was pre-aired on June 13, 2010. The opening theme is and the ending theme is ; both songs are performed by Hayami, Inoue, Hanazawa and Endo, as in the first season. The ending theme for episode 10 is by Hayami. A single containing both songs was released on July 21, 2010. The limited edition of the single came bundled with a special three-minute OVA, classified as episode 0, titled . The full 28-minute version of the OVA was released with the first BD/DVD volume of the second season on August 25, 2010. As with the first season, Pure Engagement is licensed in North America by Funimation,[20] and released the series on January 3, 2012. Funimation's licenses for both seasons expired on February 9, 2017.[21] Manga Entertainment released Pure Engagement in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2012.

Video game

A video game for PlayStation 2 entitled was released on October 29, 2009 by Alchemist in limited and regular editions.[22] [23] Two music pieces implemented for the game's music consist of and "Survive Baby Survive!", both of them performed by Saori Hayami, Marina Inoue, Kana Hanazawa and Aya Endo.[24] The limited edition version was bundled with figures of Musubi and Tsukiumi with Kusano in a panda suit, a 40-minute drama CD, and an illustration of Matsu.[25] While Musubi, Tsukiumi, Matsu, Kusano, Miya, Homura, Uzume and Minato reprise their roles from the anime and manga,[26] four new characters were created by Alchemist consisting of two Sekirei, one Ashikabi and a baby as video game-only characters.

The game takes place in the Sekirei timeline, being played as a visual novel. Minato and the Sekirei of Izumo Inn encounter new characters consisting of Sekirei No. 54, (Haruka Tomatsu), Sekirei No. 57, (Ayahi Takagaki), Ashikabi (Yuichi Nakamura) and a baby referred to as (Haruka Tomatsu).[27] The plot centers around the discovery of said baby, who is being pursued by unknown persons after Minato and the Sekirei find her abandoned in the city.[28]

Reception

Volume eight of the Sekirei manga made the top 30 manga sold in Japan, holding third place with 103,811 copies sold from February 24 to March 2, 2009.[29] Volume nine placed 17th out of 30 with 65,732 copies sold from December 21–27, 2009.[30] From June 28 to July 4, 2010, volume ten sold 47,019 copies for a total amount of 120,991 in 20th out of 30.[31]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20041207064518/http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/lineup/index.html. http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/lineup/index.html. ja:2004年12月3日創刊号発売. Square Enix. December 7, 2004. July 25, 2014. ja.
  2. Web site: Pineda. Rafael. Sakurako Gokurakuin Ends Sekirei Manga, Launches New Series. August 20, 2015. Anime News Network. August 20, 2015. August 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150821023342/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-08-20/sakurako-gokurakuin-ends-sekirei-manga-launches-new-series/.91891. live.
  3. Book: ja:セキレイ 1. . ja.
  4. Book: ja:セキレイ18. . ja.
  5. Web site: Loo. Egan. Sekirei Romantic Comedy Manga to Return on May 2. Anime News Network. March 26, 2017. March 26, 2017. March 27, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170327122618/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-03-26/sekirei-romantic-comedy-manga-to-return-on-may-2/.113970. live.
  6. Web site: Pineda. Rafael. Sakurako Gokurakuin's Sekirei 365 Manga Ends on March 16. Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. February 16, 2018. July 24, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230724151028/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-02-16/sakurako-gokurakuin-sekirei-365-manga-ends-on-march-16/.127856. live.
  7. Web site: ja:完結から約3年「セキレイ」のその後を描く新刊「彼女のいない365日のこと」発売. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/279691. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc.. June 6, 2024. ja. April 25, 2018. August 13, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230813015900/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/279691. live.
  8. Web site: Ressler. Karen. Yen Press Licenses My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected, How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend, Baccano!, More. Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. July 5, 2015. May 31, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240531091004/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-07-05/yen-press-licenses-my-youth-romantic-comedy-is-wrong-as-i-expected-how-to-raise-a-boring-girlfriend-/.90112. live.
  9. Web site: Ressler. Karen. Yen Press to Publish The Royal Tutor, Kakegurui, Sekirei Manga in Print. Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. March 7, 2017. May 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190511053356/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2017-03-07/yen-press-to-publish-the-royal-tutor-kakegurui-sekirei-manga-in-print/.113115. live.
  10. Web site: Ressler. Karen. North American Anime, Manga Releases, July 16–22. Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. July 18, 2017. December 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231204040856/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-07-18/north-american-anime-manga-releases-july-16-22/.119015. live.
  11. Web site: Sherman. Jennifer. North American Anime, Manga Releases, November 10–16. Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. November 12, 2019. June 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230604151412/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-11-12/north-american-anime-manga-releases-november-10-16/.153173. live.
  12. Web site: セキレイドラマCD. 2010-08-25. ja. Frontier Works. 2007. 2011-12-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20111215143925/http://www.fwinc.co.jp/package/FCCC-0066.php. live.
  13. Web site: DVD セキレイ 壱(完全生産限定版). November 26, 2008. ja. Aniplex. https://web.archive.org/web/20080822015248/http://www.sekirei-tv.com/dvdcd/index.html . August 22, 2008.
  14. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20081218072355/http://www.sekirei-tv.com/dvdcd/dvd6.html. DVD セキレイ 六(完全生産限定版). Aniplex. December 18, 2008. August 2, 2014. ja.
  15. Web site: セキレイ Blu-ray BOX：セキレイ～Pure Engagement～. Sekirei Anime Official Site. ja. July 22, 2010. March 29, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100329235403/http://www.sekirei-tv.com/bd-box/index.html. live.
  16. Web site: Funimation Announces Three New Titles. Stehmer. Eric. Toon Zone. November 21, 2009. November 21, 2009. November 25, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091125165119/http://news.toonzone.net/articles/31885/anime-usa-2009-funimation-announces-three-new-titles. live.
  17. Web site: Funimation Adds Sekirei, Testuwan Birdy Decode & Decode:02. Anime News Network. November 22, 2009. July 22, 2010. September 23, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100923134523/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-11-22/funimation-adds-sekirei-tetsuwan-birdy-decode-and-decode-02. live.
  18. Web site: YGC『セキレイ』第10巻発売＆アニメ化記念フェア開催 !!. Square Enix. ja. January 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20191023072850/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/yg/introduction/sekirei/. October 23, 2019.
  19. Web site: セキレイ～Pure Engagement～ 下記の放送局にて７月より放送開始予定です。. Aniplex. ja. July 22, 2010. March 30, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100330194350/http://www.sekirei-tv.com/news/index.html. live.
  20. Web site: Funi Adds Trigun Film, Moyashimon, Shiki, Black Butler 2, Sekirei 2, More. Anime News Network. July 2, 2010. July 22, 2010. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100704090410/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-07-02/funi-adds-live-action-moyashimon. live.
  21. Web site: Funimation Announces "Sekirei" Anime Rights Expiration. Crunchyroll. January 22, 2017. February 9, 2017. February 11, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080015/http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2017/01/22-1/funimation-announced-sekirei-anime-rights-expiration. live.
  22. Web site: 2009 年. 2021-01-02. ja. Alchemist. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714231442/http://www.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/list.php?year=2009. 2014-07-14.
  23. Web site: PS2『セキレイ』声優サイン色紙プレゼントキャンペーン実施中！. 2021-01-02. ja. Animate.TV. https://web.archive.org/web/20181020223839/https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1257743294. 2018-10-20.
  24. Web site: http://products.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/sekirei/kanren.html. ja:「セキレイ～未来からのおくりもの～」主題歌 11/4発売決定！ . 2021-01-02. Alchemist. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20140722131643/http://products.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/sekirei/kanren.html. 2014-07-22.
  25. Web site: Limited Edition Contents Page, Official Sekirei: Gifts from the Future Alchemist Website. 2021-01-02. Alchemist. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20140723204819/http://products.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/sekirei/gentei.html. 2014-07-23.
  26. Web site: Characters Page: 1-2, Official Sekirei: Gifts from the Future Alchemist Website. 2021-01-02. Alchemist. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20140917031839/http://products.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/sekirei/chara.html. 2014-09-17.
  27. Web site: Characters Page: 2-2, Official Sekirei: Gifts from the Future Alchemist Website. 2021-01-02. Alchemist. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20131030025540/http://products.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/sekirei/chara2.html. 2013-10-30.
  28. Web site: Story Page, Official Sekirei: Gifts from the Future Alchemist Website. 2021-01-02. Alchemist. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715182329/http://products.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/sekirei/story.html. 2014-07-15.
  29. Web site: Japanese Comic Ranking, February 24-March 2. 2009-03-04. 2010-08-26. Anime News Network. 2009-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20091124084639/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-03-04/japanese-comic-ranking-february-24-march-2. live.
  30. Web site: Japanese Comic Ranking, December 21–27. 2009-12-30. 2010-08-26. Anime News Network. 2014-10-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20141030095414/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-12-30/japanese-comic-ranking-december-21-27. live.
  31. Web site: Japanese Comic Ranking, February 24-March 2. 2010-07-07. 2010-08-26. Anime News Network. 2017-06-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20170616203555/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-07-07/japanese-comic-ranking-june-28-july-4. live.

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