Damens Walker
Japanese manga essay series by Mayumi Kurata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Damens Walker (Japanese: だめんず・うぉ～か～, Hepburn: Damenzu Uōkā) is a Japanese manga essay series by Mayumi Kurata. Damens Walker was serialized in the weekly magazine Weekly Spa! from June 14, 2000, to April 2013. The series has inspired two live-action television drama adaptations and a mobile anime series.
| Damens Walker | |
| だめんず・うぉ～か～ (Damenzu Uōkā) | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Mayumi Kurata |
| Published by | Fusosha |
| Imprint | Spa! Comics |
| Magazine | Weekly Spa! |
| Original run | June 14, 2000 – April 2013 |
| Volumes | 20 |
| Television drama | |
| Original network | |
| Original run | March 1, 2002 – March 29, 2002 |
| Episodes | 5 |
| Television drama | |
| Original network | |
| Original run | October 12, 2006 – December 7, 2006 |
| Episodes | 8 |
Synopsis
Damens Walker follows the dating life of a woman who is only interested in good-for-nothing men, known as "damens" (だめんず) (a combination of the words "good-for-nothing" (ダメ, dame) and "men").[1]
Media
Manga
Damens Walker is written and illustrated by Mayumi Kurata. It was serialized in the weekly magazine Weekly Spa! beginning on June 14, 2000, to April 2013.[2] The chapters were later released in twenty bound volumes by Fusosha under the Spa! Comics imprint.[3][4]
Kurata stated that her reason for ending the manga was not because of problems in her marriage, but because she had "lost frustration towards good-for-nothing men" and that her older age has changed her perspective on relationships.[2]
| No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 26, 2001[4] | 978-4-5940-3207-4 |
| 2 | December 19, 2001[5] | 978-4-5940-3350-7 |
| 3 | February 28, 2002[6] | 978-4-5940-3428-3 |
| 4 | November 15, 2002[7] | 978-4-5940-3718-5 |
| 5 | July 2, 2003[8] | 978-4-5940-4101-4 |
| 6 | December 2, 2003[9] | 978-4-5940-4219-6 |
| 7 | July 13, 2004[10] | 978-4-5940-4692-7 |
| 8 | April 28, 2005[11] | 978-4-5940-4945-4 |
| 9 | November 25, 2005[12] | 978-4-5940-5066-5 |
| 10 | April 20, 2006[13] | 978-4-5940-5146-4 |
| 11 | September 29, 2006[14] | 978-4-5940-5220-1 |
| 12 | July 27, 2007[15] | 978-4-5940-5411-3 |
| 13 | February 14, 2008[16] | 978-4-5940-5594-3 |
| 14 | September 27, 2008[17] | 978-4-5940-5776-3 |
| 15 | April 11, 2009[18] | 978-4-5940-5931-6 |
| 16 | April 30, 2010[19] | 978-4-5940-6186-9 |
| 17 | January 28, 2011[20] | 978-4-5940-6339-9 |
| 18 | September 30, 2011[21] | 978-4-5940-6490-7 |
| 19 | May 11, 2012[22] | 978-4-5940-6606-2 |
| 20 | July 2, 2013[23] | 978-4-5940-6855-4 |
Television drama
2002 adaptation
Damens Walker was adapted into a live-action television drama starring Ai Ijima and Chiaki Hara, which was broadcast on NTV from March 1 to March 29, 2002.[1]
2006 adaptation
A second live-action television drama starring Norika Fujiwara and Yu Yamada was broadcast on TV Asahi from October 12 to December 7, 2006.[1][24] The theme song for the 2006 adaptation is "Yume no Uta" by Koda Kumi.[25] "Trans-winter (Fuyu no Mukōgawa)" by Showta was featured as an insert song.[26]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Japan viewership rating (Kanto region) [27] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "A Woman Who Can't Get Married vs Good-For-Nothing Man!!" Transliteration: "Kekkon Dekinai Onna vs Dame Otoko!!" (Japanese: 結婚できない女vsダメ男!!) | Unknown | Unknown | October 12, 2006 | 10.3% |
| 2 | "A Good-For-Nothing Woman is into a Mother Complex Man!?" Transliteration: "Mazakon Otoko ni Hamatta Dame Onna!?" (Japanese: マザコン男にハマッたダメ女!?) | Unknown | Unknown | October 19, 2006 | 8.0% |
| 3 | "A (Secret) Love Triangle with a Hot Beautician" Transliteration: "Ikemen Biyōshi to no (Hi) Sankaku Kankei" (Japanese: イケメン美容師との（秘）三角関係) | Unknown | Unknown | November 2, 2006 | 7.2% |
| 4 | "A Hidden Secret in a Wedding Party" Transliteration: "Kekkon Pātī ni Kakusareta Uso" (Japanese: 結婚パーティーに隠された嘘) | Unknown | Unknown | November 9, 2006 | 7.4% |
| 5 | "A Woman into the No. 1 Good-Looking Host!?" Transliteration: "No. 1 Bikei Hosuto ni Hamatta Onna!?" (Japanese: No.1美形ホストにハマった女!?) | Unknown | Unknown | November 16, 2006 | 8.6% |
| 6 | "Tonight, a Reverse Proposal to a Celebrity Man" Transliteration: "Konya Serebu Otoko ga Gyaku ni Puropōzu" (Japanese: 今夜セレブ男が遂にプロポーズ) | Unknown | Unknown | November 23, 2006 | 9.0% |
| 7 | "Final Chapter!! A Trap of Marrying into Wealth" Transliteration: "Saishūshō!! Serebu Kon no Wana" (Japanese: 最終章!! セレブ婚の罠) | Unknown | Unknown | November 30, 2006 | 7.1% |
| 8 | "A Miracle on Christmas Eve!! A Tearful Wedding Announcement" Transliteration: "Ibu no Kiseki!! Namida no Kekkon Sengen" (Japanese: イヴの奇跡!! 涙の結婚宣言…) | Unknown | Unknown | December 7, 2006 | 7.0% |
Stage play
A stage play adaptation ran in 2006. A second stage play adaptation ran from October 30 to November 1, 2020.[28]
Anime
A 12-episode anime adaptation titled Damens Walker: The Anime was released beginning March 1, 2010, with each episode having a run time of 3 minutes.[1][29] The series was streamed weekly on Sundays on BeeTV for Docomo mobile phones.[1][30] The theme song is "D-Woman", which was written and produced by Daimaou Kosaka and performed by his friend Masako Ohara.[1][31]
Film
A live-action film titled Damens Walker: The Movie Jealousy Edition was released direct-to-video on May 2, 2018.[32][33] The theme song is "Baby Call My Name" by Emi Nitta.[33] Also included in the DVD is a talk show with Nobu Morimoto.[32]
Reception
In 2010, Damens Walker sold a cumulative total of 2 million physical copies.[1]