First volume cover, released in Japan by Shōnen Gahosha in April 1997
This is a list of the chapters and volumes of the manga series Excel Saga by Rikdo Koshi. The chapters were published in Shōnen Gahosha's Young King Ours from 1996 to 2011. The individual chapters are collected and published in 27 tankōbon volumes by Shōnen Gahosha between April 1997 and October 2011. A 26-episode anime television series adaptation by J.C.Staff aired on TV Tokyo from October 7, 1999, to March 30, 2000.[1]
Viz Media licensed Excel Saga for an English language release in North America in 2003.[2] Viz released the first volume on August 13, 2003, and the last on January 14, 2014.[3][4] It is also licensed for regional language releases in France by Kabuto[5] and in Italy by Dynit.[6]
A 60-page one-shot was publishes in Young King OURs on December 28, 2021, to celebrate the series' 25th anniversary.[7]
Mission 1: "The Initiation of a Legend" (起動する伝説, Kidō suru densetsu)
Mission 2: "Today and Tomorrow for Farewells" (別れの為の昨日と今日, Wakare no tame no kinō to kyō)
Mission 3: "Today and Tomorrow for Encounters" (出会いの為の今日と明日, Deai no tame no kyō to ashita)
Mission 4: "Everyday Living Permissible" (許された日常, Yurusa reta nichijō)
Mission 5: "Those That Burn, Those That Get Burned" (燃やす者 焦がれる者, Moyasu mono kogareru mono)
Mission 6: "The (Untreatable) Unbeknownst Disease" (不知の病, Fuchi no yamai)
Mission 7: "A Night of Necessary Evil" (必要悪の夜, Hitsuyō aku no yoru)
Introduces the main cast of characters including Excel, Hyatt, and Il Palazzo. Excel, Hyatt, and their dog Menchi live in the same apartment complex as supporting characters such as next door neighbor, Tooru Watanabe, who has a crush on Hyatt, and Daimaru Sumiyoshi and Norikuni Iwata.
Mission 8: "The Joys of Defeat" (敗者の喜び, Haisha no yorokobi)
Introduces Dr. Kabapu, head of the Department of Environmental Security. Kabapu hires Iwata, Sumiyoshi and Watanabe into his staff and later Misaki Matsuya who joins them at a training retreat. This includes sentai suits and prototype laser guns. All the while Excel and Hyatt trade time between working part time jobs and doing missions for Il Palazzo.
Mission 3: "The Shape of White Color" (白色のかたち, Hakushoku no katachi)
Mission 4: "The Looking Glass of Delicate Bubbles" (うたかたの万華鏡, Utakata no mangekyō)
Mission 5: "That Which Scatters About in the White Skies" (散るものは白く空に, Chiru mono wa shiroku sora ni)
Mission 6: "He Who Does Not Open the Treasure Box Himself" (彼は玉手箱を開けない, Kare wa tamatebako o hirakenai)
Mission 7: "'We Came... We Left.'" (来た...去った, Kita... satta)
Excel and Hyatt jump from job to job. From working on a mayoral campaign to trying to sign people to cell phone contracts. The two also go undercover at a hospital to report to Il Palazzo about the state of health care in the city. This manga we also learn that Norikuni Iwata is the cousin to Dr. Sekifumi Iwata. Also Dr. Kabapu sends his team into the sewer to search out "suspicious things" and they are met with weird happenings such as falling cage doors and gushes of water. Unbeknownst to them Excel and Hyatt are trying to ward them out of the sewers because they are too close to their headquarters.
Mission 4: "23 Hours, 56 Minutes, and 4 Seconds in the Life of Dr. Kabapu" (博士の23時間56分4秒, Hakase no 23-jikan 56-bu 4-byō)
Mission 5: "The Season Faraway from the Sun" (太陽の遠い季節, Taiyō no tōi kisetsu)
Mission 6: "Into the Labyrinth" (迷路へ, Meiro e)
Mission 7: "The Path You Lead Alone" (ひとりきりでたどる道, Hitori kiri de tadoru michi)
Mission 8: "The Ocean and the Sky as Dangerous Weapons" (海と空が凶器, Umi to sora ga kyōki)
Il Palazzo's strange habits continue and Matsuya lies for the team to avoid them returning to the sewers. This caps off volume 4 as Hyatt gets kidnapped, Excel goes to the dentist, we meet Kabapu's new secretary Momochi, everyone goes to the pool and Watanabe gets sick and is rushed to the hospital. As well as Excel having brief amnesia and Watanabe hunting Iwata down for using permanent marker on his face while he was out at the hospital.
Mission 1: "The White Album" (白いアルバム, Shiroi arubamu)
Mission 2: "Shallow Wound Entertainment" (傷の浅い娯楽, Kizu no asai goraku)
Mission 3: "The Beautiful Force" (きれいな力, Kireina chikara)
Mission 4: "The Dreams of the Dolls" (人形の夢たち, Ningyō no yume-tachi)
Mission 5: "Just Come Back" (還るだけ, Kaeru dake)
Mission 6: "The String-Puller" (糸をひく者, Ito o hiku mono)
Mission 7: "And the One That Dances" (踊るもの, Odoru mono)
Bonus Mission: "The Spring Programming Special" (春の番組, Haru no bangumi)
Volume 5 features first appearance of Mr. Owner when Excel and Hyatt briefly work at a cabin lodge. Also supporting character Prof. Shiouji and the Ropponmatsu robots (I & II). Also Iwata tries to get Matsuya's attention on Valentines day and Excel finds a pistol and tries to get rid of it.
Mission 1: "Mirrors and Eyes" (鏡と瞳, Kagami to hitomi)
Mission 2: "Friend of the Herbivores" (草食の味方, Sōshoku no mikata)
Mission 3: "The Parallel Everyday" (平行な日常, Heikōna nichijō)
Mission 4: "The Resistance Value of a Gaze" (視線の抵抗値, Shisen no teikō-chi)
Mission 5: "Fragment of a Body" (からだのかけら, Karada no kake-ra)
Mission 6: "One Look With You" (ひとめあなたと, Hito-me anata to)
Mission 7: "That Won't Return" (それは還らない, Sore wa kaeranai)
Ropponmatsu (I/II) moves into the apartment complex where her co-workers live. Excel and Hyatt run into a little girl named Hiyako who they have to ditch because she's being chased by mysterious men in black. Excel and Hyatt also have a run into Ropponmatsu.
Mission 1: "A Foul Deed in Springtime" (春の背信, Haru no haishin)
Mission 2: "In the Midst of Drama" (戯曲の中, Gikyoku no naka)
Mission 3: "Scars Upon a Dream" (夢幻の痕, Mugen no ato)
Mission 4: "Wings to Eternity (T-Minus)" (永遠の翼(前編), Eien no tsubasa (zenpen))
Mission 5: "Wings to Eternity (T-Plus)" (永遠の翼(後編), Eien no tsubasa (kōhen))
Mission 6: "They Saw It" (彼女らは見た, Kanojora wa mita)
Mission 7: "My Youth In ____________" (我が青春のそれ, Waga seishun no sore)
Mission 8: "When Jaa, Ne Comes Marching Home" (戦士の帰還, Senshi no kikan)
Excel and Hyatt sale Ramen at the Cherry Festival where Kabapu and his subordinates are attending. Sumiyoshi reveals to his friends he collects dating sims. Excel enters the Birdman by the Sea contest to try and earn money. Also Il Palazzo sends Excela and Hyatt to a location to locate a third member. Excel and Hyatt also have to get away from immigration officers after they flee an explosion at a hotel in a foreign airplane.
Ilpalazzo introduces ACROSS' third hire, Elgala, to Excel and Hyatt. Elgala's presence and her rebellious nature lead to more tension for Excel and also cause conflict between Excel and Hyatt. Due to these personnel changes, Ilpalazzo disburses a large amount of funds for his hirelings' use, leading to an encounter between them and bank security staff. Meanwhile, City Hall is in shock over the sudden death and robotic resurrection of Iwata, who died of colon cancer, and who is now housed in Ropponmatsu I's body until a permanent replacement can be prepared. A sudden fire engulfs the apartment building, and both ACROSS and the Environmental Security Administration must find new accommodations.
Outer Mission: "The Wild West Detective Saw in the Midst of Smoke on the Water Various Cases of Midnight Murder in the Secret Trick Room While Dangerously Dancing at the Stray Sun Series Story" (太陽に踊るあぶないはぐれ西部ケイ事貴ゾク物語旅情編トリック密室連続殺人事件24時湯煙の中にいろいろ見た!, Taiyō ni odoru abunai hagure seibu kei koto ki zoku monogatari ryojō-hen torikku misshitsu renzoku satsujin jiken 24-ji yukemuri no naka ni iroiro mita!)
Mission 1: "Density of the Protagonist" (主人公密度, Shujinkō mitsudo)
Mission 2: "Crystal Locale" (結晶の行方, Kesshō no yukue)
Mission 3: "Is Life Worth More Than the Stars?" (星よりも重い生命?, Hoshi yori mo omoi seimei?)
Mission 4: "The Prison of Happiness" (幸せの牢獄, Shiawase no rōgoku)
Mission 5: "We Will Find Each Other Again if We Return to That Town" (あの街へ還ればきっと逢える, Ano machi e kaereba kitto aeru)
Excel, Hyatt, Elgala, and Menchi move into their new hideout, an apartment building owned by Kabapu. Ilpalazzo performs medical investigations on Hyatt and is mildly displeased at the results, while Watanabe, Matsuya and Sumiyoshi speculate about Iwata's return. Ilpalazzo orders his agents to proclaim ACROSS' intentions to the masses, but Excel and Hyatt are intercepted in this task by Kabapu's new weapon. This weapon quickly goes on a rampage downtown, meanwhile Kabapu activates "The Plan" and reveals more of the true nature of the organization to his subordinates.
Mission 4: "The Heart is Gold?" (黄金の心?, Kogane no kokoro?)
Mission 5: "Even God Feels the Pain" (神でも痛い, Kami demo itai)
Bonus Mission: "The Summer Programming Special" (夏の番組, Natsu no bangumi)
Excel and company attempt to reach out to the ignorant masses at a shopping mall but are again thwarted by Kabapu's forces. Excel begins to feel her position in ACROSS undermined and takes a period of leave. Sumiyoshi's family is introduced, much to his colleagues' surprise. During her absence, Elgala and Hyatt attempt to propagandize at a soccer match, but are forced to retreat under pressure from Iwata. Excel returns to salvage the situation, and the girls celebrate with sake given to Hyatt by Watanabe. They awake hung-over and discover that their bank account has mysteriously emptied overnight.
Mission 7: "Courage and Pebbles" (勇気と石ころ, Yūki to ishikoro)
Mission 8: "God's Work" (神様のお仕事, Kamisama no oshigoto)
Elgala is forced to recount how she spent the agents' ¥10 million: on a sleep-walking night on the town. The agents are forced to take part time jobs to recoup the loss. Watanabe endeavors to assist Hyatt, but must turn to help from Kabapu—at "very reasonable rates of usury." An office ski trip turns almost deadly for Matsuya and Iwata, but is certainly deadly for the former's pride. The ACROSS agents contemplate new uniforms and aspects of the organization secret even from them. Kabapu and Shioji clash over the use and design of the Ropponmatsu units, and ACROSS inaugurates a bombing campaign to spur the city into action.
Mission 2: "How Many Pages of the Book of Life are Devoted to Youth?" (青春は何ページ, Seishun wa nan Pēji)
Mission 3: "Her and That Guy's Circumstances" (彼と少女の事情, Kare to shōjo no jijō)
Mission 4: "Plain so Lay" (大洋が○っぱい, Taiyō ga ￮ ppai)
Mission 5: "Work for Humans" (人間のお仕事, Ningen no oshigoto)
Dr. Kabapu reflects on the recent terrorist bombing campaign and how it has actually improved the city, but also on how much he needs to find Shioji's father Tenmangu, which will require an unpleasant meeting with Shioji's mother. The agents of ACROSS meanwhile summer at the coast, working at beach-shack owned by "The Manager." Iwata, Matsuya, Ropponmatsu, Sumiyoshi, and Watanabe also visit the beach, leading to Watanabe's being lost at sea with Hyatt. A collection of "side stories" at the start of the VIZ edition star Shioji and his cousin, Umi Rengaya. In these, Shioji's past, character, and relationship with his family are explored.
Mission 1: "Vanishing as Subject and Object" (消えて消して, Kiete keshite)
Mission 2: "On a Created Planet" (作られた星, Tsukurareta hoshi)
Mission 3: "This is Not a Figment of Your Imagination" (それは幻ではない, Sore wa maboroshi de wanai)
Mission 4: "The Great Wide Tower" (広い巨塔, Hiroi kyotō)
Mission 5: "A Few Words I'd Like to Convey to You" (あなたに伝えたいいくつかの言葉, Anata ni tsutaetai ikutsu ka no kotoba)
Mission 6: "Alliance in the Park" (公園同盟, Kōen dōmei)
Outer Mission: "Say Hello to the Outbreak from the Clinic of the Super Doctor B.J. in White" (振り返れば白いスーパーDR. BJ診療所によろしく!アウトブレク, Furikaereba shiroi Sūpā DR. BJ shinryōsho ni yoroshiku! Autobureku)
Shioji's mother, Dr. Miwa Rengaya, surprises him by returning from Illinois and resuming residence at the family institute. The agents of ACROSS attempt to spread the word to a passing television crew but are preemted by Ilpalazzo's public proclamation of ACROSS' ownership of the city. Kabapu is spurred by this to reveal his origins and true mission to his subordinates. Excel and company stage a daring but failed raid on City Hall to capture Ropponmatsu Unit 1 for Ilpalazzo. Dr. Rengaya and Kabpu consult over tea, while Shioji rifles through his mother's files for clues to his father's research and location. He later forms a secret alliance with Matsuya.
The girls' cover (and apartment) are explosively blown, leading to a bath-house confrontation with Kabapu's forces. In order to draw their attention and let Hyatt escape, Excel and Elgala flee, taking Iwata and Ropponmatsu Unit 2 in pursuit. Nevertheless, Hyatt is captured and, in an amnesiac state, placed under Watanabe's care, with potentially dire effects on the latter's career. Her coworkers escape to the coast, where they are pressed into the service of "Mr. Owner" and "The Manager" on their floating resort, eventually ending up in an immigration detention center. Kabapu takes a vacation at a hot-spring, but is rudely interrupted by a murder mystery and local police.
Mission 2: "Lord Il Palazzo's Big Day Out" (イルパラッツォの大冒険, Iru Parattsu no dai bōken)
Mission 3: "Preach Me the Gospel" (福音をください, Fukuin o kudasai)
Mission 4: "Forbidden Ground" (禁域, Kin-iki)
Mission 5: "The Visible Machine" (機械の視界, Kikai no shikai)
Mission 6: "Glory, Light, Shadows, and Things Like That" (栄光とか光とか影とか, Eikō toka hikari toka kage toka)
Disrupting Watanabe's plan for romance, Ilpalazzo personally intervenes to restore Hyatt's memory and rescue her from captivity. With her at hand, and trailed by Kabapu's agents, Ilpalazzo tours the streets of Fukuoka. After a brief meeting with Kabapu, Ilpalazzo teleporting away with Hyatt and later takes Ropponmatsu Unit 1. Excel and Elgala are marooned on a desert isle, but Ilpalazzo again intervenes to deliver Elgala from danger. Excel, however, must fend for herself in her return to Fukuoka. Months later, Kabapu frets over the failing search for Ropponmatsu and sees his wealth and political influence challenged subtly by a disruptive new electronics and retail firm: ILL, which inspires fanaticism in its employees and addiction in its customers. A social event reveals to Kabapu the leadership of this firm: its chairman, Ilpalazzo, and president, a returned and focused Excel.
Mission 1: "Just When You're Feeling Weak, Here Comes a Kick, a Bee, a Curse and God Knows What Else" (弱り目に蹴りと蜂と祟りとその他, Yowarime ni keri to hachi to tatari to sonohoka)
Mission 2: "The Despair of White Copper (4.8 Grams, 22.6 Millimeters Diameter)" (白銅4.8g·直径22.6mmの絶望, Hakudō 4.8g· chokkei 22.6mm no zetsubō)
Mission 3: "Run, Mince!" (走れメンチ, Hashire Menchi)
Mission 4: "The Diary of Somebody" (誰かの日記, Dareka no nikki)
Mission 2. A Fairy Corpse (妖精の残骸, Yōsei no zangai)
Mission 3. Miracle of Green (碧の奇跡, Ao no kiseki)
Mission 4. The End of a Legend (伝説の終了, Densetsu no shūryō)
Final Mission. Excel Saga (EXCEL SAGA)
References
↑Drazen, Patrick (October 2002). Anime Explosion! The What? Why? & Wow! of Japanese Animation. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. p.117. ISBN1-880656-72-8. OCLC50898281.
