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Selected article list

Articles 1–20

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/1
Love Hina is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 1998 to October 2001, with the chapters collected into 14 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitarō Urashima and his attempts to find the girl with whom he made a childhood promise to enter the University of Tokyo. The manga was licensed for an English-language release in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop, in Australia by Madman Entertainment, and in Singapore by Chuang Yi. Two novelizations of Love Hina, written by two anime series screenwriters, were also released in Japan by Kodansha. Both novels were later released in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop.

A twenty-four episode anime adaptation of the manga series, produced by Xebec, aired in Japan from April to September 2000. It was followed by a bonus DVD episode, Christmas and Spring television specials, and a three episode original video animation (OVA) entitled Love Hina Again. The anime series, special, and OVA were licensed for release in North America by Bandai Entertainment. In July 2007, the license was acquired by Funimation, who released a boxset of the television series in February 2009. The series is also licensed in Australia by Madman Entertainment and in the United Kingdom by MVM Films. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/2
Gin Tama is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. It was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to September 2018, later in Jump Giga from December 2018 to February 2019, and concluded on the Gintama app, where it ran from May to June 2019. Its chapters were collected in 77 tankōbon volumes. Set in Japan during the Edo period, which has been conquered by aliens named Amanto, the plot follows Gintoki Sakata, a samurai who works as a freelancer in his self-established store, "Yorozuya", alongside his friends Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura, offering a wide range of services to handle various tasks and odd jobs. After his editor suggested doing a historical series, Sorachi incorporated a science fiction setting to develop characters to his liking.

An original video animation (OVA) adaptation produced by Sunrise was featured at the Jump Festa 2006 Anime Tour in 2005. This was followed by a full 367-episode anime television series adaptation, which aired on TV Tokyo from April 2006 to October 2018. The storyline of the anime series was concluded in the film Gintama: The Very Final, released in January 2021. Two other films, Gintama: The Movie and Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya, were released in April 2010 and July 2013, respectively. Besides the anime series, there have been various light novels and video games based on Gintama.The story is set in an alternate-history late-Edo period, where humanity is attacked by aliens called "Amanto" (天人; 'Sky People'). Edo Japan's samurai fight to defend Earth, but the shogun cowardly surrenders when he realizes the aliens' power. He agrees to an unequal contract with the aliens, ceding power to them, and also places a ban on carrying swords in public and allows the invaders to enter the country. The samurai's swords are confiscated and the Tokugawa bakufu (shogunate) becomes a puppet government.

The series focuses on an eccentric samurai, Gintoki Sakata who works as an odd-jobs freelancer. He helps a teenager named Shinpachi Shimura save his sister Tae from an Amanto group that wants to send her to a brothel. Impressed by Gintoki, Shinpachi becomes his freelance apprentice to pay the bills and learn more about the enigmatic samurai. When the pair rescues a teenage alien girl with super-strength, Kagura, from a yakuza group, they accept her into their odd-jobs freelancing business, and the three become known as "Yorozuya" (万事屋; 'Store of 10,000 business' or 'We do everything').

While working, they regularly encounter the Shinsengumi police force, who often ally with Gintoki when work involves dangerous criminals. The trio also meets Gintoki's former comrades from the Amanto invasion, including the revolutionary Kotaro Katsura who is friendly toward them despite his terrorist activities against the alien-controlled government.

The story is a balance between episodic and shorter arc based plotlines that resolve quickly, and a rich background plot that develops from its beginning to end.[1] For example, Gintoki's former comrade Shinsuke Takasugi is a major antagonist who regards Gintoki and his other former comrades as enemies and seeks to destroy the shogunate. Over time, Takasugi gains allies, including Kagura's brother Kamui, and the elite fighting unit Mimawarigumi to prepare for his large-scale coup d'état. After the true antagonist—the immortal Utsuro—is introduced, Gintoki works with both friends and enemies to stop Utsuro from destroying the Earth. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/3

Katsudō Shashin is a filmstrip speculated to be the oldest work of animation in Japan. Three seconds long, it depicts a boy who writes "moving picture" in Japanese script, removes his hat, and waves. Discovered in a collection of films and projectors in Kyoto, its creator is unknown. Natsuki Matsumoto, an expert in iconography at the Osaka University of Arts, determined that it was most likely made before 1912. It may have been influenced by animated filmstrips for German cinematographs, devices that first appeared in Japan in 1904. Evidence suggests Katsudō Shashin was mass-produced to be sold to wealthy owners of home projectors. To Matsumoto, the relatively poor quality and low-tech printing technique indicate it was likely from a smaller film company. Unlike in traditional animation, the frames were not produced by photographing the images, but were impressed directly onto film. They were stencilled in red and black using a device for making magic lantern slides, and the filmstrip was fastened in a loop for continuous play. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/4
Twin Spica is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kou Yaginuma. The "realistic, slice-of-life science fiction series" tells the story of a group of Japanese high school students training to become astronauts in the early 21st century after the country's first human spaceflight launch ends in a disaster that causes many civilian casualties. It was serialized in the seinen manga magazine Comic Flapper from September 2001 to August 2009 and was later published in 16 tankōbon volumes by Media Factory from January 2002 to October 2009.

The series is named after Spica, a binary star system and the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. In the manga, Yaginuma includes many references to historical events related to the development of human spaceflight as well as literary works such as Kenji Miyazawa's novel Night on the Galactic Railroad. American publishing company Vertical announced acquisition of the manga's license for English-language translation at the New York Anime Festival in September 2009, and the translated first volume was published in May 2010. The series was described by Vertical marketing director Ed Chavez as "technically sound" and "heartfelt" during its initial assessment. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/5

Last Exile (ラストエグザイル, Rasuto Eguzairu) is a Japanese anime television series created by Gonzo. It featured a production team led by director Koichi Chigira, character designer Range Murata, and production designer Mahiro Maeda. The three had previously worked together in Blue Submarine No. 6, one of the first CG anime series. It aired on TV Tokyo from April to September 2003. A sequel series, Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing (ラストエグザイル～銀翼のファム～, Rasuto Eguzairu Gin'yoku no Famu), aired from October 2011 to March 2012. A film adaptation of the series, Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing: Over the Wishes [ja], was released in February 2016.

The story is set on the fictional world of Prester, where its inhabitants use aerial vehicles known as vanships as a means of transportation. On this world, which is divided in eternal conflict between the nations of Anatoray and Disith, sky couriers Claus Valca and Lavie Head must deliver a girl who holds the key to uniting the two factions. Although Prester itself is not a representation of Earth, it features technology reminiscent of nineteenth century Europe at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Many of its designs were also inspired by Germany's technological advances during the interwar period.

(Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/6

Azumanga Daioh logo

Azumanga Daioh is a Japanese yonkoma manga series written and illustrated by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was serialized from February 1999 to May 2002 in the monthly magazine Dengeki Daioh by MediaWorks; three additional chapters were published in Shogakukan's Monthly Shōnen Sunday in May 2009 to celebrate the manga's tenth anniversary. The manga was first released in English by ADV Manga, and later re-issued by Yen Press.

An anime television adaptation titled Azumanga Daioh: The Animation was produced by J.C.Staff and aired in Japan between April and September 2002, consisting of 130 four-minute segments compiled into 26 episodes. The compiled episodes were released on DVD and Universal Media Discs (UMDs) by Starchild Records, and an English-language version was produced by ADV Films. Before the series, a theatrical short and an original net animation were also produced. Several soundtrack albums were released, as well as three video games. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/7

Air is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key, a brand of Visual Arts. It was released on September 8, 2000, for Windows as an adult game. Key later released versions of Air without the erotic content, and the game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Switch. The story follows the life of Yukito Kunisaki, a traveling showman searching for the "girl in the sky". He arrives in a quiet, seaside town where he meets three girls, one of whom is the key to the end of his journey.

The gameplay in Air follows a branching plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the three female main characters by the player character. The game is divided into three segments—Dream, Summer, and Air—which serve as different phases in the overall story. The title of the game reflects the prominent themes of the air, skies, and use of wings throughout gameplay. The game ranked as the best-selling PC game sold in Japan for the time of its release, and charted in the national top 50 several more times afterwards. Air has sold over 300,000 units across several platforms.

(Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/8

Clannad logo

Clannad is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and released on April 28, 2004, for Windows. While both of Key's first two previous works, Kanon and Air, had been released first as adult games and then censored for the younger market, Clannad was specifically made for all ages. It was later ported to the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch consoles. An English version for Windows was released on Steam by Sekai Project in 2015.

The story follows the life of Tomoya Okazaki, from adolescence to adulthood. As an average high school student, he meets many people in his last year at school, including five girls, whose individual problems he helps resolve, and his life is further detailed after graduating from high school. The gameplay of Clannad follows a plot that branches into different scenarios based on various courses of interaction by the player character. The game was ranked as the best-selling PC game sold in Japan for the time of its release, and charted in the national top 50 several more times afterwards. Key went on to produce an adult spin-off titled Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life in November 2005, which expanded on the scenario of Tomoyo Sakagami, one of the five heroines from Clannad.

(Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/9

Tokyo Mew Mew logo

Tokyo Mew Mew is a Japanese shōjo manga series written by Reiko Yoshida and illustrated by Mia Ikumi. It was originally serialized in Nakayoshi from September 2000 to February 2003, and later published in seven tankōbon volumes by Kodansha from February 2001 to April 2003. It focuses on five girls infused with the DNA of rare animals that gives them special powers and allows them to transform into "Mew Mews". Led by Ichigo Momomiya, the girls protect the earth from aliens who wish to "reclaim" it. The series was quickly adapted into a fifty-two episode anime series by Studio Pierrot. It debuted in Japan on April 6, 2002, on both TV Aichi and TV Tokyo; the final episode aired on March 29, 2003. A two-volume sequel to the manga, Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode, was serialized in Nakayoshi from April 2003 to February 2004. The sequel introduces a new Mew Mew, Berry Shirayuki, who becomes the temporary leader of the Mew Mews whilst Ichigo is on a trip to England. Two video games were also created for the series. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/10
Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine formerly published in North America by Viz Media. Launched in June 2005 as a sister magazine for Shonen Jump, it featured serialized chapters from six manga series, as well as articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty. After its initial launch, Shojo Beat underwent two redesigns, becoming the first English anthology to use the cyan and magenta ink tones common to Japanese manga anthologies. Viz launched a related imprint of the same name for female-oriented manga, light novels and anime.

Targeted at teenage girls, the first issue of Shojo Beat launched with a circulation of 20,000. By 2007, the average circulation was approximately 38,000 copies, with half coming from subscriptions rather than store sales. It was well received by critics, who praised its mix of manga series and the inclusion of articles on Japanese culture, though some critics found the early issues boring and poorly written. In May 2009, Viz announced that it was discontinuing the magazine; the July 2009 issue was the last released. Fans were disappointed at the sudden news. Industry experts felt its loss would leave female comic fans without a magazine of their own but praised Viz for its choice to continue using the Shojo Beat imprint and branding for its shōjo manga and anime releases. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/11
Shonen Jump, officially stylized SHONEN JUMP and abbreviated SJ, was a shōnen manga anthology published in North America by Viz Media. It debuted in November 2002 with the first issue having a January 2003 cover date. Based on Shueisha's popular Japanese magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump, Shonen Jump was retooled for English readers and the American audience, including changing it from a weekly publication to a monthly one. It featured serialized chapters from different manga series and articles on Japanese language and culture, as well as manga, anime, video games, and figurines. The premiere issue of Shonen Jump also introduced the first official English translations of One Piece, Sand Land, Yu-Gi-Oh!, YuYu Hakusho, and Naruto.

Prior to the magazine's launch, Viz launched an extensive marketing campaign to promote it and help it succeed where previous manga anthologies published in North America had failed. Shueisha purchased an equity interest in Viz to help fund the venture, and Cartoon Network, Suncoast, and Diamond Distributors became promotional partners in the magazine. In conjunction with the magazine, Viz launched new imprints for releasing media related to the series presented in the magazine, and other shōnen works. This includes two new manga imprints, an anime DVD imprint, a fiction line for releasing light novels, a label for fan and data books, and a label for the release of art books. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/12

School Rumble logo

School Rumble is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Jin Kobayashi. First serialized in 345 chapters in Weekly Shōnen Magazine between 2002 and 2008, it is a romance comedy centering on relationships between three Japanese high school students. The series often discards realism in favor of comedic effect. Its popularity resulted in television adaptations, video games, novels and guidebooks. It has also been translated into English and other languages. The manga was well received by Japanese-language readers; the North American English translations were less popular, and ranked 145th for overall manga series sales in 2008. Some critics of the English-language translation praised Kobayashi for his art style and overall use of humor, while others disliked some of the jokes and repetitive plot. The anime adaptation sold well in Japan and was praised by Kobayashi and—for the English-language translation—critics. The decision by Media Factory to aggressively pursue its intellectual property rights for School Rumble is believed by proponents of fansubs to have had a negative impact on the franchise's release and sales in the North American market. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/13

Sword Art Online light novels

Sword Art Online

Quick facts ソードアート・オンライン (Sōdo Āto Onrain), Genre ...
Anime and manga/Selected articles
ソードアート・オンライン
(Sōdo Āto Onrain)
Genre
Novel series
Written byReki Kawahara (as Fumio Kunori)
Published bySelf-published
Original run2002 – 2008
Light novel
Written byReki Kawahara
Illustrated byabec [ja]
Published byASCII Media Works
English publisher
ImprintDengeki Bunko
Original runApril 10, 2009 – present
Volumes29 (List of volumes)
Further information
Light novel
Sword Art Online: Progressive
Written byReki Kawahara
Illustrated byabec
Published byASCII Media Works
English publisher
  • NA: Yen Press
ImprintDengeki Bunko
Original runOctober 10, 2012 – present
Volumes9 (List of volumes)
Light novel
Sword Art Online Alternative: Clover's Regret
Written bySoichiro Watase
Illustrated byGinta
Published byASCII Media Works
English publisher
  • NA: Yen Press
ImprintDengeki Bunko
Original runNovember 10, 2016 – August 10, 2018
Volumes3 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Other
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Sword Art Online (Japanese: ソードアート・オンライン, Hepburn: Sōdo Āto Onrain) is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec [ja]. Originally released as a web novel on Kawahara's website from 2002 to 2008, the light novels began publication under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko imprint in April 2009, following them approving his request to publish it. The series takes place in the 2020s and focuses on protagonists Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki as they play through various VRMMORPG worlds, and later their involvement in the matters of a simulated civilization.

Multiple spin-offs have been released, including Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, Sword Art Online: Progressive, and Sword Art Online: Girls' Ops. Several adaptations into other media have been produced, including more than ten manga and an anime television series, which aired for three seasons from July 2012 to September 2020; a television film was released in December 2013. Anime film adaptations have been released in February 2017, October 2021, and October 2022. Several video game adaptations and board games have also been released.

Sword Art Online's themes include the dangers associated with virtual reality and allowing an external device to control a person's brain. The early volumes, as well as the anime, have received praise for the premise, world building, and the bond between Kirito and Asuna, while the pacing, writing, and treatment of female characters have been criticized; Kawahara has expressed regrets about the latter and critics felt that his writing improved in later volumes. The series has frequently ranked in Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! and has 30 million copies in circulation, making it one of the best-selling light novels. It has also helped popularize web novels, VRMMORPG, and isekai fiction.

Synopsis

Setting

The light novel series spans several virtual reality worlds, beginning with the game, Sword Art Online (SAO), which is set in a world known as Aincrad. Each world is built on a game engine called the Cardinal system, which was initially developed specifically for SAO by Akihiko Kayaba, but was later duplicated for Alfheim Online (ALO), and a consolidated package is later given to Kirito in the form of the World Seed, who had it leaked online with the successful intention of reviving the virtual reality industry. A third world known as Gun Gale Online (GGO) appears in the third arc and is stylized as a first-person shooter game instead of a role-playing game, and is the main setting of Alternative Gun Gale Online. It was created using the World Seed by an American company. A fourth world appears in the fourth arc known as the Underworld (UW). The world itself was created using the World Seed as a base, but it is as realistic as the real world due to using many powerful government resources to keep it running. A fifth main world called Unital Ring (UR) was formed under mysterious circumstances from the merging of all of the Seed MMO worlds, and is the main setting of the Unital Ring arc along with the Underworld.

Plot

See also: List of Sword Art Online characters

In 2022, a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online (SAO) was released. With the NerveGear, a helmet that stimulates the user's five senses via their brain, players can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds. Both the game and the NerveGear were created by Akihiko Kayaba. On November 6, 10,000 players log into SAO's mainframe cyberspace for the first time, only to discover that they are unable to log out. Kayaba appears and tells the players that they must beat all 100 floors of Aincrad, a steel castle which is the setting of SAO, if they wish to be free. He also states that those who suffer in-game deaths or forcibly remove the NerveGear out-of-game will suffer real-life deaths.

A player named Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya is one of 1,000 testers in the game's previous closed beta. With the advantage of previous VR gaming experience and a drive to protect other beta testers from discrimination, he isolates himself from the greater groups and plays the game alone, bearing the mantle of "beater", a portmanteau of "beta tester" and "cheater". As the players progress through the game Kirito eventually befriends a young woman named Asuna Yuuki, forming a relationship with and later marrying her in-game. After the duo discover the identity of Kayaba's secret ID, who was playing as "Heathcliff", the leader of the guild Asuna joined in, they confront and destroy him, freeing themselves and the other players from the game.

In the real world, Kazuto discovers that 300 SAO players, including Asuna, remain trapped in their NerveGear. As he goes to the hospital to see Asuna, he meets Asuna's father Shouzou Yuuki who is asked by an associate of his, Nobuyuki Sugou, to make a decision, which Sugou later reveals to be his marriage with Asuna, angering Kazuto. Several months later, he is informed by Agil, another SAO survivor, that a figure similar to Asuna was spotted on "The World Tree" in another VRMMORPG cyberspace called Alfheim Online (ALO). Assisted in-game by his cousin and adoptive sister Suguha "Leafa" Kirigaya and Yui, a navigation pixie (originally an AI from SAO), he quickly learns that the trapped players in ALO are part of a plan conceived by Sugou to perform illegal experiments on their minds. The goal is to create the perfect mind-control for financial gain and to subjugate Asuna, whom he intends to marry in the real world, to assume control of her family's corporation. Kirito eventually stops the experiment and rescues the remaining 300 SAO players, foiling Sugou's plans. Before leaving ALO to see Asuna, Kayaba, who has uploaded his mind to the Internet using an experimental, destructively high-powered version of NerveGear at the cost of his life, entrusts Kirito with The Seed—a package program designed to create virtual worlds. Kazuto eventually reunites with Asuna in the real world after thwarting an attack from Sugou and The Seed is released onto the Internet, reviving Aincrad as other VRMMORPGs begin to thrive.

One year after the events of SAO, at the prompting of a government official investigating strange occurrences in VR, Kazuto takes on a job to investigate a series of murders involving another VRMMORPG called Gun Gale Online (GGO), the AmuSphere (the successor of the NerveGear), and a player called Death Gun. Aided by a female player named Shino "Sinon" Asada, he participates in a gunfight tournament called the Bullet of Bullets (BoB) and discovers the truth behind the murders, which originated with a player who participated in a player-killing guild in SAO. Through his and Sinon's efforts, two suspects are captured, though the third suspect, Johnny Black, escapes.

Kazuto is later recruited to test an experimental FullDive machine, Soul Translator (STL), which has an interface far more realistic and complex than the previous machine he had played, to help RATH, a research and development organization under the Ministry of Defense (MOD), develop an artificial intelligence named A.L.I.C.E. He tests the STL by entering the Underworld (UW), a virtual reality cyberspace created with The Seed package. In the UW, the flow of time proceeds a thousand times faster than in the real world, and Kirito's memories of what happens inside are restricted. However, when Johnny Black ambushes and mortally wounds Kazuto with suxamethonium chloride, RATH recovers Kazuto and places him back into the STL to preserve his mind while attempts are made to save him. During his time in Underworld, Kirito befriends Eugeo, a carver in a small village of Rulid, and helps him on a journey to save Alice Zuberg, his friend who was taken by a group of highly skilled warriors known as the Integrity Knights for accidentally breaking a rule of the Axiom Church, the leaders of the Human Empire. He and Eugeo soon find themselves uncovering the secrets of the Axiom Church, led by a woman only known as "The Administrator", and the true purpose of Underworld itself, while unbeknownst to them, a war against the opposing Dark Territory is brewing on the horizon. They meet Alice, now an Integrity Knight, and though she does not remember them, Kirito helps her remember her true identity: a form of true artificial intelligence known as A.L.I.C.E. In the battle against the Administrator, Kirito manages to slay her, though Eugeo dies in the process, to Kirito's dismay.

Meanwhile, in the real world, conflict escalates as American forces raid RATH's facility in the Ocean Turtle in an effort to take A.L.I.C.E. for purposes unknown. Two of the attackers—Gabriel "Vecta" Miller and Vassago "Prince of Hell" Cassals—take control of two Dark Territory characters as they unite the Dark Territory's inhabitants to aid them. With help from all his friends, Kirito manages to stop the attackers as well as foreign players lured by Vassago, and safely extract A.L.I.C.E. from UW, who gains a physical body—with Gabriel and Vassago being killed both virtually and physically in the process. However, Kirito does not log out in time before the flow of time is restored and spends 200 years in UW (about 2 weeks in the real world) with Asuna, who stayed behind for Kirito. After awakening they have their memories of 200 years in underworld removed under Kirito's request, though RATH employee Takeru Higa secretly keeps a backup consciousness of his 200-year self, who have unknown plans for the Underworld.

One month later, Kirito, Asuna, and the others have their accounts forcibly migrated to Unital Ring, a new VRMMORPG which incorporates locations from all the other environments they previously visited, and investigate the cause while meeting some familiar faces.

Production

Reki Kawahara wrote the first volume in 2001 as a competition entry for the 2002 ASCII Media Works Dengeki Game Novel Prize (電撃ゲーム小説大賞, Dengeki Game Shōsetsu Taishō; now Dengeki Novel Prize), but refrained from submitting it as he had exceeded the page limit; he instead published it as a web novel under the pseudonym Fumio Kunori.[4] Over time, he added three further main arcs and several short stories which, like the first arc "Aincrad", were later adapted into the light novels.[5][6][7] Kawahara originally released the novel on his website from 2002 to 2008.[4] In 2008, he participated in the competition again by writing Accel World, this time winning the Grand Prize. Aside from Accel World, he was requested to get his earlier work, Sword Art Online, published by ASCII Media Works.[4] He agreed and withdrew his web novel versions.[7]

For the protagonist Kirito, Kawahara was asked if Kirito's personality and character were based on his own; he answered that he usually does not put aspects of himself into his characters, and jokingly remarked: "but if I had to say there was a point of similarity between Kirito and myself, it is the fact that neither of us are good at forming parties. We [both] tend to play solo in these games a lot."[8] He also noted that the female characters in the story were not based on anyone he knew in the real world, stating: "I don't usually make a character, setting, or anything before I start writing. As I write the story, the girls become what they are now. So, somehow, I don't know exactly, but somehow, my subliminal idea or some hidden emotion creates the characters to be strong and capable." He added that he wrote the series to demonstrate that he views online gaming not as a social ill or escape from real life, but rather decided to show games in a more positive light in his light novels. Kawahara also noted that the character of Asuna might have been created a little too perfectly.[8]

Publication

See also: List of Sword Art Online light novels

After Kawahara's request for Sword Art Online to be published was approved,[4] he started working with illustrator abec on the light novel series. The first volume was published in print on April 10, 2009,[9] and 29 volumes have been published as of April 10, 2026.[10] The first eight volumes of the light novel series told the story arcs for Sword Art Online, Alfheim Online, and Gun Gale Online. The Alicization story arc was covered by volumes 9 through 18, while volumes 19 and 20 told a side story called Moon Cradle. Kawahara plans on writing "one more big arc" called Unital Ring that will go back to the real world, and it is the first arc not based on the original web novel. The Unital Ring story arc began in volume 21, which was released in Japan on December 7, 2018.[11]

Kawahara also writes the Sword Art Online: Progressive series, which covers Kirito's adventures on the first few floors of Aincrad. The first volume of Progressive was released on October 10, 2012,[12] and nine volumes have been released as of March 7, 2025.[13] The first volume of a light novel series based on Sword Art Online titled Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, written by Keiichi Sigsawa with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi, was published by ASCII Media Works on December 10, 2014.[14] An original 100-page prequel novel to Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale written by Kawahara, titled Hopeful Chant, was released to people who watched the film in Japan during March 4–10, 2017.[15] Another spin-off novel, titled Sword Art Online Alternative Clover's Regret [ja], written by Soichiro Watase, and illustrated by Ginta, was published in three volumes from November 10, 2016, to August 10, 2018.[16][17]

At their Japan Expo USA panel, Yen Press announced the rights to publish the light novels; the first volume was released on April 22, 2014.[18][19] Yen Press later announced their license of the Sword Art Online: Progressive series, which was released in 2015.[20][21] Yen Press also published Sword Art Online Alternative Clover's Regret in English.[22]

There are a number of doujinshi (fan works) written by Kawahara under the pseudonym Fumio Kunori, titled Sword Art Online Material Edition (ソードアート・オンライン・マテリアル・エディション).[23] An 80-page assemblage of some of the Material Edition volumes was published on February 13, 2011;[24] another, Material Edition: Remix, was published on September 6, 2019. The latest release is Material Edition volume 29 on May 12, 2019. The author has also created some other doujinshi, including Lisbeth Edition, Silica Edition and Pina Edition under cooperation with Kurusu Tatsuya from ponz.info.[25][26] It has been reported that these doujinshi gained traction from the involvement of the original author in its creation process, as well as from supplying more details on characters from the original work.[25]

Media

Manga

See also: List of Sword Art Online manga volumes

In total, there are more than ten manga adaptations of the series, all written by Reki Kawahara and published by ASCII Media Works.[27] Sword Art Online: Aincrad (ソードアート・オンライン アインクラッド), illustrated by Tamako Nakamura, was serialized in Dengeki Bunko Magazine between the September 2010 and May 2012 issues. Two tankōbon volumes of Aincrad were released on September 27, 2012.[28][29] A comedy four-panel manga, titled Sword Art Online (そーどあーと☆おんらいん。) and illustrated by Jūsei Minami, began serialization in the September 2010 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine. The first volume of Sword Art Online was released on September 27, 2012.[30] A third manga, titled Sword Art Online: Fairy Dance (ソードアート・オンライン フェアリィ・ダンス) and illustrated by Hazuki Tsubasa, began serialization in the May 2012 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine. The first volume of Fairy Dance was released on October 27, 2012;[31] the third volume was released on June 27, 2014.[32] The Aincrad and Fairy Dance manga have been acquired for release in North America by Yen Press.[18] The first volume of Aincrad was published on March 25, 2014.[19]

A spin-off manga starring Lisbeth, Silica, Leafa, and Lux, titled Sword Art Online: Girls Ops (ソードアート・オンライン ガールズ・オプス) and illustrated by Neko Nekobyō, began serialization in the July 2013 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine.[33] Following the discontinuation of Dengeki Bunko Magazine in April 2020, the manga was moved to the DenPlay Comic website.[34] Girls Ops was licensed by Yen Press in November 2014, the first volume of which was released on May 19, 2015.[35][36] A manga adaptation of Sword Art Online: Progressive, illustrated by Kiseki Himura, began serialization in the August 2013 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine. The manga ended serialization in the magazine's May 2014 issue and was transferred to Dengeki G's Comic starting with the June 2014 issue.[37] The Progressive manga adaptation has been licensed by Yen Press, with the first two volumes released in January and April 2015, respectively.[20][38]

A sixth manga, titled Sword Art Online: Phantom Bullet and illustrated by Kōtarō Yamada, had its first chapter serialized in the May 2014 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine, with following chapters being digitally serialized on Kadokawa's ComicWalker website; it ran from 2014 to 2021.[39] A seventh manga, titled Sword Art Online: Calibur and illustrated by Shii Kiya, was serialized in Dengeki G's Comic between the September 2014 and July 2015 issues.[40] A single compilation volume was released on August 10, 2015.[41] An eighth manga, titled Sword Art Online: Mother's Rosario and also by Tsubasa, is based on the seventh volume of the novel series and began serialization in the July 2014 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine.[42] A ninth manga, an adaptation of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, began serialization in the November 2015 issue of Dengeki Maoh.[43]

A tenth manga, titled Sword Art Online: Project Alicization and illustrated by Kōtarō Yamada, based on the Alicization arc of the light novel series, began serialization in the September 2016 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine.[44] It moved to Web DenPlay Comic due to the discontinuation of Dengeki Bunko Magazine, before ending in 2021.[45][46] An eleventh manga, titled Sword Art Online Unital Ring and illustrated by Masato Kanetsuki, began serialization in Monthly Shōnen Ace on April 26, 2023.[47]

Anime series

Main article: Sword Art Online (TV series)

An anime adaptation of Sword Art Online was announced at Dengeki Bunko Autumn Festival 2011, along with Reki Kawahara's other light novel series, Accel World.[48] The anime is produced by Aniplex and Genco, animated by A-1 Pictures and directed by Tomohiko Itō with music by Yuki Kajiura.[49] The anime aired on Tokyo MX, tvk, TVS, TV Aichi, RKB, HBC, and MBS between July 7 and December 22, 2012, and on AT-X, Chiba TV, and BS11 at later dates.[50] A year-end special, titled Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, aired on December 31, 2013. The special recapped the previously aired anime series and included some new footage.[51][52] At the end of the special, the anime television series was confirmed for a second season, titled Sword Art Online II, which premiered on July 5, 2014.[53][54] The third season of Sword Art Online, titled Sword Art Online: Alicization, and a spin-off anime, titled Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, were announced in 2017.[55] Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, animated by 3Hz, premiered in April 2018.[56][57] Sword Art Online: Alicization aired from October 6, 2018, to March 30, 2019.[58] The season ended at episode 24 on March 30, 2019, and continued on October 12, 2019, with a second part titled War of Underworld.[59][60] The second half of the War of Underworld series was originally scheduled to premiere in April 2020,[61] but due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan,[62] it was rescheduled to air from July 11 to September 19, 2020.[62]

Theatrical films

An animated film titled Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale, featuring an original story by Kawahara set after the events of Sword Art Online II, premiered in Japan and Southeast Asia on February 18, 2017, and was released in the United States on March 9, 2017.[63][64][65][66]

After the finale of Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld, an anime adaptation of Sword Art Online: Progressive was announced.[67] It was later revealed to be a new film titled Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night, which premiered on October 30, 2021.[68] Inori Minase is joining the cast as the new character Mito.[69] Ayako Kōno is directing the film, with Kento Toya designing the characters, Yuki Kajiura returning to compose the music, and A-1 Pictures returning for production.[70]

After the premiere of Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night, a sequel film, titled Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night, was announced.[71] The film was scheduled for September 10, 2022, but was later delayed due to production issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[72][73] It is premiered on October 22, 2022.[74]

During the commemorative event "Sword Art Online: Full Dive", a new film project was announced. The project is described as an original work with stories not based on the light novels.[75] The film was later revealed to be Sword Art Online the Movie: Integral Domain, an original theatrical film and a follow-up to the Alicization: War of Underworld arc. It was announced by Aniplex and is scheduled to premiere in 2028.[76]

Video games

Main article: List of Sword Art Online video games

Sword Art Online video games have been published by various companies across multiple console generations and mobile devices. The games span multiple genres and form a distinct, alternative timeline from the novels. In particular, they often have original characters and incorporate events from the novels in different ways.[77] The first Sword Art Online video game for consoles was Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment, which was released in Japan on March 14, 2013, for the PlayStation Portable.[77][78] The first game released outside of Japan was Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, which was released in the West in 2014, for the PlayStation Vita.[77] By March 2026, the Sword Art Online console games have cumulatively sold over 10 million units worldwide.[79]

Board games

A cooperative card game based on Sword Art Online, titled Sword Art Online: Aincrad Strategy Guide, was released in Japan in June 2013.[80] Sword Art Online: Sword of Fellows, a board game based on the light novel, was released in Japan on June 29, 2017. The game was designed by Seiji Kanai [ja] and follows Kirito and Asuna as they try to escape Aincrad.[81] A board game adaptation of the video game Sword Art Online: Code Register, titled Sword Art Online: Scout Battle, was designed by Kanai and released in Japan on October 7, 2017.[82] A karuta Sword Art Online game was released by Bushiroad on October 30, 2021.[83] Several Sword Art Online-themed expansions have been released for the card game Weiß Schwarz since 2013.[84][85]

Live-action series

On August 2, 2016, Skydance Television announced that they had acquired the global rights to produce a live-action television adaptation of the series.[86] Laeta Kalogridis has been attached to write a script for the pilot, and will also serve as executive producer for the series alongside Skydance CEO David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Marcy Ross.[86] Skydance has stated their intent to "fast-track" the launch of the series,[86] along with plans to follow the TV series with the release of a Sword Art Online virtual reality experience.[87][88] In February 2018, it was reported that the live-action series had been sold to Netflix.[89]

Themes

One of the most prominent themes in Sword Art Online is the boundary between cyberspace and the body, as well as showing virtual reality and video games as both a refuge and a trap.[27] In particular, it spotlights the dangers associated with allowing an external device to control a person's brain while giving players no control over their body while playing.[90] Its storylines also feature corporate conspiracies and government research projects seeking to exploit these advancements in technology. The Alicization story arc also discusses the Turing test and the moral standing of simulated individuals.[27]

The characters in Sword Art Online are more archetypal in nature, which is unusual for Japanese works. For example, Kirito is a young adult obsessed with gaming culture at the detriment to his social skills, which is a common stereotype of otaku. This allows otaku readers to feel more connected to Kirito.[91] Sword Art Online's characters have been described as an example of database consumption, with each character being adaptable across different media. This also allows the series to continue to expand despite minimal new content, as previous assets from other media can be efficiently reworked.[91]

The female characters in Sword Art Online are threatened with, or subjected to, rape, disfigurement, or other tortures by the villains.[92] In particular, critics felt that Asuna was reduced to a damsel in distress during the first story arc, which was strongly criticized.[27] In a 2013 interview, Kawahara said that he regretted his treatment of Asuna and that he wrote the "Mother's Rosario" story as recompense.[8] In 2018, Kawahara apologized to Kaori Ishihara and Reina Kondō, who voiced characters in the anime adaptation that were sexually assaulted.[93] In a 2019 interview, Kawahara stated that female characters are not trophies and expressed a desire to give the female characters in Sword Art Online more agency and prominence in the story.[94]

Reception

Popularity

According to Oricon, Sword Art Online was the top selling light novel series of 2012, with eight volumes figuring among the top selling light novels.[95][96] It was also the second best selling light novel series in the first half of 2016 in Japan, selling 489,374 copies.[97] Sword Art Online: Progressive sold 321,535 copies in the same time period.[97] By 2017, the series has an estimated 20 million copies in print worldwide.[98] By 2021, the series had 26 million copies in print.[99] By 2024, the series had 30 million copies in circulation.[100]

It was ranked first in the 2012 and 2013 Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! rankings, as well as top five placement in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and top 10 in 2019.[101][102][103][104][105] In the 2020 edition of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, Sword Art Online was voted by the public in an online poll and by a jury (critics, influencers, and other people related to the light novel industry) as the best light novel series of the 2010s, being the first in the ranking with 1,728.95 points.[106] In the same book, the series was inducted into the hall of fame, thus barring from ranking in future years.[107]

Critical response

The premise and world building received positive reviews, with critics describing it as understandable to a wide range of readers.[108][109] Andy Hanley of UK Anime Network described the world building as "exquisite" and felt that Kawahara's setting of Aincrad was well thought out.[110] However, the writing has received criticism, with the pacing and repeated use of deus ex machina resolutions being a common complaint.[27][108] Matthew Warner of The Fandom Post felt that the story was "elevating far too fast" and needed more time to develop.[111]

The focus on the emotional impact on the characters has been well received.[27] However, the character development has received some criticism, with Martin stating that the attempt to make Kirito more emotional "commonly fall flat" and Warner feeling that Kirito's development feels "artificial".[108][111] The romantic bond between Kirito and Asuna has received praise.[27] Hanley wrote that their relationship "fits with that world reasonably well" and Sean Gaffney liked that Asuna was open and comfortable with her feelings.[110][109] Critics also felt that their romance was rushed, with Martin stating that the novel does a "thin job of developing the romance".[108][111] Other criticism was directed at Kawahara's handling of the female characters.[27] Warner described the main villain, Akihiko Kayaba as "oddly detached" and felt that their motives "never quite seem to come together".[111]

While the early volumes received criticism, the later light novel arcs, such as Alicization, received praise, with Piotr Konieczny [pl] of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction feeling that Kawahara's writing had improved.[27] Martin praised many of the volumes of the Alicization arc, stating that the author's writing had improved greatly over time.[112]

Removals

On June 12, 2015, the now-inactive Chinese Ministry of Culture listed Sword Art Online II among 38 anime and manga titles banned in China.[113] In July 2020, Sword Art Online became one of seven manga titles to be removed from Books Kinokuniya in Australia following a written complaint by politician Connie Bonaros that they violate Australia's child pornography laws.[114] Following the complaint, the books were required to be classified by the Australian Classification Board and could not be sold until then.[115]

Cultural impact

It was a time when fanfiction was more prevalent than original novels. So when Reki Kawahara won the Dengeki Novel Prize with Accel World, which also led to his self-published original web novel [Sword Art Online] getting published, he proved that there was a pathway beyond novel contests and commercial publishing. As much as I thought that it was due to his own skill, it also made me think that if I did my best, my words could reach others too.

— Kuji Furumiya [ja], author of Unnamed Memory[116]

The success of Sword Art Online led to an increase in popularity for web novels in Japan among both writers and readers, which has led to the growth of novel posting websites like Shōsetsuka ni Narō.[116][117] The increasing popularity of web novels caused by Sword Art Online helped popularize numerous other titles, including Maoyu and Log Horizon by Mamare Touno, The Irregular at Magic High School by Tsutomu Satō, and Mushoku Tensei by Rifujin na Magonote.[116][117]

Alongside Ready Player One, Sword Art Online has been identified as one of the most influential fictional depictions of VRMMORPGs during the 2010s virtual reality revival and has been described as one of the defining franchises associated with fictional VRMMORPG settings.[118][92] Sword Art Online is also credited with coining the terms "VRMMORPG" and "full dive" to describe a fully immersive VR experience.[27] Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey is a fan of Sword Art Online and has cited it as an important inspiration for his work. In particular, he has expressed a desire to develop a NerveGear-like device.[118]

Sword Art Online has helped popularize the isekai genre and its story contains several tropes found in the genre. Some consider it to be a "modern pioneer" of the genre, though Kawahara disagrees.[116][119] Sword Art Online also helped to popularize the term isekai outside of Japan.[120]

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Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/14
Sonic X is a Japanese anime television series created by TMS Entertainment and based on Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. Sonic X initially ran for 52 episodes, broadcast in Japan from April 6, 2003 to March 28, 2004; a further 26 were aired elsewhere from 2005 to 2006. The show's American localization was done by 4Kids Entertainment. The plot follows a boy named Chris and a group of anthropomorphic animals from another planet, including Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Cream, who repeatedly scuffle with Dr. Eggman and his robots over the Chaos Emeralds. The final story arc sees the friends return with Chris to their world, where they meet a plant-like creature named Cosmo and fight an army of robots called the Metarex in outer space. Sonic X received mixed reviews; writers criticized its localization and some characters, but were more generous toward its story and aesthetics. Merchandise included an edutainment game for the Leapster, a trading card game, and a comic book series. The phrase "gotta go fast", the title of the show's North American theme song, has been a Sonic catchphrase for over a decade. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/15
Summer Wars is a 2009 Japanese animated science fiction film directed by Mamoru Hosoda, produced by Madhouse, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film's voice cast includes Ryunosuke Kamiki, Nanami Sakuraba, Mitsuki Tanimura, Sumiko Fuji, and Ayumu Saitō. Set in 2010, Summer Wars tells the story of Kenji Koiso, a timid eleventh-grade math genius who is taken to Ueda by twelfth-grade student Natsuki Shinohara to celebrate her great-grandmother's 90th birthday. However, he is falsely implicated in the hacking of a virtual world by a self-aware, sadistic Artificial Intelligence named Love Machine. Kenji must repair the damage done, and find a way to stop the rogue computer program from causing any further chaos.

After producing The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Madhouse was asked to produce something new. Hosoda and writer Satoko Okudera created a story about a social network and a stranger's connection with strange family. The real-life city of Ueda was chosen as the setting for Summer Wars as part of the territory was once governed by the Sanada clan and was close to Hosoda's birthplace in Toyama. Hosoda used the clan as the basis for the Jinnouchi family after visiting his then-fiancée's home in Ueda. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/16

Naruto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of a young ninja, Naruto Uzumaki, who seeks to gain recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the leader of his village. The series is based on two one-shot manga by Kishimoto: Karakuri (1995) and Naruto (1997). It was serialized in Shueisha's magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1999 to 2014, and released in book form in 72 volumes. An anime television series of 220 episodes was produced by Pierrot and Aniplex; it ran in Japan from 2002 to 2007, and its English adaptation aired on Cartoon Network from 2005 to 2009. Naruto: Shippuden, a sequel to the original series, premiered in Japan in 2007 and ended in 2017 after 500 episodes. The English adaptation was broadcast on Disney XD from 2009 to 2011, and on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block beginning in 2014. Pierrot has also developed eleven movies and twelve original video animations. Naruto is the fourth best-selling manga series ever. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/17
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. It takes place in the same fictional universe as many of Clamp's other manga series, most notably xxxHolic. The plot follows how Sakura, the princess of the Kingdom of Clow, loses all her memories and how Syaoran, a young archaeologist who is her childhood friend, goes on arduous adventures to save her, with two other companions. The Dimensional Witch Yūko Ichihara instructs him to go with two people, Kurogane and Fai D. Flowright. They search for Sakura's memories, which were scattered in various worlds in the form of angelic-like feathers, as retrieving them will help save her very being. Tsubasa was conceived when four Clamp artists wanted to create a manga series that connected all their previous works. They took the designs for the main protagonists from their earlier manga called Cardcaptor Sakura.

It was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 2003 until October 2009, and was collected in twenty-eight tankōbon volumes, totalling 232 chapters – 18 to 20 pages each. The manga was adapted into an anime series, Tsubasa Chronicle (ツバサ･クロニクル, Tsubasa Kuronikuru), animated by Bee Train, which aired 52 episodes over two seasons during 2005 and 2006. Production I.G released an interlude film between the first two seasons titled Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle the Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom, as well as five original video animations (OVAs) between November 2007 and May 2009, which acted as a sequel to the second season. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/18

logo

Case Closed, also known as Detective Conan (Japanese: 名探偵コナン, Hepburn: Meitantei Konan; lit. 'Great Detective Conan'), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday since January 1994; its chapters are collected in 107 tankōbon volumes as of April 2025. Because of legal problems with the name Detective Conan, the English language release was renamed Case Closed. The story follows the high school detective Shinichi Kudo, whose body was transformed into that of an elementary school-age child while investigating a mysterious organization. Generally, he solves a multitude of cases by impersonating his childhood best friend's father and various other characters. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/19

Cardcaptor Sakura logo

Cardcaptor Sakura is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga group Clamp. Serialized monthly in the shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from the June 1996 to August 2000 issues, it was also published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha between November 1996 and July 2000. The story centers on Sakura Kinomoto, an elementary school student who discovers magical powers after accidentally freeing a set of magical cards into the world; she must retrieve the cards to prevent catastrophe. Each of these cards grants different magical powers, and can only be activated by someone with inherent magical abilities. A sequel by Clamp, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, focusing on Sakura in junior high school, was serialized in Nakayoshi from the July 2016 to January 2024 issues.

The manga was adapted into a 70-episode anime television series by Madhouse that aired on Japan's satellite television channel NHK BS2 from April 1998 to March 2000. Additional media include two anime films, video games, art books, picture books, and film comics. Tokyopop released the manga in English in North America from March 2000 to August 2003. After Tokyopop's license expired, Dark Horse Manga released the series in omnibus editions from October 2010 to September 2012. (Full article...)

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YuYu Hakusho logo

YuYu Hakusho is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. It was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 1990 to July 1994, with its 175 chapters collected into 19 tankōbon volumes.

The series follows Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and killed by a car while saving a child's life. After several tests presented to him by Koenma, the son of the ruler of the afterlife, Yusuke is revived and appointed the title of "Underworld Detective". With this title, he must investigate various cases involving demons and apparitions in the Human World, with the manga gradually becoming more focused on martial arts battles and tournaments as it progresses. Togashi began conceptualizing YuYu Hakusho around November 1990, basing the series on his interests in the occult and horror films, along with Buddhist mythology.

In North America, the manga is licensed by Viz Media, which first serialized it in Shonen Jump from January 2003 to January 2010. An anime adaptation consisting of 112 television episodes, directed by Noriyuki Abe and co-produced by Fuji Television, Yomiko Advertising, and Studio Pierrot, aired from October 1992 to January 1995. The YuYu Hakusho franchise has spawned two animated films, a series of original video animations (OVAs), a live-action television series, video games, and other merchandise. (Full article...)

Articles 21–40

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/21
In most places, LGBT themes in comics are a relatively new concept, as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) themes and characters were historically omitted from the content of comic books and their comic strip predecessors due to anti-gay censorship. LGBTQ existence was included only via innuendo, subtext and inference. However the practice of hiding LGBTQ characters in the early part of the twentieth century evolved into open inclusion in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, and comics explored the challenges of coming-out, societal discrimination, and personal and romantic relationships between gay characters. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/22

Angel Beats! logo

Angel Beats! is a 13-episode Japanese anime television series produced by P.A. Works and directed by Seiji Kishi. The story was originally conceived by Jun Maeda, who also wrote the screenplay and composed the music with the group Anant-Garde Eyes, with original character design by Na-Ga; both Maeda and Na-Ga are from the visual novel brand Key, who produced such titles as Kanon, Air, and Clannad. The anime aired in Japan between April 3 and June 26, 2010, on CBC. An original video animation (OVA) episode was released in December 2010, and a second OVA was released in June 2015. The story takes place in the afterlife and focuses on Otonashi, a boy who lost his memories of his life after dying. He is enrolled into the afterlife school and meets a girl named Yuri who invites him to join the Afterlife Battlefront, an organization she leads which fights against the student council president Kanade Tachibana, a girl also known as Angel with supernatural powers.

Key worked in collaboration with Dengeki G's Magazine published by ASCII Media Works to produce the project into a media franchise. Four manga series are serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine and Dengeki G's Comic: two illustrated by Haruka Komowata and two drawn by Yuriko Asami. A series of illustrated short stories written by Maeda and illustrated by GotoP were also serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine between the November 2009 and May 2010 issues. Two Internet radio shows were produced to promote Angel Beats!. A visual novel adaptation titled Angel Beats! 1st Beat was produced by Key and released for Windows on June 26, 2015. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/23

Yotsuba&! logo

Yotsuba&! is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kiyohiko Azuma, the creator of Azumanga Daioh. It has been serialized since March 2003 in the monthly magazine Dengeki Daioh by ASCII Media Works, formerly MediaWorks, and has since been collected in fourteen tankōbon volumes. It depicts the everyday adventures of a young girl named Yotsuba as she learns about the world around her, guided by her father, their neighbors, and their friends. Several characters in Yotsuba&! were previously featured in a one-shot manga called "Try! Try! Try!" The phrase Yotsuba to means "Yotsuba and," a fact reflected in the chapter titles, most of which take the form "Yotsuba and [something]."

The manga was licensed for English-language distribution by ADV Manga, which released five volumes between 2005 and 2007. Volume six was supposed to have been released in February 2008, but was delayed indefinitely in order to focus on ADV's core business of anime. At New York Comic Con 2009, Yen Press announced that it had acquired the North American license for the series; it reprinted the first five volumes with new translations along with volume six in September 2009, and is continuing with later volumes. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/24

Shakugan no Shana light novels

Shakugan no Shana, also known simply as Shana (シャナ), is a Japanese light novel series written by Yashichiro Takahashi with illustrations by Noizi Ito. ASCII Media Works published 27 novels from November 2002 to November 2023 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. The story focuses on Yuji Sakai, a high school boy who becomes involved in an age-old conflict between forces of balance and imbalance in existence. In the process, he befriends a fighter for the balancing force and names her "Shana". The series also incorporates fantasy and slice of life elements.

Two manga adaptations were published by ASCII Media Works in Dengeki Daioh and Dengeki Maoh. Between 2005 and 2012, the series was adapted by J.C.Staff into three 24-episode anime television series, a four-episode original video animation (OVA) series, an animated film, and a standalone OVA episode. A PlayStation 2 video game was released in March 2006, which was ported to the Nintendo DS in March 2007. Viz Media licensed the novels and the first manga series for release in North America, but stopped publishing both prematurely. Critics praised the series for its execution of typical story elements. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/25
Outlaw Star is a Japanese media mix primarily consisting of an anime television series produced by Sunrise and a corresponding manga series written and illustrated by Takehiko Itō. The series takes place in the "Toward Stars Era" universe in which spacecraft are capable of traveling faster than the speed of light. The plot follows protagonist Gene Starwind and his motley crew of an inherited ship dubbed the Outlaw Star, as they search for a legendary outer space treasure trove called the "Galactic Leyline".

Planned by Sunrise (under the Hajime Yatate pseudonym) and Itō, Outlaw Star first appeared as a manga originally serialized in Shueisha's monthly seinen manga magazine Ultra Jump between 1996 and 1999 for a total of 21 chapters. Three volumes of collected chapters were published in Japan between August 1997 and January 1999. Although no official English version of the manga exists, it has been published in Chinese, German, Italian, and Spanish. Sunrise produced a 26-episode anime adaptation that was directed by Mitsuru Hongo and aired on the Japanese station TV Tokyo in early 1998. The animated series has since been translated and broadcast worldwide. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/26

Boruto logo

Boruto is a Japanese manga series written by Ukyō Kodachi (first 13 volumes) and Mikio Ikemoto and illustrated by Ikemoto, with supervision by Masashi Kishimoto. It is a spin-off and a sequel to the manga series Naruto by Kishimoto, and follows the exploits of Naruto Uzumaki's son Boruto and his ninja team. The manga began serialization under the title Boruto: Naruto Next Generations with Kodachi as writer and Kishimoto as editorial supervisor in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump in May 2016, and was transferred to Shueisha's monthly magazine V Jump in July 2019. Kodachi stepped down in November 2020, and it was announced that Kishimoto would take over as writer. In April 2023, the series concluded the first part of the story, and, following a brief hiatus, continued in August of the same year with a second part titled Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.

Boruto originated from Shueisha's proposal to Kishimoto on making a sequel to Naruto. However, Kishimoto rejected this offer and proposed his former assistant Mikio Ikemoto to draw it; the writer of the film Boruto: Naruto the Movie, Ukyō Kodachi, created the plot. A 293-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by Pierrot with Kodachi's story supervision (episodes 1–216), was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April 2017 to March 2023; a second part was announced to be in development. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/27
Bara (Japanese: 薔薇; lit. 'rose') is a colloquialism for a genre of Japanese art and media known within Japan as gay manga (ゲイ漫画) or gei komi (ゲイコミ; "gay comics"). The genre focuses on male same-sex love, as created primarily by gay men for a gay male audience. Bara can vary in visual style and plot, but typically features masculine men with varying degrees of muscle, body fat, and body hair, akin to bear or bodybuilding culture. While bara is typically pornographic, the genre has also depicted romantic and autobiographical subject material, as it acknowledges the varied reactions to homosexuality in modern Japan.

The use of bara as an umbrella term to describe gay Japanese comic art is largely a non-Japanese phenomenon, and its use is not universally accepted by creators of gay manga. In non-Japanese contexts, bara is used to describe a wide breadth of Japanese and Japanese-inspired gay erotic media, including illustrations published in early Japanese gay men's magazines, western fan art, and gay pornography featuring human actors. Bara is distinct from yaoi, a genre of Japanese media focusing on homoerotic relationships between male characters that historically has been created by and for women. (Full article...)

Portal:Anime and manga/Selected articles/28

Puella Magi Madoka Magica logo

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Japanese: 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ, Hepburn: Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magika), <onlyinclude> also known simply as Madoka Magica, is a Japanese anime television series created by Magica Quartet, and animated by Shaft. The story follows a group of middle school girls, led by protagonist Madoka Kaname, who make supernatural contracts to become magical girls. In battling surreal enemies known as "witches", they learn of the anguish and peril associated with their new roles. The first ten episodes of the series aired on TBS, MBS, and other their affiliates between January and March 2011, while the final two episodes were delayed until April of the same year due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

A manga adaptation of the anime and various spin-off manga have been published by Houbunsha and licensed in North America by Yen Press. A novelization by Nitroplus was released in August 2011, and a dedicated magazine, Manga Time Kirara Magica, was launched by Houbunsha in June 2012. A video game for the PlayStation Portable was released in March 2012 and another for PlayStation Vita was released in December 2013. A mobile game, Magia Record, launched in August 2017, and a three-season anime adaptation produced by Shaft aired from January 2020 to April 2022. An anime film series, beginning with two films recapping the television series, was released in October 2012. A third film featuring an original story, Rebellion, was released in October 2013. A sequel film to Rebellion, titled Walpurgisnacht: Rising, is scheduled to be released in February 2026.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica has received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for its complex narrative, visuals, themes, and soundtrack as well as its unconventional approach to the magical girl subgenre. It became a commercial success; each Blu-ray Disc volume sold more than 50,000 copies in Japan. The series garnered a variety of awards, such as the Television Award at the 16th Animation Kobe Award, as well as 12 Newtype Anime Awards and the Grand Prize for the Animation Division at the 15th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2011. (Full article...)

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Aim for the Ace!, known in Japan as Ace o Nerae! (Japanese: エースをねらえ!, Hepburn: Ēsu o Nerae!), is a manga series written and illustrated by Sumika Yamamoto. The series tells the story of Hiromi Oka, a high school student who wants to become a professional tennis player as she struggles against mental weakness, anxiety and thwarted love. It was originally serialized in Shueisha's shōjo magazine Margaret from January 1973 to February 1980. Later, Shueisha collected the chapters and published them in 18 tankōbon volumes.

The manga was adapted into an anime television series in 1973 by Tokyo Movie which was originally broadcast on Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) between 1973 and 1974. Aim for the Ace! also spawned another anime television and an anime film between 1978 and 1979, two original video animations (OVA) between 1988 and 1990, a live-action Japanese television drama in 2004, and many types of Aim for the Ace!-related merchandise. The franchise is also known by its international title Aim for the Best!

The series is one of the best-selling shōjo manga series of all time, having sold approximately 15 million copies in Japan. (Full article...)

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Arisa (Japanese: アリサ) is a Japanese mystery manga series written and illustrated by Natsumi Ando. It appeared as a serial in the monthly manga magazine Nakayoshi from the February 2009 issue to the September 2012 issue. Kodansha published the chapters in twelve bound volumes, from April 2009 to September 2012. Set in present-day Japan, it focuses on teenager Tsubasa Uehara, as she investigates the mystery surrounding her twin sister's suicide attempt. With her sister left comatose, Tsubasa poses as her in the hopes of uncovering the identity of the King, a person who grants wishes to Arisa's class, often resulting in violence.

Del Rey licensed the series for an English-language translation in North America. It published the first volume in October 2010, and shortly afterward, Kodansha USA took over publishing, with the final volume published in January 2014. The series was positively received by English-language readers, with three volumes placing on the New York Times Bestseller List for manga. (Full article...)

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Baccano! (Japanese: バッカーノ!, Hepburn: Bakkāno!; Italian for "ruckus", Italian pronunciation: [bakˈkaːno]) is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita and illustrated by Katsumi Enami. The series, told from multiple points of view, is mostly set within a fictional United States across time most notably the Prohibition era. Its characters includes alchemists, thieves, thugs, Mafiosi and Camorristi, who are, at first, unconnected to one another. After an immortality elixir is recreated in 1930 Manhattan, the characters begin to cross paths, setting off events that spiral further and further out of control.

The first novel was released in February 2003 under ASCII Media Works' (formerly MediaWorks) Dengeki Bunko imprint, twenty-two novels have so far been released. The novels were adapted into a sixteen episode anime television series directed by Takahiro Omori and produced by Brain's Base and Aniplex. (Full article...)

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Black Cat (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki. It was originally serialized in publisher Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from July 2000 to June 2004, with the chapters later collected into twenty tankōbon (bound volumes) by Shueisha. The story centers on a man named Train Heartnet who withdrew from an elite group of assassins called the Chronos Numbers to become a bounty hunter.

The series was adapted into a twenty-four episode anime television series by studio Gonzo, which originally aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) from October 2005 to March 2006. The manga was licensed for English-language publication in North America by Viz Media and in Australasia by Madman Entertainment. Funimation Entertainment licensed the anime for an English dub and North American broadcast on their own Funimation Channel, with Madman releasing it in Australasia and MVM Films in the United Kingdom.

(Full article...)

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Zodiac P.I. (Japanese: 十二宮でつかまえて, Hepburn: Jūnikyū de Tsukamaete) is a mystery manga series written and illustrated by Natsumi Ando. Appearing as a serial in the monthly shōjo (targeted towards girls) manga magazine Nakayoshi from the April 2001 issue to the January 2003 issue, the chapters were compiled into four bound volumes by Kodansha and published from November 2001 to March 2003. Set in present-day Japan, the series focuses on Lili Hoshizawa, a teenage detective who uses astrology to solve cases.

In North America, Tokyopop licensed the series for an English-language translation, and published it from July 2003 to December 2003, although the translation has since gone out of print. The series has also been translated into other languages. The series has been generally reviewed as being light entertainment. (Full article...)

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Kenji Miyamoto (right) provided the choreography for the series.

Yuri!!! on Ice (Japanese: ユーリ!!! on ICE) is a Japanese sports anime television series about figure skating. The series was produced by MAPPA, directed and written by Sayo Yamamoto with original scripts by Mitsurō Kubo under the chief episode direction of Jun Shishido. Character designs were handled by Tadashi Hiramatsu, and its music was composed by Taro Umebayashi and Taku Matsushiba. The figure skating was choreographed by Kenji Miyamoto, who also performed routines himself which were recorded and used as skating sound effects. The series premiered on October 6, 2016, and ended on December 22, 2016, with a total of 12 episodes. A Yuri on Ice feature film, Ice Adolescence, was originally planned for release in 2019, but has since been cancelled as of April 2024. The series revolves around the relationships between Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki; his idol, Russian figure-skating champion Victor Nikiforov; and up-and-coming Russian skater Yuri Plisetsky; as Yuri K. and Yuri P. take part in the Figure Skating Grand Prix, with Victor acting as coach to Yuri K. (Full article...)

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Dragon Ball (Japanese: ドラゴンボール, Hepburn: Doragon Bōru) is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama. The original manga, written and illustrated by Toriyama, was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995, with the 519 individual chapters collected in 42 tankōbon volumes by its publisher Shueisha. Dragon Ball was originally inspired by the classical 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, combined with elements of Hong Kong martial arts films. Dragon Ball characters also use a variety of East Asian martial arts styles, including karate[1][2][3] and Wing Chun (kung fu).[2][3][4] The series follows the adventures of protagonist Son Goku from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts. He spends his childhood far from civilization until he meets a teenage girl named Bulma, who encourages him to join her quest in exploring the world in search of the seven orbs known as the Dragon Balls, which summon a wish-granting dragon when gathered. Along his journey, Goku makes several other friends, becomes a family man, discovers his alien heritage, and battles a wide variety of villains, many of whom also seek the Dragon Balls. (Full article...)

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Voice actress Junko Takeuchi

Naruto Uzumaki is the fictional protagonist of the Japanese manga series Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto. A carefree, optimistic and boisterous teen ninja who befriends other ninja, he aspires to become the leader of his fictional village, Konohagakure. He appears in anime, films, video games and original video animations, as well as a sequel Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, with his son Boruto Uzumaki as the protagonist. Kishimoto initially aimed to keep the character "simple and stupid", while giving him many attributes of an ideal hero, and a tragic past. The author has revised Naruto's image many times, providing the character with different clothes intended to appeal to Western audiences and to make him easier to illustrate. Naruto is voiced by Junko Takeuchi (pictured) in the original animated series and Maile Flanagan in the English adaptations. The character's development has been praised by anime and manga publications, and has drawn scholarly attention. (Full article...)

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Allen Walker is a fictional teenage character who appears as the protagonist of Katsura Hoshino's manga D.Gray-man, as well as two anime adaptations, three light novels, two video games, and several crossover fighting games. In the 19th century, the gentlemanly teenager joins the Black Order, a group of soldiers known as Exorcists, and fights Akuma demons and their creator, the Millennium Earl. In the anime television series and related franchise, he was voiced by Sanae Kobayashi. In 2016, for the new television anime series D.Gray-man Hallow, he was voiced by Ayumu Murase, and by Todd Haberkorn in an English-language anime series. The character has been popular with D.Gray-man readers, usually ranking in the top three in the series' popularity polls. Reactions to him have also been generally positive in manga and anime publications and other media. Critics have noted approvingly that his calm demeanor and mysterious origin are atypical of a protagonist in manga for boys. Merchandise featuring Allen Walker's likeness includes clothing and cosplay pieces. (Full article...)

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100 yen coins featuring Miraitowa and Someity

Miraitowa (Japanese: ミライトワ) is the official mascot of the 2020 Summer Olympics, and Someity (Japanese: ソメイティ) is the official mascot of the 2020 Summer Paralympics. The events were held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021. The checkered design on both mascots was inspired by the Tokyo 2020 official logo, which uses a checkered pattern called ichimatsu moyo that was popular during the Edo period. Someity's pink design was inspired by cherry blossoms. Both fictional characters have various superpowers, such as teleportation.

Created by Japanese artist Ryo Taniguchi (Japanese: 谷口亮), the mascots were selected from a design competition organized by the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee in late 2017 and early 2018. A total of 2,042 candidate designs were submitted to the committee, which then selected three pairs of unnamed mascot designs from the batch to present to Japanese elementary school students for the final decision. The results of the selection were announced on 28 February 2018, and the mascots were named on 22 July 2018. Miraitowa is named after the Japanese words for "future" (未来, mirai) and "eternity" (永久, towa), and Someity is named after someiyoshino (ソメイヨシノ), a type of cherry blossom. Someity's name also echoes the English phrase "so mighty". The mascots helped finance the Tokyo Games through merchandising and licensing deals. (Full article...)

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Final Fantasy logo

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー, Hepburn: Fainarufantajī) is a 2001 animated science fiction film directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy franchise. A co-production between Japan and the United States, it was the first photorealistic computer-animated feature film and the most expensive video game-inspired film until the release of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2010. The film stars the voices of Ming-Na Wen, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Peri Gilpin, and Steve Buscemi, and follows scientists Aki Ross and Doctor Sid in their efforts to free a post-apocalyptic Earth from the Phantoms, a mysterious, deadly alien race who has driven the remnants of humanity into "barrier cities". Aki and Sid must fight against General Hein, who wants to use more violent means to end the conflict.

Square Pictures rendered the film using some of the most advanced processing capabilities available at the time. A render farm of 960 workstations was tasked with rendering each of the film's 141,964 frames. It took a staff of 200 about four years to complete The Spirits Within. Square intended to make the character of Aki Ross into the world's first photorealistic computer-animated actress, with plans for appearances in multiple films in different roles. (Full article...)

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Nejishiki (Japanese: ねじ式), also Screw Style or Screwceremony, is a Japanese surrealist manga written and illustrated by Yoshiharu Tsuge. Nejishiki follows the story of an unnamed boy who wanders around several unfamiliar places to find a doctor who can fix his pierced artery. The manga was first published in the manga anthology magazine Garo in 1968 amidst a growing avant-garde art movement and student political radicalism. Tsuge has provided various accounts of the story's development, but often refers to it as a dream. During his time working on the story he was also employed as an assistant to Shigeru Mizuki and adopted different philosophical and aesthetic influences from his work.

Upon its publication, the story was popular among the avant-garde art culture, but was parodied and criticised by others. The story was popular among Garo's audience, and came to retrospectively define popular associations of the magazine's aesthetics. The manga has had an enduring influence and been adapted into a video game and a live action film. Analyses of the story often focus on the manga's tableau imagery, discussing it as an allegory for the afterlife, and identifying motifs of war, personal psychology, and rural poverty. (Full article...)

Articles 41–60

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Sentō Bishōjo no Seishin Bunseki (Japanese: 戦闘美少女の精神分析; 'Psychoanalysis of the Beautiful Fighting Girl') is a 2000 book by the Japanese Lacanian psychiatrist Tamaki Saitō. It was translated into English in 2011 and published as Beautiful Fighting Girl. Saitō analyzes the psychology of the otaku—a Japanese subculture focused around manga and anime—and its relation to the archetype of the sentō bishōjo ('beautiful fighting girl'), a form of bishōjo ('beautiful girl') character archetype.

In contrast to prior social attitudes which generally saw otaku as socially immature and preferring fiction over reality, Saitō describes them as able to balance fiction and reality, embodied most directly by a characteristic ability to gain sexual release from fictional characters. He dismisses the connection between otaku's perverse fictional attractions (such as lolicon) and real-world sexual deviance, arguing that use a fictional environment as an outlet for their fantasies. Saitō compares it to the works of the American artist Henry Darger, then characterizes the sentō bishōjo archetype as a Japanese phenomenon enabled by the presence of sexuality within manga and anime. He argues that the archetype represents a "phallic girl" and fosters attraction among the audience by embodying the traits of the metaphorical phallus.

The book inspired a monograph analysis of otaku by scholar Hiroki Azuma in response to Saitō's claims the following year, which dismisses Saitō's focus on sexuality, arguing that otaku instead forgo sexuality in favor of an animalistic attraction to moe qualities. The 2011 English translation, produced by J. Keith Vincent and Dawn Lawson, features a lengthy foreword which defends the work as useful to a variety of disciplines. Academic responses have generally critiqued Saitō's avoidance of discussion on female otaku and disputed his claims that the 'beautiful fighting girl' is a Japanese archetype. (Full article...)

  1. [1]
    "The Martial Arts of Dragon Ball Z". www.nkkf.org. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  2. [2]
    Arts, Way of Martial. "What Martial Arts Does Goku Use? (Do They Work In Real Life?)". Way of Martial Arts. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  3. [3]
    Gerardo (2021-04-19). "What Martial Arts Does Goku Use in Dragon Ball Z?". Combat Museum. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  4. [4]
    "Dragon Ball: 10 Fictional Fighting Styles That Are Actually Based On Real Ones". CBR. 2020-05-05. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-27.

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