Coppelion(コッペリオン,Kopperion) is a Japaneseseinenmanga series written and illustrated by Tomonori Inoue. The story follows three high school girls who were genetically engineered to be impervious to radioactivity and sent to Tokyo after the city was contaminated by a nuclear accident. An anime adaption by GoHands aired from October 2, 2013 to December 25, 2013 in Japan with a simulcast airing on the same day in Asia on Animax Asia. Viz Media has licensed the anime for streaming and home video release in North America.
In 2016, a catastrophe occurs after a nuclear meltdown from the nearby Odaiba nuclear power plant contaminates Tokyo, forcing the government to order its citizens to evacuate. Twenty years later, Tokyo has become a ghost town due to the high levels of radiation which the government has banned entry for anyone. When a distress signal is received from Tokyo, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force dispatches three teenage girls from the Dispatch 3rd Special Force Coppelion, who comprise the "Healthcare Team". Due to genetic engineering, the Coppelions are immune to radiation while also possessing special skills. Thus the Coppelions journey to the ruined capital to find survivors.
Characters
Ibara Naruse(成瀬 荊,Naruse Ibara)
Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English)The leader of the Coppelion Rescue Unit who possesses super strength and enhanced athletic abilities. She is a very accurate shooter with guns. She is a kind person, as indicated by her ready desire to help people and her reckless usage of the panacea "Ether" in saving those affected by the radiation. Although she initially used to take nutrient injections in place of consuming food like Haruto, she tasted a rice cake and appreciated normal food, consuming normal food after that, again like Haruto. She is the only character to speak in a Kansai dialect. In episode 11 of the anime, it is hinted that there might be a relationship between her and Haruto.
Aoi Fukasaku(深作 葵,Fukasaku Aoi)
Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa (Japanese); Cassandra Lee Morris (English)A happy-go-lucky member of the Coppelion Rescue Unit. Aoi is a good listener, willing to hear other's problems. She used to be bullied by the Ozu sisters back in school, leading to her intense fear of them. She possesses an escapist mindset, locking herself up in a storeroom of the planet in her belief that she impedes everyone else's work. She takes a liking to the robot Nosense, a guide to The Planet. She apparently possesses psychic abilities to the extent of levitation and force field production, but cannot finely control it. Under such conditions, her physical strength is increased but doesn't remember it.
Taeko Nomura(野村 タエ子,Nomura Taeko)
Voiced by: Satomi Akesaka (Japanese); Shelby Lindley (English)A member of the Coppelion Rescue Unit who possesses heightened senses, especially eyesight, so much so that she has to wear special spectacles to tune down her vision. She befriends a feral dog during their mission. She is medically trained to some extent and has performed surgeries on Naruse Ibara when she was injured and has also helped in delivering Ibuki's child, although she was walked through the process by Granny Ayame.
Haruto Kurosawa(黒澤 遥人,Kurosawa Haruto)
Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Japanese); Max Mittelman (English)A member of the Cleanup Crew, the Coppelion Combat Unit. He is skilled with the use of guns and explosives and making new ones. He initially possesses an aversion to "normal" humans, after being counseled by Ibara, Aoi and Taeko, he develops a curiosity towards humans. In the penultimate episode, when Gojiro asks him why he helps humans, he answers "... we need you", and near the end of episode 11, there is an indication of a relationship between him and Ibara. He is thought to be dead.
Kanon Ozu(小津 歌音,Ozu Kanon)
Voiced by: Yui Horie (Japanese); Cherami Leigh (English)The elder sister of the Ozu Twins and member of the Coppelion Combat Unit. Kanon possesses the DNA of electric eels which allows her to emit electricity from her body. The Ozu sisters are murderous psychopaths as the human they were cloned from was a famous actress who was also secretly a serial killer. She is afraid of going near water as she can get herself electrocuted.
Shion Ozu(小津 詩音,Ozu Shion)
Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto (Japanese); Sarah Anne Williams (English)The younger sister of the Ozu Twins and member of the Coppelion Combat Unit. She possesses strong bones and super strength, apparently even stronger than Ibara.
Onihei Mishima(三島 鬼兵,Mishima Onihei)
Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama (Japanese); Keith Silverstein (English)A JGSDF colonel and the Coppelion's vice-principal. He lost his wife and daughter from the nuclear meltdown.
Mushanokōji(武者小路,Mushanokōji)
Voiced by: Chafurin (Japanese); Joe J. Thomas (English)A scientist working with the JGSDF. He is portly and likes eating, to the extent that Vice-Principal Onihei can extract favors from him by bribing him with promises of sushi.
Manga
Coppelion began its serialization in Young Magazine from 2008 to May 7, 2012 before moving to Monthly Young Magazine. The series has currently been collected into twenty-two volumes by Kodansha. Coppelion Vol. 3 made it to the Oricon best seller chart at number 29 during the week of April 7, 2009. The manga is currently available in English as part of a subscription from Crunchyroll and Kodansha.
The manga's last chapter will be drawn live in a free seminar at the Vantan Game Academy in Osaka, on November 22, 2015. It was published on February 20, 2016.
Anime
In September 2010, the 40th issue of Young Magazine announced that an anime television adaption of the manga was greenlighted, but due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, production of the anime was put on hold. The anime was later revived in 2013 and produced by Studio GoHands which aired from October 2, 2013 to December 25, 2013. The anime was also simulcasted aired in Asia on the same day as Japan by Animax Asia and licensed by Viz Media for North America on their online streaming service, Viz Anime, and also for home video release on 2014. Both the opening theme song "Angel" and the ending theme song "Tōku Made" (遠くまで, "Far") are sung by angela. A second theme song, "Bye Bye All Right" by angela was used for the 13th episode.
