Imprint Kadokawa Beans Bunko | Demographic Female | |
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Genre Fantasy, Historical, Supernatural, Comedy, Romance Books Shōnen Onmyōji: Yami no jubaku o uchikudake | ||
Shōnen Onmyōji (少年陰陽師) is a Japanese light novel authored by Mitsuru Yūki and illustrated by Sakura Asagi. The novel is serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's The Beans. The light novel has 47 volumes, including three short stories and a side story. A manga acting as a gaiden is being serialized in Beans Ace.
Contents
- Story
- Story arcs
- Kyki arc
- Kazane arc
- Abe no Masahiro
- MokkunGuren
- Abe no Seimei
- Opening theme
- Ending themes
- References
There is also a series of drama CDs, a PlayStation 2 game and a manga adaptation that was announced in 2005 and a musical as well. Moreover, it was announced in August 2006 in Newtype that the anime adaptation would be animated by Studio Deen and the character design was to be done by Shinobu Tagashira. It began its broadcast on October 3, 2006.
The anime premiered on Animax under the title, Shōnen Onmyoji: The Young Spirit Master. It was aired across its respective networks worldwide, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam, with translations and dubbed versions for English language networks in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and other regions.
The anime was licensed for North American distribution by Geneon Entertainment. However, only three volumes of the series have been released, and have yet to receive a full release due to Geneon's departure from the American market. On July 3, 2008, Funimation announced that it had struck a deal with Geneon to distribute and release several of their licenses, including Shōnen Onmyōji.
Story
The protagonist of the series, which is set in the Heian era, is Abe no Masahiro, the grandson of the great onmyōji, Abe no Seimei, who passed his teachings on to his grandson. Unfortunately, Masahiro has lost his sixth sense and with it the ability to see spirits. Masahiro constantly feels overshadowed by his grandfather's fame.
One day, Masahiro meets a fox-like creature which he names Mokkun (もっくん) who shows him his true potential powers after fighting a demon. Mokkun is actually Tōda (騰蛇), see Teng (mythology), who prefers to be called Guren. He is one of the twelve shikigami called the Shinshō (神将), who has pledged his loyalty to Seimei and is helping Masahiro to surpass his grandfather.
Masahiro's dream to surpass his grandfather will not be realised as easily as he hopes. Not only does he have to convince the other Shinshō that he is Seimei's true successor, he must also increase his power in order to stop demons coming from China, the other parts of Japan and the Underworld. In addition to this he has to deal with the schemes of rival onmyōji who want to destroy Japan not to mention keeping his promise to protect Princess Akiko of the Fujiwara clan.
Story arcs
In the novels, there’re already 9 story arcs. However, the anime only covered two arcs, the Kyūki and Kazane arc.
Kyūki arc
Kyūki Hen (窮奇編)
The Kyūki arc starts from episode 1 to 12 in the anime and volume 1 to 3 in the novel. Kyūki, a winged tiger from the West or to be precise, China has been forced to evacuate after being defeated by another demon.
He arrives in Japan and plans to eat Fujiwara no Akiko to replenish his spirit powers and heal his wounds. With him are an army of foreign demons, all unknown to the inexperienced and apprentice onmyōji Masahiro who has started to use his skills.
Kazane arc
Kazane Hen (風音編)
The Kazane arc starts from episode 13 to 26 in the anime and volume 4 to 8 in the novel.
A vengeful spirit has been summoned and has cursed Yukinari of the Fujiwara clan. A mysterious woman appears and tries to take Seimei's life.
Someone is trying to open the gate to the underworld, events from fifty-five years ago reoccur, and Guren as well as Masahiro must undergo the ultimate test.
Abe no Masahiro
(安倍昌浩) Voiced by: Yuki Kaida (Japanese); Candice Moore (English)
Masahiro is an onmyōji in training and the grandson of the legendary Abe no Seimei. When he was young, his spiritual sight was so strong that Seimei temporarily sealed it away until he was old enough to properly use it. After meeting Mokkun, Masahiro regained his spirit sight and embraced his destiny as an onmyōji in service to the emperor.
He is friendly and kind to both yōkai and people whom he seeks to protect from evil demons that had taken up residence surrounding the imperial capital.
He also has a relationship with Akiko.
Mokkun/Guren
(もっくん), (紅蓮) Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi (Guren), Junko Noda (Mokkun) (Japanese); Chris Carroll (Guen), Andrea Kwan (Mokkun) (English)
Guren is one of twelve shikigami in service to Seimei, who gave him his current name, after he pledged his servitude. His original name is Tōda (騰蛇). However, the other shikigami still address him by original name. Only Seimei and Masahiro call him Guren.
The form he takes most of the time is a mononoke, whom Masahiro named Mokkun. Because he's invisible to anyone without a spirit sense, Mokkun frequently plays tricks on people who annoy him, much to Masahiro's chagrin. In episode 18 of the anime, it was shown that Guren tries very hard to avoid children, goings as far as to avoid entering dwellings with children even when his help is needed. According to Guren, the reason behind this is that children cry for no reason. Masahiro later notes that Guren's apprehension does not stem from the crying itself, but that Guren does not want the children to "cry at him" demonstrating that he fears being by loathed by everyone.
Masahiro later tries to comfort him by showing him that children are not afraid of him.
Abe no Seimei
(安倍晴明) Voiced by: Mugihito (old), Akira Ishida (young) (Japanese); William Gary Ladick (English)
The greatest onmyōji in the history of Japan Abe no Seimei is the grandfather of Masahiro. He has twelve shikigami called the Shinshō under his command and is able to project his soul, which takes the form of his younger self, outside of his body in order to aid Masahiro in combat.
Opening theme
Egao no Wake (笑顔の訳 The Meaning of Your Smile)
Ending themes
Yakusoku (約束 Promise)
Rokutōsei (六等星 Sixth-Magnitude Star)