Genre Magical girl Written by Makoto Uezu Studio Studio Gokumi | Directed by Seiji Kishi Music by Keiichi Okabe (Monaca) Licensed by Ponycan USA | |
Yuki Yuna is a Hero (結城友奈は勇者である, Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru) is a 12-episode Japanese anime television series produced by Studio Gokumi and directed by Seiji Kishi as part of a media project called Takahiro IV Project. The series aired in Japan between October 16 and December 25, 2014 on MBS. The anime has been licensed by Pony Canyon's North American label Ponycan USA. Two prequel light novel series and three accompanying manga series have been published by ASCII Media Works. A PlayStation Vita video game was released in Japan in February 2015. A visual novel for Windows was released in December 2014 with the first DVD and Blu-ray Disc volume for the anime, with a second released with the sixth volume in May 2015. A second anime season project, consisting of an adaptation of a prequel light novel and a sequel series, began in March 2017.
Contents
Plot
The story takes place on the Japanese island Shikoku in the fictional city of Sanshu, based on the real-life city of Kan'onji in Kagawa Prefecture, in the 300th year of the Era of the Gods (神世紀, Shinseiki). Yūna, Mimori, Fū, and Itsuki are all members of the Sanshu Middle School Hero Club (讃州中学勇者部, Sanshū Chūgaku Yūsha-bu), dedicating themselves to helping those that request help. One day in their regular daily lives, the Hero Club members are suddenly caught in an explosion of light and transported to a strange forest, where they encounter mysterious monsters known as Vertex which seek to destroy the Shinju (神樹, "Divine Tree"), the guardian deity which protects and blesses humanity. Using a special phone application granted by Taisha, an organization dedicated to the Shinju, Yuna and her friends must transform into "heroes" with magical powers to protect their world from imminent destruction.
Characters
Print media
A prequel light novel titled Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru (鷲尾須美は勇者である, lit. Washio Sumi is a Hero), written by Takahiro and illustrated by Bunbun, was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine between April 30, 2014 and November 29, 2014. The novel takes place two years before the anime's time frame. Another light novel series, titled Nogi Wakaba wa Yūsha de Aru (乃木若葉は勇者である, lit. Nogi Wakaba is a Hero), written by Takahiro and illustrated by Bunbun, began serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine on July 30, 2015. Nogi Wakaba takes place 300 years before the anime's time frame during the first Vertex attack on the world. It follows Sonoko Nogi's ancestor, Wakaba Nogi as its protagonist and the first Shikoku hero team consisting of her, Hinata Kamisato, Yūna Takashima, Chikage Kōri, Tamako Doi and Anzu Iyojima.
A manga adaptation of Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru, illustrated by Mottsun*, began serialization in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Comic from June 30, 2014. A manga titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha-bu Shozoku (結城友奈は勇者部所属, lit. Yūki Yūna is a Hero Club Member), written by Takahiro and illustrated by Kotamaru, began serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine from July 30, 2014. The first volume of a third manga, titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru and illustrated by Tōko Kanno, was released on November 27, 2014. Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru later started serialization in Dengeki G's Comic on December 26, 2014.
Anime
The 12-episode anime television series is produced by Studio Gokumi and directed by Seiji Kishi. Planned by Takahiro, the anime's screenplay is written by Makoto Uezu, and the character design is provided by Takahiro Sakai. The series aired in Japan on MBS between October 16 and December 25, 2014 and was simulcast by Crunchyroll. The opening theme is "Hoshi to Hana" (ホシトハナ, Star and Flower) and the ending theme is "Aurora Days"; both are performed by Sanshū Chūgaku Yūsha-bu (Haruka Terui, Suzuko Mimori, Yumi Uchiyama, Tomoyo Kurosawa, and Juri Nagatsuma). The ending theme for episode four (acoustic version) and episode nine is "Inori no Uta" (祈りの歌, Song of Prayer) by Tomoyo Kurosawa. The anime has been licensed by Pony Canyon's North American label Ponycan USA and released the series with an English dub on Blu-ray Disc and DVD from April 10, 2015.
A second anime season that will begin airing in Japan in 2017. The season is divided into two parts; Washio Sumi Chapter (鷲尾須美の章, Washio Sumi no Shō) and Hero Chapter (勇者の章, Yūsha no Shō). Washio Sumi Chapter, which adapts the light novel Washio Sumi is a Hero, will be released as three theatrical films, releasing between March 18, 2017 and July 8, 2017, and will air on television as six episodes. Hero Chapter, which is a continuation of the first series, will air after Washio Sumi Chapter. A theatrical film produced by W-Toon Studio, based on the spin-off manga, Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha-bu Shozoku, will be screened alongside the first Washio Sumi Chapter films on March 18, 2017.
Video games
Two visual novels for Windows, developed by Minato Soft and featuring scenarios written by Takahiro and Osamu Murata, are bundled with the first and sixth DVD and Blu-ray Disc volumes of the anime series released on December 17, 2014 and May 20, 2015, respectively. Each visual novel features ten different scenarios original to the game and is fully voiced by the original cast. The graphics are handled by Studio Gokumi. An action video game developed by FuRyu titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Jukai no Kioku (結城友奈は勇者である 樹海の記憶, lit. Yūna Yūki is a Hero: Memories of the Tree Sea) was released on February 26, 2015 for the PlayStation Vita. A mobile game titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Hanayui no Kirameki will be released in Q2 2017.
Reception
The first film ranked No. 1 on the mini-theater rankings in Japan.