Basilisk (manga)

Basilisk (Japanese: バジリスク〜甲賀忍法帖〜, Hepburn: Bajirisuku ~Kōga Ninpō Chō~, lit. Basilisk: The Kōga Ninja Scrolls) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masaki Segawa. It was published in Japan in 2003 and 2004 in Kodansha's Young Magazine Uppers magazine, based on the novel The Kouga Ninja Scrolls by Futaro Yamada published in 1958. The anime, produced in 2005 by Gonzo, closely follows the manga aside from a handful of distinctions. The manga won the 2004 Kodansha Manga Award for general manga.[4] Segawa continued producing serialized adaptations of Futaro Yamada's novels with The Yagyu Ninja Scrolls in 2005, Yama Fu-Tang in 2010, and Jū: Ninpō Makai Tensei in 2012. Additionally, a two-part novel sequel titled The Ouka Ninja Scrolls: Basilisk New Chapter (桜花忍法帖～バジリスク新章, Ōka Ninpō Chō ~ Bajirisuku Shinfumi), penned by Masaki Yamada, was published in 2015 with illustrations by Segawa; a manga adaptation, Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls (バジリスク〜桜花忍法帖〜, Bajirisuku Ōka Ninpō Chō~), illustrated by Tatsuya Shihira with character designs by Masaki Segawa, was serialized between 2017 and 2019, and an anime adaptation by Seven Arcs Pictures aired in 2018.

Basilisk
Kouga Gennosuke on the cover of Basilisk volume 1.
バジリスク〜甲賀忍法帖〜
(Basilisk: The Kōga Ninja Scrolls)
GenreAction,[1] fantasy,[2] historical[3]
Manga
Written byMasaki Segawa
Published byKodansha
English publisher
Del Rey Manga (former)
Kodansha USA (digital)
MagazineYoung Magazine Uppers
DemographicSeinen
Original runFebruary 4, 2003 – June 15, 2004
Volumes5
Anime television series
Directed byFumitomo Kizaki
Written byYasuyuki Muto
Music byKou Nakagawa
StudioGonzo
Licensed by
MVM Films
Original networkTV Saitama, Animax, TV Kanagawa, Chiba TV, KBS, AT-X
English network
Razer
IFC, Funimation Channel
Original run April 12, 2005 – September 20, 2005
Episodes24
Manga
The Ouka Ninja Scrolls
Written byMasaki Yamada
Illustrated byTatsuya Shihira
Published byKodansha
MagazineWeekly Young Magazine
DemographicSeinen
Original runJuly 24, 2017 – April 8, 2019
Volumes7
Anime television series
The Ouka Ninja Scrolls
Directed byJunji Nishimura
Written byShinsuke Onishi
Music byGo Sakabe
StudioSeven Arcs Pictures
Licensed byFunimation
Original networkTokyo MX, tvk, Sun TV, KBS Kyoto, BS11, AT-X
Original run January 8, 2018 – June 18, 2018
Episodes24

The story takes place in the year 1614. Two ninja clans, Iga of Tsubagakure and the Kouga of Manjidani, battle each other to determine which grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu will become the next shogun. The deadly competition between 10 elite ninja from each clan unleashes a centuries-old hatred that threatens to destroy all hope for peace between them.

Plot
See also: List of Basilisk characters

At the dawn of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period (the late 16th century) two rival ninja clans, the Iga Tsubagakure and Kouga Manjidani, are engaged in a bitter blood feud that has spanned for centuries. The fighting finally ends when Hattori Hanzō the 1st succeeds in forging a cease fire between the two clans by conscripting both into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu (the man who seized power to become Shogun and form Japan's first truly stable form of centralized government). Regardless, hostilities and bad blood remain between Kouga and Iga, ensuring a tenuous co-existence at best.

Fast forward to the year 1614; Ieyasu has retired from power (although he still wields considerable influence within the government) and passed the torch to his son Hidetada. Unfortunately, a succession dispute has risen concerning which of Ieyasu's grandsons are destined to take up the reins of power when their father finally decides to step down. The various government retainers are beginning to take sides and the Tokugawa Shogunate is on the verge of tearing itself apart.

In order to solve the problem before it spirals out of control, Ieyasu orders the no hostilities pact between Kouga and Iga canceled and promptly commands each clan to send 10 of their best ninja to enter a ruthless and bloody competition of kill or be killed. Each clan will represent one of the two factions supporting Ieyasu's grandsons; the names of their selected fighters recorded on two identical scrolls to be marked out in blood upon their death. The clan that slays the chosen ten of the other will be given favor for a thousand years while the grandson they represent will be pronounced the undisputed heir to the Shogunate.

Prior to the conflicts renewal, Kouga and Iga's two young heirs (Gennosuke and Oboro respectively) were betrothed to each other in the hopes that their union would finally dispel their clan's long-seated animosity toward each other. Forced headlong onto separate sides of a conflict they want no part of, Gennosuke and Oboro must now choose whether to kill the person they love or lead their entire clan to annihilation.

Anime
See also: List of Basilisk episodes

The first series (Basilisk: The Kōga Ninja Scrolls) premiered in Japan on the television stations TV Saitama, TV Kanagawa, Chiba TV, Mie TV, KBS, AT-X, Jidaigeki Senmon Channel, and others between April and September 2005. The series has also been aired across numerous international regions, including Malaysia on ntv7, Canada on Razer, the United States on IFC and Funimation Channel, Russia on 2x2, Turkey on MTV Türkiye.

The second series, Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls, premiered in Japan on January 8, 2018. It is set 10 years after the original series and focuses in a group of young ninjas who endeavour to carry on the ninja traditions and techniques.

gollark: 10rot13/5rot26 encryption built-in?
gollark: Or an interactive tau viewer?
gollark: Does any other OS have a command named `b` which prints the alphabet?
gollark: But seriously, you should try it.
gollark: Must be being ratelimited.

References
  1. "Basilisk DVD 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  2. "Basilisk". Funimation. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  3. Kimlinger, Carl (February 25, 2007). "Basilisk DVD 4 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  4. Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
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