Fire Force

Fire Force (Japanese: 炎炎ノ消防隊, Hepburn: En'en no Shōbōtai, literally "Blazing Fire Brigade") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo. It has been serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine since September 2015, and collected into 24 tankōbon volumes as of July 2020.

Fire Force
Cover of the first volume of Fire Force, featuring Shinra Kusakabe
炎炎ノ消防隊
(En'en no Shōbōtai)
GenreAdventure,[1] dark fantasy,[2] science fiction[3]
Manga
Written byAtsushi Ōkubo
Published byKodansha
English publisher
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runSeptember 23, 2015 – present
Volumes24
Anime television series
Directed by
  • Yuki Yase
  • (season 1)
  • Tatsuma Minamikawa
  • (season 2)
Written by
  • Yamato Haijima
  • (season 1)
  • Tatsuma Minamikawa
  • (season 2)
Music byKenichiro Suehiro
StudioDavid Production
Licensed byFunimation
Original networkMBS, TBS
English network
Original run July 5, 2019 – present
Episodes31

An anime television series adaptation by David Production aired from July to December 2019 on the MBS's Super Animeism block. A second season premiered in July 2020.

In North America, the manga has been licensed for an English language release by Kodansha USA, and the anime television series has been licensed by Funimation.

Synopsis
See also: List of Fire Force characters

Setting

The Great Disaster (大災害, Daisaigai) is an event that happened two hundred and fifty years before Year 198, with the world mostly consumed in flame, many nations destroyed, and most of the planet rendered uninhabitable. The survivors took refuge in the Tokyo Empire, which remained mostly stable during the period despite losing some of its landmass. The Tokyo Emperor Raffles I establishes the faith of the Holy Sol Temple as it and Haijima Industries developed the perpetual thermal energy plant Amaterasu to power the country. In Year 198 of Tokyo's Solar Era, special fire brigades called the Fire Force fight increasing incidents of spontaneous human combustion where human beings are turned into living infernos called "Infernals" (焰ビト, Homura Bito). While the Infernals are first generation cases of spontaneous human combustion, with more powerful horned variations known as Demons, later generations possess pyrokinesis while retaining human form. The Fire Force was formed by combining people with these powers from the Holy Sol Temple, The Tokyo Armed Forces, and the Fire Defense Agency, and is composed of eight independent companies.

Plot

Shinra Kusakabe is a third generation pyrokinetic youth who gained the nickname "Devil's Footprints" for his ability to ignite his feet at will. He joins Special Fire Force Company 8, which features other pyrokinetics who dedicated themselves to ending the Infernal attacks for good while investigating Companies 1 through 7 for potential corruption in their ranks. Shinra begins to learn that his younger brother's abduction during the fire that killed their mother 12 years ago is caused by a mysterious doomsday cult that is behind the Infernal attacks. Company 8 and their allies oppose the White Cloaks and their Knights of the Ashen Flame, who seek certain individuals like Shinra and his brother (Sho) to enact a scheme to repeat the Great Disaster.

Media

Manga
Main article: List of Fire Force chapters

Fire Force is written and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo. It began its serialization in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine on September 23, 2015.[3] In a July 2019 interview, the creator stated that he expected the manga's ending to be "probably Volume 30. It could change. But no more than 50".[4] In May 2020, Ōkubo announced that the manga is in its final stage, and he also commented that Fire Force would be his final manga.[5] Its individual chapters have been collected into individual tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The first volume was released on February 17, 2016.[6] As of July 17, 2020, twenty-four volumes have been released.[7]

The series is licensed for English-language release in North America by Kodansha USA, which published the first volume on November 8, 2016.[8][9]

Anime
See also: List of Fire Force episodes

An anime television series adaptation by studio David Production was announced on November 14, 2018.[10] The series is directed by Yuki Yase, with Yamato Haijima handling the series' scripts, Hideyuki Morioka designing the characters and Kenichiro Suehiro composing the music.[11] The series aired from July 5 to December 27, 2019 on Japan News Network stations MBS and TBS as part of the Super Animeism block.[12][13] It ran for 24 episodes.[14] Due to the Kyoto Animation arson attack on July 18, 2019, Episode 3, which was originally scheduled to air on July 19, 2019, was postponed to July 26, 2019.[15][16] The opening theme is "Inferno" (インフェルノ) by Mrs. Green Apple and the ending theme is "veil" by Keina Suda.[17][18] The second opening theme is "MAYDAY" by Coldrain feat. Ryo from Crystal Lake from their album The Side Effects and the second ending is "Nо̄nai" by Lenny code fiction.[19][20]

A second season was announced in December 2019,[21] and it premiered on July 3, 2020.[22][23] The official announcements describe the continuation as the "2nd chapter" of the anime series.[24] In May 2020, a promotional video for the second season was released. The second season is directed by Tatsuma Minamikawa (replacing Yuki Yase from the previous season). The second season will run for 24 episodes.[25] The opening theme is "SPARK-AGAIN", performed by Aimer,[26] while the ending theme is "ID", performed by Cider Girl.[27]

Funimation has licensed the series for streaming on FunimationNow.[28] The series was simulcast in Southeast Asia on Aniplus Asia. On July 19, 2019, it was announced that the series would premiere on Adult Swim's Toonami block on July 27, 2019.[29] The second season will premiere on Toonami on October 24, 2020.[30]

Stage Play

A stage-play adaptation of the series was announced on January 7, 2020, confirming the cast for the play and is scheduled to run on July 31 to August 2 at the Umeda Arts Theater in Osaka and on August 7 to August 9 at KT Zepp Yokohama in Kanagawa. The play is directed by Sho Kubota, the scriptwriter is Yusei Naruse, and music composer is Masaki Miyoshi. The protagonist Shinra Kusakabe will be played by Hikaru Makishima.[31]

Reception

As of January 2018, the manga had 1.8 million copies in print.[32] As of June 2020, the manga had 7.3 million copies in print.[33]

Gadget Tsūshin listed "Látom" in their 2019 anime buzzwords list.[34]

References
  1. "Watch Fire Force Episodes Sub & Dub". Funimation. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  2. Chapman, Paul (June 15, 2019). "Funimation Heats Up Their Summer 2019 Season with Fire Force & More". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  3. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 7, 2015). "Soul Eater's Atsushi Ohkubo Starts En En no Shōbōtai Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  4. Frye, Patrick (July 15, 2019). "Interview: Fire Force (Enen no Shouboutai) manga's ending, Shinra's character design, and anime discussed by series creator Atsushi Okubo at Anime Expo 2019". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  5. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 17, 2020). "Atsushi Ohkubo Hints Fire Force Manga is Near Finale, Will be His Final Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  6. 炎炎ノ消防隊（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  7. 炎炎ノ消防隊（２４）. Kodansha (in Japanese). Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  8. Sherman, Jennifer (July 2, 2016). "Kodansha USA Adds Ichi-F, Fire Force Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  9. "Fire Force 1". Random House. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  10. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 13, 2018). "Fire Force Manga by Soul Eater's Atsushi Ohkubo Gets TV Anime by David Production". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  11. Loo, Egan (December 25, 2018). "Fire Force TV Anime Reveals Main Staff". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  12. Mateo, Alex (January 8, 2019). "Fire Force Anime Slated for This Year". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  13. Loo, Egan (March 17, 2019). "Fire Force TV Anime's 2nd Teaser Reveals July 5 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  14. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 7, 2019). "Fire Force Anime to Have 24 Episodes". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  15. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 19, 2019). "Fire Force Anime Halts Friday's Planned Airing, Streaming of 3rd Episode". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  16. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 25, 2019). "Fire Force Anime Resumes Broadcast With 3rd Episode on Friday". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  17. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 18, 2019). "Fire Force Anime's Video Previews Opening Theme Song, Battle Scene". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  18. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 28, 2019). "Keina Suda Performs Fire Force Anime's Ending Theme Songs". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  19. Mateo, Alex (August 26, 2019). "coldrain Perform Fire Force Anime's New Opening Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  20. Mateo, Alex (October 11, 2019). "Lenny code fiction Perform Fire Force Anime's New Ending Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  21. Sherman, Jennifer (December 27, 2019). "Fire Force Anime Gets 2nd Season, Stage Play in Summer 2020". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  22. Frye, Patrick (June 16, 2020). "Fire Force Season 2 release date set for July 2020: Enen no Shouboutai Season 2 and the manga's ending by Atsushi Ohkubo". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  23. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 17, 2020). "Fire Force Anime Season 2 Premieres on July 3". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  24. Frye, Patrick (December 27, 2019). "Fire Force Season 2 release date: Enen no Shouboutai "2nd chapter" confirmed for 2020 – Manga's ending discussed by creator Atsushi Okubo". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  25. Mateo, Alex (July 3, 2020). "Fire Force Anime's 2nd Season Listed with 24 Episodes". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  26. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 21, 2020). "Fire Force Anime's 2nd Season Unveils Video, New Cast & Staff, Opening Song, July Debut (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  27. Sherman, Jennifer (May 27, 2020). "Cider Girl Perform Fire Force Anime's 2nd Season Ending Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  28. Ressler, Karen (February 26, 2019). "Funimation to Stream Fire Force Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  29. Sherman, Jennifer (July 19, 2019). "Fire Force TV Anime Debuts on Toonami on July 27". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  30. Mateo, Alex (July 27, 2020). "Toonami Premieres Fire Force Anime's 2nd Season on October 24". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  31. "Fire Force Stage Play Reveals More Cast, Staff, Run Dates". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  32. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 18, 2018). "Atsushi Ohkubo's Fire Force Manga Has 1.8 Million Copies in Print. As of April, 2020, the manga had 6.3 million copies sold". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  33. はずれ無しのオンラインくじ「カワセルくじ」第7弾は 7月より『弐ノ章』が放送開始のTVアニメ『炎炎ノ消防隊』！美麗デザインの大型タペストリーや大型クッションなど圧巻の品揃え！. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). June 26, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  34. Loveridge, Lynzee; Morrissy, Kim (December 4, 2019). "Demon Slayer, Dr. Stone, Zombie Land Saga Buzzwords Make Gadget Tsūshin 2019 List". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.