Sakuran
Sakuran (さくらん, lit. "Derangement"), is a manga series by Moyoco Anno. The manga is about a girl who goes through different names throughout the story and becomes a tayu or oiran courtesan. North American publisher Vertical Inc published it in English in July 2012.[1]
| Sakuran | |
 Cover of the first Japanese manga volume | |
| さくらん | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Moyoco Anno |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Evening |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | 2001 – 2003 |
| Volumes | 1 |
| Live-action film | |
| Directed by | Mika Ninagawa |
| Produced by | Fellah Pictures |
| Written by | Yuki Tanada |
| Music by | Shiina Ringo |
| Released | February 24, 2007 |
| Runtime | 111 minutes |
Plot
A young kamuro (maid in a brothel) is sold into the red-light district Yoshiwara and is put under the care of the oiran of the Tamagiku house, Shouhi, who names her Tomeki. The girl is very rebellious. It is because of this that the leaders of the household begin to think that she will be one day a great oiran, since they need not only beauty and talent, but also the tenacity to maintain their position.
Tomeki becomes O-Rin, a hikkomi (or courtesan-in-training), and later Kiyoha, the most beautiful girl in the Tamagiku household. Her popularity threatens the position of Tamagiku's oiran Mikumo, which creates great tension between the two.
But rivalry is not the main problem for young Kiyoha, but rather the appearance of young Soujiro and the impossibility of love.
Film
A live-action film adaptation was released in Japan on February 24, 2007. The film stars Anna Tsuchiya and marks the directorial debut of photographer Mika Ninagawa. Ringo Sheena's album Heisei Fūzoku acts as the soundtrack.
Cast
- Anna Tsuchiya as Kiyoha
- Ayame Koike as Young Kiyoha
- Asuka Saito as Tomeki
- Kippei Shiina as Kuranosuke
- Yoshino Kimura as Takao
- Hiroki Narimiya as Sojiro
- Miho Kanno as Shohi
- Masatoshi Nagase as Mitsunobu
- Masanobu Andō as Seiji
- Renji Ishibashi as Owner
- Kyōko Koizumi as Oran
External links
- Official website for the film (in Japanese)
- IMDb entry