Azumi#Video game
{{Short description|Japanese manga series}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| image = Azumi vol. 1.png
| caption = First {{Transliteration|ja|tankōbon}} volume cover
| ja_kanji = あずみ
| genre =
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type = manga
| author = Yū Koyama
| publisher = Shogakukan
| demographic = {{Transliteration|ja|Seinen}}
| magazine = Big Comic Superior
| first = 1994
| last = 2008
| volumes = 48
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type = manga
| author = Yū Koyama
| publisher = Shogakukan
| demographic = {{Transliteration|ja|Seinen}}
| magazine = Big Comic Superior
| first = December 26, 2008
| last = February 28, 2014
| volumes = 18
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer|portal=yes}}
{{Nihongo||あずみ|Azumi}} is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yū Koyama. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior from 1994 to 2008, with its chapters collected in 48 {{Transliteration|ja|tankōbon}} volumes. A sequel series with the same title (rendered in all caps Latin-script) was serialized in the same magazine from 2008 to 2014, with its chapters collected in 14 tankōbon volumes. The story follows the title character, a young woman, brought up as part of a team of assassins charged with killing the warlords that threaten the uneasy peace in Feudal Japan in the aftermath of its long Sengoku civil war period.
The series has been adapted into two feature films starring Aya Ueto, Azumi in 2003 and Azumi 2: Death or Love in 2005, and a video game and a stage play in 2005.
Azumi received the Excellence Prize at the 1997 Japan Media Arts Festival and won the 43rd Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category in 1998.
Plot
Azumi is a young female assassin operating after the Battle of Sekigahara. She eliminates supporters of the Toyotomi clan at the behest of Tokugawa Ieyasu, with these killings historically recorded as natural deaths. Raised in isolation by instructor Gensai Obata in Kiridani valley, Azumi trains with nine male students unaware of basic societal concepts. Their training culminates in two brutal initiation missions: first killing their closest companions (Azumi slays Nachi), then massacring an entire ninja village. As one of five surviving operatives, Azumi conducts political assassinations. Her work brings her into conflict with bandits, later revealed to be displaced samurai forced into criminality by Tokugawa policies. Throughout her missions, Azumi demonstrates exceptional survival skills compared to other warriors driven by singular motivations.
Media
=Manga=
Written and illustrated by Yū Koyama, Azumi was serialized in Shogakukan's Seinen manga magazine from 1994 to 2008.{{cite web|script-title=ja:あずみ連載再開「あずみ」から「AZUMI」へ|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/11865|website=Comic Natalie|publisher=Natasha, Inc.|access-date=January 13, 2022|language=ja|date=December 25, 2008|archive-date=January 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115062710/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/11865|url-status=live}} Shogakukan collected its chapters in forty-eight {{Transliteration|ja|tankōbon}} volumes, released from January 30, 1995,{{cite web|script-title=ja:あずみ 1|url=http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/comics/detail/_isbn_4091835414|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011171403/http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/comics/detail/_isbn_4091835414|archive-date=October 11, 2012|language=ja}} to February 27, 2009.{{cite web|script-title=ja:あずみ 48|url=http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/comics/detail/_isbn_9784091823731|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012140531/http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/comics/detail/_isbn_9784091823731|archive-date=October 12, 2012|language=ja}} Shogakukan re-released the series in a twenty-four volume bunkoban edition, from January 14 to December 15, 2012.{{cite web|script-title=ja:あずみ １ (文庫)|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091962119|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220113104120/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091962119|archive-date=January 13, 2022|language=ja|url-status=live}}{{cite web|script-title=ja:あずみ ２４ (文庫)|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091962348|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220113104402/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091962348|archive-date=January 13, 2022|language=ja|url-status=live}}
A sequel series, also titled Azumi (Latin-script title in all caps), was serialized in the same magazine from December 26, 2008, to February 28, 2014.{{cite web|last=Ressler|first=Karen|title=Female Assassin Manga Azumi Ends|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-02-13/female-assassin-manga-azumi-ends|website=Anime News Network|access-date=January 13, 2022|date=February 13, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113104716/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-02-13/female-assassin-manga-azumi-ends|url-status=live}}{{cite web|script-title=ja:小山ゆう「AZUMI」完結、次々号よりボクシング新連載|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/110859|website=Comic Natalie|publisher=Natasha, Inc.|access-date=January 13, 2022|language=ja|date=February 28, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113104523/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/110859|url-status=live}} Shogakukan collected its chapters in eighteen tankōbon volumes, released from June 30, 2009,{{cite web|script-title=ja:ＡＺＵＭＩ－あずみ－ １|url=http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/comics/detail/_isbn_9784091825193|website=Comic Natalie|publisher=Natasha, Inc.|access-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302102624/http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/comics/detail/_isbn_9784091825193|archive-date=March 2, 2014|language=ja}} to April 30, 2014.{{cite web|script-title=ja:【4月30日付】本日発売の単行本リスト|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/115527|website=Comic Natalie|publisher=Natasha, Inc.|access-date=January 13, 2022|language=ja|date=April 30, 2014|archive-date=January 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104091234/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/115527|url-status=live}}
=Film series=
{{main|Azumi (film){{!}}Azumi (film)|Azumi 2: Death or Love{{!}}Azumi 2: Death or Love}}
Azumi was loosely adapted into an action film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura in 2003. A sequel, Azumi 2: Death or Love, directed by Shusuke Kaneko, followed in 2005.
=Video game=
An action game for PlayStation 2, based on manga's original story, was developed by Gargoyle Mechanics and released in Japan only by Entertainment Software Publishing in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/objects/716/716134.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310150854/http://uk.ps2.ign.com/objects/716/716134.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2012|title=IGN: Azumi|publisher=Uk.ps2.ign.com|date=2004-11-22|access-date=2013-07-23}} The game was also re-released as part of the budget-range Simple series (Vol. 32).
=Stage play=
The theatrical version, directed by Okamura Toshikazu, premiered on April 3, 2005, starring Meisa Kuroki as Azumi.
=Merchandise=
Azumi Original Soundtrack containing music from the film was released by For Life Music in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=FLCF-3949|title=Azumi Original Soundtrack Original Soundtrack (CD)|publisher=Cdjapan.co.jp|access-date=2013-07-23|archive-date=October 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019142845/http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=FLCF-3949|url-status=live}} Azumi figure line based on the manga version was released by figuAX in 2006.[http://www.toypara.com/catalog.cgi?products/extra/azumi/home.html figuAX あずみアートコレクション 【ハピネットロビン】] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815080605/http://www.toypara.com/catalog.cgi?products%2Fextra%2Fazumi%2Fhome.html |date=August 15, 2019 }} {{in lang|ja}}
Reception
Azumi received an Excellence Prize at the 1997 Japan Media Arts Festival,{{Cite web|url=http://archive.j-mediaarts.jp/en/festival/1997/manga/works/01m_Azumi/|title=Excellence Award - Azumi Award Manga Division 1997 [1st]|publisher=Japan Media Arts Festival|access-date=March 11, 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230311022611/http://archive.j-mediaarts.jp/en/festival/1997/manga/works/01m_Azumi/|archive-date=March 11, 2023|url-status=live}} and won the 43rd Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/mangasho/rist.html|script-title=ja:小学館漫画賞: 歴代受賞者|publisher=Shogakukan|language=ja|access-date=2007-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929094941/http://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/mangasho/rist.html|archive-date=29 September 2007|url-status=dead }}
References
- Gifford, Kevin. "Azumi". (November 2006) Newtype USA. p. 154.
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930045748/http://www.esp-web.co.jp/products/azumi/|title=Official video game website}} {{in lang|ja}}
- {{Anime News Network|manga|5877}}
{{Big Comic Superior}}
{{Shogakukan Manga Award - General}}
Category:Fictional assassins in comics
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1994
Category:Japan-exclusive video games
Category:Manga adapted into films
Category:Ninja in anime and manga
Category:Orphan characters in anime and manga
Category:PlayStation 2-only games
Category:Samurai in anime and manga
Category:Video games based on anime and manga
Category:Video games developed in Japan
Category:Winners of the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga