Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, known in Japan as Nurarihyon's Grandson (Japanese: ????????, Hepburn: Nurarihyon no Mago), is a manga series written and illustrated by Hiroshi Shiibashi. The series was first published in Shueisha as a oneshot in 2007. The manga has been continuously serialized in the Japanese manga anthology Weekly Sh?nen Jump since March 2008 and has been collected into 25 tank?bon volumes as of December 2012. A Drama CD was released in December 2009. An anime adaptation by Studio Deen began airing in Japan on July 5, 2010. Also, a second season called Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan - Demon Capital (???????? ????, Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Maky?) began airing in Japan on July 3, 2011.
Viz Media acquired the licensing rights for a North American release of the manga and anime adaptations. The anime episodes have been streamed on Viz Media's anime streaming site, Viz Anime, since July 2010, while the first manga volume was released February 2011.
Video Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
Plot
Rikuo Nura is 3/4 human and 1/4 y?kai, in which he has a human form in the day but transforms into his y?kai form at night. He lives in a house full of y?kai along with his y?kai grandfather. Trying to escape his fate, he does good deeds in order to avoid becoming a y?kai, despite his grandfather's wish that Rikuo succeed him as the Third Head of the Nura Clan. Rikuo is different because he helps humans. He eventually comes to terms with his y?kai blood and decides to take up the position of the Third Head of the Nura Clan. Multiple factions aim to stop him or usurp his position, and he must gather friends and allies, a new Hyakki Yak? under his banner of "Fear".
Storyline
- Gyuki's Test Arc
- The Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol travels to Mt. Nejireme at the invitation of a supposed y?kai specialist. However, the invitation turns out to have been a trap by the head of the Gyuki Clan. Separated, the members of the Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol must deal with y?kai of the Gyuki Clan and Rikuo ultimately faces Gyuki himself. Rikuo learns that Gyuki set up the trap because he didn't want the Nura Clan, which he greatly cherishes, to suffer under the influence of a weak leader.The two clash and Gyuki is overwhelmed by Rikuo's night form. Afterward, Rikuo decides to take up the mantle of Nurarihyon and officially become the next Nura Clan head.
- Shikoku Arc
- When one of the board members of the Nura Clan is attacked and killed, and Nurarihyon subsequently disappears without notice, the Nura Clan is thrown into chaos. Trying to keep them together, Rikuo encounters a rival faction from the Shikoku area who intend to take over the Nura Clan's territory. Their leader, Tamazuki, is ruthless and willing to sacrifice his subordinates to further his own goals. Rikuo and his Hyakki Yak? battle with Tamazuki and his Hachijuuhakki Yak? (consisting of 88 demons, instead of the 100 of a Hyakki Yak?) and emerge victorious.However, Rikuo decides to spare Tamazuki after the battle at the request of his father - who Nurarihyon had gone to visit. Tamazuki is spared under the condition that he build a memorial in honor of the subordinates who died by his hand.
- Past Arc
- The story of Rikuo's grandparents Nurarihyon and Yohime, the creation of the spirit blade Nenekirimaru and the battle against Hagoromo Gitsune 400 years ago.
- Tono Arc
- When Haguromo Gitsune resurfaces in Kyoto, Rikuo is determined to fight her and take revenge for his father's death - as well as rescue Yura, who has gone to aid the rest of the Keikain family in protecting Kyoto. However, as he is still too inexperienced and weak, his grandfather asks the head of the y?kai Tono Village to take in and train Rikuo. After an encounter with one of the Kyoto Yokai, Rikuo comes to realize what sort of power the y?kai Nurarihyon possesses and, having grown stronger, leaves along with several Tono Yokai to return to the Nura House and prepare for the assault on Kyoto.
- Kyoto Arc
- Rikuo, along with the vast majority of the Nura Clan and several y?kai from Tono, invade Kyoto. Nearly all of the onmyoji barriers around the city have been destroyed by Kyoto Yokai, and the Keikain House itself struggles to fight against Hagoromo Gitsune's forces. They ultimately join forces with Rikuo's Hyakki Yak? to replace the fallen barriers and stop Hagoromo Gitsune from giving birth to a new evil.
- Hundred Tales Clan Arc
- After the battle with Hagoromo Gitsune's forces and the resurrected Abe no Seimei, also known as Nue, Rikuo and the Nura Clan are challenged by the remnants of the Hundred Tales Clan and its executives. The clan was once led by a human named Sanmoto Gorozaemon who grew in power by spreading stories about y?kai and in turn created them. The group was destroyed by Rihan and the Nura Clan 350 years ago. Now, the clan is encroaching on the Nura Clan's territory and working to revive Sanmoto's main body, which resides in hell.
- Gokadoin House Arc
- Following the battle with Sanmoto Gorozaemon and his Hundred Tales Clan, it was revealed that the onmyoji sect known as the Gokadoin House is composed of Abe no Seimei's descendants who used Seimei's forbidden research on immortality to prolong their lives. When the Gokadoin house starts mobilizing to "purify" the land of y?kai and humans, Rikuo starts to establish an alliance between the various yokai clans throughout Japan.
Maps Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
Media
Manga
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan is written and illustrated by Hiroshi Shiibashi and has been serialized in the manga anthology Weekly Sh?nen Jump since March 2008. As of December 4, 2012, the series has been collected into 24 tank?bon volumes by Shueisha, with the first being released on August 4, 2008. In the thirtieth issue (2012) of Weekly Sh?nen Jump, it was announced that the manga would be leaving the magazine for the conclusion to its final story arc which will run in the seasonally published Jump NEXT! Starting on August 11, 2012 the first of three chapters will be published with a 64-page chapter, and will continue in October and December. The manga was licensed for an English language release by Viz Media who publishes the series chapter wise in its manga anthology Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha since the magazine's launch on January 30, 2012, and in bound volumes since February 1, 2011. As of February 5, 2013, 13 English-language volumes have been released. The first tankobon was translated by localization company AltJapan Co., Ltd.
The covers of each volume make a continuing picture of all the characters.
Anime
The anime series, produced by Studio Deen, premiered on July 5, 2010 and is licensed for North America by Viz Media under the name Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. New episodes, subtitled in English, are made available for streaming on their website several hours after they air in Japan. The opening themes are Fast Forward and Sunshine performed by Monkey Majik and the ending themes are Sparky?Start and Symphonic Dream performed by Katate Size (Aya Hirano, Yui Horie and Ai Maeda). The anime is slated to be released on eight DVDs.
The second season, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan - Demon Capital (???????? ????, Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Maky?), premiered in Japan on July 3, 2011 and was made available for streaming with English subtitles the next day. The season follows Rikuo as he trains for his upcoming battle with Hagoromo Gitsune.
The English dub of the series was posted for streaming on Viz Media's online network, Neon Alley, which starting on October 2, 2012.
Other print media
A character data book titled Nurarihyon no Mago: Official Character Data Book: Secret Ayakashi Notes (???????? ?????????????? ???, Nurarihyon no Mago: Kyarakut? K?shiki D?ta Bukku: Ayakashi Hiroku) was released on July 2, 2010. At 264 pages, it contains information on all the major factions in the series, as well as on Shiibashi and his assistants.
A light novel adaptation written by Satoshi Oosaki with art by Hiroshi Shiibashi was published by J-Books in December 2009. It features the stories of Nurarihyon and Yohime's wedding ceremony and a strange encounter between Zen and Kuromaru, as well as an original tale centering on the y?kai who live in Ukiyoe Town.
Video game
A video game called Nurarihyon no Mago: Great Profuse Hyakki War (????????:??????, Nurarihyon no Mago: Hyakki Ry?ran Taisen) has been announced as developed by Arc System Works and published by Konami.
Reception
The first tank?bon ranked 9th on Tohan manga charts, the third ranked 5th, the fourth ranked 10th, the fifth ranked 9th, and the sixth ranked 8th, and each volume starting from the third sold over 100,000 copies. The manga has sold 11 million copies as of volume 21.
Weekly Sh?nen Jump allows its readers to vote on their favorite manga, giving out the Future Gold Cup award each year to the most popular manga one-shot it publishes. In 2007, Nurarihyon no Mago ranked number one in the Future Gold Cup.
See also
Teito Monogatari: A historical fantasy novel by Hiroshi Aramata widely recognized for starting the "onmyoji boom" in Japan. The fourth volume of the light novel adaptation of Nurarihyon no Mago (entitled Teito Koi Monogatari) is a direct reference to it.
References
External links
- Anime official website (in Japanese)
- BS11 Site
- Vomic Site
- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Source of article : Wikipedia
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