Asatte no Hōkō
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by J-ta Yamada
. The manga was serialized in Mag Garden
's magazine Comic Blade Masamune
between March 3, 2005 and June 15, 2007; five bound volumes
were released in Japan. The manga was adapted into an anime
series produced by J.C.Staff
, which aired in Japan between October and December 2006. The story is about a young girl who grows older into an adult, and an adult woman who becomes younger, turning into a child. The anime is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, and a complete series boxset will be distributed by Section23 Films
on DVD on April 13, 2010.
After becoming irritated with Hiro for leaving her alone in the United States
, she purposefully tells Karada that her ribbons are childish. This upsets her greatly because she doesn't like to be treated as a child. Later that same day, Karada is found by Shōko praying at a shrine, wishing to become older. Amazingly, Karada's wish becomes true and she instantly transforms into a young woman. Incidentally, Shōko then has her adulthood taken away from her and she reverts back to about eleven years old.
and was serialized from March 3, 2005 to June 15, 2007 in Mag Garden
's monthly Comic Blade Masamune
magazine, and spanned five volumes, with the final volume released on September 9, 2007. Compared to the anime adapted from it, the manga includes more personal drama between the leads, and introduces several more characters who are also vying for the Wishing Stone. It also clarifies several points which are left ambiguous in the anime, such as the precise nature of the relationship between Hiro and Karada.
and directed by Katsushi Sakurabi
. The broadcast started in Japan between October 5 and December 21, 2006 on TBS
. It made its Animax
Asia debut on January 2, 2009 under the title Living for the Day After Tomorrow. The series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, and a complete series boxset was distributed by Section23 Films
on DVD on April 13, 2010.
Two pieces of theme music
were used for the anime; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is by Suara
and the ending theme is by Yūmao
. Two image song
albums were released sung by the voice actresses
from the anime. The first album was released on December 6, 2006 featuring songs by Ayumi Fujimura
(who voiced Karada Iokawa); while most of the album is by Ayumi Fujimura, the last song, "Namida Gumo", is sung by Suara. The second image song album followed by January 11, 2007 with songs by Shizuka Itō
(who voiced Shōko Nogami); both albums were released by Lantis
in Japan.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written and illustrated by J-ta Yamada
J-ta Yamada
is a Japanese manga artist. Yamada is known for creating the manga Asatte no Houkou, which also spawned an anime. Yamada also created the manga Majina! and the manga Gifuto....
. The manga was serialized in Mag Garden
Mag Garden
is a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix...
's magazine Comic Blade Masamune
Comic Blade Masamune
was a bi-monthly Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Mag Garden that contains manga and information about those series. It began in December 2002 and ceased publication on June 15, 2007, to be revamped as a new magazine called Comic Blade Avarus....
between March 3, 2005 and June 15, 2007; five bound volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
were released in Japan. The manga was adapted into an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series produced by J.C.Staff
J.C.STAFF
, is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986. Their first release was the three episode OVA Sengoku Kidan Yōtōden, in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Excel Saga, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Shakugan no Shana, Toaru Majutsu no...
, which aired in Japan between October and December 2006. The story is about a young girl who grows older into an adult, and an adult woman who becomes younger, turning into a child. The anime is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, and a complete series boxset will be distributed by Section23 Films
Section23 Films
Section23 Films is an American home video distribution company specializing in anime and Japanese films. The company is one of five successors to ADV Films, as well as the distributor of titles from Sentai Filmworks and Switchblade Films. ADV had announced that it had sold its assets to a group of...
on DVD on April 13, 2010.
Plot
Asatte no Hōkō follows the lives of Karada Iokawa, a young girl who is set to join junior high school after summer is over, and Shōko Nogami, a young woman who has just returned from studying abroad, who also happens to be the former girlfriend of Karada's older brother. The day Shōko returns, she is dragged by Karada to the beach with her brother and a couple of their friends since she used to know Karada's brother Hiro several years before.After becoming irritated with Hiro for leaving her alone in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, she purposefully tells Karada that her ribbons are childish. This upsets her greatly because she doesn't like to be treated as a child. Later that same day, Karada is found by Shōko praying at a shrine, wishing to become older. Amazingly, Karada's wish becomes true and she instantly transforms into a young woman. Incidentally, Shōko then has her adulthood taken away from her and she reverts back to about eleven years old.
Characters
- Karada is a cheerful young girl who is about to enter her first year of junior high school. Her adopted parents died when she was two years old, and since then she has lived with her older brother, Hiro. Despite her age, she has learned to cook and do house chores herself. Her wish to not be a burden on her brother, combined with her knowledge (unknown to Hiro) that she is only an adoptive sibling, drives her to wish to become an adult. Her friend and classmate, Tetsumasa, seems to have feelings for her.
- Shōko is a young woman who has just recently returned from overseas in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She first meets Karada at the shrine that contained a fated wishing stone. She used to be Hiro's girlfriend; she met him while in America and it seems that they were very close. Hiro told her that he would return right after his parents' funeral, but she waited for months and then received a letter saying he would not be coming back. She did not know Hiro had a younger sister. She wished to become a child, without knowing herself that she really wished for it. She starts to get attached to Karada after she knows her properly.
- Hiro is a young man who was Shōko's boyfriend when he was studying abroad. They went to the same university in Boston. He had to leave in order to attend to his parents' funeral, and never came back because he had to stay in Japan to take care of his sister, Karada. Several months later he sent a letter to Shōko saying he would never come back, but without explaining the reason.
- It is later revealed that he isn't really Karada's older brother, but met her for the first time at his parents' funeral. He thought that he would return to America right after the funeral, but after meeting her he could not leave her alone. He works in a pharmacyPharmacyPharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
.
- Often called just "Tetsu," he is Karada's classmate and one of her closest friends. Tetsu is quite tall, and jokes that he is sometimes mistaken for a high school student. It is implied that he likes Karada--when Karada "went missing" after she became older, he ran all over town to find her. He does not like Hiro because he interferes in Tetsu and Karada's moments together.
- Tōko is Tetsu's older sister, also a friend of Karada and Hiro. She works at the coffee house Hiro often visits.
- Tetsu and Tōko's relative, a spunky, spontaneous young girl. Although she talks smoothly near Tetsu's mother, outside of her hearing she is another person. She is an original character in the anime and thus was never in the manga version.
Manga
The manga series is written and illustrated by J-ta YamadaJ-ta Yamada
is a Japanese manga artist. Yamada is known for creating the manga Asatte no Houkou, which also spawned an anime. Yamada also created the manga Majina! and the manga Gifuto....
and was serialized from March 3, 2005 to June 15, 2007 in Mag Garden
Mag Garden
is a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix...
's monthly Comic Blade Masamune
Comic Blade Masamune
was a bi-monthly Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Mag Garden that contains manga and information about those series. It began in December 2002 and ceased publication on June 15, 2007, to be revamped as a new magazine called Comic Blade Avarus....
magazine, and spanned five volumes, with the final volume released on September 9, 2007. Compared to the anime adapted from it, the manga includes more personal drama between the leads, and introduces several more characters who are also vying for the Wishing Stone. It also clarifies several points which are left ambiguous in the anime, such as the precise nature of the relationship between Hiro and Karada.
Anime
An anime adaptation was produced by J.C.StaffJ.C.STAFF
, is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986. Their first release was the three episode OVA Sengoku Kidan Yōtōden, in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Excel Saga, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Shakugan no Shana, Toaru Majutsu no...
and directed by Katsushi Sakurabi
Katsushi Sakurabi
is a Japanese anime director.-Filmography:*Asatte no Houkou*Gunparade March*Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie*The Melody of Oblivion*Tsukihime, Lunar Legend*Yomigaeru Sora - Rescue Wings-External links:...
. The broadcast started in Japan between October 5 and December 21, 2006 on TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
. It made its Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
Asia debut on January 2, 2009 under the title Living for the Day After Tomorrow. The series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, and a complete series boxset was distributed by Section23 Films
Section23 Films
Section23 Films is an American home video distribution company specializing in anime and Japanese films. The company is one of five successors to ADV Films, as well as the distributor of titles from Sentai Filmworks and Switchblade Films. ADV had announced that it had sold its assets to a group of...
on DVD on April 13, 2010.
Two pieces of theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
were used for the anime; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is by Suara
Suara
Suara is a female Japanese singer born on August 3, 1979 who is from Osaka, Japan. She works under the label of FIX Records, distributed by King Records. Her two singles "Musōka" and "Hikari no Kisetsu" were both used as opening themes for the anime Utawarerumono and Asatte no Hōkō respectively...
and the ending theme is by Yūmao
Yumao
is a female Japanese singer-songwriter from Tokyo, Japan. She is a Kunitachi College of Music graduate and also performs as an indie singer under the alias Mayuko. Her music is produced by FlagShip and Lantis...
. Two image song
Image song
An image song or character song is a song on a tie-in single or album for an anime, game or dorama that is usually sung by the seiyū or actor of a character, in character...
albums were released sung by the voice actresses
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
from the anime. The first album was released on December 6, 2006 featuring songs by Ayumi Fujimura
Ayumi Fujimura
in Tokyo, Japan is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Ken Production.-Anime:*Asatte no Houkou as Karada Iokawa*Astarotte no Omocha! as Zelda*Bakuman as Aiko Iwase*Bartender as Miwa Kurushima*Basquash! as Aulora Skybloom...
(who voiced Karada Iokawa); while most of the album is by Ayumi Fujimura, the last song, "Namida Gumo", is sung by Suara. The second image song album followed by January 11, 2007 with songs by Shizuka Itō
Shizuka Ito
is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She is currently represented by Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is also known as , , , , or .Itō and fellow voice actress Hitomi Nabatame formed a voice acting unit called "Hitomi Nabatame and Shizuka Itō"...
(who voiced Shōko Nogami); both albums were released by Lantis
Lantis (company)
is a Japanese company that specializes as a music publisher label for Japanese musicians, anime soundtracks and video game soundtracks. It was established on November 26, 1999, and in May 2006, it was bought by, and became a subsidiary of, Bandai Visual...
in Japan.
Episodes
| # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|