Blue Seed
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by Yuzo Takada
. The plot is based on the Izumo
cycle of Japanese mythology
and the tale of the god Susanoo
and the eight-headed monster Yamata no Orochi. The main character, Momiji Fujimiya, is a descendant of the mythical . When Japan is menaced by spawned by Yamato-no-Orochi, Momiji is intended to be sacrificed to appease the Aragami. She instead, however, becomes a member of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC), a secret agency charged with fighting them.
Ashi Productions
and Production I.G.
created an anime
adaptation for broadcast on Japan's TV Tokyo
. The anime series ran for 26 episodes, originally airing from October 5, 1994, to March 29, 1995. An original video animation
(OVA), Blue Seed Beyond (or Blue Seed 2 in Japan), was released in three episode between 1996 and 1998. Both the anime and OVA were licensed by ADV Films in the United States.
beads embedded in his hands, who then attempts to kill her. Momiji is confused and terrified this strange man's sudden desire to kill her; he also refers to her as Kushinada, confusing her even further. Momiji is saved by the sudden appearance of two government officials, one of whom shoots the man in the arm and sends him fleeing.
Momiji is intrigued as to why she was referred to as "Kushinada". She discovers that "Kushinada" refers to an ancient princess whose blood holds the power to stop the ancient monsters known as Aragami by sending them to an eternal sleep. Momiji dismisses the idea that she could be such a person, despite the fact she lives with her mother and grandmother in a shrine in Izumo. However, she soon changes her mind after vines begin to appear from every crack and opening attempting to capture her as they whisper "Kushinada".
Momiji tries to escape, not knowing that the vines are being employed by a powerful Aragami known as Orochi
. Fortunately, she is saved by the man with the magatamas embedded into his hands, who introduces himself as Mamoru Kusanagi. He confronts Orochi using Momiji as bait. The plan fails and the government officials appear again. They reveal themselves to be members of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC for short), and manage to subdue Orochi. However, with the last of its strength, it makes a final attempt on Kusanagi.
Momiji saves Kusanagi by taking Orochi's blow. Impaled by the Aragami, instead of dying, she is instead fused with the magatama, more specifically identified as a mitama
, which gives Momiji the ability to sense the presence of other Aragami. The TAC agents explain that they are an organization dedicated to defeating the Aragami, who seek to destroy humanity. The current Kushinada, Momiji, must aid them because the other Kushinada, Momiji's twin sister, is now dead. Momiji, wishing to discover more about the twin sister she never knew and also to fulfill her destiny, agrees to join the TAC under the protection of Kusanagi, who wishes to destroy his former masters, the Aragami.
The story becomes increasingly complex with the appearance of Murakumo, a man with eight mitamas who kills any Aragami he comes across for his own personal reasons. Kusanagi repeatedly attempts to kill Murakumo. Kaede Kunikida reappears along with a strange energy field in Tokyo, and Murakumo and Kaede's plans soon become clear - they intend to resurrect the god Susanoo
and purify the world of humanity's influences, with Kaede acting as the leader of the movement.
There is also a three episode OVA, Blue Seed Beyond, which takes place two years after the end of the TV series. It concerns what seems to be a resurgence of aragami (actually created via biotechnology), and introduces a new character, Valencia Tachibana. Like Kusanagi, she was implanted with a mitama without turning into a full aragami.
of the series. She is the descendant of the "Kushinada" who actually lives in Izumo
where Princess Kushinada lived. An eighth-grade student in middle school, she was unprepared to understand her destiny to battle the Aragami. She becomes a member of the T.A.C. in order to stop the Aragami from destroying humanity and the world. An ironic twist of fate has Momiji carrying a mitama - an Aragami "soul" - embedded in her chest. At awkward times, Momiji is the recipient of panty shots
and jokes about the type of panties she wears. Her relationship with Kusanagi takes a turn for the better during the shielded town incident, where she finally confesses her love for him, and he in turn tells her to wait for him. , Monica Rial
(English, OVA)
Blue Seed Beyond
for the Sega Saturn
was developed by Sega of Japan in 1995. It followed a mission format, and utilized a card-based battle system.
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 Yuzo Takada
Yuzo Takada
is the pseudonym of , a popular Japanese manga artist. He worked as an assistant for manga artist Fujihiko Hosono before starting his career as an original author...
. The plot is based on the Izumo
Izumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
cycle of Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
and the tale of the god Susanoo
Susanoo
, also known as is the Shinto god of the sea and storms. He is also considered to be ruler of Yomi.-Myths:In Japanese mythology, Susanoo, the powerful storm of Summer, is the brother of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and of Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon. All three were born from Izanagi, when...
and the eight-headed monster Yamata no Orochi. The main character, Momiji Fujimiya, is a descendant of the mythical . When Japan is menaced by spawned by Yamato-no-Orochi, Momiji is intended to be sacrificed to appease the Aragami. She instead, however, becomes a member of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC), a secret agency charged with fighting them.
Ashi Productions
Ashi Productions
is a Japanese anime studio, located in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan, known for its four magical-girl anime, especially Magical Princess Minky Momo. It was established by Toshihiko Sato and other artists on December 24, 1975 as...
and Production I.G.
Production I.G.
is a Japanese anime studio and production enterprise, which was founded on December 15, 1987 by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa. It is headquartered in Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan....
created 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....
adaptation for broadcast on Japan's TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
. The anime series ran for 26 episodes, originally airing from October 5, 1994, to March 29, 1995. An original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA), Blue Seed Beyond (or Blue Seed 2 in Japan), was released in three episode between 1996 and 1998. Both the anime and OVA were licensed by ADV Films in the United States.
Plot
Momiji Fujimiya thought she was just an ordinary high school student. One day, she is confronted on her way to school by a cat-eyed man with blue magatamaMagatama
Magatama , are curved beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jōmon period.They are often found inhumed in mounded tumulus graves as offerings to deities . They continued to be popular with the ruling elites throughout the Kofun Period of Japan, and are often romanticised as indicative of...
beads embedded in his hands, who then attempts to kill her. Momiji is confused and terrified this strange man's sudden desire to kill her; he also refers to her as Kushinada, confusing her even further. Momiji is saved by the sudden appearance of two government officials, one of whom shoots the man in the arm and sends him fleeing.
Momiji is intrigued as to why she was referred to as "Kushinada". She discovers that "Kushinada" refers to an ancient princess whose blood holds the power to stop the ancient monsters known as Aragami by sending them to an eternal sleep. Momiji dismisses the idea that she could be such a person, despite the fact she lives with her mother and grandmother in a shrine in Izumo. However, she soon changes her mind after vines begin to appear from every crack and opening attempting to capture her as they whisper "Kushinada".
Momiji tries to escape, not knowing that the vines are being employed by a powerful Aragami known as Orochi
Orochi
or Orochi, translated as the Eight-Forked Serpent in English, is a legendary 8-headed and 8-tailed Japanese dragon that was slain by the Shinto storm-god Susanoo.-Mythology:...
. Fortunately, she is saved by the man with the magatamas embedded into his hands, who introduces himself as Mamoru Kusanagi. He confronts Orochi using Momiji as bait. The plan fails and the government officials appear again. They reveal themselves to be members of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC for short), and manage to subdue Orochi. However, with the last of its strength, it makes a final attempt on Kusanagi.
Momiji saves Kusanagi by taking Orochi's blow. Impaled by the Aragami, instead of dying, she is instead fused with the magatama, more specifically identified as a mitama
Mitama
The Japanese word refers to the spirit of a kami or the soul of a dead person. It is composed of two characters, the first of which, , is a simply a honorific. The second, means "spirit". The character pair 神霊, also read mitama, is used exclusively to refer to a kami's spirit...
, which gives Momiji the ability to sense the presence of other Aragami. The TAC agents explain that they are an organization dedicated to defeating the Aragami, who seek to destroy humanity. The current Kushinada, Momiji, must aid them because the other Kushinada, Momiji's twin sister, is now dead. Momiji, wishing to discover more about the twin sister she never knew and also to fulfill her destiny, agrees to join the TAC under the protection of Kusanagi, who wishes to destroy his former masters, the Aragami.
The story becomes increasingly complex with the appearance of Murakumo, a man with eight mitamas who kills any Aragami he comes across for his own personal reasons. Kusanagi repeatedly attempts to kill Murakumo. Kaede Kunikida reappears along with a strange energy field in Tokyo, and Murakumo and Kaede's plans soon become clear - they intend to resurrect the god Susanoo
Susanoo
, also known as is the Shinto god of the sea and storms. He is also considered to be ruler of Yomi.-Myths:In Japanese mythology, Susanoo, the powerful storm of Summer, is the brother of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and of Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon. All three were born from Izanagi, when...
and purify the world of humanity's influences, with Kaede acting as the leader of the movement.
There is also a three episode OVA, Blue Seed Beyond, which takes place two years after the end of the TV series. It concerns what seems to be a resurgence of aragami (actually created via biotechnology), and introduces a new character, Valencia Tachibana. Like Kusanagi, she was implanted with a mitama without turning into a full aragami.
Characters
: Momiji is the primary protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the series. She is the descendant of the "Kushinada" who actually lives in Izumo
Izumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
where Princess Kushinada lived. An eighth-grade student in middle school, she was unprepared to understand her destiny to battle the Aragami. She becomes a member of the T.A.C. in order to stop the Aragami from destroying humanity and the world. An ironic twist of fate has Momiji carrying a mitama - an Aragami "soul" - embedded in her chest. At awkward times, Momiji is the recipient of panty shots
Panchira
is an expression used by Japanese women to warn each other that their underwear is visible; the term carries risqué connotations similar to the phrase "your slip is showing" in English usage. The word is a portmanteau of and chira, the Japanese sound symbolism representing a glance or glimpse...
and jokes about the type of panties she wears. Her relationship with Kusanagi takes a turn for the better during the shielded town incident, where she finally confesses her love for him, and he in turn tells her to wait for him. , Monica Rial
Monica Rial
Monica Jean Rial is an American voice actress, ADR Director, and Script Writer who works for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000...
(English, OVA)
- He was given seven mitama with the expressed mission that when he was older, he would protect the Kushinada from harm. He was very close to Kaede, Momiji's twin sister, before her sacrifice in the tunnels of Tokyo. After Kaede's demise he initially goes to Momiji to kill her, in order to rid the world of the Aragami. He comes around, however, in the second episode, and from then on makes it his sole purpose to keep Momiji from harm and eventually falls in love with her. Kusanagi often pokes fun at Momiji's choice of panties just to aggravate her. Kusanagi gains his 8th mitama from Momiji when he rescues her from danger in the last few episodes, which gives him the power to fight Murakumo on an even level. , Matt Kelley (English, OVA)
- Daitetsu, or Mr. Kunikida, is the Chief Director of the TAC. When Kaede and Momiji were born, Mr. Kunikida raised Kaede like his own daughter, but he exploited her ability to track down and kill the Aragami. However, when Kaede sacrificed herself, he felt heartbroken. With Momiji in the TAC, Mr. Kunikida decides not to exploit her abilities like he did with Kaede and instead treated her like a normal girl.
- Azusa is the science officer and experimental biologist in the TAC. Azusa is rarely on the field due to her research and development background. She constructs biological weapons for the TAC to use against the Aragami. She is a divorced mother of one.
- A former member of TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
Metropolitan Police, Ryoko uses her police instincts to help the TAC. Ryoko uses her standard police issue weapons in conjunction with weapons modified to be used against the Aragami. She is in love with Kunikida. - Koume wears a pink jumpsuit, but never acts feminine. She is loud, brash and aggressive due to her stint in the Japan Self-Defense ForcesJapan Self-Defense ForcesThe , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
. She was discharged by the SDF and transferred to the TAC as a result of insubordination. Her philosophy is based on the "bigger gun" theory and uses her military mind and muscle to destroy the Aragami. Despite her tough exterior, she is a vulnerable woman who wants to give her love. She has a soft spot for puppies, enjoys playing matchmaker to Momiji and Kusanagi, and at the end of the series, falls in love with co-worker Yaegashi. - The stereotypical computer nerd, Yaegashi does computer analogy for the TAC. On off days, he enjoys hentai gamesErogeAn or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
on his computer. He also has a program that pinpoints the Aragami's weak points and attacks, but it doubles as a program to predict what animal would appear on Momiji's panties. He has a love/hate relationship with Kome through most of the series. He later gets engaged to her in the OVA. - Sakura spent most of her life training in the United States. She uses Shinto magic and magic seals to stop the Aragami. She often flirts with Kusanagi just to get under the skin of Momiji, but also helps Momiji deal with the Aragami.
- Kaede is the twin sister of Momiji and Mr. Kunikida's adopted daughter. Her talents were used to detect Aragami for the TAC, but after realizing she was merely a tool and not a person, she sacrificed herself, only to return on the side of the Aragami. It's not well-shown if Kaede was in love with Kusanagi or not.
- Lord Susano-oh: Susano-Oh is an all-powerful god who is the guardian deity of the Aragami. In the legend, Susano-Oh killed the monster Yamato-no-Orochi (Orochi-no-Orochi in ADV dub) and married the Princess Kushinada. Kaede and Murakumo awakened him as part of their plan to create a world of nothing but plants.
- Like Kusanagi, Murakumo was also chosen to protect the Kushinada. Murakumo has embraced the power of the Aragami and plans on unleashing that power against humanity. Murakumo has eight Blue Seeds embedded in his body.
- Valencia Tachibana: Valencia shows up in the OVA. Like Kusanagi, she was implanted with a mitama without turning into a full aragami.
Episodes
- Princess Kushinada
- It's Cruel! It's mysterious! It's My Destiny!
- It's Spring! It's the Capital! I'll Do My Best!
- More Bad Luck! Why Does This Always Happen to Me?
- Surprise! She's the Mother of Science!
- Complicated & Hard to Understand! Being a Man Puts You Into Such a Difficult Position!
- I'm Fired Up! I'll Do It! Because I'm the Kushinada!
- What? How Strange! A Rival Appears!
- Are You Serious? Is This a Dream? An Exciting Date!
- Innocence! Love! My First Kiss!
- Irritating! Jealous?! Unbelievable!
- Can You Feel It? I Can't Ignore It! An Ominous Premanition of Catastrophe!
- I Love You! This is so Extreme! It's Time to Confess!
- A Chase Down Yamato Highway! Love Under Fire!
- Lost & Trembling on a Trip to Michinoku!
- Japan is a Paradise! Tears in Wakasa
- Let it Bloom in Japan! A Blizzard of One-Sided Love!
- Geez! Oh Man! Sakura's Not Good Enough!
- Heat Haze! Start on a Journey! Love, I Won't be Far From You
- I'm Home! Izumo! The Prologue of Hope!
- Goodbye? No Way! Separation with Tears?
- Sadness, Fate, Momiji Kushinada
- Meeting Again, Starting the Journey, I Won't Give Up!
- The Setting Sun, the Coming Day, a Private Time for Everyone
- All or Nothing! Decision! My Fate!
- New Soul
Blue Seed Beyond
- Mission: Eradicate Kushinada, Operation Mitama, Phase I
- Mission: Eradicate Kushinada, Operation Mitama, Phase II
- Six Babes Bathing in a Killer Hot Springs
Theme songs
- Opening: Carnival Babel by Takada Band (Fumihiko TachikiFumihiko Tachikiis a Japanese voice actor and narrator.-Career:Formerly a blues singer and known for his low voice, Tachiki is best known as the narrator for the pre-fight movies for Pride Fighting Championships and currently for Dream...
and Ami Mitsumatsu) (remade by Megumi Hayashibara as "CARNIVAL BABEL 2003 VER." also known as "CARNIVAL BABEL REVIVAL")
- Endings
- Touch and Go!! by Megumi Hayashibara
- Life by Megumi Hayashibara (Ep. 26)
Video game
A role-playing video gameRole-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
was developed by Sega of Japan in 1995. It followed a mission format, and utilized a card-based battle system.