Buso Renkin
Encyclopedia
is a manga
series written and drawn by Nobuhiro Watsuki
, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin
. Buso Renkin was serialized in Shueisha
's shōnen magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
from June 2003 to 2005, ending at 80 chapters. The individual chapters were collected by Shueisha into ten tankōbon
volumes which were released between January 5, 2004 and April 4, 2006. The series has been licensed by Viz Media
for North American release.
The manga has been adapted into an anime
television series by Xebec, which finished its run in Japan with a total of 26 episodes. On April 27, 2009, the series made its North American television debut on the Funimation Channel
. There are also two drama CDs, two light novel
s, and a PlayStation 2
video game based on the series.
. Kazuki had been attacked and killed by it when rescuing Tokiko. However she, feeling responsible for him, revived him by placing a Kakugane medallion in his chest, serving as a replacement heart.
The Kakugane, as Tokiko explains, is an alchemical (alchemistic) device that, when activated, takes a certain form based on the Kakugane's user, forming a unique Buso Renkin. The Buso Renkin is the only thing that can destroy a homunculus monster. Using this, Kazuki creates his own Buso Renkin, taking the form of a giant lance, later named 'Sunlight Heart'. Along with Tokiko and her own Buso Renkin (the Valkyrie Skirt, an execution scythe), Kazuki joins the fight against the homunculi and their master.
Black Kakugane
Black Kakugane I-III are the first results of the Alchemy Warriors. However, they were unstable, and upon insertion of Black Kakugane I (1) to replace his heart, Warrior Victor lost control. The same thing would happen to Kazuki 100 years later when his Black Kakugane III awoke. A person who has been revived using a black Kakugane is called a 'Victor,' since he was the first person to become such a being. Black Kakugane give their users glowing light green hair, red eyes, and tanned skin, with the ability to use 'Energy Drain,' a 'vital body function' which absorbs people's life force; it's possible to kill a person by draining his/her energy. As it is a vital body function, it is impossible to stop or shut off. Black Kakugane users also have the ability to evolve. While in stage 1, a user can transform from normal human to his/her 'Victor' form. After six weeks, a user evolves into stage 2, when he/she is permanently transformed into a 'Victor' form. After more time has passed, the person may willingly change back and forth from stage 3 where the tanned skin turns into a dark red, and the power of energy drain greatly increases. Black Kakugane have all the functions of a standard Kakugane. Buso Renkin created by Black Kakugane tend to be much stronger, since they make their users' bodies so much stronger.
White Kakugane
Developed by Alexandria, a White Kakugane is the exact opposite of a Black Kakugane. It holds the ability to nullify a Black Kakugane's power, restoring a person with a Black Kakugane to normal.
Kazuki's Kakugane that Tokiko took back from Alexandria was a 'test model' that was disguised as a normal kakugane. However, it proved to be unstable when it was in close proximity with a Black Kakugane; in this case, Victor's Black Kakugane I. Alexandria then developed another kakugane based on Black Kakugane II, moving past the test stage. This Kakugane was used in an unsuccessful attempt to restore Victor to normal; a Black Kakugane user in stage 3 can only be restored to stage 2.
Papillon was able to make a White Kakugane based on his own knowledge and the research Dr. Butterfly and Alexandria left behind. Using them, he was able to develop a White Kakugane from scratch, and used it to change Kazuki back to normal in Buso Renkin Period. His devices were then used to create another White Kakugane to restore Victor back to normal. Other than the converted Kakugane II, the other two White Kakugane's are not numbered as they were not the original 100 Kakuganes. It is possible to have more than one White Kakugane in a person's body, as shown by Victor, who has two White Kakugane in his body by the end of the story.
Animal-type and Plant-type homunculi possess strength relative to their animal or plant base as well as retaining their sentience (they have the intelligence and reasoning of a human, but consider themselves to be an animal or plant). To activate their abilities, they have to 'transform', usually resulting in a large version of its base (an Eagle-type homunculus would become a giant eagle, for example). Often the homunculi's creator would have to brainwash them into following their creator with blind loyalty, though a few have been known to do so by their own choice.
Human-type homunculi do not change form, but merely gain the strength and regenerative powers of a homunculus while retaining their human form and mind, or at least a humanoid shape (as the embryo for a human homunculus almost always comes from the human him/herself). Human-type homunculi have one distinct advantage over Animal or Plant-types; they have the ability to use Buso Renkin (only humans can use Buso Renkins).
Most homunculi have the urge to eat other humans, but in episode 25 Papillon tells Victoria that eating humans doesn't whet his appetite. Victoria explains that homunculi eat humans because they desire to regain the aspects of humanity that they gave up; this may be why we never hear of Washio, who was once a wild hawk, eating any humans. She then tells Papillon that because he no longer has any connection to humanity (or rather, that he no longer desires to be human), he has become something other than human or homunculus, but rather a "superhuman".
The "League of Extraordinary Elects" was based on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
. The term for the human followers of the homunculi
, "familiars", comes from the human disciples of the vampires in the movie Blade
. The death scene, featuring Shusui next to his dying sibling Ouka, has been compared to Tomoe's death scene in Rurouni Kenshin
. Watsuki has claimed Ouka and Shusui to be reincarnations of Rurouni Kenshins Yukishiro Enishi
and Yukishiro Tomoe
. The submarine Buso Renkin, Deep Breathing, was inspired by the Nautilus from the movie League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Buster Baron is a reincarnation of the Armor Baron from Gun Blaze West
.
's shōnen
magazine, Weekly Shōnen Jump
from June 2003 to 2005, ending at 80 chapters. Only the first 79 chapters were serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, while the finale chapter was published in another magazine from Shueisha in two installements. The individual chapters were collected by Shueisha
into 10 tankōbon
volumes which were released between January 5, 2004 and April 4, 2006. Viz Media
released the manga's 10 tankōbon volumes between August 1, 2006 and February 5, 2008. The manga is licensed in France by Glénat
, in Germany by Tokyopop Germany
,
directed by Takao Kato and produced by Xebec. Buso Renkin aired between October 4, 2006 and March 28, 2007 on TV Tokyo
. The episodes were later collected by Geneon Universal Entertainment and released in nine DVD compilations between January 25, 2007 and September 21, 2007. A DVD box set containing all twenty-six episodes was released on November 26, 2009. On December 8, 2007, Viz Media
announced the release of the English dub
which would be released in two DVD sets of thirteen episodes each. The first set containing episodes one to thirteen was released on April 29, 2008. The second set containing episodes fourteen to twenty-six was released on October 7, 2008.
released two drama CDs
for Buso Renkin. The first CD was released on May 26, 2005. The second CD was released on October 6, 2006. Geneon Universal Entertainment released an animation soundtrack CD for Buso Renkin on January 25, 2007, featuring Jyukai and Yoshiki Fukuyama
.
Geneon Universal Entertainment released two "Expert CDs", which features the radio drama, opening and ending themes as well as unreleased soundtrack songs. The first CD, Expert CD 1, was released on March 28, 2007. The second CD, Expert CD 2, was released on June 8, 2007. Both CDs feature Ryoka Yuzuki
, Noriko Shitaya
, Mitsuaki Madono
, Aya Hirano
, Takayuki Kondo
, Jun Fukuyama
, Masashi Ebara
, Yuto Kazama and Yoshiki Fukuyama
.
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 drawn by Nobuhiro Watsuki
Nobuhiro Watsuki
is a Japanese manga artist, best known for his samurai-themed series Rurouni Kenshin. He once worked as an assistant for his favorite author Takeshi Obata.-Biography:...
, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin
, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
. Buso Renkin was serialized in Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
's shōnen magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
from June 2003 to 2005, ending at 80 chapters. The individual chapters were collected by Shueisha into ten tankōbon
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...
volumes which were released between January 5, 2004 and April 4, 2006. The series has been licensed by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
for North American release.
The manga has been 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....
television series by Xebec, which finished its run in Japan with a total of 26 episodes. On April 27, 2009, the series made its North American television debut on the Funimation Channel
FUNimation Channel
The FUNimation Channel is a 24-hour cable network which broadcasts anime series in the United States. OlympuSAT was chosen as the exclusive distributor of the network....
. There are also two drama CDs, two light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s, and a PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
video game based on the series.
Plot
The story begins when high school student is killed one night saving a mysterious girl from a monster, only to wake up in his school dorm, believing it to have been a dream. However, he soon finds out that dream wasn't a dream at all when a giant serpentine monster attacks him and his sister. , the girl he saved, explains that the monster is a homunculusHomunculus
Homunculus is a term used, generally, in various fields of study to refer to any representation of a human being. Historically, it referred specifically to the concept of a miniature though fully formed human body, for example, in the studies of alchemy and preformationism...
. Kazuki had been attacked and killed by it when rescuing Tokiko. However she, feeling responsible for him, revived him by placing a Kakugane medallion in his chest, serving as a replacement heart.
The Kakugane, as Tokiko explains, is an alchemical (alchemistic) device that, when activated, takes a certain form based on the Kakugane's user, forming a unique Buso Renkin. The Buso Renkin is the only thing that can destroy a homunculus monster. Using this, Kazuki creates his own Buso Renkin, taking the form of a giant lance, later named 'Sunlight Heart'. Along with Tokiko and her own Buso Renkin (the Valkyrie Skirt, an execution scythe), Kazuki joins the fight against the homunculi and their master.
Alchemy
In the world of Buso Renkin, there are two types of alchemy besides the historical one: buso renkin (arms alchemy) and homunculus. In this world, these are the only categories of alchemy which had succeeded, while the attempts to transform base metals into gold or achieve immortality had failed.Buso Renkin
Buso Renkin are weapons formed by the alchemically-created kakugane, based on the user's will to fight. The shape the Buso Renkin takes reflects the user's personality. Buso Renkin are the only weapons known to be able to kill a homunculus. Kakugane are developed in the process of creating the Philosopher's stone, the ultimate goal of the Alchemy Warriors around the planet. Kakugane will generate a weapon that reflects the user's battle style; a user will always have the same type of Buso Renkin regardless of the Kakugane number, though there will be cosmetic differences. Buso Renkin are activated by the fighting instinct of the user. This means that they can only be used by humans or human-type homunculi, since only humans have the instinct to use tools to defend themselves. Kakugane, in their normal state, can also strengthen a user's healing abilities. In total, there are only 100 Kakugane, from I (1) to C (100). The first three of were turned into Black Kakuganes and the second one was made into a White Kakugane afterwards. After the Victor Incident, Kakugane were scattered around the world; currently, there are 25 known Kakugane that are used in Japan.Black Kakugane
Black Kakugane I-III are the first results of the Alchemy Warriors. However, they were unstable, and upon insertion of Black Kakugane I (1) to replace his heart, Warrior Victor lost control. The same thing would happen to Kazuki 100 years later when his Black Kakugane III awoke. A person who has been revived using a black Kakugane is called a 'Victor,' since he was the first person to become such a being. Black Kakugane give their users glowing light green hair, red eyes, and tanned skin, with the ability to use 'Energy Drain,' a 'vital body function' which absorbs people's life force; it's possible to kill a person by draining his/her energy. As it is a vital body function, it is impossible to stop or shut off. Black Kakugane users also have the ability to evolve. While in stage 1, a user can transform from normal human to his/her 'Victor' form. After six weeks, a user evolves into stage 2, when he/she is permanently transformed into a 'Victor' form. After more time has passed, the person may willingly change back and forth from stage 3 where the tanned skin turns into a dark red, and the power of energy drain greatly increases. Black Kakugane have all the functions of a standard Kakugane. Buso Renkin created by Black Kakugane tend to be much stronger, since they make their users' bodies so much stronger.
White Kakugane
Developed by Alexandria, a White Kakugane is the exact opposite of a Black Kakugane. It holds the ability to nullify a Black Kakugane's power, restoring a person with a Black Kakugane to normal.
Kazuki's Kakugane that Tokiko took back from Alexandria was a 'test model' that was disguised as a normal kakugane. However, it proved to be unstable when it was in close proximity with a Black Kakugane; in this case, Victor's Black Kakugane I. Alexandria then developed another kakugane based on Black Kakugane II, moving past the test stage. This Kakugane was used in an unsuccessful attempt to restore Victor to normal; a Black Kakugane user in stage 3 can only be restored to stage 2.
Papillon was able to make a White Kakugane based on his own knowledge and the research Dr. Butterfly and Alexandria left behind. Using them, he was able to develop a White Kakugane from scratch, and used it to change Kazuki back to normal in Buso Renkin Period. His devices were then used to create another White Kakugane to restore Victor back to normal. Other than the converted Kakugane II, the other two White Kakugane's are not numbered as they were not the original 100 Kakuganes. It is possible to have more than one White Kakugane in a person's body, as shown by Victor, who has two White Kakugane in his body by the end of the story.
Homunculus
A homunculus is created when an embryo-like creation from a plant, animal, or even a human is placed inside a human. The embryo then invades the brain and takes control of the body, giving it abilities that mimic the natural talents of the embryo's origin. They can all regenerate from virtually any wound inflicted on them, and are considered to be the closest lifeforms to immortal. They are only vulnerable to alchemy-based attacks, such as Buso Renkin or other homunculi.Animal-type and Plant-type homunculi possess strength relative to their animal or plant base as well as retaining their sentience (they have the intelligence and reasoning of a human, but consider themselves to be an animal or plant). To activate their abilities, they have to 'transform', usually resulting in a large version of its base (an Eagle-type homunculus would become a giant eagle, for example). Often the homunculi's creator would have to brainwash them into following their creator with blind loyalty, though a few have been known to do so by their own choice.
Human-type homunculi do not change form, but merely gain the strength and regenerative powers of a homunculus while retaining their human form and mind, or at least a humanoid shape (as the embryo for a human homunculus almost always comes from the human him/herself). Human-type homunculi have one distinct advantage over Animal or Plant-types; they have the ability to use Buso Renkin (only humans can use Buso Renkins).
Most homunculi have the urge to eat other humans, but in episode 25 Papillon tells Victoria that eating humans doesn't whet his appetite. Victoria explains that homunculi eat humans because they desire to regain the aspects of humanity that they gave up; this may be why we never hear of Washio, who was once a wild hawk, eating any humans. She then tells Papillon that because he no longer has any connection to humanity (or rather, that he no longer desires to be human), he has become something other than human or homunculus, but rather a "superhuman".
Production
Nobuhiro Watsuki started writing Buso Renkin thinking it would be his last shōnen manga so he tried to do anything he could with that genre. Although he thought he would be good drawing its fights scenes, he still had troubles with them. He also remarks he "struggled with the comedic elements." During the series' publications, Watsuki had four severe colds, being so weak in the fourth one that he could not finish the chapter supposed to be sent to the Shōnen Jump.The "League of Extraordinary Elects" was based on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill, publication of which began in 1999. The series spans two six-issue limited series and a graphic novel from the America's Best Comics imprint of Wildstorm/DC, and a third miniseries...
. The term for the human followers of the homunculi
Homunculus
Homunculus is a term used, generally, in various fields of study to refer to any representation of a human being. Historically, it referred specifically to the concept of a miniature though fully formed human body, for example, in the studies of alchemy and preformationism...
, "familiars", comes from the human disciples of the vampires in the movie Blade
Blade (film)
Blade is a 1998 vampire superhero action horror starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide...
. The death scene, featuring Shusui next to his dying sibling Ouka, has been compared to Tomoe's death scene in Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin
, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
. Watsuki has claimed Ouka and Shusui to be reincarnations of Rurouni Kenshins Yukishiro Enishi
Yukishiro Enishi
Yukishiro Enishi is a character from the manga Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki. He is the primary antagonist of the final arc of the series, the Jinchū arc, and the younger brother of Yukishiro Tomoe.-Conception and design:...
and Yukishiro Tomoe
Yukishiro Tomoe
, known in Western order as Tomoe Yukishiro in the English anime OVAs, is a fictional character in Nobuhiro Watsuki's popular manga and anime series Rurouni Kenshin and is the first wife of the series' main protagonist Himura Kenshin.She plays a major role in the manga's final arc, the Jinchū arc...
. The submarine Buso Renkin, Deep Breathing, was inspired by the Nautilus from the movie League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Buster Baron is a reincarnation of the Armor Baron from Gun Blaze West
Gun Blaze West
is a manga series by Nobuhiro Watsuki and published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2001. The story follows Viu Bannes, a young gunfighter on his journey towards a Gun Blaze West, the place where the greatest gunmen go to test their strength....
.
Manga
Buso Renkin was serialized in ShueishaShueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
's shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
magazine, Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
from June 2003 to 2005, ending at 80 chapters. Only the first 79 chapters were serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, while the finale chapter was published in another magazine from Shueisha in two installements. The individual chapters were collected by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
into 10 tankōbon
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...
volumes which were released between January 5, 2004 and April 4, 2006. Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
released the manga's 10 tankōbon volumes between August 1, 2006 and February 5, 2008. The manga is licensed in France by Glénat
Glénat (publisher)
Glénat Editions SA is a French publisher with its head office in Grenoble. The company publishes many things, including comic books and manga in France, Benelux, and Spain; it was founded by Jacques Glénat. The Spanish subsidiary has its head office in Barcelona. The Benelux subsidiary, Glénat...
, in Germany by Tokyopop Germany
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
,
Anime
In Japan on October 4, 2006, the Buso Renkin manga was adapted into an anime series which ran on TV TokyoTV 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...
directed by Takao Kato and produced by Xebec. Buso Renkin aired between October 4, 2006 and March 28, 2007 on 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 episodes were later collected by Geneon Universal Entertainment and released in nine DVD compilations between January 25, 2007 and September 21, 2007. A DVD box set containing all twenty-six episodes was released on November 26, 2009. On December 8, 2007, Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
announced the release of the English dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
which would be released in two DVD sets of thirteen episodes each. The first set containing episodes one to thirteen was released on April 29, 2008. The second set containing episodes fourteen to twenty-six was released on October 7, 2008.
CDs
ShueishaShueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
released two drama CDs
Radio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
for Buso Renkin. The first CD was released on May 26, 2005. The second CD was released on October 6, 2006. Geneon Universal Entertainment released an animation soundtrack CD for Buso Renkin on January 25, 2007, featuring Jyukai and Yoshiki Fukuyama
Yoshiki Fukuyama
, born September 14, 1963, is a Japanese guitarist, singer and songwriter. He originally became known on an international level for his work in the anime Macross 7 where he was the singing voice and guitar of the show's main character, Basara Nekki...
.
Geneon Universal Entertainment released two "Expert CDs", which features the radio drama, opening and ending themes as well as unreleased soundtrack songs. The first CD, Expert CD 1, was released on March 28, 2007. The second CD, Expert CD 2, was released on June 8, 2007. Both CDs feature Ryoka Yuzuki
Ryoka Yuzuki
Ryōka Yuzuki is a voice actress who was born in Anjo, Aichi, Japan. Her younger sister is an adult comic strip artist Sayumi Sakuragi ....
, Noriko Shitaya
Noriko Shitaya
is a Japanese voice actress who works for 81 Produce.-Anime television:2000* Hamtaro, Sumire-chan, Tsutomu-kun2001* Parappa the Rapper Gallery * Alien Nine , Kasumi Tōmine2002* Mirage of Blaze...
, Mitsuaki Madono
Mitsuaki Madono
is a voice actor who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes hide a more insidious nature is a voice actor (seiyū) who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes...
, Aya Hirano
Aya Hirano
from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who has had roles in several anime, visual novels, and TV commercials in Japan. She was contracted to Space Craft Produce, a branch of the Space Craft Group, for her voice acting career, and for her singing career,...
, Takayuki Kondo
Takayuki Kondo
is a Japanese voice actor from Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He is affiliated with Air Agency.-Anime:*Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai as Tetsudo Hisakawa*Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland as Tantoris...
, Jun Fukuyama
Jun Fukuyama
is a voice actor. He was previously represented by Aoni Production and Production Baobab, and is now represented by . In 2007, he won the first Seiyu Awards for the best actor in leading role as Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass...
, Masashi Ebara
Masashi Ebara
, better known as , is a Japanese voice actor, actor, and narrator from Kanagawa Prefecture. He stands at 175 centimeters and is affiliated with 81 Produce....
, Yuto Kazama and Yoshiki Fukuyama
Yoshiki Fukuyama
, born September 14, 1963, is a Japanese guitarist, singer and songwriter. He originally became known on an international level for his work in the anime Macross 7 where he was the singing voice and guitar of the show's main character, Basara Nekki...
.