is a manga

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...

 serial

Serial (literature)

In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...

 written by Jinsei Kataoka and illustrated by Kazuma Kondou, who also wrote and illustrated the Eureka Seven

Eureka Seven

Eureka Seven, known in Japan as , is a mecha anime TV series by Bones. Eureka Seven tells the story of Renton Thurston and the outlaw group Gekkostate, his relationship with the enigmatic mecha pilot Eureka, and the mystery of the Coralians....

manga, and published in Shōnen Ace

Shonen Ace

is a monthly shōnen manga magazine in Japan published by Kadokawa Shoten, started in 1994. Unlike the big shōnen weeklies with circulation figures in the millions, Ace is aimed at a less mainstream audience, and has a particular emphasis on anime tie-ins...

since 2007. Tokyopop

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...

 acquired the licensing rights to distribute the manga in English and has released the first volume on February 9, 2010. An anime adaptation began airing in April 2011.

Plot summary

A massive earthquake ravaged Japan's mainland and destroyed most of Tokyo, sinking three-quarters of it into the ocean. Ten years later, the story shifts to Igarashi Ganta, a seemingly ordinary student attending Nagano Prefecture's middle school. An escapee, a survivor of the great earthquake, Ganta has no memories of the tragedy and has lived a normal life. This all changes when a strange person covered in blood and crimson armour floats through his classroom windows. Grinning madly, the Red Man massacres Ganta's entire class but instead of killing him, embeds a red crystal shard in Ganta's chest. Within days of the massacre, Ganta is declared the sole suspect and, following a quick trial, is sentenced to life imprisonment in Deadman Wonderland, a massive theme park like prison.

Arriving at the prison, Ganta is fitted with a special collar which monitors his location and life signs. Due to the heinous nature of Ganta's 'crime', he has to live out his imprisonment under Deadman Wonderland's 'Death Sentence'. A lethal poison is constantly injected into his bloodstream through the collar, but it can be neutralized by consuming a peculiar candy-like medicine every three days. Additional candy can be earned through hard work or by purchasing it. In order to gather Cast Points, the prison's currency, an inmate has to perform in the facility's lethal games and survive. Fortunately for Ganta, he is aided by a mysterious girl named Shiro, who apparently knows Ganta, and is known by other prisoners as well.

While trying to survive as an inmate on death row, Ganta becomes increasingly obsessed with the 'Red Man' and tries to find him so he could clear his name. In a bizarre twist, Ganta begins to develop the ability to manipulate his own blood, to the point of turning it into a weapon. Unbeknownst to him, Ganta has become one of the prison's 'Deadmen', a segregated group of prisoners possessing the Branches of Sin which makes them capable of controlling their blood. After his ability is discovered, Ganta is forced to participate in brutal gladiatorial death matches, known as Carnival Corpse, whose anonymous spectators pay large amounts of money to watch. In his struggle he manages to befriend some of those he fought off in the arena, and with their help Ganta continues his quest to uncover the identity of the Red Man, why he turned into a Deadman and the dark secrets the prison authorities are hiding.

Deadman Wonderland - The Prison

Deadman Wonderland is Japan's only privately operated prison, built after the Great Tokyo Earthquake on ground zero. It gathers prisoners from all over Japan and raises money for the revival of the destroyed metropolis. To the public and the tourists that visit daily, Deadman Wonderland is a massive theme park-like facility run by the prison population. Unbeknownst to the general population, most of the prison's attractions involve cruel games of survival where many inmates lose their lives or are maimed for the entertainment of an oblivious public. The prison also runs a secret gladiator-like game called the Carnival Corpse, where wealthy anonymous donors pay to watch deathmatches between the prison's Deadmen. Deadmen who are defeated yet survive the game, have a part of their anatomy surgically removed for scientific research. In a cruel twist, the loser spins a macabre slot-machine to determine which part of their body will be removed, with the show being broadcast live to the other prisoners. The winner is awarded a large amount of Cast Points, life-saving candies and other prizes.

To keep prisoners at bay in case of a riot, they are fitted with special collars which act as life monitors. locators and stunners. Those on death row however are constantly administered poison through their collars: should an inmate not consume a special candy-like antidote every three days, provided to them at the cost of a large sum of Cast Points, he/she would die immediately. The prison's guard staff is also granted autonomy over how to punish the prisoners, which often results in bloodshed.

While the threat of violence is constant at the prison, most prisoners enjoy a great deal of liberty inside Deadman Wonderland. Utilizing Cast Points, the prison's unique form of currency, prisoners can purchase a wide variety of items, from ordinary lunches, to luxurious furniture for their rooms, and even years off of their sentences. Those on death row also use Cast Points to purchase their life-saving candies.

Despite its identity as a prison and theme park, Deadman Wonderland houses a much darker secret. Hidden away from the eyes of tourists and the general prison population is a massive underground facility known as 'Level G'. This is where the prison keeps their Deadmen secluded, and where the Carnival Corpse arena is located. Level G also houses numerous laboratories and rooms where human experimentation is performed and where scientists are attempting to harness the powers of the Deadmen for monetary and political gain.

Characters

aka Woodpecker

The main protagonist of the story, is a seemingly harmless, ordinary middle school boy who is framed for the slaughter of his entire class, perpetrated by the mysterious Red Man. Sentenced to 'death' after a phony trial, he is sent to Deadman Wonderland, where he is initially confused and frightened by the brutality of the prison. Shortly after arriving, Ganta discovers he can manipulate his blood and, thus, is deemed a Deadman, a bearer of a Branch of Sin - a power that allows the bearer to manipulate its blood, usually with lethal effect. Ganta appears to have gained this power from a shard of crimson crystal the Red Man fired into his chest after the massacre at the school. As a Deadman, Ganta is forced to fight and survive in the Carnival Corpse under the moniker Woodpecker while trying to locate the Red Man, who apparently is held captive in Deadman Wonderland. Ganta's power, dubbed the Ganta Gun by Senji, allows Ganta to gather variable quantities of blood in the palm of his hand and then shoot them at high speed, as if they were bullets. While advantageous as a long-range attack, due to Ganta's small stature, this also puts him at risk of experiencing symptoms of excessive blood loss. Ganta participated in Scar Chain's attempt to escape from DW, and helped several members escape along with video and audio evidence of the atrocities being committed below the prison. Ganta, however, chose to remain behind to continue his search for the Red Man. Shortly after these events, Ganta's power began to change, evident by a strange tattoo-like mark radiating out from the crystal in his chest. His Ganta Gun now emits a much more powerful blast than before, though it is much less controllable and causes him physical pain. He has feelings for his childhood friend Shiro who is ironically the very same Red Man that he's bent on killing out of revenge. It is later revealed that Igarashi Sorae is the one who made the wretched egg and the mother goose system.

A mysterious albino girl that Ganta encountered during his first days as an inmate. Clothed only in a skin-tight bodysuit and muffly gloves, which help conceal her heavily scarred skin, Shiro stands out among the other prisoners due to her bizarre appearance and mannerisms. To Ganta, Shiro's manner of speaking and acting remind him of a small child, even though Shiro is the same age as him. However, Shiro possesses inhuman physical abilities and has an intimate knowledge of the prison, having apparently lived there most of her life. From the beginning of the story it is made clear that, as children, Shiro and Ganta were close friends. Ganta, however, has no memories of his childhood, which greatly saddens and annoys Shiro. Despite her seemingly harmless appearance, Shiro harbors a dark secret; she possesses two personalities, one of whom is the 'Red Man' Ganta is searching for. Thanks to the Mother Goose mainframe, Deadman Wonderland's supercomputer which constantly emits a lullaby audible only to Shiro and DW's director, Shiro's other personality is repressed. When the lullaby is turned off, Shiro becomes a murderous, smirking maniac capable of massacring whole squads of armed men with little effort. It's at these times that she dons a crimson colored full body restraint, which gives her a taller, masculine appearance, hence Ganta's inability to recognize her. Shiro is apparently the 'source' of the Branch of Sin abilities and is referred to by Tamaki as the Wretched Egg. Shiro cares greatly for Ganta and constantly seeks his approval. She is willing to do anything that Ganta asks her as long as it will make him happy. Even when in her 'Red Man' state, she still seems to care for him, as it was implied that she butchered Ganta's classmates just so that he would be sent to Deadman Wonderland, where she was also living, though it is later revealed that she did this as to kill him. Currently, Shiro is supposedly dead, since her 'Wretched Egg' persona took over her body even though the lullaby is playing.

A kleptomaniac and an informant to Assistant Warden Tamaki, Yō was hired to watch over Ganta in return of large amounts for Cast Points. Though apparently friendly and polite, in truth he is ruthless, scheming and somehow paranoid, given his position as a spy for the prison's staff. A rarity among the prison population, Yō willingly made himself captured and sent to Deadman Wonderland in hopes to find his sister Minatsuki and buy her freedom with the accumulated Cast Points he got from Tamaki. He cares deeply about her, so much so that he is often thought of suffering from a sister complex, much to Minatsuki's disgust. The two eventually manage to forge an estranged relationship.

A major antagonist, Tamaki is the Assistant Warden and de facto tyrant of Deadman Wonderland. Under his calm, almost idiotic attitude, he is something of a sadist, caring nothing about the fact that he butchers dozens of prisoners every day for the sole purpose of gathering money or experimenting on them, or simply, and mainly, for his own twisted amusement. As son of the dying Chief Warden of Deadman Wonderland, he eagerly hopes for the death of his father to become truly the supreme ruler of the prison, and he devotes much of his time and resources in studying and experimenting on the powers of the Branch of Sin and their origin. He also is in contact with the upper echelons of the Japanese government, his ultimate goal being the synthesis of artificial Deadmen. In sharp contrast with his cruelty, he enjoys playing with children's toys. It is later revealed that his sick game was really just part of his plan to kill the Wretched Egg. Through his research he has created a being that, according to him, will soon hunt down and kill all beings with Deadman powers, including the Wretched Egg, for nutrition. Before the Great Tokyo Earthquake Tamaki was a reclusive and indifferent computer otaku who spent hours if not days secluded in his room, playing games, not caring anything even about his own family. The massive earthquake, which destroyed his home and games, sent him over the edge of sanity and led him to engineer Deadman Wonderland as a gigantic game, so as to keep playing as he did before the earthquake. Nevertheless, when confronted by Toto, who revealed himself to be the real Director of Deadman Wonderland, and made aware that he himself was no more than another pawn in his own game, Tamaki shot himself in the head as an ultimate assurance that this was his, and only his, game.

Senior leader of the prison's guard staff, Makina is a harsh and cold enforcer which does not hesitate in punishing, often brutally, the prison's population. Known for her demeanor and her large breasts (G cup), she is infamous for carrying a decorated sword with herself at all times, and also for using it to cut whoever breaks the prison's rules, acts that almost always result in bloodshed. Despite her brutality she is far less twisted than Tamaki, whom she is greatly suspicious of, especially after discovering that she knows and has authority over only a part of Deadman Wonderland. This fact, coupled with Tamaki's ever more sick machinations, led her to forfeit her position and hunt him down with the aid of some allies, among them the Deadmen themselves, Ganta in particular. After the death of Tamaki, she came in possession of the data regarding the Wretched Egg, the Deadmen and the Forgeries.

aka Crow

Senji, nicknamed Crow, is the first Deadman Ganta encounters while held as an inmate in Deadman Wonderland. Confined in Level G for his ferocity, he is depicted as a tall, powerfully built man which revels in bloodshed and battle, a fact which helps him enjoy his life in prison and the Carnival Corpse matches. He is the first opponent Ganta faces off against, and apparently dominates their entire battle until Ganta suddenly defeats him with a powerful blood shot to the chest. Being defeated, as a penalty Senji is stripped of his right eye, though he reappears shortly after and somehow befriends Ganta, christening his power as the Ganta Gun and helping him by encouraging him during his next match. He developed something of a rivalry with Ganta, demanding him to not being defeated until their next fight. His Branch of Sin power has its blood turning into incredibly sharp scythes that protrude from his forearms, the Crow Claws, with which can perform an attack at the speed of sound he dubs Invisible Black. Ironically, while pretty much everyone finds the name Ganta Gun idiotic, Senji adores it. Also, he becomes greatly embarrassed when in the presence of women with risque clothing, often to the point of ridiculing himself. He often declares Dead Center (Ssslice in the anime) as a catchphrase. He used to be a policeman, and fought with Akatsuki, one of the Forgeries, who has a grudge against him, as Akatsuki used to be a criminal he and his team were after. He was left behind by his friend using a punch to knock him out and his four friends were wiped out. He defeated Akatsuki using a Giant Blade made of blood. As a reminder of his former colleagues, he has their initials, DSMK, tattooed on the right side of his forehead.

aka Hummingbird

Minatsuki is Yō Takami's younger sister, and a Deadman secluded in Level G. When Ganta encounters her for the first time, she appears as an extremely shy and gentle girl who stands at odds with the place she is held in. In truth, this reserved and quiet personality is just a ruse that she uses to make those around her feel secure and to mask her true nature, that of a sadistic psychopath so twisted that she becomes sexually aroused by witnessing others suffering. While an ordinary girl, she became warped (and likely gained her Branch of Sin powers) after her mother abandoned her during the Great Tokyo Earthquake. She lost more than once while fighting in the Carnival Corpse (losing half of her stomach and a kidney), and she lost again in her fight with Ganta, though by rigging the organ-choosing slot machine she only lost her some of her hair, though she can use her Branch of Sin with what is left. After these events she somehow reconciled with her brother Yō, though she still lashes out violently from time to time. Her power, Whip Wing, takes form of blood-made whips which extend from her hair and can deliver immensely quick blows or restrain her opponent.

aka Owl

Kengamine is the leader of the Deadman rebellion group Scar Chain. Before he formed Scar Chain he had a relationship with a female Deadman while in Sector G. They eventually were parents-to-be before being put into a Carnival Corpse against each other where Kengamine intentionally lost due to his lover being pregnant at the time. His defeat gave way to his punishment game, in which he lost his vocal cords, but Tamaki, in a show of cruelty, had Genkaku kill Nagi's lover so as to punish his dishonesty, an act which prompted Nagi to slaughter the Undertakers almost to the last man in a fit of bloody rage. Two years later, he formed Scar Chain with Karako to help reach his own hope of holding his child, whom he believes to be alive on the surface. Later, however, after being tortured by Genkaku, he tells Karako that his child was killed in the womb when his lover was dissected, and is preserved with other Deadmen body parts as a valuable specimen, being the offspring of two Deadmen. Acknowledging his hope of seeing his child again as a mere delusion, he was again driven mad with grief and despair and went on a bloody rampage, killing friend and foe alike until Karako put some sense in him, after which he was mortally wounded by Genkaku. His Branch of Sin, Owl's Eyeball, allows him to generate blood spheres that detonate with tremendous force.

aka Game Fowl

The second-in-command of Scar Chain who secretly loves Owl and fights for his sake. She is able to use her Branch of Sin to coat part or all of her body in blood, reinforcing her natural strength and durability.

A former chief of intelligence of Scar Chain and also a Deadman. He was a spy of the Undertakers and revealed his betrayal during the Scar Chain's plan to escape Deadman Wonderland.

The leader of the 1st Undertaker Platoon. A self-proclaimed "Super Monk" who dresses in the garb of a Japanese monk. He wields an electric guitar that can split into two machine guns. Two years before the main storyline, he was the one who killed Nagi's wife and eventually found an interest in Nagi after he went on a rampage by killing twenty-two Undertaker soldiers. He is eventually finished off by Ganta's Ganbare Gun with the help of Nagi. He was not killed, but is still unconsious and in critical condition.

The leader of the 3rd Undertaker Platoon, a polite and well-mannered young girl who was warped considerably by the abuse heaped upon her by her late mother, such as suspending her in the air with hooks embedded in her skin and making her solve complex math theories that probably don't even exist for minor things such as bed wetting and vomiting. She was sent to Deadman Wonderland after she dismembered several boys and buried them in the school's garden after they flipped her skirt up. Despite her diminutive size, she is absurdly strong and wields a massive, sectioned sword longer than she is tall.

aka Mockingbird

A mysterious Deadman feared even by Senji, Toto is a mysterious boy dressed in a way reminiscent of Shiro, and appears not only to be one of the strongest Deadmen introduced so far, but also to know in great detail about the true nature and purpose of Deadman Wonderland. His power, Love Labyrinth, allows him to copy the abilities of other Deadmen. However, he states that he recently was reset of his copied powers after his battle with the Red Man. However, even in his weakened state, he managed to take down two of the Forgeries with nothing but a copy of Crow's powers. He freely comes and goes through the prison, and recently has become friends with Ganta. Toto is the only person to have fought the Red Man and have survived. It was recently discovered that he is actually the director of Deadman Wonderland, who was believed to be dead after a confrontation with Shiro, implying that Toto did die after his confrontation with the Wretched Egg, but his body was somehow restored and is now being used by the director.

aka Peacock

Masaru is a transsexual woman who sees herself as a bright figure in Sector G and is also an announcer for most of the "Carnival Corpse" duels. She is often around Minatsuki, Itadaki "Masu" Kazuya, and Hitara. Her card is Peacock and his Branch of Sin, Peacock Peak, allows her to create what appear to be bramble-like constructs that can be used to trap and pierce opponents. Before being imprisoned, she was an ordinary employee of some corporation who awoke her Deadman powers after finding her lover with a woman, whom she killed.

aka Condor

An old man who always claims to be talking to his daughter through his distinctive headset. As we learn through a flashback, Hitara was a teacher whose daughter Yuki, once a beautiful tv starlet, was horribly disfigured during the Great Tokyo Earthquake, and committed suicide by setting herself on fire. Hirata claimed responsibility for the fact, and was thus imprisoned. His Branch of Sin is called Condor Candle and enables him to ignite his blood into flames "that can burn ice". His complete Forgery opponent's were a pair of 30 year old twins who appeared in the form of toddlers. The twins "sleep inducing" blood poison did not seem to affect Hitara, and he was able to finish them off, after spreading his blood all around them during a seemingly losing battle.

Azami Midō is one of the first inmates that Ganta meets. She later becomes a friend of Ganta. Her residence is within the Human quarters, so she is not a Deadman. Although she came off as rude in her first appearance, she was still very kind when she gave Ganta half of her sandwich after teaching him about Cast Points, scolding him because he didn't read the rule book. There are times when she can be meek, but she seems quick to anger if one pushes the right buttons. After Azami met Ganta, she became a Forgery and is forced to fight as Tamaki bids, but Ganta manages to help Azami regain her mentality that the poison masks stole from her. After a battle with Madoka, she stays behind with Shiro while Ganta goes on ahead. When Shiro vanishes and as her alternate personality (known as the Wretched Egg or The Red Man), Shiro beheads Azami, ending her life.

• Mitsuzaki Yosuga

A mysterious girl who claims to have known and loved Toto before he 'changed', and while not actually seen in DW before, is presumed to be a Deadman. She seems to doubt herself repeatedly and speaks in third person. She is later found out to be Toto's older sister.

Terminology

The Undertakers are Tamaki's special enforcement group, specifically trained as anti-Deadman soldiers. The group is composed of some of the worst criminals in Deadman Wonderland, individuals who could not be rehabilitated but succeeded in passing a grueling selection to become counter-Deadmen. They possess technology that allows them to nullify a Deadman's Branch of Sin ability, such that any blood constructs created by Deadmen will revert back to normal blood upon contact with their weapons and armour. Other prominent members of the Undertakers include Gazuchi Mōzuri, the leader of the 2nd Undertaker Platoon who was abandoned by his mother and raised by bears; and Dōkoku Shinagawa, the second-in-command of the 2nd Undertaker Platoon, a serial killer who skinned women and made dresses out of their hair and scalps. There are also various foot soldiers armed with anti-Deadman mundane weaponry such as blades and firearms.

Scar Chain is a group of Deadmen that opposes the prison and plan to leak the truth to the rest of the world. They believe in each individual's own personal definition of freedom. They are led by the Deadman Owl.

• Forgeries

The Forgeries were created by Tamaki in order to inspire fear in the people outside of Deadman Wonderland. At the time, Deadman Wonderland's Carnival Corpse was seen as inhumane, but by putting his Forgeries into the ring, he starts to convince people that Deadmen are monsters that deserve to be treated the way they currently are, if not worse. These man-made Deadmen have the unique ability to create large snake-like tendrils out of their blood, to be forced out of their arms. Any bodily contact with the snakes will cause one's muscles to swell up to the point where, if touched or left for a long period of time, they will burst. It has been seen that the swelling can be cut off at early stages, thus preventing more fatal injuries. All Forgeries wear special masks that keep them hypnotized in a state of euphoria, allowing them to withstand even the most grievous injuries or obey the most irrational orders without a thought.

• Complete Forgeries

They are Forgeries who have poison that has evolved. They are supposed to be stronger than even the Deadmen. But that is proven wrong when they are defeated by Ganta, Senji, Minatsuki, Chaplin, and Hitara.

Anime

On July 30, 2009, a retailers' solicitation sheet reported that an anime adaptation has been green-lit. It is animated by Manglobe

Manglobe

is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It was formed on February 7, 2002 by Sunrise producers Shinichirō Kobayashi and Takashi Kochiyama.-Works:*Trip Trek *Samurai Champloo...

 and aired in Japan between April 17, 2011 and July 3, 2011. 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...

 episode was released on October 8, 2011 alongside the eleventh manga volume. The opening theme is "One Reason" by DWB feat.fade and the ending theme is "Shiny Shiny" by Nirgilis

Nirgilis

is a Japanese electronic rock band formed in 1993 by Moyo Satake and Takeshi Ito. Acchu Iwata, Minoru Kurihara, and Yuki Inadera joined in 1995. Satake and Ito left the group in 2004 and 2007, respectively, leaving the group without its founders....

. Funimation Entertainment

Funimation Entertainment

Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...

 has licensed the series and will be released in 2012

Episode list

>

No.	Title	Original airdate

External links

• Japan Reviewed - Deadman Wonderland