Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
written and illustrated by Motoro Mase. The manga is serialized in Shogakukan
's Weekly Young Sunday
. A national prosperity law has been passed in dystopian Japan resulting in citizens between the ages of 18-24 being randomly selected to die for the good of the nation. These citizens are given 24 hour notification of their impending death. These notifications are known as "ikigami".
The manga was adapted into a live-action film titled Ikigami
in 2008 with Tomoyuki Takimoto as its director.
, all Japanese students receive an inoculation
. A small percentage of these inoculations includes a nano
capsule which via radio-control will kill the receiver somewhere between the ages of 18-24. The government believes that the threat of unexpected death will increase prosperity
and productivity in its citizens. And indeed this increased prosperity is evident, but at a great cost, innocent lives. Citizens who do not agree with the National prosperity law and who publicly voice their opinions are accused of "thought crime."
Kengo Fujimoto (Shota Matsuda
) has been recruited by the government as an Ikigami delivery man. Whilst undergoing training he witnesses the "arrest" of a man (also undergoing training to become a deliverer) who commits a thought-crime when he yells to the entire room that the law is wrong and that his girlfriend died from the ikigami. The film follows Kengo as he delivers Ikigami to three citizens: a rising musician (Yuta Kanai
) debuting in the music industry but struggling with leaving his friend behind as a busker, a shut-in (Kazuma Sano) who is the son of a council woman (Jun Fubuki
) who supports the law whole-heartedly and attempts to use her son's upcoming death to gain sympathy votes, and a working-class debt collector (Takayuki Yamada
) who is about to take his blind sister (Riko Narumi
) out of the orphanage she lives in now that he is finally financially secure.
During the film we discover that thought-crime criminals are most likely brain-washed and then returned to society, strongly believing in the national prosperity law when they return. Throughout the film Kengo struggles not to commit thought-crimes publicly as he feels that the law is wrong. Towards the end of the film Kengo walks past a school where the year one
s are entering; there are nurses encouraging children to have their inoculations. Kengo sees the man who was taken from his Ikigami deliverance training, standing in a lab coat encouraging the children to get their inoculations, supporting the brainwashing theory.
's Weekly Young Sunday
until the magazine ended on July 31, 2008. The serialization of the manga continued in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits
from its 41st issue. Shogakukan released the manga's seven tankōbon
volumes between August 5, 2005 and September 30, 2009. The manga is licensed in North America by Viz Media
, which released the first tankōbon volume released on May 12, 2009. The manga is also licensed in France by Asuka
, in Spain and Italy by Panini Comics
, in Taiwan by Sharp Point Press
, in Korea by Haksan Culture Company
. and in Poland by wydawnictwo Hanami
in 2008 with Tomoyuki Takimoto as its director. The 'theme song' of the film is Michishirube (signpost / 路標) by PhilHarmoUniQue. It is performed by Yuta Kanai in the film.
.
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...
written and illustrated by Motoro Mase. The manga is serialized in Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
's Weekly Young Sunday
Weekly Young Sunday
was a weekly manga magazine published by Shogakukan in Japan since the first issue on April 10, 1987. It replaced Shōnen Big Comic in Shogakukan's lineup of shōnen titles, and many of the titles in Shōnen Big Comic were continued in Young Sunday...
. A national prosperity law has been passed in dystopian Japan resulting in citizens between the ages of 18-24 being randomly selected to die for the good of the nation. These citizens are given 24 hour notification of their impending death. These notifications are known as "ikigami".
The manga was adapted into a live-action film titled Ikigami
Ikigami
Ikigami is a Japanese film based on Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, a manga written by Motoro Mase.-Plot:Ikigami takes place in a dystopian society where the government has implemented the "Prosperity Law". This law dictates 1 in 1000 random citizens ages 18~24 will die for the state in a mandatory...
in 2008 with Tomoyuki Takimoto as its director.
Plot summary
In first gradeFirst grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
, all Japanese students receive an inoculation
Inoculation
Inoculation is the placement of something that will grow or reproduce, and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into the body of a human or animal, especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease...
. A small percentage of these inoculations includes a nano
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
capsule which via radio-control will kill the receiver somewhere between the ages of 18-24. The government believes that the threat of unexpected death will increase prosperity
Prosperity
Prosperity is the state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune and/or successful social status. Prosperity often encompasses wealth but also includes others factors which are independent of wealth to varying degrees, such as happiness and health....
and productivity in its citizens. And indeed this increased prosperity is evident, but at a great cost, innocent lives. Citizens who do not agree with the National prosperity law and who publicly voice their opinions are accused of "thought crime."
Kengo Fujimoto (Shota Matsuda
Shota Matsuda
is a Japanese actor. His parents are the actors Yusaku Matsuda and Miyuki Matsuda, his older brother is the actor Ryuhei Matsuda, and his aunt is the actress Mami Kumagai. Matsuda is 181 cm tall. His father, Yusaku Matsuda was half-Korean, thus Shota and Ryuhei are a quarter Korean.Matsuda has...
) has been recruited by the government as an Ikigami delivery man. Whilst undergoing training he witnesses the "arrest" of a man (also undergoing training to become a deliverer) who commits a thought-crime when he yells to the entire room that the law is wrong and that his girlfriend died from the ikigami. The film follows Kengo as he delivers Ikigami to three citizens: a rising musician (Yuta Kanai
Yuta Kanai
is a Japanese actor.Kanai starred as Tamotsu Yoshizawa in L: Change the WorLd. He has also starred in Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit.-External links:*...
) debuting in the music industry but struggling with leaving his friend behind as a busker, a shut-in (Kazuma Sano) who is the son of a council woman (Jun Fubuki
Jun Fubuki
is a Japanese actress. She received a Japanese Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Muno no hito, and won at the Hochi Film Awards. This role also won Fubuki the "Best Actress" award at the Yokohama Film Festival...
) who supports the law whole-heartedly and attempts to use her son's upcoming death to gain sympathy votes, and a working-class debt collector (Takayuki Yamada
Takayuki Yamada
is a Japanese actor and singer. He has two elder sisters and one son. At age 15, he was discovered by talent agency and made his debut in his acting career in the TV drama Psychometrer Eiji 2 in 1999....
) who is about to take his blind sister (Riko Narumi
Riko Narumi
is a Japanese actress and model.-Films:-Dramas:-External links:* at Ken On Entertainment...
) out of the orphanage she lives in now that he is finally financially secure.
During the film we discover that thought-crime criminals are most likely brain-washed and then returned to society, strongly believing in the national prosperity law when they return. Throughout the film Kengo struggles not to commit thought-crimes publicly as he feels that the law is wrong. Towards the end of the film Kengo walks past a school where the year one
Year One
The term "Year One" in political history usually refers to the institution of radical, revolutionary change. This usage dates from the time of the French Revolution: after the abolition of the French monarchy , the National Convention instituted the new French Revolutionary Calendar, declaring that...
s are entering; there are nurses encouraging children to have their inoculations. Kengo sees the man who was taken from his Ikigami deliverance training, standing in a lab coat encouraging the children to get their inoculations, supporting the brainwashing theory.
Manga
Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit is written and illustrated by Motoro Mase. The manga was serialized in ShogakukanShogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
's Weekly Young Sunday
Weekly Young Sunday
was a weekly manga magazine published by Shogakukan in Japan since the first issue on April 10, 1987. It replaced Shōnen Big Comic in Shogakukan's lineup of shōnen titles, and many of the titles in Shōnen Big Comic were continued in Young Sunday...
until the magazine ended on July 31, 2008. The serialization of the manga continued in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits
Big Comic Spirits
is a weekly Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan and aimed at males 20–25 years old. It originally launched on October 14, 1980. The culture of food, sports, love relationships, and business provide the themes for its featured series, which often question conventional values...
from its 41st issue. Shogakukan released the manga's seven 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 between August 5, 2005 and September 30, 2009. The manga is licensed in North America 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...
, which released the first tankōbon volume released on May 12, 2009. The manga is also licensed in France by Asuka
Asuka (publisher)
Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
, in Spain and Italy by Panini Comics
Panini Comics
Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, best known for their collectible stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy...
, in Taiwan by Sharp Point Press
Sharp Point Press
Sharp Point Press is a Taiwanese publisher of manga and music. It was founded in June 1982.-History:*1982 - Company established. Mainly publishes military and models related books.*1985 - Started publishing annual Zodiac fortune telling handbook....
, in Korea by Haksan Culture Company
Haksan Culture Company
Haksan Culture Company , a subsidiary of Daewon Media, is a South Korean publisher, famous for its large selections of domestic and imported comics and light novels. It was established in Seoul, in 1995.-Publishing:Magazines...
. and in Poland by wydawnictwo Hanami
Film
The manga was adapted into a live-action film titled IkigamiIkigami
Ikigami is a Japanese film based on Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, a manga written by Motoro Mase.-Plot:Ikigami takes place in a dystopian society where the government has implemented the "Prosperity Law". This law dictates 1 in 1000 random citizens ages 18~24 will die for the state in a mandatory...
in 2008 with Tomoyuki Takimoto as its director. The 'theme song' of the film is Michishirube (signpost / 路標) by PhilHarmoUniQue. It is performed by Yuta Kanai in the film.
Reception
The manga was nominated for the Angoulême International Comics FestivalAngoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
.