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...

 series written and illustrated by Satoshi Shiki

Satoshi Shiki

is a Japanese manga artist whose works include Kamikaze and Riot. He's also an artist of hentai manga, and this influence can be seen even in his non-hentai works like Kamikaze and ....

, published in Kodansha

Kodansha

, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...

's Afternoon

Afternoon (magazine)

is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Kodansha. It is a monthly anthology, and each issue typically has around thirty ongoing stories by various authors and runs about 800 pages...

magazine from 1998 to 2003.

A 2-CD audio drama based on the manga was released on December 26, 2003. An English translation of all seven volumes of the manga was released by 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...

 between February 2006 and February 2008.

Plot

One thousand years ago, 88 beasts descended upon Earth, threatening humanity. Five elemental

Five elements (Japanese philosophy)

One may encounter two kinds of five elements philosophy in Japan. One is called, in Japanese, gogyō , having its backgrounds in the Chinese five elements, and the other is called godai . Godai is usually regarded as a Buddhism term in Japan, with certain influences from Hinduism. The following...

 warriors, the pure-blood members of the mystical tribes of the Matsurowanu stood before the beasts. Just as they were being sent down into a dimensional prison, the Beasts cursed the warriors of Sky

Aether (classical element)

According to ancient and medieval science aether , also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.-Mythological origins:...

, Wind

Air (classical element)

Air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Its supposed fundamental importance to life can be seen in words such as aspire, inspire, perspire and spirit, all derived from the Latin spirare.-Greek and Roman tradition:...

 and Fire

Fire (classical element)

Fire has been an important part of all cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization. It has been regarded in many different contexts throughout history, but especially as a metaphysical constant of the world.-Greek and Roman tradition:Fire...

, so one day their descendants will be lured into freeing the Beasts, granting the demons another chance at destroying mankind.

In present day Japan, the cursed descendants turn their backs on the warriors of Earth

Earth (classical element)

Earth, home and origin of humanity, has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition.-European tradition:Earth is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with qualities of heaviness, matter and the...

 and Water

Water (classical element)

Water is one of the elements in ancient Greek philosophy, in the Asian Indian system Panchamahabhuta, and in the Chinese cosmological and physiological system Wu Xing...

 and seek the gates to the dimensional prison that hold the 88 Beasts. The story follows Mikogami Misao, the "Maiden of Water", whose blood can unlock the prison that holds the fabled 88 Beasts, and Ishigami Kamuro, the Warrior of Earth.

Water

Misao is an orphan living in a nunnery with kindly women. She is the "Maiden of Water", whose blood can bring back the 88 beasts who were banished 1,000 years ago. Because of this, she is wanted by the Shiranami five. Misao wants to be friends with "Sakurai" (Aiguma), who everyone believes is scary and psychotic. Misao is a timid, naive, but kind girl who often lived her life the way she thought it is appropriate. But when Ishigami comes forward asking for her help to stop the resurrection of the 88 Beasts, for the first time Misao speaks up on her own, and this gives her new sense of confidence and inner strength that she had kept locked away in her for so long. In addition, the "true" self, Misao the Girl of Water, seemed to have awakened as a result of the newfound strength, and she will not hesitate to unleash her fury upon those who crosses her.

(Drama CD)

Mikogami Sae
The former chief of Mizu No Tami tribe and grandmother to Misao. She explains to Misao about the impending conflict among the Kegai No Tami tribes over the resurrection of the 88 Beasts, and that she is the only one left with the capabilities of the Mizu therefore she must become the next Chief of her tribe. She is killed by Kaede in Volume 3.

Earth

The Man of Earth, a mysterious warrior who is a part of the Kegai no Tami. He was born with a stone in his hand, which he claims helps him to heighten his combat instincts, along with closing his eyes. He has also said he has yet to find an opponent who can exceed his instincts, but later finds this opponent in the form of Higa-sama. Afterwards Ishigami gives the stone to Misao, as a reminder of her promise to fight at his side. Ishigami wields the legendary Kamikaze, a katana

Katana

A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...

 passed down through generations of the Earth tribe.

(Drama CD)

Ishigami Daidara
The previous chief of the Chi and grandfather of Kamuro. After the Shiranami Five sacked the Chi village and annihilated the inhabitants, Daidara tells Kamuro to kill him so that he can become stronger to stop the rival Kegai No Tamis from resurrecting the Beasts.

Aida
A high school student and one of the few Chi No Tami left. He emerges as the Kegai No Tami Hunter, pursuing and executing any and all Fire and Wind warriors.

Fire

The Man of Fire and one of the cursed descendants of the Kegai No Tami bent on freeing the 88 Beasts. He is cold-hearted and boastful of his strengths at first, but by Volume 5 he has been released from the Beasts' spell and joins Kamuro and Misao on their quest to stop the Beasts' conquest of the world. He is also the father of Zen, a young boy who is the key to saving the world.

(Drama CD)

Wind

The Lady of Wind and the wife of Higa. She has powers over Wind, and she is steadfast on her duty as Chief of Kaze No Tami to protect her clan, and will go over great lengths to do so. It is suggested that Kaede is a lesbian, forcing her subordinate, Aiguma, to sleep with her. After giving her blood to the Wind Torii she became more docile and eventually realizes her faults in resurrecting the 88 Beasts.

(Drama CD)

Zen
The son of Higa and Kaede, he represents the positive force in opposition to Kayano's negative energy. He also has powers of his own that matches Kayano.

Sky

Kayano
The chief of the Utsuho no Tami. He dissolved the hypnotic spell placed upon the Sky, Fire and Wind Clans which triggered the start of the resurrection of the 88 beasts.

The Amatsu Three

The Amatsu Three are warriors under direct subordination to either Higa or Kaede. They may also be part of the Kegai No Tami clans.
Known as "Sakurai" to her classmates. She works directly under Kaede, though half of the time she seems a bit afraid of her mistress, probably due to Kaede's sexual desires toward her. Whenever Aiguma fails a mission, Kaede punishes her by forcing them to sleep together.
A cocky young man with the ability to control fire.

(Drama CD)
A middle-schooler with power over animals. She confides that she kills so there would be less humans to hurt the animals. She is abandoned by her group after a battle at school that went awry and left her seriously injured. She is tagging along with Ishigami though it is not certain if she has become his new ally. She also has a dog, Lancelot, who is also as vicious a killer as she is.

(Drama CD)

Oba
A middle aged woman who manages the team. She has no powers but is strong and vicious, and carries a rifle. She is like the mother figure of the group.

The Shiranami Five

The Shiranami Five are supernatural warriors, also part of the Kegai No Tami, with demonic powers which was a result of genetic alteration with the cells of the 88 Beasts. They are Higa's henchmen.

Rihei
A loud mouthed freak with electronic arms that can slice a head off as easily as a sword as well as fire bullets and bombs. He often wears goggles or mask, probably to hide his hideous face. His past is not known at the moment.

Rikimaru
A deformed giant who speaks little and is wiser of the Five. His faith in the 88 beasts has wavered when he saw its true evil nature.

Kikunosuke
He is the self-proclaimed "Punk Goddess of Fortune". Kikunosuke was born with one hand in shape of a blade and as a result was rejected at birth and by his foster parents, hence his hatred for the humans.

Jyuzo
A man with ability to stretch his body parts into unusual proportions. He can also meld into the bodies of the Beasts and control them at his will.