Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese manga
by Syun Matsuena serialized in the weekly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday
.
The first tankōbon
was published on August 9, 2002. An anime
adaptation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
aired from October 2006 to September 2007.
This manga is a remake of , which was serialized in the monthly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday Super
, publishing five tankōbon between 2000 and 2002.
where those who are truly strong and have mastered their arts gather (Ryōzanpaku comes from the Chinese story of Heroes of the Water Margin
who train together at Liangshan 梁山). After learning basics from Miu, Kenichi is able to beat a high ranking member of the school's karate
club, and becomes a target for all the delinquents in the school. Kenichi's reason for training is to fulfill the promise he made to protect Miu. Subsequently, Kenichi's daily routine is divided between hellish training under the six masters of Ryōzanpaku, and his fights against the members of Ragnarok, a gang that views him as either a possible ally or an impending threat to their plans. After defeating Ragnarok, he faces a new enemy called YOMI, a group of disciples who are each personally trained by a master of an even bigger organization rivaling Ryōzanpaku, Yami. He realized that he wanted to be the strongest in order to protect everyone without killing anyone. Along with former members of Ragnarok who joined the Shinpaku Alliance, a group created by Kenichi's schoolmate Haruo Niijima, Kenichi now fights Yami to prove his ideals and protect those in need.
The Path of Asura
's weekly shōnen manga magazine Shōnen Sunday
from 2002 and currently more than four-hundred chapters has been serialized. The story of manga focuses on Kenichi Shirahama an average 16-year-old high school student who has been picked on but after meeting mysterious transfer student, Miu Fūrinji and following her advice of joining a dojo
named which changes his life.
The manga is a remake of Tatakae! Ryōzanpaku Shijō Saikyō no Deshi (戦え!梁山泊 史上最強の弟子?, lit. Fight! Ryōzanpaku, History's Strongest Disciple), which was serialized in the monthly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday Super
.
Shogakukan has released chapters in tankōbon
format under imprint and as of now 43 volumes has been published. The first volume was published on August 9, 2002, and the latest on May 18, 2011. Kodansha also released limited edition version of 35th volume. The series is licensed in France by Kurokawa.
first started airing on October 7, 2006. It aired a total of fifty episodes, covering from the beginning of the story to the confrontation against the top members of Ragnarok. FUNimation has dubbed the series. All 50 episodes have been released as of May 25, 2010.
The series made its North American television debut when it aired on FUNimation Channel
starting October 26, 2009. All 50 episodes have been shown.
Both the seasons are now available on Netflix instant screening. There will be a OVA produced by Brain Base to be released in the near future. The story continues from the Ragnarok Arc.
The Song Titles are from Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 1- Complete DVD Set (2010) and Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 2- Complete DVD Set (2011).
released the series' first game, Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Kenichi: Gekitō! Ragnarok Hachikengō, exclusively on the PlayStation 2
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese 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...
by Syun Matsuena serialized in the weekly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday
Shonen Sunday
, first published on March 17, 1959, is a weekly shōnen manga magazine published in Japan by Shogakukan. Contrary to its title, Weekly Shōnen Sunday issues are released on Wednesdays.- History :...
.
The first 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...
was published on August 9, 2002. 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 by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
aired from October 2006 to September 2007.
This manga is a remake of , which was serialized in the monthly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday Super
Shonen Sunday Super
is a bi-monthly shōnen manga magazine published by Shogakukan.-History & Background:Originally billed as a special edition of Shōnen Sunday entitled Shōnen Sunday Zōkan, it was renamed Shōnen Sunday Super in 1995. It is often the home of short term serials by established Shogakukan artists, as well...
, publishing five tankōbon between 2000 and 2002.
Story
The story focuses on Kenichi Shirahama, an average 16-year-old high school student who has been picked on his whole life. However, on the first day of class, he meets and befriends the mysterious transfer student, Miu Fūrinji. Driven by his desire to become stronger and to protect those around him, he follows her to Ryōzanpaku, a dojoDojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
where those who are truly strong and have mastered their arts gather (Ryōzanpaku comes from the Chinese story of Heroes of the Water Margin
Water Margin
Water Margin , also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese, the story, set in the Song Dynasty,...
who train together at Liangshan 梁山). After learning basics from Miu, Kenichi is able to beat a high ranking member of the school's karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
club, and becomes a target for all the delinquents in the school. Kenichi's reason for training is to fulfill the promise he made to protect Miu. Subsequently, Kenichi's daily routine is divided between hellish training under the six masters of Ryōzanpaku, and his fights against the members of Ragnarok, a gang that views him as either a possible ally or an impending threat to their plans. After defeating Ragnarok, he faces a new enemy called YOMI, a group of disciples who are each personally trained by a master of an even bigger organization rivaling Ryōzanpaku, Yami. He realized that he wanted to be the strongest in order to protect everyone without killing anyone. Along with former members of Ragnarok who joined the Shinpaku Alliance, a group created by Kenichi's schoolmate Haruo Niijima, Kenichi now fights Yami to prove his ideals and protect those in need.
Terminology
- A Dou type martial artist uses his/her anger to exceed his/her limits. As such, they tend to be aggressive in combat, and very rarely strays from the offensive. At some cases, they are even bestial, as seen with Miu and Kisara, after receiving intense emotional pain and frustation, respectively. Users seem to rely heavily on instincts and brute strength when fighting. According to James Shiba, a Dou fighter focuses on making their ki "explode" after channelling it through a target to deal damage. According to the manga, Apachai, Sakaki, and Miu are all Dou types. It seems that Dou types are more prone to move onto the path of Asura (the killing path), because they fight with anger, and can hardly control themselves when fighting. However, Apachai, Sakaki, and Miu are able to uphold the principles of Katsujin-ken because of their own natural sense of kindness.
- A Sei type martial artist fights not with power or anger, but with skill and wit. These traits are evident in Kensei, Akisame, Hayato, and Kenichi. This principle requires a state of calmness and a clarity of mind.
The Path of Asura
- The path of the martial artist who pursues power in order to kill. Isshinsai Ogata walks this path and tries to convince Kenichi to follow him as well.
- Literally "the Death giving fist". The yin belief that martial arts were created to kill and destroy. Yami embodies this principle and recognizes that it cannot prove that satsujin-ken is the true meaning of martial arts without defeating Ryozanpaku, who embodies the principle of katsujin-ken.
- Literally "the Live giving fist". The yang belief that martial arts were created to save and protect lives. Even without the resources and manpower of Yami, the masters of Ryozanpaku are bent on upholding this principle.
Manga
The manga series is written and illustrated by Syun Matsuena. The manga is 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 shōnen manga magazine Shōnen Sunday
Shonen Sunday
, first published on March 17, 1959, is a weekly shōnen manga magazine published in Japan by Shogakukan. Contrary to its title, Weekly Shōnen Sunday issues are released on Wednesdays.- History :...
from 2002 and currently more than four-hundred chapters has been serialized. The story of manga focuses on Kenichi Shirahama an average 16-year-old high school student who has been picked on but after meeting mysterious transfer student, Miu Fūrinji and following her advice of joining a dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
named which changes his life.
The manga is a remake of Tatakae! Ryōzanpaku Shijō Saikyō no Deshi (戦え!梁山泊 史上最強の弟子?, lit. Fight! Ryōzanpaku, History's Strongest Disciple), which was serialized in the monthly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday Super
Shonen Sunday Super
is a bi-monthly shōnen manga magazine published by Shogakukan.-History & Background:Originally billed as a special edition of Shōnen Sunday entitled Shōnen Sunday Zōkan, it was renamed Shōnen Sunday Super in 1995. It is often the home of short term serials by established Shogakukan artists, as well...
.
Shogakukan has released chapters in 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...
format under imprint and as of now 43 volumes has been published. The first volume was published on August 9, 2002, and the latest on May 18, 2011. Kodansha also released limited edition version of 35th volume. The series is licensed in France by Kurokawa.
Anime
An anime adaptation of Kenichi: History's Strongest Disciple animated by Tokyo Movie ShinshaTokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
first started airing on October 7, 2006. It aired a total of fifty episodes, covering from the beginning of the story to the confrontation against the top members of Ragnarok. FUNimation has dubbed the series. All 50 episodes have been released as of May 25, 2010.
The series made its North American television debut when it aired on 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....
starting October 26, 2009. All 50 episodes have been shown.
Both the seasons are now available on Netflix instant screening. There will be a OVA produced by Brain Base to be released in the near future. The story continues from the Ragnarok Arc.
Music themes
Opening themes |
|||
| Title | Transcription/Translation | Artist | Episodes |
| Be Strong | n/a | Kana Yazumi Kana Yazumi , is a popular Japanese female singer-songwriter. Her second single "Be Strong" was used as the first opening theme of anime series Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple.- Singles :* "Fall"... |
1-25 |
| Yahhoo | ヤッホーYahhō | Diva x Diva | 26-50 |
Ending themes |
|||
| Title | Transcription/Translation | Artist | Episodes |
| Kimi Ga Irukara | 君がいるから Because you are there | Issei Eguchi | 1-15 |
| Catch Your Dream☆ | n/a | Koike Joanna | 16-25 |
| Run Over | n/a | Koike Joanna | 26-45 |
| Kokoro Kara No Message | 心からのメッセージ A message from Heart | Sakura Sakura A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit... |
46-49 |
| Be Strong | n/a | Kana Yazumi Kana Yazumi , is a popular Japanese female singer-songwriter. Her second single "Be Strong" was used as the first opening theme of anime series Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple.- Singles :* "Fall"... |
50 |
The Song Titles are from Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 1- Complete DVD Set (2010) and Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 2- Complete DVD Set (2011).
Games
On March 15, 2007, CapcomCapcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
released the series' first game, Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Kenichi: Gekitō! Ragnarok Hachikengō, exclusively on the 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...
.
Between the manga and anime
- In the manga, Kenichi starts training at Ryōzanpaku after beating Daimonji. Miu's map was so confusing that Kenichi needed Honoka to decipher it for him.
- A short arc before Kenichi's showdown with Hermit showed that Hayato had brought Kenichi to train in the mountains to learn the art of tactics. In addition to learning such, Kenichi also showed that training can be a tactic in itself. This arc is not shown in the anime.
- In the manga, after the second battle between Kenichi and Hermit, there is a short arc where Kenichi and Sakaki challenged another dojo, where one of the members of the Shinpaku Alliance was learning an unsportsmanlike version of martial arts (poking the opponents' eyes, using foldable chairs to attack, etc.). This arc is not shown in the anime.
- Right after defeating Thor, the next chapter showed Kenichi slacking off in his training as he thought he was strong enough. His masters proved otherwise, with Apachai getting him severely injured. This is not shown in the anime.
- Right after the arc where Kisara quit Ragnarok, the following 5 chapters followed Hayato's recounts of his meeting with Apachai, and how he later followed him to Ryōzanpaku. This arc, which is not shown in the anime, was then immediately followed by Nījima's plan 'H' to get Hermit to join the Shinpaku Alliance. This is set after Kenichi went on the mountain retreat with Hayato in the anime, but in the manga, Kenichi participated in the action.
- There is a short arc where Kenichi's father visited him at the Ryōzanpaku Dojo, and after witnessing the actual training, tried to get Kenichi to return home. He brought along his new gun, rotowski, which he secretly bought without his wife's knowledge.
- Blood in the anime version is either significantly reduced, or removed entirely when compared to the manga.
- The anime ends before the YOMi arc(chapter 143 of manga), thus its existence is omitted. However, the YOMI was mention and their coming at the final episode.
- In the anime version episode 23 "Assault! The Next Door Ryōzanpaku!" where Izumi from Kenichi's gardening club visited Ryōzanpaku. Niijama noticed that Izumi has feelings of affection towards Kenichi after she asked if she and Kenichi can go home together, but got rejected because he already promised that he would go with Miu. Using Izumi to make Miu jealous, Niijima persuaded Izumi to go with him to watch Kenichi train, but this caused more trouble than expected. This story doesn't seem to have come from the manga version, but comes from Tatakae! Ryōzanpaku Shijō Saikyō no Deshi chapter 19.
In Tatakae!! Ryōzanpaku
The plot to the 5 volume monthly predecessor to the series was mostly the same, with a few major differences:- Shigure does not exist in the monthly version, and two of the masters are said to be away on a journey (the silhouette of one of them seems to be Shigure, however the other figure was rumored to be Saiga Furinji). Also, Akisame's age is said to be 28 instead of 38, but despite the 10 year age difference his looks are the same.
- Kenichi and Miu do not attend the same high school.
- Ma Sougetsu and Ikki Takeda both look completely different as the former has a much less muscular and intimidating appearance and the latter has short black hair. Additionally, Takeda is named (possibly a parody of Ippo Makunouchi from Hajime no Ippo) and is the captain of the boxing team. Natsu Tanimoto is also instead named .
- Nijima's hair is a lot shorter and more flat-bowl shaped.
- The group Kenichi battles against is named and is headed by three main members: (Top One), Natsu Sugimoto/Hermit (Top Two), and Kisara Nanjō (Top Three). The three of them later appeared in Kenichi as members of Ragnarok (Furukawa appeared as Berserker). Ragnarok was used as the name of Snake's rival group.
- Kisara Nanjo's hair is different compared to the ongoing manga and anime and Shogo Furukawa was never shown chewing gum nor being normally passive compared to the ongoing manga.
- The original Hermit looked exactly (with some slight hair differences) like the new Takeda, still however clothed in the same Hermit outfit.
- Ryōzanpaku Master Differences: Shio Sakaki had a much slimmer build than in the spinoff, Apachai Hopachai was fashioned in the same clothes, with hair resembling Guile from Street Fighter, Shigure Kosaka is fashioned in more of a stereotypical ninja suit, Hayato is less muscular, Ma Kensei had the same outfit without his signature hat and a yin yang symbol on his shoulders, and Akisame Koetsuji had shorter hair.
- Ma Kensei and Ma Sogetsu are adopted brothers instead of real brothers.
- Kenichi did not mention his never-hit-a-girl policy.
- Instead of Ogata who saved Natsu when he was little it was Ma Sogetsu.
- It is a kind old grandpa who adopted Natsu and his sister instead of the other version of a heartless businessman.
- After Kenichi defeated he became the Leader of Snake and become Top 1 reluctantly.
- and Kisara become the newest disciple of Ryōzanpaku.
- Instead of Mycroft, Christopher Eclair fights Sakaki, but Mycroft makes a cameo appearance in a flashback of Sakaki burying him and Christopher in a desert and he is also mentioned briefly. In the fight between Sakaki and Mycroft (in the monthly manga), Sakaki also makes a reference to the burial. Though Mycroft's hatred for Sakaki is never mentioned in the weekly manga.