is a series of visual combat books

Gamebook

A gamebook is a work of fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making effective choices. The narrative branches along various paths through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages...

 published by Hobby Japan

Hobby Japan

HobbyJAPAN CO. is a Japanese hobby magazine and publishing company, specializing in roleplaying, war, and tabletop games, as well as action figures, toys, and artbooks for successful anime, manga and light novel franchises.- Role-playing games :...

. The sequel to Queen's Blade

Queen's Blade

is a series of visual combat books published by Hobby Japan based on the licensed works from Flying Buffalo's Lost Worlds. First published in 2005, it features sexually suggestive depictions of an exclusively female cast of characters. The overall plot of the game revolves around a tournament...

, it features an all-new cast of characters as well as remakes of characters from previous Queen's Blade books. Like Queen's Blade before it, Rebellion is also compatible with Flying Buffalo

Flying Buffalo

Flying Buffalo Incorporated is a Scottsdale, Arizona game company that publishes role playing games, card games, gaming materials, and runs Play-by-mail games....

's Lost Worlds gamebooks. The first gamebook, featuring Annelotte, was released on November 29, 2008, with a total of eleven gamebooks available in Japan as of July 29, 2011. An anime OVA

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...

 by ARMS

ARMS Corporation

is a Japanese anime studio which has been involved in the production, animation, or Japanese distribution of a substantial number of releases.The famous animator and character designer Rin Shin is the chief animation director for several productions by ARMS which have an above average amount of...

 has been announced. A manga adaptation will be serialized in Hobby Japan's upcoming online manga magazine Comic Dangan in December 2011, and a second manga adaptation illustrated by Iku Nanzaki began serialization in the December 2011 issue of Comp Ace

Comp Ace

is a Japanese computer game and manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten. Comp Ace began as a special edition version of another one of Kadokawa Shoten's magazines, Comptiq. The first issue was released on March 26, 2005, and was published quarterly for the first three volumes which had cover...

. An anime adaptation has been announced.

Story

Set after the events of Queen's Blade, Gynos and the entire Continent has fallen under a tyrannical rule led by Claudette, the Thundercloud Queen and victor of the last Queen's Blade tournament. Annelotte, a brave young knight and exiled princess, leads a band of rebels called the Rebel Army to overthrow Claudette and restore peace and order to the Continent.

Rebel Army

Known as the , she is the charismatic leader of the Rebel Army. Formerly a member of the Knight Corps of (her father), her castle was destroyed by Queen Claudette's forces. Swearing revenge for her fallen comrades, she formed the Rebel Army with a group of similary-fated female warriors in an attempt to otherthrow the Queen. Prior to this, she was taken in as Alleyne's disciple after she was wounded in the forest by Queen Claudette's Assassins. It is revealed through the Bitōshi Senki visual book and through the gamebook itself that she is half-demon, and when pushed to the edge, she transforms to her demonic form, which consists of her having black hair, pointed ears, pale skin, and red eyes. Her silver armor also turns gold to reflect this change, and in this state is powerful enough to overwhelm Elina, Ymir, and Mirim, but loses all sense of reason and turns into a berserker, unable to distinguish friend from foe. Through her demonic powers, she fights on horseback with the aid of her spectral steed , and wields , a broadsword

Broadsword

Broadsword may refer to:*Broadsword , a military sword used by heavy cavalry during the 17th to early 19th centuriesIn more modern times, it has also been used to refer to:...

 that can be converted to a lance

Lance

A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...

 at will.

It is hinted through flashbacks of the second Queen's Blade anime adaptation that she may be Aldra's long lost sister, as a white-haired figure resembling Annelotte is seen walking with the latter. This is further hinted by Annelotte being a half-demon like Aldra. Created by Eiwa.

and

A young girl from the Little Elves tribe and the tactician of the Rebel Army. She is also Annelotte's childhood friend, and refers to her as "big brother". She is the daughter of Cyan, a legendary alchemist

Alchemist

An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist may also refer to:-People and groups:*The Alchemist , a hip hop music producer and rapper*Alchemist , an Australian progressive metal band...

, and is a good friend of the weaponsmith Cattleya. Despite her genius IQ, she acts and behaves like a spoiled child. She controls Vingt, an elf-like wind-up

Wind-up toy

A wind-up toy is a toy powered by a clockwork motor.-History:Wind-up toys date far back into history, into the 15th century. Karel Grod, a German inventor, created some of the first wind-up toys, including a metal fly and a mechanical eagle. Also, in 1509, Leonardo da Vinci created a wind-up lion...

 automaton

Automaton

An automaton is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot. An alternative spelling, now obsolete, is automation.-Etymology:...

, through a remote control she constantly carries, and acts under the orders written on the rune. Because of this, Vingt can easily fall into the wrong hands if the remote is stolen. Their names are the French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

 words for eight and twenty, respectively. Created by Spice and Wolf

Spice and Wolf

is a Japanese light novel series written by Isuna Hasekura, with illustrations by Jū Ayakura. ASCII Media Works published 17 novels between February 2006 and July 2011 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. ASCII Media Works reported that as of October 2008, over 2.2 million copies of the first nine...

artist Keito Koume.

Known as the , they are twin sisters from the China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

-based country of , an isolated region of the Continent surrounded by steep and cloudy mountains. They are the descendents of a lineage of exorcist

Exorcist

In some religions an exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or other demons. A priest, a nun, a monk, a healer, a shaman or other specially prepared or instructed person can be an exorcist...

s that has been carrying the responsibility of protecting the village for generations, and are bound by an unbreakable cord called the which is wrapped around their necks. They left for a journey in the outside world to bring back the , a mysterious divine protection that has once made Shai-Fang a warm and peaceful land.

Tanyan, the older sister, is a holy sword user wielding a jian

Jian

The jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...

 with a strong-willed, but cheerful, personality. Sainyan, the younger sister and more tacturn of the two (she only whispers to her sister's ear), can use arts with a mysterious power similar to magic, but is often seen spacing out and is very weak, so she's not very useful in battle. Although Tanyan is always complaining to Sainyan, they are sisters united by a deep bond. With their combined attack , if they ever participate in the Queen's Blade, they would be the best bet for the title. Created by Tomokazu Nakano.

Known as the , LunaLuna comes from the tribe located in the southern jungles. She is the strongest warrior of her tribe, and is the guardian of its historic ruins where the is held. She sometimes greets her invaders with either a fascinating dance or a death dance. LunaLuna has the bravery of a warrior and the character of an innocent maiden, and her fighting dance is a mixture of both. She fights using four tentacles that extend from her hair, and her skin color changes with her personality and fighting style. Created by F.S.

Known as the , she is a half-angel who was taken to the celestial world to become an angel trainee under Nanael's supervision (much to the despair of those around). However, she was not pushed around by Nanael's whims because of her "my pace" nature (doing things in her own pace), and it actually looked like she was the one in control. Despite this, they get along well. Nanael, who went on a rampage, ordered Laila to clean the chaos on the human world with the "Divine Punishment" using Holy Milk. Because she is not a true angel, Laila must wear the sacred tool , an artificial wing, to fly, and she is armed with the Heavenly Rifle which fires Holy Milk. At first Laila looks very cool-headed, but she makes so many mistakes that she might actually be very dumb. Created by Hirotaka Akaga.

Known as the , she is a ronin

Ronin

A or rounin was a Bushi with no lord or master during the feudal period of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege....

samurai from Hinomoto who is a user of the self-proclaimed . In reality, she comes from a town of farmers and taught herself fencing. After her false persona was discovered in Hinomoto, she ran to the Continent where she came across Annelotte, and ended up following her of her own accord. She acts aloof when she talks, but she still follows her earnestly. Even if she were to lose her, she would follow her with her full spirit. She wields a huge nodachi

Nodachi

A nodachi is a large two-handed Japanese sword. Some have suggested that the meaning of "nodachi" is roughly the same as ōdachi meaning "large/great sword". A confusion between the terms has nearly synonymized "nodachi" with the very large "ōdachi"...

called which she carries on her back (she claims on her profile that she picked it up somewhere). She is also able to play a whistle made from seashells that boosts her and her comrades' strength. As a vain person, she won't ever say she's "just a warrior from Hinomoto" to try and correct her lie, and hates losing more than any of her fighter comrades. Created by Kuchuyosai.

Queen's Army

Originally a poor rural girl from the village of , Mirim sought to escape poverty by seeking a job at the Queen's Capital. It was there that she was brought in by Ymir as a test subject for her "Strongest Project", and became a member of the Queen's Army under a high-paying salary. Now known as the , she is equipped with the Ultra-Vibration Armor and armed with the Ultra-Vibration Sword – a sword with a chainsaw

Chainsaw

A chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...

-like edge, and the Ultra-Vibration shield, all of which are powered by the Ultra-Vibration Crystal. Despite being given the armor and weapons, she has a weak-willed personality. Created by Tsurugi Hagane.

A nun

Nun

A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...

 and an inquisitor

Inquisitor

An inquisitor was an official in an Inquisition, an organisation or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things frowned on by the Roman Catholic Church...

 belonging to the Pope's central office. She is an extremely strict, yet devoted follower of God who is responsible for executing those who commit heretic acts. Although many call her a cruel person, she is actually a virtuous woman, but she is too serious and inflexible and does not hesitate in judging people.

Siggy is very eager to bring down the Rebel Army, who she considers to be a band of heretics, and sees their leader Annelotte, who carries demon blood, as an abomination. She also considers the use of alchemy as a heresy (even the Pope's central office has divided opinions on this topic). She is armed with the Holy Flame Mace and God's Chained Blade, and her fighting skills rival those of Annelotte's. Like Melpha in Queen's Blade, she is also a user of the "Divine Power", the manifestation of God's miracles utilized by the provocative "Holy Poses". Created by Odanon.

Known as the , she is a Dwarf from the Jewel Mountains, a mountain in the Continent that produces gems. She has a refined and elegant personlailty, but loves to fight, evidenced through the giant war hammer she carries. Increasing the wealth is the pride of Eilin's clan, and she is famous for her outstanding business acumen and negotiation skills. She is the cousin of Ymir, and although she is very sassy with her, she bears a deep respect for her after losing to Ymir in a fight during childhood. Created by Hiro Yuki.

Known as the , she was an infamous pirate that laid waste to the Continent's coastal waters. She is the granddaughter of the Pirate Queen Artemis, the writer of the "Pirate Aesthetics", a set of rules which Liliana follows. After she met her untimely death by the sea monster Kraken

Kraken

Kraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...

, she was resurrected by the Swamp Witch to become the leader of her undead army in her plot to take over the Continent. Despite being a scoundrel, she has elegant manners like a noble, which is one of the rules from the Aesthetics. She also has a weakness for elderly people, treating them with great care. She has the ability to summon a flying pirate ship and its phantom crew members through the Swamp Witch's power. However, it becomes a crumbling phantom ship over time, later disappearing. She fights using a rapier

Rapier

A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...

 and a crossbow

Crossbow

A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...

. Created by Haruyuki Morisawa.

Known as the , she is a , one of the most noble and rare beings in the Continent, also known as the for serving the dragons in the ancient times. Cool, collected and proud but also gentle in nature, she serves as a mediator for both races (though there are hardly any interaction between the dragons and humans), and is well-known among her people. Captured by the trainer (and master) Dogura, she has now become a gladiator

Gladiator

A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...

 slave forced to fight against other slaves and monsters in the Swamp Witch's Arena, ordered to fight in exchange for the life of her Dragon Ride, .

Despite being put through numerous death matches, Branwen's pride as a Dragon Descendant will not allow her to die easily. Her power as a Dragon Descendant is immense, and when she cannot suppress her anger any longer, she becomes a malevolent Dragon Warrior, pulverizing every enemy before her. Created by Odanon.

Returning characters

Formerly known as the , Claudette is the current ruler of the Continent, now known as the . She was defeated at the semifinals of the Queen's Blade tournament, but became Queen after Leina, the former champion, refused the throne. She was once respected as an honest, just and upright person, but after she became the Queen, she proclaimed herself as "chosen by the Gods

Divine Right of Kings

The divine right of kings or divine-right theory of kingship is a political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving his right to rule directly from the will of God...

" and abolished the Queen's Blade tournament altogether. She encouraged the research of the , and civilization progressed very quickly with the effort. She also invalidated the traditional aristocrat system to give a chance of prosperity to all the people regardless of their birth.

By becoming Queen, however, Claudette's strictness has increased, and thus became a ruthless tyrant. Those who break the law are punished without mercy, and any opposition to the Queen are completely obliterated by a powerful military force. Along with a new set of armor, her zweihander, Thunderclap, has also gained a significant upgrade through the power of the Wizard Stones (courtesy of Ymir), and can now manipulate lightning without readying the sword. She has yet to have a gamebook of her own so far, yet has appeared in all other media. Created by Hirokazu Hisayuki

Hirokazu Hisayuki

is a Japanese character designer and animation director for Sunrise.-Works:* Future GPX Cyber Formula Saga: Character Design, Chief Animation Director* Future GPX Cyber Formula Sin: Character Design, Chief Animation Director...

.

Claudette's younger half-sister and a former participant in the Queen's Blade tournament. Formerly the captain of the Vance Guard, Elina is now the leader of the Queen's Assassins of the Fang after the Vance House collapsed. She still has a yuri-like crush on her older sister Leina, who has gone missing prior to the series' start. This has resulted in her being mentally unstable and having a sadistic, if not psychotic, personality. Known to be the cruelist of the Assasins of the Fang, she will take down anyone who goes against the Queen. She wears a brand-new set of armor, though she still retains her trademark claw guantlet and cat-eared headband from her previous outfit. Although she does not possess a gamebook of her own, she has appeared in all other media. Created by Hirokazu Hisayuki

Hirokazu Hisayuki

is a Japanese character designer and animation director for Sunrise.-Works:* Future GPX Cyber Formula Saga: Character Design, Chief Animation Director* Future GPX Cyber Formula Sin: Character Design, Chief Animation Director...

.

/

A mysterious woman known as the who aids the Rebel Army. In reality, her true identity is Leina, the true victor of the last Queen's Blade tournament who had given up her title as Queen to her half-sister Claudette to travel the world. However during her travels, she contracted a mysterious disease that requires her to sleep 16 hours a day. Not only does she need to sleep that long, she also experiences sudden cases of epilepsy

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...

, often requiring her to retreat to her hideout whenever she feels drowsiness. Nonetheless, she is a well-revered warrior who is loved by many. She has yet to have a gamebook of her own so far, yet has appeared in all other media. Created by Hirokazu Hisayuki

Hirokazu Hisayuki

is a Japanese character designer and animation director for Sunrise.-Works:* Future GPX Cyber Formula Saga: Character Design, Chief Animation Director* Future GPX Cyber Formula Sin: Character Design, Chief Animation Director...

.

Known as the , Ymir was a former participant in the Queen's Blade tournament. She had her weapon broken during a fight with Claudette, and by her clan's law is forced to submit to her demands. Now known as the , she became one of Queen Claudette's closest associates and, along with her rich knowledge of alchemy, invented various items to strengthen the Queen's Army. She became much cooler in personality, no longer being afraid of snakes, and rumors from those who knew the often teary-eyed Ymir say she is now another person entirely. She now wields twin battle axes as weapons, and wears a new set of Dwarven armor modeled after the gothic lolita style of fashion. Created by Natsuki Mibu.

The former Queen and victor of the last two Queen's Blade tournaments, where she was known as the . In the last tournament, the dark angel Delmore, the source of her demonic powers, was stripped from her body, and reverted to her true adult form after her defeat. She later embarked on a journey to find her long-lost sister, but suffered from amnesia

Amnesia

Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...

 along the way. During her journey, she fell in love with a man and was later married. Her happy life was short-lived when the war between the Queen's Army and the Rebel Army spread through the whole Continent, and to protect her beloved husband, she was determined to throw herself in the fight, using her innate summoning skills once again.

She summoned and made a contract with the Underworld dwellers and (an amalgamation of the demon Belphegor

Belphegor

In demonology, Belphegor is a demon, and one of the seven princes of Hell, who helps people to make discoveries. He seduces people by suggesting to them ingenious inventions that will make them rich. According to some 16th century demonologists, his power is stronger in April...

). However, both demons are secretly plotting to eat Aldra when given the opportunity. Created by Kantaka.

A Warrior Priestess from Hinomoto and a former participant of the Queen's Blade tournament. After awakening her ultimate skills in the tournament and returning to Hinomoto, Tomoe was acknowledged as the supreme warrior of Masakado Shrine, and was given the title of Sword Saint Priestess from the High Priest. However, during her travels in the Continent, a curse of blindness was cast on her by the Swamp Witch. Despite her loss of sight, Tomoe did not lose her burning heart and gentle smile. The day her eyes are opened again will probably be the day when the world will submit to Hinamoto's sword skills. She has yet to have a gamebook of her own so far, yet has appeared in all other media. Created by Eiwa.

The Benevolent Bandit of the Wild and a friendly rival to Leina who, following the tournament, resumed her training. As a result, her muscle strength increased to the point where she discards her mace for hand-to-hand combat. Following Queen Claudette's reign of terror on the Continent, she founded the Rebel Army, funded by the distribution of dark magic stones. However, she was captured by the Queen's Army after the Swamp Witch cast an "indomitable curse" that made her unable to eat or sleep during a "Beautful Fighter Hunt". Although she has been weakened after a long stay in prison, her fighting strength still remains. Her "organizational capacity" will fulfill an important role to Annelotte. Created by Eiwa.

Gamebooks

• Annelotte – Released November 29, 2008.
• Mirim – Released April 18, 2009.
• Huit & Vingt – Released August 31, 2009.
  • A Huit figurine was also released with the limited edition version of the book.
• Tanyan & Sainyan – Released September 26, 2009.
• Siggy – Released November 28, 2009.
• LunaLuna – Released January 16, 2010.
• Eilin & Ymir – Released April 30, 2010.
• Aldra – Released July 31, 2010.
  • A limited edition version featuring an Aldra Revoltech figure was also released.
• Captain Liliana – Released February 10, 2011.
• Branwen – Released February 10, 2011.
• Laila – Released July 28, 2011.
• Izumi – Scheduled for release on December 16, 2011.

Anime

The Queen's Blade official website announced that two anime OVA

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...

s will be bundled with the Queen's Blade Prenium Visual Book and Queen's Blade Rebellion Prenium Visual Book on DVD. Serving as a prologue to Rebellion, the OVAs take place after the events of Queen's Blade: Beautiful Fighters. The OVAs are produced by animation studio ARMS

ARMS Corporation

is a Japanese anime studio which has been involved in the production, animation, or Japanese distribution of a substantial number of releases.The famous animator and character designer Rin Shin is the chief animation director for several productions by ARMS which have an above average amount of...

, who produced the previous Queen's Blade anime and OVA adaptations, under the directorship of Yōsei Morino. Voice actresses Yū Kobayashi

Yu Kobayashi

is a female voice actress from Tokyo, Japan and is affiliated with HolyPeak. She also occasionally works as a key animator.-Anime:*12Riven - Yuyu Hoshino*Air Gear: Kuro no Hane to Nemuri no Mori - Emily Adachi*Amatsuki - Benitobi...

 and Aya Endo

Aya Endo

is a Japanese voice actress from Yamagata, Japan.- Voice acting roles :-Video games:*Agarest Senki 2 *Ar tonelico III *Chaotic *Koumajou Densetsu: Stranger's Requiem *Rune Factory 3...

 will reprise their respective roles as Siggy and Annelotte. The first set of OVAs, entitled and , was released on October 29, 2011. The second set of OVAs will be released on January 28, 2012.

In October 2011, the December issue of Monthly Hobby Japan announced that an anime adaption of Rebellion has been green-lit.

Manga

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...

 adaptation of Rebellion called was announced by Hobby Japan. Illustrated by Riri Sagara, it will begin weekly serialization in Hobby Japan's upcoming online manga magazine Comic Dangan on December 2, 2011. A second manga adaptation of Rebellion by Iku Nanzaki (the author of Queen's Blade: Hide & Seek) began serialization in the December 2011 issue of Kadokawa Shoten

Kadokawa Shoten

is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...

's Comp Ace magazine, published on October 26, 2011.

Other

A light novel adaptation of Queen's Blade Rebellion written by Ukyo Kodachi was published by Hobby Japan

Hobby Japan

HobbyJAPAN CO. is a Japanese hobby magazine and publishing company, specializing in roleplaying, war, and tabletop games, as well as action figures, toys, and artbooks for successful anime, manga and light novel franchises.- Role-playing games :...

 on May 30, 2009 under its HJ Bunko

HJ Bunko

is a publishing label affiliated with the Japanese publishing company Hobby Japan. It was established in July 2006 and is a light novel label that is aimed at a young adult male readership...

 imprint.

A visual book called , illustrated by Tsurugi Hagane, was released by Hobby Japan on September 26, 2009. The book is a compilation of the illustrated stories posted on Hobby Japan's media site Hobby Channel, along with additional material. A limited edition version of the book was also released on the same day, featuring a drama CD.

External links

• Queen's Blade official site