The series is a collection of Japanese light novel

Light novel

A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...

s by Ishio Yamagata, with illustrations by Shigeki Maeshima. The series started with the release of the first volume on September 22, 2005, and as of January 22, 2010, ten volumes have been published by Shueisha

Shueisha

is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...

 under their Super Dash Bunko

Super Dash Bunko

is a Shueisha publishing imprint established in July 2000 for publishing light novels aimed at teenage boys. In April 2001, the label inherited a strong lineup from the discontinued Super Fantasy Bunko label, in addition to inheriting all of their school life and slapstick light novel series...

 label. 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 by Kokonotsu Shinohara was serialized in Shueisha

Shueisha

is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...

's Internet-based manga magazine Ultra Jump Egg between March 2008 and October 2009. 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, The Book of Bantorra began airing in Japan on October 2, 2009.

Plot

In a world where deceased people turn into stone-like books and are stored in the Bantorra Library, anyone who reads a book can learn its past. Bantorra Library is maintained by the Armed Librarians, who wield supernatural abilities, and their enemy is a psychotic cult

Cult

The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...

 known as Shindeki Church. As the story progresses it presents a world of sorrow and pain, and the unfairness and frugality of life, as well as personal desires. However, in each arc there is also a small underlying hope, and more of the reasons, conspiracies, and secrets are revealed behind everything. It is about a specific overall history in time of Bantorra Library and its people. Each character dies a sorrowful yet meaningful death, and each death will open paths to a small ray of hope in the world, which also reveals a part of a secret to the reader.

Bantorra Library

The Acting Director of the Bantorra Library. She usually wears a white button-down shirt with a small bunny patch sewn on the right breast. She has an easy-going personality and a lust for battle; she is always searching for an opponent strong enough to kill her. She had a relationship with Mattalast in the past. Her main weapon is a sling (usually wrapped around her right wrist), which she uses to snipe enemies from a far distance with great precision and force. She can throw large objects, but usually uses small rocks or pebbles. The speed of those projectiles can reach 5 times the speed of sound. Her magic ability is "Sensory Fibres", which allows her to observe locations from afar. Her fibres, fully emitted, can reach approximately 50 kilometers, while the number of fibres emitted reaches over billions. According to Minth's Sacred Eyes ability, her main trait is self-loathing, her thoughts are void, and she wishes for love.

First grade Armed Librarian, and one of the five strongest Armed Librarians. He usually wears a black tuxedo and bowler hat. He is an easy-going person and always known by people as a liar. He used to have a relationship with Hamyuts. His main weapons are guns. He bears a revolver and an anti-tank rifle. His magic ability is to see 2 seconds ahead in the future, which he can use to preemptively take action in the presence of the enemy. He is one of the few who knows the secret of Heaven and also protects it.

Third grade Armed Librarian and is the instructor of Noloty. She was once a reserve officer of The Empire and was introduced by Hamyuts Meseta to join the Armed Librarians. She usually wears her uniform and is a strict person. Her main weapons are a sword and pistol. Due to her lack of combat proficiency she usually takes on a support role. Her magic ability is Telepathy; regardless of how far away a person is located, she can engage in telepathic communication with them-- as long as she knows their name and appearance. She is in love with Volken.

A young Armed Librarian. He has green hair and usually wears standard Armed Librarian robes. His sense of justice is unrivaled. His weapons are flying razor-sharp disks that he can control at will. His ability is to use illusions to create multiple copies of himself. Because of his strong sense of justice, he begins to doubt Hamyuts' actions.

A trainee Armed Librarian. She is an expert in hand-to-hand combat. She is a joyful, outgoing person who doesn't like to kill people. She was born on an island near The Empire and raised by her father, who was the head of the village. After her father died, she was thrown out of the village, and eventually became an Armed Librarian.

The Director and founder of the Bantorra Library. His ability is "Tearless Ending", which causes snow to fall across the entire planet, putting humanity into an eternal slumber. Like Zatoh Rondohoon, he is a Book Eater, but his resolve allowed him consume significantly more books (100,000).

One of the strongest Armed Librarians, along with Hamyuts Meseta. He is a lonely man who is so strong that he fears his own power. During a war between the Bantorra Library and The Empire, he felt guilty after killing so many people, therefore he locked himself deep in the labyrinth beneath Bantorra Library. His magic ability is to control armies of flesh-consuming ants.

The oldest Armed Librarian, and one of the five strongest, her job is to instruct trainee Armed Librarians. Her kind and friendly personality has earned the trust and love of most of the Armed Librarians. She mainly fights hand-to-hand. She has tremendous strength, which she uses to lift large and heavy objects easily. Her magic ability is localized time control. Objects must be within her line of sight for it to be affected by her magic. She can also stop time for herself, making her invincible though while in this state she cannot move.

A childhood friend of Hamyuts. She is also known as "The Violet Sinner". Her ability is "Soul Transference", an ability that is similar to Mirepoc's telepathy but of higher level, as it can control the minds of people by injecting part of her soul.

The previous Acting Director who served directly before Hamyuts. He was a mentor to Volken. As Hamyuts rises through the ranks of the Armed Librarians, he orders Mattalast to murder her while the two of them are on a mission to kill Hiza the traitor. He fears she will become too powerful, far surpassing everyone in the library.

The Acting Director of Bantorra Library who served three terms before Hamyuts Meseta. After being asked by "Heaven" (Ruruta Coozancoona) to find a way to kill him, Makia created Chacoly and Hamyuts for that purpose. He seemed very emotionally troubled by his own actions afterward, and died as an old man doing harsh physical labor to punish himself.

Shindeki Church

The current leader of the Church of Drowning in God's Grace. His magic ability is to bend light and he uses this to hide his face. It is revealed by Hamyuts that the Governor of Paradise is chosen from among the ranks of the Armed Librarians and that the Church and the Armed Librarians act that they fight each other, but in truth they are working along side each other in protecting a secret. This secret is passed from Acting Director to Acting Director. Both Hamyuts and Kachua must protect this secret of Heaven.

Meats

Doesn't consider himself human, being one of the so called "meats" who's been implanted with a bomb and sent out by the Church to kill Hamyuts Meseta. His story focuses on the collection of various fragments of a book depicting the tragic tale of a young woman named Shiron Byacornise, possessing the ability to see the future, and the love story enfolding between them, crossing even the boundaries of time.

War Machines of the Past

Shulamuffen

The ever-laughing demon sword used by Shiron Byacornise (thus her title, Ever-Laughing Witch) that can counter any attacks. It does seem to have its own consciousness to the point it would relentlessly attack a target of its own choosing even without the command of its wielder.

Argax

The fantasy-slaughtering cup that has the power to selectively erase the drinker's memories.

Yluculucu

Also referred to as the Dancing Fairy, reflecting its appearance. Yluculucu is used as a container for magic rights, which are stored when people undergo Magical Deliberation within its vicinity. Depending on its user, it can be the weakest or the strongest war machine.

Yor

Also known as the Stone Sword of Spent Time, this sword has the power to remove and gather books from those who have died. Yor's physical manifestation is known as Lascall Othello, which initially appears to be an old gentleman, but later takes on the form of a young girl.

Deities

Bantorra

The god of the Past, or the patron deity of the Armed Library. He created the library and the monsters that guard its lower labyrinths.

Towitorra

The god of the Present, no known patronages.

Orntorra

The god of the Future.

Chapter list

Episode list

>

#	Title	Original airdate

Closing Themes

• "Light of Dawn" by Annabel
  Annabel
  Annabel is a female given name, a variant of Amabel probably influenced by Anna. It may also be also a combination of Anna and the French word Belle, which is sometimes used as a given name in the English language....
  
   (Episodes 1-16).
• "Dominant Space" by Aira Yuki
  Aira Yuki
  is a female Japanese singer attached to record label Lantis and belongs to the Space Craft Group agency. She began her career in 2007 and since then has primarily sung songs that were used for theme music in anime. She has put out seven singles and released her debut album Reflection on July 2,...
  
  (Episodes 17-27)

External links

• http://dash.shueisha.co.jp/-bakudan/ Light novel series official website]
• http://www.bantorra.com/ Anime official website]