Revenger | |
Genre | Action, [1] period drama [2] |
---|---|
Created by | Nitroplus Shochiku |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Masaya Fujimori |
Written by |
|
Music by | Jun Futamata |
Studio | Ajia-do Animation Works |
Licensed by | Crunchyroll |
Original network | Tokyo MX, Kansai TV, BS NTV, AT-X |
Original run | January 5, 2023 – March 23, 2023 |
Episodes | 12 |
Manga | |
Written by | Ryūsei Yamada |
Published by | Square Enix |
Magazine | Monthly GFantasy |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | January 18,2023 –present |
Volumes | 1 |
Revenger (stylized in all caps) is a 2023 Japanese original anime television series animated by Ajia-do Animation Works and produced by Nitroplus and Shochiku. [3] Set in Japan,the series follows a samurai named Raizo Kurima who crosses paths with hitmen known as Revengers after being betrayed by his superiors. It aired from January to March 2023.
Raizo Kurima is a hitman working for the organization Revengers,which takes revenge on behalf those who have no power. The group works at the "Ribenjiya" store that acts as a general store on the outside,while hiding the Revengers organization beneath the surface. Kurima's coworkers include a physician with destructive impulses,a beautiful and androgynous young man who is both cruel and innocent,a gambler who loves money and alcohol,and an intelligent lacquer craftsman. The five men start to build a strange friendship through working together. [1]
The anime is directed by Masaya Fujimori and written by Gen Urobuchi of Nitroplus and Renji Ōki,with Jun Futamata composing the music. Jiro Suzuki and Yuushi provided the original character designs,and Yuji Hosogoe is adapting the designs for animation while also serving as chief animation director along with Yuki Nishioka and Emiko Endo. [9] It aired from January 5 to March 23,2023,on Tokyo MX and other channels. [4] Crunchyroll licensed the series. [10] However,the English dub of episode 3 was delayed due to inclement weather delays in the Dallas area where the series is dubbed. [11]
According to Fujimori,the series is meant to show both Western and Eastern culture,while the style is meant to give the idea of "cool". Urobuchi wrote it with the hope it will properly appeal the audience based on the several concepts he came across. [2] Since getting involved in the project,Urobuchi believed something really good came out. He expressed his interest in the characters' inner thoughts as well as the traditional animation used to properly portrays the clothing like kimono. [12] While silent about it,Urobuchi claims Revenger will use tricky plottwists and also rely on clever strategies. With that in mind,the title of the work also does not contain any hidden meanings. Urobuchi believes Revenger will make an impact,on those who are waiting for a "truly interesting" work. [2]
Based on Urobuchi's comments,Fujimori finds the script is very rich and intriguing so Fujimori finds working on the storyboards to be unbelievably fun. Speaking from Fujimori's own experience with media from his early days,he is trying to recreate the experience of watching period dramas and criminal dramas that aired during the Showa era and update the experience for the present time. Because of looser regulations,New Cinema and macaroni western programs that aired on television back then were full of surprises,and audiences did not know what would happen next. Revenger is well-supported by animation,finishing,background art,and photography. Doing a period drama is very difficult,so he had to bow his head at the work done. The cool and restrained sound production makes the film more mature. [2]
The opening theme song is "Downtimer" (ダウンタイマー,Dauntaimā) by RetBear (unknown Vo:O2),while the ending theme song is "un_mute" by Maaya Sakamoto. [1] RetBear said that "Downtimer" emphasizes the determination of moving forward despite not being able to properly see the future which fits with the series' ideals of revenge. [13] Sakamoto gives her own perspectives. Sakamoto asked Yūho Iwasato,the lyricist she respects the most,to write the lyrics with the image of wanting to create a song that would envelop and purify the hearts of the characters. Sakamoto was happy that animators created an ending sequence that is calm and gentle to match the song. [2]
No. | Title [14] | Directed by [14] | Written by [14] | Storyboarded by [14] | Original air date [15] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Once Upon a Time in Nagasaki" | Shinpei Matsuo | Gen Urobuchi,Renji Ōki | Masaya Fujimori | January 5, 2023 | |
A samurai named Hirata is murdered by another samurai named Kurima. Before dying Hirata places a gold charm in his mouth which is retrieved by an unknown person. Kurima is approached by Usui Yuen who wishes to hire him to perform odd jobs. Kurima refuses,revealing his master Matsumine ordered him to kill Hirata for dealing opium,though Kurima is ashamed by the killing as Hirata was also the father of Yui,Kurima’s fiancée. Kurima’s men suddenly betray him on Matsumine's orders,but Kurima avoids death by jumping from a cliff. The men believe Kurima dead,but Kurima is saved by a young child and awakens injured in Usui's shop. Usui reveals Matsumine is the real opium dealer and Hirata planned to expose him,so Matsumine had Kurima murder Hirata then planned to murder Kurima to cover it up. Kurima realizes he was manipulated into murdering his own innocent father-in-law. Usui reveals the odd jobs he performs from his shop include revenge,and the gold charm was Hirata’s way of hiring Usui to avenge him. Kurima assists Usui and his employees with infiltrating Matsumine's castle and Kurima kills Matsumine himself. Kurima rushes to Yui's home,intending to kill himself before her as atonement for killing her father. However,he is too late as Yui had killed herself after Hirata’s funeral. | ||||||
2 | "Gold Opens Any Door" | Masaya Fujimori | Gen Urobuchi,Renji Ōki | Masaya Fujimori | January 12, 2023 | |
As Kurima mourns the death of Yui,Usui reports the success of the mission to his superiors at the Chapel and suggests to his allies to bringing the samurai into their group. Meanwhile,a Revenger doctor named Teppa Murakami treats a terminally ill woman named Mana who wants to hire the Revengers to kill her husband Inohachi and his boss Tenmokuya,who both sold her into prostitution. Usui asks Kurima to join the Revengers,claiming that while their actions cannot be justified,they are the only people who can take vengeance for the people powerless to do it themselves. Eventually,Kurima accepts joining in the mission to kill Inohachi and Tenmokuya. That night,Tenmokuya receives word that Inohachi is being targeted and orders him to leave the city. Teppa uses a massive compound bow to kill Inohachi's bodyguard while Kurima slays Inohachi himself. Meanwhile,Usui and Nio assassinate Tenmokuya in his brothel. With the mission complete,Teppa leaves flowers at Mana's grave and offers a prayer to her. | ||||||
3 | "Fortune is Fickle and Blind" | Akira Katō | Gen Urobuchi,Renji Ōki | Masaya Fujimori | January 19, 2023 | |
Nio takes Kurima on a tour around Nagisaki to familiarize him with the city's layout,where they witness the corrupt magistrate Sakata frame an innocent shopkeeper for opium smuggling. Usui arranges for Kurima to be Soji's roommate,much to Soji's annoyance. Usui then meets with the local government official Isarizawa,who asks him about Kurima's location and his involvement in Hirata's murder,though Usui feigns ignorance. Isarizawa then reveals that one of Sakata's victims has decided to hire the Revengers to eliminate Sakata,and Usui accepts the job. Teppa and Nio investigate him and discover that Sakata has secretly been framing other people to cover up his own opium smuggling operation. Soji volunteers to take the job and takes Kurima with him,making a bet that whoever has the most kills can take their room for themselves. Kurima and Soji then assault Sakata's residence,killing him and his bodyguards with Kurima saving Soji from a hidden guard. Both men then return home with a newfound mutual respect for each other. Meanwhile,Teppa warns Usui that if Kurima gets too involved with the Revengers,it could spell trouble for them all,which Usui acknowledges. | ||||||
4 | "Ask,and You Shall Receive" | Mitsuyo Yokono | Gen Urobuchi,Renji Ōki | Yūta Murano | January 26, 2023 | |
Soji tries to get Kurima a job,but he apparently has no useful skills other than his swordsmanship. Usui submits the bitten gold for Sakata's assassination to the Chapel,but they refuse to pay him until the revenge is fully complete,which means killing Sakata's opium supplier Azumi-ya and his mistress as well. Since the Revengers know where the mistress lives,they arrange for Kurima to fill in for a book shop owner so he can watch for Azumi-ya. To pass the time,he begins painting and it is revealed that he is an extremely skilled artist. Later that night,Kurima spies Azumi-ya visiting his mistress and informs the other Revengers. Teppa kills Azumi-ya with an arrow while Usui eliminates the mistress. The next day,the book shop owner returns and is impressed by Kurima's highly detailed and realistic art and offers to show it to publishers. | ||||||
5 | "Love Never Dies" | Shinpei Matsuo | Renji Ōki,Gen Urobuchi | Shinpei Matsuo | February 2, 2023 | |
A circus operated by the Doan Company arrives in Nagasaki,promising to show off various freak show exhibits. The next day,the daughter of Kurima and Soji's landlord,Hana,tells them two of her friends,Badger and Weasel,have gone missing. The pair decide to investigate and discover that Badger and Weasel,as well as a number of other mountain children,have gone missing. Meanwhile,Doan approaches Usui and offers to buy back Nio,but Usui flatly refuses,wanting Nio to live as a human being. Usui expresses to Kurima and Soji his suspicion that the Doan Company has kidnapped Badger and Weasel. Nio meanwhile secretly visits the boys and gives them a gold coin to bite,thus hiring the Revengers. Kurima,Soji,and Teppa eliminate most of the Doan Company members while Nio personally slays Doan. The Badger,Weasel,and the imprisoned children are freed and return to the mountains,while Usui reiterates to Teppa his desire to raise Nio as a human being. | ||||||
6 | "Adversary Advent" | Toshiyuki Sone | Renji Ōki,Gen Urobuchi | Yūta Murano | February 9, 2023 | |
Kurima begins receiving commissions for his artwork,and he and Soji are forced to fight off a gang of thugs trying to capture him. Usui is summoned by Isarizawa again,who warns him that the criminal underworld in Chinatown is searching for Kurima and are likely involved in the opium smuggling Hirata was investigating. Kurima decides to confront the Chinatown gang directly,believing that even if it results in his death,it would be punishment for his involvement in Hirata and Yui's deaths. Knowing that Kurima's death would cause a scandal and expose them,the Revengers decide to keep an eye on Kurima. Kurima confronts the leader of the Chinatowng gang,Master Liu,but is captured and interrogated. The Revengers raid Master Liu's boat and rescue Kurima,and he tells them that he has learned from his interrogators that they are searching for a massive stash of opium Matsumine had hidden in Nagasaki before his death. | ||||||
7 | "Rosy Pitfall" | Akira Katō | Renji Ōki | Masaya Fujimori | February 16, 2023 | |
A young priest named Seiku is brought by his fellow priests to a temple managed by a group of nuns,which turns out be a front for a male prostitution ring. Seiku befriends one of the prostitutes,Ichinojo,and promises to help him escape. However,the nuns keep the prostitutes under their control with opium,and seeing Ichinojo resisting smoking his opium,they directly inject him with a large dose. Seiku is disillusioned upon seeing Ichinojo completely addicted and has him bite a gold coin to hire the Revengers. The Revengers eliminate the nuns while Kurima pursues the head nun,only to run into Liu again. Soji kills the head nun,and Liu withdraws when he sees he is outnumbered. The next day,Seiku is seen taking care of the former prostitutes,including Ichinojo. Meanwhile,Nagasaki Trade Union leader Shishido presents evidence to the magistrate that Sakata was murdered by the Revengers,causing the magistrate to order Isarizawa to investigate them. Isarizawa privately threatens Shishido not to escalate the opium trade,while Shishido muses on hiring Revengers of his own to eliminate Isarizawa. | ||||||
8 | "Two of a Trade Never Agree" | Michita Shiraishi | Renji Ōki,Gen Urobuchi | Dashiyo Hatsumi | February 23, 2023 | |
Kurima begins having more success as an artist,and Usui gifts him a small cottage he can work out of and suggests that he can let his past go and live under a new identity,though Kurima is still dedicated to finding the missing opium. That night,Kurima visits a pub and meets a mysterious priest who he gets into a debate about the nature of killing with. Meanwhile,the Chapel instructs Usui to kill Liu before he can find the opium,despite the lack of bitten gold. Usui is conflicted with following the Chapel's orders without the necessary grudge,so Soji comes up with the idea of obtaining a bitten gold against Liu,which Usui agrees to since he has grown suspicious of the Chapel's motives. Meanwhile,Shishido hires another Revenger team,led by the priest who Kurima encounters earlier,to carry out his grudges. Later that night,Nio infiltrates Chinatown to gather intelligence but is caught by Liu. Kurima confronts Liu again while Usui intercepts a letter that indicates Liu is an agent of the Chinese government. Liu hesitates when Kurima tells him he wants to destroy the opium,but at that moment Liu is shot by a sniper from the second Revenger team. | ||||||
9 | "Mutual Understanding" | Mitsuyo Yokono | Renji Ōki | Shinpei Matsuo | March 2, 2023 | |
Kurima carries Liu to Murakami's clinic to save him,as the Revengers find that no one in Chinatown actually bit the gold coin. Murakami manages to save Liu and later tells Nio and Soji about how the English used opium taken from India to open up the Qing lands for trade and exploitation. Liu later tells Usui how he was charged by his government with wiping out opium stashes in the region,including Nagasaki. Usui and Murakami come to the uncomfortable conclusion that the Chapel is in league with the opium dealer. Meanwhile,Shishido makes a deal with Sada's Revenger group to finish off Liu and the rest of his group in Chinatown. Liu convinces Kurima to take him to Chinatown,but in his injured state is barely able to fight off a timid attacker before succumbing to his wounds. After hearing about the destruction of his forces,Liu bites into a gold coin for Kurima. Meanwhile,Sada takes on another job from Shishido who frames Usui's group for the Chinatown attack,as the Chapel nun disavows them. Shishido then takes Sada into his storehouse,where he reveals his intention to make Nagasaki the new hub for opium trading. | ||||||
10 | "Nowhere to Run" | Hidekazu Oka | Renji Ōki | Dashiyo Hatsumi | March 9, 2023 | |
Isarizawa tells Usui about Shishido's recent moves to have his Revengers killed after framing them for the Chinatown massacre. Soji and Kurima are forced into hiding after a sniper shoots the decoy Soji set up at Hana's inn. Shishido invites Usui and some local businessmen as the two have a subtle debate over artwork,and Usui intuits Shishido wants to spread opium for the sake of causing suffering. Later,Usui visits the Chapel on his own to get some answers. Gerald denies having a relationship with Shishido or giving Usui a false bitten coin,but says that if Japan falls under the influence of opium then it is God's will. In response,Usui reveals the coin that Liu bit into and leaves,intending to finish that job. Kurima tells Usui he intends to commit seppuku after finishing Liu's revenge,but Usui tells him that he could continue his art trade instead. Kurima wonders if that would make his late fiancée happier. Meanwhile,Soji heads into a gambling den where he discovers the new woman throwing dice in chō-han is actually the Chapel nun. She subtly rigs the dice in Soji's favor,then follows him outside in a different disguise,hinting that it was a payoff to turn him against Usui and Kurima. | ||||||
11 | "The Die is Cast" | Toshiyuki Sone | Renji Ōki | Masaya Fujimori | March 16, 2023 | |
Both Revenger teams play a dangerous game of cat and mouse as they attempt to draw each other out. Meanwhile,the Chapel nun asks Gerald why he continues to let Usui's group operate freely,and he replies that Usui still has his uses. He also plans to distribute the opium to destabilize Japan so that an independent Christian state can be founded in Kyushu. Soji then confronts Usui about his reasons for inducting Kurima into the group. Usui reveals that he had delivered a hairpin to Yui in Hirata's stead after his death and informed her that Kurima killed him. Believing that Kurima deceived her to murder her father and steal his property,Yui bit a gold coin to issue a grudge against Kurima before killing herself. After realizing Kurima was used,Usui couldn't bring himself to kill him. Soji then considers using Yui's bitten gold as a pretext to kill Kurima but changes his mind when Kurima saves him from Sada's sniper. Meanwhile,Teppa and Nio manage to trace the opium to a British lighthouse just off the coast but are detected in the process. With the opium located,Usui and his Revengers prepare to assault the lighthouse and face off against Sada's Revengers. | ||||||
12 | "The Sun Always Rises" | Shinpei Matsuo | Renji Ōki | Masaya Fujimori | March 23, 2023 | |
Kurima,Soji,and Teppa assault the lighthouse while Usui and Nio raid Shishido's manor. Working together,Kurima,Soji,and Teppa are able to kill most of Sada's team,with Kurima killing Sada in single combat. Afterwards,Kurima finds Shishido's opium stash. Meanwhile,Usui and Nio eliminate Shishido's guards and confront Shishido himself. Shishido surrenders the opium to Usui,wanting him to continue his dream of turning Nagasaki and Japan into a living hell. Usui instead kills Shishido,proclaiming that no sinner can escape judgment. At that moment,Kurima's group destroy the opium. Afterwards,the Chapel accepts Usui's fulfilling of Liu's grudge,but caution him that the peace he brought to Nagasaki is only temporary. It is also revealed that the Chapel nun has infiltrated Isarizawa's retinue of prostitutes. Teppa,Soji,and Nio continue their lives as normal,while Kurima quietly retires to his cottage to continue his art. However,despite fulfilling his mission,he still cannot overcome his guilt over Yui's death. Eventually,Kurima travels back to the spot where he first met Usui,where he is fatally stabbed by sole surviving member of Sada's group. Kurima quietly accepts his death and passes away peacefully,with Usui discovering his body shortly after. |
A manga adaptation by Ryūsei Yamada began serialization in Square Enix's Monthly GFantasy magazine on January 18, 2023. [16]
No. | Release date | ISBN |
---|---|---|
1 | July 27, 2023 [17] | 978-4-75-758702-1 |
Volume | Episodes | Release date | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1–4 | 26 April 2023 | [18] | |
2 | 5–8 | 7 June 2023 | [19] | |
3 | 9–12 | 5 July 2023 | [20] | |
Anime Feminist and Anime News Network reviewed the series' premiere with both noting it uses several tropes which Gen Urobuchi is known for. While the setting was found interesting for mixing Oriental and Occidental content in a historical Japan, the lack of female characters was criticized especially due to the suicide of Kurima's fiancée at the end of first episode. Nevertheless, the character designs and animation were praised, fitting especially for the action scene. [21] [22]
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