Smuggler | |
![]() Cover of the volume | |
Genre | Crime, [1] suspense [2] |
---|---|
Manga | |
Written by | Shohei Manabe |
Published by | Kodansha |
English publisher |
|
Imprint | Afternoon KC |
Magazine | Monthly Afternoon |
Original run | May 2000 – August 2000 |
Volumes | 1 |
Live-action film | |
Directed by | Katsuhito Ishii |
Licensed by | Funimation |
Released | October 22, 2011 |
Smuggler (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shohei Manabe. It was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon from May 2000 to August 2000 and published in a single volume. A live-action film adaptation was released in October 2011.
Manabe took inspiration from the works of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in the making of the series. [3]
Written and illustrated by Shohei Manabe,the series began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon in May 2000;it completed its serialization in August 2000. [4] Its chapters were collected into a single tankōbon volume,which was released on August 21,2000. [5] A one-shot prequel was released in August 2011. [6]
In August 2005,Tokyopop announced that they licensed the series for English publication. [7] After Tokyopop ceased publishing the series,it was licensed by One Peace Books in March 2013. [8]
A live-action film adaptation was announced in October 2010. [9] Directed by Katsuhito Ishii and starring Satoshi Tsumabuki,the film was released on October 22,2011. [10] A spin-off drama for mobile devices was released on October 7,2011. [10]
In March 2012,Cinema Asia Releasing announced that they licensed the film for international distribution. [11] However,in January 2014 Funimation and Giant Ape Media announced that they licensed the film. They released the film on DVD on April 1,2014. [12]
Ken Haley from Pop Culture Shock praised the story and characters,though felt the art in the early portion of the series was ugly and amateurish. [1] In Manga:The Complete Guide ,writer Jason Thompson praised the artwork as realistic and the story as "well-written [and] tightly plotted". [2]