Sanctuary(Japanese:サンクチュアリ,Hepburn:Sankuchuari)is amangawritten bySho Fumimura,and illustrated byRyoichi Ikegami.It was serialized inShogakukan'sseinenmangamagazineBig Comic Superiorfrom 1990 to 1995, with its chapters collected in 12 volumes. It was published as 46 comic books and collected as nine volumes in America byViz Graphicsfrom 1995 to 1997.Sanctuarywas a bestseller in Japan, and inspired anoriginal video animationand a series of live-action films.
| Sanctuary | |
 Cover of the first manga volume | |
| サンクチュアリ (Sankuchuari) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Political thriller[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Sho Fumimura |
| Illustrated by | Ryoichi Ikegami |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Big Comic Superior |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | 1990–1995 |
| Volumes | 12 |
| Live-action film | |
| Directed by | Yukio Fuji |
| Written by | Kanji Yasumoto |
| Released | January 21, 1995 |
| Runtime | 103 minutes |
| Live-action film | |
| Sanctuary Part 2 | |
| Directed by | Haruaki Yoshino |
| Written by | Tetsutomo Kosugi |
| Music by | Torsten Rasch[2] |
| Studio | Video Champ |
| Released | December 18, 1995 |
| Runtime | 80 minutes |
| Live-action film | |
| Sanctuary Part 3 | |
| Directed by | Haruaki Yoshino |
| Written by | Junichi Suzuki |
| Music by | Torsten Rasch |
| Studio | Video Champ |
| Released | February 25, 1996 |
| Runtime | 82 minutes |
| Original video animation | |
| Directed by | Takashi Watanabe |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Kenji Terada |
| Studio | Pastel |
| Licensed by |
|
| Released | May 1, 1996 |
| Runtime | 50 minutes |
Plot
editSanctuaryis a story that featured two childhood friends, Akira Hojo and Chiaki Asami, who ruthlessly struggle to set a new paradigm of living in Japan. However, the two friends take radically different paths (playingrock-paper-scissorsto decide their roles): Akira chooses the dark path and joins ayakuzagang, while Chiaki strives to become the youngest member of theJapanese Diet.As survivors of theCambodian killing fields,the two characters develop an unmatched aggression and survival instincts, helping them to achieve their common ultimate goal: making Japan their own sanctuary.
The story starts with Hojo as a minor mob Boss and Asami as a political advisor. The plot first focuses on their rise to positions of greater power. Hojo's rise is decidedly quicker than Asami's, whose struggle to get to the top lasts the entire manga. Hojo is a yakuza don by book 2. The story then follows his attempts to gain control over the entire yakuza while secretly paving the way for them to become a legitimate enterprise. Asami, meanwhile, must try to enter the Diet by forming his own party that represents the younger people of Japan. He is constantly opposed by the current Dietmen, who are aging politicians intent on holding onto power (often considered to be a thinly-veiled reference to theLiberal Democratic Party).
By the end of the series, both Hojo and Asami succeed in their ambitions. Hojo successfully unites all of the major yakuza syndicates under his banner to extend the longevity of yakuza (through educational reform) while Asami successfully becomes the youngest nominated politician to become Prime Minister of Japan. At the end of their journey, they return to where it all began: Cambodia. Unfortunately, Asami dies due to illness.
Characters
edit- Akira Hojo(Bắc điều chương,Hōjō Akira)
- Voiced by:Shō Hayami(Japanese);David Kaye(English)
- Portrayed by: Toshiya Nakasawa
- Don of the Sagara Alliance(Tương lặc liền hợp,Sagara Rengō).Asami's childhood friend, he is heading towards domination over Japan's yakuza corporations. By the end of the story, Hojo runs for the Diet.
- Chiaki Asami(Thiển kiến thiên thu,Asami Chiaki)
- Voiced by:Kazuhiro Nakata(Japanese);Paul Dobson(English)
- Portrayed by:Hiroshi Abe
- Ambitious and strong-willed politician. He lived in Cambodia with Hojo's family in the 1970s. Asami's personal nemesis is Isaoka.
- Norimoto Isaoka(Y tá cương kỷ nguyên,Isaoka Norimoto)
- Voiced by:Takeshi Watabe
- An "old fox" with all the connections one can imagine at every economic, politic and illegal level possible. He served a prison sentence inSugamo PrisonafterWorld War II.
- Tokai(Qua biển)
- Voiced by:Takaya Hashi(Japanese);Scott McNeil(English)
- Hojo's former mentor, a through-and-through yakuza who serves his Boss efficiently, with an unshakeable loyalty.
- Reiji Tashiro(Điền đại liên nhị,Tashiro Reiji)
- Voiced by:Tomokazu Seki(Japanese);Brian Drummond(English)
- Portrayed by: Toshihiko Sakakibara
- Young assistant of Hojo, who saved his new-born baby years ago. As with Tokai, he would give his life for his Boss.
- Kyoko Ishihara(Thạch nguyên quả hạnh,Ishihara Kyōko)
- Voiced by:Hiromi Tsuru(Japanese);Nicole Oliver(English)
- Portrayed by: Azusa Nakamura
- Deputy-chief in the district of Tokyo. Born in 1965 (vol.1 chap. 2) she is 27 at the time of the story. Went toTokyo University.Kyoko later falls for Hojo and the feelings are mutual.
- Ozaki(Đuôi kỳ)
- Voiced by:Unshō Ishizuka(Japanese);Ward Perry(English)
- Portrayed by: Naomasa Musaka
- Subaltern of Ishihara, he knows Tokai very well, but he's a good policeman nonetheless.
- Besitt(ビセット,Bisetto)
- The Trade Minister of the U.S. who falls for Asami and becomes a loyal foreign ally.
- Yuki
- Asami's lover, a university student.
- Murata(Thôn điền)
- Hojo's advisor in the yakuza.
- Wong Chi-Yeung(Hoàng chí dương,Kō Shiyō,Chinese Mandarin:Huáng Zhìyáng,Jyutping: wong4 zi3 joeng4)
- A Hong Kong Don who at first double crosses Hojo and Asami before later aiding them again.
- Masanobu Miyamura(Cung thôn chính tin,Miyamura Masanobu)
- A Don who owes Hojo his life.
- Ibuki
- A Don from Kobe and ally of Hojo.
- Shinichiro Sengoku(Tiên thạch thận một lang,Sengoku Shin'ichirō)
- The son of an old school politician who is both a trouble maker and playboy. He does everything he can to avenge his father's death and joins forces with Asami.
- Kisuke Nakagusuku(Trung thành quy giới,Nakagusuku Kisuke)
- Leader of theOkinawanmafia.
Media
editManga
editViz Media's English release was translated by cultural anthropologistRachel Thorn.It was nominated for the 1995Harvey Awardfor Best American Edition of Foreign Material.[3]
Volumes
edit| No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 30, 1990[4] | 4-09-182361-0 |
| 2 | April 27, 1991[5] | 4-09-182362-9 |
| 3 | July 30, 1991[6] | 4-09-182363-7 |
| 4 | February 29, 1992[7] | 4-09-182364-5 |
| 5 | August 29, 1992[8] | 4-09-182365-3 |
| 6 | March 30, 1993[9] | 4-09-182366-1 |
| 7 | September 30, 1993[10] | 4-09-126307-0 |
| 8 | January 29, 1994[11] | 4-09-182368-8 |
| 9 | May 30, 1994[12] | 4-09-182370-X |
| 10 | August 30, 1994[13] | 4-09-126310-0 |
| 11 | January 30, 1995[14] | 4-09-183531-7 |
| 12 | April 27, 1995[15] | 4-09-183532-5 |
Adaptations
editSanctuarywas adapted in both a one-shot animeoriginal video animation(OVA),[16]and live-action theatrical release. Both versions were released in North America by Viz Media.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^"News pg.13".j-pop.Viz Communications, Inc.Archived fromthe originalon November 7, 1996.RetrievedJuly 14,2021.
- ^"Music For Films 1995".Torsten Rasch.Archivedfrom the original on August 4, 2020.RetrievedAugust 20,2020.
- ^"1995 Harvey Awards".The Harvey Awards.Archived fromthe originalon March 15, 2016.RetrievedAugust 19,2015.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 1 / quang と ảnh(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon August 22, 2002.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 2 / Nhật Bản(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon May 19, 2003.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 3 / chế bá(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon July 31, 2003.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 4 / chiến い の tự chương(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon May 20, 2002.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 5 / quyết ý(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon May 6, 2002.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 6 / rìu(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon July 31, 2003.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 7 / 覚 tỉnh(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon May 19, 2003.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 8 / công thủ(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon March 21, 2002.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 9 / bại lộ(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2002.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 10 / ly đảng(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2002.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 11 / tân sẽ phái(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon November 11, 2004.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^サンクチュアリ / 12 / Thánh Vực(in Japanese).Shogakukan.Archived fromthe originalon July 31, 2003.RetrievedOctober 27,2020.
- ^"Manga into Anime Two Approaches: 'Sanctuary' and 'Ghost in the Shell'".Animation World Network.Archivedfrom the original on February 15, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 14,2019.
External links
edit- "Translated Manga Pick of the Month"at theWayback Machine(archived February 14, 1998)
- Sanctuary: The MovieatIMDb
- SanctuaryatIMDb
- Sanctuary(manga) atAnime News Network's encyclopedia