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Tenjho Tenge
Firsttankōbon' volume cover
Thiên thượng thiên hạ
(Tenjō Tenge)
GenreAdventure,martial arts,[1]supernatural[2]
Manga
Written byOh! great
Published byShueisha
English publisher
MagazineUltra Jump
DemographicSeinen
Original runJuly 25, 1997–August 19, 2010
Volumes22(List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byToshifumi Kawase
Produced byMasao Maruyama
Written byToshiki Inoue
Music byYasunori Iwasaki
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
Original networkTV Asahi
English network
Original runApril 1, 2004–September 16, 2004
Episodes24(List of episodes)
Original video animation
Ultimate Fight
Directed byToshifumi Kawase
Produced byMasao Maruyama
Written byKazuhiko Inukai
Music byYasunori Iwasaki
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
  • AUS:Madman Entertainment
  • NA:Discotek Media
  • UK:MVM Films
ReleasedMarch 16, 2005
Runtime25 minutes (each)
Episodes2
Anime television film
The Past Chapter
Directed byToshifumi Kawase
Produced byMasao Maruyama
Written byToshiki Inoue
Music byYasunori Iwasaki
StudioMadhouse
ReleasedMarch 30, 2005
Runtime90 minutes
iconAnime and manga portal

Tenjho Tenge(Japanese:Thiên thượng thiên hạ,Hepburn:Tenjō Tenge,lit. "Heaven and Earth" ),[a]also written asTenjo Tenge,is a Japanesemangaseries written and illustrated byOh! great.It was serialized inShueisha'sseinenmangamagazineUltra Jumpfrom July 1997 to August 2010, with its chapters collected in 22tankōbon' volumes. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the rulingstudent bodyof a high school that educates its students in the art of combat. As the story unfolds, both groups become increasingly involved with an ongoing battle that has been left unresolved for four hundred years.

It was adapted into a 24-episodeanimetelevision series broadcast onTV Asahifrom April to September 2004. A two-episodeoriginal video animation(OVA) was released in March 2005.

Both versions of the series have been licensed for release in English language by two different companies. The manga was licensed and released byCMXbeginning in 2005, which came under criticism by fans for editing its sexual content. When CMX closed down in 2010, after releasing 18 volumes,Viz Mediapicked up the rights and completed their own uncut release of the series in 2013. The anime was licensed and released byGeneon Entertainment,also beginning in 2005, however, it is now licensed byDiscotek Media.

Plot

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Main article:List ofTenjho Tengecharacters

The plot begins with Souichiro Nagi and his childhood best friend Bob Makihara going to their first day of high school at Toudou Academy. They had intended to rule the school by beating up anybody that got in their way, as they had done at their previous schools. They soon learn that Toudou is no ordinary high school, but rather a school that was founded to teach and integrate different fighting styles. Its students are skilled in the various arts of combat with some students possessingsupernatural abilities,such aspyrokinesis,precognition,andsuperhuman strengthbased on the abilities to use their "spirit" or "ki"in Japanese. After an altercation with the Executive Council, Souichiro and Bob join the only surviving club that opposes them, the Juken club. As the storyline develops, both groups find they are becoming increasingly involved in a long enduring conflict that was left unresolved from theJapanese feudal eraby some of the characters' ancestors.

Media

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Manga

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Main article:List ofTenjho Tengechapters

Written and illustrated byOh! Great,Tenjho Tengewas serialized inShueisha'sseinenmangamagazineUltra Jumpfrom July 25, 1997,[b]to August 19, 2010.[6][7]It was Oh! Great's first crossover mainstream manga from writing and illustratinghentaimanga.[8]Shueisha collected its chapters in 22tankōbon' volumes, released from May 19, 1998,[9]to November 19, 2010.[10]

Tenjho Tengewas licensed for an English language publication byCMX,animprintofDC Comics,as one of their launch titles and the first volume was released on February 16, 2005.[11]Their version of the manga is heavily edited/censored in order for them to give it a Teen "rating" "to give it the widest possible distribution in the United States".[12]According to CMX, these changes were made in conjunction with Shueisha andTenjho Tengecreator Oh! Great, who examines each of their changes.[12][13]This censorship however garnered quite a bit of controversy. CMX released eighteen volumes in North America before the company was shut down in July 2010.[14][15]

In November 2010,Viz Mediaacquired the rights to theTenjho Tengemanga, stating that their version would be 100% uncut and faithful to the original Japanese.[15]From June 21, 2011, to February 5, 2013, they released the series bi-monthly in eleven 2-in-1 volumes, which collects two individual volumes into a single large one. Viz's releases also includesomake,color pages from the series's original run inUltra Jump,and since each release will cover two volumes, the second cover will be printed in as a color page.[15]The manga is also published in many other countries, such as in Taiwan bySharp Point Press,[16]in Italy, France and Germany byPanini Comics,[17][18][19]in Mexico byGrupo Editorial Vid,[20]in Brazil byEditora JBC,[21]and in Spain byNorma Editorial.[22]

Anime

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Main article:List ofTenjho Tengeepisodes

TheTenjho Tengeanimewas directed by Toshifumi Kawase, animated byMadhouse,and produced byTV Asahiand Avex Mode, the animation division ofthe Avex group of companies.The twenty-four episodes were originally aired weekly on TV Asahi in Japan on Thursdays from April 1, 2004, to September 16, 2004. These episodes were made into eight-volume DVDbox sets.Two additional episodes were broadcast by TV Asahi in Japan on March 16, 2005, and released in the form of anoriginal video animationnamedTenjho Tenge: Ultimate Fight.The anime follows closely to its source material up to the manga's eighth volume with the exception of the sexual content which was toned down.[23]The anime series has been licensed in English byGeneon Entertainment.

Although not mentioned on theGeneon Entertainment's website, or the Tenjho Tenge mini-site,[24]the OVA is available on the last volume, sometimes listed as episodes 25 and 26. In Australia and the UK, the series was released over seven volumes, and includes the OVA on the seventh disc.[25][26]Almost 5 years after the closure of Geneon USA,Discotek Mediare-licensed the series for a DVD release in 2013.[27]Viewsterlater added the anime series into their streaming service alongsideGalaxy Express 999and Adieu Galaxy Express 999 anime films in 2016.[28]

Music

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Main article:List ofTenjho Tengemusic

The anime's music, including the background music and theme songs, were composed and performed by various artists, such asm.c.A.TandAiko Kayowho provided the opening and closing themes songs of the anime. In 2004,Avexrecord label released theTenjho Tengesoundtrack and a single.[29][30]In 2005, Avex released twocharacter collectionalbums.[31][32]

Reception

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Manga

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TheTenjho Tengemanga is described by Chris Beveridge of Anime On DVD as an "engaging mix of action and comedy together while wrapping it all up in a large plot that's fairly dark and really violent at times".[33]Its creator,Oh! Great,is known to flavor his works with wanton sex and violence.[34]Oh! Great uses sex as an important aspect of the storyline by using it as a powerful motivator both negatively and positively.[8]He often has his characters contemplate the significance and importance of fighting as well as the meaning of strength. This conscious deliberation of subjective reasoning and objective truth between characters is the most imperative aspect of a story and is considered to be rare in manga.[35]Dani Moure of Anime On DVD said readers may find that Oh! Great'snarrativeis occasionally hard to follow and at times the plot moves slowly.[36]Oh! Great is known for his characters to have unrealisticbody proportions,andTenjho Tengeis no different. The majority of the female characters have "ultra large breasts"[37]and the male characters are extraordinarily muscular, but this facilitates the characters' personalities to come through in their distinctive features.[38]Overall, theTenjho Tengemanga is well received, having sold over 10.7 million copies[39]and its volumes regularly being in the top twenty best-selling manga for Japanese Tohan charts and North AmericanDiamond Comic Distributorscharts.[40][41][42][43]

Anime

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TheTenjho Tengeanime is described as a significantly toned down version of the Japanese manga, but still retains most of the spirit of its predecessor.[34]Much of the nudity was removed by the animators, but was made up in the way ofsexual innuendos,gratuitous cleavage,andpanty shots.[44]Since the anime is a close adaptation of the manga, critique of the plot is comparable to the manga's. Some reviewers felt that the anime was handled in a frantic and ill-planned manner that made the conclusion not satisfactory even with theoriginal video animation.[45][46]The animation done byMadhouseis considered to be well done. They used bright vibrant colors, solid backgrounds, and plenty of visible detail with very littlepixelationor jagged movement,[33]but at times used repeated character shots and animations.[44]The animation done during the fight scenes is done in real time and is done as close to reality as possible while still bending, and often violating, thelaws of physics.[47]The early fight scenes are thought to be the "most intense seen in recent anime" by Kevin Gilvear of DVD Times.[37]Carlo Santos of Anime News Network affirmed the quality of animation in these scenes does drop somewhat over time, but the action still looks better than the average fighting anime.[23]Both the Japanese and Englishvoice actingare considered to be good, but the English dub at times can be a little uneven.[37]The English dub on occasion has poor dialogue, according to Anime News Network's Patrick King, which causes it to lose much of the anime's sincerity.[34]Overall, the anime is considered to be above average, but suffers from a lack of a good ending, mainly because the anime only covered the first arc of the story.[45]

The series' original soundtrack is considered to be average. Most of the music does well with setting the tone within the anime, although some reviewers found it to be somewhat repetitive.[38][48]Some found the drama tracks to be unsatisfactory, even though they were "well executed".[49]For many, the highlight of the soundtrack ism.c.A.T's "Bomb A Head!", which was used as the anime's opening song.[50][51]

Controversy

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CMXcame under a great deal of criticism from readers for its edits. These edits included the length and breadth of the book, censoring out anything they felt was questionable for a teen audience such as covering up or removingnudity,fanservice,andsexual innuendoas well as a removal of anomakechapter.[52][53]This was done by a brand whose promotional material asserts that it offers "pure manga—100% the way the original Japanese creators want you to see it."[54]One of grievances made against CMX is that the edits are not only severe, but very noticeable.[55]One review states it is "possibly the most heavily censored title in the history of the North American manga industry."[52]

In response, protesters boycotted the edited version and even started up their own website.[54][56]Immediately following the controversy, Jake Tarbox, group editor of CMX, resigned from the company. "Tarbox was widely blamed by the fan community for the censoring ofTenjho Tenge,although inside sources suggest that Tarbox was not responsible for the decision to censor the manga. "[57]In the face of complaints, CMX had internal discussions about the possibility of publishing an unedited version ofTenjho Tenge,but decided to complete the current version.[58]At the 2007Anime Expo,CMX announced that they planned to changeTenjho Tenge's rating to Mature beginning with volume fifteen, but warned that it still would be edited, but more lightly.[59]Jason Thompsondeclared CMX's censorship of the series one of "The Greatest Censorship Fails" in manga.[60]

Notes

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  1. ^The Japanese phraseTenjho Tenge(Thiên thượng thiên hạ,Tenjō Tenge,lit. "Heaven and Earth" )also is part of the full phraseTenjō Tenge Yui Ga Doku Son(Japanese:Thiên thượng thiên hạ duy ngã độc tôn)which can be translated literally as "There is no equal to me in this entire world (i.e. below the heaven and on this earth)",[3]and in daily parlance now, the shortened form (yui ga dokuson) coming to mean a heavy-handed egotism. Traditionally the phrase is attributed to theBuddha Sakyamuni,purported to have said this whilst taking seven steps immediately after beingborn,supposed to assert his unparalleled status.
  2. ^It started in the magazine's 11th issue,[4]released on July 25, 1997.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"The Official Website for Tenjo Tenge".Viz Media.Archivedfrom the original on January 25, 2021.RetrievedNovember 29,2017.
  2. ^Webb, Charles (June 13, 2011)."Manga Review: 'Tenjo Tenge Full Contact Edition' Vol. 1".MTV.Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 2,2020.
  3. ^Kenkyūsha ShinWaei Chuujiten."Duy ngã độc tôn".Weblio sách tra cứu, nghiên cứu xã tân cùng anh trung từ điển Database. Kenkyūsha.Archivedfrom the original on October 20, 2017.RetrievedNovember 3,2015.
  4. ^"Contents".Ultra Jump(in Japanese). No. 11.Shueisha.1997. Table of contents.Archivedfrom the original on June 20, 2023.RetrievedJune 20,2023.● tân còn tiếp //ピンナップ& quyển đầu カラー thiên thượng thiên hạ đại mộ duy người
  5. ^"Contents".Ultra Jump(in Japanese). No. 10.Shueisha.1997. Table of contents.Archivedfrom the original on June 20, 2023.RetrievedJune 20,2023.Thứ hào は97 năm 7 nguyệt 25 ngày phát bán
  6. ^Loo, Egan (July 17, 2010)."Tenjho Tenge, Shigurui Manga Ending in Japan".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2022.RetrievedJune 20,2023.
  7. ^Đại mộ duy người “Thiên thượng thiên hạ” cuối cùng hồi! あ の イラストを tân たに miêu く.Comic Natalie(in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 19, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on July 6, 2019.RetrievedJune 20,2023.
  8. ^abCha, Kai-Ming (August 1, 2006)."What's So Great About Ogure Ito?".Publishers Weekly. Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2007.RetrievedNovember 30,2007.
  9. ^Thiên thượng thiên hạ 1(in Japanese).Shueisha.Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 20,2009.
  10. ^Thiên thượng thiên hạ 22(in Japanese).Shueisha.Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2018.RetrievedNovember 20,2010.
  11. ^"TENJHO TENGE VOL. 1".CMX.Archived fromthe originalon February 7, 2005.RetrievedJanuary 2,2020.
  12. ^ab"Interview with DC CEO Paul Levitz 2006, Part 3".ICv2. August 22, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on January 2, 2008.RetrievedNovember 30,2007.
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  14. ^"TENJHO TENGE VOL. 18".CMX.Archived fromthe originalon January 4, 2010.RetrievedJanuary 2,2020.
  15. ^abc"VIZ Adds Unedited Tenjo Tenge School Fighting Manga".Anime News Network.November 15, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on November 17, 2010.RetrievedFebruary 1,2013.
  16. ^Thiên thượng thiên hạ (22)(in Chinese).Sharp Point Press.July 12, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon December 9, 2014.RetrievedDecember 9,2014.
  17. ^"Inferno e Paradiso 1"(in Italian).Panini Comics.Archived fromthe originalon September 17, 2016.RetrievedAugust 12,2016.
  18. ^"Enfer et Paradis 2"(in French).Panini Comics.Archived fromthe originalon December 9, 2014.RetrievedDecember 9,2014.
  19. ^"Tenjo Tenge 22"(in German). Panini Comics. Archived fromthe originalon December 9, 2014.RetrievedDecember 9,2014.
  20. ^"Tenjho Tenge # 5"(in Spanish).Grupo Editorial Vid.Archived fromthe originalon March 21, 2008.RetrievedDecember 8,2014.
  21. ^"Tenjho Tenge #22"(in Portuguese).Editora JBC.Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2014.RetrievedDecember 8,2014.
  22. ^"Del cielo al infierno 01"(in Spanish).Norma Editorial.Archived fromthe originalon June 30, 2008.RetrievedDecember 8,2014.
  23. ^abSantos, Carlo (May 10, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge DVD 1: Round One".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 22, 2007.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  24. ^"Geneon's official website for TENJHO TENGE".Archived fromthe originalon June 6, 2005.RetrievedAugust 5,2008.
  25. ^"Madman official website for Tenjho Tenge".Archivedfrom the original on September 16, 2008.RetrievedAugust 5,2008.
  26. ^"Tenjho Tenge DVD Volume 7 at MVM entertainment".Archived fromthe originalon June 8, 2008.RetrievedAugust 5,2008.
  27. ^"Discotek Media Adds Tenjho Tenge TV Anime".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on February 4, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 1,2013.
  28. ^"Viewster Adds Tenjho Tenge TV Anime, Galaxy Express 999 Anime Films".Anime News Network.November 26, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on November 8, 2020.RetrievedNovember 30,2020.
  29. ^"Tenjo Tenge GREAT DISC 1".cd japan. September 29, 2004.Archivedfrom the original on February 13, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 13,2008.
  30. ^"Bomb A Head! V (" Tenjo Tenge "Intro Theme)".cd japan. August 18, 2004.Archivedfrom the original on February 13, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 13,2008.
  31. ^"Tenjo Tenge Character Collection EXTRA BOUT.1".cd japan. January 19, 2005.Archivedfrom the original on February 13, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 13,2008.
  32. ^"Tenjo Tenge Character Collection EXTRA BOUT.2".cd japan. January 19, 2005.Archivedfrom the original on February 13, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 13,2008.
  33. ^abBeveridge, Chris (April 4, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge Vol. #1".Anime On DVD. Archived fromthe originalon November 1, 2006.RetrievedDecember 16,2007.
  34. ^abcKing, Patrick (May 3, 2006)."Tenjho Tenge DVD 6: Round 6".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 14, 2007.RetrievedDecember 17,2007.
  35. ^Bynum, Aaron H. (May 10, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge -" Round One "".Animation Insider. Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2011.RetrievedOctober 23,2020.
  36. ^Moure, Dani (July 20, 2006)."Tenjho Tenge Vol. #2".Anime On DVD. Archived fromthe originalon June 29, 2012.RetrievedDecember 16,2007.
  37. ^abcGilvear, Kevin (May 20, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge: Round 01".DVD Times. Archived fromthe originalon February 21, 2009.RetrievedOctober 23,2020.
  38. ^abSantos, Carlo (November 23, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge DVD 3: Round Three".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 12, 2007.RetrievedDecember 8,2007.
  39. ^"Shin Angyo Onshi Coming Ending, 10 Years of Tenjho Tenge, and More".Comi Press. July 19, 2007.Archivedfrom the original on December 23, 2007.RetrievedDecember 18,2007.
  40. ^"Weekly Manga Top 10 (6/28)".Comi Press. June 29, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2013.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  41. ^"Weekly Japan Manga Rankings (8/01/2007)".Comi Press. August 1, 2007.Archivedfrom the original on December 14, 2007.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  42. ^Weiland, Jonah (June 17, 2005)."Top Sales Charts for Actual Sales in May, 2005".Comic Book Resources.Archivedfrom the original on April 19, 2008.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  43. ^Weiland, Jonah (June 16, 2006)."Top Sales Charts for Actual Sales in May, 2006".Comic Book Resources.Archivedfrom the original on April 18, 2008.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  44. ^abDouglass, Todd Jr. (June 7, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge - Round One".DVD Talk.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2020.RetrievedOctober 25,2020.
  45. ^abDouglass Jr., Todd (August 15, 2006)."Tenjho Tenge Round 8".DVD Talk.Archivedfrom the original on October 27, 2020.RetrievedOctober 25,2020.
  46. ^Høgset, Stig (2004)."Tenjou Tenge".THEM Anime.Archivedfrom the original on October 25, 2007.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
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  48. ^Lineberger, Rob (June 15, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge: Round One".DVD Verdict. Archived fromthe originalon May 26, 2008.RetrievedDecember 8,2007.
  49. ^Goodnight, Lauren (December 28, 2004)."Tenjho Tenge Great Disc. 1".Archived fromthe originalon September 6, 2005.RetrievedDecember 8,2007.
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  51. ^Dong, Bamboo (July 28, 2005)."Shelf Life: When Nerds Collide".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2007.RetrievedDecember 8,2007.
  52. ^abDungan, Mike (March 7, 2005)."Tenjho Tenge Vol. #01 of 15*".Anime on DVD. Archived fromthe originalon April 18, 2008.RetrievedDecember 1,2007.
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  54. ^abReid, Calvin (March 9, 2005)."Fans Ticked Over Manga Censorship".Publishers Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon March 19, 2008.RetrievedDecember 1,2007.
  55. ^"Tenjho Tenge v1".Manga Life. Archived fromthe originalon February 19, 2006.RetrievedDecember 1,2007.
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  60. ^"The Greatest Censorship Fails".Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga.Anime News Network.January 3, 2013.Archivedfrom the original on October 20, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 2,2013.

Further reading

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