Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan
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| Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan | |
|---|---|
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| 撲殺天使ドクロちゃん (Club-to-Death Angel Dokuro-chan) |
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| Genre | Seinen, Comedy |
| Light novel | |
| Authored by | Okayu Masaki |
| Artist | Torishimo |
| Publisher |  Media Works Daiwon C.I. Kadokawa Media (Taiwan) |
| Publish date | |
| No. of volumes | 9 |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Mitsuna Sakuse (story) Mitsuna Ouse (art) |
| Publisher | Media Works Samyang Kadokawa Media (Taiwan) |
| Serialized in | Dengeki Comic Gao! |
| Original run | August 2005 – |
| No. of volumes | 3 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Tsutomu Mizushima |
| Studio | Media Works |
| Network | SKY PerfecTV! |
| Original run | March 12, 2005 – September 22, 2005 |
| No. of episodes | 4 sets of 2 episodes |
| Game: Game ni Natta yo! Dokuro-chan ~ Kenkou Shindan Daisakusen | |
| Developer | Idea Factory |
| Genre | |
| Rating | CERO: 18+ |
| Platform | PlayStation 2 |
| Released | November 10, 2005 |
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan (撲殺天使ドクロちゃん? Lit. Club-To-Death Angel Dokuro-chan) is the title of a fiction series written by Masaki Okayu and illustrated by Torishimo centering around a young boy and an angel from the future who constantly gets him into trouble and kills him violently and repeatedly with a giant spiked club, only to resurrect him seconds later.[1][2]
Dokuro-chan first began as a Japanese light novel first serialized in the Dengeki hp magazine published by Media Works. Later, a manga version was created, written by illustrated by Mitsuna Ouse serialized in Dengeki Comic Gao!. Finally, an anime version was also adapted and was first aired in Japan on March 12, 2005. It is known for its wildly gory, yet exaggerated, comedic violence and sexual innuendo; combined with popular lolicon, and moe elements of the Japanese culture. In March 2007, the official website began hinting at an upcoming second series of anime.[3]
In late 2005 a PlayStation 2 game titled Game ni Natta yo! Dokuro-chan ~ Kenkou Shindan Daisakusen (ゲームになったよ!ドクロちゃん～健康診断大作戦～? lit. It's a Game Now! Dokuro-chan ~ Great Health Diagnosis Strategy) was released in Japan.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Dokuro-chan tells the story of Sakura Kusakabe, a second-year junior high school student who sometime in the future is going to offend God by inadvertently inventing immortality. Women are affected so that they stop aging after the age of twelve and Sakura is accused of creating a "Pedophile's World". Dokuro Mitsukai, a member of an order of angel assassins that are called Rurutie, has been sent from the future to kill him. Believing that Sakura can be redeemed, Dokuro who can raise the dead, always brings Sakura back to life each time after she kills him - with her gigantic spiked tetsubo (club) she has named Excalibolg - on a moment's impulse. Sabato, another assassin of the Rurutie order who uses her feminine wiles to do her jobs, is dispatched to complete Dokuro's original mission: Sakura's assassination.
[edit] Characters
Sakura Kusakabe is a second year junior high school student whose life changed the day the angel Dokuro appeared. From that day on, he went from the life of a normal boy to one filled with bloody clubbings by said angel. In the future, Sakura is apparently destined to create a technology that stops girls from aging after they reach twelve years old, which has led to Sakura gaining a reputation as a pedophile around his school, despite the fact that he's not old enough to be considered one. While not perverted by nature, Sakura still manages to get into tricky situations with Dokuro.
He has a crush on his classmate and friend Shizuki Minakami, though he is too afraid to tell her.
Dokuro Mitsukai is a cute angelic assassin from the future brought back through time to kill Sakura Kusakabe, but instead tries to save him. Mostly, she is just like any other young girl but where other girls might shout or slap to express their displeasure, Dokuro draws her magical spiked tetsubo "Excalibolg" and brutally clubs her victim to death with it. She's also capable of bringing someone back to life with Excalibolg by chanting Pipiru piru piru pipiru pi (the refrain of the theme song in the opening credits). When she isn't brutally killing Sakura she teases him mercilessly, mostly using sexual innuendo.
Sabato is another angel sent from the future to assassinate Sakura before he can create his "Pedophile's World". Sabato has goat horns on her head, and is unusually polite, even when threatening to kill Sakura. After she was defeated, she began to live in a small cardboard box under a bridge; her living allowance is funded from an unknown source. Her weapon of choice is a deadly shock-baton called Durandal which according to Sabato can "char blue whales in the blink of an eye."
Zanzu is yet another angel from the future who has accompanied Dokuro in the attempt to save Sakura's life. He has a very odd appearance, looking more like a biker gang member than an angel.
Zakuro Mitsukai Dokuro's younger nine-year-old sister, despite appearing much older than her. She wears a dress modeled after a naval officer's uniform, as well as an eyepatch on her left eye, for unknown reasons. Calm and soft-spoken, she is quite proficient in battle. Her weapon is a wet towel named "Eckilsax" which can split into two or more for close combat, as well as stretching itself to bind the opponent.
Shizuki Minakami is one of Sakura's good friends, and is also one of his classmates. She hangs out with Sakura most of the time, and is one of the more normal characters in the series as she never gets excited or otherwise when odd things begin to happen.
[edit] Media
Dokuro-chan is a series that has spanned several different types of media, first appearing as a light novel, then later a manga version, followed by an anime adaptation and lastly a video game.
[edit] Light novel
Dokuro-chan first began as a light novel series originally created by Masaki Okayu and illustrated by Torishimo was first serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Dengeki hp published by Media Works. There are nine individual light novels in the series.
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan ISBN 4-8402-2392-0
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 2 ISBN 4-8402-2490-0
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 3 ISBN 4-8402-2637-7
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 4 ISBN 4-8402-2784-5
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 5 ISBN 4-8402-2994-5
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 6 ISBN 4-8402-3143-5
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 7 ISBN 4-8402-3343-8
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 8 ISBN 4-8402-3548-1
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 9 ISBN 978-4-8402-3756-7
There is also a single volume of short stories written by other popular light novel authors.
- Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan desu ISBN 4-8402-3443-4
- Stories by Tsutomu Mizushima (水島努 Mizushima Tsutomu?), Nagaru Tanigawa (谷川流 Nagaru Tanigawa?), Toshihiko Tsukiji (築地俊彦 Tsukiji Toshihiko?), Keiichi Sigsawa (時雨沢恵一 Shigusawa Keiichi?), Keisuke Hasegawa (ハセガワケイスケ Hasegawa Keisuke?), Ryohgo Narita (成田良悟 Narita Ryougo?) and Kazuma Kamachi (鎌池和馬 Kamachi Kazuma?).)
[edit] Manga
The manga version of Dokuro-chan written by Mitsuna Sakuse and illustrated by Mitsuna Ouse was first serialized in the magazine Dengeki Comic Gao! published by Media Works.
[edit] Anime
The Dokuro-chan anime first aired in Japan on March 12, 2005 and contained eight episodes in length. Each of the eight episodes is less than 15 minutes in duration, though they aired were in pairs which totaled four parts that were each 25 minutes in length including the opening and ending songs.
[edit] Episodes
| Screenshot | Title | Original airdate | # |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I'm the Club-to-Death Angel! Dokuro-chan!" "Bokusatsu Tenshi da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (撲殺天使だよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
March 12, 2005 | 01 | |
| "The Assassin from the Future! Dokuro-chan!" "Mirai kara no Shikaku da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (未来からの刺客だよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
March 12, 2005 | 02 | |
| "Cupid of Love! Dokuro-chan!" "Koi no Kyūpitto da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (恋のキューピットだよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
May 2005 | 03 | |
| "New Cinema Paradise! Dokuro-chan!" "Nyū Shinema Paradaisu da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (ニューシネマパラダイスだよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
May 2005 | 04 | |
| "Field Trip! Dokuro-chan!" "Rinkangakkō da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (林間学校だよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
July 2005 | 05 | |
| "Test of Courage! Dokuro-chan!" "Kimodameshi da yo! Dokuro-chan" (肝試しだよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
July 2005 | 06 | |
| "It's Zakuro-chan! Dokuro-chan!" "Zakuro-chan da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (ザクロちゃんだよ！ドクロちゃん) |
September 22, 2005 | 07 | |
| "Farewell! Dokuro-chan!" "Sayonara da yo! Dokuro-chan!" (さよならだよ！ドクロちゃん！) |
September 22, 2005 | 08 | |
[edit] Music
Opening: Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan by Saeko Chiba
[edit] Video game
In late 2005 a video game based on the series entitled Game ni Natta yo! Dokuro-chan ~ Kenkou Shindan Daisakusen (It's a Game Now! Dokuro-chan ~ Great Health Diagnosis Strategy) was released in Japan.
[edit] Cultural references
- At the start of the first episode, Dokuro shows Sakura various manga, two of the titles being Urusei Yatsura and Doraemon. This is evidently where she learned what little she knows of life in the modern world.
- Sakura's name is more commonly used with females as it means "cherry blossom"
- The story told in episode 3 about a man's "poisonous bug" is a parody of Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis", a story about a man being transformed into a bug.
- Dokuro's pillow at the start of episode 4 is covered with images of various sexual positions from the Kama Sutra.
- In episode 4, Dokuro transforms Sakura into Captain Matthew Perry, who forced Japan to re-open its doors to the world in 1854. During the scene, the Star Spangled Banner is played in the background.
- The story Dokuro reads to Sakura at the end of episode 4 is a parody of "A Dog of Flanders". The original story is about a boy named Nello and his dog, Patrasche. The "famous last scene" Sakura mentions is when both the boy and his dog are found dead, not the version that Dokuro describes.
- The "Don't be like the Melon Boys!" and "the sergeant can't go to the toilet any more!" lines that Dokuro shouts at Sakura in episode 5 are references to a conversation the original creator of the Dokuro-chan series had with some friends at a restaurant, in which they were thinking of novels that could be told with one sentence.
- During episode 6, Sakura lists various types of ghosts that might exist. The "cat robot that comes from the future" is Doraemon from the series of the same name, the "reindeer doctor" is Chopper from One Piece, the "nurse witch" is Komugi from Nurse Witch Komugi and the "moving castle" is the castle from Howl's Moving Castle.
- Dokuro's club Excalibolg takes its name from two legendary weapons from history, King Arthur's "Excalibur" and the "Gae Bolg," a spear given to Cuchulain, a Celtic mythological hero. It is also possible that the "-bolg" came from the magic sword Caladbolg, belonging to the Irish mythological character Fergus mac Róich.
- Sabato's stun baton Durandal is named after the sword of the mythical knight "Roland".
- Zakuro's weapon Eckilsax is named after Eckisax, the weapon Dietrich takes from Ecke after he kills him in the Dietrich saga.
- In several episodes of He is My Master, Anna-chan uses a version of the Excalibolg to beat Yoshitaka.
- In a few episodes, a television show known as The Sensitive Salaryman is shown, which is a parody of the real-life anime Salaryman Kintaro hence the name Bin-chan in similarity to Kin-chan.
