Rozen Maiden
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rozen Maiden | |||
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| ローゼン・メイデン (Rozen Maiden) |
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| Genre | Comedy, Drama, Seinen, Supernatural | ||
| Manga | |||
| Authored by | PEACH-PIT | ||
| Publisher |  BIRZ Comics |
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| Serialized in | Monthly Comic Birz | ||
| Original run | September 2002 – on hiatus | ||
| No. of volumes | 7 (ongoing) | ||
| TV anime : Rozen Maiden | |||
| Directed by | Mamoru Matsuo | ||
| Studio | Nomad | ||
| Network | TBS, BS-i | ||
| Original run | 7 October 2004 – 23 December 2004 | ||
| No. of episodes | 12 | ||
| TV anime : Rozen Maiden ~Träumend~ | |||
| Directed by | Mamoru Matsuo | ||
| Studio | Nomad | ||
| Network | TBS, BS-i | ||
| Original run | 20 October 2005 – 5 January 2006 | ||
| No. of episodes | 12 | ||
| TV anime : Rozen Maiden Ouvertüre | |||
| Directed by | Mamoru Matsuo | ||
| Studio | Nomad | ||
| Network | TBS, BS-i | ||
| Original run | 22 December 2006 – 23 December 2006 | ||
| No. of episodes | 2 | ||
Rozen Maiden (ローゼンメイデン （薔薇乙女）?) is a manga by the group PEACH-PIT, with an anime series of the same name.[1] The story is about a young boy, Sakurada Jun, a hikikomori, who finds a mysterious living doll who is part of the "Rozen Maiden Collection" which are equipped with magic. The story follows Jun's experience with the doll, Shinku, and he confronts his personal problems as he joins her.
In TV Asahi's "Top 100 Anime Ranking" polled in 2006, Rozen Maiden was ranked 9th on the list. [2]
Since the March issue of Comic BIRZ, where Rozen Maiden is being published, its serializiation has been stopped. Some speculate that the editorial department lost PEACH-PIT's draft, others think there is some kind of disagreement between PEACH-PIT and the editorial department.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Background information
[edit] Story
Jun Sakurada is a Junior High School student who refuses to go to school due to mental issues resulting from traumatic experiences there (see Hikikomori). He normally locks himself in his room and has a hobby of ordering supernatural goods online and returning them before the trial period ends and he has to pay for them. His older sister, Nori Sakurada, does everything she can to help but is unable to reach Jun.
One day, Jun receives a letter claiming he has won a prize, and asking whether or not he would "Wind" (まきますか？）) or "Not Wind" (（まきませんか？）). After putting the letter in his drawer as per the instructions on the letter, he receives a beautifully crafted box right after Nori comes to complain about his habits. The box contains a strangely lifelike doll clad in Gothic Lolita clothing. Jun, after a brief and crude examination of the doll, winds it up. The doll creaks a bit, stands up on its own, and slaps him for handling her so indelicately. She later states, "My name is Shinku, the fifth doll of the Rozen Maiden."
Shinku is a doll from the unique "Rozen Maiden" collection, and before Jun can fully realize just what he's got himself into, he is attacked by a stuffed animal that enters through the window. Jun finds himself pledging service to Shinku to save his life, and is thus endowed with the responsibility of protecting Shinku's "Rosa Mystica" whilst she is engaged in intense battles with the other Rozen Maiden.
[edit] The Rozen Maidens
The Rozen Maidens are a collection of dolls created by a craftsman named Rozen, whom the dolls refer to as "Father". Their primary source of power is a human host (a "medium") that wears a ring to symbolize their bond with the doll, although certain dolls have been shown to act without a medium. According to Shinku, she can last for 30 minutes without a medium. Each Rozen Maiden has her own distinct personality, guardian spirit, and supernatural ability.
- Further information: Characters of Rozen Maiden
[edit] The Alice Game
Their apparent purpose is to participate in the "Alice Game", a lethal competition that promises the winner the right to meet "Father" by becoming "Alice", a girl of supreme beauty that lives inside of "Father", which is said to be "more sublime than any flower, purer than any gem, and without a touch of impurity".[4]
The game is played through duels in which the dolls fight using both their guardian spirits and respective abilities—such as the manipulation of strawberry vines—as well as the spiritual energy from their medium. The doll that loses the duel loses her "Rosa Mystica", the very essence that endows her with the ability to move. The lost Rosa Mystica is then collected and absorbed by the duel's winner. This Rosa Mystica contains the doll's memories and emotions. The doll that gains all of her sisters' Rosa Mystica will become Alice. Shinku, the central doll of the series, is notable in that while she does not refuse to fight, she does refuse to take the lost power and kill a sister doll. Supposedly, a doll can no longer become Alice if she loses her Rosa Mystica or her ring (which is used to transfer power from a medium), but there have been exceptions to this rule.
[edit] Manga
The manga currently has 7 volumes in print, and is continually being serialised in Monthly Birz Comics.
The storyline between the anime and the manga have significant differences, including different stories, characters and sequence of events. Each volume costs 590 yen (excluding tax).
| Volume | ISBN | Published |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan: 4-344-80212-8 | Japan: 24 March 2003 |
| 2 | Japan: 4-344-80340-X | Japan: 24 December 2003 |
| 3 | Japan: 4-344-80452-X | Japan: 24 September 2004 |
| 4 | Japan: 4-344-80505-4 | Japan: 24 December 2004 |
| 5 | Japan: 4-344-80620-4 | Japan: 24 August 2005 |
| 6 | Japan: 4-344-80691-3 | Japan: 24 January 2006 |
| 7 | Japan: 4-344-80822-3 | Japan: 24 September 2006 |
Note: Besides Japanese, it is also available in Chinese, Thai, French, German, Italian and English.
TV manga
A series of manga based on the anime have also been released. It uses the anime storyline, and is in full colour with scenes taken from the anime itself and fitted into manga format.
[edit] Anime
[edit] Rozen Maiden (first season)
The first season of Rozen Maiden focuses primarily on the psychological rehabilitation of Jun Sakurada. He is a hikikomori, and spends most of his time locked in the safety of his room and ordering items from the internet. However, through a strange order form, he finds himself in possession of an enchanted doll that calls herself "Shinku, the fifth Rozen Maiden". Much to Jun's displeasure, Shinku calls on him to create a strange bond with her, and the socially disinclined boy winds up being her "servant". The series follows the two of them as they encounter more Rozen Maiden, dolls that for the most part seem to want nothing more than to drink tea, destroy windows, and draw on his floor with crayons. In this season, five dolls are introduced: Shinku, Hinaichigo, Suigintou, Suiseiseki, and Souseiseki. Suigintou is the primary villain.
Rozen Maiden's first season consists of twelve episodes that began airing on October 7, 2004 and ended on December 23, 2004.
[edit] Rozen Maiden ~träumend~ (second season)
The second season of Rozen Maiden, subtitled träumend (トロイメント toroimendo?) has a slightly darker tone. The episodes are more plot-driven and deal with topics such as "Father"—the Rozen Maiden's creator—and the inevitable conclusion to the "Alice Game." Jun does not yet attend school (he has too much catching-up to do), but studies at home and in the local library, happily goes outside, and seems to have even grown fond of the ever-present dolls. Shinku has been changed due to the events of the previous season, but she is generally as aristocat-like as ever, lecturing and punishing Jun at every opportunity. Several new non-doll characters have been introduced. These characters include a riddle-spouting, formally-dressed rabbit and two mysterious men that operate a doll shop, one of which bears an unnatural resemblance to "Father". The final two dolls are introduced in this season: Kanaria and Barasuishou. Barasuishou is the primary villain.
Rozen Maiden: träumend consists of twelve episodes that began airing on October 20, 2005 and ended on January 26, 2006.
[edit] Detective Kunkun - Duell Walzer OVA
Duell Walzer OVA is a 7 minute Detective Kunkun episode. The show is presented as an opera performance with curtains, showtime buzzer and stage. The story is about how Detective Kunkun foils the evil cat's plans to steal a beautiful gem from another character. The story may be short, but the means Detective Kunkun uses to solve the crime is brilliant and well thought out. This episode portrays watching Detective Kunkun's show from a Rozen Maiden doll's perspective.
"Duell Walzer OVA" consists of only one episode and has been ripped from the Rozen Maiden-Duellwalzer PlayStation 2 game disc.
[edit] Rozen Maiden ouvertüre OVA
This two-part Rozen Maiden special was aired on the December 22, 2006 and December 23, 2006 on TBS in Japan. It is a brief prequel to the events of the TV series. ouvertüre (オーベルテューレ ōberuteūre?), German for "opening", is set at some point during träumend (most likely between episodes six and eight) and answers critical questions about Suigintou's past, particularly those pertaining to the rivalry she holds with Shinku. The majority of the two episode special is told by Souseiseki and takes place as a flashback to the nineteenth century in London. ALI PROJECT once again lends their talents for the opening song. Similarly, kukui sings the ending theme.
[edit] Theme songs
- Opening
- Forbidden Playing (禁じられた遊び Kinjirareta Asobi?) by ALI PROJECT (Season 1)
- Saintly Girl Territory (聖少女領域 Seishōjo Ryōiki?) by ALI PROJECT (Season 2)
- Rose Jail Maiden (薔薇獄乙女 Baragoku Otome?) by ALI PROJECT (Ouvertüre OVA)
- Closing
- Transparent Shelter (透明シェルター Tōmei Sherutā?) by refio + Haruka Shimotsuki (Season 1)
- Spiral Law of Light (光の螺旋律 Hikari no Rasenritsu?) by Kukui (Season 2)
- Empty Cicada No Shadow (空蝉ノ影 Utsusemi no Kage?) by Kukui (Ouvertüre OVA)
[edit] Episode titles
- Rozen Maiden
| Episode | Original Title | Translated Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 薔薇乙女 Fräulein Rose | Rose Maiden |
| 2 | 雛苺 Kleine Beere | Hinaichigo |
| 3 | 水銀燈 Mercury Lampe | Suigintou |
| 4 | 翠星石 Jade Stern | Suiseiseki |
| 5 | 階段 Die Treppe | The Stairway |
| 6 | 涙 Tränen | Tears |
| 7 | 夢 Träume | Dreams |
| 8 | 蒼星石 Lapislazuli Stern | Souseiseki |
| 9 | 檻 Die Gefängnis | The Prison |
| 10 | 別離 Abschied | Parting |
| 11 | 運命 Schicksal | Destiny |
| 12 | 真紅 Reiner Rubin | Shinku |
- Rozen Maiden träumend
| Episode | Original Title | Translated Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 薔薇水晶 Rozenkristall | Barasuishou |
| 2 | 槐 Enju | Enju |
| 3 | 金糸雀 Kanarienvogel | Kanaria |
| 4 | 契約 Vereinbarung | Contract |
| 5 | 手紙 Der Brief | Letter |
| 6 | 天使 Engel | Angel |
| 7 | 茶会 Teegesellschaft | Tea Party |
| 8 | 人形師 Puppenmacher | Doll Teacher |
| 9 | 戒 Der Tadel | The Reproach |
| 10 | 巴 Tomoe | Tomoe |
| 11 | 薔薇園 Rosengarten | Rose Garden |
| 12 | 少女 Alice | Alice |
- Rozen Maiden ouvertüre
| Episode | Original Title | Translated Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 悠久 Ewigkeit | Eternity |
| 2 | 虚飾 Eitelkeit | Vanity |
[edit] Unresolved issues
- Kirakishou
- Barasuishou, as it turns out, is not the seventh Rozen Maiden, but the copy of one. Kirakishou, the original, is revealed toward the end of the last episode. Her purpose, motive and role remain unknown.
- Laplace
- At first, he seems to support Enju and Barasuishou in the battle against the Rozen Maidens, but at the conclusion, he slips away, declaring that this amusement has come to an end. Toward the end of the last episode, he is shown dancing with Kirakishou, holding two Rosa Mystica in his hands. Most likely, they are Souseiseki's and Hina-Ichigo's. When appearing in the Ouvertüre OVA, it seems that he controls the duration of the Alice Game, since he can force the dolls to return to their suit cases when the current Alice Game participants terminate their contracts with their mediums.
- Father
- At the end of Rozen Maiden träumend, it is revealed that Enju is not the man known as Rozen or "Father", but a jealous apprentice and pupil of his who seeks to eclipse his master's art. To this end, Enju has created Barasuishou to destroy the Rozen Maiden and become the perfect doll. She succeeds in doing so, but as she is not being made by Rozen, she fails to contain the Rosa Mystica and falls apart. Rozen then steps in to repair/resurrect all of the dolls but Souseiseki and Hina-Ichigo, who were defeated by legitimate Rozen Maidens. He then leaves after telling Shinku that there is another way to become Alice without playing the brutal game and killing her sisters for their Rosa Mystica. He also tells Shinku that it is her role to find out how to do this and "fix things." How precisely this may be accomplished, however, is left unsaid.
- The Magical Power
- It is known that Enju and Rozen have the ability to bring dolls to life. However, Shirosaki, or more precisely Laplace, can change his appearance and move to and from the N-field at will. Jun (at the end of season 1) was able to repair Shinku's arm with magical power, which Suigintou commented is an ability only Rozen possesses. Clearly, Jun is no Rozen, as it was only performed in Jun's dream world, however Jun's sewing talents were able to restore a doll to life earlier in the series.
[edit] CD Media
A variety of CDs have been released for Rozen maiden, largely involving Drama CDs or Soundtracks.
[edit] Anime and manga differences
[edit] Art style
There are some minor differences between the art style for the manga and the anime.
- In the anime, the art is much "cleaner" and sharper than the manga. For example, the eyes in the manga consist of crosshatching lines and screentones as opposed to the clearer version of the anime (see comparison on right).
- The manga uses much softer, almost pastel-like colours for illustrations. The colours used in the anime are much harder and easily distinguishable, while colour illustrations for the manga use shading and the mixing of colours.
- Some costume details that are in the manga were not included in the anime. The most noticeable are the edges of the dolls' dresses: in the anime, the extra lace was taken out in favour of straight edges.
- Kirakishou's clothing is described as pure white in the manga, but is light pink in the anime.
[edit] Story and characters
- While the anime's first season portrays Shinku as extremely serious and composed, in the manga she is often shown in compromising and amusing situations using a simplified version of her face.
- In the anime, Souseiseki's master is shown to be an old man, who uses her to 'replace' his dead son. In the manga, Souseiseki's master is completely different: he is rich and affluent and uses her for different ends: to get revenge on the girl who eloped with his brother, leading to his brother's death.
- In the first episode of the anime, and the first chapter of the manga, Suigintou sends a doll to kill Jun when Shinku first arrives. In the anime, it is a clown doll, but in the manga it is a teddy bear named "Bu Bear" (クマのブさん Kuma no Bu-san) or "Booh Bear" in the English translation (Possibly Winnie-the-Pooh).
- In the manga, Suigintou tears apart the bear after it has failed its mission, but leaves the remains in Jun's room. In the anime, the Clown is torn apart after being hit by feathers from an attack by Suigintou as it protects Shinku. In both cases, Jun is able to restore the dolls.
- Barasuishou, Enju, the Shibasakis, Shirosaki, Sarah and Yamamoto-kun do not exist in the manga.
- In the manga, Jun withdraws from school in humiliation after everyone finds out at assembly that he likes to design girls' clothing. This is completely different from in the anime. In the anime, Jun withdraws after everyone in his class started whispering behind his back about how he did poorly on a test— most likely, an entrance exam for a competitive junior high school. This turned out to be traumatic for Jun because he was previously thought of as a genius in school.
- Hina-Ichigo runs out of power after Father cuts off her spirit link in the anime. In the manga her body is taken by Kirakishou, who otherwise would have no physical form, in the N-field. In both versions, Shinku gets her Rosa Mystica.
- In the manga, Suigintou steals Souseiseki's Rosa Mystica after she sacrificed herself for her master. In the anime, Suigintou wins the Rosa Mystica after fighting against Souseiseki.
[edit] Video games
Rozen Maiden: Duellwalzer is a visual novel game developed by Taito. It was released in Japan for Sony's PlayStation 2 console on 27 April 2006. Two versions were marketed for release: a "normal" one, which only included the game, and a special edition which also included a Rozen Maiden handwatch, similar to the one Shinku is seen using. There are currently no plans to release this game outside of Japan.
CERO Rating: A
Rozen Maiden: Gebetgarten is the second official Rozen Maiden game which will be released in March, 2007. Like Alibat, it is a 3-D fighter, but made by Taito with cel-shaded graphics. It will also be for the PlayStation 2 console.
CERO Rating: A
Rozen Maiden ALiBAT (Record of Rozen War) is a 3-D fighting doujinshi game. Alibat, short for "Alice Battle", was originally released at Comiket 69 (and also through the internet) as a basic demo, where only Shinku, Suigintou, and Suiseiseki were playable characters. The latest version included Hina-Ichigo, Kanaria, Souseiseki, Kirasuishou and Barasuishou as further playable characters. There is also one secret unlockable character, Detective Kun-Kun. As it is a fan-made game, the available abilities and graphic design are basic.
[edit] Terms
- Dream worlds
- These places are mirrors of a soul, containing elements from old memories or representations of important items. Both humans and dolls have them. For example, Suigintou's dream world is an abandoned snowy city, Jun's dream world is flooded with broken computer monitors, and Shinku's dream world is a cozy Victorian house. The dream worlds of all living beings are connected via an enormous tree, and the gardener Rozen Maidens, Suiseiseki and Souseiseki, can traverse this at will using their artificial spirits. The more closely related two people are, the closer their "branches" on this tree are located. A person may be locked inside their dreams by Sui Dream or Lempicka, but the gardeners never do this as it would lead to insanity.
- Soul trees
- A special tree within an individual's dream world. Their size and growth reflects a person's lifeforce or mental state. The growth of soul trees can be assisted through the power of Suiseiseki's watering can and Souseiseki's scissors. This is demonstrated on Jun's tree in the anime to some extent by Suiseiseki alone, but the growth is hampered by weeds. She and her sister offer to fix Jun's tree, but it is determined that allowing him to grow on his own would be a far better choice.
- N-Field
- The N-Field (n のフィールド) (possibly "nth Field", due to mathematical references such as Laplace) is a region of space that is the domain of a Rozen Maiden, and contains elements that are characteristic to the doll it represents. It can only be accessed via some object that "has fragments of life"— often, this is the mirror in the storage room of the Sakurada residence, but various other objects have been used, such as Jun's computer screen. Every Rozen Maiden has an N-Field of her own, and she has a sort of home court advantage in her own Field, which can be offset by the power of a Medium. When a Rozen Maiden loses her Rosa Mystica, her N-Field is shut down, and the things within vanish from sight.
- Detective Kun-kun
- A puppet-based television series about a dog that solves crimes. The dolls that live with Jun are positively hooked on it, and Shinku's (formerly Jun's) shelves are crowded with the show's merchandise. This series-within-a-series appears to be satirizing such popular anime fare as Detective Conan (Case Closed) and Kindaichi Case Files.
- Rosa Mystica
- Rosa Mystica play an essential role in the Alice Game and are vital to the existence of every Rozen Maiden doll. They can be likened to a doll's soul. When a doll is defeated in battle, the Rosa Mystica will be ejected from the doll's body and that doll will be unable to move. Another Maiden can then absorb the Rosa Mystica, gaining the defeated doll's attack abilities and even the memories and thoughts of that doll. A defeated doll can also be revived by returning their Mystica to them. The original Rosa mystica was divided into seven pieces, afterwords giving a piece to each doll.
- Artificial spirits
- A companion entity that every Rozen Maiden has. It is in the form of a glowing speck of colored light that can fly around and assist the doll in battles. Only Suiseiseki and Souseiseki's artificial spirits have powers that can be used to help enter dreams and take physical shapes such as the watering can and the scissors. Others can also manipulate/repair material objects. Artificial Spirits can't talk but they do seem to understand orders when their master doll speaks to them and the dolls in turn seem to understand what they say. They can also transmit their master's voice on occasion, as shown in volume 6 of the manga with Hina-Ichigo's Berrybell. When their original master is defeated, the artificial spirit will join the winning doll. These spirits can also be given to another doll, as seen in the anime when Suigintou took them from Suiseiseki and Souseiseki.
[edit] International distribution
Geneon has confirmed that they picked up Rozen Maiden, and the first DVD will be released in the spring of 2007 with a DVD containing 4 episodes. It's release date is May 29,2007. The special DVD comes with a velveteen Artbox+ a doll house[5] TOKYOPOP Germany has released German dubs of all episodes of the first season on DVD, and Träumend has been announced. Kaze, an anime publisher in France, has licensed the anime, but no release date has been announced. [6]
[edit] Trivia
- The Gothic Lolita subculture plays a significant role, and it can be said that Rozen Maiden is a series founded upon it. As well as the obvious character design inspiration, the central themes in Rozen Maiden—elements of Alice in Wonderland and a fondness for the style/habits of Victorian era aristocracy—are also key to the Gothic Lolita subculture.
- The popular internet "desu" meme originates from Suiseiseki's habit of appending the word--which is rarely grammatically correct, and is nothing more than a copula--to the end of every sentence. Kanaria and Hinaichigo share a similar speech habit, using "kashira" and "nano" as a sentence suffix respectively, but this has not seen a fraction of "desu"'s success.
- The Rozen Maiden license was announced through a unique "Guess The Geneon License" contest through Anime News Network. This contest was conducted through a scavenger hunt held in the form of a podcast. Listeners had to discover various clues that were littered throughout the podcast.
- Taro Aso, Japanese Foreign Minister, is famous for being a Rozen Maiden fan and nicknamed "Rozen Aso".
- Fashion doll company Jun Planning has a series of Rozen Maiden dolls, based on their Pullip and Dal models.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Rozen Maiden at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- ^ tv asahi's top 100 anime ranking for 2006
- ^ http://comipress.com/news/2007/01/30/1421
- ^ "Parting (別離 Abschied)". Writ. Tsuyoshi Tamai. Rozen Maiden. 2004-12-10. No. 10, season 1.
- ^ Geneon licenses Rozen Maiden
- ^ KAZE
- ^ Rozen Maiden, Pullip, and Dal Doll Collaboration
[edit] External links
[edit] Official sites
- (Japanese) PEACH-PIT The creators of Rozen Maiden
- (Japanese) Rozen Maiden Official anime website of the first season
- (Japanese) Rozen Maiden träumend Official anime website of the second season
- (Japanese) Rozen Maiden ouvertüre Official anime website of the ouvertüre OVA
- (Japanese) Rozen Maiden Duellwalzer Official website of Duellwalzer (PlayStation 2 game)
- (Japanese) Gentosha Comics Publisher of Birz Comics
- (English) TOKYOPOP English language manga publisher
- (German) TOKYOPOP German language anime and manga publisher
[edit] Databases
- (English) Rozen Maiden at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- (English) Rozen Maiden ~Träumend~ at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- (English) Rozen Maiden (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- (English) Rozen Maiden at the Internet Movie Database
