Kaze to Ki no Uta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Poem of Wind and Trees | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 風と木の詩 (Kaze to Ki no Uta) |
|
| Genre | Shōnen-ai, Drama |
| Manga: Kaze to Ki no Uta | |
| Authored by | Keiko Takemiya |
| Publisher | Shougakukan |
| Serialized in | Flower Comics |
| Original run | – |
| No. of volumes | 17 |
| OVA: The Song of Wind and Trees: Sanctus | |
| Directed by | |
| Studio | |
| No. of episodes | 1 |
| Released | 1987 |
Kaze to Ki No Uta (風と木の詩), translated as The Poem (Song) of the Wind and the Trees, was illustrated in 1976 by Keiko Takemiya and first published by Shougakukan under Shougakukan's Flower Comics. Kaze, being the first in the genre, is widely regarded as a shounen-ai classic.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
Kaze to Ki No Uta is the story of Serge Batouille, the son of a wealthy man and a Roma woman. Taking place in the late 19th century, the story is a recollection of his memories of Gilbert Cocteau at Laconblade Academy in Provene, France. The story has themes of class prejudice, racism, homophobia, homosexuality, incest, paedophilia, rape, prostitution, and drug abuse.
Gilbert Cocteau is a promiscuous student who has reputation for being a boy of corrupt morality since he frequently misses classes and engages in relations with older male students. However, Gilbert is a tortured young man who has been treated like an object all his life rather than a human being. The primary antagonist in the story - Gilbert's uncle, Auguste Beau - is a respected society figure who manipulates and sexually abuses his young nephew. Auguste's influence is so great that Gilbert actually believes that the two are in love, and Gilbert remains enthralled with Auguste, even to the bitter end when he finds out that Auguste isn't quite who he thought he was.
Golden-hearted Serge becomes fascinated with Gilbert, and tries to win his friendship despite being threatened with ostracism and even violence. Gilbert himself even rejects Serge's offer of friendship, although it seems that Serge may be Gilbert's only hope to escape this hellish life.
Serge perserveres and eventually the two boys become friends and lovers. Faced with a violent rejection by members of the faculty and student body, Gilbert and Serge flee to Paris and live for a short while as paupers. Gilbert, however, cannot escape all of the demons of his past, and finds himself dragged into a life of hard drugs and prostitution. The story ends when Gilbert dies of an overdose, and some of the pair's few friends - who have recently rediscovered the couple - take care of the traumatized Serge.
[edit] Characters
- Gilbert Cocteau : protagonist, 14 years old. A son of adultery between Auguste Beau and Anne Marie who is a wife of the elder step-brother of Auguste.
- Serge Batoule : protagonist, friend of Gilbert, 14 years old. A son of young viscount Batoule and a beautiful Roma woman. Successor of the house of viscount Batoule. Serge is a musical prodigy at piano.
- Auguste Beau : poet, and Gilbert's real father, though posing as Gilbert's uncle. Auguste is an adopted son of the house of Cocteau. He sexually abuses Gilbert at a young age. Auguste himself had been raped by his elder step-brother in his young age.
- Bonnard : famous painter, paedophile. He kidnaps and rapes the child Gilbert, who in turn attempts to commit suicide but is rescued by Auguste. Gilbert regards Auguste as his savior because of this incident.
- Pascal Biket : friend of Serge. A classmate of Serge and Gilbert.
- Rosmarinay (Rosmariné) : student superintendent general in the school. He hates Gilbert and Auguste Beau since his pride was degraded by the power of Auguste. Rosmarinay was raped by Auguste.
[edit] Introductory Poem
Serge Batoule says, remembering his young days.
Remembering the dreams, hopes and pains of the far days, which
He experienced in the relations and living with
Gilbert Cocteau, the lost boy whom Serge loved in his soul. Thus :
- Gilbert Cocteau, the most grand flower in my life,
- The shinning red flame....
- You were the wind ....
- Pouvez vous entendre the poem of the wind and trees?
- ....The sounds of la jeunesse?
[edit] The Vision
It is said that the author, Takemiya Keiko (竹宮惠子), got an inspiration of this grand story and designed the total plot one night. She then, next day, told her imagination and construction of the story to her friend Masuyama Norie (増山のりえ). The finished manganization was but a half of her first vision. The second part of story vision was written in form of a novel, called Kami no Kohitsuji (神の子羊), namely, /Agnus Dei/ (the Lamb of the God), by Noris Haaze, which is a pen name of Masuyama.
[edit] Anime and Music
There is one anime work of this manga, about 1 hour story version, made in VHS tape and LD. And there are five music albums (LP records). The two are image albums, that is, LP records, named 1) /Kaze to Ki no Uta/, Part 1, and 2) Part 2, /Requiem for Gilbert/. The other two are 3) synthesizer version of 1) and 4) Music collection LP of the OVA /Kaze to Ki no Uta/. 5) The last one is coupling album. Its Side 1 is the Side 1 of 1) and Side 2 is selected music collection from the other image album of Takemiya, /Natsu e no Tobira (The Door to Summer) /.
[edit] OVA
- 1) Kaze to Ki no Uta - SANCTUS - , OVA, 6 Nov., 1987 (VHS/Beta tape) / 21 Nov., 1987 (LD)
-
- Herald Enterprise Inc. and Shougakukan
- Total time: 60 minutes
- Staff
- Director : Yasuhiko Yoshikazu
- Producer : Utagawa Touju, Asami Isamu et al.
- Pictures by : Takemiya Keiko, Sugino Sachiko, Futagi Makiko and others.
- Music : Nakamura Nobuyuki
- Cast (Voice actors)
- Sasaki Yuuko (Gilbert)
- Ohara Noriko (Serge)
- Sakakibara Yoshiko (Rosmarinay)
- Shiozawa Kaneto (Auguste)
- Takemura Taku (Pascal)
[edit] Music Albums
- 1) Kaze to Ki no Uta (The Poem of Wind and Trees). image album, 1 July, 1980
-
- Nihon Columbia (Columbia Music Entertainment, Inc.).
- Side 1
- 1. Main Theme
- 2. Theme of Gilbert
- 3. Theme of Serge
- 4. Dialogue
- 5. The Poem of the Wind and the Trees
- Side 2
- 1. Piano Cocerto, Kaze to Ki no Uta
- 2) The World of Takemiya Keiko - Aesthetics of Love. combined album, 25 Oct. 1981
-
- Nihon Columbia (Columbia Music Entertainment, Inc.).
- Note: Side 1 is same as that of LP /Kaze to Kino Uta/, and Side 2 is music collection selected from the LP /Natsu e no Tobira (The Door to Summer) /, which is the album of music collection from the OVA /Natsu e no Tobira (夏への扉) /.
- Side 1 (from the Poem of Wind and Trees)
- 1. Main Theme
- 2. Theme of Gilbert
- 3. Theme of Serge
- 4. Dialogue
- 5. The Poem of the Wind and the Trees
- Side 2 (from the Door to Summer)
- 1. Theme of Marion
- 2. Theme of Ledania
- 3. Theme of Love
- 4. The Burning Summer
- 5. Main Theme
- 3) Kaze to Ki no Uta, Jiruberu no Rekuiemu (Requiem for Gilbert), image album, 21 July, 1984,
-
- Nihon Columbia (Columbia Music Entertainment, Inc.).
- Side 1
- 1. Ave Maria
- 2. In the Course of Waking from Dreams
- 3. A Bird is Made of Snow
- 4. Invitation to Travel
- Side 2
- 1. Now, Just into the Dreams
- 2. The Dream
- 3. Plaited Strings of Love
- 4. My Angel, I Pray...
- 5. Ave Maria
- 4) Kaze to Ki no Uta - the Digital Trip, synthesizer fantasy, 21 May, 1985
-
- Nihon Columbia (Columbia Music Entertainment, Inc.).
- Note: Entries are same as /Requiem for Gilbert/. This is the synthesizer version.
- 5) Kaze to Ki no Uta - SANCTUS -, OVA soundtrack LP, 6 Nov., 1987
-
- Pony Canyon (Pony Canyon Inc.）
- Note: This is the music collection from the OVA /Kaze to Ki no Uta - SANCTUS - /. This album was published in the form of CD and cassete tape at the same time.
Reference sites:
- OVA [Japanese]
- Music Records of Takemiya Keiko [Japanese]
- Music of Takemiya Keiko [Japanese]
[edit] External links
- Kaze to Ki No Uta Fansite - This fansite has a wealth of information on Kaze to Ki No Uta. The ISBNs of the manga volumes are even included. The site is no longer updated.
- Interview with Keiko Takemiya - An interview with author; Kaze to Ki No Uta is mentioned often in this interview.
- Review of the Kaze to Ki No Uta anime - A review of the anime
- Kaze To Ki No Uta Image Album - Image Album Page
