Utawarerumono

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Utawarerumono
うたわれるもの (The One Being Sung)
Genre	Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Science fiction, Romance
Game
Developer	Leaf
Publisher	AQUAPLUS
Genre	ADV+SLG(S-RPG), Eroge, Visual novel
Rating	18+ (PC) 15+ (PS2)
Platform	PC, PlayStation 2
Released	April 26, 2002 (PC), October 26, 2006 (PS2)
Manga
Authored by	AQUAPLUS (story)
Publisher	MediaWorks
Serialized in	Dengeki G's Magazine
Original run	2005 –
No. of volumes	2
TV anime
Directed by	Tomoki Kobayashi
Studio	Oriental Light and Magic
Licensor	ADV Films
Network	TV Asahi, Chiba TV, TV Saitama, TVK Anime Network
Original run	April 3, 2006 – September 25, 2006
No. of episodes	26

Utawarerumono (うたわれるもの, Utawarerumono^?) is the title of a fictional series mainly concerning wars and battles set in a primitive time. The series first began as a Japanese adult AVG+SLG(S-RPG) by Leaf which was released on April 26, 2002.

A manga version was created in 2005 and was first serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine. An anime adaptation started airing on April 3, 2006. Since then, ADV Films has acquired the rights to the Utawarerumono anime. It will be available in January 2007 on DVD.^[1]

Contents 1 Plot 1.1 Backstory 2 Characters 3 Release and sales 4 Adaptations 4.1 Manga 4.2 Anime 4.2.1 Theme songs 4.3 Additional merchandise 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Plot

Utawarerumono is a story centering around the masked protagonist, Hakuoro, who one day is found by a family of two girls and their grandmother in a nearby forest close to their village. He is badly injured and is soon found to have amnesia, so they take him to their home and treat him until he is well again. Hakuoro is soon accepted into their village where he stays and lives with them, but before long Hakuoro finds that life in this village is being suppressed by the greedy emperor who rules over the country their village resides in. Soon after, these negative actions taken towards their village result in him leading a rebellion against the emperor of the country which later lands him to become emperor of a vast new country which is named Tusukuru, after the well-respected woman who helped saved his life.

After becoming emperor and things begin to calm down, Hakuoro soon finds out that peace is hard to maintain and finds himself constantly in battle in order to protect the peace of his country and his people. Eventually, he is led into many bloody battles in order to fight for the freedom of all those residing in Tusukuru. Along the way, Hakuoro meets several other strong warriors from several other countries and tribes who are fully accepted into Hakuoro's growing family. Many moments of hardship and laughter ensue as time continues but with Hakuoro leading the way, all others are confident in his ability to lead.

The story's genre is at first a fantasy-style story with heavy Ainu influence, though later develops science fiction themes towards the end. Indeed, it first appears to take place in a fantasy world, fully with magical beings and interesting new species of humans, but it is later revealed that it takes place in a post-apocalyptic Earth's far future.

[edit] Backstory

In the present age, an archaeological expedition unearths a mysterious fossil, a fossil of a disfigured beast. Unknown to the archaeologist, the fossil is the embodiment of a forgotten god, known as Witsuarunemitea. A superior scientist stumbles in, and after some confrontation, the mysterious stranger explains that humanity isn't ready for this Missing Link, the gap in evolution between men and apes. To prevent him from talking, he shoots the archaeologist. As the archaeologist slowly dies, his blood touches the fossil, and the forgotten god awakens.

Witsuarunemitea, a shattered and forgotten deity, sees opportunity in the dying archaeologist. He offers the archaeologist life, in exchange for becoming his vessel, so that Witsuarunemitea can finally find the sleep he so desires. Time passes, and eventually he becomes frozen in ice.

With Witsuarunemitea still bound in sleep as his mask, the archaeologist re-awakens many years into the future. He finds himself in an underground research facility, where he is being studied as an ancient human specimen. The archaeologist learns from the researchers that the world has become an uninhabitable wasteland, and the last of mankind lives there, in the underground shelter.

Mizushima, a researcher, is assigned to the care and study of the archaeologist, who is now referred to as the Iceman. Upon discovering that the 'Iceman' is able to breathe the post-apocalyptic air, the researchers look to harness his unique genome to re-populate the surface of the earth. Of the thousands of creations, only a select few prove to be viable, including experiments 3510 and 63. Experiment number 3510, a beautiful woman, is given the name Mikoto and experiment number 63, a girl, is given the name Mutsumi. Mutsumi, realizing she has come from the Iceman's DNA, addresses him as "father".

The genome project encounters some problems, however, and the researchers in charge decide to re-freeze the Iceman for later study. Mizushima, aware of the human side of the Iceman, urges him to run, and gives him the facility's master key, a plain-colored ring recognized by the facility's doors.

The Iceman runs from the facility, taking Mikoto with him, whom he has fallen in love with. After a few years have passed, Mikoto gives birth to a daughter. The researchers, however, don environmental suits in order to pursue the Iceman and recapture both him and Mikoto. Mikoto is dissected for further research, but while Iceman is being prepared to be frozen, his rage awakens Witsuarunemitea.

Outraged by the treatment of Mikoto, a new side of Witsuarunemitea begins to form. Filled with rage, Witsuarunemitea destroys most of the facility. Appalled by what the humans would do to obtain immortality, Witsuarunemitea grants their plea, transforming them into immortal gelatinous beings. Eventually, the great god accrues so much rage as to split himself into two halves: one which seeks destruction, and another, which seeks only to be destroyed.

Suddenly, Mutsumi appears, and empowered by Witsuarunemitea's divine blood, she puts both halves of Witsuarunemitea to sleep. Meanwhile, the few successful genetic experiments from the research facility begin to repopulate the Earth's surface, as the original humanity slowly dies out and is forgotten. The research facility is sealed away forever, and the people are told it is Witsuarunemitea's holy land.

Years later, a shift in the world awakens the two halves of Witsuarunemitea, who begin to combat each other; the destructive side wanting to help the populace of the world reach new height through wars, and its opposite through peaceful cooperation. The emperor of Kunnekamun (whose people; the Shakukopuro, are being massacred) seeks out the destructive side, who grants him a power called the Avu-Kamuu, allowing them to exist in the world of war and hegemony.

Eventually, the fighting of the two halves causes a great earthquake. Arurū, a young girl of Kenashikourupe, is in the process of climbing a tree to recover a beehive when the earthquake strikes, and falls, becoming greatly injured. Elulū, Arurū's sister, prays to Witsuarunemitea to heal Arurū, and promises, in exchange, her body and soul. Witsuarunemitea obliges.

Both halves of Witsuarunemitea are heavily injured in the battle, and both halves are put to sleep. The destructive half is found by Dii, a scholar of Onkamiyamukai, who fuses with the demigod. The half that wishes to be destroyed retains his body, and is found in the woods by Elulū.

The events of Utawarerumono then take place.

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Utawarerumono characters

In Utawarerumono, there is a wide range of characters from several different countries that appear throughout the story. The main characters are all connected back to the male protagonist, Hakuoro, a man found injured in a forest who wears an irremovable mask and has lost his memories. He is a charismatic man who has the power to rally people under him for a cause when it comes time to fight. After earning much of the respect from the people who served under his command, Hakuoro was appointed emperor of the newly founded country Tusukuru, named after the grandmother of the woman who initially found him - Elulū. Elulū is a physician in training who often helps Hakuoro in much the same way a secretary or even a mother would. She has a forceful, but caring personality which is how she acts most of the time, especially around her younger sister Arurū who she cares for deeply. Arurū is a playful young girl who is shy and quiet, usually only saying a word or two when spoken to. After the god of the forest, Mutikapa is killed, Arurū raises her child as if it were her own, naming it Mukkuru. Since Elulū was the one who initially cared for him, Hakuoro regards her and her family the closest thing to a family of his own.

After Tusukuru is founded, Hakuoro gets many warriors under his command. The first is an impulsive and gung-ho dual-sword wielding former-bandit named Oboro. He has two other men that serve under him - Dori and Gura - twin archers who are very androgynous in appearance and personality. As such, their gender is difficult to ascertain, even by other characters. Oboro has a younger sister named Yuzuha who has been sick with an unknown illness since birth, and is usually bedridden because of it. The next man to join Hakuoro is Benawi, a strong warrior who carries with him a calm and logical personality, though often gets irritated when Hakuoro ignores his duties as a ruler. His right hand man is Kurou, whose strength is comparable to Benawi's. There are several strong women who fight for Hakuoro as well. Urutori of the winged Onkamiyamukai race comes to Tusukuru as a priestess sent to look out for the country's welfare. She, and her younger sister Kamyu who follows Urutori to Tusukuru, have powerful magic abilities akin to those of their race. Karurauatsūrei, whose name is shortened to Karura for simplicity, is found having slaughtered many soldiers from another country who were holding her prisoner. Hakuoro decides to have her join his cause and she agrees. Karura carries a ridiculously heavy, black personalized blade only she can wield and has an affinity towards sake. Touka of the Evenkuruga tribe initially fought against Hakuoro under a false pretense though later joins him after her previous lord Orikakan is murdered by another emperor, Niwe, a common enemy of Touka and Hakuoro. Touka is very protective of Hakuoro, acting as his bodyguard. She usually has a serious personality though sometimes she is shown to have a tsundere personality.

[edit] Release and sales

The Utawarerumono series was first released as a Japanese video game for the PC on April 26, 2002 by Leaf and AQUAPLUS. A DVD-ROM edition was later released on December 12, 2003. Unlike most turn-based strategy games, the story is linear and there is no voice acting in the PC version. A PlayStation 2 port, featuring a new battle system by Flight Plan (of the Summon Night series), was released on October 26, 2006 in Japan, and sold over 82,000 units in three days.^{[citation needed]} The PS2 port included voice acting and several other changes to enhance gameplay. The adult graphics and scenes were removed from the Playstation 2 version, which was rated for ages 15 and up.

[edit] Adaptations

[edit] Manga

The Utawarerumono manga was first released in 2005 serialized in the bishōjo magazine Dengeki G's Magazine. Currently two volumes has been released though it is unsure at this time how many volumes there will be once the manga is complete.

[edit] Anime

The Utawarerumono anime started airing in Japan on April 3, 2006 and has 26 episodes in total. With the first DVD release of the anime on August 23, 2006, a short omake episode lasting only about 7 minutes was also included. The official R1 DVD release date for the first volume from ADV is January 16, 2007.

[edit] Theme songs

Opening theme

"Musōka" by Suara

Ending themes

1. "Madoromi no Rinne" by Eri Kawai
2. "Kimi Ga Tame" by Suara (episode 26)

[edit] Additional merchandise

A now retired series of eight plushies based off of characters from the series was available for a short time in 2005 in Japan and could be obtained from UFO catcher crane machines and several hobby outlets. Some gashapon figurines were also produced after the release of the original PC game, including uncolorized versions, and rare hentai versions of some figures. Availability on the international market of any Utawarerumono merchandise is extremely limited, but as of 2005, both new and collectors' Utawarerumono merchandise was still readily available in Japan (notibly in Akihabara).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Leaf/Aquaplus official website (Japanese)
• Utawarerumono (anime) in the AniDB database
• Utawarerumono at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Soylations, a fan-based group working on translating the Utawarerumono game.