Higanjima

Summary

Higanjima (Japanese: 彼岸島, lit. "Island of Paramita") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kōji Matsumoto. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 2002 to 2010, with its chapters collected in 33 tankōbon volumes. A second series, Higanjima: Saigo no 47 Nichikan, was serialized in the same magazine from 2010 to 2014; a third series, Higanjima 48 Nichigo… started in 2014.

Higanjima
First tankōbon volume cover
彼岸島
GenreSupernatural horror[1]
Manga
Written byKōji Matsumoto
Published byKodansha
MagazineWeekly Young Magazine
DemographicSeinen
Original runNovember 2, 2002 – present
Volumes88
Series titles
  1. Higanjima (2002–2010; 33 volumes)
  2. Higanjima: Saigo no 47 Nichikan (2010–2014; 16 volumes)
  3. Higanjima 48 Nichigo… (2014–present; 39 volumes)
Further information
Live-action film
Higanjima: Escape from Vampire Island
Directed byKim Tae-kyun
Music byHiroyuki Sawano
Licensed by
ReleasedJanuary 9, 2010 (2010-01-09)
Runtime122 minutes
Television drama
Directed byKenji Yokoi
Written byMasaru Nakamura
Music byKōji Endō
Original networkMBS, TBS
Original run October 24, 2013 December 26, 2013
Episodes10
Television drama
Higanjima Love is over
Directed byAkira Iwamoto
Produced by
  • Yasuyuki Fukasako
  • Toshihiro Satō
Written by
  • Kōji Matsumoto
  • Midori Satō
Music byKōji Endō
Original networkMBS, TBS
Original run September 20, 2016 October 11, 2016
Episodes4
Live-action film
Higanjima: Deluxe
Directed byTakeshi Watanabe
Written by
ReleasedOctober 15, 2016 (2016-10-15)
Runtime117 minutes
Manga
Kare, Kishijima
Written byTarō Sasebo
Published byKodansha
Magazine
  • YanMaga Web
  • Comic Days
DemographicSeinen
Original runOctober 20, 2020 – present
Volumes4

The series has spawned two live-action films; Higanjima: Escape from Vampire Island, premiered on January 9, 2010,[2] and Higanjima: Deluxe, premiered on October 15, 2016.[3] The first film was licensed for a home video release in North America by Funimation.[4] Two television drama adaptations were broadcast in 2013 and 2016, respectively.

Plot edit

When Akira Miyamoto learns that his older brother, Atsushi, is missing, his family begins to fall apart. The family business fails, and his father becomes an alcoholic. His two parents constantly compare Akira to Atsushi. Worse, Akira has a crush on a girl named Yuki, who already has a boyfriend, his friend Ken.

One day, Akira finds a girl unconscious in front of his house. The girl, Rei Aoyama, shows Akira Atsushi's ID card, claiming that Atsushi is alive. Rei explains that Atsushi is trapped on Higanjima Island, said to be inhabited by vampires. Akira invites his friends to help his brother, under the guise of a vacation to celebrate their graduation.

Upon arrival, vampires attack their boat and capture all of them except Rei. However, Akira escapes with his friends before vampires can drain their blood. On the island, he meets with Atsushi, who explains that the vampires are led by Miyabi, another vampire. Trained by Atsushi, Akira and his friends begin the battle against Miyabi and his vampire army in order to escape the island alive. Higanjima: Saigo no 47 Nichikan, set after the events of the original series, has Akira and his allies try to stop the invasion. Higanjima 48 Nichigo… showed the vampire invasion succeeded.

Media edit

Manga edit

Written and illustrated by Kōji Matsumoto [ja], Higanjima was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from November 2, 2002,[5] to July 12, 2010.[6][7] Kodansha collected its chapters in 33 tankōbon volumes, released from April 4, 2003,[8] to December 6, 2010.[9]

A second series, titled Higanjima: Saigo no 47 Nichikan (彼岸島 最後の47日間), was serialized in Weekly Young Magazine from August 2, 2010,[6][10] to July 28, 2014.[11][12] Kodansha collected its chapters in 16 tankōbon volumes, released from January 6, 2011, and September 5, 2014.[13][14]

A third series, Higanjima 48 Nichigo... (彼岸島 48日後…), started in Weekly Young Magazine on August 18, 2014.[15][16][17] The first volume was published on December 5, 2014.[18] As of June 6, 2023, 39 volumes have been released.[19]

The first series was published in France by Soleil Manga.[20] Taiwanese publisher Tohan translated all the three series into Chinese.[21]

A gag comedy spin-off manga, titled Kare, Kishijima (彼、岸島), written and illustrated by Tarō Sasebo was serialized on the YanMaga Web website and the Comic Days app from October 19, 2020,[22] to December 6, 2021.[23]

Film edit

Cast edit

Anime shorts edit

A short anime adaptation, titled Higanjima X, debuted on YouTube streaming service on October 15, 2016.[24] On January 8, 2017, Multimedia Studio Tetra announced that Tomokazu Seki will voice all of the characters from episode seven through nine.[25]

Television drama edit

A live-action television adaptation aired between October 24, and December 26, 2013, on MBS, and TBS.[26] Starring Shunya Shiraishi as Akira, other cast members include Ryohei Suzuki, Rio Yamashita, Megumi Sato, Rui Kurihara, Yuya Endo, Shingo Tsurumi, and Yūga Yamato.[27] The series was released on DVD on March 26, 2014.[28] A sequel television series adapting Higanjima: Saigo no 47 Nichikan and featuring the same cast was announced in August 2014.[29]

Video game edit

A video game adaptation of Higanjima was released in 2005 by Now Production for the PlayStation Portable.[30][31]

Reception edit

Mark Schilling of The Japan Times described the vampires as "not the sensitive heartthrobs of Twilight but vicious, ravenous types who revel in terror and torture."[32] The film grossed $1,247,050 in Japan and $22,142 in Taiwan.[33]

References edit

  1. ^ Loo, Egan (September 8, 2011). "Live-Action Higanjima Horror Film's English Trailer Posted". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  2. ^ 彼岸島. Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  3. ^ Pineda, Rafael (June 13, 2016). "2nd Live-Action Higanjima Film Casts Minami Sakurai as Yuki". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  4. ^ "Higanjima: Escape From Vampire Island DVD/Blu-ray (Hyb) LiveAction". Right Stuf. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  5. ^ WEEKLYヤングマガジン2002年49号詳細情報. manganetto.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Dernier Arc pour Higanjima". manga-news.com (in French). July 12, 2010. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  7. ^ 週刊ヤングマガジン 2010年32号 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on July 27, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  8. ^ 彼岸島(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  9. ^ 彼岸島(33) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  10. ^ 藤沢とおる、ぐっさんを描く!ヤンマガ×のどごし生コラボ. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 2, 2010. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  11. ^ 松本光司「彼岸島 最後の47日間」次号で完結. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 19, 2014. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  12. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 17, 2014). "Higanjima: Saigo no 47-Hiai Horror Manga to End This Month". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  13. ^ 彼岸島 最後の47日間(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  14. ^ =彼岸島 最後の47日間(16)<完> (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  15. ^ "Une nouvelle saison pour Higanjima" (in French). Manga News. August 12, 2014. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  16. ^ 西条真二の料理×バトルマンガ、ヤンマガで. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (August 20, 2014). "Kōji Matsumoto Starts Next Higanjima Horror Manga Sequel". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  18. ^ 彼岸島 48日後…(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  19. ^ 彼岸島 48日後…(39) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  20. ^ "Higanjima Tome 1" (in French). Soleil Manga. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  21. ^ "Bang! Comics" (in Chinese). Tohan. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  22. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 20, 2020). "Higanjima Vampire Manga Gets Gag Comedy Manga Spinoff". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  23. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 11, 2022). "Higanjima Spinoff Manga 'Kare, Kishijima' Ends in 4th Volume". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  24. ^ Loo, Egan (October 11, 2016). "Higanjima Vampire Manga Gets Net Anime Shorts". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  25. ^ Yuan, Kevin (January 9, 2017). "Tomokazu Seki Voices All Characters in Higanjima X Anime's Next 3 Episodes". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  26. ^ ニュース (in Japanese). Higanjima TV series official website. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  27. ^ キャスト (in Japanese). Higanjima TV series official website. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  28. ^ "テレビドラマ「彼岸島」DVD-BOX 【初回限定生産】" (in Japanese). Higanjima TV series official website. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  29. ^ "Higanjima Manga Gets 2nd Live-Action TV Series, Film". Anime News Network. August 12, 2015. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  30. ^ Higanjima PSP video game at IGN
  31. ^ "Update: Higanjima" video game at IGN
  32. ^ Schilling, Mark (December 25, 2009). "Higanjima". The Japan Times. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  33. ^ "Higanjima". Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2020.

External links edit