Seinen Basilisk by Yamada Fuutarou & Segawa Masaki (v05)

[Gold Knight]

Thanks to Occasionalutopia and Lastfrost, I've been introduced to a really awesome manga / anime. What is it, you guys ask?

Basilisk!

I've just completed reading the manga. There are 5 volumes, and the art's awesome and the story's fast-moving and full of amazing action.

Anyway, if you're a Naruto fan, then think of this as a seinen version of that world - though it's based in Japan. There's ninjas aplenty here - each with their own special and mysterious ability.

Basically the premise is: in the Keichou era, the High Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu has decided to arrange a contest between the ninja clans to determine who will be the next Shogun of Edo Castle ( Prince Takechiyo or Prince Kunichiyo ).

The shinobi were chosen as the chess pieces instead of the samurai families, because they were considered to be more disposable.

So the peace treaty was officially ended for two fierce rival shinobi clans, Iga and Kouga, which already had a lot of bloody history with each other. Scrolls were handed to each family containing ten names of the shinobi that must be defeated on each side for one family, and the prince it represented, to be dedicated the victor. And so the clash begins...

Not to be forgotten is the budding romance between Gennosuke of Kouga and Oboro of Iga that was rudely interrupted by the breaking of the peace treaty. Gennosuke, the prince of the Kouga family, has a mysterious, fearful doujutsu, that isn't revealed until later in the story.

Oboro also has her own doujutsu as well - bewitching eyes that can render anybody's ability ineffective. In all they would have made a formidable team - but will they be enemies, instead?

If you're interested, go download the chapters at http://www.mangass.com/?page_id=16 - or get most of the chapters at #lurk, and let me know what you think! ( Edit: This website seems to have gone down. )

You also can read them all at www.stoptazmo.com - thanks to Pheonixfyre for pointing it out. You can get the entire series there, you just have to register.

WARNING: Nudity and Lots of Violence.

 

[njt]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Ah, I haven't read the manga, tho- I've been following the Anime . It really does, rock- You should check out the Anime GK it's amazing . That is... when you get your BB back .

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

I've seen the first episode of the anime and I agree - the animation is stellar. I decided to read the rest of the manga before downloading any more episodes, tho.

And yeah, now that my BB is down, it'll be a little while.

Oh, and people, if you want to talk about specific happenings that might be considered spoilers (say who killed whom) please have the courtesy of putting it in spoiler tags and mentioning where you are at in the series.

For example:

Spoiler: Chapter 1 Question

Whew, Yashamaru with that hair-manipulation ability should have been able to slice Shougen (the spider guy) to pieces when he got him against the rock. How did Shougen escape that one?

 

[moridin]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

basilisk is an awesome anime, I've not checked out the manga yet, so just wondering if anyone who has watched/read the bulk of both series felt like quickly letting me know whether they are pretty similar in plot or actually differ?

judging from that cover the art looks very nice so I'll probably read it just for that

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

The art in the manga is amazing, but I haven't watched enough of the Basilisk anime to know if they're any different. Only watched the first episode. Though there was a difference there in that we learned more about Iga No Ogen and Kouga Danjo's past with each other. Lastfrost should know, though, I'll ask her to comment here sometime soon.

Still, I'd recommend reading the manga just for the heck of it - and for the art.

 

[aburame]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Oh wow I can't wait! I saw the first episode of the anime at a con and I've been dying to see it ever since. However, I can't seem to find it anywhere. I don't know if you're allowed to name fansub groups on the forum, so could someone please pm me the fansub group where you've gotten it from? I'd be so grateful.

 

[lastfrost]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

basilisk is an awesome anime, I've not checked out the manga yet, so just wondering if anyone who has watched/read the bulk of both series felt like quickly letting me know whether they are pretty similar in plot or actually differ?

judging from that cover the art looks very nice so I'll probably read it just for that

I've watched the full anime series, and have read as far as the Edited Mangas group have completed, so I can't say for certain, but up to where I am, the anime did follow the manga very closely. As GK said, there is some anime filler, but with or without it, it's still enjoyable (there are a few minor, non-filler changes I've noticed though). The details in the manga are indeed amazing, and I do think you will enjoy it.

Oh, and there is nudity in the manga. It's covered up in the anime. ^^;;;

 

[Miso]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

The manga has a total of 5 volumes.
The story is really great and the character design is also appealing.
What I really like is that the story is quite mature, especially the ending. This is no "happy nice world" story which I find interesting.

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Looks like I'm almost to the end, then. I'm on chapter 30, but that's all #lurk offers. If Volume 5 follows the same pattern as the first four volumes (containing 6-7 chapters) then I'm missing at least two or three chapters. Any idea where I might be able to read the last few chapters, Miso?

 

[Pheonixfyre]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

www.stoptazmo.com

It has all sorts of mangas, including Basilisk. Its free to register, and you can just ignore all the propoganda they're spouting about Tazmo.

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Aha! Didn't think of checking there. Much appreciated, Pheonixfyre.

* * * * *

And I've finished it. Such a bittersweet ending, but overall a great read, worth it.

 

[Miso]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Looks like I'm almost to the end, then. I'm on chapter 30, but that's all #lurk offers. If Volume 5 follows the same pattern as the first four volumes (containing 6-7 chapters) then I'm missing at least two or three chapters. Any idea where I might be able to read the last few chapters, Miso?

#lurk also offers the last chapters of vol 05. Just use the "search" button. Or look at www.stoptazmo.com, as already suggested.

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Thanks Miso. ^^

I'm definitely intending to watch the anime soon, as well... ah well, here's some questions for you guys:

Favorite Character?
Favorite point in story? (spoiler tags)
Favorite battle? (spoiler tags)
Biggest surprise to you? (spoiler tags)

 

[Miso]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

My fav character is Kouga Gennosuke. He's a good looking guy...hehe...besides the weird eyelashes but that seems to be the Mangaka's style.
I also like Kouga Hyoma.

My favourite scene :

Spoiler

That's when we first see Gennosuke's skills in chapter 12. Damn... his skills are sooo evil - it gives me the creeps. Just awesome.

Biggest surprise:

Spoiler

I think that was the fact that Iga's Tenzen is "immortal". I didn't think of such a ninja skill.

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Gennosuke's definitely my favorite as well. I also kinda liked Asaragi Saemon.

Favorite scene:

Spoiler

Same as Miso's, but also when Chikuma Koshiro was trying to look away from Oboro and instead found himself looking at Gennosuke - talk about a boo-boo! I liked the way Gennosuke was drawn there. It was obvious from his look that he did not really want to kill anybody, it looked like he was saying "sorry buddy, you're dead."

Biggest surprise:

Spoiler

Probably Hotarubi getting defeated by Saemon. I had expected her to avenge Yashamaru.

 

[Miso]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

What I would like to know is: how far is the story of Basilisk historically correct?

There are well-known persons of japanese history like Tokugawa Ieyasu or Hattori Hanzo from which we know that they existed in fact.
Did also Iga and Kouga exist? If yes, was there a battle between those clans to determine the politics of this era?

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

From Wikipedia

The Iga province of Japan is particularly famous for its clan of ninja, its most notable member being Hattori Hanzō. Both the Iga and Koga provinces are considered the birthplace of ninjutsu. It was also the birthplace of haiku poet Matsuo Basho.

Iga / Koga ... looks like it's true at least these provinces did have ninja clans by these names. But no idea as far as their history as related to that of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Japanese politics.

More on Hattori Hanzō here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattori_Hanzō

 

[Miso]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

I found this short character summary by DaQuestioner from stoptazmo-forums. It may help you to remember the names and/or abilities to discuss the characters further.
Beware: spoilers!

Spoiler

These are the Iga clan members:
- Iga no Ogen (clan leader: old woman killed by the old Koga leader)
-Yashamaru (uses wires to fight)
-Oboro (the potential bride. Her stare nullifies all ninja abilities).
-Rousai (Skinny old bearded man with stretchable limbs. Woooo!)
-Akeginu (Attacks with stream s of blood)
-Mino-Nenki (Ugly dude with nose hair. Uses his hair as a weapon)
-Hotaru Bi (Uses a snake. And butterflies)
-Jingoro (the amphibian dude. Absobs water)
-Tenzen (the male leader who takes over after Iga no Ogen's death).
-Koshiro (uses sickles).

These are the Koga clan members:
-Kouga Danjo (clan leader: the old man killed by Iga no Ogen)
-Shougen (the "spider" man)
-Josuke (the fat/rubber ball man)
-Gennosuke (the potential bridegroom. His stare turns enemies on themselves)
-Jimushi (the snake guy with no limbs)
-Hyoma Manji (Blind. Has same skill as Gennosuke)
-Gyobu (the guy with the "Martian Manhunter" eyebrows. Can merge into earth/walls)
-Saemon (transforms into other characters)
-Okoi (Thick woman. Saemon's sister. Vampire)
-Kagero (kills all men she sleeps with).

 

[Gold Knight]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

I actually did a chart of names along with drawings of everybody's faces ( kinda sketches ) to help my memory XD

I'll post later ^^

 

[Anax]

Re: Basilisk Discussion Thread

Will proceed in downloading Basilisk and Mizushou later this day or tomorrow
For now I just dropped by to tell you I have a high quality (tested) replica of High Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu's sword, a collector's item with a gold-filled tsuba Still, I envy the person who knows how to use the sword even if the don't own one