Blade of the Phantom Mask

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Blade of the Phantom Mask
新暗行御史
Genre	Adventure, Fantasy
Manga
Authored by	In-Wan Youn Kyung-Il Yang (art)
Publisher	Shogakukan
Other publishers: Pika Édition Mangafan Carlsen Comics Level Comics
Serialized in	Monthly Sunday Gene-X
Original run	2001 – ongoing
No. of volumes	15
Movie
Directed by	Jouji Shimura
Studio	Oriental Light and Magic
Released	2004 2006
Runtime	87 minutes

Blade of the Phantom Mask (新暗行御史, Shin Angyo Onshi^?), also known as Shin Angyo Onshi, New Angyo Onshi, or Phantom Master: Dark Hero from Ruined Empire, is a Korean-made comic series written by In-Wan Youn and illustrated by Kyung-Il Yang and is first serialized as a Japanese comic in the monthly magazine, Sunday GX. An anime movie adaptation of the same name was made in 2004.^[1] Drawing from Korean folktales and historical fact, the story follows the adventures of a former government secret agent who travels through his destroyed country, seeking those responsible for its downfall.

The anime has been licensed for North American distribution by ADV Films.^[2]

Contents 1 Plot Overview 2 Characters 2.1 Angyo Onshi 2.2 Main Characters 2.3 Supporting Characters 2.4 Hwalbindang 3 Manga 4 Anime 5 Inspirations for the Series 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Plot Overview

Blade of the Phantom Mask takes place in a fictional, and historical, far eastern country named Jushin. In Jushin, there once lived secret government agents called angyo onshi, who traveled the countryside in disguise. They were charged by the king to find and punish corrupt government officials and bring justice to the country's citizens.

At the start of the series, Jushin has been destroyed, and corruption and tyranny are widespread. Blade of the Phantom Mask follows the adventures of one of the remaining angyo onshi, Munsu, as he continues to wander the countryside and deals with the chaos caused by Jushin's fall.

Though initially episodic in nature, it becomes apparent that Munsu's travels are not random as the series progresses. In truth, Munsu is searching for the man responsible for assassinating his best friend, who was also the king of Jushin and whose death led to the fall of the country.

But as Munsu grows closer to reaching his goal, he also encounters old friends and comrades who have since switched their allegiance to his enemy. Through them, it is revealed that Munsu was not always an angyo onshi and in fact, may have been partly responsible for the king's death and subsequent fall of Jushin himself.

In addition to the overarching plotline, the series also uses the exploits of Munsu and his companions to retell various Korean folk stories.

[edit] Characters

This section describes the characters as they appear in the manga version.

Blade of the Phantom Mask bases many of its characters on Korean folklore heroes and historical figures. To reflect this, character names and proper terms are kept as close to the Korean as possible.

[edit] Angyo Onshi

In Blade of the Phantom Mask, angyo onshi bear ranks called mahai, denoted by the number of horses cast into a bronze medallion given to them by the king:

• First mahai onshi can summon basic magic to fight ordinary soldiers.
• Second mahai onshi can summon demons to fight evil sorcery.
• Third mahai onshi can summon the phantom soldiers of Jushin, who are undefeatable and indestructible.
• Fourth mahai can summon female phantom soldiers, who are indestructible like their male counterparts, however the difference is that the females can attack magical monsters (i.e. demons).

After the fall of Jushin, both first and second mahai medallions are useless; only third and fourth mahai medallions still function.

Angyo onshi are also prohibited from having families, but they are allowed one bodyguard, who bears the special title of "sando."

[edit] Main Characters

Munsu is the main character of the series and a third mahai angyo onshi from the fallen kingdom of Jushin. Despite the common perception held by Jushin's former citizens that angyo onshi are virtuous and bearers of justice, Munsu is amoral and does not believe in helping people who refuse to help themselves. When he does help others, his methods can be questionable and often misconstrued as "evil."

Munsu suffers from a curse that resembles asthma, which can only be alleviated by the inhaler-like charm he wears around his neck. This curse originates from during the Jushin period, where he convinced Aji Tae to switch the curse unto him. However, this was uneffective, and she died in the ends anyways, while he retained the curse.

Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara (Japanese)

Sando, whose real name is Chun Hyang, is a beautiful woman with immense fighting ability and Munsu's companion. She is the only character in Blade of the Phantom Mask capable of defeating Munsu's phantom soldiers. When she was kidnapped by a corrupt lord who wanted to make her his personal bodyguard, her lover embarked on a failed quest to become an angyo onshi and died as an indirect result. After Munsu frees her, she decides to become his bodyguard in memory of her dead lover and takes the title "Sando" as her new name. Despite her fearsome natural fighting ability, Sando is quiet and shy and believes in doing what is right. As a result, she fights with Munsu constantly over his chosen methods and has made it clear that if he does something truly evil, she will no longer protect him.

Later in the series, she is defeated and leaves Munsu in shame to pursue greater strength. She learns the power of 'ki' somehow, from an old man, presumably Aji Tae's friend. She is last seen on Aji Tae's side, having switched to be his 'sando' along with the strange panther girl.

Voiced by: Sanae Kobayashi (Japanese)

Bang Ja is Munsu's unwanted but good-intentioned servant. Once the servant and apprentice of a first mahai onshi, his former master released him from service after Jushin's destruction. When his master and his sando were later killed in a rebel uprising against a corrupt lord, Bang Ja began roaming the country as a thief. He believes that angyo onshi should be virtuous and heroic, which is why Munsu's behavior often shocks him.

Wonsul is a master swordsman from Jushin, who was once a subordinate of Munsu. However, when Jushin fell he began serving Aji Tae, growing Yang Gwi Bi, a plant with narcotic properties, to ship to the west in exchange for weaponry. He has a sword, Saruhyondo, made from his pure killing intent; this sword is only visible to a select few. While working for Aji Tae, Wonsul faced Sando in battle and was defeated by her, despite her being unable to see his sword. Wonsul was killed by her and later resurrected by Aji Tae, who bound him to his corpse; now, as long as some part of Wonsul's body still exists, he will continue to be "alive". He is currently working as Munsu's sando while Chun Hyang is missing.

Aji Tae is a former scholar from Jushin and the man Munsu holds responsible for the destruction of the country. Many of Munsu's former allies and comrades have since switched their loyalties to Aji Tae, whom they now call "Lord." His motives and purpose, as of yet, remain unknown. He has a mysterious power, which somehow allows him to perform supernatural feats such as ressurecting the dead as zombies, and can create illusions.

[edit] Supporting Characters

Mago is Aji Tae's companion and bodyguard. At first appearance, she is a muscular warrior woman. In reality, however, Mago is an intelligent, man-eating panther. The only person who sees her as a human woman, for certain, is Aji Tae; Munsu and most others see her as the panther. It remains unclear whether or not Sando sees her as the human or the panther. To her, Mago is merely an "enemy."

Miss Hwang first appears in the series as a tavern owner. In reality, she is a angyo onshi bearing two second mahai, who was in disguise while investigating the local government. She also later appears disguised as a captive sacrifice. Unlike Munsu, her sando is not human but rather a beast that resembles an East Asian dragon.

Eul Paso is a former soldier of Jushin, who became Aji Tae's lackey after the fall of Jushin. After facing Munsu and Miss Hwang, it was thought that he had been killed by her Sando. However, in reality he became Miss Hwang's Bang Ja and continued travelling with her.

Gaewul Hyang Munsu deceased lover and sister of Hongildong.

Mito is an ex-blacksmith master of Jushin, and the creator of all mahai. He is now retired and stays in a cabin in the Chilgap mountains, working with Yeongsil.

Mujang is a warrior who has dedicated his life to martial arts. He is an expert of hapki, and has taught many people how to use it effectively, including some of the Hwalbindang. Currently he is working with Aji Tae.

Marlene is a famous western swordswoman who is involved in the invasion of Chilgap. She and Sando fight when Chilgap is under siege, but Marlene leaves before the fight can be decided, stating that there have been too many distractions and urging Sando to seek her out later on.

Won Hyo is a high-ranking sorcerer from Jushin, who was once an ally and friend of Munsu. Along with Won Sul, when Jushin fell Won Hyo began serving Aji Tae, helping with the growth of Yang Gwi Bi. While serving Jushin, Won Hyo was permanently scarred in battle, leaving him unable to take proper human form; while serving Aji Tae he began taking human sacrifices, devouring their souls so that he could keep a human appearance.

Mong Ryong is an idealistic young man who left his village to become an angyo onshi in order to save his kidnapped lover, Chun Hyang. His efforts met with failure no less than three times and after Jushin fell, he had no choice but to return to his village empty-handed. On the way there, he passes through the desert where he meets and saves the life of a dying man whose name is Munsu.

Yeongsil was the number one Taekwondo master of Jushin. He once worked for Aji Tae after the fall of Jushin, but defected like Eul Paso and now lives in Mt. Chilgap, working to become a blacksmith with Mito.

Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese)

Bun Haku Dou is the corrupt lord of Mong Ryong's and Chun Hyang's home village. His paranoid nature led him to kidnap Chun Hyang in an effort to coerce her into becoming his personal bodyguard.

Voiced by: Ryusei Nakao (Japanese)

[edit] Hwalbindang

The Hwalbindang are a group of former martial arts specialists who began working as bandits, taking money from the rich so that they could provide help for those in suffering.

Hong Gildong is the leader of Hwalbindang, and Gaewul Hyang's illegitimate half-sister. While her sister lived a life of luxury, Hong Gildong was never acknowledged as a member of the family, and had a much harder life. She never resented Gaewul Hyang for this, however, and the two sisters had a very close friendship. When her sister died, supposedly at Munsu's hands, Hong Gildong began working to make the world a better place. Her dreams and plans for the future drew others to her, and eventually she formed the Hwalbindang. She held a grudge against Munsu for her sister's death, hoping to one day get revenge against him for it.

Bae Ryong is one of the strongest members of Hwalbindang, and Hong Gildong's lover. He was recruited by Tae Yu - both of them were learning hapki from the same teacher, and they both left his tutelage to work for Hong Gildong.

Tae Yu was the first person recruited to the Hwalbindang; he met Hong Gildong one day when she was working to bury a poor family who had all died. Impressed by her selflessness and her desire to create a better world, he used his considerable hapki skills to help her.

Dorso is a rather ridiculous looking member of Hwalbindang with super-human strength. He calls Hong Gildong "mama" and seems to have great respect for her.

Joy is a man who claims to have no allegiance to the Hwalbindang beyond making lots of money. While most of the other members are in the group to improve life for others, Joy's interests seem to be much more selfish.

Insu is a man who seems to enjoy a good fight, as when Hong Gildong is talking to Bae Ryong about Munsu he pops down rather unceremoniously to say happily, "We're going after an Angyo Onshi?" In the end he too seems rather selfish as well and in it for the money rather than actually helping Hong Gildong, despite his previous words about family. He's also never shown with his eyes open.

[edit] Manga

While In-Wan Youn and Kyung-Il Yang were publishing manhwa in their home country of Korea, the writer/artist team dreamt of having their work released in Japan where it could find a larger audience due to the market size. After showing their work to various Japanese publishers, Blade of the Phantom Mask debuted in the monthly manga magazine, Sunday GX, in 2001.^[3] As of December 2006, the series has been collected into 15 tankoubons published by Shogakukan.

Both In-Wan Youn and Kyung-Il Yang grew up reading and enjoying manga despite not knowing much about Japanese culture. In the same way, they believed that Japanese readers would enjoy reading a work drawn from a Korean cultural background as long as it was interesting. The creators work closely with a Japanese editor to ensure that the background details and story development were explained and easy for a Japanese audience to understand.^[3]

As of November 2005, the manga has sold over 2.2 million copies since its debut.^[3]

[edit] Anime

Due to its popularity, the comic was adapted into an anime movie in 2004. Directed by Jouji Shimura, the anime was produced by the Korean company, Character Plan, and the Japanese animation studio, Oriental Light and Magic,^[4] with the latter being credited as doing approximately 70% of the work.^[5] The project marked the first collaboration between Japan and Korea on an animated theatrical feature.

The anime made its North American premiere at the 2005 Fantasia Festival in Montreal under the title, Phantom Master: Dark Hero from Ruined Empire.^[4] While ADV Films announced in August 2006 that it had licensed the movie for North American distribution, no release date has been given as of December 2006.^[2]

The anime is an adaptation of early manga chapters, covering the stories of Munsu's desert encounter with Mong Ryong, his subsequent quest to free Sando, and one of the pair's early adventures together.

[edit] Inspirations for the Series

Blade of the Phantom Mask draws the basis for its premise and main characters from The Legend of Chun Hyang, a classic Korean story. There are two versions: a popular folk story and a lesser known novel.

In the folk story, Chun Hyang, the daughter of a courtesan, falls in love with a nobleman's son, Mong Ryong. But because of the class difference, their relationship is prohibited. Since Mong Ryong is a nobleman's son, he is required to travel to the capital to take the government exams. Before he leaves, he promises Chun Hyang that he'll return for her.

While he is gone, a new lord named Bun Haku Dou arrives in their hometown and becomes infatuated with Chun Hyang. When she spurns his advances, Bun Haku Dou kidnaps her and tortures her to make her change her mind. When this fails, Bun Haku Dou decides to kill her. But on the day of Chun Hyang's execution, Mong Ryong returns, bearing the medallion of an angyo onshi. Bun Haku Dou is arrested, and Mong Ryong and Chun Hyang live happily ever after.

In the novel, the story remains mostly the same with a few notable exceptions. In this version, while Chun Hyang was imprisoned by Bun Haku Dou, Mong Ryong married another woman. Unlike the folk story version, there is no happy ending for the couple because Chun Hyang kills herself at the end of the novel.

The creators intended for Blade of the Phantom Mask to follow the tragic tone of the novel instead of the folk tale, which serves as the inspiration for other manga such as Clamp's The Legend of Chun Hyang.^[6]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• (Japanese) Official movie website
• Shin Angyo Onshi (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Shin Angyo Onshi at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia