Kerberos saga

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For the Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs (manga, 2005), Mamoru Oshii/Mamoru Sugiura; see Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs.
Kerberos saga logo (©2006, Mamoru Oshii/Barque Inc.)
Kerberos saga logo (©2006, Mamoru Oshii/
Barque Inc.)

The Kerberos saga (ケルベロス・サーガ, keruberosu saga) is a science fiction saga and fictional universe created by Japanese writer, filmmaker, Mamoru Oshii in 1986. The saga is centered on the fictitious Kerberos organization. Before it became a saga in the 2000s, it was formerly known in Japan as the "Kerberos series" (ケルベロス・シリーズ, keruberosu shirīzu).

This franchise encompasses various media based on Oshii's original story. Licensed products include videos, soundtracks, action figures, garage kits, soundtracks, novels, essays, artbooks and guidebooks. Promotional items are posters, folding fans and mousepads among others.

Contents

[edit] Release chronology

[edit] Lineage

KERBEROS SAGA LINEAGE

While Waiting For The Red Spectacles (1987)
5-episode radio drama series
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Kerberos Night
1st & 2nd episodes		 Image:U+2192.gif
Tachiguishi Night
3rd, 4th & 5th episodes
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KERBEROS ARC TACHIGUISHI ARC
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The Red Spectacles (1987)
live-action film		 shared characters & references
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Tachiguishi-Retsuden (2004)
novel
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Kerberos Panzer Cop (1988)
2 volumes manga series		 shared characters & references
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Tachiguishi-Retsuden (2006)
anime film
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StrayDog (1991)
live-action film		 references
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Onna Tachiguishi-Retsuden (2006)
live-action short film
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etc. etc.
CROSSOVER
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Kerberos & Tachiguishi (2006)
manga series

[edit] Kerberos arc

Keruberosu: Jigoku no banken VHS (Bandai Visual, 1990)
Keruberosu: Jigoku no banken VHS (Bandai Visual, 1990)

[edit] Tachiguishi arc

[edit] Kerberos feature trilogy

Movie English title Release Director Work Timeline
Akai Megane
(紅い眼鏡)		 The Red Spectacles 1987 Mamoru Oshii black & white live action feature film
(with color segments)		 2000s
Kerberos: Jigoku no Banken
(ケルベロス 地獄の番犬)		 StrayDog:
Kerberos Panzer Cops		 1991 Mamoru Oshii color live action feature film 1990s
Jin-Roh
(人狼)		 Jin-Roh:
The Wolf Brigade		 1999 Hiroyuki Okiura color anime feature film 1950s
Kerberos Panzer Blitzkrieg
(tentative title)		 (project) 2009 Mamoru Oshii color anime feature film
(with 3DCG elements)		 1940s

[edit] 20-year anniversary

As a 20th year saga celebration, the Kerberos Protect-Gear's design was renewed in 2006, and a radio drama series narrating its origins was launched in Japan. A 3D CG feature film planned for 2009 has been unveiled as well.

[edit] Setting

[edit] Characters & organizations

For more details on this topic, see Kerberos saga characters.

All Kerberos saga characters sorted by organizations or groups.

[edit] Events timeline

For more details on this topic, see Kerberos saga chronicles.

Kerberos saga historical background and significant dates in both the real and fictitious History.

[edit] Main locations

The saga's central location and the only city the Kerberos company is allowed to be deployed.

The modern capital of Taiwan and a refuge for exiled Kerberos. It is the destination of Koichi Todome, leader of the "Kerberos Riot" upheaval, after he left Japan and came back from Central and South America. Half of the StrayDog drama is set in this city with Inui seeking for his former master.

The original capital of Taiwan, the second half of StrayDog happens in this city.

The historical Battle of Stalingrad took part in the outskirts of the Soviet city in 1942. Parallel events happened during the battle, as narrated in Kerberos Panzer Jäger, leading to a paradox and to the alternate geopolitical world portrayed in the Kerberos saga.

[edit] Key elements

[edit] Protect-Gear

For more details on this topic, see Protect-Gear.

The Protect-Gear is the full body armour used by both the Kerberos Panzer Cop and Kerberos Panzer Jäger, respectively police and military units. Various types are used within the saga.

[edit] Kerberos

For more details on this topic, see Kerberos saga chronicles.
Kerberos trio allegory, Koichi, Midori and Soichiro. (illustration by Kamui Fujiwara, 2000)
Kerberos trio allegory, Koichi, Midori and Soichiro. (illustration by Kamui Fujiwara, 2000)
Kerberos emblem featured on the organization's flag.
Kerberos emblem featured on the organization's flag.

The term kerberos is a reference to Hades' three-headed watchdog of hell in the Greek mythology. This fictitious creature is better known in western countries under its Latin form, Cerberus, which is the character's name in the Roman mythology.

Keruberosu (ケルベロス) the Japanese render for "kerberos" first appeared in 1987, in While Waiting For The Red Spectacles.

In Akai Megane, Kerberos is used as a metaphorous nickname for the Panzer Cop officers trio consisting of Koichi Todome, Midori Washio and Soichiro Toribe. The teammates cooperation as if one, is a metaphor for the three heads of the Cerberus, with each character completing and backing-up his comrades with his own abilities.

The term is also used within the saga as a generic term to designate all Panzer Cops wearing Protect-Gears or Light-Gears. The Kerberos is also the mascot of the Metropolitan Riot Police (首都警特機隊, Shutokei kidotai) featured in flags, uniforms, equipment and vehicles.

However, the anti-government rioters designate the Panzer Cops with a pejorative term, "watchdog of hell" (地獄の番犬, jigoku no banken) rather than "Kerberos".

The famous Kerberos emblem designed by Akemi Takada, first appeared as a backcover artwork in the Japanese VHS release of Akai Megane in 1987. Since then it is featured in most of the saga's works including Kerberos Panzer Cop (1988), StrayDog (1991), Jin-Roh (1999), the CD drama release of While Waiting For The Red Spectacles (2000) and Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs (2005).

"Cerberos", an awkward mix between "Kerberos" and "Cerberus", was used in the Dark Horse Comics edition of Hellhounds (1994).

[edit] Tachiguishi

For more details on this topic, see Tachiguishi.

As tachigui professionals, the legendary Fast Food Grifters have the privilege to eat in stand-and-eat street restaurants without paying. The Fast Food Grifters first appeared in the episode #122 (February 8th, 1984) of the TV anime series Urusei Yatsura. In this episode, the Tachiguishi (立喰師) were known as "pro of tachigui" (立喰いのプロ).

[edit] Glossary

  • Jãger: German word for "hunter". Panzerjäger was also used during World War II to designate armoured anti-tank vehicles armed with anti-tank cannon and MG34 machinegun.
  • Jigoku no banken (地獄の番犬): Japanese for the "watchdog of Hell" aka "hellhound", aka Cerberus.
  • Kerberos (ケルベロス, keruberosu): Greek word for Cerberus (Latin), the hellhound of Hades in the Greek mythology.
  • Tachigui (立ち食い): Japanese term for stand-and-eat street bars and restaurants.
  • Tachiguishi (立喰師): Japanese for "Fast food grifters".
  • Panzer: German word (from the French pancier) for "armored" from World War II.
  • Protect-Gear (プロテクトギア, purotekuto gia): The full body armor used by the Kerberos Panzer Cops and Kerberos Panzer Jägers.
  • Weimar Republic (ワイマール体制, waimāru taisei): The Weimar Republic ruled Germany from 1919 until 1939. This term appears in Kerberos Panzer Cop (Act 4, Chapter 1) and Kerberos Panzer Jäger. The term was translated as "Weimar Establishment" in the English version of Hellhounds and was censored (removed) in the Korean version of Kerberos Panzer Cop.

[edit] Themes

[edit] Dog-Master relationship

“ "BM: -A dog is supposed to obey his master...
KT: -A dog is supposed to know who his master is!"
(Bunmei Muroto and Koichi Todome in Akai megane)
 ”
The true story of Hachiko is referred by Hayashi in StrayDog.
The true story of Hachiko is referred by Hayashi in StrayDog.
As a personal obsession, dogs appear in all Oshii's works. In Avalon, the dog is a metaphor for Truth, the only testimony for humans to distinguish Real from Virtual.
As a personal obsession, dogs appear in all Oshii's works. In Avalon, the dog is a metaphor for Truth, the only testimony for humans to distinguish Real from Virtual.

The fanatic obedience of the Kerberos to their master which was originally their unit leader, could be compared with the fanaticism of the Schutzstaffel troops toward their leading officer and by extension to the führer. The ideological indocrination was part of the SS training program.

In a non-Europeocentrist historic view, it could be compared to the Imperial troops fanaticism toward the Emperor, or it even could be regarded as a reminescence of the samurai warriors -the Japanese word for "servant"- unconditional loyalty toward their warlord or fief lord. A such relationship is still in use in the modern yakuza societies and available in its general hierarchy from the aniki to the chinpira.

“ "They are stray dogs, someone might have dumped them or they get lost. There are so many of them around here."
(Hayashi in StrayDog)
 ”

In this cultural perpective, the "stray dog" (nora inu), the masterless dog (or Kerberos), can be regarded as a ronin, a masterless samurai (servant).

“ "Dogs can overcome any kind of difficulties to go back to their masters. It's an unfortunate fatal habit for them. [...] They hold a strong grudge against the humans who dumped them, but they also miss the smell of theirs masters so much."
(Hayashi in StrayDog)
 ”

On a psychological view, the Kerberos behavior through obedience and dependence, and more loosely the Dog-Master relationship, illustrated by Inui in StrayDog and by Fuse in Jin-Roh, could be patholigized as a mutual "affective addiction". The reciprocal dependence of the Master toward his Dog is one the central theme of StrayDog, an illustration is Hayashi unveiling his desperation to get abandoned by Inui (his "Dog"/Kerberos), and saying to him in a half-desperate/half-frustated tune: "who is your master?!"

“ "[Stray dogs] are eternally ambivalent."
(Hayashi in StrayDog)
 ”

The story and characters creator himself, Oshii, asserted in a video interview that the Kerberos behavior was meant to illustrate the Duality of men, and the philosophical concept that "each encounter induce a severance" (Source: "Making of Jin-Roh", DVD published by CTV Int'l, 2000).

[edit] Cultural impact

[edit] Japanese releases

The saga started in January 1987 with the Japanese broadcast of the radio drama series While Waiting For The Red Spectacles (紅い眼鏡を待ちつつ, Akai megane omachi tsutsu), prior to the theatrical release of the live-action film The Red Spectacles (紅い眼鏡, Akai megane). A manga series adaptation, Kerberos Panzer Cop (Kenrou densetsu) started the following year and was compiled as a single volume (Acts 1~4) in 1990.

The following year was released StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops (ケルベロス 地獄の番犬, Keruberosu jigoku no banken), the first theatrical adaptation of the manga.

In 1999, the manga series was completed (Acts 5~8) and re-released as two compilation volumes. Few months later was released Jin-Roh (人狼, Jinrou) the anime adaptation of the first manga. It remains the franchise's most popular work outside Japan until today.

Tachigui: The Amazing Lives of the Fast Food Grifters (立喰師外伝, Tachiguishi retsuden), an animation feature spin-off was released in theaters and DVD in 2006.

[edit] Asian releases

Kerberos Panzer Cop manga Traditional Chinese version (犬狼傳說) under blister (Tongli, Taiwan, 2002).
Kerberos Panzer Cop manga Traditional Chinese version (犬狼傳說) under blister (Tongli, Taiwan, 2002).

Kerclros Panzer Cop 犬狼伝説, an unlicensed Chinese version of the 1990 manga volume was published in Taiwan in the early 1990s.

犬狼傳說, a Chinese version complete volume (Acts 1~8) was available in Malaysia in 2000. A licensed, two volumes, Chinese version of the Japanese 2000 re-edition ("Frozen Version") was issued in Hong Kong the same year. A similar edition was available in Korean language in South Korea the same year.

A traditional Chinese 2-volume licensed edition was published in Taiwan in 2002.

[edit] North American releases

A six issues English adaptation of the first manga volume was published in 1994, in the United States and Canada as Hellhounds: Panzer Cops. A compilation volume edition was published in 1997.

The English dubbed version of Jin-Roh was released in North America in 2001.

Two years later, the English subtitled version of the 1987 and 1991 live action films was released in DVD.

[edit] European releases

Hellhounds: Panzer Cops, the English adaptation of the first manga volume, was translated in German and serialized in a German mook from 1996 to 1997.

In 1998, the American Hellhounds: Panzer Cops all-in-one volume was licensed and distributed in the United Kingdom.

The following year Jin-Roh was premiered in France and later released in Germany. It was one year before the Japanese release.

[edit] Toy lines

For more details on this topic, see Protect-Gear.

With each new episode release, famous Japanese toys and model kits manufacturers such as Kaiyodo, Medicom or Takara produce Protect-Gear scale models.

[edit] Saga in medias

Fan made Jin-Roh Protect-Gear skin for Counter-Strike.
Fan made Jin-Roh Protect-Gear skin for Counter-Strike.

In 2004, Killzone was released in North America, Europe and Oceania. Killzone is a Dutch FPS video game which its main characters, Helghast, are based on the Kerberos Protect-Gear created by Japanese character designer Yutaka Izubuchi. The game was released in South Korea and Japan in 2005. A sequel was released in 2006 and the game series was extended in a comic book by John Ney Rieber and Anderson Garcia. This project was cancelled due to, Canadian independent publisher, Dreamwave Productions' bankrupt few months before the first volume was issued. Trailer

[edit] Fan works

For more details on this topic, see Images of the Last Battalion.

After the North American release of Jin-Roh, various Kerberos Protect-Gear skins were created by fans to be used in the popular Counter Strike FPS, an American video game series (1998~2004).

In 2005, Images of the Last Battalion, an independent short anime directed by a student, Koichi Kishita, was released in Japanese film contests. The following year, the bootleg video was edited and projected as an official trailer at Mamoru Oshii's Kerberos Panzer Jäger launch party and Kishita joined Production I.G's 3DCG team.

Japanese and Chinese Protect-Gear fans sculpted, modificated, or repainted licensed toys. Some of these "custom" items are released as limited edition garage kits available in conventions and import action figure shops and websites.

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links

Kerberos saga by Mamoru Oshii ケルベロス
KERBEROS ARC
| While Waiting For The Red Spectacles (1987) | The Red Spectacles (1987) | Kerberos Panzer Cop (1988)
| StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops (1991) | Jin-Roh (1999) | Kerberos Saga: Rainy Dogs (2003)
| Kerberos Panzer Jäger (2006) | Kerberos & Tachiguishi (2006)
TACHIGUISHI ARC
| Hisatsu! Tachigui Wars!! (1984) | Tachiguishi-Retsuden (2004) | Onna Tachiguishi-Retsuden (2006)
KERBEROS FILES
| Saga | Chronicles | Characters | Protect-Gear | Weapons | Vehicles
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