Kerberos Panzer Cop
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| Kerberos Panzer Cop | |||
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| 犬狼伝説 (Kenrō Densetsu) |
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| Genre | Sci-Fi, Action | ||
| Manga | |||
| Author | Mamoru Oshii | ||
| Illustrator | Kamui Fujiwara | ||
| Publisher |  Kasakura ShuppanshaNihon Shuppansha |
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| Demographic | Seinen | ||
| Magazine | Amazing Comics Combat Comic Manga Power Shōnen Ace |
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| Original run | 1988 – 2000 | ||
| Volumes | 2 | ||
| Related | |||
Kerberos Panzer Cop, known in Japan as Kenrō Densetsu (犬狼伝説 lit. "Dog-Wolf Legend: Hellhound Armoured Cop"?), is a 1988 manga written by Mamoru Oshii and illustrated by Kamui Fujiwara. The series, part of the Kerberos saga, is an adaptation of 1987's live-action feature film Akai Megane and the source material for 1999's Jin-Roh.
Kerberos Panzer Cop was completed in 2000. Translated versions of the complete series were issued in South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan in the early 2000s. A sequel named Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs was published in Japan from 2003 to 2005.
The English language adaptation is published under the title Hellhounds: Panzer Cops. Alternate titles used by American translators Alan Gleason and Toren Smith include Hellhounds (Cerberos: Panzer Cop) or Hellhounds.
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[edit] Plot
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The plot summary in this article or section is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the article. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. |
- See also: Kerberos saga characters
- Part I (第一部 Dai Ichibu?)
Kerberos Panzer Cops is more of an anthology of vignettes, all of which contribute to the tale of the closing battles with the Sect and the fall of the Kerberos unit. The opening chapter features concerns a Capital Police trooper, Toru Inui, who first fails to kill a suicide bomber in the sewer system and later fails to apprehend a suspicious wounded man in the company of an innocent woman escaping from a manhole. The wounded man is shot by police snipers and is revealed to be an armed terrorist. Inui is reassigned to training and his superiors not only wonder why he failed to shoot, but why he transferred into the unit ("perhaps because of the smell of his own kind", one of many dog references in the series). He is sent back into the field and while covering the rear of the patrol, comes across the same woman and another injured man. Before he realizes what is going on, the seemingly innocent woman reveals herself to be a terrorist and shoots Inui dead. This story in many ways is similar to the story of Jin-Roh.
Another story concerns Hachiro Kishu, a helicopter pilot whose dream has been the thrill of flying and the challenge of aerial combat. Stuck to flying recon and traffic in an antiquated, war-surplus helicopter, Kishu gets his chance when the Kerberos unit is issued a new state-of-the-art attack helicopter and he has been assigned to fly it. Meanwhile, outside police are tracking down a mole within the Kerberos unit, but before they can arrest him and his accomplices, an undercover Kerberos team raids an accomplice's house, killing much of the cell, but the mole escapes. When the police inform that Capital Police commander Muroto that, while they have not identified the mole, they uncovered a plot to sabotage the unit's upcoming parade demonstration. However, the Capital Police commander does not inform his unit and allows the parade to go on. The Sect mole, revealed to be aircraft mechanic, plants a bomb onboard the helicopter, which explodes during a parade demonstration. Kishu can only watch in horror as his dream falls to the ground.
In reality, Muroto works against his own unit's interest throughout the series, although it is unclear if Muroto is doing this out of self-interest or for loftier goals. In addition to letting a terrorist bomb the parade flight of the Kerberos' attack helicopter, it is revealed that Muroto is planning on merging the Capital Police into the National Police Agency and dismantle the Kerberos unit. Knowing that the Kerberos unit may see this as a betrayal after years of faithful service and loyalty and attempt to strike back, Muroto knows that in order for the Capital Police merger to continue, he must publicly humiliate or eliminate the Kerberos unit. Following a meeting with Agency officials, he confronts an underling, Tsujimura, of leaking secrets to a friend in the Kerberos unit. Men from Muroto's faction come to take Tsujimura away, but he pulls a gun on Muroto, forcing his men to kill him. This chapter also foreshadows the downfall of the Kerberos unit, when a stray dog finds the corpse of Tsujimura in a junkyard, then wanders next to a large pile of discarded Stahlhelm helmets, machineguns, and armored personnel carriers, all presumably from the Kerberos unit, with the gleaming glass office buildings of Tokyo in the background.
Muroto first sets the Kerberos unit to deal with a hostage crisis at a foreign embassy. If any hostages are killed during the siege, an international incident could erupt. The Kerberos team assaults the embassy, eliminating the radicals within minutes. However, the embassy takeover was a diversion by a splinter group of the Sect. The main cell and their leader, Fujiwara, has hijacked a Lufthansa plane at Haneda Airport. It is soon revealed that Fujiwara's splinter cell broke off from the Sect following a series of incidents similar to the Kerberos unit: the Sect's leadership, behind bars, has compromised with the government and has abandoned its more extremist and violent members. The goal of the splinter faction's hijacking is an appointment with glory with the Kerberos unit.
The Kerberos unit is charged with the capture of Fujiwara ("No one else is to take him") and is dispatched to Haneda Airport, but soon has a conflict over jurisdiction with the Metro Police, who polices the airport. The jurisdiction conflict comes to a head when the unit commander, Handa, orders the Kerberos unit to ignore the Metro Police blockade, resulting in an armed standoff inside the airport terminal and in front of the public. The resulting backlash quickly dumps the Kerberos unit on the tarmac, where Handa formulates one last plan to capture Fujiwara. Handa has his unit secure a service truck and sends Koichi Todome, Midori Washio, and Soichiro Toribe to infiltrate the plane as caterers delivering food to the hostages, violating the Metro Police's jurisdiction. If they are caught, they can be arrested and the scandal would destroy the Kerberos unit.
Handa launches a diversion and Koichi, Midori, and Soichiro storm the plane and kill most of the splinter faction, but before they can fully secure the plane, Fujiwara orders the pilot to takeoff. Koichi, Midori, and Soichiro force the plane down by shooting the engines. The plane crash-lands on a landfill on Showa Island and Fujiwara makes his escape. Koichi and Soichiro are in a daze from the crash, but Midori climbs up on the fuselage and begins setting up her Mauser C96 for long-range shooting. Handa and the rest of the Kerberos unit scramble to the crash site, but are beaten by the Metro Police. Fujiwara meets a wall of Metro Police in riot gear, waiting to apprehend him, but instead resisting arrest, he turns to face the distant crashed plane and Midori, who shoots him between the eyes.
- Part II (第二部 Dai Nibu?)
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[edit] Related series
[edit] The Red Spectacles
Kerberos Panzer Cop is a manga adaptation of 1987's live-action film Akai Megane, directed by Mamoru Oshii. The first half of the film relates the run of Koichi Todome, Midori Washio and Soichiro Toribe after the 1998 "Kerberos Uprising" (ケルベロス騒乱 Keruberosu Souran?), referred to in StrayDog's prologue and fully described in the manga's second volume. The second half is set three years later, in 2001, when Koichi return to Japan and arrives at the Haneda airport. The story depicts what happens to him as he seeks for his Kerberos comrades in the old town of Tokyo and mets some Tachiguishi.
In 2003, the DVD edition was licensed and subtitled in English for a North American release as The Red Spectacles.
[edit] Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops
Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops, directed by Mamoru Oshii, is a feature film adaptation of Kerberos Panzer Cop (Part I) released in 1991. The plot is set three years before Akai Megane, and relates the adventures of Inui, an escaped Kerberos seeking for his master, and unit leader, Koichi. The movie also explains why Koichi Toribe returned to Tokyo in 2001 (or 1991 according to the saga's parallel timeline), it also explains where he had moved after the "Kerberos Uprising" event, and why the last Protect-Gear was not in his suitcase.
An English subtitled video version was made available in North America-only in the self-titled DVD and in the Mamoru Oshii Cinema Trilogy box set.
[edit] Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
The animated feature Jin-Roh is an adaptation of Parts I & II of Kerberos Panzer Cop. Jin-Roh is about a major conspiracy against the Kerberos organization taking part in Tokyo during the 1950s. The main character, Kazuki Fuse, was created after Inui, a Kerberos performed by Yoshikatsu Fujiki, in the 1991 live-action adaptation and also featured in the manga. The manga and original story's Todomo-Washio-Toribe trio was removed and the "Kerberos Riot" event was simplified and replaced by a self conservation unit, the "Jin-Roh Brigade". The original storyboard by Oshii was modified by director Okiura, notably with the addition of romantic scenes.
An English dubbed video version was made available in 2001 as Jin Roh the Wolf Brigade, which is the translation of the original title.
[edit] Kerberos Saga: Rainy Dogs
Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs is a manga sequel, serialized from 2003 to 2005 in Ace Tokunou magazine.
[edit] Releases
[edit] Chapters
- Kerberos Panzer Cop
- Part I (第一部)
- Act 1: Suteinu (捨犬)
- Act 2: Ryōken (猟犬) - Jagd Hound (ヤクトハウンド)
- Act 3: Yaken (野犬)
- Act 4: Sentoken (戦闘犬) - Chapter I: Tansho (端緒)
- Act 4: Sentoken (戦闘犬) - Chapter II: Taiji (対峙)
- Act 4: Sentoken (戦闘犬) - Chapter III: Totsunyū (突入)
- Part II (第二部)
- Act 5: Gunyōken (軍用犬)
- Act 6: Norainu (野良犬)
- Act 7: Kyōken (狂犬)
- Act 8: Sentoken II (戦闘犬II)
- Hellhounds
- Panzer Cops
- Part I
- Act 1: Stray Dog
- Act 2: untitled
- Act 3: Stray Dog
- Act 4: The Dogs of War - Chapter 1: untitled
- Act 4: The Dogs of War - Chapter 2: Confrontation
- Act 4: The Dogs of War - Chapter 3: Attack - Part 1
- Act 4: The Dogs of War - Chapter 3: Attack - Part 2
[edit] Issues
Series, Original and Collector editions are standard B5 (25.7cm x 18.2cm / 10.1" x 7.2"). Budget edition is A5 size (21cm x 14.8cm), and Renewal edition is B6 size (18cm x 13cm).
- Amazing Comics serialization (Part I)
Kerberos Panzer Cop was first published (第一部) in Amazing Comics (アメージングコミックス), a SF/Horror two-monthly comics magazine.
- 1988~1989: Amazing Comics (Kasakura Shuppansha)
- 1988.10: #2 Kenrou Densetsu Act 1: The Forsaken Dog (犬狼伝説:捨て犬)
- 1989.02: #4 Kenrou Densetsu Act 2: The Hound Pt.1 (犬狼伝説:猟犬)
- 1989.04: #5 Kenrou Densetsu Act 2: The Hound Pt.2 (犬狼伝説:猟犬)
- Combat Comic serialization (Part I)
After Amazing Comics' last issue, in May 1989 (#5), Kerberos Panzer Cop was next monthly serialized in Combat Comic (コンバットコミック) magazine.
- 1989~1990: Combat Comic (Nihon Shuppansha)
- 1989.11: #30 Kenrou Densetsu (犬狼伝説)
- 1989.12: #31 Kenrou Densetsu (犬狼伝説)
- 1990.01: #32 Kenrou Densetsu (犬狼伝説)
- Original edition (B5)
Compilation of the 1st series in a single paperback volume, original format kept (25.7cm x 18.2cm), published by Nihon Shuppansha. This edition features a dust jacket cover with a totally different artwork (partially silver) than the one available on the soft cover. A white obi, promoting the roadshow of StrayDog in March 1991 ("映画化公開決定!"), was included over the dust jacket.
- 1990.10.20: Kenrou Densetsu (犬狼伝説)
- B5 (234p. ISBN 4-89048-271-7)
- Budget edition (A5)
Re-issue of the 1990 edition in a single paperback volume by Nihon Shuppansha. The size is smaller than the original edition (21cm x 14.8cm) and the paper quality is cheaper for a budget release.
- 1993.11.13: Kenrou Densetsu Budget Edition (犬狼伝説 普及版)
- A5 (206p. ISBN 4-89048-402-7)
- Shōnen Ace serialization (Part II)
The sequel and end of Kerberos Panzer Cop, featuring Acts 5~8. The 2nd series (第二部) was published monthly in Shōnen Ace (少年エース), property of Kadokawa.
- 1999~2000: Shōnen Ace (Kadokawa Shoten)
- 1999.06: #8 Kenrou Densetsu Part 2 (犬狼伝説 第二部)
- 1999.07: #9 Kenrou Densetsu Part 2 (犬狼伝説 第二部)
- 1999.08: #10 Kenrou Densetsu Part 2 (犬狼伝説 第二部)
- 1999.09: #11 Kenrou Densetsu Part 2 (犬狼伝説 第二部)
- Frozen edition (B6)
A 2-volume updated edition named "Frozen version". The first volume is a reissue of the 1990/1993 editions, though it is a smaller format (18cm x 13cm) and the paper quality is better (supercalendered). The second volume is the compilation of the manga's 2nd part which was serialized, from 1999 to 2000 in Shōnen Ace. This completion volume was published as a 10th anniversary of the original tankōbon edition, and also to coincide with the release of Jin-Roh in Japan. The volumes of this renewal edition features a dust jacket cover with a totally different artwork than the one available on the soft covers. First volume is red, and the second one is black and red. Issues from Fujiwara Kawai's collection included more and more pages and the sale price eventually raised gradually since the fith issue. However, issues #001 and #004, volume 1 & 2, are the same price.
- 1999.06.25: Kerberos Panzer Cop (Acts 1~4)
- 犬狼伝説 Kerberos Panzer Cop: そしていま、戦いの犬が野に放たれる。Kamui's Collection Issue #001
- B6 (200p. ISBN 4-04-713274-8)
- 2000.01.31: Kerberos Panzer Cop: Conclusion (Acts 5~8)
- 犬狼伝説 Kerberos Panzer Cop (完結篇): 立ち塞がる者あらば、これを撃て Kamui's Collection Issue #004
- B6 (184p. ISBN 4-04-713324-8)
- Zen edition (B5+CD)
2in1 collector boxset reissue of the renewal edition, including Acts 1~8 in a +400p. single volume, a deluxe carton box (black) and the drama CD version of "While Waiting For The Red Spectacles" (紅い眼鏡を待ちつつ). A limited Kerberos Panzer Cop Kubrick (Protect-Gear '92) was offered to first print pre-orderers on Kadokawa's website. The "Zen" edition was produced in small quantities sold 6,000¥ (+51$).
- 2000.09.28: Kerberos Panzer Cop: Complete Book [Zen] (Acts 1~8)
- 犬狼伝説 [全] zen
- B5 (411p. ISBN 4-04-713343-4)
- Kerberos Saga serialization (B5)
Single act releases reissue in B5 format by Barque (Raiden company) through the Kerberos Saga official website.
- 2007.04: Kerberos Panzer Cops - Act 1: Suteinu
- 犬狼伝説 01 捨犬
- B4 (56p.)
- 2007.06: Kerberos Panzer Cops - Act 2: Ryōken (scheduled)
- 犬狼伝説 02 猟犬
[edit] External links
- Kerberos saga official website (Japanese)
- Mamoru Oshii's official website (Japanese)
- Studio 2B official website (Japanese)
- Dark Horse Comics official website
- Diamond Comics official website
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