Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica

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This article is about the Japanese anime and game. For the musical texture, see Polyphony
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica

Logo from the opening theme
神曲奏界ポリフォニカ
Genre Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Game
Developer Ocelot
Genre Visual novel
Rating All-ages
Platform PC, PlayStation 2
Released Episodes 1&2 April 28, 2006 (PC)
Spring 2007 (PS2)
Episodes 3&4 May 25, 2007 (PC)
Game: Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica THE BLACK
Developer Ocelot, KuroCo
Genre Visual novel
Rating All-ages
Platform PC
Released Episodes 1&2 June 29, 2007 (PC)
Game: Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White
Developer Ocelot, AMEDEO
Genre Visual novel
Rating All-ages
Platform PC
Released First Emotion June 29, 2007 (PC)
Endless Aria July 13, 2007 (PC)
Light novel
Author Ichirō Sakaki (Crimson)
Junichi Ōsako (Black)
Madoka Takadono (White)
Toshihiko Tsukiji (Blue)
Publisher Flag of Japan GA Bunko
Demographic Male
Published January 2006
Volumes 4 (Crimson), 4 (Black), 3 (White),
1 (Blue), 1 (Compilation)
Manga
Author Ichirō Sakaki, Ocelot
Demographic Shōnen
Original run March 1, 2007
TV anime
Director Junichi Watanabe, Masami Shimoda
Studio Flag of Japan T.O Entertainment, Inc.
Network Flag of Japan CBC, MBS, TBS
Original run April 3, 2007 – June 19, 2007
Episodes 12

Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica (神曲奏界ポリフォニカ?), also known as simply Polyphonica, is an all-age Japanese visual novel created by Ocelot and first released on the PC on April 28, 2006. Aside from the game, light novels have been created, and a manga adaptation started in March 2007. An anime adaptation started airing in Japan on April 3, 2007. The original game, Crimson series, will start its second installment, covering the third and fourth story. The Black and White Polyphonica series are planned to be adapted from a printed novel to visual novel media in spring 2007, respectively titled Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica THE BLACK and Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In the continent of Polyphonica, spirits materialize in the world, surviving on the music that is played by humans, and live together with them. While the spirits don't appear often, some spirits have enough power to materialize in human or animal forms and live together with humans.

Dantists, who play special music called "Commandia," are widely respected in this world. They also usually are in contract with powerful spirits. The story of Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica revolves around the new Dantist, Phoron Tatara, the spirit that he made contract with, Corticarte Apa Lagranges, and their friends, in their daily life and work.

In the anime, episode 1 to 10 explored the relationship between humans and spirits in the world of Polyphonica. This is shown either from Dantist like Phoron, or Direnn. The last two episodes focus on the Commandia that connects both kind of creatures. [1]

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica characters

[edit] Terms

Belst (聖獣 Seijū?)
Belst are spirits' animal-like form. Their Human forms are called Humanubic. Some spirits can have both Humanubic and Belst forms. The literal meaning for "聖獣" is "sacred/holy beast".
Commandia (神曲 Shinkyoku?)
Music played by Dantists to show the his gesture to the spirits. With the music, spirits that make contract with the Dantist can use their true power; but all spirits enjoy a good song. Commandia is the expression of the Dantist's soul, and it will change according with their development, whether it is for better or worse.
Although listening to Commandia will strengthen a covenant spirit as well as bring them joy, Commandia could work like drugs. Fairies who knows the joy from Commandia could become crazy if they are separated from Commandia for too long. So, even among the spirits, there are those who think it's better if they never knows humans at all. The literal meaning for "神曲" is "Divine Song".
Dantist (神曲楽士 Shinkyoku Gakushi?)
Music players who are able to play divine music, or Commandia. They usually have a One-Man Orchestra, which can be disguised as a suitcase, or in Phoron's case, a motorbike. But a Dantist does not actually depend on these instruments. In the timeline of the White series, Dantists plays Commandia using conventional instruments. The literal meaning for "神曲楽士" is "Divine Song Musician/Player".
Humanubic (フマヌビック Fumanubikku?)
These are spirits' human-like form. Animal forms are called "Belst". There is also the Licanthro form, in which a Spirit possesses both a human and animal form. Examples are Yardio and Blanca.
One-Man Orchestra (単身楽団 Tanshin Gakudan?)
One-Man Orchestras are instruments used by Dantists in the present Polyphonica continent. They are similar to the usual musical instruments, but often more elaborate and equipped with a computerized system. These instruments are meant to allow Dantists to play music on a larger scale, like an orchestra, alone.
As technology grows more advanced, the miniaturization of these devices is improving. Renbart's saxophone or Eufinley's violin are not so different in size compared to conventional instruments, but the Phoron's organ at school is already the size of a backpack.
His motorbike-shaped One-Man Orchestra is an exception though.
Tsuge Divine Music Player Office (ツゲ神曲楽士派遣事務所 Tsuge Shinkyoku Gakushi Haken Jimusho?)
The office where Phoron, Renbart, Perserte, and Prinesca work. Eufinley is the chief of this office.

[edit] Theme songs

[edit] Anime

Opening theme
"Apocrypha" by eufonius
Ending theme
"Concordia" (コンコルディア Konkorudia?) by kukui

[edit] Game

[edit] Crimson Series

Theme song
"Crimson Calling" by Rita (Ep 1 & 2)
"Crimson Calling (Ending Ver.)" by Rita (Ep 3 & 4)
Insert song
"Song of Wave" by Yuiko (Ep 3&4)
Ending theme
"Crimson Reason" by Rita (Ep 3 & 4)

[edit] Black Series

Theme song
"Hurting Heart" by fripSide

[edit] White Series

Theme song
"Until I Forget You" (僕がきみを忘れるまで Boku ga Kimi o Wasureru Made?)

[edit] Episodes

# Title Original air date
01 "Prelude - The Crimson Spirit"
"Pureryūdo - Kō no Seirei" (プレリュード　紅の精霊) 		 April 3, 2007
While getting his motorbike fixed, Phoron and Corticarte decide to tour the town. They see a girl sitting on a bench in a park looking puzzled, and Phoron decides to approach her. The girl, Misaki, wonders if she should get her grandmother's memento from the house where she used to live before she passed away. Phoron and Corticarte encourage Misaki to get it. 
02 "Operetta - The Watching Spirit"
"Operetta - Mitsumeru Seirei" (オペレッタ　見つめる精霊) 		 April 10, 2007
A woman by the name of Maura Ren comes to Tsuge Divine Music Player Office and asks Eufinley to get rid of a spirit that has been peeping in her house. Eufinley sends Renbart to investigate while Phoron and Corticarte are sent to help with some demolition work. 
03 "Polka - The Thing Forgotten at the Bottom of the Sea"
"Poruka - Umi no Soko no Wasuremono" (ポルカ　海の忘れ物) 		 April 17, 2007
Tsuge's office gets a request to recover lost object from a sunken ship. The object is a test between two brothers over the inheritance of their father's company. The opponent's side also requests Divine Music player, but who is he? 
04 "Dal Segno - The Day of the Beginning"
"Darusēnyo - Hajimari no Hi" (ダルセーニョ　始まりの日) 		 April 24, 2007
Upon taking out their father's memento, the Yugiri twins remember the day they went to visit Torvas Divine Song Players Academy before entering the academy to study. They meet Phoron and Eufinley for the first time. Later, Perserte finds that she left her father's memento in the changing room, so the twins retrieve it. After they find the memento, Prinesca hears Phoron singing. At the same time, Corticarte goes berserk from Phoron's singing voice and breaks free from her prison. 
05 "Affannato - The Bond of Treachery"
"Affannāto - Uragiri no Kizuna" (アッファンナート　裏切りの絆) 		 May 01, 2007
Suzuna thinks Kochino, her spirit, has left her and made contract with another Dantist. She goes to Tsuge Divine Music Player Office and asks the group to investigate. It turned out that Kochino made a contract with a Dantist a year before she made a contract with Suzuna. The former Dantist was in a band and when Kochino was there, they were poplar, but the former Dantist was so involved in their popularity that his soul got warped and divine songs are a player's soul. So she broke the contract. 
06 "Scherzo - The Reason to be Alongside"
"Sukerutzo - Soba ni Iru Riyū" (スケルツォ　傍にいる理由) 		 May 08, 2007
Eufinley gets a phone call from another Divine Music Player Office asking Renbart to transfer to their office. Meanwhile, Phoron falls into a river and catches a cold while helping Aria to find her runaway cat as a volunteer work, so Eufinley tells Renbart to help Aria find her cat instead. While Prinesca and Phoron are worried if Renbart will transfer or not, Perserte and Corticarte fight with each other trying to take care of the sick Phoron. 
07 "Violenza - The Black Pursuer"
"Vaiorentza - Kuroi Tsuisekisha" (ヴァイオレンツァ 黒い追跡者) 		 May 15, 2007
In their day off, the Tsuge Office gets a visitor. Yamna, Phoron's old friend from school, comes to ask for help because a mysterious and persistent tall man and a little girl in black have been pursuing him ever since he found a strange suitcase during work. 
08 "Serenade - The Distance Between Humans and Spirits"
"Serenāde - Hito to Seirei no Hazama ni" (セレナーデ 人と精霊の狭間に) 		 May 22, 2007
One day in school, Prinesca receives a love letter in her locker. Her office mates encourage Prinesca to meet the guy when Perserte tells them. However, she seems to be worried with something when she saw the letter, and Corticarte appears to have something on her mind as well. 
09 "Rhapsody - Story of a Divine Music Player"
"Rapusodi - Toaru Shinkyoku Gakushi no Hanashi" (ラプソディ とある神曲楽士の話) 		 May 29, 2007
Phoron seems to be in a slump about his inability to play Commandia well lately, and Corticarte is worried about it. Eufinley tells Corticarte to find a composer named Zare to see if he can help with Phoron's depressed state or not. 
10 "Ballad - The Conclusion of Love and Hatred"
"Barādo - Aizou no Kecchaku" (バラード 愛憎の決着) 		 June 05, 2007
Akatsuki and Mailreit injure Renbart's hand during a demolition work, so Phoron and Corticarte are sent to replace Renbart until the job's done. However, it seems that Akatsuki is protecting the house and doing every possible to prevent the group from tearing it down. Could the old burnt house have something to do with Akatsuki's past and why he hates Mailreit? 
11 "Requiem - The Singing Spirit"
"Rekuiemu - Utau Seirei" (レクイエム 歌う精霊) 		 June 12, 2007
Terero Termin, a renowned One-Man Orchestra developer, asks the Tsuge Office for help in developing his Counterfeit Rainbow, an automatic instrument that can play Commandia without a Dantist. However, he dies before finishing it. While in the town, activity from anti-spirits movement are becoming more dangerous, and rumors about a spirit who can Commandia. Believing that the Counterfeit Rainbow has the soul of Termin, Krista sings the Commandia even though it endangers her own life. 
12 "Symphony - The Rainbow Music"
"Shinfonī - Niji no Gakkyoku" (シンフォニー 虹の楽曲) 		 June 19, 2007
Phoron and Corti keep trying to convince Krista that continuing on singing for the fake Commandia from the Counterfeit Rainbow will just hurt her. In the mean time, the anti-spirits movement has set up their spirit bomb. When it's opened by accident, the berserk spirit inside causes all lower level spirits to lose control and creates havoc across the city. 

[edit] Other media

[edit] Light novel

After the game, the Polyphonica series expanded into a light novel series. The stories are loosely connected in a shared universe setting. The novels are published by GA Bunko, a division of Softbank Creative. Currently, there are four series running, each uniquely identified with colors. The Black series happens in the same timeline as the Crimson series, which follows the main characters of the game. The White series appears to take place in the distant past.

Polyphonica Crimson series
Story: Ichirō Sakaki / Illustration: Noboru Kannatsuki
  1. Wayward Crimson - January 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797334436)
  2. Romantic Crimson - May 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797335823)
  3. Spurting Crimson - September 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797337184)
  4. Struggle Crimson - October 15, 2006 (ISBN 978479733780X)
  5. Beginning Crimson - May 15, 2007 (ISBN 9784797340617)
Polyphonica Black series
Story: Junichi Ōsako / Illustration: BUNBUN
  1. Inspector Black - June 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797336145)
  2. Silent Black - August 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797337141)
  3. Player Black - December 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797338997)
  4. Triangle Black - March 15, 2007 (ISBN 9784797340549)
Polyphonica White series
Story: Madoka Takadono / Illustration: Kinako Hiro
  1. Eternal White - July 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797336730)
  2. Infinity White - November 15, 2006 (ISBN 9784797337826)
  3. Missing White - April 15, 2007 (ISBN 9784797340563)
Polyphonica Blue series
Story: Toshihiko Tsukiji / Illustration: Eiji Usatsuka
  1. Excite Blue - February 15, 2007 (ISBN 9784797340533)
  2. Fugitive Blue - June 15 2007 (ISBN 9784797341621)
Compilation
  1. Marble January 15, 2007 (ISBN 9784797339004)

[edit] Web Comic

In March 2007, the web comic of Polyphonica, titled Cardinal Crimson began serialization in Flex Comic Blood, an online comic division of Blood Comic.

[edit] Music

Opening Single: "Apocrypha" by eufonius - April 25, 2007
Ending Single: "Concordia" (コンコルディア Konkorudia?) by kukui - May 23, 2007
Game Original Soundtrack: May 25, 2007
Anime Original Soundtrack - Atmosphere: June 27, 2007, composed by Hikaru Nanase

[edit] Kinetic Novel

There are 5 Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica kinetic novels being released, with 3 different series.

Polyphonica Crimson series
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica ~Episode 1&2 Box Edition~ - April 28, 2006
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica ~Episode 3&4 Box Edition~ - May 25, 2007
Polyphonica Black series
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica THE BLACK ~Episode 1&2 Box Edition~ - August 10, 2007
Polyphonica White series
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White ~First Emotion~ June 29, 2007
Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Memories White ~Endless Aria~ July 13, 2007

[edit] References and Sources

  1. ^ Polyphonica blog June 7th 2007 entry

[edit] External links

Languages