Kissxsis

Kiss×Sis

Cover art of first manga.
キス×シス
(Kisu×shisu)
Genre Comedy, Harem
Manga
Written by Bow Ditama
Published by Kodansha
Demographic Seinen
Imprint KC Deluxe
Magazine Bessatsu Young Magazine
Young Magazine
Original run December 11, 2005 – ongoing
Volumes 9 (List of volumes)
Original video animation
Directed by Munenori Nawa
Produced by Tomoko Kawasaki
Written by Katsumi Hasegawa
Music by Mizuki Ueki
Studio Feel
Released December 22, 2008 – ongoing
Runtime 24 minutes approximatly
Episodes 8 (List of episodes)
TV anime
Directed by Munenori Nawa
Produced by Masayuki Haryu
Takahiro Yamanaka
Tomoko Kawasaki
Written by Katsumi Hasegawa
Music by Mizuki Ueki
Studio Feel
Network AT-X
Original run April 4, 2010 – Jun 21, 2010
Episodes 12 (List of episodes)
Anime and Manga Portal

Kiss×Sis (キス×シス Kisu×Shisu?) is a Japanese seinen manga written and illustrated by Bow Ditama. It began serialization in Bessatsu Young Magazine (now Young Magazine) on December 11, 2005 and has since been published into eight volumes by Kodansha.[1] The series was later adapted into two animated series by Feel; a twelve-episode television show aired from April 5 to June 21, 2010 by AT-X,[2] and an ongoing OVA, started December 22, 2008.

Contents

Plot

Keita Suminoe is a third-year Japanese middle school student living with his father, stepmother, and older twin stepsisters, Ako and Riko in undisclosed Japan. Since the remarriage of their parents at childhood, the siblings have always been affectionately close and supportive of one another. Picking up at least a decade later, the trio, now pubescent teenagers, see their opposites in a noticeably less platonic fashion; Ako and Riko frequently flirt and lust after Keita while, much to his chagrin, he fights the urge to give into them. The relentless admiration he receives, coupled with the situations and fan service that often ensues, is the primary basis of the series.

Characters

Keita Suminoe (住之江 圭太 Suminoe Keita?)
Voiced by: Ken Takeuchi
Keita Suminoe is the main protagonist of the series. Blended into a stepfamily when, at childhood, his father remarries, he comes into the acquisition of a stepmother and older stepsisters, Ako and Riko; an arrangement he welcomes. A fifteen-year-old,[3] third-year middle school student, and under the now persistent debauchery of his siblings, Keita finds it increasingly difficult to retain his modest, dignified morals; especially when his parents encourage him to indulge! A former track and field member, Keita is athletic more than he is academic; however he strives to and eventually is accepted to his stepsisters' high school.
Ako Suminoe (住之江 あこ Suminoe Ako?)
Voiced by: Ayana Taketatsu
Bright and cheery, Ako Sumione is a sixteen-year-old,[4] first-year high school student who is one of two stepsisters to Keita, twin sister to Riko. The more intellectual of the pair, Ako is educated, maternal, responsible, an active member of the student council, skilled at cooking, homemaking, and endeavors to maintain a prim and proper demeanor. In spite of this imposing façade however, she is outwardly emotional, childish, whiny, reluctant, easily embarrassed and perverse; her most well-known open secret. Having grown up with Keita since toddlerhood, Ako is altruistic and not to mention in love with him.
Riko Suminoe (住之江 りこ Suminoe Riko?)
Voiced by: Yuiko Tatsumi
Riko Suminoe is the second stepsister to Keita; a fellow sixteen-year-old,[4] first-year high school student. Though less accomplished than her counterpart, Riko is interpersonal, cunning, insightful, crafty, an active member of the disciplinary club, and boldly open about her personal life and sexuality; although she surprisingly cannot bring herself to kiss Keita in front of others. She is known however, to be soft-spoken, clumsy, temperamental and weaker to alcohol than her sister. Riko is most recognized for wearing an adhesive bandage on her left cheek, the purpose of which covers a scar she received from when Keita threw a toy at her during their childhood.[5] In a complimenting fashion, Riko is also ardently fond of her stepbrother and is forever fighting with Ako over his affection.
Miharu Mikuni (三国 美春 Mikuni Miharu?)
Voiced by: Yoriko Nagata
Miharu Mikuni is a third-year middle school student. A fairly quiet and unknown character, she is brought into attention when she delivers Keita his entrance exam results; having passed, he joyfully befriends her. Unlike the other girls, Miharu is comparatively tacit, meek, intimidated and predisposed to anxiety; as such, she suffers from enuresis. Her relationship with Keita is mostly platonic; what feelings she does have for him are generally overshadowed by the images she has of him and his stepsisters. She sometimes fantazises about Keita making non-consensual advances against her, but doesn't seem to be seriously interested in a romantic relationship with him. Of the entire cast, Miharu is the only bespectacled character.
Mikazuki Kiryū (桐生 三日月 Kiryū Mikazuki?)
Voiced by: Asuka Ōgame
Peppy and outgoing, Mikazuki Kiryu is a second-year middle school student and younger sister of Yuzuki Kiryu. In spite of her age, she is far more mature of the two, and tends to keep the most level head when her sister is losing hers. An underclassman to the rest of the cast, Mikazuki looks up to everyone, especially Keita, who she fashionably has a crush on. However, she seems to be just as interested in amusing herself by watching the antics and reactions of others than actually winning him over. Mikazuki lives with her parents and is the shortest character of the entire cast.
Yūzuki Kiryū (桐生 夕月 Kiryū Yūzuki?)
Voiced by: Asami Imai
Yuzuki Kiryu is a twenty-three-year-old[6] homeroom teacher at fictional Gakushū Senior High, a recent hire, and is also the older sister of Mikazuki. Single, unmarried, independent, and noticeably eccentric, she is initially disgusted with Keita and his relationship with Ako and Riko, to the point of unduly crusading against it;[7] like the girls to come, and despite her age difference, she develops conflicting feelings for him herself. An obsessive fan of anime, manga and cosplay, her apartment spans a large collection of merchandise, books, games and posters; a particularly favored theme of hers being samurai.[8] Much to her humiliation, Yuzuki is a virgin.[9]

Media

Manga

Main article: List of Kissxsis chapters

Kiss×sis started as a one-shot series in January 2004 by Bow Ditama, an illustrator known for his work on Mahoromatic, published by Kodansha in their now-defunct bimonthly Bessatsu Young Magazine, a manga magazine aimed at a mostly adult male audience.[10] Well-received by readers, Kiss×sis began regular serialization on December 11, 2005, ultimately becoming a monthly periodical when on December 9, 2009 Kodansha transpired the magazine into a monthly publication.[11] On September 6, 2007, a manga containing the first six chapters of the series was published by Kodansha, released under their KC Deluxe imprint.[12] As of June 2011, nine volumes have been published. The last chapter of volume nine was published on November 20, 2011. Volume 10 is to be released in 2012,[13] totaling fifty-six chapters. The manga is also licensed in Taiwan by Sharp Point Press.[14]

Anime

Main article: List of Kissxsis episodes

It was announced in June 2008 that an animated adaption of Kiss×sis would be produced by Feel.[15] On December 22 of that year, the first OVA was released, directed by Munenori Nawa.[16][17] Subsequent releases were packaged with copies of the manga: the second episode was bundled with volume four on May 22, 2009,[18][19] the third with volume five on November 20,[10][20] four with volume six on June 4, 2010, five with volume seven and six with volume eight on June 22, 2011. The opening and closing themes for the OVA include "Our Honey Boy" (ふたりのハニーボーイ Futari no Hanibōi?) by Ayana Taketatsu and Yuiko Tatsumi and "Starry Sky Story" (星空物語 Hoshizora Monogatari?) by Nana Takahashi, respectively.

A 12-episode TV anime adaptation of the manga aired on AT-X between April 5 and June 21, 2010. A censored pre-release of the first episode aired online on March 28, 2010. The opening theme is "Balance Kiss" (バランスKISS?) performed by Ayana Taketatsu and Yuiko Tatsumi, and the ending theme is "Our Steady Boy" by Yui Ogura and Kaori Ishihara. The ending theme for episode 12 is "Futari" (ふたり?) by Ogura and Ishihara. The first DVD volume was released on June 23, 2010. Unlike the TV airings of the other episodes, certain scenes of episodes nine through twelve were censored.

References

  1. ^ "月刊ヤングマガジン｜Ｋｉｓｓ×ｓｉｓ｜既刊コミック｜講談社コミックプラス" (in Japanese). kc.kodansha.co.jp. http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/previously/list.php/1000001609. Retrieved 2011-06-16. 
  2. ^ "StarChild:kiss×sis" (in Japanese). starchild.co.jp. http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/kiss_sis/onair.html. Retrieved 2011-06-16. 
  3. ^ Bow Ditama (w, a). "The Angst of a 15 Year Old Boy" Kissxsis v3, 15 (12-22-2008), Kodansha
  4. ^ a b Bow Ditama (w, a). "The Lust of 16 Year Old Girls" Kissxsis v3, 16 (12-22-2008), Kodansha
  5. ^ Bow Ditama (w, a). "Since We’re All Girls, No Need to Hold Back" Kissxsis v8, 50: 11/1-7 (06-22-2011), Kodansha
  6. ^ Bow Ditama (w, a). "Go For It!" Kissxsis v9, 54: 21/3 (06-22-2011), Kodansha
  7. ^ Bow Ditama (w, a). "A Cruel Younger Brother" Kissxsis v4, 27: 27/4 (05-22-2009), Kodansha
  8. ^ Bow Ditama (w, a). "Ocha ha Nigoshi Mashō" Kissxsis v5, 25: 7-9/1-15 (11-20-2009), Kodansha
  9. ^ Bow Ditama (w, a). "Ocha ha Nigoshi Mashō" Kissxsis v5, 25: 17/1-4 (11-20-2009), Kodansha
  10. ^ a b "Kiss×sis Manga Gets TV Anime Green-Lit for Next Spring". Amazon.com. November 13, 2009. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-11-13/kiss-sis-manga-gets-tv-anime-green-lit-for-next-spring. Retrieved 20 November 2009. 
  11. ^ "Bessatsu Young Magazine Goes Monthly on December 9". Anime News Network. October 16, 2009. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-10-16/bessatsu-young-magazine-goes-monthly-on-december-9. Retrieved November 20, 2009. 
  12. ^ "月刊ヤングマガジン｜Ｋｉｓｓ×ｓｉｓ｜作品紹介｜講談社コミックプラス" (in Japanese). kc.kodansha.co.jp. http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/content/top.php/1000001609. Retrieved July 16, 2011. 
  13. ^ "Kissxsis(8)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=3583392&x=C. Retrieved June 22, 2011. 
  14. ^ "KissXsis親親姊姊" (in Traditional Chinese). Sharp Point Publishing. http://www.spp.com.tw/spp2006/all/asp/searchlist.asp?vch=&vkey=kissxsis. Retrieved July 23, 2011. 
  15. ^ "Kiss×sis Manga from Mahoromatic's Ditama to be Animated". Anime News Network. 2008-06-20. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-20/kiss-sis-manga-from-mahoromatic-ditama-to-be-animated. Retrieved 2008-06-20. 
  16. ^ "20th Century Boys 2 Film, Stitch!, Kissxsis Dated". Anime News Network. 2008-08-06. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-08-06/20th-century-boys-2-film-stitch-kissxsis-dated. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  17. ^ "DVD付き初回限定版 Kissxsis(3)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. http://shop.kodansha.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=9372849. Retrieved November 29, 2009. 
  18. ^ "Kiss×sis Manga Gets Another Anime DVD Green-Lit". Anime News Network. 2008-12-18. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-18/kiss-sis-manga-gets-another-anime-dvd-green-lit. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 
  19. ^ "DVD付き初回限定版　Kissxsis(4)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. http://shop.kodansha.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=9372962. Retrieved November 29, 2009. 
  20. ^ "DVD付き初回限定版　Kissxsis(5)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. http://shop.kodansha.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=3582981. Retrieved November 29, 2009. 

External links