Sakuran

Sakuran

Cover of the first Japanese manga volume
さくらん
Genre Period drama
Manga
Written by Moyoco Anno
Published by Kodansha
English publisher
Vertical Inc
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Evening
Original run 2001 – 2003
Volumes 1
Live-action film
Directed by Mika Ninagawa
Produced by Fellah Pictures
Written by Yuki Tanada
Music by Shiina Ringo
Released February 24, 2007
Runtime 111 minutes

Sakuran (さくらん, lit. "Derangement"), is a manga series created by Moyoco Anno. The manga is about a girl, Kiyoha (though she goes through different names while growing up the hierarchy) who becomes a tayu or oiran courtesan. North American publisher Vertical Inc released it in English in July 2012.[1]

Plot

A young kamuro (maid in a brothel) is sold into the red-light district Yoshiwara and is put under the care of the oiran of the Tamagiku house, Shouhi, who names her Tomeki. The girl is very rebellious. It is because of this that the leaders of the household begin to think that she will be one day a great oiran, since they need not only beauty and talent, but also the tenacity to maintain their position.

Tomeki becomes O-Rin, a hikkomi (or courtesan-in-training), and later Kiyoha, the most beautiful girl in the Tamagiku household. Her popularity threatens the position of Tamagiku's oiran Mikumo, which creates great tension between the two.

But rivalry is not the main problem for young Kiyoha, but rather the appearance of young Soujiro and the impossibility of love.

Sakuran theatrical film poster

Film

A live-action film adaptation was released in Japan on February 24, 2007. The film stars Anna Tsuchiya and marks the directorial debut of photographer Mika Ninagawa. Ringo Sheena is the music director, her album Heisei Fūzoku acting as the soundtrack.

Cast

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/10/20/vertical-nycc-news-new-tezuka-and-anno-manga-makoto-shinkai-adaptation/