Kara no Kyōkai

The Garden of Sinners, known in Japan as Boundary of Emptiness (空の境界, Kara no Kyōkai) and sometimes referred as Rakkyo (らっきょ), is a Japanese light novel series, authored by Kinoko Nasu and illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi. Originally released as a series of chapters released independently online or at Comiket between October 1998 and August 1999, the chapters were later republished by Kodansha into two volumes in 2004, and again in three volumes between 2007 and 2008. Ufotable produced a series of seven anime films based on the series between 2007 and 2009, and also produced an original video animation episode in 2011. A final anime film was produced and released in 2013. A manga adaptation illustrated by Sphere Tenku started serialization in September 2010 in Seikaisha's online magazine Saizensen.

Plot

Setting and themes

Set in Japan predominantly during the late 1990s, the series chronicles the life of Ryōgi clan-heiress Shiki Ryōgi, and her relationship with classmate Mikiya Kokutō.

Both the light novel and the films are depicted in anachronical order with each chapter/film serving as part of one collective narrative.

The series deals with the paranormal and tackles mature themes such as suicide, rape, patricide, incest and murder.^[1] Its lore and story draws inspiration from various religious philosophies and psychological concepts such as multiple personalities; the anima and animus; the nature of sin; life, death and reincarnation; and the Paradoxical nature of the Taiji.^[1]

Kara no Kyōkai is set in an alternate universe to Tsukihime and Fate/stay night; in which it serves as the prototype for both series as well as introducing many of the concepts prevalent within the latter two.^[2] In particular the main protagonist, Shiki Ryōgi, possesses similar abilities as Tsukihime's protagonist, Shiki Tohno. Aoko Aozaki's sister, Tōko Aozaki, briefly mentioned in Tsukihime, is also featured.

As one of Kinoko Nasu's earliest works, it introduces some of the most fundamental concepts in the universe of Type-Moon's works, including souls, the Akashic Record/Origin, Counter Force, Magic, Magecraft, and Mystic Eyes.^[1]

Story

Kara no Kyōkai follows the story of Shiki Ryōgi, a teenage girl raised as a demon hunter who acquired the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception" after surviving a fatal accident. It also chronicles Mikiya Kokutō's unwavering efforts to get closer to her when they were still high school students and their adventures later on in dealing with supernatural cases as investigators for Tōko Aozaki's detective agency, Garan no Dou.

Main characters

Shiki Ryōgi (両儀式, Ryōgi Shiki) is a teenaged girl, who possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception".

Mikiya Kokutō (黒桐幹也, Kokutō Mikiya) is Shiki's love interest and later husband who, two years previously, made a promise to attend college with Shiki.

Azaka Kokutō (黒桐鮮花, Kokutō Azaka) is Mikiya's younger sister who is in love with him. She becomes an apprentice of Tōko due to her rivalry against Shiki, and is talented in the magic of ignition.

Tōko Aozaki (蒼崎橙子, Aozaki Tōko), appearing as a puppet maker, Tōko is actually a powerful sorceress.

Media

Novels

Kara no Kyōkai originated in October 1998 as a series of five chapters released online on Nasu and Takeuchi's dōjin-based website, Takebōki (竹箒), with its final two chapters being released at Comiket 56 in August 1999. Nasu and Takeuchi later formed Type-Moon, and in 2001, featured a portion of the book in their 2001 Tsukihime fandisk, Tsukihime PLUS-DISC, which saw Kara no Kyōkai gain significant popularity, leading it to be released as a dōjinshi publication at Comiket 61 on December 30, 2001. On August 6, 2004, Kodansha released the series as a commercial publication, which enjoyed immense popularity, with 5,000 limited-edition versions of the novel being sold almost immediately upon release. Both editions of Kara no Kyōkai altogether sold more than 500,000 copies.^[3] In 2009, Del Rey Manga announced printing of the Kara no Kyōkai novel. This was confirmed in the first volume of Del Rey's Faust release.^[4] However, Del Rey became defunct before it could happen.

Drama CD

In September 2002, a drama CD based on the series was released.

Animated films

The series was adapted into an anime film series, divided into seven chapters, which were animated by the studio ufotable.^[5] The first chapter, titled Overlooking View (俯瞰風景, Fukan Fūkei), premiered across Japanese theaters on December 1, 2007, with the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters, Murder Speculation – Part 1 (殺人考察(前), Satsujin Kōsatsu (Zen)), Remaining Sense of Pain (痛覚残留, Tsūkaku Zanryū), The Hollow Shrine (伽藍の洞, Garan no Dō), Paradox Spiral (矛盾螺旋, Mujun Rasen), Oblivion Recording (忘却録音, Bōkyaku Rokuon), Murder Speculation – Part 2 (殺人考察(後), Satsujin Kōsatsu (Go)) being released soon after on December 29, 2007, followed by January 26, 2008, May 24, 2008, August 16, 2008, December 20, 2008, and August 8, 2009 respectively. A compilation film of the first six films with some new footage was released on March 14, 2009, in preparation for the release of the final seventh film. In connection with the film's release, the novels were once again reprinted, as three volumes with new illustrations.^[6] A North American premiere of the fifth chapter was held on May 22, 2009 at the Anime Boston convention.^[7]

The series was released on Blu-ray with a new chapter, Gekijō-ban Kara no Kyōkai Shūshō: Kara no Kyōkai, in Japanese with English subtitles.^[8] A DVD of the said chapter was released on February 2, 2011.^[8] Aniplex of America released the imported Blu-ray box set on February 8, 2011.^[9][10] The box was immediately sold out and has not been reissued since.^[11] However, the individual films were available for rent on the PlayStation Network until mid-2012. A new limited edition DVD boxset was released in late 2012.^[12] Likewise, Madman Entertainment released a limited edition DVD boxset in October 2013.^[13]

3D conversion of Kara no Kyoukai first movie called Overlooking View 3D (空の境界 俯瞰風景 3D, Kara no Kyoukai: Fukan Fuukei 3D) was released in July 2013.

An eighth film, Future Gospel (空の境界 未来福音, Kara no Kyōkai: Mirai Fukuin), was released in September 2013 and had grossed US$1,710,413 by October 20.^[14] Aniplex of America has released Future Gospel (now subtitled -recalled out summer-) and Future Gospel - Extra Chorus on Blu-ray in late April 2015.^[15] Aniplex has also released the Japanese import of all 7 Kara no Kyoukai movie on Blu-ray in November 2015.

Releases

• The Garden of Sinners: Overlooking View (2007 (original) / 2013 (3D remake))
• The Garden of Sinners: A Study in Murder – Part 1 (2007)
• The Garden of Sinners: Remaining Sense of Pain (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: The Hollow Shrine (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiral (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: Oblivion Recording (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: A Study in Murder – Part 2 (2009)
• The Garden of Sinners: Future Gospel (2013)

Other stories

Theme songs

Each of the theme songs to the series are performed by Kalafina, a project formed by Yuki Kajiura. Outside of the ones for Future Gospel, they were found on their album Seventh Heaven.

• Overlooking View (俯瞰風景, Fukan Fūkei)
  • "Oblivious"
• A Study in Murder – Part 1 (殺人考察(前), Satsujin Kōsatsu (Zen))
  • "Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaete Iku" (君が光に変えて行く, Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaete Iku)
• Remaining Sense of Pain (痛覚残留, Tsūkaku Zanryū)
  • "Kizuato" (傷跡)
• The Hollow Shrine (伽藍の洞, Garan no Dō)
  • "Aria"
• Paradox Spiral (矛盾螺旋, Mujun Rasen)
  • "Sprinter"
• Oblivion Recording (忘却録音, Bōkyaku Rokuon)
  • "Fairytale"
• A Study in Murder – Part 2 (殺人考察(後), Satsujin Kōsatsu (Go))
  • "Seventh Heaven"
• Future Gospel - Extra Chorus (未来福音 Extra Chorus, Mirai Fukuin - Extra Chorus)
  • "dolce"
• Future Gospel (未来福音, Mirai Fukuin)
  • "Alleluia"

Manga

• Kara no Kyōkai the Garden of sinners, Sphere Tenku (September 15, 2010 - ongoing), Japanese online magazine Saizensen)

References

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Manga official website (in Japanese)
• Official Aniplex USA website
• Kara no Kyōkai (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia