Hyakka Ryōran
Hyakka Ryōran: Samurai Girls is a light novel series written by Akira Suzuki with illustrations by Niθ to commemorate Hobby Japan's 40th anniversary. The first volume was released by Hobby Japan on February 28, 2009, with 17 volumes currently available in Japan under their HJ Bunko imprint. There are currently three different manga adaptations based on the Hyakka Ryoran universe published. An online anthology comic was serialized on Hobby Japan's media website Hobby Channel from June 1, 2010, and sold two volumes as of June 2011; a manga adaptation illustrated by Junichi Iwasaki began serialization in the November 2010 issue of Monthly Comic Alive; and another manga adaptation by Tatara Yano began serialization in Hobby Japan's online manga magazine Comic Dangan on December 23, 2011. A spinoff manga called Hyakka Ryōran: Sengoku Maidens, illustrated by Yuri Shinano, was serialized in the March 2009 issue of Dengeki Daioh and ended in the March 2011 issue, and released three volumes as of March 2012.
A 12-episode anime adaptation produced by Arms aired on Chiba TV and other networks from October 2010 to December 2010. A second anime season began airing on April 5, 2013. At Anime Expo 2010, Hobby Japan announced that they are planning to release the light novels in North America in the near future.
The series is loosely based on the Sengoku period or early Edo period of Japan, despite being set in the present day.
Plot
The series takes place in an alternate version of Japan called Great Japan, in an alternate timeline where the Tokugawa shogunate remained active and has remained semi isolated from the rest of the world after their defeat by American forces in World War II. And the Americans have bases on Okinawa and southern great Japan. The story takes place at Buou Academic School, an academy located at the base of Mount Fuji where children of military families train to become samurai warriors. The academy is in the middle of a power struggle between Yukimura Sanada and Matabei Goto of the Toyotomi faction and the powerful student council that rules the school, and Muneakira Yagyu, the owner of the Yagyu Dojo, and the mysterious Jubei Yagyu are dragged in the middle of the conflict.The series features the female warriors descended from the famous historical figures from Japan's Sengoku period and early Edo period. The character Charles d'Artagnan also comes from the same age in Europe.
Characters
Main characters
;Yagyū Munenori;Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi
;Sanada Yukimura
;Senhime
;Sarutobi Sasuke
;Naoe Kanetsugu
;Gotō Mototsugu
;Hattori Hanzō
Toyotomi faction
The '''Toyotomi Hideyoshi is a faction of the Academy dedicated to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate and bring a new era to Great Japan. Yukimura and Matabei are also members of this faction.;Mori Katsunaga
;Chōsokabe Morichika
;Akashi Takenori
Buou Student Council
;Yoshihiko Tokugawa;Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan
;Matsudaira clan
Hatamoto Student Council
The Hatamoto Student Council is a faction of Buou Academy's Student Council serving directly under Yoshihiko.;Date Masamune
;Katakura Kojūrō
;Tōdō Takatora
;Ii Naotaka
;Tadaoki Hozokawa
Anti-Tokugawa faction
The Anti-Tokugawa Faction is a faction led by Shiro Amakusa. Their main purpose is to destroy the Tokugawa Shogunate by any means possible.;Amakusa Shirō
;Gisen Yagyu
;Yui Shōsetsu
;Miyamoto Musashi
;Sasaki Kojirō
;Araki Mataemon
;Hōzōin In'ei
Other Characters
;Maeda Toshimasu;Uesugi Kagekatsu
Media
Light novels
Written by Akira Suzuki and illustrated by Niθ, the first volume of Samurai Girls was released on February 28, 2009 by Hobby Japan, with a total of 17 volumes released under their HJ Bunko imprint.At Anime Expo 2010, Hobby Japan announced they will release English translations of the novels in North America along with the Queen's Blade and Queen's Blade Rebellion game books in the near future in an effort to expand their business. They have stated they will release the series digitally through Apple's iBookstore and Amazon's Kindle store before releasing them in print, which will in turn include figurines of the characters. However, no light novels have been released following the announcement.
Manga
An anthology comic was serialized on Hobby Japan's online website Hobby Channel. The first chapter was serialized on June 1, 2010, with new chapters serialized on the 25th of each month. The first volume was published on November 25, 2010, and the second volume published on June 25, 2011.A spinoff manga called Hyakka Ryōran: Sengoku Maidens, illustrated by Yura Shinano, began serialization in the March 2009 issue of Dengeki Daioh, and ended in the March 2011 issue. The first volume was released by ASCII Media Works on December 28, 2009, with the third volume released on March 27, 2012 under their Dengeki Comics imprint. Although the series uses the Hyakka Ryōran name, it is based on the pachinko games by Heiwa, and therefore has no connection to the original series.
A manga adaptation illustrated by Junichi Iwasaki began serialization in the November 2010 issue of Media Factory's manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive. The first volume was published on November 22, 2010, with a total of two volumes available as of October 22, 2011 under their Alive Comics imprint.
A second manga adaptation, called Hyakka Ryōran: Seven Spears, illustrated by Tatara Yano, began serialization Hobby Japan's online manga magazine Comic Dangan on December 23, 2011. The first volume was released on August 27, 2012 under their Dangan Comics imprint.
Internet radio show
An internet radio show produced by Lantis called Hyakka Ryōran: Radio Girls aired between September 17, 2010 and January 10, 2011. The show was hosted by Aoi Yūki and Minako Kotobuki, the voices for Jubei Yagyu and Sen Tokugawa, respectively. There are four parts, or corners, to each episode. Certain episodes featured guest voices from the anime series, and listeners can send in comments of the show on the air. A CD of the radio show, called Hyakka Ryōran: Super Radio Girls, was released on January 26, 2011 by Lantis.Anime
An anime adaptation produced by Arms and directed by KOBUN was announced on the fourth volume of the light novels. The series ran twelve episodes between October 4 and December 20, 2010 on Chiba TV and TV Kanagawa, with later broadcasts on TV Saitama, Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, Sun Television, and AT-X. A preview of the first episode aired on Tokyo MX on September 4, 2010 prior to the official airing. The series serves as an alternate telling of the light novels, having a completely different storyline. Simulcasts were provided in North America by Anime Network on their video portal, and in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. Six DVD and Blu-ray volumes were released by Media Factory between November 25, 2010 and April 28, 2011, each containing an OVA short called Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls: Blushing Maidens in the Pact and a voiced 4-koma illustrated by Chiruo Kazahana. A Blu-ray box set was released on February 27, 2013.Samurai Girls is licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks, and distributor Section23 Films released the series with an English dub on August 23, 2011 on DVD and Blu-ray. The anime is also licensed in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment, and in the United Kingdom by Kazé. The English dub of the anime premiered on Anime Network's video portal on June 23, 2011, and ran until September 8, 2011.
The opening theme for the series is "Last vision for last" by Faylan, while the ending theme is "Koi ni Sesse Tooryanse" by Aoi Yūki, Minako Kotobuki, and Rie Kugimiya, the voices for Jubei Yagyu, Sen Tokugawa, and Yukimura Sanada, respectively.
A second anime season, titled Hyakka Ryōran: Samurai Bride, was announced on the twelfth volume of the light novels, and began airing on April 5, 2013. The opening theme for the second season is "AI DO." by Miyuki Hashimoto and the ending theme is "Kekka, Guuzen de Gozasourou" by Yūki, Kotobuki and Kugimiya. As with the first season, the second season has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks.