Library War


Library War is a Japanese light novel series by Hiro Arikawa, with illustrations by Sukumo Adabana. There are four novels in the series, though only the first novel is called Toshokan Sensō; the subsequent novels are named Toshokan Nairan, Toshokan Kiki, and Toshokan Kakumei. The novels were published by MediaWorks between February 2006 and November 2007. Two volumes of a spin-off series entitled Bessatsu Toshokan Sensō have also been published by ASCII Media Works. As of April 2008, the original four novels and volume one of the spin-off series have sold over 1.25 million copies in Japan. The story was inspired from the Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries of the Japan Library Association.
Two manga adaptations were published by Hakusensha and ASCII Media Works. A 12-episode anime adaptation by Production I.G aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between April and June 2008. Two Internet radio shows started in April 2008 meant to promote the series which are hosted by voice actors of the anime. An anime film produced by Production I.G was released on June 16, 2012. A live action film was released on April 27, 2013 with a second one released on October 10, 2015.

Plot

The background of the plot is based on the Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries that went into effect in Japan in 1954, and the terms are a little different from the Freedom of the Library Law that appears in Toshokan Sensō.
The simplified declaration:

It is the most important responsibility of libraries to offer collected materials and library facilities to the people who have the Right to Know as one of their fundamental human rights. In order to fulfill their mission, libraries shall recognize the following matters as their proper duties, and shall put them into practice.
  1. Libraries have freedom in collecting their materials.
  2. Libraries secure the freedom of offering their materials.
  3. Libraries guarantee the privacy of users.
  4. Libraries oppose any type of censorship categorically.
When the freedom of libraries is imperiled, we librarians will work together and devote ourselves to secure the freedom.

In Library War, the fourth chapter of the Freedom of Library Law states:


  1. Libraries have freedom in collecting their materials.
  2. Libraries secure the freedom of offering their materials.
  3. Libraries guarantee the privacy of users.
  4. Libraries oppose any type of improper censorship categorically.
  5. When the freedom of libraries is imperiled, we librarians will work together and devote ourselves to secure the freedom.
The details will be amended anytime according to the Media Betterment Act and its enforcement.

Story

The premise of Library War involves the Japanese government passing the Media Betterment Act as law in 1989 which allows the censorship of any media deemed to be potentially harmful to Japanese society by deploying agents in the Media Betterment Committee with the mandate to go after individuals and organizations that are trying to exercise the act of conducting freedom of expression activities in the media. However, local governments opposed to the MBA establishes armed anti-MBA defense force units to protect libraries from being raided by MBC agents under the Freedom of the Libraries Law. The conflict between MBC agents and library soldiers has continued to 2019, when the story begins. In accordance with the Japanese era calendar scheme, 1989 in Library War is rendered the first year of the fictional Seika era, rendering 2019 as Seika 31.
Library War follows the life of Iku Kasahara, a new recruit in the Kantō Library Base who joined in 2019 after being inspired by a high ranking Kantō Library Defense Force member who saved a book she wanted to buy that was targeted for censorship. After joining, however, she finds the pace to be very demanding, and that her drill instructor Atsushi Dojo seems to have it in for her and working her harder than the other recruits. On multiple occasions, Kasahara shows herself to be reckless, particularly when she puts Dojo in danger by not securing a criminal in the base's library, and later getting involved with Media Betterment Committee agents despite not being a high enough ranked official; in both instances Dojo has to help her out of trouble. Despite these imperfections, Kasahara is enlisted into the base's Library Task Force, an elite group of soldiers who go through rigorous training in order to respond during difficult operations. This is partially due to Dojo realizing that he did not give Kasahara adequate training, so he gives his recommendation that she join the task force, of which he is a member, in order to correct this mistake on his part. Other recommendations come from the captain of the task force, Ryusuke Genda, and second class task force library officer Mikihisa Komaki who is the same rank as Dojo. Along with Kasahara, another new recruit named Hikaru Tezuka is also enlisted into the task force who is much more capable at the position than Kasahara. Kasahara continues to try her best in the face of difficult challenges while protecting the books she has sworn to protect. As the story progresses, a romance blooms and Iku and Dojo make romantic feelings for each other evident.

Library Team

The Library Team Defense Force, or Library Defense Force, in Library War is a paramilitary organization in Japan which serves to defend libraries against the Media Betterment Act enforced by the Media Betterment Committee via Media Betterment Corps and other pro-MBA independent factions. Different from the normal librarian department, which performs librarian functions like modern librarians, the LDF's main goal is to provide self-defense from the MBC during library raids, though their jurisdiction only extends so far as in the confines of library facilities in connection with the LDF, meaning they cannot extend their effort even into the city where an LDF base is located. However, there are provisions around this, such as in accordance with Library Law Article 30 regarding book collection in that LDF Library Officers or above can choose to buy any book they want, even books targeted for censorship by the MBC. The LDF has ten bases throughout Japan in ten regions of Japan: Hokkaidō, Tōhoku, Hokuriku, Chūbu, Kantō, Kansai, Chūgoku, Shikoku, Kyūshū, and Okinawa. Each of the bases act under the provisions of the local government, and houses a public library where civilians can read and check out books.
Library Team military rank and insignia-

In the early years of the conflict the library forces were not well organized, so coordination with neighboring forces was often delayed which caused problems in times of armed conflict. One such incident in Library War occurred on February 7, 1999 in Hino at the Hino Library which later became known as the Hino Nightmare. The incident was caused by an independent group which sided with the Media Betterment Committee raiding the Hino Library and caused the deaths of twelve people who were against the Media Betterment Act. Since that day, the library forces armed themselves in self-defense and have become much more organized; the public even acknowledges the LDF as having more combat experience than the police or the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The incident also caused the formation of library bases in ten regions, and the system of library forces in operation at the beginning of Library War.
The Library Defense Force has several branches which contribute to the organization as a whole. At the top is the Administrative Department where library administrators work doing daily administrative duties such as planning, organizing, staffing, budgeting, or directing. The Department of Defense works on defending against the Media Betterment Committee, and one section of the department consists of the Library Task Force, an elite group of soldiers who go through rigorous training in order to respond during difficult operations. At the Kantō Library Base, there are about fifty members in the task force. The Logistical Support Department works on stocking books and supplying the Department of Defense with military equipment, though it does not get involved with general outsourcing. There is also a Human Resources Department in charge of human resources, and an intelligence agency. There are approximately 30,000 members in the Library Defense Force throughout Japan. The German Chamomile is used in the insignia of Library Officers and above because the flower was a favorite of the late wife of the Library Defense Force commander Kazuichi Inamine.

Characters

; Iku Kasahara
; Atsushi Dojo
; Mikihisa Komaki
; Hikaru Tezuka
; Asako Shibasaki
; Ryusuke Genda
; Kazuichi Inamine

Media

Light novels

Library War began as a series of light novels written by Hiro Arikawa, and drawn by Sukumo Adabana. There are four novels in the series, though only the first novel is called Toshokan Sensō; the subsequent novels are named Toshokan Nairan, Toshokan Kiki, and Toshokan Kakumei. The novels were published by MediaWorks between February 2006 and November 2007. The first volume of a spin-off series entitled Bessatsu Toshokan Sensō was published on April 10, 2008 by ASCII Media Works, and the second followed on August 9, 2008.

Manga

A manga adaptation, titled Library Wars: Love & War, is drawn by Kiiro Yumi and was serialized in Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazine LaLa between September 24, 2007 and December 24, 2014. Hakusensha published 15 tankōbon volumes between April 5, 2008 and June 5, 2015. Viz Media licensed Library Wars: Love & War, and the first volume was released in North America in June 2010. As of April 5, 2016, there are 15 volumes released in North America.
Another manga adaptation, titled Toshokan Sensō Spitfire!, is drawn by Yayoi Furudori and was serialized in ASCII Media Works' shōnen manga magazine Dengeki Daioh between the January 2008 and June 2008 issues. One volume of Toshokan Sensō Spitfire! was released on June 27, 2008.

Internet radio shows

Two Internet radio shows produced by Animate first aired on April 10, 2008 under the same main title Kantō region, but with differing subtitles. The first show, with the subtitle Men's Dormitory is hosted by Tomoaki Maeno and Tatsuhisa Suzuki who play Atsushi Dōjō and Hikaru Tezuka in the anime adaptation, respectively; the second show, with the subtitle Women's Dormitory'', is hosted by Marina Inoue and Miyuki Sawashiro who play Iku Kasahara and Asako Shibasaki in the anime, respectively. The first volume compilation CD containing some of the broadcasts was released on August 6, 2008 with the second compilation on December 26, 2008.

Anime

It was announced by Production I.G via MediaWorks advertising that they would animate Library War. The anime is directed by Takayuki Hamana and written by Takeshi Konuta. It aired 12 episodes in Japan between April 10 and June 26, 2008, on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block. A commercial and promo were both created to promote the series after the series was announced. Five DVD compilation volumes were released between August 6 and December 3, 2008; the first two contain the two episodes each, while the latter three contain three episodes each. The third volume contains, in addition to episodes six and seven, an original video animation episode.
The anime's opening theme is "Atashi no Machi, Ashita no Machi", performed and written by Hitomi Takahashi, with Satoru Hirade on composition and arrangement and produced under Sony Music Records. The opening theme single was released on June 4, 2008. The ending theme is "Changes" performed and arranged by Base Ball Bear of EMI Music Japan with lyrics and composition by Yūsuke Koide. The ending theme single was released on May 8, 2008. The anime's original soundtrack was released on June 25, 2008.

Films

An anime film with the same staff as the TV series, titled Library War: The Wings of Revolution was released in Japanese theaters on June 16, 2012. The film made its North American premiere at the 12th annual Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema on November 17, 2012.
A live action film titled Library Wars was released on April 27, 2013. A sequel, , was released on October 10, 2015.

Reception

In the fourth Japan Science Fiction convention, Library War won the 2008 Seiun Award for Japanese long fiction. In the initial Anime DVD charts, Library War was ranked first on the top ten before it went down to eighth place. The series had sold in 2008 a total of 7,949 copies. In 2008, Bessatsu Toshokan Sensō I had sold 62,737 copies and was ranked seventh best light novel while Bessatsu Toshokan Sensō II was ranked the fifth best light novel with a total of 67,874 copies sold. As of April 2008, the original four novels and volume one of the spin-off series have sold over 1.25 million copies in Japan. After its debut broadcast, Library War had an average household rating of 4.5. The series also has a strong fan backing, as noted by Deb Aoki, manga guide of About.com, who says that when Viz Media announced their license for the Love and War manga version, "a cry of delight rose up from fans of this manga, anime and light novel series." The live action film grossed US$16.8 million in Japan.

Episodes

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