Nemuri Ky?shir? (? ???, Nemuri Ky?shir?) is a series of jidaigeki novels written by Renzabur? Shibata. The stories were originally serialized beginning in May 1956 in the Sh?kan Shinch?.
The stories take place during Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate and the rules of Tokugawa Ienari and his successor Tokugawa Ieyoshi and center on the title character, a sleepy-eyed r?nin or outlaw swordsman who is the son of a Japanese mother (the daughter of a daimy?, who commits jigaki [see "Female Ritual Suicide" in Seppuku] some time after Kyoshiro's birth) and a foreign father, and who was conceived during a Black Mass (and as a result has a fierce hatred for what he considers the hypocrisy of Christianity).
Video Nemuri Ky?shir?
Novels
Seven full-length novels and eight short stories in the Nemuri Kyoshir? series were published in Japan.
Full-length novels
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: Record of an Outlaw, The Complete Six-Volume Series
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Burai-hikae, Zenrokukan (???? ??? ?6?)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: Walking Alone, Parts One and Two
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Hitohok?, J?gekan (???? ??? ???)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: Calligraphy Copybook for a Killer, Parts One and Two
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Satsu-h?j?, J?gekan (???? ??? ???)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: The 53 Stations of the Orphaned Blade, Parts One and Two
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Koken Goj?san-tsugi, J?gekan (???? ?????? ???)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Empty Journal, Parts One and Two
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Kyomu-nisshi, J?gekan (???? ???? ???)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: Record of an Outlaw, Parts One and Two
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Burai-hikae, J?gekan (???? ??? ???)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: Heretical Writings
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Itan-j? (???? ???)
Short stories
- The False Avenger: Nemuri Kyoshiro Urban Legend
- Nisemono Sukedachi: Nemuri Ky?shir? Ich?tan no Uchi (?????-?????????-)
- Kind and Courteous Chronicles: Nemuri Kyoshiro Urban Legend
- Giri Ninj?-ki: Nemuri Ky?shir? Ich?tan no Uchi (?????-?????????-)
- Nemuri Kyoshiro: Kyoto Duel Book
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Ky?raku Sh?bu-j? (???? ?????)
- The Dangerous Vanishing Weapon
- Kieta Ky?ki (?????)
- The Bride's Neck
- Hanayome-kubi (???)
- Wicked Woman's Revenge
- Akujo Adauchi (????)
- The Fox, the Monk, and the Ronin
- Kitsune to S? to R?nin (??????)
- Spy Gizmo
- Nozoki Karakuri (???????)
- New Compilation, Nemuri Kyoshiro: Kyoto Duel Book (collects short stories and essays)
- Shin-hen Nemuri Ky?shir?: Ky?raku Sh?bu-j? (?? ???? ?????)
Maps Nemuri Ky?shir?
Adaptations
Tsuruta K?ji series (1956-1958)
"Nemuri Kyoshiro" was first played by Tsuruta Koji in three films released by Toho Studios:
- Nemuri Ky?shir? Burai Hikae (1956)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? Burai Hikae Dainibu (1957)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? Burai Hikae: Maken Jigoku (The Spell of the Hidden Gold) (1958)
Ichikawa Raizo series (1963-1969)
From 1963 to 1969, Ichikawa Raizo played "Nemuri Kyoshiro" in the Daiei Studios series. Animeigo released the first six films of the Daiei series on VHS and the first five on laserdisc under the title of Sleepy Eyes of Death. Animeigo later announced that it had renewed their licensing rights to the series and released a boxed set of the first four films on DVD in 2009. A second boxed set containing the next four films was released in Summer 2010 (which marked the first official release on DVD in the United States of The Mask of the Princess and Sword of Villainy ). The third boxed set came out in 2013.
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 1: The Chinese Jade (1963)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 1: Sappocho (Enter Kyoshiro Nemuri, the Swordsman)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 2: Sword of Adventure (1964)
- 'Nemuri Ky?shir? 2: Sh?bu (Adventure of Kyoshiro Nemuri)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 3: Full Circle Killing (1964)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 3: Engetsugiri (Exploits of Kyoshiro Nemuri)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 4: Sword of Seduction (1964)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 4: Joyoken (Kyoshiro Nemuri at Bay)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 5: Sword of Fire (1965)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 5: Enjo-ken (The Swordman and the Pirate)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 6: Sword of Satan (1965)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 6: Masho-ken (The Mysterious Sword of Kyoshiro)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess (1966)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 7: Tajo-ken (The Mask of the Princess)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 8: Sword of Villainy (1966)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 8: Burai-ken (The Sword That Saved Edo)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 9: A Trail of Traps (1967)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 9: Burai-Hikae masho no hada (The Trail of Traps)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 10: Hell Is a Woman (1968)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 10: Onna jigoku (The Ronin Called Nemuri)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 11: In the Spider's Lair (1968)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 11: Hito hada kumo (The Human Tarantula)
- Sleepy Eyes of Death 12: Castle Menagerie (1969)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 12: Akujo-gari (Castle Menagerie)
Matsukata Hiroki series (1969)
The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by Matsukata Hiroki in two more Daiei films after Ichikawa's death:
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Engetsu Sappo (1969) (The Full Moon Swordsman)
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Manji Giri (1969) (Fylfot Swordplay)
Tamura Masakazu series (1972-1973, 1989-1998)
The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by Tamura Masakazu in a TV Asahi series and later in four made-for-TV movie specials:
- Nemuri Ky?shir? (1972-1973) a Kansai - Toei production, 26 episodes
- Nemuri Ky?shir? (1989)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 2: Conspiracy in Edo Castle (1993)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 3: The Man of No Tomorrow (1996)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? 4: The Woman Who Loved Kyoshiro (1998)
Kataoka Takao series (1982-1983)
The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by Kataoka Takao in two series of 50-minute episodes for TV Tokyo. The plotline of the first series takes place during the Tokugawa Ieyoshi shogunate with the Satsuma clan leading a conspiracy with 13 Western clans against the policies of Council Leader Mizuno Tadakuni; when Satsuma clansmen, believing him to be working for Mizuno, murder his friends, Kyoshiro (who despises both the shogunate and the conspirators as equally corrupt) is unwillingly caught up in events and travels to Kyoto to face the leaders of the conspiracy, followed by and assisted upon occasion by O-ran (Kayo Matsuo), a female agent of Mizuno's, and Kinpachi (Sh?hei Hino), a ne'er-do-well and occasional pickpocket who's over-fond of gambling and women but with certain unusual skills.
A second series, also starring Kataoka Takao, was broadcast in 1983; this series did not have an underlying plot but consisted of individual stories taking place after Kyoshiro has returned to Edo, using the Funasen boat-inn as a temporary residence.
- Nemuri Ky?shir?: Engetsu Sappô (1982) (Nemuri Kyoshiro: Full Moon Swordsman, aka Nemuri Kyoshiro: Son of the Black Mass) - 20 episodes
- Nemuri Ky?shir? Burai refrain (1983) - 22 episodes
Other adaptations
- Nemuri Ky?shir? Burai refrain (1957) a Nippon Television production, starring Wataru Emi (Shuntaro Emi)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? (1961) a Japan TV production, starring Wataru Emi (Shuntaro Emi)
- Nemuri Ky?shir? (1967) a Fuji TV production, starring Mikijir? Hira
Manga
A manga version of Nemuri Kyoshiro by Yoshihiro Yanagawa was serialized in the Weekly Comic Bunch from the magazine's premier issue in 2001 to issue 43 of 2003. It was collected in ten tank?bon editions under the Bunch Comics imprint. Portions of the series were translated in the short lived English anthology Raijin Comics.
Nemuri X Gackt Project
In 2009 it was announced that Gackt would lend his image to a new Nemuri Kyoshiro multimedia project, starring as the eponymous protagonist, beginning with live stage production in May 2010, penned by Kund? Koyama. The project was planned to span a variety of media, including film, television, anime, manga, and video games.
Legacy
- Isao Takahata said the warrior outfits in Pom Poko were inspired by Nemuri Kyoshiro.
- The Blade anime has the character mimicking Nemuri Kyoshiro's sword technique at one point.
- The titular character in the 2011 anime adaptation of Dororon Enma-kun also pulls off the move in episode 12.
References
External links
- Nemuri Kyoshiro at imdb.com
- Series liner notes at AnimEigo (covers first five films)
- An introduction to Sleepy Eyes of Death series at WildGrounds
- Official Nemuri X Gackt Project Website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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