Musashi Gundoh

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Musashi Gundoh
MUSASHI -GUN道- (Musashi -Gandō-)
Genre	Martial arts, Historical, Action, Supernatural, Comedy
TV anime
Directed by	Yuki Kinoshita
Studio	ACC Production
Network	Animax, BS-i
Original run	April 9, 2006 –
No. of episodes	26

Musashi Gundoh (MUSASHI -GUN道-, Musashi -Gandō-^?) is a Japanese anime television series, based on the story by Monkey Punch. It premiered in Japan on the satellite station BS-i on April 9, 2006, and is also set to be broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax from October 2006.^[1] It is also legally distributed over the Internet by GyaO from May 13, 2006. According to the producer, there are also plans to broadcast the anime overseas, including broadcasts in North America and Europe. ^{[citation needed]}

Monkey Punch, famous for his manga "Lupin III", spent 12 years planning the series. ^{[citation needed]} Musashi Gundoh is produced by ACC Production, a company for which Monkey Punch is an executive. In Japan the "non-edited version" DVD box set ranked very high on sales charts.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Internet fame 3 Characters 3.1 Musashi side 3.2 Ayakashi side 4 GUNDOH(GUN道) 4.1 History 5 Other key words 6 Notes and references 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Plot summary

The story is set in a fictional feudal era of Japan, where Toyotomi Shogunate (instead of Tokugawa) governs the nation. The series tells the story of Musashi, a young practitioner of "gundoh" (GUN道, gandō^?) (A martial arts involving the use of guns) who does battle against a group of monsters called "Ayakashi".

[edit] Internet fame

Because BS digital broadcasting is relatively not widespread in Japan, few people have initially known this anime. When it started on air, there were more than 60 other anime titles premiered on the same season, making this non-advertised series virtually unknown.

Current Japanese animation industry, with too many titles produced at the same time, has a structural problem that they often lack proper budget, scheduling, or staffing. Musashi became a clear example of these lackings with exceptionally low and instable animation quality. It didn't take much time for it to become a hot topic over the Internet.

Character designs often become completely misshaped. Armor and weapon designs change a cut by a cut. Sounds don't synchronize with visuals. Background arts are just photographs which are even not Photoshop-ed. The same 2-frame animations are repeated over and over. With all those disarrays, the title instantly became popular as the "best" cult anime, much like Ed Wood's movies.

Some fans made MAD movies (a sort of AMVs) and uploaded it on websites such as YouTube, making the title even more famous.

Many viewers say Musashi Gundoh is possibly "the worst anime in the 21st century", something comparable with Gundress (1999), Valanoir (2002), or the 4th episode of Lost Universe (1998).

However, there are viewers who genuinely enjoy the show as well. Seiyū's devout acting, the music, and the unique dialogues are some of the show's charms. It should also be noted that the DVD version fixes most of the TV broadcast's production errors.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Musashi side

Musashi Miyamoto (ミヤモト ムサシ, Miyamoto Musashi^?) (Seiyū: Daisuke Namikawa (浪川大輔, Namikawa Daisuke^?))

He fights against the Ayakashi using two guns. He practices Gundoh in "ma' own style".His character is based on Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武蔵, Miyamoto Musashi^?), a legendary swordsman.

His notable line: "Wow, it's dazzling!" (うおっまぶしっ！, Uo' mabushi'!^?)

In episode 2, Musashi scores a direct hit on an enemy, but it has no effect. After that, he abruptly shouts the aforementioned line. The line was not preceded by any bright scenes whatsoever, so viewers were left wondering why he said it with no provocation.

Ronin (ロウニン, Rōnin^?) (Seiyū: Jin Horikawa (堀川仁, Horikawa Jin^?))

A master swordsman who has special swords called Nenken and Meiretsu-ken (meanings unknown). He is Musashi's trusted partner. His name is probably derived from ronin (浪人, rōnin^?), meaning "a masterless samurai".

Ninja-Taro (ニンジャ太郎, Ninja-Tarō^?) (Seiyū: Yu Kobayashi (小林ゆう, Kobayashi Yū^?))

A clumsy ninja boy who claims to be "Musashi's first disciple" or "the ninja of ninjas".

Priest Takuan (タクアン和尚, Takuan Oshō^?) (Seiyū: Soichiro Tanaka (田中総一郎, Tanaka Sōichirō^?))

A priest in Daitokuji temple, as well as the pioneer of Gundoh martial arts. He is a very skilled Gundoh practitioner who can "fall fighting" from the sky. The BS-i website, as well as the DVD cover, describes him as a "worn-out old man", which doesn't quite seem to suit him. His character is based on Takuan Soho (沢庵宗彭, Takuan Sōhō^?), a priest in the real-life Daitokuji temple, who taught the real Musashi Miyamoto.

Desperado (デスペラード, Desuperādo^?) (Seiyū: Mayumi Yanagisawa (柳沢真由美, Yanagisawa Mayumi^?))

She is a sexy foreign woman who seeks revenge against Musashi for the murder of her father. Musashi, however, denies responsibility for the killing.

Kaguya (カグヤ, Kaguya^?) (Seiyū: Shiho Kawaragi (河原木志穂, Kawaragi Shiho^?))

She is the stepdaughter of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the princess of Osaka Castle. She is an incredibly strong woman who can fight against Ayakashi with her bare hands, even whilst airborne. It is rumored that her existence is the "trigger" that makes Musashi Gundoh's history different from our own.Her name possibly comes from Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫, Kaguya-Hime^?), a character from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, a well-known Japanese folk tale.

Dabi-no-ji (荼毘の字, Dabinoji^?) (Seiyū: Kosei Hirota (廣田行生, Hirota Kōsei^?))

He is a master of karakuri, who owns a mechanical goods shop. He sells goods such as onmyo-dan (オンミョウダン, onmyōdan^?, possibly meaning "the bullet of onmyodo"), special bullets that can harm the normally invulnerable Ayakashi. He can speak a little English, as demonstrated in his first meeting with Desperado. His pseudonym is "Dabi-no-ji" ("the Initial Dabi"), but his real name is Leonardo da Vinci. His character is based on the Italian maestro of the same name.

Sasuke Sarutobi (猿飛佐助, Sarutobi sasuke^?) (Seiyū: Yu Kobayashi (小林ゆう, Kobayashi Yū^?))

A "ninja monkey" bred by Dabi-no-ji. His true identity is that of Sasuke Sarutobi, one of the Sanada Ten Braves. He was transformed by the gramary of Yasha because he learned too much about Yasha's plans. Although he is called a "genius ninja", his skills are only equal to that of Ninja-Taro.

The Horse

Kaguya rides on a horse. Her horse is well-trained, and always appears to be calm. Even when his master is kidnapped by crows, he remains calm and faces front, directly towards the viewers. This horse is arguably the anime's most popular character.

[edit] Ayakashi side

Yasha (ヤシャ, Yasha^?) (Seiyū: Rei Igarashi (五十嵐麗, Igarashi Rei^?))

He is the top of ayakashi monsters. He knows the "true" unaltered history, and gives his power to Ryogen. Not much is known about him, including his sex. In a TV credit, his name is mistyped as Yashiya (ヤシヤ, Yashiya^?) more than often.

Ryogen (リョウゲン, Ryōgen^?) (Seiyū: Shiro Saito (斎藤志郎, Saitō Shirō^?))

He is actually Tokugawa Ieyasu. Yasha tells him that in the "true" history, Ryogen is the one who owns the shogunate. Knowing this, Ryogen tries to take over Toyotomi shogunate, using ayakashi's power.

Jijouda (ジジョウダ, Jijouda^?)(Seiyū:unknown)

Ayacashi that attacks into Daitkuji temple by the 2nd story.It is a size at the same level as man, there are 2～3 corners, and there is a wing like the bat on the back. This wing flaps, and the gust is caused. The bullet can be driven back by using the barrier. The weak points were eyes, and it had been defeated before "OCHINAGARA TATAKAU (落ちながら戦う, Ochinagaratatakau^?)(fall fighting)" of the killer shot of the Priest Takuan.

Gandadarn (ガンダダーン, Gandadān^?)(Seiyū: Keiko Nemoto (根本圭子, Nemoto Keiko^?))

Ayakashi of spider that afflicts Musashi and Priest Takuan from the 3rd story to the 5th story. It has spider's leg though it has the face of human. Other human can be manipulated by vomiting a very strong Spider's Thread of magic from the mouth.Because the spider in the heaven has been changed into the Ayakashi, it is not possible to knock it down with arms for the Ayakashi. The model appeared in novel "Kumo no Ito (蜘蛛の糸, The Spider's Thread^?) " of the Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and is a Spider’s Thread that leads the kandata of the criminal who landed in hell to the paradise.

[edit] GUNDOH(GUN道)

Military arts with gun that Musashi, Priest Takuan, and Kojirou Sasaki use. In the GUNDOH, it is a basic posture the possession of the gun in one hand, and the possession of the sword in the other hand. Because the Musashi of one's own way uses two guns, people call, "GUNDOH SAMURAI of two guns".It is told that the GUNDOH doesn't have regulations in the gun used, and the Kojirou Sasaki used the gun with a long pole.

[edit] History

It is assumed that the Priest Takuan made it known to the whole country in Japan though the birthplace and the initiator are uncertain. A lot of those who train become his apprentices, and the training of the GUNDOH is piled every day.

[edit] Other key words

GUN-Ki no Juu (ガン鬼の銃, Ganki no Jū^?)(Gun of demon of gun)

Ki(鬼) means demon.The GUN-Ki means the demon of gun.

It is a couple of revolver gun by two "GUN-Ki no Ten (ガン鬼の天, Ganki no ten^?) (Ten(天) means sky →Sky of demon of gun)" and "GUN-Ki no Chi (ガン鬼の地, Ganki no chi^?)(Chi(地) means Ground →Ground of demon of gun)".It is said that it transforms to the demon if the person who doesn't have the qualification obtains it though only the expert of the GUNDOH can use. In taking this gun, every GUNDOH SAMURAI has died up to now. The demon who is called a GUN-Ki is staying in the "GUN-Ki no Juu", and it is deprived of the body by the demon if willpower is weak. However, it is deprived of the body by the demon sooner or later if both guns are not obtained even if it possesses great inner strength.

The bullet shot with the "GUN-Ki no Juu" can defeat the enemy in the power of a usual 100 times. And it can shoot any bullet. Furthermore, the potentiality of the person who obtains the "GUN-Ki no Juu" can be improved from 10 to 100 times. It is a gun of the legend of a whole country invincibility strongest whole country.

Because the whereabouts of "GUN-Ki no Chi" was uncertain, the Priest Takuan sealed "GUN-Ki no Ten" in the artificial arm. However, the seal was solved to defeat the Gandadarn, and it entrusted it to Musashi.

Onmyou dan (陰陽弾, onmyou dan^?)(Bullet of Onmyodo)

Bullet only for Ayakashi that Musashi bought from Dabi-no-ji. Dialog ""Wow, it's dazzling!" (うおっまぶしっ！, Uo' mabushi'!^?)" of Musashi when the Onmyou dan is shot is a word that symbolizes this anime.

Enkabou dan (エンカボウダン, Enkabou dan^?)(Bullet of flame)

Bullet that Dabi-no-ji sold Musashi to defeat Gandadarn. The flame like the flamethrower can begin to be shot continuously. Power decreases sharply when using it with a usual gun, the heat of the bullet cannot　be endured, and the gun melts. If it uses a strong gun of the "GUN-Ki no Juu", this problem is solved.

"Wow, it's dazzling!" (「うおっまぶしっ！」, Uo' mabushi'!^?)

Dialog that Musashi abruptly shot when not effective by use of Onmyou dan to Jijouda by the second story. The scene that shines dazzling immediately before is not found. As for the production person's intention, it is uncertain why to have made this dialog talked. The theory that wholly deletes the scene of a pertinent scene is thick from the delay of production.

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] See also

• Gundress (ACC Production, the studio of Musashi, photographed the movie.)
• Lost Universe
• School City Valanoir
• MD Geist
• Gun Kata (Gundoh seems to be affected by this fictional martial art.)

[edit] External links

• Animax's official Musashi website (Japanese)
• Program guide by BS-i (Japanese)
• Musahi Gundoh Wiki (Japanese)
• Musashi -Gun- Linx (italian)