Judge (manga)

This article is about the manga by Fujihiko Hosono. For the sequel to the manga Doubt, see Doubt (manga).

1987-1991 manga series

Judge

North America DVD Cover

ジャッジ
(Jajji)
Manga
Written by| Fujihiko Hosono
Published by| Futabasha
Magazine| Action Brother
Comic Action Character
Original run| 1987 – 1991
Volumes| 2
Original video animation
Magistrate of Darkness: Judge
Directed by| Hiroshi Negishi
Studio| Animate Film
J.C.Staff
Licensed by|

* NA: Central Park Media

* AUS / UK: Manga Entertainment

Released| June 15, 1991
Runtime| 48 minutes

Judge (Japanese: ジャッジ, Hepburn: Jajji) is a manga series written and illustrated by Fujihiko Hosono, published in Futabasha's Action Brother and Comic Action Character. The story focuses on the Japanese hell, where judgment is passed on the living.[1]

An original video animation, Magistrate of Darkness: Judge, based on the manga was released in 1991.

## Plot

[edit]

The OVA starts with a man being shot in a jungle-like scenery. It is later revealed that the person is Yamanobe, the vice-president of a company who sent him to South America, where he was killed by local guerrillas. The company he works for is the main center of the story and it is where all other major characters work. The main character, Hoichiro Oma (逢魔 法一郎), is apparently an everyman, known as a silent guy by his workmates. However, in secret, he is the Judge of Darkness, punishing living criminals that were not found guilty by human laws.

Two of Oma's workmates, Ryuichi Murakami and Koji Kawamata, are embezzling money from the company. To do it, Murakami seduced Yamamoto, a woman who works in the company accounting department. When an investigation about the case starts and a rumor that Yamamoto is the culprit starts to be spread, Yamamato is found hung in a rope. The police consider it as a suicide, but Oma, as the Judge of the Darkness, appears before Murakami and charges him for Yamamoto's murder.

After killing Murakami, Oma starts to chase Kawamata, and he first makes a call simulating Yamanobe's voice. Soon after, a mysterious man, who proclaims himself to be a lawyer, appears before Kawamata. The man says Kawamata will need his help and puts a seal on Kawamata's hand right before Kawamata dispenses his aid. However, when Kawamata is caught in an Oma's trap and the seal saves him, he goes to contact the "Metaphysical Lawyer". The lawyer explains the dead can have a grudge against the living people. To resolve this problem, he goes with Kawamata to the mountains, where the lawyer fights with Oma and defeats the Judge of Darkness.

However, through his girlfriend, Nanase, Oma evokes Datsue-ba to summon the Court of Ten Kings—the ultimate court of the hell. Although Oma cannot prove Kawamata to be the culprit even by calling Yamanobe's soul, the guilty Kawamata ends up stumbling on Enma's mirror. The artifact reveals Kawamata had a secret discretionary fund in South America that controlled the guerillas who killed Yamanobe. Kawamata is ultimately strangled by his own reflection in the hell and is found dead in his office by Nanase.

## Media

[edit]

### Manga

[edit]

The manga by Fujihiko Hosono was initially published in Action Brother by Futabasha between 1987 and 1989,[2] when it was transferred to another magazine by the same publisher, Comic Action Character.[3] The first chapter was published on November 13, 1987,[2] while the last one was published on March 22, 1991.[3] Its chapters were encapsulated into two tankōbon volumes published in January 1990 and August 1981 respectively.[4][5] Futabasha would further republish the series into two volumes in April 2000.[6][7]

### OVA

[edit]

Under the title of Magistrate of Darkness: Judge (闇の司法官 ジャッジ, Yami no Shihosha Jajji), an original video animation (OVA) adapted the first chapter of the first volume of the manga. It ran theatrically on June 15, 1991,[8] and was released in VHS on August 1, 1991.[9] Central Park Media (CPM) licensed it for a North American audience, and first released a VHS on October 8, 1996 in subtitled and dubbed versions.[10][11] The subtitled version was broadcast by Independent Film Channel in April 1997,[12] and it was released on DVD on March 16, 1999.[10] By 2007, the DVD publication was discontinued and after CPM's bankruptcy in 2009 its license was liquidated.[13][14]

## Reception

[edit]

Michael Toole of Anime News Network said he "just love[d] Judge", although he considered it "a particularly low-budget OVA catering to bored salarymen". Toole called it a "crude albeit satisfying revenge fantasy" that "fits in nicely with a viewing of Harvey Birdman episodes".[15] A reviewer for Video Watchdog declared: "Highly competent animation and an engrossing story by Fujihiko Hosono make JUDGE a very worthwhile entertainment."[16] Fred Patten wrote for Cartoon Research that it was "better directed than most" under-an-hour OVAs, especially praising its "clever dialogue".[10] On the other hand, Carlos Ross of THEM Anime Reviews dubbed it "an unmemorable OAV"; he wrote, "Judge should have been an interesting, if strange trip through a suspenseful world of intrigue. Instead, it is a mostly incoherent mash of the creepy, with a jumbled plot and unconvincing acting".[17]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bush, Laurence (2001). Asian Horror Encyclopedia. Writers Club Press. p. 75. ISBN 0-595-20181-4.
2. ^ a b ジャッジ [Judge] (in Japanese). Vol. 1\. Futabasha. 2000. pp. 256–263\. ISBN 978-4-575-72227-7.
3. ^ a b ジャッジ [Judge] (in Japanese). Vol. 2\. Futabasha. 2000. p. 272\. ISBN 978-4-575-72228-4.
4. ^ "単行本：ジャッジ(アクションコミックスEX)1". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
5. ^ "単行本：ジャッジ(アクションコミックスEX)2". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
6. ^ "単行本：ジャッジ(双葉文庫名作シリーズ)1". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
7. ^ "単行本：ジャッジ(双葉文庫名作シリーズ)2". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
8. ^ 闇の司法官ジャッジ(1991). AllCinema Movie & DVD Database (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
9. ^ "ビデオアニメスクランブル". Animage (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten: 94. July 1991.
10. ^ a b c Patten, Fred (May 15, 2016). ""Forgotten" Anime OAVs #18: "Judge" (1991)". Cartoon Research. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
11. ^ "U.S. Manga Corps". Central Park Media. p. 11\. Archived from the original on February 7, 1997. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
12. ^ "Shelf Talk". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 16\. Nielsen Business Media. April 9, 1997. p. 86.
13. ^ "CAV Selling off CPM Titles". Anime News Network. May 29, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
14. ^ "Central Park Media's Licenses Offered by Liquidator". Anime News Network. June 8, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
15. ^ Toole, Michael (November 17, 2013). "Tales from the Bottom Shelf". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
16. ^ "Judge". Video Watchdog (27–30). Tim & Donna Lucas: 28. 1995.27–30&rft.pages=28&rft.date=1995&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=246GAAAAIAAJ&q;=judge+Fujihiko+Hosono+manga&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Judge+(manga)" class="Z3988">
17. ^ Ross, Carlos. "Judge". THEM Anime Reviews. Retrieved July 30, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Judge (OVA) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

* v
* t
* e

J.C.Staff OVAs and ONAs

1980s|

* Yōtōden (1987–1988)
* Ultimate Teacher (1988)
* Cleopatra DC (1989–1991)
* Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma (1989)
* Fūma no Kojirō (1989–1990)
* ARIEL Visual (1989)
* Earthian (1989–1996)

1990s|

* 1+2=Paradise (1990)
* Guardian of Darkness (1990–1992)
* Osu! Karate Club (1990–1992)
* ARIEL Deluxe (1991)
* Magistrate of Darkness: Judge (1991)
* Handsome na Kanojo (1991)
* Babel II (1992)
* Gorillaman (1992)
* 8 Man After (1993)
* Bad Boys (1993–1998)
* Suikoden Demon Century (1993)
* New Dominion Tank Police (1993–1994)
* Konpeki no Kantai (1993–2003)
* Super Dimension Century Orguss 02 (1993–1995)
* Shonan Junai Gumi (1994–1997)
* I Shall Never Return (1994)
* Fish in the Trap (1994)
* Captain Tsubasa: Holland Youth (1994)
* Level C (1995)
* The Heroic Legend of Arslan (1995, #5–6)
* Galaxy Fräulein Yuna (1995)
* Kodocha (1995)
* Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko (1996)
* Battle Arena Toshinden (1996)
* Maze (1996)
* Private Psycho Lesson (1996)
* Slayers Special (1996–1997)
* Garzey's Wing (1996–1997)
* Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer (1996–1997)
* Fake (1996)
* Galaxy Fräulein Yuna Returns (1996–1997)
* Kyokujitsu no Kantai (1997–2002)
* Kōgyō Aika Volley Boys (1997)
* Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko II (1997)
* Voogie's Angel (1997–1998)
* Detatoko Princess (1997–1998)
* If I See You in My Dreams (1998)
* Slayers Excellent (1998–1999)

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* Doki Doki School Hours (2004–2005)
* Sky Girls (2006)
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* Yomigaeru Sora – Rescue Wings (2006)
* Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed (2008)
* The Familiar of Zero: Rondo of Princesses (2008)
* Hayate the Combat Butler (2009)
* Shakugan no Shana S (2009–2010)

2010s|

* Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu (2010)
* A Certain Scientific Railgun (2010)
* Aria the Scarlet Ammo Special (2011)
* Toradora! (2011)
* Dangerous Jii-san Ja (2012)
* Tantei Opera Milky Holmes Alternative (2012–2013)
* Joshiraku (2013)
* ChocoTan! (2013)
* Little Busters! (2013)
* Kill Me Baby Super (2013)
* Little Busters! EX (2014)
* Tsubasa to Hotaru (2014)
* Waiting in the Summer (2014)
* Love Stage!! (2014)
* Twin Angel: Kyun Tokimeki Paradise!! (2015)
* Prison School (2016)
* Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: Natsuyasumi no Erin (2016)
* Lostorage Conflated WIXOSS -missing link- (2017)
* Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: Tōtsuki Jūkketsu (2017)
* UQ Holder! (2017–2018)
* Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Third Plate- Erina no Shin Seikatsu (2018)
* Hi Score Girl: Extra Stage (2019, production co-op)
* Magimoji Rurumo: The Conclusion (2019)
* The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Reawakened (2019)

2020s|

* The Way of the Househusband (2021–2023)
* Duel Masters Lost: Tsuioku no Suishō (2024)

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