Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Japanese novel and its franchise

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Hardback cover of the novel

精霊の守り人
(Seirei no Moribito)
Genre| Sword and sorcery[1]
Novel
Written by| Nahoko Uehashi
Published by| Kaiseisha (hardcover)
Shinchosha (paperback)
English publisher|

* NA: Scholastic

Published| July 1996
Audio drama
Written by| Satoshi Maruo
Station| NHK FM Broadcast
Original run| August 7, 2006 – August 18, 2006
Episodes| 10
Manga
Written by| Nahoko Uehashi
Illustrated by| Kamui Fujiwara
Published by| Square Enix
Magazine| Monthly Shōnen Gangan
Demographic| Shōnen
Original run| March 12, 2007 – August 22, 2008
Volumes| 3
Anime television series
Directed by| Kenji Kamiyama
Written by| Kenji Kamiyama
Music by| Kenji Kawai
Studio| Production I.G
Licensed by|

* NA: Sentai Filmworks

* UK: MVM Entertainment

Original network| NHK-BS2
English network|

* NA: Neon Alley

* US: Adult Swim

Original run|  April 7, 2007  –  September 29, 2007
Episodes| 26 (List of episodes)
Television drama
Directed by| Hiroshi Kataoka
Written by| Sumio Omori
Original network| NHK
Original run|  March 19, 2016  –  January 27, 2018[2]
Episodes| 22

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (Japanese: 精霊の守り人, Hepburn: Seirei no Moribito) is a Japanese novel that was first published in July 1996.[3] It is the first in the 12-volume Moribito (守り人) series of Japanese fantasy novels by Nahoko Uehashi.[4] It was the recipient of the Batchelder Award An ALA Notable Children's Book in 2009.[5] It has since been adapted into numerous media, including radio, manga, anime, and taiga drama adaptations. Scholastic released the first novel in English in June 2008. Media Blasters has confirmed that they acquired the rights to the anime.[6] The anime series adaptation premiered on Adult Swim in the U.S. at 1:30 a.m. ET on August 24, 2008, but was dropped from the schedule without warning or explanation on January 15, 2009, after two runs of the first ten episodes. The program returned to Adult Swim during the summer 2009 line-up with an airing of the entire series.[7]

## Synopsis[edit]

See also: Moribito series

Balsa, spear wielder and bodyguard, is a wandering warrior who has vowed to atone for eight deaths in her past by saving an equivalent number of lives. On her journey, she saves Prince Chagum and is tasked with becoming his bodyguard. His own father, the Mikado, has ordered his assassination. The two begin a perilous journey to ensure the survival of the prince. Balsa's complicated past begins to come to light and they uncover Chagum's mysterious connection to a legendary water spirit with the power to destroy the kingdom.

## Media[edit]

### Novel[edit]

The novel was first published in hardback by Kaiseisha as children's literature, but it had many adult fans. Shinchosha republished it in bunkobon format in March 2007.

Seirei no Moribito (Guardian of the Spirit) (ISBN 978-4035401506, 1996-07) (Bunko ISBN 978-4-10-130272-0, 2007-03)
Adapted into the anime series. Balsa is hired to protect a prince with a mysterious spirit living inside him.
Published in English by Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic in the summer of 2008; translated by Cathy Hirano.[8]

The novel received the Mildred L. Batchelder Award from the American Library Association in 2009.[9][10]

### Radio drama[edit]

The series has been adapted into a radio drama series, written by Satoshi Maruo. It aired in Youth Adventure [ja] on NHK FM Broadcast from August 7, 2006, to August 18, 2006.

### Anime[edit]

Main article: List of Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit episodes

The series has been adapted into an anime television series, produced by Production I.G and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, which premiered in Japan on NHK from April 7, 2007. The anime runs 26 episodes and is based entirely on the first novel in the Guardian series, and greatly expands the midsection of the novel.

At the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2007 in March, Geneon announced that they had acquired the license to the anime and Scholastic announced they had US distribution rights to the novels.[11] After Geneon discontinued its US distribution division, the rights transferred to Media Blasters. The series premiered in the United States at 1:30 a.m. ET on August 24, 2008, on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, but was dropped from the schedule without warning or explanation on January 15, 2009, after two runs of the first ten episodes. On June 13, 2009, the series was back on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in the United States at 1:30 a.m. ET on Sundays, but was later moved to 2:30 a.m. ET,[12] swapping it with Fullmetal Alchemist in November. Viz Media re-released the entire series on DVD and Blu-ray on August 26, 2014.[13][14][15] It also aired on their digital broadcasting channel, Neon Alley January 17, 2014, until the channel's closure on May 6, 2016.[16][17][18] In August 2020, Sentai Filmworks announced that they acquired the series for home video and digital release.[19]

The series feature two theme songs. The opening title is "Shine" by L'Arc-en-Ciel, while Sachi Tainaka performs "Itoshii Hito e" for the ending title.

### Taiga fantasy drama[edit]

The series has been adapted into a live-action taiga fantasy drama series by NHK, shot in 4K resolution.[20] It stars Haruka Ayase as Balsa. Season one was shown in four episodes in March and April 2016. Season two was shown over nine episodes from January to March 2017. The third and final season was shown from November 2017 to January 2018, also over nine episodes.[21]

## Reception[edit]

Daniel Baird reviewed this book and its sequel for Mythprint, praised the first volume as enjoyable both by children and adults due to "plenty of richness in its characterization and fantasy world".[22]

## See also[edit]

* Children's literature portal

## References[edit]

1. ^ Oppliger, John (July 18, 2008). "Ask John: What Are the Best Sword & Sorcery Anime?". AnimeNation. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
2. ^ 最終回だよ！全員集合！『精霊の守り人 最終回』ついに完結！！. NHK Drama (in Japanese). NHK. January 26, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
3. ^ "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (Moribito, #1) by Nahoko Uehashi". Goodreads. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
4. ^ Uehashi, Nahoko (2008). Guardian of the Spirit (Moribito). ISBN 978-0545005432.
5. ^ "Batchelder Award winners, 1968-Present". ala.org. Association for Library Service to Children. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
6. ^ Loo, Egan (March 27, 2008). "Media Blasters Rescues Seirei no Moribito License". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
7. ^ Loo, Egan (January 16, 2009). "Adult Swim Removes Moribito from Weekend Schedule (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 17, 2009.
8. ^ Udagawa, Avery (Fall 2006). "Children's Book Translation: An Interview with Cathy Hirano" (PDF). Carp Tales. SCBWI Tokyo. pp. 7–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 8, 2007.
9. ^ "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit | Awards & Grants". www.ala.org. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
10. ^ admin (January 25, 2009). "2009 Batchelder Award honors Arthur A. Levine Books for "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit"". News and Press Center. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
11. ^ "Geneon Snags "Moribito", Original novels coming too". animeOnline. Retrieved March 22, 2007.[dead link]
12. ^ "Schedule". Adult Swim. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
13. ^ "Viz Media Announces License Acquisition of Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit Anime Series". Anime News Network. January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
14. ^ Bruno, Travis (January 9, 2014). "Viz Media license rescues Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit". Capsule Computers. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
15. ^ Luster, Joseph (January 8, 2014). "Viz Rescues Moribito Anime License". Otaku USA. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
16. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 8, 2014). "Viz Media Adds Moribito Fantasy Anime Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
17. ^ Saabedra, Humberto (January 9, 2014). ""Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit" Rescued By Viz Media". Crunchyroll. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
18. ^ Beveridge, Chris (January 8, 2014). "Viz Media Acquires 'Moribito – Guardian Of The Spirit' Anime License". The Fandom Post. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
19. ^ Mateo, Alex (August 25, 2020). "Sentai Filmworks Licenses Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
20. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 13, 2015). "Rurouni Kenshin's Tatsuya Fujiwara, More Join Live-Action Moribito TV Series Cast". Anime News Network. Anime News Network. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
21. ^ "Moribito Final". NHK Drama. NHK. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
22. ^ Baird, Daniel (2010). "The Mythopoeic Society Reviews: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit". Mythprint. Retrieved January 23, 2023.

## External links[edit]

* Official site of the novels (in Japanese)
* Official site of the anime (in Japanese)
* Production I.G site (in Japanese)
* Production I.G site (in English)
* Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit on Hulu
* Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
* Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit at IMDb

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