Blue Seed

Blue Seed
Title screen
ブルーシード (Burū Shīdo)
Genre	Supernatural, Romance, Action
Manga
Written by	Yuzo Takada
Published by	Takeshobo
Demographic	Shōnen
Imprint	Bamboo Comics
Magazine	Comic Ganma
Original run	March 1992 – June 1996
Volumes	2
Anime television series
Directed by	Jun Kamiya
Produced by	Masaki Sawanobori Naohiro Hayashi Noriko Kobayashi Yukinao Shimoji Yutaka Sugiyama
Written by	Naruhisa Arakawa
Music by	Kenji Kawai
Studio	Production I.G. Ashi Productions
Licensed by	‹See Tfd› ^NA ADV Films (1996–2009)
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	‹See Tfd› ^US Anime Network
Original run	October 5, 1994 – March 29, 1995
Episodes	26
Game
Blue Seed ~The Legend of Hiroku Kushinada~
Developer	Sega
Publisher	Sega
Platform	Sega Saturn
Released	June 23, 1995
Original video animation
Blue Seed Beyond
Directed by	Jun Kamiya Kiyoshi Murayama
Produced by	Masaki Sawanobori Toshimichi Ootsuki Yukinao Shimozi
Written by	Naruhisa Arakawa
Music by	Kenji Kawai
Studio	Xebec
Licensed by	‹See Tfd› ^NA ADV Films (2003–2009)
Released	July 24, 1996 – February 4, 1998
Runtime	30 minutes per episode
Episodes	3

Blue Seed (ブルーシード Burū Shīdo) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuzo Takada. The plot is based on the Izumo cycle of Japanese mythology and the tale of the god Susanoo and the eight-headed monster Yamata no Orochi. The main character, Momiji Fujimiya, is a descendant of the mythical Princess Kushinada (奇稲田姫 Kushinada-hime). When Japan is menaced by Aragami (荒神 Aragami, lit. "angry gods") spawned by Yamato-no-Orochi, Momiji is intended to be sacrificed to appease the Aragami. She instead, however, becomes a member of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC), a secret agency charged with fighting them.

Ashi Productions and Production I.G. created an anime adaptation for broadcast on Japan's TV Tokyo. The anime series ran for 26 episodes, originally airing from October 5, 1994, to March 29, 1995. An original video animation (OVA), Blue Seed 2, was released in three episode between 1996 and 1998. Both the anime and OVA (under the name Blue Seed Beyond) were licensed by ADV Films in the United States until 2009, when the company shut down.

Plot

Momiji Fujimiya thought she was just an ordinary high school student. One day, she is confronted on her way to school by a cat-eyed man with blue magatama beads embedded in his hands, who then attempts to kill her. Momiji is confused and terrified this strange man's sudden desire to kill her; he also refers to her as Kushinada, confusing her even further. Momiji is saved by the sudden appearance of two government officials, one of whom shoots the man in the arm and sends him fleeing.

Momiji is intrigued as to why she was referred to as "Kushinada". She discovers that "Kushinada" refers to an ancient princess whose blood holds the power to stop the ancient monsters known as Aragami by sending them to an eternal sleep. Momiji dismisses the idea that she could be such a person, despite the fact she lives with her mother and grandmother in a shrine in Izumo. However, she soon changes her mind after vines begin to appear from every crack and opening attempting to capture her as they whisper "Kushinada".

Momiji tries to escape, not knowing that the vines are being employed by a powerful Aragami known as Orochi. Fortunately, she is saved by the man with the magatamas embedded into his hands, who introduces himself as Mamoru Kusanagi. He confronts Orochi using Momiji as bait. The plan fails and the government officials appear again. They reveal themselves to be members of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC for short), and manage to subdue Orochi. However, with the last of its strength, it makes a final attempt on Kusanagi.

Momiji saves Kusanagi by taking Orochi's blow. Impaled by the Aragami, instead of dying, she is instead fused with the magatama, more specifically identified as a mitama, which gives Momiji the ability to sense the presence of other Aragami. The TAC agents explain that they are an organization dedicated to defeating the Aragami, who seek to destroy humanity. The current Kushinada, Momiji, must aid them because the other Kushinada, Momiji's twin sister, is now dead. Momiji, wishing to discover more about the twin sister she never knew and also to fulfill her destiny, agrees to join the TAC under the protection of Kusanagi, who wishes to destroy his former masters, the Aragami.

The story becomes increasingly complex with the appearance of Murakumo, a man with eight mitamas who kills any Aragami he comes across for his own personal reasons. Kusanagi repeatedly attempts to kill Murakumo. Kaede Kunikida reappears along with a strange energy field in Tokyo, and Murakumo and Kaede's plans soon become clear – they intend to resurrect the god Susanoo and purify the world of humanity's influences, with Kaede acting as the leader of the movement.

There is also a three episode OVA, Blue Seed Beyond, which takes place two years after the end of the TV series. It concerns what seems to be a resurgence of aragami (actually created via biotechnology), and introduces a new character, Valencia Tachibana. Like Kusanagi, she was implanted with a mitama without turning into a full aragami.

Characters

• Momiji Fujimiya (藤宮 紅葉 Fujimiya Momiji): Momiji is the primary protagonist of the series. She is the descendant of the "Kushinada" who actually lives in Izumo where Princess Kushinada lived. An eighth-grade student in middle school, she was unprepared to understand her destiny to battle the Aragami. She becomes a member of the TAC in order to stop the Aragami from destroying humanity and the world. An ironic twist of fate has Momiji carrying a mitama – an Aragami "soul" – embedded in her chest. At awkward times, Momiji is the recipient of panty shots and jokes about the type of panties she wears. Her relationship with Kusanagi takes a turn for the better during the shielded town incident, where she finally confesses her love for him, and he in turn tells her to wait for him. Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese); Amanda Winn Lee (English), Monica Rial (English, OVA)
• Mamoru Kusanagi (草薙 護 Kusanagi Mamoru): He was given seven mitama with the expressed mission that when he was older, he would protect the Kushinada from harm. He was very close to Kaede, Momiji's twin sister, before her sacrifice in the tunnels of Tokyo. After Kaede's demise he initially goes to Momiji to kill her, in order to rid the world of the Aragami. He comes around, however, in the second episode, and from then on makes it his sole purpose to keep Momiji from harm and eventually falls in love with her. Kusanagi often pokes fun at Momiji's choice of panties just to aggravate her. Kusanagi gains his 8th mitama from Momiji when he rescues her from danger in the last few episodes, which gives him the power to fight Murakumo on an even level. Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue (Japanese); Jason Lee (English), Matt Kelley (English, OVA)
• Daitetsu Kunikida (国木田 大哲 Kunikida Daitetsu): Daitetsu, or Mr. Kunikida, is the Chief Director of the TAC. When Kaede and Momiji were born, Mr. Kunikida raised Kaede like his own daughter, but he exploited her ability to track down and kill the Aragami. However, when Kaede sacrificed herself, he felt heartbroken. With Momiji in the TAC, Mr. Kunikida decides not to exploit her abilities like he did with Kaede and instead treated her like a normal girl. He usually drives a Citroën XM. Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese); Rob Mungle (English)
• Azusa Matsudaira (松平 梓 Matsudaira Azusa): Azusa is the science officer and experimental biologist in the TAC. Azusa is rarely on the field due to her research and development background. She constructs biological weapons for the TAC to use against the Aragami. She is a divorced mother of one. Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara (Japanese); Sharon Shawnessey (English)
• Ryoko Takeuchi (竹内 涼子 Takeuchi Ryōko): A former member of Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Ryoko uses her police instincts to help the TAC. Ryoko uses her standard police issue weapons in conjunction with weapons modified to be used against the Aragami. She is in love with Kunikida. Voiced by: Ai Orikasa (Japanese); Marcy Rae (English)
• Koume Sawaguchi (沢口 小梅 Sawaguchi Koume): Koume wears a pink jumpsuit, but never acts feminine. She is loud, brash and aggressive due to her stint in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. She was discharged by the SDF and transferred to the TAC as a result of insubordination. Her philosophy is based on the "bigger gun" theory and uses her military mind and muscle to destroy the Aragami. Despite her tough exterior, she is a vulnerable woman who wants to give her love. She has a soft spot for puppies, enjoys playing matchmaker to Momiji and Kusanagi, and at the end of the series, falls in love with co-worker Yaegashi. Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Tiffany Grant (English)
• Yoshiki Yaegashi (八重樫 良樹 Yaegashi Yoshiki): The stereotypical computer nerd, Yaegashi does computer analogy for the TAC. On off days, he enjoys hentai games on his computer. He also has a program that pinpoints the Aragami's weak points and attacks, but it doubles as a program to predict what animal would appear on Momiji's panties. He has a love/hate relationship with Koume through most of the series. He later gets engaged to her in the OVA. Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese); Kurt Stoll (English)
• Sakura Yamazaki (山咲 桜 Yamazaki Sakura): Sakura spent most of her life training in the United States. She uses Shinto magic and magic seals to stop the Aragami. She often flirts with Kusanagi just to get under the skin of Momiji, but also helps Momiji deal with the Aragami. Voiced by: Sakiko Tamagawa (Japanese); Allison Keith (English)
• Kaede Kunikida (国木田 楓 Kunikida Kaede): Kaede is the twin sister of Momiji and Mr. Kunikida's adopted daughter. Her talents were used to detect Aragami for the TAC, but after realizing she was merely a tool and not a person, she sacrificed herself, only to return on the side of the Aragami. It's not well-shown if Kaede was in love with Kusanagi or not. Voiced by: Mitsuki Yayoi (Japanese); Amanda Winn Lee (English)
• Lord Susano-oh: Susano-Oh is an all-powerful god who is the guardian deity of the Aragami. In the legend, Susano-Oh killed the monster Yamato-no-Orochi (Orochi-no-Orochi in ADV dub) and married the Princess Kushinada. Kaede and Murakumo awakened him as part of their plan to create a world of nothing but plants. Voiced by: Jun Kitagawa
• Murakumo Yagami (八神 ムラクモ Yagami Murakumo): The series' primary antagonist; like Kusanagi, Murakumo was also chosen to protect the Kushinada. Murakumo has embraced the power of the Aragami and plans on unleashing that power against humanity. Murakumo has eight Blue Seeds embedded in his body. Voiced by: Jōji Nakata (Japanese); Aaron Krohn (English)
• Valencia Tachibana: Valencia shows up in the OVA. Like Kusanagi, she was implanted with a mitama without turning into a full aragami. Voiced by: Junko Iwao (Japanese); Kira Vincent-Davis (English)

Media

Manga

The manga's complete title is Aokushimitama Blue Seed (碧奇魂ブルーシード). Originally serialized by Takeshobo in Comic Ganma between March 1992 and June 1996, it's 17 chapters were also collected into two Japanese Tankōbon volumes.

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	March 28, 1994[1]	ISBN 4-88-475705-X
001. "Invade" (人柱 Hitobashira) 002. "Flying Mei" (飛び梅 Tobiru Mei) 003. "Man of the Lost Soul" (荒魂スサノオ Ara Mitama Susanoo) 004. "First Defeat" (初めこの敗北 Hajime Kono Haiboku) 005. "Transformation" (変身 Henshin) 006. "Momiji" (紅葉 Momiji) 007. "Assassin from Feng" (楓からの刺客 Feng Kara no Shikaku) 008. "Dirt" (気週れ（穢れ） Kishure (Kegare))
2	June 8, 1994[2]	ISBN 4-81-245004-7
009. "Yin & Yang" (陰と陽 Iin to You) 010. "Dead End" (絶体絶命 Zettaizetsumei) 011. "Encounters with the Destroyer - Part 1" (破壊神との接触　その１ Hakai-shin tono Sesshoku sono Ichi) 012. "Encounters with the Destroyer - Part 2" (破壊神との接触　その２ Hakai-shin tono Sesshoku sono Ni) 013. "I Only Want to Ask One Thing" (ひとつだけ間きたい Hitotsu Dake ma Kitai) 014. "That Day" (あの日 Ano Hi) 015. "Retaliation" (反撃 Hangeki) 016. "Retreat" (撒収 Maosa) 017. "Sacrifice Ceremony" (まつり Matsuri)

Anime episode list

Blue Seed

No.	Title	Original airdate	English airdate
01	"Princess Kushinada" "Ki ineda himesama" (奇稲田姫様)	October 5, 1994	November 6, 1999
02	"It's Cruel! It's Mysterious! It's My Destiny!!" "Nazo desu! koku desu! watashi no unmei!!" (謎です! 酷です! 私の運命!!)	October 12, 1994	November 6, 1999
03	"It's Spring! It's the Capital! I'll Do My Best!!" "Haru desu! shuto desu! ganbara nakucha!!" (春です! 首都です! 頑張らなくちゃ!!)	October 19, 1994	November 13, 1999
04	"More Bad Luck! Why Does This Always Happen to Me?!" "Do shite? saiaku! watashi ha daikyō?!" (どーして? サイアク! 私は大凶?!)	October 26, 1994	November 13, 1999
05	"Surprise! She's the Mother of Science!!" "Odoroki! matsu no ki! kagaku na mama desu!!" (オドロキ! 松の木! 科学なママです!!)	November 2, 1994	November 20, 1999
06	"Complicated and Hard to Understand! Being a Man Puts You Into Such a Difficult Position?!" "Fukuzatsu! nankai! otoko hatsuraine?!" (フクザツ! 難解! 男はつらいね?!)	November 9, 1994	November 20, 1999
07	"I'm Fired Up! I'll Do It! Because I'm the Kushinada!!" "Moe masu! yarimasu! ki ineda damon!!" (燃えます! やります! 奇稲田だもん!!)	November 16, 1994	November 27, 1999
08	"What? How Strange! A Rival Appears?!" "Nani nano! henna no (hato)! raibaru tōjō?!" (何なの! 変なの(ハート)! ライバル登場?!)	November 23, 1994	November 27, 1999
09	"Are You Serious?! Is This a Dream?! An Exciting Date" "Maji nano?! yume nano?! dokidokideto" (マジなの?! 夢なの?! ドキドキデート)	November 30, 1994	December 4, 1999
10	"Innocence! Love! My First Kiss?!" "Jun desu! mede su! fasutokissu?!" (純です! 愛です! ファーストキッス?!)	December 7, 1994	December 4, 1999
11	"Irritating! Jealous?! Unbelievable!!" "Yakimoki! yakimochi?! anbiribabo!!" (ヤキモキ! ヤキモチ?! アンビリーバボー!!)	December 14, 1994	December 11, 1999
12	"Can You Feel It?! I Can't Ignore It! An Ominous Premonition of Catastrophe!!" "Kanji ru?! kini naru! hakyoku no yokan!!" (感じる?! 気になる! 破局の予感!!)	December 21, 1994	December 11, 1999
13	"I Love You! This is so Extreme! It's Time to Confess?!" "Suki desu! kyūkyoku! kokuhaku taimu?!" (好きです! 究極! 告白タイム?!)	December 28, 1994	December 18, 1999
14	"A Chase Down Yamato Highway! Love Under Fire!!" "Oi masu! yamato michi! koi no midare uchi!!" (追います!大和路! 恋の乱れ撃ち!!)	January 4, 1995	December 18, 1999
15	"Lost & Trembling on a Trip to Michinoku" "Tomadoi yurameki michinoku kikō" (戸惑い ゆらめき みちのく紀行)	January 11, 1995	December 25, 1999
16	"Japan is a Paradise! Tears in Wakasa" "Nippon (yamato) yo mahoroba! nageki no wakasa" (日本(やまと)よ まほろば 嘆きの若狭)	January 18, 1995	December 25, 1999
17	"Let it Bloom Japan! A Blizzard of One-sided Love!!" "Saka sete! nippon (nippon)! hen koi fubuki!!" (咲かせて! 日本(にっぽん)! 片恋吹雪!!)	January 25, 1995	January 1, 2000
18	"Geez!! Oh, Man!! Sakura's Not Good Enough!?" "Jizasu!! gaddemu!! sakura ha mijuku!?" (ジーザス!!ガッデム!! 桜は未熟!?)	February 1, 1995	January 1, 2000
19	"Heat Haze! Start on a Journey! Love, I Won't be Far From You!" "Kagerō! tabidachi! ai, hanare nai!" (陽炎! 旅立ち! 愛、離れない!)	February 8, 1995	January 8, 2000
20	"I'm Home! Izumo! The Prologue of Hope!!" "Tadaima! izumo (furusato)! kibō no joshō!!" (ただいま! 出雲(ふるさと)! 希望の序章!!)	February 15, 1995	January 8, 2000
21	"Goodbye? No Way! Separation with Tears?!" "Sayonara? iyadesu! namida nowakare?!" (さよなら? いやです! 涙のわかれ?!)	February 22, 1995	January 15, 2000
22	"Sadness, Fate, Momiji Kushinada" "Kanashimi, unmei, ki ineda (kushinada) kōyō" (悲しみ, 運命, 奇稲田(くしなだ)紅葉)	March 1, 1995	January 15, 2000
23	"Meeting Again, Starting the Journey, I Won't Give Up!" "Saikai, shuppatsu (tabidachi), watashi make naitsu!" (再会, 出発(たびだち), 私負けないっ!)	March 8, 1995	January 22, 2000
24	"The Setting Sun, the Coming Day, a Private Time for Each One" "Shizumu yō (hi), semaru nichi, sorezoreno toki" (沈む陽(ひ), 迫る日, それぞれの時)	March 15, 1995	January 22, 2000
25	"All or Nothing! Decision! My Fate!" "Kake masu! kime masu! watashi no unmei!!" (賭けます! 決めます! 私の運命!!)	March 22, 1995	January 29, 2000
26	"New Soul" "Shin tamashii (aratama)" (新魂(あらたま))	March 29, 1995	January 29, 2000

Blue Seed Beyond

No.	Title	Original airdate
OVA	"Mission: Eradicate Kushinada, Operation Mitama, Phase I"	July 24, 1996 – February 4, 1998
	"Mission: Eradicate Kushinada, Operation Mitama, Phase II"
	"Six Babes Bathing in a Killer Hot Springs"

Theme songs

Opening

• Carnival Babel by Takada Band (Fumihiko Tachiki and Ami Mimatsu) (remade by Megumi Hayashibara as "CARNIVAL BABEL 2003 VER." also known as "CARNIVAL BABEL REVIVAL")^[3]

Ending

• Touch and Go!! by Megumi Hayashibara
• Life by Megumi Hayashibara (Ep. 26)

Video game

A role-playing video game entitled Blue Seed ~The Legend of Hiroku Kushinada~ (ブルーシード ～奇稲田秘録伝～ Burūshīdo ~Kushinada Hiroku Den~) was developed by Sega for the Sega Saturn on June 23, 1995. It follows an adventure format, and utilizes a card-based battle system. The game's story is not an adaption of either the manga or the TV series, but a set of original episodes set in the same continuity as the TV series. The main cast of the TV series reprised their roles for the battle sequences and introductory cutscene.

The game was one of 12 Sega Saturn games announced when the system was first unveiled at the 1994 Tokyo Toy Show.^[4]

On release, Famicom Tsūshin scored the game a 28 out of 40.^[5]

References

1. 碧奇魂ブルーシード（１） (in Japanese). Takeshobo. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
2. 碧奇魂ブルーシード（２） (in Japanese). Takeshobo. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
3. JpopHelp.Com: Your Online Source for Jpop Media!
4. "Sega's Saturn: 32-Bit Intensity". Electronic Gaming Monthly (61). EGM Media, LLC. August 1994. pp. 50–51.
5. NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ブルーシード ～奇稲田秘録伝～. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin. No.341. Pg.31. June 30, 1995.

External links

• Blue Seed (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Blue Seed (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Blue Seed Beyond (OVA) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia