Kuromukuro
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
| Kuromukuro | |
Promotional image
|
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| クロムクロ | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mecha |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Tensai Okamura |
| Written by | Ryō Higaki |
| Music by | Hiroaki Tsutsumi |
| Studio | P.A.Works |
| Licensed by | |
| Network | Tokyo MX, KBS, SUN, BS11 |
| Original run | April 7, 2016 – present |
| Episodes | 26 |
Kuromukuro (クロムクロ?, lit. Black Relic) is a Japanese mecha anime television series produced by P.A.Works, directed by Tensai Okamura and written by Ryō Higaki, with character designs by Yuriko Ishii and music by Hiroaki Tsutsumi. The series was produced to celebrate P.A. Works' 15th anniversary.[1][2][3] The series premiered on April 7, 2016 on Japanese TV stations while Netflix acquired exclusive rights for streaming worldwide.
Contents
Plot
60 years ago, a strange mecha and cube were discovered at the site of the Kurobe Dam. In the present day, the United Nations is researching the artifacts when aliens appearing to be the oni of Japanese myth begin invading Earth for unknown reasons. Yukina Shirahane, daughter of one of the UN personnel, accidentally triggers the cube, releasing Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma, a samurai who has been in cryostasis for centuries and is the operator of the mecha. Aided by Yukina's family in adjusting to life in the modern era, he stands against the oni's invasion of Earth just as he did in his home era.
Characters
- Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma (青馬 剣之介 時貞 Ouma Kennosuke Tokisada?)
- Voiced by: Yōhei Azakami[2]
- Kennosuke is the main protagonist. A young man who appeared from the artifact "The Cube". He was born in the Sengoku period and awoke in the present day. In order to protect Yukihime, he fought demons using a stolen alien robot he calls Kuromokuro, that only he and Yukina can pilot. He is the same age as Yukina and despite his initial confusion with the modern world, he befriends Yukina's family.
- Yukina Shirahane (白羽 由希奈 Shirahane Yukina?)
- Voiced by: M.A.O[2]
- Yukina is a second-year high school student of Tateyama International High School. Her mother is the head of Kurobe U.N. Research Institute, and she has a younger sister. She dreams of going to Mars. Because of the disappearance of her father, she feels insecure about her future and dislikes the idea of having to fight, even if the enemy looks human.
- Sophie Noelle (ソフィー・ノエル Sofī Noeru?)
- Voiced by: Reina Ueda[2]
- Sophie is an exchange student from France. She is a samurai aficionado, and is very skilled in judo despite her small body frame. She is a genius who can operate robots and is entrusted as the pilot of of GAUS Unit 2. She considers Yukina to be a loser and thinks Ouma's desire for revenge to be petty.
- Mika Ogino (荻布 美夏 Ogino Mika?)
- Voiced by: Asami Seto[4]
- Mika is a friend of Yukina at Tateyama International High School.
- Ryōto Akagi (赤城 涼斗 Akagi Ryōto?)
- Voiced by: Kaito Ishikawa[4]
- Yukina's classmate, who has a reputation as a delinquent. He is romantically interested in Yukina but refuses to admit it.
- Jundai Kayahara (茅原 純大 Kayahara Jundai?)
- Voiced by: Yūsuke Kobayashi[4]
- Ryoto's friend who likes following the aliens and recording with his phone, recklessly disregarding any danger.
- José Carlos Takasuka (ホセ・カルロス・高須賀 Hose Karurosu Takasuka?)
- Voiced by: Shunsuke Takeuchi[4]
- Yukina's classmate and friend of Jundai and Ryota.
- Marina Unami (宇波 茉莉奈 Unami Marina?)
- Voiced by: Manami Sugihira[4]
- Marina is a 23-year-old teacher at Yukina's high school. She is a qualified counselor, and heals everyone with her Russian heart.
- Koharu Shirahane (白羽 小春 Shirahane Koharu?)
- Voiced by: Momo Asakura[4]
- Koharu is Yukina's younger sister in third grade. She lives with her sister and uncle at the temple and likes to watch historical dramas.
- Hiromi Shirahane (白羽 洋海 Shirahane Hiromi?)
- Voiced by: Kanako Tōjō[4]
- Director of the Kurobe U.N. Research Institute and Yukina and Koharu's mother.
- Tom Borden (トム・ボーデン Tomu Bōden?)
- Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura[4]
- Pilot of GAUS Unit 1 and GAUS Team Leader. GAUS (Gravity Attenuated Upright Shell) units are 19.4 meter tall two-seater mecha operated by a pilot and navigator and is equipped with a Gatling gun and revolver knife.
- Liu Shen Mi (劉 神美 Ryū Shenmii?)
- Voiced by: Hikaru Ueda[4]
- Navigator of GAUS Unit 1. 27-year-old and very restrained.
- Toshiyuki Mozumi (Sebastian) (茂住 敏幸 (セバスチャン) Mozumi Toshiyuki (Sebasuchan)?)
- Voiced by: Taiten Kusunoki[4]
- Navigator of GAUS Unit 2, Sophie Noelle's butler and JSDF (Japan Self Defense Force) Captain. 38 years old and dreams of becoming a deacon.
- Graham (グラハム Gurahamu?)
- Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
- Yakushi (薬師 Yakushi?)
- Voiced by: Tetsuo Gotou
- Hiromi's older brother. He's a buddhist monk and looks after his nieces while his sister is constantly at work.
- Paula (ポーラ Pōra?)
- Voiced by: Rina Satou
- Jirou (ジロー Jirō?)
- Voiced by: Hiromichi Tezuka
- Minoru Aramata (荒俣 稔 Aramata Minoru?)
- Voiced by: Kouichi Makishima
- Takekuma (武隈?)
- Voiced by: Hidenobu Kiuchi
- Tateyama International High School career councilor.
- Beth (ベス Besu?)
- Voiced by: Juri Kimura
- A blonde bridge operator at Kurobe U.N. Research Institute.
Broadcast and distribution
Kuromukuro is directed by Tensai Okamura and produced by P.A.Works, spanning 26 episodes.[5] It began airing on April 7, 2016. The series is written by Ryō Higaki, with character designs by Yuriko Ishii and music by Hiroaki Tsutsumi.[4] The opening theme is "Dystopia" (デストピア Desutopia?) by Glay, and the ending theme is "Really Stick" (リアリ・スティック Riari Stikku?) by Michi.
Episode list
| No. | Title | Original air date[6] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Sky Raining Demons" "Oni no Furu Sora" (鬼の降る空) |
April 7, 2016 |
| Hiromi Shirahane, Director of the nearby U.N. Research Institute is told by a teacher that her daughter Yukina is failing and has few career prospects, but she blames the school for the poor grades. After school, Yukina and Mika go to the Research Institute near Kurobe Dam where their parents work. Meanwhile the Ministry of Defense detects a meteor-like object heading for Japan that breaks up and pieces fall between Nagano and Toyama. Yukina daydreams of when she was little girl and her father told her that demons would return to earth. Mr. Aramata shows her a large black cube and a gigantic mecha type object found while excavating for the dam 60 years ago. At that moment, one of the pieces from space crashes near the U.N. Research Institute and a large number of small mecha attack the facility followed by one huge rose-colored mecha. The facility sends one-man battle units to fight them and Director Hiromi Shirahane authorizes two GAUS units to fight the huge mecha. Yukina touches a glowing red section on the cube which springs open, revealing a naked young man, Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma. He kneels before her and calls her princess. He then attacks and defeats one of the small mecha that entered the building while the two GAUS units manage to defeat the huge mecha outside. Kennosuke is then shot with a tranquilizer dart by security guards. Epilogue: GAUS (Gravity Attenuated Upright Shell) units are 19.4 meter tall two-seater mecha operated by a pilot and navigator. | ||
| 2 | "The Black Relic Awakened" "Kuroki Mukuro wa Mezameta" (黒き骸は目覚めた) |
April 14, 2016 |
| Prologue: In the past, a princess inquires about people who live in foreign lands beyond the sea. In the present, a second huge yellow mecha lands on the coast and heads towards the shore accompanied by many small mecha. The Ministry of Defense detect the landing of more hostiles in other countries across the world. Director Shirahane, with Paula and Jiro, go with Dr. Hausen to question Kennosuke, but he manages to escape, taking Yukina, who he now realizes is not the princess. He calls the black cube, which transports them to where the gigantic mecha type object is stored – the Black Relic (クロムクロ Kuromukuro?). The cube docks with the Black Relic which Kennosuke activates and uses to smash out of the facility with Yukina on-board. Defense forces attack the yellow mecha with little effect. Director Shirahane orders the defense forces not to attack the 'geoframe' from Kurobe codenamed Giant and controlled by Kennosuke. Kennosuke in the Black Relic attacks the yellow mecha which he calls he calls an Oni and they fight with long glowing swords. Four other Oni arrive on the scene, but with Yukina’s assistance as navigator, he defeats them. As he is about to destroy the yellow one, it is taken into the sky on a beam of green light and up to an orbiting space station. Epilogue: The Black Relic is a 19.5m tall humanoid mecha controlled by 2 people. | ||
| 3 | "The Castle Ruins Cannot Turn Back Time" "Jōseki ni Toki wa Kaerazu" (城跡に時は還らず) |
April 21, 2016 |
| Prologue: 60 years ago the cube and the giant are discovered and their management is assigned to the United Nations. Examination of the destroyed alien Cactus units show no sign of a human pilot. It is confirmed that six large units landed on earth. Kennosuke takes the Black Relic to the Azumi Castle which is now uninhabited. While trying to adjust to the modern world, he is captured by UN forces and the Black Relic is immobilised. He escaped custody again, but Sophie Noelle tackles him and he is subdued by UN forces activating a collar around his neck. Osho Yakushi from the nearby temple talks to Kennosuke and obtains information that places him in the Sengoku period 450 years ago when he was a retainer to the Washiba Clan. Kennosuke uses a diversion by Koharu to escape again, taking her into the mountains, but they are attacked by a Cactus unit and Koharu is captured. Kennosuke returns to the UN facility and calls the black cube, takes Yukina on-board and goes in pursuit. He catches the Cactus unit but cannot defeat it alone as his sword breaks. Fortunately two of the single-seater Dwarf units arrive, destroy the Cactus unit and rescue Koharu. On seeing a huge rock cut in two during a battle in the past, Kennosuke finally accepts he is now in the future. Epilogue: The 3.8m tall unmanned invader geoframes are called Cactus. | ||
| 4 | "The Foreign Taste Tells All" "Ikoku no Aji ni Ono ga Kyōgū o Shiru" (異国の味に己が境遇を知る) |
April 28, 2016 |
| Kennosuke has dinner with the Shirahane children and uncle Osho Yakushi where he first tries modern Japanese food. The Ministry of Defense analysis of the current status of the ISS is that 6 enemy giant mecha or geoframes landed, but only Japan was able to defeat one. The geoframes appear to be searching for something rather than attacking. Among the strange things Kennosuke sees at the Shirahane household is a TV showing a historical movie of the Battle of Okehazama. He has recurring memories of being unable to save his princess. Yukina takes him to a shopping mall where he marvels at the strange new world. They encounter two reporters who remember that her father Takehito, before he disappeared, advocated a bizarre theory about a legend of demons which had something to do with aliens. Yukina shows Kennosuke her father’s notebook on the demons, including a passage on the extermination of the Washiba Clan by a mysterious unknown power. Inside the book is a photo with a dark blurred figure that Kennosuke recognizes as the demon that attacked him and the princess 450 years ago. Epilogue: The 3.7m tall MM3A single-seater defense units are called Dwarfs. | ||
| 5 | "The Man Who Came to the Garden of Learning" "Manabiya ni Kita Otoko" (学び舎に来た男) |
May 5, 2016 |
| Prologue: Kennosuke enrols at Tateyama International High School much to Yukina's horror. Earlier Kennosuke and Yukina were placed under the control of the U.N. Research Institute. They are the only ones who can operate the Black Relic as it implanted them with nanomachine channels. Kennosuke paints a rough likeness of an Oni that the UN can use for identification. Major Graham introduces them to the rest of the GAUS Unit crew; Tom Borden, Liu Shen Mi, Sophie Noelle and Toshiyuki Mozumi (Sebastian). Much to Kennosuke’s disgust, they shorten his name to Ken. Kennosuke has trouble adjusting to modern school life, but through Marina Unami the Health Ed teacher and Student Counsellor he learns that the age of samurai has long passed. He again encounters Sophie who questions his' and Yukina's reasons for fighting, and ends up being disappointed in Kennosuke's answer and Yukina's uncertainty. While the UN is transporting the Black Relic to Tateyama NORAD detects another object leaving the alien orbiting space station and heading for Toyama. Everyone is mobilised as three more geoframes land near the town. Kennosuke and Yukina reach the Black Relic and prepare for battle. Epilogue: The 19.6m tall unmanned geoframes that the invaders deploy are called Headless. | ||
| 6 | "Dancing on the Bank of the River Jinzu" "Jinzū no Kawara ni Mau" (神通の川原に舞う) |
May 12, 2016 |
| Kennosuke and Yukina in the Black Relic attack Yellow Crab, the largest of the Headless geoframes, but the three respond together. The Headless geoframes appear to work together to nullify the Black Relic’s recovery systems. The U.N. Research Institute mobilizes and deploys the two GAUS units. The GAUS units arrive and engage the two smaller Headless geoframes and manage to destroy them. Kennosuke in the Black Relic has trouble defeating Yellow Crab because of its high-output gravity shield, but finally manages to destroy it. During the battle, two high school students follow the action, and commence live streaming from a mobile phone which is viewed around the world. A pilot encased in armour emerges from the wreckage of the Yellow Crab. He removes his helmet and surprisingly has a human appearance. He announces himself as Hedo, Efidolg’s Frontier Reform Officer and asks Kennosuke, wielder of Glongur, why he betrayed Efidolg. He then detonates the geoframe causing a devastating explosion. Epilogue: The 19.6m tall Yellow Crab geoframe is thought to be a command unit in the invader’s army. It has long extendable arms and a high-output gravity shield. | ||
| 7 | "The Daybreak Disappearance" "Shinonome ni Kiyu" (東雲に消ゆ) |
May 19, 2016 |
| The U.N. Research Institute assesses the situation following the sighting of a human pilot in the yellow geoframe and its destruction. A number of rumors circulate about the origin of the alien geoframes, however they are similar to the Black Relic of 450 years ago and may be related. Ken says the Black Relic was stolen by the princess and he still seeks revenge for destruction of the Washiba Clan. Yukina refuses to be further involved in any fighting or killing. Fellow students Akagi and Kayahara who filmed the battle are still missing. Ken is conflicted about getting Yukina to ride with him in the Black Relic but he needs her to extract his revenge. On the alien orbiting space station, the leaders of Efidolg, who look like humans wearing battle suits, discuss their strategy. They are surprised how much earth’s inhabitants have progressed in 450 years, and at the destruction of Hedo in the yellow geoframe. They plan appears to involve gathering particular large stones. They send a message to earth demanding the return of their mecha known as Black Relic. Yukina and her mother argue. The next day Yukina is gone. | ||
| 8 | "The Black Eagle's Castle" "Kurowashi no Shiro" (黒鷲の城) |
May 26, 2016 |
References
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External links
- Official anime website (Japanese)
- Kuromukuro (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
