Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
Guardian of the Spirit (Japanese精霊の守り人, Seirei no Moribito, also translated as Guardian of the Sacred Spirit ), is the first volume of the fantasy novel series Moribito (German keeper ) Japanese author Nahoko Uehashi. Studio Production IG produced in 2007 basing anime television series. The novel was also adapted into a radio drama series, and as manga.
Action
Scene of the action is the fictional, Asian embossed Yogo Empire. The spear bearer Balsa is determined by the mother of the young prince Chagum to his bodyguard. The emperor seeks his son for life, as these carriers of the egg of a water demon is supposed to be, the drought will bring upon the country. Officially an honorable burial for the boy is staged secretly lets him pursue by assassins of Caesar. Help for balsa and Chagum comes from sites of the herb collector Tanda and his teacher, the shaman Torogai. The bodyguard manages to protect the child and the pursuers fake her death and Chagums.
Both can be subsequently reflected in a water mill. The second prince learns here the lives of ordinary people know. Torogai tried the mystery of the water demon, whose egg Chagum contributes to air during this time. They contacted Nayug, an invisible parallel world that lies hidden behind the physical world. Torogai finds out that the founding legend of the Yogo Empire, according to which a destructive water demon once had to be destroyed to prevent drought, is a lie.
In parallel, examined Chagums former tutor and imperial astrologer Shuga the sign that announced the kingdom of drought and now - although the Prince is supposed to be dead - will not go away. He translated the ancient stone tablets from the founding period to learn more about the origin of the empire and the struggle with the water demon. He then learns that the birth of this creature, unlike previously believed, do not cause the drought, but will prevent. When he finally finds out that the prince is still alive, he can find him.
When the water mill is set on fire, Balsa and Chagum have to flee again. Retire to the village of Thommi, the people Torogais back. There they learn their version of the legend of the water demon or spirit. The guardian of the ice dies according to her, by a being called La Lunga at the time, since the mind is born. Prince Chagum that would meet this fate, is horrified. He tried to return to the arms of the Empire, because he believes that one can protect him there. He gets into an argument with Balsa, which wants to stop him and finally prevails.
Balsa, Chagum, Torogai and Tanda hibernate in the cave of the hunter hidden in the mountains. The prince hears for the first time the life story of his tormentor. How Chagum also, she owes her life to a bodyguard who protected them against the assassins of a ruler. Because balsa itself wants to save the prince at any cost, she leaves him for the time being unable to return to his imperial tutor Shuga.
With the beginning of spring, the egg begins to affect Chagums Constitution. He goes alone to the place where it is to slip. The remaining group of balsa and an imperial elite unit to Shuga meet, decide to cooperate and follow the boy. La Lunga, nature of the world beyond Nayugo, appear to destroy the bearer of the egg. Nayugo and the physical world come together, while Balsa and her companions fight against a horde of La Lunga. At sunrise the egg is rescued. Tanda succeeds in this extract from the body Chagums and the water spirit can be born.
Last Balsa leads the Prince back to the imperial house. Balsa offers him to flee with her, but Chagum it rejects because of its imperial family from. The story ends with Balsas return to their home country called Kambal.
Publications
The novel, published in 1996 Serei no moribito is the first part of comprehensive Uehashis now 10 volumes fantasy novel series Moribito. Arthur A. Levine Books, a publishing label of the U.S. Scholastic, published in June 2008 the first volume and in May 2009 the second volume in English. The first volume was released in 2009 by Adriano Salani Editore in Italian and in 2011 by Éditions Milan in French.
Adaptations
Radio drama series
The Japanese radio station NHK -FM broadcast a radio drama series for the novel. The Guardian of the Spirit of ten quarter-hour episodes aired from 7 to 13 August 2006.
Manga
The Japanese comic magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan the publisher Square Enix released by March 2007 ( issue 4/ 2007) to July 2008 ( issue 8 /2008) a manga to the novel from the pen of cartoonist Kamui Fujiwara. The individual chapters were published in three anthologies, as well as a complete band.
Anime
Produced in 2007, the studio Production IG, a 26- episode anime television series based on the novel. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, the character design designed Gato Asō and artistic director Yusuke Takeda was. The series was broadcast on April 4, 2007 to September 29, 2007 by NHK BS2 on the transmitter first.
In English Anime 2008 by Cartoon Network aired in the United States. The German dubbed version of the series was released on 17 March and 1 December 2008 at Universum Anime on six DVDs. On 11 June 2010 there was a new edition as a box set. Between 19 August 2012 and 23 September 2012 the TV station Super RTL series beamed every Sunday from 20:15 clock as six two and a half hour films. On the following Saturday, the mailings were repeated over and over against 21:50 clock.
Synchronization
Music
The music of the series was composed by Kenji Kawai. The header title Shine comes from the J- rock band L' Arc -en- Ciel. The end credits song is Itoshii Hito e (愛しい 人 へ) Tainaka Sachi the singer.
Awards
The anime series has been provided for the 11th Japan Media Arts Festival 2007 with a recommendation of the jury.