is a Japanese
manga series written by
Kazuo Koike
was a prolific Japanese manga writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''seinen'' manga, notably ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (with Goseki Kojima, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' ...
and illustrated by
Ryoichi Ikegami
is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
. ''Crying Freeman'' follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the
Chinese mafia
A triad ( zh , t=三合會 , s=三合会 , cy=sāam hahp wúi , j=saam1 hap6 wui6‑2 , hp=sān hé huì , first=t,j ) is a Chinese transnational organized crime syndicate based in Greater China and has outposts in various countries with signific ...
(called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in a vast and complex dragon
tattoo
A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing ...
. A quiet but complicated killer, Freeman reflexively sheds tears after every killing as a sign of regret.
The manga was originally serialized by
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, comics ( manga), non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.
Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the H ...
on its magazine ''
Big Comic Spirits
is a weekly Japanese ''seinen'' manga magazine published by Shogakukan. The first issue was published on October 14, 1980. Food, sports, romance and business are recurring themes in the magazine, and the stories often question conventional va ...
'' from 1986 to 1988. It was first published in North America by
Viz Media
VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
in comic book form. Viz later republished the series in graphic novel form in two versions: an initial set and longer volumes that combined the initial volumes together, dubbed "Perfect Collections." From 2006 to 2007, the manga was republished by
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops know ...
in five volumes.
The story was adapted into an
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
OVA
, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
by
Toei Animation
() is a Japanese animation studio primarily controlled by its namesake Toei Company. It has produced numerous series, including ''Sally the Witch,'' '' GeGeGe no Kitarō,'' '' Mazinger Z'', '' Galaxy Express 999'', '' Cutie Honey'', '' Dr. Slu ...
, released from 1988 to 1994. ''Crying Freeman'' has also been adapted into three live-action films: two in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
in
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
and a
French-Canadian production in English.
Plot
Yō Hinomura, a Japanese
potter
A potter is someone who makes pottery.
Potter may also refer to:
Places United States
*Potter, originally a section on the Alaska Railroad, currently a neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska, US
* Potter, Arkansas
*Potter, Nebraska
* Potters, New Je ...
, comes into the possession of some film showing an assassination by an agent of the 108 Dragons, a powerful
Chinese mafia
A triad ( zh , t=三合會 , s=三合会 , cy=sāam hahp wúi , j=saam1 hap6 wui6‑2 , hp=sān hé huì , first=t,j ) is a Chinese transnational organized crime syndicate based in Greater China and has outposts in various countries with signific ...
. Seeking its return, they kidnap him. Subjected to forced hypnosis, Yo is effectively brainwashed into acting as the 108 Dragons' principal assassin yet - cruelly - is permitted to remember his innocent past at the moment he kills, shedding a tear unconsciously each time that he does so. He is given the codename "Crying Freeman" as a result.
One of his killings is witnessed by Emu Hino, a lonely and beautiful Japanese artist. Knowing he must kill her; she paints his portrait and waits for him to come. When he does so, she tells him that she is tired of being alone and wishes to end her life. She asks for a favor before he kills her - to make love to her, so that she will not die as a virgin. He grants her wish but finds he cannot kill her and they fall in love. The killing she witnessed was of a
yakuza
, also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the ter ...
boss, however, so the yakuza want to find her so that they can find the killer. One of the yakuza attempts to enter Emu's home and force her to disclose the name of the killer, critically injuring her. Freeman takes her to the hospital and tells her to meet him at Hinomura Kiln, where he intends to part with her. Instead, she accompanies him back to the 108 Dragons, where he tattoos her with tigers, and they marry.
The heads of the 108 Dragons decide to name Freeman as their heir. He is given the Chinese name Lóng Tài-Yáng, and Emu is renamed Hǔ Qīng-Lán, as both pass the tests given to them. It proves not as easy as that, however, as they must contend with challenges to the leadership from Bái-Yá Shàn, the granddaughter of the leaders of the 108 Dragons, and attempts to destroy the Dragons from other underground organizations.
Characters
108 Dragons
The is a
Chinese Mafia
A triad ( zh , t=三合會 , s=三合会 , cy=sāam hahp wúi , j=saam1 hap6 wui6‑2 , hp=sān hé huì , first=t,j ) is a Chinese transnational organized crime syndicate based in Greater China and has outposts in various countries with signific ...
that rose to prominence in the 1970s. It holds numerous assets around the world, including its own nuclear submarine. As a rule in the organization, succession by blood inheritance is prohibited.
; / /
:
:Portrayed by:
Mark Dacascos
Mark Alan Dacascos (born February 26, 1964) is an American actor, martial artist and television personality. He won numerous karate and kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18. He is known for his roles as Wo Fat in '' Hawaii Five-0' ...
:The son of a famous potter and a rising pottery star himself. During a visit to America to showcase his works, a photographer hid secret pictures of the 108 Dragons in one of his pots. Yo found the photos and was asked by the Dragons to surrender them but refused. As retribution, Father Dragon had him kidnapped and put under hypnosis, as he was considered the perfect candidate to lead the 108 Dragons.
:Yo was then trained by Mother Tiger in assassination techniques and martial arts. After his training was complete, he received a giant dragon tattoo covering his body. Because he cries in remorse for his victims after he snaps out of his trance (it seems later to just become habit due to the fact that he willingly takes on missions), he earned the name Crying Freeman. As Freeman, Yo possesses incredible agility and strength, and is considered the strongest man in the world. Each of his senses have been honed and sharpened and he is able to adapt to any situation. Initially shown to use guns, he comes to prefer daggers, which he can proficiently wield with both his hands and feet.
:In addition to being the strongest man in the world, Lóng Tài-Yáng is also one of the most handsome, and no woman has been able to resist his charms, which he takes full sexual advantage of even after Emu Hino becomes his wife.
; /
:
:Portrayed by: Julie Condra
:A young artist whose father had died; Emu Hino was once a rich girl whose wealth disappeared with his death. All that was left to her was the old family mansion. One day, she witnesses Freeman chasing and killing a Japanese crime boss in Hong Kong, after which she asks his name, to which he only replied "Yo". When she sees his tears after the murder, she is intrigued and immediately falls in love with him.
:Soon, she becomes witness to Freeman's murder of Shudo Shimazaki, the head of the Hakushin Society, which causes both the police and the Yakuza to tail her. She returns home only to find that Freeman is waiting for her. Emu then requests that Yo take her virginity before killing her, to which he complies. Later, Yo cannot bring himself to kill her as he has fallen in love with her, and the two eventually escape to Hong Kong. At first, Mother Tiger disapproves of her, thinking that Emu was weak, but Emu's strong will and resolve earns her the respect of the 108 Dragons. She is given the name Hǔ Qīng-Lán by Grandfather Dragon and is married to Freeman, who is renamed Lóng Tài-Yáng. Emu has a giant tiger tattooed on her back and two cubs on her torso for the children that she and Yo cannot have.
:In the middle of the series, Emu gains possession of the legendary cursed
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the '' tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge f ...
Muramasa
, commonly known as , was a famous swordsmith who founded the Muramasa school and lived during the Muromachi period (14th to 16th centuries) in Kuwana, Ise Province, Japan (current Kuwana, Mie).Fukunaga, 1993. vol. 5, pp. 166–167.
In spite o ...
from an assassin who targets Freeman. She travels to the
Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City was an ungoverned and densely populated ''de jure'' Imperial Chinese enclave within the boundaries of Kowloon City, British Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the New ...
to learn swordsmanship skills from an unlicensed dentist named Gouken Ishida. Despite being crafted during a time women were not allowed to wield swords, the Muramasa recognizes her as its true owner. As one of the leaders of the 108 Dragons, Emu is more resourceful and cleverer than even her husband, and as fearless as he is in the face of opposition. The first true owner of the Muramasa, she is quite dangerous as a sword master.
;
:
:Also known as Mother Tiger, she is the former female head of the 108 Dragons. She took on the task of training Freeman, honing him into the best assassin in the world and the strongest man alive. Like Emu Hino, she has a Tiger tattooed on her body, which signifies her position in the 108 Dragons. She has adopted Freeman as a son and Emu as a daughter-in-law. While skeptical of Emu at first, she came to recognize her strength. Grandmother Tiger had a son in violation of the 108 Dragons' rule that the leaders are sterilized to prevent them from having children, as the organization survives on individual talent and not on heritage or legacies. Mother Tiger came to regret her decision as her son became a cold-blooded killer even in his early youth and was exiled to a remote island.
;
:
:The granddaughter of Father Dragon and Mother Tiger who challenges Freeman for the leadership of the 108 Dragons shortly after his succession. She attempts a coup d'état immediately after Freeman and Emu's wedding, with the aid of Camorra and Elder Mercury, one of the Ten Planets who was loyal to her father. Bái-Yá Shàn is defeated by Freeman and subsequently forgiven and accepted back into the 108 Dragons, from then on becoming his faithful and devoted "little sister", acting as a personal maid and bodyguard for her older brother and his wife. A giant woman in both aspects of height and weight, Bái-Yá Shàn is practically invulnerable to most attacks, as she has survived multiple gunshot wounds. She often goes into missions naked, which is quite nauseating for her opponents. Her weapons of choice are two butterfly swords, but she also likes to keep an automatic rifle handy. Bái-Yá Shàn is very emotional, openly crying in moments of fear, doubt, and sorrow; at times, she still seems rather like a little girl despite her age.
; /
:
:Portrayed by:
Byron Mann
Byron Mann is a Hong Kong-American actor of film and television. His best-known roles include Ryu in '' Street Fighter'', Silver Lion in '' The Man with the Iron Fists'', Wing Chau in ''The Big Short'', Admiral Augusto Nguyen on ''The Expanse'' ...
:A member of 108 Dragons and assistant to Freeman on his missions, who first worked with him after his kidnapping and hypnosis. After Freeman forces him to assist in helping save a critically wounded Emu Hino, he realizes that the two are meant for each other and defends Freeman's actions to Mother Tiger. After Freeman takes over leadership of the 108 Dragons, Huáng Dé-Yuán becomes his right-hand man. He dies from wounds sustained while fighting the Camorra assassin Kitche and is buried at sea after Freeman defeats her.
Hakushin Society
;
:
:Portrayed by:
Mako
, better known by the mononym name Mako (sometimes stylised MAKO), is a Japanese voice actress, singer and a member of the band Bon-Bon Blanco, in which her prominent role is as the maraca player. She has also performed in a Japanese television ...
:Leader of the Yakuza, which has a workforce of 26,000 men across Japan. His organization controls all aspects of organized crime except drug trafficking. Knowing that the 108 Dragons have sent Freeman to assassinate him in order to fully infiltrate Japan's criminal underground, Shimazaki goes to a police precinct for protection and to give vital information on the Chinese Mafia but is eventually shot in the head by a masked Freeman. Emu Hino is immediately marked as a witness when she immediately notices the tears flowing through Freeman's mask as he runs away.
;
:
:Portrayed by:
Masaya Kato
is a Japanese actor from Nara in the Kansai region.
Life and career
He is currently attached to Burning Production. He stands at 183 centimeters. He practices martial arts and performs his own stunts in movies.
Filmography
Films
*1988: ''Shiro ...
:The second most powerful member of the Hakushin Society, he takes over the group after Shimazaki is assassinated by Freeman. Nicknamed , Ryuji attempts to kidnap Emu with the tacit support of the police. He is wounded by Freeman but survives and manages to see his face. Ryuji is later on assassinated by Freeman and Huang.
;
:
:Portrayed by:
Yoko Shimada
was a Japanese actress, best known to Western audiences for her portrayal of Mariko in the 1980 miniseries ''Shōgun''.
''Shogun'' miniseries
Shimada was the only female member of ''Shōgun''s massive cast of Japanese actors shown speaking En ...
:The wife of Ryuji Hanada and the most powerful woman in the Hakushin Society hierarchy. Following Ryuji's death, she ensnares Detective Nitta by managing to get compromising photos of them together taken, securing his cooperation in her scheme to locate Emu and avenge Ryuji's death, although she and Nitta quickly become lovers. Kimie and Nitta are stabbed in the chest by Freeman, but their lives are spared when Freeman forces them to accept his alibi that Yo Hinomura and Emu Hino committed suicide after killing Shimazaki over a past dispute. Later on, Kimie becomes a follower of Kumagaism and assists its leader Naiji Kumaga in his plot to seize control of the 108 Dragons by creating a clone of Freeman. Tasked by Kumaga to sleep with Freeman in order to learn his sexual habits and patterns to then pass them on to the clone, she subsequently falls in love with him and betrays Kumaga.
;
:
:Portrayed by:
Tchéky Karyo
Tchéky Karyo (; born 4 October 1953) is a French actor and musician of Turkish origin. Beginning his career as an actor on stage in classical and contemporary works, he began to work as a character actor in films in the 1980s. He has acted in nu ...
:A police detective assigned to interrogate Emu after identifying Freeman as "Yo" during his assassination of Shudo Shimazaki. He becomes romantically involved with Kimie Hanada after she blackmails him for his cooperation to locate Freeman and Emu. He and Kimie are forced by Freeman to tell the press of Yo Hinomura and Emu Hino's suicide in exchange for their lives. Later in the series, Nitta joins Kimie in becoming a follower of Kumagaism. When he learns that Kimie betrayed Kumaga by falling in love with Freeman, Nitta holds her hostage and demands for the 108 Dragons to send them back to Japan. His demands fall on deaf ears, as members of the 108 Dragons quickly subdue and kill him.
Camorra
;
:
:Leader of the , one of the oldest and most powerful
Italian Mafia
Organized crime in Italy and its criminal organizations have been prevalent in Italy, especially Southern Italy, for centuries and have affected the social and economic life of many Italian regions since at least the 19th century.
There are six ...
s in the world. With the aid of Bái-Yá Shàn and Elder Mercury, Don Carleone instigates a coup d'état to overthrow the 108 Dragons. When Don Carlone has his subordinates kill Elder Mercury and attempt to wipe out the entire hierarchy of the 108 Dragons, Freeman swiftly kills him, effectively crippling the Camorra.
;
:
:A female assassin of the Camorra and Don Carleone's lover who has excellent marksmanship with a
.223 Calico. Of African descent, she disguises herself as a blond-haired white woman and stabs a 108 Dragons subordinate to force him to leave a trail for her to follow all the way to Freeman. Wearing a special titanium body suit that blocks knife attacks and emits a 50,000-volt current that shocks anyone who attempts to stab her, Kitche severely wounds Huáng Dé-Yuán so he can lead her to Freeman. After killing Huáng, Kitche engages Freeman in a knife fight on the 108 Dragons' submarine, but when she lures him into the water and electrocutes him with her body suit, she realizes that Freeman has slit her wrist and the seawater is accelerating her blood loss. Freeman kisses Kitche before she dies and sinks to the bottom of the ocean.
Askari
;
:
:Leader of the (also known as the ), a nomadic terrorist group that instigates riots and political uprisings in the African continent. Naming himself after an African god, Jigon is a master of an
onzil
An onzil (or osele or musele) is a throwing knife of ethnic groups from eastern Gabon ( Kota, Fang, Mbété).
Uses
Looking like an axe
An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been ...
called the "Bird's Head". After killing Jigon's right-hand-man Shikebaro, Freeman follows Shikebaro's mistress Miranda towards Jigon's hideout before he plants a foot knife on Jigon's head. Jigon pulls out the knife and kills Miranda with it before succumbing to his wound.
;
:
:Jigon's second-in-command in the Askari Group. Highly skilled in using the
chakram
Chakram ( sa, , script=latn; pa, , script=latn) is a throwing weapon from the Indian subcontinent. One of its major purposes is to protect the turban and the head from sword/melee attacks. It is circular with a sharpened outer edge and a diame ...
, Shikebaro has personally assassinated 30 European and African VIPs. Freeman proposes for the 108 Dragons to eliminate the Askari Group after thwarting an airliner hijacking by one of Shikebaro's henchmen, but the elders vote against him. After the Askari Group sends an assassin to wipe out the elders, Freeman follows the trail of the scent of Shikebaro's
ambergris
Ambergris ( or , la, ambra grisea, fro, ambre gris), ''ambergrease'', or grey amber is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish colour produced in the digestive system of sperm whales. Freshly produced ambergris has a mari ...
musk cologne and kills him outside his hotel.
; /
:
:The secret leader of the Askari group, Bugnug is an exotic and muscular African beauty specializing in the
mambele
A mambele is a form of hybrid knife/axe in central and southern Africa, originating from a curved throwing dagger used by the Mangbetu.
Description
The mambele consists of an iron blade with a curved back section and rearward spike. It can b ...
. She controls the organization through her lieutenants Jigon and Shikebaro. After Freeman kills Jigon and Shikebaro, Bugnug launches a surprise attack on him. Despite losing a lot of blood, Freeman wins her over in the middle of the fight, resulting in a truce and halt to the fighting between the 108 Dragons and Askari. Bugnug saves Freeman's life through a blood transfusion, as they both share the same blood type. Bugnug falls in love with Freeman, who gives her the name "Dark Eyes", although she knows that he is already married. Since then, the Askari have been a valuable ally to the 108 Dragons, and Bugnug occasionally assists Freeman on assassination missions.
Kumagaism
;
:
:Leader of the cult. He has professional wrestler Oshu Tohgoku abduct Freeman to clone him to make the 108 Dragons part of his cult and arm them with 1,000
Type 100 submachine gun
The was a Japanese submachine gun used during World War II and the only submachine gun produced by Japan in any quantity. It was made in two basic variants referred to by American and British observers as the Type 100/40 and the Type 100/44, the ...
s to take over Japan. Kumaga also has Kimie seduce Freeman for his clone to learn more about him. Little does Kumaga know that Kimie allows Freeman to switch places with his clone, letting Freeman play along with Kumaga's scheme until he traps Kumaga in the 108 Dragons' headquarters. Kumaga recites the "curse of the bear" chant to immobilize Freeman, but he is decapitated by Emu and the Muramasa.
;
:
:A championship
pro wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
, Oshu is a massive, powerful man, standing over two meters tall. It is implied that Oshu secretly assists the Hakushin Society with its killings, and fights with a large dagger designed in the
sword breaker style. Oshu is also a member of Kumagaism, and is instrumental in Kumaga's plot to kidnap Freeman to clone him, nearly killing Bugnug after capturing and raping her. During Freeman's captivity, he comes to develop respect for him, and does not reveal that Freeman had successfully converted Kimie to his side and was posing as the Freeman clone. In a death match with Freeman, his superior size and strength are defeated by Freeman's agility. After Bugnug hits him with a thrown knife as the
coup de grâce
A coup de grâce (; 'blow of mercy') is a death blow to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal. It may be a mercy killing of mortally wounded civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the sufferer's consent. ...
, Oshu asks that the 108 Dragons adopt his family before committing suicide.
Kidnappers Organization (K.O.)
;
:
:A blond-haired woman who leads the . She first learned about Freeman a few years ago during one of his earlier assassinations at a hotel, where she worked as a receptionist and took photos of him during the hit. Ever since that day, she has been sexually obsessed with Freeman. Ten years later, Nina uses the K.O. to lure him in by kidnapping a prominent family in Los Angeles' Chinatown. She succeeds in capturing Freeman, but she is unable to have sex with him due to his lack of interest in her. Meanwhile, Emu leads a mission to rescue her husband and the hostages, as well as to wipe out K.O. for its audacity to attack the 108 Dragons. Nina is killed in the aftermath of this incident. (Note: In the manga, Nina is decapitated by a grenade during the assault. In the anime, Nina attempts to shoot Freeman, but he stabs her in the heart before throwing her off a cliff.)
;
:
:A large, muscular, American ex-soldier with a tattoo of the Japanese deity,
Kishimojin, on his back who serves as the leader of the ex-
Green Berets
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army.
The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal mis ...
in the Kidnappers Organization. During his tour of duty in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
, he was somehow rendered
impotent
Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is the type of sexual dysfunction in which the penis fails to become or stay erect during sexual activity. It is the most common sexual problem in men.Cunningham GR, Rosen RC. Overview of mal ...
. Within K.O., Larry has found a purpose in life to create a place where people like himself can belong to - a country for soldiers. Larry is pitted against Freeman in a duel to the death by Nina and is eventually slain by the assassin.
;Lucky Boyd
:
:A member of the Kidnappers Organization. He is killed by Bái-Yá Shàn during the 108 Dragons' assault on K.O.'s island.
Others
;Boss Wong
:
:Leader of the Wong family, which has controlled
Chinatown in Los Angeles for over 60 years. When the Kidnappers Organization abducts his first daughter and her family, Wong calls Freeman to rescue them.
;Wonshaku
:
:The second daughter of Boss Wong. Wonshaku works for
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a meton ...
in the computer strategy division. Because of this, she is called upon by Wong to assist Freeman in learning more about the Kidnappers Organization. Wonshaku is wounded in an ambush staged by the K.O.; this attack reveals the fact that the K.O.'s true target is Freeman. While Freeman is captured by the K.O., Wonshaku plants a virus in the K.O.'s mainframe before flying to their island to infiltrate their base and recover her sister's family, but her cover is blown when her niece Woh Pei recognizes her.
;
:
:A young ''wakagashira'' (
underboss
Underboss ( it, sottocapo) is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian, Greek, and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss. The under ...
) of a Yakuza group, Tsunaike harbors ambitions to eventually become the leader of all crime syndicates of Asia. His plan to do this involves igniting a gang war between the Yakuza and the 108 Dragons, then taking over their operations with the help of his contacts in the Russian Connection, a Russian mafia. Tsunaike is assisted in his efforts by Tanya, a beautiful Russian assassin who is also his lover. Attacking both Yakuza and members of the 108 Dragons, Tsunaike gradually becomes bolder and eventually sets a trap for Freeman. However, he and Tanya severely underestimate Freeman's abilities as an assassin, and both are killed.
;Tanya
:
:A beautiful Russian woman with short,
bobbed hair and pale skin, Tanya is a highly skilled assassin affiliated with the Russian Connection. Originally sent to aid Tsunaike in his efforts to take over the Yakuza operations in Japan, Tanya eventually becomes Tsunaike's lover and faithful follower. She takes part in several missions to eliminate high-level Yakuza and 108 Dragons leaders on Tsunaike's behalf. When Tsunaike sets a trap to kill Freeman, Tanya challenges the assassin to a duel and is killed.
;
:
:A master assassin nicknamed the . Tateoka ambushes Freeman with his bladed
getas
Getas (Ancient Greek: Γέτας) was a king of the Edoni Thracians.
References
See also
*List of Thracian tribes
This is a list of ancient tribes in Thrace and Dacia ( grc, Θρᾴκη, Δακία) including possibly or partly Thracian ...
laced with poison. Despite being wounded and poisoned, Freeman kills Tateoka by shoving his head under a light post.
Media
Manga
The manga was published in nine volumes, from 29 March 1986 to 1988 (''Weekly Big Comic Spirits'' 1986 #7 to 1988 #21).
Original video animation
The manga was adapted into a six-part
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
OVA
, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
series by
Toei Animation
() is a Japanese animation studio primarily controlled by its namesake Toei Company. It has produced numerous series, including ''Sally the Witch,'' '' GeGeGe no Kitarō,'' '' Mazinger Z'', '' Galaxy Express 999'', '' Cutie Honey'', '' Dr. Slu ...
that was released from September 1988 to January 1994.
The first five episodes of the ''Crying Freeman'' OVA were dubbed in English by
Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English-dubbed Japanese animation.
History Founding
Founded in Los Angeles, California, in late 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first No ...
and released on VHS from January 1994 to February 1995. Following the demise of Streamline Pictures, the series was re-released on DVD by
A.D. Vision in 2003. The ''Complete Collection'' boxed set, released on January 27, 2004, includes episode 6, which features a new English dub featuring the original Streamline cast.
Discotek Media
Discotek Media is an American entertainment company based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, focused on distribution and licensing Japanese anime, films, and television series.
Formed in 2005, Discotek primarily focuses on licensing retro titles fr ...
reissued the ''Complete Collection'' boxed set on February 22, 2011.
References
External links
*
{{Toei Animation OVAs
1986 manga
1988 anime OVAs
ADV Films
Dark Horse Comics titles
Discotek Media
Fictional assassins in comics
Kazuo Koike
Manga adapted into films
Ryoichi Ikegami
Seinen manga
Triad (organized crime)
Toei Animation original video animation
Viz Media manga
Yakuza in anime and manga