is a Japanese
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 ...
television series by
Wit Studio
(stylised as WIT STUDIO) is a Japanese animation studio founded on June 1, 2012, by producers at Production I.G as a subsidiary of IG Port. It is headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, with Production I.G producer George Wada as president and Te ...
. It was broadcast for 12 episodes on
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...
's
Noitamina
is a Japanese programming block on Fuji TV devoted to anime, originally broadcast every Thursday late night/Friday morning from 00:45 to 1:15. It was launched with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typical young male dem ...
programming block from April to June 2016. The series was streamed on
Amazon Prime Instant Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pri ...
service. Two compilation films premiered in Japanese theaters in December 2016 and January 2017.
Crunchyroll and
Funimation
Crunchyroll, LLC, previously known as Funimation from 1994 to 2022, is an American entertainment company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony as a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex that specializes ...
co-released the anime on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States; Crunchyroll also acquired the merchandise rights.
An anime theatrical film that is set six months after the anime series, titled ''Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato'' premiered in May 2019. A
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
version was released as a three-part series in 2019.
Plot
A mysterious virus appears during the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
that transforms infected humans into and rapidly spreads. ''Kabane'' are aggressive,
undead
The undead are beings in mythology, legend, or fiction that are deceased but behave as if alive. Most commonly the term refers to corporeal forms of formerly-alive humans, such as mummies, vampires, and zombies, who have been reanimated by supe ...
creatures that cannot be defeated unless the glowing golden heart, which is protected by a layer of iron, is pierced, or an important body part is completely severed (such as the head). Unfortunately, most melee weapons and the steam-pressure guns used by the are not very effective against them.
On the island country , people have built fortress-like "stations" to shelter themselves from these creatures. People access the stations and transport wares between them with the help of . One day, a ''hayajirō'' hijacked by the ''kabane'' crashes into Aragane Station and they overrun the city. A young engineer called Ikoma uses the opportunity to test with success his anti-''kabane'' weapon, the , but is infected in the process, although he manages to resist the virus and become a , a human-''kabane'' hybrid. Assisted by , another ''Kabaneri'' who appears to help them, Ikoma and the other survivors of the station board a ''hayajirō'' named and depart to seek shelter elsewhere, fighting the hordes of ''kabane'' along the way.
Characters
;
:
:A young man who makes a living as a steamsmith at Aragane Station. He and his good friend Takumi developed a
bolt gun-like weapon called a ''piercing gun'' in order to defeat the Kabane. He is very intelligent and a great craftman, even going as far as to invent and create a piercing gun with enough strength to break the metal cage around a Kabane's heart. When Aragane Station is invaded by Kabane, Ikoma is able to successfully test his piercing gun, killing a Kabane with the bullet destroying the metal cage protecting its heart, but is unfortunately bitten in the process. He is able to prevent the virus from reaching his brain by blocking his carotid arteries, transforming him into a human/Kabane hybrid, a Kabaneri. After becoming a Kabaneri, his fighting prowess increases. He gains incredible strength and endurance, even shrugging off gunfire and being bitten by Kabane multiple times. Ikoma and Mumei are often fighting alongside each other against many Kabane and work exceedingly well as a duo. Ikoma makes a promise to Mumei to someday turn her back into a human as he failed to do so in his childhood for his sister. Ikoma is the lead protagonist of the ''Kabaneri'' series.
;
:
:A mysterious and anonymous girl who boards the hayajiro ''Kotetsujo'' and appears at Aragane Station. She is revealed to be a Kabaneri as well as a very strong and agile fighter, capable of killing dozens of Kabane with ease. She became a Kabaneri through a surgical operation as the result of her brainwashing by Biba, making her believe unless she became stronger, she would also end up like her mother. Constant fighting can leave her sleepy and like Ikoma, she requires blood to stop herself from attacking other people. Her birth name is and she was named Mumei by Biba when he "saved" her as a child. She and Ikoma often fight Kabane together and make a great duo. She treasures Ikoma's promise to one day turn her back into a human. Over the course of the series, Mumei develops feelings for Ikoma. Mumei is the lead heroine of the ''Kabaneri'' series.
;
:
:The eldest daughter of the Yomogawa family, which governs Aragane Station. After her father is infected, she becomes the leader of the Aragane survivors. Despite her noble status, she's reasonable and understanding, even offering her blood to the Kabaneri. She is also an expert Archer using a steam powered bow. Ayame seems to have feelings for Kurusu, her bodyguard and friend who is around her age. She occasionally practices
Kendo with him, and Kurusu frequently blushes around her.
;
:
:A young
Bushi who serves the Yomogawa family as Ayame's personal bodyguard. Among Bushi his skill with a sword is considerable. He is usually somber and honest, and he maintains his honor as a Bushi. Despite initially resenting Ikoma, he eventually recognizes the Kabaneri's usefulness and also starts to respect him. He is later given a reinforced katana that can pierce a Kabane's heart with ease. Kurusu seems to have feelings for Lady Ayame, as he frequently blushes around her.
;
:
:Ikoma's best friend and fellow steam smith, who helped him develop his piercing gun. Towards the end of the series, he is killed by Biba while protecting Ikoma.
;
:
:Ikoma and Takumi's friend and fellow steam smith. A friendly and warm-hearted girl takes care of the children that lost their families to the Kabane.
;
:
:A crew member of the ''Kotetsujo''. A stoic and taciturn girl who, despite being only an apprentice, becomes the ''Kotetsujos engineer and driver out of necessity. She might have feelings for Sukari, which are implied in ''The Battle of Unato'' film.
;
:
:A steam smith who lives at Aragane Station. Despite his aloof personality, he's a good mechanic and a decent fighter. He might have feelings for Yukina, which are implied in ''The Battle of Unato'' film.
;
:
:A Bushi who serves the Yomogawa family. Unlike other Bushis, he's reasonable and even friendly to the Kabaneri. He and his fellow Bushi are later given reinforced bullets that can penetrate the Kabane more easily. He is also good friends with Kurusu.
;
:
:The train's chief mechanic who has hair like a 17th-century wig and speaks with English phrases. Also serves as the narrator for the series' episode previews.
;
:
:The Leader of the and the eldest son of the ''
shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamak ...
''. Charismatic, ruthless and manipulative, he inducted Mumei in his philosophy of strength superiority, where the weak don't deserve to live and should not even have the will to. He greatly resents his father for abandoning him and the 400,000 men he sent to fight on the front lines by essentially starving them of supplies. This made him develop his philosophy, making his purpose from that point to kill his father and show him how weak his fear made him. To do that he intends to destroy the Kongokaku (the ''shōgun''s stronghold) using artificially created Kabaneri, and the blue blood he developed, making artificial hybrid colonies when injected with huge destructive power.
;
:
:A Kabaneri member of the Hunters. She is turned into a by Biba in order to destroy the Iwato Station, only for the virus to go out of control and mutate her even more. She only stops at the sight of Biba at which point he callously murders her.
;
:
:The Captain of the Hunters, who serves under Biba Amatori.
;
:
:The erstwhile Lord of Unato Station. Five years before the Battle of Unato, he shared a close and loving relationship with his daughter, Miyuki. However, when the Station is attacked by the Kabane, he is infected with the virus. However, he becomes a Kabaneri instead of a full-fledged Kabane. He is surrounded by soldiers threatening to shoot him; he asks his friend, Unmo, whether he is a man or a Kabane. Miyuki tries to stop the soldiers from shooting her father, only to be mistakenly killed. A devastated and enraged Kageyuki goes on a rampage and brutally murders the soldiers in the room. Unmo escapes, but Kageyuki bites his daughter's corpse, wanting her to come back by any means necessary, turning her into a Nue. The Nue forms a nest around the Unato Castle, keeping Unato trapped in a perennial battle against the Kabane.
Media
Anime
''Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress'' was directed by
Tetsurō Araki
is a Japanese animator, storyboard artist, and director. He goes by the alias when working as an episode director and key animator. His most notable direction titles include '' Death Note'' and the first three seasons of '' Attack on Titan''.
...
and written by
Ichirō Ōkouchi
is a Japanese screenwriter and novelist. He is a graduate of Waseda University, School of Human Sciences.
Ōkouchi is best known for collaborating with director Gorō Taniguchi for composing the story and script of the Sunrise original producti ...
, with music by
Hiroyuki Sawano
is a Japanese composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist, and Music Producer best known for his work on many anime series, video games, television dramas, and movies. His works include the musical scores for ''Attack on Titan'', '' The Seven Dead ...
and original character designs by
Haruhiko Mikimoto. The series was broadcast on
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...
's
Noitamina
is a Japanese programming block on Fuji TV devoted to anime, originally broadcast every Thursday late night/Friday morning from 00:45 to 1:15. It was launched with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typical young male dem ...
block from April 8 to June 30, 2016, with a total of 12 episodes. A prologue for the anime premiered for a week in theaters across Japan starting March 18, 2016.
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
streamed the series on their
Amazon Prime Instant Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pri ...
service. Two compilation films premiered in Japanese theaters on December 31, 2016, and January 7, 2017.
Crunchyroll and
Funimation
Crunchyroll, LLC, previously known as Funimation from 1994 to 2022, is an American entertainment company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony as a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex that specializes ...
co-released the anime on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States; Crunchyroll also acquired the merchandise rights.
An anime theatrical film that is set six months after the anime series, titled , premiered on May 10, 2019.
A Netflix version was released as a three-part series in 2019.
Films
Three feature length anime theatrical films were released between 2016 and 2019. The first two films, which are recaps of the first and second halves of the TV series, premiered in Japanese theaters on December 31, 2016, and January 7, 2017. The third film, titled ''Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato'', takes place six months after the events of the TV series and revolves around the Battle of Unato. It premiered on May 10, 2019. ''The Battle of Unato'' was streamed internationally on September 13, 2019 as a
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
original consisting of three episodes.
Other
A
manga adaptation, illustrated by Shirō Yoshida, was serialized in
Mag Garden
is a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix ...
's ''
Monthly Comic Garden
is a Japanese manga magazine published by Mag Garden. It was first published on September 1, 2014, replacing the defunct ''Comic Blade''.
Series
*''Amadeus Code''
*''Amber Days and Golden Nights'' (ongoing)
*''The Ancient Magus' Bride'' (ongoi ...
'' magazine from May 2, 2016 to November 5, 2018. Mag Garden released four ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese term for a book that is not part of an anthology or corpus. In modern Japanese, the term is most often used in reference to individual volumes of a manga series: most series first appear as individual chapters in a weekly or ...
'' volumes from December 10, 2016 and December 10, 2018.
A
mobile game developed by TriFort, Inc. and published by
DMM Games
is a Japan-based electronic commerce and Internet company with a diversified group of businesses that includes online shopping, eikaiwa, and video on demand service. The company manages DMM.com, an online entertainment site that allows users to ...
titled was released on December 19, 2018 for
Android and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
, featuring an animated opening sequence by Wit Studio.
Music
The soundtrack was composed by
Hiroyuki Sawano
is a Japanese composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist, and Music Producer best known for his work on many anime series, video games, television dramas, and movies. His works include the musical scores for ''Attack on Titan'', '' The Seven Dead ...
and was released by
Aniplex
is a Japanese anime, music production and anime licensee company owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Established in September 1995, Aniplex has been involved in the production and distribution of several anime series, such as both '' Fullm ...
on May 18, 2016. The opening theme is "Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress" by
Egoist
Egoism is a philosophy concerned with the role of the self, or , as the motivation and goal of one's own action. Different theories of egoism encompass a range of disparate ideas and can generally be categorized into descriptive or normativ ...
and the ending theme is "ninelie" by
Aimer
is a Japanese pop singer and lyricist signed to SACRA MUSIC and managed by agehasprings. Her name comes from the verb "Aimer" in French, which means "to love". Aimer uses the name aimerrhythm for lyrics credits.
Debuted in 2011, she has relea ...
with
chelly. For episode 11, the ending theme is "Through My Blood
" by Aimer.
Track listing
All music composed by Hiroyuki Sawano
is a Japanese composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist, and Music Producer best known for his work on many anime series, video games, television dramas, and movies. His works include the musical scores for ''Attack on Titan'', '' The Seven Dead ...
.
Reception
The series won the 2016 Newtype Anime Awards
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime (and to a lesser extent, tokusatsu, manga, Japanese science fiction, seiyuu, and video games). It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985, w ...
for Best TV Anime, Best Soundtrack, Best Character Design, Best Screenplay and Best Studio.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{Newtype Anime Award - Best Television
2016 anime television series debuts
Anime composed by Hiroyuki Sawano
Anime films composed by Hiroyuki Sawano
Anime with original screenplays
Aniplex
Crunchyroll anime
Animated television series by Amazon Studios
Dark fantasy anime and manga
Fiction about diseases and disorders
Films with screenplays by Ichirō Ōkouchi
Funimation
IG Port franchises
Noitamina
Mag Garden manga
Military anime and manga
Post-apocalyptic anime and manga
Shōnen manga
Steampunk anime and manga
Television shows set in Asia
Television shows set in Japan
Television shows written by Ichirō Ōkouchi
Video games scored by Hiroyuki Sawano
Wit Studio
Zombies in anime and manga
Alternate history anime and manga