Yaiba
YAIBA was the second ongoing manga series created by Gosho Aoyama. It ran from 1988 to 1993 in Shonen Sunday and later had an anime known as Kenyu Densetsu Yaiba (剣勇伝説YAIBA Ken'yū Densetsu Yaiba , "Legend of the Swordmaster Yaiba") that ran from April 9, 1993 to April 1, 1994. The manga was collected into 24 volumes originally and released three more times after that: the wide version (12 volumes), the paperback version (10 volumes), and re-release version (24 volumes). A video game for the Super Famicom, as well as a game for the Nintendo Game Boy, were also both released.
The story was about a young samurai and his adventures in modern day Japan. There have been numerous references to it in Detective Conan.
Contents
Plot summary
In order to train his first son, Yaiba Kurogane, to be a great samurai, Kenjuro Kurogane raises him in the African wilderness. But during training one day, along with their new pet tiger Kagetora, they are caught in a box of pineapples about to be shipped to Japan. At the Tokyo airport, Kenjuro runs into his old kendo rival Raizo Mine and his daughter, Sayaka. Kenjuro leaves Yaiba with Raizo and Sayaka (despite their protestations) and heads off on a journey.
Meanwhile, Yaiba makes instant enemies with Sayaka's school's kendo star, Takeshi Onimaru. After losing in a duel to Yaiba, Onimaru begins training with his family's Fuujin-ken (Wind God Sword) and becomes possessed and starts to take over Japan. To combat this, Yaiba seeks out the Raijin-ken (Lightning God Sword) and is trained by the legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto. Onimaru sends wave after wave of minions after Yaiba and his friends, leading to a final showdown at his flying castle.
In the second part of the story, Yaiba's use of the sacred Dragon Orbs to help defeat Onimaru reawakens the evil princess of the Rabbit People, Kaguya. Kaguya seeks out the youth of all of the women of the world for herself. Ultimately, Yaiba has to join forces with Onimaru to defeat Kaguya and her strongest minion Gekko.
Characters
- See also: List of minor Yaiba characters
Yaiba's group
Picture | Name | English Name | Role |
---|---|---|---|
Yaiba Kurogane | -- | Main character of the series who travels to Japan to become a samurai. | |
Sayaka Mine | -- | High school student and only daughter of the Mine family. | |
Kenjuro Kurogane | -- | Yaiba's and Moroha's father and Raizo's old rival. | |
Musashi Miyamoto | -- | Legendary swordsman who took it upon himself to guard the Raijin sword and acts as Yaiba's teacher after Yaiba obtains the sword. | |
Kojiro Sasaki | -- | Musashi's famous rival, revived by Onimaru to defeat Yaiba. Kojiro makes several attempts to defeat Yaiba or at least steal the Raijin sword, but ultimately he ends up joining him against Onimaru. He fights using an extendable sword and is a notorious womanizer. | |
Jubei Yagyu | -- | The famous historical one-eyed samurai, revived by Onimaru using a wolf as the host body. Though he usually looks like a normal human being, he becomes an uncontrollable werewolf when drunk. Because they have the same master (Musashi), he reforms and joins Yaiba after losing to him. | |
Kagetora | -- | Yaiba's pet tiger. In the manga, Yaiba meets Kagetora in the jungle after Kagetora attempts to eat him and vice versa. Kagetora then accompanies Yaiba on his journey to Japan. | |
Shonosuke | -- | Yaiba's pet vulture. The circumstances of how and when Yaiba met Shonosuke are never explained in the manga or the anime adaptation. | |
Gerozaimon Geroda | -- | A frog man, originally one of Onimaru's minions, revived by using a normal frog as the host body. After losing to Yaiba and learning from another minion that Onimaru views him as expendable, he reforms and joins Yaiba for the remainder of the series. Although mostly comical, he has been shown to be a skilled fighter, mainly using his sticky tongue and a battle axe to fight. | |
Namako-Otoko | -- | Another one of Onimaru's former minions who sides with Yaiba. He is mostly inactive after reforming but is usually seen on Sayaka's shoulder. His name literally means "Sea Cucumber Man". | |
Moroha Kurogane | -- | Yaiba's long lost little sister, raised by their mother to hate Kenjuro. She joins her brother for the final arc of the manga. |
Onimaru faction
Picture | Name | English Name | Role |
---|---|---|---|
Takeshi Onimaru | -- | Main antagonist of the series and Yaiba's rival. After obtaining the Fuujin sword, he becomes a demon determined to take over Japan. | |
Kumo-Otoko | -- | Another of Onimaru's minions, he ends up becoming his right hand man and secretary. After his introduction, he is mostly comical and is rarely shown to be competent at anything. His name literally means "Spider Man". |
Dragon God Orbs arc
Picture | Name | English Name | Role |
---|---|---|---|
Professor Kanabo | -- | Genius professor recruited by Onimaru and Kumo-Otoko to strengthen Onimaru Castle's defenses with the Onimaru Cannon and to repair the Fuujin sword. |
Kaguya arc
Picture | Name | English Name | Role |
---|---|---|---|
60px | Kaguya | -- | The empress of the moon, ruler to a race of bunny people living on the moon, and the second major antagonist of the series. Awakened by Yaiba using the Dragon Orb, she and her army seek to invade the earth. Her kiss can drain a person's youth. |
60px | Tsukikage | -- | Kaguya's right-hand man and Gekko's older brother. His name literally means "Moon Shadow". |
60px | Gekko | -- | Kaguya's most powerful warrior, an anthropomorphic rabbit with a scar over one eye. He is ruthless and so powerful that Yaiba and Onimaru have to team up to stop him. His name literally means "Moonlight". |
60px | Mangetsu | -- | One of Kaguya's generals. His name literally means "Full Moon". |
60px | Mikazuki | -- | One of Kaguya's generals. His name literally means "Crescent Moon". |
60px | Shingetsu | -- | One of Kaguya's generals. His name literally means "New Moon". |
60px | Hangetsu | -- | One of Kaguya's generals. His name literally means "Half Moon". |
Oda Nobunaga tournament arc
Picture | Name | English Name | Role |
---|---|---|---|
Soshi Okita | -- | The final antagonist of the series. |
Others
Picture | Name | English Name | Role |
---|---|---|---|
Raizo Mine | -- | Sayaka's father and Kenjuro's old rival. A kendo master, he now runs his own dojo. | |
Shizuka Mine | -- | Sayaka's mother. | |
60px | Sayaka's Grandmother | -- | Raizo's mother who runs the Mine household. She is very knowledgeable in kendo and even trains Yaiba a bit before Musashi appears. She is commonly referred to as Goinkyou (ご隠居 Retired Person ). |
Ayame Onimaru | -- | -- | |
Takeshi's Grandfather | -- | -- |
Chapters
Volume 1-10 - Chapters 001-099
Vol. | Chapters | Japanese | English | Plot | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Release date | ISBN | Release date | ISBN | |||
01 | 1-9 | April 18, 1989 July 15, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122271-4 | |||
02 | 10-19 | June 17, 1989 July 15, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122272-2 | |||
03 | 20-29 | August 18, 1989 July 15, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122273-0 | |||
04 | 30-39 | October 18, 1989 August 6, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122274-9 | |||
05 | 40-49 | December 14, 1989 August 6, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122275-7 | |||
06 | 50-59 | March 17, 1990 August 6, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122276-5 | |||
07 | 60-69 | May 18, 1990 September 17, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122277-3 | |||
08 | 70-79 | July 18, 1990 September 17, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122278-1 | |||
09 | 80-89 | October 18, 1990 September 17, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122279-X | |||
10 | 90-99 | February 18, 1991 October 18, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122280-3 |
Volume 11-20 - Chapters 100-209
Vol. | Chapters | Japanese | English | Plot | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Release date | ISBN | Release date | ISBN | |||
11 | 100-110 | May 18, 1991 October 18, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122561-6 | |||
12 | 111-121 | July 18, 1991 October 18, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122562-4 | |||
13 | 122-132 | September 18, 1991 November 18, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122563-2 | |||
14 | 133-143 | November 18, 1991 November 18, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122564-0 | |||
15 | 144-154 | January 18, 1992 December 16, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122565-9 | |||
16 | 155-165 | April 17, 1992 December 16, 2004 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122566-7 | |||
17 | 166-176 | June 18, 1992 January 14, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122567-5 | |||
18 | 177-187 | August 10, 1992 January 14, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122568-3 | |||
19 | 188-198 | November 18, 1992 February 18, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122569-1 | |||
20 | 199-209 | February 18, 1993 February 18, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-122570-5 |
Volume 21-24 - Chapters 210-255
Vol. | Chapters | Japanese | English | Plot | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Release date | ISBN | Release date | ISBN | |||
21 | 210-221 | May 18, 1993 March 18, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-123231-0 | |||
22 | 222-232 | July 17, 1993 March 18, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-123232-9 | |||
23 | 233-243 | October 18, 1993 April 18, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-123233-7 | |||
24 | 244-255 | February 18, 1994 April 18, 2005 (reissue) |
ISBN 4-09-123234-5 |
Story arcs
- Eight Demons Arc (Lightning God Sword / Wind God Sword)
- Onimaru Castle Arc
- Dragon Orb Arc
- Kaguya Arc (Dragon God Sword / Demon King Sword)
- Anime ended here
- Pyramid Arc (Supreme King Sword)
- Underworld Arc
- Great Dragon Arc
- Nobunaga Tournament Arc (Wood Sword)
Anime
Yaiba in Detective Conan
- In volume 2 of Detective Conan, Yaiba is seen playing on a TV. Likewise, in the last episode of the Yaiba anime, Conan and Ran are seen on a TV.
- The characer Kamen Yaiba is a parody of Kamen Rider, using "Yaiba" instead of "Rider".
- In Conan vs Kid vs Yaiba - The Decisive Battle Over the Treasured Sword!, Mitsuhiko lends Conan all 24 volumes of Yaiba. Also, various characters in the Yaiba series play a major role in the OVA.
- Ran's cell-phone strap has a key-chain figure of Namako-Otoko attached to it.
- At the Halloween Party Murder Case, people dressed as Onimaru, Gerozaemon, Kumo-Otoko, the kappa Kerokichi (a one-time character) can be seen.
- The names of the characters in the movie Star Blade VI are rearranged versions of the historical names in Yaiba and have similarities to each character: Dark Sashim (ダーク・サシム) is Musashi (ムサシ) and uses two swords, Bay Jew (ベイ・ジュウ) is Jubei (十兵衛) and has an eyepatch, Kisasa (キササ) is Sasaki (Kojiro) (佐々木) and uses a long sword, and Dark Takio (ダーク・タキオ) is Okita (沖田) and resembles and evil god.
- In the Onsen Murder Case, Professor Agasa invents a device for testing onsen temperatures and quality that is designed to look like Ishikawa Goemon, but rather than a traditional Goemon design it resembles the revived Goemon from the Dragon Orbs Arc.
- Many of the same voice actors appear in Yaiba and Detective Conan: Minami Takayama (Yaiba and Conan), Kotono Mitsuishi (Sayaka and Kir), Ryo Horikawa (Onimaru and Heiji), and Unsho Ishizuka (Raizo and Nakamori). Other DC actors voiced one-time characters in Yaiba: Kappei Yamaguchi (Kerokichi and Shinichi/Kaitou Kid), Wataru Takagi (Starfishman and Genta/Takagi), and Fumihiko Tachiki (Yakitori-kun and Vodka).
Yaiba in Magic Kaito
- In chapter 18 of Magic Kaito (which the first Detective Conan OVA is based on), Kid attempts to steal a sacred sword from the Mine house and ends up fighting Yaiba. Also, Kuroba and Nakamori are mentioned in the the final chapter of Yaiba.
Gallery
See also
External links
Yaiba | ||
---|---|---|
Main Characters | Yaiba Kurogane • Sayaka Mine • Musashi Miyamoto • Takeshi Onimaru • Kojiro Sasaki • Jubei Yagyu • Shonosuke • Kagetora • Gerozaimon Geroda • Namako-Otoko | |
Secondary Characters | Kenjuro Kurogane • Raizo Mine • Shizuka Mine • Grandma Mine • Moroha Kurogane • Michiko Kurogane • Soshi Okita • Kumo-Otoko • List of minor Yaiba characters | |
Manga | Yaiba Manga Volume 1-10 • 11-20 • 21-24 • Volume 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 | |
OVA adaptations | Yaiba (pilot OVA) • Conan vs. Kid vs. Yaiba - The Grand Battle for the Treasure Sword!! | |
Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba | List of episodes • Staff | |
Games | Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba (Super Famicom) • Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba (Game Boy) • Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba (Sega Game Gear) • List of games | |
Crossovers | The Kendo Tournament of Love and Mystery • The Scarlet School Trip • List of crossovers | |
Related Articles | Swords used in Yaiba • Yaoya • Ekoda High School • Play It Again • K∀ITO |