Kino's Journey

In ''Kino's Journey'', the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. She only spends three days and two nights in every town, without exception, on the principle that three days is enough time to learn almost everything important about a place, while leaving time to explore new lands. Kino says in The Land of Visible Pain that this principle is probably a lie, specifically noting "if I stay any longer, I'm afraid I will settle down." The recurring theme of the anime and novels is described by the phrase, "The world is not beautiful, therefore it is." ''Kino's Journey'' explores what the anime director Ryūtarō Nakamura described as "a radical sense of 'beauty and brutality, loneliness, nonsense, oppression and tragedy are often juxtaposed against compassion and a fairy-tale atmosphere. For protection and hunting, Kino carries a .44 single-action revolver (called "the Cannon", based on a Colt Walker) that uses liquid explosives in place of gunpowder and a .22 automatic pistol (named "the Woodsman", based on a Colt Woodsman). Later in Kino's adventures in the novels, Kino also uses a pump-action shotgun (based on a Winchester M1897) and a semi-automatic sniper rifle (called "the Flute", based on an M14 rifle), along with a variety of other tools, including knives. In the anime, Kino is shown to carry no fewer than five knives, including one which can fire .22 bullets from its hilt. Kino is an unusually quick draw and practices every day before dawn. Technology in this world exists, sometimes to the level of science fiction, although anachronisms are common (for example, the same land that has talking robots also appears to have phonographs, yet simultaneously the world has only begun to develop heavier-than-air flight). The level of technology also varies from country to country. The world is not heavily magical (the only "magical" elements include land that moves, talking vehicles, and a talking dog), although it has a certain fairy-tale quality. ==Characters==

; : :Kino is the main protagonist in the series and travels to different countries with her talking motorcycle Hermes, discovering their cultures and people. In the anime, Kino's sex is ambiguous in the beginning, but is confirmed to be female in the fourth episode, when she first meets Hermes and adopts the name "Kino" from another traveler. Throughout the series, Kino typically avoids discussing her gender and does not treat it as central to her identity, responding to questions about it with indifference or deflection. Kino is skilled in combat, carrying both guns and knives, and is accustomed to life as a traveler. To those she meets, she is invariably polite and answers questions directly. ; : :Hermes is a talking Brough Superior motorcycle and is Kino's loyal companion; although it can be reluctant sometimes, it faithfully accompanies Kino in her travels. The relationship between Kino and Hermes is presented as symbiotic—as explained in the Land of Adults where Hermes provides speed, and Kino provides balance. In the first couple of episodes of the anime and almost all of the chapters in the novels, it has a tendency to mispronounce words and phrases. Its name is a reference to the Greek god Hermes. Although its name is spelled "Hermes", in the third book it is emphasized that the "H" in its name is silent. ;; : :Not much is known about the original Kino, only that he is a young man with glasses and a calm demeanor who traveled by the same three-day rule that the main character Kino does. He arrived to the Land of Adults and was most likely the reason why the main character goes on her journey after he dies protecting her from the customs of her country. She often makes statements similar to the original Kino's and even quotes him on occasion. In the novels, the original Kino explains that he makes a living selling medicinal herbs and unusual items he finds while traveling. ; : :Shizu is a young man with a great talent for swordsmanship. He travels in a dune buggy with Riku, his talking dog companion. He appears in multiple stories just about him, Riku and Ti in the novels. Riku narrates all but one of these stories. Later in the novels, Kino and Hermes meet up with Shizu and Riku again, but Kino seems to remember only Riku's name. ; : :Riku is a talking dog of the Samoyed breed who travels with Shizu. He is large, white, and his face seems to be always smiling. Apparently, in the anime, Riku has only spoken to Hermes, as Kino does not believe Riku can speak when told about the discussion Hermes had with him. In the original anime version, Riku also speaks to Shizu, but in the English version, only barks or whimpers to him in these instances. In the novels, Riku speaks to both Kino and Hermes. In the 2017 anime, he speaks to both Kino and Hermes, much to the surprise of the latter. ; : :Ti, also known as Tifana, is a 12-year-old child Shizu befriends in the Ship Country. When Shizu decides to leave, she refuses to separate from him and decides to kill herself along with him. After being stopped by Kino, Ti is taken in by Shizu, traveling with him and Riku since then. Ti's weapon of choice is grenades, and she carries a bag containing a number of them for self-defense. ; : :Sakura is a girl from the country Kino visited in the last episode of the first anime series. She shares many similarities to Kino, such as her parents also owning an inn. In the English version of the first anime series, her name is changed to Lily in order to preserve the explanation that her name, pronounced slightly differently, becomes an insult. The children call her "Silly Willy" instead of and in this version. ; : :Shishou is Kino's master who taught her marksmanship. She lives in the forest and does not travel. Her actual name is unknown; "Shishou" is a title meaning "mentor" or "master" (although Kino does not realize this at first). In the final episode of the first anime series, which chronologically takes place before most other episodes, the gunsmith who repaired Kino's Cannon recognized it and told Kino that he once knew a young woman who insisted everyone call her "Shishou". She traveled between countries and stirred up trouble wherever she went. In the novels, multiple stories are devoted to her travels alongside a man referred to as her "student", when she was in her late twenties. She and her student are shown as being incredibly greedy, even to the point of being cruel. They travel in a battered yellow car resembling a Subaru 360. ==Media==

Light novels 's English release of the first light novel volume featured a radically redesigned cover. ''Kino's Journey'' began as a series of light novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa, and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. The series originally started serialization in MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp with the release of volume six on March 17, 2000. The first volume of the series was published on July 10, 2000, by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing imprint. As of November 2020, 23 volumes have been published. The eighth volume of ''Kino's Journey, originally published in October 2004, was Dengeki Bunko'''s 1000th published novel. An additional volume entitled was only released as a promotional gift for the second animated movie. A collection of special chapters entitled came with the first volume of ASCII Media Works' light novel magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine on April 10, 2008. In commemoration of Dengeki Bunko's 20th anniversary, ''Kino's Journey'' was serialized weekly from April to September 2013 in several Japanese regional newspapers. The ten stories serialized during this period were included in the 17th volume published in October of the same year. The previous 16 volumes were released with new cover artwork also in commemoration of the anniversary. The first volume of a spin-off of the regular series titled Gakuen Kino was published on July 10, 2006, under Dengeki Bunko; as of May 2021, seven volumes have been released. The series is a collection of parodies originally published in three spin-off magazines of Dengeki hp: Dengeki p, Dengeki h, and Dengeki hpa. The spin-off features Kino as a magical girl in a school setting. Gakuen Kino was translated into Chinese and Korean. Art books and manga A 96-page art book containing illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi was released by ASCII Media Works in March 2003. The book contained illustrations from ''Kino's Journey and the Allison series of light novels, which is created by the same people as Kino's Journey. Also included in the art book are original illustrations never released in the novel volumes, and an original Kino's Journey'' short story by Keiichi Sigsawa. Two more artbooks from Kouhaku Kuroboshi were released in commemoration of the novel series' 15th anniversary. These artbooks include illustrations from ''Kino's Journey up to the 18th volume, Gakuen Kino, all of the Allison'' light novels, and other novels by Keiichi Sigsawa, as well as artwork by Kouhaku Kuroboshi as Takeshi Iizuka. Three picture books were also released by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel label. The first, released on December 3, 2003, contained forty-eight pages and is entitled . The first picture book came bundled with an audio CD containing image songs (one of which is based on the tune of Pachelbel's Canon). The second book was released in two editions, with the difference between the two being a DVD of the first animated film ''Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something —Life Goes On—. The third book came bundled with a DVD of the second animated film Kino's Journey: Country of Illness —For You—. The manga continued serialization until volume 14 of Dengeki G's Festival! Comic'' published on October 26, 2010. It was transferred to ASCII Media Works' ''Dengeki G's Magazine with the December 2010 issue and ran until the June 2012 issue. It was compiled in three volumes. A manga adaptation of Kino's Journey'', drawn by Iruka Shiomiya, was serialized in Kodansha's Shōnen Magazine Edge from March 17, 2017, to August 17, 2020. Its chapters were collected in eight tankōbon volumes. An English translation was published by Kodansha USA under the Vertical Comics imprint from February 2019 to April 2021. A second manga, with art by Gou, was serialized from the July 2017 issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh magazine released on May 27, 2017, to the February 2020 issue released on December 27, 2019. It was collected in five tankōbon volumes. Anime An anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T and Genco, and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura, aired on the WOWOW satellite television network between April 8 and July 8, 2003, containing 13 episodes. The anime series was also rebroadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax, which also aired the series across its worldwide networks in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia. The episodes were released on six DVD compilations released between June 18 and November 19, 2003; the first volume contained three episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained two episodes. The series was re-released on DVD in popular editions again in six volumes, with the first three volumes bundled together and sold on January 19, 2005, and the last three volumes bundled together and sold on February 16, 2005. In addition to the main series, there is also a 12-minute-long prologue titled "Episode 0: The Tower Country —Freelance—" which was released as an original video animation with the first animated film's DVD release on October 19, 2005. The anime's opening theme is "All the way" by Mikuni Shimokawa and the ending theme is "The Beautiful World" by Ai Maeda; both singles were released on June 18, 2003. A second anime television series adaptation titled ''Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— the Animated Series'' aired 12 episodes between October 6 and December 22, 2017. It was animated by Lerche and produced by Egg Firm. The series is directed by Tomohisa Taguchi, with Yukie Sugawara supervising scripts and Ryoko Amisaki designing the characters. The opening theme is "Here and There" and the ending theme is , both by Nagi Yanagi. and Funimation released the series with a simuldub. Films Two anime films have been created as part of the ''Kino's Journey'' series. The first, was produced by A.C.G.T and directed by Takashi Watanabe. It premiered in Japanese theaters on February 19, 2005. Spanning 30-minutes, the film is a prequel to the series, showing Kino being trained by her teacher, learning to ride Hermes, and discovering her naturally excellent marksmanship before eventually deciding to return the original Kino's coat to his mother. The ending theme for the first animated film is by Ai Maeda, and was released on Maeda's Night Fly album on March 16, 2005. The second film, , premiered on April 21, 2007, as one of the three movies released at Dengeki Bunko's Movie Festival. Produced by Shaft and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura, it follows Kino and Hermes journey to a highly advanced country where the people live confined in a sealed environment. By request of her father, Kino tells about her travels to a sick girl who is hospitalized there. The second animated film's ending theme is "Bird" by Mikuni Shimokawa, and the single was released on March 14, 2007. Other media A ''Kino's Journey'' drama CD was available through mail order via volume fifteen of MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp released on December 18, 2001. The drama tracks on the CD were originally broadcast on ASCII Media Works' radio program Dengeki Taishō in 2001. ''Kino's Journey has been adapted into two visual novel adventure games for the PlayStation 2 by Tycoon and ASCII Media Works. The first game, titled Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World—'', was released on July 17, 2003, and a "best" version was later released on November 25, 2004. Most of the story for the first game is taken from volumes one, two, three, five, and six of the original light novels, but there is one scenario written specifically for the game by Keiichi Sigsawa. The original soundtrack for the first visual novel was released on July 24, 2003. Like the first game, most of the story is taken from the light novels, but there is another original scenario written by Sigsawa. Additionally, the second game came bundled with a 36-page book entitled containing the story of the original scenario written for the game. Both of the visual novels were voiced, mainly using the same cast from the first anime series. At one time, ASCII Media Works had planned to release a version for the PlayStation Portable. ==Reception==

As of 2017, around 8.2 million copies of the novels have been sold in Japan. The first novel which was published in the US generated positive reviews. Newtype USA named it the Book of the Month for November 2006 and called it "inviting and addictive", while AnimeOnDVD said it "sucks you in", and "allows you to experience the journey" with the main character. The series has ranked six times in Takarajimasha's light novel guide book Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!: second in 2006, fifth in 2007, sixth in 2008, twelfth in 2009, fifth in 2012, and fifth in 2013. ==Notes==