Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The appeal and reputation of this manga masterpiece

Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Romance of the Three Kingdoms

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

October 18, 1991 - September 25, 1992
October 18, 1991 - September 25, 1992 Every Friday 19:30-20:00

■Broadcasting station

TV Tokyo

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 47

■Original Story

・Original work: Mitsuteru Yokoyama's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (published by Ushio Publishing, Kibo Comics, 60 volumes in total)

■ Director

・Director: Seiji Okuda

■ Production

Animation production: AZ Production: DNP Visual Center, Yu Entertainment Production: TV Tokyo, Dai Nippon Printing

■Works

©Hikari Pro, Dai Nippon Printing, TV Tokyo

■ Story

In 180 AD, Liu Bei Xuande, unable to bear the chaos in mainland China, embarks on a journey with his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to bring order to the turbulent times. Eventually, the war spread across the entirety of mainland China, with many warlords competing for supremacy, and many heroes rose to fame.

■Explanation

This is a TV anime series based on the manga "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. The anime adaptation was almost faithful to the original manga, but some episodes were omitted and some original characters were added. The episodes up to the "Battle of Red Cliffs", which is the middle part of the original manga, were depicted in a total of 47 episodes.

■Cast

・Liu Bei Xuande/Nakamura Taiju/Guan Yu Yunchang/Tsuji Shinpachi/Zhang Fei Yiwu/Fujiwara Keiji/Zhuge Liang Kongming/Hayami Sho/Cao Cao Mengde/Matsumoto Yasunori

■ Main staff

・Original work: Mitsuteru Yokoyama's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (published by Ushio Publishing, Kibo Comics, 60 volumes in total)
・Planning and supervision: Sadao Saeki ・Composition: Jinzo Toriumi, Tori Productions, Otori Koubou ・Character design: Shingo Araki, Michi Himeno ・Music: Masatoshi Nishimura (FENCE OF DEFENSE)
・Sound Director: Yasunori Honda ・Sound Recording Director: Yota Tsuruoka ・Art Director: Geki Katsumata ・Producers: Mutsuo Shimizu (TV Tokyo), Hiroyuki Yano, Kenji Yoshida ・Animation Production: AZ ・Production: DNP Visual Center, Yu Entertainment ・Production: TV Tokyo, Dai Nippon Printing

■ Main Characters

・Liu Bei Xuande
Descendant of an ancient Chinese dynasty. Born into a poor farming family, he swears oath of peach garden to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei as sworn brothers, and begins his fight to rule the war-torn world.

・Kan'u Uncho
A wise and brave military commander with a long, beautiful beard. He became sworn brothers with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei through the Peach Garden Oath. With the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade in hand, he achieved many military feats.

・Zhang Fei Yide
A fierce general who swore to be blood brothers with Liu Bei and Guan Yu. He has a bad drinking habit and is violent, but when it comes to battle, he wields a spear and is a force to be reckoned with.

・Zhuge Liang
A genius military strategist who was said to be able to unify the world if he became an ally. After receiving three visits from Liu Bei, he became a military strategist for Liu Bei's army.

・Cao Cao Mengde
He was Liu Bei's greatest rival and was known as a villainous hero in a turbulent time. He was a cold-hearted and rational person who would use any means to achieve his goals.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: The Peach Garden Promise (1991/10/18)
・Episode 2: Fierce Battle! Volunteer Army・Episode 3: Deadly Battle! Tetsumon Gorge・Episode 4: The Imperial Envoy's Trap・Episode 5: The Conspiracy of the Ten Attendants・Episode 6: The Famous Horse, the Red Hare・Episode 7: The Tyrannical General, Dong Zhuo・Episode 8: The Villain in the Age of Chaos, Cao Cao・Episode 9: The Battle of Heroes・Episode 10: Reviving Ambition・Episode 11: The Magic of the Royal Seal・Episode 12: The Young Warrior on the White Horse・Episode 13: The Lions in Turmoil・Episode 14: A Beauty in the Age of Chaos, Part 1・Episode 15: A Beauty in the Age of Chaos, Part 2・Episode 16: Arch-Enemy! Two Heroes, Episode 17: Two Plans, Episode 18: Drunken Tiger, Crying, Episode 19: Illusionary Peace, Episode 20: The Conspiracy of Chen and His Son, Episode 21: Friendly Fire in the Moonlight, Episode 22: Lu Bu, Falling in the Snow, Episode 23: The Tiger Unleashed, Episode 24: Zhang Fei's Military Tactics, Episode 25: The Isolated Fierce General, Episode 26: The Hidden Dragon of Warring States, Kongming, Episode 27: Pull Master and Servant Torn Apart・Episode 28 / A Desperate Journey・Episode 29 / The Great Gathering of the Xuande Army・Episode 30 / The Battle of Guandu・Episode 31 / The Desperate Crossing of the River・Episode 32 / The Ronin Tan Fu・Episode 33 / Xu Shu's Mother・Episode 34 / The Three Visits・Episode 35 / Kongming's First Battle・Episode 36 / Kongming's Great Accomplishment・Episode 37 / Cao Cao's Furious Counterattack・Episode 38 / Rampage! The Babysitter Swordsman・Episode 39 / Kongming's Great Debate・Episode 40 / The Handsome Man Zhou Yu・Episode 41 / Zhou Yu's Murderous Intent・Episode 42 / Secret Plan! The Great Water Fortress, Episode 43: A Hundred Thousand Arrows, Episode 44: Huang Gai: A Desperate Measure, Episode 45: Phoenix Pi: A Linked Plan, Episode 46: The Battle of Red Cliffs, Part 1, Episode 47: The Battle of Red Cliffs, Part 2 (1992/09/25)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・River of Time・Lyrics by FENCE OF DEFENSE
・Composition: Masatoshi Nishimura ・Arrangement: FENCE OF DEFENSE
・Song: FENCE OF DEFENSE

・OP2
・Don't look back
・Lyrics/FENCE OF DEFENSE
・Composition: RYO
Arrangement: Masatoshi Nishimura Vocals: FENCE OF DEFENSE

・ED1
・Sora・Lyrics by Junko Kudo・Music by Mimori Yusa・Arrangement by Nobuo Nakahara・Singer by Mimori Yusa

・ED2
・STANDING ALONE
Lyrics: Junko Otsuka; Composition: Masatoshi Nishimura; Arrangement: FENCE OF DEFENSE
・Song: FENCE OF DEFENSE

Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Romance of the Three Kingdoms - Review

Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from 1991 to 1992, and is based on the manga of the same name by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. Set against the backdrop of Chinese history, this epic tale follows the battles of Liu Bei Xuande, Guan Yu Yunchang, and Zhang Fei Yide as they swear to be sworn brothers and fight to rule the turbulent times. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and characteristics of this anime, as well as its reviews.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is a grand drama based on Chinese history, and it centers on Liu Bei Xuande, as well as other historical heroes such as Guan Yu Yunchang, Zhang Fei Yide, Zhuge Liang Kongming, and Cao Cao Mengde. The anime is almost faithful to the original manga, but it also has its own unique arrangements, such as omitting some episodes and introducing original characters. This makes it enjoyable not only for fans of the original manga, but also for new viewers.

Particularly impressive is the bond between Liu Bei and his sworn brothers. Their friendship and loyalty, bound by the Peach Garden Oath, strikes a strong chord with viewers. Also, Zhuge Liang's genius strategy and Cao Cao's cold-hearted ambition are not to be missed. The personalities and drama of these characters enhance the story.

Animation and character design

AZT, the animation studio, faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the original work while vividly depicting scenes with movement and battles. Character design by Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno brings out the unique charm of the anime without destroying the image of the original work. In particular, Guan Yu's long beard and Zhang Fei's bold appearance leave a strong visual impression.

Additionally, the backgrounds and sets by art director Katsumata Geki realistically recreate the atmosphere of ancient China, drawing the viewer into that era. The depictions of battlefields and cityscapes are beautifully crafted with attention to detail.

Music and theme song

The music was composed by Masatoshi Nishimura and produced by FENCE OF DEFENSE. The opening themes "River of Time" and "DON'T LOOK BACK", and the ending themes "Sora" and "STANDING ALONE" play an important role in livening up each scene. In particular, "River of Time" has a melody that is perfectly suited to the epic story and has the power to draw viewers in.

In addition, the music in the film effectively creates tension during battles and creates dramatic developments, enriching the viewing experience. Masatoshi Nishimura's music is an important element in deepening the worldview of the story.

Cast and acting

The cast is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this anime. The voice actors who play each character, such as Nakamura Taiki as Liu Bei Xuande, Tsuji Shinpachi as Guan Yu Yunchang, Fujiwara Keiji as Zhang Fei Yide, Hayami Shou as Zhuge Liang Kongming, and Matsumoto Yasunori as Cao Cao Mengde, express the individuality of each character very well.

In particular, Nakamura Taiki's performance as Liu Bei Xuande captures the audience's sympathy with his performance of dignity as a leader and humanity. Tsuji Shinpachi's performance as Guan Yu Unchou portrays the dignity and kindness of a military commander who is both wise and brave, Fujiwara Keiji's performance as Zhang Fei Yide portrays his boldness and passion, Hayami Sho's performance as Zhuge Liang Kongming portrays his calm judgment and wisdom, and Matsumoto Yasunori's performance as Cao Cao Mengde portrays his cold-heartedness and ambition. The performances of these voice actors make the story feel deeper and more real.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is a work that firmly inherits the charm of the original work while adding its own unique direction and arrangement to the anime. Many elements have been highly praised, such as the grandeur of the story, the charm of the characters, the beauty of the animation, and the strength of the music.

This anime is recommended for history buffs and fans of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as action and drama fans. In particular, episodes that focus on human drama, such as the bond between Liu Bei and his sworn brothers, Zhuge Liang's strategy, and Cao Cao's ambition, will deeply move viewers. In addition, the powerful battle scenes and beautiful character designs are also points not to be missed.

Furthermore, this anime can be enjoyed by the whole family. It has content that can be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups, from children to adults. In particular, it can be used as part of history education, so it is recommended to watch it at school or at home.

Overall, "Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is a work well worth watching, bringing out the best in the original work and adding the unique charm of anime. I highly recommend giving it a watch.