The appeal and reviews of "The Fighting Librarian": The excitement born from the fusion of combat and knowledge

The appeal and reviews of "The Fighting Librarian": The excitement born from the fusion of combat and knowledge

"The Fighting Librarian": A story of warriors who protect the memories of their souls

"Tatakau Shisho" is a TV anime series that aired from October 2, 2009 to April 2, 2010, and is based on a light novel by Ishio Yamagata. This work tells the story of "Armed Librarians" who fight to protect the memories of the dead, whose souls are buried underground as "books." Here, we will introduce detailed information about the work, its appeal, and recommended points.

Overview

"Tatakau Shisho" is based on a light novel series by Yamagata Ishio, published by Shueisha Super Dash Bunko. The animation was produced by david production and directed by Shinohara Toshiya. It consists of 27 episodes, each 30 minutes long. It was broadcast on ANIMAX, BS11, and Bandai Channel, and was also streamed online on Bandai Channel.

story

In the world of "The Fighting Librarian," when people die, they become "books." When buried underground, the souls of the dead naturally lose their life force, and when all life force is drained, they crystallize and become "books." These "books" contain all of the memories of the person, and by touching them, you can relive the memories of that person. The "Armed Librarians" are the ones who manage these "books" stored in the New Bantora Library, created by the God of the Past, Bantora. Led by the acting director Hamyuts Meseta, they all have extraordinary combat abilities and knowledge on a par with that of a historian, and it is said to be the most difficult profession to attain in the world. However, in the world they manage, the "God-Drowning Cult" appears, and the story follows the mystery of what their purpose is, as they affirm all desires based on a single, absolute doctrine.

Main Characters

There are many unique characters in "Tatakau Shisho." The main characters are introduced below.

Hamutz

He is the acting director of the Kandatsu Bantora Library and the strongest armed librarian. He uses his "tentacle thread" ability to send invisible "threads" around to observe his surroundings, and attacks enemies with a catapult. His range is 35km, allowing for ultra-long-distance attacks. Although he usually appears laid-back, he has a cold, ruthless personality. He is voiced by Park Yumi.

Matte Alast

He is one of the first-class Armed Librarians and is Hamutz's right-hand man. He uses his ability to predict the future, which allows him to always see two seconds ahead, to dodge enemy attacks and launch precise attacks. He calls himself a natural liar, but he is the youngest Armed Librarian to have achieved this feat. He is voiced by Okawa Toru.

Mirepoch

One of the Armed Librarians, she has the ability to share thoughts, allowing her to communicate with multiple people at the same time, regardless of distance, as long as their face and name match. She is an indispensable presence in the execution of operations. She is such a hardworking person that those around her are terrified when she takes a day off. Her voice actress is Sawashiro Miyuki.

Noloty

He is still an apprentice Armed Librarian, and always fights with his bare hands, with the belief that he will never kill anyone. He is so serious that he is called an idiot, and there are some aspects of him that are not suited to being an Armed Librarian, but he is loved by everyone. His voice actor is Haruka Tomatsu.

Volken

He was raised by the previous acting director and is a young man filled with the ideals and sense of justice of an Armed Librarian. He was born with the ability to create clones of himself and can share his powers with others. He fights using a weapon called a dance sword, which is two swords that emerge from a metal ring. He is seen as a potential future acting director. He is voiced by Nakamura Yuichi.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of "The Fighting Librarian" are as follows:

  • Episode 1: Bombs, Books, and a Sinking Ship (2009/10/02)
  • Episode 2: Bombs, Princesses, and the Gray City (2009/10/09)
  • Episode 3: Bombs, Humans, and the Disease of the God of Death (2009/10/16)
  • Episode 4: Evening, Shiron and Colio (2009/10/23)
  • Episode 5: Betrayal, Cups, and the Path of Perplexity (2009/10/30)
  • Episode 6: Thunder, Monsters, and the Punching Girl (2009/11/06)
  • Episode 7: A Smile, a Mask, and a Man Who Wants to Die (2009/11/13)
  • Episode 8: The Swamp, Friends, and Shells on the Beach (2009/11/20)
  • Episode 9: Masato, the Battlefield, and My World (2009/11/27)
  • Episode 10: The Weirdo, His Mother, and the Black Ant Nest (2009/12/04)
  • Episode 11: The Weak, the Labyrinth, and the Queen's Move (2009/12/11)
  • Episode 12: The Past, Injustice, and Pipe Smoke (2009/12/18)
  • Episode 13: Vacations, Picture Books, and Rusty Hair (2009/12/25)
  • Episode 14: The Sunset, the Storyteller, and Some Fables (2010/01/01)
  • Episode 15: The Girl and the Girl and the God's Bed (2010/01/08)
  • Episode 16: Forbidden Books, Weaklings, and the Holy Eye (2010/01/15)
  • Episode 17: Return, Encounter, and Burning Green (2010/01/22)
  • Episode 18: Propellers, Memories, and the Lead Man (2010/01/29)
  • Episode 19: The Fool, the Void, and the Dancing Doll (2010/02/05)
  • Episode 20: The Funeral Bell, the Book, and the Suicidal Boy (2010/02/12)
  • Episode 21: The Princess of Hatred, Blue and Rough Rope (2010/02/19)
  • Episode 22: The Sky, the Ending, and Her World (2010/02/26)
  • Episode 23: Escape, Tools, and Desert Violets (2010/03/05)
  • Episode 24: Truth, Love, and the Second Sealed Archive (2010/03/12)
  • Episode 25: A tale of silence, indolence and despair (2010/03/19)
  • Episode 26: Atonement, Confusion, and the Book Within the Book (2010/03/26)
  • Episode 27: The Power of the World (2010/04/02)

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs for "Tatakau Shisho" are as follows.

Opening Theme

OP1 "Declaration of War for the Fallen Kingdom"

  • Lyricist: Arika Takano
  • Composer: Mikiya Katakura
  • Arrangement: Mikiya Katakura
  • Sung by: ALI PROJECT

OP2 "Ripieno of Starry Sky"

  • Lyricist: Sayaka Sasaki
  • Composer: Kotaro Kodaka
  • Arrangement: Kotaro Kodaka
  • Sung by: Sayaka Sasaki

Ending Theme

ED1 "Light of Dawn"

  • Lyricist: Annabel
  • Composer: myu
  • Arrangement: myu
  • Sung by: Annabel

ED2 "Dominant space"

  • Lyricist: Aki Hata
  • Composer: myu
  • Arrangement: myu
  • Vocals: Aira Yuuki

Related Titles

The following works are related to "The Fighting Librarian."

  • It's finally airing! "Tatakau Shisho" pre-show special

Production Staff

The production staff for "Tatakau Shisho" are as follows:

  • Original story: Ishio Yamagata (published by Shueisha Super Dash Bunko and serialized in "Ultra Jump Egg")
  • Illustration: Maejima Heavy Machinery
  • Planning: Kazuhiko Torishima, Akihiro Kawamura, Shunji Inoue, Yasuto Okiura
  • General Producer: Naoki Watanabe
  • Producers: Tetsuro Saito, Kohei Kawase, Yoshiyuki Ito, Koji Kajita
  • Series Composition: Mari Okada
  • Character design: Masaki Yamada
  • Prop design: Hideki Hashimoto
  • Chief animation director: Masaki Yamada, Tomoaki Kado
  • Action animation director: Fumiaki Mitsuda
  • Art board: Yukiko Maruyama, Hachidai Takayama
  • Art setting: Shigemi Ikeda, Shuichi Okubo
  • Art chief: Takuya Ebisawa
  • Title logo: G-Square, Takahiro Moriwaki
  • Recording studio: STUDIO T&T
  • Recording assistant: Sho Ogasawara
  • Casting Manager: Hiroki Shirakawa
  • Sound Production: Emika Ueda
  • Sound Production: STUDIO MAUSU
  • Editing studio: Real T
  • Assistant editor: Hitomi Sudo
  • Formatting Editor: Q-Tech
  • Format editors: Motoki Shirai, Ayaka Minami
  • Format Editor: Masaaki Okamoto, Yusuke Katada
  • Publicity producers: Takashi Iida, Teruhiko Sato
  • Advertising: Katsuji Ooi, Masaaki Izawa, Mifuyu Ando
  • Promotional cooperation: Hajime Sugata, Sachiko Sugio
  • Official website design: Hearty Wear
  • Assistant producers: Takano Takashi, Toida Mami
  • Associate producers: Akira Sasaki, Katsunori Naruke
  • Program cooperation: Animax Broadband Japan
  • Planning cooperation: Super Dash Bunko Editorial Department, Maruho Yukiharu, Toriyama Hiroshi, Ultra Jump Editorial Department, Ito Ryo, Endo Rie
  • Production desk: Kentaro Hattori
  • Setting production: Masayuki Yamamura, Kozue Miyajima
  • Art director: Shigemi Ikeda
  • Color design: Mineyo Onishi
  • Director of photography: Naoki Kitajima
  • Special photography: Hiroo Yoshioka
  • 3D Director: Yasufumi Soejima
  • Edited by: Masahiro Goto
  • Sound Director: Satoshi Motoyama
  • Recording adjustment: Yo Yamada
  • Sound effects: Naoto Yamatani
  • Music: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Music producer: Katsumi Koike
  • Animation producer: Hisataka Kasama
  • Animation production: david production
  • Director: Toshiya Shinohara
  • Produced by: Bantor Library

Evaluation and Appeal

"The Fighting Librarian" is a work that is appealing for its unique worldview and deep story development. The story of the "Armed Librarians" who fight to protect the memories of the souls of the dead that become "books" will give viewers a fresh surprise. In addition, the personalities and abilities of each character are also attractive, and in particular, Hamutz's ruthlessness and fighting power, Matt Alast's ability to predict the future, and Milepoch's ability to share thoughts are important elements that add excitement to the story.

Furthermore, the film also depicts human drama, such as the conflict with the Shindoke cult and the internal conflicts of the armed librarians, and has the power to draw viewers in. The quality of the animation by David Production is also high, with the battle scenes and character expressions being drawn in great detail.

Recommended points

Here are some reasons why we recommend "The Fighting Librarian":

  • Unique worldview : The setting in which the souls of the dead become "books" creates a unique worldview not found in other works. This worldview enhances the story as a whole and gives viewers a fresh surprise.
  • Attractive Characters : There are many unique characters, such as Hamutz, Matt Alast, Milepok, Noloti, and Volken. Their abilities and inner conflicts deepen the story and draw the viewer in.
  • Deep storyline : The human drama, including the conflict with the Shindoku cult and the internal conflicts of the armed librarians, draws viewers in. The subtitles of each episode are also interesting, raising expectations for the story's development.
  • High-quality animation : The animation by david production is visually appealing, with meticulous attention to detail in the fight scenes and character expressions.
  • Memorable Theme Song : The theme song by ALI PROJECT, Sasaki Sayaka, Annabel, and Yuuki Aira is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story.

Conclusion

"Tatakau Shisho" is a work with many charms, including a unique world view, a deep story, attractive characters, high-quality animation, and a memorable theme song. The story of the "Armed Librarians" who fight to protect the memories of the souls of the dead that become "books" will give viewers a fresh surprise and excitement. Please give it a watch.

<<:  "Seitokai no Ichizon" review: A masterpiece of youth comedy?

>>:  Autumn in the Rowan: A thorough analysis of the appeal of Minna no Uta

Recommend

After Electro and Doctor Strange, Tom Holland's Venom may also join Spider-Man 3

Previously, it was announced that Electro, played...