(L+CR) Ushio & Tora [Anticipation]

[Stark700]

This year's 10th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine is announcing on Wednesday that a television anime adaptation of Kazuhiro Fujita's supernatural battle manga Ushio & Tora has been green-lit for this summer.

Premise/Summary:

Ushio and Tora centers around the travels and battles of Ushio Aotsuki (蒼月潮 Aotsuki Ushio?), who is constantly being stalked and aided by a gigantic, supernatural and sometimes invisible tiger-like monster.

Ushio's family maintains a temple in Japan, where 500 years ago, his samurai ancestor battled that same monster to a standstill, and eventually trapped him against a rock using a cursed spear called the "Beast Spear", which grants strength, speed, and endurance to the wielder in exchange to his soul. Ushio accidentally unsealed the cave Tora was trapped in.

Initially, Ushio refuses to remove the spear pinning Tora (とら, Japanese for tiger) down (as Tora made the strategic blunder of mentioning that the first thing he would do upon being freed would be to devour Ushio), but Tora's unsealed presence attracts various monsters to the temple. Ushio is forced to free Tora, who would like to eat Ushio, but dares not since Ushio keeps the spear close by. The series focuses on their relationship, interspersed with battles against mythological foes, and with Tora's attempts to grapple with modern life. During the regular battles, Ushio slowly begins to notice that as much as Tora claims to be irredeemable, the demon takes to fighting evil and defending the innocent with more enthusasim than he cares to admit.

Director: Satoshi Nishimura
Studio: MAPPA & Voln
Scripts: Toshiki Inoue
Character Designs: Tomoko Mori

ANN source link:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...v-anime/.83981

Scheduled for Summer 2015.

[xizro345]

To repost my comment from elsewhere:

The manga was pretty good until the final arc, when a lot of stuff happens "because so". It's really annoying, and I hope it changes in the anime adaptation.

[shmaster]

UNBELIVABLEUNBELIVABLEUNBELIVABLEUNBELIVABLE!!!!

Most importantly... WHY NOW!?!?

[Ghiest Cid]

Wow, that is long ago. I wonder why.

[ramlaen]

Wow, 20 years after the OVA's.

[Guardian Enzo]

I'm not saying Madhouse is getting this, but Abiru Takahiko just tweeted a link with the series announcement...

Edit: Apparently it's MAPPA. Which is just as good, and makes perfect sense given the source.

[tsunade666]

wow.... this was like. Old school. reminds me of Kindaichi series. Though indeed. Why now? because the lack of quality in the current stories? well this will be a game changer depending on how they present it.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by tsunade666

wow.... this was like. Old school. reminds me of Kindaichi series. Though indeed. Why now? because the lack of quality in the current stories? well this will be a game changer depending on how they present it.

I'm very happy to see this get an adaptation, believe me. But IMHO the reason why there are so few good anime these days isn't because there aren't enough good manga to adapt - there are tons of great series out there that could make fantastic anime. The issue is the industry choosing to adapt countless generic LN series instead.

[Maxulous]

And generic manga too.

[Sheba]

Ushio and Tora getting a remake makes me want one for Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita too.

[Nightengale]

Excellent. I think Ushio & Tora is a step-down from Karakuri Circus, but it's still a good series.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Oh man, the nostalgia. I remember reading it when I was still in school. Damn, I feel old. Anyway, good news. I hope they make a fun adaptation out of it.

[MisaoFan]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

The issue is the industry choosing to adapt countless generic LN series instead.

There were a few good ones out of it recently (Chaika anyone?). Remember that the term "light novel" refers to a medium and not a specific genre limited to a single type of series.

[AntonKutovoi]

Antoher old manga is getting adaptation? I wonder if JoJo have launched this wave.

[MisaoFan]

Originally Posted by AntonKutovoi

Antoher old manga is getting adaptation? I wonder if JoJo have launched this wave.

There was also two Togashi series (Level E and 2011's Hunter X Hunter) preceding before it.

[cry]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Ushio and Tora getting a remake makes me want one for Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita too.

It's a good idea!

[xizro345]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I'm very happy to see this get an adaptation, believe me.

I'm kind on the fence for this. One hand, it may be better than the old animated version. On the other hand, if they chose the Kiseiju approach (extremely faithful, despite change in designs) I think I'll drop it before the end, as I feel the final arc is horrible.

[zztop]

Having read some of the manga, I think the designs should be changed/updated similar to what was done for Parasyte's anime.
The mangaka's artstyle may be considered...messy and ugly by today's aesthetic standards.*

*I'm not saying moe has to be used(far from it)but something in-between. Like Parasyte.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by MisaoFan

There were a few good ones out of it recently (Chaika anyone?). Remember that the term "light novel" refers to a medium and not a specific genre limited to a single type of series.

And the problem is with the medium itself. There are a few rare exceptions (Chaika, while watchable, is hardly a series to salvage a reputation - I'd be more inclined to cite Hataraku Maou-sama) but broadly speaking, the creative decline of anime is closely aligned with the rising predominance of LN as a source material.

[zztop]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

And the problem is with the medium itself. There are a few rare exceptions (Chaika, while watchable, is hardly a series to salvage a reputation - I'd be more inclined to cite Hataraku Maou-sama) but broadly speaking, the creative decline of anime is closely aligned with the rising predominance of LN as a source material.

But why LNs in particular? Wouldn't a manga just have as much appeal?