The Garden of Sinners

Plot

Story and setting

Set in Japan predominantly during the late 1990s, The Garden of Sinners follows the story of Shiki Ryougi, a teenage girl raised as a demon hunter who acquired the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception" after surviving a fatal accident. It also chronicles Mikiya Kokutou's unwavering efforts to get closer to her when they were still high school students and their adventures later on in dealing with supernatural cases as investigators for Touko Aozaki's detective agency, Garan no Dou.

This is set in an alternate universe to Tsukihime and Fate/stay night; in which it serves as the prototype for both series as well as introducing many of the concepts prevalent within the latter two. In particular the main protagonist, Shiki Ryougi, possesses similar abilities as Tsukihimes protagonist, Shiki Tohno. Touko Aozaki's sister, Aoko Aozaki, is also featured briefly in Tsukihime.

As one of Kinoko Nasu's earliest works, it introduces some of the most fundamental concepts in the universe of Type-Moon's works, including souls, the Akashic Record/Root, Counter Force, Magic, Magecraft, and Mystic Eyes.

Both the light novel and the films are depicted in anachronical order with each chapter/film serving as part of one collective narrative.

Themes

The series deals with the paranormal and tackles mature topics such as suicide, rape, patricide, incest and murder. Its lore and story draws inspiration from various religious philosophies and psychological concepts such as multiple personalities; the Anima and animus; the nature of sin; life, death and reincarnation; and the Paradoxical nature of the Taiji.

Main characters

Main article: List of The Garden of Sinners characters{{!}}List of ''The Garden of Sinners'' characters

Shiki Ryougi is a teenaged girl, who possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception".

Mikiya Kokutou is Shiki's love interest and later husband who, two years previously, made a promise to attend college with Shiki.

Azaka Kokutou is Mikiya's younger sister who is in love with him. She becomes an apprentice of Tōko due to her rivalry against Shiki and is talented in ignition magecraft.

Touko Aozaki, appearing as a puppet maker, Touko is actually a powerful Magus.

Media

Light novels

The Garden of Sinners originated in October 1998 as a series of five chapters released online on Nasu and Takeuchi's dōjin-based website, Takebōki, with its final two chapters being released at Comiket 56 in August 1999. Nasu and Takeuchi later formed Type-Moon, and in 2001, featured the first four chapters of the book on their 2001 Tsukihime bonus disk, Tsukihime Plus-Disk, which saw The Garden of Sinners gain significant popularity, leading it to be released as a dōjinshi publication at Comiket 61 on December 30, 2001. On August 6, 2004, Kodansha released the series as a commercial publication, which enjoyed immense popularity, with 5,000 limited-edition versions of the novel being sold almost immediately upon release. Both editions of The Garden of Sinners altogether sold more than 700,000 copies. A chapter, Final Record, was distributed as a bonus for viewers of the Future Gospel film.

Del Rey Manga announced the English publication of the light novel series. This was confirmed in the first volume of Del Rey's Faust released on August 19, 2008. However, Del Rey became defunct before it could happen.

• 1/ "Overlooking View" (俯瞰風景, Fukan Fūkei) Thanatos.
• 2/ "A Study in Murder – Part 1" (殺人考察(前), Satsujin Kōsatsu (Zen)) ......and nothing heart.
• 3/ "Remaining Sense of Pain" (痛覚残留, Tsūkaku Zanryū) ever cry, never life.
• 4/ "The Hollow Shrine" (伽藍の洞, Garan no Dō) garan-no-dou.
• "Intermission" (境界式, Kyōkai Shiki)
• 5/ "Paradox Spiral" (矛盾螺旋, Mujun Rasen) Paradox Paradigm.
• 6/ "Oblivion Recording" (忘却録音, Bōkyaku Rokuon) fairy Tale.
• 7/ "A Study in Murder – Part 2" (殺人考察(後), Satsujin Kōsatsu (Go)) ......not nothing heart.
• "Epilogue" (終章/空の境界, Owari Shō / Kara no Kyōkai) Boundary of Emptiness.

Short stories

November 11, 2011 (Kodansha) January 30, 2018 (Kodansha hardcover)

Manga

A manga adaptation of the novel series written and illustrated by Tenkuu Sphere is currently being serialized in Saizensen web magazine since September 15, 2010. The original writer Kinoko Nasu and artist Takashi Takeuchi supervised the work. The tankobon volumes are published by Kodansha.

Drama CD

On August 9, 2002, a drama CD written by Ōmori Rice based on the Overlooking View chapter was released.

Anime films

The series was adapted into an anime film series, divided into seven chapters, which were animated by the studio Ufotable. The films are released in achronological order. The first chapter, titled Overlooking View, premiered across Japanese theaters on December 1, 2007, with the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters, Murder Speculation – Part 1, Remaining Sense of Pain, The Hollow Shrine, Paradox Spiral, Oblivion Recording, Murder Speculation – Part 2 being released soon after on December 29, 2007, followed by January 26, 2008, May 24, 2008, August 16, 2008, December 20, 2008, and August 8, 2009, respectively. A compilation film of the first six films with some new footage was released on March 14, 2009, in preparation for the release of the final seventh film. In connection with the film's release, the novels were once again reprinted, as three volumes with new illustrations. A North American premiere of the fifth chapter was held on May 22, 2009, at the Anime Boston convention.

The series was released on Blu-ray with a new chapter, Gekijō-ban Kara no Kyōkai Shūshō: Kara no Kyōkai, in Japanese with English subtitles. A DVD of the said chapter was released on February 2, 2011. Aniplex of America released the imported Blu-ray box set on February 8, 2011. The box was immediately sold out and has not been reissued since. However, the individual films were available for rent on the PlayStation Network until mid-2012. A new limited edition DVD boxset was released in late 2012. Likewise, Madman Entertainment released a limited edition DVD boxset in October 2013.

3D conversion of *The Garden of Sinners * first movie called Overlooking View 3D was released in July 2013.

A TV series conversion of the seven films was broadcast From July to September 2013. This reconstructed the story in chronological order rather than the order of release and did not include Chapter 5, Paradox Spiral, and Chapter 6, Oblivion Recording.

An eighth film, Future Gospel, was released in September 2013 and had grossed US$1,710,413 by October 20. Aniplex of America has released Future Gospel (now subtitled -recalled out summer-) and Future Gospel – Extra Chorus on Blu-ray in late April 2015. Aniplex has also released the Japanese import of all seven films on Blu-ray in November 2015.

Each of the theme songs to the film series are performed by Kalafina, a project formed by Yuki Kajiura. Outside of the ones for Future Gospel, they were found on their album Seventh Heaven.

The Final Record chapter currently has no plans to be animated.

Releases

• The Garden of Sinners: Overlooking View (2007 (original) / 2013 (3D remake)
• The Garden of Sinners: A Study in Murder – Part 1 (2007)
• The Garden of Sinners: Remaining Sense of Pain (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: The Hollow Shrine (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiral (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: Oblivion Recording (2008)
• The Garden of Sinners: A Study in Murder – Part 2 (2009)
• The Garden of Sinners: Future Gospel (2013)

Other films

References

References

1. (May 8, 2019). "MVM Licenses Eromanga Sensei, Schedule Garden Of Sinners Blu-ray".
2. (February 9, 2023). "Konshuu Volume 57, Issue 1". Issuu.
3. (February 21, 2025). "Konshuu Volume 61, Issue 1". Issuu.
4. (September 3, 2020). "Cross-Media, Intercultural and Interdisciplinary: The Intertextual Narration of Multiple Personality in Kara no Kyōkai". Brooklyn Research and Publishing Institute.
5. https://www.cbr.com/garden-of-sinners-kara-no-kyoukai-anime-movies-ranked/
6. https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1241743081
7. (June 23, 2013). "Madman Entertainment Announces New Acquisitions at Supanova Sydney 2013". [[Anime News Network]].
8. Kara no Kyoukai Special Pamphlet – Encyclopedia, Aniplex USA
9. "空の境界".
10. Watanabe, Kei. (November 30, 2007). "''Kara no Kyōkai'': The Anime Movie Versions of the Popular Dōjin Novel, Presenting to the Public from the First of the Month". [[Mainichi Shimbun]].
11. (September 19, 2013). "劇場版「空の境界」未来福音 書き下ろし小説は130ページ超の大ボリューム".
12. "Faust 1 by Faust Editors". [[Del Rey Manga]].
13. "Kara no Kyoukai Special Pamphlet - Encyclopedia: Kara no Kyoukai Shi [Others]".
14. (January 8, 2007). "''Kara no Kyokai'' Film in the Works". [[Anime News Network]].
15. "Akibaos article on the new novels".
16. (February 26, 2009). "5th Garden of Sinners' U.S. Premiere at Anime Boston". [[Anime News Network]].
17. (August 26, 2010). "Kara no Kyoukai Gets New Final Chapter on BD with Subs". Anime News Network.
18. (December 13, 2010). "Aniplex USA Adds Kara no Kyoukai – the Garden of Sinners". [[Anime News Network]].
19. (February 8, 2011). "Aniplex USA official website". [[Aniplex of America]].
20. (February 6, 2011). "Ufotable Diary". [[Ufotable]].
21. "Aniplex Panel Announcement Round-up".
22. (June 23, 2013). "Madman Entertainment Announces New Acquisitions at Supanova Sydney 2013, October 19–20". [[Anime News Network]].
23. (October 27, 2013). "Japanese Box Office, October 19–20". [[Anime News Network]].
24. (October 11, 2023). "Magi English Dub, Garden of sinners -recalled out summer- Trailers Streamed". [[Anime News Network]].