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Yami No MatsueiManga Yami no Matsuei, also known as Descendents of Darkness or YnM, was originally a manga series created by Matsushita Yoko in 1995. The series was published in the bimonthly publication Hana to Yume through 2003. It is currently on indefinite hiatus. Much of the manga has also been released in 11 tankobon, or volumes. In America, the series is currently being translated by Viz comics, with the first three volumes already released. The manga is composed of multiple arcs, occasionally intercut with standalone chapters or side stories. These are the arcs and stories that have been published to date: Arcs - Mukougishi no Futari/Two on the River's Edge story (volume 1)
- Nagasaki arc (volume 1)
- Last Waltz story (volume 2)
- Akuma no Toriru/Devil's Trill arc (volume 2)
- Suoodu no K/King of Swords arc (volume 3)
- Hokkaido arc (volume 4)
- New Year's arc (volume 4)
- Saint Michel's arc (volume 4)
- Storybook arc (volume 5)
- Library story (volume 6)
- Okinawa arc (volume 6)
- The Child and I side story (volume 6)
- Kyoto Arc (volumes 7-8)
- The Path to the King of Inventors, Professor Watari side story (volume 8)
- Masquerade arc (volume 9)
- Gensoukai arc/Kamakura (volumes 9-11 and Hana to Yume; not completed; arcs running concurrently)
- Tatsumi side story (published in Za Hana no Yume 2004)
Anime In 2001, Yami no Matsuei was adapted into an anime that was 13 episodes long. The series adapted four of the manga's arcs, rather than animating the entire series. The anime included the following storylines: Arcs - Nagasaki Arc (eps. 1-3)
- Akuma no Toriru/Devil's Trill Arc (eps. 4-6)
- Suoodu no K/King of Swords Arc (eps. 7-9)
- Kyoto Arc (eps. 10-13)
The stories are similar to their counterparts in the manga, but they are not identical. The anime has been released in both Japan and America in four volumes, each containg an arc. Story Information Plot Summary Yami no Matsuei revolves around the Shinigami, or Guardians of Death. Shinigami are employees of Meifu, the land of the dead. It is their job to collect the souls of those who should have died but haven't, or those who have died but still linger in the living world. Shinigami work in pairs, with each pair assigned to a specific section of Japan. The main characters of YnM are Tsuzuki Asato and Kurosaki Hisoka, the Shinigami of the Kyushu region. Tsuzuki Asato Tsuzuki Asato is the main character of the series. Despite having worked as a Shinigami for 70 years, he is often very immature, and seemingly incapable of holding a partner for more then a few months. On first impression, Tsuzuki is hapless and lazy, with a large penchant for sweets. However, Tsuzuki is also incredibly compassionate and caring, willing to risk himself for people he barely knows. He is also far more powerful then one would realize without seeing him in battle. Tsuzuki is a master of ofuda magic, and has the power to summon the 12 guardian beasts of Japanese folklore, including Suzaku, Byakko, and Sōryuu. This seemingly 26-year old man is considered attractive, with dark brown hair and purple eyes. The latter feature was responsible for much misery in his life, as their abnormality appear to hint at untold secrets and power in his mysterious past. Kurosaki Hisoka Kurosaki Hisoka is the newest Shinigami, and Tsuzuki's latest partner. Hisoka died at 16, due to a mysterious disease no one could diagnose. Determined to find the cause of his death, Hisoka accepted a job as a Shinigami, and was placed with Tsuzuki in Kyushu. This initially seemed to be a very bad match, as Hisoka's cold persona and strong work ethic clashed horribly with Tsuzuki. However, the two managed to find common ground, and agreed to stay partners. Hisoka knows very little in the way of ofuda, but is accomplished in a variety of marial arts, including kendo and archery. His main power is his empathy, which allows him to sense other people's emotions and past events. This power estranged him from his family, a traditional noble lineage that was abusive to Hisoka upon realizing he wasn't normal. Hisoka's appearance remains at 16, the age at which he died. He has light brown hair and large green eyes. Muraki Kazutaka The villain of the piece, Muraki Kazutaka is both a doctor and murderer. His powers and backstory are mostly unknown to both Tsuzuki and Hisoka, although he appears to be far more familiar with them. Muraki is obsessed with Tsuzuki, and desires him on multiple levels. He is entirely willing to kill to get Tsuzuki's attention, as well as for his own purposes. Although human, Muraki is adept at sorcery. He is capable of absorbing the lifeforce of his victims, and using this power to fuel his spells. He is also fairly durable, surviving wounds that should have killed him. Muraki is 32 years old. He has a very distinctive appearance, with silver hair and silver eyes. His right eye is a prosthesis, which he keeps hidden behind his hair. Other characters Watari Yukata Watari is the Shinigami of the Kinki region. He is also the resident doctor and mad scientist of Meifu. His fondest dream is to make a gender-switching potion. Watari is friends with both Tsuzuki and Hisoka. Tatsumi Seiichirō Tatsumi is a master of shadow magic, as well as the secretary of Meifu. He is very stingy and tight with the budget, which puts him at odds with the destructive and free-spending Tsuzuki. Despite this, Tatsumi cares for Tsuzuki deeply. He and Hisoka respect each other, as Tatsumi appreciates Hisoka's ability to take care of Tsuzuki. Kanoe-Kachoe Kanoe is the chief of the Shokan division, making him Tsuzuki and Hisoka's boss. The chief cares about his employees, but is more than willing to yell at Tsuzuki and dock his pay when he screws up. Konoe also shares Tsuzuki's sweet tooth, and often makes the partners bring him back sweets from their missions. Gushōshin The Gushōshin, consisting of two brothers, are minor gods that resembles talking chickens. Their job is to tend to the library of Meifu, although they are occasionally sent on missions with partnerless Shinigami. Shōnen-ai? YnM is a shōjo manga, aimed primarily at girls. Like many shōjo manga, it has elements of shōnen-ai to it. This is mostly seem in the relationships between Tsuzuki, Hisoka, and Muraki, although there are also elements in Tatsumi's feelings toward Tsuzuki. However, there are no official romances between any of the characters. YnM has a fairly large fandom. There is a proponderance of fanfiction, fanart and dōjinshi in both the English- and Japanese-speaking portions of the internet. Most of these are shōnen-ai or yaoi, but not all of them. External links - Theria.Net is a good place to go for information, as well as translations for the entire manga series.
- Silent Scream Studios has scans from the manga along with drama tracks based on the anime.
- Tsuzuki Love has screencaps from the anime, more scans, and translations of the drama tracks.
- KatCom is an archive for YnM fiction rated R and up.
- Phantom Moon is an archive for all YnM fiction (no longer updated.)
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