Night Head Genesis
| Night Head Genesis | |
| File:Intro - 03.png Anime logo to Night Head Genesis | |
| Genre | Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Shonen |
|---|---|
| Anime | |
| Night Head Genesis | |
| Directed by | Yoshio Takeuchi |
| Studio | Foursome Co., Ltd. |
Night Head Genesis (ナイトヘッドジェネシス) is an anime television series adapted from a 1992 Japanese TV drama, Night Head (ナイトヘッド). It began airing on the anime television network Animax on July 27, 2006.
Story
Due to their paranormal abilities, two young brothers (Naoto and Naoya) are cast out by their parents and given into the custody of a research center. They escape fifteen years later, and soon learn that they will play a pivotal role in the coming "Upheaval".
Cast
- Shinji Takeda as... Opening Narration
- Toshiyuki Morikawa as... Naoto Kirihara
- Akira Ishida as... Naoya Kirihara
- Hidetoshi Nakamura as... Kyojiro Mikuriya
- Akeno Watanabe as... Shoko Futami
- Madoka Kimura as... Miki Tachibana
- Yuki Masuda as... Naoya Kirihara (young)
- Yasunori Masutani as... Yukihiko Kirihara
- Yuuko Nitou as... Naomi Kirihara
Characters
Kirihara Brothers
Naoto
Kirihara Naoto is a powerful psychokinetic. He also possesses the ability to communicate telepathically with his younger brother, Naoya. Naoto is fiercely protective of Naoya. Naoto is the more self-assured of the two and has a more fiery temper. When angered, Naoto often strikes out with his psychokinesis - most often destroying nearby objects. Naoto fears the destructive potential of his abilities.
- Voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa
Naoya
Kirihara Naoya is a clairvoyant, telepath and also a seer. Naoya's abilities are a source of great suffering to him - physical contact with people or objects can trigger traumatic visions. Naoya is sometimes left in a state of catatonia after particularly shocking visions. The only person who does not have this affect on Naoya is his elder brother, Naoto. He calls Naoto "Niisan" - meaning "elder brother". Naoya relies on Naoto in many ways. Naoya often stands behind Naoto, using him as a shield to discourage physical contact with others. As a child, Naoya would go so far as to follow behind Naoto - holding onto the back of his jacket. With his psychokenisis, Naoto also has the ability to act on Naoya's visions to stop the suffering that Naoya has witnessed.
- Voiced by Akira Ishida
Research Center Staff
Mikuriya
Mikuriya is head of the research center where the Kirihara brothers were raised. Naoto holds strong resentment toward Mikuriya for taking he and Naoya from their parents and keeping them captive. However, the brothers maintain contact with Mikuriya following their escape, and come to his aid in episode 14. Mikuriya considers himself the guardian and protector of the brothers during their 15 years at the research center.
Elder Misaki
Elder Misaki is a mysterious presence at the research center. He is a very powerful psychic with unspecified abilities. He erected the mystical barrier around the research center. This barrier was sensitive to individuals and kept specific people out and others inside its limits. The barrier disappeared upon his death at the beginning of the series. It is certain that Elder Misaki had the power of foresight and Mikuriya, the Kirihara brothers and Shouko hold him in high regard.
Other Characters
Shouko
Futami Shouko posesses such power that she has transcended her physical being. She exists outside of space and time. Even before losing her physical form, Shouko was able to travel in both time and space at will. Shouko has foreseen the upcoming “Upheaval” and that the Kirihara brothers will play a pivitol role. She has been watching over them and guiding them. She always appears in her school uniform.
Masayuki
Masayuki was a lonely boy who had no friends except his beloved dog. When the dog was run over by a bunch of teenage bikers he was devastated and took revenge on the teenagers by making them commit suicide via mind control. The Kirihara brothers eventually track him down and stop his rampage. They sent him to the research center, where they themselves were sent once, to help him learn to control his powers. He reappears in episode 12 where he apparently makes a middle-aged woman commit suicide by jumping off a building. It is later revealed that he himself was actually being controlled by Sonezaki Michio.
Michio Sonezaki
Sonezaki, an evil madman who can control people and make them do his bidding. Which he was controlling the minds of the waitress and customer of the restaurant. Thus he had the customer and waitress attack Takashi, Naoya and Naoto. However, it turns out he's merely taking out the short-comings and failures of his own horrible life on others. As such, he's confronted by those he killed previously and has a mental breakdown to the point of running down a street screaming in fear.
Minor Characters
Takashi
One of the restaurant goers and was attacked by the girl of the restaurant whom Sonezaki has taken control of.
Episode List
| # | English Title | Japanese Romaji Title | Japanese Kanji Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Memories | Kioku | 記憶 | 2006-07-29 |
| 02 | Touch | Sesshoku | 接触 | 2006-07-29 |
| 03 | Impatience | Shōsō | 焦燥 | 2006-08-05 |
| 04 | Trace | Konseki | 痕跡 | 2006-08-12 |
| 05 | Reminiscence | Kaisō | 回想 | 2006-08-19 |
| 06 | Connection | Rensa | 連鎖 | 2006-08-26 |
| 07 | Remorse | Kaikon | 悔恨 | 2006-09-02 |
| 08 | Recollection | Tsuioku | 追憶 | 2006-09-09 |
| 09 | Annilhilation | Senmetsu | 殲滅 | 2006-09-16 |
| 10 | Providence | Shin'i | 神意 | 2006-09-23 |
| 11 | Nightmare | Akumu | 悪夢 | 2006-09-30 |
| 12 | Bewilderment | Konwaku | 困惑 | 2006-10-07 |
| 13 | Game | Yūgi | 遊戯 | 2006-10-14 |
| 14 | Incarceration | Yūhei | 幽閉 | 2006-10-21 |
| 15 | Surge | Hadō | 波動 | 2006-10-28 |
| 16 | Reunion | Saikai | 再会 | 2006-11-04 |
| 17 | Haze of Dust | Sajin | 砂塵 | 2006-11-11 |
| 18 | Ark | Hakobune | 方舟 | 2006-11-19 |
| 19 | Visions | Mugen | 夢幻 | 2006-11-26 |
| 20 | Conciliation | Kaijuu | 懐柔 | 2006-12-03 |
| 21 | Funeral Attendance | Sousou | 葬送 | 2006-12-10 |
| 22 | God Seal | Kami Han | 神判 | 2006-12-17 |
| 23 | Wandering | Houkou | 彷徨 | 2006-12-24 |
| 24 | Hope | Kibou | 希望 | 2006-12-31 |
Episode 1 and 2 are aired together as a one-hour special.
Theme Songs
Ending Themes | |||
| Title | Transcription/Translation | Artist | Episodes |
| 言葉 | Kotoba (Words) | Under Graph | 1-12 |
| 眠っていた気持ち 眠っていたココロ | Nemutte Ita Kimochi, Nemutte Ita Kokoro | Aya Kamiki | 13-24 |
Trivia
- Shinji Takeda, who did the opening narration, was the actor for Naoya Kirihara in the TV drama from 1992.