Rozen Maiden
| Rozen Maiden | |
| File:Rozen-maiden-2-manga-cover.jpg | |
| Manga | |
| ARIA | |
|---|---|
| Written by | PEACHPIT |
| Published by | BIRZ Comics |
| Anime | |
| Rozen Maiden | |
| Anime | |
| Rozen Maiden: Traumend | |
Story
Rozen Maiden is an manga by the group PEACH-PIT, with an anime series of the same name. It deals obliquely with the pressures placed on children in Japan by telling the story of a student, Jun Sakurada, who cracked under the strain. The series chronicles Jun's reluctant mental recovery through experiences with the Rozen Maiden, a series of enchanted dolls with a mysterious purpose.
The Rozen Maiden are a collection of dolls created by a craftsman Rozen, whom the dolls refer to as "Father". Their primary source of power is a human host -- a "medium" -- that wears a ring to symbolize their bond with the doll. Each Rozen Maiden has her own distinct personality, guardian spirit, and supernatural ability. Their purpose is apparently to participate in the cryptic "Alice Game", a lethal competition that promises the winner the right to meet "Father" by becoming "Alice", a being that is supposedly the incarnation of perfect femininity. The game is played through duels in which the dolls fight using both their guardian spirits and respective abilities -- such as the manipulation of strawberry vines -- as well as the spiritual energy from their medium. The doll that loses the duel loses her "Rosa Mystica", the very thing that endows her with the ability to move, thus becoming "junk". The lost Rosa Mystica is then collected and absorbed by the duel's winner. The doll that gains all of her sisters' Rosa Mysticae will become Alice. Shinku, the central doll of the series, is notable in that while she does not refuse to fight, she does refuse to take the lost power and kill a sister.
Characters
Humans
Jun Sakurada (桜田 ジュン) is an arrogant but traumatized boy who lives a hermit's existence in his room and does not go to school after cracking under the pressure of entrance exams. His hobby is ordering things from the Internet and then returning them before he has to pay. He is also interested in cars and collects minaturized ones. When he unknowingly orders Shinku, one of the Rozen maidens, and winds her up, he becomes caught in the crossfire of the Alice Game -- particularly due to Shinku declaring him her "servant" and insisting that he obey her at all times. Jun is skilled at crafts and sewing.
Voice Actor: Asami Sanada.
Nori Sakurada (桜田 のり) is Jun's older sister and caretaker, as their parents are out of the country on business and apparently unaware of Jun's plight. She is kind and gentle, but usually has an amusingly "dirty" mindset (which carries into her dreams, where she fantasizes about her brother). Nori unfortunately takes the brunt of Jun's abuse and criticism. Shinku constantly provides Nori with advice on everything from proper tea-brewing to Jun's care. Nori is very fond of the dolls who live and play in her house.
Voice Actor: Noriko Rikimaru.
Tomoe Kashiwaba(柏葉 巴) is a girl who attends Jun's former school. She is quiet, and kind-hearted, although her speech and style tends to be very dry. Tomoe was originally Hinaichigo's medium, but the bond between them was broken when Hinaichigo drew on too much of Tomoe's energy and was defeated by Shinku. Currently, she aids Jun in his dealings with the Rozen Maiden. Tomoe consistently seeks out Jun and laconically helps him in his efforts to return to school, despite his fear of her.
Voice Actor: Masayo Kurata.
Yamamotokun (山本君) is a boy in Nori's class who is continually trying to confess his love to her, only to be interrupted by wild coincidences or unfortunate happenings, many of which are (unintentionally) caused by the dolls. Nori is blissfully unaware of his existence.
Voice Actor: Junji Majima.
Shirosaki (白崎) is the salesperson at the doll shop. He has a genuine passion for the dolls, even going so far as to explain dolls' feelings to Jun and Tomoe, but there is a sinister air about him. And his true character is Laplacenoma. Only in the second season.
Voice Actor: Takahiro Sakurai.
Enju (槐) is the young doll craftsman that runs the doll shop with Shirosaki. He leaves all of the customer service to Shirosaki, and relegates himself entirely to the back room to create dolls. Enju obviously takes his art seriously -- he even goes so far as to give brief words of reassurance to halfway finished creations -- but seems very tender nonetheless. Notably, he looks very similar to the Rozen Maiden's "Father". But in fact,he just is Rozen's student. Only in the second season.
Voice Actor: Daisuke Ono.
Micchan (みっちゃん)is Kanaria's doting medium. Her absolute love for dolls (or, more fittingly, obsession) is apparent in both her love for Kanaria and her room's decor. She not only has shelves upon shelves filled with dolls, but also makes frequent trips to the doll shop for the sake of purchasing new clothes or gifts for Kanaria. Micchan is as generally harmless and eccentric as the Rozen Maiden to which she's bonded. Only in the second season.
Voice Actor: Akiko Kawase.
Megu Kakizaki (柿崎 めぐ)is a sickly girl with congenital heart disease. She becomes Suigintou's medium. She lives in a hospital under constant care of nurses. Megu sees her life very bleakly and wishes to die, praying for an Angel of Death to take her away. She sees herself as a burden upon her parents, who she claims are "guilty" of having her. Upon her contract with Suigintou, she declares the doll to be her Angel of Death and wants Suigintou to drain all her power to kill her. Only in the second season.
Voice Actor: Shiho Kawaragi.
The Rozen Maidens
The First Doll
Suigintou (水銀燈/Mercury Lamp) seemingly the most powerful of the Rozen Maiden, is obsessed with winning the Alice Game and becoming "Alice" solely to fulfill her ultimate dream of meeting "Father". She's particularly focused on destroying Shinku, her rival. Suigintou has no inhibitions with the Alice Game -- she will use any available method to win. Her emotions and will are so enduring that she can move and fight without the aid of a medium. Suigintou seems against using a medium due to both her natural independence and disdain towards humans. Suigintou uses her black wings as weapons and shields.
Media: Megu.
Artificial Spirit: Meimei.
Voice Actor: Rie Tanaka.
The Second Doll
Kanaria (金糸雀/Canary) is just as adorable as she is eccentric. Not only does she constantly refer to herself in third person, but also speaks constantly about taking her sisters' Rosa Mysticae without actually making an effort to do so. She fancies herself as quite the stealthy prowler, and makes a hobby out of watching the exploits of her sisters. Kanaria's bright, somewhat arrogant disposition makes her the ideal subject for many of the comedy episodes. Despite this, she is a competent opponent and attacks using a deceptively adorable violin that creates destruction through sound. Her personality often compliments Hinaichigo's. Only in the second season.
Media: Micchan.
Artificial Spirit: Pizzicato.
Voice Actor: Yumi Shimura.
The Third Doll
Suiseiseki (翠星石/Jade Stone) is the fourth doll to make an appearance. She has a watering can which she uses to nourish the "soul trees" of humans. She is, in a word, devious. Suiseiseki adores the spotlight; her favorite activities include smashing the window of Jun's room (more often than not hitting Jun in the process), stealing cake from Hinaichigo, and cackling maniacally. However small it may be, she does have a heart, and can always be relied on for that extra, positive morale boost in battle. She and Jun seem to be incapable of being civil with each other, however, and Suiseiseki even refuses to call him by name, opting for "runt" instead. She also has a wild imagination and a fondness for terrifying Hinaichigo with elaborate lies. Suiseiseki makes an impression with her extremely high-pitched voice and habit of ending every sentence with "desu." Suiseiseki uses her watering pot to make plants emerge from the ground, then bends them to her will. Her artificial spirit is named for the popular Anna Sui perfume.
Media: Jun
Artificial Spirit: Sui Dream.
Voice Actor: Natsuko Kuwatani.
The Fourth Doll
Souseiseki (蒼星石/Lapis Lazuli Stone) is Suiseiseki's younger "twin sister", although her appearance is somewhat masculine. Like Suiseiseki, she has the power to enter human dreams, and carries a set of pruning shears that she uses to tend human soul trees. Unlike Suiseiseki, she's calm, quiet and deeply devoted to their "Master" -- a lonesome old man -- even though he is using Souseiseki as a vehicle to play out delusions about his dead son. She attacks ruthlessly if required using her shears, although this weapon puts her at a great disadvantage with defense. In comparison to her sister, Souseiseki is incredibly quiet, composed, and analytical. However, she posseses the same sharp mouth that Shinku has and will not tolerate below standard. The twins both share the same stubbornness, however. Her artificial spirit is named for a fragrance by Lolita Lempicka. She is presented much more in the anime then the manga.
Media: The Un-named old man.
Artificial Spirit: Lempicka.
Voice Actor: Rika Morinaga.
The Fifth Doll
Shinku (真紅/True Crimson) embodies the traditional aristocrat. She is extremely demanding and can seem unappreciative of others. Her favorite words seem to be "tea" and "servant", and she takes pride in lecturing (or slapping) Jun at every opportunity. No matter how strong the emotion, Shinku rarely lets her sadness, joy, or fear become apparent. No matter how cold her appearance, however, she is highly protective and cares deeply for her doll sisters, Jun, and Nori. The other dolls seem to look up to her as an older sister or a difficult rival despite being one of the youngest sisters. She holds a very special place in her heart for the puppet detective "Kunkun". Shinku is in awe of "Father" -- she also desires to fulfill the position of "Alice" -- but refuses to employ the more ruthless methods of playing the "Alice Game". In battle, she fights with rose-based attacks.
Media: Jun.
Artificial Spirit: Holi.
Voice Actor: Miyuki Sawashiro.
The Sixth Doll
Hina-Ichigo (雛苺/Small Strawberry) has perfected childishness. Although she can be ridiculously naive and selfish, Hinaichigo never has anything but the best intentions for those that she cares about. Her disposition is also a mismatch for her tremendous power, which is a series of attacks based on strawberry vines. Shinku defeats her (through Hinaichigo's own selfishness by exhausting Tomoe's energy) in the Alice Game but does not rob her of her ability to move. Instead, she allows Hinaichigo to tap into Jun's power. Her favorite foods are "Unyu", which are actually strawberry daifuku, and Nori's "Flower Hamburger", a dish that consists of a hamburger patty topped with a flower-shaped egg.
Media: Tomoe.
Artificial Spirit: Berrybell.
Voice Actor: Sakura Nogawa.
The Seventh Doll
Kirakishou (雪華綺晶) is the really The 'Seventh' Doll. Concerning her, everythings are riddles.
Media: Unknow.
Artificial Spirit: None.
Voice Actor: None.
The Fake Doll
Barasuishou (薔薇水晶/Rose Quartz) is a doll clad in lavender that seems to lack any sort of personality or conscience. She fights with a disturbing calmness, and seems to draw upon a great amount of power. Her appearance announces the true start of the Alice Game, as she is the final doll of the Rozen Maiden. But, she is a fake. Her "Father" is Enju, not Rozen. Barasuishou can manipulate and create any sort of crystalline elements, including glass. Her true origin is revealed in the final episode of season 2. Only in the second season.
Media: None.
Artificial Spirit: None.
Voice Actor: Saori Goto.
Other
Laplacenoma（ラプラスの魔/Laplace's Devil）is a white rabbit in a tuxedo and a top hat with human mannerisms. He appears to be neither sinister nor kind, and is the very definition of mysterious. His only appearances in the midst of the Alice Game in the "N-field" are limited to dispensing poetic and seemingly nonsensical advice before vanishing. The rabbit's motivations are entirely hidden. This rabbit is named for Laplace's demon. Only in the second season.
Voice Actor: Kyousei Tsukui.
Manga
Original Manga
The manga currently has 6 volumes in print, and is continually being serialised in Monthly Birz Comics.
The storyline between the anime and the manga have significant differences, but the characters are intact across both versions.
- Rozen Maiden 1
- ISBN: 4344802128
- Published: March 2003
- 590 yen (excluding tax)
- Rozen Maiden 2
- ISBN: 434480340X
- Published: December 24, 2003
- 590 yen (excluding tax)
- Rozen Maiden 3
- ISBN: 434480452X
- Published: September 24, 2004
- 590 yen (excluding tax)
- Rozen Maiden 4
- ISBN: 4344805054
- Published: December 24, 2004
- 590 yen (excluding tax)
- Rozen Maiden 5
- ISBN 4-344-80620-4
- Published: August 24, 2005
- 590 yen (excluding tax)
- Rozen Maiden 6
- ISBN: 4344806913
- Published: January 24, 2006
- 590 yen (excluding tax)
Note: Besides Japanese, it is also available in Chinese, Thai, German and English (in June 2006).
TV Manga
A series of manga based on the anime have also been released.
Anime
Rozen Maiden
The first season of Rozen Maiden focuses primarily on the psychological rehabilitation of Jun Sakurada. He is a hikikomori, and spends most of his time locked in the safety of his room and ordering items from the internet. However, through a strange order form, he finds himself in possession of an enchanted doll that calls herself "Shinku, the fifth Rozen Maiden". Much to Jun's displeasure, Shinku calls on him to create a strange bond with her, and the socially disinclined boy winds up being her "servant". The series follows the two of them as they encounter more Rozen Maiden, dolls that for the most part seem to want nothing more than to drink tea, destroy windows, and draw on his floor with crayon. In this season, five dolls are introduced: Shinku, Hinaichigo, Suigintou, Suiseiseki, and Souseiseki. Suigintou is the primary villain.
Rozen Maiden's first season consists of twelve episodes that aired between October and December 2004.
Production Details
Episode Titles
Rozen Maiden
| Episode | Original Title | Translated Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 薔薇乙女 Fräulein Rose | Rose Maiden |
| 2 | 雛苺 Kleine Beere | Hinaichigo |
| 3 | 水銀燈 Mercury Lampe | Suigintou |
| 4 | 翠星石 Jade Stern | Suiseiseki |
| 5 | 階段 Die Treppe | The Stairway |
| 6 | 涙 Tränen | Tears |
| 7 | 夢 Träume | Dreams |
| 8 | 蒼星石 Lapislazuri Stern | Souseiseki |
| 9 | 檻 Die Gefängnis | The Prison |
| 10 | 別離 Abschied | Parting |
| 11 | 運命 Schicksal | Destiny |
| 12 | 真紅 Reiner Rubin | Shinku |
Rozen Maiden ~Träumend~
The second season of Rozen Maiden has a slightly darker tone. The episodes have been more plot-driven and deal with topics such as "Father" -- the Rozen Maiden's creator -- and the inevitable conclusion to the "Alice Game". Jun does not yet attend school, but happily goes outside, and seems to have even grown fond of the ever-present dolls. Shinku is mentally scarred from the events of the previous season, but she is generally as aristocrat-like as ever. Several new non-doll characters have been introduced. These characters include a riddle-spouting, formally-dressed rabbit and two mysterious men that operate a doll shop, one of which bears an unnatural resemblance to "Father". The final two dolls are introduced in this season: Kanaria and Barasuishou. Barasuishou is the primary villain.
Rozen Maiden Träumend also consists of twelve episodes that began airing on October 20, 2005 and ended on January 26, 2006.
Production Details
Episode Titles
Rozen Maiden Träumend
| Episode | Original Title | Translated Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 薔薇水晶 Rozenkristall | Barasuishou |
| 2 | 槐 Enju | Enju |
| 3 | 金糸雀 Kanarienvogel | Kanaria |
| 4 | 契約 Vereinbarung | Contract |
| 5 | 手紙 Der Brief | The Letter |
| 6 | 天使 Engel | Angel |
| 7 | 茶会 Teegesellschaft | Tea Party |
| 8 | 人形師 Puppenmacher | Doll Maker |
| 9 | 戒 Der Tadel | The Reproach |
| 10 | 巴 Tomoe | Tomoe |
| 11 | 薔薇園 Rosengarten | Rose Garden |
| 12 | 少女 Alice | Alice |
Unresolved Issues
Kirakishou
Barasuishou, as it turns out, is not the seventh Rozen Maiden, but the copy of one. Kirakishou, the original, is revealed toward the end of the last episode. Her purpose, motive and role remain unknown.
Laplace
At first, he seems to support Enju and Barasuishou in the battle against the Rozen Maidens, but at the conclusion, he slips away, declaring that this amusement has come to an end. Toward the end of the last episode, he is shown dancing with Kirakishou, holding Souseiseki's and Hina-Ichigo's Rosa Mysticae in hands.
Father
At the end of Rozen Maiden Träumend, it is revealed that Enju is not the man known as Rozen or "Father", but a jealous apprentice of his who seeks to eclipse his master's art. To this end, Enju has created Barasuishou to destroy the Rozen Maiden and become the perfect doll. She succeeds in doing so, but as she is not being made by Rozen, she fails to contain the Rosa Mysticae and falls apart. Rozen then steps in to repair/resurrect all of the dolls but Souseiseki and Hina-Ichigo, who were defeated by legitimate Rozen Maidens. He then leaves after telling Shinku that there is another way to become Alice without playing the brutal game and killing her sisters for their Rosa Mysticae. How precisely this may be accomplished, however, is left unsaid.
All these are hints that there will be a third season, just as Rozen Maiden is still in print.
Audio CDs
A series of drama CDs and soundtrack CDs have been created to accompany the anime release of both seasons of Rozen Maiden.
Merchandise
Merchandise, ranging from Kunkun dolls to full replicas of the Rozen Maiden have been produced.
- Gashapon
Terms
Dream worlds are places that represent a being's soul in Rozen Maiden. Both the humans and dolls have them. These places are mirrors of a soul, containing elements from old memories or representations of important items. For example, Suigintou's dream world does not contain a daytime, Jun's dream world is flooded with broken computer monitors, Shinku's dream world which is a victorian house with a coffee table, and Hinaichiko's dream world with many toys.
Soul trees are special objects within dreams. Their size and growth reflects a person's lifeforce or mental state. Soul trees are physically modifiable through the power of Suiseiseki's watering can and Souseiseki's scissors, but they do not use these abilities during the series. (They do, however, offer to fix Jun's soul tree, but it is determined that allowing him to grow on his own would be far better.)
Detective Kun-kun is a puppet-based television series about a dog that solves crimes. The dolls that live with Jun are positively hooked on it, and Shinku's (formerly Jun's) shelves are crowded with the show's merchandise. This series-within-a-series appears to be satirizing such popular anime fare as Detective Conan and Kindaichi Case Files.
References
The Gothic Lolita subculture plays a significant role, and it might even be said that Rozen Maiden is a series that is founded upon it. As well as the obvious character design inspiration, the central themes in Rozen Maiden -- elements of Alice in Wonderland and a fondness for the style/habits of Victorian aristocracy -- are also central to the Gothic Lolita subculture.
The dolls' guardian spirits are named after perfumes.
Some fans have also theorized that each of the Rozen Maiden represents some aspect of the perfect femininity that is sought in the Alice Game. Examples include Suigintou's willpower or Souseiseki's quiet nature.