Sennin_Buraku

Sennin Buraku

is a manga series by Kō Kojima which runs in the adult magazine Weekly Asahi Geinō, published by Tokuma Shoten in Japan. It is the longest running comic with only one artist, being published weekly since October 1956, and the longest-running strip ever in Japan. By contrast, Golgo 13 is the longest running manga to be serialized in a dedicated manga magazine with Doraemon the second longest, and Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (Kochi-Kame) the third longest (Asahi Geino is not a dedicated manga magazine). While Sennin Buraku has been running for more years than Peanuts, Charles M. Schulz's strip has more "episodes" as it ran daily rather than weekly. The story was a romantic comedy taking place in historical China, and it was quite risqué for its time. The characters were very traditionally dressed (e.g. all wearing kimono).

Sennin Buraku was the first late night anime, broadcast shortly before midnight on Fuji TV from September 4, 1963 to February 23, 1964. This was the first anime series produced by Tele-Cartoon Japan, and a page exists on their website about it. The series was in black and white ran for 23 episodes. A live action movie was released in 1961, titled .

Plot Summary

The ancient Chinese village of Taoyuan is populated solely by Taoist ascetics. The eldest, Lao Shi, conducts research into the mysteries of magic and alchemy, while his disciple Zhi Huang remains more interested in pleasures of the flesh. He has fallen for three pretty sisters who live nearby, much to Lao Shi's annoyance.

Manga

While the manga has run for over fifty years now, it has had no collection volumes released in English. The only way to read the manga is to buy or subscribe to Weekly Asahi Geinō in Japan, or to buy the Japanese tankōbon.

Live action movie

The 83-minute live action movie was titled Fūryū Kokkei-tan: Sennin Buraku, and was released in theaters by Shintoho on 1961-02-08.

Cast

Akiko Matsuyama: Mayumi Ōzora
Tenpei Naiki: Yōichi Numata
Yōko Kondō: Mako Sanjō
Doctor: Bokuzen Hidari
Laundry boy: Akihiro Maruyama
Daikichi Narayama: Bunta Sugawara

Staff

Director: Morihei Magatani
Planning: Mitsuo Nakatsuka
Screenplay: Isao Matsumoto
Cinematographer: Shigenobu Yoshida
Art Director: Haruyasu Kurosawa
Music: Keitarō Miho

Anime series

Each episode of the anime series was 15 minutes long. The first eight episodes were broadcast from 23:40 to 23:55 on Wednesday nights on Fuji TV following the world news, and episodes nine through 23 were broadcast from 23:30 to 23:45 on Monday nights.

The opening theme song, Sennin Buraku no Thema, was sung by Three Graces, arranged by Tōru Kino and the lyrics were written by Takeo Yamashita.