Queen's Blade

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the Japanese franchise. For the video game, see Scarlet Blade (video game).
Queen's Blade
Cover of the first series of the Queen's Blade gamebooks released by Hobby Japan featuring Leina.
クイーンズブレイド
(Kuīnzu Bureido)
GenreAdventure, fantasy[1][2]
Light novel
Queen's Blade: Sword of Unicorn
Written byEiji Okita
Illustrated byEiwa
Published byHobby Japan
ImprintHJ Bunko
DemographicMale
Original runMay 1, 2007 – November 1, 2008
Volumes5
Light novel
Gekitō! Queen's Blade
Written byEiji Okita
Illustrated byHirotaka Akaga
Published byHobby Japan
ImprintHJ Bunko
DemographicMale
PublishedMarch 1, 2008
Manga
Queen's Blade: Hide & Seek
Illustrated byIku Nanazuki
Published byKadokawa Shoten
MagazineComp Ace
DemographicSeinen
Original runOctober 26, 2007 – May 26, 2010
Volumes5
Manga
Queen's Blade Struggle
Illustrated byAstroguyII
Published byASCII Media Works
MagazineDengeki Black Maoh
DemographicSeinen
Original runMarch 27, 2009 – present
Volumes4
Manga
Queen's Blade: Exiled Warrior
Illustrated byKabao Kikkawa
Published byMedia Factory
MagazineMonthly Comic Alive
DemographicSeinen
Original runFebruary 23, 2009 – January 23, 2010
Volumes3
Anime television series
Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin
Directed by
Siren Visual
  • NA: Media Blasters
    • Original networkAT-X, Chiba TV, SUN, Tokyo MX
    English network
    Original run April 2, 2009 – June 18, 2009
    Episodes12 (List of episodes)
    Light novel
    Queen's Blade: Exiled Warrior
    Written byEiji Okita
    Illustrated byTsutomu Miyazawa
    Published byMedia Factory
    ImprintMF Bunko J
    DemographicMale
    Original runAugust 1, 2009 – October 1, 2009
    Volumes2
    Anime television series
    Queen's Blade 2: The Evil Eye
    Directed byKinji Yoshimoto
    Written byTakao Yoshioka
    Music byMasaru Yokoyama
    StudioARMS
    Licensed by
    • NA: Media Blasters
    Original networkAT-X, Tokyo MX, Chiba TV, Sun Television
    Original run September 24, 2009 – December 10, 2009
    Episodes12 (List of episodes)
    Game
    Queen's Blade: Spiral Chaos
    Bandai Namco Games
    PublisherBandai Namco Games
    GenreRPG
    PlatformPlayStation Portable
    ReleasedDecember 17, 2009
    Original video animation
    Queen's Blade: Beautiful Warriors
    Directed byKinji Yoshimoto
    Written by
    • Hideki Shirone
    • Michiko Ito
    • Takao Yoshioka
    • Toshimitsu Takeuchi
    Music byMasaru Yokoyama
    StudioARMS
    Licensed by
    Released August 8, 2010 – January 9, 2011
    Runtime30 minutes (per episode)
    Episodes6 (List of episodes)
    Original video animation
    Vanquished Queens
    Directed byShin Itagaki
    Written byKingetsu Ryūnosuke
    StudioHoods Entertainment
    Released March 29, 2013 – September 30, 2014
    Episodes4
    Original video animation
    Queen's Blade: Unlimited
    Directed byGabi Kisaragi[3]
    Written byKingetsu Ryūnosuke
    Okita Eiji
    Music byMiracle Bus
    StudioFORTES
    Released July 13, 2018 – February 28, 2020
    Episodes2
    Manga
    Nanashi no Tensei
    Written byAkira Hizuki
    Illustrated byMinmi Tachibana
    Published byHobby Japan
    DemographicSeinen
    Original runApril 15, 2024 – present

    Queen's Blade (Japanese: クイーンズブレイド, Hepburn: Kuīnzu Bureido) is a Japanese series of visual combat books published by Hobby Japan inspired by the licensed works from Firelight Game Company's Lost Worlds. The overall plot of the game revolves around a tournament called the Queen's Blade, which is held once every four years to determine a Queen.

    Since its original release, the series has evolved into a

    Revoltech series, have also been produced along with several memorabilia. A sequel series, Queen's Blade Rebellion
    , was launched in 2009.

    Characters

    Main article: List of Queen's Blade characters

    Story

    In the Continent, a tournament called the Queen's Blade is held once every four years to determine the most beautiful and powerful Queen. Held in Gainos (ガイノス, Gainosu, also Gynos), the Queen's Capital, various fighters from all over the Continent travel to the Capital to defeat Aldra, the current Queen. The overall story of Queen's Blade focuses on Leina, the heiress of the esteemed Vance Family and next in line for the throne, as she travels to Gainos, encountering many other warriors also competing in the Queen's Blade for their own intentions.

    The original gamebooks feature characters designed by many popular artists, including Hirokazu Hisayuki (My-HiME), Kazuhiro Takamura, and Eiwa.

    Media

    Gamebooks

    • Series 1 (Leina and Risty) - Released November 25, 2005.[4][5]
    • Series 2 (Irma and Nowa) - Released December 28, 2005.[6][7]
    • Series 3 (Tomoe and Echidna) - Released June 9, 2006.[8][9]
    • Series 4 (Menace and Elina) - Released September 29, 2006.[10][11]
    • Series 5 (Airi and Leina 3D) - Released December 22, 2006.[12][13]
    • Series 6 (Nanael and Cattleya) - Released March 16, 2007.[14][15]
    • Series 7 (Nyx and Melpha) - Released June 29, 2007.[16][17]
    • Series 8 (Melona and Claudette) - Released October 18, 2007.[18][19]
    • Series 9 (Ymir) - Released February 15, 2008.[20]
      • A limited-edition second-player color version of Ymir was distributed exclusively by online hobby shop Post Channel.[citation needed]
    • Series 10 (Aldra and Alleyne) - Released June 20, 2008.[21][22]

    At Anime Expo 2010, Hobby Japan announced that English translations of the gamebooks will be released in North America.[23] There exist English versions for the characters Alleyne, Melona, Nanael and Tomoe.[24]

    Anime

    Main article: List of Queen's Blade episodes

    An

    Chiba TV, Sun Television, and Tokyo MX. The series aired uncensored on AT-X, while being heavily censored on other channels. Six DVD and Blu-ray volumes were released by Media Factory between June 25, 2009 and November 25, 2009,[25][26] each DVD/BD volume containing one of six OVAs. A second season, Queen's Blade: Successors to the Throne (クイーンズブレイド 玉座を継ぐ者, Kuīnzu Bureido: Gyokuza o Tsugumono), aired on AT-X and other channels from September 24 to December 10, 2009. Six DVD/BD volumes were released by Media Factory between December 22, 2009 and May 25, 2010,[27][28]
    each containing six OVAs which continue from the first six.

    An OVA series, called Queen's Blade: Beautiful Fighters (クイーンズブレイド ～美しき闘士たち～, Kuīnzu Bureido ~Utsukushiki Tōshi-tachi~), was announced on the May issue of Monthly Hobby Japan.[29] A prelude to events of Queen's Blade Rebellion, the series takes place after the events of the Queen's Blade tournament and chronicles the characters on their separate paths. The episodes were released on six DVD and Blu-ray volumes from August 25, 2010 to March 30, 2011.[30][31]

    In North America, the first and second anime adaptations are licensed by Media Blasters under the respective titles Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin and Queen's Blade 2: The Evil Eye.[32] The first season was released between May 18 and October 26, 2010 as three DVD volumes, each containing four episodes,[33][34] while the second season was released between May 24, 2011 and July 19, 2011 as two half-series volumes.[35][36] Blu-ray box sets of the two seasons were later released on February 15, 2011 and September 27, 2011, respectively.[37][38] Sentai Filmworks has licensed the Beautiful Fighters OVAs and will release them on digital and home video formats.[39] On May 11, 2017, the channel Toku announced that the first season would be broadcast on its channel beginning June 5, 2017 through August 21, 2017.[40]

    The opening theme for the first season is "Get the Door" by Rie Ohashi, while the ending theme is "Memories and Promises" (思い出と約束, Omoide to Yakusoku) by

    Kanae Ito
    , the voices for Melona, Menace, and Airi, respectively. For the OVA, the ending theme is "Bitōshi Carnival: Taoreru Toki wa Maemuki ni" (美闘士カーニバル～たおれる時は前向きに～) by All 19 Beautiful Warriors, consisting of the entire female voice cast of the series.

    Manga

    An anthology comic of Queen's Blade was published by Hobby Japan with four volumes released between April 25, 2007 and February 25, 2008.

    manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive.[43] Three volumes were released between February 2, 2009 and January 23, 2010 under Media Factory's Alive Comics imprint.[44][45]

    Another manga adaptation of Queen's Blade illustrated by Iku Nanazuki called Queen's Blade: Hide & Seek (クイーンズブレイド -Hide&Seek-), began serialization in the December 2007 issue of Comp Ace. A spinoff of the original, the series centers on Elina searching for her older sister Leina, and it introduces Frolell, a servant of the Vance family who travels with Elina on her journey to bring Leina back. Five volumes were released by Kadokawa Shoten between June 26, 2008 and June 26, 2010.[46][47]

    A third manga adaptation, called Queen's Blade Struggle (クイーンズブレイド ストラグル, Kuīnzu Bureido Sutoraguru), is illustrated by AstroguyII and began serialization in the December 2007 issue of Dengeki Black Maoh, and continued in Dengeki Maoh after the latter stopped circulation, albeit with new chapters delivered bimonthly. The first volume was released by ASCII Media Works on March 27, 2009,[48] with four volumes currently available as of February 27, 2012 under their Dengeki Comics imprint.[49]

    Light novels

    A light novel adaptation of Queen's Blade, called Queen's Blade: Sword of Unicorn (クイーンズブレイド　ソード・オブ・ユニコーン, Kuīnzu Bureido: Sōdo obu Yunikōn), is written by Eiji Okita with illustrations by Eiwa. The first volume was released on April 27, 2007 by Hobby Japan under their HJ Bunko imprint,[50] and released five volumes until November 1, 2008.[51] A bonus novel called Fierce Battle! Queen's Blade (激闘！クイーンズブレイド, Gekitō! Kuīnzu Bureido) was published on March 1, 2008, with illustrations provided by Hirotaka Akaga.[52]

    A light novel based on the first anime series, written by Okita and illustrated by Tsumotu Miyazawa, was also published by Hobby Japan, and released two volumes between August 1, 2009 and October 1, 2009.[53][54]

    Video game

    A

    Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos
    , was released as part of the Queen's Gate series of works.

    Other

    • Queen's Blade Fan Disc: character dress-up software published in 2006.
    • Queen's Blade i: A
      NTT DoCoMo
      . The service seems to have been discontinued since.
    • Queen's Blade Collection Card ver.2.0: A currently-produced card series with individual biography cards for each character, plus artwork cards and bubble gum.
    • Three visual books called Queen's Blade: Beautiful Fighters Biographies (クイーンズブレイド美闘士列伝, Kuīnzu Bureido: Bitōshi Retsuden) were released by Hobby Japan, narrating the backstories of the fighters before the tournament:
      • Picture Scroll of the Musha-Miko (武者巫女絵巻, Musha-Miko Emaki), illustrated by Eiwa, released on Abril 28, 2007.[56]
      • Tome of the Ancient Princess (古代王女の書, Kodai Ōjo no Sho), illustrated by F.S., released on February 15, 2008.[57]
      • Adventure of the Exiled Warrior (流浪の戦士冒険記, Rurō no Senshi Bōken Ki), illustrated by Hirokazu Hisayuki, released on February 28, 2009.[58]
    • A databook called Queen's Blade: Perfect Visual Book (クイーンズブレイド パーフェクトビジュアルブック, Kuīnzu Bureido: Pāfekuto Bijuaru Bukku) was released by Hobby Japan on June 27, 2009. Aside from compiled illustrations from other official sources, the databook contains extended profiles on the fighters, a "world guide" detailing many of the Continent's locations and the resolutions of each character's storyarc.
      Vertical Publishing.[60]
    • Queen's Blade: The Duel: A collectible card game with Queen's Blade characters, later expanded with a few of the Queen's Gate and Queen's Blade Rebellion characters and renamed to Duel System TCG. Released by Megahobby in 2008.
    • Queen's Blade: The Conquest: A RPG browser game featuring the Queen's Blade characters made by Aiming in 2012, with plans to be expanded with Rebellion characters. It is free-to-play, though items can be bought to progress faster and reduce cooldown time.
    • Queen’s Blade Limit Break: An RPG browser game launched on the HTML5 game platform, G123, in 2022.[61]

    Sequels and spin-offs

    The original game book series was followed by a sequel series titled Queen's Blade Rebellion (クイーンズブレイド リベリオン, Kuīnzu Bureido Riberion), featuring all-new characters as well as reinterpretations of previous characters, and a supplement called Queen's Gate (クイーンズゲイト, Kuīnzu Geito), featuring licensed characters from other games and series.

    A spin-off series of Original video animations, titled Queen's Blade Grimoire (クイーンズブレイド グリムワール, Kuīnzu Bureido Gurimuwāru), was launched in 2016. The anime is set in a parallel universe inspired by fairy tales.

    A reboot, titled Queen's Blade Unlimited (クイーンズブレイド UNLIMITED), was announced in 2017.[62][63]

    A spin-off full-color vertical-scrolling manga series, titled Nanashi no Tensei, began serialization on Hobby Japan's Fire Cross website on April 15, 2024. The series is written by Akira Hizuki and illustrated by Minmi Tachibana.[64]

    References

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    2. ^ Martin, Theron (June 4, 2010). "Queen's Blade vol. 1 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
    3. ^ "Queen's Blade Unlimited 'Reboot' Video Anime Reveals Cast, Staff, 2018 Debut". natalie.mu (in Japanese). Retrieved March 22, 2018.
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    55. ^ "Queen's Blade PSP Game: Queen's Blade Spiral Chaos ~Gekitou Pack~ Premium Box w/ Limited New Character "Cute" figma Action Figure + Character Voice CD there is another game based on queens blade titled Scarlet blade". Amazon. Retrieved February 3, 2011. [citation needed]
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    External links

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Queen%27s_Blade&oldid=1219237646"