Kurenai (紅, Kurenai?) is a Japanese light novel series by Kentarou Katayama, with illustrations by Yamato Yamamoto. A manga adaptation started serialization in the first issue of Jump Square magazine. An anime adaptation by Brains Base started airing in Japan on April 3, 2008.
Plot
Sixteen-year-old Shinkurō Kurenai, a specialist in settling squabbles between people, is one day approached by his employer with the daughter of a powerful plutocratic family asking him to be her bodyguard.
Characters
- Shinkurō Kurenai (紅真九郎, Kurenai Shinkurō?)
- Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro
- The main protagonist of the series. Despite his looks he is a capable and strong worker who works for Benika doing many types of jobs including being the bodyguard of Murasaki. He is trained in martial arts as well as being physically strong and will take any job for Benika to whom he looks up.
- Murasaki Kuhōin (九鳳院紫, Kuhōin Murasaki?)
- Voiced by: Aoi Yūki
- Murasaki is the seven year old daughter of Souju and Renjo Kuhouin. She is the one being protected by Shinkuro. At first very stubborn and snobbish, she soon lightens up and trusts Shinkuro. She lives with him for protection against her family that has a rule of keeping her in the Inner Sanctuary of their home at all times and never experiencing the outside world until Benika took her. Later in the show she comes to love Shinkuro.
- Benika Jūzawa (柔沢紅香, Jūzawa Benika?)
- Voiced by: Sawa Ishige
- She is Shinkuro's employer for which he would do anything for out of gratitude for her help when he was young and because he respects her completely. She a calm and collected person who goes with her intuition. On behalf of Murasaki's mother last wish she took Murasaki out of the Inner Sanctuary and placed her in the care of Shinkuro whom she believes is similar to her.
- Yayoi Inuzuka (犬塚弥生, Inuzuka Yayoi?)
- Voiced by: Aiko Ōkubo
- She works for Benika as one of her subordinates and has a tendency to overstep her bounds with complaints about Shinkuro. She believes that an important job like protecting Murasaki would better be left in more capable and experienced hands.
- Ginko Murakami (村上銀子, Murakami Ginko?)
- Voiced by: Nozomi Masu
- She is a friend of Shinkuro's who also looks up information for him on the Internet to help. She has been his friend for a long time and also seems to have a crush on him as well as she worries about him when he does jobs for Benika. Ginko is insanely jealous whenever Yuuno is around him.
- Yūno Hōzuki (崩月夕乃, Hōzuki Yūno?)
- Voiced by: Ryoko Shintani
- A girl who Shinkuro lived with when he was young and also his sparring partner. She comes from a family that used to be assassins but still practice the martial arts. Her soft demeanor hides the fact that she is a strong fighter. She also seems to have a crush on Shinkuro and likes to spend time with him. Yuuno has a younger sister named Chizuru, who is five. Their grandfather expects Yuuno and Chizuru to carry on the Houzuki family martial arts skills.
- Tamaki Mutō (武藤環, Mutō Tamaki?)
- Voiced by: Asami Sanada
- She is a university student who lives in the same building as Shinkuro. She can be described as a very flirtatious person, especially towards Shinkuro. She says she is very knowledgeable in the ways of love but doesn't include her own experiences as she has a hard time keeping a boyfriend. She tends to voluntarily watch Murasaki during the day while Shinkuro is at school.
- Yamie (闇絵, Yamie?)
- Voiced by: Haruka Kimura
- She is yet another tenant of the building Shinkuro lives in. She always wears black and calls herself a very sinful woman. She likes cats and usually keeps to herself except when it comes to Shinkuro and Tamaki. Her attitude can be considered sarcastic most times.
- Renjō Kuhōin (九鳳院蓮丈, Kuhōin Renjō?)
- Voiced by: Takaya Kuroda
- He is Murasaki's father who according to custom had to marry a woman named Kazuko. During her stay she abused Murasaki's real mother named Souju while taking the role of mother to herself to which she was not accustomed. Renjo in the meantime did nothing even when Souju, the woman he really loved, committed suicide.
Media
Light novels
- Kure-nai (ISBN 4-08-630272-1), December 2005
- Kure-nai ~Guillotine~ (ISBN 4-08-630290-X), July 2006
- Kure-nai ~Shuuakusai~ (Part 1) (ISBN 978-4-08-630342-2), November 2007
- Kure-nai ~Shuuakusai~ (Part 2) (ISBN 978-4-08-630416-0), April 2008
Manga
A manga adaption is running in Jump Square magazine, with art by Yamato Yamamoto, the original illustrator of the novels.
Anime
An anime adaption started broadcast in Japan on April 3, 2008. It is written and directed by Kō Matsuo. The anime version is different from the manga in that the anime takes a more dramatic approach with a slice of life feel.
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External links
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