E’s (manga)
E’s (Japanese: エス, Hepburn: Esu) is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and drawn by Satoru Yuiga. It was originally serialized in Monthly GFantasy from 1997 through 2005, and later published in 16 tankōbon volumes by Square Enix from March 18, 2003 to February 27, 2010. The series focuses on Kai Kudō, an “Esper”, who is recruited by an organization called Ashurum to become a soldier to purportedly save other psychics from regular humans. After a mission in Gald goes wrong, Kai finds himself living with a man named Yuuki and his adopted sister Asuka. As he learns more about Ashurum, Kai finds himself wondering what their true goals are, and worrying about his ill sister, who is under Ashurum’s care.
The series was adapted into a twenty-six episode anime series entitled E’s Otherwise (エス·アザーワイズ) by Studio Pierrot. It debuted in Japan on April 1, 2003 on TV Tokyo; the final episode aired on September 23, 2003. Two light novels and three drama CDs related to the series have also been released in Japan.
Broccoli Books licensed the manga series for English-language publication in North America in 2006. ADV Films licensed the anime series for North American broadcast and distribution, with the English dubbed version of the series airing on Anime Network.
Plot
Kai and Hikaru are protected by a corporation called ASHURUM, from a society that fears E’s. ASHURUM is 1 of the 12 corporations that rule the world. Found by Eiji, Kai was selected to be in ASHURUM’s special force AESES and had to undergo intensive training in different areas, such as combat, hacking, and psychic training.
When Kai had free time he visited Hikaru at the hospital. Hikaru’s condition never improved, however. After a year, Shen-long warned Kai that Eiji actually only wanted his sister, because she was said to possess amazing psychic powers, but she was not able to use them due to her illness. Shen-long then went on to tell Kai that Eiji was just hoping that Kai would have those amazing powers too.
Kai did not believe Shen-long and goes on a mission to Gald city, with the other E’s, to infiltrate a hideout of guerillas that is said to have been using E’s against their will. Kai finds some civilians caught in the middle of the battle. While trying to save a little girl, one of the civilians that is afraid of E’s, shoots and kills Kai’s partner.
Kai, still shocked from the death of his partner, tries to help the civilians, but meets up with Shen-long. In a rage, Shen-long unleashes a psychic blast that decimates half the city.
Later, Kai, washed up ashore, was found by a girl named Asuka. After being brought back to health, Kai was told by Yuuki, Asuka’s brother, that he would not have his psychic powers back to the level they were unless he goes back to ASHURUM. However, after spending some time in the city with its residents, Kai decides to stay with Asuka and Yuuki for a while. As it turns out, ASHURUM has been brain-washing Kai and the other E’s in order to make them more powerful. Eiji plans to use Hikaru to destroy the human race to ‘speed up evolution’ so that only E’s survive.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Satoru Yuiga, E’s was first serialized in GFantasy in 1997. The individual chapters were then compiled into 16 tankōbon volumes by Square Enix. The first volume was released on March 18, 2003 with the final volume released on February 27, 2010.
The series licensed for an English-language release in North America by Broccoli Books. However Broccoli International USA closed down at the end of 2008 and stopped all printing in progress and have halted release of new works. As of October 2007, the company has published four volumes of the series. The series is also licensed for regional language releases in German by Carlsen Comics and in Chinese by Tong Li Publishing.
Anime
Studio Pierrot adapted the manga series into a twenty-six episode anime series entitled E’s Otherwise (エス·アザーワイズ). Directed by Masami Shimoda, the episodes debuted in Japan on April 1, 2003 on TV Tokyo; the final episode aired on September 23, 2003.
ADV Films licensed the anime series for North American distribution in 2004. It initially released the series across 6 DVD volumes, with the first volume released on February 15, 2005 and the final volume released March 21, 2006. On December 12, 2006, the company re-released the entire series in a single five-disc box set. ADV Films also released the series in Germany, with German dubbing provided by Elektrofilm.
The anime series uses two pieces of theme music. “Jōhō” (情報) performed by Suitei-Shōjo is used for the series opening theme, while “Tonight/Midnight” by Chicochair is used for the ending theme.
Light novels
Two light novels adaptations of the manga, also written by Yuiga, have been published by Square Enix. The first volume, E’s The Time to Baptisma, was published on February 26, 1999. The second volume, E’s Unknown Kingdom, followed on January 27, 2000.
Drama CDs
Square Enix released three drama CDs based around the manga. The first, E’s Volume 1 was released on September 25, 1999. The second, E’S Vol Extra, followed on March 24, 2000. The final volume, E’s Volume 2, which used the same voice actors as the anime adaptation, was released on September 26, 2003 after the television broadcast concluded.
Other media
E’s Zero World Guidance (E’S ワールドガイダンス 零, E’S Waarudo Gaidansu Rei), published by Square Enix in August 2003, is a guidebook containing additional information about the various fictional aspects of the series, characters, etc.
eSpecial: E’s Postcard Book contains fifteen postcards featuring characters from the series was published in March 2003.
| E’s | |
The first volume of E’s, published in Japan by Square Enix on March 18, 2003
|
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| エス (Esu) |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Action, fantasy, science fiction |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Satoru Yuiga |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Monthly GFantasy |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Original run | 1997 – 2010 |
| Volumes | 16 |
| Anime television series | |
| E’s Otherwise | |
| Directed by | Masami Shimoda |
| Studio | Pierrot |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | TV Tokyo |
| English network | |
| Original run | April 1, 2003 – September 23, 2003 |
| Episodes | 26 |
| Light novel | |
| E’s The Time to Baptisma | |
| Written by | Satoru Yuiga |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| Imprint | GFantasy |
| Published | February 26, 1999 |
| Light novel | |
| E’s Unknown Kingdom | |
| Written by | Satoru Yuiga |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| Imprint | GFantasy |
| Published | January 27, 2000 |
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