Damens Walker (manga/anime/TV drama)

Damens Walker (Japaneseだめんず・うぉ~か~HepburnDamenzu Uōkā) is a Japanese manga essay series by Mayumi Kurata. Damens Walker was serialized in the weekly magazine Weekly Spa! from June 14, 2000 to April 2013. The series has inspired two live-action television drama adaptations and a mobile anime series.

Synopsis

Damens Walker follows the dating life of a woman who is only interested in good-for-nothing men, known as “damens” (だめんず) (a combination of the words “good-for-nothing” (ダメdame) and “men”).

Manga

Damens Walker is written and illustrated by Mayumi Kurata. It was serialized in the weekly magazine Weekly Spa! beginning in June 14, 2000 to April 2013. The chapters were later released in twenty bound volumes by Fusosha under the Spa! Comics imprint.

Kurata stated that her reason for ending the manga was not because of problems in her marriage, but because she had “lost frustration towards good-for-nothing men” and that her older age has changed her perspective on relationships.

No. Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 July 26, 2001 978-4-5940-3207-4
2 December 19, 2001 978-4-5940-3350-7
3 February 28, 2002 978-4-5940-3428-3
4 November 15, 2002 978-4-5940-3718-5
5 July 2, 2003 978-4-5940-4101-4
6 December 2, 2003 978-4-5940-4219-6
7 July 13, 2004 978-4-5940-4692-7
8 April 28, 2005 978-4-5940-4945-4
9 November 25, 2005 978-4-5940-5066-5
10 April 20, 2006 978-4-5940-5146-4
11 September 29, 2006 978-4-5940-5220-1
12 July 27, 2007 978-4-5940-5411-3
13 February 14, 2008 978-4-5940-5594-3
14 September 27, 2008 978-4-5940-5776-3
15 April 11, 2009 978-4-5940-5931-6
16 April 30, 2010 978-4-5940-6186-9
17 January 28, 2011 978-4-5940-6339-9
18 September 30, 2011 978-4-5940-6490-7
19 May 11, 2012 978-4-5940-6606-2
20 July 2, 2013 978-4-5940-6855-4

Television drama

2002 adaptation

Damens Walker was adapted into a live-action television drama starring Ai Ijima and Chiaki Hara, which was broadcast on NTV from March 1 to March 29, 2002.

2006 adaptation

A second live-action television drama starring Norika Fujiwara and Yu Yamada was broadcast on TV Asahi from October 12 to December 7, 2006. The theme song for the 2006 adaptation is “Yume no Uta” by Koda Kumi. “Trans-winter (Fuyu no Mukōgawa)” by Showta was featured as an insert song.

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date Japan viewership rating (Kanto region) 
1 “A Woman Who Can’t Get Married vs Good-For-Nothing Man!!”
Transcription: “Kekkon Dekinai Onna vs Dame Otoko!!” (Japanese結婚できない女vsダメ男!!)
Unknown Unknown October 12, 2006 10.3%
2 “A Good-For-Nothing Woman is into a Mother Complex Man!?”
Transcription: “Mazakon Otoko ni Hamatta Dame Onna!?” (Japaneseマザコン男にハマッたダメ女!?)
Unknown Unknown October 19, 2006 8.0%
3 “A (Secret) Love Triangle with a Hot Beautician”
Transcription: “Ikemen Biyōshi to no (Hi) Sankaku Kankei” (Japaneseイケメン美容師との(秘)三角関係)
Unknown Unknown November 2, 2006 7.2%
4 “A Hidden Secret in a Wedding Party”
Transcription: “Kekkon Pātī ni Kakusareta Uso” (Japanese結婚パーティーに隠された嘘)
Unknown Unknown November 9, 2006 7.4%
5 “A Woman into the No. 1 Good-Looking Host!?”
Transcription: “No. 1 Bikei Hosuto ni Hamatta Onna!?” (JapaneseNo.1美形ホストにハマった女!?)
Unknown Unknown November 16, 2006 8.6%
6 “Tonight, a Reverse Proposal to a Celebrity Man”
Transcription: “Konya Serebu Otoko ga Gyaku ni Puropōzu” (Japanese今夜セレブ男が遂にプロポーズ)
Unknown Unknown November 23, 2006 9.0%
7 “Final Chapter!! A Trap of Marrying into Wealth”
Transcription: “Saishūshō!! Serebu Kon no Wana” (Japanese最終章!! セレブ婚の罠)
Unknown Unknown November 30, 2006 7.1%
8 “A Miracle on Christmas Eve!! A Tearful Wedding Announcement”
Transcription: “Ibu no Kiseki!! Namida no Kekkon Sengen” (Japaneseイヴの奇跡!! 涙の結婚宣言…)
Unknown Unknown December 7, 2006 7.0%

Stage play

A stage play adaptation ran in 2006. A second stage play adaptation ran from October 30 to November 1, 2020.

Anime

A 12-episode anime adaptation titled Damens Walker: The Anime was released beginning March 1, 2010, with each episode having a run time of 3 minutes. The series was streamed weekly on Sundays on BeeTV for Docomo mobile phones. The theme song is “D-Woman”, which was written and produced by Daimaou Kosaka and performed by his friend Masako Ohara.

Film

A live-action film titled Damens Walker: The Movie Jealousy Edition was released direct-to-video on May 2, 2018. The theme song is “Baby Call My Name” by Emi Nitta. Also included in the DVD is a talk show with Nobu Morimoto.

Reception

In 2010, Damens Walker sold a cumulative total of 2 million physical copies.

 

Damens Walker
だめんず・うぉ~か~
(Damenzu Uōkā)
Manga
Written by Mayumi Kurata
Published by Fusosha
Imprint Spa! Comics
Magazine Weekly Spa!
Demographic Josei
Original run June 14, 2000 – April 2013
Volumes 20
Television drama
Original network
Original run March 1, 2002 – March 29, 2002
Episodes 5
Television drama
Original network
Original run October 12, 2006 – December 7, 2006
Episodes 8

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