Hell Girl
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Hell Girl
The cover of volume 1 of the Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori DVDs released in Japan.
地獄少女(Jigoku Shōjo)
Genre
Horror, Mystery, Fantasy
TV anime
Director
Takahiro Ōmori
Writer
Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio
Studio Deen
Licensor
Aniplex
Madman EntertainmentFunimationRevelation films
Network
Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX, Kids Station
English network
IFCokto
[show]Other networks:
Animaxntv7, Animax
Original run
October 4, 2005 – April 4, 2006
Episodes
26
TV anime: Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori
Director
Takahiro Ōmori
Writer
Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio
Studio Deen
Network
Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX, Kids Station, Independent Film Channel
[show]Other networks:
Animax
Original run
October 7, 2006 – April 6, 2007
Episodes
26
Manga
Author
Miyuki Etō
Publisher
Kodansha
English publisher
Del Rey Manga
Demographic
Shōjo
Magazine
Nakayoshi
Original run
October 2005 – ongoing
Volumes
6
TV drama
Director
Makoto Naganuma
Network
Nippon Television
Studio
Izumi TV Production
Original run
November 4, 2006 – January 27, 2007
Time slot
Saturdays 25:25-25:50
Episodes
12
Game: Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura
Developer
Compile Heart
Rating
CERO: B (Ages 12 and up)
Platform
Nintendo DS
Released
September 27, 2007
TV anime: Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae
Director
Hiroshi Watanabe
Writer
Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio
Studio Deen
Original run
October 4, 2008 – ongoing
Episodes
9
Anime and Manga Portal
Hell Girl (地獄少女, Jigoku Shōjo?), also known as Jigoku Shoujo: Girl from Hell in Animax Asia's English-language television broadcasts,[1][2] is an anime series, produced by Aniplex and Studio Deen. It premiered across Japan on numerous television stations, including Animax, Tokyo MX, MBS and others, between October 4, 2005 and April 4, 2006. Following the success of the first season, the series was followed soon after into a second, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (地獄少女 二籠, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori?), which premiered October 7, 2006 across Japan on Animax.[3] A live-action television series adaptation started airing in Japan on Nippon Television from November 4, 2006.[4] A third season of the anime, further continuing the series, was first announced on the mobile version of the series' official website Jigoku Tsūshin.[5] The official title of the third season was announced to be Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (地獄少女 三鼎, Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae?).[6] and began airing on Japanese TV October 4th, 2008 [7].
Contents[hide]
1 Story
2 Characters
2.1 Main characters
2.2 Recurring characters
3 Communication with Hell Girl
4 Anime
4.1 Staff
4.2 Jigoku Shōjo (first season)
4.2.1 Episodes
4.2.2 Theme songs
4.3 Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (Two Cages)
4.3.1 Episodes
4.3.2 Theme songs
4.4 Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (Cauldron of Three)
4.4.1 Episodes
4.4.2 Theme songs
4.5 OST
4.5.1 Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack
4.5.2 Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack II
4.5.3 Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack
4.5.4 Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack II
4.5.5 Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae Original Soundtrack ~肉喰~
5 Manga
6 Live action
6.1 Cast
6.2 Episodes
7 Video game
8 References
9 External links
//
[edit] Story
Most episodes are self-contained short stories in which the series narrates the suffering of a different individual caused by one or more antagonists. A website known as "Hell Correspondence" (Jigoku Tsūshin, "Hell Correspondence"?) may only be accessed at midnight by one who harbors a desire for revenge against their tormentor. Should someone submit the name of someone against whom they have a grudge, the Jigoku Shōjo (Hell Girl) will offer them a straw doll with a red string wound about its neck. If the string is pulled, she will ferry the target of the revenge straightaway to Hell, however the client agrees to a pact where those who request her intervention will also be sent to hell at the end of their natural lives.
During each story, the protagonists' dramas are explained in detail from the start of their grudges, through the escalation of their torment until it becomes unbearable and they resort to accessing the Hell Correspondence website. The contents of the site are only a text: "あなたの怨み、晴らします。" (which is read "anata no urami, harashimasu" and means "We will take revenge, on your behalf."), a text box where the grudge's object must be written, and a "送信" (Send) button. Some time after the post, they are visited by Enma Ai, a young red-eyed girl wearing a traditional sailor school uniform (usually the dark version used only in winter months). She hands them a straw doll, which is actually one of her assistants, with a red string tied to its neck. In the first season, the doll is always black, because it is always the same assistant, that is, Wanyūdō, but in the second season, the doll may also be red or dark blue, depending on which assistant it is (Hone-Onna or Ichimoku Ren, respectively). She then tells them that if they want their vengeance to be delivered, they must remove the string from the doll, and their enemies will be immediately taken to Hell. A black crest-shaped mark will appear on the protagonists' chests, which serves as a constant reminder that once their lives come to an end, they must give compensation for Ai's service by having their own souls also sent to Hell.
Ai is aided by her three assistants: Ichimoku Ren, a young man in casual clothes who takes the form of the blue straw doll; Hone-Onna, a woman wearing a kimono with the obi (sash) tied in front which signifies she is a prostitute and takes the form of the red straw doll; and Wanyūdō, an old man wearing a hat and, at times, a red scarf, who takes the form of the black straw doll. When not actively assisting Ai, the three remain in their straw doll forms. The trio help Ai investigate the true nature of their clients, and occasionally present the victims with the sins they have been accused of before Ai appears to ferry them to hell.
In episode 8 of the first season, two recurring characters are introduced: A journalist named Shibata Hajime - a former scandal-hunter/blackmailer who turned to investigating the stories involving the Jigoku Shōjo; and his daughter Tsugumi. After an encounter with Enma Ai, Tsugumi starts to have visions of what Ai sees and thus the two become more and more involved in Ai's matters. Hajime doesn't agree with Ai's methods to deliver vengeance for her clients, and tries to stop those who contacted Jigoku Shōjo from using her service with Tsugumi's help.
In season two, a significant amount of the plot is centered around Takuma Kurebayashi, a boy who is blamed by his townsfolk for causing disappearances around the town, which was actually caused by the townsfolk who used Jigoku Tsūshin.
In season 3, after Ai Enma's supposed death after the events of the 2nd season, her three helpers, Ichimoku Ren, Wanyuudou and Hone-Onna live out their existence in relative peace. This is suddenly shattered when Kikuri returns to recruit them. Meanwhile, Ai mysteriously reappears from the dead and uses the body of a young schoolgirl, Yuzuki Mikage, to revive the Jigoku Tsūshin operation. Yuzuki is aware of Ai's presence however, and she has been shown to see what Ai sees.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Main characters
Ai Enma (閻魔 あい, Enma Ai?)
Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese), Brina Palencia (English)
The primary protagonist of the series. With long, flowing hair and red eyes, she is a spiritual entity with a tragic past, who lives in a world of eternal twilight with her grandmother, and is the one who receives and delivers vengeance on her clients' behalf. She normally wears a black seifuku, or sailor uniform (which is usually worn during winter months), but always wears a kimono with floral (or egg) designs when delivering the vengeance of a client. Ai started her career as the Hell Girl by her own act of vengeance on the villagers who sentenced her to a sacrificial death. Her eyes turned red arguably at the point where Sentarou (her childhood soul mate who gave in under the villagers' pressure to bury her alive) gave the first shovel of soil onto her face. She broke out of her grave after a while, and took revenge on the entire village with her wrath, burning it to the ground. Her task of fulfilling other people's vengeance and ferrying people to Hell is her punishment, a task which she has performed for the better part of 400 years. Although this task is presented as atonement, it is unknown whether she will ever be freed of it. Since she has done this for so long, she initially seemed to have become emotionless, numbed, as is shown by her expressionless face. Wanyūdō noted she still had feelings, though, although she did not express them strongly, and it was later revealed that Ai had been ordered to close her heart by the Spider. The experiences she has with the Shibatas reawakened her discontent with her terrible fate and later apparently reawakened other emotions, or at least Ai's ability to express them. When enraged, Ai demonstrates the ability to hurl great blasts of energy, as well as the power to create elaborate illusions and the ability to teleport.
In the second season, Ai becomes more expressive and shows more emotions, being more willing to interact with others and with her "clients". In fact, in one scene, she puts up a "V for Victory" sign in front of her target as a way of mockery and torture before sending him to hell; in another, she is seen reading from a fashion magazine while her compatriots watch over their client; and she even showed concern towards a mother who willingly ended her life so that her daughter doesn't have to send her to Hell. Also, her emotions and memories are once again released by the suffering of Takuma Kurebayashi, similar to her own situation in the past. This leads Ai to defy her 'employer', who is the Lord of Hell, causing her to be restored to human life - and killed shortly thereafter, when saving Takuma from his tormentors. After Ai's self-sacrifice, her body dissolves into sakura petals and drifts into the sky.
In the third season, we see Ai's return to the series after she was presumed dead. In the beginning of the season, she transports another girl, Yuzuki, to a strange illusion and dream state, where Ai makes the girl her new "vessel". The relationship between Yuzuki and Ai can be compared to the bond that she shared with Tsugumi in the first season, albeit much closer. Also, when she is kicked by a hatred in the hip, she is shown to feel small pain.
It is ironic that Ai's name actually translates as: Ai (love) and Enma (the Judge of the Underworld). A second translation of Ai, however, is accomplice, denoting Ai's role as Enma's assistant. Because her first name is never written in kanji, its meaning remains ambiguous.
Wanyūdō (輪入道, Wanyūdō?)
Voiced by: Takayuki Sugo (Japanese), R. Bruce Elliott (English)
Wanyūdō is the first of Ai's three companions. He generally appears as an old man whose eyes remain mostly shut, wearing a traditional yukata with a long-sleeved haori, and a red scarf around his neck. When necessary, he takes the form of the black straw doll, by wrapping his scarf tight around his neck, that Ai hands to her clients in the series. He also frequently takes the form of an Ai's coach with burning wheels when she goes to the human world to claim a soul. Ai has stated that before he performed this task for her, she used to walk to and from her sunset world. The coach bears the same black flame-crest that appears on the chest of those people who contract with the Hell Girl. Despite appearing quite mild-mannered, frail and weak with age at most times, Wanyūdō possesses considerable skills in martial arts and is capable of hurling fireballs and performing feats of inhuman strength. Wanyūdō's name is derived from the yōkai of the same name and means "A wheel entering the road". In episode 12 of Futakomori, it is revealed that he was the driver of a princess' entourage carriage, which fell off a cliff. The coach caught fire and all aboard were killed. As a result, he became a yōkai terrorizing people in the form of a flaming wheel with his own enlarged, infuriated face as a hubcap, until he met Ai and she invited him to join her as her first companion. Wanyūdō revealed to Ai his ability to shapeshift.
Ren Ichimoku (一目 連, Ichimoku Ren?)
Voiced by: Masaya Matsukaze (Japanese), Todd Haberkorn (English)
Ren is Ai's second companion, and usually takes the form of a young man. He can manifest a single large eye that can be directed anywhere, allowing him to see the inside of a building through projecting the eye on the walls and ceilings. The large eye can also be used as a weapon through projecting intense flashes of light. When so required, Ren becomes the blue straw doll by kissing a pendant he wears around his neck. Ren's name means "one glance company". He is sometimes referred to as "Moku" or "Ishimoto Ren". His powers in human form is a reference to Daidarabocchi, a type of mythological giant that is enshrouded in shadow. It is later revealed that Ren is a tsukumogami (artifact spirit), a type of spirit that originates from an artifact which has gained sentience after a long period of existence. In Ren's case, he was once a katana, forced to be aware and watch whatever was done with him. He was given his current form(s) by Ai, who collected him after he was abandoned on a large rock after a battle, during which his most recent owner was slain. Ai thinks that he is looking for something and asks him to accompany her. He agrees saying that the rock he was abandoned in was getting pretty boring. Since that time, Ren has apparently grown quite fond of his human form, displaying considerable vanity from time to time. Ai claims she invited him to join her because there is something that Ren is looking for, a fact perhaps manifested in Ren's occasional puzzlement and inability to understand the things humans do. Alternatively, some of Ren's comments indicate that what he was looking for was companionship, something to fill the emptiness of his existence as a sword used for endless killing. Ren has apparently developed feelings for his colleagues, seeing them as family.
Hone Onna (骨女, Hone Onna? Bone Woman)
Voiced by: Takako Honda (Japanese), Jennifer Seman (English)
Hone Onna is Ai's third companion, and she often takes the form of a woman in a kimono with its obi tied in front--the trademark of an oiran (In the second season, her obi is tied at the back) and a slightly disheveled hairstyle. She dislikes being called "old lady". She becomes the red straw doll when necessary by tossing her red obi jime, or cord, over her shoulder. Hone Onna and Ren investigate the people who make a contract and the ones they have a grudge against. She usually infiltrates human society in casual clothing to investigate cases, on these occasions she tends to use the pseudonym "Sone Anna". On certain occasions, she uses throwing knives as weapons, and is apparently extremely skilled with these weapons. Her knives have be used to quickly dispatch supernatural enemies. Hone Onna also seems to have some skill as a contortionist, which allows her to squeeze into very small places. The name Hone Onna comes from the legendary creature of the same name, literally meaning "bone woman", which reflects her ability to expose the bones in her body to scare the victims of the revenge Ai delivers. In episode 8 of Futakomori she jokingly refers to her age as being about 200 years old; however, this has never been confirmed. It is revealed that she had been a prostitute named Tsuyu who was betrayed by a man whom she had fallen in love with after he sold her to a brothel to be able to pay off his own debts. Tsuyu was betrayed again when she attempted to arrange the escape of a fellow prostitute named Kion with a man who had come to truly love Tsuyu. Tsuyu and the man were later murdered by a samurai, and that same samurai cast Tsuyu into a river afterward. Spirits rising from human bones thrown into the river before merged with Tsuyu's restless spirit, transforming Tsuyu into the yōkai Hone Onna, in which form she later met Ai.
Ai's Grandmother (あいの祖母, Ai no Sobo?)
Voiced by: Eriko Matsushima (Japanese), Juli Erickson (English)
She is never actually seen in the series, other than as a shadowy silhouette behind a paper screen that is always spinning thread in her room. She occasionally talks to Ai and advises her, occasionally commenting on the cases she takes up. A single human eyewitness in Futakomori who had observed Ai's grandmother ran in terror, implying that her appearance may be other than human.
The Spider (人面蜘蛛, Jinmen Gumo?)
Voiced by: Hidekatsu Shibata (Japanese), John Swasey (English)
An oddly-coloured spider with three eyes upon its abdomen, which appears in the sunset world where Ai and her assistants reside between assignments. It speaks with the voice of a man and is apparently Ai's superior, having been the one to pronounce sentence on her after she killed the people of her village. It appears to be holding the souls of Ai's loved ones - namely her parents - hostage; if Ai does not do the task she has been given, the spider has threatened that her parents would wander in darkness for eternity. The spider demonstrates an ability to pilot the ferryboat to Hell in Futakomori and tries to restrain Ai, having decided to take her to Hell after her feelings of rage reawakened and she violently attacked the Shibatas. Ai turned out to be too strong for it to hold her without her consent. The spider is neither liked nor trusted by Ai's assistants, with whom it in turn does not speak. In the last episode of Futakomori, Wanyūdō identifies the spider as the Lord of Hell. It can be inferred that the Spider deliberately exposed Ai to a situation reminiscent of her own death in order to test whether she would obey its will or act on her impulse to interfere with Takuma's plight.
Kikuri (きくり, Kikuri?)
Voiced by: Kanako Sakai
An enigmatic little girl introduced in Futakomori. Little is known about her except the fact she is not an ordinary human. She can wander freely between the mortal plane and Ai's house in the sunset world, sometimes interfering with her and her companions' job; in one instance, she brought a human into the sunset world out of mischief. In stark contrast to Ai, Kikuri has completely blue/purple eyes (including most of the sclera) and her personality is far more childish (yet much livelier as she has the tendency to pull pranks) than Ai's. She has stated that she likes Ai, and her actions and use of powers seem to serve causing the greatest amount of suffering and fear possible. It is as yet unknown whether this is meant to be truly malicious or not. She seems to take delight in acts of low-level destructiveness, such as chopping off flowers or destroying anything that Ai cares for. She has shown incredible skills with her loincloth, using it to catch or hit objects with considerable accuracy and skill. Despite the fact that she wreaks havoc freely, she has only taken orders from Ai and Ai alone. This is seen when Kikuri touches Ai's grandmother's spinning wheels despite the woman's protests, ceasing only when Ai tells her to. In the last episode of the second season, it is revealed that Kikuri is a host for the will of the Spider, which can take over her body as it pleases. Hence, it becomes questionable how many of her malicious acts were of her own will and which were instigated by her master. Nevertheless, she is still compassionate, showing a brief bout of grief immediately after Ai's death. After Ai's death and the release of her beloved ones to wander as lost souls, Kikuri rides on the boat and says "It's over... that was Ai's answer... Well done". As she says those words, she pokes a cherry the color of Ai's eyes in her former childish way.
In the third season, Kikuri is currently possessing a wind-up doll, often needing to be wound up by Yamawaro.
Yamawaro (山童, Yamawaro?)
Voiced by: Hekiru Shiina
A hell creature commanded by the new Hell Girl in season 3, who takes on the look of a young boy, though he can also become a yellow/green straw doll. In human form, he calls himself by the name of Huang (黄). Often quiet and having a gentle demeanor, not much is known about him as of yet. He follows Kikuri on their assignments in the real world, referring to her as "Hime" (王女). His name is derived from the same name given to a legendary mountain-dwelling creature in Kyūshū from Gazu Hyakki Yakō, an illustrated book on Japanese folklore demons. In episode 6 of Mitsuganae it is slightly revealed that Yamawaro has the power to manipulate objects.
[edit] Recurring characters
Hajime Shibata (柴田 一, Shibata Hajime?)
Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese), John Burgmeier (English)
A former journalist who now earns money by blackmailing celebrities with evidence of their scandals. He began to investigate rumors about the Hell Correspondence website merely out of interest, but becomes more heavily involved once he realizes that it is more than just a rumor and people are actually being dragged into Hell. Furthermore, his daughter Tsugumi seems to have a mysterious connection with Enma Ai that allows her to see anything significant that Ai sees. He is briefly mentioned in the second season as Ai's biographer.
In the anime series, his primary mode of transportation is a yellow Mitsubishi Minica, while in the live action series he is using a Yamaha XF50X Vox scooter.
Tsugumi Shibata (柴田 つぐみ, Shibata Tsugumi?)
Voiced by: Nana Mizuki (Japanese), Luci Christian (English)
Hajime's daughter who often refers to him as "Hajime-chan". She sees Ai one day and has had a mysterious connection with her ever since. At first, she reports everything she sees through Ai to Hajime, but as the series progresses, she becomes more reluctant to do so as she begins to disagree with her father on whether they should try to stop Ai or not. She is briefly shown in the second season as a source of information for an investigator. At the same time, it seems that she has a similar relationship with Kikuri, which is revealed in the 24th episode of the second season. She is likely to be the medical teacher of Yuzuki's school, in 3rd seasons 4th episode, considering her curly hair and interest in the person of that story who wanted to revenge, most of all, her voice is quite mature-version of Tsugumi's voice in 1st & 2nd season. However, this is yet to be known.
Ayumi Shibata (柴田 あゆみ, Shibata Ayumi?)
Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame (Japanese), Colleen Clinkenbeard (English)
Hajime's late wife. Hajime devoted more time to his work than to his family, but with the intent to make his wife happy through earning large amounts of money to improve their lifestyle. In her loneliness, Ayumi had an affair with a politician that Hajime happened to be spying on. Because of that incident, he cast her out of the house and forbade her from ever seeing Tsugumi. A few moments later, Ayumi dies in a car accident. Tsugumi keeps her mother's earrings as a memento. Hajime still loves Ayumi very much, and regrets not forgiving her because he believes she would not have died if he had. On the other hand, Ai tried using her death to tempt Tsugumi to send her own father to Hell.
Takuma Kurebayashi (紅林 拓真, Kurebayashi Takuma?)
Voiced by: Ayumi Fujimura
Takuma is a quiet boy who lives in Lovely Hills. He is misunderstood and often bullied by his fellow townsfolk who believe he's the "Devil's Child", much like Ai was in her village. When he first made his appearance, his mother was killed by a friend of his father, who was also seriously injured in the incident. As the murderer was about to kill Takuma, he was sent to Hell; but at this moment the police arrive, and the townsfolk end up thinking that Takuma is the murderer. It is unclear if he possesses as much spiritual powers as Ai, but he does have the ability of foresight and he has been observed by Ai for some time throughout the story. In the end, Ai saves him from the townsfolk, but ends up getting killed herself. At the end of the show it is revealed that his father has recovered almost completely and that his friend, Hotaru Meshiai, will soon wake up from her cold induced coma, as Takuma hopes.
Yuzuki Mikage (御景ゆずき, Mikage Yuzuki?)
Voiced by: Satomi Sato
First appearing in season 3, Yuzuki is a 9th grader schoolgirl who currently studies at Saigawara 4th Junior High School. Although a normal everyday girl, she actually has deep relations to the Hell Correspondance website. While Yuzuki is in the bathtub one night, Ai appears before her, suddenly kissing the other girl. It is shown that Ai now resides inside Yuzuki, using her as a human vessel to carry out her duties as Hell Girl. When a person forms a contract with the Hell Correspondence, Yuzuki will become Ai to send the victim to Hell. Much like Tsugumi in the first season, she is able to see visions of those who have called upon Hell Girl, often acquaintances of her own. The reason for Ai choosing Yuzuki as her new "vessel" is currently unknown. The relationship can be compared to that of Ai and Tsugumi from the first season.
Hell Boy (地獄少年, Jigoku Shōnen?)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese), Greg Ayres (English)
A TV psychic named Gil de Ronfell L'Enfer, who calls himself the Hell Boy. He claims to have escaped Hell once before. He made his first appearance in season 1, challenging Ai Enma to a duel. He gained the upper hand in the duel, overpowering both Ai and her three companions. Before he was able defeat Ai and send her to Hell, he himself was sent to Hell by a man named Hiroshi Watanabe, who was holding a pact against him. While being ferried to Hell, he promised he would escape Hell once again.
[edit] Communication with Hell Girl
The form of communication with Hell Girl that is widely used in the series is through the Internet. When a person has a grudge against the person who always torments him or her, they will access the website known as Hell's Correspondence or Hotline to Hell (Jigoku Tsushin). The website is only accessible at twelve midnight, although it is not necessarily clear if this applies to only Japan or not. A difference of so much as a minute will bring people to the "Can't find server" page.
The person will then type the name of the person who is tormenting them into a box and click "Send". Hell Girl, Ai will receive the mail in her computer--a Macintosh 128K whose monitor would glow red with her crest in the middle when mail arrives. She will personally meet the person who requested for her service and give them a straw doll. Once they untie the string at the straw doll's neck, Ai will deliver their vengeance. Once a person has got his or her revenge, a black marking will appear on their body, as a sign that they will be taken to hell by Ai once they die.
As stated in the anime, Ai has been a Hell Girl for more than 400 years. Before the existence of Internet, Ai would promote her service though the advertisement section on the newspaper as shown in Season 1, Episode 13: "Purgatory Girl". There will be a blank box in the advertisement section. At twelve midnight, there will be text appearing to fill in the blank box. Whoever has a grudge can send Ai a letter that he or she needs her service. Once that person puts the letter into the postbox, as usual, Ai will appear behind them and offer them a straw doll. The terms and agreements are the same: once the person has his or her revenge, their soul will be brought to Hell after their death.
In Season 2, Episode 19: "Steamy Hell, Travel Lodge", it is shown that prior to her advertisements in newspapers, clients would contact Hell Girl by placing a "Jigoku Ema" marked with their enemy's name at a shrine. Once they placed the Jigoku Ema on the shrine, Ai would appear to give the clients the straw doll.
[edit] Anime
Part of a painting by Kawanabe Kyōsai, featured in the opening theme of Jigoku Shōjo
The Jigoku Shōjo anime series was produced by Aniplex and Studio Deen. Directed by Takahiro Ōmori, the first season spanned 26 episodes and premiered across Japan on Animax between October 4, 2005, and April 4, 2006. The series' second season, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (地獄少女 二籠, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori?), premiered from October 7, 2006 across Japan on Animax. Animax also later translated and dubbed both the first[1] and second seasons[8][9] of the series into English for broadcast across its English language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and also aired the series across its other networks worldwide in various other languages, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Europe and other regions. The first season of the series was also licensed for North American distribution by FUNimation. The series began broadcasting on the U.S. cable/satellite channel IFC in July of 2008.
[edit] Staff
Original Concept: Hiroshi Watanabe
Original Work: Jigoku Shōjo Project
Planning: Kenji Shimizu (Wellthink), Hideo Katsumata (Aniplex)
Planning Coordination: Hirō Maruyama (MBS), Akira Sasaki (Animax), Yasuyuki Uchida (Kid's Station), Hitoyasu Oyama, Kazuyoshi Takagi (CBC), Satoshi Matsumoto
Series Composition: Kenichi Kanemaki
Screenplay: Masashi Suzuki, Noburo Takagi, Natsuko Takahashi, Satoru Nishizono, Maki Hiro, Yukinori Fukushima, Kenichi Kanemaki, Hiroyuki Kawasaki (second season)
Character Design: Mariko Oka
Mechanical Design: Shōhei Ohara
Prop Design: Shogo Morishita
Chief Animation Directors: Masahiro Aizawa (first season), Mariko Oka (second season)
Art Directors: Yoshinori Hishinuma (first season), Nariyuki Ogi (second season)
Paint Inspection: Shinji Matsumoto
Director of Photography: Shinyo Kondō
Editing: Masahiro Matsumara (Jay Film)
Music: Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Music Production: Jasuto
Music Director: Fumiko Harada
Sound Director: Shōji Hata
Sound Design: Minoru Yamada (Ena)
Sound Production: Darks Production
Animation Producer: Kōji Ījima
Producers: Ai Abe (Aniplex), Norihiro Hayashida (Wellthink)
Director: Takahiro Ōmori
Animation Production: Studio Deen
Production: Jigoku Shōjo Project (SKY Perfect Well Think, Aniplex)
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo (first season)
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Hell Girl episodes
[edit] Theme songs
Opening theme
Sakasama no Chō (逆さまの蝶, Sakasama no Chō? lit. The Inverted Butterfly)
Lyrics: SNoW, Hideaki Yamano
Composition: SNoW, Asanjō Shindō
Arrangement: Asanjō Shindō, Ken'ichi Fujita
Performance: SNoW
Ending theme
Karinui (かりぬい, Karinui? lit. Basting)
Lyrics: Hitomi Mieno
Composition and arrangement: Masara Nishida
Performance: Mamiko Noto
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (Two Cages)
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori episodes
[edit] Theme songs
Opening theme
NightmaRe
Lyrics: Hideaki Yamano
Composition: SNoW, Asanjō Shindō
Performance: SNoW
Ending theme
Aizome (あいぞめ, Aizome? lit. Indigo Dye)
Lyrics: Aa (savage genius)
Composition: Takumi (savage genius)
Arrangement: Masara Nishida
Performance: Mamiko Noto
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (Cauldron of Three)
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae episodes
[edit] Theme songs
Opening theme
Tsukihana (月華, Tsukihana? lit. moon flower)
Lyrics:
Composition:
Performance: Kitade Nana
Ending theme
Ichi Nuke
Lyrics:
Composition:
Arrangement:
Performance: Mamiko Noto
[edit] OST
The first original soundtrack for the Jigoku Shōjo anime series was released on January 25, 2006. The second original soundtrack for the series was released on April 19, 2006.
Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori released its first soundtrack on January 24, 2007, and the second soundtrack on March 21, 2007.
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack
Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
25 January 2006
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
焦燥
Impatience
2
悪意
Malice
3
影差して
Differing
4
蜘蛛と老婆と少女
The Spider, the Crone, and the Girl
5
地獄通信
Hell Communication
6
少女降臨
Advent of the Girl
7
三藁捜査線
Three Straw Investigation Line
8
真昼の太陽
Midday Sun
9
いじめ
Bullying
10
朱に染まる
To Be Dyed Red
11
父と娘
Father and Daughter
12
復讐の行方
Direction of Revenge
13
あたたかいもの
Something Warm
14
芝居
Theatrical Play
15
うつろな穴
Empty Pit
16
覚悟
Determination
17
地獄流し
Hell Flow
18
満ちていく闇
Brimming Darkness
19
哀れな影
Miserable Shadow
20
暗黒イリュージョン
Dark Illusion
21
地獄ロック
Hell Rock
22
地獄の川流れ
Carried Away by Hell's Current
23
優しい気持ち
Kind Feelings
24
かりぬい(フルバージョン)
Basting (Full Version)
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack II
Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack II
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
19 April 2006
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
逢魔が時
Dusk
2
依頼人
Client
3
想い出
Recollection
4
袋小路
Blind Alley
5
憎悪
Hatred
6
柴田走る
The Shibatas Run
7
逡巡
Hesitation
8
幸せ
Happiness
9
狂い出した歯車
Crazed Gears
10
せつない思い
Painful Thoughts
11
地獄の仕事人
Worker of Hell
12
三藁熱血篇
Three Straw Hotblooded Chapter
13
一目連
Ichimoku Ren
14
火車
Fiery Cart
15
骨女
Hone Onna
16
満月
Full Moon
17
廃屋
Abandoned House
18
刻まれる音
Engraving Sound
19
地獄ワルツ
Hell Waltz
20
地獄少年
Hell Boy
21
さくらうた
Sakura Song
22
迷妄の果て
Edge of Delusion
23
六道郷
Six After-Death Worlds
24
火焔
Flames
25
桜吹雪
Raging Snowstorm
26
地獄少女
Hell Girl
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack
Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
24 January 2007
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
迷い路
Stray Path
2
深き淵より
Deeper than the Abyss
3
頚木
Neck Woods
4
あのころ
Back Then
5
暗雲
Dark Clouds
6
人間模様
Pattern of Humans
7
赤いマフラー
Red Muffler
8
きくり降臨
Kikuri Advents
9
地獄の舟歌
Hell's Boat Song
10
日常
Daily Life
11
きくり
Kikuri
12
不良のテーマ
Delinquent's Theme
13
小さな幸せ
A Little Happiness
14
悲しい話
Sad Story
15
企み
Plan
16
水面の月
Moon on the Water's Surface
17
沼に沈む
To Sink into the Swamp
18
覚悟2006
Determination 2006
19
二籠
Second Cage
20
地獄交響曲
Hell Symphony
21
地獄メタル
Hell Metal
22
彼岸花
Cluster Amaryllis
23
あいぞめ
Indigo Dye
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack II
Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack II
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
21 March 2007
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
地獄絵図
Hell Illustration
2
刻迫る
The Moment Approaches
3
女の性
The Nature of Women
4
藁人形のテーマ
Straw Doll's Theme
5
正義
Justice
6
きくりのウインナー
Kikuri's Wiener
7
夜の三藁
Three Straw at Night
8
時雨
Autumn Rain
9
地獄の入り口
Hell Entrance
10
悪魔の子
Devil's Child
11
丘の住人
Hill Dweller
12
わが町ラブリーヒルズ
Our Town, Lovely Hills
13
裏切り
Betrayal
14
戦慄
Shiver
15
みずうみ
Lake
16
異様
Strangeness
17
復讐の連鎖
Chain of Vengeance
18
囚われた町
The Captured Town
19
あい
Ai
20
集団心理
Group Mentality
21
記憶
Memory
22
少女のうた
Girl's Song
23
あいぞめ (Piano version)
Indigo Dye (Piano version)
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae Original Soundtrack ~肉喰~
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
常世の夢
Eternal Dream
2
三鼎
Ding of Three
3
春の風
Spring Wind
4
夏の風
Summer Wind
5
ひとり
Alone
6
悪い空想
Bad Fantasies
7
きくり姫
Princess Kikuri
8
幼女降臨
A Young Girl Advents
9
アンニュイ四藁
Four Straw Ennui
10
冥土のゆらめき
Flickering of the Underworld
11
残像
Afterimage
12
破滅の淵
Abyss of Destruction
13
愚かな魂
Stupid Soul
14
埋火
Buried Fire
15
怨みの鈴音
The Chime of Grudges
16
少女の気配
Signs of a Girl
17
震える唇
Trembling Lips
18
荒ぶる神
A Rampaging God
19
白い鳥 赤い鳥
White Bird, Red Bird
20
覚悟2008
Determination 2008
21
羽化
Emergence
22
地獄の花道
Passage to Hell
23
地獄デスメタル
Hell Death Metal
24
新・地獄ロック
New Hell Rock
25
悲しき舟歌
A Sad Sailor Song
26
予感
Premonition
26
涙雨
Rain of Tears
26
いちぬけ
Once Through
The cover of volume one of the Jigoku Shōjo manga.
[edit] Manga
The Jigoku Shōjo anime series was later adapted into a manga, which featured art by Miyuki Etō (永遠 幸, Etō Miyuki?). It has been serialized in Kodansha's Nakayoshi shōjo manga magazine since October 2005. While the stories are mostly original, chapters 4 and 10 are adapted from their respective anime episodes (in the first season), while chapter 2 is adapted from anime episode 9. Chapter 17 is adapted from episode 8 of Futakomori.
Due to the difference in media, Ai's modus operandi in the manga is somewhat different from the anime. She has been seen attending the same schools as some of her student-clients. Also, the straw figurine with the string was not featured in the first few chapters. Subsequently, its appearance is no longer as ubiquitous as its anime counterpart. Ai's clients need only to accept the contract, and the victims' torture by Ai and her helpers would then begin. In some cases, the torture begins after she has rung her bracelet in front of her victim (and not before as seen in the anime). The appearance of the boat in which Ai uses to ferry her victims to Hell is reduced as well. Notably, although Sentaro Shibata is featured, Tsugumi and Hajime are not. Also, Kikuri has made appearances from volume 4 onwards.
The manga has recently been licensed by Del Rey Manga, and the first volume, titled Hell Girl, was released January 2008. The second volume was released in May 2008.
[edit] Live action
The cover of the DVD Box set for the live action series.
The Jigoku Shōjo live action television drama series adaptation premiered across Japan on Nippon Television from November 4, 2006 and aired 12 half-hour episodes. The director for the series was Makoto Naganuma. The theme song for the series is "Dream Catcher" by OLIVIA.
Hisahiro Ogura, the actor who portrays Wanyūdō in the live-action adaptation is also the male narrator at the beginning of every episode of the anime series. Eriko Matsushima retains her role as Ai's grandmother in the live action series.
[edit] Cast
Ai Enma: Sayuri Iwata
Ren Ichimoku: Kazuki Kato
Hone Onna: Aya Sugimoto
Wanyūdō: Hisahiro Ogura
Ai's Grandmother: Eriko Matsushima
Hajime Shibata: Kazuhiko Nishimura
Tsugumi Shibata: Saaya Irie
[edit] Episodes
Episode Number
Title in English
Title in Japanese
Air Date(Y/M/D)
1
Cracked Time
ひび割れた時間
2006-11-04
2
The Boy in the Box
箱の中の少年
2006-11-11
3
A Baby's Dream
嬰児の夢
2006-11-18
4
Dusk
逢魔の砌
2006-11-25
5
The Epitaph of Lies
偽りの墓碑銘
2006-12-02
6
The Red Thread of Promise
約束の赤い糸
2006-12-09
7
Sweet Temptation
甘い誘惑
2006-12-16
8
Miracle of the Holy Night
聖夜の奇跡
2006-12-23
9
The Fake Compensation
偽の代償
2007-01-06
10
Memories of Sorrow
悲しみの記憶
2007-01-13
11
Darkness of the Real World, Pt. 1
現し世の闇 前編
2007-01-20
12
Darkness of the Real World, Pt. 2
現し世の闇 後編
2007-01-27
[edit] Video game
The cover of the box for the Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura video game
Jigoku Shōjo has also been adapted into a video game for the Nintendo DS entitled Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura, which was developed by Compile Heart and released in Japan on September 27, 2007.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hell Girl
The cover of volume 1 of the Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori DVDs released in Japan.
地獄少女(Jigoku Shōjo)
Genre
Horror, Mystery, Fantasy
TV anime
Director
Takahiro Ōmori
Writer
Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio
Studio Deen
Licensor
Aniplex
Madman EntertainmentFunimationRevelation films
Network
Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX, Kids Station
English network
IFCokto
[show]Other networks:
Animaxntv7, Animax
Original run
October 4, 2005 – April 4, 2006
Episodes
26
TV anime: Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori
Director
Takahiro Ōmori
Writer
Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio
Studio Deen
Network
Animax, MBS, Tokyo MX, Kids Station, Independent Film Channel
[show]Other networks:
Animax
Original run
October 7, 2006 – April 6, 2007
Episodes
26
Manga
Author
Miyuki Etō
Publisher
Kodansha
English publisher
Del Rey Manga
Demographic
Shōjo
Magazine
Nakayoshi
Original run
October 2005 – ongoing
Volumes
6
TV drama
Director
Makoto Naganuma
Network
Nippon Television
Studio
Izumi TV Production
Original run
November 4, 2006 – January 27, 2007
Time slot
Saturdays 25:25-25:50
Episodes
12
Game: Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura
Developer
Compile Heart
Rating
CERO: B (Ages 12 and up)
Platform
Nintendo DS
Released
September 27, 2007
TV anime: Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae
Director
Hiroshi Watanabe
Writer
Ken'ichi Kanemaki
Studio
Studio Deen
Original run
October 4, 2008 – ongoing
Episodes
9
Anime and Manga Portal
Hell Girl (地獄少女, Jigoku Shōjo?), also known as Jigoku Shoujo: Girl from Hell in Animax Asia's English-language television broadcasts,[1][2] is an anime series, produced by Aniplex and Studio Deen. It premiered across Japan on numerous television stations, including Animax, Tokyo MX, MBS and others, between October 4, 2005 and April 4, 2006. Following the success of the first season, the series was followed soon after into a second, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (地獄少女 二籠, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori?), which premiered October 7, 2006 across Japan on Animax.[3] A live-action television series adaptation started airing in Japan on Nippon Television from November 4, 2006.[4] A third season of the anime, further continuing the series, was first announced on the mobile version of the series' official website Jigoku Tsūshin.[5] The official title of the third season was announced to be Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (地獄少女 三鼎, Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae?).[6] and began airing on Japanese TV October 4th, 2008 [7].
Contents[hide]
1 Story
2 Characters
2.1 Main characters
2.2 Recurring characters
3 Communication with Hell Girl
4 Anime
4.1 Staff
4.2 Jigoku Shōjo (first season)
4.2.1 Episodes
4.2.2 Theme songs
4.3 Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (Two Cages)
4.3.1 Episodes
4.3.2 Theme songs
4.4 Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (Cauldron of Three)
4.4.1 Episodes
4.4.2 Theme songs
4.5 OST
4.5.1 Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack
4.5.2 Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack II
4.5.3 Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack
4.5.4 Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack II
4.5.5 Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae Original Soundtrack ~肉喰~
5 Manga
6 Live action
6.1 Cast
6.2 Episodes
7 Video game
8 References
9 External links
//
[edit] Story
Most episodes are self-contained short stories in which the series narrates the suffering of a different individual caused by one or more antagonists. A website known as "Hell Correspondence" (Jigoku Tsūshin, "Hell Correspondence"?) may only be accessed at midnight by one who harbors a desire for revenge against their tormentor. Should someone submit the name of someone against whom they have a grudge, the Jigoku Shōjo (Hell Girl) will offer them a straw doll with a red string wound about its neck. If the string is pulled, she will ferry the target of the revenge straightaway to Hell, however the client agrees to a pact where those who request her intervention will also be sent to hell at the end of their natural lives.
During each story, the protagonists' dramas are explained in detail from the start of their grudges, through the escalation of their torment until it becomes unbearable and they resort to accessing the Hell Correspondence website. The contents of the site are only a text: "あなたの怨み、晴らします。" (which is read "anata no urami, harashimasu" and means "We will take revenge, on your behalf."), a text box where the grudge's object must be written, and a "送信" (Send) button. Some time after the post, they are visited by Enma Ai, a young red-eyed girl wearing a traditional sailor school uniform (usually the dark version used only in winter months). She hands them a straw doll, which is actually one of her assistants, with a red string tied to its neck. In the first season, the doll is always black, because it is always the same assistant, that is, Wanyūdō, but in the second season, the doll may also be red or dark blue, depending on which assistant it is (Hone-Onna or Ichimoku Ren, respectively). She then tells them that if they want their vengeance to be delivered, they must remove the string from the doll, and their enemies will be immediately taken to Hell. A black crest-shaped mark will appear on the protagonists' chests, which serves as a constant reminder that once their lives come to an end, they must give compensation for Ai's service by having their own souls also sent to Hell.
Ai is aided by her three assistants: Ichimoku Ren, a young man in casual clothes who takes the form of the blue straw doll; Hone-Onna, a woman wearing a kimono with the obi (sash) tied in front which signifies she is a prostitute and takes the form of the red straw doll; and Wanyūdō, an old man wearing a hat and, at times, a red scarf, who takes the form of the black straw doll. When not actively assisting Ai, the three remain in their straw doll forms. The trio help Ai investigate the true nature of their clients, and occasionally present the victims with the sins they have been accused of before Ai appears to ferry them to hell.
In episode 8 of the first season, two recurring characters are introduced: A journalist named Shibata Hajime - a former scandal-hunter/blackmailer who turned to investigating the stories involving the Jigoku Shōjo; and his daughter Tsugumi. After an encounter with Enma Ai, Tsugumi starts to have visions of what Ai sees and thus the two become more and more involved in Ai's matters. Hajime doesn't agree with Ai's methods to deliver vengeance for her clients, and tries to stop those who contacted Jigoku Shōjo from using her service with Tsugumi's help.
In season two, a significant amount of the plot is centered around Takuma Kurebayashi, a boy who is blamed by his townsfolk for causing disappearances around the town, which was actually caused by the townsfolk who used Jigoku Tsūshin.
In season 3, after Ai Enma's supposed death after the events of the 2nd season, her three helpers, Ichimoku Ren, Wanyuudou and Hone-Onna live out their existence in relative peace. This is suddenly shattered when Kikuri returns to recruit them. Meanwhile, Ai mysteriously reappears from the dead and uses the body of a young schoolgirl, Yuzuki Mikage, to revive the Jigoku Tsūshin operation. Yuzuki is aware of Ai's presence however, and she has been shown to see what Ai sees.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Main characters
Ai Enma (閻魔 あい, Enma Ai?)
Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese), Brina Palencia (English)
The primary protagonist of the series. With long, flowing hair and red eyes, she is a spiritual entity with a tragic past, who lives in a world of eternal twilight with her grandmother, and is the one who receives and delivers vengeance on her clients' behalf. She normally wears a black seifuku, or sailor uniform (which is usually worn during winter months), but always wears a kimono with floral (or egg) designs when delivering the vengeance of a client. Ai started her career as the Hell Girl by her own act of vengeance on the villagers who sentenced her to a sacrificial death. Her eyes turned red arguably at the point where Sentarou (her childhood soul mate who gave in under the villagers' pressure to bury her alive) gave the first shovel of soil onto her face. She broke out of her grave after a while, and took revenge on the entire village with her wrath, burning it to the ground. Her task of fulfilling other people's vengeance and ferrying people to Hell is her punishment, a task which she has performed for the better part of 400 years. Although this task is presented as atonement, it is unknown whether she will ever be freed of it. Since she has done this for so long, she initially seemed to have become emotionless, numbed, as is shown by her expressionless face. Wanyūdō noted she still had feelings, though, although she did not express them strongly, and it was later revealed that Ai had been ordered to close her heart by the Spider. The experiences she has with the Shibatas reawakened her discontent with her terrible fate and later apparently reawakened other emotions, or at least Ai's ability to express them. When enraged, Ai demonstrates the ability to hurl great blasts of energy, as well as the power to create elaborate illusions and the ability to teleport.
In the second season, Ai becomes more expressive and shows more emotions, being more willing to interact with others and with her "clients". In fact, in one scene, she puts up a "V for Victory" sign in front of her target as a way of mockery and torture before sending him to hell; in another, she is seen reading from a fashion magazine while her compatriots watch over their client; and she even showed concern towards a mother who willingly ended her life so that her daughter doesn't have to send her to Hell. Also, her emotions and memories are once again released by the suffering of Takuma Kurebayashi, similar to her own situation in the past. This leads Ai to defy her 'employer', who is the Lord of Hell, causing her to be restored to human life - and killed shortly thereafter, when saving Takuma from his tormentors. After Ai's self-sacrifice, her body dissolves into sakura petals and drifts into the sky.
In the third season, we see Ai's return to the series after she was presumed dead. In the beginning of the season, she transports another girl, Yuzuki, to a strange illusion and dream state, where Ai makes the girl her new "vessel". The relationship between Yuzuki and Ai can be compared to the bond that she shared with Tsugumi in the first season, albeit much closer. Also, when she is kicked by a hatred in the hip, she is shown to feel small pain.
It is ironic that Ai's name actually translates as: Ai (love) and Enma (the Judge of the Underworld). A second translation of Ai, however, is accomplice, denoting Ai's role as Enma's assistant. Because her first name is never written in kanji, its meaning remains ambiguous.
Wanyūdō (輪入道, Wanyūdō?)
Voiced by: Takayuki Sugo (Japanese), R. Bruce Elliott (English)
Wanyūdō is the first of Ai's three companions. He generally appears as an old man whose eyes remain mostly shut, wearing a traditional yukata with a long-sleeved haori, and a red scarf around his neck. When necessary, he takes the form of the black straw doll, by wrapping his scarf tight around his neck, that Ai hands to her clients in the series. He also frequently takes the form of an Ai's coach with burning wheels when she goes to the human world to claim a soul. Ai has stated that before he performed this task for her, she used to walk to and from her sunset world. The coach bears the same black flame-crest that appears on the chest of those people who contract with the Hell Girl. Despite appearing quite mild-mannered, frail and weak with age at most times, Wanyūdō possesses considerable skills in martial arts and is capable of hurling fireballs and performing feats of inhuman strength. Wanyūdō's name is derived from the yōkai of the same name and means "A wheel entering the road". In episode 12 of Futakomori, it is revealed that he was the driver of a princess' entourage carriage, which fell off a cliff. The coach caught fire and all aboard were killed. As a result, he became a yōkai terrorizing people in the form of a flaming wheel with his own enlarged, infuriated face as a hubcap, until he met Ai and she invited him to join her as her first companion. Wanyūdō revealed to Ai his ability to shapeshift.
Ren Ichimoku (一目 連, Ichimoku Ren?)
Voiced by: Masaya Matsukaze (Japanese), Todd Haberkorn (English)
Ren is Ai's second companion, and usually takes the form of a young man. He can manifest a single large eye that can be directed anywhere, allowing him to see the inside of a building through projecting the eye on the walls and ceilings. The large eye can also be used as a weapon through projecting intense flashes of light. When so required, Ren becomes the blue straw doll by kissing a pendant he wears around his neck. Ren's name means "one glance company". He is sometimes referred to as "Moku" or "Ishimoto Ren". His powers in human form is a reference to Daidarabocchi, a type of mythological giant that is enshrouded in shadow. It is later revealed that Ren is a tsukumogami (artifact spirit), a type of spirit that originates from an artifact which has gained sentience after a long period of existence. In Ren's case, he was once a katana, forced to be aware and watch whatever was done with him. He was given his current form(s) by Ai, who collected him after he was abandoned on a large rock after a battle, during which his most recent owner was slain. Ai thinks that he is looking for something and asks him to accompany her. He agrees saying that the rock he was abandoned in was getting pretty boring. Since that time, Ren has apparently grown quite fond of his human form, displaying considerable vanity from time to time. Ai claims she invited him to join her because there is something that Ren is looking for, a fact perhaps manifested in Ren's occasional puzzlement and inability to understand the things humans do. Alternatively, some of Ren's comments indicate that what he was looking for was companionship, something to fill the emptiness of his existence as a sword used for endless killing. Ren has apparently developed feelings for his colleagues, seeing them as family.
Hone Onna (骨女, Hone Onna? Bone Woman)
Voiced by: Takako Honda (Japanese), Jennifer Seman (English)
Hone Onna is Ai's third companion, and she often takes the form of a woman in a kimono with its obi tied in front--the trademark of an oiran (In the second season, her obi is tied at the back) and a slightly disheveled hairstyle. She dislikes being called "old lady". She becomes the red straw doll when necessary by tossing her red obi jime, or cord, over her shoulder. Hone Onna and Ren investigate the people who make a contract and the ones they have a grudge against. She usually infiltrates human society in casual clothing to investigate cases, on these occasions she tends to use the pseudonym "Sone Anna". On certain occasions, she uses throwing knives as weapons, and is apparently extremely skilled with these weapons. Her knives have be used to quickly dispatch supernatural enemies. Hone Onna also seems to have some skill as a contortionist, which allows her to squeeze into very small places. The name Hone Onna comes from the legendary creature of the same name, literally meaning "bone woman", which reflects her ability to expose the bones in her body to scare the victims of the revenge Ai delivers. In episode 8 of Futakomori she jokingly refers to her age as being about 200 years old; however, this has never been confirmed. It is revealed that she had been a prostitute named Tsuyu who was betrayed by a man whom she had fallen in love with after he sold her to a brothel to be able to pay off his own debts. Tsuyu was betrayed again when she attempted to arrange the escape of a fellow prostitute named Kion with a man who had come to truly love Tsuyu. Tsuyu and the man were later murdered by a samurai, and that same samurai cast Tsuyu into a river afterward. Spirits rising from human bones thrown into the river before merged with Tsuyu's restless spirit, transforming Tsuyu into the yōkai Hone Onna, in which form she later met Ai.
Ai's Grandmother (あいの祖母, Ai no Sobo?)
Voiced by: Eriko Matsushima (Japanese), Juli Erickson (English)
She is never actually seen in the series, other than as a shadowy silhouette behind a paper screen that is always spinning thread in her room. She occasionally talks to Ai and advises her, occasionally commenting on the cases she takes up. A single human eyewitness in Futakomori who had observed Ai's grandmother ran in terror, implying that her appearance may be other than human.
The Spider (人面蜘蛛, Jinmen Gumo?)
Voiced by: Hidekatsu Shibata (Japanese), John Swasey (English)
An oddly-coloured spider with three eyes upon its abdomen, which appears in the sunset world where Ai and her assistants reside between assignments. It speaks with the voice of a man and is apparently Ai's superior, having been the one to pronounce sentence on her after she killed the people of her village. It appears to be holding the souls of Ai's loved ones - namely her parents - hostage; if Ai does not do the task she has been given, the spider has threatened that her parents would wander in darkness for eternity. The spider demonstrates an ability to pilot the ferryboat to Hell in Futakomori and tries to restrain Ai, having decided to take her to Hell after her feelings of rage reawakened and she violently attacked the Shibatas. Ai turned out to be too strong for it to hold her without her consent. The spider is neither liked nor trusted by Ai's assistants, with whom it in turn does not speak. In the last episode of Futakomori, Wanyūdō identifies the spider as the Lord of Hell. It can be inferred that the Spider deliberately exposed Ai to a situation reminiscent of her own death in order to test whether she would obey its will or act on her impulse to interfere with Takuma's plight.
Kikuri (きくり, Kikuri?)
Voiced by: Kanako Sakai
An enigmatic little girl introduced in Futakomori. Little is known about her except the fact she is not an ordinary human. She can wander freely between the mortal plane and Ai's house in the sunset world, sometimes interfering with her and her companions' job; in one instance, she brought a human into the sunset world out of mischief. In stark contrast to Ai, Kikuri has completely blue/purple eyes (including most of the sclera) and her personality is far more childish (yet much livelier as she has the tendency to pull pranks) than Ai's. She has stated that she likes Ai, and her actions and use of powers seem to serve causing the greatest amount of suffering and fear possible. It is as yet unknown whether this is meant to be truly malicious or not. She seems to take delight in acts of low-level destructiveness, such as chopping off flowers or destroying anything that Ai cares for. She has shown incredible skills with her loincloth, using it to catch or hit objects with considerable accuracy and skill. Despite the fact that she wreaks havoc freely, she has only taken orders from Ai and Ai alone. This is seen when Kikuri touches Ai's grandmother's spinning wheels despite the woman's protests, ceasing only when Ai tells her to. In the last episode of the second season, it is revealed that Kikuri is a host for the will of the Spider, which can take over her body as it pleases. Hence, it becomes questionable how many of her malicious acts were of her own will and which were instigated by her master. Nevertheless, she is still compassionate, showing a brief bout of grief immediately after Ai's death. After Ai's death and the release of her beloved ones to wander as lost souls, Kikuri rides on the boat and says "It's over... that was Ai's answer... Well done". As she says those words, she pokes a cherry the color of Ai's eyes in her former childish way.
In the third season, Kikuri is currently possessing a wind-up doll, often needing to be wound up by Yamawaro.
Yamawaro (山童, Yamawaro?)
Voiced by: Hekiru Shiina
A hell creature commanded by the new Hell Girl in season 3, who takes on the look of a young boy, though he can also become a yellow/green straw doll. In human form, he calls himself by the name of Huang (黄). Often quiet and having a gentle demeanor, not much is known about him as of yet. He follows Kikuri on their assignments in the real world, referring to her as "Hime" (王女). His name is derived from the same name given to a legendary mountain-dwelling creature in Kyūshū from Gazu Hyakki Yakō, an illustrated book on Japanese folklore demons. In episode 6 of Mitsuganae it is slightly revealed that Yamawaro has the power to manipulate objects.
[edit] Recurring characters
Hajime Shibata (柴田 一, Shibata Hajime?)
Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese), John Burgmeier (English)
A former journalist who now earns money by blackmailing celebrities with evidence of their scandals. He began to investigate rumors about the Hell Correspondence website merely out of interest, but becomes more heavily involved once he realizes that it is more than just a rumor and people are actually being dragged into Hell. Furthermore, his daughter Tsugumi seems to have a mysterious connection with Enma Ai that allows her to see anything significant that Ai sees. He is briefly mentioned in the second season as Ai's biographer.
In the anime series, his primary mode of transportation is a yellow Mitsubishi Minica, while in the live action series he is using a Yamaha XF50X Vox scooter.
Tsugumi Shibata (柴田 つぐみ, Shibata Tsugumi?)
Voiced by: Nana Mizuki (Japanese), Luci Christian (English)
Hajime's daughter who often refers to him as "Hajime-chan". She sees Ai one day and has had a mysterious connection with her ever since. At first, she reports everything she sees through Ai to Hajime, but as the series progresses, she becomes more reluctant to do so as she begins to disagree with her father on whether they should try to stop Ai or not. She is briefly shown in the second season as a source of information for an investigator. At the same time, it seems that she has a similar relationship with Kikuri, which is revealed in the 24th episode of the second season. She is likely to be the medical teacher of Yuzuki's school, in 3rd seasons 4th episode, considering her curly hair and interest in the person of that story who wanted to revenge, most of all, her voice is quite mature-version of Tsugumi's voice in 1st & 2nd season. However, this is yet to be known.
Ayumi Shibata (柴田 あゆみ, Shibata Ayumi?)
Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame (Japanese), Colleen Clinkenbeard (English)
Hajime's late wife. Hajime devoted more time to his work than to his family, but with the intent to make his wife happy through earning large amounts of money to improve their lifestyle. In her loneliness, Ayumi had an affair with a politician that Hajime happened to be spying on. Because of that incident, he cast her out of the house and forbade her from ever seeing Tsugumi. A few moments later, Ayumi dies in a car accident. Tsugumi keeps her mother's earrings as a memento. Hajime still loves Ayumi very much, and regrets not forgiving her because he believes she would not have died if he had. On the other hand, Ai tried using her death to tempt Tsugumi to send her own father to Hell.
Takuma Kurebayashi (紅林 拓真, Kurebayashi Takuma?)
Voiced by: Ayumi Fujimura
Takuma is a quiet boy who lives in Lovely Hills. He is misunderstood and often bullied by his fellow townsfolk who believe he's the "Devil's Child", much like Ai was in her village. When he first made his appearance, his mother was killed by a friend of his father, who was also seriously injured in the incident. As the murderer was about to kill Takuma, he was sent to Hell; but at this moment the police arrive, and the townsfolk end up thinking that Takuma is the murderer. It is unclear if he possesses as much spiritual powers as Ai, but he does have the ability of foresight and he has been observed by Ai for some time throughout the story. In the end, Ai saves him from the townsfolk, but ends up getting killed herself. At the end of the show it is revealed that his father has recovered almost completely and that his friend, Hotaru Meshiai, will soon wake up from her cold induced coma, as Takuma hopes.
Yuzuki Mikage (御景ゆずき, Mikage Yuzuki?)
Voiced by: Satomi Sato
First appearing in season 3, Yuzuki is a 9th grader schoolgirl who currently studies at Saigawara 4th Junior High School. Although a normal everyday girl, she actually has deep relations to the Hell Correspondance website. While Yuzuki is in the bathtub one night, Ai appears before her, suddenly kissing the other girl. It is shown that Ai now resides inside Yuzuki, using her as a human vessel to carry out her duties as Hell Girl. When a person forms a contract with the Hell Correspondence, Yuzuki will become Ai to send the victim to Hell. Much like Tsugumi in the first season, she is able to see visions of those who have called upon Hell Girl, often acquaintances of her own. The reason for Ai choosing Yuzuki as her new "vessel" is currently unknown. The relationship can be compared to that of Ai and Tsugumi from the first season.
Hell Boy (地獄少年, Jigoku Shōnen?)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese), Greg Ayres (English)
A TV psychic named Gil de Ronfell L'Enfer, who calls himself the Hell Boy. He claims to have escaped Hell once before. He made his first appearance in season 1, challenging Ai Enma to a duel. He gained the upper hand in the duel, overpowering both Ai and her three companions. Before he was able defeat Ai and send her to Hell, he himself was sent to Hell by a man named Hiroshi Watanabe, who was holding a pact against him. While being ferried to Hell, he promised he would escape Hell once again.
[edit] Communication with Hell Girl
The form of communication with Hell Girl that is widely used in the series is through the Internet. When a person has a grudge against the person who always torments him or her, they will access the website known as Hell's Correspondence or Hotline to Hell (Jigoku Tsushin). The website is only accessible at twelve midnight, although it is not necessarily clear if this applies to only Japan or not. A difference of so much as a minute will bring people to the "Can't find server" page.
The person will then type the name of the person who is tormenting them into a box and click "Send". Hell Girl, Ai will receive the mail in her computer--a Macintosh 128K whose monitor would glow red with her crest in the middle when mail arrives. She will personally meet the person who requested for her service and give them a straw doll. Once they untie the string at the straw doll's neck, Ai will deliver their vengeance. Once a person has got his or her revenge, a black marking will appear on their body, as a sign that they will be taken to hell by Ai once they die.
As stated in the anime, Ai has been a Hell Girl for more than 400 years. Before the existence of Internet, Ai would promote her service though the advertisement section on the newspaper as shown in Season 1, Episode 13: "Purgatory Girl". There will be a blank box in the advertisement section. At twelve midnight, there will be text appearing to fill in the blank box. Whoever has a grudge can send Ai a letter that he or she needs her service. Once that person puts the letter into the postbox, as usual, Ai will appear behind them and offer them a straw doll. The terms and agreements are the same: once the person has his or her revenge, their soul will be brought to Hell after their death.
In Season 2, Episode 19: "Steamy Hell, Travel Lodge", it is shown that prior to her advertisements in newspapers, clients would contact Hell Girl by placing a "Jigoku Ema" marked with their enemy's name at a shrine. Once they placed the Jigoku Ema on the shrine, Ai would appear to give the clients the straw doll.
[edit] Anime
Part of a painting by Kawanabe Kyōsai, featured in the opening theme of Jigoku Shōjo
The Jigoku Shōjo anime series was produced by Aniplex and Studio Deen. Directed by Takahiro Ōmori, the first season spanned 26 episodes and premiered across Japan on Animax between October 4, 2005, and April 4, 2006. The series' second season, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (地獄少女 二籠, Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori?), premiered from October 7, 2006 across Japan on Animax. Animax also later translated and dubbed both the first[1] and second seasons[8][9] of the series into English for broadcast across its English language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and also aired the series across its other networks worldwide in various other languages, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Europe and other regions. The first season of the series was also licensed for North American distribution by FUNimation. The series began broadcasting on the U.S. cable/satellite channel IFC in July of 2008.
[edit] Staff
Original Concept: Hiroshi Watanabe
Original Work: Jigoku Shōjo Project
Planning: Kenji Shimizu (Wellthink), Hideo Katsumata (Aniplex)
Planning Coordination: Hirō Maruyama (MBS), Akira Sasaki (Animax), Yasuyuki Uchida (Kid's Station), Hitoyasu Oyama, Kazuyoshi Takagi (CBC), Satoshi Matsumoto
Series Composition: Kenichi Kanemaki
Screenplay: Masashi Suzuki, Noburo Takagi, Natsuko Takahashi, Satoru Nishizono, Maki Hiro, Yukinori Fukushima, Kenichi Kanemaki, Hiroyuki Kawasaki (second season)
Character Design: Mariko Oka
Mechanical Design: Shōhei Ohara
Prop Design: Shogo Morishita
Chief Animation Directors: Masahiro Aizawa (first season), Mariko Oka (second season)
Art Directors: Yoshinori Hishinuma (first season), Nariyuki Ogi (second season)
Paint Inspection: Shinji Matsumoto
Director of Photography: Shinyo Kondō
Editing: Masahiro Matsumara (Jay Film)
Music: Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Music Production: Jasuto
Music Director: Fumiko Harada
Sound Director: Shōji Hata
Sound Design: Minoru Yamada (Ena)
Sound Production: Darks Production
Animation Producer: Kōji Ījima
Producers: Ai Abe (Aniplex), Norihiro Hayashida (Wellthink)
Director: Takahiro Ōmori
Animation Production: Studio Deen
Production: Jigoku Shōjo Project (SKY Perfect Well Think, Aniplex)
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo (first season)
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Hell Girl episodes
[edit] Theme songs
Opening theme
Sakasama no Chō (逆さまの蝶, Sakasama no Chō? lit. The Inverted Butterfly)
Lyrics: SNoW, Hideaki Yamano
Composition: SNoW, Asanjō Shindō
Arrangement: Asanjō Shindō, Ken'ichi Fujita
Performance: SNoW
Ending theme
Karinui (かりぬい, Karinui? lit. Basting)
Lyrics: Hitomi Mieno
Composition and arrangement: Masara Nishida
Performance: Mamiko Noto
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori (Two Cages)
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori episodes
[edit] Theme songs
Opening theme
NightmaRe
Lyrics: Hideaki Yamano
Composition: SNoW, Asanjō Shindō
Performance: SNoW
Ending theme
Aizome (あいぞめ, Aizome? lit. Indigo Dye)
Lyrics: Aa (savage genius)
Composition: Takumi (savage genius)
Arrangement: Masara Nishida
Performance: Mamiko Noto
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae (Cauldron of Three)
[edit] Episodes
Main article: List of Jigoku Shōjo: Mitsuganae episodes
[edit] Theme songs
Opening theme
Tsukihana (月華, Tsukihana? lit. moon flower)
Lyrics:
Composition:
Performance: Kitade Nana
Ending theme
Ichi Nuke
Lyrics:
Composition:
Arrangement:
Performance: Mamiko Noto
[edit] OST
The first original soundtrack for the Jigoku Shōjo anime series was released on January 25, 2006. The second original soundtrack for the series was released on April 19, 2006.
Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori released its first soundtrack on January 24, 2007, and the second soundtrack on March 21, 2007.
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack
Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
25 January 2006
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
焦燥
Impatience
2
悪意
Malice
3
影差して
Differing
4
蜘蛛と老婆と少女
The Spider, the Crone, and the Girl
5
地獄通信
Hell Communication
6
少女降臨
Advent of the Girl
7
三藁捜査線
Three Straw Investigation Line
8
真昼の太陽
Midday Sun
9
いじめ
Bullying
10
朱に染まる
To Be Dyed Red
11
父と娘
Father and Daughter
12
復讐の行方
Direction of Revenge
13
あたたかいもの
Something Warm
14
芝居
Theatrical Play
15
うつろな穴
Empty Pit
16
覚悟
Determination
17
地獄流し
Hell Flow
18
満ちていく闇
Brimming Darkness
19
哀れな影
Miserable Shadow
20
暗黒イリュージョン
Dark Illusion
21
地獄ロック
Hell Rock
22
地獄の川流れ
Carried Away by Hell's Current
23
優しい気持ち
Kind Feelings
24
かりぬい(フルバージョン)
Basting (Full Version)
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack II
Jigoku Shōjo Original Soundtrack II
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
19 April 2006
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
逢魔が時
Dusk
2
依頼人
Client
3
想い出
Recollection
4
袋小路
Blind Alley
5
憎悪
Hatred
6
柴田走る
The Shibatas Run
7
逡巡
Hesitation
8
幸せ
Happiness
9
狂い出した歯車
Crazed Gears
10
せつない思い
Painful Thoughts
11
地獄の仕事人
Worker of Hell
12
三藁熱血篇
Three Straw Hotblooded Chapter
13
一目連
Ichimoku Ren
14
火車
Fiery Cart
15
骨女
Hone Onna
16
満月
Full Moon
17
廃屋
Abandoned House
18
刻まれる音
Engraving Sound
19
地獄ワルツ
Hell Waltz
20
地獄少年
Hell Boy
21
さくらうた
Sakura Song
22
迷妄の果て
Edge of Delusion
23
六道郷
Six After-Death Worlds
24
火焔
Flames
25
桜吹雪
Raging Snowstorm
26
地獄少女
Hell Girl
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack
Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
24 January 2007
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
迷い路
Stray Path
2
深き淵より
Deeper than the Abyss
3
頚木
Neck Woods
4
あのころ
Back Then
5
暗雲
Dark Clouds
6
人間模様
Pattern of Humans
7
赤いマフラー
Red Muffler
8
きくり降臨
Kikuri Advents
9
地獄の舟歌
Hell's Boat Song
10
日常
Daily Life
11
きくり
Kikuri
12
不良のテーマ
Delinquent's Theme
13
小さな幸せ
A Little Happiness
14
悲しい話
Sad Story
15
企み
Plan
16
水面の月
Moon on the Water's Surface
17
沼に沈む
To Sink into the Swamp
18
覚悟2006
Determination 2006
19
二籠
Second Cage
20
地獄交響曲
Hell Symphony
21
地獄メタル
Hell Metal
22
彼岸花
Cluster Amaryllis
23
あいぞめ
Indigo Dye
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack II
Jigoku Shōjo Futakomori Original Soundtrack II
Soundtrack by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani
Released
21 March 2007
Label
Aniplex Inc.
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
地獄絵図
Hell Illustration
2
刻迫る
The Moment Approaches
3
女の性
The Nature of Women
4
藁人形のテーマ
Straw Doll's Theme
5
正義
Justice
6
きくりのウインナー
Kikuri's Wiener
7
夜の三藁
Three Straw at Night
8
時雨
Autumn Rain
9
地獄の入り口
Hell Entrance
10
悪魔の子
Devil's Child
11
丘の住人
Hill Dweller
12
わが町ラブリーヒルズ
Our Town, Lovely Hills
13
裏切り
Betrayal
14
戦慄
Shiver
15
みずうみ
Lake
16
異様
Strangeness
17
復讐の連鎖
Chain of Vengeance
18
囚われた町
The Captured Town
19
あい
Ai
20
集団心理
Group Mentality
21
記憶
Memory
22
少女のうた
Girl's Song
23
あいぞめ (Piano version)
Indigo Dye (Piano version)
[edit] Jigoku Shōjo Mitsuganae Original Soundtrack ~肉喰~
Track Number
Japanese Title
Translated Title
1
常世の夢
Eternal Dream
2
三鼎
Ding of Three
3
春の風
Spring Wind
4
夏の風
Summer Wind
5
ひとり
Alone
6
悪い空想
Bad Fantasies
7
きくり姫
Princess Kikuri
8
幼女降臨
A Young Girl Advents
9
アンニュイ四藁
Four Straw Ennui
10
冥土のゆらめき
Flickering of the Underworld
11
残像
Afterimage
12
破滅の淵
Abyss of Destruction
13
愚かな魂
Stupid Soul
14
埋火
Buried Fire
15
怨みの鈴音
The Chime of Grudges
16
少女の気配
Signs of a Girl
17
震える唇
Trembling Lips
18
荒ぶる神
A Rampaging God
19
白い鳥 赤い鳥
White Bird, Red Bird
20
覚悟2008
Determination 2008
21
羽化
Emergence
22
地獄の花道
Passage to Hell
23
地獄デスメタル
Hell Death Metal
24
新・地獄ロック
New Hell Rock
25
悲しき舟歌
A Sad Sailor Song
26
予感
Premonition
26
涙雨
Rain of Tears
26
いちぬけ
Once Through
The cover of volume one of the Jigoku Shōjo manga.
[edit] Manga
The Jigoku Shōjo anime series was later adapted into a manga, which featured art by Miyuki Etō (永遠 幸, Etō Miyuki?). It has been serialized in Kodansha's Nakayoshi shōjo manga magazine since October 2005. While the stories are mostly original, chapters 4 and 10 are adapted from their respective anime episodes (in the first season), while chapter 2 is adapted from anime episode 9. Chapter 17 is adapted from episode 8 of Futakomori.
Due to the difference in media, Ai's modus operandi in the manga is somewhat different from the anime. She has been seen attending the same schools as some of her student-clients. Also, the straw figurine with the string was not featured in the first few chapters. Subsequently, its appearance is no longer as ubiquitous as its anime counterpart. Ai's clients need only to accept the contract, and the victims' torture by Ai and her helpers would then begin. In some cases, the torture begins after she has rung her bracelet in front of her victim (and not before as seen in the anime). The appearance of the boat in which Ai uses to ferry her victims to Hell is reduced as well. Notably, although Sentaro Shibata is featured, Tsugumi and Hajime are not. Also, Kikuri has made appearances from volume 4 onwards.
The manga has recently been licensed by Del Rey Manga, and the first volume, titled Hell Girl, was released January 2008. The second volume was released in May 2008.
[edit] Live action
The cover of the DVD Box set for the live action series.
The Jigoku Shōjo live action television drama series adaptation premiered across Japan on Nippon Television from November 4, 2006 and aired 12 half-hour episodes. The director for the series was Makoto Naganuma. The theme song for the series is "Dream Catcher" by OLIVIA.
Hisahiro Ogura, the actor who portrays Wanyūdō in the live-action adaptation is also the male narrator at the beginning of every episode of the anime series. Eriko Matsushima retains her role as Ai's grandmother in the live action series.
[edit] Cast
Ai Enma: Sayuri Iwata
Ren Ichimoku: Kazuki Kato
Hone Onna: Aya Sugimoto
Wanyūdō: Hisahiro Ogura
Ai's Grandmother: Eriko Matsushima
Hajime Shibata: Kazuhiko Nishimura
Tsugumi Shibata: Saaya Irie
[edit] Episodes
Episode Number
Title in English
Title in Japanese
Air Date(Y/M/D)
1
Cracked Time
ひび割れた時間
2006-11-04
2
The Boy in the Box
箱の中の少年
2006-11-11
3
A Baby's Dream
嬰児の夢
2006-11-18
4
Dusk
逢魔の砌
2006-11-25
5
The Epitaph of Lies
偽りの墓碑銘
2006-12-02
6
The Red Thread of Promise
約束の赤い糸
2006-12-09
7
Sweet Temptation
甘い誘惑
2006-12-16
8
Miracle of the Holy Night
聖夜の奇跡
2006-12-23
9
The Fake Compensation
偽の代償
2007-01-06
10
Memories of Sorrow
悲しみの記憶
2007-01-13
11
Darkness of the Real World, Pt. 1
現し世の闇 前編
2007-01-20
12
Darkness of the Real World, Pt. 2
現し世の闇 後編
2007-01-27
[edit] Video game
The cover of the box for the Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura video game
Jigoku Shōjo has also been adapted into a video game for the Nintendo DS entitled Jigoku Shōjo Akekazura, which was developed by Compile Heart and released in Japan on September 27, 2007.
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