Yugo (勇午) is a Japanese manga series written by Shinji Makari and illustrated by Shū Akana. It was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine from December 1993 to July 2004, with its chapters collected in 22 volumes. The series was transferred to Evening magazine that same year with the subtitle "the Negotiator" added in, where it was serialized until November 2015. Subsequent compilations of the original manga series also include this subtitle. An anime television series adaptation produced by G&G Direction and Artland aired from February to May 2004, comprising the manga's first two major story arcs within 13 episodes.
Plot
The story follows Yugo Beppu, a hostage negotiator, in various cases around the world. Having both a very tough body and determination, and his keen insight, Yugo often goes to great lengths to rescue those he is tasked to, without resorting to physical violence.
Characters
- Yugo Beppu (別府 勇午)
- The main protagonist, hailing from Usuki. Yugo works as a hostage negotiator with a 97.4% success rate, using his sharp intellect, fluency in five languages, and a vast network of contacts worldwide. He has a tough body and determination to withstand any torture, and maintains a calm composure to gain trust.[1]
- Reiichi Kogure (小暮 蛉一)
- Yugo's partner and mechanic who provides technical support. Occasionally, he is called upon from Tokyo to travel to wherever Yugo is located.[1]
- Mayuko Iwase (岩瀬 繭子)
- Ahmad Rahmani (アーマド・ラフマニ)
- Laila (ライラ)
- Yusef Ali Mesa (ユスフ・アリ・メサ)
- Haji Rahmani (ハジ・ラフマニ)
- Lall (ラル)
- Andrei Sergeivich Romonovski (アンドレイ・セルゲイビッチ・ロマノフスキー)
- Olga Elenova (オリガ・エレノワ)
- Lyuba (リューバ)
- Mariko (真理子)
- Major General Garrachova (ガラーホワ少将)
- Nadenka (ナージェンカ)
Media
Manga
Yugo, written by Shinji Makari and illustrated by Shū Akana, was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine from December 25, 1993, to July 24, 2004. Its chapters were compiled into 22 volumes and published in the Kodansha's Afternoon KC line between June 20, 1994, and September 22, 2004.[4][6]
That same year, the series, with the subtitle "the Negotiator" added in, was serialized in Kodansha's Evening magazine from January 27, 2004, in the fourth issue of that year, to November 10, 2015, in the twenty-third issue of that year.[8][9] The first volume was published on September 22, 2004, in the Evening KC line,[8] with subsequent volumes published in the KC Deluxe line.[10][11] The nineteenth and final volume was published on December 22, 2015.[9]
Volumes
Yugo the Negotiator
Volumes
Yugo the Negotiator
Anime
In November 2003, it was announced that a 13-episode anime adaptation titled Yugo the Negotiator (勇午 ～交渉人～) would release next February, adapting the manga's first two major story arcs: 1st Negotiation, or Pakistan Chapter (パキスタン編), comprised the former six episodes; 2nd Negotiation, or Russia Chapter (ロシア編), comprised the latter seven episodes.[50][51] G&G Direction produced the 1st Negotiation, with Seiji Kishi as director, Takehiko Matsumoto as character designer, and Kazuharu Sato as writer. Artland produced the 2nd Negotiation, with Shinya Hanai as director, Kenichi Imaizumi as character designer, and Kenichi Kanemaki as writer.[51] It was originally broadcast on Kids Station from February 25 to May 26, 2004.[52][53] The opening theme is "Modern Size", and the ending theme is "Kitty", both by Eiichiro Taruki.
Six DVD volumes were released from May 25 to October 29, 2004, by Ken Media.[54] ADV Films licensed the series for a North American release in March 2005,[55] releasing the first volume in both a regular edition and an edition with a box on July 26.[56][57] After releasing the last volume on March 21, 2006,[58] ADV released the complete series in a DVD box set on October 2, 2007,[59] and on March 24, 2009.[60] The first three episodes of Yugo the Negotiator were screened at the Barbican Centre on February 26, 2008, in London; Helen McCarthy, an anime expert, did an introduction of the show for the audience.[61]
1st Negotiation episodes
2nd Negotiation episodes
1st Negotiation episodes
2nd Negotiation episodes
Reception
Theron Martin from Anime News Network elected the main character of the series Yugo Beppu as the "Best New Hero/Heroine" along with Kei Kurono of Gantz and Pacifica of Scrapped Princess. Martin declared he is "the most original hero: he deals with 'opponents' though his attention to understanding them and the sometimes-extreme actions he undertakes so that he can negotiate with them on their terms. A very slick, and very tough, individual."[65]
External links
- (archive)
References
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