Sakuran

Sakuran
Tankōbon volume cover
さくらん
Manga
Written byMoyoco Anno
Published byKodansha
English publisher
MagazineEvening
Original runAugust 20, 2001 – May 27, 2003
Volumes1
Live-action film
Directed byMika Ninagawa
Produced byFellah Pictures
Written byYuki Tanada
Music byShiina Ringo
ReleasedFebruary 24, 2007
Runtime111 minutes
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Sakuran (Japanese: さくらん; lit. 'Derangement'), is a Japanese manga series by Moyoco Anno. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Evening from August 2001 to May 2003, with its chapters compiled in one volume. The manga is about a girl who goes through different names throughout the story and becomes a tayū, or high ranking oiran (courtesan). North American publisher Vertical Inc published it in English in July 2012.

Plot

A young kamuro (maid in a brothel) is sold into the red-light district of Yoshiwara and is put under the care of the oiran of the Tamagiku house, Shōhi, who names her Tomeki. The girl is very rebellious, leading to the heads of the household considering her potential future as a successful oiran, as a high-ranking courtesan needs not only beauty and talent but also the tenacity to maintain their position in order to be successful.

Tomeki later takes the name O-Rin as a hikkomi (or courtesan-in-training), and later takes the name Kiyoha, and is considered the most beautiful girl in the Tamagiku household. Her popularity threatens the position of the Tamagiku household's other oiran, Mikumo, which creates great tension between the two. Kiyoha's rivalry with Mikumo is not the only challenge she faces, as the appearance of a young man named Sōjirō faces her with the impossibility of finding love in her position.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Moyoco Anno, Sakuran was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Evening from its inaugural issue in August 20, 2001, to May 27, 2003. Its chapters were compiled in one tankōbon volume, released on November 6, 2003.

Film

A live-action film adaptation was released in Japan on February 24, 2007. The film stars Anna Tsuchiya and marks the directorial debut of photographer Mika Ninagawa. Ringo Sheena's album Heisei Fūzoku acts as the soundtrack.

Sakuran theatrical film poster

Cast

References

  1. ↑ "News - Entertainment, Music, Movies, Celebrity". Archived from the original on October 21, 2011.
  2. ↑ イブニング2001年9(A)号詳細情報. manganetto.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 9, 2026. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  3. ↑ イブニング2003年6/10 No.7号詳細情報. manganetto.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 9, 2026. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  4. ↑ さくらん (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 さくらん 2007. www.allcinema.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  6. ↑ ＜映像研には手を出すな! 最終回＞トレンド入り! 齋藤飛鳥が"魂の叫び"で印象付けた女優としての存在感. The Television (in Japanese). May 13, 2020. Archived from the original on October 7, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  7. ↑ さくらん. Eiga.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 20, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2024.