Monster_Strike_(anime)

<i>Monster Strike</i> (anime)

Monster Strike (anime)

Anime franchise


Monster Strike (Japanese: モンスターストライク, Hepburn: Monsutā Sutoraiku) is an anime series based on the role-playing physics game of the same name developed by Mixi for iOS and Android platforms. An anime film adaptation titled Monster Strike The Movie was released on December 10, 2016. A second anime film, titled Monster Strike The Movie: Sora no Kanata, was released on October 5, 2018 in Japan. A third film Monster Strike the Movie: Lucifer - Zetsubō no Yoake was slated to be released in June 2020, but was delayed to November 6, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][3]

Quick Facts Directed by, Produced by ...

The series' ending theme is a cover of Queen's "We Will Rock You" performed by Japanese vocalist Gloria.[4] After a break, the ending theme switched to several songs by White Ash: "Strike", "Knock On Doors In You", "Mad T.Party (1865-2016)", and "Drop", all of which are from the band's August 17, 2016, EP Quest, including "Monster", a song composed for the MS Grand Prix 2016 Championship.[5]

A second season of Monster Strike has been announced and premiered on April 1, 2017.[6] The plot of the second season revolves around Ren, Aoi, Akira, Minami, and a new American transfer student named Mana dealing with problems caused by monsters manifesting in real life outside of the Monster Strike game. The season was split into two parts, with Monster Strike The Animation: The Fading Cosmos premiering on October 7, 2017.[7]

The Monster Strike anime got its first spin-off on May 3, 2017 with the A Rhapsody Called Lucy -The Very First Song- OVA episode. This lead into the MSonic! D'Artagnyan's Rise to Fame special mini-series that premiered on June 14, 2017. Both A Rhapsody Called Lucy and MSonic! are set in a separate continuity from the main Monster Strike anime.[8][9]

Plot

Ren Homura, a middle school student who moves back to his hometown with his mother and sister, but he apparently cannot remember much of his life there. After having to get his cellphone repaired, he finds that the repairman installed Monster Strike onto it, and he later is attacked by a man who forces him into a real life game of Monster Strike, summoning a monster from within the game to attack Ren. Ren manages to summon a monster of his own, the diminutive dragon Oragon, and with help from his classmate Aoi Mizusawa, as well as an alter ego awoken by his own missing memories, Ren defeats the man's monster, seemingly freeing him from the control of an evil entity. This brings Ren into the world of the town's Monster Strike Stadium leagues, where people play Monster Strike in what appears to be real life but are advanced holograms, as well as Aoi's desire to reunite her friends Akira Kagetsuki and Minami Wakaba into becoming a team of Monster Strike players. However, Akira will not play on a team because Ren is nothing like their former fourth member Haruma, and the air-headed Minami has become possessed by the same evil presence that forced other people to attack Ren and Aoi.

Characters

Main characters

Ren Homura (焔 レン, Homura Ren)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Kobayashi
The protagonist. He cannot seem to remember anything about his life in his old town, but when his memories temporarily resurface he becomes an ace Monster Strike player. His signature monsters are Oragon, Fenrir X the Monsterwolf (炎邪狼フェンリルX, Enjarō Fenriru Ekkusu) and Ryoma the Visionary (維新の奇跡 坂本龍馬, Ishin no Kiseki Sakamoto Ryōma, voiced by Taishi Murata) who Transcends into Hero of the Restoration, Ryoma (維新回天の英傑 坂本龍馬, Ishin Kaiten no Eiketsu Sakamoto Ryōma).
Aoi Mizusawa (水澤 葵, Mizusawa Aoi)
Voiced by: Lynn
Ren's classmate. After helping Ren out in his first real world Monster Strike battle, she begins to plan him joining her old Monster Strike team, having already given him a special ring that allows him to properly control the apparently real monsters. Her signature monsters are Fox Metal the Legend (狐穴のフォックスメタル, Koketsu no Fokkusu Metaru, voiced by Itaru Yamamoto) and Napoleon the Valiant (英雄 ナポレオン, Eiyū Naporeon, voiced by Eri Suzuki).
Akira Kagetsuki (影月 明, Kagetsuki Akira)
Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi
Another of Ren's classmates, and one of Aoi's now former teammates at playing Monster Strike competitively. He is a perfectionist who cannot see Ren as replacing their former fourth teammate Haruma. His signature monster is Kamui (神威), and he also has John Manjiro (ジョン万次郎, Jon Manjirō, voiced by Daiki Hamano).
Minami Wakaba (若葉 皆実, Wakaba Minami)
Voiced by: Juri Kimura
Another of Ren's classmates and one of Aoi's former Monster Strike teammates. She is very airheaded, and is an otaku who often mimics and references popular anime and manga. When she is introduced, she is under the control of the mysterious entity possessing people to lead to real life Monster Strike matches. Her signature monster is Dead Rabbits, Ltd. (デッドラビッツLtd., Deddo Rabittsu Rimiteddo, voiced by Chinami Hashimoto and Yuna Yoshino) and she also has Al-mi'raj (アルミラージ, Arumirāji).
Oragon (オラゴン)
Voiced by: Jun Fukushima/Atsushi Abe
A monster that Ren summons from his phone after Monster Strike is installed and he is facing off against a man possessed by the evil entity. Oragon claims to be the Prince of the Monster World who has come to the human world to become stronger, but most people believe he is simply a creation of the game.
Haruma Kagutsuchi (神倶土 春馬, Kagutsuchi Haruma)
Voiced by: Daisuke Ono
Haruma was previously the fourth member of Aoi, Minami, and Akira's Monster Strike team until he moved out of Kaminohara for reasons they cannot remember. After Ren defeats Doom, it is hinted that Haruma is somehow responsible for his lost memories, as well as the memories of the others. They track Haruma down in Shibuya, only to be easily defeated in Monster Strike, resulting in his demand that they become the top players in Kaminohara before speaking to him, again. After they succeed, he still refuses, and it is revealed that he is being controlled by Memento Mori, the Spirit of War (木の闘神 メメント・モリ, Ki no Tōshin Memento Mori, voiced by Sayaka Ohara), one of the War Gods posing as his allegedly dead mother, so they seek to free him from her control. His signature monster is Underworld Rebel Lucy (反逆の堕天使 ルシファー, Hangyaku no Datenshi Rushifā, voiced by Yōko Hikasa).
Mana Livingston (Mana rivingusutonu)
Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto (Season 2)
A Transfer Student from America becomes friends with the Main Cast and learns about Monster Strike Game, even obtaining her own ring and Partner.

Supporting characters

Taiyou Shirahama (白浜 太陽, Shirahama Taiyō)
Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
A student from another homeroom in Ren and Aoi's middle school who appears to inform them about Minami's odd behavior. He seems to be aware of the mysterious figures leading people to be possessed. His signature monster is Loki, God of Mischief (狡知の神 ロキ, Kōchi no Kami Roki, voiced by Junichi Yanagita). He is secretly the number 1 player in all of Kaminohara, and is possessed by the War God Nirvana, Inferno of War (炎の闘神ニルヴァーナ, Honō no Tōshin Niruvāna, voiced by Takehito Koyasu).
Jun Nikaido (二階堂 純, Nikaidō Jun)
Voiced by: Shizuka Ishigami
Kaminohara Middle School's student council president. She is the 4th ranked MS player in the area and challenges the recently-formed MS Club members to determine the fate of their club. Her monster is Cherry Spirit Sakura (花ノ国の精 桜, Hana-no-Kuni no Sei Sakura, voiced by Ikumi Hayama).
Sanjo Takii (滝井 参仗, Takii Sanjō)
Voiced by: Subaru Kimura
A jock at Kaminohara Middle School who is turned on by being put down by women. He is the 3rd ranked MS player in Kaminohara and attacks the group in the local history museum's Roman art wing, battling them with Dark Usurper Zeus (天邪神ダークゼウス, Tenjashin Dāku Zeusu, voiced by Rikiya Koyama).
Akane Noda (野田 茜, Noda Akane)
Voiced by: Rie Takahashi
A student at Kaminohara Middle School who is obsessed with Minami's family cafe. She even goes so far as to take a part time job at a rival chain store and provide bad service to get people to go to the Wakaba family store. She is the 2nd ranked MS player and uses Melodious Snow Bow (森の歌姫 白雪姫リボン, Mori no Utahime Shirayukihime Ribon, voiced by Yurika Kubo).
Mariko Kobayashi (小林 茉利子, Kobayashi Mariko)
Voiced by: Haruka Yamazaki
One of Haruma's new MS teammates. She is dressed in Harajuku fashion. She uses the monster Alice, Queen of Wonderland (不思議の国の女王アリス, Fushiginokuni no Joō Arisu, voiced by Haruka Watanabe).
Shino Ichinose (一ノ瀬 志乃, Ichinose Shino)
Voiced by: Saori Ōnishi
One of Haruma's new teammates. She claims to have psychic powers that allow her to accurately predict the outcomes of her MS matches and often gets nosebleeds. Her monster is Himiko, Ruler of Yamatai (邪馬台国女王 卑弥呼, Yamataikoku Joō Himiko, voiced by Kaori Nazuka) who slide Evolves into Himiko, Queen of Wa (倭国の女王 卑弥呼, Wakoku no Joō Himiko).
Kaoru Owada (大和田 薫, Ōwada Kaoru)
Voiced by: Hiroki Takahashi
Haruma's other MS teammate. He likes to show off his muscles, and believes a well-developed upper body is key to victory. His monster is Romeo Possessed (デモンズ・ロミオ, Demonzu Romio, voiced by Ryouta Takeuchi).

Other characters

Genma Kagutsuchi (神倶土 玄馬, Kagutsuchi Genma)
Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda
Genma, otherwise known as "K", is the first champion of Kaminohara's MS Colosseum. He lures Ren and his friends to the colosseum to battle Izanami the Inviter (黄泉津大神 イザナミ, Yomotsu Ōkami Izanami, voiced by Asami Seto), who transforms into the corrupted Izanami Zero (イザナミ零, Izanami Zero). Genma is also possessed by one of the War Gods, Doom, the Tide of War (水の闘神ドゥーム, Mizu no Tōshin Dūmu, voiced by Kenta Miyake).
Karin Homura (焔 花梨, Homura Karin)
Voiced by: Rie Murakawa
Ren's little sister.
Mitsuki Homura (焔 三月, Homura Mitsuki)
Voiced by: Mamiko Noto
Ren's mother.
Dolph Wakaba (ドルフ若葉, Dorufu Wakaba)
Voiced by: Yasuhiro Mamiya
Minami's father. He runs the family café with Minami after. He dresses like a soldier but his personality far from tough and imposing as his appearance would suggest.
Lyra Kiskill (キスキル・リラ, Kisukiru Rira)
Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa
A mysterious young woman Ren and his friends encounter on their trip to Okinawa. She is actually a monster who has been captured by the American military during their tests on weaponizing Monster Strike.
Lieutenant Amanda Jensen (アマンダ・ジェンセン中尉, Amanda Jensen Chūi)
Voiced by: Yuki Kaida
A lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. She is Dolph's friend's daughter who shows Ren, Aoi, Minami, and Akira around Okinawa. She is secretly trying to free Lyra Kiskill from her superiors in the Navy.
Colonel James Styles (ジェイムズ・スタイルズ大佐, Jeimuzu Sutairuzu Taisa)
Voiced by: Shō Hayami
An American military officer working with the company NADTDcom to find a way to control Monster Strike monsters for the American military's gain. He uses a powerful monster named Oceanus.

Episodes

Season 1 (2015-16)

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Monster Strike 2 (2017)

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Monster Strike 3 (2018-19)

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Films

There have been two anime films based on the Monster Strike anime series.

Monster Strike The Movie

An anime film adaptation titled Monster Strike The Movie was released on December 10, 2016.[10][11]

Monster Strike The Movie: Sora no Kanata

A second anime film adaptation titled Monster Strike The Movie: Sora no Kanata was released on October 5, 2018. Studio Orange animated the film.[12]

Monster Strike the Movie: Lucifer - Zetsubō no Yoake

A third anime film adaptation title Monster Strike the Movie: Lucifer - Zetsubō no Yoake was slated to be released in June 2020, but was pushed to November 6, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]

Reception

On YouTube, the anime series had been watched 100 million times by August 2016, and over 200 million times as of June 2017.[13]

Monster Strike The Movie grossed ¥740 million ($6.8 million) at the Japanese box office.[14] The second film, Sora no Kanata, has grossed ¥364,672,100 yen ($3.26 million) in Japan as of October 16, 2018.[15] Both films have grossed a combined ¥1,104,672,100 ($10.06 million) at the Japanese box office as of October 16, 2018.

Notes

  1. Series Composition (シリーズ構成)
  2. Story (ストーリー)
  3. The official Monster Strike YouTube channel credits Kazuya Ichikawa for direction in the episode's description, however, the ending credits give the Director (監督) credit to Toshiya Niidome (新留俊哉).
  4. Story Composition (ストーリー構成)

References

  1. "映画公開スペシャル「レイン・オブ・メモリーズ」【モンストアニメ公式】". アニメ モンスターストライク公式 (Monster Strike Official YouTube). December 3, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  2. "Monster Strike Mobile RPG Gets TV Anime, 3DS Port in 2015". Anime News Network. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  3. Inc., Natasha. "WHITE ASHが全曲「モンスト」の新作リリース、初回盤ジャケにルシファー降臨". natalie.mu. Retrieved 15 January 2017. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. "Monster Strike Anime's 2nd Season Reveals Cast, Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  5. "Monster Strike Anime Gets Special Episode For Golden Week". Anime News Network. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  6. "Monster Strike Gets New 5-Episode Idol Spinoff Anime Special". Anime News Network. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  7. "モンスターストライク THE MOVIE はじまりの場所へ(2016)". allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  8. ""Monster Strike" Web Anime Viewed Over 200 Million Times Worldwide". Crunchyroll. June 20, 2017. Archived from the original on November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  9. "Box Office Gross, TV Anime Adaptations". Someanithing: Anime DVD/BD Sales in Japan. Archived from the original on October 23, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.

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