City Hunter

Name	City Hunter
Caption	Volume 31 of the Jump Comics edition, depicting Ryo Saeba and his supporting cast
Ja kanji	シティーハンター
Ja romaji	Shitī Hantā
Genre	Action, Comedy, Crime fiction

Type	manga
Author	Tsukasa Hojo
Publisher	Shueisha
Publisher en	Raijin Comics (incomplete, defunct)
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Jump
First	1985
Last	1991
Volumes	35

Type	tv series
Director	Kenji Kodama
Studio	Sunrise
Network	Yomiuri TV, Animax
First	April 6, 1987
Last	March 28, 1988
Episodes	51

Type	tv series
Title	City Hunter 2
Director	Kanetsugu Kodama
Studio	Sunrise
Network	Yomiuri TV, Animax
First	April 2, 1988
Last	July 14, 1989
Episodes	63

Type	film
Title	.357 Magnum
Director	Kenji Kodama
Producer	Yomiuri Television, Japan Victor
Studio	Sunrise
Released	June 17, 1989
Runtime	87 minutes

Type	tv series
Title	City Hunter 3
Director	Kenji Kodama
Studio	Sunrise
Network	Yomiuri TV, Animax
First	October 15, 1989
Last	January 21, 1990
Episodes	13

Type	ova
Title	Bay City Wars
Director	Kenji Kodama
Studio	Sunrise
Released	August 25, 1990
Runtime	45 minutes

Type	ova
Title	Million Dollar Conspiracy
Director	Kenji Kodama
Studio	Sunrise
Released	August 25, 1990
Runtime	45 minutes

Type	tv series
Title	City Hunter '91
Director	Kiyoshi Egami
Studio	Sunrise
Network	Yomiuri TV, Animax
First	April 28, 1991
Last	October 10, 1991
Episodes	13

Type	tv film
Title	The Secret Service
Director	Kenji Kodama
Studio	Sunrise
Network	NTV
Released	January 5, 1996
Runtime	79 minutes

Type	tv film
Title	The Motion Picture
Director	Kazuo Yamazaki
Studio	Sunrise
Network	NTV
Released	April 25, 1997
Runtime	91 minutes

Type	tv film
Title	Death of the Vicious Criminal Ryo Saeba
Director	Masaharu Okuwaki
Studio	Sunrise
Network	NTV
Released	April 23, 1999

is a hardboiled manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo, published by Shueisha in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1985 to 1991. The manga was adapted into an animated television series by Sunrise Studios in 1987. The City Hunter franchise spans four animated television series, three television specials, two original video animations, an animated feature film, a live-action Hong Kong film starring Jackie Chan and a Korean live action TV drama.

In 2001, Tsukasa Hojo started a new manga series Angel Heart. The author mentioned in the first tankoubon volume that Angel Heart shares the same characters with City Hunter but not its continuity, and therefore takes place in a parallel universe.

Plot

The series follows the exploits of Ryo Saeba, a "sweeper" or private detective who works to rid Tokyo of crime, and Kaori Makimura, a tomboyish girl who manages Ryo's business affairs. Their "City Hunter" business is an underground jack-of-all-trades operation, contacted by writing the letters "XYZ" on a blackboard at Shinjuku Station One day, his associate, Hideyuki Makimura, is murdered. Ryô has to take care of Hideyuki's sister, Kaori, who becomes his new partner. However, Kaori is much more jealous and often hits him with a giant hammer.

Characters

; The protagonist of City Hunter. He was brought up from infancy in a civil war-torn Central American village. As a result, he has little information regarding his true identity. After the war, Ryo made his way to the United States, before moving to Tokyo. In Japan, he forms the "City Hunter" team with Kaori's brother, Hideyuki Makimura.

The most frequent running gag about Ryo's character is that he is quite lecherous. His clients are most exclusively pretty young ladies, and he gets his share of black eyes (and more) either from them or his assistant Kaori, who secretly loves him. He is known widely in the town as a "swinger," based on the fact that he is frequently seen looking for a "mokkori chance" with different women by locals.

; Ryo Saeba's tomboyish partner. She is primarily responsible for getting clients, and other managerial tasks. She is in love with Ryo, although in the beginning it seems that he has no feelings towards her, as the anime progresses there are multiple hints about Ryo having feelings for Kaori. Ryo's skirt-chasing rouses her ire more than once. Her favorite weapon is a bazooka (or a hammer to punish Ryo after his womanizing escapades). A running gag is that she is frequently mistaken for a bishōnen-looking man or a transsexual. In the end of the manga it is hinted they got married.

;: Hideyuki was Ryo's partner before his death. His final request was for Ryo to take care of Kaori.

;: "Umibōzu"' is another "sweeper". He and Ryo have a history dating back to the civil war in Central America. He goes by the professional name Falcon and his real name is Hayato Ijuin (伊集院隼人).

; She is a Tokyo police detective who often uses the City Hunter team to do her job for her. Saeko is the daughter of the chief of police. She was once closely related to Kaori's brother, Hideyuki.

;

She is a younger sister of Saeko, and is introduced halfway through the manga, and appears sporadically thereafter. She runs the "RN Detective Agency" (RN being her initials), right next to Ryo's apartment.

Miki

An Ex-Mercenary female commando, she was raised as an orphan by Umibozu in the battlefield and falls in love with him. She runs a Coffee shop named "Cat's Eye" (homage to Tsukasa's previous manga) along with Umibozu. She is battle hardened and also is a master of hypnosis.

Professor/Doc

Ex-medic at the Mercenary camp that Ryo was stationed in during the Civil war, he is the source of much of Ryo's underground information. He's just as much of a pervert as Ryo is. Does not appear in the Anime.

Kazue Nattori

A former scientist who's unintended acquaintance with Ryo resulted in her falling in love with him. She eventually becomes an assistant to the Professor in his lab, hoping she will have the opportunity to win his heart.

Kasumi Asou

A member of a proud clan of noble Robin Hood-like thieves, she initially meets with Ryo early on in the manga before returning to him halfway through the manga. She eventually falls in love with Ryo and makes brief appearances thereafter as a part-time employee at Cat's Eye.

Mick Angel

A former partner of Ryo during his stay in the United States, he is an equal to Ryo in terms of both skills and his womanizing nature. Introduced 3/4 of the way throughout the manga, he plays a big role in major story arcs thereafter. Does not appear in the Anime.

Media

Manga

In Japan, the City Hunter manga ran for six years in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from Issue 13 of 1985 to Issue 50 of 1991. The first compiled City Hunter collections were published under the Jump Comics imprint from 1985 to 1992, and totaled 35 volumes. The second edition was from Shueisha Editions, who published an 18 book version between 1996 and 1997. Bunch World published a 39 volume edition between 2001 and 2002. Most recently, Tokuma Comics published a "Complete Edition" of 32 books, each with bonus material between 2004 and early 2005.

The North American version of the manga, published by Gutsoon! Entertainment and serialized in Raijin Comics, is only available up to volume 5. The series has also been translated into Chinese, French, German, Italian, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Indonesian.

Spin-off

In 2001, Hojo started a follow-up series titled Angel Heart manga. The series takes place in a universe parallel to City Hunter, where the character of Kaori Makimura is killed and her heart transplanted into Li Xiang Ying, Angel Heart's protagonist.

Anime

The manga was adapted into an animated television series by Sunrise Studios in 1987. The first series lasted for 51 episodes, followed by three further series; City Hunter 2 (63 episodes); City Hunter 3 (13 episodes); and City Hunter '91 (13 episodes).

Along with the four television series, the City Hunter animated franchise spans three television specials, two original video animations and one feature film.

1 Film:

357 Magnum a.k.a. A Magnum of Love's Destination is about Ryo and Kaori being hired to protect Nina Shutenburg, a beautiful pianist, from mercenaries and diplomats.

2 OVAs:

Bay City Wars is about Ryo and Umibozu fighting against an evil dictator and his league of terrorists hijacking the Bay City hotel

Million Dollar Conspiracy a.k.a. Plot of a $1,000,000.

3 specials:

Secret Service.

The Motion Picture a.k.a. Goodbye, My Sweetheart.

Death of the Vicious Criminal Ryo Saeba a.k.a. Death of Evil Ryo Saeba.

ADV initially had the rights to most of the series, with the exception of the last film. However, it went out of print quickly, and, possibly due to a lack of popularity, has not yet been re-released.

Live action

In 1993, Golden Harvest produced a live action City Hunter (城市獵人) film directed by Wong Jing and starring Jackie Chan. Fortune Star and 20th Century Fox later released it on R1 DVD along with other budget classic HK films. Jackie was not fond of the work, and allegedly criticized it in one of his books.

Mr. Mumble (孟波 Meng bo) is another live action version of City Hunter. Despite the fact the names have been changed, this 1996 movie is considered to be a bit more faithful to the original material than the earlier film. Michael Chow plays Maang Boh (Mr. Mumble, the Cantonese version of Ryo) who takes on a job to guard Sharon (Pauline Suen), the daughter of a mafioso. The film also stars Francoise Yip as Yachi (Saeko), Jessica Hester Hsuan as Lao Tang (Kaori) and Eric Kei as Chi (Umibozu).

Saviour of the Soul (九一神鵰俠侶 Gauyat sandiu haplui) is a Hong Kong film from 1991 that takes elements from City Hunter. Although the plot has little in common with City Hunter, the characters of Ryo, Saeko, Makimura, Kaori, and Silver Fox appear.

A new live-action version of City Hunter has recently been announced, to be produced and distributed by Fox Television Studios and South Korean media company SSD. Jung Woo-sung has been cast as Ryo, and that other Hollywood-based stars will be cast alongside, with filming being done in Seoul and Tokyo.

This coming May 25 2011, Lee Min Ho will portray the lead male role as Lee Yoon Sung along with Park Min Young as Kim Na Na, his love interest, in an upcoming Korean drama series City Hunter on SBS.

Novels

City Hunter. Novel. Published by Shueisha in 1993.

City Hunter Special: The Secret Service. Novel. Published by Shueisha in 1995

City Hunter 2. Novel. Published by Shueisha in 1997.

City Hunter Special: Live on Stage. Novel. Published by Shueisha in 1999.

Reception

In a 2005 poll held by TV Asahi, City Hunter was voted #66 out of the 100 most popular animated TV series, as voted by TV viewers. A TV Asahi web-poll put City Hunter at #65.

References

External links

Official Website for City Hunter Complete DVD box set

J-pop.com review of City Hunter: The Motion Picture

Category:1987 television series debuts Category:1988 television series endings Category:Action anime and manga Category:Comedy anime and manga Category:Crime anime and manga Category:Anime of 1987 Category:Anime of 1988 Category:Anime of 1989 Category:Anime of 1991 Category:Manga of 1985 Category:Shōnen manga Category:Sunrise Category:ADV Films Category:Anime films Category:Anime OVAs