You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese. (January 2012) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
View a machine-translated version of the Japanese article.
Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia.
Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article.
You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Japanese Wikipedia article at [[:ja:眠狂四郎]]; see its history for attribution.
You may also add the template {{Translated|ja|眠狂四郎}} to the talk page.
Nemuri Kyōshirō (眠 狂四郎, Nemuri Kyōshirō) is a series of jidaigekinovels written by Renzaburō Shibata. The stories were originally serialized beginning in May 1956 in the Shūkan Shinchō.
The stories take place during the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate and the rules of Tokugawa Ienari and his successor Tokugawa Ieyoshi. They center on the title character, a sleepy-eyed rōnin, or masterless swordsman, who is the son of a Japanese mother (the daughter of a daimyō, who commits jigaki (see "Female Ritual Suicide" in Seppuku) some time after Kyoshiro's birth) and a foreign father, and who was conceived during a Black Mass (resulting in his fierce hatred for what he considers the hypocrisy of Christianity).[1][2]
Novels
Seven full-length novels and eight short stories in the Nemuri Kyoshirō series were published in Japan.
Full-length novels
Nemuri Kyoshiro: Record of an Outlaw, The Complete Six-Volume Series
"Nemuri Kyoshiro" was first played by Kōji Tsuruta in three films released by Toho:
Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai Hikae (Journal of an Outlaw) (1956)
Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai Hikae Dainibu (Journal of an Outlaw Pt. 2 - Full Moon Cut) (1957)
Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai Hikae: Maken Jigoku (The Spell of the Hidden Gold) (1958)
Ichikawa Raizo series (1963–1969)
From 1963 to 1969, Ichikawa Raizo played "Nemuri Kyoshiro" in the series by Daiei Film. Animeigo released the first six films of the Daiei series on VHS and the first five on laserdisc under the title of Sleepy Eyes of Death. Animeigo later announced that it had renewed their licensing rights to the series and released a boxed set of the first four films on DVD in 2009. A second boxed set containing the next four films was released in summer 2010 (which marked the first official release on DVD in the United States of The Mask of the Princess and Sword of Villainy ). The third boxed set came out in 2013.
The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by Masakazu Tamura in a Fuji TV series and later in five made-for-TV movie specials. Tamura also played the role on the stage in 1973 and 1981.
Nemuri Kyōshirō (1972–1973) a Kansai – Toei production, 26 episodes
The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by Kataoka Takao in two series of 50-minute episodes for TV Tokyo.[5] The plotline of the first series takes place during the Tokugawa Ieyoshi shogunate with the Satsuma clan leading a conspiracy with 13 Western clans against the policies of Council Leader Mizuno Tadakuni; when Satsuma clansmen, believing him to be working for Mizuno, murder his friends, Kyoshiro (who despises both the shogunate and the conspirators as equally corrupt) is unwillingly caught up in events and travels to Kyoto to face the leaders of the conspiracy, followed by and assisted upon occasion by O-ran (Kayo Matsuo), a female agent of Mizuno's, and Kinpachi (Shōhei Hino), a ne'er-do-well and occasional pickpocket who's over-fond of gambling and women but with certain unusual skills.
A second series, also starring Kataoka Takao, was broadcast in 1983; this series did not have an underlying plot but consisted of individual stories taking place after Kyoshiro has returned to Edo, using the Funasen boat-inn as a temporary residence.
Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai refrain (1983) (Nemuri Kyoshiro: Son of the Black Mass) – 22 episodes
Other adaptations
Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai refrain (1957) a Nippon Television production, starring Wataru Emi (Shuntaro Emi)
Nemuri Kyōshirō (1961) a Japan TV production, starring Wataru Emi (Shuntaro Emi)
Nemuri Kyōshirō (1967) a Fuji TV production, starring Mikijirō Hira
Manga
A manga version of Nemuri Kyoshiro by Yoshihiro Yanagawa was serialized in the Weekly Comic Bunch from the magazine's premier issue in 2001 to issue 43 of 2003. It was collected in ten tankōbon editions under the Bunch Comics imprint. Portions of the series were translated in the short lived English anthology Raijin Comics.
Nemuri X Gackt project
In late 2009 it was announced that Japanese singer-songwriter and actor Gackt would lend his image to a new Nemuri Kyoshiro project, starring as the eponymous protagonist, beginning with jidaigekitheatre stage play in May 2010, penned by Kundō Koyama.[6] The play Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae started on 14 May 2010 at Nissay Theatre.[7][8] The show ran for 120 performances in seven cities until February 27, 2011, with an estimated 150,000 spectators.[9] Its music director and score composer was Sugizo.[10] The original soundtrack was released on 14 May 2010 by Gordie Entertainment,[11] while play's DVD recording in February 2011.[12]
