| Ushio and Tora |
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| Information | | Title: | Ushio and Tora | | Author: | Kazuhiro Fujita | | Original Run: | 1990 - 1996 | | Published by: | Weekly Shonen Sunday | | Volumes: | 33+1 | | Genre: | Action /Comedy / Fantasy / Shounen / Supernatural |
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Ushio and Tora (うしおととら, Ushio to Tora) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Kazuhiro Fujita.
Contents
- 1 Plot
- 2 History
- 3 Manga Guide
Plot[]
Ushio and Tora centers around the travels and battles of Ushio Aotsuki, who is constantly being stalked and aided by a gigantic, supernatural and sometimes invisible tiger-like monster.
Ushio's family maintains a temple in Japan, where 500 years ago, his samurai ancestor battled that same monster to a standstill, and eventually trapped him against a rock using a cursed spear called the "Beast Spear", which grants strength, speed, and endurance to the wielder in exchange to his soul. Ushio accidentally unsealed the cave Tora was trapped in.
Initially, Ushio refuses to remove the spear pinning Tora (Japanese for tiger) down (as Tora made the strategic blunder of mentioning that the first thing he would do upon being freed would be to devour Ushio), but Tora's unsealed presence attracts various monsters to the temple. Ushio is forced to free Tora, who would like to eat Ushio, but dares not since Ushio keeps the spear close by. The series focuses on their relationship, interspersed with battles against mythological foes, and with Tora's attempts to grapple with modern life. During the regular battles, Ushio slowly begins to notice that as much as Tora claims to be irredeemable, the demon takes to fighting evil and defending the innocent with more enthusasim than he cares to admit.
History[]
The manga began serialization in issue 1990-06 of Weekly Shonen Sunday. It ended in issue 1996-45 of of same magazine. It spanned 313 chapters, which were combined in 33 volumes. It also got a Gaiden volume containing 6 side stories. In 2013 in Issue 04-05 and 06, Ushio and Tora was adapted in 2 more chapters for support of 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Effort Project and later included along with other previously popular series from Sunday in a book named 3.11 o Wasurenai Tame ni - Heroes Comeback (The Heroes' Comeback - To Make Sure 3/11 is Not Forgotten).
In 2000, the manga was recollected into 18 wideban volumes. And in 2004, the manga was also recollected into 19 bunko volumes. In 2015, the manga was again recollected into kanzeban editions containing the original color pages.
The manga received the 37th Shogakukan Manga Award for best shonen in 1991. It also received the 28th Seiun Award for best comic in 1997. The manga also took 20th place in 2006s Japanese Media Arts Top 100, a campaign to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Japanese Cultural Bureau's Media Art Festival, were anyone could vote on 4 categories: art, entertainment, animation, and manga.
It was adapted into three OVA series: one with six episodes released from September 11, 1992 to February 1, 1993; one with four episodes released from June 11, 1993 to August 1, 1993; and one single episode OVA released on October 1, 1993. The anime was released in the United States by ADV Films.
A new television anime series based on the manga, was co-produced by MAPPA and Studio VOLN and started on July 3, 2015.
Manga Guide[]
Volumes[]
| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 1 | December 15, 1990 | Volume 1 |
List of Chapters: - Prologue
- Story 1: The Stone Eater
- 1: Disappearance at the Old School House
- 2: The Beast Spear Revealed
- 3: The Centipede Transforms
- Story 2: The Oni in the Painting
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 2 | January 15, 1991 | Volume 2 |
List of Chapters: - Story 2: The Oni in the Painting
- 4: Roar
- 5: Portrait of Reiko
- Story 3: Tora Goes to Town
- 1: Lord Gamin
- 2: A Town Full of Dangers
- 3: Tora's Civilization Allergy
- 4: Tora Intervenes
- 5: Tora's False Charge
- Story 4: Seal Magician Hyou
- 1: The Man Who Hunts Monsters
- 2: An Adversary Appears
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 3 | April 15, 1991 | Volume 3 |
List of Chapters: - Story 4: Seal Magician Hyou
- 3: Hyou's Past
- 4: Troubled Ushio
- 5: Hyou Vs Ushio
- Story 5: Ayakashi Sea
- 1: Ushio and Tora Go to Sea
- 2: Ayakashi
- 3: Tora and Asako Eaten
- 4: Inside Ayakashi's Stomach
- 5: Showdown!!
- 6: To the Limits of the Soul
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 4 | June 15, 1991 | Volume 4 |
List of Chapters: - Story 6: Legend
- 1: My Father's Secret
- 2: My Father's Determination
- 3: My Father's Decision
- 4: Setting Out
- Story 7: The Guys Are Up in the Sky
- 1: Taxiing
- 2: Take Off
- 3: Flight
- 4: Mayday
- 5: Approach
- 6: Landing
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 5 | September 15, 1991 | Volume 5 |
List of Chapters: - Story 8: The Houriki Heretic
- 1: Kyoura
- 2: First Attack
- 3: Counterattack
- 4: Rending Attack
- Story 9: Chaotic Wind
- 1: Ushio Is Asked a Favor by Youkai
- 2: Tora Meets with Misfortune, Ushio Battles a Youkai
- 3: Tora and Ushio Pursue Juuro
- 4: Ushio Stands Still and the Wind Whirls in the Sky
- Story 10: The House with a Child
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 6 | October 15, 1991 | Volume 6 |
List of Chapters: - Story 10: The House with a Child
- 2: The Sealed Room
- 3: The Child Dance
- Story 11: The Striking Mirror
- Story 12: The Toono Youkai on the Warpath
- 1: Ushio Is Attacked by the Youkai
- 2: The Youkai Confer Together
- 3: The Youkai Hate That Woman
- 4: The Youkai Pursue Ushio
- 5: The Youkai Have an Audience with Tora
- 6: The Youkai's Fight Against Hakumen no Mono
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 7 | December 15, 1991 | Volume 7 |
List of Chapters: - Story 12: The Toono Youkai on the Warpath
- 7: The Youkai Watch Tora and Hitotsuki's Decisive Battle
- Story 13: You'll Be Dry There
- 1: Death Carried a Knife
- 2: Fumiyo and Shiori
- 3: Under the Demon's Mask
- 4: To the Pyramid Tower
- 5: You'll Be Dry There
- Story 14: The Channel of Souls in Repose
- Story 15: You Come Out of the Warped Night
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 8 | February 15, 1992 | Volume 8 |
List of Chapters: - Story 15: You Come Out of the Warped Night
- 3: Crescent Moon
- 4: Return to the Night
- Story 16: The Guardian God of the Lake
- 1: Kagami, Katayama, and Ayumi Suffer
- 2: The God of the Land and the Snake God
- 3: Drink the God Sake
- 4: The Spear's Seal
- 5: The Guardian God of the Lake
- Story 17: The Mist Comes
- 1: Misty Road
- 2: Escape from the Mist
- 3: In Pursuit of the Mist
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 9 | April 15, 1992 | Volume 9 |
List of Chapters: - Story 17: The Mist Comes
- 4: Meikai Gate
- 5: The Mist's Sprint
- 6: Are You Standing Tall?
- Story 18: Pursuit of the Hiyou~ The Chosen
- Hinowa Sekimori
- 1: The Hiyou Set Loose
- 2: The Beast Spear Discovered
- 3: The Chosen of the Spear
- Nagare Akiba
- 1: The Chosen on the Motorcycle
- 2: Bakemono
- 3: The Hiyou Bus
- 4: The End to a Hard Run
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 10 | July 15, 1992 | Volume 10 |
List of Chapters: - Story 19: Beastly Karakuri
- 1: Asako and Mayuko (1)
- 2: Asako and Mayuko (2)
- 3: Asako and Mayuko (3)
- Story 20: Crossing of Pursuits~ The Chosen
- Satoru Moritsuna
- 1: Battle of the Chosen
- 2: Repelling Divination
- 3: Old Wounds
- 4: Satoru Awakens
- 5: Ushio Inside the Body
- 6: The Cry Inside the Body
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 11 | August 15, 1992 | Volume 11 |
List of Chapters: - Story 20: Crossing of Pursuits~ The Chosen
- Satoru Moritsuna
- 7: Invasion of the Brain
- 8: Chibakama's Resounding Laugh
- 9: The Blow Reflected in the Retina
- 10: Only as Much as Hoped For
- Story 21: Change of Face
- 1: The Directive
- 2: Mobilization
- 3: To Kamuikotan
- 4: Attack of the Hiyou
- 5: Encounter
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 12 | October 15, 1992 | Volume 12 |
List of Chapters: - Story 21: Change of Face
- 6: Reiko/Saya
- 7: Hinowa/Jun/Yuu
- 8: To the Cave, Mayuko
- 9: Mayuko/Tora
- 10: Asako
- 11: Counterattack~ Asako
- 12: Resurrection~ And Then, At Last...
- Story 22: The Time Reversing Bakemono
- 1: Bakemono of the Cave
- 2: Go Back in Time
- 3: The 2,300-Year-Old Memory
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 13 | January 15, 1993 | Volume 13 |
List of Chapters: - Story 22: The Time Reversing Bakemono
- 4: Creating the Holy Blade
- 5: The White-Faced Demon
- 6: Into Utter Darkness
- 7: The Demon of the Beast Spear
- 8: Guiding Demon
- 9: Bakemono, Bring Us Home
- Story 23: The Snow Doesn't Vanish at Dawn
- 1: The City Covered in Snow
- 2: Snow Daughter
- 3: Sakuma
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 14 | April 15, 1993 | Volume 14 |
List of Chapters: - Story 23: The Snow Doesn't Vanish at Dawn
- 4: Frozen Tears
- 5: Tora Returns
- 6: The Snow Doesn't Vanish at Dawn
- Story 24: Ushio Casts Aside the Beast Spear
- 1: Ushio, This Is a Major Pinch!
- Story 25: Countdown Railroad
- 1: Advancing
- 2: Rushing
- 3: 32 Minutes to Go
- 4: 18 Minutes to Go
- 5: 13 Minutes to Go
- 6: 10 Minutes to Go
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 15 | June 15, 1993 | Volume 15 |
List of Chapters: - Story 25: Countdown Railroad
- 7: 6 Minutes to Go
- 8: Just Before Passing Out
- 9: Passing Out of the Tunnel
- 10: Continuing on Track!
- Story 26: High Speed Eater
- 1: The Start~
- 2: Biker~
- 3: Attack~
- 4: Ignition~
- 5: Battle~
- 6: Overdrive~
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 16 | August 15, 1993 | Volume 16 |
List of Chapters: - Story 27: The Fourth One, Kirio
- 1: Hakumen Quickens
- 2: Crisis at the Head Temple
- 3: Oyakume-sama
- 4: The Battle with "Kuragi"
- 5: Shodai-sama Comes
- 6: From Ushio to Kirio
- Story 28: Incitement~ Destroy the Beast Spear
- 1: Nagatobimaru Tora
- 2: Shikigami Use/Moritsuna Satoru, Shinjutsu/Jun
- 3: The Empty Corpse's Thread
- 4: The Red Cloth
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 17 | December 15, 1993 | Volume 17 |
List of Chapters: - Story 28: Incitement~ Destroy the Beast Spear
- 5: Theft of the Beast Spear
- 6: The House of the Whisperers
- 7: Nagare and Tora (1)
- 8: Nagare and Tora (2)
- 9: Hinowa and Ushio (1)
- 10: Hinowa and Ushio (2)
- 11: Inasa's Diary
- 12: Materia
- 13: Kuin Versus Tora
- 14: Destruction of the Beast Spear
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 18 | April 15, 1994 | Volume 18 |
List of Chapters: - Story 28: Incitement~ Destroy the Beast Spear
- 15: The Avatar Towako
- 16: House of Scorn
- 17: The Beast Spear Rumbles
- 18: Violence
- 19: Demon of Destruction, God of Destruction
- 20: Eternal Solitude
- 21: Incitement~ Failure
- Story 29: Asako's Sports Day
- Story 30: Fools Gather at a Party
- 1: Written Invitation to a Party
- 2: Metamorphosis
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 19 | June 15, 1994 | Volume 19 |
List of Chapters: - Story 30: Fools Gather at a Party
- 3: Battle Mayuko
- 4: Tayura/Nadoka
- 5: A Bit of Play
- 6: The Mud and the Hat
- 7: Mayuko Runs
- 8: Mayuko and Tora
- Story 31: The Day I Swung the Swing
- 1: Minoru
- 2: Bad Dream
- 3: Satori
- 4: The Day Before the Operation~ The Day of
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 20 | August 15, 1994 | Volume 20 |
List of Chapters: - Story 31: The Day I Swung the Swing
- 5: The Day I Swung the Swing
- Story 32: Ushio and Tora Start the New Year
- Story 33: The Seal of the Gedou
- 1: Coming from Shikoku
- 2: The Manifestation of Gedou
- 3: Minoo
- 4: Possession
- 5: Confusion
- 6: The Female Gedou
- 7: Minoo Dances
- 8: True Form
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 21 | October 15, 1994 | Volume 21 |
List of Chapters: - Story 33: The Seal of the Gedou
- 9: School House Quake
- 10: Gedou Possession
- 11: Gedou Don't Come Home
- Story 34: The Western Bakemono War
- 1: The Osa of the West
- 2: The Toono Bakemono
- 3: Bakemonotachi
- 4: The War Begins
- 5: Jayou and Hitotsuki
- 6: Kamaitachi, Raishin, and Kagari
- 7: Thunder Beast Tora
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 22 | January 15, 1995 | Volume 22 |
List of Chapters: - Story 34: The Western Bakemono War
- 8: Ushio and Ibuki
- 9: Shinno Vs. Ushio
- 10: The Gamble
- 11: Kamaitachi of the East/Kamaitachi of the West
- 12: The Demon Blade Sparkles
- 13: Kagari Advances
- 14: Dancing Slice
- 15: Sharp Practices
- 16: Izuna's One Second
- 17: Escaping the Sky Mansion
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 23 | April 15, 1995 | Volume 23 |
List of Chapters: - Story 34: The Western Bakemono War
- 18: Simultaneous Advance
- 19: The Western Bakemono Attack
- 20: Hakumen no Mono's Counterattack
- 21: Hakumen's Memories
- 22: Scream of the Beast Spear
- 23: Two Powers-Mutual Destruction
- 24: Ending of the War
- 25: The Other Side of the Storm
- 26: The End of the War for a Time
- Story 35: Full Moon
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 24 | June 15, 1995 | Volume 24 |
List of Chapters: - Story 36: Kagari and Tora Run an Errand
- Story 37: Tatari Breaker
- 1: Kidnapping
- 2: The H.A.M.M.R. Organization
- 3: Thunder Metamorphose
- 4: Examination
- 5: Baldanders
- 6: Emergency
- 7: Critical Condition
- 8: Death Floor
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 25 | October 15, 1994 | Volume 25 |
List of Chapters: - Story 37: Tatari Breaker
- 9: The Kirlian Machine Operators
- 10: Clash and Destroy
- 11: Tatari Breaker
- Story 38: The Sky Reflected in His Eyes
- 1: White Feather
- 2: Dog
- 3: Tarou
- 4: Shippeitarou
- Story 39: Gouki <First Part>
- Story 40: Journalist's Soliloquy
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 26 | December 15, 1995 | Volume 26 |
List of Chapters: - Story 41: Resurrection of the Beast Horde
- 1: Resurrection
- 2: The Gathering Process
- 3: Arrival
- 4: Asafuse
- 5: Guren
- 6: Grudge
- 7: The Jet Black Horde
- Story 42: Night of the Crescent Moon
- Story 43: Before the Wind Blows
- 1: Ordinary Scenery
- 2: The Wind
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 27 | February 15, 1996 | Volume 27 |
List of Chapters: - Story 43: Before the Wind Blows
- Story 44: A Season Turning to Stone
- 1: The Main Temple
- 2: Head Wind
- 3: Abduction • Pursuit
- 4: The Cause
- 5: Mayuko Discovered
- 6: To the Divine Forge
- 7: Things I Couldn't Hold On To
- 8: Within the Blaze
- 9: The Kokuen
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 28 | April 15, 1996 | Volume 28 |
List of Chapters: - Story 44: A Season Turning to Stone
- 10: A One Demon Battle
- 11: The Crushing Demon Pair
- Story 45: Emerging from Rain, Disappearing in Rain
- 1: Passing, Disappearing...
- 2: Passing, Appearing...
- 3: Appearing, Passing...
- 4: Appearing and Appearing Again...
- 5: Progressing Through Rain...
- 6: To Have and Lose...
- 7: Appearing and Destroying...
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 29 | June 15, 1996 | Volume 29 |
List of Chapters: - Story 45: Emerging from Rain, Disappearing in Rain
- 8: Appearing, Disappearing
- Story 46: A Journey Not Homeward
- Story 47: To the Sea of Chaos
- 1: To Okinawa
- 2: Nagare, Obstructing
- 3: The Letter from H.A.M.M.R.
- 4: Asako, To Okinawa
- 5: To the Sea
- 6: Nagare Vs. Tora (1)
- 7: Nagare Vs. Tora (2)
- 8: Nagare Vs. Tora (3)
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 30 | September 15, 1996 | Volume 30 |
List of Chapters: - Story 47: To the Sea of Chaos
- 9: The Wind That Blows to the Sea
- Story 48: Sea of Thunder
- 1: To the Abyss
- 2: Mother
- 3: The Submerged Stone Pillar
- 4: The Time of Resurrection
- 5: The Thundering Roar of Its Rise
- 6: Fear, On the News
- 7: Breaking Point
- 8: Break Out
- 9: Sea of Hate
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 31 | October 15, 1996 | Volume 31 |
List of Chapters: - Story 48: Sea of Thunder
- Story 49: The Beast Spear's Destruction
- Story 50: Tora
- 1: He Who Returned
- 2: Perspective I
- 3: Perspective II
- 4: Perspective III
- 5: The Birth of Hakumen
- 6: Vicissitudes Begin
- Story 51: Stopping the Descent, Rising Up
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 32 | December 15, 1996 | Volume 32 |
List of Chapters: - Story 51: Stopping the Descent, Rising Up
- 2: Bakemono of Destruction
- 3: Hope
- 4: Memory Recovery
- 5: Stopping the Descent, Rising Up
- Story 52: Rumbling Heavens Opening the Gate
- 1: The Meikai Gate Again
- 2: Opening the Gate
- 3: The Beast Spear Resurrected
- Story 53: To the Promised Night
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| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 33 | January 15, 1997 | Volume 33 |
List of Chapters: - Story 54: Till Our Lives Reach the Sun
- 1: Girl, Not Alighting in Silence
- 2: The Strongest Curse
- 3: 400 Meters
- 4: The Meaning of the Journey
- 5: The Sun
- Final Story: Ushio and Tora
- 1: The Final Play
- 2: Hakumen no Mono
- 3: The Fate of Ushio and Tora
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Gaiden[]
| # | Release Date | Volume |
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| 1 | June 15, 1997 | Gaiden Volume 1 |
List of Chapters: - Story 1: Bakemono Konjaku Monogatari
- Story 2: A Tale in the Shadow of Plum Trees~ Seal Magician Hyou
- Story 3: Rain Falling on a Village
- Story 4: Thunder Dance
- Story 5: Present
- Story 6: Day Breaking on an Endless Night
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