Kiznaiver

Kiznaiver
Key visual
キズナイーバー (Kizunaībā)
Genre	Action, Thriller, science fiction, Drama
Manga
Written by	Roji Karegishi
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Crunchyroll (Digital)
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Dengeki Maoh
Original run	March 25, 2016 – present
Manga
Mini! KIZNAIVER Theater
Written by	S.Kosugi
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Crunchyroll (Digital)
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	April 27, 2016 – present
Anime television series
Directed by	Hiroshi Kobayashi
Produced by	Uryuu Kyōko, Uetsuki Mikio, Saita Hideyuki, Kase Naoto, Usa Yoshihiro, Kaneniwa Kozue, Ōwada Tomoyuki
Written by	Mari Okada
Music by	Yuki Hayashi
Studio	Trigger
Licensed by	UK Anime Limited
Network	Tokyo MX, GTV, GYT, BS11, ABC, TVA, AT-X
English network	SEA Aniplus Asia
Original run	April 9, 2016 – present
Episodes	12

Kiznaiver (キズナイーバー, Kizunaībā) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Trigger, Aniplex and Crunchyroll and written by Mari Okada. The series features character designs by Shirow Miwa and Mai Yoneyama. It also features the directorial debut of Hiroshi Kobayashi, assistant director of the anime Rage of Bahamut and episode director for Kill la Kill. Kiznaiver follows a group of high school students who are chosen to be a part of an experimental program which creates bonds between people by forcing them to share each other's pain. It is thematically similar to Trigger's previous works, which deal with problems attributed to character interaction. The series' title and premise are based upon the Japanese words for "wound/scar" (きず, kizu), and "bond/connection" (きずな, kizuna).

Premise

Kiznaiver takes place in the futuristic, fictional Japanese town of Sugomori City. While the city appears to be normal, in reality, it was created to test a large-scale experiment known as the "Kizna System". The ideal goal of the currently incomplete Kizna System is to create world peace by connecting people through shared pain and suffering. All those who are connected to the system are called "Kiznaivers". If a single Kiznaiver experiences pain, either emotional or physical, the system distributes it among the other Kiznaivers.

A few days before the start of summer vacation, a mysterious and seemingly emotionless girl, Noriko Sonozaki, tells high school student Katsuhira Agata that he has been selected to become a Kiznaiver, alongside several of his classmates. This allows Katsuhira to share his pain and build bonds with his classmates, whose lives and personalities each differ from his own. This leads to serious implications as Katsuhira's classmates attempt to shoulder each other's pain and Noriko assigns them on various missions.

Characters

Main characters

Katsuhira Agata (阿形 勝平, Agata Katsuhira)

Voiced by: Yūki Kaji

The story's apathetic and "semi-emotionless" protagonist. He is initially removed from his own perception of pain. He lives alone next to his childhood friend Chidori, as his parents seldom to be at home due to their job. As the series progresses he begins to understand emotional pain and is able to express his own emotions better.

Noriko Sonozaki (園崎 法子, Sonozaki Noriko)

Voiced by: Hibiku Yamamura

A beautiful girl who lacks human kindness and displays no emotion whatsoever. She acts as the arbitrator for the Kizna System.

Chidori Takashiro (高城 千鳥, Takashiro Chidori)

Voiced by: Yuka Terasaki

Katsuhira's childhood friend who is humanistic and seemingly nosy at times. She used to have affection for him and is hinted to still do.

Hajime Tenga (天河 一, Tenga Hajime)

Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno

A delinquent who is impulsive and rowdy to the point of being obnoxious, but does have good leadership qualities. Tenga feels the need to protect Agata from run-ins with bullies. After they become Kiznaiver, Hajime lives with Katsuhira, and it is stated by Katsuhira that he is enjoying the moments being with Hajime. Despite receiving the nickname "Mad Dog", he suffers from an intense case of cynophobia.

Niko Niiyama (新山 仁子, Niiyama Niko)

Voiced by: Misaki Kuno

A flowery girl with an attention-seeking attitude who behaves in an eccentric manner by claiming she "sees fairies". This is revealed to be a lie in order to create a quirky persona. Her father is the doctor and owner of a big hospital. She hinted to have crush on Hajime.

Tsuguhito Yuta (由多 次人, Yuta Tsuguhito)

Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki

A sly and self-centered honors student. He is popular with the girls in his class, but attempts to dissociate himself from other guys. He used to be severely overweight due to not having homemade meal and got all the snacks he wanted to, a fact that he seeks to keep secret.

Honoka Maki (牧 穂乃香, Maki Honoka)

Voiced by: Rina Satō

An aloof and intelligent girl who holds a cold and condescending attitude towards others, and initially claims to have killed somebody in the past. She used to be best friends with a girl named Ruru and the two became a mangaka duo under the pen name Charles de Macking. While working on the project together, the two gained affections for each other but Maki decided to stop it, since Ruru was terminally ill and Maki feared the pain of losing her would be unbearable if they were on a relationship. Eventually Maki left Ruru making up the last chapter of their manga, which Maki never read and assumed it left feelings of hatred behind. With the help of Yuta and the Kiznaivers, Maki realizes that Ruru wanted her to move on. She then decides to rejects being "friends" with the Kiznaivers believing that their current status made them even closer.

Yoshiharu Hisomu (日染 芳春, Hisomu Yoshiharu)

Voiced by: Kōtarō Nishiyama

A handsome and distinct man shrouded in mystery. He lives alone and is revealed to be a huge masochist.

Others

Kazunao Yamada (山田 一直, Yamada Kazunao)

Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe

Nicknamed Yaamada (やーまだ). Katsuhira's perverted homeroom teacher and a member of the Kizna committee.

Mutsumi Urushibara (漆原 睦, Urushibara Mutsumi)

Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki

Nicknamed Urushii (うるしー). The counselor of Katsuhira's school and a member of the Kizna committee.

Gomorin (ゴモリン)

Sugomori City's mascot character. Usually used as costume for staff who worked under Kizna system, some also wore by ordinary worker at the city.

Ruru (瑠々)

Voiced by: Sayaka Nakaya

Maki's best friend in her past, who is in love with her and tried to "cross the line", but since Maki knows that she is ill and doesn't want to be more sad the moment she meets her fate, Maki stopped both their friendship and her job as writer for their manga. After of her death, Maki (as well as Ruru's parents) blame herself because she let Ruru worked on the last chapter by herself, worsened her ill.

Media

Anime

The opening theme of the anime is Lay Your Hands on Me by Boom Boom Satellites, the ending theme of the anime is Hajimari no Sokudo (はじまりの速度) by Sangatsu no Phantasia. The anime has been licensed in the UK by Anime Limited.

Episode list

No.	Title	Original air date
1	"Sometimes, a Bond Can Bloom from the First Day Eye Contact Is Made" "Hitome Atta Sono Hi kara, Kizuna no Hanasaku Koto mo Aru" (一目あったその日から, 絆の花咲くこともある)	April 9, 2016
2	"If You Can Swallow a Bizarre Situation Like This So Easily, Two Buckets of Barium Shouldn't Be a Problem" "Konna Ijou Jitai Kantan ni Nomi Komen Nara Barium Nanza Bucket Nihai wa Karuku Yoyuu Dattsuno" (こんな異常事態カンタンに飲みこめんならバリウムなんざバケツ二杯は軽く余裕だっつーの)	April 16, 2016
3	"Depending on How You Look At It, I Think We Could Get Through Anything... Right?" "Donna ni Sanzan na Joukyou Datte Torae Kata Shidai de Nantoka Yatteikeru kamo...... ne?" (どんなにさんざんな状況だって捉えかた次第でなんとかやっていけるかも...... ねっ？)	April 23, 2016
4	"Now That We're All Connected, Let's All Get to Know Each Other Better, 'Kay?" "Sekkaku Tsunagari Attanda Shisa Motto Otagai Wakari Aou Yon" (せっかく繋がりあったんだしさもっとお互いわかりあおうよん)	April 30, 2016
5	"Wahoo, It's a Training Camp! Let's Step in Deer Poop and Have Pillow Fights! Go, Go!" "Hyahhoi, Gasshuku Daa! Shika no Fun Funde Makuranage Shite Go Go!" (ひゃっほい, 合宿だぁ! 鹿のフン踏んで枕投げしてゴーゴー!)	May 7, 2016
6	"Nothing Good Comes From Being Around All Of You" "Anta-tachi to Iru to Hontou ni Rokuna Koto ga Nai" (あんた達といるとほんっとにろくなことがない)	May 14, 2016
7	"A Battle Touching Upon the Identity of the Pain that's Seven Times the Pain of One-Seventh of a Pain" "Nana-bun no Ichi no Itami no Sono Mata Nana Bai no Shoutai ni Fureru Tatakai" (七分の一の痛みのそのまた七倍の正体に触れる戦い)	May 21, 2016
8	"Happy Times Don't Tend to Last Very Long" "Happy na Jikan tte Sousou Nagaku wa Tsuzukanai Mono da yo ne" (ハッピーな時間ってそうそう長くは続かないものだよね)	May 28, 2016
9	"It's All Over......I Think" "Banjikyuusu......kashira" (万事休す……かしら)	June 4, 2016

Manga

A tie-in manga by Roji Karegishi is published simultaneously by Crunchyroll digitally and by Kadokawa Shoten in their Dengeki Maoh magazine. It premiered on March 25, 2016.

A gag manga featuring the characters in chibi form called "Mini! Kiznaiver Gekijō" (みにっ! きずないーばー劇場) is drawn by S. Kosugi and serialized on Dengeki Comics NEXT. The tankobon version is released on June 6, 2016. Crunchyroll took the English lisence for it, titled "Mini! KIZNAIVER Theater".

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Kiznaiver (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia