A manga about magic and ghosts is enjoying a second life as a TV anime.
"Muhyo to Roji no Mahoritsu Sodan Jimusho" (Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation), published by Shueisha Inc. as a 10-volume bunko paperback, is a story about two "magic law" experts solving mysterious cases caused by supernatural beings. Author Yoshiyuki Nishi, who concluded the series 10 years ago, said the main theme of the work was about the connections between people.
Toru Muhyo, simply called Muhyo, is a genius who punishes ghosts who hurt people and sends them to the afterlife, in accordance with the magic world's code of conduct. Together with his assistant Jiro Kusano, known as Roji, Muhyo helps human beings who are haunted with troubles that the supernaturals cause.
The two also encounter non-evil spirits, including some who can't get over their sorrows from their past life.
Nishi says portraying ghosts is about depicting people. "I thought it was the best way to describe people's feelings," he said.
While the outline of the story is about the battle with ghosts, he elaborates on the feelings these beings have: Some are lonely and some can't understand how they lost their lives. Muhyo mercilessly sends the evil ones to hell, but gives lenient punishments and offers help to those who deserve sympathy.
Muhyo is a genius, whereas Roji tries hard to accomplish things in his clumsy way. Nishi said these characters came from his own experience of being a member of a group of aspiring manga artists.
"Eventually the group broke up, and that was really sad. That's when I started thinking about people's talents and efforts," recalled Nishi. "I've always wondered how one person would have a knack for something and another wouldn't."
Nishi said he came up with the character of archrival Soratsugu Madoka, or Enchu, at the same time that he conceived the main characters. Though Enchu was brilliant, he was always falling short of Muhyo's accomplishments at the school of magic law where they were classmates. Enchu's frustration and jealousy toward Muhyo becomes the root of his nasty mentality, standing in the way of the two.
"It's important for the characters to influence each other. Thanks to Enchu, the story gained depth," the author said.
"Muhyo to Roji no Mahoritsu Sodan Jimusho" started in 2004 in the Shukan Shonen Jump weekly manga magazine, and was completed in 2008. Now after 10 years, the manga has been turned into an anime. It is shown on Fridays from 9:30 p.m. on BS Sky Perfect and from 7:00 p.m. on Animax.
According to the production committee, the manga was quite popular, ranking high in the list of works that fans wanted to see animated.
"Stories that are bizarre, spiritual or horrifying have a global appeal," said a member of the committee. They decided to animate the story because they were sure its description of buddies helping each other and the like would appeal to various audiences, even though it was from 10 years ago.
Nishi said having his work made into an animation series was like a dream come true.
"I couldn't believe it," he said. "Now that it's in animation, I can look objectively at my work, which I pondered over and over when working on. That was really moving."
Nishi now posts "Mazokumagushi-hen," a sequel to his previous work, on the Shonen Jump + manga app. The story is updated to feature contemporary props such as smartphones. Its first volume in print is already available.
Nishi described Muhyo and Roji as his competitors, a phenomenon he had to beat. "I know manga mirrors its time. But I will explore universal things," he said. "I want to draw stories that touch people's hearts."
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