Blue Seed
Blue Seed (碧奇魂ブルーシード Aokushimitama Blue Seed) is a manga created by Yuzo Takada.It was animated for broadcast on TV Tokyo in 1994.
The story is based on the Izumo cycle of Japanese mythology, the tale of the god Susanoo and the 8 headed monster Yamata-no-orochi. The main character, Fujimiya Momiji (藤宮 紅葉 Fujimiya Momiji), is a descendant of the mythical Princess Kushinada (奇稲田姫). When Japan is menaced by aragami (荒神:"angry gods") spawned by Yamata-no-orochi, Momiji is intended to be sacrificed to appease the aragami. However, instead she becomes a member of the secret agency known as the T.A.C. charged with fighting them.
The series ran for 26 episodes, originally airing in Japan from 5 October 1994 to 29 March 1995.
Plot
Like most young girls in Japan, Momiji Fujimiya thought she was just an ordinary high school student. One day, she is confronted on her way to school by a man with cat-like eyes, who attempts to kill her. Momiji is confused and terrified to see such the strange man has strange beads on heads and blades that appear from his arms and he refers to her as Kushinada. Terrified and uncertain how to react, a pair of government officials appear. The female of the duo shoots the cat-eyed man, who run away.
Intrigued and curious as to why she was refered to as "Kushinada", Momiji (because most modern Japanese children who are unaware about Shinto and Japanese mythology) decides to a little research in the school library. She discovers that "Kushinada" refers to an ancient princess with the ability to stop monsters called Aragami by sending them to sleep with their blood. Momiji dismisses the idea that she could be such a person, despite the fact she lives with her mother and grandmother in a shrine in Izumo. However, she soon changes her mind when vines begins to appear from every crack and opening attempting to capture as they whispered "Kushinada".
Momiji tries to escape, not knowing that the vines are being employed by a powerful Aragami known as Orochi. Fortunately, she is saved by the strange cat-eyed man, who introduces himself as Mamoru Kusanagi. He confronts Orochi using Momiji as bait. The plan fails and the goverment officials appear. They reveal themselves to be the TAC (Terrestrial Administration Centre), who manage to subdue Orochi. However, with the last of its strength, it makes a final attempt on Kusanagi.
Momiji saves Kusanagi by taking Orochi's blow. Instead of dying, she receives an odd blue bead identified as a mitama and gives Momiji the ability the sense Aragami. The TAC reveal themselves as a organization dedicated to defeating the Aragami, which desire to destroy humanity. Momiji, as the current Kushinada, must aid them because the only other Kushinada, her twin sister, is now dead. Momiji, wishing to discover more about the twin sister she never knew about and also fufill her destiny, agrees to join the TAC under the protection of Kusanagi, who wishes to destroy his former masters, the Aragami.
It's an ongoing battle that becomes more intense as the the Aragami's plans become more clear-- they intend to resurrect the god, Susanowo, and purify the world of humanity's influences. Even more shocking is that the leader of the movement is Kunikida Kaede, the TAC superviser's adopted daughter, the former Kushinada and Momiji's supposed dead twin sister.
Episodes
Ep. 1: Princess Kushinada
Ep. 2: It's Cruel! It's mysterious! It's My Destiny!
Ep. 3: It's Spring! It's the Capital! I'll Do My Best!
Ep. 4: More Bad Luck! Why Does This Always Happen to Me?
Ep. 5: Surprise! She's the Mother of Science!
Ep. 6: Complicated & Hard to Understand! Being a Man Puts You Into Such a Difficult Position!
Ep. 7: I'm Fired Up! I'll Do It! Because I'm the Kushinada!
Ep. 8: What? How Strange! A Rival Appears!
Ep. 9: Are You Serious? Is This a Dream? An Exciting Date!
Ep. 10: Innocence! Love! My First Kiss!
Ep. 11: Irritating! Jealous?! Unbelievable!
Ep. 12: Can You Feel It? I Can't Ignore It! An Ominous Premanition of Catastrophe!
Ep. 13: I Love You! This is so Extreme! It's Time to Confess!
Ep. 14: A Chase Down Yamato Highway! Love Under Fire!
Ep. 15: Lost & Trembling on a Trip to Michinoku!
Ep. 16: Japan is a Paradise! Tears in Wakasa
Ep. 17: Let it Bloom in Japan! A Blizzard of One-Sided Love!
Ep. 18: Geez! Oh Man! Sakura's Not Good Enough!
Ep. 19: Heat Haze! Start on a Journey! Love, I Won't be Far From You
Ep. 20: I'm Home! Izumo! The Prologue of Hope!
Ep. 21: Goodbye? No Way! Separation with Tears?
Ep. 22: Sadness, Fate, Momiji Kushinada
Ep. 23: Meeting Again, Starting the Journey, I Won't Give Up!
Ep. 24: The Setting Sun, the Coming Day, a Private Time for Each One
Ep. 25: All or Nothing! Decision! My Fate!
Ep. 26: New Soul
Trivia
- The names of Momiji (紅葉) and her twin sister, Kaede (槭), both mean maple in Japanese.
- The series is based on elements of Japanese mythology regarding the province of Izumo.
- Susanowo is the God of Storms in Japanese mythology and the brother of the Sun Godddess, Amaterasu, who was banished from Heaven to the province of Izumo.
- Princess Kushinada refers to the eighth daughter of a pair of earth gods, who was about to be devoured by a dragon/serpent with eight heads like her seven sisters before her. She is saved from sharing their fate thanks Susanowo's cunning and timely arrival in Izumo
- Orochi refers to Yamato no Orochi, the eight headed dragon/serpent, which was slain by Susanowo
- Murakumo and Kusanagi are both references to the sword Susanowo pulled from the tail of Yamato no Orochi. The sword was initially named Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi (Sword of Billowing Clouds) and later renamed Kusanagi (Grasscutter Sword or Sword of the Snake). A replica of Kusanagi is part of the Japanese Imperial Regalia along with a sacred mirror and jewels.