Amakusa 1637

For the 1637's Amakusa event led by Amakusa Shiro, see Shimabara Rebellion.
Amakusa 1637

Cover of Amakusa 1637 volume 1
AMAKUSA 1637
Genre Action, Historical
Manga
Written by Michiyo Akaishi
Published by Shogakukan
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Flowers
Original run 2001 – 2006
Volumes 12

Amakusa 1637 (AMAKUSA 1637) is a shōjo manga written and illustrated by Michiyo Akaishi. It is about the time-traveling adventures of six modern-day Japanese high school students from the St. Francisco Academy to the 17th century, where they take part in the Shimabara Rebellion. It was serialized in the manga magazine Flowers from 2001 to 2006 and collected in 12 tankoban volumes.

Story

During a school field trip, a group of friends from the St. Francisco Academy are thrown back in time to the Japan of the early Edo period. According to history, in 1637 a revolt broke out, known as the Shimabara Rebellion. It was led by a charismatic youth known as Amakusa Shirō, but ended in the defeat of the rebels and the loss of over 37,000 lives. Hayumi Natsuki, the heroine, is mistaken as Amakusa Shirō by the villagers she met, despite the fact that the real Amakusa Shirō was male. In the story, the real Shirō died the year previously, before gaining recognition or popularity as a leader. Before long, Natsuki became famous as some-sort of heaven-sent angel and people started calling her "Shirō", believing she was the saviour prophesied 25 years before.

Characters

Main Characters

Six students of the present-day St. Francisco Academy (circa 2000). They all are members of the Student Council.

Natsuki Hayumi (早弓 夏月 Hayumi Natsuki)
President of the student council president. She looks so similar to Amakusa Shirō that everybody in Shirō's village believes she is an angel possessing his body to save the people. She is an expert kendō student and younger sister of the heir of Hakuou Dojo (白鷹道場 Hakuō Dōjō) (her father was the former master). She is romantically interested in Miyamoto Masaki. Natsuki arrived in the past in 1636.
Masaki Miyamoto (宮本 政希 Miyamoto Masaki)
The first vice-president of the Student Council. He is given the name "Musashi" by Otsū (the lover of the Musashi in historical novels). He becomes a master of kendō and a retainer of the Kokura-han's daimyo Ogasawara Tadazane. He arrived in the past around 1629-1630.
Naozumi Yatsuka (八塚 直純 Yatsuka Naozumi)
The second student council vice-president. He is a good kendō student. Secretly loves Natsuki, though she shows no interest in him. Naozumi arrived in the past around 1628-1629. He loved the true Shirō but killed him, therefore, he could be bisexual. He defended the Karatsu-han daimyo Terazawa Katataka's Tomioka Castle. His nickname is Kotaka (小鷹 "Little Falcon"). In reality, Tomioka Castle was defended by Miyake Tōbei, the grandson of Akechi Mitsuhide.
Eri Kasugano (春日野 英理 Kasugano Eri)
She is one of the academy's brightest students. Skilled in history and tactics. She uses much of her knowledge of historic tactics to help Natsuki win many battles. Eri loves Natsuki as though she were her prince. She travelled to the past at the same time as Natsuki. Serves as the strategist of the rebel forces.
Eiji Horie (堀江 栄司 Horie Eiji)
A genius of engineering. He creates many useful tools and weapons for the rebel forces. Eiji arrived in the past around 1632. He and Kichō (also known as Kiku), the concubine of the Shimabara-han daimyo Matsukura Katsuie are the first couple to get married amongst the group of friends.
Seika Akishima (安芸島 聖香 Akishima Seika)
She is a singer of the Academy. Arrived in the past at the same time as Eri and Natsuki. She was saved by the Dutch warship Heisenberg, which was under the command of Captain Jahn and Nicolaes Koekebakker, the Dutch governor. Her Christian name is Mariana.

Tokugawa's Rule

Edo

Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光)
The third Tokugawa shogun, son of the second shogun Hidetada and grandson of the first shogun Ieyasu.
Yagyū Jūbei (柳生 十兵衞)
Strategist and guard of Tokugawa Iemitsu. Renowned as an expert swordsman.

Ogi and Saga

Nabeshima Motoshige (鍋島 本茂)
Son of Nabeshima Katsushige. Daimyo of Ogi-han, a neighboring, branch domain of Saga-han.
Nabeshima Mitsushige (鍋島 光茂)
Young daimyo of Saga-han.
Nabeshima Katsushige (鍋島 勝茂)
Former daimyo of Saga-han. The son of Nabeshima Naoshige.

Karatsu

Terazawa Katataka (寺沢 堅高)
Daimyo of Karatsu-han, the child of Terazawa Hirotaka.
Sugishima Daigo
A fictional character. A retainer of the Karatsu daimyo Terazawa Katataka.

Shimabara

Amakusa Shirō (天草 四郎, lit. Fourth Son of Heaven)
Also known as Masuda Tokisada (益田 時貞), the son of former Konishi clan retainer Masuda Jinbei (益田甚兵衛). He was touted by the leaders of the Shimabara Uprising as the "Fourth Son of Heaven," foretold by the Jesuit missionary, Saint Francis Xavier, to be destined to lead the Christianization of Japan.
In this manga, Tokisada was captured by Yatsuka Naozumi, who currently is head of Tomioka Castle, and made to Naozumi's slave (due to his resemble of Naozumi's crush Hayumi Natsuki), later killed by Naozumi himself.
Matsukura Katsuie (松倉 勝家)
The son of Matsukura Shigemasa. Daimyo of Shimabara, renowned for his cruelty.
Kichō (Kikuhime)
Concubine of Katsuie who falls in love with Eiji.
Okamoto Shinbei (岡本 新兵衛)
Shimabara-han retainer.
Mori Sōiken (森 宗意軒)
One of the leaders of Shimabara Rebellion. Shimabara-han retainer.
Yamada Kinji
Old friend of Shirō. Always mistakes Natsuki for the real Shirō. Later falls in love with Eri.

Kumamoto

Hosokawa Mitsutoshi (細川 光利)
Eldest son of Hosokawa Tadatoshi. Present daimyo of Kumamoto-han.

Bungo

Matsudaira Tadanao (松平 忠直)
Son of Yuki Hideyasu, second son of the first Tokugawa shogun Ieyasu. Cousin of Iemitsu. A Christian, he is confined in Bungo.

Satsuma

Shimazu Mitsuhisa (島津 光久)
Daimyo of Satsuma. Son of Shimazu Iehisa Tadatsune, the child of Shimazu Yoshihiro and the former daimyo of Satsuma.
Ookohime
Concubine of Mitsuhisa. An intelligent woman.

Fukuoka

Kuroda Tadayuki (黒田 忠之)
Son of Kuroda Nagamasa, the child of Kuroda Kanbei Yoshitaka. Daimyo of Fukuoka-han. An intelligent man.
Kuriyama Taizen (栗山 大膳)
Retainer of Lord Kuroda of Fukuoka.

Kokura

Ogasawara Tadazane (小笠原 忠真)
Daimyo of Kokura. His mother was the niece of the first Tokugawa shogun Ieyasu.
Oba Kuranosuke
Retainer of Lord Ogasawara of Kokura.

The Dutch

Jan (ヤン Yan)
Captain of the warship de Ryp. Falls in love with Seika (also known by her baptismal name of Mariana).
Nicolaes Couckebacker (ニコラス クーケバッケル Nikorasu Kūkebakkeru)
Governor of the Dutch trading post in Nagasaki. A cold man. Later takes command of the de Ryp.

See also

External links

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