Hameln No violin-hiki

Hameln No violin-hiki (ja ハーメルンのバイオリン弾き) also known under the name of Violinist off Hameln is a Manga of Watanabe Michiaki of 37 volumes published by the magazine Shōnen Gangan between 1991 and 2001. It was also declined in 1995 in an animated film and a video game on Super Nintendo, and in 1996 in an animated series of 25 episodes.

There exist very large differences between the original manga and its adaptation to the screen, the first being mainly with comic vocation while the second contrast by its serious. Psychologies of the characters were completely re-examined and there remains little thing of the screen of the manga. The film seems on the other hand to have kept the spirit of the manga.

Presentation of the characters

Protagonists

Great Hopes

Hamel (ja ハーメル): the main character of the series. He is player of violin and the melodies which he plays make it possible him to handle its allies or its adversaries. Its violin can also be used as blunt weapon. Being the son of the king Kestra demon, his démoniaque nature is in constant opposition with its human part and appears by a horn which it has on face and a very great physical force. It can be also transformed into demon, which it absolutely avoids making, because it becomes insane furious and decimates as well its allies as its enemies. In the manga Hamel is of a naturalness manipulator and never rectifies the wrongs free, which is an enormous contrast in comparison with its pleasant and protective character in the animated series. It is doubled by Yūji Ueda in animates, and by Kazuki Yao in film.

Flute (ja フルート): the princess of the kingdom of Sforzando and fellow traveller of Hamel. In the manga, Flûte is offered to Hamel in tribute by a village which it saved of the oppression of a demon and is used to him since of weapon, tool and scapegoat. In spite of the regular maltreatment that Hamel imposes to him it fall in love from there. In the animated series, it grew with Hamel in the village hidden of Staccato passage before learning its royal origins and Hamel is in charge of its protection until it goes to its kingdom. Between the animated version and the manga, Flûte is one of the characters who saw less his personality changing, even if his role differs largely. It is doubled by Mayumi Iidzuka in the series and by Chisa Yokoyama in film.

Raiel (ja ライエル): a travelling and friendly pianist of childhood of Hamel. Although it is only simple human, its melodies enable him, like Hamel, to handle people, but also to call upon spirits, like Sizer. In the manga, Raiel knows that Hamel responsible for died for his/her parents and starts like an antagonist, but forgets little by little any desire of revenge. In animates, it is the opposite advance: Raiel is unaware of the démoniaques origins of Hamel and its implication in the destruction of the village, and grew with a wild hatred of the demons. When he learns the truth on Hamel, he gradually sinks in the desire to be avenged. In the manga, Raiel is very related to the underskirt and likes fantasmer on Sizer, the sister of Hamel. Moreover, contrary to Hamel, he does not ask nor does not accept any reward when he rectifies the wrongs. These aspects of its personality were considerably unobtrusive in the animated series. He is doubled by Kōji Tsujitani in animates and by Toshihiko Seki in film.

Oboe (ja オーボウ): a spirit disguised in corbel/owl. It is the omniscient character of the series and it makes profit the group from its knowledge, while taking care not to tell them all the truth. It is doubled by Shigeru Chiba in animates and by Masaharu Satō in the film

Trom Bone (ja トロン・ボーン): the prince of the kingdom Dal Segno, destroyed by the demons. Trom is still a child, but profited from a drive to the techniques of swords which make it frightening. While animates it focuses itself mainly on its desire of revenge to add to the tragedy, the manga insists more on its personality manipulator and its cowardice to give a comic effect. It is doubled by Akiko Kojima in the series.

Sizer (ja サイザー): the former king falcon. Sizer is the twin sister of Hamel and while démoniaque blood runs in Hamel, at Sizer it is the blood angelica which dominates. It has wings of angel tinted of blood and an enormous forgery hiding a flute with which it can call upon the Valkyrie. It was removed with her mother very young and raised in the hatred of this one and its brother and accustomed very early to exterminate whole kingdoms. The manga and animates it take ways very different in the future development from Sizer which will find in one the redemption and the other despair. It is doubled in animates by Megumi Ogata, and in film by Rei Sakuma.

Valkyrie (ja ワルキューレ): spirits being able to be called upon by Sizer. They can attack its adversary or on the contrary to become an armor, like taking its appearance. In the manga, they have a clean personality and do not hesitate to tease Sizer. They bear the name of the Valkyrie of the tetralogy of Wagner and Scandinavian mythology: Gerhilde, Helmwidge, Waltraude, Schwertleite (after the death of Brunhilde. It becomes one 2nd Armor of Sizer), Ortlinde, Seigrune, Gringerde, Rossweisse and Brunhilde (it is one 1st Armor).

The Kingdom of Sforzando

Horn (ja ホルン): the queen of Sforzando and the mother of Flute. It has the talent to cure people, which reduces its life expectancy. In the manga, it is a true mother for Flûte and covers it with all its affection when it finds it while in it animates remains a cold queen, more devoted with the safety of her country than to that of her daughter. She is doubled in animates by Sumi Shimamoto.

Clari Net (ja クラーリィ・ネッド): the large archbishop of Sforzando and first magician of the kingdom. It is extremely severe and takes orders only of Horn. In the manga, as he is the prototype even bishōnen (beautiful slightly effeminate young man), one often lends homosexual tastes to him to tease it. It is doubled by Mitsuaki Madono in animates.

Horn Net or Horn (ja コル・ネッド): the little sister of Clari. Endowed at the same time in martial arts and magic, in the manga it continues Hamel of its assiduities and tries to eliminate Flûte, which it regards as its rival, by all the means. In animates, its personality of teenager dynamic and boosted was completely unobtrusive. She is doubled in animates by Chinami Nishimura.

Lutes (ja リュート): prince de Sforzando and brother of Flute. It passes for death since its body was stolen by Bass which makes use of it like a puppet. Lute thus has all the capacities of Bottom but almost any will though on the occasion its personality can take the top. It is doubled by Kōki Miyata in animates.

Others

Ocarina (ja オカリナ): the girl of Oboe, former general mazoku. She is the confidante of Sizer and takes the appearance of a white corbel. In Volume 10, It found its normal appearance. In Volume 29, It is sacrificed to save the life of Sizer. It is doubled by Tomoko Ishimura.

Pandora (ja パンドラ): the mother of Hamel and Sizer. She was also professor de Raiel. Captured and locked up in a crystal by Bottom, it is the principal element of the search of Hamel. It is doubled by Naoko Miura (known in the trade under the name of Miuraurara).

Antagonists

Kestra (ja ケストラー):

Low (ja ベース): the infernal king and general-in-chief of the démoniaques armies. It remains of him only its head, and had prince Lute to be used to him as body. In animates, the head of Bottom is doubled by Unjō Ishidzuka and the voice of Lutes by Kōki Miyata. In film, only double Kenichi Ogata Low.

Drum (ja ドラム): the king dragon. Giant to two heads, it left shelters in its body a considerable number of dragons. He hates Sizer, whose origins angelica counterirritate it, and counts more on his immense physical force than on his intelligence. He is doubled in animates by Kiyoyuki Yamada.

Guitar (ja ギータ): the warlike king. He has a head of dog and a multitude of swords of which he is used himself for the perfection. He does not hesitate if necessary to kill his allies, because he can absorb their capacities by drinking their blood. He is doubled in animates by Takashi Matsuyama and in CDs drama by Issei Futamata.

Vocal (ja ヴォーカル): A demon which appears only in the manga. Vocal is a person particularly immature, egocentric person, impatient and intolerant. He refuses to obey whoever and takes pleasure in the destruction. Moreover, it has an extraordinary force, which classifies it in 2nd position after Kestra in the list of the most powerful demons. If Drum were already very powerful, it anything is not compared with Vocal.D'ailleurs, after Kestra overcame and makes imprison Vocal, Bass had to work out an artefact which subjects Vocal to its orders and which prevents Vocal from attacking the other demons.

Orgel (ja オル・ゴール):

The manga

Intrigue

The manga tells the voyage of a group of hero, travelling towards north to prevent of a catastrophe. Initially composed of Hamel, a player of violin misanthropist ready with very to earn money and of Oboe, a speaking corbel; will come to join them Flûte, an young girl that Hamel receives like tribute to have saved a village and who will become his scapegoat, Raiel, a player of piano, friend of childhood of Hamel and “Hero of the car-proclaimed Love”, and Trom Bone, a prince who lost his kingdom. By furrowing the world, these “five great hopes” will rectify the wrongs, will exterminate the demons and will save kingdoms while reveals their last progressively and motivations.

Analyzes

In spite of the many scenes of carnage, the manga is not caught too much with serious and wants to be mainly comic, which is not without pointing out the spirit of Bastard!! . The personalities of the characters are caricatured to the extreme and often pass from the most heroic situations to most ridiculous with many winks to the fantastic fairy tales and worlds. Moreover the fact that all the characters carry the name of an musical instrument and the cities that of a musical term adds to ridiculous certain dialogs.

The animated series

Intrigue

Hamel, a player of violin, and his/her Flûte friend see their village being made attack by the demons. Flute learns that it is the princess of Sforzando and both leave on a journey. Unfortunately the mysterious past of Hameln and its origins continue them and the tragedies fall down one after the other on them…

Analyzes

The environment of the animated series is rather different from the manga: while the manga wants to be diverting mainly, the animated series has a dantesque and serious vocation. The personalities and the relationship between characters were entirely re-examined, insisting in particular on the tragedy. The screen completely was re-examined and comprises towards the end of many inconsistencies, undoubtedly due to the fact that it had been envisaged in addition to episodes.

Moreover the series did not profit from a great budget and animation strongly feels some: often non-existent, the rare well animated scenes are rejouées, sometimes in loop. The whole scenes made up of simple defying images are legion. The mouths of the characters are not sometimes even animated.

On the other hand the band its, mainly of the classical music, which is the weapon used by the main characters, was particularly neat. The lapping machines also took their work very with the serious one.

List episodes

Credits

Generic of opening:

MAGICAL:LABYRINTH!! interpreted by Skirt
Mikansei kyōsōkyoku (ja 未完成協奏曲) interpreted by Ken Nishikiori

Generic of end:

Kizu darake No tsubasa (ja 傷だらけのツバサ) interpreted by IKEBUKURO
Taiyō to tsuki nor somuite (ja 太陽と月に背いて) interpreted by Yoshiko Yamaguchi

The film

Intrigue

The team of Hameln must infiltrate a castle… Follow the most stupid plans to reach that point.

Analyzes

The film is the first animated adaptation of the manga and in is much closer in the spirit than the animated series. It is thus the comic aspect which is privileged. Moreover animation is successful also.

Video game

Left on Super Nintendo and officially ever left Japan, the video game is a Jeu of platform in two dimensions. There still it is the comic one which is privileged: Hameln fights by sending notes with its violin and one makes use of Flute as an object to solve certain thorny situations. The principal interest of the play is to attend the ridiculous disguises of Flute.

Random links: