| Futaken!? | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Akira Jotaro (aka Justice0) |
| Writer(s) | Akira Jotaro |
| Director(s) | Akira Jotaro |
| No. of episodes | 21 |
| Run time | 21-23 minutes |
Futaken!? is an anime that was written, directed, and created by Akira Jotaro who also created the anime Swinging!, Sengoku High School, and Ninja Gakuen Taisen.
The story takes place in modern Tokyo in a fictional high school named Kengo High School, a school where martial arts are specialized and highly praised. The story is about a student who's fiancé suddenly returned to Tokyo after many years and changed their lives from peaceful to dangerous.
Plot[]
Tsukasa Zanki is known as the "Sword Master of Kengo" and has had that name since his first day of high school, where he defeated every sword practitioner in the school along with all the sword teachers. One day, his childhood friend, Tsubasa Kirigami, transfers to his school and ruins his title as Sword Master by fighting him to a standstill. To make things worse, they are both arranged to marry each other and the whole school knows about it, also, they both live together and their parents expect them to have a baby at their age. To make things even worse, Tsukasa and Tsubasa must work with each other to fight against seven other sword clans if they don't want to lose their clans' swords and fortune.
Characters[]
Main Protagonists[]
Tsukasa Zanki & Tsubasa Kirigami[]
- The two main characters of the series. They are both 15 years-old and very similar in personality, hobbies, and even speech patterns (both of them use an informal boyish way of talking such as saying "boku" for "I"). They are both very skilled sword practitioners who were taught the same styles of fighting and always fought to standstills since they were young, never having a single win or loss. They both don't get along with each other despite being perfect matches for each other and already being engaged, though they eventually begin to get along and have tsundere relationships with each other. Before they were engaged at the age of 10, they were very close friends, but it changed after they first kissed and began to dislike each other; they have both forgotten about their first kiss and reason why they disliked each other. Even their names are similar, "Tsukasa" has a similar pronounciation to "Tsubasa" and "Zan" and "Kiri" are both words for "slash", "cut", or "slay". Due to their many similarities, they are nicknamed "Futaken" (Twin Swords) when they are together. Their only known differences besides their appearances are the animals they use to represent each other by insults; Tsukasa is called a cat while Tsubasa is called a dog. They are voiced by Kenichi Suzumura (Tsukasa) and Maaya Sakamoto (Tsubasa).
Nine Sword Clans[]
Zanki Clan[]
- One of the two strongest clans of the Nine Sword Clans. Formed during the Sengoku era, it is the oldest of the nine clans and the only one that was originally created for war. They had created the Demon Slaying style (Onikiri-ryuu), a one sword style that strikes with fierce attacks that could cut steel. Their sword is named Sekisetsu (Snowfall). Their current heir is Tsukasa.
Kirigami Clan[]
- The other of the two strongest clans. Formed in the early Edo era, it is the second oldest clan of the nine. They had created the God Slash style (Kamizan-ryuu), a powerful one sword style that uses light movement. Their sword is named Yozora (Night Sky). Their current heir is Tsubasa.
Kumogawa Clan[]
- A clan formed in the early Meiji era that created the Spider Sword style (Kumoken-ryuu), an eight sword style that uses eight katanas like spider legs. Their sword is named Hachikiri (8-slayer). Their current heir is Honda Kumogawa, a bug-obsessed 16 year-old high school student from Okinawa. Honda is voiced by Jun Fukuyama.
Akaryu Clan[]
- A clan formed in the middle of the Edo era that created the Dragon Twister style (Tatsumaki-ryuu), a two sword style that uses swords as if they were helicopter blades. Their sword is named Odori (Dance). Their current heir is Misaki Akaryu, a tomboyish 15 year-old girl from Kyoto who loves martial arts. Misaki is voiced by Aya Endo.
Nakajima Clan[]
- A clan formed in the late Edo era that created the Rush style (Tosshin-ryuu), a two sword style that focuses on speed and holds swords upsidedown. Their sword is named Hayate (Fresh Breeze). Their current heir is Kojiko Nakajima, a mysterious 12 year-old girl who likes to dress in goth-lolita fashion and rarely talks; she sees Tsukasa as her big brother and often clings on to him when they meet. Kojiko is voiced by Kimiko Koyama.
Kitsune Clan[]
- A clan formed during the Bakumatsu era that created the Shadow Mask style (Kagemen-ryuu), a one sword style similar to kendo but faster and uses only one hand. Their sword is named Kagemaru (Shadow Circle). Their current heir is Himitsu Kitsune, a 15 year-old fox-faced trickster who loves pranks and fooling people but hates betrayal. Himitsu is voiced by Akira Ishida.
Sakurano Clan[]
- The youngest of the Nine Sword Clans, being formed in the early Showa era. They created the Battle Flower style (Ikusabana-ryuu), a sword style that could be used with either one sword or two and specializes in attacking with elegance. Their sword is named Haruwaza (Sharp Spring). Their current heir is Naito Sakurano, a cool and kind 17 year-old transfer student to Kengo High School who is easily angered when he loses or is about to lose. Naito is voiced by Daisuke Ono.
Sensaki Clan[]
- A clan formed during the late Meiji era that created the Great Slash style (Ouzan-ryuu), a one sword style that focuses on power over everything else; they are only one of the clans that uses an odachi instead of a katana. Their sword is named Sentomaru (War Circle). Their current heir is Akinozomi Sensaki, a 17 year-old crossdressing girl who is often thought to be an okama due to her very boyish looks and love of cute things. Akinozomi is voiced by Yuu Kobayashi.
Kakumei Clan[]
- The third strongest of the Nine Sword Clans and it was formed in the early Edo era along with the Kirigami clan. They created the Wave Sword style (Hadouken-ryuu), a one sword style similar to the Zanki and Kirigami clans' styles but with more focus on power than anything else. Their sword is named Kaiten Inazuma (Changing Lightning). Their current heir is Hikaru Kakumei, a 20 year-old muscular man who follows the way of bushido and speaks in a very formal samurai-like way; he has horrible luck with technology despite being the smartest person about modern things in his clan. Hikaru is voiced by Tomokazu Sugita.