Line #36 Manga/Spriggan


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5	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/12da1e49_8108_4586_8c8f_94f30909e94f.png]][[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Tagline}} May peace prevail on [the] whole Earth.]]]]
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7	Ancient artifacts that predate mankind have been uncovered in locations all around the world near the end of the Cold War. These artifacts are made from materials previously unknown to modern humans and were clearly designed by a civilization far more technologically advanced than our own. An organization called ARCAM has been formed to study these sites and uncover the true nature of what lies within them. One of the messages inscribed in a message plate mentioned that if one of their inventions cannot be used for good, then it should be destroyed at all costs. A unit of elite agents trained to protect the ARCAM scientists and the artifacts, known as Out-of-Place Artifacts ("[=OOPArts=]"), are known as "Spriggan".
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9	One such Spriggan is a 16-year-old Japanese high school student by the name of Yu Ominae. He began his ARCAM Spriggan duty after an old friend of his was being hunted down by the Soviet and American militaries in the hope of using an [=OOPArt=] located in the Mt. Fuji region of Japan known as the Orb, an artifact that can control flaming snakes from the volcanic depths of the Earth. As he and the other Spriggans battle things out with militaries, criminals and mercenaries to prevent [=OOPArts=] from being secured as military weapons, something is brewing from within the ranks of the ARCAM Corporation that will ultimately determine the fate of the entire world.
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11	An [[Anime/Spriggan1998 anime film]] was directed by Hirotsugu Kawasaki and produced by Creator/Studio4C, adapting the Noah's Ark chapter with the same title written by Hiroshi Takashige. The film was originally released in Japan by Toho, and later received a North American release in 2002 by Creator/ADVFilms.
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13	As for the manga, the original 11 volume series was complete with another 8 done in bunkoban, twice. However, it didn't finish its serialization in North America, France, Malaysia, and Spain. It did complete serialization in Indonesia, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. As of 2022, Creator/SevenSeasEntertainment obtained the rights to publish the manga in English.
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15	A video game adaptation, titled ''Spriggan: Lunar Verse'', was released by Creator/FromSoftware for the original UsefulNotes/SonyPlaystation. In it, players take the role of a Japanese Spriggan agent named Tashiki Oshiki with appearances by Yu, Jean, and Oboro.
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17	It was announced that [[http://moetron.net/post/183307870700/a-new-anime-for-hiroshi-takashiges-manga-series the manga will be adapted again]] on March 2019 with Hiroshi Seko (''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'', ''Manga/AttackOnTitan The Final Season'') as screenwriter and animated by Creator/DavidProduction in collaboration with Creator/{{Netflix}}. Originally due to be released by 2021, the anime was delayed and eventually released worldwide on June 18, 2022. The anime aired (in edited form for TV broadcast) in July 2023 around Japan via Tokyo MX and Metele.
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19	----
20	!!The series contains examples of:
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22	* AncientAstronauts: Quetzalcoatl was this when Yu Ominae and his classmate Hatsuho Sasahara learned about this in the former's mission in Mexico. However, Tezcatlipoca was not as [[spoiler:he was a survivor when his people tried to escape from the Roman Empire. However, they were all slaughtered by archers. Needless to say, he wants more than revenge against the former empire. DisproportionateRetribution can also be included because of Tezcatlipoca alone.]]
23	* ArchaeologicalArmsRace / LostTechnology: The pursuit of [=OOPArts=] by governments and organizations seeking to shift the balance of power.
24	* ArmiesAreEvil: A large number of troops of a military force that appear in this series (be it [[{{Eagleland}} American]], [[MakeTheBearAngryAgain Russian]] or even [[EvilBrit British]]) are unquestionably [[AxCrazy blood-thirsty maniacs]] willing to cause a lot of murder and mayhem either because they are following orders, out of deluded beliefs (religious, [[PatrioticFervor political]] or [[BloodKnight seeking a challenge]]), or [[ForTheEvulz for the sheer hell of it]]. A small minority are professionals, but they either are forced to follow orders or else or are kept in the dark about the true nature of [=OOPArts=].
25	* BatmanColdOpen: The ActionPrologue of "First Mission" sets up the basic premise of the series; a government team led by a {{Cyborg}} discovers LostTechnology beyond our comprehension, goes insane with powerlust and religious fervor and turns on his own side so he can activate it to destroy the world, only for Yu to turn up and stop him with a [[GeniusBruiser combination of badassery and thinking on his feet]].
26	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [=COSMOS=]' conditioning of its child soldiers prior to field deployment.
27	* BroughtDownToBadass: Yu thought that his ClassTrip would just be an ordinary ClassTrip, so he didn't pack any of his Spriggan gear. Then Yoshino turns up and forces him to turn it into a BusmansHoliday, with nothing but... his considerable ARCAM and COSMOS combat training.
28	* ChuckingChalk: Yu Ominae's delinquent status in his high school is known publicly to the point that his teacher throws chalk at his head to make him pay attention. It's subverted since Yu catches the chalk with his fingers even when he dozes off. The manga suggests that it wasn't his first time getting into this kind of trouble.
29	* ClassTrip: Yu gets one with his trip, being excited and all since he lived in America for most of his life. Except that Yoshino spoiled it to get him to secure an [=OOPArt=] with her. He was pissed off. A lot.
30	* CrazyPrepared: ARCAM Headquarter buildings (At least the Japanese branch) have bullet and shatterproof glass on the entrance, electrified walls and floors in certain parts of the lobby and guards having easy access to small arms, which is a surprise since the country doesn't allow a majority of small arms. Even when ARCAM personnel are in field missions considered risky, they are armed with various small arms ranging from sub-machine guns and assault rifles to [=GPMGs=] and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Same goes with ARCAM Private Army soldiers sent to protect them too. COSMOS and the Machiner's Platoon were able to bulldoze through those defenses and such, are the only adversaries of the Spriggans to have the "honor" of doing so.
31	* DestinationDefenestration: "Let's take this outside." Yu does SuperWindowJump while holding mook.
32	* DubNameChange: Viz placed in the Majestic 12 instead of the Machiner's Platoon to potentially avoid offending the US Military establishment.[[note]]MJ-12 is an actual conspiracy group IRL.[[/note]] This is averted in the Chuang Yi and Seven Seas version.
33	** Orihalcon is used instead of Orihalcum. Although in this case, it can be also be used as such.
34	** When Spriggan was released in Canada and in the US, France, Spain, it was known as '''Striker'''. This was probably since the translators made the change from '''Spriggan''' as they said the former was the meaning of the latter in English.
35	* {{Eagleland}}: Almost every time American characters appear, they are inevitably an example of Type B, "The Boorish", looking to obtain supremacy through acquisition and deployment of [=OOPArts=] no matter the cost in human lives. Example: [[ArmiesAreEvil The Machiner's Platoon]].
36	* EliteMooks: [=COSMOS=] serves as this for the US military. They're ChildSoldiers kidnapped at a young age and trained to be special forces-trained assassins with lots of brainwashing.
37	* EnemyMine: Near the end, Yu and Jean (with the rest of the anti-Larry Markson and anti-Henry Garnum ARCAM personnel) team up with ex-Trident Corporation commando Iwao Akatsuki and ex-Neo Nazi and ninja-trained Bo Brantze to stop the destruction of the Earth by Larry's hands from trying to harness Gaia's power for a hostile ARCAM.
38	* ExpandedUniverse: The chapters "First Mission" and "Gold Rush". These chapters are available if you buy Spriggan in the republished bunko/aizoban version.
39	* FlingALightIntoTheFuture: The plot of the series, especially the concern of [=OOPArts=] being used as military weapons.
40	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Numerous bad guys, ranging from Iwao Akatsuki to [=ARCAM=] personnel (most of them former) claim that someone in the company's trying to amass power to take control of the company with disastrous results. [[spoiler:Turns out that they're right and this makes Yu reluctant to continue Spriggan missons since he can't tell if the majority of ARCAM are bad guys or good guys.]]
41	* FreezeFrameBonus: ARCAM Corporation's motto is seen in Rie's tablet [[https://postimg.cc/9DMs6FPL while reading the paper]] in the "Flaming Serpent" episode.
42	* GaiasVengeance: Near the ending of the manga [[spoiler: when corrupt ARCAM/Trident officials wanted to harness Gaia's natural power as a military weapon. Too bad it backfired and instead, started volcanic eruptions that threatened to destroy the planet.]]
43	* GraduateFromTheStory: The manga ends with Yu's nearly miraculous graduation despite constantly skipping class for ARCAM work. It coincides with another great change in his circumstances: [[spoiler: Tea taking control of ARCAM from Garnum and restoring it to its original purpose.]]
44	* ImmuneToBullets: Orihalcum-made protective gear makes the wearer immune to bullets, even from those fired from sniper rifles.
45	* InspiredBy: The manga was inspired by the popularity of Indiana Jones after Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981.
46	* LongevityTreatment: The immortality drug Soma from "The Forest of No Return" turns out to not give immortality so much as it does restore the user to their prime... for a few days. It's also highly addictive, and the withdrawal symptoms of missing a dose are lethal.
47	* {{MegaCorp}}: ARCAM is a known company that focuses on funding archaelogical/historical scholars/assisting archaelogical research/studies globally. Over time, it has branched out with an airline company (ARCAM Airlines), dental/medical sciences (ARCAM Dental/Medical sciences) and runs general hospitals (placed in various major cities/capitals) and banking/financial services.
48	** [[spoiler:Part of Garnum's plans is to increase ARCAM's financial/military power to hold out against any nation state when he plans to access the South Pole's Gaia structure.]]
49	* MonsterOfTheWeek: Yu on each of his missions would battle with the head of an organization hunting for an artifact or a creature that comes from the related object.
50	* {{Ninja}}: Yu and Yoshino face off against Koga-trained ninjas led by a spymaster named Kenzo Nakano to seize the [[spoiler:PhilosophersStone.]]
51	* NightOfTheLivingMooks: The Forest of No Return is a HiveMind of [[VengefulGhost angry ghosts]] of all the people who have died [[ImmortalitySeeker seeking the recipe for the soma that grants immortal life]]. This includes the corpses of the [[RedshirtArmy ARCAM]] and [[ArmsDealer Trident]] military teams sent into the forest, [[WhenTreesAttack now animated by tree spirits]].
52	* NoSwastikas: In the anime version, Kutheimer and other Neo-Nazis don't show off any swastikas. The manga averts this.
53	* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: The ONA adaptation didn't give the foreign dubs accents for non-Japanese characters.
54	* {{Orichalcum}}: Yu's Armored Muscle Suit is crafted from an unknown element found in the various dig sites that is referred to as "Orichalcum." The lightweight and extremely resilient metal increases his speed, strength, and is mostly bulletproof with the exception of Orihalcum-made/Orihalcum-like weapons. Fatman and Little Boy of the Machiner's Platoon wear them too. Trident Corporation mercenary operatives such as Iwao Akatsuki also wear them, but they sacrifice speed for more power.
55	* OurZombiesAreDifferent: In the Forest of No Return story, the ARCAM Special Private Army operatives and Trident mercenaries deployed to the forest in India are turned to zombies with the ability to use their weapons and equipment thanks to a curse [[spoiler:placed on it by Rama after Sita was kidnapped.]]
56	* PolarOppositeTwins: Lampshaded by a bemused Yu when the outraged sister of the shy class president tries to karate-kick him out the window for being AsleepInClass.
57	* PoweredArmor: The Armored Muscle Suit Yu wears makes him borderline ImmuneToBullets (barring being shot in the face, which is exposed), boosts his speed and strength and allows him to focus his psychic energy into power-laced punches. The Machiner's Platoon has suits made of the same element that are more "mechanical" in design and make an emphasis [[MightyGlacier on strength over speed]]. Trident uses theirs with emphasis on speed.
58	* ProductPlacement: Yu's high school is named after Shogakukan, given that it was the manga's publisher and one of the film's production companies involved.
59	* PunchClockVillain: [[spoiler:ARCAM's security forces become loyal corporate soldiers after Garnum takes charges of ARCAM and tries to excavate the South Pole Shrine. Most of them defect (again) after realizing the Fire Serpents going berserk couldn't be controlled.]]
60	* SettingUpdate: The anime is updated from the ColdWar to the present day circa 2022. For instance, Moroha's an SVR agent instead of being a KGB agent. The Machiner's Platoon is armed with FN SCAR assault rifles and dons Ops-Core-type helmets.
61	* TemptingFate:
62	** In the "Fire Shrine/Orb arc", Yu assures Rie that they'll get out at the first sign of trouble. Seconds later an RPG rocket strikes their helicopter, so Yu has to grab her and jump out so they can parachute to safety.[[note]]The ONA has the SA-18 used against it.[[/note]]
63	** Yu is pondering WhoWouldBeStupidEnough to grab the SchmuckBait treasure when Yoshino rappels down into the temple and grabs it. Cue CollapsingLair.[[note]]This is unlike the manga, where Yoshino just tries to do an Indiana Jones and swings to grab the Rama statue.[[/note]]
64	* TechnologyPorn: Comes with every BadassBoast by a cyborg. Even Yu is NotSoAboveItAll, as he's quite proud of his muscle armor.
65	* TowerOfBabel: There's a mention of this in the Iraq storyline with the Reverse Babel Tower as its counterpart.
66	* WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld: Yu occasionally attends school but skips out due to his job overlapping his schedule and ends up saving the world often. He's still told that he'll be held back if he keeps missing class.
67	* WorthlessTreasureTwist: The ending of "The Forest of No Return": [[spoiler:[[TheRival Yoshino]] manages to escape with the recipe for Soma, an immortality serum, but Yu meets her a few days later and tells her that the serum cannot be replicated because it depended on a type of plant that has long since gone extinct because of global warming.]]
68	* YouClonedHitler: A main plotline in the manga with Hitler [[spoiler:actually having good and bad personalities. The former killed himself when he found out that the latter was responsible for starting WWII. At least in the European theater.]]

Context Manga / Spriggan