History Anime / LibraryWar

[[redirect:LightNovel/LibraryWar]]

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Library_War.jpg]]

''Library War'' (図書館戦争, ''Toshokan Sensō'' in Japanese) is an award-wining Light-Novel series that was later adapted as an [[TwelveEpisodeAnime anime]] and an ongoing manga series. A live action film series was released on April 27, 2013, starring Nana Eikura and Junichi Okada. In the English-speaking world, the manga was licensed by [[Creator/VizMedia Viz]], while the anime was distributed by [[Creator/DiscotekMedia Discotek]].

[[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture Set in 2019]], during an alternate timeline where the Japanese government has issued the Media Improvement Act, to prevent the spread of supposedly dangerous information by allowing censorship. In response, local governments have set up the Library Defense Force to fight against the censorship of the Media Improvement Committee, who frequently raid libraries.

The story itself centers around Iku Kasahara, a recruit in the Force, who joined after being inspired by a mysterious Defense Force member who protected her and a book she was trying to buy that was being targeted for censorship. However, she quickly learns how demanding the Defense Force can be, mainly from her "demon" instructor, Atsushi Doujo. Despite making several huge mistakes at first, Iku is promoted to her base's Library Task Force, which is essentially the most elite branch of the Defense Force and Iku is the first woman to enter.

As the series goes on, she begins to improve in her duties, and she even finds out more about the mysterious "princely" figure that inspired her all those years ago...

----
!!Tropes:

* ACupAngst: While Kasahara never really complains about it, she does calm her heart by thinking, "Settle down under those A-cups."
* ATeamFiring: Played straight (and somewhat justified) with the LDF, as their goal is usually not to actually harm members of the MBC and to just hold them off. The MBC soldiers, however, have few qualms with shooting LDF members.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: While interrogating some kids who pulled off a dangerous prank Kasahara makes a joke which sets Komaki off laughing. Doujo scolds her for doing something so inappropriate while trying not to laugh himself. Even [[TheComicallySerious Tezuka]] barely keeps it together.
* AdaptationDistillation: The anime changes some situations and fails to introduce characters or plot points. It finally concludes with an anime original end.
** Though the anime movie corrects itself a bit and is more faithful to the novels.
* AdaptationDyeJob: Iku has brown hair in the novels and in the anime but blonde/light-brown hair in the manga. Shibasaki has dark brown hair in the novels, black hair in the anime and brown hair in the manga.
* AdaptedOut: In the anime several characters are never mentioned. Like Iku's three older brothers.
* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Doujo's usual method of comforting Kasahara.
* AgeGapRomance: How some characters view Komaki and Marie's relationship due to their ten-year age gap (particularly Doujo who at first says that romance between them is impossible because they have a LikeBrotherAndSister relationship).
* AlternativeCalendar[=/=]TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The series takes place in the fictional Seita era, with the majority of the story taking place in 2019.
* AloofBigBrother: [[spoiler: Satoshi Tezuka, Hikaru Tezuka's older brother]]
* BadassAdorable: Iku Kasahara, especially in her manga design.
* BattleCouple: [[spoiler: Kasahara and Doujo, by the end of the anime series at least.]]
* BelligerentSexualTension: Kasahara and Doujo, naturally.
* BetaCouple: Komaki and Marie. Later on it seems that [[spoiler:Tezuka and Shibasaki]] are shaping up to follow suit in the novels and the manga.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Komaki is usually pleasant and smiling, but when he gets pissed off it's enough to make Kasahara and Tezuka shudder.
* TheBigDamnKiss: [[spoiler:Between Shibasaki and Tezuka.]]
* BigWhat: When [[spoiler: Kasahara learned Doujo is her "prince."]] It also involves a BigNo.
* {{Bishounen}}: Doujo, Tezuka and Komaki, especially in their manga designs.
* BloodlessCarnage: Seriously, this must be the cleanest civil war ever. Few people are actually killed by the series' ATeamFiring; most are only injured or knocked unconscious. It's justified for several reasons. Both sides wear SWAT/riot police/military-grade body armor[[note]]the MBC appear to be wearing SWAT gear, while the LDF are wearing what appears to be JGSDF-issue[[/note]], but both sides have very few high-caliber firearms that can effectively punch through it - most engagements are conducted with 9mm submachineguns[[note]][=MP5s=] for the MBC and Mineaba M9s for the LDF[[/note]]. This means that being shot will undoubtedly be painful, but rarely outright lethal. The system implemented for what is and is not kosher in these firefights seems to have been ''designed'' to minimize actual human casualties. Also, as with modern warfare, most rounds are being fired to ''suppress'' the opposition, instead of being intended to kill.
** Subverted with the [[spoiler: Hino Massacre.]]
* BoisterousBruiser: Genda.
* BookBurning: What happens to 'unsuitable' books that the Libraries can't get their hands on.
* BookDumb: Iku states that she didn't do well in lectures. Cue scene of her passed out in class with her textbook over her face.
** The novel explains this a bit more -- because the university Iku went to didn't offer the classes she needed to qualify for a library job, she had to take night school courses on the side. She's still not a great student.
** The manga has Iku say she planned to be in the Defense Force since they only handle combat duties. It comes back to bite her when she's accepted to the Task Force, which handles both combat and library duties.
* BookEnds: The anime both starts and ends with Doujo yelling at Kasahara to keep her arms up in a high port drill.
** The movie also ends with Doujo scolding new recruits [[spoiler:only that this Doujo is (or was) Iku Kasahara.]]
* BrutalHonesty: Shibasaki, usually when Kasahara is being particularly flaily.
* BulletproofVest: In the final arc of the anime, [[spoiler:Genda takes a barrage of bullets to the torso, but survives thanks to his body armor.]]
* {{ButtMonkey}}: Bonus strips in the manga chronicle the adventures of Maburo Agohige, Kasahara's manga-only secret admirer. Every time he tries to approach Kasahara, he stumbles upon an intense Doujo/Kasahara moment or otherwise gets shut down.
* TheChampion: Iku became a librarian to emulate her "prince," the unknown Library Force member who saved both her and her precious book from the Media Improvement Committee when she was in high school. [[spoiler: It's Doujo.]]
* TheChessmaster: Satoshi Tezuka and Shibasaki. The former even calls the latter out on it.
* ChildhoodFriends: Komaki and Marie. Though a bit strange since Marie is almost a decade younger than him, it's explained that it's because their mothers have been long time friends.
* CivilWar: Essentially, this is what the Library War is all about. It's a very nice one, however, given that the JSDF would likely clamp down ''hard'' on any belligerents who would start involving civilians, heavy weapons and other things that leads to collateral damage or a breakdown in law and order.
* ColdSniper: Tezuka, during combat missions.
* CombatPragmatist: Kasahara is not afraid to attack people from behind during sparring sessions.
* CoolGuns: A full list is available on [[http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Library_War IMFDB]] -- it's a battle of new versus old. The MBC arsenal is ripped straight from the "cool" list, consisting of shiny new [=MP5=] submachine guns[[note]]Well, ''newer'' compared to the Type-64. It's still an older weapon.[[/note]] and L96 sniper rifles. The LDF loses fancy factors on the account of acquiring JSDF surpluses, considering how relatively unremarkable the Type-64 and Type-89 rifles and the M24 Remington sniper rifle look in comparison to MBC counterparts, but the Minebea M-9 submachine guns in LDF possession are clones of the iconic Mini Uzi.
* CrazyJealousGuy: Doujo in a bonus chapter of the manga. For various reasons Kasahara gets a makeover, and is suddenly the object of much male attention. Dojo does not take this entirely well:
-->'''Doujo''': She's mine.
* CulturePolice: The Media Betterment Committee.
%%* DeadpanSnarker: Tezuka and Doujo
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: The full title of the manga is ''Toshokan Sensou Love&War'', which translates to ''Library War: Love & War''.
* DistractedByTheSexy: When Kasahara ends up in a PimpedOutDress, Doujo can only stare until Kasahara snaps him out of it.
* DrillSergeantNasty: What Iku thinks of Doujo. [[spoiler:Justified since Doujo was trying to work Kasahara so hard she would quit.]]
* FlowerMotifs: Part of the Library Force's emblem is a chamomile, which in the language of flowers means "energy in adversity".
* FuroScene: Lots (at least in the manga), though BarbieDollAnatomy keeps things PG-13.
* GirlNextDoor: Kasahara's appearance is plain and somewhat boyish, befitting [[OneOfTheBoys her personality.]] She's also frank about how she sees things, particularly [[BelligerentSexualTension when it comes to Dojou]] constantly being on her case.
* GoThroughMe: [[spoiler:The climax of the anime sees Genda pull this on an anti-censorship art display. A Media Betterment Committee member shoots him point-blank in plain daylight, causing a PR nightmare for the MBC and saving the exhibit.]]
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: In the anime, Doujo develops memory loss (specifically, agnosia) following the battle at the Ibaraki Branch Library.]]
* HeroWorshipper: Iku for her ''prince'' and Tezuka towards Doujo. Iku later starts to feel this towards Doujo as well.
* HotBlooded: Kasahara, big time. Doujo also gets this way whenever Kasahara is involved.
* HotLibrarian: The novels indicate that Shibasaki has quite a following as an AloofDarkHairedGirl among the library's male employees -- and [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask though she hates the attention]] (and the jealousy it provokes in some of her female colleagues), she'll [[TheChessmaster take advantage of it]] when she needs to gather information.
* TheHyena: Komaki laughs at just about ''everything''.
* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: Kasahara is a terrible shot. Just hitting the paper with the target (though not the target itself) was an improvement.
* IntrepidReporter: Orikuchi, who writes for the New World Weekly magazine.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Kasahara's memory of her "prince" inspired her to join the Library Force.
* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: Female combat officers all admire Iku for being the first female member of the Library Task Force.
* LargeAndInCharge: Genda.
* LastNameBasis: Not even best friends Kasahara and Shibasaki call each other by their names, Iku and Asako.
** Doujo is never called ''Atsushi'', Tezuka is only called ''Hikaru'' by his brother and likewise Komaki is mentioned to be only called ''Mikihisa'' by his and Marie's family.
* LateToTheRealization: It takes until volume 12 for Tezuka to realize the [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]] between Kasahara and Doujo.
* LittleMissSnarker: Shibasaki, who is blunt to the point of cruelty at times.
* LoopholeAbuse: A loophole in the Media Betterment Act is what allowed the Libraries to exist in the first place. Another loophole led to the first library raid. A few laws and loopholes later and we've got an institutionalized civil war, with lots of rules for what is and is not kosher, and lots of people abusing the loopholes found in ''those'' rules.
* MildlyMilitary: The Library Defense Force may get into gun battles, but they're still librarians and are responsible for everything from checking out books to running storytime for kids.
* MilitaryAcademy: Early episodes focus on basic training for Library Defense Force members.
* MyBelovedSmother: Kasahara's overprotective mother wants her to be a GirlyGirl; to be pretty and sweet and to do quiet, ''safe'', girly activities. And if that requires forcing her daughter to leave her beloved but dangerous job, or give up her inappropriate dreams, then so be it.
* TheNapoleon: Doujo.
* NoblewomansLaugh: Kasahara in Tezuka's ImagineSpot. Shibasaki also does this in another ImagineSpot after she pawns his expensive Rolex that was a present from his older brother.
* NonLethalWarfare: Appears to be justified, given the average military-grade body armour and low penetrating power of the pistol-caliber rounds for submachine guns used by both sides of the conflict.
* NotSoDifferent: Iku is a HotBlooded WideEyedIdealist protector of books, which causes her to repeatedly butt heads with [[TheStoic Doujo]]'s by the book approach. Turns out both of them are pretty similar. [[spoiler: Doujo turns out to be TheChampion who inspired Kasahara.]]
** The anime tries to show that this is also true for the troops of the Media Betterment Committee and our heroes. Komaki meets and somewhat befriends a member of the Betterment Committee.
* OfficialCouple: Komaki and Marie.
* OneHeadTaller: Inverted: Doujo is noticeably shorter than Kasahara. Needless to say, he's not exactly happy about this.
* RightBehindMe: In the first chapter of the manga, Kasahara calls Dojo a "Mean shorty" and he overhears it.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Iku. When she has to go undercover as a normal library customer to catch a vouyeristic pervert and in a bonus chapter of the manga where she ends up wearing a PimpedOutDress. In the former one she feels embarrased by everyone's compliments and in the latter she isn't able to figure out why all the guys are suddenly staring at her.
* ShesGotLegs: Kasahara. The novels and manga even have Shibazaki point them out when Kasahara had to wear a mini-skirt.
-->'''Kasahara''': My legs aren't for show! [[BadassBoast They're for running fast and kicking ass]]!
* ShipperOnDeck: Iku and Shibasaki ship Marie and Komaki. Meanwhile Shibasaki and Komaki ship Iku and Doujo pretty hard.
* ShipTease:
** Between Kasahara and Doujo at the start (well, a more belligerent version).
** Genda and Orikuchi, who dated when they were younger and decided that BetterAsFriends, yet their spark seems to still be alive.
* ShoutOut:
** In Episode 6, several members of the Defense Force are tasked with retrieving a copy of a heavily-censored book. While the title of the book is ''505K'', the description is obviously that of ''Literature/Fahrenheit451''. Considering that the book in their world is referred to as the ''Book of Prophecy'', perhaps {{Some Anvils Need To Be Dropped}}. [[DontExplainTheJoke 505K is ~ 451 °F]][[spoiler:505K is ~ 446°F. 506K = 451.4°F]]
** In movie Eiga Toshokan Sensou: From Dojo remarked: "[[Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei Absurdity of this world has thrown me into despair]] ."
* SleepCute: Kasahara and Doujo both to and from Ibaraki.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Shibasaki (anime) or Shibazaki (manga)?
* SpitTake: A RunningGag in the manga.
* TheSquad: Usually consists of the five person teams plus other superior officers.
* TheSquadette: Kasahara.
* StepfordSmiler: Shibazaki, at least in the manga.
* TheStoic: Tezuka Hikaru.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Whenever [[{{Tsundere}} Doujo]] does something nice for Iku, he justifies that he is doing it because he is her boss. An example: When he goes after her to comfort her, before exiting the room he unnecessary says "I'm going as her superior officer, okay?"... You're not fooling [[ShipperOnDeck Komaki and Shibasaki]] Doujo!.
* ThisIsReality:
--> "If anyone from a country who doesn't have a Media Cleansing Law sees this, they must think it's absurd. Unfortunately, this is our reality."
* TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse: Much of the story takes place at the Kanto Library Base in the Tokyo area, with occasional forays outside the city.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Kasahara and Shibasaki, an unlikely roommate pair.
* {{Tsundere}}: Doujo is a male version of this.
* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: About ten years, to be specific.
* UnequalPairing: Kasahara is Doujo's subordinate, after all. Not that they're officially a couple (yet).
* WideEyedIdealist: Kasahara, at the start of the series.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Tezuka has shades of this towards his older brother.
* WunzaPlot
* YouGoGirl: Iku Kasahara is the first female to join the Library Task Force.
----

* BigDamnKiss: [[spoiler:Between Shibasaki and Tezuka.]]

''Library War'' (図書館戦争, ''Toshokan Sensō'' in Japanese) is an award-wining Light-Novel series that was later adapted as an [[TwelveEpisodeAnime anime]] and an ongoing manga series. A live action film series was released on April 27, 2013, starring Nana Eikura and Junichi Okada. The manga and anime adaptations were licensed by Viz Media and Discotek for the English-speaking audience.

** Though the anime movie corrects itslef a bit and is more faithful to the novels.

* {{Buttmonkey}}: Bonus strips in the manga chronicle the adventures of Maburo Agohige, Kasahara's manga-only secret admirer. Every time he tries to approach Kasahara, he stumbles upon an intense Doujo/Kasahara moment or otherwise gets shut down.

* MayDecemberRomance: How some characters view Komaki and Marie's relationship due to their ten-year age gap (particularly Doujo who at first says that romance between them is imposible because they have a LikeBrotherAndSister relationship) .

** In Episode 6, several members of the Defense Force are tasked with retrieving a copy of a heavily-censored book. While the title of the book is ''505K'', the description is obviously that of ''{{Fahrenheit 451}}''. Considering that the book in their world is referred to as the ''Book of Prophecy'', perhaps {{Some Anvils Need To Be Dropped}}. [[DontExplainTheJoke 505K is ~ 451 °F]][[spoiler:505K is ~ 446°F. 506K = 451.4°F]]

* BloodlessCarnage: Seriously, this must be the cleanest civil war ever. Few people are actually killed by the series' ATeamFiring; most are only injured or knocked unconscious. It's justified for several reasons. Both sides wear SWAT/riot police/military-grade body armor[[note]]the MBC appear to be wearing SWAT gear, while the LDF are wearing what appears to be JGSDF-issue[[/note]], but both sides have very few high-caliber firearms that can effectively punch through it - most engagements are conducted with 9mm submachineguns[[note]]MP5s for the MBC and Mineaba M9s for the LDF[[/note]]. This means that being shot will undoubtedly be painful, but rarely outright lethal. The system implemented for what is and is not kosher in these firefights seems to have been ''designed'' to minimize actual human casualties. Also, as with modern warfare, most rounds are being fired to ''suppress'' the opposition, instead of being intended to kill.

''Library War'' (図書館戦争, ''Toshokan Sensō'' in Japanese) is an award-wining Light-Novel series that was later adapted as an [[TwelveEpisodeAnime anime]] and an ongoing manga series. A live action film was released on April 27, 2013. The manga and anime adaptations were licensed by Viz Media and Discotek for the English-speaking audience.

** In movie Eiga Toshokan Sensou: From Dojo remarked: "[[SayonaraZetsubouSensei Absurdity of this world has thrown me into despair]] ."

* BloodlessCarnage: Seriously, this must be the cleanest civil war ever. Few people are actually killed by the series' ATeamFiring; most are only injured or knocked unconscious.
** It's actually justified: Both sides wear SWAT/riot police/military-grade body armor[[note]]the MBC appear to be wearing SWAT gear, while the LDF are wearing what appears to be JGSDF-issue[[/note]], but both sides have very few high-caliber firearms that can effectively punch through it - most engagements are conducted with 9mm submachineguns[[note]]MP5s for the MBC and Mineaba M9s for the LDF[[/note]]. This means that being shot will undoubtedly be painful, but rarely outright lethal. The system implemented for what is and is not kosher in these firefights seems to have been ''designed'' to minimize actual human casualties.
** Also, as with modern warfare, most rounds are being fired to ''suppress'' the opposition, instead of being intended to kill.
** Subverted with the Hino Massacre.
* BoisterousBruiser: Genda, big time.

** The novel explains this a bit more -- because the university Iku went to didn't offer the classes she needed to qualify for a library job, she had to take night school courses on the side. (That said, she's still not a great student.)

* DeadpanSnarker: Tezuka and Doujo when he's not screaming.

* EverybodyLives: [[spoiler: Despite a fierce battle in which there are casualties on both sides, none of the main cast die. However, Genda is seriously injured, and medically retired with a two-rank promotion, the Kanto Library commander resigns, and Doujo is temporarily afflicted with memory loss.]]
** [[spoiler: The latter is an only-anime thing, since in the novels the one who confronts the crazy director, Sugahara, is the branch supervisor Yokota, who gets serious burn injuries. Though thankfully he also lives.]]

* HimeCut: Shibasaki

* MyBelovedSmother: Kasahara's overprotective mother just wants her to be a girly girl; to be pretty and sweet and to do quiet, ''safe'', girly activities. And if that requires forcing her daughter to leave her beloved but dangerous job, or give up her inappropriate dreams, then so be it.

** In the {{Anvilicious}} Episode 6, several members of the Defense Force are tasked with retrieving a copy of a heavily-censored book. While the title of the book is ''505K'', the description is quite obviously that of ''{{Fahrenheit 451}}''. Considering that the book in their world is referred to as the ''Book of Prophecy'', perhaps {{Some Anvils Need To Be Dropped}}. [[DontExplainTheJoke 505K is ~ 451 °F]][[spoiler:505K is ~ 446°F. 506K = 451.4°F]]

* TheSquadette[=/=]{{Tomboy}}: Kasahara.

* KaijuDefenseForce: The JSDF is said to be staying out of the conflict, and some Library Task Force members remark they have more range and combat time than the JSDF. There are implications, however, that the JSDF is sympathetic to the LTF, given that the LTF's equipment is almost identical to the JSDF, in their weapons, personal kit, and vehicles.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Library_War.jpg

''Library War'' (図書館戦争, ''Toshokan Sensō'' in Japanese) is an award wining Light-Novel series that was later adapted as an [[TwelveEpisodeAnime anime]] and an ongoing manga series. A live action film was released on April 27, 2013. The manga and anime adaptations were licensed by Viz Media and Discotek for the English-speaking audience.

!!'''''LibraryWar'' contains examples of:'''

''Library War'' (図書館戦争, ''Toshokan Sensō'' in Japanese) is an award wining Light-Novel series that was later adapted as an [[TwelveEpisodeAnime anime]] and an ongoing manga series. A live action film was released on April 27, 2013.

As the series goes on, she begins to improve in her duties, and she even finds out more about the mysterious "princely" figure that inspired her all those years ago...

* BadassAdorable: Kasahara, especially in her manga design.

* BetaCouple: [[spoiler:Tezuka and Shibazaki are shaping up to be one in the manga.]]

* BigDamnKiss: [[spoiler:Between Shibazaki and Tezuka.]]
* BigWhat: In the manga [[spoiler:when Kasahara learned Doujo is her "prince."]] It also involves a BigNo.

* TheChampion: Kasahara became a librarian to emulate her "prince," the unknown Library Force member who saved both her and her precious book from the Media Improvement Committee when she was in high school. [[spoiler: It's Doujo.]]

-->'''Dojo''': She's mine.

* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: Female combat officers all admire Kasahara for being the first female member of the Library Task Force.

* MayDecemberRomance: How some characters views Komaki and Marie's relationship due to their ten-year age gap (particularly Doujo who at first says that romance between them is imposible because they have a LikeBrotherAndSister relationship) .

* NotSoDifferent: Kasahara is a HotBlooded WideEyedIdealist protector of books, which causes her to repeatedly butt heads with [[TheStoic Doujo]]'s by the book approach. Turns out both of them are pretty similar. [[spoiler: Doujo turns out to be TheChampion who inspired Kasahara.]]

* ShesGotLegs: Kasahara. The manga even has Shibazaki point them out when Kasahara had to wear a mini-skirt.

** Subverted HARD with the Hino Massacre.

-->'''Kasahara''': My legs aren't for show! [[BaddassBoast They're for running fast and kicking ass]]!

* [[spoiler:BetaCouple: Tezuka and Shibazaki are shaping up to be one in the manga.]]

* DrillSergeantNasty: What Iku thinks of Doujo.

* ShipTease: Between Kasahara and Doujo at the start (well, a more belligerent version).
** Shibasaki and Tezuka.

* ShoutOut:
** In the {{Anvilicious}} Episode 6, several members of the Defense Force are tasked with retrieving a copy of a heavily-censored book. While the title of the book is ''505K'', the description is quite obviously that of ''{{Fahrenheit 451}}''. Considering that the book in their world is referred to as the ''Book of Prophecy'', perhaps {{Some Anvils Need To Be Dropped}}.
*** [[DontExplainTheJoke 505K is ~ 451 °F]]
*** [[spoiler:505K is ~ 446°F. 506K = 451.4°F]]

* TheSquad: Usually consists of the FiveManBand plus other superior officers.