Yuki Yuna is a Hero

Yuki Yuna is a Hero
230px Promotional image for the series featuring the main characters.
結城友奈は勇者である (Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru)
Genre	Magical girl
Anime television series
Directed by	Seiji Kishi
Written by	Makoto Uezu
Music by	Keiichi Okabe (Monaca)
Studio	Studio Gokumi
Licensed by	NA Ponycan USA
Network	MBS, TBS, CBC, BS-TBS
Original run	October 16, 2014 – December 25, 2014
Episodes	12
Print media
Light novels Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru Nogi Wakaba wa Yūsha de Aru Manga Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha-bu Shozoku Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru
Game
Developer	Minato Soft
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	Windows
Released
Game
Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Jukai no Kioku
Developer	FuRyu
Genre	Action
Platform	PlayStation Vita
Released
Game
Developer	Minato Soft
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	Windows
Released

Yuki Yuna is a Hero (結城友奈は勇者である, Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru) is a 12-episode Japanese anime television series produced by Studio Gokumi and directed by Seiji Kishi as part of a media project called Takahiro IV Project. The series aired in Japan between October 16 and December 25, 2014 on MBS. The anime has been licensed by Pony Canyon's North American label Ponycan USA. Two prequel light novel series and three accompanying manga series have been published by ASCII Media Works. A PlayStation Vita video game was released in Japan in February 2015. A visual novel for Windows was released in December 2014 with the first DVD and Blu-ray Disc volume for the anime, with a second released with the sixth volume in May 2015.

Plot

The story takes place on the Japanese island Shikoku in the fictional city of Sanshu, based on the real-life city of Kan'onji in Kagawa Prefecture, in the Divine Era in the far future. Yūna, Mimori, Fū, and Itsuki are all members of the Sanshu Middle School Hero Club (讃州中学勇者部, Sanshū Chūgaku Yūsha-bu), dedicating themselves to helping those that request help. One day in their regular daily lives, the Hero Club members are suddenly caught in an explosion of light and transported to a strange forest, where they encounter mysterious monsters known as Vertex which seek to destroy the Shinju (神樹, "Divine Tree"), the guardian deity which protects and blesses humanity. Using a special phone application granted by Taisha, an organization dedicated to the Shinju, Yuna and her friends must transform into "heroes" with magical powers so to protect their world from imminent destruction.

Characters

Yuna Yuki (結城 友奈, Yūki Yūna)

Voiced by: Haruka Terui (Japanese), Xanthe Huynh (English)

A second-year in middle school and member of the Hero Club. She prides herself on being a hero, helping out others in needs and always remaining optimistic. She uses armored fists for powerful close-range combat during her hero form and has a cow-like familiar named Gyūki (牛鬼) who, unlike the other familiars, likes to roam freely; she later gets another, cat-like familiar named Kasha (火車). As a result of using her Mankai form, she loses her sense of taste. Later, she uses the Mankai form for a second time and loses the use of her legs. Having fallen into a coma due to her efforts, she regains consciousness after Mimori's voice reaches her. She soon recovers and regains her sense of taste and the ability to walk.

Mimori Togo (東郷 美森, Tōgō Mimori)

Voiced by: Suzuko Mimori (Japanese), Erika Harlacher (English)

Yūna's best friend and fellow classmate and club member who lives next door to her and often prefers to be called by her family name. Mimori takes pride in her national heritage and is always ready to defend her country and protect its people. She had lost the use of her legs, along with some of her memories, allegedly due to a car accident. In her hero form, she uses guns and sniping rifles for long-range combat and her ribbons serve as appendages for moving around. She also has three familiars, Gyōbudanuki (刑部狸), Aobōzu (青坊主), and Shiranui (不知火). Later, she gets another familiar named Kawabataru (川蛍). As a result of using her Mankai form, she loses her hearing in her left ear. Like the rest of her Hero Club friends, she recovers after the events of the final episode and regains her memory and the ability to walk.

Prior to the series, during the events of Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru, she was adopted under the name of Sumi Washio (鷲尾 須美, Washio Sumi) and fought alongside her elementary school classmates Sonoko and Gin. She originally used a bow and arrow in her hero form but later upgraded to a silver rifle. The loss of her legs and memory were actually a result of her using Mankai twice, after which she was returned to her original family and relocated next to Yūna due to her high affinity. Upon meeting Sonoko again, she learns both the truth about the Hero System and the true nature of Shinju.

Fu Inubozaki (犬吠埼 風, Inubōzaki Fū)

Voiced by: Yumi Uchiyama (Japanese), Erica Mendez (English)

A third-year in middle school and the president of the Hero Club. She is the older sister of Itsuki, who she has been looking after following the death of their parents. She is knowledgeable about Shinju and the Vertex and was the one who gave her fellow members the app needed to fight against the Vertex. She uses a large sword in her hero form and her familiar is Inugami (犬神). Later she gets another familiar named Kamaitachi (鎌鼬). As a result of using her Mankai form, she loses vision in her left eye, but regains it back after the events of the final episode. It is also revealed that her parents were killed by Vertex, and as such her original motivation for fighting Vertex was for revenge. Details about the exact situation of the parent's death is not given.

Itsuki Inubozaki (犬吠埼 樹, Inubōzaki Itsuki)

Voiced by: Tomoyo Kurosawa (Japanese), Brianna Knickerbocker (English)

A first-year in middle school and member of the Hero Club. She is Fū's younger sister and respects her dearly. She uses vines to attack her enemies in her hero form and her familiar is Kodama (木霊). Later, she gets another familiar named Ungaikyō (雲外鏡) As a result of using her Mankai form, she loses her voice, but regains it after the events of the final episode.

Karin Miyoshi (三好 夏凛, Miyoshi Karin)

Voiced by: Juri Nagatsuma (Japanese), Sarah Anne Williams (English)

An experienced, but somewhat stubborn hero who transfers into Yūna and Mimori's class and joins the Hero Club to supervise the other heroes. She uses a pair of katanas in her hero form and her familiar is Yoshiteru (義輝, voiced by: Kaneta Kimotsuki). In episode 11, as a result of using Mankai four times, she loses the use of her right arm, right leg, her hearing and vision, but later regains them after the events of the final episode.

Sonoko Nogi (乃木 園子, Nogi Sonoko)

Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa (Japanese), Christine Marie Cabanos (English)

Mimori's classmate during elementary school, who she nicknamed "Wasshi", who first appears in Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru and uses a large trident in her hero form. As a result of using Mankai twenty times, she loses the use of most of her limbs and becomes unable to move, and afterwards is put in direct supervision of Taisha as a trump card. She later appears in the anime series, where she informs Yūna and Mimori about the truth behind the Hero System. After the events of the final episode, she is shown to have regained her lost body functions.

Gin Minowa (三ノ輪 銀, Minowa Gin)

Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori

Mimori and Sonoko's classmate during elementary school who appears in Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru and uses a pair of large blades in her hero form. She dies protecting Mimori and Sonoko, prompting Taisha to change the Hero System, implementing faeries and Mankai. Her terminal is eventually given to Karin.

Media

Print media

A prequel light novel titled Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru (鷲尾須美は勇者である, lit. Washio Sumi is a Hero), written by Takahiro and illustrated by Bunbun, was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine between April 30, 2014 and November 29, 2014. The novel takes place two years before the anime's time frame. Another light novel series, titled Nogi Wakaba wa Yūsha de Aru (乃木若葉は勇者である, lit. Nogi Wakaba is a Hero), written by Takahiro and illustrated by Bunbun, began serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine on July 30, 2015. Nogi Wakaba takes place 300 years before the anime's time frame during the first Vertex attack on the world. It follows Sonoko Nogi's ancestor, Wakaba Nogi as its protagonist and the first Shikoku hero team consisting of her, Hinata Kamisato, Yūna Takashima, Chikage Kōri, Tamako Doi and Anzu Iyojima.

A manga adaptation of Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru, illustrated by Mottsun*, began serialization in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Comic from June 30, 2014. A manga titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha-bu Shozoku (結城友奈は勇者部所属, lit. Yūki Yūna is a Hero Club Member), written by Takahiro and illustrated by Kotamaru, began serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine from July 30, 2014. The first volume of a third manga, titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru and illustrated by Tōko Kanno, was released on November 27, 2014. Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru later started serialization in Dengeki G's Comic on December 26, 2014.

Anime

The 12-episode anime television series is produced by Studio Gokumi and directed by Seiji Kishi. Planned by Takahiro, the anime's screenplay is written by Makoto Uezu, and the character design is provided by Takahiro Sakai. The series aired in Japan on MBS between October 16 and December 25, 2014 and was simulcast by Crunchyroll. The opening theme is "Hoshi to Hana" (ホシトハナ, Star and Flower) and the ending theme is "Aurora Days"; both are performed by Sanshū Chūgaku Yūsha-bu (Haruka Terui, Suzuko Mimori, Yumi Uchiyama, Tomoyo Kurosawa, and Juri Nagatsuma). The ending theme for episode four (acoustic version) and episode nine is "Inori no Uta" (祈りの歌, Song of Prayer) by Tomoyo Kurosawa. The anime has been licensed by Pony Canyon's North American label Ponycan USA and released the series with an English dub on Blu-ray Disc and DVD from April 10, 2015.

Episode list

No.	Title	Original air date
1	"A Maiden's True Heart" "Otome no Magokoro" (乙女の真心)	October 16, 2014
Yūna Yūki and her friends, Mimori Tōgō, Fū Inubōzaki, and Itsuki Inubōzaki, are all members of the Sanshu Middle School Hero Club, which is dedicated to helping those that request it via their website. During class one day, upon each receiving a strange 'forestize warning' message on their phones, the four girls find time has suddenly stopped around them before they are enveloped by a rainbow-colored light, soon finding themselves in a strange colorful forest. Fū, who had told the others to download a special app on their phones when they first joined the Hero Club, reveals that their club has been chosen by Shinju, the divine tree, to fight against mysterious enemies known as Vertex, whose goal is to destroy Shinju, killing the world as a result. When one of these Vertex appears and starts attacking, Fū tells Yūna and Mimori to escape while she and Itsuki use their phones to transform into heroes to fight against the Vertex. Determined to protect Mimori, Yūna awakens her potential as a hero and transforms herself, using her newfound strength to fight against the Vertex.
2	"Noble Thoughts" "Rōtaketaru Omoi" (ろうたけたる思い)	October 16, 2014
With the Vertex able to regenerate its wounds, Fū has Yūna and Itsuki perform a sealing ritual in order to expose its core. Working together, Fū and Yūna manage to destroy the core, defeating the Vertex and returning everyone to the real world. The next day, Fū explains that she was tasked by her organisation, the Taisha, to grant hero candidates the power to fight against the twelve Vertex that threaten Shinju. Mimori, frustrated that she couldn't help everyone during the battle, directs her anger at Fū for keeping things a secret from everyone, but Yūna manages to cheer up a little. The girls are soon brought into another battle as three more Vertex emerge, using combined attacks to keep them from performing the sealing ritual. When the Vertex start attacking Yūna, Mimori becomes determined to protect her and awakens her hero form, using her own projectile attacks to provide support, and together they manage to defeat all three Vertex.
3	"Moral Poise" "Fūkaku Aru Furumai" (風格ある振る舞い)	October 23, 2014
A month following their last encounter, the girls prepare to face off against the fifth Vertex, only for another hero named Karin Miyoshi to suddenly appear and defeat it single-handedly. The next day, Karin transfers into Yūna and Mimori's class, claiming herself to be a fully trained hero sent to supervise the newbies. She reluctantly joins the Hero Club, though is stubborn about becoming friends with the others. That weekend, as the girls plan to meet somewhere, Karin skips out on it, feeling she should not be led astray from her duty as a hero. Later that night, the girls show up at Karin's apartment, revealing they had planned to surprise her with a birthday party. At the end of the day, Karin is starting to get along with them.
4	"Shining Hearts" "Kagayaku Kokoro" (輝く心)	October 30, 2014
Itsuki, who gets nervous when singing in front of others, is anxious about an upcoming test, so the Hero Club decide to go to karaoke to help boost her confidence. Meanwhile, Fū is unnerved by a message from Taisha telling her to expect the worst. As she continues to struggle with her nerves, Itsuki thinks about the burden placed on Fū, who has been looking after her ever since their parents died. Later, as Fū laments getting Itsuki involved with the Vertex, Itsuki assures her that she feels happy being able to fight alongside her. On the day of her test, Itsuki finds a letter from everyone encouraging her to do her best, allowing her to sing with confidence and giving her a goal of becoming a singer. Soon afterwards, as Fū contemplates with worst case scenario, another forestization appears.
5	"Overcoming Adversity" "Konnan ni Uchikatsu" (困難に打ち勝つ)	November 6, 2014
Facing up against all seven of the remaining Vertex, the girls start to fight against the first one, only to be caught in a trap by another, who uses a loud bell to disable them. Itsuki manages to stop the bell, but then three Vertexes merge to form a single more powerful Vertex, proving resilient to their attacks. Not willing to give up, Fū and Mimori use their trump card, the Mankai form, to defeat the combined Vertex, while Itsuki uses her Mankai form to stop a smaller, faster Vertex from reaching Shinju. Fū then risks herself to buy time for the others to seal the remaining Vertex, whose core is discovered to be a massive one positioned in the stratosphere. Yūna and Mimori head to space together in order to fight against the core, using their Mankai forms to destroy it. Following the battle, Karin is relieved to find everyone alive and well and reports their victory to Taisha.
6	"In Anticipation of Tomorrow" "Ashita ni Kitai shite" (明日に期待して)	November 13, 2014
After receiving checkups at the hospital following their battle against the Vertex, Fū is revealed to have lost some vision in her left eye while Itsuki has lost her voice, both of which they assume to be temporary symptoms caused by battle fatigue. However, upon discovering Yūna has also lost her sense of taste and that she herself has gone deaf in her left ear, Mimori fears that these symptoms could be a side-effect of the Mankai form and gets in touch with Fū about it. Meanwhile, Karin, who hasn't been affected since she didn't use the Mankai form, has been avoiding going to the clubroom, as she fears she no longer has any purpose now that the Vertex are gone. However, Yūna manages to find her and convince her that, even with no-one to fight, the Hero Club will still carry on like it always has. Touched by Yūna's friendship, Karin convinces Taisha to let her stay at Sanshu Middle School until graduation, while the girls make plans for summer break.
7	"Idyllic Happiness" "Bokkateki na Yorokobi" (牧歌的な喜び)	November 20, 2014
Taisha rewards the girls with an all-expenses-paid trip to a hot spring inn during their summer break. The girls enjoy a day on the beach, have a delicious meal, relax in the hot springs, and tell some ghost stories. The next morning, Mimori reminisces about a ribbon she was holding onto when she lost her memory in an accident and wonders if their battles are really over. After the group returns home, making plans for the culture festival on the way back, Fū is summoned to the clubroom where she discovers everyone's old transformation cellphones, as well as a new fairy for herself, with Taisha warning her that another attack is to be expected.
8	"Blessings of the Gods" "Kami no Shukufuku" (神の祝福)	November 27, 2014
After Fū informs the others that their battle isn't over yet, with each girl besides Karin receiving an additional fairy, the girls soon come up against another forestization. Discovering the remaining Vertex, finding it to be overflowing with cores, Yūna quickly disposes of them using the power of her new fairy, causing some worry amongst her friends. When the forest disappears, Yūna and Mimori end up separated from the others, having been summoned by a hospitalized girl, who reveals herself to be a former hero named Sonoko Nogi. Sonoko reveals to them the secret of the Hero System, in which heroes permanently lose the use of a bodily function in exchange for the power granting by the Mankai form, further revealing that heroes are effectively sacrifices to Shinju who can never die. On top of the shock both girls feel upon hearing this, Mimori is also saddened as she seems to know Sonoko, but is unable to remember her. As the two are escorted back home, Yūna promises Mimori that she will find a way to sort everything out.
9	"Those Who Know Grief" "Kokoro no Itami o Wakaru Hito" (心の痛みを判る人)	December 4, 2014
Yūna and Mimori relay what they've learned from Sonoko to Fū, who asks them not to tell Itsuki and Karin until they know for certain. Despite hearing from Itsuki's homeroom teacher how Itsuki has been suffering due to her missing voice, Fū remains in denial, hoping that things will eventually get better. The next day, however, Mimori reveals to Yūna and Fū that their fairies were actually created to prevent them from killing themselves, proving that everything Sonoko said to them was true and that their symptoms are permanent. This leads Fū to become distressed, knowing that Itsuki's voice will never return and she will never achieve her dream of becoming a singer. Angered by having gotten everyone involved, Fū seeks to destroy the Taisha, even preparing to battle her way through Karin to this end. However, Yūna and Itsuki stop her from fighting, showing her they have no regrets joining the Hero Club.
10	"Bonds of Love" "Aijō no Kizuna" (愛情の絆)	December 11, 2014
Mimori recalls the events following the loss of her memories, including her first meeting with Yūna. After becoming friends and entering middle school, the pair were recruited by Fū to join the Hero Club, later joined by Itsuki, where they performed a lot of volunteer work. After learning the truth from Sonoko, Mimori attempted suicide many times in order to prove the fairies were there to bind her to her duties. Back in the present, while the others are consoling Fū, Mimori, having discovered her legs and memory were lost because of the Mankai form and that everything from her standard of living to moving near Yūna was arranged by Taisha, once again approaches Sonoko, who tells her the true nature of the world. Investigating the Shinju, Mimori sees the true nature inside it; a hell filled with smaller Vertexes that are rebuilding the Vertex that were already defeated, dooming the heroes to continue battling until they become disabled. Not wanting the others to suffer like Sonoko did, Mimori believes the only solution is to destroy Shinju, blasting a hole which unleashes several smaller Vertexes into the forest.
11	"Passion" "Jōnetsu" (情熱)	December 18, 2014
Learning Mimori is at the center of the Vertex outbreak, Yūna and Karin chase after her into the Shinju, learning what Mimori herself had learned. Before they can try to reason with Mimori, who believes destroying the Shinju is the only to spare her friends from suffering, Yūna and Karin are forced to retreat from the Vertex. Yūna's confusion over the matter leaves her unable to transform into a hero, believing herself to be a failure as a friend. Wanting to fulfil Yūna's desire to stop Mimori and be together again, Karin goes off on her own to fight through the Vertex standing between her and Mimori, having to undergo Mankai multiple times in the process. As a result of the battle, Karin ends up losing her sight and hearing, as well as the use of most of her limbs, by the time Yūna finds her. Meanwhile, after Fū and Itsuki fail to stop her, Mimori attempts to destroy Shinju by luring the Vertex's attack towards it, but the attack is stopped in its tracks by Yūna, determined to protect Mimori.
12	"Smile At You" "Anata ni Hohoemu" (貴方に微笑む)	December 25, 2014
Yūna is forced to fight against Mimori, who can't bear to lose her memories of everyone like she did with Sonoko, or be forgotten about herself. However, Yūna states her determined feelings to never forget about Mimori and manages to stop her. With the Vertex's final attack headed for Shinju, all of the girls, despite the afflictions caused by their Mankai forms, band together to block the attack, with Yuna delivering the final blow just in time, after which their fairies disappear, ending their role as heroes. After the battle, each of the girls start to slowly recover what they have lost, including Mimori's use of her legs and Itsuki's voice, but Yūna has remained in a coma-like state as a result of her efforts. Visiting her every day, Mimori feels overcome with guilt over what happened, but her voice soon reaches Yūna, who awakens once again. Finally able to perform their long-awaited hero play, Yūna feels confident that she can accomplish anything with her fellow heroes by her side.

Video games

Two visual novels for Windows, developed by Minato Soft and featuring scenarios written by Takahiro and Osamu Murata, are bundled with the first and sixth DVD and Blu-ray Disc volumes of the anime series released on December 17, 2014 and May 20, 2015, respectively. Each visual novel features ten different scenarios original to the game and is fully voiced by the original cast. The graphics are handled by Studio Gokumi. An action video game developed by FuRyu titled Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Jukai no Kioku (結城友奈は勇者である 樹海の記憶, lit. Yūna Yūki is a Hero: Memories of the Tree Sea) was released on February 26, 2015 for the PlayStation Vita.

External links

Anime websites

• Official website (Japanese)
• Official website (English)
• Yuki Yuna is a Hero (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

Other websites

• Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Jukai no Kioku official website (Japanese)
• Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru at ComicWalker (Japanese)
• Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha-bu Shozoku at ComicWalker (Japanese)
• Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru at ComicWalker (Japanese)