Zatch Bell!
Zatch Bell! | |
![]() Cover of the first tankōbon volume, featuring Zatch Bell riding Owashi and Kiyo Takamine | |
金色のガッシュ!! (Konjiki no Gasshu!!) | |
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Genre | |
Manga | |
Written by | Makoto Raiku |
Published by | Shogakukan |
English publisher | |
Imprint | Shōnen Sunday Comics |
Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Sunday |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | January 10, 2001 – December 26, 2007 |
Volumes | 33 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by |
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Produced by |
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Written by |
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Music by | Kow Otani |
Studio | Toei Animation |
Licensed by |
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Original network | FNS (Fuji TV), YouTube |
English network | |
Original run | April 6, 2003 – March 26, 2006 |
Episodes | 150 |
Anime film | |
Zatch Bell! Movie 1: 101st Devil | |
Directed by | Junji Shimizu |
Written by | Hiroshi Hashimoto |
Music by | Kow Otani |
Studio | Toei Animation |
Licensed by | |
Released | August 7, 2004 |
Runtime | 84 minutes |
Anime film | |
Zatch Bell! Movie 2: Attack of Mechavulcan | |
Directed by | Takuya Igarashi |
Written by | Aya Matsui |
Music by | Kow Otani |
Studio | Toei Animation |
Licensed by |
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Released | August 6, 2005 |
Runtime | 85 minutes |
Manga | |
Konjiki no Gash!! 2 | |
Written by | Makoto Raiku |
Published by | Birgdin Board Corp. |
Original run | March 14, 2022 – present |
Volumes | 4 |
Related media | |
Zatch Bell!, known as Konjiki no Gash!! (Japanese: 金色のガッシュ!!, Hepburn: Konjiki no Gasshu!!, "Golden Gash!!") in Japan, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Raiku. The series follows the title character Zatch Bell, a mystical being called a Mamodo, who is partnered with a 14-year-old schoolboy Kiyo Takamine for a millennial tournament on Earth that determines the right to rule the Mamodo world as king. During their adventure, Zatch and Kiyo battle various Mamodo and their human partners and meet allies who aid Zatch in his successful campaign to become a "kind king". The theme of the manga is camaraderie amid adversarial and dire prospects.
Zatch Bell! was serialized in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday from January 2001 to December 2007, with its chapters collected into 33 tankōbon volumes. It would be Raiku's final manga series published by Shogakukan. In North America, Viz Media licensed the manga for the English-language localization in 2005; only 25 volumes were distributed from August 2005 to June 2009.
Zatch Bell! was adapted into a 150-episode anime television series produced by Toei Animation. The anime does not show Zatch winning the Mamodo tournament. It aired on Fuji TV from April 2003 to March 2006, and was rebroadcast on YouTube from late 2023 to early 2024. ShoPro Entertainment (before its consolidation into Viz) acquired distribution rights to the anime in 2004. It ran in the United States on Cartoon Network's Toonami and Miguzi programming blocks from 2005 to 2007 for seventy-seven episodes, and in Canada on YTV's Bionix programming block from 2005 to 2008. In all, 104 episodes were dubbed in English. The dubs streamed on Crunchyroll in 2015 and on Starz in 2017.
Along with the anime, the manga touched off a media following that included an array of licensed merchandise, video and mobile games, two animated theatrical films, a collectible card game, and a manga sequel Konjiki no Gash!! 2 that began digital distribution in March 2022.
By March 2017, the Zatch Bell! manga had over 23.8 million copies in circulation, including digital versions, making it one of the best-selling manga series. In 2003, it won the 48th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen category. The manga was generally well-received by readers and critics, who praised its unique characters, humor, and overall concept, though some felt that it was too similar to other manga titles of its time. Reviews of the anime adaptation were more mixed, with criticism largely focused on the visuals, graphical violence, and voice acting.
Premise
[edit]Mamodo[a] are a species of mystical creatures with supernatural powers inhabiting the fantastical Mamodo world[b] that exists in a parallel domain and is ruled by a king. Every 1,000 years, one hundred young Mamodo are selected to succeed the monarchy by engaging in an elimination tournament in which the winner would be eligible for the throne.[ch. 8] These tournaments are held on Earth; the manga series chronicles the interim during the early 2000s.[A] Although the competition is free-for-all, the Mamodo may collaborate with other combatants.[ch. 68] As the Mamodo descend to Earth, they are each given a spellbook[c] that has sealed away their powers and requires a human companion to read the words aloud in order to cast them in the form of spells.[d] To participate in the action, the Mamodo does not simply choose a human to help cast their spells.[chs. 93-94] Rather, they must first search for the matching human who can read from the book,[ch. 7] whereupon he or she is that Mamodo's bookowner[e] and partner.[5][6][B]
The Mamodo tournament involves eliminating opponents by burning their spellbook. This is achieved by striking the book with a spell or subjecting it to open flame, as when Kanchomé torches several spellbooks with a matchstick.[ch. 115] Once the spellbook ignites, it cannot be extinguished,[ch. 51] and when it has fully incinerated, the Mamodo that possessed it loses all claim to the position as king and immediately returns to the Mamodo world.[6] The sole Mamodo to survive without their book destroyed becomes the new Mamodo king,[ch. 8] and all collateral damages are remedied.[ch. 322]
Spells given off by the Mamodo produce a variety of effects. These range from direct attacks to defenses, but other spells trigger a Mamodo's special ability that can temporarily enhance their finesse; as with Zatch's Rauzaruk;[ch. 96][f] or impair enemies; such as the paralyzing efficacy of Purio's Poreido;[ch. 68][g] among other effects. Spells in each book are typically different for each Mamodo, but there are others that produce identical spells—an example of this is Zatch and his brother Zeno Bell for their lightning-based powers. The human and their Mamodo usually start out with one spell, but may during the tournament unlock more spells as the emotional and relational bond between each other flourishes.[ch. 19] The spellbook responds to the reader's Heart Power,[h] a form of stamina attained from such bond. Because sending out a spell expends Heart Power, it must thus be replenished for spells to work properly.[chs. 17, 107][6] Additionally, a spell may be generated with greater fervor, the magnitude of which is governed by Heart Energy.[i] A demonstration of this is when Zatch's strongest attack, Bao Zakeruga,[j] dwarfs Faudo.[ch. 275]
Synopsis
[edit]Manga
[edit]The Mamodo of focus is Zatch Bell, who was discovered unconscious at a forest in England by Professor Seitaro Takamine. Seitaro sends Zatch over to his son Kiyo Takamine, an intelligent 14-year-old living with his mother in the fictional city of Mochinoki, Japan,[ch. 2] in hopes of uncovering Zatch's past that he has no memory of.[ch. 1] Kiyo becomes Zatch's preordained partner for the tournament. Over time, Zatch and Kiyo come across other Mamodo, especially Brago and his partner Sherry Belmont, who explain the ongoing Mamodo tournament.[ch. 8] Zatch and Kiyo also discover that some Mamodo do not wish to fight or do so for the wrong reasons; namely Kolulu, who was forced to fight due to the nature of her spells.[ch. 17] Seeing this, Zatch pledges to become a "kind king" and stop the battle from ever happening again.[ch. 18] Zatch and Kiyo also find friendlier Mamodo and build up alliances with them and their human partners. Chief among them are Kanchomé with Italian movie star Parco Folgore,[ch. 27] Tia with pop idol Megumi Oumi,[ch. 38] Ponygon with German engineer Kafk Sunbeam (although the two do not find each other until later in the series),[ch. 122] and Wonrei with teen Hongkonger girl Li-en.[ch. 71]
Throughout the course of the tournament, Zatch, Kiyo, and their allies band together to combat several potent Mamodo with hostile intent. The first major adversary they face is Zofis, who commands a cadre of reanimated Mamodo that were sealed in stone tablets during the previous tournament one thousand years ago. Zofis has also bent the will of his own partner, Sherry's childhood friend Koko, into committing heinous acts such as burning down her own village.[ch. 55] Another enemy to emerge is Rioh, who wields a Mamodo warfare titan named Faudo[ch. 189] that imperils the globe.[ch. 209] Kiyo is nearly killed in a harrowing mission to thwart Rioh and avert Faudo.[ch. 215] However, Rioh is then overpowered by Zeno Bell, Zatch's twin brother.[ch. 259] Zeno is deeply envious of his sibling for procuring the sacred power of Bao from their father King Dauwan Bell,[ch. 272] and had removed Zatch's memories out of spite,[ch. 48] but he soon comes around and apologizes upon seeing the error of his own ways.[ch. 275] The last and perhaps most powerful Mamodo encountered is Clear Note, who intends to commit omnicide against the Mamodo race.[ch. 289][8] Zatch and Kiyo call upon the spells of all the Mamodo they previously met to quash Clear Note and return him to the Mamodo world.[ch. 319]
In the aftermath,[C] Zatch manages to pull through the tournament unscathed even though all of his allies fall and are brought back to the Mamodo world, leaving himself and Brago as the only remaining candidates on Earth. After Kiyo's graduation, the two ilk engage in a final showdown.[ch. 320] Zatch ultimately prevails over Brago, thereby ending the tournament as the victor.[ch. 321] As Zatch departs for the Mamodo world, Kiyo is rewarded a wish in exchange for all his memories of everything that had transpired, but he rejects the gift not wanting to forget Zatch.[ch. 322] Three weeks after the tournament, the Mamodo send a letter to their human counterparts, with Zatch's letter stating that all is well in the Mamodo world.[ch. 323]
Anime
[edit]The anime adaptation of Zatch Bell! is spread over three seasons, referred to as "levels", with distinct arcs. The first season takes place in the early stage of the Mamodo tournament and centers primarily on Zatch and Kiyo's character development. The second season sees Zatch and his allies battling Zofis and emphasizes Sherry's quest to rescue Koko from Zofis' throes. The third and final season revolves around Faudo which leads Zatch up to a climatic open conflict with Zeno. The anime observes changes from much of the manga. These include additional subplots and characters not featured in the original story.[D] Certain scenes and key events are also altered or chronologically rearranged. For instance, Zatch and Kiyo first learn about Zeno from another Mamodo they encounter[9] rather than directly from Tia[ch. 39] as in the manga, although she and Megumi corroborate the sighting later on.[10] Ponygon also appears earlier in the anime's timeline[11] than in the manga's.[ch. 56] Discrepancies in the plot are more pronounced during the third season. In particular, Kiyo's death does not occur, and Zeno never repents even when he returns to the Mamodo world.[12] Because of the changes, some Mamodo who lose out in the manga survive up to this point. The anime skips the events involving Clear Note and leaves the demise of Zatch's main allies and any remaining Mamodo unresolved. Instead, the series closes with an epilogue showing Zatch and Brago preparing to battle each other as the last two Mamodo on Earth, with the winner not revealed.[12][13][14]
Background
[edit]Early seed
[edit]Creation of Zatch Bell! began shortly after Shogakukan serialized the final issue of Makoto Raiku's manga series Newtown Heroes on its anthology comic magazine Shōnen Sunday Super. For his next series, Raiku revisited drafts from his previous projects for fresh concepts.[vol. 1] He experimented with several new ideas: one was centered on a mercenary who would use a giant sword to defeat enemies; another was that a middle school student would find an antique toy knight that would come to life and help combat evil. Raiku favored the latter idea.[vol. 1]
Development
[edit]In the employ of manga writer Kazuhiro Fujita, Raiku believed himself to be underappreciated as a mangaka assistant and faced time constraints from his obligations, all of which impinged on his endeavors to settle on a plot of his new project.[15] After a few months of contemplation, he published chapter 1 on January 10, 2001, for the serial on Shōnen Sunday Super. He released subsequent chapters of Zatch Bell! on a monthly basis but accelerated it to once a week as he felt that the story was proliferating too slowly.[16] It would thus be the first weekly serialization of his material.[1] According to a fan-based Q&A, he attributed writing the series to having so much energy "pent up like magma" from having his many drawing ideas rejected by the editors of Shogakukan.[15] Volume 1 debuted with the first eight chapters on May 18, 2001.[17] Volumes 5 and 6 are based on Raiku's research trip at the University of Cambridge in England.[vol. 6] Production of Zatch Bell! was halted in late 2005 when Raiku severely injured his writing hand, resulting in a surgery that took two months to heal and led to the delayed publication of volume 23.[vol. 24][18][19]
Characters
[edit]When conceiving the characters of Zatch Bell!, Raiku sought inspirations by gleaning through numerous novels,[20] having social conversations, and playing some of his favorite video games including Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Animal Crossing.[21] Zatch evolved from the heroic knight as Raiku deferred to a "cuter" character design that the editorial board wanted.[vol. 1] Zatch's current model was the first of many abstract revisions made over a few months, and some of the physical features on those models were passed along to other Mamodo characters. The vertical furrows below Zatch's eyes were added to help the reader differentiate him from human children[21]—this had led the magazine Nintendo Power to mistake Zatch for a doll.[22] Raiku also drafted different styles of the middle school student who would become Kiyo Takamine, aiming for an impressionable genius figure.[vol. 1] Another early draft showed the side-character Suzy Mizuno with long hair, but Raiku shortened it to "reinforce energy."[vol. 1] Additionally, he composed the punch line "Invincible Italian Man" for which Parco Folgore was eventually created.[23] His fondness of horses was the source of Ponygon.[vol. 7][24]
During the run of Zatch Bell!, Raiku periodically held drawing contests for readers to submit design concepts of Mamodo to be highlighted on the manga. These contests often enticed an overwhelming amount of responses.[vol. 10] One winning entry was flagged over evidence of plagiarism.[vol. 20]
Facilities
[edit]Raiku authored Zatch Bell! at his Narima residence which he repurposed as a makeshift studio named R・Studio, which featured Zatch on the logo.[25][26] The sign itself was created with Adobe's Illustrator and cut out of a cast-iron plate by an outside vendor.[27] The studio's interior was adorned with an extensive collection of memorabilia. On one part were papers related to Zatch Bell!, including Raiku's sketches, postcards for the design contests and fan art.[26] On another were miniature figurines of the series' characters stored in glass cabinets, as well as replicates of a toy robot that Kiyo makes for Zatch called "Vulcan 300" (バルカン300, Barukan 300). Artwork and autographs by various manga artists were also placed at the foyer.[26] Raiku kept himself isolated himself at the studio for whole days to catch up on deadlines that Shogakukan frequently imposed,[vol. 26] often choosing a section of the building with a high ceiling to avoid getting claustrophobic.[19] He mentored several aspirant manga artists, occasionally summoning four or five of them to assist with Zatch Bell! at the studio.[vol. 33][26] Raiku would sell the property in 2016.[25]
Work on Zatch Bell! also took place at a nearby restaurant, which Raiku admitted to have visited regularly as he wanted to be surrounded by people and stay away from video games and the Internet.[26] There, he would brainstorm on storyboards, each of which took about two days to make for a single chapter.
For the kanzenban edition of Zatch Bell!, Raiku moved to Gifu, in the prefecture of his birth,[28] where he converted his new residence in a similar manner.[29] He switched over to digital artistry due to a chronic shortage of assistants, stressing that "fewer kids were aspiring to become mangaka" at his time. He redrew pages of Zatch Bell! using stylus on touchscreen but colored the images by hand.[30]
Lawsuit and transferral
[edit]In June 2008, Raiku filed a lawsuit against Shogakukan after several Zatch Bell! manuscripts went missing.[31] The case stemmed from the company returning the original manga artwork to him at the end of the series' run in 2007,[32] a common practice of Japanese publishers.[19] Raiku named five colored pages that failed to turn up: two from volume 1, one from volume 9, one from volume 11, and one from volume 15.[19] In a brief to the Tokyo District Court,[33] he accused Shogakukan of negligence for mishandling the artwork and demanded ¥3.3 million (US$31,927.4) in damages and legal fees; Shogakukan denied the allegations.[32] In November 2008, the two parties reached a settlement for ¥2.55 million (US$24,671.17). Despite publicly acknowledging to have had lost the art pieces, Shogakukan refused to recognize their artistic value.[31] In a press conference, Raiku called the settlement "one giant step" for the manga community, invoking Neil Armstrong's quote.[31] Regarding the scale of the lawsuit, Johnathon Greenall of CBR argued that Zatch Bell! ultimately brought attention to the strife of manga authors with the publishing industry.[19]
Indeed, leading up to the lawsuit, Raiku wrote his grievances about Shogakukan's editors in some volumes which grew sharper as the series progressed.[19] On the heels of the settlement, Raiku severed from Shogakukan,[34] making Zatch Bell! his last manga series by the publisher. The decision caused media outlets and international markets to lose access to the franchise.[19][35] In 2011, Raiku transferred Zatch Bell! to the publisher Kodansha for reissue in a shorter sixteen-volume format. By 2018, however, he left Kodansha to found his own publishing company, Birgdin Board Corp, through which he would also re-release Zatch Bell! in a digital format, as well as the sequel Konjiki no Gash!! 2.[36]
Media
[edit]Manga
[edit]Written and illustrated by Makoto Raiku, Zatch Bell! began its serialization in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday on January 10, 2001,[37] and ended on December 26, 2007.[1] The manga ran for a total of 323 chapters, collected in 33 tankōbon volumes, from May 18, 2001,[38] to June 18, 2008.[39] Shogakukan also published a yonkoma tie-in manga titled Konjiki no Gash Bell! 4-Koma Special 1 (金色のガッシュベル!! 4コマスペシャル 1, Konjiki no Gasshu Beru!! Yonkoma Supesharu Ichi, "Golden Gash Bell!! 4-Cell Special 1") on July 28, 2005.[40]
Viz Media picked up the license for the English release of Zatch Bell! in North America. Chuang Yi also provided the English distribution of the manga in Singapore.[41] Viz gave the series title and eponymic character an alternate name in the English release due to contextual problems in the Japanese lines.[8] The first two volumes of the series were released on August 2, 2005.[42][43] Raiku's termination with Shogakukan forced Viz to end the adaptation of Zatch Bell! on June 9, 2009, after 25 volumes.[44][45][19]
Later releases
[edit]Paying homage to the 10th anniversary of Zatch Bell!, a one-shot gaiden written by Raiku, titled Konjiki no Gash!! Gaiden "Tomo" (金色のガッシュ!! 外伝「友」, lit. Golden Gash!! Side Story "Friend"), was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on March 9, 2011.[46] This story is about the interregnum of Zatch after the tournament. The gaiden also promoted a revival of the series, which Kodansha repackaged into 16 bunkoban volumes published from March 8, 2011, to June 7, 2012.[47][48] A digital 16-volume kanzenban edition of Zatch Bell! was released in July 2018 by Birgdin Board Corp, Raiku's self-publishing company. Each re-release features newly drawn cover art, full-colored pages from the original Weekly Shōnen Sunday serialization, and an omake in each volume called Zatch Café[k] starring characters from that volume's cover.[49] The kanzenban edition was released on paperback in 2019 after successful sales and demand from fans, and came with packages of holographic character stickers.[50][51]
A sequel manga series, titled Konjiki no Gash!! 2 (金色のガッシュ!! 2, Konjiki no Gasshu!! 2, informally Zatch Bell! 2[E]), was announced on February 2022, capping a 15-year lacuna.[36] Continuing the story ten years after the initial events, King Zatch and his acolytes reunite with their former partners on Earth as they flee from a suppressive Mamodo who has wreaked devastation on the Mamodo world. Volume 1 was released digitally on March 14, 2022, by Birgdin Board Corp.,[57] and in print on September 16, 2022, by Kraken Comics.[58] As of August 23, 2024, four volumes have been published.[59] Copies of the sequel's first volume were made available at the Tsutaya Books Daikanyama.[58]
Anime
[edit]Raiku teased an anime adaptation by pointing to a 30-second commercial with a moving depiction of Zatch.[vol. 4] The 150-episode TV series, known in Japan as Konjiki no Gash Bell!! (金色のガッシュベル!!, Konjiki no Gasshu Beru!!, "Golden Gash Bell!!") to distinguish it from the manga's title, was produced by Toei Animation and directed by Tetsuharu Nakamura and Yukio Kaizawa. Akatsuki Yamatoya and Hiroshi Hashimoto served as the lead scriptwriters.[60] The anime began airing on Fuji TV on April 6, 2003, and ran for three seasons, each with 50 episodes, through March 26, 2006.[61] When Zatch Bell! came to a standstill over Raiku's injury, the anime's production outpaced the manga's. Toei therefore resorted to using rough drafts of the manga to fill in events for successive episodes,[19] resulting in significant alterations to the arc with Zatch and his friends within the bowels of Faudo and converging to where Zatch prevents Faudo from hitting Mochinoki. The anime abruptly concluded on an ambiguous note before the manga could be completed.[13][56] Pony Canyon collected the episodes into three DVD series, labeled as "levels", consisting of seventeen DVDs each, totaling 51 sets: the first level was released from November 19, 2003,[62] to April 20, 2005;[63] the second level was released from May 18, 2005,[64] to June 21, 2006;[65] the third level was released from July 5, 2006,[66] to March 7, 2007.[67] Starting December 6, 2023, Toei progressively streamed the entirety of the series on its YouTube channel, the 150th episode uploaded on May 3, 2024.[68][35]
In 2004, ShoPro Entertainment licensed the anime for broadcast and distribution in the Region 1 market with the title "Zatch Bell!". That license was carried over to Viz following the merger in 2005.[69][70] The series' English dub premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network's Saturday nighttime programming block Toonami on March 5, 2005,[71][72] as well as on the network's daily programming block Miguzi starting April 3, 2006.[73] The series also premiered on YTV's programming block Bionix in Canada from September 9, 2005,[74] to December 6, 2008. Studiopolis provided the voice cast for the English dub.[75] Cartoon Network cancelled the series on January 20, 2007, after 77 episodes due to declining viewership.[76][36] YTV continued airing Zatch Bell! until episode 104, by which Viz gave up its English-broadcasting rights with Shogakukan.[19] In August 2005, Viz announced that the series would be released for home video.[77] Thirteen DVDs, collected into the first 52 episodes, were released by Viz from November 8, 2005, to December 4, 2007.[78][79] New Video Group released a DVD box set, Zatch Bell!: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2, on December 3, 2013, which included the first 100 dubbed episodes.[80] The North American broadcast and home distribution of Zatch Bell! saw adjustments to the episodes to make the series suitable for young audiences. For example, as part of filtering out sexual innuendo, Folgore's signature song which seemingly gratifies groping on women was substituted with a less obtrusive number Hey Hey Let's Dance All Day. Scenes with Japanese cultural and religious references were edited as well.[8] All 104 episodes of the English dub were streamed on Crunchyroll in 2015[81][82] and on the video on demand service Starz on July 1, 2017.[83]
Films
[edit]Toei produced two animated spin-off films based on the manga which expand upon the Zatch Bell! mythos. In the first film, Zatch Bell!: 101st Devil,[l] an overzealous Mamodo named Wiseman seeks to illicitly enter the tournament by stealing a coveted white spellbook, then baiting Zatch into the Mamodo world as a means of expelling him from the tournament.[84] The film also delves into Zatch's homeworld in finer detail and how a human partner is selected for each Mamodo, with Wiseman deemed unfit for one. 101st Devil premiered in Japanese theaters on August 7, 2004, and released to DVD on December 15, 2004.[85][86] The second film, Zatch Bell! Movie 2: Attack of Mechavulcan,[m] tells of a conceited Mamodo scientist named Dr. M2 who travels from the future to Earth with an army of oversized robots resembling the Vulcan 300 from the main series. Attack of Mechavulcan premiered in Japanese theaters on August 6, 2005, and came out on DVD on January 2, 2006.[87]
Discotek Media licensed both films for distribution in North America.[88] They were released on Blu-ray and DVD with the original Japanese audio and English subtitles on March 27 and May 21, 2018, respectively.[89][90]
Music
[edit]Kow Otani composed and arranged the soundtracks for Zatch Bell!.[91] Otani tapped other musical composers for the projects: Cher Wanatabe, who also composed songs for The Prince of Tennis and Sonic X[92]; Chiwata Hidenori,[93] Rino,[94] Aya Ueto,[95][21] and Takayoshi Tanimoto.[96] The albums were published by the now-defunct company Interchannel (NEC Interchannel until 2004) and distributed by King Records.
The first album, Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Original Soundtrack, was released in August 27, 2003, and contains 25 tracks, including the opening theme for the anime's first and second seasons.[97] Next came Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Original Soundtrack II, released on January 7, 2004, with 25 tracks (including a bonus track).[98] The third, Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Original Soundtrack III, was released on March 24, 2006, and has 28 tracks, including the opening theme for the third season.[99] Soundtracks for the two anime movies became available around their release dates.[100][101] King also released a series of character albums featuring the cast of voices for Zatch Bell! from 2003 to 2005. This included an EP album stylistically titled Happy Tomorrow☆ performed by Ai Maeda as Megumi.[F] Three song compilation; Konjiki no Gash Bell!! - Collection of Golden Songs I, II, and III; were published between 2004 and 2006.[115][116][117] A fourth compilation album, titled Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Complete Singles Collection, was made available in 2007.[118]
Merchandise
[edit]Toys
[edit]The toy and entertainment company Mattel unveiled a Zatch Bell! toy line in 2005.[119] It rolled out to retail the following year.[120] The company mass-produced 2-inch miniatures of the characters on track with the anime episodes. Among these miniatures was Folgore on a skateboard that Raiku came across at a toy shoppe during his excursion in England.[vol. 6] Mattel also sold plushes of Zatch and Brago.[119]
An interactive life-sized mockup of Zatch's spellbook was retailed by Bandai for its Proplica collector's item line catering to adults. The book contains the invented Mamodo scriptures illuminated by LED bulbs, a built-in voice recorder, and speakers that play the anime theme song by Chiwata Hidenori.[121]
Video games
[edit]A number of Zatch Bell! video games have been released on various consoles by Nintendo and Sony. Most of these are fighting games in which the player controls one of the characters from Zatch Bell!. Banpresto developed the majority of the video game lineup, and Bandai distributed the titles in North America. Since the merging of Bandai and Namco in 2004, GameCube versions are published by Namco Bandai Games.
Zatch Bell! Electric Arena is the first Zatch Bell! video game, released on December 12, 2003, for the Game Boy Advance.[122] Its successor, Zatch Bell! Electric Arena 2, was released one year later to the day;[123] plans to import the game to North American markets were scrapped.[124] Zatch Bell! Mamodo Battles, which debuted on March 25, 2004, for PlayStation 2 and GameCube, is the first console installment for the franchise.[125] Zatch Bell! Mamodo Fury was released on December 2, 2004, for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube,[126] and is the only Zatch Bell! video game ported for the GameCube in North America. The first Zatch Bell! video game to utilize 3D mechanics is Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Yūjō Tag Battle,[n] released on March 25, 2004, and developed by Eighting.[127][128] A digital collectible card game titled Konjiki no Gash Bell!! The Card Battle for GBA[o] was released for the Game Boy Advance on July 28, 2005, and is the only video game to not employ in-combat form of gameplay.[129] A web browser game titled Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Golden Memories[p] was released on March 26, 2019.[130]
Mobile games
[edit]In 2017, the characters of Zatch Bell! made brief crossover appearances for the mobile tile-matching game Elemental Story, developed by Studio Z.[131]
A mobile RPG titled Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Towa no Kizuna no Nakama-tachi (金色のガッシュベル!! 永遠の絆の仲間たち, Golden Gash Bell!! Friends are an Eternal Bond) was greenlit by Toei in commemoration of Zatch Bell!'s 20th anniversary.[132] It was developed by Neowiz in conjunction with Toho and GameOn, and released as a closed beta product on September 6, 2023, for the Android and iOS.[133][134] The game's final version was made available to the public in Japan on Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store on January 17, 2024.[135][136]
Collectible card game
[edit]A collectible card game produced by Bandai called Zatch Bell!: The Card Battle[q] was released in Japan in 2003 and the United States in 2005.[137] The game is played between two persons with cardholders designed after the Mamodo spellbooks to construct a hand of 32 cards from the deck.[138]: 3 [139] It uses a play mat with designated modules for putting cards into action or discarding them from play,[138]: 18 and integrates currency-based "magical point" chips needed to apply the cards' specified effects.[138]: 10, 15 A player wins when their opponent's hand has been depleted.[138]: 17 The cards were released in named sets. Seven starter decks, fourteen booster packs called "levels", and various expansion and special edition sets were introduced;[140] of the cards up for distribution in Japan, about 450 were made available in sets of four series in North America.[141] Bandai reported that The Card Battle had sold over 300 million units by May 2004.[142] The CCG was adapted into a handheld video game for the Game Boy Advance.[143]
Artbook
[edit]The Zatch Bell! art were anthologized with those of Animal Land and Vector Ball (two manga selections by Makoto Raiku) in an official artbook commissioned by Kraken Comics.[144] The visuals were exhibited at the Tokyo Skytree on September 16, 2022, and given out to guests at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum on October 6, 2022.[145]
Themes and analysis
[edit]The prominent buddy trope of Zatch Bell! supports the "passionate story about a heartwarming friendship" that Makoto Raiku intended to convey.[23] Quinn Morris of Sequential Planet observed that "good guys have good and healthy partnerships, and the bad guys have unhealthy relationships in one way or another".[146] The crux of the narrative therefore lies on this "power of friendship", which bolsters both the relationship and firmness among Zatch, Kiyo and their closest allies in trying times.[147] By a similar token, Kiyo takes expedited steps to protect innocent strangers, a trait which proves especially invaluable against spillovers of the Mamodo tournament that threaten harm on humanity.[148]
Several writers of CBR presented analytical commentary of Zatch Bell!. Lee Russo called the action scenarios in the manga the "most creative".[148] The locations were carefully choreographed to provide each backdrop a specific flair, such as a Mamodo with plant-based spells at a botanical garden, and Baltro controlling suits of armor inside an English castle. The protagonists learn to adapt to each scenario; in any case, Kiyo adheres to a basic strategy of pointing in the direction for Zatch to launch his attacks. From this, Russo explained, "Often, the duo will be minding their own business when they get trapped by enemy demons and book masters from out of nowhere. This set up really gives the fights an intense sense of urgency, but also a tinge of paranoia as you're not quite sure when or where the next set of enemies will appear."[148] Russo also noted how the art quality changes with the atmosphere of the story. The "outlandish expressions and goofy designs" capture comically mundane events, contrasting with the "tension" and aggrandized chiaroscuro that make Zatch and Kiyo more "genuinely intimidating" during the fights.[148] Deni Sahbegovic compared the series to Dragon Ball, writing that Raiku's panels emulate Akira Toriyama's appetite for combat fiction.[149]
Underpinning the manga's action sequences are the Mamodo spells and their spellbook, instruments of the tournament. While the front cover of every spellbook is identical, different book colors lend unique sets of spells they generate.[6] Raiku cited the influence for Zatch's red spellbook from a Gaelic folktale that he was interested in.[15] The particulars of a spell may be defined by its semantic.[6] As examples, the morpheme ruk signifies transformation,[23] jio implies healing,[ch. 65] and guno evokes incarnations of snakes.[150] Brandon Beckford enumerated the spells by their intensity:
The most destructive and highest level of spell is categorized as a Shin class spell, with Dioga, Teo, Raja, Gigano and Ma class spells following. Aside from Shin, Dioga and Gigano which classify raw destructive power, the other prefixes and suffixes can apply to spells that add a new effect to a lower class spell. For instance Teo class spells increase the root spell's blast radius, while Ma class spells often amplify the strength of defensive and or augmentation spells.[6]
The root word zaker across Zatch's repertoire produces streams of lightning. This propensity was derived from Raiku's own pen name indirectly translating to "lightning" in Japanese.[23]
Zatch Bell! also largely eschews killing off characters, an unusual motif for any action shōnen works.[151] In that regard, Morris wrote; "It’s not death makes any plot armor significantly less noticeable – instead of our heroes narrowly escaping death, it feels more like they’re legitimately winning a battle. It also does away with the question of mercy, since it would feel a little strange for Zatch and Kiyo to just go around killing children." Morris contended that "burning books is a great way to engage the viewer, keep the stakes high, and sidestep squick [sic]," also noting the emotional object, "but the other wonderful thing about book-burning is that it allows us to see characters reckon with loss and grief even though their partners aren’t technically dead."[151] These combined aspects essentially euphemize the Mamodo's removal from the tournament to their deaths. A drastic departure from this theme, however, occurs when Kiyo has a near-death experience that endows him with a clairvoyant ability after Rioh uses lethal force on him.[148] Jason Thompson of Anime News Network wrote that "Kiyo sacrifices himself to save Zatch, and has dying flashbacks to the opportunities he missed in life."[8]
Reception
[edit]Manga
[edit]In 2003, Zatch Bell! won the 48th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōnen category, tying with 20th Century Boys.[152] On TV Asahi's Manga Sōsenkyo poll in 2021, wherein 150,000 respondents were asked to choose the top 100 manga titles, Zatch Bell! placed 33rd.[153]
By June 2008, Zatch Bell! had sold over 22 million copies,[154] making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. In March 2017, PR Times reported that the manga had 23.8 million copies in circulation, including digital versions.[131]
Jason Thompson wrote: "Zatch Bell! was one of hundreds of manga competing to be Number Two in the newly established genre of 'heroes who fight using cute-but-violent monster/animal/pet companions.' But Zatch is an extreme case because it's SO cute and SO violent, both at the same time, mixing squash-and-stretch body distortions, heta-uma ugliness, smiling faces and gushing blood."[8] Jarred Pine of Mania.com stated, "The characters can look lopsided and out of proportions at times, with Kiyo experiencing Popeye arms on occasion. When the artwork gets more serious, it looks quite good, even though the added effect lines tend to make some panels feel a bit overdramatic, especially when Zatch is crying. The action work can feel quite explosive, with all the lightning bolts and flying icicles and all, which makes the Mamodo battle scenes a lot of fun." He added, "The book really started off on the wrong foot with me with the introduction of Kiyo, one of the most irritating and arrogant lead characters in a shōnen manga. His attitude is not a result of any sort of disposition or a hard life, he’s just a know-it-all that looks down on others. Luckily, Zatch’s quirky and upbeat personality helps balance the scales and quickly goes to work on fixing Kiyo’s bad attitude."[155] Some reviewers saw Zatch Bell! as an offshoot to Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! given its fighting elements.[8][156][157]
Anime
[edit]In 2005, the series ranked 20th on Animage's anime popularity poll,[158] and 64th in the top 100 anime shows in a web poll conducted by TV Asahi.[159] The anime's English dub became notable for its voiceovers. Debi Derryberry was nominated twice for "Best Actress in a Comedy" at the American Anime Awards for her role as Zatch,[160] while Jason Spisak placed fifth in the category "Best English voice actor" at the SPJA Industry Award for his role as Kiyo.[161] Dave Wittenberg was also nominated "Best Male Actor in a Comedy" for his portrayal of Folgore.[162] Philece Sampler was also accredited for her performance as the minor character Lori.[163]
The anime has received relatively mixed responses from critics. On the positive side, Anime News Network's Zac Bertschy described the anime as "...mind-numbingly over-the-top, so enthusiastically bizarre, that it's difficult to not get sucked into its strange little world" but saw its moral of "battle your way to the top while learning important lessons about teamwork and courage" as too generic. Still, he enjoyed the show's "sheer exuberance and energy" that saves it from being a "bland" anime and recommended it for kids.[164] Timothy Blake Donohoo of CBR praised the battle dynamics that link into the development of Zatch and Kiyo. Donohoo called the TV series an "underrated gem" and thought that it "wasn't appreciated enough [...] to step outside the shadow of Naruto and One Piece."[165]
On the negative side, Jason Van Horn of IGN criticized the visual effects, voice acting in the English dub, and the plot,[166] concluding that the protagonist goes "up against mamodo [sic] who are anything but good, and then succeeding and typically turning the mamodo [sic] they just battled against from bad to good by understanding. Yawn. Pass." Horn gave the anime an "Avoid It" assessment rating and recommended the manga instead.[167] Pam Gelman gave an evaluation of the anime on Common Sense Media: "The show's focus on relationships and the ability to trust a partner distinguishes it from many other anime adaptations. The series isn't just about violence -- although there's plenty of that, with constant battles involving spells and weapons -- but also about the relatable challenges and questions of identity that the characters face. Characters often think aloud about painful experiences in their past, and related flashbacks and evocative music add to the drama. Each character has his or her unique problems -- problems that aren't too unlike what kids face today." Gelman concluded that, overall, the series' "graphic violence and the internal struggles that the different characters face" throughout are such that "some parents may not find Zatch Bell! appropriate for their children under ten years old."[168] Writing about the manga, Jason Thompson also lamented the "countless" censorship in the anime's English release, noting that he was personally involved in editing the episodes under Viz's direction.[8]
Critics suggested a remake of the anime owing to the manga sequel.[169][170][171]
Notes
[edit]Transliterations
[edit]- ^ Mamono (魔物, lit. "demon"); this is expressed as both singular and plural. The English adaptation erroneously pluralizes it as "Mamodos".
- ^ Demon World (魔界, Makai, lit. "Demon Realm")
- ^ Spellbook (魔本, Mahon, lit. "magic book")
- ^ Jutsu (術, translates to "art," "technique," or "skill"). Synonymous with Incantation (呪文, Jumon, "Spell")
- ^ Hon no Mochinushi (本の持ち主, lit. "owner of the book")
- ^ Rauzaruku (ラウザルク) in the Japanese release.
- ^ Poreido (ポレイド).
- ^ Kokoro no chikara (心の力).
- ^ Kokoro no enerugī (心のエネルギー), or "strength from within" in the anime's English dub.
- ^ Baō Zakeruga (バオウ・ザケルガ); Bao Zakerga in the English release.
- ^ Known in Japan as Gash Café (ガッシュカフェ, Gasshu Kafe).
- ^ Known in Japan as "Gekijou Ban Konjiki no Gash Bell!! 101 Banme no Mamono" (劇場版 金色のガッシュベル!! 「101番目の魔物」, lit. "Movie Golden Gash Bell!! Unlisted demon #101").
- ^ Known in Japan as "Gekijou Ban Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Mecabarukan no raishuu" (劇場版 金色のガッシュベル!! 「メカバルカンの来襲」, lit. "Movie Golden Gash Bell!! Attack of the Mechavulcan").
- ^ lit. "Golden Gash Bell!! Friendship Tag Battle" (金色のガッシュベル!! 友情タッグバトル).
- ^ Konjiki no Gasshu Beru!! Sa Kādobatoru for GBA (金色のガッシュベル!! サ・カードバトル for GBA, stylized as 金色のガッシュベル!! THE CARD BATTLE for GBA).
- ^ Konjiki no Gasshu Beru!! Gōruden Memorizu (金色のガッシュベル!! Golden Memories).
- ^ Konjiki no Gash Bell!! The Card Battle (金色のガッシュベル!! THE CARD BATTLE).
Clarification
[edit]- ^ A concert ticket that Kiyo holds in the anime is dated 2003.[4]
- ^ This is one of three scenarios described in the franchise. The second is the Mamodo world in which the Mamodo are free to cast spells as they desire. The anime introduces a third scenario called the "In-Between-World" (異世界, Yisekai, lit. "Different World"), where spells can be cast independently but only in the presence of a spell book.[7]
- ^ Scanlations refer to the tournament phase with ten Mamodo remaining as the "King's Festival", a term not endorsed in the manga.
- ^ They appear in a colored montage at the end of the manga series.[vol. 33]
- ^ Based on multiple attributes:[36][52][53][54][55][35][56].
- ^ Multiple references:[102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111][112][113][114].
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Loo, Egan (December 28, 2007). "Zatch Bell Manga Ends After 7 Years, 323 Installments". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 28, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ Thompson, Jason (July 3, 2012). Manga: The Complete Guide (Kindle). Del Rey Books. pp. 1350–1352. ISBN 978-0-345-53944-1.
- ^ "Cartoon Network gears up for 2005 with new acquisitions". Indian Television. April 12, 2005. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ Episode 14.
- ^ Episode 95.
- ^ a b c d e f Beckford, Brandon (June 28, 2020). "Anime Arsenal: Zatch Bell's Mamodo Spell Books, Explained". CBR. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ Episodes 96-98.
- ^ a b c d e f g Thompson, Jason (August 14, 2014). "House of 1000 Manga - Zatch Bell". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
- ^ Episode 16. Robnos: I saw a Mamodo [...] who looked exactly like Zatch! (Viz Media dub).
- ^ Episode 21. Megumi: I'm positive it was Zatch who we saw standing there. Either that or Zatch has a double! (Viz Media dub).
- ^ Episode 7.
- ^ a b Episode 150.
- ^ a b Lobato, Daniel (January 21, 2023). "12 Anime That Were Cancelled Before Their Stories Could Conclude Properly". CBR. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ Davis, Angela (May 26, 2024). "10 Anime that Absolutely NEED New Seasons to Continue Their Story". Screen Rant. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c Kanzenban Special Book, p. 52.
- ^ "Raiku Makoto-sensei Special Talk: My Rookie Years" (Interview). March 2002. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011.
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- ^ Macdonald, Christopher (December 8, 2005). "Zatch Bell on Hiatus". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Greenall, Johnathon (October 4, 2023). "What Ever Happened To Zatch Bell?". CBR. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Kanzenban Special Book, p. 83.
- ^ a b c "Interview: Makoto Raiku" (Interview). Retrieved August 4, 2024 – via Anime News Network.
- ^ "Nintendo Power". Nintendo Power. No. 194. Nintendo. August 2005. p. 33. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b c d "Origins, Creator Q & A". Viz Media. Archived from the original on January 29, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ Kanzenban Special Book, p. 48.
- ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (October 26, 2016). "House of Gash/Zatch Bell's Makoto Raiku Posted for Sale Online". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e 「金色のガッシュ!!」の作者である漫画家、雷句誠さんにいろいろとインタビューしてきました. Gigazine (in Japanese). June 20, 2008. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ Kanzenban Special Book, p. 78.
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- ^ Kanzenban Special Book, pp. 76, 78.
- ^ Kanzenban Special Book, p. 77.
- ^ a b c Loo, Egan (November 11, 2008). "Gash/Zatch Bell's Raiku Wins 2.55M Yen over Lost Art (Update)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ a b "News: Gash/Zatch Bell Manga Creator Raiku Sues Shogakukan (Updated) Archived February 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Anime News Network. June 6, 2008. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
- ^ 漫画の原画なくされ提訴 「金色のガッシュ!!」作者 (in Japanese). The Asahi Shimbun Company. June 6, 2008. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ News: Zatch Bell Creator Raiku Opts to Leave Shogakukan Anime News Network. May 30, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
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- ^ Raiku, Makoto (January 17, 2011). 雷句誠の今日このごろ。 : 感想コーナー4、そして・・・. Makoto Raiku's official blog (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 22, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
あれからもう10年もの年月が流れたのですね・・・。10年前の2001年1月10日。今でも初めて本作を手にとって眼にした時のことは鮮明に思い出されます。第一話のガッシュの真っ直ぐな言葉に受けた衝撃。それは今でも決して忘れません。そして、ラストの爆発頭の清麿達のことも(笑)。
- ^ 小学館: コミック 「金色のガッシュ!! 1」 [Zatch Bell! Vol. 1] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
- ^ 小学館: コミック 「金色のガッシュ!! 33」 [Zatch Bell! Vol. 33] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
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- ^ "Zatch Bell! Vol. 2". Viz Media. Archived from the original on December 30, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
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- ^ Garnett, Christian (December 1, 2021). "6 Great Manga That Never Finished Publication In America". CBR. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "Gash/Zatch Bell Gets New 1-Shot Manga in March". Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- ^ 金色のガッシュ!!(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
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- ^ Raiku, Makoto (June 23, 2018). 「金色のガッシュ!!完全版」が、電子書籍で販売されます!!. Makoto Raiku's official blog (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Raiku, Makoto (April 19, 2019). 「金色のガッシュ!!完全版」が紙の書籍で出ます!. Makoto Raiku's official blog (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Kanzenban Special Book, p. 81.
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3月14日、各電子書店にて配信開始です。
今回のCM動画もクリックすると、カッコイイ曲がついてきます。😊 (Tweet) (in Japanese) – via Twitter. - ^ a b 雷句誠「金色のガッシュ!! 2」1巻発売、清麿とガッシュの新たなバトルを描く. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 16, 2022. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
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Works cited
[edit]- Zatch Bell! manga volumes by Raiku, Makoto. Original Japanese version published by Shogakukan. English translations published by Viz Media.
- Vol. 1 (ch. 1–8): May 18, 2001. ISBN 4-09-126231-7 (in Japanese); August 2, 2005, ISBN 978-1-59116-586-6 (in English).
- Vol. 2 (ch. 9–18): August 9, 2001. ISBN 4-09-126232-5 (in Japanese); August 2, 2005. ISBN 978-1-59116-588-0 (in English).
- Vol. 3 (ch. 19–28): October 18, 2001. ISBN 4-09-126233-3 (in Japanese); October 11, 2005. ISBN 978-1-59116-590-3 (in English).
- Vol. 4 (ch. 29–38): January 18, 2002. ISBN 4-09-126234-1 (in Japanese); December 20, 2005. ISBN 978-1-4215-0282-3 (in English).
- Vol. 5 (ch. 39–48): April 18, 2002. ISBN 4-09-126235-X (in Japanese); February 21, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0283-0 (in English).
- Vol. 6 (ch. 49–57): July 18, 2002. ISBN 4-09-126236-8 (in Japanese); April 18, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0387-5 (in English).
- Vol. 7 (ch. 58–66): October 18, 2002. ISBN 4-09-126237-6 (in Japanese); June 20, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0513-8 (in English).
- Vol. 8 (ch. 67–74): December 18, 2002. ISBN 4-09-126238-4 (in Japanese); August 15, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0514-5 (in English).
- Vol. 9 (ch. 75–84): March 18, 2003. ISBN 4-09-126239-2 (in Japanese); October 10, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0515-2 (in English).
- Vol. 10 (ch. 85–94): April 18, 2003. ISBN 4-09-126240-6 (in Japanese); December 12, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4215-0516-9 (in English).
- Vol. 11 (ch. 95–103): June 18, 2003 ISBN 4-09-126451-4 (in Japanese); February 13, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-0830-6 (in English).
- Vol. 12 (ch. 104–113): August 8, 2003. ISBN 4-09-126452-2 (in Japanese); April 10, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-0831-3 (in English).
- Vol. 13 (ch. 114–123): November 15, 2003. ISBN 4-09-126453-0 (in Japanese); June 12, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-0832-0 (in English).
- Vol. 14 (ch. 124–133): January 17, 2004. ISBN 4-09-126454-9 (in Japanese); August 14, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-0833-7 (in English).
- Vol. 15 (ch. 134–143): March 18, 2004. ISBN 4-09-126455-7 (in Japanese); October 9, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-0834-4 (in English).
- Vol. 16 (ch. 144–153): June 18, 2004. ISBN 4-09-126456-5 (in Japanese); December 11, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4215-0835-1 (in English).
- Vol. 17 (ch. 154–162): August 5, 2004. ISBN 4-09-126456-5 (normal ed.), ISBN 4-09-126456-5 (special ed.) (in Japanese); February 12, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1528-1 (in English).
- Vol. 18 (ch. 163–172): November 18, 2004. ISBN 4-09-126458-1 (in Japanese); April 8, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1711-7 (in English).
- Vol. 19 (ch. 173–182): January 14, 2005. ISBN 4-09-126459-X (in Japanese); June 10, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1712-4 (in English).
- Vol. 20 (ch. 183–192): March 18, 2005. ISBN 4-09-126460-3 (in Japanese); August 12, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1713-1 (in English).
- Vol. 21 (ch. 193–202): July 15, 2005. ISBN 4-09-127291-6 (in Japanese); October 14, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1714-8 (in English).
- Vol. 22 (ch. 203–212): August 5, 2005. ISBN 4-09-127292-4 (in Japanese); December 9, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4215-1714-8 (in English).
- Vol. 23 (ch. 213–223): November 18, 2005. ISBN 4-09-127293-2 (in Japanese); February 10, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2238-8 (in English).
- Vol. 24 (ch. 224–233): March 17, 2006. ISBN 4-09-120124-5 (in Japanese); April 14, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2239-5 (in English).
- Vol. 25 (ch. 234–243): June 16, 2006. ISBN 4-09-120420-1 (in Japanese); June 9, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4215-2240-1 (in English).
- Vol. 26 (ch. 244–253): September 15, 2006. ISBN 4-09-120590-9 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 27 (ch. 254–263): December 16, 2006. ISBN 4-09-120698-0 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 28 (ch. 264–273): March 16, 2007. ISBN 978-4-09-121023-4 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 29 (ch. 274–283): June 18, 2007. ISBN 978-4-09-121077-7 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 30 (ch. 284–293): September 18, 2007. ISBN 978-4-09-121185-9 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 31 (ch. 294–303): December 15, 2007. ISBN 978-4-09-121227-6 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 32 (ch. 304–313): March 18, 2008. ISBN 978-4-09-121296-2 (Japanese only).
- Vol. 33 (ch. 314–323): June 18, 2008. ISBN 978-4-09-121399-0 (Japanese only).
Zatch Bell! anime episodes by Toei Animation.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Official manga website at Web Sunday at the Wayback Machine (archived February 27, 2005) (in Japanese)
- Official anime website at Toei Animation (in Japanese)
- Official anime website at Fuji TV (in Japanese)
- Official website at Viz Media at the Wayback Machine (archived April 12, 2006)
- Zatch Bell! at IMDb
- Zatch Bell! (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia