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Kino is the main character of Kino no Tabi (Kino's Journey).

  • 1 Appearance
  • 2 Personality
  • 3 Background
  • 4 Relationships
  • 6 Reference
  • 7 Navigation

Appearance [ ]

Kino is a beige skinned young ambiguous looking teenager with dark green eyes and dark green short hair. In the Light Novel, Kino is depicted in various colors, such as black hair and eyes to dark green hair and eyes.

Kino wears a white blouse with a dark olive green military styled jacket with matching pants that has a western aesthetic paired with a belt with bags and a holster attached for her guns, as well as a Ushanka styled hat with goggles, over top of her uniform she wears a tan trench coat.

Personality [ ]

At first Kino appears to be more stoic and apathetic.

Background [ ]

Kino is the lead character in the story along side Hermes , together they travel from country to country, visiting and staying for only 3 days.

Relationships [ ]

  • Kino (Original) ( Old friend )
  • Hermes ( partner )
  • Shishou ( teacher )
  • Shizu ( Friends and allies )
  • Riku ( Friends and allies )
  • Ti ( Friends and allies )
  • Her birth name might have been Sakura . In episode 11 " Country of Adults", Kino's voice makes a reference to "a name of a flower that if changed could become a bad word".
  • She enjoys singing.

Reference [ ]

Navigation [ ].

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Kino's Journey

Entry updated 21 March 2022. Tagged: Film, TV.

Japanese animated tv series ( 2003 ). Original title Kino no Tabi – The Beautiful World ; vt Kino's Journey – The Beautiful World . A.C.G.T. Based on the Light Novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. Directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. Written by Sadayuki Murai. Voice cast includes Ryuji Aigase, Kazuhiko Inoue and Ai Maeda. Thirteen 21-minute episodes and one twelve-minute OVA. Colour.

In episode 4, Kino (Inoue) arrives in the Land of Adults: here children undergo an operation at 12, to make them adults – always happy, even if they hate their job. He finds and repairs a broken motorcycle, talking to a girl (who is nearly 12) as he does so, leading her to question the operation. Her parents respond by declaring her defective and try to kill her – it is agreed by the populace that this is the adult thing to do – but Kino intervenes, is stabbed and dies. The girl flees on the motorcycle and takes the name Kino (Maeda). The viewer might infer that the androgynously dressed Kino is male until this backstory is revealed. The motorcycle – called a Motoradd – is sentient (whether through AI or Magic is unclear) and called Hermes (Aigase). The pair pass through a patchwork of independent states, witnessing different societies. Kino is a keen shot – so, with Hermes effectively her steed, the serie evokes the tradition of the Western drifter who is dragged unwillingly into local concerns (guns are even called "persuaders").

Her adventures include a town run by Steampunk -like machines: the few humans live alone on the outskirts, running away when the pair approach. One man does talk to them once he realizes Kino cannot read his mind, nor he hers, and explains the population had Scientists alter their brains to become Telepathic , in the belief that knowing other's thoughts would end conflict. It did not go well: "If you understood the pain of others, you just couldn't lead a normal life." Elsewhere, a poem engulfs a land in sorrow, whilst another country considers it a prophecy of the imminent End of the World (Kino is pleased that its businesses won't charge her). The world carries on, so the priests announce a miscalculation, and the prophecy is reinterpreted as an instruction to destroy the poet's country.

An inventor builds a flying machine (recalling Henri Robart's 1908 "Papillon" monoplane) and Kino, despite having experienced Computers and other advanced Technology , remarks on not having previously seen flying machines on her travels. The Land of Books acquires books from around the world, but critics decide which are fit to be read, for fear the impressionable will be unable to differentiate fantasy from reality; a mad author remarks that subjective reality means we all live in a fantasy, as no one is reality's main character. An old servant insists she is a Robot caring for a human family, but she is human and they are robots. An attempt to end crime (see Crime and Punishment ) by removing desire through surgically erasing self-consciousness fails. Kino meets a man cleaning the tracks of a disused railway; some miles back a man tears them up; behind another lays them afresh: she tells the first two of a rich country where the wealth is shared evenly and the machines do all the real work, but the population employs itself pointlessly checking their actions, to avoid indolence.

Kino, who feels that "the world is not beautiful, and that, in a way, lends it a kind of beauty", enjoys talking with people – this is part of why she travels – but tries to maintain a certain distance, deliberately spending no more than three days in any one place. In the last episode, however, she makes a real friend and wants to stay longer; an emotional gut-punch awaits.

Set on an Alternate History or Post-Holocaust Earth where countries' Utopian intentions frequently create a Dystopia , this excellent Anime often uses allegory to express its philosophical (see Metaphysics ) ideas. Two 30-minute films followed: the prequel Kino's Journey: Life Goes On ( 2005 ; original title Nanika o Suru Tame ni —life goes on) , explaining how Kino gained her survival skills, and Kino's Journey: Country of Illness – For You ( 2007 ; original title Kino no Tabi: Byōki no Kuni – For You ). A later Television series Kino's Journey – The Beautiful World – The Animated Series ( 2017 ) is generally felt to be truer to the source material, though weaker than this version. Nakamura had previously directed the classic Serial Experiments Lain ( 1998 ). [SP]

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Kino's Journey

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Kino's Journey: the Beautiful World ( キノの旅 -the Beautiful World- Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- ? ) , shortened to Kino's Journey , is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa , with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi . The series originally started serialization in volume five of MediaWorks ' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp on March 17, 2000. The first volume of the series was published on July 10, 2000 by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing imprint . As of October 2010, 14 volumes have been published, and over 5.6 million copies of the novels have been sold in Japan. [1] In Kino's Journey , the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking Brough Superior motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. A spin-off light novel series titled Gakuen Kino began with the first volume published on July 10, 2006 by ASCII Media Works; four volumes have been released as of July 2010.

A 13-episode anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T and Genco aired between April and July 2003 on WOWOW in Japan. Two visual novels for the PlayStation 2 were released by ASCII Media Works, the first in July 2003, and the second in December 2005. There have also been two 30-minute animated films produced, the first in February 2005, and the second in April 2007. A Kino's Journey light novel was only released as a promotional gift for the second animated movie. Additional merchandise includes an art book , three picture books , and a drama CD . A spin-off light novel series titled Gakuen Kino was also created.

  • 1.1 Themes and influences
  • 2.1 Main characters
  • 2.2 Other characters
  • 3.1 Light novels
  • 3.2 Art books
  • 3.4 Visual novels
  • 3.6 Music and audio CDs
  • 4 Reception
  • 5 References
  • 6 External links

In Kino's Journey , the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking motorcycle, a Brough Superior motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. Kino only spends three days and two nights in every town, without exception, on the principle that three days is enough time to learn almost everything important about a place, while leaving time to explore new lands. Kino says in The Land of Visible Pain that this principle is probably a lie, specifically noting "if I stay any longer, I'm afraid I will settle down." A phrase repeated in the anime and novels is "The world is not beautiful, therefore it is." Kino's Journey explores what the anime director Ryūtarō Nakamura described as "a radical sense of 'beauty," [2] and brutality, loneliness, nonsense, oppression and tragedy are often juxtaposed against compassion and a fairy-tale atmosphere.

For protection and hunting, Kino carries a .44 single action revolver (called "the Cannon", based on a Colt M1851 ) that uses liquid explosives in place of gunpowder and a .22 automatic pistol (named "the Woodsman", based on a Colt Woodsman ). Later in Kino's adventures in the novels, Kino also uses a pump action shotgun (based on a Winchester M1897 ) and a semi-automatic sniper rifle (called "the Flute", based on an Arisaka Type 99 rifle ), along with a variety of other tools, including knives . In the anime, she is shown to carry no less than five knives on her person, including one which can fire .22 bullets from its hilt. Kino is an unusually quick draw and practices every day before dawn.

Technology in this world exists, sometimes to the level of science fiction , although anachronisms are common (for example, the same land that has talking robots also appears to have phonographs , yet simultaneously the world has only begun to develop heavier-than-air flight). The level of technology also varies from country to country. The world is not heavily magical (the only "magical" elements include land that moves, a talking motorcycle, and a talking dog), although it has a certain fairy-tale quality.

Themes and influences [ ]

The "beautiful world" Kino travels through almost always has its dark side. Often the countries Kino visits are places where the populace is oppressed, where a tragedy has occurred, or where the culture has become extremely strange because the rulers or people sought to do what they believed was right. The phrase "the world is not beautiful, therefore it is" ( 世界は美しくなんかない。そしてそれ故に美しい。 Sekai wa utsukushiku nanka nai. Soshite sore yueni utsukushii. ? ) symbolizes how the dark aspects of life, such as oppression and tyranny, make the good and happy parts of life all the more precious and wonderful. Though Kino may encounter such horrible people such as the king in "Coliseum", she also meets people who make the "beautiful world" what it is, such as the rebels in the Land of Books, the girl Nimya in The Land of Wizards, or the self sacrifice of the people in "A Kind Land -Tomorrow never comes-".

The use of violence and whether or not it can be justified is a recurring theme in Kino's Journey , from whether animals should be killed in order to sustain the life of others to whether an entire population should be destroyed in order to save two other civilizations. The problems inherent in communication are also a prevalent theme, for example the havoc wrought in societies by telepathy or diverging interpretations of prophecies.

In an interview with Keiichi Sigsawa done by Anime News Network , [3] he stated that despite the similarities that have been pointed out between The Little Prince and Kino's Journey , it was not one of his main influences. In fact he did not even read the book until after he wrote Kino's Journey , at which point he stated that he enjoyed it and was honored that his book was being compared with The Little Prince . His main influence was in fact a manga named Galaxy Express 999 . Galaxy Express 999 follows the journey of Tetsuro Hoshino and the space train Galaxy Express 999 as it stops on many different planets, each with very different conditions. The story is set in the far future, where people may buy indestructible machine bodies to make themselves immortal. However, immortality comes at a price of giving up your humanity. This is similar to Kino's Journey in the fact that all the planets are extremely different which gives the story an episodic feel. It also has a great deal of the philosophy that Kino's Journey is known for.

Characters [ ]

Kino sitting in front of Hermes, her talking motorcycle.

Main characters [ ]

Other characters [ ].

Tokyopop 's English release of the first light novel volume featured a radically redesigned cover.

Light novels [ ]

Kino's Journey began as a series of light novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa , and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi . The series originally started serialization in MediaWorks ' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp with the release of volume six on March 17, 2000. [4] The first volume of the series was published on July 10, 2000 by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing imprint. As of October 10, 2010, 14 volumes have been published. The eighth volume of Kino's Journey , originally published in October 2004, was Dengeki Bunko' s 1000th published novel. [5] An additional volume entitled Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- Country of Theater -Kino- ( キノの旅 -the Beautiful World- 劇場の国 -KINO- Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- Gekijō no Kuni -KINO- ? ) was only released as a promotional gift for the second animated movie. [6] A collection of special chapters entitled Kino's Journey: the Sigsawa's World came with the first volume of ASCII Media Works ' light novel magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine on April 10, 2008.

The light novel series has also been translated into Chinese, Korean, and German. Tokyopop licensed the novels under the original title Kino no Tabi for release in North America, and the first volume was published on October 3, 2006. The chapter order of Tokyopop's English release of the first volume differed from the original Japanese release. According to Tokyopop representatives, there are issues with the licensor that have left them unable to release further volumes of the series. Tokyopop used an image from the sixth chapter-title page from the original novel for use as the English novel cover.

The first volume of a spin-off of the regular series titled Gakuen Kino was published on July 10, 2006 under Dengeki Bunko; as of July 10, 2010, four volumes have been released. The series is a collection of parodies originally published in three spin-off magazines of Dengeki hp : Dengeki p , Dengeki h , and Dengeki hpa . The spin-off features Kino as a magical girl in a school setting. Gakuen Kino was translated into Chinese and Korean.

Art books [ ]

A 90-six-page art book containing illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi was released by ASCII Media Works in March 2003. The book contained illustrations from Kino's Journey and the Allison series of light novels, which is created by the same people as with Kino's Journey . Also included in the art book are original illustrations never released in the novel volumes, and an original Kino's Journey short story by Keiichi Sigsawa. [7] Three picture books were also released by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel label. The first, released on December 3, 2003, contained forty-eight pages and is entitled Country of Memories -Their Memories- ( 記憶の国 -Their Memories- Kioku no Kuni -Their Memories- ? ) . The first picture book came bundled with an audio CD containing image songs (one of which is based on the tune of Pachelbel's Canon ). [7] The second book, released on March 30, 2005, contained eighty pages and is entitled The Traveler's Story -You- ( 旅人の話 -You- Tabibito no Hanashi -You- ? ) . The second book was released in two editions, with the difference between the two being a DVD of the first animated film Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something –Life Goes On– . [7] The third book, released on December 25, 2007, contained 40 pages and is entitled My Country -Own Will- ( わたしの国 -Own Will- Watashi no Kuni -Own Will- ? ) . The third book came bundled with a DVD of the second animated film Kino's Journey: Country of Illness -For You- . [7]

An anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T and Genco , and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura , aired on the WOWOW satellite television network between April 8 and July 8, 2003, containing 13 episodes. [8] [9] The anime series was also broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax , who also aired the series across its worldwide networks in Southeast Asia , East Asia , South Asia . The episodes were released on six DVD compilations released between June 18 and November 19, 2003; the first volume contained three episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained two episodes. The series was re-released on DVD in popular editions again in six volumes, with the first three volumes bundled together and sold on January 19, 2005, and the last three volumes bundled together and sold on February 16, 2005. [10] In addition to the main series, there is also a 12-minute long prologue entitled "Episode 0: The Tower Country -Freelance-" which was released as an original video animation with the first animated movie's DVD release on October 19, 2005. [11]

The 13-episode anime series was licensed for North American distribution by ADV Films . The episodes were initially released on four DVD compilations released between February 24, 2004 and June 29, 2004; the first volume contained four episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained three episodes. The first DVD volume was sold in two editions, with the difference between the two being a series box all four DVDs could fit inside. A DVD box set entitled Kino's Journey: The Complete Collection was released on October 25, 2005 containing three discs. In 2009, the series was re-released on three DVDs in a single case.

Visual novels [ ]

Kino's Journey has been adapted into two visual novel adventure games for the PlayStation 2 by Tycoon and ASCII Media Works . The first game, entitled Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- , was released on July 17, 2003, and a "best" version was later released on November 25, 2004. Most of the story for the first game is taken from volumes one, two, three, five, and six of the original light novels, but there is one scenario written specifically for the game by Keiichi Sigsawa . [12] The second game, entitled Kino's Journey II -the Beautiful World- , was released on December 1, 2005, and a "best" version was later released on March 8, 2007. Like the first game, most of the story is taken from the light novels, but there is another original scenario written by Sigsawa. [13] Additionally, the second game came bundled with a thirty-six page book entitled Various Stories -a Beautiful Dreamer- ( いろいろな話 -a Beautiful Dreamer- Iroirona Hanashi -a Beautiful Dreamer- ? ) containing the story of the original scenario written for the game. [14] Both of the visual novels were voiced, mainly using the same cast from the anime series. At one time, ASCII Media Works had planned to release a version for the PlayStation Portable . [15]

Two anime films have been created as part of the Kino's Journey series. The first, Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something –Life Goes On– ( 何かをするために―life goes on.― Nanika o Suru Tame ni –life goes on.– ? ) was produced by A.C.G.T and directed by Takashi Watanabe . It premiered in Japanese theaters on February 19, 2005. Spanning 30-minutes, the film is a prequel to the series, showing Kino being trained by her teacher, learning to ride Hermes, and discovering her naturally excellent marksmanship before eventually deciding to return the original Kino's coat to his mother.

The second film, Kino's Journey: Country of Illness -For You- ( キノの旅:病気の国 -For You- Kino no Tabi: Byōki no Kuni -For You- ? ) , premiered on April 21, 2007 as one of the three movies released at Dengeki Bunko's Movie Festival. [16] Produced by Shaft and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura , it follows Kino and Hermes journey to a highly advanced country where the people live confined in a sealed environment. By request of her father, Kino tells about her travels to a sick girl who is hospitalized there.

Music and audio CDs [ ]

A Kino's Journey drama CD was available through mail order via volume fifteen of MediaWorks ' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp released on December 18, 2001. [17] The drama tracks on the CD were originally broadcast on ASCII Media Works' radio program Dengeki Taishō in 2001. Two pieces of theme music were used for the anime: one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is " All the way " by Mikuni Shimokawa and the ending theme is "the Beautiful World" by Ai Maeda ; both singles were released on June 18, 2003. [11] The original soundtrack for the first visual novel was released on July 24, 2003. [11] The ending theme for the first animated film was "Hajimari no Nichi" ( 始まりの日 ? ) by Ai Maeda, and was released on Maeda's Night Fly album on March 16, 2005. The second animated film's ending theme is "Bird" by Mikuni Shimokawa , and the single was released on March 14, 2007.

A manga adaptation of the spin-off series Gakuen Kino is illustrated by the dōjinshi group Dennō Ōwadan. It began serialization in volume 10 of ASCII Media Works ' Dengeki G's Festival! Comic released on February 23, 2010. [18] The manga continued serialization until volume 14 of Dengeki G's Festival! Comic published on October 26, 2010. It was transferred to ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine with the December 2010 issue.

Reception [ ]

As of the release of the eleventh light novel on October 10, 2007, over 5.6 million copies of the novels have been sold in Japan. [1] The first novel which was published in the US generated positive reviews. Newtype USA named it the Book of the Month for November 2006 and called it "inviting and addictive," [19] while AnimeOnDVD said it "sucks you in," and "allows you to experience the journey" with the main character. [20] The series has ranked three times in Takarajimasha's light novel guide book Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! : second in 2006, fifth in 2007, and sixth in 2008.

References [ ]

  • ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ASCII Media Works' official listing of the light novels" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "TV series section at the anime's English official website" . ADV Films . Archived from the original on 2008-04-30 . Retrieved 2010-03-03 .  
  • ↑ "Interview: Kino's Journey creator Keiichi Sigsawa" . Anime News Network . 2005-09-01 . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ " Dengeki hp volume 6" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Archived from the original on January 17, 2006 . Retrieved October 30, 2010 .  
  • ↑ "Kino's Journey Japanese light novel volume 8 listing" (in Japanese). Honya Town . Retrieved 2008-06-07 .  
  • ↑ "Dengeki Bunko Movie Festival press release by ASCII Media Works" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . 2007-10-30 . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "ASCII Media Works' listing of additional Kino's Journey books" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ " Kino's Journey official episode listing" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-24 .  
  • ↑ " Kino's Journey episode list at WOWOW" (in Japanese). WOWOW . Archived from the original on October 16, 2007 . Retrieved 2008-03-24 .  
  • ↑ "DVD section at the anime's official website" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "CD/DVD section at ASCII Media Works' official website for Kino's Journey " (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .   Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "CD-DVD-MW" defined multiple times with different content
  • ↑ "Kino's Journey first visual novel official website" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "Second Kino's Journey visual novel gameplay system" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "Second Kino's Journey visual novel special bundle" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "TGS 2004: New PSP Games Announced" . IGN . 2004-09-21 . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "Dengeki Bunko Movie Festival official website" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ " Dengeki hp volume 15" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "電撃G's Festival! COMIC Vol.10" [Dengeki G's Festival! Comic Vol. 10] (in Japanese). Mangaoh . Retrieved October 30, 2010 .  
  • ↑ "Book of the Month - November 2006: Kino no Tabi Volume 1" . Newtype USA . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  
  • ↑ "Anime on DVD Reviews: Kino no Tabi (novel) Vol. #01" . Retrieved 2008-03-23 .  

External links [ ]

  • Official website (Japanese)
  • Kino's Journey at ASCII Media Works (Japanese)
  • Second animated film's official website (Japanese)
  • Kino's Journey at Tokyopop
  • Kino's Journey (anime) at Anime News Network 's Encyclopedia

eo:Kino no Tabi ko:키노의 여행 it:Kino no tabi pt:Kino's Journey ru:Kino's Journey fi:Kino no tabi sv:Kino's Journey tl:Kino's Journey th:การเดินทางของคิโนะ vi:Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- zh:奇諾之旅

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Kino's Journey

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Kino's journey.

2003 ‘キノの旅’ Directed by Ryutaro Nakamura , Tetsuya Endo …

In Kino's Journey, the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. She only spends three days and two nights in every town, without exception, on the principle that three days is enough time to learn almost everything important about a place, while leaving time to explore new lands.

Ai Maeda Ryuji Aigase Aki Haruta Chafurin Chiwa Saito Dai Matsumoto Fumihiko Tachiki Fumio Matsuoka Hiroshi Naka Hiroya Ishimaru Hiroyuki Kinoshita Hisako Kyoda Jin Yamanoi Junichi Endo Jurota Kosugi Keiji Fujiwara Kenichi Morozumi Kenji Nomura Kikumi Umeda Kohsuke Meguro Marika Hayashi Masaharu Sato Masaki Aizawa Masako Isobe Masashi Hirose

Directors Directors

Ryutaro Nakamura Tetsuya Endo Yasuo Ejima

Original Writer Original Writer

Keiichi Sigsawa

Cinematography Cinematography

Naoyuki Ohba

Art Direction Art Direction

Masayoshi Banno

Popular reviews

romeo

Review by romeo ★★★★★ 1

kino's journey is kino.

Dave De Carlo

Review by Dave De Carlo ★★★★★

These things will always happen, cause we're only human.

Dozzyrok

Review by Dozzyrok ★★★★★ 2

As a more attentive viewer, now, I think this show is actually a masterpiece.

Brian

Review by Brian ★★★★½

"I sure hope nothing fucked up happens." - Kino ten seconds before something fucked up happens in practically every episode

Jani Bodmann

Review by Jani Bodmann ★★★★★

original title: Kino no tabi

Based on the light novels of writer Keiichi Sigsawa and illustrator Kouhaku Kuroboshi, this 13-episode anime series adapts the first volume of the books for a series whose premise may, when spoken initially, sound quite silly, but which contains within it a surprisingly deep and philosophical core belied by its innocuous appearance. The series follows a traveller named Kino (Ai Maeda) and her sentient, talking motorcycle Hermes (Ryuji Aigase) as they traverse from one "country" (basically an autonomically ruled town or city) to another, staying only for three days to take in what the different countries have to offer, and then heading out on the road again.

Along these journeys, Kino encounters a multitude of…

Sunny

Review by Sunny ★★★★½

"The world is not beautiful; and that, in a way, lends it a sort of beauty."

Sammy

Review by Sammy ★★★★★ 1

Honestly probably my favorite anime ever made. I love its philosophical musings about life, humanity, and the general human condition in its many forms. The complexities of why human beings do things to each other, worship religions, commit horrific genocide, curate readings/censor books, critique art, look at the critique of art, run countries. It's all so fucking good.

This show just really means a lot to me in a lot of very specific ways. It touches certain points of wanderlust within me but also touches a part of my soul in a way that not many works do. It hits deep, especially that last episode. Something about the last episode of this show just...genuinely hurts in a way that not many pieces of media can hit upon well enough.

It's a somber philosophically interesting journey and I love every single second of it.

"There's nothing you could've done."

pluto

Review by pluto ★★★★★ 1

it’s not something i can explain

IvanSerov

Review by IvanSerov ★★★★★

It's called Kino for a reason.

DrWalpurgis

Review by DrWalpurgis ★★★★★

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

This is why we call good films "kino"! (Don't look that up.)

It's kind of funny looking at something you like and going "wow, I would have liked this way more at another point in my life". Kino's Journey is a phenomenal anime that blew me away, but if I had watched this when I was 14 I would probably have never talked about anything else, ever. This is because 14-year-old me loved Doctor Who and Italo Calvino only, and Kino's Journey is what you get if you put those two things in a blender.

Kino is our main character. She has a gun and a motorbike, and she never stays anywhere for more than three days. This is all…

Review by pluto ★★★★★

introverts if they had guns and a talking motorbike

FemBlob

Review by FemBlob ★★

I love the idea of Kino's Journey. The concept of traveling to different countries and learning about bizarre cultures and their values is appealing on paper. The show always utilizes the opportunity for philosophical discussion, but not in a way that I find satisfying.

First of all, the show isn't able to decide between literal stories and metaphorical bullshit. Some of the countries bluntly represent a certain philosophy but don't actually make any sense in a literal way.

For example, one of the countries solves the problem of war by hosting a sort of "game". The two warring countries have to kill as many of the natives as they can, and whoever gets the most kills wins. According to one…

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"The world is not beautiful, therefore it is."

Kino's Journey ( Kino no Tabi ; the English title Kino's Travels is also used on official Japanese merchandise) is a Light Novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi, which was first published under the Dengeki Bunko imprint in 2000 and is still ongoing. It was adapted into a thirteen-episode TV anime series in 2003, one OVA, and two specials (all set in original anime's universe). In 2017, it received two back-to-back manga adaptations and a new anime with a new studio.

It follows the travels of a teenager named Kino as she wanders across the world on her talking motorcycle Hermes , encountering all manner of eccentric people and cultures along the way. Yet the world is as dangerous as it is beautiful, and Kino is often confronted by the uglier aspects of human nature. All that keeps her going is her quick wit, the pistol at her side, and a steadfast rule to stay in a country for no longer than three days and two nights.

See also Allison and Lillia , a more lighthearted action-adventure series from the same author-illustrator team. Compare Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro . See Gakuen Kino for the High School AU .

This show contains examples of:

  • The citizens of the Coliseum country ultimately let their king do as he pleases because he gave them what they wanted. Possibly because of this, Kino doesn't have a problem with decreeing that the citizens must fight to choose a new king, resulting in the populace turning on and killing each other.
  • Kino herself becomes this when she meets a man who agrees to travel with a woman in atonement for killing the latter's fiancee. The woman, unwilling to forgive the man, shoots him to death, then says Kino could have stopped her if she wanted to. Kino nonchalantly says she has no desire to play god.
  • In Photo's introductory story, she feels guilty when the merchants enslaving her die from eating poisoned herbs, feeling as though she didn't try hard enough to stop them.
  • Older!Shishou has more traces of her younger self beauty in the 2017 adaptation than the 2003 anime.
  • In the manga, the Sole Survivor of the country that overthrew its king is relatively slim and handsome, whereas he's fat, scruffy and disheveled in the 2003 anime.
  • King Yukio in the 2017 anime has a more down-to-earth appearance compared to his 2003 version, who was practically a jester in king form.
  • Adaptation Dye-Job : Kino's hair, jacket, pants and eye color were all changed for the original anime adaption. Averted with the 2017 reboot where Kino's updated anime character design closely follows her LN character design better.
  • Adaptation Expansion : The 2003 anime significantly lengthen/alters the Coliseum/Avengers arc, giving King Yukio and the guard escorting Kino additional characterization, as well as adding semifinalists with their own characterization and having Shizu appear several times before his fight with Kino to foreshadow The Reveal that he's the king's son.
  • Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole : A minor case, but in the Coliseum arc, adaptations tend to refer to King Yukio as having children, plural—which raises questions when Shizu is clearly alone sans Riku. In the novels, he's stated to be an only child.
  • Adventure Towns : Though frequently subverted when Kino passes through without affecting anything.
  • The Alleged Car : Master and her partner ride an antiquated Subaru 360. The novels make it a point to describe just how rundown it is every time.
  • Ancient Tradition : Played straight a few times, then lampshaded in one episode, where the citizens of one country continually make up new, ridiculous traditions for travelers, though Kino points out that pranking the tourists might actually be this country's tradition.
  • And This Is for... : In "Fields of Sheep," Kino dedicates a headshot on a man-eating sheep to a man who died while being pursued by said sheep, since Kino ended up taking the man's car and persuader.
  • Answer Cut : In Episode 4 of the anime, Kino's father demands to know who gave her the idea to refuse the operation. The camera then cuts to the original Kino.
  • Answers to the Name of God : Averted. Shizu : My god.... Kino : I am nobody's god.
  • The Anti-Nihilist : Kino. This is one of the main points of the story.
  • Hermes the Talking Motorcycle complains that Riku the Talking Dog shouldn't exist.
  • Kino's skepticism about the possibility of humanoid robots, despite traveling with a sentient, mechanic companion, and having seen many kinds of sophisticated robots along the way.
  • Kino is as disbelieving as the other characters when Nimya talks about the concept of airplanes, even though the idea of a flying vehicle shouldn't be anywhere among the weirdest things she's seen.
  • When Kino meets the Sole Survivor of a country that decided everything by majority rule and executed those who disagreed with the majority, he refuses to let Kino leave. Kino then suggests that there are three people here- Kino, Hermes and the man- and asks what would happen if Kino and Hermes deemed the man to be in the wrong. Cue Oh, Crap! as the man realizes he'd be executed.
  • In "A Peaceful Country," when Kino is disturbed by the museum curator's defending her decision to have a genocide competition in lieu of war, the curator challenges Kino to come up with a better plan. Kino has no response.
  • In "Land of Necessity", Kino is manipulated into killing death convicts as part of the country's version of the death penalty. She's less than thrilled when she finds out, and appears somewhat judgmental when the country tells her that while they apologize for offending her, the system is a necessity. However, when they then ask Kino if she considers killing people for her own survival to be a necessity, she has no rebuttal. They point out it's the same principle .
  • Arranged Marriage : The "Land of Couples" is all about these, with everyone ending up in one as they're not considered true adults until they marry. Unsurprisingly, the land is rife with Domestic Abuse , not helped by its attitude that women should Stay in the Kitchen .
  • Art Evolution : Being a series that's over a decade long, it's pretty staggering. It also explains why the anime Kino looks so childlike compared to the illustration in the recent novels, since the early novels had a much 'rounder' artstyle.
  • Art-Style Dissonance : Despite the cutesy, storybook-like character designs and illustrations, it features a lot of mature philosophical/political parables and on-screen murders.
  • The merchant family in the 6th episode of the 2017 anime reboot. Though she didn't intend for it to happen, their horrendously cruel mistreatment of the slave who would eventually be named Photo made their deaths via poisoned herbs prepared by her very satisfying.
  • Kino once travels to a country that managed to achieve peace with its former enemy by competing to commit genocide against a defenseless tribe. You'd expect that the tribe would be portrayed sympathetically, but then the tribe decides to kill Kino in revenge, despite knowing full well that Kino is not part of their persecutors . As such, it's hard to feel bad when Kino kills one of them in self-defense.
  • In Episode 1 of the 2017 anime, Kino encounters a man asking her to carry some of his luggage. She of course declines, until the man pulls a gun on her. She notices the townsfolk were walking away, until the man gets his hand shot by an old lady with a crossbow. Demanding why they are attacking him when he learned killing wasn't prohibited , the town's leader tells he just because killing isn't prohibited does not mean it's permitted . He gets executed on the spot.
  • An unnamed man that Kino once met, referenced in a flashback is this. He killed a man, and afterwards regretted it and became a bodyguard to his widow, following her to the ends of the earth and protecting her from any danger. Subverted when she kills him instead out of revenge.
  • Photo felt like this after the merchants who took her in as a slave die of food poisoning without her making another attempt to stop them. So the motorrad disagreed, saying they deserved to die .
  • The "Kind Country" being hospitable to Kino was an attempt to atone for being hostile to outsiders in the past.
  • "A Tale of Olden Days" has a politician flee his country, due to an uprising from the people who want him dead for his misdeeds. Master and her disciple are hired to escort him out... and Everyone Has Standards ensues as he's horrified by the way they utterly massacre the people trying to kill him. The epilogue reveals that in atonement, he dedicated his life to the next country he settled down in, which may or may not have been the lesson Master and her disciple were trying to impart.
  • Author Appeal : Keiichi Sigsawa appears obsessed with minutiae of all sorts of technology, judging by the overly-detailed descriptions of all weapons and vehicles that appear, plot-centric or not. Even his pen name is based on a gun brand. He also has the tendency to write some of the weirdest postscripts to exist.
  • Badass Longcoat : Played with . Kino is a badass, and she does wear a longcoat, but the two are rarely at the same time. Usually, Kino takes off the longcoat before combat because it makes it harder for her to draw her guns. Additionally, she only wears the longcoat while riding Hermes.
  • Barehanded Blade Block : Subverted, as Kino wears metal wrist guards when she blocks Shizu's katana with her wrists, and is seen equipping them before the match.
  • Berserk Button : The citizens of Kino's home country are cheery, good-natured people who go about their lives with a smile on their faces due to an operation when they turn twelve that makes them unable to not be satisfied by everything . However, if you ask if there's another way to become an adult, as Kino does, they fly into a homicidal rage and try to murder you .
  • Better to Die than Be Killed : Implied in "Fields of Sheep." Kino finds a man whose car was stopped at the edge of a cliff in a region infested by man-eating sheep. Upon examining the man's dead body, Kino notices that his shin was broken and he was unable to walk through the pain, then sees a persuader in his hand. She doesn't outright say that the man committed suicide, but the implication is there.
  • Kino is a very polite, non-judgemental, and often generous character, who does not seem to take any pleasure in fighting, even if it's the only option. Someone delivering a threat, though, will be dead before they know what's going on.
  • Likewise, Shizu is polite and helpful—even more so than Kino—but he will respond to threats against his person in kind.
  • The citizens in the country where murder isn't prohibited are all friendly and polite to Kino during her visit and it really isn't an act. If someone kills or attempts to kill in the country though, the citizens can and will kill the offender for breaking the law, as the man that threatens Kino for her refusing to help him carry his luggage to the country earlier finds out the hard way.
  • Bifauxnen : Kino has passed herself off as a boy, though in one case it was just that the people around her immediately presumed as such.
  • Bittersweet Ending : The first anime has one. After all cruel, strange or simply unusual countries that she visited, Kino gets into a strange city with friendly people, where everyone is happy and where one girl reminds Kino of her as a child. Moreover, she herself begins to change as a character. However, at the very end, Kino gets a real Heroic BSoD when she sees how the whole city with all its innocent and happy inhabitants dies under the lava from the volcano .
  • Blade Enthusiast : Kino is nearly always shown to buy knives when visiting shops, sometimes only because they look 'pretty'.
  • Blood Sport : One episode features a pair of cities whose constant warfare has been replaced by regular pogroms of the local villages. The cities compete to see who gets the most kills.
  • Episode 1 of the 2017 anime begins with Kino encountering a traveler, who, bored with his peaceful country, wants to go to the country Kino is about to visit in order so he can kill with impunity. At the end, Kino, leaving the country, sees another traveler who's tired of having to kill to survive in his violent homeland, and hopes to find a safe place to live.
  • Episode 4 of the 2003 anime/Episode 11 of the 2017 anime begins and ends with Hermes tipped over in a field of flowers, as well as Kino singing. The start of the episode is in the present day, and the end is just after Kino sets out, before shifting back to the present.
  • Boom, Headshot! : How Kino kills the king, a.k.a., Shizu's father from the Coliseum chapter.
  • The slave known as Photo is considered this. Despite being orphaned and sold as a slave, she miraculously survives an incident that kills her owners, takes possession of their goods and settles down in a small village, with her fellow residents accepting her despite knowing about her past.
  • Kino also tends to have miraculously good luck at times. Invoked in "Beginner's Luck", where she talks about how travelers need luck, and sure enough, good fortune strikes right at that moment.
  • Bottomless Magazines : Kino's guns seem to have them...sometimes. The anime's better about keeping gun capacity in mind.
  • While the anime adaption is largely faithful to the novels, most of the violence was toned down, and some of the characters that Kino meets or the countries Kino visits are portrayed as much more sympathetic. The first film, Kino's Travels: Life Goes On was much more offending in this regard.
  • In-universe, this occurs in an interview Kino agrees to, with her distinctly family-unfriendly past and explanation of traveling's brutal realities significantly altered for the final product.
  • But for Me, It Was Tuesday : When Shizu and Kino meet each other again, Shizu is ecstatic to meet Kino again, as Kino was the one who saved his life. However, Kino is apathetic to their reunion, and even has trouble remembering Shizu's name.
  • But Now I Must Go : Kino's modus operandi. Reach next town, stay for three days and two nights, then gone.
  • The Caligula : The king from the Coliseum two-parter is incredibly Axe-Crazy , from killing his father and wife note  Only in the 2003 anime; in the novels, his wife was Driven to Suicide after the king had everyone else in the royal family slaughtered , to forcing anyone that comes in his territory to kill each other to gain upper-class status.
  • Cannibal Larder : In A Tale of Feeding Off Others after the three men Kino saved turn out to be slavers and Kino has to kill them all in self-defense , Kino takes a closer look inside their wagon: it's the second time it's seen, but this time , we get a better idea what the three men meant when they said they had to eat their cargo to survive...
  • Captain Ersatz : In the "coliseum" episode, Kino fights knockoffs of Batman , Clint Eastwood and Luke Skywalker . This wasn't so in the original novel where the fights were only briefly described.
  • Cargo Cult : One of Kino's journeys takes her to a country calmly awaiting the imminent apocalypse , as foretold in their holy book of prophecies , which is revealed later to actually be the stream-of-consciousness work of a great but grief-stricken poet whose mind snapped when his wife took her own life to serve as gruesome inspiration for a poem full of sorrow as per the King of their country's orders. Said "Prophecies" come true, as other nations band together to destroy the nation....because of the poems.

kino's journey main protagonist

  • Hermes says Yes, that's it! each time Kino or some other person corrects his idioms.
  • The readers will know immediately that a story will focus on Shizu & co. if it starts with the following introduction: My name is Riku. I am a dog. I have long, fluffy, white fur. I look as if I'm always smiling, but it doesn't mean that I'm happy all the time. I was just born this way.
  • Celibate Heroine : Kino seems to prefer living as a lone traveller and shows zero interest (romantic or otherwise) in the people she comes across.
  • Character Gender Confusion : Kino, as she's mistaken for a boy several times. Her character design in the novels is noticeably more feminine.
  • Chekhov's Gun : Before Kino's final match in the coliseum, she's shown preparing wrist guards and making an explosive bullet.
  • Chekhov's Gunman : The old man in the Kind Land who gives Kino the Woodsman was actually Master's partner/student and they traveled together in the past. He is a main character in the novels, appearing during the flashback journeys of Master.
  • Child Soldiers : The focus of "What It Means to Fight and Die", which pulls no punches in making it as horrific as possible.
  • City of Canals : The Sad Country.
  • Clones Are People, Too : In "The Land of Identical Faces", everyone is a clone, but despite the initial creepiness, they're shown to live happy lives and recognize themselves to be individuals. Kino actually struggles more with distinguishing between non-clone twins when talking to someone outside of the country.
  • Also, in the first coliseum fight, Kino faces an assassin with a bladed boomerang that manages to give her a tiny shave on the way back. Later Kino does this deliberately, clipping the hair of Shizu to test his resolve. He doesn't flinch.
  • Comic-Book Time : Despite the fact that traveling is noted to take days just between nearby countries, and seasons are mentioned to be passing, the main characters don't appear to be aging—Kino, for instance, is always described as appearing in her mid-teens.
  • Compressed Adaptation : The 2017 anime compresses the Ship Country arc—one of the lengthiest stories in the series, but also a necessary story to adapt to introduce Ti—in order to fit it in a single episode, via taking out some of Ti and Shizu's interactions, most of Shizu and Kino's fight, and altering the final confrontation with Ti.
  • Crapsaccharine World : Kino's home country, the Land of Adults, is a place where people over twelve get a brain operation that allows them to be happy while performing any task. Thus, nobody is ever unhappy at their job... or at anything else... including state-sanctioned murder. Questioning this system is the only thing that seems to make them angry and promptly go Ax-Crazy on the offender.
  • Crapsack World : Perhaps as part of An Aesop , every major land and town Kino visits in her travels ends up having some major flaw. From corrupt rulers, to amoral slavers, to strict and downright Disproportionate Retribution laws, among many others. One of the times it seems like she's come across a seemingly-flawless village ends with the whole place wiped out by an erupting volcano, as the idealistic society was effectively people having come to terms with their imminent and inevitable deaths. Everywhere and everyone has flaws, and many characters end up having to figure out for themselves if they even want to pursue happiness in these numerous scenarios.
  • Continuity Nod : Lots of these, especially in the novels.
  • Combat Pragmatist : Kino, who even goes as far as to use the decapitated head of an enemy's comrade as bait once. Kino also uses a gun in what was supposed to be a knife duel in a lesson during training with Shishou.
  • Computer Equals Tapedrive : In keeping with the eclectic technology of the series.
  • Convection, Schmonvection : Heartbreakingly averted in episode 13. When the volcano erupts, Hermes gives us a stark description of how the people in the village below died with their blood boiling in their bodies.
  • Cool Bike : Hermes, the sentient motorbike who is Kino's only companion and closest friend.
  • Crazy-Prepared : Kino thoroughly maintains the Woodsman and the Cannon every night, gets up at the crack of the dawn to practice shooting, and always carries two guns and many, many knives, and a gun disguised as a knife , just in case.
  • Creepy Souvenir : Master and her student took on a job to get rid of a couple who ensnares passing travelers for their dinner and fun hobby .
  • Cruel Mercy : Kino tells the Sole Survivor of a country that killed each other through majority rule that under his rules, she could have him executed if she and Hermes voted against him. She decides not to do so, and simply leaves him behind, possibly knowing that he will likely die, just like his wife did.
  • Cruel to Be Kind : In A Kind Country , Kino tells the guards at the gate she plans to stay three days. At the end of those three days, the guards show up at the hotel she was staying at and abruptly ask her to leave, holding her to her earlier promise despite her having changed her mind. At first it seems kind of cruel considering how friendly everyone in that town was, but they at least send her off with some food and ask her to visit again sometime. Later that night, Kino wakes up just in time to witness a pyroclastic flow quickly engulf the town within a matter of seconds, killing everyone there. The bagged lunch also contained a note from Sakura's mother which told her the adults knew about the impending doom, and chose to stay behind. So by kicking her out so suddenly, they actually saved her and Hermes from death.
  • One episode where Kino helps a stranded group of people survive a harsh winter, we found out they were slave traders who had eaten their previous haul and look to enslave Kino to make up for it.
  • Another episode has Kino visiting neighboring countries who used to constantly be at war. When Kino asks how they achieved peace, she finds the opposing countries have made their battles into a game in which both countries see who can slaughter the most inhabitants of an adjacent defenseless village. And just to twist the knife further, the "innocent victims" in that village have taken to senselessly murdering travelers, simply as a means of venting their frustration.
  • In another episode, A Kind Country , Kino finds a country so likable that Kino nearly breaks the three day rule of staying in one place, yet the townsfolk mysteriously refuse to let her stay longer. When Kino leaves, the next day she wakes up to find the country destroyed by a nearby erupted volcano.
  • In "A Land Without Walls", Kino comes across a seemingly friendly traveling clan who, of course, are actually much more sinister than they present themselves as . She's saved by one member who brings down the clan by burning the grass that the adults have become addicted and literally dependent on—including himself. He decides to spend his remaining days encouraging the clan's children to lead new lives, before the withdrawal can kill him. The children kill him before he can explain how despicable the adults were, only seeing the murderer of their families, before the children then smoke what little remains of the grass...
  • Subverted with "A Land of Identical Faces". While the concept of a country full of clones might seem unsettling, it's made clear during Kino's stay that this is a peaceful, friendly nation... and then another country, disturbed by them, razes the country to the ground. However, as it turns out, all the people survive and take the destruction in stride as they begin to rebuild.

kino's journey main protagonist

  • Deadly Euphemism : If someone talks about "persuading" another person, they almost inevitably mean they're going to pull a gun on them.
  • Dead Man Writing : Sakura's mother leaves Kino a letter in the breakfast she gives Kino, which Kino opens and reads after the volcanic eruption wipes out the country . A second note in the same bag strongly implies that Sakura also knew about the coming eruption .
  • Death of a Child : During Photo's first appearance, the merchant group that horridly treated her gets poisoned to death, including the children.
  • Death Seeker : In one of the stories, a country gathers its suicidal citizens and grants their death wish by sending them off to war. They happily abide.
  • Decade Dissonance : In most cases it's best to think of the different countries as existing in separate universes. Handwaved, in that travel between towns is dangerous and rare, and few individuals could ever imagine leaving their town.
  • Decoy Protagonist : Kino herself in the second anime series, since a large portion of the episodes either only feature her as a supporting character or cameo appearance or she doesn't even appear at all.
  • A major theme among several countries Kino visits, which practice things that would be considered unthinkable by most modern countries.
  • Also occurs occasionally in stories about duelling countries, such as in "A Land Divided" where one country hunts forest animals but considers killing sea creatures to be inhumane, and a country that thinks the opposite. Kino, on her part, is perfectly fine with both.
  • Democracy Is Bad : The town run by majority rule quickly falls apart when the majority proves willing to execute anyone who questions the status quo.
  • Demoted to Extra : Shizu and Riku in the first series don't get any focus beyond the Coliseum episodes.
  • Did Not Think This Through : In the story about the country where killing is legal, a man seemed to think that by living there he'd be able to live a life of murder with impunity. He openly mugs Kino under threat of death in broad daylight, and is absolutely shocked to discover that, by virtue of living in a country where killing is legal, anyone is free to kill him if he pisses them off , which he just did by threatening an innocent in public. The townsfolk proceed to execute him and save Kino's life.
  • Various countries have its citizens blase about things that would be horrifying to anyone else. In "Country Of Adults," Kino's parents and the other adults are remarkably calm as Kino's father prepares to kill her then stabs the original Kino when he intervenes .
  • Kino, Shizu, etc. also have a case of this going on most times, as they've witnessed so much on their travels that not much seriously fazes them anymore.
  • Distaff Counterpart : Kino is a badass gunslinger with a talking motorcycle. Shizu is a badass swordsman with a talking dog.
  • Driven to Suicide : The Sole Survivor of a town where everyone votes for any decision, and whoever is in the minority is killed, kills himself when Kino and Hermes outvote him while visiting.
  • In "Fields of Sheep," Kino buries the dead body of a traveler she finds while escaping the sheep, then asks to use his car and persuader against the sheep.
  • "Land of Journalists" has Kino implicitly angry that the original Kino's memory is being besmirched, as she discreetly tries to fix it.
  • In general, the main characters pointedly avert this—looting corpses is pretty much a necessity while traveling.
  • Tifana when Shizu and Riku first encounter her in the Ship Country.
  • In "A Kind Country," the revelation that the country was doomed all along casts the citizens' actions throughout the episode into an entirely new light, particularly Sakura's parents encouraging her to join Kino on her journey.
  • In "Country of Liars," the man's final confession that he knew all along that his housekeeper is the princess he loved turns the entire story on its head.
  • In Episode 10 of the 2003 anime, it turns out that the supposedly robotic housekeeper was actually an elderly human woman, and that the family she served are the robots she made a long time ago. As such, the family isn't being ungrateful when they dump the meal the nanny made down the trash disposal; they actually can't eat it.
  • In "A Land Not Permitting Discrimination", the people criticize the immigration inspectors living outside of the city walls, describing them as barbarians who always wear masks and are unwelcome in their beloved society within the walls... and then it's revealed that the people inside the walls are living in a dumpster, and the immigration inspectors are living in vastly better conditions who understandably wear the masks for hygienic reasons.
  • Enfante Terrible : Several characters, and arguably, Kino.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones : Two countries achieved peace with each other by turning their wars against each other into a competition... in which they commit genocide against a defenseless tribe. The architect of the plan is a woman who lost all her children to war, and met a woman from the opposing country who felt the same way. The first woman tells Kino that Kino will understand how she feels once Kino has children.
  • Everyone Is Armed : A few countries that Kino visits has everyone carry around weapons, whether to be ready for a fight, out of love for the weapon itself, or to dissuade violence with mixed results.
  • The Evil Prince : King Yukio murdered his father, a good king who was strict with his son, then became a cruel ruler who kept his subjects entertained with gladiatorial games.
  • Exact Words : In a country Kino visits, the law states that murder isn't prohibited. As a citizen points out to an offender, just because something isn't prohibited doesn't mean it's allowed. The offender is then promptly killed for threatening to kill Kino in public.
  • Extended Disarming : Kino, when being held at gunpoint by some slavers, drops many, many knives. This leads one of the slavers to remark, "Are you a knife merchant?!"
  • Nimya in the "Land of Wizards" episode; it's the only time it really shows up in the anime. Also played straight in some of the illustrations.
  • The High School AU spinoff Gakuen Kino is basically a fanservice series.
  • Face Death with Dignity : One of Kino's opponents in the Coliseum, an old man with a flamethrower, insists that she finish him off, and when Kino agrees, he closes his eyes to await the end. She ends up knocking him out, though.
  • The Farmer and the Viper : The trio of slavers aided by Kino before she knows their profession.
  • Foil : Kino to Sakura. Both are girls whose names (in Kino's case, her original name) are derived from flowers, and both meet a traveler named Kino at a critical point in their lives. Kino refused to follow in her parents' footsteps and become an "adult," resulting in her fleeing her home. Sakura refused her parents' suggestion to travel in favor of staying at home and inheriting the inn.
  • Foreign Queasine : In a welcoming feast in honor of travelers, Kino was served raw seafood (still moving), grilled monkey, sheep brains, whale steak and elephant steak. She loved it.
  • Freudian Excuse : The museum curator Kino meets in "A Peaceful Country," as well as an acquaintance of hers from her country's enemy, both lost family members in a war, and so came up with a plan to compete to kill the indigenous peoples in lieu of war.
  • Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse : Neither Kino nor Hermes approve of the museum curator's plan, with Kino pointing out that she's causing pain to the families of the people the soldiers kill, while Hermes has a similar opinion. Hermes : "Sure, I feel sorry for her because she lost her entire family, but I could do without that kind of peace."
  • Full-Circle Revolution : One country overthrows the king, who'd executed anyone who disagreed with him, then not only executes the king and his family, but also anyone who they see as a threat to the new order.
  • Furry Reminder : Played for laughs with Riku's occasional quips that remind Shizu that he is still a dog.
  • Gender-Inclusive Writing : In the localization of the manga, Kino is called "Mx. Kino," a courtesy title used on nonbinary individuals.
  • Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul : Kino's hometown does this via an operation on everyone's brain before they become adults. She just barely escapes the same fate.
  • Gladiator Games : The aptly named Coliseum (Avengers) arc sports these, where travelers compete for the right to become a first-class citizen (and to avoid becoming a slave).
  • Gratuitous German : Hermes is called a motorrad throughout the first series. "Motorrad" is the German term for "motorcycle". Kino's name is also German for 'movie theater'.
  • Gun Porn : The firearms in the series tend to be described in loving detail.
  • The Gunslinger : The title character herself; specifically, of The Quick Draw variety. Notably, she's one of the rare few of the type who is seen actively practicing the skill regularly.
  • Had to Be Sharp : Every traveler in this series did, given how dangerous the world is for them.
  • Hate Crimes Are a Special Kind of Evil : Kino visits a nation where the wars between them and their neighboring nation are now settled by seeing how many members of an indigenous tribe can be killed by the competing armies. The people targeted had nothing to do with the war between the two nations, and are targeted because they aren't part of either nation, and also incapable of defending themselves against the superior weaponry their oppressors possess. Though little is said, it is clear that these two nations have Kino, who rarely if ever expresses a moral judgement of the nations traveled through, disgusted.
  • Heel–Face Turn : Apparently Riegel, a notorious serial killer, went through this after living in the country where killing is allowed. He has nothing but kind words to Kino and listens to her travels. When Kino was face to face with the man who wanted to live in his country so he can kill, Riegel and his townsfolk arrive save Kino while executing the man. Kino parts ways with him after she leaves.
  • The original Kino dies protecting the protagonist's life , in her backstory.
  • Rafa's plan to have Shizu buy her involves this, as it turns out, as combined with the money she obtained from selling her organs, she's pulled her family out of poverty even though it means her death .
  • Younger!Shishou during her traveling years with her then-partner, Aibou, have stories that dedicated their time together.
  • Shizu, particularly in the 2003 anime where he only showed up once, compared to the novels where he regularly has his own stories that are largely separate from Kino's, including a few that chronologically take place before his debut.
  • In the novels only, Photo, who had a single episode focusing on her in the 2017 anime, has adventures that actually deviate from both Kino and Shizu’s stories together.
  • How We Got Here : About once a volume, one story starts off with its ending out of context, and then a later chapter reveals how things reached that point.
  • I Call It "Vera" : All of Kino's guns are named. "The Woodsman" is a .22 Colt Woodsman Match Target semiautomatic pistol; named after Kino shot off a branch to take out a bandit/the gun's real-life counterpart (Apparently, this was an added detail in Tokyopop's English translation; in the novels, it was already called "The Woodsman" even before it was given to Kino by the old man in the Kind Land.) "The Cannon" is a .44 Colt 1851 Navy single action revolver that takes liquid explosives instead of gunpowder; it's named after what it can do. Later in the novels Kino acquires "The Flute"; a Arisaka type 99 bolt-action sniper rifle.
  • I'm a Humanitarian : The ending of the episode where Kino saves the three starving men in the tent.
  • Kino visited a country after hearing rumors that none of its citizens ever get sick, hoping to learn their secret. It turns out that everybody gets their healing factor from the bite of an insect. As usual, there's a catch: they only live for 50 years after getting bit.
  • In one chapter, Kino talks to a depressed man who claims to be immortal. The truth is he's an experimental subject on transferring memories to other people generation after generation. But the purpose of the experiment is to actually discourage people from seeking immortality, and will go on until the man goes mad .
  • Once, Kino meets a 12-year old boy who is actually 93 years old already.
  • In volume 18, Master and her student arrives at a country filled with babies in capsules. Apparently, this country considers remaining an infant for life as the most ideal form of immortality. Except they don't live forever.
  • Important Haircut : Kino's hair was cut into its current style after it was stained with blood from the first person she killed.
  • Improbable Use of a Weapon : One country has so much surplus of weapons, they decided to use them to entertain their citizens with an annual fireworks display.
  • It Gets Easier : Kino, Shizu and especially Master have killed so many people they don't even feel remorse anymore. When minor characters call them out for murdering so casually, they reply with I Did What I Had to Do .
  • I Was Quite a Looker : Shishou and Aibou in "The Kind Land" episode were Bifauxnen and Bishounen during their travels together.
  • Karmic Death : When the Sole Survivor of the country run by majority rule refuses to let Kino leave, Kino asks what would happen if a majority vote of Kino and Hermes decided that the man was in the wrong. The man promptly has an Oh, Crap! reaction as he realizes he would be executed in the same way as all the other dissidents. Subverted when Kino leaves the man alone , quite possibly realizing that he'll probably die of a disease, like his wife did.
  • Kick the Dog : Shortly before the merchant family and their entourage succumbs to the poison, the son of the family proposes brutally killing their slave, who'd tried to warn them about the poison, to become strong enough to protect the others , and his parents and their companions approve of it. That final act of cruelty ensures that no tears are shed over their deaths.
  • Klingon Scientists Get No Respect : One country focuses on increasing their crop yields to the exclusion of all else, and ends up ostracizing a scientist for bringing back knowledge that doesn't help with that. His protégé, a young woman named Nimya, receives similar treatment when she tries to build an airplane, but the country changes their minds when they see the airplane fly.
  • Land of One City : Most countries Kino visits consist of a single city.
  • Laser Sight : Kino's semi-automatic pistol is equipped with one. "The Bothersome Country's" laser is compared to a much more powerful version of that laser.
  • Legacy Character : Kino takes on the name of the previous Kino, a traveler who stopped by her country. Likewise, the original Kino named the motorrad he repaired "Hermes" after his previous motorrad.
  • Lethal Chef : Kino is apparently a terrible cook. When the doctor in volume 7 says that the cooking was delicious, Kino is visibly surprised, remarking that that was the only time someone said that with a straight face, and the only characters we see enjoy it had been starving for weeks. While they were training together, Master was so terrified of Kino's food that she wouldn't let her cook.
  • Limited Wardrobe : It's made clear that the main characters have only the one outfit, as they can be identified in stories even if not mentioned by name. Justified as they're travelers, so they actually don't have spares.
  • The Lost Lenore : In "Country of Liars", Kino is greeted by a man waiting for his lover, who left on a journey and had yet to return. Kino learns later that the man was driven mad with grief when he unwittingly killed her during a revolution he took part in. Things get twisted, however, with the dual reveals that the woman killed was a double and the man's caretaker is, in fact, his lover and that the man is aware of fact but hasn't let on. Both are content to leave things as they are .
  • Lonely Funeral : In Episode 8 of the 2003 anime, an old man who studied abroad ends up being ostracized because he couldn't increase the crop yield. His funeral is held without any attendees besides the pallbearers.
  • Malaproper : Hermes does this sometimes, as he refers to a volcanic eruption as a "corruption."
  • Magic Realism : Any fantasy elements in the world tend to be lowkey or simply accepted as fact. Given how strange the non-fantastical countries can be, magic is hardly the weirdest thing to go around, even if there's the occasional case of Arbitrary Skepticism .
  • Mature Work, Child Protagonists : The titular Kino is a Vague Age , but still clearly young compared to the adult characters who appear in the series. In the course of her travels, she encounters a group of slave traders who, when snowed in, ate their "goods" ; a country where a brutal form of democracy saw the losing end of a vote subjected to the death penalty; a nation where travelers were forced to compete in gladiatorial games to the death; and a land where warfare between two nations had been turned into a competition to see who could slaughter the most members of a nearby native tribe.
  • Mercy Kill : Shizu delivers this to Rafa, granting her a quick death rather than a slow, painful one from her artificial organs failing .
  • A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Read : This is the entire plot of the premiere of the first series, where one country developed a technology to allow its citizens to read one another's minds. This becomes so unbearable that they all move out to the countryside and stay out of each other's "mental ranges."
  • Meaningful Background Event : In Episode 4 of the 2017 series, after Ti stabs Shizu in the chest , you can see the ship's doors slowly close, and the ship pull away from the shore.
  • The Land of Books episode, especially at its end, when it's suggested that Kino is just a character in a book which is itself part of a virtual reality simulation cooked up by the last man on earth to entertain his daughter...or maybe that guy was just crazy.
  • "Various Tales" has Kino go through especially bizarre adventures with various characters she's met on her journey... only for the end to reveal it was All Just a Dream that younger!Kino is having, with no explanation as to how she dreamed of people she's yet to meet.
  • Minor Flaw, Major Breakup : In the first episode of the 2003 anime, Kino meets a man whose wife left him because he didn't share her interest in flowers, and she didn't share his interest in music, although the word choice implies that they were merely indifferent to each other's hobbies. This is Played for Drama , since being able to read each other's minds caused a small difference of opinion to spiral out of control and cause them to be unable to live with each other.
  • Mirroring Factions : Two countries that are at "war" formed a truce so that instead of fighting each other, they make a sport of slaughtering the civilian population of a third country. The victims in turn "fight back", by capturing clueless travelers and brutally killing them, invoking very similar arguments as the other two did. It looks like the only reason they are the ones getting slaughtered is because they just don't happen to have a military.
  • Misplaced Retribution : When Kino encounters some members of a tribe that are being slaughtered, they decide to kill her in revenge. She denies having anything to do with the genocide, and they believe her, but decide to kill someone in order to get their revenge.
  • Mugging the Monster : Subverted and lampshaded in episode nine of the 2017 anime. A young bandit being trained by an elder one is on the look out for easy targets. He first sees Shizu with Ti And Riku. The younger one thinks they're easy pickings. The Elder wisely disagrees and even more wisely tells him to leave them alone. Next the younger spots Kino and thinks she's an easy target. The Elder again wisely disagrees. He then tells the younger that their ideal target carelessly attacks anyone, to the point they'll someday attack a weak-looking opponent that turned out to Curb-Stomp Battle them. Played straight when it turns out the reason the elder is so wise in picking targets is years ago when he was younger he tried to rob Master and her apprentice .
  • My God, What Have I Done? : Photo's reaction when her hesitation in warning the merchant family about the poison they're eating (although she doesn't realize that it's poison until the dinner's on the table) costs everyone but her their lives.
  • Naïve Newcomer : Ti after being taken in by Shizu and Riku.
  • Photo, so much so that even during her time as a mistreated slave, she never hated her home country (who sold her out in the first place), or even the the merchant family full of assholes who constantly beat her just for breathing the same air as them.
  • Shizu is a generally friendly individual. One country describes him as the nicest traveler they've had, and during the Ship Country story, he pleasantly surprises the citizens by choosing to do menial labor rather than be an overseer who has a more comfortable job pushing the citizens around. (He did it more so because he was hoping for physical work to stay sharp, but it's implied he also found the idea of the other job distasteful, and it's worth noting that he's the only traveler to ever not choose it.)
  • Nice Job Fixing It, Villain : By knocking the poisoned soup out of the hands of the girl who would become known as Photo, one of the boys in the merchant group that enslaved her unwittingly prevented her death while he and the other members die of food poisoning.
  • No Antagonist : While Kino might get into conflict with some characters who are hostile to her in her journey, the overall plot has no antagonist to speak off: Just Kino going place to place in search of cities to travel to.
  • No Ending : The 2017 anime ends with Kino taking a nap in a field on a beautiful day, declaring that it's the end of her journey, and when she awakens, another one will begin. In The Stinger , she wakes up and sets off on Hermes once again.
  • No Name Given : Master/Shishou and her apprentice have no given names. Instead, Shishou is referred to as 'the woman' or described as 'the beautiful woman with long hair'. Her student is referred to as 'the man' or described as 'the slightly short but handsome man'.
  • No Party Like a Donner Party : In the second episode, Kino meets a trio of starving merchants who had been snowed in all winter and had eaten their cargo early on to survive. Only, they were slavers, and their cargo was people destined for the slave market.
  • Noodle Incident : Hermes: (in response to Kino being forced to disarm to enter a country) This is still better than that time when you had to wear those weird clothes to get in. Kino: ...I don't even want to think about that anymore.
  • Not Enough to Bury : The fate of the museum curator's husband in Episode 12 of the 2003 anime. "One year, they brought my husband's legs home to me... because they couldn't the find the rest of him."
  • "A Peaceful Land": After learning that the whole reason for the peace in this land was violently killing the native population to maintain peace of mind, she departs, but not before questioning such violent ideas. Later, she's attacked and almost killed by the native population who use similar logic and it all just leads up to a cycle of people killing those lesser than them. After driving them off, Kino looks considerably shaken before leaving with Hermes.
  • In "A Kind Land", Kino's reaction to the town's destruction completely strips away the calm neutrality she maintained for much of the series.
  • One of the stories in the second series' ninth episode has a scene of Kino completely losing her cool over the fact that staying at a country Master recommended required a Mind Wipe of having been in the country in the first place. Even more frustrating for Kino, Hermes remembers everything (as the drug used only works on humans) but promised not to say anything about it.
  • In Episode 10 of the 2003 anime, Kino gasps in shock when her hosts dump the meal their housekeeper made down the garbage chute while the housekeeper is away, then lie and claim they enjoyed it.
  • Obfuscating Insanity : The hero of the revolution in "Country of Liars" pretends to have gone mad with grief over the loss of his love and doesn't let on that he knows that his housekeeper is actually his lover. He keeps up the facade for the sake of his love, and of the revolution he and his friend led.
  • Offing the Offspring : In Kino's home country, any child that doesn't submit to a medical procedure similar to a lobotomy and brainwashing at the appropriate age is killed.
  • One-Man Army : Kino, Shizu and Master. Kino singlehandedly kills an entire band of war veterans and mercenaries in a few chapters, but Master is even more impressive as she takes out hundreds of people all in one chapter. Meanwhile, Shizu slashes away at 22 bandits armed with rifles in just one afternoon.
  • Only a Flesh Wound : Averted. Injuries inflicted by persuaders are serious. Kino's opponents are incapacitated after getting shot in the legs or arms. In volume 8, Master and her student's aiming skills enabled them to keep every single one of their attackers alive by aiming at their legs, but gave them a limp for the rest of their lives.
  • Only One Name : We never do learn most of the characters' full names, including Kino's.
  • Parental Abandonment : Kino. Well, Parental Attempted Murder, at any rate.
  • Parrying Bullets : Shizu, in the Coliseum episodes, deflects bullets with his sword.
  • Percussive Maintenance : When Hermes says embarrassing things, or just acts like a total jerk , Kino usually shuts him up like this.
  • Pet the Dog : The unnamed member of the asshole merchant family freed Photo by unlocking the chain around her neck and had her perform a Mercy Kill on him, after digesting part of the poisonous soup that was slowly killing the man.
  • Pinned Down : In the Land of Heroes, while fighting 7 veterans, Kino does this with a sniper rifle. The end results are a man losing several limbs and another having half of his head blown off .
  • Planet of Hats : Elevates this trope to an artform.
  • Pragmatic Villainy : The two formerly warring countries in Episode 12 of the 2003 anime don't wipe out the indigenous people they're competing to kill, since doing so would be wasteful, both of the people they're competing to kill for the sake of peace, and of the government's defense budget. By merely "hunting" the indigenous people, they keep military spending down.
  • Professional Killer : Master's apprentice is implied to be one. In a chapter adapted to the second anime, it was shown that one of his belongings is a briefcase containing persuader accessories and tools for assassination.
  • Pronoun Trouble : Due to her androgynous appearance, Kino is sometimes subjected to this, sometimes letting it pass uncorrected.
  • Properly Paranoid : Being this is a necessity while traveling. Kino, Shizu, and Shisho, for instance, don't accept drink unless they're certain that it hasn't been laced.
  • Psycho Supporter : One pacifistic woman travels around to spread her peaceful ideals in spite of the danger, but unbeknownst to her, he's been killing anyone who would threaten her. Kino and Hermes suspect the woman would kill herself if she ever found out what he did for her.
  • Pull the I.V. : Averted. In one of the chapters in the novel, Master's student joined the front lines of a war carrying the IV drip, including the stand.
  • The Quiet One : Ti/Tea qualifies by not talking most of the time, and sometimes speaking without fully saying the word when she does talk. Riku: Strange that they chose someone who doesn't talk for our guide...
  • Raster Vision : The 2003 anime is deliberately made to resemble this.
  • Reformed Criminal : The citizens of the country where murder isn't prohibited judging by rumors are heavily implied to have been criminals that just want to live a peaceful life. Regal the serial killer admired by the man wanting to be a citizen to freely kill people is the polite old man that invites Kino for tea on her last day to tell him stories about her travels.
  • Refuge in Audacity : In "Historical Country," Kino's master doesn't just break her disciple out of prison, but instead of sneaking out of the country, holes up in the clock tower and snipes the soldiers sent to surround her. Not only does the government grant them safe passage out of the country, it even pays them to leave.
  • Revenge Myopia : Kino meets a woman and the man she had hired as a guard as they're about to set out on a journey. She sits with the man for a while, and learns that he had killed her husband several years ago accidentally while robbing his store, and had been reformed and set free by their justice system, on the condition that he make it up to the woman by mutual agreement. It's made clear that his reform and desire to help the woman any way he can in penance for his crime are genuine. They part, and later Kino is riding through the woods when she hears a gunshot... It turns out the widow was not as big on redemption as her society was.
  • The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized : While the series has plenty to say on corrupt rulers, it also doesn't shy away from how the process of overthrowing monarchies can get very bloody, including the massacre of entire royal families regardless of individual members' guilt.
  • Ridiculously Human Robot : Subverted. She's actually human, and an inventor, who started believing she was a robot after a severe trauma. The actual robots are VERY obviously non-human.
  • Rotating Protagonist : Downplayed, as the majority of the stories are focused on Kino, but Shizu and co./Shisho & co./Photo & co. will each get A Day in the Limelight about once per volume.
  • Hermes misusing figures of speech, to a point where Kino has to wonder if he's doing so intentionally. The game takes this to another level by including a mini-game where the player has to guess the correct proverb.
  • In the novels, Kino always asks Hermes to wake up early. Still, he has to be beaten awake almost every morning.
  • Samus Is a Girl : Kino is a girl, but her traveling clothes and demeanor both encourage the people she encounters to miss that and assume she's a boy/young man, due to their preconceptions about travelers. In the first light novel Kino's gender is only revealed after more than half of the volume.
  • Schizo Tech : Not just between country to country, but even within the same country. A place might have both psychic nanotech and cobblestone streets and typewriters and phonographs and talking robots, while another country has hoversleds and tape-based computers. The eponymous character's equipment includes a racing motorcycle made between 1929 and 1940, a pistol from 1947 to 1955, a revolver from 1 8 51, and a rifle that comes from the 1930s.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here : Kino is pretty much the master of this trope, as she'll immediately bail on situations if she feels that she's stayed long enough. (Contrast to Shizu who'll stick around long enough to try and help or to Shisho who'll stick around to make things worse/turn things against the other party.)
  • Self-Deprecation : "Sane people don't become writers, Hermes."
  • Shamed by a Mob : The man Kino encountered in episode 1 of the 2017 anime wants to go to the country where killing is allowed, and when he was allowed citizenry, he tries to bribe her by demanding half of her stuff just so he can make a living there. The moment she declines, he pulls a gun on her until he gets shot by an old woman with a crossbow. The entire mob at that point were armed to the teeth, and their apparent leader tells him while murder is not prohibited, it is not permitted . The man gets executed on the spot.
  • Shoot the Dog : Kino has to do this several times, and several stories revolve around this idea.
  • Shoot the Shaggy Dog Story : A number of stories end up as this. A prime example would be the railroad scenario, in which Kino, going backwards on the tracks, encounters in order: a man who's spent 50 years repairing the tracks, a man who's spent 50 years destroying the repaired tracks, and a man who's spent 50 years setting new tracks. In her usual fashion, she elects not to tell them that they're all wasting their time.
  • In Episode 3 of the first anime, a soldier, relieved that the plan to attack the country Kino left managed to avoid involving unrelated individuals, says he loves it when a plan comes together.
  • In the preview for episode 9, Hermes asks Kino what she would do if she had a typewriter that was a talking cockroach . And Episode 9's subtitle, "Nothing Is Written", and opening in the desert, may be references to Lawrence of Arabia .
  • In the episode "Her Journey", a king offers a boon to an old man, whose only request is that the king move out of the way of the sun. This is a common folklore attributed to several philosophers and mathematicians. Also, the alleged wise hermit was part of country's experiment with The Ludovico Technique . As in A Clockwork Orange , it ended very badly for him.
  • Sink or Swim Mentor : Kino's "Master", in the first movie, in the series' usual brutal, understated fashion.
  • Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism : Kino meets idealists and cynics all throughout her journey, each one with their own thoughts and opinions on the state of the world or more often the country they live. The most prominent example of the series' contrast between cynicism and idealism is the episode "Her Journey -Love and Bullets-" in which a young woman and a man traveling together cross paths with Kino. The woman claims to be on a quest to bring peace to the world and proclaim the glory of pacifism. Kino asks how she could have survived this journey so long without encountering any danger that would have to be solved with violence. To which the woman responds that she doesn't know, she has always assumed that they've just been lucky. The truth is the man traveling with her has quietly killed off anyone in their path who might make themselves a problem. He kept this a secret because he loves her and doesn't want to shatter her vision of an ideal world.
  • Stealth Escort Mission : Kino encounters a man and woman traveling the other direction. The woman is an Actual Pacifist , and explains to Kino that they're traveling unarmed in order to spread a message of peace and love. Then when she's out of earshot, the man reveals to Kino that he's packing heat. For the entire trip, he's been sneaking ahead and dealing with any bandits or outlaws before they can threaten the woman, so she never realizes he's been killing on her behalf.
  • Stealth Insult : Kino meets a man who overthrew the king of his country, a tyrant who'd executed anyone who disagreed with him. Unfortunately, the newfound system of majority rule executed all dissidents the same way until only the man and his wife were left, at which point the latter died of a disease. As Kino says goodbye to the man, she calls him "Your Highness," thereby saying that he's no better than the king he replaced.
  • Steampunk : Several countries have this distinct feel to them.
  • "Ship Country" has a post-credits scene revealing that Shizu survived being stabbed, and Kino successfully prevented Ti from blowing herself up .
  • At the end of the 2017 anime, Kino wakes up from her nap and embarks on another journey.
  • Straw Critic : One country has an entire council of them to decide which books are deemed harmful or harmless. At one point, the Librarian calls critics "an evil breed".
  • The whole episode 8 of the first anime is in fact a thinly disguised attack on literary censorship and critics who are portrayed by a handful of pompous snobs who self-actualize themselves with the help of criticism and bans of any fiction or scientific literature other than children's books and reference books.
  • The episode also contains a light Take That, Audience! using the mocking image of avid readers as a conspiratorial group of people, half of whom lost touch with reality.
  • Talking Animal : Riku, Shizu's loyal canine retainer.
  • One country Kino went to was bombarded with artillery cannons, missiles, and a bomb implied to be a FOAB for creating clones . Of course, no one is actually killed by this, though no buildings are left standing.
  • Telepathy : One country has developed a concoction that would allow citizens who drink it to read the minds of others who also drank it. Then everyone drank it, nobody wanting to be left out of the brilliant discovery. This turned out badly.
  • Three Kinds of Science Fiction : The Land of Wizards episode is the gadget variety.
  • A country Kino encounters in episode 5 of the first anime was ruled by majority rule, and began to kill off the minority voters. Eventually only two people were left alive because of it, one of whom died from a disease (presumably in part due to a lack of doctors).
  • The merchant family shown in Episode 6 of the 2017 anime serves poisonous herbs in their food, and refuses to listen when their slave warns them. Their motorrad reassures their slave that they died due to their own stupidity.
  • Town with a Dark Secret : If a country seems perfect and the story isn't going to end it with being destroyed, there's a good chance it's actually harboring something sinister instead.
  • Trapped in Another World : The crossover campaign Travelers and the Labyrinth Country from Danmachi: Memoria Freese involves Kino and Hermes(The motorcycle, not the god); Photo and Sou; and Shizu, Riku and Tifana ending up in Bell's world after getting caught in a fog.
  • Troubling Unchildlike Behavior : Ti's stock of grenades. Riku has to convince her to leave them behind when she goes outside for a walk.
  • Try Not to Die : An important rule for all travelers. Kino gives this advice to the man who serves as a woman's bodyguard in atonement for killing her husband... not long before the woman kills the man.
  • Unfinished Business : One of the characters introduced in the viewer participation drama is revealed to be a vengeful ghost of the princess of the ruined country. It was a traveler who caused the demise of her country, so she takes revenge on all passing travelers by luring them to their deaths.
  • Untranslated Title : The first novel was released in English under the title "Kino No Tabi".
  • Unusually Uninteresting Sight : No one seems the least bit surprised that a motorcycle can talk, and no explanation for how Hermes is sentient is ever provided. Similarly, it's never explained why Riku can speak; when Shizu asked, Riku's answer was pretty much "why not." Lampshaded by fellow Sentient Vehicle Sou, who tells Photo not to question it, and whose narration acknowledges that no explanation exists so there's no point in even wondering.
  • Kino is 12 when beginning training with Shishou, but other than that no age is revealed. The woman who voices Kino in the English dub is just a circumstance of the casting; it's implied that Kino is meant to be 11-12 during the flashbacks, and around 15 for the rest of the series.
  • Averted in the novels as it's stated in volume 10 that Kino started traveling 'three years after her 12th birthday', meaning that Kino left Shishou at the age of 15. However, it's insinuated that several years had passed since she started traveling. The stories are not generally in chronological order, so her age in each story is up in the air, though she's consistently described as being in her mid-teens, at least.
  • Similarly, Shizu is 22... at some point in his chronologically early appearances, but it's unclear how much time is passing between stories.
  • Voiceover Letter : In the 2017 anime adaptation of "A Kind Country," Kino gets one from Sakura's mother, as well as Sakura herself, which she opens after the volcano erupts and destroys the country.
  • Walking the Earth : The premise of the series. Kino travels from country to country, not staying for more than three days at a time, and says traveling is the only way she knows how to live.
  • Was Just Leaving : The chief uses this phrase when kicking Nimya out after refusing to listen to her plea.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist : The museum curator in Episode 12 of the 2003 anime lost her husband and sons to war, so she managed to broker peace with the enemy with the help of a like-minded woman in the enemy power... by turning the war into a competition to kill indigenous peoples. She fully acknowledges that they're killing innocent people, but notes that this was the only solution that would appeal to the enemy countries' violent and competitive nature, and claims that the overall death toll is lower than when the two nations were fighting each other.
  • In Episode 4 of the 2017 series, Shizu has an encounter with a gunslinger working for the rulers of the Ship Country. Eventually, the gunslinger's disguise comes off, revealing the person as Kino herself .
  • In Episode 10 of the 2003 series, there are few. First, the nanny takes Kino to a cliff over a lake, and when the light is right, it reveals a relatively recent city submerged underwater. Second, after the robotic nanny passes away, the family places her body in a grave next to the remains of her husband and children, the latter of which are represented by human skulls. Third, the family take off their heads, revealing that the three of them are robots.
  • Whole Episode Flashback : In the 2003 series, Episode 4 details Kin's origins. Episode 13 is either this or Anachronic Order , since it takes place before episode 1.
  • Winter of Starvation : In one episode, Kino comes across a trio of men in a stranded truck, having been stuck since winter began. They're starving and too weak to do anything. They tell Kino they survived by eating their cargo. Then Kino learns that they're slavers...
  • Yamato Nadeshiko : Naturally, there's one when Kino stays in Japan.
  • You Can't Go Home Again : Kino and Shizu. Further enforced since it's implied that she did go back to her home country once more — only to find it in a complete ruins.
  • You Don't Look Like You : Kino's appearance in the first anime is quite different from the descriptions and illustrations in the novels. In addition to having a different hairstyle and eye color, wearing differently colored clothes and being much taller, she is noticeably more feminine in the novels. The second anime's design follows the novels much more closely.
  • You Remind Me of X : It's strongly implied that Kino sees a lot of herself in Sakura, a girl she meets in "A Kind Country." Like Kino, Sakura is the daughter of a couple that owns an inn, and often gets mocked for her name, like Kino did. The difference, however, is that Sakura insists on staying in her country and inheriting her parents' inn, despite most likely knowing that her country is about to be destroyed by the volcano .
  • In Episode 7 when Kino shoots the king. It also happens quite frequently in the novels, and is described quite graphically.
  • In the country run by majority rule, the punishment for disagreeing with the majority, one they inherited from the previous king , is to be dropped head first onto the pavement. When people are shown being executed, you can see a blood splatter, possibly implying that the victims' heads split open.
  • Zombie Apocalypse : The Land of the Dead - Spirit of the Dead chapter of the sixteenth novel, Land of the Dead is infested by undeads.

Alternative Title(s): Kino No Tabi

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kino's journey main protagonist

Kino (Male)

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Overview Background Image Gallery

The original Kino was a young man who traveled by the same three-day rule that the main character Kino does. His arrival to the Land of Adults sparks the beginning of the story, and is their inspiration to travel after they attempt to discover his past. They often make statements similar to the original Kino's and even quotes him on occasion.

Appearance and Personality [ ]

The novel depicts the original Kino as a tall and very thin man when he arrived at the Land of Adults. They note that he arrived on foot, and while ridiculed by the guards, he appeared to display immerse dignity.

His first appearance shows him disheveled, wearing a black jacket with a long, dusty brown coat, with a tattered backpack. He also wore boots that the young Kino had never seen before. They note that his cheeks were sunken, and that due to the guards' ridicule, white insect powder clung to his hair. They also state that they are unable to understand the language that he sings in, and that he does so quite poorly.

Kino lived with his mother in a country by a large forest. Growing up, he told his mother that he would like to travel. He believed that the traveling related to not only his own growth, but also to the growth of his country. As the years passed, he traveled from his home more and more frequently until he dies protecting young Kino from the customs of her country.

Kino is shown to know how to repair machinery - he salvages and repairs ("cures") a motorcycle which eventually is named Hermes , after an old motorcycle he had used to travel with before.

During his stay, Kino learns about his successor's country and culture, commenting on how it was a "brutal system". When asked by his successor about what he is, due to their lack of understanding, he states that he is "A man named Kino. That's all. And I travel."

He is blamed for the younger Kino's refusal for their grown-up operation, and attempts to leave the country before the situation escalated and he was killed. However, he dies protecting the child when their father attempts to kill them for disobeying their parents and the country's culture.

  • The male Kino is the only person to tell his successor that their name is pretty, and calls them "little flower" before his death.
  • In the novels, Kino explains that he makes a living selling medicinal herbs and unusual items he finds while traveling.
  • The Epilogue of Volume 7 states that his resident number is 48402-15855. This number is used by his successor to find his residence.
  • The Travel Guide refers to Kino in Land of Adults as 旅人(tabibito; traveler)
  • 3 The Tower Country —Free Lance—

Kino's Journey

Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— ( Japanese : キノの旅—the Beautiful World— , Hepburn : Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World— ) ,shortened to Kino's Journey ,is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa ,with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi . The series follows a traveler named Kino and her talking motorcycle named Hermes,as they explore countries with unique customs and people around a mysterious world,only spending three days at each location. The series originally started serialization in volume five of MediaWorks ' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp on March 17,2000. The first volume of the series was published on July 10,2000 by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing imprint . As of November 2020,23 volumes have been published.

Light novels

Art books and manga, other media, external links.

A 13-episode anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T and Genco aired between April and July 2003 on WOWOW in Japan. Two visual novels for the PlayStation 2 were released by ASCII Media Works,the first in July 2003,and the second in December 2005. There have also been two 30-minute animated films produced,the first in February 2005,and the second in April 2007. A Kino's Journey light novel was only released as a promotional gift for the second animated movie. Additional merchandise includes three art books ,three picture books ,and a drama CD . Two manga adaptations were produced,and a new anime series aired 12 episodes between October and December 2017. A spin-off light novel series titled Gakuen Kino ( 学園キノ ,lit. Academy Kino ) began with the first volume published on July 10,2006 by ASCII Media Works;seven volumes have been released as of May 2021.

In Kino's Journey ,the protagonist,Kino,accompanied by a talking motorcycle named Hermes,travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests,each unique in its customs and people. She only spends three days and two nights in every town,without exception,on the principle that three days is enough time to learn almost everything important about a place,while leaving time to explore new lands. Kino says in The Land of Visible Pain that this principle is probably a lie,specifically noting "if I stay any longer,I'm afraid I will settle down." The recurring theme of the anime and novels is described by the phrase, "The world is not beautiful,therefore it is." Kino's Journey explores what the anime director RyūtarōNakamura described as "a radical sense of 'beauty, ' " [3] and brutality,loneliness,nonsense,oppression and tragedy are often juxtaposed against compassion and a fairy-tale atmosphere.

For protection and hunting,Kino carries a .44 single-action revolver (called "the Cannon",based on a Colt Walker ) that uses liquid explosives in place of gunpowder and a .22 automatic pistol (named "the Woodsman",based on a Colt Woodsman ). Later in Kino's adventures in the novels,Kino also uses a pump-action shotgun (based on a Winchester M1897 ) and a semi-automatic sniper rifle (called "the Flute",based on an M14 rifle ),along with a variety of other tools,including knives . In the anime,Kino is shown to carry no fewer than five knives,including one which can fire .22 bullets from its hilt. Kino is an unusually quick draw and practices every day before dawn.

Technology in this world exists,sometimes to the level of science fiction ,although anachronisms are common (for example,the same land that has talking robots also appears to have phonographs ,yet simultaneously the world has only begun to develop heavier-than-air flight). The level of technology also varies from country to country. The world is not heavily magical (the only "magical" elements include land that moves,talking vehicles,and a talking dog),although it has a certain fairy-tale quality.

Kino sitting in front of Hermes,her talking motorcycle Kino and Hermes.jpg

Kino's Journey began as a series of light novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa , and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi . The series originally started serialization in MediaWorks ' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp with the release of volume six on March 17, 2000. [4] The first volume of the series was published on July 10, 2000 by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing imprint. As of November 2020, 23 volumes have been published. The eighth volume of Kino's Journey , originally published in October 2004, was Dengeki Bunko' s 1000th published novel. [5] An additional volume entitled Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— Country of Theater —Kino— ( キノの旅 —the Beautiful World— 劇場の国 —KINO— , Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World— Gekijō no Kuni —KINO— ) was only released as a promotional gift for the second animated movie. [6] A collection of special chapters entitled Kino's Journey: the Sigsawa's World ( キノの旅 -the Sigsawa's World- , Kino no Tabi: the Sigsawa's World ) came with the first volume of ASCII Media Works ' light novel magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine on April 10, 2008.

In commemoration of Dengeki Bunko's 20th anniversary, Kino's Journey was serialized weekly from April to September 2013 in several Japanese regional newspapers. [7] The ten stories serialized during this period were included in the 17th volume published in October of the same year. The previous 16 volumes were released with new cover artwork also in commemoration of the anniversary. [7]

The light novel series has also been translated into Chinese, Korean, and German. Tokyopop licensed the novels under the original title Kino no Tabi for release in North America, and the first volume was published on October 3, 2006. The chapter order of Tokyopop's English release of the first volume differed from the original Japanese release. According to Tokyopop representatives, there are issues with the licensor that have left them unable to release further volumes of the series. Tokyopop used an image from the sixth chapter-title page from the original novel for use as the English novel cover. In May 2021, Tokyopop confirmed its license for the series had expired. [8]

The first volume of a spin-off of the regular series titled Gakuen Kino was published on July 10, 2006, under Dengeki Bunko; as of May 2021, seven volumes have been released. The series is a collection of parodies originally published in three spin-off magazines of Dengeki hp : Dengeki p , Dengeki h , and Dengeki hpa . The spin-off features Kino as a magical girl in a school setting. Gakuen Kino was translated into Chinese and Korean.

A 96-page art book containing illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi was released by ASCII Media Works in March 2003. The book contained illustrations from Kino's Journey and the Allison series of light novels, which is created by the same people as Kino's Journey . Also included in the art book are original illustrations never released in the novel volumes, and an original Kino's Journey short story by Keiichi Sigsawa. [9] Two more artbooks from Kouhaku Kuroboshi were released in commemoration of the novel series' 15th anniversary. These artbooks include illustrations from Kino's Journey up to the 18th volume, Gakuen Kino , all of the Allison light novels, and other novels by Keiichi Sigsawa, as well as artwork by Kouhaku Kuroboshi as Takeshi Iizuka.

Three picture books were also released by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel label. The first, released on December 3, 2003, contained forty-eight pages and is entitled Country of Memories —Their Memories— ( 記憶の国 —Their Memories— , Kioku no Kuni —Their Memories— ) . [10] The first picture book came bundled with an audio CD containing image songs (one of which is based on the tune of Pachelbel's Canon ). [9] The second book, released on October 19, 2005, contained eighty pages and is entitled The Traveler's Story —You— ( 旅人の話 —You— , Tabibito no Hanashi —You— ) . [11] The second book was released in two editions, with the difference between the two being a DVD of the first animated film Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something —Life Goes On— . [9] The third book, released on December 25, 2007, contained 40 pages and is entitled My Country —Own Will— ( わたしの国 —Own Will— , Watashi no Kuni —Own Will— ) . [12] The third book came bundled with a DVD of the second animated film Kino's Journey: Country of Illness —For You— . [9]

A manga adaptation of the spin-off series Gakuen Kino was illustrated by the dōjinshi group Dennō Ōwadan. It began serialization in volume 10 of ASCII Media Works ' Dengeki G's Festival! Comic released on February 23, 2010. [13] The manga continued serialization until volume 14 of Dengeki G's Festival! Comic published on October 26, 2010. It was transferred to ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine with the December 2010 issue and ran until the June 2012 issue. It was compiled in three volumes. A manga adaptation of Kino's Journey , drawn by Iruka Shiomiya, was serialized in Kodansha 's Shōnen Magazine Edge from March 17, 2017, [14] to August 17, 2020. [15] Its chapters were collected in eight tankōbon volumes. [16] An English translation has been published by Kodansha USA under the Vertical Comics imprint since February 2019. [17] A second manga, with art by Gou, began serialization in the July 2017 issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh magazine released on May 27, 2017. [18] It has been collected in five tankōbon volumes as of February 2020. [19]

An anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T and Genco , and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura , aired on the WOWOW satellite television network between April 8 and July 8, 2003, containing 13 episodes. [20] [21] The anime series was also rebroadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax , which also aired the series across its worldwide networks in Southeast Asia , East Asia , and South Asia . The episodes were released on six DVD compilations released between June 18 and November 19, 2003; the first volume contained three episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained two episodes. The series was re-released on DVD in popular editions again in six volumes, with the first three volumes bundled together and sold on January 19, 2005, and the last three volumes bundled together and sold on February 16, 2005. [22] In addition to the main series, there is also a 12-minute-long prologue titled "Episode 0: The Tower Country —Freelance—" which was released as an original video animation with the first animated film's DVD release on October 19, 2005. [23] The anime's opening theme is " All the way " by Mikuni Shimokawa and the ending theme is "The Beautiful World" by Ai Maeda ; both singles were released on June 18, 2003. [23]

The 13-episode anime series was licensed for North American distribution by ADV Films . The episodes were initially released on four DVD compilations released between February 24, 2004, and June 29, 2004; the first volume contained four episodes, while each of the subsequent volumes contained three episodes. The first DVD volume was sold in two editions, with the difference between the two being a series box all four DVDs could fit inside. A DVD box set entitled Kino's Journey: The Complete Collection was released on October 25, 2005, containing three discs. In 2009, the series was re-released on three DVDs in a single case. Re-releases also happened in 2011, 2013, and 2017, all through ADV Films, one of the three anime series currently distributed by them while being succeeded by Section23 Films . It was announced by them that a SD BD set is also coming for a February 26, 2019 release. [24]

A second anime television series adaptation titled Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— the Animated Series aired 12 episodes between October 6 [25] [26] and December 22, 2017. It was animated by Lerche and produced by Egg Firm . The series is directed by Tomohisa Taguchi , with Yukie Sugawara supervising scripts and Ryoko Amisaki designing the characters. [27] The opening theme is "Here and There" and the ending theme is "Satōdama no Tsuki" ( 砂糖玉の月 ) , both by Nagi Yanagi . [25] Crunchyroll streamed the anime with subtitles, [28] and Funimation streamed the series with a simuldub. [29]

Two anime films have been created as part of the Kino's Journey series. The first, Kino's Journey: In Order to Do Something —Life Goes On.— ( 何かをするために—life goes on.— , Nanika o Suru Tame ni —life goes on.— ) was produced by A.C.G.T and directed by Takashi Watanabe . It premiered in Japanese theaters on February 19, 2005. [30] Spanning 30-minutes, the film is a prequel to the series, showing Kino being trained by her teacher, learning to ride Hermes, and discovering her naturally excellent marksmanship before eventually deciding to return the original Kino's coat to his mother. The ending theme for the first animated film is "Hajimari no Hi" ( 始まりの日 ) by Ai Maeda, and was released on Maeda's Night Fly album on March 16, 2005.

The second film, Kino's Journey: Country of Illness —For You— ( キノの旅:病気の国 —For You— , Kino no Tabi: Byōki no Kuni —For You— ) , premiered on April 21, 2007 as one of the three movies released at Dengeki Bunko's Movie Festival. [31] Produced by Shaft and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura , it follows Kino and Hermes journey to a highly advanced country where the people live confined in a sealed environment. By request of her father, Kino tells about her travels to a sick girl who is hospitalized there. The second animated film's ending theme is "Bird" by Mikuni Shimokawa , and the single was released on March 14, 2007.

A Kino's Journey drama CD was available through mail order via volume fifteen of MediaWorks ' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp released on December 18, 2001. [32] The drama tracks on the CD were originally broadcast on ASCII Media Works' radio program Dengeki Taishō in 2001.

Kino's Journey has been adapted into two visual novel adventure games for the PlayStation 2 by Tycoon and ASCII Media Works . The first game, titled Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— , was released on July 17, 2003, [33] and a "best" version was later released on November 25, 2004. [34] Most of the story for the first game is taken from volumes one, two, three, five, and six of the original light novels, but there is one scenario written specifically for the game by Keiichi Sigsawa . [35] The original soundtrack for the first visual novel was released on July 24, 2003. [23] The second game, titled Kino's Journey II —the Beautiful World— , was released on December 1, 2005, and a "best" version was later released on March 8, 2007. [36] Like the first game, most of the story is taken from the light novels, but there is another original scenario written by Sigsawa. [37] Additionally, the second game came bundled with a 36-page book entitled Various Stories —a Beautiful Dreamer— ( いろいろな話 —a Beautiful Dreamer— , Iroirona Hanashi —a Beautiful Dreamer— ) containing the story of the original scenario written for the game. [38] Both of the visual novels were voiced, mainly using the same cast from the first anime series. At one time, ASCII Media Works had planned to release a version for the PlayStation Portable . [39]

As of 2017, around 8.2 million copies of the novels have been sold in Japan. [40] The first novel which was published in the US generated positive reviews. Newtype USA named it the Book of the Month for November 2006 and called it "inviting and addictive", [41] while AnimeOnDVD said it "sucks you in", and "allows you to experience the journey" with the main character. [42] The series has ranked six times in Takarajimasha 's light novel guide book Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! : second in 2006, fifth in 2007, sixth in 2008, twelfth in 2009, fifth in 2012, and fifth in 2013.

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  • 1 2 Beard, Jeremy A. "Kino's Journey" . THEM Anime Reviews . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "+++ Kino's Journey — The TV Series World — Summary +++" . Kino's Journey . ADV Films . Archived from the original on October 29, 2003 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Dengeki Bunko & hp" 電撃文庫&hp . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 17, 2006 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kino no Tabi 8" キノの旅 8 [ Kino's Journey 8 ] . Honya Club (in Japanese). NIPPAN . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Dengeki Bunko Ninki 3 Sakuhin ga Futatabi Jōei" 電撃文庫人気3作品が再び上映 [ 3 Popular Dengeki Bunko Works Screening Again ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). October 30, 2007. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • 1 2 "Supesharu | Dengeki Bunko Sōkan 20-shūnen-dai Kansha Purojekuto" スペシャル | 電撃文庫創刊20周年大感謝プロジェクト [ Special | Dengeki Bunko 20th Anniversary Project ] . Dengeki Bunko (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Tokyopop [@TOKYOPOP] (May 5, 2021). "Thanks so much for getting in touch! We don't currently hold the license for Kino's Journey, but I'll pass the suggestion along to our publishing team for consideration" (Tweet) . Retrieved May 5, 2021 – via Twitter .
  • 1 2 3 4 "Kino no Tabi" キノの旅 [ Kino's Journey ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 16, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kioku no Kuni —Their Memories—" 記憶の国 —Their Memories— [ Country of Memories —Their Memories— ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 21, 2020 . Retrieved January 12, 2024 .
  • ↑ "Tabibito no Hanashi —You—" 旅人の話 —You— [ The Traveler's Story —You— ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 21, 2020 . Retrieved January 12, 2024 .
  • ↑ "Watashi no Kuni —Own Will—" わたしの国 —Own Will— [ My Country -Own Will- ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 21, 2020 . Retrieved January 12, 2024 .
  • ↑ "Dengeki G's Festival! COMIC Vol. 10" 電撃G's Festival! COMIC Vol.10 . Mangaoh (in Japanese) . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Ressler, Karen (February 16, 2017). "Kino's Journey Novels Get 1st Manga Adaptation Next Month" . Anime News Network . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ 鬼の体育女教師と気弱な男子高校生の同居ラブコメ、マガジンエッジ新連載 . Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 17, 2020 . Retrieved October 18, 2023 .
  • ↑ "『キノの旅 the Beautiful World(8)』(シオミヤ イルカ,時雨沢 恵一,黒星 紅白)|講談社コミックプラス" [ "Kino's Journey the Beautiful World (8)" (Shiomiya Dolphin, Keiichi Sigsawa, Kouhaku Kuroboshi) ] . Kodansha Comics Plus (in Japanese) . Retrieved April 3, 2022 .
  • ↑ "Kino's Journey, Volume 1" . Kodansha USA . Retrieved April 3, 2022 .
  • ↑ " "Kino no Tabi" no Shinsaku Anime ga Seisaku Kettei. Kino-yaku wa Yūkiaoi-san, Erumesu yaku wa Saitō Sōma-san" 『キノの旅』の新作アニメが制作決定。キノ役は悠木碧さん、エルメス役は斉藤壮馬さん . Dengeki Online (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . March 12, 2017 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "【KADOKAWA公式ショップ】キノの旅5 the Beautiful World: 本/カドカワストア/オリジナル特典,本,関連グッズ" [ [KADOKAWA Official Shop] Kino's Journey 5 the Beautiful World: Books ] . Kadokawa (in Japanese) . Retrieved April 3, 2022 .
  • ↑ " "Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World—" Anime Jikai Yokoku-shū" 『キノの旅 —the Beautiful World—』 アニメ次回予告集 [ “Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World—” Anime Episode Listing ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 8, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kino no Tabi" キノの旅 [ Kino's Journey ] . WOWOW (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 16, 2007 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Anime DVD" . Kino's Journey (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Archived from the original on February 24, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • 1 2 3 " 'Gekijō-ban DVD' " 『劇場版DVD』 [ Movie DVD ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 3, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kino's Journey Complete Collection SD" . Sentai Filmworks Shop . Archived from the original on November 16, 2018 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • 1 2 Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 7, 2017). "Kino's Journey TV Anime's Theme Song Artist, Visual, October Premiere Revealed" . Anime News Network . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 26, 2017). "Kino's Journey TV Anime Premieres on October 6" . Anime News Network . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 9, 2017). "New Kino's Journey TV Anime Unveils Staff, Title, Visual, Fall Debut" . Anime News Network . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Ressler, Karen (July 2, 2017). "Crunchyroll to Stream New Kino's Journey Anime This Fall" . Anime News Network . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Coming to FunimationNow in Fall 2017" . Funimation . September 1, 2017 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kino no Tabi the Beautiful World Nanika o Suru Tame ni Life Goes On" キノの旅 the Beautiful World 何かをするために life goes on . Movie Walker (in Japanese). Walkerplus. February 19, 2005 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Dengeki Bunko Mūbī Fesutibaru" 電撃文庫ムービーフェスティバル [ Dengeki Bunko Movie Festival ] . Dengeki Bunko Movie Festival (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works . Archived from the original on May 24, 2019 . Retrieved January 12, 2024 .
  • ↑ "Dengeki Bunko & hp" 電撃文庫&hp . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 6, 2007 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World—" キノの旅 —the Beautiful World— . Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). ASIN   B000094FX4 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World— Dengeki SP" キノの旅 —the Beautiful World— 電撃SP . Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). ASIN   B0006DWH3Y . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ " 'Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World—' " 『キノの旅 —the Beautiful World—』 . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 17, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Dengeki SP Kino no Tabi II -the Beautiful World-" 電撃SP キノの旅II -the Beautiful World- . Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). ASIN   B000MKRNV2 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Gēmu Shisutemu" ゲームシステム [ Game System ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 27, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ "Tokuten" 特典 [ Special Bundle ] . ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 27, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (September 21, 2004). "TGS 2004: New PSP Games Announced" . IGN . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ " 'Kino's Journey' Ninki Ranobe ga Futatabi Terebi Anime ni Kino to Erumesu ga Tabi ni" 「キノの旅」 人気ラノベが再びテレビアニメに キノとエルメスが旅に [ 'Kino's Journey' New TV Anime Based on Popular Light Novel ] . Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Johnston, Chris (November 2006). "Kino no Tabi Volume 1" . Newtype USA . 5 (11): 142. ISSN   1541-4817 . Archived from the original on November 6, 2007 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • ↑ Pine, Jarred (September 8, 2006). "Kino no Tabi (novel) Vol. #01" . Anime on DVD . Archived from the original on April 18, 2008 . Retrieved May 4, 2019 .
  • Official website of the light novels (in Japanese)
  • Official website of the 2017 anime (in Japanese)
  • Kino's Journey at the Wayback Machine (archived May 18, 2012) at ASCII Media Works (in Japanese)
  • Kino ' s Journey (anime) at Anime News Network 's encyclopedia
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  • © Iruka Shiomiya / Keiichi Sigsawa
  • Manga Score: 7.84
  • Author: Keiichi Sigsawa, illustrated by Iruka Shiomiya
  • Publisher: Kodansha
  • DB title: Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World
  • Rating: 13 and up
  • Genres: Adventure Fantasy Mystery Sci-Fi Shounen

Kino's Journey

“So, who’s the kid?” “My name is…” ××××× hesitated for a moment, turning slightly to look back along the road they were traveling. Beyond the red horizon, her homeland’s gates sank into the distance, never to be seen again. Facing forward once more, ××××× looked past Kino’s side to focus intently on the path ahead before answering. “My name is—” Kino travels with the trusty talking motorrad, Hermes. The duo are always together, with Hermes providing speed, and Kino providing balance. They stay in each country for no more than three days, as a rule—enough time to learn about each destination’s unique customs and people. And so Kino and Hermes journey ever onward…

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IMAGES

  1. Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- Gets New Trailer & Character

    kino's journey main protagonist

  2. Tags: Kuroboshi Kouhaku, Kino (Kino no Tabi), Hermes (Kino no Tabi

    kino's journey main protagonist

  3. Kino's Journey (2003) Review • Anime UK News

    kino's journey main protagonist

  4. Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series

    kino's journey main protagonist

  5. Anime Kino's Journey 4k Ultra HD Wallpaper

    kino's journey main protagonist

  6. 40+ Kino's Journey HD Wallpapers and Backgrounds

    kino's journey main protagonist

VIDEO

  1. Trailer: Kino's Journey [ADV Films]

  2. Kino's Journey is a Philosophical Masterpiece

  3. Kino's Journey/Kino no Tabi OST

  4. ADV Films

  5. June's Journey Secrets The Climb Scene 3 Main Street

  6. Kino's Song

COMMENTS

  1. Kino's Journey

    Kino is the main protagonist in the series and travels to different countries with her talking motorcycle Hermes, discovering their cultures and people. In the anime, Kino's gender is ambiguous in the beginning, but was confirmed to be female in the fourth episode, when she first meets Hermes and borrows the name "Kino" from another traveler.

  2. Category:Characters

    Main and Side characters of Kino no Tabi. A Aibou H Hermes I Inertia K King Yukio Kino Kino (Male) Kino's Mother Kyoshi M Mr. Regel P Photo R Riku S Shishou Shizu Sou T Ti Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.

  3. Kino

    キノ (Kino) Adult Descriptors 運転手 (Untenshu/Driver) 旅人 (Tabibito/Traveler) 人間 (Ningen/Human) Childhood Descriptors 少女(Shoujo/Young Girl) 女の子 (Onna no ko/Young Girl) Physical Appearance Gender Female Age 15 Hair Color Green (Anime due to illumination and background) Black (Novel, anime in some scenes e.g colliseum) Eye Color Green Blue (Manga)

  4. Kino

    Kino is the main character of Kino no Tabi (Kino's Journey). Contents 1 Appearance 2 Personality 3 Background 4 Relationships 5 Trivia 6 Reference 7 Navigation Appearance Kino is a beige skinned young ambiguous looking teenager with dark green eyes and dark green short hair.

  5. Kino's Journey / Characters

    Nimya Tchuhachkova Inid The Tank Rafa Elias and Sarah Travels Land of Visible Pain The Country of Majority Rule Three Men Along the Rails The Colosseum Previous Index Next The King's Avatar CharacterSheets/Literature - J to M Kirby (Light Novel) Kinnikuman CharacterSheets/Anime & Manga

  6. Shizu

    Overview Background Chapters Image Gallery Shizu (シズ, Shizu?) is one of the protagonists of the Kino universe, traveling with his companions Riku and Ti. Shizu is described in the novel as a tall, slender and well proportioned young man in his late teens or early twenties. He is dressed in a green sweater and blue jeans, wielding a katana. Kino's first impression of him is of a peaceful ...

  7. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

    Theme: Psychological Duration: 24 min. per ep. Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity) Statistics Score: 8.281 (scored by 96,089 users) Ranked: #273 2 Popularity: #752 Members: 313,620 Favorites: 6,937 Available At Official Site Resources AniDB ANN More links Streaming Platforms HIDIVE

  8. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World (Kino's Journey)

    kumarei. Kino's Journey is a collection of societal parables, told through the eyes of a wanderer who visits countries and observes them. Kino, the main character, takes a somewhat prime directive stance toward the civilizations, although she is sometimes coaxed to interfere out of compassion.

  9. Kino's Journey

    StoryFor Kino's Journey, a much more succinct praise than anything I can come up with can be found, quite simply, in AnimeNfo's average score. ... and sound effects compliment the infrequent action scenes well.CharactersAt the center of each humanistic fable is Kino, the main character of the show. For reasons that are not entirely clear to ...

  10. SFE: Kino's Journey

    Original title Kino no Tabi - The Beautiful World; vt Kino's Journey - The Beautiful World. A.C.G.T. Based on the Light Novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. Directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. ... as no one is reality's main character. An old servant insists she is a Robot caring for a human family, but she is ...

  11. Kino's Journey Wiki

    Vanguard: Divinez Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! Chou Futsuu Ken Chiba Densetsu Classroom of the Elite III

  12. Kino's Journey

    In Kino's Journey, the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking Brough Superior motorcycle named Hermes, ... Kino is the main protagonist in the series and travels to different countries with her talking motorcycle Hermes, discovering their cultures and people. In the anime, Kino's gender is ambiguous in the beginning, but is later confirmed ...

  13. Kino's Journey

    Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— , shortened to Kino's Journey, is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa, with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. The series follows a traveler named Kino and her talking motorcycle named Hermes, as they explore countries with unique customs and people around a mysterious world, only spending three days at each location.

  14. Kino · AniList

    Kino's anime & manga roles. Kino is the main character of [Kino's Journey](https://anilist.co/anime/486/Kinos-Journey/). They are a composed, stoic, and precocious ...

  15. Kino's Journey

    In Kino's Journey, the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people.

  16. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World (Kino's Journey)

    kumarei. Kino's Journey is a collection of societal parables, told through the eyes of a wanderer who visits countries and observes them. Kino, the main character, takes a somewhat prime directive stance toward the civilizations, although she is sometimes coaxed to interfere out of compassion.

  17. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

    When 15-year-old Kino is feeling weighed down by heavy thoughts, one thing always manages to cheer her up: traveling. Nothing fills her heart with joy like exploring the beautiful, wonderful world around her and the fascinating ways people find to live. However, Kino is not as helpless as her cute appearance and courteous demeanor suggest. Armed with "Cannon" and "Woodsman," her trusted ...

  18. Kino's Journey (Literature)

    Kino's Journey ( Kino no Tabi; the English title Kino's Travels is also used on official Japanese merchandise) is a Light Novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi, which was first published under the Dengeki Bunko imprint in 2000 and is still ongoing.

  19. Kino no Tabi: the Beautiful World (Kino's Journey) · AniList

    Based on a hit light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, the philosophical Kino's Journey employs the time-honored motif of the road trip as a vehicle for self-discovery and universal truth. Deeply meditative and cooler than zero, the series follows the existential adventures of the apt marksman Kino along with talking motorcycle Hermes as they travel the world and learn much about themselves in ...

  20. Kino (Male)

    For the main character of the series, please see Kino Kino (Male) 2003 2017 Manga Japanese Name キノ (Kino) 旅人(tabibito) Physical Appearance Gender Male Hair Color Blonde (Manga, 2017 Anime) Brown (2003 Anime) Eye Color Brown (2003) Blue (2017 Anime) First Appearance Novel Volume 1 Chapter 5 Manga Volume 1 Chapter 1 2003 Anime Episode 4 2017 Anime

  21. Animation Reviews: Kino's Journey

    Kino's animation is rather limited, its protagonist has a large doll eyed face, and its opening theme is an overly peppy J-pop song. Kino meets some friendly, but rather eccentric locals. Outside of these factors though, the show bears little resemblance to the likes of Naruto or Inuyasha.

  22. Kino's Journey

    Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— (Japanese: キノの旅 —the Beautiful World— , Hepburn: Kino no Tabi —the Beautiful World—), shortened to Kino's Journey, is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa, with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. The series follows a traveler named Kino and h

  23. Kino's Journey (Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World)

    Synopsis "So, who's the kid?" "My name is…" ××××× hesitated for a moment, turning slightly to look back along the road they were traveling. Beyond the red horizon, her homeland's gates sank into the distance, never to be seen again. Facing forward once more, ××××× looked past Kino's side to focus intently on the path ahead before answering.