Shaman King

Shaman King (シャーマンキング Shāman Kingu) is a shonen manga created by Hiroyuki Takei which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1998 to 2004, when it was abruptly cancelled. It has also been adapted into a 64 episode series produced by Xebec which ran on TV Tokyo from 2001-2002.

Overview
In the world of Shaman King, people with the ability to communicate and fight with spirits are collectively known as Shamans. The series is centered around Asakura Yoh, a laid-back, easygoing character who is heir to the powerful shamanic Asakura family, as he enters the Shaman Tournament, a semimillennial event that draws shamans from around the world to compete for the chance to become the Shaman King and the wielder of the omnipotent Great Spirit. In the process, Yoh befriends and makes rivals of other characters, and gradually learns of the true nature of the Shaman Tournament, and his connection to Asakura Hao, the favourite to win.

Main characters


 * Asakura Yoh (麻倉 葉, Asakura Yō)


 * Asakura Anna/Kyoyama(恐山アンナ Kyōyama, Anna)


 * Oyamada Manta (小山田まん太, Manta Oyamada)


 * Umemiya Ryunosuke (梅宮 竜之介), a.k.a. "Wooden Sword" Ryu (木刀の 竜 Bokutō no Ryū)


 * Tao Ren (道 蓮, Ren Tao)


 * Usui Horokeu (碓氷ホロケウ), a.k.a. Horohoro (ホロホロ)


 * Chocolove McDonell (チョコラブ・マクダネル, Joco)


 * Lyserg Diethel (リゼルグ・ダイゼル, Lyserg Diethel)


 * Faust VIII (ファウストⅧ世, Fausto Hasen)


 * Asakura Hao (麻倉葉王, Asakura Hao)

Anime
In 2001, Shaman King was made into an anime series by Xebec. In total, it ran for 64 episodes before ending, with 3 specials also produced. The anime series, while originally faithful to the manga, eventually deviated from the storyline as the manga was still being serialized. As a result, the later episodes are completely unrelated to the manga, with an separate and definite conclusion created for the series. The anime series has been translated into several languages including French, Deutsch, Polish, Danish,Dutch, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Cantonese, Greek, Czech, Hungarian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Latin. The Latin, Spanish, Greek, and Brazilian openings basically have the same intro as the Japanese one but their theme is different. The series has also been translated into Italian. The Italian and Romanian versions are very rare.

Omake
There are several omake based on Shaman King, most of which are centered on various members of the Asakura family. They include:


 * Mappa Douji: A one-shot that takes place approximately 1000 years before the start of the series, it reveals Hao's past as he learns the ways of a Shaman.


 * Relax: Another one-shot detailing Hao in his third incarnation as he gathers followers in preparation for the next Shaman Tournament.


 * Funbari no Uta: A five-part epilogue to Shaman King that takes place 6 years after the Shaman Tournament ends, it follows the adventures of Asakura Hana as he searches for five legendary warriors with Ryu.


 * Miki's Life: A two-part side story that occurs approximately 12 years before the start of the series, it recounts the events that surround the first meeting of Yoh's parents.

Recent Events
While on a tour in France in 2006, Takei announced his intention to finish Shaman King by creating a proper ending for the series. To this end, the Shaman King Kang Zeng Bang, a re-edited reprint of the series with approximately 2 volumes of original content will be released from March 2008 to spring 2009 in conjunction with the serialization of the new chapters in Jump Square.