Crying Freeman | |
クライング フリーマン (Kuraingu Furīman) | |
---|---|
Manga | |
Written by | Kazuo Koike |
Illustrated by | Ryoichi Ikegami |
Published by | Shogakukan |
English publisher |
|
Magazine | Big Comic Spirits |
Demographic | Seinen |
Original run | 1986 – 1988 |
Volumes | 9[1] |
Original video animation | |
Directed by |
|
Produced by |
|
Written by |
|
Music by | Hiroaki Yoshino |
Studio | Toei Animation |
Licensed by | |
Released | September 1988 – January 1994 |
Runtime | 50 minutes (each) |
Episodes | 6 |
Crying Freeman (クライング フリーマン, Kuraingu Furīman) is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. Crying Freeman follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia (called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in a vast and complex dragon tattoo. A quiet but complicated killer, Freeman reflexively sheds tears after every killing as a sign of regret.
The manga was originally serialized by Shogakukan in its magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1988. It was first published in North America by Viz Media in comic book form. Viz later republished the series in graphic novel form in two versions: an initial set and longer volumes that combined the initial volumes together, dubbed "Perfect Collections." From 2006 to 2007, the manga was republished by Dark Horse Comics in five volumes.
The story was adapted into an anime OVA by Toei Animation, released from 1988 to 1994. Crying Freeman has also been adapted into three live-action films: two 1990 Hong Kong films in Cantonese (Killer's Romance and The Dragon from Russia) and a 1995 French-Canadian production in English.
Yō Hinomura, a Japanese potter, comes into the possession of some film showing an assassination by an agent of the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese mafia. Seeking its return, they kidnap him. Subjected to forced hypnosis, Yo is effectively brainwashed into acting as the 108 Dragons' principal assassin, but he can remember his past at the moment he kills, shedding a tear unconsciously each time. Because of this, he is given the codename "Crying Freeman".
One of his killings is witnessed by Emu Hino, a lonely and beautiful Japanese artist. Knowing he must kill her; she paints his portrait and waits for him to come. When he does so, she tells him that she is tired of being alone and wishes to end her life. She asks for a favor before he kills her—for him to have sex with her, so that she will not die as a virgin. He grants her wish but finds he cannot kill her and they fall in love. The killing she witnessed was of a yakuza boss, however, so the yakuza want to find her so that they can find the killer. One of the yakuza attempts to enter Emu's home and force her to disclose the name of the killer, critically injuring her. Freeman takes her to the hospital and tells her to meet him at Hinomura Kiln, where he intends to part with her. Instead, she accompanies him back to the 108 Dragons, where he tattoos her with tigers, and they marry.
The heads of the 108 Dragons decide to name Freeman as their heir. He is given the Chinese name Lóng Tài-Yáng, and Emu is renamed Hǔ Qīng-Lán, as both pass the tests given to them. It proves not as easy as that, however, as they must contend with challenges to the leadership from Bái-Yá Shàn, the granddaughter of the leaders of the 108 Dragons, and attempts to destroy the Dragons from other underground organizations.
The 108 Dragons (百八竜(ハンドレッド・エイト・ドラゴン), Handoreddo Eito Doragon) is a Chinese Mafia that rose to prominence in the 1970s. It holds numerous assets around the world, including its own nuclear submarine. As a rule in the organization, succession by blood inheritance is prohibited.
The manga was published in nine volumes, from 29 March 1986 to 1988 (Weekly Big Comic Spirits 1986 #7 to 1988 #21).
The manga was adapted into a six-part anime OVA series by Toei Animation that was released from September 1988 to January 1994.[2][3]
An English dub of the OVA was produced and distributed on VHS by Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom. In the United States, Streamline Pictures produced an English dub of the first five episodes, which were released by Orion Home Video on individual VHS tapes from January 1994 to February 1995.[4] Streamline also planned an English dub of the sixth episode, but Orion declined to have it produced.[5] Between 2003 and 2004, A.D. Vision (ADV) released all six episodes to DVD across three separate sets and a combined set entitled Crying Freeman: The Complete Collection.[6] ADV used the Streamline dub for the first five episodes and produced an English dub for the sixth, with Streamline leads Steve Bulen and Edie Mirman reprising their roles as Freeman and Emu. Discotek Media reissued the Complete Collection boxed set on February 22, 2011.[7] In 2023, Discotek released the OVA to Blu-ray with the Manga and Streamline/ADV dubs.[8]
No. | Title | English title(s) | Release date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Crying Freeman" Transliteration: "Kuraingu Furīman" (Japanese: クライング フリーマン) | "Portrait of a Killer"[a] | September 1988 | |
Emu Hino, a lonely and beautiful Japanese artist witnesses a Chinese man killing three men, then sees his eyes well up with tears. He introduces himself as Yō, then leaves, but she later sees the same man assassinate Shudo Shimazaki, leader of the Japanese Hakushin yakuza as he was concerned about the distribution of narcotics in Japan by the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese mafia. She gives Yō's name to the police, but when Yō arrives later at her house to kill her, he grants her wish to make love to her first. During the night, yakuza led by Ryuji "The Blade" Hanada, enters Emu's home to force her to disclose the name of the killer, critically injuring her. Freeman and Koh kill the yakuza and shoot Kimie Hanada, then take Emu to the hospital, telling her to meet him later at his family's Hinomura Pottery. There he tells her the story of how the 108 Dragons turned him into the assassin, Crying Freeman. He takes revenge on the yakuza and then is severely punished by the 108 Dragons for refusing to kill Emu. He implements an elaborate plan for them to appear to be killed in the destruction of the Hinomura Pottery. During the confrontation, he stabs both Hanada and Detective Nitta near their hearts but spares their lives on the condition that they spread a story of Yō and Emu's deaths. | ||||
2 | "Fusei Kakurei" (Japanese: 風声鶴唳) | "The Enemy Within" (UK) "Shades of Death Part I" (US) | August 1989 | |
In Hong Kong, Yō and Emu marry in a Chinese wedding ceremony and are given the new names Long Tai Yang and Hu Qing Lan. When they are nominated as the organization's successors, Freeman is attacked by a disguised assassin indicating a traitor within their ranks. They travel to Macau in search of evidence and track down Chen, a mask-maker, but Chen is killed before they can trace his employers. Later, in the rice fields, granddaughter Bai Ya Shan arrives, demanding leadership of the 108 Dragons. She kidnaps her grandparents and takes them to Wolon Island, daring Freeman to rescue them. Freeman and Koh suspects Don Carleone's Camorra Organization is behind Bai Ya Shan. Freeman lets himself be captured and beaten and finds that 108 Dragons elder member Planet Mercury is behind Bai Ya Shan, and is supported by Camorra's Organization. After they reveal themselves, Freeman attacks and kills them all. He then defeats Bai Ya Shan and establishes his control over the organization. Later Don Carleone's female companion Kiche seeks revenge for the Camorra Organization. She shoots Koh and follows him to Freeman then engages Freeman in a duel with knives on the deck of the 108 Dragons submarine. Freeman kills her, but Koh eventually dies from his bullet wound and is subsequently buried at sea. | ||||
3 | "Martial Vows" Transliteration: "Hiyoku Renri" (Japanese: 比翼連理) | "Retribution" (UK) "Shades of Death Part II" (US) | May 1990 | |
As a test of her fortitude, Emu is kidnapped by 108 Dragon operatives, tortured and threatened with rape, but she does not break, confirming her position beside Freeman. While flying to Japan with Bai Ya Shan, Freeman's plane is hijacked by Askari agents, however after landing, Freeman and Bai Ya Shan kill the revolutionary terrorist hijackers. They follow a survivor stabbed with a tracking device to Shikebaro's base and return to their headquarters and discuss their strategy. During the 108 Dragon meeting a gunman burst in and kills the leaders named after the Ten Planets as they sacrifice themselves to save Freeman. The 108 Dragons hold a funeral ceremony for the dead leaders, including an empty coffin for Freeman. Freeman then poses as a hair stylist and seduces Miranda, Shikebaro's lover and then kills him. Freeman then follows her to Jigon's mansion and kills him but not before Jigon kills Miranda. As he leaves, Freeman is attacked by Bugnug, the real leader of the Askari. He wounds, but does not kill her, and they form an alliance, and he calls her Dark Eyes. Meanwhile, Emu acquires the ancient Muramasa, the cursed Sword of Darkness. She and Bai Ya Shan take it to master swordsman Professor Gouken Ishida at Kowloon Castle, to teach her how to use it if it accepts her. A local gang, the Seiraitan threaten them, but she delays them until Freeman arrives, the dragon and tiger united and the Seiraitan accept them as leaders. | ||||
4 | "Oshu Tohgoku" (Japanese: 雄首冬獄) | "The Impersonator" (UK) "A Taste of Revenge" (US) | September 1991 | |
After a shoot-out, Dark Eyes is confronted by the massive and powerful Oshu Tohgoku who rapes her and dumps her in the sea. Freeman finds and rescues her and plots his revenge on Tohgoku and the Hakushin. He challenges Tohgoku at a public wrestling match but loses. The Hakushin take him to their headquarters where Master Naiji has a clone prepared to replace him at 108 Dragons. Kimie Hanada is ordered to sleep with Freeman to reveal his secrets, but he convinces her to support him instead. Freeman then switches places with his clone who is killed by Tohgoku on Naiji's orders. Thinking Freeman is the clone, Naiji sends him with Tohgoku and Kimie to take control of 108 Dragons. Naji then travels to 108 Dragons headquarters, but Freeman reveals that he's still alive and in control. Sensing defeat, Naiji invokes a spell, causing everyone except Emu to collapse, and she then uses the Muramasa to kill him. Tohgoku challenges Freeman to a match which Freeman wins, but he leaves it to Dark Eyes to take her revenge and deliver the killing stroke with her throwing blade. | ||||
5 | "Kishimojin of the Battlefield" Transliteration: "Senjō no Kishimojin" (Japanese: 戦場の鬼子母神) | "The Hostages" (UK) "Abduction in Chinatown" (US) | October 1992 | |
In Los Angeles Chinatown, Mr Wong asks Freeman for help to retrieve his kidnapped daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter after already paying the ransom to the Kidnapper Organization (K.O.). Mr Wong's second daughter, Wonshaku, helps by accessing Pentagon databases to gather information. When an attempt is made on their lives, Freeman suspects he is the real target and takes the place of a traitor in the Wong group who is picked up by a skyhook. He is taken to K.O. headquarters and greeted by Larry Buck, also known as Kishimoji. Freeman meets Nina Heaven who declares her desire for him and wants him as a partner, but he refuses. Meanwhile, Wonshaku introduces a virus into the K.O. network and Bai Ya Shan lands from the sea to rescue the hostages, but unfortunately, she is captured. Separately, Wonshaku tries to free the hostages by impersonating a US Colonel, but she is also captured. To entertain her troops, Nina arranges a fight between Freeman and Larry Buck, after first inciting her troops with an erotic dance. Emu and Dark Eyes infiltrate the camp to rescue everyone, and their plan is successful. As they leave Nina tries to shoot Freeman, but he kills her while giving her a parting kiss. | ||||
6 | "Final: The Light in the Darkness" Transliteration: "Kanketsu-hen: Mumyō ryū sha" (Japanese: 完結篇 無明流射) | "The Russian Connection" | January 1994 | |
Russian mafia boss Nicholaiev and Japanese yakuza Tsunaike plan to cut out the 108 Dragons trade and Nicholaiev makes an offer to Tanya to help him. Meanwhile, Freeman sees a woman pass in a car he remembers from his past. When Freeman learns that 108 Dragons business is being squeezed, he travels to Japan. Japanese Boss Watajima raises his concern about offending the 108 Dragons with Tsunaike. Meanwhile, an unknown group carries out strikes against the Japanese yakuza, and the leaders suspect 108 Dragons are responsible. They consider settling with them, but a Tsunaike accuses the old leaders of cowardice. They agree to hire assassin Choko Tateoka to kill Freeman, while Tsunaike privately hopes to take over following the bloodbath that would ensue. Tateoka ambushes Freeman but fails and is killed. Freeman confronts his contacts in Japan who deny dealing with the Russians. Tsunaike implements his plan with Tanya to wipe out the yakuza leaders and blame it on the 108 Dragons. Freeman agrees to meet Tsunaike on the docks, even though he suspects a trap. When the 108 Dragons submarine destroys a ship arriving in port with 3,000 Russian mafia men, Freeman goes after Tsunaike, killing Tanya first. He finds Tsunaike holding the woman from his past as a hostage, they fight and Tsunaike is killed, freeing the innocent woman who does not recognize Freeman. |