Peacock King (Japanese: 孔雀王, Hepburn: Kujaku Ō) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Ogino. It was serialized in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump from 1985 to 1989, with its chapters collected in 17 tankōbon volumes. It spawned four other manga series. The original manga was licensed in North America in 2020 by Manga Planet.
Peacock King was adapted into a 5-episode original video animation (OVA), released from 1988 to 1994, and licensed in North America by U.S. Manga Corps, under the title Spirit Warrior. Two live-action films were released in 1988 and 1990.
Story
Kujaku is a Buddhist monk who specializes in exorcism and devil hunting. He is a member of Ura-Kōya, a secret organization in Japan that specializes in demon hunting. Kujaku confronts Rikudoshu (六道衆), a secret evil organization led by the Teachers of Eight Leaves (八葉の老師). The goal of the Teachers of Eight Leaves is to revive Peacock King and Snake Queen, and allow them to fight each other to give birth to the ultimate Dark Vairocana (闇の大日如来). During the story, the Teachers of Eight Leaves tried various methods to achieve their goal, but were ultimately defeated by Kujaku and his friends.
A Kōya Hijiri monk in his twenties and the hero of the story. His real name is Akira (明), the son of a monk named Jikaku and a female pilgrim or Ksitigarbha (地蔵菩薩, Jizō Bosatsu). He is the reincarnation of Mahamayuri (孔雀明王, Kujaku Myō-ō), Lucifer, and Melek Taus, which grants him an immense spiritual power. Most of the time, however, Kujaku behaves like the young man he is, being carefree, lecherous and a glutton. He uses a vajra in exorcisms.
A girl chosen by the god AsuraKing (阿修羅王, Ashura Ou). She was found by Ura-Kouya in a village, where she was hated and feared by her spiritual powers. Being 12 to 15 years old through the story, Ashura is usually rebellious and feisty, and also has a crush on Kujaku, which makes her jealous in several instances. She also loves fashion and often changes her appearance from her natural blond hair. She has pyrokinetic abilities and can generate a great amount of spiritual energy to transfer to her allies.
Kujaku's greatest rival, a half-demon half-human Jukondō master who works as a mercenary. He is superhumanly strong and has regenerative abilities, and specializes in controlling evil spirits. Although he and Kujaku were enemies in their first encounter, they quickly became friends, which turned Onimaru into somewhat of a recurrent reinforcement ally for Kujaku and his friends. His guardian god is Mahakala (大暗黒天, Daiankokuten).
Kujaku's second rival, the young heir of a Chinese clan of sorcerers named Hakka Sendo. He is a master of Huáng-jiā Xiāndào (黄家仙道) and uses the sword Shikoken (獅咬剣). Like Onimaru, he started as an enemy to Kujaku before joining forces with him and developing an uneasy friendship with him. He later falls in love with Kujaku's sister Tomoko, which causes him to give in to darkness in order to try to save her from her fate. After being saved by Kujaku, he marries Tomoko and has a son with her.
Kujaku's old master. He knew Kujaku's father and was entrusted with him. Despite his wisdom and age, he is a bit of an alcoholic and as perverted as his apprentice.
Head priest of Ura-Kōya and Kujaku's senpai. He tries to be much more serious about their work. His guardian god is Mahāvairocana (大日如来, Dainichi Nyorai).
Kujaku's sister, an incarnation of the Rahu (天蛇王, Tenjaō). She became separated from Kujaku as a child and was brought up by a Neo-Nazi cult, which tried to wake up her spiritual power to use her as a weapon.
A sequel, Kujaku Ō: Taimaseiden (孔雀王 退魔聖伝), was serialized in Weekly Young Jump from 1990 to 1992.[6] Shueisha collected its chapters in eleven tankōbon volumes, released from February 1, 1991,[7] to December 1, 1993.[8]
A second sequel, Kujaku Ō: Magarigamiki (孔雀王 曲神紀), was serialized in Weekly Young Jump from March 23, 2006, to October 22, 2009,[a] and later in Monthly Young Jump from November 17, 2009, to February 16, 2010.[b] Shueisha collected its chapters in twelve tankōbon volumes, released from August 18, 2006, to March 19, 2010.[13][14]
A spin-off series, Kujaku Ō: Rising (孔雀王 ライジング), was serialized in Shogakukan's Monthly Big Comic Spirits from March 27, 2012,[15] to June 27, 2019.[16] Shogakukan collected its chapters in ten tankōbon volumes, released from October 30, 2012,[17] to July 30, 2019.[18]
A third sequel, Kujaku Ō: Sengoku Tensei (孔雀王 ～戦国転生～) was published in Leed's Comic Ran Twins from October 26, 2012,[19] to June 27, 2016,[20] and later in Comic Ran from October 27, 2016,[21] to June 27, 2019.[22] Leed collected the chapters in five tankōbon volumes, released from December 27, 2013,[23] to July 30, 2019.[24]
The first of twoFamily Computer (Famicom) adventure games. In it the player takes the role of a band of heroes fighting against evil demons. The player interacts with the story by selecting actions from a list of options on screen (look, take, talk etc) and by a simple 'point-and-click interface. The game was released only in Japan for the Famicom on September 21, 1988 by Pony Canyon.
Kujaku Ō II (孔雀王II, Peacock King II)
A graphic/point-and-click adventure. The player interacts with the story by selecting actions from a list of options on screen (look, take, talk etc) and by a simple 'point-and-click interface. The graphics have been improved over its predecessor. It is also available on the MSX Japanese computer. Released on the NintendoFamicom by Pony Canyon in Japan on August 21, 1990.
^【12月27日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. December 27, 2013. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
^【7月30日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 30, 2019. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
