The Tale of Genji: Dreams at Dawn (あさきゆめみし, Asakiyumemishi) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Waki Yamato. It is a manga version of Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji, following nearly the same plot with some modern adaptation. It was serialized in Kodansha's shōjo manga magazines Mimi and Minmi Excellent from 1979 to 1993, with its chapters collected in 13 tankōbon volumes. The first ten volumes focus on Hikaru Genji and his life, while the final three volumes follow two princes, lord Kaoru and Niou no Miya (Royal Prince with Perfumes) after Hikaru Genji's death.
Kodansha International published four volumes, as part of its bilingual manga program, from 2000 to 2001. Kodansha USA published the manga digitally in ten volumes from 2019 to 2020.
An anime adaptation was scheduled to air on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block starting in January 2009;[2] however, the producer decided to make the anime directly from the original Tale of Genji, calling the new anime Genji Monogatari Sennenki.[3]
Royal prince, second son of Emperor Kiritsubo. Because of his beauty and excellence, people called him the Shining Prince. His father, the Emperor gave him a branch house, called Gen. This meant he was no longer part of the royal family and lost the right to succeed the throne, since his mother was a concubine of low rank. Therefore, he was called Gen-ji, shining Gen-ji (Hikaru Genji).
Emperor Kiritsubo
Father of Genji. He wished Genji to become his successor, but it would be impossible since his mother Kiritsubo-koui's was of low rank and the mother of his first son, Kokiden-nyougo, was of high rank.
Kiritsubo-koui
Second class concubine of Emperor Kiritsubo, mother of Genji. The emperor loved her most, but it resulted in death of Kiritsubo-koui under jealousy and hatred of other concubines in the palace.
Kokiden-nyougo
First class concubine, mother of first royal prince (later, Emperor Suzaku) of Emperor Kiritsubo. Daughter of the Minister at the right.
Fujitsubo-nyougo
Royal princess and first class concubine of Emperor Kiritsubo. Fujitsubo looked a lot like late Kiritsubo-koui. Emperor Kiritsubo loved her and she became the Empress consort (Chuuguu). Lord Genji loved and adored Fujitsubo and he committed adultery with her.
Murasaki no ue
Daughter of the Prince Lord Minister of Ceremony, niece of Empress consort Fujitsubo. Lord Genji first met her when she was 12 years old. Later, Genji married her and she was called Murasaki no ue (high Dame Murasaki).
Aoi no ue
Daughter of the Minister at the left. She was 4 years older than Genji. Aoi was the first spouse of Genji, therefore she was called Aoi no ue (high Dame Aoi). She has been raised to be married to the next emperor, but was instead married to Genji who was the second son of the emperor. This has made Aoi cold and distant from her husband. Aoi was killed by jealous living ghost of royal Dame Rokujou.
Rokujou-miyasudokoro
Mother of princess Umetsubo-nyougo, first class concubine of the former Crown Prince who was an elder brother of Emperor Kiritsubo. After her husband's death, she has locked herself up in her mansion and only comes out during a poetry recital. Considered to be very popular at court and carries the reputation of being both wise and beautiful. She became Genji's mistress. Her love overwhelmed the Prince Genji which eventually drove him away from her."Miyasudokoro" is title of mother of royal prince/princess.
Yuugiri
Second son of Genji. His mother was high Dame Aoi.
Emperor Suzaku
First son of Emperor Kiritsubo. His mother was Kokiden-nyougo. Suzaku succeeded his father Kiritsubo's throne and became emperor. Kokiden-nyougo was, then, grand Empress consort.
Emperor Reizei
Son of Empress consort Fujitsubo. He was considered as the royal prince, son of Emperor Kiritsubo, but his real father was Lord Genji. He was a child of adultery.
Tou-no-chuujou
Eldest son of the Minister at the left, elder brother of Aoi. He was a rival and good friend of Genji.
Yuugao
A young lady from middle class but reputed to be beautiful and young. She was one of Genji's loves. She was killed by living ghost of jealous Rokujou-miyasudokoro at the age of nineteen. Her death left Genji into a pit of depression. She left a girl baby, later called Tamakadura, who was just a daughter of Tou-no-chuujou.
Hana-chiru-sato
A young lady, sister of the concubine of Emperor Suzaku. One of Genji's loves. Not so beautiful, but warm-hearted lady.
Oborodukiyo
Daughter of the Minister at the right, younger sister of grand Empress consort Kokiden. She was beautiful and brave lady. Kokiden planned to make her first class concubine of Emperor Suzaku. But she had love affairs with Lord Genji. Then, she became the chief Lady of Chamber (Naishi-no-kami) of Emperor Suzaku. Kokiden got anger, and Genji retired to the seashore place at Suma.
Akashi-no-okata
Daughter of Priest Akashi. A beautiful, elegant, young lady. Genji and his followers met with disaster by typhoon at Suma. They moved to Akashi according to invitation by Priest Akashi. Genji, then, made love with her and begot a girl baby (later, Akashi-no-nyougo).
Shin-Kokiden-nyougo
Daughter of Tou-no-chuujou, elder sister of Kumoi-no-Kari. She was a first class concubine of Emperor Reizei.
Umetsubo-nyougo
Daughter of Rokujou-miyasudokoro and the former Crown Prince. She was Royal princess and entered into the palace of Emperor Reizei as nyougo (first class concubine). Royal Dame Rokujou had died. Genji became her father in palace low. Emperor Reizei became aware that Genji was his real father. Reizei fell in agony, and at last accepted the fact. Reizei raised Umetsubo to the Empress consort for she was Genji's daughter in low. Umetsubo became Akikonomu-chuuguu. Genji became de facto Ex-Emperor, Rokujou-in.
Kumoi-no-Kari
Daughter of Tou-no-chuujou. Younger sister of shin-Kokiden-nyougo. She fell in love with Yuugiri, the son of Genji. She married Yuugiri.
Tamakadura
Daughter of Tou-no-chuujou and Yuugao. Beautiful young lady. She left Kyoto for Dazai-fu at Kyushu in her very young age. After having grown up and become a young lady she returned to Kyoto. Genji found her and announced she was her daughter. Many high rank noblemen sent love-letters to her. Royal army General at the left, Kurohige, proposed her and kidnapped her.
Publication
Written and illustrated by Waki Yamato, The Tale of Genji was serialized in Kodansha's shōjo manga magazines Minmi and Minmi Excellent from 1979 to 1993.[5] Kodansha collected its chapters in 13 tankōbon volumes, released from November 15, 1980,[6] to July 13, 1993.[7]
Kodansha International published four volumes, as part of its bilingual manga program, from 2000 to 2001.[8][9]Kodansha USA started publishing the manga digitally,[10] with ten volumes released from February 26, 2019,[11] to February 4, 2020.[12]
