
Gantz:E
"A Historical Sci-Fi Horror Spin-Off"
Hiroya Oku
Overview
The narrative begins in the Edo era, where a peasant named Hanbē and his love interest O-haru die after a tragic encounter involving a samurai. Both souls are transported into the Gantz sphere, the same black orb universe from the original series, but their battlefield is now historical Tokyo. They don sleek, form-fitting suits and wield advanced alien technology to hunt down monsters in the streets of the past. This setup forces feudal warriors to navigate strict class distinctions while fighting for survival against terrifying, shape-shifting creatures.
Hiroya Oku wrote the script while Jin Kagetsu provided the artwork, marking the first time Oku collaborated with another artist on a major project in this franchise. The story premiered in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on January 9, 2020, and ran until December 2023 before moving to the YanJan! app to conclude its serialization. Six compiled volumes collect the story under the Young Jump Comics imprint, with international editions appearing in Germany and English-speaking markets shortly after release.
The series blends historical fiction, dark fantasy, and body horror by juxtaposing traditional Japanese aesthetics like kimonos and katana with cybernetic suits and laser weapons. It critiques the rigid class structures of the Edo period by showing how the Gantz game strips away status, forcing samurai and peasants to rely on each other or perish. Unlike the original manga which focused heavily on psychological breakdowns in a contemporary setting, this installment emphasizes the visceral impact of anachronistic violence.
Keywords
Sources
Book Info
- Author
- Hiroya Oku
- Publisher
- Young Jump Comics
- Published
- 2020-01-09
- Language
- Japanese
- Series
- Gantz
- Original Artist
- Jin Kagetsu
- Serialization End
- Early 2024
- Magazine
- Weekly Young Jump / YanJan!
- Volume Count
- 6
- German Publisher
- Manga Cult
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