Description
"Asura Cryin'" is a supernatural mecha anime that intertwines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. The story centers on Tomoharu Natsume, a high school student who lives alone in his family's old house after the death of his parents. His life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers that his childhood friend, Misao Minakami, who died years ago, has returned as a ghost and now resides with him. Misao's presence is tied to a mysterious artifact known as the "Asura Machina," a powerful mechanical entity that only Tomoharu can activate.
Tomoharu's ordinary life unravels further when he becomes entangled in a conflict involving various factions vying for control of the Asura Machina. These factions include the enigmatic Kurogane Agency, which seeks to harness the artifact's power, and the "Asura Cryin'," individuals who possess the ability to summon and control these machines. As Tomoharu learns more about his connection to the Asura Machina, he discovers that his existence is intertwined with a parallel world where the rules of reality are distorted. This alternate dimension, known as the "Demon World," is linked to the Asura Machina and plays a crucial role in the unfolding events.
Throughout the series, Tomoharu is joined by a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and ties to the Asura Machina. These include Kanade Takatsuki, a classmate with a mysterious past and her own connection to the artifact, and Shuri Kurosaki, a member of the Kurogane Agency who initially appears as an antagonist but later becomes an ally. The narrative explores themes of identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of wielding immense power, as Tomoharu grapples with his role in the conflict and the moral dilemmas it presents.
The plot is driven by a series of escalating confrontations between the factions, with Tomoharu and his allies striving to prevent the Asura Machina from falling into the wrong hands. The story delves into the origins of the Asura Machina, its connection to the Demon World, and the true nature of Tomoharu's abilities. As the stakes grow higher, the lines between friend and foe blur, and Tomoharu must confront the possibility that his actions could have far-reaching consequences for both worlds.
The series balances action-packed mecha battles with moments of introspection and character development, creating a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The interplay between the real world and the Demon World adds a layer of complexity to the story, as characters navigate the shifting boundaries between the two realms. By the conclusion, the series ties together its various plot threads, offering a resolution that addresses the central conflicts while leaving room for interpretation regarding the characters' futures.
Tomoharu's ordinary life unravels further when he becomes entangled in a conflict involving various factions vying for control of the Asura Machina. These factions include the enigmatic Kurogane Agency, which seeks to harness the artifact's power, and the "Asura Cryin'," individuals who possess the ability to summon and control these machines. As Tomoharu learns more about his connection to the Asura Machina, he discovers that his existence is intertwined with a parallel world where the rules of reality are distorted. This alternate dimension, known as the "Demon World," is linked to the Asura Machina and plays a crucial role in the unfolding events.
Throughout the series, Tomoharu is joined by a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and ties to the Asura Machina. These include Kanade Takatsuki, a classmate with a mysterious past and her own connection to the artifact, and Shuri Kurosaki, a member of the Kurogane Agency who initially appears as an antagonist but later becomes an ally. The narrative explores themes of identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of wielding immense power, as Tomoharu grapples with his role in the conflict and the moral dilemmas it presents.
The plot is driven by a series of escalating confrontations between the factions, with Tomoharu and his allies striving to prevent the Asura Machina from falling into the wrong hands. The story delves into the origins of the Asura Machina, its connection to the Demon World, and the true nature of Tomoharu's abilities. As the stakes grow higher, the lines between friend and foe blur, and Tomoharu must confront the possibility that his actions could have far-reaching consequences for both worlds.
The series balances action-packed mecha battles with moments of introspection and character development, creating a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The interplay between the real world and the Demon World adds a layer of complexity to the story, as characters navigate the shifting boundaries between the two realms. By the conclusion, the series ties together its various plot threads, offering a resolution that addresses the central conflicts while leaving room for interpretation regarding the characters' futures.
Episodes
Staffel 1
1Asura Cryin'
Tomoharu Natsume lives with the ghost of Misao Minakami,his childhood friend who died in a plane crash two years earlier. Misao manifests as a poltergeist only Tomoharu can see or hear, and she remains tethered to a small black trunk he carries. Tomoharu moves into a new dormitory at Myōjō Academy to ease the burden on his sister-in-law, Takatsuki. On his first night, Tomoharu opens the trunk, which contains a mechanized armature that suddenly activates. The activation summons a demonic mechanical entity that attacks the dormitory. Kanade Takatsuki, a fellow student and the dorm manager, intercepts the entity by piloting a giant robot called an Asura Machina that emerges from the trunk. Kanade reveals she is a mechanized being known as a “Demon Contractee” and that Tomoharu has inherited the contract from his older brother, Naotaka. The Asura Machina bonds to Tomoharu as its new master, forcing him to accept the role. Kanade explains that Tomoharu now carries the responsibility of piloting the machine in conflicts between various factions vying for control of such weapons. The episode closes with Tomoharu confronting the reality that he cannot return to a normal life, and Misao’s ghost remains bound to him and the trunk as other parties begin to move against them.
2My Demon Is a Nice Guy
Tomoharu Natsume wakes to find Misao,a mechanical doll, lying beside him in his bed. Misao declares herself his contractor and insists on remaining with him permanently. At school, Tomoharu encounters Kanade Takatsuki, a student council member who immediately identifies Misao as an Asura Machina. Kanade summons her own mechanical doll, Akane, and attacks Tomoharu with the intent to eliminate him as a potential vessel. Misao intercepts the attack, demonstrating her combat abilities and her determination to protect Tomoharu. Student council president Kurasawa Shuri arrives and halts the fight, revealing that multiple factions are vying for control over Tomoharu because he serves as a vessel. Shuri explains that other demon contractors exist, each bound to a mechanical doll through contracts that slowly consume their life force. Kanade warns Tomoharu that his bond with Misao will eventually drain his vitality. Despite this knowledge, Tomoharu refuses to abandon Misao after witnessing her unwavering loyalty. Later, Tomoharu learns that Kanade’s older brother, Tokiya, is his childhood friend and also a demon contractor. The episode ends with Tomoharu accepting Misao’s constant presence while the student council places him under surveillance, positioning him as a central figure in an impending conflict among contractors.
3Episode 3
Tomoharu Natsume continues to reside with the ghost of his childhood friend,Shuri Kano, who only he can see. The Student Council president, Takatsuki, demands Tomoharu hand over the Asura Machina, a mechanical demon contained in his briefcase. Takatsuki reveals that her organization, the Mechanical Demon Contractors, seeks to control such beings for their own purposes. Tomoharu refuses, leading Takatsuki to deploy her own Asura Machina, a large humanoid robot named Rakshasa. During the ensuing battle, Tomoharu successfully activates his Asura Machina, which manifests as a blue-armored knight. The fight ends inconclusively when Shuri intervenes, demonstrating an unexpected ability to physically interact with the mechanical demons. After the battle, Tomoharu learns from Takatsuki that his brother, Naotaka, was also a Mechanical Demon Contractor. Takatsuki explains that Naotaka died under mysterious circumstances related to the Asura Machina. Tomoharu resolves to uncover the truth about his brother's death and the nature of his contract. Shuri reveals that she remembers fragments of her past, linking her existence to the Asura Machina. Tomoharu and Shuri agree to work together while facing increased scrutiny from both the Student Council and other factions seeking the same power.
4Episode 4
Tomoharu Natsume and Kanade Takatsuki return to the school building after their previous encounter with the Asura Machina. Kanade explains that each use of her power drains her life force,making Tomoharu reluctant to rely on her. Shuri Kurosaki, a student at the same school, confronts them and reveals herself as a demon contractor working for the Society. She summons a mechanical demon and attacks Tomoharu, forcing him into a defensive position. Kanade urges Tomoharu to activate their contract, and he partially manifests the Asura Machina to counter Shuri’s assault. The battle damages the school grounds and attracts the attention of other contractors in the area. Shuri withdraws after her attack fails, but warns that Tomoharu’s possession of the Asura Machina makes him a target for the Society. Tomoharu questions whether the cost of Kanade’s life is worth the power he wields. Kanade reaffirms her decision to bind herself to him, stating she accepted the terms of the contract willingly. A mysterious boy watches the aftermath from a distance, suggesting that additional factions are monitoring Tomoharu. The episode ends with Tomoharu realizing that his actions have placed him and Kanade in the crosshairs of multiple organizations.
5The Day the Demon Was Born
Tomoharu Natsume and his demon contractor Misao return to the school grounds after escaping an ambush by the Assembly of the Nine. Kanade Takatsuki confronts Tomoharu and reveals her own contract with the white Asura Machina,Shirogane. A sudden attack comes from Shuri, a young pilot affiliated with the rival Association, who launches her own mechanical demon. Tomoharu activates Misao’s transformation into the black Asura Machina, Kurogane, to defend the group. The two machines engage in close combat, and Tomoharu struggles to maintain control as Kurogane’s aggressive impulses surface. Shuri withdraws when her transport craft signals a retreat, leaving the battle unresolved. Kanade explains the longstanding conflict between the Assembly of the Nine and the Association, both of which seek to harness the Asura Machina for their own ends. Tomoharu learns from Kanade that his missing older brother, Naotaka, was previously Misao’s contractor and had ties to the Assembly. The revelation forces Tomoharu to reconsider his brother’s disappearance and his own role in the conflict. He resolves to investigate the Assembly and uncover the truth about his brother’s actions. Meanwhile, Kurasawa, the leader of the Assembly, orders her subordinates to capture Kurogane, setting the stage for a direct confrontation.
6Devil's Contract
Tomoharu Natsume and Kanade Takatsuki encounter Misao,a girl who pilots the Asura Machina Kurogane. Misao claims she is Tomoharu’s fiancée based on an agreement from a previous incarnation. She demands Tomoharu break his existing contract with Kanade and form a new one with her. Kanade refuses, and the two Asura Machina engage in direct combat. During the battle, Tomoharu experiences fragmented flashbacks showing his past self’s connection to Misao. Tomoharu shields Kanade from an attack, prompting Misao to withdraw temporarily. Later, Student Council President Sōryū Takatsuki reveals his own ties to the Mechanical Demons and explains that multiple factions are vying for control over the contractors and their machines. Tomoharu learns that his contract with Kanade did not happen by chance but is part of a larger conspiracy involving past-life debts. Sōryū then proposes a test that will force Tomoharu to choose sides in the growing conflict.
7Episode 7
The Assembly of the Sword deploys Takatsuki Kanade to capture the Asura Machina. Takatsuki faces Tomoharu and his own Kanade,a demon contractor bound to the machine. During the confrontation, Takatsuki reveals that Tomoharu’s Kanade is not a ghost but a demon that devours other demons. Tomoharu rejects the Assembly’s claim that his Kanade must be eliminated. The fight intensifies when a second Tomoharu emerges from a dimensional rift. This other Tomoharu, a contractor from a parallel world, seizes Tomoharu’s Kanade and absorbs her into his own Asura Machina. Tomoharu’s group retreats as the Assembly temporarily withdraws. Shuri explains that the parallel Tomoharu lost his own Kanade and now seeks to replace her with the one from this world. Tomoharu resolves to retrieve his Kanade before the Assembly or his alternate self does. The episode closes with Tomoharu confronting his other self directly, demanding Kanade’s return.
8The Youngest Daughter of the King of Misfortune
9The Impossible Taboo
10Bound by the Chains of Time
11Episode 11
Tomoharu Natsume confronts his brother Shuri in the underground facility. Shuri commands the Asura Machina Kuon and declares his intention to awaken the original Asura. He reveals that both brothers are contractors,but Tomoharu’s bond with Kanade remains incomplete because she hides her true nature. Kanade recalls her human life: she made a contract with a demon to save a dying friend, transforming into an Asura Machina herself. The demon that possessed her became her current form, and she suppressed her memories of that past until now. Tomoharu learns that his contract with Kanade links their lives; if her core is destroyed, he dies as well. Shuri attacks to force Kanade to manifest fully, aiming to use her as a key to the original Asura. Tomoharu shields Kanade, refusing to let her become a sacrifice. His resolve triggers a response from his own Asura Machina, causing a partial synchronization. The clash between the brothers escalates as Kanade’s sealed power begins to release. Shuri retreats after achieving his immediate goal, leaving Tomoharu to grapple with the consequences of Kanade’s awakening. The episode ends with Tomoharu standing before a transformed Kanade, uncertain whether she remains the same person.
12The Sound of a Contract
Tomoharu Natsume reaches the core of the Asura Machina where Kanade Takatsuki waits. Kanade declares her intention to activate the machine’s full rewrite ability,erasing all memory of herself from the world to free Tomoharu from the emotional debt he carries. Tomoharu rejects her plan and activates his own demon contract, forcibly binding Kanade to him instead. The Asura Machina destabilizes from the conflicting contracts and initiates a self-destruct sequence. Misao Minakami and Reishirou Saiki escape the collapsing structure as waves of destructive energy consume the facility. Tomoharu emerges from the wreckage carrying the unconscious Kanade, but she no longer possesses a physical body. Reishirou confirms that Tomoharu’s contract overwrote Kanade’s existence, anchoring her as a ghost bound to him in the same manner as Misao. The three leave the site as Reishirou warns that the forces behind the Mechanical Girls will not abandon their objective. Tomoharu accepts the weight of now protecting both Misao and Kanade while continuing to resist the ongoing conflict between the First and Second Worlds. The episode closes with Tomoharu reaffirming his determination to fight, directly opposing the group that seeks to exploit the unstable link between the two realities.
13The World Dyed Crimson
Tomoharu Natsume regains consciousness in his own bed after having been trapped in the alternate dimension by his contract with Misao Minakami. He finds that six months have elapsed; his former home has been demolished and a new house stands in its place. Kanade Takatsuki and the other members of the Asura Cryin’ club have resumed their daily lives,having assumed Tomoharu would never return. At a local shrine, Tomoharu reunites with Misao, but she displays no memory of him and claims to be a shikigami named Ann rather than the demon he knew. Kanade explains that the original Misao sacrificed her existence to anchor Tomoharu back into the real world, leaving behind only a vessel now occupied by Ann. Reiji Moritsubo and the Student Council approach Tomoharu with news that his current body is a replica constructed by the First Heaven, a faction now intervening directly in human affairs. The First Heaven deploys agents to capture Tomoharu, forcing him to accept Reiji’s proposal to cooperate against this common threat. Tomoharu agrees, motivated by the possibility of recovering Misao’s lost memories and confronting the entity that orchestrated her disappearance. Ann reveals an ability to manifest powers identical to those once wielded by Misao, suggesting a deeper connection between the two. As Tomoharu aligns himself with Reiji’s forces, the First Heaven accelerates its plans, setting the stage for a direct clash over control of the Asura Machina and the fate of those bound to them.
Cast
- Haruna Chiyohara
- Shuri Kurosaki
- Kirstina
- Takuma Higuchi
- You Susugihara
- Rikka Kurasawa
- Shuu Mahiwa
- Yasutake Satomi
- Satomi Satō
- Takaya Kagakagari
- Tomoharu Natsume
- Reiko Saeki
- Touru Kitsutaka
- Kanade Takatsuki
- Old Man Shioizumi
- Reishirou Saeki
- Misao Minakami
- Ritsu Shioizumi
Comment(s)
Staff
- DirectorKeizō Kusakawa
- ScreenplayNatsuko TakahashiKatsuhiko KoideDeko Akao
- Episode DirectorMasami ShimodaYukio NishimotoKeizō KusakawaShinpei TomookaAtsushi NakayamaKōta OkunoYoshinari SaitōTaizo YoshidaYū NobutaSeung Hui SonHideya TakahashiShin TosakaMaki Odaira
- Original creator
- Character DesignAtsushi Komori
- ArtToshiko Kaizu
- Mechanical designHideki Fukushima
- Sound DirectorJin Aketagawa
- Director of PhotographyTadashi KitaokaMami Gotō
- Series CompositionKatsuhiko Koide
- StoryboardMasami ShimodaMichiyo SakuraiMichio FukudaJunichi SakataYukio NishimotoKeizō KusakawaHarume KosakaYoshinari SaitōTaizo YoshidaShin TosakaMaki OdairaMakoto Higashi
- MusicMitsutaka Tajiri
- Original Character DesignNao Watanuki
- Art DirectorToshiko Kaizu
- Animation DirectorAtsuko TakahashiTeppei TaketaniShinpei TomookaTakuya MatsumuraNaoki AisakaShigeru UchiharaYoshinari SaitōYūji MiyashitaAtsushi KomoriKiyomitsu SatoHiroyasu OdaHiroshi IshiyamaYūko YahiroYūto ShindōSunao ChikaokaKyō Nanahoshi
- Art designKaoru Aoki
- Cgi DirectorYasuhiro Kato
- ProducerOsamu UemuraGō NakanishiHiroyuki Yuzawa
Production
- ProductionKing RecordsSeven ArcsTV TokyoRaku High Student Council
- Animation ProductionSeven Arcs
Relations
Manga overview

