Kentaro Yasui
Description
Kentaro Yasui is a Japanese author best known for writing light novel series, including Ragnarok and Ark IX. Born in 1974 in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, Yasui is recognized as the original creator behind these works, which have been adapted into other media such as manga and anime.
Yasui gained prominence for writing the light novel series Ragnarok. The story follows a mercenary named Leroy Schwartz who hunts monsters known as the Dark Ones with his sentient long-sword, also named Ragnarok. This original work served as the basis for a manga adaptation illustrated by Tsukasa Kotobuki, which was published in North America by CMX Press under the title Sword of the Dark Ones.
After a period without new publications following a Ragnarok spinoff volume in 2006, Yasui returned with a new project, Ark IX. Kodansha’s light novel imprint released the first volume of Ark IX on February 1, 2013, marking his first published volume in several years. The series is set 150 years after a mysterious black fog caused humanity to lose half of the planet. To contain the fog, massive three-thousand-meter-tall walls were erected, splitting the world, with the surviving human population living in cities called arks. The story centers on Enishi Shidō, one of the few Japanese survivors, who runs a detective agency on the ninth ark and uncovers a vast conspiracy.
A significant aspect of the Ark IX project is its direct tie to an anime adaptation. The second volume of the light novel was released on July 2, 2013, as a limited edition bundle that included a Blu-ray disc featuring an original anime compilation. The anime, an OVA of approximately eleven minutes, was directed by Shin Itagaki and produced by the animation studio Hoods Entertainment, with original character design by Kouji Ogata. The promotional materials for the release noted that the disc would also include bonus footage from a long interview with Yasui himself. The project is a clear example of a light novel series developed in parallel with an anime component, a notable strategy for multimedia franchises.
Yasui gained prominence for writing the light novel series Ragnarok. The story follows a mercenary named Leroy Schwartz who hunts monsters known as the Dark Ones with his sentient long-sword, also named Ragnarok. This original work served as the basis for a manga adaptation illustrated by Tsukasa Kotobuki, which was published in North America by CMX Press under the title Sword of the Dark Ones.
After a period without new publications following a Ragnarok spinoff volume in 2006, Yasui returned with a new project, Ark IX. Kodansha’s light novel imprint released the first volume of Ark IX on February 1, 2013, marking his first published volume in several years. The series is set 150 years after a mysterious black fog caused humanity to lose half of the planet. To contain the fog, massive three-thousand-meter-tall walls were erected, splitting the world, with the surviving human population living in cities called arks. The story centers on Enishi Shidō, one of the few Japanese survivors, who runs a detective agency on the ninth ark and uncovers a vast conspiracy.
A significant aspect of the Ark IX project is its direct tie to an anime adaptation. The second volume of the light novel was released on July 2, 2013, as a limited edition bundle that included a Blu-ray disc featuring an original anime compilation. The anime, an OVA of approximately eleven minutes, was directed by Shin Itagaki and produced by the animation studio Hoods Entertainment, with original character design by Kouji Ogata. The promotional materials for the release noted that the disc would also include bonus footage from a long interview with Yasui himself. The project is a clear example of a light novel series developed in parallel with an anime component, a notable strategy for multimedia franchises.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview