Saki (manga)

Written and drawn by Ritz Kobayashi, the Saki manga series is serialized in Square Enix's biweekly seinen manga magazine, Young Gangan.[3] Serialization began on February 3, 2006. Square Enix has collected the chapters in tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on December 25, 2006, and as of July 2023, 24 volumes have been released. Yen Press have licensed the series in English for digital release.[2][4]

A 4-koma series written by Saya Kiyoshi, Saki Biyori (咲日和), was serialized in Young Gangan between the June 17, 2011 and August 17, 2012 issues. It was also serialized in Big Gangan between the October 25, 2011 and March 24, 2018 issues. The first volume was released on March 24, 2012; seven volumes have been released as of March 24, 2018.

A spin-off manga series written by Kobayashi and illustrated by Aguri Igarashi, Saki Achiga-hen episode of Side-A (咲 Saki 阿知賀編 episode of Side-A), originally ran in Square Enix's Shōnen Gangan magazine between the September 2011 and April 2013 issues.[5][6] It was compiled into six volumes released between March 24, 2012 and August 24, 2013. It resumed serialization on March 23, 2020[7] and two new volumes were added in 2021. Nine books have been published as of September 2022.

Another spin-off manga titled Side Story of Saki: Shinohayu the Dawn of Age began serialization in Big Gangan from September 25, 2013.[8] As of July 2023 it has 16 volumes published. A spin-off of Achiga-hen illustrated by Meki Meki, Toki (怜-Toki), began serialization in Big Gangan on June 25, 2016.[9] There have been ten tankōbon volumes as of July 2023.

A series of parody one-shots titled Ritz (立, Ritsu), which detail the fictionalized backstory behind Kobayashi's serialization of Saki, have been written and illustrated by Hideki Owada and published in Young Gangan. Another spin-off by Meki Meki, titled Someya Mako no Jansō Meshi (染谷まこの雀荘メシ, Mako Someya's Mahjong Parlor Food), began serialization in Young Gangan on June 7, 2019[10] and has 3 volumes as of September 2022.[11] Saki to Final Fantasy XIV, a manga drawn by Saya Kiyoshi in collaboration with the Final Fantasy XIV video game, will launch on Square Enix's Manga Up! app on January 22, 2021.[12]

An anime adaptation of Saki was announced in the 24th issue of Young Gangan.[13] The series was adapted by Gonzo, directed by Manabu Ono, and written by Tatsuhiko Urahata,[14] From episode fifteen onwards, animation production was done by Picture Magic. On January 31, 2009, a 105-second promotional video began streaming on the anime's official website.[15] The series aired on TV Tokyo and its affiliate stations between April 6 and September 28, 2009.[16]

A 12-episode anime adaptation of Saki: Achiga-hen aired in Japan between April 9 and July 2, 2012.[5][17][18] Ono and Urahata return as director and writer and animation production is done by Studio Gokumi. Four additional episodes aired on AT-X between December 24, 2012 and May 25, 2013.[19][20] A short anime was included with a Blu-ray boxset released on March 18, 2015.[21] A third Saki anime series, titled Saki: The Nationals (咲-Saki-全国編, Saki: Zenkoku-hen), aired 13 episodes between January 5[22] and April 6, 2014. Ono and Urahata again return as director and writer under Studio Gokumi.[23] Each of the series are simulcasted by Crunchyroll.[24] An original video animation of Saki Biyori, also animated by Studio Gokumi, was bundled with the 14th manga volume of Saki on July 25, 2015.[25]

Saki uses five pieces of theme music, two opening themes and three ending themes.[26] Saki: Achiga-hen episode of side-A uses four pieces of theme music, two opening themes and two ending themes.[27][28] Saki: The Nationals currently uses one opening theme and two ending themes, one of which has variations featuring different artists.

Opening themes

"Glossy:MMM" by Miyuki Hashimoto (Saki, episodes 2-14, ending theme of episodes 1, 25, The Nationals ep 13)

"Bloooomin'" by Little Non (Saki, episodes 15-25)

"Miracle Rush" by StylipS (Saki: Achiga-hen, episodes 2-12, ending theme of episodes 1, 16)

"TSU・BA・SA" by StylipS (Saki: Achiga-hen, episodes 13-15)

"New Sparks!" by Miyuki Hashimoto (Saki: The Nationals, episodes 2-13, ending theme of episode 1)

"Dramatic Cycle" (ドラマティック＊サイクル, Doramatikku Saikuru) by StylipS (Saki Biyori)

Ending themes

"Netsuretsu Kangei Wonderland" (熱烈歓迎わんだーらんど, Enthusiastic Welcome Wonderland) by Kana Ueda, Ami Koshimizu, Rie Kugimiya, Ryōko Shiraishi, and Shizuka Itō (Saki, episodes 2-6, 8-9, 11-14)

"Zankoku na Negai no Naka de" (残酷な願いの中で, Inside a Cruel Wish) by Kana Ueda and Ami Koshimizu (Saki, episodes 7, 10, 16, 18, 22)

"Shikakui Uchū de Matteru yo" (四角い宇宙で待ってるよ, Waiting For You in the World of Rectangles) by Kana Ueda, Ami Koshimizu, Rie Kugimiya, Ryōko Shiraishi, and Shizuka Itō (Saki, episodes 15, 17, 19-21, 23-24)

"Square Panic Serenade" performed by Aoi Yūki, Nao Tōyama, Kana Hanazawa, Mako and Yumi Uchiyama (Saki: Achiga-hen, episodes 2, 5-7, 12)

"Futuristic Player" by Miyuki Hashimoto (Saki: Achiga-hen, episodes 3, 4, 8-11, 14-15)

"True Gate" by Miyuki Hashimoto (Saki: The Nationals, episodes 2, 7, 9)

"Kono Te ga Kiseki o Eranderu " (この手が奇跡を選んでる, This Hand Will Draw a Miracle)

• "Miyamori Girls High School ver." (宮守女子高校 ver., Miyamori Joshi Kōkō ver.) by Juri Nagatsuma, Mariko Mizuno, Moe Toyota, Rina Satou, and Maaya Uchida (Saki: The Nationals, episodes 3, 8)
• "Eisui Girls High School ver." (永水女子高校 ver., Eisui Joshi Kōkō ver.) by Saori Hayami, Chinatsu Akasaki, Kaori Mizuhashi, Ayumi Tsuji, and Sayaka Ohara (Saki: The Nationals, episodes 4, 6, 10)
• "Himematsu High School ver." (姫松高校 ver, Himematsu Kōkō ver.) by Arisa Date, Haruka Yoshimura, Satsumi Matsuda, Mariko Nakatsu, and Minako Kotobuki (Saki: The Nationals, episodes 5, 12)

"Koromo Biyori" (ころもびより, Koromo Days) by Kaori Fukuhara, Minori Chihara, Ai Shimizu, Ayuru Ōhashi, and Yuko Kaida (Saki Biyori, ep 1)

For the PSP game, the respective opening and ending themes are "Kimi ga Waratte Kureta kara, Kyō mo Yume no Tane o Makō (Kimi Tane)" (君が笑ってくれたから、今日も夢の種を蒔こう。-キミたね-, lit. "Because You Make Me Laugh, The Seeds of Dreams Will Bloom Today As Well") and "Bakuhatsu Shidō Revolution" (爆発始動レボリューション, Bakuhatsu Shidō Reboryūshon, lit. "Exploding Startup Revolution"), both performed by Little Non. For the Achiga-hen PSP game, the opening theme is "Moment of Glory" by Miyuki Hashimoto.

A four episode live-action television series began airing in Japan on December 4, 2016, and a live-action film debuted in Japan on February 3, 2017.[29][30][31]

A mahjong video game was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo International Anime Fair,[32] and later released on April 22, 2009.[33] Gonzo collaborated with Sega in developing the arcade mahjong video game based on the series, and it is based on the MJ4 Ver.C network mahjong game.[34] The game includes a Saki Single Mode, where the player can play with Saki characters instead of matching-up with opponents online. Another mahjong video game was developed by Alchemist for the PlayStation Portable,[35] and was released in March 2010 in Japan under the name Saki Portable. A sequel, Saki Achiga-hen episode of Side-A Portable, was released on August 29, 2013.[20][36] Another sequel, Saki Zenkoku-hen, was released by Kaga Create on September 17, 2015 for PlayStation Vita.[37] On December 22, 2016, Entergram re-released the game as Saki Zenkoku-hen Plus, with the latest update folded into it.[38]