Ushijima the Loan Shark

Ushijima the Loan Shark (闇金ウシジマくん, Yamikin Ushijima-kun) is a Japanese manga series by Shohei Manabe. The series was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine from May 2004 to May 2019. It was adapted into a live action television drama series in 2010 and into a live action film in 2012. A second live action film, Ushijima the Loan Shark 2, was released on May 16, 2014.[1][2] Two other live action films, Ushijima the Loan Shark 3, and Ushijima the Loan Shark The Final have also been released.

Ushijima the Loan Shark
First tankōbon volume cover
闇金ウシジマくん
(Yamikin Ushijima-kun)
Manga
Written byShohei Manabe
Published byShogakukan
MagazineWeekly Big Comic Spirits
DemographicSeinen
Original runMay 10, 2004 – March 4, 2019
Volumes46
Television drama
Directed byMasatoshi Yamaguchi
Written byMasahiro Fukuma
Original networkTBS, MBS
Original run October 12, 2010 – September 18, 2016
Episodes27
Live-action film
Directed byMasatoshi Yamaguchi
Written byMasahiro Fukuma
Masatoshi Yamaguchi
Music bySuperfly
ReleasedAugust 25, 2012 (2012-08-25)
Runtime129 minutes
Live-action film
Ushijima the Loan Shark Part 2
Directed byMasatoshi Yamaguchi
Written byMasahiro Fukuma
Masatoshi Yamaguchi
Music bySuperfly
ReleasedMay 14, 2014 (2014-05-14)
Runtime133 minutes
Live-action film
Ushijima the Loan Shark Part 3
Directed byMasatoshi Yamaguchi
Written byMasahiro Fukuma
Masatoshi Yamaguchi
Music bySuperfly
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2016 (2016-09-22)
Runtime131 minutes
Live-action film
Ushijima the Loan Shark The Final
Directed byMasatoshi Yamaguchi
Written byMasahiro Fukuma
Masatoshi Yamaguchi
Music bySuperfly
ReleasedOctober 22, 2016 (2016-10-22)
Runtime130 minutes
Manga
Nikumamushi Densetsu
Written byYū Hayato
Published byShogakukan
MagazineYawaraka Spirits
DemographicSeinen
Original runFebruary 2017 – present
Volumes16
Manga
Gaiden: Ramen Namerikawa-san
Written byŌdō Yamazaki
Published byShogakukan
MagazineYawaraka Spirits
DemographicSeinen
Original runDecember 7, 2017 – March 4, 2019
Volumes5
Manga
Shōnen-in Ushijima-kun
Written byŌdō Yamazaki
Published byShogakukan
MagazineMangaONE
DemographicSeinen
Original runJanuary 30, 2023 – present

In 2011, the series won the 56th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.

Plot

The story depicts the daily lives of Kaoru Ushijima, the manager of the ultra-violent, 10-day, 50% interest black-market finance company "Cow Cow Finance," and his employees, as well as the various human situations of the customers who visit Cow Finance and their relations, and the dark side of society. The story is told from the viewpoint of the main characters in each episode, and Ushijima is a kind of a rhapsodist who comes into contact with these characters. Therefore, there are many episodes in which Ushijima does not appear at all [Note 2]. The title "XX-kun" was inspired by the naming of automatic contracting machines for salaries, such as "Mujinkun" (Acom) and "O-auto-san" (Aiful), which were popular at the time.[3]

Characters
  • Takayuki Yamada (TV drama and film) as Kaoru Ushijima
  • Nana Katase (TV drama and film) as Chiaki Okubo
  • Kyosuke Yabe (TV drama and film) as Ezaki
  • Hiromi Sakimoto (TV drama and film) as Takada
  • Jessica Kizaki (TV drama and film) as Moko

Production

According to the author, in order to prevent mannerisms, he depicts the story from the viewpoint of the central character as much as possible. He said, "I try to keep the story as simple as possible.

As for the reason for ending the serialization, the author stated, "I felt that there was a limit to the story depicted from the perspective of a criminal, a black-money trader. The more I pushed the story, the more readers would leave. After that, he began serializing "Kujo no Daishin" (The Deadly Sins of the Nine), with a lawyer as the main character.[4]

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Shohei Manabe, Ushijima the Loan Shark was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from May 10, 2004,[5] to March 4, 2019.[6] Shogakukan collected its chapters in forty-six tankōbon volumes, released from July 30, 2004,[7] to May 30, 2019.[8]

A spin-off manga by Yū Hayato, titled Nikumamushi Densetsu, began serialization on Shogakukan's Yawaraka Spirits manga service in February 2017.[9]

A spin-off manga by Ōdō Yamazaki, titled Gaiden: Ramen Namerikawa-san, was serialized on the Yawaraka Spirits manga service between December 2017 and May 2019.[10][11]

Another spin-off manga by Ōdō Yamazaki, titled Shōnen-in Ushijima-kun, will begin serialization on Shogakukan’s MangaONE app on January 30, 2023.[12]

Drama

In 2010, the manga series was adapted into a TV drama.[13]

Film

In 2012, the manga was adapted into a live-action film, with the cast and staff from the TV drama reprising their roles.[14]

Reception

In 2011, the series won the 56th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category.[15][16]

As of March 2022, it has sold a total of 21 million copies.[17]

References
  1. Kevin Ma (May 13, 2014). "Frozen tops Japan B.O. for tenth weekend". Film Business Asia. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  2. "闇金ウシジマくん Part2 (2014)". alcinema.net (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  3. "• Words/phrases 私の趣味 早く起きます 遅く寝ます もう一度、言う もう一回、行く 肉と魚 こちらでお立ちください。 明日、お宅にいらっしゃいますか。 この町は便利ですが、バスはとても不便です。 この漢字の意味は何ですか。 来年も日本語を取るつもりです。 あなたの趣味は何ですか。 いつも遅く寝て、早く起きます。 もう一度、言ってくださいませんか。 日本にもう一回だけ行きたいです。 肉も魚も食べたくありません。", Japanese Stage-Step Course: Writing Practice Book, Routledge, p. 237, November 15, 2009, doi:10.4324/9780203882337-64, ISBN 978-0-203-88233-7, retrieved January 13, 2023
  4. "• Words 中川さん 来ます 来年 会います 会社 休みます 書きます 英語 話します 電話 映画 新しい 新聞 聞く 古い 来年、中川さんが来ます。 中川さんは会社員です。 昨日、クラスを休みました。 メールを友達に書きました。 毎日、日本語を話します。 母に電話で話しました。 新しい映画を見ました。 古い新聞を読みました。 ピアノ ヴァイオリン ビオラ ギター ハープ チェロ オルガン トランペット チューバ フルート クラリネット アコーデオン シッター フレンチホルン ドラム", Japanese Stage-Step Course: Writing Practice Book, Routledge, p. 126, November 15, 2009, doi:10.4324/9780203882337-28, ISBN 978-0-203-88233-7, retrieved January 13, 2023
  5. ビッグ スピリッツ 2004年24号 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on August 15, 2004. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  6. 闇金ウシジマくん完結！「全部捧げる気持ちで描いてきた」、デコトラ全国走行も. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 4, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  7. 闇金ウシジマくん １ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  8. 闇金ウシジマくん ４６ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  9. Ressler, Karen (January 29, 2017). "Ushijima the Loan Shark Gets Spinoff Manga About Nikumamushi". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  10. Ressler, Karen (December 5, 2017). "Ushijima the Loan Shark Gets New Spinoff Manga About Namerikawa". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  11. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 29, 2019). "Ushijima the Loan Shark's Spinoff Manga About Namerikawa Ends in 5th Volume". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  12. Cayanan, Joanna (January 20, 2023). "Ushijima the Loan Shark Manga Gets New Spinoff Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  13. "Ushijima the Loan Shark Manga Gets Live-Action Show". Anime News Network. August 9, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  14. "Ushijima the Loan Shark Manga Gets Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. August 3, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  15. 小学館漫画賞 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  16. "56th Shogakukan Manga Award Winners Announced (Updated)". Anime News Network. January 21, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  17. "日本学術会議資料の保存・管理と公開に向けて". Trends in the Sciences. 26 (1): 1_104–1_105. January 1, 2021. doi:10.5363/tits.26.1_104. ISSN 1342-3363. S2CID 242667522.


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