Сорыүден: Аждаһа патшаларының жырлары

Japanese novel series by Yoshiki Tanaka

Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kings (創竜伝) is a Japanese novel series written by Yoshiki Tanaka. It is loosely based on Chinese mythology. It was written by Tanaka in collaboration with illustrators Yoshitaka Amano (Kodansha Novels edition) and manga artist group Clamp (Kodansha bunkobon). It is written with a humorous and satirical tone. It published the 15th volume as of 2020. On July 24, 2008, at San Diego Comic Con, North American publisher Del Rey announced that they have secured the license to the Sohryuden novel series. This would have been the first work by Yoshiki Tanaka to be released in English. This was projected to be released in 2009, but was seen on online bookstores as having a 2011 release date. Due to the closure of Del Rey, the release has been cancelled.

The story features four divine Dragon Kings, rulers of the four parts of the world according to Chinese myths. The brothers are reborn in the modern world, complete with supernatural powers and the ability to become the Dragons which are their true forms. They are content to live ordinary lives as long as nobody meddles with them. It becomes the mission of the four brothers to defeat the "Four Sisters", organization headed by four tycoons from America connected with the "Bulls" enemies of the Dragons who have received ownership of the Western half of the world while the Dragons keep rule over the Eastern half of the world before they use their control over technology and the economy to take over the world. However, as this battle begins, the four brothers must also find their place in the world as they flee from the destructive will of the "Bulls".

The contents to the 1st through the 6th volumes of an original novel serve as a base for the animation. Sohryuden has been released as a 12 episode animated series. Each episode is about 45 minutes. In the U. S., Central Park Media has released all of the series on both VHS and DVD. The new releases came out November 22, 2005. The anime was also released in the UK and Australia under the title of The Legend of the Four Kings by Manga Entertainment across six videos. The series was only released on VHS and is now long out of print.

The Clamp version was serialized as Mystery DX of Kadokawa Shoten in 1994. Intended to be a comedy, Owaru, one of the Dragon Kings, goes to Osaka to wakes snakes up. There are only three stories, and the story has not been concluded. As research, Clamp went to Osaka. The manga version by Clamp is quite rare and had been previously very difficult to obtain. Because of high demand from fans, the chapters have been compiled into a tankōbon format artbook under the title Sohryuden Genga shu in 2004. Additionally, there is a manga short (only 4 pages) drawn for the Sohryuden drama CD, which had been included in Sohryuden Genga shu. In 2004 2005, manga artist Kōji Megumi (恵 広史) serialized another manga version of Sohryuden as a comedy starring Owaru. Serialized in Magazine Special of Kodansha, it is Koji's debut work and has received positive reception and reviews. It was compiled into five volumes.

Sohryuden was animated in 12 episodes. The titles displayed are the U. K. version while the Japanese version titles are in brackets. Chapter 1 Dragon Prophecy (The Four Brothers Under Fire) : Day to day life for Hajime Ryudo and his brothers is suddenly disrupted by kidnappings, assault and expulsion threats. As the eldest, Hajime realises that the prophecy of the Dragon King will soon become reality. Chapter 2 Ancient Truths (The Legend of Dragon Springs) : Hajime comes face to face with the oppressive tyrant, Gozen of Kamakura, and learns of the ancient legend of the four kings. Offered a chance of complete supremacy over the city of Tokyo, Hajime must take a tough decision one that could alter the brothers' whole existence. Chapter 3 The Awakening (The Black Dragon King Revealed) : The Ryudo brothers, accused of murder, flee the city and fall straight into Gozen's trap. The Army, together with Gozen, launch a mass attack on the unsuspecting brothers to stimulate their transformation into dragons and use their powers to fuel Gozen's strength. Chapter 4 The Masked Enemy (Tokyo Bay Rhapsody) : More than just fun and games are in store when the Ryudo brothers take a day trip to Tokyo Fairyland. They soon discover that they are wanted by Military Intelligence for their hidden powers and true ghost train horrors come to life when they are pursued through the fairground. Chapter 5 Programmed To Kill (The Graceful Agent) : Dr Hatushi Tamozawa, Gozen of Kamakura's personal physician, thrives on dissecting human beings. Aware of the Ryudo brothers supernatural powers, he is obsessed with experimenting on them and sets out to capture them with his cybernetic hunting dogs. When the two youngest brothers, Owaru and Amaru, suspiciously win VIP tickets to the big league game, the evil doctor lures them into his cunning trap. Chapter 6 Dragon Alliance (Skyscrapers and the Red Dragon) : The beautiful mysterious megalomanic Lady L, an extremely influential figure in Japan, will do anything to achieve world domination. Recognising the powers of the Ryudo brothers, she targets Tsuzuku, desperate to reach his inner soul and use his power to achieve her goal. Her proposition angers him and when the situation escalates, drives him to do exactly what frightens him most

Chapter 7 Kill the Dragon (Revenge of the Four Brothers) : The media world is fascinated by the phenomenon of the Red Dragon which has attacked the cityscape. Unknown to them, the enraged monster is the transformed Tsuzuku Ryudo. The evil Dr Tamozawa is one of the few to have discovered the Ryudo's secret and, using his new generation cyborgs, he engages in a plan to kidnap Owaru for his scientific experiments

Chapter 8 The Iron Dragon (Rampage of the Iron Dragon) : Owaru Ryudo is still captive at the lab awaiting dissection at the hands of the evil, butchering, Dr Tamozawa. The remaining brothers, relentless in their search for him, are being pursued by government agencies. Forced to flee, they steal a military tank in collaboration with a rebellious army captain eager for a slice of the action. The chase is on and time is running out for Owaru and his brothers to salvage the city of Tokyo

Chapter 9 The Fierce Wind (Storm of the White Dragon King) : The ruthless Lady L has kidnapped Owaru and has held him captive in an electrified cage at the Yokota Air Base, ready to be transported to America. Hajime sets off on a lone rescue mission to try and free his brother but the attempt causes a disastrous airplane explosion on the runway. The trauma awakens the White Dragon of the Western Isles within Owaru and he begins to destroy the airbase and the town near it. Realising the awesome power of the beast may injure the innocent, there is only one way Hajime can control its power but even that might be too frightening to conceive

Chapter 10 Narrow Escape (The Brothers' Greatest Escape) : Lady L has more evil plans in store for the Ryudo brothers when she organises their arrest by the police. A replica of Hajime attempts to release the prisoners and in the process destroys the police station, having the Ryudo brothers branded as terrorists. The entire law enforcement agencies of the city are placed on emergency alert and are part of the biggest manhunt ever known. The Ryudo brothers are the innocent victims the hunt is on! Chapter 11 The Blue Dragon Soars to Heaven (The Soaring Blue Dragon King) : Hajime has become a captive of Lady L and is brought aboard the aircraft carrier, Dynasty. But waiting for him on board is the dissecting maniac, Dr Tamozawa. Tamozawa's cruel treatment summons the wrath of Hajime, and the fourth dragon finally emerges. The Blue Dragon King can control the force of gravity and it plucks the Dynasty and her fleet up into the stratosphere. Tsuzuku and the others, who have rejoined their three brave friends: Shinkai, Mizuchi and Nijikawa, escape Japan in a defense transport plane. But now they must find the Blue Dragon King! Chapter 12 Four Dragons In the Heaven (The Four Dragon Kings Take To the Sky) : The defense transport plane that Tsuzuku and the others have stolen is in danger of crashing! Desperate to save Matsuri and their friends, Tsuzuku and his two brothers transform themselves into all powerful dragons. Meanwhile, the Blue Dragon King has travelled to America and begins to destroy all the military bases and facilities and finally targets his anger towards the US President. The other three dragons manage to reunite with Hajime but can their combined power overcome the spirit known as the Shiyu, an ancient enemy of the dragon race over 3,000 years ago? The world is on the brink of Armageddon as it enters the ultimate battle