Жасыраған Қасірет: Ассасиннің Хикаясы (Жасыраған Қасірет: Ассасиннің Хикаясы)

Japanese manga series and its adaptations
the manga

Crying Freeman (クライング フリーマン) is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. Crying Freeman follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia (called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in a vast and complex dragon tattoo. A quiet but complicated killer, Freeman reflexively sheds tears after every killing as a sign of regret. The manga was originally serialized by Shogakukan in its magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1988. It was first published in North America by Viz Media in comic book form. Viz later republished the series in graphic novel form in two versions: an initial set and longer volumes that combined the initial volumes together, dubbed "Perfect Collections." From 2006 to 2007, the manga was republished by Dark Horse Comics in five volumes. The story was adapted into an anime OVA by Toei Animation, released from 1988 to 1994. Crying Freeman has also been adapted into three live action films: two 1990 Hong Kong films in Cantonese (Killer's Romance and The Dragon from Russia) and a 1995 French Canadian production in English.

Yō Hinomura, a Japanese potter, comes into the possession of some film showing an assassination by an agent of the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese mafia. Seeking its return, they kidnap him. Subjected to forced hypnosis, Yo is effectively brainwashed into acting as the 108 Dragons' principal assassin, but he can remember his past at the moment he kills, shedding a tear unconsciously each time. Because of this, he is given the codename "Crying Freeman". One of his killings is witnessed by Emu Hino, a lonely and beautiful Japanese artist. Knowing he must kill her; she paints his portrait and waits for him to come. When he does so, she tells him that she is tired of being alone and wishes to end her life. She asks for a favor before he kills her—for him to have sex with her, so that she will not die as a virgin. He grants her wish but finds he cannot kill her and they fall in love. The killing she witnessed was of a yakuza boss, however, so the yakuza want to find her so that they can find the killer. One of the yakuza attempts to enter Emu's home and force her to disclose the name of the killer, critically injuring her. Freeman takes her to the hospital and tells her to meet him at Hinomura Kiln, where he intends to part with her. Instead, she accompanies him back to the 108 Dragons, where he tattoos her with tigers, and they marry. The heads of the 108 Dragons decide to name Freeman as their heir. He is given the Chinese name Lóng Tài Yáng, and Emu is renamed Hǔ Qīng Lán, as both pass the tests given to them. It proves not as easy as that, however, as they must contend with challenges to the leadership from Bái Yá Shàn, the granddaughter of the leaders of the 108 Dragons, and attempts to destroy the Dragons from other underground organizations.

The manga was published in nine volumes, from 29 March 1986 to 1988 (Weekly Big Comic Spirits 1986 #7 to 1988 #21).

The manga was adapted into a six part anime OVA series by Toei Animation that was released from September 1988 to January 1994. An English dub of the OVA was produced and distributed on VHS by Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom. In the United States, Streamline Pictures produced an English dub of the first five episodes, which were released by Orion Home Video on individual VHS tapes from January 1994 to February 1995. Streamline also planned an English dub of the sixth episode, but Orion declined to have it produced. Between 2003 and 2004, A. D. Vision (ADV) released all six episodes to DVD across three separate sets and a combined set entitled Crying Freeman: The Complete Collection. ADV used the Streamline dub for the first five episodes and produced an English dub for the sixth, with Streamline leads Steve Bulen and Edie Mirman reprising their roles as Freeman and Emu. Discotek Media reissued the Complete Collection boxed set on February 22, 2011. In 2023, Discotek released the OVA to Blu ray with the Manga and Streamline/ADV dubs. No. (Number) Title English title(s) Release date