Blast of Tempest
A manga and anime series blending Shakespearean revenge with magical conflict.
Blast of Tempest (Japanese: 絶園のテンペスト, Hepburn: Zetsuen no Tenpesuto) is a Japanese manga series co-written by Kyō Shirodaira and Arihide Sano, with art by Ren Saizaki. It ran in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan from July 2009 to March 2013, and its chapters were compiled into ten tankōbon volumes. Bones produced a 24-episode anime adaptation that aired from October 2012 to March 2013. Aniplex of America licensed the anime in North America, Madman Entertainment handled Australia, and Muse Communication covered Southeast Asia.
The story follows Mahiro Fuwa, a high school student whose younger stepsister Aika—also the longtime girlfriend of his childhood friend Yoshino Takigawa—was murdered along with their parents a year earlier. Mahiro is contacted by Hakaze Kusaribe, the leader of the Kusaribe clan, who has been stranded on a deserted island by her followers. He agrees to help Hakaze in exchange for her aid in finding the culprit behind his family's deaths. When Yoshino learns of Mahiro's plan, he joins him to oppose the rest of the Kusaribe clan, who aim to awaken the "Tree of Exodus"—a power that could destroy the world. The series' dialogue and plot elements reference Shakespeare's *Hamlet* and *The Tempest*, two stories about retribution with opposite outcomes.
**Main Characters**
**Yoshino Takigawa** (Voiced by: Kōki Uchiyama, Houko Kuwashima as a child) is the main viewpoint character. He is Mahiro's childhood best friend and joins the quest to stop the Tree of Exodus in exchange for the means to avenge his family's death. Like Mahiro, Yoshino cannot move past Aika's death; he was her boyfriend, a fact she asked him to keep secret from Mahiro. Yoshino is calm and collected, unlike Mahiro's recklessness, and uses manipulation and deceit when necessary. By the end of the series, he accepts Aika's death and begins a relationship with Hakaze to honor Aika's final wish. His character alludes to Horatio from *Hamlet* (the protagonist's close friend) and Ariel from *The Tempest* (a behind-the-scenes communicator and information gatherer).
**Mahiro Fuwa** (Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Yūko Sanpei as a child) is a typical high school student and son of a wealthy entrepreneur. He is Aika's stepbrother and Yoshino's best friend since elementary school. His father, mother, and Aika were all found dead a year before the story begins. In exchange for help f
- Type
- Manga series
- Writers
- Kyō Shirodaira and Arihide Sano
- Illustrator
- Ren Saizaki
- Serialization
- Monthly Shōnen Gangan (July 2009 – March 2013)
- Volumes
- 10 tankōbon
- Anime Episodes
- 24
- Anime Studio
- Bones
Lore & Background
The story follows Mahiro Fuwa, a high school student whose younger step-sister Aika was murdered along with their parents one year prior. Mahiro is contacted by Hakaze Kusaribe, the stranded leader of the Kusaribe clan, and agrees to help her in exchange for finding the culprit. His childhood friend Yoshino Takigawa joins him to oppose the clan's plan to awaken the Tree of Exodus, which threatens to ruin the world. The narrative draws on Shakespeare's Hamlet and The Tempest, with characters alluding to figures such as Prince Hamlet, Horatio, Ophelia, Prospero, and Ariel.
Reader's Guide
Blast of Tempest is significant for its integration of Shakespearean themes into a modern fantasy setting, using Hamlet and The Tempest as structural and thematic touchstones. The series explores revenge, loss, and the consequences of wielding destructive power, with characters like Mahiro (alluding to Hamlet and Laertes) and Yoshino (alluding to Horatio and Ariel) driving the plot. The anime adaptation by Bones helped expand its audience, and the series remains a notable example of literary homage in manga and anime. Its legacy includes its complex character dynamics and the moral ambiguity of its antagonists, such as Samon Kusaribe, who seeks to prevent the Tree of Genesis from recreating the world at the cost of awakening the Tree of Exodus.
Did You Know?
- The series' plot and dialogue pay homage to William Shakespeare's Hamlet and The Tempest.
- Mahiro Fuwa's character alludes to both Prince Hamlet and Laertes from Hamlet.
- Hakaze Kusaribe's setup and behavior alludes to Prospero from The Tempest.
- The anime adaptation was produced by Bones and aired from October 2012 to March 2013.
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