Maken-ki!

Template:Template otherTemplate:Infobox animanga/PrintTemplate:Infobox animanga/VideoTemplate:Infobox animanga/VideoTemplate:Infobox animanga/VideoTemplate:Template other

is a Japanese manga series by Hiromitsu Takeda. It was published by Fujimi Shobo's magazine Dragon Age Pure, and later Monthly Dragon Age, after the former magazine ceased publishing. It has been adapted into an anime series by AIC that aired on Tokyo MX in the fall of 2011. It is licensed in North America by Crunchyroll (also known as Funimation until 2022) under the title Maken-ki! Battling Venus. Two OVA episodes animated by AIC and Xebec were released at February 29, 2012 and September 25, 2013. They were bundled with the eighth and eleventh volumes of the manga respectively. A second season, titled , was animated by Xebec and aired in 2014.

Plot

Takeru Ooyama has enrolled at Tenbi Academy, a private prep high school that converted from all-girls to co-ed. Hoping to have a life full of ogling pretty girls, he reunites with childhood friend Haruko Amaya, who shows him around school. However, he learns that the school is for students who possess magical and spiritual energies called Elements and who wield crafted weapons known as Makens. The students engage in school sanctioned combat matches that showcase their powers. While his own ability and Maken is not apparent at first, Takeru soon finds himself surrounded by girls, including Inaho Kushiya, an attractive girl who says she's his fiancée, and Kodama Himegami, a popular blonde who says she wants to kill him. He joins the , which is part of the student council's Leadership Committee called the , also known as Maken-ki.

Characters

Main characters

Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno (Japanese); Ian Sinclair (English)

The main protagonist of the series, Takeru is a first-year high schooler who enrolls at Tenbi Academy after having attended an all-boys middle school. His childhood friend and fellow disciple, Haruko Amaya, also attends the school as does Inaho Kushiya, who claims that she is his fiancée. He ends up sharing his room with the two girls, as well as Kodama Himegami.Template:Gnr

Several years before the story, when Takeru was nine and three-quarters, his family dojo was challenged by Tesshin Kushiya. His mother, Atsuma, was killed by Tesshin before his eyes. This incident caused him to hold a deep resentment for his father and uncle due to neither of them being there to protect them.Template:Gnr As a result, he tends to take the girl's side whenever one gets into a fight with a guy; indicating he has intense white knight syndrome. His abilities originally manifest under extreme stress, as in the case where he protected Azuki.Template:Gnr When he defended Kodama, he used "Blood Pointer",Template:Gnr which was later described as "absorbing Element from the people around him through his mouth".Template:Gnr Following the battle with the Venus Unit, Takeru undergoes extra training with Minori Rokujou in order to both increase and gain better control of his powers.Template:Gnr He later learns that he is blood related to Kodama's brother.Template:Gnr

Takeru was one of the three students that Gen's Element Detector, Keronbo, could not initially identify, but (a month later) he was given his Maken, "Overblow", which causes his target's Maken to overflow with Element and be rendered useless "like a car engine that blows out". However, if the opponent has an evolved Maken and can perfectly control/contain the surge, it can have the opposite effect and thereby empower the opponent.Template:Gnr

Voiced by: Noriko Shitaya (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)

A second-year student who is the student council vice president, and the head of one of the dorms.Template:Gnr She is a childhood friend of Takeru Ooyama, whom she trained with at his family's dojo, and for whom she harbors romantic feelings for although she is unwilling to admit it.Template:Gnr After learning that Kodama and Inaho are moving into Takeru's room, she decides to move in as well. She is very jealous of the attention Takeru gives the other girls and tends to beat him almost by reflex whenever he does anything even remotely perverted.Template:Gnr Haruko is well-endowedTemplate:Gnr and Kodama considers her to be the strongest maiden at Tenbi Academy.Template:Gnr Haruko's Maken, , is a sword that is suspected to be one of the original Eight Legendary Maken.Template:Gnr Murakumo cannot be unsheathed unless Haruko has strong feelings and fights an opponent with comparable power. Haruko unleashed a little of Murakumo's power when she fought a student named Kumi Amio.Template:Gnr In her battle with Demitra Midia, she unsheathed it to reveal a blade surrounded with light. Not only are Haruko's attack big enough to destroy barriers, but they are controlled enough that she can spare the life of someone in the sword's path.Template:Gnr

Voiced by: Sayuri Yahagi (Japanese); Cassandra Lee Morris (Season 1), Elizabeth Maxwell (Season 2) (English)

A petite, blonde-haired second-year student who is part of the of Maken-ki, which officiates the duels at school.Template:Gnr Her Maken, "Yasakani", allows her to command three shikigami named Kaguzuchi, Ikajichi and Nojichi, a trio of doll-sized familiars who follow her around and call her "ojou-sama" (literally "my lady" or "miss" in English) and who can lift people up as well as project fire (Kaguzuchi), lightning (Ikajichi) or wood (Nojichi) attacks.Template:Gnr She regularly steps on the boys for their annoying and lecherous antics.Template:Gnr She initially sees Takeru as a potential enemy who stole her first kiss, but rooms with him after noticing that he bears a special mark on his chest, and has a scent very similar to her brother's.Template:Gnr She develops feelings for Takeru, although not like the other girls as when she was asked whom she likes, she responded that she loved someone long ago.Template:GnrTemplate:Gnr Her hobbies include shopping, especially for lingerie and rare stuffed animals.Template:Gnr When on night patrol, she was attracted to a rare King Penguin stuffed animal, and was captured by the Finnian twins of Venus.Template:Gnr She later shows a fear of ghosts and spirits outside her own magic;Template:Gnr in one instance, she's frightened by a ghost story that Haruto Kirishima admits he'd embellished.Template:Gnr

Kodama later reveals that she has extraordinary abilities. In the battle with Venus, Kodama uses her Maken to summon larger spirits that are as powerful as the Legendary Eight Maken,Template:Gnr and are comparable in strength to Martha Minerva or Minori Rokujou.Template:Gnr The Kamigari are highly interested in her as a key to unleashing the power in Amanohara. The Venus Unit kidnaps her and, later on, Ouken has the Kamigari try to capture her on the summer training island. It is revealed that Kodama is the daughter of Yatsune, the former Yamata no Orochi,Template:GnrTemplate:Gnr and that her servants are actually Yatsune's incarnations; each of which had been able to manifest one of the original Eight Maken. Kodama inherited her mother's powers but was sealed away on top on Mount Amanohara.Template:Gnr Many years later, after her seal was weakened by Minori, Kodama used her Element to manifest an incarnation of herself.Template:Gnr She later realizes that Takeru Ooyama is a descendant of her brother.Template:Gnr

Voiced by: Iori Nomizu (Japanese); Tia Ballard (English)

The self-proclaimed fiancée of Takeru Ooyama.Template:Gnr She feels strongly for Takeru, and although he does not remember her much, she has decided to wait until he fully does.Template:Gnr She holds Takeru's father in high regard. Upon revealing this, Takeru gets upset and ignores her, which causes her to cry. Takeru later apologizes to her after Kengo confronts him.Template:Gnr However, in the anime, she cries after Takeru tells her that he cannot remember a childhood promise. At first, Inaho was one of the three students that the Element detector, Keronbo, could not measure. However, she manifests her Maken when she saves Takeru and a cat from a falling boulder. She names the cat Monji and usually wears him on her head. Her Maken, "Kamudo", is a gauntlet that greatly increases her strength and speed.Template:Gnr She is the star of the bonus four panel series of Maken-ki comics where she is presented in super deformed mode.

Students

• is Takeru's classmate who joins security committee of Maken-ki.Template:Gnr He and Takeru become friends after having excused themselves from class in order to peek at girls during their physical examinations.Template:Gnr He has a crush on Kodama.Template:Gnr His Maken, "Point Man", lets him exchange himself or other people with an item in their place.Template:Gnr Kengo is voiced by Satoshi Tsuruoka, and English dubbed by Scott Freeman in the first season and by Anthony Bowling in the second season.
• is a hot-tempered second year student who typically sports a small bandage on her nose.Template:Gnr She is a member of Maken-ki. After Takeru Ooyama's interference in Azuki's duel with Kai Kuragasa, the latter feels humiliated and a conflict starts between them.Template:Gnr However, both eventually become friends when Takeru forgives Syria Ootsuka.Template:Gnr She works at a maid café named Macaroon Mansion.Template:Gnr Her Maken, "Hawk", is a mechanized boot which boosts her leg strength, granting her superior agility and speed. As a result, she usually fights using her legs.Template:Gnr Azuki is voiced by Misuzu Togashi, and English dubbed by Morgan Garrett.
• is a Magical enforcer Committee Member of Maken-ki. She's obsessed with Haruko, and despises Takeru for spending so much time with her. When she was younger, she had made a lunch only for bullies to harass her until Haruko drove them off and offered Minaya some of her own lunch. After a student controlled by the Kamigari fights her and Takeru, she is rescued again by Haruko.Template:Gnr Uruchi is voiced by Shizuka Furuya, and is English dubbed by Cherami Leigh.
• is the student council president at Tenbi Academy. She wears glasses and her hair is braided. She is shy around boys and even states that she dislikes men.Template:Gnr In the anime, she is very attracted to Akaya from Venus, whom she falls for at their first meeting because (unlike the peeping guys) he appears like a gentleman. Despite her shyness, Furan is very strict when it comes to the duties of Maken-ki duties that need to be carried out. The anime features a recurring gag where the other female Maken-ki members expose Furan's panties in front of the guys to reveal various animal prints such as a bear, cat, and frog; this is an extension from a manga scene during the female bonding time at the summer cabin.Template:Gnr Ouken reveals that her fear of men is because, as an advanced talent, she was chosen by Kamigari to be one of his mistresses and was ravished in place of Yuka. Furan's Maken, "Habaya", is a bow that fires homing light arrows.Template:Gnr Furan is voiced by Aya Gōda, and she is English dubbed by Brittney Karbowski.
• is the student council treasurer. She is a close friend of Furan, whom she likes to tease. Yuka appears to be carefree most of the time but also very cunning and encourages Maken-ki activities that involve some kind of other work that needs to be done. For instance, she sets up a competition between Maken-ki and Venus where the players use broom sticks to push a bar of soap around an empty pool.Template:Gnr She has a friendly personality like her sister Tomiko, who is Takeru's homeroom teacher; they sometimes coordinate activities.Template:Gnr She later reveals that for many generations, the Amado family has been serving the Rokujou family as their oniwaban (ninja).Template:Gnr Yuka is voiced by Natsumi Takamori, and English dubbed by Jamie Marchi.
• is the student council secretary. Her Maken, "Comic Star", is the result of her love of manga, as she can draw something and bring it to reality. She is close friends with Chacha, and they often work together.Template:Gnr Kimi is voiced by Misato, and English dubbed by Alexis Tipton.
• is a security committee member of Maken-ki; she has a dark complexion. Her Maken, "Compressor", allows her to change the shape and density of objects allowing her to do things such as extending a small broken plank into an enormous board.Template:Gnr Chacha is voiced by Saeko Zōgō, and English dubbed by Trina Nishimura.
• is a first-year student who duels Azuki early on in the series. He wagers that if he wins he will date her. His Maken, "Full Metal", allows him to harden any part of his body into steel, granting him far greater strength and endurance.Template:Gnr Although he loses the fight because of Takeru's interference, he continues to pursue Azuki from afar, including visiting her at the maid café where she works.Template:Gnr Kai is voiced by Go Inoue, and English dubbed by Andrew T. Chandler.

Staff

• is the principal and physical education teacher at Tenbi Academy.Template:Gnr She permits Inaho, Kodama and Haruko to live in Takeru's dorm room.Template:Gnr She brandishes incredible power and control over Element, as she can break through amazingly powerful barriers with her bare hands, thanks to nothing more than (in her own words) her "fighting spirit".Template:Gnr She ranks herself on the same level as Ouken Yamato.Template:Gnr and was in the Maken-ki student group before the school was converted to an all-girls' academy.Template:Gnr Her Maken, "Dragon Ace", is a pair of gauntlets that allow her to create heat sources and ignite them into fire-based attacks.Template:Gnr Minori is voiced by Mina and English dubbed by Caitlin Glass.
• is the creator of the Maken in the school. He was in the Maken-ki student group before it was converted to an all-girls academy. He can create replica Maken which is done for each student at the academy. He is able to do this through his "Dark Element" which is later explained to be the Black Element, which is created by having all four of the main Elements in his body instead of the usual major and minor Elements. He is one of five people known to have this ability.Template:Gnr Gen is voiced by Atsushi Imaruoka, and English dubbed by Robert McCollum.
• is the school nurseTemplate:Gnr, art teacher and the staff adviser for Maken-ki.Template:Gnr She and Minori were Maken-ki members.Template:Gnr She has a large chest and curvaceous body that has drawn much attention from the boys and envy from the girls.Template:Gnr She has the largest breasts in the series where a flashback in Episode 5 of Season 2 shows that they became really big when she was only 12. Despite her strange and immodest choices of clothingTemplate:Gnr and healing practices,Template:Gnr she is soft-spoken and acts shy at times.Template:Gnr Minori later tells the boys that Aki is still a virgin.Template:Gnr She knows Akaya from when they were schoolmates, and senses when he has been lying.Template:Gnr In addition to her healing abilities, she has a Maken, "Valhelm", but it is more a diagnostic tool that allows her to determine what parts of a person are injured the most.Template:Gnr In the anime, she has long, dark blue hair, and her appearance during the closing credits makes Haruko jealous. Aki is voiced by Hitomi Harada, and English dubbed by Heather Walker.
• is Takeru's homeroom teacher.Template:Gnr She also was a member of Maken-ki before it had to become an all-girls academy.Template:Gnr Minori sometimes acts as her classroom assistant. She has a pleasant personality like her younger sister Yuka Amato,Template:Gnr although Minori thinks she has a sadistic side.Template:Gnr Tomika is voiced by Yuki Matsuoka, and English dubbed by Shelley Calene-Black.

Venus

Venus is a mercenary unit that joins Tenbi Academy with the mission to search for the person who is trying to revive Yamata no Orochi. It is headed by Akaya Kodai, a former member of Maken-ki, and consists mainly of high school aged girls.Template:Gnr It is later revealed that Venus has ties to Kamigari, and thus serve as the antagonists for a storyline where they plant barrier stones throughout Tenbi Academy, capture Kodama under the pretense that she trespassed into the Amanohara, and challenge Maken-ki to rescue her.Template:Gnr The Venus unit uses Jingu, which are equipment used by the gods of their Western homelands; they are comparable to the Maken weapons used by the gods of the East.Template:Gnr

• is the commander of Venus, and the sole male member.Template:Gnr He is a former member of the Maken-ki student group, before it became an all-girls academy.Template:Gnr While Venus stays at Tenbi Academy, Akaya challenges Takeru's viewpoint of wanting to protect all girls when he asks Takeru what he would do if a girl were to do bad things to another person.Template:Gnr In a fight against Takeru, Akaya uses a Maken revolver named Swindle, where each bullet has a different ability including illusion, vision, and hypnosis, and dummy. Years before the series' present, Akaya leads the group of Tenbi Academy students to assault the female student years back, which results in the school's changing to all-girls, and also kills Takeru's mother; he reveals his past to have Takeru unleash his ultimate powers.Template:Gnr He later says that the fight was mainly to test Takeru's strength to report it to the Kamigari.Template:Gnr He appears in a disciplinary trial in front of Ouken, in which the latter punishes and brutalizes him, leaving in a state of stupor,Template:Gnr however, it is later revealed he used his dummy bullet. Akaya intends to unmask the spirit that has taken over Ouken's body.Template:Gnr Akaya is voiced by Makoto Yasumura, and his English dub voiced is provided by Eric Vale.
• is the vice commander of Venus. Her Jingu is a trident, which enhances her water-based abilities. She can create and control water, including spinning it so it destroys objects, hardening droplets to act like bullets, building a wall of water, and even drawing out moisture from a person.Template:Gnr Yan Min regards her as a very strong fighter.Template:Gnr She rarely smiles except at those whose power she acknowledges, such as Martha.Template:Gnr Seven years before the start of the series, she is recruited by Akaya to join Venus after having grown up in a Southern European orphanage.Template:Gnr Demitra is voiced by Rie Tanaka, and is English dubbed by Martha Harms.
• is a defense member of Venus, and an idol celebrity from America.Template:Gnr While at Tenbi Academy, she flirts openly with Takeru, and makes the other girls jealous.Template:Gnr When she fights Inaho, she uses professional wrestler moves.Template:Gnr Her Jingu, Inverse, allows her to reverse situations at will.Template:Gnr For instance, if someone rushes her, she can fling her away; when Takeru rushes, she instead nullifies his will to fight.Template:Gnr However, when Takeru uses his Overblow ability, Syria loses her Inverse power, and is revealed to be a transgender woman. Despite the defeat Syria still pursues Takeru and gives him a kiss.Template:Gnr Syria is voiced by Mariya Ise, and is English dubbed by Jad Saxton.
• is the special attack member of Venus; she dresses in Chinese clothes.Template:Gnr Her Jingu is Kinben, which takes the form of a two-tailed whip. She can fuse Kinben into her body and use Reirii, which increases her speed and reduces her reaction time. Her abilities are lightning based; she can perform , which turns her fists into lightning and increases her power.Template:Gnr Yang Ming is voiced by Satomi Akesaka in the Japanese dub, and Terri Doty in the English dub.
• is a defense member of Venus; she arrives after the other members have already settled in at Tenbi Academy.Template:Gnr She is usually addressed by her last name. She initially appears as a carefree airhead who likes to keep her eyes closed in order to look more mature.Template:Gnr Her Jingu, Aegis, allows her to open gates to other dimensions. She can make limbs disappear from and reappear in the current dimension so as to stop physical attacks. When she opens her eyes, she emits an inexhaustible stream of Element that engulfs everyone and creates a territory where she can further use powers such as selectively making the clothing of the girls disappear. She thus proclaims herself the Master of Lingerie.Template:Gnr Minori ranks Martha the highest of the ability users.Template:Gnr Martha is voiced by Rina Satō in the Japanese version, and by Leah Clark in the English dub.
• and are a pair of twins who are the special investigators in Venus; one has light hair while the other one has dark hair. The Tenbi Academy students refer to them as dolls.Template:Gnr Their combined Jingu, Time/Space Keep, allows them to create barriers in which to imprison targets, prevent outsiders from intruding, or contain events within a space.Template:Gnr After the last barrier is lifted, the damage to people within the space can be undone; this includes wounds inflicted.Template:Gnr Minori ranks the twins as among the most powerful ability users.Template:Gnr Lilou and Aililou are both voiced by Rina Hidaka in the Japanese dub, and by Michelle Hong in the English dub.

Kamigari

The Kamigari are a secret organization that works with the government by using the Elements and Maken.Template:Gnr They originally gathered young people who possess special abilities to their organization, usually against their will. Those who opposed had their memories wiped.Template:Gnr This continued until the government created Tenbi Academy to train the students.Template:Gnr As a result, they partner with Tenbi Academy in selecting students to join their organization.Template:Gnr After Venus leaves Tenbi Academy, they continue their experiments by possessing people and growing monsters to attack the Maken-ki members during their summer training activities.Template:Gnr Ouken later decides to go after unlocking the secrets of Amanohara.

• is the leader of the Kamigari. One of his abilities is Soul Collector, which allows him to manipulate the memories of people; he did this on Akaya Kodai to make him think that he had assaulted a girl during the early years of Tenbi Academy.Template:Gnr His Soul Collector can replenish Element by eating the souls from people.Template:Gnr He is shown to have a split personality: his original one is calm and composed but has been suppressed for ten years; the newer personality is a power-hungry maniac that is hellbent on releasing the seal on Amanohara to unlock its secrets. During Akaya's disciplinary trial, the calm Ouken asks Akaya to stop the evil that has taken over him, after which he apparently dies and the power-hungry Ouken takes over.Template:Gnr Eventually, after being heavily wounded by Takeru Ooyama, Ouken is killed by Kodama Himegami.Template:Gnr
• Template:Gnr is Ouken's granddaughter and a first-year student at Tenbi Academy. Her Doll House ability allows her to fashion a voodoo doll to manipulate her opponent.Template:Gnr Because of her petite appearance, she is mistaken for being younger than her high school age by Haruko Amaya.Template:Gnr She performs experiments where she manipulates some creatures and people with a chemical that is similar to Ouken's Soul Collector ability.Template:Gnr She is one of the four Shishigami who serves Ouken.Template:Gnr She is later revealed to be one of the clones from Takeru Yamato's DNA.Template:Gnr Otohime is voiced by Yoshino Nanjō, and English dubbed by Carrie Savage.
• is Otohime's twin brother.Template:Gnr His Cancel ability nullifies Element attacks.Template:Gnr As one of the clones developed by Takeru Yamato, he becomes the vessel for Takeru after Ouken's death.Template:Gnr Gouken is voiced by Yūto Suzuki, and English dubbed by Todd Haberkorn.
• is Otohime's sister. Kikyo is voiced by Shizuka Itō, and is English dubbed by Anastasia Muñoz.
• Template:Gnr is Ouken's private secretary and a member of the Shishigami.Template:Gnr Her ability allows her to "eat" someone and send them to another dimension. Her Maken, Missing Lip, originates from her shoe.Template:Gnr
• is a Tenbi Academy alumnus who works for the Kamigari. His abilities are in electricity; he calls himself Lightning Panther, but Minori Rokujou, his former schoolmate, calls him Hopeless Leo. He first meets the Maken-ki gang at the island where they are doing summer training.Template:Gnr Leo is voiced by Yutaka Furukawa, and is English dubbed by Aaron Roberts.
• is one of the four Shishigami who serve directly under Ouken.Template:Gnr He initially poses as a botanist when the Maken-ki gang look for a flower to help Haruko recover.Template:Gnr He later reveals himself to be a monster who took a drug that had Ouken's Element.Template:Gnr
• , is a member of the Shishigami, who is able to defeat Maken users without having to use a Maken or any drug enhancements. His power and ability is comparable to Ouken, and he can fight Maken users backhandedly.Template:Gnr Ten years before the start of the series, he kills Takeru's mother, Atsuma, although he insists that she was already dying.Template:Gnr His special ability is Blood Pointer, although he considers it an imitation to the ability he sees in Atsuma and consequently Takeru.Template:Gnr As the adoptive father of Inaho, he puts her through harsh training so she will not abandon him, but is imprisoned by Kamigari for kidnapping and child abuse. Ouken later frees him on the condition that he fights Ouken's rival, Atsuma. After defeating her, Tesshin leaves Inaho in her family's care in order to do more training.Template:Gnr
• is the ancestor of Ouken Yamato, and younger brother of Kodama's father. He acts as the underlying antagonist within Kamigari. His original name is Mousu no Mikoto, the second prince of the Yamato court.Template:Gnr He originally hunts his brother and family, but is defeated by Kodama's brother Yabiko. However, he is able to maintain his existence by possessing people. He seals his soul in a jar, which is unearthed by Ouken, whom he possesses. He develops a secret lab of clones that would serve as a proper vessel for his soul; two of the chosen vessels are Otohime and Gouken.Template:Gnr

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Hiromitsu Takeda. It was published by Fujimi Shobo's magazine Dragon Age Pure, and later Monthly Dragon Age, after the former magazine ceased publishing.

Volumes

No.	Release date	ISBN
1	June 5, 2008
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Takeru Ooyama, who attended an all-boys middle school, enrolls in Tenbi Academy with his childhood friend Haruko Amaya. Kodama Himegami watches from atop a tree branch, but when Takeru calls her out, she falls down and inadvertently kisses him. At the welcoming ceremony, Takeru witnesses a duel between two girls, and learns that fighting and martial arts will be part of their regular school life. He is chosen to duel Kodama, but the fight is interrupted by Inaho Kushiya, who proclaims herself his fiancee. Afterwards, principal Minori Rokujou advises Inaho, Kodama and consequently Haruko, to board with Takeru. On the day of his examination, Takeru's Element cannot be determined. Haruko recruits Takeru to join the kenkeibu, a student run organization that to ensure the fairness of duels and to protect the duelers. He discovers that the group is being merged with another enforcement group into the madō kenkei kikō or "maken-ki". They have a gathering at a co-ed hot springs, but a bear interrupts the festivities, and some of the members demonstrate their powers to fend it off. Later, Kodama takes Takeru on a date; they are followed by Haruko, Inaho and Takeru's friend Kengo Usui. Takeru is unable to remember anything after saving Kodama from an encounter with a stranger from Kamigari, and she kisses him.
2	December 5, 2008
6. Tenbi's Strongest Maiden 7. Rainy Days In Tenbi 8. Mercenary Unit Venus 9. A Day In Tenbi – Exchange Student Chapter 10. Water Arena
Takeru is assigned by student body president Furan Takaki to investigate a criminal who makes victims unconscious. Takeru, along with fellow student Uruchi Minaya, encounter the criminal, who reveals herself to be Kumi Amio. Using her maken, Kumi summons a spider and traps Takeru and Uruchi in its web. Haruko rescues the two and uses her Maken, Murakumo, to knock Kumi out. The rainy season's arrival causes Inaho to remember flashbacks of when she first met Takeru eight years earlier. She discovers a cat, and names him Monji. When Inaho tells her about Takeru's father, Takeru leaves her, causing her to become depressed, Kengo confronts him in frustration. Takeru decides to apologize to her alone when he is informed that the cat has gone missing. He is able to save the cat just as Inaho saves him, and the two reconcile. Meanwhile, Venus, a mercenary unit a mercenary unit composed of women led by a man named Akaya Kodai, arrives. Akaya reveals that Kamigari is an organization using Maken and Element to support the country from the shadows and was founded after some people refused to be ruled by the gods. Venus challenges Tenbi to a fight, but decide to fight in a field hockey match which ends in a draw. Later, the men at Tenbi successfully petitions to use the pool with the women to engage in a duel, in which the competitors have to take the headbands to win. However, when Venus member Syria Ootsuka takes Takeru and Kengo's headbands, the game ends in a draw once again.
3	September 7, 2009
Omake 11. Boys Are Perplexed By 12. Your Unchanging Wish 13. The Day When The Sky Breaks – Morning 14. The Day When The Sky Breaks – Afternoon 15. Because I'm Stupid
Takeru and Kengo encounter Martha Minerva, a member of Venus, and are introduced to some of the Venus members. Takeru serves as an official for a match between Otohime Yamato and Sho Tachinami. However, Otohime uses his Doll House technique and injures Takeru. Due to failing his Element exams, the kenkeibu is forced to help Takeru study for the make up exam or they will be removed if they get a score below 60. Martha gathers intelligence for Kamigari, revealing the extent of Kodama and Takeru's powers. Meanwhile, Akaya reveals that Kodama holds a clue to what Kamigari's leader Ouken Yamato desires, and is ordered to capture Kodama. Later, a Venus member named Yang Ming injures Kai Kuragusa, a Tenbi student, and Akaya forces Takeru and the others to guard Tenbi and send the other students home. Inside the academy, Kodama is frightened when she sees ghosts and is captured. Akaya announces that Kodama will be transported to the Kamigari headquarters in an hour. The group discovers that Venus placed barriers around the academy. Inaho finds a building where they can go up and save Kodama. With encouragement from fellow student Azuki Shinatsu, Takeru and the others infiltrate the building but are cornered by Yan Min and Syria. Haruko goes on ahead while Azuki fights Ming. Using her Maken Hawk, Azuki transforms her shoe into a mechanized boot.
4	April 8, 2010
16. What God Left Behind 17. This Is The Battlefield 18. The Maken's Name Is... 19. The Two Who Are Alike 20. The Swing That Splits The Heavens 21. Precious Memories
As Aki Hinata is healing Kai, Kodama discovers that Kamigari's leader Ouken Yamato is seeking more power by releasing it within Tenbi. Though Ming is overpowered by Azuki's Maken, she is able to use her own Maken, Kinben, and fights with Azuki. Meanwhile, as Haruko tries to rescue Kodama and is cornered by Venus' vice commander Demitra Midia on the third floor, Takeru and Inaho confront Syria. When Ming gains the upper hand on Azuki, Takeru tries to rescue her but is furiously attacked by Ming. Azuki releases Takeru from Ming's grasps and injures her leg with a piano string. Takeru decides to rescue Kodama by himself just as Azuki is able to defeat Ming. Inaho continues to fight Syria, but is beaten up in the process and Takeru rescues her. Using her inversion ability, Syria reverts Takeru's determination and beats him up. Inaho attacks Syria with her Kamudo, rendering her unconscious. Takeru snaps and uses his Maken, Overblow, to expose Syria as a man and defeats him. The two reconcile with each other as Takeru says that he is Syria's friend. While dueling with Haruko, Demitra uses her trident to destroy Haruko's shinai and suck the water out of her before Haruko uses her Maken Murakumo to continue the fight. Eventually, Haruko uses Murakumo to destroy the academy's barriers and defeat Demitra by showing her mercy. Meanwhile, after meeting with Ouken and his secretary Miyabi Ootori, Minori receives a call from Uruchi, Aki and Kengo that they are going to find Takeru and the others. Realizing that she has been tricked, Minori and the others arrive at Tenbi. With the impending approach of the other students, Akaya dispatches Martha Minerva to fight them.
5	October 7, 2010
22. The Strong And The Weak 23. Maken Yasakani 24. The Battle Ends 25. Tenbi Gakuen's 1st Semester Ends 26. Makaroon's Special Service Day – First Part 27. Makaroon's Special Service Day – Second Part
6	April 7, 2011
28. Summer/Swimsuits/Training 29. Beware Of Sea Monsters 30. Beware Of Monsters In The Forest 31. The Right Hand That Protects Friends 32. The Flow Keeps Flowing 33. Wait For Me! My Paradise!!
7	October 6, 2011
34. The Ability User Without An Ability 35. The Crazy Bunch 36. An Enemy On Our road 37. Virgins And Cherries 38. The Enemy Has Come
8	March 7, 2012
39 (Part 1). Drink & Meet 39 (Part 2). Youthful Days 40. Break Point 41. Kotodama 42. Leave It To Me 43. The Emperor Vs. The School Director 44. Tesshin
9	September 6, 2012
45. Thank You 46. Regretful Memories 47. You can't avoid the things you can't see 48. Mami Habaya 49. That Kind of Person isn't Human 50. This Is A Story From Long Ago
10	March 7, 2013
51. Those Are Her Irreplaceable Memories 52. And Her Spinning Soul 53. Who Cares 54. Clone 55. The Resurrected And The Vanished
11	October 9, 2013
56. The Two Takerus 57. The Power Of Blood 58. A Small Promise 59. Scars And Promise 60. The Start Of The Festivities 61. With That, The Summer Ends 61.5. Road To Becoming Supreme Ruler (Delusion) Episode 002
12	March 8, 2014
62. Now Is The Festival Of The Autumn Beginnings 63. A Student's Role 64. School Festival! 65. It's Too Late To Repent 66. Deluxe Pole Topplin 66.5. Usui-kun, The Road To Becoming Supreme Ruler (A Delusion) Episode 003
13	October 9, 2014
67. The Man Who Exchanged Fists 68. True Master 69. A Way To Enjoy The Festival 70. Dynamic Quiz Game 70.5. magnificent way of harem
14	March 9, 2015
71. What in The World is That? 72. The one Who Perished 73. Lucky Woman 74. Haruko and Aki's Throbbing Animal Land 75. *Smells* Like a *Warrior* 76. A Warrior That Evolves
15	September 9, 2015
77. An Inherited Right Arm 78. True Kamudo 79. A Maken That Evolves 80. A Demon Returns 80.5 [Oneshot] She Is an Irregular Succubus
16	March 9, 2016
81. Maken "Kanayago" 82 Footsteps of the Evil God 83 I Wanted to Meet You 84 Utopia of the Strong
17	September 9, 2016
85 Worthless, Insignificant Fellows 86 Staking His Soul 87 Overlapping Powers 88 Irreplaceable Time 89 The Sacrificial Maiden
18	March 9, 2017
90 Go, Decisive Battle: Amanohara 91 Adventurous Decisive Battle 92 A Man's Worth 93 The Sea Empress 94 A Maken's Birth
19	September 8, 2017
95 The Maken Crusher 96 The 'World' Which He Desires 97 The Line of Death 98 His Reason to Not Run 99 For the Person Behind Him
20	March 9, 2018
100 Iron Will 101 Trump Cards In Both Hands 102 They Don't Understand 103 The Defiant Men 103.5 Ezaki-Senpai Is Troubled
21	September 7, 2018
104 Resurrection 105 Yamata no Orochi 106 Orochi's Heads 107 Those in Fear 108 Beguilement of Blue Illusion
22	April 9, 2019
109 Letters of Truth 110 The Battle of Prides 111 Peak of the Battle 112 Ruler of Death 113 To Live and Smile 113.5 Usui-kun, Road to Supreme Ruler (Delusion) 10
23	September 9, 2019
114 Cowards Have No Place to Escape to 115 Snake-Eating Rats 116 The People Whom the Evil God Seeks 117 The Future Which the Evil God Desires 118 Torches of Life 118.5 Usui-kun, Road to Supreme Ruler (Delusion) 11
24	March 9, 2020
119 Not a Loner's Privilege 120 Like Those Strong People 121 The Fool is Here 122 For the Children of Tenbi 123 Home, a Place to Return to 124 And the Spring Comes

Anime

An anime adaptation was announced on Monthly Dragon AgeTemplate:'s official website in December 2010. In April 2011, Monthly Dragon Age confirmed that the anime series would air on television. Produced by AIC under the direction of Kōichi Ōhata with Yōsuke Kuroda as script supervisor and music by Cher Watanabe, the anime series began its first broadcast run on October 5, 2011. A second season, titled Maken-ki! Two, was animated by Xebec and aired in 2014. The first season adapts the first four volumes of the manga, while the second season features completely original, self-contained story arcs.

The anime series is licensed by Funimation Entertainment (now known as Crunchyroll) in North America. A cast announcement was made on August 30, 2013, and the complete first season was released on home video on November 12. The series became available on the FunimationNOW video streaming service, and from March 2022, it became available on the Crunchyroll streaming service, after AT&T divested Crunchyroll to Sony Pictures Television in August 2021.

Maken-ki!

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date

Doki Doki! Maken-ki! Himitsu no Kunren

The series released a six-episode special from December 21, 2011, to May 25, 2012, to Blu-ray only, each lasting ten minutes long titled . The episodes feature a "personal fitness program" with the main female characters of the series. Secret training exercises include: sit-ups, squats, kendo, push-ups and hamstring stretches with Haruko Amaya; push-ups, glute raises, bridges, squats, and hip abduction and adduction with Inaho Kushiya; front lunges, leg raises, arm-leg cross raises, kneeling sit-ups and cross-legged stretches with Kodama Himegami; leg lifts while doing a plank, handstand push-ups against a wall, high kicks, squatting with a bear as a weight and leg raise stretches with Azuki Shinatsu; push-ups, squats, knee elbow lifts, reverse wrestler bridges and leg raise stretches with Syria Ootsuka; and thigh stretches lying down, shoulder and chest stretches lying down and standing up, sustained push-ups and glute raise stretches with Aki Nijou.

Maken-ki! OVA

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air date

Maken-ki! Two

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Original air dateTemplate:Efn

Maken-ki! Two Specials

Following the second season, the series released a five-episode special from March 28, 2014, to July 25, 2014, to Blu-ray/DVD only alongside pillowcases, each lasting five minutes long titled . The episodes feature "never-before-seen footage" including: Haruko Amaya continuously fantasizing about Takeru Ooyama during her morning routine; Monji temporarily giving Inaho Kushiya a cat tail and cat ears during playtime; an unknown student fantasizing about Aki Nijou while in the school infirmary; Kodama Himegami trying on different outfits with Rudolf secretly watching; and Kimi Satō desiring a bigger bust size.

Reception

Andy Hanley of UK Anime Network, in reviewing the first five episodes, found little originality in the anime series, which he called: "a cavalcade of tired old tropes and plot devices, from a visit to a hot springs to a 'date' where the couple are spied on by jealous friends, extending all the way out to the show's various characters and beyond."

References

Manga

Maken-ki manga volumes by Hiromitsu Takeda. Original Japanese version published by Kadokawa Shoten.

1. Template:Gnn
2. Template:Gnn
3. Template:Gnn
4. Template:Gnn
5. Template:Gnn
6. Template:Gnn
7. Template:Gnn
8. Template:Gnn
9. Template:Gnn

External links

• Official manga website Template:Webarchive Template:In lang
• Official anime website Template:In lang
• Maken-Ki! 2 Season Two
• Template:Anime News Network