TRINITY BLOOD

is a series of Japanese novels written by the late Sunao Yoshida , which were originally published in ''The Sneaker'', a periodical that features Japanese fiction. The character design and original illustrations are done by Thores Shibamoto.
The series was also later adapted into a manga and anime series. The manga adaptation featured illustrations by Kiyo Kūjō and was serialized in the monthly Asuka magazine, with 8 tankōbon volumes published, whilst the anime adaptation was produced by GONZO, spanning 24 episodes in total. It premiered on Thursdays on the WOWOW network. There are considerable differences between the continuities of the novels, the manga, and the anime.
Sunao Yoshida was unable to finish the story. He died on 15th of July 2004, shortly after the announcement of the anime, due to a lung blockage. He was 34 at the time. After he died, Kentaro Yasui (a friend of Sunao Yoshida and author of the Ragnarok novels) was asked to continue the novelization of ''Trinity Blood''.
There are two sets of novels in ''Trinity Blood'', 'Reborn on the Mars (R.O.M.)' and 'Rage Against The Moons (R.A.M.)'. The events in 'Rage Against the Moons' take place before those in 'Reborn on The Mars'.

Contents

Setting

Characters

Methuselah

Crusnik

Release dates for the novels

Japanese

Korean

Chinese (Traditional Chinese)

English

Anime

Episodes

Theme songs

External links

References

Setting

The series takes place in an indeterminate time in the future, 900 years after an apocalyptic war between all of Earth's nations destroyed civilization, when humanity has reestablished itself. (According to the manga, humanity attempted the colonization of Mars after the Earth's population drastically increased. On Mars, the colonists discovered two alien technologies (the Bacillus and the Crusnik nanomachines), which they installed in their bodies: the colonists, the Bacillus; the Test Tube Babies(Seth, Cain, Abel and Lilith), the Crusnik, since only their enhanced bodies were able to survive this combination. As the colonists returned to Earth, a war broke out between them and the humans who remained. Abel (hating the world for creating him and his beloved "siblings" as toys back then), Cain, and Seth took the Methuselah's side — while Lilith supported the humans' side. After she was killed by Cain (now insane after he had fused with the Crusnik nanomachines at 100%), Abel retrieved her body, and, in grief, brought it to the Vatican, where she was buried. For 900 years, Abel stayed by her side and wept. On Earth, the devastating war eventually led to "Armegeddon," the apocalyptic event that happened 900 years before the story.) In this future world, the Roman Catholic Church has become a major military power, whose goals include the protection of humanity against the vampiric Methuselahs, who wage war upon humankind (or "Terrans," as they call humans). The seat of power is the Vatican, an attractive place with traditional European architecture; it is likely the same Vatican city in the real world (albeit perhaps rebuilt following the previous war). The Methuselahs are themselves another major political and military force. Their capital of Byzantium (presumably built on the site of the real world's Byzantium, now Istanbul) appears as an elegant metropolis, surrounded by a field of particles which filters out UV radiation, thus protecting the Methuselah population.
Both sides in this conflict are in a barely-contained cold war against each other. The current countries use "lost technologies," remnants of advanced technology that survived the apocalyptic war. These include airships, missiles, computers, etc. Worth nothing is a third great power, Albion; it is a future version of Britain, with Buckingham Palace clearly seen in a number of episodes, reigned over by a monarchy. It is characterized by its superior arsenal of lost technology and weapons, and a higher level of manufacturing ability than the Vatican. Other states are rarely mentioned, but the novelized/manga version does refer to the existence of such countries.
It should be noted that the targeting computer of the Star of Sorrow recognized the European geopolitical landscape as approximately modern: most current borders existed (with the exception of Italy/Vatican, which seems to have annexed Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia).

Characters

Main articles: List of Trinity Blood characters

Main articles: List of Trinity Blood manga characters

Methuselah

The Methuselah are a group of humans that have been infected by a virus that drives them to feed on human blood. Before the symptoms manifest, contact with sunlight does not harm them, and they age at the same speed as an uninfected human. But once the symptoms start to make themselves evident, an "awakening" occurs. The virus will then prolong the lifespan of its host, in addition to bestowing superior strength, speed, and healing ability. In turn, it feeds on its host's red blood cells, and when they become depleted, the virus will cause its host to crave blood, thus earning them the name "vampire". Common perceptions associated with the undead monster of mythology do not, however, hold true with regards to them: they can procreate (offspring inherit the condition), and they can consume normal food.
In addition to their athleticism and stamina, Methuselah also posses varying individual powers. These include:
1. Blades: This is the most common power. Most vampires can create some kind of blade. It can be in the form of an actual blade that comes out of the arm, claws, or even as sharp, prehensile hair. It is important to note, however, that Ion Fortuna (Earl of Memphis), a Methusela that is featured in a number of episodes, does not display this power at all.
2. Flight: An ability Astaroshe and the Methuselah who turned her possessed. This hints that Methuselahs share abilities with those who turn them into vampires.
3. Elemental Forces: This is the ability to control classical elements. The controlled elements shown in the series are fire (Radu) and ice (Helga). Dietrich states that this is a rare power, though, as he said it to Radu, he may have been referring only to fire.
It is unknown if Methuselah are able to regenerate lost body parts like the vampires of certain myths (though in Volume I of the manga, a Methuselah does state that they "have the power of regeneration"). However it is implied that they are able to continue living as long as the heart is not destroyed. This is implied in the first episode of the anime where one Methuselah has sustained horrific wounds yet carries on living, but screams and dies as his heart is destroyed. It was shown recently, that Abel, while in Crusnik form, can regenerate lost limbs; after losing an arm to tank artillery fire. He regrew his lost arm, in a swarm of black specked matter, which could be the nanomachines in his body; in a dust-like cloud form.

Crusnik

The Crusniks (based on Krsnik) are vampires who feed on the blood of other vampires. They possess immense power and destructive potential, easily able to overwhelm even the most powerful of Methuselahs and with enough strength to raze a whole city. Their lifespan is longer than that of normal vampires. However, whereas normal vampires in this series are born or infected, Crusniks are a result of an experiment, "expendable goods for the Mars Colonization project", according to Abel. Cain states at one point that he and Abel have identical DNA.
Names of three of the four known Crusniks can be found in biblical lore, where Cain, Abel, and Seth are sons of Adam and Eve. The name of Lilith is not a direct biblical reference, though some mythos refer to her as the first wife of Adam.
When a Crusnik's nanomachines are activated, he or she undergoes a change in appearance:


★ 'Cain', Crusnik 01: when his Crusnik powers are activated, he grows white wings, his eyes become red, and a black lance materializes in his hands. This weapon is likely a reference to the Spear of Longinus, also called the Spear of Destiny, keeping in line with the many Catholic references in this anime. In this state, he can generate destructive red energy. When not in Crusnik form, he appears to have the power to launch a destructive and invisible force from his hands, perhaps being composed of sound waves. He also seems to possess super strength.


★ 'Abel', Crusnik 02: with 40% of Crusnik nanomachines activated, his eyes become red, his teeth become fangs, his nails turn into claws, and a gigantic scythe made of blood materializes in his hands. At 80%, he grows black wings and can generate massive amounts of electricity. At 100%, he turns into a humanoid creature with dark skin, black bat-like wings, and blue markings that cover his entire body. He also generates more electricity than his 80% form and a second blade forms on the other end of his blood scythe. Abel has also demonstrated what may be form of telekinesis. Abel can draw Methuselah blood directly into his body without using his fangs. This was shown in episode two where Abel drew in the blood through his shoes while impaled in the shoulder by a vampire and also in episode 14 when Abel absorbs Ion's blood into his wings. It is possible that this presumed telekinesis is actually a result of Abel controlling the Bacillus bacteria present in Methuselah blood. On no occasion was he seen doing the same with the blood of normal human beings. When not in Crusnik form Abel appears fairly weak, and fights with a pistol containing silver bullets. He is, however, strong enough to throw a man across a room and can easily survive being stabbed by a Methuselah's blade.

★ 'Seth', Crusnik 03: when her Crusnik powers are activated, her eyes turn red, and a pair of trident-like weapons made of blood materialize in each of her hands. However, upon closer inspection, her weapons could be interpreted as oversized tuning forks. In this state, she can almost instantly disintegrate her enemies. Similar to Cain, this power appears linked to the manipulation of sound waves. She calls her technique "The Fire of Sound".

★ 'Lilith', Crusnik 04: the prototype to Cain, Abel, and Seth. Also, linked romantically to Abel. She is shown in episode 24 as a memory, and is also shown being held by the neck, by Cain on episode 2 when Eris uses her power on Abel. However, she is actually in a glass capsule, in which Abel mourned over for 900 years before he rescued Caterina Sforza. Some of her blood was used in order to revive Abel later in the series. Her powers were never shown in the anime.

Release dates for the novels

Japanese

''Publisher: Kadokawa JP''
R.O.M I - The Star of Sorrow 2001/03
R.A.M I - Die Erst Serie 2001/05
R.O.M II - The Iblis 2001/08
R.A.M II - Die Zweit Serie 2002/01
R.O.M III - The Night Lords 2001/07
R.A.M III - Die Dritt Serie 2002/09
R.O.M IV - Imitation Star 2003/01
R.A.M IV - Die Viert Serie 2003/04
R.O.M V 2003/08
R.O.M VI - Crown of Thorns 2003/11
R.A.M V 2004/02
R.A.M VI 2005/01

Korean

''Publisher: NT Novel''
Trinity Blood 1 (R.O.M I) 2003/12
Trinity Blood 2 (R.A.M I) 2004/01
Trinity Blood 3 (R.O.M II) 2004/03
Trinity Blood 4 (R.A.M II) 2004/05
Trinity Blood 5 (R.O.M III) 2004/08
Trinity Blood 6 (R.A.M III) 2004/11
Trinity Blood 7 (R.O.M IV) 2005/02
Trinity Blood 8 (R.A.M IV) 2005/05
Trinity Blood 9 (R.O.M V)
Trinity Blood 10 (R.O.M VI)

Chinese (Traditional Chinese)

''Publisher: Kadokawa TW''
R.O.M I - Star of Sorrow 2004/11
R.A.M I - From the Empire 2004/12
R.O.M II - Iblis 2005/04
R.A.M II - Silent Noise 2005/06
R.O.M III - The Night Lords
R.A.M III - Die Dritt Serie

English

Publisher: Tokyopop
R.A.M. I - From The Empire - 2007/04
R.O.M. I - Star Of Sorrow - 2007/08
R.A.M. II - Silent Noise - 2007/12

Anime

The ''Trinity Blood'' anime television series premiered on the satellite network WOWOW between April 28, 2005 and October 6, 2005, spanning a total of 24 episodes. Directed by Tomohiro Hirata, it featured character designs by Atsuko Nakajima and music by Takahito Eguchi. It was later aired by Animax across its networks worldwide. The series was also later aired in Canada on Razer since 2006, across the United States on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and in Malaysia on ntv7. In July 2007, it was aired in Australia on Adult Swim.

Episodes

Main articles: List of Trinity Blood episodes

Theme songs

★ Opening theme:

★ :(Performance: Buck-Tick, lyrics: Atsushi Sakurai, composition: Hidehiko Hoshino, arrangement: Buck-Tick)

★ Ending theme: ''Broken Wings''

★ : (Performance: Tomoko Tane, lyrics: Tomoko Tane, composition and arrangement: Takahito Eguchi)

External links

★ Official manga website

★ Official anime website at WOWOW

★ FUNimation's Official Trinity Blood website

★

★ Adult Swim's Official Trinity Blood website

References