Rusted Armors
Movies
Alternate Titles
錆色のアーマ
Sabiiro no Armor
Synopsis
The Muramachi Shogunate has been weakened by a long-continuing war, and Japan is plunged into the chaos of the Warring States Period, where blood is washed by blood. Deep in the forest in the unexplored mountainous region of Kinokuni, there is a group of gunmen who fight under a Yatagarasu banner. That group is the Saika Ikki, a band of mercenaries who dominate the battlefield. The head of the Saika Clan is Magoichi, a boy from a foriegn land who inherits the name. Meanwhile, a man named Saburo quickly detects signs of an invasion from the European powers and works hard to protect Japan. The fates of these two, who are the unlikeliest of allies, intersect when their country is threatened by a foreign invader.
Background
Rusted Armors is a mixed-media project consisting of 2.5D stage plays, manga, and a TV anime. The stage plays include Rusted Armors, which ran for 23 performances in June 2017, Rusted Armors: Connections, which ran for 25 performances in June 2019, and Rusted Armors Side Story: Owls of the Blue Sky, which ran for 14 performances in April 2021 before being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A manga series with artwork by hagi was serialized in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Gene magazine from January to October 2019 and was later released in two collected tankobon volumes. A second manga series titled Rusted Armors: Daybreak with artwork by Kairi Shimotsuki has been serialized in Monthly Comic Gene since May 2021.
A TV anime adaptation was announced in June 2019. It is being animated by studio Kigumi and features Shinmei Kawahara as director, with Ohine Ezaki handling series composition and scripts, Sakura Ogawa handling character designs, and Koji Ide and MAYDENFIELD composing the music. The anime’s opening theme song is “Faith” by Taiki Sato, Toshiki Masuda, and Ryuji Sato as their respective characters. The anime will premiere in Japan on Jan. 9, 2022 on Tokyo MX, AT-X, and other channels.
Characters
Magoichi (Voiced by: Taiki Sato)
A bright and compassionate boy who has an innate Dragon Eye. He is a blue-eyed mountain dweller who has the blood of the Nanban Ispania. After losing his memory, he washes up on the banks of Saikazaki, grief stricken about not knowing who he is, but is accepted by the villagers. He is then given the name “Magoichi” after a hero of Saika. After joining a mercenary group, he rises to become the group’s leader due to his natural strength and skill with armor.
Oda Saburo Nobunaga (Voiced by: Toshiki Masuda)
One of the few people who possess a Dragon Eye. He is the eldest son of the Oda clan and is a natural-born leader. However, he dislikes acting as a leader and spends his time on hedonistic pleasures and extravagant outfits. He fell in love with Sara, a woman from a foriegn country who teaches him about the world. He takes care of those around him and is like a big brother who shows the Saika Ikki the way. He is also well-versed in hot springs and is very particular about bathing etiquette.
Tsurukubi (Voiced by: Kentaro Araki)
The oldest member of the Saika Ikki. He is a chivalrous man who tries to protect Hotarubi with his life. He has taken refuge in the village of Saika in order to evade the assassination group Owl. Hotarubi’s survival is most important to him. He is calm and collected with the ability to assess the situation.
Hotarubi (Voiced by: Takato Nagata)
The youngest member of the Saika Ikki. He was born as an illegitimate child of the emperor and has been treated coldly and not allowed to be seen in public. He was trained as a child in the art of assassination along with other children his age in order to one day be able to carry out assassinations for the imperial family. During this time, he meets Tsurukubi, and he regains his humanity while living on the run and constantly on the move.
Kurohyo (Voiced by: Yuichiro Hirata)
He has a mechanized body and every part of him is made of armor. He is a lone wolf with a foul mouth and haughty attitude toward others. As a child, he suffered from a heart condition and was told he wouldn’t live long. He dreamed of one day being able to shoot the guns that were used by the hero of the village, Magoichi.
Deku (Voiced by: spi)
He likes to drink and be rowdy, but is also good-natured and compassionate. He has a large build and is stronger than the others, which has served him well in his life of violence. He has a change of heart and decides to start using his strength for the benefit of others and begins helping with the construction of a seawall to protect the village from thieves. He often works with Magoichi and considers him his partner.
Ageha (Voiced by: Yuki Kamisato)
A beautiful boy with a feminine appearance. He lost his family in the war and doesn't trust anyone but himself.
Hototogisu (Voiced by: Tsubasa Sakiyama)
He is a man with mysterious charm who is hard to read due to always having a smile on his face, so much so that it can be hard to tell if he’s friend or foe. Although a member of the Saika Ikki, he is actually a shinobi for Nobunaga. He has no ambitions of his own and never tires of serving Nobunaga. He feels more at ease with plants and animals than he does people.
Lucio Cortes (Voiced by: Ryuji Sato)
A belligerent, ruthless realist who lacks any sense of morals or ethics. He doesn’t just beat his opponents, he thoroughly destroys them. He doesn’t trust anyone but himself. He cares for his family more than anything else.
Music
Opening Theme Song: “Faith” by Taiki Sato, Toshiki Masuda, and Ryuji Sato
Ending Theme Song: TBA
Official Links
Staff
- Director: Shinmei Kawahara
- Series Composition/Script: Ohine Ezaki
- Character Design: Sakura Ogawa
- Art Director/Art Design: Yuri Kobayashi
- Sound Director: Hisashi Muramatsu (Ally Studio)
- CG Director: Daisuke Umeno, Kazu Hashiratani
- Editing: Yusuke Ueno
- Music: Koji Ide, MAYDENFIELD
- Sound Production: Ally Studio
- Animation Production Assistance: JCTV, Studio51
- Animation Production: Kigumi