Shrine of the Morning Mist
| Industry | Manga, Anime |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Hiroki Ugawa |
Area served | Japan, North America, Australia, New Zealand, France |
Key people | Hiroki Ugawa (creator), Yuji Moriyama (anime director) |
| Products | Manga, Anime television series |
| Owner | Shōnen Gahōsha (manga publisher) |
' is a Japanese manga created by Hiroki Ugawa, originally serialized in Young King Ours published by Shōnen Gahōsha. The series has been licensed for North American distribution by Tokyopop and for Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. It was also adapted into an anime television series, directed by Yuji Moriyama, with North American rights held by Media Blasters.
The narrative centers on Yuzu Hieda, a freshman in high school and one of three sisters who serve as miko at a local Shinto shrine. When her childhood sweetheart reappears, he attracts the attention of malevolent deities, compelling Yuzu to establish a "Miko Council" alongside fellow students to confront a supernatural onslaught. The priestesses wield talismans that help concentrate their spiritual abilities against the dark kami.
Characters
The Miko Council
In the English version by Media Blasters, the Miko Council is referred to as the "Priestess Club".
- The middle Hieda sister and leader of the priestess club. She is a potent yet innocent mystic, deeply devoted to her childhood friend Tadahiro. Her talisman is a ceremonial dagger, and her signature attack is "white light beam."
- Yuzu’s closest companion and initial recruit. She is spirited but unlucky in romance, masking her innocence with a worldly demeanor. Her talisman is a spear, and she executes the "brave girl spear" attack.
- Appearing younger than her peers despite being the same age, she is sharp-tongued and candid. Her talisman is a tamagushi, a ritual wand; her special move is "lyrical flash."
- A glasses-wearing girl fascinated by UFOs and extraterrestrials, associating them with the demonic invasion. She idolizes Chika, often causing annoyance. Her talisman consists of ofuda, and her attack is called "secret weapon tachyon plasma boomerang."
- A reserved and affluent girl who admires Yuzu and aims to exemplify traditional Japanese femininity. She carries a ceremonial fan as her talisman; her attack technique is "tornado blast."
The Hieda Clan
- The chief priestess of Asagiri Shrine, mentor to the Miko Council, Yuzu’s homeroom teacher, and elder sister. She is highly knowledgeable and demands strict discipline from the council through rigorous training. Her talismans include a bow and a large ring used to trap adversaries.
- The youngest sister of the Hieda family and an apprentice priestess. She enjoys teasing her sister about Tadahiro but maintains a kind-hearted nature. Her talismans are hand chimes.
- The father of the Hieda sisters who lives at the shrine but does not serve as a priest himself. His exact role remains ambiguous yet demanding. He harbors distrust toward Tadahiro’s intentions for Yuzu but is mostly disregarded by his family.
- Yuzu’s childhood friend and cousin, sharing mutual feelings with her. Tadahiro possesses the unique ability to perceive spirits through his heterochromatic left eye, making him a target for demons.
- A bakeneko or "demon cat" that once guarded Tadahiro’s grandfather. Typically appearing as a black cat, she can transform into human or cat-woman forms during battle and has an affection for cake.
Yagarena
- An ancient sorcerer who serves Yagarena, a dark deity intent on engulfing Japan in darkness. He conjures demons from various sources to threaten Tadahiro and Yuzu.
- Three "dark miko" enlisted by Michimune to oppose the Miko Council. Their spiritual abilities rival those of the council but their combat skills exceed them.
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- A popular yet conceited student in Yuzu and Tadahiro’s class who actively works against Yuzu. Although Chika suspected he had romantic ties with Tadahiro, Kusugi is actually Michimune’s disguise used to infiltrate the school and sabotage his adversaries.
Setting
The anime's setting draws inspiration from the actual city of Miyoshi, Hiroshima. This location is renowned for its characteristic morning fog, which is echoed in the series' title. Additionally, the narrative incorporates elements from the Inō Mononoke scroll's folklore, with a nearby mountain playing a significant role within these traditional tales.
Media
Manga
Shrine of the Morning Mist is both authored and illustrated by Hiroki Ugawa. The publisher Shōnen Gahōsha released a total of nine tankōbon volumes between January 2001 and April 30, 2013. In North America, Tokyopop held the licensing rights and published the initial four volumes from May 2006 through May 2007. Meanwhile, in France, Editions Ki-oon distributes the series under the title Asagiri - Les prêtresses de l'aube.
Volume listing
Anime
The anime adaptation of Shrine of the Morning Mist, directed by Yuji Moriyama, is based on Hiroki Ugawa's original manga. It was broadcast over 26 episodes on TV Tokyo and AT-X from July to December 2002. Media Blasters acquired licensing for a Blu-Ray Disc release of the series.
Reception
A.E. Sparrow from IGN critiques the manga by describing Tadahiro as "possibly the most boring character written in the history of manga," pointing out his lack of emotional complexity despite his central role in the plot.
Jeremy A Beard of THEM Anime Reviews remarks that the anime’s humor depends heavily on "silly school life misunderstandings and visual gags," drawing comparisons to Azumanga Daioh. Sean Broestl from Anime News Network commends the series for its "great character design" and memorable opening theme but considers the storyline "mediocre" with some episodes feeling somewhat "rushed." Chris Beveridge of Mania.com notes that while the show's "half-length episodes" format on TV Tokyo improves pacing compared to similar series, approximately half of the episodes still appear hurried or conclude abruptly.