Absolute Duo

Absolute Duo
First light novel volume cover
アブソリュート・デュオ (Abusoryūto Duo)
Genre	Fantasy, Romance, Action, Harem
Light novel
Written by	Takumi Hiiragiboshi
Illustrated by	Yū Asaba
Published by	Media Factory
Demographic	Male
Imprint	MF Bunko J
Original run	August 24, 2012 – present
Volumes	11
Manga
Written by	Takumi Hiiragiboshi
Illustrated by	Shin'ichirō Nariie
Published by	Media Factory
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Monthly Comic Alive
Original run	April 27, 2013 – present
Volumes	3
Manga
Absolute Duo Tea Party
Written by	Takumi Hiiragiboshi
Illustrated by	Tōru Oiwaka
Published by	Media Factory
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Monthly Comic Alive
Original run	October 27, 2014 – present
Anime television series
Directed by	Atsushi Nakayama
Produced by	Hidetake Komiya Kazuo Ōnuki Keisuke Kaminaga Makoto Ito Mika Shimizu Uesama
Written by	Takamitsu Kōno
Music by	Atsushi Hirasawa
Studio	8-Bit
Licensed by	‹See Tfd› ^AUS Madman Entertainment ^NA Funimation
Network	AT-X, Tokyo MX, SUN, KBS, TVA, BS11
Original run	January 4, 2015 – March 22, 2015
Episodes	12

Absolute Duo (Japanese: アブソリュート・デュオ Hepburn: Abusoryūto Duo) is a Japanese light novel series by Takumi Hiiragiboshi with illustrations by Yū Asaba. Media Factory has published eleven volumes since 2012 under their MF Bunko J imprint. It has received two manga adaptations. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by 8-Bit aired between January 4 and March 22, 2015.

Plot

Tor Kokonoe enrolls in Koryo Academy, a high school where its students battle each other with weapons known as Blaze (焔牙/ブレイズ Bureizu) as training to become future peacekeepers. The students must pass a battle during the qualification ceremony of the freshmen day in order to be enrolled in the academy. Although most students manifest their Blazes as melee weapons, Tor's ability manifests as a shield, making him an Irregular (イレギュラー iregyurā). The school uses a special Duo system in which students are assigned partners. Tor is paired with Julie Sigtuna, a silver-haired girl from Scandinavia, and must share a room with her.^[1] Both Julie and Tor are revealed to be an avenger, while Julie herself is an El-Awaken and possesses unlimited power. They both also have tragic pasts because their loved ones, Tor's sister and Julie's father, were killed by an enemy. Tor previously befriended with Imari Nagakura who failed the qualification and is enrolled in the Koryo branch academy on a vacation island and later paired with Miwa to form a duo.

Tor also begins to later get along with other known classmates such as Tomoe Tachibana, Miyabi Hotaka, Aoi Torasaki, and Tatu who also passed the qualification ceremony, principal Sakuya Tsukumo, and an energetic teacher, Rito Tsukimi. One day, a blonde haired beauty named Lilith Bristol heard of Tor's ability, and transferred from the English Branch Academy in order to pair up with Tor to form a duo without attending classes. She declares her love with Tor but she is rejected. Lilith becomes angry and one day she trespasses a training lesson and challenge the students there. Nevertheless, Lilith still not give up and try to win Tor's heart. Tor spends his school life with all his classmates and teachers, such as attending lessons, having tea with Lilith and strolling out in shopping malls once in a while.

Tor's school life used to be all-normal until one day Equipment Smith and K interrupts the normal school lives of the Koryo Academy students because they have the same goal that is, to build a strong force that conquers the world with their co-produced Units. Equipment Smith is revealed to have deep vengeance towards Sakuya's family for exceeding his research and Lilith's family for abandoned him to search for another career. When the academy held a summer trip at the island where located one of Koryo academy's branch school, they sent rebellious forces to attack the students and kidnapped Miyabi, who feels depressed because she is weak to help her friends and wish for greater power. Days later, the forces infiltrated the school compound led by K, Equipment Smith and followed by Miyabi, who is made their slave because of her wish. Tor and his friends united their power defeated K, Tomoe put Miyabi back to normal and all K's force units are defeated by all the academy's students. Due to K's defeat, Equipment Smith insulted K, thus makes K killed the former. The same night, K continued attacking the school the second time all by himself but was later defeated again by Tor and Julie, thus apprehended. The remaining thing unknown is that Sakaki Narukami, who killed Tor's sister and Julie's father is quietly moving behind the scenes.

Characters

Main characters

Tor Kokonoe (九重 透流 Kokonoe Tōru)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka^[2] (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo^[3] (English)

Tor is the protagonist of Absolute Duo. He enrolls in Kouryou Academy with the hope of getting stronger so he can avenge the death of his younger sister Otoha (音羽).^[4] He is dubbed an Irregular for having a shield for a Blaze. He learns a powerful punch attack to use in conjunction with his Blaze. Julie sometimes refers to him as Thor. After spending some time with Julie, his goal switches from avenging his sister to becoming strong so that he can protect Julie. He obtains the Level 4 Sublimition which is "Aegis Desire"(volume 4)

Julie Sigtuna (ユリエ・シグトゥーナ Yurie Shigutūna)

Voiced by: Nozomi Yamamoto^[2] (Japanese); Bryn Apprill^[3] (English)

Julie is a girl with red eyes and silver hair, styled in twin tails who becomes Tor's partner at the academy.^[4] She takes a liking towards Tor and after some time she becomes his duo. She is from a village named Gimlé in Scandinavia. Her Blaze is a Sword Type, known as Twin Blades. The reason she came to Japan and enrolled to Kouryou Academy is because she wants to get stronger to avenge her family's death; the scar on her back serves as a reminder of the incident. Because of this she seeks out Tor for help and to teach her his Final Move. Julie says "Yes" and "No" in Danish/Swedish/Norwegian: "Ja" (ヤー Yā) and "Nej" (ナイ Nai). One of her interesting features is her single strain of hair that stands and moves around whenever she says "Ja" (ヤー Yā) or agrees to something. It also moves when she is happy.

Tomoe Tachibana (橘 巴 Tachibana Tomoe)

Voiced by: Ayaka Suwa^[2] (Japanese); Whitney Rodgers^[3] (English)

One of the female protagonists and Tor and Julie's classmate. She is a typical yamato nadeshiko character, who is smart and talented and possesses a dignified atmosphere. She cares very much about the people who are close to her especially Miyabi, whom despite of being weak still chooses her to form a duo. She is very much into martial arts and Shogi. She can never tolerate idly work, so she always wakes others when they're about to be late. Being a vegetarian, she often gives Toru a plate of vegetables to maintain his stamina and power. Her Blaze is a Kusarigama.

Miyabi Hotaka (穂高 みやび Hotaka Miyabi)

Voiced by: Ayaka Imamura^[2] (Japanese); Ashleigh Domangue^[3] (English)

One of the female protagonists who is a buxom girl, she forms a Duo with Tomoe. She is also in Tor's class and tends to be shy around others.^[4] Her shyness especially around boys comes from how she used to be in an all-girls school before coming to Kouryou Academy. She lacks stamina that keeps her from doing any physical activity for long periods of time. She eventually comes to realize she is in love with Tor and confesses, but as he was about to accept her feelings, he instead turned her down telling her that he's too weak. Despite his rejection, she takes Toru´s words to her heart, even accepting Equipment Smith´s offer to become stronger, getting a Unit suit, despite having to fight against her friends. Her Blaze is a huge and heavy lance which is capable of doing large scale destruction, however she has a hard time using it as she lacks stamina.

Lilith Bristol (リーリス・ブリストル Rīrisu Burisutoru)

Voiced by: Haruka Yamazaki^[2] (Japanese); Caitlin Glass^[3] (English)

A transfer student from England came from an affluent family. She is a very exceptional student whom at a young age has learned how to shoot and hunt, however, she is also selfish and arrogant. She is called an "Exception" and due to this, she claims to be able to do anything regardless of the rules. She went to Japan in order to form a duo with Tor after hearing news about his capability and being special just like Lilith, however much to her disappointment Tor declines. She later falls in love with Toru, and declares he will be her future husband and win his heart. Though she is officially enrolled in Kouryou Academy, she never attends class claiming that she had already finished her studies a long time ago which is why she prefers loitering around the school garden sipping tea with her confidant Sarah. Her Blaze is a rifle, and she is a superb marksman. Though she is armed with a weapon that she can fire from a distance, she is surprisingly very agile to the point that she can shoot anybody at point blank range.

Other characters

Sakuya Tsukumo (九十九 朔夜 Tsukumo Sakuya)

Voiced by: Yui Horie^[5] (Japanese); Felecia Angelle^[3] (English)

The Chairman of Kouryou Academy, and is always seen wearing a Gothic Lolita dress. Her way of running the school is so ruthless that she actually encourages battle amongst the students. She's known as the Blaze Diabolica.

Rito Tsukimi (月見 璃兎 Tsukimi Rito)

Voiced by: Yukari Tamura^[5] (Japanese); Jennifer McDaniel^[3] (English)

Tōru's homeroom teacher, who is always energetic and dresses like a maid with bunny ears, which greatly disturbs her entire class.^[1] She has two personalities; the first one is always childish and a happy person who likes calling her students various names, while the second is foul-mouthed (and her true personality), sadistic and ruthless, not even thinking twice about attacking her students. Despite her cold attitude, it is shown that she does care for her students, as she defended them against K's attack and even gave them a thumbs up. She does not appear to like a lot of attention on her, as she is seen running away from a bunch of students the next day. Her Blaze is a sword. She gains Level 4 Sublimition from Sakuya and she has a new ability "Ouburos"

Imari Nagakura (永倉 伊万里 Nagakura Imari)

Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu^[5] (Japanese); Michelle Rojas^[3] (English)

Imari is the first person Tōru talks to after entering the school.^[4] However, she is soon expelled from the school after losing against Tōru during the entrance ceremony's combat exam. Her Blaze consists of a single sword, which she wields like a katana. She reappeared when Tōru's class were sent to summer training camp at some remote island where Kouryou Academy has another branch, where students like her who failed the combat exam from the main branch where actually transferred there and were trained to become shinobis. She was also one of the greeting parties who ambushed Tōru's class the moment they arrived to the island.

Tora (トラ Tora, lit."tiger")

Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae^[5] (Japanese); Anthony Bowling (English)

Tōru's childhood friend who is also considered an Irregular. His Blaze is a katar. His full name is Aoi Torasaki (虎崎 葵 Torasaki Aoi) (in the manga and the anime).

Tatu (タツ Tatsu, lit."dragon")

Voiced by: Yoshihisa Kawahara^[5] (Japanese); Tyson Rinehart (English)

A silent classmate and Tora's roommate, he is the tallest person in class who has a muscular physique. His Blaze is a naginata. His full name is Ryutaro Tatsuno (辰乃 龍太朗 Tatsuno Ryūtarō) (in the manga). Rito oftens calls him "Barbarian".

K

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai^[6] (Japanese); Z. Charles Bolton (English)

A soldier of Equipment Smith. His real name is Kevin Wayfair (ケヴィン＝ウェイフェア Kevin Weifea). Since he lost his family at a young age, he was sold to Equipment Smith, who made him a ruthless killing machine that only cares about power and results.

Sakaki Narukami (榊鳴神 Narukami Sakaki)

Tooru's former best friend who is responsible for killing Tor's sister Otoha and Julie's father in the past.

Equipment Smith (イクイップメント・スミス Ikuippumento Sumisu)

Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura (Japanese); Kent Williams (English)

A scientist who developed the Unit suits and resents Sakuya's grandfather for defeating him many years ago, believing Units are superior to Exceeds. His real name is Edward Walker (エドワード·ウォルカー Edowādo Worukā). After K is defeated and he begins to insult him and calling him a failure, K kills him.

Silent Diva (サイレントディーバ Sairento Dība)

Voiced by: Ai Kayano (Japanese); Dawn M. Bennett (English)

Silent Diva is a young woman, with her light blue hair coming down to her hips, and she has purple clothes with diamonds on each side of her hair, and she has purple eyes, just like Sakuya.

Sarah (サラ Sara)

Voiced by: Nozomi Nishida (Japanese); Alex Moore (English)

Sara is Lilith Bristol's female butler. Sara comes from a family that serves as their butlers.

Media

Light novels

The first light novel was published on August 24, 2012 by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J imprint. Ten volumes have been published as of January 2016.

No.	Title	Release date	ISBN
1	Kokuhaku wa Sōkoku no Yoru ni (告白は蒼刻の夜に)	August 24, 2012[7]	ISBN 978-4-04-066487-3
2	Uso to Shin to Akai Kurenai (嘘と真と赤い紅)	December 25, 2012[8]	ISBN 978-4-04-066470-5
3	Nagisa ni Yureru Koi Monogatari (渚に揺れる恋物語り)	June 25, 2013[9]	ISBN 978-4-8401-5228-0
4	黎明せし異能の境界	November 25, 2013[10]	ISBN 978-4-04-066029-5
5	闇ノ銀狼、光ノ深淵	March 25, 2014[11]	ISBN 978-4-04-066312-8
6	Kaze to Homura to Kaminari to (風と焔と雷と)	July 25, 2014[12]	ISBN 978-4-04-066911-3
7	Kinki no Kajitsu (禁忌の果実)	December 25, 2014[13]	ISBN 978-4-04-067312-7
8	Memories Connect	March 25, 2015[14]	ISBN 978-4-04-067473-5
9	Ashes to Ashes (ashes to ashes,)	July 24, 2015[15]	ISBN 978-4-04-067717-0
10	Dust to Dust (dust to dust.)	January 25, 2016[16]	ISBN 978-4-04-068036-1
11	Jeg kan lide dig,	January 25, 2016[17]	ISBN 978-4-04-068455-0

Manga

A manga adaptation with art by Shin'ichirō Nariie started serialization in Media Factory's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive from April 27, 2013, and has been collected in a single tankōbon volume. A second spin-off four-panel comedy manga adaptation titled Absolute Duo Tea Party (アブソリュート・デュオ TEA PARTY) with art by Tōru Oiwaka will also be serialized in Monthly Comic Alive magazine with the December 2014 issue to be sold on October 27, 2014.^[18]

Anime

An anime television series adaptation by 8-Bit was announced at Media Factory's 2014 Summer School Festival event.^[19] It aired between January 4 and March 22, 2015 on AT-X. It also aired on Tokyo MX, Sun Television, Kyoto Broadcasting System, Television Aichi Broadcasting and Nippon BS Broadcasting at later dates.^[20] Crunchyroll began streaming episodes to parts of Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa in the same week, and Funimation has licensed the anime, broadcasting English-dubbed episodes on its online service starting March 16.^[3][21][22]

The opening theme song is "Absolute Soul" by Konomi Suzuki, the first ending theme song is "BelievexBelieve" by Nozomi Yamamoto, the second ending theme song is "Apple Tea no Aji" (アップルティーの味 lit. The Taste of Apple Tea) by Nozomi Yamamoto and Haruka Yamazaki, and the third ending theme song is "2/2" by Ayaka Imamura and Ayaka Suwa.

Episode list

No.	Title	Original air date[20]
1	"Blaze" "Bureizu" (焔牙/ブレイズ)	January 4, 2015
Tor is in a small battle with anyone that is seated next to each other, in a head to head fight. While Sakuya tells everyone in the building the same, to pass the test.
2	"Duo" "Dyuo" (絆双刃/デュオ)	January 11, 2015
3	"Avenger" "Avenjā" (復讐者/アヴェンジャー)	January 18, 2015
4	"Exception" "Ekusepushon" (特別/エクセプション)	January 25, 2015
5	"Level Up" "Reberuappu" (位階昇華/レベルアップ)	February 1, 2015
After the events of the New Blade Battle, Tooru and his companions sublimate to level two.
6	"Survive" "Sabaibu" (生存闘争/サバイブ)	February 8, 2015
7	"Silver-Blonde, Yellow Topaz" "Gin'iro no kami Koganeiro no kami" (銀色の髪, 黄金色の髪)	February 15, 2015
8	"Selection" "Hinpyō-kai" (品評会/セレクション)	February 22, 2015
9	"Rebels" "Ribērusu" (神滅部隊／リベールス)	March 1, 2015
Koryo Academy is under attack. Tor and Julie work together in battling the chief of the marauding corps, while Tomoe searches for Miyabi.
10	"Reign Conference" "Reinkanfarensu" (七芒夜会/レインカンファレンス)	March 8, 2015
11	"Killing Game" "kiringugēmu" (殺破遊戯/キリングゲーム)	March 15, 2015
12	"Absolute Duo" "Abusoryūto Dyuo" (絶対双刃/アブソリュート・デュオ)	March 22, 2015
The idea of wanting to protect someone is still foreign to K, so in a dramatic, no-holds-barred faceoff, Tor decides to show him how it is done. After K's defeat, the following day, Tor and Julie renew their vows as duo partners.

References

Light novels

• Vol. 1: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (August 2012). 告白は蒼刻の夜に (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-04-066487-3.
• Vol. 2: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (December 2012). 嘘と真と赤い紅 (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-04-066470-5.
• Vol. 3: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (June 2013). 渚に揺れる恋物語り (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-8401-5228-0.
• Vol. 4: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (November 2013). 黎明せし異能の境界 (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-04-066029-5.
• Vol. 5: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (March 2014). 闇ノ銀狼、光ノ深淵 (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-04-066312-8.
• Vol. 6: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (July 2014). 風と焔と雷と (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-04-066911-3.
• Vol. 7: Hiiragiboshi, Takumi (December 2014). 禁忌の果実 (in Japanese). Illustrated by Yū Asaba. Media Factory. ISBN 978-4-04-067312-7.

Manga

• Vol. 1 (ch. 1–): Absolute Duo Volume 1

Other

1. "Absolute Duo - The Winter 2015 Anime Preview Guide - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. 2015-01-06. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
2. "Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Nozomi Yamamoto Lead Absolute Duo Anime's Cast". Anime News Network. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
3. "Funimation Announces Absolute Duo English Dub Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
4. "アブソリュート・デュオ". ComicWalker - 人気マンガが無料で読める！. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
5. "Haruka Tomatsu, Yukari Tamura, Yui Horie Join Absolute Duo Cast". Anime News Network. November 22, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
6. "『アブソリュート・デュオ』公式サイト". absoluteduo.com. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
7. "アブソリュート・デュオ at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
8. "アブソリュート・デュオ II at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
9. "アブソリュート・デュオ III at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
10. "アブソリュート・デュオ IV at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
11. "アブソリュート・デュオ V at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
12. "アブソリュート・デュオ VI at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
13. "アブソリュート・デュオ VII at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
14. "アブソリュート・デュオ VIII at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
15. "アブソリュート・デュオ IX at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
16. "アブソリュート・デュオ X at mediafactory.co.jp" (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
17. "アブソリュート・デュオXI　Jeg kan lide dig," (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
18. "From the New World's Oikawa Launches Absolute Duo Spinoff Manga". Anime News Network. September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
19. "Absolutely Duo Fantasy School Light Novels Get TV Anime by 8-Bit". Anime News Network. July 19, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
20. "『アブソリュート・デュオ』公式サイト". absoluteduo.com. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
21. "Crunchyroll Streams Absolute Duo Outside N. America". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
22. "Absolute Duo".

External links

• Official anime website (Japanese)
• Absolute Duo at ComicWalker (Japanese)
• Absolute Duo at Funimation
• Absolute Duo (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia