Tegami Bachi (テガミバチ; "Letter Bee") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Asada. It was first serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Jump from September 2006 to June 2007; after the magazine ceased publication, it was transferred to Jump Square, where it ran from November 2007 to November 2015. Its chapters were collected in 20 tankōbon volumes. The series is set in AmberGround, a land illuminated by an artificial sun, and follows Lag Seeing, a Letter Bee with the ability to see the memories of people and objects, and his personal Dingo Niche on their journeys across AmberGround.
Tegami Bachi was adapted into an anime television series by Pierrot+, which aired for two seasons from October 2009 to March 2011. The manga was licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media; it was published in their Shonen Jump magazine, and they have released its 20 volumes. Both seasons of the anime series have been licensed by Sentai Filmworks.
Contents
Plot
The story takes place in AmberGround, a land of perpetual night partially illuminated by an artificial sun. Lag Seeing, who used to work for the Bee Hive delivery service, is appointed as a Letter Bee, traveling with his Dingo (Bee's bodyguards), Niche, and her pet, Steak, to deliver letters and packages while avoiding the Gaichuu—giant armored insects who feed on the "heart" within letters and packages. When he was a child, his mother was kidnapped by men from AmberGround's capital, Akatsuki, and he was sent as a "delivery" to his aunt thanks to Gauche Suede, whom he began to idolize and who was his inspiration for becoming a Letter Bee. After Lag becomes a Letter Bee, he learns that Gauche has disappeared as the resistance movement Reverse begins stealing letters from traveling Bees. Lag later encounters Gauche, who is devoted to Reverse's cause and seems to have no memory of his past, despite Lag's attempts to make him remember.
Characters
Lag Seeing (ラグ・シーイング, Ragu Shīingu)
Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro
Lag Seeing is a determined 12-year-old boy born on the Day of Flicker. He wields the Shindanjuu, a specialized gun that fires "Akabari" (Red Needles) using fragments of the heart. His left eye, made of red Spirit Amber, enhances his marksmanship and allows him to project heart bullets. This same ability lets him visualize the memories of objects. In his childhood, his mother was taken by men from Akatsuki, the capital of AmberGround, and an encounter with the Letter Bee Gauche Suede inspired him to follow the same path. He initially carries an antique revolver but later inherits Gauche's Nocturne #20. During a critical moment, Lag awakens a new power, his body glowing like Spirit Amber as he fires a special bullet in an attempt to restore Noir's heart. His companion, Niche, joins him after he saves her from a Gaichuu and she glimpses his memories through the Shindanjuu.
Niche (ニッチ, Nicchi)
Voiced by: Ayumi Fujimura
Niche is Lag's Dingo, traveling with her pet Steak. She wields her "Golden Sword" hair as razor-sharp blades and has bear-like claws. Found as an undeliverable letter at a train station, Lag names her Niche after rescuing her from disposal. Though delivered to "Lovesome Downs", she escapes captivity as "The Child of Maka"—a legendary figure from the north. After Lag saves her from Gaichuu territory, she becomes his Dingo. Believed to be seven, she's actually 200 years old, born in Blue Notes Blues. She later discovers she has a twin sister and is truly Maka's offspring.
Gauche Suede (ゴーシュ・スエード, Gōshu Suēdo) / Noir (ノワール, Nowāru)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama
Gauche Suede is a Letter Bee who once rescued Lag when he was marked as a letter in Yodaka District, delivering him to his aunt in Campbell. Driven by his desire to become Head Bee and provide for his sister Sylvette, he later reappears as the emotionless Marauder Noir, having lost his memories. As Noir, he ruthlessly steals letters yet remains fiercely protective of Roda. On the Day of Flicker, Gauche lost his mother in childbirth, leaving him devoted to Sylvette's happiness. Lag's attempt to restore his memories with a letter bullet only partially succeeds, transferring Lag's memories of him instead. Gauche's combat abilities include the Kurobari (Black Needle) attack. Once wielding Nocturne #20 as a Letter Bee, he now carries the Gymnopédie, capable of the Raven Black technique.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Asada, Tegami Bachi debuted in Shueisha's Monthly Shōnen Jump on September 6, 2006. The magazine ceased its publication on June 6, 2007. Following a special un-numbered one-shot chapter published in Weekly Shōnen Jump on October 15, 2007, the series was transferred to the then brand new magazine Jump Square on November 2 of the same year, where it ran until its conclusion on November 4, 2015. Shueisha collected its 99 individual chapters in twenty tankōbon volumes, released from January 4, 2007, to January 4, 2016.
Viz Media announced that it had licensed Tegami Bachi for an English-language adaption in North America at San Diego Comic-Con on February 28, 2010. It was announced that Tegami Bachi, otherwise known as Letter Bee in English translations, will be serialized in the monthly manga anthology Shonen Jump, where it replaced the manga series Slam Dunk. It debuted in the March 2009 issue of the magazine.
Drama CD
A drama CD, which adapted the Jiggy Pepper arc, was released on February 16, 2009.
Anime
A special anime adaptation, running for about 30 minutes, was shown during the Jump Super Anime Tour events in Japan in the fall of 2008. It was titled Tegami Bachi: Hikari to Ao no Gensō Yawa (テガミバチ 〜光と青の幻想夜話〜, Letter Bee: Light and Blue Night Fantasy), and was animated by Pierrot+. An original video animation was translated for free by Anthony Carl Kimm on the Jumpland website with English subtitles. It was later released on DVD in the beginning of 2009.
In April 2009, it was announced that Tegami Bachi would receive an anime television series adaptation. The series was directed by Akira Iwanaga. The series aired on TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi and other affiliated television networks from October 3, 2009, to March 27, 2010. The first opening theme song is Hajimari no Hi (はじまりの日), performed by Suga Shikao featuring Mummy-D. The second opening theme song is Love Letter no Kawari ni Kono Uta O (ラブレターのかわりにこの詩を。; lit. Rather than a Love Letter, Choose This Poem), performed by Seira. In Southeast Asia, the series aired on Animax Asia under the title Letter Bee.
A second season, Tegami Bachi Reverse, was announced in February 2010. The second season aired from October 3, 2010, to March 26, 2011. The first opening theme song is Chiisana Mahō (小さな魔法, Little Magic), performed by Stereopony, while the first ending theme song is Wasurenagusa (勿忘草, Forget-Me-Not), performed by Piko. The second opening theme song is Yakusoku (約束, Promise), performed by Suga Shikao, while the second ending theme Perseus (ペルセウス, Perseus), performed by Yamazaru.
In North America, both seasons have been licensed by Sentai Filmworks.
Reception
Manga
In her review of the first volume, Deb Aoki of About.com said that the series "has the right stuff to appeal to both male and female readers: thrilling action, a magical world full of mysteries, likeable characters that are worth caring about, and lovely artwork, all done with a touch of light-hearted humor."
In Japan, volume 2 of the manga debuted sixth during the first week of its release.
Anime
Carlo Santos of Anime News Network reviewed the first six episodes of the series, praising it as a refreshing adventure series focused on "the triumphs and tragedies of the human heart". He admired its unique atmosphere and art direction, blending feudal and industrial aesthetics, but criticized the Gaichuu's CGI. Despite this, Santos gave the series a B−, offering an overall positive review.