Genji
Genji [ゲンジ] is one of the protagonists of Seiji Tanaka's 1988 Ultima-inspired manga, Ultima: The Terror of Exodus.
Description[edit]
Genji was a human space pilot living in the colonized asteroid belt of Earth's future. While responding to a mayday signal from a local archeological expedition in mining expedition, he fell victim to an apparent gravitational collapse of space which transposed him into the magical land of Sosaria.[1] His forehead etched with the prophetic Mark of the Dragon, Genji was soon drawn into the quest to save the realm from the threat of Exodus, fulfilling his destiny as one of the four foretold "Dragon Warriors" of prophecy.
Having lived most of his life in the overpopulated colonies of the Terran Solar System, Genji was deeply moved by Sosaria's verdant landscape and by the numerous animals which he encountered on the road to the holy city of Yew. He did not understand why the natives of the realm didn't assign nature more importance, as his polluted home world made it difficult to experience such a pristine environment. Direct and often tactless, Genji often seemed out of place within the high fantasy setting into which he had been thrust, although his loyalty to the other heroes and to the quest he was tasked with became quite deep over the course of the story.
Genji also shared a deep connection with the cleric Aida, whom he had dreamed of for many years prior to meeting her. It was eventually revealed that Minax, resurrected by Exodus' power, sent Aida into the Terran's past through her own sorcery, causing the woman to encounter Genji throughout his lifetime at varying points.[2] Genji would later reveal to Aida as she lay close to death within Exodus' castle that there was much he wished to tell her and it is evident that they came to care for one another deeply by the end of the narrative. However, it is unclear if the two warriors would pursue a romantic future together at the comic's end.[3]
Genji's "seal," bestowed upon him in Ambrosia, takes the form of a magic sword, which he used to slay the revived Mondain and to eventually help to banish the freed Exodus.
The Maze of Schwarzschild[edit]
Practically his whole story was changed for the manga The Maze of Schwarzschild. In that manga, he's the result of cloning and gets back his memories in flashbacks, which also have nothing to do with the last time he appeared. One of such memories is him being a U.S. soldier in Vietnam, where he saves Aida from his fellow soldiers.
It is unknown why these changes were made.
Trivia[edit]
- Genji may be named for the famous protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's classic The Tale of Genji, although his personality differs greatly from the emotional courtier of the novel.
References[edit]
- ↑ Tanaka, Seiji. Exodus (Ultima III). JICC: August 15, 1988. Pages 9-20.
- ↑ Tanaka, Seiji. Exodus (Ultima III). JICC: August 15, 1988. Pages 118-125.
- ↑ Tanaka, Seiji. Exodus (Ultima III). JICC: August 15, 1988. Pages 233-246.