Murder Princess (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Sekihiko Inui. It was serialized in MediaWorks's Dengeki Teioh from April 2004 to November 2006, with its chapters collected in two tankōbon volumes. It was published in North America by Broccoli Books. A six-episode original video animation adaptation, produced by Marvelous Entertainment and animated by Bee Train, was released in 2007. It was licensed in North America by ADV Films, but was transferred to Funimation in 2008.

Plot

The story begins with Dr. Akamashi, introduced as a scientist formerly in the employ of the government, launching a coup d'état in the Forland Kingdom. Dying, the mortally wounded king sends his daughter Alita to find Prince Kaito, who is leading a diplomatic mission and its military escort abroad. She flees from the castle and reaches a forest on the country's border. While running, the princess falls off of a cliff and onto Falis, an infamous female bounty hunter. Due to the nature of the near-death experience (referred to as a spiritual commutation, or spiritual transmigration in the anime dub) the souls of Alita and Falis are switched. After Falis dispatches the forest's guardian beast, Alita pleads with the bounty hunter to protect the Forland kingdom, offering herself, body and soul, as collateral. Falis agrees and acts as the princess of the Forland Kingdom with her bounty hunter friends.

Characters

Heroes

Villains

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Sekihiko Inui, Murder Princess was serialized in MediaWorks's Dengeki Teioh from April 26, 2004, to November 25, 2006. Its chapters were collected in two tankōbon volumes, released on September 27, 2005, and February 27, 2007. In North America, the manga was licensed by Broccoli Books. The two volumes were released on August 1 and December 10, 2007.

Anime

A six-episode original video animation (OVA) series was produced in 2007 by Marvelous Entertainment and animated by Bee Train. It was the first Bee Train production since 1999 to not be directed by company founder, CEO and chief staff director Koichi Mashimo. Mashimo was on board as a planning staff member. The video series was scripted by Tatsuhiko Urahata. Bee Train staff director Tomoyuki Kurokawa was placed as the Chief Director and directed the animators and other directors Shin'ya Kawatsura and Tomoaki Kado. Production AI Art directors Yoshimi Umino and Shin Watanabe were the principal art directors for the videos and Yoshimitsu Yamashita was the character designer and music was composed by Yasufumi Fukuda. The opening theme is "The Direction the Light Points" (ヒカリサスホウ) FK Metal ver., performed by Back-On, while the ending theme is "Naked Flower", performed by Romi Park.

Episodes

Reception

In Jason Thompson's appendix to Manga: The Complete Guide, he praised the "stylized, cute artwork", calling it "the best feature of this short and tame action-adventure comic."