Togainu no Chi (咎狗の血) is a Japanese BL visual novel created by Nitro+CHiRAL. The plot centers on Akira, a young man who is made to participate in a deadly game called "Igura" (from "игра"/ "igra", Russian and Bulgarian for "game") in post-apocalyptic Japan in exchange for being freed from prison. His goal is to beat "Il Re" (Italian for "The King"), the strongest person in Igura. The game was originally released on PC as Togainu no Chi in 2005, with a PlayStation 2 version titled Togainu no Chi TRUE BLOOD being released on May 29, 2008. A PlayStation Portable version was released on December 23, 2010 under the name of Togainu no Chi True Blood Portable. The game has been adapted into two manga series, a novel, and a twelve-episode anime series. In March 2010 as part of the Nitro+CHiRAL 5th anniversary an anime adaptation was announced for Togainu no Chi with production by Aniplex. The anime began airing on MBS and TBS on October 7, 2010. Aniplex of America streamed and simulcast the series in North America on Anime News Network.

Plot

After being devastated in the Third World War (known as The Third Division), Japan was divided in two: the CFC, which controls the east half of Japan, and Nikkouren, which controls the west. Several years after the end of the war, a crime organization called Vischio has taken control of the destroyed city of Toshima (formerly Tokyo, Japan's capital city), where they are holding a battle game known as Igura. Igura is a vicious battle game that may result in the death or murder of participants. To participate, one must go to Toshima's palace, meet with a man named Arbitro, and tell him the reason for their decision to enter into Igura. Upon meeting with Arbitro, participants are given five dog tags, each engraved like a card in a standard deck of playing cards. One tag must hang from the participant's neck as proof of participation. Participants must then put their lives on the line to collect others' tags, with the goal being to collect a Straight or a Full House using cards 10 through Ace. (The game incorrectly refers to such a Straight as a Royal Flush, which is a poker hand that requires that all cards be of the same suit.) Tags representing cards less than 10 are referred to as "pig tags" and can be used in dedicated neutral zones to purchase sustenance, first aid supplies, and other essentials. If a participant collects a Straight or Full House consisting of the tags representing the cards 10 through Ace, they earn the right to challenge Il Re in battle. The rules for combat dictate that battles must be between two participants with at least one non-participating witness present, and end when one combatant either dies or allows their back to touch the ground. The winner takes the loser's tags and is free to do as they please to the loser after that, often consisting of rape and resulting in the loser's death; however, many of the participants wantonly break the rules of the game. Two executioners, Gunji and Kiriwar, work for Arbitro, patrolling Toshima to kill rule breakers and to clean up the corpses of the fallen; however, they view themselves above the rules and often kill participants at their whims without consequences. Many participants use a drug called "Rein," which temporarily boosts their strength significantly and gives them an advantage in battle; however, Rein has many side effects, is extremely addictive, and the withdrawal is unbearably unpleasant and can even be fatal. Il Re is involved in the distribution of Rein, which leads to him having a high level of wealth. If they defeat Il Re, they assume his position in distributing Rein and become incredibly wealthy, which is the primary motivation for many of the fighters who join Igura. The game begins with the protagonist, a young man named Akira living in the CFC district of Japan and a champion in Bl@ster - a fighting game with much stricter rules and moderation than Igura - being falsely accused of murder and arrested. After some time in prison, a mysterious woman and man involved in the government visit him, offering him freedom from his sentence if he agrees to participate in Igura and defeat Il Re. The story follows Akira's life in the harsh, lawless Toshima as he fights both to survive and to unravel the mysteries developing around him. The game has multiple endings, and binary decision points during the story determine which ending the player will achieve. Many of them are brutal, and the game contains themes around rape, BDSM, mutilation, and murder.

Characters

Media

Drama CDs

Three drama Cd's were released after the games release on Pc in 2005. Togainu no Chi Image drama CD vol 1 was released July 29, 2005. This drama CD centers around Akira and Shiki's relationship. Togainu no Chi Image drama CD vol 2 was released August 26, 2005. This drama CD centers around Akira and Keisuke's relationship. Togainu no Chi ANOTHER STORY ~ RIN was released December 29, 2005. This drama CD centers around Rin.

Manga

A manga adaptation of Togainu no Chi, illustrated by Suguro Chayamachi, began serialization serialized in Comic B's LOG in January 2006, and is published by Enterbrain. The manga was licensed for an English-language release in North America by Tokyopop in 2008. Another adaptation was illustrated by Yamamoto Kana and published by ASCII Media Works. This version focuses on Keisuke's storyline. The complete volume was released on July 22, 2008.

Books

A light novel Togainu no Chi written by Ikumi Kazuha (伊久美和葉) and Nitro+CHiRAL, illustrated by Tatana Kana (たたなかな) and Kazuki Tomomaya (かずきともまや), published by Biblos (ビブロス) was released February 3, 2006. It contained sets of short stories dealing with the characters after the events in the game. An art book titled Togainu no Chi True Blood Official Fan Book containing game information, character profiles, artwork, and voice actors' interviews was released on July 3, 2008.

Anime

In March 2010 as part of the Nitro+CHiRAL 5th anniversary an anime adaptation was announced for Togainu no Chi with production by Aniplex. The anime began airing on MBS and TBS on October 7, 2010. Aniplex of America will stream and simulcast the series in North America on Anime News Network. The first DVD was released on December 22, 2010.

Episode list

Soundtrack

Opening Theme: Ending Theme:

Video games

CHiRALmori was released January 25, 2008 and is also known as the Nitro+CHiRAL amusement disk. This PC game includes a Togainu no Chi minigame featuring chibi versions of the characters playing poker with their dog tags as well as two other minigames featuring characters from Lamento -Beyond the Void-. Togainu no Chi Desktop Accessory is a program produced by Nitro+chiral that includes wallpapers, a screensaver, a silent version of the opening video, a clock that can be switched to show images of most of the characters, a calendar, and a set of window straps.