Saturday, July 23, 2011

GOSICK !

Gosick (GOSICK -ゴシック-, Goshikku?) is a Japanese light novel series by Kazuki Sakuraba, published by Fujimi Shobo. Set in a fictional European country in 1924, a Japanese exchange student meets a mysterious, brilliant girl who only leaves the library to sleep. Her brother, a detective, relies on her exceptional mind to solve difficult mysteries. Tokyopop released the first novel in the series in English in April 2008[2] and the second in March 2010. The series has been published in Germany by Tokyopop since November 2006.[3] A manga adaptation started serialization in the shōnen manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age on December 9, 2007. An anime adaptation by Bones premiered on January 7, 2011. Crunchyroll is currently simulcasting the series. Gosick takes place in 1924 in a small, French-speaking fictional European country of Sauville. The story centers on Kazuya Kujo, the third son of a high ranking officer of Japanese Imperial Army, who is a transfer student to St. Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. There he meets Victorique, a mysterious yet beautiful and brilliant girl who never comes to class and spends her days reading the entire content of the library or solving mysteries that even detectives can't solve. The series mostly focuses on Kazuya and Victorique getting involved in different mystery cases and their struggle to solve them, at the same time forming important bonds with different people. *MAIN CHARACTERS !
Kazuya Kujo,The main character of the story. As the youngest son of a soldier, Kazuya has spent most of his life struggling with living in his highly successful siblings' shadows. Jealous of all the attention his brothers got, he worked hard to compete, but everything changed when he understood that adults, who think that the youngest child is always spoiled and useless, will never acknowledge his efforts. With a permanent scar in his heart he left the military academy in Japan and before anyone from his family could stop him, went to study abroad to St. Marguerite. Unfortunately, his appearance, combined with the student body's belief that "the traveler who comes in the spring brings death with him" has resulted in Kazuya being called the "Reaper" and having no friends. By some twist of fate he becomes a messenger and companion to the most eccentric pupil in the school, Victorique. At first he didn't like Victorique because of her arrogant attitude, but after some time he started to care for her and be protective of her. It is shown that he is willing to risk his life to protect her on more than one occasion. He is described, by Victorique, as a good and sincere person whose soul is pure and beautiful enough to admit pride. Although he claims to have good academic achievement higher than his older brothers, he can be very dense and slow which is quite contrary. He does have admirable fighting and athletic ability however. It can be assumed that while Kujo has a good memory, he is not good at being creative or applying intelligence to real life. He has to rely on Victorique too much for explanation for even simple things. Despite everything that happened in Japan he is proud to be a soldier's son.
Victorique de Blois, The heroine of the story. Victorique has the appearance of a small (4' 7"), almost doll-like, girl with long golden hair and emerald eyes and a voice that sounds exactly like that of an older woman. Another important part of Victorique's appearance is a pipe that she smokes when thinking about something; though in the anime, it is never shown to be lit or showing her smoking due to her young age. She spends her days at the conservatory at the top of the library, reading several difficult books, often in different languages, simultaneously. She points at one wall of the library and has told Kazuya that she has read almost all the books over there. Along with her sharp tongue, abusive bluntness and eccentric attitude, she possesses a genius level intellect which she applies as a consulting detective. After Victorique saves him from a near-arrest, Kazuya finds himself being entangled in every new mystery. Because her mother, Cordelia Gallo, was a mistress, and according to Victorique "a dangerous person", she was imprisoned in the depths of the de Blois mansion where she developed very un-childlike mannerisms. She was sent off to school under strict orders to never leave the campus (although Grevil sometimes obtains special permission to take her out). When she first met Kazuya she didn't like him and thought that he was annoying and stupid for climbing up all the stairs in the library. She even ignored him and made fun of him, but gradually warmed up to him and began to trust and cherish him. Despite acting harshly towards Kazuya at times, it's clear that she cares deeply for him, as seen any time he is in danger. She enjoys "reconstructing chaos" by solving intricate mysteries and often complains of the boredom that causes her headaches. Victorique's name is spelled "Victorica" on the official Gosick website, likely as a phonetic spelling. Her name is spelled "Victorique" in the first two novels (English translation) and in episode 9 of the anime.[5] All evidences in the novel are that Sauville, the academy and Victorique's family all speak French as their first language. Victorica probably signs her name with the French spelling, "Victorique". In the novels, it is noted that her name is apparently usually a man's, as Avril initially does not believe Victorique is a female student when she is being discussed.
Grevil de Blois,Grevil is an aristocrat who had forced the local police to make him a detective purely because he had an interest in crime. The most noticeable thing in his appearance is his drill-like hairstyle that Kazuya thinks could be used as a deadly weapon. Despite being a terrible detective and always having to rely on Victorique to solve his crimes, he usually refuses to acknowledge that she even exists. When he comes to the library he speaks about the case that troubles him to Kazuya, saying that it helps him to clarify his thoughts. Kazuya tries to get him to tell it to Victorique, which he ignores. Victorique tells Kazuya to chat with the detective, that she will just read her books; if she says anything to herself, pay no attention. This is because he is Victorique's half brother and even if they are family they could never acknowledge each other in public. He has however been shown to care for her and is implied to have become a detective and ignore Victorique in order to cure her boredom and care for her behind their father's back. His mother was their father's proper wife and because he is the eldest son he takes all the glory for solving crimes and will take over after their father dies. He is described by Victorique as a heel and a playboy. It is revealed that he is in love with his childhood friend Jacqueline and helped her with her previous case. His drill-like hairstyle is the price for making Victorique solve the case.
Avril Bradley, An international student from Great Britain. Because she and Kazuya were both from abroad, they quickly found common ground and were able to talk freely. Is a beautiful girl with short blond hair and blue eyes. It is hinted that she has feelings for Kazuya. She represents Kazuya's ordinary ties to the school, apart from his adventures with Victorique. She also enjoys eating and is fond of ghost stories. Through the first novel she has not met Victorique. In the anime the real Avril Bradley was kidnapped on the way to the academy and replaced by Keiran II, the successor of the famous thief Keiran who mysteriously disappeared eight years prior. This thief wishes to continue his legacy by stealing the priceless works of famous artists and writers, etc., and was after a rare stamp that Avril's grandfather, a famed adventurer, had intended to give to her. She was rescued by Kujo, and later in the nurse's office said she thought he was a "black-haired prince". Ironically, because the thief knew in high details of the real Avril, it wasn't hard for Kazuya to reestablish a friendship with the real Avril, who even developed feelings for him, but has a hard time trying to get closer to him due to his dedication to Victorique. In episode 14, she confessed her love for Kujo to Victorique but Victorique left before she can hear Avril's confession.
Brian Roscoe, A famous magician whom Kujo regularly encounters. After Victorique proves Cordelia Gallo's innocence, he is seen beside Cordelia commenting that her "sin" has been burned together with the only bridge connecting the Grey Wolves' village to the outside world. During the First World War, he used his capabilities as an illusionist, along with a magic lantern, to disrupt a German bombing run on the "Beelzebub's Skull" convent in Lithuania - a huge projection of the Virgin Mary. He was the one who helped Cordelia escape from the sanitarium she was left by Albert after Victorique's birth. Since then they have been working together to oppose the Marquis' intentions. Later is revealed that Brian is not a single individual, but a pair of identical twins who share the same appearance and name. Both care deeply but Cordelia, but one of the twins made clear even to her that the circumstances of Victorique's birth prevent him from having similar feelings for the child.

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