Eight Clouds Rising

Eight Clouds Rising (Japanese: 八雲立つ, Hepburn: Yakumo Tatsu) is a Japanese shōjo manga series by Natsumi Itsuki. It won the 21st Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo.^[1] It was adapted in 1997 into an OVA series.

Kuraki Fuzuchi is a handsome and quiet young man who has immense psychic powers and sword skills. He meets Takeo Nanachi, a college student with similar powers.

The story opens with Nanachi traveling to a small shrine in the mountains to purify his deceased grandfather's sword in a festival that only occurs every 49 years. There he meets Kuraki and later accidentally stumbles upon Kuraki's initiation ritual as a Shaman. From there on, their lives are inexplicitly intertwined as they encounter ghosts, spirits, demons, and other characters with supernatural powers while the author provides a parallel running story depicting their previous life.

In the ancient Izumo era, the seven sacred swords were forged by the blacksmith Tsukamoto Tomohiko for the priest Manashi. For a long time, they protected the barrier that sealed away the grudge of Susanoo in Ikuya, but during the war, all of them were stolen except for Kagutsuchi. However, the train they were on was hit by an air raid in Osaka and torn apart.

• Kagutsuchi (Kagutsuchi)
• Midzuchi (Midzuchi)
• Takemikazuchi (Takemikazuchi)
• Yamatsumi (Yamatoyamatsumi)
• Awanami (Awanami)
• Sazuchi (Sadzuchi)
• Kusanagi (Kusanagi) = Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi

• Natsumi Itsuki "Yakumo Tatsu" Hakusensha〈Hana to Yume Comics〉, 19 volumes in total
  1. Published October 19, 1992, ISBN 4-592-12120-1
  2. Published July 5, 1995, ISBN 4-592-12477-4
  3. Published December 5, 1995, ISBN 4-592-12478-2
  4. Published April 5, 1996, ISBN 4-592-12479-0
  5. Published August 5, 1996, ISBN 4-592-12480-4
  6. Published January 7, 1997, ISBN 4-592-12481-2
  7. Published July 5, 1997, ISBN 4-592-12482-0
  8. Published November 5, 1997, ISBN 4-592-12483-9
  9. Published May 1, 1998, ISBN 4-592-12484-7
  10. Published October 5, 1998, ISBN 4-592-12485-5
  11. Published April 5, 1999, ISBN 4-592-12486-3
  12. Published August 5, 1999, ISBN 4-592-17432-1
  13. Published February 4, 2000, ISBN 4-592-17433-X
  14. Published December 5, 2000, ISBN 4-592-17434-8
  15. Published May 2, 2001, ISBN 4-592-17435-6
  16. Published November 5, 2001, ISBN 4-592-17436-4
  17. Published on April 5, 2002, ISBN 4-592-17437-2
  18. Published on July 5, 2002, ISBN 4-592-17438-0
  19. Published on November 5, 2002, ISBN 4-592-17439-9
• Natsumi Itsuki, Yakumo Tatsu, Hakusensha (Hakusensha Bunko), 10 volumes
  1. Released on July 15, 2008, ISBN 978-4-592-88801-7
  2. Released on July 15, 2008, ISBN 978-4-592-88802-4
  3. Released September 12, 2008, ISBN 978-4-592-88803-1
  4. Released September 12, 2008, ISBN 978-4-592-88804-8
  5. Released November 14, 2008, ISBN 978-4-592-88805-5
  6. Released November 14, 2008, ISBN 978-4-592-88806-2
  7. Released January 14, 2009, ISBN 978-4-592-88807-9
  8. Released January 14, 2009, ISBN 978-4-592-88808-6
  9. Released March 13, 2009, ISBN 978-4-592-88809-3
  10. Released March 13, 2009, ISBN 978-4-592-88810-9
• Natsumi Itsuki, Collector's Edition Yakumo Tatsu, Hakusensha, Hana to Yume Comics Special, 11 volumes
  1. Released February 28, 2018^[2], ISBN 978-4-592-21251-5
  2. Released February 28, 2018^[3], ISBN 978-4-592-21252-2
  3. Released March 28, 2018^[4], ISBN 978-4-592-21253-9
  4. Released March 28, 2018^[5], ISBN 978-4-592-21254-6
  5. Released April 27, 2018^[6], ISBN 978-4-592-21255-3
  6. Released April 27, 2018^[7], ISBN 978-4-592-21256-0
  7. Released May 28, 2018^[8], ISBN 978-4-592-21257-7
  8. Released May 28, 2018^[9], ISBN 978-4-592-21258-4
  9. Released June 28, 2018^[10], ISBN 978-4-592-21259-1
  10. Released July 27, 2018^[11], ISBN 978-4-592-21260-7
  11. Released August 28, 2018^[12][13], ISBN 978-4-592-21261-4

• Natsumi Itsuki "Yakumo Tatsu Shaku" Hakusensha "Hana to Yume Comics Special", 10 volumes published (as of January 4, 2025)
  1. Released August 28, 2018^[12][14], ISBN 978-4-592-21891-3
  2. Released May 2, 2019^[15], ISBN 978-4-592-21892-0
  3. Released December 5, 2019^[16][17], ISBN 978-4-592-21893-7
  4. Released October 5, 2020^[18], ISBN 978-4-592-21894-4
  5. Released August 5, 2021^[19], ISBN 978-4-592-21895-1
  6. Released April 5, 2022^[20], ISBN 978-4-592-22246-0
  7. Released January 4, 2023^[21], ISBN 978-4-592-22247-7
  8. Released October 5, 2023^[22], ISBN 978-4-592-22248-4
  9. Released May 2, 2024^[23], ISBN 978-4-592-22249-1
  10. Released January 4, 2025^[24], ISBN 978-4-592-22250-7

The Yakumo Tatsu OVA is composed of two volumes.

• Kitano Senpai - Fujiwara Keiji
• Toda Chinatsu - Watanabe Misa
• Nushii Wakakuni - Akimoto Yosuke
• Assistant - Hyoudou Mako

• Original story - Itsuki Natsumi
• Director, storyboard, direction - Mochizuki Tomomitsu
• Screenplay - Sakamoto Go
• Character design, animation director - Kusumoto Yuko
• Art director - Kaneko Hidetoshi
• Color design - Itose Miyoko
• Director of photography - Watanabe Hidetoshi
• Editing - Morita Seiji
• Sound director - Kikuta Hiromi
• Music - Mizoguchi Hajime
• Producer - Kanno Chizuko, Suzuki Shigehiro, Inoue Shunji
• Produced by Studio Pierrot
• Produced by Bandai Visual, Studio Pierrot, Airs

"Harukanaru Wailing" (Volume 1)

Lyrics by Takubo Mami / Music by Hamada Kingo / Arrangement by Sudo Kenichi / Singer by Ishizuka Saori

"Pinparipon" (Volume 2; OP)

Lyrics and music by GONGON, complete arrangement by B-DASH

"Goemon" (Volume 2; ED)

Lyrics and music by GONGON, complete arrangement by B-DASH

• "Yakumo Tatsu OVA Original Soundtrack" (Bandai Music, released November 21, 1997) AYCM-586

Shin Onban Monogatari 2 volumes, Onban Monogatari 5 volumes. Published by Airs/Bandai Music Entertainment, insert songs are "a myth~shinwa~" and "Eien ga" (sung by Ishizuka Saori).

~The Black Impure Village~

• Other cast: Nobuo - Yoshida Takashi, Nagamatsu - Suzuki Takuma, Yoshie - Kodama Takako, Girl A - Sakuma Beni, Girl B - Kurata Masayo, Driver - Nagasawa Takashi, Susumu - Suzuki Takuma, Shiori's mother - Kodama Takako

~Ancient Chapter

The Divine Question (Part 1)~

• Other cast: Ichimaro - Nagasawa Takashi

~The Amanojaku Comes~

• Other cast: Takajo Chikuyo - Morikubo Shoutaro, High school girl A - Asakawa Yuu, High school girl B - Kitajima Chieko, High school girl C - Kotani Nobuko, Entertainment agency president - Takatsuka Masaya, Driver - Tobe Kouji

~Ancient Chapter

Questions to the Gods (Part 2)~

• Other cast: Ichimaro - Nagasawa Takashi, Susa woman - Imai Yuka, Susa people A - Hachinohe Yuu, Susa people B - Tobe Kouji, Susa people C - Takatsuka Masaya, Chief A - Takatsuka Masaya, Chief B - Nakamura Toshihiro, Chief C - Egawa Daisuke, Susa chief - Tobe Kouji, Tokoshironushi - Nagasawa Takashi, Saniwa - Hachinohe Yu

• Other cast: Kitano Senpai - Fujiwara Keiji, Toda Chinatsu - Watanabe Misa, Yamiki's uncle - Akimoto Yosuke, Nanachi's father - Sugawara Junichi, Nanachi's mother - Hyoudou Mako

• Other cast: Nanachi's mother - Hyoudou Mako, Yamiki's uncle - Akimoto Yosuke, Yamiki's aunt - Ezawa Masako, Wakamiya's thoughts - Hirose Masashi

~The Crossroads of Demon's Cry~

• Other cast: Nanachi Kunio - Namikawa Daisuke, Goto Norihiko - Nakahara Shigeru, Miyo (the proprietress of Amatsuji) - Komiya Kazue, Sayoko - Amano Yuri

~Kirabi (Ancient Version)~

• Mikachihiko - Namikawa Daisuke, Manashi - Sakurai Tomo, Zenzo - Shimakahiro, Judgement - Bando Naoki

~One-Eyed Inari~

• Other cast: Tomioka Seiko - Shinohara Emi, Aunt - Tani Ikuko

~The Seven Forerunners~

• Other cast: Richa - Yoko Asada, Harumi - Akemi Okamura, Taki - Konami Yoshida, Mr. Hara - Takuma Suzuki, Delinquent (extra edition) - Eiji Sekiguchi, Delinquent (extra edition) - Hiroyuki Yokoo

• Other cast: Mother of Nanachi - Mako Hyodo

• Eight Clouds Rising (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Eight Clouds Rising (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia