Grenadier - The Senshi of Smiles (グレネーダー ～ほほえみの閃士～) is a twelve episode anime series which aired on Japanese television in late 2004, and was licenced by Media Blasters and distributed in America by AnimeWorks. It was adapted from a manga by Sōsuke Kaise which will be released in the U.S. by Tokyopop on August 2006.
| Grenadier (manga) | |
 Rushuna Tendo from Grenadier | |
| Genre | Historical Settings, Adventure, Comedy, Ecchi |
|---|---|
| Anime | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Kōjinaこうじな ひろし |
| Studio | Studio Live |
Template:Spoiler Grenadier follows the travels of the Samurai Yajiro Kojima, a mercenary swordsman, and of Rushuna Tendo, an expert Senshi. A Senshi, or "Enlightened", is one who is skilled to some degree in the use of guns. The series begins with Yajiro, or the "Rear Guard Tiger", and a small army of Samurai launching a frontal assault against a fort in an attempt to free their Uesama (Samurai Lord); however, the fort was taken over by a power-thirsty group of gunners, and the assault fails.
Yajiro orders a retreat, but is spotted by the enemy and chased to a small cliff, which he jumps off of to escape. With his pursuers still following, he follows a nearby hot-water stream upcurrent where he finds Rushuna bathing in a hotspring. She seems undisturbed by his presence or her own nudity and hides him in the hotspring with her breasts until the enemy passes them by. After this, she introduces herself as a traveler and reveals the ultimate battle strategy to Yajiro; to avoid battle by removing an enemy's will to fight.
Hearing the gunfire of the renewed assault upon the fort, Yajiro leaves Rushuna to rejoin combat. He arrives in time to see the leader of the gunners use a Gatling Gun to decimate the samurai. Rushuna also arrives at this point and shows her considerable gun talent and effectively ending the battle by defeating the lead gunner and rescuing the lord by herself.
Something in him changing, Yajiro decides to become Rushuna's partner and travel with her.
Characters
Main Characters
- Rushuna Tendo, age 16 years old. A busty, blonde senshi who was trained to be Tenshi's shadow, who fights to end strife and chaos. She earns the title "Grenadier, the smiling Senshi" from Tenshi at the end of the series. Rushuna serves as a vehicle for much of the show's fan service, some of which takes surprisingly innovative forms(for instance, storing ammunition in one's cleavage).
- Yajiro Kojima, a kenshi also known as the "Rear Guard Tiger," who battles in an attempt to bring about world unity. Rushuna calls him "Yat-Chan", an informal name he is initially irritated with but grows to accept.
- Mikan Kurenai, an orphaned girl who specializes in balloons of all shapes and sizes. After helping her to see beyond revenge in episode six, she joins Rushuna and Yajiro to 'keep an eye' on them.
Other Major Characters
- Tenshi, the Empress of Tento, is a young and wise woman who taught Rushuna the ultimate battle strategy.
- Setsuna Oomido, a shadow of Tenshi like Rushuna, she takes on Tenshi's form and mannerisms to control the capital and the Ten Heavenly Enlightened, hoping to one day rule the world. Her fighting skills and shooting prowess rival Rushuna's. It is implied that she and Doshi are lovers. After her defeat by Rushuna in the final episode, she decides to travel like Rushuna.
- Kaizan Doushi, the Jester who helps Oomidou Setsuna in her plans of world domination. Former captain of Yajiro when the rebels attempted to invade the capital a year and a half before the final episode. He had been evil for at least ten years.
- Kasumi, a shotgun wielding former colleague of Yajiro. She is a double agent in the capital, pretending to be a rebel, but secretly in league with Kaizan Doushi (the Jester) and Setsuna Oomido.
- Ganzo Tenma, a massive man (who happens to resemble a clown) whose senshi killed Mikan's parents. In episode six, Rushuna defeats him and he joins Touka.
- Furon, a 17 year old king who was manipulated by the Jester ten years ago into using Enlightened Evil to protect his kingdom.
- Koto, a teenage girl who gave Rushuna and Yajiro a medicated bath.
- Kanmaru Zoushi, a gadget master who aspired to become a Juttensen; in episode six Rushuna defeats him and he joins Touka.
The Juttensen
(Note: The Ten Heavenly Enlightened are the assassins of Tento and only five are directly named in the anime. They bear each of the ten sacred weapons)
- Touka Kurenai, the madam of a brothel and originally one of the Ten Heavenly Enlightened. She takes in those orphaned or homeless after battles and allows them to work for her. She is also a practitioner of Tenshi's ultimate battle strategy, and allies with Rushuna when the latter proves she is following Tenshi's plan. Her weapon is a lance with an exploding ball that comes out on a chain. First appears in episode five.
- Souma Sanzo the Blade-Bard Enlightened. His weapon is sound waves produced from his gauntlets and from an odd accordion/piano object which operates by blowing air through the nose into it. His vibrations can affect equilibrium. Killed by the Jester after Rushuna defeats him. Appears in episode seven.
- Teppa Aizen the Cloth Skill Enlightened. He possesses a skill passed down through his family which took three hundred years to perfect: the Aizen-Style Armor Cloth Skill. It allows the user to transform any cloth into a living weapon or armor -- he personally uses adamantium cloth. He also has explosive gauntlets. After Rushuna, his childhood friend, defeats him, he allies with her and aids in later episodes. Teppa is also a closet pervert and a ladies' man in the capital. First appears at the end of episode seven.
- Fuuka Shirato the Welding Wild Dance Enlightened. One of Yajiro's fallen comrades during a journey to Tento, she lives only because of her assimilation by the weapon Enlightened Evil. Appears in episode nine.
- Suirou the Hakubi Shin-No-Shin (Underwater) Enlightened. Draws his enemy into an underwater fighting situation and then fights with claws or with a torpedo launcher. Killed by the Jester after Rushuna defeats him. Appears in episode ten.
List of Episodes
| # | English Title | Japanese Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | The Smiling Senshi | ほほえみの閃士 | 2004-10-14 |
| 2. | Rushuna under Attack | 狙われた琉朱菜 | 2004-10-21 |
| 3. | Enlightened Evil | 魔の閃 | 2004-10-28 |
| 4. | The Town that does not Smile | 笑わない町 | 2004-11-04 |
| 5. | Explosion! Kensousen, Kurenai Touka | 爆裂！拳槍閃．紅桃華 | 2004-11-11 |
| 6. | Balloonist, Mikan's Revenge | 風船使い みかんの仇討ち | 2004-11-18 |
| 7. | Destination Tento | いざ、天都へ | 2004-11-25 |
| 8. | An Enemy from the Past,Teppa Aizen | 想い出の敵・藍前鉄破 | 2004-12-02 |
| 9. | When the Wind Flowers dance | 風花、舞う時… | 2004-12-09 |
| 10. | Entering Tento | 天都入り | 2004-12-16 |
| 11. | Showdown With Tenshi | 天子との対決 | 2005-01-06 |
| 12. | Things Learned on the Road | 旅で身につけたもの | 2005-01-13 |
DVDs
| DVD # | Title | Episodes | Release Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Service With A Smile | 1 - 4 | 2005-06-28 | ISBN 1-58655-648-7 |
| 2. | Holy Handgrenades | 5 - 8 | 2005-08-30 | ISBN 1-58655-681-9 |
| 3. | Touch and Go | 9 - 12 | 2005-11-15 | ISBN 1-58655-709-2 |
Voice Actors
| Character | Voice Actor (Seiyū) | English Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|
| Rushuna Tendo | Mikako Takahashi | Wendee Lee |
| Yajiro Kojima | Kazuya Nakai | Sam Regal |
| Mikan Kourenai | Yuki Matsuoka | Julie Anne Taylor |
| Lady Tenshi (Tenshi-sama) | Chieko Honda | Midge Hayes |
| Clown/Kaizen Doushi | Kazuhiro Nakata | Kim Strauss |
| Touka Kourenai | Mami Kosuge | Cindy Robinson |
| Koto | Noa Nagai | Jennifer Sekiguchi |
| Teppa Aizen | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Doug Erholtz |
OST Information
| Original Sound Track | |||||
| Track | Title | Japanese | Track | Title | Japanese |
| 1. | Kohaku | KOHAKU テレビサイズ WOWOW版OPテーマ | 18. | Toraware no Ten | 捕らわれの天 |
| 2. | Kouya wa Iku | 荒野を行く | 19. | Ma ni Hirameku | 魔に閃く |
| 3. | No wo Kakeru Hirameki | 野を駆ける閃き | 20. | Hijuu Fuusen | 飛鷲風船 |
| 4. | Shingari no Tora | しんがりの虎 | 21. | Ashiki Kokoro Ni | 悪しき心に |
| 5. | Hikigane no Omomi | 引き金の重み | 22. | Hiwaza no Kage ni Wa | 秘技の影には |
| 6. | Tabi no Hate wa | 旅の果てには | 23. | Shungeki | 瞬撃 |
| 7. | Tenshi | 天使 | 24. | Senjutsu Hirameki | 戦術閃く |
| 8. | Bishoumi wa Saikyou no Buki | 微笑みは最強の武器 | 25. | Kessen no Miyako He | 決戦の都へ |
| 9. | Giri no Ten | 偽りの天 | 26. | Tenohira | 掌 |
| 10. | Giwaku no Machi he | 疑惑の街へ | 27. | Tsuchi no Michi wo Hazuretemo | 士の道を外れても |
| 11. | Habikoru Aku | はびこる悪 | 28. | Senmetsu Senshi | 殲滅閃士 |
| 12. | Sen no Nai Se Ni | 戦のない世に | 29. | Kanashimi ni Makenaide | 悲しみに負けないで テレビサイズ WOWOW版EDテーマ |
| 13. | Soshite Tabi He | そして旅へ | 30. | Eyecatch A | アイキャッチa |
| 14. | Tatakai wo Nikuyande | 戦いを憎んで | 31. | Eyecatch B | アイキャッチb |
| 15. | Mou Egao wa Tsukurenai | もう、笑顔は作れない | 32. | Akatsuki no Sora wo Kakeru | 暁ノ空ヲ翔ル（テレビサイズ |
| 16. | Kamen no Shita no... | 仮面の下の・・・ | 33. | Hana no Youni | 花のように（テレビサイズ) |
| 17. | Kyoudai Naru Shikaku | 強大なる刺客 | |||
| 暁ノ空ヲ翔ル | wowow版オープニング/エンディングテーマ | ||
| # | Title | # | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 暁ノ空ヲ翔ル (Elements Garden) | 1. | 悲しみに負けないで |
| 2. | 花のように | 2. | KOHAKU |
| 3. | 暁ノ空ヲ翔ル (VOCAL LESS) | 3. | TRUE LOVE －通りがかり弾き語りヴァージョン－ |
| 4. | 花のように (VOCAL LESS) | 4. | 悲しみに負けないで －Ｉｎｓｔｒｕｍｅｎｔａｌ－ |
| 5. | ＫＯＨＡＫＵ －Ｉｎｓｔｒｕｍｅｎｔａｌ－ | ||