Marionette Generation(マリオネット ジェネレーション, Marionetto Jenereeshon) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Haruhiko Mikimoto. The manga was serialised in Kadokawa Shoten's Newtype beginning in 1989, and was later collected into five tankōbon volumes which were published between July 1989 and March 1998. The series was licensed in North America by Viz Media, who serialized it in Animerica Extra. The manga is also licensed in France by Panini Comics' Planet Manga imprint.

Plot

Manga

Kadokawa Shoten released the manga's five tankōbon volumes between July 1989 and March 1998. Viz Media released the five volumes between July 6, 2001, and April 7, 2004. Individual chapters are called "part"s.

No.TitleOriginal release dateEnglish release date
1EntrancesJuly 1989 978-4-04-852221-2July 6, 2001 1-56931-558-2
01. "Sleeping Lady-1" 02. "Sleeping Lady-2" 03. "Sleeping Lady-3" 04. "Sleeping Lady-4" Extra Special Behind-the-Scenes Side Story: "What's My Name!?" Side Story Collection: "Private Time" 05. "Whisper-1" 06. "Whisper-2" 07. "Little Lovers-1" 08. "Little Lovers-2" 09. "Little Lovers-3" 10. "Little Lovers-4" 11. "Again-1" 12. "Again-2" 13. "Present" Prequel Episode: "Unbalanced Hair" An Autumn Princess Story: "A Profile of the Heart"
01. "Sleeping Lady-1" 02. "Sleeping Lady-2" 03. "Sleeping Lady-3" 04. "Sleeping Lady-4" Extra Special Behind-the-Scenes Side Story: "What's My Name!?" Side Story Collection: "Private Time" 05. "Whisper-1" 06. "Whisper-2" 07. "Little Lovers-1"08. "Little Lovers-2" 09. "Little Lovers-3" 10. "Little Lovers-4" 11. "Again-1" 12. "Again-2" 13. "Present" Prequel Episode: "Unbalanced Hair" An Autumn Princess Story: "A Profile of the Heart"
2Pulling StringsAugust 1991 978-4-04-852225-0February 9, 2002 1-56931-708-9
14. "A Fan Letter" 15. "Here I Am!" 16. "Naughty, Naughty!" 17. "This Can't Be Good" 18. "My Uncle" 19. "Looks Like a Kid" 20. "You Owe Me!" 21. "B-E-L-I-E-V-E" 22. "Busted..." 23. "ZZZZZ..." 24. "Another One" 25. "That's the Story..." 26. "O.K.?" 27. "Sheesh..." 28. "Hear Me Roar!"
14. "A Fan Letter" 15. "Here I Am!" 16. "Naughty, Naughty!" 17. "This Can't Be Good" 18. "My Uncle" 19. "Looks Like a Kid" 20. "You Owe Me!" 21. "B-E-L-I-E-V-E"22. "Busted..." 23. "ZZZZZ..." 24. "Another One" 25. "That's the Story..." 26. "O.K.?" 27. "Sheesh..." 28. "Hear Me Roar!"
3ManipulationsApril 1994 978-4-04-852480-3July 6, 2002 1-59116-024-3
29. "A Regular Girl" 30. "A Normal Day For a Regular Girl" 31. "A Normal Relationship" 32. "Whoa!" 33. "Sheesh" 34. "Who?" 35. "But It Can't Be...Can It?" 36. "Why...?" 37. "Maybe..." 38. "Giggle" 39. "It's Unnatural!" 40. "Just an Ordinary..." 41. "It Comes From Within" 42. "Displays of Affection" 43. "Conditions" 44. "One Date, as Agreed" 45. "What's Up with That?" "Retribution"
29. "A Regular Girl" 30. "A Normal Day For a Regular Girl" 31. "A Normal Relationship" 32. "Whoa!" 33. "Sheesh" 34. "Who?" 35. "But It Can't Be...Can It?" 36. "Why...?" 37. "Maybe..."38. "Giggle" 39. "It's Unnatural!" 40. "Just an Ordinary..." 41. "It Comes From Within" 42. "Displays of Affection" 43. "Conditions" 44. "One Date, as Agreed" 45. "What's Up with That?" "Retribution"
4ImprovisationsApril 1997 978-4-04-852588-6August 31, 2003 1-59116-055-3
46. "Blush" 47. "That About Sums It Up..." 48. "Wishy-Washy" 49. "Responsibility" 50. "Lucky You" 51. "Destiny" 52. "Going Through a Rough Time" 53. "Impulse" 54. "Sorry to Inform You..." 55. "Instead of Misty" 56. "Huh!?" 57. "Is It Because Of..." 58. "Lucky!♥" 59. "Acting Strange" 60. "Another Friend of Yours...?" 61. "Probably..."
46. "Blush" 47. "That About Sums It Up..." 48. "Wishy-Washy" 49. "Responsibility" 50. "Lucky You" 51. "Destiny" 52. "Going Through a Rough Time" 53. "Impulse"54. "Sorry to Inform You..." 55. "Instead of Misty" 56. "Huh!?" 57. "Is It Because Of..." 58. "Lucky!♥" 59. "Acting Strange" 60. "Another Friend of Yours...?" 61. "Probably..."
5FinaleMarch 1998 978-4-04-852803-0April 7, 2004 1-59116-200-9
62. "What's Going On!?" 63. "Somewhere Before..." 64. "Wha-?" 65. "Wel-come..." 66. "Dense" 67. "I Declare!" 68. "I'm Counting On You" 69. "Very Lucky" 70. "Get Cracking" 71. "Would You Like to Come Live With Me?" 72. "Am I Sure?" 73. "For Keeps" "The Fifth One of the Plus One"
62. "What's Going On!?" 63. "Somewhere Before..." 64. "Wha-?" 65. "Wel-come..." 66. "Dense" 67. "I Declare!" 68. "I'm Counting On You"69. "Very Lucky" 70. "Get Cracking" 71. "Would You Like to Come Live With Me?" 72. "Am I Sure?" 73. "For Keeps" "The Fifth One of the Plus One"

Reception

Animefringe's Patrick King commends Mikimoto's artwork, saying that he has "an undeniable knack for illustrating characters that clearly convey their emotions". In a later review, King commends the series for its "sheer imagination and artistic brilliance" and comments that the manga's romance has "less panty shots and more drama than usual, and with the addition of a talking doll there's really no way you can go wrong here".

External links