Masamune Shirow's Exon Depot

Over the years Shirow has done quite a number of full-color, one shot manga stories for various magazines. These works which are classified as the 'Exon Depot' series mainly has two distinctive features- Full colored and no speech bubbles. Currently, the series is yet to be collected, but this will happen, according to Shirow sometime near the end of his career. So far, the Exon Depots has been published in Comic Gaia (Seishinsha) and Young Magazine (Kodansha). Also, some have appeared in English Publications. Below are some of the Exon Depot series, with whatever information I know of.

1. Exon Depot ARMS

Image Copyrights Shirow & Kodansha.

ARMS was first published by Kodansha's BUTA Young Magazine Issue 15 (13th Jan 98), and is specifically tagged as an 'Exon Depot' series on the front page. It is a total of 4 pages. Also, an ARMS 1999 calendar was published by Kodansha near the end of 1998 (or maybe it was released early 1999?). Details of this can be found on my Calendar page. Just a quick (and maybe inaccurate) summary- the story is about a demon hunter (the character on the right) and she is leading a bunch of soldiers to kill a demon at a run-down house in the forest. After a surprise ambush and discovering that her blade could not penetrate the one-horned demon, our heroine resorts to her deadly bomb and finally disintegrates the creature. It appears that the horn of the demon is actually a blade, and the heroine was 'surprised' that there exists blades stronger than her own, and with a determined look she sets on her way... (Maybe on a quest for the legendary Masamune blade? No?) Just some brief notes- this character appears to be a favourite of Shirow's and he has mentioned in Intron Depot 2 that she has been in his sketchbooks since the 80s. Shirow sounds quite keen to someday make a series using this character and that would be very interesting indeed!

2. Exon Depot Shimban (Judgement)

Image Copyrights Shirow & Seishinsha.

The Shimban series was first published by Comic Gaia issue 12 1992 and has been re-published in the July/August 1997 issue of Penthouse Comix. With a total of 11 pages, Shimban tells the story of an uncivilized Earth (or maybe some other planet? looks like Earth to me). A group of 'higher' beings decided to impart their knowledge to the people. Descending from a spacecraft in space, two of these beings were sent one a healer, and the other brings 'fire/warmth'. Word soon gets around about these two prophets and sure enough- being humans- an argument between the two fractions of followers starts, which leader is the superior one? With a clash of two swords, the argument soon escalates into a bloody and barbaric war. Receiving the news, the two prophets contemplates in sadness, that their coming has done more harm than good to these humans. The tears of blood shed by one of the prophets brings down the lightning and flood-storms swept over the land, taking many lives. Leaving the Earth behind, the higher beings were having an angry discussion about the events that had transpired, while our warrior girl gazes sadly over the sunset horizon... A really strong and meaningful piece by Shirow on religion and human frailty. On the artistic side- this is probably Shirow's oil painting work at its best!

3. Exon Depot Yamazakura (Wild Cherry Mountain)

Image Copyrights Shirow & Seishinsha.

A 4-page Exon Depot series- first published in Comic Gaia Issue 8 and later re-published as one of the Decade of Dark Horse stories. It is quite confusing and I myself am not sure until now what the story is trying to convey. The first page starts with a sky view of a ruined city overgrown with forests, and our heroine is cutting down a tree. This caught the attention of the sky patrol and a mecha is sent down to investigate. Manuevering her attacks, our heroine managed to dodge the mecha's fire. Convinced that she has been eliminated, the mechs returns to the patrol ship. Happily, our heroine trots over to her fallen tree and cuts of a coconut-like fruit, happily drinking the juices... Maybe all she wants is the fruit? Could be Shirow's first effort at this Exon Depot series.

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