The "7SEEDS" anime will finally begin airing in spring 2019. The Netflix exclusive anime adaptation has brought a renewed interest in the manga. "7SEEDS" is a fairly long story, so many people probably don't have time to read it. Here, we'll provide a brief introduction to the series. You'll probably end up picking up the manga after you've finished reading it!
What is "7SEEDS"?
Shojo Manga
"7SEEDS" is a 35-volume epic (plus one spin-off). The series began serialization in the November 2001 issue of Bessatsu Shojo Comic (Shogakukan) and continued until the July 2017 issue (moving to Monthly Flowers in the June 2002 issue). It's amazing that it ran for almost 16 years! It's a masterpiece that took 16 years to create!
This Manga is Amazing!
"7SEEDS" has been featured in "This Manga is Amazing!", a magazine so popular that it's practically a reference for the next best-selling manga. It ranked 10th in the 2018 edition. There are many other popular manga on the list, but the art style is completely different (lol). Even though the series has ended, its presence never fades. You'll want to read it again and again!
Popular Manga Artist
"7SEEDS" is by Yumi Tamura, who has released numerous hits since her debut. Her hits include "Tomoe ga Yuku!" and "BASARA." Have you heard of her? She's a manga artist who specializes in a slightly unconventional style of shojo manga, rather than the traditional shojo manga. So once you get hooked on Tamura's world, it's hard to get out.
【7SEEDS】Project
The End of the Earth
Natsu wakes up on a raging ocean. This is the beginning of "7SEEDS." It's a life-threatening experience right from the start. "7SEEDS" is also a survival manga. Natural disasters strike the Earth, and humans cannot survive. It was predicted that "in the near future, a giant celestial body will fall, and the Earth will be hit by various disasters, similar to when the dinosaurs became extinct." Various countermeasures were implemented, and the "7SEEDS" project was one of them.
The Chosen Ones
Those selected based on various criteria are divided into teams for spring, summer, fall, and winter (with two teams, A and B, for summer only) and released into the waters off Japan. They are thawed once the computer determines that Earth is habitable for humans. It's unclear how long it has been since Earth was destroyed, but given that the world has changed without a trace, it seems like a considerable amount of time has passed. It's just like a movie.
Leaving Seeds for the Future
The goal of the "7SEEDS" project is to preserve humanity after natural disasters. It's not just about survival, but about having children and passing on the legacy to the future. However, humans have emotions, and things don't always go as planned. The Autumn team rebelled against the "7SEEDS" project (because the project selected its members arbitrarily) and established a rule that prohibits children from being conceived. However, another human, Kurumi Shikano and Ryusei Hagiwara, have a child together. This is the first child on the new Earth. In the end, everyone protects Kurumi and she is able to give birth safely. The baby girl is a cute girl named "Arata"!
【7SEEDS】Summer A Team
For the "7SEEDS" Project
There was a facility where children born to the "7SEEDS" project were gathered and selected to make a team of seven. The children understood this and worked hard to survive. They were rivals, but also friends since birth. Those who drop out (due to poor eyesight, academic or athletic performance) are forced to leave the facility. I always assumed they were living happily outside. As they grew older, the true nature of the facility became clear.
Cruel
Those who dropped out were actually used as fertilizer for the facility. They were killed. And the final test left each of them traumatized. To go to the future, to be chosen, they had to give up what was most important to them. It's hard to believe that this is the face of someone who desperately wanted to go to the future. A test where friends keep dying. It's impossible to endure.
To the Future
After the test, they are frozen immediately. When they thaw, they find a teacher named Unami, who abandoned their classmates to death during the test. Their anger reaches a fever pitch as Unami acts as if nothing happened. The other six, excluding Ban, fire multiple shots at him with a nearby pistol. Their eyes are already gone. They no longer see him as human. It seems there's no way to save them.
Each Person's Thoughts
Each member arrives in the future unable to escape from the past, giving them the illusion that they are still undergoing a test. Ango, the central character, is so stressed that half of his hair has turned gray. Be sure to check out the manga and anime to see the process by which each member's spirit truly travels from the past to the future. Tissues are a must-have when doing this (lol).
【7SEEDS】Underground Shelter
A Gift from the Past to the Future
In the past, underground shelters were prepared for future humans. A large Buddha statue serves as a landmark at the base of the seven Mount Fujis, a reference to the "7SEEDS" project. Inside the shelters were food, books, seeds, and even a boat. Perhaps they were trying to connect knowledge and products from the past to the future.
The Eighth
The existence of an eighth shelter, unknown even to the guide, was revealed. Inside, there were many weapons. The reason for the weapons was to use them in case foreigners came to steal food or other items left behind by Japan. However, weapons were not needed under any circumstances. Eventually, the bacteria living inside ate them away, and they were gone. Problems can always be resolved without fighting, no matter what. Weapons were the last thing we needed.
【7SEEDS】It's worth reading!
What did you think? I've introduced a brief introduction to [7SEEDS]! Read this and you'll understand everything! It would take a few days to go into more detail, so I've highlighted some particularly noteworthy points. While I recommend watching the full story for more details, it's definitely worth reading. It's a masterpiece that I can proudly call "Nandesu." I'm sure many consider it their bible. It's a thought-provoking manga with thrills and tears. It may make you question your own lifestyle, life plans, and even the mundane everyday details. I hope you'll pick it up and relate to it.
