Golden Kamuy

ゴールデンカムイ

Manga8.730460 votes31 volumes · 314 chaptersFinished

ActionAdventureAward WinningHistoricalSeinen

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About this title

Synopsis

Saichi Sugimoto is feared as the "Immortal Sugimoto" for his savagery on the battlefield during the Russo-Japanese war, but he is by no means a war hero. Sugimoto has been left to fend for himself after his release from the army for nearly killing a superior officer. Braving the rough terrain of Hokkaido, Sugimoto is now searching for gold in order to keep a promise to his lost brother-in-arms. His efforts have been fruitless for a long time until a mysterious traveler tells him of an urban legend that would rid him of all his troubles. According to the legend, a criminal stole the gold of the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido, and hid it away in a location that can only be found when a map—made not from pieces of parchment, but the tattooed skins of escaped convicts—is brought together. Upon meeting with a young Ainu girl, Asirpa, Sugimoto sets off in search of the tattooed prisoners, but many dangers await as soldiers and mercenaries seek the gold as well. Aided by Asirpa's knowledge of the lands, the two of them depart to find the stolen Ainu gold in a journey of revenge, murder, and greed. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Publication notes

Golden Kamuy won the ninth Manga Taisho Award in 2016. The series ranked in the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! for the Male Readers division in 2016, 2018, and 2023. The series was published in English by VIZ Media under the VIZ Signature imprint from June 20, 2017, to January 16, 2024. It has also been released in Spanish by Milky Way Ediciones since May 24, 2017. The manga was adapted into a Japanese live-action movie that was released on January 19, 2024.

Published

Aug 21, 2014 to Apr 28, 2022

Authors

Noda, Satoru

External links

MyAnimeList page Official Site @kamuy_official Wikipedia Wikipedia

MAL rank: #92
Members (MAL): 109,889
Favorites (MAL): 6,069

Related titles

Adaptation

Spin-Off

Golden Kamuy: Tsurumi Tokushirou no Shukugan

Main characters

Saichi Sugimoto2999 fan favorites
External profile
Saichi Sugimoto is a former soldier who fought in the Russo-Japanese war with the 1st division of the Imperial Japanese Army and got the name 'Immortal Sugimoto' for his invincibility on the battlefield. He lost his best friend in war who requested him to take care of his family. After returning home once his enlistment term in the army was over, he set out to pan gold in Hokkaido in order to earn enough money to fulfill his friend's last wish. There he met a man who told him a tale of lost gold treasure which once belonged to a people known as the 'Ainu'. He also told him that the man who hid it was later imprisoned and he left clues to find the treasure on the skin of his fellow inmates. Sugimoto is a strong and skilled warrior and soldier with instincts needed to survive. He even succeeds to overpower and kill a rogue bear with his knife and bayonet. Although fierce on battlefield and having blood on his hands, he is not cruel and unkind. He is valorous and kind. He later reveals on being asked why he is called 'Immortal Sugimoto' that he learned the only way to live is, not to be killed and so he only kills to protect his own life. He has two scars on his face which are perpendicular and runs across his whole visage, while the third deviates from the horizontal one like a tree branch. His whole body is also covered in scars earned in battle. Year round, Sugimoto wears a kimono with the sleeves tied up by a tasuki and the back hem tucked in shirihashori style over a mandarin collar shirt. He also wears the military cap, trousers, and high boots that were part of his uniform during the Russo-Japanese War. In colder weather, he also wears a dark blue trench coat and a foreign made scarf. (Source: Golden Kamuy Wiki)
Asirpa1286 fan favorites
External profile
Asirpa is a young Ainu huntress and the deuteragonist of the Golden Kamuy series. After Asirpa saves Sugimoto's life and learns the story of hidden gold, the two start their search for the treasure. She is an independent and capable young girl. She initially appears cold and withdrawn, but that quickly changes once she warms up to the other and exposes a more jovial and childish side. When with her friends and family, Asirpa is a playful and cheerful girl. She enjoys cooking and is enthusiastic about hunting. She occasionally likes to tease others, especially Sugimoto and Shiraishi. As a hunter, Asirpa is aware of the cruelty of nature. She knows that in the wilderness weakness leads to death and thus is very pragmatic about survival. She acts mature and serious when hunting her prey or discussing the plans of finding the gold. However, Asirpa has strict principles and beliefs, as she refuses to murder people even if her life is at stake. She considers herself a modern Ainu woman who occasionally dismisses Ainu customs, such as tattooing her mouth or believing in fortune-telling. However, more than anything, Asirpa wants to protect the Ainu and preserve her people's independence. After her journey to Karafuto and the many revelations that followed, she has decided to find the gold to assure that the Ainu and their culture will never be erased or forgotten. (Source: Golden Kamuy Wiki)
Yoshitake Shiraishi411 fan favorites
External profile
Shiraishi is one of the 24 Abashiri convicts who had the map leading to the Ainu treasure tattooed onto their skins by Noppera-Bou. He is known as the Escape King, due to being a escape artist who has broken out of many high security prisons. Shiraishi is carefree and goofy, and prefers to sneak his way out of trouble. Because he lacks strength, he prefers to flee danger but is confident in his ability to escape any bond. He tends to keep his calm when in danger as a result and, given time, can psychologically dominate his guards and manipulate them. (Source: Golden Kamuy Wiki)