Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation


caption = First volume of the series, published by Shueisha in Japan on May 2, 2005
ja_name = ムヒョとロージーの魔法律相談事務所
ja_romaji = Muhyo to Rōjī no Mahōritsu Sōdan Jimusho
genre = Horror, ActionInfobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Yoshiyuki Nishi
publisher = flagicon|Japan Shueisha
publisher_en = flagicon|Canadaflagicon|United States Viz Media
publisher_other = flagicon|France Kana
demographic = Shōnen
magazine = Weekly Shōnen Jump
first = December 2004
last = March 2008
volumes = 18
chapter_list = List of Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation chapters

nihongo|"Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation"|ムヒョとロージーの魔法律相談事務所|Muhyo to Rōjī no Mahōritsu Sōdan Jimusho is a manga series by Yoshiyuki Nishi. The series premiered in in Japan in "Weekly Shōnen Jump" in December 2004, and ran until its conclusion in March 2008. It follows a young genius Magical Law Executor, Toru Muhyo and his assistant, Jiro Kusano as they track and find ghosts, then send the spirits to heaven or hell depending on the account of their lives in his magical law book. The individual chapters of the series were collected and published in 18 "tankōbon" volumes by Shueisha.

The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media, which released the first volume of the series in October 2007 under its "Shonen Jump" manga line.

Characters

* is said to be the youngest executor graduated from the Magical Law School. Muhyo paired up with Roji and the two formed their own business of exorcising ghosts. Muhyo has a somewhat emotionless personality, showing no sign of pity when dispensing of the ghosts. He seems to be sleeping most of the time, (for as an executor of the Laws, large amount of spiritual energy is needed for him to summon the necessary Hellish being to carry out the sentences of various ghosts, spirits). He seems to try to show no signs of caring for his assistant, Roji. But it immediately becomes evident that he does during dangerous situations, or when one of Muhyo's friends or acquaintances points it out. He is often rude to other people, and keeps a stern face, but deep down, he has a strong sense of Justice. He is also extremely powerful, being able to perform a judgement that normally requires four top-notch executors by himself. Despite Enchu's vile attacks upon him and those he cares for, he still wishes to redeem him. Muhyo has shown that he can speak the language of the underworld allowing him to speak with the creatures he summons to carry out his sentences, this talent also allows him to commend the creatures to pause or stop the punishment they were delivering.

*, nicknamed nihongo|Roji|ロージー|"Rōjī", is Muhyo's assistant, is a kind-hearted teenager, almost to a fault as it interferes with his ability to excorcise ghosts with a sob story. He is adept at writing seals to hold back ghosts while Muhyo sentences them. He is a bit of a whiner and a crybaby. But he is knowledgeable on types of ghosts, but has nearly no knowledge on excorcism of ghosts and how to use the laws of magic. He initially feels that Muhyo is rude, mean, and hates him. But as the series progresses, he finds out that Muhyo chose him to be his apprentice even though the normal standard is to choose some one who is the rank of an assistant judge and Muhyo actually deeply cares for him. His power often seemingly fluctuates between strong and worthless, becoming stronger when he has more confidence in himself. Is frustrated that Muhyo doesn't ever instruct him. In a flashback showcasing how Roji met Muhyo, it was revealed that Roji wanted to learn Magic Law after a friend was possessed and an executor, specifically Page, showed up and saved him; Roji also successfully used an item only an assistant judge could handle. During the Magic Law Examination, it is revealed that he has an extraordinarily high tempering.

* Kenji Satou is a trouble-making boy who had believed Muhyo and Roji's business was a sham and wrecked their sign. He did not believe in ghosts until the pair saved him from a blood-drinking ghost he had accidentally freed. Afterwards, Kenji grew a liking for the pair, often referring to Roji as "Sprout-Man" and Muhyo as "Onion-Boy". He always tries to find excuses to hang around their office, as Muhyo has made it a rule never to meet a client after the case is complete unless they bring a new one.

* Nana Takenouchi is a photographer who Kenji introduces to the duo. Her late father had made a living producing fake ghost pictures, causing a rift between the two. Nana becomes another of Muhyo and Roji's regular clients after Muhyo sends her father's troubled spirit to the River Styx for purification so he can go to heaven. She is notably well endowed which often causes her to be the target of perverts. It is later revealed that she is a spirit medium.

* Yoichi Himukai is a judge and a childhood friend of Muhyo's. He is a pervert who enjoys trying to guess girls' cup sizes (his first appearance was him squeezing Nana's breasts). Yoichi appears to have a crush on Nana, which is unfortunate, since she considers him a creep. However, underneath this exterior resides his experience and wisdom that rival Muhyo's. Yoichi had offered to be Muhyo's partner, but Muhyo had already chosen Roji instead.

* Soratsugu Madoka, also called Enchu, was a childhood friend of Muhyo and Yoichi. Unlike Muhyo, he was studious and serious about Magic Law. Enchu had wanted to be an Executor so he could support his family, including his sick mother. However, when Enchu had seen Muhyo's true genius, he had become determined to surpass him. When Muhyo and Enchu were both up for becoming Executor, Enchu had left because he had learned his mother had passed away. When he had returned, Muhyo had been promoted to Executor, causing Enchu's madness to begin. He has shown to have some control over ghosts and other spirits through his knowledge of Forbidden Magic Law. He has also apparently become inhuman as at one point he generated ten forearms on a single arm. Despite his grudge, Enchu still cares for others, claiming its better to practice Forbidden Magic Law with friends and retreating in order to save Rio who was Ghosting.

* Yu Abiko, also known as "Biko", is she is a Magic Tool Artificer, who is able to make magical tools, but cannot use them herself. She is deeply devoted to her teacher, Rio, and is shocked by the revelation that she is a traitor. When she was younger, she disliked Rio until Rio saved her from an experiment gone wrong. Roji first believed she was a boy when she first appeared. She has three apprentices of her own. She hopes that Rio can be saved, and wishes to go strawberry picking with her.

* Rio Kurotori is Biko's teacher and a skilled Artificer. While she initially seems to help Muhyo and Roji, she is actually working with Enchu, having grown embittered after no one helped save her mother from an evil spirit. Despite having become a traitor, she is still fond of Biko, but believes that it is too late to go back. When her mother was alive Rio had to resort to low means in order to make money so that she could take care of her mother. When a spirit attacked her mother, she franticly sought help but was turned down by mean and nasty executors. While it is not yet been revealed, the attack on her mother may have been caused by a practitioner of Forbidden Magic Law. According to Muhyo, she is a kissing fiend, which is justified

* Face-Ripper Sophie is an extremely powerful ghost who was once imprisoned in the Magical Prison, but released by Rio. In life, she was kept away from parties by her older sister due to her being considered ugly, and killed her sister for it. As a ghost, she is able to shapeshift and assume other people's forms. Muhyo used a high-level magical commandment to sentence her for her crimes. As she faded she cried and stated,"Sister, why can't I go to the party?", She was a very powerful ghost as it took the usage of an envoy that normally requires four executors to summon to defeat her.

* Reiko Imai is a judge of Magic Law, she was assigned to Arcanum, a prison for powerful ghosts including Sophie. When Rio freed Sophie, she nearly became a victim of Sophie but was sparred because Sophie considered her face ugly. Was also nearly strangled by Teeki but lucky escaped. Since the Arcanum incident, she has become friends with Jiro and escorted him to the Magic Law Academy.

* Teeki the Fallen is Enchu's right-hand man and a powerful but mysterious foe to Muhyo and Roji. The association has marked him for 800 years or so. He 'meddles' in magic law and when he's finished, he disappears into thin air. It is unclear what Teeki is; a ghost or a practitioner turned immortal by forbidden law. Teeki is also the one responsible for the fire inside the Arcanum after Rio followed Muhyo and company out into the forest. He seems to like to killing and destruction as he laughed at Mr. Maeda as he set the Arcanum ablaze and wanted to kill Muhyo's group instead of retreating. He may also have been the one to introduce Enchu to Forbidden Magic Law. Teeki wears a four eyed mask and gloves that have the mark of Forbidden Magic Law on them.

* Page Klaus is the teacher of Muhyo and Enchu, he is very famous within the association. He believes that Magic Law starts with physical fitness. He likes to compose poetry and thinks he's good at it, he is also possessive of his students once calling Muhyo "My Muhyo" while worried about him. Although Roji is unaware of this, Page was the practitioner that exorcised a ghost from a friend of his and gave him his first pair of suspenders. He claimed that Muhyo and Roji were destine to meet.

* Daranimaru Goryo is an executor of magic law like Muhyo, and head of the centuries old Goryo Group Syndicate. While the Goryo group are not particularly strong in magic law, they make up for it with cunning use of strategy; in addition, they preform extremely vicious practices ranging from bribery to murder. Goryo is a jerk who only cares about money and his family's pride, threatening to release ghosts he has exorcised if clients do not pay him, and treating his assistants like trash and discarding them should they fail him.

* Hanao Ebisu is a judge of Magic Law who worked for Goryo as an assistant who looks like a clown and is afraid of Goryo's wraith. Is jealous of Roji because he's only a clerk was practically given his current job while Ebisu had to claw his way to wear he is now. Helps Goryo in banishing ghosts and running his company. After Goryo and Muhyo's competition, he was fired by Goryo for failing him in a strategy.

Media

Written by Yoshiyuki Nishi, "Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation" premiered in in Japan in a December 2004 issue of "Weekly Shōnen Jump". New chapters were published weekly until the series concluded in the the March 3, 2003 issue.cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-03/shonen-jump-japan-ends-prince-of-tennis-muhyo-and-roji |title=Japan's Shonen Jump Ends Prince of Tennis, Muhyo & Roji |publisher=Anime News Network |date=2008-03-03 |accessdate=2008-10-05 ] The individual chapters were collected and published in 18 "tankōbon" volumes by Shueisha.

The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media, which released the first volume of the series in October 2007 under its "Shonen Jump" manga line.cite web |url=http://www.viz.com/products/products.php?product_id=6616 |title=Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation, Vol. 1 |publisher=Viz Media |accessdate=2008-10-05 ] As of October 2008, the company has published seven volumes of the series. [cite web |url=http://www.viz.com/products/products.php?product_id=6930 |title=Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation, Vol. 7 |publisher=Viz Media |accessdate=2008-10-05 ]

Reception

For the week of June 5—June 11, the 12th volume of the premiered in seventh place in the list of weekly bestselling manga series in Japan. [cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-13/japanese-comic-ranking-june-5-june-11 |title=Japanese Comic Ranking, June 5–June 11 |publisher=Anime News Network |date=2007-06-13 |accessdate=2008-10-05 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.viz.com/products/products.php?series_id=712 Official Viz "Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation" site]
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