Saikano
Saikano: The Last Love Song on This Little Planet., also known as She, the Ultimate Weapon, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shin Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from December 1999 to October 2001, with its chapters collected in seven volumes.
A 13-episode anime television series adaptation by Gonzo aired from July to September 2002. A two-episode side-story original video animation by Studio Fantasia was released in 2005. A live-action film adaptation premiered in January 2006.
Both the manga and the anime series were licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media. The anime was later licensed in 2014 by Sentai Filmworks and released under the title She, the Ultimate Weapon.
Plot
Shuji, a high school student in a Hokkaidō coastal town, discovers his girlfriend Chise's exchange diaries at an observatory, prompting him to reflect on their relationship through flashbacks. Their romance begins awkwardly when the shy Chise confesses her feelings, though neither possesses the emotional maturity to navigate the relationship effectively.During a routine trip to Sapporo, enemy bombers attack the city. Amid the chaos, Shuji witnesses a small flying object intercepting the bombers before discovering Chise with mechanized wings and weaponry fused to her body. She reveals her involuntary transformation into an ultimate weapon by the Japan Self-Defense Forces, designed as Japan's last line of defense.
The central conflict revolves around Chise's deteriorating humanity as the weapon system overtakes her physiology. She struggles to reconcile her mechanical enhancements with her human identity, a crisis compounded by her deepening bond with Shuji. This relationship ultimately becomes key to her self-acceptance. Secondary narratives explore civilian experiences during wartime, including military spouses, enlistees motivated by loved ones, and bombing victims.
Characters
; Chise; Shuji
; Akemi
; Atsushi
; Tetsu
; Fuyumi
; Mizuki
; Take
; Nori
; Yukari
; Takamura
; Kawahara
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Shin Takahashi, Saikano was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from December 27, 1999, to October 29, 2001. Shogakukan collected its chapters in seven volumes, released from May 30, 2000, to December 25, 2001. A one-shot chapter was published on January 30, 2006; it was later collected in a volume, along other one-shot chapters, released on July 19, 2006. Shogakukan re-released the series in four volumes from September 30 to December 26, 2019.In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Viz Media in 2003. The seven volumes were released from June 16, 2004, to January 10, 2006.
Volumes
Anime
A 13-episode anime television series adaptation by Gonzo was broadcast on the cable television station Family Gekijo from July 2 to September 24, 2002. Yuria Yato performed both the opening and ending themes, "Koisuru Kimochi" and "Sayonara", respectively. A Blu-ray box, which included the 13 episodes and the two OVA episodes, was released on September 12, 2018.In North America, the series was licensed by Viz Media. The series was collected in four DVD sets, released from April 27 to November 9, 2004. A DVD box set was released on November 15, 2005. Sentai Filmworks relicensed the series in 2014, under the title She, the Ultimate Weapon. It was released on a single DVD set on April 7, 2015, and on Blu-ray on October 26, 2021.
In the United Kingdom, the series was licensed by Manga Entertainment, under the title She, the Ultimate Weapon, and released on three DVD sets from May 15 to August 21, 2006. In Australia and New Zealand, the series was licensed by Madman Entertainment and released in four DVD sets from July 21, 2004, to January 12, 2005; a complete DVD set was released on December 7, 2005.