Strait Jacket (ストレイト・ジャケット, Sutoreito Jaketto) is a light novel series by Ichirō Sakaki with illustrations by Yō Fujishiro, published by Fujimi Shobo under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint. It was published in 11 volumes between 2000 and 2010. The series was adapted into a 3-episode original video animation series in 2007. A film version of the OVA aired in the United States on the Syfy channel.

Strait Jacket
Cover art for the first light novel
ストレイト・ジャケット
(Sutoreito Jaketto)
Light novel
Written byIchirō Sakaki
Illustrated byYō Fujishiro
Published byFujimi Shobo
ImprintFujimi Fantasia Bunko
DemographicMale
Original runAugust 20, 2000September 18, 2010
Volumes11 + 3 extra (List of volumes)
Original video animation
Directed byShinji Ushiro
Produced by
  • Tomoko Kawasaki
  • Michiyoshi Koyama
Written byIchirō Sakaki
Music byTakeshi Yanagawa
StudioFeel
Licensed by
Released November 26, 2007 April 28, 2008
Runtime26–27 minutes
Episodes3 (List of episodes)

Plot

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Strait Jacket is set an alternate history where magic was proven to exist in the year 1899. The use of sorcery spread throughout all facets of society and changed the social and technological development of the world. The location is Tristan, an urban metropolis that appears to be an amalgamation of turn-of-the-20th-century Tokyo, San Francisco, and Victorian-era London.

Alongside this technology and science exists magic, which has been proven possible in public demonstrations by Dr. George Greco. Although the use of magic is only possible for a few talented individuals, it is very dangerous and highly illegal. Due to an invisible contaminant called the "malediction", or simply the "curse", people who use magic too often are at risk in transforming into "Demons", or horrific, malevolent abominations of nature that become immune to ordinary weapons. The Magic Administration Bureau, also known as the Sorcery Management Bureau, is set up in the attempt to safely explore the nature of magic, officially document it, attempt to provide rational scientific explanation for it, regulate its use and police those who use magic illegally. Magic, utilized in a safe sense by the Bureau, has been used as a viable energy source by the civil service, industry, agriculture, medicine, and the military. Effectively, the Magic Administration Bureau is now in control of every field and every facet of society.

The primary enemies of the Bureau are Oddman, a former left-wing terrorist cell, turned mercenary. All of these magic users, even the ones with innocent and well-meaning intentions, are in danger of tapping into the dark side either accidentally or on purpose and themselves becoming bloodthirsty beasts due to accidents or sabotage by Oddman's agents. These Sorcerist agents wear a suit of armor that resists the negative transforming effects of magic. These suits are referred to as "Mold Armor", or more commonly a "straitjacket", due to the fact they constrain human beings in their natural form. The Sorcerists also use magically tainted bullets from large hand-carried railguns powered by a combination of steam and magic, which are the only weapons capable of effectively stopping the magically transformed monsters.

However, the over-stretched Bureau is steadily losing ground and increasingly must rely on outside help. There simply aren't enough Sorcerists to fight the Demons caused by Oddman's sabotage. This leads to an increase in accidental demonic transformations and attacks on the public across Tristan. Among those who fight the Demons is an unlicensed, rogue Sorcerist named Leiot Steinberg, who is viewed as a loose cannon bringing the name of Sorcerists into disrepute and causing as much damage as the Demons in his one-man war against them. Yet the Bureau is forced to reluctantly call upon his services in their losing battle. Because Steinberg fights against a sin he committed long ago, even with his Mold Armor he comes closer and closer to transforming into a Demon every time he casts a spell.

Characters

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Character Japanese voice actor[1][2] English voice actor[1]
Leiot Steinberg (レイオット・スタインバーグ) Shin-ichiro Miki Steve Blum
Kapelteta Fernandez (カペルテータ・フェルナンデス) Kei Shindo Lara Jill Miller
Nerin Simmons (ネリン・シモンズ) Ai Maeda Bridget Hoffman
Jack Roland (ジャック・ローランド) Tatsuya Kobashi Keith Silverstein
Filisis Moog (フィリシス・ムーグ) Mayumi Asano Tara Platt
Brian Meno Moderato (ブライアン・メノ・モデラート) Koji Ishii Paul St. Peter
Isaac Hammond (アイザック・ハモンド) Akira Sasanuma Crispin Freeman
Rachel Hammond (レイチェル・ハモンド) Asami Imai Kari Wahlgren
Falk Hiroaki Hirata Christopher Smith
Reegs Kenji Nomura Jamieson Price
George Thomson Jin Domon Kirk Thornton
Fahgo Yoshikazu Nagano Doug Stone
Minea Mela Lee
Gray Dan Woren

Media

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Light novels

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The Strait Jacket was written by Ichirō Sakaki with illustrations by Yō Fujishiro. The light novel series was published by Fujimi Shobo in 11 volumes between 2000 and 2010.

No. Title Release date ISBN
1Ningen no Katachi ~THE MOLD~
Form of Humanity -The Mold- (ツミビトのキオク~THE MOLD~)
August 20, 20004829129867
2Ningen no Katachi ~THE ATTACHMENT~
Memory of Sinners -The Attachment- (ニンゲンのカタチ~THE ATTACHMENT~)
April 20014829113456
3Omoide no sumika ~THE REGRET/FIRST HALF~
Habitat of memories -The Regret/First Half- (オモイデのスミカ~THE REGRET/FIRST HALF~)
January 2002482911407X
4Omoide no kanata ~THE REGRET/SECOND HALF~
Memories of Kanata -The Regret/Second Half- (オモイデのカナタ~THE REGRET/SECOND HALF~)
April 20024829114274
5Yowamushi no Yaiba ~THE EDGE~
Wimpy Yaiba -The Edge- (ヨワムシのヤイバ~THE EDGE~)
January 20034829114916
6Rakuen no sadame ~THE MIRAGE~
Provisions of Paradise -The Mirage- (ラクエンのサダメ~THE MIRAGE~)
March 20044829115955
7Ikenie no hitsuji ~THE SACRIFICE 1st. HALF~
Sheep Sacrifice -The Sacrifice 1st. Half- (イケニエのヒツジ~THE SACRIFICE 1st. HALF~)
March 20064829117974
8Ikenie no ronri ~THE SACRIFICE 2nd. HALF~
Logic Sacrifice -The Sacrifice 2nd. Half- (イケニエのロンリ~THE SACRIFICE 2nd.HALF~)
April 20, 20064829118148
9Sekigan no akuma ~THE FIEND~
Devil of Sekigan -The Fiend- (セキガンのアクマ~THE FIEND~)
October 20, 20084829133465
10Ningen No Owari ~THE DEATH BELL 1st. HALF~
The End of the Human -The Death Bell 1st. Half- (ニンゲンのオワリ~THE DEATH BELL 1st. HALF~)
November 20, 20094829134607
11Ningen No Ashita ~THE DEATH BELL 2nd. HALF~
The Future of the Human -The Death Bell 2nd. Half- (ニンゲンのアシタ~THE DEATH BELL 2nd.HALF~)
September 18, 20104829135654

Extra

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No. Title Release date ISBN
1Tomogara no En ~THE RELATION~
Tomogara no En -THE RELATION- (トモガラのエン~THE RELATION〜)
August 20, 20004829116684
2Zetsubo no Hito ~THE DESPAIR~
Zetsubo no Hito -THE DESPAIR- (ゼツボウのヒト〜THE DESPAIR〜)
June 20074829119373
3Tenrin no Saga ~THE GENIUS~
Tenrin no Saga -THE GENIUS- (テンリンのサガ〜THE GENIUS〜)
June 20, 20094829134127

In 2007 a three-episode original video animation based on the light novel was produced by Feel. The OVA series has been licensed for English-language translation and DVD release in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom by Manga Entertainment. A film version was aired on the Sci-Fi Channel as part of their Ani-Monday programming block on October 20, 2008.[3]

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"The Cast"
(Japanese: ~ニンゲンのクビキ~)
November 25, 2007 (2007-11-25)
2"The Convicts"
(Japanese: ~トガビトのキオク~)
January 27, 2008 (2008-01-27)
3"The Relief"
(Japanese: ~ショクザイのミライ~)
April 28, 2008 (2008-04-28)

Reception

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The light novel series currently has sold over half a million copies.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Strait Jacket (DVD). Manga Video. October 7, 2008. OCLC 244206876.
  2. ^ "ストレイト・ジャケット". www.straitjacket.jp. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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