Eight Clouds Rising

Eight Clouds Rising (Japanese: 八雲立つ, Hepburn: Yakumo Tatsu) is a Japanese shōjo manga series by Natsumi Itsuki. It won the 21st Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo.^[2] It was adapted in 1997 into an OVA series.

Eight Clouds Rising
八雲立つ (Yakumo Tatsu)
Manga
Written by	Natsumi Itsuki
Published by	Hakusensha
Magazine	LaLa
Original run	October 19, 1992 – November 5, 2002
Volumes	19
Original video animation
Directed by	Tomomi Mochizuki
Written by	Tomomi Mochizuki
Music by	Hajime Mizoguchi
Studio	Bandai Visual, Studio Pierrot
Licensed by	NA: Media Blasters[1]
Released	October 25, 1997 – November 25, 1997
Episodes	2
Manga
Yakumo Tatsu: Arata
Written by	Natsumi Itsuki
Published by	Hakusensha
Magazine	Melody
Original run	February 28, 2018 – present
Volumes	11

Plot summary

Kuraki Fuzuchi is a handsome and quiet young man who has immense psychic powers and sword skills. He meets Takeo Nanachi, a college student with similar powers.

The story opens with Nanachi traveling to a small shrine in the mountains to purify his deceased grandfather's sword in a festival that only occurs every 49 years. There he meets Kuraki and later accidentally stumbles upon Kuraki's initiation ritual as a Shaman. From there on, their lives are inexplicitly intertwined as they encounter ghosts, spirits, demons, and other characters with supernatural powers while the author provides a parallel running story depicting their previous life.

Seven Sacred Swords

In the ancient Izumo era, the seven sacred swords were forged by the blacksmith Tsukamoto Tomohiko for the priest Manashi. For a long time, they protected the barrier that sealed away the grudge of Susanoo in Ikuya, but during the war, all of them were stolen except for Kagutsuchi. However, the train they were on was hit by an air raid in Osaka and torn apart.

• Kagutsuchi (Kagutsuchi)
• Midzuchi (Midzuchi)
• Takemikazuchi (Takemikazuchi)
• Yamatsumi (Yamatoyamatsumi)
• Awanami (Awanami)
• Sazuchi (Sadzuchi)
• Kusanagi (Kusanagi) = Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi

Bibliographic information

Yakumo Tatsu

• Natsumi Itsuki "Yakumo Tatsu" Hakusensha〈Hana to Yume Comics〉, 19 volumes in total

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	October 19, 1992	4-592-12120-1
2	July 5, 1995	4-592-12477-4
3	December 5, 1995	4-592-12478-2
4	April 5, 1996	4-592-12479-0
5	August 5, 1996	4-592-12480-4
6	January 7, 1997	4-592-12481-2
7	July 5, 1997	4-592-12482-0
8	November 5, 1997	4-592-12483-9
9	May 1, 1998	4-592-12484-7
10	October 5, 1998	4-592-12485-5
11	April 5, 1999	4-592-12486-3
12	August 5, 1999	4-592-17432-1
13	February 4, 2000	4-592-17433-X
14	December 5, 2000	4-592-17434-8
15	May 2, 2001	4-592-17435-6
16	November 5, 2001	4-592-17436-4
17	April 5, 2002	4-592-17437-2
18	July 5, 2002	4-592-17438-0
19	November 5, 2002	4-592-17439-9

• Natsumi Itsuki, Yakumo Tatsu, Hakusensha (Hakusensha Bunko), 10 volumes

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	July 15, 2008[3]	978-4-592-88801-7
2	July 15, 2008[4]	978-4-592-88802-4
3	September 12, 2008[5]	978-4-592-88803-1
4	September 12, 2008[6]	978-4-592-88804-8
5	November 14, 2008[7]	978-4-592-88805-5
6	November 14, 2008[8]	978-4-592-88806-2
7	January 14, 2009[9]	978-4-592-88807-9
8	January 14, 2009[10]	978-4-592-88808-6
9	March 13, 2009[11]	978-4-592-88809-3
10	March 13, 2009[12]	978-4-592-88810-9

• Natsumi Itsuki, Collector's Edition Yakumo Tatsu, Hakusensha, Hana to Yume Comics Special, 11 volumes.

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	February 28, 2018[13]	978-4-592-21251-5
2	February 28, 2018[14]	978-4-592-21252-2
3	March 28, 2018[15]	978-4-592-21253-9
4	March 28, 2018[16]	978-4-592-21254-6
5	April 27, 2018[17]	978-4-592-21255-3
6	April 27, 2018[18]	978-4-592-21256-0
7	May 28, 2018[19]	978-4-592-21257-7
8	May 28, 2018[20]	978-4-592-21258-4
9	June 28, 2018[21]	978-4-592-21259-1
10	July 27, 2018[22]	978-4-592-21260-7
11	August 28, 2018[23][24]	978-4-592-21261-4

Yakumo Tatsu: Arata

• Natsumi Itsuki Yakumo Tatsu: Arata (八雲立つ 灼; "Eight Clouds Rising: Burning") Hakusensha "Hana to Yume Comics Special", 11 volumes published (as of September 5, 2025)

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	August 28, 2018[23][25]	978-4-592-21891-3
2	May 2, 2019[26]	978-4-592-21892-0
3	December 5, 2019[27][28]	978-4-592-21893-7
4	October 5, 2020[29]	978-4-592-21894-4
5	August 5, 2021[30]	978-4-592-21895-1
6	April 5, 2022[31]	978-4-592-22246-0
7	January 4, 2023[32]	978-4-592-22247-7
8	October 5, 2023[33]	978-4-592-22248-4
9	May 2, 2024[34]	978-4-592-22249-1
10	January 4, 2025[35]	978-4-592-22250-7
11	September 5, 2025[36]	978-4-592-22286-6

OVA

The Yakumo Tatsu OVA is composed of two volumes. It is licenced in North America by Media Blasters.^[37] The English DVD was released on August 17, 2004.^[38]

Cast

• Kitano Senpai - Fujiwara Keiji
• Toda Chinatsu - Watanabe Misa
• Nushii Wakakuni - Akimoto Yosuke
• Assistant - Hyoudou Mako

Staff

• Original story - Itsuki Natsumi
• Director, storyboard, direction - Mochizuki Tomomitsu
• Screenplay - Sakamoto Go
• Character design, animation director - Kusumoto Yuko
• Art director - Kaneko Hidetoshi
• Color design - Itose Miyoko
• Director of photography - Watanabe Hidetoshi
• Editing - Morita Seiji
• Sound director - Kikuta Hiromi
• Music - Mizoguchi Hajime
• Producer - Kanno Chizuko, Suzuki Shigehiro, Inoue Shunji
• Produced by Studio Pierrot
• Produced by Bandai Visual, Studio Pierrot, Airs

Theme song

"Harukanaru Wailing" (Volume 1)

Lyrics by Takubo Mami / Music by Hamada Kingo / Arrangement by Sudo Kenichi / Singer by Ishizuka Saori

"Pinparipon" (Volume 2; OP)

Lyrics and music by GONGON, complete arrangement by B-DASH

"Goemon" (Volume 2; ED)

Lyrics and music by GONGON, complete arrangement by B-DASH

Soundtrack

• "Yakumo Tatsu OVA Original Soundtrack" (Bandai Music, released November 21, 1997) AYCM-586

Drama CD

Shin Onban Monogatari 2 volumes, Onban Monogatari 5 volumes. Published by Airs/Bandai Music Entertainment, insert songs are "a myth~shinwa~" and "Eien ga" (sung by Ishizuka Saori).

New Record Story Volume 1: The Black Impure Village: Ancient Chapter: The Divine Question (Part 1)

~The Black Impure Village~

• Other cast: Nobuo - Yoshida Takashi, Nagamatsu - Suzuki Takuma, Yoshie - Kodama Takako, Girl A - Sakuma Beni, Girl B - Kurata Masayo, Driver - Nagasawa Takashi, Susumu - Suzuki Takuma, Shiori's mother - Kodama Takako

~Ancient Chapter

The Divine Question (Part 1)~

• Other cast: Ichimaro - Nagasawa Takashi

New Record Story Volume 2: The Amanojaku Comes: Ancient Chapter: The Divine Question (Part 2)

~The Amanojaku Comes~

• Other cast: Takajo Chikuyo - Morikubo Shoutaro, High school girl A - Asakawa Yuu, High school girl B - Kitajima Chieko, High school girl C - Kotani Nobuko, Entertainment agency president - Takatsuka Masaya, Driver - Tobe Kouji

~Ancient Chapter

Questions to the Gods (Part 2)~

• Other cast: Ichimaro - Nagasawa Takashi, Susa woman - Imai Yuka, Susa people A - Hachinohe Yuu, Susa people B - Tobe Kouji, Susa people C - Takatsuka Masaya, Chief A - Takatsuka Masaya, Chief B - Nakamura Toshihiro, Chief C - Egawa Daisuke, Susa chief - Tobe Kouji, Tokoshironushi - Nagasawa Takashi, Saniwa - Hachinohe Yu

Onban Monogatari Volume 1

• Other cast: Kitano Senpai - Fujiwara Keiji, Toda Chinatsu - Watanabe Misa, Yamiki's uncle - Akimoto Yosuke, Nanachi's father - Sugawara Junichi, Nanachi's mother - Hyoudou Mako

Onban Monogatari Volume 2 Wakamiya Festival

• Other cast: Nanachi's mother - Hyoudou Mako, Yamiki's uncle - Akimoto Yosuke, Yamiki's aunt - Ezawa Masako, Wakamiya's thoughts - Hirose Masashi

Onban Monogatari Volume 3 Demon's Cry Crossroads, Kirabi (Ancient Edition)

~The Crossroads of Demon's Cry~

• Other cast: Nanachi Kunio - Namikawa Daisuke, Goto Norihiko - Nakahara Shigeru, Miyo (the proprietress of Amatsuji) - Komiya Kazue, Sayoko - Amano Yuri

~Kirabi (Ancient Version)~

• Mikachihiko - Namikawa Daisuke, Manashi - Sakurai Tomo, Zenzo - Shimakahiro, Judgement - Bando Naoki

Onban Monogatari Volume 4 One-Eyed Inari and the Seven Forerunners

~One-Eyed Inari~

• Other cast: Tomioka Seiko - Shinohara Emi, Aunt - Tani Ikuko

~The Seven Forerunners~

• Other cast: Richa - Yoko Asada, Harumi - Akemi Okamura, Taki - Konami Yoshida, Mr. Hara - Takuma Suzuki, Delinquent (extra edition) - Eiji Sekiguchi, Delinquent (extra edition) - Hiroyuki Yokoo

Onban Monogatari Volume 5: The Love of Princess Kinutsu

• Other cast: Mother of Nanachi - Mako Hyodo