Shabake

Shabake (しゃばけ) is a Japanese historical fantasy novel series written by Megumi Hatanaka with illustrations by Yū Shibata. It began publication by Shinchosha in December 2001, with 23 volumes being released as of July 2024. A manga adaptation illustrated by Mimori was serialized in Shinchosha's Monthly Comic Bunch magazine from January 2017 to March 2023.

Shabake
First novel volume cover
しゃばけ
Genre	Historical fantasy[1]
Serial novel
Written by	Megumi Hatakenaka
Illustrated by	Yū Shibata
Published by	Shinchosha
Magazine	Shōsetsu Shinchō Yom Yom
Original run	December 1, 2001 – present
Volumes	23
Live-action television film
Directed by	Reiko Miyamoto [ja]
Produced by	Reiko Kita [ja] Kohei Adaichi
Written by	Yuko Nagata [ja]
Music by	Yasuharu Takanashi Hiromi Mizutani [ja]
Studio	Fuji Television
Original network	FNS (Fuji TV)
Released	November 24, 2007
Live-action television film
Shabake: Uso Uso
Directed by	Michio Mitsuno [ja]
Produced by	Kohei Adaichi
Written by	Shôgo Kashida [ja] Natsuko Takahashi
Music by	Yasuharu Takanashi Hiromi Mizutani
Studio	Fuji Television
Original network	FNS (Fuji TV)
Released	November 29, 2008
Manga
Written by	Megumi Hatakenaka
Illustrated by	Mimori
Published by	Shinchosha
Imprint	Bunch Comics
Magazine	Monthly Comic Bunch
Original run	January 21, 2017 – March 20, 2023
Volumes	4
Original net animation
Directed by	Hideki Ito
Music by	Kaoru Wada
Studio	Shuka
Released	July 19, 2021
Runtime	3 minutes
Anime television series
Directed by	Takahiro Ōkawa
Written by	Touko Machida
Music by	Rei Ishizuka
Studio	Bandai Namco Pictures
Licensed by	Crunchyroll SEA: Medialink
Original network	FNS (Fuji TV)
Original run	October 3, 2025 – present
Episodes	1

A television film aired on Fuji TV and its affiliates in 2007, followed by a sequel titled in English as Shabake: Uso Uso (うそうそ, Uso Uso) which aired the following year.^[2] A 3-minute original net animation (ONA) adaptation produced by Shuka was released in July 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by Bandai Namco Pictures premiered in October 2025 on Fuji TV under Noitamina.

Characters

Ichitarō (一太郎)

Voiced by: Junya Enoki (ONA),^[3] Daiki Yamashita (TV series)^[1]

Nikichi (仁吉)

Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama (ONA),^[3] Kōji Okino [ja] (TV series)^[4]

Sasuke (佐助)

Voiced by: Yōhei Azakami (ONA),^[3] Taku Yashiro (TV series)^[4]

Nozoki Byōbu (屏風のぞき, Byōbu Nozoki)

Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura (ONA),^[3] Daisuke Namikawa (TV series)^[5]

Matsunosuke (松之助)

Voiced by: Seiichiro Yamashita (TV series)^[5]

Eikichi (栄吉)

Voiced by: Shimba Tsuchiya (TV series)^[5]

Oharu (お春)

Voiced by: Shion Wakayama (TV series)^[5]

Suzuhiko-hime (鈴彦姫)

Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto (ONA),^[3] Akira Sekine (TV series)^[5]

Noderabō (野寺坊)

Voiced by: Shinya Takahashi [ja] (TV series)^[5]

Kawauso (獺)

Voiced by: Misako Tomioka [ja] (TV series)^[5]

Yanari (鳴家)

Voiced by: Akane Matsunaga, Aika Wakuno [ja], Takako Tanaka (TV series)^[5]

Media

Novels

No.	Title	Release date	ISBN
1	Shabake (しゃばけ)	December 1, 2001[6]	978-4-10-450701-6
2	Nushi-sama e (ぬしさまへ)	May 20, 2003[7]	978-4-10-450702-3
3	Neko no Baba (ねこのばば)	July 23, 2004[8]	978-4-10-450703-0
4	Omake no Ko (おまけのこ)	August 19, 2005[9]	978-4-10-450704-7
5	Uso Uso (うそうそ)	May 30, 2006[10]	978-4-10-450705-4
6	Chinpunkan (ちんぷんかん)	June 20, 2007[11]	978-4-10-450707-8
7	Ichiban (いっちばん)	July 1, 2008[12]	978-4-10-450709-2
8	Korokororo (ころころろ)	July 30, 2009[13]	978-4-10-450710-8
9	Yundemete (ゆんでめて)	July 1, 2010[14]	978-4-10-450712-2
10	Yanariinari (やなりいなり)	July 29, 2011[15]	978-4-10-450714-6
11	Hinakomachi (ひなこまち)	June 29, 2012[16]	978-4-10-450716-0
12	Tabun Neko (たぶんねこ)	July 22, 2013[17]	978-4-10-450718-4
13	Suezue (すえずえ)	July 31, 2014[18]	978-4-10-450719-1
14	Naritai (なりたい)	July 22, 2015[19]	978-4-10-450720-7
15	Ō Atari (おおあたり)	July 22, 2016[20]	978-4-10-450721-4
16	Toru to Dasu (とるとだす)	July 21, 2017[21]	978-4-10-450723-8
17	Musubitsuki (むすびつき)	July 20, 2018[22]	978-4-10-450725-2
18	Tengentsū (てんげんつう)	July 18, 2019[23]	978-4-10-450726-9
19	Ichinenkan (いちねんかん)	July 17, 2020[24]	978-4-10-450727-6
20	Mōichido (もういちど)	July 19, 2021[25]	978-4-10-450728-3
21	Koigokoro (こいごころ)	July 21, 2022[26]	978-4-10-450729-0
22	Itsumade (いつまで)	July 20, 2023[27]	978-4-10-450730-6
23	Nazotoki (なぞとき)	July 18, 2024[28]	978-4-10-450731-3

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Mimori was serialized in Shinchosha's Monthly Comic Bunch magazine from January 21, 2017, to March 20, 2023.^[29] The manga's chapters were collected into four tankōbon volumes released from April 9, 2018, to June 8, 2023.^[30][31]

No.	Release date	ISBN
1	April 9, 2018[30]	978-4-10-772063-4
2	July 9, 2019[32]	978-4-10-772198-3
3	July 8, 2021[33]	978-4-10-772403-8
4	June 8, 2023[31]	978-4-10-772608-7

Anime

A 3-minute original net animation (ONA) adaptation was released on July 19, 2021, to celebrate the novel series' 20th anniversary. The ONA is produced by Shuka and directed by Hideki Ito, with music composed by Kaoru Wada.^[3]

An anime television series adaptation was announced on November 25, 2024. It is produced by Bandai Namco Pictures and directed by Takahiro Ōkawa, with series composition by Touko Machida, character designs by Akari Minagawa, sub-character designs by Yuka Shiga who both also handle chief animation direction and music composed by Rei Ishizuka.^[1] The series premiered on October 3, 2025, on the Noitamina programming block on Fuji TV and its affiliates. The opening theme song is "Inochi no Parade" (いのちのパレヱド; 'Parade of Life'), performed by Kujira [ja],^[4] while the ending theme song is "Myaku-Myaku" (脈脈; Continuous), performed by KAFUNÉ.^[5] Crunchyroll is streaming the series.^[34] Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia.^[35]

Episodes

No.	Title [36][37]	Directed by [a]	Storyboarded by [a]	Original release date [38]
1	"Dark Night" Transliteration: "Anya" (Japanese: あんや)	Megumi Yamamoto	Takahiro Ōkawa	October 3, 2025 (2025-10-03)
2	(Japanese: ものうい)	Takashi Kojima	Kunihisa Sugishima	October 10, 2025 (2025-10-10)

Reception

By November 2024, the novels had over 10 million copies in circulation.^[1]

See also

• Tsukumogami Kashimasu, another novel series by the same writer

Notes

1. Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.