Butsu Zone was Hiroyuki Takei’s first full manga serialization in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. It was originally based on his award winning stand-alone story (oneshot) of the same name.
Within Weekly Shonen Jump, on the “Table of Contents” page located at the back of the magazine, each author can leave a short comment to their fans. The manga chapters were then later combined into a volume format where Hiroyuki Takei has a spot for additional comments. Both volumes 2 & 3 were published after the manga series had been cancelled in Weekly Shonen Jump. Within the volume releases also included a photo provided by Hiroyuki Takei.
Weekly Shonen Jump Author Comments
| Issue # | Cover Date (MM/DD/YY) | Chapter # | Author Comment | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Special | 1996 | Oneshot | The world of Buddhism is very interesting with all kinds of characters. I look forward to your thoughts and feedback. | |
| 1997-12 | 3/3/97 | 1 | Welcome to my serialized manga. I’m Takei, a fan of Buddhist statues and One Piece. This may be sudden, but I want to say it. Everyone! Please read Senju-kun as with an accent. | One Piece is a manga by Eiichiro Oda that would later be published in July 1997 in Weekly Shonen Jump. This reference is to the earlier short stories created before the manga serialization. |
| 1997-13 | 3/10/97 | 2 | Thank you to everyone who supported me during my days in the extra publications. I was surprised to see “Butsu Zone” ranked so well. Please look forward to this series in a new setting! | The extra publications is in reference to the special issues where his oneshot manga were published. |
| 1997-14 | 3/17/97 | 3 | I often go on walks. When I walk and see a beautiful scenery, I remember the wonder of the world and the joy of life. | |
| 1997-15 | 3/24/97 | 4 | I volunteered to draw this chapter of S.K (Story King). It was fun to do. But I got scolded for being late with the manuscript. | “Story King“, abbreviated to “SK” here was a gag manga to promote new manga artists. |
| 1997-16 | 3/31/97 | 5 | Thank you so very much for every F.L (Fan Letter) you send me. It’s hard to respond to them all, but they are encouraging. | |
| 1997-17 | 4/7/97 | 6 | Watsuki-sensei and I went to get Jim Lee’s autograph. I was very anxious, but I was okay since Watsuki-sensei with with me. | Hiroyuki Takei previously worked under Nobuhiro Watsuki on the Rurouni Kenshin manga. Jim Lee is an American comic book artist. |
| 1997-18 | 4/14/97 | 7 | Being a Nihilistic monk must be cool. I would want to be one and travel around the country. In the springtime I always get this feeling. | |
| 1997-19 | 4/21/97 | 8 | I like Lego blocks. Lately, I’ve gotten more Pirate and Western sets; Why don’t you take a look at them too? | |
| 1997-20 | 4/28/97 | 9 | Instead of answering your F.L (Fan Letters) directly, I’m working on a newsletter for “Butsu Zone.” It will be called “Tomoshibi” (ともしぴ). Please enjoy! | This newsletter would later be included in volumes 2 & 3 of the Butsu Zone manga. |
| 1997-21 | 5/5/97 | 10 | Starting with this chapter, Senju and his friends have taken on a new challenge and their adversaries are also coming out of the woodwork. Please look forward to the next “Butsu Zone!!“ (By the way, “Desperado” is interesting) | “Desperado” is likely in reference to the 1995 film of the same name where the main character has a similar appearance to Batou in the manga. |
| 1997-22/23 | 5/12/97 | 11 | I’m currently obsessed with Barry White! Those gorgeous songs will make your spine spin. | Barry White is an American musician. |
| 1997-24 | 5/26/97 | 12 | Anna the Itako is my first, and beloved, character who led me to becoming a manga artist. | |
| 1997-25 | 6/2/97 | 13 | I went to the Shimokita Peninsula to visit Osorezan and Hotoke-ga-ura as a research trip. Osorezan was an out-of-this-world sight… | |
| 1997-26 | 6/9/97 | 14 | This is my first historical manga. What did you think about Junkei? Next week we’ll have a battle! | Junkei was the name of the character in the historical setting within this chapter. |
| 1997-27 | 6/16/97 | 15 | I found a previous mistake in the design of Batou’s horse head seal. The panel after the temple has the correct design. | |
| 1997-28 | 6/23/97 | 16 | Hey guys, did you see the prize winners in last week’s issue? I don’t know this Katsunori Matsui with a “T” in his name who won a prize. | Katsunori Matsui is one of Hiroyuki Takei’s long-time assistant and friend who goes by various names for his manga series. The prize was in reference to the weekly giveaways sponsored by the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. |
| 1997-29 | 6/30/97 | 17 | I’m sorry that the designs of the robes and clothing are always a bit strange. But I can’t go back now, dummy! | |
| 1997-30 | 7/7/97 | 18 | Thank you for letting me be your samurai! We can still talk in “Tomoshibi” in volume 2. If you haven’t picked up the first volume, please do. | |
| 1997-31 | 7/14/97 | 19 | I’m going to India for training. I look forward to the day when I’ll be reborn and be able to see you all again! | “Going to India” was a tongue-in-cheek joke based on the content of Butsu Zone. |
Volume Author Comments
| Volume # | Release Date | Author Comment | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 7/4/97 | “My name is Senju, the Bodhisattva of Mercy and Salvation, and I’ll use these thousand hands of love and thousand hands of compassion to save everyone without fail!” The first volume launches the excitement of the Buddha statues to the earthly realm! The original oneshot of “Butsu Zone” is also presented with love! | |
| Volume 2 | 10/3/97 | The other day, I was taking a walk in Ueno Park and I bumped into the Story King. He was more composed than Darasa, so he didn’t scold me at first, but he did lectured to me endlessly about manga so I thought to myself, “What does this guy know!?” | Ueno Park is a famous park in Japan. “Story King” was the main character in a short gag manga used to promote up-coming artists. “Darasa” is in reference to Hiroyuki Takei’s short gag manga, “新人ダーアサやったるで物語” or “The Story of the Newcomer Darasa” which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump prior to Butsu Zone‘s serialization in 1996. |
| Volume 3 | 12/3/97 | “Saṃsāra Butsu Zone” There is many words for reincarnation. This concept of the life and death cycle is called Saṃsāra in Sanskrit. Don’t cry Koma. One day you will be reborn again. And then let’s walk that “path” together. | Koma is in reference to the Komainu (lion-dog) from within the manga and who Takei has taken a photo with. |