| Tekkonkinkreet | |
 Firsttankōbon volume cover, featuring Black | |
| 鉄コン筋クリート (Tekkonkinkreet) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Taiyō Matsumoto |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Big Comic Spirits |
| English magazine | |
| Original run | July 5, 1993 –March 21, 1994 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Anime film | |
| Pilot | |
| Directed by | Kōji Morimoto |
| Produced by | Hiroaki Takeuchi |
| Studio | Studio 4°C |
| Released | January 1, 1999 |
| Runtime | 4 minutes |
| Anime film | |
| Directed by | Michael Arias |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Anthony Weintraub |
| Music by | Plaid |
| Studio | Studio 4°C |
| Licensed by | Sony Pictures[6] |
| Released | December 22, 2006 |
| Runtime | 110 minutes |
 Anime and manga portal | |
Tekkonkinkreet (Japanese:鉄コン筋クリート,Hepburn:Tekkonkinkurīto),[a] also known asBlack & White, is a Japanesemanga series written and illustrated byTaiyō Matsumoto, originally serialized from 1993 to 1994 inShogakukan'sseinen manga magazineBig Comic Spirits. The story takes place in the fictional city of Takaramachi (Treasure Town) and centers on a pair of orphaned street kids – the tough, canny Black and the childish, innocent White, together known as the Cats – as they deal withyakuza attempting to take over Treasure Town.
A pilot film directed byKōji Morimoto was released in January 1999. A feature-lengthanime film directed byMichael Arias and animated byStudio 4°C premiered in Japan in December 2006.
The story follows two orphans, Black (クロ,Kuro) and White (シロ,Shiro), who dominate the streets of Takaramachi, a once-prosperous metropolis now reduced to a violent slum controlled by warring gangs. Black is a ruthless street fighter who views the city as his territory, while White exhibits childlike innocence and often retreats into fantasy. Despite their differences, they form an inseparable bond, calling themselves "the Cats".
Their lives change when Black assaults threeyakuza enforcers working for Snake (蛇,Hebi), a corporate leader planning to demolish Takaramachi and replace it with a theme park. After multiple failed assassination attempts, Snake deploys three enhanced killers—Dragon, Butterfly, and Tiger—to eliminate them. White kills Dragon in self-defense but is severely wounded by Butterfly. Authorities take White into protective custody, leaving Black alone and vulnerable to his growing violent impulses.
A parallel narrative follows Kimura (木村), an ordinary man drawn into yakuza conflicts. Forced to murder his mentor Suzuki (鈴木) on Snake's orders, Kimura rebels and kills Snake before attempting to escape with his pregnant wife. He is assassinated before leaving the city.
Without White, Black descends into madness, developing a destructive alter ego called the "minotaur". When White returns, he finds Black hallucinating at a fair, clutching a doll he believes is his friend. After the doll is destroyed in another attack, Black nearly succumbs to his violent persona before overcoming it and reuniting with White. The story ends with them playing together on a beach, their bond restored.
Written and illustrated byTaiyō Matsumoto,Tekkonkinkreet was serialized inShogakukan'sseinen manga magazineBig Comic Spirits from the July 5, 1993,[8] to the March 21, 1994, issues.[9] Shogakukan collected its chapters in threewide-ban volumes, released from February 7, 1994,[10] to May 30, 1994.[11] Shogakukan republished the series in a single volume on December 15, 2006.[12]
In North America, the series was renamedBlack & White, and start publishing in the first issue ofViz Media'sPulp in December 1997, along withStrain,Dance till Tomorrow andBanana Fish. The manga completed two-thirds of its run in the magazine, and in September 1999, it was replaced byBakune Young.[13] Viz Media published the three volumes from March 8, 1999, to November 30, 2000.[14][15] In 2007, Viz Media released the series into a single volume, with the titleTekkonkinkreet: Black & White, on September 25, 2007.[16] A "30th Anniversary Edition" volume was released on November 28, 2023.[17]
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 7, 1994[10] | 4-09-184731-5 | March 8, 1999[14] | 1-56931-322-9 |
| 2 | April 4, 1994[18] | 4-09-184732-3 | January 5, 2000[19] | 1-56931-432-2 |
| 3 | May 30, 1994[11] | 4-09-184733-1 | November 30, 2000[15] | 1-56931-490-X |
A CG-animated pilot film was released in 1999.[20] The film was directed byKōji Morimoto and had character models designed by Naoko Sugita. Hiroaki Takeuchi was the producer, Lee Fulton was the animation supervisor, and the 2006 feature-length film's director,Michael Arias, served as CG director. The entire 4-minute short was completed with a staff of 12 people.[21]
A feature-lengthanime film adaptation, directed byMichael Arias and animated byStudio 4°C, premiered in Japan on December 23, 2006.[22][23][24] The city featured inTekkonkinkreet was deemed as "the central character of the film" and the city's design was inspired by the cityscapes ofTokyo, Japan;Hong Kong;Shanghai,China; andColombo,Sri Lanka to give a pan-Asian feel to the city.[25] The Englishelectronic music duoPlaid composed the music.[26]Asian Kung-Fu Generation performed the theme song for the film "Aru Machi no Gunjō".[27]
The film featured the following cast:
| Character | Japanese Cast | English Cast** |
|---|---|---|
| Black/The Minotaur | Kazunari Ninomiya | Scott Menville |
| White | Yū Aoi | Elliot Fletcher |
| Kimura | Yūsuke Iseya | Rick Gomez |
| Sawada | Kankurō Kudō | Tom Kenny |
| Suzuki aka Rat | Min Tanaka | David Lodge |
| Gramps | Rokurō Naya | |
| Fujimura | Tomomichi Nishimura | Maurice LaMarche |
| The Boss | Mugihito | John DiMaggio |
| Choco | Nao Ōmori | Alex Fernandez |
| Vanilla | Yoshinori Okada | Quinton Flynn |
| Gamers | Morisanchuu | |
| Dawn | Yukiko Tamaki | Yuri Lowenthal |
| Dusk | Mayumi Yamaguchi | Phil LaMarr |
| Akutso* | Harumi Asoi | |
| Yasuda* | Atsushi Imaizuma | |
| Ocohima* | Bryan Burton-Lewis | |
| Snake | Masahiro Motoki | Dwight Schultz |
| Kimura's Wife* | Marina Inoue | Kate Higgins |
| The Doctor* | Osamu Kobayashi | Steven Jay Blum |
| The Three Assassins (Dragon, Butterfly and Tiger) | Crispin Freeman Dave Wittenberg Matt McKenzie |
A stage play adaptation, starringNogizaka46's former member Yumi Wakatsuki as Black andMito Natsume as White, ran at the Galaxy Theatre inTokyo from November 18–25, 2019.[28][29]
Tekkonkinkreet has been generally well received by critics, particularly for its distinctive artwork and narrative. Jason Henderson ofMania.com observed that the manga blended Japanese storytelling with European visual aesthetics, creating a unique fusion in its third volume.[30] Matthew J. Brady ofManga Life awarded the series an "A" grade, praising its unconventional art style, which he compared to Western artistsBrandon Graham,Corey Lewis, andBryan Lee O'Malley. He also highlighted the believable dynamic between the protagonists despite their exaggerated abilities.[31]
Shaenon K. Garrity described the manga as visually stunning, with a kinetic, graffiti-influenced style that complemented its energetic storytelling. She emphasized the emotional depth of the central characters' relationship, calling it the heart of the narrative.[32] Scott Campbell ofActive Anime praised its thematic ambiguity and visual hybridity, blending grunge andcyberpunk aesthetics while exploring humanity's relationship with urban environments.[33] Sandra Scholes, also writing forActive Anime, called it a "one off masterpiece", lauding its rough yet expressive art and its balance of grit and humor.[34]
Joseph Luster ofOtaku USA highlighted the emotional core of the story—the bond between the protagonists Black and White—and noted that while Matsumoto's art might polarize readers, its distinctiveness was captivating.[35] Deb Aoki ofAbout.com rated it 4.5/5 stars, acknowledging its chaotic yet imaginative cityscapes while emphasizing its poignant exploration of innocence and corruption.[3]
Kai-Ming Cha ofPublishers Weekly, rankedTekkon Kinkreet: Black and White first on the "Top 10 Manga for 2007".[1]
The film holds a 76% rating onreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes based on 21 reviews, and an average score of 65 onMetacritic based on 9 critics.[36][37]
Chris Beveridge, writing inMania, declared: "While it may not be what anime fans have come to expect for a traditional film, the end result is something that while predictable is surprisingly engaging."[38] Chris Johnston ofNewtype USA wrote: "Regardless of how much you watch this one, though, this is a film that no serious anime fan should miss".[39]
The manga won the 2008Eisner Award for "Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan".[40]
Tekkonkinkreet won the "Best Film Award" at the 2006Mainichi Film Awards.[41] It was also named Barbara London's top film of 2006 in the annual "Best of" roundup by the New YorkMuseum of Modern Art'sArtforum magazine.[42] In 2008, it received "Best Original Story" and "Best Art Direction" from theTokyo International Anime Fair.[43]It won the 2008Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year.[44]
He sculpted his images from the Tokyo neighborhoods he knows and loves but also borrowed from cityscapes in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Colombo, Sri Lanka, to give his metropolis a pan-Asian feel.
