The Sengan-en and Shoko Shuseikan Museum located in Kagoshima City, Japan has announced a unique and once in a lifetime event that ties together the original artwork found in Kouta Hirano‘s DRIFTERS historical fiction action manga with a comprehensive tour of the home and grounds that once belonged to the lords of the feudal Shimadzu clan featured in the story.
The Drifters Original Artwork Online Tour is a collaboration between the museum, the Sengan-en grounds and DRIFTERS publisher Shonen Gahosha that will blend a virtual art exhibition with a virtual tour of the home of the Shimadzu clan.
A guided tour of the house lived in by the lords of the Shimadzu clan and explanation of their history will tie the fictional manga into real Japanese history and more than sixty pieces of hand-drawn original artwork from series creator Kouta Hirano (Hellsing, DRIFTERS) will be on display. The tour will be guided by Sengan-en curator and subculture enthusiast Iwakawa Takuo and Shimadzu history expert Alex Bradshaw. The armor used by Toyohisa Shimadzu at the Battle of Sekigahara is in the collection of the Shoko Shuseikan Museum and an authentically produced replica will also form part of the exhibition.
In addition, a demonstration of Taisha-ryu and Jigen-ryu, two styles of swordsmanship practiced by the Shimadzu clan will be held at the start of the event, marking the first time in 416 years that Taisha-ryu and Jigen-ryu will be demonstrated together. Sengan-en is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the home and gardens of the Shimadzu clan, located in Kagoshima City, Kyushu, Japan. It is still owned and operated by the historic family. The DRIFTERS manga is currently published in English by Dark Horse Comics.
The event will be held this Sunday, September 20th from 5:00-6:30PM JST (1:00-2:30AM PDT) via Zoom, with admission being charged at ¥3,500 per attendee. For more information and to register, visit the official site for the exhibition. This exhibition is exactly my speed, and I’m sure there are a fair few DRIFTERS fans that feel the same.
SOURCES: Sengan-en Official Site (English), Event Press Release
