Prisoner / Paperplane

"Prisoner / Paperplane" (囚人紙飛行機) is originally a Len original song (Prisoner) and an answer song (Paperplane) first uploaded on 2008/2009 period. It later became notable enough to receive a background series, a novel series, and also a manga adaptation by Akamura Aki.

Though the song, novel, and manga may have different plots and also additional characters (in it's background series on the Prisoner Series, the girl's father is present) it all revolves on two "lovers" a prisoner, and a sick person in which both of them died in their own respective point of views.

Background
The song was first uploaded on November 2008 (collab PV ver.). The "original" Prisoner video was taken down from Nico Nico Douga. Various illustrators such as Nazekorewo-P, Nazyo, Carl, and even more participated on the collab PV. It was a hit and reached over 400,000 views. A year after the song was uploaded, more "background" was added to the storyline of Prisoner; for the "answer" song sung by Rin, Paper Plane was uploaded. Like Prisoner; it too was a collab PV and was a hit.

To explain more on Prisoner and Paper Plane's background, three more songs were added and is considered as an individual series named "Prisoner Series". It has no relation whatsoever with the novels, (the kingdoms are not mentioned there) however it has several connections to the "songs" (such as Rin's father siding with the enemies)

Novel Adaptation
On April 25th, Shuujin-P posted on his blog that a novel adaptation of Prisoner / Paper Plane will be published by PHP books on May 29th 2012. It's title is 囚人紙飛行機 ―少年パラドックス― (Prisoner, Paperplane ~Boy Paradox~) or 囚人と紙飛行機 (Prisoner and Paperplane Boy Paradox). The staff is:
 * Author: Shuujin-P
 * Character design: Madoromi
 * Pin up: Osamu, Manbou no Ane
 * Illustration: Suzumi, Neko no Mimiko, Madoromi, Zain

It's currently known that the book will have a "soft cover" version and is available for purchase from Amazon for 1,200 yen. On May 24th, the official site was launched, revealing five characters derived from Megurine Luka, Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, Meiko, and Kaito, (with VY2's winning entry design "Roro" by Manbou no Ane as a side character).

Originally in the series, it's never been introduced who the hero and the heroine's names were (As said in the song Prisoner; last line). In the novel however, their names were not revealed in the novel adaptation. Len is known by the name "Number 420", and Rin "the girl on the other side of the wall".

One week after the novel was published on May 29th; it was announced on Vocalonovel's twitter that the novel Prisoner, Paperplane ~Boy Paradox~ have sold very well and is going through a reprint in production. The novel sold relatively well; the other two novels released not too long with each other, Toraboruta-P's "Kokoro Novel" and Halyosy's "Sakura no Ame Novel" did not sell as fast as the Prisoner Novel (Kokoro novel took an entire month for a sold out; Prisoner Novel only took a week).

On June 10th 2012; a crossfade of the album can be seen on both Nico Nico Douga and YouTube, featuring a Prisoner / Paperplane arrangement and also a PV by the illustration cast.

On September 14th, the same day where Shuujin-P announced the manga adaptation, he also confirmed the Girl's point of view of Prisoner / Paperplane, will be published on November 2012. Later on more info was added announcing the title and release date. The Girl's version title is "囚人と紙飛行機　少女アポリア" (Shuujin to Kami Hikouki Shoujo Aporia / Prisoner and Paperplane Girl Aporia) and is to be released on November 19th 2012 along with Buriru-P's novel "Himitsu Keisatsu".

A few days after @vocalonovel tweeted that there was a mistake regarding the news and the real published date will be November 17th 2012. They also tweeted regarding the illustrator of Shoujo Aporia, and it's said that it will be Zain; the cover illustrator to Shounen Paradox.

The staff is:
 * Author: Shuujin-P
 * Character design: Madoromi
 * Illustration: Kyata, Putidevil, Suzumi, Denki, Tama, Madoromi, Zain, Deino

Number 420
Number 420 (420 番; 420 ban) is the main character of the novel. His real name is not revealed in the novel, even until his death, everyone addresses him as Number 420, with an exception for the girl over the fence. (The girl and Number 420 addresses each other as "To you on the other side of the fence") and Meika (she addresses Number 420 as Anonymous / Unknown). The story is told from his point of view (the novel written in first person) and Number 420 narrates his life there, up until he was executed in the end of the novel.

In the novel he's a rather polite and innocent boy. He's somewhat a curious person who always wonders and is also rather negative (though it's to be expected for he's a prisoner). On the epilogue (his execution time / death) it was revealed that he was fifteen years old.

As for his physical appearance, Number 420 is shown to have blonde hair and emerald eyes, and he's based from the Vocaloid "Kagamine Len" and in the song, voiced by said Vocaloid.

The Girl Over the Fence
The Girl Over the Fence (柵の向こうの少女 ; Saku no mukou no shoujo) is protagonist's love interest in the novel. She made her first appearance by the end of Chapter 1 where Number 420 instantly fell in love with. Not much is known about the girl over the fence, many of the things Number 420 and the girl talk about are rather trivial and they rarely talk about themselves. Like Number 420, her name was not revealed in the novel and he had always addresses her as "to you over the fence" or "that girl". In a matter of role and appearances, Meika or even non-Vocaloid characters such as Shazna and Rythme makes more appearances compared to the girl.

Although Number 420 often talks about her, details on the girl are very vague. More information should be available on the girl's version of the novel "Prisoner / Paperplane Girl's Aporia" due on November 2012. After four months on sending paper airplanes with Number 420 she bid her farewell and vaguely stopped seeing him.

As for her physical appearance, the girl over the fence is shown to have blonde hair and sapphire eyes, who is also described on wearing a pendant. She's based from the Vocaloid "Kagamine Rin" and in the song, voiced by said Vocaloid.

Kaimural Flag

 * Kaimuraru Furagu; カイムラル　フラグ
 * He is based from "Kaito"
 * It's unsure whether he has connections with Kaimu on the Prisoner Series.
 * He is Miluka's possible love interest.

Miluka Keyside

 * Miruka Kiisaido ; ミルカ　キーサイド
 * She is based from "Megurine Luka"
 * She is Kaimural's possible love interest.

Meika Farous
Meika Farous (メイカ　ファロウス ; Meika Farousu) is one of the main supporting characters in the novel. She, along with Kaimural and Number 420 were one of the first characters to be introduced in the novel. Meika Farous made her first appearance on the first chapter of the novel, and met Number 420 (whom she addresses as Anonymous / Unknown) on his first day on prison (April 21st), on his way to work. She's also a prisoner, and her prison number name is 144. Even so, Number 420 still addresses her as "Meika".

Although Number 420 doubted Meika at first, after she started a rather small conversation, he realized Meika was a kind person. She gave him bread, which was enough evidence for Number 420 to say she isn't a bad person and that he shouldn't have doubted her. She's shown to be somewhat outgoing and friendly from the conversation.

As for her physical appearance, as shown from the book's illustrations, Meika has a short brunette hair with green eyes. Meika wears a short black dress over a dusty old lab coat and black shoes. On the official site's description, it's said that her position is "inmate" (in prison).

Lolo Rorelight
Lolo Rorelight ( ロロ　ローレライと; Roro Rooreraito) is one of the prisoners in the novel's prison. He's introduced in Chapter 2 as a side character, he has no large role whatsoever and only appeared once in the scene where he had a conversation with number 420.

He's in the same cell with Shizna (non-Vocaloid character) who had troubles with Number 420 before as mentioned in Chapter 1. His mini profile on the novel described Lolo as an "ikemen" (a term meaning "very handsome man" / hot guy); with the prisoner number "003".

As for his physical appearance, it's also described to be a pinked semi-longed hair man, however in the promotional video of the novel, he's also shown to have yellow eyes (much like the original "Roro").

"Lolo" is based from Manbou no Ane's "VY2" design "Roro" on the Vocafes event.

Chapter 1
"April 21st, the day where I'll surely die."

The story starts on April 21st, with him narrating the story. He was prisoner number 420; and briefly talked about the existence of "happy ends" negatively thinking about the world. Number 420 (his real name is not yet revealed nor will it ever be, for everyone addresses him as number 420) was then led to his cell by Kaimural (Kaito) where he found a blanket and walls of ceramic. Two new (non-vocaloid) characters were introduced, Rythm Garcha and Shazna Ivory; with whom tried to hurt number 420 to the point where he's shown to cry.

He met Meika afterwards; Number 420 was about to go to "work" (as a Prisoner there, he was supposed to "work") they chatted for a little bit, and Number 420 wondered (since his previous encounter didn't go so well) whether Meika was a good person or a bad person. They chatted for a while, and the conversation eventually led to food. Meika asked whether he was hungry and wanted food; Number 420 said yes, and with that, Meika gave him bread. Number 420 concluded the fact (thanks to the little chat, and when she gave him bread to eat) that Meika was someone she could trust, and she wasn't a bad person, she was a good person.

By the end of the day, it was horrible. He cursed himself saying he'll surely die on his first day in prison as number 420, until he met a girl on the other side of the fence.

Manga Adaptation
On September 14th 2012; Shuujin-P announced that his novel "Prisoner, Paperplane ~Shounen Paradox~" will have a manga adaptation. The manga'll be drawn by artist "Akamura Aki". And, it's first edition will be released on October 15th by Next magazine.

In his Nico Live he also added some "sneak peeks", or "manga versions" of the characters (can be seen in the gallery). It is said that all the main characters, and also the minor characters Shizna, Rhythm, and Lolo Rorelight, are confirmed to be characters in the manga. Shuujin-P also commented on his live broadcast that the manga will have a bit of humour.

囚人 / Shuujin (Prisoner)
Sung by Kagamine Len

Music and lyrics by Shuujin-P

Illustration by various illustrators


 * Nico broadcast
 * Youtube broadcast (with subtitles)

A boy (Len) was one of the many prisoners and he encountered a beautiful girl (Rin) who appeared on the other side of the barbed-wire fence one day. He was fascinated by her so he decided to write her a letter one day, folding it into a paper plane and sending it over the fence, hoping the she would answer.

His prayers being granted, his letter was given a reply. On a daily basis, they would meet for a brief moment and fly a paper plane across the wall. He found joy in his life just by getting letters from her--though he never conveyed his feelings for her.



One day, the mysterious girl told him she would head off somewhere far and bade farewell to him. (Though there is an explanation as to why she did go away, it was not interpreted until the reply to the song 紙飛行機 / Kami Hikouki (Paper Plane) comes).

As she went away, he kept all her letters and treasured them dearly until one of the Generals and his henchmen decided to torment the young man by making fun of his attachment to the letters. They went as far as to tear the letters which triggered his anger and punched the General.

The men decided to put him in the room, which seems to be a gas chamber, to die. In the room, he begins to struggle to get out with the thought of seeing the girl once more and asking her name. It is not made clear in the video whether he died or not, but Paper Plane does indeed confirm his fate.

紙飛行機 / Kami Hikouki (Paper Plane)
Sung by Kagamine Rin/Len

Music and lyrics by Shuujin-P

Illustrated by various illustrators


 * Nico Broadcast
 * Youtube Broadcast

This song is the reply to Len's Prisoner but in Rin's point of view--the girl (Rin) whom a boy (Len) had fallen for. In the video, she was the daughter of one of the Generals' in-charge with the prison compound where Len was in. She went to meet him, and flied him a paper plane--the letter--even though she suffered from a terrible illness which was never clarified in the story.

She eventually fell for him but as soon as she did, her father found out about her affair and forbid her to go out of the hospital and meet the boy. As time went by, Rin got weaker and weaker that her ears got hard of hearing and moving her legs proved to be very difficult for her.



She then decided to bid farewell to the young man properly so he would not have to ponder of what happened to her. She made an excuse that she would be going somewhere far away, but as soon as she was about to leave, he told her that he would wait for her and that he would treasure each and every letter she gave him.

As the story went on, it was shown that her father was the one who put the young man in even more agony by ripping the letters from her. He was also the one who gave the order to execute him.

The girl on the other hand, is already paralyzed from the illness that she couldn't even grasp one of his letters. However, seeing how devoted she has become to the young man, her father picked up the letter and placed it in her hand as a final act of kindness to his dying daughter. She was smiling when she died.

In "heaven" she is in front of the barbed-wire wall, the very same way she stood when she first met the young man. It is then shown that on the other side, he is there, and then, the wall disappears. With that, they find true happiness by being with each other in their own world.

Gallery

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