History Literature / TheEmpireOfCorpses

''Shisha no Teikoku'' or ''The Empire of Corpses'' is one of the last novels written by Japanese author ''Creator/ProjectITOH'', and published posthumously. The book was co-authored with his friend ''Toh Enjoe'' and won 2013 Seiun Award, and has a film adaptation that hit theaters in Japan on October 2, 2015.

''Shisha no Teikoku'' or ''The Empire of Corpses'' is one of the last novels written by Japanese author ''Project ITOH'', and published posthumously. The book was co-authored with his friend ''Toh Enjoe'' and won 2013 Seiun Award, and has a film adaptation that hit theaters in Japan on October 2, 2015. This is one of his three final books (Alongside ''Literature/{{Harmony}}'' and ''Literature/GenocidalOrgan'') that received animated film adaptations, each film produced by a different studio[[note]]Wit Studio was in charge of this production, while Creator/Studio4C animated ''Literature/{{Harmony}}''. Creator/{{Manglobe}} was producing ''Literature/GenocidalOrgan'', but after it filed for bankruptcy in late 2015, it was [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell subsequently picked up]] by Geno Studio, who completed the film by the end of 2016.[[/note]], with a theme song performed by [[Music/{{Supercell}} EGOIST]], character designs by Redjuice of ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'' fame, and boasting a different director.

''Shisha no Teikoku'' or ''The Empire of Corpses'' is one of the last novels written by Japanese author ''Project ITOH'', and published posthumously. The book was co-authored with his friend ''Toh Enjoe'' and won 2013 Seiun Award, and has a film adaptation that hit theaters in Japan on October 2, 2015. This is one of his three final books (Alongside ''Literature/{{Harmony}}'' and ''Genocidal Organ'') that received animated film adaptations, each film produced by a different studio[[note]]Wit Studio was in charge of this production, while Creator/Studio4C animated ''Literature/{{Harmony}}''. Creator/{{Manglobe}} was producing ''Genocidal Organ'', but after it filed for bankruptcy in late 2015, it was [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell subsequently picked up]] by Geno Studio, who completed the film by the end of 2016.[[/note]], with a theme song performed by [[Music/{{Supercell}} EGOIST]], character designs by Redjuice of ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'' fame, and boasting a different director.

* FantasticRacism: A variant. The film's prologue establishes that people were against reanimation science at first and viewed it as blasphemous. However, it's difficult to be racist against a non-sentient, barely living creature, and the technology ultimately became mainstream due to pressure from war widows; the use of reanimated corpses as CannonFodder in wars was advocated by those who had lost husbands in battle, and embraced by commanders who found obedient non-sentient soldiers superior to living ones.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: [[spoiler:Halady]] is an fully-functioning ''mechanical android'' that is much more capable of emotions than a Frankenstein. [[spoiler:Yet she seeks Victor's Note out to be capable of feeling true range of human emotions, happy and sorrow.]]

* GainaxEnding: [[spoiler:In order to bring back Friday's soul, Watson has Friday perform a procedure - on both of them - mechanically similar to how Watson resurrected Friday, but with effects similar to the First's endeavors. It succeeds in giving Corpse!Friday the missing Twenty-One Grams needed to become human again, as Friday narrates the ending credits, belating that he cannot share what he has experienced with Watson. However, Watson is seen aiding Franchise/SherlockHolmes, so the effect it had on him is unclear. Burnaby is seen conversing with Hadaly - now going by the name of Sherlock FemmeFatale "Irene Adler" - about how whatever happened to Watson hasn't really changed him; he's still InHarmsWay, except now he's the following someone on adventures instead of dragging others on them]].

* HeroicSacrifice: At least, this is what [[spoiler:Alesha and Nikolai]] believed they're doing: [[spoiler:using themselves to demonstrate how knowledge in Victor's Note can forcibly turn the living into Frankenstein, in order to encourages Watson into destroy the Notes.]]
* {{Irony}}: Watson isn't the one taking notes. He leaves that to the rare, more intelligent Frankenstein he designed, Friday.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: They're manmade, seemingly cannot make others like them through biting, and can range anywhere from violent and unintelligent to nigh-fully functioning people in terms of intelligence. However, more intelligent Frankensteins are extremely rare and difficult to make. Zombies can also be repurposed into bombs and display more traditional zombie behavior before exploding.
* MythologyGag: Tons involving the {{Public Domain Character}}s

** Friday name is likely from the cannibal companion of Crusoe in the novel Literature/RobinsonCrusoe.

* AnachronismStew: The slit in Hadaly's dress would have been considered indecent exposure during the time period in which the film takes place. Also, zombies.

''The Empire of Corpses'' is the only Project ITOH book being adapted into a film that [[NoExportForYou has yet to receive an official western release]], but it along with the other Project ITOH movies have been licensed for an English release by Creator/{{Funimation}} who gave it a [[http://www.funimationfilms.com/movie/project-itoh-empire-of-corpses/ a limited theatrical release on April 19 & 20, 2016.]]

''Shisha no Teikoku'' or ''The Empire of Corpses'' is one of the last novels written by Japanese author ''Project ITOH'', and published posthumously. The book was co-authored with his friend ''Toh Enjoe'' and won 2013 Seiun Award, and has a film adaptation that hit theaters in Japan on October 2, 2015. This is one of his three final books (Alongside ''Literature/{{Harmony}}'' and ''Genocidal Organ'') due to receive animated film adaptations, each film being produced by a different studio[[note]]Wit Studio is in charge of this production, while Creator/Studio4C animates ''Literature/{{Harmony}}''. Creator/{{Manglobe}} was supposed to produce ''Genocidal Organ'', but after it filed for bankruptcy in late 2015, it was [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell subsequently picked up]] by Geno Studio, with the intention of completing the film by the end of 2016.[[/note]], with a theme song performed by [[Music/{{Supercell}} EGOIST]], character designs by Redjuice of ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'' fame, and boasting a different director.

* Sidelined Protagonist Crossover:

** Friday name is likely from the cannibal companion of Crusoe in the novel Robinson Crusoe.