Legendz

Legendz
Cover art from volume 1 of the English release of the manga Legendz
レジェンズ (Rejenzu)
Genre	Fantasy, Action Adventure, Science Fiction
Manga
Written by	Rin Hirai
Illustrated by	Makoto Haruno
Published by	Shueisha
English publisher	NA Viz Media
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Monthly Shōnen Jump
Original run	2003 – 2005
Volumes	4
Anime television series
Legendz: Yomigaeru Ryūō Densetsu
Directed by	Akitaro Daichi
Studio	Studio Gallop
Original network	Fuji TV, Animax
Original run	April 4, 2004 – March 27, 2005
Episodes	50

Legendz (レジェンズ, Rejenzu^?) is a Media Franchise series created by Bandai and WiZ in 2003. The franchise began with a manga created by Rin Hirai and illustrated by Makoto Haruno, first serialized in Shueisha's Monthly Shōnen Jump in Japan, and the manga is published in English by Viz Media in 2005. The manga had to be cut short due to the complete shutdown of Monthly Shōnen Jump. The anime, Legendz: Yomigaeru Ryūō Densetsu (レジェンズ 甦る竜王伝説, Rejenzu Yomigaeru Ryūō Densetsu^?, Legendz: Tale of the Dragon Kings) is animated by Studio Gallop, directed by Akitaro Daichi, and aired on Fuji TV from April 4, 2004 to March 27, 2005. A pilot for an English dub of the series was produced for Hasbro, but hasn't yet been picked up.

The Legendz anime moves away from the Pokémon-esque "gotta catch em all" theme and monster training aspects and deals more with the overall background of the monster characters and their story. The Legendz anime opens with the discovery of the "Soul Dolls" which contain legendary creatures of incredible power within them. The Dark Wiz company (DWC) wants access to all of them for unknown reasons, but four of the Soul Dolls go missing. The majority of the anime takes place in Brooklyn, New York City, with the Brooklyn Bridge as a much-featured landmark.