# Juni Taisen: Zodiac War (十二大戦)
**Juni Taisen: Zodiac War** (十二大戦) is a battle royale story in which, every twelve years, twelve warriors bearing the names of the twelve animals of the [Chinese zodiac](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinese-zodiac) fight to the death, and the sole survivor has a single wish of any kind granted.[1](https://www.shueisha.co.jp/books/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703432008383000000) • [2](https://www.viz.com/read/novel/juni-taisen-zodiac-war/product/5301) Its characters predate the novel, and the original was followed by a sequel, *Juni Taisen vs. Juni Taisen* (十二大戦対十二大戦), by NisiOisin and Nakamura on December 12, 2017.[4](https://books.shueisha.co.jp/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703440008525000000) In the twelfth Zodiac War, the battle is confined to an abandoned city and all participants are forced to ingest a deadly poison.[7](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-manga-volume-1/product/5673) A television anime began broadcasting on October 3, 2017, and Akira Akatsuki adapted the novel as a manga, serialized on Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ from September 23, 2017 to May 12, 2018 and collected in four tankobon volumes.[5](https://www.cy.netgamebm.com/animation/view/5389/) • [3](https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/13932016480029242424)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premise | Every 12 years, twelve warriors named for the zodiac fight to the death; the sole survivor is granted one wish, any wish[1](https://www.shueisha.co.jp/books/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703432008383000000) |
| Manga adaptation | By Akira Akatsuki (character design by Nakamura); Shonen Jump+, September 23, 2017 to May 12, 2018; 4 volumes, 29 chapters[3](https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/13932016480029242424) |
| Sequel novel | *Juni Taisen vs. Juni Taisen* (十二大戦対十二大戦), December 12, 2017; the zodiac warriors face twelve "war criminals" named for the constellations[4](https://books.shueisha.co.jp/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703440008525000000) |
| English release | Viz Media edition of the novel, October 10, 2017, ISBN 978-1-4215-9750-8, 256 pages[2](https://www.viz.com/read/novel/juni-taisen-zodiac-war/product/5301) |
| Anime music | Opening theme "Rapture" by Panorama Panama Town; ending theme "Keshin no Kemono" by Do As Infinity[5](https://www.cy.netgamebm.com/animation/view/5389/) |
## Origin
The characters predate the novel.
## The story
The twelfth Zodiac War gathers twelve warriors, one for each sign: Rat (子), Ox (丑), Tiger (寅), Rabbit (卯), [Dragon](https://www.edgepedia.org/dragon-zodiac) (辰), [Snake](https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-zodiac) (巳), Horse (午), Sheep (未), Monkey (申), [Rooster](https://www.edgepedia.org/rooster-zodiac) (酉), Dog (戌), and Boar (亥)[6](https://12taisen.com/introduction/). Each stakes life and soul on the fight, and the winner receives the fulfillment of one wish[1](https://www.shueisha.co.jp/books/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703432008383000000). In this, the twelfth tournament, the battle is confined to an abandoned city and all participants are forced to ingest a deadly poison, rule changes that appear in the manga retelling of the fight[7](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-manga-volume-1/product/5673).
In the anime's telling, the story closes on the Rat warrior Nezumi, an ordinary high school student whose skill, "Nezumi-san (Hundred Click)", has carried him through the war. As he learns what wishes brought the other eleven to the battlefield, he must give a single answer of his own to the figure Dodecathlon when it appears again[8](https://12taisen.com/story/detail.php?id=1000313).
## Anime adaptation
A television anime was announced in March 2017 and began broadcasting on October 3, 2017[5](https://www.cy.netgamebm.com/animation/view/5389/). Murai's screenwriting credits include *Perfect Blue*, *Millennium Actress*, and *Kino's Journey*[9](https://www.crunchyroll.com/id/news/features/2017/11/14/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-book-review-and-comparison). Broadcasting ran on AT-X from October 3 (with rebroadcasts later in the week), MBS from October 3, [Tokyo MX](https://www.edgepedia.org/tokyo-mx) from October 5, and BS11 from October 5[10](https://12taisen.com/onair/).
A Blu-ray BOX was released in late 2018, marked by an all-night screening event of all twelve episodes on December 1, 2018 with cast members in attendance[11](https://www.12taisen.com/).
## Manga adaptation
Akira Akatsuki adapted the novel as a manga with character design by Nakamura, serialized on Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ platform from September 23, 2017 to May 12, 2018 and collected in four tankobon volumes[3](https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/13932016480029242424). [Viz Media](https://www.edgepedia.org/viz-media) publishes the manga in English as *Juni Taisen: Zodiac War* in four volumes; volume 1 was released October 2, 2018, and volume 4 closes the series[7](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-manga-volume-1/product/5673) • [12](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-manga/all).
## Sequel
A sequel novel, *Juni Taisen vs. Juni Taisen* (十二大戦対十二大戦), followed on December 12, 2017, again by NisiOisin and Nakamura[4](https://books.shueisha.co.jp/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703440008525000000). It keeps the same cast and basic setting but adds a team battle: the twelfth tournament is targeted by twelve war criminals named for the twelve constellations of the zodiac, and warriors and criminals fight each other[4](https://books.shueisha.co.jp/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703440008525000000).
## English editions
Viz Media licensed the novel and released it in English on October 10, 2017, two weeks into the anime's broadcast[2](https://www.viz.com/read/novel/juni-taisen-zodiac-war/product/5301) • [9](https://www.crunchyroll.com/id/news/features/2017/11/14/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-book-review-and-comparison). The Viz edition is a 256-page hardcover priced at $18.99[2](https://www.viz.com/read/novel/juni-taisen-zodiac-war/product/5301).
## References
1. [十二大戦／西尾維新／中村光, Shueisha](https://www.shueisha.co.jp/books/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703432008383000000)
2. [Juni Taisen: Zodiac War, VIZ Media](https://www.viz.com/read/novel/juni-taisen-zodiac-war/product/5301)
3. [十二大戦 - 西尾維新/中村光/暁月あきら, 少年ジャンプ＋](https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/13932016480029242424)
4. [十二大戦対十二大戦／西尾維新／中村光, Shueisha](https://books.shueisha.co.jp/items/contents.html?jdcn=08703440008525000000)
5. [十二大戦 - コノミー](https://www.cy.netgamebm.com/animation/view/5389/)
6. [概要｜TVアニメ「十二大戦」公式サイト](https://12taisen.com/introduction/)
7. [Juni Taisen: Zodiac War (manga), Vol. 1, VIZ Media](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-manga-volume-1/product/5673)
8. [物語｜TVアニメ「十二大戦」公式サイト](https://12taisen.com/story/detail.php?id=1000313)
9. ["Juni Taisen: Zodiac War" Book Review and Comparison, Crunchyroll News](https://www.crunchyroll.com/id/news/features/2017/11/14/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-book-review-and-comparison)
10. [放送情報｜TVアニメ「十二大戦」公式サイト](https://12taisen.com/onair/)
11. [TVアニメ「十二大戦」公式サイト](https://www.12taisen.com/)
12. [Juni Taisen: Zodiac War (manga) products, VIZ Media](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/juni-taisen-zodiac-war-manga/all)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Literature and written works › Creative written works and worlds › Graphic, illustrated, and Asian-format fiction › Light novels and web novels › Light novel series and individual titles › Science fiction and action light novels*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license