The Garden of Sinners, known in Japan as sometimes referred to as , is a Japanese light novel series, written by Kinoko Nasu and illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi. Originally released as a series of chapters released independently online or at Comiket between October 1998 and August 1999, the chapters were later republished by Kodansha into two volumes in 2004, and again in three volumes between 2007 and 2008. Ufotable produced a series of seven anime films based on the series between 2007 and 2009 and also produced an original video animation episode in 2011. A final anime film was produced and released in 2013. A manga adaptation illustrated by Sphere Tenku started serialization in September 2010 in Seikaisha's online magazine Saizensen. Plot Story and Settings Set in Japan predominantly during the late 1990s, The Garden of Sinners follows the story of , a teenage girl raised as a demon hunter who acquired the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception" after surviving a fatal accident. It also chronicles Mikiya Kokutou's unwavering efforts to get closer to her when they were still high school students and their adventures later on in dealing with supernatural cases as investigators for Touko Aozaki's detective agency, Garan no Dou. This is set in an alternate universe to Tsukihime and Fate/stay night; in which it serves as the prototype for both series as well as introducing many of the concepts prevalent within the latter two. In particular the main protagonist, Shiki Ryougi, possesses similar abilities as Tsukihimes protagonist, Shiki Tohno. Aoko Aozaki's sister, Touko Aozaki, is also featured and briefly mentioned in Tsukihime. As one of Kinoko Nasu's earliest works, it introduces some of the most fundamental concepts in the universe of Type-Moon's works, including souls, the Akashic Record/Root, Counter Force, Magic, Magecraft, and Mystic Eyes. Both the light novel and the films are depicted in anachronical order with each chapter/film serving as part of one collective narrative. Themes The series deals with the paranormal and tackles mature topics such as suicide, rape, patricide, incest and murder. Its lore and story draws inspiration from various religious philosophies and psychological concepts such as multiple personalities; the Anima and animus; the nature of sin; life, death and reincarnation; and the Paradoxical nature of the Taiji. Main characters is a teenaged girl, who possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception". is Shiki's love interest and later husband who, two years previously,