The Sacred Blacksmith
, is a Japanese light novel series by Isao Miura, with illustrations by Luna. All 16 volumes have been published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J label. A manga adaptation by Kōtarō Yamada started serialization in the seinen manga magazine "Monthly Comic Alive" on March 27, 2009. The first "tankōbon" was published June 23, 2009. A 12 episode anime adaptation by Manglobe studios aired from October 3, 2009 to December 19, 2009. Plot. Forty-four years ago, a great war known as the Valbanill War ravaged the land. One of the war's most dangerous weapons  was the Demon Contract, where humans sacrifice their bodies to become powerful demons. Realizing the damage the contracts have caused the land, the surviving nations made peace and banned the use of the Demon contracts. Cecily Campbell is a 3rd generation Knight from Housman, one of the cities of the Independent Trade Cities, a democratic federation of cities. As her grandfather was one of the founders of the Independent Trade Cities, she is proud of her heritage and wishes to protect her city as a knight, like her father and grandfather before her. One day, she fights a mad veteran  of the war causing trouble in the market, and, inexperienced and outmatched, faces defeat. But she is saved by a mysterious blacksmith named Luke Ainsworth. Cecily is impressed by Luke's katana, a weapon she has never seen before, and asks him to make one for her. Her involvement with Luke will bring her to an adventure she never expected. Media. Manga. The manga was announced simultaneously with the anime adaptation, on the wraparound jacket of the fourth light novel volume. Artist Kōtarō Yamada launched the series in Media Factory's "Monthly Comic Alive" magazine on March 27, 2009. The  ninth volume announced in February 2015 that the series would end in its tenth volume, and the last chapter was published in the magazine's March issue on January 27, 2016. Tokyopop announced their license to the series in November 2010, with the first volume scheduled for June 7, 2011. However, the publisher shut down on May 31, 2011, with all of its titles reverting to their original owners. The series was licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment in October 2012. Anime. An anime adaptation was announced on the wraparound jacket for the fourth light novel volume. The series was directed  by Masamitsu Hidaka and written by Masashi Suzuki, with animation by the studio Manglobe. The series character designs were provided by Jun Nakai. The opening theme is "Justice of Light" by Mayumi Gojo while the ending theme is by Aki Toyosaki. The series aired from October 3, 2009 to December 19, 2009. The series was licensed by Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom, and Funimation in North America. Funimation later announced that it would release the series uncut on DVD after streaming the edited version online. The series was one of the first  of Funimations's relaunched collector's edition line of series, receiving a limited edition containing an art booklet. It was broadcast on the Funimation Channel starting on August 8, 2011. Reception. The light novels have sold over 780,000 copies. Chris Schmitt wrote ""Sacred Blacksmith" has a very odd take on the fantasy genre, mixing moe character designs similar to "K-On!" with some deep, and sometimes dark, fantasy elements." Theron Martin of Anime News Network gave the anime series a B concluding, "Although The Sacred Blacksmith stumbles in places and fails to fully develop its setting or carry through on  the plot threads it establishes, it nonetheless achieves an occasional and undeniable level of sincerity in its characters' convictions and interactions and at least partly delivers on its potential. It may be far from the elite fantasy titles out there, but even within its genre you could certainly do far worse for a pleasing diversion."