Kino's Journey: the Beautiful World (キノの旅 -the Beautiful World- Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World-), shortened to Kino's Journey, is a Japanese light novel series, authored by Keiichi Sigsawa and first published in March 2000, which has been adapted into an anime series that premiered between 8 April 2003 and 8 July 2003.

In Kino's Journey, the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking motorrad, a Brough Superior motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. Kino only spends 3 days and 2 nights in every town, without exception, on the principle that three days is enough time to learn almost everything important about a place, while leaving time to explore new lands. Kino does say in The Land of Visible Pain this principle is probably a lie, specifically noting "if I stay any longer, I'm afraid I will settle down."

A phrase repeated in the anime and novels is "The world is not beautiful, therefore it is." Kino's Journey explores what the anime director Ryutaro Nakamura described as "a radical sense of 'beauty," and brutality, loneliness, nonsense, oppression and tragedy are often juxtaposed against compassion and a fairy-tale atmosphere.

For protection and hunting, Kino carries a .44 single action revolver (called "the Cannon", based on Colt M1851) that uses liquid explosive in place of gunpowder and a .22 automatic pistol (named "the Woodsman", based on Colt Woodsman). Later in Kino's adventures in the novels, Kino also uses a semi-automatic sniper rifle (called "the Flute", based on Arisaka type 99) along with a variety of other tools including knives. Kino is an unusually quick draw and practices every day before dawn.

Technology in this world exists, sometimes to the level of science fiction, although anachronisms are common (for example, the same land that has talking robots also appears to have phonographs, yet simultaneously the world hasn't developed heavier-than-air flight). The level of technology also varies from country to country. The world is not heavily magical (the only "magical" elements include land that moves, a talking motorrad, and a possibly talking dog), although it has a certain fairy-tale quality.

Kino no Tabi was adapted into an anime series, produced by Studio Wombat and GENCO, which premiered on the WOWOW satellite television network on 8 April 2003. It spanned a total of 13 episodes, along with a 12-minute long prologue, "Episode 0: The Tower Country -Freelance-," and a 30 minute long movie, "Kino's Journey: Life Goes On."

The anime series has been broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network, Animax, who have also aired the series across its worldwide networks in Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and other regions, and the WOWOW satellite network. The 13-episode anime series has been licensed for North American distribution by ADV Films; however the prologue and the movie have not been licensed for official North American distribution.

In September 2006, there was an announcement that a new Kino film was set to premiere at Dengekibunko's Movie Festival in April 2007. The film adapts a story from volume 5 of the Kino no Tabi light novel series. [2] The film is entitled Kino no Tabi: Country of Illness -For You- (キノの旅：病気の国 -For You-). It debuted in Japanese theaters April 21st 2007.

- From Wikipedia