For me, the best way to guess how good a coming anime will be, is by looking at its staff: the director and writers and animation director and sound director, and so on. People who have made good shows before tend to make good shows again.I sometimes start watching a show for its voice actors, but I can't keep watching unless the staff builds a good show around them. Even genre or story outline or character design do not predict as well as staff.The following previews give highlights of staff and cast for 30 upcoming summer shows, as well as story outlines, pictures, and links to preview videos, where available.Here are the shows, in the order of their first broadcasts. Times are given in Japanese TV listing style: "26:00 Thursday" means Friday morning at 2 a.m. Titles in red are shows I myself find particularly interesting:Ikkitousen - Great Guardians.一騎当千 Great Guardians.A new series of ecchi Ikkitousen. If you don’t like seeing pantsu and breasts, don't watch this one. The story revolves around three schools that fight each other and is loosely based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.A great cast includes Asano Masumi, Kaida Yuko, Horie Yui, Nabatame Hitomi, Inoue Kikuko, and Hino Satoshi.This show has basically the same staff as the first series, but with a new writer, Akaboshi Masanao (Sadamitsu the Destroyer; Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry).Broadcasts have already started. anim: Arms. subs: Arthemis, Chihiro, Nightshade-yesy. forum. preview. 09:30 wed11jun.Telepathy Girl Ranテレパシー少女 蘭.What draws me to this show is Katou Emiri (Kagami in Lucky Star, Sakuya in Candy Boy, Blair in Soul Eater) in her first real starring role. Alongside Seki Tomokazu, no less, and supported by Ueda Kana. Maybe that seiyuu award actually meant something. At least it may have got Emirin more good roles."Telepathy Shoujo Ran is a story of personal growth and friendship. Isozaki Ran is an energetic junior high school student who happens to have ESP but doesn't realize it until she meets Naha Midori. Strange events start happening after she learns of her new powers, so she decides to investigate them together with Midori and her childhood friend Ayase Roi." (from Toua, on AnimeSuki) From a series of children's novels.The director is so unknown that I can’t even find the pronunciation of his name. 大宙征基 could be Takahiro Seiki or Hiromichi Seiki. He appears to be a storyboard specialist, having storyboarded episodes of Legend of the Galactic Heroes and Pani Poni Dash. But this appears to be his first directing job. anim: Tom's Entertainment. subs: Nocturnal/DFC. 18:25 sat21jun.Ultraviolet: Code 044ウルトラヴァイオレットコード044Paku Romi stars in a series directed by famous old-time director Dezaki Osamu, who directed Ashita no Joe, Ace wo Nerae, Rose of Versailles, the AIR and Clannad movies, a number of Lupin III shows and the great yuri melodrama Oniisama-e.The main character '044' is a female warrior who is genetically engineered with high combat skills and ordered by the government to annihilate a vampire army. (from anidb)With production from Sony Pictures, I expect high production values. And I expect Paku Romi to be in her element, aided by Tomokazu Seki and Koyama Rikiya. Madhouse. 12eps. subs: Moetaku? Ureshii? forum. preview. 22:00 tue01jul.Slayers RevolutionスレイヤーズREVOLUTIONThe fourth series in the Slayers franchise, which began in the early 1990s.The big deal here for me is the return of Hayashibara Megumi in the starring role of Lina Inverse, the same starring role she has played in all the other Slayers shows. And as usual, she also sings the OP and ED. Ishida Akira and Midorikawa Hikaru also return, and Kobayashi Yumiko joins the cast.Director Watanabe Takeshi is now even better known for the Shakugan no Shana series than for Slayers. anim: JC Staff. 26?eps. subs: Mishicorp, Toki. forum. preview (OP). 25:20 wed02jul.Mahō Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora魔法遣いに大切なこと ���夏のソラ���One of my picks to click this summer, a new series of the delightful Someday's Dreamers. The story follows a new young mage in training, in a Tokyo where magic is an official public service.The new anime comes with a new director, a new studio, and a new cast, but the same writer: Yamada Norie, who wrote the original manga and anime. That gives me comfort, and the rest of the staff and cast make me optimistic, too.Someday's Dreamers was from JC Staff, this new anime is from Hal Film Maker. It is directed by Kobayashi Osamu, who did BECK and Paradise Kiss, two very good shows, but very different in tone from the original Someday's Dreamers.The new anime stars the wonderful Hanazawa Kana (Sora in Sketchbook), who is in the running for moe-est voice in anime. With her is Maeno Tomoaki, who is very good as Doujou in Library Wars. Inoue Marina, Koyama Rikiya, Namikawa Daisuke, and Takahashi Mikako are also on board. Music by Hakata Takefumi (Someday's Dreamers, Vampire Knight). anim: HAL Film Maker. subs: White Light, Mellow? Formula? forum. preview. 26:40 wed02jul.Strike WitchesストライクウィッチーズI sure hope this show is okay, since it has an outstanding cast: starring the so-far somewhat ordinary Fukuen Misato, but extremely well supported by Chiba Saeko, Nazuka Kaori, Sawashiro Miyuki, Tanaka Rie, Saitou Chiwa, Koshimizu Ami, and Kadowaki Maii. Whew, what a list.On the surface, it looks like a rerun of the 2006 OVA and of Sky Girls: girls flying light mecha in battle. But the staff is completely different, except for the character designer, and this show is by Gonzo rather than JC Staff. I liked Sky Girls, but my hopes for this show are not high.Director Takamura Kazuhiro is new, but did character design and animation for Mahoromatic and This Ugly Yet Beautiful World. Writer Tamai Tsuyoshi did Inukami. Humiane Shimada is the original creator and did character design for both this and Sky Girls. anim: Gonzo. subs: Live-eviL, Moetaku? forum. preview (2006 OVA). thu03jul.Antique Bakery西洋骨董洋菓子店 ���アンティーク���Keiichirou quits his job on a whim and starts a traditional Western-style patisserie. His father hires an expert patissier who turns out to be a gay acquaintance of Keiichirou's from high school.Director Okumura Yoshiaki has nothing more to recommend him than Bakkyuu HIT! Crash Bedaman, but writer Takahashi Natsuko did the adaptations of Moyashimon and Blue Drop.Miyano Mamoru, Miki Shinichirou, and Fujiwara Keiji make a great main cast.The story is from a novel, was a successful TV drama in 2001, and has been made into a film in Korea this year. It's the Noitamina show this season. anim: Nippon Animation, Shirogumi. 12?eps. subs: Yoroshiku. 24:45 thu03jul.Hidamari Sketch x 365ひだまりスケッチ×365Season two of the excellent slice-of-life art-school comedy from Shinbou Akiyuki and Shaft.Kugimiya Rie, Fukuen Misato, and Sawashiro Miyuki are added to the cast, which already included Asumi Kana, Mizuhashi Kaori, Gotou Yuuko, Shintani Ryouko, and Matsuki Miyu. anim: Shaft. subs: SpoonSubs. forum. 25:25 thu03jul.Birdy the Mighty - Decode鉄腕バーディー　DECODEA new take on gender-bending, as a hapless shounen is accidentally killed but survives by becoming merged with a glamorous interplanetary agent. Remake of the 1996 OVA.Chiba Saeko proves there is seiyuu work after marriage with the starring role of Birdy the agent. And we get to hear Itou Kanae in her first role since helping make Shugo Chara a hit. Irino Miyu and Fujiwara Keiji round out an attractive main cast.Directed by Akane Kazuki, director of Noein and Escaflowne. Written by Ohnogi Hiroshi, who did Noein and Aquarion. Music by Kanno Yuugo, who did Toshokan Sensou and Hataraki Man. Top sound director Aketagawa Jin (Ichigo Mashimaro, KimiKiss, Genshiken) rounds out a solid staff.I have high hopes for this one. anim: A-1 Pictures (Ookiku Furikabutte, Persona). 13eps. subs: Orange-Side, Infinite-Zero, Moetaku? forum. preview. 25:00 fri04julRyoko's Case File薬師寺涼子の怪奇事件簿Another promising show. Based on a series of light novels written by Tanaka Yoshiki and illustrated by Kakinouchi Narumi. The story revolves around Ryouko Yakushiji, brilliant and madly energetic multilingual investigator with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Ryoko not only has to deal with supernatural beings, but also with her rival Yukiko, another talented and beautiful police investigator. (from anidb)Director Iwasaki Tarou is new, but he has done episodes and storyboards for shows like Fullmetal Alchemist, Ookiku Furikabutte, and Ghost Hound. Writer Kawasaki Hiroyuki is an old hand who wrote The Irresponsible Captain Tylor and Sakura Wars. The original novel is by Tanaka Yoshigi, who wrote Legend of the Galactic Heroes. We have some interesting names writing this show.The cast is also interesting, with Nabatame Hitomi in the lead role, backed up by Kuwashima Houko, Fukuen Misato, Kiuchi Hidenobu, and Nojima Kenji.Japanese title: Yakushiji Ryouko no Kaiki Jikenbo. anim: Dogakobo. 13eps. subs: Hitode-AnimeSS, Infinite-Zero? forum. preview. 24:30 sat05jul.SekireiセキレイPromising fanservice anime (this is not an oxymoron) about a loser on whom one day a busty miko drops from the sky. She moves in with him, in the midst of constant fighting with other similarly well-endowed creatures, all of whom are "sekirei" fighters.Extremely attractive cast stars brilliant 17-year-old Hayami Saori, along with other outstanding young voices such as Inoue Marina, Hanazawa Kana, and Endou Aya. Directed by Kusukawa Keizou, who directed Inukami and the two most recent Nanoha series. Anime adaptation by Yoshioka Takao (DearS, Elfen Lied, Yoshinaga's Gargoyle, Sky Girls).I'll be watching this for Hayamin, who sounds t0 me in the preview as if she has taken another step forward. She and her fellow seiyuu -- all of whom are good singers -- do the OP and ED. Sound director Aketagawa Jin (Genshiken, Ichigo Mashimaro, Honey & Clover, etc.) will make sure we get the best from the cast. anim: Seven Arcs (Nanoha series, Inukami). subs: Moetaku? Tsundere Built My Hotrod. forum. preview. 25:35 sat05jul.Zero no Tsukaima - Princess Rondoゼロの使い魔 ���三美姫の輪舞���ZnT never did much for me, but it did enough for a lot of people that it is now getting its third season.Kou Yuu, who directed the second series, is back again. This time, Hasegawa Nahoko, who adapted Hidamari Sketch, is the lead writer.And we have a similar cast back, featuring Kugimiya Rie and Hino Satoshi as the leads, with Horie Yui as everyone's favorite maid, Siesta. Noto Mamiko joins the main cast, too, as Tiffania Westwood. anim: J.C. Staff. 13eps. subs: Toki. forum. 24:30 sun06jul.Neo Angelique Abyss: Second Ageネオ アンジェリーク Abyss -Second Age-The best Angelique series ever gets an immediate second season. The infusion of new production blood, especially from the staff of Corda D'Oro, gave this series a new lease on life.Endou Aya helped, too, continuing a remarkable year that has also given her starring roles in the new Mai-Otome Sifr OVA and in Macross Frontier. And she will be ably supported here by a bevy of top male seiyuu, likely continuing to include Takahashi Hiroki, Ohkawa Toru, Nakamura Yuuichi, Ono Daisuke, et al. anim: Yumeta. subs: Strawberry-Mint. 26:00 sun06jul.Natsume Yuujin Chou夏目友人帳Natsume Takashi keeps secret his ability to see spirits. However, once he inherits a strange book that belonged to his deceased grandmother, he discovers the reason why spirits surround him: a binding contract was formed between the spirits and the owner of the book. Now Natsume is determined to free the spirits and dissolve the contracts. With the help of a spirit cat, his days are filled trying to return the names to these spirits. The show is apparently based on good research into folk mythology.This is one of the most attractive shows of the summer: the director of Koi Kaze, Jigoku Shoujo, and Baccano; the writer of Ai Yori Aoshi, Jigoku Shoujo, and Zetsubou Sensei.The cast of actors includes Kamiya Hiroshi in the lead, with Kobayashi Sanae, Sawashiro Miyuki, Fujimura Ayumi, and Itou Miki. Inoue Kazuhiko (Gorou in Moonlight Mile) is the cat. anim: Brains Base. subs: Nocturnal/Black Lotus, ainex?. forum. preview. 25:00 mon07julMission-EMission-EA sequel to the charming but awkward and forgettable Code-E. Five years after Code-E, Chinami is in an organization aiming to integrate people with her powers into society.Director Kato Toshiyuki did Full Moon wo Sagashite, as well as Code-E.Voices include Hashimoto Mai, Nazuka Kaori, Mizuno Risa, Momoi Halko, and Kamiya Hiroshi. anim: Studio Deen. subs: Subbers Anonymous. forum. preview. 25:05 mon07julWorld Destruction: Sekai Bokumetsu no Rokuninワールド・デストラクション ���世界撲滅の六人���I've gone off Production IG. Their shows tend to be beautiful but boring. But this show is still one of the most intriguing of the season. A great cast stars Sakamoto Maaya and Miyano Mamoru, with Ono Daisuke and Kobayashi Yu in supporting roles.Director Tada Shunsuke did Prince of Tennis National Tournament and Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations. Writer Yokotani Masahiro did Reideen.Based on a DS RPG by SEGA. The game centers on a youth who secretly possesses the power to destroy the world. He is forced to join a party that aims not to save the world, but to eradicate it and start anew.On a desert planet, a fateful meeting between a good-hearted wandering boy and a positive, determined girl. Then they and a "hard-boiled" mini-bear alien set off to destroy the world, for its own good. anim: Production IG. 13eps. subs: Orange-Side, Nocturnal, Yoroshiku, Toki. forum. preview. 25:30 mon07jul.Koihime†Musou恋姫†無双Get ready for an all-moe retelling of the Romance of the three Kingdoms. It gives me pause that it is written by Go Zappa (Chokotto Sister, Myself;Yourself). And that the chief animator and character designer is Oshima Miwa (Cosmopolitan Prayers, Love Love). But it is directed by Nakanishi Nobuaki (Kasimasi, Sumomo mo Momo mo)The seiyuu are neither young nor well-known, but are experienced game seiyuu. This worked for ef, perhaps it will work here.Not very promising, but anything based on the Three Kingdoms is worth a look. anim: Dogakobou (Myself;Yourself). 12eps. subs: Serin, DFC, Hitode? forum. 26:00 thu08jul.Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu乃木坂春香の秘密Yuko discovers that school princess, Nogizaka Haruka, is actually an otaku. He keeps her secret and they become friends. Based on a series of light novels.Wonderful cast stars Noto Mamiko, with Satou Rina, Shimizu Kaori, Ueda Kana, Matsuki Miyu, Nabatame Hitomi, and Takagi Reiko.Should be funny…and ecchi. Director Nawa Munenori did Otome wa Boku ni Koi wo Shiteru. The writer who adapted the novels (Tsuyoshi Tamai) did the same for Inukami. anim: Studio Barcelona (Kodomo no Jikan). subs: Moetaku. forum. 26:00 thu10julBlade of the Immortal無限の住人"To end his eternal suffering, he must slay one thousand foes!" Manji, a ronin warrior of feudal Japan, has been cursed with immortality. To rid himself of this curse and end his life of misery, he must slay one thousand evil men. His quest begins when a young girl seeks his help in taking revenge on her parents' killers…. Based on a seinen manga by Samura Hiroaki, serialised in Afternoon." (anidb)Bee Train and Mashimo Kouichi (.hack shows, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle) are back with a high-concept samurai show from what appears to be a very strong (and bloody) manga.Seki Tomokazu and Satou Rina will be great as the leads, ably supported by such names as Konishi Katsuyuki, Noto Mamiko, Toyoguchi Megumi, Miki Shinichirou, and Sakamoto Maaya. anim: Bee Train. subs: Live-eviL. forum. preview. 24:00 sun13julMahou Sensei Negima! ~Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba~魔法先生ネギま������白き翼 ALA ALBA���Three episodes of summer holidays with Negi and the girls. Directed by the man himself, Shinbou Akiyuki. But this time, for the first time, the lead writer for the anime is Akamatsu Ken, the original mangaka. So I look forward to seeing what differences in tone and story might appear this time.The same cast return, including Satou Rina as Negi and all the rest, but with the addition of Ono Daisuke and Inoue Marina.I'm not perfectly certain of the date this will appear. MoonPhase says July 17, but the official site says ep1 will be 12aug, ep2 17nov, and ep3 17feb of next year. anim: Shaft. OVA, 1of3eps. forum. preview (via Moetron). thu17jul.School Rumble Sangakkiスクールランブル三学期Hirano Aya joins the established cast, which already includes Horie Yui, Noto Mamiko, Koshimizu Ami, and Takahashi Hiroki, among others. Since Ami and Aya are two of my favorite seiyuu, I look forard to hearing them together.Director Takamatsu Shinji has already demonstrated that he is more than a one-hit wonder, with Gintama and Ginban Kaleidoscope.anim: Studio Comet. OVA, 1of2eps. Second ep 17sept. forum. thu17jul.Ponyo on a Cliff崖の上のポニョThis time Miyazaki will tell a story drawn freely in watercolors and pastels about a 5 year old boy Sosuke and the princess goldfish Ponyo who wants to become human.... An extra interesting thing is that the Goro Miyazaki (Hayao's son) of when he was 5 years old has been chosen as the model for the main character Sosuke. This is interesting because in the summer of 2007 Goro Miyazaki made his director’s debut with Studio Ghibli’s Gedo Senki and Miyazaki senior was very critical of it. (from Ghibliworld via anidb)My favorite Ghibli, Whispers of the Heart, was not directed by Hayao Miyazaki. And the old man's most recent work, Howl, was just okay for me. So I'm not as excited about this movie as some people are. anim: Ghibli. movie. forum. sat19jul.Akiba-chanアキバちゃんCG/stop motion animation. Slice of life show following five otaku girls who live in the "Maison de Akiba" apartments. Shimizu Ai, Ishizuka Sayori (Sango in ToHeart2), Fujita Saki (whose voice samples are the basis of Hatsune Miku's voice), and Yuzuki Ryouka. Five ten-minute episodes. anim: Buildup Entertainment. 10x5min eps. preview. 24:00 thu24jul.Amuri in Star Ocean星の海のアムリWeird but enjoyable 3DCG science fiction involving genetically altered lolis in space and lots of beautiful explosions and effects.With Makino Yui, Saitou Momoko and Aizawa Michiru (Furoe in Simoun) in the lead roles, supported by Mamiko Noto, Kaneda Tomoko, and Hirano Aya (after ep1).anim: Studio Hibari. OVA, 2of3eps. ep3 26sept. forum. preview. fri25jul.Lupin III: Sweet Lost Night ~Mahō no Lamp wa Akumu no Yokan~ルパン三世 sweet lost night���魔法のランプは悪夢の予感���Few details are available so far about this new Lupin special. anim: Tokyo Movie. TV special. subs: Froth-Bite. fri25jul.The Sky Crawlersスカイ・クロラLove story with a military science fiction background. Director Oshii Mamoru did the Ghost in the Shell movies.He uses film actors as his stars: Kikuchi Rinko was nominated for an Oscar for her work in Babel. Kase Ryou was Mayama in the Honey & Clover movie.Music by Kenji Kawai (Windy Tales, Death Note, Higurashi). Animation/chara-des by Nishio Tetsuya. Written by dorama writer Itou Chihiro (e.g., Sekai no Chushin de, Ai wo Sakebu).Oshii is a friend and competitor of Miyazaki and did GITS: Innocence. anim: Production IG. movie. forum. preview. sat02aug.Naruto Shippuuden: Kizuna劇場版NARUTO-ナルト- 疾風伝 絆The next Naruto movie. "A mysterious group of ninjas makes a surprise attack on the Konohagakure, which takes great damage. The nightmare of another Shinobi World War could become a reality. Sasuke, who was still a missing nin from Konoha trying to kill his brother, Itachi, appears for the second time in front of Naruto at an unknown location to prevent it from happening." (ANN)Director Kamegaki Hajime did Fushigi Yuugi, Ayashi no Ceres, and Air Gear. Writer Takegami Junki did Gunslinger Girl and Hayate no Gotoku. anim: Pierrot. movie. sat02aug.Detroit Metal Cityデトロイト・メタル・シティSouichi Negishi is a shy young man who comes from the country to Tokyo for college, wanting to become a kindergarten teacher. However, for some reason he becomes the singer and songwriter of a metal band named 'Detroit Metal City.' When he puts on the heavy makeup, Negishi becomes a completely different person, shouting profanities. As the popularity of DMC increases, Negishi starts worrying that his double personality could have negative effects on his (romantic) life off stage. (from ANN)This one is flying a bit under the radar, but it comes from Studio 4°C, and the director did Mushishi, so there is some quality behind it. Character design and animation by Shimamura Hidekazu (Honey & Clover). anim: Studio 4°C. OVA. preview. fri08augKaitou Tenshi Twin Angel快盗天使ツインエンジェルThe twins live an exciting but normal school life, then after school, they become the Thieving Angels.Stars Tamura Yukari and Noto Mamiko.DirectorNagai Tatsuyuki did Honey & Clover II and Idolmaster Xenoglossia. Writer Kurata Hideyuki did Now and Then, Here and There. Animation director Koga Makoto did ARIA and sola.anim: Nomad. OVA. 1of2eps. ep2of2 in sept. fri08augLucky Star OVAらき☆すた OVALucky Star is back for a one-shot OVA. Interesting to see what happens now that fired original director Yamamoto Yutaka is long gone and this is entirely Takemoto Yasuhiro's baby.The seiyuu cast is having a great year, with awards for Hirano Aya (best lead female) and Katou Emiri (best new female seiyuu), and good new roles for both them (Chiko and Kaoru for Aaya; Sakuya and Blair for Emirin) and Endou Aya (Angelique, Sheryl).The release date for this was recently changed from the end of August to the end of September. Speculation is rife that it had to do with changing the plot to remove scenes of violence in Akihabara, after the recent knife incident. Or that the script is late. But this kind of date shift is common, and it may be due to some commercial consideration or other.anim: Kyoto Animation. OVA. 1of1eps. forum. fri26sept.NOTES:-- "forum" is the AnimeSuki forum for each show-- English titles link to the Anime News Network encyclopedia page, when there is one-- Japanese titles link to the Japanese official site.-- "subs" means sub groups who plan to sub particular shows, based mainly on the current Who Subs What wiki that many sub groups post to before a season starts.-- other information is from ANN, AnimeSuki, anidb, Moonphase, and official sites.
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Okay, we're three episodes into the spring anime season and I have to declare myself. At least I have to stop watching some shows so anime doesn't take all my time.My favorites? Nijuumensou no Musume, Kurenai, and Macross Frontier. None of these are reaching the level of True Tears, Ef, or Blue Drop for me, but they have a chance.I find myself especially eager to see each episode of Nijuumensou no Musume, and not just for Hirano Aya at her best. The pacing is perfect so far, never so fast that it loses emotional sense, nor so slow that I start looking at the slider. All the characters seem to have something inside them: they are people, not just images of people.I like the way secrets are revealed gradually, but without making a fetish of them. There is always something more to be revealed. And quick moments tell a lot, such as the The animation here is actually stellar, although at first it looks quite plain. Chiko's movements in episode 4 when she is cleaning the floor and a window are really something, as is the way her body sways as she gets up onto the seawall carrying a heavy basket. A poster on 2channel said that it looks like a rerun of an old show, and it does. But someone else pointed out that it uses modern techniques to give it this retro feel. Retro plus.The two groups subbing this in English give it two different names: Live-Evil calls it The Daughter of Twenty-Faces, which is a translation of the Japanese title. Sudo calls it Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief, as Anime News Network does.Kurenai captivated me from the start. A seven-year-old girl who has been a virtual prisoner in her aristocratic family's home is rescued by her minder and hidden in the apartment of a young bodyguard called Kurenai, who has a killing blade implanted in his arm. The bold tsundere character of the little girl and the walk-on-eggs caution of her new roommate continue to make for a fascinating relationship.Once again, the direction and the portrayal of character and relationship are what make this show tick. And the voice-acting is continually excellent, especially that of Sawashiro Miyuki as the 16-year-old bodyguard and that of former child actress Yuuki Aoi -- who is actually 16 -- as the little girl.The show is directed by the director of Red Garden, and appears to use the same unusual technique of recording the voices before finalizing the animation. This allows for some very natural conversations, with voices running parallel or interrupting each other. Great effect.I had never seen any Macross show, and I went into Macross Frontier thinking it would be mainly mecha. Instead of that, I get some interesting characters and even romantic relationships, as well as space battles and friendly and unfriendly aliens.I am a total sucker for the shoujo staple of the apparently incompetent girl who will show her strengths as we go on. And newcomer Nakajima Megumi as Ranka's VA intensifies the effect. Endou Aya (Miyuki in Lucky Star, Angie in Neo-Angelique) is suddenly blossoming this year and makes the big singing star Sheryl into another fascinating character.You can add Nakamura Yuuichi's Alto to the list of good performances in this show. Alto was trained to play women's roles in kabuki, and is still called "Princess" by his friends. But his ambition is to be a fighter pilot, defending the Macross space colony. So we get complexities of romance, relationship, and gender. And a huge colony-city in space, making its way from Earth toward the centre of the galaxy.I am also enjoying Vampire Knight, which is a top-notch vampire show, in the league of Tsukihime and Tsukuyomi, and maybe even approaching Hitsuji no Uta, but with a shoujo tinge. It's wonderful to hear Horie Yui playing the young girl protagonist. But equally good to hear Miyano Mamoru as her (unrelated) elder brother and Kishio Daisuke as the aristocratic vampire who once saved her from another vampire.The animation here is not as detailed as in the first three shows, but it is very stylish. And I find the angst of the story quite persuasive. Hocchan's Yuki is strong, good, daring, and an attractive personality all round. Mamo-chan's Zero is a young vampire hunter with a secret.Kyouran Kazoku Nikki is my surprise hit. Its combination of madcap humor and sweet relationships is entrancing. And there is some great character-creating voice-acting by Fujimura Ayumi and Hirohashi Ryou, among others.My guilty pleasure is Kanokon, which may be the most outrageously sexual fanservice show I have ever seen. Even people who like fanservice are saying it goes too far. And Kawasumi Ayako shows yet another side of her multifaceted talent. The other main fanservice show of the seaon, ToLoveRu, doesn't interest me as much, but the wonderful Yahagi Sayuri is at her best as the hero's real love-interest, Haruna.I expected Neo-Angelique Abyss to be another guilty pleasure, but it is in fact more than that. The new staff (largely from Corda D'Oro) that is producing this iteration of Angelique is giving it better animation, better dialogue, and a plot that is working so far, despite the monsters. Endou Aya is making this her big season, with another sharp performance as the sweet girl who is the strongest mage around, and ends every battle emitting powerful light that flushes away the monsters. And the character design is terrific, including Angie's outfits and zettai ryouiki, and her bevy of real bishounen. Like Vampire Knight, this show gets its bishounen fanservice right, perhaps because the main staff people in both cases are women.Many people would consider any Da Capo show to be a guilty pleasure, but I don't. This second season of Da Capo 2 is starting off much better than season one, with romantic complexity and glimpses into the feelings of the participants. And Yoshiyuki's denseness has not yet gotten out of hand. Add Takagaki Ayahi (Noe in True Tears) as Otome, and you really have something.Real Drive is yet another Production IG/Shirow Masamune tale that I can't help enjoying even when I don't understand what is going on. Production IG's surrender to the commercial usefulness of fanservice has produced some interesting panty shots of the unusually plump heroine. Great animation and character design, as usual.Naisho no Tsubomi has captured my attention, too. It is based on a health education manga for girls, but has been made into an enjoyable slice-of-life anime. The first episode showed the travails of our young heroine as she had her first period, completely unaware of what was going on. The relationships with friends and family are beautiful, and so is the voice-acting, especially by Nazuka Kaori and Koshimizu Ami as the two main girls. Even if this show weren't such good slice-of-life, I might be watching it just for the beauty of those two voices.Allison and Lillia started well, but has become less interesting for me as it goes on. It is seeming too far-fetched and rushes through things that should take longer. We'll see how ep5 shapes up. The character and relationship of the protagonists are what count.Library Wars seemed to have some of the relationship goodness of Planetes at first, and may still, but ep3 was a bit meh for me -- except for the cliffhanger ending.My enjoyment of Itazura na Kiss waxes and wanes. Not a great show, but a great story -- which is the reason why it has come to anime after having already been a manga and two dramas. Maybe the fact that I saw one of the dramas makes this less interesting to me.Net Ghost PiPoPa is another surprise hit for me. It and the new season of Blue Dragon appear to be the most-watched new shows on Japanese TV. The clean look and good adventure story for young kids both remind me of Otogijushi Akazukin. Not something I'll watch every week, but enjoyable for what it is.There are lots of other good shows this spring. Almost everything is watchable. Soul Eater is visually wonderful, but the surface brilliance and humor aren't enough for me -- especially since monsters generally turn me off. I've never been a fan of Code Geass, despite its great cast. And Zettai Karen Children is just finding its feet. More of the emotion behind the characters and less of the stereotypical battles might please me.Wagaya no Oinari-sama has two good things going for it: the characters played by Yukana and Hayami Saori (Momoka in Touka Gettan). Yukana is the female aspect of the fox god who is brought in to protect the household. Hayamin is the clumsy but powerful young priestess who is there to help her and keep her under control. Hayamin, at 16, is growing fast as a seiyuu. Her singing of the ED is already top professional quality. But the story and writing are limping.Golgo 13 has real masculinity: a square-built sniper hero who shows zero emotion as he takes out the bad guys in a show whose dark colors and deliberate direction make it feel classic. Mnemosyne continues to combine atrocious violence with yuri in an over-rich but tasty soup. And Noto Mamiko and Kugimiya Rie sound great.Crystal Blaze, Himitsu: Top Secret, Monochrome, and Tower of Druaga all have strengths, too. Despite the fact I haven't had time to watch more than one episode, I suspect that Amatsuki could develop into something, as well. And Junjo Romantika is true yaoi, with strong fanservice and relationships. Kyou Kara Maou and Nabari no Ou just didn't do it for me after one episode, so I haven't had a chance to watch more.This season may not have the overwhelming excellence at the top that some other seasons had, but it is deeper in good shows than any season I can recall.
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So far, Kurenai is the only show that I think might equal my top shows of the past year (true tears, ef, Blue Drop, Hitohira, Lucky Star), but this is a very broad season, with many good shows, several of which could develop into something great. I covered 24 shows in a previous post. Here are ten more that have debuted since then.Nijuu-mensou no Musume -- Hirano Aya is at her best, acting and singing the ED in this promising retro anime telling the story of a girl who willingly joins a famous thief, in order to get away from the hell she is enduring with her step-parents. Full review.Real Drive -- Strong Production IG animation and a complex and interesting Shirow Masamune (Ghost in the Shell) plot make this a promising show. Directed by Furuhashi Kazuhiro (Chevalier D'Eon). The cast includes Fujiwara Keiji and Kawasumi Ayako. The character design features strikingly large-hipped women, and we see the same man at 25 and at 80. The look has great clarity and the plot doesn't.Toshokan Sensou -- More wonderful animation from Production IG in a promising story of a girl joining the para-military organization that defends freedom of publication from an opposing pro-censorship organization. The strong outlines used in some of the charcter dsign are fascinating. Echoes of Planetes in the relationship between the leads. Inoue Marina (Yoko in Gurren-Laggan) shows why she got 20 roles last year.Net Ghost Pipopa -- Kimura Shinichirou (Karin, Mahoraba) directs this surprisingly entertaining kids' show about a boy who fears the Internet and three "Net ghosts" who become his companions. Fine cast includes Satou Rina (Negi Springfield), Shiraishi Ryouko (Hayate), Arai Satomi (Kozue in Mahoraba), and Yahagi Sayuri (Karin). oHagi (Yahagi's nickname) is one of my favorites, and shows her stuff in ep1. What a voice.Golgo 13 -- Could have been made in 1985. Static animation well used to tell the story of a sniper hired to shoot a hijacker. Brutality, blood, and expressionless super-male faces -- but I enjoyed it.Junjo Romantika -- Want yaoi? You got it. The dominant male forces the brother of the man he loves to accept being mastur*ated. And that's in the first five minutes. Later, they both regret the brother's becoming engaged. Yes, there is a story in there somewhere. Directed by Kon Chiaki (Higurashi), with a great cast including Sakurai Takahiro, Canna Nobutoshi, Itou Kentarou, Kishio Daisuke, and others.Kyouran Kazoku Nikki -- Madly funny story of a guy who is dragooned into being the "dad" of a "family" made up of dangerous alien descendants who need to be socialized to humans in order to stop them destroying the world. Top cast includes Fujimura Ayumi, Kondou Takayuki, Hirohashi Ryou, Tomatsu Haruka, Hanazawa Kana, Satou Rina. Fujimura-san shows why she is becoming a favorite of directors. Hanazawa-san has one of the two or three most moe voices in anime (she and Sasaki Nozomi are at the top of my list).Kaiba -- Wonderful, surreal animation from Yuasa Masaaki and Madhouse. Here's a selection of words from posts on AnimeSuki: existentialist, Dali-esque, theatre of the absurd, stream of consciousness. The words all attracted me, but I ended up bored when I actually watched the show. Too much for me, but if your taste is good enough, you may be as thrilled as some other people are.Uchi no San Shimai -- Slipping in under the radar is this animated version of a popular blog on child-rearing, showing the amusing parental travails of a family with three girls under ten. I'll need a sub to really understand the dialogue, and I can't even find a Chinese sub yet. Simple animation, but cute and interesting.Himitsu - Top Secret -- A secret technology allows police to read the minds of murder victims and find the killer. With Seki Tomokazu, Namikawa Daisuke, and Nonaka Ai. This would be a show to watch, if there weren't so many other good shows already.
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Nijuu-mensou no Musume 二十面相の娘 -- also known as Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief -- debuted Saturday, starring Hirano Aya. I liked Nijuu-mensou enough that it is now one of my five early-season favorites: Kurenai, Macross Frontier, Vampire Knight, Allison & Lillia, and Nijuu-mensou no Musume. There's still nothing in the class of True Tears, Blue Drop, or ef, for me, but time will tell. Kurenai is the show I like most so far. (click images to enlarge)Nijuu-mensou has a retro feel. Director Tomizawa Nobuo directed a Lupin III movie, and it shows. But from the first episode, the story seems to me to have some depth. It is full of powerful myths: Robin Hood; Superman; Sherlock Holmes; Cinderella; the myth of the exiled princess; the myth of being in constant mortal danger; the myth of being so unhappy that you long to be anywhere but where you are...and then are rescued by your hero, in the sudden fulfilment of a fantasy. Since I think myths are the heart of anime's appeal, these strong myths are a big plus for me.The backgrounds and animation are good, if nothing special. Animation is by Telecom, with help from Bones. The show is slated for 22 episodes and is based on a manga that ran to eight volumes between 2002 and 2007. The adaptation is by Tsuchiya Rikei, who also did Major and KimiKiss (as well as Kirarin Revolution).Director Tomizawa did Futakoi 1 and Kanban Musume, and the sharp direction of the latter is very much in evidence here. The story is told very economically, completing three adventures and setting up the main characters in the first episode. Largely thanks to Hirano Aya's great emoting, we really get a feel of the main character, in moments of great travail.I'm a fan of Aya's, but even I found her other starring role this spring, Kaoru in Zettai Karen Children, a bit over the top, especially in episode one. In Nijuu-mensou, she returns to the emotion that I think is her greatest strength. I first took notice of her as Layla in NANA, where she almost made me weep every time she spoke. And then I noticed hints of this power in Suzumiya Haruhi, Manabi Straight, and even Sumomomo Momomo. She is not the most naturalistic actress, and some people can't get past what they see as overacting. But for me, she has an ability to communicate real emotion that few other seiyuu can approach.I particularly liked both the OP, by 369, and the ED, by Aya. From my point of view, Aya's singing is getting better and better. She gives the song energy and rhythm, conveys emotion, has good phrasing, and hits all the notes dead on, unlike many seiyuu/singers, including Aya herself in the past. The OP and ED are both on YouTube.Now, I appear to be the only blogger with much enthusiasm for this show, or for the ED, so your mileage may vary, but I was involved and entertained throughout.Summary The Thief With Twenty Faces robs the rich of their treasures. He warns them ahead of time, but still manages to succeed in every heist. He has promised to steal a rich man's golden casket, so the man fills his house with police. The Thief succeeds by infiltrating the guards and then having his zeppelin rip the top off the house, allowing him to escape -- and incidentally revealing an illegal treasure the man has hidden in his attic. Chizuko is a young girl who is fascinated with the Thief. She lives in a grand house. But she seems to be refusing to eat: she dumps her tea on the table and leaves her cakes untouched. Her parents appear to be baffled by her behavior. Back in her room, we see that Chizuko is clearly depressed and upset. She wants to be anywhere but where she is. At the next meal, her father grabs her violently and tries to force her to eat, but fails. After every meal, however, the butler comes in to give her something to eat, and she eats it. We finally learn that these are not Chizuko's real parents, but her father's brother and his wife. Her parents have died somehow. Her aunt and uncle and the butler come into her room to give her some soup, but she refuses even that, after tasting one spoonful. Finally, the butler drops his disguise and reveals himself as the Thief. He tells the aunt and uncle that the food they are offering is good only for pigs, so they should eat it themselves. He produces a bottle of aconite poison and says it is the aunt's "secret spice." The Thief asks Chizuko if she wants to go with him. She says she does, and runs to him, desperately. Hirano Aya's wild little gulp as she races for him is a magic moment. But once in his car, they have to outrace the police, which they do with the help of a couple of accomplices who join them in the car after blocking the police. One of the accomplices gives Chizuko the nickname Chiko. Then they are chased by a man/youkai called the Tiger, but at the last minute, as they are on a train track with a train bearing down on them, the Thief's zeppelin arives and they climb up a rope ladder to safety, as the train apparently demolishes the Tiger. The Thief observes to Chiko that the world looks small from up in the sky, and they are now off to another country.We have a good set-up, and now it seems that Chiko will develop into a star member of the Thief's gang. Whether the show fulfils its promise or not will depend on how well they develop the characters, especially Chiko, and how well the capers retain their freshness. The show could look like just a kids' detective show, or it could develop more of the psychological depth I saw glimmers of in episode one.By the way, I'm not planning to blog this show. I just wanted to express my feelings about the first episode.
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本当にごくろさまでした、ツバエル。 Tsubael, GG! Hashihime 1 2 3 | Okazu 1 2 3 | Random Curiosity | Omonomono | myucon
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I’m shocked I didn’t show either of these before. A blast from the fall season: You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video
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Sawashiro Miyuki 沢城みゆき has joined the Theatre Gekidango (Theatre劇団子) comedy troupe. The group performs live and creates video comedy sketches that are shown on TV.Miyukichi (her nickname) performed in their Harukanaru Yama de Yahoho 遥かなる山でヤッホッホ (I think that means something like "Off to the Distant Mountains, Yohoho!") last November.The show was also broadcast on Sky Perfect satellite TV for several days in January."Gekidango" is a play on words, involving gekidan ("theatre group") and dango (a kind of sweet dumpling). Viewers of Clannad will be familiar with the dango, which is featured in the ED.The group's irreverent comedy style reminds me a bit of Saturday Night Live, Second City, or even Monte Python. One of the group's members, 31-year-old Takahashi Kazumi, says her rebellious period hasn't ended yet -- and will never end. I think that's the group's style. You can see a sample of their work (without Miyukichi) on YouTube. That sample doesn't require much Japanese. Other samples require more.One of the group's recent podcasts is a welcome party for Miyukichi and another new member, Shiraishi Yuuka.Miyukichi is one of the top actors among current seiyuu. She got her first role as Petit Charat at 13 in the public audition for Di Gi Charat. You can see a video of those auditions on YouTube (part 1, part 2).At 22, she has already played in over 75 anime series, including such roles as big sister Iina in Kokoro Toshokan (when she was 16), Mint Blancmange in Galaxy Angel, Shinku in Rozen Maiden, Ibara-hime in Otogizushi Akazukin, Aruruu in Utawarerumono, Claire in Red Garden, Reika in Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun, and Hagino in Blue Drop. Not to mention large numbers of OVAs, movies, dubbing, drama CDs and music CDs.There is an excellent video compendium of her roles on YouTube.She is known as a quiet and serious person, who is always studying something, from swimming to story-telling to cooking. She is now a university student as well as a working seiyuu.She is also known as someone who does not hesitate to correct other people's mistakes, even people who are older than she is. I think there may be a lot of herself in Shinku.The pictures here come from her page on a Theater Gekidango fansite. Fans have commented about this last picture (right) that it shows Miyukichi's tongue is extremely long. All the better to create the amazing range of voices you can hear in the video compendium of her roles.
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Yajima Akiko's 矢島晶子 voice as Shinnosuke in Crayon Shin-chan is the most recognized voice in all Japanese anime. Everyone knows Shinnosuke's rough comic bleating.But Yajima-san also has one of the least recognizable voices. She does roles from young women and boys through adult women even to animals.I didn't know her until her role as 16-year-old Mari in Blue Drop last fall, but I immediately fell in love with the rich youthful energy of that 40-year-old voice. And she gives 11-year-old Miyako in Ghost Hound a haunting darkness.She has played over 150 anime roles, as well as almost 50 game roles, and has dubbed over 75 movies.She debuted in 1989 as Eriko in Legendary Idol Eriko. But she punched her meal ticket in 1992, when she got the starring role in Crayon Shin-chan . The show has been on the air ever since, and there have been many "KureShin" movies, OVAs and CDs. The TV series has had over 600 episodes, and has been in the top five rated anime on TV more or less continuously for 15 years.To get an idea of just how weird Shin-chan's voice is, here is a little clip from YouTube of an interview with Yajima-san, including samples showing how she has changed the voice over the years.Yajima was born on 4 May 1967 in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, on Japan's northwest coast. She went to Shukutoku Junior College in Tokyo, and is a licensed child-care worker. She was appearing on stage when seiyuu/manager Tatekabe Kazuya saw her and invited her to join the Production Baobab agency. She has been with them ever since.She and the agency have done well together: in addition to over 110 roles in TV anime, she has done 23 OVAs, 22 animated features, 48 games, 23 drama CDs, 22 other CDs, and has dubbed ten TV shows and 76 movies. Now that is a professional voice actress.On 2channel, the Japanese forum site, her thread includes posts nominating her best roles in many categories: bad little boy, moe weeper, tsuntsun ojou-sama, princess, onee-san, good boy, cheerful boy, suffering girl, monster, etc. She has a bit of range.According to Japanese Wikipedia, Akiko-san is married, and her husband chaffs her about her unusual voice as Shin-chan. To get an idea of how different a voice she can make, here is a clip of her as Mari in Blue Drop. And check out the voice samples on her agency page (the Windows Media and Real links).She herself appears to be a rather laid-back person. She is said to like staring blankly out the window, or drinking beer. Wikipedia mentions that she finds her stomach rumbles during recording sessions, so loudly that they sometimes have to stop recording.She has tried to keep out of the public eye, in order not to mess with Crayon Shin-shan's image. But recently she has begun to appear more, in the clip posted first above, for example.Here is a list of some of her major and recent anime roles: Eriko (Legendary Idol Eriko, 1989), Nohara Shinnosuke (Crayon Shin-chan, 1992, etc.), Relena Darlian (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, 1995), Chinami (Seraphim Call, 1999), Kuu (Haibane Renmei, 2002), Asumi (Futatsu no Spica, 2003), Mipple (Futari wa Precure, 2004), Haydee (Gankutsuou, 2004), Ayumi (Glass Mask, 2005), Riku, Diva (Blood+, 2005), Pino (Ergo Proxy, 2006), Kyoko (Dennou Coil, 2007), Mari (Blue Drop, 2007), Miyako (Ghost Hound, 2007), Chie, Rin Itoshiki, Majiru Itoshiki (Zoku Zetsubou Sensei, 2008).Kuu in Haibane Renmei left a lasting impression on me, even though I didn't know at the time who the VA was. And Ayumi in Glass Mask was absolutely outstanding. She and Kobayashi Sanae were rival actresses who each put on unbelievable shows of sheer acting. Apparently she herself had long coveted the role of Maya, the main star, which went to Kobayashi-san. But she made up for it with her performance as Ayumi.It turns out that her real name is Ogasawara Akiko. Perhaps she should have had a certain role in Marimite: Sachiko's name in that show is Ogasawara Sachiko.For more information:Anime News NetworkWikipediaOfficial SiteJapanese Wikipedia
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Another year, another fresh new batch of anime, and another damn first impressions blog entry. This one promises to be absolutely nothing special! But I do feel a tiny urge to share my thoughts anyway, and so let's have the thought sharing begin~ No big splash titles standing out from the pack save for a few sequels of previously outstanding shows, but there has definitely been some interesting ones; but of course every new season will have its share of surprises. 01. Spice and Wolf (Okami to Koshinryou / 狼と香辛料)Based on an award-winning novel. Lead by a very solid core of seiyuu; Koshimizu Ami plays a wolf and harvest-goddess with a bold and straight-forward tongue and Fukuyama Jun plays her male travel companion. Add in Kaori Nazuka and you have a bit of a Code Geass reunion. I've always been intrigued by stories of the wolf and this is surely one of them.02. true tearsComing in a very, very close second was the most pleasant surprise of all the shows. I'm even more surprised at the abundance of positive reviews out there. It'd be very easy to dismiss this as a "boring" show; on paper it sounds like typical harem fare with generic characters. Truly not the case here because, see, if you hand the script to the likes of Nishimura Junji and Okada Mari (director and scrip-writer for Simoun respectively) they will turn mutton into lamb, water into wine. Indeed their magic has spread here. Show establishes a nice mood and feel and an intriguing premise, which is further accentuated with sharp performances from its seiyuu cast of Nazuka Kaori, Iguchi Yuka, and Takagaki Ayahi. This could very well be the "Blue Drop" of this season being it such an under-the-radar title with near impeccable voice acting. OP theme is quite possibly eufonius' best one yet.03. Minami-ke ~Okawari~ (みなみけ～おかわり～)The Minami sisters return for a second helping! Entire cast from the first season reprises their respective roles, but the look and feel is interpreted differently by a different studio and production staff. The chara-designs do take some getting used to, the humour is very much still there.04. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (俗・さよなら絶望先生)No second helping of this SHAFT classic would have left me in despair.05. ARIA The ORIGINATION (アリア ジ・オリジネーション)Another season of this fantastic slice-of-life show that always puts a smile on my face and calms the heart. Junichi Sato really has a knack for these types of shows; a brilliant director, he is. An Akino Arai sighting, too! She performs the ED theme, and what a tune it is~06. H2O ~FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND~Koshimizu Ami performing the lead male role (rather convincingly, I might add) has rocked my soul~07. Rosario+Vampire (ロザリオとバンパイア) This is a show I really want to get into, but the last few minutes have left me questioning it. Mizuki Nana rarely gets a protagonist role, and what a sexy role it is. The rest of the female cast is totally fap-worthy, too. Quite a bit ecchi (that's a good thing) and quite a bit cheese (not a good thing). Manga was pretty insane, especially in later chapters. We will see how the anime will fare~08. Hatenkou Yuugi (破天荒遊戯)One of the most interesting sounding premises of all of the new season's shows. It opens up the possibilities for some twists and turns and possibly (romantic?) conflict amongst friends as the series progresses. Show is lead by the likes of Kobayashi Sanae, Miki Shinichirou, and Sakurai Takahiro. The former two have somewhat fallen off the radar in recent years, but nonetheless they bring solid performances to the table as always. I'm afraid however this will probably be one of those shows that the fansubbers will walk past and ignore. I'm hoping not, though~09. Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-I wasn't much of a fan of its predecessor and it appears that it'll be the same deal with this one. A production that feels two steps behind from its previous work doesn't help matters. But damn does it has a pair of excellent OP and ED themes. The ED especially, performed by Lia, with writing and composition by none other than Maeda Jun! That's one hell of a recipe~10. Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de (君が主で執事が俺で)I'm usually fine with these sort of shows, but it didn't grip me all that tightly. It's a damn shame because it has such a sexy female seiyuu cast for a show consisting of a lot of ojou-sama/tsundere types. I'll keep an eye out for a couple more eps and we'll see~3 Favourite OP Themes: "Reflectia (リフレクティア)" by eufonius (true tears) [CDJapan | HMV ]"Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi (たった1つの想い)" by KOKIA (Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-) [CDJapan | HMV ]"Tabi no Tochuu (旅の途中)" by Natsumi Kiyoura (Spice and Wolf) [CDJapan | HMV ]3 Favourite ED Themes:"Kin no Nami Sen no Nami (金の波 千の波)" by Akino Arai (ARIA The ORIGINATION) [CDJapan | HMV ]"Kazahane (カザハネ)" by Haruka Shimotsuki (H2O ~FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND~) [CDJapan | HMV ]"doll" by Lia & Aoi Tada (Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-) [CDJapan | HMV ]
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Even without hard proof that Hagino took out the probe, Shibariel sends out the powerful dual core ship Gelbill after Blue. Gelbill fires powerful spears that look like ice lances, and Blue is badly damaged. However, before Gelbill can launch the coup de grâce, Hagino breaks curfew to devise a daring plan. [...]
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