Anime Nano - Series - Kashimashi

hashihime 橋姫

01/19/2007 02:47 PM EST

Yuri Seiyuus? -- Koshimizu Ami "weds" Sanpei Yuuko >>

Many seiyuu are said to be gay. There are Japanese websites like "Yuri Seiyuu News" and "Lesbian Seiyuu Research" devoted to tracking quotes that supposedly show one or another seiyuu is "rezu".Is it true? I don't know. Nothing on those websites proves the case. But the seiyuu themselves are the ones that fuel the rumors. They joke about preferring girls to guys and about who turns them on. And on a radio show last Sunday, there was a "wedding banquet" for talented 20-year-olds Koshimizu Ami (Karen in Code Geass) and Sanpei Yuuko (Renton in Eureka 7).Photos: mouseover for captions, click to enlarge.If they really are in a long-term relationship, congratulations to them. They seem like good people. But the event was played for laughs on the show, which is called Anispa and is hosted by Washizaki Takeshi and seiyuu Asano Masumi (who herself has been included in lists of who's gay.Was it a joke because Ami and Yuuko really are together, or a joke at the expense of the otaku who are always looking for seiyuu who are rezu? The joke may go even farther: Ami and seiyuu Mizusawa Fumie (Wapourif in Simoun) are close friends. Ami has even posted a photo of them as a couple on her blog, and Fumie has posted a New Year's card with her and Ami's pictures on it. On the show there was a quiz for Ami and Yuuko (whom Ami calls "Pe") : where did you meet? Was it love at first sight? Where was your first date? Your first kiss? They met at school when they were 12. Ami said she admired Pe. Pe said Ami was a noisy and bothersome tomboy. Pe is clearly a real-life tsundere -- both tsuntsun and deredere.Asked about their first kiss, Ami said it was going to be on the show, and the host and others started chanting "kiss! kiss!" and then "use your tongue!" One of the guests was their friend Nazuka Kaori (Eureka in Eureka 7), who said: "Yuu-Yuu is awful! When she was with me, it must have been just physical. She was just playing around." Ami turned to Pe in shock and said: "Darling! What did she mean?" There was an atmosphere of daring and somewhat raunchy hilarity.There are pictures of the event on the radio show's website, and Pe put pics of her tie (she was the groom) and the cake on her blog -- but didn't say whose wedding it was. The names that come up most in lists of yuri seiyuu are Nabatame Hitomi, Matsuki Miyu, Ueda Kana, Itou Shizuka, Noto Mamiko, Chiba Saeko, Tamura Yukari, Horie Yui, Nazuka Kaori and the newlyweds. And there are many more names tossed around.However, the quotes supposedly demonstrating that these people are in fact gay do not seem to me to prove much. Here are some examples: Itou Shizuka, in a radio interview, asked Ochiai Yurika if she was Lesbian. Yurishii answered that she wasn't, that she wasn't interested in girls. Shizuka-sama replied that she did like girls, that she wanted to confess to and go out with a girl. In her blog, Yurishii said she loved (daisuki) Shizuka.Nabatame Hitomi said in an interview about Strawberry Panic that she liked women, and with so many women in the cast she expected there would be some good ones. Naba-sama (30) is portrayed as a kind of queen bee of yuri seiyuus. Her character in Strawberry Panic seems almost written for her. Her character in Ichigo Mashimaro isn't far off, either. The legend is that in real life her "first wife" is Itou Shizuka -- with whom she has done a long-running radio show -- and her lovers have been Noto Mamiko, Shimizu Kaori, and Koshimizu Ami. Matsuki Miyu said that since she likes women, the number of women in the cast of Strawberry Panic with her had her in a state of high excitement. In a radio show, she asked Chiba Saeko what kind of men she liked. Sae-chan answered that she liked women, that she liked cute girls with gentle smiles, girls that were like pets. Miyu-miyu said she wanted to be Sae-chan's pet. Ueda Kana once said her secret fantasy was have a date with Toyoguchi Megumi.Sanpei Yuuko once said that she really liked Nazuka Kaori, and wanted to hook up with her. She said that she sometimes lost attention in the middle of recording because she was thinking of her. They worked together closely on Eureka 7, as Renton and Eureka. In a piece on Kashimashi radio, Shintani Ryouko, Ueda Kana, Tamura Yukari, and Horie Yui all tried to convince Asano Masumi that loving a girl would be all right. During a Christmas show, Masumin (Asano Masumi) asked Hocchan (Horie Yui) to become a "rezu couple" with her. Hocchan said "that would be great!," hitting the table in her enthusiasm.Nakahara Mai and Shimizu Ai do a radio show together, and are a singing duo called Himitsu Dolls. They have been linked romantically, but theirs is clearly commercial yuri, whatever else it is. Ai wrote -- with a smilie -- that Himitsu Dolls was the crystallization of her and Mai's love. Mai wrote that she once confessed to a girl, and that her first kiss was with a girl, at school. The quite erotic first ED for Strawberry Panic featured a seeming kiss. On the radio show she hosts with Kawasumi Ayako, Noto Mamiko once announced her marriage to Sawashiro Miyuki . On the show last November, Ayachii asked Mami to marry her, and Mami accepted. One site said there is a term "Noto spacetime": Mami creates a certain atmosphere around her that is like a drug for young and old, male and female -- but especially for women seiyuus.Most of these quotes come from the many internet radio programs in which seiyuu banter in support of their current shows. Most of the comments sound more like jokes than anything remotely serious. If there were real relationships involved, they might not be joking publicly so much.There are other stories that just seem to reflect ordinary friendship, sexualized only in the boiling minds of virginal male fans.Kugimiya Rie said that she and Paku Romi were like sisters, that she wanted to go over to her house, eat her wonderful cooking, have a bath, and then sleep there -- maybe together. And there is a story that Horie Yui and Tamura Yukari were naked together in the room they shared on tour. Intimate but platonic female friendships are hardly unusual, especially in Japan. What I can say for sure is that many seiyuu are good friends. Koshimizu Ami's blog is full of pictures of her friends: Sanpei Yuuko, Mizusawa Fumie, Nazuka Kaori, Kitamura Eri, Kadowaki Mai, and others. They look like a close group that has fun together. In fact, the photo above left is the New Year's card from Fumie's blog. In Ueda Kana's blog, it appears that her younger sister often stays with her; she mentions Saiga Mitsuki a lot; and she links to Morinaga Rika's blog and others.I suspect that a lot of the talk is just intended to excite the fans, or is fun talk among friends and colleagues. But there may also be truth in some of it. In regard to both Strawberry Panic and Simoun, seiyuu have commented how comfortable it was to have a cast entirely made up of women.These are independent women in an entertainment industry dominated by men who may not be that nice, and legions of male fans pant after them. The men they come in contact with may not seem that attractive or that safe.The seiyuus' joking shows that relationships with other women are at least not unthinkable to them. On the one hand, the joking panders to male fans. But on the other hand, these women share a lifestyle and some social isolation. Why shouldn't they feel free to share more?Ami and Pe are both emerging stars. After Renton, Pe has now taken over another role as a young boy: that of Souta in Otogijushi Akazukin, a long-running kids show with a cast of top pros. And Ami has shown her extreme range by playing roles from the amazing Tenko in Kamisama Kazoku, to mannish Paraietta in Simoun, to the wise friend Kotomi in Asatte no Houkou, to lovestruck Shirley in Code Geass -- all with great success.It must be a happy time for both of them. And their friendship is deep: in Ami's blog, in captions to pictures of Pe, you see the phrases "Kiss, kiss, love, love" and (in English) "I love you, my wife."websites:Anispa radioAmisketch (Koshimizu Ami's blog)Yukobako (Sanpei Yuuko's blog)Kamosan no Rakugaki Chou (Nazuka Kaori's blog)Lesbian Seiyuu ResearchA Gentleman with Wild Ideas about Yuri and Lesbian SeiyuuYuri Seiyuu - FC2 BlogYuri-Lesbian Seiyuu Image Board (with relationship map)2channel Lesbian Seiyuu current threadYuri Seiyuu News (Blog 360)Yuri Seiyuu NewsSeiyuu Watch (general seiyuu news)
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Series: Kamisama Kazoku Eureka Seven Kashimashi Simoun Strawberry Panic Ichigo Mashimaro Asatte no Houkou Code Geass Hangyaku no Lelouch

hashihime 橋姫

12/26/2006 03:45 PM EST

January 2007 -- New Anime >>

After three amazing seasons of anime, the season that starts in January may be a bit of respite. But that's what I always think, and then the shows that seemed as if they would be ordinary turn out to be great. In January, I'm most looking forward to Nodame Cantabile and Les Miserables. These are the two shows that seem as if they could have emotional depth as well as great voice acting and direction.Nodame CantabileI have been captivated by the dorama version that is just ending, but as I watch it I keep thinking that some of the humor would work better in anime form. If the anime can maintain the thrill of the music, this could be a great show. The cast is outstanding, featuring Kawasumi Ayako and Seki Tomokazu, and with Nabatame Hitomi, Noto Mamiko, Kobayashi Sanae (Maya in Glass Mask), Chiba Saeko, and Suwabe Junichi (Ren in Karin). The director is Kasai Kenichi, who did Honey & Clover 1. The lead writer is Konparu Tomoko (Daa! Daa! Daa!, Oniisama-e, Urusei Yatsura, School Rumble, NANA). And on recent performance, the J.C. Staff animation could be great. (Thu night 11 Jan, 1:00am)Les Miserables - Shoujo CosetteI'm looking forward to this for the classic story and for Nazuka Kaori in the lead role. I think she has unlimited talent and can expand in such a major role: a full year in prime time. Director Sakurai Hiroaki is best known for Di Gi Charat, which may not be as big a recommendation to me as his recent Winter Garden, a simple and effective little two-part OVA. Screenwriter Konparu Tomoko, who is also doing Nodame Cantabile, gives me great confidence, especially because of her great work adapting NANA. The series is 52 episodes long, so it will have to be really fascinating to keep me watching. We'll see how Les Miserables works with Cosette as the main character. (Sun 7 January, 7:30pm)Many of the new shows seem to reach high levels of moë, especially Hidamari Sketch and Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight:Hidamari SketchThis show promises to be about an 8.5 on the moë-richter scale, with the voices of Gotou Yuuko, Mizuhashi Kaori, Shintani Ryouko, and Matsuki Miyu melting hearts and minds. The show involves girl students at a private art high school, living together in a little apartment building near the school. The character design makes them look much younger, of course. This is the first directing job for Kamitsubo Ryouki, but the supervising director is Akiyuki Shinbou, who directed Moon Phase, PaniPoni and Negima!? With him involved, and a late-night broadcast time, I expect there will be a certain amount of fanservice to go with the slices of life. Animation by SHAFT. (Thu night 11 Jan 1:25am)Manabi StraightThis is another show that appears to be high on the moë scale. Slice of life in a school in 2035, when the declining birthrate is causing more and more schools to close. The manga is serialized in Dengeki Daioh magazine, home of Yotsubato, Kashimashi, Shakugan no Shana, etc. The staff is not well known, but the lead writer did the same job on Futakoi Alternative, so it could be interesting. And the cast is great: Nonaka Ai, Horie Yui, Hirano Aya, Inoue Marina (Cossette in Petit Cossette), and Fujita Saki (Mina in Tokimeki Memorial). Animated by ufotable. (Sun night 7 Jan 1:30 am)Shuffle! MemoriesA new 13-episode series featuring episodes centred on Sia, Nerine, Kaede, Primula and Asa. There was a lot of justified grumbling during and after the first series, but at least we can listen to some wonderful voices: Gotou Yuuko (Kaede), Hinata Yura (Kareha), Itou Miki (Asa), Sugita Tomokazu (Rin). It's unclear whether we'll get alternative endings, a reworking of the first story, or a collection of unused scenes. We'll see how it goes. (Sun night 7 Jan, midnight)Master of EpicBased on an online game. No cast or staff details are available yet. But judging by the character design, the show's initials (m.o.e.) are significant. The official site just says that the show presents stories about the many characters on a magical island: stories of magic, friendship, love, etc. (Sun night 7 Jan, 2 am)Saint October Goth lolis save the world. The character design by Hara Shouji (Sasami Mahou Shoujo Club) looks very nice. The story involves three girls -- an orphan, an idol, and a mysterious investigator -- solving strange events that beset Arcana City. A boy with amnesia sets the plot in motion. Enatsu Yuki, who did script work on Peach Girl and School Rumble, is involved. The seiyuu are not household names, except for the fine singer Kobayashi Yu (Setsuna in Negima), and Koyasu Takehito (the powerfully charming Rin Senya in Saiunkoku). (Thu night 4 Jan, 1:55 am)Venus versus VirusThe new show from director Kimura Shinichiro (Popotan, Maburaho, Mahoraba, Karin, Tsuyokiss) features Chihara Minori (Yuki in Suzumiya Haruhi) as Sumire, a psychic girl who gains the ability to see demons when she is pricked by the brooch of demon-queller Luchia (newcomer Takagaki Ayahi). The two girls then begin to work together to destroy the demons that start attacking Sumire. The manga is not very far advanced, but already has some devoted fans. (Thu night Jan 11, 2:05 am)Shorts DE Anime Tamashii This could be a sleeper. It's not one show, but a series of 13 collections of shorts from various animation schools and production houses. No English information available yet. The link from the name is to the Japanese official site. The pics are from two of the five shorts in the first episode.(Thu 28 Dec 3:00 am)Flag 2nd Season This neglected piece of animation, a gritty and interesting show featuring the mecha designs of Takahashi Ryousuke, comes back for a second half-season. (streamed, Fri 12 Jan noon)Kyoushiro to Towa no SoraWith more or less the whole staff of Kannazuki no Miko back for another try, and some suspiciously similar characters in a school, with mecha, perhaps we know what we're getting into. Watch for the scene in the first episode where the hero rips off the heroine's blouse. As someone who didn't like Kannazuki, I have a bad feeling about this. But I will be watching, since this appears to be a big role for Yahagi Sayuri, the young seiyuu I think can be the next Kawasumi Ayako. (Fri night 5 Jan, 1:30 am)Tokyo Majin Gakuen KenpuchoStudents at a school of magic in Tokyo fight invading monsters. That doesn't attract me at all. But the character design and backgrounds do, and so do Horie Yui, Arai Satomi, and especially Yahagi Sayuri. (Fri 19 Jan 11 pm)Angelique~Radiant Tomorrow~For a break from the moë, here are some bishounen. From the same team that did Koi Suru Tenshi Angelique comes its sequel. This is a straight-ahead reverse-harem fantasy: an ordinary girl is revealed to be a world-saving angel, and around her gather some remarkable bishounen with god-like powers. It will be interesting to see how the dry wit of Kyuuichi, I mean Sugita Tomokazu, fits into this crowd. I will certainly give it a chance. (Fri night 5 Jan 1:30 am)GR Giant RoboThe art looks interesting. An update of the old kids' robot show, perhaps aimed at the same kids now grown up. Namikawa Daisuke (Koyuki in BECK) and Chiba Saeko are the best-known members of the cast. (Fri 19 Jan, time not set)Deltora Quest Based on children's adventure fantasy books by Australian author "Emily Rodda" (Jennifer Rowe). Lief, Barda, and Jasmine are on a quest to find the jewels of the Belt of Deltora and defeat the sinister Shadow Lord. Director Hongo Mitsuru did the first series of Crayon Shin-chan and was chief director of the second series of Immortal Grand Prix. But it gives me some hope that he also directed the excellent little OAV Spirit of Wonder. And the dependable Yoshida Reiko is one of several writers on the project. The main VAs are all newcomers. (Sat 6 Jan, 8:00 am)Himawari!! Hard to tell whether this will be much of a departure from the original Himawari or not. There is unsubstantiated talk that it might pull a Futakoi Alternative. The voices are good, anyway. Young Matsumoto Kana's voice as Himawari is striking, as of course is Hirano Aya's as Shikimi. The new series also features another unique new voice, that of Kano Yui, who plays Momoko in Sumomo mo Momo mo, and Momota here. (Sat night 7 Jan, 12:30 am)Getsumen To Heiki Miina Brings to life the weird show loved by Yamada in Densha Otoko. The title translates as "Moonface Rabbit Weapon Miina." Inoue Marina voices the high-school girl Miina, whose super-rabbit outfit apparently involves floppy ears and rear-mounted carrots. She gets a job as a sports announcer and has an accident caused by aliens on her way to a broadcast. Noto Mamiko, Saiga Mitsuki , and Itou Shizuka also appear in the cast. (Sat night 13 Jan, 2:13 am)MAJOR 3rd SeasonThe hits -- and strikeouts -- just keep on coming. (Sat 6 Jan, 6:00 pm)This may be a typically slow winter season, but there are still so many good shows continuing: NANA, Saiunkoku Monogatari, Otogijushi Akazukin, Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto, Negima?!, Kanon, Mamoru-kun, Code Geass, Soukou no Strain, Death Note, Red Garden, Sumomo mo Momo mo, etc.And some interesting OAVs are coming out in January: ep2 of Maria-sama ga Miteru 3, ep3 of Kyou no Go no Ni, ep2 of _summer, the yaoi show O-kane ga Nai (shown at left), the very artistic-seeming Tori no Uta and Eko Eko Azarak, and more moë in the form of Sky Girls and Strike Witches.There has been some confusion about which 2007 shows are actually starting in January. After consulting anidb.info, I have taken my information from the Japanese sites MoonPhase and Shoboi Calendar and from official sites.There is more detailed cast and staff information in my winter 2007 anime calendar, which is already on line, but to which I am still adding information: more cast and staff links, episode totals, OAV dates and times, etc.
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Series: Kashimashi The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi School Rumble Shakugan no Shana Himawari Saiunkoku Monogatari Honey and Clover Flag Tsuyokiss Angelique Mahou Sensei Negima! Kyou no Go no Ni Sasami Mahou Shoujo Club Kanon Death Note Tokimeki Memorial Red Garden Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto Code Geass Hangyaku no Lelouch Saint October Deltora Quest Les Miserables: Shoujo Cossette Manabi Straight Master of Epic Shuffle! Hidamari Sketch Nodame Cantabile Venus Versus Virus Getsumen Toheiki Mina Tori no Uta

Anime & Manga Horizon

12/23/2006 02:50 AM EST

Christmas with Anime Characters >>

Manga Maniac Cafe

12/15/2006 04:48 PM EST

New License for Seven Seas >>

hashihime 橋姫

12/15/2006 12:43 AM EST

My favorite anime of 2006 -- Simoun, Suzumiya, NANA, et al. >>

I'm already looking at what new shows are coming up in January, so perhaps it's time to look back over 2006.What a year it was! I sat down to do a top ten and came up with a top three or a top fifteen. And my top three are competitors not just for the top anime of this year, but for my favorite anime of all time:Simoun -- I have never enjoyed an anime more. Great characters, great emotions, a fascinating alien society. A wonderful and mysterious conclusion. True art. I have compared it to Shakespeare. And the fact that all the voice actors are women, even those who play male parts, gives this show a special feeling. The sound director got outstanding performances from the entire cast, which is a large and impressive one. The light dusting of yuri adds to its appeal.Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu -- The best animation ever in a TV anime, brought to us by Kyoto Animation. A bizarre and interesting story and one of the funniest anime ever. The episodes were shuffled from their chronological order, leaving some viewers angry and perplexed and me delighted. It marked the arrival of Hirano Aya as a top seiyuu. In Haruhi, she created one of the great characters in anime. And there was wonderful seiyuu work as well from Sugita Tomokazu and the inimitable Gotou Yuuko.NANA -- This show leaves me emotionally exhausted every week. Such real, deep, suffering and exalted characters, and a story that just won't quit. The perfect adaptation of a great josei manga. And NANA has taken late-night anime to a higher range of TV ratings in Japan, broadening its appeal to a female audience that normally stops watching when the dramas are over at 11.Those are my top three. But there are so many more. These next three are almost at the same level:Asatte no Houkou -- A realistic-feeling story based on a magic event. Very beautiful direction -- spacious and calm -- by Sakurabi Katsushi, the director of Tsukihime. Extremely atmospheric, and with strong voice-acting from Itou Shizuka and others.Bokura ga Ita -- The best shoujo romance anime I've ever seen, at least the equal of KareKano. The performance by new seiyuu Sasaki Nozomi is glorious. She may have the most moé voice I've ever heard, and she uses it to create strong emotion. The look and direction -- by Artland and Daichi Akitaro, the director of Fruits Basket -- are pretty and poetic.Hataraki Man -- Totally unique and deeply involving, especially for those of us who have been in the work world. The central character is a workaholic editor at a popular magazine. The stories deal with her work, her life, and her relations with the people around her. Serious and comic by turns, Tanaka Rie elevates herself to the seiyuu elite, if she wasn't there already. No two characters could be more different than Chii (Chobits) and Hiro, the Hataraki Man. This show is the only late-night anime besides NANA to have entered the top ten anime TV ratings this year.And now we come to a group of nine anime that would belong in my year's top ten, if I could have limited the number to that:Saiunkoku Monogatari -- It's a Saturday-morning shoujo historical romance, set in a fantasy analogue of ancient China. With nine popular novels to work with, the first series has 39 episodes, and another series will start in the spring. Seiyuu Kuwashima Houkou creates a great character in Shuurei, the cute but serious teenager who is a brilliant scholar with ambitions to help her country, and who is loved by its young king (played by Seki Tomokazu), and others.Honey & Clover 2 -- Not the equal of the first series, but the equal of almost any other show. Perhaps my enjoyment was tempered by the fact that I had read the entire manga by the time I saw it. But this, like NANA and Hataraki Man, is anime at a higher intellectual and emotional level.Shinigami no Ballad -- A neglected short show, six separate episodes with some touching stories of death and near-death, presided over by a cute, white-clad shinigami played by the fascinating voice of Kobayashi Akiko.Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora -- Such a wonderful hospital romance that it has been made into a TV drama. Started this year's trend toward basing anime on popular light novels. After her triumph in Honey & Clover in 2005, Takahashi Mikako began this year, which has been a great one for her, starring as the tsundere sick girl Rika.Otogi Jushi Akazukin -- So it's a Saturday-morning fairy tale for kids. But it has some of the best backgrounds, animation and colors I've ever seen, some nice variations on fairy tales, and great voice-acting from Tamura Yukari, Sawashiro Miyuki, Kugimiya Rie and others, with guest shots from such stars as Kuwashima Houkou. What's not to like?Negima!? -- Unbelievable visual invention from director Akiyuki Shinbou, who has developed steadily from Tsukuyomi Moon Phase, through PaniPoni Dash!, to this. Fans of the first anime or the manga may be a bit put off by the great liberites he takes with the story, but visually this is truly art. The colors are unbelievable. The seiyuu cast is large and exciting. And the humor is good, too.Kanon -- Kyoto Animation has taken it upon themselves to remake a classic anime, and they have made it even better. This show defines moé. The animation is near the level of the studio's Suzumiya Haruhi, and director Ishihara Tatsuya (AIR, Suzumiya Haruhi) draws out the emotional trajectory with delicacy and restraint.Soukou no Strain -- A complete surprise, this looked like a mecha show but turned out to be a shoujo-ish SF adventure with mecha dressing. Kawasumi Ayako and Yukana make it their own personal playground and show us what real voice-acting is. It mixes genres in a profligate way, but ends up pleasing those of us who don't demand the strengths of standard mecha SF. It has lots of angst, lots of fanservice, uneven humor, and an interesting story based very loosely on A Little Princess.Lemon Angel Project -- A little show about a group of aspiring idols. Few other people liked it. I thought it was one of the nicest shows of the year, with a real story and some enjoyable characters. The young teen idol who was the star had the weirdest voice imaginable, but it worked to produce the emotion the story required. And it was the first appearance this year of Chihara Minori, whose role as Yuki in Suzumiya Haruhi later took her to prominence.There are so many other shows I enjoyed. Kashimashi was the first of two shows this year where a boy turns into a girl. In this case, he is reconstructed by aliens after a tragic accident. The humor works, the shoujo-ai (?) romance works, and the voice-acting is wonderful: Ueda Kana, Tamura Yukari, Horie Yui, Asano Masumi. But I had read the manga, and that often reduces my enjoyment, since the anime almost never equals the manga. The other show in which a boy becomes a girl, Otome wa Boku ni Koi Shiteru, is like a mix of Maria-sama ga Miteru, Kashimashi and Strawberry Panic. Horie Yui does a great job as the boy whose grandfather makes his attending a girls' school a condition of his inheritance. S/he is a lovely character: strong, funny, natural, and romantic.I enjoyed Nishi no Yoko Majou, but the story was too rushed. It needed 24 episodes rather than 12. I watched Kirarin Revolution for a while: it's a pure shoujo aspiring-idol show for young girls, but still seemed to me to have something. However, the repetition of tropes finally got me down. Sumomo mo Momo mo has some hilarious bits and excellent voice-acting, and/but some of the most intense underage fanservice ever in anime, rivalling Rizelmine. Kin-iro no Corda is a prototypical reverse harem, but the bishounen are real people, not ciphers, and the lead girl, played by Takagi Reiko, is a wonderful character.And there are many good shows that I just didn't personally like as much as others did. Ouran High School Host Club had a great performance from Sakamoto Maaya and humor that really reached some people. But not me. Red Garden is a good show, but anything with monsters is hard for me to enjoy, and the plot and character development move slowly for me. Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto has animation that at least rivals Kanon's, and an interesting setting at the end of the shogunate in the late 1860s, but the story doesn't reach me, and the magic seems out of place. ARIA the NATURAL and Mushishi were good shows, but I found the plots insipid and just never cared about the characters. Higurashi no Naku koro ni was excellent in its way, but violence to innocent people doesn't do much for me. Welcome to the NHK has some good parts but in the end doesn't do it for me, either. I never got into Black Lagoon, but I love Toyoguchi Megumi as a seiyuu, and from what I read, it's something I should take another look at. The Third was not a good show, but she was outstanding in it. Noto Mamiko in a new kind of role was a revelation in Witchblade, but once again...monsters.And so, on to the end of the season and to next year!
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