Another great year. Maybe not as great as 2006, which produced three classics: Simoun, NANA, and Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu. But 2007 was full of interesting shows.The top ones for me are one show from last spring -- Lucky Star -- and two from this fall -- ef ~a tale of memories~ and Blue Drop: Tenshitachi no Gikyoku.Lucky Star began by alienating much of its potential audience. The humor was so unemphatic, and the show had such spare drawing and animation that it was unrecognizable as KyoAni work. But although it may not have had many belly laughs in it, I found myself laughing quietly in my bones from start to finish.Hirano Aya really created something in Konata's comic burbling voice. The sly earthiness of that voice was the foundation of the whole show, it seemed to me, setting up the other voices to seem even more moe. And the script provided the kind of humane absurdity I love in a comedy. The un-KyoAni-like animation was KyoAni-like in two things: in its great consistency, and in the smooth animation of movement.ef ~a tale of memories~ was a complete surprise. The preview made me fear that the voice actors -- who came over from the game -- might not be up to the task. How wrong I was. This show is true art, made by Shinbou Akiyuki's protege Oonuma Shin from an ero-game by minori.Once again, many animephiles were put off by the show's style. Its visual complexity seemed pointless and confusing. In fact, every one of those odd angles and strange palettes has an emotional purpose. This show is great romantic melodrama, underpinned by powerful music from Tenmon, who does background music for Shinkai Makoto's work (e.g., Byousoku 5cm). The interwoven romances are fascinating, and the characters really have individual character.Blue Drop: Tenshitachi no Gikyoku expertly traces the emotional currents in a girls' school with a difference: the top girl in the school is actually the commander of a hidden alien warship, in disguise. And her new roommate is the only survivor of the annihilation of the population of an entire small island in Japan five years before. Humans don't realize that the disaster was caused by a malfunction in the hidden ship's propulsion system.The life of girls at the school is interwoven with the progress of an impending alien invasion of Earth, and with the progress of the relationship between the commander and the survivor. I guess the yuri undercurrents may have alienated a slice of potential viewership here. The leads are played by Yajima Akiko (Crayon Shin-chan) and Sawashiro Miyuki (Shinku in Rozen Maiden), both of whom seem to me to be at their best. Yajima-san's 40-year-old voice fills her character with youthfulness.It's a little early for final judgments, and Blue Drop and ef could yet end badly, but I have come to trust the people making them, and I don't think that will happen.My judgments are rooted in my personal taste, and there are other good shows that just didn't happen to suit me, or weren't in genres I appreciate. I couldn't watch more than a few episodes of Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, for example. The pacing and the style of humor just didn't do anything for me. But I could recognize what a good show it was, in its way. Anyway, here are comments on some shows of note, by season:Winter 2007:Nodame Cantabile -- My enjoyment of this show was probably impaired by the fact that I knew the story too well, having already watched the TV drama version. But the music was wonderful, and so was Kawasumi Ayako. Her Nodame may have been the best seiyuu performance of the year. And Seki Tomokazu was her match as Chiaki. Real character development all round.Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora -- I took this strange show a lot more seriously than most people did. It won me by its bizarre storytelling and eroticism. Yahagi Sayuri and Matsuoka Yuki were both outstandingly moe.Manabi Straight -- Here's another show that I loved at first, but that seemed to dry up as it went along. The emotional bonding of Nonaka Ai and Hirano Aya's charcters in episode 4 made that one of the year's outstanding episodes for me. The animation was sharp, bright, and attractive.Hidamari Sketch -- This is one of those shows that I will praise, but that I haven't finished watching. In that, it resembles Negima!?, another show from Shinbou Akiyuki's group at Shaft. The animation was great, the voice-acting superb, the humor enjoyable. But I could get all I needed in a half-dozen episodes. I think that ef~a tale of memories~ takes Shinbou's style to the next level, both in the effectiveness of the images and in the strength of the story.Les Miserables ~Shoujo Cossette~ is a well-made and emotionally strong show that is just nearing the end of its 52-week run now, in December. Nazuka Kaori does a fine job in the title role, but it is Victor Hugo's classic story that gives the show its punch.Spring 2007:Emily of New Moon -- More or less completely ignored by animephiles, this show was one of the best of the year. Good animation and backgrounds, a solid story (by Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables), and excellent voice-acting, particularly from Kawakami Tomoko (Utena, Misuzu in AIR) in the title role. Beautifully evoked feelings.Hitohira -- The first half of the series was very strong, with complex relationships well portrayed. But it seemed as if they they were spinning their wheels by the end. Kawasumi Ayako, and particularly Yukino Satsuki, were brilliant in this show.Hayate the Combat Butler -- It has some funny episodes, and has clearly maintained its popularity, but it became very same very soon, for me.Claymore -- Outstanding voice-acting by Kuwashima Houko and Paku Romi. Hou-chan's performance is another candidate for best of the year. Loathing monster anime as I do, it was amazing how long this one held my attention. One of the best shows of the year, with some shocking drama and real style.Seirei no Moribito -- More outstanding voice-acting, particularly from actress Andou Mabuki. The animation, when it was at its best, was to die for. The story was interesting, but seemed to take a long time to play out.Touka Gettan -- Few people liked this show, but I loved it. It was a brilliant idea to have the story go in reverse order -- episode 1 was chronologically the last episode in the story. But like other shows directed by Yamaguchi Yuji (e.g., Yami to Boushi to Hon), it seemed more interested in playing with its world than in telling the story, and a lot of episodes seemed like filler, as far as the story was concerned.However, this show was one of the highlights of my own anime year. The performance of 15-year-old Hayami Saori as Momoka was wonderful, and her singing of the ED was even better. And one of the episodes written by seiyuu Noto Mamiko was very sharp, making me think she may have a second career awaiting. The sparkling animation and backgrounds were a never-ending source of delight. Carnelian's character designs were animated by Nishida Asako with her usual sensual flair.Saiunkoku Monogatari II -- It started well, but I have had trouble finding time to watch more. Perhaps the 39 episodes of season one were enough for me. Kuwashima Houka continues to help make Shuurei a great character, the first female official in a kingdom that is a fantasy version of ancient China.Darker than Black -- A story well told and well animated. The relations among the "contractors" -- friend and foe -- were fascinating. The voice-acting was terrific, particularly from Kiuchi Hidenobu as Hei. Directed by Okamura Tensai (Wolf's Rain).Dennou Coil -- Outstanding animation from Madhouse, and every so often an episode stands out, but in general I don't find the show very interesting.Emma 2 -- A good show that I am just finishing. Excellent voice work and writing, with some beautifully portrayed emotion. Kobayashi Sanae as the fiancée, Touma Yumi as Emma, and Touchi Hiroki as Hans are particularly effective, in my opinion. A Japanese sensibility understands so well these nuances of feeling and conflicts between love and society.Koutetsu Sangokushi -- I'm not going to call this show "good." But I mention it as the most bizarre adaptation of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms I have ever experienced. The yaoi undercurrents between Miyano Mamoru and Koyasu Takehito are wonderful.Summer 2007:Sky Girls -- This show seems to have slipped under everyone's radar, but is quietly and enjoyably proceeding toward 26 episodes, propelled by the wonderful voices of Kawasumi Ayako, Gotou Saori, and Itou Shizuka. The revealing outfits of the girl pilots promise more fanservice than the show actually delivers. Perhaps that turns off both people who like fanservice and people who don't. And the fact that the relationships in it are more important than the fighting probably turns off a big whack of fans. But the voices and the evolving friendship among the members of the team have brought me this far -- despite the silly monsters.Mononoke -- Fascinating animation. Good seiyuu performances (Sakurai Takahiro, Tanaka Rie, Kuwashima Houko, Yukana, Hayami Shou, Seki Tomokazu, Midorikawa Hikaru, Namikawa Daisuke). But perhaps my taste is not elevated enough for this. The stories I saw just didn't engage me.Mushiuta -- A weird story involving people being taken over by symbiotic insects. The story didn't grab me that much, but the way the seiyuus made the relationships work did. Nabatame Hitomi and Asanuma Shintarou were excellent. And in this show Hanazawa Kana established herself as one of the most moe voices in anime.Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei -- Dark comic brilliance from Shinbou Akiyuki and seiyuus including Kamiya Hiroshi, Nonaka Ai, and Sawashiro Miyuki.Potemayo -- A bizarre and funny little show. It's a comedy about a small toddler-like creature that the protagonist finds in his refrigerator beside the mayonnaise. Kitamura Eri as the male protagonist is excellent. Hanazawa Kana as Potemayo shows she can do hilarious grunts and squeaks as well as moe.School Days -- Of course, you can't talk about 2007 without talking about "nice boat." All I'm going to say is that the show was basically garbage, even before the violence started. But it did have an unexpected ending. And it did create anger and frustration in the viewer, so it was not without its emotional effects. For those who don't know, "nice boat" was a reaction posted in a Japanese forum when an episode of the show was suddenly taken off air because of the violence in it and replaced with images of what looks like a ferry in a Norwegian fjord.Autumn 2007:Genshiken2 -- It took me a while to start this show, but I've marathoned up to date, since I am enjoying it so much. Perhaps the romantic aspect has hooked me. Certainly the portrayal of the travails of the characters has. The voice-acting is excellent, particularly from Yukino Satsuki, Kawasumi Ayako, Hiyama Nobuyuki, and Mizuhashi Kaori.Sketchbook ~full Color'S~ -- I love some episodes of this gentle slice-of-life comedy, but sometimes a pall of sameness seems to descend. Being fairly calm already, perhaps I don't need further calming. However, Hanazawa Kana's moeness is off the scale at all times.Ghost Hound -- Production I.G.'s "20th anniversary production" seems unaccountably to be being generally ignored. The animation is good Production I.G. work, and the story and voices (Fukuyama Jun, Houshi Souichirou, Yajima Akiko) work very well for me. A show with atmosphere.Minami-ke -- I didn't really get the first episode. I thought it was too imitative of Ichigo Mashimaro, especially with Inoue Marina's wholesale theft of Orikasa Fumiko's Miu voice. But since then, the show has grown and grown. Inoue-san, Chihara Minori, and Satou Rina are doing very well. There are a couple of LOL moments in every episode. And now we have warm, humane, rather loony versions of both the trap and the reverse trap.Clannad -- Since I watch anime for emotion rather than animation, KyoAni's visual magic is enjoyable but not a deal-maker. In fact, I was lukewarm toward this show until the past two or three episodes, when my tears started to flow. Works for me. It's great to see KyoAni hire such big-name seiyuus as Nakahara Mai, Kuwashima Houko, Nonaka Ai, Noto Mamiko, Yukino Satsuki, and Inoue Kikuko.KimiKiss ~pure rouge~ -- Director Kasai Kenichi has given this ero-game story a maturity and complexity that remind me of his Honey & Clover2. Fine performances from Tanaka Rie and Koshimizu Ami, and particularly from Ikezawa Haruna (Yoshino in Marimite) as Mao-oneechan.Kodomo no Jikan -- I mention this show not for its quality, especially, but because it has the most obtrusive censorship I have ever seen in an anime. The version intended for broadcast clearly must have preserved much of the loli fanservice of the original manga, but then the distributors at the last minute decided it had to be censored. This was done with ugly animated squares, screens, and noises. The show is actually about the life situation that drives the third-grade protagonist to her "adult" acting-out, but the censorship makes even that aspect of things hard to follow.OVAs:ICE -- I'll just mention a couple of OVAs that might have escaped people's attention. ICE is a bizarre yuri sci-fi story with muddy animation and some amateur voices, but I enjoyed it a lot. I sometimes find amateur voices more emotionally believable than polished pros.O-kane ga Nai -- This show is for people who don't mind a little aurally graphic yaoi in their anime. Especially for those who want to hear Fukuyama Jun as a somewhat unwilling uke. I kid you not. But I found the story interesting through one episode, at least. Perhaps because it's the first yaoi anime I've ever seen.You'll notice the complete absence of anything like Gundam. Sorry, I still don't really get the appeal. Gundam00 seems fairly uninteresting to me, well-made as it may be. I enjoyed a number of episodes of Gigantic Formula, but for the relationships rather than the gundams. Dragonaut just seems poor to me. As for mainstream science fiction, I watched a few episodes each of Toward Terra... and Heroic Age but lost interest. They are both still on my "to watch" list.Finally, although I'm not really including films in this survey, I have to mention the greatest animation of this year -- and perhaps of any year: Byousoku 5cm, by Shinkai Makoto. This is more than just art, it is religious art. The filmmaker Ingmar Bergman said that all true art is art in praise of God. Byousoku is a Zen version of that. It is like a series of haiku moments showing us a world more real than reality.
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

"Seiyuu Awards" is a new Japanese annual awards show that gave out its first set of awards last spring -- the awards for 2006. General voting for the 2007 awards starts now and runs into January, with the show itself scheduled for Japanese TV next March.The categories are fairly straightforward:leading man and leading woman (in an anime that started in 2007)supporting man and woman"new" man and woman (debut no more than 5years ago) singer"personality" (appearing on radio, TV, etc.)And there is a special top award for the seiyuu who has spread word of the seiyuu profession most in various media. That award, along with three other special awards, will be voted on only by industry members, but the main awards are open to public voting. I believe the public voting just creates the short list of nominees, and the final voting is by an industry panel, but I'm not sure.Last year, the winners were: Fukuyama Jun (Lerouche in Code Geass) and Paku Romi (Nana O. in NANA) in leading roles. Best supporting females were Koshimizu Ami, for Karen in Code Geass, and Gotou Yuuko, for Mikuru in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu. Best supporting males were Ishida Akira, for Athrun Zala in Gundam Seed Destiny, and Miyata Kouki, for Yoshinaga Kazumi in The Gargoyle of the Yoshinagas. (mouseover photos for captions)Best new females were Hirano Aya, for Suzumiya Haruhi, and Kano Yui, for Momoko in Sumomo mo Momo mo. Best new males were Kakihara Tetsuya, for Mikoto in Princess Princess, and Morita Masakazu, for Ichigo in Bleach. Top seiyuu/singer was Mizuki Nana, for her CD Justice to Believe. Best personality was Asano Masumi, host of the A&G Super Radio Show ~Anisupa~ (from the broadcaster which is one of the sponsors of these awards...).From what I've seen in 2007, the male lead I've most appreciated is Kamiya Hiroshi as Zetsubou Sensei. The fact that just over a year ago he was almost dead in a motorcycle accident may have something to do with my preference, but I thought "zetsubou shita!" sensei was a brilliant comic portrayal. There are lots of other possibilities: Seki Tomokazu as Chiaki in Nodame Cantabile, for one. I'd also think of Ono Daisuke with his undramatic but effective portrayal of Kazuya in Kaze no Stigma. And I'd think of Kiuchi Hidenobu (Ren in NANA, Tenma in Monster) as Hei in Darker than Black.For the women, the leading role that bowled me over was Hirano Aya as Konata in Lucky Star. That slurping comic voice gave the whole show a special earthiness. I'd also think of Kuwashima Houko as Claire in Claymore, or as Shuurei in SaiunkokuII. Or Kawasumi Ayako as Nodame in Nodame Cantabile (as well as Sara in Soukou no Strain). There's also Andou Mabuki as Balsa in Seirei no Moribito. And since OVAs appear to count, I'd also consider Orikasa Fumiko as Miu in Ichigo Mashimaro OVA.Male supporting actor: I'm a bit at sea here. My knowledge and appreciation of male seiyuu is better than it was, but still rudimentary. I came up with Konishi Katsuyuki as Kamina in Tengen-Toppan Gurren-Lagann. He had a big effect in a few episodes. You could also go for Seki Tomokazu as the king in SaiunkokuII -- or with any of several other strong male supporting performances in that show. Or maybe Ikeda Masaru as Huang in Darker than Black. If he reappears in SaiunkokuII, I'd give it to Koyasu Takehito, whose performance as "Rin Senya" in the first series was dominating. I might even give it to him for Zhuge Liang in the bizarre Koutetsu Sangokushi.For supporting actress, Yukino Satsuki's Mirei in Hitohira stands out for me. Paku Romi's Teresa in Claymore was also riveting, but she won best lead female last year. I'd also think of Itou Miki for her over-the-top Yumiko in Touka Gettan. And personally, I thought Matsuoka Yuki was great as Setsuna in Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora. There's Kitamura Eri as Makoto in Touka Gettan. And there are any number of top women seiyuu in Nanoha Strikers and in Idolmaster Xenoglossia.For male newcomer, I am in a quandary. I had to scour the lists for actors who had been in the business five years or less. In the end, I came up with Ono Daisuke's Kazuya in Kaze no Stigma: Ono-san made his debut in 2002. There's also the younger Miyano Mamoru in Gundam00 and in Koutetsu Sangokushi. He should have won last year for Death Note.For female newcomer, I have my own unlikely choice: 16-year-old Hayami Saori -- Momoka in Touka Gettan. I thought she was outstanding, both as an actress and as a singer. Or I could go for Hanazawa Kana -- the newcomer who is in the running (with Sasaki Nozomi) for most moe voice in anime -- as Shiika in Mushiuta or Sora in Sketchbook ~Full Colors~, or even for Potemayo. Toyosaki Aki as Amuro in Umishou deserves consideration. And there are numerous top seiyuu who have not yet been in the business more than five years: Inoue Marina (Mina in Getsumen To Heiki Mina and Kanna in Minami-ke); Nonaka Ai (Mikan in Manabi Straight, Kafuka in Zetsubou Sensei, Fuuko in Clannad), and even Nabatame Hitomi (Nobue in Ichigo Mashimaro OVA, Rina in Mushiuta).For singer, Mizuki Nana won last year. I'm not familiar enough with all the CDs that have come out featuring seiyuus under their own or their characters' names, but of those that I do know, my own personal favorite by a long shot is Hayami Saori's ED for Touka Gettan. On that song, her voice is as skillful and beautiful as any of the non-seiyuu pro singers who do OPEDs. Second is all of the fascinating stuff that Hirano Aya has produced this year, from Motteke! Sailor Fuku and the karaoke EDs for Lucky Star through her three singles in a row this fall. She may not be as technically good a singer as Hayami Saori or Chihara Minori, but everything she does has something special about it.For top personality, there are numerous seiyuu with radio shows or who act as hosts on TV. Asano Masumi won last year, so perhaps it's time for another seiyuu with a long-running radio show: Takahashi Mikako. Or perhaps Yamamoto Maria or Nogawa Sakura for their TV work.In fact, the most active seiyuu personality this year has been Hirano Aya, appearing on radio and TV, in live shows, in her popular blog, and in numerous magazines. I personally would make her the top personality of the year. But I actually think she could be in line for the special top award to a seiyuu who does the most to publicize the seiyuu profession. She brought admiration for a seiyuu's verbal skills to mainstream TV shows.Just for the heck of it, I tried voting -- and the site said it accepted my vote. So maybe overseas voting is possible. I'm not sure it should be, but anyway the list of categories and criteria is here, and the voting page is here.The awards event is sponsored by the Tokyo Anime Centre, Kadokawa publishers, Shogakukan publishers, Bunka Housou broadcasting and others. General voting is open from 20 October to 15 January, and the awards ceremony will be on Saturday 8 March.
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Word is in from Happinet Robin today that they'll be releasing two new PVC figures on their Sugar Mint Complex brand: Kuu and Setsuna from Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora. Both are 1/8 scale and scheduled for release in December at an as-yet undisclosed price. Sugar Mint's past track record doesn't make me too terribly excited about this announcement, but it might be something for fans of the show to look forward to. (no more)
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

[Posted @ 11:13 PM]Reviewing this episode because there's KonoSetsu hot moments heh.SPOILERS FOR LIFE! BEWARE!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Seriously, I was really shocked to see a well, chaste kiss right in the beginning lol, never had expected that. I was happily playing it while my parents were in the living room, I was like 'WTF!', *pause* ... *thinks* 'I'll do the screenshooting at night lol. Ah, to my dismay and relief [Cos if they do that it's terribly OOC for KonoSetsu], it's just Secchan's wet dream ... heh. Setsuna's escorting Konoka to the headhouse where they will be meeting Konoka's grandfather.Basically a typical fanfic kinda angst plot the life action drama picked up, Konoka's grandfather demanded Konoka to go for an Omiai [Formal Marriage Interview aka Matchmaking] and there's no buts. Konoka glanced over at Setsuna kneeling behind her but Setsuna had no expression. Later in the dorm, Negi received a letter from his sister in Wales, Asuna told him off for carelessness as the letter had a return address of to the Magic Academy. As they were chatting about partners and stuff, they never noticed Konoka was in the room and scared them to bits. Luckily, Konoka only heard about the partner being married part. Negi happened to trip and fall against Konoka's chest when getting the letter back, just then Setsuna entered the room, taking in the scene LOL. Setsuna rushed to Konoka's rescue, pushing Negi away and taking Konoka to her side. Asuna mused that Setsuna seemed to like Konoka huh ... Setsuna stammered, glanced at Konoka who smiled and moved away. Negi agreed that Setsuna likes Konoka ... but ... Konoka's a girl ... lol. Asuna went 'Ah, kids won't understand.' Unknown to them, Kasumi the reporter/gossiper heard them and spread the news to the whole class. By the next day, Negi was bombarded by weird stories and the girls proceeded on to hug him lol. Negi managed to escape their clutches by teleporting himself out however, Takahata-sensei was teleported in his place where he was pinned down by the girls lol. The girls, realizing it was Takahata-sensei they were hugging, immediately stopped and went, 'Ewww, I have no such interest [in old men]' lol. Btw, lol @ Ayaka's tousled hairstyle. Anyways, Konoka met Negi while she was running away from Setsuna who was supposed to bring her to the Omiai. Konoka then told Negi that she don't want to go to the Omiai and asked Negi to be her partner lol. At that moment, Setsuna found them and went on to grab Konoka away but Negi stopped her and told her that Konoka don't want to go. Setsuna paralyzed Negi with her talisman and left with Konoka. On the ride, Setsuna told Konoka not to call her 'Secchan' but call her surname instead. This probably broke Konoka's heart. They arrived at Konoka's grandfather's home and found Negi had broke out of Setsuna's talisman and standing in front of them. Setsuna sent Konoka away with the two guards and attacked Negi. It was a brief fighting scene ... just poses here and there as they talked lol. Flashback as Setsuna remembered the sweets Konoka gave to her when they were young and the reason she wanted to be strong was to protect Konoka and her happiness. Setsuna and Negi rushed in the house, Setsuna then called Konoka by her nickname 'Kono-chan' and asked her to go with her, [LOL it suddenly reminded me of ... Kyoushiro from KTS ... with his 'Let's go ... together' line]. Konoka's grandfather seeing that the omiai made Konoka sad, smiled and said that Konoka's happiness was priority. The group smiled, glad that everything's fine. Walking home, Konoka asked Setsuna to call her 'Kono-chan' again but Setsuna kept quiet probably keeping a distance when they got too close again. - END of Episode 4 -Well, I've been watching the life action drama since episode 1 ... lol sadly speaking, I really enjoyed the OP and ED, although the acting wasn't that good and Secchan seemed stiff ... I'll take it as nervousness lol. I'm pretty much okay with this episode ... haha although the story was different. Manz, I still think it's pretty dumb that young Setsuna would cry that hard cos Konoka cut her fingers when she picked the sweet for her lol. I'll take the 'drowning-to-the-rescue' flashback in the manga anytime. There's not much punch in this plot, no need for desperation to grow stronger, to protect and cherish ... Oh well.[Signing off @ 11:59 PM]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

[Posted @ 10:15 PM]The DVD special in Kyoushiro to Towa no Sora Volume 6, also the last DVD special. Enjoy the screenshots!Well, surprisingly this last DVD special gave me a really melancholy feeling lol, probably it seemed like an epilogue of the characters in Kyoushiro to Towa no Sora.Soujirou became the president of the student council or something, Tarurotte's still hanging around Soujirou, causing distractions and ... trouble =). Kaon and Himiko were happily dating like any normal couple [I hope] and I love the heart necklaces. It's like soooooooo sweet that I'm grinning non-stop after watching the special. One thing, 25 seconds of Kaon x Himiko is waayyyy too short, oh well, better than nothing.Kazuya looked contented with Waruteishia ... well that's fine. I kinda like Setsuna's new haircut, which reminded me a similar situation of Nina from Mai Otome. Anyways, Setsuna IS STILL MOE regardless of long or short hair haha. Next update, Hatsu Koi Shimai Chapter 2![Signing off @ 10:55 PM]PS:Kyoushiro's horse still freaks me out with its ... eye lol.
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

[Posted @ 7:00 PM]A little late but better than never, some screenshots to the Kyoushiro to Towa no Sora Volume 5 DVD Special!LoL, this DVD special was total random compilation of ... supposed KTS trailers!? ... so I'm going random here too! A morning-after bed scene greeting between Kuu and Setsuna, whoa, a dream come true for Kuu x Setsuna fanboys/girls lol. Followed by a All Maiden High School setting, where fangirls go crazy over Waruteishia Onee-sama~! Possessive Setsuna displayed irritation as Kuu showed fondness for Waruteishia. Insert random Kannazuki no Miko parody as Kaon caught the falling Kuu in a embrace. Tarurotte as a teacher!? Students go 'Nyan~'. Waruteishia asked Kuu to a dance!? Kuu stammered that she had Setsuna ... Setsuna witnessed the scene ... and was pissed, naturally. Cue in dance party, Kaon and Himiko was paired together and seemed like Kuu agreed to dance with Waruteishia. Pissed off Setsuna took her anger on poor Jin lol, [Yay to those wanted Souma from KnM to die!?]. Random Appearance by Kaon. Mika informed the killer's Setsuna ... -insert shock-. Cue in random half-naked KTS guys performing in a concert O_o. Kaon x Himiko goodness~. Random battle between Tenshi [Angel] and Miko [Priestess], Waruteishia and Kaon. Random injury by Setsuna ... nooo~!. Neon Genesis Evangelion parody by Mika of Gendou lol. WTF scene as Kuu kissed ... a devil-like Kazuya?! Final battle between Kyoushiro and Kuu ... as tagline [It's been a while], 'Let's go ... together ...' HAHAHAHA.- END, The REAL Kyoushiro to Towa no Sora - XD.Not much Kaon x Himiko scenes but the total randomness makes up for it, lol really enjoyable DVD special for me to post it up =).Added a new banner to the 3 rotating banners ... The Strawberry Panics! Get It? LOL. I've been having this image of a panicking Strawberry ever since I saw the title, 'Strawberry Panic!', pretty cute. It might become my mascot for my blog haha XD.[Signing off @ 8:00 PM]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Proof that I’m not dead yet, but not to say that my hiatus is over (because it certainly isn’t,) there are still some things worth talking about. Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora DVD special 4 I’m probably not going to watch all of these 4 minute episodes, because they’re rather pointless, but when I heard this one [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Ah, finally, Kyousora gets an obligatory Onsen episode, one that doesn’t involve Mika being a scheming bitch or Kazuya reciting crappy poetry. Too bad the episode focused on the Tarurotte and Soujiro, probably my least favourite characters out of the entire cast. Though, there was a fair bit of Kaon and Himiko to make up for [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

[Posted @ 9:12 PM]Went for a drive juz now =). I think I almost crashed cos I was having this chocolate-eating grin stapled to my face lol.Very very entertaining special episode ... fanservice for yuri fans, neko fans and Waruteishia fans ... I think the screenshots speak for themselves ... =) Enjoy.But let me explain screenshots 11 and 12 lol before your minds tumble down the gutter;Kaon and Himiko were in the Onsen [Hot Spring] with Tarurotte who was floating around and Tarurotte's head unwittingly bumped Himiko's ... back making her shriek lol then Tarurotte's tail ... kinda swiped against Himiko's behind again making her moan, as seen on the misleading pictures above ... of course that made Kaon very very pissed off that she summoned Murakumo but Himiko kinda hold Kaon off from attacking the unawared Tarurotte who was enjoying herself very much. Feeling very bold, Himiko kissed Kaon to stop the assault.*Kyaaaaaaahhhh* I think I squealed with joy!!! LOL! SOOO CUTE! It's sooo funny to see Kaon grumbling about 'touching' her woman ... lol <-- Okay that wasn't in the lines but I get that feeling hahahaha. It's sooo cute to see Kaon getting so very protective of Himiko lol XD. Loved the moment Himiko kissed Kaon to shut her up and both of them dipped into the hot water still in hot embrace XD. After that, Himiko's finishing up her drawing of Kaon against the dark night ... ending with Himiko blushing as she finished, Kaon smiling tenderly at her and them looking at the moon.Hope you enjoy the screenshots ... hehPS: I will be reviewing 春夏秋冬ドラマCD 逆襲の赤ズキンチャン [Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Drama CD Gyakushuu no Akazukin-chan] loosely translated as 'Little Red Riding Hood's Counterback' as soon as I get my hands on the Booklet;The Drama CD pretty much relate to the 3 chapters in Yuri Hime 5, 6 and 7 and a little bit of speech of Reiko-sensei from 'First Kiss' chapters. [Signing off @ 10:28 PM]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Quietly, quietly, the talents of 20-year-old voice actress Yahagi Sayuri 矢作紗友里 are being recognized. Not by 2channel, the Japanese otaku forum, where she is still on only her second thread. But directors are giving her constant work. After her debut as Karin in Karin in the fall of 2005, she had eight roles in seven shows in 2006, including Otogijushi Akazukin (Gretel and Kewpie), School Rumble 2 (Tennouji Mio), Tokimeki Memorial (Yuka), and Busou Renkin (Hanaka). In 2007, she has already had eleven roles in just over half a year, including the starring role of Kuu in Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora, as well as kiddy tech genius Amano in Gigantic Formula and Izumi in Hayate, classmate Chisato in sola, Kaho in Over Drive, and guest appearances in Venus Versus Virus and Gurren-Lagann, as well as a role in recent episodes of the long-running Kirarin Revolution, as Myuu-tan, and a minor role in the new show Potemayo. Below is a series of photos of Yahagi Sayuri over the past couple of years. As I have said before, no-one will ever mistake her for an idol. She is a lovely, plain girl with a great voice. Like Kawasumi Ayako, she will have to make her way on talent and personality -- of which she fortunately has lots -- rather than glamorous looks. She and male seiyuu Fujita Yoshinori (Masumi in Nodame Cantabile) are the 19th generation of hosts of the web radio show Voice Crew, a job given to top young seiyuu from the I"m Entertainment/Arts Vision stable. Previous hosts include Horie Yui, Saitou Chiwa, Morikawa Toshiyuki, Kuwatani Natsuko, Yamamoto Maria, Nakahara Mai, Ueda Kana, Kugimiya Rie, Hoshi Souichirou, Morinaga Rika, Asakawa Yuu, Takahashi Mikako, etc., etc.Here is an audio sample of their work on the show. For a video sample, click here or click the screencap below to view it on YouTube:She has even acquired a nickname. She apparently once told Inokuchi Yuka, her sister Anju in Karin, that she wished she had one, and Yuka, Nabatame Hitomi and Shitaya Noriko came up with "oHagi" (ぉはぎ), which she is now known as on radio and on 2channel. It's a nice nickname, and has puns in it that might refer to her being small, to a sweet rice-ball, and to a bush of long poetic significance in Japan that bears discreet purple flowers through the summer.Two things make oHagi great. First, she has a strong, mobile, liquid voice. Second, she has an intense professionalism that allows her to pick up tone and technique like a sponge. In Karin and Kyoushirou she shows what a unique and identifiable voice she has, but at first in Otogijushi, I didn't recognize her at all. She was clearly able to give the sound director exactly what he wanted, irrespective of her own natural timbre. Playing alongside Tamura Yukari, Kugimiya Rie, and Sawashiro Miyuki, among other top pros, that show was like her post-graduate training. She may still be a voice rather than a real actress, but she's getting there. Her mad weeping scene in Kyoushirou was a triumph. She seems to be a comparatively unassuming and conservative person, but friendly and popular with her fellow seiyuus. Her co-host on the Gigantic Formula radio show, Satou Rina, kept calling her an "old-man little-girl" (オヤジ小学生). When Karin came out, I translated an interview with her in which she explained how she came to be a seiyuu. Her classmates made fun of her high, little-girl voice and one day, watching anime, she realized that she could possibly turn that voice into her greatest asset. And she has.More leading roles are to come, but oHagi has become one of the more active young seiyuus, building a career in voice-acting. She works with the I"m Enterprise agency, which was the agency involved in the recent scandal over sexual harassment of a young seiyuu by its boss. We'll have to see if she stays with them. It's a big agency that can give its performers a lot of help, but the scandal has recently lost it some of its seiyuu -- including Morinaga Rika and possibly Horie Yui.Here are links to more info about oHagi:Hashihime Seiyuu GalleryAnime News NetworkWikipedia Japan
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)