<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l6Koisc40gk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l6Koisc40gk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: 07-GHOST
Starts: Tuesday, April 7 at 1:40am, on Chiba TV
Genre: Fantasy Drama
Studio: Studio Deen
Director: Norihiro Takamoto
Site: http://07-ghost.net
Summary:
This hit manga by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara (story and
art, respectively) revolves around a young man named Teito Klein,
a graduate of the Barsburg Empire Military Academy-- and
jail-breaker. Shortly after his graduation, Klein overhears a
professor who turns out to be the man who killed Klein's father.
After attempting to get vengeance, Klein is arrested, breaks free,
and acquires sanctuary in a church...where he learns about his own
mysterious past and, of course, the seven ghosts.
Notable:
Director Norihiro Takamoto's past is mostly in anime aired
at younger viewers-- Sasami: Magical Girl Cluband
Moegaku*5, for example. He did direct the recent anime
version of Hatenkou Yuugi(aka Dazzle), though.
You'll probably recognize the voice actress playing
Teito, Mitsuki Saiga. She also plays Revive in Gundam 00,
Rossiu in Gurren Lagann, and Genshiken's Kousaka.
The music will be created by Koutaro Nakagawa, who also did
music for Code Geass, Hayate no Gotoku, and
Planetes.
Title: Asura Cryin'
Starts: Thursday, April 2 at 9:30am, on AT-X
Genre: Supernatural
Studio: Seven Arcs
Director: Keizou Kusakawa
Site: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/asura
Summary:
Natsume Tomoharu jumps at the chance to live alone when he
starts high school. Unfortunately, Natsume isn't a normal high
school student...he's haunted by the ghost of a girl named Misao.
Now that he lives alone, Natsume's home becomes a swingin' joint
full of hot babes involved in the supernatural, as Natsume works
to protect a mysterious trunk from those who would steal it.
Notable:
Inukami!, Nanoha, and Sekirei director Keizou Kusakawa
helms this new piece, so you can probably expect a reasonable
amount of fanservice.
If you watched Heroic Age, you probably remember
the awesome opening theme, performed by Angela. Angela will
return to the anime world with the theme song for Asura
Cryin'.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nRBE_Xwl204&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nRBE_Xwl204&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Basquash!
Starts: Thursday, April 3 at 1:30am, on MBS
Genre: Sports, Sci-Fi
Studio: Satelight
Director: Shin Itagaki
Site: http://basquash.com
Summary:
Somewhat in the tradition of space basketball anime Buzzer
Beater comes Basquash!, which revolves around kids
playing basketball...while riding mechs. I've seen people playing
basketball while riding donkeys, so I guess the idea of playing
basketball with robots isn't really such a stretch.
Notable:
This is one of those big pedigree productions: Shouji
Kawamori, mech designer of Macross, Eureka Seven,
Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell, etc, came up with
the original concept and is the project leader for Basquash!.
Kawamori's partner in the conceptualizing is the French
animator Thomas Romain, who has worked on a number of anime,
including his own Code: Lyoko and ARIA the Natural.
Title: Charady no Joke Mainichi
Starts: Wednesday, April 1, UHF/Biglobe Streaming
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Thefool Inc.
Director: Ryuuji Masuda
Site: http://www.joke-charady-365.com
Summary:
The basic idea behind Charady no Joke Mainichi is that
it'll feature a new joke every day for one full year. The jokes
will come from all around the world, although they'll all be
translated into Japanese...which may mean that this is the first
anime I've ever heard of that didn't feature classice Japanese
puns. We'll see!
Notable:
The joke-teller for the series will be gravure idol Misako
Yasuda in her first anime voice-acting role.
Director Ryuji Masuda is known for his comedy-- his past
works include the CG kids' show Funny Pets and both
created and directed the CG show Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta: Mr. Stain on
Junk Alley. That said, given the image on the website for
this show, I'm thinkin' this might be a move to slightly more
adult stuff.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FeKAckSkJTk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FeKAckSkJTk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Corda d'Oro ~secondo passo~
Starts: , March 27at midnight, on Kids Station
Genre: Shoujo/Fantasy
Studio:Yumeta Company
Director: Koujin Ochi
Site:http://www.corda-primopasso.com
Summary:
This is actually a TV special, not a regular TV anime. The
story picks up shortly after the music competition that featured
at the end of the first season, in which Kahoko Hino took part
with the help of her magic violin and the fairy who gave it to
her. In this new season she meets a brusque new fellow who
doubtless ends up joining her growing reverse harem.
Notable:
Director Koujin Ochi, known for episode directing After
War Gundam X and Case Closed plus assistant directing
on a couple of Pokemon movies, will take up directorship
of the special, although he didn't work on the original TV
series.
As expected, the cast list hasn't changed any, even if the
staff isn't quite the same.
Title: Cross Game
Starts: , April 5at 10am, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Comedy
Studio: SP
Director: Sekita
Site: http://websunday.net/rensai/set_crossgame.html
Summary:
One boy, Kou Kitamura. Four girls,
the Tsukishima sisters. One batting center/coffee shop. Kinda like
“Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Parlor,” otaku-style! This
romantic comedy focuses on Kou and Wakaba Tsukishima, the
second-oldest daughter...and baseball.
Notable:
Osamu Sekita has a long list
of series he's directed, from hentai like Homeroom Affairs
to the SD Gundam OVA series to the recent adaptation of
Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa's Hero
Tales. The man's been busy, okay?
The anime is based on an
ongoing manga by the famed Mitsuru Adachi, creator of dozens of
works, only one of which has made it to North America-- short
story collection Short Program.
Our leads will be played by
Miyu Irino (Gundam 00's Saji Crossroad, Tsubasa's
Syaoran) and Haruka Tomatsu (To LoveRu's Lala, and hey!
Asura Cryin's Misao).
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CUEoHCAPKJY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CUEoHCAPKJY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: Dragonball Kai
Starts: , April 5at 9am, on FujiTV
Genre: Action
Studio: Toei
Director: Daisuke Nishio
Site: http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/dragon_kai
Summary:
You guys probably already know the drill here, but this is
remastered and redubbed footage from Dragonball Z, minus
all of the filler-- and I don't just mean filler episodes, but
even time-wasters within the episodes (like long powerup scenes).
Suffice it to say, it'll be a fair bit shorter than the original!
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8EVrdvcl-jQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8EVrdvcl-jQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Fullmetal Alchemist
Starts:Sunday, April 5at 5pm, on MBS
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Bones
Director: Yasuhiro Irie
Site:http://www.hagaren.jp
Summary:
Another familiar name-- but it won't resemble the original
series TOO closely. With the manga further along now, this series
will stay truer to its print counterpart...especially considering
the staff and cast shakeups!
Notable:
Romi Paku (Ed Elric) and Rie Kugimiya (Al Elric) won quite
the acclaim for their first turn, and they'll be back for the new
series. But almost all of the remaining characters have new voice
actors, including Roy (Shinichiro Miki, Bleach's Kisuke
Urahara) and Winry (Megumi Takamoto, Negima!?'s Chao
Rinshen).
There are a lot of staff changes as well, primarily the
director-- Seiji Mizushima gives way to Yasuhiro Irie (who
episode directed parts of the first FMA, and who directed
Alien Nine and Kurau: Phantom Memory.
There is one change that bothers me: Michiru Oshima did an
amazing job with the soundtrack of the original FMA
series. The new composer is Akira Senju, whose work I'm less
familiar with-- he did Red Garden, Saiyuki: Requiem,
and B'tX.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7MlhzQS46-0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7MlhzQS46-0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Guin Saga
Starts: Sunday, April 5at 11:30pm, on NHK
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Satelight
Director: Atsushi Wakabayashi
Site: http://www.guinsaga.net
Summary:
At its most simplified, Guin Saga sounds like pretty
standard fantasy fare: a young amnesiac warrior must re-learn how
to exist in a world of lies, danger, and magic. There are, on the
other hand, some cool leopard masks.
Notable:
You may have heard of Guin Saga before-- Vertical
has been publishing English-language versions of the novels. Of
course, they're only something like five or six volumes in...of
124. And still going. No, I have no idea how long this anime
series is going to wind up being!
Kenyuu Horiuchi is set to voice the lead, titular Guin.
You may remember him as Fist of the North Star's
Toki. Or, oddly enough, Jerry Seinfeld in the dub of the
comedian's popular sitcom.
Shoji Yonemura, script
writer for Death
Note
and Glass
Fleet,
is doing screenplay for this series.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PT2NCFKCfUQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PT2NCFKCfUQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Hanasakeru Seishounen
Starts: Sunday, April 5 at 11pm, on NHK
Genre: Shoujo/Romance
Studio: Studio Pierrot
Director: Chiaki Kon
Site: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/anime/hana
Summary:
Picture it: you're the beautiful
only daughter of an incredibly wealthy and powerful businessman.
Your father places three beautiful, elegant, eligible young
bachelors in front of you and tells you to marry one of them.
Dutiful daughter that you are, you start to get to know the three
fellows (who apparently later become four): Li Ren Fong, Carl
Rosenthal, Eugene Alexander du Volcan, and Rumati Ivan Dai
Raginei. Why do rich people always have super-long names in anime?
Notable:
Chiaki Kon, best known for
directing Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and
Junjou Romantica,
helms this reverse harem romance.
Stellar
cast: Aya Endo (Macross F's
Sheryl Nome, Lucky Star's
Miyuki) will play the lead, Kajika Louisa Kugami Burnsworth;
Toshiyuki Morikawa (Final Fantasy VII Advent Children's
Sephiroth) is Li, Jun Fukuyama (Code Geass's
Lelouch) is Carl, Daisuke Ono (Haruhi's
Koizumi) is Eugene, and Daisuke Namikawa (Tsubasa's
Fay) is Rumati. Yowza.
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RcVbHyjGF8o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RcVbHyjGF8o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: Hatsukoi Limited
Starts: Sunday, April 12 at 12am, on BS11
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Studio: J.C. Staff
Director: Yoshiki Yamakawa
Site: http://www.j-hatsukoi.com
Summary:
Girls, girls, and more girls!
Hatsukoi Limited. features
a lot of girls. Now that that's out of the way, the original
four-volume manga features short stories revolving around seven
middle and high school girls. But this isn't some Azumanga
Daioh slice-of-life comedy;
it's all romance. And damn, do middle school girls look developed
in Japan...
Notable:
Director
Yoshiki Yamakawa is making his TV debut as director with this
anime; in the past he directed the Hells Angels
movie and has worked in several roles on series like Mushishi,
Samurai Champloo,
and DiGi Charat Nyo.
With
seven female leads comes seven female seiyuu: Mariya Ise (Air
Gear's Ringo, PreCure's
Urara) as Ayumi, Aki Toyosaki (Minamike's
Yoshino, Shugo Chara's
Suu) as Koyoi, Ayumi Fujimura (Kaze no Stigma's
Ayano, Kara no Kyoukai's
Azaka) as Nao, Minako Kotobuki (Yumedamaya Kidan's Chie) as Rika,
Rie Tanaka (Rozen Maiden's
Suigintou, Strike Witches'
Minna Dietlinde Wicke) as Misaki, Ryouko Shiraishi (Hayate
the Combat Butler's Hayate,
Mahou Sensei Negima!'s
Kaede) as Meguru, and Shizuka Itou (Hayate the Combat
Butler's Hinagiku Katsura)
as Kei.
Title: Hayate no Gotoku!
Starts: Saturday, April 5 at 1:23 am, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Comedy
Studio: J.C. Staff
Director: Yoshiaki Iwasaki
Site: http://hayatenogotoku.com
Summary:
The adventure continues! Hayate
Ayasaki, son of two compulsive gamblers who ran off and saddled
him with a huge debt, was rescued by the wealthy young Nagi
Sanzenin, who bought his debt. Now he works as her butler, and is
phenomenal at all of his tasks-- especially protecting young Nagi.
Although he sometimes fails to protect her from his own social
clumsiness. Anyway, they're joined by a cast of colorful
characters in Nagi's friends, family, and schoolchums. Most of
whom like Nagi or Hayate (but not all!).
Notable:
First season director
Keiichiro Kawaguchi gives way to a new director this season:
Yoshiaki Iwasaki, of Love Hina,
Best Student Council,
Zero no Tsukaima,
Sky Girls, and
Wagaya no Oinarisama.
fame...to name only a few.
There
are, however, no cast changes, at least none that have been made
obvious at this time.
Another
staff member that hasn't changed, to my delight: Kotarou
Nakagawa, who has done music for the original TV series and OVA,
as well as for Code Geass.
Hee!
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FsmQlv-mc24&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FsmQlv-mc24&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: Higashi no Eden
Starts: Friday, April 10 at 12:45am, on FujiTV
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Studio: Production I.G
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Site: http://juiz.jp/special
Summary:
In the year 2010, ten terrorist
missiles hit Japan. Oddly, though, the missiles resulted in no
casualties or injuries, causing the incident to be forgotten years
later. The mystery of the strange event will surely be explained
by the union of a young Japanese high school student on a school
trip to Washington D.C., and a naked young man bearing a gun and a
cell phone charged with a ridiculous sum of money.
Notable:
You
should be able to expect a very high-caliber anime from this
team: the director is Kenji Kamiyama, who directed Ghost
in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and
Seirei no Moribito,
and wrote Blood: The Last Vampire.
Expect
epic music, too-- Kenji Kawai, of Sorcerer Hunters,
Sky Crawlers and
Irresponsible Captain Tylor
fame, is composing.
Interestingly,
Chika Umino, creator of Honey and Clover,
is doing character design for the new series, so if it looks a
bit familiar, that's why!
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFAu_gWvcXI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFAu_gWvcXI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Higepiyo
Starts: Friday, April 3 at 6:20pm, on NHK
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Cinema Citrus
Director: Atsushi Takeyama
Site: http://www.higepiyo-tv.com
Summary:
Awwww....everone loves cute little
baby chickens, right? Especially when they have...facial hair...
Notable:
Romi Paku, Fullmetal
Alchemist's Ed Elric, is
voicing the gruff little chicklet, titular Higepiyo.
This
will be the directorial debut for Atsushi Takeyama, who has acted
as Director of Photography for Angelic Layer,
episode director of Honey and Clover,
and visual effects supervisor for the original Hellsing
TV series.
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/deuNbP-cRUw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/deuNbP-cRUw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: K-on!
Starts: Friday, April 3 at 2am, on TBS
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Kyoto Animation
Director: Hisako Yamada
Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/k-on
Summary:
Four girls decide to join their
school's club for “light music” (orchestral arrangements of
classic and popular music usually used for “mood music”) in
order to try and save the club from being closed by the school.
The only problem? Not a one of them has any experience with music
outside of listening to it.
Notable:
This anime is based on a 4koma
comic strip by Kakifly, although the art style looks more like
Kyoto Animation's than the original's, I think.
The lead character, Yui
Hirasawa, is set to be voiced by Aki Toyosaki, also known as
Minamike's Yoshino. She's
playing double duty with Hatsukoi Limited.
as Koyoi.
Hisako
Yamada is also debuting as a director this season; past credits
include episode directing the Lucky Star
OVA and key animation on The Melancholy of Haruhi
Suzumiya and Air.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e6woC17MYiw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e6woC17MYiw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Metal Fight Beyblade
Starts: Sunday, April 5 at 8:30am, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Shounen/Tournament
Studio: Synergy SP
Director: Kunihisa Sugishima
Site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/mf-beyblade
Summary:
Confession-- I know next to nothing
about Beyblade. That said,
I feel very comfortable saying that this anime will feature some
kind of tournament in which a bunch of kids play Beyblades.
Notable:
New
director on the franchise: Kunihisa Sugishima, who directed
Nabari no Ou,
Speed Grapher, and
the original Strike Witches OVA.
I am not making this up! I'm just not clever enough to come up
with that kind of thing myself!
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k-pL-zATKNo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k-pL-zATKNo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Natsu no Arashi!
Starts: Monday, April 6 at 1:30am, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Shaft
Director: Akiyuki Shinbo
Site: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/natsunoarashi
Summary:
Ahh, it's such an old tale: boy
meets girl while staying at his grandfather's place; girl is on
the run from maniacs trying to drag her back to her home, so boy
lets girl stay with him. Girl, of course, turns out to have
mysterious powers and a mysterious past to match!
Notable:
Mmm, it's another delicious
SHAFT x Akiyuki Shinbo mash-up-- this is the team that brought
you Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei
and Maria Holic.
So it should be pretty funny, even if the story sounds a
little...typical.
Ryouko
Shiraishi, who is also performing as Meguru in Hatsukoi
Limited. this season, is
voicing the supernatural girl, Arashi (“storm”). Joining her
as male lead is Yuko Sanpei (Eureka Seven's
Renton) as Yasaka.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I0LlPNLoPc0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I0LlPNLoPc0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: PandoraHearts
Starts: Friday, April 3 at 1:30am, on TBS
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Xebec
Director: Takao Kato
Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/ph
Summary:
I have no idea what this anime is
about, but that trailer is soooo pretty! *drools* ...Okay, okay,
I'm lying. Here's the scoop: a wealthy young heir lives without
his father, and then is suddenly thrown into an abyss on the day
of his coming of age ceremony. He is saved by Alice, a
blood-stained “black rabbit.” Naturally, he wants to figure
out why the heck it's all happening to him.
Notable:
Junko Minagawa (ARIA's
Akira, Negima!?'s
Ayaka) voices our young hero, Oz.
Director Takao Kato has a long
list of credits, including the Sorcerer Hunters
OVA, To LoveRu,
and Rockman.EXE.
Good music here-- savage
genius (El Cazador
and Yozakura Quartet
OP performers) are doing the ending theme, “Maze,” while Yuki
Kajiura is composing the OP theme-- it's unclear at this point if
it will be a FictionJunction release (i.e. Kajiura will compose
and keyboard working with a separate singer).
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iaygYc3ncfk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iaygYc3ncfk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~
Starts: Friday, April 3 at 2:15am, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Drama
Studio: Bee Train
Director: Koichi Mashimo
Site: http://www.phantom-r.jp
Summary:
When a man witnesses a murder-- and
the identity of the top assassin of a mysterious organization
–he's usually killed before he can spill the beans. Instead, the
hero of Phantom has his
memories removed so he can be brainwashed into becoming a
high-level assassin himself. His new name is Zwei, and he works
with the top assassin, “Phantom”...who is a young girl named
Ein.
Notable:
The
name Koichi Mashimo should sound familiar-- he's the director
behind Noir,
Madlax, El
Cazador, and Irresponsible
Captain Tylor.
Zwei
will be voiced by Miyu Irino (Gundam 00's
Saji Crossroad, Cross Game's
Kou Kitamura); Ayahi Takagaki (True Tears'
Noe, Gundam 00's
Feldt) will play Ein.
Everyone's
favorite-- ALI Project is performing the ED theme for Phantom.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UXyj2_mGRdo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UXyj2_mGRdo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Queen's Blade
Starts: Thursday, April 2 at 8am, on AT-X
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: ARMS
Director: Kinji Yoshimoto
Site: http://queensblade.tv
Summary:
Who cares about the story? It's
Queen's Blade, the height
of all things fanservice!...really, I wish I could tell you more,
but I can't find a damn thing. Mostly because the website doesn't
seem to have any actual information. Sorry. That
said...fanservice, fanservice, fanservice is probably a safe bet.
Notable:
And don't worry that the anime
will skimp on the fanservice. Director Kinji Yoshimoto is
helming, and his past credits include producing the hentai G-Spot
Express, character designing
for the infamous La Blue Girl,
and...Genshiken 2. Hm.
Haruhi
returns! Aya Hirano will lend her voice to Nanael, one of the
leads of the series.
And
finally...I can't help but want to point out the very odd time
slot of the series. Kids' shows often air on weekend mornings;
more adult-oriented in the very late evenings...but 8am on
Thursday is just odd.
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gtR6gb8nDqE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gtR6gb8nDqE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: Ristorante Paradiso
Starts: Thursday, April 9 at 2:08am on Fuji TV
Genre: Comedy
Studio: david production
Director: Mitsuko Kase
Site: http://www.rispara.tv
Summary:
This anime seeks out a very unusual
demographic-- women who like older guys. The plot revolves around
a girl named Nicoletta, whose life changes immensely when she
moves to Rome. She gets herself apprenticed at a charming little
restaurant staffed by a handful of charming older men.
Notable:
Director Mitsuko Kase is one
of relatively few female anime directors out there. She also
helmed Glass Maiden and
SaiKano.
Fumiko
Orikasa (the new Riza Hawkeye in Fullmetal Alchemist,
Bleach's Rukia)
will voice Nicoletta.
David
production is a young company; they assisted on Code
Geass. This will be their
first TV series on their own; they're also working on the OVA
Dogs: Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ONdYqyv-i90&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ONdYqyv-i90&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Saki
Starts: Monday, April 6 at 2am, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Tournament
Studio: Gonzo
Director: Manabu Ono
Site: http://www.saki-anime.com
Summary:
This isn't a mahjongg murder drama
like Shion no Ou-- it's a
wacky comedy featuring a young girl who hates the game because
she's been forced to play it with her family all her life. In
spite of this, the games taught her a unique skill: keeping her
score perfectly 0, so that she doesn't win or lose. When the
mahjongg club members at her school learn about it, though, she's
forced to join up.
Notable:
Director
Manabu Ono has tried his hand at several different types of
anime, including Dragonaut
and Transformers: Cybertron.
Hopefully this will prove to be somewhat more successful than
either of them.
Saki
is based on the manga of the same name by Ritz Kobayashi; it's
still running in Square Enix's Young Gangan.
Kana
Ueda (Fate/Stay Night's
Rin Tohsaka, Maria-sama ga Miteru's
Yumi, Shigofumi's
Fumika) will voice the titular heroine Saki.
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vhDPjT4Bdug&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vhDPjT4Bdug&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: Sengoku Basara
Starts: Thursday, April 2 at 1:34am, on CBC
Genre: Action
Studio: Production I.G
Director: Itsuro Kawasaki
Site: http://www.sengokubasara.tv/index2.html
Summary:
Based on the popular game series,
Sengoku Basara features
powerful fighters with cool character designs and amazing
abilities, and doubtless some kind of plotline to thread them
together. Of course, the primary characters are the same as the
game: historical warlords Sanada Yukimura and Date Masamune. Oda
Nobunaga also makes a cameo!
Notable:
The
cast list is about the same as the original games, and you know
what that means-- WAKAMOTOOOOO! Norio Wakamoto will voice the
aforementioned Oda Nobunaga. Kazuya Nakai (Gintama's
Toujirou) will voice Date, and Souichiro Hoshi (Code
Geass's Gino) plays Sanada.
Director
Itsuro Kawasaki isn't unfamiliar with game adaptations-- he
directed the Arc the Lad
and Chrono Trigger
anime as well.
Mmm,
delicious abingdon boys school-- the rock group will perform OP
theme for the series.
Title: Shangri La
Starts: Monday, April 6 at 12am, on ChibaTV
Genre: Action/Mystery
Studio: Gonzo
Director: Makoto Bessho
Site: http://www.anime-shangri-la.jp
Summary:In a
“neo-futuristic” (their words, not mine!) world, the tower
city of Atlas is home to the wealthy-- and to ancient secrets. A
colorful cast of characters including, but not limited to a
“riotous” teen girl, a little princess, a child genius, and a
drag queen, investigate the matters.
Notable:
Range Murata, Mr. “Robot”
himself, offers up the lush character designs for the series.
That alone makes this one drool-worthy for me!
Gonzo must be aware of
Murata's appeal abroad-- they opened an English-language
site for the anime as well as Japanese. Of course, it IS
streaming on Crunchyroll along with its Japanese airing.
Director Makoto Bessho is best
known for helming the Ah! My Goddess
movie (which I liked rather better than most of the TV series,
personally) and Armitage: Dual Matrix.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z1fvC3R7t5A&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/z1fvC3R7t5A&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-hen ontelevision
Starts: Saturday, April 4 at 11:20pm, on TV Tokyo
Genre: Mech
Studio: BEEMEDIA
Director: Yasuhiro Imagawa
Site: http://www.shin-mazinger.com
Summary:
This unique remake combines
elements of the original Mazinger Z
and its later re-imagining Z Mazinger.
The original series features a Greece-based scientist named Dr.
Hell who goes insane and kills off his entire research team--
except for Professor Kabuto, who flees to Japan and creates
Mazinger Z to combat Dr. Hell. Z Mazinger
remakes the series into Greek mythology, with various characters
representing Greek gods. I'm not entirely sure how this will be
mixed in the new series, but it should be interesting...
Notable:
...At
least in part because original creator Go Nagai is working on the
project. Yay!
Not
to mention the involvement of director Yasuhiro Imagawa, director
of Tetsujin-28,
Gin Rei, and Giant
Robo.
The
new show will also feature an OP by JAM Project and several other
artists: Tamio Okuda, Kazuyoshi Saitou, and LAZY.
Title: Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Crimson S
Starts: Sunday, April 5 at 1:30am, on TV Kanagawa
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Diomedea
Director: Toshimasa Suzuki
Site: http://www.polyphonica.tv
Summary:
The continued adventures of humans
and spirits in the magical world of Polyphonica, where musicians
known as Dantists command a special respect and are typically
contracted to powerful magical spirits. The series follows the new
Dantist Tatara Phoron, and his tsundere conctracted spirit
Corticarte-- one of the oldest and most powerful spirits in the
world.
Notable:
The first season's
director Masami Shimoda gives way to new director Toshimasa
Suzuki, best known for his work on Heroic
Age.
It'll be interesting to see what he does with a very different
sort of series.
Haruka
Tomatsu (To
LoveRu's
Lala, Basquash!'s
Misao) and Hiroshi Kamiya (Sayonara
Zetsubou Sensei's
Itoshiki Nozomu, Gundam
00's
Tieria) return as Corticarte and Tatara, naturally.
Also
returning-- eufonius, the musical group who performed the first
series' OP, will perform the second series' as well. They also
did OPs for Kashimashi,
Noein,
and True
Tears.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxQDZE2LNpk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxQDZE2LNpk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Souten Kourou
Starts: Wednesday, April 8 at 1am, on NTV
Genre: Historical
Studio: Madhouse
Director: Toyou Ashida
Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/souten
Summary:
This historical drama revolves
around China's Han Dynasty, a time of considerable political
unrest. Cao Cao, the last chancellor of the Han Dynasty, is
portrayed as the protagonist in this particular Romance of the
Three Kingdoms tale (unlike
most of them). He struggles to lead China into a new era of
pragmatism, which puts him at odds with the idealistic Confucian
philosophies of most of the country.
Notable:
This
tale is based on the 36-volume manga which was originally written
by Hagin Yi and drawn by King Gonta. However, Yi died in 1998,
and Gonta picked up the story-- which didn't diminish the series'
popularity significantly, it seems.
It's
unusual for director Toyou Ashida to fully direct a TV series--
he's worked as animation director or character design on many,
but in the past has mostly directed OVAs and movies. These
include, however, Fist of the North Star's
movie and the Vampire Hunter D
OVA.
Mamoru
Miyano, the seiyuu superstar behind Gundam 00's
Setsuna and Death Note's
Light, returns as protagonist Cao Cao here.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1YR22W4Yi6A&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1YR22W4Yi6A&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity-
Starts: Monday, April 6 at 12:30am, on Chiba TV
Genre: Moe Romance
Studio: SILVER LINK.
Director: Keitarou Motonaga
Site: http://www.tayutama.com
Summary:
Yuuri is a high school student and
the son of a shrine-keeper. One day he and his friends come upon
relics of the town's past (namely the town's protection god,
Tayutayu) on their school campus, and before much longer a
mysterious girl named Mashiro appears as a transfer student at the
school. I need hardly tell you that she is somehow related to
Tayutayu and the town's history.
Notable:
Based on an eroge of the same
name, Tayutama features a
hoarde of women, including the fox-like Mashiro (I mean that
literally), pigtailed Ameri, shy Yumina, arrogant Mifuyu, and the
tiny Nue.
Director
Keitarou is very familiar with moe shows: he helmed Akaneiro
ni Somaru Saka,
Amenaideyo!!'s
sequel, and the infamous School Days.
That said, this doesn't look like a show with beheading.
Noriko
Rikimaru, who voiced Nori in Rozen Maiden
and Manaka in ToHeart2,
will play Mashiro, while Satoshi Hino (Shakugan no
Shana's Yuuji) will voice
Yuuri. Oh, and Norio Wakamoto also makes an appearance!
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xVQTSl0Hy-U&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xVQTSl0Hy-U&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></param></object>
Title: Tears to Tiara
Starts: Monday, April 6 at 1:35am, on ChibaTV
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: WHITE FOX
Director: Tomoki Kobayashi
Site: http://tearstotiara.jp
Summary:
I feel like I've been seeing promo
stuff for this series for ages!
The story revolves around a girl named Rhiannon who accidentally
releases a demon king who had been sealed for a thousand
years...so they travel together. Aww! Note that the trailer above is actually omake from the game, but I think it'll give a decent sense of what the animation will look like.
Notable:
Tears to Tiara
is an adaptation of an eroge (or rather, the PS3 version was
rated 12+, and the PC version was 18+). But not just any dating
sim-- it was a tactical RPG with a fantasy setting.
This
is director Tomoki Kobayashi's first outing as director on a TV
series; he's episode-directed a number of them and also directed
the Ichigo 100%
OVA.
Yuuko
Gotou, miss Mikuru herself, will be voicing Rhiannon, while her
demon king Arawn will be played by Tooru Ookawa (Fullmetal
Alchemist's first Roy
Mustang, Ghost in the Shell's
Saito).
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SqI3gwFRQS4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SqI3gwFRQS4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></param></object>
Title: Valkyria Chronicles
Starts: Sunday, April 5 at 1:35am on ChibaTV
Genre: Drama
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Director: Yasutaka Yamamoto
Site: http://www.valkyria-anime.com
Summary:
Set in a slightly altered version
of 1930s Europe, Welkin Gunther returns home to take his sister to
a safe place, only to find himself forced to fight for his life
(and hers) when the town his attacked. He allies with Alicia
Melchiott, the captain of the town watch, and the two (and
Welkin's sister) escape to the nation's capitol. There, Alicia and
Welkin join the nation's military to protect their world.
Notable:
Based, of course, on the
popular (but not as popular as it should be) tactical RPG, the
game features its own 3D anime cutscenes. The anime, of course,
will be 2D. And Alicia has had a slight upgrade in the chest
department.
Speaking of Alicia, she's
voiced by one of my favorite seiyuu, Marina Inoue-- Skip
Beat's Kyouko and Gurren
Lagann's Yoko. Welkin is
voiced by Susumu Chiba, who you may have heard as Gintama's
Isao or Vampire Knight's
Ichijou.
Finally,
director Yasutaka Yamamoto: it's his directorial debut. He seems
to have risen fairly quickly, having only directed episodes of
xxxHOLiC Kei and
Big Windup!
before. Let's hope that means he's a genius.
(Read the rest of this entry)
(Entry meta)
