First up, one of the best Vocaloid we’ve seen. Its lucky star cut to make music. Here are the songs we recognized, and there is a lot that we don’t. Hare Hare Yukai From The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Nowhere From MADLAX Tori no Uta From AIR You From Higurashi no Naku koroni Precious Things God [...]
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Ugh, had this post ready about 2 days ago but forgot to publish. I’ll try to avoid such delays from now on. Anyway this week’s Vocaloid Ranking had its fair share of amusing songs. KAITO’s rendition of “Nitori no uta” and “Yatterman no uta” are just a few that surprised me actually. There was also [...]
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"Yes, I was really frustrated they took Nagato's SG out of Guitar Hero III. And Eddie Knox."I like to rant a lot about music in anime, first because I've been a Dance Dance Revolution addict since the original PSX port, and second because I can't play it with any resemblance of much more than a cacophony that could have come from Kotomi Ichinose's violin itself.And while I've said a few times in the 12 (and running) Days countdown that insert songs, or background music can really make a moment in an anime, equally important to a show is the opening and ending themes.It may not be as important as the in-show music, but the fact is you're going to hear these themes at least twelve times over the course of a show's run, and so they better be good. Sometimes it's all right to get away with skipping a show's ending theme, but to jump over the opening seems almost heretical.This is because the the OP / ED animations, and the songs themselves, do a lot for setting the mood of a show. A contemplative, deep-thinking show might have a slow, mood-filled theme, while a action-packed comedy might have a more hyperactive, high-energy song.Thusly I've picked out ten of my favorite songs for bookending anime I've seen this year. They range from the fast-paced to the melancholy, from the lyrical to the instrumental, but they're all songs that I wouldn't sniff twice at putting on my MP3 player.Y'know, because anime fans like me were born with no shame.Most Inexplicably Catchy SongZetsubou ED - Zessei BijinNormally I go for either the slow-paced piano/violin songs with drawn-out vocals or the high-energy, typically rock songs, but the jazzy ending theme to Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is surprising finger-snapping fun. It has lyrics and an overall feel that captures perfectly the almost humorously sadistic feel of the show, and the rhythm of the vocals is enjoyable as well.In the full version, the multiple singers are used to maximum effect, with each line of 'I got to hear their screaming voices again' (the penultimate line in each chorus) sung by a different singer. Incidentally, the way they sing that line every time is simply stunning. The instrumental solo in the full version is pleasant as well, and really captures that pseudo-horror feel of the song and the lyrics.Best Song PairSHUFFLE! OP - YOU and SHUFFLE! ED - InnocenceShuffle!, like most visual novel shows of the harem type, is a show that blends both light-hearted comedy and serious drama, and this is reflected great in the two contrasting themes in its opening and ending. Typically, most anime have a 'fast' and a 'slow' song split among the OP and ED, but Shuffle!'s are top-notch in both regards.YOU is an example of the strong singing and guitar-work typical of the Shuffle! series; Mirage Lullaby and Remember Memories are equally rocking yet still emotional songs sung by YURIA for the Shuffle! eroges. The guitar work is catchy, and the vocals are sung with power.Innocence is the flip side of the coin, an almost melancholy song with a lighter guitar note to it and some sweet-sounding vocals. It's good both as a song on its own and as a contrast to the upbeat YOU, and these two songs go together well to form the dual face of Shuffle!, a surprisingly serious (and seriously enjoyable) eroge conversion.Most Incomprehensibly Meme-Worthy SongLucky Star OP - Motteke! Seerafuku!It was a coin flip between this and Hare Hare Yukai, but I felt determined to acknowledge at least one song that has been mimicked (if not beaten into the ground) by the fan community innumerable times by either parodies or dance-offs. Motteke! Seerafuku! is kind of like Hare Hare Yukai on crack, in that it features more dancing, the lyrics make even less sense, and it's even faster-paced.Actually, the lyrics make no sense at all, but there's a certain enjoyability to random English nonsense like "Let's get cherry pie!". As well, the incredibly quick speed of the lyrics makes me wonder why they don't have more rapping Japanese schoolgirls. The first lyric part (from the end of the instrumental intro to the saxophone segment) is far too catchy for something I can't comprehend at all, even with subtitles.It's a pretty fitting random song for a pretty random anime; sometimes I don't get either of them, sometimes they both seem kind of overhyped, but they're both a lot of fun.Most Rocking SongMyself;Yourself OP - Tears InfectionI like songs with guitar. A lot of guitar. In that sense, I should probably be picking Shana II's JOINT for this then, but Tears Infection is an equally enjoyable song that really wants you to break out the air guitar.Which is a bit of a lie, as Tears Infection actually doesn't have too many guitar pieces, much less complicated ones - there's the 8-note riff repeated throughout the intro and any instrumental space, and the slow notes played during the vocal parts. But what's fun about this song is that there's a lot of energetic fast parts (any time you can see the band playing in the OP) and a few moments that focus on intense vocals instead (the part with Sana / Nanaka visible). And, of course, there's the choruses, with a little bit of both. It's a pretty good mix overall that's great for four-minutes of head-bobbing.Most Able to Be Actually Performed by a White Guy (but not really)Kanon OP - Last RegretsLast Regrets is a perfect example of the 'slow, moody songs' that I was mentioning earlier, featuring mostly piano backing, and deep, slow lyrics. So slow, actually, that I was able to memorize them. Not to mention the first thirty seconds of the piano piece as well.In conclusion, fandom is scary and you should never ask me to sing Last Regrets, because I will. The song itself, male voices aside, is quite great, starting slowly and building to a sort of powerful crescendo. The Key songs have always been kind of like this, with songs clocking on the slower side, although Tori no Uta and Megumeru were both a bit faster-paced, they definitely enjoyed their slow instrumental and powerful lyric parts. Sad songs in slow like this are perfect for these largely own-pace, character-driven shows of discovery.And one more bonus point: the Kanon OP on DVD on a high-definition TV is simply jaw-dropping.Most Amusing Use of Side VocalsMinami-ke OP - Keikenchi JoshouchuuFirst off, I hate this song for being the only one on the list which wasn't easily transcribed Japanese or Engrish. But otherwise, this song is just brimming with the sort of energetic, peppy, carefree attitude that a slice-of-life show like Minami-ke has. It's fun, right down to the last touches.These last touches, as the title may hint, are the heavy use of side vocals, or whatever I should be calling them; the little voices, personified by chibi characters in the OP, shouting 'Whoo!' and 'Hai hai hai hai!'. It's cute, and it really captures that kind of playful feel of the song. 'Kuru kuru!' is one of the catchiest for me. I suppose this sort of thing goes to show why Japan can spin an entire culture (or, at least, a few brands) based on random cute chibi things.The rest of the song, for no other way to put it, is 'fun' as well, and really feels like the kind of song you'd bounce around, or at the least, clap energetically too. Amusing to me though, is the fact that even a song like this has a wicked guitar solo. They're everywhere in anisongs.Most Mellow Melodysola ED - mellow melodyActually, there were other songs in contention for the second slow song slot (say that ten times fast, and whatnot), but having settled with sola's ending song, I had to name it this.It's a great relaxing, yet emotional song (which I've said ten times, but it's still true) that works well to soothe after another dramatic, cliffhanging episode of sola. I can't count the amount of times that something exciting would happen, then it would cut to black and this song would start playing. The vocals are nicely done in this song, and the visuals in the animation are an alluring mix of real-life sky shots, in theme with the show, and conceptual art of the characters. It's worth watching for the stills alone, probably, and the song is pretty sweet too.Most Ironic SongSchool Days OP - Innocent BlueI'd easily take many of School Days's various ending themes over the opening theme, but given that this song gets twelve times as much exposure, it deserves a bit of recgonition for being what it is - completely unrelated to the anime.One has to imagine the composers had their tongues firmly in cheek when creating a peppy song like this, that wouldn't be out of place in any normal harem or romance show. It's a catchy song made all the more amusing by the knowledge that School Days isn't normal in the slightest, and the thematic and lyrical use of 'angels', not to mention all the happy, innocent characters in the opening, are a great joke played on non-suspecting viewers. Those of us who have endured this show can smirk at this song as others try to piece the upbeat music with the downbeat story.Most Embarassingly Awesome SongShugo Chara! OP - Kokoro no TamagoMagical girl songs - I don't know what it is about them. Cardcaptor Sakura had three great openings. Nanatsuiro Drops came along with Shining Stars Bless. And now Shugo Chara! pulls one of its own out of the hat.It's exactly as you'd expect a song from a show like this, and somehow I don't find that to be a problem. It's smile-inducing to a fault, from the cheery lyrics to the sugary animation. It oozes pink and J-pop and just plain happiness from every pore, and for some reason the slightly techno-sounding voice is incredibly catchy. I don't even find a fault with the Englishy 'hop step jump' or 'drew draw drawn' (?), although my favorite part of this song would have to be the last few lines building up to the chorus, ending in 'my own heart, unlock!'. It's a strangely addictive song that I've rewatched probably more than the show itself so far.Most Touching Song From a Show I've Never WatchedBokurano OP - UninstallI have no idea what Bokurano is, but I have a strong desire to find out now. Uninstall very well might be the king of slow-paced, emotional songs. The lyrics are sung in a very melodic fashion, with a great range of pitch that produces a great sense of feeling in the song. It just flows good.What I really like about this song are the lyrics. They support the song in terms of power and depth, and are very touching in their somewhat existential tone. I think I can really claim a song is good, like this one, when I can really enjoy it without having any sentimental memories of a show to back it up.-CCY
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I've gone over the change in episode previews recently, and now it's time for another quick post on another thing we take for granted in anime: the opening sequences.Opening sequences is featured in pretty much every episode of every anime, ever, excluding intro episodes and extremely epic episodes (that need every second of screentime). The animation is usually canned, with the intro being the same every time after time after time - occasionally an anime will mix it up a bit with the final episode's opening (see: DNAngel, and on a lesser note, Cardcaptor Sakura), but in most cases the last episode looks exactly the same as the first.Usually there's not a lot of content per se in the opening sequence. Each character, depending on the scope of the series, will get anything from a quick flash in the intro to maybe a 15 second piece of things. Some spoiler content may be inherent in either the pictures, or, in special cases, the lyrics, but you probably won't get it until it's too late.Oh, and there's somebody singing in the background, of course. I don't think I've ever heard of a fully instrumental OP sequence, although feel free to prove me wrong.So, again, the question is raised about OP sequences. Are they necessary? Or would it be better to have another minute of animation, and perhaps just have a still frame or the like of the title at the beginning?Personally, I'm one of the few that watches the OP sequence every time. Even if it does get a bit stale watching the same thing over and over, it provides a bit of a break, a chance to relax and enjoy the music and animation. A lot of times I'm working hard when watching anime, whether screencapping or taking notes on the anime itself. Watching the OP gives a bit of a breather, and time to decompress as well - to think back on what happened last time and get prepared, as in most of the dramatic anime I watch, to get rocked. Like a hurricane.For some reason, I also find OP sequences to have a great affect on the anime I watch as well. They're a good barometer for how much I like the series. Perhaps this is a side effect of overassociating things, but I find that if I like the OP sequence, I'll like the anime as well.Kanon's 'Last Regrets', Shuffle!'s 'YOU', AIR's 'Tori no Uta', even now sola's 'colorless wind', all great songs to complement fascinating anime. Sometimes I wonder if it's just association, that the songs call back memories of uguu~ and Yaka and, yes, boxcutters.The animation may not be the same, though. It looks good but the music very much stands on its own, unlike the animation. Although, the animation is entertaining, in the more spoilerific one, where one can try to find all the deeper meaning in the intro - where one can look at the spoilers and say 'So that explains it!' Some of Kyoto Animation's work, for lack of better examples (is there a word for Kyoanitard? My face is probably there.), defines this. Mikuru on the clock in the Haruhi intro, some of the scenes in the Kanon intro (like the Nayuki one pictured below), the dinosaur getting hit by the waves in AIR, they all correlate directly to events that happen in the anime themselves.It's neat things like that that make the OP worth watching, for me. Not to mention the music of course, as well, whether it be an energetic song or a relaxing one, it gets you into the mood for the show, doesn't it?-CCY
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So, as you may recall from a few days ago, I watched the first episode of Azumanga Daioh, and didn't think very highly of it. I thought it a pointless, plotless anime with overused and overstretched gags that were occasionally funny but mostly predictable.Now, if you will direct your attention to the title of the post, you will notice that my post is covering all of the first disc of the Azumanga anime. Incidentally, the first disc contains nine episodes - much more than a usual R1 release of 3 or 4, for some odd reason (but, the poor Japanese rarely get more than 1 or 2 at any case).Which, implies, correctly, that in the span of a few days that I have watched 8 episodes of Azumanga Daioh. I think that means I don't hate it anymore.So, why? What changed me into a convert?I think there are a lot of valid reasons, and some common ones I use to judge how much I'd enjoy an anime.For some reason, the OP song to an anime seems to be a good barometer. I've got Last Regrets (Kanon) pretty much on perma-loop on my computer, Tori no Uta (AIR) is a good song in the same vein, the Shuffle! series songs (YOU, innocence, Remember Memories, even whatever the Tick! Tack! OP is) are good for a bit of a more rock-ish Japanese feel, and even the retro (relatively) Cardcaptor Sakura themes are great for a bit of cheery feel-good-ness.Not to mention the plethora of Haruhi - Yuki muon madobe nite, Cool Edition, Kimidori's Hare Hare Yukai, the list goes on.I haven't been able to figure out what it is about the OP that's so important - I could understand if it was maybe the animation that goes along with it, but since I usually just listen to the MP3s over and over, that's likely out - unless the case is that I associate the music with the anime, and start visualizing.Anyway, I've gone incredibly off track, but the point is that the Azumanga Daioh OP song, "Fancy Hearing Cake" (which is a random name for a random song for a random anime), has grown on me. It's certainly not top tier, but it seems that it's certainly passable to listen to every 25 minutes (or however long an episode is). I didn't expect to like the song, and perhaps I don't, but it's similar to the Mikururururururun song in that "This is the worst song ever and it's sung badly and I hate it and why am I still humming it" kind of way.As for the anime itself, another boosting factor is what I like to call the Halo Character. It's similar to the concept of the halo car I've read about in magazines, where one superbly awesome supercar, like the Ford GT or whatnot, will boost perception of all other vehicles by that manufacturer. As such, the Halo Character in anime is one that is so incredibly awesome that it brings up the whole anime - usually, one which could stand, theoretically, on their own for an entire episode without looking my interest. Want examples? Look up. Yeah, at the banner.For the anime at hand, I think I've found a halo character in Osaka. It seems that spacey, perhaps innocent, characters are the amusing type to me, with the rise of Tsukasa in Lucky Star, and now Osaka in Azumanga Daioh. Perhaps it's because I can relate, being quite the slow-witted person at times myself. And so I find the antics (or lack thereof) of these characters very amusing. And, so, with the second episode being almost entirely around Osaka, life was good.The third factor, for Azumanga Daioh, was environment, strangely enough. This isn't one that I usually factor in to an anime's enjoyment, but it seems you really have to be in the right mood to enjoy Azumanga Daioh. For, it seems, a lot of people in America like to get things done. We multitask, with our laptops and Blackberries and cell phones and coffee and so on. We don't have time to sit around for half an hour to enjoy an anime which has as much content as cotton candy.As such, when I sat down to watch Azumanga for the first time, it was two days before a project was due for school, and the day before finals week. I didn't really have time to burn, so it really didn't click to turn my mind off for half an hour and enjoy the senseless antics of the cast. This, I imagine, is the time for what I call 'thinking anime', like many Key series, maybe even Haruhi at some of its deeper moments. These are anime where you can actively get involved in it, get involved in connecting the dots and figuring out the plot.Azumanga, from what it seems so far, is more of a 'summer' anime. It's the anime for when you don't want to think, when you want to just sit around and relax, when there's nothing else to do, when you don't need to keep track of the time, like during a slow summer day. And with my first slow summer day being yesterday in the period after the last day of school, Azumanga just...clicked. It's perfect for sitting down in the afternoon in a catatonic state, and getting up to go to bed at night after watching 4 hours worth of episodes.In a sense, I'd call it almost like a lot of American TV and sitcoms, in that there's not a lot of thinking involved, but there is a lot of humor involved.Not a lot has changed about the show itself, to be honest. The gags are still repeated numerous times - a "Sakaki-gets-bitten-by-cat" counter could probably rival the Uguu-o-meter at any rate - and some scenes are just screaming 'reused/cheap footage'. Perhaps it's just that we're getting into the fresh content, the ones I don't quite remember from the manga, that makes it a bit better for me.Perhaps the Yukari-mobile is just that much more funny (especially as one who recently obtained a driver's license) in real-time. Who knows?But, in the end, Azumanga Daioh seems to be an interesting show after all, at least under the right conditions. And with the onset of summer for joyous schoolchildren everywhere, it just might be time to sit down, clock out, and chill to the tune of Chiyo being naive, Sakaki being cool, Yomi being a meganekko, Osaka being spacey, Yukari being a Good Driver, and Kaorin being a fangirl. (see look, I remember names now!)Except for Tomo and Kimura. Those two are just annoying.-CCY
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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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