T.H.A.T. Summer 2009 Anime Preview
June 6th, 2009
Are you ready for your swine flu vaccination?
Welcome to the 2009 Summer Anime Preview. I hope everyone is enjoying the time off, because I have none -_- (damn Bar review). Regardless, enjoy our seasonal preview, the format is the same as last time.
Much of this info is pulled from Fansub Wiki, AniDB, AnimeNfo, ANN, Wikipedia and MAL. So thanks to those fine sites for their databases and other information.
A Message from the NKVD: Well its time once again to point out this is a preview, and not a review. That “p” makes a difference a very big difference in fact. On another note many of us are old grouchy mean spirited cynics and not wide eyed idealistic fat cat communist NEETs. If you are part of the “animu is SRSfkn business” part of the fandom do yourself a favor and just read the summary from ANN so you can preserve your fragile optimism for your harem animu. Other than that Liberty Prime is watching and ready to initiate directive 7395, destroy all communists.
Click on link to jump to the series: Element Hunters | Cobra the Animation -Rokunin no Yuushi- | Princess Lover! | Kanamemo | Sora no Manimani | Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou | Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 | Aoi Hana | Needless | Umineko no Naku Koro ni | Spice & Wolf II | Bakemonogatari | Taishou Yakyuu Musume | Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei | Hetalia Axis Powers Second Season | GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class | Canaan | Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~
Element Hunters
Details
Website: http://elementhunters.com/
Japanese Air Date: July 4
Animation Company: HeeWon Entertainment, NHK Enterprises
Seiyuu: Atsuko Enomoto, Houko Kuwashima, Yuutaro Motoshiro
Available Trailers: Trailer 1
Summary
An original production from a Japanese and Korean studio combination. The anime will be a science-fiction adventure aimed at children to teach chemical elements. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: Apparently this isn’t going to be your average educational show, it’s going to have an actual adventure/story of sorts. Still not a likely watch, but you never know.
Crusader: I’d be surprised if they some how managed to make the periodic table fun without teaching kids how to make meth or gunpowder.
Shokkeru: Looks a bit childish, but the art style isn’t too bad and the story could be somewhat interesting.
Impz: I have been totally drained out by anime, and I am not going to bother with a series that looks like it is made for 10 year old kids. I do need to see if the premise will work, but I doubt so.
Cobra the Animation -Rokunin no Yuushi-
Details
Website: http://www.cobra30th-anime.com/
Japanese Air Date: July 4
Animation Company: Magic Bus
Seiyuu: Nachi Nozawa, Yoshiko Sakakibara
Summary
Newest adaptation of Buichi Terasawa’s 1978-1984 space opera manga. This TV series is a remake of the 1980 anime series.
The series features the infamous space-pirate Cobra who was once forced to hide from enemies by surgically altering his face and erasing his own memory. At the start of the story he is living an ordinary life but after going to a trip-parlor where ordinary people live out their fantasies as powerful implanted dreams he starts to regain his true memories. With his android partner Lady Armaroid literally ‘bursting’ out of the bulky domestic robot she impersonated in his years of ‘vacation’, and his old ship The Turtle, he now faces foes both old and new. (Wikipedia)
Thoughts
Calawain: I have not watched the original series, but the concept seems pretty badass.
Crusader: I missed out back in the day though if Shin Mazinger Z is anything to go on, then retro is usually solid.
Shokkeru: Not exactly my cup of tea.
Impz: I don’t watch old school adaptations. They don’t run well with me, but those who know what this is about should tune in immediately.
Princess Lover!
Details
Website: http://www.prilover.tv/
Japanese Air Date: July 5
Animation Company: GoHands
Seiyuu: Emiri Katou, Megumi Toyoguchi, Ryoka Yuzuki, Yuki Matsuoka
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (scroll down to the two yellow buttons, doesn’t work for me)
Summary
Adaptation of the PC eroge by Ricotta (why a Japanese porn game company would name themselves after an Italian cheese I do not know).
In the original game’s story, Teppei Arima is a second-year high school student who lost both of his parents in a traffic accident on their way home from a family trip. His grandfather, Isshin Arima, happens to wield the puppet strings in Japan’s vast economy and demands that Teppei becomes his successor as the head of the Arima Group. To prepare for his debut into high society, Teppei enrolls in an elite academy for the scions of the rich and powerful. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: Well, the storyline has been done about a thousand times before, but the bishoujos in the promotional material look pretty damn delicious. And they’ve got a damn good seiyuu cast, highlighted by several Lucky Star cast members, Megumi Toyoguchi, and even Emperor Wakamoto. Probably going to watch it just to hear the voices of Patty and Misao again.
Crusader: I find ergoe to be a bit off putting… I find rich people to be intolerable, things must be great if they want to do a series on some rich kids with this level of unemployment, but hey I guess it worth living in a fantasy land where the Japanese economy doesn’t suck so bad. Maybe Calawain will have found a gem in this one.
Shokkeru: I’ll admit that the image caught my attention, but I doubt I’ll investigate any further.
Impz: Cute girls but the boobs are too big. I like my Petanko/flat chested girls (Thank you to 13sugars for introducing me to Hinagiku), thank you very much. No deal.
Possible Bloggers: Calawain
Kanamemo
Details
Website: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/kanamemo/
Japanese Air Date: July 5
Animation Company: Feel (Nagasarete Airantou, Shikabane Hime)
Seiyuu: Aki Toyosaki, Aya Endo, Eri Kitamura, Kaoru, Rie Kugimiya, Ryou Hirohashi, Yui Horie
Summary
Adaptation of Shouko Iwami’s 4-koma.
The story centers on Kana Nakamichi, a middle-school girl who had already lost her parents and just recently lost her only remaining relative, her grandmother. As a result, she ends up living and working at a newspaper delivery office. Everyone else living at the office are all charming, self-assertive bishoujo. The manga follows Kana’s daily life in the fast-paced yet joyous environment. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: The character designs are decent, and I like some of the seiyuu cast (mostly Eri Kitamura, KugaRie, and Hocchan), but I’m not sure I can handle high dosages of Aki Toyosaki (Yui, K-ON!) as the lead character. Feel has also not particularly impressed me in the past. I’m doubtful overall.
Crusader: At least there is not loser harem animu male, will watch for lesbian undertones if present.
Shokkeru: Art style is decent and if it’s at the least bit humorous, I’ll give it a try.
Impz: The cast of this show is pretty cool, and I have to say that I might watch the first episode to see the artwork. Due to my screwed up life in general, I cannot really watch more than 3-4 shows now.
Sora no Manimani
Details
Website: http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/soramani/
Japanese Air Date: July 7
Animation Company: Studio Comet (School Rumble, Suzuka)
Seiyuu: Kanae Itou, Tomoaki Maeno
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (embedded on the front page)
Summary
Adaptation of Mami Kashiwabara’s manga.
In the story, Saku Ōyagi is a quiet bookworm who moves back to his former hometown as a high school freshman. He meets his childhood friend, Mihoshi Akeno, although a traumatic incident long ago had left their friendship in an awkward state. Despite this, Mihoshi brings Saku into the astronomy club she founded, and this sets the stage for the slapstick romantic comedy that ensues. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: This one has rather bland looking character designs, but at least the story concept isn’t too cliche. Kanae Ito is relatively new, the only big role she’s done so far is Amu in Shugo Chara, which I haven’t watched. The director is fairly experienced though, aside from doing all of the School Rumble adaptations, he’s done some work on various Gundam shows. And more important then all of that, he’s directing Gintama, which I feel I need to write a post dedicated to how fucking awesome it is (I’ve only recently started watching it, and I’ve been marathoning it in chunks)
Crusader: I like astronomy enough to do a recon patrol for this, hopefully it will be gut busting funny.
Shokkeru: Yay, astronomy!
Impz: Astronomy was …so old school. Ermm, I am not too sure if I will bother with this. I like a shoujo-style of romance rather than this type.
Possible Bloggers: Crusader
Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou
Details
Website: http://www.gendaimahou.com/
Japanese Air Date: July 11
Animation Company: Nomad (Kyouran Kazoku Nikki, Rozen Maiden)
Seiyuu: Ai Nonaka, Haruka Tomatsu, Hitomi Nabatame, Minako Kotobuki, Shintaro Asanuma
Available Trailers: Trailer 1
Summary
Adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s light novels, with the title translated as “Properly Learned Modern Magic.”
The story revolves around Koyomi Morishita, a clumsy high school freshman girl who is often mistaken for a grade-schooler because of her shortness. Koyomi becomes a disciple of Misa Anehara, a 25-year-old graduate student who happens to be one of the most powerful modern-day magicians. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: Light novel adaptations seem to have a much higher success rate for me than manga, I tend to enjoy most of them. I also really enjoy the way the Japanese do modern magic fantasy stories of this nature (think Type-Moon stuff, JC Staff light novel adaptations, etc.). I could do without Ai Nonaka as the lead, but lets hope we get to hear a lot of Haruka Tomatsu. Finally, Nomad usually does a pretty solid job in the animation quality department, and keep their designs pretty colorful. Looking forward to this one.
Crusader: It has a magical cell phone…okay I’ll do this one for laughs. The iPhone cannot be defeated by your pitiful Sony Erickson! Feel the the wrath of my 3G network! Your Verizon Legion shall not avail you!
Shokkeru: Calawain and Crusader got this.
Impz: I got burned once after trying to follow through with To Aru Majutsu, just to get extremely bored with it. Let’s see what Calawain and Crusader have to say about it.
Possible Bloggers: Calawain, Crusader
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Details
Website: http://tokyo-m8.com/index.shtml
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: BONES (Eureka Seven, Fullmetal Alchemist), Kinema Citrus (Higepiyo)
Seiyuu: Satomi Hanamura, Yuko Kaida, Yumiko Kobayashi
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (click the “PV” button on the right)
Summary
A BONES original production.
The premise of the project is the 70% or higher possibility that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake will occur in Tokyo in the next 30 years. The anime will depict what would happen if an 8.0 earthquake took place, attempting to realistically portray the consequences of such a tremor after collecting data on actual earthquakes and interviewing people.
The story will center on Mirai, a middle school freshman girl who goes to Tokyo’s artificial Odaiba Island for a robot exhibition with her brother Yutaka at the start of summer vacation. A powerful tremor emanates from an ocean trench, the famed Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge crumble and fall, and the landscape of Tokyo changes in an instant. With the help of a motorcycle delivery woman named Mari who they meet on Odaiba, Mirai and Yutaka strive to head back to their Setagaya home in western Tokyo. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: Leave it to BONES to come up with something completely unique like this. I’m at least very intrigued as to how this could go.
Crusader: It sounds intriguing but if there was a giant monster shooting out nuclear fire or some such I would be sold on this. Still I am curious.
Shokkeru: Looks pretty epic, but it’s not what I look for in an anime show.
Impz: BONES always do something so queer. I might be up for this
Possible Bloggers: Impz
Aoi Hana
Details
Website: http://www.aoihana.tv/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: JC Staff (Shakugan no Shana, Toradora)
Seiyuu: Ai Takabe, Yuko Gibu, Chiemi Ishimatsu, Yui Horie
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (click “Play” on the front page)
Summary
Adaptation of Takako Shimura’s yuri manga (the title translates to Sweet Blue Flowers.
Fumi Manjoume, an introverted, bookish teenage girl, is beginning her first year of high school at Matsuoka Girls’ High School. She enters the school year with her heart broken by a previous relationship. At about the same time, she reconnects with her best friend from ten years ago, Akira Okudaira, who is now attending Fujigatani Girls’ Academy as a first-year high school student. As they reconnect, they both deal with their own respective romantic problems, and help each other get through them. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: Ohohoho, finally another real yuri anime, they seem way too few and far between. I’ve read the translated parts of the manga and the story is so-so, along with the rather lame character designs. I’m much more excited for Sasameki Koto, due sometime this year I believe. However, when it comes to yuri I’ll take what I can get.
Crusader: It’s YURI that makes it a must watch for me I am sure that between this and doing retro blogging of VOTOMS it will be good times while in garrison doing E-5 stuff like being the poor bastard on call.
Shokkeru: Crusader’s all over this one (useless comment).
Impz: Are you sure it’s yuri? It says it’s romance unless the romance is with girls… Well, yuri is always good but I am not too sure how much yuri I can take. The image art does not impress me at all too.
Possible Bloggers: Crusader (Hell YEAH, FUCK YEAH, THERE IS A GOD AND HE IS ENLISTED!)
Needless
Details
Website: http://annex.s-manga.net/needless/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: Madhouse Studios (Black Lagoon, Hellsing)
Seiyuu: Aya Endo, Eri Kitamura, Takehito Koyasu
Summary
Adaptation of Kami Imai’s manga.
The action gag comedy with “bishōjo x violence” is set in 2130, when large swaths of Japan have been quarantined as polluted “Black Spots (BS)” in the aftermath of World War III. However, there are people who have settled behind the massive walls of the Black Spots, where they have developed mysterious powers. The city people on the outside have a label for the Black Spot people they have ostracized: “Needless.” (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: Masayuki Sakoi is a solid director (Kamen no Maid Guy, Princess Resurrection, Strawberry Panic), but I cringe every time I hear “gag comedy” when it comes to anime. I just can’t get into that type of comedy for the most part, especially the type you often find in shounen fighting anime (see Soul Eater, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood). Low probability for me on this one.
Crusader: Needless to say it better bring laughs or this one is sunk.
Shokkeru: I’ll watch if the comedy is good.
Impz: Wow, this is eccentric stuff. I am quite sure I will catch the first episode. I do know one thing about this though: It either becomes above-average B-grade fodder or will be absolutely impossible to watch. The premise is not helping itself.
Umineko no Naku Koro ni
Details
Website: http://umineko.tv/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: Studio DEEN (Fate/stay night, Maria-sama ga Miteru)
Seiyuu: Daisuke Ono, Marina Inoue, Sayaka Ohara, Yui Horie
Summary
Adaptation of the visual novel by 07th Expansion (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni), with the title translated as When Seagulls Cry.
Umineko no Naku Koro ni takes place primarily in the year 1986, during the time frame of October 4 and October 5 on a small, secluded island named Rokkenjima, owned and lived on by Kinzo, the head of the wealthy Ushiromiya family. Kinzo is near death, and eight of his family members arrive on the island for the annual family conference, where the adults plan to discuss how Kinzo’s assets will be divided once he is dead. Also on the island are three family members who live there, five of Kinzo’s servants, and his personal physician. After the eight family members arrive, a typhoon traps them on the island, and shortly after, strange things start to happen and people start dying. (Wikipedia)
Thoughts
Calawain: There’s a translation in progress for the visual novel, but I’ve been waiting until it’s completely finished before diving in. Ryukishi07 is a pretty creative guy, and I enjoyed Higurashi, so there’s a decent chance I’ll enjoy this. Doesn’t hurt to have mai waifu Marina Inoue along with Hocchan voicing parts of the cast.
Crusader: I heard that there will be people dying, I hope they will expire most slowly and painfully…
Shokkeru: Kind of a cliched murder/mystery premise, but based on what these guys have said, it might actually turn out pretty good.
Impz: Wow, conspiracy theory time. I’m in.
Possible Bloggers: Crusader
Spice & Wolf II
Details
Website: http://www.spicy-wolf.com/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: Brains Base (Baccano!, Kurenai)
Seiyuu: Ami Koshimizu, Jun Fukuyama
Summary
Second season of the adaptation of Isuna Hasekura’s light novels. For the second season, the former animation studio (IMAGIN) has been replaced by Brains Base as the studio primarily responsible for animation production.
Craft Lawrence is a peddler who trades in various kinds of goods, visiting every village by cart. After he leaves the town of Pasroe, which was in the midst of a harvest festival, he finds a girl sleeping on a pile of fur in his cart. She is a beautiful girl, but she has the ears and tail of a wolf. She calls herself Horo – the Sage Wolf Horo – god of the harvest. Her craft is the art of conversation, and even Lawrence, an experienced peddler, is outmaneuvered by her. Although he doubts her identity as a god, he is moved by her wish to return to her home in the north, and so he promises to go with her. (AnimeNfo)
Thoughts
Calawain: What I remember from this show was economics and a really bad Engrish ED. That being said, I didn’t finish the show not because I thought the show was bad by any means, I just found it uninteresting.
Crusader: Yeah economics, maybe they can do a whole arc on unemployment, and why Das Kapital is relevant.
Shokkeru: I’m not really into furries.
Impz: Or me for that matter.
Bakemonogatari
Details
Website: http://www.bakemonogatari.com/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: SHAFT (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Maria+Holic)
Available Trailers: Trailer 1
Summary
Adaptation of NisiOisin’s supernatural comedy light novel series.
The short stories in the two volumes of Bakemonogatari deal with a high school boy named Koyomi Araragi and strange students he encounters. (”Bakemonogatari” is a wordplay on the Japanese term bakemono for supernatural creatures and the term monogatari for stories.) One student, a girl named Hitagi Senjougahara, almost literally falls into his lap, only to have him discover she has no weight. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: A supernatural comedy seems right up SHAFT and Shinbo’s alley. I don’t always enjoy his works, but I always try to give them at least a chance.
Crusader: I am very tempted to make a snarky remark about women and weight, but I won’t. Will watch if it is funny.
Shokkeru: Sh-sh-sh-SHAFT!
Impz: Just the name SHAFT attracts me enough. I am not too sure about the premise though. Are they going to go into straight comedy or will this be a more serious affair at the later stages of this series. The art style does not look like something that will be fluffy all the way, and I do wonder how Shinbo will treat this if it is serious drama. Comedy is generally all ok with Shinbo but he tends to struggle a little when it comes to serious drama.
Taishou Yakyuu Musume
Details
Website: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/taisho/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: JC Staff (Zero no Tsukaima, Slayers)
Seiyuu: Kanae Ito, Mai Nakahara, Kana Ueda, Mamiko Noto
Available Trailers: Trailer 1, Trailer 2
Summary
Adaptation of Atsushi Kagurazaka’s two historical slice-of-life novels (translated as Taishou-Era Baseball Girls).
The story is about two 14-year-old Japanese high school girls named Koume and Akiko who decide to start a baseball team in Japan in 1925. At the time, few baseball teams — male or female — exist in the country. First though, the two girls have no clue where to find nine players, how to use the equipment, and what even the rules are. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: I know people always react negatively when I say that I’m a huge sports fan, but I can’t get into sports anime for the most part. Sorry, just the way it is folks. That being said, this doesn’t exactly look like your average sports anime, but it has a tall hill to climb.
Crusader: I actually watched Princess Nine and liked, will do recon.
Shokkeru: I don’t watch baseball shows, even if it’s full of girls… wait.
Impz: So cute! Me want.
Possible Bloggers: Crusader, Impz
Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
Details
Website: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/zetsubou3/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: SHAFT (Maria+Holic, Hidamari Sketch)
Seiyuu: Hiroshi Kamiya, Ai Nonaka, Marina Inoue
Summary
Third TV adaptation (4th overall, including an OVA) of Kouji Kumeta’s manga.
The anime revolves around a very pessimistic high school teacher named Nozomu Itoshiki who, at the very beginning of the series, tries to hang himself on a sakura tree. Despite this effort of self-destruction, he is saved by an extremely optimistic girl known only as Kafuka Fuura. After having enough of the strange girl, Nozomu bolts to the school and starts his homeroom class, but the attempt to escape was in vain as he finds that the girl is one of his students. Not only that, but Kafuka is just the tip of the iceberg: each and every student in his class represents a new personality quirk or bizarre obsession, posing challenges that the suicidally-inclined teacher must overcome in spite of himself. (Wikipedia)
Thoughts
Calawain: I love this show, I’m a sucker for puns and satire even when it’s not really my culture. But the beauty of this show is that you don’t need to live in Japan to enjoy laughing along with the general “themes” of the episodes. SHAFT’s best work has a massively talented and diverse seiyuu cast that features most of my favorites. I just finished the second volume of the English-translated manga (just arrived in the mail yesterday), I’m ready for more Zetsubou-sensei anime.
Crusader: Will watch but it’s hard as hell for me to write anything about it.
Shokkeru: Yeeeesss! There is a god.
Impz: But the God doesn’t like me.
Possible Bloggers: Calawain
Hetalia Axis Powers Second Season
Details
Website: http://hetalia.com/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: Studio DEEN (Fate/stay night, Maria-sama ga Miteru)
Seiyuu: Daisuke Namikawa, Hiroki Takahashi, Hiroki Yasumoto
Available Trailers: Trailer 1
Summary
Second season of the web adaptation of Hidekaz Himaruya’s gag manga.
The story is set in Europe in the years between WW1 and WW2 (1915-1939), and uses exaggerated caricatures of the different nationalities as portrayed by a gaggle of bishounen boys. For example, the Italia Veneziano character is into pasta and women. The Deutsche (German) bishi loves potatoes and sausages, and Nippon is an otaku boy. Installments of the manga have jumped back and forth in setting from the ancient times to modern-day geopolitics. The manga’s title comes the Japanese words for “useless” (hetare) and Italy (Italia).
Japan’s Kids Station television network has officially canceled its planned broadcast of the Hetalia Axis Powers anime series “due to various circumstances.” The series was distributed by Japanese retail anime chain Animate, via cell phone delivery and internet streaming. (AniDB)
Thoughts
Calawain: I found the controversy surrounding the show to be somewhat amusing, but I had no interest in the show itself.
Crusader: I watched a few eps, but I find history to be funny enough as is with out bishies.
Shokkeru: The first one wasn’t that great so I doubt I’ll watch this one.
Impz: I only remember this simply because of the real life Korean dorama. Other than that, I never bothered to watch a single episode.
GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
Details
Website: http://mv.avex.jp/ga/
Japanese Air Date: July 6
Animation Company: AIC (S.A., Seto no Hanayome )
Seiyuu: Haruka Tomatsu, Ai Tokunaga, Miyuki Sawashiro, Yui Horie, Kaori Nazuka
Summary
Adaptation of Satoko Kiyuzuki’s slice-of-life manga.
Follows five first-year senior high students in an art focused school as they play and learn. Offers some basic art information and color theory, with color pages spaced throughout. (MAL)
Thoughts
Calawain: Hocchan is certainly busy, and so is Haruka Tomatsu. I think I’ve had my fill of slice-of-life art anime over the years though, not sure I can handle another one.
Crusader: Unless it is full of wonderful surprises, I have a Union Flag to paint.
Shokkeru: Sounds kinda like Sketchbook, but more educational and less cute.
Impz: Art, to me, is as fun as watching paint dry. Nuff said.
Canaan
Details
Website: http://www.canaan.jp/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: PA Works (True Tears)
Seiyuu: Maaya Sakamoto, Miyuki Sawashiro
Available Trailers: Trailer 1
Summary
Adaptation of Sega and Chunsoft’s 428 ~Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de~ visual novel for the Wii, titled CANAAN.
It tells a present-day story about a detective, a young man, a virus researcher, a freelance writer, and a cat mascot character who are brought together by bizarre events with worldwide implications in the Tokyo neighborhood of Shibuya. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: I had no idea the Wii had visual novels for it. That being said, the character designs look pretty slick for this one. This is the second work PA Works has been the primary animation studio, with True Tears being the first. While I thought the story for True Tears ended up being pretty retarded, the animation quality was extremely high, and it was complemented with a solid musical score. Now this is certainly a different genre, but I’ve got confidence.
Crusader: I loved True Tears to pieces and I will follow this one mostly due to wanting to see if PA Works can work miracles.
Shokkeru: Might be worth watching. We will see.
Impz: PA works is becoming the next Kyoto animation, only that it is more diversified. Let’s watch one episode of this before any proper verdict. A detective show is always welcome though, if they manage to make it smart.
Possible Bloggers: Crusader
Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~
Details
Website: http://www.sea-story.tv/
Japanese Air Date: July
Animation Company: Zexcs (Chrome Shelled Regios, Sister Princess)
Seiyuu: Kana Asumi, Minako Kotobuki, Yui Horie
Available Trailers: Trailers 1&2
Summary
The “transforming magical girl action” story centers on Marin and Urin, two “pure” sisters who live alongside the fish in the sea, but yearn to be in the world beyond the water and above ground. One day, a beautiful ring falls in the middle of the sea, and Marin and Urin retrieve it. The two decide to leave their waterbound world for the first time to deliver the ring. After an arduous journey, they come across an isolated island where a high school girl named Kanon lives. The encounter between Marin and Kanon — the maiden of the sea and the maiden of the skies — awakens a hidden power as the world is threatened by an enveloping darkness. (ANN)
Thoughts
Calawain: I really like the character designs here, with bright, solid colors that match well with the ocean theme. Bring your nutbladder protection, as the co-lead is voiced by Kana Asumi, who voiced Yuno in Hidamari Sketch (the other lead is Hocchan, again!). Apparently Umi Monogatari (Sea Story) is some sort of pachinko line (lol?), maybe they paint delicious bishoujos on their pachinko machines to get otakus to gamble? Regardless of its origins, it’s being handled by an experienced bishoujo studio, and has Junichi Sato at the helm, a big shot director who’s done everything from Aria to Sailor Moon and Sgt. Frog.
Crusader: The Big Shot Director has quite a resume…association with Zeta Gundam can only be a plus. Will do recon.
Shokkeru: And that’s the end of the demo folks. (No one is going to get that)
Impz: I find Zexcs a very poor animation company in general. Yes, I am very biased. I am not going to go close. However, Junichi Sato did Aria and he’s not helping me (I am a huge fan of Aria, you see).
Possible Bloggers: Crusader
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