Animes to watch in Summer 2006

With the summer animes starting from this week, it's time to make a list of those which I'm going to watch but I may drop some of them along the way. And it also depends on whether I can manage to find them to watch. My backlog of animes to write reviews for is going to swell again though... ^__^

Hachimitsu to Clover II
Starting from 29 June, FujiTV, Noitamina slot on Thursdays.
As a Hachikuro fan, I'm very excited over seeing the sequel. Although 13 episodes will mean that this runs for one season, I guess this can't be helped since there won't be enough content to cover from the manga which will only release Vol 9 next month. Rather than having meaningless fillers just to drag through two seasons, I would prefer everything to be kept succint and faithful to the original instead. As the Rika-Mayama-Yamada love triangle will be complicated further with the introduction of Nomiya, I'm looking forward to seeing more of Nomiya who's extremely "cute" towards the later stage which I hope the anime can cover in time. On the other hand, we get more information on Morita's background and from the way it's implied in the manga, Morita and his elder brother have a reason or aim for being so obsessed with making money. As for the love triangle between Morita, Takemoto and Hagu doesn't look headed anywhere, I guess the anime will leave it as that instead of creating a conclusion from nowhere. That may increase the chances of having another sequel provided the manga has enough content for at least one season by next year.

Innocent Venus
Starting from 26 July 06, Wednesdays on WOWOW
The setting is rather interesting where it depicts the world losing more than half of its population due to a hyper hurricane in 2010. As such, the Japanese government sets up special economic zones at various locations and the elite living in such areas call themselves as the Logos while leaving the rest of the people to suffer outside the boundaries in slums. Fast forward to 2035, two guys from the Phantoms, a group meant to suppress uprisings within the special economic zones, break away from the organisation and help a girl, Todo Sana along the way. Seems like they have a mission to accomplish or they just want to leave the elites?
Well, I usually have a soft spot for mystery or suspense stories so that's why this caught my eye. The character design is fine and I see a few familiar names in the seiyuu list whom I happen to like i.e. Ookawa Tooru and Sakurai Takahiro so I suppose I should be able to stick to this till the end unless the story gets really unbearable to watch.

Night Head Genesis
Starting on 29 July via GyaO/BS Fuji on Thursdays. Official blog of the series here
This is based on a 1990 drama starring Toyokawa Etsushi and Takeda Shinji about two brothers, Kirihara Naohito and Naoya. In this story, the Kirihara brothers are abandoned by their parents as a result of a certain power they possess. Subsequently, the two are confined to a research institute housed within a forest for as long as 15 years before they finally break out and go back to society where they strive to live on. From the looks of it, this looks like a suspense thriller which I'll like and the fact that the two brothers look very good is another plus point. Takeda Shinji who played the younger brother in the original drama, will be doing the opening narration.

FLAG
First episode available for viewing via Bandai Channel from 16 June. First 6 episodes will be uploaded before end of August while the remaining 7 episodes will be provided in autumn.
This anime is set in a warzone where a female photographer has to cover the gore and misery there under such harsh conditions. One of the biggest selling points for animes these days is getting a celebrity to be the main voice actor and in this case, we have Tanaka Rena who's a well-known actress active in movies. However, the problem is that you have to be a member to watch this anime and that means having to pay for it. As such, I doubt I'll be able to watch this though.

NHK ni Youkoso!
Showing from 9 July on Chiba TV, Sundays
Well, the title has nothing to do with the national broadcaster but rather, it's an abbreviation for the organisation by the name of Nippon Hikikomori Kyoukai (The Japanese Association for Stay-at-home People) i.e. NHK. The story is about a young man who quit from university and became a hikikomori i.e. those who stay at home, avoid contact with others and rarely step out of their houses, who believes that his condition is caused by NHK. A girl then appears before him and declares that she wants him to take part in her project where she will help him to get back to society. I find the genre quite interesting and its obvious reference to NHK is sure to get people's interest too. Besides, it will be nice to see something which reflects society trends among the various fictitious stories we get these days.

Bokura ga Ita
Starting from 3 July, KBS Kyoto, Mondays
I've heard a lot about the manga where many people heap praises on it so I'm approaching this anime mainly out of curiousity. However, I am very impatient when it comes to draggy stories especially those caught in love triangles and keep changing their stands. From the idea I get, this looks set to fall into the category of those stories which I tend to shun or give up halfway. I just hope that this anime can present it in a way that can sustain my interest and prevent me from losing my patience. One interesting point is that I see Sasaki Nozomu playing the lead character Nanami and wonder how he will sound like. And it looks as if this is going to be a sad tale after all since I read from the manga's summaries that Nanami will be in anguish because of Motoharu's pining for his ex-girlfriend. I have a bad feeling that I may not stick to this till the end...

Kemonozume
Showing on WOWOW from 5 Aug
Well, the setting is not exactly new because we have two characters i.e. a monster and a monster hunter who fall for each other. What this means would be them having to grapple with feelings and logic where they know that they do not have the means to be together given their identities. A case of Romeo-and-Juliet? Anyway, there's not much information on the series at the moment for me to judge whether I'll be watching this till the end but the twist to the tale i.e. the monster setting seems more interesting than having the two characters being unable to get together due to overused reasons like family background.

Taiyo no Mokushiroku
Showing via WOWOW on 2 July and 27 July
I believe this is the prequel to the actual series starting in autumn and there will only be 2 episodes in this OVA. The setting is quite similar to the upcoming summer disaster remake blockbuster, "Nihon Chinbotsu" but the difference is that the movie shows Japan sinking into the sea while the anime shows Japan being split into two due to an earthquake. As a result, the Japanese are becoming refugees after other countries use aid as a pretext to invade the country. Since this is based on an award-winning manga, I think there is a certain level of quality in terms of the story but it remains to be seen if the disaster scenes are done in a good way.

Binbou Shimai Monogatari
Showing from 29 June, Thursdays via TV Asahi
This story is about two sisters struggling to survive after their father disappears due to gambling debts and their mother passed away. From the description on the official website, I doubt that the aim of the anime is not to show how miserable these sisters are but rather how they make use of whatever they have and are given a helping hand by those who live in the neighbourhood. As such, I think this is positioned more as a heart-warming tale. Besides, there's only 10 episodes so I guess I will be able to watch this to the end barring unforseen circumstances e.g. a boring storyline. As for the character design, it's not particularly impressive but also not that unbearable.

Death Note Official Movie Guide I

This book is an exact replica of Death Note in terms of its dimensions but of course, this doesn't give you the power to kill people like what is depicted in the manga. Instead, it provides information about the real-life adaptation movie's part 1 which is currently showing in Japan including cast interviews, analysis of the main characters, promotional posters as well as photos from the press conference. As the second part is due to be shown in Nov this year, I suppose that there will be another movie guide to be released by then to coincide with the screening of the movie.

Although I've kept the pictures small, you should be able to see that the faces of Ryuk and Light are featured on the front and back covers. Due to the fact that I've wrapped the book in clear plastic, there may be some reflective spots on the pictures though. Seeing Ryuk and Light on the cover is easier than making out the words on the inner part of the black covers since you need to tilt it at a certain angle to make out the instructions on the Death Note.

Frankly speaking, if not for this movie which sparked my interest, I doubt I would have bought all existing volumes of the manga at one shot by now. I've been hearing stories of how good this manga is but never had the urge to read it yet. It was only when I watched the trailer for the movie that made me rush to Kinokuniya and grab the manga. I'm only at Vol 4 though but the mind-boggling story does really match up to its name. It's been a long time since I got so captivated by a suspense manga after Kindaichi and Tantei Gakuen Q.

The bulk of this book offers a partially coloured version of the manga's Chapter 1. Of course, seeing it in enlarged format and with colours (no doubt for 6 pages only) is a treat but I would have wanted to see coloured pages for Light since this feature was restricted to Ryuk's opening scene at the Death Gods' Territory. Anyway, I believe this is meant to get those who are watching the movie, to buy the manga so that's why they offered a little teaser in this guide book.

Although I've not been able to watch the movie yet since the DVD might take at least 6 months to be released, I'm hoping for a 2-in-1 set where Part 1 and 2 are released together. I can't wait to watch it and see how it compares with the manga which has since ended its run in Shounen Jump where the final volume will be released on 4 July. I don't even know if I can finish the existing volumes by then though since I need more time than usual to digest the complicated plot.

Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo - Ginmaku no Satsujinki (Ep 84 - 87)

With regards to this case, I only remembered that I had watched it before after going through 2 episodes. As such, the resolution didn't surprise me at all since I had a faint impression of where the story was heading.

What I found rather amusing was the reference to KinKi Kids' Doumoto Tsuyoshi who was the first generation Kindaichi Hajime in the real-life drama and movie adaptation. The setting was that Hayami Reika, a top idol whose presence constantly causes tension between Kindaichi and Miyuki, happened to star in a movie with Tsuyoshi and there was a steamy kissing scene between them which made Kindaichi quite jealous. Usually, when real-life figures are mentioned in animes, the reference would be made indirectly with changes to the name or image of the character but to name Tsuyoshi so blatantly was quite a "daring" attempt at that time, given that he doesn't have a reputation for acting in such lovey-dovey scenes.

Anyway, this is what gets the story going as Miyuki's indignance for Kindaichi's attention on Reika, spurs her to accept a role impulsively in an amateur movie made by some senior high students. And of course, the usual drill would be Kindaichi, Miyuki plus Fumi this time round, gets embroiled in a series of murders within this movie-making group.

Watching this the second time round made me pick up clues to solving the mystery. I must say I'm not the very intelligent type when it comes to the cases in Kindaichi or Tantei Gakuen Q, both written by the same author but when you get a chance to go through the case again, you tend to identity the tell-tale signs. Much as I didn't remember the exact details of the case, I do remember bits and pieces of it to tell me where the suspicious points are. In this sense, should I say I'm simply not observant enough or I would have been able to solve cases like Kindaichi does? Most of the time, the ability to observe is a crucial factor in helping Kindaichi to resolve his cases and that's probably what I'm seriously lacking in.

The motive for the series of murders, as usual, is for the sake of revenge so don't expect a deviation from the usual plot. The good thing is, I like to see criminals redeeming themselves while they are alive instead of committing suicide which many of them do to free themselves of the guilt and escape from punishment. At least, the message at the end of this episode is still rather positive.

Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo - Akechi Keishi no Karei Naru Suiri Sono 2 (Ep 83)

This episode was shown on 15 March 1999 and features Akechi Kengo, the "arch-rival" of Kindaichi as they can't stand the sight of each other mainly due to the fact that they have different viewpoints when it comes to investigation work. I guess this can't be helped because Kindaichi embarrassed Akechi when they first met by overthrowing the latter's deductions so they already got off on a bad note. Anyway, despite the bickering, it's also clear that they appreciate each other's strengths to a certain extent although I think Kindaichi still doesn't think much of Akechi and tries to hide whatever little respect he may have. Akechi, on the other hand, doesn't really like the idea of getting an outsider to help with the police's work and would always use his authority as Kenmochi's superior to remind him of this. Coupled with the fact that Kindaichi always tries to take Kenmochi's side, it's even harder for them to mend their ties. Frankly speaking, the first time when Akechi appeared, I thought he was an arrogant guy. As of now, I find him acceptable but not to the extent of liking this character though.

For a change, we see Akechi taking centrestage as he happens to bump into Miyuki who's waiting for Kindaichi. Due to the fact that it is raining and they are taking cover at a building, Akechi relates a case he solved in the past which happened on a trekking trip on the mountains. As the story was relatively straightforward and there was one victim in the cottage, that's why the resolution could be completed within one episode. However, as I'm not too familiar with card games like what they were playing in this story, I took longer than usual to understand the deductions which Akechi made based on the cards each player held.

Given that this is a filler episode, do not expect the same level of complexity for the usual cases which take at least 3 episodes to be resolved. Nevertheless, this is still pretty enjoyable especially for Akechi fans who don't get to see him enjoying a lot of airtime most of the time.

Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru Real-Life Movie News Clips

Here's a news clip about the real-life adaptation movie of "Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru" due to shown in autumn which stars ARASHI's Matsumoto Jun and Eikura Nana as Yori and Iku respectively. Credits of the clips go to the original uploaders at YouTube.



From the looks of it, I just have this weird feeling that Eikura seems too tall as Iku. The impression I get from the anime OVA was that Eikura felt like someone in need of someone to take care of her, petite and more of the kawaii-type. That's not to say that Eikura doesn't look cute but since she's at least 1.7m tall, I wonder how her tall frame will affect the physical impression of the character on the fans. As for Matsujun, I think he should not have major problems with the appearance of Yori since his hairstyle is quite in sync as what a senior high school student should have. Just make sure there's no coloured fingernails popping up on screen to remind people of Matsujun's daring dress sense in real-life.

By the way, the girl who plays Iku's friend sure has an irritating voice.

The next clip is a short interview of Matsujun and Eikura where they talk about how it feels like to act in the movie and work together for the first time:



Last but not least is a clip of about 6 minutes in Chinese from the programme AIUEO where there is a feature on the movie:

Watashi no Ashinaga Ojisan (Daddy Long Legs)

What got me interested to start watching this series is the fact that I had read the translated version of the English novel years ago when I was in primary school. To be frank, I had forgotten much about the storyline including the names of the characters (it's said that the characters in the anime differ from that of in the novel though) but I do have a general idea as to how the plot progresses.

Due to the fact that this anime was made in 1990, the picture quality and graphics cannot be compared to the usual standard of today but it's still relatively acceptable. However, there is some inconsistency in the design of the characters which I understand was due to having different artists. Besides, the story was spread over a period of three years thus it wasn't that strange to see characters like Judy Abbott growing up almost overnight from a petite girl to one who's relatively tall especially when she stands beside Jervis Pendleton, her love interest a.k.a Daddy Long Legs.

As there are 40 episodes in all, there were times when I felt quite bored because some developments felt like fillers and did not really seem that important to the main plot. Only when Jervis appeared in front of Judy did the story start to pick up pace and deviate from the issue of insecurities and inferiority complex which Judy had about her background as an orphan. In fact, I must say that romance is an essential ingredient of what makes this story interesting.

In conclusion, I think that this series is watchable to a certain extent but this adaptation seems to be over-stretched at times. Thus, for those who have read the novel, they may not take to the anime well but for those who have never been exposed to this beforehand, this might turn out to be much more interesting.

Death Note Real Life Movie Part 1 Trailers

With the impending screening of Death Note's real-life movie Part 1 in Japan today, here's some trailers of the film:







I've bought the manga for Death Note but have not been able to find time to get started since I'm still reading NANA. It is said that there will be an anime version of this in autumn which coincides with the release of the second part of the real-life movie in Oct. Based on what I've seen from the trailers, this looks like an adaptation of high quality so I'll be looking forward to comparing this with the manga when the movie DVD is released.

Hachikuro Real-life movie promotion clips

As the "Hachimitsu to Clover" real-life movie is due to be shown in Japan soon, here's 2 clips I found on YouTube which offer sneak previews of the film. Credits go to the original uploaders.



The first clip is an one-minute scene where Takemoto (Sakurai Sho) asks Hagu (Aoi Yu) to join him for lunch if Hanamoto (Sakai Masato) is not free to accompany her. Frankly speaking, I was quite apprehensive about Sakurai playing Takemoto primarily due to his smart and confident image while Takemoto seems rather insecure and lacks self-confidence but he does impress me with his ability to "stammer" like Takemoto when speaking to Hagu. On the other hand, Aoi Yu does resemble Hagu to a certain extent and her sweet-saccharine voice fits the image perfectly. Alas, the movie has to be shown in Japan first before we wait for at least 6 months to see the DVD.



The second clip features the press conference of Hachikuro last year aired via FujiTV's Mezamashi on 19 Oct. You can see some images of the cast plus Sakurai Sho making comments about being mistaken as a staff as he was wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

Ayakashi Ep 9 - 11: Bakeneko

This is the last story in the Ayakashi series which I must say, takes some effort to understand because the sequence of the events seem to be messed up. It was particularly evident towards the end when the mysterious man who is a medicine peddler tries to exorcise the vengeful spirit in the mansion. The man asks the family why the spirit is harbouring such a grudge against them but they are not frank with the real reason. As such, it is only till the spirit shows them what she went through before everyone knows the real cause. The confusing thing was that the fake reason was shown first followed shortly by the real reason and the transition wasn't marked clearly. However, I must say that despite its complexity and ambiguity at times, this story is still more entertaining than the first story, "Yotsuya Kaidan" which focused too much on exacting revenge.

Although the spirit who took on the form of a cat was supposed to be the real scare factor, I found the mysterious man more eerie instead. His looks and the way he speaks just inspires fear. Till the end of the story, we are still none the wiser as to who he is and why he has all those exorcism gadgets despite his occupation as a medicine peddler. Maybe to the producers, his identity is not an issue after all and doesn't affect the story in any way. Nevertheless, I would have wanted all loose ends to be tied up so as to conclude the story completely.

Comparing the three stories in Ayakashi, my favourite is the 2nd part i.e. Tenshuu Monogatari which performs relatively well in terms of all areas. As for Yotsuya Kaidan, I thought that the narration part and the constant harping on revenge as a theme bored me to death. Last but not least, Bakeneko took too long to get to the heart of the action and the conclusion wasn't to my satisfaction. Although Ayakashi is positioned to be a horror series, I must say that I didn't feel that frightened at any point so this is something the producers should work on if there is to be a sequel. Otherwise, a horror series which doesn't freak people out doesn't deserve to be called one at the end of the day.

Romaji lyrics of "rose" by ANNA inspi' NANA (BLACK STONES)

*Please do not reproduce the following without permission.

Title: rose
Sung by: ANNA inspi'NANA (BLACK STONES)
Lyrics by: ANNA
Melody by: Ayumi Miyazaki


When I was darkness at that time
Furueteru kuchibiru
Heya no katasumi de I cry
Mogakeba mogaku hodo Tsukisasaru kono kizu
Yaburareta yakusoku hurt me

Nobody can save me
Kamisama wa hitotsu dake
Tomete sakuyouna my love

I need your love I'm a broken rose
Maichiru kanashimi your song
Ibassho nai kodoku na my life
I need your love I'm a broken rose
Oh baby help me from frozen pain
with your smile your eyes
and sing me, just for me

I wanna need your love...
I'm a broken rose
I wanna need your love...

When you are with me at that time
Anata no kage wo oikakete
Hadashi de kakenukete stop me
Tozaseba tozasu hodo Motsureteku kono ai
Odayaka ni yasashiku kiss me

Nobody can save me
Kogoeru bara no youni
Yasashiku nemuritai my tears

I need your love I'm a broken rose
Kare ochiru kanashimi my soul
Kowareteku kodoku na little girl
I need your love I'm a broken rose
Oh baby help me from frozen pain
with your smile your eyes
and sing me just for me

I wanna need your love...
I'm a broken rose
I wanna need your love...

I need your love I'm a broken rose
Maichiru kanashimi your song
Ibassho nai kodoku na my life
I need your love I'm a broken rose
Oh baby help me from frozen pain
with your smile your eyes
and sing me, just for me

I wanna need your love...
I'm a broken rose
I wanna need your love...

Romaji lyrics of "a little pain" by OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)

*Please do not reproduce the following without permission.

Title: a little pain
Sung by: OLIVIA inspi'REIRA (TRAPNEST)
Lyrics by: OLIVIA & Masumi Kawamura
Melody by: Hiroo Yamaguchi

Travel to the moon Kimi wa nemuri Yume wo toku
Dare mo inai Hoshi no hikari Kuri nagara

Tsuyoku naru tame Wasureta egao
Kitto futari nara Tori modosu

Kizuite
I'm here waiting for you
Ima to wa chigau mirai ga atte mo
I'm here waiting for you
Sakebi tsuzukete
Kitto kokoro wa Tsunagu ito wo tagutteru
Ano koro no watashi me wo samasu you ni
no need to cry

Travel in silence Te wo nobaseba Sawareru noni
Kimi wa tooi Sore wa Omoide no naka no koto

Koe ga kikoeru Me wo Tojireba
Chiisana itami sae Itoshikute

Mitsumete
I'm here waiting for you
Kaze ni fukare Hitori mayottemo
I'm here waiting for you
Sora wo miagete
Zutto kokoro wa Te wo hirogete mamotteru
Ano koro no kimi ga Furi kaeru made
no need to cry

(Feel something Feel nothing
Listen closely Listen closely)
Wide open ears
Disarm the dream tickler
In the constant moment
(You will find me Where it's quiet
Listen closely Listen closely)
Let the blood flow
Through all the spaces
Of the universe

Kizuite
I'm here waiting for you
Ima to wa chigau mirai ga atte mo
I'm here waiting for you
Sakebi tsuzukete
Kitto kokoro wa Tsunagu ito wo tagutteru
Ano koro no watashi me wo samasu you ni
no need to cry

Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo - Dennou Sansou Satsujin Jiken (Ep 74 - 77)

This case, "Dennou Sansou Satsujin Jiken" (The Murder Case at Computer Villa) was shown over 4 episodes from 11 Jan to 1 Feb 1999 and is part of the Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo anime series produced by Toei which lasted from 1997 to 2000. Although I have yet to be able to watch all episodes of the anime so far, I have read the entire manga series which includes the older cases, new cases as well as the short stories. However, I have not read this case before because it is published in the novel format which I'm lacking in my collection. Thus, this is one of the few rare ocassions where I'm not aware of the case's resolution beforehand which I guess should be the main reason why I enjoyed this more as compared to other cases.

The story begins with Kenmochi finding a female corpse in a park who is believed to have drowned in the pond. This is especially bewildering because they are experiencing a freezing winter and it doesn't make sense for anyone to go near the pond under such circumstances. Due to this, Kenmochi has to forgo his ski holiday with Kindaichi and Miyuki.

Meanwhile, the two are lost on the snowy mountains due to a blizzard and find it difficult to go back to their lodge in the bad weather. After a long walk, they finally find a villa and ask for help just before they are about to freeze to death. To their amazement, they find that the villa is occupied by a group of people who are meeting for the first time after spending a year online in a chat room. As these people are detective thriller fanatics, they use nicknames of famous figures in such novels instead of their real names and plan to continue doing this. Kindaichi finds it strange to do so since these people are now meeting one another in person and doesn't see the need for them to continue using nicknames. In addition, the fact that they are more comfortable chatting with each other online even though they are physically together makes Kindaichi and Miyuki feel uneasy about their way of interaction with one another. Last but not least, the prohibition on them from finding out the backgrounds of these chatroom participants add an air of mystery to their gathering.

Although Kindaichi and Miyuki have the intention to return to their lodge, the participants ask them to stay behind since it is still snowing heavily outside. They reluctantly agree to do so despite the circumstances and ill-feelings as to the behaviour of these "acquaintances".

It appears as if these people are so reluctant to let one another know about their real names and backgrounds because they have been lying. For example, there is Sousho who is a salaryman always scolded by his boss for not bringing in enough sales but he lies that he's an entrepreneur who has a company making 50 billion yen on an annual basis. And there's another woman by the nickname of Patricia who is a hostess but lies that she's a manga author about to release her first book. They all have parts of their lives which they do not share with their online pals and paint a rosy picture of their circumstances as if they wish to seek acceptance from one another. However, this pretentious way of interaction goes from online to offline as sarcasm is evident from their way of speech even as they have met up. Even though they are equally guilty of lying about their identities, they are also suspecting others of doing the same and there's a strong sense of distrust floating around. That is why Kindaichi and Miyuki are not that comfortable with their way of dealing with one another.

The usual drift is that a murder takes place, a few more gets killed before Kindaichi finds out who's the killer. I won't be going into details about what happens from since that will mean having to post spoilers. All I can say is that the resolution is slightly more complicated than usual since it involves the making use of assumptions or blind spots of people to execute this almost-perfect murder plan. Well, the most common motive for killing in Kindaichi cases is revenge for one's loved ones and this case doesn't deviate from the norm too. Last but not least, the case which Kenmochi handles, is not a random event since that's also interwined with what happens at the villa.

One thing I find rather interesting is the depicting of human relationships online and offline. Well, using nicknames or divulging half-truths about one's identity is not really something new in this time and age but at the time this was made i.e. 7 years ago, the theme discussed then is still applicable in the present. As such, this should be something worth observing and thinking about while watching this case.

On the whole, I think this is pretty enjoyable to watch despite the not-so fine graphics since it's a pretty old production. Nevertheless, as a Kindaichi fan myself, I must say that this is something worth checking out especially for those who have not read the novel like me because you will be intrigued by the storyline. For those who have read the novel, it may be good to refresh your memory by watching this too.

Ayakashi Ep 5 - 8: Tenshu Monogatari

This story is a fictitious tale written by Izumi Kyoka centering on a forgotten god by the name of Tomihime and an eagle trainer Toushonosuke. Their paths would not have crossed until Toushonosuke's eagle by the name of Koujirou goes missing and he finds out that it has flown to the Shirosagi Castle. While searching for Koujirou which belongs to the general he serves, Toushonosuke happens to meet Tomihime while she is taking a bath where the two seem to be unable to take their eyes off each other. Although Toushonosuke already has a fiancee Oshizu, he keeps thinking of Tomihime who is also pining for him.

As a number of people have failed to retrieve Koujirou from the Shirosagi Castle, Toushonosuke is sent on this mission and finds out about Tomihime's identity as well as her need to eat living people to sustain her life. On the other hand, Tomihime is apprehensive about falling for a human being since her mother suffered badly as a result of being dumped by a man and subsequently became an eagle by the name of Aguri a.k.a. Koujirou. As such, Tomihime is determined not to follow in her mother's footsteps. Nevertheless, the feelings that both of them have for each other are so strong that they cannot resist the thought of being apart and Tomihime even hurts her servant to save Toushonosuke. They finally sleep together where Oshizu who has come looking for Toushonosuke, happens to see this and runs away without confronting him. The couple flees Shirosagi Castle where Tomihime gets a taste of how it feels like to be a human.

However, the happiness is short-lived as Tomihime's granny comes after them and reveals that the servant whom Tomihime hurt, is dying. This makes Tomihime realise that being with Toushonosuke will bring about unhappiness and she forces Toushonosuke to leave. Having no choice, he returns to his town and even marries Oshizu who pretends that nothing has happened.

All would have been peaceful if Oshizu's jealously didn't get the better of her. Even though she is married to Toushonosuke, she knows that he's still in love with Tomihime and goes to tell the general that the eagle is in Shirosagi Castle. As such, the general orders the troops to attack the castle which forces Toushonosuke to abandon Oshizu so as to protect Tomihime. After a bloody battle, this results in severe casualties on both sides. In the end, Tomihime and Toushonosuke transform into birds and fly off to be together.

On the whole, I like this story much better than the first which was quite confusing and a bit too long for my liking due to the limited content they could explore. In contrast, Tenshu Monogatari is relatively straightforward and due to it being fiction, it's easier to accept the developments which may seem far-fetched. Besides, the romance between Tomihime and Toushonosuke spices up the story because it gives it a more emotional and human touch as compared to the first instalment where hatred and revenge took centrestage.

I'm growing to like the ED by Hajime Chitose more which has that traditional feel and her vocals suit the atmosphere of the story. As for the OP, I just think that the rap doesn't blend well with the theme of the anime so I don't like it at all.

Although it was said that Ayakashi consists of horror stories, I guess this 2nd instalment ranks rather low on the horror index because the eerie scenes of people being eaten were largely restricted to Ep 5. Later, when Tomihime and Toushonosuke fell in love, that changed the mood to one of romance and the helplessness of separation. In this sense, I thought the first instalment fitted the description of a horror story better.

NANA OP PV - "rose" by ANNA inspi' NANA (BLACK STONES)

Here comes the review of the NANA OP PV, "rose" sung by Tsuchiya Anna who's supposed to represent Osaki Nana from BLACK STONES. Personally, I think Tsuchiya looks quite similar to Nana herself because of her short hair and rocker-style. As I mentioned in the previous review on the OLIVIA PV, I guess physical appearances would have been a consideration factor besides vocals when deciding the candidates to sing the themes. If I am to compare who resembles the character more, I would think OLIVIA is closer to Reira than Tsuchiya is closer to Nana on an overall basis. The biggest difference in this case would be Tsuchiya being more shapely as compared to the pencil-thin Nana we see in the manga and anime. Tsuchiya was very sexy on stage in that cleavage-revealing dress with a red bra. Although Nana does wear short skirts and tank tops, my impression of her is more of coolness rather than sexiness.

With regards to the song, I must say that I preferred the OP much more than the ED when I first watched the anime. Actually, I don't really have a special preference for rock numbers but it just so happens that this song fitted my tastes. Besides, I think Tsuchiya's voice is rather rich and hard to forget so it leaves a lasting impression on me. After watching the PV, I can only say that this song gets better with each listening. However, more could be done to stress the similarities between Nana and Tsuchiya in terms of appearances or personify Nana's inner world through the lyrics. The OLIVIA PV was better in the area of using visual impact to bring across the message in that sense, no doubt the way of doing that was rather subtle and open to interpretation by the viewer.

NANA ED PV - "a little pain" by OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)

Before the release of the single itself, the PVs of the OP and ED of NANA's anime are already circulating around. As such, I am posting my thoughts about these PVs with the ED by OLIVIA going first.

I am not sure whether the issue of the singers fitting the image of the manga characters was taken into consideration when selecting the candidate to sing NANA and REIRA's songs but I found a strong resemblance between OLIVIA and Tsuchiya Anna with regards to the characters they are supposed to represent. In this case, since REIRA is of mixed heritage i.e. an American dad and Japanese mother, I'm sure that's one of the reasons why OLIVIA was chosen because it's obvious at first sight that she's also of mixed heritage (German & Japanese). As such, this should make it easier for people to accept her as REIRA.

As in the case of most PVs, there isn't really a storyline to talk about after all. However, I think that the message that they are trying to put across is somewhat subtle i.e. for the viewers to interpret as they wish instead telling us how we should feel about the song itself.

After watching the PV, the impact of the song comes across quite differently as compared to listening to it only at the end of the anime. The loneliness and solitude mentioned in the lyrics are manifested through the images especially the part when OLIVIA was standing on top of a cliff. Although the song is supposedly referring to Ren and Nana who parted ways due to him joining Trapnest as well as the loneliness felt by Nana, I find that parts of the song are also applicable to Reira's situation. It seemed to imply that even though REIRA may be a vocalist at a top band, she still feels empty and alone despite everyone admiring her for the achievements. Thus, I find myself liking the song better because the message within has come across more strongly due to enhancement in the form of images.

A picture does say a thousand words, in this case. ^__^

TOKKO Ep 01 ~ Awakening

At a residential estate in Machida, Tokyo where everyone was engaged in their usual activities, they would have not have expected a major disaster to hit them soon due to circumstances beyond their control. Somewhere out there, a group of people draped in black with hoods over their heads gathered around a cube made up of many fragments. Just when one of them was putting one of the fragments into the spaces on the cube, the fragment cut into the finger of this person thus resulting in a bloody hand emerging from the cube itself. At the same time, Machida was hit with a strong earthquake which came so suddenly that everyone was petrified to see a huge depression on the ground. A creature with sharp teeth and a bloody body emerged from the hole and left many in the estate dead and blood splattered all over the place...

Shindou Ranmaru and his younger sister Saya were horrified to see their home in a mess and their parents brutally murdered. When they heard footsteps creeping up behind them, the siblings were shocked to see the bloody creature approaching them and ran for their lives. However, Saya slipped and fell which left Shindou to be surrounded by many of such creatures. Just when Shindou thought that he was going to be killed, a topless woman came to his rescue with a huge sword. Subsequently, she remained silent and simply stared at Shindou which made him bewildered as to what she wanted to convey...

Shindou wakes up from his nightmare at this juncture and wonders why he is dreaming of that woman again. Saya enters his room in her underwear after a bath which startles Shindou again. When Shindou reminds Saya to put on her clothes in front of him, she brushes this issue off since they are siblings and he doesn't seem to have any interest in women anyway.

As Shindou gets dressed for work, his attention is taken up by the news broadcast on the latest case under the mangled corpses series where there have been 25 occurences of people killed and their body parts scattered in a bloody manner. Saya reminds him that he should get going since it's already 8.30 and he will be late for the graduation ceremony of the special forces academy. When the news programme reports on the frequent earthquakes of late, Saya remarks that these news remind her of what happened to their parents but immediately tries to put on a cheerful face since they promised each other not to bring up that incident again.

Shindou ends up being late for the graduation ceremony of the special forces officers and is teased by his friend Hanazono. Not to be outdone, Shindou disses Hanazono for slipping off during patrol duties when they were at the neighbourhood police posts. This sparks off an argument between the two where Shindou gets so agitated that he stands up from his seat in the midst of a speech which earns him stares from the fellow officers and the principal.

After the ceremony, Shindou reveals to Hanazono that he was late because of the recurring nightmare about what happened in the Machida estate 5 years ago. The worrying thing is that the frequency of the nightmare is increasing and the images are getting clearer every time. As such, Shindou feels as if the girl in his dreams is getting closer to him and gets frightened at the thought of being watched by the girl and the monsters. Hanazono reminds Shindou that since he has the intention to investigate what happened in Machida at that time, he should not be distracted by other things and get cold feet now.

5 years ago, at a large housing estate in Machida, Tokyo, 382 people from 185 households were killed. That was 97% of the population in that estate and Shindou's parents also died. As such, Shindou made up his mind to take revenge on the culprit behind this incident which was why he aimed to join the special forces.

As Shindou and Hanazono leave the school, Saya who is working as a traffic police officer, arrives in a patrol car with her colleague. Shindou asks Saya why she is loafing during her patrol duties but she is more interested to introduce her colleague to him instead. Shindou wants her to mind her own business while Hanazono looks on with interest at the banter between the siblings. Before Saya leaves, she reminds Shindou not to put his life on the line since he's the only family member she has now. Suddenly, Shindou stops in his tracks while chasing after Hanazono as he senses that someone is watching him and feels a shiver down his spine.

The next day, Shindou and Hanazono report to the Shibuya division of the special forces where their superior Kunikida looks more like a gangster chief than a police officer. After the meeting, Hanazono grumbles about Kunikida but Shindou thinks that they are better off as compared to some of their fellow classmates who were sent to divisions where they need to engage in tough physical training daily. Just then, Kunikida happens to overhear Shindou's comments about him having a gangster face and punishes them to clean the toilets within the police station.

On the way to clean one of the toilets, Shindou catches a glimpse of the girl in his dreams and turns back to look for her. However, she is nowhere to be seen and Hanazono wonders if Shindou is simply imagining things. Suddenly, the guys see two female officers along the corridor and one of them, Suzuka expresses interest in Shindou to the extent of licking his face. Suzuka tells Shindou to come and join her department if he doesn't want to stay in the special forces before leaving with her colleague, Ibuki.

Shindou and Hanazono find out from their colleagues about Suzuka who's from the Tokko department directly under the charge of the National Security bureau. However, they warn Shindou and Hanazono to stay away from the Tokko people since little is known about their work and there are rumours that they use swords to kill people or even creatures who are non-human beings. Meanwhile, Suzuka reveals to Ibuki that when she licked Shindou earlier on, she could pick up the smell of "that side" thus explaining why she seems so interested in him.

Suddenly, an earthquake strikes which leads the Tokko team to comment that the "gate" has been opened again. As such, this marks the start of some busy days ahead as they are going to hunt for Number 12. Meanwhile at an underground carpark, there is a huge hole where a bloody creature climbs up from below...

At a dark alley where a drug deal is in progress, two men are terrified to see a naked man holding someone's head but fail to escape in time to save themselves...

Shindou and Hanazono are sent to the murder scene for the investigation of the mangled corpses' case where the latter asks why Shindou can remain so calm despite the horrific mess. Shindou replies that the situation is the same as what he saw 5 years ago. Just then, the special forces team hear someone's screams and find that some policemen have been killed by 3 men with pale faces and their body parts are scattered around. Kunikida orders his team to shoot at the killers but they are unaffected by the gunshots and rip off their shirts to reveal some growths on their bodies which resemble human faces. The crackles from these faces act as the signal to summon more men with the same appearances and Kunikida orders Shindou and Hanazono to call for reinforcements.

Before they can do so, one of the killers grabs hold of Shindou and tries to strangle him as the face on the killer's body repeatedly says to kill all the survivors who are traitors. Shindou is helpless to do anything when the girl in his dreams appears before him and says that unless he kills the human-faced worms, shooting the person will have no effect. With that, she uses her huge sabre to slash the person and steps on the worm to kill it as Shindou witnesses this in shock...

The first reason why this series caught my eye was the mystery nature of the storyline thus I will probably stay around till the end to find out what exactly is the truth behind these strange happenings. At the moment, it appears as if the Machida incident was the work of someone or a group of people. I get the impression from the opening scenes that the person who tried to put in the fragment deliberately cut his/her finger so that the process was interrupted and a door leading to somewhere was opened thus causing the frequent earthquakes and killings of people where they get torn apart.

Well, the only thing which I found a bit unbearable was the human faces on the body and the worms which did look very gross. That's why I am a little apprehensive as to whether I can stand the sight of these creatures especially with the voices sounding so eerie.

As for the themes, only the ED was played this time round so I'll leave the judging to the next episode.

With regards to the seiyuus, the only familiar name to me was Suzumura Kenichi and his voice was so distinct that I could identify him immediately without looking at the credits. Somehow, his voice doesn't sound much different from what I heard in Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora so I thought it would have been better to hear some distinguishing traits between both characters of different ages and personalities. Otherwise, I keep feeling that I'm hearing Yuuichi's voice even when seeing Shindou on screen. As for the female lead played by Orikasa Fumiko, I thought her voice sounds pretty appealing but since her role looks like a cool girl, I'm not sure if she will speak a lot in this anime though.

Monster Ep 69 - Yasuragi no Ie (A peaceful home)

At Hotel Versteck, an old man is enjoying the local cowberry jam served by the owner who shows them a picture of Konrad, the person who makes this jam. According to the owner, Konrad owns a piece of land on the south of a nearby hill where there are lots of cowberries thus allowing him to make the jam. The old man and his wife comment that they will return to the hotel for the jam which leads the owner to remark that Konard will be happy to hear the praises. Unknown to them, Konrad has already been shot dead on the hill...

Meanwhile, Grimmer and Lunge are discussing how the town will be destroyed where the latter remarks that there was a case in 1958 when a gun resulted in the destruction of a town by the name of Zweifelstadt. The trouble started when a series of murders began and the people suspected one another of being the culprit. One of them bought a gun for protection and shot his neighbour to protect himself. That started a spate of killings which left everyone dead. Grimmer says that they have to prevent the same thing from happening to this town but Lunge thinks that the first signs of unrest may be showing up soon.

Wim is bullied again and his money is snatched away by those boys. Just when he is seething with rage in his eyes, someone appears behind him and asks if he hates those guys enough to kill them. Wim shivers in fear upon hearing this...

The Hennichs head for the hill to look for Konrad as they do not wish to worry over others finding out their winning of 20 million marks in the lottery. Mr Hennich is even prepared to pay a share of the winnings to Konrad so as to keep the latter from revealing this to others. However, his wife worries that Konrad may keep demanding money from them but they do not have a better solution at the moment. When they reach the area where Konrad picks his cowberries, they are aghast to find him dead.

Grimmer passes by the sausage store and sees the female employee in high spirits. When he asks if something good has happened, the girl replies that her dream is going to materialise as someone has promised to take her away from this town. Grimmer senses something wrong once he hears this.

Wim's father is walking around aimlessly on the streets as he tries to find a place where he can get alcohol. He bumps into the elderly couple who were at Hotel Versteck earlier. Just when he is planning to walk away, the elderly man gets up from his wheelchair and passes Wim's father a gun since this is what he needs most at the moment.

At the same time, Lunge hears a gunshot and suspects that something may be happening now.

Meanwhile, in Prague, Tenma looks for Lipsky, Bonaparta's son and asks about the whereabouts of his father before something drastic happens. Lipsky finds out that Nina was the one who told Tenma about him and looks lovingly at the puppet he modelled after her.

Some time ago after Tenma and Nina left the ruins where she and Johan met, Tenma sent her to the hospital and informed Dr Reichwein and Dieter to come and take care of her. When Nina asked Tenma where he was heading to, he didn't give a clear answer to this. Tenma told Nina what he had known about Bonaparta so far from his research with the help of former Czechoslovakian secret police and General Wolf's men. Bonaparta was a Czechslovakian born in Germany and remained in the country after WWII when many of their countrymen were sent back to their hometowns. His name was an alias and he had a son with his wife of Czech descent. It so happened that his son also participated in the reading sessions Bonaparta held at the Mansion of Red Roses. As Bonaparta's son is supposed to be in Prague now, Tenma believes that Capek's last words was referring to him rather than Bonaparta himself. When Tenma showed Nina a photo of the children who attended the reading sessions, she revealed that Bonaparta's son should be the man she had met in Prague who was kicked out from those sessions as he wasn't considered a superior child. Nina urged Tenma to look for this man soon to locate Bonaparta or else Johan will execute his plan of a perfect suicide soon.

Lipsky brings Tenma back to his apartment where the latter remarks that his shelf is full of picture books by Bonaparta under different names. Tenma says that based on his reading of most of his books, he has come to realise that the characters would always have German names and the pen names of the authors would be in Czech. However, for the book "The God of Peace" under the name of Klaus Poppe, this didn't follow the trend because the name is German. As such, Tenma deduces that Klaus Poppe is the real name of Bonaparta. Lipsky comments that Tenma is not the first who found out his father's real name since Lunge had arrived at the same conclusion weeks ago. He also reveals that Lunge had put himself into the shoes of Bonaparta so as to guess where he would be at i.e. the homeland in his heart. As the German-born Czechoslovakians were chased out of Bohemia after Germany lost WWII, Tenma asks Lipsky if he knew where Bonaparta's family lived in before the war where he answers that it should be a place in southern Germany which is surrounded by mountains. Lipsky also mentions a hand-drawn postcard apparently sent by his father which he gave to Lunge. When Lipsky asks Tenma if his father will be killed, Tenma admits that he doesn't know for sure but even if Bonaparta dies, that won't be the end of it. Lipsky pleads with Tenma to protect Nina no matter what happens and he promises to do so.

Back at Ruhenheim, the whole town is enveloped in darkness due to a downpour. Mr Hennich returns home and tells his wife that the police have not found Konrad's body yet after the couple hid it in the woods. Mrs Hennich starts to regret doing that but her husband thinks that it is no use to say this now. At the same time, Grimmer finds out from the train station staff that the town is effectively sealed off from the outside world due to flooding on the rails and the river almost overflowing due to the rain.

Tenma goes to an expert on children's picture books who comments that he doesn't like Klaus Poppe's works which are full of malice as compared to similar-themed storybooks with depressing content. The expert passes Tenma a storybook with the title, "A Peaceful Home" written by a certain Helmuth Voss whom he suspects should be Poppe too even though there was a deliberate attempt to change the theme and the art style.

"A thief runs to a town enclosed by mountains and plans to cheat money from the locals. However, after interacting with them, he slowly forgets how to steal and decides to live on quietly while doing things for them."

The expert remarks that the drawings deteoriated from Poppe's usual standards just when the content became more positive. As such, he deduces that Poppe must have lost his direction when writing this book. Tenma asks the expert for a map of southern Germany and comes to the conclusion that Poppe a.k.a. Bonaparta should be living in Ruhenheim now.

In Ruhenheim, the police are still looking for Konrad but the search operations are impeded by the heavy rain. The police officer complains to the owner of Hotel Versteck that something must be wrong with this town as a series of bad things have been happening. Besides Konrad's disappearance, Mrs Hillman's dog was shot thus resulting in her being bedridden and a local by the name of Mr Kemner was assaulted last night where he sustained serious injuries. The police officer laments that even with such a pressing situation, no reinforcements can be sent to the town due to the bad weather and wonders what they should do.

Just then, the elderly couple who are regulars at the hotel arrive and the old man comments that they can't go anywhere due to the rain. When Lunge looks at the old man's shoes, he starts to suspect something and comments openly to the couple that the old man must have been walking in the rain since his shoes are very dirty. As Lunge makes a phone call, the elderly couple stare at him as if they can't wait to eat him alive. When Lunge finds that the phone lines are not working, the elderly couple have a smirk on their faces as if they expected it...

The police officer passes by a car with its bonnet raised and decides to ask if the driver needs help. However, the driver shoots the police officer without saying anything. Upon hearing the gunshot, Grimmer starts to feel that there is nothing they can do to stop the massacre...

It looks as if the plan on how the town will be wiped out is slowly manifesting. I guess the issue lies with the loss of trust and unrest. Previously, everyone was able to get along well without major problems but when unhappiness breeds, it spurs people to take drastic actions. For example, winning the lottery put the Hennich couple on tenterhooks and caused them to buy guns so as to protect themselves. If not for their newfound wealth, they would have reported to the police right away after finding Konrad's body instead of hiding it because they feel that they may be suspected of silencing Konrad who may know that they have struck the lottery. As such, the whole problem is not started by outsiders moving into the town to kill the locals but by inciting hatred and distrust for one another, the same aim can be achieved as long as the locals kill one another.

However, I have no idea how this fits in with the "perfect suicide" which Nina mentioned as the ultimate goal of Johan. Perhaps he hopes that someone will kill him in the end?

Meanwhile, I have a hunch that the owner of Hotel Versteck isn't as simple as he seems. Could he be Klaus Poppe a.k.a. Bonaparta himself? And that elderly couple don't look like innocent folks either. Maybe they are Johan's men?

5 episodes to go and there are still a lot of mysteries to be solved. I wonder if the story can be wrapped up properly by the last episode.