Akaihane

It’s upon us again. Over the next month or so, favourites from the current season are due to end with new series taking their places. And I, for one, am happy that there is more than one show to tune into. Yes, there is still a slew of the same moe we’ve been getting consistently over the past while, such as ‘Kanokon’ and ‘Koharu Biyori’, but there is more than a little for everyone else as well.

The outlook has certainly cheered me up; apart from ongoing series like ‘Bleach’ and ‘D. Gray-man’, I’ve gone a fair few seasons watching only one, perhaps two, new series, and my current choice, ‘Zuko Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei’ is about to finish airing (hopefully the fansubbers will polish off the last half season before long).

For a complete list of what is showing in the Spring 2008, check out the fansub wiki; I’ll only be going through the shows I’m planning to check out.

Title: Chi’s Sweet Home
Animation Studio: Madhouse Studios
Genre: Seinen
Director: Mitsuyuki Masuhara
Starts: 2008-03-31

Official Website: Chi’s Sweet Home @ TV Tokyo
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
A grey and white kitten with black stripes wanders away from her mother and siblings one day while enjoying a walk outside with her family. Lost in her surroundings, the kitten struggles to find her family and instead is found by a young boy, Yohei, and his mother. They take the kitten home, but pets are not allowed in their housing complex, they try to find a new home for the kitten. This proves to be difficult, and the family eventually decides to keep the kitten, naming her “Chi”. (Source Wikipedia)

Thoughts:
I am a complete cat fanatic; I have two of my own and am always fighting the urge to add to the brood. So it’s easy to say that just from seeing a picture of little Chi, I want to see this series, even though the chances of it being subbed look slim. However, that may not be too much of an issue as each episode seems to be five minutes long and, if the manga is anything to go by, there won’t be much dialogue.

It did surprise me not only to see that the title is considered seinen, published in Morning, but that director Masuhara has also worked as an episode director on series such as ‘Chobits’, ‘BECK’, ‘Death Note’ and ‘Paradise Kiss’. A strange combination indeed, and with the fact Madhouse is behind the animation, there is little that will keep from checking this series out.

Title: Petit Eva ~Evangelion@School~
Animation Studio: Gainax
Number of Episodes: 3 (OAV)
Genre: Spoof, Mecha?, Shounen?
Director: Shunichi Miki
Seiyuu: Fingers crossed for the original cast

Official Website: Petit Eva
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
A series of three video shorts, based around Evangelion characters as students and teachers at Tokyo-3 NERV School, headed by Principal Gendo- Ikari and Misato-sensei. The student body includes three different Rei “sisters,” the EVA-01 mobile weapon reimagined as the school bully Evancho-, and the ill-fated Jet Alone robot as JA-ko, a “hidden character” in the form of a shy android girl.

The episode “Taizo-” (”Exercises”) short will feature super-deformed, computer-rendered Evangelion characters as they perform a rhythmic dance. “Hiru Yasumi” (”Noon Recess”) and “So-ji” (”Cleaning”) will be nonsensical gag pieces about daily life at Nerv School.

Thoughts:
This certainly sounds a little weird, and is no doubt another effort by Gainax to tap into the cash cow Eva has been for the past 13 years. But that doesn’t mean that it won’t be entertaining. And with plans to distribute the shorts on the Internet (as well as showing them at certain events), I’m sure even some cynical fans will give them a go.

Title: Junjou Romantica
Animation Studio: Studio DEEN
Number of Episodes: 24
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shounen-ai
Opening Theme: ‘Kimi = Hana’ by pigstar
Ending Theme: ‘Baby Romantica’ by SCRIPT
Director: Chiaki Kon
Seiyuu: Daisuke Kishio, Hikaru Hanada, Kazuhiko Inoue, Kentarou Itou, Nobutoshi Canna, Takahiro Sakurai
Starts: 2008-04-10

Official Website: Suzukisan
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
Misaki is suddenly having some unexpected and odd problems. What started as a need for some college entrance exam tutoring has somehow led him to being romanced by a suave older man who also happens to be his big brother’s best friend. Confused by all of his brand new emotions, Misaki struggles to deal with his suddenly very odd life. And if that wasn’t enough, his suitor, Usami, has plenty of issues of his own. A man-child who decorates his room in giant teddy bears and toys, Usami is a famous novelist who also writes steamy boys’ love novels on the side. When Misaki cracks open one of these books and reads sentences like “Misaki licks every inch of Usami’s hot body”…well, let’s just say that all hell breaks loose.

And if one couple isn’t enough for you, Junjo Romantica focuses on three different sets of lovers, each with their own compelling stories. (Source ANN)

Thoughts:
I can sometimes be a little bit of a yaoi fangirl, but at the same time I’m quite discerning when it comes to what anime and manga I pick up. I react to a shounen-ai title the same way I do with a title from any other genre; if it’s poor or doesn’t keep my interest up, I cast it aside.

I’ve been aware of ‘Junjou Romantica’ for quite a while now and it does have an art style that entices me, as well as a storyline that could provide a good bit of fun, but I haven’t read enough of the manga to put this series on the definite list. Production by Studio DEEN does however shift my interest up a gear as they have produced some amazing work in the past, though I can’t say much about the director as the only series I have seen in which he has had involvement is Super GALS.

I will probably sit down and read a little of the manga before the series starts to see if it is just another shounen-ai series or if there is enough to push it above the average of the genre.

Title: Allison and Lillia
Animation Studio: Madhouse Studios
Genre: Adventure
Number of Episodes: 26
Opening Theme: ‘Tameiki no Hashi’ by Kuricorder Quartet and Shione Yukawa
Director: Masayoshi Nishida
Seiyuu: Nana Mizuki, Kouichi Yamadera, Mamiko Noto, Motoko Kumai
Starts: 2008-04-03

Official Website: http://allison-web.net/index2.html
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
Taking place in a time roughly equivalent to the 1930s in our world, this world is divided into two cultures, at war for hundreds of years, by a towering mountain range and huge river. The first half of the series, based on the light novels ‘Allison’, is about Allison and her friend, Will, searching for a “treasure” to end the war. The second half will be based upon the follow-up novels, ‘Lillia and Treize’, set after the end of the war.

Thoughts:
Now this is an interesting concept. Not only is the series based upon novels written by Keiichi Sigsawa, the man behind ‘Kino’s Journey’ / ‘Kino no Tabi’, but the bringing together of two related novel series as two halves of one anime is an intriguing idea. Add to those points a strong cast of voice actors (such as Kouichi ‘Spike Spiegel’ Yamadera), a strong sense of visual flare and production by Madhouse, it does seem like a winner of the season. It will certainly be worth a good look.

Title: xxxHOLiC - Kei
Animation Studio: Production I.G.
Genre: Seinen, Supernatural
Number of Episodes: 26
Opening Theme: ‘Nobody Knows’ by Shikao Suga
Ending Theme: Honey Honey’ by SEAMO feat. AYUSE KOZUE
Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
Seiyuu: Jun Fukuyama, Sayaka Ohara, Kazuya Nakai, Mika Kikuchi, Shizuka Itou
Starts: 2008-04-03

Official Website: HOLiC @ TBS
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
Kimihiro Watanuki is a young boy with a cursed gift. He has the ability to see evil spirits, and somehow they seem attracted to himself. One day he meets a misterious woman who names herself Yuuko. She claims to have the means to end his torment, but she never works for free, and she wouldn’t help him until he works for her enough to pay for her services. Thus he starts to work in her shop and discovers that in that place, nothing is what it seems.

Thoughts:
Now we come to one of the definites for me. xxxHOLiC is not just one of my favourite current manga series, but I was blown away by the first season, epecially after the disappointment of Tsubasa Chronicle. With it ending half-way through the manga, a second season seemed a sure thing, but as there are more than a few series out there breaking off at that mid-point of the anime and never being renewed (even with gems such as ‘Fruits Basket’ and ‘His and Her Circumstances’), the official announcement settled my fears. And as the latter volumes of the manga start to pull together the overarching storyline and throw in events that drastically alter the lives of our core characters, this season could even be better than the first.

I happy to see Shikao Suga is doing the OP once again; I first fell in love with his work watching the first season of Honey & Clover and ‘19 sai’ form season one suited the atmosphere of the show so well. We also retain the voice cast, a group of people who couldn’t be more suited to their roles. Production I.G. are handling the strings once more, so we are sure for a lushious transfer.

Title: Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
Animation Studio: Sunrise
Genre: Mecha, Sci-fi, Drama
Number of Episodes: 25
Opening Theme: ‘O2′ by ORANGE RANGE
Ending Theme: ‘Shiawase Neiro’ by ORANGE RANGE
Director: Goro Taniguchi
Seiyuu: Jun Fukuyama, Takahiro Sakurai, Yukana, Ami Koshimizu, Fumiko Orikasa, Hikaru Midorikawa, Kaori Nazuka, Sayaka Ohara, Takahiro Mizushima
Starts: 2008-04-06

Official Website: Geass
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
One year after the incidents of the first season and the failure of the Black Rebellion, headed by Zero’s Black Knights, Area 11 has been demoted by the Emperor of Britannia to the rank of a Remedial Area territory. This has resulted in the Empire enforcing harsher rulings and punishments on Area 11 and beginning a thorough crackdown on the Black Knights, arresting several of its members and shutting down its operations. The Empire is also at serious tensions with two of the other major world superpowers, the EEU, that has been fighting a lengthy war against it, and the Chinese Federation, which itself seeks to conquer Area 11 without fighting a war. (Source Wikipedia)

Thoughts:
Along with xxxHOLiC - Kei, this is another surefire win for me. I didn’t start watching the first season until the first eight episodes had been aired (the first eight episodes in a row without a break does not do your brain any favours with the sheer amount of information thrown at you), but despite coming late to the series, it was easy to get swept away with the intense fandom reaction it created a year ago.

So now after having to sit through two cliffhangers followed by months of patient waiting (the series running until episode 24 and then going on hiatus for several months before episodes 25 and 26 were aired over six months ago), hopefully this will be worth all the anticipation. It certainly better be. The synopsis of the second season does sound like it has the same potential as the first, following on from the tragic events that has made the wait so difficult to endure. But I have been aiming to stay as spoiler-free as possible in the age of the internet, so my mind is plagued by questions at what I have already heard about, notably the introduction of Lelouch and Nunnally’s brother, Rollo (though the name makes me snicker, reminding me of the chocolate bar).

Just a handful of weeks and our itching will finally be over… Actually, they’ll probably just introduce more elements to keep us on the edge of our seats.

Title: Itazura na Kiss
Animation Studio: TMS Entertainment
Genre: Shoujo, Romance, Comedy
Number of Episodes: 26
Opening Theme: ‘Kimi, Meguru, Boku’ by Motohiro Hata
Ending Theme: ‘Kataomoi Fighter’ by GO!GO!7188
Director: Osamu Yamazaki
Seiyuu: Daisuke Hirakawa, Nana Mizuki, Bin Shimada, Naoko Matsui, Romi Paku, Takashi Nagasako
Starts: 2008-04-04

Official Website: Itakiss
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
It was love at first sight for Aihara Kotoko as top student Irie Naoki delivers a speech on the first day of high school. After 2 years of secret admiration, “I don’t want it” is the rejection she gets when she plucks up enough courage to hand him a love letter. Dejected, Kotoko vows to give him up. By a twist of fate, Kotoko’s house collapses; her dad and her put up at a friend’s place, who happens to be Naoki’s father. And thus, life with Naoki begins and Kotoko’s love for Naoki rekindles again. Much laughter ensues when scatterbrain Kotoko makes her countless advances (supported by Naoki’s wacky mum) on ice-cold Naoki who hates girls and is a genius at practically everything from studies to sports. The story spans >10 years where we see their relationship slowly development despite their many differences and romantic hurdles.

Thoughts:
I almost passed this series aside at first, feeling that it wasn’t anything more than standard teen shoujo fair and not being bowled over by the character design. However, the fact that the storyline takes place over a ten year period has pique my interest. It’s common for a manga to take over ten years to tell the story, but rarely do the events take longer than the three years of high school to come to a conclusion. So this aspect does make me want to sit and see how successfully this idea can be plotted out. And along with voice work by Romi Paku, a woman I absolutely adore, and an ED by GO!GO!7188, I think this may be worth at least a preview of an episode or two.

Title: Special-A / S.A
Animation Studio: AIC, Gonzo
Genre: Shoujo, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Number of Episodes: 24
Opening Theme: ‘Special Days’ by Yuko Goto
Ending Theme: Hidamari no Gate’ by Jun Fukuyama, Hiro Shimono, Tsubasa Yonaga & Kazuma Horie
Director: Yoshikazu Miyao
Seiyuu: Jun Fukuyama, Yuko Goto, Ayahi Takagaki, Hiro Shimono, Hitomi Nabatame, Kazuma Horie, Tsubasa Yonaga
Starts: 2008-04-06

Official Website: Special-A
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
Hikari Hanazono, the main character, has always been second to Kei Takishima. While Hikari considers Kei a rival and somewhat of a friend, Kei loves Hikari. Everyone knows this, but she is too dense to notice. Their wrestling loving fathers first introduced them to one another when they were 6 years old. Assuming that she was the best in wrestling, young Hikari challenged Kei to a wrestling match only to be thoroughly defeated by him. Ever since that fateful incident, Hikari swore to beat Kei in school grades, a sporting event - anything. To do this she has enrolled in the same school as Kei since elementary. Now she attends Hakusenkan, an ultra elite school, that costs her carpenter father a lot of money. Hikari and Kei are the top two students in the school, with Kei holding firmly to that number one position. (Source ANN)

Thoughts:
This is one of the first non-sequel series to garner my attention this coming season as around the time it was announced I was reading another manga by creator Maki Minami, ‘You’re My Girlfriend’. The plot does seem quite convential; it will probably be a fluffy affair, and may never hit the highs of that other title about rivals falling for one another, ‘Kare Kano’ / ‘His and Her Circumstances’, but it does looking delightfully entertaining and will hopefully add a nice piece of light-heartedness next to some of the more serious titles on offer. The art work is really cute and the animation isn’t to be sniffed at, coming from both AIC and GONZO.

It also looks to be the third series of this single season with Jun Fukuyama heading the cast as the primary male character (the other two being Watanuki in ‘xxxHOLiC’ and Lelouch in ‘Code Geass R2′), but then the boy does amazing work.

Title: Soul Eater
Animation Studio: BONES
Genre: Action, Comedy, Supernatural
Opening Theme: ‘resonance’ by T.M.Revolution
Ending Theme: ‘I Wanna Be’ by STANCE PUNKS
Director: Takuya Igarashi
Seiyuu: Chiaki Omigawa, Kouki Uchiyama, Mamoru Miyano, Yumiko Kobayashi, Akeno Watanabe, Emiri Katou, Maaya Sakamoto, Takehito Koyasu, Yuya Uchida
Starts: 2008-04-07

Official Website: Soul Eater
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
Set in the Shinigami technical school for weapon meisters, the series revolves around 3 groups of each a weapon meister and a human weapon. Trying to make the latter a “Death Scythe” and thus fit for use by the Shinigami, they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch. (Source Wikipedia)

Thoughts:
The first thing that had me thinking this series could be good contender was the unique, playful character design, seconded by the fact that BONES were doing the production. Along with Production I.G. and Madhouse, they are one of the studios that can quickly convince me to watch a series, even with knowing little about the title. They did this for me when I picked up ‘Ouran High School Host Club’, which I still view as one of the top series of the past five years. And both these series share the same director, Takuya Igarashi. In addition, Maaya Sakamoto, a favourite of mine since I first watched ‘Escaflowne’ in Japanese, and Mamoru Miyano tie the two series together again. If it weren’t for the supreme differences when it comes to style and storyline, this would probably be an Ouran fan’s dream series.

The story does sound solid, and I have a thing for supernatural anime. I do, however, worry that this could become a long running series, and with ‘Bleach’ and ‘D. Gray-man’ already on my list, I’m not really looking for anything that requires more than a 26 episode commitment.

Title: Vampire Knight
Animation Studio: Studio DEEN
Genre: Shoujo, Drama, Romance, Supernatural
Director: Kiyoko Sayama
Seiyuu: Mamoru Miyano, Yui Horie, Daisuke Kishio, Jun Fukuyama, Junichi Suwabe, Keiko Sonoda, Souichiro Hoshi, Susumu Chiba
Starts: 2008-04-07

Official Website: Vampire Knight
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
Yuki’s earliest memory is of a stormy night in winter, wherein she was attacked by a vampire… And then rescued by another. Now 10 years later, Yuki Cross, the adapted daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, has grown up and become a guardian of the vampire race, protecting her savior, Kaname, from discovery as he leads a group of vampires at the elite boarding school. But also at her side is Zero Kiryu, a childhood friend who’s hatred for the creatures that destroyed everything he held dear, is now determined never to trust them. This coexisting arrangement seems all well and good, but have the vampires truly renounced their murderous ways, or is there a darker truth behind their actions. Is Kaname’s infatuation with Yuki the beginning of a forbidden romance, or is it something in her forgotten past that draws him to her. Because in this world of secrets, nothing is as it seems. And the price of misplaced trust may even be worse than death. (Source ANN)

Thoughts:
‘Vampire Knight’ is one of those titles that I see everywhere but have never had the chance to pick up, and it does seem to be one of the headlining titles of the season. It is another Studio DEEN series, so we can be sure that the visual appeal of the manga will be competently adapted into the anime. Jun Fukuyama yet again shows up in another show of this season, but at least this time he doesn’t have the pressure of heading the male cast. We also have another appearance by Mamoru Miyano, so, together with a number of other great voice actors, we can rely upon this show sounding great.

This is another pretty certain ‘yes’ for me, but I may give a quite check to the first volume of the manga beforehand.

Title: Kaiba
Animation Studio: Madhouse Studios
Genre: Romance, Sci-fi
Number of Episodes: 12
Opening Theme: ‘Never’ by Seira
Ending Theme: ‘Carry Me Away’ by Seira
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Seiyuu: Houko Kuwashima, Mamiko Noto, Romi Paku
Starts: 2008-04-10

Official Website: Kaiba @ WOWOW
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
A sci-fi love story set in a world where digitization of memory made physical death obsolete. A world where memories can be stolen and altered, and replaced in a new human body.

Kaiba wakes up in a room wthout knowing who he is. He has a pendant with the photograph of a woman he does not remember. After being attacked all of a sudden, he has to flee to space, meet various people, and rediscover the world.

“Even without my memories, I love you…” (Source AniDB)

Thoughts:
This series can boost so much with production by Madhouse and acting by Romi Paku, but ultimately it is the striking, Tezuka-esque style of this futuristic romance that has captured my attention. In fact, I know very little else about it, but I’m pretty sure it will remain high on my list next season if the animation and story can match the inventiveness of the designs. And it does sound like a very touching story with a lovely depth. I just worry it won’t be readily picked up by fansubbers due to what maybe may feel is an animation style suited to a children’s anime.

Title: Toshokan Sensou / Library War
Animation Studio: Production I.G
Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
Number of Episodes: 12
Opening Theme: ‘Atashi no Machi, Ashita no Machi’ by Hitomi Takahashi
Ending Theme: ‘changes’ by Base Ball Bear
Director: Takayuki Hamana
Seiyuu: Marina Inoue, Akira Ishida, Miyuki Sawashiro, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Tomoaki Maeno, Haruo Satou, Kanji Suzumori
Starts: 2008-04-10

Official Website: Toshokan Sensou
ANN Info: Visit

Synopsis:
In the year 2019, the explosion of information and misinformation became a direct threat to society. In a daring decision, it was decided to create a new government agency dedicated solely to information management. Now some thirty years later, the government still monitors and controls information, suppressing anything they find undesirable, but standing against their abuses of power are the libraries, with their special agents called ‘the book soldiers’. (Source AniDB)

Thoughts:
The series is airing in the noitaminA programming block on Fuji TV, previously home to josei stables such as ‘Honey & Clover’ and ‘Paradise Kiss’, but that has recently been branching out with seinen titles. As this has been a block of mature, high-quality material, it bodes well that this series will be of the same level. It’s also one of many Production I.G. series this season, and from the promotional artwork released, it does look like it will be a sumptuous series to turn-in to. Before this, Takayuki Hamana helmed ‘Prince of Tennis’; although I haven’t seen any of that series, it is a fan favourite, so hopefully this experience will carry over into ‘Toshokan Sensou’.

This is one case where I’m really excited about the music. I’ve been actively listening to Base Ball Bear over the past number of months after first hearing them on the Oricon chart, so to see them attached to another anime series (they previously did an OP for ‘Ookiku Furikabutte’ and baseballe themed anime) gives me good hopes that more people out there will begin to listen to their music.

So, yes, the sheer number of great looking shows is a little overwhelming, especially as I have a long list of old shows I still have to get around too. But thankfully a few of them only come in at the 12 episode mark, which will hopefully ease the commitment I need to provide this season. But it’s certainly reassuring to be getting excited about so many varied shows again. I just hope when Autumn comes around, we’ll be given the same wealth again.