Anime Anime in 2007

[Dagger]

Either the people at Geneon are suckers for punishment, or they've found a way to turn some kind of profit on the likes of Marimite. Not to say that there's anything truly similar to it on the market, but they were also the ones who released Kamichu and Ichigo Mashimaro and Zipang, so who knows.

As for Solty, there's [i]more than one[/i] swimsuit episode? The plot thickens! (Lesson learned: never put anything past GONZO.) Well, I'm Netflixing it, so I'll stick with it as long as it keeps me engaged. There's always Jouji Nakata's fabulous voice to listen to, although it's somewhat wasted on Roy. And Solty's ears... those ears are mesmerizing...

On the going against current sensibilities front, a thirty year old manga called [B]To Terra (Terra e)[/B] is getting a TV series adaptation this spring. A pretty big-time adaptation at that--it's going into the doroku slot where Gundam SEED and Blood+ aired. It's got anime character designs by Nobuteru Yuuki, mechanical designs by Yutaka Izubuchi, a boatload of script writers (including Izubuchi and Dai Sato) and awesome seiyuu (Mitsuki Saiga, Tomokazu Sugita, Sanae Kobayashi, Takehito "I have a character in every single anime ever made" Koyasu).

The important part is that the manga it's based on just started coming out in the US (translated & published by Vertical), and the rather lengthy first volume, at least, is very good. It's epic sci-fi by the woman who wrote Kaze to Ki no Uta, one of the first BL manga.

[url=http://www.famitsu.com/anime/news/2007/02/28/681,1172673920,67825,0,0.html][u]Screencaps from Famitsu[/u][/url]

The sheer number of new spring series has pretty much hit the saturation point for me. I'm about ready to throw up my hands, watch one or two things and let whatever's slipped through the cracks reach me whenever they're licensed.

~Dagger~

[jen_sa]

Im not sure what new animes will be shown in Australia this year. Im hopin that there will be some. Have to wait and see.

=>Jen

[Dagger]

[SIZE=1]Here are a couple of minor updates.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omo3q7SkVzo][u]Terra e promo[/u][/url] [15 seconds]
[url=http://ga.sbcr.jp/news/0702/099/index.html][u]Claymore screenshots[/u][/url] [click for larger versions]

L'Arc-en-ciel will be doing the theme song for Seirei no Moribito. As for Terra e, its first OP will be by UVERworld (who also performed D-tecnolife, the second Bleach OP, and Colors of the Heart, the third Blood+ OP).

A [B]Kyo Kara Maoh OVA[/B] has been announced for the fall. It's scheduled for just five episodes, but I suspect they'll make more if the DVDs keep selling.

Also, BONES is finally going to produce a movie of theirs that has been long in the making, a period piece called [B]Stranger - Mukoh Hadan[/B]. They've promised that it'll have the best swordfights ever seen in a samurai anime. Fall '07 in Japan.

In other licensing news, Geneon has slyly picked up [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shounen_Onmyouji][u][B]Shounen Onmyouji[/B][/u][/url] ([url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1WkDn3cf54][u]OP sequence[/u][/url]), a historical action-adventure fantasy (I think). Don't know much about it, but the opening song is great.[/SIZE]

-----------------------------------

And here's a major update. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eODN-vvEf0o&eurl=][u]Clannad[/u][/url], another bishoujo game from Key (Kanon, AIR), is being made into a TV anime. More information will be coming on the 20th, so it's not yet clear whether it'll air this year or next year.

~Dagger~

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Dagger][SIZE=1]And here's a major update. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eODN-vvEf0o&eurl=][u]Clannad[/u][/url], another bishoujo game from Key (Kanon, AIR), is being made into a TV anime. More information will be coming on the 20th, so it's not yet clear whether it'll air this year or next year.

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]The thing about this, though, is what does this mean for season 2 of Haruhi? While it is true that it was only rumored to begin with, if it were to come out, either Haruhi or Clannad will probably not hit till next year. Personally, I'm hoping Haruhi comes first :catgirl: [/COLOR]

[Dagger]

Yeah, there is that. It's possible that Clannad will pre-empt the second season of Haruhi--they already have a trailer ready, after all, and I guess the date of a Haruhi continuation was never formally announced.

Personally? Well, I'm a bit (<-- such a lie) of a Key fangirl, so I definitely would not mind seeing Clannad first. I don't think that would necessarily be bad for Haruhi either. Novels come out more slowly than manga, so it might be a good thing to let the novel series get way ahead. At least it would give the anime writers a better perspective on how to frame future seasons. Also, Haruhi hype isn't going to die out anytime soon, with the novels and manga still ongoing. It'd be smart to take advantage of the buzz about Kanon by busting out Clannad sooner rather than later.

If I had my way, though, KyoAni wouldn't just go straight from Kanon to Clannad--they'd follow it up with Tomoyo After, Planetarian, ONE and Little Busters. So I guess it's good that I don't have any input about this sort of thing. :animeshy:

~Dagger~

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Some have noted that Clannad takes place in the spring and might be more suitable for playing in spring of next year with haruhi airing this coming Autumn or so. That would be cool as well.

As for what else i'm looking forward to this year, Mushishi on DVD tops my list with absolute vigor! I cannot wait! I'm having Mushishi-withdrawal!!![/COLOR]

[Dagger]

Spring 2008 is soooo faaaar awaaaay... but yeah, that might be the most likely scenario.

[url=http://www.genius-party.jp/#][u]This[/u][/url] looks interesting. It's a theatrical project called [B]Genius Party[/B] and will consist of shorts directed by leading animators (nine from Japan, one from France). The whole thing is being organized by maverick Studio 4°C. The people contributing to it have previously worked on stuff like The Animatrix, Robot Carnival, Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne, Akira, Kemonozume, Perfect Blue, Macross, Tenshi no Tamago and Linkin Park's "Breaking the Habit" music video.

The first group of ten to twenty minute shorts is supposed to be in Japanese theaters this summer, but the world premiere is scheduled to take place in New York next February.

~Dagger~

[eleanor]

[color=dimgray] [i]Genius Party[/i] sparked my interest as soon as I heard about it, mostly because I love concepts like those and I love animated shorts. I got all excited about it and then read that it was coming next year, lol. Guess I'll just have to wait around.

For some reason I've only watched one of Satoshi Kon's movies, which most anime fans will call a crying shame.

I really want to check out [i]Paprika[/i] when it releases in the US, though. From the preview I saw online the animation quality is fantastic and it seems chock full of great design and magical realism. All I hope for a equally stimulating storyline and character cast. [/color]

[Dagger]

[QUOTE=Lunox][color=dimgray]
For some reason I've only watched one of Satoshi Kon's movies, which most anime fans will call a crying shame.

I really want to check out [i]Paprika[/i] when it releases in the US, though. From the preview I saw online the animation quality is fantastic and it seems chock full of great design and magical realism. All I hope for a equally stimulating storyline and character cast. [/color][/QUOTE]
Heh, same here--all I've seen is Millennium Actress and Paranoia Agent. Paprika does look awesome; I wish they would hurry up and announce a DVD date for it.

Here's an awesome [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9remU-fvbk][u]Seirei no Moribito clip[/u][/url] (most of the dialogue is from the interview during which it aired, not from the actual show). With more and more shows having great action, even if only for a few episodes, it takes something of a really high level to stand out. I just love battle scenes in which they show you the characters' full range of motion without covering it up with special effects. Also, non-samurai weapons and tough women for the win.

~Dagger~

[eleanor]

[color=dimgray] Same here. I'm a huge fan of real-time action scenes that don't have slow-motions shots. It's a shame animation studios can't afford them most of the time- the small treats they [i]do[/i] give us make average action scenes seem incredibly dull.

[spoiler]*pimps Naruto episode 133*[/spoiler][/color]

[Ani_Freak]

[color=indigo]Real simple for me, I am looking forward to just a few at the moment. Not as huge a list as some uf you have, but here goes.

[b]Paprika:[/b] Satoshi Kon's new movie. Can't have enough of his work. Loved Tokyo Godfather, Perfect Blue and Millenium Actress. In my opinion, Paranoia Agent series wasn't as good as his movies. Waiting anxiously on Paprika ^^.

[b]The Melancholi of Haruhi Suzumiya:[/b] I am kinda cautious for series like this one, but I am definitely checking it out once it comes out. Saw some trailers and read a bit of the story and it seems like a good watch.

[b]Black Lagoon:[/b] Haven't seen anything about it, just read some really good reviews from the subs. Seems like a decent action show. I managed to see a little bit of some episode, and got really interested in it, so looking forward to it.

I do need to get up-to-date on the fansub scene, cause it's been a few months since I haven't seen what's coming out, only the ones mentioned above. As far as the ones already released in DVD, I definitely want to keep seeing more of [B]Le Chevalier D'Eon[/B] and [B]Coyote Ragtime Show[/B].[/color]

[Guest Zet22x]

Im hopeing for more of the elfna lied to maybe come out.

Can any one clear that for me?

[Kenshin DX]

[QUOTE=Zet22x]Im hopeing for more of the elfna lied to maybe come out.

Can any one clear that for me?[/QUOTE]

No, no news has been confrimed of another season of Elfen Lied.

And I really don't think their will be one despite the open ended ending.

[Ayokano]

[b][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EReMsfpBeXE]Maiking Break-Through Gurren-Lagann[/url][/b] is something new from Gainax and Hiroyuki Imaishi, who did FLCL and Dead Leaves. It seems like a comedic twist on classic super robo shows. Comes out April 1st, so I guess there might even be RAWs out for it now.

[b][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrHUrDdMLdk]Bokurano[/url][/b] is another mech anime that interests me, but it's far from the light hearted Gurren. GONZO has brought some great stuff, but some of it doesn't appeal to me. But this defiantly sparks some interest.

Airs the 8th of April.

[Dagger]

I'm going to wait on Gurren-Lagann for now. I didn't care for FLCL very much beyond its visual zaniness and the rare moments that were subdued & emotionally evocative. Likewise, I had fun with Diebuster but mainly value it for its ending. If Lagann turns out to have more than just high caliber action and wackiness, I may watch it (assuming it isn't licensed by then).

The premise of Bokurano sounds fascinating. GONZO being GONZO, though, I want to make sure they're going to follow the manga reasonably before I commit to it.

[b]Seirei no Moribito[/b] has been pre-licensed by Geneon. Hopefully the DVDs will come out in a timely manner. I wonder if it has a chance of getting on Adult Swim? (After all, it's so close in style to Ghost in the Shell, although the setting and content are very different.) I haven't watched any of it yet, so I don't have a feel for whether or not it's AS material.

What I have seen at this point are the first episodes of two excellent-seeming shows.

[b]Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS[/b] will kick your butt, my butt and everything in between. The first episode is an action fest that takes the series further away from typical magical girl material than it's ever been. I actually think this might be a good place for people who haven't seen the first two seasons to jump in, since they're reintroducing the core cast at the same time that they add new characters. As long as you're into action anime, it should be a wild ride. Please don't let the magical girl concept scare you away.

[b]Heroic Age[/b] is from the team behind Fafner, minus the crappy writers--and it's turning out to be everything I'd hoped for and more. When you have entire planets being destroyed in the first episode, you know it's going to be epic. There were some really creative backgrounds & strong animation as well.

~Dagger~