TYTANIA

NEWS

1988. ~ , SF novel Tytania written by Yoshiki Tanaka published volume 1~3
2008.05~ manga Tytania started serialization in "月刊少年シリウス" and is on-going
2008.10.09 anime Tytania will start airing

STORY

Along with the time of Stellar Calendar began, city-states belonging to the Stellar City League were built by human beings who have explored and settled the vast universe.

Some may think that the era of Stellar City League, the age of the greatest power in universe, would go on forever. However, the people who held the name of Tytania withdrew from the League and received the title of "Seignior of No-land" from the the emperor of Valudana, the League's main antagonist. History was changed.

Having fought the League and brought victory to Valudana Empire, the Tytania clan claimed that there would be no empire but for Tytania. Though being the nominal vassal to the empire, the clan of Tytania dominated the majority of the city-states and held the supremacy of whole universe.

And now, because of certain trouble concerning certain interests, the city-state Eulia from the League is going to fight the Tytania. Starting from this battle, the new stirring era of history is dawning.

CHARACTERS
(All names below are not official)

Juslan Tytania (CV: Daisuke Kishio / 岸尾だいすけ )
Duke of Valudana, candidate for the next "Seignior of No-land" who has doubts about the existing status of Tytania, generous in supporting artists. A person of wisdom and justice among Tytania clans.

Van Gulik (CV: Katsuyuki Konishi / 小西克幸 )
A genius tactician, intelligent but light-minded, basically do not like to subject to others, become opposed to Tytania by various experience.

Aliaburt Tytania (CV: Takashi_Kondo / 近藤隆 )
Duke of Valudana. Though balanced in feature, personality and ability, seems a little bit lack in humor. Usually the first to be mentioned in the four Dukes, also the one with the highest achievement in battlefield.

Idriss Tytania (CV: Hiroyuki Yoshino / 吉野裕行 )
Duke of Valudana. Though with a fair feature surpasses Aliaburt, the total appearance is slightly feeble. Unnecessarily aware of being the youngest of the four Dukes. The aspirant of the Tytania clan.

Zalish Tytania (CV: Tora Take / 武虎 )
Duke of Valudana. A manful character with firm lips and powerful eyes, not at all relevant to weak. The appearance with both manner and force often reminds people of the first "Seignior of No-land" Nevil Tytania.

Lydia (CV: Kaori_Nazuka / 名塚佳織 )
Second princess of Elbing Kindom. A Lively, bright, ingenuous and clever girl.

Ajiman Tytania (CV: Kenta Miyake / 三宅健太 )
The eighth "Seignior of No-land", the imperturbable commander in chief of Tytania clan. Though it is said that there was no competent Seignior after the third generation, he was said to have the talent resembling Nely the second Seignior.

STAFF

Original: Yoshiki Tanaka / 田中芳樹
Director: Noboru Ishiguro / 石黒昇
Music: Susumu Aketagawa / 明田川進
Studio: Artland / アートランド

LINKS

Official website: http://www.tytania.jp/index.html
Trailers: anime


ANIME AYA

Another anime adopted from the novel of Yoshiki Tanaka, the writer of "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" and "Ryoko's Strange File". The good news is, those two novels are pretty good. But the not so good news is, this one somehow left unfinished. So the problems is whether the anime will just go perfectly and ends incomplete as the novel, or rounded up by some original script and feels...not so original. But so what, in a world that "Macross F" still airing, there would be nothing more welcomed than a good old fashioned galaxy opera, especially when it will be led by not only male but also equally strong female characters.

The character designer is Haruhiko Mikimoto who also designed for "Macross" and "Gundam 0080". Clothing is still based heavily on military and royal fashion, since war would be the main storyline. For eyes familiar with "Legend of the Galactic Heroes", the four Dukes each possess a part of Reinhard in conscience/beauty/youth/tactics. And for the rebellion side, again their salvation is a single battle genius who is much luckier than Yang Wenli, since what he faces is a empire long passed its apex and a emperor who is not Reinhard.

The animation studio in charge is Artland which produced "Mushishi". On the work list of the director Noboru Ishiguro there are "Macross: Do You Remember Love?" and "Legend of the Galactic Heroes". As for the music director Susumu Aketagawa, he was also in the OVA of "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" and "Utawarerumono". A pretty good team leading the way to a new adventure.

Tales of the Abyss

NEWS

2005.12.15 RPG game Tales of the Abyss: To Know the Meaning of Birth was released for PS2.
2008.10.04 Anime Tales of the Abyss will start airing.

STORY

2000 years ago on planet Auldran, fighting over the seventh fonon (elementary particles) "The Memory of Star" which holds the memory of the planet from its beginning to its end, a war went on for generations. The longtime chaos brought by this war did not only throw the human world into disorder but also put the planet itself into desolation. From the enormous deformation of the earth's crust, the thin purple miasma spread.

Fortunately, following the prophecy read from the seventh fonon, the genius fonist Yulia Jue sealed the miasma and saved the planet. However, the tremendous achievement of Yulia turned to the beginning of prophecy worship. And people of all Auldran gradually fell into the reign of "Order of Lorelei", a holy order which read and publish prophecy.

Today, divided by the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and the empire of Malkuth, Auldran now sustains a fragile peace. But, lead by the planet prophecy which only known to the Order of Lorelei masters, Auldran would soon fall again to the danger of war.Into such a world, a red-hair baby boy was born in a royal family in Kimlasca kingdom.

He who inherited the power of Lorelei, he who named as the Light of the Sacred Flame, shall bring Kimlasca-Lanvaldear its new prosperity or else...

CHARACTERS

Luke fone Fabre (CV: Chihiro Suzuki / 鈴木千尋)
The hero of this anime. The son of duke Fabre and the younger sister of the king of Kimlasca kingdom. Seven years ago he was kidnapped and lost all his memories before that. He was then confined to the house for safety after been rescued. Generating a resonance of Fonon with the girl who came to attack his swordplay teacher Van, Luke was transferred into the land of Malkuth empire. And from there, the journey started.

Tear Grants (CV: Yukana / ゆかな)
The heroine of this anime. A rare Fonist who can use the seventh fonon. Planning to assassinate Van, she sneaked into Luke's home, generated a resonance of fonon with fonon and been transferred into Malkuth empire. After that, Tear join Luke's journey.

Jade Curtiss (CV: Takehito Koyasu / 子安武人)
The confidant and right-hand man of the Malkuth emperor, resourceful in science and politics. Being a top-ranking Fonist and spear master, his only flaw is said to be the disagreeable personality. Although always smile pleasantly, he treats all partners frankly and enjoys to puzzle them by willful jokes.

Anise Tatlin (CV: Haruko Momoi / 桃井はるこ)
Member of the Knighthood "Shield of Prophecy" under the Order of Lorelei. A cunning girl who likes elder people. Voluntarily joined the order's army three years ago, progressed rapidly as puppeteer, and became a guardian of the order's head fonon master Ion. Using a transformed huge rug puppet in battles.

Guy Cecil (CV: Yasunori Matsumoto / 松本保典 )
Servant of Duke Fabre, best and faithful friend of Luke. Often relied by others for his bright, generous and caring personality. Knowledgable in fonon science, interested in fonon mechanism.

Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear (CV: Michiko Neya / 根谷美智子 )
Princess of Kimlasca kingdom, fiancee of Luke. Always being the first to rescue the people of Kimlasca for her dignified, proud and conscientious personality. Bow master, tend to rely on force.

Mieu (CV: Miki Maruyama / 丸山美紀 )
A child of the Cheagle race which contracted with Yulia. Holding the Sorcerer's Ring, it can speak human language and spit fire. Party's mascot.

STAFF

Original: Bandai Namco Games
Director: Kenji Kodama / こだま兼嗣
Music: Eriko Kimura / 木村絵理子
Studio: Sunrise, Bandai Visual, Bandai Namco Games

LINKS

Official Website: http://www.tv-toa.jp/index.html
Trailer: Anime, Game


ANIME AYA

Another anime adopted from RPG game, and this time a world-saving one. Though never played this one, Aya should say the trailers of both game and anime looks nice. The background is a once humanly destroyed and then humanly rebuilt world, while the theme is to protect or broke the prophecy of the whole planet future. For storyline that's a good start and since the game sold 440,225 copies in its first year in Japan alone (note it's published in December), there should be a quite promising carry out.

The character design is also typical for Japanese fantasy games. Clothing combines royal dress and military fashion; weapons are of all kinds; plus a cute nonhuman mascot. Also for a adventure of teenagers, there is always a elder companion in the group. And since the planet Auldran was designed to have a double revolution time comparing to our world, their one year then approximately equals to our two years. So by this calculation, those characters are actually twice their age in our calendar. But fortunately, the game designers have also decided to give them a half our growing/aging rate and therefore saved this game/anime from leading by some middle-aged and a quite gray-headed. -_-|||

Guess there would be no need for introducing Sunrise and Bandai Visual, all big studios. For the work list of the director, there is "Detective Conan/Case Closed" and "City Hunter". As for the music director Eriko Kimura, she has also been in "Cluster Edge" and "Yaketate!! Japan". And they have Aya's favourite CV in the casting team!

Nastume Yuujinchou / 夏目友人帳

NEWS

2005~ manga Natsume Yuujinchou started serialization in LaLa/LaLa DX by Yuki Midorikawaand is ongoing in its 6th volume.
2008.07 anime Nastume Yuujinchou started airing.

STORY

Because of her inherent ability of seeing spirits(more strictly yookai), Natsume Reiko was alienated by people around her. Perhaps driven by this loneliness, Reiko challenged yookais to duels, defeated them and have them written down their own names as the proof of binding to her will.

The bundle of these contracts, the "Account Book of Friends", is then passed to her grandson Natsume Takashi, who alone inherits her yookai-seeing ability and is also alienated by surrounding people. Takashi regards this book greatly since it once belonged to the only person who has the same bloodline as himself, and decides to return these deprived names to those yookais.

Towards Natsume and the Fortune Cat who accidentally becomes his bodyguard, various yookayis with different intentions are coming...

CHARACTERS

Nastume Takashi (CV: Hiroshi Kamiya / 神谷浩史)
The grandson of Reiko; in possession of rare spiritual power. Parents died shortly after he was born; disliked by relatives because of his spirit-seeing ability. Resembles Reiko a lot in appearance, often mistaken for Reiko and pursued by yookais.

Fortune Cat/ Madara (CV: Kazuhiko Inoue / 井上和彦 )
A yookai named Madara with elegant appearance, been sealed into a Fortune Cat for so long that deeply accustomed to be it. With the contract that he gets the Account Book of Friends after Natsume died, he becomes Natsume's bodyguard and lives with him as a family cat.

Nastume Reiko (CV: Sanae Kobayashi / 小林沙苗)
Takashi's grandmother, died very young. Considered stunningly beautiful by both human and yookai, but disliked by human for her spiritual power. The creator and former owner of the Account Book of Friends.

STAFF

Original: Yuki Midorikawa
Director: Takahiro Oomori / 大森貴弘
Music: Makoto Yoshimori / 吉森信
Studio: Brain's Base

LINKS

Official Website: http://www.natsume-anime.jp/


ANIME AYA

Just like the beginning of summer with a warm sun and cool breeze, the story somehow falls between the so-called "healing" type and the "monster-fighting" type, representing a ordinary daily life with magic right around the corner. With each episode centering on certain yookai/yookais, Nastume's adventure goes on and a small piece of the jigsaw named Reiko is revealed.

The character design is all for beauty and youth, since was originally published on LaLa(a famous magazine known for shoujo manga which targets young girls for primary readers). Natsume is a good-looking boy, Reiko appears to be a beautiful girl even though she is Takashi's grandmother,while Madara is modeled by a combination of funny cutey and mighty power. And the various yookai roles are designed following Japanese traditional mysteries with some modification either adorable or elegant. But of course Aya's favorite character is the Fortune Cat. Actually in Japan, they are selling the exact Madara fortune cats :)

The animation studio Brain's Base also has produced and . On the work list of the director Takahiro Oomori lays and . As for the music director Makoto Yoshimori, he was also in . So it's basically the same staff team for and that is surely a good promise in quality.

World Destruction / 世界撲滅の六人

NEWS

2008.7.07 Anime <World Destruction: The Six People that Destroy the World> began airing
2008.7.26 Manga <World Destruction: The Two Angels> began serialization
2008.9.25 Original Game <World Destruction: The Will that Leads> will be released

STORY

Repeatedly resetting itself in about every 1000 years, the world floats on the sea of sand. Living on the four continent of each season, anthropomorphic animals who are called Beastman rule the world and human.

Working in a small restaurant in a small seaport town, the young man named Kyrie has no concern at all as to how, when or where the world would end.

Possessing Destruct Code, the orb holding power to destroy the whole world, the young woman named Morte come to the exact restaurant for a decent lunch in weeks.

Being a valiant registered in the Valiant Guild, the beastman named Toppy last joins this party called "World Destruction Committee".

Chased by the "World Salvation Committee", meeting various beastman and humans on the journey, together this three go off to the road of world destruction.

What will be waiting for the world at the end of this journey, destruction or salvation?

CHARACTERS

Kyrie (CV: Mamoru Miyano / 宮野真守)
The hero of this series, happy-go-lucky type, mild-hearted, looks weak and indeed a little timid. After his parents died in his childhood, he strayed around and became a good chef with excellent knife skills. Though not mentioned in anime, he uses two short Knives as his weapon. The Destruct Code reacts strongly in his hands.

Morte (CV: Maaya Sakamoto / 坂本真綾)
The heroine of this series, with waist-long hair, energetic and brave. She possesses the Destruct Code, a orb of which can rest the world, and travels to find the right method to start it up. Being the first member of the World Destruction Committee, it is said she have killed many masters of beastman. Her weapon is a two-handed huge blade.

Toppy (CV: Toru Furuya / 古谷徹)
A reliable valiant regestered in Valiant Guild, no weapon, Small Bear race. Though being a hard-boiled adult beastman, his outlook resembles a teddy bear. He ends most of his sentences with "kuma" (the exact word means "bear" in Japanese) because it's a word of the language of his proud race.

Lia (CV: Yu Kobayashi / 小林ゆう)
A young beastwoman, normally sweet but easily irratible, dragon race. Though her outlook is a girl about 15 or 16, she have lived over 300 years and is following the dragon race's duty which is to be ralated with the beginning and ending of the world. Her weapon is a pair of pistols, also the ability to transform into half dragon.

Naja (CV: Daisuke Ono / 小野大輔)
A half wolf and harf human beastman, gentle, rational, one of the World Salvation Committee. He usually fights with brain but not force, and obstinately persist in what he believes is right.

Agan (CV: Hiroyuki Yoshino / 吉野裕行)
A human always wear green clothes and a hat, belongs to the so-called "Sand race" who lives in community on the sand sea. He is a transporter with outstanding skills in sand ship steering, who would do business with both beastman and human as long as well paid. His weapon is a whip.

STAFF

Original: SEGA
Director: Shunsuke Tada / 多田俊介
Music: Hiro Yikeyoshi / 池頼広
Studio: Production I.G.

LINKS

Official website: http://wd.sega.jp/anime/


ANIME AYA

Unlike those normal world-saving plot, the concept of this anime is to make a better future by world destruction(sounds cool:). Following the rule that every episode begins with a title "xxx has two kinds", Aya would say "anime has two kinds, a kind that Aya would keep watching and the other Aya would drop", and this one follows in the former catergory. Since the story script is originally for a RPG game, hopefully this anime adaptation will has a clearer storyline than other road animes.

The character design is typical. In the leading role there are something strong(a fighting young woman), something mysterious(a gentle young man), and something cute(a pirate Teddy bear!). And on the supporting side, a sweet girl suddenly turns into a angry half dragon, a rational young man with half wolf half human bloodline, and a human transporter dresses kind of between Peter Pan and Robinhood. As for other minor roles, good people usually have a human face while bad guys have a animal head, since human face plus animal ears and tails equals to cute/adorable/sexy in the world of anime. (but seriously why is that? maybe because they look like the pet on your laps... -_-|||)

The animation studio in charge of producing is Production I.G. which has a glory history of //. On the work list of the director lays and . As for the music director Hiro Yikeyoshi, he has also been in the anime and the OVA .