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!