The cover of Toyosaki Aki's 4th single 春風 SHUN PU has been revealed, at least the cover of the limited edition w/DVD, that is. Aki-chan looks really like an angel there. I can't wait to get it, which won't happen until the 13th of April when SHUN PU is supposed to be released. I hope that the cover of normal edition won't look even sweeter. First, I would be disappointed getting the other cover; second, I might not be able to deal with such an amount of sweetness and pureness.
Toyosaki Aki's first album "love your life, love my life" is to be released May 18.
EDIT: I think I've just seen the regular edition cover. The LE one is much much cuter.
Sphere's second album titled "Spring is here" has ranked on the 8th place in the Weekly Oricon Chart. Having been released 5 days after the massive earthquake, the sales must have been affected too to some extent. Yet, the album has sold 16,134 copies in the first week, which is more than their first album A.T.M.O.S.P.H.E.R.E has sold in total according to Oricon numbers.
I'm looking forward to getting my copy. I haven't ordered the large and expensive Crystal Spring Box, partly because it had been sold out before I decided whether I want it or not. So I'm not even sure if I would end up buying it or if I'd rather decide to spare my bank account a few bullets.
The Japanese TV channel BS Fuji will run a special about the Japanese media content business on March 26. Toyosaki Aki will voice a reporter called Daiba Misaki. The title of the show is Content Business Saizensen Japa-Con TV and it will cover anime, fashion, games, anime music, and other forms of Japanese popular culture and entertainment that are being exported overseas. For example, Shibuya 109 department store, Love Plus, LiSP, social networks, and so on. The special will combine both live-action documentary sequences and animated sequences.
The artist Dai-Oki did the design of the characters appearing in the anime sequences, and Tanaka (Akira's key animation) animated the entire opening animation sequence. Ambient techno musician Hoshi Kenichirou contributed to the soundtrack.
After a 2-week break, DFC Saturday is back again. If you have worried that I dropped the DFC Saturdays, fear not. DFC Saturday is here and will be here for some more time. However, I will not be able to make the post next week, so I have decided that today's gallery will be double the amount of a regular one. Enjoy twice the flatness!
Anime Seitokai no Ichizon based on light novel Hekiyou Gakuen Seitokai Gijiroku by Aoi Sekina will get another anime adaptation according to the May issue of magazine Dragon. No further information has been revealed as of now, so it is not clear whether it will be a second season or something else.
Many famous Japanese persons have shown their kind hearts by doing something to help the destructed regions of Japan. Not only are they donating money, but they are also setting up donation funds or raising money in other ways.
Famous J-ROCK singer Gackt has set up a donation fund called "Show your heart" in response to the disaster. All collected money will go to Japanese Red Cross, affected prefectures and social welfare organizations. Many Japanese celebrities and artist have expressed their support of this project on the official website.
Leader, pianist, and drummer of the band X JAPAN, Yoshiki, has announced that he will put on auction his favorite custom-made piano Kawai, called the Crystal piano. The piano has his name engraved on it and is transparent since it is made of plexi-glass. The money will go to help the victims of the disaster in Touhoku. In addition, he will raise money through the Yoshiki Foundation America, his California non-profit, public benefit corporation with tax-exempt status.
Manga artists are planning to make a charity doujinshi to raise money to help the regions and people affected by the quake and subsequent tsunami. The doujinshi is tentatively called Higashi Nihon Daishinsai Charity Doujinshi (Charity Doujinshi for the Earthquake in Eastern Japan). The release is planned to May 5. Following creators are listed to participate on the project:
Taking the recent events in Japan into consideration, the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2011 has been cancelled. The decision was announced today at the official website. The Tokyo International Anime Fair has been previously affected by the enactment of so called Bill 156, banning manga and anime corrupting the right and pure upbringing of children and adolescents, and subsequent boycott of the event by major anime and manga companies.
The boycotting companies decided to hold their own event called Anime Contents Expo and they scheduled it on the same date as the TAF, but it's very likely that this event will be cancelled too.
Due to the natural disaster that occurred in Japan and the critical state that ensued, regular broadcast, including anime, is being postponed on many channels.
Anime broadcast changes:
Dragon Crisis! - postponed to unknown date Moshidora - postponed to unknown date Kore wa Zombie Desu ka - postponed to unknown date GOSICK - postponed to uknown date, EDIT: TV Aichi aired episode 10 ahead of schedule Onii-chan no Koto Nanka Zenzen Suki Ja Nai n Dakara ne - postponed supposedly for one week, episode 10 will not air on other channels (it aired on TVK, along a tsunami scene therein) Kimi ni Todoke - postponed to unknown date Astalotte no Omocha - the broadcast will start on April 10, later than scheduled Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - postponed to unknown date
DVD/BD release changes:
Asobi ni Iku yo! OVA - postponed to unknown date All Aniplex releases - postponed to unknown date
CD releases:
Lantis releases - all postponed to unknown date Takagaki Ayahi - Takaramono - postponed to uknown date
The list is not complete, but there is no exact information about other titles.
EDIT:
Moshidora is now scheduled to air from April 25 to May 6. All anime except Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica will probably air according to the schedule from now on. Read the full post >>
A massive earthquake of magnitude 9.0, the fourth most powerful earthquake worldwide in recorded history, hit Japan on March 11 and was followed by tsunami as tall as 7 meters. The water inundated extremely large area and at some places it reached as far as 10 km inland from the coast. The tsunami swept thousands of houses, caused several fires, and rendered the cooling systems of nuclear plants in Fukushima useless. The cooling system is necessary to prevent meltdown, that's why they have been pumping sea water there as a makeshift to cool the reactor. Residents in radius of 20 km from the power plant have been evacuated and several people had to undergo decontamination process.
For those of you who worry about the safety of your favorite seiyuu, artists, actors, actresses, mangakas, etc., there's a spreadsheet with names of persons whose safety has been confirmed and names of those whose status is unclear. Here is the link.
Countless of people are now homeless and in the most affected areas there's shortage of food and other necessities. If you wish to do something that would help those people, you can donate via Global Giving, American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Mercy Corps. Even the tiniest amount of money can help some people.
A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan about 10 hours ago. The epicenter was about 140 km off the coast of Sendai. Tsunami as high as 10 meters followed the quake and inundated large area. Due to the tsunami and earthquake, several places are on fire, including an oil refinery in Chiba prefecture. The damage is extensive and the aftershocks still continue. The death toll is 300+ at the moment and other 537 people are missing.
Phone lines have been down, but thanks to social networks, mainly Twitter, people have been able to get in touch with others as well as get help and receive useful advice.
Mikatan has updated her blog with a few preview photos of upcoming Nendoroid release of Cirno from Touhou Series. Cirno aka ⑨ comes with 3 face parts: grinning face, angry face, and crying face. She also comes with 5 or 6 hand parts, I'm not sure, an ice sword, a frozen frog, and an extra leg part. Thanks to her new-generation Nendoroid stand, you can create many different poses.
Cirno Nendoroid will be up for pre-orders tomorrow.
Today, March 9, is the day of Hatsune Miku. The reason behind this is that Miku can be written as 39 in Japanese. Alternatively, you could say that it's possible to read 3 9 as Miku. And that's why today is known and celebrated as Miku Day. To celebrate it, there's nothing more appropriate than listen to some Miku's songs.
You have probably heard already that K-ON! manga is going to be resumed and that there will be two separate stories, one serialized in Manga Time Kirara and the other one in new Manga Time Kirara Carat. I am very excited about it and so are many other fans of K-ON!, but there are also some fans who aren't that happy about the continuation and their reasons are not that hard to understand if one gives it some thought. In case you couldn't think of a single one, here are a few comments most likely collected from 2chan.
"Clubs, partying, and if a boyfriend shows up after that I'll seriously get furious." "No! Stop the time! Yui can't get 20!" "I'm not interested in college girls. It must be high school girls, because the charm of school uniforms is awesome." "The aftertaste would have been nice if the graduation had been the end." "I don't know what the story of the sequel will be like, but when I heard that it will be set in the college days, I felt the world of K-ON that I loved so much is coming to a close."
These opinions are mainly the opinions of men who do not want their waifus to grow into women in their 20s and do not want them to be desecrated by men. One woman (22) displays a very different attitude to the whole thing, which might actually offend the men with above opinions.
"When I learned about the sequel, I got terribly excited. It's natural that they'll get boyfriends so it's not any shock. Above all, I'd like to see the realization of the goal they set in the very beginning: a concert at Budoukan."
I only hope that Kakifly is sane enough not to draw any male character (except Satoshi) within 5 meters' distance from the main characters. That might cause a huge uprising XD
It's high time to do the seasonal anime lineup preview thing, as Spring is approaching quite fast. Like every time, it's divided into three categories based on my interest in that anime: anime I'm definitely going to watch, anime I will check out(and end up watching ^^'), and anime I might check out.
Anime I'm definitely going to watch
Hidan no Aria
Based on light novel.
Tokyo Butei High school--- It was a special school where armed detectives, also known as "Butei" are being brought up. Touyama Kinji is a sophomore student who has the unique body which activates a "super mode" when it was stimulated by "something". He tries to hide it to others in order to live a peaceful life. But trouble came to find him when he became a victim of a bombing incident, where he met the Butei high "Assault" department elite, Aria H. Kanzaki.
Animation: J.C.Staff Director: Watanabe Takashi (Slayers, Shakugan no Shana, Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou, Freezing) Writer: Shirane Hideki (Hayate no Gotoku!!, Yumekui Merry) Seiyuu: Kugimiya Rie, Majima Junji, Ise Mariya, Takahashi Mikako, Nakahara Mai, Eguchi Takuya, Hotogi Shirayuki, Ishihara Kaori Music: OP sung by May'n
Steins;Gate
Based on visual novel.
The story of Steins;Gate takes place in Akihabara and is about a group of friends who have managed to customize their microwave into a device that can send text messages to the past. As they perform different experiments, an organization named SERN who has been doing their own research on time travel tracks them down and now the characters have to find a way to avoid being captured by them.
Animation: White Fox Director: Satou Takuya (Mayoi Neko Overrun, Seitokai no Ichizon, Ichigo Mashimaro), Hamasaki Hiroshi (Texhnolyze, Shigurui) Writer: Hanada Jukki (Seitokai no Ichizon, Sola, H2O:Footprints in the Sand, Rozen Maiden, Special A) Seiyuu: Miyano Mamoru, Hanazawa Kana, Imai Asami, Momoi Halko, Seki Tomokazu, Gotou Saori, Kobayashi Yuu Music: Abo Takeshi (Monochrome Factor), OP by Itou Kanako, ED by Sakakibara Yui
Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai
Based on visual novel.
Haneda Takashi has a secret he cannot speak of. To leave his dull school-life, he was supposed to have escaped to another world. However, he is reeled in by certain ties on his heart. One of these is Kobato, his awkward younger sister. The other is Watarai Asuka, his negligent girlfriend. Chitose Syusuke is a poor freeloader. He passes his days working at various part-time jobs. One day, he has a disastrous first encounter with Tamaizumi Hiyoko. The next time they meet, Syusuke discovers that they are fellow employees at his part-time job. Narita Hayato sees himself as a "hard-boiled" person. Back-breaking jobs are nothing to him. Hayato shuns normal human contact, but, during the nights, he would get together with delinquents and other denizens of the night. One such night, he meets the cheerful and oblivious Otori Naru.
Animation: Nomad Director: Ushiro Shinji (Shukufuku no Campanella, Omamori Himari, D.C.if: Da Capo if) Writer: Kouno Takamitsu (Lamune, Ayakashi, Kyou no Go no Ni 2008) Seiyuu: Gotou Yuuko, Shimono Hiro, Matayoshi Ai, Ono Ryouko, Yoshida Mayumi, Sugita Tomokazu, Takahashi Chiaki Music:
Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai II
Based on manga.
Following the events of the first series Keima has managed to capture the hearts of four girls and thus the spirits which hid in their hearts. But the way to escape the real world is still long and his quest has only just begun. Suddenly a beautiful girl chasing a spirit appears before him. She is Haqua, Elsea's friend and an outstanding student back in hell, who was promoted to the rank of a district chief. However, it seems that she is hiding something. And once again Keima has to become a god.
I wasn't a huge fan of the first season, but recently I've picked up the manga and it's really good. And the following events are much better than what was in the first season.
Animation: Manglobe Director: Takayanagi Shigehito (Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai 1st season, Kanamemo) Writer: Kurata Hideyuki (Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai 1st season, Dragon Crisis, Ore no Imouto, Kannagi, Bamboo Blade) Seiyuu: Shimono Hiro, Itou Kanae, Hayami Saori, Koshimizu Ami, Asumi Kana, Toyosaki Aki Music: Matsuo Hayato (Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai 1st season, Mahou Kishi Rayearth)
Maria+Holic: Alive
Based on manga.
Following after the first season. The story takes place at an all-girls school, where the main heroine, who likes girls and hates boys, has transferred to. However, she has gotten herself involved with a sadistic boy who attends the school disguised as a girl.
The story revolves around a highschool boy named Niwa Makoto. He lives with his aunt’s family since his parents are away on business. It is there where he meets his mysterious cousin of the same age Touwa Erio — who happens to tie a futon mattress around her upper body and is a self-proclaimed alien. Her staple food is pizza. Erio had been missing for half a year and was found floating in the sea. She doesn't remember anything about what happened during that period of time, but she began to think that it was the act of an alien and wanders the neighbourhood wrapped in the futon.
Animation: Shaft Director: Shinbou Akiyuki (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Maria Holic, Bakemonogatari) Writer: Seiyuu: Irino Miyu, Oogame Asuka, Fuchigami Mai, Katou Emiri, Nonaka Ai Music: Starchild Records
Astarotte no Omocha!
Based on manga Lotte no Omocha!.
While job hunting, Naoya is taken by a mysterious girl to a magical land where he is installed in the harem of the succubus Queen Lotte. Thanks to trauma from her childhood, Lotte hates men and surrounds herself with lots of other women, who all have quirks of their own. In spite of her selfishness, when Naoya learns that Lotte is really quite lonely he agrees to stay in her world.
The story revolves around 16 year-old Matsumae Ohana, who begins working at a hot spring inn. Like most girls her age, she hopes and dreams of the future.
The story revolves around the everyday life of four high school girls: the flighty Run, the reckless Tooru, the timid Yuuko, and the level-headed Nagi.
Animation: Studio Gokumi Director: Ono Manabu (Saki, Mayoi Neko Overrun) Writer: Urahata Tatsuhiko (Cardcaptor Sakura, Strawberry Pani, Saki) Seiyuu: Yuuki Aoi, Kotobuki Minako, Fukuhara Kaori, Uchiyama Yumi, Sawashiro Miyuki, Ono Daisuke, Chihara Minori Music: Kousaki Satoru (Ore no Imouto, Hourou Musuko, Bakemonogatari, Kannagi, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu/Shoushitsu, Lucky Star)
I might check out
DOG DAYS
Princess Millhiore of the Biscotti Republic decides to summon a brave warrior from an alternate world to defend her country from the neighboring fiefdom of Garrett. The "brave warrior" turns out to be a boy named Sink.
This world consists of two dimensions joined as one, like a mirror. The first is the world in which the humans live, Assiah. The other is the world of demons, Gehenna. Ordinarily, travel between the two, and indeed any kind of contact between the two, is impossible.
Matsutaka Nanako is a normal university student, who happened to enroll in Abnormal Physiology Seminar. She tries to keep her mental state sound, but other abnormal classmates start to influence her personality...
Animation: Xebec Director: Kato Takao (Pandora Hearts, OverDrive, Busou Renkin) Writer: Seiyuu: Hanazawa Kana, Shintani Ryouko, Mori Norihisa, Ishida Akira, Shiraishi Minoru Music: Yokoyama Masaru (Freezing, Arakawa Under the Bridge)
That's it! But there's always the possibility that I'll check out something else too if it has a good reception and it is in my field of interest. I'm also going to watch Kampfer fur die Liebe, but it's supposed to be only two new episodes so I think it's more of two special episodes than a new season. Also Moshidora, but I've covered that one in the Winter Lineup as it airs in March and that should still count as the Winter season. There are also some OVAs I'm interested in coming out soon, namely Amagami SS, Nichijou, xxxHolic, Highschool of the Dead, Seitokai Yakuindomo, and another episode of Koe de Oshigoto and BakaTest Matsuri.
The winners of the 5th Annual Seiyuu Awards were announced today, March 5, at 1800 JST time at the Seiyuu Awards Ceremony held in UDX Theater in Akihabara. Much to my delight, Toyosaki Aki was the star of the day having received both the award for the best female lead and the best personality award. A new award was introduced this year: Takahashi Kazue Award for a female seiyuu who spreads the seiyuu work in every type of media. Tomiyama Kei Award, awarded for the same achievement, is now only for male seiyuu.
Best Male Lead Award
Not awarded
Apparently, nobody met the conditions to receive the award. Don't ask about what conditions they failed to meet or how come XX didn't win for the role of YY, since I don't get it either.
Best Female Lead Award
Toyosaki Aki
Aki has won for the role of Hirasawa Yui in K-ON!!. Other seiyuu that I considered as possible candidates, Hanazawa Kana, Taketatsu Ayana, and Yuuki Aoi, didn't receive any prize.
Best Male Seiyuu in Supporting Roles
Okamoto Nobuhiko
For the role of Accelerator in Toaru Majutsu no Index II, Niizuma Eiji in Bakuman, and Usui Takumi in Kaichou wa Maid Sama.
Nakai Kazuya
For the role of Roronoa Zoro in ONE PIECE.
Best Female Seiyuu in Supporting Roles
Arai Satomi
For the roles of Shirai Kuroko in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, and narrator in Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi.
Itou Kanae
For the roles of Elsea in Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai, Nagatsuki Sanae in Shinryaku! Ika Musume and other roles.
Best Male Newcomer
Uchiyama Kouki
For the roles of Yuuki Natsuno in Shiki and Banagher Links in Kidou Senshi Gundam Unicorn.
Best Female Newcomers
Kanemoto Hisako
For the roles of Ika Musume in Shinryaku! Ika Musume, and Kanata in Sora no Woto de geso!
Satou Satomi
For the roles of Wendy Marvell in Fairy Tail, Tamura Manami in Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai, and Tainaka Ritsu in K-ON!!. How is she a newcomer...?
Best Musical Performance
Chihara Minori
For the theme song of Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu, Yasashii Boukyaku.
Best Personality Award
Toyosaki Aki
This prize is awarded for radio, webradio, TV and similar activities. Toyosaki Aki has won mainly for her own webradio program Okaeri Radio, but her performance in Rajion and Planet Sphere were also included in the evaluation.
Special Achievement Award
Nozawa Nachi
Award for late seiyuus. Nozawa Nachi awarded for his long-time contribution such as dubbing Alain Delon, Al Pacino, C-3P0, and voicing anime characters such as Cobra in Space Adventure Cobra.
Merit Awards
Isao Sasaki, Hiroko Suzuki, Masaaki Yajima
Award for long time contribution.
Synergy Award
Takayama Minami in Meitantei Conan
Tomiyama Kei Award
Koyama Rikiya
Award for a male seiyuu who spreads the seiyuu work in every type of media. Koyama Rikiya is well known for dubbing Jack Bauer.
Overseas Fans Awards
Sawashiro Miyuki
Last year, Sawashiro Miyuki appeared in works such as Durarara!! and Highschool of the Dead. She is a great seiyuu, but I question the authenticity of this award, which is supposed to be decided by votes from overseas fans.
Kids/Family Award
Takeuchi Junko
For her role of Endou Mamoru in Inazuma Eleven, and probably Naruto in Naruto too.
Takahashi Kazue Award
Tanaka Mayumi
Award for a female seiyuu who spreads the seiyuu work in every type of media. Tanaka Mayumi is best known for her role of Luffy in ONE PIECE.
Sankaku Complex
