Sunday, September 30, 2012

7th Annual Seiyū Awards' Voting Opens October 1

The 7th Annual Seiyū Awards will begin accepting votes in English and in Japanese on October 1. The Seiyū Awards established the Overseas Fans Choice Award category in 2008 "to recognize more voice actors by recognizing opinions from more areas." Takahiro Sakurai won the first Overseas Fans Choice Award last year.
 
Officially, only votes from foreign fans are accepted for the Overseas Fans Choice Award, and the public vote determines the first round of candidates. The Seiyū Awards Selection Committee will make the "second assessment" for the award. Voting will end on November 30, and the awards ceremony will be held on March 1, 2013.

Friday, September 21, 2012

I Love Zombie -- Sankarae


Konnichiwa minasan! Time flies!!! It is September of the year now. How was your summer holiday?!

So, today I would like to share a Japanese romantic comedy anime series with you which I had finished watching online lately. It is adapted from the same name of the shounen manga series.

The title of the anime series is called “Sankarae”. This series has 12 episodes plus an OVA.  Sankarea” (さんかれあ) is a romantic comedy manga written and illustrated by Mitsuru Hattori about a deceased girl who becomes a zombie.
 
 

Title        : Sankarae

Genre     : Ecchi, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Shounen, Comedy

Author    : Mitsuru Hattori

Episodes : 12 +  1 OVA

Status     : Completed

Story       :

Chihiro Furuya is a male high school student with a keen interest in zombies, collecting zombie-related videogames, film and manga, and even to the point of desiring to "kiss a zombie girl". Following the death of his pet cat, Bābu, he attempts to revive it using an old manuscript, which describes the process of creating a potion for resurrection. At this time, he encounters a girl named Rea Sanka, who has run away from home. In an attempt to commit suicide, she drinks a sample of the "resurrection" potion which is created from the poisonous Hydrangea macrophylla flower, although this fails to kill her. Following an argument with her father, she falls from a cliff by accident and dies. However, as a result of the potion, she becomes a zombie who eats hydrangea leaves.

Characters Description:

Chihiro Furuya (降谷 千紘, Furuya Chihiro)

Chihiro is the protagonist of the story who has a zombie obsession/fetish. He uses an old manuscript to make a "resurrection" potion so that he can bring his dead cat back to life as a zombie. He goes at an abandoned building at night after his pet cat Bābu's death. He performs his research of bringing the dead back to life in the old abandoned building; he sometimes see Rea going at the well near the building and shouting her problems about her lifestyle. He promised Rea that he'd take responsibility if she becomes a zombie. After Rea moved to his residence, he conducts research on preserving Rea's body on a tent in his own room. He wants his first kiss to be given by a female zombie, which he experienced firsthand when Rea kissed him, due to lack of the herb used for the potion. He also experienced becoming a half-zombie, revealed after being stabbed by Dan'ichirō with a fencing sword. This is due to Rea licking clean a wound that he acquires after she prevents him from being hit by a car (although the effects were only temporary). He also enjoys seeing Rea dressed as a Bunny Girl or a Nurse. Despite the fact that he's not interested in living girls, he managed to fall in love with Rea when she was still alive, and confesses to her while Rea tries to devour him, which brings her to her senses. He tries to approach to her; however, he has difficulties given the incident and Rea's own embarrassment. He is named after Lucio Fulci.
 

Rea Sanka (散華 礼弥, Sanka Rea)

Rea is the heroine of the story who steals and drinks some of the zombie potion made by Chihiro in an attempt to commit suicide because of years of sexual abuse by her father. She fails in the attempt, but she resurrects as zombie when she accidentally falls of a cliff and dies. As a zombie, she lives together with Chihiro in order to know how it feels to become free from her father's chains. In chapter 12, she does some gestures and calls Mero "Mero-chan", similar to how Mrs. Furuya was remembered by Mero. She likes Chihiro and feels like she is bothering or interrupting Chihiro and Ranko's relationship, although later Ranko encourages her that she should try harder, and does so, albeit with embarrassment. She seems to understand Bābu and is also revealed to be so far the only zombie that Jogorō and Darin have seen to defy her instincts at the 2nd stage of zombification, possibly due to her having drunk the medicine before dying (which Darin suggested that no other zombie has done). She's also physically strong, since her body is no longer restrained by her brain as a result of her death. Her name is a pun on "sangria", the Japanese title of "Zombi 2".
 

Ranko Saōji (左王子 蘭子, Saōji Ranko)

Ranko is the first cousin of Chihiro. Often called Wanko by Chihiro, at times she also keeps on saying that Chihiro should use "-san" after her name. She likes teasing Chihiro and Rea as well. She likes Chihiro and develops a rivalry with Rea. She eventually confesses to Chihiro, but realizes before answering that he loves Rea; however, she is fine with her unrequited love.

Mero Furuya (降谷 萌路, Furuya Mero)

Mero is the younger sister of Chihiro. Unlike Chihiro, she is obsessed with ghosts. She doesn't remember much about her mother except for the fact that her hands are wrapped in bandages. In some of her memories of her mother, she remembered her mother asking about her fever, stating that she forgot that she can't tell temperature. She sees her mother's image in Rea, accidentally calling her mother. It has been heavily implied in the manga that her mother may have actually been a zombie, due to her inability to tell temperature (like Rea) and parting with the reason that she loves them a lot, possibly hinting at her trying to leave before her zombie instincts take over. She is named after George A. Romero.
 

Jogorō Furuya (降谷 茹五郎, Furuya Jogorō)

Jogorō is Chihiro and Mero's grandfather also known as Professor Boil. He's the creator of the recipe for the Resurrection potion. He was a well respected professor in the United States researching zombies, and performed a multitude of experiments with them. He however left his research for unknown reasons, and although he still has great knowledge of zombies he rarely says something useful due to his senility, which is hinted to be caused by his consumption of hydrangea leaves--which are poisonous. After discovering Rea in the shower, he mistakes her for someone by the name of Sada. He occasionally states how Sada has been resurrected but no one ever knows who he is talking about, considering that was not his wife's name. People then dismiss it as being caused by his senility.

Doon Furuya (降谷 呶恩, Furuya Doon)

Chihiro and Mero's father and also the priest at the Shiryō-ji temple.
 

Yuzuna Furuya (降谷 柚菜, Furuya Yuzuna)

Chihiro and Mero's late mother, who died prior to the series. It is heavily implied that she was a zombie before she died.

Bābu (ばーぶ)

Bābu is Chihiro's pet cat that died in a car accident three days prior to the start of the series that was brought back to life by Chihiro while doing research of resurrection on him. Rea seems to understand Bābu as a zombie. Like Rea, his body is not restrained by his brain and was able to kill a much bigger fox. However, unlike Rea, he has not been able to stave off his zombie instincts.

Dan'ichirō Sanka (散華 団一郎, Sanka Dan'ichirō)

Dan'ichirō is the overprotective father of Rea. His love for his daughter is almost incestuous, and has a habit of taking pictures of his daughter, on her birthdays he would take a complete naked shot of his daughter. After being convinced by Chihiro about Rea's desire to live a life of a normal girl, he accepts Chihiro as Rea's protector. He also warned Chihiro that there should be no "sexual intercourse before marriage" possibly hinting that he accepts Chihiro as a man for his daughter. He later decides to leave for the United States, probably to find a way to cure Rea. He is named after Dan O'Bannon.

Aria Sanka (散華 亜里亜, Sanka Aria)

Aria is Rea's stepmother. She used to be a maid for Dan'ichirō and was trained under a long-standing tradition in the Sanka family that future heirs are to marry the best of the maids. Dan'ichirō however met and married Rea's mother which he loved dearly until her death while giving birth to Rea. Although Dan'ichirō married Aria, he does not give her real attention instead watching over Rea, which has made their relationship a strained one at best. She secretly despises Rea due to how she's loved by everyone. She tried to seduce Chihiro after finding out Rea is zombie, but he rejected her.

Those are the characters of the anime series. Of course there are more characters that I am not going to introduce. Among all the characters, I like the little sister, Mero-chan the most. The reason is she is very lovely and she does all her house works by herself. She also is taking care of her family.

As for the protagonist, Chihiro, he is a zombie-addicted. His hair style is like the ears of cat, sometimes it seems that his head like the head of the kitty cat. He looks hilarious. Rea is a very beautiful girl, but she controls by her father.

Ok, let us take some preview of some scenes of the anime series.
 

























 

Like I mentioned, “Sankarae” is adapted from the same name manga series. You could read it too. But I do not feel like reading the manga series. Don’t ask me why, as I just do not feel like reading it though! :P FYI, the manga series is on the status of on-going, and it is categorised as "mature".

The opening theme for the anime series is "Figment" (絵空事, Esoragoto) by nano.RIPE while the ending theme is "Above Your Hand" by Annabel. Those songs are quite nice.

Ok, if you are interested to catch the anime series or read the manga series of “Sankarae”, you may click on the respective links below.




Well, enjoy your watching and/or reading!!! J Enjoy your weekend!!!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

To Love-Ru Darkness Anime's 1st Ad Posted With Theme Songs

Anime of Saki Hasemi, Kentaro Yabuki's To Love-Ru manga follow-up to air in October

The official website for the To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness television anime series began streaming the anime's first television commercial on Wednesday. The ad features Ray's opening theme song "Rakuen Project." 
Warner Brothers Japan's anime division also posted the audio previews for "Rakuen Project" and Kanon Wakeshima's ending theme song "Foul Play ni Kurari/Sakura Meikyū" on Wednesday:
The anime, which adapts Saki Hasemi and Kentaro Yabuki's manga follow-up to the first To Love-Ru -Trouble- story, will premiere on October 5 on the Tokyo MX TV station.
 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

KyoAni Posts New Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai!

October anime of Torako's romance novel which earned honorable mention in 1st KyoAni Awards

 The official website for the television adaptation of Torako's Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! (She Has Adolescent Delusions, But I Want to Love Her!) novel began streaming new television ad on Wednesday: 

The television anime by Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) will premiere on October 3.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

I Love Cooking -- Janggeum’s Dream


I am watching a Korean anime series on TV lately. It is called “Janggeum’s Dream”. This anime series is showing on the Astro AEC (channel 301) on every Monday to Friday at 9:30am until 10am. The repeat is show on 6pm of the day. However, it is showing the Chinese audio-dubbed version and not the original Korean audio version on the TV.

Story is about the girl Jang Geum who wants to be a cook. She gets accepted as a palace servant. Clever and cheerful Jang Geum quickly finds friends. But all to soon she encounters intrigue and corruption. Overall, the animation centers on Jang Geum, who enters the Royal Kitchen as an apprentice court lady.

Title           : Janggeum’s Dream
Genre        : Drama, Historical, Comedy, Adventure
Episodes   : 52 (26 episodes for each season)
Story          :

The story is spun off of the Korean historical drama Dae Jang Geum (The Jewal of the Palace), though it is aimed for a younger audience. The plot is basically the same: a girl named Jang Geum with a dream of becoming a palace chef (의녀). However, the complex line of corruption and sometimes even murder present in Dae Jang Geum does not appear in Jang Geum's Dream. The fate of Jang Geum's parents is never revealed and no one in the story dies. The plot is kept light throughout with quite a bit of comedy. Through the story, Jang Geum enters the palace and amazes people with her skills and willingness to learn.

However, after receiving much approval from the royals and upper sang goong, she abandons her thought of cooking to see people's smiles and turns to winning and impressing. Lady Han, a sang goong that has always watched over her, warns her of the path she is taking but Jang Geum continues to strive to impress. Finally she is found out by the sang goongs after stealing a sacred book and thrown out of the palace with her friends, Yeon Shan and Chang Yi. Jang Geum travels with her friends and slowly realizes the mistakes she made and turns back to the train of thought she once had. She realizes that she had forgotten the importance of natural flavor. At the end of this series, Jang Geum wins a competition by preparing food that is beneficial to each individual eating it and is allowed back into the palace. However, she demotes herself to the lowest palace maid because she wants to start over. The story continues with Jang Geum's Dream.

Characters :

Jang Geum

Min Jeong Ho

Yeon Saeng

Chan So Ro

Han Sang Gong

King





I am enjoying this anime series very much due to all the characters are very lovely and I the art is very beautiful too. The characters that I like are of course, the lead actress, Jang Geum and the lead actor Min Jeong Ho. The best friend of Jang Geam, Yeon Shan is very lovely too. She is a nice girl and another guy Chan So Ro is very hilarious.

Ok, let us take a sneak of the anime series.












Personally I like to watch the romance between Jang Geum and Min. No doubt the he is a handsome guy and very COOL! Haha! But let’s not forget about the food too. They look amazing in the anime series. I also like the songs of the anime series, especially the opening theme song.

Well, if you wish to catch this Korean anime series, you may click to the “Youtube” to join the girl in the royal palace for the amazing food.

Enjoy watching! J