Japanese cosplayer Itsuki Akira has imitated the appearance of Kantai Collection‘s warship daughter of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II, Kongou.
Just like she is shown in the series, the appearance of this cosplay consists of her long brown hair bunched into two braided buns, a modified miko uniform with a black skirt and thighhighs. She is also wearing the same signature winged hairband all Kongou-class wear.
Previously announced Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, an HD remake of the PlayStation 2 Odin Sphere, has been buzzin. Leifthrasir will include redrawn art and enhanced graphics, “expanded worlds” and new enemies, as well as an upgraded combat system and improved role playing mechanics. There will also include a “Classic Mode” that lets players experience the nostalgic PlayStation 2 version in HD.
Odin Sphere is introduced as a series of books being read by a little girl named Alice, as she sits in a library located in her attic. Each book is the story of one of the five protagonists.
Now introducing the first protagonist, Princess of Ragnanival in the North, Gwendolyn, youngest daughter of the Demon Lord Odin.
Atlus and Vanillaware have recently released a character trailer showing off the poster child for this game, Gwendolyn, as well as some of the challenges she will face in her journey. This courageous Valkyrie is very much feared on the battlefield, although she’s constantly overshadowed by her older sister, Griselda, who surpasses her. This causes the little princess to be quiet and reserved, however, she isn’t afraid to stand up against her enemies.
Gwendolyn is the first story in the game. If these character trailers follow chronological order we can expect a trailer for Cornelius soon.
What other PlayStation 2 games would you like to see remade?
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir is slated for release in Japan on January 14 and 2016 in North America for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PS Vita.
Source: Gematsu
Announced alongside with popular reboot to the original Sailor Moon anime receiving a third season, a huge amount of new Sailor Moon merchandise.
There’s also an abundance of merchandise constantly being built on at Hot Topic.
Source: GoBoiano
Lala Satalin Deviluke from the To LOVE-Ru Darkness series has 1/6 figure from manufacturer Alter. She’s wearing a sexy swimsuit and cutoff shorts.
To Love-Ru Darkness – Lala Satalin Deviluke 1/6 Figure – Pre-orders are available on Jlist here and is expected to be released in June 2016.
A new visual of Shinmai Maou no Testament (The Testament of Sister New Devil) has been featured as a poster in the November 2015 issue of NyanType. You can purchase this issue of NyanType magazine here and you can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
The cast for the anime series includes:
The anime’s first season production crew consists of:
Recent visual:
Past visual:
Shinmai Maou no Testament is a Japanese light novel series by Tetsuto Uesu with illustrations by Nekosuke Ookuma. Seven volumes have been published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2012 under their Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation has been serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s Shonen Ace magazine since May 2013. A second manga adaptation has been serialized in Hakusensha’s Young Animal Arashi magazine since February 2014. An anime adaptation started airing in January 2015.
Shinmai Maou no Testament synopsis from Haruhichan:
“Hey, you said you wanted a little sister, right?” First year highschool student, Toujo Basara, was suddenly asked by his father and fell into a state of panic. On top of that, the eccentric father told him he will be getting remarried.
He then departed overseas after bringing Basara two beautiful step-sisters. But Mio and Maria’s true forms are actually the newbie Demon Lord and a succubus!? Basara was almost entered into a master and servant contract with Mio, but a “reversed” contract was formed by mistake, and Basara is now the master!? Moreover, Basara is being hit by one ecchi situation after another due to the contract, but Mio’s life is being pursued by other demon tribes and hero tribes! The most powerful contractor’s desire action drama begins!
The second season of the Shinmai Maou no Testament anime, titled Shinmai Maou no Testament BURST, will air on Saturday, October 10th at 1:40am JST on Tokyo MX. during the Fall/Autumn 2015 anime season. Further information about the anime will soon follow
Visit the anime’s official website: http://anime-shinmaimaou.com/
And follow their Twitter: @shinmaimaou
* This review combines both seasons of Non Non Biyori into one.
Title (English): Non Non Biyori (Repeat)
Title (Japanese): のんのんびより （りぴーと）
Animation Studio: Silver Link
Genres: Comedy, School, Slice of life, Seinen
Episodes: 12 (Non Non Biyori), 12 (Non Non Biyori Repeat)
I’m sure most of you here are urban or at least suburban people. The hustle and bustle of the city, or the suburban life, is portrayed pretty often in anime as it is the life most people experience. Non Non Biyori does something different. Non Non Biyori takes you to the tranquil Japanese countryside where these villagers live quiet lives. The nearest convenience store is over an hour away, no one mans the vegetable stalls, the bus comes every hour, and house locks are non-existent. You may think this setting might lend itself to be inherently boring. Who wants to watch these villagers live their daily lives without the excitement of the city or the trials and tribulations of living in suburbia? However, it means this setting is perfect for rounding out a hard day at work or school. So sit back, and take in the simple life of these four girls living in the remote Japanese countryside.
Story and Characters:
* The story of Non Non Biyori and its ‘sequel’, Non Non Biyori Repeat, take place in the same timeline, so you can watch these episodes in whatever order you want.
Hotaru Ichijou has just moved from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo to a village in the countryside for her parents’ work. The village life is a shock to her as she discovers that a lot of the things she has come to know have now disappeared or are irrelevant in this new setting. The school she goes to now has only five students, including herself. Her classmates however, welcome her with open arms. There’s Komari Koshigaya and her younger sister, Natsumi, as well as the first grader, Renge Miyauchi. (The other classmate is the Koshigaya’s older brother, Suguru, who is a supporting character and doesn’t say anything.) Komari is the straight man to her younger sister Natsumi, who is the prankster of the family. Komari also has a complex about her short height, which would become a running gag in the series, and she hates it when people mention it. Natsumi is a tomboy that doesn’t believe in studying, and this gets her in trouble with her mom a lot. Renge is a resourceful and well-meaning first grader that is way smarter than your average six-year old. This series is the simple life of these four village kids.
My method for determining a good comedy/slice of life is how likeable the characters are. When there is no story to follow, the characters have to be the stars. Having one or two good characters will usually get a thumbs-up in my book. However, to have a truly great comedy/slice of life, it’s all about something I like to call “character chemistry”. I’m sure you’ve seen how certain characters interact with each other. In a main cast of 4-6 main characters, you’ll usually see two or three characters get along with themselves way better than the other main characters. However, few slice of life anime can bring all the main characters together as one cohesive unit, and make an anime more enjoyable when all of them are together. Non Non Biyori is one of those few, and while I have seen “character chemistry” done better in some anime, it’s a good example of these four girls make a good unit as one as opposed to when it’s just them individually or missing one member. The sections of the anime with all of them together make for great entertainment as their diverse personalities coalesce and good comedy comes from it. It’s one of a few comedy anime I’ve watched where it actually had me laughing for longer than 5 seconds.
However, if you ask most Non Non Biyori fans who their favourite character is, most will likely say Renge. This first grader earns more points for her wit than she does her adorable looks. She stands toe to toe with her older friends and acts more than twice her age, sometimes even being the most mature in the group. She still has the vision of everyone behaving properly and ensuring everyone follows the rules. Or it might be the fact that she greets her friends with the word “Nyanpassu!”. No idea what that means, but that’s Renge’s signature word. She’s usually a part of the anime’s funnier scenes, which gives her a big plus in my book.
Non Non Biyori nails it where it matters: great characters in a slice of life.
Visuals and Animation:
The art of Non Non Biyori is pretty well-detailed. I imagine the artists most likely made a trek out to the countryside to get the backdrop for the village of Non Non Biyori. The rolling hills and all the greenery is consistent with what you would see once you leave Japan’s huge urban areas. It’s a really beautiful anime to look at and take in the sights of the rural communities that are often forgotten in today’s world. There are plenty of shots showing off the rural backdrop of the anime, and it’s always a pretty sight. As for the animation, it’s pretty standard for the most part. That being said, everything is consistent, and I can’t recall any one time where the animation excelled or the quality dropped.
Sound and Music:
Non Non Biyori is a rare slice of life that has good background music. I think it’s mostly because most slice of life anime lend themselves to regular calm music, but most of the time, it doesn’t match the environment. Non Non Biyori‘s use of simple and calming wind instruments like the recorder, just lend themselves to this rural environment, where life is simple and the touches of the city aren’t anywhere to be found.
Both seasons of Non Non Biyori use the same singers for their OPs and EDs. The OPs, “なないろびより” (Nanairo Biyori), and “こだまことだま” (Kodama Kotodama) are done by nano.RIPE, and the EDs, “のんのん日和” (Non Non Biyori), and “おかえり” (Okaeri) are done by the voice actresses of the main characters. I’m not a huge fan of nano.RIPE; I can’t get into her singing voice. However, I did end up really liking “Kodama Kotodama”, and it’s my favourite song that she’s done. I think it’s because it really seemed to match Non Non Biyori.
The voice actresses do a good job with their respective characters. Kana Asumi (Komari), and Ayane Sakura (Natsumi), help compliment the less-experienced voice actresses of Rie Murakawa (Hotaru) and Kotori Koiwai (Renge). When the original Non Non Biyori aired two years ago, all of them except for Kana Asumi were relatively new, so it’s amazing that they did the great job that they did even when they were just starting out, or at least voicing some of their first main roles.
Final Verdict:
Non Non Biyori is a perfect anime for helping wind down a hard day of work or school, and it gives you some peace of mind before you end your day. I usually watched Non Non Biyori for exactly this purpose (and so I could write this review on time). Every now and then, we can all use a good healing anime to help calm the nerves and allow us to be ready to tackle the next day. If you’re ever looking for a remedy for your hard life, think of Non Non Biyori. You can’t calm yourself down much more than watching life in the countryside. This series is the perfect slice of life. The only reason you shouldn’t watch this is if you have zero interest in slice of life anime.
+ Great healing anime
+ Great “character chemistry”
+ Good art
+ Renge
So, what did you guys think of the Non Non Biyori series? Let me hear you in the comments!
Title (English): Charlotte
Title (Japanese): Charlotte （シャーロット）
Animation Studio: P.A Works
Genres: Drama, School, Super power
Episodes: 13
The last time the visual novel makers, Key, and animation studio, P.A Works, last worked together was on the hugely popular Angel Beats! Angel Beats! is an anime that has been watched by pretty much everyone at one point or another in their anime careers, at it had a mass appeal and it covered a lot of genres that people could get into. That being said, I find it on the weaker end in comparison to other Key anime when it comes to character development and story, which are strong points of Key works. Angel Beats! had too many characters, and not enough time to work with. Charlotte was also announced with 13 episodes, the same length as Angel Beats!, but with a much smaller cast. I went into this hoping that the smaller cast would mean they could compact a meaningful story in alongside great character development. Let’s see how it all went down.
Story and Characters:
In this world, there exist a select few adolescents with supernatural powers. How they get these powers is a mystery, but those who have it try and make the best of it… not always for the greater good. Yuu Otosaka is one of those who misuses his power. He has the power to take control of anyone, but only for five seconds. After cheating his way to get into a top school, he is eventually discovered by a couple of other ability wielders: Nao Tomori and Joujirou Takajou. The two of them convince him to join them at their own school for ability wielders, and join the student council along with them to use his power for good. He doesn’t have much of a choice anyway, as they mention ability wielders are at risk of getting captured for scientific purposes.
Key’s stories tend to follow the formula of first consisting of regular, happy-go-lucky slice of life episodes to get you familiar with the characters. Then they deliver a huge twist at about the midway point of each characters’ arc that changes the tone of the anime, then drama ensues from that point until the end. Charlotte follows the same formula, except without the usual character arcs. Instead, Charlotte delivers its big twist and the exact halfway point of the anime, and that is indeed when things change. Up until that point, the episodic nature of Charlotte was beginning to get a little stale. It was fine the first two episodes, but then you start craving for something else. The outcomes for some of these episodes end up being kind of pointless in the long run, except for some minor character development. The second half is where the real meat of the story is, and it was doing a good job of telling us a great story. Unfortunately, they ran into the same problem they had with Angel Beats!; time. As I mentioned in my First Impressions of Charlotte, I find the longer Key anime go, the better they are. For example, my order for Key anime goes like this: Clannad (44 episodes), Kanon [2006] (24 episodes), Little Busters! (39 episodes), Angel Beats! (13 episodes), and last, Air (13 episodes). The reason why I like the longer ones, is because the scenario writers at Key are really good, but they need time to properly flesh out their characters and the general story. Charlotte tried to stuff its story into the last half of the anime, and the result is a jammed up mess. The ending is the most disappointing part, as they tried to fit what could have been an entire anime’s worth of plot into a single episode. Seriously; a second season of Charlotte could have been made with everything that happened in that last episode, and it probably would have been really good. Instead, they rush through it, leaving nothing behind but disappointment.
Charlotte‘s characters may be the least developed out of all the anime Key has done. Key usually develops both main and supporting cast in one way or another, which I find quite incredible that even supporting characters can have their own stories attached to them. However, not even every member of the main cast was developed here. Did Joujirou have a backstory? If he did, I don’t remember hearing about it. Given that character development is what Key usually does best, I was shocked to see the lack of it here. Key has taught me that characters are paramount, even above story. If I don’t care about the characters, I won’t care how much the story jerks them around. That is exactly what happened here. Due to the lack of character development, when the story suddenly threw dark twists in, I didn’t really care about what happened to the characters. To me, that is unacceptable in a work by them. Even in Air, a Key anime I ended up hating because of its pacing and story issues, I still cared about the characters a lot. The only characters to really have a lot of development was the main character, Yuu Otosaka, and it was nice seeing him develop as a character. Also, Nao Tomori continues the pattern of good Key female leads. Even though she didn’t develop that much over the course of the anime, she was a strong female lead that didn’t take anything lying down. She never showed any weakness, and I appreciate that.
I can kind of appreciate Jun Maeda, the creator of Charlotte and a main scenario writer at Key, taking a different approach by focusing more on story than characters. However, it’s clear to me that his work is really at its best when he focuses on character development rather than an overarching story. The story of Charlotte, while actually coherent for a Key anime, still ends up being a mess by the end and the characters take a side role to the plot.
Visuals and Animation:
If you’ve watched Key’s other anime, especially after Clannad, you’ll see their new standard look has translated over to Charlotte. The artist Na-Ga returns to do the character designs for Key and P.A Works. Key’s art has always been good looking to me (I know there are people who hate it), so I have no complaints about the art here. The animation was pretty well done for the most part. There were a couple of out-of-place looking 3D scenes early on, but they never went back to using 3D after that. Most of the animation attention came in whenever their powers were activated, making for some cool looking displays. Despite this, I have seen better animation out of P.A Works, and I can only imagine how amazing Charlotte could have looked if they managed to get it to look like Nagi no Asukara or Glasslip.
Sound and Music:
If there’s one really good thing I can say about Charlotte, it’s the music. Jun Maeda is also a composer and lyricist, and I have always been a fan of his compositions. Charlotte delivers some truly great music, from the opening and ending, to the background music and insert songs. Part of the reason why I love Key anime so much, is the music. It sets the atmosphere so well, and it enhances the mood of the scenes they’re in. There’s lots of great pieces, but the opening, “Bravely You”, by Lia, the ending, “灼け落ちない翼” (Yake Ochinai Tsubasa) by Aoi Tada, and the insert song “Fallin‘”, by ZHIEND (marina), are big standouts in the music department. These are beautiful and powerful songs, as expected from Jun Maeda. That is one thing I have never been disappointed about in his work.
Back when I did my First Impressions of Charlotte, I questioned P.A works’ decision to bring in Ayane Sakura to voice Nao Tomori as Ayane Sakura typically voices cheery, bright characters that fit her unique accent. I think my anxiety was put to rest as she stepped up to the role, and she showed off her stuff near the end. Miyuki Sawashiro, who played ZHIEND’s guitarist and lead singer, Sara Shane, did well for only appearing in two episodes. Kouki Uchiyama, who voiced Yuu Otosaka, performed well for his role. Other than that, decent performances by everyone else.
Final Verdict:
Having watched every single Key anime adaptation up to this point, this is definitely one of the weaker anime on their resume. A lot of what made Key anime so successful in the past was thrown out the window in Charlotte, in favour of trying something new. It’s hard to fault Jun Maeda and Key for trying something new, since everyone says experimenting is a good thing. However, in every experiment, there are always going to be failures. Charlotte is going to carry that distinction of being a failure in this Key fan’s eyes. It wasn’t all bad though. If anything, Jun Maeda proves he’s still got the musical talent to continue making great songs, yet another strong and likeable female protagonist, and some good animation. It’s too bad the story and characters suffered so much. When I didn’t even have a good cry once in a Key anime, there’s a problem.
+ Outstanding music
+ Good art and animation
+ Good voice acting
– Jagged story pacing
– Inconsistent character development
– Rushed ending
– Not feelsy enough for a Key anime
What did you guys think of Charlotte? Love it, hate it, like it, don’t like it? Let’s hear your thoughts on one of this season’s biggest anime!
Title (English): Himouto! Umaru-chan
Title (Japanese): 干物妹！うまるちゃん
Animation Studio: Doga Kobo
Genres: Comedy, School, Slice of life
Episodes: 12
When I heard about Himouto! Umaru-chan, I was immediately reminded of Oreimo, minus the incest. A younger sister otaku living with her responsible older brother. Now, I loved Oreimo up until that awful ending so I was looking forward to seeing some more otaku antics.
Story and Characters:
The story of Himouto! Umaru-chan, follows Umaru Doma: an absolutely perfect girl. Her grades are top of the school, she’s very pretty, and she’s as gentle as a falling leaf. However, that’s just her public image. When she gets home and she dons her now trademark hamster suit, she transforms into a messy, bossy, and bratty otaku who orders her brother around like he’s her servant. This is probably the first thing I need to mention right off the bat. You either love Umaru or despise her with a passion. Give it a couple of episodes to see whether or not you like her, as that will most likely determine how much you like this anime. I’m personally a fan of Umaru, even though I can easily understand why people would hate her. I just find her more endearing than Kirino from Oreimo. It might help that Himouto! Umaru-chan is more comedy than anything.
With that aside, we’re treated to is an anime that’s probably not much different than our daily lives as otaku. Spending our time reading manga, watching anime, and playing video games is just part of what we do. Umaru always tries to maximize her experiences when she does anything, and ensures everything is perfect. Whether it’s explaining how to maximize video game playing time by playing in the bathtub, showing us what junk food combinations work best with each other, and of course, what to do when you have all of this free time.
However, I feel like the supporting cast of Himouto! Umaru-chan is almost worth watching the anime just on their own. Umaru has three primary friends, all of whom she interacts with differently. At school she acts normal around the three of them. However, outside of school is different. Around her friend Ebina, she beahves more or less the same way she does at school. Around her friend Sylphynford, she is UMR, an arcade pro. Around her friend Kirie, she is Komaru, Umaru’s “little sister”. Umaru literally transforms while at home, so she’s actually smaller which fools Kirie into thinking Umaru has a little sister. Her interactions with these three really help make the anime, as it’s far better than the parts where it’s just her and her brother. She has her reasons for acting different around them while she is alone with them outside of school.
This anime has a great supporting cast, but the main protagonist is hit or miss for some people. I would suggest watching it if you don’t mind Umaru’s antics.
Visuals and Animation:
Doga Kobo is quickly becoming known for their cute art style, having done Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, Plastic Memories, and the Yuruyuri series. Himouto! Umaru-chan is no different, employing the same general art style as Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun. Everything is bright, and full of colour. The animation is par for the course for a slice of life anime.
Sound and Music:
First, let’s tackle the opening song. Not only is this song catchy, it should be considered the anthem for all otaku everywhere. “かくしん的☆めたまるふぉ～ぜっ!” (Kakushinteki*Metamorphosis!), the name of the song, is sung by the voice actress of Umaru (Aimi Tanaka). In this song, Umaru pretty much sings out how her life works, and I’m sure if you’re big on games and anime like her, you can probably relate to it. The ending is significantly less crazy, as Umaru and her friends sing the ending song, “ひだまりデイズ” (Hidamari Days) under the name of 妹S (SisterS). It has a very calming tone to it as a contrast to the very hyper opening song. Other than that, the background music is fairly normal.
Himouto! Umaru-chan features a lot of rookie voice actors, particularly Umaru and her friends. They did bring in a couple of more famous voice actors like Tetsuya Kakihara and Ami Koshimizu, but they voice in minor roles. Aimi Tanaka already has to show off what she has when she voices both regular Umaru and “at home” Umaru. Brand-new voice actress, Yurina Furukawa, shows off her skills with Sylphinford Tachibana as an energetic and quirky character, “desu wa!”
Final Verdict:
Himouto! Umaru-chan is a fun watch, especially if you’re a gamer, as the anime makes all sorts of gaming references from Monster Hunter to Street Fighter IV. If you’re not a gamer, you may miss a lot of references and might just enjoy it as a regular slice of life. It’s a decent anime all around, as long as you don’t mind Umaru. If you can’t stand her, then it might be best if you stay away. I would still argue the supporting cast of characters helps offset Umaru quite a bit, since it leads to some refreshing humour as Umaru’s behavoiur changes depending on who she’s hanging out with. Sit back and enjoy Umaru’s antics, and game on!
+ Gaming references
+ Great supporting cast
+ Good humour
+/- Umaru can potentially make or break this anime
– If you don’t know much about games, you may miss some of the humour
Did you enjoy this anime if you watched it? Are you pro-Umaru, or con-Umaru? Let’s see what the tally is in the comments!
Following the news of the Sword Art Online movie announcement, the Dengeki Bunko Autumn Festival 2015 event has also revealed that brand new anime adaptation of Reki Kawahara’s Accel World light novel series is currently in production. The title of the new anime is Accel World -Infinite Burst-.
Accel World: Infinite Burst will be a brand new anime adaptation. Information about its format, whether it’s a new TV series, movie or a series of specials, have yet to be revealed. The anime itself will feature a brand new story and include new characters, written by Kawahara himself.
The main cast and staff will return in the upcoming anime. The returning cast includes:
The returning staff consists of:
Here is the announcement video of the new anime:
Accel World is a light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by HiMA. The series began serialization in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Bunko Magazine in 2008 and to date has a total of 18 compiled volumes. Two manga adaptations were released in 2010, one of which is a 4koma manga, with a spin-off manga releasing in 2012. An anime adaptation of the series was produced in 2012 by Sunrise (Love Live! School Idol Project, Code Geass) and directed by Masakazu Obara (Sora Kake Girl, Mai-HiME), which aired for a total of 24 episodes. Two video game adaptations were produced for the Sony PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.
Here is a synopsis of the series from Haruhichan:
The year is 2046. Haruyuki Arita is a young boy who finds himself on the lowest social rungs of his school. Ashamed of his miserable life, Haruyuki can only cope by indulging in virtual games. But that all changes when Kuroyukihime, the most popular girl in school, introduces him to a mysterious program called Brain Burst and a virtual reality called the Accel World.
The new Accel World anime, Accel World -Infinite Burst-, is currently in production. Much is unknown about the new series, including its format, and more information is expected to be released in upcoming issues of Dengeki Bunko magazine.
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://www.accel-world.net/
And follow their Twitter: @accel_world
Source – Accel World Anime Website, Anime News Network, Dengeki Online
During the recent Dengeki Bunko Autumn Festival 2015 event on Sunday it was revealed that an anime movie based on Reki Kawahara’s Sword Art Online light novel series is currently in production. The film itself will be a completely new anime work, and Tomohiko Ito is returning from the two TV anime series and the anime special to direct the film at A-1 Pictures. Shingo Adachi is also returning from the TV anime to design the characters. Kawahara is writing a new story for the film.
Kadokawa will reveal more information about the film in the next issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine on October 10.
An announcement promotional video for the film was also revealed, which outlines the previous anime projects:
Anime visual:
Sword Art Online is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. The series takes place in the near-future and focuses on various virtual reality MMORPG worlds. The light novels began publication on ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Bunko imprint from April 10, 2009, with a spin-off series launching in October 2012. The series has spawned eight manga adaptations published by ASCII Media Works and Kadokawa. The novels and four of the manga adaptations have been licensed for release in North America by Yen Press.
An anime television series produced by A-1 Pictures aired in Japan between July and December 2012. An Extra Edition episode aired on December 31, 2013, and a second anime series, titled Sword Art Online II, aired between July and December 2014. A video game based on the series, Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment, was released on PlayStation Portable in March 2013, with a second game, Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment for PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) released in April 2014. A third game, Sword Art Online: Lost Song, was released on PlayStation 3 and PS Vita in March 2015.
Sword Art Online synopsis from Haruhichan:
In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players can control their avatars through brain waves using technology called “NerveGear.” When players enter the game, they discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive. To escape, players must beat the game by defeating each boss on all 100 floors; however, if they die in the game, they die in real life too. Their struggle for survival starts now…
Source: Dengeki Online, ANN
Himouto! Umaru-chan was one of the most popular anime this season, now scoring fanart from Satelight animator and Mecha artist, Mika Akitaka. Featured in the November 2015 issue of NyanType magazine, Akitaka’s new visual features Umaru in her “inside look” piloting a robot themed after her Hamster cape carrying her two favorite snacks, cola and potato chips. Akitaka has done Mecha-style visuals and art for anime for years, including art for The Disappearance Of Nagato Yuki-chan earlier this year.
Akitaka is known for his designs featured in Mecha anime such as the famous Mobile Suit Gundam series, Toaru Majutsu no Index: Endymion no Kiseki and Martian Successor Nadesico. You can purchase this issue of NyanType magazine here and you can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
Himouto! Umaru-chan Synopsis from Haruhichan:
Umaru is a renowned beautiful 16-year-old girl in town, living with her elder brother Taihei. She acts a perfect sister with a kind heart, intelligence and popularity, who everybody admires. So who would believe how true Umaru is at home? Sleeping, gaming, watching TV, eating junk food, drinking cola… that’s almost all she does at home, leaving all the housework to her brother.
Her camouflage is so perfect that when one of her classmates visits her home by surprise and witnesses “true Umaru,” she pretends as if she is Umaru’s younger sister. Taihei is always swayed by Umaru’s gap between ostensible face and spoiled life, but he cannot hate his comical and somehow lovable cute little sister!
Doppel, Manako, Tionishia, and Zombina from the Monster of a Neuro group have been featured as a poster in the November 2015 issue of NyanType. You can purchase this issue of NyanType magazine here and you can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
Rachnera Arachnera has also been featured as a poster in the October 2015 issue of NyanType. You can purchase this issue of NyanType magazine issue here and you can view the other posters in this issue here.
The girls from the series were recently revealed in the August issue of popular Japanese magazine NyanType.
Recently a new visual featuring Cerea was featured in Megami.
A new visual from the recent issue of NewType has been revealed that features Papi the harpy, the half human and half bird sub-species.
Another visual was also revealed in the June issue of Megami. The new visual features Miia, waking up and ready to start the day.
While another visual for the anime was also revealed in the most recent issue of Animage:
The anime adaptation was revealed on the 7th manga volume of Takemaru Inui’s manga series Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou (Everyday That There Is a Monster Girl), there was wraparound jacket band announcement revealing that the TV anime adaptation of the manga will premiere this July, during the summer 2015 anime season.
Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou, usually translated as “Everyday Life with Monster Girls” but also as “Daily Life with a Monster Girl” or “Everyday Monster Girls“, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Okayado. The manga first began as a series of hentai one-shots. An anime adaption has been announced to Air in July 2015.
Monster Musume is currently published in Japan by Tokuma Shoten in their Monthly Comic Ryu magazine and by Seven Seas Entertainment in the United States, with the chapters collected and reprinted into—so far—6 tankobon volumes. The story revolves around Kimihito Kurusu, often referred to as “Darling” among various other things, a Japanese student whose life is totally thrown into turmoil after becoming involved with the “Interspecies Cultural Exchange” program by mistake.
Monster Musume synopsis from Haruhichan:
Monsters—they’re real, and they want to date us! Three years ago, the world learned that harpies, centaurs, catgirls, and all manners of fabulous creatures are not merely fiction; they are flesh and blood—not to mention scale, feather, horn, and fang. Thanks to the “Cultural Exchange Between Species Act,” these once-mythical creatures have assimilated into society, or at least, they’re trying.
When a hapless human named Kurusu Kimihito is inducted as a “volunteer” into the government exchange program, his world is turned upside down. A snake-like lamia named Miia comes to live with him, and it is Kurusu’s job to take care of her and make sure she integrates into his everyday life. Unfortunately for Kurusu, Miia is undeniably sexy, and the law against interspecies breeding is very strict. Even worse, when a ravishing centaur girl and a flirtatious harpy move in, what’s a full-blooded young man with raging hormones to do?!
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://monmusu.tv/
And follow their Twitter: @monmusu_tv
The first preview video for the upcoming second season anime adaptation of Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) manga has been revealed. The video itself is the brand new ending scene of the anime, which has been added for the Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom (Shingeki no Kyojin Movie 2: Jiyuu no Tsubasa) compilation film. The film itself is the second compilation film that covered the final 13 episodes of the first season.
The second season of Attack on Titan will be airing sometime in 2016.
The first visual has been released for the upcoming second season of Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) anime, based on Hajime Isayama’s manga of the same name, revealed in the latest issue of Gigazine and Animate TV’s Anime Guide.
The second season of the anime was first revealed at the premiere of the Attack on Titan: Crimson Bow and Arrow (Shingeki no Kyojin Movie 1: Guren no Yumiya) compilation film last November. The premiere also revealed the release date for the second compilation film, Attack on Titan Part II: Wings of Freedom (Shingeki no Kyojin Movie 2: Jiyuu no Tsubasa) which will be out in Japanese theatres on June 27th this year.
The Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) series was created by Hajime Isayama. It started off as a manga in 2009 and is published in Kodansha’s monthly Bessatsu Shounen Magazine. To date there has been 14 compiled volumes of the manga. A prequel light novel adaptation started in 2011, and two spin-off manga started serialization in 2012: Shingeki no Kyojin: Before the Fall and Shingeki! Kyojin Chuugakkou. In April 2013 the series was picked up for an anime adaptation. The anime series was produced by the newly formed Wit Studios. The series has grown in popularity since the anime’s debut, with the manga selling over 36 million copies as of April this year. Two live action film adaptations will be releasing in Japan this year. The first images for the live-action 2015 Attack on Titan film were also earlier released.
Here is a synopsis of the anime from Haruhichan:
Several hundred years ago, humans were nearly exterminated by titans. Titans are typically several stories tall, seem to have no intelligence, devour human beings and, worst of all, seem to do it for the pleasure rather than as a food source. A small percentage of humanity survived by walling themselves in a city protected by extremely high walls, even taller than the biggest of titans.
Flash forward to the present and the city has not seen a titan in over 100 years. Teenage boy Eren and his foster sister Mikasa witness something horrific as the city walls are destroyed by a colossal titan that appears out of thin air. As the smaller titans flood the city, the two kids watch in horror as their mother is eaten alive. Eren vows that he will murder every single titan and take revenge for all of mankind.
You can visit the film’s official website here: http://shingeki.tv/movie/
And follow their Twitter for more information: @anime_shingeki
Despite being up for pre-order for a while now on all of the usual figure-selling sites, the Bunny Girl version of Yumiko from the Grisaia series has had some more in-depth photo shoots in recent days.
The bunny outfit she is wearing matches her purple hair color and also features fishnets stocking complete with seams. The 1/7 carrot plush holding figure comes in at 265 mm (about 10.4 inches) tall and is retailing at 12800 yen (almost 107 USD).
In preparation for her January 2016 release date, Yumiko recently went to a couple of photo shoots that captured the essence of the figure in a better light than previews shoots had done before.
These shots from Moeyo cover pretty much every angle of the figure you could ever want to see in great detail. Following every curve and getting every nook and cranny into the limelight. Speaking of “every nook and cranny,” this figure has a uniquely lewd touch to it, that’s right, its a cast-off figure! If the source visual novel and show features nudity it is only right for a figure from the series to feature the same.
You can check out the full photo shoots (complete with cast off shots) on both Moeyo and AmiAmi.
And if you are looking to purchase her, do be aware that directly purchasing her through Orchid Seed (or second-hand shops that do that already like N-Y) will get you an exclusive A4 sized wallscroll featuring the art that inspired the figure.
If you have been following the figure scene for any amount of time it should come of no surprise to you that Idol shows get plenty of figures. After all, they are super popular shows that generate tons of revenue if manufacturers are willing to design similar outfits for a multitude of girls. One of these lines has been from Dengeki and Stronger, the Love Live! School Idol Project Birthday Figure Project! The most recent edition to this specific line of Love Live figures (not to be confused with Alter’s LL series) is none other than Nozomi Toujou.
Posing in a matching outfit to the rest of the line, Nozomi’s main colors are pink with the series’ signature black accents. Like the rest of the Birthday Figure Project series, the outfit features the frilly dress, colorful ribbons, thigh-highs, gloves, and boots.
This series of 1/8 figures is a limited/exclusive release from Dengeki that has her retailing at 11,000 yen (almost 92 USD). While she is available at many secondary retailers as well, if you purchase her through Denekiya you will receive a bonus A4 Clearfile and a card with a special message on it. Pre-orders through Dengekiya just started and will close on December 6, 2015 for the eventual May 2016 release date.
Also as a heads up, pre-orders for Maki’s figure from this series will close on Dengekiya on October 25 in Japan, so if you want those pre-order exclusives for her figure you will need to act soon!
The first episode of the anime adaptation of NisiOisin’s Owarimonogatari television anime ended on Sunday with an announcement that the Kizumonogatari anime project will be a film trilogy. The first film, Kizumonogatari I Tekketsu-hen (Blood and Iron), will open on January 8 and is directed by Tatsuya Oishi, and advance tickets will go on sale on October 9 with a bonus clear file folder at participating theaters. The films Kizumonogatari II Nekketsu-hen (Passionate Blood) and Kizumonogatari III Reiketsu-hen (Cold Blood) will then debut at a later date.
Kizumonogatari is the third volume in NisiOisin’s Monogatari book series and is a prequel to Bakemonogatari. It tells the story of how protagonist Koyomi encounters the female vampire that would turn him and his journey to return to his normal life.
Here’s a preview of the clear file to be bundled with advanced tickets:
The staff include:
Here’s the announcement PV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRdtWrE9bF8
Kizumonogatari synopsis from Haruhichan:
“I think it’s about time I talked about Kiss-Shot-Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. I believe it’s something I have to do. I met her in the spring break between my second and third years of high school. That meeting had such impact and was also quite devastating.”
Source: Kizumonogatari official website, Otakomu
After numerous negative comments from fans, Funimation has addressed the backlash after the 7th episode in the English dub of the anime adaptation of Akira Hiramoto’s Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) manga featured a comment referencing the infamous GamerGate controversy.
Funimation has issued a response to the claims made by fans:
Last week’s Broadcast Dub episode of Prison School generated significant feedback from anime fans. While the company is not able to answer each person individually, FUNimation does read and review all fan feedback, without exception.
In creating English dubs over the past 20+ years, FUNimation has always modified each Japanese script to appeal to Western audiences. This ensures that North American audiences can enjoy a high-quality viewing experience regardless of their familiarity with Japanese culture.
Neither the dialogue in our shows nor the personal statements of our actors or writers reflects the views or opinions of FUNimation. Official statements from FUNimation are only released via company owned channels (i.e., website and social media profiles) or newswire.
FUNimation will continue to pay close attention to fan feedback on Prison School and will take it into consideration in the future. FUNimation is committed to providing the highest quality entertainment possible.
In the 7th episode of the anime’s English dub, a comment was made by one of the female characters in the anime directly referencing the GamerGate controversy. The comment is as follows:
Do you have a stick up your ass? Or are you one of those dumbass GamerGate creepshows?
The GamerGate topic itself is highly controversial and many anime fans have raised questions about its inclusion in the anime. Fans have been questioning the translation of the line and agenda of the writers, as the topic does not appear in the original manga or Japanese dub of the anime. Here is the full scene in question:
In addition to this, the official website of the live-action drama adaptation of Akira Hiramoto’s Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) manga has revealed a brand new visual for the TV drama series, which starts on October 26th.
Recently the Japanese television station MBS aired a 15-second promotional video for the upcoming live-action drama adaptationof Akira Hiramoto’s Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) manga on Monday.
In addition, a new visual of the main cast was also revealed.
The drama’s website also revealed that the TV series will begin on MBS on Monday, October 26 at 12:50am JST. The drama will then air on TBS on the 28th at 1:11am JST.
The main cast of the live action drama has been revealed in costume and includes:
The TV drama will be directed by Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl, Mutant Girls Squad) and the series will air during the late night broadcast block. As Iguchi was made known about the announcement, he was in disbelief and laughing at the idea but he did not want to miss the opportunity to miss out adapting the manga.
In addition to this, the website revealed the TV anime series will have a total of 12 episodes and the first details about the Blu-ray and DVD releases of the anime. There will be a total of 6 volumes being released with each volume containing 2 episodes each. The first volume, releasing on September 30 will contain episodes 1 and 2, a special event ticket, new illustrations on a 3-sided case (designed by Junichiro Taniguchi), Gokuchuuki booklet (8 pages), Textless OP/ED, audio commentary for episode 1 and special set of cards. The remaining volumes will release on the last Wednesday of the month:
All volumes will contain uncensored footage of the anime. The Blu-ray version will cost ¥7,000 (~ $57.00 USD) and the DVD will cost ¥6,000 (~ $48.90 USD) without tax. Along with the episodes, the volumes will also contain bonus video and audio material.
A new visual of the series has been featured in the September issue of NyanType, the poster features Hana Midorikawa, Mari Kurihara and Meiko Shiraki in prison-themed underwear. You can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
A new visual featuring Hana Midorikawa was featured as a poster in the August issue of popular Japanese magazine Megami:
Meiko Shiraki was also featured as a poster in the August issue of NyanType:
The Prison School anime’s first episode aired on Tokyo MX on July 11th at 1:05am JST. The anime will then air on the 12th at 12:30am JST on KBS Kyoto followed by an airing on TV Aichi at 2:20 am JST. It will then air on BS11 at midnight on the 13th, on Sun TV an hour later at 1:00am JST, and finally at 3:30am JST on AT-X. The anime will also be streaming online on various platforms, including Niconico, J:COM, Bandai, Amazon and PlayStation Video.
The main cast includes:
The staff includes:
Visual:
Akira Hiramoto first launched his manga in the Kodansha’s Young Magazine Weekly in February 2011. The manga won the best General Manga award alongside Yūji Moritaka and Keiji Adachi’s Gurazeni manga at Kodansha’s 37th Annual Manga Awards in May. The same wraparound band on the 14th volume also notes that the manga has more than 3.5 million copies in print.
Akira Hiramoto’s Ago Nashi Gen to Ore Monogatari manga received a mobile phone anime adaptation in 2010. Hiramoto’s Yarisugi Companion to Atashi Monogatari manga inspired a live-action film in 2011. Akira Hiramoto also wrote the award-winning supernatural drama manga Me and the Devil Blues, which Del Rey published in North America.
Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) synopsis from Haruhichan:
On the outskirts of Tokyo stands Hachimitsu Private Academy, a storied all-girls boarding school for elite young women full of potential and good breeding. But as the new school year rolls around, one tradition is going out the window: For the first time in the school’s long history, boys are being allowed to enroll. But on the first day of school, only five boys make the cut. Kiyoshi Fujino, one of the lucky few, is thrilled by this discovery, his heart leaping with joy at the thought of being surrounded by all those girls, day in and day out. But little does he know of the shocking fate that awaits him.
The Prison School anime airs every Saturday at 1:05am JST on Tokyo MX during the Summer 2015 anime season, for a total of 12 episodes. The first Blu-ray and DVD volume of the anime will be released on September 30.
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://prison-anime.com/
And follow their Twitter: @prison_anime
Source: Funimation
Miki Naoki from the anime adaptation of Norimitsu Kaihou and Sadoru Chiba’s moe / survival horror Gakkou Gurashi! manga series has been featured as a poster visual in the November 2015 issue of the Japanese anime magazine Megami. You can purchase this issue of Megami magazine here and view the other posters that came in this issue here.
Another key visual of the series has been featured as a visual in the October 2015 issue of the Japanese anime magazine NewType. You can purchase this issue of NewType magazine here.
September issue of NewType as a double page spread. The new visual recaps episode 5 of the TV anime series. You can purchase this NewType magazine issue here.
The official website recently revealed a new illustration where the main cast of the series can be seen in clothing suited for the summertime heat.
In addition to this, the July 18 report by Hon no Hikidashi, the official news site owned by Nippan/Nippon Shuppan Hanbai, one of the biggest book distributors in Japan, recently revealed that the sales of the based on Norimitsu Kaihou and Sadoru Chiba’s Gakkou Gurashi! manga’s first volume in the week of July 6-12 increased about 10 times more than the previous week of June 29 to July 5. The anime’s first episode has already been viewed over 1.5 million times on Nico Nico Douga.
Anime visual:
Previous visual:
Gakkou Gurashi! is a Japanese manga series written by Nitroplus’ Norimitsu Kaihou and illustrated by Sadoru Chiba. The series began serialization in the July 2012 issue of Houbunsha’s Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine. An anime adaptation by Lerche will begin airing in Summer 2015
Gakkou Gurashi! from Haruhichan:
Takeya Yuki is in love with the school. For her, it’s a wonderful place, where she enjoys her school activities, especially the activities of her club: School Life Club. The club has Rii-chan as the president, Kurumi-chan as another member, and the teacher, Megu-nee, always there for them. Yes, she is in love with her school… on her mind. Because, for her, the reality of the school and their club’s activities is way too hard to be perceived…
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://gakkougurashi.com/
And follow their Twitter: @gakkou_gurashi
Tomori Nao from from the Charlotte anime has been featured as a poster in the October 2015 issue of Megami. You can purchase this issue of the Megami magazine here and you can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
The series will be coming back with an unaired 13th episode which will be bundled with the 7th volume of the Blu-ray and DVD on March 23rd, 2016. She was also featured in the October 2015 issue of Megami. You can purchase this issue here and you can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
In addition to this, a wonderful visual of the Charlotte anime has been featured as poster in the September issue ofNewType. You can purchase this NewType magazine issue here.
A double page spread of the series was featured in the August 2015 issue of the Japanese anime magazineAnimedia. You can purchase this issue of Animedia magazine here.
Recently a double page spread of the series was featured in the August 2015 issue of the Japanese anime magazineNewType. This issue of NewType can be purchased here.
Recently a new visual featuring Joujirou Takajou, Nao Tomori and Yuu Otosaka has been featured as a double page spread in the August 2015 issue of the Japanese anime magazine Animage. You can purchase the Animage magazine here.
Recently a double page spread where Yuu Otosaka shows off his inner Leleouch was featured in the August 2015 issue of Dengeki G‘s Magazine. This issue of Dengeki G‘s Magazine can be purchased here.
The July issue of NewType also featured a visual of the anime before it broadcasted:
The Charlotte anime premiered on Tokyo MX on Saturday, July 4th at midnight, effectively making it air on Sunday, July 5th.
The anime’s staff includes:
Main anime visual:
Here is the second newly revealed visual, which reveals a darker theme to the anime:
Charlotte is a Japanese anime television series produced by P.A.Works and Aniplex and directed by Yoshiyuki Asai. The series, which is written by Jun Maeda with original character design by Na-Ga, is the second original anime project created by visual novel brand Key following the 2010 series Angel Beats!. The anime began airing in Japan on July 4, 2015, and is simulcast by Crunchyroll and Animax Asia in South and Southeast Asia. A manga adaptation illustrated by Haruka Komowata began serialization in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki G‘s Comic.
Synopsis of Charlotte from Haruhichan:
Very few adolescent boys and girls have an onset of special abilities. Yuu Otosaka uses his ability unbeknownst to others in order to lead a satisfying school life. And then, a girl named Nao Tomori suddenly appears before him. Their encounter reveals the destiny for wielders of special abilities.
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://charlotte-anime.jp/
And follow the new Angel Beats! & Charlotte Twitter: @Charlotte_AB_
Shalltear Bloodfallen the true vampire and the Floor Guardian of the first to third floors in the Great Tomb of Nazarick from Overlord, has been featured as a poster in the November 2015 issue of NyanType. You can purchase this issue of NyanType magazine here and you can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
Albedo has also been featured as a poster in the October 2015 issue of NyanType which displays her love for Momon. You can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
She has also been featured as a poster in the October 2015 issue of Megami. You can view the other posters in this issue here.
She was also featured as a poster in the September issue of Megami. You can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
She also took over a double page spread in the August issue of popular Japanese magazine Comptiq. This issue of Comptiq can be purchased here.
She also was featured as a poster in the August issue of Megami:
A double page spread of the series was featured in a Japanese anime magazine earlier this month:
Another visual was featured in the a magazine earlier this month:
Main anime cast and character designs:
Other Announced Cast:
Staff:
Visual:
Over Lord is a Japanese light novel series written by Kugane Maruyama and illustrated by so-bin. It began serialization online in 2010, before being acquired by Enterbrain. Eight volumes have been published since July 30, 2012. An anime adaptation has been announced. A manga adaptation with art by Hugin Miyama began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten’s seinen manga magazine Comp Ace from November 26, 2014.
Overlord synopsis from Haruhichan:
The story begins with Yggdrasil, a popular online game which is quietly shut down one day; however, the protagonist Momonga decides to not log out. Momonga is then transformed into the image of a skeleton as “the most powerful wizard.” The world continues to change, with non-player characters (NPCs) begining to feel emotion. Having no parents, friends, or place in society, this ordinary young man Momonga then strives to take over the new world the game has become.
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://overlord-anime.com/
And follow their Twitter: @over_lord_anime
