At last year's Anime Festival Asia, I went in with my eyes peeled and camera ready for photo-ops, mentally ready to take notes and burn moments into my memory, with the intention of documenting my experience afterwards. Not that I ever fully completed my report...but I did have an amazing time, and I was glad to be able to share it in writing – didn't matter if anyone was interested in reading.
This year, though? Not so much; I was tired after a long week of work and all I wanted to do was enjoy it. Just attend the events and visit the booths I was really interested in, don't bother about anything else then go home and rest. Kind of a pity in hindsight. There was so much worth writing about.
It's been a month. Let's see how much of it I can remember.
Saito Chiwa Live Dubbing
SPOILERS for Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica up ahead!
Just a quick one...
All photos taken from Kalafina's official blog
Keiko turned 26 on the 5th of December, while Wakana turns 27 on December 10. It seems they had a mini-celebration together. With cake.
I'm going purely by Google translate here, but I think Wakana's holding her birthday present in the first one, while Keiko's modelling her very pink gift. Adorable~
Happy Birthday Keiko and Wakana! May you have many, many wonderful years (hopefully filled with lots of singing) ahead of you.
All photos taken from Kalafina's official blog
Keiko turned 26 on the 5th of December, while Wakana turns 27 on December 10. It seems they had a mini-celebration together. With cake.
I'm going purely by Google translate here, but I think Wakana's holding her birthday present in the first one, while Keiko's modelling her very pink gift. Adorable~
Happy Birthday Keiko and Wakana! May you have many, many wonderful years (hopefully filled with lots of singing) ahead of you.
More Live-Action Rurouni Kenshin Film Images Released
Offhand, I can't tell which part of the manga this scene is from...does anyone know? I'm not ruling out the possibility that this is something new.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Sato Takeru is really managing to look the part. That's quite a feat in itself. First major hurdle crossed.
That's Takei Emi/Kaoru, right? She looks like...a poor Japanese girl. Which is about right, but from just images it's harder to tell with Kaoru whether the actress fits the character.
More images, plz! A trailer would be awesome too.
I keep saying I don't want to get my hopes, and it's still way too early to tell up but all these images and details are making me a very excited fan.
Offhand, I can't tell which part of the manga this scene is from...does anyone know? I'm not ruling out the possibility that this is something new.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Sato Takeru is really managing to look the part. That's quite a feat in itself. First major hurdle crossed.
That's Takei Emi/Kaoru, right? She looks like...a poor Japanese girl. Which is about right, but from just images it's harder to tell with Kaoru whether the actress fits the character.
More images, plz! A trailer would be awesome too.
I keep saying I don't want to get my hopes, and it's still way too early to tell up but all these images and details are making me a very excited fan.
It's been a while, hasn't it? Work's been keeping me so busy. Last weekend, I blew whatever free time I had into enjoying Anime Festival Asia 11.
And it was epic.
First up, I'd like to brag about my acquisitions:
I spent a good chunk of my modest merchandise budget on this cloth wall scroll from the Aniplex booth:
Totally worth it. So pretty. And yeah, I know, I should probably shift that stuff behind it away...
I also blew $35 on a Kalafina T-shirt:
And by far the best item I came away with:
See the name of the band on the poster? See the three autographs below that? Yes. OH YES
My updated wall of autographs:
Hopefully it'll keep growing.
I'm very, very happy little fangirl.
I'm thinking of doing up an entry on angela and Kalafina's live performances at AFA's I Love anisong concert. Wish me luck with that...
And it was epic.
First up, I'd like to brag about my acquisitions:
I spent a good chunk of my modest merchandise budget on this cloth wall scroll from the Aniplex booth:
Totally worth it. So pretty. And yeah, I know, I should probably shift that stuff behind it away...
I also blew $35 on a Kalafina T-shirt:
And by far the best item I came away with:
See the name of the band on the poster? See the three autographs below that? Yes. OH YES
My updated wall of autographs:
Hopefully it'll keep growing.
I'm very, very happy little fangirl.
I'm thinking of doing up an entry on angela and Kalafina's live performances at AFA's I Love anisong concert. Wish me luck with that...
I just started on a new job last Monday, which means less whining about not having money. Actually, it means less whining in general, since work isn't leaving me with much free time...
On the plus side, my copy of After Eden finally got here, and I'm still intent on reviewing it so you should see me posting about that. Eventually. I think.
One last thing for now. This is old news, but..
Still awesome. I hope I get good tickets!
On the plus side, my copy of After Eden finally got here, and I'm still intent on reviewing it so you should see me posting about that. Eventually. I think.
One last thing for now. This is old news, but..
Still awesome. I hope I get good tickets!
This post has been moved to the following URL: http://audiovisualstyle.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/pv-recapreview-kalafina-symphonia/
Okay, so about 150 of those hits are probably mine, it took me a while to realize I could stop tracking my own pageviews. But still. Woohoo! I didn't think my attention span would allow me to maintain this blog till it got to this point. I'd like to thank the spambots, who have always been diligent in their visiting, those of you who accidentally ended up here while googling for Kalafina or Madoka images, the really bored people who clicked on the links I may have shoved in your faces, and, most of all, the (three?) people who visited because they really felt there was something here worth a read-through. This little milestone would literally not have been possible without you.
Right, on to the less boring stuff. It's old news, but Kalafina's upcoming After Eden album now has its own official page. Right now it's got a short making-of clip for Symphonia's PV and some comments on the individual tracks in the album.
Kawaii girl Japan has also put up the third installment of Kalafina's After Eden video campaign.
They talk, among other things, about backstage pre-show habits. It's a more sedate session compared to the one in the last video but it's still nice to learn a bit more about my favourite songstresses.
Hopefully, by the time of my next entry (not the best measure of time...) my copy of After Eden will have arrived -- I'm looking forward to reviewing it as well as dissecting the PV for Symphonia
Right, on to the less boring stuff. It's old news, but Kalafina's upcoming After Eden album now has its own official page. Right now it's got a short making-of clip for Symphonia's PV and some comments on the individual tracks in the album.
Kawaii girl Japan has also put up the third installment of Kalafina's After Eden video campaign.
They talk, among other things, about backstage pre-show habits. It's a more sedate session compared to the one in the last video but it's still nice to learn a bit more about my favourite songstresses.
Hopefully, by the time of my next entry (not the best measure of time...) my copy of After Eden will have arrived -- I'm looking forward to reviewing it as well as dissecting the PV for Symphonia
From canta-per-me.net
After Eden samples!
Okay, I see where they were going with that line about this album being less "fantastic" and more "humanly". And it's not a bad thing. Not at all. It's not a complete overhaul from Kalafina's previous work but there's certainly a noticeable shift in style.
Well, it's certainly not changing my pre-order status. Still very much looking forward to it. I'll save the full review for when the album's actually out.
KYAAAA~ That was a really cute one. It's sweet to see how close-knit they are. I love the kind of questions being asked; not the same old boring stuff, and they almost seemed designed to draw out entertaining responses. Not that the ladies need any help on that, really. When they're left to talk on their own like that it usually ends up looking less like an interview and more like their own little comedy show.
They even have a public service announcement:
This is how all Kalafina interviews should be conducted, IMO; no interviewers on emcees getting in the way. And it's nice to actually understand what they're saying for a change. Kawaii girl Japan, this one thanks you from the bottom of her fangirly heart.
via Canta-per-me.net
The Kalafina staff Twitter account posted an image of the Regular Edition cover of the group's upcoming book:
Kalafina Record
And it is pretty. I want it even more now...
I also got an artiste alert from CDJapan about another related product:
Kalafina 2012 Calendar
Image from Oh-news.net. Um, interesting poses from Hikaru and Keiko...
It's an expensive time to be a Kalafina fan...
Also, have you checked out the interview on ANN with Iwakami Atsuhiro? He's the producer for Madoka, and the guy most people forget is the fourth member or the Magica Quartet (somehow everyone assumes Kajiura is the fourth member...) It's spoilery, and therefore at least a little insightful. Definitely worth a read-through, at the very least.
In other Madoka news, look what just became available for pre-order:
Mami Figma!
It looks really good. I didn't expect anything else, yet it still manages to impress me. The figure's got a great range of alternate expressions. And look who comes along as an accessory:
I find this both amusing (are they pandering to the crack!shippers?) and slightly unnerving (given, you know, what actually happened between them...)
The Kalafina staff Twitter account posted an image of the Regular Edition cover of the group's upcoming book:
Kalafina Record
And it is pretty. I want it even more now...
I also got an artiste alert from CDJapan about another related product:
Kalafina 2012 Calendar
Image from Oh-news.net. Um, interesting poses from Hikaru and Keiko...
It's an expensive time to be a Kalafina fan...
Also, have you checked out the interview on ANN with Iwakami Atsuhiro? He's the producer for Madoka, and the guy most people forget is the fourth member or the Magica Quartet (somehow everyone assumes Kajiura is the fourth member...) It's spoilery, and therefore at least a little insightful. Definitely worth a read-through, at the very least.
In other Madoka news, look what just became available for pre-order:
Mami Figma!
It looks really good. I didn't expect anything else, yet it still manages to impress me. The figure's got a great range of alternate expressions. And look who comes along as an accessory:
I find this both amusing (are they pandering to the crack!shippers?) and slightly unnerving (given, you know, what actually happened between them...)
My favourite songstresses are September's special feature on Kawaii girl Japan (the same lovely people who brought us that Magia comment). Which is awesome, particularly because it means we'll be getting (subbed!!) videos of Kalafina interviews promoting their upcoming album After Eden every Monday of the month. This is the first of them:
Their description of After Eden as having a "very real and humanly" sound (as opposed to the "fantastic, surreal and otherwordly" sound they had for the past two albums) is...interesting. Considering that Magia and Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa are part of After Eden's tracklist I'm not expecting their new sound to be that much of a departure from their usual style. But they still have nine other songs to surprise us with...
I've also just realized that KgJ's store has a small but appealing selection of Kalafina merchandise...Oooh...
Their description of After Eden as having a "very real and humanly" sound (as opposed to the "fantastic, surreal and otherwordly" sound they had for the past two albums) is...interesting. Considering that Magia and Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa are part of After Eden's tracklist I'm not expecting their new sound to be that much of a departure from their usual style. But they still have nine other songs to surprise us with...
I've also just realized that KgJ's store has a small but appealing selection of Kalafina merchandise...Oooh...
In an attempt to bring out my post count, I've resorted to pushing my music tastes onto you kind readers, who already have to put up with the usual stuff I throw at you. Because everyone likes being told what they should be listening to, right? Right? No? Hah! Try stop me!
But don't try too hard. Please.
This week's/month's/year's/whenever's edition of Audio Visual is themed: Lovely Lives
Chatmonchy ft. Aoi Yuu -- Bus Romance
Aoi Yuu is definitely a much better actress than she is a pianist. I'm not sure why she's jamming with Chatmonchy -- I'm thinking they were guests on the same show and the producers thought it'd be fun or something. In any case, it's still a great performance overall, and very different from the original song. A wonderful, mellow love song, and the acoustic arrangement lets Eriko's childlike yet compelling voice shine.
Onitsuka Chihiro -- Ii Hi Tabidachi Nishi e
One of my favourite songs from Onitsuka-san; I fervently rejoiced when this performance appeared in her live DVD Nine Dirts and Snow White Flickers (no, I don't know what that means, either). This song is actually a cover of a Japanese classic. Onitsuka re-wrote most of the lyrics. I remember checking the original song and deciding that I preferred Onitsuka's version. It's a moving song about being on a journey, and the lyrics and the music capture that feeling nicely. Although with Onitsuka's influence it sounds less fun and whimsical and more melancholic...Not that I'm complaining. Nope. Personally, I think Onitsuka's songs work better when they're at least borderline depressing...
The arrangement here is gorgeous; a piano, a string quartet, and Onitsuka's voice. I don't think she sounds as powerful as she used to (throat surgery and a bout of depression probably took its toll). But she still sounds wonderful.
Malice Mizer -- Bel Air ~ Kohaku Toki no naka de
A bit of classic Visual Kei. This is one of the songs that got me hooked on the genre (I still prefer old school VK to the more contemporary stuff). Malice Mizer also ruined Gackt for me; I used to like him until the thought that he sounded a lot better with the band behind him kept plaguing me...
If you're determined to hate Visual Kei, I doubt it'd move you to change your mind; this is Visual Kei at its...Visual Kei-est. But if you're already into it...What's not to love about this song? Gackt's amazing (and amazingly dramatic), the band's wonderful -- Mana and Kozi's harmonizing guitarwork is particularly awesome. Even live, there's not a single note missed -- I've heard band leader Mana would never accept anything less.
And of course, the costumes...Beats jeans and T-shirts.
Kalafina -- Red Moon
What? I couldn't resist.
This is one of their best songs, in my opinion It's an album-only track, and might not have received as much attention as it deserved. This is how I like Kalafina best; dark and powerful. It's a heavy gothic-y rock number (thimk Kajiura doing symphonic metal). The ladies sound amazing here. I am absolutely enamoured of the chorus; when the lead vocals switch from Hikaru to Wakana it smoothly segues from forbidding to melodic and mournful, with Keiko maintaining the harmony the whole time. It's...just wonderful.
That's all I've got for now, folks. The next edition of Audio Visual will be available...not too far in the future, I hope. Sorry, no one's making me keep a deadline or anything...
But don't try too hard. Please.
This week's/month's/year's/whenever's edition of Audio Visual is themed: Lovely Lives
Aoi Yuu is definitely a much better actress than she is a pianist. I'm not sure why she's jamming with Chatmonchy -- I'm thinking they were guests on the same show and the producers thought it'd be fun or something. In any case, it's still a great performance overall, and very different from the original song. A wonderful, mellow love song, and the acoustic arrangement lets Eriko's childlike yet compelling voice shine.
One of my favourite songs from Onitsuka-san; I fervently rejoiced when this performance appeared in her live DVD Nine Dirts and Snow White Flickers (no, I don't know what that means, either). This song is actually a cover of a Japanese classic. Onitsuka re-wrote most of the lyrics. I remember checking the original song and deciding that I preferred Onitsuka's version. It's a moving song about being on a journey, and the lyrics and the music capture that feeling nicely. Although with Onitsuka's influence it sounds less fun and whimsical and more melancholic...Not that I'm complaining. Nope. Personally, I think Onitsuka's songs work better when they're at least borderline depressing...
The arrangement here is gorgeous; a piano, a string quartet, and Onitsuka's voice. I don't think she sounds as powerful as she used to (throat surgery and a bout of depression probably took its toll). But she still sounds wonderful.
A bit of classic Visual Kei. This is one of the songs that got me hooked on the genre (I still prefer old school VK to the more contemporary stuff). Malice Mizer also ruined Gackt for me; I used to like him until the thought that he sounded a lot better with the band behind him kept plaguing me...
If you're determined to hate Visual Kei, I doubt it'd move you to change your mind; this is Visual Kei at its...Visual Kei-est. But if you're already into it...What's not to love about this song? Gackt's amazing (and amazingly dramatic), the band's wonderful -- Mana and Kozi's harmonizing guitarwork is particularly awesome. Even live, there's not a single note missed -- I've heard band leader Mana would never accept anything less.
And of course, the costumes...Beats jeans and T-shirts.
Kalafina -- Red Moon
What? I couldn't resist.
This is one of their best songs, in my opinion It's an album-only track, and might not have received as much attention as it deserved. This is how I like Kalafina best; dark and powerful. It's a heavy gothic-y rock number (thimk Kajiura doing symphonic metal). The ladies sound amazing here. I am absolutely enamoured of the chorus; when the lead vocals switch from Hikaru to Wakana it smoothly segues from forbidding to melodic and mournful, with Keiko maintaining the harmony the whole time. It's...just wonderful.
That's all I've got for now, folks. The next edition of Audio Visual will be available...not too far in the future, I hope. Sorry, no one's making me keep a deadline or anything...
Aoi Yuu and Aoki Munetaka added to live-action Rurouni Kenshin cast
Aoi Yuu. Aoi freakin' Yuu. Playing Megumi. This definitely needs to be seen.
My excitement springs from the fact that Aoi Yuu is one of my favourite Japanese film actresses.Actually she's one of the few Japanese actresses I'm familiar with I'm just not much of a live-action person. I first saw her in Hana and Alice (she played Alice) and thoroughly enjoyed her performance (it was a great movie too. Weird, but great). She was 19 then; she's 26 now. I admit I haven't watched her most recent films, but I imagine she's only gotten better.
You don't have to take my word for it; check out that list of credits and awards. She's the biggest name on the cast list so far.
My only (very minor) cause for reservation is that I think she looks a little too, well, girlish to play the Kenshingumi's resident Fox Lady (Megumi's maturity is supposed to make her contrast against the younger Kaoru). Might not work too well if she doesn't look any older than Kaoru's actress (Takei Emi). But it's not much of an issue. I have faith that Aoi is more than talented enough to pull it off.
Oh yeah, they've cast Sanosuke too. Someone I don't know(big surprise). His name is Aoki Munetaka:
The article lists roles in Kamen Rider Den-O and Beck, among others; he's not an unknown, at least. I think he really looks the part though. He just needs a lot of hair gel. Or a spiky-haired wig.
They've also cast a Tanaka Taketo for the role of Yahiko. Apart from the fact that he's 11 years old, there's not much info on him.
I'm still trying to temper my hopes, but right now this live-action project is looking pretty good. I'm mostly worried about how loyal the characters will stay to their manga counterparts. I can accept changes to the plot, but please, please don't ruin the characters.
Aoi Yuu. Aoi freakin' Yuu. Playing Megumi. This definitely needs to be seen.
My excitement springs from the fact that Aoi Yuu is one of my favourite Japanese film actresses.
You don't have to take my word for it; check out that list of credits and awards. She's the biggest name on the cast list so far.
My only (very minor) cause for reservation is that I think she looks a little too, well, girlish to play the Kenshingumi's resident Fox Lady (Megumi's maturity is supposed to make her contrast against the younger Kaoru). Might not work too well if she doesn't look any older than Kaoru's actress (Takei Emi). But it's not much of an issue. I have faith that Aoi is more than talented enough to pull it off.
Oh yeah, they've cast Sanosuke too. Someone I don't know
The article lists roles in Kamen Rider Den-O and Beck, among others; he's not an unknown, at least. I think he really looks the part though. He just needs a lot of hair gel. Or a spiky-haired wig.
They've also cast a Tanaka Taketo for the role of Yahiko. Apart from the fact that he's 11 years old, there's not much info on him.
I'm still trying to temper my hopes, but right now this live-action project is looking pretty good. I'm mostly worried about how loyal the characters will stay to their manga counterparts. I can accept changes to the plot, but please, please don't ruin the characters.
ED art for episode 9 on the BD. The full version makes a great wallpaper, by the way. You're welcome.
More fuel for Kyoko X Sayaka shipping -- although that ship was already pretty well on its journey. It's a nice song, certainly (both seiyuu are decent enough singers, and sound particularly good together) and the KyoSaya element just adds to its appeal. Those lyrics...
You know...while I'm pretty sure that the sentiments in the lyrics reflect Kyoko's feelings towards Sayaka, it may be possible -- heck, more likely, even -- that on Sayaka's part the sentiments aren't directed to Kyoko but some dude with a viol-- you know what I'll just shut up. KyokoSayaka, woo.
The Drama CD Farewell Story, which came with BD #5, is also something you should pay attention to if you're a fan. If you can't find somewhere to listen to it there's a translation available for your perusal. It details Kyoko's backstory; more specifically, Mami's involvement in it. More fascinating relationship dynamics; my love for Madoka just keeps growing...
If you take a jaunt over to Kalafina's official site you'll fine, in a tiny little video window, a short preview of their PV for Symphonia. It features Kalafina standing around in a pretty setting and singing -- which is about par for a Kalafina PV. Not surprised, but I was hoping for something more exciting, after what they did for Magia's PV. But I could be wrong, the finished product may surprise me. Either way I'm sure I'll have fun dissecting it when the full PV comes in with my Limited Edition of the After Eden album...
And speaking of After Eden, images for the bonus mousepad that comes when you preorder the album (from any store, I believe Edit: Not all; the list includes CDJapan, Sony, HMV but not Play-Asia and YesAsia. *sobs*) were released...
Limited edition:
Regular edition:
How come the RE gets the prettier picture?!
And speaking of After Eden, images for the bonus mousepad that comes when you preorder the album (
Regular edition:
How come the RE gets the prettier picture?!
Sony already announced earlier that extra bonuses are included with purchase of Kalafina's After Eden album from Animate, AniBro Gamers and Toranoana. One of the bonuses is a Kalafina postcard (a different one from each store). The other one was just revealed recently:
Madoka characters cosplaying Kalafina
I love it when my favourite things cross over. Way to draw in the fanboys (and fangirls), Sony.
As a user on cante-per-me.net's forums pointed out to me, they're wearing the same dresses Kalafina are wearing on After Eden's cover. I can't believe I managed to miss that -_-;; Homura's dressed as Keiko, Mami as Wakana, and Madoka as Hikaru. If I had to match each Kalafina member to a Madoka character that most resembled them I'd have come up with the same result.
I want...
In other news, I've managed to convince myself that the Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto arc remake OVA is a prelude to an animated version of the Jinchuu arc, and not the end of it (I may write up an entry explaining why, if I feel like it). Also, seeing (hearing?) the old anime voice acting cast again is something I'm anticipating. To celebrate, here is Kenshin's seiyuu, Suzukaze Mayo, in a video from her days as a gender-bending Takarazuka otokoyaku (male-role actress), singing about how her name is Oscar:
As of sometime in the 2000s, she still sounds pretty good:
Or maybe I just wanted to post some Takarazuka. What? It's awesome.
Madoka characters cosplaying Kalafina
I love it when my favourite things cross over. Way to draw in the fanboys (and fangirls), Sony.
As a user on cante-per-me.net's forums pointed out to me, they're wearing the same dresses Kalafina are wearing on After Eden's cover. I can't believe I managed to miss that -_-;; Homura's dressed as Keiko, Mami as Wakana, and Madoka as Hikaru. If I had to match each Kalafina member to a Madoka character that most resembled them I'd have come up with the same result.
I want...
In other news, I've managed to convince myself that the Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto arc remake OVA is a prelude to an animated version of the Jinchuu arc, and not the end of it (I may write up an entry explaining why, if I feel like it). Also, seeing (hearing?) the old anime voice acting cast again is something I'm anticipating. To celebrate, here is Kenshin's seiyuu, Suzukaze Mayo, in a video from her days as a gender-bending Takarazuka otokoyaku (male-role actress), singing about how her name is Oscar:
As of sometime in the 2000s, she still sounds pretty good:
Or maybe I just wanted to post some Takarazuka. What? It's awesome.
"The production company Aniplex confirmed on Saturday that the previously announced new Rurouni Kenshin anime series will be a two-part Shin Kyoto-Hen (New Kyoto Arc) original video anime series. The first part will play in Japanese theaters in December.
The new anime series will remake the Kyoto story arc of Nobuhiro Watsuki's original manga and the previous anime adaptation..."
I can't help but feel let down; I was really hoping to finally see the final arc (the Jinchuu arc) animated. The anime handled the Kyoto arc well enough, do we really need to see it squeezed into a two-part OVA? And what are the chances of overseas fans getting the opportunity to enjoy a theatrical release as consolation?
I'm still harbouring hopes that a Jinchuu project is still possible, and that Aniplex is using the response to the OVA to gauge whether animating Jinchuu will be worthwhile.
The announcement that the majority of the main cast will be reunited for the OVA is pretty cool though -- most of the old cast is still doing seiyuu work but Suzukaze Mayo and Fujitani Miki in particular (our leads Kenshin and Kaoru) don't seem to have had any involvement in anime for a long time. Heck, they've even gotten the composer of the original anime's OST, Asakura Noriyuki. They really seem to be banking on nostalgia here...
I can't find Doi Mika's (Megumi) name listed, though, I'm hoping it's just something they missed; I'm a fan of her work and I'm hoping she'll come back to being a part of this.
One confirmed notable change: Narita Ken will be replacing the late Suzuoki Hirotaka as Saitoh Hajime. The role I mostly remember Narita for is Sesshoumaru of Inuyasha, another cold, belligerent and ridiculously popular anti-hero character; I think he'll pull off Saitoh just fine.
/optimism
CDJapan has the hardcover Limited Edition of Kalafina Record up for grabs and...
*faints*
Needless to say that's not going on my buy list anytime soon.
The regular edition is less than one quarter of the LE's price. Seriously, how much can a hardcover and a T-shirt cost? And we haven't even taken the shipping cost into account...
I bet the LE will still sell though -- I admit, if I had a few hundred bucks to throw around I'd consider getting it. Even with the whole thing being in Japanese. But that's not the case, sadly.
*faints*
Needless to say that's not going on my buy list anytime soon.
The regular edition is less than one quarter of the LE's price. Seriously, how much can a hardcover and a T-shirt cost? And we haven't even taken the shipping cost into account...
I bet the LE will still sell though -- I admit, if I had a few hundred bucks to throw around I'd consider getting it. Even with the whole thing being in Japanese. But that's not the case, sadly.
So while I was doing stuff like trying to get a life and utterly failing, Kalafina's album covers for After Eden were released:
Regular Edition
Limited Edition
Love the outfits and the setting, but I wish the colours didn't look so washed out. Hopefully the actual thing will look better.
And I'm sure if you care enough you've heard of the Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica PSP game that's coming out. I'm trying not to care because 1) no PSP and 2) OMG that pricetag but then some images of the bonuses that'll be bundled with the Limited Edition of the game were released...
THAT FIGMA. I WANT.
Limited Edition
Love the outfits and the setting, but I wish the colours didn't look so washed out. Hopefully the actual thing will look better.
And I'm sure if you care enough you've heard of the Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica PSP game that's coming out. I'm trying not to care because 1) no PSP and 2) OMG that pricetag but then some images of the bonuses that'll be bundled with the Limited Edition of the game were released...
THAT FIGMA. I WANT.
The organisers of Anime Festival Asia's made a round of status updates on their Facebook page. They've announced some artistes who will be performing at AFA's I ♥ Anisong concert. Right now we've got:
Ichirou Mizuki
May'n
FLOW
LiSA (from Girls Dead Monster)
They've promised more. They had five acts last year; I'm not expecting them to exceed that number. But I guess we'll see.
Angel Beats fans are understandably pretty thrilled -- I am unfortunately not one of their number. Ichirou Mizuki and May'n have performed here several times (I think they've been at every AFA, and May'n was here earlier this year as part of her world tour). Ergo, not terribly exciting. FLOW performed at Jplex in March this year(the same event where I watched angela play for the second time). I already gave them a miss back then...
I admit it's a pretty cool-looking lineup thus far, but personally it's not one that's enough to draw me in (more money for merchandise then?). I'm looking forward, though, to see who the remaining acts being promised are. I wouldn't be surprised if we see JAM Project or angela again...
No seiyuu or cosplayer appearances announced as of yet. I'm holding out for big names to match last year's (Hanazawa Kana, KANAME, aira) -- think we'll get them?
Ichirou Mizuki
May'n
FLOW
LiSA (from Girls Dead Monster)
They've promised more. They had five acts last year; I'm not expecting them to exceed that number. But I guess we'll see.
Angel Beats fans are understandably pretty thrilled -- I am unfortunately not one of their number. Ichirou Mizuki and May'n have performed here several times (I think they've been at every AFA, and May'n was here earlier this year as part of her world tour). Ergo, not terribly exciting. FLOW performed at Jplex in March this year(the same event where I watched angela play for the second time). I already gave them a miss back then...
I admit it's a pretty cool-looking lineup thus far, but personally it's not one that's enough to draw me in (more money for merchandise then?). I'm looking forward, though, to see who the remaining acts being promised are. I wouldn't be surprised if we see JAM Project or angela again...
No seiyuu or cosplayer appearances announced as of yet. I'm holding out for big names to match last year's (Hanazawa Kana, KANAME, aira) -- think we'll get them?
So yeah, other stuff happened, but this had to be the biggest surprise for me this week.
Seiyuu and singer Sakamoto Maaya married fellow seiyuu (and also decent singer) Suzumura Kenichi on Monday, August 8, presumably setting off an explosion of squeeing from seiyuu fans as well as those who ship characters played by Sakamoto-san and Suzumura-san. So, according to a bunch of people...
"OMG RL Zack and Aerith wedding!!"
or
"OMG RL Haruhi and Hikaru wedding!"
or
"OMG RL Shiki and Kokutou wedding!"
I may be in one or more of these groups of people. Just saying.
Sakamoto's official page and Suzumura's blog both carry this announcement, so unless they're pulling an epic prank this is as about as legit as it gets.
When I first read this I just went WHAT???!!! They'd been in a relationship? Granted, I'm not very up-to-date (or terribly interested) is any seiyuu's private lives but these two are pretty big. I would have thought we'd have gotten more hints of this first. It would have already been exciting news if either one announced that they'd gotten married, but to have wed each other is just...wow. Beyond huge. So huge it just broke the part of my mind where my vocabulary is. HUUUGE.
Well, it's not like my surprise matters anyway. But I'm a fan of both seiyuu and I think it's cool that they've found happiness with each other. May the two of them enjoy a great married life.
On another note, Hirano Aya's agency confirmed that she'll be leaving them by 20 August. That one's not such a surprise, but you have to wonder what's next for her. What about her role on Fairy Tail? Will they have to find a new seiyuu for Suzumiya Haruhi (I'm assuming this series isn't done with)? I think she's too big to disappear from the anime world just like that but I guess we'll see.
Seiyuu and singer Sakamoto Maaya married fellow seiyuu (and also decent singer) Suzumura Kenichi on Monday, August 8, presumably setting off an explosion of squeeing from seiyuu fans as well as those who ship characters played by Sakamoto-san and Suzumura-san. So, according to a bunch of people...
"OMG RL Zack and Aerith wedding!!"
or
"OMG RL Haruhi and Hikaru wedding!"
or
"OMG RL Shiki and Kokutou wedding!"
I may be in one or more of these groups of people. Just saying.
Sakamoto's official page and Suzumura's blog both carry this announcement, so unless they're pulling an epic prank this is as about as legit as it gets.
When I first read this I just went WHAT???!!! They'd been in a relationship? Granted, I'm not very up-to-date (or terribly interested) is any seiyuu's private lives but these two are pretty big. I would have thought we'd have gotten more hints of this first. It would have already been exciting news if either one announced that they'd gotten married, but to have wed each other is just...wow. Beyond huge. So huge it just broke the part of my mind where my vocabulary is. HUUUGE.
Well, it's not like my surprise matters anyway. But I'm a fan of both seiyuu and I think it's cool that they've found happiness with each other. May the two of them enjoy a great married life.
On another note, Hirano Aya's agency confirmed that she'll be leaving them by 20 August. That one's not such a surprise, but you have to wonder what's next for her. What about her role on Fairy Tail? Will they have to find a new seiyuu for Suzumiya Haruhi (I'm assuming this series isn't done with)? I think she's too big to disappear from the anime world just like that but I guess we'll see.
Sony has released the tracklist and track durations for Kalafina's upcoming album, After Eden. Thirteen tracks, and only four previously released songs (Magia, Kagayaku Sora..., Symphonia and Snow Falling), which, as my brilliant arithmetic calculations tell me, leaves us with nine new tracks. That's a few more than I expected, so I'm pleased.
Also, apart from the Symphonia PV, as previously reported, the Limited Edition of the album will also come with a 40-page deluxe pamphlet (awesome!!) and a documentary of Kalafina's visit to LA's Anime Expo (this will just leave me feeling horribly jealous all over again). Not a bad deal for the extra US$8 or so as compared to the Regular Edition. I put in my order for the LE at Play-Asia (free shipping to Singapore, thank God, CDJapan's awesome but shipping prices are scary...), links in the sidebar if you're interested. Now I'll just have to make sure I'm still not completely broke when they charge my debit card around September 21st...
A user on the TVTropes forum posted a link to this video comparing some footage from Madoka's BD release with the TV version. The scene's from that last fight scene in episode 7. I've seen screencaps making such comparisons but watching actual footage is a lot more impressive. For this scene in particular, the changes are pretty cool:
I'm not sure how long that can stay up on YouTube so you might want to hurry up and watch it. I think it's doing a service though -- I, for one, want those BDs now more than ever. Just waiting for the subbed versions...
And if you've been impatiently watching out for it (like I have) you'd know that the second volume of the Madoka OST is now out. If you didn't know, well, now you do! You're welcome. Anyway, I'm disappointed that Oktavia's theme isn't part of it, but at least we've got Sayaka's theme (Decretum):
Venari Strigas is pretty awesome too.
I'm not sure how long that can stay up on YouTube so you might want to hurry up and watch it. I think it's doing a service though -- I, for one, want those BDs now more than ever. Just waiting for the subbed versions...
And if you've been impatiently watching out for it (like I have) you'd know that the second volume of the Madoka OST is now out. If you didn't know, well, now you do! You're welcome. Anyway, I'm disappointed that Oktavia's theme isn't part of it, but at least we've got Sayaka's theme (Decretum):
Venari Strigas is pretty awesome too.
Emi Takei to Play Live-Action Rurouni Kenshin's Kaoru
I'm mostly extremely relieved that she's not a member of AKB48. I don't think I could have taken this adaptation seriously if she was.
She's 17, like Kaoru would be in the manga. I was actually expecting them to cast someone older, but hey, she might actually be able to pull it off. She seems to have quite a bit of experience under her belt (some prominent J-drama roles and Liar Game 2? Not bad). A quick YouTube search turns up quite a number of CM starring her -- she's quite an idol, it seems.
I asked the foremost authority on J-drama readily available to me (my little sister) how she was in Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta and she said, "Yeah, she's okay." And that's pretty much all I have to go on. I would have asked the kid if Takei could pull of 'tsundere' but she doesn't know what that means...
As for how well her looks match up to the character.
Pretty (but for better or worse that's pretty much expected these days, right?). Looks good in a ponytail. I just hope her acting measures up.
For a better comparison...
You know, I really think this could work.
And if you, like me, want to know what she sounds like (I was wondering how well she could yell) here's a small acting sample and a video of her working the Wii...
I'm mostly extremely relieved that she's not a member of AKB48. I don't think I could have taken this adaptation seriously if she was.
She's 17, like Kaoru would be in the manga. I was actually expecting them to cast someone older, but hey, she might actually be able to pull it off. She seems to have quite a bit of experience under her belt (some prominent J-drama roles and Liar Game 2? Not bad). A quick YouTube search turns up quite a number of CM starring her -- she's quite an idol, it seems.
I asked the foremost authority on J-drama readily available to me (my little sister) how she was in Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta and she said, "Yeah, she's okay." And that's pretty much all I have to go on. I would have asked the kid if Takei could pull of 'tsundere' but she doesn't know what that means...
As for how well her looks match up to the character.
Pretty (but for better or worse that's pretty much expected these days, right?). Looks good in a ponytail. I just hope her acting measures up.
For a better comparison...
You know, I really think this could work.
And if you, like me, want to know what she sounds like (I was wondering how well she could yell) here's a small acting sample and a video of her working the Wii...
According to an official announcement, Kalafina's third album will be called After Eden. Sounds...meh. Not terrible, I guess. I can't say the title matters much to me, though, just give me that awesome music. It's being assumed that the A-sides of their last couple of singles (Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa and Magia) to be on the album, along with symphonia, and I'm hoping the rest of it will be made up entirely of new songs rather than B-sides. Not that the B-sides suck, but, come on, more new stuff please?
The Limited Edition of the album comes with the PV for symphonia -- I hope that's not the only bonus on the DVD.I'd still totally pay for the LE though...
What interests me more is the release date: 21st September. Two months. I can wait that long. I think. I need time to save up anyway...And there's the Madoka OST II to tide me over...Gah. Two days more for that one.
The Limited Edition of the album comes with the PV for symphonia -- I hope that's not the only bonus on the DVD.
What interests me more is the release date: 21st September. Two months. I can wait that long. I think. I need time to save up anyway...And there's the Madoka OST II to tide me over...Gah. Two days more for that one.
This post has been moved to the following URL: http://audiovisualstyle.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/pv-recapreview-fictionjunction-stone-cold/
Anime News Network report
Nearly choked on my cereal when I read the headline. I'd pretty much dismissed the rumours about this that came out some months ago but it looks like they did have substance after all.
I've mentioned it before, haven't I? I'm a huge fan of Rurouni Kenshin. Some of my fellow fans are excited, others are apprehensive. A new anime, and a live-action film -- pretty cool for a series than ended more than a decade ago. But of course, they are worries about how well the source material will translate to the big screen, casting quibbles, and the occasional cries of "NO THEY GONNA RUIN MAH CHILDHOOD FOREVER". My opinion is that this has the potential to be epic, but I don't want to get my hopes up -- I'll reserve that for the upcoming anime adaptation instead.
I have to wonder, though, how they plan to adapt the story, which arcs they plan to cover, which characters will appear, so on and so on. It seems to be a given that it's not going to be based on what the Tsuiokuhen OVA already covered, which I think is a reasonable assumption. The plot will have to be compressed, naturally, for a movie, but...
"...The Sankei Sports newspaper adds that the staff aims to release the film internationally and eventually make a series."
The part about an international release is cool, but not surprising; from what I've heard, the RK manga has sold pretty well overseas, particularly in the US. As for the other bit...If they're planning for this to be the first of a series (a series of movies? Or are they going for a TV drama?)...It gives me more hope that they wouldn't completely butcher the story.
On the topic of casting, we only know who's playing Kenshin right now -- one Satoh Takeru:
Satoh Takeru and an apparently handless Kenshin *shrug* I just grabbed the first decently-sized image I could find.
Meh. Could work, I guess? I don't know much about the guy. There's a list of his acting credits in ANN's report but I've never watched Kamen Rider or Beck fan. He's 22, but Kenshin is supposed to look too young for a 28/29-year old. How tall is he? I couldn't accept a tall Kenshin. And I hope he gets a decent red wig.
I should probably be more concerned about his acting chops.
Anyway I'm looking forward to see who else they'll cast. Especially for the role of Kaoru.
Nearly choked on my cereal when I read the headline. I'd pretty much dismissed the rumours about this that came out some months ago but it looks like they did have substance after all.
I've mentioned it before, haven't I? I'm a huge fan of Rurouni Kenshin. Some of my fellow fans are excited, others are apprehensive. A new anime, and a live-action film -- pretty cool for a series than ended more than a decade ago. But of course, they are worries about how well the source material will translate to the big screen, casting quibbles, and the occasional cries of "NO THEY GONNA RUIN MAH CHILDHOOD FOREVER". My opinion is that this has the potential to be epic, but I don't want to get my hopes up -- I'll reserve that for the upcoming anime adaptation instead.
I have to wonder, though, how they plan to adapt the story, which arcs they plan to cover, which characters will appear, so on and so on. It seems to be a given that it's not going to be based on what the Tsuiokuhen OVA already covered, which I think is a reasonable assumption. The plot will have to be compressed, naturally, for a movie, but...
"...The Sankei Sports newspaper adds that the staff aims to release the film internationally and eventually make a series."
The part about an international release is cool, but not surprising; from what I've heard, the RK manga has sold pretty well overseas, particularly in the US. As for the other bit...If they're planning for this to be the first of a series (a series of movies? Or are they going for a TV drama?)...It gives me more hope that they wouldn't completely butcher the story.
On the topic of casting, we only know who's playing Kenshin right now -- one Satoh Takeru:
Satoh Takeru and an apparently handless Kenshin *shrug* I just grabbed the first decently-sized image I could find.Meh. Could work, I guess? I don't know much about the guy. There's a list of his acting credits in ANN's report but I've never watched Kamen Rider or Beck fan. He's 22, but Kenshin is supposed to look too young for a 28/29-year old. How tall is he? I couldn't accept a tall Kenshin. And I hope he gets a decent red wig.
I should probably be more concerned about his acting chops.
Anyway I'm looking forward to see who else they'll cast. Especially for the role of Kaoru.
The official site for Sacred Seven, the anime for which stone cold will be the OP, has just released an image for the cover of the song's single release.
It's...blue. Like, really blue. So blue that it hinders my mind from finding anything else to say about it. Have I mentioned that it's blue?
I think I'll wait for a bigger image.
Anime Raku put up a report of of Mikatan's preview of Nendoroid's Homura figurine. It's adorable, I tell you. Regular Homura looks good, but what really has me squeeing is the additional parts that allow you to transform the figurine into the pig-tailed, meganekko Moemura. More images are in the links above, but I just had to steal this one:
One, two, three, squeeeeeeee
It's...blue. Like, really blue. So blue that it hinders my mind from finding anything else to say about it. Have I mentioned that it's blue?
I think I'll wait for a bigger image.
Anime Raku put up a report of of Mikatan's preview of Nendoroid's Homura figurine. It's adorable, I tell you. Regular Homura looks good, but what really has me squeeing is the additional parts that allow you to transform the figurine into the pig-tailed, meganekko Moemura. More images are in the links above, but I just had to steal this one:
One, two, three, squeeeeeeee
Madoka's OST 2 (oh please, please let Oktavia's theme be on it), a new FictionJunction single, Kalafina's 3rd album...It's a great (but expensive) year to be a Kajiura Yuki fan.
FJ's coming out with another song for the PSP game Senritsu no Stratos. Never heard of it, but it looks pretty good for a handheld game. Explosive battles + romantic subplot (or just plot?) is a pretty good formula for reeling me in. Not that I own a PSP...Anyway, eternal blue will be the game's OP (no word about a single release yet though).
It's pretty much a paint-by-numbers FictionJunction song, but...I like it. A lot. The melody of the chorus is wonderful, and the vocal work sounds really lovely. T don't think 'sublime' would be an exaggeration. Wonder when we'll get to hear the full song though.
Also, I embedded my re-upload of my Madoka AMV a few entries down, along with a mini-rant. I hope it doesn't get taken down again...
FJ's coming out with another song for the PSP game Senritsu no Stratos. Never heard of it, but it looks pretty good for a handheld game. Explosive battles + romantic subplot (or just plot?) is a pretty good formula for reeling me in. Not that I own a PSP...Anyway, eternal blue will be the game's OP (no word about a single release yet though).
It's pretty much a paint-by-numbers FictionJunction song, but...I like it. A lot. The melody of the chorus is wonderful, and the vocal work sounds really lovely. T don't think 'sublime' would be an exaggeration. Wonder when we'll get to hear the full song though.
Also, I embedded my re-upload of my Madoka AMV a few entries down, along with a mini-rant. I hope it doesn't get taken down again...
So it's confirmed -- despite all those rumours that emerged from God-knows-where Anime Festival Asia will still be held in Singapore this year. And they picked a gimmicky date for it too -- 11/11/11, giving rise the usual complaints about how it clashes with exam periods (I used to have that problem too -- another reason to be glad I've graduated).
Somehow the idea that AFA's location might be changed to Kuala Lumpur or another Southeast Asian city seemed especially prevalent this year. I guess people just thought a change might be due because AFA's been taking place in Singapore for the past 3 years. I doubt a location change will happen anytime soon. For one, the organizers, SOZO, appear to be Singapore-based. Plus, the local infrastructure and fan following are pretty supportive of this kind of event...It is still nice to have confirmation, though. Sorry, Malaysian/Indonesian/other Southeast Asian anime fans, looks like you guys will have to drag your butts over here again.
Eagerly waiting for announcements on the guest line-up. That info will probably take a while to come though.
On the J-rock front it seems that the band Vivid will be performing at the Sundown Festival on November 26th.
Not a lot of other info -- the Sundown Festival's page just links to their Facebook page, which doesn't seem to say much either. Too bad I'm not actually a fan.
Done. My attempt at a Madoka AMV, using Kalafina's wonderful song adore.
There's a little bit of pixelation for about a second but I'm tired of publishing again and again and I don't care anymore. I wish I had the skills and the software to make something like those awesome MADs I've been watching but this will have to do for now. I'd like to remake it someday.
(If YouTube removes this again...sigh. I mean, come on, the full track for the song has been there for eight months and Kalafina's label hasn't complained about that)
There's a little bit of pixelation for about a second but I'm tired of publishing again and again and I don't care anymore. I wish I had the skills and the software to make something like those awesome MADs I've been watching but this will have to do for now. I'd like to remake it someday.
(If YouTube removes this again...sigh. I mean, come on, the full track for the song has been there for eight months and Kalafina's label hasn't complained about that)
On YouTube I'm LadyEmissary. When I don't feel like I've spent enough of my life on ultimately useless pursuits, I like to make anime music videos. They're nothing amazing, and I usually accomplish little more than to make myself completely sick of the songs I've been using (for a little while anyway) but hey, I have fun.
I made a Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen one quite a while back, set to Aikawa Nanase's Koigokoro (Nanase-san, why don't you rock this much anymore?):
And oh, hey, look what's been distracting me from those episode summaries. Crossing over two of my favourite things. And it's still rather unpolished and incomplete (it looks better now and is about 75% done at the moment though):
Aaah I really need to start acting like a useful member of society soon...
I made a Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen one quite a while back, set to Aikawa Nanase's Koigokoro (Nanase-san, why don't you rock this much anymore?):
And oh, hey, look what's been distracting me from those episode summaries. Crossing over two of my favourite things. And it's still rather unpolished and incomplete (it looks better now and is about 75% done at the moment though):
Aaah I really need to start acting like a useful member of society soon...
Anyone going to watch May'n? She'll be back in Singapore in June, as part of her Asian tour. I got to meet her and watch her live at AFA X. While I don't like her enough to be splurging that much to see her again, I was impressed by the show she gave, and I have no doubt that her fans are going to get their money's worth.
It's cool to see SOZO bringing in all these Japanese artists to Singapore this year, even if I'm not a fan of most of them. But I'll keep hoping. Kalafina please, guys?
On a vaguely related note: FictionJunction's new single. Kajiura's really been on fire this year, hasn't she? And it's nice to see her working with the FictionJunction ladies again. Sure, half of them are in Kalafina...but it's a totally different dynamic.
Then there's this piece of music that's just been haunting me:
A piano rearrangement of that orchestral piece in episode 9 of Madoka. It's not quite as epic as the original (I want the soundtrack already) but it's still a very impressive arrangement and performance. I've had this on repeat like crazy.
According to the bio of the minion of that certain witch in episode 9, "people who listen to their music for long enough will lose their soul." I think it got mine....*plays the video again*
It's cool to see SOZO bringing in all these Japanese artists to Singapore this year, even if I'm not a fan of most of them. But I'll keep hoping. Kalafina please, guys?
On a vaguely related note: FictionJunction's new single. Kajiura's really been on fire this year, hasn't she? And it's nice to see her working with the FictionJunction ladies again. Sure, half of them are in Kalafina...but it's a totally different dynamic.
Then there's this piece of music that's just been haunting me:
A piano rearrangement of that orchestral piece in episode 9 of Madoka. It's not quite as epic as the original (I want the soundtrack already) but it's still a very impressive arrangement and performance. I've had this on repeat like crazy.
According to the bio of the minion of that certain witch in episode 9, "people who listen to their music for long enough will lose their soul." I think it got mine....*plays the video again*
Fate/Zero Promo!!
And epic background music is EPIC. And dark. Not to mention how it just screams KAJIURA(-SAMA). Sounds a lot like Tomaru Hanae on lead vocals, but I could be wrong.
Oh yeah, the animation is really gorgeous too. I'd expect no less from ufotable. Like with most made-for-TV anime the animation standards will probably falter as the series goes on, but this is a pretty good upper limit.
And epic background music is EPIC. And dark. Not to mention how it just screams KAJIURA(-SAMA). Sounds a lot like Tomaru Hanae on lead vocals, but I could be wrong.
Oh yeah, the animation is really gorgeous too. I'd expect no less from ufotable. Like with most made-for-TV anime the animation standards will probably falter as the series goes on, but this is a pretty good upper limit.
I'm not making much progress with the recap for the last two episodes for Madoka, which is lame, but I'm really hoping to get them up pretty soon.
I've also added a chatbox, in a pique of what can only be misplaced optimism. But if anyone wants to say something, feel free.
And now, some news.
It's been confirmed that Kajiura Yuki will be composing the music for ufotable's upcoming anime adaptation of Fate/Zero, a prequel to Type-Moon's Fate/stay night. You'll probably have known this if you're a Madoka fan, but the novel the anime will be based on was penned by no other than the now-legendary Urobuchi Gen.
I'd been hoping that Kajiura would collaborate with ufotable once more, after the visual and aural feast that was Kara no Kyoukai, but for that project to be Fate/Zero? The potential for epicness has just been expanded to ridiculous proprotions. I've been steadily coming down from my post-Madoka high, so I'm very glad to have something new and Kajiura-related to be enthusiastic about. The anime's scheduled to be out in October -- can't wait till then.
It also seems likely that Kalafina or another Kajiura-project will be recording an OP or ED for the anime -- from what I've heard here and there Kajiura's already started recording a song with some vocalists.
Speaking of Kalafina, my favourite trio will be performing at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. No word on whether Kajiura will be coming along though. Come on, ladies, why won't you come to Singapore, we're on the same freaking continent!
Instead, Singapore's getting AKB48, which is great for AKB48 fans and potentially horrifying for everyone else (sorry, I'm just not an idol band fan...) The updates from Anime Festival Asia's page that appear on my Facebook feed do keep catching my attention, however, and it seems that tickets are selling fast. I'll have to remember not to go into town on the days they perform. Or maybe I will, just out of curiosity...
To end off, here's a fanmade piano rearrangement/medley of music from Madoka, shared by Nick Hunter on the Canta-per-me.net forums. It is gorgeous -- if you have any love for the music on Madoka it's well worth the listen. Something to tide us over while waiting for the OST...
I've also added a chatbox, in a pique of what can only be misplaced optimism. But if anyone wants to say something, feel free.
And now, some news.
It's been confirmed that Kajiura Yuki will be composing the music for ufotable's upcoming anime adaptation of Fate/Zero, a prequel to Type-Moon's Fate/stay night. You'll probably have known this if you're a Madoka fan, but the novel the anime will be based on was penned by no other than the now-legendary Urobuchi Gen.
I'd been hoping that Kajiura would collaborate with ufotable once more, after the visual and aural feast that was Kara no Kyoukai, but for that project to be Fate/Zero? The potential for epicness has just been expanded to ridiculous proprotions. I've been steadily coming down from my post-Madoka high, so I'm very glad to have something new and Kajiura-related to be enthusiastic about. The anime's scheduled to be out in October -- can't wait till then.
It also seems likely that Kalafina or another Kajiura-project will be recording an OP or ED for the anime -- from what I've heard here and there Kajiura's already started recording a song with some vocalists.
Speaking of Kalafina, my favourite trio will be performing at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. No word on whether Kajiura will be coming along though. Come on, ladies, why won't you come to Singapore, we're on the same freaking continent!
Instead, Singapore's getting AKB48, which is great for AKB48 fans and potentially horrifying for everyone else (sorry, I'm just not an idol band fan...) The updates from Anime Festival Asia's page that appear on my Facebook feed do keep catching my attention, however, and it seems that tickets are selling fast. I'll have to remember not to go into town on the days they perform. Or maybe I will, just out of curiosity...
To end off, here's a fanmade piano rearrangement/medley of music from Madoka, shared by Nick Hunter on the Canta-per-me.net forums. It is gorgeous -- if you have any love for the music on Madoka it's well worth the listen. Something to tide us over while waiting for the OST...
I wasn't initially going to post this, in line with my "too-lazy-to-post-anything-unrelated-to-what-I-like" policy, but...
AKB48. On my little island. Twice a month. And dragging their myriad of sister groups along.
All the fanboys...And potential converts...
I'm frightened.
(Madoka finale recap coming soon. Ish.)
AKB48. On my little island. Twice a month. And dragging their myriad of sister groups along.
All the fanboys...And potential converts...
I'm frightened.
(Madoka finale recap coming soon. Ish.)
...I don't care if you want to call that a cop-out. An ending without closure -- that would have been a cop-out. What we got was the best thing I, at least, could've have asked for.
But OH MY GOD WHAT WAS I DON'T EVEN SO AWESOME AMAZING MIND BLOWN SHATTERED FRAGMENTS FURTHEST REACHES OF GALAXY
At some point I will recover and write up a coherent summary. If that's even truly possible. But for now, I just want to say that I've enjoyed every moment of watching, writing about, speculating and generally obsessing over this serieswhat will I do with my life now. And I'm really glad that, far from being the disappointment I'd feared, the ending only reinforced my love for the show.
If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to lying down on the floor in a foetal position.
But OH MY GOD WHAT WAS I DON'T EVEN SO AWESOME AMAZING MIND BLOWN SHATTERED FRAGMENTS FURTHEST REACHES OF GALAXY
At some point I will recover and write up a coherent summary. If that's even truly possible. But for now, I just want to say that I've enjoyed every moment of watching, writing about, speculating and generally obsessing over this series
If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to lying down on the floor in a foetal position.
Aaaa only a few hours to the Madoka broadcast. I may have to steer clear my usual Internet haunts until the subs are out due to a mortal fear of spoilers.
In the meantime...Another update on Random Things That Interest Me
The announcement regarding the new Rurouni Kenshin anime has me very excited. I'm now trying to remain merely cautiously optimistic, even if I did explode into a fit of unrestrained yelling upon first reading about the news...There hasn't been any solid details yet thus far -- it's still unclear whether it'll be a remake, a continuation of the previous anime series, or just an OVA. Whatever it is -- please, please, please let the Jinchuu arc be animated.
My OTP needs their animated happy ending.
In music news, Onisuka Chihiro's new single, Aoi Tori, and album, Ken to Kaede, were recently released. I want the album, but I think I'm going to have to wait a month before I can afford it. In the meantime, there's the PV for Aoi Tori to enjoy:
One good thing about Onitsuka switching labels is that the PVs For Life Music posts are of actually watchable quality...
I really like it. It's a lovely, stirring folk-rock song, and Onitsuka-san sounds beautiful as always. I love her power ballads, but I also think it's great that she's moving away from her usual sound.
I randomly checked out the indies Oricon chart, and was surprised to find Aldious at no. 1. Mostly because I didn't realize they had the single out -- why they're number one isn't so hard to figure out.
I've been trying to keep up with them, -- their debut single was pretty good -- but the stuff that came after didn't really impress me. Maybe I'll give them another shot -- this song is pretty okay.
On the pop charts, B'z has the number one single, which is about as surprising as the revelation that the sun rises in the east.
In the meantime...Another update on Random Things That Interest Me
The announcement regarding the new Rurouni Kenshin anime has me very excited. I'm now trying to remain merely cautiously optimistic, even if I did explode into a fit of unrestrained yelling upon first reading about the news...There hasn't been any solid details yet thus far -- it's still unclear whether it'll be a remake, a continuation of the previous anime series, or just an OVA. Whatever it is -- please, please, please let the Jinchuu arc be animated.
My OTP needs their animated happy ending.
In music news, Onisuka Chihiro's new single, Aoi Tori, and album, Ken to Kaede, were recently released. I want the album, but I think I'm going to have to wait a month before I can afford it. In the meantime, there's the PV for Aoi Tori to enjoy:
One good thing about Onitsuka switching labels is that the PVs For Life Music posts are of actually watchable quality...
I really like it. It's a lovely, stirring folk-rock song, and Onitsuka-san sounds beautiful as always. I love her power ballads, but I also think it's great that she's moving away from her usual sound.
I randomly checked out the indies Oricon chart, and was surprised to find Aldious at no. 1. Mostly because I didn't realize they had the single out -- why they're number one isn't so hard to figure out.
I've been trying to keep up with them, -- their debut single was pretty good -- but the stuff that came after didn't really impress me. Maybe I'll give them another shot -- this song is pretty okay.
On the pop charts, B'z has the number one single, which is about as surprising as the revelation that the sun rises in the east.
This post has been moved to the following URL: http://audiovisualstyle.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/episode-recap-puella-magi-madoka-magica-episode-10/
Are your favourite artistes all right? I'm still wondering what happened to Onitsuka Chihiro...but my worry is certainly nothing compared to what the victims in Japan are feeling. Here's just a few of the many ways to help:
Mercy Relief (Singapore)
Red Cross (US)
Global Giving
Help Japan (Fandom Auctions on LiveJournal)
So we all know by now that Madoka's airing for episode 11 has been delayed, not in the least because I am extremely late in mentioning this and it's usual timeslot has come and gone. "Self-restraint" is an incredibly vague reason, but whether it's due to content-related sensitivity in light of Japan's disaster or a difficulty in meeting the deadline due to having to deal with said disaster, let's not bitch about it, shall we?
From a purely selfish standpoint, we're likely to get a a more polished episode 11. As for humanitarian considerations...It's not hard to come up with some from the top of your head, now, is it? While I'm not sure how badly SHAFT's staff are hit by the disaster, someone there is going to appreciate the restraint. There'll be relatives to worry about, power outages, food shortage, the vision of carnage that Madoka's creators were probably planning to display potentially hitting too close to home...Give them a break. I get it, episode 10 was awesome, they can't just leave us hanging like that, oh the despair, blah blah blah but let's keep things in perspective. At least they've said they're working on it. I know we can't help being disappointed, but raging? Not cool. We'll survive without Madoka for a while. Let the country that gave it to us get back on its feet, and we can all go find something mildly productive to do in the meantime instead of bitching.
I admit, though, it's near impossible not to wonder how long it will take till we see episode 11. A popular theory is that they're timing it so that the last episode airs on or around the actual Walpurgis Night (which is on a Saturday, I think, while Madoka's usual timeslot is on Thursday). I haven't found any source I can trust that gives any confirmation as to when it'll air, if it'll air at all. It does not help that I don't read Japanese...But most people seem convinced that it won't air the following week either, so it looks like we're in for a wait. I have to say, though, the Walpurgis Night idea sounds cool.
And I should probably work on a summary for episode 10...but I want to watch it again, and I haven't found the time to get around to that. Apart from Homura's backstory, there were so many other things this episode revealed. But it's not like anyone's going crazy from waiting for my recap, right? ^_^ I'll still do my best anyway.
Mercy Relief (Singapore)
Red Cross (US)
Global Giving
Help Japan (Fandom Auctions on LiveJournal)
So we all know by now that Madoka's airing for episode 11 has been delayed, not in the least because I am extremely late in mentioning this and it's usual timeslot has come and gone. "Self-restraint" is an incredibly vague reason, but whether it's due to content-related sensitivity in light of Japan's disaster or a difficulty in meeting the deadline due to having to deal with said disaster, let's not bitch about it, shall we?
From a purely selfish standpoint, we're likely to get a a more polished episode 11. As for humanitarian considerations...It's not hard to come up with some from the top of your head, now, is it? While I'm not sure how badly SHAFT's staff are hit by the disaster, someone there is going to appreciate the restraint. There'll be relatives to worry about, power outages, food shortage, the vision of carnage that Madoka's creators were probably planning to display potentially hitting too close to home...Give them a break. I get it, episode 10 was awesome, they can't just leave us hanging like that, oh the despair, blah blah blah but let's keep things in perspective. At least they've said they're working on it. I know we can't help being disappointed, but raging? Not cool. We'll survive without Madoka for a while. Let the country that gave it to us get back on its feet, and we can all go find something mildly productive to do in the meantime instead of bitching.
I admit, though, it's near impossible not to wonder how long it will take till we see episode 11. A popular theory is that they're timing it so that the last episode airs on or around the actual Walpurgis Night (which is on a Saturday, I think, while Madoka's usual timeslot is on Thursday). I haven't found any source I can trust that gives any confirmation as to when it'll air, if it'll air at all. It does not help that I don't read Japanese...But most people seem convinced that it won't air the following week either, so it looks like we're in for a wait. I have to say, though, the Walpurgis Night idea sounds cool.
And I should probably work on a summary for episode 10...but I want to watch it again, and I haven't found the time to get around to that. Apart from Homura's backstory, there were so many other things this episode revealed. But it's not like anyone's going crazy from waiting for my recap, right? ^_^ I'll still do my best anyway.
This post has been moved to the following URL: http://audiovisualstyle.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/episode-recap-puella-magi-madoka-magica-episode-9/
It really has been crazy this week. I've only gotten around to watching episode 8 and 9 is already out.
But before I forget, let me just share what was going through my mind by the time the episode ended.
The best thing about Madoka isn't that it's unpredictable. You know that the characters are going to slide deeper into tragedy. But no matter how convinced you are by your own dire predictions, you don't quite want to believe it because you've learned to care about these girls, or at the very least don't think anyone deserves to be put through what they've experienced. So upon seeing it being played before your eyes in its full, horrifying glory, the shock hits you anew. It's a masterfully executed trainwreck, and you can't look away because you've invested too much now and you need to see just how badly it's going to end up.
That being said, the show is not without its surprises. I did not expect that to be Kyubey's true motive, and while hints of Homura's identity indicate that a certain time-traveler theory may be on the mark, there are still things about her that need to be explained.
So bravo, Madoka. No matter what happens from now on, I've already been impressed enough.
My one major gripe is this: Homura, if you already knew everything, why the fuck didn't you explain earlier? In full? No, I'm not buying the whole "I tried but no one listened." Try harder.
Or maybe, for some reason, she can't...but we'll see.
I'm going to go get started on episode 9 now, and hopefully find some time to talk about it.
But before I forget, let me just share what was going through my mind by the time the episode ended.
The best thing about Madoka isn't that it's unpredictable. You know that the characters are going to slide deeper into tragedy. But no matter how convinced you are by your own dire predictions, you don't quite want to believe it because you've learned to care about these girls, or at the very least don't think anyone deserves to be put through what they've experienced. So upon seeing it being played before your eyes in its full, horrifying glory, the shock hits you anew. It's a masterfully executed trainwreck, and you can't look away because you've invested too much now and you need to see just how badly it's going to end up.
That being said, the show is not without its surprises. I did not expect that to be Kyubey's true motive, and while hints of Homura's identity indicate that a certain time-traveler theory may be on the mark, there are still things about her that need to be explained.
So bravo, Madoka. No matter what happens from now on, I've already been impressed enough.
My one major gripe is this: Homura, if you already knew everything, why the fuck didn't you explain earlier? In full? No, I'm not buying the whole "I tried but no one listened." Try harder.
Or maybe, for some reason, she can't...but we'll see.
I'm going to go get started on episode 9 now, and hopefully find some time to talk about it.
For anyone who's waiting for the next Madoka summary (are there any of you?) I apologize -- it's been a busy week. I'll include my thoughts for episode 7 when I do my write-up for episode 8.
For now, here's some sporadic coverage on J-music, which includes only stuff that I'm interested in because I am egocentric like that:
Pop duo angela, who've churned out some amazing songs for Soukyuu no Fafner, Stellvia of the Universe and Asura Cryin', will be in Singapore for Jplex, along with FLOW (who did OPs for Code Geass). I've gone and blown SGD98 (I am so broke now) for tickets to angela's live, and I really hope it'll be worth it, although the 70 minutes performance time sounds a bit short. But it includes a meet-and-greet session, so that'll sweeten the deal a bit. They were amazing when I saw them at Anime Festival Asia, and I'm counting on them to deliver once again.
Onitsuka Chihiro's announced a new single (Aoi Tori) and album (Ken to Kaede) for release on the 6th and 20th of April respectively. Something to look forward to, certainly -- she's an amazing singer and songwriter, and one of few solo J-pop singers I truly admire. She's also releasing an autobiography on the same day as the album release. I would be very interested in reading that, although I doubt it'd get translated. I can't help wondering about the woman behind those beautiful, painful songs, with their depressing outlook on love. And from what I've picked up she's seen some really rough days, especially during her hiatus. And just last year she was the victim of an assault, by a guy she was dating, no less. Ouch.
She also seems to have switched record labels again, from Universal to For Life Music Entertainment...well, as long as it won't impede her ability to put out great music, what label she's with shouldn't matter.
Versailles Philharmonic Quintet's (or just Versailles) new PV Philia came out a few days back. The single for the song itself will be out only on March 15.
It's...a decent song, I suppose. Listenable enough, but I'm not terribly impressed. Might grow on me. It actually sounds more like something I'd expect from Galneryus, more straight-up metal rather than romantic visual rock. But we get the usual guitar harmony between Hizaki and Teru, and I am always a sucker for dual harmonizing guitars.
Loving the black costumes, though. I don't usually pay much attention to costumes (pretty weird for a Visual Kei fan) other than to appreciate the fact that they're in something more interesting to look at than T-shirts and jeans. But those black outfits caught my eye -- they're pretty low-key, by Versailles's standards, but sleek and classy.
He's been around too long to be a young man. But he still looks pretty hot
I can only dream of looking as cute in that dress. Damn, Hizaki
Well, that's all I've got for now. I'll try to get that Madoka entry up within the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
For now, here's some sporadic coverage on J-music, which includes only stuff that I'm interested in because I am egocentric like that:
Pop duo angela, who've churned out some amazing songs for Soukyuu no Fafner, Stellvia of the Universe and Asura Cryin', will be in Singapore for Jplex, along with FLOW (who did OPs for Code Geass). I've gone and blown SGD98 (I am so broke now) for tickets to angela's live, and I really hope it'll be worth it, although the 70 minutes performance time sounds a bit short. But it includes a meet-and-greet session, so that'll sweeten the deal a bit. They were amazing when I saw them at Anime Festival Asia, and I'm counting on them to deliver once again.
Onitsuka Chihiro's announced a new single (Aoi Tori) and album (Ken to Kaede) for release on the 6th and 20th of April respectively. Something to look forward to, certainly -- she's an amazing singer and songwriter, and one of few solo J-pop singers I truly admire. She's also releasing an autobiography on the same day as the album release. I would be very interested in reading that, although I doubt it'd get translated. I can't help wondering about the woman behind those beautiful, painful songs, with their depressing outlook on love. And from what I've picked up she's seen some really rough days, especially during her hiatus. And just last year she was the victim of an assault, by a guy she was dating, no less. Ouch.
She also seems to have switched record labels again, from Universal to For Life Music Entertainment...well, as long as it won't impede her ability to put out great music, what label she's with shouldn't matter.
Versailles Philharmonic Quintet's (or just Versailles) new PV Philia came out a few days back. The single for the song itself will be out only on March 15.
It's...a decent song, I suppose. Listenable enough, but I'm not terribly impressed. Might grow on me. It actually sounds more like something I'd expect from Galneryus, more straight-up metal rather than romantic visual rock. But we get the usual guitar harmony between Hizaki and Teru, and I am always a sucker for dual harmonizing guitars.
Loving the black costumes, though. I don't usually pay much attention to costumes (pretty weird for a Visual Kei fan) other than to appreciate the fact that they're in something more interesting to look at than T-shirts and jeans. But those black outfits caught my eye -- they're pretty low-key, by Versailles's standards, but sleek and classy.
He's been around too long to be a young man. But he still looks pretty hot
I can only dream of looking as cute in that dress. Damn, Hizaki
Well, that's all I've got for now. I'll try to get that Madoka entry up within the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
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