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.

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?!

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.

"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.

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.

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?

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.

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...