Smooth and Flat

So I’m on a vacation for two weeks already but alas, that said vacation ends today. Had too many outdoor activities (mostly bicycle stuff) so had no chances nor material to post here. However, work starts and that means it’ll get lively here again.

In the meanwhile, some shitty photos (my camera is totally dying on me).

It’s the second day of C76 and we’ve got three – just think about it, three! – new games.

• TH12, 東方星蓮船〜 Undefined Fantastic Object
• TH12.3, 東方非想天則〜 超弩級ギニョルの謎を追え (Unthinkable Natural Law: Chase the Enigma of the Superdreadnought Guignol)
• 紅魔城伝説 スカーレット・シンフォニー (Legend of the Crimson Devil Castle: Scarlet Symphony)

The first one is the official 12th (pun not intended) game in the series, by Team Shanghai Alice. And Sanae is a playable character now! (Yes, I’m a fan of Sanae. Not as much as of Remilia or Ran, though.)

Scarlet Weather Rhapsody’s expansion, Touhou Unthinkable Natural Law, also features Sanae as a playable character (along with Cirno the Strongest) and is produced by Tasogare Frontier in association with Team Shanghai Alice. It’s a fighting game, just as SWR was.

Finally, Scarlet Symphony is, basically, Castlevania with Reimu as the main character.

I’m kind of busy playing the games now…

P.S. Some art related to Scarlet Symphony follows.

Got these yesterday.

Nice soundtrack indeed, but I wouldn’t go beyond ‘nice’; although there are some tracks I like, the mini album by Yousei Teikoku remains the best (for me) out of music releases related to Kurokami (counting the opening singles, and the 2nd ending theme).

05.08.2009

• Kanamemo Opening Single – Kimi e to Tsunagu Kokoro – by Toyosaki Aki, Mizuhara Kaoru, and Kugimiya Rie (Kana, Saki, Mika).
• Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Ending Single – Zetsubou Restaurant – by Zetsubou Shoujotachi.
• Suzumiya Haruhi no Kiroku – character songs compilation.
• Suzumiya Haruhi no Kioku – greatest hits.
• Ga-Rei -zero- DJCD Vol. 1 – by Mizuhara Kaoru, Chihara Minori, Shiraishi Minoru.
• TV Animation Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-hen Opening Single – by JAM Project.
• TV Animation Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-hen Ending Single – Tsuyoki Mono yo – by SKE48.
• TV Animation Taisho Yakyu Musume Ending Single – by Kanami Ito.
• TV Animation -Saki- 2nd Opening Single – bloooomin’ – by Little Non.
• TV Animation Aoi Hana Ending Single – Centifolia.
• TV Animation Hatsukoi Limited Original Soundtrack.
• TV Animation Hatsukoi Limited Character Song MAXI Single Vol. 4 – Arihara Ayumi, Ando Soako – by Ise Mariya and Goto Saori.
• Umi Monogatari Web Radio Opening Single – by Asumi Kanako and Kotobuki Minako.
• TV Animation Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou Ending Single – Made in WONDER – by Misato Aki.
• TV Animation Fresh Pretty Cure Opening and Ending Single – Let’s! Fresh Pretty Cure! / Happy Together!!! – by Moie Mizuki, Hayashi Momoko.
• Shugo Chara!! Character Song Collection Vol. 2.
• Valkyria Chronicles Ending Single – Hitotsu no Negai – by Inoue Hikari.
• Arad Senki – Slap Up Party Ending Single – Level 8 – by Hasegawa Akiko.
• Spice and Wolf 2 Opening Single – Mitsu no Yoake – by Arai Akino.
• Spice and Wolf 2 Ending Single – Perfect World – by ROCKY CHACK.

07.08.2009

• Chrome Shelled Regios Character Songs -The First Session-.

12.08.2009

• TV Animation K-ON! Character Song Single – Death Devil – Maddy Candy – by Sanada Asami (Yamanaka Sawako, or just Sawa-chan).

14.08.2009

• SH@PPLE Drama CD – by Kugimiya Rie, Inoue Marina, Endo Aya, and others (SH@PPLE is a series of light novels; might get an anime series sometime soon – I’d love to watch that).

19.08.2009

• TV Animation Tytania – Original Score for Tytania.
• TV Animation Umineko no Naku Koro ni Opening Theme – Katayoku no Tori – by Shikata Akiko.
• TV Animation Phantom – Requiem for the Phantom Opening Single – Senritsu no Kodomotachi – by ALI PROJECT.
• TV Animation Basquash! Opening Single – Boku ga Boku no Mama – by THE SPIN.
• TV Animation Basquash! Ending Single – Futari no Yakusoku – by Eclipse.
• Exit Trance Presents Speed Anime Trance Bitter.
• Pandora Hearts Ending Single – Watashi wo Mitsukete – by savage genius.

21.08.2009

• To Aru Majutsu no Index Archives Vol. 4.
• Souten Kouro Original Soundtrack.

25.08.2009

• TV Animation Queen’s Blade Character Song & Drama Vol. 3 – Nanael – by Hirano Aya.
• TV Animation Queen’s Blade Character Song & Drama Vol. 4 – Melona – by Kugimiya Rie.

26.08.2009

• Anime House Project – Shinkyoku Selection Vol. 1 – a compilation album; house arrangements of various anime-related songs (including K-ON!).
• D.C.I.F. ~Da Capo~ Innocent Finale Drama CD – Kotori no Shinkon Nikki – by Horie Yui and others.
• Kiratto Jazz – by 8ch; a compilation album featuring jazz covers of various anime-related songs.
• Cobra the Animation “The Psychogun” and “Time Drive” – Complete Original Soundtrack.
• Hayate no Gotoku!! Character CD 2nd Series Vol. 5 – Nishizawa Ayumu (Hamster) – by Takahashi Mikako.
• Hayate no Gotoku!! Character CD 2nd Series Vol. 6 – Hakuou Gakuen Seitoukai Sannin Musume – by Yahagi Sayuri, Nakao Eri, and Asano Masumi.
• Hayate no Gotoku!! Opening Single – daily-daily Dream! – by KOTOKO.
• Minami-ke Okaeri DJCD Vol. 3 – by Satou Rina, Inoue Marina, and Chihara Minori.
• Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Ending Single – Kurayami Shinchu Soshisoai – by Itoshiki Nozomu and Kimura Kaere.
• Lantis 10th Anniversary Kikaku Album Nani kore. Warai.
• Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu Remix CD – Full Mix.
• Yousei Teikoku Best Album Vol. 2 – by Yousei Teikoku, obviously.
• Lucky Channel Radio CD Vol. 1 – by Konno Hiromi (Akira) and Shiraishi Minoru.
• Tears to Tiara Ending Single – Weeping Alone – by Aira Yuuki.
• CANAAN Ending Theme – by Annabel.
• Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu Ending Single – Tomare! – by Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori, and Goto Yuko.
• Princess Lover! Ending Single – S.S.D! – by yozuca*.
• TV Animation -Saki- Drama CD Vol. 1.
• Aoi Hana Original Soundtrack.
• TV Animation NEEDLESS Ending Single – Aggressive zone – by NEEDLESS GIRLS+.
• Hatsukoi Limited Drama CD.
• TV Animation Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou Character Song Album.
• Sora no Manimani Ending Single – Hoshikuzu no Surround – by CooRie.
• Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga ite kureta koto~ Ending Single – Tomei na Inori – by Ito Masumi.
• TV Animation K-ON! Image Song – Tainaka Ritsu – by Satou Satomi.
• TV Animation K-ON! Image Song – Kotobuki Tsumugi – by Kotobuki Minako.
• TV Animation K-ON! Image Song – Nakano Azusa – by Taketatsu Ayana.
• Kuroshitsuji Sound Complete Black Box.
• Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Voice Actor Single – Saji Crossroad – by Irino Miyu.
• TV Animation Pandora Hearts Pandora Radio Special CD Vol. 2 – Niku Niku Oniku Kyukyouku no Gyuniku Paradise.

28.08.2009

• Chrome Shelled Regios Character Songs -The Second Session-.

So yeah, if Saki is Lesbian Undertones the Animation, Kanamemo leaves it far behind. Though the series is pretty amusing if you ignore Yume and Yuki’s relationship (and the drunkard, too).

Mika and Saki are both too cute (yes, Kanamemo has a character called Saki; not to be mistaken with Miyanaga Saki from that other anime series); Saki is, though, also an evil overlord (which only adds points for her, of course). Mika is a tsundere. Or rather, she is The Queen of Tsundere. Kugimiya’s skills taken to an extreme degree. Mika is also a pro in the field of verbal abuse.

Romance; comedy; slice of life; shoujo ai; Kugimiya.

P.S. You gotta love Mika.

P.P.S. I’m dead serious about that.

Tokyo Magnitude gets even better in episode 2. And yeah, nothing happens, yet again (save for the earthquake, of course). I think I like the characters, and probably the story, too, and the animation quality is pretty nice, so I’m rating the series 10/10 for now.

I’ve yet again noticed a huge difference in the upbringing of children in large cities like Tokyo and small towns like mine. For example, Mirai talks back to her parents easily, which is completely out of question for me. This might as well be linked to the crazy rhythm of life in those megapolis-class entities with people getting too focused on work, though.

Studio BONES’s new project. No action. There is no action in this series. It’s about two kids finding their way home after an earthquake destroyed their city.

Slice of life, to be honest. And really nicely done; however, I was a bit surprised by the fact that the opening song is performed by abingdon boys school.

I guess many people would find the series boring, though. Maybe because nothing happens.

And here we’ve got a new series by SHAFT, based on the original work by NisiOisin.

Yes, it’s SHAFT. Weirdness is guaranteed. The visuals are awesome, probably the best in this season. The soundtrack is… fine, as I didn’t really yet get an impression on it. Voice acting is pretty good. Facial animation is great. Character designs kick ass.

And Hitagi looks like Yomi from GA-REI -zero-.

I am the ghost of myself.
Tomo is my friend, and Kanade is my rival.
I have haunted Tomo for a thousand days,
Unknown to death, nor known to life.
Withstood pain to allow Kurogane to be summoned,
Yet these hands will never hold anything.
So, as I pray,
Unlimited Asura Works.

Yes, it’s the 4th post in a row.

The adaptation of TYPE-MOON’s visual novel, -428-, is named CANAAN. Incidentally, it’s also the name of one of the heroines, who works as an assassin (or something like that). We’ve got TYPE-MOON character designs (which is a huge plus for a fan like me), and nicely animated action scenes (I hope they won’t fail with that later – like, doing the first episode using 50% of the entire series budget).

Can’t really say anything else as the plot remains a mystery to me.