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Next Ghibli Film from Takahata Is Now More 'Definite'
Studio Ghibli President Koji Hoshino revealed to the Nikkei Waga Maga website that studio co-founder Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, Pom Poko) is proceeding with his preparations for a new film. While he cannot discuss the contents of the film yet, Hoshino said the plans are now more "definite" compared to one year ago. Hoshino first mentioned that Takahata and Goro Miyazaki (the son of studio co-founder and Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki) are developing new works in February. While it has been nearly a decade since Takahata directed his last film, 1999's My Neighbors the Yamadas, Hoshino said that Takahata has not stopped animating or writing on other works. Hoshino added that Takahata is in very good spirits, so he hopes audiences will look forward to the next film.Hoshino also reiterated that Goro Miyazaki is also still developing his next work after 2006's Tales from Earthsea (Gedo Senki). Besides Takahata and the two Miyazakis, Hoshino noted there is a likely chance that Ghibli will promote one of its own animators to direct a film or recruit a director from outside the studio.
Bleach, Death Note, Naruto Added to U.S. iTunes Store
Kare Kano
His and Her Circumstances (彼氏彼女の事情 Kareshi Kanojo no Jijō?), commonly abbreviated Kare Kano (カレカノ?), is a manga series by Masami Tsuda. It was published by Hakusensha in LaLa from 1995 to 2005 and collected in 21 bound volumes. It depicts the romance between "perfect" student Yukino Miyazawa and her academic rival Soichiro Arima, and the relationships of several of their friends.
The series was adapted as a 26-episode anime television series by Gainax, directed by Hideaki Anno and Kazuya Tsurumaki. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1998 to March 1999.
The manga is published in English by Tokyopop as Kare Kano. The anime is distributed in English by Right Stuf International as His and Her Circumstances, and sub-licensed by Enoki Films USA with the title Tales at North Hills High.
Plot
The main character is Yukino Miyazawa, a Japanese high school freshman who is the envy of classmates for her good grades and immaculate appearance. However, this is a charade she maintains to win praise—in private, she is spoiled, stubborn, and a slob, and studies relentlessly instead of spending time with her sisters. On entering high school, she is knocked from her position at the top of the class by Soichiro Arima, a handsome young man whose very existence Yukino considers a threat to the praise on which she thrives, and she vows to destroy him. For his part, Soichiro is also living a facade, as he strives to be perfect in order to avoid turning "bad" like the parents who abandoned him. After some misunderstandings, they see through each other's mask and fall in love. The series follows their relationship through high school and beyond as they learn how to trust each other, along the way also exploring the relationships of several of their friends.
The anime adaptation ends just before the school's annual cultural festival, in volume 7 of the manga. The manga goes on to cover the festival (including a play written by Yukino's friend Aya and performed by Yukino and friends), the revelation of the Arima family's secrets, and the backstories of many other characters. The final chapter ends Yukino and Soichiro in their 30s, the same age as Yukino's parents at the start.
Characters
The main characters are high school students Yukino Miyazawa and Soichiro Arima.
- Yukino Miyazawa (宮沢 雪野 Miyazawa Yukino?) Voiced by: Atsuko Enomoto (Japanese), Veronica Taylor (English)
- Smart, attractive, athletic, and talented, Yukino Miyazawa had made herself to appear to be the model student. Her classmates admire her, often asking her for help and comparing her to models. Her "perfect" exterior is a façade, however, one maintained solely to receive praise from others. She calls herself a "queen of vanity," having been that way her parents would praise her as a child for the slightest actions. She is described by Newtype USA as the "anti-Girl Next Door" for her perfection and deceitfulness.[1]
- While working so hard for praise, Yukino never realized that she had no real friends and was considered by her peers as a semi-approachable "guest." This all changes when Yukino meets Soichiro Arima, who beats her high school entrance exam score, and is even more popular and athletic than she. Yukino envies her new rival and struggles to top his grades. When Soichiro confesses that he has a crush on her, she rejects him and laughs about it afterwards, though her observant sister Kano points out that her rivalry with him comes from admiration. More confident of her ability to top Soichiro, Yukino lets her guard down and Soichiro discovers her real self as a selfish slob at home. He uses this to blackmail her as a way to spend more time with her. After discovering that Soichiro also maintains a model-student façade for his own reasons, they become good friends and then fall in love. Yukino resolves to abandon her fake ways and become true to herself, though she initially has trouble breaking of her lifelong habit of pretend-perfection. Eventually, she is able to open her true self to others and earns real friends beyond Soichiro.
- Soichiro Arima (有馬 総一郎 Arima Sōichirō?) Voiced by: Chihiro Suzuki (Japanese), Christopher Nicholas (English)
- Smart, attractive, athletic, and talented, Soichiro Arima is a model student who excels at kendo. He is at first smitten by Yukino, unaware that she secretly hated him and is trying to compete with him. After unwittingly discovering that Yukino is not the perfect young woman everyone thinks she is, Soichiro blackmails her into doing his student council work so he can spend more time with her. When Yukino finally revolts and learns that Soichiro, like her, is making an effort to "be perfect" for a reason, they become each other's first true friend and eventually fall in love.
- While Yukino is motivated by praise and vanity, Soichiro is trying to cover his "real" self, a self damaged by childhood trauma that he fears may be destructive. While Soichiro comes from a distinguished family of doctors, he was abandoned by his parents, who were the family's disgrace, and raised by his uncle and aunt. Fearing that he may turn "bad" like his parents, he is always trying to hide behind a mask and constantly fights his own demons. As with Yukino, he feels more in touch with his true self as he falls in love, but along with love, he becomes increasingly jealous of Yukino's friends, her activities, her life without him. When Yukino unknowingly hurts him, he becomes more jealous and afraid, and begins to wear another facade that he hopes will fool her and protect her from his "ugly" self.
Manga
His and Her Circumstances was published in Japan by Hakusensha in LaLa from December 1995 to April 2005. The 101 chapters (called "Acts") were collected in 21 bound volumes.[2] All 21 volumes are published in English by Tokyopop.[3] Tokyopop has begun reissuing omnibus volumes, with the first collection containing the first three volumes published in February 2008.[4]
| # | Japanese[5] | English[2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | ISBN | Release date | ISBN | |
| 1 | 1996-06-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12065-0 | 2003-01-21 | ISBN 978-1-931514-79-8 |
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| 2 | 1997-02-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12066-7 | 2003-03-04 | ISBN 978-1-931514-80-4 |
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| 3 | 1997-08-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12067-4 | 2003-05-06 | ISBN 978-1-59182-058-1 |
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| 4 | 1997-12-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12068-1 | 2003-07-08 | ISBN 978-1-59182-059-8 |
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| 5 | 1998-06-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12069-8 | 2003-09-09 | ISBN 978-1-59182-180-9 |
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| 6 | 1998-10-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12070-4 | 2003-11-11 | ISBN 978-1-59182-181-6 |
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| 7 | 1999-03-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12071-1 | 2004-01-06 | ISBN 978-1-59182-472-5 |
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| 8 | 1999-09-04 | ISBN 978-4-592-12072-8 | 2004-03-02 | ISBN 978-1-59182-473-2 |
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| 9 | 2000-03-04 | ISBN 978-4-592-12073-5 | 2004-05-04 | ISBN 978-1-59182-474-9 |
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| 10 | 2000-10-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12074-2 | 2004-07-06 | ISBN 978-1-59182-475-6 |
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| 11 | 2001-07-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12075-9 | 2004-09-07 | ISBN 978-1-59182-476-3 |
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| 12 | 2001-10-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12076-6 | 2004-11-02 | ISBN 978-1-59182-477-0 |
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| 13 | 2002-05-02 | ISBN 978-4-592-12077-3 | 2005-01-11 | ISBN 978-1-59532-587-7 |
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| 14 | 2002-09-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12078-0 | 2005-03-08 | ISBN 978-1-59532-588-4 |
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| 15 | 2003-02-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-12079-7 | 2005-05-10 | ISBN 978-1-59532-589-1 |
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| 16 | 2003-07-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-17860-6 | 2005-07-12 | ISBN 978-1-59532-590-7 |
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| 17 | 2003-12-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-17861-3 | 2005-09-06 | ISBN 978-1-59532-591-4 |
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| 18 | 2004-05-01 | ISBN 978-4-592-17862-0 | 2005-12-13 | ISBN 978-1-59532-592-1 |
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| 19 | 2004-10-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-17863-7 | 2006-04-07 | ISBN 978-1-59816-182-3 |
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| 20 | 2005-03-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-17864-4 | 2006-08-08 | ISBN 978-1-59816-183-0 |
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| 21 | 2005-08-05 | ISBN 978-4-592-17865-1 | 2007-01-10 | ISBN 978-1-59816-840-2 |
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| # | Title | Original airdate[8] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Her Circumstances" "Kanojo no Jijou" (彼女の事情) |
1998-10-02 |
| 2 | "Their Secret" "Futari no Himitsu" (二人の秘密) |
1998-10-09 |
| 3 | "His Circumstances" "Kareshi no Jijou" (彼氏の事情) |
1998-10-16 |
| 4 | "Her Difficult Problem" "Kanojo no Nandai" (彼女の難題) |
1998-10-23 |
| 5 | "Day of Labyrinth" "Kare no Yabou" (彼の野望) |
1998-10-30 |
| 6 | "Your Voice That Changes Me" "Boku wo Kaeru, Kimi no Koe" (僕を変える、君の声) |
1998-11-06 |
| 7 | "Their Estrangement" "Futari no Sokaku" (二人の阻隔) |
1998-11-13 |
| 8 | "Her Day" "Sono Hi, Miyazawa Yukino wa" (その日、宮沢雪野は) |
1998-11-20 |
| 9 | "Atonement for Postponed Debts" "Moratoriamu no Shokuzai" (モラトリアムの贖罪) |
1998-11-27 |
| 10 | "Everything Starts Now" "Subete wa Korekara" (すべてはこれから) |
1998-12-04 |
| 11 | "At the End of the First Semester" "Natsu no Yasumi no Hajimari ni" (夏の休みのはじまりに) |
1998-12-11 |
| 12 | "The Location of Happyness" "Shiawase no Ari ka" (仕合わせの在りか) |
1998-12-18 |
| 13 | "The Subjectivity of Happiness" "Shiawase no Shukan" (幸せの主観) |
1998-12-25 |
| 14 | "The Story So Far" "Kore Made no Ohanashi" (これまでのお話) |
1998-12-30 |
| 15 | "The Story So Far (Part 2)" "Koe no Mukou ni Mieru Mono" (声の向こうに見えるもの) |
1999-01-08 |
| 16 | "Eternal Interspersion" "Eien no Tentei" (永遠の点綴) |
1999-01-15 |
| 17 | "His Return" "Ano no Kyorai" (彼の去来) |
1999-01-22 |
| 18 | "Progress" "Shinka" (シン・カ) |
1999-01-29 |
| 19 | "14 Days/1" (14DAYS・１) |
1999-02-05 |
| 20 | "14 Days/2" (14DAYS・２) |
1999-02-12 |
| 21 | "14 Days/3" (14DAYS・３) |
1999-02-19 |
| 22 | "14 Days/4" (14DAYS・４) |
1999-02-26 |
| 23 | "14 Days/5" (14DAYS・５) |
1999-03-05 |
| 24 | "A Different Story From So Far" "Ima Made to Chigau Ohanashi - 1" (今までと違うお話・1) |
1999-03-12 |
| 25 | "A Different Story From Up to Now" "Ima Made to Chigau Ohanashi - 2" (今までと違うお話・2) |
1999-03-19 |
| 26 | "14 Days/6" (14DAYS・6)  |
Marmalade Boy
Plot
Miki Koishikawa's ordinary life as a high school junior is turned upside down when her parents suddenly announce that they are getting divorced in order to swap partners with a couple they met in Hawaii. They seek her approval of the shocking change, and at a dinner where Miki meets the other couple as well as their son Yuu, who is about her age, she reluctantly agrees to the arrangement. Yuu, while at first a jerk who takes every opportunity to make fun of Miki, turns out to be fun and attractive, and Miki finds herself falling for him. Little by little, she accepts her new family arrangement, and opens up to Yuu as they become friends.
Miki and Yuu's relationship starts to become complicated because of the previous relationships that they have and develop with other characters. These include Miki's long time classmate and former crush, Ginta Suou, and Yuu's former girlfriend, Arimi Suzuki. A secondary subplot develops when Miki's best friend, Meiko Akizuki, herself starts to have her own problems because of the relationship she has gotten into with one of the teachers, Namura Shin'ichi.
Throughout the series, Miki and Yuu's relationship is further developed and tried, influenced by other characters around them and the relationships that they develop with these characters.
Characters
The cast of Marmalade Boy is diverse, and largely defined by their relationships with Miki Koishikawa and Yuu Matsura. Although the relationship between these two protagonists is the primary focus of the series series, many of the supporting characters are also well-developed.[1]
Miki Koishikawa (小石川 光希 Koishikawa Miki?) is a cheerful, friendly, outspoken, and good-hearted high school girl. Miki had her heart broken in junior high by her best male friend Ginta, and while she got over it and was able to become friends with him again, she also showed no interest in moving on to someone else. When she was in high school, her parents returned from a trip to Hawaii and announced they were going to swap spouses with another couple. The Matsuura's had a son Miki's age named Yuu. The two families decided to share a house together. While having to get used to her strange new family, Miki also found herself falling in love with her stepbrother. Voiced by: Mariko Kouda (Japanese), Michelle Ruff (English)
Yuu Matsuura (松浦 遊 Matsuura Yū?) is smart and naturally athletic, able to excel in many sports. Personality wise, he is much the opposite of Miki, being more detached, less emotional, and less open about his feelings than Miki. Miki calls him "Marmalade Boy" because she thinks he is sweet on the outside but bitter inside, while he admires Miki's ability to clearly express her emotions. After their families move in together, Yuu falls in love with Miki while dealing with his own private demons regarding his birth. Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu (Japanese), Michael Lindsay (English)
Production
When Wataru Yoshizumi first started planning Marmalade Boy, with Miki, Yuu, Ginta, and Meiko all the opposite genders of what they ended up being in the final versions. The original Miki looked similar to Yuu's final appearance, while Yuu was an attractive girl with long black hair and a "devilish" and "unpredictable" personality. Yoshizumi notes several reasons behind the changes. Part of the reason was that it was a request from the Ribon publishers, who wanted a female as the central character as the story was going to be included in a "Mother's Day" set with magnets featuring the characters. Her associate editor also expressed concerns that a male hero would be a "sissy" when written about by a female writer. Finally, Yoshizumi herself decided that she would go with a heroine rather than a hero as most of the Ribon readers are girls.[2]
In the original story, the title of Marmalade Boy was an indication of the hero Miki's cheerful, sweet, and naive nature. After redoing the concept, she wanted to keep the original title, changing its meaning to what is stated in the first volume, that Yuu "has lots of bitter its inside" him but people only see his sweet surface.[2][3]
The ending for the series was also very different from the final version. Ginta and Arimi were not going to be a couple in the original version, nor was Meiko going to be reunited with Namura. Yoshizumi originally intended for Miki and Yuu to truly be blood siblings, and thus have to break up. Afterwards, Ginta would comfort Miki and promising to wait for her to get over Yuu. Yuu and Meiko would have been shown meeting four years later, having both having failed in their previous relationships. The ending would have been more open ending so readers would have had to wonder what really would happen to everyone. However, as she was writing the third chapter, Yoshizumi became less certain of the ending, as it made Miki and Yuu's parents appear to be awful people for doing such a thing to their children. She also was concerned how readers would react, and her own feelings of "emptiness" at the sad ending. Her editor agreed that the ending would be bad, so she changed it to the happier one now found in the series.[4]
The Story of Saiunkoku
Plot
The story, which takes place in the fictional empire of Saiunkoku, follows the adventures of Shūrei Kō, a descendant of a noble family that has fallen on hard times.
Her father works as a librarian in the Imperial palace, a post which offers prestige and respect, but little compensation. Shūrei teaches in the temple school and works odd jobs to make ends meet, but her dream is to pass the imperial examinations and take a post in government, a path forbidden to women.
Shūrei's plans come to an abrupt halt when the Emperor's Grand Advisor makes a startling offer, which is joining the imperial household for six months as the young Emperor's consort, and teach the Emperor to be a responsible ruler. If she succeeds, the financial reward will be great.
The story details Shūrei's growing relationships with the Emperor and other members of the court, the intrigues that surround imperial politics, and her commitment to better herself and her country
Setting
According to legend, Saiunkoku was once infested by demons who threw the country into turmoil and made the people miserable. A brave young warrior named Sō Gen gathered together the eight Enlightened Sages of Colour and drove away the demons.
Sō Gen then forged the nation of Saiunkoku and became its first emperor. After Sō Gen's death, the eight sages disappeared, but according to legend they still exist among the people. A beautiful shrine was built for the Eight Coloured Sages; it still stands within the Imperial City.
Saiunkoku had always been divided into eight distinct provinces named after colours of the rainbow. Six hundred years ago, the Emperor commanded that the ruling family of each province change their names to match the province they ruled. Commoners were forbidden to share the same family names as nobles.
Provinces and ruling families
Each province in Saiunkoku is ruled by a noble family of the same name. All eight provinces and families are named after colors.
- Ran (藍 Ran?, Blue) — The most powerful clan in Saiunkoku, although they play a dormant role in the political issues of the country.
- Kou (紅 Kō?, Red) — Equal power to that of the Ran clan. Along with the Ran clan, the Kō clan is known to be the 'highest of nobility'.
- Heki (碧 Heki?, Green)
- Kō (黄 Kō/Ki?, Yellow) — Although pronounced the same as the 'Red' (紅) clan, the kanji (黄) means 'yellow'.
- Haku (白 Haku ?, White)
- Koku (黒 Koku ?, Black)
- Sa (茶 Sa?, Brown) — Known as the least distinguished clan in Saiunkoku, main estate in the Sa Province.
- Shi (紫 Shi?, Purple) — The family of the Emperor
Characters
- Shūrei Kō (紅 秀麗 Kō Shūrei?)
- Shūrei Kō is the daughter and only child of Shōka Kō of the Kō clan, one of the two most powerful clans in Saiunkoku. She is sixteen years old when the story begins. As a descendant of the direct line, she has the title hime, which means 'princess' or 'lady'. Despite the high social status of her family, Shūrei grew up in relatively impoverished circumstances. Her father's job brought little income, and much of the wealth of their family home was given to the needy during the devastating fight for the imperial succession eight years ago. There are no servants at the Kō residence, so Shūrei has grown adept at household chores such as needlework, cooking and cleaning, traits unusual in a lady of high social standing.
- Ryūki Shi (紫 劉輝 Shi Ryūki?)
- Ryūki Shi is the reigning emperor of Saiunkoku. He is nineteen years old when the story begins. The youngest of six brothers, he was an unlikely candidate to ascend to the throne. Of his five elder brothers, four killed each other over the succession and one was exiled for treason. Ryūki secretly hoped that Seien, his beloved older brother, would eventually return and take his place as Emperor. Ryūki's avoidance of responsibility came to an end when he met Shūrei, who told him of her dreams of making a better life for the nation's people. Ryūki decided to take on his responsibilities and become a respectable Emperor.
- Seiran Shi (茈 静蘭 Shi Seiran?)
- Seiran Shi is a low-ranking army officer and the sole remaining retainer in the Kō household. Seiran was taken in thirteen years ago by Shōka Kō, but no one in the household knows about Seiran's past. He has made a vow to spend his life repaying the kindness of Shōka and Shūrei Kō. He is a very skilled fighter and swordsman and is usually found following Shūrei to guard her, even when she does not know it. Seiran is later revealed to be the previously exiled second elder brother of Ryūki, Seien. He then discreetly protects the emperor by guarding him and giving him hints on decisions to be made, as Seien was often referred to as the son with the greatest potential to become a good emperor in his childhood.
- Kōyū Ri (李 絳攸 Li Kōyū?)
- Though young, Kōyū Li is a civil official holding a high position in the government. He is the Assistant Secretary of Civil Affairs which is one of the ministries under the State Affairs Department of the Imperial Chamber. Kōyū became the youngest person ever to pass the official examinations at the age of 16, taking the top ranked "Jougen" spot. As the series begins, Kōyū has been assigned directly to the Emperor, a position that infuriates him because the wandering Emperor never carries out his duties and can rarely even be found. Despite his reputation as a genius, Kōyū is notorious for having no sense of direction. He gets lost in the palace within 30 steps and it sometimes takes him two hours to get to a destination that only takes 15 minutes for another person, though he does seem to find his way when there is trouble or when he is drunk.
- Shūei Ran (藍 楸瑛 Ran Shūei?)
- He is the General of the Shaorin army. Also part of the Ran family, one of the two greatest clans. The fourth oldest of five brothers. A very skilled swordsman and is usually calm, but likes to tease others. His fighting skills were legendary, due to the fact that he was trained by the Shiba clan (retainer of the Ran clan) that excelled in swordsmanship. He claims to be Kōyū's best friend, though Kōyū keeps denying it. Unlike Kōyū, Shūei is a womanizer. He often mentions how nice it is to spend time with women and was seen surrounded by a horde of women after winning the fighting tournament.
- Eigetsu To (Yōgetsu) (杜 影月/阳月 To Eigetsu/Yōgetsu?)
- He is a shy yet intelligent thirteen-year-old boy who is from the Seika Village, Koku Province. He came to the Capital to take the Imperial Exams after passing the Provincial Exams at the age of twelve. All the people in his village gave his money to wish him well. He later lives with the Kō family since he sends most of what he earns to his village. Eigetsu possesses dissociative identity disorder. He turns into a completely different person after consuming alcohol. Yōgetsu is the name of his other persona. In this state, he becomes more confident and somewhat arrogant, but more mature when it comes to certain things.
Light novels
Main story
- Volume 1 - ISBN 4044499012
- Volume 2 - ISBN 4044499020
- Volume 3 - ISBN 4044499039
- Volume 4 - ISBN 4044499047
- Volume 5 - ISBN 4044499055
- Volume 6 - ISBN 4044499071
- Volume 7 - ISBN 404449908X
- Volume 8 - ISBN 4044499098
- Volume 9 - ISBN 404449911X
- Volume 10 - ISBN 4044499128
- Volume 11 - ISBN 4044499136
- Volume 12 - ISBN 404449914
Side story
- Volume 1 - ISBN 4044499063
- Volume 2 - ISBN 4044499101
- Volume 3[6]
Manga
- Volume 1 - ISBN 4048539698
- Volume 2 - ISBN 4048541048
- Volume 3 - ISBN 4048541781
Radio drama
The were two radio drama(s) that are released separately.[7] [8]
Fanbooks
There was a fanbook released on 28 August 2007.[9] It also has episode summaries of the anime series for the first season. There is also a short novel included in the book.
Anime
The first season of the Saiunkoku Monogatari anime aired in Japan between April 8, 2006 and February 24, 2007, with 39 episodes in total. The second season started in April 7, 2007.
NHK also hosted 9 short clips under the emaki titl
School Rumble
School Rumble (スクールランブル Sukūru Ramburu?) is a manga serialized in the Weekly Shōnen Magazine, created by Jin Kobayashi.[1] The final chapter was released on July 23, 2008. The sequel, School Rumble Z are now published on the monthly Shonen Magazine Special as well, but the first two chapters (as of late October) has been short, one chapter stories.
A 26-episode anime adaptation was broadcast on TV Tokyo between October 2004 and April 2005. In December 2005, an OVA was released, containing two special episodes, and a second season titled "School Rumble - Second Term" was broadcast in 2006 between April and September.[2] The next OVA, titled School Rumble 3rd Semester and containing two episodes will be bundled[3] with volumes 21 and 22 of the School Rumble manga, the first of which released on July 17, 2008. Sony PlayStation games were produced in July 2005 and July 2006.
The manga is published in English by Del Rey Manga. Unlike other Del Rey releases, the manga uses the original Japanese naming order (family name followed by the given name) to preserve the puns in the manga.
It is likely based on Saved by the Bell.
FUNimation Entertainment released the first volume and starter box set on August 21, 2007.[4]
| School Rumble | |
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Plot
The plot of School Rumble covers the daily lives of students of the fictional Yagami High School and their surroundings. The series is of the romance comedy genre, with scenes in the story being exaggerated for comedic purposes.
The female protagonist is Tenma Tsukamoto, a second year high school girl with no special qualities who has a crush on Oji Karasuma, a stonefaced eccentric. The generally clueless Tenma finds it difficult to confess her love to him. Complications arise with Kenji Harima, the male protagonist and a delinquent, who has developed a crush on Tenma. He too has difficulty confessing to her. The attempts of the two characters to confess their respective loves are running gags seen throughout the series.
As the series progresses, the story changes focus to the relationship that develops between Harima and Tenma's close friend, Eri Sawachika, which results from various embarrassing situations involving Eri and Harima. Harima also develops a relationship with Tenma's younger sister Yakumo Tsukamoto, who begins to assist Harima with the development and drawing of his manga.
As the story progresses, Harima gets himself into romantic situations with Tenma, the relationship between Tenma and Karasuma progresses, and Eri's and Yakumo's bonds with Harima grow stronger.
Characters
School Rumble features a diverse cast of characters, most of whom attend Yagami High School, and the protagonists and most of the supporting characters belong to Class 2-C. While both Kenji Harima and Tenma Tsukamoto are the protagonists, the focus is not exclusively on them, as the supporting characters in particular receive a fair amount of character development.
This supporting cast includes Oji Karasuma, Tenma's love interest, who otherwise does not play a more active role in the story. Yakumo Tsukamoto is Tenma's shy younger sister, who can easily read the thoughts of anybody who loves her, including boys who try to approach her, her sister and her pet cat Iori. Tenma's friends include Eri Sawachika, a wealthy, half-English, half-Japanese girl who becomes attracted to Harima, Mikoto Suo, a black belt in Kenpo, and Akira Takano, who is very perceptive, resourceful, intelligent, and mysterious. Rounding out the group is Haruki Hanai, a childhood friend of Mikoto's who is head over heels for Yakumo.
Manga
- School Rumble
- School Rumble Zoukangou (スクールランブル 増刊号?)
- School Rumble Rinji Zoukangou (スクールランブル 臨時増刊号?)
- School Rumble Z (スクールランブル Z?)
In the manga, the main plot is described in chapters marked with a musical sharp sign (e.g. ♯1, ♯2, ...) appeared in Weekly Shōnen Magazine (週刊少年マガジン?). Incidental or side stories are told in flat sign chapters (♭1, ♭2, ...) which appeared in the monthly Magazine Special (マガジンSPECIAL?), and the natural sign chapters (so far only ♮1, included in School Rumble Volume 7) were serialized in the seasonal Shōnen Magazine Wonder (少年マガジンワンダー?). All three magazines and collected volumes are published by Kodansha in Japan. The Del Rey version uses the sharp/flat designations for chapters, with the Sharp chapters listed first in the table of contents of each volume followed by the Flat chapters.
Flat chapters 1-7 focus on Yakumo, chapter ♭8 focuses on Suou Mikoto and Hanai Haruki, and later Flat chapters feature minor characters from the main storyline or Sharp episodes viewed from an alternative perspective. The only Natural chapter released is a general story involving all the characters and their general relationship during the meteor shower during Tanabata with no story bias towards any character.
After the main series' completion, School Rumble Z, which so far has been a collection of one-time stories featuring the series' characters, started serialization in Magazine Special, also using the natural sign denomination.
Anime
- See also: List of School Rumble episodes
The manga was adapted into an anime TV series, School Rumble, was broadcast from October 10, 2004 through April 5, 2005 on TV Tokyo. It was followed by two OVA episodes, School Rumble - First Term Extra, which were released on December 22. A second TV series, School Rumble - Second Term ran from April 2 through September 24, 2006, also on TV Tokyo. The anime series was adapted from a composition of the Sharp chapters, enriched in parts with the Flat and Natural stories. The OVA specials are a compilation of the remaining Flat chapters with an original, new story. Another two-episode OVA is being released, designated as episodes 25 and 26 of School Rumble - Third Term[5] and covering the ending of the main School Rumble manga storyline. The first 24 episodes of School Rumble - Third Term follow the manga storyline between the end of School Rumble - Second Term and the Third Term OVA, however these first 24 episodes are not to be animated and exist only as episode synopsis under the acknowledged fictional pretense that these episodes have been broadcast on television[6]. The School Rumble - Third Term OVA episodes are being released with special editions of volumes 21 and 22 of the School Rumble manga, the first of which was released on July 17, 2008 with the second released on September 17, 2008.
- Theme songs - First Term
- Opening (eps 1-24 and OVA 1-2): "Scramble" (スクランブル) by Yui Horie with UNSCANDAL
- Opening (ep 25): "Umi no Otoko wa yo" (海の男はよ) by Kikokumaru's Man Chorus Group (鬼哭丸少年合唱団)
- Ending (eps 1-17, 19-24 and OVA 2): "Onna no Ko♥Otoko no Ko" (オンナのコ♥オトコのコ; Girls♥Boys) by Yuko Ogura
- Ending (ep 18): "Hatenkou Robo Dojibiron's Theme" (破天荒ロボ ドジビロンのテーマ) by Jūzō Nanba
- Ending (ep 25): "Scramble" (スクランブル Sukuranburu) by Yui Horie with UNSCANDAL
- Ending (ep 26): "School Rumble 4 Ever" by Ami Koshimizu, Hitomi Nabatame, Kaori Shimizu, Yui Horie
- Ending (OVA 1): "Ginga Ensen '05" by Hiroki Takahashi
- Theme songs - Second Term
- Opening: "Sentimental Generation" (せんちめんたる じぇねれーしょん Senchimentaru Jenerēshon) by Ami Tokito (時東 ぁみ Tokitō Ami?)
- Ending (eps 1-12 and 14-16): "Kono Namida ga Aru Kara Tsugi no Ippo to Naru" (この涙があるから次の一歩となる) by Ami Tokito (時東 ぁみ Tokitō Ami?)
- Ending (ep 13): "THE LAST CANDLE"
- Ending (ep 17-26): "Futari wa Wasurechau" (二人は忘れちゃう♡) by the Tsukamoto Sisters, Tenma (Ami Koshimizu) and Yakumo (Mamiko Noto) [1]
- Theme songs - Third Term
- Opening: "Scramble" (スクランブル) by Yui Horie with UNSCANDAL
- Ending (OVA 1): "Onna no Ko♥Otoko no Ko (Tsukamoto Sisters Ver.)" (オンナのコ♥オトコのコ(塚本姉妹ver); Girls♥Boys) by Ami Koshimizu and Mamiko Noto
- Ending (OVA 2): "School Rumble Forever" by Ami Koshimizu, Mamiko Noto, Hitomi Nabatame, Yui Horie, Kaori Shimizu
Music
Gakuen Alice
Gakuen Alice (学園アリス Gakuen Arisu?) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Tachibana Higuchi, currently being serialized in the shōjo manga magazine Hana to Yume.[1] It was adapted into an anime series, which was produced by Aniplex and Group TAC and was originally premiered on NHK BS-2. It spanned twenty-six episodes, between October 30, 2004 and May 14, 2005. The anime was translated and dubbed into English by the anime television network Animax, and the dubbed version has then been broadcast on networks throughout Asia.[2] At Anime Expo 2008, The Right Stuf International announced that its Nozomi Entertainment division had licensed Gakuen Alice for the North American market.| Gakuen Alice | |
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Story
Gakuen Alice is the story of a 10-year old girl Mikan Sakura who is devastated when her best friend, Hotaru Imai, transfers to a special school for "genius" kids in Tokyo. After hearing horrible rumors of what happens in the Academy, Mikan runs away from home to seek out her dear friend, and finds that the school Hotaru transferred to, Gakuen Alice, is specifically for children who each have a special power called an "Alice". To Mikan's surprise, a teacher there, Narumi, discovers that she too has a unique Alice, and admits her to the school.
The story is primarily focused on Mikan and her experiences at the Academy, from the everyday bore of classes and exams, to the unexpected clashes with the Anti-Alice Organization (AAO). Despite her initial view of the so-called greatness of the school, Mikan slowly finds out that beneath the grand facade of the Academy lies a never-ending stream of lies and deception.
Mikan, meets a boy named Natsume, whom she at first hates but unconsciously cares for him, and eventually starts to form a friendship with him, and soon, he became someone whom she loved. Natsume has the Alice of fire and is in the Dangerous Ability class. Natsume hates the Academy and is forced to do its dirty work. Narumi thinks that Mikan holds the key to save Natsume and change the Academy. Natsume's friendship with Mikan continues to grow until he admits his feelings for her, and admits to himself that he loves her and will do anything to protect her.
Along with the many friends she comes to make, including Natsume's best friend, Ruka Nogi, and the class representative, Yū Tobita a.k.a. Iinchō, Mikan comes to love the Academy and its teachers, but its increasingly manipulative and sinister actions toward her make it a dangerous place to be.
Setting
The Gakuen Alice is located somewhere in Tokyo (in the Anime it is across from a huge gorilla billboard.) The size of the school grounds resembles the dimensions of a sprawling estate. The grounds are enough to contain three levels of education (elementary, junior high, senior high) along with a Hospital, the Main Building, and the Central Town, where shops managed by Alice-bearing artisans sell goods that came about with the help of their Alices.
In the anime, the Academy has its own monetary system, the Rabbit (Rt), with one Rabbit equivalent to 100 yen. However, in the manga, the Academy uses yen as their primary currency. There are four forests surrounding the estate; in the manga, the Northern Woods, where the infamous "Mr. Bear" resides, are the most visited.
Communication is limited within the Academy – even letter-sending is limited. This is due to the constant threat to the talented children by kidnappers and slave traders. Potential escapees are deterred by concentration camp-style barriers (like heavy security and electrified fences).
However, honor students and those getting the highest exam scores have the privilege of going home and visiting their relatives for one week. Top students in the Final Examinations get other perks as well, like free meal tickets and certifications, and money as well as a week-long leave.
Alice Type
- Latent Type- Most students at the school are in this class. Alices here are the most traditional, or better known as super powers. It's the most normal class and students here are of the serious type. An example would be the Illusion Alice.
- Technical Type- Just like its name, any experiment can create an Alice level. The Alices in this type are based on technology and research fields. Most students are involved in their individual works, so it's the quietest class. An example would be the Chemistry Alice.
- Somatic Type- This type is not filled with inventions or practice unlike other classes. The Somatic Alices are based on the body of humans, animals, and other living things. An example would be the Animal Pheromone Alice.
- Special Ability- Basically, this class is for students with Alices that don't exactly fit in any of the other three classes. Their powers are different and the class is mixed. The specialty of the class can be described as chaotic or peculiar. Some of the rarest Alices belong to this class. Some examples include the Doppelganger Alice, Shadow Manipulation Alice, and Nullification Alice.
- Dangerous Ability- This is considered to be an extra type. The Alices in this category may be classified under one of the above types, but some characteristics make them dangerous to the school. This class is very different from all the others and could also be described as an occult.Examples are the Alice: stealing alice and the fire alice
Every Alice is categorized as one of four shapes, which specify how much of it can be used and how often.
- Childhood: The Alice slowly appears and disappears as the child with it grows into an adult.
- Diffuse: The Alice is always available, but at a relatively low power level.
- Intermittent: The Alice can only be used for a short period at any time, but at a relatively high power level.
- Limitless: The Alice can be used as often and as much as desired, but each use impacts against the user's own life and can kill them if overused.
A star-ranking is the evaluation system that the Academy uses to judge a student's school work, Alice level and attitude. There are four rankings which are indicated by the number of gold stars on a student's collar.
- No-Star: Students who are below-average. This is mainly reserved for children.
- Single: Students who are pretty much average. Most of the students in the Elementary School Division have this rank and is needed to graduate the Elementary School Division.
- Double: Students who are more of an over-achiever than Singles but aren't exceptionally brilliant at either their studies or use of their Alice and is needed to graduate the Middle School Division.
- Triple: Students who usually are deemed as "over-achievers" and tend to excel at either their studies or use of Alice or both and is needed to graduate the High School Division.
- Special: Students who are considered the best of the best, signified by a lapel in the shape of a star enclosed in a circle (though rarely seen in the anime). Those who excel tremendously in their Alice and, if they care, their studies--to put in short, geniuses. Also known as the "Principal students".
Each star ranking has its own monthly allowance rate:
- No-Star: 5 Rabbits: (equal to about 500 yen or 5 US dollars)
- Single: 30 Rabbits: (equal to about 3000 yen or 30 US dollars)
- Double: 50 Rabbits: (equal to about 5000 yen or 50 US dollars)
- Triple: 100 Rabbits: (equal to about 10 000 yen or 100 US dollars)
- Special: 300 Rabbits: (equal to about 30 000 yen or 300 US dollars)
Main characters
- Names are displayed in Western order (given name before surname).
- Mikan Sakura (佐倉蜜柑 Sakura Mikan?) Voiced by: Kana Ueda
- The cute and (overly) energetic Mikan lives only with her grandfather and attends a run-down elementary school. Upon hearing that her best friend, Hotaru Imai, is off to another school, it didn't take long for Mikan to decide that she will literally follow Hotaru everywhere she goes. Mikan discovers that the new school, Gakuen Alice, is rather a special one. As it was tried and tested, Mikan can actually nullify any kind of Alice force thrown at her. As a result, Mikan is like a walking barrier that no one can affect. It is for this reason that she is being closely watched by the school. Naturally, Mikan had a hard time adapting to her new school life but her outgoing and sincere personality eventually wins them over. She manages to turn everyone into friends and even admirers. The only person she can't seem to understand her feelings very well towards is Natsume.
- Hotaru Imai (今井 蛍 Imai Hotaru?) Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya
- Hotaru Imai is Mikan's best friend. She is extremely intelligent and rational. During the story, though she may appear to be rather cold and indifferent on the surface, it is apparent that she genuinely cares for Mikan. She has the Alice of Invention, and during her time at the country with Mikan and her grandfather, she created many strange but useful inventions, often made to look like animals. Hotaru breaks the fourth wall by teaching the audience about her inventions. The other characters see her explaining her inventions to apparently no one.
- Natsume Hyūga (日向 棗 Hyūga Natsume?) Voiced by: Romi Paku
- Stoic and scary, Natsume may be icy on the outside but is actually fiery on the inside. Born with the Flame Alice, Natsume is expectedly hated and feared by many students and teachers because of his dangerous ability. Natsume is often seen with his best friend, Ruka. Other than Ruka and Youichi, the fire starter didn't really get along well with the others until Mikan came along. At first, her optimistic nature was like a poison to him but gradually, he softened up to her and going as far as developing romantic feelings for her. Natsume's past is shrouded with mystery and nobody really knows what goes on in his mind. But one thing is for sure, he is extremely suspicious of the adults in the academy. He is involved with the school's secret missions for reasons unknown. Though he really doesn't like doing it, the threat to endanger his classmates and especially Mikan's welfare forces him to be at their mercy. They do that because they know that Natsume would give his life for her.
- Ruka Nogi (乃木流架 Nogi Ruka?) Voiced by: Miwa Yasuda
- Ruka is Natsume's childhood friend and often referred by Mikan throughout the story as "Ruka-pyon". He is a gentle and generous person, characteristics that balance out Natsume's personality. His animal pheromone Alice allows him to get along with animals, a fact that he is embarrassed of and often blackmailed over by Hotaru. Despite this, he often carries a rabbit with him. He knows Natsume (his best friend) has a crush on Mikan, and he also has a crush on her. In episode 19, Ruka plays Snow White in a play and Mikan was forced to play the prince. But at the very end, her teacher told her to improvise and kiss him on the lips, Natsume threw an apple at Mikan to stop her in fits of jealousy.
- Narumi (鳴海?) Voiced by: Akira Ishida
- Narumi is the homeroom teacher of Mikan's class (class B). He teaches Japanese and often deals with Natsume when he gets in trouble or tries to break out. He has the human pheromone Alice; he can make other people do what he wants by attracting them, but children pass out. Mikan calls Narumi "father" because she misses her grandfather so much. Narumi is too young to be called "grandfather" so he asked Mikan to call him "father." He is 27 years old. Later in the manga, it is found that he harbored unrequited feelings for Mikan's mother. It is proven that he is not Mikan's father, but he made a promise to Mikan's mother that he will take care of Mikan during her stay in the Academy. He is, of course, concerned about Mikan and Natsume.
Volumes
Note: The ISBN below refers to the Japanese edition.
- Volume 1 - ISBN 9784592172451, Release date: February 2003
- Volume 2 - ISBN 9784592172468, Release date: July 2003
- Volume 3 - ISBN 9784592172475, Release date: November 2003
- Volume 4 - ISBN 9784592180913, Release date: March 2004
- Volume 5 - ISBN 9784592180920, Release date: July 2004
- Volume 6 - ISBN 9784592180937, Release date: November 2004
- Volume 7 - ISBN 9784592180944, Release date: March 2005
- Volume 8 - ISBN 9784592180951, Release date: August 2005
- Volume 9 - ISBN 9784592180968, Release date: December 2005
- Volume 10 - ISBN 9784592180975, Release date: April 2006
- Volume 11 - ISBN 9784592180982, Release date: September 2006
- Volume 12 - ISBN 9784592180999, Release date: December 2006
- Volume 13 - ISBN 9784592181002, Release date: May 2007
- Volume 14 - ISBN 9784592185208, Release date: September 19, 2007
- Volume 15 - ISBN 9784592185215, Release date: March 2008
Note: These are the English editions licensed by Tokyopop
- Volume 1 - ISBN-13: 9781427803191, Release date: December 2007
- Volume 2 - ISBN-13: 9781427803207, Release date: March 2008
- Volume 3 - ISBN-13: 9781427803214, Release date: June 2008
- Volume 4 - ISBN-13: 9781427803221, Release date: September 2008
- Volume 5 - ISBN-13: 9781427803238, Release date: December 2008
- Volume 6 - ISBN-13: 9781427803207, Release date: February 2009
- Volume 7 - ISBN-13: 9781427803207, Release date: May 2009
- Volume 8 - ISBN-13: 9781427803207, Release date: July 2009
Theme songs
| Opening themes | |||
| # | Transcription/Translation | Performed by | Episodes |
| Pikapika no Taiyou (Shining Sun) | Kana Ueda | All | |
| Ending themes | |||
| # | Transcription/Translation | Performed by | Episodes |
| Shiawase no Niji (Rainbow of Happiness) | Kana Ueda and Rie Kugimiya | All[2] | |
