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No Time For Love, Dr. Jones. It’s A Minecart Escape With The Latest ‘Golden Kamuy’ Anime Dub Clip

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© Satoru Noda / Shueisha

Funimation is working through the promotion their spring dub of the Golden Kamuy anime series and they’re now starting to bring out some clips from it. There’s a lot of fun with this one as we get a minecart escape underway! The show has Jeremy Inman on board as the ADR director with Clint Bickham and Jessica Cavanagh handling the scripts for it. The show is focused primarily on two characters so we only learned that Ian Sinclair is playing Saichi Sugimoto while Monica Rial is Asirpa.

Studio Geno is on board to handle the animation production for the show and Hitoshi Nanba will direct it based on the series composition by Noboru Takagi. Kenichi Ohnuki is handling the character design adaptation.

The Japanese cast includes Chikahiro Kobayashi as Saichi Sugimoto, Haruka Shiraishi as Ashiriba, and Kentarou Itou as Yoshitake Shiraishi, Houchou Ootsuka as Tsurumi, Kenjirou Tsuda as Hyakunosuke Ogata, Yoshimasa Hosoya as Genjirou Tanigaki, Jouji Nakata as Toshizō Hijikata, Kenji Nomura as Tatsuuma Ushiyama, Akio Ohtsuka as Tetsuzo Nihei, Tomokaze Sugita as Yohei and Kohei Nikado, and Toshihiko Seki as Kazuo Henmi.

The opening theme song will be “Winding Road” performed by MAN WITH A MISSION while the ending theme “Hibana” is being done by THE SIXTH LIE.

The series has thirteen volumes to its name so far as serialized through Young Jump and it looks like most recent volumes in Japan have sold around the 200,000 range. Viz Media is releasing the series in English in North America.

Check out our review of the first volume of the manga.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot Concept: In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets off on a treacherous quest to find it. But Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it! Faced with the harsh conditions of the northern wilderness, ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers, Sugimoto will need all his skills and luck—and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa—to survive.


What’s On The Crunchyroll, Funimation, & HIDIVE Anime Streaming Calendar For December 2nd, 2018

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The fall season is underway and things are coming together well across the streaming service. Crunchyroll has one of their bigger shows with Boruto coming out today and the latest for Anima Yell and Tsurune. Funimation has three new projects out including a dub for Zombieland Saga while HIDIVE has the latest dub for Tada Never Falls in Love.

Crunchyroll:

  • 4:00am – BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS
  • 10:00am – DOUBLE DECKER! DOUG & KIRILL
  • 10:30am – ULYSSES: JEANNE D’ARC AND THE ALCHEMIST KNIGHT
  • 12:00pm – ANIMA YELL!
  • 12:45pm – HIMOTE HOUSE: A SHARE HOUSE OF SUPER PSYCHIC GIRLS
  • 1:00pm – SKULL-FACE BOOKSELLER HONDA-SAN
  • 1:45pm – TSURUNE

Funimation:

  • 10:30 AM – DOUBLE DECKER! DOUG & KIRILL Episode 8 Simulcast Premium TV-14
  • 4:00 PM – Black Clover Episode 58 Simulcast Premium TV-14
  • 4:00 PM – ZOMBIE LAND SAGA Episode 6 Simulcast Premium TV-MA

HIDIVE:

  • 12:00 pm – Tada Never Falls In Love Episode 10 (Dub)

‘Frame Arms Girl: Kyakkyau Fufu na Wonderland’ Anime Feature Nature Revealed

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© KOTOBUKIYA / FAGirl Project

A sequel project for Frame Arms Girl was revealed back in March 2018 and we learned in July that the project is a feature film. Earlier this week we learned that it’s set for a June 2019 debut in Japan under the name Frame Arms Girl: Kyakkyau Fufu na Wonderland. Unfortunately, the altest reveal is one that’s not all that great as a promotional trailer has landed that reveals that this isn’t a sequel but rather a compilation film with some additional footage.

The first season was directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi based on the series composition by Deko Akao. Kosuke Kawamura handled the character designs and served as the chief animation director with ZEXCS producing the animation.

The Japanese cast includes Narumi Kaho as Gōrai, Yōko Hikasa as Ao Gennai, Erii Yamazaki as Materia Black and Materia White, Hibiku Yamamura as Architect, Kanomi Izawa as Bukiko Kotobuki, Minami Kabayama as Jinrai, Rika Abe as Hresvelgr, Rika Nagae as Baselard, and Yuu Ayase as Stylet.

Check out the official site and the official Twitter.

Property Concept: The story begins when Ao opens a package that arrives at her doorstep. Inside the package is Gourai, a Frame Arms Girl: a small robot capable of independent movement. Gourai is a newly-developed prototype: a Frame Arms Girl equipped with an “Artificial Self,” an advanced AI that gives her a personality. Ao is the only one that has activated her. Gourai begins to gather both battle data and emotions, starting a day-to-day life with Ao, who knows nothing about Frame Arms Girls.

[Source: ANN]

Japan’s Weekly Blu-ray & DVD Anime Rankings Ending November 25th, 2018

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The latest rankings have come in for what’s been moving in the manga and light novel market in sales and it’s a decent little week. The big title is one I always love seeing coming out with new installments with Black Lagoon topping at 194,000 units moved in its formal opening week. We also get some good numbers for Terra Formars as it enters hiatus and more good news for Saint Onii-san. There are a number of good titles with anime adaptations in the list that we want more anime of but it’s also good to continue seeing the manga doing well.

On the light novel side, the latest My Youth Romantic installment takes the top spot with a whopping 92,000 units moved that makes you wonder why more anime or live-action material isn’t being produced. We also get good numbers for the latest Akashic Records and Saenai with its spinoff FD series.

Manga Rank|This week’s sales by copies|Cumulative sales|Titles

*1. 194,161 197,106 Black Lagoon Vol.11
*2. 146,894 149,691 Terra Formars Vol.22
*3. 144,909 292,148 Nanatsu no Taizai Vol.34
*4. 126,821 126,821 Saint☆Onii-san Vol.16
*5. 110,029 110,421 Akatsuki no Yona Vol.28
*6. 101,488 101,488 Grand Blue Vol.12
*7. *93,839 187,265 Diamond no Ace Act II Vol.14
*8. *79,668 *79,668 Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet Vol.12
*9. *74,370 *74,370 Ookiku Furikabutte Vol.30
10. *68,003 *68,003 Ojisama to Neko Vol.2

11. *67,640 128,914 Major 2nd Vol.16
12. *62,068 122,204 Ahiru no Sora Vol.50
13. *54,772 186,732 Chihayafuru Vol.40
14. *53,662 107,030 Bakemonogatari Vol.3
15. *48,347 *96,323 Days Vol.30
16. *44,351 *44,351 Youjo Senki Vol.11
17. *43,675 *80,375 Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Gaiden: Hannin-tachi no Jikenbo Vol.4
18. *42,370 *83,876 Edens Zero Vol.2
19. *40,154 *77,405 Hajime no Ippo Vol.123
20. *37,147 236,955 Arslan Senki Vol.10

21. *34,391 *40,381 Black Lagoon Vol.11 Limited Edition
22. *34,226 *34,226 Marmalade Boy Little Vol.7
23. *34,187 *63,105 Koi to Uso Vol.8
24. *33,947 *33,947 Niehime to Kemono no Ou Vol.9
25. *33,028 *33,028 Souten no Ken: Regenesis Vol.2
26. *32,671 *32,671 Suteki na Kareshi Vol.8
27. *31,729 *32,201 Minamoto-kun Monogatari Vol.14
28. *31,723 387,498 Yakusoku no Neverland Vol.11
29. *31,309 *31,309 JJM: Joshi Judou-bu Monogatari Vol.5
30. *30,816 *30,816 Non Non Biyori Vol.13

31. *27,404 *27,404 Around 40 Kenja no Isekai Seikatsu Nikki Vol.1
32. *27,201 191,471 Ajin Vol.13
33. *26,876 *55,613 Kanojo, Okarishimasu Vol.7
34. *26,573 *26,573 Dame na Watashi ni Koi shite Kudasai Returns Vol.6
35. *26,423 318,063 Ao no Exorcist Vol.22
36. *26,275 *26,275 Hanebado! Vol.14
37. *25,902 108,780 Shinya no Dame Koi Zukan Vol.5
38. *24,783 118,188 Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Vol.1
39. *24,435 *46,740 Enen no Shouboutai Vol.15
40. *24,210 *24,474 Akebi-chan no Sailor-fuku Vol.4

41. *23,621 *23,621 Battle Studies Vol.17
42. *23,415 *23,415 Akatsuki no Yona Fanbook
43. *23,148 *78,931 Gozen 0-ji, Kiss shi ni Kite yo Vol.9
44. *23,123 *44,159 Danshi Koukousei wo Yashinaitai Oneesan no Hanashi Vol.2
45. *22,953 *48,148 Be Blues! Ao ni Nare Vol.33
46. *22,760 *22,760 Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. Vol.1
47. *22,019 *22,019 Ani Tomo Vol.10
48. *22,011 *22,011 Sayonara Mini-skirt Vol.1
49. *21,436 *21,436 Ochikubo: Ima wa Mukashi no Cinderella Story Vol.6
50. *21,031 *40,674 Maoujou de Oyasumi Vol.9

Light Novel Rank|This week’s sales by copies|Cumulative sales|Titles

*1. 92,404 *92,404 Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Vol.13
*2. 19,360 *19,360 Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records Vol.13
*3. 17,980 *17,980 Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata “FD” Vol.2
*4. 16,455 101,154 Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei Vol.27
*5. 12,584 *12,584 Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko Vol.5
*6. *8,607 **8,607 Toaru Ossan no VRMMO Katsudouki Vol.17
*7. *8,026 *88,664 Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! Vol.15
*8. *5,465 **5,465 Kidou Senshi Gundam NT
*9. *5,373 **5,373 The New Gate Vol.13
10. *5,026 *80,966 Seishun Buta Yarou Series Vol.1

11. *5,011 **5,011 Kami ni Aisareta Ko
12. *4,997 *17,713 Goblin Slayer Gaiden: Year One Vol.2
13. *4,825 **4,825 Rettougan no Tensei Majutsushi Vol.2
14. *4,717 **4,717 Shijou Saikyou no Daimaou, Murabito A ni Tensei suru Vol.3
15. *4,390 **5,040 Ryuukishi no Okiniiri Vol.5
16. *4,313 **4,313 Gorakuin Ouji wa Isekai wo Tanoshimu to Kimeta!
17. *4,155 *28,738 Strike the Blood Vol.19
18. *4,096 **4,096 Dousei kara Hajimaru Otaku Kanojo no Tsukurikata
19. *4,078 **4,078 Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha Vol.4
20. *3,954 **3,954 Fuguushoku to Baka ni Saremashita ga, Jissai wa Sorehodo Waruku Arimasen?

21. *3,871 *59,221 Seishun Buta Yarou Series Vol.2
22. *3,862 **3,862 Last Round Arthurs Vol.2
23. *3,772 *51,028 Seishun Buta Yarou Series Vol.3
24. *3,721 **3,721 Saikyoushoku kara Shokyuushoku ni Natta no ni, Nazeka Yuusha-tachi kara Tayoraretemasu Vol.3
25. *3,265 **3,265 Kimagure Megami ni Honki de Chara-Make saremashita Vol.2
26. *3,224 *32,449 Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku Vol.15
27. *2,924 **2,924 Magan to Dangan wo Tsukatte Isekai wo Buchinuku! Vol.3
28. *2,760 *11,412 Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne! Vol.9

[Source: Oricon Youtaijou via MAL]

Words Worth Hentai Anime DVD Review

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A little fantasy hentai is good for the soul.

What They Say
God created Light and Shadow and separated them with the power of the divine Words Worth Tablet. One day, the Words Worth Tablet shall be read and all will be understood, and Light and Shadow will join and become complete. But someone has shattered the Tablet.

The Tribe of Light and the Tribe of Shadow each blame the other and war ensues for 100 years. The story revolves around the bumbling but very skilled Prince Astral of the Tribe of Shadow who may be the one to bring the Tribes together and restore peace.

The Review:
Audio: 
The audio presentation for this series brings us the original Japanese language track in stereo as well as the English language dub, both of which are encoded at 192kbps. The series doesn’t really get too deep into directionality but it has a fair bit more than most adult series due to the various action sequences. Both mixes are pretty solid overall as they’re the standard forward soundstage mixes that you find in most adult series. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout on both tracks and we had no problems with dropouts or distortions during regular playback.

Video: 
Originally released in 1999, the transfer for this OVA series is presented in its original full frame aspect ratio. Originally released on five discs by NuTech Entertainment, this release brings it all onto one volume with no noticeable drop in quality. Though it isn’t as flashy or brightly colored like most of today’s releases, this traditionally animated OVA series holds up well with only a few issues that are from the time. The most noticeable is some aliasing throughout the various panning sequences. It’s typically when it pans over a cityscape that it’s the most noticeable but it creeps into a few other areas as well. The show retains a solid bit rate for the two and a half hours it runs and overall is pretty clean outside of a few speckles.

Packaging: 
Using one of the better images to push its fantasy elements, the front cover takes the catgirl character and has her against a dark background of a building while she’s there with a massive sword. There are hints of sexuality that work well and having the catgirl elements will certainly draw some casual eyes. If not for the adults only banner along the bottom, you wouldn’t think this an adult release at all. The framing and overall design is just solid and appealing. The back cover, however, lets you know that it very much is an adult release as it’s filled with shots of women from the show in various states of sex. There isn’t any actual nudity but the shots make it painfully obvious. The summary covers the basics and the remainder of the cover has the technical grid. No production information is included nor is there an insert or reversible cover.

Menu: 
Utilizing the character artwork from the front cover but with a red filter on it, the main menus are decent pieces that are a bit soft and indistinct but set the mood well enough with the music that plays along. I would have preferred to see more varied artwork here since the NuTech release had five covers to play with, but this menu is functional and easy to use so it does the job. It just doesn’t do it in a way that stands out. Access times are nice and fast and the layout is easy to navigate. The disc did correctly read our players’ language presets and played accordingly.

Extras: 
None.

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
One of the more anticipated acquisitions several years ago, Words Worth was considered a rarity in the adult realm as it tried to do a solid story and something in the fantasy setting. It usually seems that shows in that genre attempt something a bit more than just simple plots and Words Worth tried to take it up a few notches. In some ways, they succeeded but at its core, it’s still all about the nookie. NuTech Entertainment released it a few years after its Japanese release in a 5 disc box set, complete with actual adult actresses to play some of the roles. After those rights lapsed, Kitty Media has picked it up and done a rather solid job of repackaging it into something far more accessible.

The main draw of Words Worth has to be the fantasy setting, something very few shows do. Few shows go beyond the tried and true modern setting to begin with. And fantasy fans like to see things go beyond what they usually do. Words Worth certainly takes advantage of that. The show is a tale of the struggle between the Tribe of Light and the Tribe of Shadows. Our perspective is given in with the Shadows as the main character is Astral, the son of the king of the Tribe of Shadows. Watoshika, his father, won’t let Astral become a fully “licensed” swordsman, as he needs him to stay alive for another purpose. Astral can’t stand this and tries every which way to prove himself but to no avail.

The Tribe of Light’s kingdom is located deep underground while the Tribe of Light is naturally outdoors on the surface. The leader of the Light, Fabris, is pushing through another attack to try and conquer and destroy the Shadow, which is something that has been going on since forever. The original argument over who destroyed the Words Worth tablet is what sparked it, but few even know or remember what it was. Grudges die hard.

It’s during another push that we find Astral conning his way into getting “licensed” to fight that we also see his fiance, Sharon, fighting hard against Fabris and his troops along with the best male fighter of the shadows, Caesar. The battles are rather bloody at times but go by relatively fast and generally only set up other encounters. While there’s a lot of fighting going on, there’s a lot of sex going on as well.

During one particular fight, when Fabris is about to take Sharon, Astral arrives to defend her only to have Fabris’ daughter Maria, a spellcaster no less, use her magic to essentially destroy him. The spell doesn’t work as planned but still removes Astral from the picture. He now finds himself twenty years in the future with no memory and no idea of where he is. This sets up the amusing moments of him getting it on with Maria’s daughter and a host of other fun time travel issues.

The main problem with the twenty-year gap is an unexplained phenomenon. While everyone in the Light kingdom has visibly aged, with Fabris being gray and a grandfather and Maria being older, everyone in the Shadow kingdom looks exactly the same once the passageway between the two became closed. It’s like they were sealed in time to some extent, but that can’t hold up as one of the characters had a child that’s a couple of years old. And the kid is Astral’s no less.

But hey, we’re not here for total story continuity are we? C’mon, we’re here for the hot girls getting it on with all the guys. Sadly, some of it is with the horse-man and the two pig-guys. Oh, man did I just fast forward through that pretty little segment. Barring that, there’s a lot of good stuff to watch during these episodes. In particular, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen a catgirl in hentai. It brings to mind just how difficult of a job that actress had in trying to both perform the part when Astral was being tender with her and to keep that cat inflection in her voice. I’ll admit it, there’s something about catgirl nookie.

In Summary: 
Rewatching this title again years later, it was in its own way fairly quaint in comparison to what has come since. The actual character designs and the basic layout of it all are still fun and enjoyable and the traditional animation certainly has its appeal. But it feels like it’s lacking some of the rawness of more recent shows that have found what boundaries can be pushed. This is a show I’d certainly love to see a new sequel to or a re-imagining of with current sensibilities and animation techniques. In the end, though, this is the best treatment that the series could get from what NuTech Entertainment originally released. The change in shelf space alone is worthwhile.

Features
Japanese 2.0 Language, English 2.0 Language, English Subtitles

Content Grade: B
Audio Grade: B+
Video Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B
Menu Grade: B-
Extras Grade: N/A

Released By: Kitty Media
Release Date: July 17th, 2007
MSRP: $29.95
Running Time: 150 Minutes
Video Encoding: 480i/p MPEG-2
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Sony PlayStation3 Blu-ray player via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.

Ayahi Takagaki Boards Second ‘Kakegurui’ Anime Season

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Fans are continuing to be excited that the Kakegurui anime series is getting a second season that’s coming in January and now a bit more has been revealed about it. The official site has a quick hit little teaser that reveals that Ayahi Takagaki has boarded the project in the role of Sumika Warakubami. Check out the spot below! Matsuda is working as a co-director for the new season. With the first season being on Netflix during the summer 2017 season it’s expected to premiere there as well.

Yuuichirou Hayashi directed the first season based on the series composition by Yasuko Kobayashi and character designs by Manabu Akita. MAPPA is on board to produce the animation. The music is being handled by TECHNOBOY’S PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND.

The Japanese cast includes Saori Hayami as Yumeko Jabami, Minami Tanaka as Meari Saotome, Tatsuya Tokutake as Ryouta Suzui, Yuki Wakai as Itsuki Sumeragi, Karin Nanami as Yuriko Nishinotōin, Mariya Ise Midari Ikishima, and Miyuki Sawashiro as Kirari Momobami.

The series has six volumes out so far and is published digitally and in print in English by Yen Press.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot Concept: Hyakkaou Private Academy. An institution for the privileged with a very peculiar curriculum. You see, when you’re the sons and daughters of the wealthiest of the wealthy, it’s not athletic prowess or book smarts that keep you ahead. It’s reading your opponent, the art of the deal. What better way to hone those skills than with a rigorous curriculum of gambling? At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the winners live like kings, and the losers are put through the wringer. But when Yumeko Jabami enrolls, she’s gonna teach these kids what a high roller really looks like!

NBCU Japan Reveals New ‘Nagi no Asukara’ Blu-ray Anime Box Set Release Artwork

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Nagi no AsukaraIt’s been a few years since the last box set edition of Nagi no Asukara saw its way out from NBC Universal Japan and now it’s coming out once again. The set is scheduled for a December 5th, 2018 release and we’ve now got a look at the full packaging spread, a look at the box art for both sides and the full wraparound version of it. The set will be priced at 25,000 yen, which is a steal compared to the 2015 box set that this replicates and was sold for 48,000 yen when it came out. Extras include the clean opening and closings along with the promos and commentaries as well as the character song CD.

The series was released in a beautiful premium edition from NIS America as A Lull in the Sea, which you can read our review of here.

Plot concept: Long ago, humans lived in the sea. However, some humans defied the Sea God and moved to the land, creating the division that now exists between Shioshishio, the Sea Village, and Oshiooshi, the village of the land. Now, four middle school students from the Sea Village, Manaka Mukaido, Hikari Sakishima, Chisaki Hiradaira, and Kaname Isaki must attend Mihama Middle School on the surface. While getting used to their new lives, these four and their new friend from the surface, Tsumugu Kihara, learn how true bonds of love and friendship can overcome any separation.

Nagi no Asukara Japanese Box Set 3D

Nagi no Asukara Japanese Box Set Wrap

Nagi no Asukara Japanese Box Set Packaging

[Source: Nagi no Asukara]

The Weekly Anime Discussion Post For December 2nd, 2018

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Ah, the surge of love for Korean dramas these days. It’s been a fascinating thing in general though I’ve done my best to avoid it because I simply don’t have the time. But I watch it play out within my family as my youngest daughter is mad obsessive about them – and fell into it right after three or four seasons of burning through almost as much anime as I do in a year. She’s fallen to the dark side of K-dramas through multiple services and what’s available on Amazon and Netflix and it’s a delight to watch – particularly as she draws her mother into it as well. I’m still standing firm, however, as I know that’s an addictive thing.

So, we should ask, what K-Dramas are you watching?

This past week in anime has been pretty decent but I’m mostly working through things that have come in. We did get our new December GoFundMe up with lots of anime rewards and will be doing a restocking in a couple of weeks as well.

This coming week has several reviews on tap to check out, which include:

Takunomi is a delight as it’s all about girls and drinking. How can you not love it?

Our next dip into the past with a first-time on Blu-ray release is the second series for this property with Negima!?

Tuesday sees the release of the second film in theaters from Eleven Arts but we’re super stoked to get a look at the first film that’s about to land on home video through them and Nozomi Entertainment with Haikara-san.

Some menu screenshots don’t work too well but we’ve also got the first Fate/Apocrypha Blu-ray set on tap for review.

We’re also going to go in a whole other direction with some new swimming boys to meet.

And one show we’re just starting up on that we’ll have more on soon is the really interesting and violent Juni Taisen…

What are you watching these days?


Haoliners Showcases The ‘Hitori no Shita: The Outcase’ Anime Blu-ray Box Set Packaging

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The summer 2017 series Hitori no Shita: The Outcast got its second season in the spring of 2018 and now focusing on the complete box set for the show. The set arrived with a November 30th, 2018 debut where it’ll be priced at 35,000 yen. With it out we now have a good larger image of the main cover artwork for it that’s definitely nicely put together.

With animation produced by Pandanium and Namu Animation, the series is directed by Wang Xin with Kazuhiro Toda and Mitsuo Mori assisting. Kiriponta is on board as the character designer and chief animation director for it.

The cast includes Atsushi Tamaru as Chou Soran, Yuko Iida as Chou Soran (child), Saori Hayami as Fuu Houhou, Kenji Nojima as Jo San, Shinnosuke Tachibana as Jo Yon, Kappei Yamaguchi as Saru, Ayaka Asai as Ryu Kenken, Tadashi Miyazawa as Chou Shakurin, Kanehira Yamamoto as Chou Yotoku, Yōko Hikasa as Natsuka, Marie Miyake as Lo Ryu, Yumi Hara as Fuusaen Kousuke  and Toriumi as Chou Reiyu.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot concept: One day, Zhang Chulan is attacked by zombies in a graveyard. In the midst of that situation, he saves the life of a girl, throwing the kitchen knife in his hand in order to kill the enemies. The girl tells Chulan, who is relieved, to face his hardships head on and leaves. However, Chulan later sees that girl again at his university. From that moment, Zhang Chulan’s destiny begins to move.

Hitori no Shita Packaging

The Weekly Movies Discussion Post For December 2nd, 2018

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Sometimes it seems like things are just weighted against you and no matter the struggle it’s hard to make progress. I ended up with another week where I didn’t hit the movies at all but I’m intent on getting to the theater a couple of times in this coming week. There are way too many movies out that I want to see on the big screen and now that Sinemia has a physical card to use I’m hoping that once that arrives I’ll be even more inclined.

I’ve mostly been working through things on-hand since I got in a number of new Blu-ray and digital releases that I’m working through. I’m avoiding Netflix at the moment – though I’ll probably sneak in a viewing of The Christmas Prince since I love Rose McIver, but otherwise, it’s been backlist films in the background while working or doing other things.

Last night had a full sit down dinner and date experience with the fun of introducing Hot Fuzz to someone. Sadly, I realized I didn’t own a copy of Shaun of the Dead so I couldn’t do that and I didn’t want to lead with World’s End. I love all three films and they’re definitely great fun for repeat viewing.

This week also saw me catching up on at least one recent purchase with Lez Bomb, dealing with a coming out story at Thanksgiving. It was cute and silly and could have used more polish to be a feature as it felt more like what a TV series would be like on a premium service these days. My youngest daughter and I also took in The Darkest Minds, which has me curious about the books. The film was fine in that “it’s fine” kind of way but with it serving as the opening piece of a larger story and the film not doing well enough to justify it, that makes it less than exciting.

The backlist side had me engaging in some good stuff this week. One was revisiting the 1998 film Ronin, which didn’t do well critically and certainly feels quiet compared to similar films these days, but I really enjoyed its pacing and style. I also went down the comedy path for a bit with a revisit of Why Him?, which is a bad film but makes me laugh so it’s all good.

The main area that I’ve been working through is the Star Trek films. I realized I hadn’t seen them in an age and queued up the full run after doing the Kelvin timeline films the week before. I made some decent progress over the week and wrapped it up with First Contact after initially starting with Wrath of Khan as I just wasn’t ready for The Motion Picture. The films continue to have their charm and I find myself more forgiving of Generations these days – though I still find like many that there’s little to like about Final Frontier at all.

New pickups this week saw me getting What We Do in the Shadows on the cheap as well as finally a cheap copy of Mulholland Drive, which I had never seen.

Kadokawa Reveals Second New ‘Aria the Scarlet Ammo’ Blu-ray Box Set Packaging

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© 2011 Chugaku Akamatu, MEDIA FACTORY / Tokyo Vo-High School of Detective Armed

Kadokawa’s looking to spread some love for the two series for Aria the Scarlet Ammo with the original and the AA series getting new box sets as part of a 10th-anniversary celebration. Noting the original novels are over 7.5 million copies sold to date, the two seasons will be getting Blu-ray box sets that arrive on October 24th and November 28th, 2018 respectively. With the first set out and the second set in stores a couple of days ago, we’ve got a look at the packaging as a whole for both sets. They’re priced the same at 22,000 yen and are brought down to three discs per set.

Extras for the release includes what we had seen before on the singles with clean openings, closings, promos, and audio commentaries. We also get a newly recorded drama CD to celebrate the 10th-anniversary.

Check out our review of the series.

Plot Concept: Aria is a volatile girl who wields two pistols and two swords and holds the highest rank in assault studies at a high school for young mercenaries. This pint-sized prodigy swoops in to save her classmate Kinji from a high-speed chase, but he ends up saving her after he switches from a boring wimp into a total hot shot! His secret? He only turns into something of a James Bond when he’s turned on! Convinced Kinji’s an ace, Aria strong-arms him into being her partner – but she isn’t the only femme fatale who wants a taste of his coveted combat skills. Aria gets Kinji for one mission, but he’ll end up with more than one finger on his trigger!

Aria the Scarlet Ammo Packaging Season 2 Packaging

Aria the Scarlet Ammo Packaging (click for larger)

[Source: Aria the Scarlet Ammo]

The Weekly TV Discussion Post For December 2nd, 2018

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A new week in TV is always a good week as there are simply so many choices. Even when things are a bit quieter there’s plenty to pick from if you curate your to-watch lists well.

This week had some quiet spots and I was pulled a few ways but there was a lot to enjoy. Being able to finish off the fourth season of Shetland had me just delighted by it and discovering that a fifth season is already in the works made it even better. I love the pacing of the show and the locations as it’s the kind of place I can imagine going to in order to simply live quietly away from everything.

The midseason finale for The Walking Dead was decent and I’m definitely enjoying the changes in this season as we get the whispers starting to show and moving past Rick. While the tension feels forced with what they’re doing with it between the groups it’s an area that you can see playing well with the fair. I’m enjoying the shift in how they’re working things and the potential for some progress and real world building to get underway here.

The Gifted continues to feel like a show with great ideas but problematic execution, like they discovered the real path they wanted to talk halfway through the first season and are trying to adjust to it. Saddling two of the leads with a baby just felt like a wrong turn.

We’re continuing to slowly work through Batman: The Animated Series and I’m loving every minute of it since it’s hard to imagine it being produced today.

On the backlist side, I grabbed the first season of The League because as much as I know it’s a terrible show it makes me laugh way too much. Similar with Coupling in that there are things that didn’t age well out of the time it was made but I have such an affection for it.

I’ve also been slowly working my way through the Friends series that I have all the DVDs for. It’s slow going but I’ve enjoyed the fourth season now as it brought in Emily and the wedding. I always liked Emily the best but this was also the area that started to push Monica and Chandler together and that delights me.

We’re closing in on a lot of mid-season finales and that means time to catch up on some backlogs in the near future, especially with Sabrina as I’m still waiting to get into the third episode.

What are you watching?

 

Kadokawa Schedules ‘Conception’ Anime DVD/BD Releases

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© Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd./ Conception Production Committee

The fall 2018 anime series Conception is getting its home video releases handled by Kadokawa and they’ve set a good schedule for it. The twelve episode series is set for a four-volume release beginning on February 27th, 2019. The DVDs are priced at 8,000 yen each while the Blu-rays are priced at 9,000 yen each.

The series was directed by Keitaro Motonaga based on the series composition by Yuuko Kakihara. Yousuke Okuda handled the character design adaptation with Gonzo handling the animation production.

The Japanese cast includes Yuuki Ono as Itsuki Yuge, Emiri Katō as Mahiru Konatsuki, Aya Endo as Aly, Saki Fujita as Femiruna, Asami Shimoda as Collette, Yukiyo Fujii as Yuzuha, Makiko Ohmoto as Ruka, Yuriko Yamaguchi as Reone, Kazusa Aranami as Falun, Riho Sugiyama as Tarua, Kana Asumi as Liris and Lirie, Sanae Kobayashi as Mirei, Eri Kitamura as Sue, Yurin as Mana, Kenichirou Matsuda as Shangri-la, and Daisuke Hirakawa as Narcisstes.

The original game came out back in 2012 on the PS Vita with a few sequel games since, including a release on Steam.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot Concept: The series focuses on Itsuki Yūge, a high school student who finds out on the day of his graduation ceremony that his cousin and childhood friend Mahiru is pregnant. Immediately afterward, Itsuki and Mahiru are taken to a magical world called Granvania, which is currently being invaded by monsters. The only people who can fight and exorcize the monsters are the “star children,” and the star children can only be produced by the 12 “shrine maidens of the constellations.” In order to defeat the monsters and return to his own world, Itsuki must father the star children with the maidens.

Volume Date Extras
1 02/27/19
2 03/27/19
3 04/24/19
4 05/24/19

[Source: Conception]

‘A Certain Magical Index III’ Anime Dub Clip Looks At The Right Seat of God

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© Kazuma Kamachi / ASCII · Media Works

The third season of A Certain Magical Index is moving right along and giving fans the latest round of what they’re looking for even as more projects are coming. Funimation kicked off their simuldub for it back on October 24th, 2018 and have new episodes coming out every Wednesday at 4:00 pm ET for their membership. With that in mind, they’ve brought out their latest dub clip from the season that’s about 90-seconds as it introduces us to a new opponent for our characters to have to deal with.

The leads for the show in the past include Micah Solusod as Toma Kamijo and Monica Rial as Index.

Hiroshi Nishikori is returning to direct this season after doing the first two while Hiroyuki Yoshino will handle the scripts after working on the film. Yuichi Tanaka is also back to handle the character designs with JC Staff producing the animation.

Originally airing in 2008, the series was directed by Hiroshi Nishikori based on the series composition by Masanao Akahoshi. Character designs were done by Yuichi Tanaka based on the original designs by Kiyotaka Haimura that were done for the light novels written by Kazuma Kamachi. The series was animated by JC Staff.

The Japanese cast from past works includes Atsushi Abe as Toma Kamijo, Yuka Iguchi as Index, Akeno Watanabe as Sherry Cromwell, Anri Katsu as Motoharu Tsuchimikado, Kana Asumi as Hyouka Kazakiri, Kimiko Koyama as Komoe Tsukuyomi, Kishō Taniyama as Stiyl Magnus, Mamiko Noto as Aisa Himegami, Misato Fukuen as Maika Tsuchimikado, Nobuhiko Okamoto as Accelerator, Nozomi Sasaki as Misaka’s Younger Sister, Rina Hidaka as Last Order, Rina Satou as Mikoto Misaka, Satomi Arai as Kuroko Shirai, Shizuka Itou as Kaori Kanzaki, Tomokazu Sugita as Aureolus Izzard, Yuka Terasaki as Misha Kruschschev, Yuko Kaida as Aiho Yomikawa, Masaya Matsukaze as Teitoku Kakine, Yoko Soumi as Elizard, Mari Hino as Riméa, Kei Shindou as Carissa, Sayaka Harada as Villian, Takehito Koyasu as Knight Leader, Toshiyuki Morikawa as Fiamma, Yumi Hara as Suama Oyafune, and Mika Doi as Monaka Oyafune.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot concept: Kamijo is a student in Academy City, where people use science to develop supernatural abilities. The guy’s got a lot of heart – luckily for a young nun named Index. She’s on the run from a sorcery society that covets the astonishing 103,000 volumes of magical knowledge stored in her memory. When Index stumbles into Kamijo’s life, she find a faithful friend and protector, and while Kamijo’s easily the weakest kid in Academy City, he’s got something else going for him: the Imagine Breaker, an unexplainable power stored in his right hand that negates the powers of others.

What’s On The Crunchyroll, Funimation, & HIDIVE Anime Streaming Calendar For December 3rd, 2018

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The fall season is now in the final month of episodes and we’re moving through the end run for a lot of shows. Crunchyroll has some fun simulcasts on tap today including more Slime anime while Funimation does the same along with new Fairy Tail. HIDIVE goes for The Girl in Twilight while working through some backlist and dub material as well.

Crunchyroll:

  • 8:00am – THUNDERBOLT FANTASY SWORD SEEKERS2
  • 11:30am – THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME
  • 12:30pm – GOLDEN KAMUY
  • 1:00pm – SPACE BATTLESHIP TIRAMISU ZWEI
  • 1:30pm – FIST OF THE BLUE SKY: REGENESIS
  • 3:00pm – XUAN YUAN SWORD LUMINARY

Funimation:

  • 4:00 PM – That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 7 Simulcast Premium TV-14
  • 4:00 PM – Fairy Tail Episode 283 English Simulcast Premium TV-14

HIDIVE:

  • 5:30am – The Girl in Twilight, Ep 10
  • 10am – Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2DX, Ep 5
  • Noon – Hitorijime My Hero (Dub), Ep 4

‘Renai Bokun’ Manga Ends

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We learned way back in May that the end was near for the manga series Renai Bokun, also translated as The Very Lovely Tyrant for overseas distribution. The work comes from Megane Mihoshi and they revealed that the fourteenth volume would be the final one for the property. That’s now started to come together as tomorrow the final chapter is arriving on the Comic Meteor site and the final volume now has a January 10th, 2019 release date set for it.

Sadly, this likely puts the kibosh on any meager hopes for the manga to come over. Crunchyroll simulcast the anime adaptation while Funimation produced a dub for it, neither of which has seen a home video release yet.

Atsushi Nigorikawa directed the spring 2017 anime series with series composition by Natsuko Takahashi. Mariko Itou served as the character designers with EMT2 handled the animation production.

The Japanese cast includes Yoshino Aoyama as Gris, Kensho Ono as Seiji Aino, Manami Numakura as Akane Hiyama, Yuki Nagano as Yuzu Kichougasaki, Yumi Hara as Shikimi Shiramine, Nobuyuki Hiyama as Korari, Houchuu Ootsuka as Kami-sama, Takehito Koyasu as Maou, Kenyuu Horiuchi as Stolas, Yasuaki Takumi as Tarou Tsuruoka and Rie Takahashi as Akua Aino.

The opening song is “Koi? de Ai? de Boukun desu!” by Wake Up, Girls! while the ending theme song is “‘Suki’ wo Oshiete” by smileY inc.

The series is the third published work from Mihoshi who previously did some work in the Zombie Anthology Comic release and Koiyami: Hayarigami Another Story. Renai Bokun began back in the early summer of 2012.

Plot concept: A Kiss Note is a powerful notebook that makes anyone who has their name written together will instantly fall in love if they kiss each other regardless of any circumstances. This magical and very familiar item belongs to an angel named Guri whose job as cupid is to create couples. However, she accidentally writes down Aino Seiji, a regular high school student, and unless he kisses someone, Guri will die. She convinces Seiji to go kiss his crush, Hiyama Akane, the school’s popular girl who turns out has even stronger feelings for him, bordering on obsessive and psychotic. Eventually Akane and Seiji come together but not before Guri decides that she likes Seiji as well. What seems awesome to most guys becomes hell for Seiji who just wants a normal relationship with girls.

Mill Creek Schedules New ‘Astro Boy’ Anime DVD Box Set

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The 2003 series Astro Boy series is getting another lease on life as Mill Creek is bringing it back. The fifty episode series is getting what looks to be a four-disc release, which looks identical to the Mill Creek release a few years back which was priced at $49.95. The new set looks to be a reprint of that edition but with a new cover and a lower price point of $29.95 for the English dubbed edition of the show. But, with it at approximately twelve episodes per disc, we’re wary of it looking all that good on this format.

Plot Concept: Astro is a robotic boy that possess superhuman powers and an artificial intelligence system that is unparalleled to any robot. His creator, Dr. Tenma, created him to replace his late son, Tovio. Dr. Tenma soon destroys his laboratory, after the creation of Astro, and shuts down Astro. Soon after, Dr. O’Shay, the head of the Ministry of Science revives Astro, and tries to give him a normal life as a 6th-grade student that helps the police agency keep renegade robots and bigot humans from causing harm. Astro faces extreme racism for being a robot, and he must discover the truth about his creator Dr. Tenma.

[Source: Astro Boy]

Mitsuki Saiga Boards Second ‘Kakegurui’ Anime Season

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Fans are continuing to be excited that the Kakegurui anime series is getting a second season that’s coming in January and now a bit more has been revealed about it. The official site has a quick hit little teaser that reveals that Mitsuki Saiga has boarded the project in the role of Miloslava Honebami. Check out the spot below! Matsuda is working as a co-director for the new season. With the first season being on Netflix during the summer 2017 season it’s expected to premiere there as well.

Yuuichirou Hayashi directed the first season based on the series composition by Yasuko Kobayashi and character designs by Manabu Akita. MAPPA is on board to produce the animation. The music is being handled by TECHNOBOY’S PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND.

The Japanese cast includes Saori Hayami as Yumeko Jabami, Minami Tanaka as Meari Saotome, Tatsuya Tokutake as Ryouta Suzui, Yuki Wakai as Itsuki Sumeragi, Karin Nanami as Yuriko Nishinotōin, Mariya Ise Midari Ikishima, and Miyuki Sawashiro as Kirari Momobami.

The series has six volumes out so far and is published digitally and in print in English by Yen Press.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot Concept: Hyakkaou Private Academy. An institution for the privileged with a very peculiar curriculum. You see, when you’re the sons and daughters of the wealthiest of the wealthy, it’s not athletic prowess or book smarts that keep you ahead. It’s reading your opponent, the art of the deal. What better way to hone those skills than with a rigorous curriculum of gambling? At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the winners live like kings, and the losers are put through the wringer. But when Yumeko Jabami enrolls, she’s gonna teach these kids what a high roller really looks like

Aniplex Japan Reveals First ‘Sword Art Online: Alicization’ Anime DVD/BD Release Artwork

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© 2017 Reki Kawahara / Kadokawa / SAO-A Project

The fall 2018 anime series Sword Art Online: Alicization is getting its home video releases handled by Aniplex Japan and they’ve set a familiar schedule. The twenty-four episode series is getting an eight-volume release that begins on January 30th, 2019 and now the cover art for the first volume has arrived. This’ll give us a good idea of the overall theme and style of future releases as well. Both formats are listed as limited editions with the first releases priced at 7,800 and 8,800 yen respectively on DVD and Blu-ray while the remaining seven volumes are priced at 6,800 yen and 7,800 yen each.

Manabu Ono is directing it and A-1 Pictures handling the animation production. Gou Suzuki, Tomoya Nishiguchi, and Shingo Adachi are handling the character designs.

Check out the official site and Twitter.

Plot Concept: Kirito awakens in a vast, fantastical forest filled with towering trees. In his search for clues to the truth of his surroundings, he encounters a young boy who seems to know him. He ought to be a simple NPC, but the depth of his emotions seem no different than a human.

As they search for the boy’s parents, Kirito finds a peculiar memory returning to him. A memory from his own childhood, of this boy and a girl, too, with golden hair, and a name he should have never forgotten Alice.

Volume Date Extras
1 01/30/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Promos, Commercials, Audio Commentary
2 02/27/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Clean Opening, Audio Commentary
3 03/27/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Audio Commentary
4 04/24/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Audio Commentary
5 05/29/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Audio Commentary
6 06/26/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Audio Commentary
7 07/24/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Audio Commentary
8 08/28/19 Booklet, Character Song CD, Audio Commentary

Sword Art Online Alicization Japanese Volume 1 Cover

[Source: Sword Art Online]

Takunomi Complete Collection Blu-ray Anime Review

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Moving into a shared house with some experienced drinkers is always interesting.

What They Say:
When Michiru Amatsuki moves to Tokyo from Okayama, she knows that it will take a while to acclimate to the hustle and bustle of the big city. Fortunately, though, she always has a place to go when things get a little too hectic. That’s because Michiru was lucky enough to move into Stella House Haruno, a women’s-only shared apartment where the companionship and conversation are always flowing and the tradition of having a little drink after work has evolved into an ongoing study of alcoholic beverages in all their many varied flavors and fermentation. Whether the subject is cocktails, nightcaps, or just a little wine session, every day is a new libation as Michiru, Nao, Makoto, and Kae pull up the comfy chairs of the best place to lounge in town!

The Review:
Audio:
The audio presentation for this release brings us the original Japanese language track in stereo along with the English language dub, both of which are encoded using the DTS-HD MA lossless codec. The show is one that’s pretty slice of life with a couple of moments where it stretches a little but is otherwise all about the dialogue. Which works nicely as the incidental sounds such as the pop of a can or the sound of suds come across well with a distinct and clear feeling. Dialogue itself is pretty simply placed when it comes to the way the mix is done but it’s something that works well with the back and forth and the movement of things through the scene. It’s a pretty basic design overall but it’s one that achieves its goals well and comes across in a clean and very clear way.

Video:
Originally airing in 2018, the transfer for this TV series is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 in 1080p using the AVC codec. The twelve episodes are kept to a single disc as they’re half-length episodes. Animated by Production IMS, the show has a really good look to it with appealing character designs that come together well with their color design and detail while the detail for the drinking side of it is as strong as you’d expect and hope for. The result is a show that definitely works well with a lived in feeling that doesn’t skimp but doesn’t overdo its color palette, opting to go for something a bit cooler than the heavier warm colors you might expect it to run with. But that pairs well with its bright and outgoing upbeat side. This is a very appealing looking show and the encoding captures it right with solid colors throughout and no problems with breakup or noise during some of the busier or more intense sequences.

Packaging:
The packaging for this release brings us a standard sized Blu-ray case that uses a very cute image as its centerpiece with the four women hanging around the couch with their drinks of choice. It’s got a simple background that may be a touch too bland but the framing is nice to draw some attention and the logo along the bottom is pleasantly colorful. The character designs are straightforward but the drinks are what will draw the attention when all is said and done. The back cover has a cute image of the sisters together and some nice shots along the top that shows off a range of different things that they all get involved in. The summary of the premise covers things well and we get a good breakdown of the extras as well. The production credits are clearly listed and the technical grid lays out the series format and how it was produced for the disc accurately and in an easy to understand way. No show related inserts are included nor is there a reversible cover.

Menu:
The menu design uses the two covers from the Japanese release together as one with the four women in two pairings with an illustration style feeling about it. They each look great with some nice color choices with some appealing vibrancy but also lots of good detail to be had. The navigation is kept to the bottom with a rare setup where you have to click to list the back half run of the episodes since they didn’t want to obscure or shrink the artwork down any for a more traditional left/right side menu. The logo is bright and colorful and getting the language setup is easy as is checking out the extras. It works smoothly both as a main menu and as a pop-up menu during playback.

Extras:
The only extras included with this release are the clean versions of the opening and closing sequences.

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Based on the manga of the same name by Haruto Hino, Takunomi is a twelve episode series that aired in the winter 2018 season. It was a welcome half-length show clocking in at about twelve minutes an episode that worked well to tell its slice of life tales. Production IMS handled the adaptation with Tomoki Kobayashi directing it. While the show has a few pervy moments to it, it ends up being pretty well restrained in a way that made it so that you can just enjoy the relationships as they exist. The manga itself began in 2015 in MangaONE magazine and it wrapped up a few minutes after the anime ended, which still has me hopeful that they’ll do one more cour to wrap it all up. But, thankfully, the show as presented here feels like a good self-contained piece overall but with room to easily add more.

The show is simple but effective in what it wants to do and it really does delight in just being what it is. The focus is on Michiru, a young woman who has come from Okayama to work in Tokyo. She’s got a job all lined up and has picked out a shared women’s house to move into while getting herself settled. The place she’s moving into has three women living there already. Kae is the older of the three as she works as a wedding planner and has a kind of motherly feeling to the others simply because of the few years difference. Nao works in a clothing store and has a pretty outgoing personality that’s almost a party personality, but she tempers it a touch as she lives with her younger sister Makoto, who is wrapping up her university education. Most of the series takes place in their shared house but it gets out of there from time to time and puts the characters in different configurations or alone.

What Michiru discovers upon moving into the house is that Nao is a pretty big drinker and Kae has a strong taste for it as well, though she tends to go for more “elegant” drinks but gets suckered into the usual beers and the like along the way. Makoto doesn’t drink as much as the other two by comparison but she’s got a taste for the cocktails and can hold her own. They use her and other warnings about underage drinking being a bad thing while reinforcing that everyone here is over twenty. It’s a nice bit of balance and I definitely appreciate that the cast doesn’t look like it’s full of high school kids or anything, if not younger. For Michiru, she’s excited to see that people here drink as she comes across as a solid and somewhat eager drinker herself from her time back home and she fits in with everyone very easily with that as an icebreaker.

The group dynamic is a whole lot of fun to watch as they get into their lives with Michiru learning her new job, Makoto getting stressed about starting to look for a job, and the others moving through their lives and helping out others and enjoying a tasty drink. With the shorter running time it doesn’t have to go for bit topics, instead dealing with Michiru wanting a taste of home with a fish dinner but struggling to find that. Nao gets to go on about some really neat things with some of her favorite drinks, such as the diamond design of a particular can and how it relates to space exploration while also showing how Makoto deals with her older sister and the group dynamic. One area that’s fun and thankfully not overused is the way that Kae gets really turned on when she drinks too much and we see her practically making a pass at Michiru, who is pretty uncomfortable by it all but also very understanding. And there’s just the fun of seeing her cut loose like that combined with the way Michiru panics over it.

In Summary:
Takunomi delivers that particular type of slice of life show that I wish we had more of. While the drinking is certainly appealing – something I’ll say as a non-drinker myself – it’s the fact that everyone is pretty much adult age and dealing with problems or issues unrelated to school and the usual teenage romances. We get something pretty fun here with it focused on the four women and their lives and how they forge bonds over drinks and other silliness from the shared home and some of the adventures they go on. Sentai did a great job in producing a dub for it, not something they would usually do, and a clean and appealing looking encode combined with a cute package. It’s definitely a very easy recommend to those looking for something of this nature in the slice of life category.

Features:
Japanese 2.0 DTS-HD MA Language, English 2.0 DTS-HD MA Language, English subtitles, Clean Opening, Clean Closing

Content Grade: B+
Audio Grade: B+
Video Grade: A-
Packaging Grade: B+
Menu Grade: B
Extras Grade: B-

Released By: Sentai Filmworks
Release Date: December 18th, 2018
MSRP: $49.98
Running Time: 150 Minutes
Video Encoding: 1080p AVC
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Sony PlayStation3 Blu-ray player via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.


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