Kannagi News

My latest video features my thoughts of every anime (whether completed, dropped or still watching) that I seen over the past year. Because of the video's length, I winded up dividing it into two halves: the first looking into titles I have dropped and the second part looking into what I have completed or still watching. Check them out and offer your thoughts!
 
 
    

Plot Summary: An art student named Jin Mikuriya carves a statue from the wood of the Kannagi tree only to have the statue come to life in the form of a goddess, who has now taken over the statue. He and " Nagi" work together to destroy the impurities that are gathering in the town.    ( ANN)
 
Continuing my adventures through anime, next stop was Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens, a romantic comedy with more comedy then romance and has some supernatural stuff thrown in there as well.  Going in without knowing anything, this anime caught me by surprise.  How should I say this?  I really enjoyed it.  I lot more then I thought I would.

While the core story was interesting, it can be kinda forgivable.  What drew me into the shows were the characters and the comedy.   Jin, Nagi, Tsugumi, Daitetsu, and Meguru were the best characters of the show in my book.  And as for a comedy, there was a bunch of great stuff.  One memorable thing would happen to be in episode nine when rumors are going around the school that Jin and Daitetsu are gay with each other.  After seeing a heated discussion between Nagi and Daitetsu about Jin, Tsugumi and the other members of the Art Club started questioning themselves about the true nature of Jin and Daitetsu's relationship.  Meanwhile Tsugumi starts talking to Takako in the halls and ends up yelling about Jin and Daitetsu being homo with each other which start the rumors through the whole school.  Through out the episode a bunch of goofy stuff happens, making it one of the best episodes of the show.
 
All and all, I thought this was a great show.  While the story was kinda weak, the characters and comedy stole the show for me.  If you are looking for something funny, goofy, and over the top, give this show a try.  There are only 13 episode and 1 OVA.  The show is watchable over at Anime News Network if you want to check out the show legally.
 
My Score - 4.5/5
 
After I finished watching the show I was going to look up some more info about it on Wikipedia.  When I was over there I noticed that the manga was currently on hiatus.  Apparently the author, Eri Takenashi, was very sick and unable to continue the manga.  After she got better she announced that she was going to take a year off before continuing the manga.  Hopefully the manga will pick up and continue soon and one day maybe I will read it when it's completed.
 
Bye Bye for now! It's 2:20 in the morning. :-)
 
P.S. - Check out my blog if you want to see my other reviews.

 In the thrilling roller coaster ride that is the R1 anime industry we've seen a lot of companies go lately (CPM, Geneon, etc.) and companies really picking up the pieces (Funimation), one fall from grace and look like it's making a comeback (ADV) and then there is Bandai. Bandai seems confused at what it's doing right now, and consumers are of course the one's suffering. 

Crazy, but true!  
KANNAGI (Crazy Shrine Maidens) DVD Vol.1 (ep 1-7) 
goes on sale today and starts streaming at ANN! 
 
July 16, 2009 – Today Bandai Entertainment Inc. announced, streamed and began selling on 
DVD the anime series Kannagi (Crazy Shrine Maidens) which is subtitled in English and was 
licensed from Aniplex Inc. 
 
Kannagi (Crazy Shrine Maidens) is based on the manga by Eri Takenashi and the anime is 
directed by Yutaka Yamamoto whose previous credits include directing the fan favorites The 
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star. The anime adaptation is produced by A-1 
Pictures and first aired in October, 2008 in Japan. 
 
The story centers on Nagi, the local deity spirit of the town of Kannagi, who takes physical form 
when Jin Mikuriya carves a wooden statue of her from a sacred tree. Nagi’s mission is to cleanse 
the impurities that plague the land, but since her sacred tree has been cut down, she needs Jin’s 
help. Nagi is reunited with her sister, Zange, who happens to have converted to Catholicism and 
has become a local celebrity taking confessions on the street at night. Nagi needs people to 
worship her to regain her status. 
 
“We are working with Anime News Network on the streaming and the DVD will be sold 
exclusively at Rightstuf.com and Amazon Marketplace and will also be available to purchase at 
Otakon this weekend,” said Ken Iyadomi, President of Bandai Entertainment Inc. “We hope fans 
will support our effort to bring this series to them on the day we announced the acquisition.” 
 
Iyadomi elaborated: “This is our way of answering the challenges of a changing marketplace to 
see how streaming episodes helps DVD and we are making both available at the same time to 
beat bootleggers who are hurting the industry just as much as the illegal downloaders.” 
 
“North American anime companies have suffered unexpected heavy returns from general market 
retailers in recent years but if we can sell moderate quantities exclusively online where no sales 
returns exist, I believe we can acquire more anime for the US market to be released in this 
pattern. This is a very different business model and a new challenge,” concluded Iyadomi. 
 
Fans who purchase Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 before September 8th from Rightstuf or Amazon 
Marketplace will receive an exclusive Kannagi T-shirt in a size of their choice (S, M, L, XL, 
XXL). This limited, exclusive t-shirt will not be made available anywhere else. Vol. 2 will be 

released in September. 

Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 will be made available as a 2-set edition for the general market sometime next 
year. 
 
Bandai Entertainment will be joining Aniplex Inc. celebrating Kannagi at Otakon this with 
Kannagi director Yamamoto-san who is a guest of Otakon. 
 
FOR INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT  
 
www.nagisamafanclub.com 
 
ABOUT BANDAI ENTERTAINMENT  
Bandai Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) Inc. and the premier 
distributor of Japanese animation on DVD and programming for television broadcast in North America. 
Titles include Code Geass Lelouch of Rebellion, Gurren Lagaan, Gundam 00, Lucky Star, The 
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: Stand 
Alone Complex, Gundam Seed Destiny, My Hime, and many more. 
ABOUT ANIPLEX 
ANIPLEX Inc. (headquartered in Tokyo, Japan) is a leading provider of anime content and music 
production and distribution in Japan. Established as Sony Pictures Entertainment Visual Works Inc. n 
1995, as a joint-venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc. and Sony Music 
Entertainment (Japan) Inc., it became ANIPLEX, Inc. in 2003 after the company became a subsidiary 
completely owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. ANIPLEX Inc. has introduced a variety of 
properties, including such hits as “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X),” “R.O.D – 
THE TV-,” “BLOOD+,” all of which are licensed and distributed worldwide. The company launched 
ANIPLEX of AMERICA in Los Angeles, CA in 2004 to handle licensing and co-production business in 
North and Latin America. In 2005, the company established A-1 Pictures, currently the largest and most 
technically advanced animation studio in Japan. 
 
ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC. 
Currently celebrating its 21st year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. 
Japanese Animation ("anime") industry, as both an anime producer/distributor (Nozomi Entertainment) 
and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and 
manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media, 
including podcasts and special publications. For more information, visit www.rightstuf.com and 
www.animetoday.com. 
ABOUT ANIME NEWS NETWORK 
Founded in 1998, Anime News Network is the leading English source of up to date news on the anime 
and manga industries. From the in-depth coverage, analysis and commentary to the unparalleled 
resources of the online anime Encyclopedia, AnimeNewsNetwork.com is the most popular anime website 
in the world, in any language. Anime News Network also owns and operates the print publication 
Protoculture Addicts, the oldest English anime magazine still in publication. More information is 
available at www.animenewsnetwork.com/faq. Advertisers wishing to reach Anime News Network's 
target market of well-educated young adults can inquire directly at advertising@animenewsnetwork.com. 

Yes, you can get new updates every Thursday and the site is rather appealing! That's also the day to worship her! :P

ANIPLEX LAUNCHES “nagisamafanclub.com”,

AN OFFICIAL “KANNAGI –CRAZY SHRINE MAIDENS” SERIES WEBSITE 

Aniplex announced today that it has launched “nagisamafanclub.com” in the USA as an official website of the series “Kannagi-Crazy Shrine Maidens-.” The Japanese version of the official fan club website, “nagisama-fc.com,” has amassed 2,000 fan club members to date. The show and Nagi-sama (Lady Nagi) have been so popular that Aniplex decided to launch an English version of the website that will feature numerous updates in the coming weeks including the opportunity to sign up for an EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP CARD which will entitle members to special benefits. 

ABOUT “KANNAGI –CRAZY SHRINE MAIDEN-“

Based on the hit manga by ERI TAKENASHI (published by Ichijinsha), “Kannagi” was made into a 13-episode animated series. The show was directed by YUTAKA YAMAMOTO (“Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya,” “Lucky Star”) and written by HIDEYUKI KURATA (“R.O.D -the TV,” “Kamichu!,” “GunXSword”) and created by A-1 Pictures (“Valkyria Chronicles,” “Kuroshitsuji,” “Persona”). The Opening theme “motto ☆ Hade ni ne!” is sung by Nagi’s voice actor, Haruka Tomatsu, and has already inspired a legion of fan imitators who dance to the opening song on the internet and at conventions. 

<STORY>

The goddess Nagi has arrived and wants you to worship her! 

Nagi is the local deity spirit of the town of Kannagi and she was able to take a physical form when Jin Mikuriya carved a wooden statue of her out of a block of wood from the sacred tree of his family shrine. Nagi's mission is to cleanse the impurities that plague the land, but since her sacred tree has been cut down, she can only do this with Jin's help. 

While pursuing an impurity, Nagi is reunited with her sister, Zange, who happens to have converted to Catholicism. Zange's power is greater than Nagi's due to her scared tree still being intact and becoming a local celebrity listening to confessions on the street at night. The only way for Nagi to regain her power is to gather her own followers and gain popularity. 

Will you become one of Nagi's worshippers? 

About ANIPLEX Inc.

ANIPLEX Inc. (headquartered in Tokyo, Japan) is a leading provider of anime content and music production and distribution in Japan. Established as Sony Pictures Entertainment Visual Works Inc. in 1995, as a joint-venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., it became ANIPLEX, Inc. in 2003 after the company became a subsidiary completely owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. ANIPLEX Inc. has introduced a variety of properties including such hits as “Gurren Lagann,” “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X),” “R.O.D –THE TV-,” “Blood+,” all of which are licensed and distributed worldwide. The company launched ANIPLEX of AMERICA in Los Angeles, CA in 2004 to handle licensing and co-production business in North and Latin America. In 2005, the company established A-1 Pictures, currently the largest and most technically advanced animation studio in Japan.