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Summer 2009 Anime Season Preview

Whew! At long last, the summer season preview is here!

As usual, summer is big on comedies and other light-hearted fare, like GA Geijitsuka Art Design Class, Kanamemo, and Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou-- but that doesn't mean we have no darker shows. Keep an eye out for CANAAN, from Type-Moon (Fate/Stay Night), and Umineko no Naku Koro ni, from 07th Expansion (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni), as well as BONES' Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 if you want some drama.

We're also seeing relatively few sequels compared to past summers, I think; Hetalia 2nd season, Spice and Wolf II, and Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei are the only ones, really. All in all it's shaping up to be a pretty strong summer.

So let's get going!

Title:   Aoi Hana Japanese Title:  青い花 Studio:   J.C. Staff Genre:   Shoujo Airs:  Fuji TV, Thursdays at 2am, starting July 2nd. Site:   http://www.aoihana.tv

Summary: Fumi and Akira, who were best friends ten years prior to the anime's beginning, reconnect in high school as very different students. The girls help each other get through the social vagaries of starting out in high school. I'm told there are at least touches of yuri in the show. Notable: Director Kenichi Kasai has made a name for himself with strong and relatively understated series: Nodame Cantabile , Honey and Clover , and KimiKiss Pure Rouge among them. Total newcomer Ai Takabe will be voicing the primary heroine, Fumi, while the relatively unknown Yuko Gibu ( Koi Koi Seven 's Akiwo) plays Akira. You may want to pay close attention to the soundtrack for this one; Vampire Knight and Vampire Knight Guilty's Takefumi Haketa has been tapped to compose.

Title:   Bakemonogatari Japanese Title:  化物語 Studio:   Shaft Genre:  Supernatural Airs:  Tokyo MX TV, Fridays at 11pm, starting July 3rd Site:   http://www.bakemonogatari.com

Summary: After surviving a vampire attack, Koyomi Araragi begins stumbling upon a wide variety of supernatural mysteries, starting with his nearly-weightless classmate Hitagi Senjougahara. Notable: The series is based on NisiOisiN's series of light novels. You may recognize his name as the author of the Death Note : Another Note and xxxHOLiC novels. There are those who theorize that he is in fact Death Note manga writer Tsugumi Ohba as well. Calling all Zetsubou-sensei fans! Hiroshi Kamiya, who voices Nozomu Itoshiki (as well as Gundam 00 's Tieria Erde and Macross Frontier 's Mihael ), is voicing Koyomi. Chiwa Saito ( ARIA 's Aika, Pani Poni Dash! 's Becky) joins him as Hitagi. Remember how I said Zetsubou fans should be interested? Here's another reason: it's a Shaft/ Akiyuki Shinbo collaboration. They've done Zetsubou and Maria+Holic .

Title:   CANAAN Studio:  P.A. Works Genre:  Mystery Airs:  Tokyo MX TV, Saturdays at 10:30pm, starting July 4th Site:   http://www.canaan.jp

Summary: A group of Tokyoites are drawn togther by a series of strange events. These include, among other things, a detective, a writer, a virus researcher, and a catgirl. Notable: Yes, the art should look familiar to you: it's from Type-Moon co-founders Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi and features designs by the latter. You know them best as the Fate/Stay Night and Kara no Kyoukai people. One of my favorite seiyuu and singers, Maaya Sakamoto ( Host Club 's Haruhi , Final Fantasy VII's Aeris ), will be voicing the lead, Alphard. Miyuki Sawashiro, best known for cute voices like Puchiko in Di Gi Charat or Mint in Galaxy Angel , will voice the titular Canaan. The series will be directed by Masahiro Ando , who debuted as an anime director with the recently-released BONES film Sword of the Stranger .

Title:   Element Hunter Japanese Title:  エレメントハンター Studio:  NHK Enterprises x Hiuon Entertainment Genre:  Sci-Fi Airs:  NHK, Saturdays at 6pm starting July 4th Site:   http://elementhunters.com

Summary: Set in the year 2089, sixty years after the human population has declined to a tenth of its peak after a huge natural disaster, scientists discover that the planets resources are flowing to a “Nega Earth.” A team of young children (under 13) is formed to save the world and learn the Periodic table. Yeah, I know. Notable: Edutainment it may be, but the staff's not bad: director Yoshiaki Okumura directed Antique Bakery , Bakkyuu Hit!, and episode-directed Eyeshield 21 . I'm more excited about the music, though: Chiaki Ishikawa, who I know best for the Bokurano OP “Uninstall” (but who you may recognize from a considerable amount of .Hack work) is performing the OP. I've got to say, the designs also look pretty neat; the character designs are from newcomer Daigo Okumura.

Title:   Fight Ippatsu! Juuden-chan Japanese Title:  ファイト一発!充電ちゃん!! Studio:   Studio Hibari Genre:  Comedy Airs:  AT-X, Thursdays at 8am, starting June 25th Site:   http://juden-chan.jp

Summary: Rather than bringing back another season of Code-E, Japan has selected a new electric-charged heroine to represent this summer. This time it's Juuden-chan, a visitor from another world sent to perk up downtrodden humans...presumably by zapping them with electricity? And nudity. Can't forget the nudity. Notable: This is another one that may look familiar to you; it's based on the manga by Bow Ditama, who also did Mahoro-Matic . Director Shinichiro Kimura , who helmed Hand Maid May , both Maburaho AND Mahoraba, and Karin, will take on this comedy. Ayahi Takagaki ( Gundam 00 's Feldt Grace , True Tears ' Noe) and Kaori Fukuhara ( Lucky Star 's Tsukasa, Macross Frontier 's Lam Hoa) are playing the two parallel-world visitors, Aresta Blanket and Plug Cryostat, respectively. They're also singing the OP theme.

Title:   GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class Japanese Title:  GA 芸術科アートデザインクラス Studio:   AICPLUS+ Genre:  Slice-of-Life Airs:  YTV, Tuesdays at 2:15am, starting July 7th Site:   http://mv.avex.jp/ga

Summary: Five freshman girls start out in their high school art club. Hmm...sounds kinda familiar. Ahem, Sketchbook . The manga it's originally based on also featured a lot of art tips, so it'll be interesting to see if the anime follows suit. Notable: The anime is based on the manga by Satoko Kiyuduki, who you may recognize as the creator of Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro. Yen Press is releasing both of these series, so if you want a real preview of GA, check out first manga volume, which came out in April. Hiroaki Sakurai , director of Cromartie High School and Kodocha (!!) is set to direct, so expect some top-notch comedy. Here are just a couple of the cast credits: Haruka Tomatsu ( Kannagi 's Nagi , To Love-Ru 's Lala ) as the lead, Kisaragi, and Kaori Nazuka ( .hack//SIGN 's Subaru , Eureka Seven 's Eureka , Code Geass ' Nunnally) as Miki Noda.

Title:   Hetalia Axis Powers Second Season Japanese Title:  ヘタリア Axis Powers 第2期 Studio:   Studio Deen Genre:  Comedy Airs:  Mobile Animate, Fridays at 4pm, starting July 24th Site:   http://hetalia.com

Summary: Oh, Hetalia: a strange little series of animated short based on a manga which pits personified countries against one another in a school setting-- and every single nation is a cute boy. Notable: The first season of Hetalia was originally scheduled to air on TV, but South Korea was reportedly unhappy with its character and protested. The series was pulled from broadcast and aired online instead...and now the second season is online, too. I wonder if their characterization of Japan is a wuss? Looks like no cast or staff changes. Did you know that the director's name is Bob? Bob Shirohata. He's best known for directing Diamond Daydreams and series-directing the popular yaoi series Gravitation . Heh.

Title:   Kanamemo Japanese Title:  かなめも Studio:   feel. Genre:  Comedy Airs:  TV Tokyo, Mondays at 1:30am, starting July 6th Site:   http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/kanamemo

Summary: An orphan winds up working at a newspaper delivery office, where she also lives, surrounded by strong and beautiful women. Sounds like heaven to me...the PV here is actually an ad for the manga. (There isn't one for the anime yet, as far as I can tell.) Notable: The anime is based on a 4koma comic strip manga by Shouko Iwami, who also created Suzunari!, which is being released by Yen Press. Top-notch voice cast here: Aki Toyosaki ( Shugo Chara! 's Suu ) will voice Kana. And the strong women around her? Aya Endo ( Macross Frontier 's Sheryl Nome , Lucky Star 's Miyuki ), Eri Kitamura ( Kodomo no Jikan 's Rin , Blood+ 's Saya Otonashi ); Kaoru Mizuhara (Lucky Star's Kasukabe, Ga-Rei 's Saki); Rie Kugimiya ( Fullmetal Alchemist 's Al , Combat Butler Hayate 's Nagi ); Ryou Hirohashi ( ARIA 's Alice, Clannad 's Kyou Fujibayashi ); and Yui Horie ( Love Hina 's Naru , Vampire Knight 's Yuuki ). Yeah.

Title:   Kuruneko Japanese Title:  くるねこ Studio:  Studio Dachs Genre:  Comedy Airs:  Kansai TV, Sundays at 8:55am, starting July 5th Site:   http://kuruneko.fc.yahoo.co.jp

Summary: It's the crazy cat lady, anime-style! Actually, Kuruneko focuses on a main character with TWO obsessions: cats, and sake. Because nothing is more entertaining than alcoholics with obsessive-compulsive pet collecting disorders. Notable: This anime is based not just on a manga, but on a web-manga, by creator Yamato. It's reportedly the most popular blog manga in Japan. The series has one voice actor, and one alone: Satomi Kobayashi, who will provide all voices. I couldn't find any other credits for her, although it seems she has done some concept design work in the past. Director Akitaro Daichi is pretty used to the unusual, having helmed Animation Runner Kuromi, Gag Manga Biyori, and Kodocha (which had three directors).

Title:   NEEDLESS Studio:   Madhouse Genre:  Sci-Fi Airs:  Tokyo MX TV, Fridays at 1:30am, starting July 3rd Site:   http://needless.jp

Summary: Set in Japan in the year 2130, NEEDLESS is the tale of the unnecessary: the world is split into the city, and the outside of the city. Those who live outside the city have developed unique abilities and powers, and are known as the “Needless.” Notable: This series is such a pain to search for because the word “needless” is so common in English. Needless to say. This show will be a fun reunion for Emiri Katou ( Lucky Star 's Kagami ) and Aya Endou (Lucky Star's Miyuki ). Endou is voicing lead Cruz Shild, and Katou will voice Disc. Director Masayuki Sakoi has worked all over the place, from the recent Kamen no Maid Guy to Princess Resurrection to Strawberry Panic! .

Title:   Princess Lover! Japanese Title:  プリンセスラバー！ Studio:  GoHand Genre:  Romantic Comedy Airs:  Chiba TV, Mondays at 12:30am, starting July 6th. Site:   http://www.prilover.tv

Summary: After his parents die, Teppei is due to inherit a shit-ton of money from his grandfather. In order to inherit, though , he has to graduate from a super-elite prep school full of super-elite hot chicks. Notable: Based, of course, on the Ricotta-made eroge, Princess Lover will doubtless be full of fanservice. The designs are nice though. Director Hiromitsu Kanazawa directed Macross Frontier , if that piques your interest-- we know a few things about how he handles multiple women after the same guy. Relative newcomer to the seiyuu world Takuma Terashima, best known for playing Wataru in Princess Princess , Kaname in Shigofumi , and Jin in Sisters of Wellber , will play the lead here.

Title:   Sora no ManiMani Japanese Title:  宙のまにまに Studio:  Studio Comet Genre:  Drama Airs:  AT-X, Tuesdays at 10:30am, starting July 7th Site:   http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/soramani

Summary: Are you ready for some star-gazing? And probably some navel-gazing, too. Sora no Mani Mani tells the tale of a high school boy named Saku Ooyagi who, after seven years, returns to his hometown. He tries to be friends with his childhood pal Mihoshi, but their last encounter was disastrous and it's awkward. But Mihoshi also wants to restore their friendship, so she drags Saku into her astronomy club. Notable: I'm actually really excited for this series, and for one primary reason: Kanae Itou, who voices Amu-chan in Shugo Chara! (and wonderfully), is voicing Mihoshi. I like her style a lot, with her naturally pleasant voice that doesn't sound saccharine like so many other seiyuu who play young females. Joining Itou is Tomoaki Maeno as Saku. Some of you may remember him as Atsushi Doujou in the anime of Toshokan Sensou (Library Wars), or as Tooru in Ga-Rei -Zero- . I think a lot of you are familiar with director Shinji Takamatsu 's work, such as School Rumble and Gintama .

Title:   Spice and Wolf II Japanese Title:  狼と香辛料II Studio:  Brains Base Genre:  Fantasy/Drama Airs:  TV Kanagawa, Thursdays at 1:15am, starting July 9th Site:   http://www.spicy-wolf.com

Summary: Probably the show I'm most excited about this season, Spice and Wolf is set in a medieval Europe-style fantasy world full of trade and barter-- and also full of gods, like Holo, the Wise Wolf goddess. Holo will continue her adventures with the wandering merchant Craft Lawrence. Notable: Joining the stellar leads, Ami Koshimizu ( Geass 's Kallen ) as Holo and Jun Fukuyama (Geass's Lelouch) as Lawrence, is another seiyuu superstar: Romi Paku ( Fullmetal Alchemist 's Ed ), as a new character, Abe, who appears in the novel series. ROCKY CHACK, the artist who blew many of us away with the awesomeness of the first season Spice and Wolf ED “Ringo Biyori ~The Wolf Whistling Song~,” is back again with a new ED for the sequel: “Perfect World.” If you were curious, director Takeo Takahashi from the first season is helming the second, as are screenwriter Naruhisa Arakawa and music composer Yuuji Yoshino. So expect similar quality to the first season.

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Title:   Taishou Yakyuu Musume. Japanese Title:  大正野球娘。 Studio:  J.C. Staff Genre:  Comedy Airs:  TBS, Fridays at 2am, starting July 3rd Site:   http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/taisho

Summary: Is this Japan's answer to the film A League Of Their Own? Perhaps! Set in 1925, before women even got the right to vote in Japan, a pair of girls decide to form a girls' baseball team. But they don't know anything about the game... Notable: Based on Atsushi Kagurazaka's popular novel series, a manga adaptation also exists, by Shinpei Itou. If you read the description for Sora no ManiMani , you'll remember my mentioning Kanae Itou, the seiyuu who voices Amu-chan in Shugo Chara! . She's back again, this time voicing lead Koume Suzukawa. Itou is joined by a star-studded cast of female seiyuu, including Ayumi Fujimura ( Naruto 's Shion), Eri Kitamura (Blood+'s Saya), Kana Ueda ( Fate/Stay Night 's Rin Tohsaka ), Mai Nakahara ( Higurashi 's Rena), and Mamiko Noto ( Negima?! 's Nodoka). Combined with the music in the PV, I am so sold.

Title:   Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Japanese Title:  東京マグニチュード8.0 Studio:   BONES / Kinemashitorasu Genre:  Action/Drama Airs:  Fuji TV, Thursdays at 12:45am, starting July 9th Site:   http://www.tokyo-m8.com

Summary: A huge earthquake rattles Tokyo, and a pair of siblings on a trip to see a robot exhibit in Odaiba must try to get home. They're assisted on their journey by a motorcyclist, a woman named Mari. Notable: Older sister Mirai is voiced by Satomi Hanamura ( 5 Centimeters Per Second 's Kanae), and little brother Yuuki is voiced by Yumiko Kobayashi ( Love Hina 's Sarah McDougal). Yuko Kaida ( Ikkitousen 's Shimei Ryomou ) will voice Mari. I have high expectations for the music on this one: Kou Outani, who composed for Blade of the Immortal , Gundam Wing , and Shakugan no Shana , is also writing the music for Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. This will be director Masaki Tachibana's TV debut, having only helmed the King of Fighters Internet OVA-- and storyboarded major series like Eureka Seven , Fullmetal Alchemist , and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex .

Title:   Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Itekureta Koto~ Japanese Title:  うみものがたり〜あなたがいてくれたコト〜 Studio:  ZEXCS Genre:  Fantasy Airs:  CBC, Thursdays at 1:30am, starting June 25th Site:   http://www.sea-story.tv

Summary: Marin and Urin are magical girls who live in the ocean, but they, like Disney's Ariel, yearn to live above the water. One day they retrieve a ring and decide to leave the water to deliver it to its owner. When the girls of the sea meet a girl of the skies, a high school student named Kanon, trouble occurs... Notable: This fantasy anime is based on, of all things, a popular series of Pachinko machines. I wonder if the story was thought up by someone who was sitting there playing, making up stories for the characters he saw on the machine... The two ocean girls, Marin and Urin, are voiced by Kana Asumi ( Hidamari Sketch 's Yuno) and Yui Horie (Love Hina's Naru) respectively, and Kanon will be voiced by Minako Kotobuki ( K-On! 's Tsumugi ). Director Yuu Kou is best known for directing the Chrono Crusade anime, as well as the second and third seasons of Zero no Tsukaima .

Title:   Umineko no Naku Koro ni Japanese Title:  うみねこのなく頃に Studio:  Studio Deen Genre:  Mystery/Drama Airs:  Chiba TV, Thursdays at 1:30am, starting July 2nd Site:   http://umineko.tv

Summary: Set in 1986 on a secluded island called Rokkenjima, the head of the wealthy family that owns the island is nearing his own death. His family congregates on the island for an annual conference and to decide inheritances. Naturally, this develops into a murder mystery-- after a typhoon hits the island. Notable: As the title may have given away, Umineko no Naku Koro ni is based on the third game in 07th Expansion's “When They Cry” series (preceeded by Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai ). Director Chiaki Kon also directed all of the anime adaptations of the other Higurashi games, including the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gaiden Nekogoroshi-hen OVA. (Plus Nodame Cantabile Parihen and the BL series Junjou Romantica.) Daisuke Ono ( Kuroshitsuji 's Sebastian , The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 's Itsuki Koizumi ) takes on the lead, Battler, the black sheep of the family. Marina Inoue ( Gurren Lagann 's Yoko ) joins him as Jessica, Battler's 18-year-old first-cousin-once-removed).

Title:   Weiß Survive Japanese Title:  ヴァイス・サヴァイヴ Studio:  Studio Hibari Genre:  Adventure Airs:  TBS, Saturdays at 1:25am, starting June 6th. Site:   http://ws-tcg.com/anime

Summary: Young Takeshi and his female friend Michi play a card game called Weiß Schwarz. Astonishingly (don't these kids watch anime?!), they get sucked into an alternate world where they play the game not for fun, but to survive. Notable: Like Umi Monogatari , this series isn't based on anything as typical as a manga or novel: it's based on a card game. The real card game, Weiß Schwarz, is an otaku card game full of characters and powers from other anime, like Zero no Tsukaima and Fate/Stay Night . I wonder if that'll carry over into the show? Both Michi and Takeshi are being voiced by relative newbies to the voice acting world. SHE will be played by Izumi Kitta ( Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae 's Nozomi Bitou) and HE will be played by Nobuhisa Nakamoto (The Legend of Duo's Duo). Director Iku Suzuki is no n00b, though; you may remember him as the director of the Oishinbo anime specials, Moonlight Mile , DearS , Dark Cat, Fake , and others.

Title:  Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou Japanese Title:  よくわかる現代魔法 Studio:  Nomad Genre:  Fantasy/Comedy Airs:  BS11, Sundays at 12am, starting July 12th Site:   http://www.gendaimahou.com

Summary: You already know Koyomi Morishita, more or less: the clumsy high school first-year who people always think is a grade schooler because she's short and kind of ditzy. But in this case, Koyomi is a student at a magic school-- and she's the apprentice of one of the most powerful magicians in the world, Misa Anehara. Notable: Gendai Mahou is based on writer Hiroshi sakurazaka and arist Miki Miyashita's manga o the same name. Ai Nonaka, who played Konoka in Negima!? and Kafuka in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, is voicing Koyomi. Haruka Tomatsu , of To Love-Ru fame (she played Lala), will voice Misa. The series will be helmed by Yasuhiro Kuroda, who directed Myself;Yourself and Kyouran Kazoku Nikki .

Title:   Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Japanese Title:  懺・さよなら絶望先生 Studio:  Shaft Genre:  Comedy Airs:  TV Kanagawa, Sundays at 12:30am, starting July 5th. Site:   http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/zetsubou3

Summary: I'M IN DESPAIR! It's been so long since Zetsubou has been in Japanese TV. (Over a year!) The story, if you haven't already heard, revolves around a teacher whose name can be re-written to spell out “Despair” in kanji, and he's the greatest pessimist who ever lived. His class consists of a colorful assortment of people, including a violent OCD girl, a girl who converses only by harsh txt messages, and the greatest optimist who ever lived. It's good fun. Notable: This is the third season of the anime based on Kouji Kumeta's popular manga, which is currently being released in English by Del Rey and which you should definitely check out. All of the important cast and crew are back, including director Akiyuki Shinbo and the voice cast, of course. (I don't think they'd even try to do more Zetsubou if they couldn't get the cast and Shinbo.) Oh, and animation production by Shaft, natch.

Whew-- and that's the end! Okay guys, I've done my incredibly lengthy job. Now here's yours: what shows interest you most?