#Kuno Misaki

[seiyuu-gallery]

[imasallstars]

[01/19] HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISAKI KUNO (KUNOCHAN)!

Character: Nina Ichihara (Cinderella Girls)

[stuff-diary]

Maboroshi

Movies watched in 2024

Maboroshi (2023, Japan)

Director & Writer: Mari Okada

Mini-review:

I was really curious about this movie, since Mari Okada has written and/or directed some pretty amazing stories, and the promotional materials and trailers looked very interesting. However, I can't say I liked it as much as I expected. I did love how ambitious the film is in terms of concept and themes, and the animation definitely lives up to the Mappa standard. In particular, the final act includes some truly stunning visuals. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with these characters, and I didn't find any of them likeable or interesting. Therefore, this movie doesn't even come close to the emotional wallop delivered by the ending of Okada's previous directorial work, the beautiful Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms. So yeah, Maboroshi is well-made, but rather disappointing.

[wyrmmaster]

Guy who held off watching Made in Abyss season 2 because he knew it was going to fuck him up and wanted a specific mood to maximize that finally watches Made in Abyss season 2 and was wholly unprepared for how good of an adaptation it was and got significantly more fucked up than intended

[seiyuusfeet]

[geekcavepodcast]

Rising Impact Season 1 Trailer

Nakaba Suzuki's intense golf manga Rising Impact has gotten an anime adaptation. The series follows thrid-grader Gawain Nanaumi as he discovers golf and his competitions with rivals to become the best golfer.

Rising Impact stars the voice talents of Misaki Kuno (Gawain Nanaumi), Yumiri Hanamori (Lancelot Norman), You Taichi (Kiria Nichino), Atsumi Tanezaki (Kurumi Nishino), Kaede Hondo (Yumiko Koizumi), Yuto Uemura (Liebel Ringvald), Yumi Uchiyama (Platalissa Bonaire), Eiji Takamoto (Wanglian Li), Shunsuke Takeuchi (Riser Hopkins), and Katsuyuki Konishi (Kai Todoin). Hitoshi Nanba directs from a screenplay by Michihiro Tsuchiya. Animation is by Lay-duce, Inc. Character design is by Kiyotaka Oshiyama. Music is from Masaru Yokoyama.

Rising Impact season one hits Netflix on June 22, 2024.

[oceanusborealis]

Maboroshi (Alice and Therese's Illusory Factory/ Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Kôjô/ アリスとテレスのまぼろし工場) - Movie Review

TL;DR – While there were some good ideas here, an unfortunate narrative focus and other frustrating narrative issues held it back for me. ⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 2.5 out of 5. Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that viewed this film.Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress. Maboroshi Review – When something supernatural happens, is that…

[kaitou-archive]

Otomedia Plus + SPRING 2017

(Below is a cleaned up machine translation. Please note that due to the nature of machine translation, the text may not be wholly accurate or may read oddly. Japanese is included after English for reference. The text was lifted from the images using this site, and though there's been care taken to make sure everything is correct, there is a chance of unintentional typos.)

I want to sleep together with you ♡ Spring Bedtime

アナタと一緒に眠りたい♡ SPRING ベッドタイム

~

Character Bio

Joker (Voice: Ayumu Murase) By making Joker frustrated with Hosshi, we got to see the Joker's funny, impatient faces in Season 3-4. (Director Teramoto)

ジョーカー (声/村瀬歩) 「ジョーカーにホッシーへ の苦手意識を持たせたこと で、シーズン3.4ではジ ョーカーの焦った面白い顔 が見れました」(寺本監督)

Hachi (Voice: Yumiko Kobayashi) Hachi is now "Hachi the Phantom Thief Apprentice" and is on the same advance notice as Joker, but one day we may be able to call him "Hachi the Phantom Thief". (Director Teramoto) ハチ (声/小林由美子) 「今は“怪盗見習いハチ” でジョーカーと一緒の予告 状ですが、 いつか “怪盗ハ チ” と言える日が来るかも しれませんね」 (寺本監督)

Spade (Voice: Hiro Shimono) In episode 44, Spade's bond with Ai alongside Spade's childhood was depicted, and the gap between episode 43 and 44 is quite drastic (laughs). (Director Teramoto)

スペード (声/下野紘) 「第44話のスペードは、 幼少期のスペードとアイの 絆が描かれた第43話との ギャップが激しかったです (笑)」 (寺本監督)

Phoenix (Voice: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka) In Season 3, the rivalry between Phoenix and Joker was emphasized, but in Season 4, the two became gradually closer.

フェニックス (赤井翼) (声/松岡禎丞) 「シーズン3ではジョーカ ーとのライバル関係を強調 していましたが、シーズン 4ではだんだん仲良くなっていきました」 (寺本監督)

Hosshi (Voice: Atsumi Tanezaki) Hosshi is a divine beast that loves treasures and Hachi's homemade kompeito. In the rocket in episode 52, the way it spins around and squishes in a gravity-free state was also very cute.

ホッシー (声種崎敦美) お宝とハチお手製の金平 糖が大好物な神獣。 「第52 話のロケットのなかで、無 重力状態でくるくると回転 したり、むぎゅっと潰れた りしている様子も可愛かっ たですね」 (寺本監督)

Roko (Voice / Misaki Kuno) Since season 3 he's had few appearances so at the production site Roko’s line in episode 36, "I'm free so it's okay" became a hot topic, "'Roko, are you sulking?' (laughs)" (Director Teramoto)

ロコ (声/ 久野美咲) 「シーズン3からは出番が少なく、 制作現場では第 36話のロコの『暇なんで いいですよ』 という台詞が、 『ロコ、拗ねてる?」 と話 題になりました(笑)」(寺本監督)

~

Main

(Top left note) Joker and friends are surrounded by tasty food. The apple pie is for Shadow and Rose, and Hachi's oden is probably for Hyakkimaru (Director Teramoto)

ジョーカーたちの周りにはご馳 走がズラリ。 「アップルパイはシ ャドウとローズ用で、ハチのおでんは百鬼丸用かも」 (寺本監督)

Joker and company have finished their adventures in Season 4 so now we're here. It's Japan in Spring, where the cherry blossoms are in full bloom! It seems that everyone is enjoying Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) while feasting on Hachi's cooking. I wonder what kind of festivities they have in store, Director Yukiyo Teramoto!

"March 13th is Spade's birthday and April 13th is President D's birthday, so this could be a celebration for them as well. The apples may have been a gift from D."

I want to keep watching the peaceful atmosphere of the phantom thieves, but they must be waiting for the next treasure!! Until we see Joker and his friends again, 'smile and au revoir'!

シーズン4での冒険を終えたジョーカーご一行が、本日やって来た場所。それは、桜咲く春の日本!　ハチの料理に舌鼓を打ちつつ、みんなでお花見をしているようです。一体どんなお祭り騒ぎになっているんでしょうね、寺本幸代監督! 「3月13日がスペードの誕生日、4月13 日がプレジデントDの誕生日なので、 ふたりのお祝いも兼ねているのかもしれま せんね。ほかのみんなも続々と集まって きて、りんごはDからの差し入れかも」 穏やかな雰囲気の怪盗たちをずっと見 ていたいけど、彼らには次なるお宝が待 っているハズ!! またジョーカーたちに 会える日まで、笑顔でオ・ルボワール!

Spring Blossom Interview with Director Yukiyo Teramoto

春満開インタビュー 寺本幸代監督

Please tell us about the secret story behind the production of the final episode.

最終話の制作秘話を教えてください。

Finishing and shooting lasted all night for about three days, and it seems that I could see hallucinations by the end of it (laughs). I am relieved that we were able to broadcast the content that we were able to show. The trick that the passcode to unlock the missile is "HEART" was thought up by Naohiro Fukushima, in charge of screenwriting. I think the highlight was the scene where Joker writes his name on the spaceship and tells Phoenix, "Be sure to come back." I wonder when he wrote the name, but in the shot of the spaceship just before this scene, the name is obscured by light to disguise it. So the name was already written at that point.

最後は仕上げと撮影が3日間くらい徹夜して、 幻が見えたそうです(笑)。なんとかお見せでき る内容で放送することができて、ほっとしまし た。ミサイルの解除パスコードが 「HEART」 というトリックは、脚本の福島(直浩)さんが考 えてく���ました。 ジョーカー的には宇宙船に名前 を書いて「必ず返しに来い」とフェニックスに言 うシーンが、見せどころだったと思います。いつ の間に名前を書いたのかと思いますが、そのシー ンに入る直前の宇宙船が映るカットでは名前を誤 魔化すために光を入れて見えなくしています。な ので、あの時点ではすでに書いてあるんですよ。

What was the most memorable moment for you other than the last episode?

最終話以外で、印象的だったことは?

There is a scene in the end of episode 50 where Spider Ace protects President D from a sniper's bullet and shows him the "DF" ring on his left hand, saying, "I have sworn my allegiance to President D." When the first picture came in, the ring on Spider Ace's middle finger was forgotten, so I asked for the picture to be redone and a ring to be added. Then somehow, I ended up with a picture of Spider Ace with the ring on his ring finger (laughs). The staff around me and I laughed hysterically and rushed to have it fixed.

第50話のラストでスナイパー幻魔の銃弾からプ レジデントDをかばったスパイダー・Aが、「オ レはプレジデントDに忠誠を誓ったんだ」と左手 の《DF》の指輪を見せる場面があります。最初 に絵が上がって来たときスパイダーAの中指に 指輪を描き忘れていたので、リテイクで指輪を追 加してもらったんですよ。そうしたらなぜか、ス パイダーAの薬指に指輪がはまった絵が上がっ て来てしまって(笑)。周りのスタッフたちと大 爆笑しつつ、慌てて直していただきました。

By the way, In this issue, we are looking into the sleeping habits of Joker and his friends! Who among them do you think is the best at getting up early?

ちなみに今号では、ジョーカーたちの睡眠事 情に迫っております! 彼らのなかで、早起きが 得意そうな人物は誰だと思いますか?

Hachi has to prepare food, so I think he wakes up early. It seems that Hyakkimaru is also living a proper life. It seems that Spider Ace, who is in a pumped up state after drinking coffee, will wake up early, but I feel that he will be weak in the morning if he hasn't.

ハチはご飯の支度があるので、早起きだと思い ます。百鬼丸もきっちり生活していそうですよ ね。コーヒーを飲んでヒャッハー状態のスパイダ Aも早起きそうですが、コーヒーを飲んでい ないヘタレ状態だと朝が弱そ��な気がします。

Is there a character you would have liked to explore more?

では、もっと掘り��げて描いてみたかったキ ャラクターはいらっしゃいますか?

I wanted to depict how Spider Ace came to be loyal to D. I liked Spider Ace and Detective Wolfe in the original story, and I really wanted to have Detective Wolfe appear in episode 35, but there was no room for him, so I gave up on the idea. I am glad that I was able to create an interesting combination with D and Spider Ace, but I also wish I could have drawn those two in the story. With Dai Sato, who is in charge of the series composition, I was also thinking about a story about Dr. Neo's astronaut days. When he was young, he had a moment when he saw a spaceship that was disguised as a comet for a moment due to the influence of a solar flare, and from that moment he came to believe that aliens existed. It was a shame that we couldn't depict it. Neo knew Silver when he was young, and I wanted to depict that with Purple as well.

スパイダーAがDに忠誠を誓ったキッカケを 描きたかったです。 スパイダー・Aは原作でのウ ルフ刑事とのコンビが好きだったので、本当は第 35話でウルフ刑事も登場させたかったのですが、 入る隙間がなくて諦めました。そのおかげでDと スパイダー・Aという面白いコンビが出来たので よかったという思いもありますが、あのふたりも 描きたかったという気持ちもあります。シリーズ 構成の佐藤 大さんとは、ドクター・ネオの宇宙 飛行士時代のお話も考えていました。若かりしネ オが太陽フレアの影響で一瞬だけ彗星の変装が解 けた宇宙船を見た瞬間があり、そこから宇宙人は いると信じるようになったという設定だったのですが、これも描けなくてもったいなかったです。 ネオは若い頃のシルバーとも顔見知りなので、パプルも交えてその辺りを描きたかったですね。

Finally, please tell us what "Kaitou Joker" means to you, Director Teramoto.

最後に、寺本監督にとって『怪盗ジョーカとは、どんな存在なのかを教えてください。

For me, it is a special work that fulfilled my dream of directing an animated TV series. I myself have loved anime since I was a child, and even now as an adult, there are many works that I still remember as my favorites. There are still many stories I would like to tell from the original work, and if there is an opportunity, I would love to do a sequel. The staff also said that they would like to do a sequel, so I feel that "Kaitou Joker" is a work that is truly loved by everyone.

私にとっては、TVアニメの監督をやりたいと いう夢が叶った特別な作品です。私自身も小さい 頃からアニメが好きで、大人になった今も好きだ ったと思える作品がたくさんありますが、アニメ 『怪盗ジョーカー』を観てくれた子どもたちも大き くなり、いつかジョーカーたちを思い出す��とが あるのかなと思うと、すごく感慨深いです。 まだ 原作でもやりたいお話がたくさんありますし、機 会があったら続編もぜひやりたいですね。スタッ フも「続編がやりたい」と言ってくださっている ので、『怪盗ジョーカー』は本当にみんなに愛され ている作品だと感じています。

Spring Blossom Interview 2: The Phantom Thief Roundtable Discussion

春満開インタビュー2 怪盗座談会

Nice to meet you! To start off, what do you dress in at bedtime?

よろしくお願いします! まずは、夜に寝る時の格好を教えてください

Tsubasa: I don't change my clothes.

翼 「僕は着替えないよ。」

Joker, Hachi, Spade: Huh!?

ジョーカー・ハチ・スペード 「え!!!」

Joker: That's so dirty. Do you even take baths?

ジョーカー 「おまえきったねーな。風呂とかどうしてるんだよ?」

Tsubasa: Why should I take a bath if I don't like water? You can use flames to sterilize, so there's no problem. Even the dirt burns off.

翼 「水が嫌いなのに、どうしてお風呂に入らなくちゃいけないのさ。炎を使って殺菌できるか ら問題ないよ。汚れも燃えつきるしね。」

Are you a good sleeper or a bad sleeper? Also, when you ask someone to wake you up in the morning, do you have a vision of how you want them to wake you up?

寝起きはいい方ですか? それとも悪い方 ですか? また、誰かに朝起こしてもらうと き、「こうやって起こしてほしい!」という理 想はありますか?

Joker: I can wake up on my own, so I wish people would stop pestering me. Also, when I'm ready to get up and someone tells me to hurry it up, I don't want to get up! I wonder why?

ジョーカー 「自分で起きられるんだから、放っ ておいてほしいよなー。あと、もう起きるって 思ってる時に限って「早く起きろ」って言われ ると、起きたくなくなるんだよ! なんでだろ うな?」

Spade: It's not good to so lazy. Because of that, everyone had to wait for breakfast.

スペード 「キミが怠惰なのがいけないんだろ。そのせいでみんなが朝食を待たされたんだよ。」

I see... So, since the season is Spring, do you phantom thieves have a particular favorite flower?

そうなんですね・・・・・・では、季節は春ということで、怪盗の皆さんは特に好きな「花」 はありますか?

Spade: I like roses. Unlike some people, I think roses are elegant flowers.

スペード 「ボクはバラが好きかな。誰かさんと 違って品のある花だよね。」

Joker: Why are you looking at me?

ジョーカー「なんでこっち見るんだよ。」

Hachi: Certainly, such gorgeous* flowers suit you, Spade-san.

ハチ「確かにスペードさんはそういう華麗な花が似合うっスね。」

Joker：A 'curry' flower!? (Heart eyes)

ジョーカー「カレーな花?!?(目がハート)」

Hachi: Not 'curry'.

ハチ「カレー違いっス。」

*Gorgeous (華麗), pronounced 'karei', which sounds similar to 'カレー' (karee, curry). The joke lost in translation is that Hachi has said a gorgeous flower, and Joker hears 'curry' because the word sounds similar.

Tsubasa: I like the flower called Hanabi that I saw when I went to Japan. It was a beautiful flower burning in the sky.

翼「僕は、日本に行った時に見た花火という花が気に入っているよ。 大空に燃える花できれい だったな。」

Joker：Huh......

ジョーカー「え······。」

Hachi: Phoenix-san, that isn't a flower.

ハチ「フェニックスさん、その花じゃないっス」

Spade: You're unexpectedly romantic....

スペード「意外とロマンチストなんだね・・・・・・。」

Spring is all about flowers, but is there anything that attracts you more than flowers?

春といえば「花」ですが、「花」より心惹 かれるものはありますか?

Hachi: Cherry blossom viewing is great, isn't it? Let's all go to hanami together!

ハチ「お花見いいっスよね。みんなでお花見行 きましょうよ!」

Joker: Oh, nice! Don't forget the curry!

ジョーカー「お、いいね! カレーも忘れんな よ!」

Hachi: Joker-san, you eat too much curry. I'd like a different menu once in a while.

ハチ「ジョーカーさん、カレー食べすぎっス。たまには違うメニューで行くっス。」

Joker: Ehhh......

ジョーカー「えー――。」

Spade: I'll ask D and the others to join us. Hachi, Dark Eye and I would like to request to have meat and apples on the menu.

スペード「Dたちにも声をかけようか。ハチく ん、ダークアイと一緒に肉やりんごのメニュー も頼むよ。」

Tsubasa: No curry from Hachi this time? In that case, I'll request something extra spicy!

翼「ハチくんのカレーは今回は��しか。だったら、とびっきり辛いものも頼むよ!」

Hachi: Leave it to me!

ハチ「お任せくださいっス!」

It's going to be a fun hanami! Lastly, please give a message to the girls reading this book, who are always excited to read about your great activities.

楽しいお花見になりそうですね!では、最後に。皆���んの活躍にいつも胸を躍らせてい る、この本を読んでいる女の子たちへメッセー ジをお願いします。

Hachi: It's a little embarrassing to hear that I'm doing so well~

ハチ「オイラの活躍だなんて、照れるっス~。」

Joker: Is this really that interesting? If this is the end, can I go find a treasure?

ジョーカー「こんなもんがおもしれーのか? これで終わりなら、お宝とりに行っていいか?」

Spade: Yeesh, he's so impatient. I hope you've had fun. Well, I'll be on my way, too. Adios.

スペード「やれやれ、せっかちなヤツだ。楽しんでもらえたかな? それじゃ、ボクも行くこ とにするよ。アディオス。」

Tsubasa: I hope there's games next time. See you under the Southern Cross!

翼「次はゲームも用意してほしいな。サザンクロスの下でまた会おう!」

Joker: Alright! Let's go, Hachi!!!

ジョーカー「よっし!行くぞ、 ハチ!!!」

Hachi: Yes, Joker-san!!

ハチ「はいっス、ジョーカーさん!!」

Joker: See you next time! Welcome to the Shining Night!!

ジョーカー「じゃ、また会おうぜ!輝く夜へようこそー!!」

[historyhermann]

Bang, Bang, Pop!: Reviewing Girls With Guns Anime

Created in Microsoft Paint.

In recent years, there have been even more anime featuring girls with guns, expanding the genre. I decided to examine this genre and offer my thoughts.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog on Feb. 17, 2023, and Wayback Machine. This was the fifty-first article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on August 16, 2022.

When you think of girls with guns in popular culture, you might think of Lara Croft, Sarah Connor, Alien, Foxy Brown, or Coffy. However, there are more than just hundreds of films featuring girls with guns. In anime, there are over 20 girls with guns series.

While there are many strong anime gunslinging girls, there aren't as many anime which are truly "girls with guns". It is a genre defined by series such as the 1980s sci-fi comedy and space opera, Dirty Pair, centered on two women: Kei and Yuri.

Since then, there have been many more series, including the recently-ended Vampire in the Garden and currently airing Lycoris Recoil. There are also older series such as Gunsmith Cats, El Cazador de la Bruja, Noir, and Otherside Picnic. This article reviews these six series and four others. It is sample of a much wider array of girls with guns anime.

This post contains spoilers for the ten series that I'm writing about. So, without further ado, let me begin!

Girls with guns are stars of the show in Lycoris Recoil 

Chisato Nishikigi defends herself from those trying to kill her in the show's sixth episode

This original anime series by Spider Lily and Asaura is all the rage. The /r/yurimemes subreddit is filled with posts of Chisato (Chika Anzai) and Takina Inoue (Shion Wakayama), the show's protagonists, as is /r/wholesomeyuri. The show's yuri subtext is often noted. Furthermore, the show's subreddit, /r/LycorisRecoil, has over 4500 subscribers. The show's story, characters, animation, and dialogue make it easy to like.

The series begins when Takina brazenly uses a machine gun against criminals, threatening the life of a fellow "Lycoris", an armed intelligence agent. The covert organization, Direct Attack (DA), fires her. She is then transferred to Café LycoReco, a DA front organization, where she meets Chisato, a fellow Lycoris. She also meets a former DA member named Mizuki Nakahara (Ami Koshimizu) and an Afro-Japanese man named Mika (Kosuke Sakaki) who runs the cafe.

The series pulls you in due to Takina's struggle with fellow DA agents who resent her, and villains who attempt to take down Lycoris. The same can be said about Chisato's mysterious past and a hacker named Kurumi (Misaki Kuno) joins the show's heroes. The series often focuses on growing friendship between Takina and Chisato, arguably with romantic undertones. Unlike other anime about girls with guns, Chisato only uses rubber bullets. This means that those she does not kill anyone, a practice Takina adopts, as they work together as a team.

Momo shines through in Vampire in the Garden

Momo defends herself from a vampire girl, Alicia

This original dark fantasy net anime features many girls with guns. Front and center is Momo (Megumi Han) who runs away from home, where she is a soldier, and trainee in a war against vampires. She meets Fine (Yū Kobayashi), queen of the vampires, learning to love life and experience music all at the same time. Unfortunately, her controlling mother, Nobara (Rika Fukami) sends out a search party to find Momo. She wants to bring her "back" to "civilization" and way from the purportedly "barbaric" vampires.

In the process, Fine and Momo grow closer to one another. Like many other girls with guns anime, there are many yuri vibes in the series. In fact, neither of these protagonists gets a chance to live together. They are chased throughout the anime and do not have a chance to rest. This is because society sees relationships between humans and vampires as "unnatural" and does not accept them.

The focus on the relationship between Fine and Momo parallels those who do not accept queer relationships and those othered by society. Rather than an anime solely about girls with guns, Vampire in the Garden is a mature dark fantasy filled with blood, death, explosions, and serious injury. Even so, there are scenes with a slice-of-life feel. This five-episode anime ends positively. Momo founds a society many years later where humans and vampires can live together in peace.

Gunsmith Cats exemplifies the girls with guns genre

Irene "Rally" Vincent at the shooting range in the episode "Neutral Zone"

This adventure-crime series is based on an eight-volume manga of the same name illustrated, and written, by Kenichi Sonoda. It is different than other series in this post because it is loosely set in Chicago. It centers around Irene "Rally" Vincent (Michiko Neya), a 19-year-old woman who operates "Gunsmith Cats" gun shop. She works with 17-year-old explosives expert and former sex worker named "Minnie" May Hopkins (Kae Araki) as a bounty hunter in the underworld.

The anime is an original video animation (OVA), released between November 1995 and September 1996. It is only three episodes long.  Some reviewers praised the animation as colorful, fun, and a "solid piece" of filmmaking. Others praised the action, artwork, and said it sounded like a "gritty" suburb of Chicago. Moreover, there were those who described the animation as smooth, said it has the same amount of humor as the original manga, but complained that the series should have been longer.

Like Vampire of the Garden and Lycoris Recoil, yuri themes are implied. Although Yuricon's founder Erica Friedman does not write about the anime on her blog, Okazu, she did review each volume of the five-volume manga, Gunsmith Cats BURST. In her reviews, she notes the yuri subtext between Rally and Minnie. She also noted that mafia donna Goldie Musso is a stereotypical "evil" lesbian. In the manga, all three of them live together. Otherwise, the series fits within the girls with guns anime genre.

Love, amnesia, and guns in El Cazador de la Bruja

Nadie, Ellis, and nuns shelter in a basement, hiding for people out to get them, in an episode

This 2007 series, a mix of modern Western, adventure, and yuri, is a classic girls with guns anime. It centers around Ellis (Ai Shimizu), a fugitive who has amnesia, an unknown past, and powers of some kind, and a bounty hunter named Nadie (Shizuka Itō). Both travel south in hopes of finding the key to who Ellis is, where she was born, and what she did.

In a review of El Cazadar de la Bruja first episode, Friedman noted that there were clear yuri vibes. But, she worried there would be another "ambiguously yuri" relationship like other Madlax series. However, in a review at the end of the series, Friedman praised the growing romance between Nadie and Ellis. She said it is different than Noir in more ways than one.

Others were more critical of this series, especially purported "filler" episodes. They noted that even the show's gun violence is restrained. This series is unlike other anime in this genre as it is set in the Southwest United States and Mexico. As a result, it shares similarities with Western animations like Nomad of Nowhere and The Legend of Calamity Jane. Both series have gun-toting female protagonists.

Girls with guns are at the center of Noir 

Kirika and Marielle in the front, with Chloe in the background, in an image on the show's now-defunct official website in 2003

This adventure anime is as well-known as El Cazador de la Bruja. It is often noted as exemplary of the girls with guns genre in anime. It centers on two female assassins, a Corsican woman named Mireille Bouquet (Hōko Kuwashima) and a Japanese woman with amnesia, Kirika Yuumura (Kotono Mitsuishi). Both journey together to learn about their past. They ally together and assassinate "bad" people under a code name: Noir. They face a French secret organization named Les Soldats, led by Altena (Tarako), which is out to kill them, and a skilled assassin named Chloe (Aya Hisakawa).

Friedman, who I've mentioned earlier, criticized the series for weak animation at times. But, she praised the show's music, settings, and yuri vibes in the series. She added that people will put up with the series, despite absurd storylines because it has an attractive woman with a gun. TV Tropes, on a page about LGBTQ fanbase of anime and manga, stated that the series garnered a "sizable lesbian fanbase" due to the "ambiguous" relationship between Mireille and Kirika. They also noted the subtle lesbian attraction shown later.

Director Koichi Mashimo described this series, Madlax, and El Cazador de la Bruja, as his "girls-with-guns genre trilogy". Some praised the 26-episode series for redefining girls with guns series, with an elegant, and sleek story. But they criticized it for having repetitive actions sequences. Others said that Noir was an original anime which "stands out". In the end, the series changed the girls with guns genre for years to come, although no series since then has been exactly like it.

Girls with guns are focal point of Otherside Picnic 

Sorowo aims a military-style weapon while Toriko sits next to her

This adventure sci-fi yuri series centers around two women. One is a college student named Sorawo Kamikoshi (Yumiri Hanamori) who enters parallel worlds named the Otherside. The other is the woman who saves her, a former Canadian special forces soldier named Torika Nishina (Ai Kayano). The series focuses on Nishina's quest for her friend, and their repeated attempts to return to the Otherside to gain artifacts, with the help of Kozakura (Rina Hidaka). However, the world affects them physically and mentally in ways they didn't expect.

Early last year, I began watching this series, excited to watch it since too many yuri anime are either set in schools or fantasies, with the implication that lesbian relationships will be short-lived and even replaced by heterosexuality. Unfortunately, this series did not deliver on that promise. Friedman criticizes the series for being a "children’s version of the novels". My bigger qualm is that the series did not deliver on the yuri that seemed present from the beginning, despite romantic vibes throughout.

Otherside Picnic remains within the girls with guns genre. Even in a few episodes, Sorawo and Torika save U.S. military soldiers from Okinawa who are stuck in the Otherside. Unfortunately, this becomes imperialist apologia. It glosses over problems with U.S. military occupation, and presence, in Okinawa, and Japan. It marks a low point for the entire series.

Girls with guns have an important role in Blue Drop

Yūko takes out a gun to defend Mari from harm in the show's sixth episode

This 2007 yuri sci-fi drama contains some girls with guns. On the manga cover, a girl named Shōta has a gun. On the other hand, neither of the show's protagonists, Mari or Hagino, uses a gun during the series. Instead, secondary characters like Yūko and Tsubael have guns. Yūko even confronts Hagino at gunpoint. Otherwise, there are armed sentries on the ships from another world.

Blue Drop delivers more on yuri themes than Otherside Picnic or even, arguably, Lycoris Recoil. And you don't even need on yuri goggles to see it. It is more than a "fun watch" with likable characters, some of whom are morally ambiguous. Instead, it is an enveloping story which draws you in, with its plot and animation. Even the ending is heartbreaking.

Since the series is usually put into the sci-fi and yuri genres, reviewers don't often put it into the girls with guns genre. Although there are fewer girls with guns in Blue Drop than other series noted in this article, it has positives which go beyond other series. It is a classic that can be watched over and over. The same can likely also be said about the affiliated manga which ran from 2004 to 2008.

Badass girls with guns are central to Canaan

Canaan about to fire her pistol during the show's opening

This 2009 mystery thriller is little-known, despite the fact that a Japanese game company, Type-Moon, created it. It's based on a special scenario originally outlined in 2009 game, 428: Shibuya Scramble. This anime centers on a gun-toting assassin and mercenary named Canaan (Miyuki Sawashiro). She faces a rival named Alphard Al Sheya (Maaya Sakamoto), a skilled assassin who heads a terrorist organization named Snake. Canaan also has a pretty reporter friend named Maria Ōsawa (Yoshino Nanjō).

Canaan and Alphard are both skilled at using firearms, as is ex-mercenary Siam (Akio Ōtsuka), Alphard's lieutenant, Liang Qi (Rie Tanaka), and many others. Predictably, yuri themes are spread throughout this anime. Canaan often saves Maria from sticky situations thanks to her ability to perceive people's emotions as colors. They clearly are attracted toward each other. The series ends with Canaan being, in the words of Friedman, "awarded equal status to Maria in her heart."

Otherwise, Canaan is action-packed, with fast-paced fight sequences and chases. In some ways, it makes me think of chase scenes in Carmen Sandiego, although the ones in that series are never filled with guns, but with other deadly weapons instead. This series is unique because Canaan is from an unnamed country in the Middle East, presumably Syria or Lebanon. It adds another dimension to the story.

Guns, love, and demons in Engage Kiss

Shu, Sharon, and Ayano pictured on the show's official website.

In this ongoing, and currently airing, romantic comedy, one character stands out as a girl with a gun: Ayano Yugiri (Lynn). She is the former girlfriend of Shuu Ogata (Soma Saito). He lost his memories of their relationship after partnering with a demon named Kisara (Saya Aizawa). To give her the necessary demon powers to fight, he kisses her, which erases a memory every time he does so.

While it seems, at first, that she chooses his memories to erase at random, it is later shown that she can choose which ones to erase. She even eliminates a time that Shuu and Ayano have sex, enjoy each other's company. She also eliminates a time when Shuu had sex with the demon-hating priest, Sharon Holygrail (Rumi Okabo), and poisoned her in a devious way.

Ayano has the most skills at using firearms apart from Shuu. It has not been revealed how she is so skilled, but she may have on-the-job experience. Unlike Lycoris Recoil, the only other people who use guns are the police, as the villains often manipulate demons instead. None of the show's characters without faults, and have all likely done deplorable things.

A gun-toting protagonist in Venus Versus Virus 

Lucia fires her gun in the show's opening

This dark fantasy and supernatural thriller centers around two girls with guns: Lucia Nahashi (Ayahi Takagaki) and Sumire Takahana (Minori Chihara). Although it has been rightly described as a series to avoid by Stig Høgset of THEM Anime Reviews. He argued that it is "lazy and dumb", with mild fanservice and violence. That makes it different from others in this genre, which are usually more violent and bloody.

In Venus Versus Virus, Lucia, especially, is skilled with use of a firearm. She works to protect Sumire, along with others, from harm that demons, known as "viruses", can inflict. Predictably they both bond in the process. Even so, the yuri themes in this story are not very strong, with neither Lucia nor Sumire appearing to be lesbians.

On the other hand, the series is strong as an anime that features girls with guns. As such, it is relatively well-established in the genre. In fact, when bullets hit Sumire, it causes her violent personality to surface, which can be harmful to anyone around her.

Closing thoughts

There are many other examples of girls with guns anime.  Some of the most prominent, apart from Dirty Pair, include Bubblegum Crisis, Miami Guns, Gunslinger Girl, and Burn-Up. One critic argued that while there aren't many true girls with guns anime, the ones that do exist have been so influential, it has created "an entire thematic genre and stereotype of anime."

Princess Principal and the film, Kite Liberator also fall into the genre. Even Izetta: The Last Witch might fall into the genre since Izetta rides an anti-tank rifle. Apart from Sabine Wren, Padme Amidala, and Zam Wessell, who tote guns in the Star Wars franchise, there's no Western animated equivalent of the genre. On the other hand, there are some gun-wielding women elsewhere, like Millie in Helluva Boss.

There are many girls with guns within anime, but even with newer series, it remains to be seen if the current trend toward more girls with guns will continue. Many of the series within the genre, such as Strike Witches, Michiko & Hatchin, Grenadier, and Upotte!! are years old. The same is the case for Madlax, set in the same world as Birdie Wing.

With anime production companies flush with cash, there is a possibility of further girls with guns anime in the future.

© 2022-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[faline-cat444]

Not sure if the Japanese voice cast will carry over the "Linkish" noises the heroes will be making in the English version or there's a whole roster of actors to hunt down.As for what Japanese Nintendo's page for the game had to share here's some roles I was able to connect with the heroes due to things I personally watched to some degree of which gives a firm grasp of how they will sound in-game.

Hero 1,Nobunaga Shimazaki-Hayate Chii(Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzuu) and Madoka Takatori(Boy Maid)

Hero 2,Mutsumi Tamura-Ken Inomata(Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzuu),Sayaka Kanamori(Eizouken),John the Armadillo(The Vampire Dies in No Time),Rei(Mewkledreamy),Kobayashi(Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid),Daruizen(Healin' Good Pretty Cure)

Hero 4,Akira Ishida-Xellos(Slayers)

Hero 5,Misaki Kuno-Tsugi(Mewkledreamy)

Hero 6,Kotono Mitsuishi-Usagi Tsukino(Sailor Moon)

[ladygwyndolin]

the hsl anime is solid but i'd highly recommend reading the manga if you're only gonna pick one since that's where she gets the most development, depth, and amazing visual depictions of her insanity. if ur open to both i'd def say read the manga first and then watch the anime. the anime was clearly limited by budget and time (cramming 10 volumes into 12 30 minute episodes is a tall order) but it's still worth watching primarily because of the terrific voice cast even if some of its changes are definitely for the worse.

Kana Hanazawa does a fantastic job as Satou and manages to effectively portray all of her different tones and mental states. Misaki Kuno is amazing as Shio and it's at times legit upsetting just how young she sounds given the context of what's happening. but honestly if i'm being real Kikuko Inoue as Satou's aunt steals the show. Which is pretty much par for the course with every role Inoue plays but she plays it so weird and unsettling here that it stands out even compared to her other performances. she's fantastic.

[seiyuu-gallery]

[imasallstars]

[01/19] HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISAKI KUNO (KUNOCHAN)!

Character: Nina Ichihara (Cinderella Girls)

[idolm-ster]

Onee-chan Disco

Nina Ichihara (CV: Misaki Kuno).

[rivalsforlife]

Great Ace Attorney Reading Drama Announced

Lots of exciting Great Ace Attorney stage news lately!

A new drama based on the story of The Great Ace Attorney, including new content from Shu Takumi, will be performed on Saturday August 12 2023 at the J:COM Hall Hachioji in Japan.

This drama will be read aloud by voice actors reprising their roles from the series, including Hiro Shimono (Ryunosuke Naruhodo), Kana Hanazawa (Susato Mikotoba), Shinji Kawada (Herlock Sholmes), and Misaki Kuno (Iris Wilson). In addition, Takayuki Kondo (voice of Phoenix Wright) and Eiji Takemoto (voice of Miles Edgeworth) will be special guests in a talk corner segment with the cast.

There will be a daytime (starting at 14:00 JST) and nighttime (starting at 18:00 JST) performance, and tickets are open now starting at 8800 yen. You can find more information on the performance including where to buy tickets on the website https://daigyakuten-reading.com/ , along with following the official twitter gyakuten_event.

As of right now, there seems to be no indication that there will be a recording of the drama or an online stream. I will try to update in reblogs if more information is available, and as I’m relying on machine translation, any corrections or additional information would be appreciated.

[444lpblue]

The Fire Hunter (Hikari no Ou) #1 Screenplay: Mamoru Oshii Storyboard: Junji Nishimura Episode Director: Junji Nishimura Assistant Episode Director: Yukiko Sugano Chief Animation Director: Takuya Saito Animation Director: Yuriko Ikehara, Kazuko Nakayama

This is my favorite premiere for Winter 2023. Everything about it was stunning and unique. The beautiful, yet solemn character designs are matched by the haunting and rather almost post-apocalyptic setting of a world that's lost its fire, its hope.

A collaboration of veterans in the industry Mamoru Oshii and Junji Nishimura gives this anime a very early 2000s feel. And it truly stands out from the copy-and-paste fantasy format shows we've gotten lately. We're off to a very unique adventure with our young protagonist in Touko, who may I mention has an amazing voice performance from Misaki Kuno. I'm extremely excited to see what's to come next in future episodes.

I can't leave off without mentioning the beautiful opening and ending visuals.

The opening visual of the show is directed, storyboarded, and AD by Kenichi Kutsuna, whose use of colors and lack of shading is just simply phenomenal. We've seen works like this from him in the Vlad Love opening and also the "Back to You" music video on the Animator Dormitory Channel that I highly recommend you check out. The background and shading of the characters at times are minimalistic and at times highly detailed. The way he handles the switch between details and shadow is extremely interesting to see. When there are fewer shadows and details on the characters, he tends to emphasize the wide and minimalistic background, which leaves you and the characters in isolation. A flawed representation of the world. And he only brings up highly detailed shots and shading on the cast, during character-focused shots such as the zoom-in on Touko's eyes showing the literal fire (determination) in her eyes to complete her goal, whatever it may be. It's a genius switch between focusing on the foreground and the background, by utilizing the lack of details. This is likely my favorite opening visual for Winter 2023.

The ending reminded me a lot of Shiraishi Keito's ending direction, it's very flat in its nature on purpose, and the character just side-scrolling pass the art in the background. However, it's actually not directed by Shiraishi Keito, it's directed and SB by Yukiko Sugano. It's a rather simple opening in terms of direction, a long stretch of uninterrupted gorgeous art, that I believe will only mean more to us as more episodes come on. The flatness of Touko and her dog allows for a greater focus on the background, and they simply serve as a "tour guide" for the beautiful artwork behind them.