February is Loveless Month + Newtype USA Feb 2006
February is definitely the month of 'Loveless'. Loveless is a Japanese manga which became an anime last year. It's licensed by Tokyopop and the first volume goes on sale this month. The first DVD volume by Media Blasters goes on sale on...you guessed right, Valentine's Day (Feb. 14, 2006). The irony of it all is that the 'love' in Loveless is far from sweet. Its lighter moment is bittersweet; At its darkest, it's like watching an incoming train wreck of human emotions and being unable to look away, or to stop it. Loveless is a surreal fantasy-reality driven by both physical and emotional extremes. Anime Insider and Newtype USA February 2006 issues does a much better job explaining what the series is all about (scans credit: ikk):
Anime Insider:
Newtype USA Feb 2006:
Also in Newtype USA 2006: There's an interesting article about Kyou Kara Maou: an interview with the creator. I thought it was very interesting and I hope that if the anime being released become popular with the English-speaking audience, then it will generate more interest in the novels, which is what the anime is based off of. I hope the novels get translated into English somehow in the future. Because Tokyopop has already published CLAMP, Sailor Moon, and Gundam Seed novels in English from original Japanese. So why not Kyou Kara Maou(KKM)? The KKM novels are currently at 12 volumes and still ongoing in Japan.
Usually the manga version of a series precedes its anime version, but that's not the case here. The novels are the original sources which lead to the anime, and lastly a manga adaption which just started its serialization in the Japanese manga magazine Asuka.
Here's the interview (info credit:maiyura):
The February 2006 issue of Newtype USA has an interview with Tomo Takabayashi, the creator of KKM.
A creator influenced by anime.
How do you feel now that the anime adaptation of your novel is out?
Tomo Takabayashi: It makes me blush! As I'm watching it, I wince whenever I hear a line directly from one of my novels. I keep burying my face in my hands and peering through my fingers. Thank goodness for thenew scenes they came up with for the anime - during those, I can just relax and enjoy myself. They're fun!
Do you talk with Temari Matsumoto (the illustrator for the novels) about the anime?
TT: I find it easier to visualize a number of the characters now - Stoffel, for instance. I"m particularly delighted at the way they're using my favorite characters. Mr. Baldy and Dakaskos are wondeful! Especially the scene where Mr. Baldy introduces himself. I was in awe because it was exactly as I'd envisioned it. And Lady Cecile was so adorable as a selfish little kid. It's also really cute how her youngest boy is always so jealous.
A lot of Newtype Japan readers say that Wolfram is their favorite anime character.
TT: Actually, I voted too. Remember the issue that had one of Temari's posters? I received one for free, and then I bought another at the bookstore. On the questionnaire inside, I said that Wolfram was my favorite character and that I was 13 years old. Then I wrote my 13-year old dog's name on the form.
There have been a number of KKM events in Japan where fans can get together and meet voice actors and such. Do you follow them?
Sure. In fact, I went with Temari to one in Ginza, and even wrote part of the script for the sketch they did onstage. That was really embarrassing. I was sitting up in the second-story staff seats, all hunched over with my hands over my head like I was preparing for a crash landing. I felt like a newbie writer watching their work being performed by a famous comedian on live TV. Or something. That was a weird example, wasn't it?
The voice cast for anime is as good as it gets.
I left the casting up to the professionals, but I'm very happy with the choices they made. The characters even sound handsome! As a matter of fact, the voice work has inspired me on a number of occassions, convincing me to make Wolfram more manly, Yuri more passionate, Gwendal more obessed with cute things and Anissina and Gunter just more messed up in general. I've also been very impressed with the series organizer Akemi Omode and the rest of the scriptwriting team. I get excited over every new episode script. I can't get over the fact that I'm one of the only people in the world who gets to read them.
Many of the concepts in the show are original to the anime version. How do you feel about that?
The Sucker-boy [Maiyura note: the machine they put on Gwendal's head to try and suck the crown off] did me in. I couldn't believe it! And I'm also jealous about the anime version of the sand bear. . . it didn't make any noise in my version. I wish it did.
Speaking of changes in the anime, did you notice that Yuri's hair grows longer when he's in Demon King mode?
Makes him look much more manly, doesn't it? I think it looks great. That kind of thing is only possible in anime. Even if I'd written something like that into the novels, I don't think readers could have immediately visualized the effect. They were also able to make the Demon King's facial expressions harsher in the anime.
You're still putting out new novels aren't you?
Of course! But lately, there've been lots of serious scenes in the novels, which saps my energy. There are some heavy things going on in Yuri's life. I'm making everything else cheerful to balance it out!
Also included in the Newtype USA February 2006 issue is this awesome two-sided pull-out poster of Kaleido Star, due to the second season of this circus-performing shoujo (girl) anime finally being released by ADV. Kaleido Star: New Wings' first DVD volume on sale this month! (Scans source: Minitokyo.net)
Anime Insider:
Newtype USA Feb 2006:
Also in Newtype USA 2006: There's an interesting article about Kyou Kara Maou: an interview with the creator. I thought it was very interesting and I hope that if the anime being released become popular with the English-speaking audience, then it will generate more interest in the novels, which is what the anime is based off of. I hope the novels get translated into English somehow in the future. Because Tokyopop has already published CLAMP, Sailor Moon, and Gundam Seed novels in English from original Japanese. So why not Kyou Kara Maou(KKM)? The KKM novels are currently at 12 volumes and still ongoing in Japan.
Usually the manga version of a series precedes its anime version, but that's not the case here. The novels are the original sources which lead to the anime, and lastly a manga adaption which just started its serialization in the Japanese manga magazine Asuka.
Here's the interview (info credit:maiyura):
The February 2006 issue of Newtype USA has an interview with Tomo Takabayashi, the creator of KKM.
A creator influenced by anime.
How do you feel now that the anime adaptation of your novel is out?
Tomo Takabayashi: It makes me blush! As I'm watching it, I wince whenever I hear a line directly from one of my novels. I keep burying my face in my hands and peering through my fingers. Thank goodness for thenew scenes they came up with for the anime - during those, I can just relax and enjoy myself. They're fun!
Do you talk with Temari Matsumoto (the illustrator for the novels) about the anime?
TT: I find it easier to visualize a number of the characters now - Stoffel, for instance. I"m particularly delighted at the way they're using my favorite characters. Mr. Baldy and Dakaskos are wondeful! Especially the scene where Mr. Baldy introduces himself. I was in awe because it was exactly as I'd envisioned it. And Lady Cecile was so adorable as a selfish little kid. It's also really cute how her youngest boy is always so jealous.
A lot of Newtype Japan readers say that Wolfram is their favorite anime character.
TT: Actually, I voted too. Remember the issue that had one of Temari's posters? I received one for free, and then I bought another at the bookstore. On the questionnaire inside, I said that Wolfram was my favorite character and that I was 13 years old. Then I wrote my 13-year old dog's name on the form.
There have been a number of KKM events in Japan where fans can get together and meet voice actors and such. Do you follow them?
Sure. In fact, I went with Temari to one in Ginza, and even wrote part of the script for the sketch they did onstage. That was really embarrassing. I was sitting up in the second-story staff seats, all hunched over with my hands over my head like I was preparing for a crash landing. I felt like a newbie writer watching their work being performed by a famous comedian on live TV. Or something. That was a weird example, wasn't it?
The voice cast for anime is as good as it gets.
I left the casting up to the professionals, but I'm very happy with the choices they made. The characters even sound handsome! As a matter of fact, the voice work has inspired me on a number of occassions, convincing me to make Wolfram more manly, Yuri more passionate, Gwendal more obessed with cute things and Anissina and Gunter just more messed up in general. I've also been very impressed with the series organizer Akemi Omode and the rest of the scriptwriting team. I get excited over every new episode script. I can't get over the fact that I'm one of the only people in the world who gets to read them.
Many of the concepts in the show are original to the anime version. How do you feel about that?
The Sucker-boy [Maiyura note: the machine they put on Gwendal's head to try and suck the crown off] did me in. I couldn't believe it! And I'm also jealous about the anime version of the sand bear. . . it didn't make any noise in my version. I wish it did.
Speaking of changes in the anime, did you notice that Yuri's hair grows longer when he's in Demon King mode?
Makes him look much more manly, doesn't it? I think it looks great. That kind of thing is only possible in anime. Even if I'd written something like that into the novels, I don't think readers could have immediately visualized the effect. They were also able to make the Demon King's facial expressions harsher in the anime.
You're still putting out new novels aren't you?
Of course! But lately, there've been lots of serious scenes in the novels, which saps my energy. There are some heavy things going on in Yuri's life. I'm making everything else cheerful to balance it out!
Also included in the Newtype USA February 2006 issue is this awesome two-sided pull-out poster of Kaleido Star, due to the second season of this circus-performing shoujo (girl) anime finally being released by ADV. Kaleido Star: New Wings' first DVD volume on sale this month! (Scans source: Minitokyo.net)
