30/06/2011

Oboreru hodo Hana wo ageru


溺れるほど花をあげる

Company: Momogre
Based on: Novel
Released: 2011.06.23
Website: http://momogre.com/


Well... this was an interesting experience. This must be the first drama CD that I've listened to with sexual content. It is a spinoff of momogre their "men's only" series, so that means the cast is all male, yet there are karami (sex) scenes but it is not BL. Weird.

But first the story. Lady Irene (CV: Iguchi Yuuichi) has fallen in love with the revered clergy man Zavario (CV: Morikawa Toshiyuki). When her uncle (CV: Chiba Isshin) goes insane and suddenly attacks Zavario it is discovered that he bears the mark of a forbidden religion, Zavario insists that he must check whether Irene caries this mark as well, and that he has to inspect her body. Every inch of her body.

As these daily 'inspections' continue, the two of them finally proclaim their love for each other. However, this doesn't mean that their love will meet no more obstacles...

So basically this is candlelight novel (you know, those sappy romance-smut novel things). I obviously didn't do my background research before listening, or otherwise I would have noticed that it was based on a novel by Tiara Bunko, a publisher that specializes in these kinds of novels.

The opening scene immediately shows you what you can expect of this story. My tolerance for these kind of things is very low so I immediately start to giggle and blush and have to force myself to listen. What made it even better is that I was listening to this while doing the groceries. Not a very good combination.

The Seiyuu did a wonderful job though, especially Iguchi-san. You immediately believe that he is a woman, and he probably sounds even cuter than most females would manage to sound. The entire cast also says this in the cast comment.


Conclusion:
I suppose you have to like these kinds of stories. None the less, this is a very good drama CD, although I felt incredibly weird listening to it (especially when I had to pause a karami scene to pay at the register). I don't know what to say. I guess that if you like these things it is an absolute must. If you're not sure; there is nothing too weird in it so it might be a safe first step.

Did I... just recommend a smut novel?

29/06/2011

Shuukan Soine CD Vol. 5 - Reo

 
週刊添い寝CD Vol.5 玲央 


Company: Black Butterfly
Based on: Original
Released: 2011.06.24
Official Site: http://www.blackbutterfly-cd.com/


Shuukan Soine is a CD in which your boyfriend cuddles next to you in bed and talks with you  until you fall asleep. After the first 4 original entries to the series this is vol.5. And how we've waited for a continuation! I'm not really a fan of Yoshino Hiroyuki who voiced this volume BUT shuukan soine continues so all is good!

The CD starts with you doing something in the kitchen, and Reo complains that you should just come to bed. Reo works as a model and it has been a while since you've seen each other, so he suddenly called you in the middle of the night asking you to come over.

Eventually you get him to read a picture book that he brought back from a photo shoot.  The story this time is about the wind and a cloud. Everyone is afraid of the wind because it blows things away and destroys stuff. One day the wind tries to rip a cloud a part, but the cloud simply floats away and returns. After a while the cloud returns and tells the wind that it could use its power to help people, and from then one the wind helps people and is loved by all.

Of course Reo likes this story to the relation between the two of you, although he only tells you this after you've fallen asleep. Reo is a rather selfish but sweet, teasing you all the time.Only after you've fallen asleep you get to hear how sweet though.

As always there is a wake-up track again, however I was slowly falling asleep by that time so I didn't exactly hear all of it. And sadly I don't like Yoshino-san enough to re-listen it just so that I can review it for you. Many apologies.

I did, however, wake up  again at the free-talk, which was fun. Yoshino shows us just how well the Dummy Head records things, he sways around while talking and walks away from the microphone to show you that you can hear difference in distance as well. He even walks all the way to the door of the studio and opens is (you can actually hear the staff laughing). The best part however is that he says that he has to talk in a subdued voice when talking very close to the microphone, because it would sound awfull IF HE TALKED VERY LOUDLY (he screams that into your ear, you have been warned).


Conclusion:
Like I said, I'm not that much of a Yoshino fan, and for a CD that is done by a single voice actor that is a major inconvenience. But my being biased aside, it was a fun story to listen to and I'm just happy that Black Butterfly made a continuation to the series.

28/06/2011

Fushigi no Kuni no Alice ~Alice in Wonderland~


不思議の国のアリス~Alice in Wonderland~


Company: Momogre
Based on: Alice in Wonderland.
Released: 2011.05.26
Official Site: http://www.momogre.com/



This story is part of momo&grapes their "men's only" series, meaning that all characters are voiced by male seiyuu. The story is based on (the Japanese translation of) Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

You know me, if something has 'alice' written on it I'm all over it. So when I found out that momogre would do an adaption of the original work I was super exited!

The story itself is so famous that it doesn't really need an explanation. This adaption is very loyal to the original story, so there isn't really much to explain for me there. (except that, well, it is very loyal to the original. And I love that). In fact, I think that they've actually used part of a translation as script, because most conversations seem to be exactly like how I remembered them. The Narration is of course original to this work.

The cast was fantastic as well. Kaji Yuuki is a super cute Alice, although no matter how hard I try he doesn't really sound like a girl to me. He sounds more like a young boy but still super cute and it somehow works so I am not complaining. The only voice I was uncomfortable with was that of the Cheshire Cat, who is voiced by Takeuchi Ken. Somehow his voice didn't suit my image of the Cheshire Cat. Then again I might just be too used to Inoue Kazuhiko as the Cheshire Cat from Are you Alice?

Another funny trivia about the Cheshire Cat is that he is called "Chashire Cat" in the story, even though the official site lists him as Cheshire Cat. The seiyuu talk about this in the freetalk as well.


Conclusion:
Personally I absolutely loved this adaption. I love most things even remotely related to Alice in Wonderland so I'm probably biased, but this was a wonderful adaption. It is very faithful to the original, and has a wonderful cast. Whether you're already familiar with the story or not, this is a wonderful drama to listen to.


Also, I'm sorry for reviewing two different Alice in Wonderland related things in a row :p

27/06/2011

Are you Alice? - Unbirthday scrap #002


Are you Alice? unbirthday scrap #002 : ××× ⇔ Alice?

Company: IM Label
Based on: Original.
Released: 2008.03.28
Official Site: http://imlabel.jp/alice/

In Are you Alice a male Alice wanders into wonderland and is subsequently involved in 'the game to kill the white rabbit'. Alice his story is told in three drama CDs - Drink me, Check Mate, and Call me- but there are several expansions to the story.

The unbirthday series is one of those expansions. Aptly named, each entry tells us about the lives these characters used to live before the main story started (or in some cases, the events prior to the story). While they are a sort of prologue it is best to listen to them after you've listened to the main story, as you're assumed to know various things.
This also means there may be slight spoilers ahead.

The second unbirthday scrap centers on Alice (the male one.  I'll use Alice Liddel when referring to the female one to avoid confusion).  This story starts with how the life of Alice (CV: Sakurai Takahiro) and Alice Liddel (CV: Nakahara Mai) would have been if they had met. It is confusing at first, but after a while it becomes clear that this is essentially the story that should have been Alice his reason for killing his sister.

While this fact becomes clear in the main story, it was never really told how or why, making this very interesting (if slightly confusing) to listen to. Chronologically this comes after unbirthday scrap #001 and right before the story starts, if not for the last few sentences (which show Alice and the Mad Hatter together) it would have lead right into it.

Trivia: while Saiga Mitsuki in both in the first unbirthday scrap and this one, the characters she portraits are completely unrelated.


Conclusion:
Like I said in the review of unbirthday scrap #001, it is a shame you can't listen in chronological order because that would leave you with more questions than answers. For those who know the series this is a very interesting story, although it doesn't really reveal anything new. Those who don't know Are you Alice? yet should listen the the main story first ;)

26/06/2011

Fushigi Koubou Shoukougun Episode 05


ふしぎ工房症候群 EPISODE.5 「カネかえせ!」

Company: Cosmic Ray
Based on: Original
Released: 2005.08.26
Official Site: http://www.cosmicray.co.jp/fks/


ふしぎ工房症候群 (fushigi koubou shoukougun) translates into something like 'mysterious workshop syndrome'. The mysterious workshop in the title is what binds all of the stories in this series together. The shop can only be found by someone who is lost and really needs it, and is run by an old man, who sells 'happiness'

Each story is told by a (high profile) voice actor who both tells the story and acts out certain characters. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, and mostly centers on that person his thoughts. In each story the main character is going through a troubled period or trauma, and the mysterious workshop becomes a turning point in their lives.

This fifth story voiced by Taniyama Kishou is a bit different from the previous ones. In every story before this the protagonist had emotional, near depressing problems. In this volume however the protagonist is only out for personal gain: he wants to become rich. Also, he knows that the Fushigi Koubou exists, and is actively trying to search for it.

While daily dodging debt collectors our protagonist is searching for the Fushigi Koubou. He has heard that it can fulfill any wish, and wants to use that to become rich. While by coincidence, he manages to actually find it, and places an order to become rich. The old man is by no means happy with this, but tells the protagonist has one day. While our protagonist first doesn't understand it soon turns out that anything he does results in him winning or gaining money.

Contrary to the previous stories this one is much more energetic. It is fun to listen to, while it also comes with a moral message like every story does. The protagonist is an egoistical jerk, and I had never heard Taniyama Kishou play a character like that before so that was fun to hear as well (I mostly heard him as kind or tsundere characters).

While episode 4 did not clearly made a reference to previous stories, this one references them all. The protagonist heard rumors about what the Fushigi Koubou can do, stating all 4 as an example.


Conclusion:
While very different from the rest of the series this is a very fun story. Granted, the protagonist is an absolute jerk, but that somehow only adds to the charm. On its own it might not be one of the best stories, but as a counterweight to the rest of the more serious stories it is fantastic.

24/06/2011

Weekly News Post

Friday 24th of June, it is now exactly 12:00am, welcome to the news.



Cineria Homepage Renewal
Cineria renewed their homepage, and with that comes the news that they are turning Kareshi Igai into a series :D There are no details yet, but it looks like we can expect a new entry to the series, along with a completely new work.. No title was mentioned, but the new site has a navigational button called "Jikkyou! Otaku no Bangohan (real condition, Dinner at home)" so I assume it has something to do with the conversations at the dinner table?  We shall see (*゚∇^*)

In an earlier blog post they already said that they wanted to make something for the upcoming comiket, while there are no details again the plan is to release a book that features Kouno Nozomi (the character from the first Kareshi Igai)


Oujisama (warai) Mobile Game
I completely missed that it was in the makes, but a news post on the official homepage states that the august edition of B'sLog will have a special on the upcoming Oujisama (warai) mobile game. I only lament that I don't have a Japanese phone...


23/06/2011

Kannou Mukashi Banashi 7 - Nippon Mukashi Banashi



官能昔話 7  ~日本昔話~


Company: 5pb records
Based on: Japanese Folklore
Released: 2011.05.25
Official Site: http://5pb.jp/kannou/index.html


Finally, finally I've managed to review this. for more than 2 weeks I've been listening to this. The problem is, that I fell asleep every single time I listened to it. Most of the time I didn't even manage to listen to even one complete story...  orz

Kannou Mukashbanashi is a series that tells well known tales in a... slightly different way. Each volume usually contains several stories, all done by a different seiyuu. The series uses a special recording method called 3D dummy microphone, a microphone shaped like a head. using this technology you can hear the voice of the seiyuu as if they're talking right into your ear (when using headphones or earphones), and they've made sure that they talk very eroi.

Volume 7 is the first entry in season 2 of Kannou Mukashi Banashi. This does not change much to the series, except for one major thing: Inoue-san introducing an apprentice!! He announces that he saw the need to train new people to fulfill his role, and so he established a place where they can learn this.

This of course also means that he does the introduction together with someone. Masuda Toshiki is introduced as his apprentice, and they do the introduction together. "Masuda-kun" (as he is called by Inoue-san) obviously still has a lot to learn, but it is fun to hear him play that part. It might take a few moments to get used to though.

After the introduction however it is business as usual. Hino Satoshi does Urushima Tarou. The story is surprisingly loyal to the original, and I really liked it. Coincidentally, this is also the story I heard the most of them all, due to me usually falling asleep halfway through.

Fukuyama Jun does the story of the Cat Concubine. I was speculating about what kind of story it would be in a previous post, but my speculations were all wrong. In this story a hardworking but poor man takes in a kitten that as a thanks begins to help him with chores.

Maeno Tomoaki does the story of Hachikaburi-hime, which is about a poor girl that gets stuck with a pot on her head. Somehow I liked this one best, although it is a bit of a weird tale.

And finally all of them tell "Nezumi no Yomeiri" which is a tale about a family of mice searching a perfect husband for their beloved daughter. As always the last story is lighthearted and fun.


Conclusion:
Having someone else do the introduction (even just partly) felt weird. I hope it is just a plot related thing and that Inoue-san is not really leaving, because Kannou Mukashi Banashi without Inoue-san just wouldn't be the same. Other than that this is a really nice addition to the series, and absolutely worth listening to.

20/06/2011

Are you Alice? - Unbirthday scrap #001


Are you Alice? unbirthday scrap #001 : Dyna → Cheshire Cat

Company: IM Label
Based on: Original.
Released: 2008.02.29
Official Site: http://imlabel.jp/alice/


In Are you Alice a male Alice wanders into wonderland and is subsequently involved in 'the game to kill the white rabbit'. Alice his story is told in three drama CDs - Drink me, Check Mate, and Call me- but there are several expansions to the story.

The unbirthday series is one of those expansions. Aptly named, each entry tells us about the lives these characters used to live before the main story started (or in some cases, the events prior to the story). While they are a sort of prologue it is best to listen to them after you've listened to the main story, as you're assumed to know various things.

This also means there may be slight spoilers ahead.

The first unbirthday scrap is, maybe a little surprisingly, about Dyna. Dyna his life before and with Alice Liddel (CV: Nakahara Mai), and how he becomes the Cheshire Cat (CV: Inoue Kazuhiko). While I was first surprised that Dyna is the first character to be featured, it does make sense. The events in this drama are chronologically some of the first things that happen.

While it mostly gives us Dyna/ the Cheshire Cat his background story, it also sheds some light on Alice Liddel her life, and how the Cheshire Cat found Alice? (CV: Sakurai Takahiro) when he was thrown away.

Hearing the background story for these characters really helps to understand certain actions within the main story, and adds an extra layer of emotion to some events. In this case, the (already charismatic) Cheshire Cat becomes even more lovable.


Conclusion:
 It is too bad that listening to the story in chronological order would be like someone filling you in on the gaps of story you don't know, but you'll want to listen to the main story again after listening to this. Only recommended for people who already know the series (or there will be too many things you don't understand) but if you do know the series this is a must.

19/06/2011

Fushigi Koubou Episode 4


ふしぎ工房症候群 EPISODE 4 「一緒に死んでくれますか?」

Company: Cosmic Ray
Based on: Original
Released: 2005.08.26
Official Site: http://www.cosmicray.co.jp/fks/

ふしぎ工房症候群 (fushigi koubou shoukougun) translates into something like 'mysterious workshop syndrome'. The mysterious workshop in the title is what binds all of the stories in this series together. The shop can only be found by someone who is lost and really needs it, and is run by an old man, who sells 'happiness'

Each story is told by a (high profile) voice actor who both tells the story and acts out certain characters. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, and mostly centers on that person his thoughts. In each story the main character is going through a troubled period or trauma, and the mysterious workshop becomes a turning point in their lives.

The 4th story is voiced by Ishida Akira, and is in my opinion one of the most heavy stories. The title translates into "will do die with me?", and that is exactly what this story is about. The character Ishida portraits wants to commit suicide, but is looking for someone to commit suicide with. And when he stumbles upon the Fushigi Koubou that is what he "orders".

I won't say anything about how the story ends, because it is a beautiful story that you should just listen to. But I will say that it is by no means an ending that will make you feel depressed. The atmosphere of the story is very calm, both thanks to Ishida-san his soothing voice and the beautiful soundtrack.

In the previous stories there was a reference to the character from the story before, but I couldn't find a reference for the character from "hitoribocchi no tanjoubi". That is unless he was the man who helped a girl that was being picked on, but there was no specific reference.

Conclusion:
The theme of this work is suicide, so it a rather heavy story, but a truly beautiful one. And if anything it only makes you want to live more. I can't say much about the story without giving spoilers, you shouldn't be wasting time with reading my review while you could also go and listen yourself anyway ;)

18/06/2011

ZONE-00 Drama CD - I section CHERRY


ZONE-00 ドラマCD 劇-I section CHERRY

Company: Lantis
Based on: Manga
Released: 2011.05.18
Official site: http://www.lantis.jp/special/zone-00/


I don't know why, but I felt like listening to this when I saw it. Something that was a slight mistake. This drama is based on a manga, and -not heaving read said manga- I feel like I am missing out on a LOT.

All I knew before listening was a short intruduction, that I'll share with you here: "Kujo Saburou is an ordinary high schooler, hyperactive and strangely interested in mysterious (alien) things. He quickly becomes friends with a new transfer student, Shima Ango, who happens to find him in a game of hide-and-seek. But what he doesn’t know is Shima’s true goal: the extermination of mononoke terrorizing the Toyko area. Caught in the middle of their fight, Kujo loses his head, unsealing an Oni inside of him..." (shamelessly taken from mangafox)

The drama CD itself has three tracks, the first two are background stories for two characters. The third one is a complete crack track featuring everyone involved in the first two stories involved in a 'king of hosts' contest.

The first track centers on Kujo Saburou (CV: Kaji Yuuki) his life before the start of the series. We get to hear a bit about his daily life with his mother and how he first met everyone at the shopping district where he often goes. Kujou has a extreme high-tension personality, which shows in his story. It is completely hyper, introducing charcaters at a high pace.

The second track is an almost complete opposite; this time the story centers on Shima Ango (CV: Fukuyama Jun ) just before he goes to Tokyo (where the storyin the manga begins). It begins much much more reserved. Of course Shima then starts killing mononoke, but hey.

The third track is complete crack, but extremely entertaining~

Like I said, I haven't read the manga, making me feel like I was missing out on a lot. Then again, the manga turned out to be chaotic as hell as well. So I might have to say that it conveys the atmosphere of the manga very good actually. All in all, knowing the manga probably makes this a lot more enjoyable. For one because the cast of characters is quite large, and secondly it is probably less confusing.

Conclusion:
I recommend this for fans of the original manga. I don't know whether later chapters of the manga show anything of the characters their past, but this these are probably interesting stories to hear. For those of us not knowing the manga; it is probably best to leave this alone and listen something else.

17/06/2011

Weekly News Post

Not many news items to post about this week, and a little late, but here is the news~



Mousou Esthe IV
Somehow I completely managed to miss that Mousou Esthe IV will be released on 2011.07.27! It looks like Sugita Tomokazu will be making a return visit to the series, while Kondo Takeshi and Kaji Yuuki are new additions to the series.

Kondou Takeshi was already in Kannou Mukashibanashi, so I can say: I am looking forward to this! Mwahahaha. (Well, I'm looking forward to it regardless of the seiyuu~)


Bokutachi Otoko no Ko
A second drama CD has been confirmed for the series! In ドキドキ☆サマーハプニング 編 (dokidoki summer happening) we will follow our three idols to the beach where they have a recording for a tv show. No release date yet, but the CD will be on pre-sale on Comiket 80.


Fushigi Koubou Premium
Another thing I completely missed is that Fushigi Koubou Shoukougun Premium 2 will be released in a few days (June 22nd!!). What is interesting is that entry to the series will be voiced by Taketatsu Ayana. That's right!! The first entry in the series to be voiced by a female seiyuu!! Despite the fact that there are still some male seiyuu that I would love to see in the series (*cough*Hirakawa*cough) I'm looking forward to hearing a story voiced by a woman.

13/06/2011

Kareshi Igai ~Douryou to no Ayamachi~



彼氏以外~同僚との過ち~

Company: Cineria (doujin)
Based on: Original
Released: 2011.05.13
Official Site: http://www.ike-men.net/


Once in a while you come across something that looks so weird and interesting that you just have to listen to it. Same with this here. Directly translating the title makes it sound funny, but you get something like "Someone other than your boyfriend ~Mistake with a Colleague~".

In other words.... cheating!?!? ∑(゚∇゚|||)
The description on the official site leaves no room for speculation either. "You've been living together with your very sweet boyfriend ever since university, but lately there is someone else on your mind. Some people might call it cheating, but is it cheating when your heart is serious? Will you choose your boyfriend or...?"

And so I had to see what kind of work this is.

The presentation of the story is pretty interesting. The story is told through conversations with the one you are cheating with, meaning your colleague. The tracks have been divided into 4 days, and one that is six months later. As this is supposed to be you (as listener) cheating, this is of course all just Ishida-san talking, but you get the idea.

The story starts in the smoking room in your company, where you are complaining about your boyfriend to Kouno Nozomi (CV: Ishida Akira), one of your colleagues. He has to get back to work though, so he promises to go for a drink together after work. That night a little too much alcohol results in you going home with him...

You're still there in the morning, so you decide to take the day off while he has to hurry to work. You meet up at the same Izakaya as the night before, but quickly decide to go back to his place. (I loved the overly cliche sentence Ishida-san got to use when you get back ヾ(>▽<). Of course however, your sweet time together has to end soon...

For a second I was afraid that the um, actual act of cheating would be included in the drama, but luckily there is a fade out at exactly the right moment. Now, I've never cheated so I have no idea whether this is a realistic representation, but it seems plausible enough. The only problem I have with the plot is that you stay over 2 nights, and apparently didn't inform your boyfriend. Not that I expect you to report that you are going to cheat, but if you live together with someone you can't just not come home for two nights straight without saying a word.

What I loved is how Ishida-san speaks. Not the standard, grammatically correct Japanese that you hear in most drama's but a far more conversational level, like how you actually speak with friends.



Conclusion
This certainly was an interesting work to listen to. Of course everyone always says "there is no way I would cheat!!" so this really has an interesting theme. A bit weird to listen too, best not to try and think about what you are going to listen to too much to avoid internal conflicts with your conscience (>▽<). And like Ishida-san says; let's keep the cheating to this CD (*゚∇^*)

On their twitter account one of the makers said that they want to continue this as a series. I'm curious to how things will go and secretly hoping that this interesting concept will continue.

12/06/2011

Mousou Esthe


妄想エステ


Company: 5pb
Based on: Original
Released: 2010.06.23
Official Site: http://5pb.jp/moso/


Mousou Esthe is made by the same team as Kannou Mukashi Banashi (it was originally also listed on the same website). Of course that means the Dummy Head Microphone is used here as well. Mousou Esthe mixes the day to day conversations of the members of the beauty salon 'Etreinte' with the beauty treatments they give. And an overall plot somewhere on the background.

In the prologue we hear that Kagami Subaru (CV: Suwabe Junichi) receives an important prize in recognition of his skills as a beautician. Soon however he discovers that while he thought he had everything, he wasn't happy.

We switch to the present where he now owns his own salon in Hisuigaoka. This is where the story takes place. In each track a new esthetician is introduced in the form of a short conversation with Kagami and/or previously introduced characters. Then the scene switches to you (the listener) receiving a beauty treatment by the newly introduced character.

All of the characters are rather quirky. Save for Kagami pherhaps, who acts as the single sane character. Izumino Sei (CV: Sugita Tomokazu) is silent and my-pace, Sakura Naiki (CV: Okamoto Nobuhiko) has an obsession with cleanness, and Sendou Fumiya (CV: Takahashi Hiroki) is probably best described as a lovable narcissist. The final character is not a esthetician, but the shops mascot and extra comedy relief parrot Noel (CV: Hatano Wataru).

Thanks to these quirks the day to day conversations between these characters if funny to listen to. The main attraction of the series however are the beauty treatments. This is where the Dummy Head Microphone (that can make it sound like the characters are actually talking in your ear) is used. Of course it's a bit weird to imagine you are getting a massage when you only hear someone talk, but it is relaxing none the less.

There is something of a plot that spans the entire series going on in the background, but it is neglectable. The plot is not the main focus anyway, the treatments are. With a relaxing piano tune playing in the background it really feels like the atmosphere in a beauty salon. The only drawback to this relaxing atmosphere is that the next scene tends to come as a wake-up call, especially if the characters suddenly start talking rather lively.


Conclusion:
The conversation between the characters make this a lot of fun to listen too, which is why I think that it's a shame that they don't return in the following entries to the series (except for Kagami). Having a voice only beauty treatment feels a little strange, but it is fun to listen to.


Speaking of 'voice only beauty treatment' I think I saw a make-up
hypnosis not too long ago...

11/06/2011

Are you Alice? - Bristle grass

This is one of the bonus drama's for Are you Alice. I believe it comes with one of the Tea Party CDs. As this takes place after the entire story I recommend listening to it after you've listened to the entire main story (Drink me, Call me, Check Mate).Also, depending on how much of the series you've listened to, slight to major spoilers ahead.


Are you Alice? - Bristle Grass


In the first few lines Alice explains that Lewis Carrol found the exit to wonderland, all people have been returned to the real world, except Alice and the White Rabbit. The story consists entirely of Alice and the Cheshire cat talking.

Considering that most drama's are somewhere between parodies and near total crack, this one is remarkably serious. For one thing, both characters remain in character for the entire drama (in most side drama's they act out of character, a lot). Despite being serious there is no lack of the usual snarkiness that you'd expect in any Are you Alice -or Ninomiya Ai, for that matter- story.

While fairly short (20min) due to it being a tokuten it does explain a few things about the entire series. Both Alice and the Cheshire Cat talk a bit about motives and regrets, and Alice explains why it always rains in some of the side drama's.


Conclusion:
While not necessary to understand the main story, this does give some interesting information. Not that it is completely serious though, the conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat is bound to make you laugh a couple of times.

10/06/2011

Weekly News Post

To prevent myself from spamming everybody with tiny news updates, I've decided to make a weekly news update every Friday. Downside to this is that it might take a little longer bring the news, but on the other hand it is all conveniently in one post, I don't have to spam multiple updates a day, and you can start the weekend with a whole bunch of good news.


Blog updates and changes
Little changes here and there, some new banners have been added in the banner madness, slight changes to the about page, and a switch back to post titles in romaji. I figured that it makes no sense to post them in kanji, as all my reviews are in English. The Kanji titles are still included in the posts however, so with the search function you can still search for them. I am also trying to find a better way of listing all of the tags, because it is becoming one looooong list by now.

I've also enabled the mobile version for this blog, meaning that when you open it on a mobile device a more compact and lighter version will open. It is still far from perfect (the background is a default one, for one thing) but it makes reading posts on the go a lot easier.


Kannou Mukashi Banashi Portable
The site for Kannou Portable has officially opened, giving us a bit more information on how this series is being tuned into a game. According to the site the game will include 7 stories from Kannou Mukashi Banashi. In each one the listener will take the role of the heroine. Depending on the choices you make during each story it is possible to obtain a completely different ending than the original story. Of course the dummy head mike will be used in the game as well.

Inoue Kazuhiko acts as our guide as always, and 6 of the stories included have also been announced, one from each volume of the first series of the drama CD. In order they are: Issun Boushi, The Little Mermaid, Banchou Sarayashiki, Hansel and Gretel, Leda and the Swan, and Hosokawa Tadaoka. The original Seiyuu returns for each story. However there is no info on whether the 7th story is done by Inoue Kazuhiko, or what it will be. (for reference, he originally voiced "Tsuru no Ongaeshi"in the first Kannou Mukashi Banashi, but as Issun Boushi is already included I expect he will be voicing something different).

This line-up means that both Sakurai Takahiro and Hirakawa Daisuke (my favorite voice actors) will be in this (゚∇゚☆). Despite me being slightly disappointed with Sakurai his story last time, I am looking forward to this. And considering the damage done by Hirakawa-san in the original drama, I'm expecting a death by nosebleed.


Warabimochi-ka

I still regularly stalk Hypnos Eye, in the hope that he will update more free examples of his work. He stated in a recent blog post that due to personal circumstances it might be a little while before he releases the next work, but that it will be released.

But I also found a link to something else posted on his blog:



Warabimochi-ka, or in other words, a hypnosis for turning into warabimochi. (klick on the Japanese title and scroll down past the, ummmm, other works by this circle until you find the above picture again to download. The password is posted beside the picture).

Now before I begin my review, during my time in Japan I've been complete addicted to these. The supermarket version is incredibly cheap as well, so for over a month I've been eating this every day. So when I found this I just had to listen to it. It is not like a hypnosis turning you into a food in new to me either, Kannou Jikan did it as well, although this work lacks the double meanings. (which is in retrospect, considering the other works of the group, actually slightly surprising).

The first thing I noticed after downloading the work is that it is long. 58min! That means that the hypnosis takes almost an entire hour! Granted, there is a 10min silence to let you sleep, but that doesn't make it any shorter. From my experience with listening to this it is a bit too long. This kind of hypnosis is meant for relaxation, and there is a considerable 'risk' of falling asleep. Which is especially true for the 10min silence in this work. Chances are you'll actually fall asleep and miss the wake-up sequence (and be stuck as a warabimochi forever! ( ´艸`)ムププ

Other than that it is constructed remarkably good. The voice of the girl who voiced it might take a little while to get used to, especially high-pitched voices are not really your thing, but she did a great job. It becomes really easy to relax listening to her voice, and the calm pace allows you to completely relax. With the single drawback that you might really fall asleep.


Conclusion:
This was a really interesting work to listen to. Actually convincing someone that they are mochi is a challenging task, but they manage to come a long way. And without a doubt it is one of the most relaxing hypnosis works that I know.

09/06/2011

Oshigoto Danshi Vol.6 - Gofukuya

While I was being distracted by other works I realised that I was only one review away from reviewing this entire series, so here is the last review for Oshigoto Danshi!!
 
お仕事男子 Vol.6 職業 呉服屋



Company: Broccoli
Based on: Original
Released: 2010.01.27
Official Site: http://www.broccoli.co.jp/cd/sp/oshigoto/


Oshigoto Danshi is a series that centers on the development of the relationship between yourself (the listener) and a guy with a specific profession. The character for this last installment is Kaga Kazuomi, who owns a Kimono store.

When you first come to the store you are actually only there to pick up some things, however Kaga-san is nearly obsessed with getting you to wear a Kimono to your companies new year party that evening. Usually quiet and reserved, Kaga-san is unusually straight forward with you.

You meet again that evening during the party, where Kaga-san is present as well. Also present is our little idol from vol.5, Tachibana Yuu. Despite everyone saying that Kaga-san is usually quiet and reserved, he shows that he has an S-side to him as well. Poor Yuu is no match for Kaga-san his remarks (≧▽≦)

During the party you spill juice on the Kimono you borrowed, and despite bringing it to the cleaning it won't come off. Kaga-san doesn't seem to troubled by it, and just asks whether you want to go out for dinner as repayment. Somewhere during the evening you get separated and Kaga-san collapses from straining too much to find you.

As you can guess we've got a bit of case of Soap Opera Disease here, no only really knows what is wrong with Kaga-san, though he himself insists that he just isn't as fit as other people are. That aside, his concern for you is really touching. 

Conclusion
Ono Daisuke his voice was made to be the perfect boyfriend, so that is what you'll get (health issues aside). Despite everyone saying that Kaga-san is always so quiet and reserved I think he shows a great personality, and isn't afraid of teasing either. Despite the small case of soap opera disease, this is my third fav entry in the series (after vol 4 and 2)

08/06/2011

Kannou Mukashi Banashi ~Romeo and Julliet~



官能昔話 特別編~ロミオとジュリエット~ 


Company: 5pb records
Based on: Romeo and Julliet
Released: 2011.02.23
Official Site: http://5pb.jp/kannou/index.html


It has taken me far too long, but I've finally listened to this special entry in the Kannou Mukashi Banashi series. The first 6 volumes have been named as the 'first season' and a second season has just begun. In between this special volume was released.

Kannou Mukashbanashi is a series that tells well known tales in a... slightly different way. Each volume usually contains several stories, all done by a different seiyuu. The series uses a special recording method called 3D dummy microphone, a microphone shaped like a head. using this technology you can hear the voice of the seiyuu as if they're talking right into your ear (when using headphones or earphones), and they've made sure that they talk very eroi.

This volume certainly is special; Inoue Kazuhiko, who usually does the introduction for every volume, is the one to tell the story of Romea and Julliet in full Kannou style.

Due to Inoue-san telling the main (and this time, only) story someone else does the introduction. Kondo Takeshi to be exact. It is slightly weird to hear someone else do the introduction, however it is still as good as ever. I especially liked that they referenced the previous stories.

Inoue Kazuhiko his voice acting is as wonderful as always, and considering that he does the narration and every character -including Julliet- my admiration has only grown after listening to this. Of course everyone knows the story and how it ends, which probably only adds to the drama and emotion. Sadly I have to confess that I'm not a great fan of the story - but this was a very entertaining and well done interpretation.


Conclusion:
The fact that this is part of the Kannou Mukashi Banashi series alone makes it a must listen. And Inoue Kazuhiko hasn't done a full story since the first Kannou, so for those of you wanting to hear his storytelling again; don't miss this chance. Make sure you are listening this with decent head/earphones though. Bad quality ones would only kill it, and that would be an absolute shame.


PS: I've been trying to listen to vol.7 for over a week now, but so far I've fallen asleep every single time I try to listen to it. I hope to be able to review it soon (^▽^;;)

07/06/2011

Aohige ~Itan no Kizoku~

青ひげ~異端の貴族~

Company: Momo & Grape
Based on: Bluebeard / Gilles de Rais
Released: 2011.05.03


This story is part of momo&grapes their "men's only" series, meaning that all characters are voiced by male seiyuu. The story is loosely based on the story "Bluebeard" by Charles Pernault (which in return is sometimes believed to have been based on the story of Gilles de Rais).

This story starts as a romance, however it turn much darker as it progresses. Jeanne Asran (CV: Hino Satoshi) is about to be married to count Gilles de Rais (CV: Yusa Kouji). At the time of the wedding they have never met before, but the marriage is a happy one.

However around the time of their marriage, a serial killing involving young boys occurs. Because Gilles gives scholarships to young boys in the area the head of the investigation, Lance (CV: Sakurai Takahiro) suspects Gilles as the culprit. When Henri (CV: Kaji Yuuki) one of the students that received a scholarship and also worked at the castle where Gilles and Jeanne reside disappears, Lance his suspicions grow stronger and stronger.

The end of the story holds a few surprises, so I won't say anything about it.

The voice acting in this piece is wonderful. Like someone at Hibiki already said, especially Hino as Jeanne did a very good job. His voice is absolutely believable as a woman. The story alone is touching enough, but with the incredible voice acting it really becomes very emotional. This is the first drama cd in a long time that really got me to cry. Near the end the tears were literally pouring down my face ・゚・(ノД`;)・゚・

Another interesting thing that has to do with the recording of the voices and sounds is that they've made good use of stereo sounds. When to characters are having a conversation you can hear that one is standing more to the left and the other more to the right, which helps to give the impression that you are really there and watching the situation unfold.

In stark contrast with the emotional content and music of the main drama the cast comment suddenly starts with a much too happy sounding Yusa. All members do their best to make a serious comment, however most of them (especially Yusa) are just to giggly to make it sound serious. Which is a good thing, because it lifts your spirits after this emotional and somewhat depressing work. (Also, Hino says he was uncertain about his own acting as a woman, especially in the beginning when he had to play the 10 year old Jeanne).


Conclusion:
Like I said this is a very emotional drama. However it is absolutely worth listening. Both Yusa and Hino did a wonderful job as Gilles and Jeanne respectively. Not that the other seiyuu their performance was any less, but the performance of these two really stand out (they are, after all, the main characters).

06/06/2011

Kannou Mukashi Banashi Portable?!

Yes yes, I know. I've been a slacker in posting again. BUT, I will try and do my best again this month. All reviews from last month have been added to the review list, and new reviews and news are coming up.


And to start with, while checking up on Otomate their endless barrage of games (I will never catch up if they keep on releasing like this) I suddenly found one very interesting entry: Kannou Mukashi Banashi Portable.

There is not much on the official site except for a message saying that it 'will be updated soon'. However it links to the Kannou Mukashi Banashi Official Site, which in return links to the official site for the game, so there is no mistake that there is a Kannou Mukashi Banashi PSP game coming up!!

I wonder what it will be like?