The New Matthew’s Anime Blog

Cookin’ Idol I! My! Mine! 1

And for the first show of the new spring season we have something educational for the kids, Cookin’ Idol I! My! Mine!. Since this runs Monday-Friday I’ll only post if there’s something I find amusing about the episode.

Director: Hiroshi Watanabe
Series Composition: Miharu Hiromi
Character Design: Atsuko Nakajima
Animation Production: Studio DEEN
Monday – Friday, 17:40-17:50 on NHK Educational

Opening: “The Kitchen is My Stage” sung by Haruka Fukuhara
  

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Main (that’s “mine”, not “main”) is an 11 year old aspiring idol that has a penchant for daydreaming. Today’s her big first job on stage and she’s pretty nervous about it, so her manager (and owner of the talent agency), Yuria, suggests that she imagine the audience as being cabbage. Thanks to Main’s overactive imagination, she bursts out singing a song…. about cabbage (　ﾟДﾟ)ﾎﾟｶｰﾝ So no more of that show for Main after that performance. However, there’s still hope — an audition for a show called Cookin’ Idol is coming up.

Meanwhile, in the land of cooking fairies, there’s warning of an impending danger of the dinner tables on Earth losing their power, so someone will have to be sent to make sure people enjoy eating again. That one happens to be Misanga, who falls to Earth to find a partner who is pure of heart and that can see him.

The Cookin’ Idol audition is Main’s last chance to make it… or else she’s fired. Misanga ends up at the studio thanks to jumping into a cabbage truck, and Main happens to find him — she can see him, so she must be it! Main goes off into her own world yet again singing about cabbages, while those around her see her dancing with a cabbage (　ﾟДﾟ)ﾎﾟｶｰﾝ However, the producer of the show seems to like Main.

–segue into about a minute of live action here–

…which I won’t cap since I’m only really interested in the anime part — no offense to Haruka Fukuhara-chan (10 years old), who provides Main’s voice and plays her in the live action cooking part. Her voice is pretty decent, actually, though perhaps the singing could use a bit of work. Ganbare!

Anyways, as y’all know this blog’s motto is “Kawaii wa seigi!” (It is?), and I like watching kids’ shows for a change of pace. Main’s plenty cute and her daydreaming gives potential for some amusing chaos, so I’ll keep on watching.

Added 8:29PM: Geez, guys, already doing fanart of Main? Well, yeah, the character design is very ooki na otomodachi friendly (that’s NHK quality for you there!). Here’s the tag on Pixiv (registration required to view large images, btw).

Tags: Anime, Cookin' Idol I! My! Mine!, Spring 2009

New anime for 2009: Munto, Tears to Tiara, Minamike, and more!

[Cross-posted from Japanator]

As this year gets closer to ending, info on the new anime awaiting us next year has started to flow, starting with something of a surprise. Kyoto Animation will be completing their original OVA series, Munto, as a TV anime starting in spring 2009. Sorry Haruhi fans, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Those who haven’t seen the OVAs (yes, they are licensed) shouldn’t need to worry about being lost, as the TV anime will include a “director’s cut” of the OVAs with new content.

Next up, AQUAPLUS’s Tears to Tiara will be starting spring 2009 as well, lead by director Tomoki Kobayashi of Utawarerumono (also based on a game made by Leaf/AQUAPLUS) and animated by WHITE FOX. The cast for the consumer PS3 release of the game (including Yuko Goto, Mai Nakahara, Ai Shimizu, Rie Tanaka, and others) will remain the same for the anime.

The third season of Minamike will start in January, made by the staff of Minamike ~okawari~ studio Asreed, but with some changes — Hiroshi Ogawa will be director and Rie Koga will handle series composition. I’m hoping that it won’t be an okawari of okawari.

Other anime starting in January of next year include the second season of Tetsuwan Birdy: DECODE, a new Hajime no Ippo anime, Kurokami The Animation, Slayers EVOLUTION-R, and VIPER’S CREED.

[Thanks to MOON PHASE for the info]

Tags: Anime, News, Spring 2009, Winter 2009