Japanese Favorite Anime Movies for 2009!
Anime movies were pretty good last year and Japanese had the chance to vote for the ones They liked.
Dengeki conducted an online poll on the popularity of the anime movies shown in the fiscal 2009. Fans voted for the best anime movie they watched.
1, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
2, Summer Wars
3, Macross Frontier ~Itsuwari no Utahime~
4, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st
5, Tales of Vesperia ~The First Strike~
6, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
7, One Piece: Strong World
8, (Up by Disney)
9, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Movie: Lagann-hen
10, Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Part 2)ref. the box office ranking of the anime movies in 2009.
Rank / box office/ screens/ weeks
*1, $48,192,309 194scr *7w One Piece: Strong World
*2, $40,631,237 366scr *5w Pokemon Diamond & Pearl the Movie: Arceus – Choukoku no Jikuu e
*3, $40,303,632 109scr 14w Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
*4, $35,292,488 303scr *8w Detective Conan Movie 13: The Raven Chaser
*5, $23,825,776 288scr *8w Doraemon: The New Record of Nobita – Spaceblazer
*6, $17,425,019 114scr 10w Summer Wars
*7, $11,004,517 311scr *6w Major: Yuujou no Ikkyuu
*8, $10,097,019 153scr *6w Crayon Shin-chan Movie 17
*9, $*9,099,022 146scr *5w Eiga Precure All-Stars DX: Minna Tomodachi – Kiseki no Zenin Daishuugou
10, $*8,341,362 148scr *6w Fresh Precure! Omocha no Kuni wa Himitsu ga Ippai!?
11, $*7,769,864 266scr *3w Naruto: Shippuuden Movie 3 – Hi no Ishi wo Tsugu Mono
12, $*7,522,074 308scr *5w Penguin no Mondai Movie
13, $*6,112,698 311scr *5w Layton Kyouju to Eien no Uta Hime
14, $*6,074,952 *24scr *5w The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
15, $*4,839,216 *31scr *5w Macross Frontier ~Itsuwari no Utahime~
16, $*4,319,940 213scr *5w Uchuu Senkan Yamato: Fukkatsu-hen
17, $*4,010,476 255scr *3w Eiga! Tamagotchi Uchuu Ichi Happy na Monogatari!?
18, $*3,130,376 211scr *3w Hottarake no Shima ~Haruka to Mahou no Kagami~
19, $*2,444,050 *19scr *3w Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st
20, $*2,017,918 124scr *2w 10th Anniversary Gekijouban Yu-Gi-Oh! ~Chou Yuugou! Toki wo Koeta Kizuna~
21, $*1,853,535 149scr *4w Anpanman Movie 2009
22, $*1,630,434 *11scr *5w Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Movie: Lagann-hen
23, $*1,139,719 144scr *4w Keroro Gunsou Movie 4: Gekishin Dragon Warriors de Arimasu!
24, $**,941,610 *34scr *2w Tales of Vesperia ~The First Strike~ 34screens 2weeks
25, $**,702,155 210scr *1w Yatterman 2008 Movie
26, $**,505,349 **7scr *2w Higashi no Eden – Movie I: The King of Eden
27, $**,400,773 *12scr *1w Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works
28, $**,292,467 *29scr *2w Eagle Talon Movie 3
29, $**,215,163 **1scr *5w Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Part 2)Sources: Dengeki, Box Office MOJO, Anime!Anime! via MAL
One note…Japan fiscal year ends in March so movies like Haruhi and Fate Stay Night that were released before that month are included. Do you agree with the list? I agree with most of it…Now, I need to watch them… 
Anime Business Model Analysis and Concerns!
It seems there is a concern regarding the current anime business model and how anime fans are involved. The study is really interesting because probably, They will do some changes to increase sales and help the anime industry.
IG Port (the parent company of Production I.G, ZEBEC, and Mag Garden) released the statement of accounts for fiscal 2010 May term. In the attached report, IG Port analyzed the current business model of anime industry. They stated apprehension about the dependence on the domestic DVD sales and the “core” anime fans.
Breakdown of the profits of TV anime
The chart shows a typical case of TV anime aired after midnight. The domestic DVD sales make up 70 – 80% of the profits. Although the enthusiasm of foreign anime fans has been frequently reported by the mass media, but the international market itself is shrinking. The current unit prices of TV anime traded overseas are one-tenth of those at the peak period. The online streaming is a growing business but it has produced little profits.
Current “all-or-nothing” Customer Behavior
The current business model relies on “buy expensive anime DVD or none” behavior of core fans. The industry fails to make profits from the light and foreign anime fans.
Ideal “diverse” Customer Behavior
In order to encourage the light anime fans to spend money on anime, the industry has to present them multiple ways to reach the anime materials other than expensive DVDs. Digital contents and online pay services will be effective.
Well, Anime fans probably already knew this long time ago. Lets hope They find the right anime business model so it can benefit them and us, the fans.
Power-up your Japanese with Manga and Anime!
Learning Japanese with Manga and Anime? It is possible…and official!
The Japan Foundation, a government-affiliated body set up to promote cultural exchange, has opened an English-language website that helps users better understand Japanese expressions used in manga and anime.
“Japanese in Anime & Manga” (http://anime-manga.jp) carries expressions used in four genres–love, school, ninja and samurai–and by eight typical characters.
A vocabulary quiz is available for three levels of proficiency.
Meanwhile, Tokyo’s Nerima Ward, which bills itself as the birthplace of Japanese anime, is currently running a 15-second clip from Galaxy Express 999 on its website (http://www.city.nerima.tokyo.jp).
The popular anime was created by Leiji Matsumoto, a manga artist who lives in the ward.
Source: Asahi
Well, this is another way how the japanese government can promote anime and anime…However, the technique is not new…I learned Japanese thanks in part to Anime and Manga…
Valkyria Chronicles Anime Full Review
There is a spoiler part in this review. But it is clearly marked at the end, if you do care about spoilers, mind yourself when scrolling down that part and into the comment section
Tons and tons of games exists that depict their version of World War II. It’s hard to deny the joy of being part of the fight in a game or to watch it. And only 2 years ago, april 2008, a video game was released with quiet an interesting view on the second world war.
With colorful water painted inspiring graphics we were shown an alternative version of what a second world war looked like. It was hard to believe such a colorful game with such a cartoon-ish feel would be able to take the theme of war serious. The game wasn’t received too well in the west, not because of the game being bad, but because of the game being forgotten among more hyped titles such as Metal Gear Solid 4.
Those who found the game, I being one of them, can see themselves as lucky to be able to have played this game. And i do recommend playing it.
A year after its release, the game spawned an anime. And with an open mind i went on to watch it.
Review
Story:
The story is in general the same, with only a few changes to make the anime be different from the game. Certain events are new and some old events placed in somewhat different order.
We follow a protagonist named Welkin Gunther, twenty two year old university student, and his fight against the Imperials in the east. It’s very easy to see the reference to the axis in the second world war, and it surely is intended.
In general, the whole universe in Valkyria Chronicles is very similar to our own during the time of the war. Guns, tanks, cities and to some extent clothing is similar (well, i don’t think anyone wore a skirt in battle during the war 
). They even present the oppression of a large group of people, named darcsen in the game and anime, also referred to as “the dark haired people”.
The major difference in “realism” is the valkyrias, spear and shield wearing maidens who shoot blue lazors across the battlefield and they make up for the “anime fighting action” like scenes. Their existence in the series makes it a little more spicy, and mysterious at the same time. And the producers do this well by not overusing the powers of the valkyrias, it makes you respect them for when they actually are on the screen owning stuff.
Also something that is special to the story is Ragnite, a mineral used for powering almost everything; tanks, cars and whatnot. In the game they are even used as a way to heal comrades.
Welkin lives in the fictional country of Gallia, a country stuck between the the fighting of the west and east. It didn’t take too long before the Imperials noticed the amounts of Ragnite that were inside Gallia. And as the Imperials invade Gallia, the anime (and the game) begins.
Presentation:
There isn’t much bad to say about the animation, in fact it’s really well done for an adaptation. They cleverly use 3D to present tanks and vehicles most of the time, while leaving the rest in traditional anime style. The overall presentation is very well done.
Tanks, being a central part of the fighting, look and move realistically across the battlefield. And the sound of everything from the tanks and guns are well done, inf fact many of the sounds comes directly from the game.
Being on the subject of sound, i must say the soundtrack is one of the best I’ve heard so far in an anime. Sure they pretty much stole it from the game in added a few track like the OP’s and ED’s, but once you hear the music during the battles and whatnot you will come to admire the music. If you are one of those people who judge something by its soundtrack (something i do often) you will find this anime interesting.
The OP’s and ED’s reflect the mood in the anime, the first episodes building up the action and having a lot of comedy in between the battles. And about halfway, when the OP’s and ED’s chang, the anime becomes a lot more serious in terms of drama.
Most of the comedy is between Welkin and Alica, the heroine of the series.Welkin usually seems to speak alot as if he is an idiot and Alicia often picks on him for that. Welkin also have ALOT of interest in animals and nature, and his seriousness about is also makes up for some humor. Alicia also seems like a bit of a airhead being anti against Welkin, much more than she was in the game in fact. Wherever that’s comedy or not it’s for you to decide .
Not to ignore other characters in the anime of course and their part in comedy and the story. The game had around 50 characters in total all chooseable by yourself to either be with you in combat or not. In the anime they take some of the characters with them and leave the rest out. And it’s a large pool of of characters to keep track of, but as you view the anime you don’t feel a need too, they’re just part of Squad 7 (Welkin’s Squad).
The humor and action is most of the time separated, but sometimes it makes you wonder how they can pull of a joke in the heat of battle. It’s an anime after all, you’ve got to expect some silliness
Action
Being a war story, fighting is a central part of the story. And the presentation of that is usually good, and as they use 3D to show tanks moving around that is what you mostly will see. The game focused a lot on tactics since it is a turn based game. And as much as i wanted the tactical aspect to continue into the anime, it didn’t. The “tactics” usually are presented before engagement in the anime, and after that its just them running around and shooting until the battle is over.
This isn’t too bad but as a fan of the game, i cannot avoid to downgrade this aspect of the anime. There is no excuse to not be able to show changes in tactic during combat, since for example Code Geass cleverly shows use of tactics (until season 2 at least).
Drama
Sooner or later, people will die in war. The anime does not overuse blood effects upon death, in fact it rarely is shown blood during fighting. The focus is not to show dramatic deaths, but instead on the morals of fighting and the consequences of war. It is inevitable that some characters will suffer a lot from the war, and this picks up about halfway through the anime. Things like reasons for the fighting, fates of characters and the oppression of the darcsens picks up at this time. Character’s personalities change in a realistic way to the things that are happening around them, and it isn’t too hard to imagine how it feels like.
The Parallel Story
Aside from the story about Welkin and Squad 7, we are also shown the story as seen from the Imperial side. This was something that also was used in the game but not near as much, and its an good thing that makes the anime more interesting special for those who have played the game. The story revolves around Selvaria, general and a valkyria in the army serving directly under the prince Maximillian, the one in charge of the conquest of Gallia. It adds something more to the story instead of just portraying the Imperials as bad people, and the parallel story has its own comedy, action and drama.
Summary
As a person who played the game first before the anime i can still highly recommend watching this anime, it’s a very interesting story about an alternative and fictional World War 2. It is well animated and the voice acting is flawless, the only thing i can complain about is the differences between the game and the anime, like certain plot changes and things alike. But aside from that the anime is enjoyable and I’ve watched it several times already. The ending settles things perfectly, it surely does make you want more. And for all i know there is only an upcoming PSP game, Valkyria 2. We can only hope to see an anime adaptation for it soon enough.
SPOILER WARNING, this part will contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
These are the things that set the game apart from the anime in a bad way.
- The Fate of Selvaria
In the game, her death was more dramatic in a way that she sacrificed herself with no reason left to live. And i couldn’t get that feeling in the anime. And also she made sure that no one in Squad 7 was nearby when she blew herself up, and that meant something.
- The Fate of Isara
Isara’s death was shocking in both the game and in the anime, and there isn’t much to complain about how she died. It was just that in the anime it felt as if Welkin was fighting solely for Alicia’s sake and love. Sure he did this in the game as well, but in fact he fought a lot more to justify the death of Isara and her sacrifices to Squad 7. Also, Welkin was already with Alicia quiet early in the game since Faldio was never really with Squad 7 as he was in the anime. So a lot more focus was on Isara’s fate and how to justify it.
- Faldio being more active in the anime
It made for an interesting change surely, but it could annoy you since Welkin had to focus more on trying to get Alicia from Faldio. And in the end it also took away focus from Isara’s death.
- Welkin’s confession
This came as late as actually in the ending episode of the anime. Something that felt really cliche for me, in the game he confessed before the Imperials charged into the Gallian city with their massive tank. And he then made sure to tell Alicia to not use her powers as a valkyria since it could kill her. Again when this happened so late Isara’s death wasnt the main focus.
- Alicia as a Valkyria and the new opening
This was the only major thing that made me somewhat upset. The OP spoiled the part about Alicia being a Valkyria around 5 episodes before it was announced, it felt somewhat stupid. The OP is amazing in general, its just weird they had to spoil it so early. Also Alicia was exploited a lot more in the anime as a valkyria then in the game, Welkin made sure to stop them from using her early on. And the way Alicia suddenly thought she was an outsider felt silly.
Spoiler End
What do you think about the anime? and if you have played the game and watched the anime, what are your comments on the changes in the plot and what not?
Loading ...
