Anime Episode Review: ToraDora Ep. 1
SUMMARY:
Ryuuji Takasu is entering his second year of high school. Having inherited the sharp look of a delinquent from his father, his hungover mother (Yasuko) praises him, but he despises being compared to him. After finding out he is in the same class with his friend, Kitamura, and manages through a staggered conversation with his crush, Minori Kushieda, he encounters a chibi-sized girl with a ferocious attitude known to all at school as the “Palmtop Tiger.” Taiga Aisaka violently makes her way into Ryuuji’s life, getting him caught up in her own klutziness in a way he could never imagine. However, in the midst of his own family issues, Ryuuji acknowledges Taiga’s own shortcomings, though one would hardly call his new situation fortunate.
INPUT:
I found this intro episode to be not only hilarious, but catered nicely to my otaku side. The one thing I like about this series already is that it didn’t try to hook you in with some over-the-top scenario. The character interaction is just right to do that all on its own. Exactly how I like my anime.
JC STAFF is handling the animation for this one, so I can definitely tell the animators had plenty of fun with Taiga’s Shana-like personality. For crying out loud, Taiga even attacks Ryuuji the same way Shana attacked Sakai! On top of it all, they even got Rie Kugimiya (Taiga/Shana’s VA) to do Shana’s famous “Urusai (x3)” [Taiga only does it x2] and Yui Horie (Minori/Kanon [2006]’s Ayu) in on this!
Now for an equation of pure mindblowing fanlove:
(Minami Ke’s Chiaki + 5 years) + Shana’s soul = Taiga Aisaka! I seriously fan-gushed so hard!
Amazing casting once again for a series that is really shaping up to be worthwhile series to keep an eye on. Not to mention we all know JC STAFF won’t freaking slack on the key animation, which makes me happy. As a side note, I heard the manga for this was pretty good.
FSS’s EPISODE RATING: 8/10
EPISODE 1 GALLERY
2nd Annual Seiyuu Awards Thoughts
***Layout sucks for pics. Sorry.***
With so many seiyuu (voice actors/actresses) up and about for both anime and Japanese dubbing, it’s about time someone started recognizing the great talent that has emerged. Not everyone can make it as a seiyuu, and, obviously, not all seiyuu can go above and beyond simply being a “fitting character voice”. As an aspiring seiyuu myself, I could not let this news pass by without sharing my thoughts.
Here are some of the chosen winners that have personally struck me in my own anime viewing experience.
Best Lead Actor

Seiyuu: Mamoru Miyano
Series: Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Character: Setsuna F. Seiei

Miyano-san absolutely struck me as a passionate, memorable voice for Setsuna. His line delivery and ability to make such a tense character so prolific has caused me to pine after the English dubbing voice for Setsuna. Honestly, it has been a few years since I have wanted a role as much as I desire Setsuna’s and simply because I want to be the one to give Miyano-san’s performance proper justice. I know it won’t be me though.

Best Lead Actress
Seiyuu: Aya Hirano
Series: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya / Death Note / Lucky Star
Characters: Haruhi Suzumiya / Misa Amane / Konata Izumi


There is no longer a soul in the anime atmosphere who does not know the talent of Hirano-san that came onto the scene just a year or so ago. A voice that has the ability to be pensive, demanding, and quirky — all within a range that doesn’t overstep or undermine the character — is only a few things that make her a voice worthy of an award. Her unimaginable energy for those characters and her songs has etched in characters that should be remembered in Japanese visual culture history.
Best Supporting Actor #1

Seiyuu: Daisuke Ono
Series: Minami-Ke (Okawari)
Character: Hosaka
Ono-sama…! I love this guy almost as much as I loved Seki Tomokazu as Fushigi Yuugi’s Chichiri, and about as much as I loved Hikaru Midorikawa, also in Fushigi Yuugi, as Tamahome. The latter is probably because Midorikawa-sama somehow took Ono-sama’s role as Yukito Kunisaki in AIR the Movie. But yeah…the voice on this guy just screams “I’m 100% bishie lovin’! Take me home!” His performance as the overtly passionate and sweaty Hosaka was amazing and hilarious! Minami-Ke would not have been the same without him supporting Hosaka’s character.
Best Supporting Actor #2

Seiyuu: Hiroshi Kamiya
Series: Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Characters: Tieria Erde
Though I’m not familiar with this seiyuu as much as I am with others, Kamiya-san has been doing an awesome job carrying the turbulent emotions that Tieria carries and portrays among the entire crew of Celestial Being. Tieria’s character is very fragile, and so the need to properly give emotion or cut off emotion is crucial to making Tieria the kind of pilot he is. Kamiya-san deserves this award for being able to juggle all those emotions together to make Tieria a character worth watching…(and putting in as many yaoi doujins as possible, given how he could be uke or seme no problem XD — yes, I’m horrible.)
Best Supporting Actress

Seiyuu: Rie Kugimiya
Series: Shakugan No Shana (Second)
Characters: Shana

There is much love for Shana, the chibi swordie of Crimson Flame, but probably not enough love for Kugimiya-san who has given Shana life for nearly 50 episodes. Though Shana is not a very complex character, she does struggle with learning about emotions, and accepting Yuji Sakai over a period of time. Kugimiya-san’s ability to convey those aspects of Shana while still retaining such a high-alto tonality is what makes Shana so lovable. Truly is deserving of that award, even though Shana is more of a lead character in my opinion in the first season and a supporting character in Second.
Best New Actress

Seiyuu: Emiri Katou
Series: Lucky*Star
Characters: Kagami Hiiragi
Personally, I’m a Kagami fan. She deserves someone who will really treat her right and bring out more of that softer side of her, while still getting a kick out of her being an off-the-wall tsundere. Call me biased, but I’m happy Katou-san could be recognized for this role and may this be a boost to her confidence to give life to other characters as memorable as Kagami, while setting them apart from her role as Kagami. For any new seiyuu, I think that is half the battle.

Best Singing Award

Seiyuu: Aya Hirano / Emiri Katou / Kaori Fukuhara / Aya Endo
Series: Lucky*Star
Song: “Motteke! Sailor Fuku” (Lucky Star opening theme)
Quite possibly one of the most pleasantly energetic and (overly?)remixed opening themes ever to burst onto the anime scene, “Motteke! Sailor Fuku” takes this award with much dignity supporting it. Putting these four seiyuu together was possibly very scary for the producers at first, but a winning idea in the end. Though it could be argued that this song wasn’t much about singing, a majority of fans responded positively to the soprano harmonies of these four seiyuu. Even after nearly half a year since Lucky*Star’s final episode, I still hear that opening in my head from time to time, and enjoy the #002 Remixed CD of this song the most. Motteke Sailor Fuku FTW!
For more award winners, visit ANN’s article.
Are there any seiyuu that you think should have won? Leave a comment and let us know!
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