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AnimeLab Adds Twelve New Series

posted on by Jon Hayward
Sword Art Online II and Soul Eater Not! added last Monday, Ten more series added last Thursday including simulcast of Lord Marksman and Vanadis;

On Monday the second season of Sword Art Online (Sword Art Online II) and all of Soul Eater Not! was added to AnimeLab. Sword Art Online II currently has the first 16 episodes available online and more will be added every Sunday, Soul Eater Not! has all 12 episodes available right now.

In addition, today ten more series were added to AnimeLab, starting with new simulcast title Lord Marksman and Vanadis. Nine other series have also been added in their entirety. The full list of new series this week is as follows;

Simulcast

  • Lord Marksman and Vanadis. [Watch here]
  • Sword Art Online II [Watch here]

Complete Series

  • D-Fragments [Watch here]
  • Hyperdimension Neptunia [Watch here]
  • Mekakucity Actors [Watch here]
  • Mushishi: The Next Chapter [Watch here]
  • Nanana's Buried Treasure [Watch here]
  • Nisekoi False Love [Watch here]
  • Persona 4 the Golden Animation [Watch here]
  • World Conquest Zvezda Plot [Watch here]
  • Unbreakable Machine-Doll [Watch here]
  • Soul Eater Not! [Watch here]

This follows on from the earlier announcement of Psycho-Pass 2 being added to AnimeLab.

If you wish to know more about each of the above titles please read on. A full listing of AnimeLab's current streaming schedule is at the bottom of the article.


© 2014 Tsukasa Kawaguchi,
PUBLISHED BY KADOKAWA CORPORATION MEDIAFACTORY/
Lord Marksman and Vanadis PARTNERS

Lord Marksman and Vanadis

The Vanadis of Zhcted are seven legendary warriors who carry weapons born of the Black Dragon. Each of the Vanadis rule over a terrority and knowledge of their existence instills fear in neighbouring countries. When the Vanadis invade the country of Brune, young Earl Tigre encounters a Vanadis in battle, the silver-haired, red-eyed "silver fraulein" Ellen. Tigre is no match for the power of the Vanadis but his skills catch Ellen's eye and in return for sparing his life Ellen demands Tigre to serve her.

Lord Marksman and Vanadis (Madan no Ō to Vanadis) is based on a Japanese light-novel series by Tsukasa Kawaguchi with art by Yoshi☆wo. The series has been published by Media Factory as part of the MF Bunko J label since the first volume was released in April 2011 and the series is up to volume 10. The series has also been adapted into a manga by Nobuhiko Yanai in Monthly Comic Flapper.

Tatsuo Sato (Bodacious Space Pirates) is directing and overseeing the scripts for this anime adaptation at Satelight (Fairy Tail). Yousuke Kabashima (The Girl Who Leapt Through Space) is adapting Hinata Katagiri, Nobuhiko Yanai and Yoshiwo's original character designs. Masaru Yokoyama (Freezing Vibration, Queen's Blade series) is composing the music. Konomi Suzuki is performing the opening theme, “Ginsen no Kaze” (Wind of the Silver Flash) while voice actress Hitomi Harada is performing the ending theme, "Schwarzer Bogen" (Black Bow).

Funimation is streaming the series in North America.

ANN has a series spotlight you can check out for the series here and reviewer Hope Chapman has watched the first six episodes and you can view her thoughts here.


© REKI KAWAHARA/ASCII MEDIA WORKS/SAO Project

Sword Art Online II

It's been a year since the SAO incident and a mysterious avatar identifying himself as 'Death Gun' has appeared in the VRMMO game Gun Gale Online (GGO). Death Gun claims to have a weapon that kills whomever he shoots in the game, and when his victims start turning up dead the Ministry of Internal Affairs gets involved. Who better to investigate a case of virtual objects impacting reality than Kirito? Now he must retrain himself with a new avatar and gain the friendship of the ice-cold sniper known as Shinon to track down Death Gun and put his murder spree to rest.

Sword Art Online II adapts the third arc, Phantom Bullet, from Reki Kawahara's original light novel series. The arc from the fifth and sixth novel volumes features the heroine Sinon and the protagonist Kirito and is covered in the first 14 episodes. The series then adapts the Calibur arc from volume 8 and will proceed onto the Mother's Rosary arc from volume 7.

Tomohiko Ito is again directing the series at A-1 Pictures and Shingo Adachi is adapting abec's original character designs for animation. Eir Aoi will performed the opening theme for the first arc and the second cour has the opening theme "courage" by Haruka Tomatsu as well as a new ending theme song by LiSA..

ANN's Nick Creamer has reviewed the first 18 episodes, you can check them out here.


©Tomoya Haruno/
PUBLISHED BY KADOKAWA CORPORATION MEDIAFACTORY/
D-Fragments Project

D-Fragments!

D-Fragments! (Also known as D-Frag!) centers around notorious delinquent Kenji Kazama (played by Katsuyuki Konishi). One day, he unexpectedly stumbles across a "game creation club" (interim name) with club president Roka Shibasaki (game attribute: flame/darkness, played by Kana Hanazawa), club member and student council president Chitose Karasuyama (attribute: ground, played by Chiwa Saito), club member and first-year student Sakura Mizukami (attribute: water, played by Mikako Takahashi), and club adviser/second-year teacher Minami Ohsawa (attribute: lightning, Ami Koshimizu). Kazama is half-forced to join the club and the onetime gang member finds himself in an even stranger gathering of students as his life takes a turn for the outrageous.

Based on D-Fragments, Tomoya Haruno launched the comedic manga in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine in 2008 and has been compiled into nine volumes to date. Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing the manga in North America.

Seiki Sugawara (Kids on the Slope, Akikan! episode director) directed the 12 episode series at Brains Base (Natsume's Book of Friends, Penguindrum). Makoto Uezu (Danganronpa, Kamisama Dolls) was in in charge of series composition while Nijine (Baka and Test, Akikan!) composed the music. The series premiered in Janurary 2014 on TV Tokyo.

Funimation streamed the series as it aired in Japan. You can view ANN's anime spotlight on the anime here.


© 2013 IDEA FACTORY・COMPILE HEART/Neptunia Partners

Hyperdimension Neptunia The Animation

In the world of Gamindustri, four competing CPU goddesses rule the lands of Lastation, Leanbox, Lowee and Planeptune. When dark forces threaten their power, they'll have to learn to work together if they want to defeat evil. Based on the hit RPG series, it's the video game console wars as you've never seen them before: fought by gorgeous girls!

The anime adapts Compile Heart's popular Chō Jigen Game Neptune (Hyperdimension Neptunia) role-playing games that anthropomorphizes the game console wars as female role-playing game characters. Masahiro Mukai directed the series at David Production, Shogo Yasukawa was in charge of the series scripts and Hitomi Takechi adapted Tsunako's designs for anime. Nao performed the opening theme song "Dimension tripper!!!!." The anime premiered on Japanese TV in July 2013 and ran for 12 episodes.

Hyperdimension Neptunia, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 and Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory have all been released on PS3 in Australia and Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory II will be released on PS4 in Japan next year. The series also went onto launch spin-offs and remakes on the Playstation Vita.


© JIN/1st PLACE,
Mekakushidan Anime Production Team

Mekakucity Actors

A strange incident brings a curious group of young boys and girls together, collectively known as the Mekakushi Dan (Blindfold Organisation) each member of the group has a strange power involving their eyes. Now together this peculiar organisation must pool their talents and solve the mystery behind the incident to see the truth.

Mekakucity Actors is a interesting adaptation, it started life originally as Kagerou Project, a series of songs by Jin (Shizen no Teki-P) created using Vocaloid software. The set was popularised after the third song, Kagerou Daze, was released on Niconico Video. Since then Jun has written a five-volume series of light novels with illustrations by Shidu and a manga adaption by Mahiro Satō has been serialised in Monthly Comic Gene since June 2012. The manga series is available in English on Kadokawa's ComicWalker website and app.

This anime adaptation was directed by Yuki Yase at studio SHAFT and Akiyuki Shinbo served as chief director. JIN wrote the show's scripts as well as the show's opening theme song and Shidu and Wannyanpu are credited with the original character designs that Genichiro Abe is adapted for the anime. Shidu handled the storyboards for the opening theme and created the ending theme animation as well.

The mixed media project also includes the manga series Kagerō Daze with art by Mahiro Satō.

The series premiered in April 2014 on Tokyo MX TV, BS11, and Niconico and ran for 12 episodes. Aniplex US licensed the series in North America and Crunchyroll simulcast the series as it aired in Japan.


© Yuki Urushibara/KODANSHA, Aniplex

Mushishi: The Next Chapter

The creatures known as 'Mushi' are the life-blood of nature, while their abilities are supernatural their appearance resembles the world around us, water, fungi, bodies of water, plants or even spirits. While their existence is largely unknown to humanity, there are a few like Ginko who are 'Mushi-shi', people that spend their lives encountering, studying and helping humanity and mushi co-exist.

The second anime series adaptation of Yuki Urushibara's Mushishi manga, Mushishi: The Next Chapter (Mushishi: Zoku-Shō) reunites most of the staff from the first season. Led by director and series script supervisor Hiroshi Nagahama (Detroit Metal City) at studio Artland he is also joined by Animation director and character designer Yoshihiko Umakoshi (Berserk) and art director Takeshi Waki (Star Driver). The music for the series is composed by Toshio Masuda (Excel Saga, Naruto).

The first half of the series originally premiered in Japan in April 2014 with Crunchyroll and Daisuki streaming the series as it aired in Japan. The second half Mushishi: The Next Chapter started airing on the 18th of October 2014.

Madman Entertainment released the previous anime adaptation of Mushishi on DVD in 2009 and they are also the first company to license the series for home video outside of Japan.


© 2014 Kazuma Ootorino, ENTERBRAIN/Nanana Project

Nanana's Buried Treasure

On the island of Nanae lives a beautiful young NEET girl by the name of Nanana Ryugaj, well it's a bit hard to leave your room when you were assassinated on that very spot ten years ago. However high schooler Jyugo Yama has transferred to the island, taken up residence in Nanana's room and has just found out that he must help his ghostly roommate solve the mystery of her murder so she can rest in peace. Fortunately in her life Nanana was a legendary treasure hunter and the artifacts that she hid all over Nanae will help Jyugo discover the identity of her murderer, but they're not the only people searching for Nanana's Buried Treasure.

Based on the light novel series written by Kazuma Ōtorino with art by Akaringo, Nanana's Buried Treasure was adapted to anime in April 2014 on Fuji TV's noitamina block. The series was produced at A-1 Pictures under the direction of Kanta Kamei (Bunny Drop, Tales of Vesperia ~The First Strike~, Oreshura) with Hideyuki Kurata (Read or Die, Samurai Flamenco, Oreimo) handling the series composition. Tetsuya Kawakami (chief animation director and sub-character design for Sword Art Online) adapted Akaringo's novel illustrations for animation and Keigo Hoashi (Dusk maiden of Amnesia) and monaca (Star Driver, Wagnaria!!, Aikatsu!) handled the music.

Ōtorino and Akaringo launched the novel series in January 2012 and the seventh volume shipped in March 2014. The novel won the top prize in the 13th Enterbrain Entertainment Awards in September 2011. In addition to the novel, Hitoshi Okuda launched a manga version in Kadokawa's Famitsu magazine in January 2012 and Enterbrain published the second compiled volume in March. The first volume of a spinoff novel series, Tensai's Reluctant Deduction, shipped in August.

Additionally, Hakusensha's new Hana to Yume: Bunkei Shōjo manga magazine launched another manga adaptation by Modomu Akagawara on December 20.

Sadly series illustrator Akaringo was not able to supply all the illustrations for the seventh volume due to poor health and has now stepped down with Non replacing Akaringo as artist on both Nanana and it's spin-off Ikkyū Tensai no Kimete Fuhon'i Meisuiri (The Many Reluctant Inferences That Tensai Ikkyū Makes).

Crunchyroll streamed the series alongside the Japanese broadcast.


© Naoshi Komi/SHUEISHA. ANIPLEX. SHAFT. MBS

Nisekoi False Love

Raku Ichijo is an average high school student, well apart from being the sole heir to a Yakuza family known as the Shuei-gumi. Ten years ago Raku symbolised his love for a particular girl by giving her a key to a special locket that he keeps with him. But when the attractive yet violent Chitoge Kirisaku transfers to his school, Raku suddenly discovers that Chitoge is the heir to a rival family and and the only way to prevent a war between the two gangs is to pretend to be engaged to Chitoge.

Nisekoi adapts Naoshi Komi's Nisekoi romantic comedy manga that has been serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump since November 2012. The series has since been collected into 13 volumes and published in English by Viz Media. The anime adaptation was directed by Akiyuki Shinbo (Madoka Magica, Bakemonogatari) at animation studio SHAFT with additional series composition by Fuyashi Tou (Bakemonogatari). Art direction was handled by Ken Naito (Dusk maiden of Amnesia) and the character designs were adapted by animation director Nobuhiro Sugiyama (Arakawa Under the Bridge). Musical duo ClariS performed the opening theme song "CLICK."

Nisekoi premiered in Japan in January 2014 and the series is now confirmed to be getting a second season.

Both Aniplex USA and Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan.


©ATLUS ©SEGA/P4GA Committee

Persona 4 the Golden Animation

When Yū Narukami moves to Yaso Inaba to live with his uncle and cousin his event-filled school life begins. When serial murders begin occuring in the peaceful country town, Yū and his new friends discover that the murders are linked with the mysterious Midnight Channel, a world hidden inside the television and inhabited by strange creatures known as shadows. As the group investigates they find new allies and gain the power of their own Personas which allows them to fight against the shadows.

In Persona 4 The Golden Animation the series retells the story of the Persona 4 game with the addition of the vita port's special character, Marie, a girl involved with the velvet room who is seeking to regain her lost memory.

Before directing this anime adaptation, Tomohisa Taguchi worked on the opening and the important parts of specific episodes in the first Persona 4 The Animation series. The first anime's Seiji Kishi (Magikano) served as chief director of the series.

Shoji Meguro returned from the game series and the first anime to compose the music of the new series alongside Tetsuya Kobayashi, a collaborator of his since Persona 3 the Movie #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream. Series script supervisor Jun Kumagai worked on the scenario of every episode of the first series. Character designer Yuu Shindou worked as a key animator on episodes of the first series.

Persona 4 the Golden Animation premiered on MBS' Animeism programming block on the 10th of July in Japan. Aniplex USA streamed the series on Aniplex Channel, Hulu, Crunchyroll and Daisuki as it aired.

Madman Entertainment acquired the previous series, Persona 4 The Animation, in 2012 and streamed the series on the Madman Screening Room before releasing the series to DVD and Blu-ray in 2013.


© hunting cap brothers/Aniplex,Project ZP

World Conquest Zvezda Plot

What does it take to CONQUER THE WORLD?! Every leader of the past has thought of it but all they have done was to merely dream of its greatness. World domination…nobody has been able to achieve it. Until one little girl by the name of Kate Hoshimiya came along. Kate Hoshimiya will shock the world! How was she was able to carry out such a MAGNIFICENT stunt? So FRIGHTFUL! So GLORIOUS! Could this bethe ZVEZDA PLOT?! Let the light of our great ZVEZDA shine upon this land far and wide!

Tensai Okamura (Blue Exorcist, Darker than Black, Wolf's Rain) directed this original television anime at A-1 Pictures. Type-Moon's Meteo Hoshizora and Okamura were in charge of the series scripts. Kouhaku Kuroboshi (Allison & Lillia, Kino's Journey, Sky Girls) created the original character designs, and Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, Night Raid 1931) adapted them for animation. Tatsuya Katou (Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Medaka Box) composed the music. Maaya Sakamoto and rock group "the band apart" performed the opening theme while voice actress Aoi Yūki performed the ending theme.

The series premiered on Tokyo MX TV and other stations on the 11th of January 2014 and ran for 12 episodes with an additional 13th episode released on disc in October. Three manga adaptations began serialisation in Janurary, with Artist Hamao's Sekai Seifuku ~Junketsu no White Light (World Conquest: Pure White Light) manga spin-off published in Comic Rex magazine alongside Manatsu Suzuki's main manga adaptation in the same magazine. Hori's 4-koma take on the series was published in Palette magazine.

Aniplex USA licensed and streamed the series as it aired alongside Crunchyroll and Daisuki.

You can view character designs and information on World Conquest Zvezda Plot here.


©2013 Reiji Kaito・MEDIA FACTORY/
Unbreakable Machine-Doll PARTNERS.

Unbreakable Machine-Doll

It is the early 20th century, and Raishin Akabane is a student puppeteer from Japan who has come to the Walpurgis Royal Academy of Machine Arts in Liverpool, England to study the emerging field of Machinart: a combination of magic and technology with military applications. He is accompanied by a girl named Yaya who is actually his Automaton: a living machine doll powered by magical circuits specialized in hand-to-hand combat. This will come in handy as at the Academy the top students compete in a combat tournament to determine who shall be bestowed with the title of "Wiseman", the greatest puppeteer.

Unbreakable Machine-Doll is adapated from the light novel of the same name written by Reiji Kaitō and illustrated by LLO (Mushi-Uta, Oreshura). The series has been published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J imprint since 2009 and 14 volumes have been shipped. Hakaru Takagi launched a manga adaptation in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine in 2010 that has since been collected into 8 volumes.

Kinji Yoshimoto (Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin, Genshiken 2) directed the anime at animation studio Lerche from scripts by Yuuko Kakihara (Persona 4 The Animation, Ebiten: Kōritsu Ebisugawa Kōkō Tenmon-Bu). Atsuko Watanabe (The Everyday Tales of a Cat God, Ebiten: Kōritsu Ebisugawa Kōkō Tenmon-Bu) handled the character designs and GENCO produced the anime.

The series was streamed by Funimation as it aired in Japan from October 2013.


© Atsushi Ohkubo/SQUARE ENIX, SOULEATER NOT Project

Soul Eater Not!

A manga-spinoff set before the adventures of Maka Albarn and Soul Eater chronicled in Atsushi Ōkubo's Soul Eater. Soul Eater Not! follows the adventures of three young girls attending the Death Meister & Weapon Academy (DWMA). Tsugumi Harudori, Meme Tatane and Anya Hepburn are three students who are members of the NOT (Normally Overcome Target) class, for students that just wish to control their powers and live normal everyday lives. But when Tsugumi, a halbard weapon, befriends two meisters, Meme and Anya, she becomes indecisive about who she should partner with at the academy.

This prequel was created and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo and published in Square Enix's Monthly SHonen Gangan magazine since January 2011 and will finish sometime this month.

The anime adaptation was again a partnership between studio BONES and Square Enix with Masakazu Hashimoto (Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva) handling series composition and directing for the 13 episode series with animation director Satoshi Koike (Senki Zesshō Symphogear). Asami Tachibana and Yuuki Tachibana scored the anime's music.

Funimation streamed the series as it aired in Japan in April 2014.

Current AnimeLab Streaming Schedule

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