Karin [Anime]04 Januar 2007
Year: 2006
Studio: J.C. Staff
Genre: Supernatural(Vampire), Drama
Episodes: 12
Recommended: Ages 12+
Translates to: -
Rating: 
Karin is member of the Maaka family who are all vampires. However, she is not like her family; instead of drinking blood, she gives blood to her victims! And to make things worse, she is not affected by sunlight and loves strong-smeliing food (e.g. garlic) a lot!
Because she doesn't want to bite anyone however, Karin ends up getting nosebleeds if she is exposed to her victim pattern too much. Every vampire has a "victim pattern" and loves to drink blood from people affected with certain traits such as jealousy, love, pride, sadness etc. When Karin meets the new transfer student Kenta, she seems to be attracted to his trait but doesn't know what it is or how to stop it, ending in constant nosebleeds, because she can't contain her blood anymore. This guarantees awkward and funny moments, especially when a vampire hunter suddenly appears!
What I really did dislike was the fact that they were trying to make this series ecchi....OMG has anybody seen the opening credits of this series?? It shows more naked skin than what appears in all the manga volumes available!!! Seriously, this is sad and pathetic. Well it was actually this good anime and manga blog that told me the manga was different, and so I tried to get the scanlation for that series (duuuh, Tokyopop has bought the rights and changed the title to "Chibi Vampire" >_> If they had changed it to "Vampire Karin" or so at least....) and ended up with the French scanlation of the series. It is really different from the animated version. Karin's older brother is much scarier...and sinister. Generally the tone is more mature. From what I was able to read and understand, this series will be tainted by Kenta's mother's history. Her being so young gives me the thought that Kenta's mother was actually a high school girl prositute and probably be the "morale" of the story. Not that one really was intended...as far as I know, the author wanted to draw a girl with nosebleeds 
:D
In any case, I can't wait for the next episodes to appear. If it doesn't develop to my liking, I will most probably buy the Japanese manga. (I was so close today, but thought...darn I have no money to spend... =_=")
La Corda D'Oro (Kiniro no Corda) [Anime]23 Oktober 2006
Year: 2006
Studio: Yumeta Company
Genre: Shoujo, Slightly Supernatural
Episodes: 25
Recommended: Ages 12+
Translates to: "The Golden Chord" ("Chord" as in "String")
Rating:
Hino Kahoko is an ordinary student who goes to an ordinary High School. Except for the fact that her High School is not so ordinary. Founded because a musically gifted boy once found a wounded fairy and took care of it, this school is divided into a "normal" High School and a "music-emphasized" High School. As mentioned, Hino visits the normal department of the High School. One day however, she sees the school fairy, named Liliy which is very remarkable; only people with a special musically-gifted heart can see it. This fairy gives her a magical violin which makes her able to play it beautifully in an instant! Hino is even more shocked when she is forced to join the music competition as the only non-music student! Well, at least she gets to meet lots of Bishounen.... ^o^
W00t. I really fell in love with this series. The music! Especially episode 4 with all the Chopin stuff. I didn't understand much of when Kahoko starts reading something about him. But it was so beautiful seeing this episode being specifically dedicated to the piano and the composer Chopin.
Chopin is my favorite classical composer, fyi. Everytime I hear somebody gifted play a piece written by him, I feel touched like magic. Aaaah~ watching this series wants me play the piano baldy. Really badly. And also dig out my violin and try playing it for real. There was a time I actually disliked the violin because it sounds squeaky and unpleasant to the ear when you play high tones and you have to be really, really good to not make it sound sqieaky (unfortunately, I haven't really heard anybody accomplish that well). That's why I preferred listening to the viola or cello or bass. But in time, I gradually started liking it, because like the piano, you can express your feelings and emotions very well with this instrument. That's why they make great solo instruments.
Anyway, back to the anime. I nearly screamed out loud finding out who the voice actors are.
Imagine, Renji Abarai from Bleach. Becoming soft and playing the piano. O_o;;; He was the first I recognized. I was like "the way he speaks, that so sounds like Renji"..."wtf...it IS Renji". The next surprise is Kazuki, our trumpet-player. He's the same VA as Ichigo from Bleach! O_o; I so didn't recognize him because he sounds so squeaky, exactly like the VA from Goku (Gensoumaden Saiyuki).
Kahoko's VA is known from Hikaru no Go's Waya....Len's voice is the same as Seiji from Midori no Hibi
It's like many VA's got their chance to play a completely different role (eg. Kahoko's voice actress seems to do a lot of guys). And to put it in a nutshell, 80% of the male leads played important roles in Bleach as well. I wonder if these guys just got bored or if the production of the remaining Bleach episodes is done already?
