[Kaoru Chujo]

Thanks so much, warainagara and wowo. I'm already looking around for works by Yoshiya Nobuko and Nobara Takemoto. And perhaps Turn A Gundam will be the first "mecha" anime I can learn to enjoy -- unless Simoun is mecha. If Takahashi Rieko is as good there as she is here, perhaps it will be. As usual, my embarrassment at being so ignorant is exceeded by my delight at learning more.

I lost interest partway through the first season of Rozen Maiden, but perhaps I was seeing it in the wrong way and should take another look at season 2. And I just noticed that those Super Dollfie dolls Nishida Asako uses -- and which certainly make me think of Shinko -- cost about $500 each, exclusive of clothing at $30-70 a dress, $8 a T-shirt, etc. Ouch.

Thanks also to DaFool for the interesting thoughts about Yun and about shifts in art styles. From the beginning, I've found the character design in Simoun really powerful, especially the eyes. Are the eyes as special as they seem to me, or just one version of a common style? I see so many elements there to be played with to create expression.