(L) Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope)

[Arabesque]

Noitamina Spring '12 line up: Watanabe/Kanno + Nakamura

The end of Noitamina's Dark Age confirmed

Right now, I want to hug everyone in the world.

[Flower]

Kids on the Slope is the name at the end of the trailer on the site, eh?

The trailer gives a much different picture than just the first chapter of the manga, admittedly.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by MisaoFan

This guy looks totally enthralled doesn't he?

An anime directed by the Watanabe himself is definitely a must see. I don't think he's done a coming of age story before so I wonder how that'll work out. Yoko Kanno for the music is just icing on the cake.

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by Katapan

Director: Watanabe Shinichirou
Music: Kanno Youko
Character Design: Yuuki Nobuteru
Animation Direction: Yamashita Yoshimitsu
Animation Production: MAPPA, Tezuka Production

Oh my god.

I love you too, Arabesque.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Haak

This guy looks totally enthralled doesn't he?....

The first ch of the manga does explain a little why he might look like that, if curious.

But yeah ... he is not the most cheerful looking person in that pic, is he?

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Finally Yoko Kanno and Shinichiro Watanabe get to work on a prestige project again. Took long enough. Would have sworn the next studio project they both worked for together would be something for Sunrise/Bones, but honestly Tezuka Production has an even longer and more storied history than those companies. They made the very first anime I ever watched for crying out loud. This can only be good thing that this project is happening and with these people in charge. So many legendary names of the past signing on here.

And to top it off we get a kickass drum riff on the trailler just for starters:

It's been way too long since I last watched a show with Yoko Kanno behind the soundtrack.

[Haohmaru]

Wow could this mean Watanabe's comback? I really hope we'll see Watanabe do more anime after this. Can't wait for this!

[ars89]

Originally Posted by Katapan

Staff announced after today's Thermae Romae:

Director: Watanabe Shinichirou
Music: Kanno Youko
Character Design: Yuuki Nobuteru
Animation Direction: Yamashita Yoshimitsu
Animation Production: MAPPA, Tezuka Productions

Wow sold. Trailer was good as well. Now i'm excited for this.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Watching this.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

The end of Noitamina's Dark Age confirmed

Right now, I want to hug everyone in the world.

Nakamura has a lot to prove after his last NoitaminA effort.

[Arabesque]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

I love you too, Arabesque.

*cuddles*

Originally Posted by Haohmaru

Wow could this mean Watanabe's comback? I really hope we'll see Watanabe do more anime after this. Can't wait for this!

Hmm, I don't think it's so much of a comeback, but I think that it was about time he came back to direct another show (after all, there was a substantially long time period between Bebop and Shamploo, 7 years I think, so having another project of his now seems to be a normal thing).

As for him doing more shows often ... well, as much as I'd love to see that, I honestly think that with Watanabe, it's more of a case of taking his time to prefect his craft, so I'd rather him just stick to what's he's doing (a new show every decade or so)

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Nakamura has a lot to prove after his last NoitaminA effort.

Now, being someone who considers C to be a disaster, I'd agree with you ... however, I honestly think that Nakamura had proven himself (at least, to me) more than enough to not hold that show against him, much like I don't hold how Blood-C turned out against Mizushima-san. It was one mistake, a single black dote on an otherwise impressive resume.

[Reckoner]

Seriously though, if this does not at least get 2 cours, I will be a very sad man. It'd be too cruel to have that one in a decade Watanabe work relegated to a mere 11 episodes.

[Kakkou]

Well it better get 2 cours, since this'll likely flop commercially.

The premise sounds nice and the trailer was good so I'm definitely on board. Slice of life jazz in 1960, that can't go wrong.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Kakkou

Well it better get 2 cours, since this'll likely flop commercially.

The premise sounds nice and the trailer was good so I'm definitely on board. Slice of life jazz in 1960, that can't go wrong.

Yeah, this isn't pushing any of the usual buttons so I suspect weak sales to say the least, so it'd be nice to see two cours up-front. Maybe Watanabe-sensei's presence will be enough to get that commitment.

[Kakkou]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Yeah, this isn't pushing any of the usual buttons so I suspect weak sales to say the least, so it'd be nice to see two cours up-front. Maybe Watanabe-sensei's presence will be enough to get that commitment.

Well it seems that the manga is ending real soon, I'll join the others being cautiously optimistic that they'll go two cours and adapt everything from start to finish. It'll be a damn shame if they don't.

[Tempester]

Director: Watanabe Shinichirou

I've only seen seen two anime directed by him, but I know that this guy's direction is godly awesome. At the very least, this anime will be a stylistic blast. Looking forward to it.

[Flawfinder]

Just read the first chapter. Seems okay, but Watanabe's directing usually adds life to otherwise decent, but not spectacular, series. Plus, I'd love to see his work on a school anime.

[fertygo]

Originally Posted by Flawnalyst

Just read the first chapter. Seems okay, but Watanabe's directing usually adds life to otherwise decent, but not spectacular, series. Plus, I'd love to see his work on a school anime.

WTF you are talking about? especially with your avy n sig lol.

Btw the sakuga already looked tasty from that trailer, dayum.

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by fertygo

WTF you are talking about? especially with your avy n sig lol.

Btw the sakuga already looked tasty from that trailer, dayum.

Cowboy Bebop is one of my favorite anime of all time. But without Watanabe's directing style, it wouldn't have been nearly as cool (I didn't really like the manga). He turned something that should have theoretically been just decent into something spectacular (sorry if that didn't get through well). Same thing with Samurai Champloo. Another of my favorites, but Watanabe was a contribution to that as well.

[leokiko]

I just hope this doesn't go to the shounen-ai route, with guys falling in love with each other...

I hope there is normal romance or no romance at all. I trust, obviously, on the staff to do an awesome adaptation...but I never read the manga so I don't know what to expect here. The trailer looks awesome though.