(CR) Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood

[Stark700]

Bushiroad announced on Monday it plans to hold a press conference to announce an original television anime project titled Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood on February 9.

ANN source

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/new...uary-9/.169023

[MisaoFan]

New https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-02-09/joran-the-princess-of-snow-and-blood-anime-video-reveals-cast-staff-story-april-6-debut/.169299"]info according to the livestream:

Bushiroad held a press conference on Tuesday, when it revealed the first promotional video, cast, staff, story details, and April 6 premiere date for its original television anime project Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood. The promotional video features the opening theme song "Exist" by RAISE A SUILEN, who also performs the ending theme song "Embrace of light."

YouTube

https://youtu.be/KdTZ-XQhFdE

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The anime is set in an alternate history Japan in 1931, with the Tokugawa shogunate never abolished and the Meiji emperor never restored to power. The anime will follow the activities of "Nue," an organization of shogunate executioners who enforce government rule. The story description contains intentional historical discrepancies: noting the year as the 64th year of the Meiji era (the Meiji era only lasted 45 years up to 1912), and mentioning Tokugawa Yoshinobu as reigning shogun (Tokugawa Yoshinobu died in 1913).



The cast includes (from left to right in the image above):

Shouta Aoi as Makoto Tsukishiro
Ayasa Itō as Asahi Nakamura
Suzuko Mimori as Sawa Yukimura
Raychell as Elena Hanakaze
Chikahiro Kobayashi as Jin Kuzuhara

Susumu Kudo (Mardock Scramble, Magic Kaito 1412, Cinderella Nine) is directing the anime at Bakken Record (Pandora to Akubi), and Rika Nezu (Saint Young Men 2013 film, live-action Kimi ni Todoke) is supervising the series scripts and writing them with Kunihiko Okada. Kano Komiyama is designing the characters, and Jun Yamaguchi is credited for production design.

Yukari Yasuda is the art director, and Misako Akama is the color key artist. Masaki Sakamoto is editing. MICHIRU is composing the music, and Yuichi Imaizumi is directing the sound at Sonilude.

[Stark700]

Crunchyroll announced for stream

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...blood-and-more

[Stark700]

Crunchyroll has announced for streaming.

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...1-anime-lineup

[LG-MAX 2.o]

Spoiler for Twitter image:

Remembering that tomorrow the anime will be released in Hulu Japan.

[Stark700]

Episode 1 is out on Crunchyroll

I personally like the visual style of the series as it highlights more of its time setting. We got some action and combat right off the bat along with an introduction of the main cast.

Looks like the anime has a creative usage of weapons but I'm still very curious about the story. Imo, it's hard to say what direction this anime will go but definitely has my interest. Oh and I kinda like the soundtrack too.

[Tenzen12]

It's certainly feat for eyes, but I have feelings it's trying too hard.

[MisaoFan]

Spoiler for Episode 1:

I personally enjoyed it more than Mars Red, but it's also because the characters seem more relatable, particularly the protagonist, Sawa (still wondering why she possesses eagle-themed magic powers and her but time will know) and her imouto figure whose name I forgot (the main reason I came watching in the first place), she's incredibly cute and cheery but I have a bad feeling that she'll get sidelined badly. The concept of animals being used for dark intentions as pseudo-yokai creatures used to the antagonistic ends seem promising I guess, but it'll depend on the execution. The setting is relatively much more modernized, but the characters wears what appears to be a mix of Edo, Meiji and Taisho eras despite being set in what is currently early Showa era. It certainly blends to the idea of old and grounded with westernization and onmyodo co-existing each other and I'd like to see such subjects get explored atop its small recurring cast. I'm curious to see how the direction will goes, but at the same time it I can imagine it will be a bit predictable towards the end, with Sawa starting to question the meaning of being a Nue (being affiliated with the shady government), losing her loved ones one by one and fullfilling her revenge promise through whatever methods she'll use. I'll give it more episodes to see if it will turn to be at least half-decent.

[Guardian Enzo]

I guess yesterday was 1923 Day.

[Fevvers]

Although not perfect, I thought the setting and visual aesthetic looked compelling enough to make me want to watch more. Not to mention, this is the closest thing we’ll get to a Lady Snowblood adaptation.

[nojay]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I guess yesterday was 1923 Day.

We are approaching the centenary of the Great Kanto eathquake in 1923 which killed over 100,000 people in the Tokyo area (and also led to an anti-Korean pogrom) so seeing animes and mangas popping up set in and around that time is probably not coincidental. The Joran anime is specifically dated as 1931 though, if the summaries I've read are correct.

[MisaoFan]

Originally Posted by nojay

The Joran anime is specifically dated as 1931 though, if the summaries I've read are correct.

It is. It's taking place in an alternate Japan of that year where the Meiji Restoration do not happen and Yoshinobu Tokugawa is still ruling as a shogun. The westernized portions of the setting that they have shown so far are the probable result of Japan maintaining close relationship with France through mutual cooperation and trading.

In real life 1931 marked the year Japan started its military conquest across mainland eastern Asia with their invasion in Manchuria through the Mukden incident, which serves as a prelude to the World War II (or if combined together that would be the Fifteen Years' War).

[Guardian Enzo]

I'm almost certain there was mention of 1923 in the earlier promo material for this series, though perhaps something was lost in translation.

[MisaoFan]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I'm almost certain there was mention of 1923 in the earlier promo material for this series, though perhaps something was lost in translation.

You're confusing this with Mars Red. Mars Red take place in 1923, while this one takes place in 1931 and from what I saw, there's no mention about the year 1923 at all, but they did mention in passing something to do with the Boshin War.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by MisaoFan

The westernized portions of the setting that they have shown so far are the probable result of Japan maintaining close relationship with France through mutual cooperation and trading.

The actual regime turned to the Germans for help in their development after the Meiji Restoration. In 1900 Japan aligned with Great Britain, putting Japan and Germany on opposite sides during World War I.

[nojay]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

The actual regime turned to the Germans for help in their development after the Meiji Restoration. In 1900 Japan aligned with Great Britain, putting Japan and Germany on opposite sides during World War I.

The post-restoration government opened up Japan with input from all the First-World powers of the time -- A Frenchman, Verney modernised their Navy and ordnance, they bought warships like the Mikasa from British shipyards (although they specified German Krupp armour for the outfit), they even constructed American-style skyscrapers.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by MisaoFan

You're confusing this with Mars Red. Mars Red take place in 1923, while this one takes place in 1931 and from what I saw, there's no mention about the year 1923 at all, but they did mention in passing something to do with the Boshin War.

No, because I remember thinking at the time "Interesting, Mars Red is 1923 too. Wonder why we're getting two shows set in 1923 2 years shy of the centennial."

[bakato]

The two other members of the team looked stupid and unappealing. The plot was also confusing and I couldn't really bring myself to care about that tiger guy because the show didn't clearly establish his relationship with the protagonist.

[Marcus H.]

Well, it's just one episode. Plenty of time to unravel Hana and Tsuki's character as well as how those ominous Dragon Veins keep Emperor Meiji alive.

I couldn't really bring myself to care about that tiger guy because the show didn't clearly establish his relationship with the protagonist.

I feel like that part was to show how anyone with the slightest relation to Yuki ends up being caught in the mutant beast business, so she tries to shoo away any person who tries to be friendly to her.

[bakato]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Well, it's just one episode. Plenty of time to unravel Hana and Tsuki's character as well as how those ominous Dragon Veins keep Emperor Meiji alive.



I feel like that part was to show how anyone with the slightest relation to Yuki ends up being caught in the mutant beast business, so she tries to shoo away any person who tries to be friendly to her.

It was the first episode and this was hardly the best foot forward.

I don't get it. Was the guy just an unfortunate passerby or actually involved in some illegal business? Really could've used more detail about this changeling thing.

Also, that lightsaber knockoff was just stupid.