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Old 2007-08-22, 03:56  
Siegel Clyne
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Lacus Clyne's Enduring Popularity in Japan

Quote:
Originally Posted by Demongod86 View Post
The kind of fanbase? That fanbase is long dwindling. However, the kind of archetype that Lacus and other such characters (Belldandy, F/SN's Rider sort of) perpetuate will exist as long as anime does, and so far, Lacus has probably been the only character popular enough to basically ensure her own survival via the fans threatening riots and sticking Fukuda's head on a pike if anything happens to her.

The Japanese voice actress (seiyuu) for Lacus Clyne, Tanaka Rie, reminds many Japanese and non-Japanese fans of the Japanese voice actress for Belldandy, Inoue Kikuko. Gentle, softspoken, motherly Tanaka Rie-voiced characters like Maria in Hayate no Gotoku! (Hayate the Combat Butler), Mariel in Hanakyou Maidtai (Hanaukyo Maid Team) and Mikihara Ren in Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu sound similar to gentle, softspoken, motherly Inoue Kikuko-voiced characters like Belldandy in Aa! Megamisama (Ah! My Goddess; Oh My Goddess!), Kazami Mizuho in Onegai Teacher (Please Teacher!) and Tendou Kasumi in Ranma 1/2.

(With her significantly higher pitched voice, however, Lacus Clyne sounds little like the other aforementioned characters.)

A number of Japanese and non-Japanese anime fans have sometimes even confused the character voices of Tanaka Rie and Inoue Kikuko.

On the other hand, both voice actresses can voice tough, badass, even evil, villianous characters with the best of them: Tanaka Rie's Suigintou in Rozen Maiden, Tomoe Marguerite in My-Otome (Mai-Otome), Bianchi in Katekyo Hitman REBORN! and Morganna in .hack//SIGN (a bipolar, omnipresent combination of Maria and Suigintou); and Inoue Kikuko's Panther in Saber Marionette J, Alv in Kiddy Grade, Lobelia Carlini in Sakura Taisen (Sakura Wars) and Miria in Claymore.

Many popular voice actors have their devoted fans, some who might buy anything they put out. From what I have gathered from numerous popularity polls, merchandise sales, etc., however, a voice actor has to reach beyond their narrow fanbase to portray a really popular character.

Tanaka Rie has demonstrated a knack for playing a number of really popular characters who appeal to different demographics, from young girls (e.g., Kujou Hikari / Shiny Luminous in Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart) to galge (gal/girl game) otaku (e.g., Futami Eriko in KimiKiss), from anime otaku (e.g., Suigintou) to working men and women (e.g., Matsukata Hiroko "Hiro" in Hataraki-Man)...

And, of course, Lacus Clyne.

Gunota Headlines

Quote:
Gundam.Info webpoll results
Gundam.Info posted the results of their first four polls.

1. What was the first Gundam you watched?
Mobile Suit Gundam - 58.12%
SEED, Destiny - 14.40%
G, W, X, 08th - 10.58%
Z, ZZ, CCA, 0080 - 10.38%
F91, 0083, V - 5.24%
Turn A - 1.20%
(8,669 votes)

2. What were the most recent Gundam goods you bought?
Gunpla - 50.21%
Books (mags, comics, etc.) - 13.53%
DVD, CD - 12.68%
Games - 11.06%
MSiA, figures, etc. - 10.97%
Anime goods, apparel - 1.00%
(1,175 votes)

3. What are your plans for the Summer?
Gundam at home! - 70.35%
Gundam Expo Tokyo 2007 - 11.68%
Gundam Crisis - 9.92%
Gundam War Big Wave - 1.38%
Chara Hobby - 1.06%
(796 votes)

4. What news had the biggest impact in the first half of 2007?
Gundam 00 - 55.58%
Gundam Unicorn appears - 15.27%
MG Turn A Gundam to go on sale - 14.90%
The realization of the Platinum Gundam - 7.37%
Gundam Musou goes on sale - 5.21%
Beginning of Gundam music video clips distribution on iTunes - 1.63%
(1,342 votes)

* ¶ 6:58 AM
Other results from the Japanese Gundam.Info webpoll show Lacus Clyne winning the "Triple Crown," finishing No. 1 in three polls: 1) "Who is the ideal political leader?"; 2) "Which female character appearing in a Gundam series would you want most for a girlfriend?"; and 3) "Which character is most like a princess?"


Gunota Headlines

Quote:
Thursday, August 16, 2007
*

Limited-edition Gundam wafer chocolate
ITmedia +D Style has a news item on Gundam Heroines Wafer Choco Extra & Card File Set, another piece of Chara Hobby 2007 merchandise. Aimed at the 30-something male Gundam fan and limited to 500 sets, each one will go for 10,000 yen. The set includes a trading card with 20 wafer chocolates, an original collection of 82 SEED Destiny trading cards, and a special card file with an illustration of Lacus Clyne.

* ¶ 2:21 PM
Note: 10,000 yen is around US$87.
*


MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM SEED DESTINY
LACUS CLYNE
SPECIAL CARD FILE


According to an official news release from Japanese confectionery giant MORINAGA & CO.,LTD. which put out the limited release of the Gundam Heroines Wafer Choco Extra & Card File Set, Lacus Clyne is a heroine character who enjoys an especially high popularity even among the popular Mobile Suit Gundam series, which have been supported by devoted fans from 1979 to the present.

Lacus Clyne (Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED DESTINY) has dominated annual anime popularity polls of Newtype, Animage and Animedia magazines in Japan like no other female character has done in history, finishing as the No. 1 favorite female anime character of the year four straight years (2003-2006) in Newtype, four out of five years (2002, 2004-2006) in Animage, and three out four years (2003, 2005-2006) in Animedia.

And Lacus has faced plenty of stiff competition during her long reign as the most popular anime female character in Newtype, Animage and Animage.

During the twilight of her reign as animation magazine queen in Japan, for instance, Lacus Clyne beat hot anime otaku phenomenom Suzumiya Haruhi in the annual favorite female character polls of all three magazines during 2006.

Other Gundam female characters have not fared as well in annual anime popularity polls of Newtype, Animage, and Animedia. Only two other Gundam heroines have finished as the No. 1 favorite female character of the year in Newtype and in Animage, respectively: Four Murasame (Zeta Gundam) in 1985 and Elpeo Ple (Gundam ZZ) in 1986. And they each did it only once in Newtype and in Animage.

Last edited by Siegel Clyne; 2007-08-23 at 03:34. Reason: Fixed spelling error.
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