[Siegel Clyne]

Originally Posted by NeoSam

From Anime News Service:

Seiyuu Serve as Models for Characters in A day of a girl @TYO - AnimeOnDVD.com - Powered by FusionBB

Toei Animation Press Release

["Ga-nime" DVD Scheduled Sale (March 2007) Work Title]
A day of a girl @TYO (Tentative)
Original Work & Art : Mikimoto Haruhiko
Director : Kaneko Atsuji
Models & Cast : Akiyama Nana, Tanaka Rie, Koshimizu Ami

Famous for character designs in Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Gunbuster and a number of other works, Mikimoto Haruhiko draws illustrations modeled on three actresses. The story revolves around daily life scenes of girls living in Tokyo.

Akiyama Nana is a Japanese gravure idol, model, and actress.

Tanaka Rie and Koshimizu Ami are Japanese voice actresses (seiyuu).

Using actresses as models for designing characters reminds me of the love simulation game / gal game from Enterbrain, KimiKiss (Kimi Kiss), in which they almost certainly modeled characters in the game after their voice actresses. In Kimi Kiss, Koshimizu Ami plays Hoshino Yuumi, the prereleased female lead character, while Tanaka Rie plays Futami Eriko (Eririn), the postreleased NO.1 most popular character.

By the way, congratulations go out to Tanaka Rie and her character Lacus Clyne for finishing No. 2 and No. 1 in the seiyuu and favorite female character categories, respectively, in Newtype Japan for the year 2006.

This marks the fourth straight year (2003-2006) Lacus Clyne from Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED DESTINY has been the annual #1 favorite female character in Newtype Japan, and the fifth straight year (2002-2006) that a Tanaka Rie character has won the honor. (Tanaka Rie's Chii from Chobits won it in 2002.)

Since the debut of Newtype Japan magazine back in 1985, no other female seiyuu has accomplished such a feat. And since that time, no other seiyuu, male or female, has won an annual favorite character category of Newtype Japan in consecutive years with two different characters.

"I Love This Person's Deep, Sexy Voice" - Seiyuu that you have heard recently - AnimeOnDVD.com - Powered by FusionBB

In post #921 on the archived Tanaka Rie part 56*thread at 2ch, a Japanese fan (ID:tP13smemO) lists a number of characters in anime and games played by Tanaka Rie according to their vocal register, in descending order, from those with the highest voice to those with the lowest voice.

01. Chii (Chi) in Chobits ***highest voice***

02. Meer Campbell in Gundam SEED DESTINY

03. Kujou Hikari (Shiny Luminous) in Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart

04. Lacus Clyne in Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED DESTINY
"Shizukana Yoru ni" ("In the Quiet Night") sung by Lacus Clyne (Tanaka Rie)
"Fields of hope" sung by Lacus Clyne (Tanaka Rie)

05. Ran in Otogi Story Tenshi no Shippo (Angel Tales) and Tenshi no Shippo Chu!

06. Simca in AIR GEAR

07. Sanada-san (Ms. Sanada) in UFO Princess Valkyrie (UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie)

08. Mizuhara Koyomi (Yomi) in Azumanga Daioh
"Sorezore no One way" ("Everyone's One Way") sung by Mizuhara Koyomi (Tanaka Rie)

09. Futami Eriko (Eririn) in Kimikiss (Kimi Kiss)

10. Kayama Akira in Uchuu no Stellvia (Stellvia)

11. Karen Erra in Phantasy Star Universe

12. Mariel in Hanaukyo Maid-tai (Hanaukyo Maid Team) and Hanaukyou Maid-tai La Verite (Hanaukyo Maid Team La Verite)
"Voice of heart" sung by Mariel (Tanaka Rie)

13. Tomoe Marguerite in Mai-Otome (My-Otome)

14. Suigintou (Ginsama) in Rozen Maiden and Rozen Maiden Traumend

15. Matsukata Hiroko in Hataraki Man

16. Sei in Bakuretsu Tenshi (Burst Angel)
"Breathe" sung by Sei (Tanaka Rie)

17. Lula (Rura; Rula; Lura) in RED GARDEN ***lowest voice***

Other characters with really low, deep voices by Tanaka Rie include Fila Marik in The Third ~Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo~, Leandra Cheviat (Sister Lain) in The Good Witch of the West - Astraea Testament (Nishi no Yoki Majo - Astraea Testament), and Bianchi (Bianki) in Katekyo Hitman REBORN!

Some Japanese viewers on a Katekyo Hitman REBORN! seiyuu (voice actor) thread at 2ch, in fact, have complained that Bianchi's voice is too deep. (And too scary.) They had expected Bianchi to sound like Suigintou, with her comparatively higher voice.

Tanaka Rie's great range and versatility not only applies to her speaking voice, but extends to her singing voice as well. Check out the above official song samples.

According to one of her 2ch fans, at her Cafe de Rie TEA PARTY & LIVE held this past Sunday, December 3, 2006 in Tokyo - Tanaka Rie there sang a number of songs, including three Lacus Clyne songs, "Shizukana Yoru ni" "Mizu no Akashi" ("Token of Water") and "Fields of hope" - it was remarked that nowadays, ever since Mizuhara Koyomi (Yomi) in Azumanga Daioh - Matsukata Hiroko in Hataraki Man, Tomoe Marguerite in Mai-Otome (My-Otome), and so forth - there is much demand for Tanaka Rie's low voices, and much resultant (voice-related) work.

With her high pitched voice, Simca in AIR GEAR seems to be a recent exception to the trend of numerous low voiced characters by Tanaka Rie.

Less Lacus, Meer and Chii ... and more Hiroko, Lula and Leandra appear to be in the future for Tanaka Rie.

In post #824 on the aforementioned archived Tanaka Rie part 56 thread, one Japanese fan (ID:bnYRCJeXO) wrote this about Tanaka Rie:

Kono hito no hikui koe daisuki da
Iroppoi yo ne
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I love this person's deep voice.
It's sexy, isn't it?

Distinctive and Popular Voices - Distinctive, easily-recognizable voices - AnimeOnDVD.com - Powered by FusionBB

Gleaning millions of posts and thousands of threads on the Japanese message boards (anime {animation}, comic {manga}, game, etc.) of 2ch the past few years...

Japanese voice actors (seiyuu) Wakamoto Norio, Koyasu Takehito, and Noto Mamiko rank among the most recognizable and distinctive voices with 2ch posters. When referring to a character these voice actors play, 2ch posters frequently use their real or stage name instead of their character name.

On the other hand, the voice actor who 2ch posters seem to most closely identify with the characters they play is Tanaka Rie. When referring to Tanaka Rie, they often use one of her character names instead of her real name.

And more than for any other voice actor, 2ch posters mention Tanaka Rie's range and versatility, which help her portray a number of highly successful and very popular characters, according to facts and figures, who appeal to various and different demographics: Lacus Clyne in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY; Kujou Hikari (Shiny Luminous) in Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart; Suigintou in Rozen Maiden and Rozen Maiden Traumend; Chii (Chi) in Chobits; Futami Eriko (Eririn) in Kimi Kiss (Kimikiss)... and Matsukata Hiroko, the main character in Hataraki Man (Hatarakiman).

Unlike other manga-based titles, Hataraki Man has no smash hit live action movies like DEATH NOTE and NANA do, and no popular live action television series like Nodame Cantabile does, to bolster the subsequent anime version.

DEATH NOTE (Yagami Light and L), NANA (Oosaki Nana and Komatsu Nana {Hachi}), and Nodame Cantabile (Noda Megumi {Nodame} and Chiaki Shin'ichi) feature, more or less, two lead characters. Hataraki Man has only one lead character, Matsukata Hiroko.

In her starring role as Matsukata Hiroko in Hataraki Man, Tanaka Rie once again demonstrates her knack for reaching out beyond her fanbase to broader audiences - this time connecting with people who do not normally watch anime, particularly working men and women in their twenties and thirties.

Hataraki Man appears to be doing much better than expected. Of all the late night television animation series which debuted in Japan during the fall of 2006, in the Kantou region (includes Tokyo) of Japan, Hataraki Man is a solid No. 1 in overall television audience ratings with a 4.03% (episodes 1-9). (DEATH NOTE is No. 2 with a 3.58% {episodes 1-10}.)

Last week (Monday, December 4, 2006 - Sunday, December 10, 2006), episode 9 of Hataraki Man drew a television audience rating of 5.1%.

(During the same week, episode 10 of DEATH NOTE drew a 3.4%.)

Hataraki Man is well on its way to becoming the series with the highest overall television audience rating so far in Fuji TV's NOITAMINA late night animation block.
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NOITAMINA Series Overall Television Audience Ratings - Kantou Region (Includes Tokyo)

1. Hataraki Man - 4.03% (episodes 1-9; 11 total episodes)

2. ~ayakashi~ Japanese Classic Horror - 3.51%

3. Jyu Oh Sei - 3.50%

4. Honey and Clover II - 3.25%

5. Paradise Kiss - 3.24%

6. Honey and Clover - 3.05%[/i]
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Jyu Oh Sei (Juuousei) (3.50%), and Paradise Kiss (3.24%), two earlier NOITAMINA series, had highly popular, high-priced, mainstream celebrities playing the main character, singer Domoto Kouichi (Domoto Koichi) of J-pop duo KinKi Kids as Thor and model-actress-singer Yamada Yuu (Yamada Yu) as Hayasaka Yukari (Caroline), respectively, presumably at least in part to boost television audience ratings.

As Japanese sources report in Japanese and in English, Matsukata Hiroko sings the theme song, "Eternal," for a television commercial in Japan.
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Rie Tanaka sings Mabinogi's CM song - Slash Games

Kenji Ito's Offical English Website

Comicforum - Hauptforum - Einzelnen Beitrag anzeigen - Red Garden

Originally Posted by Silver Kitsune

Bonus für Fans: Rie Tanaka(Lacus Clyne in GS/D) ist als Lula absolut unerkennbar! o__O

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Comic forum - Main Forum - Individual Contribution Indication - Red Garden

Originally Posted by Silver Kitsune

Bonus for fans: Rie Tanaka (Lacus Clyne in GS/D) is absolutely unrecognizable as Lula! o__O

Distinctive and Popular Voices

Gleaning millions of posts and thousands of threads on the Japanese message boards (anime {animation}, comic {manga}, game, etc.) of 2ch the past few years...

Japanese voice actors (seiyuu)
Wakamoto Norio, Koyasu Takehito, and Noto Mamiko rank among the most recognizable and distinctive voices with 2ch posters. When referring to a character these voice actors play, 2ch posters frequently use their real or stage name instead of their character name.

On the other hand, the voice actor who 2ch posters seem to most closely identify with the characters they play is Tanaka Rie. When referring to Tanaka Rie, they often use one of her character names instead of her real name.

And more than for any other voice actor, 2ch posters mention Tanaka Rie's range and versatility, which help her portray a number of highly successful and very popular characters, according to facts and figures, who appeal to various and different demographics: Lacus Clyne in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY; Kujou Hikari (Shiny Luminous) in Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart; Suigintou in Rozen Maiden and Rozen Maiden Traumend; Chii (Chi) in Chobits; Futami Eriko (Eririn) in Kimi Kiss (Kimikiss)... and Matsukata Hiroko, the main character in Hataraki Man (Hatarakiman).

Unlike other manga-based titles, Hataraki Man has no smash hit live action movies like DEATH NOTE and NANA do, and no popular live action television series like Nodame Cantabile does, to bolster the subsequent anime version.

DEATH NOTE (Yagami Light and L), NANA (Oosaki Nana and Komatsu Nana {Hachi}), and Nodame Cantabile (Noda Megumi {Nodame} and Chiaki Shin'ichi) feature, more or less, two lead characters. Hataraki Man has only one lead character, Matsukata Hiroko.

In her starring role as Matsukata Hiroko in Hataraki Man, Tanaka Rie once again demonstrates her knack for reaching out beyond her fanbase to broader audiences - this time connecting with people who do not normally watch anime, particularly working men and women in their twenties and thirties.

Hataraki Man appears to be doing much better than expected. Of all the late night television animation series which debuted in Japan during the fall of 2006, in the Kantou region (includes Tokyo) of Japan, Hataraki Man is a solid No. 1 in overall television audience ratings with a 4.03% (episodes 1-9). (DEATH NOTE is No. 2 with a 3.58% {episodes 1-10}.)

Last week (Monday, December 4, 2006 - Sunday, December 10, 2006), episode 9 of Hataraki Man drew a television audience rating of 5.1%.

(During the same week, episode 10 of DEATH NOTE drew a 3.4%.)

Hataraki Man is well on its way to becoming the series with the highest overall television audience rating so far in Fuji TV's NOITAMINA late night animation block.
---
NOITAMINA Series Overall Television Audience Ratings - Kantou Region (Includes Tokyo)

1. Hataraki Man - 4.03% (episodes 1-9; 11 total episodes)

2. ~ayakashi~ Japanese Classic Horror - 3.51%

3. Jyu Oh Sei - 3.50%

4. Honey and Clover II - 3.25%

5. Paradise Kiss - 3.24%

6. Honey and Clover - 3.05%[/i]
---
Jyu Oh Sei (Juuousei) (3.50%), and Paradise Kiss (3.24%), two earlier NOITAMINA series, had highly popular, high-priced, mainstream celebrities playing the main character, singer Domoto Kouichi (Domoto Koichi) of J-pop duo KinKi Kids as Thor and model-actress-singer Yamada Yuu (Yamada Yu) as Hayasaka Yukari (Caroline), respectively, presumably at least in part to boost television audience ratings.

As Japanese sources report in Japanese and in English, Matsukata Hiroko sings the theme song, "Eternal," for a television commercial in Japan.
---
Rie Tanaka sings Mabinogi's CM song - Slash Games

Kenji Ito's Offical English Website

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed (TV) - Anime News Network

Rie Tanaka - the Japanese voice actress (seiyuu) who does both the speaking voice and the singing voice for Lacus Clyne in the original Japanese version of Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, and Meer Campbell in the original Japanese version of Gundam Seed Destiny - sings the theme/insert song, "Eternal," on a television commercial for the Japanese version of Mabinogi, a popular South Korean MMORPG from Nexon. According to reports by Japanese fans and Rie Tanaka herself, the Mabinogi commercial, along with the song "Eternal" sung by "Lacus Clyne," began airing December 12, 2006 on various channels and networks in Japan, including major ones like Fuji TV and TV Tokyo, in the afternoon, evening and night hours.

Hataraki Man Overall Television Audience Rating, 4.01% - Great for a Late Night Anime

Television Audience Ratings - Kantou region (Includes Tokyo), Japan

Hataraki Man Episode 11 Television Audience Rating, Thursday Night, December 21, 2006 [Friday Morning, December 22, 2006]

4.1% CX [Fuji TV] 25.15 [1:15 AM] Noitamina "Hataraki Man" (Episode 11 [The End] / Soredemo Hatarakiman {Still the Working Man})

Despite a broadcast starting time 30 minutes later than usual, episode 11 of Hataraki Man still drew a pretty good television audience rating.

And despite three out of its eleven total episodes airing significantly later than their regularly scheduled time, Hataraki Man still managed to deliver an overall television audience rating of 4.01%.

Very, very few late night animation (anime) series in Japan have ever managed to pull off an overall television audience rating of 4.0% or more. Hataraki Man has just accomplished that. And NANA almost certainly will when it ends its run.

The Hataraki Man anime apparently has done much better than expected, drawing in and keeping audiences despite, among other obstacles, a number of broadcast delays and the lack of a live action version to boost awareness and interest among the Japanese general public.

Japanese posters at 2ch credit the fine cast of Hataraki Man, led by Tanaka Rie as the main character Matsukata Hiroko, for its excellent performance with Japanese viewers, particularly with salaryman, or working men and women - people who, by and large, do not normally watch anime.


Hatarakiman Director Ono Katsumi & Fuji TV Assistant Producer Nakano Kumiko Interview

This interview with Hataraki-Man director Ono Katsumi and Fuji TV assistant producer Nakano Kumiko recorded, among other things, that Hataraki Man scored the highest television audience ratings of any series in the history of Fuji TV's Noitamina late night animation time slot, that Hataraki Man [although based on a manga running in a seinen/salaryman magazine, Morning] targeted women who normally did not watch anime, and that it has been a highly successful show.

The interview focuses on the fashion for the show.


Hataraki Man: A Happy Meeting of "Animation" and "Temporary Employment" ... DIP
(Hatarakiman : "Anime" to "Jinzai Haken" no Shiawasena Deai ... Dippu)

December 28, 2006 21:45 [9:45 PM] <Mainichi Shimbun [The Mainichi Newspapers] Mantan Web>

Hataraki Man Poster for DIP



Television animation "Hataraki Man" started broadcasting in the wee hours on Fuji TV in October 2006; the final episode aired on December 21, 2006. Working people in their twenties and thirties empathize with the hard working protaganist, Matsukata Hiroko, and the show scored high television audience ratings. Furthermore, a television commercial for the temporary employment agency "DIP" (Tokyo Minato-ku, company president Tomita Hideki) which uses the image of Matsukata [Hiroko] also attracts attention. How did the unexpected combination of "anime" and "temporary work" arise in the first place? <Watanabe Kei>
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Although DIP had chosen actress Koyuki [internationally famous for being in The Last Samurai motion picture with Tom Cruise, Sanada Hiroyuki, et al.] as its promotional image character, the project to choose a new character began around June 2006, and information on the Hataraki Man animation was obtained while conferring with advertising agencies, etc. Having read the original Hataraki Man manga by Anno Moyoco thoroughly, marketing director Aihara/Aibara Hidenobu felt, "The manga readership and the viewers that the anime aims at, to say nothing of the theme, are the same."

The magazine "Morning," in which "Hataraki Man" is serialized irregularly, young men (seinen) and businessmen (salaryman) in their 20s and 30s are the main readers. Animation is popular among women of the same generation - users who built this company's site - with the Thursday late night Noitamina time slot, when "Honey and Clover," "Paradise Kiss," etc., are broadcast. Furthermore, marketing director Aihara/Aibara quickly decided to sponsor the show and assured that the tie-up of manga and anime had the power of appeal in "killing two birds with one stone" and was able to boost the image of the business, saying that "this project cannot be done by other companies."
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The number of "Hatarako Net" registrants normally grows at several percent per month; but since the Hataraki Man promotion began in October 2006, it has been noticeably growing at 20-30 percent per month....
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Although broadcasting of the anime has ended, the Hataraki Man volume 1 DVD goes on sale December 22, 2006, with more releases in the future. When DIP using "Hataraki Man" for promotion continues, marketing director Aihara/Aibara expects, "Because the theme songs are heard and the DVDs are seen, DIP is brought to mind." In the final episode of the animation, buried too deep in her work, Hiroko splits up with her boyfriend. But "happy relations" between "Hataraki Man" and DIP appear to go on.

DIP Corporation.
"The largest portal site in Japan linking people with the jobs they want."

DIP Corporation. Hatarako Net
"Hatarako Net is the largest portal site in Japan dealing with temporary positions ."

DIP Corporation. Baitoru Com
"Baitoru Com is the largest portal sites in Japan for part time work ."

Read the Hir@gana Times article in the Japan-Behind the Scenes - Business section, "One of Japan's Largest Internet Job Media —DIP— has Started Providing Job Information to Non-Japanese," for some interesting information.

For your information, "D" in DIP stands for "dream," "I" is for "idea" and "P" is for "passion." DIP is heading for growth with a dream, ideas and passion and is sure to become a strong partner for non-Japanese who have a dream to work in Japan.