One of the things I’ve learned in the twenty years of writing about anime is that everything that goes around comes around. You may think you’ll never see it again but odds are you will. Maiden Japan had their panel at Anime Expo today and with their focus on older shows at times and rescues, they came up with an intriguing batch of titles. I mean, I think I was the only one that bought all of Human Crossing back in the day and actually liked it. We did just revisit all of VOTOMS so I’m hopeful for a real upgrade there. And it’s great that after Nozomi’s license for Maria Watches Over Us that it’s going to end up back in circulation again so soon.
- Armored Trooper Votoms
- Basquash!
- Hataraki Man
- Human Crossing
- Maria Watches Over Us
- Yumeiro Patissiere
In regards to Votoms, it was updated to confirm that they have:
- The TV series
- Armored Trooper Votoms Stories
- Highlights
- OVA Series
- OVA – Pailsen Files
- OVA – Genei (Phantom)
- OVA – Case ; Irvine
- Votoms Finder OVA
- OVA – Chirico’s Return
With Maria Watches Over Us, it was noted that the series will stream on HIDIVE prior to a Blu-ray release and some early conversations are being had about possibly doing a dub.
Armored Troopers Votoms: A century of bloodshed between warring star systems has plunged nearly 200 worlds into the flames of war. Now, an uneasy truce has settled across the Astragius Galaxy… Chirico Cuvie, a special forces powered-armor pilot is suddenly transferred into a unit engaged in a secret and highly illegal mission to steal military secrets—from their own military! Now he’s on the run…from his own army! Unsure of his loyalties and to cover their own tracks, Chirico is left behind to die in space. Surviving by luck, the renegade is now hunted by both the conspirators and military intelligence. He is driven by the haunting image of a mysterious and beautiful woman—the objective of their mission, and his sole clue to unraveling their treacherous scheme. But the conspirators will do anything to preserve their mysterious agenda…
Basquash!: On the planet Earthdash, its inhabitants gaze on its moon and the technologically advanced lunar city of Mooneyes with awe. Dan JD, a boy living in Rollingtown on Earthdash’s surface, gets caught up in Bigfoot Basketball—a fast-paced sport played with giant Bigfoot robots.
Hataraki Man: Hiroko Matsukata is a woman who works for a magazine company. She puts all she has into her work, and is known as a strong, straight-forward working girl, who can at will turn herself into Hataraki man (working man) mode. Despite Hiroko’s success at work, her life lacks romance. Even though a hard worker, she’d leave early anytime to go on a date. Too bad her boyfriend is even bigger a workaholic than Hiroko.
Human Crossing: Though seemingly unconnected, the characters in HUMAN CROSSING all have something in common. They are dealing with the sometimes joyous, but often horrific realities of everyday life. Set in modern day Japan, this compilation of short stories explores the lives of people from all walks of life. The animation used here is subtle, with realistic renderings that fully express the range of emotions experienced by the film`s characters. HUMAN CROSSING taps into the dramatic potential of reality, focusing on the isolated, sometimes lonely nature of urban life. Ultimately, however, the film suggests that perhaps there is an inter-connectedness between people that binds even the most disparate strangers together.
Maria Watches Over Us: When Yumi Fukuzawa entered the Lillian Girls’ Academy, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Tokyo, she never imagined she would catch the eye of beautiful and demure Sachiko Ogasawara, one of the school’s most popular students. Now Sachiko has offered to be Yumi’s soeur, her “sister” and guide for all her years at the academy. The whole idea has Yumi completely flustered—after all, they hardly know each other!
The entire campus is abuzz with rumors about the two of them, but Yumi is conflicted over accepting Sachiko’s offer. While she admires Sachiko, being her soeur would also mean constantly being at the center of the entire school’s attention!
Yumeiro Patissiere: Aside from her deep passion for eating cakes, the clumsy Ichigo Amano has never been successful at anything. After an encounter with Henri Lucas, a famous patissier, Ichigo’s amazing tasting abilities—although unbeknownst to her—are discovered. Recognizing her talent, Henri offers her the chance to attend St. Marie Academy, a prestigious culinary school which specializes in desserts.
In spite of the fact that she is a beginner lacking skills, thanks to Henri’s recommendation, Ichigo is placed in the topmost group with the “Sweets Princes.” The princes, famous throughout the school for their magical treats, are Sennosuke Andou, an expert in traditional Japanese sweets; Satsuki Hanabusa, with a flair for candied flowers; and Makoto Kashino, a gifted chocolatier. Ichigo and the Sweets Princes, each accompanied by their “Sweets Spirits”—fairies who make patissiers’ dreams come true—all work towards their goals in the competitive world of sweets.
