There won't be a newspost for last week because I simply can't find the time to write it, and I'm already 3 days late anyway, sorry about that. Meanwhile, I'm catching up on some older releases that still need to be reviewed.
王子様（笑）シリーズ ドラマＣＤ ～王子様と二羽の姫君～
Company: Frontierworks
Based on: Fairytale
Released: 2012.04.19
Official Site: http://www.fwinc.co.jp/princewww
The 'Oujisama (warai)' series re-imagines various well know fairy tales. The stories are told from the perspective of the prince and in a rather hilarious way. This time it is the story from the Swam Lake (the ballet, yes that one) that gets a re-make.
We
first hear the prince from the swan lake (henceforth Hakuchou, CV: Yusa
Kouji) vow his eternal love to an unknown princess, after that we
switch to Sleeping Beauty (CV: Onosaka Masaya), the Emperor (CV: Okiayu
Ryoutarou), and Rapunzel (CV: Ishida Akira) being summoned to a
neighbouring country. None of them know why they are called, and the
Emperor at first only complains about the situation. Turns out that
Hakuchou his younger brother (henceforth: Otouto, CV: Takemoto Eiji)
invited them because he needs their help with a problem.
ps:
the main prince does have a name (Siegfried) but at the end Rapunzel
declares he will be ‘Hakuchou’ (swan) from now on, so I’m using that
name.
It just so happens that the princess Hakuchou claims is his ‘true love’ is not entirely human: she turns into a swan during the day. Otouto heard that the other princes have some experience in dealing with weird things and hopes that they can help him, none of them thinks that this is a problem at all, as long as they love each other.
Complications arise however, when two identical princesses show up soon after. To determine which one of them is the ‘real’ princess, Hakuchou decides to hold a contest. With quizzes, and weird tasks like limbo dancing. And this, as it turns out, has happened numerou times before. Hakuchou keeps getting engaged, and then holds a contest like this to test her love. Eventually Otouto can’t take it anymore, and drags one of the two princesses away (and promptly falls in love with her)...
Despite the title, I feel like the other princes feature more than the titular Hakuchou. The characters also comment on this in the zadankai track. Hakuchou is a pretty weak and character (both in physique and personality wise) so it is no wonder he is overshadowed by the other -more colourful- characters. I do think that he is an interesting addition to the mix though, as his actions give the rest the opportunity to create hilarious conversations.
As always, we have the Emperor lamenting the loss of his Kaguya-hime, and proclaiming that she is not an alien, Ibara explaining everything and everyone in RPG terms, and Rapunzel proclaiming that love and family are the most important things in the world. The princes from the other CD’s are referenced at different points in the story. Not to mention that at several points the fourth wall is smashed to pieces when various characters blatantly state that this is a drama CD series (with the most brilliant one being Rapunzel stating that this is the first time that he and the Emperor meet in ‘a proper drama CD’).
The zadankai track almost removes the fourth wall completely. In the beginning Otouto is incredibly happy about the fact that he is allowed to participate in the zadankai (because Takemoto-san always voices side characters he was never featured, except for the one time as Genie, when Aladdin orders him to get more drinks). After that however they switch to discussing how long the series will continue, whether there will be more reading CD’s and so on.
In the (long) freetalk everyone talks a bit about the recording, and the topic “something you can’t decide [on]”. It is pretty hilarious how almost everyone says they have problems deciding what to eat, or which restaurant to enter when they are with others. (Takemoto-san mentions not being able to choose whether he likes dogs or cats more, and Onosaka-san says he often can’t decide between two things while shopping and then ends up buying both). The best part was Onosaka-san complaining about having to record on his own again. His solution is that Takemoto-san should just be in every recording -because he has lots of free time anyway- so that the interaction with the other characters sounds better.
It just so happens that the princess Hakuchou claims is his ‘true love’ is not entirely human: she turns into a swan during the day. Otouto heard that the other princes have some experience in dealing with weird things and hopes that they can help him, none of them thinks that this is a problem at all, as long as they love each other.
Complications arise however, when two identical princesses show up soon after. To determine which one of them is the ‘real’ princess, Hakuchou decides to hold a contest. With quizzes, and weird tasks like limbo dancing. And this, as it turns out, has happened numerou times before. Hakuchou keeps getting engaged, and then holds a contest like this to test her love. Eventually Otouto can’t take it anymore, and drags one of the two princesses away (and promptly falls in love with her)...
Despite the title, I feel like the other princes feature more than the titular Hakuchou. The characters also comment on this in the zadankai track. Hakuchou is a pretty weak and character (both in physique and personality wise) so it is no wonder he is overshadowed by the other -more colourful- characters. I do think that he is an interesting addition to the mix though, as his actions give the rest the opportunity to create hilarious conversations.
As always, we have the Emperor lamenting the loss of his Kaguya-hime, and proclaiming that she is not an alien, Ibara explaining everything and everyone in RPG terms, and Rapunzel proclaiming that love and family are the most important things in the world. The princes from the other CD’s are referenced at different points in the story. Not to mention that at several points the fourth wall is smashed to pieces when various characters blatantly state that this is a drama CD series (with the most brilliant one being Rapunzel stating that this is the first time that he and the Emperor meet in ‘a proper drama CD’).
The zadankai track almost removes the fourth wall completely. In the beginning Otouto is incredibly happy about the fact that he is allowed to participate in the zadankai (because Takemoto-san always voices side characters he was never featured, except for the one time as Genie, when Aladdin orders him to get more drinks). After that however they switch to discussing how long the series will continue, whether there will be more reading CD’s and so on.
In the (long) freetalk everyone talks a bit about the recording, and the topic “something you can’t decide [on]”. It is pretty hilarious how almost everyone says they have problems deciding what to eat, or which restaurant to enter when they are with others. (Takemoto-san mentions not being able to choose whether he likes dogs or cats more, and Onosaka-san says he often can’t decide between two things while shopping and then ends up buying both). The best part was Onosaka-san complaining about having to record on his own again. His solution is that Takemoto-san should just be in every recording -because he has lots of free time anyway- so that the interaction with the other characters sounds better.
Conclusion:
The titular prince was a bit overshadowed by the rest of the characters, but the series is as good and funny as always so it doesn’t really matter. I loved that Takemoto-san has a more proactive role in this CD, instead of just being ‘the servant’ (although I missed the running joke where people mistake him for different roles).
I purchased a copy as soon as the CD was out primarily because of Yusa Kouji~ （＾∇＾）
ReplyDeleteMy favorite track out of this CD would be the zadankai since, as you said, they keep on tearing the fourth wall apart. I just found it funny that Hakuchou-san was wondering if he wouldn't get to appear on other installments, if ever there will be.
With a hosuto-like prince now in the cast, I was kind of hoping for another entry in the If series, with the princes as part of a host club. (#^.^#)
Oujisama (warai) Host Club... They NEED to do that! even if it is just in the radio show. But an entire CD would indeed bet better. And it would be the best host club. EVER.
DeleteI sort of took the entire zadankai as an announcement that there will be more CD's. Especially when Rapunzel says that they should "just do a 3 character CD again" when someone asks whether there will be more roudoku CD's.
But I don't want to get ahead of myself so I'll just quietly hope for more releases.