Dogs - Bullets and Carnage

Dogs - Bullets and Carnage

Company: Shueisha
Based on: Manga

Released: 2007.10.22


Dogs is set in an unnamed, post-apocalyptic European city, where violence, crime, genetic manipulation and other scientific brutalities have become common. The story focuses on four antiheroic protagonists who, through a series of coincidences, meet as they search for a way "below", looking for answers to their individual pasts (description shamelessly taken from wiki).

This first drama CD covers the prequel manga, and only introduces the four main characters and various sub-characters. Doesn’t make it any less interesting though.

In the first track everyone meets in a cafe. Timeline-wise this is the present in the series. Not much happens in this track, it is a bit out of the everyday (albeit weird) life of the characters. The later chapters sometimes switch between the past and the present when introducing the various characters.

The second track introduces Mihai (CV: Ootsuka Akio) and Kiri (CV:Ohara Sayaka). After being away for many years Mihai returns to town and visits Kiri, who now runs the cafe/ restaurant Buon Viaggio. Hanging on the wall there is a picture of Mihai, Kiri, Milena (CV: Matsutani Kaya) and Ian (CV: Yusa Kouji). Milena was Mihai his former lover, and Ian the son of the (mafia) boss Mihai was working under at the time. Ian was entrusted in Mihai his care by his father, however he grew jealous of Milena afraid that she would take Mihai away from him.

Seeing the picture on the wall Mihai remembers several of the events surrounding Milena her death, and confronts Ian. The switching between timelines was the most confusing in this story, in the other ones it is a lot clearer.

The third track introduces Badou (CV: Ishida Akira) an informant with a serious nicotine problem. Badou, more or less by accident, obtains some compromising foto’s of a gang leader and is promptly hunted down by the entire gang. He is saved once by Mihai, but while he explains his situation and negotiates for Mihai to be his bodyguard while staying at the cafe they are attacked by the gang again. Fortunately his nicotine level is so low by then that he goes on a rampage, defeating the entire gang on his own.

Badou his story was the most lighthearted of them all, caused both by his normally wimpy personality and the fact that he ends up covered in trash a couple of times. That, and all he can think about while being chased around is somehow obtaining a cigarette.

The next track introduces Naoto (CV: Itou Shizuka). When she was little her family was slaughtered by someone wielding a katana, causing her to lose part of her memories. She is taken in by the swordsman Fujimine (CV: Koyama Rikiya), who teaches her how to fight with a sword as well. Naoto thinks that Fujimine is the one that killed her family and lives to kill him, but before she gets the chance he is killed Magato (CV: Kusao Takeshi)., who also tells her that the real killer is still out there somewhere.

This was the saddest story of them all. Naoto her conflicting feelings are just too sad. In fact, no one in this story seems to be exactly straight forward with their feelings. Magato his final speech makes me think he actually liked her, despite his earlier attitude.

The last character to get introduced his Heine (CV: Sakurai Takahiro) who underwent various genetic manipulations when he was a child. As a result, he recovers from wound very fast, even from almost fatal ones. It also gave him a very violent second personality. Heine encounters Nill (CV: Noto Mamiko), a young girl with angel wings. He tries to save her from some thugs, but she is re-captured a little later, while the attack leaves Heine heavily wounded. Which doesn’t stop him from retaliating and going to save her a second time, dragging Badou along as diversion.

The final track are some more hints at the continuation of the story, but, just like the first track, not really memorable compared to the rest. The story is told in a somewhat fragmented manner, and how the various characters meet isn’t shown (except for maybe the how Badou en Mihai meet). I kind of like this style, and it fits the dark atmosphere of the world it is set in.


Conclusion:
I was obviously interested in this because it has Sakurai, but if you like action packed and darker stories this is definitely a recommendation. Too bad that this is only a prologue, and while the first volume has been turned into a drama CD you’ll need to read the manga (which is still ongoing btw) for the rest of the story. Luckily, the manga is very stylish as well.

Kannou Mukashi Banashi Vol.3: Kaidan

With Kannou Mukashi Banashi Portable just out I suppose a lot of people will be playing it, so what better time then to pick up reviewing the series again.

官能昔話 3 ～怪談～

Company: 5pb records
Based on: Japanese Folklore
Released: 2009.07.21
Official Site: http://5pb.jp/kannou/index.html


Kannou Mukashi Banashi is a series that tells well know tales in a... slightly different way. Each volume contains several stories, all done by a different seiyuu. The series uses the dummy head microphone, which can make it sound as if someone is talking into your ear (when listening with headphones or earphones). And in this series they have made sure that the seiyuu talk very eroi.

As always the CD starts with an introduction by Inoue Kazuhiko, who explains how the CD works and instructs you to put on your head- or earphones in some very suggestive wording. The setting for this CD is that you are at the Kannou Temple, where the head priest tells you several stories. The stories themselves are are done by several seiyuu.

Hoshi Souichirou tells the story of Miminashi Houichi, a blind biwa player who lives at Amidaji temple. One night, someone who sounds like he is wearing armour comes to temple to request his services. He takes Houichi to a large mansion where he is asked to play the tale of Heike. After he is finished he is left alone with the princess who requested his services, and he teaches her how to play the biwa. He returns to the temple in the morning. Night after night Houichi goes to play, but a priest from the temple is suspicious about where he goes and has someone follow him. It turns out that the place where Houichi goes to play night after night is actually a graveyard...

Shimono Hiro tells a story called Bancho Sarayashiki. The story is about a girl called Okiku who works at the Aoyama mansion. The young master of the house, Aoyama Harima, falls in love with Okiku. After a while she falls in love with him as well. However one day Harima is married to another woman. However he still continues his relation with Okiku in secrecy. To test whether Harima really loves her or not she breaks one of the families heirloom plates. Believing she broke it by accident he forgives her. However his wife finds out, and forces Harima to punish her. Cornered by his wife he stabs her to death, and throws her into a well. However Okiku her ghost comes back to haunt the house...

Koyama Rikiya tells the story of Doujouji and the travelling monk Anchin. One day he injures his leg, and resides at a house. The daughter of the house, Kiyohime, is to take care of him while he is there. As time passes they fall in love, however due to Anchin being a monk he is not allowed to marry. Because of that he decides to leave, but because Kiyohime looks so sad he promises her to return in three years to make her his bride. A promise that he cannot keep. When he never returns Kiyohime goes to search him, but when he is not at the temple where he should be she transforms into a giant serpent in her rage and turns up at the temple where Anchin resides.  He hides under the temple bell, but the now snake Kiyohime still manages to find him...

The final story is called "Sanmai no Ofuda" and is told by all of the seiyuu. This is a story about a young priest who goes into the mountains to find chestnuts. The high priest warns him for a Yamamba (which) residing in the mountains and gives him 3 protective charms. Of course he meets the yamamba and tries to use the charms to get away. He uses all three charms but only manages to escape while the yamamba still chases him. Finally, it is the hight priest who manages to defeat the yamamba.

As these are kaidan, Japanese horror stories, none of them end very well (except for the last one). Most stories have been made a bit more romantic than their original counterparts, but in return they are also very effective on the scare effects. The sound of the armour and princess trying to find Houichi, The ghost of Okiku counting the plates, and finally the voice of the snake Kiyohime circling the bell don't miss their scare effect.


Conclusion:
The tension in the CD is double, on the one hand the phrasing is still eroi, and on the other hand you also have the tension from the horror stories. I don't like the last one as much, but the other 3 are really good. And of course, Kannou Mukashi Banashi is one of my favourite series ever.