Houkago no Pleiades coming from Gainax (ONA)

[TheGreenMan]

A magical girl show from Gainax...even though it's a promotional thing with Subaru. It will air on Youtube and starts Feb 1st.

Website:

http://sbr-gx.jp/

Here's a trailer (also on website):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xHuprrDzek


Hopefully this will remind you of another slice of life anime where girls have a club and eat sweets all day. *grin* The YURI looks strong with this one.

But...I have a big problem...Gainax...there are SEVEN stars in the Pleiades cluster, hence the name, "The Seven Sisters." There are FIVE girls in this.

[Suwako Moriya]

But...I have a big problem...Gainax...there are SEVEN stars in the Pleiades cluster, hence the name, "The Seven Sisters." There are FIVE girls in this.

Well, they could always pull the old idea of introducing additional characters later to reach seven. In any case, watching the preview it looks to be a show for me to try.

[Ashyukun]

It's Gainax- you know I'll at least check it out.

The fact it's actually Mahou Shoujo kind of surprised me though, given the association with Subaru. I was expecting it to be about some kind of after-school racing club...

[TheGreenMan]

It's Gainax- you know I'll at least check it out.

The fact it's actually Mahou Shoujo kind of surprised me though, given the association with Subaru. I was expecting it to be about some kind of after-school racing club...

The only similarity is Subaru's use of the Pleiades in their symbol.

Edit: Gah! Subaru has six stars in their symbol. *bangs head against desk*

[Hayate Kurogane]

But...I have a big problem...Gainax...there are SEVEN stars in the Pleiades cluster, hence the name, "The Seven Sisters." There are FIVE girls in this.

Well, they could always pull the old idea of introducing additional characters later to reach seven.

They can appear as silhouettes in the first version of the OP sequence, to be filled in once they appear. Are they friends? Or foes? Only a later episode will tell! :P

[boogiecat]

Hoping that they'll add more girls in that new anime!

Subaru in Japan is mostly selling small cute cars based on Toyota and Daihatsu brands(rebadged)..

[FUNiOP]

A Gainax ONA with magical girls to promote Subaru...

This is too ridiculous for me not to check out. Oh who am I kidding; you know I didn't need to hear anything more than "Gainax" to know I'd check it out. It's only an ONA, and it probably won't get a simulcast (not that I wouldn't be happy if it did), but considering what it is, I wouldn't want to commit to a full series anyway.

[kadmos1]

The mythical reason why 6 of the 7 stars are visible is because Merope is said to have hidden because she was ashamed for being the only one to love a mortal. Heck, her name translates to "With Face Turned". Other reasons accounted for are from this site(http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/pleiades/pleiades_myth.html)
"Lost Pleiad
The `lost Pleiad' legend came about to explain why only six are easily visible to the unaided eye (I have my own thoughts on this). This sister is variously said to be Electra, who veiled her face at the burning of Troy, appearing to mortals afterwards only as a comet;[took out this part because it mentions Merope like I just mentioned) or Celæno, who was struck by a thunderbolt".

[TheGreenMan]

It looks like this anime will be short...very short. 4 episodes for a grand total of 25 minutes.

http://twitter.com/cowboybibimbop/status/30621020557672448

Why do I think this will so awesome that a television series must be done. I really hope they shitloads of money on the animation. I want to see movie quality damnit!

[Suwako Moriya]

It looks like this anime will be short...very short. 4 episodes for a grand total of 25 minutes.

I can't say I'm surprised, although I figured rather than four very short episodes, it would have been a single episode. A single episode that would be like an example episode.

Why do I think this will so awesome that a television series must be done. I really hope they shitloads of money on the animation. I want to see movie quality damnit!

Because the designs are just that good? Well, only time will tell for certain. Although in some ways turning out to be awesome will be cruel if this ends up being all we get.

[Ashyukun]

I can't say I'm surprised, although I figured rather than four very short episodes, it would have been a single episode. A single episode that would be like an example episode.

Well, at least it's not a bunch of flash-animated shorts and is going to have actual movement in the animation...

[Suwako Moriya]

I can't say I'm surprised, although I figured rather than four very short episodes, it would have been a single episode. A single episode that would be like an example episode.

Well, at least it's not a bunch of flash-animated shorts and is going to have actual movement in the animation...

Yeah, assuming the trailers aren't lying to us. In any case, one benefit to the most evil series of the Winter 2011 season is that it reminds us that things could be worse.

[TheGreenMan]

Episodes are up here:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-01-31/subaru-gainax-hokago-no-pleiades-anime-debuts-online

No subs though.

[Hayate Kurogane]

That was cute and exciting! Moar plz!

Sure, it's built on nothing but cliches, but that's okay! Or, perhaps the fact that four mini episodes can encompass every single cliche present in a mahou shoujo series just speaks to the truth of the matter. :P

The mysterious meeting with the person who's actually the enemy! Stumbling upon the secret magical girl group that the best friend is part of! "I'm telling you, there's no way you can do it!" Gaining magical powers! A transformation sequence! Exposition! The first battle! Trying one's hardest! A falling out between friends! "Maybe she's right, and it's impossible after all!" Gaining courage and making up (should read: out) with friend in the rain! A climactic battle in an alternate dimension! The inexplicable ability to not die, but instead defend one's friend and then absorb and use the enemy's power against them! Breaking the enemy free of their magically-induced enemy-like tendencies! Bringing it all full circle and finding a sign that there's hope in the future!

I like how they hold hands when preparing to go into the final battle. :catgirl:

I also like how it's (perhaps inevitably) a Subaru car key that Subaru uses to get into the magical solarium. :sweat:

Mai Otsuka really is an awesome artist and character designer. Love Shakugan no Shana, love this.

Props to Gainax and crew for including the character model sheets, original art sheets, and conntributions by other artists in the ED sequence.

[TheGreenMan]

Is the villian a girl or a guy? She/he uses "boku."

[Hayate Kurogane]

Is the villian a girl or a guy? She/he uses "boku."

I'd have to say girl. Otherwise, for something this short, why depict her with long hair in the flashback at the beginning of episode 4?

[TheGreenMan]

Is the villian a girl or a guy? She/he uses "boku."

I'd have to say girl. Otherwise, for something this short, why depict her with long hair in the flashback at the beginning of episode 4?

Huh. You're right. Yuri +1000! She looks like Subaru with longer hair.

[Hayate Kurogane]

Is the villian a girl or a guy? She/he uses "boku."

I'd have to say girl. Otherwise, for something this short, why depict her with long hair in the flashback at the beginning of episode 4?

Huh. You're right. Yuri +1000! She looks like Subaru with longer hair.

I'm a big fan of her villain-mode hair "ears." :catgirl:

[Suwako Moriya]

Huh. You're right. Yuri +1000! She looks like Subaru with longer hair.

I'm a big fan of her villain-mode hair "ears." :catgirl:

Yeah, those were neat to look at it. In any case, I prefer the idea of her being a girl on the basis that it just makes things more enjoyable.

The main thing I'll say is in the context of what it was, it was decent. Some definite potential, and I wouldn't mind a full series. In any case, I'm treating this as an episode zero type scenario. Even if the chances of more are up in the air.

[TheGreenMan]

Subaru has a fateful encounter...with a boy...no, a girl?
Subaru finds her friend being in K-ON without her! Oh noes!
Aoi thinks Subaru is stupid? That's no way to treat your waifu!
Nanako is the BEST CHARACTER IN THIS SHOW.
Motorcycle broomsticks!
Heh...Nanako stands on her stick. The peace sign she gives is too cute.
Oh noes! They lost a piece of the Engine to Minato.
Subaru and Aoi have martial problems!
Subaru and Aoi make up with Subaru confessing her undying love for Aoi.
There's a lot of girl on girl hugging in this show.
Holding hands! YES.
Wait! Minato is a GIRL! Yuri x 10000000
Yes, Subaru, defend your wife!
When two girls fight each other, one must defeated by a HUG! ALWAYS!
Awwww...Subaru has found another wife! Except she still believes Minato is a boy. I guess Subaru will find out on their newlywed vacation. Hehe!
Lots of nice fanart!

The yuri in this show is off the scales. Confessions! Hugging! Defending your wife from a meteor!

[Suwako Moriya]

The yuri in this show is off the scales. Confessions! Hugging! Defending your wife from a meteor!

And because of this, I will never be able to look at Subara commercials the same way again.

Your Subaru saved you life? Who cares? My Subaru taught me the values of sexy teenage girls being in love with each other. Ok, so I don't own a car, but whatever.

In any case, it's a given that had this been a full series, we'd probably get the following. Some character focused episodes. Some plot advancement. Some for the fun of it episodes. And hopefully scenes of the girls being extra close.

[TheGreenMan]

And because of this, I will never be able to look at Subara commercials the same way again.

Your Subaru saved you life? Who cares? My Subaru taught me the values of sexy teenage girls being in love with each other. Ok, so I don't own a car, but whatever.
.

Remember, when you want to protect your family from meteor strikes, buy a Subaru!

[Hayate Kurogane]

And because of this, I will never be able to look at Subara commercials the same way again.

Your Subaru saved you life? Who cares? My Subaru taught me the values of sexy teenage girls being in love with each other. Ok, so I don't own a car, but whatever.
.

Remember, when you want to protect your family from meteor strikes, buy a Subaru!

Only if it comes with a group of five sexy teenage girls being in love with each other, plus mascot, as an option.

[EmperorBrandon]

In any case, it's a given that had this been a full series, we'd probably get the following. Some character focused episodes. Some plot advancement. Some for the fun of it episodes. And hopefully scenes of the girls being extra close.

Really should have gotten some of this. We got a good bit of Subaru and Aoi, but I would be curious to see more of what the other girls are like.

There's some great character designs for this show - agree with Hayate Kurogane on that. Some of the guest art in the ending sequence was quite beautiful.

[EmperorBrandon]

I'd have to say girl. Otherwise, for something this short, why depict her with long hair in the flashback at the beginning of episode 4?

Japanese Wikipedia says it's a guy (少年), if it's to be trusted. I honestly thought it was a bishie guy the whole time. Kuwashima seems to use a pretty masculine-sounding voice for him, too.

[Suwako Moriya]

I'd have to say girl. Otherwise, for something this short, why depict her with long hair in the flashback at the beginning of episode 4?

Japanese Wikipedia says it's a guy (少年), if it's to be trusted. I honestly thought it was a bishie guy the whole time. Kuwashima seems to use a pretty masculine-sounding voice for him, too.

In that case, Subaru can save him, but after that she needs to go back to making love to Aoi. What?

Also, by having it be a guy that means we can't treat her or rather him as the sixth sister. Which would get us one step closer to the full seven. Or wait, maybe we're supposed to treat him and the president as six and seven? In spite of apparently being guys...

[FUNiOP]

Yep, that was a magical girl anime. Fortunately, the animation was very Gainax. And apparently being themed around the constellation in the Subaru logo and having the main character named Subaru should make you want to buy a Subaru. Good thing I already have one. Honestly, the original news of it was more ridiculous than the anime itself. It was just 20 minutes of magical girls. The Gainax animation and the fact that I didn't have to commit to more than those 5 minutes made it easy to sit through despite not generally liking magical girl stuff. I don't think it's going to get me more interested in the genre, but if they expand it into a one-cour series or something, I may keep watching.

[boogiecat]

There's now an official English subbed episodes available on the official Youtube site of it.

There's a chance that GAINAX will make a proper TV series for this one soon.

[TheGreenMan]

Are you ready for more FRIENDSHIP? And gender ambiguous villians?

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-03-21/gainax-and-subaru-hokago-no-pleiades-anime-gets-film

[something]

What a bizarre thing to get a film. I think I eventually watched this, though I don't remember much.

[TheGreenMan]

What a bizarre thing to get a film. I think I eventually watched this, though I don't remember much.

It was cliche ridden magical girl short, but very cute and full of yuri vibes. And the villian was a girl...or a guy...or a girl.

[EmperorBrandon]

It was cliche ridden magical girl short, but very cute and full of yuri vibes. And the villian was a girl...or a guy...or a girl.
He's a guy. A very androgynous guy voiced by Kuwashima Houko, but a guy nonetheless.

[angelx03]

It was cliche ridden magical girl short, but very cute and full of yuri vibes. And the villian was a girl...or a guy...or a girl.
He's a guy. A very androgynous guy voiced by Kuwashima Houko, but a guy nonetheless.

Why did they have to pull that? :anger200:

[William K]

Did the show really improve sales of Subaru cars so much that they needed to make a movie? :D

I expect lots of product placements...