Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse anime announced

[Fencedude]

Information from Moonphase via Moetron (http://www.moetron.com/2011/06/16/muv-luv-alternative-total-eclipse-tv-anime-announced/)

Total Eclipse is a spinoff Prequel to Muv-Luv Alternative, focusing on Senjutsuki Test Pilots at the Alaskan Yukon base.

Director: Inagaki Takayuki (Rosario + Vampire, Desert Punk)
Series Composition: Yamaguchi Hiroshi (Rosario + Vampire, ToHeart 2)

Gotta say that those aren't the most encouraging resumes ever, but I'll hold out hope. And hopefully if this succeeds we can get a proper Muv-Luv anime.

Original Total Eclipse PV can be found here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m35bTVBe0yI), this is not a PV for the anime itself, obviously.

[something]

Oh good, as a TV series. I was assuming OVA when I saw the thread. I don't really know much of anything about MuvLuv but might as well check it out. Starting off with a prequel spinoff might not be the best but whatever.

[Fencedude]

Oh good, as a TV series. I was assuming OVA when I saw the thread. I don't really know much of anything about MuvLuv but might as well check it out. Starting off with a prequel spinoff might not be the best but whatever.

Well, calling it a "prequel" may be a bit misleading. It takes place before the events of Alternative, but doesn't involve any of the characters from the main story. I don't believe any of the MuvLuv or Kiminozo characters appear in Total Eclipse.

The real problem is that they'd need at lest four cour to completely animate MuvLuv. 1 cour each for Extra and Unlimited, and then two cour for Alternative itself.

[Rhodes]

Dont know why they are calling this Muv-Luv "Alternative"... if this is a prequel then does it matter if it is in the Alternative or Unlimited universe?

It would be nice if they did do a proper Muv-Luv anime... 1st with Extra, then Unlimited followed by Alternative.

Then you can watch "Rumbling Hearts", followed by Akane Manix then the 3 Muv-Luv series...

btw JP 360 is getting the Muv-Luv VNs... too bad it wont be out on the PS3.

[Fencedude]

Dont know why they are calling this Muv-Luv "Alternative"... if this is a prequel then does it matter if it is in the Alternative or Unlimited universe?

I think so, but I'm a bit vague on that point.

[regz91]

One warning: TECHNICALLY this isn't an actual announcement but rather a rumor. I say technically because in this case it's almost certainly real. Moon Phase itself says it considers its source highly credible with a proven track record. It passes what I call the obscurity test - people tend not to make up rumors about obscure people. And Kouki Yoshimune (the creator of Muv-Luv and president of Age) is putting up a whole song and dance on Twitter that comes across as someone who desperately wants to confirm it but isn't allowed to yet. But all the same - technically this is still only a rumor.

That said, assuming it's real . . . the director's resume is indeed very thin, which is troubling because Total Eclipse has a much more serious tone than most shows on the air today, and I don't see any proof that he knows how to make a show like that. I'm much less worried about the writer, though. Hiroshi Yamaguchi is a veteran writer who's been attached to some very good shows over the years. Mecha-wise I guess his major work is Argento Soma. Expanding that definition a bit, he also did Betterman and Yukikaze. He's also written quite a few Gundam novels.

Age has been steadily lowering expectations for an anime of the core Muv-Luv story for a long time. Just now, in response to these anime rumors, Yoshimune stated on Twitter that expecting an adaptation of the original Muv-Luv is "unrealistic", and hinted at a lack of investors willing to back the project. He's never gone into greater detail about why that is - the obvious reason is that it requires a 4-cour investment in an unproven property, but there have also been hints in the past that investors have been spooked away by some of the story's politics. Yoshimune has long said that side projects like Total Eclipse and The Euro Front are much more suited for anime.

Total Eclipse is a side story very similar to, say, 08th MS Team for Gundam. Once the world setting is explained, presumably with some narration at the start of the first episode, it requires no knowledge of the other Muv-Luv stories. I suppose that could change later, as the story isn't actually finished yet, but considering they've been looking to get this animated instead of Muv-Luv itself, I think it's likely they'll continue making it a stand-alone story.

The known cast so far:

Yuya Bridges - Daisuke Ono
Yui Takamura - Mai Nakahara
Cryska Barchenowa - Hitomi Nabatame
Inia Sestina - Mamiko Noto
Tarisa Manandal - Sakura Nogawa
Vincent Lowell - Tomokazu Sugita
Ibrahim Doğulu - Rikiya Koyama

[something]

Total Eclipse is a side story very similar to, say, 08th MS Team for Gundam. Once the world setting is explained, presumably with some narration at the start of the first episode, it requires no knowledge of the other Muv-Luv stories.
That's a pretty useful example actually, because it just so happens that 08th MS Team is the only UC Gundam I've seen, and by and large it was self-contained enough not to confuse me. Even if I'm sure knowing the larger story would have increased enjoyment.

The known cast so far:
They certainly haven't skimped there at least.

[regz91]

Breaking news - just revealed at Wonder Festival 2011:

http://muvluv-te-anime.ixtl.jp/

In a later talk event, the original creator, Kouki Yoshimune, started talking a little more than he really should (as is pretty common for him). Although he managed to restrain himself from revealing any names, he did mention that everybody involved in the project was a huge fan of the Muv-Luv franchise, to the extent that several asked to leave the room when he began describing future plot points in Total Eclipse, as they didn't want to be spoiled. He also mentioned that they are pretty deep into scripting the series, and that the anime will include some elements that weren't included in the novels.

He also went a little deeper into the prospects of an anime for the main Muv-Luv series. He hinted (quite darkly, in my opinion) that games can be made by a small group of people with a lot of passion for the project, but to make an anime, you have to join forces with a lot of people who care only for the bottom line, with no consideration for the quality of the project. Essentially, he made it clear that the only way to get a Muv-Luv anime was to show such people that the numbers add up, by making Total Eclipse a success. He also said that this Total Eclipse anime was the result of SEVEN YEARS of working behind-the-scenes to put Muv-Luv on the air in some form, so I suppose it's understandable if he's a little bitter about the process.

Finally, he showed off an advertisement saying that the all of the various Kimi ga Nozomu Eien anime (the TV series, Akane Maniax, Ayu-Mayu Theater, and Next Season) would be released in a BD box. (He wasn't clear if they would all come in a single box set, or if they would all get separate boxes.) I don't think he meant to show the ad as legibly as he did, but it pretty clearly had a February 22, 2012 date on it.

[Rhodes]

KimiGa is in 2 box sets... TV and Next Season. I believe Akane Manix and AyuMyu will be grouped with the tv series. TV and Next are licensed by different companies. Would of been nice if it was all grouped together. Regardless, No English subs.

As for MLA:TE - series is a money grab to make new toys for both characters and mech.

The only thing I really like about ML is Meiya, absolutely loath Sumika, Tama barely ranked above her (1st impressions and all from Extra)... mechs are ok. They dont really play much of a roll not like in Code Geass... I mean they dont shine or highlight the differences abilities since the games are more character driven.

[regz91]

So, thanks to early magazine scans, we've got this:

Original Work: Kouki Yoshimune (ixtl / age)
Executive Producer: Kouki Yoshimune
Director: Takayuki Inagaki
Character Design: Yumiko Hara
Chief Animation Directors: Rondo Mizukami, Kenji Shinohara
Sound Director: Jin Aketagawa
Animation Production: ixtl x Satelight

Yuya Bridges - Daisuke Ono
Yui Takamura - Mai Nakahara
Cryska Barchenowa - Hitomi Nabatame
Inia Sestina - Mamiko Noto
Tarisa Manandal - Sakura Nogawa
Vincent Lowell - Tomokazu Sugita

Airdate: Summer 2012

(Although not mentioned, it seems pretty likely that the main writer will indeed be Hiroshi Yamaguchi, as originally leaked.)

Last December, Age did a live broadcast where Yoshimune showed off a few rough sketches from the anime. You can see it here:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19443894

The anime news starts at 2:36. The all-important CG test footage starts at 2:46. It looks pretty amazing.

The official website also updated, showing off the key visual and new logo.

http://muv-luv-te-anime.com/index.html

[Betenoire]

Coming July 1st (http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/05/20-1/muv-luv-total-eclipse-to-premiere-on-july-1st) and it will also be getting a US push by having the first ep screened at AX- so I'd hope there should be some US streaming rights as well...then again, anime and its Japanese creators have a history of not always connecting all the dots when it comes to US promotion and follow through...

[EmperorBrandon]

Coming July 1st (http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/05/20-1/muv-luv-total-eclipse-to-premiere-on-july-1st) and it will also be getting a US push by having the first ep screened at AX- so I'd hope there should be some US streaming rights as well...then again, anime and its Japanese creators have a history of not always connecting all the dots when it comes to US promotion and follow through...
It's got TV Tokyo producing it. If they handle international streaming rights, then I'd think chances are really good that Crunchyroll will stream it.

[Betenoire]

Ain't it Cool News's Scott Green managed to find a translation of an interview with Muv-Luv executive producer (as well as original creator and president of age) Kouki Yoshimune, linked here (http://type94.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/gianism-kouki-yoshimune/). Possibly spoilers, I'm not sure as they make a comment on a couple characters and I don't know the franchise so maybe the part they talk about is common knowledge...Or maybe not.

For those interested but wary of potential spoilers I'll sum up the key point I got out of the article that have nothing to do with possible spoilers:

It sounds like Yoshimune is largely letting director Inagaki call the shots and select the course while Yoshimune attempts to give feedback on parts he thinks don't fit the universe and the two attempt to come up with some new ideas- though from the wording of the interview it sounds as if Inagaki has the final call and so Inagaki isn't going to have to deal with someone trying to undermine his decisions if he feels strongly in them but Inagaki is also willing to change when things don't work and he is striving to make this a series both new and old fans can embrace.

[regz91]

Ain't it Cool News's Scott Green managed to find a translation of an interview with Muv-Luv executive producer (as well as original creator and president of age) Kouki Yoshimune, linked here (http://type94.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/gianism-kouki-yoshimune/). Possibly spoilers, I'm not sure as they make a comment on a couple characters and I don't know the franchise so maybe the part they talk about is common knowledge...Or maybe not.

For those interested but wary of potential spoilers I'll sum up the key point I got out of the article that have nothing to do with possible spoilers:

It sounds like Yoshimune is largely letting director Inagaki call the shots and select the course while Yoshimune attempts to give feedback on parts he thinks don't fit the universe and the two attempt to come up with some new ideas- though from the wording of the interview it sounds as if Inagaki has the final call and so Inagaki isn't going to have to deal with someone trying to undermine his decisions if he feels strongly in them but Inagaki is also willing to change when things don't work and he is striving to make this a series both new and old fans can embrace.

Heeeey . . . I'm moving up in the world. (I think. For a crazy millisecond I thought you meant it had shown up on the AICN site itself, which would have been THE FUCKING BALLS. But I'm certainly not complaining.)

I hadn't considered that some of what he said were spoilers. I guess I've known this franchise for so long that I simply skimmed over them. Hmm . . . while he is technically referring to things that happen fairly late in the main Muv-Luv story, I think they're vague enough that nobody needs to be too concerned about them. And honestly, I'm not sure I can summon up more concern for spoilers than the original creator himself - if he wants to throw out spoilers in the middle of an interview that new fans are going to read, that's his business.

I may keep an eye out for that kind of thing in future interviews, though . . . thanks for the heads-up.

As for the interview itself, you've summed it up pretty well. I will only add that I suspect that, because of standard Japanese modesty and aversion to boasting, Yoshimune is actually far more involved with the show than he lets on. For instance, I seem to recall that he once cryptically suggested that he may be writing some of the anime's scripts himself.

[Betenoire]

Via Crunchyroll News (and regz91 ;) ) - a 3 minute and change PV (http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/06/24/video-tight-uniforms-and-mecha-action-in-muv-luv-alternative-total-eclipse-trailer)

Its got mecha, cute girls, cute girls in very tight (and one barely there) suits, some action ...oh yeah, and a couple shots of what is probably the male protagonist -note not in his likely equally tight suit, at least here. Can't say it is the greatest PV I have ever seen, but it does the trick to show off some of the upcoming material, though the vid quality isn't good.

So happy that EB was right and CR has this. Also happy that, if his not quite cryptic tweet was right the guy working on the subs is one whose work I've seen elsewhere and like.

Now hopefully the series is good. :catgirl: