Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi
Ranked #2,853 in Entertainment, #35,252 overall
When Mangakas Write About Their Professions
Contrary to the previous time, I voluntarily follow this series. Besides the fact that Junjou Romantica was a pleasant surprise, a work comedy should be a nice change-of-pace for my anime watching. Especially when the mangaka is writing about her own professional world.
This series is air on every Friday at mignight in Japan (on par for a Boys Love work) starting from April 8, and there will be 12 episodes. Cruchyroll does simulcast of the series, so you can watch it there. Or here.
In December 2012, another novel under Sekaiichi Hatsukoi franchise titled "The case of Takafumi Yokozawa" is released. You can find English translation here.
The manga is licensed in Germany. You can buy it here if you want.
WARNING: If you don't like entertainment concerning some risqué immaturity, please navigate away from this site. In addition, I will keep this lens PG but I have no control over the contents of the sites this lens links to.
Work and Et Cetera
The second point: this is an anime about manga-anime industry. Unlike Bakuman which takes the perspective of creators, Sekaiichi Hatsukoi is from the editors. There is naturally a lot of self-references and self-depreciation around (like mangaka never get their stuffs done on time). All the insider bits are very fun to watch and the context of a newbie learning the ropes gives more opportunity for those moments. The opening starts with an editor rushing his manuscripts in, for crying out loud.
Onodera: I'm sorry.
My eyes should be good but what is that? I remember that it was a real dump there yesterday. It has been cleaned up and that's great. But how can those corpses change into calm men? And what is that PINK all over the office?
Other guy: Ah, that's the beginning of the cycle
Onodera: What exactly is that?
Other guy: You know garden radish, right? You can harvest it in 20 days. Those guys make books in 20-day cycles. So it's kind of like this:
[The text]
Editor's Work
Still normal
[Script check]
Seed
Still fine
[Storyboard check]
Two leaves
Not so fine
[Draft check]
Four leaves
Haven't gone home
[Accept manuscript]
Growing
Haven't bathed
[1]Normal time frame for manuscript - [2]Tight timeframe for human - [3]Ridiculous timeframe for human - [Red]Deadly timeframe for human
Grow a lot
Corpse
[Galley proof]
Grow more
And when everything is over, they refresh
Onodera: The two page spread is mostly white. And this panel has only toner and text. It seems half-assed.
Takano: You fool.
Onodera: What is that for?
Takano: You fool! That is a maiden's heartthrob panel!
Onodera: Heartthrob?
Takano: Yes, look at it! This is where the main characters stop being stubborn and confess their love for each other. From first person POV, the readers easily get emotionally involved.
That is why it is necessary to build up their expectation.
For instance, as the emotions get more intense, you make the compositions bigger.
And when reaching the peak, you drop the bomb!
Procedure until number of copies is decided
Editor: The book has been approved. We will publish on this and this date. So how many copies should we print?
Editor: this time we should go for this much | Sales: no, no, this much | Director: It's too much.
The number of copies is decided. It wasn't easy, but the book is out. Goal!
The "Maiden Club"
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Takano Masamune:
The top-dog of the department. Tall, dark, handsome and successful. The type who rubs on people the wrong way by insisting that he knows what is best and it turns out he is correct. His rough side is tempered down by the quiet compassion but he will let people go through suffering just to prove his point. He simply does not see the necessity of being nice.
Needless to say I like him. I like him a lot. But having him as a boss will be a real pain. On the other hand, I think I have realized what kind of boss I want to be in the future.
He is portrayed by Konishi Katsuyuki a,k.a. Kamina of Gurren Lagann fame -
Onodera Ritsu:
Meet the newbie I have mentioned several times since the beginning. As can be seen from his name, he is the POV character of "The case of Ritsu Onodera" storyline.
He was first introduced as a blushing highschool kid who seemed about to faint any moment just by being around his crush. In the present, he is much more composed and has a sharper tongue though he tries a bit too hard to insist that he has been jaded and is a bit too easy to manipulate. All in all a likeable guy although he is kind of a drama queen.
His seiyuu is Kondo Takashi, who voices Train Hearnet of Black Cat and Hibari of Hitman Reborn. -
Hatori Yoshiyuki:
Takano's quiet but efficient right hand man. He is a protagonist of "The case of Yoshino Chiaki" storyline (which is not featured in the manga but released independently as light novel).
Hatori is calm in all situations and appears rather unsociable. Nonetheless, almost everyone likes him and he is the most popular editor in the department. The reliable Hatori is charge of the absolutely chaotic Yoshikawa Chiharu a.k.a. Yoshino Chiaki, who is a top-selling author of their company and his childhood friend. He is a bit of a masochist because he loves working with said childhood friend despite the near-abusive treatment the guy inflicts on him.
His seiyuu is Nakamura Yuuichi, who voices Graham Aker of Gundam 00. -
Kisa Shouta:
A veteran with childish mannerism, Kisa is the POV character of the third story line "The case of Kisa Shouta".
There is more to Kisa than what meets the eyes in many senses. He was technically the first member of the department Onodera met on the latter's first day at work and through that showed how brutal their jobs can be. On other occasions, he is the one to offer sweets or some light-hearted comments when Onodera is in some tense situations. After all, he has seen life more than anyone else around him.
His seiyuu is Okamoto Nobuhiko, who voices Usui Takumi of Kaichou wa Maid-sama and Ivan Karelin in Tiger & Bunny.
Plug in the Earphone and Work Away
The ending (Ashita Boku wa Kimi ni Ai ni Iku roughly translated as "I will meet you tomorrow", performed by the music group WAKABA, which is also released on May 11th 2011 and you can buy it here) is generic for a romance show. And Lyrics
There is already some good music in the show so far. I look forward to the OST
EDIT: A standing ovation for the fan artists.
Yoshino Chiaki's Character Song: Onaji Hikari
Kisa Shouta's Image Song: Shoudou Alarm
Informal Activities
- Fangirls (or occasionally boys) lair
- a.k.a. LiveJournal community of Sekaiichi fans. Squeals are heard, graphics are found, fanfics are written, etc. The communities also provide translations/scanlations of raw manga chapters and other rare materials such as character songs or just general information.
- [Fanart on Pixiv] Sleeping beauty
- Sometimes it's necessary to take a nap.
- Good Fences, Good Neighbors
- The best Onodera - Takano (and overall) fanfiction of Sekaiichi Hatsukoi so far.
- The original manga
- Warning: Not Safe For Work. Emphatically.
- Some lines on manga in the real world
- Here may not be exactly the best place for it, but having a look at how the system works is useful.
- Fanfiction meme
- You know the drill. People give prompts and fulfill them. Anonymous posting allowed.
Did You Too Have Fun?
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Matie
Dec 24, 2011 @ 7:08 pm | delete
- I just cried yesterday with the last episode :) a Season 3 should be a given!
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Onodera, no one will buy your stuffs if you sound like a drowned duck
Covers matter
by Musicalcroc
Work comedy and Boys Love. This series is in my watchlist for the Spring 2011 season.
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