Tag Archives: Rumbling Hearts

Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast Episode 52

Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast Episode 52Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast Episode #52 is now online! In this podcast, I review the the anime series Rumbling Hearts.

This week’s Podcast Stats:

Time: 24:03
Download Size: 16.5 MB

Opening theme:
“Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” by Eiko Shimamiya
Opening theme to When They Cry

Ending theme:
“Hoshizora no Waltz” by Minami Kuribayashi
Second ending theme to Rumbling Hearts

You can listen to my podcasts in the following ways:

Flash Player:

Directly: http://www.joshsanimeblog.com/podcast/JABPEpisode52.mp3

You can also download or add my podcast-only RSS feed to your favorite reader or add my podcast using iTunes.

Enjoy!

Two years of Anime

Two years ago today, I received the first disc in my then-new Blockbuster Online rental subscription. I stuck the disc into my DVD player, not really knowing what to expect. This was my first time, after all.

U.S. Manga Corp’s animated M.D. Geist flashed on the screen and then the music of Blurry Eyes by L’Arc~en~Ciel started playing on the DVD menu for Volume of DNA2, and thus my journey down the road of anime began.

I went back and looked at some of the stats I wrote up in the One Year post I did, well, one year ago, and this is what I came up with:

So, how far have I gotten in 1 year? I’ve rated 17 anime series or movies (of course, this site has only been up for the last 6 of those 12 months). I’ve completed 14 others, and I’m currently watching 9 more.

If my counting is correct, in the past year I have watched 503 anime episodes or movies for a total of something around 200 to 215 hours of shows (or between 8 and 9 days).

I own 9 anime series and part of another as well as 2 movies

Well, that list of 17 reviewed series has now turned into 55 reviewed series. 31 completed anime series has turned into 67 completed series, and the 40 series that I’ve seen in whole or in part has expanded to 83 series (not including series I’ve only seen 1 episode of).

My anime library’s has continued to grow as well, going from the 9 series and 2 movies from a year ago to 21 complete series and 4 movies with 2 series in progress.

At this time last year, I estimated I had watched 503 episodes or movies, for a total of 200 to 215 hours of total shows watched. Now, I estimate that I’ve seen (if my math is correct, and not counting series I’ve only seen one episode of) 1,167 episodes or movies for a total of 470 to 475 hours (or 19 to 20 days) of total anime hours (not counting watching a series more than once).

Actually, at this pace, within 2 or 3 full season series, I should break 500 hours of non-repeated anime hours watched. I’m not sure I should be happy or sad about that though lol.

In any case, I also came up with this list last time around too:

There are also several shows on my to-get list:

Not finished, but I know I’ll buy it
Cardcaptor Sakura - Sakura Book
I”s Pure

It’s either still too expensive or I just haven’t gotten around to buying it
Howl’s Moving Castle
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away

Licenced but not released
Rumbling Hearts (Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien)

Not licenced yet
I”s Pure
Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Well, obviously Melancholy has been licensed, and so has Kashimashi, and those, incidentally, are the two series I’m in the middle of collecting. I”s Pure still hasn’t been licensed, and I have indeed bought the rest of the Cardcaptor Sakura series, as well as Rumbling Hearts. I still haven’t bought any of those 2 movies, though (the two new movies from last year are the two CCS movies).

At first, I thought my list this year would be smaller, but I guess it’s not, really:

I’m not sure if anything is in the “not finished but I know I’ll buy” category. If I had to pick a couple, I’d say Moonphase and Idolmaster Xenoglossia.

Other than that, in the “not licensed yet” category, I’d definitely put Kanon 2006, and I”s Pure would stay there, of course.

In the “too expensive to buy” category, I’d probably put Fullmetal Alchemist and Shakugan no Shana, and I just as well throw in Ah! My Goddess and Kaleido Star New Wings as well (though New Wings is coming out in a thinpack box set in September, so I should be able to afford it then).

In any case, that is my two year of anime wrapup post. I’ll probably put another post like this up next year…which will actually be the day before I would leave to go to Otakon 2008, now that I think of it. Otakon 2008 will essentially be a 3 year of anime celebration for me I guess.

Anime Review - Rumbling Hearts: 91%

The Essentials

Rumbling HeartsName: Rumbling Hearts, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, KimiNozo, The Eternity You Desire
Genre: Drama, Romance
Episodes: 14
Released: October 5, 2003 - January 4, 2004
Based On: Kimi ga Nozomu Eien game
Director: Tetsuya Watanabe
Produced By: Media Factory, Studio Fantasia
US Distribution By: Funimation

Major Japanese Cast

Takayuki Narumi: Kishô Taniyama
Mitsuki Hayase: Tomoko Ishibashi
Haruka Suzumiya: Minami Kuribayashi
Akane Suzumiya: Tomomi Uehara
Shinji Taira: Masaki Andou
Ayu Daikuuji: Kiyomi Asai
Mayu Tamano: Kyouko Yoshida

Major English Cast

Takayuki Narumi: Kevin M. Connolly
Mitsuki Hayase: Colleen Clinkenbeard
Haruka Suzumiya: Carrie Savage
Akane Suzumiya: Leah Clark
Shinji Taira: David Wilson-Brown
Ayu Daikuuji: Luci Christian
Mayu Tamano: Monica Rial

Scores

Animation: 7/10 (x 4 = 28 pts)
Story: 10/10 (x 4 = 40 pts)
Music: 10/10 (x 4 = 40 pts)
Coherence/Story Arc: 10/10 (x 2 = 20 pts)
English Dubs: 9/10 (x 1 = 9 pts)
Gut Score: 9/10 (x 5 = 45 pts)

Total: 182/200 (91%)

Review

Rumbling Hearts, perhaps better known as Kimi ga Nozomu Eien or just KimiNozo, is a story about a love triangle between three high school-turned college-aged friends: Takayuki, Mitsuki, and Haruka. The situation is set up when Haruka, who Takayuki was dating in high school, is involved in a traffic accident and is in a coma for 3 years. During those 3 years, Takayuki, who blames himself for the accident because he was late to meet Haruka for a date, and Mitsuki, who blames herself for the accident because she is the one who made Takayuki late, become involved after Mitsuki helps to bring Takayuki out of his deep depression caused by his guilt.

Most of the series is set after Haruka wakes up believing no time has passed since the accident, and the doctors not wishing to reveal the passage of time lest more mental damage coming to Haruka. This creates the awkward situation where Takayuki has to act like no time has passed with Haruka - meaning he has to act like her boyfriend in the hospital, which makes Mitsuki, who had been Haruka’s best friend in high school jealous and defensive about her relationship with Takayuki.

As Takayuki spends more and more time with Haruka, and finding out that he clearly isn’t over his relationship with her, his and Mitsuki’s relationship becomes more dysfunctional and spins out of control, threatening to leave any friendship between the three of them shattered.

Throw into the mix Takayuki’s, Mitsuki’s, and Haruka’s high school friend Shinji, who tries to comfort them, but who ends up getting hurt himself, as well as Haruka’s sister Akane, who is angry over what she sees as Mitsuki’s betrayal of Haruka by her becoming Takayuki’s new boyfriend after the accident, and you have an almost soap-opera-feeling drama where no one seems to make any right choices, and where there is confusion over whether there is any correct choice.

The animation in this series is decent and is really the only significant flaw in the show, but I thought the music is superb. The English dubs also impressed me, considering I had gotten used to hearing only the Japanese language version for a year before hearing the US release.

This is a series that anyone who is looking for a series with a deep and complex story, and/or who like hard-core romance dramas will greatly enjoy. The twists and turns, peeks and valleys that the characters ride make this a compelling watch, even if one isn’t normally drawn to the drama or romance genres.

First Watched: February 2006
Do I Own: Yes
Do I Recommend: Yes

All 3 Rumbling Hearts Release Dates announced

We now know the planned release dates for all 3 volumes of Rumbling Hearts:

Volume 1: Volume 1 Starter Set w/ box: December 19, 2006
Volume 2: February 6, 2007
Volume 3: March 27, 2007

Rumbling Hearts (Kimi ga nozomu eien) Ending Credits #2

Special Rumbling Hearts Layout up

I have implemented my special Rumbling Hearts layout for the blog in anticipation of the release of volume 1 of the anime on Dec. 19. How long I’ll have this up, I’m not sure (whether it will be the entire month of December or only until when it is released, I haven’t decided yet).

I hope you like it!

Rumbling Hearts and Kashimashi manga in NewTypeUSA December Issue

Articles about both the Rumbling Hearts anime and Kashimashi Manga Volume 1 appear in the December issue of NewTypeUSA (for those of you who haven’t gotten it yet, or don’t get it).

There is a short article describing Rumbling Hearts. The first episode is also featured on the DVD that comes with the magazine. If you want to see more clips, the first episode is available for streaming at the Rumbling Hearts web page (with episode 2 upcoming). Also, short clips of the first 5 episodes can be streamed under the episodes section there.

Meanwhile, NewTypeUSA featured the Kashimashi manga Volume 1 as it’s manga of the month.

Both got good reviews.

Oh yeah, and tomorrow I’ll be unveiling a new design just for the month of December in honor of the release of Rumbling Hearts (can you tell I like it)?

Rumbling Hearts Artbox Pictures

I’m surprised I haven’t started a countdown to when Volume 1 of Funimation’s Rumbling Hearts (ie Kimi ga Nozomu Eien) is released (it’s 67 days by the way). In any case, I see that pictures of the artbox has been released. The first disc will sell at $29.98 with the first disc + artbox going for only $10 more.

Rumbling Hearts is supposed be on a monthly release cycle - meaning volume one should be out in late December, Volume 2 in late January/early February, and Volume 3 out in late February/early March. And it is only supposed to be 3 discs (probably due to the fact that this is the first time an anime like this is being released with any fanfare in the US, so releasing it in 3 instead of 4 discs reduces risk a little).

Well, enough of that. I present to you, the artbox:

Rumbling Hearts Box 1

Rumbling Hearts Box 2

One Year

On August 6, 2005, I popped Volume 1 of DNA2 into my DVD player. That disk was the first one I watched after starting renting from Blockbuster online, and is the first time that I voluntarily chose to watch an anime series while realizing that it was an anime series. It was, by most accounts, the start of my anime viewing.

So, how far have I gotten in 1 year? I’ve rated 17 anime series or movies (of course, this site has only been up for the last 6 of those 12 months). I’ve completed 14 others, and I’m currently watching 9 more.

If my counting is correct, in the past year I have watched 503 anime episodes or movies for a total of something around 200 to 215 hours of shows (or between 8 and 9 days).

I own 9 anime series and part of another as well as 2 movies:

- Ah! My Goddess: The Movie
- Ai Yori Aoshi / Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi
- Angelic Layer
- Cardcaptor Sakura - Clow Book (Season 1)
- Chobits
- DNA2
- Fruits Basket
- Koi Kaze
- The Place Promised in our Early Days
- Please! Twins
- Last Exile
- The World of Narue

There are also several shows on my to-get list:

Not finished, but I know I’ll buy it
Cardcaptor Sakura - Sakura Book
I”s Pure

It’s either still too expensive or I just haven’t gotten around to buying it
Howl’s Moving Castle
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away

Licenced but not released
Rumbling Hearts (Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien)

Not licenced yet
I”s Pure
Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Anime Left to Review - Part II

Back on March 19th, I made a list of anime I had left to review. Lets look at that list:

  • Ai Yori Aoshi
  • Castle in the Sky
  • Chobits
  • DearS
  • Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventures
  • Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien
  • Koi Kaze
  • Love Hina
  • Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind
  • Onegai Twins
  • Princess Mononoke
  • Video Girl Ai
  • World of Narue, The

Well…i’ve done well. I’ve reviewed…well…Chobits and Dual! it looks like (though I have reviewed some others that I have watched since then). Here is my now updated list:

  • Ai Yori Aoshi
  • Akane Maniax
  • Castle in the Sky
  • DearS
  • Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien
  • Koi Kaze
  • Love Hina
  • Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind
  • Neon Genesis Evangelion
  • Onegai Twins
  • Porco Rosso
  • Princess Mononoke
  • Spirited Away
  • Video Girl Ai
  • World of Narue, The

Soo…take off the two I did, and add two new anime (Porco Rosso and Evangelion) and two I had forgotten about before (Spirited Away, Akane Maniax) with I”s Pure and the rest of Cardcaptor Sakura coming around the corner (assuming I’m not forgetting anything). And, as I said in a previous post, I own four of these series. Not much of an excuse there to not review them lol.

UPDATE: I decided to add a page listing Anime and Manga to be rated.