CLANNAD and KimiKiss Pure Rouge 01

Special thanks go to bj0rn for the CLANNAD post image used. Awesome work cleaning up the scan dude!

The path to the poorhouse rocks on strong as I continue with some last second end of year quick reviews. This time around CLANND v01 LE and KimiKiss Pure Rouge v01.

I forgot where I read this and who said it, but it seems we’re starting to slowly see a trend of R2 anime DVDs being packaged in these type of jewel cases. I guess it’s cheaper for the companies involved plus allows their buyers to save as much space as possible, compared to the normal plastic and slightly larger “standard” DVD case.

Actually not the back of the DVD case but is the included 20+ odd page extra with standard character info and pictures. Only bad thing is it is not attached or housed by the main DVD case in any shape or form; luckily it seems volume three or four of the series will include a box to house all of ‘em, which will hopefully include the random extras like this booklet as well.

BTW, the cover image is the same one used for the prologue disc flap included in Kanon volume 8.

Just the front cover of the DVD case. Beautiful image sort of continuing the long “2 page” artwork layout designed used for all Kyoto Animation + Key R2 released DVD series (Air and Kanon). Once again, much props to bj0rn for the cleaned scan image of it!

The back case cover for CLANNAD v01 LE.

CLANNAD v01 LE DVD. Contains episodes 1-3, image gallery, and behind the scenes with Kyoto Animation. I skimmed through everything so I don’t really have an impression of how well the DVD transfers are nor how (boring) the interview with Kyoto Animation may be.

On the behind the scenes with KyoAni, while I like we get to see how the process is done and get the views of the director(?), would it kill them to include some type of seiyuu interview as well? If there was one thing I didn’t like about the Air and Kanon DVD releases, it was the lack of seeing the seiyuus in any shape or form. And while I understand the studio makes up a big part of the series, so do the seiyuus and gosh darn it, I would like to hear their thoughts on the series and/or characters they play as well!

… and let me take that back. I just re-skimmed the DVD to jog my memory and apparently I missed the 30 minute interview section they had with Mai Nakahara (Nagisa Furukawa). Pretty interesting interview that covered everything I just complained about plus more. I would go into more details about it but my lack of Japanese plus still being a little sick, I was lost on random parts of it ^^;; If you have better Japanese than me, which you probably do, you can download the interview here. Enjoy and support the series!

Desktop accessories that actually don’t suck. There are two wallpapers (OMG they actually have 1920×1200 available!), a PC screensaver, icons, and a PC calendar on the disc. As a special treat, I have included the icons (for Windows) and wallpapers here (3.8MB). Dango icons for all! Enjoy!

Extra “fun” card included per limited edition volume. First off, Nagisa’s Big Dango Family Theater Club Poster!

The backside of the card with, what I assume, are lyrics to the ED song?

Front cover of the included booklet.

Back cover of the included booklet.

Random sample shot 01.

Random sample shot 02.

Random sample shot 03.

KimiKiss Pure Rouge v01. I was initially interested in the series due to the dating-sim game it’s based on, which boost pretty much an all star seiyuu cast. Now 13 episodes in, while it’s still very enjoyable and I’m loving the slice of life angle they’re taking, I don’t know if I’ll be collecting all the R2 DVDs. Unlike Kanon and CLANNAD that scream to be collected, even though they’re being released in the US as well, the KimiKiss anime just doesn’t feel as strong. In no way am I saying the anime is horrible; far from it but the pace is a little slow for me to drop all the cash needed to pick up the R2 DVDs.

Either way, I’ll definitely continue to watch this solid anime and can only hope it’ll get released in R1 land sometime in the future. Anyway, volume 01 of the series includes only episode 1, image gallery, information about various related products, and the “prologue” episode that aired before the series started that interviewed the main seiyuu cast. So pretty slim on extras but at least with the included seiyuu cast interview episode, makes it at least somewhat worth while to buy.

Back cover with the usual technical and summary info.

Random flyers plus booklet included in the case.

Probably one of the first I’ve seen in recent releases, the back of the booklet includes a short message from the cover girl’s seiyuu. In this particular case, Mao Mizusawa’s seiyuu Haruna Ikezawa. Any takers on what she wrote?

Special Character CD included with this edition. I actually haven’t listened to it yet so it’s anyone’s guess on what may be on it. But given the trend of the various KimiKiss CDs, most likely a character song, short drama, random lines by the character, and/or message from the seiyuu

DVD for KimiKiss Pure Rouge v01.

These two DVDs thus ends the last DVDs I’ll ever get in the year 2007. Hopefully next year will see a decrease in DVDs since I really really really need to start to save more money. If anything, I need to be more strict on what R2 DVDs I may purchase considering they’re expensive as heck compared to R1 DVDs! Blast Japan and their fears of reverse importing!