Angelic Layer (Japanese: エンジェリックレイヤー, Hepburn: Enjerikku Reiyā) is a Japanese manga series created by Clamp. The manga was published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten, and in English originally by Tokyopop, but has since been re-licensed by Dark Horse Comics. It was the group's first work using a significantly pared down style, which lowered emphasis on detail and accentuated posing and gestures. It would later be repeated in series like Chobits and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.
Angelic Layer
Manga volume 1 cover (English edition), featuring Misaki Suzuhara (left) and Hikaru
The manga was adapted into a 26-episode anime series produced by Bones titled Angelic Layer: Battle Doll (機動天使エンジェリックレイヤー, Kidō Tenshi Enjerikku Reiyā, lit., "Angelic Layer: Mobile Angel") which aired on TV Tokyo from April 1, 2001 – September 23, 2001. Seven volumes of videos were released by ADV Films on VHS and DVD in 2003. It was re-released in 2005 as a five volume box set.[2] North American publisher Dark Horse Comics re-releases Angelic Layer in omnibus format in 2011.[3]Sentai Filmworks will re-release the series under their Sentai Selects label on November 24, 2015. Anime Limited announced they would release the series in the UK in 2018.[4]
Angelic Layer takes place in the same universe as Clamp's later work Chobits, which similarly deals with the relationship between humans, human-created devices, toys, and godlike power. Several characters also appear in Clamp's Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle including most of the main characters, as well as the angel Blanche.
The primary protagonist is Misaki Suzuhara. Despite her short appearance she is a seventh grader who just moved to Tokyo to live with her aunt, Shouko Asami. After arriving in the city outside of Tokyo Station, Misaki watches a battle between two dolls on a big live-screen called Angelic Layer, a highly popular game in which players (called Deus) buy and custom-design dolls known as Angels that are moved by mental control when on a field called the "layer."
Interested in learning about Angelic Layer, an eccentric man wearing a white lab coat and glasses, calling himself "Icchan" (いっちゃん), encourages Misaki to purchase and create her own angel. She wants the angel to be "a short girl, but strong and happy", and names it Hikaru, based on Hikaru Shidō from Clamp's Magic Knight Rayearth (a manga in Angelic Layer's world). Even though she's clueless about the game, Misaki soon competes in tournaments and is assisted and watched carefully by Icchan. Later, Icchan's identity is revealed as Ichiro Mihara, the co-creator of Angelic Layer.
Misaki begins studying at the Eriol Academy, an educational institution which include grades from kindergarten through high school. There she becomes friends with Hatoko Kobayashi, a very intelligent and mature kindergarten girl who is a famous Deus and an Angelic Layer expert. Her incredibly fast angel Suzuka is a favourite contender in tournaments. Misaki also befriends Hatoko's older brother Kōtarō and his friend Tamayo Kizaki, a girl fascinated by martial arts. Both turn out to be Misaki's classmates.
While adjusting to her new surroundings, Misaki is also gripped by her past. Her thoughts often dwell on her mother, whom she has not seen since pre-school. Eventually, Misaki learns that her mother was key in the development of Angelic Layer, which she worked on in an attempt to develop a perfect prosthesis for her multiple sclerosis, which has confined her to a wheelchair. Her mother is also the Deus of Athena and the champion of Angelic Layer.
The differences in the anime series: Misaki names her angel of her favorite doll from childhood. The ending to the manga also has different couplings. In the manga, Misaki's mother does not have multiple sclerosis. Icchan plays an important role in the Chobits storyline, but this connection was reduced to a single scene in the anime; the Chobits anime was also made by a different company. Kaede's younger brother Minoru is also a Chobits character.
All of the background musical scores was composed, arranged and conducted by Kōhei Tanaka.
Reception
Angelic Layer won the Animation Kobe Award for TV Feature in 2001.[7] Jason Bustard of THEM Anime Reviews gave Angelic Layer a 5-star rating, noting that the character designs were well presented and the animation was colourful, also that Angelic Layer portrayed the concepts of friendship and how "through common interests, even very different people can be friends".[8] Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network however, was less kind, comparing it to Pokémon and Digimon, and calling it a glorified tie-in to "a toy you can't purchase".[9]
References
^ ab"Angelic Layer". Sentai Filmworks. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
^. ADV Films.com. A.D. Vision, Inc. Archived from the original on May 28, 2006. Retrieved January 2, 2009.
^"Dark Horse Adds Angelic Layer, Tokyo Babylon Omnibuses". Anime News Network. March 7, 2011.
^"MCM LONDON COMIC CON MAY 2018 NEWSWIRE #2 – SUNDAY NEWS ROUND-UP". Anime Limited. May 28, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
^ abcde"CLAMP公式ウェブサイト" (in Japanese). Clamp. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
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Angelic Layer Japanese エンジェリックレイヤー Hepburn Enjerikku Reiya is a Japanese manga series created by Clamp The manga was published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten and in English originally by Tokyopop but has since been re licensed by Dark Horse Comics It was the group s first work using a significantly pared down style which lowered emphasis on detail and accentuated posing and gestures It would later be repeated in series like Chobits and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Angelic LayerManga volume 1 cover English edition featuring Misaki Suzuhara left and Hikaruエンジェリックレイヤー Enjerikku Reiya GenreAdventure 1 Science fiction comedy 1 MangaWritten byClampPublished byKadokawa ShotenEnglish publisherNA Dark Horse ComicsMagazineShōnen AceDemographicShōnenOriginal runJuly 1 1999 October 1 2001Volumes5 List of volumes Anime television seriesAngelic Layer Mobile AngelDirected byHiroshi NishikioriProduced byMasahiko MinamiShinsaku HattaTaihei YamanishiWritten byIchirō ŌkouchiMusic byKohei TanakaStudioBonesLicensed byAUS CrunchyrollNA Sentai FilmworksUK Anime LimitedOriginal networkTV TokyoEnglish networkNA Anime NetworkZA Animax SABC 1 SABC 3Original runApril 1 2001 September 23 2001Episodes26 List of episodes The manga was adapted into a 26 episode anime series produced by Bones titled Angelic Layer Battle Doll 機動天使エンジェリックレイヤー Kidō Tenshi Enjerikku Reiya lit Angelic Layer Mobile Angel which aired on TV Tokyo from April 1 2001 September 23 2001 Seven volumes of videos were released by ADV Films on VHS and DVD in 2003 It was re released in 2005 as a five volume box set 2 North American publisher Dark Horse Comics re releases Angelic Layer in omnibus format in 2011 3 Sentai Filmworks will re release the series under their Sentai Selects label on November 24 2015 Anime Limited announced they would release the series in the UK in 2018 4 Angelic Layer takes place in the same universe as Clamp s later work Chobits which similarly deals with the relationship between humans human created devices toys and godlike power Several characters also appear in Clamp s Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle including most of the main characters as well as the angel Blanche Contents 1 Plot 2 Media 2 1 Manga 3 Music 4 Reception 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditSee also List of Angelic Layer characters The primary protagonist is Misaki Suzuhara Despite her short appearance she is a seventh grader who just moved to Tokyo to live with her aunt Shouko Asami After arriving in the city outside of Tokyo Station Misaki watches a battle between two dolls on a big live screen called Angelic Layer a highly popular game in which players called Deus buy and custom design dolls known as Angels that are moved by mental control when on a field called the layer Interested in learning about Angelic Layer an eccentric man wearing a white lab coat and glasses calling himself Icchan いっちゃん encourages Misaki to purchase and create her own angel She wants the angel to be a short girl but strong and happy and names it Hikaru based on Hikaru Shidō from Clamp s Magic Knight Rayearth a manga in Angelic Layer s world Even though she s clueless about the game Misaki soon competes in tournaments and is assisted and watched carefully by Icchan Later Icchan s identity is revealed as Ichiro Mihara the co creator of Angelic Layer Misaki begins studying at the Eriol Academy an educational institution which include grades from kindergarten through high school There she becomes friends with Hatoko Kobayashi a very intelligent and mature kindergarten girl who is a famous Deus and an Angelic Layer expert Her incredibly fast angel Suzuka is a favourite contender in tournaments Misaki also befriends Hatoko s older brother Kōtarō and his friend Tamayo Kizaki a girl fascinated by martial arts Both turn out to be Misaki s classmates While adjusting to her new surroundings Misaki is also gripped by her past Her thoughts often dwell on her mother whom she has not seen since pre school Eventually Misaki learns that her mother was key in the development of Angelic Layer which she worked on in an attempt to develop a perfect prosthesis for her multiple sclerosis which has confined her to a wheelchair Her mother is also the Deus of Athena and the champion of Angelic Layer The differences in the anime series Misaki names her angel of her favorite doll from childhood The ending to the manga also has different couplings In the manga Misaki s mother does not have multiple sclerosis Icchan plays an important role in the Chobits storyline but this connection was reduced to a single scene in the anime the Chobits anime was also made by a different company Kaede s younger brother Minoru is also a Chobits character Media EditManga Edit No Original release date Original ISBN North American release date North American ISBN1July 1 1999 5 4 04 713283 7June 25 2002 6 1 931514 47 X2March 9 2000 5 4 04 713319 1September 17 2002 6 1 59182 003 03December 1 2000 5 4 04 713375 2November 12 2002 6 1 59182 004 94May 1 2001 5 4 04 713414 7January 7 2003 6 1 59182 086 35October 1 2001 5 4 04 713454 6March 11 2003 6 1 59182 152 5Music EditOpening Theme Be My Angel Lyrics by Goro Matsui Composition by Takahiro Ando Goro Matsui Arrangement by Takahiro Ando Song by Atsuko EnomotoEnding Theme The Starry Sky the starry sky Lyrics by HALNA Composition by Atsushi Sato Arrangement by HAL Song by HAL After the rain 雨あがり Ame Agari Lyrics by Chisa Tanabe Composition by Kazuhiro Hara Arrangement by Takao Kōnishi Song by Moeko MatsushitaAll of the background musical scores was composed arranged and conducted by Kōhei Tanaka Reception EditAngelic Layer won the Animation Kobe Award for TV Feature in 2001 7 Jason Bustard of THEM Anime Reviews gave Angelic Layer a 5 star rating noting that the character designs were well presented and the animation was colourful also that Angelic Layer portrayed the concepts of friendship and how through common interests even very different people can be friends 8 Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network however was less kind comparing it to Pokemon and Digimon and calling it a glorified tie in to a toy you can t purchase 9 References Edit a b Angelic Layer Sentai Filmworks Retrieved May 30 2018 Angelic Layer Complete Collection ADV Films com A D Vision Inc Archived from the original on May 28 2006 Retrieved January 2 2009 Dark Horse Adds Angelic Layer Tokyo Babylon Omnibuses Anime News Network March 7 2011 MCM LONDON COMIC CON MAY 2018 NEWSWIRE 2 SUNDAY NEWS ROUND UP Anime Limited May 28 2018 Retrieved May 29 2018 a b c d e CLAMP公式ウェブサイト in Japanese Clamp Retrieved August 20 2009 a b c d e Manga Comics Book Catalog Tokyopop Retrieved August 18 2009 dead link アニメーション神戸 これまでの記録 xebec co jp in Japanese Animation Kobe Archived from the original on March 21 2007 Retrieved July 5 2021 Jason Bustard Angelic Layer THEM Anime Reviews Archived from the original on December 17 2008 Retrieved January 2 2009 Bertschy Zac December 16 2003 Angelic Layer DVD 1 Review Anime News Network Retrieved July 5 2021 External links EditAngelic Layer manga at BookWalker Angelic Layer at IMDb Angelic Layer manga at Anime News Network s encyclopedia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Angelic Layer amp oldid 1123249442, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
