Hirano Aya -- Yes, She Really Does have a Big Forehead

One of the things her detractors hold against Aya is that she has a high forehead. It's supposed to be ugly. They call her "forehead b**ch."

But as usual, Aya is perfectly willing to make a bit of fun of her own image. She tied her hair up in a topknot in order to remove her makeup and found that her forehead is "five fingers high."

Personally, I always think high forehead = big brain.

The pic is from a quick one-day trip to Okinawa for a photo shoot on Saturday. She left Tokyo Friday night, after some TV work.

On the TV side, she has a new gig as the Web page "navigator" for the business side of the Fuji TV network. Check out the Fuji TV Business home page. She works for the operation's editorial department.

Here are a couple of photos. First is a pic from the first photo session for the new job at Fuji. You'll see the same outfit on the Fuji Business home page.

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Sanpei Yuuko -- Seikon no Qwaser Wrap-Up Party

Sanpei Yuuko starred as the Russian boy Sasha in Seikon no Qwaser. The show had its wrap-up party Tuesday night, and YuuYuu published a picture from it in her blog today. In the picture, left to right, are Fujimura Ayumi (Mafuyu), Russian coach Jenya, Sanpei Yuuko, and Hikasa Youko (Hana):

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Sasaki Nozomi -- Tokyo Sunrise

Sasaki Nozomi (Nanami in Bokura ga Ita, Patty Martin in Lucky Star, Sapphi in Jewelpet) has a very active blog, posting about moments in her life, walks in the countryside, meetings with friends, nice meals, etc.

But she also can use words and pictures in a poetic way -- as befits a university graduate and former Shinto sacred dancer, who has written an episode of Ojarumaru, and wrote the words for the OP to Kanamemo. This was her post this morning:

Red Dawn

The sunrise colors this morning


Brilliant colors,
Like a painting


Amazed me.

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Seitokai Yakuindomo -- Character/Seiyuu Pics and Info

This is the season Hikasa Youko became a big star.

Her role of Mio in K-On put her in the spotlight. Hana in Seikon no Qwesar was an interesting role. Junko in Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Maou was attractive and competent. But now she is starring in two good new shows -- Seitokai Yakuindomo and Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin -- and making herself the absolute focus of attention in both. There's no doubt about it, she's got "it." And oh, yes, K-On 2 is still the most popular late-night anime in Japan.

But Hyocchi is not the only good seiyuu in these shows. Yahagi Sayuri, in particular, is good in SeiYaku. The "doooo?" in a catchprase she uses is a classic. Click here or on the image to go to a full page giving pics of the ten main characters in the show and their seiyuus, along with info about the seiyuus.

Satou Satomi is good as ojou-sama Aria. Asanuma Shintarou is doing well as the lead guy. Kobayashi Yuu is the lecherous teacher. And we have the pleasure/pain of hearing Omigawa Chiaki again (she was Maka in Soul Eater). Her dead voice is sometimes hard to take, but it does convey a character's innocence, and there are moments when it shines.

Shiki -- Character/Seiyuu Pics and Info

Horror/drama anime Shiki started well. Director Amino Tetsurou is an old-school guy who did Macross 7 and Zeta Gundam, so we know we will get a somewhat different style than we have become used to recently. And the manga makes that certain.

The anime makes the characters a little easier to tell apart than the manga did, but there is still some complexity here. So click here or on the image to go to a page with pics and info about the characters and their voice actors. I've added a few words about the character this time, since it seemed possible and desirable, in this case.

Seiyuu Fukuhara Kaori's Trip to Kyoto

All through high school, Fukuhara Kaori (Tsukasa in Lucky Star, Juuden-chan in Fight! Ippatsu Juuden-chan) worked part-time at McDonald's. The friends she made there have remained her close friends ever since. All are now either working in companies or married and running a household.

Last week, a group of them went on a long-awaited trip to Kyoto. Kaorin has posted a two-part travelogue in her blog. They made themselves a group schedule (left) before boarding the Shinkansen from Shinagawa station in Tokyo:

Kaorin was determined to visit the "Entertainers' Shrine" at Kurumazaki Jinja in western Kyoto. She paid homage to Amenouzume, the goddess of the shrine: she was the one who danced in front of the cave where the sun goddess had hidden, enticing her out again to bring light back to the world. At the shrine, she did a divination and got the result "great good fortune":

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Yuuki Aoi in Jewelpet Tinkle ep 15: the Highest Voice Ever

Following a mention in Yuuki Aoi's 2channel thread, I took a look at episode 15 of Jewelpet Tinkle, in which she has a small role.

And what I heard was probably the highest voice I have ever heard in anime, but pure and clear and not at all annoying. It is a real mouse-like squeak, but one with tremendous strength and energy in it, and in which the words are clear. What an instrument Ao-chan has.

This variation of her voice is something new: a fan on 2channel said he watched the whole show without realizing Ao-chan was in it until the credits rolled. Although maybe he should have recognized her: that voice couldn't have been anyone else. Even Kaneda Tomoko's voice isn't that high.

She plays a mouse-like creature called Ameri. Her best voiced passages are following 7:43 and 14:32. Don't be surprised if the incredibly high sound calls all the dogs from around the neighborhood:

Here are audio clips of her voice from the episode:

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Mayoi Neko Roadshow -- Itou Kanae, Taketatsu Ayana, Iguchi Yuka

The three main female seiyuus in Mayoi Neko Overrun are doing a roadshow to publicize the anime for DVD sales. Here are a couple of photos from the Tokyo stop (the main Gamers store, in Akihabara). They go on to Osaka and Nagoya.

Aya-nyan (Taketatsu Ayana) says in her blog that it was great to see everyone's smiling faces, and thanks people for their support. Kanae-chan says obscurely that it is good to be asked questions you aren't always asked. Pics from Aya-nyan's (right) and Kanae-chan's (left) blogs.

Left-hand picture, left to right: Taketatsu Ayana (Nozomi), Itou Kanae (Fumino), Iguchi Yuka (Chise).

The pics make Yukachii (Iguchi Yuka) look tall, but that's only because the other two are so short. Kanae-chan 147cm (4'10"-), Aya-nyan 149cm (4'11"-), Yukachii 157cm (5'2").

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