Angelic Layer
Angelic Layer | |
エンジェリックレイヤー (Enjerikku Reiyā) | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Manga | |
Written by | Shōnen Ace |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | July 1, 1999 – October 1, 2001 |
Volumes | 5 |
Anime television series | |
Battle Doll Angelic Layer | |
Directed by | |
Original network | TV Tokyo |
English network | |
Original run | April 1, 2001 – September 23, 2001 |
Episodes | 26 |
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.
The manga was adapted into a 26-episode
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.
Plot
The primary protagonist is
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 that includes grades
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.
Differences between the manga and the anime adaptation: Misaki names her angel after 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
Media
Manga
Japanese version by Kadokawa Shoten/English version by Tokyopop
No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | North American release date | North American ISBN |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | July 1, 1999[6] | 4-04-713283-7 | June 25, 2002[7] | 1-931514-47-X |
2 | March 9, 2000[6] | 4-04-713319-1 | September 17, 2002[7] | 1-59182-003-0 |
3 | December 1, 2000[6] | 4-04-713375-2 | November 12, 2002[7] | 1-59182-004-9 |
4 | May 1, 2001[6] | 4-04-713414-7 | January 7, 2003[7] | 1-59182-086-3 |
5 | October 1, 2001[6] | 4-04-713454-6 | March 11, 2003[7] | 1-59182-152-5 |
English version by Dark Horse Comics
- Angelic Layer Book 1 (ISBN 1-61655-021-X/978-1-61655-021-9; 2012-09-19):[8] Includes chapters 1–20 (volumes 1–3)
- Angelic Layer Book 2 (ISBN 1-61655-128-3/978-1-61655-128-5; 2013-03-27):[9] Includes chapters 21–40 (volumes 3–5)
Anime
Music
Opening Theme:
- "Be My Angel"
- Lyrics by: Gorō Matsui
- Composition by: Takahiro Ando, Gorō Matsui
- Arrangement by: Takahiro Ando
- Song by: Atsuko Enomoto
Ending 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 Matsushita
All of the background musical scores were composed, arranged and conducted by Kōhei Tanaka.
Reception
Angelic Layer won the Animation Kobe Award for TV Feature in 2001.[10] Jason Bustard of THEM Anime Reviews gave Angelic Layer a five-star rating, noting that the character designs were well-presented and the animation was colourful. He also claimed that Angelic Layer portrayed the concepts of friendship and how "through common interests, even very different people can be friends".[11] Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network however, published a less favorable review, comparing it to Pokémon and Digimon, and calling it a glorified tie-in to "a toy you can't purchase".[12]
References
- ^ a b "Angelic Layer". Sentai Filmworks. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ Sentai Filmworks Licenses "Angelic Layer"
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Angelic Layer - Blu-ray Collector's Edition". All The Anime. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "CLAMP公式ウェブサイト" (in Japanese). Clamp. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Manga+Comics: Book Catalog". Tokyopop. Retrieved August 18, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ Angelic Layer Book 1 TPB
- ^ Angelic Layer Omnibus Book 2 TPB
- ^ 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
- CLAMP page
- Tokyopop page
- Bones page
- ADV Films page
- Madman Entertainment page
- Sentai Filmworks page
- TV Tokyo page
- AVEX page (Blu-Ray/DVD)
- Angelic Layer (manga) at BookWalker
- Angelic Layer at IMDb
- Angelic Layer (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia