Title: Guilty Crown
Japanese Title:ギルティクラウン
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, mecha, post-apocalyptic
Premier: 2011-10-13
Animation Studio: Production I.G.
Director: Tetsuro Araki
Official Site:
http://www.guilty-crown.jp/ (Japanese)
http://www.funimation.com/guilty-crown (North America)
Plot:
After the outbreak of the unidentified virus "Lost Christmas" in 2029, Japan has been under the control of a multi-nation organization called GHQ. Ohma Shu is a 17 year old boy who has a psychic power in his right hand. He can use the power "Ability of King" to extract tools or weapons from his friends. He has been avoiding making trouble for others but his life changes when he meets a girl Yuzuriha Inori, a member of a resistance guerrilla group called "Undertaker", whose members pilot mecha weapons to fight against the government.
(~from ANN~)
Basic Info: Anime original story running in the Noitamina block. Streamed in North America by Funimation and Niconicoβ.
Opening Theme: "My Dearest" by supercell
Ending Theme: "Departures ~Anata ni Okuru Ai no Uta~" by EGOIST
Cast:
Ai Kayano as Inori Yuzuriha
Yūichi Nakamura as Gai Tsutsugami
Yuuki Kaji as Shū Ouma
Anri Katsu as Arugo
Aya Endo as Arisa Kuhōin
Ayana Taketatsu as Tsugumi
Daisuke Sakaguchi as Sōta Tamadate
Kana Hanazawa as Ayase Shinomiya
Kouki Uchiyama as Daryl Yan
Kousuke Takaguchi as Ōgumo
Minako Kotobuki as Kanon Kusama
Takahiro Mizushima as Yahiro Samukawa
Takehito Koyasu as Shibungi
Yu Shimamura as Hare Menjō
My Thoughts:
The animation is absolutely top notch, really beautiful as you would expect from Production I.G. The cast is also excellent and the music, much of it by Supercell, is outstanding. With all those elements in place that leaves one to wonder about the quality of the story. And well, it's just too early to tell with that. The plot itself is nothing you haven't seen before but good things could be made from it. I'd say the episode moved along at a nice pace and there is a solid foundation to work with, but do they have the ability to turn that into something that can be compelling over 22 episodes? If not, it's going to end up being another Xamd or Basquash.