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AIR Movie SoundtrackTitle: AIR Movie Soundtrack
Original Creator: Key/Visual Art's
Release Date: 3/25/05
Catalog No.: FCCM-0066
Rating: 3/4

With the theatrical release continually being extended, I have to wonder when I'll be able to buy the DVD. I'd really like to see this movie.

According to the sticker on the shrinkwrap, this soundtrack contains the music to the movie and is identical to the CDs sold to movie goers. As I haven't seen the movie yet, I don't have contextual information, but I think I know where most of the tunes go in the story.

There are a few songs that are inspired by the original soundtrack. The overall mood of the music is pretty solemn and feels like there's a lot of history (sounds like they could be used in Kanna's story). I wished there were more of a variety on this CD. The image song for the movie, which is also based off a tune from the game is sung in Engrish. The lyrics are good though and it fits well with the music...but it's still Engrish.

One thing to note is that this CD doesn't contain the theme songs, but I already have that CD elsewhere. I'll probably appreciate the music more once I see the movie.

佐藤利奈:空色のリボン (Rina Satou: Sky-Blue Ribbon)Title: 佐藤利奈:空色のリボン (Rina Satou: Sky-Blue Ribbon)
Vocals: 佐藤利奈 (Rina Satou)
Release Date: 3/25/05
Catalog No.: FCCV-0007
Rating: 4/4

Rina is my next Akamatsu girl. After seeing the preview video a few weeks ago, I had to buy this CD. It's hard to believe that she's the same person that does the voice for Negi, especially after hearing the spoken tracks.

The CD has 4 songs and 2 spoken tracks along with karaoke for three of the songs. The title song is the best by far. I believe it's also the intro to her radio program, but I haven't heard the samples on her web site (maybe I should now given her voice). From the 2nd to 4th song, it gets progressively slower and slower and my ranking for the songs is aligned with the track numbers. What really shines on this CD is the two spoken tracks. She has such a lovely voice! In the first, she talks about the sky (appropriate for the theme of the sky). The second track has her talking about her predilection for cats.

First pressing comes with a special Rina photo card. I got card #3 (of 3).

ドラゴンエイジ (Dragon Age) March '05Title: ドラゴンエイジ (Dragon Age) March '05
Issue Date: 3/10/2005
Publisher: Kadokawa (Fujimi Shobo)
Pages: 514

As I've mentioned when I first got it, this volume is relatively thin compared to the other issues of Dragon Age. It's just a paltry 500 pages as opposed to the 800 page volumes before. There isn't a 100+ page one-shot, so that's probably why.

No special bonuses this month. Girl Following is off this month and Full Metal Panic ends in next month's issue. Karin has a bonus chapter concerning how Karin's mom and dad first met.

Karin: 恥の23「怪しい2人と健太の不安〜Anxiety〜」 (The Strange Couple and Kenta's Anxiety): Kenta's mother feels terrible that she has to rely on her son's part time job for income as she hasn't found a job yet. Meanwhile, Syuusei Iizuka, who is apparently Kenta's dead-beat father comes with a P.I. to look for Kenta and his mother. After walking home with Kenta from work, Karin heads over to Maki's parent's bookstore to kill some time. There, she bumps into a guy who looks a lot like Kenta and he takes interest when she accidentally blurts out Kenta's name.

Tsubame Syndrome: 15 Other[ハーフ・タイム] (Half Time): Ura wins a lottery and so the group goes to the hot springs. There's a little mixup in the hot springs (as expected), they play some ping pong and before bed, Taiga tries to confess to Tsubame, but can't get himself to do it. They accidentally fall asleep on the same futon and are caught the next morning.

Maburaho Colorful: 4: (A silent comic with Maiho causing trouble)

Maid Guy: 4: A group of underwear thieves come and try to take Naeka's garments, but are caught by the maids. Despite having those guys arrested, the next morning they find that 6 pairs of underwear are missing. Kogarashi grills a delivery-man who says that he saw a girl sneaking around wearing strawberry underwear. With that, Kogarashi tries to find her. On the roof of Naeka's school, he spots a suspicious girl and with his x-ray vision, he sees that she has one of Naeka's underwear. He manages to get it back, but he's still one short. We also find out that the girl serves the mysterious girl seen in the morning.

Full Metal Panic: MISSION57 Clear and Present Danger: Galon and Sosuke fight and as a last ditch attempt, Galon activates a self-destruction mechanism think that it would blow up everyone in the ship with him. However, the submarine (controlled by Kaname) opens up a hatch and Sosuke gets Galon out of the vessel before he explodes. Later, the crew reach base.

Supasu-pa: 26「鈴の身体と春奈困惑」 (Suzu's Body and Haruna's Confusion): Haruna finds out about Suzu's transformation when she receives a kiss from Itsuki. Realizing now that she has a real rival, she tries to snuggle up to Itsuki the same way that Suzu does. When Suzu sees the two of them, Haruna tells her that she won't give up.

Zero In: Piece 17: Leading: The Minkei are called in to help bust up a illegal gun trafficking. However, Mikuru doesn't want to work with her new partner, Fujita as they have differing opinions. Mikuru never kills but Fujita has no reservations about blowing someone one away. They're finally forced to team up and during the operation, they end up arguing with each other more than battling the enemy. After the job is done, Mikuru and Fujita duke it out.

Taisetsu na Koto: Step 13: 遠い空のむこうに (Beyond the Far Sky): Kayoko is quickly becoming an idol and has her first break being on the cover of a popular magazine. Nami takes a walk the morning after being scolded the night before for coming back late. She wanders to Sumomo's place, but remembers that Ryutaro had told her not to see Sumomo again. Nami tries to turn back, but then sees Sumomo fall down a flight of stairs. Using her magic, Nami saves her. Ryutaro then shows up and is about to yell at Nami when Sumomo steps in. At school, Kayoko wants to quit and pursue a modeling career, but it seems more of an escape. She asks Ryutaro for a ride on his bike and as they ride away, Nami sees the two of them together.

Love Dog: 第5話「ビバノンノ湯煙温泉の旅」 (Bibanon, Trip to the Steam Hot Springs): Shinichiro wins some tickets to a hot springs where pets are allowed so he takes his 4 girls. As they're taking their baths, Amane fears that Shinichiro plans to leave them there so they all jump to the men's side of the hot springs. Chaos ensues.

Nodoka Nobody: 八の湯「見えない絆」 (8, Unseen Bonds): The owner of Ougiya Hot Springs turns down a proposition by Nodoka to remodel his place because he feels like that customers come anyway regardless of how new it is. Soon after they leave though, he finds out that one of his customers got food poisoning and the dept. of health is shutting him down for a week. Truly a problem as it's golden week, but busiest time of the year. Nodoka and Miki see him later on the verge of suicide and have a talk with him. He goes back and apologizes to his staff and has everyone make an effort to try and book their customers at other hotels. Nodoka gives some help using her connections in the industry.

Lunar Scribbles