Maren update: 4 new charas, voice clips, limited ed. info

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

There is a ton of new garbage up on the Maren site, including info on the limited edition, 4 new character profiles, and voice samples from everyone who didn't have any previously - Walter, Renaud, Ka-Fai, and the new kids.

New profiles on: Vahn, Leviath's magic teacher; Leviath's dad, whose name ("Maireasu" in katakana) is gonna take some deciphering; Maximilius Maximiliath, the Emperor, and Maria, who...wow, that's an unfortunate character design, isn't it. In other news, Horiuchi is playing Dad, and the other half of 2Hearts got a part, so rejoice.

Vahn: Fumihiko Tachiki (Victor)
Leviath's Dad: Ken'yuu Horiuchi (Oscar)
Maximilius Maximiliath: Norio Wakamoto (Castlevania's Dracula!)
Maria: Megumi Toyoguchi

The limited edition includes an artbook and a promo CD with "Great Diet Battle" chara drama and a chara song from Leviath. Ain't no one else singing, sadly. There's a preorder bonus of another short drama CD, "Whose Lips Are Those?" (yeesh), with Cain, Giovanni, Eugene, and Gerhard only. Like we outside-Japan folks are gonna get to have it, anyhow. (Those we might; Play-Asia did include the preorder bonus with a game that I hadn't even preordered once, so who knows.)

Again, the game's gonna be released November 17th.

More info as I get free time. Everything is exploding in my face today.

Comments

[btamamura.livejournal.com]

I can't escape Wakamoto Norio lately, he's in most of the anime I've been watching! Good to know about Tachiki and Horiuchi getting more roles related to Angelique...and Toyoguchi Megumi as well?! She's back! *remembers her as Akane-hime*

Great Diet Battle? Why am I thinking that's for the LOLs before it starts getting serious? Leviath having a song is awesome, but I really hope the others get one soon too!

[btamamura.livejournal.com]

Just wanna add...KUGIMIYA RIE AS RENAUD IS JUST TOO CUTE FOR WORDS!!!

[mk-atlanta.livejournal.com]

*gasp* Fumihiko Tachiki got another role! Hurrah! Kind of really reminds me of Gandalf, which is pretty awesome. XD

Watched some of the trailers, saw them show 2HEARTS after GRANRODEO. New music from 2HEARTS? YES PLZ. YES PLZ VERY MUCH.

It's times like now when I wish I understood the language even a little bit.

[mk-atlanta.livejournal.com]

Can anyone translate the 2HEARTS song that will be used as an/the ending theme (looks like there are two there. Interesting.) I'm trying to see if they're going to use an already-released song or if I need to start getting really excited for a new track.

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, it just says "Artist: 2HEARTS" and doesn't give a title, unless I'm missing something. I hope it's something new, since Morikawa and Tachiki are _right there.)

[mk-atlanta.livejournal.com]

Is that what that kanji represents? Oh, ok, I didn't know that. Thought it might be a song title but I couldn't match it to any song file I had. Guess that's why and I need to be patient a little longer. Thanks for looking, though! ^_^

[animekittysama.livejournal.com]

Much yes on having Horiuchi and Wakamoto join in on the fun. Super buckets of yes at Leviath having an image song. I think I wanted one of those since Arios' Twin Collection music video...

Gah, why does the limited edition have to be so ridiculously expensive? It'll be over $100 USD and that's not even counting shipping charges... I suppose that it is really just $20 more compared to the vanilla version, but still...

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

All right, I had to get an old tower up to cope with my computer issues, so I had a belated listen to everyone's voice samples.

My favorite of the bunch, oddly, is Dad. I'm impressed by how different Horiuchi sounds, and he has the right sad cadence, etc. Of the Knights themselves, I'd have to go with Eugene. I'm with btamamura in not being able to decide whether I like Ono or Tobita more for the character more now.

Ka-Fai, Vahn, Maximilius, and Leviath (naturally) sound fine. I'm undecided on Renaud but think he'll work out. I think he'll be very good, in fact.

Gerhard isn't the complete disaster I was expecting from the "too young" news. He is too young, but not horribly so, and he has the personality down; "too young" is pretty much the only problem with him, and that impression might soften with time. His sister, on the other hand, is way too twerpy. I expected someone with a deeper voice, capable of righteous indignation. (On the flip side of this, Sionna's voice is a bit too deep, as others have suggested.)

Cain is a little too lively for my tastes. I'm not expecting Clavis, but he should be a bit slower and sadder. I suppose they're thinking, though, to give the most relatable, "normal" Captain the most versatile and "normal" voice.

Kiefer is very good. I wasn't expecting the Victor-esque softness to his voice, and I think he'd be better off with an edge, capable of some force behind his voice, but he has the lofty smugness down.

Giovanni: More forceful and masculine than I expected, but they're taking him a bit in that direction characterwise too to befit his role as a love interest. Very nimble and teasing, though I can't imagine him wearing any see-through lace outfits. I'd like to see that laid-back, languid confidence Giovanni sometimes has from the actor.

Walter sounds like Randy possessed by Zephel. Which is apt, I suppose.

We need to talk about names

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

OK, so, about Leviath's father's name: "it's "Maireasu" in katakana, which doesn't correspond to any "actual" name in existence; it's a made-up fantasy moniker. It would be pronounced with a first syllable of "mye", a second syllable of "lay" or "ray", and a third syllable of "as" or "ath".

Following with the tradition of egotistic royalty naming their heirs and offspring with variants of their own names, I'd wager it's "l" over "r" and "ath" over "as". That leaves us with "Mye-lay-ath", but how to spell it?

Possibilities for the first syllable, that I see (feel free to add if I'm overlooking): "Mi", "My", "Mai", "Mye", "Migh", "Mie". For the second: "lay", "le", "lei", "lay", "ley". That doesn't give anything that "looks" right, though: "Mailayath"? "Maileyath"? "Myleyath"? "Myleiath"? "Myleath"? Perhaps with an accent: "Myléath"? Still doesn't look right. Any ideas? (I'm leaning toward "Myleyath" as the least sucky-looking, but I have no affection for it, to be sure.)

While we're at it, would that make the Emperor's name actually "Maximiliath"? The "ath" seems to be a royal suffix. Then again, "Maximiliath" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, though, does it.

Also while we're at it: I'm having qualms about how I've been spacing the game's name. I don't like leaving a number all out on its own if it's being used to specify a quantity of another noun and have been not-spacing "rokukishi" as if it's a counter, but it's not really a counter, is it. Hmmm. Is it "Roku Kishi" after all? Although that doesn't look right to me, either - but, then, nothing looks right today.

Chara profiles translation

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

Dammit, now "Myleiath" looks better to me.

Anyhow, translation of the new chara profiles, not that there's much shocking:

Vahn

An old man feared by the populace as a great mage; he also taught Leviath the art of magecraft. He holds great power, but he now lives in seclusion from the everyday world.

Myleiath or whatever the heck his name is

Tragic dispossessed prince who was once the rightful heir to the throne but was deemed unfit to rule and was removed from the line of succession. He has led a quiet life at court but has recently made a name for himself in the suppression of anti-Imperial forces.

Maximiliath

The current Emperor. His elder brother was removed from the line of succession, and he ascended to the throne instead. His rule appears to be fair and just, but dark rumors persist.

Maria

Gerhard's little sister and a member of Leviathan. She was brought up in a male-only environment and can be a little rough, but she's a bright and cheerful girl. There are few women in the Knight Corps' ranks, so she's a dependable friend to Theresa.

[beldarius.livejournal.com]

*listens to new voices* OK, Yoshino sounds spectacular as Walter. So adorable~ can't wait to hear his psycho side. (Must be kinda like Alle/Halle from Gundam.)

Ka-Fai sounds hot. I was pretty surprised, considering this guy voiced Kintaros in Kamen Rider Den-O and Hidan in Naruto... now I really want to hear his Kosuke in DNAngel, need to know if he sounded this deep...

Renaud's voice is too high-pitched and excited and girly. Too bad she didn't use her Alphonse Elric voice.

And Johannes. I think I slightly fell for his voice. Tomoaki Maeno is actually pretty good in that role, and his voice can only be described as handsome.

Fumihiko Tachiki as an old guy? Never heard him in such a role yet. o_O;

I wonder if "Myleiath" looked more like Leviath when he was younger? :\ I mean, Leviath looks way more bishie than his dad does. ...Kinda like Horiuchi's voice, at least it's calmer and more... sensitive/emotional (?) than Oscar's was.

Myleiath is supposed to be the older brother, but imho Maximiliath looks old enough to be his father. :l I think it's that dumb moustache. He'd be so handsome and youthful if he got rid of them... *sigh* And I still dislike Norio Wakamoto's voice. He sounds like an old fart munching on a potato when he talks.

UGH. Maria's voice is too high and kiddy and girly! D: When I read about her, I pictured a macho deep voice instead of a little girl!

[beldarius.livejournal.com]

Btw, I thought Kiefar and Maximiliath look really alike. o_O It would be SO odd if they were related.