Sunday, March 25, 2012

Uta no Prince-sama

Uta no Prince-sama (うたの☆プリンスさまっ♪?) is a 2010 Otome game series targeted towards female gamers published by Broccoli. The game has been adapted into manga and anime series. The anime has been green-lit for production on a second season coming later in the year.

Plot

With dreams of becoming a composer and someday writing a song for her favorite idol, Haruka enters the Saotome Academy, a prestigious performing arts school. If successful there, she'll be able to join the Shining Agency after graduation. However, it won't be so easy when Haruka is already surrounded by potential idols and composers. On top of that, her homeroom teacher is a current idol, the headmaster was a record-breaking singer, and the academy itself is a chaotic place where anything can happen. In the end at graduation, two students are to be paired up by the students' choice, one taking the idol role and the other the composer role. After being paired up, the "pair" will sing a song that was both composed, written and sung by the pair. If successful, the pair will join and take the spot as the new Shining Agency debut artists. To make things more difficult, romance is prohibited in the school! Which prince of song will be paired up with Haruka? Uta no Prince Sama is an exciting, coming-of-age romantic comedy that will be like sweet music to your eyes and ears!

Characters

Main characters

Wishing to compose a song for her idol, Hayato, to sing someday, Haruka enrolls into Saotome Academy. Prior to her enrollment, Haruka has no experience in reading sheet music despite being able to play the piano (it was taught to her by her grandmother). As the story progresses, she shows that she has talent in composing songs. Because of her caring personality, she has the ability to move people's hearts. Haruka was a sickly child and moved in with her grandmother in the country while she was young because the city made her "dizzy".
A student in S Class, he bears a strong resemblance to Haruka's idol, Hayato. He's said to be Hayato's identical twin brother and seems to bear a complex from being in his brother's shadow. He appears to be cold and aloof, as well as being a perfectionist. His character is reflected in his song, both his pitch and rhythm are perfect, but he gets criticised for having no "heart" in his music. However, everything is the fruit of his hard work. Tokiya is Otoya's (Class A) roommate. It is soon revealed that he is actually Hayato. Later in the story, he gradually warms up to Haruka and falls in love with her.[1]
Haruka's classmate in A Class, he's a friendly and positive person who enjoys singing. He shares a room with Tokiya from Class S. In the anime, he stands up for Haruka when she was barred from taking the entrance exam due to being late. He is always straightforward and honest. Despite his age, he is seen acting like a child. He cares for Haruka and is the first out of the 6 guys to realize that his feelings for her, and believes that he will reach his goal with her at his side. In the game, he is afraid of heights
Student of A Class, The oldest son and heir to the Hijirikawa Group. He was raised in a strict environment, making him very serious. His way of thinking is a little old-fashioned, and he’s unable to show his real self due to his serious nature. He seems to have some form of rivalry going on with Ren, whom he shares a room with. He plays the piano. Masato shows his soft side when Haruka is involved.
Student in S Class, he is the third son of the Jinguji family, making him rivals with Masato, who is also his roommate. He is very flirtatious, and plays the saxophone. However, his character runs deeper than the superficial. In the anime, he, along with Otoya, helps defend Haruka when the officials refused to let her take the entrance exam. Ren affectionally calls Haruka, "Little Lamb."
Another student of S Class, he is nicknamed "ochibi-chan" due to his short stature, much to his chagrin. He's very cheerful and energetic, and plays the violin. He has a twin brother, Kaoru. Syo is Natsuki's roommate and childhood friend as well. When he was five years old, he almost fell from a very high tower while being chased by Natsuki and developed a fear of heights, but is later cured of his acrophobia with help from everyone. In the game, he has a weak heart, making Kaoru woried about him.
Another of Haruka's classmate, he plays the viola, though he used to play the violin. He has an extreme fondness for cute things, leading him to take a liking to Haruka. He believes that she is the only person who understand his music. In the anime, upon his first encounter with Haruka he calls her Elizabeth, saying that she reminds him of his dog. He shares a room with Sho, whom he claims to be as cute as Haruka and is very affectionate towards him. He likes cooking, yet his food are usually disastrous. He has a split personality and suffers from "gemini syndrome", his other and darker side goes by the name of Satsuki and is a very violent person, having put over 50,000 people in the hospital. However, he has a talent for composing and is considered a "genius" in this field.

[edit] Supporting characters

  • Tomochika Shibuya (渋谷 友千香?) Voiced by Yuka Imai
Haruka's best friend, classmate, and roommate.
The teacher assigned Haruka's class, Class A. He's a male idol who likes to crossdress as a female.
The prince of Agnapolis who was cursed and turned into a black cat.
The teacher assigned to Class S. He's also an actor as well as Syo's idol.
He is said to be Syo's younger twin brother. In the game, he cares a lot about Syo
The principal of the Saotome Academy, a prestigious idol school. He was an idol, and it was possible to build Saotome Academy because of his hit single, "Owing to Love". He has a habit of spying on students and popping up at random times.
Character in Uta no Prince-sama DEBUT!. In the Game he is the Senior of Masato Hijirikawa and Ren Jinguuji. He is or he could be in a STARISH Rival Band with Cecil Aijima, Reiji Kotobuki, Ai Mikaze and Camus.
Character in Uta no Prince-sama DEBUT!. The Senior of Syo Kurusu and Natsuki Shinomiya. In the Anime he could be in a Band with Camus, Cecil Aijima, Ranmaru Kurosaki and Reiji Kotobuki.
Character in Uta no Prince-sama DEBUT!. Senior of Ittoki Otoya and Tokiya Ichinose. Could be in a Band with Cecil Aijima, Ranmaru Kurosaki, Camus and Ai Mikaze in the Anime.
Another Character in Uta no Prince-sama DEBUT!. Friend of Cecil Aijima and Ranmaru, Ai & Reiji, or at least he knows them. In the Game (it is mumbled) that he will be Cecil's Senior. In the Anime he could possibly be in a STARISH Rival Band with Cecil, Ranmaru, Ai & Reiji.

Media

Games

Manga

Anime

The March 2011 issue of Newtype magazine announced that an anime television series based on the romance game franchise would air during the summer. Titled Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000% (うたの☆プリンスさまっ♪マジLOVE1000%?) the series was produced by A-1 Pictures under the direction of Yuu Kou with Tomoko Konparu supervising the scripts and Mitsue Mori adapting the game's original character designs.[2] The anime series began its broadcast run on Tokyo MX and Gunma TV on July 3, 2011 at 12:00am. The video streaming service Niconico.com is simulcasting the series to audiences in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

No. Title Original airdate
01 "Seven-colored Compass"
"Nanairo no Konpasu" (七色のコンパス) 
July 3, 2011[4]
Haruka Nanami is a girl who attends a music school, passionate of becoming a song writer for her idol. While aiming to achieve her dream she meets many other people who also have dreams and talents like her. 
02 "Brand New Melody"   July 10, 2011[4]
Class A are assigned a project, to compose a new song with a partner, however, there is a twist; the idol group have to write the lyrics and the songwriter group have to write the music! Haruka is partnered with Ittoki Otoya. Her teacher Ringo Tsukimiya asks her to play the piano for the class, revealing that she can't read sheet music. With encouragement from Ittoki, she learns to read it, and their song ends up being a success. 
03 "Knocking on the Mind"   July 17, 2011[5]
Both Haruka and Otoya Ittoki passed the project, but now Haruka has to deal with the bullying from her classmates because she didn't know how to read music, she is asked to play the piano again for them, but the comments finally get to her and she freezes up, making the situation worse. Masato Hijirikawa understands her troubles and helps her work through them. 
04 "Believe Heart to the End of the World"
"Sekai no Hate made Believe Heart" (世界の果てまでBelieve Heart) 
July 24, 2011[5]
Ren Jinguuji is going to get expelled if he doesn't give his lyrics to Hyuuga-sensei. But with help from Haruka and everyone else, he finishes his song. 
05 "Full Throttle Chivalrous Spirit Go! Fight!!"
"Otokogi Zenkai Go! Fight!!" (男気全開 Go!Fight!!) 
July 31, 2011[5]
Shou Kurusu really wants to audition for a part in Hyuuga's new movie the "Prince of Precipices" unfortunately, he is so scared of heights that there is no way he can get the part! However, all his friends band together to cure him of his fear... maybe they overdid it a little. 
06 "Shout Out from Orion"
"Orion de SHOUT OUT" (オリオンでSHOUT OUT) 
August 7, 2011[5]
Haruka is going to Hayato's concert by herself, all of her friends were worried about her getting lost! And she did but ended up meeting Natsuki Shinomiya with a different personality...... Haruka, Natsuki Shinomiya, and Shou Kurusu all went to Hayato's concert. Besides finding out about Natsuki's different personality, she also found out something about Hayato. 
07 "Feeling Heart"
"Fīringuhāto" (フィーリングハート) 
August 14, 2011[6]
The episode begins where Haruka is being praised by Tsukimiya Ringo, saying that her piano performance is what should be expected from the girl who got the highest score in the current month's songwriting contest. After class, Haruka saw Tokiya Ichinose and confronted him that she knew the truth. She wonders why Tokiya is doing that kind of pretention when as Hayato, he is already popular and doesn't need to attend school. Meanwhile, as Tokiya, he is having troubles with his singing, and they described it as "perfect", but without "heart". And as Hayato, his manager tells him he is better acting in dramas instead of singing. 
08 "Eternity Love"   August 21, 2011[6]
The Shining Academy students are in camp on the headmaster's private island. As other students are picking their partners for the final assessment, Haruka is afraid of asking Tokiya to be her partner after their previous tense conversation. On the beach, Otoya confesses to her that he loves her music and that he has chosen her as his desired partner. Around the island, Natsuki, Ren, Shou and Masato have each chosen a partner (whose name remains undisclosed but is indicated to be a female). In the middle of the night, a black cat (whom Haruka named Kuppuru) leads her to some ruins where she meets Cecile. Cecile says that he knows her, that they have met before and that he is from a land farther west. He explains to her that his clan once lived here and that he is her protector. As he is speaking, she falls asleep and wakes up in her cottage, believing it all to be a dream until she sees the flower he gave her lying in her palm. She walks along the beach, meeting Tokiya there and he tells her a story of after he first debuted and had an accident and what gave him hope. At the end, Ren is waiting for her on the walkway with a flower and tells her that he wants her to be his partner. 
09 "Weaving Dreams"
"Tsumuida Yumetachi" (紡いだ夢たち) 
August 28, 2011[6]
Haruka is confronted by Ittoki who speaks out his desire to have her as his graduation audition partner. Later, she is also told by Ren the same thing that Ittoki had said. Not so long after, Kurusu, Hijirikawa, and Natsuki does the same. Hesitant on who to choose, Haruka asks for her teacher's advise. However, she is rejected only to be told that another person wants her as his partner who is none other than Tokiya Ichinose. In this episode, Haruka is seen singing for the first time in the series. 
10 "Come On, Let's Sing!"   September 4, 2011[6]
Haruka became the topic of the school because of having six person who listed her for the pairing. Later on she mets her teacher, Tsukimiya-sensei, and asks him if she can drop out, while Haruka is still saying it he rejected it and said that if she drops out, the six boys who designated her as their partner would also be disqualified. Haruka can't sleep and decides to make a song that can be performed by six persons. The next day, Ittoki, Ichinose, Jinguuji, Syo, Natsuki, and Hijirikawa were all called out by Haruka to the 3rd Music Room and Haruka told them that she just can't choose one because all of them helped her to get into the place where she is at. At the end, they performed it in front of the Headmaster, the Headmaster named the song "Maji Love 1000%" (Serious Love 1000%). 
11 "Map Of The Future"
"Mirai Chizu" (未来地図) 
September 11, 2011[7]
Himura, Tokiya's manager learns that he's a student in Saotome Academy. He then increases Tokiya's workload to make him too busy to attend school. Meanwhile, Haruka and the other members begin working on a new song she wrote called "Map of the Future." Everyone noticed that Tokiya is always late for rehearsals because of his "part-time job" but they don't have any idea what it is except for Haruka. Working and attending school has started to take its toll on Tokiya and he ends up collapsing. He is confronted by the President of his company about his apparent "betrayal" when he woke up. The thought of "Hayato" leaving his company was too much for the President that he had collapsed in Tokiya's apartment. He was brought to the hospital and the two make amends. Tokiya told the President that from that moment on, he would live as Tokiya Ichinose. The President asked if it was because "Hayato" was tired but Tokiya replied that he had just found hope. Tokiya rushes back to Saotome Academy and called Otoya but their call was cut short when his phone ran out of battery. His return will be delayed due to a landslide and will take him until morning. 
12 "The Heart of a Lost Child"
"Maigo no Kokoro" (迷子のココロ) 
September 17, 2011[7]
Paparazzi have infiltrated Saotome Academy and found out that Tokiya is really Hayato. Everyone is shocked by this revelation and struggle to make sense of it while eagerly awaiting Tokiya's return. Upon his arrival, Tokiya explained his reason for disguising himself as his own younger twin brother to everyone and humbly asked to be part of their group because just like all of them, he really wants to sing Haruka's songs. The Principal witnessed their new resolve as a group and announced their debut as the idol group "St☆rish" to the media. Everyone was happy to finally get the chance to debut but the Principal told them that Haruka cannot write their debut song. The "God of Composers" will be the one to write their debut song but everyone protested. In the end, the Principal discouraged Haruka by asking her if she can write a better song than the "God of Composers." 
13 "Serious Love 1000%"
"Maji Love 1000%" (マジLOVE1000%) 
September 24, 2011[7]
The Principal asked Haruka if she possesses the heart of a pro or if she was just a fan of St☆rish because she had stated earlier that she was just happy to hear them sing together. Haruka couldn't answer and everyone protested but the Principal would not hear any of it. Ren and the others threatened not to debut if Haruka won't be the one to write their debut song but she encouraged them not to waste the chance. Despite having said that, Haruka cannot accept the fact that she was cut off and suddenly went home to her grandmother in the country. There, her grandmother reminded her of her love for music and Haruka rediscovered her resolve. Before she was able to come back, St☆rish came to pick her up and they performed "Map of The Future" for her and her grandmother. Haruka came in terms with her own feelings by declaring that she wants them to sing her songs and no one else can write for them but her. Delighted at Haruka's firm resolve, the Principal appeared and explained that he never really wanted to cut off Haruka from the debut but had to test her and teach her the importance of having the will to succeed as a pro. St☆rish makes their debut with Maji Love 1000%" (Serious Love 1000%), the first song that Haruka composed for them and the song that brought them all together.
Uta no Prince-sama
Uta no Prince-sama PSP cover.jpg
Box cover of the PSP game
うたの☆プリンスさまっ♪
Genre Romance, Comedy
Game
Publisher Broccoli
Genre Visual novel
Rating
Platform PlayStation Portable
Released June 24, 2010
Game
Uta no Prince-Sama: Amazing Aria
Publisher Broccoli
Genre Visual novel
Rating
Platform PlayStation Portable
Released December 23, 2010
Game
Uta no Prince-Sama: Sweet Serenade
Publisher Broccoli
Genre Visual novel
Rating
Platform PlayStation Portable
Released February 10, 2011
Game
Uta no Prince-Sama: Repeat
Publisher Broccoli
Genre Visual novel
Rating
Platform PlayStation Portable
Released August 11, 2011
Manga
Written by Utako Yukihiro
Published by ASCII Media Works
Published December 22, 2010
TV anime
Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000%
Directed by Yuu Kou
Written by Tomoko Konparu
Music by Elements Garden
Studio A-1 Pictures
Network Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, TV Aichi, Mainichi Broadcasting System
Original run July 3, 2011September 24, 2011
Episodes 13
Anime and Manga Portal

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