Animax’s Blog

Voice Actor David LeeMcKinney with his anime counterpart Ryoutarou Tsuchiura

[PHOTO CREDITS © Yuki Kure, HAKUSENSHA, KOEI Co., Ltd./Corda Committee

Last blog, we got
to meet the female half of Animax’s "Golden Pair", Emily Woo Zeller.
For this edition, allow me to introduce David Lee McKinney. Aside from
his work with Emily, he recently portrayed Haseo in .Hack//Roots and is now playing Ryoutarou Tsuchiura in La Corda D’Oro~Primo Passo~. For days and times, just check the PROGRAMS TAB of this website.

Without futher ado, here’s David Lee McKinney!

When I was
growing up in Chicago I loved the idea of acting, but, in my particular
situation, pursuing the arts wasn’t an obvious option. It wasn’t until
my mother heard me imitating TV commercials and encouraged me that I
gave it serious consideration. And so, after some talks with my
parents, who turned out to both be totally supportive, I threw myself
into acting school. I became a classically trained stage actor and
aside from my voice work have credits in theater, film, and radio in
both Chicago and L.A.

Fate/Stay Night
was one of the first times we worked with each other. We spent a lot of
time in the studio together. At that time we were still getting to know
each other both professionally and personally, but we were very
connected right from the beginning. Working physically together in the
studio allowed us to really build on our connection and energy. We
wouldn’t have had the benefit of creating that chemistry if we hadn’t
met each other and worked so closely.

What
advantages are there when two voice talents work together to dub the
lead characters? You are also fantastic as D’Eon and Lia and as Pete
and Tazusa. Are there also disadvantages with having two or more voice
talents in the dubbing booth at the same time?

I’m glad that you
have been enjoying our work. We have a great time making it, and
ultimately we do it for the viewers. The fact that people are enjoying
it and have been responding in such a positive way is great. When it is
just the two of us in the studio it becomes very natural. Emily and I
are both totally dedicated to our art form. I think she is wonderfully
gifted and has a really beautiful spirit. When we are together it stops
being work and becomes quite fun. The feeling was particularly powerful
during Ginban. There was a great energy in the room and we were
so submersed in the story line that the characters sprang to life and
things just started to flow.

There are so many
wonderful characters I’ve had the fortune of playing, but I think for
now I’ll mention my appreciation for Shiro’s storyline. His reluctance
to fight for his own gain, but his willingness to sacrifice and risk
himself for others struck a chord with me. I think I was reminded that
discretion is the better part of valor and often it is more important
that we stand up for others than ourselves.

On a lighter note
I recall the episode when Shiro and Saber went on a date. I vividly
remember Shiro accidentally insulting Saber. The upset look on Emily’s
face as Saber stormed out of the store was priceless. She was clearly
on Saber’s side. Meanwhile, Shiro and I were completely confused as to
what was so wrong with what he had just said. That was a great moment
not only in anime, but also in the age old battle of the sexes.

For a purely physical challenge; Ryo Kuroyanagi in Yakitate! Japan was
probably number 1. I generally get asked to play more soft spoken
characters and Kuroyanagi’s bold presence was quite a challenge for me.
It was several months of non stop yelling and big reactions that really
kept me on my toes. The show is hilarious and it was great experience.

A lot of our work
is quite serious, but I really love comedies. I would love to work with
Katsuhiro Otomo or do another project written by Q-Tarou Hanamizawa.
Perhaps an anime musical or some Shakespeare would be great too. Hamlet
is coming to mind.

It is often said
in the theater world that our body is our instrument. So to tell a
story with only the voice is already a huge challenge for any actor.
However, I think dubbing is even greater because it can cross over
language and cultural barriers. Not everyone speaks the same language,
but human struggles, emotions and other themes we deal with in anime
are universal. These are things that affect us all. My greatest
challenge is to do justice to each role I play to bring these stories
to a new audience while maintaining the integrity of the original. I
think that when dubbing is treated as an art form it can have
incredible power.

I think if you
have a chance to follow a dream you should go for it. If anime has
taught me anything it is to never hold back and always go for what you
want with everything you have.

Despite the
sweltering summer heat, Animax fans and fashionistas alike came in
droves to the Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City, Philippines to
witness the culmination of the 2008 Animax Fashion Ability.

I must admit to
having a soft spot in my heart for Fashion Ability because it gives
budding fashion designers — majority of whom are still students — the
chance to show their talent. It was awe-inspiring enough to see the
sketches online at the Fashion Ability website. But nothing could be
more thrilling than to see these designs being modelled on the runway.
Plus, you have the added bonus of seeing student models wearing these
designs. To be honest, I had a kick out of seeing proud fathers and
mothers taking photos of the stunning creations of their kids or
watching their son or daughter strutting on the ramp. Indeed, if you
want to see the fashion designers and models of the future, look no
further than Animax Fashion Ability.

Before the event
started, VIP/Media and special guests were treated to Japanese
cocktails courtesy of Tokyo Tokyo in what came to be known as the
"Pupil Pit" (it’s a pit below the stage where the guest bands were to
perform). Animax-Asia Forumites were there, including the hard-working
Moderators. I saw Sekira-chan, Dark Yoshi and friends chowing down on
yakisoba, sushi and potato balls. Hope you had a great time!

Minutes later,
Animax Fashion Ability was kicked off by hosts MYX VJ Igi and Andy, who
emceed the first Fashion Ability in 2006. Judging from their
exuberance, you could say they were just as excited to see the new
designs just as much as I did.

The first act to
take to the stage were Pinoy hip hop stars Ken Johns and the Philippine
All-Stars. Levi’s also gave the audience a preview of their
Spring/Summer 2008 Fashion Collection.

Before the
finalists were presented, Igi and Andy introduced the judges, who
comprise big names in the entertainment and fashion industry. Judges
for this year are: Juno L. Henares-Chuidian, Edwin Tan, Cristalle
Belo-Henares, David Fabros and Jerome Allen Lorico. The hosts also
interviewed the winners of the 2006 Fashion Ability. Model Grendel
Alvarado — who is being touted as the Philippines’ Next Top Model –
said that Fashion Ability was her first modelling gig.

Said Alvarado,
"It was in Fashion Ability that I learned the basics of modelling, and
I’m thankful for the opportunity to participate in and learn from that
competition."

Jerome Allen
Lorico — the Grand Prize Winner of the 2006 Fashion Ability — now has
his own clothing line and has recently won the Special Jury Award at
the 45th Japan International Design Competition.

"I’ve seen the
sketches, and this batch is a force to be reckoned with," Lorico
revealed. "They all designs came out with designs that are truly French
haute couteur, which is the theme of today’s competition. I am very
particular about the finalists adhering to the French theme, and I’m
glad to see that they delivered. It’s going to be exciting to see the
dresses later."

Thankfully, we
didn’t have long to wait. All 20 designs were first presented to a
cheering audience. Then, we were given a closer look at the first 10
dresses. And they were really good!

To keep the
audience in suspense, rock band Imago came on stage to perform their
latest hits. Afterwards, the next 10 designs were strutted on the
runway. I have to be honest but I really fell in love with Aislynn
Liao’s gold lame gown, which is reminiscent of the gowns that Audrey
Hepburn wore in "My Fair Lady."

While the judges
were pressed with the hard task of choosing the winners of the
competition, Animax’s Music Ambassadors Pupil performed their hits from
their latest album as well as the rip-roaring Animax anthem, "Set Me
Apart."

FINALLY, it was time to reveal the winners.

Winning 2nd Runner Up and an educational grant of US0 was RHAI LABORTE.

CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE

Winning 1st Runner Up and an educational grant of US,000 was AISLYNN LIAO

CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE

And the GRAND PRIZE WINNER, winning an educational grant of US,000, was BRANDON L. PARRENAS

CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE

CONGRATULATIONS
TO ALL THE MODELS, FINALISTS AND  WINNERS OF THE 2008 ANIMAX FASHION
ABILITY!! MAY ALL OF YOU ENJOY A BRIGHT AND EXCITING FUTURE!!!

Oh…and for all
you Animax fans in other regions, there’s a strong chance that Animax
Fashion Ability will hit your countries too. So when it does, please
join!

Before I forget, there were a lot of
peeps in the audience who’ve been taking videos of the event. Don’t
forget that we also have the Fashion Ability video competition. You can
find the contest rules HERE. Submit those videos now!!

THE SIX STEEDS OF GO FROM KOUTETSU SANGOKUSHI

[COPYRIGHT INDICATED IN PHOTO]

If there’s any
anime that deserves the dubious credit for busting my beloved DVD
player while I’m recuperating, thus subjecting a poor sick person to
the dreariness of free TV and cable programming, it has to be Koutetsu Sangokushi (pronounced
"ko-tet-soo san-gok-shi"). Never did I expect that I would find myself
getting so hooked on it that I watched it not just once, but THRICE. As
a result, the DVD player went POP!

Koutetsu Sangokushi belongs
to that genre of anime called "shounen-ai" (literally means "boy’s
love"), which hints at or actually depicts romantic relationships
between boys or men. So, aside from the peasant woman who dies in the
first episode, you won’t find a single female in this anime.

The story takes
place in Ancient China, specifically the war-torn kingdom of Go, which
is being attacked from its borders by rival kingdoms who are hell-bent
on getting the Imperial Seal — an ornate dragon box with a glowing orb
inside that has the power to bestow upon the person it favors the
powerful Flame Armor. Enter Rikuson Hakugen who, as the "Crimson
Warrior", has been traveling all over the country with his Master, the
flamboyant Shoukatsuryou Koumei, helping the oppressed people in the
land. Upon his return to Go, Rikuson has become bitter by the
realization that he could not help everyone. Koumei convinces the young
hero to ally himself with Go, only to have Rikuson witness the
assassination of its King and the Imperial Seal stolen by mysterious
thugs. Before long, Rikuson — together with five other misfit warriors
– pledges to retrieve the Imperial Seal, and defend Go and its new boy
king Sonken from all invaders…one of whom may be his own beloved
Master Koumei.

Most of the anime blog sites who have reviewed Koutetsu Sangokushi
have done it a great disservice by labeling it boring. Far from it!
This is character-driven storytelling at its finest. It may seem to
drag for those who prefer action non-stop and the dialogue
straightforward, but if you want to appreciate this anime to its
fullest, you have to play close attention to the interactions between
the characters. It is such a multi-layered story that you won’t be able
to grasp the numerous messages it wants to convey with just one
watching alone. Stick with it and you won’t regret it!

While Koutetsu Sangokushi may
be considered as a visual treat for the ladies who want their anime
loaded with bishounen ("pretty boys"), credit for its success in
pulling off a very difficult character-driven plotline falls
exclusively on the shoulders of its all-male leads and the seiyuu who
portray them. Mamoru Miyano — who wowed fans with his portrayal of
Light Yagami in Death Note — provides great emotional depth
and heartbreaking vulnerability to Rikuson. Not surprisingly, it is for
this role — and two others — that Miyano won the Best Male Seiyuu
Award at the recent Seiyuu Awards in Japan. Voice actress Mitsuki Saiga
is in her element as the bratty Ryoutou, although her portrayal is
remarkably reminiscent of Wolfram in Kyou Kara Maou! A
particular treat for me was the hilarious repartee between Taishiji
(played with boisterous perfection by Kentarou Itou, who is more known
as Ensei in Saiunkoku Monogatari) and the wimpy Ryomou (portrayed by fan favorite Akira Ishida, who played Hakkai in the Saiyuki anime).
Also brilliant were Takehito Koyasu and Koji Yusa, who portrayed rival
siblings Koumei and Shoukatsukin, respectively. Masaya Onosaka and
Noriaki Sugiyama, who played star-crossed brothers-in-arms Chouhi and
Choun respectively, had me weeping buckets. Oh, my nephew wants me to
mention seiyuu Rina Satou as the irritating tranvestite boy king
Ryuubi. Says Enzo, "An actress who could play such an annoying
character as Ryuubi is darned good in my book." I must admit that the
one seiyuu whose acting really bowled me over was that of Junichi
Suwabe, who played the ex-pirate Kannei. Suwabe is more known to fans
for playing strong male characters — Grimmjow from Bleach, Atobe from Prince of Tennis and Archer from Fate/Stay Night,
just to name a few. So to see him acting out an emotionally vulnerable
character was quite an accomplishment. Personally, I would like to see
him playing more roles like this.

Koutetsu Sangokushi,
for all its complexity, is a story about love in all its forms. You
have love for one’s sibling, love for power, the love that a student
has for his teacher, love for one’s country, and — yes, the hints are
too strong to be ignored — even love between two men. It’s a
compelling story of how love can be used to achieve one’s selfish
gains. But on the other hand, it is also love that can right all
wrongs, even if it entails a noble but heartbreaking sacrifice in the
very end.

Scott Evans with his anime counterpart Van from Gun X Sword.

[PHOTO CREDITS: © 2005 AIC • Team DannChester/ Gun Sword Partners]

Sorry,
but I’m sick right now. Really sick. Have on and off high fever for the
past ten days, and chest-bursting coughing spells that make it
difficult for me to breathe. Doctor said I had fluid in my left lung,
so I now have this long drain sticking out of my chest and need to stay
in the hospital for four more days. To those who have been pestering
for a new blog, some consideration for God’s sake! Thankfully, my
nephew Enzo is here to man the fort. It’s not as if I have any choice.
He and his siblings have been begging me for weeks to post this, so I
thought I’d let them do it, especially since they are HUGE fans of this
Animax voice actor.

When Scott Evans
joined the team of Animax VAs, he had a monumental task ahead of him.
He was put in the unenviable position of being the replacement for
Darren Pleavin (a.k.a. Louis), who is much loved by the channel’s
viewers. However, Scott took it as a challenge, and at present has been
playing lead roles, which include Hanamichi Sakuragi in Slam Dunk, Van in Gun X Sword, and Ovan in .Hack//Roots. (Check the program sked for this shows.) Get to know a little more about Scott in this interview…

What prompted you to decide to become a voice actor? Did you get formal training and for how many years?

I’m
trained as a sound engineer. When I came back to Hong Kong to live, I
had the opportunity to work with various dubbers and voice-over artists
throughout Hong Kong. It struck me as a challenging and exciting job,
one that had more creative outlet than just sitting in the studio
control room. I learned how to dub and act by exposing myself to more
talented people than me, and really trying to get better and better.
Being a musician for the past 16 years, I’m no stranger to having a
microphone in front of me, and it felt like a natural progression to go
from the mixing desk to the dubbing table!

You joined the Animax voice talents when you took over the role of Sano in Law of Ueki
from the original voice actor who portrayed the character. Given that
Animax fans have a tendency of being overly critical, did you feel any
pressure in taking over a part that was played by one of the early
voice talents of Animax?

You’re
definitely aware of the fact that people are going to notice. The
people who enjoy anime are fairly discerning, so you know that there
are going to be people out there who don’t like the fact that one of
the voices in their favourite show has changed. I also took over the role of Yamcha in Dragon Ball
from the same voice actor, so I had two pairs of shoes to fill. It’s
very much a part of the industry though. Not just dubbing, but regular
television as well. Actors have lives too, and sometimes that means
moving on and creating new opportunities.

Among
the characters you have voiced for Animax, who is a) your favorite, b)
the most challenging you’ve ever done, and c) the most memorable, and
why?

(A)
I would definitely have to say Hanamichi Sakuragi has been one of my
favourite characters up to date. The rest of the characters in the show
are pretty straight forward, very much in the style of most of the
anime sports shows. Hanamichi is completely off the rails though.
Laughing, crying, screaming and completely unaware of his limitations.
That makes it pretty fun. (B) He would also be the most challenging
character that I’ve ever had to play. Mainly because all that screaming
and laughing is very hard to keep up in an 8-hour day. He’s a
particularly difficult character to dub because he’s so unpredictable
too. We may have a script, but it’s not always possible to write down
exactly what he’s doing. So some scenes require more takes than others,
just because I have to watch what he’s doing a few times before I can
actually do it. (C) Train Hartnett from Black Cat would have to be my most memorable character because it was the first time I got to play the main character in a series.

I
received a lot of positive feedback from anime fans (I personally
thought you were fantastic!) about the way you performed the stirring
monologue in that scene from Gun X Sword wherein
Van came close to losing his sanity in that abandoned town (with those
church bells). How did you prepare yourself – both acting-wise and
mentally – for that heavy scene?

Acting-wise,
I approach most scenes pretty much the same way. As a dubber, it’s
important to take cues from the original Japanese version. They were,
after all, the original actors in the scene. So being aware of the mood
and scope of the scene helps to give an authentic performance that
people find credible. It also helps to understand the show in a larger
context than just the episode you’re working on. This reduces character
twists from taking you by surprise and allows you give a consistent
performance throughout the scene, the episode and ultimately the whole
series. The emotional side is quite different though. If you’re doing a
scene like the one you mentioned in Gun X Sword, you want to
put more of yourself into it. It’s obviously very important to try and
feel the way the character feels to the best of your ability. But I may
deviate slightly from the original Japanese version in order to give
the best performance I can in my own style. I think with the really
emotional stuff, being yourself is the key to coming across as
convincing to the audience. Anime fans are pretty smart, they can tell
when you’re displaying genuine emotion or not.

Hanamichi Sakuragi of Slam Dunk
is also quite a challenging character to play. Did portraying this
well-loved anime icon present any problems for you and how did you
overcome them?

Hanamichi
presents daily problems in terms of just being able to make my words
fit his mouth! That’s definitely what I find so fun about the character
though. I’d say the challenge is just working with the director to make
each performance as funny, energetic and fast-paced as the original.
He’s by no means the only character in the show though, so I guess not
accidentally spitting on my colleagues while in the middle of a
trademark Hanamichi tirade would be the second challenge!

In
your opinion, why do you think that considerable attention is now being
given to voice actors compared to past decades? Do you feel any
pressure from a much divided anime "fandom" who can’t seem to get along
on which is better – subtitled or dubbed anime?

I
think the companies behind the really famous animation shows over the
decades realize that the people watching are actually interested in the
people portraying their favourite characters. Voice acting used to be
considered a fairly lowly position to have in the animation process,
and only recently have the more famous voice actors been given the
credit and exposure that their talent deserves. As far as the divide
over the “Subtitle VS Dubbing” debate, I think it’s just important that
people have a choice. There’s always going to be people who want to
keep everything as it was originally created, and that’s important. But
I think dubbing a an anime into another language allows the viewer to
see the anime a way that’s a bit closer to the original experience, in
terms of having someone act the scene to you, instead of reading
subtitles. As long as people have the choice, I think everyone will be
happy.

David Adam Bridges side by side with one of his anime counterparts — Le Chevalier D’Eon’s Durand

[PHOTO CREDIT  © TOW UBAKATA • Production I.G/ Project Chevalier 2006]

It should be said that one of the reasons why The Count of Monte Cristo became so popular was because of David Adam Bridges,
the voice actor who stirred fans’ hearts with his heart-rending
portrayal of Franz D’Epinay. Although he later on did a wide variety of
dramatic and comedic characters, he remains, in the opinion of many
anime fans (including yours truly!), to be THE voice actor who could
portray death scenes with great intensity. Just see how he handled Le Chevalier D’Eon’s Durand so marvelously.

Let’s get to know Animax voice actor David Adam Bridges in this week’s blog…

Honestly, I found
this job online. I’d never done it before, but I did have some acting
experience both professionally and leisurely. But it’s not something
I’d never even considered until I saw the advertisement. But as soon as
I did, I thought I’d be good at it and it’d be a lot of fun. And as it
turns out, I was and it is. So here I am now.

Many
fans have the impression that anyone could become a voice actor. Some
have even gone so far as to say that "Voice actors are born and not
made." Is this true or not? And why? 

I don’t know. I
certainly think that anyone can do anything if they try hard enough.
The thing is, some people would have to try and practice a lot harder
than others. For me it was that I could just do it from the start, but
of course since then, I’ve grown and learned more and experimented with
different voices and things. There’s a lot more to it than just
speaking though. You have to be able to read the other actors you’re
working with to know who’s going to do what and when. You have to be
able to read the script, interpret, then speak with the right meaning
and inflection in your voice in an instant while at the same time
trying to sound interesting. You need range in voice to be able to do
it, as is so often needed — a big tough mean sounding deep gruff guy
for this line, a high soft airy lighthearted boy for that line, an
confused old man for this, a nerdy kid for that, a heroic strong yet
cool guy for the other and something random for a guy in the crowd. And
then you have to remember the exact voices you’ve done for the next
week after having done three other cartoons in between. It’s easy in a
way and you get used to it, but it’s tiring sometimes as you can
understand. So, what I mean is, though I believe anyone could do it, if
they practiced and trained and trained and practiced, it takes a
special kind of person to be able to do it well from the start.

That’s a hard
question. Do you know just how many characters I’ve done over the
years? ‘Cause I don’t. Probably almost a thousand if you count all of
them. And personally I don’t have a lot of favorites. Just things I
like and things I don’t as much. But let’s try. My favorite. Alright,
you’re not going to like this but two of these are going to be from the
same cartoon. My favorite would be Master Roshi from Dragonball.
He was a super fun character to play because 1. He was so strange and
quirky all the time and 2. He’s like Yoda. He’s the ultimate master who
never loses. He sometimes gives up of his own accord to teach a lesson,
but you just know he’s the man regardless. I can’t think of any
specifics for the most challenging, but it would definitely be a
character who’s realistic and emotional. Funny and goofy is easy, but
realistic is hard. Especially if that character has a very serious
personality. I’m not a serious person in life so seriousness is
something that really takes it out of me. And when I act emotional I
really feel that emotion and sometimes it’s hard to recover from that.
Crazy psychotic bad guys like Creed Diskenth from Black Cat who I did. Most memorable would be grown up Goku, also from Dragonball just
because he’s my favorite anime character from my favorite show. I was
so psyched to be able to play him. So I’m sure he’ll be the character I
remember most.

In the
past, you have moved TV viewers with your heartbreaking acting as Franz
in "Count of Monte Cristo", in particular, the climactic death scene in
the anime. Your acting chops were also put to the test in your role as
Durand in "Le Chevalier D’Eon". Some fans have said that when it comes
to angst or dying characters, you are obviously the "Master". How do
you prepare yourself - both acting-wise and mentally - for such heavy
scenes?

Gosh, The Master
of Angst, eh? That’s a pretty cool title. Hehe. Well, as an actor, and
especially a voice actor where anything could happen, you just have to
be ready to play any type of person. But when it comes to major roles
like these where the characters are so serious, I just have to put
myself into their world and, as I said before, literally feel as an
actor what they feel as a character. It does make me uncomfortable to
do that (no one likes to feel sorrow or anger or helplessness), but
it’s not about me, is it? It’s about the audience. So I give what I
can.

Right. This one’s easy. It’d have to be the later Dragonball
chronicles as Goku. I only got to play him for a few episodes as he was
a little kid for most of the series we did and was played by Andrea.
But that’d be what I’d like to do most. Goku, Dragonball. My favorite character.

Hmm. After work I
usually just go home. But if I really want to unwind, I’ll go catch a
movie or something. I try to practice Muay Thai regularly if I can be
bothered and I’ve recently taken up bowling, usually with David Lee
McKinney and Emily Woo Zeller, and golf, or I go hang out with Scott
Evans, all of whom are other voice actors I work with. They’re all cool
people though, everybody I work with including the boss and the
technicians at the studio.

Yeah sure, why
not? If you can do it well and it comes naturally to you, if you enjoy
it give it a shot. It’s pretty low stress, you’re an integral part of
production and, for the most part, it’s fun. Voice actors are like any
other actors. They’re not your average run of the mill employees. A
voice actor needs to seek perfection in his (or her) craft and has to
stay on his toes, is always ready for a challenge and is versatile in
character. He’s got to be focused but relaxed and calm yet energetic.
And, just like any actor, has to be able and willing to put himself in
anyone’s shoes.

[Catch David's performance as Goku in Dragonball, Ryota Miyagi in Slam Dunk, and Gord in .Hack//Roots. Just check your local listings for the schedules of these shows.]

Ouran High School Host Club © Hatori Bisco, BONES, VAP, ANIMAX/NTV.

The blog you are
reading today was requested by my niece. She asked me why don’t I write
a blog about anime love teams, it being Valentine’s Day and all.
However, not being exactly a huge fan of romance in general, I had to
rely on the opinions of a few friends who are diehard otaku as to who
are the most memorable love teams in anime.

Here are everyone’s choices in ascending order…

15. Gennosuke and Oboro (Basilisk)

When you say "star-crossed lovers", the term most definitely describes Gennosuke and Oboro of the samurai action drama Basilisk, which makes Romeo and Juliet seem
mild in comparison. Same as in Shakespeare’s play, our lovers come from
rival ninja families, who are hoping for their clans to be unified with
their coming marriage…until the nasty emperor decides to rekindle the
centuries old feud by choosing them to represent his two sons who are
line for the throne. Whichever clans win, the son they represented will
become the new emperor. Sadly, Gennosuke and Oboro are forced to become
bitter enemies, which leads to a heartbreaking ending.

14. Van and Wendy (GUNXSWORD); Saiga and Kagura (Speed Grapher)

These two anime
came dangerously close to portraying romances between middle-aged men
and girls half their age. In the case of Van and Wendy, it’s pretty
obvious in the way Wendy dotes on Van and her apparent jealousy towards
Carmen 99 and Priscilla. On the other hand, Kagura clings desperately
to Saiga as they are pursued by evil villains. Love, however, triumphs
in the end despite the age difference…by letting the male characters
wait a bunch of years until their teenaged sweetheart comes of LEGAL
age. That’s the power of the scriptwriter for you!

13. Tenchi and Ryoko (Tenchi Muyo!); Keiichi and Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess); Kei and Mizuho (Please! Teacher)

It’s a
time-honored anime tradition to pair off a clueless, clumsy, somewhat
nerdy High School boy with a bombshell, whether she is a hot-blooded
alien or a sweet goddess. The fact remains that it’s a pairing that
ALWAYS clicks among fans. However, fans would always remember Tenchi
and Ryoko, Keiichi and Belldandy, and Kei and Mizuho as the best
couples of this lot.

12. Hitomi and Van (Vision of Escaflowne)

Behind every
angsty prince from another dimension is a kind-hearted Earth girl to
always bring him back to his senses. Credit to Escaflowne’s
success lies in the fact that Hitomi is not like your everyday
damsel-in-distress who counts on the man in her life to save her. Nope,
she also gets into action and ends up saving not only Van and Allen,
but a whole universe as well.

11. Yusuke and Keiko; Kuwabara and Yukina (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Bit of an
argument developed with this one. While many obviously loved the
pairing of battle-crazy Yusuke and level-headed Keiko, quite a few
defended the unlikely pairing of brash Kuwabara and timid Yukina. I
don’t think Hiei was happy about his little sister being paired off
with Kuwabara though.

10. Pete Pumps and Tazusa Sakurano (Ginban Kaleidoscope)

Although a relatively new pairing, Pete and Tazusa of Ginban Kaleidoscope
deserved to be mentioned for being quite a lively and funny couple,
despite the fact that poor Pete is just a spirit. Too bad the
scriptwriter couldn’t think of a nice ending to the story by actually
bringing the two of them together…like having Pete get reincarnated?
Or maybe Pete has had enough of the tomatoes that Tazusa had been
shoving down his throat?

9. Ranma and Akane (Ranma 1/2)

There’s a kind of
citrusy taste to Ranma and Akane’s relationship — sweet but with a
touch of sourness that is not only caused by martial arts rivalry, but
by the natural envy of a girl (Akane) towards another girl (female
Ranma) who is better endowed beauty-wise than she. Of course, you don’t
see Kunou complaining, even if he gets punched and kicked to kingdom
come.

8. Seiji and Midori (Midori Days)

They say it’s
nice to have a girlfriend on hand, but this is ridiculous. Still, it
cannot be denied that Seiji and Midori were a very memorable couple,
simply owing to the fact that Midori was so patient enough to endure
Seiji’s immaturity and even saw being stuck to his right hand as a
blessing in disguise. Unlike Pete and Tazusa, however, they DID get
together in the end. Happy, happy!

7. Tamaki and Haruhi (Ouran High School Host Club); Kyouhei and Sunako (Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge)

There’s a saying
that "Opposites attract." This statement aptly describes these two love
teams, who are as different as night and day. From Ouran High School Host Club,
you have level-headed commoner Haruhi being paired off with
bubble-headed rich boy Tamaki. (Personally, I preferred the
Kyouya/Haruhi pairing). Then, in Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge,
pretty bully boy Kyouhei ends up falling for horror queen wannabe
Sunako. Certainly makes for romance that is funny and bittersweet at
the same time.

6. Shiro and Saber (Fate/Stay Night)

The dynamics of
the Shiro and Saber love team is pretty unique…because you have a
lovely young lady defending a gallant Magician who, in true male
fashion, wants to defend her. In the end, they joined forces to help destroy an evil menace. Sadly, they too split up at the anime’s conclusion.

5. Kenshin and Kaoru (Samurai X)

Ask any Samurai X
fan and they would tell you how much they loved the fact that the love
of Kenshin and Kaoru endured through all the villains and uprisings
that were thrown their way. Even when their love story ended in
tragedy, they stuck together up till the very end of their young lives
that were cut abruptly short. Nuff said or else I’ll start blubbering
like an idiot.

4. Ryuuki and Shuurei (Colourcloud Palace)

Everyone just
loves Ryuuki and Shuurei, and with good reason. It’s not every day that
you get to see an immature emperor taught the ways of the world by a
poor, but very intelligent young lady (who has a tendency to nag as
well). It should be mentioned that while this pairing is very popular,
I’ve got friends who are also rooting for Seiran and Shuurei and
Sakujun and Shuurei. Aaaaah…just let Shuurei choose the man she’ll
love, will ya?!

3. Syaoran and Sakura (Card Captor Sakura & Chronicles of the Wings); Hideki and Chee (Chobits)

CLAMP certainly
do know how to create real memorable love teams. While Syaoran and
Sakura are top favorites among fans, I have a soft spot in my heart for
the cyber-love team of Hideki and Chee from Chobits.

2. Inuyasha and Kagome (Inuyasha)

Although I’m not a fan of Inuyasha,
I’ve always found the love team of Inuyasha and Kagome very refreshing
to watch. Kagome especially is probably one of the few female anime
characters that I like because she is no damsel-in-distress who relies
on Inuyasha to get her out of any tight predicament; she tries to do
something herself. Of course, I always get a kick out of Kagome telling
a nagging Inuyasha to "Sit, boy!" Now, that’s a woman who knows how to
put her man in his place!!

1. Tamahome and Miaka (Fushigi Yuugi)

Let it be said
that everyone was unanimous in choosing Tamahome and Miaka as the most
memorable anime love team of all-time. Personally, I found Miaka
irritating and she always needs to be saved by the Seven Star Warriors.
Still, I guess every female anime fan loves the idea of a strong,
handsome man coming to the rescue of a helpless (groan!) female.