CANAAN

I bet that almost everyone is not anymore oblivious about the new work from TYPE-MOON. CANAAN is based on an extra animated scenario (well ... sort of) that Takeuchi/Nasu team worked on for the "live-action" visual novel 428. If you're also not familiar with the game, no worries the series can be enjoyed without knowing anything, but you can spoil yourself at Akihabara Channel, where EvoSpace has generously provided a detailed summary of both the game and the extra scenario on Canaan and Alphard ... well the rest is quite spoilerish ;) Interested? Read, watch & listen more on:

1. Background & Development
2. Art & Animation
3. VAs, BGM & OP/ED
4. Characters & Plot
5. iPhone Torrents

CANAAN
aka 428
AniDB, ANN, Official, Thread@AnimeSuki, TV-Tropes, Preview
Studio: P.A. Works
Directed by: Ando Masahiro
Character Designs by: Sekiguchi Kanami
Original Character Designs by: Takeuchi Takashi (of TYPE-MOON)
Original Game by: Chunsoft, Sega (just in case you've never heard of it)
Original Scenario by: Nasu Kinoko (of TYPE-MOON)
Series Composition by: Okada Mari
Sawashiro Miyuki (Canaan), Sakamoto Maaya (Alphard), Nanjou Yoshino (Maria)
Tanaka Rie (Liang-Qi), Tomatsu Haruka (Yun²), Minagawa Junko (Natsume), Noto Mamiko (Hakkoo)
Hamada Kenji (Minoru), Oukawa Toru (Kamingusu), Hirata Hiroaki (Sentana)

Background & Development

The series was known in its initial planning stages as 428 The Animation when it was first announced in Newtype's October 2008 issue and by Sega at the 2008 Tokyo Games Show, where a trailer for the series was aired and announced as an adaptation of Type-Moon's original scenario for the game. The title was subsequently changed in December of the same year to CANAAN, with Sega also announcing that they would host a booth for the series in the 2008 Winter Comiket, where DVDs featuring specials and trailers for the show, packaged with a booklet featuring original character designs by Takashi Takeuchi and completed animation designs by animator Kanami Sekiguchi would be featured, along with CDs of the theme song, "Arousing Soul", performed by Faylan. [From wikipedia, but I can assure you it is fairly accurate for a change]

Art & Animation

Judging from the first couple of episodes, animation is top quality, even challenging Rakkyo, despite one being a TV show and the other a series of movies. Especially, the action scenes are fluid, well directed and choreographed, something quite rare even for action anime. The character designs are beautiful, very detailed and distict. Also with the exception of Canaan, they are quite different from what Takenuchi usually draws, though still very distinctive of his style. Another amazing feature is the atention to detail on background art, which depicts Shanghai very realistically, as well as the animation of crowds and the fluid integration of 3D CG.

VAs, BGM & OP/ED

Voice acting is also well done, but this is expected considering the names involved. Also I must applaud the inclusion of Chinese and English in many occasions which adds to the suspension of disbelief, especially for non-Japanese viewers. Finally, apart from the three theme songs, the BGM is very fitting and varies scene from scene.

Comiket Promo: "Arousing Soul" by Faylan

Opening Theme: "Mind as Judgement" by Faylan

Ending Theme: "My heaven" by Annabel

Characters & Plot

The atmosphere of the show is somewhat bleak, it will remind to many Black Lagoon, though because of the brighter pallette used and due to the philosophical stance of certain characters, it acts as an offset and balances the mood. The characters themselves are interesting and the main cast seems to have a lot of potential, but with only 13 episodes planned, do not expect a lot (if any at all) development. Putting that aside, the psychology of the main cast is explored through the events and interractive dialog instead of blatant and dull exposition.

iPhone Torrents
[iPhone-Raws] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
[iPhone-Subs] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
A/V Source: Zero-Raws, Subs Source: gg
Note that only when they become available internationally, I will kill the links ;)