Snapshots: Monochrome Factor April 8
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Finally some proper boy loving to watch, as Monochrome Factor (モノクローム・ファクター) enters the tableaus of TV Tokyo, Mondays at 26:00 JST.
Based on Sorano Kairi’s action comedy manga in a paranormal setting, director Kou Yuu of Loveless fame takes up another pretty boy project. With the 5th volume of the original work just out, screenwriter Kawahara Yuuji (also from Loveless) will have his work cut out for him if he’s going to fill the supposed 24-26 episodes the show is rumoured to be planned for. These two also worked together on the second season of Zero no Tsukaima, and they totally raped the plot in that, so I’m not very hopeful here.
The story’s hero is second year high schooler and semi-bad boy Nikaidou Akira, who likes to skip class and get chased by a cute disciplinary patrol student girl called Suzuno Aya. On his way home from another lazy day on the school rooftop, he encounters an eccentric platinum blonde in a black coat and hat. With an enticing voice, the stranger asks to have a little talk with Akira, and after addressing him with his full name, the long-haired beauty has Akira’s full attention. An introduction is made, and Akira is made aware that the person speaking to him is known as Shirogane, and soon it’s apparent that Shirogane is not human, but a Shade. When Akira refuses Shirogane’s request to come along someplace where they can be alone, Shirogane makes a puzzling remark that they’ll meet again soon, as they are fated to be together, then vanishes.
Later that evening, Akira lies in bed pondering the strange meeting, when the doorbell is rung by his classmate Asamura Kengo. The cheerful Kengo drags Akira out to an arcade, where they rescue an 11-year-old university graduate researcher genius (a character original to the anime, apparently) from some brutes. Out of the blue, Aya appears with a shinai and chases them out of the establishment, but the three eventually end up back at school to pick up an item the lass forgot in her desk. Passing through the dark hallways, they’re suddenly attacked by a huge lizard-like monster. Akira manages to drive away the black bug, but several more emerge from the darkness. Luckily this is where Shirogane makes a second appearance, to save the day with a magic barrier.
Shirogane explains the fiends are Kokuchi from the world of Shade, and that Akira’s help is needed to fight them. After a bit of love quarrel, Akira rushes out of the barrier despite warning, but the ground swallows him. Again, Shirogane saves him, by dragging his body out. In the process, Akira has lost his shadow, and is now a Shade as well. Shirogane explains the way to counter it is to establish a covenant between the two, transforming him into a Shin. This turns out to be done through a long, deep kiss, and after a light effects display, Akira’s hair has turned black from the original brown, and he’s wielding dual knives. With his newfound powers he then deals with the rest of the monsters easily.
Come morning, the two stand alone in the schoolyard. Shirogane tells Akira that his new life as a Shade has made him invisible to others, and that they should take this opportunity to elope. Yet Akira is not convinced, and asks if there’s no way to reverse the effect. Shirogane replies that it just might be possible if they exchange another kiss, but a blushing Akira expresses his disbelief, pointing out that there was chanting involved last time, and wonders if the kiss was really necessary. With a wide smile, Shirogane says that it was, because of love. A moment later, Shirogane is gone once more, but as Akira looks around, a bright light glows from within him, and he finds himself turning back to normal - shadow and all. Presently Kengo and Aya come running from the school building, and in confusion, Akira asks them if they can actually see him. When they can’t seem to understand what he’s getting at, he acts a bit nutty, and his two friends watch his hair-pulling antics bemusedly.
The animation’s done by a company called ACGT, who’ve worked on Kino no Tabi to name one title, but in this case it looks very plain and generic, where the monster design is especially flat. The comedy bits are in chibi mode and do seem to have more frames, though. The music is some sort of collaboration between Abo Takeshi and Murakami Jun, but it still sounds like cheap game music to me. Protagonist Akira is played by Ono Daisuke, fresh off Jin in Dragonaut, so you’re bound to love him. In contrast, Suwabe Junichi (Greed in Fullmetal Alchemist) makes Shirogane sound very seductive. Asano Masumi (Mai in Popotan) is great as Aya, and pretty much makes the show worth watching all on her own.
If the summary seems long today, it’s because I couldn’t figure out how to say “Boy meets cross-dressing weirdo and turns into monster hunting superhero” in any less words. While I can’t actually list any titles off the top of my head, I’m sure I’ve seen this exact same show a dozen times before, albeit not necessarily quite so gay. The comedy bits are somewhat amusing, but the monster battles are so dreary that I hope there’ll be a really unique and original boss type waiting behind the curtains, or only the most bored viewers will bother to watch it to the end. Of course, even Kaze no Stigma had some fans, so who knows.
XKlibur at 11:22 am on April 8th, 2008
OMG!! It sucks just like Kaze no Stigma
Sensei-kun at 11:40 am on April 8th, 2008
It’s alright about 69%…
Leon at 12:04 pm on April 8th, 2008
“Surprise yaoi” best describes this.
ona at 12:22 pm on April 8th, 2008
…in all the research I’ve done on this season, not once did I come across any information indicating that this was a shounen-ai series. ‘Surprise yaoi’ indeed.
Impz at 12:55 pm on April 8th, 2008
I stopped watching after the 7th minute. I cannot even bother blogging and making an episode summary for it. Good job, I wonder how you did it. ^^
Patrik at 12:58 pm on April 8th, 2008
Impz - Omni pays me in hugs and kisses, so I can blog anything, knowing that warm, sweet love awaits me.
T_I at 1:08 pm on April 8th, 2008
Wow, this has even more BL vibes than Nabari no Ou
aikat at 1:12 pm on April 8th, 2008
omg…they change the anime into a yaoi show…god damn! THE PINK LIPS!? WTF!( &%(@!&%(@(*& man…they just ruin the anime for me -.-”’ but i’m gonna keep reading the managa =/
divine|s at 1:25 pm on April 8th, 2008
Kaze no Stigma, which also starred Ono Daisuke, was pretty entertaining though. Also, Suwabe Junichi played Gio from Dragonaut, so they’re both fresh off that horrid project.
Personally, I wouldn’t have minded the genericness of this series, because I agree that Asano Masumi’s portrayal of Suzuno Aya (i.e. a tsundere) is fun to watch. However, the feminine-looking Shirogane sounding like Nekoyashiki Ren from Rental Magica (who is also played by Suwabe Junichi) is putting images of a gay Nekoyashiki in my mind–something I don’t enjoy whatsoever.
Other than that, the remainder of the cast makes me want to keep watching the show though. It’s quite an all-star cast with Kamiya Hiroshi (Tieria Erde in G00, Itoshiki Nozomu in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Takemoto Yuuta in H&C), Yoshino Hiroyuki (Allelujah Haptism in G00, Nobuse Miyokichi in true tears), Konishi Katsuyuki (Ishida Toraji in Bamboo Blade, Sergay Wang in Mai-Otome), Saiga Mitsuki (Kousaka Makoto in Genshiken, Chie Hallard in Mai-HiME/Otome, Johan in Shakugan no Shana II), Okiayu Ryotara (Kuchiki Byakuya in Bleach, Furukawa Akio in CLANNAD, Scar in FMA, Andrew Waltfeld in GSEED), and last but not least, Tamura Yukari (Yoshino Sakura in Da Capo, Furude Rika in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Kawasumi Mai in Kanon, Wakatsuki Syuri in Myself; Yourself, Tenten in Naruto, Sugiura Midori in Mai-HiME/Otome, Sunohara Mei in CLANNAD).
divine|s at 1:28 pm on April 8th, 2008
Also, the Japanese wiki page for Monochrome Factor lists this series as 2クール (i.e. 2 seasons), so we’re looking at 24-26 episodes.
Patrik at 1:39 pm on April 8th, 2008
divine|s - Hrm, OK, wonder where they’re getting the information, though. The official website for the anime only has 13 spots for “episode information”, and with only 5 volumes, I’m not sure how they’re going to fill 26 episodes. Anyway, it’s just an assumption on my side, hence the “seems”. Holler if you run across official statements on the matter.
Pandora at 2:02 pm on April 8th, 2008
A BL-ish anime adaptation? That’s just weird, since I sense very little BL-ish element in the manga, if at all (and I am usually pretty good at reading between the lines). The kiss (or whatever it was) is definitely not in the manga. But I absolutely adore Suwabe Junichi, so I might give this one a try just for his voice alone.
az0k at 2:20 pm on April 8th, 2008
Why do they even make some stupid shonen-ai crap in the first place?
divine|s at 2:27 pm on April 8th, 2008
Patrik: Yeah, I’ll let you know if I find anything more “official”. It’s wikipedia after all, so I have no idea how authentic that information is either.
Peaches at 2:29 pm on April 8th, 2008
Bitch bitch bitch, I’m glad there’s something other than ecchi stuff coming out this season, even if it isn’t that exciting. Seriously, so far everything coming out has been catering to boys… fan girls need love too.
Reikalover at 3:15 pm on April 8th, 2008
Too bad the animation quality seems quite average, and the fact that this is not aired on HD just makes me sad. I had great expectations towards the animation quality, as the first drafts of character designs were pretty good, and so was the commercial and promotions.
Let’s just hope Monochrome Factor delivers on the story side of the production, it trully has a big potential (at least the manga has it).
caraniel at 3:17 pm on April 8th, 2008
Fangirl or not, I’m not sure that I need this kind of love! When looking through the pre-season stuff, even though there was no mention of BL I immediately thought yaoi when looking at the artwork. May give it a go just for the craic.
Story at 3:19 pm on April 8th, 2008
…this is shonen-ai?
Oh. Well, I may find time to watch this, then.
tamahome at 3:26 pm on April 8th, 2008
This looks like the kind of anime that my friend would fall in love with. I’m sure of it. :/
Leviahan at 4:06 pm on April 8th, 2008
So I heard u liek gay shows, Patrik. Could this mean you’re a HOMO, my dear Patrik?