It has been an exciting couple of months, with great new shows debuting overseas and licenses being announced at home. As con season cools down a bit before the next round, the coverage at Anime Dream is just beginning to heat up. We have a bunch of media for you from across the Pacific, today. From a world in the sky to a world of swords and magic, our two sets of screenshots are sure to tickle your fancy. And to top it off, we have a mini-showcase of two women of incredible musical faculty, who came out of the woodwork within the last year or so. As with the other media spotlights, these shows and these people are things that I personally believe deserve mention, and get a recommendation by default. Be our guest and indulge in this feast for the eyes and ears all you like. We also have a few new wallpapers for you to remember us by, courtesy of staff member Nukunuku.

Our first set of screenshots is from studio GONZO's 10th anniversary project, titled Last Exile. Pioneer hurriedly snatched up the license for domestic release, and made the announcement at A-kon 2003. Last Exile follows the story of a young aviator named Claus Valca, and his navigator and business partner, Lavie Hed. They live relatively simple lives, until a special assignment comes their way: to deliver a letter to the leader of an army, in the middle of a battle. The unique thing about the show is the way in which the battles are conducted. They are "supervised" by an organization called Gild, and consist of airships lining up with soldiers on their decks and shooting at each other, which is explained as the chivalrous approach to battle. When Lavie and Claus arrive on the scene, things are going well for the army to which they're delivering the letter. That is, until a third army shows up out of nowhere and starts shooting. When a plea to Gild to stop the battle fails, it appears that things are changing in the world. We hope you enjoy the 15 screenshots of Last Exile that we have for you, from the first two episodes. The show looks promising from all angles, and you can be sure we'll keep an eye on it.

Claus, Lavie, and their Vanship, which flies despite not looking much like a plane.
Warships in the air, in dubious battle. And Claus and Lavie caught up in the middle of it due to an assignment.
Commander Madsein's daughter asks Claus and Lavie to deliver a letter to her father during their assignment, but things are going sour when they arrive.
The letter ends up rubbing the hardened military types the wrong way, except for its intended recipient.
Lavie tells the rest of them where to...er, go. And the story ends with a happy ending! (Of course, there are plenty of episodes left for that to change.)

The second set of screenshots that we have for you is from an endearing light-hearted drama by studio BONES, titled Scrapped Princess (a.k.a. Sutepri). The story is a fantasy tale, about a girl prophecized to be the poison who will destroy the world when she turns sixteen. She was tossed away at birth as an attempt to avert the prophecy, but she survived and is now fifteen (think 'Oedipus Rex' with a twist). Her name is Pacifica, and she travels with her adoptive brother (Shannon) and sister (Raquel), constantly trying to avoid all the people who want to kill her - which is pretty much everyone. With a cast of wonderful characters and an intriguing plot, Scrapped Princess is a show to watch for. We have 24 screenshots of the show for you. Be sure to stay tuned to Anime Dream for more information on this great series as it arrives!

Siblings Shannon, Raquel, and Pacifica; the main characters of Scrapped Princess.
Pacifica is part spoiled brat and part cheerful sweetheart. The middle picture is an example of the show's pretty scenery.
Raquel and Shannon protect their little sister from harm. This is trying for Pacifica, because she can only stand and watch.
There is a whole host of adversaries trying to get at the scrapped princess.
Don't look at her like that! She's only 15! Ahem, the three siblings have a pretty playful relationship most of the time.
Pacifica finds out the hard way that the hands of the Church are far-reaching, and there aren't many people she can trust.
Raquel goes a little overboard protecting her sister.
The important discussions in the show have a way of being interrupted by fiends. This time it's Chris, a member of a special assault force employed by the Church.

We seem to be entering a Renaissance of sorts in anime music. With exciting new composers and vocalists entering the scene (such as composer Yuki Kajiura and singer Chiaki Ishikawa, who make up See-Saw), some fantastic music has cropped up. Two such artists made their way into this media spotlight: Ms. Mikuni Shimokawa, and Ms. Rie Tanaka. Ms. Shimokawa is probably best known for her performance of the opening and closing songs for Full Metal Panic!: Tommorrow and Karenai Hana (Unwithering Flower). Her firm but seldom forceful voice can also be heard in the opening theme to "Kino no Tabi - The Beautiful World," in the opening and closing songs for "Dragon Drive," and of course her two albums: "39" (produced by the well-respected Kohmi Hirose) and "392 - Mikuni Shimokawa Best Selection." The strength in her voice rivals that of See-Saw's Chiaki Ishikawa, and she also displays a seductively sweet and emotive sound in her ballads. We have two samples of Ms. Shimokawa's music below. The first is from the opening theme to Full Metal Panic!, "Tommorrow." The second is off her "392" album: a pretty ballad titled "Hajimari (Beginning)."

The second vocal artist we're showcasing today is Ms. Rie Tanaka. Ms. Tanaka hasn't been around very long, but it seems the fans (myself included) just can't get enough of her. With two full solo albums, a handful of singles, and a few anime voice roles behind her, the future seems bright for this incredibly talented woman. Her chief talent is her range: in both musical ability and expression. This is easily seen in her voice work, ranging from the mature and sinister voice of Morgana in .hack//SIGN, to the nominally pitched voice of Mitsuki Sanada in Dual!, to the soft and cutesy Chii in Chobits. She also mixes it up a bit in her current role as Lacus Clyne in Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED (Mobile Fighter Gundam SEED), having a soft and gentle voice one minute, and being stern and commanding the next. Ms. Tanaka has also had roles in D.N.Angel, Great Teacher Onizuka, Azumanga Daioh, Hanaukyo Maid Tai, Steel Angel Kurumi, and UFO Princess Walk�?�¼re, among others.

Her singing career has been as impressive as her voice acting career lately. She has two full albums out (Garnet and 24 Wishes), and a third on the way (Chara de Rie, due out 9/10/03). The latter will contain songs from Chobits and Gundam SEED, as well as some new songs. Her voice is present on several soundtracks and image albums for Chobits, UFO Princess Walk�¼re, Azumanga Daioh, and others, as well as a few drama CDs.

We have two samples of Rie Tanaka's beautiful singing voice for you. The first is from a song she sings as her character (Lacus Clyne) early in Gundam SEED. The song is titled "Shizuka na Yoru ni" (A Quiet Night), with music by Sahashi Toshihiko (Gundam SEED's chief composer), and the lyrics and arrangement by Yuki Kajiura. The second is off a cute little tune that appeared on the Chobits "Raison d'Etre" single, by the name of "Hitomi no Tonneru" (Tunnel of the Eyes).

Tommorrow (Full Metal Panic! OP)

Hajimari

Mikuni Shimokawa's Site

Shizuka na Yoru ni

Hitomi no Tonneru

Rie Tanaka's Site