English publisher ADV Manga Magazine Monthly Ace Next | ||
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Genre Adventure, Romantic comedy, Sci-fi, Bisexual, Mecha |
Steel Angel Kurumi (Japanese: 鋼鉄天使くるみ, Hepburn: Kōtetsu Tenshi Kurumi) is a Japanese manga and anime series following the adventures of its titular character created by Kaishaku. Directed by Naohito Takahashi, animated by Oriental Light and Magic and produced by Pony Canyon with character designs by Yuriko Chiba and Yuji Ikeda and music by Toshihiko Sahashi, it has been translated and released in North America by ADV Films. In 2008 Crunchyroll announced it had partnered with Pony Canyon to release all Steel Angel Kurumi series' for streaming and download.
Contents
- Plot
- First series
- Second series
- Manga
- Steel Angel Kurumi
- Steel Angel Kurumi Encore
- Steel Angel Kurumi 2
- Steel Angel Kurumi Zero
- Live action series
- Reception
- References
The Kurumi series as a whole consists of the first show Steel Angel Kurumi, four OVA episodes entitled Steel Angel Kurumi Encore, and a second show by the name of Steel Angel Kurumi 2, plus a sort-of dramatic prequel "Steel Angel Kurumi 0". A live-action version was made, titled Steel Angel Kurumi Pure, but has a different continuity to the anime. This show was originally aired in Japan as part of WOWOW's Anime Complex.
The first anime series is set in an alternate history version of Japan during the Taishō period. While the second series takes place in the 21st century.
Plot
The story follows a young boy named Nakahito Kagura. He is pushed by a group of classmates to go into a house rumored to belong to a mad scientist. Inside, he comes across what seems to be a lifelike doll. At the same time, the Japanese Army carries out an attack on the house. During the attack the "doll" falls over and Nakahito accidentally kisses it, causing it to awaken. The doll turns out to be the Steel Angel Kurumi, who is being hunted by the military for mysterious reasons.
First series
Second series
Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese); Luci Christian (English)
Great granddaughter of either Nakahito or Kamihito, Nako is a bespectacled soft-spoken, shy, and clumsy 9th grade student at an all-girls school called Momonoki Academy. She lives at the old Kagura shrine with her single mother, Misaki (which proves even further that dark blue hair just runs in the family), and lives next door to her very rich neighbor and best friend, Uruka. Nako is also a very skilled cellist, and may prove to one day be famous. The day she found Kurumi was the day she gave her first kiss, and from then on was the new master of Steel Angel Kurumi. Now being the receiver of the same affection that was given to her great ancestor Nakahito, Nako is constantly chased and protected by Kurumi.Voiced by: Atsuko Enomoto (Japanese); Kelli Cousins (English)
A Steel Angel built by Dr. Ayanokouji and equipped with a Mark II Heart, she is reawakened by Nako's kiss in the first episode and gives the same affection to Nako that was given to her last master Nakahito.Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki (Japanese); Rozie Curtis (English)
A tenth grade high school student at Momonoki Academy and the best friend of Nako until Kurumi came along. Uruka is in love with Nako, and had originally hoped to be the one to take Nako's first kiss. On the day that Kurumi appeared, she was the first witness to see the fateful kiss, to which she could not get over for an entire day. Uruka now sees Kurumi as an obstacle to Nako and will try anything to remove Kurumi, even if it means asking her father to call upon the family's private army to take her down. When they find that Saki is a Steel Angel, the family army decides to use her as a weapon against Kurumi, the "source of Uruka-chan's unhappiness." On the day that Saki was to be awakened, Uruka was there to supervise the process, but got involved in a fantasy of her own, involving Nako, and ended up kissing Saki. Saki then falls in love with her new master, and Uruka wants nothing to do with her.Voiced by: Rikako Aikawa
The first animal Steel Angel, Kyanwan is Kurumi's pet dog that has the ability to transform into a jet, which then transforms into mechanical wings for Kurumi, or also into fins for speed underwater. Part cute "magical girl" pet and useful plot device, Kyanwan generally remains by Kurumi's side unless he is with Nako's mother.Voiced by: Unshou Ishizuka (Japanese); Tommy Drake (English)
Is Uruka's wealthy loving father who owns a entire collection of mecha robots and gear that his daughter Uruka uses to destroy Kurumi.Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Allison Keith (English)
Nako's eccentric single mother, who allow's Kurumi to live in her household.Voiced by: Susumu Chiba (Japanese); Jay Hickman (English)
Nako's music teacher.Manga
The manga was being produced at the same time of the anime however is significantly different from the anime. In the manga, Nakahito discovers Kurumi in the same fashion, he was being bullied and fell into Dr. Ayanoukoji's lab.
The academy travels back in time to find the world's greatest mystic. In order to do that, they give each nation the ability to design its own steel angel. They then hold a Steel Fight in order to see who the strongest mystic is. During the Steel Fight, all steel angels are shut down because of a revolt, and a demon exits her fake steel angel body. She places a curse on Nakahito and travels into the future. The crew also goes into the future to destroy the demon and remove the curse. They live with Dr. Amagi's granddaughter.
Steel Angel Kurumi
A 24-episode anime TV series was produced by the animation studio Oriental Light and Magic and directed by Naohito Takahashi. The anime aired in Japan between October 5, 1999 and April 4, 2000 on WOWOW.
Steel Angel Kurumi Encore
Four additional OVA short stories of the Steel Angels: Saki becomes a film actress, Karinka goes on a blind date with Kamihito, Kurumi practices the art of becoming a traditional Japanese woman, and the rest of the Steel Angels engage in a contest to win Nakahito's heart.
Steel Angel Kurumi 2
An alternate story of the Steel Angel Kurumi series set in the early 21st century. Bringing back the feeling of love polygons, the twist in this 12-episode continuation is that almost all of the characters are female, bringing a Yuri element to the story.
The story takes place back at the Kagura Shrine, in AD 200X, about 4 generations after Nakahito Kagura. One day, Nako Kagura and her best friend Uruka get lost in the shrine's basement labyrinth (formerly a bomb shelter) and run across a dog and a giant, scary, flying statue. As Nako and Uruka run away from the scary flying statue, Nako trips and is caught by the statue, which covers her in a divine light. She is then given a message by Dr. Ayanakouji through the statue, the statue then breaks apart and out falls Kurumi, right onto Nako's lips. Again, the events come full circle, and Kurumi awakens from a new master's kiss.
Steel Angel Kurumi Zero
This OVA story takes place in the distant future in which Kurumi, Saki, and Karinka all live inside of an apartment together along with their landlady Excelia. The 3 episode OVA which aired in the midst of the second series, takes place mainly inside of the apartment as Kurumi comes home to the apartment from school to notify her house mates that she has met a boy at school whom she has fallen in love with.
The story then proceeds from there as Kurumi handles her depression and loneliness after the boy she is in love with moves away from her, and then finds out that he is dying. In every episode, the feelings within Kurumi causes a glowing angel to appear before her, and later, in front of the others.
This series has a much darker story, with no comedy or action elements as evident in the other series. The color palette is very limited except for the characters who still keep their colorful, bright hair.
Live-action series
Steel Angel Kurumi Pure (鋼鉄天使くるみpure) is a 24 episode Japanese television drama produced in 2002. The story is set the 21st century where the rapid evolution of robot technology makes it possible to use them as nurses in hospitals. These new robots are then referred to as 'kangoroids'. Ayanokouji Corporation is the leading company in this area. They are developing new kangoroids for home use, which has the code name 'Steel Angel'. When the 1st prototype named Kurumi is completed, they choose one boy as its monitor. The boy is Nakahito Kagura, a nephew of the president of Ayanokouji Corporation. He is a junior high student but he has contained himself in his room after an incident and refuses to leave. He soon receives a package in the mail that contains the prototype Kurumi kangoroid. While he's embarrassed with Kurumi at first, her devotion slowly makes him accept her.
Reception
In a review at Anime News Network, Zac Bertschy commented that "The storyline is mostly forgettable" however he added that "The animation is smooth and polished, moreso than other series in this vein. The music, especially the catchy opening theme song, is surprisingly well-done and pleasant to listen to." Chris Beveridge from Mania gave Steel Angel Kurumi 2 a B and noted that "It's a sequel that, while it's not the best thing in the world, it doesn’t actively harm your thoughts on the first series."