January 21st Screening

Posted by: misa^2

Date: January 21, 2012
Time: 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Location: Lecture Room 1, Modern Language Building (812 East Washington, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
University of Michigan, Central Campus, Ann Arbor, Michigan

SCHEDULE:
(Some synopses modified from Anime News Network and Crunchyroll)

4:00: Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto (Theme)
Episodes 1-3
The Shogunate is in its final years, and war is fast approaching. When Akizuki Yojiro, a dark and mysterious mercenary, nears something supernatural with some kind of importance to him, the ornament on the end of his sword hilt waves in its direction, his eyes glow mysteriously, and he is driven to go after it. He comes across a traveling theater group who is out for revenge for the killing of the parents of the group's leader, and whose mysterious playwright likes to secretly help along events of history. Yojiro joins them to lend them his skill against their enemies, while dark conspiracy continues to follow behind him.

5:15: Guilty Crown
Episodes 1-3
On Christmas Eve 2029, the unidentified "Apocalypse Virus" spreads and plunges Japan into a state of emergency known as the "Lost Christmas" incident. An international organization known as the GHQ intervenes with martial law and restores order to Japan at the cost of its independence. Ten years later, Ouma Shu, a 17-year-old introverted high school student, meets Yuzuriha Inori, the lead singer for Egoist that has taken the Internet world by storm. However, he also discovers another side of her—she is a member of Undertaker, a resistance group that aims to liberate Japan from the GHQ. Shu starts taking part in the actions of Undertaker, and the "King's Mark" appears on his right hand. This mark bestows on him the power to reach inside another person's body and extract a weapon from it.

6:30: Star Driver (Sponsored by Crunchyroll) (Running Series)
Episodes 14-16
On Southern Cross Isle, a boy named Takuto enrolls in Southern Cross High School as a first-year student and makes some new friends. However, beneath the school is a group of mysterious giants called Cybodies, which can be controlled by humans in an alternate dimension known as Zero Time. Takuto, The "Galactic Pretty Boy", finds himself dragged into opposition with the "Glittering Crux Brigade". The Glittering Crux Brigade intends to take possession of the island's Cybodies for their own purposes, as well as break the seals of the island's four Shrine Maidens, whose powers prevent the Cybodies from functioning outside of Zero Time. The first seal has been broken, and Takuto finds himself allied with Sugata, pilot of the King's Cybody, and Wako, the South Maiden. Takuto and Sugata find themselves at odds over how to proceed against the Glittering Crux- and over Wako's heart. Independently, Marino and Mizuno, twin sisters at the school, are themselves in love with Takuto. The only problem for Marino is that she's a member of the Glittering Crux.

7:45: Break
Get some food, chat with staff or attendees about current season anime, or stick around for Steve Heise doing a rapid-fire rundown of this season's offerings.

8:30: Working'!!
Episodes 1-3
The family restaurant Wagnaria stands by itself in Hokkaido. One day Takanashi Sota, who loves all things small, meets tiny little Popura, who offers him a job working part time at the restaurant. Attracted to her petite stature, Sota accepts her offer. To his surprise, the restaurant is filled with eccentric characters. Get ready to dish up some wacky comedy together with Sota and his coworkers!

9:45: Raffle
We will be giving away some Japanese merchandise donated by Wizzywig Collectibles, as well as some gift certificates that are redeemable at their physical store. Wizzywig Collectibles is a locally-owned anime and Japanese merchandise shop. They can be found at 4720 South State Rd., Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, or you can order online at http://www.wizzywig.com/

10:00: Baccano! (Running Series) (Theme)
Episodes 1-3
Hot off the "Roaring Twenties" and headfirst into the uncertain volatility of the "Dirty Thirties," criminal syndicates stormed into power by bootlegging alcohol during the Prohibition Era, but the most notorious "liquor" of all time is about to set off a violent chain reaction within the mafia underworld. Each of the gritty stories in Baccano! involves an eclectic cast of innocent and not-so-innocent, turbulent characters in several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral further and further out of control. Immortal alchemists, mafia-operated speakeasies, and many other elements of pulp fiction are brutally mashed together for a explosive massacre straight out of crime noir movies.