
"The world is progressing day by day. The thing
that continues to progress the most in the world is electronic
technology. And within that, the number one thing that is
advancing is its connection to toys and the creation of a 'World
of Toys.' The first of these toys is an egg that came from a
dream, 'Angel Egg.' If an individual shows wisdom, love,
and courage, they can raise an egg into an 'angel.' That's
Angelic Layer."
- revised translation from
CLAMP's Angelic Layer: Battle One
As the world continues to be taken
by storm by the latest Japanese sensation, Angelic
Layer, it is our pleasure to present to you, our
readers, a showcase of up and coming Angelic Layer
participants, to inspire and encourage new people to join in the
phenomenon that is Angelic Layer. With that, we are proud to
present an interview with Misaki Suzuhara, a
sixth grader at Arial Middle School who has been shooting up the
ranks of Angelic Layer recently.
ANIMEfringe: Well, first of
all, thank you for allowing us the privilege of conducting this
interview, Suzahara Misaki-san.
Misaki:
Thanks, I feel so famous now...
ANIMEfringe:
Ever since your spectacular victory against Suzaka and Ranga at
the official Angelic Layer tournament a while ago, you and
Hikaru have been one of the teams to watch.
Misaki:
Whaaaa?!
ANIMEfringe:
Er, excuse me?
Misaki:
Oh.. sorry...
ANIMEfringe:
That's quite all right... Anyway, tell us, how did you first
learn about the smash-hit sensation Angelic Layer?
Misaki:
Well, it's kind of embarrassing... I was on my way to my aunt,
Shouko-san's house when I kinda got lost at Tokyo Station. Then I
heard this crowd cheering around some TVs, so I went over to see
what it was. And you can guess what it turned out to be...
ANIMEfringe:
...The famous, real time battles of Angelic Layer that are
featured from time to time on TV, right?
Misaki:
Yeah!! When I first saw it, I didn't really get it. It seemed
like these people were fighting and the smaller person was gonna
lose, but she really made a comeback and won in the end. I was
really interested to learn more about the show, so I asked a few
people around me. I learned it was called Angelic Layer.
And this guy named Icchan explained to me about the battles and
how the people fighting are really just a kind of doll, and that
I could even buy one.
ANIMEfringe:
And so you went and bought an Angel Egg?
Misaki:
Right! But, I didn't know where to look. The salesperson at this
one store just looked at me like I was weird; obviously he didn't
know what I was talking about. Then, Icchan appeared again and
pointed me in the right direction. I wound up spending all my
money on a ton of Angelic Layer stuff to get me started!
ANIMEfringe:
Icchan, huh? Tell us a little about this Icchan guy.
Misaki:
Well, ummm, Icchan has glasses and always wears a white coat. And
I always hear people calling him a pervert.
ANIMEfringe:
Pervert? Why do you think they call him that?
Misaki:
Because of the way he makes his appearances. He comes through
vents in the ceiling and pops out of UFO catcher machines and
stuff. And then he disappears very suddenly.
ANIMEfringe:
Hmm, interesting person...
Misaki:
He's really cool though. He trains me and he fixes Hikaru if she
gets hurt.
ANIMEfringe:
Sounds like you make a good team then. Tell us a little about
your angel, Hikaru.
Misaki:
Hikaru was made to look like the heroine from a manga I read a
while ago. She's small like me, and I cut her hair like mine. And
when she isn't battling in Angelic Layer, she's a happy
and enthusiastic girl.
ANIMEfringe:
Well, Misaki-san, we thank you for granting us this interview. We
here at ANIMEfringe wish you and Hikaru all the best of luck in
the future.
Misaki:
Thank you very muuucchh!
We are also pleased to present our
readers with a guide on how to get started with Angelic
Layer. This guide is designed to give future and
novice deus basic facts that they will need to know. This guide
should be used only as a supplement to the official texts
provided to deus by the Angelic Layer corporation.
Angelic Layer 101: A
Guide For Beginners
1. Obtaining an Angel
Egg
Angelic Layer puts the deus (short for deus ex
machina, or puppeteer) in charge of designing and shaping a
doll into a fighter. The first step is getting an egg. This can
be done by buying an egg from any officially licensed distributor
of official Angelic Layer Angel Eggs. Only officially
sanctioned dolls will be admitted to take part in official
Angelic Layer tournaments. Please remember that other items are
available for a deus to make their dolls. At no time is anyone
required to purchase any of these items, but doing so will make
the designing process much easier.
2. Opening the Angel
Egg
The official Angelic Layer
Angel Egg comes with a water-resistant, vinyl instruction
sheet containing product information and instructions that cannot
be reprinted. Please read these instructions thoroughly, because
improper care can damage the Angel Egg. The Angel
Egg contains an amount of shock-absorbing fluid to protect
the doll inside. The fluid will spill when the egg is opened, so
please open it while you are in an appropriate area, such as a
bathroom or over a sink. Please ask an adult for help with trying
to break the protective seal. Once the doll has been removed from
the egg, carefully rinse the shock-absorbing fluid off with water.
WARNING: The
shock-absorbing fluid can irritate eyes. If contact occurs, flush
thoroughly with water. Keep fluid away from open wounds. In case
of accidental ingestion, seek professional assistance or contact
a Poison Control Center immediately. They are listed in your
local phone book.
3. Creating a
personalized angel
The official Angelic Layer
Angel Egg and other separately sold accessories give the
owner the freedom to design and make their own angel. Suggested,
but not required, items include:
The official Angelic Layer Angel
Hair accessories line, which gives deus a wide
variety of hair types and colors to choose from for their Angel.
Please note that small children should let an adult help them
shape it.
The official Angelic Layer Angel
Clothes accessories line, which provides deus the
ability to personalize their angel's clothing and accessories.
Please note that some accessories contain small parts that can be
hazardous to small children. As with Angel Hair, small
children should let an adult assist them in personalizing their
Angel's look.
Once the Angel has been hatched
and designed, it is suggested that deus specify the parameters of
their Angels. Angels can be built for speed, or built for stamina.
They can be large, or small. The deus can also choose a name for
their Angel. It is important to choose a proper name, because
this will become the Angel's official name. Have fun!
4. Training your angel
Officially licensed Angelic
Layer Training Centers have the equipment needed to begin
practicing and honing an Angel's skills. The first visit to a
training center requires a small registration fee to be paid so
that a deus can receive an Angel Card that recognizes
the deus and their Angel as official Angelic Layer fighters.
Please note that only a few towns currently have Angelic
Layer Training Centers, but the list is always growing, so
please be on the lookout for new centers opening in your area if
you currently do not have one.
Many Angelic Layer Training
Centers are essentially remodeled karaoke rooms that now
contain the machines that can make an angel move. Suggested fees
for one session is ¥200, two sessions are ¥400, and so on. An
Angel Cord is required to connect the deus' headset with their
Angel. To connect to your Angel, simply plug the end of the
"line out" cord into the ports on the headset, and
connect the end of the "line in" cord into the port on
the angel. Power up the equipment, and you're ready to begin your
practice session.
During the first few sessions, a
deus should focus on getting their angel to open their eyes and
gaining coordination over movement. If a deus smiles, then the
headset senses it and passes that willpower onto the angel, thus
influencing the angel's actions. However, this only works in the
layer. If a deus is not concentrating, then the angel will not
move. The goal is to gradually learn how to make an angel move
and fight. Following the initial coordination practice,
subsequent sessions should involve basic training for fights and
improving the mental link between deus and angel. Good luck!
5. Where to go from
there
Once a deus feels comfortable with
their Angel, then it is suggested that they place their Angel
into battle. Each time a deus and their Angel win an Angelic
Layer fight, they recieve a point. Points can count toward Angelic
Layer products and other sanctioned merchandise. Deus are
encouraged to gain experience before entering an advanced Angelic
Layer fight, such as those held in the official Angelic
Layer Tournament. But, anyone is welcome to participate in
the official tournament, even if they do not have many Angel Card
credentials. Remember that you will not necessarily do badly
every time you enter a competition. Losing is a fact of life.
Your angel can not be killed and any damage that they suffer from
battle can, for the most part, be fixed. The most important thing
to remember is to have fun. Angelic Layer is only a game.
...And if actively participating
in the phenomenon that is Angelic Layer is not your
thing, then be sure to pick up the totally original, must-have
manga series Angelic Layer: Funny Little Battle Girl!!!,
by the world renowned Studio CLAMP, whose works include Magic
Knight Rayearth, X, Tokyo Babylon, and Card
Captor Sakura, to name a few. Mokona Apapa, Nanase Ohkawa,
Satsuki Ohkawa, Mick Nekoi, and their hordes of assistants strive
to bring an anime quality look and feel to all their series...
making anything they touch into an instant classic for fans
around the world!
A teaser poster for Angelic
Layer: Little Funny Battle Girl!!! appeared in the January
1999 Newtype, and the official launch of the manga
appeared in the February 1999 Monthly Shonen Ace. For
those who missed the first five chapters, they are currently
compiled by Kadokawa Comics in TPB form. Other volumes
will become available as the manga progresses. Currently, there
are no plans for an English commercial translation, but Heather
Sluys (aka Heta-chan) has translated the manga and has posted her
fan translations on her web site, A.I.L. Inc. (Adequately Interpreted Languages
Incorporated).
Angelic Layer: Character
Dossier |
Misaki Suzuhara
Misaki-chan is a sixth grade student at Arial Middle
School who likes to attempt things on her own, so she can
gain the experience. Misaki's dad died when she was young,
and her mother's job forces her to move almost monthly.
Due to this, Misaki was forced to live with her
grandparents so she could stay in Tokyo, and now Misaki
lives with her aunt, Shouko-san. Misaki has an open mind
and makes friends easily. Together with her angel, Hikaru,
they make a team that is virtually unstoppable due to
their strong emotional link. |
Hikaru
Hikaru is a speed type angel with a crippling special
attack called Sementobi. Hikaru has a small body
that is built for speed. When Hikaru was slightly damaged
after her battle against Suzuka, Icchan quickly repaired
and modified Hikaru using identical parts that are not
ordinarily found on the market. With this modification
and Misaki's growing level of experience in battle,
Hikaru gained a new level of power that makes her one of
the most powerful angels in Angelic Layer. |
Mihara (Icchan)
Chief Mihara is the man responsible for the founding of
Angelic Layer. The name "Icchan" is an
alias Mihara-san chose when he first helped Misaki get
started in Angelic Layer. Mihara chose the name so he
could freely move around and view the world he helped
create from a fan's point of view. Mihara believes he has
found, in Misaki, the one deus who has the most potential. |
Hatoko Kobayashi
Hatoko-chan is a five-year-old deus in kindergarten who
has already had experience in climbing the ladder of
official tournaments. Hatoko makes her opponents attack
first and then spends the majority of the match watching
the opposing deus' and Angel's actions. This is done so
she can use her Angel, Suzuka, to exploit any weaknesses
she observed in her opponent. |
Kousoku no Suzuka
"Light Speed Suzuka" is a speed-type
Angel with a powerful attack called Rolling Thunder.
Though Suzuka isn't very strong, she is small and
extremely fast. If her deus, Hatoko, can find a weakness
in the opponent's actions or defenses, Suzuka can quickly
pound the opponent before they realize what weaknesses
they gave away in the heat of battle. |
Ringo Seto
Ringo-chan is a well-known idol who recently started
fighting with her Angel Ranga. During battle, Ringo moves
her body so she can toy with her opponent during the
fight. Ringo can act like a stuck-up person at times, but
she is actually very friendly albeit annoying to her
opponents before and after matches. She is always
gracious though and thanks her opponents in her own
special way after a match. |
Odoru Ranga
"Dancing Ranga" is a speed-type Angel
with a distorting special attack called Hypnotic
Dance. Ranga is dressed as a Arabian dancer and with
her deus, Ringo, she can quickly put an opponent down
with repetition of attacks if Ringo discovers a weakness.
Ranga's attacks aren't very powerful, but this does not
make this Angel any less of an opponent in battle, thus
forcing the opponent to always be on guard. |
|
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Bibliography / Further
Resources:
Newtype 99 #1 (January)
Monthly Shonen Ace
Angelic Layer Volume 1 (ISBN4-04-713283-7)
Animerica Vol.7 #1
Clamp-Net Dot Com (Japanese)
Warse: Angelic Layer (Japanese)
A.I.L. Inc. (Adequately Interpreted
Languages Incorporated)
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