The appeal and reviews of "Angel's Feather": A moving story and beautiful visuals

"Angel's Feather": A story of white wings and dark destiny

■Overview of the work

"Angel's Feather" was released as an OVA in 2006 and is based on the boys' love game Blue Impact. It consists of two episodes, directed by Yasuhiro Kuroda and animated by VENET. It was published by Full Media and distributed by Happinet Pictures, and each episode is about 30 minutes long.

■ Story

This is a story about the battle between Hamura Sho, a descendant of the White Wing Clan born in the human world, and his twin brother, Misono Kai. Their enemy is the Black Wing Clan, who have invaded their hometown. Sho transfers to the boarding school, Yusei Academy, and is reunited with his long-lost brother Kai, but Kai has lost his memory. Sho is confused by his rejection, while Kai is wary. A cruel fate begins that will not allow them to live a peaceful school life. What will become of the two brothers?

■Explanation

"Angel's Feather" is a story centered around Sho Hamura, a boy descended from a clan with white wings, and his twin brother Kai Misono, who was separated from him at a young age. The original is the boys' love game Blue Impact, and its worldview is recreated as an OVA. It is characterized by beautiful visuals and a deep storyline, and has been highly praised by fans.

■Cast

・Sho Hamura: Kappei Yamaguchi ・Kai Misono: Hikaru Midorikawa ・Anri Chikura: Yuki Miyata ・Shion Toudou: Hideo Ishikawa ・Sena Mizuochi: Yasunori Masutani ・Kurusu Osaka: Chihiro Suzuki ・Kyouhei Mitsugi: Tetsuya Kakihara ・Yuto Nakajo: Wataru Hatano ・Reiya Wakabayashi: Kazuhiko Inoue ・Ran Sakakibara: Jurota Kosugi

■ Main staff

・Original work: Blue Impact
・Director: Yasuhiro Kuroda ・Scriptwriter: Akiko Horii ・Direction: Kenichi Matsuzawa ・Character design: Kazue Yamamoto ・Character design and animation director: Ryotaro Akao ・Animation production: VENET
・Production: Angel's Feather Production Committee

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Premonition (April 28, 2006)
・Episode 2: In Search of Dawn (May 26, 2006)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1「ROCK STAR」
Lyricist: AKIHITO
Composer: AKIHITO
Lyrics and English translation: HIRO
Arranged by: Mitsuhiro Takizawa, Eight Sung by: Wataru Hatano, Tetsuya Kakihara

・ED1「LAST SONG」
Lyricist: AKIHITO
Composer: AKIHITO
Arranged by: Mitsuhiro Takizawa, Eight Sung by: Hideo Ishikawa, Chihiro Suzuki

■Detailed story and character analysis

The story of "Angel's Feather" is a tale of brotherly love and destiny between Sho Hamura and Kai Misono, set against the backdrop of the conflict between the White Wing Clan and the Black Wing Clan. Sho transfers to Yusei Academy in search of his twin brother Kai, whom he was separated from at a young age. However, when they are reunited, Kai has lost his memory and rejects Sho. This rejection marks a major turning point in the story, putting the relationship and destiny of the two to the test.

Hamura Sho is a descendant of the White Wing Clan and a character with a strong sense of justice and responsibility. His goal is to protect his family from the Black Wing Clan who have invaded his hometown, and he uses his life at the school to achieve that. Yamaguchi Kappei's voice acting realistically portrays Sho's conflicts and determination, leaving a deep impression on viewers.

Misono Kai appears in the story with no memory of his past and is confused when he reunites with Sho. Midorikawa Hikaru's voice acting skillfully portrays Kai's unstable state of mind and inner conflict. Kai's character gradually regains his memories as the story progresses, and his relationship with Sho changes as well. This change is at the heart of the story and what draws the viewer in.

The other characters are also unique, and each adds depth to the story, including Anri Chikura (Yuki Miyata), Shion Toudou (Hideo Ishikawa), Sena Mizuochi (Yasunori Masutani), Kurusu Osaka (Chihiro Suzuki), Kyohei Mitsugi (Tetsuya Kakihara), Yuto Nakajo (Wataru Hatano), Reiya Wakabayashi (Kazuhiko Inoue), and Ran Sakakibara (Jurota Kosugi). Their presence makes the story of Sho and Kai even richer.

■ Production background and roles of staff

The production of "Angel's Feather" aimed to faithfully reproduce the worldview of the original game. Director Yasuhiro Kuroda succeeded in sublimating the atmosphere of the original work as an animation without compromising it. Screenwriter Akiko Horii focused on deepening the story of the original and depicting the inner thoughts of the characters. Director Kenichi Matsuzawa skillfully expressed the tension and emotional movements of each scene, leaving a strong impression on the audience.

Kazue Yamamoto, the original character designer, provided designs more suited to animation based on the visuals of the original work. Character designer and animation director Ryotaro Akao further refined the designs, creating beautiful animation. Animation production company VENET visually expressed the worldview of the original work with high-quality drawings and direction. The production committee, Angel's Feather Production Committee, managed the overall oversight and progress of production, playing a role in enhancing the completeness of the work.

■Music and theme songs

The music of "Angel's Feather" is an important element that enhances the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme "ROCK STAR" was written and composed by AKIHITO, and features the powerful singing voices of Wataru Hatano and Tetsuya Kakihara. The English translation by HIRO and the arrangement by Mitsuhiro Takizawa and Eight enhance the perfection of the song. This song is characterized by a powerful yet sad melody, as if to symbolize the fate of Sho and Kai.

The ending theme song "LAST SONG" was also written and composed by AKIHITO, and the voices of Hideo Ishikawa and Chihiro Suzuki enhance the aftertaste of the story. The arrangement by Mitsuhiro Takizawa and Eight deepens the emotion of the song. This song features a quiet and beautiful melody, as if to symbolize the end of the story. The theme of the work and the emotions of the characters are effectively expressed throughout the music.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Angel's Feather" is not only acclaimed as a boys' love story, but also for its deep story and beautiful visuals. In particular, the story of brotherly love and destiny between Hamura Sho and Misono Kai leaves a strong impression on viewers. The portrayal of the characters' inner thoughts and the production of tense scenes have also been highly praised, with many fans calling the work "moving" and "beautiful."

The reasons why I recommend this work are as follows:

• Deep story: A story of brotherly love and destiny is depicted against the backdrop of the conflict between the White Wing and Black Wing clans. The story unfolds in a way that deeply touches the viewer.
• Beautiful visuals: The character designs and background artwork are stunning, making it a visual treat.
• Excellent voice acting: The performances of the voice actors, including Yamaguchi Kappei and Midorikawa Hikaru, convey the emotions of the characters realistically.
• Emotional Music: The opening and ending theme songs, as well as the background music, enhance the atmosphere of the story and stir up the emotions of the viewer.

"Angel's Feather" is a work that can be recommended not only to those who are interested in boys' love works, but also to all viewers who are looking for a deep story and beautiful visuals. Please give it a watch.