Shinigami no Ballad
Encyclopedia
, subtitled momo: the god girl of death, is a Japanese light novel
series written by K-Ske Hasegawa
, with illustrations by Nanakusa. The series includes twelve novels released between June 10, 2003 and April 10, 2009, published by ASCII Media Works
under their Dengeki Bunko
imprint
. The novels were licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment
for release in English with the first novel released in March 2008. The series revolves around Momo, a shinigami
, and her familiar
Daniel, a talking black cat, as they interfere with the world of the living.
A radio drama
of the series aired on ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Taishō
radio program between April and May 2005, and the recordings were collected into a drama CD released in June 2005. A manga
adaptation by Asuka Izumi was serialized in Hakusensha
's shōjo
manga magazines LaLa
and LaLa DX
between May 2005 and February 2007. A six-episode anime
adaptation of the series produced by Group TAC
aired between March and April 2006 on WOWOW
satellite TV. Lastly, a TV drama which aired on TV Tokyo
was produced between January and March 2007, containing twelve episodes.
, or death god. Momo is clad in all white, along with having long white hair, and as a god of death, she leads deceased souls to the other side. She carries with her a large scythe
and an ID card
which helps to facilitate in her identification as a shinigami; her shinigami ID number is A-100100. Momo is different from other shinigami because she tries to ease the suffering of the people she encounters whether they be living or already dead, such as conveying messages from the dead to the living. She is also known to cry a lot, and she says that she cries for the dead because they no longer can. Accompanying Momo is a talking black cat familiar
named with a bell around his neck and bat-like wings who helps Momo out. The living frequently hear the ringing of Daniel's bell when Momo and Daniel are nearby. Daniel has a calm character and does not show as much sympathy to humans as Momo, but is still patient with them. In the TV drama, Daniel is portrayed as a young boy rather than a cat. The story follows Momo and Daniel as they interact with the living and usually consists of them changing something sorrowful for the living.
Another shinigami featured in the series is also a young-looking girl named who is clad in all black, along with having black hair. Like Momo, she shows outward emotion towards the living and dead, but An has a cruel personality and does not give mercy to anyone. Despite the fact that shinigami are meant to transport souls to the other side, An chooses to terminate the souls of the people she kills. Among shinigami, she is very powerful, and is referred to as a special type of shinigami. Her shinigami ID number is A-99. Accompanying An is a talking gray cat familiar named , but is referred to as for short. Before starting to work with An, Nicol had once been very close friends with Daniel.
s written by K-Ske Hasegawa
, and drawn by Nanakusa. Twelve novels were published by ASCII Media Works
under their Dengeki Bunko
publishing imprint between June 10, 2003 and April 10, 2009. Twenty-one chapters, plus another five more special chapters, were serialized in MediaWorks
' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp
. Of the main twenty-one chapters, seven were later included in the released light novel volumes. The novels were licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment
for release in English; the first volume was released in March 2008. Seven Seas published the first two light novels in the original pocket format
used in Japan, rather than the larger standard size normally used for manga and North American releases of Japanese light novels. Seven Seas canceled the series after the second novel due to bad sales.
A four-chapter spin off
of the series entitled Cheerful Charmer Momo was also created. The first chapter was made available through mail order via the summer 2004 edition of Dengeki hp, though chapters one, three, and four were serialized in other now-defunct MediaWorks light novel anthologies which include Dengeki p, Dengeki hPa, and Dengeki Bunkoyomi. Another spin off series of short stories entitled Ballad of a Shinigami: Unknown Stars began serialization in ASCII Media Works' light novel magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine
on February 9, 2008. The stories are illustrated by Keiji Yamamoto, though Nanakusa provides the visual concepts that Yamamoto uses as a base for the stories. The story is different from the original, and is primarily a "school life" story. The first volume of Unknown Stars was released on September 10, 2008, and as of December 10, 2009, three volumes have been released under Dengeki Bunko.
entitled was written and illustrated by the same creators of the light novels and released by ASCII Media Works on January 28, 2005 under their Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel label. A 108-page art book illustrated by Nanakusa was released by ASCII Media Works on April 6, 2006, and also contained an original Ballad of a Shinigami short story by K-Ske Hasegawa.
was originally broadcast as a four-episode radio drama
between April 9, 2005 and May 2005 on ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Taishō
radio program. The radio drama was later released as a drama CD through mail order via volume thirty-six of Dengeki hp
released on June 18, 2005. The CD contained the radio drama recording called plus a new track titled "Snow Rebirth", and also one secret track. The CD came with an original story booklet containing a short story entitled , a small hand mirror, and an original sticker set. In the drama, Momo was voiced by Mamiko Noto
, and Daniel was voiced by Ryō Hirohashi
. Another radio drama, again four episodes long and broadcast on Dengeki Taishō, aired between January 12, 2008 and February 2008. The new drama was based on the story from volume ten of the light novels. The radio drama was later released as a drama CD through mail order via volume one of Dengeki Bunko Magazine
released on April 10, 2008. The CD contained the drama's opening and ending themes, the radio drama recording "Toward Your Transparency and Carbonated Water." plus a new track titled , and also one secret track. The CD came with an original sticker set and a notepad.
adaptation illustrated by Asuka Izumi was serialized in two shōjo
manga magazines published by Hakusensha
—LaLa
, and LaLa DX
—though nine chapters were serialized in LaLa DX, two were serialized in LaLa, and one (the prologue
) was only included in volume one of the bound volumes
. The first chapter was serialized on May 24, 2005 in LaLa, and ended in LaLa DX on February 10, 2007. Three volumes comprising four chapters each were released under Haksensha's Hana to Yume Comics label between March 4, 2006 and June 10, 2007. The manga has been licensed by CMX
for distribution in North America.
adaptation produced by Group TAC
and directed by Tomomi Mochizuki
aired on WOWOW
in Japan between March 3, 2006 and April 7, 2006, containing six episodes. The anime has been licensed by Japanese-based company Bost Digital Entertainment for distribution through their video streaming website Bost TV with English subtitles. The episodes are available only to Australia and New Zealand for the price of US$
1.99 per episode. In the anime, Momo was voiced by Akiko Kobayashi, and Daniel was voiced by Ai Shimizu
. The anime's opening theme is "No One" and the ending theme is "White Messenger"; both songs are sung by Koy, and the maxi single
containing the theme songs was released by Pony Canyon
on March 15, 2006. Notably, the opening theme is sung entirely in English while the ending theme has normal Japanese lyrics. The anime's original soundtrack was released on April 26, 2006 containing twenty-two music tracks and eight audio drama tracks. Three DVD compilation volumes were released by Pony Canyon between June 7, 2006 and August 2, 2006, each with two episodes each, and were sold in limited and regular editions. The DVD box set containing the six episodes was released on February 20, 2008.
between January 9, 2007 and March 27, 2007, containing twelve episodes. It was the second TV drama from Dengeki Bunko
since Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora
. The opening theme is by Sacra, and the ending theme is "No Surprises
" (Radiohead
cover
) by Triceratops
. Momo was portrayed by Shōko Hamada
, and Daniel was played by Riko Yoshida. Six DVD compilation volumes were sold: volumes one and two were released on April 27, 2007, volumes three and four were released on May 25, 2007, and volumes five and six were sold on June 22, 2007; each volume contained two episodes.
volumes have been sold in Japan.
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
series written by K-Ske Hasegawa
K-Ske Hasegawa
is a male Japanese light novelist from Fukui, Japan. In June 2003, he made his debut with the Ballad of a Shinigami series of light novel and has gone on to create several other works...
, with illustrations by Nanakusa. The series includes twelve novels released between June 10, 2003 and April 10, 2009, published by ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
under their Dengeki Bunko
Dengeki Bunko
is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works . It was established in June 1993 with the publication of Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania volume one, and is a light novel imprint aimed at a male audience...
imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
. The novels were licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
for release in English with the first novel released in March 2008. The series revolves around Momo, a shinigami
Shinigami
is the personification of death in Japan. It's unclear when the concept entered Japanese culture; it may have been imported from China , or possibly been imported from Europe during the Sengoku era—that period in European history featured a common motif of the Grim Reaper gathering souls...
, and her familiar
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
Daniel, a talking black cat, as they interfere with the world of the living.
A radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
of the series aired on ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Taishō
Dengeki Taisho
is a Japanese radio program broadcast by Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, Radio Osaka, and Tokai Radio Broadcasting which first aired in October 1994, and is produced by ASCII Media Works . The program airs late at night on the weekend ranging between either 1:00-1:30 AM, 1:30-2:00 AM, or 2:00-2:30 AM...
radio program between April and May 2005, and the recordings were collected into a drama CD released in June 2005. A manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation by Asuka Izumi was serialized in Hakusensha
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
's shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
manga magazines LaLa
Lala
Lala VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers.-Details:...
and LaLa DX
LaLa DX
LaLa DX is a Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha. It was first published on July 9, 1983 as a supplement magazine to LaLa in which it later became the sister magazine to LaLa, another of Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazines...
between May 2005 and February 2007. A six-episode anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
adaptation of the series produced by Group TAC
Group TAC
Group TAC was a Japanese animation and computer graphics studio located in Shibuya, Tokyo, and founded in 1968. They have worked on movies, videos, TV shows, and commercials, and have contributed to all stages of the process, including planning, production, sound effects, and so on...
aired between March and April 2006 on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
satellite TV. Lastly, a TV drama which aired on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
was produced between January and March 2007, containing twelve episodes.
Plot and characters
Ballad of a Shinigami primarily centers around a young-looking girl named who is a shinigamiShinigami
is the personification of death in Japan. It's unclear when the concept entered Japanese culture; it may have been imported from China , or possibly been imported from Europe during the Sengoku era—that period in European history featured a common motif of the Grim Reaper gathering souls...
, or death god. Momo is clad in all white, along with having long white hair, and as a god of death, she leads deceased souls to the other side. She carries with her a large scythe
Scythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
and an ID card
Identity document
An identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...
which helps to facilitate in her identification as a shinigami; her shinigami ID number is A-100100. Momo is different from other shinigami because she tries to ease the suffering of the people she encounters whether they be living or already dead, such as conveying messages from the dead to the living. She is also known to cry a lot, and she says that she cries for the dead because they no longer can. Accompanying Momo is a talking black cat familiar
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
named with a bell around his neck and bat-like wings who helps Momo out. The living frequently hear the ringing of Daniel's bell when Momo and Daniel are nearby. Daniel has a calm character and does not show as much sympathy to humans as Momo, but is still patient with them. In the TV drama, Daniel is portrayed as a young boy rather than a cat. The story follows Momo and Daniel as they interact with the living and usually consists of them changing something sorrowful for the living.
Another shinigami featured in the series is also a young-looking girl named who is clad in all black, along with having black hair. Like Momo, she shows outward emotion towards the living and dead, but An has a cruel personality and does not give mercy to anyone. Despite the fact that shinigami are meant to transport souls to the other side, An chooses to terminate the souls of the people she kills. Among shinigami, she is very powerful, and is referred to as a special type of shinigami. Her shinigami ID number is A-99. Accompanying An is a talking gray cat familiar named , but is referred to as for short. Before starting to work with An, Nicol had once been very close friends with Daniel.
Light novels
Ballad of a Shinigami is a series of light novelLight novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s written by K-Ske Hasegawa
K-Ske Hasegawa
is a male Japanese light novelist from Fukui, Japan. In June 2003, he made his debut with the Ballad of a Shinigami series of light novel and has gone on to create several other works...
, and drawn by Nanakusa. Twelve novels were published by ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
under their Dengeki Bunko
Dengeki Bunko
is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works . It was established in June 1993 with the publication of Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania volume one, and is a light novel imprint aimed at a male audience...
publishing imprint between June 10, 2003 and April 10, 2009. Twenty-one chapters, plus another five more special chapters, were serialized in MediaWorks
MediaWorks (publisher)
was a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group known for their brand magazines and book labels. These included such well-known magazines as Dengeki Daioh, and Dengeki G's Magazine, along with MediaWorks' main light novel publishing imprint Dengeki Bunko. The company was merged with ASCII...
' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp
Dengeki hp
was a Japanese seinen magazine published by MediaWorks centered on publishing light novels. The first issue was released on December 18, 1998, and for the first eight issues was published quarterly; after this, it is being published bimonthly...
. Of the main twenty-one chapters, seven were later included in the released light novel volumes. The novels were licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
for release in English; the first volume was released in March 2008. Seven Seas published the first two light novels in the original pocket format
Bunkobon
In Japan, bunkobon are small-format paperback books, designed to be affordable and portable.The great majority of bunkobon are A6 in size...
used in Japan, rather than the larger standard size normally used for manga and North American releases of Japanese light novels. Seven Seas canceled the series after the second novel due to bad sales.
A four-chapter spin off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of the series entitled Cheerful Charmer Momo was also created. The first chapter was made available through mail order via the summer 2004 edition of Dengeki hp, though chapters one, three, and four were serialized in other now-defunct MediaWorks light novel anthologies which include Dengeki p, Dengeki hPa, and Dengeki Bunkoyomi. Another spin off series of short stories entitled Ballad of a Shinigami: Unknown Stars began serialization in ASCII Media Works' light novel magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine
Dengeki Bunko Magazine
is a Japanese light novel magazine published by ASCII Media Works . The magazine succeeded the light novel magazine Dengeki hp, and originally was published as a special edition issue of Dengeki Daioh for the first two issues; the first issue was released on December 10, 2007...
on February 9, 2008. The stories are illustrated by Keiji Yamamoto, though Nanakusa provides the visual concepts that Yamamoto uses as a base for the stories. The story is different from the original, and is primarily a "school life" story. The first volume of Unknown Stars was released on September 10, 2008, and as of December 10, 2009, three volumes have been released under Dengeki Bunko.
Art books
A sixty-four-page picture bookPicture book
A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor and pencil.Two of the earliest books with something like the format picture books still retain now...
entitled was written and illustrated by the same creators of the light novels and released by ASCII Media Works on January 28, 2005 under their Dengeki Bunko Visual Novel label. A 108-page art book illustrated by Nanakusa was released by ASCII Media Works on April 6, 2006, and also contained an original Ballad of a Shinigami short story by K-Ske Hasegawa.
Audio dramas
The second chapter of the Cheerful Charmer Momo spin-offSpin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
was originally broadcast as a four-episode radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
between April 9, 2005 and May 2005 on ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Taishō
Dengeki Taisho
is a Japanese radio program broadcast by Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, Radio Osaka, and Tokai Radio Broadcasting which first aired in October 1994, and is produced by ASCII Media Works . The program airs late at night on the weekend ranging between either 1:00-1:30 AM, 1:30-2:00 AM, or 2:00-2:30 AM...
radio program. The radio drama was later released as a drama CD through mail order via volume thirty-six of Dengeki hp
Dengeki hp
was a Japanese seinen magazine published by MediaWorks centered on publishing light novels. The first issue was released on December 18, 1998, and for the first eight issues was published quarterly; after this, it is being published bimonthly...
released on June 18, 2005. The CD contained the radio drama recording called plus a new track titled "Snow Rebirth", and also one secret track. The CD came with an original story booklet containing a short story entitled , a small hand mirror, and an original sticker set. In the drama, Momo was voiced by Mamiko Noto
Mamiko Noto
is a Japanese voice actress working under Office Osawa. She was born in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and graduated from Hokuriku Gakuen Senior High School.-Voice:...
, and Daniel was voiced by Ryō Hirohashi
Ryo Hirohashi
is a Japanese voice actress represented by a talent agency Aoni Production. She originates from Nagaoka, Niigata and is a graduate of Ryukoku University...
. Another radio drama, again four episodes long and broadcast on Dengeki Taishō, aired between January 12, 2008 and February 2008. The new drama was based on the story from volume ten of the light novels. The radio drama was later released as a drama CD through mail order via volume one of Dengeki Bunko Magazine
Dengeki Bunko Magazine
is a Japanese light novel magazine published by ASCII Media Works . The magazine succeeded the light novel magazine Dengeki hp, and originally was published as a special edition issue of Dengeki Daioh for the first two issues; the first issue was released on December 10, 2007...
released on April 10, 2008. The CD contained the drama's opening and ending themes, the radio drama recording "Toward Your Transparency and Carbonated Water." plus a new track titled , and also one secret track. The CD came with an original sticker set and a notepad.
Manga
A twelve-chapter mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation illustrated by Asuka Izumi was serialized in two shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
manga magazines published by Hakusensha
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
—LaLa
Lala
Lala VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers.-Details:...
, and LaLa DX
LaLa DX
LaLa DX is a Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha. It was first published on July 9, 1983 as a supplement magazine to LaLa in which it later became the sister magazine to LaLa, another of Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazines...
—though nine chapters were serialized in LaLa DX, two were serialized in LaLa, and one (the prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
) was only included in volume one of the bound volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
. The first chapter was serialized on May 24, 2005 in LaLa, and ended in LaLa DX on February 10, 2007. Three volumes comprising four chapters each were released under Haksensha's Hana to Yume Comics label between March 4, 2006 and June 10, 2007. The manga has been licensed by CMX
CMX (comics)
CMX was a division of Wildstorm Productions, an imprint of DC Comics which in turn is owned by Time Warner. It was DC's line of manga translations....
for distribution in North America.
Anime
An animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
adaptation produced by Group TAC
Group TAC
Group TAC was a Japanese animation and computer graphics studio located in Shibuya, Tokyo, and founded in 1968. They have worked on movies, videos, TV shows, and commercials, and have contributed to all stages of the process, including planning, production, sound effects, and so on...
and directed by Tomomi Mochizuki
Tomomi Mochizuki
, sometimes incorrectly romanized as Tomomichi Mochizuki, is an anime director and producer. He is married to animator Masako Gotō and sometimes uses the alias when writing screenplays or working on storyboards...
aired on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
in Japan between March 3, 2006 and April 7, 2006, containing six episodes. The anime has been licensed by Japanese-based company Bost Digital Entertainment for distribution through their video streaming website Bost TV with English subtitles. The episodes are available only to Australia and New Zealand for the price of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.99 per episode. In the anime, Momo was voiced by Akiko Kobayashi, and Daniel was voiced by Ai Shimizu
Ai Shimizu
is a Japanese voice actress who is employed by Haikyou. She also has a career as a singer an signed to Lantis. She has released 14 singles and four albums. She covered Yumi Matsutoya's "Toki o Kakeru Shōjo" as the B-side of her first single "Angel Fish" in 2003...
. The anime's opening theme is "No One" and the ending theme is "White Messenger"; both songs are sung by Koy, and the maxi single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
containing the theme songs was released by Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
on March 15, 2006. Notably, the opening theme is sung entirely in English while the ending theme has normal Japanese lyrics. The anime's original soundtrack was released on April 26, 2006 containing twenty-two music tracks and eight audio drama tracks. Three DVD compilation volumes were released by Pony Canyon between June 7, 2006 and August 2, 2006, each with two episodes each, and were sold in limited and regular editions. The DVD box set containing the six episodes was released on February 20, 2008.
Episodes
| # | | Title | | Original air date |
|---|
TV drama
A TV drama directed by Kōtarō Terauchi aired on TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
between January 9, 2007 and March 27, 2007, containing twelve episodes. It was the second TV drama from Dengeki Bunko
Dengeki Bunko
is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works . It was established in June 1993 with the publication of Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania volume one, and is a light novel imprint aimed at a male audience...
since Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora
Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora
, subtitled looking up at the half-moon and also known as Hantsuki, is a Japanese romance light novel series written by Tsumugu Hashimoto and illustrated by Keiji Yamamoto centering around two hospitalized children aged seventeen and the love they begin to share...
. The opening theme is by Sacra, and the ending theme is "No Surprises
No Surprises
"No Surprises" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released as the third and final single from the group's 1997 album OK Computer. It was accompanied by a music video that featured a single shot of singer Thom Yorke's head in a plastic bubble filling with water. The single peaked...
" (Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
) by Triceratops
Triceratops (band)
is a Japanese rock band formed in 1996 that play pop rock music. Their work has been compared to Do As Infinity.Primarily influenced by British invasion bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Irish rockers U2 and American acts such as Michael Jackson and Weezer, the bands songs feature...
. Momo was portrayed by Shōko Hamada
Shoko Hamada
is a Japanese gravure idol and race queen. In addition, she has released several music CDs, mostly containing cover versions.- DVDs :* [2003.03.25] Strawberry* [2004.07.23] Lolita Race Queen* [2004.09.15] Endless 2004...
, and Daniel was played by Riko Yoshida. Six DVD compilation volumes were sold: volumes one and two were released on April 27, 2007, volumes three and four were released on May 25, 2007, and volumes five and six were sold on June 22, 2007; each volume contained two episodes.
Reception
As of March 2007, over 1.3 million copies of the first ten light novelLight novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
volumes have been sold in Japan.
External links
- Ballad of a Shinigami at Seven Seas EntertainmentSeven Seas EntertainmentSeven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
- Ballad of a Shinigami at ASCII Media WorksASCII Media Worksis a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
- Anime official website
- TV drama official website