Actors: Songs Connection

Actors: Songs Connection, stylized as ACTORS: Songs Connection, is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Exit Tunes. It began as a series of drama CDs released in 2014, before having an anime television series for the franchise announced. The television series ran for twelve episodes from October to December 2019.

Actors: Songs Connection
Created byExit Tunes
Anime television series
Directed byOsamu Yamasaki
Written byOsamu Yamasaki
Music by
StudioDrive
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkTokyo MX, BS NTV, AT-X
Original run October 6, 2019 December 22, 2019
Episodes12 (List of episodes)

Characters

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Saku Otonomiya (音之宮 朔, Otonomiya Saku)
Voiced by: Gakuto Kajiwara[1] (Japanese); Brandon McInnis[2] (English)
Uta Outa (往田 詩, Outa Uta)
Voiced by: Yuya Hozumi[1] (Japanese); Howard Wang[2] (English)
Sōsuke Kagura (神樂蒼介, Kagura Sōsuke)
Voiced by: Wataru Urata[1] (Japanese); Aaron Campbell[2] (English)
Mike Enjōji (円城寺 三毛, Enjōji Mike)
Voiced by: Yūki Ono[1] (Japanese); Daman Mills[2] (English)
Mitsuki Akika (鑑香 水月, Akiha Mitsuki)
Voiced by: Kenji Nojima[1] (Japanese); Reagan Murdock[2] (English)
Satsuma Kadonoōji (葛野大路 颯馬, Kadonoōji Satsuma)
Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu[1] (Japanese); Josh Bangle[2] (English)
Ryō Saotome (五月女 燎, Saotome Ryō)
Voiced by: Tomohiro Tsuboi[1] (Japanese); Steven Kelly[2] (English)
Keishi Harumoto (東本 桂士, Harumoto Keishi)
Voiced by: Noriaki Sugiyama[1] (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo[2] (English)
Kai Akizuki (秋月 甲斐, Akizuki Kai)
Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi[1] (Japanese); Kyle Igneczi[2] (English)
Chiguma Marume (丸目 千熊, Marume Chiguma)
Voiced by: Subaru Kimura[1] (Japanese); Blake Jackson[2] (English)
Kagetora Nagano (長野 影虎, Nagano Kagetora)
Voiced by: Ryō Horikawa[1] (Japanese); Christopher Wehkamp[2] (English)
Tsukasa Odawara (小田原 牧, Odawara Tsukasa)
Voiced by: Show Hayami[1] (Japanese); J. Michael Tatum[2] (English)
Washiho Usuki (臼杵 鷲帆, Usuki Washiho)
Voiced by: Ryōta Takeuchi[1] (Japanese); David Wald[2] (English)

Production and release

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The series began as a series of drama CDs released by Exit Tunes in March 2014. In November 2018, an anime television series adaptation was announced.[3] The series was produced by Drive, with direction and script writing by Osamu Yamasaki, character designs by Asako Nishida, and music composed by Hideakira Kimura, Tomotaka Ōsumi, and Hiroaki Tsutsumi.[1] While the first episode had an advanced screening at Anime Expo on July 7, 2019,[4] the series officially aired on Tokyo MX and other channels from October 6 to December 22, 2019.[5] The series ran for twelve episodes.[6] The series' opening theme is "Titania", while its ending theme is "Inazuma Shock"; both were performed by the series' Japanese and English cast members.[5]

The series is licensed outside of Asia by Funimation.[7] An English dub, produced by Sound Cadence Studios, was released on Funimation's streaming service on November 24, 2019.[2]

Episode list

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No.Title [8]Original air date
1"Adagio"
October 6, 2019 (2019-10-06)[a]
2"con brio"
October 13, 2019 (2019-10-13)
3"dolente"
October 20, 2019 (2019-10-20)
4"abandone"
October 27, 2019 (2019-10-27)
5"traumend"
November 3, 2019 (2019-11-03)
6"appassionato"
November 10, 2019 (2019-11-10)
7"stravagante"
November 17, 2019 (2019-11-17)
8"concerto"
November 24, 2019 (2019-11-24)
9"agitato"
December 1, 2019 (2019-12-01)
10"piu mosso"
December 8, 2019 (2019-12-08)
11"decisivo"
December 15, 2019 (2019-12-15)
12"piacere"
December 22, 2019 (2019-12-22)

Reception

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Rebecca Silverman, Theron Martin, and Nick Creamer from Anime News Network praised the character designs and music, while criticizing the story as basic and the characters as unemotional.[9] Vrai Kaiser from Anime Feminist praised the music and animation, while also criticizing the characters as bland and unoriginal.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ This episode had an advanced screening on July 7, 2019.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 24, 2019). "ACTORS: Songs Connection TV Anime Reveals Promo Video, Staff, Cast, Fall Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Sherman, Jennifer (November 25, 2019). "Sound Cadence Studios Provides Dub for Funimation's Stream of Actors: Songs Connections Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 9, 2018). "'Actors' Crossover CD Project Featuring Male Voice Actors Singing Vocaloid Songs Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 27, 2019). "Anime Expo Lists Screenings of Hakubo, Anemone Films; ACTORS, Hensuki TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (August 30, 2019). "ACTORS: Songs Connection Anime's Video Previews Opening Song". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  6. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (October 18, 2019). "Actors: Song Connection Anime to Have 12 Episodes". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Mateo, Alex (October 4, 2019). "Funimation to Stream Actors: Song Connection Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  8. ^ "Story". actors-anime.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  9. ^ Silverman, Rebecca; Martin, Theron; Creamer, Nick (October 6, 2019). "The Fall 2019 Anime Preview Guide: ACTORS: Songs Connection". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  10. ^ Kaiser, Vrai (October 6, 2019). "Actors: Songs Connection – Episode 1". Anime Feminist. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
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