Moetan

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Moetan
もえたん
Genre Comedy, Magical girl
TV anime
Director Keiichiro Kawaguchi
Studio Actas
Network Chiba TV, TV Kanagawa, TV Osaka, TV Saitama, TV Aichi
Original run 8 July 2007 – 23 September 2007
Episodes 13

MOETAN (もえたん?) is a series of English language study aid published by SansaiBooks in Japan. Targeted at otaku, it attempted to teach English words using examples drawn from computer games and anime.

In the reprint of the first MOETAN book and the bath towel sold during Comic Market 69, MOETAN stands for 'Methodology Of English, The Academic Necessity'. The acronym may have been chosen as a play on combining the words moe and -tan, both terms of cuteness used in relation to girl characters in anime, to create a portmanteauic double meaning.

Contents

[edit] Moeru Eitango Moetan (萌える英単語 もえたん)

Moeru Eitango Moetan, also known as The Moetan Wordbook, is the first in the Moetan series, published in 2003.

Each chapter consists of a short story, written in pure Japanese, concerning the adventures of "Nao-kun" (a high school student) and "Ink-chan" (a mysterious magical girl who arrives to help him with his studying), followed by a set of word examples.

Unfortunately, many of the English examples in the book are bizarre, unnatural, or downright incorrect. As such, the book has become a popular import for native English otaku or others who are amused by Engrish phenomena.

The book kicks off with an apparent spelling and grammar mistake on the cover ("She is the moeest of lovely English teacher in the world"). The attached wrapper invites customers to "Buy now, falling love with Ink-chan, and GET IN to college!!"

Some samples of the type of example sentences used for particular words:

  • Weapon: "My ultimate weapon is the China cannon attached to my groin." (Referring to the Senkousha)
  • Compose: "The characters should be composed of childhood friends, girls with glasses, robotic maids and sisters."
  • Execute: "You executed the mission. Then all I have to do is execute you."
  • Income: "He had no income, so he stopped his hunger by eating mushrooms which were growing on his underpants in the closet." (Referring to Otoko Oidon by Leiji Matsumoto)
  • Scare: "The angel who lives on his house scared him because she beat him to death without notice." (Referring to Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan)
  • Punish: "Every time the hero wins, the trio is punished by the pig like creature." (Referring to Pokémon (anime))
  • Replace: "When I fell down the stairs with my classmate, my body was replaced with her." (Referring to Akane-chan Overdrive)
  • Decide: "Let's decide the supremacy over the earth by the blows of robots."(Referring to G Gundam)
  • Embarrass: "The wrong use of the magic equipment often embarrasses the girl in the bathroom when she is taking a bath." (Referring to Doraemon)
  • Bet: "When I fell in love with the her, I thought that the girl was my stepsister. I bet if I had known she was my real sister, I would not have fallen in love with her."

Some odd word translations are repeated, such as the translation of 'bishōjo' as "rosebud".(Referring to Citizen Kane)

The book has been parodied several times, including by the Japanese doujin shooting game Moedan (a portmanteau of "Moetan" and "danmaku"). The game itself, also a crossover from the Touhou Project, is an introductory course to bullet hell games.

In 2005-3-25, the book was revised with improved grammar, and retitled 'MOETAN Methdology Of English, The Academic Necessity' (もえたん Methdology Of English, The Academic Necessity). This version was published in Korean and Traditional Chinese (Taiwan, Hong Kong).

The Chinese version was published by Min-Hsien Cultural Enterprise Co., Ltd.

[edit] Characters

  • Nao-kun (ナオくん) - A well liked but lazy high school student.
  • Ink Nijihara (虹原 いんく Nijihara Inku?) - MOETAN's heroine. She lives next door to Nao and is infatuated with him.
  • Pastel Ink (ぱすてるインク Pasuteru Inku?) - The transformed version of Ink Nijihara, differentiated by the blue hair and duck costume.
  • Ah-kun (あーくん) - A magician in the magical kingdom, usually in the form of a duck.
  • Pen-kun (ペンくん) - A magician in the form of a pencil.
  • Oni-kun (おにくん) - A magician in the form of an eraser.

[edit] Voice cast (CD version)

[edit] moetan II

The sequel of Moeru Eitango Moetan was published in two volumes. It includes 1601 words.

moetan II is available in Chinese (Taiwan, Hong Kong).

This book is targeted towards serious, tutorial readers.

[edit] Characters

  • Tōya (透也) - moetan II's protagonist.
  • Yuni (優仁) - moetan II's heroine.
  • Chitose (千歳) - Touya and Yuni's classmate.

[edit] moetan subreader (もえたん サブリーダー ～文法・表現編～)

Based on previous two books in the Moetan series, it teaches English grammar.

This book is targeted towards casual, tutorial readers.

[edit] moetan 3 (もえたん3 魔法少女の帰還～Return of the Little Witch～)

This version added poetry and Japanese culture. The book included two stories: Bill and Sam's Excellent Adventure and Return of the Little Witch. Return of the Little Witch was illustrated by POP.

This book is targeted towards casual, entertainment readers.

Chinese version was published on September 9, 2006 by Min-Hsien Cultural Enterprise Co., Ltd.

This book features characters from first MOETAN book.

[edit] moetan ONLINE

This is a series of phone applications published by Marvelous Liveware. They are available to i-mode, EZWeb, and SoftBank Mobile users.

[edit] MOETAN Listening CD

[edit] Vol.1

Published in Comic Market 69.

[edit] Vol.2

Published in Comic Market 70.

[edit] Anime

Bandai Visual, Planet Entertaiment, Actas Inc, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners Incorporated produced a television series based on the book. The TV series premiered on Chiba Television on July 8, 2007, followed by TV Kanagawa, TV Osaka, TV Saitama, and TV Aichi.

[edit] Anime characters

  • Sumi Kuroi (黒威 すみ Kuroi Sumi?): Sumi is also in love with Nao and becomes Ink's rival.
  • Ka-kun: A magician in the magical kingdom, usually in the form of a cat. Sumi's partner.
  • Alice Shiratori (白鳥 ありす Shiratori Arisu?): By day, she's a famous singing idol. By night, she's a magical girl just like Ink. Her partner is a rabbit who is seen shaking all the time. She transforms into a magical girl to hunt down Ah-kun for "sins" he had committed. She won't forgive Ah-kun and plans to destroy him, but now that Ink is protecting him, things might be difficult for her.

She also has a deeper, more darker side hiding behind her innocent and quiet exterior.

  • Na-kun: Alice's partner.
  • Ruriko (瑠璃子?): Sumi's maid.
  • Mio Tezuka (手塚 澪 Tezuka Mio?): Nao's younger sister.
  • Remi Suzuki (鈴木 麗美 Suzuki Remi?): Ink's classmate.
  • Rina Tanaka (田中 里奈 Tanaka Rina?): Ink's classmate.
  • Rihoko Furuta (古田 りほこ?): Ink's classmate.
  • Ink's mother (いんくママ Inku Mama?): Ink's mother.
  • Majimero (マジメロ?): The transformation item used by Ink, Sumi, and Alice.

[edit] Episodes

# Title Original air date
01 "Magical Teacher"
"Majikaru Tīchā" (マジカルティーチャー) 		 2007-07-08
The story begins as a mage known as Arcs Sheldart Elbayas had been put on trial in front of a council from the planet "Alphabet". He then escapes through a hole he blew in the building. He flees to a field and is found by the king who is then only a voice. He is sent through a black hole and meets up with Ink as she prays at a shrine. She is suprised that a duck is talking because Arcs was turned into it. He then faints and she takes him home. He awakens in her room and introduces himself. He Tells her she has to become a mage and when she accepts he gives her the "Magi-Mail", which to her is just a regular cellphone. She then goes to Nao-kuns house to help him with his English homework. While there, Arcs finds a dirty magazine on the floor and shows it to Pastel Ink. Nao-kun sees this and kicks her out. 
02 "I Don't Need a Rival"
"Raibaru nante Iranai" (ライバルなんていらない) 		 2007-07-15
Two mysterious beings, a girl and a tiger like creature(who later transforms into a small cat), appear on Earth and both have the same mission, to get to Arcs. Then Ink gets a distress call and transforms outside of class. Sumi sees this happen. Then Pastel Ink and Arcs get stuck in Dream And Illusion Space also known as "DAIS", an alternate universe created with magic. The cat is revealed to be Kaksu, who was a colleague of Arcs from the Magical Kingdoms. 
03 "Great Scare Tactics"
"Kyōfu Daisakusen" (恐怖大作戦) 		 2007-07-22
 
04 "The Idol Within Time"
"Toki no Naka no Aidoru" (時の中のアイドル) 		 2007-07-29
 
05 "A Little Memory"
"Chiisa na Omoide" (小さな思い出) 		 2007-08-05
 
05.5 "Sumi and Ruriko's Moetan Diary"
"Sumi to Ruriko no Moetan Daiarī" (すみと瑠璃子のもえたんダイアリー) 		 2007-08-12
 
06 "The First Date"
"Hajimete no Dēto" (初めてのデート) 		 Not aired; released on R2 DVD 2007-12-21
 
07 "The Targeted School Festival"
"Nerawareta Gakuen-sai" (ねらわれた学園祭) 		 2007-08-19
 
08 "Trouble"
"Toraburu" (トラブル) 		 2007-08-26
 
09 "The Wind...Flows"
"Kaze...Nagareru" (風…流れる) 		 2007-09-02
 
10 "Forbidden Time"
"Kindan no Toki" (禁断の時) 		 2007-09-09
 
11 "Don't Give Up, Examinee!"
"Makeru na Jukensei!" (負けるな受験生！) 		 2007-09-16
 
12 "Skip!"
"Sukippu!" (スキップ！) 		 2007-09-23
 
13 "The Supreme Ruler at the End of the Century! The Magical Girls' Combined Attack"
"Seiki Matsu Hasha! Mahō Shōjo Sō Shingeki" (世紀末覇者！魔法少女総進撃) 		 Not aired; to be released on R2 DVD 2008-03-25[1]
 

Takayuki Nagatani, a producer of the Moetan moe television anime series, posted on the official series blog that Episode 6 will be replaced by a highlight clips episode in Japan "for various reasons." Episode 6 will be only available on DVD, while Episode 5.5 "Sumi to Ruriko no Moetan Diary" ("Sumi and Ruriko's Moetan Diary") took over its broadcast slot.[2]

[edit] Adaptations

Home page of the TV series hosted 4 square comic strip that are updated daily starting from 2007-07-09. 99 strips had been produced.

BEAT☆Net Radio! and Lantis web radio hosted MOETAN Listening RADIO, featuring Sumi and Ruriko.

Lantis sold MOETAN audio drama CD on September 9, 2007.

Lantis sold soundtrack CD for the opening and ending songs of the TV show on July 25, 2007 and August 8, 2007 respectively.

Tetsuya Takahashi produced a comic book titled MOETAN Magical Busters, please save the world! (もえたん ～Magical Busters, please save the world!～), which was serialized in MOETAN monthly magazine (もえたん ぷちげっかん) that is bundled with the August 2007 issue of Gamelabo magazine. The cover for the magazine was illustrated by POP. 4 volumes of the comic are planned. The book followed the design and settings of the TV series.

[edit] Video games

On August 9, 2007, Techno Quest Inc. published a vertical shooter, based on the MOETAN franchise, for Windows XP titled MOETAN Shooting (もえたん・しゅ～てぃんぐ).

[edit] Combat picture book

Hobby Japan published Nijiiro Ink (from MOETAN) and Alice (from Nitro+ games?) as part of Queen's Gate combat picture book game series, which is based on the Lost Worlds game rules.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Unaired Moetan Episode 13's Promo Video Streamed. Anime News Network. Retrieved on January 23, 2008.
  2. ^ お詫びとご報告■永谷敬之 ＊＊ もえたん おふぃしゃる・ぶろぐ ＊＊/ウェブリブログ

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] TV series and derived