Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber

Synopsis:

Episodes:

• Episode 1: Chapter of Beginning (Aired: 04/04/2007)
• Episode 2: Chapter of Journey (Aired: 04/11/2007)
• Episode 3: Chapter of Vengeance (Aired: 04/18/2007)
• Episode 4: Chapter of Determination (Aired: 04/25/2007)
• Episode 5: Chapter of Escape (Aired: 05/02/2007)
• ... and 8 more episodes

Characters:

• Eiger, Galahad (Main) - Voice Actors: Namikawa, Daisuke
• Haan, Gernia (Main) - Voice Actors: Kusuda, Toshiyuki
• Lothar, Tina (Main) - Voice Actors: Takeuchi, Junko
• Sior, Rita (Main) - Voice Actors: Takahashi, Mikako
• de Borgerac, Gyrano (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Cho
• Edge, Weiss (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Tsuruoka, Satoshi
• Haan, Rambernoff (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Akimoto, Yousuke
• Jin (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Terashima, Takuma
• Kaela, Jamille (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Kaida, Yuki
• Sherri (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Sendai, Eri
• Shisupuri, Zarado (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Tsuda, Kenjirou
• Sior, Hydel (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Bifu, Hitoshi
• Sior, Rodin (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Sugita, Tomokazu
• Tack (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Kondou, Takayuki
• Zushika (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Itou, Maiko

Staff:

• Suzuki, Atsushi (Producer)
• Takaya, Yoshito (Producer, Planning)
• Iizumi, Tomokazu (Assistant Producer)
• Hamana, Takayuki (Director, Episode Director, Storyboard)
• Hiramitsu, Takuya (Sound Director)
• Andou, Takashi (Episode Director, Storyboard)
• Kuramoto, Hotaka (Episode Director)
• Matsuzawa, Kenichi (Episode Director, Storyboard)
• Tamada, Hiroshi (Episode Director)
• Sakai, Fumiyo (Script)
• Akebono, Ryuugu (Storyboard)
• Yamada, Katsuhisa (Storyboard)
• Akama, Misako (Color Setting, Color Design)
• Akashi, Seiko (Art Director)
• Dobashi, Akio (Music)
• Hamamori, Toshihiro (Animation Director)
• Hattori, Ichirou (Key Animation)
• Iida, Hiroyoshi (Key Animation)
• Iizuka, Haruko (Chief Animation Director, Character Design)
• Iizuka, Youko (Key Animation)
• Ishikawa, Mitsuhisa (Executive Producer)
• Ishino, Hirokazu (Key Animation)
• Itou, Kaori (2nd Key Animation, In-Between Animation)
• Itou, Manami (2nd Key Animation, Key Animation)
• Itou, Eriko (In-Between Animation)
• Iwata, Yoshimi (Key Animation)
• Kagami, Takahiro (Key Animation)
• Kameyama, Shinya (Key Animation)
• Karatani, Ayako (Key Animation)
• Kataoka, Emiko (2nd Key Animation, Key Animation)
• Kataoka, Kouji (Key Animation)
• Katayama, Miyuki (Key Animation)
• Katou, Yoshitaka (Key Animation)
• Komito, Yukiyo (Key Animation)
• Kusumoto, Yuuya (Background Art)
• Matsumoto, Ayako (Key Animation, 2nd Key Animation)
• Matsumoto, Yoshikatsu (Background Art)
• Matsuoka, Hideaki (Animation Director)
• Matsuura, Hitomi (2nd Key Animation, Key Animation, Animation Director)
• Michishita, Kouta (Key Animation)
• Morishita, Katsuji (Planning Producer)
• Motoki, Hisatoshi (Key Animation)
• Muraji, Akihide (Key Animation)
• Nakamura, Naoto (2nd Key Animation)
• Nakamura, Yoshiko (2nd Key Animation)
• Nemoto, Hiroyuki (Background Art)
• Numazu, Masato (Key Animation)
• Okamoto, Mayumi (Key Animation)
• Okazaki, Hiromi (Key Animation)
• Saitou, Kaori (Key Animation)
• ... and 16 more staff

Reviews:

• User Ranivus (Score: 5/10):
  Wellber no monogatari is a story about a fugitive princess on the run for her life. Coincidentally, she is set out to perform a task to relay an important document that could potentially save her country from war. The story is a little bit more detailed than that but if you watch the first episode it will all make sense. Right off the bat, you will notice that everything happens a little fast. It's a shame that most of the show isn't as action packed as one would assume from a fugitive anime. The story isn't very exciting as it could have been. Its basicallyher comrades going from town to town running from "the law." Each episode is quite average and doesn't feel very unique. Instead of focusing more on the action escaping from persecution, it focuses more on the bond between the princess and her bodyguard. I'm sure one can picture the possible chemistry between an absent minded princess and a tough bodyguard. Don't look for it because it isn't there. nnThe characters are one of the weakest parts of the show. Even the few naked boob shots can't help pump up the score in the character department. Whoever thought that a talking tank and a fairy that can only fly were good character decisions should be fired. Although its obvious that the fairy is there for fan service (along with the boobs), the characters are completely forgettable. nnWhat isn't AS forgettable is the art and animation. Its a mix between hand painted art, CGI, and photo shopping. With a good eye, you can tell the difference. One can't help but see that this show is beautiful. Wonderful country sides, flourishing flora and fauna, all appear to be hand painted with the utmost care. The setting for the show that they picked was interesting choice, Industrial Dark Ages. Gunpowder against swords never really made sense to me but it still is fun to watch. Even the music was archaic, trying to play instrumentals reminiscent of the medieval ages. nnI'm a sucker for pretty pictures so if the show is terrible I'll watch it to the end only if it looks good. Thankfully this show looks very VERY good. The story is very generic and predictable and even 1/2 the main characters aren't even good. But this show seems to be aimed towards women more than men. With the female bonding, love, and drama showing much more than the action. Also, with all the bishounen and even the plot twists, one would assume this is geared toward a women audience.
• User Venneh (Score: 7/10):
  Title: Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Manga Spinoff, Anime: Wellber no Monogatari has a manga spinoff known as Muzzle Loader ~Wellber Stories~ done by Naruse Takami that began running in Mag Garden's Monthly Comic Blade on February 28th, 2007, and is ongoing, and has yet to be licensed Stateside. Wellber no Monogatari is a thriteen episode series with animation produced by Trans Art Co. (famous for their work on The Prince of Tennis, and the Pokemon 2000 movie), produced overall by Production IG (famous for their work on Ghost in the Shell and xxxHOLIC) and avex entertainment (famous for producing the Law of Ueki and SchoolDays), and directed by Takayuki Hamana (famous for directing The Prince of Tennis). It aired on Japanese TV from April 3rd, 2007 to June 26th, 2007. It has yet to be licensed Stateside.nnStory: Wellber no Monogatari kicks off with Princess Rita of Wellber stabbing Prince Gernia of Sangratas, her intended. This lovely scene is witnessed by Tina, a female thief, who Rita flees with. An order is put out by Sangratas for Rita's public execution, and if they do not comply in two weeks, they will declare war on Wellber. But the King gives Rita a petition that she must take to the neighboring kingdom of Greedom in order to prevent the possible war, and Tina decides to accompany her, for reasons of her own.nnHere's the thing about Wellber no Monogatari. This had the potential to be really, really good. The premise sounds fairly awesome, no? And the first episode seemed to confirm that this would be a really good show. And the Final Fantasy-esque setting seemed really promising.nnBut as the show went on, the show seemed to devolve into stereotypical adventure/fantasy plot and filler and characters that were fairly generic, irritating, or overblown with a few hints of the brilliantness that it had originally seemed to have popping through here and there. And another problem was that one of the central parts of the premise ends up being thrown out in the last few episodes for an entirely new premise, and another is completely unadressed, a la Rozen Maiden.nnAdmittedly, there is a second season that finished up recently. However, it took subbers until just last month to finally sub the entire first season, and they haven't even gotten started on the second season. And I honestly don't know if I really want to see the second season, because I'm not sure if I'm interested, or if they'll even deliver.nnWARNING: There is some blood and boobies and nudity.nnArt: The animation is done pretty well, as is the CG. It's nothing that I'd rant and rave about, but it's still pretty good.nnMusic: Honestly, I didn't even really notice the background music. There were strings and techno, but it didn't stand out at all.nnThe OP is an instrumental numberand the ED is a female techno upbeat JPop number. Both are fairly catchy, but nothing all that special.nnSeiyuu: No one that I recognize is in this show,…
• User Smithy (Score: 6/10):
  While I enjoyed watching “Sisters Of Wellber” I can not label it as good since it has some flaws that can come over as quite disappointing to the viewer. “Sisters Of Wellber” starts off with an epic instrumental opening track that gives the impression of a adventure game's opening melody where you expect an epic tale of grand proportions in a medieval fantasy setting with suspense, action and drama will unfold before you. The basic plot of “Sisters Of Wellber” is standard fare but has proved its worth in different incarnations in many series and movies before. Rita Sior, the princess of the kingdom of Wellber,is forcefully betrothed to Gernia, the prince of Sangatras in a marital alliance designed to prevent war between both countries. Tina, a female burglar that broke into the royal palace that same day blunders into Rita's bedroom only to discover that princess Rita has stabbed prince Gernia. As the guards of both parties arrive on scene, Rita is forced to flee with Tina.nThe kingdom of Sangatras declares that if princess Rita is not captured and executed within two weeks, they will declare war and invade Wellber. Not willing to sacrifice his daughter, the king of Wellber sends Rita a message to travel to Greedom, where she can seek an alliance to stop the war between Wellber and Sangatras.nAs Tina's motive for robbery was gathering funds to travel to Greedom, where she intends to find a man with a wasp tattoo she claims to be responsible for murdering her family, she willingly accepts an offer to escort Rita.nnSo far so good, a plot that could lead to an excellent tale and with potential good character bond between Rita, the inexperienced but idealistic princess, and Tina, the savvy but less moral cat burglar.nIt is in fact Rita and Tina's character interaction and development that makes watching the series enjoyable, surely their chemistry is not of stellar proportions but it works well.nn“Sisters Of Wellber” does go out of its way to emphasize the dramatic and grand implications of its story, by constantly reminding the viewer that if Rita and Tina's mission fails, many lives will be lost in the ensuing war. To add suspense and a feeling of urgency to their quest, every episode closes off with a counter of how many days are left for the girls to stop the outbreak of the war. nBut this attempt fails as it stands opposite to the episodic adventures the girls encounter and how they are often sidetracked from their main journey. Also, at first the audience is told that Rita and Tina must travel by land circumventing the quick sea route to Greedom, as it is Sangatras that controls the seas. However, at the end they do take a ship to Greedom and it even lays anchor in Sangatras.nSurely many anime series encounter poorly constructed plots with unbelievable evolutions, but on such a short episode run, this really sticks out as a sore eye. nnAnother related problem is quite…
• ... and 1 more reviews

Forum Topics:

• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 13 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 11 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 10 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 9 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 8 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 7 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 6 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 4 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 3 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 2 Discussion
• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Episode 1 Discussion
• ...sub?

External Links:

• Official Site
• AniDB
• ANN
• Wikipedia

Related Anime/Manga:

• Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Zwei (anime - Sequel)
• Wellber no Monogatari: Kanashimi no Senshi Galahad no Banka (anime - Summary)