Not What I Thought (Several Pictures)

[Pixel]

This is my first item purchased through a deputy, ShoppingMallJapan. The one picture the seller had was of the front, and it wasn't the best in the world-I couldn't make out every detail of.

It seemed like the right thing to try. If it was indeed something special, fantastic. If not, it seemed it would be no great loss to animation history if it went missing along the way.

It was shipped SAL, (technically, I chose SAL if cheaper) because I was afraid to pay the big money for EMS-it might cost as much as the item. It arrived Saturday (2/10) after 17 days. That may be the new record for SAL from Japan to my house.

It came in a rather heavily taped box, which was quite refreshing and reassuring. The box came through in surprisingly good shape for the amount of travel. Items from Japan usually come shipped in white envelopes with padding.

I open the box, and I see small air packets in the top. My prize is sandwiched between that upper layer of air packets, and a lower layer. Looks like SMJ has solid packaging anyway.

And what exactly is my "prize"?

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Marmalade Boy [Movie]
Official? Reproduction Script
Spring 1995 Toei Anime Fair


Seller's Image




At first glance, it looks like it could be a production script from the TV series, doesn't it? I actually thought that might be what it was. I bought it under that impression.

Alas, it was not to be. To be fair, the seller did say, according to Google translate-

For the goods that have been distributed in 95 years Shueisha Anime Fair
Or actually used the libretto is unknown

I guess that should have been more of a red flag to me.

Note the red button logo in the upper left corner. It appears to represent a face. I couldn't read it at first, but the katakana at the bottom of the logo (the "smile") translates to "Anime Fair". The left eye has the number 95 in it. Not sure about the right eye, or the nose. The seller claimed it was distributed at the 1995 Shueisha Anime Fair. I think it was actually named the "Toei Anime Fair" instead. Further research indicates that Marmalade Boy was among the titles featured at the Spring 1995 Toei Anime Fair.

Yes, I'm now sure it was called the Toei Anime Fair. Below is a link to an auction on Yahoo JP, from the '95 Spring Anime Fair. There's Marmalade Boy in the bottom right. There at the top outside corner of both front and back pages is the same "red face" logo.

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/e22 ... n&rc=yaucc


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Front Cover - My Scan




The reflections are from the protective bag it came in. In the process, I turned it around so the front wouldn't come in contact with the bag's adhesive (on the flap) as I placed it back inside. The front cover is facing the back of the bag.

I do love this front cover. It's a single-color illustration, but it's a great pose for the couple. They are wearing their school uniforms, and Miki's expression is captivatingly charming.

The face logo must have been for the Anime Fair, and for merchandise made for the Fair as well. When I saw it in person for the first time Saturday and realized it was likely something made for the fair, I was so disappointed I put it back in the shipping box. I wasn't where I could give it a thorough inspection then, anyway. I decided not to check it out until Monday. I wanted a chance to calm down and try to temper my expectations.

I still wasn't 100% exactly sure what it was-while I managed to translate most of the front cover, nothing that I could find really told me in detail what was inside.

It measures roughly 6 7/8" wide and 9 1/4" long. It looks smaller than I'd expect a real script to be. There is no UPC code on the back. Was it sold in a package of some sort? Was it even for sale, or some sort of promotional item?

When I finally got into it Monday, I realized it was not even from the TV series. Rather, it is a reproduction of the script from an animated "movie" that was made following the TV series. I recognized it as from the movie because I watched it on the internet many years ago. There were characters in the script that as best I can remember were only featured in the movie. I also recognized a scene where Yuu picks up Miki's monogrammed workout wristband, before he even knows who she is.

This "movie" tells the beginning of the story from Yuu's perspective, where his parents announce to him their plans to divorce each other and swap spouses with another couple also to divorce, the Koishikawas. In the process, his mother tells him that the Koishikawa's have a daughter named Miki. They basically ask him if it's okay. He says he doesn't care, as he also said to Miki near the start in the TV series. In the movie, he is privately far less nonchalant about it.

Eventually, Yuu discovers Miki on his own before they are to meet, and learns her identity by following her around for most of a day. He is shocked when he realizes the cute girl he's been-well, frankly it looked like stalking-is set to be his new half-stepsister.

The most interesting thing about it to me, I'm not sure the original movie script was finished when this reproduction went to print.

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Cast Page 1 - annotated with Romaji names (Japanese name order)




Even though the cast list is two pages long, only the names of the characters are given on the second page, not the seiyuu. Maybe these characters weren't cast when this reproduction was made?

Cast Page 2



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Not only that, there is at least one scene with slightly different dialogue in the script versus the finished product. Late in the movie, Miki and Meiko encounter a foreign couple who speak English. As they chat with the couple, Yuu is sitting nearby watching. Suddenly the man notices Yuu watching Miki, and inquires about him to her in less-than-perfect English. In the script, the English dialogue appears to have originally been handwritten in cursive.

Script Page, The Foreign Gentleman Notices Yuu



Here is a Link to a video, showing the same scene. -> Gaijin Spotting Yuu

Here is how I heard the actual scene.

Man: I uh... is he your friend?
Miki: Iie? Ai-uh? FURENDO? (Couldn't hear this line clearly.)
Man: Yes, he's looking at you a long time.
Woman: Where is he?
Man: Well, I saw him over there so handsome boy.

Note the difference in the production dialogue versus my reproduction script. Is it simply an ad-lib? Would seiyuu even be comfortable ad-libbing in English?

Also of note, when the gaijin says "...handsome boy", this may actually be a reference to a relatively obscure manga/OVA called Handsome na Kanojo (Handsome Girlfriend). "Handsome Girlfriend" was written by the same author as Marmalade Boy, WATARU Yoshizumi.

EDIT: correction, YOSHIZUMI Wataru

I'm not sure what to make of it really. It can't be an actual production script, can it? Would they put this logo on an original production script?

The Marmalade Boy "movie" is about the same length as a TV episode, maybe a couple or so minutes longer. I'm pretty sure this covers the entire movie, as best I can tell. It may have been from a draft treatment, but it is hard to say for sure. If only I could actually read Japanese.

It's difficult not to be disappointed. I wanted a real production script.

It's not in perfect condition either. The pages near the "back" (we would call it the front-Japanese books seem to be written to be read right-to-left) have been creased in one corner, and the spine has some damage. Some of the print on the inside is either faded out, or was not properly copied in the first place.

Would it have been given out, or sold?
Did any other anime at the fair have a reproduction script available?

As it is does this script-even if just a reproduction-have any value or place in the history of animation?

I would greatly appreciate any input, opinions, and information on this piece and/or the Fair itself in general.

[JWR]

Not quite sure what this is for (maybe a drama cd) but the voice actors listed do match those who voiced the anime

[Pixel]

NOTE: It's actually YOSHIZUMI Wataru, to this day Japanese names still get me from time to time.

At first, I was pretty sure this was for the movie, as the dialogue I can decipher seems to mostly match the finished movie. Now that you've mentioned a drama cd though, there is a possibility that they made such a cd, then simply reused the script (with possible modifications) for the movie.

I forgot to mention the main cast is the same as the anime. Actually, it's a subset of the main cast. Sadly, some of the other heavy hitters are missing from this script, and the movie. Particularly disappointing is that neither Arimi (HISAKAWA Aya) nor Ginta (KANEMARU Jun'ichi) were involved. I note there are blank spaces between the names on Page 1. Maybe they were at one point considering using more of the original main cast?

Not that the voice actors in the movie aren't excellent, it's just that those two characters have a chemistry about them when together that often times seemed missing between Yuu and Miki, and I don't really know exactly why. Although at this point in the timeline, neither of them know the other.

I would have expected to see Ginta at least, as he and Miki have a history that goes back further in the storyline than this script.

Actually, the movie does contain something special, in my opinion.

Typically, Miki will sound more or less like this-

Miki Voice Sample (CV: KOUDA Mariko) - Marmalade Boy Episode 1/TV Series

I didn't subtitle it, because the point is what she sounds like more than what she says. It's not a bad voice.

In a scene from the movie though, KOUDA-san gives Miki a vocal element she never really had in the show.

Miki, The Towel Monster!

Miki sits down for a rest after a solo tennis practice session, placing a towel over her head. A group of young boys spy Miki with the tower over her head. Decked out in costumes that are a mix of Mega Man and the Power Rangers, they declare her to be a Towel Monster, and squirt her with water pistols. After a brief exchange, the five boys celebrate their apparent victory with cheering, while jumping up-and-down.

Just then a low, heaving laugh is heard off camera. The first time I heard is, I was like "What the-?!"

The camera switches to Miki, covered in the towel and sort of in a strange squat position. Apparently, the scary-sounding laugh is coming from her! The first time I heard the next few lines, it was almost spellbinding. KOUDA-san reaches down in her register, making Miki almost sound like a completely different person! As the "Towel Monster" continues speaking, KOUDA-san's voice ascends from low-to-high marvelously, gradually bringing more of Miki back into her voice.

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Script Sections 139-140 - The Towel Monster is angry!




Yuu is off in the woods watching all of this by the way, and loving every minute of it.

NOTE: While I can't read Japanese, I'd just about bet the instructions at the top of Scene 140 say something to the effect of "Miki whips the towel off her head."

As the scene continues beyond Section 140, it is obvious that Miki is really getting into the game! Her face distorts into something that for Marmalade Boy, is quite fierce. Meanwhile, KOUDA-san's voice drops back down, the comes back up, becoming a bit ragged in the high register. This is highly effective at conveying the rage that Miki as the Towel Monster is pretending to feel. She even growls a bit at one point.

It's important to note that Miki never comes across as a menacing character anywhere in the TV series, even as a joke. While I know I cannot speak for her, I get the feeling from listening to her voice here that KOUDA-san herself enjoyed this change of pace for the character.

Ultimately, Miki comes across as convincing enough to cause two of the boys to chuck their water pistols into the air, as those two and two more turn tail and run like crazy. After Miki's next line or two, we see that one of the five was left straggling.

With them on the run, Miki chuckles softly out loud, her voice returning to normal.

"Okay, I think I'll chase after them!" She says gleefully. This happy, silly, carefree Miki is almost never seen in the TV series.

This is one of my favorite solo Miki moments in all of Marmalade Boy. It's light-hearted, humorous, and simply a joy to watch.

UPDATE: Upon further research, I'm pretty much certain this was a promotional item for the movie. I found out that Toei used the Anime Fair to promote their TV series as movies. They would run these movies back-to-back during the festival. Promotional items would be available for purchase at the Fair, or through the mail. According to what I read, these items were not sold anywhere else.

I can't find too much out about Marmalade Boy and the Fair. Most of what I've learned is from fansites pertaining to Toei's best known franchise, DragonBall.