END of Part I Back to "A Guide to Kimagure Orange Road"
*** PART I KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS *** Contents 1) Characters --- Voice actors Birthdays 2) In what kinds of formats does KOR exist? 3) Episode titles and their airing dates 4) Manga chapters 5) OVA titles 6) Theatrical release 7) When did KOR run in Japan? 8) KOR Credits 9) What does "Kimagure" mean? 10) Where is Orange Road? 11) How do you pronounce "Abcb?" 12) How many steps are there? 13) What does a red string symbolize? 14) What is the significance of the red straw hat? 15) Why does Kyosuke always catch a cold when he falls into water? 16) How old are the main characters? 17) Why isn't there any power being used in the movie? 18) Why isn't Yusaku in the movie? 19) Is there a continuation of KOR? What is the "New KOR?" 20) How do the manga and the anime series differ? 21) How old do you have to be to drink in Japan? 22) What is the significance of the ringing bell in the movie? 23) What do "A", "B" and "C" mean? 24) What is the name of the apartment building the Kasugas live in? 25) What is the name of the Disco they often visit in KOR? 26) Why do the Kasugas move so often? 27) Why do Madoka and Kyosuke call each other by their family names? 28) What university have Kyosuke and Madoka been accepted to? 29) How long have Madoka and Hikaru been friends? 30) What *was* Hikaru to Kyosuke? 31) Is Kyosuke just as hentai (perverted) as Hatta and Komatsu? 32) What is the significance of the name "Ayukawa?" 33) What is the significance of the name "Kasuga?" 34) What is the significance of the name "Hikaru?" 35) Why does Jingoro keep trying to run away? 36) Why did Yusaku take up karate? 37) Why does Hikaru treat Yusaku so poorly? 38) Did Hikaru know about Ayukawa's feelings for Kasuga and his feelings for Ayukawa? When did she find out? 39) When does Madoka quit smoking? 40) Was Madoka ever in a gang? 41) Where did Ayukawa learn all her fabulous skills? 42) Can Kyosuke hypnotize anyone other than himself? Can Kurumi hypnotize anyone other than Kyosuke? 43) Does the head-butt/mind-switch work on non-espers? 44) Who has what power? 45) Is it possible for ESPers powers to "misfire" or trigger off accidentally? 46) Why is Madoka afraid of ghosts? Does this extend to other supernatural phenomena? 47) Who is older, Kurumi or Manami? 48) What are the real names of Grandpa and Grandma? 49) Is Akane a lesbian? 50) How are Kazuya and Akane related? 51) What are Akane and Kazuya's family name(s)? 52) Why do we never get to see Kyosuke's mother in "real time?" 53) What exactly are Madoka's parents' occupations? 54) Is Madoka's father a gaijin (foreigner)? 55) Why doesn't Takashi have ESP power? 56) What is Master's real name? Why is he called Master? 57) How old are Takashi and Master? 58) What does Umao and Ushiko mean? 59) Why are Umao and Ushiko in the series? What are they saying? 60) What are those festivals? 61) What is Tanabata? 62) What is the name of the school? 63) What movies are referenced in KOR? 64) How many time does Madoka slap Kyosuke? 65) Does Madoka know about Kasugas' powers at the end of the series? Does she remember her trip to the world six years ago? 66) When do the OAV's take place? 67) What does Hikaru's "BANG" at the end of the movie mean? 68) How much time has passed from the breakup to the end of the movie? 69) What does T.A.P. stand for in T.A.P. Gun, Episode 40? 70) Where can I find translations to the manga? 71) Where can I buy KOR CD's? 72) Where can I find KOR anime series? 73) Where can I find KOR manga? 74) What is this time conflict I keep hearing about? 75) An excerpt from an interview with the director of the movie. 76) Should I get the Singing Heart or Loving Heart compilation CD? 77) Which opening and ending themes are on which CD's? 78) A choronology of KOR events and ages 79) Ages of Madoka and Kyosuke 1) Characters --- Voice actors (family names first): Kasuga Kyosuke Furuya Toru Ayukawa Madoka Tsuru Hiromi Hiyama Hikaru Hara Eriko (also Koono Eri in the OAV's) Kasuga Manami Tomizawa Michie Kasuga Kurumi Honda Chieko Kasuga Takashi Tomiyama Kei Hino Yusaku Kikuchi Masami Akane Matsui Naoko Kasuga Kazuya Sakamoto Chika Jingoro Ogata Kenichi Komatsu Seiji Namba Keiichi Hatta Kazuya Tatsuta Naoki Grandpa Ogata Kenichi Grandma Suzuki Reiko Ushiko Suzuki Katsumi Umao Nakajima Senri Birthdays (based on manga and movie dating): Ayukawa Madoka May 25, 1969 Kasuga Kyosuke Nov 15, 1969 Hiyama Hikaru Nov 15, 1971 2) What kinds of formats does KOR exist in? 18 volumes of manga 48 TV episodes 1 pilot episode with a different voice cast 1 40 minute "Tanabata"(a Japanese holiday) special 1 60 minute "Episode 49," a flashback of the 48 episodes. 8 OAV's (Original Animated Video), commercially available in US 1 Theatrical Release, commercially available in US 3) Episode titles and their airing dates: Ep 1 87.04.06 Tenkousei! Hazukashinagara hatsukoi shimasu Transfer Student! humble first love Ep 2 87.04.13 Ano musumeni choppiri lemon no kiss wo Just a little lemon kiss Ep 3 87.04.20 Kibunha yurete rolling hatsu date Mood swings. Rowing first date Ep 4 87.04.27 Hikaru-chan!? Osawagase no C taiken Hikaru-chan!? The troubled C experience Ep 5 87.05.04 Futari no himitsu tomadoi arbeit Two's secret, part-time trouble Ep 6 87.05.11 Aitsuha rival koino chuukanshiken He's the rival, the test of two people's love Ep 7 87.05.18 Madoka no shiseikatsu!? Kuchizuke spark iro Madoka's private life?! The spark-colored smooch Ep 8 87.05.25 Kimiha egao! Nagisa no shutter chance Your smile! shutter chance at the beach Ep 9 87.06.01 Kurumi-chan date no shikata oshiemasu Kurumi-chan's how to date Ep 10 87.06.08 Yochimu!? Hikaru-chan ga shinjau? Premonition dream!? Hikaru-chan will die? Ep 11 87.06.15 Narasanaide wedding bell! Don't ring the wedding bell! Ep 12 87.06.22 America ryuugaku! Sayonara Madoka To America! Good-bye Madoka Ep 13 87.06.29 Shisen shuuchuu! Hikaru-chan! Daihenshin Catching attention! Hikaru! big transformation Ep 14 87.07.06 Yochimu! Madoka ha nanjakuotoko ga okirai Premonition dream! Kyosuke and Madoka break up Ep 15 87.07.13 Madoka no kesshin! Sankakukankei ni period Madoka's decision! End of the triangle Ep 16 87.07.20 Shinjiru shinjinai UFO wo mita Madoka Believe it or not, Madoka saw a UFO Ep 17 87.07.27 Natsu no yuuwaku ikinari double date Summer's temptation, double date out of blue Ep 18 87.08.03 Madoka chousen! Big Monday! Madoka's challenge! Big Monday! Ep 19 87.08.10 Futari no taiken kinjirareta koinoshima Two's experience, the forbidden island Ep 20 87.08.17 Hikaru mokugeki! Gasshuku ha kikenga ippai Hikaru witnesses! Summer camp is lots of danger Ep 21 87.08.24 Kyosuke pinch! Arashi ga oka no amai sasayaki Kyosuke in trouble! Sweet whisper of storm hill Ep 22 87.08.31 Otonano kankei! Madoka himitsu no asagaeri Adult relationship! Madoka's secret morning return Ep 23 87.09.07 Kyosuke Madoka daigenka! Koino ninninsankyaku Kyosuke and Madoka's big fight! Three-legged race of love Ep 24 87.09.14 Kazuya toujou! Panic kid ni goyoujin Kazuya introduced! Watch out for the Panic Kid! Ep 25 87.09.21 Abunai jikoanji! Kyosuke-kun henshinsu Risky self-hypnosis! Kyosuke-kun changed Ep 26 87.09.28 Kodomoni natta Kyosuke! Madoka ni sekkin Kid Kyosuke! approaches Madoka Ep 27 87.10.05 Nerawareta Madoka! Kyosuke otokono shoumei Targeted Madoka! Kyosuke's proof of manhood Ep 28 87.10.12 Kikenna kesshin! Manami-chan no daibouken Big decision! Manami's big adventure Ep 29 87.10.19 Nakuna Jingoro aito seishun no hatsujouki Don't cry Jingoro, period of love and seishun Ep 30 87.10.26 Kinoha monogatari! Kurumi no hatsukoi jigokuhen Kurumi's first love, Hell edition Ep 31 87.11.02 Madoka to Yusaku! Seishun kakeochi koushinkyoku Madoka and Yusaku! Run away march Ep 32 87.11.09 Tanjoubi ha nidokuru!? Tokino kakeru Kyosuke Birthday comes twice! Kyosuke time travels Ep 33 87.11.16 Ayashino Madoka! Kinoko de honne 120% Suspicious Madoka! 120% truth mushrooms Ep 34 87.11.23 Roots panic fushigino hoshi no Madoka Root search panic, Madoka in wonderland Ep 35 87.11.30 Camera de H! Robot Kyo-chan H with camera! Robot Kyo-chan Ep 36 87.12.07 Saraba Kyosuke video ni utsutta chounouryoku Farewell Kyosuke! Power recorded on video Ep 37 87.12.14 Orange ninkyouden! Madoka fubuki no taiketsu Orange chivalry! Madoka's duel in the snow storm Ep 38 87.12.21 Kyosuke jikanryokou! 3 do me no Christmas Kyosuke time travels! third christmas Ep 39 88.01.04 Madoka ni saiminjitsu! Kyosuke abunai shougatsu Hypnotized Madoka! Kyosuke's risky new year Ep 40 88.01.11 Hatsuyumedayo! Daikaijuu Jingoro no gyakushuu It's hatsuyume! Jingoro the Monster strikes back Ep 41 88.01.18 Ugokenai Madoka! Kyosuke no fushigidokei Immobile Madoka! Kyosuke's wonder watch Ep 42 88.01.25 Motemote no Madoka! Kyosuke tsuini kokuhaku Popular Madoka! Kyosuke finally declares Ep 43 88.02.01 Shoushin no Hikaru! Oikakete fuyukaigan Broken hearted Hikaru! Chase me to winter beach Ep 44 88.02.08 Koino oaji? Kyosuke jigoku no valentine Taste of love? Kyosuke's Valentine from Hell Ep 45 88.02.15 Hikaru shisu soshite daremo inaku natta Good-bye Hikaru-chan! And there was none Ep 46 88.02.22 Hakugin no ichiya! Futaribocchi de gondola One silver night! Gondola for two Ep 47 88.02.29 Sayonara no yokan Madoka no hatsukoi wo sagase Sad farewell, search for Madoka's first love Ep 48 88.03.07 Koi tsukamaeta soshite dacapo Caught the love! and dacapo 4) Manga chapters Book 1 The Red Straw Hat The Blue Shot The Story of the Lip Secret A Sad Cheek Dance Lakeside Rhapsody The Distant Love The Dangerous Rumors The Secret Albeit Book 2 The First Test Shopping Boogie The Suspicious Ring Alcohol Blues The Incoherent Feeling The Two Snapshots Jealousy Rain The Unfortunate One Sided Love Book 3 Be Careful Kurumi Ticket Trouble Panic At The Beach (Isaribi koiuta) The Forbidden Lover's Island I'm Not A Child I Like Japan The Exciting Amusement Park The Suspicious Light Beam Book 4 Jealousy With The Beat I'm Sorry I'm So Indecisive The Puzzling Accident Let's Marathon A Suspicious Hikaru The Flower Of Happiness I Pulled The Ace Of Hearts A Dream On The Starry Sky Book 5 Kyosuke Transforms The Telepathy Kid The Lucky Birthday The Dream One More Time The Mystery Of The Cold The Panic Kid Time Slip Christmas A Swinging Lullaby The Skater's Waltz Book 6 Let's Change The Snow Sketch A Romantic Night The Two In A Snowy Night A Dreamy Book Valentine I Can't Go To High School The Tempting Hinamatsuri The Pure Hearted Blues The Message In Rouge Book 7 The Angel's Temptation The Panic Kid Again The Unallowed Cheek Dance Spring Is A Shock The Jealous Card Let It Be A Hurricane The Happening With H Be Careful Of Skinship The Intelligent Suspect In Love Book 8 Private Memory The Shutter Chance The Parallel Trip But It's A Paradise The Dangerous Beach The Witness Akane Don't Fall Darling The Fugitive Of Love S.H. Are The Initials Of Love Book 9 How About Horror A Shake In The Camp Roots Panic A Summer Snow Love Story A Chase In The Pool Don't Cheat A Chance With A Dream The Fantasy Camera Everything Will Be Destroyed Book 10 Parallel Boogie Parallel Night Parallel Hero The Autumn Feeling Of Love The Dangerous Transfer Student Live in Video The Secret Snapshot It's a Birthday Slapstick Mushrooms Book 11 Say That You Like Me Heart Jack War White Christmas Don't Put Me Under Hypnosis Kiss In The First Dream The Terrifying Legend Of The Winter Mountain Horror Story The Shape Up With Tears Love Focus Book 12 The Valentine Kid Kyosuke The Robot The First Love Are You Really Going To Study Abroad? Spring Is Here The Dangerous Twosome Manami's Adventure Be Careful Of April's Fool The Design Of A Blurry Spring Love Book 13 An Omen For Kyosuke The Talking Parrot I'm A Man The Strange Watch The Wakeup Kiss The Photogenic Girl The Message That Can't Be Shown Emotional Expression 100% The Bus Stop Of Love Book 14 The Dangerous Teacher The Reunion Labyrinth The Broken Heart Dream I've Turned Into A Cat The Summer Book vacation For Parting The Hawaii Everyone's Longing For Hawaii, The Girls' Battlefield The Everlasting Summer Beach Suspense Hawaiian Mystery Book 15 Summer Night Horror Special Story: Matsumoto Izumi Goes To Chiba The Lipstick Of The Night The Temptation Behind Closed Doors The Sweetly Dangerous Movie The Promotion Red Zone Under The Tree Of Memories The Jealousy By Peeking Book 16 The Happening Kiss The Man Who Can't Return And Then.. Dacarpo Spring Is An Idol The Happening In The Street Corner The Adventure Of The Night The Confession Of The Sad Love Unintentionally The Cupid The Dreamy Stage Book 17 A Star Is Born Heart On Fire An Unexpected Situation The Pretend Boy Friend Just The Two In The Room Hikaru The Idol A One Sided Love Graffiti Kyosuke The Robot II I Turned Into A Fish Book 18 The Lake Of Memories The Summer Pendant Escape Escape The Prayer Of The Stone Statue The Summer Finale The Two That Couldn't Turn Back The Everlasting Summer 5) OVA titles: (In order of Japanese release dates. The numbers are for the subtitled AnimEigo release order.) 3 White Lovers 4 Hawaiian Suspense 1 I was a cat; I was a fish 2 Hurricane! Akane, the shape-changing girl 5 Stage of love = Heart on fire: Spring is for idols 6 Stage of love = Heart on fire: Birth of a star 7 Unexpected Situation 8 Message in Rouge 6) Theatrical release: Kimagure Orange Road: Ano Hi ni Kaeritai (Kimagure Orange Road: I Want to Return to That Day) 7) When did KOR run in Japan? The TV series: April 8, 1987 to March 7, 1988, 48 episodes The manga: 1984 to 1988, 18 volumes The movie: released October 8, 1988 8) KOR Credits: Manga Creator, author: ........... Matsumoto Izumi Serialized in Jump Comics, published by Shuueisha TV series and OAV's Directors: ................. Yoshinaga Naoyuki Mori Takeshi Nakumura Kooichiroo Mochizuki Tomomichi Producers: ................. Sai Haruo (Toho) Fukakusa Reiko (Studio Pierrot) Screenplay: ................ Tarada Kenji Shizuya Isao Character Design: .......... Takada Akemi Music: ..................... Sagisu Shiroo Animation Director: ........ Gotoo Masako Art Director: .............. Miura Satoshi Director of Photography: ... Komatsu Toshikazu Kaneko Jin Audio Director: ............ Matsuura Noriyoshi Produced by: ............... Toho Company, LTD. Studio Pierrot Movie Director: .................. Mochizuki Tomomichi Producers: ................. Kawano Hideo (Toho) Fukakusa Reiko (Studio Pierrot) Screenplay: ................ Tarada Kenji Character Design: .......... Takada Akemi Music: ..................... Sagisu Shiroo Animation Director: ........ Gotoo Masako Art Director: .............. Miura Satoshi Director of Photography: ... Kaneko Jin Audio Director: ............ Matsuura Noriyoshi Produced by: ............... Toho Company, LTD. Studio Pierrot 9) What does "Kimagure" mean? Kimagure literally translates to whimsical, capricious or uncertain. Occasionally Kimagure Orange Road is referred to as Whimsical Orange Road or just Orange Road or KOR for short. 10) Where is Orange Road? Orange Road is the street where Abcb is located on. It is a street in a fictitious city near Tokyo. 11) How do you pronounce "Abcb?" Abcb is pronounced as "Abakabu." 12) How many steps are there? In Episode 1, Kyosuke counts 100, while Madoka maintains there are only 99. They reach a compromise of 99.5. In the OAV Message in Rouge, Madoka recounts the steps to 100. Therefore, there are 100 steps. 13) What does a red string symbolize? By Oriental tradition/myth, two persons tied by a red string are destined to become lovers. See Episode 22 for a great reference, in which Yukari entwines Kyosuke and Madoka literally in a red string while she's on stage. Also, in Episode 30, when everyone is waving good-bye to the soccer player on the ship, there are originally 5 red strings that the player is holding on the ship, one connected to each person, but in the end, as the ship sails away in the distance, there's only one string left... and Kurumi's holding it. 14) What is the significance of the red straw hat? The red straw hat can be interpreted as a red string wound into a hat, further emphasizing Kyosuke and Madoka's destinies. In addition, it was originally a gift from Kyosuke to Madoka, and on those steps it returns to Kyosuke. 15) Why does Kyosuke always catch a cold when he falls into water? Partly because it is a Japanese myth/superstition, as well as a demonstration of Kyosuke's physical weakness. 16) How old are the main characters? There are two independent timelines, the manga/movie and the TV series. In the beginning of the manga, Kyosuke and Madoka are 14, in the end, they are 18. In the TV series, Kyosuke and Madoka are 14, and 15 at the end. Hikaru, Yusaku, Manami and Kurumi are 2 years younger than Kyosuke and Madoka. 17) Why isn't there any power being used in the movie? The director wanted to make the movie realistic. (see the interview at the end of this FAQ) 18) Why isn't Yusaku in the movie? As the director said, the movie is about the Triangle. To include Yusaku would skew the focus of the movie. The movie has a very tightly focused plot and it tells the story of the ending of the love triangle. Yusaku would be a distraction to the story. 19) Is there a continuation of KOR? What is the "New KOR?" Matsumoto Izumi, the author of KOR manga, released a novel titled New Kimagure Orange Road in early 1994. The general idea and framework of the story are Matsumoto's, while the actual text is written by Tarada Kenji, the writer of KOR TV series. The novel attempts to unify the continuity between the manga and the anime, and to present the future of the characters after the movie. The novel opens in 1991 with a 19-year old Kyosuke (following the TV chronology) winning a photo contest and dreaming of celebrating with Madoka. His luck runs out as he gets hit by a car. Grandpa accidentally sends Kyosuke's soul to 1994 while trying to save him. In 1994, Kyosuke learns his future and those of his friends. He eventually meets his 22 year-old self, and returns to 1991. All the characters from the original series appear in the novel, except Yusaku, whom Matsumoto "inadvertently forgot". Although a novel, it features four color and seventeen monochrome pages of illustrations by Matsumoto. Shin Kimagure Orange Road Matsumoto Izumi & Tarada Kenji Published by Kabushiki Gaisha Shueisha, 1994 ISBN4-08-703023-7 A translation has been made by Peter Payne. It's available on server.berkeley.edu There is also a fan fiction series written by Stephen Tsai, with help from various fans, named "Kimagure Orange College." It centers on Kyosuke and Madoka's college lives. As of January of 1995, there have been 24 episodes, and 2 doujinshi (fan mangazine), with a total of 96 episodes planned. The episodes can be obtained via anonymous ftp to server.berkeley.edu and venice.tcp.com 20) How do the manga and the TV series differ? The manga has far more stories than the anime series. Virtually all the anime stories were taken from the manga, some were relatively unaltered, some were drastically changed. A few anime stories only share the same beginnings as their perspective manga stories; the rest are totally different, for better or for worse. In addition, a few anime stories are the composites of several unrelated manga stories. For example, the OAV "I was a cat; I was a fish" is a combination of two manga stories. The only anime stories that's not based on the manga is the movie, "Ano hi ni kaeritai." The characters look somewhat different because Matsumoto did the character designs for the manga, whereas the anime designs were done by Takada Akemi. 21) How old do you have to be to drink in Japan? Legally 20, but there are vending machines that sell cans of alcohol. 22) What is the significance of the wind chime in the movie? A symbol of Hikaru. 23) What do "A", "B" and "C" mean? In reference to Episode 3 where Hikaru gets Kyosuke into a mess with a rumor of "C"..... "A" = kissing "B" = petting "C" = in bed "D" = pregnant 24) What is the name of the apartment building the Kasugas live in? The building has been shown with both "Green Castle" and "Green House" on its sign in the TV series, and "Green House" in the movie. 25) What is the name of the Disco they often visit in KOR? "Disco Moebius" 26) Why do the Kasugas move so often? They move whenever their powers are discovered by the public. 27) Why do Madoka and Kyosuke call each other by their family names? Madoka addresses Kyosuke as Kasuga-kun. -kun is generally used between males of equal status or from higher to lower. So basically Madoka treats Kyosuke either as socially equal, or slightly inferior. Considering Madoka's reputation, and the high respect she holds, -kun is probably the most fitting. As for the other way around, Kyosuke would like to call Madoka by her first name, but is afraid to do so because of, again, her reputation and the respect she holds. Ayukawa-san would be too formal for Kyosuke to be comfortable with, so Ayukawa it is. Imagine Kyosuke saying "A... Ayukawa-san"; "A...Ayukawa" is a whole lot better. :) In Episode 25, Madoka is very surprised at Kyosuke for calling her "Ayukawa-kun." 28) What university have Kyosuke and Madoka been accepted to? Waseda University. 29) How long have Madoka and Hikaru been friends? Ever since they were very little kids. 30) What *was* Hikaru to Kyosuke? Hikaru was a close friend, and an attractive girl, but she is not someone Kyosuke could commit his full affections for. He likes her very much, but most definitely did not love her as he did Madoka. 31) Is Kyosuke just as hentai (perverted) as Hatta and Komatsu? Just like any other growing boy - he's just discovering his "natural" desires ... it was just too dangerous to express it to Hikaru or Madoka. :) 32) What is the significance of the name "Ayukawa?" According to the kanji (yet another Japanese writing system for Chinese characters), "Ayu" refers to a type of small, silvery fish found in freshwater streams in Japan. It's about the size of a small trout. "kawa" is of course river. The whole name refers to a river in which these fish can be found. Also, since these fish are silvery, light flashes off them quite easily, sometimes reflecting the sun. Thus, at times, the river can sparkle. Other times, it's dark. Same with Ayukawa... sometimes she's bright ... other times she's moody. 33) What is the significance of the name "Kasuga?" Kasuga means "spring sun". Kasuga seems to be able to bring out Ayukawa's bright, cheerful, gentle side. The river is sometimes dark, but the spring sun shining on it makes it sparkle and bright. Kasuga brings out the light in Ayukawa, in more ways than one. They are meant for each other and complement each other, even down to their names. 34) What is the significance of the name "Hikaru?" Hikaru's name comes from a kanji that means "light", "to shine." An obvious reference to her bright and cheery personality. 35) Why does Jingoro keep trying to run away? Some argue that the Kasugas only had Jingoro after they moved to the city, since Madoka seems to be petting the young Jingoro in Episode 48. This would also explain Jingoro's constant attempt to run away. On the other hand, the cat in Episode 48 could be another cat who looks like Jingoro. Besides, the "abuse" he gets from the twins are enough to drive any cat nuts. 36) Why did Yusaku take up karate? Because when they were little, Hikaru told him if he were to become strong, she would marry him. 37) Why does Hikaru treat Yusaku so poorly? Probably because he was such a wimp when he was a kid. 38) Did Hikaru know about Ayukawa's feelings for Kasuga and his feelings for Ayukawa? When did she find out? In the manga... it is Fairly clear throughout that except for some cricumstances that do appear rather periodically, Hikaru has not a clue that Kyosuke loves Madoka. She has some clue at CERTAIN TIMES that he does *like* someone else. and in fact mentions this to him in a few of the stories, but her fears are always put to rest. The manga ending of Kimagure Orange Road is a *BIG* shock to Hikaru. She is absolutely wasted by the finding out that Kyosuke loves Madoka.. And doesn't even pick up on it till Manami actually shows Hikaru the hat and recites Kyosuke's line from Volume #1 that "I fell in love with her, and I don't even know her name" The anime, on the other hand, takes a different tone. Hikaru has known for a long time, and has been trying to change things. (At least so she claims in the movie.) 39) When does Madoka quit smoking? Near the end of Episode 3, while drawing a cigarette, she remembers the cigarette incident in Episode 1, and puts the cigarette back. 40) Was Madoka ever in a gang? She is well known by many gangs, but was never in any of them. Although several gangs attempted to recruit her, she never joined any of them, reinforcing the "loner" image. 41) Where did Ayukawa learn all her fabulous skills? Probably out of necessity because her parents are rarely at home, she had to fend for herself. She's seen training herself in a gym in ep 14. 42) Can Kyosuke hypnotize anyone other than himself? Can Kurumi hypnotize anyone other than Kyosuke? According to Episode 39, Kyosuke tried to hypnotize Madoka but failed. Earlier when Kurumi hypnotized Kyosuke, she said that Grandpa taught her where the vulnerable spot is, so the only way she knew how to hypnotize was through "training" by Grandpa. She had the power, she just didn't know how exactly to do it. Kyosuke didn't receive any of this "training", and so didn't know what he was doing when he pretended to hypnotize Madoka. If he were to get some info from Grandpa like Kurumi had done, then he would probably be able to point and really hypnotize someone else beside himself. 43) Does the head-butt/mind-switch work on non-espers? Yes. Kyosuke manages to switch body with Hayakawa, the idol singer. And Kazuya switches body with Jingoro once in ep 29. 44) Who has what power? Kyosuke is capable of teleportation, telekinesis, premonition, slight telepathy, soul switching, time travel, and hyponosis to himself. Manami can perform teleportation and telekinesis. Kurumi is capable of tele- portation, telekinesis and hypnosis. Akane can teleport and make her target see illusions of her as someone else. Kazuya has the powers of telekinesis, telepathy, and soul switching. The grandparents can pretty much do everything. In addition, Kyosuke has shown he is capable of destorying objects with angry outbursts of power, as demonstrated in Episode 48 and the OAV Hurricane Akane. 45) Is it possible for the powers to "misfire" or trigger off accidentally? Yes. Kyosuke once accidentally teleported himself into Umao and Ushiko's car while taking a bath. 46) Why is Madoka afraid of ghosts? Does this extend to other supernatural phenomena? Uncertain, but there are similarities. The tough-girl Miya Igarashii from "Koko Wa Greenwood", was afraid that her house was haunted, and admitted this to Hasukawa. It may be an anime-stereotype that tough girls are always spooked by the supernatural. 47) Who is older, Kurumi or Manami? Manami is older. Their mother died after giving birth to Kurumi. Manami is also far more mature than Kurumi. 48) What are the real names of Grandpa and Grandma? No one knows. 49) Is Akane a lesbian? There's no indication ever of her expressing interest in men, and her interest in Madoka would appear to make Akane a lesbian. The OAV's and the manga are vague on this issue. But according to Matsumoto at Anime Expo '94, Akane's behavior during the OVAs and manga is a period of "idol worship" in her life. When asked on what he forsees in an hypothetical 5-10 years in the future, Matsumoto said that Akane would probably one day find a boyfriend, perhaps get married, and settle down. 50) How are Kazuya and Akane related? According to the manga, Akane is Kazuya's older sister. The objection to this arises from the TV series. Kazuya's family lives next door to the Kasugas since Episode 24, but Akane was never seen in the TV series. In the OAV's, Akane's family was living some distance away from the Kasugas. A possible explanation would be that Akane was away from her family in the TV series while her family lived in the same building as Kasugas, and during the OAV's, they moved away. 51) What are Akane and Kazuya's family name(s)? Kazuya's last name is Kasuga, as indicated by the credits. If Akane is his sister, then she would be Kasuga as well. Both of the Kasuga cousins have to be from Kyosuke's mother's side because that is the side of the family from which the powers came, which means in theory that their last names cannot be Kasuga. Kasuga is the name from Kyosuke's father side of the family. According to Matsumoto at Anime Expo '94, Akane and Kazuya are siblings, but their family name was never given. Simply put, Matsumoto never needed it so he never bothered to make one. 52) Why do we never get to see Kyosuke's mother in "real time?" Kyosuke's mother's name was Akemi. She died while giving birth to the Kurumi. An incorrect explanation is that she died of lung cancer. This error came from an article in the first, summer 1990, issue of "Animenominous!" The article contributed Akemi's death to a respiratory illness, but according to Manga 18 and Matsumoto at Anime Expo '94, she died in childbirth. 53) What exactly are Madoka's parents's occupations? Both are world famous musicians. Madoka's father is a conductor. As to what exactly the mother does, it is a little vague, but she apparently is a violinist. 54) Is Madoka's father a gaijin (foreigner)? Source of this argument comes from Message in Rouge when Komatsu says "I was afraid we wouldn't be able to communicate," which seems to indicate that Komatsu thinks Madoka's father is non-Japanese, but after Komatsu said that, Hikaru responds with "you idiot, he's Madoka-san's father. Of course he can speak Japanese" The reason behind Komatsu's statement is probably because Madoka's father has spend most of his time overseas, not because he is not Japanese. In addition, this might have gotten started with the same article in Animenominous!, which after saying that Madoka is half-American, it noted that "Her dramatic exclusion and unpopularity is at least partially due to her being 'butakumiin', almost literally an unperson due to her not being of pure Japanese blood." The articles also had some other minor errors in addition to this and Akemi's death. 55) Why doesn't Takashi have ESP power? The power comes from the mother's side of the family. Therefore, the children have the power, but the father doesn't. 56) What is Master's real name? Why is he called Master? Master's real name has never been mentioned. He is called Master as a reference to the owners of pubs in Britain. 57) How old are Takashi and Master? Takashi is probably in his early 40's in the beginning of the series, judging from the ages of his children. Master is likely to be in early 30's. 58) What does Umao and Ushiko mean? Umao refers to a horse. Ushiko refers to a cow. 59) Why are Umao and Ushiko in the series? What are they saying? They are a running gag in KOR. They are saying the famous line "Wherefore art thou..." from Romeo and Juliet. 60) What are those festivals? In episode #17, for example, that particular one celebrates the beginning of summer. Guys and girls dress up in light summer kimonos, called "yukata," and watch fireworks. The fan that Madoka holds at the end of that episode is also commonly carried by girls. Festivals are often accompanied by parades, or "matsuri." Also special areas are set up with food stalls and other neat things like goldfish catching, etc., as shown in OAV "I Was A Cat, I Was A Fish." The Cherry Blossom Festival, or "Sakura Matsuri," is probably the best known festival in the United States. 61) What is Tanabata? It's a popular festival celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. It owes its origin to Chinese legend. The daughter of the master of heaven (Tentei) lived east of the Milky Way (Ama no kawa), and passed her time weaving cloth, thus her name of Shokujo, or Weaver. Her father arranged a marriage for her to a herdsman who lived on the other side of the Milky Way, Kengyuu. Their honeymoon lasted so long that she neglected her work altogether. Tentei was upset, and ordered the two to be separated, and they were allowed to see each other only one night a year, on the 7th day of the 7th month. That day, a raven extends its wings across the Milky Way, allowing the two to cross over and meet. Tanabata is popular with young girls who ask the Shokuji star for various wishes. Technically, two stars, Vega (Shokujo) of the constellation Lyra and Altair (Kengyuu) of the constellation Aquila, do come together that night in the sky. Petitions made on this day are said to be fulfilled in a space of 3 years. Common wishes include wishing to be one day united with a husband as faithful and loving as Kengyuu. Wishes are written on a slip of decorated paper and strung on a tree, as seen in Episode 14. Also, certain places have parades and special areas with food booths, arts and crafts, goldfish catching, and the likes. 62) What is the name of the school? Kouryou Gakuen. Kou means "high". "Ryou" refers to the ancient burial mounds that the Japanese used for burying emperors, princes, and other figures of royalty during the Yamato period around 200-600 A.D. These artificially created hills usually contained a stone coffin and the person's worldly possessions. As time passed, the locations and significance of these burial mounds were lost, and they became indistinguishable from normal hills. After much research and excavation, however, most of these sites have been re-discovered and studied. So Kouryou would mean "High Hill". "Gakuen" means "educational institute" or "campus". 63) What movies are referenced in KOR? "The Graduate" in Episode 11, "Blue Lagoon" in Episode 19, "Godzilla" and "Top Gun" in Episode 40, "Gone with the Wind" in Episode 42, and anime "Touch: An Ace Without A Number On His Back" in the movie. 64) How many time does Madoka slap Kyosuke? A total of 10 times: ep 1: the cigarette ep 7: drunk Kyosuke tries to kiss Madoka ep 21: half-naked Kyosuke in front of the cabin ep 26: Kyosuke walked in while Madoka is changing ep 32: Kyosuke pushed Madoka onto the bed under hypnosis ep 35: Kyosuke tries to strip Madoka ep 43: after Madoka discovers the lie OAV Hurricane Akane: in the pool OAV White Lovers: Kyosuke strips under illusion OAV Spring Is For Idols: during band practice break 65) Does Madoka know about Kasugas' powers at the end of the series? Does she remember her trip to the world six years ago? Yes. The dialogue, as well as the tone, have changed. In the beginning Kyosuke naps under the tree. Madoka tickles his nose. They talking about napping. Then Madoka says that she had her first kiss under the tree. Kyosuke:"I know! He's your first love!" Madoka: "pin-pon." At the end Kyousuke naps under the tree. Madoka tickles his nose. They talk about napping. Madoka notes that someone else said the same thing. Kyosuke:"And who was that?" Madoka: "He was my first love..." Kyosuke:"And that person still loves you." *kiss* In addition to the change in dialogue, the tone has also changed. The playful way Madoka readily acknowledges at the end that the person she met was her "hatsukoi" instead of saying "aru hito" as she did in the beginning is but one sign. If she didn't remember anything at all, she should have at least shown some sign of suprise or confusion when Kyosuke held her and said "And that person [that she met 6 years ago] still loves you." The kiss that happens next really doesn't make any sense if she doesn't remember a thing, but has a large impact and meaning after what she's actually been through and seen. There are a lot of other signs and hints, such as the expectant manner in which Madoka turns to Kyosuke after he tells her that the person still loves her, etc. 66) When do the OAV's take place? The exact time period is not clear, the following are approximation at best, and to some degree, speculation. White Lovers ................ ep 35-45 Hawaii Suspense ............. ep 15-25 I was a cat, I was a fish ... ep 15-30 Hurricane Akane ............. ep 20-25 Spring is for idol .......... ep 23-30 Birth of a star ............. ep 23-30 Unexpected Situation ........ after Hurricane Akane Message in Rouge ............ after ep 48 (ignoring Madoka's sister's boyfriend remark) 67) What does Hikaru's "BANG" at the end of the movie mean? The most plausible explanation is that Hikaru is over the grief caused by the break off of her relationships with Kyosuke and Madoka, and has regained her self-confidence and happiness. 68) How much time has passed from the summer breakup to the end of the movie? Little more than half a year. The breakup occurs in the summer; the posting of the scores is in February. 69) What does T.A.P. stand for in T.A.P. Gun, Episode 40? On September 23, 1964, the United Union Air Force established an elite team for the top one percent of their pilots. Its purpose was to execute the art of air combat and to insure that the handful of graduates were the best fighter pilots in the war. They succeeded. Today, the air force calls it TAP Gun (Team of Anti-Perdition). The team has been highly successful, saving the Japanese Isles on numberous occasions, including Godzilla, Mothra, Mighty Morphing Power Rangers, Charles Barkeley, and the most frighten monster of them all, Monster G, Jingoro! (I need a tune-up) 70) Where can I find translations of the manga? Hitoshi Doi is leading an effort to translate the manga. So far, the majority has been translated. Hitoshi can be reached at doi@jrd.dec.com 71) Where can I buy KOR CD's? Some CD's can be purchased from US anime stores such as Nikaku and Mikado. Their addresses can be found in the Anime Resource Guide available by ftp at remus.rutgers.edu. Many CD's not available in US or Japan can be found in Hong Kong. In addition, AnimEigo is offering four CD's: Singing Heart, Loving Heart, Ano hi ni kaeritai Soundtrack, and Mogitate Special. 72) Where can I find KOR anime series? The TV episodes have been subtitled by Arctic Animation, located in Vancouver, Canada. You can contact its coordinator, William Chow, at 2830 East 8th Avenue Vancouver, B.C. Canada, V5M 1W9 wchow@questor.wimsey.org wchow@questor.wimsey.bc.ca The OAV's and the movie are commericially available in the US. They can be ordered directly from AnimEigo or from anime stores listed in the Anime Resource Guide. The Guide is available via ftp at remus.rutgers.edu and posted monthly on rec.arts.anime.info Recently, the limited edition KOR Perfect Memory tv LD boxset was released in July 1994 for Y74,160. It features remastered versions of all 48 tv episodes on twelve double-sided CLV discs. The discs were pressed by Pioneer. 73) Where can I find KOR manga? The manga is difficult to find everywhere expect maybe in California, especially as a set. You may be able to find them in Japanese book book stores or anime stores. Consult the Anime Resource Guide for a list of stores. 74) What is this time conflict I keep hearing about? Basically there are two distinct KOR times, one for the manga and one for the TV series. The manga was produced from 1984-1988, in a span of four years. Consequently, the manga timeline lasts for four years, from when Kyosuke is 14 in the beginning, his last year in junior high, to when he is 18 in the end, about to enter college. In the manga, Kyosuke and Madoka were both born in 1969, with Manani, Kurumi, Hikaru and Yusaku born two years later. So in the manga year of 1984, Kyosuke would be 15, matching the real-life year of 1984. The TV series only ran for a year, 1987-1988. To parallel TV time with the real-life time, the producers decided to compress four years of manga stories into one year and push the birthdays three years forward. As a result, Kyosuke is 14 and Madoka is 15 in Ep 1, and 15 and 16 respectively in Ep 48 when they share their "second first kiss", whereas in the manga, they are 18. The confusion worsened with the release of the movie in the October of 1988, only half a year after the end of KOR TV series. The movie (b/w part) takes place in Kyosuke and Madoka's last year in high school, which makes them both 18. But the TV series ended only half a year ago, and Kyosuke and Madoka were only 16 then. To resolve the time conflict between the movie and the TV series, the producers turned to the manga time. In the manga, Kyosuke and Madoka are 15 in 1984, as oppose to in 1987 with the TV time, so in 1988 when the movie released, they would've been 18 by the manga time, matching the character ages in the movie. To emphasize this point, a dialogue was deliberately added to the movie: (While Kyosuke and Madoka are in the photo booth) Kasuga: Then how about 1969? Ayukawa: Eh? What's that? Kasuga: The year we were born. Ayukawa: That's right. (smile, shutter) To sum it up, there are two KOR timelines: Manga/movie, Kyosuke and Madoka were born in 1969 TV series, Kyosuke and Madoka were born in 1972 To complicate matters, the new KOR novel, which attempts to unify the two timelines, places a 22 year old Madoka in 1994, thereby going back to the TV birthdays while including the movie. Most fans accept the manga timeline and the 1969 birthdays as the "real" timeline. (see #78 and #79 for details) 75) This is an excerpt from an interview with the director Mochizuki Tomomichi (taken from the movie pamphlet) regarding what he had in mind when he made KOR: I Want To Return To That Day. Q: Interviewer A: Mochizuki Tomomichi Q: Unlike in TV and manga, it seems that you put more emphasis on Hikaru than on Madoka. Did you make any changes to characters compared to manga and TV because it's a theatrical release? A: I used characters just as in manga and I didn't make any changes. Only difference is that I put more emphasis on Hikaru when compared to manga and TV since she's the one who's being totally rejected. I considered what will happen at this kind of stage. I believe even they have to be SERIOUS in this situation. In manga, it ends with Hikaru slapping Kyosuke just once but I tried to make that more realistic in this movie. Q: I believe you had lots of request from manga fans to continue the triangle. A: Well, I guess the movie might be too cruel to manga fans. But at the same time, the longer the relationship continues, the more Hikaru will get hurt in the end. I didn't mean to be cruel to Hikaru. In manga, that kind of half-way relationship continued for 4 years but although this is a manga, I don't think they can stay that way forever. The movie started from the idea "What will happen if they put an END to the triangle" and it turned out to be a story that's very likely to happen in real world. Q: Was there something that you had in mind when you made this movie? A: Since this is a triangle, I think that all three of them should be hurt. I tried to make the story that makes sense from the realistic point of view. Q: What are your "ideals" and how did they effect the movie? A: I discarded ideal elements. I paid attention to make the movie more realistic. 76) Should I get the Singing Heart or Loving Heart compilation CD? In the course of its short one year broadcast span, KOR managed to generate three different Sound Color discs and then compile assorted vocals on two separate Heart compilation discs. Since a typical motivation for purchasing one of the two Hearts is to acquire all three tv OP/EDs, the first thing to note is that Singing Heart does *not* include the third tv OP/ED. Oddly enough, even though it was released before both the third "season" and Sound Color 3, Singing Heart does contain "Mou hitotsu no Yesterday;" in fact, this is the only SC 3 track on SH. By contrast, Loving Heart, which was released after the movie (and thus after SC 3), contains all three OP/EDs, the three Wada Kanako movie vocals, and three seiyuu image tracks by Honda Chieko and Tomizawa Michie (twins), Hara Eriko (Hikaru), and Tsuru Hiromi (Madoka). A clear "win" for LH, right? So, why get SH at all? Namely, other than the first two tv OP/EDs, there is no overlap in the additional tracks on the two discs. As the names of the two discs indicate, LH on the whole is more "moody" and pensive, especially with the three movie vocals, whereas SH is happier and upbeat. Thus, the two Fujishiro Minako tracks, "Furimuite my Darling" and "Again," appear on SH, along with the more upbeat Wada Kanako tracks, like "Jeniina," "Salvia no hana no you ni," and the many times mentioned "Mou hitotsu no Yesterday". Thus, in terms of completeness, LH is the hands-down "winner". However, depending on one's affinity to certain tracks or singers, SH may turn out to be the better buy. 77) Which opening and ending themes are on which CD's? Opening Theme (OP), Ending Theme (ED) Episodes 1-19 OP - "Night of summer side" Sound Color 1, Singing Heart, Kimagure Orange Road CDV 1, Kimagure Orange Station, Loving Heart, Singing Heart ^2 ED - "Natsu no mirage" (Summer Mirage) Sound Color 1, Singing Heart, Kimagure Orange Road CDV 1, Kimagure Orange Station, Loving Heart, Singing Heart ^2 Episodes 20-36 OP - "Orange Mystery" Orange Mystery / Kono mune ni One More Time, Sound Color 2, Singing Heart, Kimagure Orange road CDV 1, Kimagure Orange Station, Loving Heart, ED - "Sad Heart Burning" Sound Color 2, Singing Heart, Kimagure Orange Station, Kimagure Orange Road CDV 2, Loving Heart, Singing Heart ^2 Episodes 37-48 OAV White Lovers Hawaiian Suspense OP - "Kagami no naka no actress" (Actress in Mirror) Sound Color 3, Kimagure Orange Station, Kimagure Orange Road CDV 2, Cassette tape no Dengon, Loving Heart, Singing Heart ^2 ED - "Dance in Memories" Sound Color 3, Kimagure Orange Station, Kimagure Orange Road CDV 2, Loving Heart, Singing Heart ^2 OAV I was a cat, I was a fish Hurricane Akane Stage of Love = Heart on Fire: Spring is for idol Stage of Love = Heart on Fire: Birth of a star OP - "Choose Me" Mogitate Special, Singing Heart ^2 ED - "Tokidoki Blue" (Sometimes Blue) Mogitate Special ending theme CD single, Mogitate Special, Singing Heart ^2 OAV Unexpected Situation Message in Rouge OP - "Choose Me" Mogitate Special, Singing Heart ^2 ED - "Mou hitotsu no yesterday" (One More Yesterday) Singing Heart, Sound Color 3, Singing Heart ^2 Ano Hi ni Kaeritai (I want to return to that day) OP - none ED - "Ano sora o dakishimete" (Embrace That Sky) Ano Hi ni Kaeritai original movie soundtrack CD, Loving Heart, Singing Heart ^2 78) A chronology of KOR events and ages May 25 1969 AM born Nov 15 1969 KK born April 1976 AM and KK enter school AM 6y10m, KK 6y5m Spring 1982 12 year old AM meets 15 year old KK (KK time travels) April 1984 AM and KK first meeting AM 14y10m, KK 14y5m Summer 1987 AM and KK prepare for college exams (movie) AM 18, KK 17 and half Feb 1988 AM and KK receive their scores (movie, opening/ending) AM 18, KK 18 79) Ages of Madoka and Kyosuke (story time, not real-life time) Manga Openning (April 1984): AM 14y10m, KK 14y5m Ending (summer 1988): AM just 19y, KK 18y and half TV series Openning (April 1987): AM 14y10m, KK 14y5m Ending (March/April 1988): AM almost 16y, KK 15y and half Movie Openning and Ending (Feb 1988): AM 18y, KK 18y (black/white parts) Flashback in the middle (summer 1987): AM 18y, KK 17y (colored parts) *note* The movie and the manga ending are independent. (I bet the writers never worried about chronology when they wrote KOR.)