New single from Rikkai Young Kan!

Title: Undecided
Artiste: Rikkai Young Kan
Date of release: 10 November 2010
Catalog number: NECM-10146
Price: 800 yen (inclusive of tax)

Rikkaidai Tapestry

Title: Rikkaidai Tapestry
Date of release: Mid March 2010
Price: 1575 yen (inclusive of tax)
Produced by: Movic
Distributed by: Animate

Rikkaidai Can Badge Set

Title: Rikkaidai Can Badge Set
Number of patterns: 2
A: Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi & Kirihara / B: Yagyuu, Niou, Marui & Jackal
Price: 735 yen (inclusive of tax)
Date of release: Mid March 2010
Produced by: Movic
Distributed by: Animate

Rikkaidai Seal Mousepad

Title: Rikkaidai Seal Mousepad
Number of patterns: 3
A: Yukimura & Sanada & Yanagi / B: Niou & Yagyuu / C: Marui, Jackal & Kirihara
Price: 315 yen (inclusive of tax)
Date of release: Mid March 2010
Produced by: Movic
Distributed by: Animate

Owaranai Ai by Rikkai Young Kan

Title: Owaranai Ai (Neverending Love)
Artiste: Rikkai Young Kan (Niou, Yagyuu, Marui and Kirihara)
Date of release: 21 October 09
Catalog number: NECM-10134
Price: 800 yen (inclusive of tax)

Tennis no Oujisama OVA ANOTHER STORY ~ Kako to Mirai no Message Vol.2

Title: Tennis no Oujisama OVA ANOTHER STORY ~ Kako to Mirai no Message Vol.2
Price: 5,250 yen (inclusive of tax)
Date of release: 25 September 2009
Catalog number: BCBA-3479
Produced by: Bandai Visual
Number of discs: 1

Track List:

1) Part 2 of Naniwa no Oujisama

2) Rikkai Retsuden ~ Ouja ni Idomu Hangyakuji (Rikkai Passionate Legend ~ The rebellious guy who challenged the King)
Basically, this is the story of how Kirihara joined the tennis club and was defeated flatly by the Top 3 i.e. Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi. As such, this is why the members in the team look younger than their Year 3 and Year 2 stage. Sanada looks so good even with just half of his face shown...I must be going nuts over him again. ^__^ Akaya looks so cute...much more than Echizen, in my opinion.

Premium footage: Aru Hi no Oshitari 2 - This time round, it will be Oshitari Kenya and the clip features a comedy skit involving Seigaku and Shitenhouji players.

Romaji lyrics of Gather by Ao to Bin to Kan

Title: Gather
Artiste: Ao to Bin to Kan (Atobe Keigo, Sanada Genichirou, Oshitari Yuushi, Kikumaru Eiji, Sengoku Kiyosumi, Fuji Shuusuke, Kirihara Akaya & Echizen Ryoma)
Lyrics: Miyazaki Ayumi
Melody: Miyazaki Ayumi
Arrangement: Shimada Mitsuru
Date of release: 6 July 2005
Catalog number: NECM-10026
Total run time: 5 minutes 23 seconds

subete dakishimete
todoketai mirai e
kono negai wo shinjite
aruite yuku dake

mou wasure you
kinou no nayami wa iranai
asu wa mata sugu yatte kuru
sonna tsurasa nante
dare ni demo aru sa
hitori kiri janai
mawari miwatashi tara

mienai mirai ni
obieru koto wa nai
kowaku wa nai
furi mukanai de
ato sukoshi no yuuki ga areba ii

owaranai sekai de (namida wo)
mitsuketai kotae wo (futte)
ryoute hiroge ima sugu uketometai (koko kara)
subete dakishimete (ima sugu)
todoketai mirai e (ashita e)
kono negai wo shinjite
aruite yuku dake

donna yume wo mite
kake nukete kita
nayami ya itami wa
kazoe kirenai hazu
sotto sashi nobeta
sono saki ni aru
natsukashii nukumori
wasurenai de itai

mugen ni tsunagaru
asu e tsuzuku michi
tomeru koto wa
dare mo dekinai
mada shiranai yuuki ga aru kagiri

tomaranai sekai de (hitotsu ni)
sagashitai gooru wo (atsumete)
hitori de wa mitsuke rarenai to shitemo (kono mama)
ima wo dakishimete (chikara wo)
takushitai omoi wo (shinjite)
hitotsu hitotsu atsumete aruite yuku dake

yuzurenai mirai e
toki hanatsu kokoro wo
afure yuku chikara wo
subete te ni shite

owaranai sekai de (namida wo)
mitsuketai kotae wo (futte)
ryoute hiroge ima sugu uketometai (koko kara)
subete dakishimete (ima sugu)
todoketai mirai e (ashita e)
kono negai wo shinjite aruite yuku dake

Tennis no Oujisama Trading Card New Season Part 5 Imperial Yellow

Title: Tennis no Oujisama Trading Card New Season Part 5 Imperial Yellow
Date of release: 30 April 2009
Selling price: 357 yen (inclusive of tax) per pack / 10 pieces in each pack / 10 packs in each box set
Total range: 91 patterns including 2 premium cards for box sets
Description: Featuring scenes from the Nationals Final arc i.e. Seigaku vs. Rikkaidai

Gyoka Kenran by Rikkai Young Kan achieves Oricon No.18 ranking!

The final Tenipuri CD release of the year, "Gyoka Kenran" by Rikkai Young Kan (Yagyuu, Niou, Marui and Kirihara) made it to No.18 on the Oricon weekly single ranking for the week 29 Dec 08. According to Oricon, the estimated sales figure for the first week of release is 4,833 copies. This marks a stellar ending to the Tenipuri CD franchise for 2008 and we'll wait and see if Aozu and Cap to Bin can create waves on the album chart with their New Year releases on 1 Jan 09!

業火絢爛 Gyoka Kenran by 立海ヤング漢 Rikkai Young Kan (Rikkai Young Men)

Title: Gyoka Kenran
Artiste: Rikkai Young Kan (Niou Masaharu, Yagyuu Hiroshi, Marui Bunta & Kirihara Akaya)
Date of release: 20 December 2008
Price: 800 yen
Catalog number: NECM-10117
Produced by: TY Entertainment
Distributed by: King Record

Tennis no Oujisama OVA Zenkoku Daikai Fan Disc - The Time Comes Around Remix

Title: Tennis no Oujisama OVA Zenkoku Daikai Fan Disc - The Time Comes Around Remix
Date of release: 19 December 2008
Catalog number: BCBA-3398
First press premium: Seigaku & Rikkaidai special photos
Normal version premium: Liner notes
Total run time: 60 minutes

Time has come - Kirihara Akaya 切原赤也

This single from Kirihara Akaya comes 4 years and 2 months since his debut single and is a rock number.

Track list:
1) Time has come
2) Time has come (Original Karaoke)
Bonus track 3: Talk time ~ Kirihara no Natsu ~

Release date: 23 July 2008
Price: 777 yen
Catalog number: NECM-10109
Produced by: Index Music
Released by: King Record

Tenipuri Mekke Merchandise - Rikkaidai Poster

B2-size poster featuring the Rikkaidai team including Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi, Niou, Yagyuu, Marui, Kuwahara and Kirihara!

Product Code: 4530430122042

Price: 500 yen

Size: B2 (H514mm x W728mm)

Where to get it: Mekke!

Otanjoubi Omedetou, Kirihara Akaya!

Today's the birthday of Kirihara Akaya, the "baby" from Rikkaidai who has changed his ways to become a better player in terms of his ethics on the court. Actually, Akaya appeared as a relatively harmless guy in the beginning but his sudden change on the court to someone who's ruthless enough to do anything so as to secure victory did make it hard for me to like him. Now that he has changed his ways partly due to the "trashing" by Fuji during the Kantou finals, Akaya has become a more likeable guy and I must say that the change should have helped to salvage his image and reputation among the fans. Then again, his frizzy locks, kawaii looks and tendency for his eyes to turn red when provoked makes him stand out among the huge bunch of handsome guys we see in the series so even if he didn't change his ways, I'm sure there would have been fans who like him for the "evil" streak in Akaya.

Name: Kirihara Akaya
School: Rikkaidai Fuuzokuchuu Year 2
Date of birth: 25 Sep
Zodiac sign: Libra
Height: 168cm
Weight: 61 kg
Blood group: O
Play style: Right-handed Aggressive baseliner
Favourite shoes: DT WILSON DYNOSPHERE Technology
Favourite racket: PRO STAFF 5.5 WILSON STRETCH
Specialty technique: Knuckle Serve
Favourite food: yakiniku and sushi
Hobbies: Playing games especially fighting types
Family: Parents and elder sister
Father's occupation: Employee of an MNC
Subjects good at: Japanese and sports (worst at English)
Favourite colour: original colour
Favourite type of girl: Cheerful

Otanjoubi Omedetou, Morikubo Shoutarou!

Today's the birthday of Morikubo Shoutarou who is turning 32 this year and he plays Kirihara Akaya from Rikkaidai in the anime whose pet phrase is "Tsubusu" (I will destroy you). Besides being a seiyuu, Morikubo-san also forms the band, AN's ALL STARS with another seiyuu, Ishikawa Hideo. His hometown is Hachioji City in Tokyo and he left Tama Arts University before graduation. Morikubo-san's height is 165cm and his blood group is B. He counts playing the guitar and skiing as his hobbies. Morikubo's current agency is VIMS which is a related company to I'm enterprise Co. Ltd, an agency managing mainly seiyuus.

I've not watched many of the animes he appears in with the exception of "Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru where he plays the lead character Yuki Yori. Due to the fact that his voice is very unique and relatively higher-pitched as compared to most male seiyuus, I could identify him immediately. The coincidental thing was that Toriumi Kosuke who plays Sengoku in Tenipuri also appeared in this anime as Yori's best friend Yano Haruka. I just felt as if I was hearing Kirihara and Sengoku in this anime despite seeing two different characters and watching a story totally unrelated to Tenipuri. ^__^

Besides this OVA, Morikubo-san also counts animes like Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo, Cyborg 009, Shin Shirayukihime Densetsu Pretty, Tokyo Underground, NARUTO, Matantei Roki RAGNAROK and Black Jack in his career portfolio. As Kirihara Akaya, he has also released a solo single, "Akaku Someru Tsuki" and is a member of "Pull Tab to Can".

Otanjoubi Omedetou, Akaya-kun!

Today's the birthday of Kirihara Akaya and I almost forgot about this if not for the birthday reminder which I set up in my email. Thankfully, I managed to find time to submit this post before his birthday ends.

The first time when Akaya appeared was when he overslept on the bus and came to Seigaku by chance. He created a bit of trouble when he challenged Tezuka to a match and the latter ignored his taunts. The funny part was when he aimed a shot at one of the Seigaku members and created a chain reaction affecting others before running away. That encounter made me feel that he's a cute and harmless guy.

However, when he appeared again, he seemed to have gone through a total change and looked so ruthless and wicked especially when his eyes turn bloodshot red. Actually, given his skills, he could have beaten Tachibana without playing dirty tricks by attacking the latter's injured foot. I almost had the urge to strangle Akaya during his match with Fuji during the Kantou Final but he became very likeable after that especially during the Senbatsu camp.

As he is the only 2nd year member in the Rikkai team, everyone practically babysits and pampers Akaya. No doubt he has always wanted to beat the 3 monsters of Rikkai e.g. Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi, I think he also admires them for their skills and views them as his idols. That is why he listens to their advice and they care a lot for him too.

Well, he is not actually a baddie after all. It's probably due to the fact that his insistence on winning gets the better of his logic at times so he may resort to drastic measures to win. That is why I'm glad the anime gave him a chance to redeem himself. As for the manga, there isn't the Senbatsu arc so we'll only get to see him in the Nationals, that is if Rikkai does get featured. I have a hunch that Seigaku might meet Rikkai again in the final or else both teams will never get to play together until then. Now that their captains are back, it should be more interesting than the Kantou Final.