Hameln no Violin Hiki

Here's a project that everyone on the team loved: the 1996 short movie Hameln no Violin Hiki (The Violinist of Hamelin). Based on a 37-volume manga series by Watanabe Michiaki, Hameln tells the story of a motley band of adventurers, led by Hamel, who plays a magical violin the size of a double bass to fight monsters. His party includes Oboe, a crow; Flute, a beautiful young maiden; Raiel, who plays a golden piano; and Sizer, an angel who wields a magic scythe. It all sounds a bit formulaic, except... Hamel is inept and has a costume fetish, the party bickers among themselves constantly, and the demon fighting takes a back seat to comedy.

The nominal story centers around retrieving Bell Lyra, the Princess of Antiphon, who has been kidnapped by the undead soldiers of the Mozoku. After Raiel saves Antiphon from the Mozoku invasion, with no help from Hamel, the party ventures north to find the enemy. There they must confront the minions of Lord Bass, led by the legendary monster Medusa, and save the imperiled princess without getting turned to stone. Not one second is believable, and much of it is a hoot. The TV series strikes a different tone, but it is ruined by shoddy animation, probably caused by budget limitations. The movie doesn't suffer from that problem; it was made first and apparently received most of the budget.

The voice cast is well known and has already appeared in many of my blog posts:

• Yao Kazuki (Hamel) played Franky in One Piece, the lead in Makyou Gaiden Le Deus, the title role in Rance, Dark Schneider in Bastard!!, Chivas in Sorcerer on the Rocks, and Yoki in Fullmetal Alchemist (both versions). He also played Morbridge Jr in Nana Toshi Monogatari, K.K. in Elf 17, Date Ikkaku in Akai Hayate, Ryougaku in Wild 7, and Sofue Akira in Boyfriend, all Orphan releases. 
• Yokoyama Chisa (Flute) played the title roles in Galaxy Fraulein Yuna, Iron Virgin Jun, and the Sakura Taisen franchise, as well as Sasami/Pretty Sammy in the Tenchi Muyo franchise. She played Hu Ssu, the were-tiger, in Wolf Guy and Mami in Boyfriend, both Orphan releases.
• Satou Masaharu (Oboe) played the villainous Professor Jason in Al Caral no Isan, an Orphan release. He had numerous featured roles in the Dragonball, Dr. Slump, and Transformers franchises
• Seki Toshihiko (Raiel) played the title role in Izumo, Riki in Ai no Kusabi, the hero Seitarou in Hoshi Neko Full House, the gang leader Hiba in Wild 7, Miroku in Yuukan Club, Chuuta in Satsujin Kippu wa Heart-iro, the fighter Nagase Jun in Akai Hayate, Hayata in Call Me Tonight, Ootsuki in Milky Passion: Dougenzaka - Ai no Shiro, Junichiro in Kasei Yakyoku, Shouji, the guitar player, in To-Y, and the unnamed protagonist of Oruorane the Cat Player, all Orphan releases. He also played Matsuda in the Yawara! properties, Sanzo in the Saiyuuki TV series, Mousse in Ranma 1/2, and the title roles in Alexander (Reign the Conqueror) and Kaiketsu Zorro.
• Sakuma Rei (Sizer) played Batako in Soreike! Appanman, April in Sol Bianca, Peorth in Ah! My Goddess, the title role in Aika, Shampoo in Ranma 1/2, Vena in Dragon Half, Kitty White in Hello Kitty, and Mii in Muumin. She also played Naru, Lan's school friend, in Blue Sonnet, Carmencita in Starship Trooopers and Belga the pirate in Cosmic Fantasy, all Orphan releases.
• Ogata Kenichi (Lord Bass) played the put-upon father in  Maroko, Suzuki in Kigyou Senshi Yamazaki: Long Distance Call, the crooked casino boss in Okane ga nai!, the Hong Kong chef in Yuukan Club, Chichi's father in Chiisana Koi no Monogatari, two unnamed characters in Kageyama Tamio no Double Fantasy, and the Narrator/Lord of Kaga in Oedo wa Nemurenai!, all Orphan releases. He also played Smee in Peter Pan no Bouken and Gran Torino in Boku no Hero Academia. However, he's best known to me as the voice of Ranma 1/2's Sataome Gemna, whose alter ego - the grumpy panda - is my avatar on most anime forums.
• Tange Sakura (Bell Lyra) played the title role in Card Captor Sakura and Android Anna Maico 2010, Princess Milli in Maze, Angela in Melty Lancer, Saber in Fate/Extra: Last Encore, Izumi in Infinite Ryvius, and Sheeda in Fire Emblem, an Orphan release.
• Kazue Komiya (Medusa) played Ran in Urusei Yatsura, Youshi in Gin Rei and Giant Robo, and Aunt Chigusa in Hiatori Ryouko, an Orphan release.
• Yuu Shimaka (boss monster) had featured roles in Cowboy Bebop, Ergo Proxy, Code Geass, Apfelland Monogatari, and Ginga Tansa 2100-nen: Border Planet. The last two are Orphan releases.
• Chafuurin (King of Antiphon) played the title role in Barbapapa Around the World, Inspector Megure in the Detective Conan franchise, Scotch Jii-san in the Hello Kitty franchise, Isono in Sazae-san (since 2014), and Kamoda in Yawara! He also appeared in Kageyama Tamio no Double Fantasy, Jikuu Bouken Nuumamonjaa, Yamato 2520, Colobuccoro, and Izumo (1991), all Orphan releases.
• Inoue Kikuko (Queen of Antiphon) played Kasumi in Ranma 1/2, Chigusa in Kekko Kamen, Mizuho in Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins, Yayoi in the Happy Lesson properties, Momozono Mei in Mouse, Maria in Gungrave, Emeraldas in Space Symphony Maetel, Belldandy in the Ah My Goddess franchise, Lust in Full Metal Alchemist, Goei in Ikkitousen, and the mother in the Uchouten Kazoku series. She also played Satomi in Nemure Omoigo, Chamberlain, Guilford's executive officer, in Nana Toshi Monogatari, Stasia in Megami Paradise, Shouta in The Girl from Phantasia, Narusawa in Doukyuusei 2, Doria in D4 Princess, and Mai in Hand Maid May, all Orphan releases. 

The director, Imanishi Takashi, has many credits, including Capricorn, The Cockpit, Milky Passion: Dougenzaka - Ai no Shiro, Zegapain, Yamato 2199, and multiple series and movies in the Gundam franchise.

Hameln no Violin Hiki was a passion project for Rezo. He got the ball rolling by acquiring and transcribing a Japanese laserdisc of the show and locating a softsub script. The script (and all previous releases) derive from 3NA's 2003 release. The subs left much to be desired; for example, the composer of the Light Cavalry Overture is identified as Franz Von Supezak instead of Franz von Suppe. Fortunately, tenkenX6 did a thorough translation check and added the songs. ninjacloud timed. I edited and typeset. ImAWasteOfHair and Rezo QCed. Intrepid encoded from Rezo's Domesday Duplicator rip of the laserdisc. They think it looks better than the DVD, but YMMV.

So here's a treat: a goofy fantasy that focuses on comedy rather than power trips or bloodshed. You can get Hameln no Violin Hiki from the usual torrent site or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net