A Channel
The cover of the first manga volume, featuring one of the main characters, Tōru.
Aチャンネル
(Ē Channeru)
GenreComedy, slice of life[1]
Manga
Written bybb Kuroda
Published byHoubunsha
MagazineManga Time Kirara Carat
DemographicSeinen
Original runDecember 2008 – January 2021
Volumes11
Anime television series
Directed byManabu Ono
Produced byTetsuya Endō
Atsuhiro Iwakami
Hiroyuki Kobayashi
Hiro Maruyama
Written byTatsuhiko Urahata
Music byMONACA
StudioStudio Gokumi
Licensed by
Original networkTBS, MBS, CBC, Animax, Anime Network
Original run April 8, 2011 – June 24, 2011
Episodes12
Manga
A Channel ~days in junior high school~
Written bybb Kuroda
Published byHoubunsha
MagazineManga Time Kirara Carino
DemographicSeinen
Original runJanuary 27, 2012 – June 26, 2013
Original video animation
A Channel + smile
Directed byManabu Ono
Produced byTetsuya Endō
Hiroyuki Kobayashi
Shin'ichirō Kashiwada
Toshihiro Maeda
Written byTatsuhiko Urahata
Music byMONACA
  • Satoru Kōsaki
StudioStudio Gokumi
Released March 21, 2012 – September 27, 2017
Runtime24 minutes each
Episodes3

A Channel (Aチャンネル, Ē Channeru), is a Japanese four-panel comic strip by bb Kuroda. It was serialized from 2008 to 2021 in the seinen manga magazine Manga Time Kirara Carat, published by Houbunsha. A prequel manga series, also by Kuroda, launched in Manga Time Kirara Carino from January 2012. An anime adaptation by Studio Gokumi aired in Japan between April 8, 2011, and June 24, 2011.[2][3] An original video animation, A Channel +smile, was released on March 21, 2012.

Plot

Adolescent girls Tooru Ichii and Run Momoki have been best friends since childhood. After passing her entrance exams, Tooru manages to enroll in the high school that Run is attending. Tooru decides to tell Run the news, only to come at a bad time and find her and her new classmate Yuko Nishi involved in an embarrassing situation, which makes things a bit awkward but funny on their first day of school, as Tooru begins fending off others who might show interest in Run while Yuko and another friend, Nagi Tennoji, start dealing with Run's own penchant for drama. As Run, Nagi and Yuuko begin their sophomore year while Tooru begins her freshman year, their high school life filled with drama, humor and adventure begins.

Characters

Main characters

Tōru Ichii (一井 透 (トオル), Ichii Tōru)
Voiced by: Aoi Yūki
A short first year student who often has overly long sleeves. Due to her short and skinny stature, she often has trouble finding clothes that fit her. She has been friends with Run since kindergarten, often getting lonely when separated from her and threatening anyone who tries to make a move on her. She disliked Yūko at first, since her first impression of her was seeing her in a compromising situation with Run, and since then constantly teases her at every opportunity. She has a pet cat named Tansan (炭酸, named after fizzy drinks). Tooru is very fond of sweets, which her friends bribe her with.
Run Momoki (百木 るん, Momoki Run)
Voiced by: Kaori Fukuhara
A blonde second year student with a parakeet like hairstyle and Tōru's best friend. She is incredibly ditsy to the point that her friends often have to stop her from hurting herself in the process. She is very forgetful, even forgetting to wear her panties and bring her school stuff. Despite her qualities, she is very caring for Tooru and will try to help her when she's somewhat troubled.
Nagisa "Nagi" Tennōji (天王寺 渚 (ナギ), Tennōji Nagisa)
Voiced by: Yumi Uchiyama
She is a second year student and Run's classmate who sports pig-tails and glasses. She is often called by Run, Yūko, and Tōru by her nickname, Nagi. She is pretty intelligent and often makes quip remarks to her friends. She is sometimes conscious about her weight and hates extreme temperatures. She looks completely different when she lets her hair down and removes her glasses.
Yūko Nishi (西 由宇子 (ユー子), Nishi Yūko)
Voiced by: Minako Kotobuki
A long haired second year student and Run's classmate. She is something of a scaredy-cat who often finds herself at the mercy of Tōru's teasing, usually because she is envious of her tall and well endowed figure. She speaks with a prominent Kansai accent.

Other characters

Yutaka Imai (今井 豊 (ユタカ), Imai Yutaka)
Voiced by: Ai Matayoshi
A first year student and Tōru's classmate. She is a fan of Tōru and constantly tries to get friendly with her, much to Tōru's despair. She is very talkative and always takes the chance to get close to Tooru, but is always stopped by Miho.
Miho Noyama (野山 美歩 (ミホ), Noyama Miho)
Voiced by: Momoko Saitō
A first year student and Yutaka's friend and classmate, who Yutaka affectionally calls Mipo-rin. She is also a fan of Tōru, though not quite to the extremes of Yutaka, and constantly tries to keep Yutaka from bothering Tōru too much. She works part-time as a maid in a cafe.
Kimiko Kitō (鬼頭 紀美子, Kitō Kimiko)
Voiced by: Minori Chihara
Tōru's homeroom teacher, who is obsessed with poetry. She is often quite motivated in the mornings, much to the dismay of the students, and doesn't get along too well with Satō.
Taki Kamate (鎌手 多季, Kamate Taki)
Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro
Run, Yūko and Nagi's homeroom teacher, who has a rather laid back attitude. She is often seen teaching sports classes.
Sachiyo Satō (佐藤 幸世, Satō Sachiyo)
Voiced by: Daisuke Ono
The school's health teacher, who is actually rather weak himself. He appears to have a crush on Run and has an infatuation with her forehead.
Keiko (ケイ子)
Voiced by: Yuka Iguchi
Yūko's younger sister who is quite dedicated to her sister.

Books and publications

Manga

The manga by bb Kuroda began serialization in Manga Time Kirara Carat from October 28, 2008.[4] Eleven tankōbon volumes have been released as of November 25, 2020. An anthology comic featuring guest authors was released on June 27, 2011.[5] A prequel manga series, A Channel ~days in junior high school~ began serialization in Manga Time Kirara Carino magazine from January 27, 2012.[6]

No. Release date ISBN
1 November 26, 2009[7]978-4-8322-7876-9
2 March 26, 2011978-4-8322-4007-0
3 March 27, 2012978-4-8322-4127-5
4 February 27, 2013978-4-8322-4265-4
5 February 27, 2014978-4-8322-4408-5
6 March 27, 2015978-4-8322-4544-0
7 March 26, 2016978-4-8322-4677-5
8 March 27, 2017978-4-8322-4816-8
9 May 26, 2018978-4-8322-4948-6
10 October 25, 2019978-4-8322-7128-9
11 November 25, 2020978-4-8322-7236-1

Art book

No. Title Release date ISBN
1 Beautiful Box March 27, 2017[8] ISBN 978-4-8322-4821-2
2 Baby Blue January 27, 2021[9] ISBN 978-4-8322-7247-7

Comics anthology

No. Release date ISBN
1 June 27, 2011[10] ISBN 978-4-8322-4043-8

Official Guide Book

No. Title Release date ISBN
1 A Channel.zip: "A Channel" Visual Fan Book July 27, 2011[11] ISBN 978-4-8322-4050-6
2 A Channel TV Anime Official Guide Book -colorful days collection- August 27, 2011[12] ISBN 978-4-8322-4060-5

Anime

An anime adaptation produced by Studio Gokumi aired in Japan between April 8, 2011, and June 24, 2011. The series began release on Blu-ray Disc and DVD from May 25, 2011, with each volume containing two short +A Channel mini-episodes.[13] Sentai Filmworks released the series on DVD in North America on February 28, 2012, with a Blu-ray release followed on January 27, 2015.[14][15] An OVA, titled A Channel + smile, was released on March 21, 2012.[16][17] Another OVA episode was included with a Blu-ray Disc Box released on September 27, 2017.[18] Sentai Filmworks's license for A Channel expired on April 30, 2019.[19]

Music

Opening Theme
  • "Morning Arch" by Marina Kawano (TV)
  • "Balloon Theatre" (バルーンシアター, Barūn Shiatā) by Marina Kawano (OVA)
Ending Theme
  • "Humming Girl" (ハミングガール, Hamingu Gāru) by Aoi Yūki, Kaori Fukuhara, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (TV)
  • "Smile Equation" (スマイル方程式, Sumairu Hōteishiki) by Aoi Yūki, Kaori Fukuhara, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (OVA)
Insert Songs
  • "Chemistry of a Spring Breeze" (はるかぜの化学, Harukaze No Kagaku) by Kaori Fukuhara, Aoi Yūki, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 1; ep. 12)
  • "Start" by Kaori Fukuhara, Aoi Yūki, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 2)
  • "I Want to Hold You Tight" (ぎゅっとして欲しいんだ, Gyutto Shite Hoshiinda) by Aoi Yūki (ep. 3)
  • "Summer Dream Syndrome" by Kaori Fukuhara (ep. 4)
  • "Mermaid Sisters" by Minako Kotobuki (ep. 5)
  • "Let's Explore!" (たんけんのススメ, Tanken No Susume) by Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 6)
  • "Summer Breeze" by Minako Kotobuki (ep. 7)
  • "Tea's Melodical Beauty Bang Bang" (オチャメロディカルビューティーバンバン, Ocha Merodikaru Byūtī Ban Ban) by Kaori Fukuhara (ep. 7)
  • "One Night's Love, One Night's Dream" (恋一夜夢一夜, Koi Ichiya, Yume Ichiya) by Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 7)
  • "Friends" (ともだち, Tomodachi) by Kaori Fukuhara and Aoi Yūki (ep. 7)
  • "Your Hand" (君の手, Kimi no Te) by Daisuke Ono (ep. 7)
  • "We Don't Have Wings" (翼はないけど, Tsubasa wa Nai Kedo) by Kaori Fukuhara and Aoi Yūki (ep. 8)
  • "Sweets Time" (オカシナ時間, Okashi na Jikan) by Kaori Fukuhara, Aoi Yūki, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 9)
  • "Happy Snow" by Kaori Fukuhara, Aoi Yūki, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 10)
  • "Surely, Always, More" (きっと ずっと もっと, Kitto Zutto Motto) by Aoi Yūki (ep. 11)
  • "Unidentified Flying Girl" (未確認飛行ガール, Mikakuninhikō Gāru) by Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (ep. 12)
  • "A Special Place" (大切な場所, Taisetsu na Basho) by Aoi Yūki, Ai Matayoshi and Momoko Saitō (OVA ep. 1)
  • "Happy New Days" by Aoi Yūki, Kaori Fukuhara, Minako Kotobuki and Yumi Uchiyama (OVA ep. 2)

Appearances in other media

Characters from the series appear alongside other Manga Time Kirara characters in the 2017 mobile RPG, Kirara Fantasia.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "A-Channel - Sentai Filmworks". Sentai Filmworks. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  2. ↑ "News: A Channel 4-Panel School Manga's Anime Confirmed (Updated)". Anime News Network. October 26, 2010. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  3. ↑ "News: A Channel, Tono to Issho, Zombie, Level E Promos Streamed". Anime News Network. December 28, 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  4. ↑ "まんがタイムきららキャラット 2008年12月号" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  5. ↑ Aチャンネル アンソロジーコミック (1) (まんがタイムKRコミックス) at Amazon.co.jp
  6. ↑ "【コラム・ネタ・お知らせ】 新アンソロジー「まんがタイムきららカリノ」の正体とは!? - アキバBlog". Blog.livedoor.jp. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  7. ↑ Aチャンネル (in Japanese). Hōbunsha. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  8. ↑ beautiful box (in Japanese). Hōbunsha. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  9. ↑ baby blue 黒田bbイラストコレクション (in Japanese). Hōbunsha. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  10. ↑ Aチャンネル アンソロジーコミック (in Japanese). Hōbunsha. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  11. ↑ Aチャンネル．zip 「Aチャンネル」ビジュアルファンブック (in Japanese). Hōbunsha. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  12. ↑ AチャンネルTVアニメ公式ガイドブック -colorful days collection- (in Japanese). Hōbunsha. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Maria Holic Alive, A Channel BDs/DVDs Add Unaired Footage - News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  14. ↑ "Sentai Filmworks Adds A Channel, Un-Go Anime - News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  15. ↑ "Sentai Filmworks Official January 2015 Release Schedule".
  16. ↑ "A Channel Manga Gets Original Video Anime - News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  17. ↑ "A-Channel Original Video Anime Titled, Slated for March - News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  18. ↑ "'A Channel' TV Anime's Blu-ray Disc Box to Include New Video Anime". 10 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Sentai Filmworks' A-Channel Anime Release Goes Out of Print This Month". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  20. ↑ "Houbunsha Reveals Kirara Fantasia Smartphone RPG". Anime News Network. June 25, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
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