Tuesday, December 31, 2013

NEW YURI DOUJIN RELEASE - Doropanda Tours Vol.12 [Shizuru x Natsuki] English translation!


ShizNat Webs/Mai-Multiverse is back with a brand new yuri doujinshi release! We have translated several Shizuru x Natsuki stories in English for the new year, but I wanted to give you an early taste! Many thanks to _ragdoll and my dynamic duo of Krystal-of-Nol and depression76.

Shizuru x Natsuki doujinshi "Doropanda Tours Vol. 12"
Download
Translation: ragdoll (http://raggedtranslations.blogspot.com.au)
Editing: depression76

Couple: ShizNat
Author: Nanzaki Iku


Happy New Year! It is with great honor that I present our first release of 2014: Doropanda Tours Vol. 12, by Nanzaki Iku! The fans wanted it and now, it's yours!

"Mai-Multiverse. Entertaining ourselves while you watch."
- Luu
Sky Sapphire

NEW YURI DOUJIN RELEASE - Natsuki X Blade [Shizuru x Natsuki] English translation!


ShizNat Webs/Mai-Multiverse is back with a brand new yuri doujinshi release! We have translated several Shizuru x Natsuki stories in English for the new year, but I wanted to give you an early taste! Many thanks to _ragdoll and my dynamic duo of Krystal-of-Nol and depression76.

Shizuru x Natsuki doujinshi "NatsukiXBlade"
Download
Translation: ragdoll (http://raggedtranslations.blogspot.com.au)
Editing: Krystal of Nol

Couple: ShizNat


In our fourth release, "NatsukiXBlade", things look rather familiar when Shizuru asks Natsuki to become her dueling partner!

"Mai-Multiverse. Entertaining ourselves while you watch."
- Luu
Sky Sapphire

Sunday, December 29, 2013

NEW YURI DOUJIN RELEASE - Shizuru-Fujino1219@ [Shizuru x Natsuki] English translation!


ShizNat Webs/Mai-Multiverse is back with a brand new yuri doujinshi release! We have translated several Shizuru x Natsuki stories in English for the new year, but I wanted to give you an early taste! Many thanks to _ragdoll and my dynamic duo of Krystal-of-Nol and depression76.

Shizuru x Natsuki doujinshi "Shizuru-Fujino1219@"
Download
Translation: ragdoll (http://raggedtranslations.blogspot.com.au)
Editing: Krystal of Nol

Couple: ShizNat
Universe: Mai-HiME


In our third release, "Shizuru-Fujino1219@", Natsuki acts stranger than usual when she comes face to face with Shizuru! What will happen? Find out today!

"Mai-Multiverse. Entertaining ourselves while you watch."
- Luu
Sky Sapphire

NEW YURI DOUJIN RELEASE - Shizuru Dog [Shizuru x Natsuki + Mai-HiME] English translation!


ShizNat Webs/Mai-Multiverse is back with a brand new yuri doujinshi release! We have translated several Shizuru x Natsuki stories in English for the new year, but I wanted to give you an early taste! Many thanks to _ragdoll and my dynamic duo of Krystal-of-Nol and depression76.

Shizuru x Natsuki doujinshi "Shizuru Dog"
Download
Translation: ragdoll (http://raggedtranslations.blogspot.com.au)
Editing: Krystal of Nol

Couple: ShizNat
Universe: Mai-HiME



In our second release, "Shizuru Dog" the unthinkable happens! Natsuki is told of the terrible yet strange news that her beloved Shizuru has transformed into a dog!

"Mai-Multiverse. Entertaining ourselves while you watch."
- Luu
Sky Sapphire

Saturday, December 28, 2013

ShizNat doujin: I Want to be Kissed *NEW YURI RELEASE*

ShizNat Webs/Mai-Multiverse is back with a brand new yuri doujinshi release!
We have translated several Shizuru x Natsuki stories in English for the new year, but I wanted to give you an early taste! Many thanks to _ragdoll and my dynamic duo of Krystal-of-Nol and depression76.

Shizuru x Natsuki doujinshi "I want to be kissed"
Sample:
Download: www.mediafire.com/download/89j…
Translation: ragdoll
Editing: Krystal of Nol

In the first of our many releases, "I want to be kissed", misunderstandings lead to passion as a frustrated Natsuki slowly develops feelings for a certain Kaichou.

It is with great honor that I present to you all with ShizNat and the entire Mai-HiME/Otome series in 2014. This series requires our love for it's characters and stories in order for it to live forever. I am happy knowing that everyone did their part to make this series as relevant as it was back in the mid-2000s. I love the Mai-Series, ShizNat and the yuri genre most of all. Yuri to me is the purest form of love in the entertainment field. Two women in love, whatever the circumstances may be, is beautiful to behold. Yuri makes us laugh, it makes us cry, it makes us angry and it takes our breath away. If we simply just stand back and open our minds, this form of entertainment and love can be cherish by anyone.

The ShizNation Lives Forever. Long Live the Mai-Series.

- Luu Sky Sapphire
ShizNat Webs: shiznat.webs.com/
Mai-Multiverse Forum: ltahime.forum-motion.net/forum

Monday, April 15, 2013

Exclusive Interview with Marcy Lannan. English voice actress for Nao Yuuki and Juliet Nao Zhang










Welcome to another edition of Mai-Multiverse Interview series with the English voice actors from Bandai Entertainment's English dubs of Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome!

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MM = Mai-Multiverse
ML - Marcy Lannan

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MM: Meeeeeeow! Don't answer those texts! You could be the next victim of next Mai-HiME voice actress from the English dub - Marcy Lannan! She's voiced the sexy Nao Yuuki in Mai-HiME and Juliet Nao Zhang in Mai-Otome! We have her with us today, thank you for joining us!

ML: Thank you so much for interviewing me and for the snippit of Nao (from her Mai-HiME Omake that I provided for Marcy before the interview) it was definitely a trip down memory lane!

MM: How did you get started in voice acting?

ML: I started voice acting when I was just finishing my acting training at university. I had the opportunity to audition for Mai-Hime and was cast as Nao and the rest is history!

MM: Share some of your experiences as an actress in general. Did you perform in theater?

ML: I work mostly in theatre, both as a performer and a theatre educator working with young people. I work a bit in film and television too though I would say that theatre is my first love.

MM: What were your most fond memories of working in any recording studio?

ML: I have a lot of great memories working at recording studios, one of my favorite things about this work is how specific it is, working with a director who really is only directing my voice can at times be a great challenge.

MM: What was the casting call and audition like for you when My-HiME surfaced?

ML: The casting call was really great, I was still pretty new to voice acting so when I went in to read I just really relied on what the director told me to do and luckily that worked!

MM: Your thoughts on Nao Yuuki's character in Mai-HiME?

ML: I loved playing Nao, at first she was so mysterious - even to me! I was really excited to play a character with a bit of a darker side and an unexplained past it made the role quite rich.

MM: Nao Yuuki and Juliet Nao Zhang were both very laid back girls. Do you consider yourself laid back? LOL!

ML: I like to think I'm laid back, but like Nao I like to have control of the situation every once and a while!

MM: Nao was involved in a lot of fight scenes throughout the entire series. Was it fun doing what voice actors nickname "foley". The recording of grunts, grrs, and panting during fight sequences and running scenes.

ML: Nao had a lot of fight scenes it's true, doing foley is a lot of fun and again it's a situation where I really rely on the director who knows what they want for the tone of the fight and what they are asking from the other actors. I quite enjoyed myself.

MM: Was Nao the only role you auditioned for or played in the series? Just in case you did additional voices here and there.

ML: When I originally auditioned I believe it was more of a general audition where I was putting my voice out there to be considered for different roles, they had me try a range of voices, emotions and accents! In the end I was cast as Nao and every so often I would voice incidental characters (characters who are just in one episode) or I would do background for large group scenes.

MM: What was it like for the first few recordings, after getting to know the character of Nao better? Did things just click from the start or did it take a while to slip into her twisted mind?

ML: For the first few recordings of Nao I just tried to have fun with the concept of who Nao was and what she was up to! It was definitely fun to talk with the director and hear what Nao was up to this time, and as I continued to learn about Nao and her past I tried to incorporate some of that into my work as well.

MM: Many voice actors say they never meet the rest of the cast since recordings are done individually. Did you end up meeting the rest of the cast like Cheryl McMaster (who voiced Natsuki) or Melanie Risdon (who voiced Shizuru)? You voiced many scenes with both. Canada's finest brought these characters to life.

ML: It's true I don't often get to meet other voice actors in the studio I would say I am more likely to meet them doing other theatre shows! And I never did meet Cheryl or Melanie so it is interesting to actually have done a lot of scenes with them!

MM: Do you have any funny recording stories during work on Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome?

ML:
The most unusual thing that ever happened to me while recording was once we lost visual feed during a really active session. It was exciting and challenging to then try to record the voice with proper timing with the director basically having to describe every action and scene! we had a few laughs but we got it done.

MM: What was your favorite moment in the entire series? For both Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome.

ML: I think my favorite episode was in Mai-Hime when we finally learn Nao's back story, it was so emotionally different for me and for Nao and I love getting that sort of insight into a character.

MM: Nao Yuuki is a character that loves to text and bait men into her spider-like traps. Are you a text freak too, in addition to being popular with the guys?

ML: I don't know that I use texting in the same way that Nao does! I can safely say I prefer talking face to face but I do text a lot. And in terms of boys, I dunno, I'll have to let them decide!

MM: One of Nao's signature traits is that she loves to lick her fingers. Is that something you secretly do?

ML: Nao has some strange quirks! though I got to voice her finger licking antics, I left those habits in the studio with her!

MM: Have any of you read the manga or watched the original Japanese anime of the Mai-Series (HiME and Otome)?

ML: I have watched some of the original Japanese anime, actually sometimes we would use the originals in recording sessions to help get a feel for the emotion or intention of the scene.

MM: Do you own anything of My-HiME? There is plenty of cool merchandise out there, especially for both Nao.

ML: I don't own any My-Hime merchandise, I did look a lot of it up when I was working on Nao to help get a better sense of her!

MM: In Mai-Otome, Nao's character became Juliet Nao Zhang. An incarnation of Nao Yuuki that isn't evil or hold any malicious grudges with anyone. Did you notice the change during record? Like "Gee, she's tamer than she used to be!"

ML: I did notice the shift in Nao's character between series it was interesting to play the change, I like to think Nao still had some of her old incarnation...

MM: Do you still keep contact with any of the other Mai-HiME/Otome voice actors/actresses?

ML: As I mentioned I do see some voice actors that I've worked with when I work with them in other shows.

MM: Any advice for anyone wanting to pursue a career in voice acting or acting in general?

ML: I think if you are pursuing an acting career it is good to always continue training, and work with people and companies that really interest you, it is a great way to learn and deepen your abilities.

MM: Are you a cat person or a dog person?

ML: I have two cats that I love! but I love dogs too. I love them all!

MM: Name 3 words that describe you best.

ML: 3 words that describe me best...kind, quiet, silly!

MM: Favorite hobby?

ML: My favorite hobby, is actually now a part of my work: I have been training for some time now as an aerialist, so someone that does trapeze and silks like in the circus. At first it was a great challenge and way to get fit, but now it is a passion of mine and something I love to perform.

MM: Favorite food of all time?

ML: I love sweets! So while I advocate healthy eating, chocolate is my weakness!

MM: Favorite Tv shows and movies?

ML: Right now I really love the show 'Smash', but I love going to see plays those are my favorite shows.

MM: Thank you for joining us on this exclusive interview. Please finish this interview off with a shout out to the fans of My-HiME and Mai-Otome who continue to support your work today?

ML: Thank you so much for all the questions I had a lot of fun! And thank you so much to everyone that enjoys the shows, I know that there are a lot of actors out there that love doing this work for you so thank you for watching! - Marcy
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Join our Mai-HiME/Otome Forum, Mai-Multiverse: http://ltahime.forum-motion.net/
ShizNat Webs, for everything Shizuru and Natsuki: http://shiznat.webs.com/

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Exclusive Interview with Caitlynne Medrek. English voice actress for Mikoto Minagi

MM = Mai-Multiverse
CM = Caitlynne Medrek

MM: CAKE! RAMEN! MAI'S BOOBS! These are part of a shopping list that belongs the ever-hungry Mikoto Minagi. The woman who brought this thimble full of cat nip to life in the English dub is with us today. Caitlynne Medrek filled the roles of Mikoto Minagi in Mai-HiME and Cat Goddess Mikoto in Mai-Otome. We have her with us today, thank you for joining us!

MM: How did you get started in voice acting?

CM: Hey guys! Thanks for having me! I got started through a friend who had been doing some voice work. He was a fellow young actor, and he recommended I audition for the studio! I auditioned... and from that went on to book the role of PAN in DBGT, and later Mai-HiME!!

MM: What was it like voicing your first ever cartoon/anime character?

CM: It was AWESOME! I got to miss a LOT of school! My mom would come pick me up from school in the middle of the day so I could go record, and who doesn't love that! I remember a lot of mornings in the cozy studio, feeling right at home! The sound engineers were so much fun, watching the cartoon as I voiced the character was unexpected, but really awesome! I loved having something to watch as I acted! I also expected to be in a room recording with other actors, but I learned that dubbing is done individually so in most my sessions it was just me!

MM: Did you ever appear on camera for any live action shows? Oh wait, I forgot. You are not an actress...you just play one in the movies.

CM: Haha! You're right! And yes! I do. Please check out
www.outwithdad.com
oh! and
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1579987/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

MM: What were your most fond memories of working in any recording studio?

CM: My most fond memories were the people! Everyone that worked at that studio was so wonderful. I started voice work in grade 7, so I kind of grew up with the people who worked at the studio, and they were great people. In terms of the work, the range of characters I got to play! These shows opened up an entire new world for me! I had no idea awesome shows like Mai-HiME even existed before I started!

MM: What was the casting call and audition like for you when My-HiME surfaced?

CM: From what I remember it was pretty usual! I got the audition scene before hand, rehearsed, and then went into the studio by myself to audition! There is usually one or two sound engineers in the booth, and then (if the director isnt there in person) he would direct you over headset! He couldnt see me, but he could hear me! (Those were fun because I got to imagine what the director looked like;))

MM: Your thoughts on Mikoto Minagi's character in Mai-HiME?

CM: I thought she was hilarious! I couldn't believe how much she loved food, but in reality, I think I love food JUST as much! I kept hoping she would one day find her brother

MM: With all of Mikoto's talk of food in the series, do you ever find yourself with a sudden craving during recording sessions?

CM: YES! And the only good thing to eat when recording, is an apple! It keeps your mouth from making slimy noises into the microphone! No chocolate before a session! Coats the vocal chords!

MM: Mikoto was involved in a lot of fight scenes throughout the entire series. Was it fun doing what voice actors nickname "foley". The recording of grunts, grrs, and panting during fight sequences and running scenes.

CM: I ALWAYS thought this was the hardest part! Usually just for one grunt, you need to record it three different ways, so they have options.. and eventually I would run out of grunt noises!

MM: Was Mikoto the only role you auditioned for or played in the series? Just in case you did additional voices here and there.

CM: Mikoto was the main one! I can't seem to recall any more!

MM: What was it like for the first few recordings, after getting to know the character of Mikoto better. In the later episodes, she gets a better understanding of friendship and love, in addition to feeling conflicted about her role as Reito's brother. Did you feel what she felt?
I definitely felt it. I wanted her to find her brother just as bad as she did. I think her relationship with Mai was genuine. I love Mikoto! She's charmingly nieve, yet so hard core! I would cook ramen for her too.

MM: Many voice actors say they never meet the rest of the cast since recordings are done individually. Did you end up meeting the rest of the cast like Cheryl McMaster (who voiced Natsuki) or Melanie Risdon (who voiced Shizuru)? In your case, you did a lot of scenes with Carol-Anne Day (who voiced Mai Tokiha).

Being two major characters, you both shared a lot of chemistry, despite not being in the share room.
Youre right! The only times we saw each other were in the green room before and after sessions! So you get to know them while there is down time or cross overs in recording times but that was it, which is too bad! And very ironic.

MM: Do you have any funny recording stories during work on Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome?

PRONUNCIATIONS! All the biggest laughs shared were always due to the way I would pronounce words. Sometimes it just comes out the wrong way!!!

MM: What was your favorite moment in the entire series? For both Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome.

My favorite moment was receiving the DVDS and finally watching them!!! Haha!! It was SOOO cool. My favorite moment in the show was when Mia and Mikoto first meet!

MM: Are you a hardcore fan of eating cake and ramen noodles? Maybe cake WITH ramen noodles? Oh god, just the thought made me throw up in my own stomach! XD

Hahaha, I do love spicy ramen *with out the cake thats for sure!!!!!!

MM: Have any of you read the manga or watched the original Japanese anime of the Mai-Series (HiME and Otome)?

I have seen what bits are on YouTube! But its always been on my to-do list.

MM: Did it feel awkward knowing your character loved to...um...snuggle in-between the breasts of the title character?

Mai and Mikoto sure have a special kind of relationship! Haha! It was weird at first! Having to make those reaction noises! But, she just likes a nice cuddle I guess!

MM: Do you own anything of My-HiME? There is plenty of cool merchandise out there, especially for Mikoto Minagi.

CM: No! I dont! I would love some but Ive never set out looking! I have the dvds, and some action figures from DBGT and Strawberry Marshmallow!

MM: Though Mikoto (now known as the Cat Goddess) didn't appear much in Mai-Otome, were you surprised to see this was the same Mikoto, only set in a different time and overall storyline? I only say this because Mai-Otome confused some fans thinking it was a direct sequel to HiME, so when they see their favorite characters in new roles, it's kinda awkward.

CM: Haha I agree! I was confused too. We only actually see the parts we record, so at first, I just thought I had missed an integral part of the story line that explained all that!

MM: Do you still keep contact with any of the other Mai-HiME/Otome voice actors/actresses?

CM: I do not, but I hope they're doing well!!

MM: Any advice for anyone wanting to pursue a career in voice acting or acting in general?

CM: Get a reeeeaaally good voice demo made and get yourself a local voice over agent! But make sure they're legit, don't give over a single penny of your money until they have already booked you a job! I don't care what any one says, a good agent wont take any money, until you've booked a job. No agency fees, nothing!!!! Take a voice over class, get a demo, find agent! And don't give up! Its not easy, but if you really want to do it, you'll find a way!

MM: Are you a cat person or a dog person? If you're the latter, our fans will be shocked since you're Mikoto and all. LOL

CM: I am a dog person! I have a 7 year old dog, named PJ who lives with me in Toronto. He is the LOVE of my life. I am allergic to cats! Which sucks, cause I do love them, but my allergies... dont let me.

MM: There you have it! The hyperactive swords-girl HiME and master of the might Miroku. Please finish this interview off with a shout out to the fans of My-HiME and Mai-Otome who continue to support your work?

CM: THANK YOU GUYS! I am so flattered you thought of me, so thank YOU! Id be no where with out your support. I honestly believe in living your dreams, so If you find something you love, then do it. The world is a beautiful place, be kind, smile at strangers, and watch Mikoto snuggle some boobies!!!

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Catch Caitlynne Medrek on Facebook!
Mai-Multiverse Forum: http://ltahime.forum-motion.net/forum