My Little Pony's Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku is an AU graphic novel series from NaruIchi97/AtomicRanger97 and Hasbro, and published by Oni Press. A graphic novel with a story by Aaron Montalvo and illustration by deviantart artist Devanstar (also known in Tumblr as PinkEquestria) has been released in September by Oni Press and NaruIchi97 Comics.
It takes an parallel universe of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic mixed up with Harmony Unleashed: Human Ponidox Continuum Shift with an anthromorphic twist. The manga is appealed to an older audience over the age of 15 or 16 due to Graphic Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language and Mature Themes.
Later on, due to the success, it spawned an animated series, a few feature films, and a crossover with the controversial My Little Pony spin-off based on Friendship Is Magic, My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, and planned for a sequel taking place in the future after the events of the AB series with the Mane Six's future children as protagonists.
Plot[]
While a narrator is telling the the story while he holds a bunraku of an anthromorphic Pony, A magical unicorn anthro pony girl named Twilight Sparkle and her friends, must team up to save the whole land of Equestria while solving Friendship and relationships' problems in any day. As Twilight Sparkle holds The Sword of Magic, his friends, as Applejack holds the Knuckle Gloves of Honesty, Rainbow Blitz holds the double machine spectrum guns of Loyalty, Pinkie Pie holds a Party Cannon Pistol, Rarity holds the Generosity Blade Staff and Fluttershy holds the Kindness Samurai Sword and Kindness Keyblade as their elements.
Comics[]
- Main article: Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku/Comics
The comics is released and running since September 2012 and is still ongoing with many chapters, special comics, one-shots, etc. The comic will also have comic-exclusive chapters that should not be adapted into animation. Tokyopop and Oni Press have collaborated with Hollowfox Entertainment to release motion comics on Deviantart for the Anthro Bunraku series starting in Early 2014.
Micro-Series[]
The AB series, like the original comics from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, it will have a micro-series that focuses on any character.
Crossovers[]
Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku X Crossover Rider Double/W[]
In July, MP6 and NI97 teamed up for a Crossover Rider/Anthro Bunraku crossover graphic novel to be released in the Fall, and published by the same companies. As of now, it has been pushed back to Spring 2014. This is the first installment of the NaruIchi97 X MasterPikachu6 crossover withing crossover franchise alongside the first NI97xMP6 Jaegermeisters/Chrono Shock film. Kadokawa will also be associated for distribution and publishing of the comics in Japan.
Anthro Bunraku X Equestria Girls[]
Oni Press, Hollowfox Entertainment and Hasbro announced that there will be a comic book adaptation of the Anthro Bunraku/Equestria Girls crossover illustrated by Devanstar and written by Aaron Montalvo. The comic book will start with an adaptation of Mirror Raiders and the origins of the team up between Trixie and Sunset Shimmer, as well as adapting Prelude to Blood and Dual Equine Blood, as well as short comic strips and interquels. It is set to release in February 2014.
TV Animated Adaptation[]
- Main article: Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku: The Animation
In October 2012, A Japanese-American TV Series adaptation under the name of "Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku - The Animation" (ハーモニーアンリーシュド:アンズロー文楽 - THE ANIMATION, Hāmonī anrīshudo: Anzurō bunraku Za Animeshon) is confirmed by Titmouse, DHX Media, Bushiroad, The Pony Network and Hasbro Studios for a late 2012/early 2013 release under the development of Aaron Montalvo and Meghan McCarthy. With story edited by Aaron Montalvo and included people who involved in the series like Chris Prynoski (Megas XLR, Motorcity), Devon Cody and James Wootton (Ed Edd N Eddy), as well as Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill) as well as others, except Lauren Faust due to the main characters not getting romantic interests in Friendship Is Magic due to Romantic Plot Tumor in girls' shows made for kids of all ages. (despite her credit for creating FiM and that NaruIchi97 claimed the Harmony Unleashed is an unisex series like the Mecha genre despite MLP being of girls' demographic). The show is rated TV-14 DLSV/TV-MA due to the comic's nature being mature-audienced with violence, sexual situations and language. The 2-part pilot episode will be released as a full hour sneak peek on The Pony Network at 9:00pm on December 12, 2012. The animated series is currently airing on both networks. The Original VA's are returning and reprising for this series as their characters who they voiced (both HPCS and MLP: FiM), except Kirby Morrow, now replaced by Brad Swaile (who voiced Ace in the 1980's My Little Pony Tales TV Series), who is the voice of Spike for this series only. And the voice director is by Aaron Montalvo and Terry Klassen. The series, unlike the original Friendship Is Magic Series will be animated by Titmouse Inc. and collaborated with Japanese animation studio Trigger, with the original character designers from the original series (Robin Mitchell, Mike Gilbert, Nicole Gauss, Rebecca Dart) and deviantart artist devanstar (also known as PinkEquestria). The Music of the animated series is composed by Jamie Christopherson (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance) and Mervin Mathew collaborated with music and songs produced by Daniel Ingram. In February 2013, NI97/AR97 ESI, Aniplex, Bandai Visual, Bushiroad, Kadokawa and Takara Tomy licensed the comic book and television animated series for a Japanese release airing on TV Tokyo, TV Aichi and AT-X and produced by Nikkatsu, Bushiroad, Takara Tomy, Kadokawa Pictures, Dentsu, Bandai Visual and Aniplex (as part of the Harmony Unleashed Production Committee) in July 2013 in prior of the Friendship is Magic Series being aired in Japan. Suzuko Mimori, Ryoka Yuzuki and Izumi Kitta (part of the voice cast of the Japanese Dub of MLP:FIM) reprises their roles as Pinkie Pie and Trixie for this series as well as Rainbow Dash in the R63 Special Episode. Also others who reprise their roles are Maaya Sakamoto (Twilight Sparkle), Aya Hirano (Rarity), Tomokazu Sugita (Big Macintosh), Tomokazu Seki (Shining Armor), Minako Kotobuki (Babs Seed), Kujira (Zecora), Daisuke Namikawa (Dusk Shine), Junko Takeuchi (Applejack) and Norio Wakamoto (Discord), though they're not part of the original Japanese dub of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic cast, but of some of the Harmony Unleashed series. Before Season 2 enters production, Meghan McCarthy left her position as story editor after its kindly dismissal permission to Montalvo due to working on Season 4 and also due to the bronies' backlash on her because of her "lies" on Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry not appearing on Season 4 of MLP: FiM when Equestria Girls is a non-canon follow-up of the Season 3 finale leading to the season 4 premiere. Meghan's departure leads Rob Renzetti to be the only one being the chief story editor until its announcement that Joss Whedon, Nicole Dubuc and Steven T. Seagle will work as story editors alongside Renzetti.
Voice Cast[]
Characters | English VA | Japanese VA | Latin Spanish VA | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Twilight Sparkle | Tara Strong | Maaya Sakamoto | Carla Castaneda | |
Applejack | Matt Hill | Kenichi Suzumura | Irwin Daayan | |
Rainbow Blitz | Drew Nelson | Showtaro Morikubo | Eduardo Garza | |
Pinkie Pie | Andrea Libman | Suzuko Mimori | Elsa Covian | |
Rarity | Tabitha St. Germain | Aya Hirano | Christine Byrd | |
Fluttershy | Andrea Libman | Kana Hanazawa | Leyla Rangel | |
Spike | Brad Swaile | Tetsuya Kakihara | Victor Ugarte | |
Princess Celestia | Nicole Oliver | Rie Tanaka | Rebeca Patino | |
Princess Luna | Tabitha St. Germain | Ayako Kawasumi | Irene Jimenez | |
Kyuzat | David Kaye | Keiji Fujiwara | Raul Anaya | |
Nightmare Moon | Tabitha St. Germain | Masako Katsuki | Magda Giner | |
Discord | John DeLancie | Norio Wakamoto | Enrique Cervantes | |
Queen Chrysalis | Kathleen Barr | Kikuko Inoue | Irina Indigo | |
Trixie | Kathleen Barr | Ryoka Yuzuki | Christine Byrd | |
Apple Bloom | Michelle Creber | Aya Endo | Susana Moreno | |
Sweetie Belle | Claire Corlett | Mamiko Noto | Hiromi Hayakawa | |
Scootaloo | Madeleine Peters | Junko Takeuchi | Roxana Pastrana | |
Babs Seed | Brynna Drummond | Minako Kotobuki | Maggie Vera | |
Big Macintosh | Peter New | Tomokazu Sugita | Hector Moreno | |
Granny Smith | Tabitha St. Germain | Junko Takeuchi | Diana Alonso | |
Shining Armor | Andrew Francis | Tomokazu Seki | Jose Antonio Macias | |
Princess Cadance | Britt McKillip | Aki Toyosaki | Romina Marroquin Payro | |
Cheerilee | Nicole Oliver | Keiko Nemoto | Rosalba Sotelo | |
Mayor Mare | Cathy Weseluck | Yuriko Yamaguchi | Alma Delia Perez | |
Zecora | Brenda Chrichlow | Kujira | Gabriela Guzman | |
Derpy Hooves | Tabitha St. Germain | Rie Kugimiya | Leyla Rangel | |
Spitfire | Kelly Metzger | Eri Kitamura | Gabriela Guzman | |
Soarin' | Matt Hill | Noriaki Sugiyama | Alfredo Gabriel Basurto | |
Snips | Lee Tockar | Ikkei Seta | Miguel Angel Ruiz | |
Snails | Richard Ian Cox | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Arturo Castaneda | |
Fancy Pants | Trevor Devall | Koichi Yamadera | Jesus Barrero | |
Fleur De Lis | Nicole Oliver | Atsuko Tanaka | Dulce Guerrero | |
Fleetfoot | Vanessa Morgan | Yui Horie | Mayra Arellano | |
Iron Will | Trevor Devall | Hiroki Yasumoto | Miguel Angel Ghigliazza | |
Lightning Dust | Britt Irvin | Yui Ishikawa | Nycolle Gonzales | |
Narrator | Patrick Stewart | Fumihiko Tachiki | Jose Luis Reza Arenas | |
Rule 63 Special Episode Cast | ||||
Characters | English VA | Japanese VA | Latin Spanish VA | |
Dusk Shine | Yuri Lowenthal | Daisuke Namikawa | Arturo Castaneda | |
Applejack | Ashleigh Ball | Junko Takeuchi | Claudia Motta | |
Rainbow Dash | Ashleigh Ball | Izumi Kitta | Analiz Sanchez | |
Bubble Berry | Scott McCord | Moriya Amanado | Oscar Flores | |
Elusive | Brad Swaile | Hiroshi Kamiya | Victor Ugarte | |
Butterscotch | Samuel Vincent | Yuki Kaji | Jesus Guzman | |
Barbara | Stephanie Anne Mills | Yoko Hikasa | Melissa Gedeon | |
Prince Solaris | Peter Cullen | Tessho Genda | Blas Garcia | |
Prince Artemis | Michael Adamwhaite | Jun Fukuyama | Miguel Angel Leal | |
Gleaming Shield | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Ayumi Fujimura | Alondra Hidalgo | |
Prince Bolero | Mark Hildreth | Tatsuhisa Suzuki | Ricardo Bautista | |
Apple Buck | Maryke Hendrikse | Yukari Kokubun | Emilio Trevino | |
Sweepy Bell | Phillip Corlett | Chiwa Saito | Paolo Filio | |
Scootaroll | Kathleen Barr | Junko Takeuchi | Isabel Martinon | |
Bust Seed | Jeremy Shada | Yuki Kaji | Bruno Coronel | |
Red Gala Macareina | Ashleigh Ball | Ami Koshimizu | Laura Torres | |
Grandad Smith | Ian James Corlett | Fumihiko Tachiki | Humberto Velez | |
Kyuzette | Nicole Oliver | Akeno Watanabe | Marina Huerta | |
The Next Series Cast | ||||
Characters | English VA | Japanese VA | Latin Spanish VA | |
Magic Seed | Johnny Yong Bosch Tara Strong (Kid) |
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka Aki Toyosaki (Kid) |
Bruno Coronel | |
Twinkle Star | Vanessa Morgan | Haruka Tomatsu | Liliana Barba | |
Accelebratia | Erin Fitzgerald | Aya Hirano | Leyla Rangel | |
Pound Cake | Richard Ian Cox Tabitha St. Germain (Young) |
Yukari Kokubun | Moises Ivan Mora | |
Pumpkin Cake | Andrea Libman | Kana Ueda | Christine Byrd | |
Gem | Samuel Vincent | Junichi Kanemaru | Miguel Angel Leal | |
Ruby | Caitlynne Medrek | Aoi Yuki | Lupita Leal | |
Sweet Cider | Kelly Metzger | Saori Hayami | Mireya Mendoza | |
Princess Skyla | Jocelyne Loewen | Shiho Kawaragi | Maria Fernanda Morales | |
Prince Aidan | Scott McCord | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Luis Daniel Ramirez | |
Future Apple Bloom | Tajja Isen | Aya Endo | Susana Moreno | |
Future Sweetie Belle | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Mamiko Noto | Christine Byrd | |
Future Scootaloo | Maryke Hendrikse | Junko Takeuchi | Roxana Pastrana | |
Future Twilight Sparkle | Tara Strong | Aya Hisakawa | Rommy Mendoza | |
Future Applejack | Alistair Abell | Takayuki Sugou | Juan Alfonso Carralero | |
Future Rainbow Blitz | Colin Murdock | Toshiyuki Morikawa | Sergio Gutierrez Coto | |
Future Pinkie Pie | Leigh Allyn-Baker | Rica Fukami | Elsa Covian | |
Future Rarity | Tabitha St. Germain | Masako Katsuki | Laura Ayala | |
Future Fluttershy | Sumalee Montano | Yuri Amano | Laura Torres | |
Future Spike | David Kaye | Takehito Koyasu | Humberto Solorzano | |
Future Shining Armor | Scott McNeil | Norio Wakamoto | Idzi Dutkiewicz | |
Future Big Macintosh | Peter New | Jouji Nakata | Victor Hugo Aguilar | |
Future Princess Cadance | Nicole Oliver | Chizu Yonemoto | Marina Huerta | |
Princess Luna | Tabitha St. Germain | Ayako Kawasumi | Rebeca Patino | |
Goddess Celestia | Nicole Oliver | Rie Tanaka | Rebeca Patino | |
Maxwell Moonblood | Alex Zahara | Soichiro Hoshi | Carlo Vazquez Diaz | |
Blaze Storm | Andrew Francis | Takuya Sato | Arturo Castaneda |
Animated Films[]
The Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku Motion Picture[]
A movie has been confirmed for a June 2013 release, and it has been distributed by Paramount Pictures, Hasbro Films, NaruIchi97/AtomicRanger97 Entertainment Studios Inc. and MTV Films. The movie will be released in Digital 3D and IMAX 3D as well as 2D theaters everywhere, and the movie is rated R by the MPAA. The story is non-canon to the original comic book series, However, it's an original story from the animated series written by Aaron Montalvo, and co-written by Joss Whedon and Meghan McCarthy.
Equestria Girls Crossover Animated Movie: Mirror Raiders[]
NI97 and Hasbro Announced and confirmed an Equestria Girls/Anthro Bunraku crossover event to release in July 5th, 2013 on The Pony Network as a 2-parter 90-minute movie event. The same crew from the Anthro Bunraku animated series will be involved in the project as well as Aaron Montalvo with a Story. Also they announced a TV series sequel to the crossover movie. The movie is rated TV-MA for the TV airing, but the movie is unrated for digital/home video release by Shout! Factory and Aniplex.
AB X EG Television Special Mini-series: Prelude to Blood[]
Prynoski, Montalvo and Renzetti are planning to make a 5-part television special mini-series as a prequel for the Mirror Raiders sequel, Dual Equine Blood. They said that 2 episodes will be taking place in the Equestria Girls universe, 2 in the Anthro Bunraku universe and the final both simultaneously leading to the film. As the film is a Titmouse x Trigger project, Hiromi Wakabayashi will direct the first two and Akira Amemiya will direct the last 2, while both Amemiya and Wakabayashi directs the final episode with Mike Milo serves as creative director and Jayson Thiessen as chief director. It has been confirmed on Twitter by Otsuka and Renzetti that it will be released in November on The Pony Network the week after the MLP Season 4 premiere and the AB animated series season 2 premiere.
Anthro Bunraku x Equestria Girls: Dual Equine Blood[]
In New York Comic Con 2013, The crew of the animated series are planning for a sequel to Mirror Raiders and expected to be released in 2014 alongside the anime AB film.
Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku - Aegis Resort[]
Studio Trigger, Hasbro, Aniplex, Bushiroad and NI97/AR97 ESI (Later as Hollowfox Entertainment) are planning an anime film based on the Anthro Bunraku animated series and graphic novel with an original story by Aaron Montalvo and with character designs and direction by Yoh Yoshinari with supervision of Hiroyuki Imaishi. The film is expected for its release in August 2014 worldwide. Liden Films and Ultra Super Pictures will collaborate with Trigger for the animation.
And Aniplex of America, alongside Hasbro Studios, Paramount Vantage and HFE will be having its international release with an english dub produced by Bang Zoom! Entertainment, with Tara Strong to reprise her role as Twilight Sparkle while the others are voiced by a new cast, as in some of the VA's working with BZ! reprising their roles.
Days afterwards the announcement in New York Comic Con 2013, It has been confirmed with the name "Aegis Resort" and have 2 new characters in the Anthro Bunraku universe.
Sequel Series: The Next[]
The Sequel Series called "Anthro Bunraku: The Next" is announced and planned after the end of the first series (The AppleSpark Redemption Arc) and is set to be launched around 2016 alongside the premiere of the telefilm, Future Genesis. The series takes 14 years after the events of the first series as Magic Seed (son of Twilight Sparkle and Applejack) becomes the protagonist of the series, as well as Twinkle Star. The first half of the sequel comic series is adapted into a Telefilm called Harmony Unleashed: Anthro Bunraku Future Genesis: The Movie and later the second half, taking 3 years later, is adapted into an animated series called the same as the title of the Comic.
Due to the final episodes "The Great Equestrian War" and the AppleSpark Redemption Arc turned into two telefilms and renewing the season for 20 episodes, the media franchise sequel will be pushed back to 2016, as part of the whole franchise's 5th Anniversary.
[]
- Main article: Harmony Unleashed: Equestria Campus Supremacy
Due to the success of the Anthro Bunraku/Equestria Girls crossover mini-series, Hollowfox Entertainment and Hasbro Studios talked about a spin-off to the Anthro Bunraku series in the Equestria Girls Universe with the same crew that worked on the Anthro Bunraku animated series. Production I.G's Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and Arad Production's Avi Arad (who is also chairman of the American Production I.G branch) proposed Trigger X Titmouse to collaborate with them. Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci will be involved in the staff.
Littlest Pet Shop: Blythe X[]
Prior to the ending of the Anthro Bunraku television series and the release of Equestria Campus Supremacy, Hasbro Studios and Hollowfox Entertainment announced a non-Harmony Unleashed related spin-off taking place in the same universe as Equestria Campus Supremacy and Anthro Bunraku based on the Littlest Pet Shop television series with Dallas Parker (Littlest Pet Shop), Simon Kinberg (CHAPPiE, X-Men: Days of Future Past), Adam Beechen (HiHi Puffy AmiYumi) and Joss Whedon (The Avengers) involved as executive producers, with Beechen and Montalvo as show developers. While Titmouse is becoming involved in animation and unlike Equestria Campus Supremacy, the show will be co-animated by Ordet and Wit Studio with Parker and Yutaka Yamamoto as supervising director alongside series director Ishi Rudell.
Montalvo also talked about the possibility of a future potential crossover between both Blythe X and Equestria Campus Supremacy.