♦♦ Angel Sanctuary, fallen eden ♦
Lire la page en français

Anime
Information & editions

The anime "Angel Sanctuary" was released as an OVA only. An OVA (or OAV) is an "Original Video Animation". It's an anime originally made for DVD (and previoulsy VHS) only, not for TV or theaters (in the country of origin).

Regarding A†S, there's an OVA of 3 episodes based rather faithfully on the first manga chapter, Assiah.
There were simplifications of the story, probably to facilitate the production and make the anime lighter, and doubtless to allow an easier understanding. Ruri, Zaphkiel, Raziel and Kirie were removed. The characters are finely drawn, but maybe "too plastic-looking" because of too many shiny effects. Nevertheless, it's very pleasing to see your favorites heroes in full colours and moving, and to listen to the wonderful BGMs too.

Though the end of the last episode is very open (we can't call it an end), there's no continuation to expect from Bandai. It might be that the releases were a kind of "advertisement" for the manga, which was about to end back then (in 2000 there were 18 volumes out of 20). The OVA is available in Japanese, and subtitled in Chinese, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese... A French dubbed edition exists too. On this page you will find:

 

Production staff

Production: Bandai Visual / Hal Film Maker (animation studio) / Lantis (sound)

Producers: Katsunori Haruta, Satoshi Kubo

Directors: Kiyoko Sayama, Kaori Yuki

Art directors: Jun'ichiro Nishikawa, Itsuko Takeda, Hitoshi Morikawa (ep. 2)

Character designer: Shûichi Shimamura (see a drawing)

Script (video adaptation): Mayori Sekishima (ep. 1-3), Ken'ichi Kanemaki (ep. 2)

Sound director: Hideyuki Tanaka

Music: Hikaru Nanase (nom de scène)

Opening theme: Yula Yayoi

Ending theme: PhI (band separated)

...Complete staff list on Crunchyroll.

 

Seiyuus and French voice actors

Kenji Nojima

Setsuna Mudou

Voxography:
Kanji Yoshikawa (Bokurano)
Yûji Kaido (Blue Gender)
Taira (Beck)
Kei Tsukasa (Ayahi no Ceres)
Spark (Lodoss War TV)
Wataru Minakami (Sister Princess)
...
 
Cyrille Artaux
[Mouse, Armitage III]
[Eto, Lodoss War OAV]
[Ayame Sohma, Fruits Basket]

Ayako Kawasumi

Sara Mudou

Voxography:
Elena (Claymore)
Aoi Sakuraba (Ai Yori Aoshi)
Mahoro (Mahoromatic)
Koishi Herikawa (Onegai Teacher)
Ruriko Ikusawa (Gate Keepers)
Tomoko Nomura (GTO)
...
 
Nathalie Homs
[Helena, Hellsing]
[Motoko, Love Hina]
[Fujiko, Lupin III]

Takehito Koyasu

Sakuya Kira

Voxography:
Riff (Comte Cain CD)
Hellsing (Luke Valentine)
Tôga Kiryû (Shoujo Kakumei Utena)
Isaac (Meine Liebe)
Aokiji (One Piece)
BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo (BoBoBo...)
Keiki (12 Kingdoms)
...
Eric Peter
[Alucard, Hellsing]
[Albator, Gun Frontier]
[Hajime Kanzaki, Beelzebub]

Yuuji Ueda

Yue Katou

Voxography:
Amiboshi/Suboshi (Fushigi Yuugi)
HoroHoro (Shaman King)
Keitaro Urashima (Love Hina)
Sagara Sanosuke (Kenshin)
Kamui (X le film)
Shuichi Takamizawa (Midori no Hibi)
Jean Havoc (FMA)
...
Thierry Kazazian
[Jet, Cowboy Bebop]
[Gluttony, FMA*]
[Gadès, Vision of Escaflowne]

Ai Orikasa

Alexiel

Voxography:
Galatea (Claymore)
Dilandau (Vision of Escaflowne)
Rian (Please Save My Earth)
Ayame Fujieda (Sakura Wars)
Kanae Ohtori (Shoujo Kakumei Utena)
Ryoko (Tenchi Muyo!)
Jessica Rabbit (Roger Rabbit JP version)
...
Nathalie Homs
Also dubbing Sara Mudou.
 
 

Susumu Chiba

Rochel

Voxography:
Sai Fujiwara (Hikaru no Go)
Kaitô Sinbad (Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne)
Yoshihiko Kido (Detective Conan)
Aki Mikage (Ayashi no Ceres)
Kazuto Sakuma (Kaikan Phrase)
...
 
 
Cyrille Artaux
Also dubbing Setsuna Mudou.
 
 

Shin'ichirou Miki

Katan

Voxography:
Jezabel Disraeli (Count Cain CD)
Roy Mustang (FMA)
Le narrateur (Kuroko's Basket)
Asato Tsuzuki (Yami no Matsuei)
Persona (Alice Academy)
Tatsuma Sakamoto (Gintama)
Larva (Vampire Princess Miyu TV)
...
Jacques Albaret
[Vicious, Cowboy Bebop]
[D, Vampire Hunter D]
[Skinner (M. Pileggi), X-Files]

Yuko Miyamura

Kurai (Cry)

Voxography:
Asuka Langley (Evangelion)
Kazuha Toyama (Detective Conan)
NieA (NieA under 7)
Caska (Berserk)
Hinagiku Tamano (Wedding Peach)
Ritsuko Inoue (Those Who Hunt Elves)
Aisha Clanclan (Outlaw Star)
...
Marjolaine Poulain
[Tchii, Chobits]
[Asuka Langley, Evangelion]
[Ritsu et Hiro Sohma, Fruits Basket]

Mayumi Asano

Arakune

Voxography:
Shizuka Hio (Vampire Knight)
Hisoka Kurosaki (Yami no Matsuei)
Blue (Wolf's Rain)
Claus Valca (Last Exile)
Aogiri Suzumi (Ayashi no Ceres)
Boogiepop Phantom (Boogiepop Phantom)
...
Dominique Vallée
[Miyabi Aizawa, GTO]
[Lamu, Urusei Yatsura]
[Mashiro Kazahana, May-HiME]
[Piper (H.M. Combs), Charmed s.3-8]

Ryuusei Nakao

Adam Kadamon

Voxography:
Freezer (Dragon Ball Z)
Mayuri Kurotsuchi (Bleach)
Eric the Whirlwind (One Piece)
Rene d'Anclaude (Armitage III)
Farfarello (Weiss Kreuz)
Mesh (Legend of Lemnear)
...

Juurouta Kosugi

Sevoth-tart

Voxography:
Alexis Hargreaves (Count Cain CD)
Asuma Sarutobi (Naruto)
Joutarou Kuujou (JoJo's Bizarre Adv.)
Mr. Legend (Tiger & Bunny)
Mansam (Toriko)
Mitsukake (Fushigi Yuugi CD book)
Tarzan (Kingdom Hearts)

Yuri Shiratori

Metatron

Voxography:
Tsubame (Rurouni Kenshin)
Mokona (Magic Knight Rayearth)
Nanami Kiryû (Shoujo Kakumei Utena)
Yukina (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Charlotte (Berserk)
Kagura Sohma (Fruits Basket CD)
...

Sakiko Tamagawa

Dragon Jade

Voxography:
Pirotess (Lodoss War)
Sara (Samurai Champloo)
Sakura Yamazaki (Blue Seed)
Sophia Belin (Aquarion)
Tachikoma (GITS: Stand Alone Complex)
Elise (Lady Georgie)
...

Fujiko Takimoto

Sakuya Kira enfant

Voxography:
Misato Suguru (Mahoromatic)
"Seiko" Kotobuki (Lovely Complex)
Yû Gotou (Noein)
Fujisaki Suguru (Gravitation)
Hiromi Takai (Step Up Love Story)
Link jeune (Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
...

?

Yoji
 
 
 
 
Philippe Bozo
[Jean Havoc, FMA*]
[Wall-E, Wall-E]
[Kouichi (Sosuke's father), Ponyo]
 

 
 
FMA*: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Sources: www.planete-jeunesse.com - www.tv.com - French DVD cover.

OVA in Japan

 

(back)
Episode 1: Encounter
Release: 25 May 2000
Length: 29 min
JAN: 4934569603791
Ref. DVD: BCBA-379
(Ref. VHS: BES-2482)
Price: 5800 ¥
 

(back)
Episode 2: Awakening
Release: 25 July 2000
Length: 30 min
JAN: 4934569603807
Ref. DVD: BCBA-380
(Ref. VHS: BES-2483)
Price: 5800 ¥
 

(back)
Episode 3: Regeneration
Release: 25 août 2000
Length: 30 min
JAN: 4934569603814
Ref. DVD: BCBA-381
(Ref. VHS: BES-2484)
Price: 5800 ¥

Sound: Dolby Digital

Video format: 4:3

Region: zone 2

 

Anime products

Special Video Set "Angel Project 99-00" (not for sale - zen-in?) : video in Japanese presented by Hana to Yume (magazine prepublishing Angel Sanctuary). Length 30 minutes. Contains making-of, Kaori Yuki and seiyuus interviews and a preview of the OVA. With booklet of 20 pages presenting the characters.
Shitajiki (not for sale - first press?): picture of the 1st DVD cover on one side, another series from Bandai on the other. A4 sized.
Poster (first press): offered along with DVD #1, 50x70 cm.
Bandai card (first press): offered along with DVD #1, collector card "emo-13".
Photo Memorial (first press): each DVD contained an illustration on photo paper, of 10x15 cm. 4 "photos" and a little album were available to sort them.

OVA in France

Production staff

Producer: Cédric Littardi

Supervisor: Emmanuelle Petit (VHS), Gersende Cheylan

Art director: Cyrille Artaux

Project manager, Graphic designer: Christian Tellez

Montage: Cyril Bansard

 

Release: November 2001
Length: about 90 min
Language: JP subtitles FR
Format: VHS
Region: 2
Audio: Hi-Fi Stereo
Publisher: Kaze
EAN: 3700091000374
Ref.: 9100037
Price: 5 €
 

Release: 19 November 2002
Length: 90 min
Language: JP subtitles FR
Format: DVD
Region: 2
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Publisher: Kaze
EAN: 3700091000749
Ref.: 9100074
Release price: 25 €
 

Release: 26 September 2003
Length: 90 min + bonus
Language: JP / FR
Format: Box of 2 DVD
Region: 2
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Publisher: Kaze
EAN: 3700091001418
Ref.: 9100141
Release price: 39 €
 

Release: 16 February 2005
Length: 90 min
Language: JP / FR
Format: DVD
Region: 2
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Publisher: Kaze
EAN: 3700091003955
Ref.: 9100395
Price: 10 €
 

With VOD becoming widespread in the 2010', Angel Sanctuary was available on the French plateforme ADN in ST-FR (first episode for free!), but it was removed from the offer on June 30, 2016 when the rights ended (source). Let's hope the series will come back...

 

French collector box double DVD: the bonuses

• Manga volume 1 (in my collector bought shortly after release, it's the 7th edition).
3 collector cards (illustrations printed on photo paper).
• Booklet of 32 pages (with sketches of the OVA characters).
• 4 coverages: French dubbing, characters, the fall of Satan, Angels.
• Pcitures gallery.
• Various trailers.
 

Angel Sword extras!

• French magazine Animeland articles, about:
      - VHS (#77, December 2001)
      - DVD (#88, February 2003)
Back of the collector box.
Inside of the collector case.
Advert of the collector box.
• Extracts of the booklet of the collector edition:

The OVA in the world

Below, various DVDs I found on the web through years. Some of the distributors don't exist anymore.

 

Release: 10 July 2001
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / EN
Formats: (VHS) - DVD
Region: 1 (voir egg)
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Distr.: US Manga Corps/CPM
Country: USA
ISBN: 1586640437
 

Release: 28 February 2002
Length: about 86 min
Lang.: JP / DE
Formats: (VHS) - DVD
Region: 2
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Distr.: OVA Films
Country: Germany
EAN: 4021924004000
 

Release: 19 February 2003
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / ES / st PT
Formats: (VHS) - DVD
Region: 2
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Distr.: JONU Media
Country: Spain and Portugual
EAN: 8421466526705
 

Release: 19 June 2003
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / IT
Formats : (VHS) - DVD
Region: 2
Audio: DTS 5.1
Distr.: Dynit
Country: Italy
EAN: 8019824902409

 

Release: June 2005
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / EN
Format: DVD
Region: 4
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Distr.: Madman Entertainment
Country: New-Zealand
ISBN:
 

Release: 20 July 2005
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / EN
Format: DVD
Region: 4
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Distr.: Madman Entertainment
Country: Australia
ISBN: 9322225036468
 

Release: 24 May 2007
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / ES / st PT
Format: DVD
Region: 2
Audio: Dolby Digital AC3
Distr.: Jonu/Savor
Country: Spain and Portugual
EAN: 8421466657027
 

Release: 22 January 2008
Length: about 90 min
Lang.: JP / EN
Format: DVD
Region: 1
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Distr.: Media Blasters
Country: USA
ISBN: 159883195X

 


Web links

Anime-kun (French): information, review, some screenshots.
DVDanime.net (French): test and review of the French collector DVD.
Shiroi Tsubasa : screenshots gallery (anglais).
The ShadowLands : screenshots (anglais).
Anime Digital Network (French): video on demand where we could watch the 3 episodes of Angel Sanctuary for 2 €. Trailer still available on their page.