The Japanese anime television series Angel Beats! is based on an original concept by Jun Maeda with original character design by Na-Ga; both Maeda and Na-Ga are from the visual novel brand Key known for producing such titles as Kanon, Air, and Clannad.[1] It is directed by Seiji Kishi and produced by the animation studio P.A. Works and production company Aniplex.[1][2][3] Chief animator Katsuzō Hirata is also the character designer and the screenplay was written by Maeda.[1] The music, composed by Maeda and the group Anant-Garde Eyes, is produced by Aniplex with Satoki Iida as the sound director.[1] The plot takes place in the afterlife and follows the main protagonist Yuzuru Otonashi, a boy who lost his memories of his life after dying. He is enrolled into the afterlife school and meets a girl named Yuri Nakamura who invites him to join the Afterlife Battlefront (死んだ世界戦線, Shinda Sekai Sensen (SSS))—an organization she leads which fights against God. The SSS fight against the student council president Angel, a girl with supernatural powers.
The series aired 13 episodes between April 3 and June 26, 2010 on the CBC television network in Japan.[4] It aired at later dates than CBC on BS11, MBS, RKB, TBS, and TUT.[4] The first episode was previewed on March 22, 2010 to a selected number of people who participated in a lottery held earlier that month.[5] The series was released on seven BD/DVD compilation volumes between June 23 and December 22, 2010 in limited and regular editions.[6][7] Three drama CDs, written by Maeda and performed by the anime's cast, were released with the first, fourth and sixth limited edition BD/DVD volumes.[6][8][9][10] The seventh BD/DVD volume featured an original video animation (OVA) episode, as well as a bonus short which serves as another epilogue to the series.[11][12] A second OVA episode was included with a Blu-ray Disc box set, released in Japan on June 24, 2015.[13][14] Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime,[7][15] and along with distributor Section23 Films, released the series on BD/DVD on July 26, 2011.[16] Siren Visual licensed the anime for Australia and New Zealand.[17] The series has also been licensed in the United Kingdom by Manga Entertainment[18] and released the series on BD/DVD on June 25, 2012.
The series makes use of two pieces of theme music: one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "My Soul, Your Beats!" by Lia, and a remixed version sung by Yui (LiSA) was used for episode four. The ending theme is "Brave Song" by Aoi Tada. Several insert theme songs by the in-story band Girls Dead Monster are also used, featuring songs sung by Masami Iwasawa (Marina) and Yui (LiSA). These include: "Crow Song" (episode one), "Alchemy" and "My Song" (episode three), "Thousand Enemies" (episode five), and "Shine Days" and "Ichiban no Takaramono" (一番の宝物, My Most Precious Treasure) (episode 10). "Ichiban no Takaramono" is also used in episode 13 sung by Karuta.
- ^ a b c d スタッフ [Staff] (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
- ^ "Key's Angel Beats! Project Gets TV Anime Green-Lit". Anime News Network. May 27, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "Key's Angel Beats! Anime Promo Videos Streamed". Anime News Network. May 30, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ a b 放送情報 [Broadcast Information] (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "イチ早く『Angel Beats!』を見たい人に試写会応募情報をお届け" [Notification of an Application for a Preview Party of Angel Beats! for Those Wanting to See it Quickly] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. March 8, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ a b "Blu-ray & DVD ｢Angel Beats!｣ 第1巻" [Blu-ray & DVD Angel Beats! Volume 1] (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ^ a b "Blu-ray & DVD ｢Angel Beats!｣ 第7巻" [Blu-ray & DVD Angel Beats! Volume 7] (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ^ "『AB!』BD＆DVD第1巻は6.23発売!! 限定版特典はドラマCDなど" [AB! BD & DVD Volume 1 to be Sold on June 23!! Limited Edition Included Drama CD, etc.] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. April 14, 2010. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
- ^ "Blu-ray & DVD ｢Angel Beats!｣ 第4巻" [Blu-ray & DVD Angel Beats! Volume 4] (in Japanese). Aniplex. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
- ^ "Blu-ray & DVD ｢Angel Beats!｣ 第6巻" [Blu-ray & DVD Angel Beats! Volume 6] (in Japanese). Aniplex. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
- ^ "Angel Beats' 7th BD/DVD to Include Unaired Special". Anime News Network. June 24, 2010. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ "Angel Beats! Gets Another Epilogue Green-Lit". Anime News Network. September 27, 2010. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ "『Angel Beats！』BD-BOXが2015年6月24日に発売 麻枝准氏書き下ろしの特別篇を収録" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
- ^ "Angel Beats! Gets New Episode With Anime Blu-ray Box". Anime News Network. December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
- ^ "Sentai Filmworks Adds Angel Beats! Fantasy TV Anime". Anime News Network. March 25, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
- ^ "Section23 Adds Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu, Orphen". Anime News Network. April 18, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
- ^ "Supanoway - That Was Massive!". Siren Visual. June 20, 2011. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- ^ "Angel Beats Licensed by Manga Entertainment". Anime News Network. October 7, 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2012.