NieA_7
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2019) |
| NieA_7 | |
 NieA_7DVD cover vol4 | |
| ニアアンダーセブン (Nia Andā Sebun) | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Yoshitoshi Abe |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Imprint | Kadokawa Comics Ace Extra |
| Magazine | Monthly Ace Next |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Original run | October 1999–January 2001 |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Anime television series | |
| NieA under 7 - domestic poor @nimation | |
| Directed by | Tomokazu Tokoro(Chief) Takuya Satō |
| Produced by | Shojiro Abe Yasuyuki Ueda |
| Written by | Takuya Satō |
| Music by | Yoshio Owa |
| Studio | Triangle Staff |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | WOWOW |
| English network | |
| Original run | April 26, 2000–July 19, 2000 |
| Episodes | 13 |
NieA_7(ニアアンダーセブン,Nia Andā Sebun),also known asNieA under 7,is adoujinshimangaseries created by graphic designerYoshitoshi Abeand later published byKadokawa Shotenon their monthlyShōnenmagazineMonthly Ace Nextfrom October 1999 to January 2001. The manga revolves around a poor, introverted student named Mayuko Chigasaki, who lives above aJapanese bathhouse,and a freeloading, freewheelingoutcastaliennamed NieA, who lives in Mayuko's closet.
The manga is adapted into a 13-episodeanimeseries byTriangle Staffand aired onWOWOWfrom April 16 to July 19, 2000. Much of the anime's staff also worked onSerial Experiments Lain,as producerYasuyuki Uedasuggested the team work on a lighter anime as relief from the dark, heavily psychologicalSerial Experiments Lain.[1]The character Chiaki, aufologyfanatic, shares a name withChiaki J. Konaka,the script writer forSerial Experiments Lain.
Plot[edit]
Set in a retro-future setting, the series revolves around Mayuko Chigasaki, a high school graduate who goes to cram school in preparation for college. However, due to having no place to settle in, she decided to live in a bathhouse in the countryside, which is in afinancial crisisdue to having no customers. Even worse, she has to live with an alien girl named NieA, who has no antenna and is considered an "under-seven", a class despised by other aliens due to being the lowest of their kind.
The series touches lightly upon issues ofdiscrimination,stereotypes,social alienation,cultural assimilationandcity lifeversuscountryside living.Mayuko, who attends acram school,is a young girl living away from her family and expresses a lot ofmelancholy.NieA, who is apparently placed in an inferior class by her fellow aliens due to being a physicalminorityamong them, immediately accuses anyone who calls her a "stupid no-antenna" or the like, of discrimination. Other aliens adopt various stereotypical cultural styles, such as Chada who dresses inIndian attireand opens a convenience store, or Karna who chooses to associate herself with theChinese Revolution.This theme of the outsider alien is carried through in the brief comic live-action sequence which ends each episode, "Dalgit's Tidbit of Indian Information."
Characters[edit]
- Mayuko Chigasaki(Mao ヶ kỳ まゆ tử,Chigasaki Mayuko)
- Voiced by:Ayako Kawasumi(Japanese);Tricia Dickson(English)
- Mayuko "Mayu" Chigasaki is a student at the IpponmatsuCram Schoolwho lives in a rented room at the Enohana Bathhouse. She is hardworking, polite, honest, and very self-conscious. Mayuko spends all of her time and energy just making ends meet. She shares an apartment with NieA, who she often refers to as a "freeloader".
- NieA(ニア,Nia)
- Voiced by:Yuko Miyamura(Japanese); J-Ray Hochfield (English)
- NieA is a lower-class or "under-seven" alien, who has no antenna. She lives with Mayuko and builds spaceships out of junk. She shares an apartment with Mayuko, who often argues with her about money and food.
- Genzo Someya(Nhiễm cốc nguyên tàng,Someya Genzō)
- Voiced by: Akira Okamori (Japanese);Josh Phillips(English)
- Genzo is Mayuko's childhood friend who has dreadlocks and is stoic in nature. He is usually seen carrying sacks of rice or a bottle crate of bottled drinks as a present to Mayuko and NieA.
- Chada(チャダ)
- Voiced by: Angelino Schintu (Japanese); Wil Castillo (English)
- Chada is an unintentionally perverted alien disguised as anIndianman. He is the store manager of the AM 11 PM 7 convenience store, where his alien meetings are usually held at noon. He is also the owner of the short-lived Space King Bathhouse as a rival to the Enohana Bathhouse.
- Momo Enoshima(Nhẫm ノ嶋 モモ,Enoshima Momo)
- Voiced by: Chieko Ichikawa (Japanese); Linda Bendik (English)
- Momo is an old lady with few words who works at the Enohana Bathhouse.
- Chiaki Komatsu(Tiểu tùng ちあき,Komatsu Chiaki)
- Voiced by:Fumiko Orikasa(Japanese); Zarah Little (English)
- Chiaki is Mayuko's easygoing classmate at the Ipponmatsu Cram School who is also aufologyfanatic. She is usually seen with a laptop full of alien stickers.
- Shuhei Karita(Thú điền thủ binh,Karita Shuhei)
- Voiced by:Hozumi Goda(Japanese);Patrick Seitz(English)
- Shuhei is the owner of the Karuchie European Restaurant. He is shown to be clumsy and absentminded.
- Chie Karita(Thú điền trí hội,Karita Chie)
- Voiced by: Mari Ogasawara (Japanese); Lauren Bendik (English)
- Chie is Shuhei's daughter. She is shown to be independent and mature for her age.
- Kotomi Hiyama(Thông sơn ngôn thật,Hiyama Kotomi)
- Voiced by:Rumi Ochiai(Japanese); Robyn Nolting (English)
- Kotomi is the current owner and manager of the Enohana Bathhouse, which is infinancial crisisdue to the scarcity of customers.
- Geronimo Hongo(Bổn hương ジェロニモ,Hongō Jeronimo)
- Voiced by:Susumu Chiba(Japanese);Justin Gross(English)
- Geronimo is an alien who wears sunglasses and a beanie. He attends Chada's alien meetings. He is revealed to be a deadbeat celebrity for a children's show with an antenna shaped like a flower.
- Nenji Yoshioka(Cát cương nhẫm trì,Yoshioka Nenji)
- Voiced by:Takayuki Sugo(Japanese);Eric Da Re(English)
- Nenji is theboilermanof the Enohana Bathhouse who has a crush on Kotomi. Ironically, he goes berserk whenever he sees fire.
- Karna(カルナ,Karuna)
- Voiced by:Tomoko Kawakami(Japanese); Casey Strand (English)
- Karna is a higher-class or "high-seven" alien who attends Chada's alien meetings. She has an antenna shaped like a lollipop that can receive Beijing radio broadcasts from across the ocean, but it malfunctions at unexpected moments.
Media[edit]
Manga[edit]
NieA_7 was created byYoshitoshi Abeas an independentdoujinshimangafollowing the end ofSerial Experiments Lain.The manga was picked up byKadokawa Shoten,initially serialized on their monthly magazineMonthly Ace Nextfrom October 1999 to January 2001 with a total of 14 chapters over 2tankōbonvolumes. An artbook titledNieA_7 Scrapwas published in June 2001. The manga was republished in a singlekanzenbanvolume on 26 October 2012, under the titleNieA_7 Recycle.
Chapters[edit]
| No. | Release date | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | July 1, 2000 | 4-04-713349-3 | |
| |||
| Volume 2 | March 29, 2001 | 4-04-713413-9 | |
| |||
Anime[edit]
The anime adaptation titledNieA under 7 - domestic poor @nimationwas animated byTriangle Staff,chief directed byTomokazu Tokoroand written and directed byTakuya Satō.It aired on the JapaneseBS SatellitechannelWOWOWfrom April 16 to July 19, 2000. The opening theme is titled "Koko Made Oide"(ここまでおいで,Koko made oide,lit. Come On Over Here)by SION while the ending theme is titled "Venus to Chiisana Kamisama"(ヴィーナスと tiểu さな thần dạng,Vuīnasu to Chīsana Kamisama,lit. Venus and the Little God)byMaria Yamamoto.For episode 13, the ending theme is "KA MOA'E" by Yoshio Owa.
Geneon Entertainmentlicensed the anime outside Japan before it went out of print.Discotek Mediahave rescued the license and released it on DVD and Blu-ray on February 27, 2018.[2]
Episodes[edit]
| No. | Title | Original airdate | English airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Alien & Launching UFO Bath" "Uchūjin to uchiage yūfō no yu" (Vũ trụ nhân と, đả ち thượng げUFOの thang) | April 26, 2000 | May 4, 2007 | |
|
During summer,Mayuko Chigasakiis an impoverished student at the IpponmatsuCram Schoolliving in a rented room at the EnohanaBathhouse,andNieAis a lower-classalienliving in Mayuko's closet. Mayuko does her daily newspaper route early in the morning. NieA persistently asks Mayuko for gourmet food when Mayuko runs late for cram school. After taking the bus and the train there, Mayuko talks with classmateChiaki Komatsu,who plans to treat Mayuko to an exquisite lunch. However, Mayuko reluctantly invites NieA when she comes out of hiding. Revealed to be aufologyfanatic, Chiaki is interested in seeing aUFOmothershipinside a crater which can be viewed from Mayuko's roof. At the bathhouse, Mayuko, NieA and Chiaki are disappointed that the view of the UFO mothership is shrouded in fog. NieA attempts to launch her own UFO built out of junk, only to destroy Mayuko's roof in the process. When taking a bath together, Mayuko allows Chiaki to visit again anytime, though NieA jokes about riding another UFO. | ||||
| 2 | "Alien & Violence Cosmic Bath" "Uchūjin to abare uchū buro no yu" (Vũ trụ nhân と, bạo れ vũ trụ phong lữ の thang) | May 3, 2000 | May 7, 2007 | |
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During a management meeting, current bathhouse owner and managerKotomi Hiyamasays that the bathhouse is infinancial crisisdue to the scarcity of customers. This means that Mayuko will need to volunteer some manual labor until the bathhouse generates enough profit to fix her apartment. Kotomi believes that a newsalespointmust be created in order to reach new clientele. Thanks to a suggestion made byNenji Yoshioka,theboilermanof the bathhouse, Kotomi approves of acquiring cosmic fuel found in the crater, which could be used to prepare baths. Mayuko, NieA and Nenji head to the crater with emptyjerrycansin tow. They pass by an alien village, venture through a dangerous jungle and find an oily lake. NieA and Nenji end up destroying a giantVenus flytrap,which ate all of thebentoprevious prepared by Kotomi. Meanwhile, Kotomi eats lunch withMomo Enoshima,the old lady of the bathhouse. When Mayuko, NieA and Nenji return to the bathhouse, Nenji uses remnants of the Venus flytrap as the cosmic fuel. Despite reaching new clientele, Kotomi is dismayed when the bathhouse goes back into debt after it becomes damaged by more Venus flytraps spawned by the cosmic fuel. | ||||
| 3 | "Alien & Radio Noise Bath" "Uchūjin to redio noizu no yu" (Vũ trụ nhân と, レディオノイズの thang) | May 10, 2000 | May 8, 2007 | |
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At night, Mayuko and NieA are approached by anIndianman namedChada,who is actually an alien in disguise. As the store manager of the AM 11 PM 7 convenience store built next to the crater, Chada coerces Mayuko and NieA with free bento if Mayuko attends the grand opening and if NieA attends the alien meetings. After her newspaper route in the morning, Mayuko goes to cram school, where Chiaki wishes to view the UFO mothership on a clear day. During an alien meeting, three misfit alien members try Chada'skeemacurry and rice as a menu item. A higher-class alien namedKarnastrongly believes that the alien meetings should raise the social status of aliens, but she is frustrated when NieA shows up only for the keema curry. Another alien namedGeronimo Hongoarrives during a heated argument between NieA and Karna, who end up throwing pots of keema curry at each other. In the end, all of the alien members go to the bathhouse in order to freshen up from their stench of keema curry. | ||||
| 4 | "Alien & Beginner Waitress Bath" "Uchūjin to sin'mai weitoresu no yu" (Vũ trụ nhân と, tân mễ ウェイトレスの thang) | May 17, 2000 | May 9, 2007 | |
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Mayuko goes to cram school, where Chiaki learns that Mayuko claims to work as a part-time waitress aside from doing her daily newspaper route. Returning to the bathhouse, Mayuko is furious upon finding out that NieA ate the emergency food supply of canned fish. In the evening, Mayuko goes to work as a part-time food courier at the Karuchie European Restaurant for the ownerShuhei Karitaand his daughterChie Karita.Meanwhile, Mayuko's childhood friendGenzo Someyaarrives at the bathhouse with two sacks of white rice, though Nenji tells Genzo where Mayuko actually works. Mayuko and Chie play afighting game,in which Chie wins thirty consecutive rounds. While Mayuko delivers an order that Shuhei cooks up, Karna arrives to ordertake-outjust when Genzo also arrives. After running into NieA carrying a vintage record player, Mayuko returns to the restaurant. Genzo gives Mayuko a sack of white rice, while Karna argues with NieA over having to order from a shabby restaurant. Chie and Genzo both agree that Karna acted rude, causing Karna to storm out. When Shuhei and Chie prepare to close up the restaurant early, Mayuko thanks Genzo for the sack of white rice before he departs. | ||||
| 5 | "Alien & Dried Up Amusements Bath" "Uchūjin to gekikare amūzumento no yu" (Vũ trụ nhân と, kích khô アミューズメントの thang) | May 24, 2000 | May 10, 2007 | |
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During a management meeting, Kotomi wants to plan an event in order to bring back social interaction within the bathhouse. NieA shows up with a bag full of oldmotherboardsfound at a bankruptamusement arcade,giving Kotomi the brilliant idea of hosting a video game tournament by using the vintagearcade video games.Genzo swings by the bathhouse and gives Mayuko abottle cratefull of bottled drinks before she heads to the restaurant for work in the evening. Karna returns to the restaurant and orders super spicykimchifor take-out. The next day, Chie and her classmates arrive for the video game tournament. Kotomi explains that a yearlong bathhouse gold passport as a grand prize will be awarded to the challenger who wins three consecutive games, with Nenji first at arole-playing game,Genzo next at a fighting game and Mayuko and NieA last at ashoot 'em up game.After winning the three consecutive games, Chie is surprisingly defeated by Momo as a final boss during aracing game.Chie still receives a fighting spirit trophy for winning the three consecutive games. Unfortunately, Kotomi is upset because the arcade video games used up a lot of electricity. | ||||
| 6 | "Alien & Rival Hot Spring Bath" "Uchūjin to raibaru sentō no yu" (Vũ trụ nhân と, ライバル銭 thang の thang) | May 31, 2000 | May 11, 2007 | |
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When Mayuko and NieA are in need of an air conditioner, Kotomi tasks them to get rid of some useless junk in a storage closet adjacent to their room. Nenji says that the new Space King Bathhouse is setting up shop in the crater as a rivaled competitor, while Chiaki says that it simulates the experience of going into outer space. Chiaki and Genzo are selected as informants, while Mayuko and NieA are tasked with snooping around. As Chiaki and Genzo take a good look inside, Mayuko and NieA find mysterious leaves outside. Chada owns and manages the Space King Bathhouse, much to the surprise of Mayuko and NieA. Returning to the Enohana Bathhouse, Mayuko and NieA bring back a leaf sample, while Chiaki and Genzo behave bizarrely from their experience due to the leaves in the hot bathwater. Kotomi and Nenji find out that the leaf sample came from anillegal plant,and the Space King Bathhouse is forced to close up shop. Gladly, Chiaki and Genzo only endured a temporary effect from the leaves. At night, Mayuko learns that Kotomi wanted to own and manage the Enohara Bathhouse because she really loves the place. | ||||
| 7 | "Mothership, Go-Con & Cloudy Skies Bath" "Bosen to gōkon to kumorizora no yu" (Mẫu thuyền と hợp コンと đàm り không の thang) | June 7, 2000 | May 14, 2007 | |
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NieA hears an ominous voice coming from the radio while on the roof. After being summoned to deliver a large order from the restaurant early in the morning, Mayuko is visited by Chiaki, who invites Mayuko to an upcoming college social event called a go-con. Mayuko is later advised by Kotomi to attend the go-con, though NieA believes that it is just about eating food. After Mayuko is introduced to Chiaki's five other female classmates who will be attending the go-con, Mayuko begins to have second thoughts. Her indecisiveness makes her hesitate to get a haircut and wear a beanie. Instead, Mayuko decides to stay at the bathhouse, while Chiaki attends the go-con. Kotomi later tells Mayuko to ask herself if she really wanted to attend the go-con. A gloomy Mayuko gives NieA a plate of grilled fish and prepares for bedtime. NieA instigates that the ominous voice heard on the roof may have come from the UFO mothership, but Mayuko takes out her frustration on NieA for not having an antenna. | ||||
| 8 | "Melancholy & Cast-Off Summer Bath" "Yūutsu to natsu no nukegara no yu" (ゆーうつと, hạ のぬけがらの thang) | June 14, 2000 | May 15, 2007 | |
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At cram school, Mayuko expressesmelancholydespite placing seventh on the top fifty scores of the practice college entrance exam, though she humbly apologizes to Chiaki's five female classmates for not attending the go-con. Returning to the bathhouse, Mayuko takes a bath by herself after learning from Nenji that NieA is attending another alien meeting with free bento meals. During the alien meeting, the three misfit alien members try Chada's currynabeandpoppy seedcurry as menu items, but Karna reminds Chada that the alien meetings should raise the social status of aliens. Showing up to eat free food, NieA later describes the ominous voice supposedly coming from the UFO mothership as something softly reverberating in her mind like a song. Since the UFO mothership has been broken for years, Karna does not believe that the UFO mothership is trying to communicate with NieA. Later at night, NieA returns to the bathhouse, where Mayuko saved twocroquettesas part of a homemade one-course dinner. NieA senses that Mayuko has been acting cranky lately, but Mayuko accuses NieA of being freeloading and brainless. | ||||
| 9 | "Close Encounter & After the Rain Bath" "Sekkin sōgū to ameagari no yu" (Tiếp cận tao ngộ と, vũ あがりの thang) | June 21, 2000 | May 16, 2007 | |
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Assuming that Mayuko has been cranky due to a lack of nutrition, NieA sneaks out of the bathhouse early in the morning to see a junk dealer and tries to sell valuable junk. Although the valuable junk is only worth five yen, the junk dealer offers to pay her if she can recover rare items at a reclaimed land that is fenced in. NieA has a close encounter with the UFO mothership during her scavenger hunt deep in the reclaimed land. Meanwhile, Mayuko decides toplay hookyfrom cram school, and she invites Genzo to her room while having barley tea. As it begins to rain outside, Genzo notices that Mayuko kept her deceased father's watch as a memento. Mayuko tells Genzo that she does not know her career plans exactly, though Genzo encourages Mayuko to write new stories because they always made him happy since their childhood. After the rain stops, a rainbow shines in the sky. Later on, NieA gets swindled into purchasing Chada's keema curry colored soft-shelled turtle plastic model kit. NieA eats the two croquettes and takes a bath by herself, as she recalls that the UFO mothership communicated to her by sayingsayonara. | ||||
| 10 | "Glow of the Firefly & Nocturne Bath" "Hotarubi to yasōkyoku no yu" (Huỳnh hỏa と, dạ tưởng khúc の thang) | June 28, 2000 | May 17, 2007 | |
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NieA tries to beg for seconds when Mayuko serves white rice and pickled plums for breakfast. Mayuko then serves some barley tea to Nenji and Kotomi. At the restaurant, Mayuko is surprised when Shuhei and Chie have booked a private party. Mayuko and Chie go to the supermarket in order to pick up some ingredients, including tomatoes, cucumbers,bok choy,olive oil, cabbage and potatoes. They share an ice cream bar while sitting together at a fountain. It is revealed that Shuhei was a former artist before Chie was born, until Shuhei opened his own restaurant after Chie was born. When the private party at the restaurant wraps up in the evening, Shuhei and Chie make their way to the bathhouse, coming across a sparkle offirefliesin a field supposedly saying their farewells. While on the roof, NieA begins to wonder what the UFO mothership meant by saying sayonara. Mayuko takes a bath late at night before finding the vintage record player on the roof, but NieA is nowhere to be found. | ||||
| 11 | "NieA_7 Bath (Former Part)" "Nia andā sebun no yu (Zenpen)" (にあ・あんだーせぶんの thang ( tiền thiên )) | July 5, 2000 | May 18, 2007 | |
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As NieA has not returned as of yet, Mayuko begins to worry. At cram school, Mayuko apologizes to Chiaki for not attending the go-con. Mayuko recalls that both Chiaki and Genzo described NieA as freewheeling. Returning to the bathhouse, Mayuko overhears Kotomi, Nenji and Momo having a management meeting, discussing a possiblebuyoutfor the bathhouse, which has been weighing heavily on Kotomi. The next morning, Mayuko is approached by Chada, who has been looking for NieA. Nenji does not know where NieA has been either. Mayuko spends another day at cram school and at the restaurant. While on the roof at night, Mayuko tells Kotomi that NieA has been missing for the past few days. After Mayuko mentions that NieA heard the UFO mothership communicating with her, Kotomi describes NieA as freewheeling. With the bathhouse on the verge of closing down, NieA still has not returned as of yet. | ||||
| 12 | "NieA_7 Bath (Latter Part)" "Nia andā sebun no yu (Kōhen)" (にあ・あんだーせぶんの thang ( hậu biên )) | July 12, 2000 | May 21, 2007 | |
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Mayuko learns that Kotomi hired arooferto repair Mayuko's roof. While venturing through the jungle in the crater, Mayuko realizes that the summer season is about to end. After it has been a week since the disappearance of NieA, Mayuko learns that the government only keeps records of aliens ranked from high-five to under-five, meaning that NieA is not a registered alien. Later on, Mayuko receives a package from her mother. The package contains old photographs of the bathhouse years ago, implying that Mayuko spent her childhood at the bathhouse. The clothing that NieA usually wears is spotted in the dressing room as Mayuko prepares to take a bath, soon noticing that NieA is already taking a bath and back to her old antics. As Mayuko and NieA fight over dinner, atyphoon watchis in effect and the tarp over the hole in the roof begins to loosen. Mayuko and NieA hold down the tarp in the midst of their argument, but NieA blankly stares at the UFO mothership, which is revealed as a sparkle of fireflies taking its shape. The UFO mothership dissipates while the heavy rainstorm immediately ceases, which starts the autumn season. | ||||
| 13 | "Time Flows By in Enohana Bath" "Enohana ni toki wa nagareru no yu" (Nhẫm の hoa に, thời は lưu れるの thang) | July 19, 2000 | May 22, 2007 | |
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NieA persistently asks Mayuko for gourmet food when Mayuko runs late for cram school yet again. The college entrance exam will take place in less than six months. Chiaki is saddened that the UFO mothership has disappeared. Mayuko realizes that nobody seemed to care when NieA momentarily disappeared or when the UFO mothership recently disappeared. Just as Shuhei and Chie prepare to take the first bath of the day, Mayuko and Chiaki soon arrive at the bathhouse. NieA has been seen carrying a large curry bowl while being chased by Chada. As Mayuko and Chiaki hang out on the roof, Mayuko decides to enjoy her time at the bathhouse instead of worrying about it closing down. Mayuko admits that she was depressed because she felt that something was missing in her life. At sunset, Chiaki prepares to go home, while Genzo brings three sacks of white rice. Suddenly, NieA launches her new UFO built out of junk, with the large curry bowl used as the dome. As soon as Chiaki hitches a ride with NieA, the UFO malfunctions and explodes on Mayuko's roof. | ||||
References[edit]
- ^toco toco - Yoshitoshi ABe, Illustrator(Motion picture). toco toco (in Japanese). Archipel. June 1, 2018. Event occurs at 8:37.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-21.RetrievedAugust 10,2019.
- ^Sherman, Jennifer (August 13, 2017)."Discotek Licenses Cyborg 009 The Cyborg Soldier, Tomorrow's Joe, Project ARMS, NieA_7, Lupin III: The Legend of the Gold of Babylon".Anime News Network.RetrievedAugust 10,2019.
External links[edit]
- NieA_7(manga) atAnime News Network's encyclopedia
- NieA_7(anime) atAnime News Network's encyclopedia