Steel Angel Kurumi is a Japanese manga series created by Kaishaku. An anime series adaptation directed by Naohito Takahashi, animated by Oriental Light and Magic, produced by Pony Canyon with character designs by Yuriko Chiba and Yūji Ikeda and music by Toshihiko Sahashi has been translated and released in North America by ADV Films. In 2008 Crunchyroll announced it had partnered with Pony Canyon to release all Steel Angel Kurumi series' for streaming and download. The Kurumi series as a whole consists of the first season Steel Angel Kurumi, four OVA episodes entitled Steel Angel Kurumi Encore, a second season by the name of Steel Angel Kurumi 2, and a prequel OVA series entitled "Steel Angel Kurumi 0". A live-action adaptation was made, titled Steel Angel Kurumi Pure, but has a different continuity to the anime. This show was originally aired in Japan as part of Wowow's Anime Complex. The first anime series is set in an alternate history version of Japan during the Taishō period, while the second series takes place in the 21st century.
Plot
Steel Angel Kurumi 1: The story follows a young boy named Nakahito Kagura. He is pushed by a group of his classmates to go into a house that is rumored to belong to a mad scientist. While inside, he comes across in what seems to be a lifelike doll. At the same time, the Japanese Army carries out an attack on the house. During the attack the "doll" falls over and Nakahito accidentally kisses it, causing it to awaken. The doll turns out to be a Steel Angel called Kurumi, who is being hunted by the military for mysterious reasons. Steel Angel Kurumi 2: Seventy-five years later, Nako Kagura is the great-granddaughter of the main protagonist from the previous series who is shown to be a high school student and an aspiring musician who also gets her chance to discover the existence of Kurumi and the Steel Angels. Unfortunately after Kurumi steals her first kiss, Nako's wealthy childhood friend Uruka Sumeragi becomes furious and upset; and does everything in her power to defeat Kurumi and win back Nako's affection.
Characters
First series
; and ;Tsunami ;Kaga ;Kaori ;Excelia ;Mikhail
Second series
;Nako Kagura ;Kurumi ;Uruka Sumeragi ;Kyanwan ;Tenkai Sumeragi ;Karinka, Mark II ;Saki, Mark II ;Misaki Kagura ;Yutaka Kizuki
Media
Manga
The manga was being produced at the same time of the anime however is significantly different from the anime. In the manga, Nakahito discovers Kurumi in the same fashion, he was being bullied and fell into Dr. Ayanoukoji's lab. The academy travels back in time to find the world's greatest mystic. In order to do that, they give each nation the ability to design its own steel angel. They then hold a Steel Fight in order to see who the strongest mystic is. During the Steel Fight, all steel angels are shut down because of a revolt, and a demon exits her fake steel angel body. She places a curse on Nakahito and travels into the future. The crew also goes into the future to destroy the demon and remove the curse. They live with Dr. Amagi's granddaughter.
Anime
''Steel Angel Kurumi''
A 24-episode anime television series was animated by Oriental Light and Magic and directed by Naohito Takahashi. The anime aired in Japan on Wowow between October 5, 1999 and April 4, 2000.
''Steel Angel Kurumi Encore''
Four additional OVA short stories of the Steel Angels: Saki becomes a film actress, Karinka goes on a blind date with Kamihito, Kurumi practices the art of becoming a traditional Japanese woman, and the rest of the Steel Angels engage in a contest to win Nakahito's heart.
''Steel Angel Kurumi 2''
An alternate story of the Steel Angel Kurumi series set in the early 21st century. Bringing back the feeling of love polygons, the twist in this 12-episode continuation is that almost all of the characters are female, bringing a Yuri element to the story. The story takes place back at the Kagura Shrine, in AD 200X, about 4 generations after Nakahito Kagura. One day, Nako Kagura and her best friend Uruka get lost in the shrine's basement labyrinth and run across a dog and a giant, scary, flying statue. As Nako and Uruka run away from the scary flying statue, Nako trips and is caught by the statue, which covers her in a divine light. She is then given a message by Dr. Ayanakouji through the statue, the statue then breaks apart and out falls Kurumi, right onto Nako's lips. Again, the events come full circle, and Kurumi awakens from a new master's kiss.
''Steel Angel Kurumi Zero''
This OVA story takes place in the distant future in which Kurumi, Saki, and Karinka all live inside of an apartment together along with their landlady Excelia. The 3 episode OVA which aired in the midst of the second series, takes place mainly inside of the apartment as Kurumi comes home to the apartment from school to notify her house mates that she has met a boy at school whom she has fallen in love with. The story then proceeds from there as Kurumi handles her depression and loneliness after the boy she is in love with moves away from her, and then finds out that he is dying. In every episode, the feelings within Kurumi causes a glowing angel to appear before her, and later, in front of the others. This series has a much darker story, with no comedy or action elements as evident in the other series. The color palette is very limited except for the characters who still keep their colorful, bright hair.
Live-action series
Steel Angel Kurumi Pure is a 24 episode Japanese television drama produced in 2002. The story is set the 21st century where the rapid evolution of robot technology makes it possible to use them as nurses in hospitals. These new robots are then referred to as 'kangoroids'. Ayanokouji Corporation is the leading company in this area. They are developing new kangoroids for home use, which has the code name 'Steel Angel'. When the 1st prototype named Kurumi is completed, they choose one boy as its monitor. The boy is Nakahito Kagura, a nephew of the president of Ayanokouji Corporation. He is a junior high student but he has contained himself in his room after an incident and refuses to leave. He soon receives a package in the mail that contains the prototype Kurumi kangoroid. While he's embarrassed with Kurumi at first, her devotion slowly makes him accept her.
Reception
In a review at Anime News Network, Zac Bertschy commented that "The storyline is mostly forgettable" however he added that "The animation is smooth and polished, moreso than other series in this vein. The music, especially the catchy opening theme song, is surprisingly well-done and pleasant to listen to." Chris Beveridge from Mania gave Steel Angel Kurumi 2 a B and noted that "It's a sequel that, while it's not the best thing in the world, it doesn’t actively harm your thoughts on the first series."
