Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee

[Buffalobiian]

Genres: action, fantasy

Themes: mecha, moe, steampunk

Plot Summary: Gauche is a governmental employee, given the task to deliver any letter to it's destination. Meeting a young boy who is the letter to be delivered, Gauche makes friends with Lag and inspires him to take up the job. Five years later, Lag Seeing finally becomes his dream, that of a Letter Bee. However, the one who inspired him has gone missing and only there does the mystery start. -ANN

Links: ANN, AnimeNFO, AniDB, Official site


DVD Special: [SFW] Letter Bee - Light and Blue Night Fantasy [DVD][E9D62451].mkv

Episode 1:
[Moggert]_Letter_Bee_01_[720p]_[H264-AAC].mkv
[HorribleSubs] Tegami Bachi - Letter Bee - 01 [720p].mkv

[Death13a]

However, the one who inspired him has gone missing and only there does the mystery start.

That's not only mystery. Letter Bee is set in very original fictional world with very unique characters.

If you are not already fan of manga then wait till couple more episodes are out as series are slow and steady build up a solid story.

[Sapphire]

Very original world with very unique characters huh? Make me think of Kekkaishi. I miss Kekkaishiiiii~!

I downloaded it. Will watch soon!

I finished ep one and i definitely like it. Will keep watching

[Pandadice]

i gave it a shot, and i didn't like it. i just couldn't get into it. there was nothing in it that made me interested at all.

[masamuneehs]

i have some very mixed feelings on this first episode. i thought the setting and premise were really interesting, but i can't say that i really like either Lag or his Dingo. I'm also not quite sold on some of the very silly names/terms.

i absolutely loved what they did with Darwin. sometimes you see attempts to give a silent character a personality, and it just fails. the scene with the "dog tag's memories" (as retarded as the concept of that was, the execution was well done) up until the end was really enjoyable, saving this first episode for me.

there is certainly something likable about Lag (his female counterpart, on the other hand, is an absolute dime a dozen "strong yet dedicated, cute female assistant" write-off), but he does annoy me quite a bit. think it could be his voice. thought the CG animation for the machine bugs was simply terrible, as was the exposition dialogue (and flashback).

i think i'll see what the second episode has to offer.

[Archangel]

Plot Summary: Gauche is a governmental employee, given the task to deliver any letter to it's destination. Meeting a young boy who is the letter to be delivered, Gauche makes friends with Lag and inspires him to take up the job. Five years later, Lag Seeing finally becomes his dream, that of a Letter Bee. However, the one who inspired him has gone missing and only there does the mystery start. -ANN

... HunterxHunter?

[shinta|hikari]

2 and 3 are out.

A fantastically cute (vampire?) loli Dingo without pantsu (until Lag had to be a panty party pooper)... This show may have taken the niche of my favorite show for the season.

[Sapphire]

A child tsundere is almost more than I can bare, but this shows delightful originalness and creepy interestingness more than makes up for it.

Why do I think Niche is being sold into child prostitution?

[Buffalobiian]

Two words:

INSTANT
WIN

Cute characters + interesting setting + emotional scenes + steampunk?

The nature of Letter Bee means we get to explore a variety of characters, their environment, and the whole issue of how much weight each letter carries.

Why do I think Niche is being sold into child prostitution?

Looked like a circus to me, while the flier said "freak show".

My description at the top might have let off a bit too much, but the way it sounds as if Gauche vanished from digging into Lag's mother's issue too much hints at a shady government, if that feeling hasn't already been established. They might even by cutting off his letters too.

[shinta|hikari]

Definitely a freak show.

I wonder if Niche is actually a vampire? She can also be a cat girl though.

[Ryllharu]

I wonder if Niche is actually a vampire? She can also be a cat girl though.

I don't think vampire, but maybe something more like a demon. Her eye color combined with the pupil shape comes off more like that to me.

I'm glad I picked this series up late, because otherwise I don't know if I would have stuck with it. Marathoning the three episodes sold me on it.

[Archangel]

Is there any particularly good group doing this? Anidb isn't being very helpful

[Buffalobiian]

I'm glad I picked this series up late, because otherwise I don't know if I would have stuck with it. Marathoning the three episodes sold me on it.

Did you watch the DVD special first? It helps too, because it gives a fair enough introduction into what the series is about, shows you what's to come, and gives you confidence that the slower introduction will get to the loli build up to something good.

The best thing about this show is how powerfully it brings out emotions, followed closely by the art.

Is there any particularly good group doing this? Anidb isn't being very helpful

HorribleSubs are getting me by. I don't think they're anywhere near as bad as gg was in the latest Kobato ep.

[shinta|hikari]

Did you watch the DVD special first? It helps too, because it gives a fair enough introduction into what the series is about, shows you what's to come, and gives you confidence that the slower introduction will get to the loli build up to something good.

Fixed.

Are there heavy (plot) spoilers in the DVD special? If it is material that will eventually be covered in the anime, I may opt not to see it to keep the mysterious feeling of the show.

[Buffalobiian]

Fixed.

Are there heavy (plot) spoilers in the DVD special? If it is material that will eventually be covered in the anime, I may opt not to see it to keep the mysterious feeling of the show.

There's nothing plot-heavy about it. Lag and Niche go on a mission to deliver a letter to a past employee. You find out what Letter Bees are (like in the aired episodes), and that Lag has a special eye. Nothing noteworthy otherwise, besides tugging at your heartstrings a bit.

[shinta|hikari]

Cool. I will download it as soon as I get back.

[Kraco]

The DVD special was very nice in my opinion, a lot better than I expected having already watched the three first normal episodes. I guess the spoiler in it is how ridiculous deus ex machina powers Niche possesses.

I think I'll keep watching this one. It has some annoying aspects like Lag's overflowing friendliness but I suppose it belongs to the core elements of the story. The world is refreshingly different at least.

[Buffalobiian]

HorribleSubs - Episode 4

[Sapphire]

Wow it seems like these are coming out really fast *downloads

[Buffalobiian]

In the face of strong episodes this week such as Railgun and Nyan Koi, I still enjoyed Letter Bee the best this week.

Everything was predictable, except her being a dragon maybe, but I didn't stop it being a powerful episode

The only real issue here is now Lag's beam was so much of a shounen-esque powerup, but since the entire show is about Heart, I guess it can't be helped..