Black Heaven

Black Heaven
Genre	Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction, Light drama
Anime
Directed by	Yasuhito Kikuchi
Studio	AIC

Black Heaven is a thirteen episode anime TV series about a short-lived heavy metal band. The series has also been referred to as The Legend of Black Heaven, or Kacho-Oji. The Japanese title of the series is a multi-layered pun. It can either be translated as "section-chief Oji", "old section-chief", or literally "Section Head Prince".

Similar to the way music was influential in Macross, alien research has shown that the music of the failed rock band "Black Heaven" is able to power their ultimate weapon and turn the tables on what is inferred as a losing war.

Characters

Main

Oji Tanaka AKA Gabriel - lead guitarist. After the breakup of Black Heaven, he took on office job to support his growing family. Years later, he's facing mid-life wondering what went wrong. That's when Layla Yuki approaches him asking him to play for her.

Yoshiko Tanaka - groupie. Oji married Yoshiko when he found out she was pregnant with Gen. She now plays the role of the housewife, taking care of Gen and watching in dismay as Oji reverts to his rocker persona. With Layla fetching Oji to play for the ultimate weapon, she's under the impression that the two are having an affair.

Kotoko, Eriko and Rinko - Layla's subordinates. They work in the same building as Oji and Layla, and are to help Layla with her assignments. They are very much based on the Three Stoogers, although without all the physical slapstick. They are identified with their hair colors: blue, purple, green respectively.

Layla Yuki - Tasked with tracking down Oji and getting him on their side to play music in order to activate the ultimate weapon. After finding him, she basically plays the role of an agent, acting as the go between the band and Formalhaut, the space army commander. She reports on Oji's status to Formalhaut and he in turn tells her when Oji is needed.

Minor

Sato AKA Michael - Guitar.

Yamada AKA Luke - drums. After the break-up of Black Heaven, he went into the real-estate business.

Suzuki AKA Raphael - bass. After the break-up of Black Heaven, he opened up a grocery store.

Watanabe AKA Joseph - keyboardist. After the break-up of Black Heaven, he went to New York to try to make it in the music business.

Episodes

Note: the links are to the article of the song probably referenced.

Template:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode listTemplate:Japanese episode list

#	Title	Original air date

Themes

Opening

"Cautionary Warning" by John Sykes

Ending

"Yappari Onna no Hoga Iiya (I Like To Be A Woman After All)" by Riyu Konaka

Trivia

• Oji plays a Gibson Flying V, similar to one played by Michael Schenker, whom he idolizes.

• Like most famous bands, the songs are written primarily by two band members: Oji and Watanabe.

• Layla is probably a homage to Eric Clapton's Layla.

• Hamill is probably a homage to Mark Hamill

• Mulder and Scully are seen investigating a disappearance, only to be brushed aside by Layla's stooges.

• The band's ship is named Zappa, in reference to Frank Zappa.

• Oji's guitar is a Flying V (Flying Vee), and Gen's favorite show is called the Flying V (Flying Five). The band's ship Zappa also transforms into a giant Flying V.

• Oji's pick is a Japanese 10 yen coin, a homage to Brian May who used an old sixpence as a pick on Queen albums.

• All five stage names of Black Heaven: Gabriel, Luke, Michael, Raphael, and Joseph, derive from important figures of Christianity.

• The episode titles are based from famous rock songs.

• Oji's original guitar and the one that he usually plays at the battlescenes is a Gibson Flying V. The one that his wife bought for him to replace the old one is a cheaper Epiphone Flying V (since Gibson does not have the color pink). Epiphone is a sub-company of Gibson.

• In Episode 9, Oji summons a U.F.O. by chanting "Ventura", in reference to Urusei Yatsura.

External Links

• ANN Profile
• Official Japanese Website