Angel Tales

(おとぎストーリー 天使のしっぽ, Otogi Story Tenshi no Shippo^?) is an anime series produced by Wonderfarm and Tōkyō Kids. The series was broadcasted by the anime television network, Animax across its respective networks worldwide, including Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Asia, in English and other languages.

The series was licensed for distribution by Bandai Entertainment in North America.

Storyline

The main character, Gorō Mutsumi, has no luck at all, not with jobs, nor with his schooling, and especially not with women or girlfriends. That is until the day he meets a fortune teller who informs him that he will have a fateful encounter and gives him a cell phone with which she promises his luck will change for good. Gorō does not believe her as she just vanishes as he remembers all of his previous times of bad luck with women.

It is then seen that he meets three girls who are waiting for him back at his apartment. They say they are now his Guardian Angels, sent to Earth from the spirit realm by the Goddess. They are the first three of his twelve beloved pets who had died due to Gorō's poor luck, returning to him on earth.

Soon after more and more of his former pets return to him as guardian angels, and each desires to be seen as number one in his heart, as his favorite pet. Each also has fears which they must overcome, fears from their past lives, for to overcome them and to learn to live with each other as one big family is the only way they will ever stand a chance of helping Gorō turn his life around and gain some good luck that his life was missing.

These girls however are not the only ones on earth, because of Gorō's own past life, because of what he was in another time and another place, there are strange people out there trying to put a stop to these girls turning his luck around. For their own reasons, these people fear Gorō and desire him out of the way. As the story progresses the girls learn they must protect Gorō not only from his own bad luck but from these other people, without fully understanding either who they are or why they want to harm their beloved master.

Characters

Gorō Mutsumi (睦 悟郎, Mutsumi Gorō^?)

Voiced by: Hisayoshi Suganuma (Japanese), Ted Sroka (English)

Gorō is the protagonist of the anime. Gorō is a very unlucky man who lives alone in his apartment, he had 12 pets in total during different stages of his life. All of whom died, ended up in "Maid's World" and eventually transmigrated as his guardian angels.

Yuki (ユキ, Yuki^?) (Snake) Age 18 (19 in second season)

Voiced by: Kyoko Hikami (Japanese), Karen Strassman (English)

Yuki is a strong and calm woman. She usually remains quiet but will give useful advice when called upon. She acts and is seen as a mother to the younger angels. Mika uses "mother" as an insult towards her. She was a white snake in her past life. Yuki is also the bride of Gou the Blue Dragon (Seiryu), the leader of the Saint Beasts, and the eldest God of the animals. Though at first sight their meeting didn't seem that romantic, in truth, Gou is in love with Yuki. Towards the end of the series, it is seen that Yuki, too is in love with Gou, and he embraces her before he departs.

Her white skin represents a white snake's scales. She became the goddess in the second season; replacing the current goddess who was punished for saying the forbidden word, love. Yuki is in the Senior Rank.

Mika (ミカ, Mika^?) (Rabbit) Age 17 (18 in second season)

Voiced by: Yukana (Japanese), Wendee Lee (English)

Mika is extroverted and hyperactive. Her over the top antics usually result in her being yelled at by Ayumi and Akane (rabbits have a history of rivalry with turtles and foxes). When she was a rabbit, she died of loneliness, which may account for her current personality of being an attention seeker. Mika is in the Senior rank.

Unlike most of the other angels, she is very clearly romantically attracted to Gorō. Her hairstyle represents a rabbit's ears.

Ayumi (アユミ, Ayumi^?) (Turtle) Age 16 (17 in second season)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese), Hunter MacKenzie Austin (English)

Ayumi was a turtle in her past life. Because of this, she is always slow to make decisions because she is always thinking ahead. Ayumi always wears a green beret-like hat that symbolizes her turtle-shell in her past life. Ayumi is the bride of Shin the Black Turtle (Genbu), and that he has deep feelings for her, and on an occasion, risked his life to save hers in a collapsing warehouse. It is noted that of the four abducted angels, she returns his feelings the most. Ayumi often scolds Mika and argues with her most of the time. Ayumi is in the Senior rank.

Ran (ラン, Ran^?) (Goldfish) Age 15 (16 in second season)

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka (Japanese), Michelle Ruff (English)

Ran is a calm and caring girl, though she fears water from her time as a goldfish. Her hairstyle represents a fish's fins. While Gorō was on vacation the air circulation pump stopped and Ran was unable to get enough oxygen and so she drowned.

Throughout the anime, she gains the most screen time and is used in advertising the show more than the other angels. In fact, the series opens with her death as a goldfish and not the other angels' deaths as pets. She also is romantically in love with Gorō. Also, through out the anime it's noticed that in cases involving Goro's heart, she often gets very sensitive. Tsubasa also notes and comments upon the fact that Ran's feelings surpass her own, and vows to bring Ran and Goro together. Ran is one of the first 3 angels that appeared in the series. She is in the Senior rank.

Tsubasa (ツバサ, Tsubasa^?) (Parakeet) Age 14 (15 in second season)

Voiced by: Sakura Nogawa (Japanese), Zarah Little (English)

Tsubasa was a parakeet in her past life, she was rescued by Gorō when she broke her wing and he took care of her. She is afraid of heights, this is because after she believed her wing was healed she tried to show her appreciation by showing him her beauty in flight, she tried to fly but fell from the house's window and died. Her hairstyle represents a parakeet's wings.

Though Tsubasa too has deep feelings for Goro, she is also attracted to Rei, her future groom, the Red Phoenix (Suzaku), who is in love with her. She was seen almost tearful upon discovering that he had left without informing her. Tsubasa is in the Intermediate rank (Senior rank in Season 2).

Kurumi (クルミ, Kurumi^?) (Hamster) Age 13 (14 in second season)

Voiced by: Mayako Nigo (Japanese), Sandy Fox (English)

Kurumi was a hamster in her past life. One day she escaped from her cage and went on an adventure, but got lost and was unable to get home, thus she died of starvation.

In the anime, she has maintained her hamster-instincts ie: to eat a lot so that she wouldn't starve to death again. Her hairstyle, bao and mouth shape represent a hamster's ears and mouth. She often says "Nano" at the end of her sentences. Kurumi is one of the first 3 angels that appeared in the series. Kurumi is in the Intermediate rank.

Akane (アカネ, Akane^?) (Fox) Age 12 (13 in second season)

Voiced by: Saeko Chiba (Japanese), Tricia Dickson (English)

Akane is an introverted and misunderstood girl. She is mature for her age but is very afraid of dogs, even Nana. This is because in her past life she was a fox who died after dogs attacked her and her family and she was shot by a hunter who was hunting her.

Her pony tail and hair ribbon-ties represent a fox's tail and ears. She appears to be cold but is actually very friendly and warms to Midori more than the other angels. She reveals that she is in love with Goro. Akane is in the Intermediate rank.

Midori (ミドリ, Midori^?) (Raccoon Dog) Age 11 (12 in second season)

Voiced by: Akiko Kobayashi (voice actor) (Japanese), Jessica D. Stone (English)

Midori is often seen with Akane working in an udon store which is a reference to Japanese mythology. She and Akane have also been known to shapeshift - a power that tanuki and kitsune have been known to possess in Japanese mythology. She is in the intermediate rank.

Her hairstyle represents a raccoon dog's ears and tail.

Tamami (タマミ, Tamami^?) (Cat) Age 10 (11 in second season)

Voiced by: Chiaki Osawa (Japanese), Carrie Daniels (English)

Tamami is very catlike and has many catgirl personality traits. She is very hyperactive and has kept her cat-like ability to scale walls with ease. Tamami is the bride of Gai,the White Tiger (Byakko) but says she's too young. It is noted that Gai is protective of her and always tries to help her out of danger.

Whenever you cannot find her she is most likely in a grassy place taking a nap. She is afraid of cars and traffic because in her past life she was a cat who died after she was hit by a car.

Her hairstyle represents a cat's ears and she belongs to the intermediate rank.

Momo (モモ, Momo^?) (Monkey) Age 9 (10 in second season)

Voiced by: Aya Hirano (Japanese), Kay Jensen (English)

Momo is shy, this is because while she was alive as a monkey, she was too out going and too curious and these traits made her lose her tail and got her electrocuted. It is also noted, especially by Nana and Ruru that Momo had a crush on a boy from the neighborhood, called Daisuke, who too had a crush on her.

Her hairstyle represents a monkey's tail. In season 2 she develops feelings for Goro. She is in the Junior rank. (Intermediate rank in season 2).

Nana (ナナ, Nana^?) (Dog) Age 8 (9 in second season)

Voiced by: Shizuka Hasegawa (Japanese), Lauren Bendik (English)

Nana has a tomboyish personality, and is hyperactive just like in her past life being a dog. She enjoys walks but tends to get lost. Nana belongs to the junior rank.

Her hairstyle represents a dog's ears.

Ruru (ルル, Ruru^?) (Frog) Age 7 (8 in second season)

Voiced by: Mei Shimizu (Japanese), Rachel Hirschfeld (English)

Ruru, being the youngest of the group, is a rather spoiled girl. Her hairstyle and pigtail holders represent a frog's skin and eyes. Her spoiled behavior has earned her the ire of Gou and Gai whenever she does something that contradicts their activities (in Gou's case, she insisted Goro read her a story when he hadn't eaten breakfast and in Gai's, she changed the channel while he was watching an anime), to which she replies that she only obeys Goro which causes them to break into fits which prompts at least Shin to restrain them. Ruru is in the junior rank.

Four Saint Beasts

As early as Tamami's entrance (in the second episode), these four men who are reincarnations of the Four Sacred Beasts (Seiryu, Suzaku, Byakko and Genbu) make numerous attempts to eliminate Goro's life. Midway into the story, Yuki, Tsubasa, Tamami and Ayumi are kidnapped by them to be their respective "brides". It is later revealed that the reason for this was revenge for Goro's past life taking their special powers. However, it was also revealed after the confrontation between Goro and the eight remaining Angels and the four gods that Goro's past life was in fact the God of animals himself and the act of taking these powers was only to prevent any possible conflict between humans and animals. Because of finally understanding the true reason for the loss of their powers, the four kidnapped angels are returned to normal and the four move in to assume the task of protecting Goro. Unfortunately, they aren't as efficient as the Angels so they elect to leave Goro again with the Angels to reclaim their powers on their own, knowing that Goro is in good hands with the angels. They all wear qipao-like attire colored in their respective colors. They make no appearance in the second season, but are mentioned.

In 2003, a spin-off series named Saint Beast premiered. Other than the Four Saint Beasts, there is no real relationship to Angel Tales.

Gou

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa

The reincarnation of Seiryu the Azure Dragon of the East. As such, he is the group's leader and the most powerful. Unlike the other four gods, he is heterochromatic (his left eye is blue while his right is red). He is the last to appear (at the end of episode 8) and his reappearance frightens even the goddess, who accidentally drops her staff in fear. He takes Yuki as his bride, since Oriental dragons, which Seiryu is commonly depicted as, are serpentine. He is clearly in love with Yuki, as she is with him.

Sacred Power: Fang(Sword) of the Blue Dragon.

Rei

Voiced by: Kouki Miyata

The reincarnation of Suzaku the Vermilion Bird of the South. He is the most feminine in appearance, behavior (though not as extreme enough to be considered homosexual, which he himself states), and (only in the Japanese version) voice, thus the series' bishonen. He first appears to hypnotize Goro while on a date with Tsubasa to a theme park to ride the ferris wheel, knowing full well of Tsubasa's fear of heights. He later takes Tsubasa as his bride, since both are birds. When she later regains control of her will, she slaps Rei, without a care of who he was, to prove a point of how much grief and trouble they caused. Later on, even he notes that Tsubasa has feelings for him, but as he was leaving, he was contented with the result.

Sacred Power: Wings of the Red Phoenix.

Gai

Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino

The reincarnation of Byakko the White Tiger of the West. He is the most impulsive of the group and is prone to wild fits. He is the first to appear, attempting to run over Goro with a truck but is save by Tamami, whom he later takes as his bride, both being cats. Though he complained about Tamami's age at first, he really is fond of her, and always tries to protect her.

Sacred Power: Armour of the White Tiger.

Shin

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

The reincarnation of Genbu the Black Tortoise of the North. He is the sensible, calm and brooding member of the group and its second-in-command, leading it in Gou's absence. He bypassed Ayumi while she was doing groceries. He later saw her again when the three tricked Goro into working at an abandoned site under the pretense of a part-time job but to use him as a sacrifice to revive Gou. It was here that he fell in love with her enough to save her from the collapsing building. He later made her his bride, both being closely related animals (shelled reptiles). However, when the four joined Goro's side, Ayumi unconciously hints that the relationship may not be one sided even before her abduction, the same goes for Yuki and Gou and Tsubasa and Rei, and later perhaps, Tamami and Gai.

Sacred Power: Shield of the Black Turtle.