Layton Kyouju to Eien no Utahime

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Alternative Titles

English: Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva

Synonyms: Professor Layton and the Eternal Songstress, Professor Layton: The First Movie

Japanese: レイトン教授と永遠の歌姫

Information

Type: Movie

Episodes: 1

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Dec 19, 2009

Producers: None found, add some

Licensors: Viz Media

Studios: OLM, P.A. Works

Source: Game

Genres: Mystery

Duration: 1 hr. 39 min.

Rating: PG - Children

Statistics

Score: 7.69¹ (scored by 7,615 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score. Please note that 'Not yet aired' titles are excluded.

Ranked: #1083²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #2658

Members: 12,812

Favorites: 79

7.69

Ranked #1083Popularity #2658Members 12,812

MovieOLM, P.A. Works

Episodes: /1

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Synopsis

Layton receives a letter from the famed opera singer, Jenis Quatlane, inviting them to see her newest performance. She also asks Layton, Luke and Remi for assistance in a mystery, saying her friend Melina died one year ago, but returned later as a seven year old girl saying she had found the secret of eternal life, and she also knew all the secrets that only the true Melina could know. Naturally, the case fascinates Layton and his apprentice, so they head to the Crown Petone opera house, but Remi stays in London, searching for some girls that went missing in there.

The opera was about a lost kingdom, The Kingdom of Immortals; once, there was a beautiful queen that loved music. She was beloved by everyone in the kingdom. But one day, the queen became very ill. The people of the kingdom toiled to find a cure, but medicine couldn’t help. The queen finally passed away, and right after, the cure was completed: A potion for immortality. The people of the kingdom deeply lamented for the death of their queen. In order to the meet reincarnated queen again, they decided to become immortal, using the just-completed immortality nostrum. Abrosia's Kingdom is still somewhere in this world, waiting for its queen to return, and then, she will sing forever.

After the spectacle finishes, a masked men appears, and proposes something to the audience: "Let's play a game"- he says- "The winner, will have eternal life. The losers, will have to die." It's up to Layton and Luke to enter in the game, and discover the secret of Eternal Life.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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Characters & Voice Actors

Layton, Hershel

Main

Oizumi, Yo
Japanese

Triton, Luke

Main

Horikita, Maki
Japanese

Descole, Jean

Main

Watabe, Atsuro
Japanese

Altava, Emmy

Main

Aibu, Saki
Japanese

More staff
Staff

	Horikawa, Kenji Producer
	Oomura, Makoto Producer
	Hashimoto, Masakazu Director, Episode Director, Storyboard
	Mima, Masafumi Sound Director

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"Eternal Diva" by Nana Mizuki

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Archaeon

140 people found this review helpful

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Oct 21, 2010

1 of 1 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 8

Game adaptations seem to be a bit of a tricky subject for most anime studios for some reason. There are numerous examples of a perfectly good game being turned into mediocre show for no other reason than to cash in on the game's popularity. Part of the problem stems from the mistaken belief that fans of a particular game will spend their hard earned cash on a sub par representation of it, and while there are people who will buy the anime adaptation, the resulting income barely justifies the cost of making the show in the first place.

Not all adaptations are bad though. While many read more

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kindergraph

55 people found this review helpful

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Jul 22, 2010

1 of 1 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 9

There seems to be some great misconception among the general viewership that a work of film needs to be bursting at the seams with blood and sex to be “mature”. More people will see a film that wears an R rating like a badge of honour on a weathered veteran than will see Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva and films like it, and it’s their loss.

‘Eternal Diva’ is the first in a planned series of anime films based on the Professor Layton series of puzzle games. Though the games aren’t for everyone, the movie takes place years before the games’ timeline (with the exception of a brief scene at the beginning, but it’s easy to tell what’s going on), so the uninitiated needn’t worry over catching up to a long, pre-existing canon. The plot is simple enough: Layton and Luke find themselves trapped in the middle of a contest, hosted by a strange masked man, in which the winner will gain immortality, and the unfortunate losers will all die. But not all is as it seems (is it ever?), and the professor and his young apprentice make it their mission to get to the bottom of the affair.

The plot is multi-layered, thought-out, and pristinely paced, though it never quite stops itself from being patently ridiculous (Hershel Layton built this helicopter in the jungle with a box of scraps!). As the film builds towards its climax it becomes increasingly bizarre, but by that point it doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously. That said, it’s fun all the way through, and if the viewer can suspend his disbelief long enough to watch Layton fall hundreds of feet through the air and land with his trademark top hat undisturbed from its place, he shouldn’t have too much trouble with the rest of the plot.

The writing does a remarkable job of fleshing out even the minor characters; they all have their reasons for pursuing the prize of immortality (some more noble than others). Every character has a defined personality and motivation without resorting to “quirkiness” (with the exception of Growski, though he’s not a bad character—bless justice-serving, shark-wrestling, moustache-having hairy bosom). As for the main characters, the titular Professor is an almost paternal character whose patient, distanced and logical approach to even the most outrageous of subjects gives the viewer a sense of respect for the character, rather than seeming elitist or even creepy (as it would were it guided by clumsier writing). Luke Triton, our young Watson, manages to be cute and believably childlike without grating on the viewer’s nerves.

The character designs are unique among anime, and they will further endear some viewers (like myself) and drive others off. The art style is a very simplistic kind of imitation of Western cartoons with an unmistakably Japanese twist, and the film is set in dusty, sunny Edwardian England, unafraid to dabble in steampunk. The art and even the way the characters move is expressive and fluid enough that even a quick glance over a character gives the viewer an idea of their personality. Upon seeing the character designs, one could be forgiven for expecting the same childish cartoon art in the whole picture, but OLM takes care to render the Victorian architecture—and other settings—in loving detail.

Those familiar with the Professor Layton games will recognise a few songs from their soundtracks making cameo appearances here, particularly Layton’s own catchy leitmotif. The film’s original songs aren’t too shabby either, sporting surprisingly entrancing vocal work by Nana Mizuki (let it be said that this is the first time I’ve found her voice to be anything other than grating). There’s not much I can say about the voice acting, simply because it’s very good—though some minor characters have exaggerated, embellished ways of speaking, it works, and it’s not unexpected (this is, after all, a cartoon).

If it sounds like I’m gushing about the movie, it’s probably because I am. It’s hard to remember the last time I enjoyed an anime this much, and although it can probably be attributed to my fannish expectations and love of the games it’s based on, I can’t imagine anyone honestly calling Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva a bad movie. It’s worth a chance; give it one. read more

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Piegoose

6 people found this review helpful

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Sep 7, 2014

1 of 1 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 6

For those who've played or heard of the Professor Layton games, this movie serves as its own story within that universe. While I haven't played any of the games myself to see the relations of those game's plots and this movie, I had no issues understanding who is who and who is most likely the main characters of the games. That aside, not ever playing the games (but always hearing of their great quality) I had always assumed that Professor Layton was a mystery-solving, focused game with somewhat complex things to unravel. While this movie, on MAL, does only contain the genre "mystery" to describe it, I wouldn't come into it thinking you're going to be holding onto Layton's shoes seeing how he's going to solve a list of seemingly impossible problems. Infact, if I was in-charge of picking genres, I would include "adventure" and "fantasy", which may give you a much better idea of what kind of movie this really is.

Reminding that I've never played any Professor Layton game, or ever browsed what they're like, I always thought that they took place in a more or less realistic setting where solutions to problems wouldn't involve devices that have never been invented or any form of fantasy involvement. It always presented itself in the cover photos as something more on the lines of a colorful Sherlock Homes, which shows what mindset I had before entering this movie. I did expect it to be a bit family-friendly, and it is, but the involvement of fantasy into the plot was far stronger than I had hoped.

Throughout the entire movie, there were probably 3 or 4 solid mysteries to solve that didn't rely on anything fantasy (which would make it more unreasonable to be able to solve it). While some of these mysteries were a bit clever, some were less and I could come up with the solution almost on the spot. The mystery aspect in general is fairly weak and was the greatest disappointment I had with this film.

The characters and their interactions was probably the most interesting part of the film, along with the atmosphere it had nearer to the beginning. The art style was also interesting with a good amount of great animation, but at times the quality of the drawings did seem to be a bit too simple for a full-blown movie.

One other thing to note about the fantasy aspects of this movie is that they aren't particularly bad and they do have some depth (ironically more depth than the actual mysteries go), but a mystery movie shouldn't rely on fantasy as factors to try and find solutions. Not to mention this movie, within its deeper fantasy themes, has its own understanding of how humans are that might even conflict with other people's beliefs making it impossible for them to understand what is truly going on.

Overall, I didn't dislike this movie, but I wasn't too impressed with it either. My expectations, and assumptions, beforehand should be noted as fans of the series might be getting exactly what they expected with this movie. It may very well be a great adaptation of the series. It's just the series in general seemed to fluff up its mystery aspects which I found very simple and very scarce in this movie. I would say for those who have not gotten into the games that this movie should not be gone into as a mystery movie, but as a family-friendly, adventure fantasy. read more

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Hanaji

7 people found this review helpful

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Dec 3, 2010

1 of 1 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 10

I'd have to tell you one thing, Finishing this anime made me feel like I finished Lupin III and the Castle of Cagliostro all over again, and that actually says much, considering the fact that overall, I consider Lupin III and the Castle of Cagliostro the best anime I've ever seen.

It all starts with Prof. Layton and sidekick Luke being invited to an opera by a very important person who happens to be a former acquaintance of Prof. Layton, Seeing that this is a Layton movie, Things suddenly go awry the moment the whole performance is finished, puzzles ensue.

The score, as heard on all the read more

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	Poll: Layton Kyouju to Eien no Uta Hime Episode 1 Discussion RazorBeamz - Jul 18, 2010	40 replies	by JewellTH »» Oct 11, 2015 8:43 AM
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Layton Kyouju to Eien no Utahime

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Layton Kyouju to Eien no Utahime

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