This Ugly yet Beautiful World


This Ugly yet Beautiful World is a Japanese anime television series created by Shouji Saeki and Hiroyuki Yamaga. It was animated by Gainax and Shaft.
The series aired on BS-i from April 2, 2004, to June 18, 2004, totaling 12 episodes. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Ashita Morimi, was serialized in Hakusensha's Young Animal.
WWW gainax.co.jp/anime/konomi...

Plot

Takeru and Ryou are high school students who work doing deliveries for the former's uncle. One night, the two go to investigate a mysterious light in the woods only to find a young girl emerging from the light. Takeru and Ryou are attacked by an alien, which is defeated when Takeru transforms into a powerful and strange-looking beast himself. The girl, whom the boys name "Hikari", is taken in by Takeru when she confesses to having no memory of who she is.
They are later joined by Jennifer Portman, an American scientist with an interest in the boys and Hikari; Ioneos, a shape-shifting robot loyal to Hikari; Kuon, a little floating alien; and Akari, Hikari's "sister", who also appeared just as Hikari did. The series follows the daily lives of its characters as they learn about the human condition, Hikari and Akari's alien origins, and face the incoming monsters and catastrophes.

Characters

Main characters

;Takeru Takemoto
;Hikari
;Ryou Ninomiya
;Akari

Supporting characters

;Mari Nishino
;Jennifer Portman
;Shinichi Asakura and Daijirou Matsumura
;Sakurako Urushima and Amika Kurebayashi
;Itcho and Sumie Nishino
;Kimi Ninomiya
;Kuon
;Ioneos
;Mayu Yoshida

Media

Anime

The anime was directed by Shouji Saeki at studios Gainax and Shaft. Saeki and Hiroyuki Yamaga served as the series composition writers, Takeshi Watanabe composed the music, and Kazuhiro Takamura designed the characters and served as chief animation director. Two episodes were outsourced outside of Gainax and Shaft: episodes 5 and 10, which were produced at studio Nomad.

Music

Soundtrack composer: Tsuyoshi Watanabe
;Opening song:
;Ending song: