Rinne no Lagrange – 02
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「鴨川スピリット」 (Kamogawa Supiritto)
“Kamogawa Spirit”
From Madoka’s trademark “Maru” line to the vanishing pilot suits that reveal all the skin we need, Rinne no Lagrange’s second episode provided more of the mecha action and goofy comedy that I thoroughly enjoyed in the premiere. In fact, this episode felt like an extended version of last week’s, as things seamlessly picked up with Madoka’s return to the off-shore Pharos base with her newly activated “Ovid” robot, Vox Aura. No more than a few hours passed before Izo took it upon himself to finish what Array started, and in the process, revealed that they’re after the legendary power of the Voces so that their planet of De Metrio (presumably) can crush Lan and Moid’s (Okitsu Kazuyuki) planet of Le Garite. So with that, we have a general idea of what the series will entail: A struggle of power between two alien races that will be decided on Earth.
The more subtle development comes from what I alluded to in the Winter 2012 Preview — Lan is afraid to pilot a legendary Vox and form a “Memoria” link with it to activate its true power, hence why she asked Madoka for help. In Madoka’s case, it was likely an accidentally formed bond when she nearly drowned ten years ago — much like I suspected last time — but it’s interesting to see the stark contrast between how Madoka reacts to having the fate of the world on her and how Lan does. If these past two episodes were any indication, Madoko’s very much an “in-the-moment” type of person, especially if you know how to use some reverse psychology on her like Youko does, which makes her more suited for piloting a Vox compared to someone who knows the true burden of doing so. As such, I’m looking forward to seeing this disparity in dispositions plays out next time when Lan finally musters up the courage to pilot Vox Lympha and evens the odds against Izo and Kirius.
At the moment, I’m not too sure what to make of Youko being a marine archaeologist who was originally researching the Voces as Out-of-place Artifacts, a.k.a. OOParts, other than how it puts her at odds with the military personnel at Pharos — Commander Tadokoro Shouzo (Yasumura Makoto) and Captain Watabe Eri (Tanaka Rie) — for swooping in and taking her research from her, but I do like how there’s a third party involved in all this. She’s already shown what she adds to the story, so now I’m curious to see how the carefree Muginami (Kayano Ai), who’s also an alien, stirs things up when she eventually pilots Vox Ignis.
Preview
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End Card
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January 15, 2012 at 7:43 pmShimapan
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Madoka is so kawaii
January 15, 2012 at 7:51 pmThe Moondoggie
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Proof that you don’t need fanservice to make a show with more than 50% of the characters, named or not, work. All you need is a bit of Maru!and mecha.
Now, if this show would only appear in a SRW game with Marika from Mouretsu Pirates….
January 15, 2012 at 8:04 pmLegion
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Assuming it does end up “Aliens vs Aliens using Earth as battleground”, Rinne would probably be pretty easy to fit into a SRW game. I don’t know about Pirates though; I don’t think that has mechs in the traditional sense.
January 15, 2012 at 8:45 pmFencedude
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I’m already imagining it in a game with Brain Powerd, I think that would be a very good combination.
Out-of-place Artifacts, a.k.a. OOParts,
And I just now realize that I never new what “OOParts” stood for. Hah.
Lan, you need to get it together and go save your wife!
January 15, 2012 at 8:49 pmfragb85
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This show would be a great addition to SRW. Madoka would get along perfectly with the hot-blooded Super Robot pilots. I can imagine her just interacting with the likes of Koji or Gai.
January 15, 2012 at 9:03 pmverdant
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I’m curious how their light guns would stack up against the SRW robots – her carbine punched clean through a main battle tank!
January 15, 2012 at 9:06 pmverdant
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Oh, I got my shows mixed up there…
January 15, 2012 at 10:52 pmThe Moondoggie
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Totally forgivable, since both shows have awesome female MCs.
With that said, I don’t think her laser carbine would be of any use against a mech. She’d probably need Bentenmaru’s Wave Motion Cannon.
January 15, 2012 at 11:40 pmThe Moondoggie
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Never noticed before, I made a typo:
“Proof that you don’t need fanservice to make a show with more than 50% of the characters FEMALE, named or not, work. All you need is a bit of Maru! and mecha.”
There. Fixed.
January 15, 2012 at 8:02 pmjrj
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ok… is it just me or Madoka had some godly cell phone there? no signal in the base, but can receive phone call in the ocean?! :3
I do enjoy all the action and comedy this week though… Youko’s scream was awesome… hopefully she will have more of a role here than just this… and Muginami is so Moe!
January 16, 2012 at 12:52 amCroos
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Phone that can call using extremely low frequency(ELF) to call other. OMG REALLY GODLY. I wonder who made those kind of phones. I will call them master if they did. Its really a challenge to make one of those. >.<
January 15, 2012 at 8:17 pmNhelraios
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Love this show so far. Madoka is really an enjoyable character. MARU!
Seems like next episode will have better mecha battles which this ep was pretty lacking.
lol?!?
January 16, 2012 at 6:16 ambottle
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hahaha was wondering about this when I saw it too
January 15, 2012 at 8:33 pmSheapy
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Woof!
January 15, 2012 at 8:47 pmfragb85
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This show has quickly shot up my “Must watch” anime despite lacking any big names in its production like Aquarion. I attribute simply because its just fun to watch. Its so difficult to hate Madoka since she is so goofy in spite of all the serious things happening. “I can’t handle that kind of pressure!” just had me laughing. Even the fanservice is not too obnoxious like most shows, it shows just what I need. DAT SIDEBOOB!
P.S. The Yuri Goggles have activated! MARU!
January 16, 2012 at 3:00 amDivine
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Actually, Lagrange does have some big names. Director Suzuki Toshimasa worked on Heroic Age.
January 16, 2012 at 3:09 amFencedude
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Which is, by the way, a severely underrated show.
Hmm…actually, thinking about it, I can see the resemblance now that you’ve pointed it out.
Though I am glad we’ve been spared Hisashi Hirai designs this time around.
January 16, 2012 at 3:47 amfragb85
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Never saw Heroic Age, so I’ll just take your word for it.
Still, Aquarion EVOL is a heavyweight, with Kawamari and Yoko Kanno among the staff. That said I still enjoy Lagrange more.
January 15, 2012 at 8:47 pmLonghaul
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well I have a good idea who drew the end card without looking at the credits
January 15, 2012 at 8:49 pmOmen47
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I think something broke in me when I heard Muginami speak. Something about the slight slur/sleepy tone to it made it sound really awesome.
January 15, 2012 at 9:24 pmKusano
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Man, this is totally the most enjoyable mecha show airing right now. I just hope they keep tone of this show high spirited most of the time and keep the angst level down to the minimum.
January 15, 2012 at 9:25 pmKentaiyoshimi
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My favourite ep 2 of the season thus far. Good balance overall, with intelligent fanservice. The producers can easily fill this series up with excessive fanservice, but I’m glad they are holding back on it. Subtle fanservice is good fanservice.
January 15, 2012 at 9:33 pmJason
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Am I the only one who thinks Madoka looks better when she doesn’t tie up part of her hair?
Anyways, this was another good episode. Got some more character development and the start of another battle.
Side note: Why does Madoka refer to Youko as her sister while everyone else refers to her as her cousin? could it possibly be an issue with Viz’s subs or it that issue in the original too?
January 15, 2012 at 9:54 pmDa5id
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Well, cousin and sibling are pretty close together in Japanese, so it’s easy to mess up, I guess.
January 15, 2012 at 10:08 pmFencedude
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Youko is Madoka’s cousin, whom she is very close to and thus uses the more intimate “onee-chan” to address her, even though she is not actually her elder sister.
I can’t speak for Viz’s translation specifically, but both “Onee-chan” (Elder Sister) and “Itoko” (cousin) are used.
January 16, 2012 at 12:25 amfragb85
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Its actually common in Asian culture to refer to people they are close to as “Brother” or “Sister”. It implies a degree of affection that’s more than just friends and more like a family.
January 16, 2012 at 10:27 amCroos
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You got that right. ^_^
gives a thumbs up
January 17, 2012 at 9:21 pmbertman4
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Yup! If you watch enough anime, you’ll see things like kids who are neighbors calling each other’s brother/sister oniichan/oneechan. A close, older, male family friend could be called ojisan (uncle) by the kids, even if they are not related. By using what Westerners would call family titles to non-family members, Asians are showing their affection towards that person. Well, not always affection, sometimes it’s more like reverence and respect.
January 16, 2012 at 3:02 amDivine
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Youko is definitely Madoka’s cousin and not her sister. The use of “onee-chan” here is just affectionate, as the only other alternative is to call her by her name.
January 15, 2012 at 9:48 pmronri
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I think that halterneck clothes are hawt, so this totally caters to me. XD
January 15, 2012 at 9:49 pmDa5id
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Bright colors, dorky fun characters, tasteful fanservice, and serious mech battles. Who would’ve thought they worked together so well?
This is a good breather between grim, darker toned shows full of crazies like Mirai Nikki, Fate/Zero, and Guilty Crown. Can’t wait to see more. Consider me on board, even onto to the 2nd season 6 months from now.
January 15, 2012 at 10:06 pmc2710
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It went from “check out list” to “watch list” MARU!
And yes rhe fanservice aint overly done. Quite subtle and comparable to nise- ep 2 IMO
And tennis jersey while piloting the vox is just oh so……………. (call 911. Someone experiencing blood loss)
January 16, 2012 at 12:19 amDCLXVI
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I’m loving this show more and more. It looks to me like genre-busting mecha anime are on a roll ever since Star Driver. Since then we’ve had Tiger and Bunny and this season’s double whammy of mecha shoujo.
Muginami’s voice was so totally expected, given her character design. Long, fluffy-looking hair and a similarly fluffy-looking outfit suggested to me that the wearer similarly had a head full of fluff, and I was spot on XD
Speaking of character designs, I just have to mention it again: I’m glad that Madoka’s character design isn’t bishoujo. She’s still pretty cute, but not so much as to distract, and that hair-up look is really endearing, it’s growing on me :)
January 16, 2012 at 12:48 amCroos
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I really need to get that phone that they were using. It can reach underwater for god sake. I guess they might be using extremely low frequency(ELF) on this anime that it can reach underwater.
I still wonder if Lan’s trademark is “Wan(ワン)”.
January 16, 2012 at 1:21 amKickingFish
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is it just me or did that mech in the preview strike a pose like the sword impulse from destiny?
January 16, 2012 at 1:28 amFencedude
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That is a very common pose in mech anime. There’s a couple collages of mechs from shows over something like a 30 year period using it. Though its primarily found in Sunrise shows.
January 16, 2012 at 1:40 amMrRei
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✵WAN MARU✵! :3
January 16, 2012 at 1:49 amindanglaya
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Am I the only one getting Noriko-ish vibes from Madoka?
January 16, 2012 at 3:16 amJHN
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Nope, you’re not the only one. I also commented that with the previous episode.
January 16, 2012 at 2:23 amGermanguy
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Well, the Hard Point in this Episode is for me.. The Big One-san.. She was against it, that She Pilot this Vox… And in the End, she encourage her to do so? WTF? Why this change of Mind?
January 16, 2012 at 3:18 amJHN
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It’s pretty simple. It’s better to encourage her and thus save her, than oppose and leave her drifting.
January 16, 2012 at 3:11 amricz
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I love ran/lan on her suit <3 <3….hawts
January 16, 2012 at 3:41 amPtolemaios00
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All this show needs is some gattai action with the 3 Vox units and the 3 guy alien units. I’m guessing slanty closed eyes will be the main antagonist.
January 16, 2012 at 3:44 amDa5id
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Who knows, maybe we’ll get that at the end of this season?
January 16, 2012 at 8:12 amRockmanshii
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My thoughts exactly. All of your comment.
January 16, 2012 at 4:19 ammac65
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I like this so far. My only complaint is the drawing seems weak, not just in the distant
shots, but even some close-ups I thought were sloppily drawn – basically what seems to be
a lack of detail.
The vanishing pilot suits first appeared in Sky Girls?
January 16, 2012 at 4:55 amCroos
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That is where BD/DVD comes in my friend.
January 16, 2012 at 5:49 amJay
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I remembered the time when my friend told me to drop Rinne for Symphogear. I did not drop this and I was right.
This Madoka is more active than the Madoka that hit us in the Winter last year. I wonder who will be the Winter Madoka next year…
January 16, 2012 at 8:18 amewok40k
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Certainly interesting, with 2 spacefaring superpowers fighting over superweapon stranded on Earth… I have even feeling DeMetrio forces seem more honourable than LeGarite – Moid is as manipulative as they come, complete with Xellos eyes…
I can’t wait to see Lan in action with her mecha, her fighting style presumably would be completely opposit of “improvis-as-it-comes” of Madoka.
January 16, 2012 at 8:20 amRockmanshii
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I’d love it if it turns out into a war between the aliens on earth like you said.
One more thing, that Array guy, it doesn’t seem like they extracted him from his Vox, and they said it’s still not moving, it’s been a day.. I hate to think about it but maybe she actually cracked his skull open with that supplex… that would be an emotional shock to her if it’s true, killing someone. He does say he’s been captured in the preview though…
I’m also waiting for more Muginagi, seems like she’ll be the last introduced character of the team, and for now both her personality and looks are kinda stereotypical. I still like her looks though, and I hope she’ll have an interesting personality. I hope she’ll surprise me.
January 16, 2012 at 8:22 amRockmanshii
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From his Ovid*
January 16, 2012 at 8:54 amPokeNirvash
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Unless the production material states otherwise, I doubt Muginami’s an alien; especially considering that her name sounds more Japanese than Lan’s overly long true name, or… just Moid’s name in general.
January 16, 2012 at 9:46 amCybersteel
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Production IG redeemed itself.
Madoka gives me the genki girl type of vibe but I prefer Lan overall. That wan won me over.
I guess even if the story isn’t the most amazing, a good character development can make an anime really good as well.
January 16, 2012 at 9:47 amlucci
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I don’t get it – it seems like the pilots are floating in midair. People can see the robots so they aren’t invisible, but there is no sign of the pilot..? Am I missing something or is this just a new way of drawing pilots in action?
January 16, 2012 at 11:36 amewok40k
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it seems user interface of the robot includes sort of omnidimensional display around the “bike” seat, leaving the pilot “suspended midair”
January 16, 2012 at 1:55 pmKentaiyoshimi
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Which, IMO, is a pretty awesome concept and looks amazing
January 17, 2012 at 2:28 pmpdpfortune
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It’s sort of like Gundam, the 360 all around display. It’s not really something new.
January 16, 2012 at 12:18 pmSeishun Otoko
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“Where are you right now?”
“Inside a robot”
Madoka’s genki personality is so infectious and I can’t wait to see Lan in action. This is the beginning of a very beautiful friendship ;)
I’m loving the soundtrack too. The background music that was playing when Madoka got out of her very short depression was too awesome and fits the mood extremely well!
January 16, 2012 at 11:36 pmbaltar
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I guess Katsuragi Keima was right when he said that all girls tie up their hair when they get serious.
January 17, 2012 at 9:24 pmbertman4
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I just saw the first two episodes back to back. Definitely liking it. Mecha is icing on the cake. I’d watch it just for Madoka.
January 18, 2012 at 8:00 pmCroos
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I think Muginami is an airheaded girl. :3
January 18, 2012 at 10:26 pmGhostalker
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The robots of this show is very flashy but design wise I think I like it better than those of Star Driver, animation wise I think its worth to note the very clean and fluid animation and very modernistic background as well as character designs I’m feeling we are really in 2012 now, very well done.