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「仄暗き追憶」 (Soku Kuraki Tsuioku)
“Dark Recollection”
The mock battle tournaments continue and the Infinities easily trash the Bao Feng squadron in a mere four minutes. Combined with the fight between Leon and Yuuya towards the end, it sets up for a nice confrontation in the future—but yeah, the mock battle was pretty much a distant second in terms of importance this episode. Rather, in an episode which should’ve been named “Total Jealousy” instead of Total Eclipse, we get a whole lotta’ fightin’ for Yuuya, a bunch of priceless faces, some character development, and a surprisingly enjoyable episode overall.
To say the least, I was a tad surprised I enjoyed this episode as much as I did, but seeing the dynamics (and the jealousy!) in the interactions between Yuuya and our heroines… well, I just couldn’t help it. I mean, those faces! We got Cui giving Yuuya the fullcourt press via aggressive tactics and assertions that they’re already pretty much married… Yui watching with exceptional jealousy and rage from afar… and we even got Cryska joining the fray. Of course, Yuuya’s oblivious to it all (or just doesn’t care in Cui’s case), but hey, it makes for some entertaining television.
I’d like to talk about each of them one by one, but the fact of the matter is, Cryska really steals the show this episode. I know some people may point to Cui as the show stealer with her epic punches and honeymoon requests (and I wouldn’t argue you’d have a good case), but for me, the gradual development of Cryska personality-wise and character-wise really take the cake for me. There’s just something about watching someone bumbling around while trying to express something they’ve never felt before, especially when the opposing side totally misconstrues what they’re saying, but responds with just enough to make it some semblance of a proper response. Part of me felt like smacking Yuuya for being oblivious to Cryska’s view of seeing something unique in him she doesn’t see anywhere else, but I guess if I were him, I wouldn’t expect someone like her to fall in love with me either. And in a way, this just makes it all the more notable to me. Part of me just can’t help but root for her and for her ultimate maturation after going through what was obviously as harsh past and one filled with emotional manipulation, ya know? Not to mention, their interaction is just a subtle commentary on the fact that sometimes, it’s just a relief to know someone feels the way you do… even if it results from a few… misinterpretations…
But yeah, this was one of those episodes where nothing particular major happens in a story standpoint, but was necessary in the grand scheme of things to set-up for the future and to give some characters a bit of development. In that respect, I have to say, the creators did a pretty nice job. These necessary, but not particularly major episodes are some of the ones most commonly butchered, but the interactions were fairly well done, and the events pretty smoothly connected to one another. The gals just so happening to all be around at certain times were a tad exaggerated, but nothing more than what you’d see in the anime medium. It helps that each of the gals all have their own unique traits and methods of admiration/expression too.
Overall, there’s not much to say when you get down to it. There were plenty of HNGGGG moments though, which more than made up for it. Looking forward, I’m hopin’ this hurricane about to hit NYC ain’t gonna end up too bad it looks like things’ll pick up a more serious pace next episode, with the Infinities vs. Argos Test fight and perhaps some back story into Leon, Sharon, and Yuuya’s interactions too. Needless to say, it’ll be something to watch, as have been most of the episodes following the series’ entrance into its actual story. Just nice to see a series come so far even with some of the rocky portions in the beginning.
ED2 Sequence
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ED: 「スノウメヰデン」(Snow Maiden) by 美郷あき (Misato Aki)
Preview
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Wow the QUALITY on this episode. I guess they blew their budget last episode because the cost-cutting measure this episode were obvious, especially the flashback scene. At least the OP has been updated with Cui in it with an epic grin.
Poor Cui was way in over her head, she’s riding a modified 2nd Gen J-10 and facing one of the best 3rd Gen TSF in the world. She never stood a chance. I’m a little disappointed that the Raptors were largely offscreen though, I wanted to see them in action.
Still no epic jelly scene, but Yui’s jelly faces more than make up for it. Heck this epsiode can probably by summarized by lots of jelly between Japan, China and Russia who want a piece of America. Yui’s gone stalking, Cui is making an agressive bid and Cryska is opening up. And dense Yuuya only cares about his Shiranui.
Yuuya is mechasexual.
I definitely noticed the quality. Yuuya, Cryska, and Inia at the park looked atrocious.
But it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the episode that much. The episode was still pretty fun. I hope Yuuya is able to help Cryska and Inia. They need a little happiness.
Cui is awesome. Favorite character.
Yeah. The quality did go down a bit (bit of an understatement) but not a big deal considering the show overall is still good.
The Infinities are quite strong indeed but I´m curious to see they´ll manage against the BETA, if what Yui said back at the begining is accurate almost all american eishi are as green as grass when it comes to fight our friendly human-eating aliens.
Yui was completely misinformed. Its not a surprise since she was pretty ignorant of most facts about foreigners. Part of her character development involved her losing her ignorance and xenophobia.
I would like to point out that America made a TSF designed specifically to destroy BETA hordes. They would then use thir army A-10 in 1983 where they brought an entire BETA horde rampaging across Europe to a halt for more than 12 hours. Only half of the deployed A-10’s survived but they were able to buy time for Germany to evacuate citizens. Germany never forgot what the Americans did for them that day.
Bottom-line is that Americans forces have just as much skill and balls as anyone else. Its just that their hand are tied when the governemnt(either foreign or their own) would allow them to intervene. But when they do, most countries welcome their help.
Thank you, I had no idea but man that really is one badass looking TSF. They said America used heavy fire power to keep the BETA at bay they weren´t joking.
The colors also seemed more vibrant too. It felt a little like I was watching another anime considering the animation differences and the plot line going harem-errr…I mean…about Yuuya…
Still a good episode. Girls are still hot. TSFs are still awesome. Sweetness.
Well bad animation is one thing, but its like they completely did not bother with animating at all for certain scenes. The character expressions and faces totally did not match the actions they had…
Still though, it was funny watching Cui make all kinds of moves on Yuuya. Yui getting frustrated that she has to contend with both Cryska and her now is just hilarious XD
I am slowly losing interest, it seems that Yuuya is pretty much as clueless then most of the girls surrounding him… At least Bao Feng get straight to the point, however I would really appreciate more TFS action, or even better more BETA!!
I don’t know if im the only one who got fooled but it seems the initial first two episodes were very misleading in which direction this show was heading towards.
Nevertheless good harm setup and great review!
dropped it after the 1st beach episode.
Thought this anime a killer anime when I saw the intense episodes in the beginning. But as soon as I noticed the hints that the anime would be a typical harem anime — Noticed the Lieutenant’s personality taking a 180 degree turn — I just to drop it.
There was a whole minute of reuse animation from the previous episode right after the OP. And you also have a second girl making a 180. And QUALITY everywhere.
I dropped it around the time, when they want to Sacrifice Life for an Prototype Gun. Seriously. As if Mankind has not enough Problems with the Beta, and they are playing “Cold War”
or let me say it in another tune…
Why was these TSF Build? For Fame? For a Birthday Present? For Machos? For playing “Cold War”? For “High-nose” US Boys? For Training only Fights?
You get the Gist?
A Plane is there to Fly, not to sparkle on the Ground. A Bird fly in the Sky, why is TSF ripped of their Wings?
You dont have enough “Death Flags”?. Seriously.. Then You should not catch us with these 2 Gore Episodes…
God, people throw around “typical harem anime” so casually these days. This is hardly “typical” at all, much less “harem”. Personally, I don’t even call an anime “harem” unless the end clearly shows a harem (which they rarely do; usually “indecisive” endings). Having multiple girls vying for the affection of 1 guy that they’re NOT actually in any romantic relationship with anyway doesn’t equal “harem”.
“Problems with the Beta, and they are playing “Cold War””
They’re not “playing”. Because of the involvement of the BETA, the Cold War never even ended, unlike real life history.
And such a thing isn’t as unrealistic as one may think. Even if the fate of the world is at stake, mankind (and their countries) WILL usually look out for their own interests and agendas first, and they also have to consider how other countries may react to what they do, both allies and (potential) enemies, thus all the political maneuvering. This isn’t an idealistic anime like Naruto where everyone, allies and (former) enemies, simply drop their current and past differences to join together to face a common foe with the end of the world on the horizon.
We’ve already seen plenty of the Soviet Union doing such a thing so far, and while we haven’t seen nearly as much, I’m sure Japan, America, and other countries, despite being shown more as the “good guys”, are also playing bureaucratic poker behind the scenes; watching other countries make their moves, then try to make their moves accordingly to ensure that they get the most benefits. After all, we’ve only been seeing only a tiny force from other countries in front of us right now, but not really any of the higher-up leaders behind them like we did the Soviet Union, though there has been some words last episode about America trying to impose their dominance.
Even these mock battles, clear even to the pilots, are hardly about training or anything than it is about one country bragging, “We got bigger dicks than you”, to other countries as mankind has always been a competitive race, even in extremely harsh times, and history has constantly shown that harsher times are usually the times when a person(s) or county(s) takes the opportunity to further their own power and dominance, whether it’s their own people or another country.
Yuuya gets all the bitches.
Guys whats the music track in the beginning and end?
NM. I just found it it’s this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NAcrClJA9w
However, I can’t find the full version anywhere..
Mmm… not that surprising. Probably not coming out until the main OST comes out or the next ED single eh.
By the way, does somebody know when they are going to put the new opening, we´re already to episode 18 and nothing. It was announced a while back though.
Anyone knows how sales are fairing?
I think the models are selling pretty well.
From what I saw little while back, bluray sales were quite good. Figures and kits seem to be selling quite well too.
Please someone license this! DO IT! Bandai resurrect! (>.<) Damn. Funimation, do it to it! Aniplex!
I want my Muv Luv!
Yui Chuui or Cui Chuui?
Yuuya, please don’t be so dense. PLEASE!!! I hated Ichika for that very reason.
COMPETITION? Seriously, if that was me with Cryska in the park, it would have gone like this:
“…that or it could be love?” – laughs to self –
Cryska stays silent, in deep thought. “…L-Love?”
“Oy, I was just kidding. Hey.” – grabs her shoulder –
“You…” Cryska looks at me, her face blushing. Touches my hand again.
“C-Cryska?” – blushes. I lean in. She leans in. Inia suddenly interrupts.
(>.<) Damn it.
All walk to the flower cart. Buys flowers for them. Cryska blushes. Inia tugs at her. Cui interjects. Gets all mad. Cryska steps in and grabs my arm between her chest. Cui overreacts and grabs my other arm. Inia laughs and says she wants to play and grabs my leg. Yui gets upset and jealous and calls out.
I turn around, Cryska on one arm, Cui on another, Inia at my leg. "Yui! I-It's not what you think!"
Yui turns all moe, next scene is me at the bar, Cryska tightly on one arm, Cui at another, Inia sleeping on my lap and Yui arms wrapped around my neck. All three girls staring daggers at each other with me having carrot stains on my face when Yui threw the bag at me.
Then repopulate the Earth….where most people now either have silver hair, green hair or are brunette.
you sir are a harem mastermind
Taking into account that 90% of mankind is food for the BETA by now the goverments should really start thinking about making poligamy legal. It will sure help Yuuya´s situation and boost up the repopulation after the war. I still can´t belive there are only 2 billon humans left to tihs point and I thought Huamnity had it hard in Resistance Fall of Man for the PS3.
Quite late with this when I read it, but look at Resistance 3 more so where 90% of humanity is dead/turned into Chimera. Take in population with the 1950s (little less than 3 billion from what I could find) and that leaves little more than 250 million people left (and many more dying everyday from battles, death squads, feral Chimera, etc) x_x
They should have hired you.
I find Leon really annoying in many ways, he talks with such a high moral when he´s on the to shutdown a project that might help mankind win the war and also reduce by much the number fatalities among the esishi. I hope Yuuya puts that bastard in his place.
Yui all day
Cui all day.
Cryska all the way
Harem all the way!!!!!!!!!!!
TQ
Where are my BETA?
Which one? Detroyer-chan or Heavy Laser-chan?
This episode reminds me of Infinite Stratos.
The whole tournament setup thing is quite sad. Countries competing in a pissing contest while the world is about to end. America’s Infinite squad is completely nonsensical. The Stealth system gives them a great advantage against other TSFs. Big whoop if it’s useless against the BETA. They can be invisible on radar, but BETA see = BETA kill.
It is also really quite sad that I think it would be realistic to if aliens invade Earth tomorrow. Nations working together to fight the enemy threat like “Independence Day”-style is less likely than this type of infighting amongst supposed allies.
Gif of the week
Those bells never ring.
Loved how Cryska and Yuuya were broadcasting obviously on different wavelengths, yet somehow their conversation made sense… Poor Cryska, bred and trained from birth for war not for love…
Cui getting aggressive and jealous was also fun, and Yui doing stalking was cherry on top of that jealousy parfait.
Ah, and Infinities pwning Cui and her squad was really as good as her previous trashing of Benelux squad. Stealth is HUGE asset in RL fighter combat and presumably in the TSF one too, especially if Raptors are designed to share sensor data for better situational awareness.
US even more so than in our timeline is a hyperpower, mainly due to being only major power not directly attacked by BETAs, so they can throw their unmolested indutrial capacity at designing better TSF…
Yui must be the first ever person to get drunk from orange juice…..HOW MANY GLASS OF THAT JUICE DID SHE DRINK TO GET DRUNK?!
Yui totally confirmed for joke character.
I agree man. All the way around. They have made her too hung up on Yuuya. I liked the Yui we saw 7-8 episodes ago.
Its actually pretty common in Japanese TV. Japanese Censroship Law state that TV can’t show characters below the legal age imbibe alcohol. Most shows just bypass it by having characters drunk on non-alcoholic beverages.
Bring me one more Oolong tea! – Narusegawa getting herself wasted in Love Hina…
I like Yifei, maybe it’s the voice(DAT ZAI JIAN, I’m a chinese and I know she didn’t sound.. like a chinese but it sounds quite… good)
And we get Yui having some monologues of her own, and who voices her? Nakahara Mai, who also voiced Watashi. It’s like having a more mature Watashi.
Did you take a look at Moyashimon’s Marie talking in french?
Humans are evidently the ones who’s killing each other off while BETA are attacking them.
It looks like Inia is more aware of Cryska’s feelings than she is of herself.
When Cryska and Yuuya were getting a bit closer together, she volunteered to go somewhere else to leave those two alone.
Inia is a good girl. ^^
I think Inia is older than Cryska.
Inia is 15, Crsyka’s 16, and Yui’s 17. The rest of the cast are legal adults.
Psychics like Inia can Show Spoiler ▼
the episode would be great if Cui was out of it
Yui is the undisputed winner of the funny faces – heck she makes those every single time in this episode (the one when she hears Yuuya’s voice in the bar was pretty epic too). To think she was such a stoic tsuntsun pre-episode 7. Now she’s devastatingly deredere all the time.
Yuuya deals with the less desirable aspects of having a harem in this surprisingly hilarious episode of Total Eclipse.
As much as I enjoy the serious, despair-inducing parts of Total Eclipse, which includes the fights with the BETA, political machinations, and TSF fights, I also really enjoy it when Total Eclipse just kicks back and has a fun time with its cast as it did in this episode. Arguably this was a “breather” episode in terms of the grand scheme of things, and as such it was good to just take a break from the action and see some entertaining interactions between the cast and Yuuya’s harem. I find it’s a great achievement if a series can juggle both serious and humorous aspects well, which I feel Total Eclipse does and was very self evident in this episode.
It’s fitting that, after officially joining the harem, Cui would finally get her own shot in the op, as short as it was. Makes me curious to see how much focus she’ll get in the 2nd op once it finally rolls out. And I can’t well argue she doesn’t deserve more focus, as her manhandling of Yuuya while outright declaring herself as his wife was priceless. It’s nice to have a member of the cast whose open about their feelings, and is actually genuine about them. I liked how Cui made clear that she doesn’t want Yuuya for just some one-night stand but for an actual lifelong relationship, which while sudden and rather forward, shows that she’s serious about going after him. I find myself liking Cui a bit more each time she appears, though I do feel bad for Yuuya when she gets jealous… but he at least got really lucky she didn’t win against the Infinities, because I have to imagine she really would just drag him away from the Yukon for a honeymoon whether he agreed to it or not, judging by how forceful she can be and how she doesn’t care a bit for the Blue Flag Exercises.
Meanwhile Cryska’s making headway in realizing her feelings for Yuuya. Sure, he didn’t really help very much in giving her an answer as to why she feels this way, but I think Cryska at least understands now that Yuuya treats both her and Inia better than the Soviet Union ever has, which is one of the likely reasons she’s fallen for him. Yuuya is one of the few people in her life, including Inia and arguably Yui, who treats her like a human being and not as a weapon to be used to her government’s satisfaction. Of course, when it comes to Yuuya and feelings,you can’t really expect much from him other than TSF’s… though Cui’s entrance gave Cryska her first feelings of jealousy, which at least helped her realize that Yuuya’s theory didn’t cut it. I’m interested to see what Cryska will do in the future regarding her feelings for Yuuya, and whether she’ll be able to gain a better understanding of them.
And poor Yui, she found herself drinking away her romantic troubles by way of… well, orange juice. Admittedly, I could never picture Yui as someone who drinks alcohol, even disregarding the fact that she’s not even legally able to drink, and her getting drunk off orange juice of all things was just hilarious. In fact Yui was just full of really entertaining scenes in this episode, even if most of it came at her expense as Yuuya was dragged along by other women. She’s making an honest effort though, even if Yuuya seems to find himself in situations that completely undermine said efforts. But the day wasn’t a total loss for Yui, as Yuuya gave her an opportunity to get closer to him and even grabbed her hand while escaping the MP’s, even though she had no reason to actually worry about them. Progress, however small and seemingly odd, is still progress. I can only hope that future Yuuya/Yui training sessions will be as entertaining as their interactions in this episode.
I have to admit, I’m kinda growing really fond of Natalie, the bartender/waitress. She seems to take everything around her, be it bar fights, customers spitting on her, Tarisa being Tarisa, and MP’s barging in with a smile and a bit of snark and I really find that endearing. She also likes to have fun with her customers, going by how she treats Tarisa and her talk with Yui, making her a good instigator of hilarity on the show. I hope the MP’s don’t give her too much trouble, though her reaction to them gave me the impression that this isn’t the first time she’s had to deal with MP’s, and that it wasn’t a pleasant experience… I’m really hoping she shows up again soon.
My only disappointment with this episode? Tarisa didn’t get to do anything. She’s been a part of Yuuya’s harem since arguably Kamchatka, and I’m sure it’d be entertaining to see her trying to get Yuuya’s attention away from Cui and Cryska. I can’t help but think she somehow found herself stuck the entire day forced into a bunnygirl costume by Natalie and after getting it off ran out of the bar just before Yui and Yuuya came in.
Looks like we’ll finally get some information as to what happened between Yuuya and his squad in the next episode, and what drove Leon to hate his guts so much. Hopefully we’ll have a bit more harem hijinks and entertaining character interactions as well, all in anticipation of Argos finally taking on the Infinities.
Yuuya, stop thinking about mecha!! It not helping re population xD
And lol, freaking out for harem. Ever heard of “calm be4 the storm”? Build up moe points then drop us some true DESPAIR…. I’ve learned my lesson from the previous arc…
Abt Yui though…. she gives us some damn good comedy so I will let it slide….