Random Curiosity

「恋に焦がれる六重奏」 (Koi ni Kogareru Rokujuusou)
“Sextet Yearning for Love”

If the finale back in spring didn’t seem conclusive enough on who won the harem war over Ichika’s heart, then this OVA should definitely clear up any confusion.

Update: Added live performances from the IS One-Off Festival. HD caps uploaded too. Force a browser refresh (Ctrl+F5) to see them.

「君の名は（ユア・ネーム・イズ）」 (Kimi no Na wa (Yua Neemu Izu))
“Your Name Is”

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Charlotte just as much as the next person after seeing the amazing chemistry she had with Ichika, but deep-down inside I have to root for the girl who’s loved Ichika the longest and suddenly had to deal with a swarm of foreigners flocking around him.

「ゲット・レディ」 (Getto Redi)
“Get Ready”

Like me, a lot of Super Robot Wars fans are still waiting to see some real men “ride one another”, but in the meantime, Infinite Stratos provides its own take on that suggestive idea with Byakushiki mounting on top of Akatsubaki. Mecha fans can rejoice, because the IS variety also starts off with Houki discarding her pride before offering Ichika a good ride up top.

「その境界線の上に立ち（シン・レッド・ライン）」 (Sono Kyoukaisen no Ue ni Tachi (Shin Reddo Rain))
“Standing on Top of the Boundary Line (Thin Red Line)”

It’s Tamura Yukari overload this week as she brings a spirited childish energy to Tabane like only she can. I sometimes wonder what the starring cast of younger seiyuu think when they see Yukarin come into the studio and bust out that voice when she’s a good 10-13 years older than them. Granted, she doesn’t look it since she’s a fellow “eternal 17-year-old” member, so perhaps reality’s not as funny as I imagine it to be. But… but… Ni-paa!

Note: In case you haven’t heard, Japan was struck by a massive 8.9 magnitude quake earlier today. The country is in a crisis right now, so my thoughts go out to all its people. The damage is absolutely unreal.

「海に着いたら十一時（オーシャンズ・イレブン）」 (Umi ni Tsuitara Juuichi-ji (Ooshanzu Irebun))
“Arriving at the Ocean at Eleven O’Clock (Oceans Eleven)”

I think I need to add a favorite beach/hot spring episode to the year-end post, because Infinite Stratos’ one reminded me of what it means to have a perfect balance between plot, character development, and fan-service. It also highlighted how cute the series’ female cast is and avoided the pitfall of having a completely senseless battle on the beach for Ichika’s affection.

「ファインド・アウト・マイ・マインド」 (Faindo Auto Mai Maindo)
“Find Out My Mind”

I’m starting to think that Ichika doesn’t get enough credit, simply because he’s oblivious to the idea that cute girls actually like him. If we’re talking about sticking up for what he believes in, then the inter-class two-versus-two IS tournament was a prime example of some of his redeeming traits.

「ブルー・デイズ／レッド・スイッチ」 (Buruu Deizu / Reddo Suicchi)
“Blue Days / Red Switch”

While the previous episode was about Charle’s coming out for the most part, this most recent one has Laura front and center to really mix things up. Her grudge with just about everyone is a welcomed development to help de-emphasize the harem aspect, which seems to have run away with the series lately. As enjoyable as that’s been, she’s definitely balancing things out for the better.

「ルームメイトはブロンド貴公子（ジェントル）」 (Ruumumeito wa Burondo Kikoushi (Gentoru))
“Roommate is a Blond Young Noble (Gentleman)”

After all the obvious hints dropped last time, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Charle is in fact Charlotte and not the second male in the world to be able to pilot an IS. What does come as a surprise is how Charlotte was able to conceal her voluptuous bust in that skintight pilot suit, and in ways that completely defy physics.

「ボーイ・ミーツ・ボーイ」 (Booi Miitsu Booi)
“Boy Meets Boy”

It’s probably safe to say Ichika’s inexplicable appeal knows no bounds, as he’s been attracting cute girls long before he landed himself in an all-girls paradise. In school, out of school, cue in Gotanda Ran (Obata Noriko) for the latter. It’s easy to feel sorry for all the girls when Ichika isn’t aware of how popular he is, and utterly impossible for Ichika for the very same reason.

「決戦！クラス対抗戦（リーグマッチ）」 (Kessen! Kurasu Taikousen (Riigu Macchi))
“Decisive Battle! The Inter-Class (League) Match”

For a decisive battle, Ichika’s scrimmage with Rin was somewhat unsatisfying since their wager was quickly brushed aside by the latter in the end. However, their short-lived match came with a bit of a twist, in the form of an unknown and unmanned IS that doesn’t use one of the 467 cores out there.

「転校生はセカンド幼なじみ」 (Tenkousei wa Sekando Osananajimi)
“The Transfer Student is the Second Childhood Friend”

If an anime is only as good as the sum of its parts, then Infinite Stratos’ formula is pretty sketchy with the inclusion of two childhood friends. What’s more, the recipe seems to go on the assumption that one tsundere isn’t enough, and adds two more for good measure. The setup sounds ridiculously lopsided, but it’s executed well and surprisingly works.

「クラス代表決定戦！」 (Kurasu Daihyou Ketteisen!)
“Decisive Battle for Class Representative!”

As the title indicates, this second episode was all Ichika’s IS battle with Cecilia, yet the absolute highlight for me came from his interactions with Houki. He’s not a complete pushover and treats her like the childhood friend that she is, which leads to some interesting scenarios in the face of her tough and seemingly cold demeanor.

「クラスメイトは全員女」 (Kurasumeito wa Zenin Onna)
“The Classmates Are All Girls”

As with most premieres, the start of Infinite Stratos was primarily about character introductions and establishing the plot, most of which I already mentioned in the Winter 2011 Preview. What was nice though was the cold opening of some IS training that helped offset the lack of any scrimmages for the rest of the episode.