「Escalation; 激化」 (Gekika)

First things first… I have to say that I’m thoroughly enjoying this arc with Kouzuki Yuniko (aka Scarlet Rain). With all the introductions out of the way, the real story begins… and I can finally say I understand why people are fans of the novel. There seems to be more to Accel World than simply fighting people and gaining burst points. I like how there’s a history behind Kuroyukihime and the Seven Kings. It goes to show that the story does not just simply begin when Haruyuki acquired Brain Burst and there are other things happening around the characters. There are actual events that occur in the background that our main characters aren’t even aware of. Haruyuki is probably the catalyst for things to come.

So I was right and wrong with last week’s predictions. The current Chrome Disaster is indeed under the red region (named Prominence?) and Yuniko believes that Haruyuki’s ability to fly is the key to catching Chrome Disaster. I was wrong to think that it has something to do with the master/protégé relationship; although it’d be an interesting twist to the story. I wonder how the Armor of Catastrophe will go down now that Haruyuki’s offered his services; how exactly is flight supposed to stop this guy from ripping you apart? And how does Takumu fit into all this exactly? All he did was provide Haruyuki with emotional support.

Of course, this post is not complete without the mention of Haruyuki’s growing harem. I did not even realize this was a harem anime, but I guess it’s not uncommon for a guy to have 3+ girls in love with him. I’m not even joking; some guys can just be extremely dense. In this case, Kuroyukihime even had to confess to Haruyuki (back in episode 4) and what resulted from that? Absolutely nothing since he doesn’t pick up on her hints very well (jealousy much?). I wish they built on their relationship a little more rather than throwing in more girls at Haruyuki… but clearly that isn’t happening anytime soon. Judging from the OP, there’s at least one more female to add to his harem.

Aside from the brief history lesson, this episode mainly focused on the slice-of-life aspect of Haruyuki’s life. It’s a very refreshing outlook since the previous episodes focused so heavily on his battles and winning points. I especially enjoyed seeing how the characters were so seemingly normal and the truce that they formed (however brief it will be) was a good way to show that they were still kids above all else. It was a break from the intense plotting and strategy-building which I was relieved to see. The preview doesn’t give too much away, but I think it’ll be the start of Chrome Disaster’s confrontations. I’m excited, but like I said, I enjoy the breaks in between that are meant for character development.

Note: Next episode (ep 10) will air June 15th, 2012… that means all the more time to do the season preview!

Full-length images: 01, 06, 07, 08, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 29, 31, 32, 36. I feel like with every week, I do more and more full-lengths…

 

Preview

92 Comments

  1. Can kuroyukihome be considered a yandere now? But let’s not hope she’ll not go to Yuno level, this level is just right. Actually, his harem in not common because of, you know, many girls do not go after a man like Haru. Anyway, Haru don’t be so dense! You’ve got a cute girl, a yandere, and now a tsundere. Urayamashi!!!

      1. I think the one you had missed was the “rebooting” one at the end of the scene where Kuroyukihime was announcing that she’s going to stay over as well…it was priceless.

        info600
  2. Between a rock and a hard place makes life dreadful.
    Well I say between a cute imouto and a beautiful onee-san makes life shocking!

    Also, Kuroyukihime is now officially the biggest troll in this show, skilled enough to even hack the quantum code key tag…

    And at last we have some bro-mance between Haru and Taku, rejoice BL fans.

    Mixed Milkshake
    1. In SAO, both Kirito and Asuna are firmly in a relationship, so how can u say that there’s no concrete relationship at all? Unless you consider Kirito and the rest of the girls, such as Lyfa. But still, in SAO, Kirito is firmly in love with Asuna.

      Hakarum
      1. We all know that both Kirito and Asuna is deeply in love with each other and the relationship is confirmed with the infamous chapter 16.5, but the other girls like Lizbet, Scilica has not given up yet. I dunno about Lyfa and Sinon though.

        Risedawn
      2. the relationship between Kirito and Asuna is about as strong as they come, 16.5 or not. It’s pretty plain obvious to both the readers and frankly all the other “potential suitors” in SAO as well. They know they’re squarely in middle of the unrequited love territory with about zero chance of it ever changing.

        Mike
      3. Well in the last Bonus material chapter “There is but one ultimate way (Underworld, August 2026) Alicization spoilers” Kirito is forced to partake in a harem that consists of all of the girls from his previous adventures. INCLUDING YUI.
        Show Spoiler ▼

        Suppa Tenko
      4. As much as some may like(or horrified at)that side story, it is non-canon 😛

        The author pretty much wrote that one for lulz, and he confirmed it himself that it’s not canon.

        Mike
      5. Can’t believe Suppa copy/pasted the entire translation into here. Anyway, a hyperbolic time chamber for harem polygamy? YES, yes all the way.

        I don’t know if the author denied it being canon or not, but it is pretty much the end of all endings. It is the ideal way to end ANY harem settings. The Alicization/UW arc is still in progress and may very well be the last arc, so I prefer to keep it as canon.

      6. An SAO discussion in AW? Let me join in…

        Kirito and Asuna have always been OTP. Very evident in vol1 and throughout vol3 and 4.
        The other girls just have unrequited love for him. Can’t blame them, Kirito is quite a charmer for the ladies and he doesn’t know about it. But his feelings have always been for Asuna.
        Here in AW, romance really doesn’t work quite well so you’d best not hope much for any significant developments.

        Oh and Kawahara said in his twitter that that bonus material chapter in Alicization is non-canon. He just wrote it for the lulz.
        Alicization arc meanwhile is said to be a long arc but there’s no confirmation yet that it’s the last arc, only rumors, since he’s writing it completely from scratch. SAO has always been in a web novel form that only needed a few edits and started back in 2002.

        belatkuro
  3. I like how he hope no one can find his zombie collection, and when he got home, it is taken out and played with… Haruyuki reaction is the best!!! Hopeless little outcast boy that suddenly have two girls in his house…

    Tingster013
  4. A revelation from this episode: All those countless nanoseconds spent in the Accel World like they were hours would have accumulated into at least a few years, if not decades, meaning Lv9 veterans like Hime and Scarlet Rain are much older than their physical age. Wonder if Hime is mentally at least 20 instead of 14?

    Oh and Hime x Niko sisterly yuri FTW, even if it’s only a brief truce.
    https://randomc.net/image/Accel%20World/Accel%20World%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2036.jpg

    Kinny Riddle
    1. Even if their minds have had ~5 years more experience than their bodies, it doesn’t necessarily equate to 5 more years of maturity. Mental and emotional maturity is influenced by endured experiences and environments. If you spend 20 years in a room doing nothing but eating candy, your mind is probably less mature than a 10-year-old who regularly interacts with society. (Actually, you probably just died of malnutrition.)

      So the only thing that could make Kuroyukihime and Niko(-chan) more mature than their physical ages is the influence of Brain Burst. And honestly, I think Brain Burst definitely has that maturing effect because of the competitive aspect, meaningful interactions, and especially having to manage the real-world effects those powers entail. Haruyuki is a child to not just Kuroyukihime, but Scarlet Rain as well.

      So wait, Haruyuki is an otouto to his imouto? *brain explodes*

      Jimhawk
    2. Just for info I think I remember reading it in novel that the first generation BB player are 7,000yrs ago in bb yrs, I would think the kings are not that far behind when they first appear. So in reality 5,000yr wouldn’t be too farfetch, then out of that 5,000yr probably spending 3,000 yrs inside would be a close guess i say.

      Benz
    3. In the next episode should explain how it works, I don´t understand it quiet well, but if 8 hours pass while you are accelerating that equals almost 1 year inside Accel World but that´s pretty much the limit a body can handle.

      haseo0408
      1. Time is accelerated 1000 times when using Brain Burst.
        1 second becomes 1000 seconds = 16 minutes and 40 seconds.
        30 minutes = 1.8 seconds.
        Do the math then for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 month and so on. Then you can figure out how long the Kings have stayed in AW.

        belatkuro
      2. actually it’s not so much that your body can’t handle it physically, but rather that it can cause mental issues – while only a few days may have passed for others, for the burst linker it’s been years, living in an environment that’s separate from the real world, which is hardly what one would call healthy.

        for example Show Spoiler ▼

        Mike
      1. it is confirmed that kuro yuki hime is not her real name, since she admitted it herself that Haru should call her by her real name back in the hospital. Though even till this day, her real name has yet to be revealed even in the LN… personally I like her kuro hime nick name 🙂

        jrj
      2. Come on guys: I said “might be” her name. It isn’t her name but she did say it was similar to it right? So it could be any of the combination with those three words: “kuro”, “yuki” and “hime”….

        The Moondoggie
  5. For all their bickering, I feel like Hime and Niko bonded pretty strongly. You don’t, for example, cuddle up and sleep on the couch with someone you despise.

    Haru committed a major tactical error with this “Sisters” line, but I think he was closer than he thought.

  6. The banter between the two “kings” was golden. My favorite line was Hime’s “And you’re very red. I’d like to hang you from a traffic light and use you to stop cars” I laughed so hard!

    Also like Niko’s avatar. A tad more androgynous than I would have personaly liked but still cute. I also liked the way they flushed out her character a bit more. Makes her seem like a lonely girl.

    Also loved seeing the much talked about Green Kind in action though that scene was a bit bland, didn’t really emphasize how desperate the fight was. Once again though the short cables were brought up.

    The seeming lack of romance between our Hero and Heroine doesn’t bother me since Haru is still just budding socially. One must keep in mind the life he had before Brain Burst. Hence he doesn’t know at all how to handel these types of situations he’s in.

    Also despite their arguments I bet the two girls actually have much in common. That image with them cuddling together was so nice.

    Roguespirit
    1. the green king is a robot well, green king doesn’t talk much, if at all… so yes, he does seems a bit blend…

      the end scene was a bit more touching in the LN, but what you sensed was the essential point, these kings are actually lonely.

      depending on how far the next episode will get, things will be much more exciting, I promise 🙂

      jrj
  7. WHY DIDN’T HE TRIGGER THAT STAY-OVER OR BATHROOM EVENT SCENES (at this stage…).

    Speaking of stay-over and bathroom scenes… I really miss Fuuko cause she is one of the few who is capable to toy Hime around. More seasons / episodes please…

    tylon
  8. I’m really wondering how those 2 ended up in that position. (Since I assume they’d have to do it without noticing) I hope Haru took a picture of it with that instant photo thing Kuroyukihime used a while back :3

    Also if something is revealed later you don’t have to tell me but is fighting the only way to raise points? It makes it seem really strange for them to gain and use so many points so easily since each 100 should mean a new guy who came into the game and lost all his points. If even lv2 takes 300 points that would mean that there’d be tons more guys compared to the remaining players who came here and weren’t able to do anything but lose all their points.

    HakumeiJin
    1. Keep in mind level 9s like Hime and Niko have been Brain Bursters for years. There’s no real telling how many points they could have accumulated in that length of time (though Hime gave up most of them on Physical Full Burst to save Haruyuki from the car).

      MikeMan
    2. Also, in case you don’t feel like waiting, Show Spoiler ▼

      MikeMan
      1. you pretty much sums it up… but the process is extremely painfully slow. Show Spoiler ▼

        jrj
    3. Since you talk about the novel, and I am very curious and can not find the material. What is the meaning of the colors? As far as I’ve read of the manga and anime, red is long-range attack, blue is short-range attack, Green is defense, but what are yellow, purple, white and black? I guess only but want to know the real.

      Shadow74
      1. http://image208.poco.cn/mypoco/myphoto/20101014/19/53884731201010141901365770515322696_006.jpg
        if you can read Japanese, here is the color and its power

        basically, blue = short range direct attack, red = long range direct attack, yellow = indirect attack (illusion, other status effect, etc.), green = defensive, purple = multi-range direct attack. White is not specifically stated… (given it is in the center of the color grid, it has a bit of everything?)

        as to the metal color, different metal has different defensive abilities…

        jrj
  9. My fav episode of the series so far. Really love the emphasize on the slice-of-life. And while I’m not into lolis, I really starting to like Yuniko. That scene at the end (Yuniko and Kurohime sleeping together) are just too adorable. Here’s hoping that she won’t become Haru and Kurohime’s enemy after this is over.

    Terrorhunt
  10. why are all female characters in this show are ridiculously flat-chested anyway? Not even A-cups, these gals. Not very realistic, I must say. It’s like everyone is DD-cups, but the exactly opposite.

    theworstof2012
    1. I don’t usually feed trolls but…

      @worst: flat chest and loli charas are what’s in you know? Nisemonogatari and KZDK:OTD are a proof of that…

      I personally blame Card Captor Sakura and Lyrical Nanoha for this trend though LOL XD. They do make lolis in shounen anime interesting people.

      The Moondoggie
  11. Absolutely nothing since he doesn’t pick up on her hints very well…
    I thought Haruyuki got it pretty clearly when Kuroyukihime said she loved him back in episode 4. So I was surprised the both of them were denying it when Taku was teasing. So Haruyuki is either that dense or that much in denial.
    – I thought her real name was finally gonna show, but no. Kuroyukihime’s such a tease…but she’s still so cool.
    https://randomc.net/image/Accel%20World/Accel%20World%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2005.jpg
    – First psycho masou shoujo Kyouko, and now Yuniko. Kyouko still beats her for most evil looking grin though.

    Zhinvu
  12. oh my way it going yea i’m calling if get dub yea porky issei’s dub will be same voice as sunohara from clannad series. (yea it’s type casting).

    & yea can we also get him on the subway diet plus STEROIDS for porky issei.

    DE-KLAC_CADE
    1. you know, there are some similarities between Issie and Haru now that you mention it… both are not the most beloved protag for their own reason, both are powerless in the beginning, and both acquired incredible powers throughout the series, and yes both have Show Spoiler ▼

      now I can’t wait for the DxD volume 11+12 translation and the new accel world volume 12…

      jrj
  13. I was just curious as to what media player setup you’re using for the screencaps, as your shots seem to have an overall a bit more color saturation and brightness than mine.

    RandomC: https://randomc.net/image/Accel%20World/Accel%20World%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2011.jpg
    Mine: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq20/Yangorang/UTW_Accel_World_-_09_h264-720pC16BFEEAmkv_snapshot_0709_20120603_183005.jpg

    I’m using MPC-HC /w LAV Video Decoder and EVR-CP.

    Yang Zhou
      1. It depends on how the frames pan out.
        For that full-length shot, I used Photoshop CS5 and put them together myself. Since the corners are missing, I just cropped them out =)

        Cherrie
  14. it is all about the faces this time around… nice for all the caps 🙂

    my only minor complaint is at the end where Haru saw the two kings yuri play sleeping while hugging each other… in the LN, Haru noted that how the two who are destined to fight each other to the death ended up like friends in the RL… (much more touching than what the narration shows here). Other than that, the whole episode is great in setting up the tension for the climax of this arc 🙂

    all of the legion (except one) are named in a theme of universe.
    Show Spoiler ▼

    seems like this arc will last till the end of first cour, then will shift into vol.3+4 material. Unlimited Burst!

    jrj
    1. But here Haruyuki’s recalling what Takumu had said earlier, so I don’t see much difference.

      Speaking of that, I like how the anime translate that particular scene from the LN – unspoken sisterly love against the (thought of) dread at the likely showdown in the future.

      info600
      1. the reason I am not too happy with that scene is that it is directly linked to the future event… the emphasis is entirely different. The love element is only inferred, which makes me a bit unhappy. but I would love to see how anime ties them together nonetheless…

        jrj
    2. The Green Legion, Great Wall took the name from its namesake ‘CfA2 Great Wall’, or sometimes simply called the Great Wall. It’s one of the largest super structures in the known universe. It’s a filament of galaxies so large that it’s still not possible to determine where it ends.

      Mixed Milkshake

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