First Impressions / Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse

OP1.5 Sequence

OP: 「Go to the top」 by 倖田 來未 (Koda Kumi)
Watch the OP!: Streaming ▼

「帝都燃ゆ (後編)」 (Teito Moyu (Kouhen))
“Burning Capital, Part 2”

Moving right along, the end of Yui’s prologue starts kicking off the shackles a bit. Whereas the first episode was held back by attempts to get first time viewers into the story, the second episode has much less in terms of info-dump and time skips. That’s not to say there were none of those aspects this time around, but it’s notably present at a much smaller degree. In turn, this allowed the anime to get some more leeway in terms of what they could show—and this is exactly the reason why this episode was able to do what it did, which was show viewers what the Muv-Luv universe is all about.

See, up until now, the BETA were pretty much faceless adversaries to say the least. Yes, we saw some quick glimpses at the end of last episode. But, with the amount of info-dump, constant shifting through the years, and the light-hearted school environment, it was pretty hard to gauge exactly how big of a threat the BETA were. I mean, if there are a bunch of places seemingly going about life normally, they couldn’t be much of a threat could they?

But you know what? It’s exactly what the creators wanted to do with the series—to lull you into a false sense of security, then blow you away in big gusts of BETA fury. And regardless of the issues plaguing the beginning, they pretty much succeed in this aspect. Granted, the censoring limited the impact a bit and the death flags were there, but even I didn’t expect them to kill off the characters the way they did… with Izumi getting munched on like a midnight snack, Yamashiro getting ripped apart, the unit commander getting sniped down by lasers, and the Instructor sacrificing himself to try and protect the rookies. But in the end, it just goes to show just how dire the situation is in the Muv-Luv universe. It’s one where humans are fighting a losing battle against ruthless enemies, where people try to maintain whatever normalcy they can to keep themselves sane, and where the adults readily accept their deaths if it means their children will never have to see the battlefield. And well, it’s a story that’s just absolutely stunning (as you can probably tell from Moomba and I’s overview of the games), and one I hope will be given justice in this animation.

At this point, it’s hard to really predict where the series will go, but I do like most of what I’m seeing at the moment. Considering the low budget, the CGI and animation are quite superb, giving each of the respective mecha their moment in the spotlight, and highlighting the individual differences between the major classes of BETA. The music by Nagaoka Seikou is quite fitting in its military nature as well. It’s not quite in the vein of Iwasaki Taku and the other assorted artists that worked on the awesome game soundtracks, but still very good. Other positives include the use of various sound effects present in the original game (the BETA stampede sounds), the demonstration of the auxiliary arm systems, as well as the fairly accurate scaling of the BETA to one another and the TSF mecha.

Alas, there are some slight negatives as well, albeit the impact is probably small to the typical viewer. It’s much more glaring to those that have played the games before, but there have been some inconsistencies both from episode to episode and from this series to the original games. Most of them revolve around the laser class, which was shown to be shooting long range beams that can cut through planes, but then inexplicably being changed to more short bursts. Also strange was the fact they were able to shoot down the unit commander in the first place, because their range is set and they should not be able to hit objects flying fairly close to the ground (nap-of-the-earth flight). If the commander was in range to begin with, it feels to me that everyone should have been shot down at that point, which leads to the next awkward thing involving the laser class: the accuracy. At some point, they’re shown as being godlike in their accuracy, but other times shown to be anything but. In addition, they don’t seem to have any delay between shots, which is a key point in the tactics utilized by the military in the original games. Also, the ending of the episode was—for lack of a better word—quite ridiculous, as who would intentionally walk into a zone of Tank class? Furthermore, what makes even more strange is how the BETA just ignored her like she wasn’t there, when they’re said to be one of the most sensitive classes in terms of detecting humans.

Still, I can’t help but wonder if these inconsistencies are due to the prologue possibly being anime original… which would explain quite a bit. I’ve heard rumours in regards to this, but have yet to confirm as I have yet to read the manga myself or read any official sources. In any case, they’re not really big issues in the big picture I suppose, but it does take away a bit from what would otherwise be a pretty amazing episode in my book. That and the sudden three year time skip with 30 seconds left. At least though, it seems like the prologue is done for the most part, and the foundations have been set for the main part of the story. I reckon we’ll be seeing the main protagonist (Yuya Bridges) soon enough and well, there’s definitely some potential in the series. At the very least, it’ll give die-hard mecha fans their “mecha fix” now that Aquarion Evol’s done. At best, we’ll get one of the better shows of the year—a great, emotional story with a solid cast.

Full Lengths: 05, 07, 33

Author’s Notes:

  • Gotta love that Takemikazuchi.
  • Nothing like a powerful quote reinforced by images to give you some shivers. “I wonder… when did we stop counting the dead?”
  • And last but not least, I’d like to once again give a quick thank you to Moomba for helping me cover the first episode, as well as encoding the OP/ED you see here! Thanks! 😀

    •  

    ED Sequence

    ED: 「signs 〜朔月一夜〜」 (signs ~Sakutsuki Ichiya~) by 栗林みな実 (Kuribayashi Minami)
    Watch the ED!: Streaming ▼

    Preview

    155 Comments

        2. I’m thinking Male Lead + 3 Female main characters = Harem.

          I’ve no idea what the creators intend to do with the already awesome series, but I’m afraid it will be the case (not that I’m against the genre or anything) If they include romance, they better make it good and original

          Alec
          Reply

        6. I would prefer that there was no male lead. Harems really do more to take away than to add after the umpteenth one. Also, it just really doesn’t fit with the overall mood that has been set so far.

          “Hey, I know you just watched all of your friends and classmates die horribly while you were powerless to do anything, even though they all looked up to you, but why not find comfort in my cock.” That pretty much sums up my feelings about any sudden romance.

          Then again, the “everybody dies” theme is a real downer to begin with.

          I know red shirts are supposed to somehow shoe horn in shock and other feelings but all it does is make me feel like the author is really scraping the bottom of that barrel with a splinters-under-the-finger-nails intensity.

          I thought the first episode was promising but I’m not sure I’m even going to give the third episode a try.

          Anon
          Reply

      5. I on the other hand personally prefer a mixed cast of characters. There’ll always be a harem either way: the question is whether you prefer a hetero/yuri/yaoi harem. I personally prefer a hetero harem.

        paulrenzo
        Reply

      1. It helps that they’re not really forced or added there just for impact value either. Lot of the deaths were foreshadowed and play a large part in showing how it impacted Yui in the past, as well as the fight against the BETA. 😀

        Zephyr
        Reply

    4. Really enjoyed this episode. Sure I wish the over all quality could be better but hey it’s not that bad. Can’t wait for next week since the actually story will finally start to unfold and Yuya will finally make his appearance.

      Essence
      Reply

    5. Are other Summer shows even trying? Muv-Luv is just on the top everything.

      >Highest rated VN
      >Top of pre-order’s this season
      >Most threads on 2chan for this summer.

      Twisted
      Reply

      1. SAO fan boys will probably rage over seeing this, but yeah. I’m pretty sure it’s set in stone that Muv-Luv will be the most successful summer show. Manly because people believe that by helping TE be a success they can see the original trilogy one day.

        Nexus
        Reply

        1. Nah I love both Muv Luv and SAO, they both number 1 on my list so I can’t just put one on top of the other.
          Either Muv Luv or SAO stand on top I can be happy for them.

          Benz
          Reply

        2. I think both shows are awsome but as a fan of SAO light novels I prefer SAO better, after all the first episode was great but the true value of the story is yet to apear. But I have to agre that Total Eclipse delivers a vast quantity of emotions, most of them ominous for the state that almost apocalyptic world; it reminds me of a quote from the The Dark Tower by Stephen King: “Poor of you child, you have come to a world that is seeing its final nightfall”.

          haseo0408
          Reply

      2. Counter argument :
        >Well, if the original Total Eclipse is at least half as good as Alternative, it may be a good basis. But I’m not sure if TE could do even that.
        >Pre-order may be not accurate if the show can’t really draw the new audience. But still, I know many people would like to see ep 2 in BD or just want to throw money so we can see proper Muv Luv with proper budget.
        Also, isn’t Horizon still topped Total Eclipse a bit? Any sauce?
        > Not only at 2chan, but I guess also in 4chan. Well, it’s natural due to the richness of Unlimited-Alternative settings and there are so many things to debate to (including flaws in TE).

        But well, I’m a fanboy of MuvLuv, but this anime may not topped Summer (mostly due to budget), unless Total Eclipse storyline surprises me. Generally I’m already pleased to see TSF and BETA animated. Too bad the portrayal of Laser-class isn’t accurate, but I still give credit to the effort.

        zeroyuki92
        Reply

      4. Don’t be so sure that Muv-Luv will take the majority of sales. Horizon’s currently a big threat (6k preorders before the first episode was even broadcast), and heck, even Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita and SAO might impress a bit during its broadcast run.

        It’s just TWO episodes. There’s still twenty-two more episodes to make or break Total Eclipse.

        the medic
        Reply

    6. First – I like the opening, it is one of the better opening this season along with SAO. I can’t really describe it but it just give me that ahhhhhh feeling about the OP.
      Second – is sad and depressing about the storyline, you just get that sense of hopelessness in humanity against these Beta, we need some Ace pilot so we can someone nuke these bastards.
      Third – wonder whos in that Takemikazuchi.
      Fourth – I am a bit disappointed in Yui thou, when you join the military you should have a mindset about mercy killing, Yamashiro getting ripped apart was just so hard to watch. Don’t she understand shooting her would at least be a more painless death than getting rip apart by beta. arrrrrrr just so hard to watch and angry at Yui.

      Depressing storyline but Awesome show.
      My guess is this is just the beginning once the creater sees how successful this side story is they might give us the anime for the actual story later.

      Benz
      Reply

      2. 1 – I liked the ED way better. It fits the MLA mood better. OP should have been JAM Project. Then again: budget.
        3 – It was painted purple, so it’s heavily implied that it was Show Spoiler ▼

        4 – They were half-trained cadets. Not full-fledged soldiers.

        xRichard
        Reply

        2. While it would be awesome if that was the Takemikazuchi that all the VN readers are familiar with, I don’t think it was, for two reasons:
          First, this is 1998. The Takemizazuchi (Type-00) should still be in the prototype stage and won’t be officially completed and rolled out for two more years. (Counter: It’s possible that the unit was a pre-production or later-modified prototype, and/or that she sortied in a prototype anyway).
          Second, the color looks more like the 00R’s standard blue than the purple of the Shogun’s 00R (Compare screenshot 32) (Counter: Maybe it hadn’t been painted yet, or the light was messing up the color scheme).

          Shiden
          Reply

    7. Okay, I am watching this beyond the three-episode rule.

      1. Seeing that red TSF in action, I thought it would have specs like “3x faster than normal TSFs”, then it got shot down from behind during their “tactical withdrawal.” Too bad. I found their unit commander strangely attractive. Is that odd? Maybe it’s because of her pilot suit? *smirks*

      2. Revenge-tan (Izumi) finally got her revenge. Revenge-tan, may you be reunited with your boyfriend in a far better place. I admit, I found your devotion to your boyfriend an endearing character trait.

      3. It’s so GRIMDARK!!! Just like WarHammer 40k. The BETA feel like Muv-Luv’s Tyrannids.

      4. Nitpick for the episode: the TSFs are high-quality CGI, but animation for the tanks, airplanes, ships, and artillery kinda sucked. I was expecting a decent level of detail so I could identify their unit types, but no, the anime resorted to animating them like METAL BOXES! THE COWARDS! THE FOOLS! WE (-pause-) SHOULD TAKE AWAY, THEIR METAL BOXES! *points to those who will recognize these lines*

      5. Do I have to play the games/visual novels/whatever original source material there is to get a better grasp of the anime? Or can I just sit back and watch Yui butcher hordes of BETA/fall in love with the male protagonist/befriend the white-haired chick in the next episodes?

      The_Magus_Killer
      Reply

      1. In regards to #4, I noticed that too eh. I reckon it’s probably budget saving, figuring those normal artillery aren’t gonna play that big of a part anywho or something.

        As for #5, I’m not quite 100% sure, having not read the manga of Total Eclipse, but the feeling I get is you don’t necessarily need to. It’d be nice if you did though. The basic things you need to know for TE I believe were pretty much shown in the first ep, what the BETA are etc.

        Zephyr
        Reply

      2. #1 Colors of Zuikaku (or the savior TSF in ep2, Takemikazuchi) have little to do with specifications. It just show a social status for (Japanese) Royal Guards:
        Details:
        [spoiler]The Type-82R is normally painted blue, and given to family members of the 5 ruling houses of the Japanese Shogunate. Its head unit houses a unique main sensor unit, different from all other Zuikaku variants.

        The Type-82F is painted red and given to influential samurai close to the members of the ruling houses. A yellow version for fudai (hereditary vassals to the Shogun) also exists for the Type-00F.

        The Type-82A is painted white and assigned to pilots from samurai families.

        Finally, the standard black Type-82C is the model used by normal members of the Royal Guard.

        Addition : Purple, the color of ep.2 Takemikazuchi, means that it was used by direct relation of Shogun Families.
        [/spoiler]

        #4 Blame the low budget, lol.

        zeroyuki92
        Reply

        1. While the color doesn’t show immediate differences in unit, the model, which can be indicated by the color of the unit, does.
          The Type-82F that their initial captain and Yui had were higher spec than the Type-82A that the others were flying. We don’t get to see an R-variant of the Zuikaku (though we did see an R-variant Takemikazuchi)

          Shiden
          Reply

      3. 5. Do I have to play the games/visual novels/whatever original source material there is to get a better grasp of the anime? Or can I just sit back and watch?

        Sit back and enjoy. Any setting-related questions can be answered by the gentle/m/en readers. Just don’t ask too much about the BETA, because you are supposed to know only superficial information about them.

        xRichard
        Reply

      4. I love how I’m not the only one who got the 40k vibes from watching this series. I would say the defining difference in grimdark would be the lengths each side is willing to go for victory. In Total Eclipse, you can still see officers/civilians question the “logic” behind destroying their own city to deny the enemy. In 40k, the commanding officer would probably just nuke the entire place until there was nothing but ash. (Can’t call for Exterminatus if you only have one planet, now can you?) It seems like there isn’t a complete, total drive for victory at any cost. Many humans in Total Eclipse still think they can win/survive without sacrificing anything and everything to win. (Which might be why they “lost” in the end, if they do at all in this timeline.)

        I found your Metal Boxes comment quite appropriate, shame we can’t tell what the BETA are thinking. (“Ow, I just got plunked by a shell from that shitty metal thing over there. I’m going to go squish it now.) After all, there isn’t a Chaos warlord screaming out the memes, is there?

        I really, really hated the tactics showed by the Japanese troops though. Hey, let’s form a gun line and start shooting at Destroyers THAT AREN’T AFFECTED BY ATTACKS FROM THE FRONT. Classic. It amazes me that no one on the human side has developed armor piercing equipment for TSFs given that the BETA use Destroyers as frontline tanks/meatshields.

        Dreyakis
        Reply

        1. In regards to just lining up and shooting Destroyer class, sadly it’s a panic reaction more than anything. :X Most Eishi typically know the weak point is the back and not to waste shells, but there’s always a tendency to just let loose, so can’t blame em eh.

          As for shell supply… considering the necessity for armour piercing shells to destroy harder targets, it’s more viable to go for the weak spots of the Destroyer class with lower caliber shots rather than use up the more valuable shells that are pretty much the only option for some of the other classes. Also, there’s a limited amount you can carry at any given time compared to regular shells… so considering the large numbers, it’s not gonna be that helpful after a bit. In the end, the greatest threat is the pure numbers of the BETA, rather than each particular class. 😀

          Also, these guys were caught off guard, so their prep was pretty half-assed in any case. XD

          Zephyr
          Reply

      5. I find it amusing that comparing Muv-LUV to WH40k actually gives relevance to the “DRIVE ME CLOSER I”M GOING TO HIT IT WITH MY SWORD!” meme.

        Still the main difference is that in Muv-Luv, Earth is all that humanity’s. The Imperium of Man wouldn’t hesitate to go Exterminatus on a planet to contain a Tyranid infestation. In MLA humanity is backed to a corner and can’t afford the use of extreme measures anymore, if the loss of Canada is anything to go by.

        fragb85
        Reply

        1. Looks like Yui and the rest of the Earth need Space Marines – or a full division of Baneblades with General Vance Stubs and Commissar Ciaphas Cain (HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!!!) in command to save them. Haha.

          The_Magus_Killer
          Reply

        2. @ Magus Killer, somebody call the Ultramarines, who famously defended their homeworld against full-blown Tyranid invasion fleet (though at a cost of entire elite 1st company of veterans)…
          I wonder if lesser-than-exterminatus-scale “biomass denial” aka scorched earth strategy would work on Earth? after all as lifeforms, BETA’s need nutrition – and if all terrain they conquer gets sterilised by chemical or nuclear weapons, they would soon run out of their primary advantage – numbers.

          ewok40k
          Reply

      6. Well, guess what, I’m a huge warhammer40k fan myself, (hinted in my nick) so the grimdarkness suits me well. Also if anyone has read Posleeen series, there are similarities – down to use of naval battleships and extremely deadly alien antiair defence. If there is any thing I feel concerned with, it’s the making the BETA’s simply impervious to almost anything, without real weak points. It’s almost like old RPG joke: Q: Cant we stop Ctulhu with a nuke? A: A nuked Ctulhu will reappear again after 3 days, only now he’s radioactive. Mary Sue momsters anyone?

        ewok40k
        Reply

        1. Every strains has a clear weakness, I wasn’t a fan of 40k but as far as I heard BETA is a baby-difficulty Tyrannids.

          Their main power is actually their sheer number of force. Just when you think that they are finally gone, they just keep popping up like a zombie movie (well, still not unlimited, though. They just keep some forces underground for some reason)

          zeroyuki92
          Reply

    9. This episode pretty much nailed it. My two complaints would be that, as you’ve said, the laser class’ accuracy. They’re known to have dead accurate aim. Even managing to snipe off battleship shells in the VN. Seeing them miss several shots just like that before hitting anything seemed off. And also the early appearance of the Type-00R. If I remember correctly it started mass production by year 2000. But who knows if one of Royal Family already have one or two prototypes. I suppose its just there to show off lol.

      Show Spoiler ▼

      Jaeger
      Reply

      2. Indeed. Also, the lasers are typically supposed to be one long laser beam that melts the TSF on contact and bores through armor to destroy anything within a set time of exposure, not just go right through like a piew piew machine. Lol. But meh, just minor in the long run, especially if this part is anime original and it gets fixed later on.

        Zephyr
        Reply

        1. That was actually my biggest complaint. TSF armor was supposed to be able to resist laser exposure for several seconds, and here it’s shown to offer essentially zero protection. Oh well… it’s still awesome to watch.

          Shiden
          Reply

    10. Would be interesting to read the view from someone who didn’t play the games.

      Have to hand it to them, the BETA really look frightening and I am not very keen on seeing the uncensored version of this episode. We all knew that Yui’s team mates would die, though I had the slight hope that Yamashiro would somehow survive heavily injured.

      Though I do hope that rest of the series won’t be all as grim dark as this episode. I have high hopes for the male main chara. Was it possibly him who was sitting in that blue mecha? Will we ever find out who is the elite pilote?

      boingman
      Reply

    11. I’m seeing glimpses of a good show. It’s good, but nothing really separating from other Mecha anime so far. People tell me that when Yuuya Bridges shows up is when the story truly begins. 3 episode rule still in effect, so I’ll just have to wait and see.

      Mike F.
      Reply

      1. Same here. I’m not sure if this is a good show that fumbled about a bit in the beginning or a bad show that just got lucky somewhat in the beginning. 3rd time is the charm or not I guess.

        W.Wolf
        Reply

    12. Guess I have to wait for BlueRay Rip for the uncensored Version I don’t care about the the Ecchi stuff (there’s porn for that) but I just want to see the Gore

      saturos13
      Reply

    13. I don’t think it was inconsistent. The only thing I saw like that was a small scene with the camera panning across the beta-ridden field and we see the Laser-class shooting repeatedly with no 2/3-second delay instead of the 12-second delay explained in the VN.

      Anyway, most of the stuff said in training should not be taken as a fact. Like the 8min average survival time: that average was from the first generation of TSF deployed in battle against BETA (in the 80’s). They started using it as a tool to boost the first time pilots’ morale once in the battlefield.

      This also is the case with how Laser-class BETA attack. Flying low helps, but the BETA will shoot if you are in their line of sight. It’s an optical weapon. Laser-class BETA can’t shoot NOE because they are always behind the gigantic Grappler and Destroyer class. But if they get to be in higher ground (like in the anime) you are fucked (like in the anime). Also, if you played the VN, remember how the bigger Heavy Lasser-class BETA shot down many ships that were at 0mts above ground.

      As for their accuracy, the TSF’s extremely advanced computers are in charge of automatic evasive maneuvers. The girls were pretty far from them and only 3 survived the barrage.

      As for why the BETA didn’t kill Yui immediately, I’m sure it has to do with her being a “high causality” person. I don’t really remember the exact term, but this is the SCIENCE-endorsed “plot armor” canon explanation in the Alt-verse.

      Mild MLA Spoiler about what this “causality” thing means: Show Spoiler ▼

      More info on the Laser-class: http://puu.sh/H82M
      A little review on history so far: http://puu.sh/GXa7
      Both links are spoiler free if you watched this episode.

      xRichard
      Reply

      1. Hmmm. I get whacha saying, but it still feels slightly strange because they explicitly mentioned how the BETA expanded their laser range or w/e this episode, and it’s not something that can just be done on a whim eh. It’s a set range after all. And I could swear they showed other BETA in front of the laser class too, which should automatically stop them from firing anywhere near the general vicinity. The TSF’s were still pretty close to the ground, with BETA following from behind… feels a bit iffy. I guess your explanation could work, but it feels like there is some inconsistency with the VN there.

        As for the causality, I see where you’re going with it, but causality shouldn’t armour to the point where they completely ignore you. Even in the original game, the characters with high causality never get totally ignored like that for the most part eh. I dunno.

        In the end it’s no real big deal though, just some small stuff that irked me a bit. Though… ack, now I really wanna dig back up the games now to check on all the little details I forgot. Lol. -_-

        Zephyr
        Reply

        1. I seem to remember that it’s not exactly the presence of BETA nearby that causes Lux to hold fire, but simply the presence of BETA between the target and the Lux, such that the Lux will still shoot if it has a clear line of sight to you. Which is why Isumi mentioned to watch out for surrounding BETA moving aside to clear a path, because that’s a sign of incoming laser fire.

          IronZeta
          Reply

      2. Small laser class can’t shot NOE in far distance because of…World is round and they are short. Grappler, Destroyer etc actually aren’t problems since they will open path for lasers. That’s how fearsome BETA are with their “teamwork”. Heavy laser BETA could shot sea ships due to their better height.

        I believe the squad commander died due to inaccuracy of laser warning system. If my memory serves me right, laser warning system separated into 5 level of danger, and it give automatic danger at level 3, where NOE flight may be still acceptable. Too bad the laser warning system can’t be always dependable.

        Automatic evasion actually only possible to move TSF from laser line of sight before the 5 second laser armor timeout, but as far as I can see all of laser in this episode is instant OHKO. I don’t know if Zuikaku equipped with anti-laser armor or not, so it’s still possible that it’s intentional.

        But for short bursts and their inaccuracy (since laser travels with light speed + laser class BETA is almost 100% accurate), I won’t defend it. It’s a clear inconsistency from the VN, but I won’t be too concerned for them.

        About Yui and hordes of soldier class BETA… Yui clearly made a wrong move (but still logical), and why Yui could walking safe for minutes may happened due to… I believe it’s simply because they are still enjoying their current meal.

        zeroyuki92
        Reply

        1. Maybe it would have been better for the producers to put only one Laser BETA there taking down a TSF every 12 seconds. That would have shown how OP they are while remaining faithful to the parent setting.

          xRichard
          Reply

    14. I have to say, this show is competing with Sword Art Online on my list of favorites this season. I wasn’t expecting much because of the skimpy pilot outfit in the trailers but the first and second episodes did it in for me. Great show, I wish they had bigger budget to play with.

      Anon
      Reply

    15. Given the unpleasant demise you suffer when captured it’s a surprise that the units aren’t all fitted with a very satisfying self destruct mechanism. To quote Dog Soldiers “I hope I give you the sh!ts”

      Matt_D
      Reply

      1. There are S-11 Explosives used as high yield self-destruct mechanisms, but I believe that these types mechs didn’t have it equipped at the time. Also, it’s not ideal to use it around the city you want to protect or else it’d trash the city by itself. 😛

        Zephyr
        Reply

        1. A self-destruct mechanism only makes sense when you’ve got something you don’t want the enemy to find out about, otherwise it’s dead weight reducing your weapons payload. And don’t forget the Buddhism angle either – a self-destruct (or mercy killing for that matter) could interfere with the outworking of karma.

          Angelus
          Reply

        2. Well, they integrated the S-11 into the crotch piece (for the mechs that have them) that’s usually just hanging around for no reason (no pun intended), so the impact on payload is somewhat minimal. It’s just the S-11 has such a large explosive radius, that it’s usually a last resort and usually one used for infiltration into enemy hives, rather than within an urban environment you’re trying to protect. A single S-11 would probably obliterate half of Kyoto or more, making it pointless to fight and useless to retake if need be.

          Zephyr
          Reply

    16. Throughout most part of the ep, it was like watching Russian tanks obliterating German positions on the Eastern Front. Though the deaths adds on to the bleakness of the situation, it was Izumi’s and Yamashiro’s deaths that really hit home

      c2710
      Reply

    18. It never ceases to amaze me to see how Japanese are committed to the fantasy that Americans will be their protectors. Japanese really believe that Chinese and Russians and Koreans will be pushovers, while they (the Japanese) will be the last man standing, with the backing of the almighty buddy, of course. That’s just sad.

      Matroid
      Reply

      1. I don’t get this comment at all. From this episode, what I see is the opposite actually. The Americans are actually fighting to their last man to protect the Asian front, even to the point where the Japanese are like: “There’s no point to it” as Yui’s uncle pretty much said. Yes, the US are pursuing their own angle in protecting Japan this time around, but there’s actually a fair amount of anti-US stuff here, to the point where the Japanese actually prefer to protect themselves rather than request US assistance. You’ll see more of this explicitly in the games… not sure about TE touching on this aspect, but yeah, it’s anything but what you’re mentioning.

        Zephyr
        Reply

      2. if that never ceases to amaze you than you haven’t watched much anime or read much Japanese fiction in general.

        for the most part there’s so much post-war cultural invasion trauma in Japanese fiction any claim that they just sit back expecting the US to save them is ridiculous.

        Joe
        Reply

    19. Well we all saw this coming. RIP all. I still think Yui did pretty well for her first mission although it ended bad. I am not a fan of girls getting ripped into shreds but i still want to watch this anime not for the shredding thing :D. Anyone watched Takemikazuchi kicking the sh*t out of BETAs at least 10 times in a row? I want more BETA blood.

      RadoS
      Reply

      1. I know how you feel and I curse my morbid curiosity now i cannot get that eating scene out of my head Xp. But still do want to see how the story goes on now.

        Devastator001
        Reply

    20. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
      i totally did not see that coming (i deliberately maintain a sense of ignorance over all series to allow myself to experience them for the first time in a sort of pure fashion. Seriously though EPIC!!!!!! you had all of about 8 seconds between it being aluded to that people might be eaten and it actually happening.

      Screen, ” i heard BETA eat people”
      You: Nah dont be silly, people dont get eaten in Anim…
      Screen: Munch munch
      You: oooooow riiiiiite

      thats all i took from it.

      That and Red leader being a terrible commander.

      (EVERYONE else is Dead and were surrounded on all sides!!!)

      “Hmmm it appears this location has lost all strategic value”
      LOL REALLY

      ( im slightly over excited about this show!!)

      WingZeroZXT
      Reply

    21. I haven’t played the game so this is my own opinion:
      Wouldn’t it be nice if they find a way to attach wheels to the mechas like in code geass?
      It feels like the mechas lack mobility alot on ground and it’s really disadvantageous when the Betas have such high mobility themselves, making melee combat really hard to win.
      Just an interesting thought, that’s all.

      Sharingod
      Reply

      1. That is an interesting concept, but the wheels thing is more of something for solid ground eh. TSF’s need to be able to jump and traverse rough terrain that wheels usually won’t work well on or provide enough of a stable traction on. Also, it’d be epic copyright infringement! Haha.

        But yeah on a side note, I’m not sure if they’ll go into depth explaining, but the TSF’s are actually much more mobile than they look. 😛 I’d go into more, but don’t wanna spoil too much of the fun technical stuff from the game. XD

        Zephyr
        Reply

        1. Yea haha, just a concept.
          I know its a bit unrealistic in the real world but at least watching code geass and Spinzaku making all the epic jumps and kicks with his mech, it seems in the anime world, it could be possible.

          Sharingod
          Reply

        3. TSFs don’t actually become very agile until Takeru comes up with the idea for the XM3 system in Muv-Luv Alternative.

          So technically, all the TSFs we will be seeing in Total Eclipse will be at a disadvantage.

          EamonX
          Reply

        6. TSF’s are always agile and manuverable, its part of the reason they were made for 360 degree combat. Granted this episode portrayed that rather poorly with anything other than than the Takemikazuchi. I guess they just wanted it to have a cool entrance.

          Show Spoiler ▼

          fragb85
          Reply

    29. Congratulations Yui, you survived the Eight Minutes of Death! Enjoy your mental scars.

      I got giddy to finally see BETA in animated form even if its CG. I always felt the still 2-D pictures didn’t do them justice in the VN. Also awesome was seeing the Type-94 Shiranui in Gun Sweeper configuration and the Takemikazuchi.

      fragb85
      Reply

        1. It has too many talks, boring. Too many unimportant details and why the heck watchers need to know every single strategy? Where is the action? [/sarcasm]

          But yeah, true. There’s not many strategy to see here. But what you expect from unfinished CADETS?

          zeroyuki92
          Reply

        2. ^ If anything, it should be hammering in how desperate the situation is to require half trained cadets to be forced to the battlefield, as well as a big reason why the 8 minute survival time is so low.

          Zephyr
          Reply

    32. I was bored, so I downloaded this anime and, due to its name, assumed it would be some dumb fanservicey harem show. (Yes, I watch some of those despite feeling they are dumb. Don’t need to take something seriously in order to enjoy it)

      But as of now, all of the other shows I was watching don’t seem to matter anymore.

      asdf
      Reply

    33. Seeing Yamashiro getting rip to shred is hard to watch. T^T Then again, if Takemikazuchi came earlier she might survive… way to go for being late and letting a love able character die~

      Btw, anyone have any idea who’s the pilot for Takemikazuchi?

      KamiyaCheap
      Reply

    34. Holyshit, that moment were the Takemikazuchi landed surrounded by Beta was really something. Thanks to MLA and Get Raped by Beta: The game, I have a keen appreciation for the monsters that are Tank Class. So when I saw it landing right in a nightmare scenario, I knew shit was about to go down.

      FlameStrike
      Reply

    35. Well, as many have predicted, team redshirts was promptly destroyed by rampaging BETAs – I had a glimmer of hope that some of them will survive after heroic last stand by their instructor to help them escape – but alas it was not to be, and in the end it involved even more trauma for Yui.

      I rally liked how humans have been throwing everything into the fight, including apparently some rebuilt or even completely new battleships. I wonder though why laser-class BETAs dont handle well artillery shells? they can easily hit maneuvring TSF, so why not artillery shell on a predictable trajectory? even todays gatling gun based defences can do that to mortar shells and unguided rockets… and BETAs seem to be much better at it.

      ewok40k
      Reply

      1. That’s one of the many inconsistencies I saw as well. In the game, they are usually easily able to take out most of the incoming artillery before it reaches them. But, some do make it through though… and it’s also possible most of them were taken care of as the first priority before hand. Shrug*

        Zephyr
        Reply

        1. My guess is that there weren’t enough Laser BETA to hold an effective defense on bombardment. In the game they were firing at a Hive where there would be lots of BETA. Here the trainees only encountered three in the initial attack, and there were presumably a few more spread thin when the rest of the squad got shot down.

          fragb85
          Reply

        2. Well, they did have the laser class as a prioritized target, but I’d guess that the concentration of the laser class wasn’t enough to provide adequate AA against that many ships firing as fast as they could (some shells may have been shot down, but we only saw the points of impact).

          From the VN, we only have a few examples of anti-BETA fighting:Show Spoiler ▼

          Shiden
          Reply

      2. Artillery still works since even if it’s shot by lasers, it still has a kinetic energy that drive the bullets forward (CMIIW). Also, it’s more rapid than few laser class BETA can manage. In other case, missiles don’t work as well as common shells.

        But I understand where your idea come from. In anime, laser class BETA shown to be shooting “pew-pew lasers and DUAR” with short delay. It’s supposed to be an extreme heat weapon that need some seconds to break over TSF armor, also with longer delay… But with mary sue accuracy.

        zeroyuki92
        Reply

    36. Is it me or is this show give out Evangelion vibe?

      Lemme see, giant robots. Check. Giant robot with human mouth eating shit. Check. A Rei-bandage girl, (Are you kidding, that’s like a requirement for robot anime ever since Eva came out.) Check!! Teenage robot pilots. Check. But this 2012 show’s drawing is not as good as 1995’s Eva. What’s up with that? This drawing/character design feels very generic.

      .....
      Reply

      2. > Giant Robots
        Unlike eva, TSF are mass produced and there’s almost no custom built.

        > Human mouth eating shit
        Just because EVA has one Show Spoiler ▼

        , I don’t think it has anything to do at all with a carbon eating Show Spoiler ▼

        alien race.

        > Rei bandage girl
        Yeah, yeah, if you count a 2 minutes injured scene in hospital as a Rei rip-off.

        > Drawing is not as good as 1995 anime
        I won’t draw as far as that, but it’s true that this show has a very low budget. Blame the sponsors.

        Also, why there is a tendency to compare almost every grimdark anime with Eva? Eva is good, yeah, but this is 2012 and there’s a gazzilion anime produced after that. Not counting the older anime that Eva take inspiration from.

        zeroyuki92
        Reply

      3. I can see why you’d think that, but as zeroyuki92 said, the similarities are merely on the surface. T.E. might have a similar general, apocalyptic feel, but it separates itself from Evangelion in the other aspects quite quickly.

        As for character designs, the original designs for the game were intentionally made as generic to increase some of the impact from the story changing from the light-hearted feel of the first game to the serious feel of Alternative. I reckon the fact this is a side story makes it so they need to have similar character designs, so it explains why. Also, it was sadly said that one of the TE artists was copying other people’s works. He’s since been fired, but some of his impact stayed though.

        Zephyr
        Reply

      4. Well, (EDIT:) the endings are different.

        EDIT: WARNING: MUV-LUV ALT ENDING SPOILERS — BIG SPOILERS
        Show Spoiler ▼

        splinterous
        Reply

        2. Theoretically, End of Evangelion’s ending has some hope and can be argued to be a kind of Adam and Eve situation where they reset the world and restore humanity. It’s been said the new Rebuild series is a sequel that comes as a result so… in this respect it’s actually quite different to Muv-Luv’s. I don’t want to go spoiling too much of the game’s great ending, but let’s just say the level of grimness at the end is still pretty different, as are the individual scenarios of who is left etc.

          Zephyr
          Reply

    41. About the “I wonder… when did we stop counting the dead?” part:

      I’m pretty sure it’s making a reference to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki aftermath, where is very similar the situation here. I can’t pinpoint where the quote comes from, but I think it might’ve been paraphrased from an earlier volume of Hadashi no Gen, which again has a bunch of scenes similar to the ones in this episode. The town is burnt down, smoke is rising, bodies are lumped together in large piles with nobody caring to count/identify them, streetcars are strewn everywhere in rubble heaps, and a general sense of despair among the survivors.

      Luxor
      Reply

    43. Just…..Wow!
      This anime made a impression far better than what i expected.
      Been awhile since i find myself storming the internet for a VN. (since FSN)

      Quick question for the fans :
      Do i have to read all 3 Vol. in the release order (ML/Extra, ML/Unlimited, ML/Alternative)?
      Can i skip to the 2nd, or even the last, Vol. without missing any major plot?

      Bakaro
      Reply

      2. Extra may be a chore since it’s a (intentional) typical romance comedy, but you will appreciate extra far more after finished Alternative. It’s a foreshadowing and character introduction materials disguised as a visual novel, afterall. But most people could at least enjoy it a bit as a standalone story, so just take it easy.

        Unlimited starts in the world that you know in this TV series, but it MAY be disappointing if you expect some certain things to show here. But, it will introduce you the world and BETA and generally people will start to be hooked.

        Alternative is… well, where the main dish reside. Make sure you have free time, some mental preparation, and… Enjoy!

        zeroyuki92
        Reply

        1. First, much appreciated for the quick and well-thought reply.

          You have guessed it right on the part that i’m troubled about; From the preview, the Muv-Luv/Extra sound like exactly the type of VN i will try to avoid as much as possible.

          Guess i shall try to endure through the first of the trilogy than.
          Time for a treat! VN marathon!

          Bakaro
          Reply

        2. Well, actually if you have gone through FSN (which actually are written worse than Extra in some parts), Extra aren’t THAT not enjoyable. It’s low points are that :
          1. It’s generic because it want to be as generic as possible
          2. I myself think it was quite boring ONLY before the 2nd main heroine showed up and at some little parts here and there.
          3. Most of the other (supplemental) routes are not really good enough.

          But actually it’s really well planned and I’m positive that I enjoyed extra, but please remind that it’s not supposed to be marathoned.

          Also, you may want to check : https://randomc.net/2012/06/13/muv-luv-extra-unlimited-alternative-overview/ RC overview for MuvLuv trilogy, if you havent
          And this picture : http://sadpanda.us/images/1054352-M0G2F5E.jpg

          Have fun!

          zeroyuki92
          Reply

    44. oh my i did guess right went ga rei zero route on this ep indeed rocks falls & nearly everyone get “whack”.

      good grief really some stuff too ugh yet hmm on it to watch.

      yomi
      Reply

    46. Good episode, but I wonder what happened to the exoskeletons? I remember reading in the VN that the cockpit can turn into an exoskeleton and increase pilot survival rates if they crash.
      Also, gotta love grunts screaming and forgetting their training when faced with the destroyer class.

      OmegaD
      Reply

    47. Ok someone told me:

      MuvLuv Unlimited first, then Alternative which is three years AFTER Unlimited. The hero in Alternative was supposed to be dead in Unlimited, then was sent back in time to the start of Unlimited. Total Eclispe is set 3 years AFTER Unlimited too. So Total Eclipse is what happened before the hero of Alternative was sent back to Unlimited or it is what happened when he messed with, not “messed up” mind you, the timeline?

      The Moondoggie
      Reply

      1. Whoever told you that is either a liar or an idiot. Or both. Both Unlimited and Alternative start at Oct. 22, 2001. Total Eclipse starts before October 2001. So it takes place before the actual VN.

        fragb85
        Reply

      2. Uh yeah, no, you seem to be pretty confused.

        Unlimited and Alternative start at the same time, but each in a different reality.

        TE takes place before both (since they both start on the exact same day). Takeru (the Hero of Unlimited/Alternative) had never even have entered the world at the start of TE so he won’t have messed with the timeline at all.

        Spinning
        Reply

      1. I’m pretty sure he means “…as who would intentionally walk into a zone of Tank class on foot armed with nothing more than a handgun” rather than “piloting the god of all TSFs.”

        Spinning
        Reply

        1. Ah sorry, I based it on the screen Tank Class was linked to (which showed two TSF being overwhelmed by Tank class).

          Still, it is pretty gutsy for that guy to just walk in and start flaying and shooting away inside a room full of tank class, even in a TSF.

          paulrenzo
          Reply

    49. They made it to Mars in 1967 yet they only have 1 advanced combat system, the TSF, after 30+ years of fighting. Not only that, but the TSF is a close-combat system armed with a sub-machine gun and a sword. A sword!!! Against numerically superior enemy that mobs you. Combine that with no combined arms tactics and of course you’re going to lose.

      Where are the rail guns, lasers, advanced sub-munitions, biological/chemical weapons, and etc? It’s like the R&D of the various militaries rolled over and died with the invasion. You’d think that with humanity at stake the amount of weapon research would be staggering.

      “Anything goes, just find something to kill the BETA faster and more efficiently. In fact, find as many ways to do it!”

      I’ll have to see where this goes, but I’m on the fence about watching more episodes. Suspension of disbelief only takes me so far before it collapses under its own weight.

      rh75
      Reply

    50. So why did the TSF’s get shot down when by that time in the timeline they have the anti-laser coating which can take a laser at full impact for 3-5 seconds (more then enough time to move out of the way)?

      Why are the laser class so inaccurate when they are suppose to be deadshots with incredible aim at those ranges?

      Also why did they freak out at a fort class? the most easiest BETA to get away from specially in a TSF? More so given they had buildings to stay away from the projectile acid! Which again would have given them ample cover against laser class if any had been in the fort class which would have taken time to unload any BETA in it.

      Personally even though it’s something to show the impact of her past I think I’ll pass considering the shows probably going the Blood C route of kill everyone for impact with halfcocked emotional attachment thrown in.

      Would have preferred MLA to have been animated, at least the shit in that makes sense.

      Rezakon
      Reply

      1. >anti-laser coating
        It may have been damaged. Or..

        >laser class inaccurate
        These were anime original episodes. Blame all inconsistencies to that. The light novel adaptation starts this week.

        >freak out at a fort class?
        They were cadets who never saw a BETA in their training and were not at their best mental state in that moment.

        xRichard
        Reply

    51. Hmm, second episode definitely made me want to drop this piece if garbage. Weird that nobody mentioned that yet. The VN’s are probably fine (they usually are) but his premise is just…awful. And no, I don’t mean the human carnage. The characters were so disposable that I’m actually quite glad their out of the equation. Forced tears, clichéd conversations and more forgetful crap. Am I watchign some Cold War propaganda movie?
      And enemies that, besides being crappy copy/paste animated, are mindless drones. Full body armour but jump up and you can kill them in one shot? Really? facepalm.jpg And I’m supposed to sympathise with the human ‘survivors’? Dear god no. That won’t happen anytime soon.

      Probably nice if you’re either an army fanatic or a fan of the game. Don’t bother otherwise

      Arntor
      Reply

        1. Sad thing is I wasn’t even trolling.. I first watched the episode, read this and commented about the discrepancy between my experience and the blogpost and the following comments. I know RC posts are meant to take a positive approach to shows yet this does not mean an almost complete lack of criticism a series’ flaws.
          And yes, to show this I use stronger language to make my point and start some discussion. Especially b/c people seem to like the show so much this would be that hard I would imagine. A discussion that would give potential viewers a more balanced view of what the show entails, what its good and bad point are and then them decide to give it a shot(or not). Unfortunately I only get whiny responses instead and a lot of anonymous minuses haha. I know that people will even disregard this post just because I called their responses whiny. Ah well, so be it.

          Arntor
          Reply

        2. If you’re honestly not trolling, then here’s my reply to your reply. Your use of strong language is not what got to me, it’s your over use of negativity. I am completely new to this series as well, but even to me your comment literally felt as if you’re purposely bashing on the series out of pure hate. Sure, this show may not be for everyone, and I agree that everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but calling this show a piece of garbage was just unnecessary. Also, as it seems like you have not read the VNs as well, then your so called “copy/paste animated” mindless drones may be due to the animators staying true to the VN. Plus, this is just a prologue; judging the series from just one episode that doesn’t fit your tastes is kind of pointless, especially if you’re saying it’s extremely bad. Not to mention, new viewers such as myself who may get thrown off by your comment and not watch this series due to you overly excessive negativity.

          So all in all, if you’re not trolling, I’m sorry for calling you a troll. You were just stating your opinion, and I acted childish in response to that. If you are trolling, then um…… I guess I wasted 5 minutes responding to you. All in all, I say to anyone reading this, if you’re still debating about watching this series or not, give it a shot. Even for someone like me who know little to nothing about the Muv-Luv universe, I find it pretty entertaining and refreshing compared to some other animes I’ve watched before. I may be a bit too serious and bloody for some though, so just watch with cautions.
          Oh yeah, I do agree with Arntor with one thing, the OP is pretty damn catchy.

          bakakubi
          Reply

        4. Well, the first sentence was indeed meant to be provoking as my viewing experience was actually that bad, worse actually. If none of the series’ flaws were addressed in the blogpost and I just list some of these in my response, the whole post is bound to turn negative. I rather see it as a counterweight to the excessive positive view here.
          That being said I still dropped the series after this episode. Even though I know the two episodes were a prologue I don’t have the fate this will turn to something entertaining for me. The way the enemy was portrayed (there is an extent to which enemies can be ‘mindless’ to be a convincing adversary) and the crude plot devices (old man on the hill crying buckets and wallowing about the lost capital, not to mention the human flesh eating) are indicators for me to judge the series on. And for me these indicators were that far into the red, I even have trouble imagining people enjoying this. Especially since there are that much more mecha series on the market to watch, even in this season.
          Ah well, in the end taste is a personal thing. Still, something I find enjoyable to debate though. For what it matters, thanks for responding

          Arntor
          Reply

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