Random Curiosity

「落涙」 (Rakurui)
“Falling Tears”

“ENJOY YOUR TIME IN HELL!” And what a time it is. It took eight episodes to reach this point, but we finally get the episode we’ve all been waiting for: one filled with BETA, death and destruction.

And true to episodes of this nature, come the use of virtually every weapon at the disposal of the various armies involved: Naval Support? Tanks? TSF’s? More TSF’s? Giant railgun? We got em’ all today (and BACON) and darn is it quite the show. But in the end, it shows just how big of a threat the BETA are, even without the deadly laser class to back them up. Heck, they still almost lost anyway! But nope, we got Yuuya backing everything up with his giant railgun of destruction (see GIF of it in action here), and all’s right with the world.

Still… it would’ve gone much smoother had the Russians not pulled the maneuvers they did in providing less tanks than they said they would, as well as doing virtually everything in their power to try and stop the test fire of the new weapon. I know there’s people wondering why the heck would you sacrifice your “best” squadron in order to prevent the testing of a weapon that could save humanity, but that’s just how politics works in the Muv-Luv universe. And it’s nice to see some of this actually being put in, as the political maneuvering behind the scenes is a crucial part of the Muv-Luv experience. In addition, it’s even more notable because some of the politics present in the source material for earlier episodes were notably cut out, so it’s nice they’re doing it at all. I’m hoping that they do elaborate on the reasons for the Russians doing what they did though, as they left out the explanation this time around. As a VN player I know generally why it happened, but it really would kill the point of having this aspect in the first place if they don’t explain it later.

• VN players, please refrain from spoilers regarding this section. If they don’t talk about this within a few episodes, I will discuss this myself at a later time.

Moving on though, the lack of explanation doesn’t change the fact this was a pretty good episode (and probably the best of the series so far), as the action scenes were quite superb, and we got to see just some of the unique aspects of each countries’ TSF’s to top it off. Seeing all those SU-37’s from the Russians, the J-10’s from the Chinese, and the Shiranui Type 2… phew* Just sends a tingle down my spine as a die-hard mecha fanatic.

And while we’re on the topic of TSF’s, we get Cryska and Inia kicking ass in their SU-37UB’s too, but there’s definitely something wrong when you’re fighting with this expression on your faces. Seems like Cryska went through some kind of memory wipe, and we get a show as to just how drastic of a difference it made. Kicking the crap outta the people who bothered her last episode… warning to Yuuya to find a right time and run because she doesn’t “want your filthy blood staining the motherland”. Just, wow.

Looking ahead, it seems like next episode’ll be the start of a few episodes of breathers. I reckon most people want more BETA (and generally more episodes of this nature) after this episode, but if every episode involving the BETA’s as good as this one, I’ll gladly wait a few episodes in between to get to the next one. Hopefully they don’t go dilly dallying and doing nothing in between though. Some full lengths, a GIF of Yuuya shooting the cannon, and a MEME (contains curses) below.

Meme / GIF

Full-length images: 07, 08, 09, 10, 31.

Author’s Note: This is a personal request for those of you that are fans of the series and have a Facebook. Baka Tsuki is currently doing a poll to consider the next work they TL, and Muv-Luv (including the side stories) is on that list. However, it’s losing currently to other series who will get TL’ed by another group either way due to their popularity, so if you could spare just a few seconds and vote here for Muv-Luv, you’d have my sincerest thanks!

 

Preview

「鴨川アドバルーン」 (Kamogawa Ado Baruun)
“Kamogawa Balloons”

Full on slice-of-life mode engage! More so than any other episode I can recall off the top of my head, this one showed us what director Suzuki Toshimasa and his team would have done had Rinne no Lagrange been a full-blown slice-of-life comedy. Peppered throughout the episode were tons of funny little moments, along with plenty of everyone being cute. Though nowhere near the level of epic yuri kisses or embarrassed shoujos, I was laughing throughout most of the episode, and since that’s clearly what they were going for then I have to count that one as a success.

Speaking of successes, the addition of super-clumsy first year Miki Reiko (Takamori Natsumi) was a solid addition to the comedic formula. Since Lan has been acting pretty competant these days, Stalker-chan took over her dojikko duties and dialed them up to eleven. Then she gave us this, for which I am eternally grateful. Banzai, Stalker-chan!

Still, while I always enjoy the funny moments LagRin always gives us, I prefer it when they’re peppered throughout the episode. As far as main courses go, the comedy just wasn’t very filling, which was why I found myself gobbling up what character development and plot we got all the more voraciously. As far as character development goes, that was all Youko-nee this week. Her conversation with Machiko-sensei + the central “find what makes you happy” message of the episode felt like they were laying the groundwork for a more fundamental shift in Youko-nee’s character before the season ends. This focus on her (and Asteria) strikes me as a bit odd, though. Why are we focusing on secondary characters so late in the game? Still, it’s not necessarily bad. They intrigue me, so I’m honestly interested in what we’ll learn about them.

Also, Michiko-sensei and Youko-nee’s conversation gave us an interesting take on the whole “dead parent” trope. Usually when a parent dies, we focus on the effect their death has on their children – Madoka, in this case. Yet Madoka wasn’t the only one who lost someone. Youko-nee is Madoka’s cousin, which means she lost an aunt too, and one she clearly looked up to. She was “only” an aunt (only…how harsh, how cruel), but whereas Madoka had Youko-nee as to look up to, depend on, and learn from – she had a female role model to help guide her life – Youko-nee had none of that. Sure, Youko has always had her friend Machiko, but that’s as different as Lan and Muginami are to Youko herself (in Madoka’s eyes). Youko has had to be an island, and the rock against which Madoka could anchor her life when she most needed it…but when did Youko ever get a chance to do the same? What does the rock anchor itself against?

But that’s nothing next to the plot bomb at the end. We got irrefutable proof that Asteria was the one who caused the trafedy 20,000 years ago, ans was absorbed into the Rin’Ne before Yurikano, straight from the person herself. But Moid was also there 20,000 years ago, and he’s got something like fifteen memoria to prove it. Asking for payment from Dizelmine for the glowing slab-seed thing…he’s certainly exuding full-on bad guy vibes. I think this is where it switches to Moid being the Big Bad while Dizelmine gets sucked into doing something else unkind, though this time far more unwillingly. I still don’t know his plan, but after Asteria’s talk of the three Voces on the slab (whereas only one caused the tragedy 20,000 years ago) and the markings on Moid’s memoria, I’m thinking…well, I don’t think everything is as it appears. Maybe Moid is trying to blow up the Earth, to finish what he presumably started 20,000 years ago, but I don’t know, he doesn’t seem the type for wholesale slaughter to me. We’ll see, I suppose. It looks like we’re going to get some more yuri vibes next week, but I’m hoping for a little more plot as well. Only a few more episodes now, and I want to know where this is going! Guh…is it next week yet?

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Cute-&-funny hijinks ensue, and were great, but it was the char development & plot that I most loved. Also, Moid!! #LagRin

Random thoughts:

• Poor twintails-chan. Just no match for Madoka’s bakaness.
• Quite enjoyed Lan being frightened at the thought of a “phantom” club member. Way to go, Muginami!
• A stunned Madoka is cute too.
• Wait, Array in male clothes? What is this sorcery!
• So it sounds like Array is leaving, and perhaps all three of them. Things are too peaceful, too idyllic. I can only assume everything is about to start blowing up.
• I hadn’t noticed her, but I’m told Stalker-chan has been around all season. I appreciate director Suzuki and his team having the forethought to include her ahead of time so they didn’t have to pull her character out of nowhere (trope!) for this episode. A little planning ahead will go a long way towards earning my praise. A dubious honor, I know, but it’s something.
• Lan’s stunned wan was so cute, HNNNNNNG!!!
• Ahhh, poor Assistant-kun. Not even in the running. Fighto, dayo!
• Wait, they have a high school club broadcasting the festival to the rest of the galaxy?? Only in Kamogawa, people.
• Related: I feel like, if Kamogawa is the most well-known city on Earth to everyone in the Polyhedron, it should have blown up in size by now. I can’t imagine it would remain so unchanged with all this attention. More of LagRin’s idealism there, I suppose.
• I like how no one was much worried (other than her haremettes) while Madoka was flying away. Hang in there, Madoka-chan.

Full-length images: 08, 12, 13, 15, 16.

 

Preview

End Card

「La Ruota della Fortuna」
“The Wheel of Fortune”

The truth comes out, and I believe this episode answered most of the questions I had concerning La storia della Arcana Famiglia. If you were getting tired of the side stories (that would eventually lead to the duels), then rest assured – the story is on the main track again! I guess only Libertá and Nova were given full episodes for character development because the remaining ones are having theirs woven into the main story – the one concerning the duels, or in fact, the fate of Felicitá.

By “main track”, I don’t mean the duels themselves, but the duels as a topic. We finally know the truth behind Mondo’s plan. He made a contract which gave him powers (the cards), but all cards need hosts that can provide them with energy and if they don’t have any, they will eat away Mondo’s lifespan. Jolly who apparently has been with Mondo since the beginning knew about this so he experimented with artificial and real human beings (giving them powers) to ease Mondo’s burden. To ensure Felicitá’s future to be a good one, Mondo announced the duels – a way for him to find a suitable heir who can look after his beloved daughter.

While this ensures us that Jolly is as far away from a villain to the family as possible, it doesn’t necessarily make him more likable. Causing other people to suffer for someone else isn’t just in any moral or ethical aspect, but I guess there is no reason for us to worry about him doing something weird anymore. He’s still a cunning man though; keeping important details out such as the fact that using Felicitá’s second Arcana power – the “Wheel of Fortune” (the power to alter the fate of the cards’ hosts) will cause amnesia. In this case however, I think it’s fine to make that sacrifice because a life is at stake.

Aside from Felicitá, we’ve been introduced to another character’s powers – Sumire can cure people but the consequences of doing that aren’t very pretty. I’m not sure if she gives away her lifespan to others or if her Arcana punishes her for using her powers, but whatever it is, it’s not healthy. I’m a bit surprised Felicitá managed to wake her up at such young age. I don’t think she had received any training at that point, so I find her very talented.

As the story is reaching its climax, we’re getting cut off with cliffhangers more often than usual, and there is no room for an omake. I’m very excited to see how Felicitá will handle the situation, and also, I’d like to know how her decision (and the consequences of that) will affect her fellow friends – especially Luca, Pace, and Debito. They will probably not like this at all, considering that her decision was based on something coming from Jolly. I’m looking forward to the next episode!

Random thoughts:

• Is Elmo a different being from the one in the glass tube?
• Jolly without his shades was a bit surprising.
• I wish Mondo would’ve had another seiyuu to portray his younger self. Tachiki Fumihiko didn’t suit this version of the character.
• Hmm, Mondo wants someone to look after his daughter. Nova wants to set her free. Does that mean that he is out? I believe a free Felicitá doesn’t necessarily mean that she is being looked after.
• How old is Mondo? It’s hard to tell…
• In the beginning of the episode, the maids were fixing Felicitá’s hair. From sideways, it looked like she only had one ponytail and I think that hairdo would suit her very well!
• If Elmo has powers, does that mean he will be in the duels too?
• Dat statue!
• A picture is worth a thousand words, har har har!
• Is this Mondo’s favorite t-shirt? He seems to wear it whenever he is ill!
• Full-length shots: 9, 22, 31

 

Preview

「始めるわよ」 (Hajimeru wa yo)
“Let’s Get Started”

A beach episode, Kuroko no Basuke style! But wait for the kicker – this one is actually relevant to plot.

Episodes like these in KuroBasu are solid proof of the show’s merits; it plays directly to its greatest strength – the eclectic mix of characters – and it doesn’t rely on clichéd crutches to tell their story. Make no mistake; the plot of the show is nothing spectacular. If anything, it’s a classic set-up for sports shounen and there is little in Kuroko no Basuke that defies the genre’s norms in terms of story. But in a universe full of anime with extremely generic plots, how is it possible to differentiate one cardboard cutout from the other? Reimagining a genre is certainly one option, but a more emphatic way for a series to distinguish itself is by having a cast of characters the audience can remember and care about. This show in particular has done that exceedingly well, and focuses the viewer’s attention strictly on them – what this results is in natural drama that builds itself off the characters rather than artificial drama that results from the use of histrionics or some exaggerated circumstance.

Of course, this training camp is the furthest thing from “dramatic”. It’s comedy all around, with a sharper and more cohesive delivery reminiscent of the earlier episodes when the mood was light and enthusiastic. Someone pointed out the awkward laughs from a couple episodes ago might have been due to the obstacle Seirin was facing as a team, so this lighter turn should mark the return of the energized Seirin, just in time for the last stretch. Shuutoku’s inclusion was a nice surprise, although it does come with a dash of convenient contrivance. But if that contrivance brings about the advent of Midorima and his rubber duck, so be it. This is probably as lively as he’s ever going to get, and his rapport with Takao is among the best in the series, after Kagami and Kuroko, and Hyuuga and Riko. The Shuutoku point guard is the perfect foil to the shooter’s stoic, straight man routine, although it’s difficult to tell just which one of them is the straight man when Midorima’s obsession with horoscope gets added into the equation.

Most of the comedy in the episode came from Riko though, who really shone in more ways than one, as a girl who can’t cook worth a damn and as a coach with an impressive intuition; in many aspects she is like a supporting actresses who is amazing, but hard to take notice of since their role is integrated so much into the periphery of things, and because of the solid strength of the main cast (think Inception, where everybody was good). But this episode gave her some well-deserved limelight and cemented in the reason why she’s Seirin’s coach – she knows what her team needs and although she might not have Momoi’s analytical skills, Riko possesses a strength that is much her own, one that compliments her team. And that’s what’s more important; Seirin is a team that wins together and loses together. Teamwork is almost like a reflex to them, an intuition rather than motions that are taught. As their coach, Riko is the only one able to cultivate it to its maximum potential, just like how Hyuuga is a better fit to be captain than Kiyoshi. These are shoes only they can fill. The two of them are highly compatible with each other, and not just in a romantic sense. As partners they are two halves of one whole; they help create the Seirin brand – without either of them it’s difficult, maybe even impossible, to recreate the same team.

Speaking of Hyuuga, what a gentleman he is! He’s certainly not typically considerate, but he is sensible when it counts. It’s impossible to call Riko’s abomination “food” but voicing that is not an option – despite her clear lack of skill, she still put in a considerable amount of effort preparing the dish, and it would have been unfair to her not to acknowledge that at the very least. Hyuuga’s and Kiyoshi’s valiant sacrifices and eloquent words truly make them men amongst men, and if Kuroko no Basuke were a romance show, this would have been one convincing love triangle.

Perhaps it’s Hyuuga’s subtle sensibility and reliability that make him a better candidate to be captain. As wise and omniscient as Kiyoshi is, he doesn’t possess the same kind of seriousness as Hyuuga does, and on some levels, I think Kiyoshi lacks the gravitas and leadership skills necessary to lead a team properly. Part of it stems from the image he projects of himself – everyone perceives him to be somewhat of a birdbrain. A very capable birdbrain, but a birdbrain nonetheless. But a bigger part of it is that this is how Kiyoshi wants to be seen. He’s certainly shrewd enough to lead a team, but that’s not the role he wants; his style is more to step in and give a push when needed, rather than constantly being in the forefront and asserting authority. His personality is too laidback to keep Seirin in the running for championship games, and the fact Kiyoshi is well aware of this is what makes him such a well-written character. On the surface, he seems to be the perfect candidate for captain – not that Hyuuga isn’t doing a good job, but because Kiyoshi seems like he’ll be able to do it just as well. The potential is certainly there for him, but his personality isn’t suited to bring out the best in Seirin, and he knows it.

I have to wonder though, how much of Riko’s atrocious cooking is actually “cooking” and not just her mixing random crushed vitamin supplements into the food. From the honey incident, it’s clear she can’t cook, but without the extra additions, surely her dishes will become edible even without Kagami’s supervision?

In any case, next week seems to wrap up Seirin’s training and includes the prelude to the Aomine vs. Kise match. I think it’s been two whole episodes since Kise’s been gone, so it’ll be good to have him back for some actual plot-related appearance. Besides the obvious adrenaline rush KuroBasu does so well with its match-centric episodes, the Touou vs. Kaijou game will also be a good test of the show’s ability to keep the tension and drama just as high when the focus shifts away from Seirin, and hence, Kuroko and Kagami.

Random Corner:

• Hyuuga Junpei: grade-S boyfriend material. Kagami gets massive points for being able to cook.
• That rubber duck. Don’t most people ditch tub toys when they’re ten?
• Last time water was involved, there were boobs. So naturally, since this episode involved beaches and sweaty boys, I thought there would be abs. And just when I was about to complain about the inequality in fanservice… Kagami nearly goes full-frontal. WELL OKAY THEN. Show: 1, Mochi: 0. I’m sorry I doubted you KuroBasu. Never again. You’re all for equality.
• Aw. Looks like Kise managed to get on Kuroko’s team after all.
• Hyuuga x Riko x Kiyoshi confirmed?

Important Note: I’m relocating to another freezer, so even though I’ll try my best to be timely, please do note that my posts might be delayed a few days, or possibly even a week!

Full-length images: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 32.

 

ED2.7 Sequence

ED2: 「カタルリズム」 (Kataru Rizumu) by (OLDCODEX)

Preview

End Card

「妖精さんの、ひょうりゅうせいかつ」 (Yōsei-san no, Hyōryū Seikatsu)
“The Fairies’ Survival Skills”

It’s tempting to think of this episode as “A Faerie History of Japan”, but I suspect that would be reading a bit too much into the satire – and believe me, there’s plenty to read into it anyway. Still, as an island nation Japan (like Britain, for example) has some unique elements in it’s historical development, and even more so in the sense that over most of its history Japan had very little contact with the outside world and almost none with the Western World. As such, its history is a great place to look for interesting case studies of human cultural development – and this episode toys with the notion of the rise and fall of a culture in a few short (about nine, to be exact) days, thanks to fairy magic.

I’m grown spoiled by the irresistibly charming relationship that’s grown up around Watashi and Assistant over the course of Jinrui, and I confess I missed having it this time around. Ample consolation was provided, though, both by an overdose of fairy hilarity and a truly majestic performance by Nakahara Mai. She’s been great from day one here – a strong candidate for seiyuu performance of the year – but I think this ep represented her finest work yet. She’s asked to carry a disproportionate share of the load in this show every week, but her deadpan credulity is absolutely essential to making this episode work.

As for those fairies, they remain a fascinatingly bizarre and mysterious force, and Tanaka’s greatest vehicle for his rapier wit. Because of their insanely kawaii appearance he can put any dialogue on their lips and get away with it, and pull in extra humor from the dissonance between their appearance and their often shockingly misanthropic world view. Needless to say this episode was brilliant – they pretty much all are with this show – but I think the satire is a little more universal than normal, and you don’t have to work as hard to make the connections – indeed, the hardest part is keeping up with the machine-gun pacing of the humor, as each joke is in danger of being drowned out by the laughter from the last one.

I still don’t really understand how the fairies work within the Jinrui mythology, though I’m definitely getting a handle on how they work as a literary device. The insanity starts with a discussion of politics, where the subject is fairy elections (they have them, I guess) and one says his platform is “equal distribution of sweets” to which the reply is “You sound like a commie!” Turns out the Fairy population is exploding, which is leading to bullying and persecution. So Grandpa decides Watashi needs to take a bunch of asylum-seeking Fairies to a sparsely populated region where they can found a new nation (I find it very interesting that he tells her it’s a punishment because she was “responsible for the Fairy population increase”). After a mishap involving a rotted dock, she and the Fairies wind up stranded on an island in the middle of a lake – which they decide to make their new nation, and appoint her as Queen.

I won’t attempt to list all the cultural references and clever jokes attached to the dialogue here – just make sure you’re paying close attention. I especially enjoyed the fact that the Fairies had a “Rube Goldberg Machine” and “religions” on their list of top-priority things to invent (though their first creation is, oddly, a Queen Anne vanity), the “Ffee-co”, and the “Narcotics” plant. As Queen, Watashi has her own mustachioed advisor on her shoulder and two Fairy beefeaters to guard her. They start slowly, making her a leaf bed, but then a house starts going up around it – along with a Fairy-powered railroad, water-treatment plant, pineapple-powered electricity plant. The real fun, though, starts when the Fairies decide they want to create monuments – and when one of them accidentally figures out a way to “grow” sweets, which Watashi has been providing for the population as a sort of price of admission for her constant adulation.

It occurs to me that everything with the Fairies is a problem of proportion. Ironically for such tiny creatures, what they tend to do is take everything a human says (or does) and expand it to a degree where it becomes preposterous. Watashi’s careless “Yes?” in response to a Fairy’s “Your Majesty?” is an invitation to build a culture around her. When she says they can build a monument, overnight they’ve created the pyramids, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Easter Island heads… When she tells one to concentrate on growing more varieties of “sweets plants”, they ravage the ecosystem with genetically engineered crops. The Fairies have no sense of restraint, and take what could (not always) be a good thing in moderation to the point where it becomes a threat to society itself – which is never more evident than in this self-contained island and its nine-day development. Everything they do takes resources – their cocoa plant foils the lake with it’s backwash, they destroy all the trees to build their factories and monuments, and they breed so quickly (how?) that they almost instantly have problems of unemployment and NEETs. No, there’s definitely no social satire to see here – just move it along…

After the resources run out and Watashi decides it’s time to leave the island the Fairies are depressed – and what do we make of the notion that it’s the “gloom clouds” that form over the Fairies heads when they’re depressed that cause the rains that submerge the island, because there are no trees to control runoff? I’m not sure if there’s a specific metaphor at work here, but I was fascinated by the conversation between Watashi and the “Rurouni” (Miyata Kouki), a religious pilgrim who confronts her about her decision to abandon the island. She reasons that it’s beyond saving, and it’s surely better to accept that and move on – to which a Fairy replies, “Would you say that about a sick relative?” It’s hard to escape the implications of that statement as it relates to our society and indeed the series title itself – “Humanity Has Declined”, indeed – though I’m not sure what Tanaka-sensei is suggesting as the right answer. Watashi can only plead “Don’t ask me that question!” – which in itself is a line of dialogue whose implications are hard to escape.

The end of the ep is interesting in itself, no less so than because it represents the conclusion of the arc in one episode, a first for the anime adaptation. The Fairies gloom clouds flood the island and it disappears beneath the swollen lake. When Watashi wakes Grandpa and Joshu-kun are there, having come to her rescue (I take some satisfaction in the fact that “Joshu-san was worried” is a reason Grandpa states for why they’ve come, as well as his embarrassed expression). Gramps tells her that the former island used to house at least three native species of rare spiders. Watashi nervously laughs it off, trying to cast the blame on the Fairies. Grandpa provides the ultimate moral of the story in the final line of dialogue: “Learn to clean up the mess, Foolish Child.” If only it were so easy – but, oddly, I think this coda adds at least a slightly hopeful tone to what’s otherwise a hilariously depressing commentary on human culture.

 

ED2 Sequence

…the site’s been down for the past couple of days. I managed to put up a maintenance message for a good part of time, but for those who missed it, the server had a hardware issue that required some emergency maintenance. The short story is that the hard drive was failing. To make matters worse, the RAID-1 mirrored drive that’s supposed to have me covered in this situation actually failed back in July without my knowledge, which left the site running on a single faulty drive that needed to be backed up and swapped out immediately so that both drives could be replaced.

With the help of Mentar and his friend Fruit, I managed to get a full up-to-date backup of the site, so nothing was lost — not even a single comment — unlike the crash we had back in the day on Aniblogger. It took me longer than I would’ve liked to reconfigure the server with a new Debian (Squeeze) distro, but everything should be up and running now. I expect there to be some hiccups, so please let me know if you encounter any issues (performance or otherwise). Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Note: Expect a flurry of posts to be published, as the writers have been staying on top of things during the downtime.

「黒と白の剣舞」 (Kuro to Shiro no Kenbu)
“The Sword Dance of White and Black”

There’s something rather meta about blogging SAO while playing Guild Wars 2. It’s rather an odd feeling to – oh god they’re at the gates again – uh… anyway, where was I? Oh, it’s rather an odd feeling to be writing impressions about a story set within an MMO while playing one at the same time. All MMOs share core similarities, – I think I’ve been over this at least once before – which extend not only to the systems but also to the players themselves. Kuradeel (Yusa Kouji) – who looks a lot uglier (and a bit older) than I always imagined (though I think this look does him justice) – is a type of player who is not entirely uncommon. In fact, he’s a type of person who is not particularly rare either (especially not in anime). That guy who hangs around the cute girl – whether because he was ordered to as protection or just because he chooses to, – likely has feelings for her, and is eventually cast aside without a second thought… I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve seen it both in and outside of fiction. He’s that sort of slimy character who’s incredibly vain despite not being particularly attractive (his sword broke because it was more a vanity piece than for practicality. Actually, Kirito could be argued to use a lot of vanity items – just look at the variations of black trenchcoats he wears – but he has the benefit of being the MC so they ‘just happen’ to come with uber stats. Funny how that works huh?) and you just know that he’s not the type who will let that sort of insult go.

Super rare pop monsters are another staple of most great MMOs – there’s that rush that comes from lurking in an area where one will spawn (usually referred to as ‘camping’), killing it, and hoping for an awesome drop. Especially with those ridiculously rare, long respawn-timer types such as the Ragout Rabbit. I’m actually a little surprised that no-one else was camping him given how much the meat is worth and the ease of the kill. Or perhaps there was someone hiding behind the scenes watching in horror as Kirito appeared from nowhere at just the right time to steal his prize. Who knows! It happens. Had I been in Kirito’s shoes, I would almost certainly have elected to sell the meat – even if you seem to be set financially, you never know when you might need those extra funds. Heck, he could probably have bought a house just like Asuna’s with it!

However, choosing not to sell the meat gives us the perfect opportunity to spend some time with the ever-adorable Asuna. Her many reactions are priceless, just as Liz’s were last week! On top of that, the cooking scene was handled far better than the blacksmithing scene in the previous episode – this is what I would’ve liked to have seen done. Instead of having her moon over feelings, we actually get to hear some of Asuna’s thoughts on the process – how she considers it ‘oversimplified’ and ‘boring’ compared to cooking in the real world. It tells us a lot about her character – that while she loves cooking for the joy and the flavours it brings, she also enjoys the work that goes into preparing the food – she doesn’t skimp on hard labour. Strong, independent, skilled at cooking, more than capable of gutting you if you look at her the wrong way… she’s the perfect waifu!

I feel no surprise to hear that more and more players are losing the heart to fight as clearers. Two years is a long time and spending so much time with such intense immersion, it would be pretty hard to deny how ‘real’ the world may seem just as you cannot say with any true certainty that the ‘Matrix Theory’ is completely false. They might remember the world before, but it may have become a distant memory. For many, this reality could even be preferable – gaming (particularly MMOs and even more so with VR) is often associated with escapism, so after the initial shock, people could plausibly grow to legitimately like this new reality of theirs. Naturally, players dedicated to clearing still exist (a whole five hundred of them), but I wonder how many among that number are doing it entirely for the thrill of combat rather than the eventual possibility of clearing the game and setting everyone free.

To close, I want to ask a question. Those who are familiar with only the anime (i.e. have not read any of the light novels or manga whatsoever) – how would you feel if after episode one, the story had skipped straight to this point in time, completely bypassing the side stories (episodes two through seven)? Just a passing curiosity since that was how it was delivered in the light novels. I’d like to see how people who aren’t readers of the light novel feel about how the series has been structured so far.

tl;dr: @MoombaDS – We’re kicking off the main storyline with a bang this week! Lots of pretty cool action and some adorable Asuna! #SAO

Random thoughts:

• That’s a lot of meat from a small animal! Well I guess it’s no less strange than the termite that dropped a greatsword for me earlier today!
• Archer would undoubtedly approve.
• Kirito claims to believe that other party members would hold him back – it’s actually hard to say whether these are his true feelings on the subject or if it’s just something he uses as an excuse to avoid another Sachi situation. Alternatively, it could be a bit of both – it might have started as the latter, with the continued pretence eventually becoming a truth to him.
• I have always wanted to be able to do this. With pens though. Knives might be a bit risky. Never quite managed to get the hang of it unfortunately.
• Why would you hesitate? Ever? I mean like really?
• And thus, after surviving for two years as a front-line clearer, Kirito died, slain by an angry girl. There’s a lesson here folks.

Full-length images: 05, 28, 30.

 

Preview

End Card

Jager isn’t screwing around, that’s for sure. It’s an understatement to say the good guys are driven into a corner right now, and at this point, I’m not even sure what Tsuna can do. It looks like he’s half-blind for the time being, which is only an added handicap in the face-off against the Vindice. This obviously isn’t a good thing since with Xanxus and Squalo seemingly down for the count, Team Good Guys need some serious divine intervention to get the ball rolling in their court again.

I’m not going to beat a dead horse by reiterating how disconcertingly weak the protagonists are turning out to be, as there still may be some sort of twist involved, most notably with Mukuro and his advanced illusions using Verde’s machine. I don’t quite buy Jager attacked and defeated the real deals just yet, even though there seems to be some evidence to suggest otherwise. It seems highly unlikely for Xanxus and Squalo to be defeated so easily even before the battle really starts – if Amano Akira wanted to emphasize how strong Jager was, he would be standing above the corpses of all the team members, hammering in the zetsubou through and through. But Mukuro is still standing, and his new skill is based around making illusions that are as realistic as possible: what is to say this isn’t an illusion? The fact Dino and Byakuran still remain as virtual non-entities in the battle is an indication things haven’t started in earnest (unless they’re so weak that the audience is just supposed to presume their imminent defeat. Please no). There’s also the fact the scenes of Xanxus and Squalo getting wounded were fairly explicit. I can’t recall the earlier arcs, but recently, Amano has gotten into the habit of “faking” the readers out; the more graphic a scene is, the more likely it is to be some kind of “trick”. As it stands now, there are too many variables to consider this a concrete development.

The timing of the battle is up in the air too, as while the battles against the lesser Vindice members can be assumed to have taken place over the course of 90 minutes, it’s not entirely clear where this round against Jager fits in the timeframe. I highly doubt only the last three minutes were allotted to such an important battle, and understanding when this battle is taking place plays an important part in guessing how big of a role Tsuna will have – this chapter has made it clear he won’t be taking part in the fight against the Jager until the very last minute. Assuming Dream Team began fighting before the last quarter, there’s obviously more to go since they have to hold out until Tsuna swoops in to save the day. If this fight started just as the Hyper Trio was helping Yamamoto and Gokudera, I’m going to have to question the logic of that development – what were they doing for the better part of 90 minutes? Talking? Having tea? I can’t imagine Dino playing exposition fairy lasted more than ten minutes, tops.

In any case, it looks like most of the answers won’t come until next week.

Note: Sorry for the delay! My posts for the next two weeks (at the very least) are also going to be a bit late due to moving – sorry about that!

「BABELランキング戦、開始」 (BABEL Rankingu Sen, Kaishi)
“BABEL Ranking Tests, Commence!”

The episode title says it all, as the new arc gets rolling with the BABEL Ranking Tests. As expected, Akatsuki and Miu have all the bulleyes planted on them for one reason or another, but hey, it’s like that Burger King quote: “Have it your way!” And I’m sure Akatsuki wouldn’t have it any other way. As expected though, everyone’s pretty much a “scrub” so the term goes, so they’re taken care of barely an hour in by Akatsuki and the rest of his overpowered team. And it’s just a nice touch, because not only does the series not waste valuable time on these guys, we also get a few flashy moves in the meanwhile, and the earlier arrival of the Student Council. Due to their continued emphasis on how they wouldn’t arrive until the next day, and thus in my mind the next episode, it was a darn nice treat to see them join the fray early and prevent the rest of the episode from killing the atmosphere/mood.

In the end though, as expected, even the Student Council can’t quite do anything to Akatsuki either, despite their flashy combo techs. Rather, it seems like the only one actually around who can at least put up a fight is Motoharu. It makes me wonder how he acquired such powers in the first place, but I reckon they should give off some more details about that later. There’s the link to the Council President after all, so that’s probably related (heck, they might be related). So that leaves perhaps the most important part of the episode, which is the continued hints that Motoharu ain’t anywhere near who he seems to be. And at this point, I’m quite sure he’s the source that’s been feeding information to the other world. But the thing that seems to be rather strange is, he doesn’t seem to want Akatsuki dead or anything, but rather to maximize his powers. Probably for some end like overthrowing BABEL or something.

In any case, things start to look a tad grim, as Doctor Phil comes to crash the party. With Miu and the rest of Akatsuki’s team caught in an early cross-fire and the fact that BABEL’s protection from actual physical damage negated due to an attack on HQ (seemingly by Motoharu), it looks like Akatsuki’ll have his hands full for the first time all series. As such, next episode looks like it’ll be one of the better, if not best episodes of the series in terms of an action standpoint, which should be quite a sight to behold. I do find myself getting more and more worried at how it’ll end though, because it looks like this arc might just take the rest of the four episodes, leaving us at some kind of break in between arcs. It’s a better alternative than a total cliffhanger, but I can’t say I like series getting only part way through an adaptation before bidding us adieu…

 

Preview

「リアルナイトメア」 (Riaru Naitomea)
“Real Nightmare”

I didn’t think it was possible for me to enjoy an episode with the Jiggle Butt Gang – turns out that I’m wrong! I’ll be honest, I expected this episode to be uninteresting as I’m not a fan of the butts, but this week, they were so different from usual. While their typical eccentric characteristics remain, they actually contributed to the main story without making it look super silly. Why couldn’t they be like this in the previous episodes? I actually found them quite likable today. If they have more relevant roles in terms of plot, I don’t think I would mind seeing them again in this arc.

Besides the Jiggle Butt Gang, we had another group’s return in this episode – the Archaeology Society is visiting FAIRY TAIL, and they brought us a lot of information. All characters are so useful today! We finally know what the chaos of the Infinity Clock means. All stellar magi have a link that prevents the clock from setting the chaos in motion. Cutting these biological links (anti-link) will allow the clock to unleash its horrible powers – the power of altering time perception. I’m not entirely sure what will happen to the stellar magi; Oración Seis said that the magi would sleep for hundred years but that can’t be right in all cases. Maybe they meant that it would only happen to Lucy who is trapped at the moment.

It makes me quite sad to see Lucy captured like that. I mean, sure, the plot must advance, but why is she always a victim? I know it is necessary for her to be the victim in this arc because she’s a stellar mage, but in general – I wish she’d make use of all that potential. Sometimes, I don’t think FAIRY TAIL does her character any justice. But in this arc, her being captured is completely fine with me. I hope Natsu saves her as soon as possible; he really needs to hurry now that Oración Seis have set things in motion. Hopefully, Natsu will be aided by Coco whom he found in the confinement area of Zentopia. Speaking of “teamwork”…

Looks like Natsu and the Jiggle Butt Gang made a fine combination for breaking out of prison. I feel a bit sorry for the butts though – that burn! But at least, they’re out now. And we also have FAIRY TAIL’s other members on their way to Zentopia along with Blue Pegasus. Also, this time, FAIRY TAIL is bringing people who can cooperate well.

With Mira fighting Racer, and Kinana heading out on a search for Cobra, it feels like this arc might really come to an end with this season’s ending around October. The story is getting more intense; less fooling around, and more battles. I’m really excited about this arc’s finale. So far, I’ve been very happy with this arc, so hopefully it will have a brilliant conclusion true to the FAIRY TAIL style.

Next week we’ll have loads of fights. Now that the council knows who the traitor in Zentopia is, I expect to see Lapointe join some battles. By the way, something completely random and interesting that I noticed in the preview was the narration. I thought the shipping in FAIRY TAIL was just something that was brought up by fans, but I was wrong! Happy mentioned two couples that I ship very much, and that gave me some hope that there might be some romance between these people after all! We’ll see, we’ll see…

Moete kitazou!

Full-length shots: 3, 11, 13

 

Preview

Episode 05

「ガレット剣風録!」 (Garetto Tsurugi Kaze Roku!)
“Galette Sword Style Record!”

I feel that something should be said about the developments in this episode. Something smart, about the clothes stealing ninja bunnies that made me go all eyes wide shut, or the setting shift from a light fantasy to a period Japanese theme, or even of the badass wandering samurai introduced here, Makishima Isuka (Katsu Anri). And yeah, maybe I’ll get to that analysis in a bit, but you know what? Forget about that. First things first. NEKOMIMI NANAMI. WITH LONG HAIR. IN A YUKATA. HNNGGGGGGG-

Ahem. Yea. Okay. So, surprisingly enough, I didn’t think I would’ve enjoyed the episode more so than I initially expected. The opening half of the show that followed the mudane activities of the Galette folks was painfully slow, almost as if the show was trying to force some primer of the “Country of the Week” down on me. There were some bandits mentioned, which meant that I’ll probably get to see a bit of action by the end, but asides from that shaky promise, nothing was really pulling me into the episode. The shift of setting to a period Japan town from the standard fantasy fare was intriguing, but Nanami and her team’s initial investigations proved to be equally unexciting, at least until the appearance of, yep, mysterious swordsman #10030. (To be fair, Isuka isn’t a bad character by any means, but his archtype isn’t particularly original either.)

Next thing you know, ninja demon bunnies. Honest to god ninja demon bunnies. From that point, my mind kept shuffling between “lolwut?” and “holycrapthisisawesome!” as the episode continued to get increasingly wacky. Truthfully though, it was a godsend, the zaniness of the developments breathing life into what was fast becoming a stale episode for me, giving back to the show some of its characteristic exuberance. There was also that over-the-top scene stealing debut of Leo and Millhi with backlights, smoke effects, fanfare and all, so gobsmackingly flamboyant in its execution and presentation it became far more entertaining than it honestly had any right to.

The surprise revelation of the episode was that Isuka turned out to be d’Arquiene Brioche’s (Hikasa Youko) sister, who herself was originally called Hina. (And it’s a name that is a hell lot easier to remember. I might just start calling her that from now on.) It’s interesting to see another demon hunter being thrown into the mix here, and with the existing cast also increasing their demon-combating capabilities, it seems as though Dog Days’ is trying to build up to something major. In any case, it was one heck of a sight to see the normally collected Brioche/Hina getting so easily flustered by Isuka’s teasing, and regardless of their relevance to future plotlines, I sure hope this won’t be the last time we’ll be seeing the duo as something more than mere passing cameos.

And before I forget to mention, don’t you find it pitiable that every single time Vert (Kotobuki Minako) and Juane (Nagata Yoriko) show up, they’re just there to be completely floored and stripped without fail? Not to mention, their short-lived glory was completely stolen from them by the sudden appearance of the rest of the cast. I say, give those girls a break and let them have their singular definitive moment just like with Noir. They deserve that much, at least.

Full-length images: 03, 07, 12, 19, 23, 24, 31.

End Card

Episode 06

「パスティヤージュ英雄王伝説」 (Pasutiyaju Eiyu o Densetsu)
“Pastillage’s Hero King Legend”

“Become mine, Hero!”

Oh wait, wrong story. Props to you if you got the reference though. You Sir/Madam, deserve a cookie, if I could ever get one to you. (Sure hope you as hyped for the coming anime as me.)

Well this certainly was one heck of an interesting episode, and by interesting in Dog Days’ I really mean “WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY SMOKING”. For the first half of the episode, I honestly believed that we were finally going to get what would be the “serious” plot of Dog Days’ with the bit of exposition on the Hero King and Demon King. Dog Days’ strung me along and I bought it hook, line and sinker. There was even some kind of a connection going on with Pastillage’s royalty descending from the Hero King. With all that setup, Couver then decided it would be the greatest idea ever to try messing with the Hero King’s very obviously lampshaded momument, trying in turns with every single hero. I’ve gotta say here, the part where she and Cinque very conveniently undid the magic circuit seals on the Demon King ended up being pretty contrived, but with Dog Days’ I’ve learned to take most of its developments with a grain of salt. Thus, the Demon King Calvados Valerio (Toriumi Kousuke), is unleashed upon the world once again. With a suitably evil bright power absorption ability. And maniacal laughter. Can’t forget the maniacal laughter. Sigh. Well, it wasn’t a particularly great start to the “serious” part of Dog Days’, but I already expected worse.

By then, I resigned myself to just lay back and watch how it would disastrously unfold, and the next thing you know, telescope-focus on towel-wrapped ladies. I pretty much had my jaw on the floor at this point, and probably for the rest of an episode that couldn’t decide if it wanted to be serious or comedic. At one moment, we’ll see Valerio acting as the comic relief of the show, waltzing around the estate like a bawz and summoning the winds to sexually harass the maids, or fist-landing into the women’s bath and getting floored by the NanamiBecky combo. The next moment, we’ll see him absorbing everyone’s energy and menacing Couver like some proper Demon King. At some points the show even lapsed into sides-splitting unintentional comedy. Dirtying Millhi’s precious ribbon? NO. You Monster. That’s a crime against dogmanity, that be. “IT’S A PUNCCHH!”. Honestly, it’s a mess of disjointed ideas that they have here, but Valerio’s character and the respective developments came so far out of the left field it became amusingly entertaining, especially when seen as some kind of self-aware clowning about by the show. (The part where Couver’s and Cinque’s eyes were hastily covered was a pretty nice touch in this regard as well!)

The kicker, of course, came with the epic summoning of the Hero King. And yes, it’s an amazingly contrived Deus Ex Machina to have Couver act so specifically to the conditions of summoning, but I was already laughing too much from the parodic nature of it all, so much so I couldn’t even bother at this point. Just another bit of wackiness to add to the list, amirite? With that magical girl-esque transformation and getup, her hilarious domination of Valerio, and that morbidly cutesy nature of hers as she smashes down that absurdly huge morning star, Hero King Grand Mariner Adelaide (Kitamura Eri) was a scene stealer from the moment she appeared. (Another big industry name! How in the world do they do it?)

It’s one hell of a heel face turn this episode pulled out. When they started mentioning Demon and Hero Kings, the last thing I would’ve thought of was a couple seemingly pulled out from some kind of romantic comedy. Yet, for all the confusing signals this episode puts out, it somehow works. The parodic personalities of Adelaide and Valerio meshes incredibly well with the fun-loving cast of Dog Days’, and with their cryo-sleep delayed for foreseeable future, I’m looking forward to the craziness they’ll pull out over the course of their stay.

Full-length images: 01, 02, 03, 09, 21, 23, 35.

End Card

Episode 07

「封印洞窟戦!」 (Fuin Dokutsu Ikusa!)
“Battle at the Cave of Sealing!”

HNNNGGGG!

HNNNGGGG!

HNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

HNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG- HRUGHHHHH-

Oh boy, this episode was not for the faint of heart or mind. Masaki Tsuzuki (Scriptwriter of DD’), I tip my hat off to you. This was the single most absurdly entertaining episode of Dog Days’ thus far. To think the episode started off innocuously enough; after piling on the introductions over the last two episodes, we find Adelaide, Valerio, Isuka, Brioche, and the Bahamut-lookalike-Kratos reforming their old monster-hunting raid party to check on some demon seals. Hang on, question first: How old are the siblings to have known the Hero and Demon Kings? Weren’t they suppose to be the stuff of myths and legends? Oh yes, now I see what you did with that potential spin-off idea there, and let me just say that I’m not opposed to seeing some OVA about on their partying hijinks. Preferably with a young and naive Brioche/Hina!

Predictably, things goes south fast, but oh how gloriously wacky it does so. The show had me going again with its semi-serious tone, and after the heel face turn of episode 06 I honestly believed Dog Days’ was actually going to enter its “serious” arc proper this time. Then, cutesy de-aging demon mice. A Horde Of Cutesy De-aging Demon Mice. I’ll put this right up there with the ninja demon bunnies on the “lolwut?” scale, and I honestly had to wonder from what rainbow-dyed corner of the writer’s twisted mind this brilliantly bizarre idea spawned from. Watching Dog Days’ had always demanded a suspension of disbelief on some level, but this just takes the cake on anything the series has put out thus far. But once I got past that, the episode was a riot. Age regression is one of anime’s oldest gimmick in the playbook, but damn if it ain’t some good fun. Watching the characters flail around in their chibi forms just melts the heart, doesn’t it? And even after taking most of the incredibly adorable cast out of commission, it still just ain’t enough for the team behind Dog Days’. What else could they do? What else could possibly top the chibification of the cast?

“That’s right, BISHIES.” No really, this was your plan from the start right? Forget the inexplicably convenient Heroes Skype Group, or the unexplained age regression from life-stealing demons, or even the fact that the mice could mass into a giant furball. This episode was purely about chibis, bishies and giving the cast an excuse to kick some ass. I don’t know if that’s insanity or pure genius, (they often say a thin line is drawn between the two) but damn if it the end result isn’t one of the most hilarious of the summer season. Seeing the adult Gaul and Cinque kick all kinds of mega-furball ass while charming the chibis with the classic princely sparkles was epic, HNNGG-worthy and just incredibly funny all around. I’ve also got to mention, whoever came up with Becky’s jailbait line to bishie Cinque deserves an award.

The only regret coming from this whole debacle? Why, oh why, were Rico and Leo not here!? These two were sorely missed throughout the episode, and would’ve been the perfect characters on which to play this cliché. Come on, who’s with me in seeing an adult Rico? A chibi Leo? It’s not like precedence in plot or setting could stop the creators from doing whatever the hell they wanted with this show at this point.

Honestly though, the last 3 episodes make a good case for this new season of Dog Days. The creators seem to understand the appeal of Dog Days as a fluff piece, and are pulling out all the stops to play this aspect up with their gimmick of the week, all while naturally expanding the fun, even if somewhat clichéd, cast of characters. I sometimes think that it’s because the characters in the show are all so unanimously having super happy mega fun times regardless of what they are doing, that all the fun they have rubs off on the viewer. Really, who needs some badly enacted drama when I’m already having fun watching the characters having the time of their lives? I’ve said it time and again that Dog Day’ ain’t a particularly deep anime in any regards, but damn if it isn’t entertaining the heck out of me week by week. Flonyard might just make the perfect place for a vacation if it actually existed. Now what’s next for the show? Gender bending? Or how about some body swapping hijinks? Tried and tested too!

Full-length images: 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 15, 16, 18, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32.

No, I’m not dead! Triple post bonanza! This last two weeks have been some of the most ridiculously busy of mine as I came up against deadline after deadline, and I really feel like I’ve been slacking in this department. Future episodes should (hopefully) be much more timely as I get past the bulk of my workload.

End Card

「ラ・ヴィアン・ローズ/Johannson’s book」 (Ra Vian Rōzu)
“La Vie en rose”

When we write the book on Eureka Seven AO, I suspect we’ll look back on this episode as the one where all the pieces started to come together.

There have certainly been flashier episodes of AO – episode 2 (for the sheer “wow” factor) and 14 (the brilliant re-introduction of Eureka and the exploration of her relationship with Ao) come to mind. But I’m not sure there have been more successful ones, and by that I mean this was an ep that seemed to accomplish a great deal both in terms of story and character, and did so in a way that was perfectly under control. Music placement and animation were flawless, characters were on-model, and the pacing was steady without being exhausting. This feels very much like the episode that’s going to provide the framework for the rest of the series.

I have no issue with the sheer amount of plot and intrigue that AO has thrown at us, but at some point the series was going to have to focus on a couple of major threads and build the conclusion around them. The reason I’ve been fine with it is because I have a great deal of faith in Shou Aikawa and figured he had plenty of time to do just that, and we’re seeing the process on display here. When this series started it was very much a character study of Ao, and while he’s always been central to events as the scope of the show has widened, it’s become somewhat less personal. This episode zeroed in directly on Ao once more, and I think it framed all of the colossal events playing out in terms of one very elemental quest – a lonely boy’s desire to find his mother. For all the talk of timelines and world lines and the Byzantine geopolitical intrigue there was a need to make all that about something manageable and human, and that’s it.

That’s not to say there weren’t massive amounts of information downloaded too, but plot-wise it now seems to be towards a larger purpose. And there was definitely a shift there too, finally answering some questions without raising more than were answered. It’s Stanley who dubs Nirvash’s new weapon the “quartz gun”, and it’s Nitorin Rajkumar who first gives voice to what it did – “damage the past”. I’d argue that damage might be a subjective term, but the point is that Ao firing of the weapon appears to have eliminated the scub burst from the past in Norway, and in the process altered the memories of everyone about the past. Except Ao, that is – is it because he’s, as Truthie puts it, a “child of the scub coral”? Mind you, I’m highly suspicious of Stanley here – I always have been but now so more than ever. I found his “This is a discussion for adults” jab at Ao both insulting and highly suspect, as was his reluctance not to dig too deeply into the medical issues suddenly facing GenBlue staffers (scub coral growing in the lungs). Stanley is a bad man, and he knows much more than he’s letting on.

The “damage” is done, in that Ao has definitely heard Rajkumar’s hypothesis and believes it, and it leads him to explore Goldilocks’ fate (garnering a somewhat sympathetic ear from Team Gazelle). His quest leads him to Ireland, where he finds Chloe and Naeve happily living and working at the family bakery. While Ao loses his nerve at the last moment and doesn’t announce his presence, it’s clear he’s both relieved that the girls are alive and horrified that his weapon has the power to alter reality. It’s also well-worth noting that during this expedition Georg continues to alternate between personalities (as he does later in the episode) and that the mysterious Elena tells Ao “I’m the only one who understands you.” I find her comments especially interesting in light of the revelation that she’s writing the manga that chronicles the adventures of Team Pied Piper (the anime adaptation of which is struggling in the ratings as some condemn it as a “terrorist propaganda anime” after GenBleu’s secret hoarding of quartz is outed).

There’s also a good deal of headway made on the question of alternate realities, and Johanson’s role in it. In his book (in Han’s possession, courtesy of Nakamura) he states that his adopted son told him of a reality where there were 7 billion people (Ao’s world has 3.5) and power is derived from nuclear fission, and where there was no massive burst after World War II that wiped out Tokyo. But it’s not “our” world, seemingly – there were “massive scub bursts in 1907 in Siberia” that dramatically impacted the Soviet Union (which didn’t exist then in our timeline) and China, and “all religions are obsolete”. Johanason states the both the Scub Coral and Secrets are manipulating human history, and dreams of a world where humans exist free of both of them.

This would seem to be the world that Truth is seeking to return to – or perhaps, the reality that he’s trying to restore. And the quartz gun would seem to be the key to all this – indeed, perhaps the key to everything. It launches itself under its own power and combines with Nirvash, and “eats” the quartz from a scub burst Pied Piper and the Coalition forces are squabbling over. But Truth steals it from Ao, and submerges Ao in the ocean – where he meets again with Eureka. This time, though, it’s clear that this Eureka is Ao’s mother – she recognizes him instantly, and tells him that she’s only able to intersect with his timeline for a few moments. She also tells him that although ten years have passed since she extracted the giant quartz and was sent to an alternate timeline (she notes how much Ao has grown) that only a few days have passed for her. Especially conspicuous in this exchange is her remark that “To the quartz, time and space are the same.” I don’t understand the full implications of that, but I believe it’s going to be central to unraveling all the mysteries at the heart of AO.

In that short and poignant scene in Nirvash with Ao interacting with the astral Eureka, everything that’s important in the series is captured in its essence. I think BONES has done a superb job with Eureka in her brief appearances, showing her as heartbreakingly beautiful and kind – an idealized boy’s vision of his most mother, yes, but one that surely resonates with someone who loved the original E7. Ao has committed himself now to bringing Eureka home to him by whatever means possible, and the quartz gun is seemingly the key – but the gun is “incomplete” according to his mother, and Renton has been searching for it himself. And when the moment comes, Ao can’t bring himself to fire it at Truthie, even as the latter encourages him to do so – Truth wants Ao to fire the gun because it will alter this world he loathes as false, but Ao fears to do so knowing that it might have great consequences for the only people he knows as “real”.

Clearly then, we’ve entered a new (and probably final) major phase of the story. Goldilocks are gone from the OP, and their role in the series is likely done. Ao at long last has his goal firmly in mind, even if he doesn’t know yet how he’ll achieve it. Is completing the gun simply a matter of consuming enough quartz, or is there more to it than that? Of greater import is the role the still-unseen Renton will play in the final resolution, and I think it’s safe to say that Ao is going to be faced with a very difficult choice – just what consequences is he willing to shoulder the responsibility for, if it means getting his mother back? I don’t expect any of this to be easy for him – it certainly hasn’t been so far – but in the end AO always had to find its resolution in Ao’s personal journey, and this week it took a big step towards that resolution.

 

Preview

I couldn’t stop myself from grinning throughout the entire chapter as the Natsu fangirl I am.

I constantly got chills while reading this chapter. And it’s not just because I absolutely love Natsu – it’s because I thought this chapter was amazing!

Of course, not everyone shares my opinion. I noticed some negativity over how one-sided this battle was. Personally, I don’t think it’s one-sided considering that Natsu and Gajeel were being punched around by Sting and Rogue in the previous chapter (for the sake of studying their opponents’ powers). Each guild got their own chapter to show their strength; turns out that FAIRY TAIL was the stronger one. Also, Natsu’s motivation was his will to avenge his friends which, in my opinion, is a much stronger resolve than Sting’s promise to Lector, and this might make me seem a bit biased, but I really wanted FAIRY TAIL to win this, so, I couldn’t be happier with this chapter’s outcome.

I know I said I respect Sting for his promise to Lector, and I still do, but after giving it some thorough thinking, I realized that Sting shouldn’t be very respected. I mean, while he is valuing his promise to Lector (and their friendship), he mocks others’ relationships. So in the end, I couldn’t sympathize with Sting when he fell while thinking about Lector.

Rogue on the other hand, hmm.. I don’t have much to say about the guy but I definitely like him more than Sting at the moment. I still expect them both to end up in FAIRY TAIL in the future, and if they do, I know I’ll be able to forgive them easily like I did with Gajeel. This is something I love about FAIRY TAIL – it has the ability to make any character likable!

But no one is more likable than Natsu if you ask me! He was brilliant in this chapter. I knew he’d win this fight because of how predictable most battles in this manga are, but I didn’t expect him to win in such an epic way. Not only did he beat two Dragon Slayers at once all alone, he also proved that power doesn’t matter – it’s all about your heart. Man, I love shounen despite the clichés.

Natsu’s attack in the end was insane. I don’t think I’ve seen it before, is it new? The attack’s name reminded me of Byakuya from Bleach – the way the fire became flower petals/blades; it was quite impressive.

I’m very pleased with this week’s chapter and I can’t praise it enough. Hopefully we’ll see Erza fighting Minerva soon and I expect that to be even more impressive than Natsu’s battle. I’m also very curious to find out who the crying person was near the beginning of this chapter. I thought it would be Zeref until Ultear said the presence was slightly different from him. Hmm, who could that be? Anyway, looking forward to next week! This arc just keeps getting better!

Moete kitazou!

I’m pretty glad I never decided to join in with the assumptions that the mysterious girl was Demeter. Many people speculated that it could in fact be Dokurou given the importance she played early on in the arc and it turns out that they were correct! She obviously has some major trauma which is making her attempt suicide though what it might be is currently unclear. Were it not for the fact that she survived the fall in the previous chapter, I would have guessed that her death at this point contributed to making her a demon or something, however that’s obviously not the case and the reasons behind her de-aging remain a complete mystery to me. This whole situation brings up an interesting question – assuming that she’s human at this point in time (of course it’s entirely possible that she isn’t), does that mean that under particular circumstances humans can become demons? On the other hand, she could potentially be a demon raised among humans, with her trauma originating from ‘accidents’ she caused, though this seems a little bit on the cliché side even if her comments about not wanting to kill support it… and it would probably also explain why the fall didn’t cause her any serious injury.

Should Keima succeed in capturing her, will this stop her from becoming the Chief of the Runaway Spirit Squad thus drastically changing the future? The fact that Keima has been sent back to ‘change’ the past strongly suggests that whatever his actions are, they’re not going to result in the timeline we’re familiar with. It’s also nice to see that contrary to a lot of people suggesting this arc may have no actual connection to the previous goddess arc, the revelation of her identity makes it seem much more likely that Vintage will continue to play a part. I wonder just how much of a role Dokurou is playing in her own capture – she was the one to supply the orb in the first place so she surely must have had some idea…

With two chances used up and only another two remaining, it’s good to see that Keima was able to put his foreknowledge of the situation to good use, managing to get to the scene much earlier than in the previous cycle. It’ll be interesting to see just how he makes use Dokurou’s identity – I suspect Elsie might be able to tell him more about her should he ask. Fun stuff in this chapter included a practical use for the fire trucks (albeit an ineffective one) and what appeared for a moment to be a very bad end for Keima. It would have been pretty cool had that actually been a bad end followed by the orb performing a reset. Unfortunately it was not. However, it’s still worth noting that the orb glowed anyway – perhaps in response to Keima’s success at getting an emotional reaction from Dokurou. As a side note… doesn’t Dokurou technically count as the ‘first girl?’ I wonder if this means anything….

tl;dr: @MoombaDS – Mysteries deepen with the revelation of our latest capture target’s identity! #TWGOK

Episode 20

「憧れの一人暮らし／夏のお祭り」 (Akogare no Hitorigurashi/Natsu no Omatsuri)
“The Ideal Single Life/Summer Festival”

Panda…isn’t changing. I’ll skip things that I’ve been repeating the last few episodes and keep it short. Although I like it when he’s acting as a support character (like in episode 21), he becomes very…spoiled and hard to watch after that. He seems to pick on a lot of the characters and do whatever he wants without much consequence, which rubs me off in the wrong way. At this rate, it looks like that’s not going to change, which although is a shame, is something to be expected.

On the flipside though, more Sasako and Handa interaction was present this episode! Those of you who have been following my posts know how much I dig this coupling, but it’s worth saying again here. Although the two of them may be the most plain and uninteresting characters alone, their interactions together seem very honest and intriguing. Although we’re reaching the end, I hope that any hint of an actual date comes up before closing!

Besides those two main events, a new ‘Panda’ appears onto the stage, though if I recall correctly, he made a small appearance in episode one. I like his spunk and desire to achieve, especially considering his lesser status inherent in his name, and so I hope he appears more in the few episodes we have left. He and Grizzly could make a great pair in terms of comedy, where Grizzly protects Red Panda even though he’s tryin his hardest, in contrast to regular Panda whose efforts are more spread out.

However, like the last time I did a double post, the second episode ended up being much more interesting, in a lot more ways….

 

Preview

 

Episode 21

「ンダくんパンダじゃなくなる／メイメイの王子様」 (Panda-kun Panda Janakunaru/Mei Mei no Ouji-sama)
“Panda is No Longer a Panda/Mei Mei’s Prince”

My first reaction to this episode: wut.

Whoever the director is for the zoo must be the most epic troll of all time, something I wholeheartedly approve. Two paws up! Although, like last episode, Panda was being a self-centered animal, it was paired with enough shenanigans to become a really enjoyable skit. The various suits that Panda wore…brilliant stuff, though I really do question the tastes of the visitors, who should obviously recognize that there are other animals (and humans) in animal suits, but don’t really care either way…Actually, on second thought, that’d be a pretty interesting thing to see. If all the animals decided to switch places for a day, with say Now that I’ve seen the ultimate potential of Llama to be anything but a llama, he should get that reassignment! He does get the short stick compared to Giraffe (haha), so let him be his own person! It would make a great attraction and he’d get tons of compliments!

But there is one person who got more compliments than Llama could ever get…and it’s the one person I never would have thought. If Mei Mei is the making of a love triangle…that’d be both hilarious and slightly creepy at the same time. Although it makes sense that Handa-san has qualities that an actual Panda may find attractive, cross-species attraction is quite a big jump. However, with Rin Rin’s undying love for Panda, this shouldn’t be surprising. Despite this, the skit and Panda’s hilarious way of handling the awkwardness was comedic gold. It’s a winning combination with how Mei Mei is able to keep an attitude that keeps Panda in check, something that not many cast members have the ability to do. Hanazawa Kana performs the role of aggressive little sister well–if the show gets a second season, she should be at the forefront of the next running story arc, first to be an enjoyable character, second to speed up Sasako x Handa. Although I love Mei Mei’s antics and energy, her silliness is the death of anything serious.

Next week: more Penguin…which may mean more Penko-san! It looks like we’ll finally see how Penguin makes a living and is able to frequent the cafe every day, a question that’s been bothering me this entire series.

 

Preview