Random Curiosity

「桜色のウエディング／桜色なクリスマス」 (Sakurairo no Uedingu / Sakurairona Kurisumasu)
“Sakura-colored Wedding / Sakura-colored Christmas”

Sakura Trick is at its bets when there’s progress in one of the couples, and we got plenty of that this week. How adorable!

They’re Practically Married Now!

The whole Yuu-thinking-she-and-Haruka-were-the-ones-getting-married bit was silly, yes – silly in that Yuu was being silly to think Haruka would propose in such a blase way – but it worked well because it brought Yuu’s feelings to the fore. She accepted Haruka’s proposal, and then was jealous when she thought Haruka didn’t want to marry her!! I mean, these two are practically married already, or are destined to be, but hearing them actually out and say as much, and admit that they want to be together forever…HNNNNNGGG!!!

Even Sweeter When Not Kissing

Sakura Trick has staked its reputation on the yuri kiss. That’s its selling point – if you want to see girls kiss, watch Sakura Trick. (And if you don’t want girls to kiss, you’re a monster and therefore your opinion doesn’t matter, but you also shouldn’t watch Sakura Trick.) The thing is, as with full-on ecchi series, sometimes it’s what you imply that is better than what you show, and sometimes it’s the feelings that matter more than the actions they take.

The kisses during the first half of the episode were great, don’t get me wrong. Yet somehow, them enjoying the wedding together and then spending time together outside were just as sweet, if not more. And when Yuu cuddled up to Haruka…oh my! Sometimes, something as simple as holding hands is as sweet, if not more, than a delicious yuri kiss.

Progress Is Everything

Sakura Trick is at its best when there is progress in the relationships between its characters. Some shows can tolerate the status quo better, but that’s because they’ve indulged in the status quo for so long that we’re used to it; with Sakura Trick, we got used to rapid developments from the get-go, so everything else seems wanting. This episode, we were back to seeing progress, and in the main couple no less.

The first half was great, with their vow and everything, but the second half, with their nervousness and confusion around one another, made them seem less lusty and more loving. That more directly hints at the feelings they hold for one another, not just their desire to kiss a cute girl (though I wouldn’t blame them if that was their main intent). It reminded me of relationships in the past, when I got the most nervous around the women I cared about the most. It was very sweet to see them do the same.

Good Guy Onee-chan Mitsuki

Mitsuki deserves all the props for, even though she clearly likes Haruka and is becoming increasingly aware of this fact, helping Yuu and Haruka with their “fight” anyway. Her advice even came in handy in the end! I very much enjoyed how awkward she was at going about dealing with Yuu and Haruka’s awkwardness, though. Really, Mitsuki-kaichou is just too adorable. If you’re not going to take her Haruka, I will, ’cause she’s exactly the kind of onee-chan I want. No–the kind of waifu I want! Mitsuki-kaichou is love <3

Looking Ahead – More Kissing?!

The kiss at the end of the episode was sweet, to be sure – and it was so out in the open too! But what really captured my attention was the kiss in the preview. Is that Mitsuki-kaichou kissing Haruka!? I’m looking for more progress, all the way to the end of the series if possible, and Mitsuki-kaichou kissing Haruka would be delicious progress indeed. More kissing please!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Yuu & Haruka exchange vows, & then get all nervous around their beloved. This yuri is so adorable! #桜Trick 08

Random thoughts:

• “So a girl would be fine.” Haruka, you are so gay! Well done.
• “I don’t think it’s that far away.” This dangerous girl!
• Who gets naked and then decides what to wear? Not that I’m complaining. And Mitsuki-kaichou did it too, nyahaha!
• Mitsuki is even cute with a mustache.
• I enjoyed the special ED sung by Mitsuki-kaichou and her friends. It also gave us further reason to think that Yuzu-chan might be the only straight girl in the cast. Maybe. Except maybe the character’s moms, though if Witch Craft Works is any indication…
• Super special hyper thanks to Zanibas for providing the screencaps for this episode. I only had about an hour to spare while my guests were taking a nap, so if it weren’t for Zani this post wouldn’t have come out this week. You rock, Zanichhi!

Check out my blog about storytelling and the fantasy novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Critical flaw, Sometimes, the fluff is everything, Mental domination, and I never get to read my own work.

 

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「Sweet Kiss」 by SAKURA*TRICK

Preview

OP3 Sequence

Episode 21

「水底よりの使い」 (Minasoko Yori no Tsukai)
“The Messenger From the Bottom of the Sea”

Welcome back, Manaka.

As much as I’ve enjoyed the show, regardless of quirks here and there, it was more obvious to me today than ever just how much I’ve missed Manaka and what her presence does to the series as a whole. It’s not a question of shipping, but more one about group dynamic; Manaka is always the most childish presence, the happy, bright center of everything. That doesn’t mean she’s always happy, but without her, the sea kiddos do feel a little more somber and a lot more lost. She is important, not just in her role in the greater plot, but also because of the way she affects the others. There are a lot more interesting and complex threads of characterization and development when Manaka is around, and a much greater contrast between her glee and the actual state of everyone else’s psyche (as well as Manaka’s own situation, much as she seems to be oblivious to it).

First and foremost, there is Hikari. Undoubtedly happy to have Manaka back, her return has also caused him grief in terms of his uncertainty about her feelings. It’s probably been killing him, wanting to know what Manaka was going to say to him after the Ofunehiki, and even more so now that she’s back and seems to have forgotten about it. Even more worrying is the fact that she seems to have forgotten most of what she experienced, and that she seems completely unfazed by the fact that her Ena is gone. Perhaps she knows more than she’d like to tell, or perhaps she really has forgotten (the blank eyes she had when Akira got hurt seem to imply something’s wrong at the very least), but regardless, Hikari is definitely still more than a little worried.

On the other hand, it’s looking more and more like Hikari has less to worry about on the Tsumugu front. Not only do we already know that he’s in love with Chisaki, but Manaka didn’t seem to care very much to see her old crush, which is strange to say the least. I could see her feelings being the thing the Sea God took, to throw one theory out there, but it’s also possible Manaka was possibly awake/aware at some point in the last five years and overcame/lost those feelings there; personally I still think it’s likely she became the Sea God’s Bride, whatever that really entails in the long run.

Chisaki too is affected by Manaka’s return, but more subtly. She’s now truly the odd one out among her childhood friends, and as much as she smiles and probably feels thankful for Manaka’s tact and kindness, I’m sure she’s hurting at seeing her friends around her as unchanged as ever while she’s been left behind in a sense. You can argue that Miuna is feeling similarly, though for vastly different reasons (there’s not too much of a barrier there except for those self imposed and need to make up for lost time), but in my opinion Chisaki must be in quite a lot of inner turmoil, though I’m sure that’s true of everyone to some extent.

As to Manaka herself, I have to say that she’s still an enigma right now. For what reason do she and Miuna seem to share a connection? What did the Sea God do to her, and what is his “plan,” so to speak? Why was she allowed to be taken from Shioshishio (even if it seems the God was angry, I think he could have put up more of a resistance), and what role do her friends have in the distant storm we seem to be forming in the not-so-far future?

 

Preview

「とおく群衆を離れて」 (Toku Gunshu o Hanare Te)
“Far from the Maddening Crowds”

Well, would you look at that. I mentioned it as a possibility last week—albeit an unlikely one—but it turns out my prediction was right on the mark. Satsuki does end up wearing Senketsu after all’s said and done, and it sets the stage for the fight we’ve been expecting for a while now. At the same time, this fight brings everything full circle—we’re back where we started—and there is no backdrop more fitting than Honnoji Academy to finish things off.

All things considered, it looks like we’re in for an action-packed finale equivalent to (or in excess of) what we’ve come to expect from this series. At the same time however, this confirmation comes with a bit of irony, as it also highlights the same developmental weaknesses I felt were present previously. While the episode ends up entertaining overall, it must be noted that Matoi was not a major reason why. Rather, Satsuki and Co. end up carrying a lot of this episode—something that seems to have become the norm as of late.

Indeed, the big thing for me this week is how much they hammered in Matoi’s inability to accept that she’s made of life fibers. On one hand, it’s entirely understandable—that’s a lot to digest in a short time—but at the same time, it’s something that nullifies the resolve she had only a few episodes ago. Considering how vital that was for her development then (and her ability to recover Senketsu’s pieces), it’s a bit hard to stomach that she can be so easily unhinged. Not only that, but the fact she reacts this way makes her comments and reassurances to Senketsu about him not being just a tool (also just a few episodes ago) especially disingenuous. The second the equation flips against her, she seems to just ignore the sentiment she felt previously, and all notion of calming down and listening to her “friends” too. Worst of all, she assumes they’ll look at her a certain way despite evidence to the contrary, and these are all things a main character should be doing at this stage—especially since much of her development has centered around those same friendships. Considering also that the pinnacle of unwavering resolve in Satsuki is ever present, the fact is, Matoi just doesn’t look as good when compared and contrasted.

Granted, the aforementioned doesn’t necessarily make much of a difference (the action respects are still quite good), but it was something I felt should be mentioned regardless. Even action-oriented series need to have a story to link things together, and it has to be said that some of the pieces here don’t fit that well in that context. At least though, we get a pretty cool revelation in regards to the The Naked Sun this week, and it was a nice touch to see Takarada making a triumphant come back too. Looking forward, what can I say? Fun times are ahead—even if getting here wasn’t as smooth as it could’ve been.

Full-length images: 06.

 

「偽りの…精霊聖母(モリサマー)」 (Itsuwari no… Seirei Seibo (Mori Samaa))
“The False… Spiritual Virgin (Mori Summer)”

After two whole episodes of constant relationship development on the Yuuta and Rikka front, this week took a slight break to focus on our other favorite duo.

Stalker..san?

While I’m not 100% sure if this girl is the mystical Stalker-san everyone’s been talking about in the comments, I have to say that she gave off a pretty bitchy attitude. Not only did she completely lie about being the real Mori Summer but to go and tell off Nibutani in front of all of her friends had me nearly frothing in anger. I clearly remember hoping that Nibutani would have slapped her across the face for spouting such nonsense. It’s a shame it never happened!

Nibutani and Dekomori

If there’s one thing this second season of Chu2Koi has been doing right, it’s definitely how they’ve been throwing the harshness of realty at us. We all know that deep down inside, Nibutani and Dekomori cherish each other. While they may share an awkward Senpai-Kouhai relationship where social norms and respect have been thrown out the window, it’s clear that through the strong bonds they’ve developed with each other fosters a certain amount of mutual respect. A mutual respect that pushes them to go out of the way for each other when the time calls. Which is why I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Nibutani as her beloved kouhai just tossed her aside for a fake. Slowly sinking in a sea of depression, a majority of the episode felt pretty hopeless.

But with enough prodding from everyone else, Nibutani was able to get back up and once again became Mori Summer to help Dekomori get through some tough times. In typical Chu2Koi style, we were given one of the flashiest chuunibyou battles to date and got an awfully heartwarming speech from Nibutani to wrap things up. All in all not too shabby for two people who say they “hate” each, right?

That said, I still wish Nibutani just smacked the crap out of the fake Mori Summer to prove her point. Alas, even though it didn’t happen I suppose I shouldn’t be too bummed out about what actually did go down.

Rikka and Yuuta

Even in an episode where the focus was on everyone but them, Kyoani did a great job at reinforcing some of the things they painstakingly taught us last week. First and foremost I am so happy that there wasn’t some random “reset” on Rikka and Yuuta’s relationship. With Rikka actively thinking about how to act more like a girlfriend and doing things like initiating the sacred act of hand holding, it feels like things are going smoother than ever.

Second but just as important was how she handled her feelings of jealously. While it seems like she’s still trying to figure out how to deal with Sophia, there’s no denying that she put that aside and asked for her help because she was the best one for the job. Basically showing us that even when Rikka’s stuck with making a hard decision, she’s matured a bit where she can actually make objective decisions even with her feelings on the line.

Kumin-senpai and Isshiki

Not wanting to be left out, Kumin-senpai was back in full force this week. Even though she may be one of the more “sidey” side characters, you have to hand it to her for seeing straight through Nibutani’s facade and noticing just how much the fake Mori Summer wanted to touch Dekomori in all the wrong places. As I’ve said time and time again, you have to wonder just what Kumin-senpai could be capable of if she stayed in serious mode all the time!

Who’s Isshiki again?

Looking Ahead

With everything in a rather stable position, I haven’t the slightest clue what could be in store for us. The only thing that seems to make sense is that maybe we’ll get hit with some new girl who tries to throw a wrench into one of our two duo’s relationships. That or maybe, just maybe Isshiki might get a surprise episode that finally liberates him from the dog house (yeah right).

No matter what happens though, it looks like everything is in place for a grand finale. And with Kyoani doing a great job behind the wheel, I’m confident we won’t be disappointed when the time comes!

Random Thoughts

• [13:59] jagster: takaii
• [13:59] @takaii: takaii is kind of here — hi
• [14:00] jagster: cant believe you didn’t catch the hint that Rikka might be losing her powers
• [14:00] jagster: I think thats where the next few episodes might head
• [14:00] jagster: or maybe just next episode at least
• [14:01] @takaii: i thought about it a bit but I just chalked it up to giving us a good reason to bring sophia in :|

 

「妹の悲しみをいやすのは、妹」 (Imouto no Kanashimi o Iyasu no wa, Imouto)
“Only a Little Sister Can Sooth Sadness Over a Little Sister”

More Mayura, more Nadeshiko, more rebellious Kobeni, more broken Benio, more jealous Suetsugi, and–wait, did she say marriage!?

Nadeshiko & Mayura – The Rise of the Rest

This show has a lot of good characters, but I very much appreciate the strong supporting cast in Mayura and Nadeshiko. And here I mean supporting literally – so many shows lack basic things like existing friends for their characters, but here we have them. As for these two in particular, this was the first time I felt we got some serious time with Nadeshiko, and it’s a treat to see her deadpan tsukkomi for Benio. She kind of reminds me of characters like Hinagiku and Chiharu from Hayate no Gotoku (I’ve been catching up on the manga recently), characters who are responsible and dependable and therefore cannot support the comedy at all, but which are great support for their more bonkers friends.

As for Mayura, she just surprised me, even though maybe she shouldn’t have. From telling Niko-chan off (and following it up with some great gratuitous English) to being surprisingly perceptive about Mashiro and Suetsugi – I don’t think she truly suspects they’re more than human, but she’s definitely more insightful than most – she’s solid support for Kobeni and comes out with some good laughs at unexpected times. More Mayura please!

Rebellious Kobeni, Broken Benio

“It’s a secret!” HAH! As I’ve often said, talking about comedy is hard because it’s a subjective experience – plus you threaten to ruin the joke – but Kobeni’s rebellious stage + Benio’s brokenness really amused me. Part of it was the much-needed comeuppance – after how much Benio has harassed Kobeni and Mashiro, it was nice seeing her get an emotional beatdown, even if Kobeni delivered it by accident. Plus I thought it was funny, so points there.

Suetsugi vs Mashiro

More solid comedic writing! Something as simple as the wind on the roof howling too much to hear each other is a small detail that most writers would gloss right over, but here it was mined for delicious comedy. I also enjoyed them pointlessly racing to the roof, because it’s just the kind of useless fighting that I can imagine two teenage girls indulging in. (Well, one teenage girl and however old Mashiro is.) They also nicely intertwined the whole point of those scenes, them discussing how they’re both shapeshifters/youkai/whatever-they-are, with that jump off the roof. And then another gag! Beautiful.

Good Onii-chan Hakuya

Imoutos are so fetishized in anime that it’s nice to see a big brother just acting like a good big brother. Hakuya did that here, calming Mashiro down and giving her some chocolate (not to mention simply revealing himself when she was crying rather than staying hidden like he said he would). I liken this to all the terrible, dirtbag parents (especially fathers) in…well, all media, but definitely including anime, and then seeing fathers like Yanagi from Blood Lad. I still want to give him a damn medal, and Hakuya may deserve one too.

Looking Ahead – Did She say Marriage!?

Well color me surprised, Suetsugi ended up being a rival for Hakuya after all! I actually like how this was done, because while she clearly has little interest in Hakuya himself, it fits with the started-with-an-arrange-marriage vibe of this series. It just fits, in the same way that if Suetsugi was a boy you could imagine her trying to go all Hikaru Genji (trope!) on Mashiro, that hypothetical pervert. (Okay, she’s an actual pervert too.) But the real point is to see what Kobeni does about this, and that will be interesting to see. She gets along well with Hakuya and they seem to have good compatibility, but will she fight for him? It is an arrange marriage after all, and it’s not like she’s in love with him…yet. Maybe. I guess we’ll find out!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – The supporting characters rise while Kobeni breaks Benio & Suetsugi proposes to Hakuya. Did not see that coming! #mikakunin 08

Random thoughts:

• The animation in this continues to be nicer than it needs to be, from when Mashiro broke free of Benio’s grasp to Suetsugi’s mad gymnast skills. Swiftly approved!
• Mean girl Kobeni is kind of nice too.
• Gendo Benio, run away!!
• I agree Hakuya. There’s nothing wrong with Kobeni’s chest or butt. Viva la kyonyuu & child-bearing hips!
• Fatality!

Check out my blog about storytelling and the fantasy novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Critical flaw, Sometimes, the fluff is everything, Mental domination, and I never get to read my own work.

 

Preview

It’s a slight improvement–it’s microphone related and draws from the current season!

In what is perhaps one of the more disappointing seasons in recent times, six writers come together to discuss why this is and what implications this has for the future. Not every show that’s airing right now suffers from this disappointment (basically every show we specifically decided to talk about), but as a whole, it hasn’t been a good winter. What sorts of topics and biases will come up this mid-season podcast? Who’s going to get made fun of the most this round? Tune in and find out!

Speaking for logistics though, we have decided to put changes to the podcast mainly on the backburner and to adjust the format slowly. Our first priority is setting up an iTunes feed for our Apple loving fans out there, as well as transitioning into a four-a-season format of podcast. Expect a big podcast release three weeks from now, where we talk about miscellaneous subjects, especially those concerning the weaknesses of the current season!

• Stilts – @StiltsOutLoud – MAL profile
• Kairi – @Okaeri_Kairi – MAL profile
• Guardian Enzo – @GuardianEnzo
• Takaii – @randomc_takaii – MAL profile
• Zephyr – @ZephyrRC – MAL profile
• Zanibas – @Zanibas – MAL profile

• 00:00 – 07:01 – Opening Song – 「Viva Namida」 by Yasuyuki Okamura (Space Dandy OP)
• 07:01 – 35:41 – Space Dandy
• 35:41 – 54:23 – Nagi no Asukara
• 54:23 – 73:39 – Uchuu Kyoudai.
• 73:39 – 90:20 – Gin no Saji 2
• 90:20 – 127:49 – Season Roundup
• 127:49 – 130:10 – Shoutouts and Outro – Oto no Naru Hou e by Goose House (Gin no Saji ED2)

~Bloops!~

• 00:00 – 06:12 – Bloopers

Winter 2014 Mid-Season Podcast | Duration: 130:20 – 96 kbps

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Winter 2014 Mid-Season Podcast – Bloops! | Duration: 06:12 – 96 kbps

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This chapter moved along relatively quickly, going from As Nodt’s life flashing before his eyes to his (presumed) end at the hands of Rukia, then to the beginning of a new fight. Ironically, as Byakuya observed previously, As Nodt is now the one filled with fear – fear of hell, and fear of pain. In the flashback, Yhwach mentions him to be one of the “survivors”, perhaps implying that the Sternritter are the survivors of the purge. As for Rukia, she has transformed completely white, sporting an elegant outfit, and her surroundings are frozen from top to bottom.

The next battle will feature Isane and Yachiru (the pink one) against yet another very creepy enemy. They are scouting out what seems to be the Sternritter living quarters when Sternritter V, “Vanishing Point” Gwenhael, appears behind them. This guy is pretty much straight out of a horror movie (or Doctor Who), and has the ability to appear disappear at will, from both vision and memory. Gwenhael is going to be a tough one to fight, though Yachiru does land a pretty solid first hit. They are almost certainly going to have to resort to some tricks to beat him, but I am pretty curious to see what they will be capable of. Yachiru especially has been implied to be a lot stronger than her appearances, and this may actually be the first time that we will see her fight. I really hope to see her kick ass on her own. That said, even if they are defeated there is no doubt that Kenpachi will show up and completely destroy him for attacking his lieutenant; I don’t think it will matter in the slightest whether he can see or even remember his opponent.

The 666th chapter is here and things end up developing quite positively despite the chapter number being what it is (and despite the various obstacles in the way of our main cast). Indeed, Obito ends up doing a lot more than I ever expected him to do, and it even takes Madara by surprise. I mean, Obito literally just pushes Madara out of the way and takes some of his chakra! That’s just bad ass. It turns out he was quite capable after all—he just needed a little talking to bring out the hidden shounen powers, that’s all.

Terrible jokes aside, this week’s chapter actually ends up pretty interesting, and I must say I liked the Obito x Kakashi moments in particular. The whole reunion of Obito’s eyes, the bit where they’re working together as a team again with Minato onlooking… it was quite nicely done considering all the twists and turns we’ve gotten up to this point—even if it ironically highlights just how underdeveloped Obito was as a villain. That said, the Obito villain arc did ultimately set the stage for the epic Madara moments we’ve been getting, so it does even the scales somewhat—even if it seems like Madara’s power levels seemed to have conveniently dropped (or was it Obito’s conveniently increasing?) for the duration of this chapter.

Ultimately, the big thing is that we know how Naruto’s likely to get back into the picture, as Obito’s reclamation of part of the eight tails and one tail seem to be the key—even if it’s not exactly the Nine-Tails we’re talking about here. I suppose the number of tails do add up to nine however… so I guess the next question is what Sasuke’s going to get in order for him to re-join the picture, and I reckon we’ll be getting a brief respite from the Madara x Obito + Naruto + Kakashi portion of the fight to address this. Onward to next week!

「イツワリ × ノ × イカリ」 (Itsuwari × no × Ikari)
“A × False × Rage”

That apology didn’t really sound sincere to me…

It’s hard to believe that there’s been complaining about the latest run of episodes of Hunter X Hunter, but there has. In fact, it goes back to the days when the manga first introduced this part of the story. I suppose it’s a testament to how faithfully Koujina-sensei is adapting that the complaints are largely the same now – it’s rare that you see an anime criticized for adapting a manga too faithfully. I’ve religiously avoided reading H x H until after the relevant chapters have been animated and I consider these last two months as good as any the series has had, so for me the complaints seem to be a product of false expectations of what kind of writer Togashi-sensei is more than anything. But those opinions are no less valid than mine – just as different as they could possibly be.

I would hope that an episode like this one would be more satisfactory to those dissatisfied with the approach Togashi and Madhouse have taken, for while it wasn’t wall to wall shounen battles it was largely action-driven. And damn, was it tense – though pretty much every episode lately has been unbelievably tense. In hindsight I think a large part of that tension spring from how much of the narrative is playing out inside the characters’ heads – the “Narrator” role gets all the pub (and hate) but the internal narration of the cast is even more important to keep the audience in the loop, and at the same time make us feel the extreme agitation and unease they’re feeling. And yes, that includes the Chimera Ants.

Another product of this approach is that it really plays up the strengths and weaknesses of each character – their thoughts and feelings giving us a greater understanding than the characters have themselves. This episode largely played out through the perspective of three characters – Youpi, Knuckle and Ikalgo. Yes, we saw others – Morel and Pouf’s battle was looked in on, and much to my surprise Killua played a small but crucial role in the end (kudos to last week’s preview for being unusually circumspect in not tipping us off that it was coming). But it was really about Youpi – up until the last few eps by far the least explored of the Royal Guard – and the Bro Squad.

What did this episode tell us about Youpi? Well, for starters I have to give him credit for adapting with incredible speed – obviously a frightening hallmark of his species. Could any human go from being controlled by their own rage to controlling it for purposes of deception as quickly as Youpi has? Of course not. Youpi has always been the most direct of the Royal Guard, never asking too many questions and intentionally avoiding overthinking. But here he recognizes an opportunity that requires a skill that’s completely different than his usual repertoire, and he actually pulls it off brilliantly. I thought to myself that the fact that he was so new at this subterfuge business might be his undoing, but I’m not sure anyone could have anticipated the attack that thwarted his plan. Still – one could argue that it was Youpi’s inexperience in deception that allowed him to be deceived in the act of deceiving – and it’s impossible not to think all the way back to the Hunter exam, when Gon (still new at all this himself back then) was ambushed while in the act of ambushing Hisoka. What goes around comes around, and old themes repeat themselves.

On the other side we have Ikalgo and Knuckle, who’re so alike in many ways – so human despite the fact that one of them isn’t actually a human. Ikalgo continues his quest to locate Palm, and Brovoda has followed him to the basement to confirm his suspicions. Ikalgo has no way to know where he slipped up, so he’s really flying blind here. The quest for Palm nets nothing more than a message from Palm (written in Nen) that confirms she’s fled Area B and headed for the palace – the most-expected result, but not what Ikalgo was expecting to see. The more immediate problem is Brovoda, who unwittingly tips off Ikalgo to the mistake he’s made because he assumes it doesn’t matter, as he’s about to kill Flutter anyway. He does “kill” Flutter, not realizing the real turncoat remains behind – and Borovoda seems to have made a huge mistake in descending Bizeff’s elevator without knowing about the passcode system. But for Ikalgo a major problem remains – he knows now that “Hagya” (which Borovda himself uses to refer to Leol after he blasts Flutter to scraps) is wrong, but not what the new name is.

As usual, the episode saves the biggest drama for last. Knuckle is impossible not to love – he’s just such a straight-up guy. An idiot? Maybe – but one who knows he’s being an idiot and can’t stop himself anyway. The whole notion of going after Youpi instead of waiting him out in foolish to begin with, and Knuckle knows it. His bro-nologue as he’s attacking Youpi is a truly great moment – funny, incredibly tense and very sad. He’s walking right into Youpi’s trap, of course, and some part of him seems to sense it as his time slows to a crawl. “Wow!” he marvels, “I’m amazing myself! I don’t think my mind has ever moved this fast.”

Knuckle deconstructs himself completely as this scene plays out, displaying the full range of his fallibilities. He muses that he never even liked Shoot that much, yet he’s risking everything to land a punch for the sake of Shoot’s honor – yet, that’s Knuckle to a “T”. He’s a bro’s bro, too kind for his own good, a sweet soul who has more faith in the fairness of the universe than someone in his position should ever have. When the nanosecond when Youpi reveals the trap happens (and the BGM changes), Knuckle is convinced he’s about to die and it’s very easy to believe he’s right. It’s yet another shiver-inducing moment of raw intensity in this arc, one earned by Togashi’s willingness to go where few mangaka would be willing to go. Knuckle’s thoughts in that moment reveal him for exactly what he is, flaws and all – probably on-balance the most decent and innocent person we’ve met in a brutal and pitiless world of killers.

Killua isn’t the only one who makes a surprise appearance at this point – though “appearance” isn’t exactly the right word for what Meleoron does. His ability has been used dramatically exactly as it has strategically – unpredictably and with great effect. No question, Youpi bested Knuckle here – Knuckle says it in so many words – but if anyone ever deserved to be bailed out, he does. Killua proves himself a magnificent bastard here, striking at the perfect moment, paralyzing Youpi with a lightning bolt far bigger than we’ve seen him use up to now. Killua may be a young boy and Knuckle a seasoned adult, but too much of Killua’s innocence has already been lost. It would be wrong to call him unsentimental – indeed, he can be hurt very deeply if it’s Gon doing the hurting. But Killua still has a core of cold steel inside him and it reveals itself in moments like this.

As Killua silently (that silence is quite conspicuously showcased) strides towards Youpi he tells him “Sorry, but what’s about to happen is just me blowing off some steam.” As much of a badass as Killua is I wonder if he’s taking Youpi too lightly here, but given than Knuckle was able (thanks to Kil) to land eight blows, Youpi should be in dire straits indeed at the moment. This is a ripple radiating outwards from the moment Gon said those cruel words to Killua – a moment, it seems, that will make its effects felt in many ways subtle and gross, for a long time to come. I’ve said in the past that both Gon and Killua have their moments (and that “ripple” moment was one, for both) where they reveal themselves to be the fragile children they still are. But in Killua’s stature and presence here and Knuckle’s emotions both before and after Killua intervened, it’s impossible to escape the feeling that the man is in many ways far more innocent than the boy. And that does nothing but make the both of them all the more endearing.

 

Preview

「波との戯れ びちょびちょだぜ, 万能ウィング, スルメとタカトシ Max Power! その5, 夏の夜 夏の朝」
(Nami to no Tawamure Bichobichodaze, Bannou Uingu, Surume to Takatoshi Max Power! So no Go, Natsu no Yoru, Natsu no Asa)
“Play with water and get soaked; All-purpose Wing, Dried Squid and Tsuda Max Power! Part 5, Summer Night; Summer Morning”

I can’t remember if we’ve already had one of these, but it’s that time again! With liberal amounts of suntan lotion on certain body parts and peace signs in all the wrong places, it’s the beloved beach episode!

Tsuda! Tsuda! Tsuda!

Before we start though, I have to say that Tsuda has been getting pretty creative with his comebacks these days. Maybe it’s because he’s grown weary of retorting with his usual deadpan style but I for one love it whenever he goes and does something out of the ordinary. Be it yelling “Jesus” or other English words like he did this week or throwing out some awkward accent to emphasize his disdain, what would we do without him?

On the other hand, I thought it was AMAZING to finally see him get upset over something. Seeing how he takes enough crap from Shino and Aria alone that would have caused normal people to lose their temper long ago, it felt so rewarding to see him unleash some of that built up stress. Makes you wonder about what would happen if Tsuda decided to get angry instead of playing the straight-man, right? Even if he played it off as a joke at the end, I would love to see what kind of reaction we would get out of everyone.

Dried Squid + Sex Toy = ?

I for one want to know — just what is on that sex toy? Seeing how normal yogurt doesn’t behave like that and we know for sure Tsuda didn’t jizz all over it, what could it be?! Unless there was some strange coating on that thing that caused Tsuda’s yogurt to lose its viscosity within minutes (which I totally call bullshit if that’s the case), I can’t even begin to imagine what it could be. Maybe someone actually jizzed on that thing in the short time Tsuda was outside the room trying to stop a fleeing Aria?

Mitsuba is our sliver of hope for the future.

Before I close things out for this week, I just wanted to bring up how cute I think Mitsuba is. While she’s a close second to my number one favorite Suzu, I can’t get over just how innocent she is. She can’t retort to sex jokes, she’ll hold a used vibrator with a smiling face, and when the time calls for it she can literally knock you to the ground. All things that just make her stand out that much more in a sea of characters that are just waiting for someone to set them up for some kind of dirty joke.

While we’ll have to wait another whole week before we hopefully find out what that sex toy is drenched in, here are some full sized caps to tide you over until then. Also, does anyone want to go ride on a beach cruiser with me? LOL

Full-length images: 1, 4.

 

Preview

End Card

「鳥の名前」 (Tori no Namae)
“The Name of the Bird”

The enemy’s here, the trainees are officially forced into combat, and it doesn’t end well. A vast majority of the Van Whyl class (including Fausto) and others including Wolfgang are killed—making this a brutal demonstration of what war is and the harsh realities it brings with it. Last week’s quote about the “loss in combat” ends up ringing true—the person who said it was killed too—making this week a fulfillment of expectations in a variety of ways. All things considered though, it didn’t feel like this episode was so much about the battle as it was about the realizations that came from it.

Because although the combat was fairly thrilling to watch—it was quite reminiscent of Last Exile’s style and had some great music accompanying it—the main focus wasn’t actually about the combat. After all, it was quite clear that when Isla’s main forces returned, they’d end up winning the battle—at least this one—which makes the biggest thing here the fact that this battle forced our cast’s true colors to come out. Ignacio in particular ends up getting a fair amount of this character spotlight, and this episode seizes on the opportunity to finally give us something more regarding his feelings.

There’s a trick to it.

There was. The thing is, I don’t think Ignacio was only talking about the vehicle. Rather, it felt like he was saying there’s a trick to staying calm despite the strong feelings he seems to have regarding Kal-el and it’s something that further cements his (and Claire’s) importance in the story overall. Indeed, the actions of the two proved vital to the survival of various cast members this week already, and considering the fact that there’s less of them now just further highlights the aforementioned.

Moving forward, it’s interesting to note that the Sky Fleet may not be the ultimate/final enemy obstacle at all. If the message tube’s anything to consider, there may be other obstacles ahead for everyone involved here considering the “secrets” that are hinted at within… but for now, let’s just say there may be more pressing matters at hand. and one wonders just how the surviving members of our cast may react if they do end up working together with the same guys that shot down many of their friends. It’d be ironic—and somewhat fitting considering the fickle nature of war—to say the least, but for now it looks like there are more pressing matters at hand.
It’s been bought to my attention that I mistakenly associated the Sky Fleet with the Holy Levamme Empire. Thanks for the correction!

Because if the preview’s any indication, it looks like next week may finally be the time where Kal-el realizes who Claire really is, and it’s intriguing to note that the reception could be drastically different depending on how and when it ends up being revealed. With circumstances the way they are now, the timing of this revelation could very well ruin or cement their relationship for the rest of the series.

Ultimately, it’s another solid episode of Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta. The aerial combat ended up a hit/miss depending on your personal preference and prior experience with similar series, but I think it can be said that the episode packed enough drama and development to make it generally enjoyable regardless. Gosh darn it though, the trainees are caught between a rock and a hard place in terms of their supplied armaments and skills, and it could be said Isla’s in a similar situation too. Considering there’s no way to resupply at this point, it’s only a matter of time before the island’s done for if they keep fighting, and things look quite grim—especially since they’re going to have to deal with the post-battle realities that came from this fight too. When it rains, it sure pours… though this did notably give us some nice development regarding Ariel and Kal-el too. Here’s looking forward to next week!

 

Preview

「号泣サラダ」 (Goukyuu sarada)
“Sob Salad”

I’m not sure if this is a friendship episode, the greatest osananijimi self-sabotage ever, the beginning of a OT3 or an opening to ship yuri, but I know I liked it! (Hint: It’s all of the above.)

Chubby Moe

Say what you will, most shows wouldn’t go as far as making their female leads chubby for a joke. Are fat girls moe now? (Don’t answer that, I don’t really care.) This bit didn’t work for me though. What was the point? It felt very divorced from the rest of the episode, they reverted to normal too quickly, and it really just seemed to be padding the runtime until we got to the meat of the episode. All that could have been fine, but it just wasn’t that funny. Ah well, it’s hit and miss with a comedy, eh?

Oh Yeah, That Idol Thing

To be perfectly honest, I forgot about that whole idol thing. This show has a bit of an Outbreak Company problem, in that they’re having so much fun with all the silly comedy bits that they’re neglecting the plot. This episode did a nice job of partially averting that criticism though, as it’s the first time since Episode 4 we’ve had anything a bit more substantial. By the way, was this the first time Ringo has openly admitted to being Kusakabe Yuka? I’ve been so lost in the comedy and melons that I can’t remember.

Farming is Serious Business. It Really Is.

When a comedy series goes into dramatic territory, it’s always a tossup as to whether it’s going to work. Here we got mixed results. For instance, when Kousaku and Ringo found southern blight on the soybeans, I thought it was simultaneously too dramatic and just right.

I know that didn’t make any sense. I’ll explain.

It was perfectly appropriate to treat the southern blight situation as series because it was serious – that’s a lot of time, effort, and money all up in smoke, and it could have spread to other crops and been an even bigger problem. Margins are thin enough in farming, so these kinds of things are a big deal, just as they were with the tomatoes later on. What didn’t work for me was how dramatic they were playing the whole thing. Most of the students will have experienced disasters like these before, so they should be used to them, and yet they painted the whole situation with more doom and gloom, not the annoyance + busy activity to rectify the problem I would have expected.

For the record, the tomato incident later on had exactly the right atmosphere, so well done on that one.

The Ringo Metaphor & Good Friends

But it wasn’t all about the crops, not really. It was about Ringo. I got the metaphor, but what I most liked was that bolstering Ringo’s spirit was exactly what Kei had in mind from the start. I love reliable and perceptive best friend characters like Kei – another example is Touji from Tokyo Ravens – and that moment was a warm one, even if Bio Suzuki had to barge in and screw it up. Stop cramping my pure bromance scenes, fujoushi!

Minoppio & Ringotchi!?

The best part of the episode was undoubtedly the end. What a whirlwind, going from some touching Ringo x Kousaku moments all the way to yuri shipping!? Oh man, I think I’m dizzy…

What I’m the most curious about is what possessed Minori to write to Ringo–erh, Kusakabe Yuka in Kousaku’s stead. There doesn’t seem to be a pay off. She claimed she did it so he wouldn’t come off as so creepy, but without him knowing until now she got no rabu-rabu points for that, and she ended up inviting a strong rival for Kousaku into her life. It defies logic, how she so thoroughly shot herself in the foot…which leaves the only answer as Minori is just a really, really nice girl. Am I so jaded that this boggles my mind? Yeah, probably. Fuck me!

In all seriousness, Ringo turning around and glomping Minori was great! She rightly realized that Minori was the one she enjoyed talking to, so it was her that she wanted to meet (and Kousaku too, but they’re already on good terms). Not sure what this means for their rivalry over Kousaku, but could this mean he’s out of the race? Or maybe we’ve got true OT3 (trope!) potential now. I don’t know, but that was one fun wrench in the works right there!

Looking Ahead

Zanibas got swamped this week, so he’ll be back to yak at you next week. Thanks for bearing with me on this one. Until next time!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Chubby moe gives way to farming drama, friendship, & (for me) OT3 shipping! Minoppio & Ringotchi banzai! #nourin 07

Random thoughts:

• Tsundere Woodman kind of…actually works. Somehow. Is that weird? That’s weird. But it works!
• Why does it seem like every series I touch this season turns to yuri?

Check out my blog about storytelling and the fantasy novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Critical flaw, Sometimes, the fluff is everything, Mental domination, and I never get to read my own work.

「秘儀王」 (Higi Ou)
“THE HIEROPHANT”

After all this buildup with Nobunaga going through his pouty phase, what does he have to show for it? Not much, really. If we had cut out all the intermediate sad scenes of Nobunaga and his dramatic cherry blossoms and waterfalls while skipping to the final fight with Takeda, everything still would make sense. So what gives? Where is the character development that was supposed to come out of all of this? Jeanne is still a really useless secondary character and Nobunaga is still the keen yet overly reactive individual that he started the series as. Maybe we’re supposed to see a new wave of confidence around him, but if so, it’s lost among the other traits that have practically stayed the same.

The only character worth mentioning in terms of development would have to be Mitsuhide, whose struggles are the most interesting to watch of all the characters. The man has some serious backstory issues thanks to his dad committing seppuku, which nicely ties into the emotional struggles he has to face. After all, one commits seppuku either for personal honor and/or for the ‘greater good’–its possible that Mitsuhide saw disgust in him causing the same pain to Nobunaga and Nobukatsu that he had to suffer through as his father made him witness. However, now that Mitsuhide must lie to everyone in order to preserve the fabric of the Oda clan, it can only go downhill from here–when one piece of Mitsuhide’s plan starts to unravel, the best solution for him is only to perform more questionable acts. Again, I stress again that one of the main selling points of the plot moving forward will be when Mitsuhide has to seriously draw the line between a satisfactory goal for the clan and the sacrifices that have to come with it.

In fact, I fear that Mitsuhide himself will probably make deals with figures from the West Star–god forbid that it includes Caesar and his sadist twin loli/shota assistants. I do concede that it was clever in using the fog to their advantage to take over the Takeda, but it all seemed too convenient and obviously shock-value related that it seems like a cheap move for the story. Add onto the fact that Caesar is still chasing after Nobunaga’s sister–the only family he has left mind you–and it just spells disaster for the future. I do hope that they flesh out both sides of the West Star just as they have with Mitsuhide. As it’s currently playing out, it’s too easy to perceive the Western invaders as power-hungry and expansionist individuals with no remorse in what they do, save for Leonardo and Jeanne. As we approach the halfway point though surely things will start rolling by now with all-out conflict between Caesar and Nobunaga. But honestly, there are only a few things to look forward to right now–seeing what Nobunaga’s true face is (with the revelation of his inheritance, most likely a regalia) and seeing how Mitsuhide interprets as justified means to a better end.

 

Preview

「将棋(2) (Shougi 2)
“Shogi 2″

After its one week hiatus, Tonari no Seki-kun returns with one of its best episodes yet. With a great follow up to a previous story and the animation looking cleaner than ever, it felt like everyone who worked on it gave it 110%.

Return of the Evil General! Or is it?

After seeing a familiar shogi board back on Seki-kun’s desk, I wasn’t sure whether or not I should be excited. Luckily, Yokoi was amped and ready to provide all the stunning visuals and compelling story to keep me on my toes. Weaving us a story about a Pawn and his forbidden love with the Princess, I was expecting something along the lines of Romeo and Juliet to play out. Essentially, I was ready to see a pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life in order to protect their forbidden love (or get knocked out of a window).

Luckily, it didn’t end up as a blatant rip off of Shakespeare and instead we got one of the craziest twists ever. And even though Yokoi was the one who was narrating it, we have to give Seki-kun some props for somehow thinking this all through ahead of time. Putting a plastic cover perfectly over a shogi piece? Hiding the fact that the evil general was actually a good guy who was being brainwashed? Somehow finding a piece that flew out the window and bringing it back into the classroom? Really, Seki-kun is taking this whole “mess around in class” thing to a whole new level.

Looking Ahead, Sort of.

In a series like this where there really isn’t an overarching story, I think that Tonari no Seki-kun is doing a great job at drawing us in and giving us a sense that things are building off each other. With the our favorite duo interacting more and more with each passing episode (and Yokoi getting sucked deeper and deeper into Seki-kun’s schemes), it adds a small extra dimension to these shorts. That said, while I wouldn’t expect too much from a mere seven minutes a week, I can honestly say that I’ve grown pretty attached to the pair — something I didn’t expect to happen. Until next week!

 

「一線を越えて」 (Issen o Koete)
“Over the Line”

Poor Yato. I will be your friend! You’ve suffered alone all this time and I want to be that person that helps you rather than the other way around. I didn’t notice until now, but being a God must be awfully lonely; especially when people don’t even know you exist. That’s probably why most of the Gods spend the majority of their time with their Shinki (they are their only companion). Luckily Yato has Hiyori and I’m so glad that she’s taken the step up to try and help him rather than watch from a distance. She can have such positive impact on him if she’d actually reach out to try and help him, help her.

I don’t know if this episode is straight out of the manga or if it’s original material, but I thought it resembled the first chapter of the manga very closely. The first chapter (which isn’t the first episode of the anime) is actually about Yato helping a girl who is also being bullied in class. Coincidentally, he also wrote his number on the girl’s washroom stall and he surprises her one day by showing up in the same stall as her after she dials. This episode reminded me of that first chapter so I thought it was a nice touch if it was original material. Regardless, I thought the situation was dealt with very well by Yato. It was a very dangerous approach to the ordeal, but nevertheless, it went the way that he hoped and this young boy learned from that situation (plus, he got the bully off his back!). I would think that the whole purpose of this experience was to make him a better, stronger person – not simply to scare bullies away.

Now the other purpose of the episode, was also to share a little bit of Yuki’s state of mind. I get that there are people that probably don’t mind him and they defend him because, well, his actions can be justified (to some extent). I don’t deny that what he’s feeling is realistic because I can empathize with his situation and yes, he is an angry, bitter, lonely little boy (who just wants some friends). But I say that his actions are only partly justified because even past all these raw emotions that he’s feeling, he has to have a conscience that tells him basic rights and wrongs in the world. He was human after all and he is not a God that is not governed by these laws. In my point of view, I see running away, ignoring people, even petty thief as a way to rebel and “live life and feel alive” as something that’s acceptable. Teenagers do that and I get that. Where that line gets blurred though, is when there are acts of violence involved and the conscious decision to do wrong. I don’t disagree that Yato is wrong too in this stance – like I said, Yato and Yuki lack a lot of communication between them but Hiyori has reached out a hand to Yuki as well and he’s sort of just… taken it for granted and left. The smashing of windows and the aggressive behavior is not something that’s normal for all teenagers and it’s at this point that I can’t give Yuki any more excuses for what he’s doing. He has to take responsibility for his actions and so far, it seems like Yato is just suffering the repercussions for him (with his life). I hope that this is the turning point for Yuki and it finally opens up his eyes to the situation that he’s put Yato in. I think it’ll also be the pivotal moment where we finally learn who he is and where he came from. This is the moment that we’ve all been waiting for…or maybe just me.

Backing away from the subject of Yuki, I thought the overall episode was very well done. I love where the story is headed and I actually like each individual character (except for Yuki) because they all have their own motives and they’ve all become established characters in a short amount of time. The only conflict is that the Gods don’t get along even though none of them are inherently bad or evil. I think the dynamics between Kofuku and Bishamon were interesting because it makes me wonder if Kofuku really does purposely create portals just for Bishamon to clean up. What is the purpose of Kofuku’s being anyway? She doesn’t seem like a God that people praise exactly, so why does she get a shrine when Yato has to work so hard to get his? I suppose that whatever Yato did in the past must’ve really hurt his reputation (amongst both humans and Gods) and it’s put him in a bad position to be picky about anything – friends, jobs and Shinki.

 

Preview