「境渡りの欲深き者達」 (Sakai Watari no Yoku Fukaki Mono Tachi)
“The Greedy Ones who Cross Borders”
Explanation
How did Malga & Margot get their new Zwei Frauen?
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Malga says she got a message while on the way, and the sign frame she pulls up says EDEL Brocken. She also says “Perhaps it’s because M.H.R.R. is nearby.” Basically, EDEL Brocken is one of the manufacturing conglomerates based out of M.H.R.R., and the one that witches like Malga and Margot are linked to. I can tell you that this is the country which they originate from, though even without that recall that they use a lot of German words, and seeing as M.H.R.R. is the current incarnation of the Holy Roman Empire (which sits right on top of what will later become Germany), the link is obvious.
All that said, as for why they were contacted by EDEL Brocken and given new weapons, I don’t know, and based on what Margot said a minute or two after they suited up, neither do they. It’s possible that someone at EDEL Brocken / M.H.R.R. wanted Musashi to win though, and they decided to send along some weaponry to tilt things in their favour. That said, I’m told that Margot and Malga are test pilots for EDEL Brocken, and that the company decided to test out their new cutting-edge technology in the best place of all – the middle of a live battle. Good thing they just had crappy gas mileage instead of, you know, not working at all!
Why does Musashi lose if Tres España gets behind them?
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To satisfy the conditions to win, Musashi needs to fight a running battle with Tres España (with Musashi being the ones chasing after Tres España), and/or blow up quite a lot of their fleet while they’re at it (though that seems rather optional). However, if Tres España gets behind them, then Musashi wouldn’t be chasing them anymore, but rather running away – that would make England lose the reenactment. That’s why they can’t let that happen.
By the way, the way Tres España intends to force this is by firing on one side of Musashi repeatedly, in order to corral them into the direction they want them to go, which in turn would allow Tres España to get their fleet behind them. Think of it this way – if you’re wearing your nicest suit or dress, and someone comes by with a hose and sprays it your right, you’re going to move to your left to keep from getting wet. Then all they need to do it move the hose a little bit more to the right, forcing your further to the right, and so on and so forth until they have you where they want you. Now, replace a hose with massive naval cannons, and you in your best suit with the ships that house everyone you love and care about, and that’s the situation Musashi (and especially Admiral Adele) were faced with. For a minute, at least.
Musashi’s paths to victory against Tres España
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Other than beating on Tres España so much that they turn tail and run, Musashi was originally gunning for blowing up the aircraft carrier that was launching those mechanical phoenixes that Margot and Malga defeated. However, since they ran out of gas they couldn’t finish the job, after which Felipe actually blew up the carrier himself to prevent Musashi from destroying it.
This leads to the two ways Musashi was gunning to win. They could either 1) secure the wreckage of the aircraft carrier, or 2) relinquish the battle to the English navy and let them finish it. Both of these cause problems, though.
- The former is problematic because it’s a rather suspect method of winning, because though the aircraft carrier is a powerful part of the Tres España fleet, it has already been destroyed, so it’s more like they’re taking credit for other’s actions than actually beating Tres España themselves. This isn’t an especially strong way to win, and would require them negotiating with other countries to convince them that this was enough – and once again, that doesn’t put them in the best of positions.
- As for the latter option – relinquishing the battle to the English fleet – that would make Musashi look super weak, since they would be admitting that they’re not militarily strong enough to fight and win without calling in a stronger country to finish the job for them. They would in effect be admitting that their victory against Tres España and K.P.A. Itaia in Season 1 was a fluke. This would be the most dangerous outcome of all (short of Musashi sinking outright, of course), because it would risk them losing any amount of their sovereignty that they have reclaimed. After all, if other countries know they can push Musashi around because they’re too weak to resist, they will. Not good.
How did Musashi fulfill the requirements for victory?
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The victory requirement they ended up pursuing was making sure they stayed behind Tres España (thereby making it a running fight) and destroying the San Martin. Now, that’s not an avenue of victory I discussed in the previous explanation, but it was the one that was always there – destroy the enemy’s flagship and you take the battle, and the enemy’s flagship is the San Martin. Actually, it’s all three San Martins, which were destroyed 1) by Grace’s ship slamming into the first, 2) Horizon destroying the second with Lypē Katathlipsē, and 3) Mary slicing through the third with Excalibur Collbrande.
Adding onto this, Musashi not only won, but they did it in a pretty damn spectacular manner. Remember, this is more about optics than anything else, about being able to say to everyone “We’re strong!” more so than actually being strong. The combination of Adele’s insane city-ship aerial back flip, Horizon cracking out a new Armament of Deadly Sins (“Musashi took one from England? Wow, we [all the other countries] didn’t know that!”), and then Musashi + their new student beating all of Tres España’s best (despite them giving everything they had) and downing the rest of their flagships was all more than enough to convince the rest of the world that yes, Musashi is strong. Even were someone inclined to argue – though they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on – the manner they went about it pretty much removes the possibility.
What and where is IZUMO?
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As EDEL Brocken is to M.H.R.R., IZUMO is to Musashi. That is, it’s one of the industrial conglomerate based in the Far East which manufactures for Musashi (or, you know, whoever will pay). In fact, it’s also the company that built Musashi itself! As for where the location they’re going to is, it appears to be based on a neutral floating island (see here) in Hexagone Française.
Why did Gin stay on Musashi?
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My initial guess was that she was too ashamed. She talked so big, saying that she was going to beat Futayo and prove that Muneshige’s loss was just a fluke, and get his inherited name back, but she failed. However, there’s also the simple fact that she apparently didn’t have a chance to get off the ship before the Tres Españaian fleet retreated. After all, she fought Futayo on Musashi, and Tres España left in a bit of a hurry, heh.
Now, as for why Muneshige came to join her…well, that seems pretty obvious to me, d’aaaaawww! Okay, so maybe not…without any status left in Tres España (upon losing his name), he was probably afraid he was going to be unable to get stronger and win it back…and more importantly, that Gin would be forced to be Tachibana Gin for the next Tachibana Muneshige. Given when we saw this episode, I can’t imagine for a second that he would allow such a thing.
All that said, the real question is why Tres España let such powerful and loyal people get away. That’s not the way to stem your decline, guys. Just a heads up.
Impressions
It is always with a heavy heart that I write my impressions of the final episode of a series, to send it off and likely never talk about it in front of you again. Yet there hasn’t been a time I’ve been more saddened, more wistful for the ending of a series (save for perhaps one). Not because this episode disappointed – it did not, not by any means. Rather, though I have spent an objectively ridiculous amount of time working on these posts, I will miss it. Enough commiserating – there will be time enough for that in my Final Impressions. Here’s what I enjoyed this episode, and what I did not – though I assure you there’s precious little of the latter. Let’s do this thing, one last time!
Margot & Malga Fly Again
It was beautiful seeing them flying together again, as equals. It has been a rough season for Malga over all, and Margot was shot down last episode, I thought that was going to be what reset everything about their relationship (though Kimi-nee and Margot took care of most of that a few episodes back). I’m glad that instead of both of them becoming weaker, they both got a boost instead! Check the Explanations sections for reasons why this happened, but impressions-wise, I have to say that I’m surprised how little the whole thing annoyed me. Normally, such a seemingly ass pulled power-up would piss me off, but here it does not – I know there’s a reason, even if I – or even the characters! – don’t know what it is right now. And I have my suspicions anyway. Damn politics…I love it!
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But other than that, it was the music, it was the way they moved, it was how they fought, it was how after so much trouble, they completely destroyed their enemies. I try to be objective, I really do. Oh sure, I fail frequently – most of the time, really, I’m not very good at it – but I at least try. Yet this was a scene I enjoyed simply because I’ve come to love the characters so much, and it was beautiful to see them flying together again. It was rushed, and flawed, and ill explained, but it was done with flair and it was plenty of fun. And Malga asking for Margot to smother her more? BWAHAHA! Malga, there are plenty of heroes that would love to motorboat their girl in the middle of a battle, but I think you’re the only one who’s done it. Well played girl, well played. Just a fun scene all around.
Musashi Maneuvers Into Position
While I’ll be damn near the first to defend almost anything Adele does, throughout this battle she’s mostly proven herself as a competent military commander, but not a great one. In terms of sheer tactical and strategic ability, Neshinbara outstrips her every day, so I’m glad he’s going to be fully back in action now that his curse is cleared. That said, Adele finally pulled out a ploy worthy of Musashi. To do a back flip with a city-ship…wow, that takes some steel the your spine! Though what I really enjoyed was how effortlessly brave Suzu was. When will people learn that it’s always the quiet girls with long bangs who are always truly brave? :3
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Now let me talk about why this maneuver was brilliant. Adele had Musashi cloak itself, and then had a cargo ship de-cloak beneath the San Martin. Before Tres España realized what they were shoot at, they had sunk the cargo ship, thinking it was Musashi. That’s when Musashi appeared above them and performed their city-wide back flip. The genius comes because Adele sacrificed a cargo ship in order to get all of their enemy’s main guns pointing forward and down, instead of up (as they were) or behind (as they were going to be). That meant the maximum amount of time required for them to reposition their guns – which allowed for more than enough time for Horizon and Toori (and as it ended up, Mary) to get in and do their work. A little late, but well done nonetheless!
Horizon & Toori vs Tres España – and the Return of Mary
There are obvious parallels to pull from for this scene, and a lot of them. The final battle of Episode 13, Season 1 is the most obvious, so I’ll start there. Against that, today’s offering was the weaker or the two, though I have to say that it had a harder time of it. The commercial break in the middle really hurt it, as the tension climbed upwards…only to taper off, and then climb once again after the break. Horizon’s song didn’t fit as well here either, as rather than a mournful song sung as ships crashed down (as it was before), it was sung in the middle of an intense struggle, and took the place of Kyoukaisen’s wonderful OST that could (and shortly would) have been compelling the mood ever higher. Also, the simple fact is that avarice (greed) is a less compelling emotion than sadness. Horizon speaking of her greed, even while crying, is nothing like her crying out in sadness for the very first time.
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Yet nevertheless, there were glorious elements to this scene. There were the parallels to the first battle of Episode 1, Season 2, where once again it was Horizon against the whole of Tres España’s top soldiers, only this time they didn’t have Gin to take the shot for them, and Horizon had Toori. That’s not the glorious part, but rather the setup. It was next.
When Horizon pulled out the Aspida Phylargia and everyone exclaimed in surprise, I cheered. When Horizon stopped singing and she and Toori talked about her avarice, her greed of wanting to save everyone, everywhere, with the music climbing in the background and characters parading across the screen, I got chills. And they didn’t stop, not until Horizon engaged Aspida Phylargia and fired anew, making the battle all but won – only not. Too fast, I never saw it coming! The determination and pride in the soldiers of Tres España, enemies who I cannot hate, as they reached out from their comrades’ sacrifice to grasp victory – yet it was not to be. The reversals, with victory nearly being snatched from defeat, only for a hero to step on the stage and do what only they can. Ohhhh man, this is the kind of things that legends are made of, when larger-than-life characters perform heroic deeds of bravery and power on a world stage. I cannot hate any of this. I cannot help but love it.
Yes, it was not to be. Lest we forget, though every season is Horizon and Toori’s show, this one they shared the spotlight with another couple, and it was only right that they come back and play a pivotal role, here at the end of things. Mary and Tenzou stepped out so suddenly but so rightly, so that I could only sit back in amazement as as she struck. Any deficiencies in plot or pacing earlier in this scene were made up for in its conclusion. Loved it. Loved it. And in case you’re keeping track, that’s the third scene from this season that I have a feeling will give me chills forever more. Only this series can do that. Only Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon can do that, every single time.
The Four End Couples – Felipe & Juana, Muneshige & Gin, Mary & Tenzou, and Horizon & Toori
I’ve never quite been able to tell whether it’s the epic scale, the intricate details, the sensational climactic battles, or the many lovingly dedicated couples that draw me most to this show (that’s a lie – the answer is “All of the above”), but the fourth option certainly showed its power in this episode’s final half. Let me quickly (me, quickly? Hah!) take each couple in turn. Expect gushing.
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Felipe & Juana. The greatest beauty here was not in the relationship, but in Felipe. Felipe Segundo has been a terribly damaged man since we were first introduced to him, and one who just episodes ago was willing to fight to his death for his beloved country. To see him willing to have fun, to lose himself in the festival for even a time, is a remarkable change. Whether through Juana’s actions, or those of Musashi, or all the people who have rallied around him now and then, Felipe is starting to believe again. That they held hands as they returned home, in an echo of what once was, only so very different now, was just icing on the cake.
Muneshige & Gin. Oh my gods I cannot gush about this scene enough. First of all, the one thing I wasn’t too fond of: I’m not terribly fond of the somber Tres Españaian music in general, and I don’t think it fit the scene terribly well here. That’s it. Now, for everything else, HNNNNNNNNNNG!!!! Also, HNNNNNNNNNG x2 and SUPER HNNNNNNNNNNG!!! Okay, I’m good now. So I brushed on it a bit last episode, but I was surprised to see that Gin stayed with Musashi after her loss (see Explanations section for reasons why). I suspected that she and Muneshige might join Musashi (that was half wishful thinking, half genre savvy), but I thought for sure that this would be a later thing, after she got back and the two decided to leave together. It does not matter! This is exactly what I wanted to see, Muneshige and Gin pledging their love to one another as man and woman, regardless of any historical names they may or may not possess. I love Kyoukaisen for its dedicated couples, and this one is one of the best. I cannot be more excited to see them join the Musashi crew. Amore!
Mary & Tenzou. Tenzou, you are an idiot and a coward! XD But that aside, they’re a clumsy and awkward couple, but I love them for it. I can’t wait to see Tenzou make faltering steps towards Mary, even though they’re sort of engaged (sort of). Should be fun!
Horizon & Toori. There is in truth not much to say, save that I am glad to see that Horizon finally has her resolve 100%, and that they still don’t quite understand each other, even though they actually really do. I look forward to more of them, always. Oh, and it was nice seeing Horizon in her old threads one more time. The more things change, the more things…change, but it’s nice to visit how things were.
Last Words
This episode rocked, and so did this season. Final season impressions are ahead. Make sure to hit the spoiler tag to see them all…though I haven’t written them yet, I have a feeling I’m going to go long. Big surprise, I know.
tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – So it ends. With a flash, Musashi is victorious once again, w/ new friends & lovers to show for it. Chills man, chills. Loved it #Kyoukaisen
Random thoughts:
- Yes, Margot and Malga can gattai. Woo! Get out of the way, Aquarion EVOL, you’ve got two lesbian witches stepping onto your turf, and let’s face it…that means you lose.
- I loved that they brought the Azuma and Miriam joke back. Yes, because it was funny, but as the above gushing quite clearly demonstrated, I’m a huge hopeless romantic who loves seeing romances who aren’t the usual harem antics that we see so often in anime (though those are fun as well), and shipping Azuma x Miriam certainly falls into that category. D’aaaaaww!
- Oh yes, those character cameos. I know who a few of them are, but I’m going to stay my tongue so that we can all be introduced to them together when Season 3 comes around (it’ll happen! I believe in it!). By the way, if you know who they are (or anything about un-animated books), then please keep it behind spoiler tags. Thanks.
- Loved their little impromptu concert. Kimi-nee is, as usual, amazing. Kyoukai Senjou no K-ON, anyone? 😀 Note: the song she sung is one of my favorite special songs from Season 1. That and the Adele/Suzu one. Highly recommended!
- Sounds like the M.H.R.R. arc is next. I can’t wait for Season 3. Speaking of, Sunrise…does this include boredom? Or a lack of more Kyoukaisen? Because, you know, you offered… Ufufu~ >:3
Full-length images: 16, 23, 29.
Epilogue:
Final Impressions
This is literally the show I came here to write about. It was the lack of coverage of the first season of Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon that made me think hey, maybe they need a guy like me. Maybe they need someone who is crazy enough to cover every facet of that wonderfully complex fantasy story in such ridiculous detail that everyone else will be able to enjoy it like I do. Also, maybe they’ll let me terrorize the other writers and tell people to call me “onii-chan.”
…okay, so some of those came later. Yet it’s true that this series is why I’m in a position to write for you today. To date I have penned and published 80,864 words about this series (not including excerpts), 39,400 of which came from this season. For those that aren’t aware, that’s basically a small novel (I have a problem -_-). I’ve also spent something like 8+ hours every week producing each post, which is enough time to cover ~2-3 other “regular” shows. I’ve joked about putting more effort into blogging this show than I have my paying job, and even if that’s not strictly true, I’ve sure cared about the results a helluva lot more. That all begs the question – was it worth it?
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Yes. Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon is fantasy as I love it, at my ideal. Actually, in truth it’s probably the books that are my ideal, as they contain all the crazy details and ridiculous minutiae that most people find tiresome, but I absolutely adore. As I’ve grown older I’ve learned to let loose and not sweat the small stuff, but there’s still a younger Stilts somewhere back in the mists of time (i.e. like a decade ago) who was frustrated when things weren’t explained. Why did this happen, why did that happen, why are these characters doing what they’re doing!? I’m told that Kyoukaisen’s “light” novels contain all these details, and so without having read them, I love them. Yet Sunrise did an admirable job of fitting a ridiculous amount of detail into the time they had, and firmly justifying nearly every action the characters took. Everyone worked at cross purposes, but they all did it for good reasons, like they are real people trying to make their best way in the world. So it is in real life, so it is here, and that’s how I prefer it.
And what a world! Horizon’s Earth is small by geographical standards (confined to merely the island that was once Japan), and yet immense in storytelling. There are more players from more countries that are fleshed out and vivid and interesting than in most stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience, and perhaps all of them (though there are certainly a few contenders). The scale of events is massive, with everything the characters do truly having effects on the world stage – not because they say so, but because we see it happen. There are simply things you can do with a cast this size that are not possible with smaller casts, because a scene with five named characters and a bunch of mooks is nothing next to two dozen people marching into battle together, each with a name and a story, and whom you’ve come to know and love. Nothing matches it.
There’s more, always more! Something the Kyoukaisen anime does perhaps better than the novels (I can’t vouchsafe for that personally, but there are things certain mediums do better, and I’ll shortly explain why) is deliver stirring scenes and climactic battles that run chills up my spine, no matter how many times I see them. The combination of characters and scale and music and art all coalesce together to create my favorite scenes among anime ever, just true beauties to behold. That’s just not something you can do on a page, you can’t compel people forward with images and sounds and pull feelings straight out of their spines as you whip them around with time out of their control. Oh you can do it other ways, of course, but some things are most exquisite when you can sit back and simply behold. Kyoukaisen has them in spades.
Then there’s the romances, the culminations of some which number among my favorite scenes. Rather than 5+ girls all fighting over one guy, every character has their own lover or love interest or none at all, but that’s right and proper and exactly how it should be. It’s not important to the story that Shirojiro and Heidi or Malga and Margot have been together since the beginning, but it’s important to them. Every relationship that has been introduced or come about has followed that model, giving us a succession of beautiful love stories to behold, with nothing held back and the assurance that there are always more in store.
Yet I’ve written exhaustively on why I love this series before (Part 2, the Final Impressions section), so I’ll stop myself there and focus on this season. Did it hold up to its predecessor, giving us everything we loved about it and preferably more? Once again, I say boldly and italically, yes! The scale was as large as ever, the characters were interesting, the plot was were clever and interesting and incredibly detailed, there were romances that got my heart pounding, there were fights that made me clutch my chair, there were scenes that make me dream and crow and shout out with glee so loud that my neighbors must think I’m a crazy person, and let’s face it, they would not be wrong. Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II gave us everything the first season had, without having to spend four episodes leading us into it and with all the characters from Season 1 still there to have fun with once again. It also added three more scenes to the pantheon of ones that will forever send chills up my spine – Shakespeare-chan’s confession, the coming together of Tenzou and Mary, and the final clash of this last episode – and for that I am delighted, and grateful.
Perhaps my favorite part of this season was the change in focus. Rather than stay firmly fixed on Horizon and Toori, the series has enough confidence in its entire cast to give the limelight to others, to let Neshinbara and Malga and Tenzou (among others) have some time to shine. This had the effect of having all the excitement of the first season, almost like we were starting fresh, while still having all the old plots there and moving and pushing us forward. This is how it was able to hit climax after climax without the effect diminishing, and with each standing on its own and thrilling us (or not) by its own merits. I have said before that this show has several “normal” shows worth of plot all woven together, and it does, and I think that’s a tremendous way to tell a story when you can pull it off. Kawakami-sensei has proven once again that he can, and Sunrise that they can continue to do the impossible and adapt a series that’s so complex it has no right being on the screen. It’s not perfect, not by any means, but if you put in the time then it’s one of the most rewarding shows you can possibly watch. It’s a true treat.
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon is a great series, and I recommend it heartily to anyone who has there wherewithal to stick with something that’s a little bit hard (okay, a lot bit) as long as the reward on the other end is great. And it is. Plus, I’ve even made it a little easier on you, so if you have any friends you want to suggest this show to, go right ahead. These posts will always be there.
Now, with my thoughts more or less taken care of, there is only one more thing to say. Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon has always been a bit of a polarizing series, one that people either love or hate. That’s why, though to me it has always been the height of High Fantasy, one of the kings of the fantasy genre, we here at RandomC have marked it as niche, and rightfully so. Yet I say that if this is a niche, it’s one I’m happy to be a part of and write for. I have read practically every comment you have posted, and am grateful for every view. Of any I have written so far (though there be much overlap, of course), those of you who have read and commented on my Kyoukaisen posts have been my favorite. Every critique has been well-thought out, and all the gushing has been…well, not so much, but it’s gushing, so who cares!! The discussions have been fascinating, rivaling the best of my Stilts Out Loud posts, and soundly trouncing the rest. So I guess what I’m trying to say is…thanks. I’ve probably poured something like 200+ hours into writing about Kyoukaisen, but it has been worth it. Maybe I have matured as a writer – save for my irrepressible tendency to prattle on incessantly – I swear I’ll work on it someday, when I have time! – but mostly I have just enjoyed the ride.
To me, blogging has always been about having a place to go to spend just a few more minutes in the worlds that I love, after the credits have rolled and the episode – or the season – has come to a close. Now, as a writer my goal has always been to give that place to you, so that we can come together and spend just a little while longer in this world, in Horizon’s Earth. I hope you have enjoyed your time there, both on the screen and here with me. I look forward to more adventures with Toori, Horizon, and all of the others when Season 3 eventually comes (I believe it will–in time, in time!). Until then, I’ll meet you all in other worlds, in other posts, in the hopes that we’ll all come together here again one day, beyond that lovely, lonely, brilliant, and beautiful horizon. Ja~
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Boobs, boobs, and explosions, with an extra dose of testosterone for good measure.
Truly, this is a series every man should see.
Thank you so much Stilts!!!
Now I’m going to sit in my corner from the lack of Horizon.
Stilts I see a typo. In this sentence Show Spoiler ▼
Thank you kindly, and fixed. Sorry my editing was rather haphazard tonight…too tiiiiired *yawns*
Here too Stilts -> Why does Musashi lose is Tres España gets behind them?
Also:
“Where and where is IZUMO?”
Is presumably meant to be “what and where”…
Thank you for all the excellent posts, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading them and they added to my enjoyment of this wonderful series!
While I’m not sure we will ever see the animated conclusion to this series, let alone the translated novels (ha!), I think a season 3, at least, is highly likely from the way things are going.
Alas, it’s probably going to be quite some time until then and your coverage of Horizon was always the post of the week I was looking forward to the most. The criminal lack of love for Horizon on the site was very disturbing until you arrived.
Well.. can’t do anything but wait. Let’s hope Lantis doesn’t fuck up again with the OST.
I’m sorta still pulling my thoughts together on this, but in regards to couples, I think I’ve figured out why Malga and Margot are in the story (aside from the general awesome concept of dogfighting lesbian witches). I would have included them in your list of couples, since while they were established from even the first episode of the first season, their struggles are right up there with four major het couples of the season. But removing the gender issue makes the concept of equal partnerships a bit more obvious in their case, thus making it easier to see in the others as well.
Like I said its still a tad vague in my head, I hope to have it pulled together when I do my final series review sometime in the next week.
Oh, the only reason I didn’t put them at the end is because I went over them at the beginning of the post, and because those four couples were shown in that sequence at the end of the episode. No hidden reasoning beyond that!
All I have to say for now:Bravo, good sir, bravo.
What about the two ghost people of Tres Espana? The girl with the God of War and the baseball guy with the Testament Armament? You don’t consider them a couple?
There are many, maaaaany couples in the series, which is, as stated, one of the things I love about it. I just didn’t bother going over every single one.
They’re going to IZUMO HQ in Hexagone Francaise.
“To date I have penned and published 80,864 words about this series (not including excerpts), 39,400 of which came from this season.”
Heck, to think that I have stalk and read all the words you have published for Horizon series. I must unconsciously joined the rank of crazy people out here.
Nevertheless, great post Stilts ‘onii-chan~’, I couldn’t have enjoyed the story this much without your detailed coverage. Thanks a lot!~
That means you’ve read basically a novel on a bunch of novels. We…we’re getting into some inception shit in here. Where’s my totem!!
^^ Glad you enjoyed them. Twas my pleasure
Eh, we are on the same boat pals, I have read every line Stilts wrote plus every comment by fellow Horizon followers, I think that amounts to some middle sized novel …
I’ve never spent so much extra-time for any anime other than this one, but it was absolutely worth it. I enjoy reading books (both in English and in my native language) as much as I enjoy watching good anime and I have grown to be kind of critical when it comes to reviews and impressions, so I’m happy to say that the group of people that commented on Horizon is made of pretty “high quality” writers. Throughout the series, I didn’t have any remarkable note that you guys didn’t already point out, so I ended up never posting anything, apart from thanking Stilts for his amazing work, that one I had to post. From the reviews he made, their structure and content, the way to convey the feelings and the explainations in a balanced way … I can tell that he is a talented writer.
Stilts, I heard about you writing your own novels, please make sure to let us know if you ever release something, I’m sure I would love to read it.
To everyone, thanks for the wonderful time we spent together, let’s meet again when the new season (undoubtedly) will come, and re-form this little Horizon community. And Stilts, don’t you dare to let us down and fail to come back, it can’t be the same without this place you created for us 😉
Ad maiora
Thank you, kind sir. And have no fear – the second I take care of my other RL stuff, get back to writing (which at this point mostly entails a damn lot of editing), and finish the sucker off, you all will be the first to know where it can be found 🙂 I promise!
I can’t even begin to properly express my own feelings without going into a similarly-sized overview, but I’ll just have to settle for saying that I agree with everything here.
Even with just two seasons that seem to have gone by so fast, I feel incredibly close to these characters now, and just love seeing their trials, victories, and everything inbetween. Naturally, with some emphasis on the amazing couples too, this series really does have everything.
Maybe most importantly, thank you Stilts, for the absolutely insane dedication in these posts. I’ll be on constant alert for news of a third season, and with just as much anticipation for you blogging about it, Horizon would no longer be the same without your input.
IZUMO is within Hexagone Française, is a neutral zone. And yes, the floating island that see at the end.
http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/images/2/2d/Horizon3A_0007.jpg
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Stilts, I enjoyed reading this, thanks.
I hope for a third season again write as much as now haha
I assume Sunrise that will make a third season, considering that Horizon sells very well in Japan.
Please, really sorry my terrible English.
Thank you to you and g27 above. Edited that in.
I can just imagine there will definitely be a joke between Neito and her mom later on XD
There is certainly hope for Neito. 😀
Just a great last episode of season II. I love horizon. And I love your posts about it. It’s just an awesome show at the best sunrise can do. Well, I like to read the light novels, but I don’t want to watch it with knowlegde about it… what should I do?
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T.T This is just beautiful. See forward to your posts on horizon III (It will! It will be there soon enought!)So Thank you for guiding us.
*bows* Thank you kindly. I meant every word.
Love Kyoukai <3 I hate how Sunrise teases us with all these new characters. I want Sunrise to keep going with Kyoukai, they've done a fantastic job with this. Thank you for covering this Stilts, your posts always tell me what I wanted to know. Thank you for your hard work. Now to scout out for any signs of season 3.
About Neito’s parent
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Holy heck.
And I wonder why Neito doesn’t have any siblings yet.
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Poor Neito. (Maybe.)
Genetics is a bitch
Sorry, but who is “Toroko”?
Toroko is what Kimi nicknamed the mini cerberus that Nate was taking care of 1 year prior to the events of the story. From the mini novels that came bundled with S1’s BD/DVD Volumes.
It seems to have been an ether based entity that was going to disappear shortly and well Nate ends up taking care of it until is does. Of course it grew quite attached to Nate, I mean who wouldn’t if you have someone moe like Nate taking care of you? (Stilts may have proposed on the spot though to Nate LOL)
Might? There’s no question about it! I would have on the spot. On the spot!
Neito’s mom has got it goin’ on…
I think it’s wonderful that our “magical girl” pair, Margot and Malga have a magical girl transformation sequence they go through. Also: Malga’s new weaponized broom is a pen mightier than many swords.
We’re at the dawn of the Reformation, the Protestant Germans probably want to hinder the major Catholic superpower as much as they can.
Thanks for your glosses on each episode, Stilts. Reading your posts is like reliving the viewing if the episode, almost.
After just having watched Last Exile again, I was hoping Musashi would do an Immelmann turn there.
Anyone know what the name of the song kimi-nee was sing during the festival? God I Love the ost for this show!
It’s named Hoshi Matsuri from the Kyoukaisen special CD 1.. I kept listening to it on repeat these last few weeks and along with Sora no uta are among my favorite anime music. Yes! the ost for Kyoukaisen is fantastic!
Being a Chiwa Saitou fan I’ve been abusing the replay button on that song since it came out a few months ago…
I was pretty shocked when Kimi started singing it in an actual episode XD
I am very upset Toori was wearing clothes in the epilogue.
What is the conclusion of Shakespeare chan? Does she also reside in Musashi or still in England?
Shakespeare still on England, but…
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YES!
“I haven’t been able to confirm whether that’s where they originate from”
Yes the two witches originally hail from M.H.R.R. The reason they were given weapons? They are Edel Brocken prototype test pilots (which is why the broom wasn’t easily fixed, prototype weaponry) and what better a place to test new weapons than a large battle? It was easy to see it was new prototype since, as Musashi commented, the brooms had some serious issues with fuel consumption.
Oh and the music playing during their battle is called ‘Save you from anything’ preview available at http://youtu.be/ckr0omajXL0?t=2m59s
“IZUMO”
It’s a massive corporation with operations all over Far East, this particular base they’re heading to is a floating island within Hexagone Francaise territory.
“The concert”
The Horizon Blu-rays come with bonus mini-LN’s, they are written by the author and take place 1 year before season 1, they actually detail how Kimi/Tomo/Nate form a band among other things like the witches needing to defeat the previous Edel Brocken test pilots to get the job and Nate’s parents lovelife…
Their band is called Kimitoasamade
“Ki(mi/Mi)to Asama de – “[made up] of Kimi, Mito, Asama”
Kimi to Asama de – “[made up] of Kimi and Asama” (well, that’s just mean)
kimi to asa made – “with you till morning”
Kimi to asa made – “with Kimi till morning””
From http://www.suiminchuudoku.net, about Toori and Horizon’s date
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I just wanted to say I thank you for your coverage of Horizon.
The background posts were in particular excellent and really helped my understanding of the show.
/salute
You have to admit, the “Everyone, please be sure to get plenty of rest and prepare for our next voyage. Over.” was a pretty big hint that we’re going to get a season 3.
Wait, YOU’VE GOT THE BOOKS!!!
I can’t find the books anywhere and I absolutely adore this show.
I’ll be honest, this is the 3rd time I’ve read your logs (or blogs is it???) about this show and how thoroughly it explains this show and comes to help me myself understand things, but I’ve always been a little detailed orianted and this show didn’t have enough. In your words, I feel it was a bit rushed, but done wonderfully.
Ever since I watched just the first few minutes of this anime in April this year, I fell in absolute love with just the show itself, and I actually fell in love with it more than DBZ (Which is hard for ME to believe considering DBZ has been my very #1 since I was about 5 years old), but this show actually beat it. It’s non-harem, all the characters play roles and get in a relationship (somewhere…), I honestly think it will be hard to enjoy any other kind of anime other than this one just because of how awesome it is.
On a questionative note, you are reading the novels, correct? Are you reading the original Japanese or an english translation, because I’d really like to jump right into Season 3 (Novel Episode 3 I believe) with those mystery characters I’ve been seeing on the covers of google. I don’t think I can wait another three years or even one considering I’m writing a fanfic on this show (on free time during school), I need to let my imagination explode, I need to. So if you maybe point me to where you are reading the novels (unless you like, actually have them), then could you maybe do that for a Kyoukai Senjou fan???
Sorry if I was unclear, but I don’t have the books, nor have I read them. I was merely guessing that they contain all the details I so enjoy since people constantly come forth with more details pulled from them. To quote myself:
Sorry! :X I do know that the (unofficial) English translations are like halfway through Book 1, and that the chance of the series getting fully translated is somewhere between slim and none (and slim is starving to death as we speak), so if you want to read them then you’re going to need to know Japanese.
Books are only available in Japanese. If you don’t speak it, it’s not worth the trouble to get them. (Start studying, and come back in a few years to get the books.) If you do, go to honto.jp or amazon.co.jp (shipping is expensive from Amazon) or kinokuniya’s NA stores (they’ll ship in the US for a lot cheaper than getting it from Japan, but prices are higher.)
Downside from buying online– if you buy the books at a store like Tora no Ana in Japan, you get all kinds of extra freebies, like a Nate clear file and a Seijun clear file. Whee.
cdjapan.co.jp also handles books, now. I’ve switched over to them from Amazon.co.jp because shipping is so much cheaper. I’ll have to check honto.jp out.
My Japanese isn’t good enough to be ordering novels from them, though. Mostly I stick with manga. The Horizon manga is quite good, but it sticks quite closely to the anime. Volume one of the manga only goes up to about episode four of the first season, volume two was just released. There’s a tiny bit of supplementary material, but I haven’t noticed anything that Stilts doesn’t already cover in his series overview.
What I like about Honto (used to be bk1) is that you can choose your shipping from a lot of different types, like SAL or Air Mail instead of EMS (which is expensive as hell.) You can even choose surface mail, if you feel like waiting 3 months to get your stuff.
Keep reading manga. (Or anything else for that matter.) Just doing that alone helped me make big strides in my Japanese reading ability over time.
Also, if you can get to Japan, Book-Off. It’s everywhere, it’s cheap, and it’s full of manga and LNs. Used books in excellent shape that are dirt cheap.
Watching the end of Horizon and listening to Musashi-sama talk, I get the feeling that we’re going to be waiting a while for the staff to recover and gear up again for the next season… like a year or two. The hints, they were not subtle. So you have plenty of time to get leveled up and start reading.
That really goes for ALL of you. 😀
All I can say to this show is that it’s FREAKIN AWESOME!!!!! Of all the Light Novel animes I’ve seen so far, KyoukaiSen I & II, is the best Light Novel adaptation I’ve ever seen.
I’m glad that Sunrise took this series under their company. They even animated the characters from Vol. 3A, B, C & Vol. 4A, B, and C. I guess they deserve the break after all the work they’ve done. I’m so happy that Anime is such a wonderful existence and KyoukaiSen series is one of my favorites.
I salute to all people who are involved for making this series; especially the voice actors and actresses. Thank you for your hard work. What’s left now is to wait for the news to come for S3…..
Amazing scenes in this episode:
– BAD-ASS brooms for the Lesbian Witch couple.
– Musashi(Ship) doing the most impossible feat for a giant ship to do, and that is doing a HUUUGGEE BACK FLIP. OH MY GOD!!! Only in KyoukaiSen.
– Azuma got a chance to “sit” on top of Miriam, along with their kid, and gave him the permission to hug her. Then, he hugged her quietly. Lucky guy, that Azuma.
– Tori and Horizon using the Lype Katarripsi & Aspida Philargia combo and later, the ones who dealt the final blow was Tenzou & Mary with Excalibur Collbrande.
– Musashi are having a party afterwards. Ulquiaga receives a galge with elder sister characters on it. Kimi, Tomo, and Nate are performing on a fiery stage, so hottt! Gin is reunited with her husband, Muneshige, and decided to stay on Musashi.
– Tenzou & Mary are staying in one room; Mary did a traditional Japanese bow to Tenzou for accepting her. Ah, truly a wonderful, scarred-woman and to top it all, she sleeps naked!!! Definitely a wife material. But Tenzou didn’t sleep with her at all! Oh, well, someday they’ll sleep together.
– Tori and Horizon are talking things over as they watch the night and looking forward to their next adventure.
This song is dedicated to the women of KyoukaiSen and especially for Tori and Tenzou:
Song of Fanservice
They rise from a woman’s body
Two great favors
The twin peaks of hope
Shine with a gentle pink
Oppai! (Oppai!) *Breasts*
Daisuki! (Daisuki!) *I love them*
Haiotsu! (Haiotsu!) *Titties*
Kaide! (Kaide!) *So huge!*
Ah! Oppai!
Oppai! Oh!
LOL at the song from Binbougami ga! when I saw those guys singing it with such passion in the sunset, just in the beginning of the episode, I literally cried from too much laughing 😀
That was another show I really liked a lot, KyoukaiSen remaining the top one.
So the season of horizon comes to an end in truly epic style.
First and foremost, BIG thanks to Stilts for research and explanations. Without it we could not enjoy the series to full.
It was immensely gratifying to see moves and counter-moves in the battle unfold. With Musashi pulling the Blue Thunder loop (bonus 80s movies/combat helicopters fan points for anyone who knows what I’m talking about…) it was more than awesome, and Mary just finished the battle off with her “combined” 2 swords – eat this, double wielding Kirito!
Ah, and I would add 2 more pairs to the 4 listed by Stilts, Malga and Margot are so HNNNNGHHHH when they fly together… and I’d say Azuma and Miriam are well on their way to become one! I almost fell off the chair at “You can wrap your legs around me… you have my permission!”
Stilts, do you think Musashi(City) can do roll over as well.
MUSASHI DO A BARREL ROLL!!!
Awesome work Stilts onii-chan~ This anime sent more chills down my spine than any other anime I had ever watched and in such a few number of episodes at that. I actually knew I was going to like this show ever since I first read about it on the Fall 2011 preview and I was right! Now it’s among my favorite anime EVER!
I was a bit down when the first season was stopped being covered on this site(I was like “Why the hell isn’t this show being covered anymore?!? This shit’s awesome!!) but then you came along and covered it better than I could have ever hoped! I’m very thankful for that! Now I just hope they make season 3(I believe they will! I know they will!) sooner rather than later.
Nyahaha, domo domo *bows* Though…*wobbles where he’s standing* I, uh, could probably use a little break before Season 3, lol. This show sort of takes it out of me :X In more ways than one.
Stilts,
I think I speak for everyone when I say “Thank you!!”. I was one of those fans who became enamored with the show from the very beginning. Needless to say, I was very disappointed when RC dropped it halfway during the first season. At the same time, it allowed you to come on board and write those fantastically thorough posts that very few would have been committed to doing. For that I am grateful. I just hope that Sunrise adapts Season 3 sooner rather than later and that you’ll still be around to write about it…. Although I do worry about your health and wonder if you would have another season in you, especially if it is a 2 cour
Hah! Well, I’m game (provided real life continues to allow such a thing), but I might take a little bit more time to push out these posts with a 2-cour. I can burn the candle bright for a 1-cour, but not so much if I’m doing it for half a year! Though that’ll probably just mean I’d post the day after instead of sameday, ’cause I’m an M like that 😀
Awesome season: full of action. And with Stilts’ commentary, it was easier to understand. Thank you for all your hard postings.
But it isn’t over yet. The novel is still going on and a season 3 might be in the near future!
Series score: 9/10
Going to admit it stilts, you’re probably the best blogger out there for Horizon IMO. When S2 was coming I was just going to expect nothing much and quietly enjoy it as I had loved S1 to death when it was airing. (though I joined a couple weeks late when it started…)
So it was a huge surprise & satisfying surprise to see you commit to blogging this. I thought your retrospects were insane & awesome. I did have some doubts that you were going to stop blogging it from all the work, but bravo sir, bravo. Sticking through this whole thing like that, you deserve a lighter workload just like the Horizon staff!
Well done! Definitely going to miss seeing these mega posts. (and Moomba reading OnC? You should teach Moomba how to do mega posts just for that!) XD
Teach Mooma how to do mega posts? Challenge accepted!
And thank you for your kind words. I have many flaws, and doggedly sticking with things far longer than any sane person would is among them. Or is that a virtue? I’ve never been quite sure.
That is called stubborness and can be considered both a flaw and a virtue depending on how one looks at it i guess.
Stubborn people usually get the best grades, jobs and what not more but it can also be a flaw in that they don’t take a break when needed or something along those lines.
And although i know it is most likely not the smartest of ideas, i do hope that you are gonna cover the next season with just as much detail or even more detail than now stilts onii-chan ^_^
Well Damrod seemed to have shared my thoughts on that matter. So accept his reasoning as my own as well Stilts-onii-chan!
Nyahaha, d’aawww, well… *scratches back of head*
A little correction on the requirements for Musashi’s victory. Adele said that if they sink and capture the carrier, they’d have cleared the criteria to win the Armada battle (which was what Malga and Margot were trying to do until they ran out of gas). In response, Segundo blew up the carrier under the premise that if they blew it up before Musashi does, Musashi can’t meet the criteria to win.
This leads to the 2 options Musashi had. The second one you mentioned is correct. The first option though was for Musashi to secure to remnants of the carrier then claim that it could be considered meeting the criteria. However, because this does not exactly fulfill the original criteria, Musashi needs to negotiate with other nations to allow it.
Stilts, I’m pretty sure the first victory condition you were speaking of is slightly different: characters were talking about recovering wreckage of a ship, which is to say, that aircraft carrier that Margot and Malga destroyed earlier (as the San Martin is the name of the 3 flagships, third being shot down in Episode 12).
Destroying the San Martin is the actual “best victory condition” since they take down the enemy flagship, rendering Tres Espana defeat clear cut, especially that in this case, it means they took down 3 of them.
Which did happened after the Deadly Sin Armament showdown and Excalibur Collbrand: San Martin #1 and San Martin #2 are respectively heavily damage and utterly destroyed, making Tres Espana fleet as defeated.
Whereas the first “lame” victory condition involves the remnant of a ship, which would be considered as a captured ship, which is why it would be debatable that Musashi really won the battle for the history reenactment.
@Asta and Klashikari
Thanks for your help. I’ve edited the post accordingly.
All good things must end, but thankfully for Horizon, that will not be the case for a long time yet(hopefully!) with 2 3-part volumes of the novel still un-animated, and more(as yet unwritten) to come. A spectacular finale, the episode closes off the second season with the conclusion of the armada battle plus a few tease shots of some of the new characters we’ll probably see in a season 3. Episode highlights:-
– The return of Weiss Frauen. Good to see Gacchan back with her new and improved broom, plus gattai mode Zwei Frauen is quite overpowered (although its quite the gas guzzler), making mincemeat of the remaining Mechanical Phoenixes with ease.
– Adele and her crazy idea of making Musashi perform a freaking back-flip above the San Martin. Sometimes its the crazy ideas, that most people would never even dream off, that can turn the tides off battle. And for that, Adele finally in my eyes, vindicates her appointment as Musashi’s commanding officer, after getting had so badly by Segundo’s tactics in the earlier battles.
– The ADS face off between Horizon(with Toori ‘helping’) against Juana(plus Tres Espana’s best). From how desperately Tres Espana’s forces scrambled to counter Lype Katarripsi’s overdrive shot, to Horizon pulling out Aspída Filargyría to widespread surprise from all other watching nations, this scene was rife with epic moments. The moment that sent the biggest chill down my spine though had to be when Horizon finally activated the overdrive for her new ADS and finally had enough juice to crush Tres Espana’s futile resistance. My spines still feeling the cold even now 😀
– Muneshige and Gin’s reunion. That background music may have felt out-of-place for the moment, but it didn’t detract from the heartwarming moment of their reuniting. The prospect of them joining Musashi has me salivating for when we’ll get to watch them strutting their stuff, except this time they’ll be fighting for instead of against Musashi.
With the end of season 2, my Sunday(RAWs) and Wednesday(subs) mornings will never be the same again. This is the only anime to have made me watch the RAWs (despite my piss-poor Japanese), and also the only anime that managed to make me watch an episode 4-5 times each week. You could say that Horizon is the drug for my fantasy cravings, so I’ll probably be experiencing withdrawal symptoms in the coming weeks. Just hoping the BD sales are good enough to make that 3rd season a reality, and will hopefully be coming not too far away from now.
P.S. Anyone else thought how pathetic(in a good way, sort off) Masazumi looked acting all lovey-dovey with her maus, while flanked by two of the major couples, during the ending credits? I just pitied her a bit at that moment, seeing as how shes only adored by the Brown Algae for now, while also being the target of choice for a certain walking skeleton. Oh well, in the whole wide world, there must be someone for our reverse trap, queen-of-debates, student council vice president, right?
What’s this about Seijun being alone? Dibs!
(or Adele. Or Suzu. Or Naomasa. Or Neito. Or Asama. Or Kimi-nee. Or…)
Masazumi and her maus looked so adorable together. So damn cute. 🙂
I’m surprised there wasn’t any mention over Half-Dragon’s birthday and the how his gifts were “conveniently” tossed into the bonfire. Poor Uluqui. You don’t get to shine as much until a potential season 4.
Adding on, I just looked at the translated names of Urqui’s eroge B-Day gifts.
The Big Sis Swordswoman
Big Sis, Do It Right
Big Sis and Asama
Already, Asama (and likely Mary) are getting featured in an eroge right after the battle.
Pretty funny yet queer, when you think about it (your friends/teammates playing an eroge that has you/your girl in it).
Also reminds me of how Asama occasionally goes rampant with h-thoughts, like Gaachan.
To be fair, I believe Asama has been staring in eroge (and ero-doujins) since far before the battle. Sniper maiden is quite popular ^^
i think Big Breast Miko is more popular.
NOOOOOOO I will miss this series… who knows when S3 will come out…. ~__~
Stilts: Thank You. You’ve put a huge amount of work into these posts and they’ve helped. I’ve looked forward to each post for the past 10 weeks or so (I didn’t have a chance to start watching S2 until a few weeks in), as much as the episodes themselves. All of the little details are wonderful.
Again, thank you and good job.
Malga & Margot have got busou shinki armor ? that new although next week shinki start airing
question for any LN reader what is the next arc for Season 3 ?
Going to France, more crazy politics, meet the parents and guys from Musashi macking on chicks, but mostly ridiculous large scale multi-nation bouts(not all at the same time ofcourse). Trust me, 13 episodes is not nearly enough for what’s to come, 26 might not even be enough
First – Thank you oni-chan the effort you put in this series is huge as the Horizon series is.
When I saw Jin sitting at the bone fire I was filled joy. Totally called it last episode. What was really un expected was having Muneshige embrace Jin, Tought that will be next season. Totaly fell in love all over again.
Tenzou !!!! you promised a heir for England, hiding under the blankets won’t help you reach that goal !!
Super series, the only down, if you can call it was that all plot threads felt closed at the end. To me it felt that if the studio drops the series now, (Hell no! I’m totaly ready for season 3), it did end properly. Even with the cameos of the new charactes, that flying away was like a really full end.
Finally loved how they tied that “Save you from Anything” at the end from Mary’s story.
Meet you guys next time: youkai senjou desu!
I liked the closure we got. The major plot threads we were dealing with this season were all satisfyingly closed (as they should be)…but the larger plot, the collection of the Armaments of Deadly Sins and stopping the apocalypse and Musashi taking back their sovereignty, those are all still alive and well. There’s still plenty more story to tell…
wohoo nice screenshot STILT
https://randomc.net/image/Kyoukai%20Senjou%20no%20Horizon/Kyoukai%20Senjou%20no%20Horizon%20II%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2053.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Kyoukai%20Senjou%20no%20Horizon/Kyoukai%20Senjou%20no%20Horizon%20II%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2054.jpg
anyone who haven’t watch the episode yet will misunderstand this
Thank you Stilts. All your work was not in vain.
I’ll forever link people interested in Horizon to your coverage. You gave this amazing show the care it deserved.
Thanks!
A little info from the Q&A. Gin was left at Musashi because she didn’t have a chance to return to Tres Espana fleet after losing to Futayo. Remember, the Tres Espana fleet basically went right away after they were hit by Excalibur Colbrande and Gin battle Futayo in Musashi ship.
if that so then does that mean she supposed to be as prisoner?
I don’t think so. They let her and Muneshige join up a little too readily for former prisoners, and Gin didn’t appear to be restrained in any way while at the festival. I imagine that she was considered more of a respected former adversary who no one expected to go on a rampage, because that wouldn’t be the honorable thing to do. Sometimes, the old ways are nice.
She is treated as special guest of Musashi until her injuries healed, and gave the choice of whether to return or not to her. Since they strip Muneshige of his position and name, also the fact that he’s still injured and need rehab, they chose to stay at Musashi
If the second half of the second season made me glad to have picked it back up after dropping it for a bit, this season makes me 10 times happier that I did. It was interesting, exciting, romantic and it gave me favorite girl of the season. Well thank you for these in depth posts and fingers crossed for season three.
PS. Bunk beads Tenzou, Seriously!?
Truth be told I haven’t been watching Horizon because I found it a little complex for a weekly sitting. I did learn to enjoy it during the first season much later. I also found the first season a much better watch when I marathoned it so I figured I’d watch the second season the same way.
Now that all the episodes are all out and I’m going to have a blast marathoning the second season during the weekend.
I think that this should be put into proper context. Crucial thing here is the age limit for Musashi students. So what we have here, is a teenage girl (how old she is, sixteen?) pitted against Segundo – an old fox of a commander, basically a career military officer with even more tricks up his sleeve than years he lived, who have suicidally loyal subordinates, lots of resources (Tres Espana got into serious debt preparing all their talisman-stuffed fire ships, mechanical phoenixes and multiple invisible battleships) and – most of all – lots of experience. And she has Musashi and a couple of cargo ships, small and rag-tag band of an army (though, they are awesome) and, well, it’s her first naval battle ever, isn’t it? Not fair by any means.
Despite all this she proved herself to be his equal and, thanks to the out-of-box thinking and a little help from her friends (and listening to the right people is what makes good commander) managed to pull quite a few numbers on him and finally got the upper hand. She might not be the ‘great commander’ when the battle started, but now, with all the experience and resolve she gained I think that she fully deserves to be recognized as one.
As a side note loved the face and reaction when Adele looks at Toori, kind of a little help here? He he is like you’ll do it girl , go!
You’re not wrong, and I should have mentioned that context more myself. That said, war isn’t fair. We can say “she did well, considering…” until we’re blue in the face, but the simple fact of the matter is that the battle was between her as she is now and Felipe as he is now. Until the end she came up lacking, and I would say that even afterwards she was the inferior commander, but of course, war isn’t fair for all parties, and Musashi had some advantages Adele was able to take advantage of that Felipe couldn’t counter.
Also, there’s the fact that Adele isn’t as good as Neshinbara has proven. Still, you’re right that she’s better than she was when the battle started, and she’ll be better going forward. I look forward to seeing more of her in command…hopefully she’ll come into her own as a truly talented commander in time.
Well, whether she is ‘great’ or just ‘good’ commander is a matter of opinion, so there’s no proving one way or the other. I just wanted to point out that, IMO, she went above and beyond the call of duty in her commanding. Sure, she had weaker moments – most notably when she lost initiative after being hit by the talismans from fire ships, but she recovered and proved herself to be fast learner – like when she predicted Segundo scuttling the carrier and ordered evasive maneuver.
I agree about war – as that old AIM-9X slogan said “it’s not supposed to be fair”. But my point is more to the effect that despite all the advantages Felipe had over her, she did come as a winner. She used her limited resources to the best effect, she learned from mistakes, she changed tactics when it was appropriate and she come up with winning maneuver when it really counted. If she was grizzled veteran of many battles I’d said that she was just good enough, but taking into account that she was just teenager fighting her first naval battle ever – that makes her, at least in my book, great.
And compared to Neshinbara, well, the guy is a regular, bona-fide genius, so yeah 🙂
Now excuse me, I’m going into corner and cry that Horizon has ended. And later maybe I’ll start re-watching S1 from the beginning.
Ahaha, I’ll give you that. And don’t cry too much! It’ll be back someday, I’ll bet… ; )
Tenzo u lil cute bastard.
I really loved this season… probably my favorite from this season and past.
AND HOLY BALLZ ITS SO REFRESHING TO SEE TOORI WITH CLOTHES ON AT THE END.
Amazing finale! I loved the nonchalance when Tenzo, Mary et al rushed back on board like nothing was happening on the background 😛
One thing that keeps surprising me is the really fleshed out cast, from support to comedic relief to enemies that don’t feel like enemies. If the whole story is finished, I would love to have a Suikoden-like RPG game that lets you recruit any character of Kyoukaisen in your party.
Btw, anyone noticed that in the cameo’s there was a blond guy that also seems to be completely naked. Toori finally has a rival !!!
Does this mean we’re going to get a duel between naked men? Talk about a coc– I’ll stop ^__^
(P.S. who says women don’t get fanservice too? Even if their fanservice machines happen to be sort of idiots, lol)
More like s3 will be a Nudist Convention
s1 – Music festival
s2 – School Festival
s3 – Nudist Convention.
There goes another great series.
First and foremost, I’d like to applaud your dedication and spirit to these posts, Stilts.
You enhanced my experience and understanding to this amazing world of Horizon. For this I thank you very much.
I concur that this season is much better than the previous one, the sheer detail in every story… to say this is just good is a gross understatement.
When season 3 does come around, I’ll know exactly where to get my detailed explanation and reviews.
/Salute. 🙂
am i wrong or did i see tachibana muneshige with musashi’s uniform at the end?
You are not wrong.
*Tachibana Muneshige and Tachibana Gin have joined your party!*
^__^
What are their names, now, I wonder?
The same, I’d warrant. They’re just not the “official” Tachibana Muneshige and Gin anymore.
Even though I followed the series by myself I commend you on your efforts stilts and I liked reading your impressions in this final post.
Thank you for putting in effort and making these blogs worth a read. like to also thank Takaii and especially Moomba for doing the OST blog. Glad there are others who are passionate and like to share this wonderful series with.
I love this show so much and your blog posts were really helpful to get all the small and big details I missed. Thank you so much for all your hard work.
I’m also eagerly hoping that we’ll get a season 3. Until then I’m gonna rewatch season 1 & 2 again a few times.
I can`t see Seijun as anything but THE victor in S2. While others fought on more or less personal level and got to squash their insecurities or won themselves a blonde and shit, that girl singlehandedly put Musashi on the political map, made them a party to be reckoned with.
Pope Kenny and his ugly devil friend even articulated it.
If anything, she has all the rights to go around with enormous smug, and the fact that she does not only speaks to her credit.
And about her being “pathetic” in the end with her mouse and all – Masazumi simply does not give a fuck. People are too far below now, her harem consists of countries.
And the brown algae balls, don’t forget. They’re in her harem, too. I loved them calling out to her as they slid through the gutters when the Musashi did it’s loop.
Algae in Horizon is a pure thermonuclear HHHHHHHHNNNNNNGGGGG.
And also final boss(contrary to popular belief, Hassan is only a midboss).
Horizon & Toori vs Tres España
I was so piss off during this fight it was a 2 vs 2 lover group vs lover group fight, even if Musashi loose Iw ould have been ok since it was a fair fight but those ill-manner cheaters from Tres España join in like it was there f!@#@#@ing business, I was like mind your own business damn it and stay to the sideline, they should know better than butt in a fights between generals, I mean a leader bs leader fight should have been left alone, is common sense it was so disrespectful and rude for them to butt in. So glad when Horizon pull that second deadly sin weapon out and wipe their F@#@ cheating ass from the face of this planet.
Well in ep 1 of S2 it was Horizon’s DSA vs Diego, Hironaka, Fusa’s Michiyuki Byakko, & Gin.
Now of course Horizon had Toori + Tenzou & Mary helping out this time. While Tres Espana lost Gin’s help but gained Segundo’s supporting of Juana.
Seemed perfectly fair without one side getting wiped out. Horizon is firing something on the level of a nuke afterall…
If Muneshige & Gin & Mary really join Musashi, that be so awesome that is some serious firepower we have there, cause one thing I notice about Musashi is they are missing some good hand to hand combat personal, Futayo is the only one who can really fight hand to hand, the guy with the boxing style is good but he sort of need to meet certain requirement before he becomes useful. So with Muneshige & Gin then Musashi will definitely become much stronger consider all teh screencap showing us all those new character from season 3 who look like they can fight hand to hand combat really well.
Tenzou and Ulquiaga are good fighters even if not Futayo level, is just that they had not a serious combat yet.
Ulqui in particular belongs to a race that should be able to take on battleships by itself
↑his ancestors sure, Ulq probably not.
You know, it’s never been specified what the half dragon race’s relationship is with the half dragons of the AHEAD series, because they are nothing alike
http://www40.atwiki.jp/genesis-ticket/pages/80.html
I can’t wait for the next season (PLEASE!!!!)
The series has got so much left to cover, and I can only hope the sales of the season’s discs will convince them to make a season 3. 😀
Loved this season, and the first so much, lol.
Sales are definitely good. S1’s BD/DVD volumes were all averaged around 20-21k IIRC
S2’s Vol. 1 hit almost 18k in the 1st week, mainly since Fate/Zero’s BD boxset released same week, I think it’s climbed almost up to 21k now…
Stilts I recognized something but…
In S1 Toori started clothed, while some nakedness and ended naked.
S2 Toori starts naked, naked most of the time, cross dressed once, and ended clothed.
How much you wanna bet Toori will fabulously cross dress all S3, while being clothed or naked only a few times?
I know I’ve definitely gone bi for Toori, and him crossing dressing will only make it worse. >_>
I think Toori’s only option is to go naked from the waste-down and cross-dress above that. He can be the perverted opposite of Masazumi.
Please, you two need to stop giving people ideas for
gloriousterrible Toori x Toori slashfic. This can only go towonderfulfrightening places.When Toori cross-dresses(he will eventually), he’ll go all out. You cannot believe how far he will go
Is it wrong that I can actually picture how wrong? Cause I certainly can. Unless he goes like FABULOUS wrong, Then I will only watch in horror and mutter “awesome” under the breathe that was taken away.
Well I’ve seen an LN illustration of how far he goes…and how good he is at it.
I felt like I lost something that day.
Have yet to read the comments.. so many XD
My favorite show this season! Thanks for blogging this Stilts – I always read up on your useful notes after watching.
Maybe next weekend I’m gonna re-watch season 1-2 marathoning them with your notes XD
This show seriously stuck a grin on my face everytime I watch it
im not clear on how Suzu knew what Adele wanted to do. was Suzu able to see what Adele was doing with her arms?
well, she’s hooked up to mushashi’s sensors, might it be also internal sensors?
Suzu can hear everything. Everything. No exceptions!
Suzu has the ability to discern minute sounds from any movement, she’s the equivalent of a human sonar
Gin stayed because she was too late to return to the Spanish ship
They took out the best joke of the book where Mary found Tenzou’s eroge stash under the bed with one labeled “Climax! Virgin Queen Elizabeth!”(remember when Mary was impress that Tenzou knew so much English history? apparently this is why.) Prompting another awkward but yet strangely sweet exchange of Mary being flustered thinking Tenzou is actually into Elizabeth, then Tenzou has to proclaim he like the supporting character of that game better than the titular character. Apparently the “Mary” in the game is not as well-endowed, so she asked Tenzou about it thinking it’s not up to his standards, to which he replied “Mary is the best to me.”
I think Tres Espania gets too little appreciation.
Musashi didn’t outright defeat them; if Mary didn’t transfer with Collbrande (or if Shakespeare didn’t give away Avarice for that matter) the last hit would’ve been Tres Espania’s victory. The timing was a huge issue, as they didn’t really leave in a hurry at the end of the fight; in fact, it’s Musashi that left in a hurry. If TE didn’t have such a huge timer on their heads, with all their firepower they could’ve crushed Musashi if the battle gone on indefinitely. They “gave up” the Tachibana couple because they want the two to stay together (Gin will have to remarry if they take her back; this was mentioned back an earlier episode). At least when I was reading the novel, I wanted Musashi to win against England, but not against TE.
The staff also deserves tremendous applauses as well. Something I know people already appreciated but still not enough because they don’t know the full extent of everything that happened.
The production team didn’t just perform to the best of their abilities——they put in so, so much extra effort to make this anime happen. For anyone who follows Kawakami, Kawahara, or Ono’s twitter, they would know that this anime is very, very special. You probably won’t see this kind of communication between the author and staff for any other adaptation; Kawakami did so much unpaid work behind the scenes, and the staff reciprocated his effort with their own. While working on each episode, they just keep wanting to add this and that (and still manage to finish on schedule, unlike some other high profile anime that just leaves everything to the BD), which is why the end product is so stellar. It’s worth mentioning that none of the scenes in the OP are used as bank cards, everything in the actual episodes are redrawns if they’re similar to the OP. Nobody in their right mind would do this for action anime. I find it funny that some of the staff mentioned that another animator working on Accel World came over to mess around with the Horizon team because he did not have work before the final episode, and he just randomly started drawing for Horizon instead.
For a late-night anime, I have not seen any anime even come close to this kind of team effort in the past 5 years. For this reason, even among high quality production, Horizon remains unrivaled.
Thanks for working on this Stilts; I was livid when Takaii dropped it season one that I whined about it in RC for a while. Not that I blame him, but still … Show Spoiler ▼
You’re totally right. Tres España were worthy adversaries, and if not for a few things, they would have won…though it’s also true that if not for a few things going the other way, the battle might not have been anything like as close. That’s what made it such a good one! That final showdown really could have gone either way, and nearly did.
Lemme echo your words on the production studio, and really I should have included this in my post as well (though I have brushed on it before, it cannot be said enough) – their work was simply stellar, with no corners cut and they pulled out all the stops for every single episode they worked on. Once upon a time I didn’t have as nice of things to say about Sunrise, but they’ve been exemplary for a while now. Well done.
As for Takaii…well, Divine once told me that he regretted not taking Kyoukaisen S1 for himself when he realized it was the kind of show that needed epic-level masochism (my words, not his). Not Takaii’s fault, he’s just less crazy than either Divine or I >:D
“Save you from anything”
The eroges… they got burn.. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO save the eroges!!
And thank you very much for blogging this series, it was a really fun and amazing ride >.<, hope for a season 3 soon!.
It really helped a lot with all the information.
<3 you Stilts! Thank you for being awesome and blogging the heck out of this! Such an amazing series and I'll see you for S3!
So this concludes the second arc right?
This will continue to be one of my favorite series ever. Thank you so much for blogging/explaining/loving this series Stilts. I expect Season 3 to be amazing and I can’t wait! I want more Tenzou/Mary action as well as some more scenes with Asama xD. Until then…
@stilts:
Malgot has wings. why can’t she fly after her broom was shot?
Gin still wears the red uniform although she transferred school?
So what are Gin and Muneshi names now that they lost their title?
I think that Margot can fly, just like Malga did. She was just knocked unconscious by the God of War. Also, what really matters is performance. To use analogy – her flying is like swimming, and her broom is like armed speedboat. Even if you are the best swimmer ever, you can’t exactly do much when it comes to firepower only with your breaststroke.
@Stilts: Thank you for your great blog posts for season one and two. I believe without that I would have never found my liking in this anime. Now it is my most favourite anime ever.
Thank you for your great woke.
can anyone explain to me the “Mary Stuart!, no, for me it would be Mary Tudor” scene ?
First of all, recall that Felipe Segundo has the historical name of Philip II of Spain, while Double Bloody Mary has the historical names of both Mary I of England (Mary Tudor) and Mary Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart). I say this mostly to drop those links, which you can use to double-check the shit I’m about to say.
Felipe initially called her Mary Stuart probably just because that’s the name that first came to his mind. However, Philip II was more connected to Mary I (Tudor) because they were sort of married for a while. I’m not sure if Felipe Segundo and Double Bloody Mary were married as well (though they likely were…Mary noted she had been married multiple times, after all), but that’s definitely the Mary closest to him, so he switched to that name.
Mary and Felipe did have a quick marriage and divorce, but the 2 has never met. They did an equivalent of drawing up marriage papers, signed it, then ripped it.
And there you have it! Thank you for the assist, wicked ^^
@Stilts: I agree that Tenzou was a bit of a coward when he didnt sleep together with Mary, but what can you expect they are still awkward to each other since they recently just hooked up. But what REALLY SURPRISED me is the Muneshegi and Gin, was he serious when he said that it was his first time hugging Gin? What?! Seriously?! They are husband and wife right? and I could’ve sworn during the flashback that Gin did last episode was that Muneshegi hugged her, so I’m really confused. Or did he simply mean that it’s the first time he hugged her like that, like in that position? Ok im confused, a clarification would be good, cuz if they never hugged, let alone had sex, then I guess it must have been really a big shocked for Gin to hear Futayo had “sex” with Muneshegi lots of time lol.
I think that’s the first hug of love between them.
In the flashback, Muneshige probably held Gin tight to prevent her dying from blood loss, since well he sliced off her arms lol.
What Mukyuu said. All in all, Muneshige and Gin are a pretty awkward couple as well…their marriage was never really founded on mutual love, despite the fact that it was there. Rather, because they married due to historical recreation purposes, they never had to openly express their feelings of love for one another. That’s what happened here – the first time Muneshige openly hugged Gin, not to save her life, but out of love. D’aaawww! 🙂
Thanks for clearing that up! The flashback scene seemed so romantic that’s why i thought it was out of love and that’s when she started falling in love with the guy, didnt realize that for him it was simply trying to stop the blood from flowing out. Finally like how they openly express their love now, since it did seem so one-sided before with him not really openly responding to her feelings, and especially love the fact that they stayed in Mushashi. I wonder if they will stay there for good? That would be nice, cuz the people in Mushashi seemed so much of a merry happy go lucky bunch compared to the tres espana guys
Muneshige loves her all along, she’s probably the reason he inherited the name Tachibana Muneshige. Because in the book she recollects about the mailman(Muneshige also inherited Garcia de Ceballos’s name, but it was cut by Futayo’s beast of an old man) who suddenly showed up at her clan intended to inherit the name, and how how she beaten him to severe injuries several times until he’s strong enough to beat her. In short she hated him when they first met because he’s taking away a name she wanted to inherit. The 2 of them always had kind of an invisible wall between them because of the complication behind their names, even though their relationship evolved into love when Gin’s arms were cut
Just wanted to say, thank you Stilts. Because of your detailed posts this show went from being one I didn’t like at all in season 1 (I didn’t read your posts then) to one I loved in season 2. The show really only gets good for me once I start grasping what’s going on, and since it never takes the time to explain things itself, without an outside source such as yourself I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it. So, thanks.
I think the only way I can sum it up is by saying “season 3 WHEN?!”
Just about the only thing I didn’t like in this season was Felipe and Juana hooking up, maybe I’m in the minority but he seems way too old for her, I can’t help but get squicky creeper vibes from this pairing. Every male/female relationship doesn’t have to be based on romance, and this is one that for me personally would have worked better as more of a familial relationship. Hopefully I won’t get downvoted into oblivion for saying that :P.
That thought did cross my mind in regards to Juana and Felipe. Combine that with the fact that as a half-elf, Juana is not as mentally mature as her body would seem to indicate, and it raises a bit higher.
…that said, Juana is undoubtedly a woman, and Felipe screams loneliness. I don’t think they’ll be, ahem, consummating that relationship anytime soon, if ever. Mostly I think that Felipe just needs the support, and Juana wants to give it to him. And personally, I can’t fault her for her feelings. More power to you, elf-girl.
Call me weird but half of the time I didn’t understand what is what, but I still enjoyed watching this show. I guess I’m the minority here.
Anyway, thank you Stilts, for covering this show. I think no other bloggers can blog a show like you.
To be perfectly honest, there’s no way I would have enjoyed this series so far as much as I have if it wasn’t for your blog posts about each episode. Tons of detail is simply lost on me as I watch it, so things often don’t make a lot of sense until I read about the details in these posts.
And really, if you’re having trouble making sense of a show, you probably aren’t enjoying it very much (for example, I loved LoL Heroes but the ending episodes were all over the place and made little sense). These posts keep that from happening (for me at least), and allow me to really get at what this show has to offer.
Also, I’m a lot like you when it comes to writing/speaking. I go off on lots of tangents and provide far more detail than I probably need to, and end up having three times as much to say about something than the next guy. So you’re alone. :B
Though I’ll admit I did enjoy the first season quite a bit even without your super detailed posts. I think I just found the complexity intriguing and the characters interesting, despite not understanding at least half of what was going on.
Geez, I am late to party as usual… but I think I would have probably not even glanced at this show had it not been for your extensive explanatory posts. “Like, what the hell is he going on about ALL the time….Kyoukaisen what?” Now I understand (though am still a bit confused but I get the general gist of the story) and most importantly, just grew to enjoy the characters and all their little nuances. Anyways, a be-lated thanks for all the hard work you put into these posts!