First Impressions / Shuumatsu no Izetta

「ソグネフィヨルド海戦」 (Sogunefiyorudo Kaisen)
“The Battle of Sognefjord | Die Seeschlacht im Sognefjord”

You can always tell when a big battle is about to go down in Shuumatsu no Izetta. Well, besides when the episode title doesn’t directly telegraph it. Technically challenging action sequence coming up? The art starts to tank. Evidently, Izetta has stretched itself rather thin, either because of limited resources or a production stumble (perhaps both at the same time). This is hardly a problem unique to Izetta, of course, and perhaps we should be positive about how it has managed to ration what it has to work with. It used to be common practice, and still is sometimes, that an anime would pull out the stops for its first episode and, having hemorrhaged its budget, be forced to rush out the rest of the show by the week and basically disappoint for the rest of the season. Izetta, on the other hand, managed to hang on for three episodes (mindful, perhaps, of the three episode rule), and as long as it still manages to deliver when it counts then doodle-quality far-shots and some awkwardness in the character animation can be forgiven. After, what’s everyone watching this anime for? Lesbians and explosions (perhaps both at the same time). If Izetta needs to save up for those, then it at least has its priorities straight. Well, not ‘straight’. Poor choice of words. You know what I mean.

And so in advancement of the more explosions agenda, Shuumatsu no Izetta plays ups its alternate history angle. You know what would have been nice for the Germans to have in 1940? An actual aircraft carrier, instead of just the sad and lonely and ultimately pitiful Graf Zeppelin. It makes me wonder about what manner of events lead us to this point to create a German(ian) empire that at is at once both comfortably wealthy (wealthy enough, at least, to sacrifice an entire aircraft carrier to maybe discover some information on the witch) and oddly prescient (in the ‘we read the history books and know to leave Russia alone’ sort of way). What’s been going on in Europe, including with WWI? Yeah, I know all that has nothing to do with the explosions, but context makes the fireworks better, in my opinion.

Well, I doubt we’re ever going to find out how Germany got to making aircraft carriers. The important part is that there’s one there, and it needs to be exploded, as an excuse for Izetta to get into more dogfights. More air combat is good, because that’s where I think that’s really where the most engaging action is going to be. Little else is going to be able to challenge Izetta in an interesting manner without taking to the third dimensions; sure, they could point some flak cannons at her, but where’s the fun in that? Sadly, this time around, Izetta mostly just gets chased around, because the operation didn’t seem to be very well thought out. They supposedly needed exactly four torpedoes to sink the thing, and so they brought exactly four. No spares, no plan B, not even Izetta’s swords just in case she needed something to fight with. They’ve gone all-in on the sneak attack. It’s like—and I’ll have to speak some nerd here—the Death Star trench run, but all the rebels brought were Y-wings. Also, if when you actually get there and the ship’s sailed, you don’t need Admiral Ackbar to tell you what’s up. Obviously, your intelligence has been compromised. You need to bail!

The question begged is, of course, where the leak is, but I don’t know if the ‘trustworthy source’ is actually going to be a big plot point or if it’s just a throwaway line. There’s plenty of big plot points already (look, science fiction!), and maybe we don’t really need another. If I had to take a wild guess? This chump. One other thing you can always tell with Shuumatsu no Izetta: who the enemy are. They’re the ones with facial hair. Don’t trust them.

32 Comments

  1. In the Death Star, they planed to use Bombers to blow it up. But all was lost or damaged, so they where lucky that the X-Wings had some rocktes. So Plan B let the Death Star gone “boom”

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

  2. Also, i get a gist why this Show here do not get the feedback in Nippon. Did you saw any sights of Japan/Nippon? Strike Witches MC was from Nippon, Girls und Panzer MC was from Nippon (and school) Kancolle all Nippon Ships… and here? what is visuale nippon? Looks like to have an BD success they need to connect somehow nippon things in the show

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

    3. Might be the Japanese have made quite a few anime with no Japanese characters and many have found success. In example Fairy Tale has none as far as I can tell. A Little Snow Fairy Sugar all German characters in Germany. I can go on, in some cases like Fairy Tale some Japanese could think the characters look Japanese and there are a few Japanese items but clearly the story is in a European type area. So maybe just not catching fire except for the military fans that is unfortunate if true. The Japanese actually have TV rating service just like Nelson in US but their service does not let out any public ratings. I quite sure these ratings determine some of the success and fail and why we can not figure out why some shows renew and others do not. In US Nelson lets out the less important 18 to 49 demographic but it is the 18 to 34 and lots of other breakdowns that are more important to advertisers that you have to pay them for and you get sued if you leak em. I was Subway Owners advertising committee chairman for most of decade in the nineties in two ad markets.

      RedRocket
      Reply

  3. https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2007.jpg
    Yes animation did end up derpping right there but Izetta has its budget priority right…

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2009.jpg
    … and straight

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2008.jpg
    But we don’t watch Izetta for the yuri…

    We watch it for THE WONTON DESTRUCTION OF HIGHLY DETAILED GLORIOUS GERMAN ENGINEERING!

    Now let’s make a quick check
    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2022.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2031.jpg
    RAF Lancaster bomber, Konigsberg class light cruiser, Z23 and Graf Zepplin makes anime debut… CHeck

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
    I don’t know about you guys but there’s something familiar about this picture. I’ve seen a similar one on the internet somewhere but not of Graf Zepplin

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2022.jpg
    I want to take a while and talk about Graf Zepplin Fleugzeugtrager D. I really had to pause at the launch sequence and check it frame by frame and I must say, the studio really animated the launch sequence right. From preloading the Me 109 onto their launch trolley to their launch to the trolley recovery. If you look carefully, even the unprotected compressed air reservoir below the flight deck is faithfully recreated. They also showed how the launch trolleys were recovered. It seems that in Izetta-verse, the Germans have a full functioning CATOBAR carrier. Oh and don’t get me started on how the 105mm, 37mm and 20mm flak batteries. Despite not being the star of the action sequence, they have been faithfully recreated.

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2032.jpg
    Izetta was quite right to exploit the weakness of all carriers of that time period. A hole in the deck was enough to send the CV back to port but that second strike on the ship or aviation fuel reservoir sent it to the bottom of the Norwegian fjord

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2033.jpg
    This will not be the last time that we see Soontir Fel the Haputmann

    https://randomc.net/image/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta/Shuumatsu%20no%20Izetta%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2035.jpg
    All in all, Izetta 7 seems to take reference from several sources. From the Battle of Endor to Gunther Prien’s attack on Scarpa Flow to Battle of Yavin and British Operations against Tirpitz. The British Minister was right to see Graf Zepplin Fleugzeugtrager D as a fleet in being YET at the same time, HErr Flick’s assessment that Graf Zepplin Fleugzeugtrager D will be hunted down by RN forces should it break out into the Atlantic was spot on as well. I don’t think the RN would let Graf Zepplin Fleugzeugtrager D to roam freely in the Atlantic.

    I really thought that we’d see the German invasion of the Scandanavia but an operation against Tirpitz is fine as well.

    Velvet Scarlantina
    Reply

  4. This makes things really interesting…
    The RAF flyboy was obviously modelled on Guy Gibson of the Dambusters… Did RAF have operational Lancaster in 1940?
    Izetta is shaping up to be a very precise munitions delivery system… give her sone Tall Boys and she will level the Imperial HQ at NeuBerlin? Speaking of the Dambusters, she would have fun blowing up the Ruhr dams…

    ewok40k
    Reply

    1. Have read that Dam Busters also was a inspiration. All the people complaining that the new Star Wars movie copied from the first one. But the first one was a copy and homage to a lot of earlier works, war movies, sci fi movie short serials and others. Lucas at the time gave full credit that he was just borrowing. I guess because back in the 70’s it was a lot harder to see older stuff more people thought it was original concepts.

      RedRocket
      Reply

  7. Overall, I liked the episode. The flying through valleys on the way to the target was a nice visual, and the battle wasn’t simply “goes in, launches torpedoes, ship sinks, gets a beer”. Actually, the fact it was a trap was nice even if not a total surprise. Do wonder who the mole is – can’t be the same spy we saw before with that one Pvt. Someone inside Britannia HC? If it was a mole passing secret intel, that information got passed on quite fast. If it wasn’t a mole/stolen intel, but rather a general prediction, that’s one really well timed prediction to sortie Graf Z & escorts when they did.

    Back to the battle. Again, like that things didn’t go exactly according to plan for Izetta but she adapted. She seems to have studied before so I’ll assume that’s why she knew to target the CV forward elevator and where the fuel storage was located. Initially, I wondered why this particular plan (to break the ship’s keel). She could have just gathered some BB AP shells (or AP bombs), and played dive bomber, targeting the magazines & fuel storage. Shouldn’t be a problem penetrating the deck armor. Guess they though they had a better chance of maximizing damage this way + would be a an easy, turn-key mission with little, if any, resistance.

    Kind of wonder what Ortfine’s plan would have been if Graf Zeppelin wasn’t around as a convenient target of goodwill. She didn’t hear about the CV until she was “on the way here” so lucky for her. Will give a point for the show noting it was lucky Graf Z ended up where the ley lines were strong (those I guess just the dock area – see below). Still, nothing the Allies can do about Graf Zeppelin? Really? Actually, the comments at the end make it seem like Graf Z wasn’t really a big deal where it was currently situated (and only one CV). If it sortied forth, then the RN could easily handle it so why so much consternation? Early on they kind made it out to be a bigger deal that it ultimately seemed to be.

    — “An actual aircraft carrier, instead of just the sad and lonely and ultimately pitiful Graf Zeppelin.”

    O.o Granted only 85% complete by the start of WWII (and never totally finished), but “an actual aircraft carrier” Graf Zeppelin was. In fact, wasn’t even a converted CV like Kaga, Akagi, Saratoga, Lexington, etc. Now whether a well-designed CV – different question/issue.

    As for AA fire (flak), the screening ships did put up a lot of AA fire early battle – even took out one of the torps. GZ didn’t fire, but it was commencing launch operations so that very well could have been the reason. After the fighters were launched, not surprised AA fire stopped. Way too easy to have a friendly fire incident. Let the fighters handle Izetta.

    As for only 4 torps, fair point since the show did give the impression of “you’ll need precisely 4 torps if everything goes exactly as planned”). Maybe it’s a mass thing, but she’s handled more than 4 objects before (e.g. lances, swords). IDK – the way it was presented, I got the feeling that 4 was really the max she could handle well in this situation. Perhaps due to finicky ley lines. Seriously, there are some pretty precise/small gaps with those. Still, taking a couple extra torps would have been a prudent idea if possible.

    daikama
    Reply

      1. The bomber pilot who is really nice to Izetta and ultimately risked his plane and his life to save her is called Groman. I rather doubt he’s the spy.

        Ambassador Redford is more likely, but I’m skeptical that its him either.

        Darthtabby
        Reply

      2. I’d be surprised if the Britannia pilot (Groman) was the spy/mole. Redford is a possibility, but like Darthtabby, I have my doubts its him either. Maybe someone we’ve seen or could be a yet to be introduced character,

        daikama
        Reply

    2. The situation with the Drachenfels is somewhat reminiscent of the situation with Bismarck’s sister ship Tirpitz. She caused a lot of concern and tied up a lot of resources just by being a potential threat.

      Darthtabby
      Reply

      1. @Darthtabby: Agree. Situation also reminded me of Tirpitz during WWII. Wouldn’t be surprised if Tirpitz was inspiration for this episode (with Graf Z or whatever they called it substituted). Still, couple things. First the RAF & RN did something abut Tirpitz in WWII. Here the Allies act like there’s nothing they could do which stands in stark contrast with Tirpitz. That seemed a bit odd to me, so I mentioned. it. To be fair, if the Allies could handle Tirpitz “Graf Zepplin” on their own, then as I mentioned above, how does Ortfine gain some goodwill with them? Clearly it works better for the plot if the Allies need help with Graf Z.

        Second, it’s a bit jarring when the Allies build up Graf Z as such a “thorn in their side”, a source of much fret & consternation, and then at the end, the Germania side almost paints Graf Z as useless. Ship couldn’t do much, if anything, at its current location, and if it sorties out then the RN can easily dispatch it. That dialog made me think – “So which is it? Is GZ a real threat per Allies, or in fact useless to the point it could be thrown away as bait?”

        daikama
        Reply

      2. @daikama
        I don’t really think the “Allies” couldn’t do anything about the carrier. I think most of them just doesn’t want to put in any resources to deal with the carrier. The one who really wanted to do something about it was the Scandinavian. The reason seemed to be for prides sake instead of strategic too. At least that’s what I got from there conversation.

        I called them “Allies” because that’s what they were in our historical time line. In Izetta’s world it’s quite different. The Atlantan’s aren’t really involved yet, the Brits are thinking of pulling out, the Nord’s prince is in exile and the Thermidor’s are getting clobbered. They all expect Otto to take over western Europe. The alliance seem to be rather frail.

        theirs
        Reply

  8. Has anyone taken a look at the paintings scattered across some episodes back? I feel like there’s a foreboding aspect of the story from there.

    I noticed there was a depiction of a lady in white, and another person in red. Feels like someone is making a terrible mistake of mixing who is the real white witch and who is actually the person in red.

    launcelot
    Reply

  9. The bomber pilot who is really nice to Izetta and ultimately risked his plane and his life to save her is called Groman. I rather doubt he’s the spy.

    Ambassador Redford is more likely, but I’m skeptical that its him either.

    Darthtabby
    Reply

  10. I like the David vs Goliath situation. Two sides facing each other. One side is overwhelming overfull. Yet the inferior side uses the best of their wits and skills to gain an advantage, they are even desperate enough to sacrifice an entire air craft carrier to gain some information.

    Enan84
    Reply

  11. “They supposedly needed exactly four torpedoes to sink the thing, and so they brought exactly four. No spares, no plan B, not even Izetta’s swords”

    Well, you generally don’t plan for “what if the enemy knows our exact plan and has set up an ambush”.

    This is early in the war, and the UK is presumably stretched thin. How many assets are you going to commit to an untried ally? I imagine there were logistical constraints. Each of these torpedoes is probably 4000+ lbs. You’d need another dedicated bomber for support. How much support can the pro-Izetta faction wangle for a demonstration that is to show Izetta’s solo power? The more support she needs, the less useful she appears.

    In any case, the obvious “four torpedoes to sink” is an ideal outcome. But I’m sure they’d have been happy with two or three torpedoes that crippled but didn’t sink (you could do a second strike with the RAF to finish the ship off).

    Or Izetta could use her magic to improvise something else – which she ended up doing quite effectively by ramming the torpedoes into the open elevator.

    The thing to remember is that this wasn’t a “do or die” plan of the Star Wars sort. This was a demonstration raid to see if an allied power could cheaply and efficiently remove any enemy asset (without requiring too much help from the British). So expecting the British to commit more assets to support Izetta than the minimum needed to get the job done is perhaps unrealistic….

    trixbat
    Reply

    1. Also, this is the British in the _early_ part of the war. They’ve just been whipped in France-equivalent, they’re presumably struggling in the Desert War-equivalent, the US hasn’t entered the war yet to give them tons of supplies. The faction supporting Izetta likely to had plead to get even the two aircraft and four torpedoes that it ended up with while other generals are demanding air power for operations against the Germans elsewhere…

      For an example of how reluctant the British could be to commit reserve naval or bomber assets in this period (out of worries of attacks elsewhere) read the account of the defense against the “channel dash” (operation zerberus). British command so nervous about need to maintain reserves against other attacks that the big strike against the German battle fleet was left to half a dozen obsolete torpedo-armed biplanes and a few old destroyer…

      trixbat
      Reply

  12. Loved it.

    Frustrated that the current anime process results in incomplete products being released. I say incomplete as the Blue Rays often clean up and improve scenes. Does not show up as much in US TV in visuals but often the plot is full of holes because they just did not have enough time to work it out better. Both would be greatly improved if shot a year ahead for the full season.

    RedRocket
    Reply

  13. Oh loved the bomber in fighter role. Actually happened with unloaded bombers a few times and they had some success as with out the bomb load they get a lot more maneuverable some even got kills. No not as maneuverable but they got a lot more guns including ones firing backwards.

    RedRocket
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *