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「乙女の祈り」 (Otome no Inori)
“A Maiden’s Prayer”
Oh the woes of a frontloaded week. Too much to do, never enough time, and the need to sacrifice on things I’d rather not have to scale back (I’ll respond to comments one of these times I swear!). It’s especially annoying considering Tsuki to Laika airs during the same time, because if there’s one thing to say about this show it’s that it never lacks for fun and entertaining. Just ask our resident cutie pie.
After all the excitement of finding out how well pointy ears do in space flight, no major surprise this week was one of rest and relaxation. Or at least mostly. Irina, no matter her status as a test subject, got some well-deserved praise for her success, Lev wound up with a promotion (and some tongue in cheek advice over command authority), and everyone is now gearing up for the first “true” manned mission to space. It’s the usual transitory moment, and though I still have my issues with how some of these scenes are playing out – the early space age USSR never played this nicely or openly with matters of state – it’s nice seeing Irina being given an effective break from the overbearing denigration. She has done what no one has done before, damn right she can flaunt it for all it’s worth.
Much as repeatedly teased beforehand, however, the big question mark is just what problems emerge next. There’s enough on the table already for example to suggest Irina is being kept alive as an implicit threat – she may not be the intended poster child for Zirnitrian space achievement, but she could be should it be leaked to the right individuals. And if it’s leaked, well, quite a few in positions of power who may not like the current government won’t be enjoying their offices too much more. The girl is now veritable blackmail, a pawn in a greater game and it’s anyone’s guess who will try to take advantage of her first. Well, unless we count Lev as having already made a move of course, because there’s no way their relationship doesn’t continue its merry march towards beet red faces and adorably awkward intimacy. Still a third of the season to go, plenty of time to see just what the cosmonaut aspirant gets up to on this end.
The only question is just how likely the happy ending is going to be.
Random Tidbits
There may be a good deal of Engrish at work with the cyrillic text here, but you have appreciate the understanding for some of the script’s more humorous aspects. Just take cyrillic handwriting for example. Yes, you can technically read this. No, I have no idea how – but I pity the one responsible for doing so!
Preview
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That was pretty wholesome.
It’s weird seeing Irina at the festival wearing a traditional folk dress, and Anya going along… in her usual work attire. She invited her in the first place, you’d think she would want to look the part too.
(*cough* nevermind the fact that I wanted to see it)
Disappointed me too, you’d think Anya would’ve dressed up too, it’s only fitting for such an event!
That hand writing might actually be legible? O_O
Speaking of the pseudo Cyrillic, it took sometime, but I finally realized that the guy wanting to blow Irina up is actually named vice chairman. They actually named some cadets who hardly ever spoke, but a high ranking person in the National Security Council is just called that. Poor guy gets no respect in that relationship diagram (lol). Have doubts Natalia is following his orders too.
There’s a lot of potential conflicts, but this show always gives off a positive vibe. Maybe cause it’s so like the USSR, but also so unlike the USSR.
Haha yes it is! Google cyrillic handwriting for some examples, I have no idea how people can actually read it, but they apparently can. Further evidence for why I’m content sticking to German and Japanese 😛
Regarding the positive vibe yeah it’s what primarily throwing me for a loop. The Soviet aesthetics and setup is there, but the story we’re getting breaks with everything you’d expect from the setting. So much so I’m hesitant to make predictions after Lev’s imprisonment wound up being anything but lol. Going to be interesting seeing just what the next bit of conflict winds up being.
That reminded me of my own times actually learning to write in cyrillic back in my childhood when I was on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall…
Positive vibe should not be completely off, the whole space program was sort of trying to show Soviet Union in positive way, and was borne out of real patriotism permeating those who worked for it.
And since real culprit turned out to be Franz, there was no point in keeping Lev locked up, especially since he could have helped with Irina’s flight.
I presume Irina will be sent off to some remote area of country with orders to keep quiet or else.
I wonder though if Lev will end in space himself?
I am having a hard time reading…government in this episode are those in power planning to off our beloved vamp?
I don’t want Irina to go bye, Bye.
If not bye, bye surely Irina will be the center of attention in a negative way.
Hmm probably worded that line badly in hindsight, what I was referring to was some of Zirnitra’s politicians likely want to get rid of Irina so her secret mission can go with her to her grave – a mission they certainly had a hand in. Others probably want her alive so it serves to keep those politicians in line – i.e. they won’t act up as long as Irina remains a threat to their jobs. Such manoeuvring is common for politics, you’re always looking for blackmail to keep your subordinates in line or extract concessions from your superiors.