First Impressions / Vividred Operation

「晴れときどきふわふわ」 (Hare Tokidoki Fuwafuwa )
“Sunny and Sometimes Fluffy”

“God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world.” With Akane back in action, we’re get back our light-hearted atmosphere this week — along with a focus on arguably our two favorite Vividgals in Wakeba and Himawari.

And well, it was quite amusing (and somewhat cute) to see Wakeba cleanin’ for Himawari to start the episode off. Should’ve known it was in exchange for her being forced to wear this, but in the end, things even out… kind of. Not sure if having to go to a whole year’s worth of factory tours would be considered even though. Either way, for the most part, this week was pretty straight forward — rather, as straight forward as you can get when you have a gal who wants to buy things normally not sold in malls (a military server to be precise!). Admittedly, I found myself going “WAIT WHAT!? THEY SELL THOSE?!” at that scene, but hey, just par for the course in the Vividred universe.

Moving on though, this week’s Alone gets dispatched pretty quickly — you know it’s quick when Rei doesn’t even have time to shoot it — so there’s not much to talk about in terms of that, aside from the nice reappearance of Vividblue… and the continued similarities to Evangelion. If you remember, the whole Angel dropping down from space was a key point in the latter, so once again, we’re seeing some continued referencing on the part of Vividred. I can’t help but think of the Lance of Longinus when Kenjirou mentions the “Rod of God,” but at the same time, it could just be a reference to the “kinetic bombardment” the Alone was doing.

In any case, it’s mostly pretty typical stuff this week — although I found it somewhat more likable than usual. I don’t know if it’s just because of the focus on Wakeba and Himawari… or just the fact that it didn’t seem that rushed at all this week. While we’re on that topic though… with only a few episodes left, I’m really starting to think there’s a planned second season at the end of all this. Either that, or they got their work cut out for them if they want to end this with some semblance of a proper ending. Guess we’ll see.

Full-length images: 03, 13, 39.

43 Comments

  2. The GreenxYellow ship is now even stronger than ever. Wakaba being all over Hiwamari is a given since its been established as her character. But seeing Hiwamari go ballistic at the possibility of losing her hairpins (the one thing that connects her to Wakaba) is new and does establish how she’s attached to her. Its pure shipping fodder. I think my yuri googles have broken again.

    fragb85
    Reply

    2. forgot something: (I can use an edit function in the comments)
      – Wakeba’s pushing all of the girly stuff onto Himawari since the day they meet, the reason’s kinda obvious…

      info600
      Reply

  5. Ending: The last Arown will be humans and inside the Manifestor Engine is Vivith. NotHomu will magically have one more arrow (full of fluffy feelings) that she will shoot to Akane to power her up to Vividred. But its all part of the evahl crow’s plan and they will use Akane to change the world. Akane rejects it and with Aoi become the only survivors.
    Alternate ending: Many years after the evahl’s crows group has been defeated, Wakaba and Himawari get married. All of their friends attend the marriage and grandpa is still stuck in a stuffed toy.

    Youkai
    Reply

  7. The yuri is strong in this episode.

    Himawari-chan kawaii~ No wonder Wakaba is heads over heels for her. And Himawari going all her way to find her hairpins made it all worth it. (At the expense of Wakaba’s Sunday free time. XD )

    The Alones now become more increasingly EVA-Angel like, this time even mimicking the angel Sahaquiel in the way it attempts to crash into its intended target from orbit.
    http://wiki.evageeks.org/Sahaquiel

    Anonymous
    Reply

  9. The military server is 2 generations old… it’s like buying old 50-s jet or tank (totally viable in our own universe).
    “Rod from god” reference is obviously showing that show’s creators are a bit of military otakus (with all the planes and warships and tanks that support the girls and almost invariably get trashed in the proicess). (For those not in the know – it is hypothetical system of orbital bombardment using high density kinetic missiles literally DROPPED FROM ORBIT ON TARGETS)
    Other than that, my yuri goggles definitely need major repairs after this episode. Ship fuel ahoy?

    ewok40k
    Reply

    1. It certainly feels like the staff from Strike Witches and GuP are involved in this show. Am I right?

      The unrivaled details in the Aegis (or Arleigh Bruke type cruisers) to the F35 to Chuno-ami’s Ferrari smashing-turned UCV-Type 10 MBT

      c2710
      Reply

      1. It certainly feels like the staff from Strike Witches and GuP are involved in this show. Am I right?

        According to the RC season preview, the director, Takamura Kazuhiro, also directed Strike Witches. For me, while a large part of premise certainly is similar to SW along with a minor plot line or two, I don’t get the same overall feeling/vibe from this show. JMO, but Vividred seems much more whimsical in its approach to the story. Whether that’s good or bad is up to the viewer. Definitely don’t get the same feeling as I do with GuP. Posted as much before so I’ll leave it at that.

        daikama
        Reply

    2. Strange, in last Episode comments i wrote about “Evangelion” the Angel dropping from outer Space, using his Body as Kinetic Bomb. But in last Episode they took the “Penetrate” the Shield, here they used the “Dropping”

      I wonder what will happen next. A “Angel” Computer Virus?

      Germanguy
      Reply

  11. 3 things:

    1. Himawari is the best Vividred.

    2. Disappointed that after the Himawari and Wakaba focus of the show there was no Green and Yellow combination/gattai/symmetrical docking against the Alone.

    3. Himawari is the best Vividred.

    Asta
    Reply

    1. In regards to point 2, girls can only combine with Akane, remember? It’s not explained why, but I think it’s because the three other keys were formed one at a time from Akane’s master key, so they all have a connection to it, but not to each other.

      Wanderer
      Reply

      2. Well, but if you think the point to the end. These “Combines” without “Red Ranger” raise the Budget. Because they need to Draw new Combine Sequences. Green + Yellow, Green + Blue and so on..

        Perhaps if the Budget get a Lift, we will see them

        Germanguy
        Reply

      3. Only docking with Akane under the current system is correct. However, I’m definitely all for Himawari and Wakaba docking. Nothing but win there IMO. Ferret Grandpa does need to create a patch for that at least if a software upgrade isn’t feasible right now. Of course he might just want to work on returning to his body first >_>… They did put it back in the freezer, right?

        daikama
        Reply

      4. My idea is that even though Weasel-Ojii-san says that the system can’t work that way (having non-Akane docking), the growing deep friendship between Himawari and Wakaba is going to somehow make it possible for those two to dock together, with StuffedFerret-san looking on in disbelief as his system exceeds the limitations he thought were built in and two Vivid Combos kick major ass.

        Highway
        Reply

    3. budget running dry is an understatement. i had to do a double take on the scene of Aoi and Akane in the costumes handing out balloons. really? ONE keyframe and only a few extra frames worth of mouth movement? it was so out-of-place and terrible i almost stopped watching altogether.

      good thing Himawari and Wakaba more than made up for that in the rest of the episode!

      Nitro
      Reply

  13. so wakaba & himawari go outside to mall area give himawari & makeover while there cue wakaba’s snake wrath to stone’d any guy who want himawari.

    oh there akane & aoi doing costume mascot doing after quick talk more wander give himawari want get super comp then here come magazine person who want pics of himawari give wakaba (bit channel in a TOSHINO KYOKO side) want himawari do it so fine.

    give himawari doing it but bit huh on it cause later plan bring wakaba til factory tour then wakaba said they want more pic give got himawari going sad but they make-up with wabaka as himawari servant.

    then while nap himawari’s hairpins got swap then rain notice it missing then search til wakaba give himawari her hairpins all good & oh alone attack yep same usual.

    now all set himawari all ready bring wakaba to factory tours & for rei is like why am i always get bad luck & go all or nothing on it.

    dallas
    Reply

  14. I’m starting to feel that Rei-chan would have to

    Show Spoiler ▼

    That would bring in some huge drama and a really heart-rending story for her.

    launcelot
    Reply

  16. “Rod of God” is an old term referring to an orbital-to-surface kinetic attack (also called “Drop-A-Rock”). To paraphrase the original quote the term came from: It would strike the ground like the Rod of God.

    Wanderer
    Reply

  19. OF course, everyone missed the fact the Himiwari sells her own software, with enough profit for a small business; supercomputers–even old, used ones–are NOT cheap.

    I guess Himiwari is as mentally gifted as Akane is athletically. (I can’t in all honesty claim that Himiwari isn’t physically gifted…)

    kylone
    Reply

  20. Quite enjoyed this ep, as always.
    One question though. Where did Wakaba hide that umbrella? And that apple… And that knife…

    On a side note – slicing apples into bunny shapes is one heck of a skill.

    Patsuan
    Reply

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