Anime - Magical Girl Anime Thread, hajimarimasu!

[majestic]

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, Episode 17:

Spoiler

The "Type 0" Cyborgs, Subaru and her sister Ginga, are living up to the expectation of the enhanced combat models that end up undererstimating them. Wendi and Nove - the Italian in the numbers seems to break down after 9 (Nove) end up beaten, the newbies escape and deliver the techno-mage devices back to Nanoha and Fate (no magical weapons allowed at the conference, another neat coincidence).

The defenders of the Riot Force 6 HQ are less successful, the remaining Belkan Knights team is beaten and apparently suffers heavy losses (and look at Hayate's reaction, those are actual losses, not just... injuries. Not sure yet).

Subaru finds Ginga apparently lifeless, surrounded by three of the combat cyborgs and goes full Sailor Saturn on them, but phase walker girls ends up saving them. Subaru is damaged, her techno-mage device heavily damaged, potentially destroyed.

Vivio is abducted, or perhaps better said, retrieved. Erio sees her taken away, has a flashback to being forcibly removed from his family (he was part of the original Project F, or at least a clone coming out of the tech developed for Project F - much like Fate) and does a shounen thing, flying mindlessly towards Lutecia (the enemy version of Caro, a rather powerful, if very young summoner), which predictably ends as well as any stupid shounen decision should. He's severely hurt, and his friend Caro is crowd controlled and falls into the ocean. 

Caro recovers, and... uhm... essentially shows everyone why she was exiled from the village she was born in for being dangerous by summoning an elder black dragon that proceeds to mop up the remaining forces before they can destroy what's left of Riot Force's 6 main base.

Whee, Cargo gets to show off her summoning power that's been teased and hinted at in bits and pieces in the earlier episodes, Subaru and Erio get a neat reminder why there's no I in team, and the Doctor's cyborg squad pretty much fulfilled all its objectives (except taking Subaru as a prisoner). The Doctor cackles and laughs like a madman, saying he's a lover of life and philantropist at heart, which would ring hollow had his team not gone out of the way to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.

He also makes a very helpful transmission offering his technology, for a price. I guess as far as sales pitches go, making the Space Cops and their rapid response team look like a bunch of incompetend amateurs ain't half bad. Potential partners and buyers don't need to know that the deck was stacked against them, right?

At any way, the expected low point didn't come in the fight right at the middle, but roughly two thirds through the season, and it's a lot lower than expected. Sheesh. Also curious how they'll write themselves out of this mess without going for a major asspull. The combat cyborgs are being adapted and changed after every encounter, and this time it was rather evenly matched already. Next time...

edit: The combat cyborgs all look a bit like they could come out of a Mega Man game.

edit 2: Oi, I kept thinking I know the Doctor's voice from somewhere, it's the same voice actor that voice Fuma in the X movie.

edit 3: Next episode has the cleanup, some nice moments between the characters (even the "bad" guys, who are currently hard at work setting up some heel/face turns for the endgame).

Spoiler

Subaru's mother might also still be alive, albeit in stasis and used as basis for experiments (the cyborg girls seem all to be copies or at least genetically engineered versions of existing clones). Lt. General Whathisface is a bit unhappy with Scaglietti's attack on his HQ there, that was apparently not part of the deal. Well, that's what you get for not being genre savvy enough. Who makes deals with mad scientists and expects them to stick to their end of he bargain?

Clearly a face you can trust!

The Arthra, the Space Cop battle cruiser that appeared in the first two seasons is repurposed as mobile headquarter for Riot Force 6, it was close to being decomissioned and has been mothballed for a while now.

Spoiler

Nanoha understandably breaks down over not being able to protect Vivio. Episode ends with the Doctor experimenting on Vivio. Or putting the finishing touches on her. Ugh.

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by majestic

[InsaneCommander]

Finished Stardust Crusaders. It's a great series and the team is funnier than what was seen previously. I'm glad there is another arc with them.
 

Spoiler

Avdol returned and after the baby ate his own poop, it was time for the new opponent to drink piss.

I checked the Tarot cards earlier in the season and I won't do it again in case it could spoil something, but the only card I remember that is still unused is the fool. Is that Dio's Stando?

Their last adversary was kind of dumb. If you can target a Stand user by hitting their Stand, then don't offer any areas that are particularly painful as targets, like your teeth.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Just now, InsaneCommander said:

Finished Stardust Crusaders. It's a great series and the team is funnier than what was seen previously. I'm glad there is another arc with them.
 

  Reveal hidden contents

Avdol returned and after the baby ate his own poop, it was time for the new opponent to drink piss.

I checked the Tarot cards earlier in the season and I won't do it again in case it could spoil something, but the only card I remember that is still unused is the fool. Is that Dio's Stando?

Their last adversary was kind of dumb. If you can target a Stand user by hitting their Stand, then don't offer any areas that are particularly painful as targets, like your teeth.

YES I AM!

Enjoy Stardust Crusaders Battle for Egypt, it's about to get weirder.

Some spoilers

The two tarots missing are the Fool and the World. They both show up.

The Fool is the stand of the 6th Crusader, Iggy. He will show up next episode.

Next Spoiler is bigger.

THE WORLD is DIO's stand. It's....something else.

[Bartimaeus]

On 11/16/2021 at 4:23 PM, majestic said:

When I watch the ending of the first season of Sailor Moon

Didn't you also first watch Sailor Moon as it came out when you were a teen? Lot harder to discern than when you're young, especially if you don't know if there's gonna be a second season or not...

On 11/16/2021 at 4:23 PM, majestic said:

I think I really need to go back and watch at least parts of season one again now that I've seen the whole series

Technically speaking...

On 11/16/2021 at 4:23 PM, majestic said:

But yeah, the Blu Ray is definitely looking better than the Netflix version too. I'm going to buy a set when I come across one, the show deserves as much. Notepad++ looks like work, so that'll stay the hell away from my private computer.

Notepad++ is basically just Notepad...plus-plus. No, but really, I just keep around a .txt that I write stuff down in and then delete as I get to them, . It's easier than trying to magically remember everything in life, plus it means I don't have to use...you know, actual real life notepads. As for the BDs, every time I see a glimpse of the show on Netflix, I'm shocked by how much...cheaper the show looks. It makes me sad to think about other shows that couldn't get equal treatment to Sakura's BDs, like Sailor Moon or Miyu. It makes sense for something like Miyu, of course, since there would never be enough of a market to warrant tracking down all the materials and doing a new transfer and such, but it's an absolute shame for Sailor Moon - those blurays are bad.

Also, I forgot that I'm going to have to try Clear Card...ay, karamba!

[Gorth]

5 hours ago, majestic said:

That's still running and all that...

 

Dang it... too good to be true

Two episodes in and I'm quite enjoying it though. No idea about what is really going on, other than Miko can see monsters and ghosts that nobody else can see. And it (understandably) unnerves her, even if she tries to act normal and pretend she doesn't see them

[majestic]

14 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Didn't you also first watch Sailor Moon as it came out when you were a teen? Lot harder to discern than when you're young, especially if you don't know if there's gonna be a second season or not...

On 11/16/2021 at 11:23 PM, majestic said:

Yes, I did. Spoilered mostly for brevity's sake:
 

Spoiler

However, I've been waffling around a bit when I started watching. Before the rewatch I was certain it was at the beginning of R, during the rewatch I wasn't sure any more (I might have started when Minako joined). Either way, the second season aired straight after the first one wrapped up (next day), therefore there was no real tension. 

I'm sort of back thinking that I started with R, but that seems wrong in light of the rewatch. I remember thinking to myself that I've now watched all the episodes after Usagi's family holiday in the first season (this was after Sailor Stars, I think). 

Things I'm fairly certain of:

• I started watching Sailor Moon at a time when the episodes were noticably different from the first 13 episodes. When I joined exactly, no real idea, but it was really jarring to see how different these were.
• I was surprised that Mamoru and Usagi were fighting all the time in the beginning, so I'm really sure I didn't start watching before Minako showed up. 
• The first thing I remember clearly is the Doom Tree, which would suggest starting with R. 
• I remember reading that the US version had a noticably different ending to Sailor Moon and was confused how you could possibly doctor the end of Sailor Stars in a way where nobody dies. That is the biggest reason for starting with R, because that article was about the first season's ending. 

Either way, the first episode of R aired the day after episde 46.  

I'll never know for sure, but I was also talking about the rewatch, more or less. Even knowing that it'll continue, the scenes weren't as hard hitting as the mini-montage of them waving happily at Usagi (or, well, the viewer) shortly afterwards.

14 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Technically speaking...

On 11/16/2021 at 11:23 PM, majestic said:

Indeed, technically speaking I still have Steven Universe: The Kaiju Stories open.  

Fun fact: Binging three seasons in almost as many days seems to have broken my OCD. I'm still pretty burned out with poor Steven - the problem is that's barely viable for other shows. Not only was Steven Universe more than good enough to be binged, it was also much easier with the 11 minutes episode setup, and he fact that we were stuck in a very strict lockdown at the time.

14 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Notepad++ is basically just Notepad...plus-plus. No, but really, I just keep around a .txt that I write stuff down in and then delete as I get to them, . It's easier than trying to magically remember everything in life, plus it means I don't have to use...you know, actual real life notepads. As for the BDs, every time I see a glimpse of the show on Netflix, I'm shocked by how much...cheaper the show looks. It makes me sad to think about other shows that couldn't get equal treatment to Sakura's BDs, like Sailor Moon or Miyu. It makes sense for something like Miyu, of course, since there would never be enough of a market to warrant tracking down all the materials and doing a new transfer and such, but it's an absolute shame for Sailor Moon - those blurays are bad.

I think Toei doesn't have the material any more. This isn't a case of George Lucas pretending to have artistic integrity when he says he does not want to create a HD version of the original cinematic Star Wars releases. They'd release proper Blu Rays if they could, I mean, they made Crystal for two bucks and a chewing gum paid to the artists to rake in cash. 

14 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Also, I forgot that I'm going to have to try Clear Card...ay, karamba!

You might be more lenient than I was, wich all in all is pretty weird when you really think about it. I'm far more critical of certian episodes of CCS than you were (like that ice skating episode, or the strawberry adventure).

Very minor Nanoha update:

Spoiler

Apparenly nobody died in the attack, but the fate of Ginga is still open. Some characters are severely hurt and more or less out of comission, but they'll apparently pull through. I'm both surprised and, yeah, a bit relieved. Seems like I've grown attached to them. Who would have thought?  

Edited November 18, 2021 by majestic

[majestic]

Komi can’t communicate new episode thingy:

Hououin Kyoma has a guest role, aside from that it was not nearly as terribad as the last one. Either my brain suffered severe damage last time or this was a better episode than the last three. 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

2 hours ago, majestic said:

Komi can’t communicate new episode thingy:

Hououin Kyoma has a guest role, aside from that it was not nearly as terribad as the last one. Either my brain suffered severe damage last time or this was a better episode than the last three. 

Or both. Some folks have been spreading rumors about the return of that fake Trek show that had so many folks scared.

[Gorth]

Finished episode 7 of Mieruko-chan (looks like there is a dash in the title)... this is frustrating

I wish I had paid attention to the fact that the series isn't finished yet. Now I have to wait for next episode

Loving it so far. A series with humor, horror, big mystery and big boobs (that's her friend Hana), what's not to love? Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you actually feel like wanting to reach out and give Miko a hug and reassure her that everything will be fine some day.

[majestic]

1 hour ago, KP Cross Split Attack said:

Or both. Some folks have been spreading rumors about the return of that fake Trek show that had so many folks scared.

I JUST WATCHED THAT GO READ MY POST MY BRAIN IS GONE GOODBYE DEAR THREAD...

Sorry for the caps. Not.

Here's a helpful link, please like and subscribe and hit that bell so I did not spend an hour typing that for nothing. Thanks!

edit:

So it's going to be Thursdays of Hell from here on out, huh? A new episode of Komi Can't Communicate and Star Trek: Discovery on the same day. Sigh.

Edited November 19, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

40 minutes ago, majestic said:

So it's going to be Thursdays of Hell from here on out, huh? A new episode of Komi Can't Communicate and Star Trek: Discovery on the same day. Sigh.

You're talking nonsense, there is no such thing as Star Trek Discovery.

[Bartimaeus]

Samurai Champloo, episode 16, possible major story spoilers:

Spoiler

Best as I can tell, the sunflower samurai must be Fuu's father. A man that abandoned her when she was a child that she desperately wishes to find but doesn't remember enough about that she wishes to "beat up" for whatever he did to her (...but not kill). IIRC, she also has refused to talk about her father since the beginning, so I can only assume this all adds up to them being one and the same.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Komi Can't Communicate with Hououin Kyouma.

It was better than last week. I think the show works as something light to watch that I'm not terribly invested in.

[majestic]

46 minutes ago, KP Cross Split Attack said:

Komi Can't Communicate with Hououin Kyouma.

 

Fear my dragon power!

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

18 minutes ago, majestic said:

Fear my dragon power!

I think Komi's mom was scarier...

[majestic]

Yes, she was, but she was voiced by Sailor Aluminum Siren, so I'm kinda okay with that.  

One other thing, the names in this anime are all terrible, but I guess that's the same in the manga. Komi Shouko, Komi Shuuko, Komi Shousuke...

 

[Sarex]

5 minutes ago, majestic said:

Yes, she was, but she was voiced by Sailor Aluminum Siren, so I'm kinda okay with that.  

One other thing, the names in this anime are all terrible, but I guess that's the same in the manga. Komi Shouko, Komi Shuuko, Komi Shousuke...

 

All of the character names are jokes/puns. The subtitles are teribad...

Edited November 19, 2021 by Sarex

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

4 minutes ago, Sarex said:

All of the character names are jokes/puns. The subtitles are teribad...

They do translate some of the side panels and bubbles, but I don't think it's consistent. The fansubs will fix it.

[Bartimaeus]

Okko's Inn (2018). It was alright - didn't really grab me, but didn't really lose me either. Basically a kids movie about a little girl who loses both her parents in a car accident and goes to stay with her grandma who's an innkeeper and learns how to move on and adapt to her new circumstances, essentially. Inoffensive and struck a balance between silly and more solemn...it was alright.

[majestic]

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

Okko's Inn (2018). It was alright - didn't really grab me, but didn't really lose me either. Basically a kids movie about a little girl who loses both her parents in a car accident and goes to stay with her grandma who's an innkeeper and learns how to move on and adapt to her new circumstances, essentially. Inoffensive and struck a balance between silly and more solemn...it was alright.

You know, we should, uh, try something once you're done with Samurai Shampoo. We could kill reality together. I'll try Samurai Conditioner and you'll have your alter ego check out K-On!.

That also reminds me that I still have Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop open.

[Bartimaeus]

Yeah, I'll get to trying it out...eventually. Once Sakura and Samurai Champloo is done, I think the one I want to get to next is actually Serial Experiments Lain, but there's also Future Boy Conan which just came out...ergh, there's just too much stuff.

[majestic]

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Strikers, episode 19.

This is going to be a shortish post, beacuse nothing much happened. Riot Force 6 moved to their new mobile base, everyone has recovered except former elite sniper Sgt. Vice and Zafira. Zafira is the Belkan Knight's version of Alph who... I just noticed is totally absent from the season. Not that I miss fanservice wolf girl with the always unbuttoned hot pants, but where did she go?

*checks wiki*

Ah, she's helping Yuuno. Okay, that works.

Anyway, there's one thing this episode did that I kind of did not like too much, and that's fall back to a tried and true JRPG trope.

Spoiler

Thanatos Dr. Scaglietti uses Vivio to power up the Mana Fortress Cradle of the Holy King, an ancient flying fortress that possibly doubles as doomsday device.

As a plot thing this is fine, by far and large, it just feels like I've seen it a hundred times. It's what Carim's prophecy meant with the wings of the ancient king.

Let's get back to the prophecy for a moment.

In the land where ancient crystals and infinite greed gather and intertwine,
The wings shall revive from the holy land beneath the dead king.
The dead shall dance, and the tower of law in the central lands shall burn to the ground,
And thence the ship of law that guards the many seas shall be torn apart.

The first line is just the stage. The second line is what the Doctor used Vivio for. Third line I'm guessing is the good Doctor using what he just activated and the last one might not be total annihilation like the higher ups think but just that the Space Cop battlecruiser gets destroyed in the process. Good old Arthra certainly guarded a lot of seas in her time, figuratively speaking.

[InsaneCommander]

On 11/18/2021 at 9:14 PM, majestic said:

I JUST WATCHED THAT GO READ MY POST MY BRAIN IS GONE GOODBYE DEAR THREAD...

Sorry for the caps. Not.

Here's a helpful link, please like and subscribe and hit that bell so I did not spend an hour typing that for nothing. Thanks!

edit:

So it's going to be Thursdays of Hell from here on out, huh? A new episode of Komi Can't Communicate and Star Trek: Discovery on the same day. Sigh.

[Bartimaeus]

Spoiler

Minako is also able to use her compact (which I still can't really tell what is) to transform into other occupations a la Usagi, but also she changed her entire appearance into that of an effeminate boy that looks a bit like Haruka. Also, Umino is is basically exactly the same in this as he is in Sailor Moon, except his name is Amano instead, otherwise he looks and acts exactly the same.

Kind of wish this wasn't only 16 issues long, considering I'm already through 4 of them...

 

[majestic]

Sailor V:

  

18 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Spoiler

Minako is also able to use her compact (which I still can't really tell what is)

 

Spoiler

How do you mean? Do you not know what her compact is (i.e. the drawings are unclear) or do you not know what a compact is? Compact is just the official English translation for Minako's transformaton device. In Sailor Moon she stops using a compact and gets a transformation pen like the other Sailor Senshi, and it's Usagi that is using a heart compact.

I'm guessing for Sailor Moon the entire concept was changed a little to Usagi having a compact and a transformation pen and the other Guardians just having a transformation pen, but Minako retains her ability to turn herself into someone else. She does turn into a boy during the Infinity arc (third act, Sailor Moon S in the anime) to infiltrate the Mugen academy, Professor Tomoe's school, although I offhandedly can't tell you if she uses Usagi's transformation pen or has her own (I think it's her own, but with all the madness in Crystal/the manga it's hard to keep track of every weird one shot idea that never comes up again).