Week Three and the hits keep on hitting pretty hard. I have to admit, either this season is just laying it on pretty thick, or I chose the cream of the crop. Either way, it’s go time!
Symphogear skips slightly forward about a month or so as Hibiki tries to keep her footing, not flunk school, and get Tsubasa to open up to her, not an easy task given she inherited Kanade’s power the day she died. I’m really looking forward to the OST on this show coming out, because some of the music they play during the transforms and the fights are pretty catchy and play really well with the visuals on screen. I’m still maintaining the “Godannar Theory” in that Kanade isn’t dead, but part of The Noise somehow, and will probably reappear as an enemy in the end. It’s still going to be a hell of a ride.
I thought about not spoiling the previous episode for you, but fuck man, this is Gundam, if you’re not familiar with the female love interest dying in every, single, series, you are not a Gundam fan. So Gundam AGE 14 was a kick in the teeth for Yurin fans, as that fucker Desil sacrifices her to get his rocks off against Flit in the AGE. Fortunately Flit doesn’t pussy out and promptly wastes the smug little fucker where it counts, moving the action into Ambat in 15, where he battles Mid-Boss and with Woolf’s help, wins, only for the captain to shoot the dude dead in front of his kid, and rather than flee, gives him the ol’ Kill Bill speech. Classy. This looks to be the end of the first arc, as the next episode will jump ahead to Flit’s son and the AGE-2. I’m not sure I really see the point of a skip this soon, 15 episodes was not long enough for me to develop any real attachment to anyone, even Yurin. Assuming she is dead. You know Gundam. Death is never permanent, even in explosions.
Space field trips are the name of the game in the third installment of Moretsu Pirates and it feels very Star Trek: Generations here, take the ship out, go around the block, have a major problem happen with the ship, only it’s apparently Tuesday for the crew of the Odette II. I was hoping for pirate ship action in the first couple episodes, but it seems they’re going to ease into this one, and rightfully so considering they’re running a full season of the show. I for one welcome our glasses-wearing-ice-cream-eating overlords.
The retreat from the battle continues in this week’s Shakugan no Shana as the gang struggles to get their people away from the enemy amidst the chaos caused by Darth Yuuji whipping his snake out of the void and announcing his plan to thrust it into a new world. Sydonay appears in the front to challenge Shana and Wilhelmia, while Centerhill and Samual construct a tower to lead the remaining survivors to safety. The plan succeeds thanks to the efforts of the returning Margery Daw who creates a ruse Sydonay bites into during the fight, allowing everyone to escape for now.
There usually isn’t much you can say about Nisemonogatari other than more dialogue and more odd scenes between characters, though some new developments appear to be taking place involving an “old friend” of Senjougahara. Besides that, it’s still Nisemono doing Bakemono things.
The expected turn comes in the second third week of Papa Kiki as the parents are missing/killed when the plane goes down, and as the family decides what to do with the girls, Yuuta recalls how his sister stepped up to take care of him when their parents passed away, and decides to do the same by claiming the three girls. Unsure if they will be living with him or living in the house. From here on out, it’s going to be little girls, and “Sob Sob” girl and her tits. It shall be humorous.
Am I the only one finding the pacing of Zero no Tsukaima a bit fast? They already did away with Joesph, and it seemed like it was the most hastened, impersonal way possible given the fact they dedicated most of a season to his torment of Tabitha. I don’t get it. Nonetheless, Saito demonstrates his use of handguns against him and his familiar, while Tifa proves her magical worth against one of the gargoyles to retrieve one of the orbs. I’m sure this series has more twists in store, but I feel like Joesph is not truly gone just yet.
Apparently multi-classing is in this week, as the baddie that shows up to waste Issei wields a gun and a light sword, but he isn’t Saito motherfucking Hiraga nor Tenchi motherfucking Masaki, so he is yet another Sub-Boss from the Fallen Angel Trope it seems, and Rias will have none of that. Before that, they fought a titty monster who shot shit out of her tits, so that was fun too. This series has a way of skirting the line of plot and lack of plot for fanservice. I’m fine with that.
In took nearly a week to get the second episode of Milky Holmes and I have a feeling it will take that long to get the next. Dunno who is subbing this, apparently only one group unless it is someone who doesn’t advertise on Nyaa. With the farm gone, the girls take up jobs again, and Elly ends up with a terrible painting that some rich guy wants because it reminds him of his love. Hijinks ensue and it looks like they had their toy powers back for a few moments, but per usual, lost them at the end. Milky Holmes doing Milky Holmes things.
So after the events of the first half of the show, the second half opens to Shu and friends, along with members of The Undertakers, and Tsugumi and Ayase Shinomiya posing as students. The area is locked down following the outbreak and limited supplies get in to the school and surrounding area. The students decide to throw a cultural fair to ward off the gloominess surrounding the extended lockdown, but a small terrorist group tries to interfere and cause trouble. As a more confident Shu moves to defeat the attackers, he draws Ayase’s Void from her to use, which turns out to be a pair of legs much like her Endlave, allowing her to walk, run, and jump freely again. Together with Shu wielding Inori’s blade, they make quick work of the terrorists, before the entire area is permanently locked down and abandoned by the GHQ. I’m not sure where this second half is going, but I haven’t been overly disappointed with it overall, so I’m game for a little more.
Madoka gets tossed around a little in this week’s Rinne no Lagrange as she tries to take on the lead Ovid, and ends up falling on various parts of the town. She successfully manages to avoid the populous and crowded areas though and even manages to show off a little to her friends. Ran finally gets in on the action, at first not being able to fully activate her Vox, but manages to do so after a little pep-talk from Madoka. The episode ends with them naming their Voxs “Midori” and “Orca”.
No crazy fun time with Yuno this week in Mirai Nikki, but another number appears in the form of a duo whose “love” seems to be their driving focus. They manage to outwit and beat up Yuuki and his friends and snare Yuno at the same time, leaving them all in the hospital. Yuuki starts to re-evaluate his relationship with Yuno after she is nearly killed and he did nothing to try to stop it. I’m hoping he starts to man up a little and take control of this, because if he’s going to become Deus and reset the world, he needs to pull a Tokiha Mai here pretty soon.
After a day of “drunken” fun and games in this week’s Natsumachi, Kaito decides to take the day off school between his befuddled encounter with Ichika the night before, and his off fantasies. He imagines her loving him, and she imagines him reporting her to the Men in Black. Interesting dynamic. He eventually goes out with Kanna around town and Remon hijinks ensue as she tries to capture their “youth” on film. Rinon does Rinon things, and the series keeps marching on. No idea what will turn up next, but it’s quite fun to watch.
This week’s ranking will be out tomorrow, barring any unfortunate complications.
