Kakumeiki Valvrave – 04
For your entertainment readers! Shoko will sing and dance for you!
Hooray time for some crazy fun with Kakumeiki Valvrave on Metanorn, so after four episodes are you still enjoying this series so far? I know personally I always look forward to something crazy every week, but anyway it is time to start the review.
Time for another juicy serving of Valvrave! This time around, we have shifting alliances and unexpected developments. There’s plenty to discuss, so let’s get on with the show.
Evil politicians in SPACEEEEE!
Mr. Figaro-“Hey boys and girls! Time for a game of dodge the raining bullets.”
Last week I asked who people thought were evil and with over 40% of the votes I can see most of us think that the Dorssia will be revealed as the true evil masterminds in the overall plot of Valvrave, but of course with this episode I still feel that the Arus faction are up to something sneaky especially with the reveal at the start of this episode with the politicians voting to steal the Valvrave for mass production along with kidnapping and experimenting on Haruto since apparently he is the ONLY person allowed to pilot the giant badass robot. I have to say that scene with the random military guy melting as he tried to pilot the robot was so damn disturbing, but hey at least the Valvrave has a built in security system unlike a few Gundams of the past unless you are a super computer programmer like Kira Jesus Yamato? That dude can reprogram the OS of any giant robot. Did anyone else think Mr. Figaro was evil the moment he was introduced last week? For some reason I instantly thought that he was evil and what about the mysterious Akira Renbokouji? What is her deal in the whole story because she gives off the vibe of someone who is in hiding from SOMETHING I guess she would be somewhat similar to Frau of Robotic;Notes? I wonder if she is the key to unlocking more power for the Valvrave or is she was the daughter of some programmer who worked on the Valvrave? I know she is the sister of Satomi Renbokoji after reading her profile.
Cheesy fun with Vavlrave
And boy did he ever laugh~
Shoko or L-elf ?
Shoko-“Please stop shipping Saki with Haruto before have to stab someone.”
Who do you like more this week? Shoko who stepped up to calm her fellow classmates and rally them up to fight against the Arus or was L-elf more interesting to watch with his predictions and surprise contract that he pushed on Haruto? For me I like that Shoko over L-elf this time even though I kind of wanted her to stay dead after the first episode, but whatever I think she is important to the story even though I can only see her as a possible romantic partner for Haruto? Besides that we did learn that she is the daughter of the Jior faction, after hearing that my mind was like oh great you know what that means right? We will have some tragic story with him dying and his daughter taking over as the future leader just like Cagalli of Gundam SEED or do you think she is just being used for Haruto shipping wars? I know most people like pairing of Saki and Haruto and I bet there are shippers that support L-elf and Haruto getting together right Anaaga? Then again, I don’t think you should look to Valvrave for romance I mean that is like watching Railgun S and expecting Touma and Misaka to kiss because that is never going to happen.
Extra fun with Valvrave
Beware of those evil space tacos!!
I guess we have to wait for the Blurays for that special fanservice.
Soldier-“Good thing I brought some bbq sauce.”
The winner gets a giant cookie.
End thoughts
So this week had some oddball moments like the idea of taking the Valvrave as a hostage, turning the school into an independent nation and singing songs to distract the Arus soldiers? I swear this series does whatever the hell it wants and doesn’t even care which is probably why I love it so much. Other than those crazy moments there wasn’t a whole lot to comment on besides the reveal at the start with Arus secretly plotting to steal the Valvrave for mass production and of course their failed attempt to kidnap Haruto? I keep waiting for the reveal of the other Valvraves in the ending or are they just possible transformations? I guess this is another case of WE NEED MORE EPISODES huh? Well I hope we get more information next time.
Best quote from this episode “Call me Moses, I’m gonna split the sea of students before your eyes.”
I have to say that I really enjoy Valvrave’s ability to pull off the most ridiculous things ever. Shouko being the daughter of Jior’s president aside, I can’t believe the students not only established their own sovereign nation, but also radically dislocated their module from the rest of the Dyson sphere. Where are they going to run? Are they just going to float around in space? They’d have to remain reasonably close to the artificial star if they do that, or they’ll run out of energy pretty fast. Or perhaps they’re going to perform a self-colony drop on Earth? Now that would be a sight to see.
Preview
L-elf-“I saw this in an anime series called Smile Precure does it mean I am super moe now?”
Glee meets Valvrave?
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
I have to say, i still want Shoko dead because i assume that she is there only because later on the anime Saki and her will be fighting over Haruto’s love and we all know it is going to end with Saki in tears (and me crying with her because i really like her character) but anyways… i still don’t know what to think about L-elf! i mean i don’t know if he is now “good” or bad or if he’s planning some great master plan or what?. I really like him i think it’s more complex and way more interesting than Haruto, i really feel that Haruto it’s just cool because of Valvrare, if you take that away from him, he is nothing LOL! he better “evolve” (like a good pokemon) soon because seriously he is staring to get on my nerves hahaha!
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Agreed I think it would have been a bit better for Shoko to remain dead, but for the sake of love triangles we HAVE to have her living and I know lots of people rather have Saki x Haruto for their OTP.
L-elf is interesting! I mean he has nowhere to really go right now and technically no one knows him besides Haruto and Saki? I guess he will have to stay friendly right now? I have to agree Haruto is getting a bit annoying…
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I have to say that this was an interesting episode. They quickly found a way to make both sides of the battle evil and JIOR (of course…) to be the better group. (Ughhh…) Though I find JIOR to be too idealistic, too complacent, and too weak. I mean they only fought back once against Dorssia before giving up. Despite the one douche senator, I’d still choose the ARUS over the other factions. JIOR is cowardly and weak, Dorssia is a totalitarian dictatorship, and as for the new supposed “country” run by students, I’ll give them half a year tops.
Shoko was an excellent leader and I admired her spirit here, however I have a feeling that that has raised (another?) major death flag for her. Those in charge of movements that happened to be the sweetheart of the MC, AND the MC seems back on the verge of getting back together with her?…Yeah, things usually don’t turn out well for them.
And speaking of their idea, I think its really interesting and new, but a little too idyllic and naive. This is a tiny module against literally the entire world. With the rest of JIOR taken over by Dorssia, they are on their own. As much as I admire their spirit, I don’t think that they can last the long haul. And what happens when one of the superpowers calls their bluff? What if they decide to simply blow them up, Valvrave and all?
Also is it really smart to have a “country” entirely run by 480 students and 2 teachers? These are a bunch of teens who have never seen or cared about war. What if this war goes on for years as most believe it will? What happens when supplies run out? If the module has mechanical issues? What about medical? You guys have no doctors or medicine. What about the oxygen supply? Or a myriad of other things? And eventually your going to have a bunch of students who are just going to give up, the weak links. These aren’t soldiers, these are teenage students.
Haruto, despite powers is only one guy, and I think that Senator Figaro was probably telling the truth when he stated earlier that though Valvrave is powerful, it can’t go up against the strength of a larger Dorssian military. Even the ARUS knows that it has to be mass-produced to be effective against Dorssia. Also I think, if L-11 is any indication, that Dorssia is stubborn and smart enough that they would rather destroy the Module and the Valvrave than have ARUS have it, and they will think of a way to beat the teens at their own game.
Also there’s the issue that these are teenagers who have never studied war or tactics and seem to be more interested in tweeting and being in comfort and safety to know much in the ways of war and survival. And yet, on a whim they have decided to go up against two superpowers that have been at war for some time and won’t be put off by a young teenage girl’s blackmail scheme.
And I actually believe more in L-11’s plan. As he says, it’s the foundations of the government that needs to be changed in order for there to be any change. This move is just a bandaid on a much bigger wound. I honestly believe what L-11 says. Haruto WILL make a contract with L-11, it’s just a matter of time. (Perhaps Shoko will actually die and Haruto will be unable to save her and so Haruto will have to turn to L-11?)
Anyway, I had a feeling that the Valvrave would only let one person pilot. That contract’s nothing to laugh at. I honestly don’t even know what it injected into that poor guy. It look like he imploded and had hemorrhagic fever all at the same time. When the screen said “Your Mistake”, I was like “that’s the understatement of the year.”
Akira looks as if she has some social disorder or something and she can’t be around others. I’m guessing her brother knows this, so I’m surprised he didn’t catch on to how Shoko heard the ARUS transmissions.
That Moses line took the cake though, I cracked up at that one. I will forever call that senator “Moses” from now on!
Also, it seems that Haruto can expertly pilot the Valvrave again. I loved that things gun and other sickle thing. The enemies vehicles look bad, like giant insects, but I find the waffes though are really good.
Well, everything seems too nice now, and the next episode seems the same. I’m doubting that this is going to last long. Even L-11 seems to be laughing at the absurdity of it all. There be major storms on the horizon in store for our tiny, tiny, tiny “country”.
I give this episode a 8/10.
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
As you mentioned, the juxtaposition between Haruto’s ideals and L-Elf’s ideals plays really nicely.
So far Haruto is too naive and reluctant to use Valvrave for fighting (‘using Valvrave as his weapon, the bloody crown he shall adorn’), even though he will have to side with L-Elf sooner or later as the current solution is only temporary and won’t change anything (Shinji, you cannot run away! >D).
With Valvrave power and L-Elf’s planning combined they could truly create a revolution, stop the war and liberate occupied JIOR territories, yet Haruto has no intention of getting involved in war and politics, he just wants to stay in his insulated and cosy world he’s known for all his life, even though this means more hard time for academy students, fellow JIORians and basically everybody. It’s actually quite selfish of him, he’s been given a great power, yet all he wants to use it for is protecting friends from school.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
ahahaha yes that line had me laughing so damn much xD
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Oh and I’m glad the Love Live gang were able to transfer to Sakemori high school in Valvrave land!
See if you can spot them in the crowd!
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Ooh yeah I saw the love live characters on tumblr xD
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This is what Game of Thrones could have been if given bad scripting. Part of what makes that show a success is that we are given ample time to sit in with the various characters and Houses that dot the world like so many tasty chips on a chocolate chip cookie.
I’ve complained about this before and it looks like I still have reason. Right now this is looking like a genuine Guilty Crown grade train wreck, so I suppose I have the heart to go along one more time.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Well I give most of the success of Game of Thrones to being written by an accomplished author before being handed off to good TV scriptwriters and then having good actors who are able to pull it off.
I think if Valvrave had started off as a series of 500-600 pg novels, then it might not seem so sporadic, but I think they are doing a good job with what they have. I actually enjoyed being surprised what they’re doing every week.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think if the guys writing Valvrave had sat down for, oh, a couple hours before starting and talked about it, they’d have something that was more coherent and less random.
As it is, I think the way they’re handling the story is every time they get to a decision, they think “What would be cool to do here?” And then they do the most ‘cool’ thing they think up. So you end up with a bunch of cool things that just happen somehow, with complete disregard for their repercussions later in the story. They can just write around them later anyway!
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
So we will have dragons in space? I support this <3
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
We already have vampires (Haruto) and assassins (L-Elf) in space. So why not dragons? We’ll make it all up and add other creatures as we go along!
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The show’s exciting enough to watch, although I have this pain in my forehead from my head hitting the desk so many times. I mean, “We’ll hold Valvrave hostage! We’ll be our own country!” will hold out for what, a week until they run out of food? And what happened to that city in the first episode? Do those people get any say? And where are you taking the module? Ahhh, it makes no sense!
Can we skip ahead to the part with more robots and romance? It does that part well. This political stuff is… not.
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
I think that was what L-Elf was laughing at, the idea is insane and impossible to last for long, yet students unanimously agreed to it! Am I the only one who’s right now imagining L-Elf watching the rising dissent and chaos through CCTV while spinning on his chair whispering “tanoshimi da na!~ tanoshimi da na!~” Izaya Orihara-style?
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
That quote had me dying! That and the moses line? I swear this series puts out some of the best one-liners of all time! Yeah Haruto cutting the school off the main station thing made my head hurt.
Hahaha yeah I think the political stuff will be part of the story, but at the same time it shouldn’t become the main focus at least I HOPE not, but like I said before Sunrise loves to stick in random politics into their giant robot anime to make it “real” or something like that…LOL
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
The whole “country” thing is really idiotic. And how the heck are going to keep things from disintegrating into chaos when it’s there are only 400+ students and two teachers trying to govern themselves?
As for the rest of the city, everyone else was deported by the Dorssians so I’m guessing the school was last and that was interrupted by the arrival of the ARUS. As all of JIOR including the territories on Earth and in space now belongs to Dorssia when they surrendered, that one module is all that’s left. So basically JIOR doesn’t exist anymore and its just the ARUS and Dorssia now, with that one small module that is being the teens took over.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
It feels like Academy City in Index/Railgun which is basically a city made up of schools with little to no adults running around.
I have seen this said on a few blogs but this recent episode of Valvrave has hit Guilty Crown levels with the school becoming their own “nation” which makes me laugh, but I hope Haruto does not follow in the footsteps of OH MA HITLER because that would annoy me so much >.<
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 63 comments
>> will hold out for what, a week until they run out of food?
That’s why they start filming idol music videos.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Dancing Valvrave? Take my Money!
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Here’s some interesting information that I found as I was surfing forums and the web in general.
Strangely enough I never realized until now, that the symbol on the Valvrave is a three-legged bird next to a crescent moon. This probably makes it the three-legged crow/raven from East Asian myth that has and association with the sun, heaven, divine influence, etc. In Japan it’s known as the Yatagarasu.
But what’s even more interesting is that if that is a raven, it might have to do with Danish legend that features the “valravn” or “valravne”, known as the “raven of the slain”. In some lore the supernatural beings have consumed the dead after battle and thus gained the knowledge of the dead and can even thus then take human form. Another version though says that they are souls without peace or rest that search for redemption and fly by night and only through blood can it leave its raven body.
I can see several connections between the myth and some of the things going on with the Valvrave, such as its supernatural origin, the resignation of humanity, the fact that the pilot through biting (and thus drawing blood) can leave his original body for another. And the similar names is also quite an indication that this may be where the writers were drawing from for the Valvrave itself as well as what it can do.
Also, this is very indicative that the green-haired woman who is Valvrave’s avatar might be the “restless soul” the legend talks about that wishes for redemption?
Just some throwing some theories out there.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Very nice finds. After a bit of reading, I see that the valravn puts Haruto’s situation in perspective. The whole vampire thing is no longer so random! I’m guessing Valvrave might mash up the three-legged bird and the valravn into one entity, considering both elements connected to these two mythological creatures are tied to the Valvrave mech itself.
In any case, it’s nice to know that the name “Valvrave” might be more than just a cool-sounding word. Or a rave party of valves… Whether the show capitalizes on these connections, however, remains to be seen.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I heard this on Skype during a livewatch! That Valvrave is based on some danish legend? Whoa…
Great theories though!
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
For you Valvrave fans, CR is pre-selling a 1/144-scale (as in itsybitsy) model of Valvrave for 20-some bucks today.
http://www.crunchyroll.com/store/deals/370/valvrave-i-hito-1144-scale-pre-order?src=store_370
No, I’m not buying it. Yes, I did buy the Maou nendoroid yesterday…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
A rather bold move declaring independance and that all who consented are students. Shoko makes for a good motivational speaker and tactician with the blackmail scheme but the bigger obstacle is figuring out where to go from here. If the school is to become independant, they’ll still need to decide who will lead them all and I’m already seeing not everyone is going to be on agreeable terms and there will be some fighting amongst themselves. Not to mention that they’re turning themselves into a time bomb because peace can only be maintained as long as there is still food and other supplies around.
Regarding L-Elf and his prophecies. He said that Haruto would eventually make a contract with him because it’s predetermined but he didn’t see Shoko’s revolution idea coming which leads me to believe that what he sees isn’t set in stone but is purely suggestive and that the outcome can only be a result of someone’s decision.
The ED brings up a possible event in the future. In the sequences, there were multiple Valvrave robots. Meaning there’s a chance Haruto will pass his powers onto others for them to become pilots. And there was also a pink Valvrave so if I’m right about my theory, we’ll have a female pilot along for the ride.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The ‘more valvrave robots’ make me think that the folks saying “there is no JIOR anymore” are wrong. I mean, Dorssia can’t conquer a large population like that that quick. I mean, what do you do with the population when you take over? You hope they don’t rebel, but you don’t take them anywhere. What are you going to do with them? Feed them? House them? Give them jobs? If you had plenty of jobs in your country, you wouldn’t be invading other countries.
The strategy at the beginning of Ep 4 seemed to indicate that JIOR was holding out, not conquered, while they tried to make more ‘weapons’, which I assume are the other Valvrave units.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I thought that last Valvrave was more purple than pink? Oh well, it could be girl or guy. Actually, some are suggesting that the there are not multiple Valvraves but multiple forms of the original. This is evidenced by the end credit sequence when we see the Valvrave taken apart and in several pieces with purple, yellow, green, and blue pieces around it. Also that the Valvrave’s central switch has five small buttons that are color coded to the colors of the 5 Valvraves.
However, there is also the fact that all the models have different model numbers, but really either possibility is possible. Either it’s one Valvrave that can take many forms, and in that case it would mean that Haruto will be out only pilot. Or there are multiple Valvraves, which could mean there will be some other pilots, or that Haruto will be the pilot of them all and just interchange.
As for L-11, I’m not sure if he really has the supernatural gift of prophecy, or that he means that figuratively since he’s the sort of person who can plan things in incredible detail. He seems to have many of the deduction talents that someone like Sherlock Holmes would have, such as the ability to assess and predict merely from a single glance.
Also, you have to remember that he never actually said when Haruto would agree to a contract with him. Just that he would do so.
I think Haruto will agree eventually, it will just be later than either he or L-11 thought. Shoko delayed the inevitable, but its still inevitable.
Especially if they want to end this war.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
So far ending the war is only L-Elf’s goal, all that Haruto cares for is the safety of Sakimori students.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I have a feeling that will change soon. Many of Sunrise’s mecha MCs think the same way too. In the beginning all they want is to protect their friends, classmates, and/or loved ones. It’s usually not till either in the second half or later in the beginning of the series that they realize that this fight is about more than that and at they point they begin to either fight to win the war, or simply to put an end to it in some way.
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
When Shoko declared the school to be independent and Haruto removed the module, the first thing I thought of was how were these students going to survive in terms of food and such? 0_o
I don’t remember if a previous episode said that the module was self-staining or not but the students are screwed when hey run out of food.
As for L-Elf’s prophecies…I guess that’s his special power from his robot? And it isn’t as good as he thinks it is. I think he just gets a general sense or just the end result and that’s it.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Hey, I just got information that the subs were mistranslated (again) and that A-drei, our “Yzak” look-alike is really a Dorssian prince. If that’s true that could L-elf also be one of the royal family.
(Though no one has mentioned it, those two really could be brothers?)
If so, L-11 might have more in common with Lelouch than he already has. 😀