Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma✫Illya 2wei Herz! – 3ritte
Some things are always in the closet….
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For an episode that was, on it’s surface, mostly about fujoshi, it did have quite a bit to say about power struggle and judgment. Something which is very much going to come into a very sharp focus in the show, sooner rather than later. It also had the qualifier of being about the Out of Focus Character, Mimi; who not even Ruby will use to further her Drive-Illya-Crazy goals. But, as the wise, but missing this episode Tattsun, said last time we saw her, “Everyone is the main character in their own story” |
…and their motives are unclear…
Mimi’s Pepto Bismol Moment…
When I was watching this the first time around, I didn’t catch onto a very obvious point of the conversation in the group study scene. But then, for me, it became the lynchpin for the theme of the whole 22 minutes. When it really started to get lively, when Illya, Kuro, and Miyu got involved in Mimi’s “little problem” it suddenly become about them, and their own situation. Silly me for thinking that they had Mimi on their minds. Nope,they have their own overwhelming power struggle to contend with still…That part of the scene was very well delivered, and the dialog flowed so naturally. Which lead to Nanaki having planted the seeds for Mimi’s growth…
I love the jackhammer sound effect in this shot…
In going back to Mimi, I know how she feels. No, about about BL ,about writing. There have been many a night when my own stories, characters, and plots bugged the living hell out of me. As Mimi describes it, “The characters won’t behave as I want, and I can’t make their actions convincing…and their motives are unclear to start with…” It take time, and learning from many mistakes, not just inspiration, to push past those feelings. Mimi is still in early days yet, but like many writers sitting on so much fertile imagination, when that seed was planted….
Now it’s just one strange term after another
The Kurihara girls play for keeps….
So with fertile soil and a seed, all that’s left is tending the garden. You’ve heard of Kudzu in North America’s Southeastern region, right? Well, that’s pretty much the case right there. In a desperate attempt to make a book for the next ComicMa (totally Comiket, a place this franchise has, without a doubt, given much soil, seeds, and gardeners) Suzuka (always good to hear one of my long time favorites, Kanae Itou sink her teeth into a role, even a supporting one) and her sister took advantage of Mimi’s prodigious output. From there the weeds just grew and grew. Suzuka, realizing she has bred a new Seymour, of sorts, calls in her friends to act as, if not a wacker, then hopefully able trimmers.
Guilty!
I love how this almost backfires. It was some damn good writing on a subject that would probably turn many folks off. But as I said in my introduction, this is more about power and judgment than anything else. The yaoi/BL stuff is just window dressing. There were some great silent moments with Miyu, just calmly taking all the data in, not judging, but trying to understand the situation. There was Kuro’s fascination-then shock with the subject, cause if there is going to be one of them that has to have a strong opinion and then some backlash on it, it’s Kuro (who must have been suffering having to play all this straight) And then there is Illya’s over-reaction to it, at first, and then her gradual acceptance of it. Wait…is this about BL and Mimi, or is it about the Miyu-Kuro-Illya relationship? Oh, what the heck! Why not both?!
…because you don’t understand…
…and they say there is no such thing as a yaoi hole…
But then onee-san has to drop the bomb. Don’t like that Mimi or Suzuka like BL, well, then stop being friends with them. Simple as that right? Again, this is going to play a large part in the upcoming, and even ongoing, story. If everything were as simple as surface level, then all problems would be easy to solve. But people, like truth, resist simplicity. And liking one thing or another is just a part of who they are. It’s easy to concentrate on one facet, especially one that shines the way that yaoi shines. But that’s true for a great many things. Taste in music or anime, lifestyle choice, religious background, you name it. Or even what a person’s overriding goal is, and how that shapes them.
But then a lot of this stuff can go back to BL. It seems that most of it’s fiction does depend on power relations, the uke and seme thing. One has to be on top. Or is that really the way it’s supposed to be? For fiction, I guess that’s fine, if it’s your cup of fish. Lesbian fiction started out that way, after all. But then, that was aimed at men, and what man would complain about two women, right? Guys wanted, or thought they wanted, a strong assertive butch for the girl next door, cause why wouldn’t they?
Shakin’ the Tree
But, for all the sturm and drang, it’s very much as Onee-san says, “It’s just fantasy” That can always be taken to far, and it can account for quite a few other things when you get right down to it. I was quite dismissive of this episode on first viewing, but the second time around I got the hook. This one had quite a few hidden gems in it, and as always the reactions from the characters really underscored the comedic and the serious.
Would I have liked for them to jump straight into the action? Yes, I very much would have. The manga omake this was based on was published during 3rei’s schedule, but it did take place on this time-line, and it is very much a statement on what will be going down in future. It looks like we are going for a bit more of the Slice of Life routine next episode, but the preview does promise some magical girl action.
Next Time
“Theme Park Panic” or the Return of Sabah?
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
This…. I did not see coming. At all. Completely blind-sided by a huge BL semitruck.
That said,
like Mimi,I took notes while watching this… only because it took me nearly 40 minutes to watch it. Nearly died of laughter so many times.To start off: Poor, poor, poor broken Mimi. Completely broke. Actually should have seen that coming in the last two episodes. Again, completely blind-sided. Using the “Girls Be Aggressive” omakes was a stroke of genius given the Mimi was subjected to *questionable content* in the first two episodes.
Also, Suzuka did not help. She realised that she created a monster even worse (better?) than her…
The original did not involve Miyu at all, she’s basically in this episode for the ride. Stoically reading all the BL yaoi after being introduced… x_x
Illya flipping the doujin: That was a quick flip. x_x
Also, the famed Kirei x Kiritsugu silhouttes… Animated. X_x.
*furitively searches for Kirei x Kiri H-doujin*The shining BL lights in Mimi’s eyes… literally. I bet there are some on the MetaStaff that do that… We should revise: aanaga + Prillya Zwei Herz Ep3 will turn you to yaoi. >_>
Next week’s episode looks like completely new material airing for the first time. It looks like it will end on a cliffhanger until 3rei giving the new pacing, which does solve pacing issues. Anyway, it does give more SoL before things get dark and edgy for a long while. After this, it’s basically straight-on gritty drama Show ▼
To end: I agree with Mimi – Boys should date boys and girls should date girls. ^^;;; Poor, poor, poor borken Mimi…
PS. Genderbent Miyu x Illya x Kuro Is Fine Too.
PSS. Steph is onee-san. Completely borken as well from all the time with 『 』.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
They were hit or miss last season with original material. Some of it felt like they were just running down the clock. I think a great deal of the combat (suggested heavily by the OP) will take a much shorter amount of time then we realize; unless they intersperse it with a ton more exposition…which they might have to do unless this next episode can bring viewers up to speed on what it takes/means to be a magical girl.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
In franchise related news, the Bluray box 2 set of the recent Fate:UBW anime will contain a bonus 10-minute short animating the alternate good ending of the source game.
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POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
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POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
This episode’s title,“Girls, Life Is Short, So Rot Away” is a parody of the phrase, “inochi mijikashi, koi seyo otome…/いのち短し, 恋せよ少女…” (Girls, life is short, (so) fall in love…)
The phrase originally came from a 1915 Japanese song, The Gondola Song/Gondola no Uta.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondola_no_Uta
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…yah, I thought it had some sort of overtone to it. Thanks for filling us in!
life is brief
fall in love, maidens
before his hands
take up his boat
before the flush of his cheeks fades
for those of you
who will never return here
…so, do any of our resident fujoshi want to re-write the lyrics?!
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 51 comments
I can only be thankful that my discovery of yuri goggles wasn’t this insane. And while it does beat you on the head with its Aesop, I do strongly believe that people have the right to celebrate their interests the way they want. Interestingly, I just heard a similar lesson like that on an internet review of a Doctor Who episode.
I do think it was a missed opportunity that they cut out a single line on how Kuro discovered Yaoi. Would have been a great punchline.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
OMG they missed out with that punchline, you are correct.
I think they soft-sold the Aesop pretty well. Yeah, it did pretty much inform the audience “We have this hammer, and you indeed have a head. We could commence with the juxtapose. But we won’t. We can, but we won’t”.
And do you have a link for that review?
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 51 comments
For the Dr. Who review? It’s from SFDebris. Supposedly, the episodes villain of the week represents the “Serious Business” of fandom but the reviewer calls it out saying that no one has the right to judge how others like their fun. It’s only a small rant on the review but it did strike a chord with me.
Also if your intrested in his website. I highly recommend his Madoka Magicka reviews. Its great to see a perspective of a non-anime guy (and a Star Trek fan at that) praise a great anime.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Thanks for the links! I’ll have to muster some strength to watch his Doctor Who review (worst episode evar, you know). But I think I see where you are coming from on where he is coming from. RE: rant and chord.
I like hearing his outsider take on the first episode of Madoka. We knew it was an homage to the genre, and it took advantage of that. This reviewer didn’t, and that’s a good thing to know…
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 51 comments
For the Dr. Who review? It’s from SFDebris. Supposedly, the episodes villain of the week represents the “Serious Business” of fandom but the reviewer calls it out saying that no one has the right to judge how others like their fun. It’s only a small rant on the review but it did strike a chord with me.
Also if your interested in his website. I highly recommend his Madoka Magicka reviews. Its great to see a perspective of a non-anime guy (and a Star Trek fan at that) praise a great anime.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yikes! So much debauchery it’s a surprise no one’s burned themselves out.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The strong do what they they will, and the weak will suffer what they must!
…actually, this was pretty tame, all things considered. I just love how calmly Miyu took it all in.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
In other news: FKYA! More MAGICAL BOYS!