MetaFap: Fall ’13 – 05 [NSFW]
Torture, Trade Secrets, and Tournament Entry
Freezing Vibration – 05
This beautiful little flower sure did blossom, didn’t she?
After such a cute pic above? How could I? Let’s even this out…
That’s better…
Watching this episode, I had the feeling that this season is so much better than the first in many ways. Yes, manwha fans can be quite picky at the choices the anime makes in adaptation of the story and characters, but how this episode went about Mably trying to involve her family against Chevalier brought a dramatic element to Freezing that hasn’t been seen in the anime franchise’s previous 16 episodes. Andre getting worked up over Mably’s lengthy HQ visit, Spencer making Elizabeth worried about what’s to come and that torture scene; I’d consider it the anime’s strongest moment to date.
Reach, and a miss
After shutting out Bridget, Mably’s plan to get her family involved in hopes of exposing Chevalier did not go as planned at all. Not only did they catch Mably sending documentation to her family, also Chevalier was prepared to fight back against the Mably family, surely holding that information in the event somebody wanted to ever challenge them. The phrase “Noblesse Oblige” is a nice one to use to describe Elizabeth’s actions, though it ended in her being returned to her friends in a lifeless-looking state.
Louis makes an appearance in Vibration to annoy Bridget and us viewers
Last week, I critiqued the show’s use of violence in the final scene; little did I realize that would be the way in which the anime would bring us to the Siblings arc that had been passed over to get to Alaska. In our season preview, I wrote while pondering the possibility that the Louis arc would be skipped, but when they showed Holly Rose in ep. 1, the chances of us visiting Bali increased. While I think the placement of this arc is actually pretty decent (after Mably’s torture), I’m wondering if it will break the flow of the events in Alaska, which has really intensified the past couple episodes with Gina’s death and a major backfire on Elizabeth and the Mably family. And Louis, for those that remember him briefly from the first season, is an ass.
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Yuushibu – 05
I don’t care what you say; ball kicking is funny.
Hey, maybe the show really is falling into a 3 episode pattern as I guessed last week. Just like episode 2, this one followed up a terrible episode with one that was strangely likable despite its utter mediocrity (one can only hope this means we’ll see more fighting next episode featuring the show’s impressive animation). As much as I hate stupid-moe girls, I find myself smiling at many of Phino’s antics, such as the adorable golem armor bit. She has cuteness and innocence befitting someone half her age, and her diligence and genuine wish to be helpful makes it impossible not to like her. Her “date” with Raul was utterly banal, but I did like seeing her going nuts for meat.
There’s something compelling about the crazy little world they’ve built for this series: typical medieval fantasy, but modern Japan in every other way. That’s one way to mash the two together, I guess, if you don’t want to use alternate dimensions or video games. Though it did miss a chance to really play with the idea of a medieval setting quickly getting access to widespread electricity, instead of just attaching “magic” to any piece of technology (“magic phone,” really?). Still, it’s funny to see just how much like modern Japan this society turned out thanks to magitek; even the department stores are set up the same way. And doesn’t the assistant manager’s order Phino to “cosplay” suggesting a specific bit of culture? I find it especially funny in light of the 2nd episode saying that this magitek was a fairly recent development. At this rate, I can’t help but wonder if both Leon and Amada will go bankrupt in a few months when Magic Al Gore takes the initiative in creating the Magic Internet.
So despite the work comedy being extremely straightforward, there was enough to like in this episode. I even liked the cameo to Sphere, the talented seiyuu-cum-singers who starred together last year in the stubbornly mediocre A Summer Colored Miracle and who sing this show’s ending theme. But, again, I want to see the show bring on the action. If episode 3 was just Asread trolling us, I’m going to be mightily unhappy.
Argh, this guy gets way too much screen time. I hope Lam did something permanent to him at Lawson.
Someone was kind enough to painstakingly stitch this bobbing pan together and upload it on Tumblr.
Phino’s idiocy is truly on another level, but she sure can be cute.
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Walkure Romanze – 05
Fuwafuwa tea time
*gyuu!*
So it’s up for debate whether Mio is shooting too low or just right by just trying to get into the School Joust Tournament, rather than actually enrolling as a Knight. But it’s probably the thing she could actually do to continue jousting, and do it quickly. We don’t get much action this episode, but we do get some setups for the future out of episode 5, with the two main events being tea with Celia and a visit to Noelle’s mansion.
I think Akane’s making too much of this
Tea with Celia goes pretty well, inviting almost the whole gang along (except for Noelle, who wasn’t around to ask), although Akane seriously needs to be able to deal with the idea of Celia without going all gaga. She was even out of commission for hours afterward. But Celia is a perfect host, no sign of any ulterior motive or guile, just sincere interest in Mio’s reasons for wanting to participate in the jousting tournament. And the reason is love, but that has a dual meaning for Mio, in that she actually does love jousting, but she also loves Takahiro.
Omedetou!
And I’ve mentioned it before, but want to bring up again a great message of the show. There is almost none of the standard girls-in-school catty bitchy rivalry. This was also evident this episode when Mio found out she was going to be allowed in the tournament. Not only were Takahiro, Akane, and Noelle there to congratulate her, but so were Bertille, Ann, and Emma. It would have been so typical for the show to make Bertille be a long-term enemy of Mio, angry at being humiliated by a non-knight curriculum student and vowing revenge, but instead she’s become a supporter. Of course, having Mio in the tournament is the best way for Bertille to have a shot at getting her back, but she’s not doing it out of revenge or jealousy, just sportsmanship. Again, good job to WalRoma for having that sort of message.
Marielle seems genki, even in her current state
The other setup was tea with Noelle, which led to meeting her younger sister Marielle… and their father. Noone would ever accuse WalRoma of subtlety, and that lack is once again evident here, with the broken jousting statue, Marielle’s love of horses and jousting, and her wheelchair. From their father’s hostile attitude upon finding that Mio and Takahiro are students at Winford, it’s pretty obvious that the Marquis’ beloved daughter Marielle was injured in a horse riding or jousting accident, and that he now hates the sport because of it (you’d think he’d clean up the broken statue, tho). I wonder why he still allows Noelle to do it (maybe he hates her!), but it’s clear he’s not welcoming to any other jousters.
Marquis of Ass-cot…
Not much on the titillation aspects this week: one instance of innuendo and Noelle’s weekly Mio Measuring Moment, but overall, the show is a lot better than I thought it would be. If you’ve stuck with it through three episodes, I would imagine that you’ll finish out the season with it.
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Tags: Torture
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: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Bouncy Bouncy. The date was cute. And Lam beating the crap outta that guy off screen was good times. Other than that, well, the ball kicking was funny. Needs more effort.
So, does this world have a magical DARPA to spin into a magical internet? I wonder what a dot bomb would look like?
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 175 comments
freezing vib – A-plot got eliz had lots of honor & pride yet it got her shock of her life & family damage.
B-plot satey & kazuya go bali yet visit her sister & pull a SWERVE like a joss whedon twist here louis.
yea so 2 for 1 stories in same time right now.
yuushuibu – well magical best buy now rival store to deal with send raul & fino to spy in it yet last min oops saw airi in bunny outfit
(so feel more remind of watching chuck all over again)
& to update of female wrestling anime good news sakura more improve give having 0-65 record but bad news next match is rematch with rio on next ep.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, things are getting interesting in Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai! but I’m stumped. Since Sakura is having her rematch with Rio which I find is too quick though from the previews, it looks like she’ll beat her, what’s going to happen for the rest of the series?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
My guess is that Sakura will not win against Rio, but will at least not lose to the Boston Crab, will make Rio work for it, and earn some respect back. But because she hasn’t beat her, she can’t give up.
Alternate: Sakura uncorks the IdolSmash signature move on Rio, wins the match, and is all set to go back to Sweet Diva, when she realizes she loves wrestling more and wants to keep doing it.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yuushibu – 05: Ooh, my sympathies to the clerk trying to advertise stuff to Lam. She held nothing back with that assault.
Most of what happened was acceptable and Phino was cuter than usual in her new dress. By comparison, some big time stores like this aren’t as organized with customer service as regular class stores because there’s too much to cover. What I can guess the proposition the manager will get will be either to close their store and work for Amada or a possible merger of the two companies.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Freezing Vibration – 05: That torture scene really got under my skin. Even if Elizabeth is a Pandora, there’s a limit to how much cruelty is being used. I’m not sure what happened exactly but I think they erased all her memories concerning Mark IV. Chevalier’s methods become more and more vile with each episode. It’s bad enough she couldn’t get through but now her whole family has to suffer. Here’s hoping for sweet revenge on their part.
Unlike Elizabeth, Satelizer is making things up as she goes along and that has me worried. What could the el Bridget family do that the Mably family couldn’t? Not to mention that because of that bastard Louis continually molesting Satelizer as a kid, the family members are pretty much estranged.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I wonder if the el-Bridget family is more ruthless or less publicly focused than the Mably family. The Mably’s had a weakness: Their power and wealth was related to their commercial business. The el-Bridgets might be more “old money”, and able to shrug off attempts at revenge by Chevalier.
The thing that annoys me is that it’s likely that Chevalier is just playing dirty pool with Mably. “Allegations” and “accusations” and planted evidence. It really doesn’t look favorably on Chevalier that they’d do that, and that kind of crap is what should lose them the loyalty that Chiffon and others show.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Walkure Romanze – 05: Another solid episode with some humor thanks to Akane hopelessly idolizing Celia like a brainwashed fanatic. Where did all that pride and composure go, girl?
I continue to like the balance that’s being developed. The show can be funny, it can perverted and it can also be serious and doesn’t stick on thing for an extended period of time. At least Mio’s desire to joust is of full intent and not on a whim. Despite her somewhat ditziness, she looks like a girl who’ll stay with her convictions until the end hopefully with someone to motivate her.
The Maquis comes off as another overproctive and prejudiced father stereotype who only sticks to what he sees and makes decisions regardless of the feelings of others. Unless one of his daughters get through to him, things will get annoying with him around.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It does have a nice balance. It’s not a great show, noone’s going to say (well, almost nobody 😉 ) that it’s a top five show this season, but it really doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. It’s competent, it’s kinda sexy, the CG is pretty good, the action is pretty good, the messages are really good. It’s just fun to watch.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 167 comments
The H-scenes were the best part. I wonder whether the Akane patch had released yet?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It won’t happen, but I’d really love to see Satellizer open up about her past with Louis to Kazuya, and then Kazuya goes and breaks Louis’ face. He needs something to do, instead of standing around looking dumb. Plus, that would bring Kazuya and Satellizer closer together (my OTP. Rana’s nice enough but not this time).
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
wow .. surreal man
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Freezing: I think Chevalier overplayed their hand here. Elizabeth is held in very high regard by the other Pandoras. I imagine it’ll take a few episodes, after all there is a war on that the Pandoras have to fight for the sake of humanity and Chevalier is directing it, but I think the Pandoras will eventually rally together in opposition to Chevalier. After all, Chevalier is treating them (especially the E-Pandoras) more like expendable items rather than as soldiers whose lives must of necessity be risked due to the nature of war. And torturing Elizabeth to the point of reducing her to a drooling shell isn’t going to endear them to the rest of the Pandoras.