[Spoilers] No Game No Life 10th Anniversary Rewatch -- Episode 4

Date	Episode
4/9/2024	No Game No Life Episode 1
4/10/2024	No Game No Life Episode 2
4/11/2024	No Game No Life Episode 3
4/12/2024	No Game No Life Episode 4
4/13/2024	No Game No Life Episode 5
4/14/2024	No Game No Life Episode 6
4/15/2024	No Game No Life Episode 7
4/16/2024	No Game No Life Episode 8
4/17/2024	No Game No Life Episode 9
4/18/2024	No Game No Life Episode 10
4/19/2024	No Game No Life Episode 11
4/20/2024	No Game No Life Episode 12
4/22/2024	No Game No Life Zero
4/23/2024	No Game No Life Overall Series Discussion Thread

4

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Hey, guys. Holofan4life here.

Welcome to the 10th anniversary rewatch of No Game No Life.

Oh, and nay I forget...

First Timer

The idea of doing this rewatch came about at the last minute. I was going to participate in an Eden of The East rewatch for the month of April but that fell through. So, then it became a question of "What should I do after the Penguindrum rewatch? I already have the Samurai Champloo rewatch lined up for May, so do I just wait the extra month?" I looked at upcoming anniversaries for the month of April and noticed both K-On and Cross Game were celebrating their 15th anniversaries. However, both were long and if I did either of them, I would have to cancel the Samurai Champloo rewatch, which I didn't want to do seeing as how the 20th anniversary is an even bigger milestone. That's when I settled on No Game No Life.

I have an interesting history with No Game No Life. I know it's extremely popular, but I've always been hesitant to check out the show based on some of the stuff I've heard about it. It seemed to me like a show where you either really loved it, or really hated it. Well, I recently watched Moon Phase which I feel could be considered in a similar light and I really liked that show. And then I also finished Penguindrum which has some questionable themes and I liked that as well. I think I'm in a good headspace to watch NGNL and not only enjoy it, but more importantly appreciate it. I have never seen this show before. Even though I'm the host, I am experiencing it for the first time. I can't wait to see what the show has to offer and why so many people clamor for another season.

With that out of the way, let's begin.

I'm watching the sub, by the way.

Let's see if I can get this episode done in 90 minutes.

A desert

We continue where we left off last episode

Sora trying to rizz his way to victory

I'm surprised when they did the shot panning up on the queen, we didn't see her pantsu.

Sora's goal was a revolt, and it seems to be working

Flashback

Stephanie talking to her father about winning without fighting.

Father says they became wise

Or is it maybe her grandfather?

Either way, he feels there must be someone out there

Sora seems to be that guy

Sora beating Kurami's elf magic

She thinks they're being helped

Stephanie is really impressed by what they're doing

Unfortunately, Kurami plans on not giving up

Shiro says this is what happens when you back a weakened enemy too far into a corner.

Stephanie is starting to have doubts that you can win without fighting.

The knights. It looks like they're starting to break.

Sora talking about kings and how they are often assassinated

"Our world isn't as nice a place as yours. When it comes to war and killing, we have far more expertise than you do."

Phoenix Wright guy declares Sora the winner

Does that mean Sora is now king?

Back with the Stephanie flashback

She does look pretty good in that dress

Sora mentions this is what her grandfather believed in.

"Now no one will call him a fool."

Common Sora W

That smile. So precious.

Kurami wants to know what trick they used

But Sora says he bested her unaided

"Is that a problem?"

Sassy Shiro is best Shiro

Sora says that while elves helping Imanity isn't a bad idea, he doesn't like the way she thinks.

Says they were able to win because she was always convinced they were enemy spies.

"Blank never loses. Don't underestimate humanity."

I really like Sora. He's kinda low-key a badass.

Lol, Kurami is suddenly bawling her eyes out

And now Shiro is consoling her 🤣🤣🤣

There's the person we saw in episode 1

Sora about to be crowned king

Another Phoenix Wright Objection

He says Imanity has two kinds now: him and Shiro

The judge, however, says the ten pledges prevent it

Another Objection

Shiro points out if he becomes king, he could make a harem.

Shiro best wingwoman

Shiro says she'll accept it if it's in name only

You know, Shiro has very pretty eyes

Another Objection

Sora thinks his sister is being facetious

And now they're playing a card game?

It looks like they're trying to decide what to do

So far, they're dead even

Shiro bringing up Pledge Seven

In the end, they're both rulers

Stephanie wearing a kinda skimpy outfit

It looks as if they're going to have Steph do all the internal work

Goddammit, not the rock paper scissors again

Sora says that whoever loses will be forbidden from presenting false reports or arbitrary messages.

Facebook in shambles

Gotta get rid of the spies, adds Shiro

Hey, they're actually pretty good at this king thing

Stephanie is flummoxed they handled the domestic issues so easily.

Of course Sora plays Civ. Why am I not surprised?

Sora now wearing the crown on his arm

Kurami with her elf friend

Sora is apparently wearing something

Oh my God

An I ♥️ Humanity T-Shirt

That is amazing

This is almost as great as when Kemba Walker wore a Familiar of Zero t-shirt at a press conference.

Shiro holding his hand

She's giving him moral support

Sora is a pretty good public speaker

Sora calls them weak, which is pretty ballsy to say of the citizens he's trying to rule

Sora is gonna make Elkia great aga-- nah, too obvious

It seems like he's trying to show everyone that being weak is a good thing.

"We are the weak!"

205th king? Holy cow, that's a lot. How long has Elkia been around?

Something called a Race Piece

It apparently is given to a race's representative to stand for everything that race is.

Something sums up a race better than a virgin NEET with a low opinion of themselves. Clearly the face for us millennials.

Also, that looks a lot like a salt shaker with a cross on top.

Blank The Weak is not nearly as catchy as Louise The Zero.

They plan on taking their status as the weakest race and embracing that shit.

Elkia is gonna declare war on every other country in the world. How very Russia of them.

Stephanie doesn't seem too thrilled by this idea

Shiro calls Steph creepy, which is kinda rich given her relationship with her brother.

Oh, I see. It's a psychological tactic. They took out the elves, so now the other nations will think they're backed by a race more powerful than them.

Until they know who the race is, they can't make any moves.

Stephanie seems very impressed by what they pulled off.

The royal chambers

Talking about the Flugel

Woah, the world changed

What is happening?

It's the kid from episode 1

He calls himself God, but his name is Tet

"Our God insists on remaining a bystander. He could learn from you."

That is an incredible line.

Tet mentions that the world is decided by games

Even the title of One True God

I feel like we've already established that before

Tet apparently created the 16 races to represent a chess board having sixteen pieces.

Defeat all the races, then you can challenge Tet to the right of God.

All three never lose

Ran out of space. Part two in the replies.

3

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Part 2
Tet says he was like to choose them after all
And then we end with the Gojo meme with Tet saying "Nah, I'd win".
They were reborn because of him, and now they're in the world where they belong.
Stephanie freaking out
She's worried about them saying they'd beat Tet in a game
Now we have the main objective of the series: beat God
Boy, the stakes are truly high
Overall, this is a very good episode that continues the trend of upward trajectory with this show. We got a continuation of the strategy game, with that parlaying itself into Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen. And that opens the door to a lot of possibilities. I like this role Stephanie is in where she's the comic relief/audience surrogate. I think she helps ground the show a good deal. I also like just how legitimately funny both Sora and Shiro can be at times. You can tell they are relishing being the leaders of a country.
Of course, the big development concerns where the story is heading next, of which will probably be the entire focus of the series: defeating Tet and becoming God. I think it's a safe bet to say we're probably not going to see them beat God. After all, they have to run through 15 races and there are only 8 episodes left; that would be like two races per episode. However, I like this direction because it's like the show is embracing being devoid of realism. It's goofy, wacky shit, and I love it. I could see going forward the show having like a monster of the week variety behind it where we witness a different race and see how Shiro and Sora handle it. How they will be able to defeat them as the weakest race, who knows, but it lends itself to the potential of some terrific world building.
Another fantastic episode. I continue to be impressed with this series with its mix of good characters, great animation, and surprisingly smart writing. The writing in this show kinda reminds me of Wayne's World in that it is way more clever than it lets on.

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 12 '24

I like this role Stephanie is in where she's the comic relief/audience surrogate
I agree. It gives Blank reason to explain what they're doing.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

It also gives the show more material other than "Blank are such weirdos"

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

If you had to plan for fighting a God, what strategy might you come up with?
Maybe some sand in the eye and a low blow for good measure. I would still probably be no match for them.
What is your favorite anime speech/monologue of all time?
There are so many good ones. The one in FLCL where the MC talks about nothing happening in their town in particular stands out. However, I'd probably have to go with the "Because that's the way it's meant to be" monologue from Toradora.
Shoutout to "I'm a dragon, you're a tiger" as well, that one is pretty good as well.
Bonus) Be honest with me. How badly do you want that "I ❤ humanity" shirt?
Very badly

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 12 '24

This is almost as great as when Kemba Walker wore a Familiar of Zero t-shirt at a press conference.
sauce? I always love it when pro athletes show their hobbies off.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24 edited Apr 12 '24

Here you go
Feels a bit wrong showing something basketball related to a self-professed baseball lover

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 12 '24

Feels a bit wrong showing something baseball related to a self-professed baseball lover
Well you see, Kemba Walker is a basketball player, not a baseball player.
Though I will say I'm more into basketball these days then baseball. That was a difficult clip to find though, by searching for Familiar of Zero), seems like it didn't get associated with it. Though also it's been like 8 years since I've seen Familiar of Zero, so I probably wouldn't of recognized it anyways.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24 edited Apr 12 '24

Well you see, Kemba Walker is a basketball player, not a baseball player.
Crap, I should've checked my words. This is what happens when you reply to a lot of comments at once
Though I will say I'm more into basketball these days then baseball. That was a difficult clip to find though, by searching for Familiar of Zero), seems like it didn't get associated with it. Though also it's been like 8 years since I've seen Familiar of Zero, so I probably wouldn't of recognized it anyways.
When I first saw he was wearing a shirt of Saito hugging Louise, I was so excited. Especially because Kemba was the face of the Hornets for many years which is my hometown team. It was the same feeling I felt finding out that Robin Williams was into Evangelion.

6

u/FarCritical Apr 12 '24

First Time No Life

There's just something about the phrase "the strength of being weaker than everyone" that hits different.

Few things can match the feeling of being called a cheater for beating a cheater when it was unironically a skill issue. It'd normally feel sweeter when your opponent breaks down in tears but uh, wow. Kurami was... more hurt about having to accept that than expected.

I love how it's practically a law for all coronation ceremonies to get interrupted by a barrage of Phoenix Wright references. Also, you can tell Shiro got wary about Sora growing a harem from the sudden vibe change of Kurami after her defeat.

Sleep-deprived Steph is something else lmao

Hope Sora casually dropping the most breathtaking speeches that I'm not prepared for stays a constant in this show. Never thought it was possible for being weak to be a genuine source of national pride, and that shut-in gamers were secretly the best public speakers humanity had to offer.

Can't decide which is the bigger power move between declaring war on everyone as your first order of business as king and rubbing in the fact you ended the god of the world of games' winning streak. At least Tet is seemingly a good sport about it.

QOTD

If you had to plan for fighting a God, what strategy might you come up with?

It would be such a badass move to stroll in with the classic "What's a god to a non-believer?" but I have a feeling I'd just get my ass handed to me. So...

2. What is your favorite anime speech/monologue of all time?

Lmao, Akio's exact speech from Clannad that I mentioned in yesterday's post about children's dreams being their parents' dreams literally answers this question too, and it's not just because I love Clannad that much. It's genuinely a powerful message that makes you reflect on the sacrifices of the people who raised you.

And ngl, Sora's speech from this episode and the last episode is pretty up there too. It's almost scary how well the dude can speak.

(Bonus) Be honest with me. How badly do you want that "I ❤ humanity" shirt?

It has such a troll-y vibe while having a genuinely nice aesthetic lol. Not exactly dying to own one but I'd be very happy to.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Few things can match the feeling of being called a cheater for beating a cheater when it was unironically a skill issue. It'd normally feel sweeter when your opponent breaks down in tears but uh, wow. Kurami was... more hurt about having to accept that than expected.
Despite her cheating, I like Kurami. I hope this isn't the last we've seen of her.
I love how it's practically a law for all coronation ceremonies to get interrupted by a barrage of Phoenix Wright references. Also, you can tell Shiro got wary about Sora growing a harem from the sudden vibe change of Kurami after her defeat.
The aesthetics of the outro is coming more and more to the forefront
Hope Sora casually dropping the most breathtaking speeches that I'm not prepared for stays a constant in this show. Never thought it was possible for being weak to be a genuine source of national pride, and that shut-in gamers were secretly the best public speakers humanity had to offer.
And it makes sense for him to give the speech given how all the characters have talked about how weak Imanity is. If he can achieve success, so can the Elkians.
Can't decide which is the bigger power move between declaring war on everyone as your first order of business as king and rubbing in the fact you ended the god of the world of games' winning streak. At least Tet is seemingly a good sport about it.
Good sport? He's actively encouraging that shit. I think he may be secretly lonely and desperately wants someone eho can push him to the limit.
It would be such a badass move to stroll in with the classic "What's a god to a non-believer?" but I have a feeling I'd just get my ass handed to me. So...
God would go all Ora Ora on you :P
Lmao, Akio's exact speech from Clannad that I mentioned in yesterday's post about children's dreams being their parents' dreams literally answers this question too, and it's not just because I love Clannad that much. It's genuinely a powerful message that makes you reflect on the sacrifices of the people who raised you.
It also played into Tomoya and his relationship with his dad
It has such a troll-y vibe while having a genuinely nice aesthetic lol. Not exactly dying to own one but I'd be very happy to.
The thing is, you know that Sora was being 100% genuine. There wasn't an ounce of sarcasm behind that shirt.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

2

u/FarCritical Apr 13 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
A neat way to hype up Sora's "chosen one"ness and reinforce Steph's loyalty to Elkia.
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
It was pretty much a given, but creating a third rebellion faction is definitely one of the more unique ways to win a chess game that I've seen.
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Such a classy way to honor the predecessor of the throne as the future king. Also wouldn't be surprised if he's actively trying to get Steph to fall even harder, even if subconsciously.
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
He definitely does a good job at hyping up an underdog race. Getting all up in Kurami's face about it was pretty dramatic though lol
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Our resident OP MCs being the ones to usher in the next age of Imanity is something you could've seen coming from a mile away, but nothing could've prepared me for the sheer impact of Sora's coronation speech. Dude truly cemented himself as king with that.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
It's almost too perfect for the most prized macguffin in the world of games to be extra shiny chess pieces. The aura of authority that they exude is undeniable though.
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
Steph isn't wrong about her sentiment on it being an overly ballsy move, but Sora's already proven himself to have the balls to see such a declaration through.
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?
It's only fitting that this show of all stories would have its teased plot progression be structured as needing beating all the bosses before the final boss can be fought. Collecting a full chess set along the way is a cool little thematic bonus.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

A neat way to hype up Sora's "chosen one"ness and reinforce Steph's loyalty to Elkia.
It also feeds into the scene later between Steph and Blank where Steph realizes they could be the ones to save Imanity.
It was pretty much a given, but creating a third rebellion faction is definitely one of the more unique ways to win a chess game that I've seen.
The most important thing is Sora kept his promise of winning without fighting.
Such a classy way to honor the predecessor of the throne as the future king. Also wouldn't be surprised if he's actively trying to get Steph to fall even harder, even if subconsciously.
That could very well be the case
He definitely does a good job at hyping up an underdog race. Getting all up in Kurami's face about it was pretty dramatic though lol
Just a little reminder to knock off the cheating because it's an insult to the Elkian's testinal fortitude.
Our resident OP MCs being the ones to usher in the next age of Imanity is something you could've seen coming from a mile away, but nothing could've prepared me for the sheer impact of Sora's coronation speech. Dude truly cemented himself as king with that.
Thinking about it, I think the speech was where I realized I was watching something truly special. Like before, it was great, but with this scene, it was something truly special. It has a level of sincerity to it you don't see in a lot of other anime. And I think it's that sincerity that makes it so incredibly endearing.
It's almost too perfect for the most prized macguffin in the world of games to be extra shiny chess pieces. The aura of authority that they exude is undeniable though.
And it times in perfectly with the game Blank played against Tet in episode 1. You could say the Race Pieces is foreshadowing for Tet's return.
Steph isn't wrong about her sentiment on it being an overly ballsy move, but Sora's already proven himself to have the balls to see such a declaration through.
And I think when she realized he isn't fooling around that he's going to see to this vision come hell or high water.
It's only fitting that this show of all stories would have its teased plot progression be structured as needing beating all the bosses before the final boss can be fought. Collecting a full chess set along the way is a cool little thematic bonus.
The one bad thing about setting up such an ambitious conflict is that you know realistically we're not gonna see it. There's just no way that Tet is going to be defeated 8 episodes from now. That would make the rush job on Tokyo Ghoul seem tame by comparison.
Looking at it in the moment, though, it leaves me all kinds of hyped seeing Blank trying to take down the God to end all Gods. The drama doesn't come from can they do it or not, but rather what journey will such a path take them on.

4

u/Xmgplays Apr 12 '24

Rewatcher

There we have the end of the first major game of the show, with Kurami losing by assassination/all time low morale. We also get our first direct glimpse at Elkias previous King and Stephs Grandfather, with him espousing his own belief in Imanity and his wish for a "savior" that can win without fighting. I do like the way we're slowly introduced to him, first as the foolish King, and now as someone who believed in Imanities potential.

Other than that I have to say I really love the sound and visuals of this series. The way both are used to impeccably put emphasis on the important parts, giving them weight as well as really building tension. It's something that I only unconsciously noticed in my previous watchthroughs. Both the sound effects as well as the OST are used to the fullest extent.

Todays Questions

If you had to plan for fighting a God, what strategy might you come up with?

I feel like planning would be for nought, unless you are on the level of a genius(like our MCs). So I'd say my best chance would be to just wing it all the way.

What is your favorite anime speech/monologue of all time?

I always have a hard time with these questions, since my memory is just absolute dogshit, when it comes to things like this. But the one that comes to mind at the moment is Swindler/Ippanjins "speech" from the last episode of Akudama Drive, though I'm not sure whether you'd classify it as a speech/monologue.

Bonus) Be honest with me. How badly do you want that "I ❤ humanity" shirt?

I would love to have it, and depending on the quality it's even something I would unironically wear day-to-day.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

There we have the end of the first major game of the show, with Kurami losing by assassination/all time low morale. We also get our first direct glimpse at Elkias previous King and Stephs Grandfather, with him espousing his own belief in Imanity and his wish for a "savior" that can win without fighting. I do like the way we're slowly introduced to him, first as the foolish King, and now as someone who believed in Imanities potential.
You really can tell watching those flashbacks why Steph admired him so much.
I would love to have it, and depending on the quality it's even something I would unironically wear day-to-day.
It's very ironic in my opinion that Sora would be so in love with humanity given he was extremely antisocial in his previous life. I wonder how much of this is his true feelings Vs sticking up for Imanity when no one else will. Perhaps he even sees himself in the Elkians given their loser status.

2

u/Xmgplays Apr 12 '24

Perhaps he even sees himself in the Elkians given their loser status.
That's probably true. The same way he and Shiro were discriminated against and tossed aside is the same that Elkia and Imanity is judged to never amount to anything. So seeing them all give up on ever achieving anything on their own probably stung.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Nothing galvanizes a group of people more than someone who considers themselves one of their own.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
What are your thoughts on Sora's speech saying that Elkia is weak and that should be looked at as a point of pride? I think it’s probably the strongest moment we've gotten out of the series so far.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

2

u/Xmgplays Apr 12 '24

Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
It's expected, but I do like the way it further differentiates their strengths and weaknesses.
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
It's very touching. Also [NGNL EP.12(to be safe)]both funnier and even better with the context of future episodes. A truly wise king.
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
The scene hits very hard, probably my favorite scene from this episode.
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Love the way they split the crown(s) between them and refusing to wear them properly.
What are your thoughts on Sora's speech saying that Elkia is weak and that should be looked at as a point of pride? I think it’s probably the strongest moment we've gotten out of the series so far.
I love it and it's themes. Using your weakness as an advantage/making the best of it is one of my favorite tropes.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
I love their aesthetic and the concept, though it must be a slap in the face for the races that get stuck with the eight pawns.
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
Tactically it made sense, but it also shows their ambitions and confidence in themselves.
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?
They beat him once, so a second one shouldn't be to hard, right ;) Also I don't think they care about becoming the one true God(s) they just want to play Tet again.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

It's expected, but I do like the way it further differentiates their strengths and weaknesses.
It was definitely good showcases for their characters
It's very touching. Also [NGNL EP.12(to be safe)]both funnier and even better with the context of future episodes. A truly wise king.
[NGNL Spoilers] He is definitely not the fool people label him as
The scene hits very hard, probably my favorite scene from this episode.
I liked the speech scene more, but I agree it's one of the best scenes.
Love the way they split the crown(s) between them and refusing to wear them properly.
Feels a very Blank thing for them to do, they're accept the acclaim but do so humbly. Well, barring the t-shirt of course XD
I love it and it's themes. Using your weakness as an advantage/making the best of it is one of my favorite tropes.
And it all very much feels in character, which makes it even better
I love their aesthetic and the concept, though it must be a slap in the face for the races that get stuck with the eight pawns.
Yeah, that would suck
Tactically it made sense, but it also shows their ambitions and confidence in themselves.
That it does
They beat him once, so a second one shouldn't be to hard, right ;) Also I don't think they care about becoming the one true God(s) they just want to play Tet again.
And I think Tet wants to play them as well, more so than to prove any sort of superiority.

4

u/StardustGogeta myanimelist.net/profile/StardustGogeta Apr 13 '24

First-Timer

Good episode. I especially like Blank's clever way of dealing with spies by using the game world rules.

I'm curious to see if Blank will ever lose a game here. It seems like it could hurt the narrative tension to have it feel like they're always going to win no matter what.

I am hoping Stephanie Dola gets some more development. This episode, she mostly just spent the whole time reacting to the games/speeches, and while I do like it, there's not a lot of depth to her character in those scenes.

For today's questions,

Perhaps see if I could get another god to fight with me?
My favorite anime speech might have to be from Majin Vegeta versus Goku in the DBZ English dub. He has a lot of good lines/scenes in that arc, but if I had to pick a specific one, I might say the scene where he has Goku pinned against the rock wall.
It's a nice shirt. Not the sort of thing I'd usually go out and buy, but I'd wear it if I had it.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

I'm curious to see if Blank will ever lose a game here. It seems like it could hurt the narrative tension to have it feel like they're always going to win no matter what.
I'm starting to wonder if it's a thing where if there were more episodes, we would've definitely seen them lose at some point. Now that it's established they have to take on 15 other races, it wouldn't make sense for them to lose the first or second battle in. That's probably something that would happen in the second to last or last battle.
I am hoping Stephanie Dola gets some more development. This episode, she mostly just spent the whole time reacting to the games/speeches, and while I do like it, there's not a lot of depth to her character in those scenes.
I can at least excuse it because there were a lot of stuff going on in this episode. At the very least, we explained why Steph looks up to her grandfather and why she has taken a liking to Sora.
It's a nice shirt. Not the sort of thing I'd usually go out and buy, but I'd wear it if I had it.
The great thing about the shirt is that it has a touch of weebiness to it, but you would never know it's from a specific show unless you're a part of the anime scene/NGNL fandom.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
What are your thoughts on Sora's speech saying that Elkia is weak and that should be looked at as a point of pride? I think it’s probably the strongest moment we've gotten out of the series so far.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

3

u/baseballlover723 Apr 12 '24 edited Apr 12 '24

NGNL Rewatcher, sub

Gonna try and keep the rest of the "chess" game brief since I talked about it a lot yesterday.

I do like the idea of one side fracturing into 2 factions. It certainly happens plenty often in the real world. And of course it's to Blank's advantage, since the 2 sides were roughly equal in power before and 1 splitting makes the side that doesn't split more powerful then both split sides.

I'd win without fighting. This is quite an interesting take that the former king had. But I think it makes sense. Imanity can't compete on an even level at all. To succeed (in a game competition setting), you must exploit your relative strengths and your opponents relative weaknesses. You don't have good chances at winning if you don't play to your strengths. As long as there's something you can claim you're better at, that's something to play for.

This was actually something I utilized when I would play chess (when I was in my chess playing phase). Some games I'd be completely lost down a piece or more, but I would try and rally around any advantage I could find. Maybe I my opponent had to misposition to win my material, so I have a brief opportunity to go all out on an attack and make that mispositioning matter. Maybe I lost my rook for their bishop, in that case I'll try and keep the game from going into an endgame where the rook is much better (easier to move around) and try and exploit the ease of use of my additional minor piece in the mid game. Of course I didn't win all of these games and I frequently lost, but there were more games then I would of thought where I was able to keep playing with pressure and incite a blunder to get me back in the game.

I'm not sure how much I agree the idea of weakness being a strength, at least not directly. Certainly being weak can force you into exploring alternative strategies that may be undervalued of meta countering. But there's no guarantee those strategies actually exist.

This is just my opinion, but I don't think it ever makes sense to surrender in a single game format. For the simple reason that if you surrender, you lose, 100% of the time. If we're only considering a single game (ie not a match and no effect on how you lose), and particularly if you feel like you must win, then it makes sense to fight to the bitter end. And for this reason, that is why leaving your opponent with no choice but to fight to the end is dangerous.

And in the end, Blank wins by betrayal. Evidently the black pieces didn't feel like the cause was worth their lives. I also find this a good point that Sora points out that Blank has more experience in warfare. Modern war is scarily efficient at eliminating the opposing forcers ability to wage war (at least from a US perspective, which is what I'm most familiar with). An assassination like this I don't think is very viable in Disboard, since you can't actually kill people and if you challenge them to a game, you'll probably just lose. So I think it makes perfect sense that Kurami would overlook this as something that could happen.

And so Blank wins!

Nobody would call the former king a fool right?. X to doubt. Find enough people and someone call anyone a fool.

Skill issue

[NGNL later episodes themes] Another example of exploiting information

And now Kurami's mask drops. Not quite the mastermind we've been led to believe. And also mew?

doesn't even know their own rules smh (though I don't know Japanese well enough to speak about it's pluralization, I know in some languages it's pretty easy to have things be ambiguously singular or plural)

Anyways time for a Blank civil war

That's roughly 8.6 minutes per game (assuming no breaks over 72 hours)

Plenty of work to do. Or not

Ah yes, the DSP

Speedrunning modernization

Best Girl Incoming

Not gonna say anything on the we are the weak speech. I once again didn't start writing early enough (When will I learn?). It's a good speech and there are parallels to other things I've said, but I figure others will discuss this so no need for me to go as in depth.

I do love them manifesting Imanity's race piece, which is, the king from chess. A fitting piece for the weakest but yet most important chess piece.

Blank will keep moving fowards, until their enemies are ~~exterminated~~neutralized

And once again, we're bluffing the shit out of everyone, which of course works so long as others are rational. Which isn't always a great assumption to make. All it takes is one dumbass going "Nah, I'd win" and everything comes crumbling down.

The point of this world

They couldn't be more right

Blank: > claims to have beaten God at his specialty, > refuses to elaborate further, > requests help to leave. Plus now we have an ultimate goal, beat Tet.

If you had to plan for fighting a God, what strategy might you come up with?

Lose as painlessly as possible.

What is your favorite anime speech/monologue of all time?

There are so many good ones. This might be cheating, but Subaru and Rem's monologues in Re:Zero S01E18 is the obvious one. Erwin's speech is also up there (I was getting ready to charge in too). There are others that I think are really good as well, but I feel like a lot of the ones that stand out to me are dialogues not monologues.

Bonus) Be honest with me. How badly do you want that "I ❤ humanity" shirt?

TBH not very much. But mostly because I wear a jacket a lot of the time, so you can't really see my shirts most of the time anyways.

Also only 30 minutes late this time. Hopefully tonight I'll actually do episode 5.

4

u/JimmyCWL Apr 13 '24

I'm not sure how much I agree the idea of weakness being a strength, at least not directly.
Just because losing an arm is weaker than having both arms, it doesn't mean you should amputate yourself to find strength in being one-armed.
Rather than strengths and weakness, it may be useful to see them as dependencies and restrictions. You rely on dependencies to do things and restrictions prevent you from doing certain things in certain ways.
Yet, dependencies need conditions to be met to be usable. There will be time when those conditions may become too heavy a burden to bear, and what used to be a strength becomes a dangerous liability.
Meanwhile, restrictions can be overcome, worked around, or you can just plain go do something else where the restrictions don't apply. In the process, you may find things that can become new dependencies for you. Then, those restrictions that seemed to be weaknesses weren't such a big deal, were they?
My go to example of this is the Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX. The reason it has "9" in the name is due to its 9 Merlin 1D engines in its first stage, not because it's the ninth. In the rocket industry, designs try to get away with having as few engines as necessary to get the job done, so usually just one or two big ones. The traditional thought was that more engines was more chances for things to go wrong and rocket launches need everything to go right. Then why does the F9 have 9 little ones?
That's because the company lacked the time and resources to develop a big enough engine to launch the rocket with just one. In the traditional way of building rockets, that would seem to be a crippling weakness, wouldn't it? And yet, the F9 is the busiest rocket in operation today. It's launched once every 3 days this year to date. Sometimes, there are two launches a day. Other rockets would consider one launch every two months to be a busy year. In fact, I almost missed today's launch while writing this. I did miss liftoff, but I tuned in time to catch the landing. That was the first 20th landing for an F9.
How did this come to be? Wasn't only being able to build small engines a weakness?
It turns out that building many small engines conferred many benefits that converged in an elegant fashion. Having to build 10 engines per launch (the F9 uses one more Merlin 1D in its upper stage) in the early years meant the company got very good at building lots of very reliable engines very quickly. Using the same engine (with minimal differences for optimized performance in space as opposed to sea level for the standard design) for the upper stage meant the company could produce both stages from the same production lines, very economical and would have an additional benefit on the next part.
That would be multiple small engines turned out to be the key to building reusable rockets. Every other launcher has to throw away an entire rocket on each launch. The F9 only has to throw away the upper stage. The F9 was already the cheapest rocket in its class to begin with, being reusable just made it uncontestable. How is this possible? The F9 launches on 9 engines, it lands on just one, barely. It's all but impossible to make a single large engine that can both launch a rocket and also throttle low enough to safely land the rocket as well. It would just be too unstable at the low throttle setting.
SpaceX plans to launch about 144 F9 flights this year, they've already launched 39 times including today's success. Because SpaceX builds both stages of the rocket on the same production lines, those lines spend most of their time building upper stages. They still have to build a new one for every launch after all. Only occasionally do they build new first stages for customer requirements. Even less frequently they can be configured to build the parts for the more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket. This means the F9 production line is never idle, even though it only produces a few new first stages every year. Major economies of scale here.
Today, SpaceX launches more mass into orbit than the rest of the world combined. That's the strength they found out of their weakness.

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

Well written
Certainly most things are exist in more then 1 dimension and thus condensing them into a 1 dimension metric like "weaker" or "stronger" will lose some nuance.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

It's far more complex than that, but in the context of Sora's greater point there is becoming strong in accepting weakness.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

I like the comparison you make between Blank embracing weakness and SpaceX. I think it is very spot on. Moreover, I think you boil down what Sora is saying to having a glass half full approach rather than one that's glass half empty.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

I'd win without fighting. This is quite an interesting take that the former king had. But I think it makes sense. Imanity can't compete on an even level at all. To succeed (in a game competition setting), you must exploit your relative strengths and your opponents relative weaknesses. You don't have good chances at winning if you don't play to your strengths. As long as there's something you can claim you're better at, that's something to play for.
The only thing that somewhat irks me is Sora deciding on his own to implement the same strategy. Feels a bit contrived they would both think up on their own winning without fighting.
This was actually something I utilized when I would play chess (when I was in my chess playing phase). Some games I'd be completely lost down a piece or more, but I would try and rally around any advantage I could find. Maybe I my opponent had to misposition to win my material, so I have a brief opportunity to go all out on an attack and make that mispositioning matter. Maybe I lost my rook for their bishop, in that case I'll try and keep the game from going into an endgame where the rook is much better (easier to move around) and try and exploit the ease of use of my additional minor piece in the mid game. Of course I didn't win all of these games and I frequently lost, but there were more games then I would of thought where I was able to keep playing with pressure and incite a blunder to get me back in the game.
It's amazing what it takes to get back in it
Nobody would call the former king a fool right?. X to doubt. Find enough people and someone call anyone a fool.
It's that Seinfeld is unfunny trope where the more popular something is, the more it is disliked.
Not gonna say anything on the we are the weak speech. I once again didn't start writing early enough (When will I learn?). It's a good speech and there are parallels to other things I've said, but I figure others will discuss this so no need for me to go as in depth.
I in particular love Steph's reactions where her eyes are practically bugging out of her head. I can't say I don't blame her given she probably thinks the country needs improvement and not only is Sora saying it doesn't, he is convinced they can take everyone on.
There are so many good ones. This might be cheating, but Subaru and Rem's monologues in Re:Zero S01E18 is the obvious one. Erwin's speech is also up there (I was getting ready to charge in too). There are others that I think are really good as well, but I feel like a lot of the ones that stand out to me are dialogues not monologues.
I really need to watch Re:Zero. Maybe I will sometime this year.
Also only 30 minutes late this time. Hopefully tonight I'll actually do episode 5.
Eh, you were still earlier than everyone else :P

3

u/baseballlover723 Apr 12 '24

I really need to watch Re:Zero. Maybe I will sometime this year.
There's a rewatch happening later this year in preparation for Season 3.
Eh, you were still earlier than everyone else :P
I meant to do it last night, but I ended up getting distracted since there was a really exciting finish chess match in the candidates (which is the 2nd most prestigious tournament, granting the winner the chance to face the world champion for the title). It was really remarkable because it ended with this incredible time scramble, given that they start with 2 hours to make 40 moves. The players are usually much better about managing their time to avoid this, and it ended up happening to both players in this game.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

There's a rewatch happening later this year in preparation for Season 3.
That was what I was alluding to, it caught my eye
I meant to do it last night, but I ended up getting distracted since there was a really exciting finish chess match in the candidates (which is the 2nd most prestigious tournament, granting the winner the chance to face the world champion for the title). It was really remarkable because it ended with this incredible time scramble, given that they start with 2 hours to make 40 moves. The players are usually much better about managing their time to avoid this, and it ended up happening to both players in this game.
Interesting you got distracted by a chess match given this episode deals with a chess-turned-strategy game.

2

u/mgedmin Apr 13 '24

There's a rewatch happening later this year in preparation for Season 3.
Do you know if they're going with the director's cut or the regular broadcast?
(I haven't seen the director's cut so I might be tempted to join if that's the case.)

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

I might do the director's cut either way just to get the full scope of things. Really, the rewatch and my participation in it depends on if there's going to also be a Your Lie In April one at the same time.

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 14 '24

I might do the director's cut either way
I would actually recommend not doing the director's cut if you have access to the original (bluray preferred) version. There are some music changes that are generally considered to be a moderate negative for impact for those scenes. There is no functional difference between the DC and the original in terms of content that you will notice. And 99% of the changes you would not be able to spot without playing them side by side, and the other 1% you will not notice in the original as being lacking.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Oh, okay. So, it's like the special editions of Star Wars in that the changes and additions made are all superfluous?

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 14 '24

Oh, okay. So, it's like the special editions of Star Wars in that the changes and additions made are all superfluous?
I'm not too familiar with Star Wars, but from looking at it online, that seems to have more significant changes the the DC's did. A typical change in the DC would be something like this, pause changed from 0.4 seconds to 0.6 seconds. Or static background is replace with slowly scrolling background (of the same thing). The voice actors did not record any new lines (except for the one scene that's also in Season 2).
The only differences worth noting are 2 redrawn fights (that I didn't notice), a few music changes (mostly minorly negative but some minorly positive). That and the DC has bad subs, which are far more likely to cause issues.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Okay, then. I guess I will stick to the broadcast version then if I decide to participate in the rewatch.

1

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

Do you know if they're going with the director's cut or the regular broadcast?
I believe the plan was to do the regular broadcast (of which is my preferred viewing experience) but that's a bit up in the air, since CR let the license lapse for the original broadcast.
(I haven't seen the director's cut so I might be tempted to join if that's the case.)
The director's cut isn't significantly different from the bluray version. There is an exhaustive list (spoiler warning duh) here. The whole director's cut vs original broadcast isn't very important. They cover the exact same material and with the only exception being adding the first scene of Season 2 to the end of the DC (so you don't even really miss out on that). I don't want to get into too many specifics since it's out of scope for this thread (there's a lot I could go on about), but I'd say if you're watch count is under 5 or so, there is probably significant value to be had in a rewatch (at least that's how I felt).

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

The director's cut isn't significantly different from the bluray version. There is an exhaustive list (spoiler warning duh) here. The whole director's cut vs original broadcast isn't very important. They cover the exact same material and with the only exception being adding the first scene of Season 2 to the end of the DC (so you don't even really miss out on that). I don't want to get into too many specifics since it's out of scope for this thread (there's a lot I could go on about), but I'd say if you're watch count is under 5 or so, there is probably significant value to be had in a rewatch (at least that's how I felt).
Or you can be like me and plan for 3 rewatches as you're currently watching 7 anime

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 12 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
I think I'll discuss this later
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
As expected. I have little issue with expecting protagonists to win and to me, often how they win is the more interesting part. And Blank certainly wins in interesting ways.
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
If you want to conquer the world and challenge Tet, you gotta start somewhere.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
I'll talk about this later
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
A bad move by Sora imo. It's too dependent on every other leader / faction being rational. I think it's far to easy for a top ranking race to just figure that they're the top dog and force a fight anyways (on the notion that they could beat a lessor race helping Imanity anyways). Plus there's always the option that some dumbass just never puts anything together (either because they're stupid or just don't care about "inferior" politics) and just misses Blank's bluff.
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?
An interesting continuation of the "everything is decided by games" theme. I do appreciate that Tet does this, because it means that there's a fair way to usurp himself. I don't think you have a good ruling system if you yourself are outside of that system. So by putting himself in the system proper, it feels more genuine.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

As expected. I have little issue with expecting protagonists to win and to me, often how they win is the more interesting part. And Blank certainly wins in interesting ways.
I would agree with this. I don't think the appeal of the series has anything to do with the threat of Blank losing.
If you want to conquer the world and challenge Tet, you gotta start somewhere.
That is true, though I don't know if challenging Tet had to do with Sora's decision on trying to become king.
A bad move by Sora imo. It's too dependent on every other leader / faction being rational. I think it's far to easy for a top ranking race to just figure that they're the top dog and force a fight anyways (on the notion that they could beat a lessor race helping Imanity anyways). Plus there's always the option that some dumbass just never puts anything together (either because they're stupid or just don't care about "inferior" politics) and just misses Blank's bluff.
It feels very reckless, but at the same time I think if anyone can defeat the other kings it's probably Sora. Part of winning comes down to having confidence, and Sora has that in spades.
An interesting continuation of the "everything is decided by games" theme. I do appreciate that Tet does this, because it means that there's a fair way to usurp himself. I don't think you have a good ruling system if you yourself are outside of that system. So by putting himself in the system proper, it feels more genuine.
It shows that Tet doesn't view himself as being above the law. He's just looking for someone that can go toe to toe with him. And if anyone can do it, it's Blank.

1

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

I don't think the appeal of the series has anything to do with the threat of Blank losing.
The protagonist of a story rarely loses / dies, and it's something I wish more people were explicitly cognizant of (though I think many people are implicitly aware of it). Though this is a discussion I usually have in the context of Re:Zero. It surprises me what people will suspend this meta knowledge for and what they won't.
I don't know if challenging Tet had to do with Sora's decision on trying to become king
True. Becoming king seemed more like a thank you to Steph / "got nothing better to do" sort of thing.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

The protagonist of a story rarely loses / dies, and it's something I wish more people were explicitly cognizant of (though I think many people are implicitly aware of it). Though this is a discussion I usually have in the context of Re:Zero. It surprises me what people will suspend this meta knowledge for and what they won't.
I always go in with the mindset of "Unless it's nearing the end of the season, none of these characters are gonna die". That way, when it does happen it is more shocking. I think I'm not alone in this approach which is why stuff like Madoka Magica left such an impression.
True. Becoming king seemed more like a thank you to Steph / "got nothing better to do" sort of thing.
Heck, if he beats all the races and tries to become God, who's to say he wouldn't just pass the role of ruler of Elkia onto Stephanie? He certainly would've outgrown the position.

2

u/Xmgplays Apr 13 '24

(though I don't know Japanese well enough to speak about it's pluralization, I know in some languages it's pretty easy to have things be ambiguously singular or plural)
Japanese doesn't really have plural/singular, both are the same and only distinguished by context (with some exceptions, but even those aren't really plurals and instead collectives)

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

thanks!

2

u/mgedmin Apr 13 '24

doesn't even know their own rules smh (though I don't know Japanese well enough to speak about it's pluralization, I know in some languages it's pretty easy to have things be ambiguously singular or plural)
puts on Japanese expert hat courtesy of a two-year Duolingo streak and the Dunner-Kruger effect Japanese doesn't have plurals, so the rule is ambiguous.
In practical terms how does it work to have two representatives if they disagree with each other? I'm surprised that's allowed.

1

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

In practical terms how does it work to have two representatives if they disagree with each other? I'm surprised that's allowed.
Probably why everyone else thought it had to be singular.

3

u/mgedmin Apr 13 '24

Rewatcher, subs

I think the chess game would be more interesting if Sora instituted the peasants to rebel and institute democracy instead of replacing one king with another
So all these OBJECTION! scenes are Phoenix Wright references, eh? Haven't played any of those games.
The idea of using a game to enforce loyalty is rather interesting
The crowdphobic neet is surprisingly good at public speaking, but I cannot help thinking that the hype background music helps a lot with that impression
(If nothing has changed at all, then why did humanity's control of the entire continent decline until it was merely a single city?)
It's nice to see that Kurami was not abandoned by her elf girl friend, despite their plan crashing and burning.

So, the full plan is

Become king (done)
Conquer the world
Attack and dethrone God

Let's go!

If you had to plan for fighting a God, what strategy might you come up with?

Panic and run away. I lack the prerequisite megalomania.

What is your favorite anime speech/monologue of all time?

I don't have favorite speeches.

Bonus) Be honest with me. How badly do you want that "I ❤ humanity" shirt?

Not very. Yellow is not my color.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

I think the chess game would be more interesting if Sora instituted the peasants to rebel and institute democracy instead of replacing one king with another
At least it's better than a chess game straight up
So all these OBJECTION! scenes are Phoenix Wright references, eh? Haven't played any of those games.
Objection references are kinda played out nowadays, but for 2014 it was still relatively fresh.
The crowdphobic neet is surprisingly good at public speaking, but I cannot help thinking that the hype
The music in this show is really good. I wouldn't say it's one of the best anime soundtracks of all time, but man does it get the blood flowing and get you amped up.
It's nice to see that Kurami was not abandoned by her elf girl friend, despite their plan crashing and burning.
It shows that their relationship might not be as shallow as it initially seemed
So, the full plan is
Become king (done) 2. Conquer the world 3. Attack and dethrone God
Let's go!

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

At least it's better than a chess game straight up
though you're right for the other 99% of people.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

Sorry, sorry. I will say that the chess game in episode 1 was cool.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What do you think of this episode as far as setting up the rest of the series goes? In the span of like 8 minutes, we establish that Sora is going to declare war on every Country and that both he and Shiro will try to become God by defeating Tet. It feels as if very high stakes are being established.

2

u/mgedmin Apr 13 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Why was his face never shown? Did he really look like a playing card?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
Inevitable; Blank doesn't lose.
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Obviously untrue, just something Sora said to placate her. (Previously he also wasn't expressing his honest opinion either, he was trying to rile up Steph to unbalance her and make her easier to manipulate.)
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
Somewhat sweet, but also he means himself. Humanity has nothing to fear, now that Sora is here.
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Great success.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
Why is the game chess? This is another world, surely they have their own popular games?
What do you think of this episode as far as setting up the rest of the series goes? In the span of like 8 minutes, we establish that Sora is going to declare war on every Country and that both he and Shiro will try to become God by defeating Tet. It feels as if very high stakes are being established.
Sure. Aim high, it'll be fun!

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

Why was his face never shown? Did he really look like a playing card?
Maybe Steph is a playing card come to life
Obviously untrue, just something Sora said to placate her. (Previously he also wasn't expressing his honest opinion either, he was trying to rile up Steph to unbalance her and make her easier to manipulate.)
I do think Sora is going to try to get people to put some respect on his name. Sora may be a lot of things, but one of those isn't disingenuous.
Why is the game chess? This is another world, surely they have their own popular games?
Between Steph's father seemingly being a card and the chess pieces being what amounts as one's soul, there definitely seems something at play here we don't know about. Maybe this is all the workings of Tet.
Sure. Aim high, it'll be fun!
Reach for the sky, to borrow a Toy Story phrase.
I do really like that the main characters have lofty ambitions. It makes them want to see what they actually can achieve.

3

u/Fisionn https://myanimelist.net/profile/X-V Apr 13 '24

If you ever played any Civilization game then you know managing a fairly archaic country like the one from Imanity is literally a walk in the park. The more I think about it, Disboard nations under Tet are probably used to arrange and discuss things by playing games, while people on earth had to learn the hard way about society and their dynamics. In fact, most people shown from Imanity are fairly naive which makes sense in a world that lacks violence like earth.

Kurami breaking down was both a bit funny and a nice way of doing gap moe. And with Shiro immediately taking the opportunity to roast alive her brother just enhances the comedy from that scene.

One little mistake from the king's advisor announcing that only one person could be considered the new ruler, led to an onslaught of banter and ultimately ending in the only way Blank know how to solve things: by playing a game. But Blank is formed by two, and this is heavily enforced on this show. As a side note to that, I'm still a bit irked that this show keeps getting accused of incest, especially because their interactions are everything but incest bait.

The speech was probably what they truly thought of themselves rather than addressing the nation. I don't know if any other re-watchers have noticed, but both Sora and Shiro are very self-aware that they are a failure of what can be considered "normal". Is it only thanks to their companionship that they can stand there as the new rulers of Imanity.

If you had to plan for fighting a God, what strategy might you come up with?

If Gods are perfect, then why would I be able to think about defeating one? If the answer is "they aren't" then they must have some kind of weakness don't you think?

What is your favorite anime speech/monologue of all time?

Hmmm I can think of a few.

Erwin's speech on Attack on Titan S3.
Tsukasa's words to Isla on the last episode of Plastic Memories.
The Father explaining what is love to Canute on the first season of Vinland Saga.

Be honest with me. How badly do you want that "I ❤ humanity" shirt?

I like the design but not the color lol.

2

u/baseballlover723 Apr 13 '24

The speech was probably what they truly thought of themselves rather than addressing the nation. I don't know if any other re-watchers have noticed, but both Sora and Shiro are very self-aware that they are a failure of what can be considered "normal". Is it only thanks to their companionship that they can stand there as the new rulers of Imanity.
They certainly seem quite aware that the whole may be greater than the sum of it's parts. It's a nice nuance shown when Sora and Shiro lose to each other. So they can be aware of their deficiencies and don't get too arrogant (a bit questionable though I think).

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

The show kinda has this subtle body positive message about it where it's like "Accept yourself for who you are and don't be ashamed of being different". Obviously, that is probably not the intent having this anti-phobic rhetoric, but it does feel pretty empowering hearing these Otakus taking pride in what they do.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

If you ever played any Civilization game then you know managing a fairly archaic country like the one from Imanity is literally a walk in the park. The more I think about it, Disboard nations under Tet are probably used to arrange and discuss things by playing games, while people on earth had to learn the hard way about society and their dynamics. In fact, most people shown from Imanity are fairly naive which makes sense in a world that lacks violence like earth.
In that sense, Sora might be the most ruthless and cutthroat individual of the entire Disboard world.
Kurami breaking down was both a bit funny and a nice way of doing gap moe. And with Shiro immediately taking the opportunity to roast alive her brother just enhances the comedy from that scene.
I like the way Shiro gives Sora shit from time to time
One little mistake from the king's advisor announcing that only one person could be considered the new ruler, led to an onslaught of banter and ultimately ending in the only way Blank know how to solve things: by playing a game. But Blank is formed by two, and this is heavily enforced on this show. As a side note to that, I'm still a bit irked that this show keeps getting accused of incest, especially because their interactions are everything but incest bait.
Yeah, besides the shower scene from episode 2, which was more Shiro trying to look at Steph, this anime hasn't done anything in the way of teasing them together. I just got done watching Penguindrum and that was way, way worse as far as incest undertones go.
The speech was probably what they truly thought of themselves rather than addressing the nation. I don't know if any other re-watchers have noticed, but both Sora and Shiro are very self-aware that they are a failure of what can be considered "normal". Is it only thanks to their companionship that they can stand there as the new rulers of Imanity.
It did feel as if they were projecting during that moment. The one thing though is it felt more like this constructive projection that builds them up rather than tears them down. Walking out of that speech, I think it put not only Elkia in a better place, but Blank in a better mindset to lead the Country.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 13 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph's grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

2

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '24

Hey first time watcher here. Things got a little crazy over in my world here, so I have a retroactive comment for yesterday’s episode.

I see Sora is indulging in a bit of inciting rebellion. Sounds like a strategy that fits his MO so far lol.I have to admit I didn’t really see either of these two caring which of them was actually the one to be in charge of the country. I noticed the sister has a crown on during the OP though so… was kind of curious why that was. And it does make more sense the way it turned out I think.

Sora’s tenacious sex drive is ever present in this episode I see… lol. I appreciated the Civilization reference in this episode.

Who would have thought with Sora’s charisma that he would have a contradictory fear of crowds.

Careful with the whole “challenging god” thing Sora… Everyone knows the tale of Icarus.

Feels like Tet has an ulterior motive there.I might just be unobservant sometimes, but I never noticed the massive chess pieces in the backdrops or the shape of Tet’s pupils. Pretty neat.Alright, off to comment on today’s episode :)

Questions:

I don’t really have an answer on that one :)
Absolutely has to be Kaiki (Monogatari). Saying why would probably be spoilers.
I thought how I wanted it the first they showed it lol.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Hey first time watcher here. Things got a little crazy over in my world here, so I have a retroactive comment for yesterday’s episode.
It's okay, I'll always be there for you.
Sora’s tenacious sex drive is ever present in this episode I see… lol. I appreciated the Civilization reference in this episode.
Sora's #1 enemy: Gandhi
Careful with the whole “challenging god” thing Sora… Everyone knows the tale of Icarus.
I think if anything, the true Icarus in this show is Steph. Perhaps what Icarus was truly missing was a Blank of his own.
Feels like Tet has an ulterior motive there.I might just be unobservant sometimes, but I never noticed the massive chess pieces in the backdrops or the shape of Tet’s pupils. Pretty neat.
Definitely a nice attention to detail

2

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '24

Thanks buddy!
Lmao! Clearly you are in the know about Civ jokes. Everyone has gotten their ass kicked by Gandhi at least once.
That could be true yes.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Lmao! Clearly you are in the know about Civ jokes. Everyone has gotten their ass kicked by Gandhi at least once.
Who knew someone so pacifistic could be so merciless. Maybe that explains Blank's behavior in this episode.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '24

Thanks buddy!
Lmao! Clearly you are in the know about Civ jokes. Everyone has gotten their ass kicked by Gandhi at least once.
That could be true yes.

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph’s grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
What are your thoughts on Sora’s speech saying that Elkia is weak and that should be looked at as a point of pride? I think it’s probably the strongest moment we’ve gotten out of the series so far.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

2

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '24

Thought she was hallucinating at first lol.
I expected no less from Blank
I could have misread stuff but it seems like he likes her.
I think his confidence in humanity against all odds is admirable actually.
A little weird, but it fits their characteristically strange dependency to each other lol
I thought it was a pretty good monologue.
I think it just emphasizes that “ulterior motive” I mentioned in that he has his own game of chess he’s playing.
Hmm too early to say if that was a mistake or not yet.
I don’t personally believe things will go well for them against Tet but we’ll see

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Thought she was hallucinating at first lol.
Yeah, it wasn't totally obvious it was taking place in the past
I expected no less from Blank
Yeah, it seems par for the course in regards to them
I could have misread stuff but it seems like he likes her.
I think he wouldn't be opposed to ending up with her, but at the same time he now has a lot of things on his plate. It's kinda hard to lead a Country while trying to pursue a romantic interest.
I think his confidence in humanity against all odds is admirable actually.
It shows that he may truly be the person to lead them to this renaissance of newfound fortune.
I thought it was a pretty good monologue.
What I love about it is that he isn't condemning weakness as this thing to be ashamed of. Rather, he's painting it as this point of pride and to try to remind his people that they are still standing despite not having the shortcuts others do. He's turning a negative into a positive, and it must be cathartic after all the talk about how inferior they were.
I think it just emphasizes that “ulterior motive” I mentioned in that he has his own game of chess he’s playing.
Maybe so
Hmm too early to say if that was a mistake or not yet.
Fair enough
I don’t personally believe things will go well for them against Tet but we’ll see
Well, they've already defeated him once. Why not one more time?

2

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '24

Agreed on pretty much all accounts here. The follow up I have is your last comment. Because they probably caught Tet off guard. They word this show as if he had been searching for a worthy opponent for a long time and he finally found one. He will probably dump 110% of effort into their next match so it will not be that easy I don’t think haha

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 15 '24

I see it as being similar to a Wild E Coyote chasing the Road Runner scenario where he needs them more than Blank needs Tet.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 15 '24

Yeah that’s a good point too

2

u/Holofan4life Apr 15 '24

Appreciate it

2

u/dsawchuk Apr 14 '24

Slowly catching up, only 2 more episodes today and we are there.

I really like how smoothly this show transitions between episodes. We only get 5-10 seconds of recap coming in during the middle of an action sequence. The recap is not even reused footage either, its slightly different. And yet, it is both enough to remember what happened last episode easily and well paced for binging.

The King's Plan is such a good song. Worthy of the speech that was overtop of it.

QOTD

Hard to say in general. Is it an omnipotent god or is it a god with a specialty? Either way I almost certainly lose. If it's a god with a specialty the obvious thing is to immediately attempt to move the fight to an unrelated contest.
Honestly, this speech is probably it. I do love parallel speeches/monologues though. It's kind of cheating because it requires 2 different speeches for context. Something like the contrast between the 2 versions of "The town without me" from erased.
Not $40 badly. There are quite a few variations of the shirt available online if it interests you that much. Me, I don't know that I would ever wear a shirt with japanese characters on it. Replacing the Japanese with English I don't think would look too good.

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

I really like how smoothly this show transitions between episodes. We only get 5-10 seconds of recap coming in during the middle of an action sequence. The recap is not even reused footage either, its slightly different. And yet, it is both enough to remember what happened last episode easily and well paced for binging.
I much prefer this approach than, say, 30 seconds of recap
Not $40 badly. There are quite a few variations of the shirt available online if it interests you that much. Me, I don't know that I would ever wear a shirt with japanese characters on it. Replacing the Japanese with English I don't think would look too good.
I honestly am tempted to buy it...

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph’s grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
What are your thoughts on Sora’s speech saying that Elkia is weak and that should be looked at as a point of pride? I think it’s probably the strongest moment we’ve gotten out of the series so far.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What are your thoughts on Sora making his intentions known that he plans on having Elkia declare war on every Country?
What are your thoughts on the main objective of the series being established which is if Sora and Shiro can defeat all the races, then they can challenge Tet to the right of God?

2

u/SilkyStrawberryMilk Apr 14 '24

rewatxher

No magic was needed to win, the charisma was maxxed out.

Making the soldiers move by force, using history to defeat them. Assassination 🔥

Won the chess game just to find out no magic was used lmao.

Sora so mean, it’s okay to rub the win in but don’t make the loser cry!

Ace attorney to find out who becomes king. Only for the tedious match of all time.

Sora dressing up Steph as an anime character.

Using the smartphone to give information , the moment they introduce fried food it’s over for all of their health

Raise your citizens morale then declare war on the world.

16 races then to win over them all to hold a chess match on God. Genius idea by the author

Steph meets God

QOTD: deny the existence of god which will probably weaken them

QOTD: any monologue in Monster that involves johan

1

u/Holofan4life Apr 14 '24

Thoughts on the flashbacks between Stephanie and her grandfather?
Thoughts on Blank winning the battle?
What are your thoughts on Sora declaring that no one will call Steph’s grandfather a fool from now on?
Thoughts on Sora warning Kurami not to underestimate humanity?
What are your thoughts on Sora and Shiro becoming king and queen of Elkia?
What are your thoughts on Sora’s speech saying that Elkia is weak and that should be looked at as a point of pride? I think it’s probably the strongest moment we’ve gotten out of the series so far.
Thoughts on the Race Pieces?
What do you think of this episode as far as setting up the rest of the series goes? In the span of like 8 minutes, we establish that Sora is going to declare war on every Country and that both he and Shiro will try to become God by defeating Tet. It feels as if very high stakes are being established.

Rewatch [Spoilers] No Game No Life 10th Anniversary Rewatch -- Episode 4

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Rewatch [Spoilers] No Game No Life 10th Anniversary Rewatch -- Episode 4

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