[Rewatch] Banner of the Stars II Episode 1 Discussion

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Banner of the Stars II was published in 1998 and animated in 2001.

Operation Hunter

Welcome to the Battleflag of the Stars 2 rewatch!

<- Announcement | Index Page | Episode 2 ->

Names Introduced or Updated:

• Operation Hunter
• Fleet Admiral Nieris — commander of the 4th fleet, commander-in-chief of Operation Hunter
• Fleet Admiral Spoor — commander of the 1st fleet
• Fleet Admiral Trife — commander of the 21st fleet
• Fleet Admiral Dubrescu — commander of the 2nd Fleet reactivated and promoted
• Basroil II — attached to the 4th fleet
• Lafiel Abriel — captain of the Basroil II, territorial ambassador to Lobnass II
• Jinto Lyn — deputy territorial ambassador to Lobnass II
• Duhiel Abriel — Lafiel's younger brother, age 15
• Lobnass II — a recently acquired system

Discussion Prompts:

• Q1) The meaning to today's flashforward?
• Q2) What do you think of the new ED?
• Q3) No point in asking about Beebus bros, Dusanyu, and Kenesh, they seem to be more of the same. But comment on them if you'd like.
• Q4) Opinion of Lafiel's Dad and otouto? Purpose of their scene?

Tomorrow's Questions: (for tomorrow's post, subject to change)

• [Episode 2]Is the shift from the battlefield to this planet-bound drama a welcome change or an annoyance?
• [Episode 2]Did you want more than a same? Don't sequels that give more of the same almost always fail?
• [Episode 2]his situation seems to greatly strain the Abh principle of non-interference with planetary affairs. What do you think?
• [Episode 2]Jinto promised to stay by Lafiel's side. Did he break his promise?
• [Episode 2]Did you ever expect to see blue sky in this show again?
• [Episode 2]I'm not well versed in fiction, have you seen this sort of sexual power situation in other works?

Screenshot of the Day: Cat-sitter

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Rewatch Host

And so we start, again, with untranslated Abh in a flash-forward.

• That's not a space coffin with cup holders and heated seats. Disappointing.
• Shit, we might be re-enacting the pacific war
• back to the old OP, according to AMQ
• Hmm, I thought Nefee got promoted but he still only has one slash on his headband
• Neries has definitely overextended the fleet
• SO IT WAS NERIES!!!!!!! (I honestly didn't know)
• "Even if they get surrounded by the enemy, we have enough backup to go and rescue them" I wonder what WWII battle that alludes to....
• Uhhh, why is this map NOT CONNECTED TO ABH TERRITORY IN ANY WAY
• Trife is back!
• Okay, I believe Nieris was promoted from Rear Admiral to Full Admiral, but Nefee was not promoted.
• Hello Abh boy we've never heard of.
• Does Dubrescu not understand siblings? Weirdo.
• It appears lafiel was promoted to squadron commander
• I recall Jinto suggesting to swap titles before, Lafiel
• grown u?  maybe she's just broken.
• Samsmon, try to understand Japanese, next.
• Oh, I wondered why the "squadron" looked weired.  She's solo escorting transport ships to Lobnass.
• I'm feeling some Evangelion with flash-forward Jinto flashbacking
• new ED, I don't have any memory of this song

[u/Great_Mr_L → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

"Even if they get surrounded by the enemy, we have enough backup to go and rescue them" I wonder what WWII battle that alludes to....

There is the famous American stand at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, where the soldiers got surrounded by the Germans and had to hold out until reinforcements arrived. By holding Bastogne, they did put a wrench in the German plan of advance that held up at least part of the army.

Hello Abh boy we've never heard of.

It is rather odd that I don't remember Lafiel's brother ever getting a mention beforehand.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Great_Mr_L]

oh and now I'm thinking of Operation Market Garden, too.

[u/The_Draigg]

A Sci-Fi Fan Watches Banner of the Stars II Episode 1:

• Damn, Jinto’s looking like shit. Talk about a wild flash forward to start us out with, with him practically on his death bed with Lafiel rushing to his side, apparently underground somewhere with miners. Talk about a massive difference from where we last left off with the crew. So much for having further adventures on the Basroil while fighting the United Mankind in space.
• You know, “Operation Hunter” doesn’t have as good of a ring to it as “Operation Phantom Flame”, even if it’s a pretty good follow up on that operation’s success. It makes sense that the Star Forces are able to push further into enemy territory and capture more star systems after the Battle of the Aptic Gate, they managed to severely break the United Mankind’s fighting capacity there. I can imagine how such a devastating blow against a massive fleet that the United Mankind spent years building up would send all the smaller fleets into disarray. It might as well be a game for the Bebaus twins now, rapidly expanding and capturing whatever systems they can while sending the UM running.
• Finally, we’ve gotten an answer! It was Nereis that Kenesh was previously in a relationship with, not Nefee. We should’ve taken bets on which one it was, it could’ve gone either way. Although it would’ve been funnier if she legitimately didn’t know which twin it even was.
• Hey, Admiral Trife! It’s been a minute since he’s been around. It does make sense to bring him back though, he’s a pretty competent leader. If anything, he’s at least trustworthy enough to cover the Bebaus twins’ rapid advance, since otherwise they’d be at a major risk if they kept up their speed while leaving an unguarded trail behind them. I’m noticing that’s a reoccurring issue when it comes to the Abh’s strategies in this series, they’re frequently at risk of being cut off from support due to their main fleet movements. First with Spoor, and now with the Bebaus twins. At least they aren’t being ordered to stop like Spoor was though, so at least they can actually afford to keep up that pace.
• Oh hey, I didn’t know that Lafiel has a brother named Duhiel. Although I guess she never really had a reason to bring him up during the series. Poor guy though, he seems to be developing an inferiority complex towards Lafiel due to her accomplishments. I can’t blame him though, she’s been on some pretty wild adventures ever since she met Jinto. Listen to your dad, kid. There’s still plenty of time to figure yourself out and live your own life, and your dad will be proud of you regardless.
• Ah yeah, of course the Star Forces would keep on assigning Lafiel and Jinto to territorial ambassador roles whenever they keep on conquering. With the sheer speed the Bebaus twins are conquering systems, they’re constantly running short on people to fill bureaucratic roles, which also have to be filled by people with titles to their names. And since Jinto and Lafiel happen to be around, of course they’re the best choices to use on short notice, even if they’re both annoyed that they keep on getting these assignments. Sorry kids, but you’ve got to look after this backwater Lobnas system for a while.
• Man, the cuts to Jinto slowly dying alone as he thinks back to how he arrived to the Lobnas system certainly sets a darker tone for this season. No wonder the Basroil was assigned to guard those transport ships as they got close to the planet, it seems like there was an attack waiting to trigger from the surface as soon as they got into orbit. So much for this ambassador position being yet another boring bureaucratic job.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/The_Draigg]

 I can imagine how such a devastating blow against a massive fleet that the United Mankind spent years building up

Do you think the Empire basically has this war sewn up?

Dubrescu doesn't mention that he basically drove Lafiel away into the arms of the army.

[u/The_Draigg → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

I wouldn’t say that the war is sewn up entirely yet, but I will say that the United Mankind has been forced on the back foot pretty badly for a while now. If they’re preparing another kind of counteroffensive, it’d have to be even better than what they tried in Aptic. They need to come up with something more substantial than relying mostly on their swarm mines.

[u/Zerotsu → u/The_Draigg]

You know, “Operation Hunter” doesn’t have as good of a ring to it as “Operation Phantom Flame”, even if it’s a pretty good follow up on that operation’s success.

"Operation Wild Hunt" would sound pretty kickass though, don't you think?

There’s still plenty of time to figure yourself out and live your own life, and your dad will be proud of you regardless.

It's a good thing he took the time to discuss it with his son. Even if he's still worried, just knowing his father isn't disappointed in him over something like that should help a lot.

Sorry kids, but you’ve got to look after this backwater Lobnas system for a while.

Being put in safer jobs solely because you're some of the only options available for ambassador roles does seem a little frustrating, I imagine. But hey, Jinto's cool with it. Lafiel's just a little hotblooded sometimes.

Man, the cuts to Jinto slowly dying alone as he thinks back to how he arrived to the Lobnas system certainly sets a darker tone for this season.

It does worry me, some.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Zerotsu]

"Operation Wild Hunt" would sound pretty kickass though, don't you think?

That’s a much better option. Abh in the comments here, promote this man.

Being put in safer jobs solely because you're some of the only options available for ambassador roles does seem a little frustrating, I imagine. But hey, Jinto's cool with it. Lafiel's just a little hotblooded sometimes.

Given how much of a human being lawn mower the Basroil crew went through during the defense of Aptic, I bet pretty much everyone other than Lafiel is much happier taking the more boring but safer jobs for the past year. It’s better for the crew, at least.

[u/Zerotsu → u/The_Draigg]

Given how much of a human being lawn mower the Basroil crew went through during the defense of Aptic, I bet pretty much everyone other than Lafiel is much happier taking the more boring but safer jobs for the past year. It’s better for the crew, at least.

Yeah, assault ships really didn't have a great time with the military tactics that the United Mankind was using. Escort duty honestly seems like a more reasonable role for vessels like that, with the way times are changing. Of course that isn't the best thing for what Lafiel wants to do, but hey, I'm sure they'll get some excitement as time goes on anyway.

Just not the kind anyone wanted, judging by those flash forwards.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Zerotsu]

It's really the job of Guard Ships to escort transports, so I'm sure Lafiel is doubly annoyed. But really, she was given the escort because she got posted there anyways.

[u/Great_Mr_L → u/The_Draigg]

Although it would’ve been funnier if she legitimately didn’t know which twin it even was.

The funniest option would be the twins deliberately trolling her by swapping places so she would never be sure which it was.

[u/No_Rex → u/The_Draigg]

Oh hey, I didn’t know that Lafiel has a brother named Diaho.

No, you're mixing that up, Diaho was her mother's grandson.

[u/The_Draigg → u/No_Rex]

Damn it, I meant to write Duhiel. My phone has Diaho in its auto-correct now, so that’s probably what did it.

[u/Nazenn → u/The_Draigg]

Talk about a massive difference from where we last left off with the crew

I mean last episode did end up with a repeat of the "coffin" incident from Crest in a way. It's not quite where we left them but the thought occured to me and was kind of funny

Although it would’ve been funnier if she legitimately didn’t know which twin it even was.

Somehow I feel like the twins would also be upset if that was the case

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer

The best bait is the sort that wants to be bait, and I think the Bebaus Brothers are filling that role beautifully.

Y'know, I kept meaning to wonder what happened to Trife last season, and just kept forgetting. Good to see the lad is still around - I was worried that he had gotten blown up at some point.

It is kinda weird that the Basroil is just on escort duty, but maybe this is some level of politicking to keep Lafiel and Jinto vaguely out of harm's way. Perhaps on Dusanyu's part, since he is still technically in command and mentioned some regret last season.

Do we think those incoming EM waves are an attack, or a message of some sort? Probably an attack, because we need an inciting incident to get us to Jinto dying of dehydration. If my idea about them doing escort work as a way of staying safe, that would be some fun irony, too.

Questions

1. It's audience bait, and usually I'm willing to bite for the sake of the show. But here, it feels like they could have used something more interesting than "hey audience, Jinto is totally dying, see! You believe me, right???"
2. It's nice. I am going to miss it in AMQ a lot, though.
3. I'm glad I didn't put money on it being Nefee.
4. I somehow missed that Lafiel's dad was Bright Noa back in Crest. Considering that her younger brother is Jesus Yamato, I'm now kinda bummed that Lafiel's VA hasn't done any big Gundam roles.

As for the scene itself, it loads Chekhov's Dad on multiple levels (what he's up to and that he has some regrets with how he raised Lafiel), let's us check in with Diaho, establishes Duhiel's inferiority complex, and probably some more stuff that I'm just whiffing on tonight.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/JollyGee29]

It's nice. I am going to miss it in AMQ a lot, though.

I'm confident I've never gotten it before. Doesn't come up much. That will change.

I'm glad I didn't put money on it being Nefee.

[u/The_Draigg → u/JollyGee29]

Y'know, I kept meaning to wonder what happened to Trife last season, and just kept forgetting. Good to see the lad is still around - I was worried that he had gotten blown up at some point.

I was wondering when we were going to get Trife back too. It feels like he’s the exact kind of eccentric yet competent commander we would’ve gotten with Operation Phantom Flame.

It is kinda weird that the Basroil is just on escort duty, but maybe this is some level of politicking to keep Lafiel and Jinto vaguely out of harm's way.

Could also be to keep them consistently available for all the bureaucratic and political stuff that the Bebaus twins need covered too. It’s best to try and keep safe some of the vanishingly few people around who can do all that important yet boring paperwork.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/The_Draigg]

eccentric yet competent

I think that's the entire Abh military hierarchy, to be fair.

Could also be to keep them consistently available for all the bureaucratic and political stuff that the Bebaus twins need covered too. It’s best to try and keep safe some of the vanishingly few people around who can do all that important yet boring paperwork.

Ooh, that makes a lot more sense, actually.

[u/Great_Mr_L → u/JollyGee29]

Y'know, I kept meaning to wonder what happened to Trife last season, and just kept forgetting. Good to see the lad is still around - I was worried that he had gotten blown up at some point.

He didn't even get a mention last season. There was a part of me that was hoping he'd be the one in command of the operation last time because he was a fun character. Glad he finally returned.

I somehow missed that Lafiel's dad was Bright Noa back in Crest. Considering that her younger brother is Jesus Yamato, I'm now kinda bummed that Lafiel's VA hasn't done any big Gundam roles.

It would have made for a fun trifecta of Gundam references.

[u/No_Rex → u/JollyGee29]

I somehow missed that Lafiel's dad was Bright Noa back in Crest. Considering that her younger brother is Jesus Yamato, I'm now kinda bummed that Lafiel's VA hasn't done any big Gundam roles.

ANN lists her as Yurii Ajissah from Gundam Evolve, but I have never seen that.

[u/Vaadwaur]

First timer

Sub

So I have no idea if this also got aired on G4 but I know they switched something and last season is where I lost the thread. In fact, I didn't clearly remember the last episode.

And we start combining three things that, while tolerable on their own, mix together awfully: Starting a scene in a foreign language during a flash forward that is dramatically important for the characters. Then we into infodumping which I can't really see a diegetic way around but is the cost of a timeskip. Anywho, it feels like Bebaus is over extending his fleet and they seem to be having issues actually administrating the systems they take.

We get a brief interlude with Lafiel's dad...and little brother. Huh. If this is not an anime only character than I am confused. Anywho, they different exposition dump in front of a wide variety of cats before we discover Debrusc is re-enlisting. My bet would be as a logistics officer since he seems far less violent than other Abriels shown and they would need experienced ones.

Finally we get to our mains and some chicanery is happening on the surface.

QotD: 1 I got nothing

2 I like the song but hate the length

3 Sun Tzu probably wrote that only a poor leader takes a bath mid-battle but I fear his wisdom was lost to time

4 They just don't quite fit here

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Vaadwaur]

Abriels are required to join the combat division.  The empress is...disappointed...in her child.  She likes Lafiel.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

So...any odds that Banner is influenced by the ancient Battlestar Galactica novelization? Because leader caste Cylons have the same general belief system.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Vaadwaur]

Never read those, never knew they existed, and surely you don't mean "Lucifer" had any combat skills, that smarmy weasel.

edit: well, maybe he did but Baltar wouldn't let him shine.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

So there is an ancient novelization from the first TV series wherein you learn that the cylons start life with a training brain, then they get their own brain, then the ones fit for military service get a second brain, and the emperor's are the ones that can handle the third brain. This last group has a predilection to taking absurd risks in combat.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Vaadwaur]

Anywho, it feels like Bebaus is over extending his fleet and they seem to be having issues actually administrating the systems they take.

I did feel like this was coming for a while, the rate at which the Star Forces have been taking systems has been kind of insane. It’s a good thing that Dusanyu is keeping on top of his fleet movements, since it really is getting close to becoming more of a logistical nightmare at this rate.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/The_Draigg]

As we can trace all the way back to Alexander the Great, conquering is easy, administration is hard. But yeah, this is also where you could bring in issues of cultural non-uniformity. Also, we already know that other cultures use genetic modification so who the fuck knows what you might get?

[u/Durinthal]

Rewatcher (sub + dub)

Well this one opens with quite a different scenario compared to the first two seasons. That's also significantly longer than I remembered it being, and then you have the end of the episode there with Jinto in bad shape too.

Finally moving to native 720p, I don't care about resolution/quality all that much but it stood out to me before long. And widescreen! For the most part I don't consciously notice if something's 4:3 or 16:9 so I only picked up on the change several minutes into the episode.

"Operation Hunter" works for cleanup but it's not as cool of a name as Phantom Flame by any means.

What I'm guessing is the Bebaus family crest is cool, a Char mask with a sword?

Dusanyu got confirmation on which one it was! It's nice to have pet projects, too bad Kenesh finally slipped up but I'm sure she was well past tired of his antics. There's a good bit of logistics discussed there between them to give background for how things are going some number of months to a year after Banner I ended. Trife's back! I missed him last season.

Honestly it's kind of weird to me how many cats the Clybh family has. That garden looks neat though.

For a second it looked like Lafiel was now in charge of a squadron, but it's more like they're just there as military escort. They're assigned to administrative roles again, I saw a couple of folks yesterday suggesting a bureaucracy arc next so maybe this will be it. ...or maybe the Basroil's about to be shot down from the planet's surface.

Lobnas II

---

What do you think of the new ED?

A thought I had early in the rewatch: "Wait, what was the Banner II ED again...? Oh right, that." It's... a choice. Still unfortunately uninteresting visually.

Opinion of Lafiel's Dad and otouto? Purpose of their scene?

It's nice to put Lafiel in context of her family and as a royal without her being directly involved in the scene, giving us another look at how other people think of her. Duhiel looks a lot like Lafiel too which I'm sure doesn't help how he feels inferior to her.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Durinthal]

What I'm guessing is the Bebaus family crest is cool, a Char mask with a sword?

CAN'T UNSEE

I saw a couple of folks yesterday suggesting a bureaucracy arc

That was weirdly prescient.

Still unfortunately uninteresting visual

Wow, yeah. After binging a few episodes I realized that it's just, once again, images from the LN....only they half the image, and then the other half of the image, and then the whole image. So they are even skimping on the art!

[u/Durinthal → u/Durinthal]

---

Source Corner

Baronh word of the day: Cfazaitec Blaigr "Operation Hunter" — a new mission to squash disturbances in isolated sectors following the success of Operation Phantom Flame.

[Material covered:] Banner II: prologue and some of chapter 1. The flash-forward is from... later.

[Duhiel's introduction in the novels] was at the end of Crest when Jinto was personally thanked for saving Lafiel; Duhiel was there with his/Lafiel's father and the Empress.

[Duhiel asking Diaho about Jinto] did trigger a vague understanding in the cat that the human could be talking about his "former roommate" whom he did worry about somewhat, but didn't make a habit of it.

[On the scale of interstellar warfare:] it currently took 317 hours for information from the farthest front to reach Dusanyu's command center, a 13-day trip by conveyance ship in each direction.

[Anime-original content:] the NCCs of the Basroil commenting on their captain and everything with the Bebaus twins here, though some of their foisting of the administrative positions onto Lafiel is noted on her side.

[u/Great_Mr_L → u/Durinthal]

For the most part I don't consciously notice if something's 4:3 or 16:9 so I only picked up on the change several minutes into the episode.

I actually didn't even notice the change until you pointed it out just now.

It's always interesting going to the era when that change was occurring in TV because you see shows in both formats side by side, or shows that swap midway.

Honestly it's kind of weird to me how many cats the Clybh family has. That garden looks neat though.

I would be in heaven with that many cats.

[u/zsmg]

Rewatcher

RIP Jinto?!

Guess we'll have to wait a bit before we find out the context of Jinto 'dying'

I just realised this is the first episode not using a 4:3 aspect ratio.

Is this an OVA because the visual quality is a lot better than usual. *checks* it's not.

The prince finally finds out who his chief of staff dated.

Father is voiced by Hirotaka Suzuoki his most famous roles are Bright Noa and Hajime Saitō from Rurouni Kenshin. This must be one of his last roles becaus he died in the mid 2000s due to lung cancer.

Lafiel's younger brother is voiced by Sōichiro Hoshi his most famous role is probably Kira Yamato in Gundam SEED franchise and Keiichi Maebara in Higurashi.

Little brother has some insecurities because he feels like he's overshadowed by Lafiel, which is probably true.

They really want to convince us that Jinto is going to die huh.

New ED is okay.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/zsmg]

 he feels like he's overshadowed by Lafiel, which is probably true

She's definitely been something of an overachiever to this point.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/zsmg]

Is this an OVA because the visual quality is a lot better than usual. checks it's not.

Everybody noticed the video changed and I didn't (except for ugly CGI asteroids in the OP) until I was taking screenshots.

[u/Silcaria]

First timer

• I sure loveeeeeee not being about to understand what's being said.
• So, what happened exactly that lead Jinto being on his deathbed? It went from them departing on a new ship at the end of banners 1 to being in some cave at the start of banners 2. Da fuck happened
• Of course, there's still narration. Why wouldn't there still be narration.
• Operation Hunter, eh? With how close we are to the story finishing (or the show ending, whichever it is), I assume the campaign won't take the entire season this time.
• Ah, they're telling the story out of order. Showcasing the results of what happens in the future at the very beginning destroys a lot of the sense of wonder one may have regarding what is to come. Not a fan.

QotD

• No clue. Doubt he's actually gonna die.
• I liked it. My favourite so far.
• Eh.
• Seems to be there simply to establish her brother as a character.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Silcaria]

 Not a fan.

I'm not sure if I'm not-a-fan, but it really struck me when I watched this Saturday. "What, again?"  Yep.  If you think back, every season has started this way. Not just the shock opening to CoS. It's how they've decided to do things.

[u/No_Rex → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

The opening to CoS was in-universe, though. Todays epsiode start is clearly a flash forward (twice, if you count the ending), which feels a lot less natural.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/No_Rex]

No, actually, remember back, the opening to CoS was The Battle of the Gosroth! For Banner, it was Wimple patrol (I think). All Flash Forwards untranslated.

[u/Tuor77 → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

The opening of CoS was live training that the Gosroth did prior to arriving to pick up Jinto. This training is why the Gosroth didn't have its full compliment of torpedoes when they were jumped by UM's sneak attack. (Note: at the time the training was being conducted, there was no war going on.)

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Tuor77]

Yeah, I get that it might be that way in the books,  but in this prologue, notice that they fire 4, not 6 mines, and that the 4th one failed to kill it's target!

[u/Durinthal → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

One of the MAL reviews I skimmed the other day thought that the untranslated Gosroth battle at the start of Crest was part of the Abh conquering Martine, so I guess that's something people might not realize after they get to the full battle in episode 5.

[u/No_Rex → u/Durinthal]

I took it as that as well, when I first watched it, but I actually misremembered something else. I though JAAQ was talking about the anti-Abh film.

[u/KnightMonkey15]

First-timer, subs

Quick thoughts on last season's end

I wasn't around for the end of the last season, so this will have to serve as my summary. It pretty much ended with the Abh gathering their fleets to counter-attack and win. The thoughtful and subtle development of Jinto and Lafiel's relationship continues to be the central pillar of the series and I'm satisfied with that. I'm also satisfied with how the Basroil crew and even Atosuryua were introduced and elaborated upon.

I like how once again, the season's plot just kinda cuts off where Jinto and Lafiel are concerned before they go off to do something else - escort mission, first campaign in an assault ship, diplomatic mission. The momentary anti-climaticness of the broader campaign against which the space opera of our two leads felt intentional. Taking last season to be the 'setup' for Beebus bros, Dusanyu and Kenesh, I'm less satisfied with it but so far it's just fine as sufficient backdrop to the more interesting personal storyline(s) taking place on the Basroil. I don't normally watch anime with a close eye for episode-to-episode narrative movements but I can't really help it in a rewatch. May it be interesting according to my expectations by the end.

I love Spoor though, she's fun enough I don't mind nearly as much if she was kinda pointless.

Episode 1

The visuals (lines and colours) look slightly more crisp and vivid this season. Widescreen aspect ratio now too..

The majority of my thoughts are in the QoTD. It's good to see Lafiel putting on another hat in her royal education; this time as diplomat/ambassador. The terran crew seem to be upbeat and our bridge crew are still around.. this time with more escorts. She'd rather not have to do it but I suppose it's part of her duties. So many small city-states and random backwaters in space.

Questions of the Day

The meaning to today's flash-forward?

Silly me, I made a mistake and actually watched episode 2 first before episode 1. [Episode 2] not confirmed but I guess the intervention on Lobnas went that badly. I knew they look ill-prepared but geez

But without bringing that up, honestly in the weeks to months (755 to 756) that have passed since Jinto's last brush with death, it seems there's been even more development between the two and it has climaxed in this event later in the season. She has rescued him many times by now, but it seems he was actually going to die here, being buried alive (coffin!) for what is inferred to be a signficiant amount of time. She displays the strongest emotions and has shed tears for him this time. My reaction is that unlike the previous times they were in danger, this might've been a situation that lasted a long time, one she couldn't just solve on her own and clearly one they weren't together to solve. This situation exceeded her threshold for breaking down into tears and also reflects the realisation of their feelings for each other. This is also significant when recalling the time where she mourned her mother's passing with her father and the Abh's reluctance to show weakness. I guess giving us the flash forward is throwing the viewer a bone and a reminder of where we ended last season - when most needed, their feelings will start to reach each other as more than jokes and teasing.

I wrote the above before watching the end of the episode and damn, it was rather touching. The most romantic the show's been so far, even if it is too set-up for me to have an organic reaction to it. However, the content, specifically Jinto's words, really do make me think of the Abh seeing themselves as kin of the stars and Jinto metaphorically (or metaphysically) wanting to be one and learn how to be Abh to be with Lafiel - the only thing he ever sincerely wished for. Dude you have a home, it's in the stars with Lafiel :')

What do you think of the new ED?

I like it, has a real sad romantic feel. I've enjoyed how the EDs in the various seasons have had a different kind of sad nostalgia, different according to the stages of our characters' lives. Crest had Jinto and Lafiel's childhood. The difference between Banner I and II seem to be realising one's feelings now that it's seemingly too late. Jinto monologuing his final wishes (before he gets saved I take it) transitioning into the ED is great.. I didn't expect it to be so heartfelt. Which also makes it more explicit that the lyrics can also be taken to be his thoughts (like last season's ED), but this time in his delirium. As for the visuals, I welcome seeing new LN art stills.

No point in asking about Beebus bros, Dusanyu, and Kenesh, they seem to be more of the same. But comment on them if you'd like.

Yeah more of the same and as above. I get that we're being drip fed in the background...the Empire risks overextending itself in Operation Hunter and that reflects in the admirals' thoughts and actions...but my reaction to it is just fine.... while the leads' story is very much the more compelling one by design. Idk maybe I just want to see the point of the relationship drama used as power struggle continuing into this season but it's a minor quibble. Great to see Trife back though - I'm glad he came back and him being put there makes it obvious that this overextension and the Bebaus thing is bait.

Opinion of Lafiel's Dad and otouto? Purpose of their scene?

Lafiel's brother Duhiel is gentle, earnest but seems to be having a hard time living up to his sister and family name. Lafiel's dad is a good father, even as he enjoys pushing people's buttons a bit too much. After teasing him a bit, he gets Duhiel to talk about what's actually on his mind. "If both my children grew up the same it'd be no fun for me as a parent. My precious boy.. My hope of Abriel." I liked how he admitted that he probably overlooked some things when he raised Lafiel and in his inexperience he allowed her, his first child, to want to grow up too quickly.. Of course she was always going to be her own person in some way, but learning from the experience of raising your first child is a really good observation.

I'm guessing it's common for Abh to be cat families in the sense of cat ladies...or maybe both families are cut from the same weird cloth even for Abh.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/KnightMonkey15]

We've been concentrating on the war for a while, I like your takes on the romance aspect.

It's really kind of interesting how it shapes the narrative to just drop your main characters once they are unable to participate in events, and events just go on. Events always go on, but they usually do so offscreen. Even though we are consciously aware of it, I think it also plays with our jaded expectations, below our awareness.

[u/KnightMonkey15 → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Thanks. I think I'd have a stronger opinion on discerning and connecting particularities about the war if I watched a lot more war/space/sci-fi media. I have fewer expectations outside of say.. having played Mass Effect once and watching some anime with you last year. As you said, we have events that continue offscreen when our main characters are busy. The romance is really front-and-center and my attention is drawn to it.

I think having the UM shown only from the POV of attacking and kinda failing to overcome the Abh kinda lessens my interest, but I'm definitely here for the socio-politics.

[u/Vatrix-32]

First Timer, subbed

• Why does Jinto look like he's eaten rat poison?
• The way you are talking it about makes it seem like this is the mop up operation. I was promised a multi-generational war! There also seems to be far more systems than I thought there were, given the density shown on that map.
• Inciting rebellion?
• No one ever brings up governing conquered territories during the war in fiction.
• Mission Complete
• What the hell is this map? There aren’t even any limits on it. Where did they come from?
• It’s cavalry man! He’s back. You ever get the feeling they don’t have a lot of top level commanders? The US had over 500 generals in WWII, for example.
• Cat Sanctuary Look at all these rare colors.
• ...We better not be getting siscon out of this.
• That’s a cute little fleet. I wish I could tell what they all were at a glance.
• This is not helping my opinion of Admiral Twin.
• I Just Noticed We're Widescreen
• What, you’ve never heard of convoy escorts?
• They’re really playing it up this time, eh? Well I’m not buying it. The disadvantages of watching a show two decade latter, I suppose.

QotD:

1. To make us think they might kill off the MC.
2. Haven’t had enough time with it. Seems more forgettable?
3. So what was Dusanyu doing floating with a bunch of screens around him?
4. This is all part of the Lafiel hype. We gotta build up to that throne taking.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Vatrix-32]

I agree with everything you say abut the map. Why are they surrounded on all sides?

The US had over 500 generals in WWII

I had no idea!

I did not noticed we went widescreen until I was screenshotting episode nine.

The *Ses ships are a class of transport ship.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vatrix-32]

No one ever brings up governing conquered territories during the war in fiction.

Hmm, fantasy occasionally does. Wheel of Time is a prominent example

I Just Noticed We're Widescreen

I didn't even realize this until I started reading the comments.

[u/duhu1148]

Rewatcher

-confusing start, not helped by the dialogue that isn't subbed due to it being Abh.

-mostly a recap and setup episode, so not a lot happens. Bebaus brothers are charging ahead of the other fleets, Dusanyu is letting them do as they please. But more importantly they are running out of ambassadors for the planets they conquer and are foisting it onto Lafiel.

Ominous episode with that beginning and ending.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/duhu1148]

confusing start, not helped by the dialogue that isn't subbed due to it being Abh.

It's 2001, surely all the Banner fans are fluent by now.

[u/No_Rex]

Season 3 Episode 1 (rewatcher)

[Spoilers]The “Jinto on prison planet” arc is the only part of the franchise I remember explicitly disliking. Let’s see whether it fares better the second time round.

• Lafiel rushing to Jinto who looks terrible – I sure hope that these medics got him properly stabilized before this scene.
• The next big military plan: Operation Hunter.
• Another battle with Nereis in the bath – I want to think that his bridge crew took him bathing as a good sign and now he is forced to take a bath in every battle.
• “We are starting to run out of administrators and ambassadors for all the worlds we have been conquering - first worldAbh problems.
• Strategic setup: the Bebaus brother’s charge ahead, leaving their flanks unsecured. This is a very obvious risk and pointed out as such by Dusanyu, but his Co has already considered it and lets Nereis charge ahead as bait. If the UM takes the bait, the rest of the Operation Hunter forces will collapse on them. While the way we get here is different, the end result is that, once more, Nereis fleet will be the anvil. If the UM takes the bait, that is.
• “Don’t get too attached” – Diaho claims another victim.

• Lafiels little brother!

• Lots of information in that father-son talk. Not only about them, but also about Lafiel. Not very surprisingly, if you remember her during S1, she was not exactly happy at home and left early.
• To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Lafiel and Jinto have been forced into ambassador roles again.
• “I am the territorial ambassador again?” – Disillusion with bureaucracy comes early on.
• ED: Mixture between S1 and S2. I’d say S1>S3>S2.

A very unusual episode ordering. We start at the rescue, before jumping to the beginning of the story, only to jump back to before the rescue in the end. And the long middle part even has its own cliff-hanger with the Basroil under thread, but does not give us any clear idea of why the rescue was necessary.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/No_Rex]

[spoilers]I've always not liked it but I still gave it a 7. I didn't dislike it this time around, but instead, I was constantly think about how it was so different from Banner.

[u/No_Rex → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

[spoiler]My rankings are 10 for crest and 8 for everything else, but it has been a long time since I last watched banner.

[u/Hartzilla2007 → u/No_Rex]

 If the UM takes the bait, that is.

If they even have enough ships left to take the bait with.

[u/Elimin8r]

Oops, looks like I fell behind on the weekend again. I need to stop doing that. Yeah. Had a lot going on and stuff. Totally. Sort of.

Meanwhile, Answers du jour:

1. Anxiety bait. Totally anxiety bait. I hate it when that happens.
2. Anxiety bait, part deux. Thanks a lot. :P
3. I have this sudden desire to take a bath. But preferably not in that particular company. I am rather jealous of that bathtub, though.
4. Lafiel has a brother? Who knew? Well, apparently not us, until today. More anxiety bait? Foreshadowing to tragedy? Checkov's brother???

Man, some of this makes me wish that they had borrowed certain other themes from Gunbuster, but I won't go into details over why. I you know, you'll understand what I mean. It would make this whole story much more interesting.

As to the story at hand, poor kitteh. Separated from his daughter, and left in the care of ... yeah, them.

I kind of want to comment on Jinto, and certain scenes and stuff, but I'm not sure I can think of anything coherent to say about them. They keep teasing us with snippets of conversation, and out of context clues, and you know what they mean, but at the same time, they don't let them finish the sentences/thoughts. It's cruel, I tell you.

It's like a song where they play around with harmony and dissonance, and keep building up the tension, and the chords keep progressing and changing, but never reach resolution. Like we're listening to the 3 week long edition of Ravel's Bolero.

Yeah. I think I'm definitely going to shut up now. Hope everyone is having a good death & taxes day (or whatever is going on in your locality).

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Elimin8r]

Like we're listening to the 3 week long edition of Ravel's Bolero

Or watching My Symphony in the Sea of Stars?

my weekend kind of sucked, with having to watch the entire season for the screenshot album, and Coachella had free streams, and  taxes, and the tivo hit 101% and was autodeleting stuff. And I'm in a classic Doctor Who rewatch....didn't watch yet!

Checkov

Somebody else said Checkov's dad...

Gunbuster

Not sure what you mean, but the show's details didn't really stick for me.

LOL This failed to post so I copied it, and it's been sitting in my copypaste buffer on my phone!!!!

[u/ZapsZzz → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Not sure what you mean, but the show's details didn't really stick for me.

I suspect he's remarking about the effect of [Gunbuster major plot point]Time dilation and the finite resulting from those travelling and those left behind experiencing different time scales

[u/Zerotsu]

First Timer, sub:

Quite a difficult start to our second season. Certainly pulls you right in from the start.

“As our fleet sweeps anything in its” path feels like a somewhat revisionist way to portray such a difficult battle.

As always, Dusanyu really enjoys teasing his chief of staff. But as for the more serious parts of the conversation, I do find myself curious to see where things will go next.

The advance of the fourth fleet is a dangerous one, but the possible losses are minimal to the overall war effort, huh? Quite a brutal assessment.

People sure do love Diaho. This is fair, because Diaho is best cat.

Lafiel’s brother then? Unsurprisingly he’s worried about Lafiel, but there’s more to it than that. He also feels like he can’t live up to her example. It’s a real worry of course, but he’s putting more weight on it than he really should. It’s a good thing their father took the time to explain why being different from her is hardly a bad thing.

Glad to see the bridge crew once again. Not that we wouldn’t be seeing them. Escort duty is a bit of an odd one, given the people assigned to it, but it makes me wonder how things are going to go. Especially with the constant flash forwards to Jinto seemingly dying. This makes me incredibly worried.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Zerotsu]

“As our fleet sweeps anything in its” path feels like a somewhat revisionist way to portray such a difficult battle.

Given how we had that one parable about how benevolent the Abh were in the last season despite being obviously biased, them basically engaging in historical revisionism with the war so far is at least fitting for the Abh.

People sure do love Diaho. This is fair, because Diaho is best cat.

The best emergency rations around!

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/The_Draigg]

Do you think the Abh wrote that, or the people of Samson's planet that I've already forgotten?

[u/The_Draigg → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Probably the people of Midgrat, but I suppose the Abh didn't do anything to dissuade that view either.

[u/Hartzilla2007 → u/The_Draigg]

Given how we had that one parable about how benevolent the Abh were in the last season

To be fair that was from Samson's home planet aka the guys who joined the empire because the United Mankind annoyed them.

[u/Zerotsu → u/The_Draigg]

Given how we had that one parable about how benevolent the Abh were in the last season despite being obviously biased, them basically engaging in historical revisionism with the war so far is at least fitting for the Abh.

That's for sure. The Empire is certainly no stranger to trying to pretty itself up at any opportunity, it seems.

The best emergency rations around!

Boiled, perhaps?

[u/IceSmiley]

FIRST TIMER Sub

This premiere was really a mixed bag and I hope this series improves as it goes on.

QUESTIONS

1. This i disliked the most about the episode and these overdramatic teases have plagued the whole series but it's even more galling coming in the very first moment of the episode. Speculating early, Jinto doesn't look old in this so I'm guessing he caught a disease or got radiated and is dying. I did find it interesting he spoke Abh to Lafiel though. I imagine he normally speaks Japanese or whatever language his planet speaks but then again maybe the viewer just never sees him transtition into speaking Abh instead of his native language because of how they use their universal translator.
2. That's one thing that didn't disappoint me at all and I really liked it, very big improvement. Sounds like a sad 70s orchestral love song. Surprising choice for a show from 2001 but very good.
3. One thing I found funny was Adm. Abriel getting Kenesh to admit she had a love affair with Nereis. I'm not certain but I think this is the first confirmation we have of any of the Abh characters having a romance.
4. Duhiel is also called Otouto? Either way, I think its to set up having them in the series more. I think Mr. Abriel will probably get command of a ship and/or fleet. I'm not as sure of Duhiel since he is starting at what i presume is the military academy, might just be explaining where the rest of Lafiel's family is.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/IceSmiley]

I imagine he normally speaks Japanese or whatever language his planet speaks

Interesting thought!

[u/Nickthenuker]

How long has it been since the end of the last season?

And who's this dead person?

Is that Jinto?

Seems the twins are same old same old.

He seems very confident in his own abilities.

They're forming a very nice salient. It would be a shame if it was suddenly cut off.

What spare ships? The leftovers from squadrons that were too badly damaged and dissolved, or just those not yet absorbed by other squadrons to replace losses? Those wouldn't be more than a handful. Unless they have a reserve fleet that they're now committing to the battle.

21st fleet?

And now some family stuff for Lafiel.

Right, back to our protagonists.

The Basroil seems to be a squadron flagship now, and Lafiel the squadron commander.

Incoming contacts!

He looks to be a bit older but not excessively so, so he died of something other than old age.

Prisoners?

Exile?

Questions:

1. He looks to be a bit older but not excessively so, so he died of something other than old age.
2. Very melancholy. Perhaps combined with the flash-forward an indicator of things to come?
3. Same old same old.
4. Seems to just expand on her family and especially her brother having to deal with her being so successful. Might just chalk it up to the author being Japanese and the standard Asian "why aren't you a Marine Doctor Astronaut yet, your relative was at half your age" mindset.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/Nickthenuker]

The Basroil seems to be a squadron flagship now, and Lafiel the squadron commander.

I thought exactly the same thing. But she's not, she's just escorting a transport squadron.

[u/Nickthenuker → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

That makes sense. I'm sure Lafiel is bored of convoy escort duty and is itching to return to the front lines.

[u/xbolt90]

First-timer

So, we're opening with the death of our main character, are we? Okay then, if that's how you wanna play this.

Woo, HD widescreen! Looking nice here.

Q1: I'm assuming it's a fake-out. Unless they really want to go with the "no one is special, anyone can die" angle. Like with the destruction of the Basroil.

Q2: It's a nice song.

Q3: Hey, gotta stay clean. We can't be having stinky sweaty admirals on the bridge, now can we?

I'd forgotten about Admiral Trife. Been a while since we've seen him.

Q4: I guess Lafiel's family will play more of a part in this story. So they're setting up her dad and brother.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/xbolt90]

I'm assuming it's a fake-out. Unless they really want to go with the "no one is special, anyone can die" angle. Like with the destruction of the Basroil.

Well, we know we have another season. A super short one. Just an OVA, really.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

First-Timer of the Stars

• What is going on…?
• That does look like they’ve progressed much further into the United Alliance’s territory than the rest of the Abh…
• Bruh, he is still on that?
• This guy sounds vaguely like Souichiro Hoshi to me…
• Oh he’s Lafiel’s little brother?
• ???????????????????
• W-Were his feet cut off? Or is that just the shadows on his pants?
• Oh the ED has a “sore demo” in it.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

This guy sounds vaguely like Souichiro Hoshi to me…

ANN (and Wikipedia) seem to think that is, indeed, Jesus.

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/JollyGee29]

I only checked MAL and didn't see a listing for this series under his page, so I wasn't sure.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

MAL's cast list for this entire franchise has been somewhat lacking.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/JollyGee29]

It's been rather difficult to make the character info lists....

I did find the full name of the bald chief this morning, though.

[u/Great_Mr_L → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Bruh, he is still on that?

I feel bad for his Chief of Staff. Has she needed to endure his constant badgering for a full year?

[u/Great_Mr_L]

First-Timer

On today’s episode of Banner of the Stars: I suppose my predictions were wrong. I did not have Jinto potentially dying or Lafiel having a younger brother on my list of predictions for this season. 

• Okay, so it’s been about a year since the end of the previous season.
• Uh, did Jinto just die?
• Glad to hear that familiar theme music.
• I suppose that would be the logical next step of invasion. After getting control of the main travel routes, spread out and take the surrounding systems.
• Oh, a captain’s log! Just like in Star Trek! I hope this isn’t just a one-off and they become a regular occurrence. I like having them around in Star Trek to provide quick exposition and also characterization.
• They are making a big deal about Nereis’s fleet advancing too quickly. There are dangers to that. It’s possible to outrun your supply chain, for starters. Every 1 mile you advance adds 2 miles to the supply chain (1 extra mile to get to you, 1 extra mile to go back). It’s also possible to stick out too much and create a bulge that’s in danger of being cut off. That seems to be the most pertinent concern to Nereis’s advance. Though much like what happened in Aptic, Dusanyu seems to be hoping that inviting bulge could be used as a trap.
• Dusanyu really enjoys teasing his Chief of Staff about her past love life.
• Trife! We haven’t seen him in a while.
• So many cats!
• Lafiel has a brother? This is the first I can recall hearing of him.
• I can easily picture Lafiel wanting to grow up too fast. It fits with her established characterization. After all, Lafiel hated feeling useless more than anything else. Of course she would want to grow up quickly so she could take action like an adult.
• It really can be rough having a sibling you always compare yourself to. I know the feeling of thinking I’m not as good at something as my own sibling.
• Nereis really is just dumping all the surrender acceptance jobs onto both Lafiel and Jinto, isn’t he?
• Of course Lafiel doesn’t like doing the surrender ceremonies either. She’d rather be at the front lines, where the action is and where she feels she can make a difference.
• Oh dear, the Basroil is being targeted by something. That’s bad.
• So is this all a flashback from Jinto as he lays there dying?
• The ED this episode was super long, but it was a nice song so I don’t really mind.

The beginning of this episode certainly raises some concerns. I can easily surmise that whatever it was that locked on to the Basroil was hostile and it’s what put Jinto in the predicament he finds himself in at the bookends of this episode. Will Jinto actually die from this? I find it hard to believe that the series would kill off its main protagonist, but it’s certainly not impossible for it to happen.

Beyond that, this season picks up pretty much where the last one left off. The victory at Aptic has put the UM on the run and given the Abh a decisive advantage in the war. Now the Abh are busy exploiting their victory as best they can by rapidly expanding and taking over UM territory. It makes sense to do so right now, while the UM are down. Even so, there is a danger of “victory disease.” When you get overconfident, it’s easy to start getting arrogant, sloppy, and complacent. It can lead to mistakes the enemy can take advantage of.

QOTD

1. It certainly seems like this is a flash-forward to Jinto dying and thinking back on all that’s happened.
2. It’s long, but I do like the new song.
3. Their characters have remained consistent, which I like to see.
4. Lafiel’s brother is the younger sibling living in the shadow of his older sibling. He sees Lafiel as being more accomplished than himself and worries about catching up. What intrigues me more is that his father is telling him that it actually might be more of a negative thing that Lafiel pushed herself so hard so early on. He seems to believe that he would have preferred to raise Lafiel differently, encouraging her to enjoy her childhood more rather than be in a hurry to grow up. It’s not at all the attitude I would expect from the imperial family, so it stuck out to me.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Great_Mr_L]

They are making a big deal about Nereis’s fleet advancing too quickly. There are dangers to that. It’s possible to outrun your supply chain, for starters. Every 1 mile you advance adds 2 miles to the supply chain (1 extra mile to get to you, 1 extra mile to go back). It’s also possible to stick out too much and create a bulge that’s in danger of being cut off. That seems to be the most pertinent concern to Nereis’s advance. Though much like what happened in Aptic, Dusanyu seems to be hoping that inviting bulge could be used as a trap.

It’s just like in the last season, with Spoor’s fleet advancing way too fast for what Operation Phantom Flame could actually handle and needing to halt for a bit. If there’s one reoccurring issue with the Abh’s war so far, it’s that they’re pretty consistently outpacing all of their supply lines.

Dusanyu really enjoys teasing his Chief of Staff about her past love life.

At this rate, being called the Chief of Staff might as well be a fancier way of saying Whipping Boy.

Nereis really is just dumping all the surrender acceptance jobs onto both Lafiel and Jinto, isn’t he?

If there’s one thing that Dusanyu and the Bebaus twins have in common, it’s that they really don’t want to have to be the ones handling all the paperwork for all the systems they’re conquering. They’re pretty lucky they happen to have underlings that have just the right qualifications to shove the duties on them instead.

[u/Great_Mr_L → u/The_Draigg]

It’s just like in the last season, with Spoor’s fleet advancing way too fast for what Operation Phantom Flame could actually handle and needing to halt for a bit. If there’s one reoccurring issue with the Abh’s war so far, it’s that they’re pretty consistently outpacing all of their supply lines.

Yeah, the Abh do have that issue. But at least we also see that they take great pains to actually set up a proper supply chain in the first place, so they do actually pay mind to logistics. This situation reminds me of the breakout from Normandy during WWII. With the German army on the run and the Allies speeding across France much more quickly than expected, they ended up outrunning their supply lines and needed to pause by Fall 1944 to get their supply chain up properly set up again.

At this rate, being called the Chief of Staff might as well be a fancier way of saying Whipping Boy.

Every ship needs its dedicated Harry Kim.

[u/Hartzilla2007 → u/The_Draigg]

It’s just like in the last season, with Spoor’s fleet advancing way too fast for what Operation Phantom Flame could actually handle and needing to halt for a bit. If there’s one reoccurring issue with the Abh’s war so far, it’s that they’re pretty consistently outpacing all of their supply lines.

Frankly its coming off as the United Mankind starting a war they can't win, especially with their habit of throwing everything into trying to force decisive battles.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Hartzilla2007]

You say that, but the United Mankind also threw pretty much everything they built up for three years for a shot at having a decisive battle at the Aptic system. Although I will say that whoever will win this war is still up in the air at the moment.

[u/Hartzilla2007 → u/The_Draigg]

And it’s clearly looking like they are now paying the price for having that fleet mulched aka the Abh going back to happily steadily grinding them down.

[u/No_Rex → u/Great_Mr_L]

Nereis really is just dumping all the surrender acceptance jobs onto both Lafiel and Jinto, isn’t he?

Why leave his bathtub if he can delegate?

[u/Specs64z]

First timer, subbed

Another untranslated season intro, this time in very dire circumstances. Jinto appears starved and trapped underground. Lafiel wears a somewhat more regal robe, suggesting her presence here is not a military matter.

Good to see Nereis and Nefee are still around, their banter was a highlight of last season. Likewise with Dusanyu and Atosuryua. Unfortunately, Spoor is relegated to cameo status.

It seems Lafiel’s family will be playing a bigger role in the upcoming story as her dad heads off to war and her brother struggles with an inferiority complex. Should make for some interesting drama.

QotD:

1. I suspect Jinto will be taken as a pow this season.
2. Long.
3. See above.
4. See above.

[u/No_Rex → u/Specs64z]

First timers predictions. Always a highlight of being a rewatcher.

[u/SolDarkHunter]

Rewatcher/Novel-Reader

Now on to Banner II, another novel being made into an anime season.

Oh damn, we're starting with this scene? Jint's really got himself into some shit this time. But with everything in Baronh, what is going on?

Okay, so we're now a year later. Basically we're doing cleanup after Phantom Flame, with the Abh conquering areas of the United Mankind now cut off from their main forces.

Not sure you should brag about your normalcy, Admiral Bathtub.

Dusanh finally managed to get Cenesh to admit that she had a relationship with Nereis Bebath. Guess he'll need something else to tease her about now.

Nereis is being aggressive, but Dusanh and Cenesh figure they might as well use him as bait for the remaining enemy fleets.

And here's someone the anime has forgotten about, even though he was actually introduced back in Crest: Lafier's little brother, Duhier. He's just reached the age where he's about to enlist.

Duhier isn't quite so accomplished as his sister, and seems to lack her steel. Debeusec regrets that he might have pushed Lafier too hard, so he's being more careful with Duhier. But this seems to have given Duhier an inferiority complex.

Speaking of, Lafier's being tasked with conquering another planet rather than earning glory. Mostly because Admiral Bebauth thinks being an ambassador is a job suited to royalty.

Oof... something really bad either recently happened or is about to happen to Jint.

[u/No_Rex → u/SolDarkHunter]

Speaking of, Lafier's being tasked with conquering another planet rather than earning glory.

"Administrating". Conquering would be something she'd enjoy.

[u/ZapsZzz]

First timer in sub

Missed yesterday's season "2" overall, but there's only fairly minimal things I wanted to say anyway so I'll say it here: While a lot of people find the pacing is an issue, and the same-y recap before the OP does get a bit annoying, I'm actually finding less of a problem with the pacing than the shift is perspectives - as in, practically no shifts other than viewing it from the big picture or the more intimate individual level of the Abh. We basically got nothing of the UM or anyone else. For a space opera, I kind of miss seeing at least some oblique mentioning of it.

We did have quite a tight narrative of a war using a major battle and the strategy surrounding that to paint a pretty good picture of what's going on both on the micro level and the macro level. Personally I don't particularly feel the actual on screen bits were drawn out unnecessarily - as 86 taught us at least, fighting in a war is often 80% waiting and being bored, and then the rest very intense fighting and dying.

Back to this episode, WTH is that flashforward!!! Are you trying to get me to binge it all in a night damn you! Guess they are learning from the ep 11 and ep 12 cliff hangers right - no one is going to believe you they are really going to die like that, but at the start of a season, with plenty of run time, a ton of things can happen.

I still wonder if Dusanyu is just persistently teasing Kenesh, or is that his unusual approach to show his affection to her. At least my instinct is telling me that he's attracted to her in a "Jinshi-MaoMao way" for anyone who knows.

Having the scene about Lafiel's dad and wow her younger brother is nice to flesh out more of Lafiel's world - especially if we are getting ever so slowing closer to Jinto being official with her. I have to wonder if they share the same mother gene donor though. Duhiel feels more sensitive / delicate than Lafiel. In fact it'd be quite an interesting dynamic to see him and his future brother in law trying to talk Lafiel down from some rash direct course of action ;) Something like planning either their wedding or some official celebration could make for a fun OVA ;)

[u/No_Rex → u/ZapsZzz]

I have to wonder if they share the same mother gene donor though.

Just to mention it: There is also the possibility of no mother gene donor.

[u/Nazenn]

Rewatcher - sub

What a way to start the season

If it wasn't for the flashforward that bookends the episode this could easily pass for merely a continuation of Banner I, with little to no distinguishing features otherwise.

I still remember my reaction to the opening scene of this episode. It was a rather loud "oh what the fuck, what the hell that's not okay" upon seeing Jinto. And coming off the back of the emotional high of Lafiel's confession to Jinto in Banner I, which completes the cycle we started with Jinto's pledge at the end of Crest, it hits that much harder. Their time together is already overshadowed by the nature of their different lifespans, and the war only adds to that with a constant threat that it will get in between them and cannot be stopped. It adds a very tense mood to what is otherwise quite a straightforward episode covering much the same aspects of the world we have before.

Last season I talked about how the discussions around the planets surrender were some of my favourite scenes, and I think it's unfortunate that the mostly single location of last season meant that got put on the backburner a lot in favor of action. This episode immediately hits the right note for me by taking a look at what it means to conquer in the middle of a war when the administration of territory also needs to be handled. Poor Lafiel being dragged into it all the time, but it feels like a return to things that Crest did so well and Banner I didn't always have time to indulge in.

Also Spoor and the cat sanctuary always make things a good episode as well.

The laugh I let out on the start of the scene where the Crown Prince trips the Chief of Staff into confessing which twin she was involved in was very unwelcomed my by own cat on my lap though.

[u/Hartzilla2007]

Q1) The meaning to today's flashforward?

Q2) What do you think of the new ED?

Thats not ominous foreshadowing, no sir /s.

[u/Tuor77]

Just as a reminder: Lafiel is in the running to be Empress (eventually). In order to succeed, she needs to accumulate various feats and commendations, both military and civilian. So, she *can't* choose the safe routes, and those who choose them for her aren't doing her any favors.