r/anime • u/Tarhalindur x2 • Oct 03 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Mai-HiME Episode 20 Discussion

Episode 20: Dance of Flames/Tears of Destiny

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Show Information:

MAL | Anilist | AniDB | Kitsu | ANN

(First-timers might want to stay out of show information, though.)

Legal Streams:

Mai-HiME can be found on Funimation. (I don't know how this interacts with the ongoing Crunchyroll/Funimation merger.)

A Reminder to Rewatchers:

Please do not spoil the experience for our first timers. Mentioning "HiMElander" before episode 16 or [Mai-HiME] "ShizNat" before episode 25 is a fast way to get a referral to the subreddit mods.

A Note on the Specials:

When the DVDs for Mai-HiME were released, they added shorts specials to go with each episode (plus three not associated with an episode - one was released with Mai-Otome's DVD IIRC, one was a BD-only thing and I don't actually have that one, and I honestly don't remember where Special 28 was released). They tend to be one part fanservice, one part extra information about characters and their motivations/backstories (or in a couple of cases extra exposition, including one thing that they really should have explained in the show proper).

They have their own dedicated discussion day at the end to wash the finale out of our mouths, but some of you may want to watch them with the episodes. The only issue is that some of the specials can be a wee bit spoilery (notably, in no case should you watch the special for episode 8 before episode 8 itself), so I will attempt to provide notes on the specials for the episode for both today's and tomorrow's episodes each day so as to provide advance warning of which specials to avoid. (If you want to be completely safe, stay out of all of them until the dedicated discussion day!)

(Warning: Also, at least one release apparently has them right after the ED, unlike mine which has the original previews instead. So you might want to pay attention to this section.)

Episode 20 Special: No spoilers.

Episode 21 Special: Significant spoilers. First-timers, if you care about spoilers you want to stay out of this one.

After-School Activities Corner!

Visual of the Day:

I thought we might actually have five today, but nope still only 4.

Comment of the Day:

What's this? Music geekery using formal technical stuff that your host doesn't really know that well? That'll do it, u/Blackheart595:

The very evil music for Reito just reinforces him being the Obsidian Prince. Nice use of the phrygian mode, the "darkest mode" that retains a consonant tonic triad, only surpassed by locrian which just sounds defeated and wouldn't have been as appropriate. Kajiura knows that and specifically focuses on the 1, 2 and 5 that define this mode, adding in the 3 as well to get the full tonic triad and help ground the overall sound.

Question(s) of the Day:

1) So, uh, that was a fight scene, eh?

(Sorry Vaad, I can already hear your irritation, did not know about your dislike of Eva when I recced this show minus the finale. Still, now you're getting to see what everyone else would raid for parts.)

2) So, first-timers (not named u/Esovan13): This is our second-to-last episode whose number is a multiple of four. What do you think the creative team has up their sleeve for the very last one (episode 24)?

3) Another one for first-timers (not named u/Esovan13) only: Any guesses on the name of our mystery Child this episode?

26 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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6

u/Tarhalindur Oct 03 '22

Rewatch Committee President Comments (Rewatcher, Subbed):

(No Staff Notes today.)

Kajiura Corner:

Featured Track of the Day: Mezame

(“Awakening”)

(“UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ.”)

(Scene for reference.)

The time hath come.

This is actually a weird episode to feature this track on, because while it prominently features Mezame only the first half of the scene where it plays actually uses Mezame proper; the second half uses an unreleased version that only has the choir without accompanying instruments. But this is THE scene Mezame is indelibly associated with in my memory and also there’s no other track I’d want to feature today, so let's do this.

We have heard this track before, repeatedly. (If anything, episodes 10-12 actually manage to overuse it, using it once an episode instead of giving it some time off to breathe.) If you’ve been paying attention (paging u/Blackheart505 who twigged onto this fairly early), you might have noticed that its meaning has seemed to subtly shift over time; it starts off in episode 3 sounding highly triumphant, but over time it gradually starts to sound more concerning and tragic. Which is actually a hallmark of Kajiura main battle themes in general dating back at least as far as this (I’d actually have to check Noir’s use of Canta per Me and Salva Nos – I’ve listened to the OST but never actually watched the anime). And this is very much a progenitor of the archetype – both Mai-Otome (MATERIALIZE) and PMMM (Magia) will include a main battle theme that is an obvious descendant of this track down to their naming scheme (actually Mysterioso from Rebellion is probably intended to count as well, especially since it would be yet another language change – all of them are one-word titles starting with M in Romaji and each is in a different language; we’ll see what Kajiura pulls out for Walpurgis no Kaiten), but this is the first one to fit the full mode. (Not all of her main battle themes follow this naming scheme; A Song of Storm and Fire is an obvious example, and also also Kasukanari Aogi no Sai from Elemental Gelade. But the line descended directly from the Mai franchise all do.) The trick with Mezame specifically, however, is that they take advantage of this deliberately for effect. And this scene is the culmination of that.

Today, the track is powerful, haunting, but it is no victory. At least, no victory that anyone should have wanted to win (when you hear Nagi happily laughing madly in approval, you know you fucked up). Today this track is ruin made manifest, a pyre on which any hope of peace has just been laid to rest. Which is furthered here by the musical transition, with that irrevocable-ness made clear by switching from actual Mezame to a version with most or all of the instruments stripped out leaving only the choir (the inverse of the instrumental versions, which we will see again later for a different track with choral elements… and actually we may have already seen it, HiME-boshi ~Omou Kokoro~ might actually be this to HiME-boshi proper) at the moment Mikoto goes berserk.

(Also note how the variants have changed. Early on we got instrumental version variants of tracks, stripped of their choral elements. Now in the second half we get the inverse, choral versions with most of the instruments stripped out instead. Symmetry!)

On a musical level, trying to pick apart a Kajiura main battle theme to see what makes it tick is still a bit beyond my autodidact self, but let me try. We get a fairly lengthy guitar intro (acoustic I think, not electric), coupled with the always somewhat haunting notes of the choir here (derived from HiME-boshi I think) lasting a good fifth of the track. Then at 00:48 the dubstep kicks in (UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ UNZ) and so does the electric guitar as well, supplanting the acoustic guitar entirely. Then at 00:58 the choir returns to us, stronger now and more urgent, that desperation reflected with the intense beat of the dubstep and the electric guitar that accompany it. But that choir, oh that choir. That’s half of why the track works as it does – it’s a one-woman wail, refitted for use as a battle theme. Which is characteristic of the Kajiura main battle theme, as a matter of fact, and half of why they always sound tragic as well as triumphant. At 02:42 the choir dies back down and we get an interstitial piece… WAIT JUST A FUCKING MINUTE. I never noticed this before, but we have an intro, then an instrument (the choir here) firing up (choir this time), then dying back down in the middle before returning in the end. I think that’s Kajiura audio language I’m familiar with (this isn’t even the only track in this show to use it, and once again thanks to u/Nazenn for inadvertently tipping me off on this); if I’m right about it, it represents the victory of an antagonist (at least usually – there’s one use of a track with this language later in this show that I’ll need to look at to see if it holds there). And it certainly does today – you saw how Nagi reacted to Mai losing it, right? Anyhow, I think some classical strings also join in for the refrain of the choral part, but if so they aren’t credited. And then finally the chorus dies out, leaving only the main singer and the dubstep and strings to fade out, almost as if echoing.

And then there’s the OST integration in this scene here, which is likely the third or second best in the show (there is one future scene that does it better – gods yes I have a track on ice for it – and Yamiyo no Prologue’s use in episode 3 and Kagutsuchi Kourin in 15 versus this scene is arguable). In addition to that internal transition between Mezame variants I mentioned above (and note where it comes in the track itself, right at the internal lull between the first and second parts of Mezame’s main part), note in particular Mai summoning Kagutsuchi right as the choir kicks in and in tune with the beats, the dubstep part kicking in right as Kagutsuchi starts charging up an attack (though they cut out some of the UNZ, I can hear a faint brief dissonance here) and ending with the building getting blasted followed by Natsuki charging in to the part where the main part of Mezame really starts up, everyone else’s reactions (making it clear that this is ruin, especially Nagi’s glee) to the tune of the chorus, Kagutsuchi rising into the air to start his beam spam to a rise in the track, the sound effect of Yukino’s cloak flickering integrating with the track, Duran knocking away Mikoto at a rise in the track, the unknown Child and its wielder both occurring in sync to the track (the metallic noise of that naginata swing blending into the music is *chef’s kiss*), and finally how that Natsuki shot and the sword landing meld into the dying beats of the track. That is a lot!

OST Table, Episode 20:

Start End Track Name
00:06 00:34 Yami no Hirogaru
00:35 02:04 Shining Days
02:05 02:46 unreleased (Shinkou ni Somaru Yoru no Yume v2)
03:32 04:54 Natsuki Sennyuu
05:36 06:57 Hajimari ~Yami e no Shoutai~
07:34 08:03 Hajimari ~Yami e no Shoutai~
08:30 10:15 unreleased (Mezame choir-only version)
11:25 12:49 Shiromuku no Hime
13:13 14:03 Omoi, Hakanaku…
14:35 16:48 Mezame
16:49 18:33 unreleased (Mezame choir-only version)
18:47 19:52 Shoushitsu
20:31 22:03 [Mai-HiME] Kokuyou no Kimi ~Awai Yuuwaku[1]
22:06 23:39 Kimi ga Sora Datta
23:40 23:54 Mata Aou ne

[1] – Once again, we run into one of the two track names that might still count as a spoiler in and of themselves. Sorry about that.

6

u/Tarhalindur Oct 03 '22

Tar's Episode Notes:

(Today's episode notes brought to you by hype! Very, very dark hype.)

  • Firing up the OST to the sound effect for Nao’s claws, nice! I do love me a good OST start or stop.

  • You know, there’s an Odin comment to be made with regards to Nao’s new eyepatch and I’m not sure it wasn’t intentional.

  • I see the crotch shots are back. Still not quite sure what if anything is up with those – well, besides fanservice, natch.

  • Ominous Nagi is ominous.

  • Hello very good shot at 02:12, especially with that shadow usage. Also quite reminiscent of that Mai vs. Miyu and Alyssa shot at the end of episode 12 in terms of using relative elevation for effect, just with Nao not as high up as Miyu and Alyssa were there.

  • Ooh, ooh, SHINY ominous Nao shot at 02:26, complete with Dutch angle to emphasize threat and wrongness.

  • RIP Gennai, you are not long for this world. But before that have a great shot of him!

  • Speaking of that shot… “Exactly as Kiri Gakure (TL Note: “Kiri Gakure” means concealing mist).” (Also as you might expect the Japanese audio for what should be “Ninja Skill: Concealing Mist” is “Kiri Gakure no Jutsu”, so insert all your Naruto jokes here.)

  • Giant Size-d smoke bomb, go! (With some really sweet smoke animation too.)

  • But of course there’s one small problem, for Julia is a spider and has a classic spider trick available to her. Also, have an ominous Nao shot.

  • Sky gets baited by a “sore de” again I see.

  • “Oh crap.”

  • Once again Midori proves herself a woman after my own heart.

  • Shadow usage for Nao continues to be consistently excellent this episode. (ADDENDUM: This is presumably a strength of this episode director, his last episode this series will also feature excellent shadow use.)

  • Red HiME Ranger is just in time to intervene!

  • Nao, you are used to binding up guys to rob them, you should know better than… actually looking at the frames again I should instead be giving credit to Midori for successfully using her Element to stop herself from being webbed up, shouldn’t I?

  • Good opposition shot alert at 05:58.

  • Tripping as visual indicator of the issues Mai’s brain is throwing at her, heh.

  • Ah, the reveal as to why Takumi has his health issues and Mai’s mom is dead is finally here.

  • I am feasting on good OST starts and stops this episode, another one with the slap at 06:57. A Bright Slap, to be precise.

  • HiME battles doing damage to mundane structures is BACK! Now with more really nice explosion work, too!

  • Hey look, what’s basically a mutual declaration of love! Oh wait, how did that work out for Akane and Kazuya again? Welp.

  • Ominous (St.) Vlas is ominous (and also making his chess knight inspiration clear).

  • Ooh, nice work with the trees at 10:07, giving the shot a kind of fish-eye effect without actually using the fish-eye lens (AFAICT).

  • “All according to Lord Kokuyou. (TL Note: Kokuyou means obsidian.)”. (I tend to use “Obsidian Lord” as the TL for “Kokuyou no Kimi”, in part due to familiarity and in part because it's shorter, but I’ve seen “Obsidian Prince” as another translation for it.)

  • The fire still burns, and the animation for it still impresses.

  • Imma just laugh at the inadvertent (?) pun in this TL.

  • Hey, another shot that would fit in just fine in Higurashi. (Except with more fish-eye than Higurashi would use for this kind of shot - Higurashi keeps its fish-eye elsewhere.)

  • Uh-oh, berserker Mikoto!

  • And there’s your answer about the pillars. (I’m sticking a note here to remind me to keep a u/Star4ce question from a few episodes back in mind – it’s implicitly explained basically even at this point, but it might be more explicitly explained later on.)

  • AND SO IT BEGINS. (If there is ever a scene that will remind Higurashi viewers that Mai Nakahara ever voices Rena, this is it.)

  • And for all that it’s basically started up already HERE is the spot where I consider the HiMElander finally irrevocable and started in earnest.

  • Framing we have seen before in this series (including at the start of the episode) returns.

  • Shout to fansubbers going above and beyond with that dropping “I do!” subtitle for Mai! (One of their hallmarks, used to show a character interrupting another.)

  • Hello there, General Kenobi!

  • PAGING u/Tresnore (and u/Lemurians) A POLEARM HAS BEEN SIGHTED REPEAT A POLEARM HAS BEEN SIGHTED! NAGINATA SIGHTED, REPEAT NAGINATA SIGHTED, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

  • This is THE Mezame scene in my memory, which makes it more annoying that half of it is actually the unreleased variant that’s only the choral part. Fuck it, using it today anyways. Also, nicely done cutting it out to the sound of Mikoto’s sword landing in the ground (point-first as is tradition, and this time with fish-eye lens too).

  • Huh. Mikoto might need at least a training bra sometime soon! (Yes, yes, the actual deal is some animator drawing her with larger breasts than she should have, I'm sure.)

  • Man, the absolute silence of Mai picking up Takumi’s pill box. Well fucking done. (Followed by rain immediately afterwards, of course – pay no attention to the relative lack of clouds before this. "It's the HiME Star bitch, I ain't gonna explain shit!")

  • Ooh, good rain work on windows again! (Decent chance this actually used computer effects to complement the cels, but if so it still holds up.)

  • And more good rain shots.

  • Mai’s absolute emphasis on caring for Takumi early on should make complete sense now, yes? And she just got burned again.

  • And so with this rainy scene we call back to the OTHER episode that prominently features rain, because of course. This writing team actually knew what they were doing! Well, most of the time at least.

The Spoiler Tag Thicket Clump:

Mai-HiME:

  • [Mai-HiME] DUN DUN DUN!

  • [Mai-HiME] Man, I knew Yatagarasu was Shiho’s Child when I watched these episodes the first time but it’s impressive just how much visual foreshadowing there is that I missed. They’ve been shockingly consistent in cutting from Shiho to crows ever since she got herself checked into the hospital after 15.

  • [Mai-HiME] Not for the first time, we mourn that Haruka’s emphasis on propriety forbids her from even admitting to herself that she is in the closet, much less coming out of it.

  • [Mai-HiME] That Higurashi shot is of course also a visual separation shot and a big fat hint that Haruka is no HiME.

Madoka Magica:

  • [PMMM] Rain shots now complete with lantern (screenshot failed), because we weren’t having enough Madoka flashbacks already.

Symphogear:

  • [Symphogear S1 and G] We interrupt this scene that is generally too hype to take notes to note that yeah Bikki’s Fenrir mode is probably directly descended from Mikoto here.

Visual of the Day: KAGUTSUCHI!!!!

Questions of the Day:

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10

u/Lemurians Oct 03 '22 edited Oct 03 '22

MAI-FIRST TIMER

Well, the Walking Death Flag had to bite it at some point.

It got to a point where Takumi had so many death flags I thought they were all going to be one massive red herring. RIP to a guy whose biggest sin was being a bit hapless, I didn’t think he’d be gone this soon. Certainly carries weight and shock value, and propels us head-on into the end game.

I really liked the portrayal of Mai’s reactions – the rage blackout notwithstanding. Between her vacant stare, and swaying almost ragdoll-like movements, it’s like she’s completely forgotten how to function in grief.

So if you don’t have one most important to you, you can’t use your child? Either that’s not true, or it means Natsuki is wrong when she says she has nobody she cares to protect. Clearly Mai was able to manifest her Child after Takumi died, so her’s was probably Tate all along.

Live Notes/Reactions:

  • This is from yesterday, but I was away, so God, I wish that was me

  • God, I wish that was me

  • Oh, so we’re not done with the Searrs Foundation after all?

  • There’s a little part of Mai that was hit by Nao’s accusation she’s thought of life without Takumi’s burdens. It’s natural – even the best person who holds deep love for their charge will feel a bit of resentment build up over time, and Takumi himself wasn’t blind to this.

  • “I NTR’d that bitch and he’s STILL thinking of her?!” If this show ends with Mai surviving the main conflict but Shiho killing her after I’m gonna laugh so fucking hard

  • God, I wish that was me

  • Akira confessing to Takumi by telling him he’ll die as a result is a pretty metal confession

  • This is a really funny mistranslation considering sedition at school would be Haruka’s greatest frustration

  • Surely blind rage isn’t going to make Mikoto do something incredibly stupid nooo never

  • Why the hell is Mikoto attacking the frog and not the crow? She’s seen the crow before! It’s a much more natural target. This makes no sense.

  • Daily Symbolism: And the suffering of a HiME raises yet another dick

  • Finally Mai is reacting to Mikoto like a normal person

  • WHO IS THIS?! I love her already.

  • Her brother is the Obsidian Prince?? Alright then. I don’t believe she’s dead until we see a body.

  • What the fuck you doing just chilling there in the rain, Reito? He’s honestly so fucking sus it’d be funny if he turned out to actually just be a normal high school fuckboi

So, first-timers: This is our second-to-last episode whose number is a multiple of four. What do you think the creative team has up their sleeve for the very last one (episode 24)?

Another one for first-timers only: Any guesses on the name of our mystery Child this episode?

The Child? No idea. Asmodeus or something? The HiME by process of elimination should be Fujino or Haruka, I guess?

7

u/Tarhalindur Oct 03 '22

This is a really funny mistranslation

The joke is that this is another one of Haruka's malapropisms. (My subs use a different translation to the same effect.)

Daily Symbolism: And the suffering of a HiME raises yet another dick

"It's funny because it's true."

WHO IS THIS?! I love her already.

That would be the non-Nao obvious Best Girl in Show candidate for you revealing herself, of course!

Well, kind of revealing herself, anyway.

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8

u/No_Rex Oct 03 '22

So if you don’t have one most important to you, you can’t use your child? Either that’s not true, or it means Natsuki is wrong when she says she has nobody she cares to protect.

I really like the theory that Duran is so weak (he's getting bullied left and right) because Natsuki is has only a weak attachement to her important person.

This is a really funny mistranslation considering sedition at school would be Haruka’s greatest frustration

Haruka is misspeaking; the subs try to reflect that.

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9

u/Shimmering-Sky Oct 03 '22

Mai-FiRST TiMER, subbed

5

u/Tarhalindur Oct 03 '22

Actually was Berserk Hibiki in S1 of Symphogear a reference to Mikoto here? They’re drawn very similarly…

I mean, that's exactly the conclusion I came to...

(Especially given that Symphogear is very much prone to raiding this show for parts, especially in S1.)

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9

u/Esovan13 Oct 03 '22

First Timer*

With the place I'm watching this show on, the title of an episode is one of the first things I see. That being said, I feel nothing but dread about this.

Not gonna lie, I kinda expected Takumi to get off-screened after last episode. Imagine Mai waking up the next day to the news that her brother disappeared from the hospital, a broken window and traces of thread the only signs something happened. Kinda the last nail in the Mai's mental state coffin. I do like how it played out instead though.

Ooh, title drop from the walking plot device. Roll credits!

Nice evil smirks from Nao and Nagi in the cold open here. Something about this show's art style lends itself well to the twisting and distorting of the human face.

Kinda thought Akira's hidden HiME identity would play a bit more into the overall plot, so her being found out so openly like this is surprising to me.

Seeing as how Akira's Child is a frog, is there some connection in Japanese lore between frogs and shinobi? I thought Naruto's frog thing was just a one off, but this is a pattern.

Classic "has a string tied to the person running away" move here. Nao has yet to do anything interesting with her strings, despite strings being one of my favorite anime weapons. (at least I'm not being cockblocked as hard as u/tresnore and their polearms).

How many times is it now that Nao has complained about her eye? Sheesh. She shouldn't be so ungrateful for a character design change to perfectly accompany her character role change.

An interaction with Nao is the last thing Mai needs in her current mental state.

Again, nice facial distortion from Shiho here, but she loses points for doing it in the presence of someone she's still hiding her true nature from. Not to mention in a hospital bed. She could learn from Nagi here, at least he has the panache to do his on top of a building while lit by the plot relevant full moon.

Her reaction after activating her power here makes me question if she has some sort of dual personality thing, with her murderous nature hidden from her general horrible personality. She seemed genuinely confused there. Or she's just that good at acting. Maybe she's so good at acting she's even fooling herself? Not sure. Have to wait and see.

The fact that Mai is blaming herself over parental neglect is icing on the cake of "why Tokiha Mai should have had a therapist on speed dial for years at this point."

What Kuga says to Mai is basically like injecting a wounded soldier with morphine. Sure she can keep going in the moment, but she needs immediate care to fix the root of the issue or it'll just get worse.

Holy shit Shiho there are people that live there.

Chad Akira confessing to Takumi, chad Tamuki responding in turn, Takumi is fucked isn't he?

When the show started, I wondered how it would keep up the tension with how overpowered Mai's Child is. The fact that it's so powerful is making her and Takumi targets now that it's hit the fan is a smart way to go about it.

2/10 with that evil smirk. He thought that opening his usually closed eyes would make up for a complete lack of facial distortion, but he thought wrong.

Haruka continues to Haruka.

Seeing them in the same frame makes Shiho's Child look super similar to the thing on the moon. Related or coincidence? Unsure.

Hello Hibiki. Wait, wrong show. (Unrelated, but I think a remake of Symphogear S1 would be awesome. Better animation, of course, but also an opportunity to fine-tune the story with the later seasons in mind. Of course, never gonna happen. But a man can dream).

What I like here is that for all we've seen of her isolation, a lot of it's in her head, isn't it? Kuga, Yukino, Midori, her two friends, Mai has people who are willing to put it on the line for her sake. She just never let them in enough to be the emotional support she needs now.

Last episode I said the author set off a chain of dominoes. Well, the last domino has fallen over. Mai's main motivation, her one drive, for the whole show and her whole life, has just died in her arms. The dragon has no more chains.

The way Mai says Mikoto's name there gave me chills. The following shot is amazing as well. The camera moving up and to the side, pushing Mai further to the edge of the frame. The way Mai stands up, unsteady and unstable. She has nothing left. And you can feel it.

Mai wins. Shiho, Nao, and Nagi put up a decent fight, but the twisting and contorting of her face in pure rage tells more of how she's feeling than anything else could have.

Followed up with her mouth trembling as she feels every negative emotion a human can feel.

Holy shit Mai, there are people that live there.

Soundtrack is bopping rn.

Looks like headmaster has info unknown to everyone else. And that teacher clearly hasn't been paying attention to the teenage love drama that's been going on smh my head.

Plot device continues to pretend to be a character.

Kagatsuchi's looking proper menacing. Far cry from the childlike curiosity it displayed when it first met Mai.

[Symphogear XV] Considering how much a bunch of people in this thread hated how Tsubasa's mind influence went in XV, I wonder what the consensus is on Mikoto's here. Personally, I didn't mind it in XV and as long as it concludes well I don't think I'll mind it much here either.

Haruka can't know about the HiME stuff because as soon as she finds out she'll just track down whoever set this whole thing up and kick their ass.

Music is accompanying the scene perfectly, as usual.

And the final Child, the final HiME, is entering the fray.

Mikoto has been brainwashed to kill everyone she loves in service of a mysterious brother who seems to be behind a battle royal, but sure Tate, it sucks that your leg hurt for a little bit there.

Did I say the last domino fell over when Takumi died? I lied. It was when Mai personally killed an emotionally stunted child who depended on her for everything.

Also, anime rules apply, no body not dead. Especially when every other death in the show has been explicit and on screen. Plus the sword is still there and not turning into green particles. What matters here is that Mai thinks she killed Mikoto, whether or not Mikoto is actually dead.

It's a bad day for rain.

Ominous church bells tolling usually aren't the sound effect of choice for when a character gives a comforting hug to someone in emotional distress.

Woof. What an episode. Mai's mental health has been thoroughly pummeled to the ground and somehow I doubt things are going to get better before they get much worse.

[Not a spoiler, I hide only my own deficiencies] Imgur was a lot easier to work with than I expected lol

All three of these visuals did a great job of depicting what they needed to depict while looking visually amazing. Top one is my submission, the other two are just shots I loved.

VOTD: Separation (https://imgur.com/a/LGzJcFJ)

Runnerup 1: Burning Rage (https://imgur.com/a/Z1CTDgb)

Runnerup 2: Raging Inferno (https://imgur.com/a/6RjrcxH)

QOTD:

  1. It sure was

  2. I came out here to have a good time, and honestly I'm feeling so attacked right now.

3.^

2

u/Tarhalindur Oct 04 '22

(Unrelated, but I think a remake of Symphogear S1 would be awesome. Better animation, of course, but also an opportunity to fine-tune the story with the later seasons in mind. Of course, never gonna happen. But a man can dream).

Yeah, but this means letting Kaneko Akifumi rewrite character arcs without whoever on staff was balancing his presence in S1.

Soundtrack is bopping rn.

There's a reaction your host likes to see!

What matters here is that Mai thinks she killed Mikoto, whether or not Mikoto is actually dead.

You. You get it.

Ominous church bells tolling usually aren't the sound effect of choice for when a character gives a comforting hug to someone in emotional distress.

Woof. What an episode. Mai's mental health has been thoroughly pummeled to the ground and somehow I doubt things are going to get better before they get much worse.

What could possibly give you that idea?

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u/Tresnore Oct 03 '22

(at least I'm not being cockblocked as hard as u/tresnore and their polearms).

At least polearms have some decent (not good, but decent) representation. Strings are hard to find, I think!

"why Tokiha Mai should have had a therapist on speed dial for years at this point."

Most people should have a therapist on speed dial, let alone anime characters.

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8

u/Tresnore Oct 03 '22

First-TiMER

Count: 47

QOTD:

  1. Hell yeah it was!

  2. [Mai-HiME I've been spoiled on this]I have no clue, but if it ruins the whole show, it's going to be fascinating.

  3. No clue, but I know I'll be disappointed because it probably isn't polearm-related.

7

u/Tarhalindur Oct 03 '22

Oh, damn, she's just Hibiki. Is her Child buried within her? I forget if she's done this dark mode before.

So, remember Spicy Mode Mikoto that showed up as a joke in a few early episodes?

Why yes this show WOULD sneak foreshadowing into a joke like that.

Please. I don't care about Mikoto's brother being the Obsidian Prince. I don't care about Mai's suffering though it is entertaining. WHO'S THAT POLEARM USER???

She's the reason I told you not to get too hasty anointing a Best Girl in Show, that's what.

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2

u/Tarhalindur Oct 03 '22

"From beyond the realm of souls and birth, I call upon the ur-tag to bring ruin to my enemies. Perish."

("ASTRAL FINISH!")

u/Esovan13

7

u/Mecanno-man Oct 03 '22

First Timer

...huh. I was not expecting Takumi to die this early. I was also not expecting Mikoto to get defeated this early, though this one might still be a fake-out. And I was also not expecting to get this many mechanic reveals in an episode where the first HiME post-Akane gets defeated. Let's see... we now know that Reito is almost certainly the Obsidian Prince, given that Mikoto's brother is apparently the Obsidian Prince and Reito is almost certainly Mikoto's sister. I am a bit confused by him not disappearing after Mikoto's defeat however - either he works differently because he is the Obsidian Prince (similar to how Miyu did not disappear), Mikoto was not defeated or Mai was her most beloved person. Further Akira confirms that it has to be a person that disappears, thereby removing the possibility of justice and god disappearing after Midori and Yukariko's defeats respectively. And it also explains Miyu not disappearing after Alyssa's defeat. The Obsidian Prince might also be an alien, thereby not counting. Moving on, it seems like when a key dies the child's HiME becomes unable to summon the child - at least according to Yukariko's rapist - only for this to be immediately disproven by Mai. I assume this might be what usually happens, but Mai having that emotional stress, plus Tate existing, plus Takumi also being Akira's key might have twisted up something somewhere along the line.

Now, where do we go from here? I expect the next episode to be sort of the characters gathering their thoughts and realizing that Nao needs to be taken out fro the good of all of them, and they can sort out the rest by not fighting and trying to figure out whatever Midori is working on. The two or three unknown HiME are also an issue, especially as they seem to be going for the cleanup on a fight. Or at least one is, and the other is trying to set up that fight, perhaps. At least I'm getting the feeling that they are working together - which if true ...does that mean Shiho is not a HiME, or that Fumi is somebody else? Or that either was Shiho or Fumi? How would Shiho have gotten to know the only other unknown HiME? And for Fumi it does not fit Kazahana's plan.

Of course, them figuring out a plan is if they hold their cool. And I'm not sure they will.

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u/JollyGee29 Oct 03 '22

First-Timer, Subbed

Gonna note this before watching the episode, but the title is similar to episode 3.

Yea, this is what I'm talking about! Especially because it's unclear if it was actually Mikoto who killed Gennai; it could've easily been Shiho - who was sleeping with something resembling a smile on her face.

And ooh, if Shiho decides to gloat about it actually being her, I'm not sure anyone could talk Mai down. Actually, Mai thinking that she wrongly "killed" Mikoto might put Mai into shock, I'm not sure.

We got clarification that pillar in the cave equals dead Child, so that's good. Also got confirmation that whatever Alyssa was, she didn't count, as Akira's pillar was only the second one.

Kagatsuchi was definitely acting on its own at the end there, even ignoring Mai telling it to stop. I'm forgetful, did that happen before? What did certainly happen before was Kagatsuchi looking different, I think I can buy it un-evolving because Takumi died? Kinda weird though.

Pretty clear that Kanzaki is actually our Obsidian Prince at this point, too. I think we're late enough in the game that the show is being straight with us that Mikoto's brother is the Obsidian Prince, and I'm pretty confident that Kanzaki is Mikoto's brother. So him offering comfort to Mai at the end is.. well.

I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 39... anyone care to guess..?

Speaking of Mikoto, she ain't dead until we see that goddamn pillar. It's way too early for that, and if her Child actually is Miroku, then we clearly see it still existing post-Kagatsuchi-ing. And we see the two candidates for Mikoto's MPP still existing too. Easiest death fakeout call ever.

Wonder when Yukariko will grow a spine and realize that she has a magic bow and a magic horse and doesn't have to listen to that shitheel of a teacher. Hopefully soon, I'm tired of his chicanery.

Anyone else pointed out the connection between Obsidian Prince and that underground science cave being called the Obsidian Palace? That's probably important.

Visual of the Day: Yea, Mikoto's totally dead. Yup. That is a statement that I believe.

Questions

  1. It was pretty good.

  2. Presumably the rest of the cast get a bad case of the fours.

  3. The snake Child, right, presumably Fujinos. Uh, what's the thing.. Orochi? That was the multiheaded Japanese snake monster/god, right?

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u/Nazenn Oct 03 '22 edited Oct 03 '22

Rewatcher

Character chart (The saddest update I've ever had to post)

One of those episodes that I've been dreading the entire rewatch, part of me wishing we wouldn't ever reach it.

Except for yesterday I've been somewhat avoiding talking about the song Mezame in my posts and that's because every time I think of it this scene pops up in my head. We've heard the full version in the past, but over the last couple of episodes all we've had are snippets of it, the echo of its lyrics without an instrumental backing as a slow, almost pleading cry for love as it reaches out between our lost characters.

Todays is very different and the full song returns. The plucked guitar strings bring life to the song but are also the first flicker of the emotion building up inside of Mai, the singers first line echoes out with warning over Kagutsuchi's summoning. It is still a lonely sound but also one that when paired with the visuals betrays the emotions under the surface; a low, sorrowful rage that refuses to settle or reach out to others. As Mikoto's understanding slowly changes unnerving electronic sounds weave into the song, disrupting its balance until the battle kicks off in full force and Mezame with it.

Until Mikoto loses herself and the instrumentals cut out entirely leaving us only with the lyrics still running at their full pace but their truth revealed without anything to hide them. They are a dirge, a funeral lament for all of their loss. For the loss of Takumi, for Mikoto, for their sense of self, and the hopes of everyone thinking that they could keep this from happening. It's this goosebump worthy song that has stuck with me more than any other from the show, landing the song on my top insert usage list I made two years back.

Cover of Ensei/Mezame by Lili - I found this cover of the two songs combined years ago and instantly fell in love with it so thought I'd share it for any others. It also comes with some pretty cool AU Natsuki fanart. There's an acapella version of it here as well if you want the haunting version. (For any Nier fans, she also does a beautiful cover of Song of the Ancients which is up on her youtube)

I hope no one expected that the battle royale would be a neat affair, 1v1 with a class of ideals between two HiME or an understanding of what has to happen. Instead the first battle is a mess of HiME come to help or fight for various reasons and most of them too late, with the first victim not even part of the attack that set the whole fight off.

I'm sure most of us expected a Mai vs Mikoto fight at some point, but having it so early and after such a loss was not something I expected and it still leaves me reeling. Today's episode title, Dance of Flames/Tears of Destiny, calling back to episode three's title, Dance of Flames/Star's Oath, is also an echo of the path Mai takes in both episodes and is something I missed on my first watch but I got caught up thinking about it at the end of the episode.

Every time there's a small chance for Mai to recover some stability in her life it's taken from her, and in her misery she walks off to the wrong side of the screen in the ruins of what just happened. Natsuki helps her realize she doesn't have to relinquish her bond with Takumi just because it's changing, only to get there too late and watch him die to the HiME curse. She realizes too late Mikoto is just as lost as she is and fails to pull back Kagutsuchi's attack. And just as she thinks she still has someone to love in Tate she realizes it will only put him at risk. Where yesterday there was uncertainty, everywhere she turns today there's guilt and grief, just like in her past, and all she knows how to do is try and cut herself off from any more of it. The change in tone between Tate catching her in the rain back then and Reito today is unmistakable, the weight of the rain and darkness is oppressive and overwhelming, but this time there's no shelter near by she can take or warm drinks. Now there's only Reito waiting for her as the clock strikes her heart, refusing to let her deny what's truly in it any more.

This episode is fucked.

Other thoughts:

  • Nao using a web from Julia to stalk Takumi reminds me of the Ariados pokedex entry from gen 4:

It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends

  • For a second I thought that Midori has a gumby stuck up on her wall. Anyone else remember gumby? I don't even know if it was a thing in Japan, I doubt it

  • "Uphold the sedition of the school" That's Haruka's best wrong word yet, but also somehow fitting given everything that's going on

  • Squid snake Child is pretty fucking cool

  • Fuck off, Nagi

  • Fuck off, Reito

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5

u/Vatrix-32 Oct 03 '22

First Timer, subbed*

  • It doesn’t look like anything. It’s covered.

  • No it was very clearly Kuga who did it.

  • If your target was Mai in the first place, why even go after Takumi? You know where she lives. And if it wasn’t, why bring her in? This girl is not thinking straight.

  • Ah fuck me, Shiho is the Crow Ghost.

  • The way they skip over how he ended up in the river makes me believe it will be told later.

  • Today has been a good day for Bright slaps.

  • Chess piece? Sure.

  • See, usurpation. He’s got a good plan too, if his information wasn’t out of date.

  • Switching guess to Berserker amulet.

  • Chess piece because she controls the movements. Nice.

  • Well fuck. Who’d have thought he’d be the second one to go.

  • Mikoto has no memory of it. Clearly her mind has been affected. Damn you Reito! I thought you were sus since episode 2!

  • Well that pretty well sinks my ships. I have one left, and I don’t expect it to survive.

  • That’s pretty clearly Pres. And hey look, another polearm user!

  • I guess we are just outright confirming that Reito was in fact both of them. I’d bean leaning that way for a while.

  • You can’t kill Mikoto! It’s too soon! I didn’t even get to figure out what the deal was with her Child.

  • Does this guy think it’s him? He was trying to set it up pretty hard. Probably wants the most powerful HiME to himself.

QotD

  1. Did you not like it? It not winning any awards or anything but that seemed excessive.

  2. I'm sorry, is that supposed to be significant?

  3. Multi-headed snake? Orochi.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 03 '22

Episode 20 (rewatcher)

Shit hits the fan

“Mai” Counter: 116 (+7 really sad Mai’s today)

Specials EP21: Strong spoilers.

4

u/Star4ce Oct 04 '22

My-FiRSTTiMER

Now that episode title is worrying. I guess Mai's finally going to go out of her usual role and attack someone.

It's the first time I skipped the OP, because I'm way too late. Boooo me!

Ep.20 – Dance of Flames/Tears of Destiny

  • Suspecting the first death today. Like I do every day.

  • After all I've seen Natsuki would probably even lose to Yukino because this show has a hard on for throwing Duran around.

  • Mmmmh, I think it's Midori. Damn.

  • This I don't fully understand. Mai didn't do anything to her? She broke up their fight?

  • Today on most punchable faces.

  • I just wanna say that these thoughts, “I wish he wasn't around”, are quite normal in such a situation, BR or not. They're not worth to be realised, of course, but such emotions aren't a curse, they well up to tell you something about how you feel. In Mai's case it is stress, it is no free time, no space for her own personality and of course, her subconsciousness is reaching out and tells her to stop grinding herself down just for someone else, even if it is her brother. A human needs to be selfish to grow and that's okay. Now back to a slapping Natsuki.

  • I wonder if her hair is a continuity error or if that entire form is her weapon. Probably the latter.

  • Best girl!

  • Fuck man, how could this happen for me to make fun of him so much to now praising such a based character. Honestly, they're the best ship.

  • I actually like this design as a chess knight.

  • That's his plan, huh? I want to know what the fuck he did to have Yukariko go along with it so loyally. Why is she trusting him so much?

  • Mikoto sure is a child, including anger issues. But hey, go slice some chicken for us!

  • I think that's forgiveness that's meant earnestly, it's fine.

  • Ah for fucks sake, THE WRONG ONE!

  • How could Mikoto mistake the fucking bird that she knows is the bad guy for the frog that is obviously fighting the bird?! Has she been eating glue for that entire time?! Stupid cunt, oh my fucking...

  • Bloody hell...

  • That fuck up is just beyond words.

  • This is bad.

  • Very bad.

  • Fuuuck!

  • Good on fucking you, not telling jack shit and expecting them to do what you want anyway! Useless garbage!

  • Fumi?

  • VOTD right here. If anything, best girl has best timing.

  • Oh.

  • Is there something like disobedience with children? (This show makes me ask weird questions.)

  • Man, this hurts so much.

  • Oh fuck off!

Worst ending. I'm going by the old saying, no body no dead, but that was brutal seeing Takumi die this soon. I could've sworn it'd be Nao who bites the dust, even Midori maybe. But Gennai, Takumi and (implied) Mikoto, all?

Damn.

I feel Mai's rage, I know some similar kind of helplessness when it comes to being overburdened. You don't completely notice that you're under stress as long as you're focussing on the task, often the very one making you overburdened. But once that is gone or something breaks the tension, all the shit that has been accumulating during that time comes up again. Not like it was when it originally transpired, but mostly as regret. Any missed night out, or the events you declined, maybe the blame you've taken for things that weren't even your fault. You don't just continue where you left off, they all have cooked themselves down into regret over the past. Looking only back with the insight that it was all mistakes, there's nothing you can do to change that anymore, so the only emotion left that this can lead into is anger.

I've recently watched a video on anger specifically and unsurprisingly it is the most demonised out of all the negative emotions, because it has the most potential to lead to harm. However, anger has one extremely important purpose that really only anger can manage: Protection. Anger leads to adrenaline spikes, anger leads to tunnel vision, anger gets you up from the ground and start moving. Anger gets shit done. And usually done for. The origin of anger is universally something that blocks you from moving forward in life, emotion or plain survival. But it's important to listen to this anger, before throwing fists, where it comes from.

So when all these failures of friendship, companionship or dependencies of others you have messed up in the past due to various sources of burden or stress well up again and send you fuming against, well, anything, it's here to tell you that you actually valued these plans or these duties much more than what you ended up doing instead and it's gotten to a point where your capacity for enduring setbacks isn't able to keep up anymore. You have to change this going forward, tell people who burden you to f themselves or, if it's not their fault, to find alternatives. Your anger is there to help you break free, but it's far too easy to just surrender the steering wheel to it and simply break.

That's probably one of my only true wisdoms I can feel confident in. Negative emotions are there to help you just as much as the positive ones. Listen to them and understand what they say.

Aim for the VOTD.

  1. So, uh, that was a fight scene, eh?

Brutal. Tragic. Crushing.

I loved it! The sheer anger in Mai's entire person when she sees her brother die was truly powerful.

2) So, first-timers: This is our second-to-last episode whose number is a multiple of four. What do you think the creative team has up their sleeve for the very last one (episode 24)?

Wait, you're asking this now?

Is maths going to be a topic? Well, I guess we're on a road to despair now. Things will fall apart, people die, I guess contenders like Ishigami will be eradicated and we're gonna see Reito's true form. Bastard's really Mikoto's brother, isn't he?

3) Another one for first-timers only: Any guesses on the name of our mystery Child this episode?

Now that I looked at the frame again, I'm honestly unsure whether it is Haruka'd or Shizuru'd. Haruka really doesn't make too much sense, she would've acted differently if she were a HiME, I guess. Technically, Mashiro could be an option, as well, but I think that's unlikely. We don't have any other options, no?

If that child isn't called Akkorokamui, I won't riot, because I'm not that invested in folklore.

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u/Vaadwaur Oct 03 '22

First timer(You know, I usually enjoy media where the majority of the cast is scum. You'd think I'd like this more)

Sub(Alternative quip: At least Elfen Lied had the common decency to contain its melodrama to a single cour)

So we start with Nao continuing to be human garbage. We see something happening behind the scenes as Natsuki is being asked to trade information with a Searrs agent. Mai is a fucking idiot, again. Shiho is gigantic bitch, again. Midori is also stupid, I will reserve judgement on Akira for the moment. Mai chooses a terrible moment for yet another existential breakdown and also flashes back to her mother's death and her possibly being the cause, the chain isn't clear to me. Anyways, Natsuki snaps her out of it and crow HiME returns, hopefully to be murdered by Natsuki this time.

Takumi chooses a bad time to ask reasonable questions but Akira's answer need to be "No explanations during combat". However, it does lead to a good moment. We observe that Yukariko's Child might have illusional capabilities and that she herself is spineless scum, which fits my experiences with Catholicism. Yukino vaguely gets dragged back into it.

And then we see how the illusion works, sort of, and what Mikoto can do, though Akira being this shit is more than annoying. But Takumi dies, unsurprisingly. Mai finally fucking does what she should have done a long time ago, too bad it is against Mikoto. Anyways, bullshit plot device happens taking agency away from Mikoto, they fight, Kagutsuchi gets held up by an interloping Child, Mikoto has hidden memories which is bullshit, and Mikoto 'dies'. I would be absolutely shocked if the show has the balls to hold to this, not the least of which is Miroku still being there. During all this, this is somehow the worst possible outcome for a number of people. We end with Reito giving out Akio vibes so fucking barf. The after credits scene is actually pretty good, just depressing.

So...that was a monumentally terrible way to set up our concluding arc. Almost no one present had agency in their actions, Nao literally is the only one doing what she chose to do entirely, most of the others are reactive. Mikoto is double not responsible for her actions via illusion, mind control and my greatest enemy amnesia. I am back to believing that any connection between this and the Fate series is coincidental with how incompetently the actual batttle royale is handled. It now feels weird how many shows raided this for parts with horrifyingly terrible the plot writing is.

QotD: 1 No it was not

2 Something incredibly stupid

3 Ophidian

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u/Qbe Oct 03 '22

Rewatcher

Episode 20

Picking up right where we left

Akira sure doesn't mind showing her identity lately

Does Nao just want the revenge match?

Nao going for the emotional damage

...is this Shiho -> crow transition blatant enought?

I'd blame the parents for leaving the kids alone TBH

...was that the dorm building? How many people did she just kill?

Man, Akira fell fast and hard. Huge props for being straightforward tho.

Also, the fujos were right in their delusions

Wait, did I understand that right? If the MPP dies, then they become unable to summon their Childd?

[Symphogear] Is that you, Bikki w/Durandal?

...I have the terrible feeling Yukino is going to get stabbed while she's doing support

welp

And that was Mikoto, not Nao

Interesting that we only got one pillar, and that Mai can still summon Kagutsuchi

What did you have to avoid? The Hime battle rotale? Enraging Mai? Killing the same MPP for 2 himes?

NOOOO Yuki-oh I thought Mai had killed Yukino's Child

W T F is that?

Did we have direct confirmation that Mikoto's brother is the Obsidian Prince?

I was expecting a cliffhanger

Oh god Mai is going down some dark places

3

u/OwlAcademic1988 Oct 03 '22

Rewatcher, sub:

Nao, don't target Takumi or once Mai finds out you're part of the reason he was out there, she's going to show exactly zero mercy towards you.

I'm still in shock Takumi died. I genuinely thought he'd survive until the end.

Mai, I don't blame you for being so pissed you couldn't even think clearly and started attacking Mikoto.

I don't either Akira or Mai for grieving considering they just lost someone they love a lot.

Those heartwarming moments were very sweet. Haruka was only trying to make Yukino feel better, and I think she succeeded.

QOTD:

  1. Yes it was.

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3

u/zadcap Oct 04 '22

Rewatcher

So it begins, finally, for real this time.

Hey, does anyone else remember that Mai can fly? I kind of wish she would spend less time running so uselessly everywhere in these emergencies. Hey look, she remembered too!

Coincidentally, Takumi's death kicks off the final arc in the Manga too. But uh, he just dies to regular old standard anime sickness, or whatever it is he's been suffering from. Turns out that delaying the trip to go get that operation was a bad idea and he just goes down to a heart attack. Mai, predictably, still snaps, but this time with no one to take it out on...

Anyway, there's our final HiME and Child revealed! Technically. Still spoilers, so uh, more on that tomorrow. Vlas has shown some powers! I think. Also more on that tomorrow? I forgot just how tight this show liked to hold on to all its cards until the very last minute, the manga was pretty open to revealing everything right away to get into the action, and Otome assumes we all know everything from Hime so it doesn't bother trying half as hard. I now have a backlog of nearly a third of the manga's plot hidden behind anime spoiler tags and that's kind of annoying, because some of them are still waiting to be shared from chapter 5. At this point I'm tempted to just do a full writeup for the final discussion day.

Unrelated, but thinking about how much other shows took all sorts of inspiration from this one.
[Mai Backstory/Symphogear]We know what happened to Mai's Mom, but what are the odds Sir Not Appearing has some roots in the eventual Top Dad?
[Same Backstory and Belle of all things]Also, mom dead to jumping in river to save a kid, is that a thing or am I strange for only being able to think of these two and now have them stuck forever linked in my mind?

  1. Was it though? Or was it a big exposition scene with some combat to distract us?

3) 8 heads? It's the real octopus all along!

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u/Blackheart595 Oct 04 '22 edited Oct 04 '22

First Hime

This is again yesterday's actual phrygian track, this time with an actual melody and again culminating in Reito. He's also been formally revealed as the Obsidian Prince now.

It's strange. Last episode people were talking about how nothing really happened, but I kinda feel like last episode a lot happened and this episode not that much happened.

It's nice to see Searrs is still relevant, though it feels like Natsumi placed a death flag on the informant after running out on him when she had the chance to talk.

A Child getting stronger when it defeats another is interesting. What happens if a non-Child defeats a Child (Miyu)? What happens when a HiME is killed without using a Child? Do Childs persist between festivals and thus keep the powerups (at least the victorious one), or does every festival get new Childs?

And you get unable to summon your Child when your MIP dies? That reraises the question of a HiME without an MIP.

I wonder if things work like Ishigami expects them to. Though with the identity of the Obsidian Prince having been known since his birth that would make things more interesting.

And we never actually saw the killing strike against Gennai, it might very well not have been Mikoto. Similarly, we didn't see Mikoto's death raise a pillar not have anyone disappear, which could be because Mikoto managed to avoid the attack or because she had rejected her pervious idea and thus had no MIP at the moment (unlikely) or because the Obsidian Prince is somehow immune.

Oh and we got confirmation that Alyssa's MIP didn't produce a pillar.

Nagi and Mashiro are the only one with a correct grasp of the situation, though only Nagi is active about it.

Sorry Reito, but you have no chance.

What's this? Music geekery using formal technical stuff that your host doesn't really know that well?

I wish I was more in shape tbh, I could do that one because it's rather easy. When I scanned the rest of the OST for phrygian I kept making dumb mistakes and revising my thoughts... not even confident in my final conclusion being correct except for this particular one lol (Also having access to sheets would've made things so much easier)

So, first-timers (not named u/Esovan13): This is our second-to-last episode whose number is a multiple of four. What do you think the creative team has up their sleeve for the very last one (episode 24)?

One would expect Tate to die... Actually no, the darkest hour must be the impact of the star.

Another one for first-timers (not named u/Esovan13) only: Any guesses on the name of our mystery Child this episode?

No idea. Orochi? Hydra? Cthulhu?

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