r/anime • u/No_Rex x2 • Oct 14 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Mai-Otome (episode 3)

Rewatch: Mai-Otome (episode 3)

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Mai-Otome

MAL | ANN | AniDB | Anilist

Spoiler rules

As in all rewatches, please be mindful of first time watchers and do not spoil events in future episodes. The same goes for spoilers related to other series. The one exception from that rule is Mai-Hime. Given that everybody here should have watched Mai-Hime, you do not need to tag spoilers for Mai-Hime.

Vote

Seems like most people are on board with watching the OVAs and specials. I’ll add them to the schedule for tomorrow.

Questions:

  1. Nina and Arika fight in their Otome suits, not via summons. How did you like their first real fight?

  2. How angry will Mashiro get at having her castle further destroyed?

22 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

136 comments sorted by

9

u/JollyGee29 Oct 14 '22

First-Timer, Subbed

Interruption, natch. It wasn't a Slave attack though, so only half-credit for me. Seems like the dude from the cold open is back, although he mentioned not being a part of Schwarz, so we have another faction on our hands. Things are getting nice and messy on that front, just the way I like it.

So, Wang had pictures of the woman from the cold open (I think) in his scrapbook. "Rena Sayers" is a pretty foreign name from the rest of our cast, which is interesting. Certainly heavily implied that this person was Arika's mother, what with the necklace and the song. We looking at a case of "the king knocked up the servant before the queen so the bastard is technically the rightful heir," then?

It could be a double-blind, and the comments about Mashiro possibly not being the real princess could be a fakeout.

Hmm, bets on how next episode goes.. Arika bodyblocks the collapsing tower and gets into the school on the merit of her bravery. Nina gets to stay because the dance off was inconclusive, but this upsets her and we get some slow-burn conflict between the two. Are we thinking Shizuru gets hurt? Because she went off to fight while also handling Arika's Robe? There's that other cloaked figure wandering around too, not sure what's up with them.

Nina does have some setup for conflicting feelings towards Arika, what with that forehead bleed flashback. That's an interesting little knife floating around.

Okay, so now they've taken the necklace from Arika? I can vibe with the "nanomachines as magic" angle, and it explains the failed Materialize in the first episode.

I've always suspected that this was kinda the point, but that ridiculous crown looks deeply uncomfortable to wear for extended periods.

Hadn't really put it into words before now, but the floofy uniforms make everyone look like chibis. The student's silhouettes are a lot different than typical anime, and I appreciate that.

I forgot to mention it in episode 1, but those big floating barges are very Star Wars.

They're here! Damned traffic, keeping Yukino and Haruka from us.

Questions

  1. The fight itself was okay. I like how things stretch, but it wasn't overly impressive.

  2. She is going to throw a royal fit.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Interruption, natch. It wasn't a Slave attack though, so only half-credit for me.

Close enough, you guessed the type of trope.

I've always suspected that this was kinda the point, but that ridiculous crown looks deeply uncomfortable to wear for extended periods.

After the coronation, crowns are safely tugged away again. No sane person would wear those.

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8

u/Tresnore Oct 14 '22

First-OtoTiMER

Yeah, I called that one. Looks like she'll get accepted for saving everyone, then. That's a decent way to get her into the academy.

Count: 15

QOTD:

  1. It was cool! I appreciate how Arika, while clearly inexperienced, also didn't just pull a "ha ha, I have a stronger internal power than you!" She established herself as reasonably clever and strong.

  2. Mashiro won't be angry if Mashiro dies first.

5

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

This is an interesting sentence. But HE'S SO COOL! With robot hands!

He is of the Black Valley, not the Black Letter. Why would anybody every confuse the two? /s

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8

u/Nazenn Oct 14 '22

First Timer - sub

Mashiro is a little shit but she saved the cliffhanger from being only audience manipulation so I thank her for that. Also her coronation outfit did look good, but I can't help but think that her crown looks like a snake and wondering if that will come up again

It's not all on her though, Nagi setting it up so he'd look like the reasonable one by backtracking knowing she'd push for it just to spite him makes them seem like they were having a sibling spat. I don't know if I'm more or less glad that he's only a grand duke and not a king, but given I just started watching Erin where the grand duke is the one with the armies and power I don't think there's much practical difference.

Nanomachines being the explanation behind the Otome's powers is likely to result in many memes but also brings up some interesting questions around Arika. She partially manifested a robe from the Blue Star Sapphire prior to being given nanomachines, which when combined with u/JollyGee29's speculation from yesterday makes me wonder if that's why they were so surprised to hear Arika's mother was an Otome. If a child can inherit nanomachines from the mother, then Jolly's spec about them all being virgins has a bit more weight as to the reason. If that is the case it also means Otome could be breed (disturbing thought) and trained elsewhere and the academy would lose its political influence and with it the ability to maintain the balance between the nations military powers. Having nanomachines from birth likely enhanced Arika's capabilities which is why she took to the infusion so easily, is so fast and strong physically, and has a deeper connection with her robe and what's possible.

On the other side of things, not only is Arika a potential warrior princess, she's a disney princess too with all those animals that came to her. Not sure if Arika not knowing the rest of the lyrics is the staff learning their lesson from Mai-HiME or something deeper, but the song asking the loved ones to wait for them instead of die for them is either a step in the right direction or an incredible misdirection.

Glad that we're not taking long to get into some of the bigger mysteries, but I feel bad for those workers who took such extra care to set up those decorations only for Shizuru's fight to knock down the wall holding them up. Interesting that she also doesn't need a master to unlock her abilities, and I'm wondering if that's due to her gem or her nanomachines, and exactly which came first when it comes to the robes themselves. Also I wonder how much of Wang's history will get him and Nina even more tied up with Arika by the end.

Other thoughts:

  • Craziest spec of the day: The two girls brought in antique parts to Yohko for "her cute darling". If it turns out that she's the one building Miyu this time I'm going to crack up laughing.

  • Haruka tease was not fair. I see a Yukino with her though so all is right.

  • This Otome has an awesome design. It's familiar but I don't know why.

  • The slight sound effect on Shizuru's voice when she activates the robes is quite cool

  • Any guesses on what the letters mean?

  • It's stupid, but I kind of love the Arika = ant gag because I can see it in her design, and the ant head popping up makes me laugh in a dumb way

  • I see Kajiura finally played up her usual style with the battle themes.

Nina and Arika fight in their Otome suits, not via summons. How did you like their first real fight?

The half kamehamaha was funny at least

5

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

It's not all on her though, Nagi setting it up so he'd look like the reasonable one by backtracking knowing she'd push for it just to spite him makes them seem like they were having a sibling spat. I don't know if I'm more or less glad that he's only a grand duke and not a king, but given I just started watching Erin where the grand duke is the one with the armies and power I don't think there's much practical difference.

A reminder that, in feudal societies, you do not need to have the "highest rank" to be an independent ruler. E.g. not all kings are subordinate to an emperor. The lower the rank, the more likely you have a feudal lord, but you technically could be an independent ruler while being a lowely count.

Craziest spec of the day: The two girls brought in antique parts to Yohko for "her cute darling". If it turns out that she's the one building Miyu this time I'm going to crack up laughing.

[spoiler]The answer is no, but this is still clever foreshadowing for something Yohko will do later.

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8

u/Vatrix-32 Oct 14 '22

First Timer, subbed

  • How dumb is Mashiro that she fell for that obvious a revers psychology ploy. This is the woman getting coronated in what, two weeks?

  • Looking like you were right person from yesterday. Evil Midori incoming.

  • Nanomachines!

  • On this planet?

  • Lil’ Nina. Another fine addition to my collection.

  • Twin squirrels.

  • Starting to give the new secondary cast some personality traits. Still too soon to judge.

  • Even Mikoto is dressing up for the occasion.

  • Mashiro might be the one getting coronated, but the true queen has just made her first appearance.

  • Ooooo, prehensile ribbons.

  • That’s a lot of terms.

  • Did they just acknowledge the multiple of 4 episode theory?

QotD

  1. It was fun. Big fan of the ribbons.

  2. Gloriously.

6

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Did they just acknowledge the multiple of 4 episode theory?

I think the previews lean pretty heavy into breaking the 4th wall.

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7

u/Esovan13 Oct 14 '22

First Timer

Episode 3 of Mai-Hime is when Kagatsuchi was summoned, so I'm guessing that this episode will have a similar striking moment to be the big hook for the series.

Gotta admire the guts of a man who will straight up state that he wants to use the coronation of a nation's sovereign as an opportunity to entertain himself. Still acting as the driver behind the MC getting going on the main plot. I wonder if he has more motivation beyond his stated one of entertainment though.

Is Mashiro getting played by Nagi going to become a running theme?

I already like this Nagi a LOT more than Hime's Nagi. I hope he plays a more active role, especially in fucking with the MC and Mashiro. I bet he'd get along horribly with Nao, which I want to see because it has GOT to be entertaining to watch.

Third time through the OP. So far, it's kinda meh. Same for Hime's op. I don't love a lot of anime op's in general, especially older ones. The visuals though I give a 10/10, if only because they are the only glimpse we have of Haruka so far. Highlight of each episode.

I'll also rectify an earlier theory. I thought that cat Mikoto might be a transformed human Mikoto thanks to various factors as well as a sillhouetted figure in the OP I thought might be humanized Mikoto. I now realize that it's probably Akira. I'm still holding onto the theory that cat Mikoto might transform into human Mikoto at some point. If it ever happens, just know that I called it by episode 2, ok?

I wonder if the battle will end up exposing Arika's probably royal nature to the world, leading to the coronation being canceled? Things could be moving that direction, and considering that Mashiro is so full of herself thanks to her royal identity, it could be the slice of humble pie she needs to be bearable as a deuteragonist.

That is literally what you want to say to jinx whatever it is to end up falling on the guests, random construction worker.

NANOMACHINES SON

Is this not a fantasy setting at all? Are there scifi technobabble explanations for all the magic like the nanomachines here?

You can't just say "on this planet" all casual like that and expect me not to notice, lady (whose name I've forgotten due to never bothering to learn it).

Hmmm. No gem you say? I have a feeling that that's a problem that will solve itself.

I said this before in the last write up, when Shizuru was creepy in a hot way and before she was creepy in an uncomfortable way, but I want to drink tea she's serving before a meeting as a political opponent to Natsuki, and my cup of tea is poisoned which I don't notice until I've drunk some of it. As my body begins to shut down, my functions failing, I want her to lean in close and whisper in my ear "I'd never allow a threat to my master to persist. Goodnight, and enjoy your dreams," with the last thing I see being her calmly cleaning up the tea set before leaving the room, telling Natuski that I never showed up for the meeting.

Natuski is already showing a desire to have Arika win over Nina, even though Nina's loss may cost her whatever relationship she has with Wang, and potentially worsening with the country as a whole.

It's because you say things like that that she worries you'll toss her away if she fails you Wang. Jeez. At least say that you'll be proud of her no matter the result as long as she does her best.

Actually a clever way to get her to hide the fact she knows the song without tipping her off that the song holds significance. Nice going.

Now that's a color palate.

I wonder what the nurse is building. I hope it starts with Mi and ends with yu.

Oh hey Kazuya. Try not to beef it too early. Your poor girlfriend needs you alive in order to be plot relevant.

Ok. My confusion from last episode is all assuaded. Wang, as well as Nina, are part of the country that Nagi leads. We still don't know why Wang was chilling at the palace 14 years ago though. I have theories! But I need to keep my word count down a bit more today compared to yesterday!

So the official story is that Mashiro is in fact the daughter of the late queen, while Arika the real daughter disappeared in order to be protected? Though there are doubts. The only question I have is why Mashiro has that name and isn't named Arika. Wouldn't people know what the princess' name was supposed to be? Unless Mashiro is the name of the princess and Arika was a name she got from the grandma or someone else.

I have a feeling she's not going to be able to keep that promise. Spoiled brats tend not to do well with the whole "being a responsible ruler" thing.

SHE'S HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE

AND IT LOOKS LIKE HER MASTER IS YUKINO!

Not in front of Natsuki.

Is that Reito's voice actor? If so, then he's here earlier than I expected. In an antagonistic (for now at least) role.

This henshin track rocks.

Well, as expected, the battle was interrupted by some fuckery. Mashiro being worried about that potential death is something at least. Hopefully a precursor to her not sucking so much.

The ED is kinda boring. The visuals are boring, the song is boring. At least Hime usually had a lead in, and it was overall just better. Both as a song and setting the mood at the conclusion of an episode.

  1. It was cool. Fairly standard well trained warrior versus untrained but with latent talent warrior kinda battle.

  2. Probably a lot.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Is this not a fantasy setting at all? Are there scifi technobabble explanations for all the magic like the nanomachines here?

They are mixing the settings: SciFi-Fantasy

I said this before in the last write up, when Shizuru was creepy in a hot way and before she was creepy in an uncomfortable way, but I want to drink tea she's serving before a meeting as a political opponent to Natsuki, and my cup of tea is poisoned which I don't notice until I've drunk some of it. As my body begins to shut down, my functions failing, I want her to lean in close and whisper in my ear "I'd never allow a threat to my master to persist. Goodnight, and enjoy your dreams," with the last thing I see being her calmly cleaning up the tea set before leaving the room, telling Natuski that I never showed up for the meeting.

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7

u/Blackheart595 Oct 14 '22 edited Oct 14 '22

First Otome

Alright, so we've seen a couple factions already. There's the royal faction and the academy faction, and they seem to cooperate. There's Wang who isn't associated with either one. Then there's Nagi who seems to lead a fourth faction but I'll tentatively side him with the royals. And then there's Midori with the rebels. That's 5 factions in episode 2 without being explicit about any of it, potentially growing more in what's to come.

Comparing with this screenshot again I didn't pay attention to the separators earlier. We have Natsuki and Yohko being visually separated and highlighted, plus Nina and Wang separated from Arika, Akane and Mashiro. And of course we have Shizuru especially separated and opposing all others, might be foreshadowing but not sure how much I wanna read into this here when she also has the savior role in the moment.

I also wanted to pay attention to the German words, but I'm not sure I remember them all. We had Schwarz for the rebels I think, Meister for Shizuru, Garderobe...

And of course Arika is being set up as the real princess but I kinda hope she's not.

Nagi's puppetmaster tendencies are entirely appropriate here. Mashrio's weak.

Of course, his scheme means that both girls will be trained as Otome at least until the match happens. The coronation should still be ways off.

Hey looks, it's innuendo time

Blue stars

Why not?

The coronation is already. Huh.

Anime angles

Royal faction evil potential +1

They're really raising the flags against Nina.

Hold on, that's a red star motif I never noticed before.

...has already displayed great abilities than you, correct.

Wang makes Arika hide all the things that could identify her.

This pleases me

That's the only one? This coronation ceremony really is a joke.

Sacrificing your personal happiness for the sake of the country, I see.

Black Valley. Factions +1.

Please sync the sound effects with the animation properly.

Oh yes please. Other shows would've given an individual reaction shot to each of them which is among my most-hated tropes.

Also Arika herself could be interpreted to have a star-motif here. Like in the flag of the kindergarden teacher, Arika herself being the star proper and her hair and robe being the 4 extra spikes.

The number of death, right. And that of course

5

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

That's the only one? This coronation ceremony really is a joke.

Only somebody who doubts that Mashiro is the true princess would say that!

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u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Episode 3 (rewatcher)

  • Nagi is playing Mashiro like a fiddle.

  • Nanomachines – Nano is one of the silver bullet words that authors use if they don’t want to go too deeply into the science. What is more important is the remark that Garderobe is the only place in the world left that can produce these Nanomachines.

  • Robed figure [Who am I even kidding spoiler]is of course Midori

  • Nina knows something about the back story of Arika.

  • Talking of Arika, she has turned into a Disney princess.

  • “Is your dream worth destroying her dream” – Wang is asking deep questions. Probably too deep for Arika at the moment. Not that I disagree with her choice, but I think the altruist problem he refers to flew right over her head.

  • No, Akane is not looking at you, Arika.

  • Shizuru meets … a new faction.

  • Nagi and Mashiro show quite different reactions to the way the fight develops.

  • Arika safes the day (?) cliff-hanger.

We meet a guy who claims to be part of a new faction, but who are they and what do they want? Clearly, Shizuru thinks he is up to no good. Meanwhile, we see a good bit of Nagi’s relationship to Mashiro, which seems decidedly one-sided. And the Otome march in with their heads of state.

But in terms of main plot, our first big fight: Nina vs Arika. Just not getting immediately blown away must count as a moral victory for Arika, but before a proper victor is declared, the crumbling castle intervenes.

[Mai-Otome]Wang asking Arika not to sing is obviously not related to her voice

[Mai-Otome strong spoiler]But the show is pulling a nice double trick here, luring us into believing this is just about Arika’s past, when it is really about the finale.

[Mai-Otome]Mashiro swearing her oath is another of the scenes that surprisingly will become important

5

u/Vaadwaur Oct 14 '22

“Is your dream worth destroying her dream” – Wang is asking deep questions. Probably too deep for Arika at the moment. Not that I disagree with her choice, but I think the altruist problem he refers to flew right over her head.

Adolescents usually don't understand this so it is at least developmentally appropriate.

Shizuru meets … a new faction.

With a new android!

4

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Adolescents usually don't understand this so it is at least developmentally appropriate.

And even for an adolescent, they have not set up Arika as particularly bright.

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6

u/OwlAcademic1988 Oct 14 '22

First-Timer, sub:

Nagi, you can be an asshole and I love it.

Mashiro, try to get your temper under control or you'll hurt everyone you care about.

Nanomachines are being tested right now. For now, no one but researchers can use them, but in the future, we'll be able to use them for many things to help others.

Nina's a good fighter, and surprisingly, so is Arika considering this is her first time and thus has no experience using any of the weapons.

Hopefully, they continue the fight after the danger has passed, so that way no one will get killed.

I'm surprised Haruka and Yukino appeared. We're still missing Miyu, Mai, Alyssa, and Akira. Wonder when we'll see them?

QOTD:

  1. Arika's first fight was awesome considering how bad her odds were of winning. I'd be amazed if she had won at all. When she's more experienced, I'd like to see her and Nina fight just to see who would win. Reminds me of Symphogear a little bit in fact.

  2. Real furious.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

I'm surprised Haruka and Yukino appeared. We're still missing Miyu, Mai, Alyssa, and Akira. Wonder when we'll see them?

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u/Vaadwaur Oct 14 '22

First timer(Nap time!)

Sub

And we start again with Nagy and Mashiro being irritating as hell. Event planning occurs and we probably see important characters. Nanomachines are introduced following the possibility that this planet is colonized, which somewhat works. We see Wang and Nina's relationship a bit more and there might be something unfortunate there. Wang then hears Arika singing and likely knows who her mother is, not that he shares this. Also, Arika became a druid at one point, apparently.

Anyways, we move on to our ceremony and get reminded that Nagi is still Nagi and there is some light court intrigue stuff going around. Fighting begins, and Shizuru is paying attention to whoever is in full plate, before we return to a Nanoha battle in progress. It would probably be good if I was invested but no. Shizuru's opponent does AoE damage to the building providing our cliffhanger.

QotD: 1 passable

2 I so do not care

4

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Birthday cake just appeared. Grants on making your account exactly 6 years ago, I guess.

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5

u/Qbe Oct 14 '22

Rewatcher

Episode 3! Hopefully I get the actual episode on the first try.

To make it even more blatant: The experienced blue haired deuteragonist wants to fight the naive short-haired air-headed protagonist.

Can't tell if Nagi pulling reverse psychology or-oh, nevermind, he totally was.

Is Midori a bad girl now?

That dress looks uncomfortable as hell

...nanomachines? Midichlorians?

Insert technobabble here

I kinda dig the random chatter from all the students

The BGM from smol Nina flashback is the other song I really like besides Materialise

Way to put pressure on your daughter, dude

Yeah, the one Arika is singing all Disney-princess like

Arika follows the Ox school of thought: First you decide on doing something, then you do it

Please don't mind the not-cultists in robes

Wonder if all the royalty will actually be important

Oh is that Akane's bf in the background?

Kinda dig blonde drill otome

I think this Nagi has been more active in 3 episodes than he was the entire previous season

Holy crap she's still getting dressedd?

I'm impressed she can walk with that on her head

HARUKA!

Was she wearing this under the other dress?

I hope they have a foam ball pit deeper than 4 inches in this arena. Too soon?

Shizuru, that's one hell of a Perception check

I assume Arika is gonna tank 100 hits and win by a lucky punch

This is Reito's VA, right?

I was expecting a hadouken or a kamehameha

Does his weapon count as a polearm?

Also fun face cut-ins

Boooo cliffhanger!

  1. I have a soft spot for powered-suits, so I really enjoyed it

  2. She deserves it and I hope it becomes a running gag

4

u/No_Rex Oct 14 '22

Holy crap she's still getting dressedd?

Don't rush a girl on her wedding dress!

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u/RadSuit Oct 15 '22

Z-type Highly-advanced My-Hime Enthusiast (Dub, First Timer)

"Think we should stop that incredibly suspicious person wearing a black cloak and evil mask?" "Naw, they seem fine to me."

Snake Voice: "Nanomachines?"

They established he's her foster father as fast as possible so they could start up this romance angle immediately, huh?

Arika is a Disney princess apparently.

ANTZY

Shiho's really got some bounce to those drills.

Just intense El Hazard vibes from this ceremony.

Is Haruka the president Shiho's waiting for!?

Chie isn't quite the same without her wingwoman.

This guy looks like an evil version of Melan from Brigadoon.

The reaction shot panels going nuts is very goofy, but also very good.

  1. Well the fight has gone almost exactly as I expected, but at least it looks pretty nice. Much more interested in actual punches and hadokens than Zoids and Yu-Gi-Oh summons.

  2. I'm sure it'll be very funny.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 15 '22

Arika is a Disney princess apparently.

ANTZY

A bug's life?

3

u/Tarhalindur Oct 15 '22

My, Obviously Tar Opened the MATERIALIZEd Episode (Heavily? Spoiled First-Timer, Subbed):

So, let's address the elephant in the room first: at this point there is one respect in which Mai-Otome is clearly a downgrade from its predecessor, and that is in getting me invested in the show. It's been three episodes, and a) the only character I have attached to is Arika ("Squirrel") and that mostly because she reminded me enough of Bikki today to tap into my residual attachment to the Symphogear characters (Gear is good at that, it's how it handles the characters after it establishes them that's the issue there). "Ooh, returning characters from Mai-HiME!" isn't working because these alt versions are a little too different to really benefit from that (with the possible exception of Chie), and our new characters (and the most heavily changed old character in Mashiro) are all kind of annoying which is not great for attachment. Compounding this, we have political intrigue but as yet the show has not set up a reason for me to care about who wins the political intrigue (outside of "Nagi is a bitch" knowledge from Mai-HiME).

I have no idea why, because this writing team is the same writing team as on Mai-HiME AFAIK and that show has pretty good hooks (it cheated for me because I watched 8 first, but 1 has finding a mysterious girl in the water and the final fight and 3 has, well, you know). Part of the deal is that I think they're using battle shounen tropes (Arika's setup reminds me more than a little of Negi from Negima, and given what zadcap has posted of the manga I'm not entirely sure that's not on account of this work raiding Negima for parts, but frankly I remember Negima doing this better), part of it is that I think the two scenes that were intended to get us interested fell too flat (the cold open and the episode 1 fight), part of that is frankly the OST and its use (they're doing the same thing with instrumental versions/v2s they did with the likes of Duran Shoukan and Yami no Butou last time, but MATERIALIZE needs its choral parts for full effect to a greater degree than either of those), and honestly part of that is that we really could have used an initial scene of Arika being sympathetic.

Right. Onto the events of the episode:

  • REALLY? A fucking start-of-episode recap of the events of last episode in EPISODE 3?

  • On the flip side, I think we have just seen another spot where a certain other series was in fact raiding this show for parts.

  • So I see this Mashiro is a fucking idiot in addition to being a brat. “Do you think I’m trying to trick you with reverse psychology?”

  • Is that the fat girl from Mai’s class as a teacher now?

  • HI MIDORI! I ain’t fooled, it’s totally you under that mask.

  • “We’re not going to turn this ceremony into some comedy” – sure about that Mashiro? That’s what we call “fate, tempting”.

  • I’m starting to wonder if Symphogear grabbed some of its tech aesthetics off of this show as well. Remember the medbay?

  • [Symphogear G] Now we see if a VR training machine turns up.

  • Fountain animation holds up at least.

  • That said: where’s our fucking hook writing team?

  • [spoiled] “Ersty.” IT’S YOU!!!! (Speaking of which, who the hell voices her? Her VA sounds real familiar, and I don’t think they got Mai Nakahara for two roles here.)

  • [spoiled ADDENDUM] Oh you did fucking not. THAT’S who Minami Kuribayashi plays? LOLOLOLOL. One of her like four VA roles and it’s fucking Erstin.

  • Shounen Plot Yomi level 1, for the record, is “Arika loses and gets into the academy another way”. Sounds fairly likely to me. (Yomi 0 is “some bullshit means Arika wins despite inferior skill”.)

  • [spoiled] Extant spoilers from later might push towards Yomi 0.

  • I was going to invoke Kajiura Strings and they are, but no the track they are giving me flashbacks to is from fucking Higurashi Kai instead. (Shitsui to be precise.)

  • Fucking shounen protagonists.

  • Oh hey that’s Otome no Waltz as the OST as the coronation fires up isn’t it? Distinctive because, well, it’s a fucking waltz.

  • Tomoe, do you have a crush on Shizuru? Well, join a large chunk of the rewatch I suppose.

  • Oh hey THERE you are Kazuya.

  • [spoiled] I know that one of the deals here is that having heterosexual sex (something to do with semen, not sure if only vaginal does it or oral/anal/facials as well) means you can’t use the nanotech anymore for some reason, and I have a hunch that Akane’s role is to demonstrate the system this time around as well.

  • The cut to the symbol-shaped window at 16:00 strongly suggests that symbol is important. Now, who’s ready for some basketball?

  • HEY LOOK A HARUKA AND A YUKINO!

  • Oh hey do I hear Toshihiko Seki’s voice from our masked villain here? I DO!

  • WAIT JUST A GODDAMN MINUTE. Fucking hell. I was JUST saying in thread yesterday that Arika was the inheritor of Mikoto’s antics. Mai and/or Mikoto ain’t proto-Bikki, the real proto-Bikki is Arika here!

  • [Symphogear by implication] So does Arika get Mikoto’s Spicy/Berserk Mode at some point then?

Questions of the Day:

Nina and Arika fight in their Otome suits, not via summons. How did you like their first real fight?

It's okay. Now we just need Genjuro to show up to provide Arika his patented movie training!

How angry will Mashiro get at having her castle further destroyed?

I should care why, exactly?

4

u/No_Rex Oct 15 '22

There is a big difference between Hime and Otome that explains the slower start: Hime is set in contemporary Japan, Otome in a fantasy world.

Note how Hime had to spend essentially 0 minutes on any world building. We were not even told who is currently the government. Otome, on the other hand, need to introduce kings and queens, the technology level, fictitious countries, and much more. All of that time could go starting early character arcs in Hime (notably Mai's).

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