Signum deserves more airtime

So it finally ends. I’ll admit the last episode wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, probably mostly because we got some real kickass Signum action. Her Unison with Agito is so much more better than Unison’ing with Rein. Gotta love those flame wings, truly fits Signum way more than turning a bit white and all.

Ending with a mock battle was also truly lulz, and seeing Fate all flustered was just so cute of her. (That’s why I still hold Nanoha is seme and Fate is uke XD). Good to see they kept the epilogue the same way as they did with A’s, but I can’t read the actual text for shit, so wait for subs.

Well, in summary, Hayate and her Wolkenritter + Agito are back at the TSAB main base; Fate, Shirley and Tia are in Fate’s original position, the Navy; Lutecia is living happily with her mother, and she’s good friends with Elio and Kyaro, who are working in a border world with animals and all; Vivio is leading a normal life, but lol at Nanoha, Ferret-kun and Arf going stalker on her; Subaru is part of a Special Rescue Squad and finally Nanoha is back as the instructor for the Air Force.

In short, life goes on.

Overall, StrikerS has been a real disappointment for me, but not as much as for me to actually deny it’s existence. Obviously, the production team bit off more than they could chew, and probably lost sight of a few important things in visions of grandeur, but there were still parts that I liked throughout the series.

I truly wished that the team had kept the story a bit more compact and tight, as I can say there’s many loose ends here and there. The biggest mistake that I would say would be the introduction of too many new characters to an already decently sized cast, but sadly most of the characters were just badly developed, given not enough attention or just plain wasted. There were a few good ones, like Vice, whom I surprisingly took a liking towards, and also Zest and Agito, but the rest were just meh.

The action of the series, on the overall, was also a disappointment after Nanoha A’s, which truly set a real standard for action, but there are still a few memorable moments in the show, such as Nanoha going White Devil mode in episode 08 (too bad they fixed the eyes in the DVD), the rare moments of Signum in action, Fate going dual-Zanbers and Nanoha oh-so-satisfyingly Divine Buster-ing Quattro and Starlight Breaker x 5 on Vivio. I’ll be honest and admit that it’s moments like those that made me a fan of the series.

Well, hopefully, this will be the end of the Nanoha franchise for now. I won’t deny I wish for a better series to end the franchise, but like a shounen series that’s gone too popular for it’s own good, it’s better off hoping for no more additions that would further sully the reputation of the series.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Wow, if this isn’t tough love, I don’t know what is. Getting hit by five, I repeat, FIVE STARLIGHT BREAKERS + 1 BREAK SHOOT… poor Vivio. She probably only survived thanks to the AMF. Nanoha really doesn’t know how to hold back :P.

But still, this episode does redeem back the StrikerS series a bit, thanks to Nanoha vs adult-ified Vivio fight. That Quattro bitch definitely got what she deserved too, getting hit with Blaster Level 3 Divine Blaster… it was truly very satisfying to see that. Truly.

Tt BA@nrai` why must they have another episode left. Not only that, it seems the episode is just going to be about Subaru and Tiana going on a rescue mission to save Nanoha and Hayate. “Save Nanoha and Hayate”… can you even believe that, especially after what we just saw… CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE THAT? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

P.S. Signum with her hair let down isf&t b`d doo :). Can we see more of that :D~~

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

OH FUCK DUAL ZANBERS ROCK!
OH FUCK DUAL ZANBERS ROCK!
OH FUCK DUAL ZANBERS ROCK!
OH FUCK DUAL ZANBERS ROCK!
OH FUCK DUAL ZANBERS ROCK!

And yeah, I’m still watching the show. This episode was really made of 80% “OH GOD THE FAIL, IT’S KILLING MAH BRAIN CELLS” and 20% “OH GOD THE WIN, IT’S MAKING ME SHED MANLY TEARS”. Man, why the fuck did Lutecia vs Elio & Kyaro took so fucking long. GIVE THE FUCKING SCREENTIME TO FATE INSTEAD!!!

You know I’m really pissed of with this season because they could’ve made it so much more awesome, so fucking much more awesome, if they actually did it right. Fate’s Dual Zanbers, Nanoha’s “shoot first, ask questions later” policy and Vivio-chan are direct proof of this, but yet, they had to waste time mucking around with those darn rookies who barely get any development at all along with that fucking Jail asshole and his harem Numbers gang.

I /r/ another season of MSLN, with only Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, Vita and Signum only, kicking some real good ass. At the very least, we need to see more of Fate’s Dual Zanbers. Oh god those things are kewl!

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Sorry for the quality, upscaled from eyecancer raw.

Subaru in Berserker Mode. Now, -this- is what I call “Nanoha StrikerS”.

Isn’t it funny when right after I make that post, the show suddenly knocks you socks off? Sadly, I can foresee the next few episodes sucking hard until the final 2 or 3 episodes, where it’ll all be explosions over again, and hopefully more Subaru in Berserker mode.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

StrikerS fights just don’t elicit that same adrenaline rush I had watching the action in the first two series. Apart from Nanoha going batshit insane, StrikerS fights have been mostly forgettable. I can still replay the first Vita vs Nanoha battle from A’s in my mind clearly.

Well, for starters we had time speeded up 10 years later, introducing in 4 new rookies, along with a whole bunch of other misc. minor roles like the Church people, Mobile Six bridge bunnies and support staff and a whole bunch of other TSAB people (including that annoying General guy) plus Vivio-chan now. While on the antagonist side, we had Lutecia, Agito, Zest, the whole freaking bunch of Numbers androids and Dr. Orange with his faithful assistant. That makes around 30-40 individual characters to focus on, and that’s not including the original characters. At this rate, the next season of Nanoha will have the cast list the size of a Touhou game, maybe two.

Lutecia = Loli Rider
Agito = Chibi Etna
Vivio = Alisa Bannings II.

… and I’m not even going to lump in the shitty production quality in this list. They should just screw all that TSAB politicking bullshit arc they have now and put more budget in to making more explosions and fights.

Well, that aside, StrikerS is okay if you want your moé overload…. Vivio-chan~~ <3.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

While the show is going more and more to the dumps, the 2nd Soundstage is released and it seems they’ve fit in the character development parts in it instead of the show. Contrary to the cover image, the focus is actually more on Fate, Elio and Kyaro, as they face, well, family problems :P. But hot damn, Vivio is moe! Moe! Still it kinda scares me whenever I realise her seiyuu is the same one who voiced Yuuno. Plus… she truly looks like a clone of Alisa :P.

Track by track summary after the jump. There’s not really much interesting things as the last Soundstage was, but it does have much character development.

• Track 1: Introduction. Fate does a little intro about Vivio. Dear god she’s so moe I’m dying!!
• Track 2: Focus on Alto and Lucino, two of the Kidou Rokka bridge bunnies. They discuss various things from their platoon to the family situations of their leaders. They also do random girl gossip. Looks like Vice is -NOT- a very ideal person to reveal embarrasing secrets too.
• Track 3: Yagami-tachi visit the Church. The rookies also go out on a mission, mentioning that Nanoha and Vivio are having lunch together.
• Track 4: Nanoha and Vivio having lunch. Many cute sounds. I almost died. Vivio tastes caramel milk for the first time.

  “Nanoha-mama isn’t my real mama, but I like you more than my real mama.” This line launches into a heartwarming conversation on how Vivio wishes that Nanoha was her real mama.

• Track 5: Nanoha image song. A nice, slow and relaxing song fitting in with the song title, “Anata no Egao ni” (”Your Smile”).
• Track 6: Focus changes to the Church. They enjoy the garden while discussing various things. Signum and Hayate leave to see to some things. Nanpa-otoko and Sister Carim hold a serious discussion on Hayate, citing back the Yami no Sho incident. After a while, Carim reproaches him for not taking his job seriously. Looks like Scharch and Nanpa-otoko have a long history back ^^. Damn, Daisuke Ono really is the master of the smooth talk.
• Track 7: Focus to Fate and the Lightning duo. They’ve just completed their work for the day and since it’s already sunset, Fate brings them to eat dinner. Both of them seem to like egg dishes. Fate worries about her not paying attention to the both of them, but Elio and Kyaro reassure her that they’re both fine. Suddenly, an emergency happens, Gadget drones appearing suddenly. Fate decides to handle the emergency with them both. Fried goes full form, probably because they don’t have to animate it. Elio performs a combo with Kyaro which surprises even Fate.
• Track 8: Meanwhile, Lutecia and one of the Numbers spy on Fate and the Lightning rookies in action.
• Track 9: In the aftermath of the attack, Kyaro shares candy with Fate and Elio.
• Track 10: Chrono appears! He’s so wasted in the series. Chrono and Acous talks about the Vivio being adopted by Nanoha. He comments about how complicated it is, especially with Vivio being an artificial being.
• Track 11: Erio and Kyaro relaxing together. Bonding moment. They thank Fate for saving them and bringing them together, giving them their current lives. Seeing Fate being very busy lately, both of them absolve to be stronger so that they won’t drag her down.
• Track 12: Kyaro image song.
• Track 13: Subaru and Tiana bump in to the crying Elio and Kyaro. Tiana and Subaru think of ways to help them, and they decide to consult Arf. Meanwhile, Fate and Shirley and travelling back and Shirley notices Fate worrying and asks her about it. Fate is also worrying about Elio and Kyaro and Shirley then advises Fate to ask the “expert”, Lindy.
• Track 14: Nanoha tucking Vivio in to bed. Vivio can’t sleep so Nanoha plays with her for a while. Vivio asks Nanoha to tell her about herself and Feito-mama, so Nanoha tells Vivio about their past.
• Track 15: Fate and Lindy are in the middle of their conversation, Fate tells about how she’s worried that she’s not doing a good job as a mother. Lindy reassures her that it’s all fine.
• Track 16: Focus shifts to Arf, who’s talking to Elio and Kyaro. She kinda reproaches them for worrying too much.
• Track 17: Arf and Lindy both end their calls and bump in to each other, correctly guessing who’s been calling each other, commenting on how they’re too worrying.
• Track 18: Fate, Nanoha, Elio and Kyaro bump in to each other in front of Nanoha & Fate’s room. Nanoha offers the room for Fate to talk to Elio and Kyaro, while she and Vivio move to another place. Looks like the whole Kidou Rokka tries to eavesdrop on them talk, but Vita shooes them off.

  Fate, Elio and Kyaro finally have a heart to heart talk. They each reveals their own worries and finally laugh at each other, reaching an understanding. Fate leaves to make caramel milk for them and reflects back on how she might have worried her guardians before.

• Track 19: Fate image song. Nana Mizuki vocal <3.
• Track 20: Vita returns home to Hayate and the other and comment about how Tiana and Subaru were busybodies. Hayate and the knights were in the middle of analysing the data concerning the Lutecia and the numbers, along with Agito, whom they comment didn’t unison with Lutecia, meaning that there’s a partner of which Agito is affliated with.
• Track 21: Preview for the next Soundstage, which will be focused on Rein and Unison devices. The next Soundstage will be episode 18.5.

P.S. Awesome illustration for the CD.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

The soundstage is set between episode 06 and 07, timeline wise and the basic premise is that a Lost Logia has been detected on Earth, in Uminari City again… which basically means it’s homecoming for Nanoha-tachi, bringing with them along the new rookies as well. Highlights include loli x shota action (Kyaro is scary), Hayate’s revelations and the apperance of the long missed Arisa, Suzuka, Arf and other people of Uminari City.

A short, track by track guide after the leap.

1. Seiou Kyoukai
The Church detects the appearance of the Lost Logia at Earth, and due to the shortage of manpower, they decide to send in the Kidou Rokka.

2. Haken Ninmu no Ikisaki wa?
Nanoha, Fate and the rookies get prepared for the mission and they’re are surprised when even Hayate and the Wolkenritter join them. They reveal that the destination is Earth, their homeworld.

3. Riin Souchou!?
The rookies discuss Earth and they’re surprised to discover that a non-magical world could produce outstanding mages like Nanoha, Fate and Hayate. The highlight of this track is Riin going in to full size form… which is a loli girl around Elio and Kyaro’s age. They ask her why doesn’t she use that form and she says that her chibi form is more economical on magic usage and it’s much easier to fly around with it. Ah dammit, Riin full-size form needs to be in the anime. NEEDS TO BE!

4. Genchi Touchaku Sono 1
Nanoha and Fate’s group safely arrives at a resort, belonging to Arisa. Elio and Kyaro take a moment to enjoy the scenery, ended when Arisa arrives in her car. Everyone is greeted and introduced.

5. Genchi Touchaku Sono 2
Meanwhile, Hayate’s group sans Riin, who’s with Nanoha, arrives at Suzuka’s mansion. After a short exchange of greetings, Suzuka and Hayate go grab a car from the garage and they start off their mission.

6. Ninmu Kaishi!
Explanation of their mission. The Lost Logia appears to be moving and they split up to find it. Subaru and Tia walk around the city, in a “date” kind of way :P. Nothing much else interesting…

7. Nanoha-san no…
Subaru and Tia are together with Nanoha and Riin. They’re are surprised when Nanoha makes a call to her mother, giving them both a bit of a shock since they didn’t expect it. Nanoha explains that her family runs a cafe and brings them both there.

8. Kissa Midori ya
Introductions again all around…. Subaru and Tia embarrass Nanoha a bit when they describe Nanoha as the idol of many aspiring cadets in the TSAB. Subaru comments to herself that Nanoha looks like a normal girl with her family. Well… that’s kinda understandable…Nanoha’s reputation really does precede her.

9. Ichidou Shuugou in Cottage
The Mobile Six gather back at Arisa’s cottage and they’re joined by Amy, Miyuki and Arf. Subaru and Tia continue to be surprised with how normal their seniors are, even more so when they step in to the kitchen to discover Hayate cooking personally. Shamal gets jabbed for her poor cooking skills.

10. Kazoku no Omoi, Tomodachi no Omoi
Another “introduce each other” track.

11. Subaru to Tiana
Subaru and Tia rabu-rabu track.

12. Sora iro no Yakusoku
Subaru Image Song.

13. Souin, Sentou Taisei!
Oh crap. OH CRAP. Arisa’s cottage hasn’t got a bath… so it’s time to hit the local bathhouse. Since the bathhouse allows kids below 11 to bath with their parents, Elio(10) is invited in with the rest of the girls…even Fate says that it’s been a while since she bathed him… but he declines it. Seriously, Elio. SERIOUSLY! While he scoots off somewhere to bath in private… Kyaro seems to have “other” ideas.

14. Sentou Joukyou 1 Taichou Tachito Yuujin to
The gang taking their baths. I’ll leave it to your imaginations. They notice Kyaro is missing though….

15. Sentou Joukyou 2 Erio to Caro
Kyaro. Went in to the men’s section. To bath with Elio. Enough description. THERE IS NO ESCAPING HER!!! Loli x Shota… Loli x Shota… Loli x Shota…

16. Erio to Caro in Rotenburo
エリオとキャロ…おふろで…はだかで. Ok it wasn’t really that X-rated, just Kyaro and Elio thanking each other for the things they’ve done for each other. Elio, however, is unable to escape his fate(pun intended) as Fate comes in to check on them to wash his head.

17. Hayate no Omoi
Oh. Wow. This Soundstage gets more and more exciting. Hayate just scared me.

Suzuka: Instead of a unit… it’s more like a class.
Hayate: I see it that way too.
Shamal: It’s fun.
Hayate: Even so, I really want to wrap this up quick and enjoy some peace. When it’s all calm, I can even sekuhara the rookies.
Alisa: Hayate! What the hell are you doing!!
Suzuka: Hayate’s sekuhara isn’t that way… it’s the fun skinship between girls… (looks like Suzuka’s experienced it a lot already ^^;;)

Poor Arisa… looks like she’s the only straight one left of the bunch… even Vita and Signum got used to “it” already. Will we get to see her “sekuhara” in the anime?!

18. Hoshi ni Inori wo
Hayate Image Song.

19. Mokuhyou Hakken!
20. Ceiling Fate
The fighting tracks. The Lost Logia is found and is defeated with the combined efforts of the rookies.

21. Kikan
The team says their goodbyes. Kalim in fact unofficially allows them to stay longer but Hayate says that her home is at the Mobile Six. They promise to come back and visit during their vacations.

22. Mahou no Kotoba
Nanoha Image Song.

23. Jikai Yokoku
Preview for next Soundstage. Something about a little girl and Nanoha’s story. Apparently it’s episode 14.5.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

(Sorry for the sucky pics. The StrikerS Raw Syndrome to be blamed for it.)

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Right after getting mentally pwned by Konata’s “Gokigenyou”, next is Nanoha’s White Devil Mode, making it’s first appearance ever.

After the boredom of character introduction and continuous training, interspersed with the new henshins and a little battle here and there, here comes the first shocking plot twist of Nanoha, which was what made it indirectly awesome. And dear god, Nanoha has now truly cemented the “White Devil” name for her with this episode, with that no-holds-barred (ok, actually she did hold back a lot, or else Tiana would’ve been converted to energy already) punishment she inflicted on poor inferiority complex Tiana.

So an explanation for the events goes something like this:

Basically, Tiana is emo over the events last episode where she almost killed her partner (and lesbian crush) Subaru. While she starts to practice hard, the rest of the cast is given a crash course in her past where her brother was one of the TSAB elite but died in a case and was labelled “useless”. Tiana is traumatized by that and seems that she wants to fulfill her brother’s dream therefore explaining why she went in to the TSAB.

Later on, Subaru and Tiana decide to practice a new combo move and they do so earnestly. As part of their training, Nanoha holds a mock battle between her and the both of them, and Subaru starts off by distracting Nanoha with close-combat while Tiana does her long-range attacks. It turns out that Subaru’s close range attacks are a distraction to make Nanoha concentrate her barrier on Subaru, and Tiana sneaks in from behind to deal the finishing blow.

Before getting hit by it, Nanoha recites “Raging Heart, Mode Release” and catches Tiana’s gunblade with her free hand, while the other still holds Subaru’s Revolver Knuckle. She goes really, -really- mad, and asks them why are they doing such reckless moves thus rendering her training useless. Tiana starts going emo and decides to shoot Nanoha down, but before she does that, Nanoha tells her to “calm down” and uses back Tiana’s own Crossfire attack on her, followed up with a mini Divine Buster, rendering her unconscious… as Subaru, captured in Nanoha’s binds, watches on helplessly…

Moral of the Day: Do not. I repeat, DO NOT, piss off Nanoha, unless you are SS+ or you have valid reasons for doing so.

I NEED EPISODE 09 NOW.
I NEED EPISODE 09 NOW.
I NEED EPISODE 09 NOW.
I NEED EPISODE 09 NOW.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Oh god I love Nico Nico Douga.

Original video from here:

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.

©2009 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved.