badger11’s take on anime

Archive for October, 2006

Happiness EP 1

Happiness is on my watch list because a high school comedy romance seemed like a nice choice after some summer shows that ate my soul *cough* StrawberryPanic *cough* and dissapointing Fall shows *cough* CodeGeass: LelouchoftheZzzzzz…snort *cough*…huh? Umm, yeah, okay. And besides, with a title of Happiness, how can you not feel …happy. The show opens up with (yet another character named) Haruhi, a magic student at Hogwarts…a school were the magical students are separated from the regular students (Yeah, I know, its not an original joke. But who comes here for the jokes anyway? The bots sure don’t. ;) ) Haruhi is demonstrating her powers in class. After class, she and her friend/rival(?), Anri are walking down a hall, being observed from a window in the regular students building. Watching them walk are Hachi, Jun, and the male lead, Yuumi.

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The next Haruhi is buying St. Valentine chocolates to give to Yuumi as its implied that he saved her from bully’s when they were little children with, interestingly enough, magic. Anri is also buying chocolates because she thinks that this is how Haruhi become popular. Hauhi has a stash of St. Valentine’s day chocolates, presumably for Yuumi, that she’s failed to give in the past. Jun is buying also buying chocolates and dragged Yuumi and Hachi along. while their friends are shopping, both Haruhi and Yuumi decide to go outside and wait for them They both come to a park and see some boys bullying a little girl. Yuumi talks to them, but they don’t listen and break the little girl’s box of chocolates. Haruhi uses magic to fix it.

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Haruhi and Yuumi are about to talk when Jun and Hachi show up. As Yuumi, Jun, and Hachi are walking away, it gets revealed that Jun, despite looking and sounding like a girl, is actually a guy dressed up as a girl because the clothes fit so well. haruhi goes home, saddened because she still didn’t give Yuumi her box of chocolates as a St. Valentine’s Day gift. The next day, Anri is demanding to know how the chocolates are for. She uses magic spells against Hauhi who dodges the attacks. Anri loses control of the spell and it breaks through a window. At this momemnt, Yuumi, Jun, and Hachi are walking by the building when the magic spell blows up a patch of the ground in front of Yuumi. Harhui runs out to see if he’s okay. As the two groups part, Haruhi manages to give Yuumi her box of chocolates. When Haruhi and Anri get to their dorm, Anri makes a joke about how great things would be if both schools were merged together.

Later that night, Yuumi is watching TV when a news report announces that the magic section of the school has burnt down in a mysterious fire. The next day, the magic school students are transferred to the regular school. As Haruhi and Anri are walking to their new class, Anri denies having anything to do with the fire. When they reach the room, Haruhi sees that Yuumi is in the same class.

Not a bad episode, but nothing really that stays with you. I expect some funny moments from the show. I hope they keep doing the will-they-won’t-they routine. The novelty of Jun, a boy who looks, dresses and sounds like a girl will wear off fast. Its the kind of show that I’d eat popcorn with.

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Kanon Ep 2

This weeks airing starts with a view of snow falling (wouldn’t be Kanon if there wasn’t snow falling now would it?) outside of a window. A girl’s voice claims that she’s in a dream. In fact, she’s in the same dream with the same scenery again and again. She makes a wish that the next time she opens her eyes, the scenery will be different. After the show’s opening scenes of the Girls of Kanon with slowly moving hair in the wind, we see Yuuichi sleeping in bed. He hears Nayuki’s voice saying “Good Morning. Let’s eat breakfast and go to school”. He soon realizes that her voice is coming from the alarm clock that he borrowed. He then hears loud noise coming from Nayuki’s room. He bangs on her door and then enters. The noise is all of Nayuki’s alarm clocks going off at the same time. Quickly shutting them off, he has to shake Nayuki awake.

At breakfast, Nayuki asks why Yuuichi is eating toast dry, without any jam/jelly on it. He explains that he doesn’t like sweet things like jam. Akiko, Nayuki’s mother, hears this and says that she makes jam that it sweet. Hearing this, Nayuki bolts from the table, saying she has full and has to finish getting ready for school. Bringing out a jar of glowing yellow jam, Akiko spreads some on a piece of toast for Yuuichi. He starts to eat it and has a reaction to it. Asking what kind of jam it is, Akiko says its a secret. Being polite, he says the jam has an original taste to it. Nayuki returns saying its time to go. Akiko asks Yuuichi if he can stop at the store on the way home to buy some ingredients for oden that she wants to make for dinner. As they walk to school, Yuuichi asks Nayuki what kind of did of jam Akiko make. She doesn’t know and warns him to be prepared for the unexpected.

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On the way the stop in walking and Nayuki asks if Yuuichi remembers the area of houses that they’re in. He doesn’t and isn’t concerned by not remembering. She encourages him to remember and says that if there is someone out there who wants him to remember, then he should make the effort. Realizing that they’re going to be late on his first day at school, they run, barely making it in time. In the hallway he’s panting for breath and asks her why she isn’t. Nayuki reminds him that she’s the Captain of the track team. After making his introduction to the class, the teacher lets Yuuichi sit next to Nayuki, Kaori and Kitagawa. Nayuki is claearly happy that Yuuichi is in the same class and at the seat next to hers. Kaori tells Yuuichi that his introduction was very normal. Yuuichi responds that if there were any introductions that weren’t normal he’d like to see them.

With school over, Kaori asks Nayuki if she’s got a club meeting. Kitagawa asks Kaori if she wants to go somewhere with him, but she ignores him telling Nayuki that she has a club meeting too. As she leaves, Kitagawa runs after Kaori, telling her that he’ll wait for her. Yuuichi asks Nayuki not to tell anyone that he’s living at her house as it might cause some nasty rumors. She tells him that she’s already told people. She jokingly runs away from him. As she’s running down the stairs, she slips and crashes into Mai and Sayuri, two seniors. Yuuichi tells Nayuki that he’s going to explore the school before going home. Nayuki points out the school is big and cautions him not to get lost. He gets lost. After getting lost and finding the computer lab, library and an art room with a naked male model, Yuuichi runs into Kaori. We here him say that as he turns around, Kaori is standing in front of him. Kaori asks why he’s narrating the scene and it becomes clear that this isn’t his normal internal narration. As they walk through the school, Kaori tells him that she thinks that he’s a spy. Yuuichi tells her that he’s an ordinary transfer student. She points out that he could’ve asked for directions from someone. Yuuichi claims that he’d still get lost because of all of the corners and non descript hallways. Kaori laughs telling him that he’s exactly how Nayuki described. She also tells him that Nayuki looked the happiest that Kaori’s ever seen her when Yuuichi joined the class. As they get to the school gates, Kaori calls him melodramatic and realizes that Kitagawa was waiting for her. She shrugs off that thought and tells Yuuichi good-bye and heads home. Yuuichi tells himself that she’s a very cool girl.

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Downtown, Yuuichi is thinking about shopping for the oden ingredients when he hears Ayu’s voice shouting to get out of the way. Turning around, he sees Ayu running right at him. Telling her to move to the side that she hold uses chopsticks with and he’ll jump to the side that uses chopsticks, they’ll both avoid colliding with each other. They both jump to the same side and collide with each other, only Ayu is the one getting knocked to the ground this time. She tells him that she’s left-handed. Getting up, she grabs him and the start running again. Yuuichi realizes that she stole more taiyaki again. They wind up running into a park that niether recognize. Yuucihi complains that all he’s been doing since he came back to the city was running. He asks Ayu why she stole more taiyaki. She tells him that she forgot her purse again and was frightened by the taiyaki seller again. Because she was scared, she ran away with the taiyaki again. As they walk through the park, both are eating the taiyaki. Yuuichi explains that they’ll have to go back to the taiyaki seller and apologize. Again.

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They both realize that they’re lost since they were just walking with each other. Yuuichi tells here that since she’s a local and doesn’t know the area, how can she expect him to know the area since he’s just moved back. Ayu recognizes him as the boy that she used to play with when they were little. She tells him that and claims that he moved back, just like he promised. Hearing this, Yuuichi also recognizes Ayu as the little girl he used to play with. Ayu closes her eyes and runs toward Yuuichi who jumps out of the way. Ayu runs smack into a tree. Yuuichi apologizes for jumping out of the way. As Ayu is crying, they hear a shout. Turning around, they see that a younger girl had been knocked down to the ground from the snow that fell from the tree that Ayu ran into. They go over to her and see to if she’s alright. Yuuichi blames the accident on Ayu running into the tree. Ayu blames Yuuichi for jumping out of the way. It was supposed to be a dramatic reunion moment and that she’s not the bad guy that he’s making her out to be. Yuuichi claims that Ayu has scared the girl speechless. He helps her up and starts to help pick up her groceries. He implies that trustworthy. Ayu who reacts to this jab and claims that she’s trustworthy too. Yuichi then says she shouldn’t have stolen the taiyaki.

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As the three walk in the park, Ayu notices that the girl bought a lot of groceries. The girl explains that she doesn’t get out much so she buys in bulk. Yuuichi uses this moment as another excuse to tease Ayu about the taiyaki. Ayu thinks that Yuichi is intentionally trying to make her look like a bad guy. Ayu claims that she’s a good girl but Yuuichi stills says that a good girl wouldn’t steal taiyaki. Ayu remembers that Yuuichi was this sarcastic when they were younger. She claims that its destiny that brought them back together and he says its bad luck that chained them together. Ayu asks the girl whayt grade she’s in . She tells them that shes a freshman. Ayu mention that the girl is a year younger than she is. Yuuichi is surprised to hear that Ayu the same age that he is. The group reaches a fork in the path and the girl tells them that her house in down the other path. As she’s leaving, Yuuichi stops her and begs her to tell them how to get out of the park.

After Ayu and Yuichi are out of the park, the pay and apologize to the taiyaki seller, again. After they leave the taiyaki stand, Ayu wants to meet again. Yuuichi agrees. Ayu pinky swear like they used to as a kid. She starts to pull the glove off of her left hand, but stops and pulls off the glove on her right hand instead. After they pinky swear, she runs off. Yuuichi shouts at her, wanting to know how to contact her, but doens’t get an answer. He then walks into the grocery store to go shopping for Akikio’s dinner. As he walks out of the store, a figure in a blanket jumps in front of him. The figure declares that it finally found him and that it’ll never forgive him. It then pulls the blanket off, revealing that its a young girl under the blanket. Yuuichi is surprised by this and says that he doesn’t remember angering causing anyone to have a grudge against him. The girl says she has a grudge against him and takes a swing at him with her fist. She starts hitting Yuuichi, but since her punches are so weak and feeble, they don’t hurt him. Yuuichi sarcastically asks if she can try harder, but she says she’s so hungry that she’s weak. She starts to walk towards him, but trips and collapses to the ground.

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I enjoyed this episode, but that’s not really a surprise. There was a lot of humor in this episode starting with Nayuki’s alarms clocks, her reaction to her mother’s jam, Kaori and Yuuichi comments about his class introduction, Kaori nonchalantly blowing off a waiting Kitagawa, and the scenes with Ayu of course. This episode’s given us a questions already. A fe blogs have mentioned that neither Ayu nor the girl they knocked over in the park have were seen at the school. And obviously, the girl who attacked Yuuichi and her grudge are mystireies. But I also noticed that while Ayu said she was left-handed, she used her right hand to pinky swear with Yuuichi. We see her start to pull off the glove on her left hand, but stops and then pulls off her right hand glove. I think that’s the bigger issue and should come into play later in the series.

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Welcome to the NHK 14

After deciding not to commit suicide, the off-line group, Yamazaki, and Hitomi’s boyfriend, Jougaskai, are cleaning up after themselves, preparing to return to the mainland. The youngest member of the group makes the comment that he didn’t think that he had any other choices other than suicide. The man who owns the island replies that people with tunnel vision can’t think of any other solutions, even when there is one in front of them.

Satou is sitting by himself when Misaki walks up to him and asks if he’s glad he lived. Satou jumps up and raises his fist. In a flashback, Misaki sees another figure raising its fist, ready to hit her. She falls and curls up, protecting her head. Satou stops and lowers his fist. Satou raises his fist again and she covers herself again and has the same flashback. She mutter “Please stop”. Satou storms off saying that he was more scared than she was.

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Everyone gets on the boat and heads off. Once they get off the boat, a man with a flag asks them if they’re the off-line group. Jougaskai explains that he contacted the resort, figuring that everyone would want to relax for a bit. The group excluding Misaki get on the bus. Saotu and the guys are in a hot springs room when a janitor walks in. He asks if they’re the group of fools who tried to kill themselves. To throw away their lives is the mark of a fool. He asks what they would have happened if they actually succeed. He points out that there would be a huge search for them which would involve the local fishermen. their deaths would disrupt the fishermen’ work, the local hotels and inns would have to have to spend time dealing with inquires about the group. And what would happen if their bodies floated ashore onto a beach. Tourists probably would avoid the area. He asks if they understand how many people would have been affected by their deaths. He implies that he was the same sort of fool.

At a group meal, a waitress tells two of the members, the ex-medical student and the teenager, that their families are here. After an emotional reunion, the teenager hands satou a coupon for an on-line video game that he usually plays. He mentions that one of his game friends is also a hikikomori and makes money by trading items that he’s earned in the game for money.

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Satou rejoins Hitomi, Jougasaki, and the island owner. Satou were Yamazaki went. Jougasaki tells him that Yamazaki had an appointment. Satou realizes that today’s the last day of the Natsucomi. Satou wonders if Natsucomi is more important than Satou’s life. Jougasaki mentions that Misaki also left. Satou mutters that he doesn’t care about her. Jougasaki and Hitomi offer Satou a ride back to Tokyo, but declines. Hitomi apologizes for bringing him out to the island. Satou passes it off, telling not to worry and to be happy. The island owner offers Satou a ride to the train station. On their way to his car, they see his son. The son tells him that his ex-wife let the son come to see him.

When Satou reaches his apartment, he sees a letter from Misaki stuck in his door. Ignoring the letter, he lies in bed in the darkness. Someone starts ringing his doorbell. Its Yamazaki and he’s back from Natsucomu and he’s drunk. And angry. He’s angry at the the convention attendees, considering them stupid for not willing to buy the trial version of their game, for not recognizing it as a masterpiece, that he couldn’t attend the opening day because he and Misaki were chasing after Satou. He blames Satou. Satou is thinking about Misaki’s letter which he had read earlier. She wrote that she’ll meet him in the park at the usual time. Satou gets up and leaves his apartment.

Satou meets Misaki in the park. Misaki doesn’t look at him, but holds up a copy of the contract. She says that he’s been absent from their meetings for several days and that there’s a penalty fee that he’ll have to pay. She goes on to sasy that she never told Satou were she lived (in the house on a hill where she could see directly into Satou’s apartment). Because of this, she waives the fee. Their counseling sessions will continue and that he has to come. Satou gets angry and as he rips the paper out of her hands he asks her who she is to decide these things. Misaki cowers like she did on the island and starts crying. This causes Satou to pause. As he’s standing there, Misaki tells him that she’s glad he’s back. Satou.

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As Satou walks into his apartment, his phone starts ringing. On the phone is his mother and Satou thinks that she sounds depressed. As they’re talking, there are sirens in the background of the phone call.

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The show has given very little information about Misaki. We know she lives with her aunt in a mansion on a hill that overlooks Satou’s apartment. We also know that she works part-time in a comic book shop. Other than that, we know nothing. But based on her flashback when Satou went to hit her, she’s been a victim of abuse. My guess is that the figure she saw in the flashbacks were her father.

This has also been a roller-coaster for Satou. He starts out the show to trying to change his hikikiomori lifestyle, he meets his senpai who he has a crush on only to lose her. He finds out that he’s been spied on by Misaki. And now there’s something gone wrong back at his parents’ house. I have to wonder that if he didn’t try to change his life, how things would work out.

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Death Note Ep 2

Ok, based on the first two episodes of Death Note, I can honestly say, this is a great show. Let’s hope that the rest of the series will be as good. In episode 2, Light’s in school with Ryuk hovering about. Ryuk keeps talking to Light who can’t answer because people would wonder who he’s talking to. Because of the notebook, Light is the only one who can see or hear Ryuk. At home, Light starts writing down the names of criminals, including one who the t.v.names as a suspect in a murder. Ryuk is impressed that Light is working hard in writing names in the Death Note. Light explains that he has a limited amount of time to use the notebook. he has to maintian his high grades, go to school, go to cram school and go to sleep to maintain his health. Light reiterates that he will make the world into a crime-free utopia. His isister knocks on the door, asking for help with her math. Once he lets her in, she sits at his desk where he hid the Death Notebook in a drawer. Ryuk tells Light that if anyone touches the Death Note, they’ll be able to see him. Light is surprised to hear that and wonders why didn’t Ryuk tell him that before.

We cut to an Interpol office where there’s a conference going on about the recent deaths of convicts from heart attacks. One group doesn’t have problem with this while another group considers it murder, even after criminals have been caught and punished. Someone wonder if the should bring in “L” to investigate. A junior Japanese police officer asks his senior partner who L is. The older officer explains that L is Interpol’s secret weapon who only takes on select cases. No one knows who L is or what he looks like. But no matter how hard the case is, L always solves them. Before he can go any further, a mysterious figure appears and tells the officials that L is already investigating. The senior Japanses officer recoginzes the figure as someone named “Watari” who is also unknown and the only person who can contact L. Watari opens a laptop that’s connected to a wall screen. The letter “L” is shown and we hear a digitized voice explains the death of the criminals by Light is mass homicide and needs to be stopped. He asks for the cooperation of all of the police agencies from around the world, especially from the Japanese police. The two police officers from Japan are surprised to hear this and ask why. L believes that the killer or killers are either Japanese nationals or are currently living in Japan. He says that he should be able to provoke the killer(s) into action as a demonstration.

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As the conference is going on, Light and Ryuk are in an abandoned building were Light is working with chemicals. Light explains that carrying around the notebook is dangerous, and he might have to kill his family if he’s careless and they disover the notebook. Back in his room, Light shows Ryuk how he’s going to hide the notebook in his drawer. Ryuk is surprised that Light would hide it an easy spot until Light explains some security measure that he’s taken. One of them is a electrical current that will trigger a fire to destroy the notebook if someone doesn’t use the right key to open the drawer. Ryuk tells Light that hiding a Death Note was the biggest problem for other humans who had one. Ryuk cautions Light to be careful, that he could set himself on fire. Light mocks ryuk be saying that Ryuk is saying “strange things”. He goes on to say that merely having and using a Death Note is dangerous. He implies that if he’s caught, a small fire is better than a death sentence that could get.

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We see people are talking about the deaths of the criminals, cheering on their killer. They’re calling the killer, “Kira” which sounds like “Killer” according to Light. He’s showing Ryuk websites dedicated to Kira (basically Light). Even though the media doesn’t acknowledge Kira, he’s being talked about all over the world. Light states that people all over the world can feel that someone is judging them. Light expalins who everyone is publicly forced to act the same, say the same things even though they are feeling and thinking different things. Criminals are afraid which delights Light.

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A special news broadcast appears on the t.v. Light andRyuk are surprised that its from Interprol. A man with a nameplate of Lind L. Tailor, alias L appears, claiming that he controls all of the world’s police agencies. L addresses a message to Kira/Light,stating that he will be caught. Light goes over the edge and says its impossible for him to be caught. He also know that the police would eventually act. Light scoffs when L calls him evil, calling himself “Justice”, the one who protects the weak and a god of a new world. Anyone who opposes him are the evil ones. He writes L’s full name in the Death Note and waits for him die. He wishes that L was a little more clever so that he could have fun.

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In front of everyone watching television, L has a heart attack and dies. Light stands there laughing until the letter “L” appears on the screen and the same digitized voice comes across the t.v. set. The voice on the t.v. claims that he couldn’t believe that Kira/Light could kill someone without being near them.The voice explains that the man who was killed was a criminal already sentenced to die that day and he was the real L still lived. The criminal’s capture hadn’t been announced. Ryuk laughs and tells Light that he’s been set-up. As Light is stunned, L taunts him. It tells Light to kill him if he can. L explains that the broadcast wasn’t world wide. It was just aired locally, in the Kanto region. L now knows that Kira(Light) is in the Kanto region. He started in Japan because of the death of Light’s first victim wasn’t widely reported. L reiterates that Kira (Light) will be caught. Ryuk thinks to himself that he was right, humans are interesting.

This was an episode with nothing but dialog. And it was good. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, based on the first two episodes, I like this show. The moral implications raised by the show of being a vigilante are great. Earlier in the show, Light writes the name of a suspect in the Death Note. The keyword here is suspect. The guy hasn’t been named as a criminal yet. Without any evidence or trial, Light crosses the line from executioner to judge and jury. Imagine if Light was watching the news with the sound off and he sees a police drawing of someone. Its not hard to imagine him deciding that this is a criminal and writing his name in the book. Now imagine if you were watching the same broadcast with the sound on. You hear that the person in the sketch is described as a witness. No suppose this was the only witness to a crime. Who is now dead because Light killed him without investigating further. What would Light’s reaction be? We’ve seen his willingness to kill a, as Light was given to understand, a police official (Lind Tailor). Based on that action, I’d be surprised if Light should any signs of remorse.What if you or I were in Light’s position? How many of us would react the same as Light? Or act differently.

Maybe I’m overreacting, but I want more of this show. And I want it now. I’m impressed with Light’s thoroughness in realizing that eventually the police would start to investgate him. And that he doesn’t flinch about the thought of having to kill someone in his family if they found the notebook.

Or maybe I’m reading way to much into the show.

I’m tempted to buy the manga, but I think I’ll hold off for a while. I’m enjoying watching a show I know nothing about. I just hope the show keeps being as good as the first two episodes.

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Pumpkin Scissors Ep 2

The second episode of Pumpkin Scissors opens with three men chained together while running from an aristocrat hunting them in a tank. As he and his tank driver are hunting the men, the aristocrat is waxing poetic about how good it is to be part of the nobility and other justifications for his actions. We then see the Pumpkin Scissors’ office in the Army Intelligence HQ. Lt. Alice Malvin is angry and getting angrier because Oland, the giant, former Anti-tank Trooper with the blue lantern is late on his first day in Pumpkin Scissors. Malvin is so angry that she’s swinging her dagger around in the air. Oland is outside trying to get in, but his disheveled appearance is causing him trouble until he shows the guard his papers. Stekkin is glad that she’ll finally outrank someone until Capt. Hunks, leader of the entire unit, asks where Mercury, the messenger dog is. The dog (who bit the head of a senior officer in the last episode) is barreling through the hallways, chased by Stekkin. Back in the office, an angry Lt. Malvin is lecturing the rest of her team when Stekkin and Oland with Mercury biting his head show up.
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As Oreld and Machs issue Oland his uniform and equipment, Oreld is describing Lt. Malvin as straight forward and stubborn. He also explains that Pumpkins Scissors is regarded as a joke with no potential for advancement. They’ve also been called “the peaceful and easy going Imperial Unit III. All they do is fill out reports and do inspections. Surprising the other two guys, Orlad likes the idea of a peaceful and easy-going outfit. As the team heads out to Viscount Wolkin’s lands, the nobleman from the beginning, to investigate a report about a disturbance, Capt. Hunks is thinking about Oland. He’s thinking about the fact that Oland doesn’t seem like a solider due to his mild, withdrawn manner, but that his combat skills are “abnormal”.

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Once the team gets to the Viscount Wolkin’s lands, they see a funeral procession which causes Oreld no concern until Malvin points out that as bad as things are, its unusual for three people to die at the same time. They hear from local townsfolk about “The Game”. Wolkins and his tank driver, Hosslow, are having dinner in front of Wolkins’ starving maids. He throws his food onto the floor making a passing reference about forgetting to feed his pets. He tells them they can eat the food. The Pumpklin Scissors team storms into the dining room where Malvin accuses Wolkins of being a war profiteer. Wolkins retorts that the Pumpkin Scissors unit and its “war relief” efforts as nothing but a sham used by the military as means to have more access to the nations budget. The unit places him under arrest. Wolkins has his maids draw weapons on the team.

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With Malvin sitting on a balcony with the Maids pointing their handguns at her, Wolkins and Hosslow are sitting in the tank, giving a chained Oland and the others a five minute head start to run away. As Oreld picks the locks on their chains, Malvin figures out that the maids were the ones to report Wolkin’s hunting games. She asks why they don’t point their handguns at him. One of the maids responds that they can’t because he’s part of the aristocracy. Malvin then tells them that she’s part of the Malvin family, one of the 13 appointed families of the country. She then cheerfully tells the maids that as commoners, they’re pointing a gun at a noble.

As this is going on, Hosslow is telling Wolkins about a story he heard from other tank soldiers. The story goes that if you see a foot solider with a blue steel lantern, don’t consider them as allies. But don’t turn them into enemies either. Wolkin dismisses the story as a fairy tale. He then starts to react to loud noises coming from outside the tank. He sees that the maids and Lt. Malvin are shooting at him. He starts shooting at Oland, Machs and Oreld who are now free from the chains. Machs and Oreld run away, but Oland stands still, is talking to himself about commoners, nobles and the sham that Wolkin claims Pumpkin Scissors is. As a shell explodes nearby, he decides that it isn’t important at what class you’re born to, its important about how you live your life. Flicking on the blue lantern at his belt, he becomes the glowing tank killer that we saw in the first episode. Surviving shell after shell shot at him and getting wounded in the process, Oland attacks the tank. Lt. Malvin and the team race up in the jeep. The tank tips over throwing Orland off. Malvin jumps out to catch him. Wolkin crawls out of the tank and asks that if stopping him will change things.

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Back at the Army Intelligence HQ, Oreld is reciting a list of Oland’s injuries who says he doesn’t mind getting injured in combat but doesn’t feel things will change. Alice, hearing this, basically asks that if he’s so tall, can he see the future. She then compares him to Wolkin. Once in the office, she reads a letter from the maids out loud. The maids thank them and say that they’re heading home. While they don’t know what the future will hold, they’re happier for the change. Malvin tells Oland to not worry about the future so much, but pay attention to the change in front of him.

Not a bad episode of the show. Malvin is certainly a dynamic character, as opposed to Oland whose basically Dr. Jekyll and them Mr. Hyde when the lantern is turned on. I hope, as the series progresses, we see Oland doing other things than attacking tanks. I’m also curious about the class distinction between Alice and Oland as hinted in the show’s opening. I agree with Garten over at Memento that the show needs more complex bad guys. The one thing about the episode that bothered me was Captain Hunks’ reaction to Oland. It seems that he’s not too familiar with Oland’s background. While I’m sure that some parts of Oland’s records would be classified, I get the feeling that the show will portray Hunks as a crafty intelligence officer. And if he is the crafty, knows-all type, then he really shouldn’t be unfamiliar with Oland as a secret weapon. I plan on watching the show and hope that they’ll show more interesting bad guys and deal with the class distinction in a smart way.

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A thought or two on Kanon Ep 1

Now that its been a few days since the show that hype built landed on us and I’ve gone back and watched it half dozen or so more times. And I still like it. I have to suspend any opinion because KyoAni is taking their time in introducing the characters and what’s will undoubtedly be several involved plot-lines. We’ve been introduced to the main character, Yuuichi, his cousin Nayuki, and his aunt Akiko. We’ve also been introduced to two characters who are, if I remember right secondary characters (I’ve only seen a few episodes of the first one). So we need to be introduced to three more remaining character within the next few episodes before the show really gets going and picks up in pace.

I’m predisposed to liking this show because of KyoAni’s work on The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Also, the artwork alone would be a great reason for me to watch it. As I seaid before, I’ve watched it a half doze times already. The show doesn’t necessarily get any better with each viewing, but excluding the artwork, there’s a quality about it that I like. Granted there isn’t the potential for a deep, intense story line like Death Note seems to have. Its pretty much a show that just are along for the ride. So enjoy the artwork, be amused by the story (and probably get depressed here and there). Oh, and decide which girl will you become a fan of. On a few blogs I’ve read, the Ayu vs. Nayuki camps have already started to rally.

Well, I’d suspect that wearing a uniform like this one in wintertime, the girls’ track team would be popular since they undoubtly have to run as fast as they can to stay warm.

Yes, I’ve been wanting to say that and no, I couldn’t think of anything funnier to say. Hey, I didn’t say that these were deep thoughts.

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