zabadoh

The TNG Sprayser was a downgrade in ergonomics.

Haven’t we seen this before?

I thought he was going to

but he’s managed to drop a cliff hanger.

@rikka@ani.social

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I can’t say that I fully understand how he would have gotten past the guards and gotten the audience if not for Lord Taira’s fortunate appearance.

Well, they do also have a Cloak Of Visibility.

I’m sure they all laughed at them when they announced that they invented one.

Derision, becoming a outcast, resentment.

And next thing you know they’re wearing a brimmed hat.

The sequel is also by Studio Trigger, so fantastic!

The kana reads: Temparu/Temper: Item No Chikara/Item’s Strength

The source web novel and adaptation webcomic are called Overgeared though.

Wow, that was totally samurai drama stuff there: Literal self sacrifice to let your superior look good

@rikka@ani.social

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We really still don’t know what happened between him and Reid, the chopstick ronin, before the first time he was found on the library floor.

I could be wrong, but that didn’t seem to be a death save point to me.

Gluttony hiding in the shadows is possible, given his appearance in the OP, but I’d have thought he would have eaten more than just Subaru’s memories.

I can’t wait to see Shauna, the heartless killing machine edition.

As I suspected, Nanase (blond with white ribbon) as the White Room infiltrator was a red herring, so suspicion falls to Amasawa (twin tails) and her reference to “outsiders” and Yagami (mini-Ayanokoji kid from 1-A?)

I’m surprised that Nanase’s teammates, Housen and whatsername) weren’t lying in wait for an ambush, or maybe the plan was not to place them at risk of expulsion for fighting, while Nanase was okay with that.

@rikka@ani.social

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Pretty good reaction time to parry that at close range.

I have just binge watched this from the start, and I love it!

It’s a classic Warring States TV drama set in the backdrop of the ruins of a nuclear winter Japan.

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Military technology seems to have degraded to katanas and a few flintlock rifles.

Strangely enough, everyone seems to have forgotten what computers, analog electronics, radio, industrial machinery, or even electricity are.

It’s all there: The generals, the strategists, the stupid castle politics, the maps of territories and units moving around.

The Twin Engine animation and direction is really great, and the thought processes of the characters really come across.

The believability of the characters’ decision making is logical and hard to find fault with.

This episode, Ryumon’s tea ceremony gambit was a little too over the top for me to believe, like why couldn’t the Seii army send some scouts past him to find a possible ambush.

@rikka@ani.social

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edit: But a big part of Japanese culture is presentation, with great presentation seemingly able to triumph over anything, so this is totally “in character” for a story set in a samurai drama.

Ryumon’s name Mitsuhide is likely a reference to Akechi Mitsuhide, a TokugawaNobunaga-era general, briefly shōgun, and popular character in historical dramas.

Tartah’s going have to be careful of what he says, or he’ll wind up with his own memories erased.

Major weakness of this world’s magic system discovered!

The whole Brimmed Hat ink bottle thing with Coco seemed… pointless? Okay, they demonstrated that they have the refilling “technology” from the disbarred Healers, and a little bit of history there, but what was the tactic of showing that to Coco at this point?

Maybe we’ll get some revelations as to what this was supposed to accomplish later?

This was one of those episodes that leaves more questions that satisfying conclusions.

That seems silly and arbitrary: Letting the entire party in after Subaru passes the monolith test, then only allowing Emilia through after she passes the Reid test.

It seemed obvious to me from the start that nobody was going to defeat Reid with only swordsmanship.

I doubt that Flügel did so.

It was foolish of Julius to try a second time.

For some reason, I like Shauna’s combination of being oblivious, a mystery, and a deadly threat at the same time.

A lot of references to our own world, or at least Japan.

Was the Sage an isekai guy?

Ayanokoji’s testing of Nanase continues.

I’m sure he knows she isn’t hanging around with him for his good looks and charming personality.

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@rikka@ani.social

I was wondering why

And so the second Island Survival Test begins!

The flashback from Nanase seems to indicate she had a real life, which probably excludes her from being the White Room infiltrator, on the other hand, she seems to be able to keep up with Ayanokoji, so I’m still undecided about that.

And where exactly have her unsavory 1-D teammates Hosen and Amasawa run off to?

Olruggio is a brimmed hat isn’t he?

I can’t shake the association with Coco’s first experiences and those glowing paving stones that are “(his) master work”

But he’s obviously not a through-and-through cackling evil villain, so I doubt the brimmed hats will be either.

It just doesn’t seem like that kind of story.

I’m hoping that is the case, because otherwise it feels a bit early for the unmasking.

Oguri Cap, I didn’t know you had such acting range!

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@rikka@ani.social

Just because that person at the end is working with Principal Nagumo, doesn’t mean they’re the White Room infiltrator.

So Ichinose’s loyalties can be bought after all. And immediately Ike’s crush gets recruited by… 2-B students.

Kushida’s attitude changes are so good! I’m sure anyone who she hangs around with can’t be good for Ayanokoji.

@rikka@ani.social

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That, and Yagami looks like a mini version of Ayanokoji.

And how exactly does a 1st year know about Kushida’s background, unless they were briefed?

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That was cool having the students working together!

And Coco gets her “learning by observing and repeating” progress bar moment.

I actually didn’t like Agathe having to be rescued.

That whole situation seemed too contrived.

But a little before that, I’m still not sure how the paving stones worked.

They have a spell drawn over them together, they’re thrown in a heap, Qifrey lifts one, then???

I had a high school math teacher who could do that!

This does seem to be decent so far, although the trite shonen paradigm of people with superpowers fighting everyone else with superpowers seems to be strong in this one.

Also, I thought Yuru or Dera or even Asa would be a lot more upset about the soldiers and Gabby killing all the innocent(?) villagers.

@rikka@ani.social

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It’s… different.

These Agents are so important.

For all the implications for agriculture alone, of having regular seasons show up on time, the Agents seem to be awfully under-protected, with insurgents being allowed to attack them left and right, on the road or at home.

Having a dedicated yojimbo/bodyguard with a sword might have been fine in the Japan of 100 years ago, but no matter how talented they are, a yojimbo is no match for modern armed groups.

The gods/kami-sama plan of giving the duties of starting up the seasons to mentally unstable teenagers who are guarded by mentally unstable teenagers doesn’t seem like the best plan either.

@rikka@ani.social

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The character writing is fine, if a little annoying, but I’m having trouble buying the fundamental underlying premise.

I did like some of the world building otherwise: The bit about the Spring Village waiting for her to die hit hard.

Oh it feels good to be back in the viper pit of CotE!

There’s a complete story arc in the first 4 episodes, so dropping them all at once worked.

Horimiya is so naive. No wonder she doesn’t even compare to her now-graduated brother.