Rainbowsphere

AND NOW…

We’ve reached half the series’ running length, so it’s about time we have our first Halftime Report for a series! I didn’t get the chance to do so in Kanokon, so it’s a good opportunity to start this maiden voyage with something good.

First off, I didn’t think I’d take this series up in spite of all the GONZO trash talk I’ve been hearing all around the series. All the more the people who started to ignore it. Koihime Musou cleared its presence first, but I was somehow convinced that this would be good enough to take on. Seems I was wrong on half of it.

The series’ plotline was good enough. As what I’d expect from Fumikane Shimada, to be able to pull off a feat that is as realistic as it was to the canonical events and information that it was based from. Then again, there are still the futuristic points are that made focal from which stems the series’ main enemy: Neuroi.

HONEYCOMBS! Too bad there’re no bees.

Okay, so they’re the bad guys from outer space that may have come from some sort of interdimensional warp gate or something. Is that your resident Protoss knocking? Maybe. There wasn’t good elaboration about their source, but I guess the conquest of interworld domination is obvious. However, it is made clear that most of the Neuroi designs came from conceptual aircraft during World War II. Well, I do recognize some of the designs, but some are outrageously peculiar for something of the era. Stingrays? In your 1930’s? Yeah, right.

No first fives, no substitutions. Just pure sky-high action… or so we think…?

As for our side, the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, Strike Witches Squadron, most of the things here are quite obvious. They use WWII planes, all squadron members have real life pilot archtypes, and they all seem to have a forte of their own whether they’re in battle or not. And believe me, this thing’s really got guts to pull off something of the calibre. To even get the attention of Chuck Yeager (the archtype pilot for Charlotte Yeager), this is something, indeed. Then again, whatever comes out of that crap, that’s going to be one big heck of a surprise.

Each Strike Witch has some things common yet unique that separates one from another. One thing would be the uncanny ability to combine different types of kemonomimi with mecha-musume. Who would’ve thought they found them cute with that combination? Miu? Doberman-Geass Witch with a katana and an appetite for training! Yoshika? Ah, Mame-Shiba Witch of Housekeeping! As outrageous as it seems, the series’ protagonists also have some pretty wacky backgrounds and routines mixed along with normal military duty. If you were to be able to put character elements in a cauldron and prevent them from exploding into total shit, then you’re a total nutcase made of probable winnage.

I’m not one for mechamimi-musume, but it kinda works for me in some kind of way.

One of the most notable would have to be Perinne Clostermann, whose yuridere tendencies are so obvious. I mean, really, even though she has unrequited admiration of someone of the same gender, the class and finesse she’s trying to uphold negates and opposes the idea all the more. Compare it to the typical and uptight Gertrud Barkhorn, whose “tightness” (thank you Shirley for the win pun, seriously) is as tenacious as any higher official. But she gets flustered  and “frustrated” whenever she confronts an enemy she can’t even deal with, which was shown in her case with Erica Hartmann. Kind of childish, but cute. I guess she wasn’t as tight as we think she is. So much for being a first-impression cunt, no?

Breastmilk is still best, but not just for babies anymore.

Aside from character, another thing “enticing” enough for fans would have to be fanservice. Yes! Fanservice!  I actually spent time to point this out! This show is actually never complete without showing butts, panties, and boobs! Having a minimum of 5 fanservice shots… no, wait, screw that minimum. It’s useless to count something implied so much as to have it normally injected in any situation, whether they’re in battle or not. The very fact that they don’t wear lower garments such as pants or jeans is obvious enough! And trust me, body proportion only makes it worse, on both sides of the scale (lolicons, I’m looking at you)!

Prone positioning sure is nice, is it not?

Now, to the bad points. There are some cases where discrepancies come in after every fram or panel. Like, for example, the recent episode for Erica Hartmann, where she dresses up and then forgets her panties (that’s around 5:44 to 5:46, so check your copies of episode 7). On one panel, she’s shown with her shirt halfway on her. After two seconds, we see her fully dressed with the shirt on. Is she that quick? More than that, anybody who doesn’t find it stupid for Miu to use binoculars even though she has a Geass that makes her see great distances is a stupid shitfuck, that’s a given.

Seriously, it’s stupid.

But the most aggravating point of the series is of course, the star of the show, CENSORSHIP-SAN! Applause, applause! If not for multiple UV censors, plant censors, and the dreaded CROTCHSOAPS, any feeble and undeveloped mind would easily be soiled by the powers of the series! Screw panty shots, screw fanservice. It’s skin we want, and censors we get. Heck, you’ll even find UV rays on parts of the bases where there’s not even a hint of sunshine! FUCKING MAGICAL, ISN’T IT?!

IT FUCKING SHOWS UP EVERWHERE!

The storyline must explain a lot aside from introducing the characters too. We’re already halfway, and the only progress we have so far is humanity playing defense. Not a single improvement on battle, either, not any other major happenings aside from the erratic schedule of attacks, which is properly shunned by each character’s introduction to the fans. Look, I know that’s important, but shouldn’t it take a little shorter of the actual time so we can spend a little more on how the story really progresses? I think that’s how a good show goes. Don’t you?

Well, we’re still halfway, so imporvement should still be around the corner. So much for even spending some lot of time for this, but I think I’ve said pretty much what I can say so far for this one. It only makes my resolve harder to see this through the end.