Tag Archive for 'Strike Witches'

Strike Witches OVA (DVD Version)

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Shance
on October 1, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
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ONOES UNEXPECTED TWIIIIIST!

This is a surprise, since I was going to watch the OVA myself. The DVD release packed a few more punches though, albeit not enough to justify the OVA altogether.

I watched the OVA before the DVD version came out. It vaguely explained anything, and only depicted a slight instance of the Witches’ nature of work. In a quick shift of events, it showed a showcase of a dogfight, their standard operating procedures, and some tidbits of history behind the magical piece of equipment that gave birth to prominent Witches: the Striker.

So Striker Units are Neuroi tech, eh?

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Strike Witches 12: Strike Witches

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Shance
on September 19, 2008
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FINAL EP! And to be frank, it’s perfectly wrapped everything in one fell swoop of an episode. Wasn’t that extravagant, but hey, it works.

With the Warlock going berserk, Mio brings out her trump card: A hidden Striker Unit. She plans to fly and sortie with the enemy, only to be stopped by Miyafuji. Yoshika insists that she be permitted to confirm the Warlock’s affiliation via a dogfight. After being touched by the words “I’ll protect you!”, Mio gives her permission. Yoshika then tries to make contact with the Neuroi, with the Neuroi bringing out its core, just like Neuroi-tan (yes, everybody calls “her” that now) did. However, after confirming that it’s not the same as Neuroi-tan, (via a sneaky beam shot, the fucking sly bastard robot) Miyafuji herself brands the Warlock as an enemy. And so the dogfight ensues.

IT’S A TRAP!

While Yoshika is busy with the Warlock, some of the other Witches took liberty into taking care of the stupid guys behind the 1st Assault Unit, which was perfectly executed by Trude, Erica, and Minna. The others also made effort to go back to the base under their own accord (with Mio and Perinne getting nearly killed, if not for the timely intervention of Lucchini and Shirley). And the with 501st alive and kicking again, the Warlock tasted a nicely aimed anti-tank round that brought it to remission, thanks to Lynne.

It’s not your usual Moby Dick, folks.

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Strike Witches 11: To The Sky

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Shance
on September 14, 2008
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Saturday was fully booked, and I wasn’t even given time to write ANYTHING. Ask IRC people about the situation. I’m pretty much pressed in time even though it’s supposed to be a day off.

But still, fucking bastard got his karma right after his shit. I’m so grateful for this.

So basically, my first hunch was wrong. Minna wasn’t an outright bitch after all, and is just following orders. On the other hand, the other hunch about the 501st getting disbanded is unfortunately correct. Everyone  was forced to return to their homes, while the 1st Special Assault Unit, a.k.a. Warlock, takes over the Neuroi frontlines.

Out of all the Witches, Miyafuji is the most affected. Her disobeying orders is already grave enough. What more if she was the reason why the 501st got disbanded? That’s one big burden to carry on your conscience. This is where Minna breaks her cold demeanor (at long last) and starts to act like the old good Minna everyone wants. Too bad, it’s the second to the last ep already.

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Strike Witches 10: Trust and Friendship

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Shance
on September 5, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
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So I was right all along.

More elaboration on the Neuroi, at the price of Mio and Miyafuji. Minna has ordered Yoshika to be detained, even though the latter was the reason Mio was saved from the critical ordeal of the last ep’s encounter. Yoshika tries defend her beliefs on the matter, saying that the Neuroi that she met just now is “different” from the those they have fought. Of course, the others shunned this fact for the sole reason that they were fighting them as “enemies” longer than they would try to recognize what the Neuroi were really trying to say.

The whole base is scattered in chaos due to Miyafuji’s actions. Mio tries to understand why Miyafuji hesitated, while Lynne is determined to follow Yoshika because she believes her. Yoshika is determined to see for herself the truth about the Neuroi, while Minna and the others follow suit with the order of shooting Miyafuji down. This time, alliances and things tied to one another are broken. It’s going all going to boil down to what one believes, and this time, not everyone’s on the happy side. This is the military, after all.

Impressive CG. I so want a Neuroi Hive now…

The humanoid Neuroi returns, telling Yoshika to follow it inside the Neuroi hive. It then relayed events in the past: On how the Neuroi was found as a core fragment, on how the military is currently and constantly experimenting on them, on how they’re trying to make contact to anybody for an understanding of the current situation. When this was concluded, and Yoshika has nearly understood everything, something came up.

“You disappoint me yet again, Starscream.”

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Strike Witches 9: Things I Want To Protect

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Shance
on August 31, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
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As I expected, my predictions were true. So much for the anticipated Mio-Minna lovey-dovey. And since the dorama is out in the open, along with a lot of extensive information and all that blablabla, I got a good dose  character material for today’s ep. You’ll have to pardon the tl;dr.

Minna’s held Mio (thank you TheBigN for correcting me) at gunpoint, and requests her not to wear a Striker Unit again. Of course, Mio isn’t surprised. The incident from last ep was something that was expected by both persons, though they don’t want to admit the fact. But still, Mio insists that she must still fly.

But really, it’s a given that you must give in on a Lady In Red.

Thus, we get the idea of why Mio was recruiting Yoshika for the 501st, and why she’s taking so much interest in her: First, she’s a prominent personality, considering Minafuji’s father was the Striker Unit’s creator. Second, Mio needs a replacement, a certain someone who’ll take her place if something happens to her. Now we see Perinne being childish, Yoshika being serious, and the atmosphere between the factions of the countries that are involved intensifying. No wonder they’re trying to silence Minna.

“You know too much. DO NOT GET INVOLVED.”

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Strike Witches 8: Forget-Me-Not

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Shance
on August 29, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
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Minna’s ep! MYLF alert! MYLF alert!

Yoshika tries to bond with the other military members of the 501st, only to do so in vain. Commander Minna said that everyone was ordered not to have any kind of conversation or physical contact with any Witch, even if the Witch herself was the one who approached. Of course Yoshika was bewildered by the order.

She was then called in by Minna, and was surprised to meet the captain of the recently fixed Akagi. The captain actually wants to express his thanks to Yoshika for a job well done on the Akagi Neuroi attack. She was given a present, which Minna didn’t quite like. Then, he proceeds to talk about the planned strike against the Neuroi territories.

Why, thank you.

And BOOM! Minafuji suddenly gets some kind of admirer from a humble sailor of Akagi’s crew. Boldly presenting a letter, he openly tries to sum up his remaining courage and present his confession of love written in paperba-WAIT! What the fuck? Why am I doing some kind of novel skit on something that’s not even fucking good or funny? Yoshika tries to muster up an answer to the sailor, only to get screwed up by the wind… and by Commander Minna.

OHSHIAT!

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Strike Witches Halftime Report

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Shance
on August 19, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
. 2 Comments

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.

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Strike Witches 6: Solidarity

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Shance
on August 13, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
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So much for getting backlogs again, but bah, what the heck. We’re already halfway through the Strike Witches series anyways, so I think this is where we go smooth cruisin’…

Or so I think…

In Soviet Russia, Sanya is your God.

I didn’t expect Sanya V. Litvyak’s story out so soon. More like I prefer shy personas introduced last than introduced somewhere else. Eila Ilmatar Jutilainen was an added value service for the episode as well.

The episode starts at night, which is obvious since we’re talking about Sanya here. It seems that the various governments and unions are trying to temper the squadron down with more policies and budget cuts and all that stupid rules and laws and shit.  That’s predictable. Any nation wouldn’t want another nation to get so powerful enough even at this point in time. This proves that they’re trying to level each nation down into equal terms, at least until they finish this Neuroi gig. After that, well, it’s about time they whack each other’s brains out… AGAIN.

To ask for Strike Witch yurisex: Stick a tongue out. If they answer with their own, then you’re on.

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Strike Witches 5: Swift, Gigantic, And Soft!

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Shance
on August 8, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
. 2 Comments

I got lazy so hard I lost half my lifebar. So much for not having an entry for yesterday? Maybe, maybe no. I just don’t feel like moving for a day, so I was forced to return inanimate for at least a few hours.

Anyways, we move on to the fifth ep of Strike Bitc-I mean, Strike Witches, where we now focus on the speed maniac under the name of Charlotte Yeager. With the rank of lieutenant and a passion for acceleration, she’s the healthy AMERIKKAN chock full of BEWBS. Oh geez, are we going to talk about another F-cupper?!

Also, Minafuji loves BEWBS. She’s starting to amuse me.

NICE ONE.

The episode starts with the whole squad deciding to go to the beach, partly for training, but most for amusement. Well, that’s at least for the majority of the group. Yoshika and Lynne have to start survival training, which includes underwater training with their Striker Units on. Survival procedures after a shootdown, or probably trying to use the units as underwater propellers? Seems like predictable shitdrills to me.

Of course, some parts of the ep also focus on the fanservice. Swimsuit fanservice. It’s like they’re fucking mocking us to go to the beach at this season. That aside, the “Moe Swimsuit Episode Witch” award would have to go to Erika Hartmann, who cutely dog-paddles her way to enjoyment while she slowly wades into the territory of one of my personal moe sanctions.

Seriously, everything else can just get the fuck off puppy-waddling Witch.

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Strike Witches 4: Thanks

Published
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Shance
on August 2, 2008
in Anime and Strike Witches
. 1 Comment

Okay, two backlog eps. Hope I can pull this off on the weekends, even though I don’t even know why my schedule’s so cramped on my rest days. WHAT THE HELL?!

Next on the spotlight for this episode is Gertrud Barkhorn, the “hardened” Witch with the rank of Lieutenant. There was already implications about what happened to her during the Neuroi attack on Europe, it was made to see the light that she had a sister, Chris, that she tried to protect while the rest of the people evacuated to Britannia. She failed, and now Chris is into a coma. Now, if only she would stop remembering her when she sees Yoshika…

Bedsex: Not again…

So that’s the reason she primarily avoids Minafuji. The way Trude sees her sister in her distracts her that even if she tries to avoid, she still gets affected. This worsens by the minute, and Yoshika herself was bothered by the ire of the upperclassman. Not like we care, but hey, it’s Yoshika the protagonist we’re talking about. I feel like watching a harem anime that has a female lead instead of the usual male one. But then again, that’s another typical genre overall.

Franchesca tsuntsun is so majestically done by Chiwa Saito, I nearly didn’t care less on Perinne tsundere.

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