Well, I’m happy with this episode - like the second OP (will talk about it in a subsequent post), Nao onee-sama has been chosen as a Pillar and Ers-chan had some good scenes. However the increased expectations I am now having of this series is also making me more fearful for Ers-chan’s survival. But I’ve finally cracked - I just have to say it - I really dislike the costume designs for the Otome robes!!! Nao-onee-sama’s Spiderwoman robe was the last straw - just too horrible for an otherwise very cool character. While SUNRISE scored big with Lunamaria’s miniskirt and Lacus’ battle kimono and Sith Lord [thanks to T_I for the link] outfits, they should just stick to designing big robots and out-source female costume design to someone else. See Random Curiosity for summary and a more balanced set of screencaps.
Is that thing in the second screenie what’s left of Fumi? Yohko was extracting the corrosive liquid from that area (// Lilith staked to a cross at the bottom of Terminal Dogma and producing LCL and Mai HiME’s 300+ year old Mashiro with her puppet shell) and later, Natsuki asked after Shinso-sama’s condition like she was alive. Later the Pearls assembled before the eye dinosaur for the Pillar selection which also implies that Fumi chooses her Pillars herself. And shows a wry sense of humour for choosing Nao.
Miss Maria ga Miteru. And she has ninja powers - appearing out of nowhere whenever the girls are up to mischief. Even Nao is intimidated by her. LOL
While I like how Ers-chan has become the leading supporting character to Arika and Nina, this also makes me worry for her survival. Two episodes ago, she comforted and supported Arika in her dream-love dilemma. Now she prevents Arika from being hurt by Tomoe’s acid attack and partially takes the blow herself as a result. Though she should have reported Tomoe to Yohko or Chie, it’s not out of character for her to remain silent. Her disposition is usually described as “sweet” and her conflict management style seems to be “avoider” plus she also refused to testify against Miiya in the previous episode.
Though Kurogane very reasonably criticised the lying on the grass scene as clichéd, it give me the *ominous thunder* “be careful what you wish for” feeling. As the OP has shown, we’re in for KIIIRAAAA!!! AAATHRUUUUNNN!!! wrt Arika and Nina. I don’t think either will harm Ers-chan (like how Kira killed Nicol and then Athrun slew Tolloe) but it may take her being killed or seriously hurt (maybe defending both of them from a sneak attack by Tomoe?) to stop their fighting and reconcile them. The best case scenario will be a Lunamaria one where she interposes herself between the two parties, stops the fighting and survives the series. Fingers crossed.
The destruction of Windbloom’s sandship port clearly parallels Alyssa’s destruction of the bridge in Mai HiME. John Smith’s organisation is responsible for it, it cuts off the locale from the outside world and an invasion force arrives. I hope the Otome don’t charge into separate elevator / launch shafts simultaneously though. -_-;;
I’ve had Erstin pegged as ‘designated victim’ for a long time. Though she’s also been built up as the person with the best chance of stopping any Nina / Arika feud. So here’s to hoping for her survival.
(When she shoved Arika out of the way of the acid bottle, I thought, for a moment, that was going to be where she would bite it.)
I’ve also seen posts which call Ers-chan the Akane of her cohort. If she has to be the sacrificial lamb, I do hope that it makes a big impact and that she’ll at least be able to fess up to Nina about her feelings.
Btw, THE John Biles? Woohoo!
With apologies to Edmund Burke: All that is necessary for the triumph of Tomoe is for a good Erstin to do nothing.
Is it just me, or does Fumi’s resting place resemble the HiME symbol (especially that wall-painting in HiME ep 6)? I wonder how she communicates to the other world though. Telepathy?
Arika’s hankie is going to be very troublesome in the future methinks. Imagine the kind of reaction Nina would have if she finds out that her Otou-sama is its recipient?
Chalcahuite, indeed. But as my mum would say: if you catch the villian too early, then the show will end prematurely. I just hope that Ers-chan’s love and sweetness will overcome Tomoe’s evil. Then again I think if Shizuru just gave her a peck on the cheek, she’d melt into a puddle of akogare.
Fafnir, good call on the HiME symbol resemblance. I hadn’t realized until you said so!
Oh btw, have seen the sub and I just love Nao’s caustic nickname for the Pillars - Old Spinsters Military Club (オドル.ミã£ã‚¹.è»éƒ¨). It’s refreshing to see that not everyone is in awe of Garderobe and the Otomes and no wonder Ms Maria is extra super duper pissed off! LOL
So Nao is No.4, Shizuru is No.3 and Natsuki is No.2. Let’s see when No.1 and 5 turn up.