hontou ni sou omou?

My interest in the Sound Stage CDs was piqued by some very humorous doujin 4koma which had been recommended by DrmChsr0 and Eleutheria: many thanks!

This particular artist’s style was particularly endearing as he sets up the situation in the first one to three panels based on stuff that has happened in the anime or Sound Stages 1-3 and then delivers the punchline derived from giving the characters a slight tweak. For example, Hayate’s efforts to design the armour for her knights (A’s Ep 6) is extrapolated into full-blown cosplay mania that she cheerfully imposes on her knights, of whom Signum and Zafira are particularly humiliated.

Some of it didn’t quite fit the anime though. That is, until I listened to the Sound Stages which, like the official manga, develop background details and characters further. Great fun.

Sound Stage 01 seems to take place in between Ep 3 and 4 of A’s. A brief rundown of the tracks [images from the Nanoha Visual Collection Artbook]:

1. Four Good Friends After School Fate adjusts to life in school with Nanoha, Arisa and Suzuka. Fate’s adorable - a bit shy and easily embarrassed but happy and friendly.

2. The Master of the Book of Darkness and Knights’ Afternoon General chit-chat about the possibility of Hayate (and Vita!) going to school, whether Hayate prefers being carried by Signum or Shamal, writing names to mark whose ice cream is whose in the fridge, preparing dinner (oden).

3. Love and Kindness Image song by Hayate Yagami (Kana Ueda).

4. Nanoha and Fate, Return Home After playing games, Arisa and Suzuka return home while Nanoha goes to Fate’s home. They discuss the damage done to Raising Heart and Bardiche. Fate promises to protect Nanoha until her magic returns. And after it returns too, of course, she hastened to add. LOL Nanoha wants both of them to become stronger so that those who care for them won’t have to worry and no one should get hurt.

5. BRAVE HEARTs (4:18) Image song by Nanoha Takamachi (Yukari Tamura).

6. Fate’s Resolve..? (3:15) Lindy talks to Nanoha and Fate on the phone, she invites Nanoha to join them for dinner. Fate agonizes whether to ask Nanoha to bathe together because she doesn’t know Earth’s customs on this and doesn’t want to freak Nanoha out. It’s even funnier because of the BGM and Nanoha’s calls of “Fate-chaaaaan~~” in the distant background of Fate’s “OMG! What am I supposed to do?!” thoughts.

7. Let’s Go! Super Public Bath! Amy returns just as Fate manages to work up her courage. The former, who is with Miyuki, suggest going to the newly opened public bath.

8. Yagami’s Family Oden Time, Bath Time Shamal’s cooking can be “dangerous” and have to taste-tested by Hayate before any of the other knights will dare to eat it. Shamal ruins the bath water and they all head to the public bath.

9. Nanoha and Fate, Public Bath Pose. Amy and Miyuki are natural friends, Fate is again very cutely shy and Nanoha confidently reassuring her. Arisa and Suzuka have joined them. Lindy allows everyone to OTOT.

10. Hayate and Guardian Knights ~ Undressing is wonderful? LOL moments when a snarky Vita gives prim and proper Signum attitude, particularly how she calls her leader "Boobs Monster" (おっぱい魔人). Shamal and Hayate manage to get Vita and Signum to apologize to each other. Vita’s grumpy and utterly insincere apology was LMAO - only lolis and yakuza gangsters can get away with talking like that. Hayate envies Signum’s cleavage much to her embarrassment.

11. Bath Relaxation Time! Arisa meets and befriends the “small and cute” Vita. Nanoha is helping Fate bathe, she’s learnt from Arf and Amy that Fate has difficulty washing her hair herself. Fate’s awkwardness is, once again, her charm point. Arisa and Suzuka have been watching them and decide to leave them alone for the time being.

12. Amy and Miyuki, A Little Rest Amy and Miyuki talk about how happy Fate and Nanoha are when they are together. Miyuki finally realizes that Amy isn’t Chrono’s sister.

13. Suzuka and Hayate’s Chance Meeting Hayate invites Suzuka over for dinner but Suzuka has plans with her own group. A narrow miss between the two groups.

14. Nanoha and Fate Love Love Bathing. I am not making this up. Arisa really sounds like another of her seiyuu’s role, Shana, when she whines about how long Nanoha and Fate are taking. She literally pours cold water on the two who were totally lost in their own two-person world.

15. Various roads home. Hayate is really happy about how she and her knights are like a real family.

16. Nanoha and Fate, A Small Resolution Nanoha and Fate have perked up.

17. Shamal’s Thoughts. Shamal hands out the ammo. The other knights secretly head out to continue filling pages of the Book of Darkness. Shamal watches over the sleeping Hayate and resolves to protect and save Hayate.

18. Journey’s Guide. Image song by Shamal (Ryoka Yuzuki)

19. What’s Next. Narrated from Hayate’s POV.