So the powerful Nadesico’s limitations in the atmosphere (phase engine needs vacuum of space to provide all the energy for continuous gravity blasts) and the enemy’s own distortion field has evened the odds. Plus the whole start-stop-delay thing. Well, they had to nerf the ship somehow to set things up for the next episode.

EP-07: ‘The Song’ That You Will One Day Sing Akito becomes hostile towards Admiral Fukube after learning that he was in charge of the defence of Mars, blaming him for the loss of of an entire colony. Fukube salvages a UEAF ship but then forces Nadesico to escape from the Jovians through a Chulip, staying behind to cover their retreat.

So who says human captains are no longer needed? The computer would have made the same decision but it can’t carry the responsibility like the two leaders did in this episode and the one before.

EP-08: The Lukewarm ‘Cold Equation’ The Nadesico appears out of a Chulip in the middle of a battle for the moon between the UEAF and the Jovians. Nergal has kissed and made up with the UAEF with ND002 Cosmos. Akito gets lost in space with Megumi and Yurika but all’s well that ends well.

Kinda like the Stargazer OVAs but definitely happier. They should have just sent out an armed Aestavalis with a properly trained pilot in the first place – but I guess it was still to early to develop Ryoko’s relationship with Akito.

EP-09: The Miracle Operation of ‘The Kiss?’Nadesico goes on a rescue mission, at the UEAF’s behest, amid ice, snow and water. Megumi and Akito play high school virtual reality simulation. A lovesick Yurika gives away their presence but the mission gets accomplished by Akito.

LOL at how Akito got out of kissing (and more) Megumi in VR. LOL at the ‘ambassador’. Good job to Yurika for not accepting Akito’s pity, even if she did descend into delusion again and completely forgot about how she stole Akito’s first kiss. orz

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

My mind boggles every time I remember that Yurika was Houko Kuwashima‘s debut role; I most admire her quietly intense performance as Kirika in Noir and tremendously enjoyed a similar feel from the way she voiced Clare in Claymore. But, of course, she’s very diverse, also having voiced the tremendously popular Kasumi from the DOA franchise.

EP-02: Leave the ‘Blue Earth’ to Me The UEAF, led by Yurika’s two-star admiral father, capture the Nadesico but the crew regains control – don’t under-estimate the power of a Chinese wok!

LOL at the real reason why Yurika was willing to remove Nadesico’s control key and head over to her dad’s flagship; that’s love powah for Akita FTW. And LOL at how Yurika’s dad reminds me of Amelia’s dad, Prince Phil.

EP-03: A ‘Goodbye’ That Came Too Soon Nadesico runs the gauntlet of the Earth’s Big Barrier defences. Jun is recaptured and condemned to continue being Yurika’s ‘best friend’. The escaping UEAF POWs off one of the characters.

Well, that was quick. When Gurren Lagaan killed off a main character, this was the scene I thought of immediately. Though, appropriately, the Nadesico chara had a rather lame death too. I distinctly remember thinking ‘LOL Colin Powell‘ the first time the UEAF Chief Commander appeared and had that Engrish conversation with Yurika. Now, of course, I was thinking of Barack Obama. Though mainly WRT Reginald D Hunter‘s comment when he was asked about Obama’s chances of getting elected: ‘You know that movie Deep Impact? Black man finally gets to become President but the country ain’t worth a shit no more.’ OTL

EP-04: ‘Charmed’ by Sky Blue Space Nadesico arrives at a Nergal space colony. It’s destroyed and the ship is damaged but they get a trio of new pilots and Aestavalis mecha. The trio are, of course, also eccentrics, like the rest of the crew. A mourning Akito and a grieving Megumi kiss, much to Yurika’s horror.

There should be a rule that only females can be mecha pilots. The flight suits suit them so well. I can also avoid noticing how male pilots’ flight suits also almost always seem crotchless. orz I really liked the way Akito and Megumi hooked up despite the OP dictating that Akito x Yurika are the Promised Couple. Timing is everything in love and war. Of course it helps that ex-seiyuu Megumi’s has cute freckles and braided ponytail and Akito’s a decent cook and pilot.

EP-05: Ruri’s ‘Navigational Logs’ With the Jovians only taking potshots at a Distortion Field protected Nadesico, Yurika is constantly on multicultural all-purpose captain girl funeral duty. Howmei explicates a cook’s philosophy on the spice of life. They arrive at Mars after a two week voyage.

LOL at the reference to Captain Juzo Okita from Space Battleship Yamato (isn’t ‘Martian Successor’ so much cooler than ‘Mobile Battleship’ in that Engrishly sort of way? LOL) and how automated systems have rendered Captains as mere figureheads. LOLOL at how Megumi sent Yurika howling in tears through the corridors not just once but twice. And LOLOLOL at Ruri’s ‘You’re a meanie’ exchanges with Megumi. Ruri is often regarded as a Rei Ayanami-type character but IMHO the comparison only holds WRT to the clone and albino part of the chara design. Ruri has a distinct personality that expresses itself in droll humour and endearing precociousness. Her summing up of the previous episode at the beginning of each episode is always a treat. I also enjoy the OTT male ‘next ep’ preview too but can’t figure out who’s doing it…

BTW I will endeavour *not* to talk about Gekiganger as far as possible. Except perhaps a meta-commentary about its parody aspect and its influence on other anime series.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.