While I agree with Omni that things seem to have slowed down, this episode also filled me with dread and fear for Wilhelmina. It feels too much like an episode designed to get audiences to feel sympathy for a character as well as for the lead character(s) to realize the importance of designated side character before said character gets SUNRISEd (i.e. killed off). While this is J.C. Staff at the helm, I just can’t shake the ominous feeling. Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re not out to get my favourite character!!
Light novel readers, no spoilers please. If you absolutely have to in order to avoid bursting, please use the spoiler tags.
Continue reading ‘Shakugan no Shana Second 5′
I LOL’ed a lot during the first half of the episode (right from the moment the BGM and Alastor intro came on due to the Shana-tan effect) and enjoyed the action in the second half. Got an early scene of my favourite aspect of Shana x Wilhelmina interaction i.e. an embarrassed Shana shooing Wilhelmina away and the increasingly flappable Meido Manipulator of Bandages looking surprised and hurt.
Continue reading ‘Shakugan no Shana Second 2′
A fun first episode. Agree completely with Kabitzin that it was a good way to recap and build up momentum at the same time. The love triangle (soon to be square?) seems a good reason to give a flying poop about this series assuming, of course, that it doesn’t go tits-up like ZnT2. The major hooks that have gotten me along for this ride are:
Continue reading ‘Okawari! Shakugan no Shana Second 1′
Main Office: ‘Because you have yet to reach the primary objective of ComiKet 72, I cannot release your limiter to $$ rank. Will a single $ be enough?’
Zyl: *thinks for a while* Hai! Jyubun ya! ;)
TBC. Apologies, had a really late night last night. Update of yesterday’s Akiba III and Ikebukuro adventure when I get back later.
[Edit: Updates after the jump.]
Continue reading ‘Mechanical Zaku Maniacal Zyl $pender$’
We of English-speaking fandom tend to laugh or lament over Engrish or Japlish in anime de arimasu. But it also seems that anime repays the favour by making fun of foreigners who speak Japanese either with not quite contextually correct use or by adding unnecesary bits to sentences de arimasu. A Japanese friend told me that one of her non-Jp colleagues introduces himself with the “-san” honorific and refers to himself in the third person de arimasu. She was too mortified to correct him and suspects he learns his Japanese from six year old female anime characters de arimasu. (Btw she also tends to add “desu” at the end of her English sentences when speaking quickly LOL de arimasu.)
The unnecessary addition that comes to mind right now is: “de arimasu” (であります - It is so.) Wilhelmina Carmel, power maid of Shakugan no Shana and the hapless Keroro Gunso (screencaps above)both add this to the end of most of their sentences de arimasu. Former is a foreigner and latter is an alien - though the Japanese may consider both to be the same thing if my first impression of Japanese immigration booths is anything to go by de arimasu (many years ago, seeing the word "alien" under "外国人" at Narita arrivals de arimasu). Keroro Gunso is a comedy and Keroro’s use of “de arimasu” (especially in the titles of each episode’s two parters) is funny but being bombarded by a string of “de arimasu” suffixed sentences from straight-faced Wilhelmina had me guffawing through Ep 15 and 16 de arimasu.
Finally a note of thanks to Jason for opening my mind to the gem that is Keroro Gunso (lesbian ninja girl Koyuki being an initial draw) and to Hitoribochi Fansubs for bringing this as-yet-unlicensed series to English-speaking fandom and even making it even funnier (e.g. “You dares to call my Sergeant ’stupid frog’? That’s unforgivable, bitch!” ) de arimasu.