Simulblast! Week 010 Of Spring 2014

Posted on Jun 17 2014

Simulblast-Spring-Week-010-2014

Only a few more weeks of Simulblast! Who will survive and reign supreme!?

This week’s challenge: It’s time for a little bit of nostalgia! Compare the anime you’re watching to your favorite (or least favorite) anime of all time!


Chaika ~ The Coffin Princess (Episode Ten)
Player: Kanashimi
Class: Boss

Chaika Coffin Princess

I have many favorite anime, but it’s quite hard to pick a single one. Most people know me for my love of Sailor Moon, which would be right, but when it comes to this anime, it’s quite awkward to compare the two. Instead, I wish to go with a much more interesting choice, which is Record Of Lodoss War. Most people know Lodoss as an old staple of the D&D experience. From day one I felt Chaika ~ The Coffin Princess had a spark that reminded me of Lodoss, but as time has gone on, said spark has begun to flicker out.

The issue between the two shows is that Chaika hasn’t fully immersed me into its world like Lodoss did. In fact, sometimes I feel like there needs to be more lore in general so I can sink into its depths. Though it did have interesting plot points, and that’s what this episode is doing. Chaika and Toru are exploring a new town, but the stares they’re receiving are rather daunting. Eventually, Toru begins to realize that there are no girls in this town (besides his fair-haired companion, of course). The city also has political issues since their lord is asking for more of their yield when they mine, which results in less magical fuel for Chaika and co. to purchase.

Political drabble is one thing that stands out to me in terms of Record Of Lodoss War as one of the highlights. This isn’t the case here, as it’s really only to get the plot moving forward so the party is able to go after their next body part. In addition, though, this Duke Garvarni apparently kidnaps all the women, and no one has any idea what they’re doing with them. That’s bright and cheery… but matches the more morbid tones of Record Of Lodoss War.

Most intriguing of all, however, is the fact the Lord lives in a floating palace above the city. Obviously to fly they need to use their little dragoon friend, Fredrica. However, this proves not to work due to a lack of entrance and other mishaps. Instead Akari sneaks in with the other women who have been captured, as do Alberic’s crew… Great. I needed these guys back in my life. At least Lodoss had some scary villians…

We find out the wizard named Grad Lancia, who is in charge. Are they relatives of the Duke? Is he dead? It’s kinda hard to tell. This plotline has felt extremely rushed. In addition, apparently whoever is in charge is sending an army to combat the flying fortress. That won’t make things messy at all. Where has this army been the entire time? I love this show, but really? The army itself will arrive in the morning, and some of Alberic’s crew will possibly be able to make it off the flying ship, but chances are somewhat low.

With Akari inside, Toru and Chaika are thrown in through an open window by Fredrica, and thus they can try to find the lost remains. Fredrica and Akari get split from the other two, only to be brought forth before Grad Lancia. There we find a Richardo Gavarni, the Duke’s son. He’s a sadist jerk, though; this is what I call creepy. Maybe that glimmer is still there…

Grad Lancia is able to use an inhalant on Akari to manipulate her mind. It appears that, with this, she might actually turn on Toru and Chaika. As the duo sneak around, they meet a captured girl called Layla. Her face is covered, so naturally I don’t trust her. I trust her even less after she captured Toru and got the mind-controlled Akari to attack Toru. I don’t like “To be continued…” I hate it. Much hate. No wait…

Kana Challenge Successful

Watch Chaika ~ The Coffin Princess on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.


Captain Earth (Episode Ten)
Player: Bobby Henshin
Class: DJ

Captain Earth Simulblast week ten is upon us, ladies and gentlemen. And that means more aliens that wanna drain us of our libido! …Yay? So far the Kiltgangs have revived two new members into their ranks. We now meet a teal-haired woman on a motorcycle who wishes to attain even greater speeds. Then the opening comes in. Thanks to The Editor attacking me out of nowhere, I must now take the opening song and talk about it in detail.

The song is called “Believers High” by the band “flumpool,” which is a four-man Japanese pop-rock group. Their band was formed back in January 2007. The band’s name comes from the English word four, since there are four members. They took the “F” from four along with the word meaning mass, lump, and the word pool. Hence the name flumpool. Their debut mini-album, released on November 10, 2008, was called Unreal and was about 48 minutes long. Unreal sold 250,000 copies, putting them at Platinum certification from the RIAJ, or the Recording Industry Association of Japan. The members are Ryuta Yamamura on vocals and guitar, Kazuki Sakai performing guitar and backing vocals, Genki Amakawa playing bass guitar, and Seiji Ogura on the drums. They also have a full-fledged English site, which I posted on week 2 of Simulblast, but I’ll post it again so you don’t have to look around for it. Now that that attack has been completed it’s time to start the review.

We come to a quiet city with no lack of parks and greenery around. This looks more like a college- or science-based area with lab buildings in the background. At our mobile train base, we learn that Pitz has predicted another Kiltgang activation in one of three spots. They don’t know where, but they know it’s happening tonight. The boss tells them all to stay on their guard because we don’t want another kidnapping like last episode. Teppei isn’t joining the team this time because he was assigned to test out a new airship for Globe. Now you see, I used the word airship instead of plane, right? This will be important later on. Teppei is feeling down, though, because he believes that he isn’t contributing to the team. Wait a second… didn’t you say last episode that you were the only one contributing to the team? Way to contradict yourself, pal. Everyone reassures him that he is doing the best he can, and so is everyone else, so he doesn’t have to worry.

We now see an obviously new Kiltagang, Lin, as it looks like she has won a race and a good chunk of change in the form of what looks like 50,000 yen. This scene shows that she gets distracted whenever a nice wind is breezing by. This will be made irrelevant later, but we’ll get to that. Panning down now to what looks like a very tall college building. Inside we see two scientists working on a machine that can read and hopefully even help humans control their dreams. I’m actually extremely interested in this, because what would you do if you could control your dreams? You could have an epic adventure every night. Not only that, it could help in the medical field on perhaps coma victims and trying to pull them out. Or even those committed to mental hospitals and helping their psyche. The implications of this machine would help the world, but it is pushed aside as Lin enters the room and tries to ask for money from her friend, Mao, as she is the female scientist in charge of the project. Now, it is important that they tell us that the project is being founded by Robyn. But they don’t know if Robyn is the name of a person or a group, so I think this is a word we are going to put on the back burner for later.

We are now outside as we share a touching moment with Hana and Daichi as the Blue Star pendant gets caught on the front of Hana’s dress. Daichi is trying to get it off, but the struggle is making them get closer, and they are now within kissing range, and they both start to blush a lot. Come on, go for it, Daichi! But Daichi gets the pendent off and notices that Hana now has a blushy, disappointed face on her. Daichi, you had the perfect chance, man, and she was wanting it, too! This is what drives me mad in anime like this that aren’t romance anime. They are so cute together, and you want them to kiss, but then the guy pulls back or gets embarrassed. If it was an American teenager, you know they would’ve gone for the kiss in a heart beat. Which is why I think we need to work on our views of embarrassment. The moment is interrupted by Akrai coming down the steps and eating ice cream. She says that she is worried about Teppei and hopes that he doesn’t hate her. I don’t think Teppei knows how to hate yet.

Back at the college lab, we find Lin about to go through the dream machine. Mao explains to her assistant that she is important to this experiment because of her strange dream wave patterns. Or it’s because she is a Kiltagang, maybe? Speak of the devil, Amarok and Moco show up and steal the show. Amarok heads into the room where Lin is as Moco keeps the scientists still. But for some reason, Mao stops the assistant from calling security and says that it’s okay for them to go. Amarok kisses Lin and activates her Kiltagang memories, giving birth to Lieban. This makes the dream machine acquire new data and makes Mao very happy. Until they are knocked unconscious, of course.

To the aquarium we go as Daichi is looking at fish. Lin walks up beside him, and they have a talk about how Daichi feels knowing that one day he will die. Daichi says that knowing that we will die is what makes us strive to do good things and leave our mark on this world. Lin tells us that Kiltagangs believe beings that can die are incomplete and deserve to be food for the strong. This talk leads to a fast-pace running-and-shooting battle in the woods. Daichi, though, is surprisingly well-skilled in close-ranged gun combat as he sneaks up behind her and takes her gun. Okay! When did Daichi become a ninja?! Lin escapes and makes it to her Goodfellow robot, which is a marine-armor-type mecha built solely for speed. Now the goal is to beat them within a certain time frame or else they will become full Kiltagangs, and their mechs in space will activate. This strangely reminds me of Code Geass a lot because of the styles of mechs that are shown, though the big ones remind me of a space version of Big O. Both series I found to be kinda boring. I just couldn’t get into them. After Daichi is slashed and thrown around a bit, time runs out and Lin is teleported in space and into her new mech which is, you guessed it, speed-based.

The new enemy mech is too fast, and they are not able to launch The Earth Engine in time. So Teppei asks if he is able to deploy their new weapon. The boss says no, because the weapon is still in the experimental phase and is too dangerous. But if you have been watching this show at all, you will realize that no one listens to the boss, and Peter Westvillage has already given him out to launch. We now pan out to the new aircraft that has a detachable shuttle on the bottom housing Teppei and what looks like a blue version of the Earth Engine Ordinary. This new mech is called The Nebula Engine. This mech is the same size as The Earth Engine, but it’s more blue and has extremely big shoulder pads that stick straight up. It also has two funnel hands that fire Orgone Energy beams at their opponents.

The new Kiltagang is able to move at great speeds and teleport via energy ports that it leaves behind. It fires lasers through them, and they’re all aimed at Teppei. Teppei uses his Alien Jedi powers to predict where Lieban will be and sends an energy sword right into her, destroying her mech and saving the world. Lieban emerges from her cockpit with a sad look on her face as Amarok and Moco wait for her. She says she’s sorry she failed them but she’s happy that she got to feel a nice wind for once. This is the first time we have seen an expression like this. I know it’s probably nothing, but the way she said it might lead to her becoming a good guy later one.

Back at the college lab, we find the scientists waking up and making sure everything is okay. The assistant tries to call the cops, but Mao stops him, saying that it’ll be okay. Now, is this person with the Kiltagangs or not? We are given an even bigger what-the-heck-is-going-on moment as we cut to her house which houses three Goodfellow pods in her living room. Down the stairs comes a pick haired… I don’t know if it’s a little boy or a little girl because the pink hair and female voice actor are throwing me off… with a pink fur version of Pitz. Oh my God, another Pitz! I am happy now. So that ends the episode. Tell what you guys thought in comments down believe, and don’t forget to vote on your favorite review for the week. I sound like a YouTube vlogger. Anyway, I hope to see you all next week.

This player has paid 10 points the editor due to grammar issues in their summary.

Bobby Was Attacked

Bobby was attacked by The Editor, but overcame the attack and will earn full points as normal!

Watch Captain Earth on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.


The Irregular At Magic High School (Episode Ten)
Player: Kayarath
Class: Content Provider

The Irregular At Magic High School

It’s not what you’ve got; it’s how you use it! That’s the lesson here today on The Irregular at Magic High School. If you’re a magic user, you shouldn’t just panic and throw the first spell that comes to mind. You need to analyze the situation and select the spell that would best solve it. We start this episode with a car sliding towards the bus everyone is in. While many people would panic, this is a school where students can literally take out terrorist cells with no problem. A properly prepared wizard can trivialize nearly any problem, so a few of the heavy hitters cast the right spells, and the problem is resolved. Tatsuya later explains that it wasn’t an accident, but a terrorist attack instead. It is also hinted that Tatsuya has seen some action before; as in fighting in real battles, not the dating scene.

After such a stressful event, it’s time to hit the hotel. Hey, look, Erika and all of Tatsuya’s friends are there! It looks like they pulled some strings to get in. Sure, they have to do some grunt work for it, but free trip! Any reason to put Erika in a maid outfit! Sadly, it turns out their parents made them go, but don’t let that bring you down; next is a hot spring scene! Sadly still, all the girls are in robes during the hot spring scene. Curses! Then it’s party time as everyone gathers for banquet to celebrate the upcoming games. Everyone is gossiping and hanging out, but Tatsuya is a wallflower the whole time. He’s just hard to approach, I guess.

After everyone is settled in, the patriarch of the Ten Master Clans appears. The guy was apparently drawn without eyes, and that sort of sticks out if you ask me. He was hiding behind a magical illusion to test the party goers. The vast majority of people there fail to see through it. That’s not a good thing since the patriarch points out that if a terrorist pulled the same trick, he could have followed it up with massive damage. While you may want to brand him as paranoid, he has a point considering the attacks that occurred in previous episodes. The patriarch then notes that skill can trump raw power and urges everyone to show some mad skills.

Later that night, Mikihiko is once again interrupted while practicing his spirit magic. He either needs to get luckier or find a more private space. Turns out its more terrorists. He weighs his options and decides to go Batman on them. Of course, Tatsuya then shows up out of nowhere to help out, and that’s when the episode ends. What happens next? Only one way to find out!

Kayarath Challenge Failure

Watch The Irregular at Magic High School on Daisuki or talk about this episode on our forums.


JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode Ten)
Player: Elk
Class: DJ

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders

Elk has missed the deadline for this week’s Simulblast. He is considered a No Show and gains no points for writing this week. He has THREE more chances to miss before he is out of the competition!

Elk No Show

Watch JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.


No Game No Life (Episode Ten)
Player: Whiskahs
Class: Technomancer

No Game No Life

Episode 10 of No Game No Life focuses mostly on the background with Clammy and the elf Fi, as well as how they will fit into the group going forward. The first revelation from the ensuing conversations between all the characters is that Fi is actually Clammy’s owner. Within Elven society, there is a class that consists of humans that are effectively slaves, which Clammy is a part of. The relationship between the human and the elf is a bit complicated, however, as Fi actually seeks to suspend the practice of slavery and is already effectively breaking the law simply by being friends with Clammy. Some of the characters describe their relationship as being something more akin to mother and daughter than friendship, but, this being No Game No Life, the actual scenes involving them imply something more romantic than that.

Most of the rest of the episode is focused on fan service in relation to the two new characters until the plot manages to progress a bit toward the actual challenge that Sora made against the Werebeasts. Sora and company (with the rioting human population of the kingdom in tow) travel to the Werebeast embassy to play the game for all the Werebeast’s land on the eastern continent. Before the game setup begins, Sora has an offscreen aside with Steph where he apparently uses one of his remaining demands of her while Clammy and Fi set themselves up to observe for magical tampering by the Werebeasts. Clammy and Fi’s presence does not go unnoticed and causes some amount of unease in the Werebeasts, who are left guessing as to why Elven representatives would be present in a game between the humans and Werebeasts.

The group of main characters move into an arena-like section of the embassy where all the angry humans and some Werebeasts are seated and watching in the stands. The actual playing of the game requires that all those playing be seated in pod-like chairs, so Sora, Shiro, Steph, and Jibril take their places with the young emissary of the Werebeasts. The elder emissary introduces the challenges, what’s at stake on each side, and other parts of the pledge such as the erasing of all memories associated with the game after it has concluded. Sora asks a few questions before grabbing his sisters hand and commencing the game.

The pods insert the heroes into a virtual world, which appears to be Tokyo. The previously confident and somewhat cocky Sora and Shiro are reduced to nothing as their fear of open spaces and people causes them to curl up on the ground and freak out. The episode ends with Sora apologizing to humanity for losing and asking Steph and Jibril to win the challenge for the duo.

I thought about doing the challenge this week before realizing No Game No Life is probably my least favorite anime and I couldn’t very well compare it to itself. I would have tried to compare to my favorite, but I couldn’t actually settle on which one actually is. Oh well.

Aero Challenge Successful

Watch No Game, No Life on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.


Daimidaler (Episode Ten)
Player: Knightshade
Class: DJ

Daimildaler

What’s going on everybody?! Well… I’m not sure if my sanity is slipping or not, but the more episodes I watch, the more that questioning it seems to be more of a thing. I don’t know how much longer I can stay in this limbo of sanity and insanity. Well, let’s find out how much more I can do! This is Kenzen Robo Daimidaler episode 10.

We start off mid-battle between the cool robot and the penguin with its head cut off. We see that Ritz is talking about transforming her robot into something cool, but nothing happens. So, in response, Ritz gets the crap beaten out of her and her machine. The penguin empire can only watch in horror as she is beaten to a pulp. The emperor then sends in Commander Joseph to assist Ritz in her battle. Well, that’s fine and good, but how does he plan to help her? He plans to use his front tail as an antenna to help the machine along… you know what? Fine. That’s fine. I don’t know anymore, but whatever; he can’t do it anyway because it’s limp due to the machine. So in order to regain his “tail,” he starts groping Ritz. You know, I thought I’d be used to this by now but it’s still so dumb to watch in a Mecha show. Well the Joe has a lightning front tail and it looks so stupid! However, I think this leads to probably the best scene in the series. A collaboration of words I never EVER thought I would use for this show. The penguin transforms into the coolest-looking robot in the show, calling it Super Antarctic Humboldt Kai.

Well, looks like we have a fight now! It’s like if a Gundam and Satan had a baby, this would be that baby. Kiriko’s in trouble, but Shouma’s going to sacrifice himself to protect her. However, Shouma is generating Hi-ERO particles of his own and turns into a penguin named Zowie, a penuin commander. Okay, I didn’t see that coming. Still, the way Ritz and Kiriko are fighting to get him to their side is with breast size. God, it was kind of cool, and you botch it up with that! We get a huge explosion and see Kyouko wake up in from her… coma I guess? Whatever, she’s awake. The fight resumes, but, in a strange twist, Ritz is protecting the town, and the Admin seems to be going crazy and letting Kiriko destroy the town. Ritz is getting a lot of support from the penguin empire, and I actually kind of like it. Mostly because it’s not in a perverted way. The two robots use their super lasers, and Ritz wins.

Ritz comes out the winner in the battle and in cool robot designs. Just as Ritz is about to finish off Kiriko, we see Kyoko riding in on the left arm, and we also see the break in space and time. Daimidaler crashes through and we see the return of Kouichi.

Well if I’m going to make a comparison to another show, I’m going to say High School DXD. It’s just as stupid, just as perverted, and just as brain cell killing as this. It’s not a good comparison, but it’s all I have to compare it to in terms of how much I can’t stand this series. I sound like I’m ranting, but I want you guys to watch this and try to come out of this in a positive light. However, this episode was… tolerable, so I’ll be nice and give it 6 cool robots out of 10. Well see you all next week, everyone!

Knightshade Challenge Successful

Watch Daimidaler on Funimation or talk about this episode on our forums.


Week 010 Tally

  1. Kanashimi: 1000
  2. Bobby Henshin: 960
  3. Kayarath: 830
  4. Elk: 810
  5. Whiskahs: 750
  6. Knightshade: 630
  7. The Editor: 110
  8. Midnight: 0

Next week’s challenge: It’s Fanart Friday! I mean… Tuesday! Draw some fanart (on paper, in MSPaint, wherever!) for your show!

Make sure to vote for your favorite review below! You can give your favorite an extra 20 points.

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Comments
  • Elk June 17, 2014 at 5:07 PM

    Sorry guys! I meant to do my Simulblast when I woke up, but I woke up hours late… oops.

  • nerdwerld June 17, 2014 at 6:38 PM

    I’ll vote for Kana, because I enjoyed her review and am also full of rage from the last episode.

  • Bobby Henshin June 18, 2014 at 11:17 AM

    darn it grammar! you have become my enemy.

  • Siege June 23, 2014 at 5:26 PM

    Gonna have to vote for Wiskahs again I think

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