Well one thing I can tell you is that this show is not about tennis.
I’ll be honest my original expectations were pretty low for this show before the Pre-air. Having Nissan be part of the mechanical design seemed like a sure invitation for a design as ugly as the Nissan Cube. Suffice to say I am fairly pleased with how things have turned out so far, it also helps that Megumi Nakajima is doing the OP and the End themes. I make no secret of how much I hate whiny pilots who can’t shut up about “war bad, peace good” and if nothing else Madoka isn’t the whiny type. In fact she’s the genki sports girl (who takes it to 11 with her Balance Band) who literally does everything except maybe make toast. I still have no idea what the Jersey club is supposed to do but from what we know it seems to be a Jersey collecting club that helps out every other sports club out there.
So far the funny bits haven’t fallen too flat and they aren’t over doing it, however I am not sure if this will stay all fun and games. Demetria and L’Egalite are probably from the same homeworld, and I am sensing a civil war. Quite how Earth is a brighter star than Demetria and yet a ghost of a planet remains to be seen but at this point it is possible that Demetria is dying though why the humans have sided with L’Egalite will be interesting to find out. Given the nefarious squint of the Butler of L’Egalite and Lan’s misgivings over recent events there could be a darker tone in store. Lastly since all Madoka was asked to do was sit back and hold on her wellbeing isn’t of primary concern for L’Egalite, that or they are really that desperate.
Madoka being saved from drowning goes a long way in explaining why she’s always trying to help and is ever ready to jump into the ocean to save people. Having a near death experience at least made her more willing to do more in life than most people would, and we have yet to see any wasted effort. However it seems that her Nee-san knows a bit more about piloting robots, and perhaps we shall see if Madoka was really saved or is simply living on borrowed time. That mark on her butt could be a mark of ill fate if things go dark on this series. Fanservice does come in bunches for this series and while no one seems to be flat there is plenty of indication aside from Lan’s war on pants to indicate that the Rinne no Lagrange crew are fans of “Baby got Back” I just hope it doesn’t get too excessive. Still that piloting get up is if nothing else different.
I am quite happy that this story looks to be about Lan and Madoka as well as Robot Fist Fights. I was giddy when I saw that beams were less than useless in the face of a sub space field. I just hope it means close combat and not beam spam duels. Not bad for a first episode and I must say I like Madoka’s Maru move. It’s great that Madoka and Lan were able to get along so well I just hope that they do GET FRIENDLY and do this and that from time to time. Given the most welcome lack of Y chromosome in the L’Egalite piloting corps it will be fun to rant and rave about how the Demetria boys are whiny unworthy heathens unfit to pilot mecha. It also helps that Madoka goes to an all girls school… so grab your yuri goggles.
Is there anything she can't do?
Well that's one way to grab someone's attention.
Part of me thinks that she is just rubbing it in, on the other hand I like signature moves...
Well what are you waiting for? Jump in!
IT'S DESTINY.
Nice to meet you, I dig that flower in your hair. Nice touch.
Now if we can make the jump to Kameraden.
And it transforms... can some one get this thing an armor pack?
The timing was perfect.
I look forward to seeing the Madoka and Lan Manzai comedy hour.
We all know where this is going...
Not exactly an ERUPTING BURNING FINGER, but I'LL TAKE IT!
Well thank goodness Array wasn't from the School of the Undefeated of the East.
I wonder if this is almost going to be exclusively close combat... seeing as how beam weapons DO NOTHING.
Either she is that good or that was one helluva bump to the head.
FUCK YEAH, IT'S MADOKA TIME.
Madoka wins. FLAWLESS VICTORY.
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FLAWLESS VICTORY indeed. This wasn’t amazing, but could have been tonnes worse.
As you say, it’d be great if close combat predominates.
It’s easier to exceed low expectations, that being said this could end up being special and hopefully it will be close combat oriented. The OP doesn’t give any indication of ranged weapons that are supposed to bust down sub space fields. Certainly it is of a happy tone, I am just not sure if we are in for something more sinister.
Did Nissan really take part on the mecha design???? Wow I would really be surprise….specially since they just copy/paste Sentou Yonsei Yukikaze`s FRX-99, and just added the pieces to make a Yukikaze/Valkyrie Hibrid.
The series is OK I suppose, but I am giving it a 3 episode trial out and waiting for the third pilot.
And about the beams, I will be glad if they keep it as covering fire, or as sniper shots.
According sources including Crunchy Roll Nissan did have a hand in the design. That being said there is only so much you can do with a bipedal weapon platform, that said I see a bit of Union Flag in the design.
They can keep it but I don’t want it to dominate the way it all too often does in AU Gundam. I am just too suspicious of the variable power of beam weapons at this point.
Fun first episode! Not sure if it will do anything amazing! But I had fun watching Madoka run around with her crazy personality I know a few people are bored with her or they find her annoying…One thing this series will have plenty of random fan service so I can see more guys liking this versus some others xD
They like their fanservice in bunches and as ever different strokes for different folks as much as whiny losers make me irate, there are those who like their protagonists whiny and full of dopey questions. It might not be amazing but at least it will be fun.
Aye aye! *Dons yuri goggles for remainder of series*
Anyway, there were a lot of things to like in this opener. Most notably that it had one of the most hilarious excuses to get the hero in the mech. “Would you like to be INSTANT BEST FRIENDS?” “Sure, NOW GET THE HELL INTO THIS MECH!” I’m pretty sure it went something along those lines. Also, the extremely apathetic head of mission control was great. “So you, uh, want to give some advice or some kind of vague help to the completely inexperienced pilot who we’re pinning all our hopes on here?” “Nah.” And last but not least, Madoka’s seemingly random reactions to things. It takes a very special type of person to be shocked by helicopters but shrug off the revelation that her NEW BEST FRIEND is in fact an alien.
Knowing what we know of Madoka I bet she thinks it is AWESOME her best friend is an alien. As for remote control, they probably need to institute that more for other pilots, since Madoka is MARU.
This looked pretty fun. Much more lighthearted than the other big mecha offering, Aquarion EVOL ( which itself isn’t above some comedy ) and definitely yuri-licious. The obvious parallels to Blue Drop should be clearly visible.
Sadly, my third hope for the season, Bodacious Space Pirates, turned out to be all bad comedy and a really bad VO/animation combination. And I had some minor hopes for a sweeping space epic…
A much more happy tone with Rinne, as opposed to Aquarion EVOL which as you say isn’t bad but gratuitous in its own way. Not sure what to make of Spcae Pirates it was a set-up and it wasn’t blow your socks off still worth trying out for 3 episodes to see if they really are intent on sinking.
Having Nissan involved in the mecha design makes some form of weird sense, since Godzilla (aka the GT-R) was designed with mecha in mind.
Was it? I just assumed that they wouldn’t dare put out something truly horrendous and attach the Nissan brand to it.
i am indifference when it comes to this show but if the development of the story is strong enough, this could be a dark horse of the season
Possibly at the very least it is off to a good start.