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Monday 3 June 2013

Valvrave Pilot Speculation [Spoilers!]

Kakumeiki Valvrave is an anime about a war between the militaristic Dorssia and the neutral country JIOR. Also, there are giant mechas that turn their pilots into vampires who can hop between bodies by biting their victims. It's pretty ridiculous.

It may be a bit late to speculate on who the various Valvrave pilots will be, since we already know two of them, and two more are all but confirmed, but I'd like to talk about who I think will become a pilot, and which Valvrave they'll get.


As of episode 8, our pilots are Haruto, the main character and pilot of the red Valvrave, and Rukino, a girl whose goal is to become famous. She is the owner of the green Valvrave.

Firstly, the enemy in episode 7's intro says that Rukino is part of a "Golden Seven", which indicates that there will be a total of seven Valvraves.


Rukino notes that the Valvraves seem to come in all the colours of the rainbow, but there are some problems with this theory. To begin with, Valvrave number VI is officially being called the "Violet" Valvrave. If it were following the pattern, it would be the Indigo Valvrave. Secondly, Valvrave II and VII have actually not yet been revealed, and we know that Valvrave VII cannot be Violet, so it must be something else.

Valvraves Two and Seven are missing from the list here.

My theory is that the Valvraves do NOT come in the colours of the rainbow, but instead follow the subtractive colour model, as seen here.



The Valvraves we know of are Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and "Violet". However, I think that this Violet Valvrave is actually closer to being Magenta, which is a shade of violet.


If this is accurate, then the remaining colours will be Cyan and Black.


Now, on to the actual speculation. The preview for episode 9 reveals that the blue Valvrave, Valvrave V, will be activated next.

But who will be in the cockpit? The show seems to be setting up Kyuma Inuzuka and Raizo Yamada as potential pilots. There are a few parallels between these characters, as both have been shot in the right shoulder, and both have lost friends to Dorssia, motivating them into action. It seems that they are going to be the focus of episode 9, named "Dog and Thunder". The "Thunder" part of the title comes from Raizo's self-proclaimed nickname (stop trying to make "Thunder" happen. It's not going to happen), while "Dog" comes from Kyuma's last name, Inuzuka. Inu = dog in Japanese.

Kyuma Inuzuka
Raizo Yamada


With this in mind, it is likely that both characters will become pilots. But who will get what Valvrave? Each Valvrave has a different fighting style, and so far, the Valvraves fit their pilots' personalities. Haruto has the jack-of-all-trades Valvrave, while Rukino pilots the flashy, show-off Valvrave. If this trend continues, then the defence-oriented blue Valvrave will absolutely not suit Raizo's hot-blooded personality. He is more suited for something like the third Valvrave, which seems to be a heavy hitter, and the recent announcement that a model of this third Valvrave will be manufactured indicates that it will be activated sooner rather than later.


Therefore, I believe that the yellow and blue Valvraves will be activated by Raizo and Kyuma respectively, in episode 9.

Of the known Valvraves, only the Violet/Magenta Valvrave remains. I think this one will be piloted by Akira, the hikikomori who has not yet been seen outside of her secluded cardboard fort. Akira might seem like a strange choice, seeing as she hasn't had a lot of screen-time, and has only really served as comic relief so far, but that's part of why I think she will become a pilot. Her artwork makes her seem a lot more serious than she's currently been portrayed, and I'd like to think that obtaining a Valvrave would help her character develop a bit more. Valvrave model VI is the most "mysterious", according to Sunrise, so it would make sense for a character we don't know very much about to develop alongside it.




L-Elf Karlstein is a young Dorssian soldier who has come to be known as "one-man army", due to his skills in battle. He is more than capable enough without a Valvrave, and honestly, a body-hopping L-Elf would be so overpowered that he'd seriously break the plot. Even though he is one of the main characters, I doubt he will be getting a Valvrave.










Here's where things become a bit more uncertain.

Shoko is Haruto's childhood friend, and the girl he very nearly confessed to in episode 1. She is almost certainly going to die. In my opinion, she will briefly become the cyan Valvrave's pilot, but will ultimately be destroyed in battle. I don't have any real evidence to back this up (sorry) but that's how I think things will play out.










The final Valvrave, the black one, will probably go to Cain, the obviously evil Dorssian commander. That is, if he doesn't own one already. He has seemed like a pretty chill guy up until recently, but episode 8 has revealed that he has a mark on his neck, the same mark associated with Valvrave pilots.





Could he be a pilot already? Both Haruto and Rukino show no sign of having such a mark, which suggests something a bit more sinister. Only time will tell whether he is a pilot or not, but my theory is that he will end up becoming the main antagonist of the series, and will bring a black Valvrave to the final battle.

Many say Valvrave is the kind of show that's so bad it's good, and many seem to have little patience for the absurd things that keep happening. Personally, I find that Valvrave is one of the best shows airing this season, and I can't wait to see how things turn out. The theories I have put forward in this article are just that, theories, but hopefully it will be able to convince you until we find out for sure.




TL;DR: I am taking Valvrave too seriously WOOPS

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Thoughts and Meditations: Guilty Crown episodes 1-3.

Don't you sometimes get the urge to watch a bad anime? I know I do. When last that urge hit me, the bad anime that fell on my radar was Guilty Crown, a series I had previously begun but then dropped for quite possibly being the most mediocre thing in the history of the entire universe.

I prepositioned a friend that we watch the series together and nitpick the hell out of it. That friend had in fact already seen the series, and this was his approximate reaction to watching it a second time:



You don't want to know what I had to agree to to get him to watch it again, but eventually, he agreed.

This is a tale of unmatched heroism and unbelievable moral decrepitude - a tale plumbing the depths of the human soul and testing the very limits of sanity. It's a tale filled with joyous laughter and tears of suffering. It's a tale of determination in the face of great adversity.

It's the (mostly unedited) tale... of sitting through Guilty Crown.

Episode 1

(10:46:48 PM) BornIn1142: Maybe this is kind of a petty complaint, but that was a really long establishing shot.




(10:47:19 PM) BornIn1142: Two things:
1. That's a pretty nice song.
2. I have no idea what this music video is about.
(10:47:27 PM) Zach: I still don't

 
(10:47:59 PM) BornIn1142: By the way, I really loathe this outfit.
(10:48:28 PM) BornIn1142: It would be ridiculous and ugly any day of the week, but the fact that she's supposed to be on some kind of covert mission just makes it... wow.


 
(10:49:41 PM) BornIn1142: These mecha designs are butt-ugly too. I don't like them.
(10:49:47 PM) Zach: Nobody does
(10:51:07 PM) BornIn1142: Poor Elevens.
(10:51:15 PM) Zach: SHHH, wrong series
(10:52:43 PM) BornIn1142: If you take Japan's xenophobia into account, the subtext here is just horrifying...
(10:52:53 PM) BornIn1142: Foreign aid = bad. Outside world = bad.
(10:52:55 PM) Zach: Yep, same with CG
(10:53:34 PM) BornIn1142: Note the lyrics?
(10:53:49 PM) BornIn1142: This series is going to explore deep territory like "Why do people fight and hurt each other?"
(10:53:59 PM) Zach: Of course
(10:55:02 PM) BornIn1142: Black Butler used the song better.
(10:55:32 PM) BornIn1142: Wait, Ouma Shu?
(10:55:41 PM) BornIn1142: Ouma... Shu... Omashu o_O
(10:55:49 PM) Zach: Mysterious girl as soldiers burst in
(10:55:53 PM) Zach: Never saw THIS before

 
(10:56:04 PM) BornIn1142: I am not impressed by her "quirkiness."
(10:56:14 PM) BornIn1142: I like the music there.

 
10:56:36 PM) BornIn1142: Do you feel bad for her yet? Do you? DO YOU?
(10:58:33 PM) Zach: Of course
(10:59:01 PM) BornIn1142: I still think this whole scenario is stupid. His self-hatred is based on the completely normal response of not fighting back against a squad of armed soldiers.
(10:59:06 PM) BornIn1142: Whoop-de-fricking-doo.
(10:59:23 PM) Zach: Eh, self hate isn't rational
(11:00:02 PM) BornIn1142: Yes, but this is used to paint him as objectively unworthy.

 
(11:00:19 PM) BornIn1142: Careful!
(11:00:23 PM) BornIn1142: That's a black guy!
(11:00:29 PM) Zach: from JAPAN


 
(11:01:22 PM) BornIn1142: Gai enters with his theme song blaring.
(11:01:29 PM) Zach: Can't complain

 
(11:02:16 PM) BornIn1142: Whew, thank god this Aryan superman was here to get rid of the dark-skinned rabble.


 
(11:04:11 PM) BornIn1142: Excuse me while I roll my eyes at the sensual writing in pain.
(11:04:21 PM) Zach: Hehe


 
(11:04:29 PM) BornIn1142: Holy shit, this broad is dumb.
(11:05:00 PM) BornIn1142: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHH
(11:05:27 PM) Zach: Please USE ME!

 
(11:05:47 PM) BornIn1142: That looked a lot like Anemone there.
 (11:06:41 PM) BornIn1142: That's a nice tune.
(11:07:57 PM) BornIn1142: Also, the ending song is nice.


Episode 2

(11:10:47 PM) BornIn1142: I like the opening song too.
(11:11:29 PM) Zach: Everyone does

 
(11:12:07 PM) BornIn1142: Tsugumi's design is very hateable.
(11:13:24 PM) BornIn1142: I can't tell if this power looks cool or stupid.

 
(11:13:58 PM) BornIn1142: *butt-poke*
(11:14:03 PM) BornIn1142: This series is trying to piss me off.

 
(11:14:17 PM) BornIn1142: More sensual writhing.
(11:17:04 PM) BornIn1142: Sometimes, less is more,
(11:18:18 PM) BornIn1142: Hey, dumbass, you could just have gotten the cylinder off him when you met him!
(11:20:14 PM) BornIn1142: "The Kaleidoscope" is literally the stupidest nickname in history.
(11:21:22 PM) Zach: 'Mangekyo' sounds better I guess



 
(11:22:25 PM) BornIn1142: This is a bit over the top, isn't it?
(11:22:47 PM) Zach: No lie
(11:23:47 PM) BornIn1142: I wonder if they ever explain the name "Undertaker." That should be good...
(11:25:01 PM) BornIn1142: Man, that Humvee has good handling.
(11:26:50 PM) BornIn1142: I am less than satisfied by this explanation.


 
(11:27:39 PM) BornIn1142: Why the fuck do her boobs need to be in this scene?
(11:29:26 PM) Zach: And the song agian
(11:29:35 PM) BornIn1142: Different version though.
(11:29:49 PM) BornIn1142: Appropriately more optimistic-sounding.

 
(11:30:59 PM) BornIn1142: Who could have seen this coming?
(11:31:36 PM) Zach: and so ends another episode

Episode 3


(11:35:51 PM) BornIn1142: I actually think the "It's the real thing" was a great line to end an episode on.
(11:38:29 PM) BornIn1142: Wait.
(11:38:33 PM) BornIn1142: Shu's in Genshiken?
(11:38:51 PM) Zach: And herewe- he is?
(11:39:03 PM) BornIn1142: Society for Contemporary Visual Culture.
(11:39:14 PM) BornIn1142: Isn't that also what Genshiken is called?



(11:39:34 PM) BornIn1142: Also, this is about the point where I stopped watching the first time around.

 
(11:40:17 PM) BornIn1142: Really? Seriously?
(11:40:47 PM) Zach: SERIOUSLY
(11:41:13 PM) BornIn1142: Inori is genuinely the worst attempt at making a character "striking" that I've ever seen,
(11:42:58 PM) BornIn1142: She's just completely unashamed waifu-bait.
(11:43:31 PM) Zach: No lie


 
(11:43:41 PM) BornIn1142: I want this guy to turn evil.
(11:43:55 PM) BornIn1142: He has a sinister air about him.
(11:44:08 PM) Zach: What gave you that idea?
(11:44:22 PM) BornIn1142: Iunno.
(11:45:05 PM) BornIn1142: "Someone witnessed us?"
(11:45:14 PM) BornIn1142: I didn't realize they were trying to keep a low profile...
(11:45:31 PM) BornIn1142: It's a “genetic drug?” Um, okay.
(11:46:01 PM) Zach: GENETICS
(11:46:54 PM) BornIn1142: Inori's speaking voice is annoying to me.


 
(11:47:53 PM) BornIn1142: KIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
(11:48:54 PM) BornIn1142: I cant believe what a half-hearted attempt at making a socially awkward character this guy is.


 
(11:50:58 PM) BornIn1142: Man, it must suck to have a refrigerator reflect the shape of your heart.
(11:51:05 PM) Zach: You SO owe me for this rewatch
(11:51:28 PM) BornIn1142: Heh.


(11:52:50 PM) BornIn1142: Did I miss something?
(11:52:59 PM) BornIn1142: What's the significance of "Sugar?"
(11:53:04 PM) Zach: I...heck if I know
(11:53:49 PM) BornIn1142: The hell is going on
(11:54:07 PM) Zach: DRAMA



(11:54:20 PM) BornIn1142: Dr. Ginger soda?
(11:54:56 PM) BornIn1142: Now it's an instrumental version of that song.
(11:55:49 PM) BornIn1142: The moral of the story: mercy is for the weak.
(11:56:11 PM) BornIn1142: Right...
(12:26:52 AM) BornIn1142: So, what are your thoughts about Guilty Crown so far?
(12:26:56 AM) BornIn1142: Scintillating, ain't it?
(12:27:03 AM) Zach: It's as "ho hum" as the first time I saw it

Thursday 7 June 2012

AAMS Schedule, 2011-2012 Part 2.

Here's a list of every anime we watched in the spring term of 2011-2012.


You can find a list of what we watched last term here.




Saturday 5 May 2012

Top 5 Anime Episodes: #1.


The list of my favorite anime episodes so far:

This post will only have moderate spoilers, nothing that would ruin anyone's viewing of the series.

My all-time favorite anime episode is...

Friday 16 March 2012

Subtext in Spice and Wolf.

One of the many things I like about Holo's and Lawrence's relationship in Spice and Wolf is that the viewer has to do a lot of reading between the lines to get a full grasp of what's going on. Oftentimes, you realize the dialogue is filled with innuendo and what they're not saying is as important as what they are saying. So, just for fun, I decided to take a brief snippet of conversation from the first episode of the second season and add in my interpretation of what the characters are thinking.

I'm being genuine here, mind you. I'm pretty sure this is close to the intended suggestion. If you disagree, feel free to tell me why.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Top 5 Anime Episodes: #2.

The list of my favorite anime episodes so far:

As much as I'd have liked to avoid spoilers in these posts, this concerns a series finale and as such has mega-spoilers.

Number 2:

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Three Reasons for Why AnoHana Is an Awful Series

At some point before Christmas, I had the idea to write a point-counterpoint article for this blog on the subject of a certain anime's quality. Unfortunately, the other party never got back to me with proper counterpoints, so I'm just going to put this out here as a general discussion of why it sucked. I encourage anyone reading this to come up with arguments on why I'm wrong. That means addressing my points specifically rather than bringing up things that the anime got right; I acknowledge that not everything in it was bad.

The anime in question in Ano Hi Mita no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (usually shortened to AnoHana for reasons of maintaining sanity).