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In the latest episode of this season's surprisingly clever slice of life show, Yuki must catch and wash the dog. Hijinks ensue. 

The girls discuss their plans (or lack thereof) for after graduation. Miki stops reading her horror books long enough to conclude that the school being equipped as a civil defense location is actually indicative of some sinister purpose. Yuuri organizes an expedition to sneak into the teachers lounge because SHE MUST KNOW. An attempt at a group photograph goes about as well as one would expect. Sakura Sensei practices her penmanship with heartbreaking results.

I am in genuine awe of this show and how it is able to elicit an actual emotional response from me.

 LIKE SCREAMINNG AND CRINGING!

Oh...dear.  I had previously assumed that the well equipped school was a function of an affluent zip code and an appreciation for civil defense in a disaster prone country. Alas...no

So what have we learned?

The zombie apocalypse happened because of a bioweapon...the school administration was made aware that this was a possibility. And the school is well equipped for a zombie apocalypse...because it was ACTUALLY equipped to deal with a zombie apocalypse. (Apparently it happened at the worst possible time...as the gates were all open as the school was letting out).

One subtle bit...the school is increasingly looking like it actually is rather than as Yuki sees it. This may or may not be tied to Yuki's recurring nightmares.

They still don't seem to have found Megune's epitaph...Which makes sense if that heartbreaking flashback at the beginning...isn't actually a flashback.What I mean is, that it looks possible that when Yuuki says she's going to talk to Sakura Sensei, she could be telling the truth.

I am eager to hear the thoughts of anyone else who is following this show. But PLEASE, use spoiler tags!

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Now boarding at GATE 9 bound for Fan Service with stops in Akihabara, suspiciously opaque hot springs, America bashing, dead G.I.s, a cool old dude, otaku affirmation and normally strong female characters doing the paper doll pander.

Please direct your attention towards the EYES of the EGL at the front of the cabin as she adjusts your belt and attempts to convince you that even if she looks 13, her actual age of 961 means it won't really count as loli. 

Well...

After 8 episodes of sublime storytelling and pacing, this heretofore excellent show surprises us in an entirely new way. 

Ahem...

Mind you, it actually does move along a rather tendentious subplot and there is some character development so this is not a complete non-sequitur of an episode, which is, perhaps, unfortunate, as is it were, I could advise you to skip it....especially if yo've been watching this show with your kids. It just doesn't at all fit with the tone of the series thus far and that feeling rather increases as the episode progresses.

There is at least one bit that I hope is foreshadowing though...

I predict ARCHERY!

We also do find out offhandedly that Leili's magic does work in this world...which ought to be a big deal.

This series is now 8 stellar to 1 meh so I'm not by any means dropping it as of yet. 

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Monster Musume is faithfully following its comic book inspiration into imbecility and squalor, wasting what is admittedly a fairly interesting cast on prurient pandering to the dolorous, disaffected degenerate deviants that make up its target audience.Obviously this is a show I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in admitting to watching...

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...researching the genre of video games known as fantasy RPGs. 

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...so here is something by Patricia Rosemarie Müller.

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...by Makkou 4 to offset the banality beneath the fold.

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In the latest episode of School Live, Yuki organizes a school athletic event, Sakura Sensei tries to get Yuki to address her properly and not drive off a potential new club member and Miki  gains some insights into why Sakura Sensei seems so clumsy. Later Kurumi and Yuri explain to Miki some important facts about the school's rooftop garden and the yearbook project is finished. 

In the meantime, hijinks ensue.

I must say that the music in this show is used to truly excellent effect.

"Good grief Yuki, you're SCARING the poor girl"

This is actually much more than a show about a bunch of girls in school...

 Holy CRAP!

ReallyBored called it. I had given up on this theory because of the fact that Yuri was speaking to Megune (Sakura Sensei)...but she's just been humoring Yuki's insanity...Megune has been dead for...well for a while. Possibly since the first day of the outbreak. 

I began to suspect the possibility again in this episode only because they were doing very peculiar things with POV shots moments before....wham. The music here was just sublime, capturing the sheer madness of the situation perfectly and the pan and zoom into Yuki's blissfully insane eyes capture just a hint of rage that Miki might contradict the elaborate edifice that Yuki's psyche has built...Yuki's not just pitiable she's quite scary.




I had not realized that pretty much ALL of the school looked like this and most of what we've been seeing is Yukivision.

Sakura Sensei had apparently been a Christian, at least she'd been wearing a crucifix throughout the series, so it was a particularly nice touch that they buried her and put a cross on her grave.  



For all of its grim, post apocalyptic nature, the show is about people retaining their humanity and remaining upbeat and decent against all odds.  

...in its own bizarre way this show almost one of those Iyashikei (healing anime).

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...it just does NOT pay to get out of bed.

"My orders were as follows: to oversee the full mobilization of the Rose order of Knights and proceed via forced march to rendezvous in Italica with the detachment you had led to reconnoiter the probable area of operations. The overall mission of unit Rose was to be reconnaissance in force of the national cultural heritage site Arnus Hill, which has been taken by an invading force of unknown nationality. This force had defeated two Imperial and five tributary armies with astonishing alacrity and suffered no apparent losses. These facts made the proposed reece mission of paramount importance in assembling some effective defense of our nation. Additionally, the gravity of the situation indicated that we be marching in a state of tactical readiness and be prepared to engage any hostile forces we might encounter.

AS PER THE TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC SITUATION AS WELL AS MY LAWFUL ORDERS: Yesterday at approximately 15:00 we encountered a small enemy recon force using transport equipment vastly more capable than our own. Despite the danger, my troops obeyed my order to approach without protest. The enemy unit (which did not seem to possess any archers or spear carriers) did not engage, but rather sent out a single soldier, possibly to parlay. I assumed that we had encountered an isolated reconnaissance or foraging unit. Given our army's previous reversals with this enemy this was a rare opportunity and to pass it up would have been, in my opinion, to demonstrate criminal negligence. Thus, I gave the order to engage them with the hopes of collecting intelligence and possibly prisoners. The enemy retreated from the field with my soldiers in hot pursuit, but their...conveyances...possessed preternatural speed and the bulk of the enemy unit escaped. However, Dame Kalgi managed to capture one prisoner, who we interrogated and brought to you with the greatest possible dispatch. I felt this could very well be a development of paramount importance. 

I should add that whatever actions are brought against me, throughout this movement our entire unit comported themselves in accordance with the finest traditions of the Knights of the Empire  and deserve commendation and not condemnation for their performance during, what was, their baptism by fire. 

Now, I mean no disrespect whatsoever to your highness, but can you PLEASE clarify what, exactly I did, or ordered those under my command to do,  that was in any way  a violation of my general orders, my lawful standing orders or was otherwise so wrong that you just embedded your chalice in my cranium."

 

I paraphrase somewhat, but it's hard not to sympathize with Dame Palesti's plight in the opening scene of Episode 7 of GATE. After all, no one bothered to text her that there was now a peace treaty. I mean, nobody yelled at Andrew Jackson.

This was another good episode which despite some silliness remained clever and intelligent. This episode changes the direction of several characters quite markedly, We also find out a few additional things about the other world...

Amongst the more important facts revealed in this episode is the revelation that OMG there are Catgirls...



and there are Battle Bunnies too! 

I must admit, I suspected that the one thing they would NOT have would be catgirls just to mess with the somewhat hapless SGT. Takeo, but hey I'm not complaining. Battle Bunnies is something that I did not foresee at all. The fact that they're in maid outfits is just icing.

This is the best show EVER!

Ahem...

There is also a medusa, which everyone on the domestic staff is a bit leery of.

"We trained her really good, but still, be careful...she'll kill ya."

The backstory here is that the previous ruler of Italica went to great lengths to hire subject races as civil servants in his town (which could have benefits for what is, after all,  a trading hub) and in particular hired cute female members of said races to serve with the rest of his domestic help.

This has two important implications:

1:The former mayor was AWESOME!

2:There are subject races....with all the dark implications that go along with that.

One of the more understated bits of world building in a previous episode was the very dark backstory of the Kain, the exceptional and wise old lady who now runs the house. This is a brutal world, and it is implied that these maids (Human and non) all have similar pasts.

We also learn offhandedly that Itami is qualified to wear a JSDF Ranger badge, which is not quite the same as U.S. Army Rangers, but nevertheless denotes that he has passed a formidable endurance course. Sgt. Kuriabyashi is, unsurprisingly shocked by this.

The concurrent plotlines in this episode concern the raid by the third recon unit to rescue Itami (which is resolved rather quickly) and Princess Pinã ordering her lieutenant, (the Dame Bozes Co Palesti from above) to give her body to Lt. Itami as compensation for his mistreatment at her hands.  Apparently, as a nobelwoman, Dame Palisti has been trained from a young age in the fine art of being sold off as a concubine....yeah....ewww. That Itami is a mere soldier rather than someone of comparable station only adds insult to the atrocity.

Fortuitously, for all involved except perhaps Lt. Itami, Palesti once again fails to fulfill her mission, and again this is due to a lack of relevant information...

"The evolution of the situation in the assigned area of operations was non-conducive to the achievement of my assigned objectives."

...Though, in this case her reaction to the unexpected shift in the nature of her anticipated battlespace included an unforced error on her part.The result of this is that Princess Pinā asks (and receives) permission to visit Arnus Hill...dragging Palesti along to execute if need be.

One thing leads to another and both of them end up being enthusiastically accepted as diplomatic representatives, joining the group being sent to speak before the Diet.

Roary Mercury also invites herself...which I fear canNOT turn out well.

This episode also moved the plot along, setting up a major shift in the direction of two characters (Princess Pinã and Dame Palesti) as well as establishing there are a LOT of really dark aspects to what is, after all, a version of the Roman Empire with feudal elements (tributary states). The dilemma the Princess faced is cringeworthy. She has the weight of the empire and al its subject on her shoulders and she only has the Empire's precedents to guide her as to the likely behavior of the invaders. That it was well established that Bozelle is one of her oldest friends makes her decision (which she clearly dreaded) all the more gut wrenching.

The fact that our heroes aren't jerks and are behaving in a basically rational, non-malevolent manner is a nice touch too. 

This show is far better than one would expect from the premise..."Modern Japanese Army invades Middle Earth."

It is actually quite good and has remained consistently intelligent for seven episodes. So if you have not watched this (or gave up after the second episode) I strongly suggest that you add this to your watch list. 

UPDATE: Over at Steven's place there is a post and comment thread regarding the design changes between the manga and Anime.This mostly concerns the costume changes , which can mostly be explained by the need to actually animate the show...but some of which are truly bizarre. There is also mention made of the changes to two of the maids to make them appeal to the moe' set, but I think that the anime managed to do something subtle and neat here in the process...

Delilah and Persia (Battlebunny and Catgirl respectively) are much softened in appearance compared to the manga. However, Delilah's bubbly bunnygirl countenance changes dramatically...


...just before the 7 minute mark(when she hears 3rd Recon Unit sneaking in) and shortly thereafter, there is a very brief view of her...



...and Persia...



...with their game-faces on as they go to asses the situation. Later we do see them again with their happy chambermaid masks firmly affixed. 

So, while they keep a pleasant facade for honored guests, the show does convey that they have little patience for unwanted ones and are not to be trifled with. I note too that the previous Maquis had kept a Medusa in his staff and the head maid warned Itami that she might kill by accident. I rather suspect that the staff was chosen at least as much for their talents for security as their late employers personal taste.

This dovetails into the fact that this world is fairly dark. It's our HEROES who are the perky happy ones.  

 

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Because no proper young lady should be without her shovel.

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...are in my future, probably until school starts. 

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The latest episode of School Live continues last week's flashback to the club's first field trip...to the local mall.

The flashback contains what may be flashbacks or could be dishonest narration...given that they are from the point of view of Yuki, who is cuckoo for cocoa puffs. This, for instance, causes me to ask all sorts of questions...

 

This is just fuzzy enough that it could be someone other than it appears to be or the situation might be slightly different than it appears. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that Yuki's viewpoint and memories have been misleading.

We now know that the shambling consumers are not blind to their surroundings because of the glow-sticks.

A mall seems to me to be about the third worst place other than a hospital or subway station to go in this situation. A small grocery and hardware store would look to have been far safer raid targets.  

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