Tonights Recitations From Kipling Will be Performed by Rory Mercury
From episode 8 of GATE which continues to be highly intelligent and entertaining. This is despite having a girl in a Gothic Lolita outfit adorned with fake wolf ears speaking before the Japanese Diet...or perhaps because of it.
The last episode indicated that our heroes would be returning to Japan from fantasy Middle Earth Land to be debriefed, and the civilians representatives from the other world would be interviewed. This was pretty much what happened. Of course coming out of Middle Earth into Shibuya rather IMPRESSES the visitors. In short order, Itami, Leili (acting as translator)Tuka and (God help us all) Rory Mercury all are asked to testify before the Parliament...
Now. Pick out the person from the above lineup most likely to cause the whole thing to go to worms...
The testimony quickly becomes heated as an opposition MP accuses Itami and his squad of negligence and/or cowardice during the battle with the dragon, resulting in 150 civilian deaths. Tuka(sp?)and Leili are somewhat confused by her line of questioning but answer honestly, giving her nothing to work with. She then calls up Mercury, misreading her formal veil as indication that the is in mourning for the dead rather than enjoying their aftertaste.
Rory knocks it out of the park. In the process of articulating a shorter, less poetic version of this, she points out that the 3rd recon unit did not allow one quarter of the refugees they were escorting to be killed. Rather, they saved three quarters of the group from being slaughtered by attacking and driving off an entity (the dragon) that had them seriously outmatched. She also admonishes the MP for being a whiny little child, after which things almost do go to worms, but for the timely intervention of Itami, who points out that the ages of Roary, Tuka and Leili are 961, 165 and 15 respectively.
Meanwhile, Penã and her guard had a separate, secret interview from the rest, and learned amongst other things that the Japanese have 6000 POWs and are looking to release them.
Oh...yes...we also learn that Itami is a divorcee, his ex-wife is a fujoshi (and possibly a hikkikomori) and he seems to be paying her alimony in food.
We also learn that Mercury's Halbard/Pike/Tuning Fork weighs several hundred pounds.
There's no combat or other action whatsoever in this episode aside from an attempted mugging and a collateral hernia but a ton of stuff happened that moved the show forward including a bit of suspense involving intrigues facing our heroes in Japan, both foreign and domestic.
...enjoying their aftertaste. I'm glad I drink cheap wine; I don't feel so bad when spitting it onto my monitor when I laugh. That, sir, is priceless!
My wife was cheering towards the end of Rory's little speech. But then, we are old, and have very badthoughts such as nationalism, patriotism, and love of Western Civilization (even if its Standard is carried by the East). We just adore this series; yet, looking at places such as the ANN forum, most of the hate seems to based on a reaction to "it's pro-military" or "it's too nationalistic." Ironic that Rory addressed both of those issues in her little homily.
Sometime we feel as if we are aliens within our own country.
Posted by: Clayton Barnett at Sat Aug 22 05:02:25 2015 (lU4ZJ)
2
I think Itami's ex-wife is a manga artist or animation piece-worker. Clues: She's flat broke and starving, but still has a working computer and says something like "Have to turn in one more page by tomorrow...."
I just watched ShiroBako which has any number of characters like that. Plus an only slightly fictionalised Hideaki Anno.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at Sat Aug 22 08:44:32 2015 (PiXy!)
3
Brick, that's a jewel of a line. Well played, sir.
Posted by: Avatar_exADV at Sat Aug 22 14:21:37 2015 (qxzj1)
Hobby Space News of the commercial space industry A Babe In The Universe Rather Eclectic Cosmology Encyclopedia Astronautica Superb spacecraft resource The Unwanted Blog Scott Lowther blogs about forgotten aerospace projects and sells amazingly informative articles on the same. Also, there are cats. Transterrestrial Musings Commentary on Infinity...and beyond! Colony WorldsSpace colonization news! The Alternate Energy Blog It's a blog about alternate energy (DUH!) Next Big Future Brian Wang: Tracking our progress to the FUTURE. Nuclear Green Charles Barton, who seems to be either a cool curmudgeon, or a rational hippy, talks about energy policy and the terrible environmental consequences of not going nuclear Energy From Thorium Focuses on the merits of thorium cycle nuclear reactors WizBang Current events commentary...with a wiz and a bang The Gates of Vienna Tenaciously studying a very old war The Anchoress insightful blogging, presumably from the catacombs Murdoc Online"Howling Mad Murdoc" has a millblog...golly! EaglespeakMaritime security matters Commander Salamander Fullbore blackshoe blogging! Belmont Club Richard Fernandez blogs on current events BaldilocksUnderstated and interesting blog on current events The Dissident Frogman French bi-lingual current events blog The "Moderate" VoiceI don't think that word means what they think it does....but this lefty blog is a worthy read nonetheless. Meryl Yourish News, Jews and Meryls' Views Classical Values Eric Scheie blogs about the culture war and its incompatibility with our republic. Jerry Pournell: Chaos ManorOne of Science fictions greats blogs on futurism, current events, technology and wisdom A Distant Soil The website of Colleen Dorans' superb fantasy comic, includes a blog focused on the comic industry, creator issues and human rights. John C. Wright The Sci-Fi/ Fantasy writer muses on a wide range of topics. Now Read This! The founder of the UK Comics Creators Guild blogs on comics past and present. The Rambling Rebuilder Charity, relief work, roleplaying games Rats NestThe Art and rantings of Vince Riley Gorilla Daze Allan Harvey, UK based cartoonist and comics historian has a comicophillic blog! Pulpjunkie Tim Driscoll reviews old movies, silents and talkies, classics and clunkers. Suburban Banshee Just like a suburban Leprechaun....but taller, more dangerous and a certified genius. Satharn's Musings Through TimeThe Crazy Catlady of The Barony of Tir Ysgithr アニ・ノート(Ani-Nouto) Thoughtful, curmudgeonly, otakuism that pulls no punches and suffers no fools. Chizumatic Stephen Den Beste analyzes anime...with a microscope, a slide rule and a tricorder. Wonderduck Anime, Formula One Racing, Sad Girls in Snow...Duck Triumphalism Beta Waffle What will likely be the most thoroughly tested waffle evah! Zoopraxiscope Too In this thrilling sequel to Zoopraxiscope, Don, Middle American Man of Mystery, keeps tabs on anime, orchids, and absurdities. Mahou Meido MeganekkoUbu blogs on Anime, computer games and other non-vital interests Twentysided More geekery than you can shake a stick at Shoplifting in the Marketplace of Ideas Sounds like Plaigarism...but isn't Ambient IronyAll Meenuvians Praise the lathe of the maker! Hail Pixy!!
