I first stumbled on AniAri about a year ago, while looking at some School Days related sites, and read the entry for School Days Episode 5, which at the moment didn’t have any subs and thus caused me to spoil myself the shocking conclusion. A bookmark and a year later, and now I’m joining the AniAri team…wow…

Of course, I’m very grateful to Shirukii for choosing me to be one of the three new writers after viewing my entry and I hope to continue adding great content for this great site. I really look forward to getting some feedback on the readers on my own entries, I’ve really enjoyed seeing all of your (sometimes humorous) responses to anime, and I can’t wait to see what you say about my own. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!

LOVE AND PEACE!

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Divine Assault: Ether Strike.

Wow…just…wow…I mean, everything…wow…O.O So today, we finally get our big battle, and all major pilots come back into play, with the exception of the Chinese Federation since they had screen time last episode, except things weren’t as epic as today’s. There were quite a few (apparent?) deaths this episode too. I have to say, this is one of the best episodes so far. The last time I was this pumped up for a battle was Season 1’s last battle. Personal preference, but I feel this to be the best battle-related episode of R2.

I keep forgetting they have those…

Of course, this was one of the only things that bothered me this episode, the reusing of the stock animation from the 1st OP. To be honest, though, after stomaching Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny’s repeated use of Freedom’s fly-by, Freedom’s laser dodging, Freedom’s laser spamming, Freedom’s Rail-Gun Spamming, and pretty much anything related to Freedom, I can honestly tell you that had I not watched either SEED series, I wouldn’t have a paragraph to go with this picture. In fact, I wouldn’t have taken the picture. Balls.

Called it!

Well, then again this bothered me as well, but not production value wise, just the fact that once again Lelouch isn’t as fucking smart as he makes himself out to be. Everyone probably saw it a mile away that Rolo wasn’t going to actually go and get Nunnally back. More ranting about the same shit, with this just being decisive evidence.

“They’ve coming to take me away, ha haa!”

Anya has another Kaminejima spell here, just like when she fought C.C. back in the Chinese Federation battles. Again, I’m still harboring an “A.A.” theory here, but if the Emperor indeed use his Geass on her and persons such as C.C. and V.V. aren’t affected, the only logical thing to conclude is that her memory lapses aren’t caused by Big Charles at all. Whatever the case, it’s just a hunch, but somehow I think Anya will end up helping Lelouch later sometime down the line due to whatever connection she had with Marianne, since the side material implies some important relationship. Hell, I’m wondering if Marianne died and became Anya. o.o

Schneizel continues to hint at whatever he may be plotting. As far as him attempting to overthrow Charles and gain the throne, I’m wondering if he’ll succeed or not and perhaps if that potentially makes things better or worse for Lelouch’s situation.

Shinn Asuka: Destiny! Ikimasu!

After over 5 episodes of frilly dresses and Kallen-punching, Guren makes it’s triumphant return as the Guren SEITEN Hakkyoshiki (SEITEN stands for some complicated shit, so look that up if you must know. At last it’s better than coming up with an anagram for GUNDAM). Sporting a Darkness Finger extending Radiation Wave arm, Turn A’s Mustache enlarged antennae, and some Wings of Light Energy Feathers, the Frame basically becomes a pink energy ball of pure destruction when it enters Deathscythe Hell’s Active Cload Mode folds it’s wings around itself. Reminds me of Pikachu’s special in Brawl…anyways, despite being as ridiculously overpowered as Strike Freedom’s first appearance, it makes a very impressive first run…

SHOOP DA WH- *dies*

By first taking out Luciano’s accompanying Valkyrie team (which is (un)surprisingly all female pilots…maybe they’re virgins too? Check their necks!), then dismantling all his weapons, asking him his “What’s important to you?” qestion before blowing his Frame to bits. I didn’t expect a Knight of Rounds member to go down so quickly, but I’m really glad Luciano died first, he’s about as cocky as Gino with more bloodlust. So yeah, if you’re wondering, I want Gino to die next.

Especially since it seems like he and Kallen bonded for all of 3 episodes that featured them in short clips, and is destroying my LuluXKallen shipping (all my fanfics are worthless now!). If this means later down the line Kallen should betray Lelouch because of Geno, I will take back all the respect I have for her…except for the sexual respect I have for her boobs…and ass…hmm, it’s time to visit /h/ real quick…

Click right for details on this statement. O.O

Asahina finally gets the information he needs regarding Zero (as far as it concerning the Geass Order massacre) from that one pilot, who dies in this episode. We’re not told what it is, but the Kuro no Kishi-dan may finally start having it’s internal conflict right now, which leads to me wondering again if Lelouch will come clean about his identity. The question is when it’ll happen, in the next 3 episodes in order to regain order, or in the last 3 episodes in order to crumble the Rebellion.

Heh, they’d never think to look in here in my…arm!

And Cornelia gets out? What the fuck, why didn’t she just do that in the first place? More importantly why didn’t they search her more? That’s another fuck up Lulu!

Oh shi-

Since Guren now surpasses Lancelot’s power level, Suzaku thinks to give in, but since Lelouch’s Geass once again comes into effect for Suzaku to live, he does the one thing he wouldn’t have under normal circumstances: firing Freya (I don’t care if it’s now called FLEIA, I love Valkyrie Profile dammit!). As seen above, the blast does massive damage that encompasses the entire Government Settlement building Nunnally, Rolo, Sayoko, Asahina, and Ms. Romeyer (the snooty glasses bitch). Asahina presumably dies in the explosion, but I greatly express the presumable part because…

Sayoko: (please select one)
A. Escape no Jutsu
B. Wood Replacements no Jutsu
C. Invincibility no Jutsu

While the prospect of Nunnally dying is no doubt supposed to serve as a catalyst to make Lelouch go ape-shit over everyone, the fact that Sayoko is with Nunnally makes me believe that they’ll survive somehow. The only reason I would see why Nunnally has to die so soon is to imply Lelouch won’t find happiness anymore at this series’ end and thus will die as well. I have a hard time believing that though, one reason being is that Nunnally needs to find out Zero’s identity.

JIN!!!! ; . ;

Not everyone has plot armor though, and Guilford acts to protect Lelouch from entering the sphere of destruction. With Guilford’s last words, there’s a hint of what Lelouch may remember about telling Suzaku to live on, and thus know why he launched Freya.

Of course, this is mainly going to be the driving force of Cornelia. As it stood, I had no idea if she would eventually join Lelouch or not, but she’s bound to figure out why Guilford starting acting the way he did, which means she may just become as crazy as she was when Euphie died.

Keikaku Doori!

And yet, here’s Prince Shnitzel (no that’s not a typo), quite pleased with himself. I’m wondering if he planned Nunnally to die in the explosion, since he obviously planned Suzaku to fire it due to the events on Kaminejima. In the aftermath of this battle, will he take over as Governer in Nunnally’s apparent death?

It’s okay Nii-san, I’m here…ahn! Nii-san…ecchi…

Thus in the explosion Lelouch snaps and asks Rolo if he could talk to Nunnally, with Rolo replying that she’s dead, and Lelouch continuously asking if he could speak to her. Catalyst for Rolo: finding out that Lelouch cares more for Nunnally, and thus turn against him again. Especially since the title for next EP is called “Betrayal.”

PREVIEW SHOTS:

We’ll finally know the locket’s secret as Lelouch bitch slaps it off Rolo’s hand!?

Shinn and Lunamaria Lelouch and Kallen kiss in the apparent death of Meyrin Nunnally?

More troubles for Moral Fag!? FUCK YEAH!

What I wonder if Suzaku will blame Lelouch for using Geass to influence him, or himself for firing the shot that apparently killed Nunnally. We’ll see…

“You flew too close to the sun!”

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Shirukii’s take:
Jay’s post piqued my interest for a strange reason, in his writing I saw many elements of my own style, catering to plot and character analysis. While it lacked my penchant for conjuring up plot theories and my tendency for making statements that provoke the ire of many a fanboy/girl in the anime community, it picked up the slack with more random references and witty image captions. This is strange because I usually can’t stand reading retreads of stuff that I’ve already written, the fact that I made it through his similarly styled post means that there’s something more to it, and I can’t wait to read more so I can figure it out.