(L) Simoun

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Yui from Okinawa

"chor" (=Wings or Corps)

Y'know, the more I think about this, the more I think that Yui is right about the correct term being "Chor." Neville, Parietta, and others are quite explicit in talking to Morinas and Aaeru that the primary focus of the Sibylla before the war was as priestesses, not as warriors. The religious dimensions of the Ri Maajon were their primary focus... and a "Chor" (or choir) of priestesses makes more sense as an organizing unit than any sort of military terminology like "Corps."

(OTOH, having listened to the dialogue all weekend, it really does sound like they're saying "Call"....)

Chor Tempest? What do people think?

[Matrim]

Chor? Come on, I'd like to believe that the seiyuus wouldn't pronounce this as "call" or "core" . Same for choir.

and a "Chor" (or choir) of priestesses makes more sense as an organizing unit than any sort of military terminology like "Corps."

Why? They do fight, after all, priestess or not. I still prefer corps.


Nice summaries, btw.

Spoiler:

I hope the other big piece of the world -- the nature of the Ri Maajon, and whether it's a magic-versus-science series or whether the Ri Maajon is magic from Sufficiently Advanced Techology -- is as well handled.

Spoiler:

Well, if they screw up this, it's going to be a major flaw, so I also hope they will handle it well.

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Matrim

Chor? Come on, I'd like to believe that the seiyuus wouldn't pronounce this as "call" or "core".

"Chor" is pronounced "core" -- the "ch" is hard as in "choir". "Chor", "core", and "corps" are all homonyms, as is "cole" if you're a Japanese-speaking seiyuu not distinguishing between 'r' and 'l'.

Here's a question for someone with better Kanji and Katakana comprehension: on simoun.tv, is the term spelled "ka-ru" or "ko-ru"?

[Matrim]

What does "chor" mean anyway?

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Matrim

What does "chor" mean anyway?

It's Greek (and German) for "choir" or "chorus" -- and a choir of priestesses offering prayers to the Tempus Spatium makes sense as a possible etymology.

Since it's also the German word, is this just a case of wasei-doitsu?

[Matrim]

I see, now it makes more sense.

Talk about trying to guess what the scriptwriters were thinking when they came up with that name. Was it "core", "call", "chor" or "corps"? Place your bets, please.

[Simon]

(Catching up on my AS reading, so excuse me for replying to some old posts.)

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

"That which is beautiful is good." (Literally, "if it's beautiful, it's good.")

Thanks - I had the literal translation, but I knew there had to be a more elegant way of phrasing it. That title fits the promo video so perfectly, too. And by the way, *glomp* for the episode synopses, and *glomp* again for all your great work on the Wiki (at least I'm guessing that's you - if not I sheepishly withdraw the second *glomp* ).

Yui, thank you for posting the OP/ED lyrics! Amazon shipped my CDs on Saturday, but it's great being able to read along to the OP video in the meantime (even though I don't know many of the kanji, just reading the kana helps).

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

I'm thinking specifically of St. Juste from Oniisama E, who was about as far from Nausicaa in voice and temperament as you can get. Rather like Kotono Mitsuishi doing both Usagi Tsukino and Juri Arisugawa....

The first two anime I bought were Noir and Excel Saga - I've been in awe of Mitsuishi-san ever since I realised she was the voice of both Mireille and Excel. How does one person do that? In fact all three of the Noir girls are near the top of favourite seiyū list (Hisakawa Aya does the cutest drunk!).

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I made a page with pictures, names and seiyuus of as many of the characters as I could figure out. Based on the official site and the Japanese wiki.

Is Grand Shrine Empress a translation of オナシア Onashia? Erii says that in ep 2, and it's on the official site, but I just assumed it was the character's name - a title would make more sense however.

So it seems the only two names left outstanding are ドミヌーラ Dominūra and マミーナ Mamiina. By elimination, do they match these two characters from the OP? Mystery face 1 (00:46) / Mystery face 2 (01:02)

I've also gleaned a couple of interesting tidbits reading the AOD Simoun thread. People there have drawn parallels with the sci-fi novels Commitment Hour and The Left Hand of Darkness - both sound quite relevant. More significantly,

Spoiler:

an AODer noted that the under-17s wear necklaces with two wings, but adult males have only a right wing on theirs: compare Erii and Erif. Does this mean adult women wear left-winged necklaces? It suggests that at least in a spiritual sense, people really are androgynous before they go the spring.

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

Neville, Parietta, and others are quite explicit in talking to Morinas and Aaeru that the primary focus of the Sibylla before the war was as priestesses, not as warriors. The religious dimensions of the Ri Maajon were their primary focus...

I still think both chor and corps are equally plausible, but the point you're making here is backed up by the earliest synopses that came out: "They are at war; the country where the main characters live is invaded by the next country aiming at their superior engine. ... To intercept their attack, they convert the two-seater plane for ceremony, Simoun, into a fighter." (My emphasis.)

This fits our earlier speculation that not all Ri Maajon are for combat - if you replace "ceremony" with "ritual" in what I just quoted, you can imagine the Sybilla creating Ri Maajon for all sorts of religious purposes. But then again, maybe their history is one of being warrior-priestesses and the term corps has been handed down from that tradition.

Finally, I was thinking about the nature of Ri Maajon themselves: origins lost in the mists of time, a few hundred basic elements that combine in a mind-boggling number of ways... Hey, they sound just like kanji!

[Yui from Okinawa]

http://www.geocities.jp/emiri_0623/interview.htm

Reprint from "The Voice of Blue Ffortune"News magazine interview to administrator "Halconf "
*This article is fiction , as if Webmistress Yui visit the planet "Sky Land ",and interview wth governner....

Yui: I straine and interview with the "man" of the first time, and more over politician.

Halconf: Hello the lady, and another world vister Yui, Today 's intervier is going to schedule to print at May issue "The VOICE OF BLUE FORTUNE　"
The news magazine our simulaclm nation 's.

Yui: At first I thought he is more feminine face because of , All human-being on this planet who was born of everything of female ,and
reach to the a constant age, they decided permanent physical sex and jendeir woman or man.

Halconf: What go wrong?

Yui：No,I start to interview.

Yui's monologue
* ...He is masculine more than I imaginated before I met, tall and slender , onlly difference is Voice of tone of lower-alto and woman's frame remainings...

Yui :May I want to hear the opinion of the invasion of the "Argentum-Shou nation " in this time?

Halconf:
The invasion, it is clear and a plan filled with the desire to try to plunder of the treasure by which our country becomes it in sacredness.
Fortunately our holy nation is separated by the ocean and steep mountain range, They cannot attack without boat or air-craft, but it is impossible to their Primitive science, until just Now...

Yui :Just Now??

Halconf: Yes, the Argentum people is misfortune,why the nation is Totalitarianism as you talk your planet historical collapse nation so, as like.......

Yui :Yes I talk about our collpsed hisrorical nation example " USSR " or "NATIZ" .

Halconf:
That kind nation's people has No-right to desision of physical sex & jender, The nation force to many of people were Male by andlogen hormone When the new baby has born for soldier or industrial worker, except for the needs few female for population as if Baby Production machine.
The river water and the Sky is polluted, and it becomes impure, and the majority of people suffer from pollution-related disease.

Certainly、our Simulacrum nation has the dicision to prople's physical sex & jender at age of 17, There is at least freedom of the selection of the individual though it is not a total freedom will because the half of the human race must be "Opposite jender or sex".

Yui's monologue
*...I remember the movie "Casshern" BY Kiriya diirecter's movie one-scene, in Dictator's nation of the majority of the people who were suffered from pollution-diisease....

Yui :How will you fight with them in the future?

Halconf:
I want to call to the people "Know Your Enemy: Argentum".
Recently, the event that the remaining soldier from the airframe that crashed in our territory had lurked happened.
The enemy is swept away by the volunteer in my fortunately, the number of these way events is expected to be going to increase in the future though the thing cry was obtained. it is no-permanent our nation defended by the breakwater of nature.

Yui :Are your justice and public attitude as the politician that your daughter Ms.Neviril has gone out to the front of the combat as a Sibylla Aurea (=shrine maiden) by Simoun ,aren't you?

Halconf:
Yes, Lady Yui, at first I'm administrator, AND the seconnd the father of daughter, If she comes back safely, the responsibility as politician's daughter at the same time also really has me in feelings said to her in every case without fail, "
" Welcome home, Neviril " though of course the wish for daughter's happiness.

Yui :Thanks , Gentleman....

-FIN-

Other source is episode 4 & Japanese wiki page ’s Subject "シムーンの世界"
(Trans. The World of simoun)
http://dempa-kitaa.hp.infoseek.co.jp...moun/index.cgi

[Futaba-chan]

Yay! Simoun 4 is out!

Boo! I can't watch it until after work!

Yay! We got a lot of work done on the Wikipedia page last night!

Boo! I didn't get synopsis 3 done!

(Okay, so I'm in a silly mood....)

[Futaba-chan]

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by Simon

Is Grand Shrine Empress a translation of オナシア Onashia?

No, Erii addresses her with a specific title that translates to that in addition to her proper name. I'm at work now; I'll post the exact line when I get home.

Spoiler:

an AODer noted that the under-17s wear necklaces with two wings, but adult males have only a right wing on theirs: compare Erii and Erif. Does this mean adult women wear left-winged necklaces?

The necklaces appear to be radially symmetrical; how would you wind up with a "right" and a "left" to them? In practice, they'd tend to wind around with the wearer's movements.

It suggests that at least in a spiritual sense, people really are androgynous before they go the spring.

That's a very nice insight, although it works equally well without assigning specific necklace sides. Of course, anime does tend to go for impossibly cool clothes, so there could be a right-versus-left symbolism for necklaces that magically never twist, but my guess is that one wing means a military member who isn't a Sibylla, and two wings means one who is.

[MrProphet]

Desu?



That was one funny glitch. 8)

I am officially freaked out by the fact that men in Simoun-land have feminine voices. And I don't mean just the bishounen like the commander, but everyone. It's just weird. Add that to the fact that some men seem to have breasts (like Waporif), and this show makes for a bit of a disorienting watch.

I liked episode 4, but still doesn't click with me as far as the whole series is concerned. I wish they'd introduce at least some elements of a major plot line, instead of just doing character interaction or establishing the world. Which is important as well, but now it's really taking away from the plot.

Also, what's wrong with Morinas? She didn't seem so playful last time? She seemed strong, determined, dedicated in her goals. But now she is smooching with Aael AND she can't hangle piloting a Simoun?

Spoiler:

Maybe it was just that the Ri Magion which Aael conned her into doing was hard to execute, but it really seemed like Morinas doesn't know who to operate a Simoun at all.

Which should not be true.

Next week: another Rimone episode.

[Futaba-chan]

Hey, wow, the fansub for episode 2 is out now. I thought episode 2 was one of the best individual anime episodes I've seen in a long time; I'll be interested to see what sort of a job the fansub has done with it. And how far off I was in my synopsis. :-)

[Matrim]

Nice to see Rimone in a central role in episode four and I think I like Aeru more and more.

I am officially freaked out by the fact that men in Simoun-land have feminine voices. And I don't mean just the bishounen like the commander, but everyone.

I agree, it's weird.

Spoiler for episode four:

We saw more of the enemy side. This guy was one bad shooter, it has to be said. Anyway, it seemed a nice episode, revealing more about the world and characters but I think next episode they should include a bit more action.

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Simon

So it seems the only two names left outstanding are ドミヌーラ Dominūra and マミーナ Mamiina. By elimination, do they match these two characters from the OP? Mystery face 1 (00:46) / Mystery face 2 (01:02)

From the post-episode trailer at the end of episode 4, it seems that face 1 is Mamiina, and face 2 is Dominura (aka the drag^H^H^H^Hbitch queen of the fleet, or so she's made to seem).

People there have drawn parallels with the sci-fi novels Commitment Hour and The Left Hand of Darkness - both sound quite relevant.

A friend introduced me to James Alan Gardiner last year, and I thought Commitment Hour was particularly neat. (And Ascending, of course -- I am not such a one as can get enough of Oar.) I had some reservations about the ending -- the characters' specific situations at the end were baldly telegraphed from the beginning (Chekhov's gun, eh?), and the actual secret of what was going on undercut a lot of the interesting things that the novel had to say up to that point.

Spoiler for episode 2:

Erii's wrestling over gender choices in episode 2 echoed Commitment Hour, and I think did a better job of capturing the emotional impact of it, without any reset button at the end. I'm still pleasantly stunned by the whole second half of that episode.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I guess I'm just bewitched by this series. The supposedly slow development doesn't bother me in the least. And the feminine men's voices are a wonderful way of making us feel the alienness of the world. Episode 4 was so different that it just opened up the series to a whole other dimension for me.

I don't think the thing with Aaeru's eyes was a glitch. They must have intended it, it was so obvious. What the explanation is, though, I do not know. Just one more mystery....

Morinasu's apparent incompetence seemed reasonable to me: Aaeru tempted her into doing something she was not really trained for. Aaeru doesn't understand that other people need training. When she sat in a Simoun for the first time, she piloted so well that Neviril was amazed. On the official site, it says that Rimone is exceptional, too.

Morinasu was playful in both episodes she's been featured in, but I agree she seemed different. I'm thinking it may be different staff...I just checked and it's partly true: the episode director (enshutsu 演出) and animation director (sakuga kantoku 作画監督) have been new people for every episode so far. And a new storyboard person this week, too, as there was last week. We're back to the same scriptwriter as the first two episodes, though. (Info from this page of the official site.)

The music continues to be so weird that it's wonderful. The theme under the whole episode in the woods helped make it seem less serious than it might have. I guess some might feel it detracted from the tension. I felt it adding magic. Like I say, I'm bewitched.

The only slight disappointment I had was that I really couldn't get into Noto-kawaii's voicing of Rimone. It just didn't quite work for me -- maybe because I kept hearing the woman herself, instead of the character. But I do have a few more watches to get used to it, lol.

And I agree that I like Aaeru more and more. It took me a while to get used to her VA, Niino Michi, but I sure am now.

(Please let me know if I should spoiler any of this.)

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Simon

Is Grand Shrine Empress a translation of オナシア Onashia?

No, she's addressed by the title daikyuukou, which apparently means that.

[Futaba-chan]

Simoun
Episode 02: "The Blue Spring"

I've revised the episode 2 synopsis. I'm reposting it rather than editing the old one in case anyone wants to compare to see how embarrassingly far off I was in a couple of places....

Spoiler:

The episode begins directly on the heels of the ending of episode 1. Aaeru has just taken off in her single-seat training Simoun to intercept an incoming wave of Argentine fighters, and Neville has just entered the Mage Pool for some Ri Maajon practice.

The "enemy attack" is actually a reconaissance mission: four dragonfly fighters with drop tanks are shadowing the Arcus Prima and taking photographs. As soon as they spot Aaeru, they drop their tanks and accelerate to meet her. Aaeru returns fire with a machine gun, and shouts a challenge at the attacking fighters.

Back aboard Arcus Prima, Wapourif and the Sibylla from Chor Tempest are watching the battle. Wapourif comments that Aaeru is an idiot for flying out to meet the enemy in a training Simoun. Because it was cobbled together artificially, it can't access the blessings of the Tempus Spatium or perform the Ri Maajon.

Meanwhile, at the Mage Pool, a group of cadets watches Neville practice. One comments on how beautiful Neville looks, which prompts Eri to walk over to them and tell them to take a good look: the Simoun is controlled by the mind and soul as well as the body, and so Maaju practice isn't just about learning how to draw the right line. The cadets recognize her dress: she's dressed in civilian clothes, as if leaving the ship, and Eri wonders aloud if this will be her last time watching Neville's beautiful patterns. As Eri peers into the pool at Neville, she recognizes the Maaju that Neville is practicing: it's the Emerald Ri Maajon from the recent battle.

Outside the ship, Aaeru rams one of the attacking fighters with her training Simoun, which is undamaged. "It's just like flying a real Simoun," she enthuses. She shoves the wreckage of the first fighter that she rammed into a second fighter, which spins out of control and collides with a third.

Anubituf is impressed with Aaeru's flying, and asks Guragief where he found her. Guragief replies that she volunteered, which Anubituf finds incredible: why volunteer when you know you'll be sent into battle?

As Aaeru rams and destroys the final Argentine fighter, its explosion attracts Neville's attention as she exits the pool. She looks down at the smoke trails from the battle, and realizes that the unidentified Simoun pilot (who she hasn't met yet) wasn't just dogfighting -- she was tracing out the pattern of the Emerald Ri Maajon!

Spoiler:

Aaeru lands her practice Simoun on the port flight deck, pats her ship fondly, and is promptly confronted by an angry Parietta. She asks if Paraietta is really from Chor Tempest, and expresses surprise that the none of the rest of the squadron sortied to meet the enemy with her -- she had to fight singlehandedly.

Parietta cuts her off, demanding to know what Aaeru thought she was doing showing off the Emerald Ri Maajon, and how she thought Neville would feel if she saw it. Aaeru is confused. She has no idea who Neville is, and had no idea that she was doing any sort of Ri Maajon at all. Parietta continues: when Simoun Sibylla fly, they're offering a prayer in [to?] the sky, and military terms like "sortie" are inappropriate. She stalks off in a huff.

The other Sibylla of Chor Tempest gather around Aaeru, and Aaeru asks them who Neville is. Rodoraemon replies that she's the Regina (squadron leader) of Chor Tempest. Aaeru is excited at this -- she's heard of the famous Sibylla Aurea, and wants to become her pair. Rodoraemon is shocked (after all, Neville just lost her longtime partner, even though Rodoraemon doesn't have time to say this), which confuses Aaeru. After all, Neville is supposed to be the #1 Sibylla ("Pilot?" Limone teases), right?

Floe replies that she's not sure any more after seeing Aaeru fly. She forwardly tells her that she's fallen in love with Aaeru, and wants to pair up with her. Aaeru brushes her off, demanding to know where Neville is.

Spoiler:

Back at the pool, the gaggle of cadets help Neville out of the pool, and she begins to remove her pool flight suit. Eri silently dismisses the cadets, and helps Neville herself. She comments that seeing Neville practice brings back old memories -- even when they were cadets, she always felt good taking care of Neville.

Neville asks if Eri is leaving the ship. She replies that she is -- she passed her seventeenth birthday a long time ago, and so she's going to go to the Spring to choose her sex. She has one final request: she's afraid of going to the Spring, and wants Neville to come with her. Neville agrees.

Aaeru runs through the port hangar, loudly shouting for Neville, with Rodoraemon and Floe trailing behind. Rodoraemon asks Aaeru (with a pained expression) to please stop using yobisute to refer to Neville. Aaeru ignores her and continues her search through the cafeteria, common area, and park, winding up all the way at the bow observation platform. Floe tags along, helpfully pointing out the function of each space as they pass through it. The bow observation platform particularly impresses Aeru.

Spoiler:

Below decks, Parietta corners Neville as she leaves her quarters, as an assortment of cadets look on. Neville explains to her friend that she's going to accompany Erii to the Spring because Erii doesn't have a pair for the flight. Paraietta demands to know why Neville has her bags packed, if she's just giving Erii a ride. Neville responds that she needs to sort her feelings out (after losing Amuria), and that while she's there, she herself might enter the Spring. Paraietta is shocked by this.

Aaeru bursts in, demanding to know if Neville is going to go and ask the Tempus Spatium to make her a man or woman. Paraietta tries to brush Aaeru off on the grounds that it's none of Aaeru's business.

Neville hasn't met Aaeru yet, and asks who she is. Aaeru introduces herself, and adds that she's the new Chor Tempest Sibylla, who wants to be Neville's new pair. Rodoraemon cringes at Aaeru's presumption. Aaeru begs Neville to stop: only if she hasn't chosen to be a man or a woman can she fly a Simoun, and if she does go to the Spring, then she and Aaeru can't be a pair. Kaimu wanders in at this point and comments that the two of them never were going to.

Neville answers that it's past time for her to go -- it's been more than a year since her seventeenth birthday. Parietta begs her not to go: in the present emergency, with Chor Tempest so depleted, they need a first-class Sibylla like Neville, even if she does have special dispensation from Onashia to remain in the Sibylla corps. Neville is determined, and leaves for the flight deck as Aaeru and Parietta watch in shock.

Spoiler:

[Wow, did I ever muff this scene in my original draft, and it's a really important one.]

The remaining members of Chor Tempest gather in Guragief's office. Guragief reiterates the facts of Simulacran life to them: even though everyone on Daikuuriku is born female, it is necessary for half the population to become male in order for society to function; such is the fate decreed by the Tempus Spatium. Therefore, it is everyone's responsibility to go to the Spring after they turn seventeen, and make their choice.

Paraietta retorts that the Sibylla have the right to delay this choice. Guragief agrees with her, up to a point. Simulacrum is under threat of invasion, and the Simoun -- and the Sibylla, who "speak to them" and make them fly -- are Simulacrum's only defense. As a result, the Sibylla have special dispensation to delay going... but if a Sibylla really wants to go to the Spring, they can't rightfully be prevented from doing so. In particular, Chor Tempest and Chor Cup have taken heavy losses. Therefore, any Sibylla who reaches the age of seventeen and wishes to go to the Spring may do so.

Aaeru angrily replies that she would never do such a thing -- piloting a Simoun in the coming war is the reason why she's here, and choosing to be a man or a woman would defeat that purpose. She came to fight, and she asks the rest of the chor whether their motivations are different.

Rodoraemon dutifully replies that anyone of age should go to the Spring promptly -- it's the proper thing to do, and the correct way to become an adult. Kaimu says that she had been planning to go... but because she's needed, she won't. This prompts Aaeru to ask if the rest of the Sibylla have decided which sex they plan to be. The rather personal question is greeted with stunned silence by all... except Alti, who slyly asks her sister whether she's made a choice. Kaimu turns her head away and refuses to answer.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Spoiler:

[The conversation during the flight was another scene that I didn't understand very well at first.]

On the flight deck, two Simoun prepare to depart: one full-fledged two-seater Simoun and Aaeru's training aircraft. Eri is to fly the one-seater, and let Aaeru and Neville fly together on the real Simoun. Eri is scandalized that Aaeru is planning to make Neville fly in the sagitta position, but Neville cuts her off. Aeru reiterates for one last time that she wants Neville to be her pair... and tells her that she wants to show her how good she is as an auriga. Neville nods her head in agreement, and the two aircraft depart.

In the air, Aaeru gleefully asks Neville what she thinks of her piloting. Neville scolds her: one does not "pilot" a Simoun; one "talks to it." In any event, Aaeru is over the moon with happiness -- it's her first time flying a real Simoun. Neville is shocked to learn this, as Aaeru flies like an experienced veteran.

As they fly to shore, Aaeru tries to bond with Neville over a shared love of flying. Neville demurs: for her, everything has changed. Aaeru asks if this is because the Simoun must now fly for military rather than religious reasons, and Neville agrees. Aaeru tries to convince Neville that it's all the same, but Neville, flashing back to the aftermath of the Emerald Ri Maajon explosion, tells Aaeru that she just doesn't understand what battle is like. Aaeru retorts that she knows exactly what it's like, having trained at the front lines on the southern front. She adds that, unlike the Sibylla who went promptly to the Spring promptly after their seventeenth birthday before the war, she plans to keep flying until the war is won.

The two Simoun land at the citadel air base, and Neville and Eri head off to the Spring. As they walk away from the Simoun for possibly the last time, Eri comments that it was very rude of Aaeru to make Neville fly as a sagitta -- after all, Neville is the best auriga of all. Neville agrees.

Spoiler:

Back on the Arcus Prima, Floe asks the other Sibylla if anyone in Chor Tempest has turned seventeen, other than Parietta. Alti points out that Kaimu will be seventeen next month. Rodoraemon, holding an enormous stuffed animal close to her, also quietly raises her hand. In any event, Floe continues, those in the Chor who aren't seventeen will be soon.

Alti asks Parietta why she isn't chasing after Neville. After all, didn't Erii once vow to become a man so she could be with Neville? Parietta responds that she has more important things to do aboard the ship right now.

Spoiler:

Neville and Eri take a train from the citadel to the Spring. The train is powered by a helical motor, and is divided into at least two classes. The lower class compartment is crowded, but Neville and Eri have the First Class compartment to themselves.

Neville asks Eri if she's made her choice yet. Eri is hesitant. She's always been female, and she's always thought that she wanted to be female, but lately, she's been imagining what it might be like if she chose to be a man. Also, staying a woman would limit her career choices -- certain occupations are limited to men in an attempt to entice enough people to choose to be male.

Before Neville can reply, the two are interrupted by the conductor. The passengers in the lower class compartment have heard that there are Simoun Sibylla on board, and are asking for the Sibylla to bless them. Neville complies, and the grateful believers beg her to protect them.

Neville flashes back to her first day as a Sibylla after being promoted from the cadet corps. Amuria was waiting for her on the flight deck at the citadel, and greeted her with a passionate kiss at their first meeting, predicting many fun times ahead for the pair. Neville gapes at the grateful passengers, awash in memories... and the realization that Aaeru reminds her of Amuria.

Spoiler:

The townspeople make way for Eri and Neville as they walk from the train station to the Spring, and stop to stare at their heroines. The Spring is located in a cave behind a waterfall, and Onashia's words of gratitude for their protection echo through the cave as she and Eri enter the Spring. They change into pilgrim's robes, and make their way to an enormous flooded underground grotto, filled with the ancient ruins of a temple to Tempus Spatium, and lit through a large hole in the ceiling.

Eri is in a panic. She doesn't know whether she wants to be a man or a woman, and the time for her choice has arrived. She wonders what will happen if she can't decide. Neville tells her not to worry.

On an island at the center of the Spring, the high priestess Onashia is waiting for Eri and Neville. Eri addresses her, apologizing for not having come promptly after her seventeenth birthday. Onashia tells her to enter the Spring and pray.

Eri removes her robe and wades along a stone causeway into the spring. As she wades to the deepest point along the causeway, she is still in a panic, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, the magic of the Spring activates, rewriting Eri's DNA, and Onashia explains that the Tempus Spatium has granted her an adult body now.

Eri and Neville leave the Spring numb with shock. Eri, now male, says that from now on, she'll be known as Erif (the -f at the end of a name indicates masculinity). Neville, equally stunned, congratulates her, not having entered the Spring herself. Erif, who still looks just as feminine as ever for the moment, mulls over the future: her voice will slowly change, and her breasts will shrink over time, but will she really change? Neville tries to reassure her that she won't, but Erif collapses to the ground, crying inconsolably.

[Wow. What an incredibly powerful scene.]

Spoiler:

Back aboard Arcus Prima, Wapourif is chatting with Floe and Paraietta when Rodoraemon walks in. Floe asks her if she plans to leave. She doesn't. She's always been told that her duty is to be a Sibylla, snd she'd hardly be welcomed home if she left now. Floe tartly replies that everyone has their own reason for staying. Limone looks on quietly and snacks on jelly-filled butter cookies.

As the sun sets behind the citadel, Neville returns to the flight deck to find Aaeru waiting for her just as Amuria did all those years ago. A Simoun, it turns out, won't fly unless two Sibylla collaborate... or so Aaeru explains her continued presence. Without saying a word, Neville walks up to Aaeru and kisses her hungrily. The two then silently kiss the Ri Maajon gem to activate the Simoun.

Aaeru asks Neville what happened at the spring. Neville replies that she changed her mind, and didn't enter. She then asks Aaeru to climb high into the sky. Aaeru asks if they shouldn't return to the ship. Neville repeats her request, and Aaeru eagerly zooms their Simoun high into the sky as the sun sets over Arcus Prima far below.

END OF EPISODE

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I guess I'm just bewitched by this series. The supposedly slow development doesn't bother me in the least.

I don't actually think that the development is slow at all. The chor suffered 50% casualties between deaths and departures; if anything, they're being remarkably fast about getting anywhere toward being combat-effective again.

Spoiler for episode 4:

The enormous armada of airships visible out the window in the flashback really drove home that it's a race against time for Chor Tempest to get back to full effectiveness again. Consider what just half a dozen or so of those ships and their fighter squadrons did in the first battle.

And parallelling the battle arc, the internal shoujo-y story arc about Neville and Aaeru and the rest of Chor Tempest is in full swing, and about to be kicked up another notch next week.

The music continues to be so weird that it's wonderful.

I just absolutely love the music, and I can't wait for soundtrack albums to become available. Of course, I've fallen in love with the series altogether, but the music just really, really works.

And I agree that I like Aaeru more and more. It took me a while to get used to her VA, Niino Michi, but I sure am now.

I've liked her voice from the start. In particular, the scene in episode 2 where she lands after her dogfight and gets chewed out by Paraietta features some really wonderful voice acting all around, but she was very good in this episode, too.

[Guido]

A drastic improvement in both animation and soundtrack qualities from episode one. There were more variety in the background tracks played, and this time I could perceive that the Simoun CGI effects blended suitably with the watercolor landscape. Even I could feel inside the cockpit observing the Simoun flying by.

I really did not feel anything out of the norm with Neville's flashback of Amuria greeting her as her pair with the kiss. On the contrary, I felt it something natural like a formality from Amuria to greet her pair and welcome her, though I won't deny that Neville could have felt a connection to Amuria.

Aeru is solid about staying 'Simoun Simula' until the war is won. She's an interesting character within the all-broke-out war theme, unlike other main protagonists, she's got a plain morality about enemies always been enemies. Henceforth, she's not distressed about fighting to death or having to take enemies' lives in the battlefield.
However, I'm not fond for her hasty and reckless attitude about her views on the war for the start. Though its necessary so as for her to grow up, learning sooner or later that the invader nation are driven by need or motivated to retrieve Simoun technology.

Then, I continue with Paraietta who brings to me memories of Mai-Otome because her voicing is done by Ami Koshimizu, sounding exactly alike to Nina Wong.

Lastly, for my last impression I think that Erif overreacted after coming out from the spring. As a girl, 'he' could just had remained a Simula until the war was won thus giving 'him' more time to properly reflect about 'his' choice. The elders commented that they cannot force the Simula's decision to go to the spring, furthering evidence that nobody partaked in 'his' decision.
'He' simply went to the spring as felt obligated to carry on the ritualistic tradition. 'He' did not take into thought seriously the pros and cons of whether becoming man or staying as a woman. It was the pressure that stressed 'him' and strained 'his' future vision just because 'he' had to visit the spring as a must-do duty.

A note to Doremi fansubs: You made a mistake with the age. After turning 17, the girls decide whether or not to visit the spring to choose their gender.

Juunana sai means seventeen-years-old from Japanese Romaji.

[Yui from Okinawa]

*above image is " ODD EYES " Aae!l

Episode 4 digest

Choir tempest is removed from the first line.
Aael flying around Shimoun by no permission for looking for her best
partner Sagitta(=Navicater) with good compatibility.

First choice SAJITTA is " Morinasu" , but no match for ...
She return Arcus Prima", try to persuasde " Neviril " who has been depressed
from to the voice from the outside of the door.
But the persuadsion failed to because of Shie has more depressed in the last time
battle and loss the partner " Amuria".

The next mid-moon-night , Aael and Rimone flying Shimoun around
by no permission,
They found the grounded Simoun , But there is the enemy 's trap.
They were s caught by An aged " Argentum nation 's soldier.
(Orijinally evacuate pilot from airframe Dragon-Fly had been crashed.)

That grounded Shimoun is only " Decoy " made by poor materials.....

Enemy Argentum Soldier become desperate what The air-craft Shimoun has
flying to their nation and it takes it home-land.
TThe enemy aged soldier oftalks about the own past to them, and grieves
for his body.
However, the difference of the language divided and separated him and them.

Enemy soldier tried to fly "Simoun" again, but Simoun has no Activate why that
has especially " the male or man is rejected by Emelald (Jade) ,eqipped on "Simoun".
Only piloted Sibylla , not mature woman or girl can activate Simoun and Fly.


Aael & Rimone try to escape from the rope cuttin,
Fortuneately, Enemy Soldier has the what kind of the disease of Lung ....
He coughs up blood....

He was vomited and the breath had already discontinued though when Aael and
Rimone tried to repulse him .

Aael forced to keep away "Remone " because of she is unmature youngt girl.

Aael was chopped off Tesa of the enemy person who died suddenly of sickness
of lungs (the pollution-related disease by smog), pulled from the cockpit, and peeled off
Aael seem to throw tears for "an aged enemy soldier", but anyone who knows that true reason....

After hidden returning, Arel offerd to "Waporiff" the leader of mechanics which Aael and Rimone willing to washes the airframe.
The secret of the fact blody cockpit buried to the eternal dark.and forgotten....
And aged Argentum Soldier , only no decision to become one sided jender.... His death will be forgotten even if the mother nation......