Nanoha - Q&A

[Skane]

Hmm?

If that is her advantage, then she can easily turn it into an awesome ability for combat. The ability to win a battle through extreme analysis.

Opponent: *I'll smash her hard and fast!*

Vivio: 0.0001s *She's going for a straight rush, with a high possibility for a direct overhead slam with both fists. In order to counter that, I can either either do- a) side-step, twirl and backslam her, b) dodge low and trip her, c) etc...*

0.0002s *I have chosen. Time to execute.*

*blink*

Opponent: "WTF just happened?!?!"

~~~~ ~~~~

Hayate: "She's like the opposite of Nanoha! She thinks before she smashes!"
Vita: "MORE POWER!"
Nanoha: "Grrr..."

It's not a trope that's easily pulled off, since the writer needs to be of that calibre too (the trains of thought, not the speed). Done well however, it is a very effective tool in establishing a character's level of awesome.

Cheers.

[Keroko]

"high speed parallel processing." From the wording alone, the first thing that comes to mind is "multitasking."

[WarpObscura]

Originally Posted by Skane

Hmm?

If that is her advantage, then she can easily turn it into an awesome ability for combat. The ability to win a battle through extreme analysis.

Opponent: *I'll smash her hard and fast!*

Vivio: 0.0001s *She's going for a straight rush, with a high possibility for a direct overhead slam with both fists. In order to counter that, I can either either do- a) side-step, twirl and backslam her, b) dodge low and trip her, c) etc...*

0.0002s *I have chosen. Time to execute.*

*blink*

Opponent: "WTF just happened?!?!"

You reminded me of Sherlock Holmes.

That's a good thing.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by WarpObscura

You reminded me of Sherlock Holmes.

That's a good thing.

The boxing scene was awesome.

And thus lies a question: Why would it not be effective for offense or defense? Shouldn't it allow her to multi-cast barriers, or manage barriers and attacks simultaneously? Or multi-cast low/medium attack spells and then concentrate them (like how Negi used numerous Sagita Magicas to power his punches)? Not to mention how Nanohaverse magic apparently relies on calculating geometric formulas for their magical glyphs.

Perhaps there was actually a 'but' in Shante's statement. Something like "it slows her actual casting speed" or such? Think game balance (it's just a theory, though)

[Keroko]

Melee combat is primarily reflex based, and often a matter of power. The ability to multi-task loses it's strength here.

[Arcc]

Fighting is not always a matter of power. Skillful application of internal technique can let a short, 80-year-old man toss a freaking goliath around the room. I highly recommend looking up youtube videos of Hsing I/Xing Yi forms; I know that style to be particularly intimidating in this regard.

The Sherlock Holmes movie wasn't exactly what I'd call a perfect example of how to use your brain in a fight. It was great for the audience, but of course no pre-thought-out plan survives contact with the enemy, after all, unless they really are that untrained, brutish and/or inexperienced (and nobody in the Nanohaverse is, period). The faster you can train your mind to be in a fight, the better you can recognize exactly how to apply force and where, and be ready to do so at exactly the right time. You can also learn more fighting forms faster, and adapt them however and whenever you need them while sidestepping the "muscle memory" pitfall- that in particular is the reason Bruce Lee was considered a genius.

[Keroko]

I am well aware that power is not always the winning factor. Which is why I said 'often' instead of 'always'

But more on to the point, "high speed parallel processing" in Nanohaverse terms has more to do with the ability to multi-cast spells of the more complex type, rather than being melee related. That is why Shante noted it as something opposite to Vivio's skills in melee.

[Aaron008R]

Thanks for the input, guys. These really help!

Come to think of it, Vivio's fighting preference is the 'Counter Style.' The Analysis X Counterattack fits her latent talents well if she's given more time to think. And even by this time, she's showing a lot of talent in reaction times and spatial awareness like any Newtype from the Gundam Series...

[Yasanagi]

Did ViVid ever say when Olivie was sent to Shutra as a political prisoner?

[Koveras Alvane]

Originally Posted by Yasanagi

Did ViVid ever say when Olivie was sent to Shutra as a political prisoner?

Chapter 10, pages 7-8. The official story is that she went to Shutra to "study" (it's Lutecia who suggests that she was actually a political hostage) and earlier, it is said that she and Ingvalt "grew up" together. That all would imply a very young age, around 10, perhaps.

[Kaijo]

Political prisoners imply that there is some level of distrust between two countries, but that there are also people in those countries that want them to be friends, or adhere to a treaty. In such a case, one or both countries will send valuable high level individuals to the other side, as sort of a "Hey, here's our princess; we give you the right to kill her or whatever else, if we break our treaty or induce aggression against you. We trust you with her, if you trust us."

So, given the times (the Belkan wars), it would have been a way to develop a truce between Shutra and the Kaisers. Perhaps gaining some measure of support from Shutra in the form of troops, or securing an alliance, or just having a non-aggression pact enforced. In the case of royalty or political females being given, it can also imply a prelude to an arranged marriage as a way to bind two nations. At one time, it may have been considered for Olive to marry Claus (or someone else in the Shutra royal house).

So, we don't know exactly why, but given what we know about political prisoners and the times, we can make some rough guesses.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

Political prisoners imply that there is some level of distrust between two countries, but that there are also people in those countries that want them to be friends, or adhere to a treaty. In such a case, one or both countries will send valuable high level individuals to the other side, as sort of a "Hey, here's our princess; we give you the right to kill her or whatever else, if we break our treaty or induce aggression against you. We trust you with her, if you trust us."

So, given the times (the Belkan wars), it would have been a way to develop a truce between Shutra and the Kaisers. Perhaps gaining some measure of support from Shutra in the form of troops, or securing an alliance, or just having a non-aggression pact enforced. In the case of royalty or political females being given, it can also imply a prelude to an arranged marriage as a way to bind two nations. At one time, it may have been considered for Olive to marry Claus (or someone else in the Shutra royal house).

So, we don't know exactly why, but given what we know about political prisoners and the times, we can make some rough guesses.

Wouldn't the term be "political hostage" then? Isn't a political prisoner someone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity (anti-government, usually)?

[Kaijo]

Perhaps I'm misremembering (which influenced my post, too, heh), but I thought it was a political hostage kind of thing. You're right in that there is a difference in the terms, and I got them confused in my head. So now I wonder exactly which Olive was? What does the Japanese say?

I'm leaning more towards Olive being given to the Shutra, because I'd think that with the Kaisers' advantage of the Cradle, they'd probably easily destroy Shutra. My impression is that Olive wasn't originally going to pilot the cradle, as they had others for that. But I could be wrong.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

Perhaps I'm misremembering (which influenced my post, too, heh), but I thought it was a political hostage kind of thing. You're right in that there is a difference in the terms, and I got them confused in my head. So now I wonder exactly which Olive was? What does the Japanese say?

Well unless Olivia was a government protester captured during a crackdown (or similar situations that would make her a political prisoner) I think your assessment on it is correct.

Of course, this only the case if she was intentionally sent to Shuthra as a hostage. There's a possibility that she was involuntarily captured - maybe her territory were overrun when she was little and Shuthra decided to keep her as leverage.

I'm leaning more towards Olive being given to the Shutra, because I'd think that with the Kaisers' advantage of the Cradle, they'd probably easily destroy Shutra.

I doubt things are that simple. Political hostage exchange usually occurs when neither side dwarfed the other in power so much to cause curb-stomp war (why bother negotiate when you can "easily" conquer your enemy? This was a time of total war, no?). And I doubt the Cradle was the only Dreadnaught in existence - it may have better guns, or superior shields etc etc etc but they have many enemies, which means there's quite a number of inferior Dreadnaughts to face.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

I doubt things are that simple. Political hostage exchange usually occurs when neither side dwarfed the other in power so much to cause curb-stomp war (why bother negotiate when you can "easily" conquer your enemy? This was a time of total war, no?). And I doubt the Cradle was the only Dreadnaught in existence - it may have better guns, or superior shields etc etc etc but they have many enemies, which means there's quite a number of inferior Dreadnaughts to face.

Even with superior technology, one can still be overwhelmed with superior numbers, and the Cradle can't be everywhere. Just from a tactical standpoint, one would want to limit the number of enemies one faces at any one time. If they can appease some like Shutra, then that leaves them free to go after a few others, knowing they won't be invaded while the Cradle is off beating down a different planet.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

Even with superior technology, one can still be overwhelmed with superior numbers, and the Cradle can't be everywhere. Just from a tactical standpoint, one would want to limit the number of enemies one faces at any one time. If they can appease some like Shutra, then that leaves them free to go after a few others, knowing they won't be invaded while the Cradle is off beating down a different planet.

Just to clarify, I was disagreeing with this part of your statement:

because I'd think that with the Kaisers' advantage of the Cradle, they'd probably easily destroy Shutra

[Akiyoshi]

There isn't any explanation availble for the use of the "Full Size" mode on Unison devices? It becomes a bi werid because in ViVid Agito and Rein seems to be in full siz most of the time but in FORCE anly Rein-chan is in full size while Agito go back to fairy size. Well there's the possibility that it's for practical purposes(as it's more easierto assist Signum as a fairy than as a full sized child) or probably the full size mode require a bigger input of mana from their lords and while Hayate have plenty Signum needs to keep her strenght during combat thus not allowed to mantain the full size of Agito.

[Mirron]

As you said, as near as I can tell the larger size drains more mana from the user, kind of like a familiar (in fact, exactly like one, I'd say). Hayate does have a larger pool of mana, and I doubt Rein is going to be going into combat (and Hayate probably wasn't expecting to either) and I expect it's easier for Rein to do her work in a larger size. Agito, on the other hand, was going in expecting combat, so was probably small for that reason.

[Koveras Alvane]

Agito did appear full-sized on that creepy photo in chapter 8. My guess is that Unison Devices only go full-size when their master doesn't need to spend a lot of mana elsewhere, while their compact size is the combat mode, so to speak.

[Mirron]

She appears in her larger form in Vivid, I believe. So she can do it. I'm not sure where, off the top of my head though. But I think it was the first appearance of Hayate, where they were showing she'd appear in the next chapter.