(L) Simoun

[FatPianoBoy]

It also helps to deliberate on just what the real story in the show is. The show is not about the Simoun, the other nations, or even the war - it's about girls growing up. Taken as that, I think the ending was one of the best I've ever seen.
Of course, if the show had been about all that other stuff, then yeah, major suckage. Fortunately it wasn't.

[Kaioshin Sama]

It sounds like the general concensus to me was that it was the proper and appropriate ending to the series, rather than anything groundbreaking or spectacular. Of course that always beats an ending that comes out of nowhere and makes absolutely no sense. The one guy Matrim said he'd give it a 9/10 for tugging at the viewers emotions and a 3 for plot resolution. I get the impression the series is more about the characters than plot though.

I mean I haven't seen the series yet, but it sounds like one of those endings that splits the audience right down the middle with those who are satisfied and those who think they could have done a bit more to tie up the loose ends, sometimes even causing people to hold two simultaneous opinions. All in all it makes a great "Water Cooler" conversation, which is probably more or less what they were going for.

[Yui from Okinawa]

Simoun


http://52432002.at.webry.info/



http://www.geocities.jp/swordbreaker...un/simoun.html

[IchiKyo]

a new date for the game...
2 June 2007.
This time (i think) it will be the definitive Date....

(Gamekult Source)

[Yui from Okinawa]

Marvelous official page said ps2 Game release June 21 (Thursday) 2007.....

[Question]

Isnt it about time this anime got a sub-forum of its own? This thread has more posts in it than the pumpkin scissors, asatte no houkou, Ah! my goddess, AIR, chrno crusade, kashimashi, konomini, midori no hibi, monster, ouran host club and zero no tsukaima subforums...

[Skane]

Originally Posted by Question

Isnt it about time this anime got a sub-forum of its own? This thread has more posts in it than the pumpkin scissors, asatte no houkou, Ah! my goddess, AIR, chrno crusade, kashimashi, konomini, midori no hibi, monster, ouran host club and zero no tsukaima subforums...

A bit too late for that now, since the series is over.

Natch.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Some of the main staff of Simoun is bringing out a new anime next month. Actually, it's all the main staff of Yami to Boshi to Hon no Tabibito, which includes Simoun's Nishida Asako (character designer/animation director) and Tsujitani Kouji (sound director).

The new show is Touka Gettan 桃華月憚 (AS thread, ANN page, official site, staff blog). Like Yamibo, it is based on an adult PC game by Carnelian. It starts on the night of Monday 2 April, at 1:30 am. The game is being released the same week.

The director and writer are both good. The director will be Yamaguchi Yuji, who directed Yamibo and Strawberry Eggs. The writer will be Mochizuki Tomomi, who directed Zettai Shounen (an excellent show) and YKK, and wrote Yamibo.

The only seiyuu from Simoun in the new show will be Yukana (Dominura) and Kitamura Eri (Amuria, Saya in Blood+), but other cast members include best new seiyuu nominee Kobayashi Yu (Setsuna in Negima), and Fujimura Ayumi (Karada in Asatte no Houkou), as well as two newcomers. I trust Tsujitani Kouji to get good performances from them. Here's a publicity shot:



Nishida Asako has mentioned the new show on her blog, but since they aren't her original designs, I don't think the project is as close to her heart as Simoun, for which she keeps creating new drawings. Check her home page, especially the "gallery". Her "scrapbook" has links to new adults-only images of Aaeru and Limone. There is an interesting and maybe also slightly un-worksafe drawing of Limone at 17 here. I think the caption says that it shows Limone when she is deciding how to understand everything: religion, prayer, love, her partner, sacrifice, her desires.... "Did Simulacrum and Tempus Patium begin from Dominura, or from her?"

By the way, Tsujitani Kouji, the sound director of Simoun and the new show, will also appear as a seiyuu this season, in the show Seirei no Moribito. Tsujitani-sensei is one of the few sound directors who comes from the ranks of seiyuu. He played The Irresponsible Captain Tylor in the show of that name. Since one of the sound director's jobs is usually to direct the seiyuu, it seems this gives him something special. Morinaga Rika, for one, commented how much she enjoyed working with him. He and Nishida Asako also worked on Fate/Stay Night.

[Siobhan]

Hah. Here I am, the latecomer...

But I have a theory and I want to share it. Maybe someone else came to the same conclusion?

Spoilers for episode 26:

Spoiler:

A lot of people seem to think Dominura is Onashia...but I think Onashia is actually Limone. Or maybe I'm just looking into it too much and Onashia is just another character ^^;;

So yeah. This is really far fetched, but it's an idea, so bear with me? =P

This hurt my brain a little to think about, considering the time loop, but let's backtrack:

Onashia says to Neviril and Aaeru that the spring exists simultaneously in two places-- it's original location, and the Ruins. She said, "All of it is released from the spell." So, in essence, it's a bit of a time-space rip. But why?

The Ruins was Chor Dextra's training ground. So we have to assume that the town where Dominura and Limone are (in the past) will become the Ruins in the future. But-- there's no spring there, obviously. The evidence is in the ancient Simoun they found in the ruins; something that the town in the past was littered with. Now, in the series they claimed Chor Dextra never completed the Emerald Ri Maajon (that it failed and everyone died). What could have happened, instead of transporting the members of Chor Dextra to another time, it opened the door between past and future and created an existance that was timeless.

And here comes the headache:

At the time when Chor Dextra was formed, relying solely upon her appearance, Dominura couldn't possibly be able to live all those years over again and still look the same. So we have to assume that Dominura is a persistent existence, always living through time, dying, and being born again. And always returning to the past to begin the era of Simouns. On this same train of thought, that must also make Limone a persistent existence. The difference being, she IS young enough to live through time up until the timeline Simoun begins in.

Dominura, as she steps up to the platform with Limone, mentions that she "suddenly remembers" that everything began because she started it. It was like an awakening, because for her, it was a past life. So then we have Limone.

You see a lot of maturity and melancholy in Limone in the last few episodes. Up until episode 26, she was essentially kept from flying...and due to her age at the end of the series, we have to assume that was quite a long time. My theory is, with Limone not flying a Simoun for so long, and possibly passing her seventeenth birthday, she lost touch with what it was like to be a child. And I think back to Onashia when she says, "My heart could not remain a maiden's heart."

I'm guessing, by the way that Dominura was acting and by the fact that she was bedridden in episode 26, that she died not long after. Possibly before she and Limone ever got to perform the Emerald Ri Maajon again. This would've thrown Limone into complete despair, and effectively made her heart mature to an adult's heart-- or just die-- resulting in Onashia's condition.


...Yeah. I shouldn't try to have deep thoughts at six in the morning.

[Futaba-chan]

Simoun-Fans is proud to announce the completion of Simoun with the release of episode 26. It's available via BitTorrent here on AnimeSuki, or on IRC at #simoun@irc.rizon.net .

Yarimashita!

"Otsu no Ri Maajon" to everyone here in this thread and to everyone who helped. Simoun-Fans got started by fans on this thread pitching in, and I think the final result shows it. Aa-e-ru.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Congratulations to Simoun-Fans for completing a great sub of a great series. Otsu no Rimaajon!

[BiZz]

Yep, you make a good job
Thx you

[Futaba-chan]

Spoiler for episode 26:

Originally Posted by Siobhan

I think Onashia is actually Limone.

The problem with that theory is that we saw Dominura and Limone leave the past and fly off to... somewhere. Somewhen. Heck, for all we know, they could even have pulled off the "shiny white light" version of the Emerald Ri Maajon and started skipping through time like Aaeru and Neviril. All we know is that they're together.

We also know that Onashia was a member of Chor Dextra, which was formed to recover the Emerald Ri Maajon after it had been lost. Dominura could technically have been her, since she was in Chor Dextra before she and Limone left the "present" -- but that's not so likely, given her last few lines and what we saw of D&L in the past.

Limone is also an unlikely choice to have refused to pick a sex in order to stay with the Simoun in Dominura's absence. She loves flying, but wouldn't have flown with anyone else.

[sei]

A big thank you to Simoun-Fans staffs and yeah, Otsu no Ri Maajon!

[Siobhan]

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

Spoiler for episode 26:

The problem with that theory is that we saw Dominura and Limone leave the past and fly off to... somewhere. Somewhen. Heck, for all we know, they could even have pulled off the "shiny white light" version of the Emerald Ri Maajon and started skipping through time like Aaeru and Neviril. All we know is that they're together.

We also know that Onashia was a member of Chor Dextra, which was formed to recover the Emerald Ri Maajon after it had been lost. Dominura could technically have been her, since she was in Chor Dextra before she and Limone left the "present" -- but that's not so likely, given her last few lines and what we saw of D&L in the past.

Limone is also an unlikely choice to have refused to pick a sex in order to stay with the Simoun in Dominura's absence. She loves flying, but wouldn't have flown with anyone else.

Spoiler:

They flew off? I don't remember that. I'll have to rewatch.

Limone was technically invited to join Chor Dextra, but not as the black haired girl's pair. Dominura *was* in Chor Dextra, so going on that same train of thought, wouldn't Limone be her pair?

And that's precisely my point-- if something happened to Dominura, and Limone couldn't give up her life of flying, then she naturally wouldn't choose a sex. But she wouldn't be an "eternal maiden" because she wasn't flying anymore. Also, didn't Onashia mention she was like Yun in that she was trying to stay close to someone who had died?

Thanks for the subs, by the way.

[Futaba-chan]

Spoiler for episode 26:

Originally Posted by Siobhan

Limone was technically invited to join Chor Dextra, but not as the black haired girl's pair.

That wasn't Chor Dextra.

Dominura and Limone jumped a long way back in time, to the very start of what evolved into the Simulacrum Theocracy. The survivors of the Endless War had lost the knowledge -- and interest -- of how to "speak to" the Simoun that were lying around their village as relics. Dominura and Limone taught them that knowledge, specifically including the Emerald Ri Maajon, and set off the chain of events that led to the war.

Many years passed. Simulacrum thrived, and eventually built (or repaired) the Grand Temple, expanded throughout its territory, developed other technologies based on helical motors, and eventually discovered new sources of Simoun to excavate. They may even have split into two nations (Simulacrum and Plumbum). Along the way, they lost the knowledge of the Emerald Ri Maajon and developed the new-style Simoun configuration that we're familiar with.

Chor Dextra was started either early in the war, or shortly before, to try to recover the lost Emerald Ri Maajon knowledge... and it took appalling losses along the way as its members kept blowing themselves up in unsuccessful attempts. (Which is where the blast crater at the Ruins came from.) Dominura and Limone's proteges, by contrast, had good teachers and succeeded at their attempts with no fatal accidents.

Also, didn't Onashia mention she was like Yun in that she was trying to stay close to someone who had died?

Sure, but Chor Dextra had lots of dead members....

Thanks for the subs, by the way.

It was a pleasure!

[rain...]

Once again, thanks for the subs, Simoun-Fans! Going to rewatch the whole series right now.

[Trax]

Watched the conclusion at last. Where to begin... Guess I'll start off by thanking Simoun-fans for the last episode.

Spoiler for episode 26:

While following Simoun, I recall there being a point where I thought the series spent too much time focussing on the girls and it seemed that the Simoun, the war, and everything else that was going on was just the backdrop for the drama. As it turns out, that was supposed to be the focal point all along, and I had to adjust my expectations a little in order to keep enjoying the series.

My first impression of the final episode was probably "huh?". I didn't really understand what was going on, and didn't think there was any real conclusion. But while reading some of the discussion when the series initially ended, I did put together some of the pieces of the puzzle (such as 'Aaeru' become synonymous for 'ultimate love' as well as 'god') which were also confirmed by others in that discussion. I kinda regret waiting for the regular sub, since I only saw Simoun episodes sporadically because of that and things didn't stick in my mind as a result, making it harder to comprehend the last episode. One thing I still don't quite understand is why Aaeru and Neviril were so bent on doing the Emerald Ri Maajon and going to the land of hope. Did they want to preserve their current relationship as sybilla so they could keep flying rather than moving on to a regular relationship?

[Siobhan]

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

Spoiler for episode 26:

That wasn't Chor Dextra.

Dominura and Limone jumped a long way back in time, to the very start of what evolved into the Simulacrum Theocracy. The survivors of the Endless War had lost the knowledge -- and interest -- of how to "speak to" the Simoun that were lying around their village as relics. Dominura and Limone taught them that knowledge, specifically including the Emerald Ri Maajon, and set off the chain of events that led to the war.

Many years passed. Simulacrum thrived, and eventually built (or repaired) the Grand Temple, expanded throughout its territory, developed other technologies based on helical motors, and eventually discovered new sources of Simoun to excavate. They may even have split into two nations (Simulacrum and Plumbum). Along the way, they lost the knowledge of the Emerald Ri Maajon and developed the new-style Simoun configuration that we're familiar with.

Chor Dextra was started either early in the war, or shortly before, to try to recover the lost Emerald Ri Maajon knowledge... and it took appalling losses along the way as its members kept blowing themselves up in unsuccessful attempts. (Which is where the blast crater at the Ruins came from.) Dominura and Limone's proteges, by contrast, had good teachers and succeeded at their attempts with no fatal accidents.

Sure, but Chor Dextra had lots of dead members....

Huh. You know, I think I got myself so tangled up in the "what ifs" and ideas and theories I've read on forums and the like, because I thought at some point the dark-haired girl said something about "the new Chor Dextra"...

I probably just read it somewhere and superimposed it onto the last episode, lol. Oh well, there goes that theory.

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

It was a pleasure!

Maybe now that the last episode is finished we'll get some fahnfikshunz. =D

[FatPianoBoy]

Originally Posted by Trax

Spoiler for episode 26:

One thing I still don't quite understand is why Aaeru and Neviril were so bent on doing the Emerald Ri Maajon and going to the land of hope. Did they want to preserve their current relationship as sybilla so they could keep flying rather than moving on to a regular relationship?

Spoiler:

It seemed to me that the two of them had severe Peter Pan Complexes. They didn't like what the world was forcing them to become (or cease being), and rather than submit to it, they removed themselves from it.

Also, major props to everyone who worked on these subs. If I could remember who you are, I'd pass out cookies