Nanoha - Q&A

[Tempy]

What defines an Inherent Skill and Inherent Ability, I admit I do not know the specifics.

What I do know is the difference of skill and ability in a motor development perspective.

Skill is something you learn and develop over your lifetime. What constitutes a skill is generally something you pick up at some point in your life and spend time to master it.

In contrast, despite their similar natures, ability is preset and genetically determined. This is where the difference in people tend to set in, as some people may be more inclined to be endurance runners, while others may be better as power lifters. That is not to say that an ability is the make-it-break-it factor, but does explain why humanity is so varied. The relationship between ability and skill is onesided; ability determines skill, but skill cannot change ability. But as previously mentioned, ability does not wholly bar a person from whatever they wish to do. Thus, the "hard work" method of mastery.

If we use this logic in terms of "Inherent Ability," this would explain why Ginga and Subaru are able to use Wing Road as Quint can, since they are of the same genetic pool. Going into Inherent Skill with the Numbers, the girls' genetically acquired abilities determine what Inherent Skills they eventually learn, develop, and master.

At least, this is what I know and can infer. If the truth is far from this, then there really isn't much I can do, is there?

[Comartemis]

What exactly are Subaru's and Ginga's Shooting Arts? I know it's a specific style of magical combat involving a mix of melee and ranged offense, but that description pretty much sums up Modern Belka as a style too, and doesn't help me much. Are there any specific traits of Shooting Arts that can be named which aren't common to all Modern Belka knights?

[NorthernFallout]

Some time ago I asked about the number of ships or fleets in Nanoverse, which there wasn't enough canon info about to establish.
Now I have another question that didn't get a clear resolution in IRC, again about ships:

"He is now the Captain of the XV class Warship Claudia and a TSAB Admiral" <= Taken from the english wiki article about Chrono (which in itself might be wrong), but I do wonder about the "XV Class Warship" statement.

Models? Different types of ships? Size? Any canon info on this at all?

[9taileddemon]

I also got a question for my stories.

How much information have we been given about the ancient Belkan Empire in way of dates. Like when it was formed. When the Saints came around. When it finally completely collapsed. Does anyone have any information about that?

[Comartemis]

How much information have we been given about the ancient Belkan Empire in way of dates. Like when it was formed. When the Saints came around. When it finally completely collapsed. Does anyone have any information about that?

The Wikipedia entry on Nanoha's glossary used to have some data on that, probably taken from SSX. The page has been deleted for some reason, but I had the foresight to save a copy to my hard drive before it got taken down. I'll post what I've got later tonight if nobody else beats me to it.

[selkirk]

Originally Posted by Comartemis

What exactly are Subaru's and Ginga's Shooting Arts? I know it's a specific style of magical combat involving a mix of melee and ranged offense, but that description pretty much sums up Modern Belka as a style too, and doesn't help me much. Are there any specific traits of Shooting Arts that can be named which aren't common to all Modern Belka knights?

IIRC, and that's a big IIRC, the DVD booklets said that the main highlight of Shooting Arts was the rollerblades. Don't ask me how they came up with "Shooting arts" for that... Well, it is Nanoha-verse after all.

[Comartemis]

Alright, here's what I've got:

History

Pre-history ~ Warring Ages

* Belka expands its own territory not only into other countries but also other worlds thanks to the use of more advanced weapons.
* It is believed that these “advanced weapons” were attained due technological outflow from Al-Hazard.

At the middle of the Warring Ages (about 1000 years ago)

* With great technological advancements in the field of human life manipulation, many Kings decide to strengthen their own bodies artificially and force that same fate upon their descendants.

End of the Warring Ages (hundreds of years ago)

* Conflict ends with the fall of the Belkan nation after the loss of most of its territory. Furthermore, the Belkan home-world become an inhabitable land due hundreds years worth of pollution.
* There is an unconfirmed possibility that the above was caused by the unrestrained use of mass-weaponry.
* The Saint King lineage transfers itself to peripheral worlds using the Cradle and starts a movement to regain control over the other countries. The resulting conflict, which would be known as the Saint King Unification War, ended with the loss of the Cradle and the annihilation of the Belkan royal family.
* The survivors establish themselves in their remaining worlds and abandon the name of “Belka” completely.
* It was also around that time that the Ancient Belka magic style was almost wiped out.

Currently

* The Belkan royal family becomes an object of worship for putting an end to the war and the Saint Church is formed as a result.
* MidChilda bans mass-based weaponry due their great danger and creates the TSAB to promote peace among the dimensional worlds.
* As a thanking gift for helping form the TSAB, MidChilda confers the region that is now the Belkan Self-Administrated Area to the Saint Church

[Proto]

OK, I've sort of lost track of the cannon releases that have appeared after the end of strikers. There is some information in the various threads, but they are buried under pages and pages of idle chat and speculation

- I know there is a post strikers sound stages about the mariages and whatnot that nagumo has been translating. Are there any post/pages that puts all his translations in one place? What is this mainly about anyway?
- I know there is a new manga prologue that details something about the tome of the silver cross or something on those lines. What is that about?
-What else has been released in this period regarding the Nanoha cannon since the end of Strikers?

I think all of the non regulars to the Nanoha board would like to see all of that condensed in one place

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by Proto

- I know there is a post strikers sound stages about the mariages and whatnot that nagumo has been translating. Are there any post/pages that puts all his translations in one place? What is this mainly about anyway?

Disk 1, disk 2.

Read, and you'll find out what it's about.

Originally Posted by Proto

- I know there is a new manga prologue that details something about the tome of the silver cross or something on those lines. What is that about?

We don't know yet. It seems to be a tome that holds forbidden knowledge of Belka during the age of strife, and supposedly it has a program guarding it similar to Reinforce, but that's all we know.

Originally Posted by Proto

-What else has been released in this period regarding the Nanoha cannon since the end of Strikers?

- StrikerS SSX (Sound Stage)
- Mahou Senki Lyrical Nanoha Force (Manga, prologue chapter out and translated, no further chapters yet).
- Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha Vivid (Manga, will star Vivio. Release planned for May 31st).

[Proto]

Thanks for the swift reply Keroko (+rep)

For other people searching for the translated nanoha force prologue, search on Baka updates manga for Nanoha.

[NorthernFallout]

2 other questions has popped up while brainstorming for a fic.

First off; Does anyone know the names and corresponding effects of the spells that that Arf and Zafira uses? I have not seen a list or something around.

Secondly; Lets say I shaft Fate in a fic. She is off somewhere, paperwork or something not requiring her to use her mana. Would it be possible for Arf, for reasons unknown, to operate on the battlefield with the others, practically speaking? I know she draws mana and whatnot, but it doesn't seem impossible. I know she operated alone in S1 (although my memory is scarce on that one.)

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by AtomicoX

First off; Does anyone know the names and corresponding effects of the spells that that Arf and Zafira uses? I have not seen a list or something around.

Not much to work with. Arf has a dispell magic which name escapes me -it was used in the first episode of A's though- and Chain Bind. A binding spell.

Zafira has Steel Yolk, which is his 'white fangs sprouting everywhere' attack.

Originally Posted by AtomicoX

Secondly; Lets say I shaft Fate in a fic. She is off somewhere, paperwork or something not requiring her to use her mana. Would it be possible for Arf, for reasons unknown, to operate on the battlefield, practically speaking? I know she draws mana and whatnot, but it doesn't seem impossible. I know she operated a lone in S1 (although my memory is scarce and she didn't use any powerful spells.)

She should be able to, yes.

[Comartemis]

Not much to work with. Arf has a dispell magic which name escapes me -it was used in the first episode of A's though- and Chain Bind. A binding spell.

She also has Barrier Break, an anti-shield melee attack which she uses against Vita in A's Ep 2, and Photon Lancer Multishot which she uses against Precia shortly before Precia kicks her out of the Garden of Time. Don't know of any others.

Also, Kero, I think you're referring to the second episode of A's, when Fate and Arf engaged Vita and got wtfpwned by Signum and Zafira.

[NorthernFallout]

Thanks for the answers, now I have something to work with.

[Evil Rick]

Okay, this may sound like a stupid question but I'm a bit curious.

Anyone knows what does the "A's" means in 'Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's'?

[MeisterBabylon]

We believe it means "Aces".

[Keroko]

Doubtful, considering the Ace nickname for the three wasn't coined until StrikerS. It probably means nothing, just like how SSX was called StrikerS Sound Stage X for no reason other then it sounding cool.

[NorthernFallout]

Probably no reason, although the english title is pronounced "Ace"....then again, that's the english one.

[Evil Rick]

Originally Posted by AtomicoX

Probably no reason, although the english title is pronounced "Ace"....then again, that's the english one.

Well, "StrikerS" is english as well, don't?

Thanks for the help guys.

[DezoPenguin]

Do Arisa and Suzuka have any particularly notable speech "tags" other than as defined by their personalities?