(L) Akb0048

[chaosprophet]

Successors pool interim results updated. Mayuyu still first (787hs), but Yuuko also got a good boost (452hs), and Takamina (209hs) was able to pass Acchan (208hs) although only by one handshake.

[mochichan]

Yuko's second now?~ Hell yeah~~
Tho I think the ranking will be like this for the rest of the poll so she won't be able to overtake the cyborg lol

Originally Posted by DragoonKain3

I thought that AKB is supposed to be about 'unfinished products'? If so, Makoto deserves her third place finish. She certainly has that feeling, especially in comparison to say, Sonata or that glasses girl whos name I can't remember, who for the most part has their shit together apart from technical skill.

Makoto remind me of Sashi, so yeah...probably why she got so high.

[Raiga]

Originally Posted by chaosprophet

More updates to the glossary. So the gun AKB uses that looks like a AK-47.... is called AK-48! I lol'd at this name. They also updated with the missilumes.

And translation updated.

It may look like an AK-47, but it's fancier on the inside! Also does not require oxygen to fire (or carries its own oxygen source).

[sa547]

^
Sounds like it uses caseless ammo, similar to the HK G11 prototype.

Is there a proper term for something that works both in air and in outer space? "Amphibious"?

I'd say it's more like "universal", as the original AK-47 is damn tough, can still fire even after being immersed in mud, or run over by a truck.

[asaqe]

I am more shocked at the whole nonlethal aspect. Kind of makes me annoyed to see that. Really candycoating things AKB0048. Makes you wish it had a daytime slot. Either do it like Symphogear and don't hold back or just get a kids show slot.

[sa547]

Originally Posted by asaqe

I am more shocked at the whole nonlethal aspect. Kind of makes me annoyed to see that. Really candycoating things AKB0048. Makes you wish it had a daytime slot. Either do it like Symphogear and don't hold back or just get a kids show slot.

What? We've seen blood on the last episode. which shows that they're not invulnerable: Kanata's dad got killed by a sniper's bullet while fighting, and Takamina almost came close to eating pineapple cake.

People in that universe would think it's strange the girls don't use lethal force on their enemies but it sets them apart from others who resisted against authority... Unless only in extreme cases they'll have to kill -- and I think Kanata did took out the DES pilot in complete disregard of Tsubasa's orders.

[asaqe]

Originally Posted by sa547

What? We've seen blood on the last episode. which shows that they're not invulnerable: Kanata's dad got killed by a sniper's bullet while fighting, and Takamina almost came close to eating pineapple cake.

People in that universe would think it's strange the girls don't use lethal force on their enemies but it sets them apart from others who resisted against authority... Unless only in extreme cases they'll have to kill -- and I think Kanata did took out the DES pilot in complete disregard of Tsubasa's orders.

I think she as more concerned about Kanata being outclassed

[Wild Goose]

Originally Posted by Raiga

And translation updated.

It may look like an AK-47, but it's fancier on the inside! Also does not require oxygen to fire (or carries its own oxygen source).

Actually, most modern firearms can fire in vacuum, as modern ammunition carries it's own oxidising agent as part of its propellants mix. The real problem is that when firing in vacuum, there's no way for heat to dissipate, which can quickly lead to warped barrels and ammo cook off. Old school Battletech and Mechwarrior players know what I'm talking about - Mechwarrior 4's error aside, vacuum engagements were hell on anybody carrying high heat weapons.

So the modifications/design work would have been less on the ammo itself, and more on a cooling mechanism that'd work in vacuum.

Originally Posted by asaqe

I am more shocked at the whole nonlethal aspect. Kind of makes me annoyed to see that. Really candycoating things AKB0048. Makes you wish it had a daytime slot. Either do it like Symphogear and don't hold back or just get a kids show slot.

Yes and no, because there are other resistance groups to DGTO and DES that are pursuing armed conflict, such as Kanata's dad's group. What sets AKB0048 apart is that they're mostly attempting change via political/social revolution means, and in a more or less non violent manner - they're really just trying to follow Gandhi's playbook, as opposed to that of the IRA (The Troubles. This ought to be self explanatory.) or Haganah (Jewish IRA, more or less, in the 40s, that made so much trouble the British said, "Screw this" and gave them modern israel. One RM Commando historian snarked that the Israelis, having created their nation through terrorism, don't seem to do well when the terrorism's directed against them).

Their whole schtick isn't fighting DES to bring about change - they can't do that as a practical matter, because the balance of power is ridiculously in DES' favor. What they do is spread a political message using music, and at the same time undermine the Entertainment Ban.

As such, the girls try very hard to avoid getting into the kind of fights that would lead to inevitable casualties. Notice that their guerilla live concerts are essentially hit-and-fade attacks.

And lastly: you don't need grimdark all the goddamned time, or people dying. As an example: in 5 seasons of Burn Notice, no major characters have died, but that doesn't mean the story is light and fluffy. Hell, Jormungand - nobody on Koko's crew is dead (yet) but it's hardly a kids' show.

@Edit: Rewatching the episode again, that DES Ace definately has a skull emblem on his mech... albeit with a hoot and a scythe, so maybe it's Shinigami leader then. *shrug* Then again, the original Skull were the successors to the Jolly Rogers, while Frontier's Skull used a different emblem. Who knows?

[Random Wanderer]

Originally Posted by asaqe

Really candycoating things AKB0048.

Hardly. People are in clear danger, and some have died. This is not a childrens' show. Moreover, the decision not to kill was not a meta decision, but an in-universe one. Not just for moral reasons, but for calculated ones as well. By never killing, 0048 helps ensure that most of the people on these planets they're going to are going to be on their side. You will never find someone in Kanata's position on the DES side. No one has lost family or friends to AKB attackers. Because of that, the people will recognize that the only ones who are a danger to them are the forces who attack the AKB. Even Nagisa's father recognized that the anti-entertainment forces were the only true danger to his daughter.

By refusing to kill, 0048 has ensured that the people are far more likely to support them. That support is the only thing that allows them to keep doing what they do, to have these concerts, and spread songs of hope. It is vital. It was not some meta-decision made by an executive to sugarcoat the series. The series isn't sugarcoated. People have died, and almost died already, and others may yet die. This was a decision made for very important in-universe reasons, so that people on these worlds can never view 0048 as true bad guys, no matter what their governments tell them.

@Edit: Rewatching the episode again, that DES Ace definately has a skull emblem on his mech... albeit with a hoot and a scythe, so maybe it's Shinigami leader then. *shrug* Then again, the original Skull were the successors to the Jolly Rogers, while Frontier's Skull used a different emblem. Who knows?

...What are you talking about? I don't mean the skull symbol, that's obvious, but where are you getting these names from?

[sa547]

The DGTO would think the girls are crazy not to use deadly force against them, but ask any stormtrooper who wakes up after getting electrocuted, shot by a trank round, or thrown across the room by a girl named Sayaka, and they'll wonder why; it leaves much more of an impression than anything else.

[Wild Goose]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

...What are you talking about? I don't mean the skull symbol, that's obvious, but where are you getting these names from?

Sorry, just a bit of tangent rambling. Given that the skull emblem appears closer to a depiction of the Grim Reaper, I'm speculating that the callsign of that particular pilot was Shinigami (or alternatively Reaper, perhaps). As for Leader? No real reason, except that it very strongly looks like he's the man with the plan. So Shinigami Leader. *shrug* But that's just speculation.

Jolly Rogers was the nickname of one of the most famous US Navy fighter squadrons: VF-84; their colors on the F-14 Tomcat served as the inspiration for Skull Squadron in the original Macross, and IIRC there was a statement that Skull Squadron was formed out of the remnants of VF-84. VF-84's Tomcats also had a starring role in The Final Countdown, alongside sister squadron VF-41 Black Aces.

After being disbanded in the mid 1990s, a number of VF-84 pilots were folded into VF-103, which abandoned its old name of Sluggers, and inherited the name and colors of the Jolly Rogers.

[Random Wanderer]

Ah I see. Thank you.

[sa547]

Can I share a bit of a fic idea I came up with, inspired by the recent episode and a crummy-and-good film I sometimes watched for laughs?

Spoiler for Just a shot at a ficlet, peeps.:

Nonchalantly Takamina enters the bar, no longer wearing her normal AKB outfit -- the fancy modification of the typical school uniform -- but in a pair of jeans, biker boots, a clean shirt draped by a leather jacket.

The bar was dark, smoky; there were some patrons at the moment, peopled by space truckers, bikers, bandits, mercenaries, hookers, each having their own booze. Near the door was a replica of a Wurlitzer jukebox, playing an electric guitar instrumental of a 50's ballad.

Then suddenly some bum slaps her butt. She's surprised for a moment, as the bum chuckles maliciously, before walking away until she finds an empty spot at the far end of the bar.

She sits down on a stool, and being past 20, orders a glass of Shirley Temple. The bartender gives her the cocktail, and thanks him before leaving her alone.

As Takamina takes a sip of her drink, wondering what she would do next, all of the sudden, she suddenly comes face-to-face with -- of all people -- the original Takamina, bathed in sunlight coming down from the skyroof.

The idol whom she had succeeded, the first legendary captain of the team, wearing a formal modern seifuku uniform, modified with colorful piping and red Wallace tartan to make it more of a fashion statement, and of course, she was wearing a pink-and-gold ribbon which seemed to be glowing warmly in the light.

At first Takamina the Fifth had a double take of disbelief, but then they both smiled.

"Is that... you?" she asked.

"Hello, Takamina," the Takamina of the past greeted. "Don't you have a team to lead on a mission?"

Takamina the Fifth went back to her drink, and thought of taking a sip, but instead turned the glass around as though in reflection.

"Sorry," she said. "I've been caught up too much about being... replaced by a kenkyusei, that I nearly got myself killed days ago, and for that I... I don't want to let them be put in danger."

"There's more danger now," the other girl watched her play around with the swizzle stick.

The present Takamina shook her head. "Kanata... well, I bet she'll be a greater captain sooner enough," she said in a sad tone. "Not me... Pretending to be like one of them, so I'm not worth it."

"But your past is what makes you into what you are now," the Takamina of the past replied, as she watched the other girl drink a bit. "Don't forget you were chosen for a reason, no matter what the Kirara say."

The Fifth put down her drink, seemingly not wanting to listen.

"AKB idols are like diamonds," the Past Minami continued. "They can't be made, as you have to find them, for each and every one of them is unique. Above all, your sisters need you more than ever before, because they look up to you for leadership and inspiration."

Realizing that there was wisdom in her words, the present Takamina smiled for the first time, and chuckled.

"Sometimes we search too hard for answers, when it turns out it's right in front of us," the other girl said.

Takamina wanted to say something, and as she turned her head again to face the Past, she was gone.

Where is she? she thought, her eyes searching out even for a glimpse, but couldn't for much of the bar was dark. Anyhow she was relieved, the advice making sense as Takamina settled down, when she saw the newspaper stuffed between the cash register and a bottle of Glenlivet.

The headline said:

DGTO ORDER ASSAULT ON AKIBASTAR
DES Forces Closing In To Capture AKB0048 Members

Takamina's eyes narrowed, and all the sudden she stood up, put down a couple of bills on the bar, walked briskly towards the door, and then again the bum slapped her arse.

This time she stopped, turned to face the perverted, cackling bastard smiling at her...

...she smiled back...

...And with all of her strength, Takahashi Minami the Fifth threw the sonofabitch onto the jukebox, the full weight of his body destroying it completely.

[Eisdrache]

Originally Posted by sa547

-- and I think Kanata did took out the DES pilot in complete disregard of Tsubasa's orders.

What. Where did you get that idea? Assuming that manned crafts are harder to defeat than unmanned ones I doubt that Kanata had the actual skill to take down one of them. That's not even taking into account that she never had real training with the craft she's flying with.

[sa547]

Originally Posted by Eisdrache

What. Where did you get that idea? Assuming that manned crafts are harder to defeat than unmanned ones I doubt that Kanata had the actual skill to take down one of them. That's not even taking into account that she never had real training with the craft she's flying with.

We never got to see the final result of the skirmish, but the next thing she's right there by the port window, in full angst -- which means she managed to survive such an entanglement with -- get this -- a hardcore DES pilot.

Based on her past, Kanata had considerable experience in combat even before becoming a trainee; she even mentioned that she also had piloting time on the combat LAS suit, thanks to her father who taught her how to drive the base-type version.

[chaosprophet]

Originally Posted by sa547

We never got to see the final result of the skirmish, but the next thing she's there by the port window, in full angst -- which means she managed to survive such an entanglement with a hardcore DES pilot.

Based on her past, Kanata had considerable experience in combat even before becoming a trainee; she even mentioned that she also had piloting time on the combat LAS suit, thanks to her father who taught her how to drive the base-type version.

If she had actually killed someone there, considering how much AKB0048 is against it, It's very unlikely someone wouldn't have mentioned it before the end of the episode.

[mochichan]

Maybe after the girls saved Takamina, Kanata came back and the ship did a Kirara Warp Drive out of there. I don't think Kanata killed anyone. Also weren't there 2 DES mecha? I don't think Kanata could take them both down.

[Eisdrache]

The 2nd one was unmanned.

Also Sayaka and Sae were still around making this at least a 3v1(2). This is while a DES battleship is constantly firing at the Katyusha. Most likely this turned into a stalemate with heavy artillery fire on both sides before they retreated.

[sa547]

Oh, God, tonight's episode is both fun and devastating.

[Kazu-kun]

It was a good episode.

Also

Spoiler for episode 9:

Takamina seems to have made up her mind. She's going to graduate.