Nanoha Manga Discussion

[mielipuoli]

Idly, is it possible to request bans for using the W-word for a while? When it spreads to off-topic threads and clogs them up it gets pretty bloody annoying for folks like me who just want to flip through interesting discussion and not "yes it is no it isn't yes it is no it isn't yes it is no it isn't" for pages.

That said, here's a question that's relative to a topic that I think we can all enjoy. What should Signum's AEC/next-gen upgrade be for a future NEXT? Considering Laevantein is pretty variable use (sword, sword-whip, Archer-style spear-shooting bow) she's kind of covered there. Signum with a proper shield instead of just the scabbard would be awesome in a knightly way, though there's also the idea of giving her a really serious upgrade like War Hammer was along the lines of Graf Eisen on steroids. So...sword-whip Laevantein where each segment is an energy-blade projector, perhaps?

...or a second sword, just so that she can walk around with a pair of them like a classic samurai...

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Nanya01

Lemme ask you this, Demi...

Did I say that Nanoha didn't have it as hard in A's?

Don't act smug with your thoughts.

Re-watch the series if you have to.

Besides, unlike Fate, who could barely do anything against Signum, Nanoha nearly beat Vita in every fight AFTER her initial beat-down.

Interference from Shamal and the catgirls kept Nanoha from winning any of those fights though. Divine Buster Extension comes to mind, Vita was like "OH CRAP!" when that attack roared in at her.

And, yes, I will admit, that did slip my mind, Vita getting binded up. Had Signum not shown up when she did, it would have been a win for Fate AND Arf.

Signum is stronger than Vita. Fate pretty much beat Vita WITHOUT her device upgrade. Arf is part of Fate as she's using Fate's magic to sustain herself. If Fate wasn't sustaining her, it would put less strain on Fate. And Nanoha never difinitively defeated Vita. You're the one being smug, going on about Fate being worfed when Nanoha did no better than she did. She never won anything in a's, she merely survived the battles. And despite that, it's clear how skilled she is. The same goes for Fate.
I'm perfectly fine when Fate loses, I don't consider her OP like a certain other character, but she's certainly not worfed. Definitely not in the series. You're skewing the true meaning.

And don't go on about interference. According to you, it doesn't matter if you're interfered with, fighting multiple enemies, or God himself. If you're not on the cold floor or the last one able to fight, it's not a win or a loss.

[Justin_Brett]

Originally Posted by mielipuoli

Idly, is it possible to request bans for using the W-word for a while? When it spreads to off-topic threads and clogs them up it gets pretty bloody annoying for folks like me who just want to flip through interesting discussion and not "yes it is no it isn't yes it is no it isn't yes it is no it isn't" for pages.

That said, here's a question that's relative to a topic that I think we can all enjoy. What should Signum's AEC/next-gen upgrade be for a future NEXT? Considering Laevantein is pretty variable use (sword, sword-whip, Archer-style spear-shooting bow) she's kind of covered there. Signum with a proper shield instead of just the scabbard would be awesome in a knightly way, though there's also the idea of giving her a really serious upgrade like War Hammer was along the lines of Graf Eisen on steroids. So...sword-whip Laevantein where each segment is an energy-blade projector, perhaps?

...or a second sword, just so that she can walk around with a pair of them like a classic samurai...

A shield that's part blade, perhaps? A purely defensive tool doesn't strike me as Signum's style, and using two swords just because someone with two swords beat her would be, well, silly. Especially when said opponent pissed her off and stabbed her in the uterus.

[Kikaifan]

Originally Posted by Akiyoshi

And it's apparently the exact route FORCE is taking xDU.

Yeah... I didn't mind them doing it just once in A's but... FORCE is getting on my nerves. If there's ever a big upgrade that applies to the Aces again that isn't ridiculously well-handled I'm probably going to be pretty sore about it.

[mielipuoli]

Originally Posted by Justin_Brett

A shield that's part blade, perhaps? A purely defensive tool doesn't strike me as Signum's style, and using two swords just because someone with two swords beat her would be, well, silly. Especially when said opponent pissed her off and stabbed her in the uterus.

I was thinking sword-and-shield, since Subaru got Sword Breaker as a defensive upgrade. Though I agree it isn't that likely for her to use such a thing, it would fit the whole knight aspect of her character, at least in one possible theme.

Personally I'm sort of rooting for the rocket-powered beam-generating sword-whip that utterly shreds an active Divider, myself...the idea of Signum having a rematch with Cypha, blocking her one divider with Laevantein and shattering it, so Cypha swings the other to split her head open - and Signum just catches it, bloody hand and all, and simultaneously rips it out of Cypha's hand as well as planting a boot in her chest.

"You are already under arrest."

[Akiyoshi]

Originally Posted by Justin_Brett

A shield that's part blade, perhaps? A purely defensive tool doesn't strike me as Signum's style, and using two swords just because someone with two swords beat her would be, well, silly. Especially when said opponent pissed her off and stabbed her in the uterus.

Preatty much this is the reason of why i thinked of a super-scabbard, it can give Signum powerful defensive support withouth interferring with her original(and much cooler) fighting-style, the idea is not that crazy, it already worked on Subaru with her Sword Breaker, and being a scabbard it can be combined with 5th Gen Laevateinn(i really hope her new weapon to be a solid sword, i don't feel energy blades go well with Signum's signature style). I also think that dual-wielding doesen't fit her but i like the image of a samurai with two swords for different ocassions it invokes me a mental image of Sesshomaru(the top Badass character in Inuyasha withouth discussion), it depends on how well Laevateinn recovers if it will be the main sword or be relegated to a support one(in the "Raising Heart" fashion).

[Random Wanderer]

Good gracious some of this discussion got out of hand while I was gone. I'll just ignore everything I don't care about.

Originally Posted by Nei Tsukishime

Those stuffed-animal devices annoy me so much =\ they aren't cool, they don't even have a "weapon" form. Just pointless =\
Einhart just lost any sympathy I had for her.

If you want hardcore "cool" devices, you should be reading Force. Vivid isn't built for that. Einhart doesn't use a weapon, and having one would just get in her way. She can create her armor without even using a device (one of a very tiny group of people we've ever seen pull that off), so the only reason she got one at all is because the tournament rules require her to have one.

Einhart has a kitty device. Your argument is invalid.

Yeah, what he said. Do not question the cute.

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by Akiyoshi

And it's apparently the exact route FORCE is taking xDU.

That's strange, because Force hasn't even finished one arc yet, let alone have enough arcs to get into shounen power creep territory.

[Akiyoshi]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

That's strange, because Force hasn't even finished one arc yet, let alone have enough arcs to get into shounen power creep territory.

Talking about FORCE indepently maybe, but taking it as a season of the series i seems to be following that route.

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by Akiyoshi

Talking about FORCE indepently maybe, but taking it as a season of the series i seems to be following that route.

You'd have to start talking about Nanoha as a franchise then, which does go into power creep the moment Fate Testarossa appeared in S1, followed by the Wolkenritter and the cartridge system in A's. Force by itself though isn't really getting into that territory yet.

[Akiyoshi]

but still give a lot of glimpses, in the past a little upgrade or training is enugh to catch up with the current foes, this time the past devices are useless against the new menace and the heroes(save for few exceptions) have replaced them along with their previous powersets in favour of completely new equipement.

[Nightengale]

Unless the future of everything Nanoha is going to be magic-cancelling, everything points towards Force and AEC being nothing more than a non-standard isolated incident.

Special Equipment against Special Enemies with unique properties.

Just like how StrikerS had specialised training for non-standard enemies.

Did Nanoha, Vita and co. somehow unknowingly reach SSS-rank just because they're pimping new equipment that doesn't even do that much better than their usual stuff? ( only that it converts to psuedo-physical weaponry that can bypass Huckie Defense. )

And before anyone talks about power creeps, Thoma is supposed to be goddamn Reinforce-Lite. Not exactly the most well down 'descent to darkness' but hardly anything special when Lost Logias from as far as S1 back were hinted to have been the downfall of advanced magical worlds and civilisations.

[Kaijo]

I'll also note that, if Lily is any indication, scientists were deliberately engineering "weapons" like this. I wouldn't be surprised if they knowingly infected some or all of the Huck's. If so, they deliberately making weapons that could go against magic, much like Jail did with his AMF drones.

[Nei Tsukishime]

Originally Posted by Justin_Brett

Einhart has a kitty device. Your argument is invalid.

That is still lame. And doesn't change the fact that I don't like her that much anymore.

[Demi.]

Just because of a kitty device? I'd just blame Vivid for that one.

[00-Raiser]

Remember that the one who made it is Hayate, after all. Of course it's going to be silly!

[Random Wanderer]

Originally Posted by Nei Tsukishime

That is still lame. And doesn't change the fact that I don't like her that much anymore.

You're giving up on a twelve-year-old girl because she wants something cute. Next you'll tell us you can't like the sun anymore because it rises in the east.

As we've already stated, she doesn't NEED any additional functionality from the device, so why shouldn't it be cute? It's only purpose is to BE THERE.

[Moczo]

... what's wrong with a cat device? I like cats.

[Nightengale]

It's a cub. A snow leopard cub.

And knowing Hayate, comes with the function of device-volving into a totally uncute version that will eat Kriss for breakfast.

Jokes aside, it's an easy method really to attach cute mascot-ish things onto these little girls without needing to really develop any new character ( god forbid these girls get their own Yuuno. ) or even AI personality ( how many Devices with a non-standard personality does that make now? ). They're there to complement the girls's looks, have an in-universe equipment that helps these girls perform better, among other things, while making them not overly distracting.

Last thing we need is MORE Devices establishing themselves as a something of a character and fight for screentime.

[Justin_Brett]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

I'll also note that, if Lily is any indication, scientists were deliberately engineering "weapons" like this. I wouldn't be surprised if they knowingly infected some or all of the Huck's. If so, they deliberately making weapons that could go against magic, much like Jail did with his AMF drones.

I'm surprised those guys we saw from that group are even still alive, if this is what you end up just sticking Dividers onto people. There are probably a few facts they left out, like 'you might turn into a pile of goo'.