(L) Rinne no Lagrange: Flower declaration of your heart (seasons 1 & 2)

[asaqe]

As line it is completely platonic I am absolutely ok with this announcement. If not well...

[Tempester]

It seems to me from episode 2 that Madoka's robot has

Spoiler:

marufunctioned.

[sa547]

Gonna check this show out tonight.

[Marina2]

Madoka character's design reminds me of one of my favorite girl from Index light novel. The only different is their personalities.

So,........I will watch this show for the sake of Madoka. ^^ (and story, of course)

[sa547]

DAMN, THIS SHOW HITS THE RIGHT SPOTS! Surprisingly fabulous, even if some of the characters are reminiscent of those from a show years ago, except for ebullient Madoka.

[Stevie_Nix]

Originally Posted by Tempester

It seems to me from episode 2 that Madoka's robot has

Spoiler:

marufunctioned.

Spoiler for What I think Happened:

What happened was Madoka started to get unsure of herself, and since the control system seems to be partly based on the pilot emotions, the Vox shut down because of it. Remember after Yoko's Bright Slap Madoka got fired up again. Which rebooted the Vox system, and then allowed her to toss APB-02.

Originally Posted by sa547

DAMN, THIS SHOW HITS THE RIGHT SPOTS! Surprisingly fabulous, even if some of the characters are reminiscent of those from a show years ago, except for ebullient Madoka.

Like I said before, Madoka is the anti-Shinji.

[ReddyRedWolf]

I do wonder if the boys would be shocked after a couple of fights that the one who handed them their asses is a girl.

[Kaioshin Sama]

It may come as a surprise to a lot of posters, but when it comes to anime I really don't expect or ask for all that much anymore. Honestly the bare minimum that I ask for is that a show not meander and waste time, not be boring with it's subject material and not pander too blatantly and aggressively to that certain subsect of fans in Japan who share nothing in the way of common interest with me...oh that and too have a good solid mecha TV series at least once or twice a year.

Lately this has been something of a problem, because other than the Sunrise stuff I feel that the industry has been dropping the ball in a huge way lately when it comes to mecha/sci-fi shows and leaving me extremely disappointed. When I look back, realistically I don't think there has been a good non-Sunrise produced mecha TV series since around 2009 when we had Shin Mazinger. I had placed a lot of faith in both Star Driver and then Guilty Crown based on the trailers at least making it look like they would have solid mecha action only to have both shows blow up in my face by in Star Drivers case wasting epic amounts of time on high school bullshit all throughout the entire show and ultimately suffering from repetitive and formulaic battle engagments that would last 2-3 minutes and a plot that went all over the place episode to episode and then eventually nowhere. In Guilty Crown's case I was forced to endure an incredibly unsympathetic cast and a plot that seems to be making an outright mockery of any faith anybody might have placed in it AND the mecha aspect actually turned out to be barely there at all.

Needless to say as a result of all the crushing disappointment I've faced I was a little hesistant to put too much faith into the sci-fi shows that are airing this season, even though it feels like this should be my time and have been approaching the shows I've watched this season with a bit of a sarcastic hopeless attitude, but Rinne no Lagrange's second episode have given me reason to hope again, even if just a little that I can finally have a decent mecha show that carries the spirit I've come to expect from the genre throughout it's 80's and 90's incarnations to go along with Gundam AGE. Here's just a few small reasons why I kind of have hope and feel that Rinne no Lagrange has the best chance of being the first non-Sunrise mech show in a while to not suck and leave me completely unfulfilled:

• An opening that actually seems related to the show and on top of that is pretty good and catchy. Plus 1 on the effort front for the overall sound/music production as well
• Likeable characters as opposed to dull caricatures that seem to have clear cut personalities and motivations that are being built upon even in the first two episodes. Shows like Star Driver and Guilty Crown have had a bad habit of leaving their early runs devoid of much plot progression and character development such that they've struggled for the rest of their runs for it in trying to make up for lost time and defining what exactly each characters role and personality is supposed to be and keeping their actions within the confines of said role and personality. Please anime industry, maybe take something from the way Rinne is handling itself and stop wasting so much bloody time early in shows runs
• Actual focus on mecha battles. Like holy smokes really?! we get to see 2 pretty good looking sorties 2 episodes in a row complete with the gorgeous battle over the sparkling sea in the latest one. This shouldn't be this hard and should be something one would just expect out of a mecha show so I don't know why it took so long to see something like this again.
• Maintaining focus between episodes, again something that shows like Guilty Crown and Star Driver struggled with mightily. Those shows didn't have much in the way of connectivity between episodes, but here one of the first shots we see is Madoka bringing the Vox Aura back into the hangar and then going for a mission debriefing and pinch me...the plot actually continues from where it left off last episode and the alien dude goes to look for his missing comrade which leads to a battle AND there's even foreshadowing about the nature of the conflict and that the Japanese military may be fighting a proxy war for some alien race that isn't quite on the level with them. No effort to keep the viewer completely in the dark assumedly because the writers don't want to lock themselves down a certain path early on here....it's like they may have actually though their plot out ahead of time 0.o
• 24 episodes to work with. Not 12, not 21, not 22.....24! Granted Star Driver had 25 episodes and could barely manage to fill them with enough content for a 6 episode OVA, but considering Rinne is light years ahead of where that show was even 10 episodes in by it's second episode in terms of plot exposition I'm thinking that might not be a problem barring some epic time wasting during the middle which is always a possibility
• Sharing the same name as a pretty epic hockey player is never a bad thing. Triple_R probably knows what I'm talking about

[sa547]

Originally Posted by Stevie_Nix

Like I said before, Madoka is the anti-Shinji.

Maybe I'm overstating this, but this show is one of the many bottles of morale-boosting tonic that Japan needs in these trying times; makes you feel real good, from start to finish.

Bar none, with a girl like Madoka being a total sweetheart, I'm gonna follow this show.

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

I do wonder if the boys would be shocked after a couple of fights that the one who handed them their asses is a girl.

And a clumsy one at that, but still a girl with positive thinking (oh, does this reminds you of a character in a tracksuit and slippers, except he's very cocky? ).

[djmaca]

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

I do wonder if the boys would be shocked after a couple of fights that the one who handed them their asses is a girl.

Shock then Stockholm Syndrome. Then they fell for her.

OK! Yaoi and yuri fans, come at me. *runs*

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by djmaca

Shock then Stockholm Syndrome. Then they fell for her.

That would be the typical route, but for this series the director already said there won't be that kinda thing.

[sa547]

Normally, in previous years, all that I have associated Mamiko Noto with is her soft, breathy voice... but with this show, I think she's not going to let herself be pigeonholed, I mean, it was a pleasant shock for me she was talking almost like Kotono Mitsuishi at her prime.

[Shimapan]

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

I do wonder if the boys would be shocked after a couple of fights that the one who handed them their asses is a girl.

As the boys are probably gay for each other, they'll be deeply shocked XD
It will only make them more gay.

[djmaca]

Originally Posted by Shimapan

As the boys are probably gay for each other, they'll be deeply shocked XD
It will only make them more gay.

No proof that they are gay though.

[Sol Falling]

Originally Posted by sa547

Normally, in previous years, all that I have associated Mamiko Noto with is her soft, breathy voice... but with this show, I think she's not going to let herself be pigeonholed, I mean, it was a pleasant shock for me she was talking almost like Kotono Mitsuishi at her prime.

Mamiko Noto is Madoka's cousin!? Whoa...I don't really follow seiyuu, but after recognizing her voice in Mawaru Penguindrum I realized that Shimako is still my fetish. I wouldn't have guessed that she was Youko, as the voice she's using is indeed pretty different here, but that is pretty cool. Youko's one of my favourite elements of this series already.

[Bonta Kun]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

Mamiko Noto is Madoka's cousin!? Whoa...I don't really follow seiyuu, but after recognizing her voice in Mawaru Penguindrum I realized that Shimako is still my fetish. I wouldn't have guessed that she was Youko, as the voice she's using is indeed pretty different here, but that is pretty cool. Youko's one of my favourite elements of this series already.

Eh really?
I know somethimes some VA can totally catch me out but Noto here was an easy catch.

Altho I'll tell you what caught me out is Muginami, Muginami = UmeUme......UmeUme = Muginami?!
Ridiculous!!!

On the note about VAs, bang up job so far, really liking the work being done here especially Ishihara Kaori.

Oh and Madoka totally rocks the pineapple do, usually I find it maybe cute but generally a silly do but Madoka totally makes it work!
Not even Mirajane(from Fairy Tail) could make it work and I do consider her a much prettier character.
A rather unexplainable mystery, what I love about anime!

EDIT: Totally forgot but I NEED to know what the music is when Noto goes off the deep end on her got-the-fate-of-the-world-on-her-shoulders imouto!
Absolutely love it!

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Bonta Kun

On the note about VAs, bang up job so far

I figured I'd add in Seto Asami who voices Lan,so you've got Chihaya ( from chihayafuru) = Lan.

Really a great cast of up and commers on the female side,not as impressed with the males so far though.

[winhlp32]

Episode 2:

- The OP and ED in this series still classy stuff 2 episodes in. Seriously, I still find it hard to believe this show is actually animated at XEBEC. A good use of color palette and typography made all the differences between this and something like Softenni.

- The alien enemy guys are unfortunately, the stereotypical "I wish I was anywhere but here", "I lean on walls because I'm too lazy to stand like a proper person" teenagers. Hope they'll get better later on, and probably get befriended.

- And where are the other personnels on their ship? Ah, I guess that explains the guys crankiness.

- Always like seeing futuristic gadgets in anime. Madoka's cellphone interface reminds me of the modern smartphone UIs like iOS or Android. One problem: when getting an incoming call from Yoko, there is an "music" and "photo" option button at the bottom. Talk about bad inefficient interface design.

- "Moid" sounds like the genus for those sticky amalgamation accumulated under the carpet of a typical middle-class home. Suspicious guy with suspicious name and suspicious look, who looks like he's blind but actually can see perfectly well to the point where he doesn't need glasses.

- Madoka remains a likeable character. Minor complaint: Talks to herself too much.

- Technology in the future: Wearing a dress with parts that disappears without warning. Popular with balls and box socials.

- Really like the music used in this show which are disco music influenced, theres also the battle track I enjoy that mixes the orchestral strings with elements of indie rock.

- ED is legendary: it made Comic Sans MS look good.

[sa547]

Fact: One of Megumi Nakajima's favorite musicians is the band Earth, Wind & Fire, which may explain for the 70ish disco flavor of "Try Unite!".

[Stevie_Nix]

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

I do wonder if the boys would be shocked after a couple of fights that the one who handed them their asses is a girl.

I think they would be more shocked that an untrained EARTHLING who just got into the cockpit of the Vox that day kicked there asses though the power of hot blooded determination!

Originally Posted by sa547

Maybe I'm overstating this, but this show is one of the many bottles of morale-boosting tonic that Japan needs in these trying times; makes you feel real good, from start to finish.

Bar none, with a girl like Madoka being a total sweetheart, I'm gonna follow this show.

I really hope Japan starts making more upbeat, happy series. I am really enjoying the mood, and upbeat, positive Madoka is the best. Even if we might not get cannon Yuri, I am really, really enjoying Lagrange.