(CR) Saki Achiga-hen: Episode of Side-A (anime)

[Sol Falling]

Originally Posted by Myssa Rei

Whatever happens after this I think Toki's run at the Nationals is over, as she's likely going to be spending time in the clinic or worse, at the hospital for while. And where Toki goes, Ryuuka will obviously be. Too bad Senriyama, but it looks like that things won't go your way this year.

Originally Posted by The Green One

I do agree that Toki is undoubtedly finished after this, she wouldn't be able to manage another game against Teru in the finals and the impact on Senriyama's morale is probably going to be horrendous after Toki collapses.

Haha. I think some of the fanbase are taking Toki's predicament way too seriously. At the moment, what I think we're witnessing is the awakening of a mahjong god. Seriously, if Toki manages to get a handle on this "three turns ahead" power, then in the future nothing short of monsters on Teru's level will be even able to touch her.

A good rest is all that Toki needs. Really, the main issue for Toki throughout this battle has mainly been the fact that she's the only one carrying the weight against Teru. Tsumos, pons, or dealing into Kirame's hands--she's needed to use her future sight for every win they have earned off of Teru. If there were just a single other truly high level player at the table, who could participate in the defense against Teru on their own effectively, that would remove a huge part of the strain on Toki and allow her to play even more effectively.

Also, the way Toki has pushed herself throughout this match, I think by the end of it she will have grown in strength immensely.

Basically, if Senriyama did manage to make their way into the Finals, I think Toki's second performance against Teru would be much better. Although admittedly Yuuki is probably similarly weak like Kuro in defensive terms, with at least one other school of Finals caliber, unlike Shindouji (not to discredit Kirame's great likeability as a character; but speaking on a sheer competence level), I think Toki would have a much easier time of it than she has had here in the Semi-Finals.

However, of course, I'm expecting Achiga to win this for plot reasons. Which is totally fine, and which I will totally enjoy for dramatic/character reasons; but none of that takes away anything of my love for Toki as Achiga-hen's most badass character.

[custardpie]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

What kind of image did you have? I'm curious.

Not anything I'm considering seriously, of course, but that scene where Teru and Sumeragi came back from the prefectural match and all the underclassmen bowed gave me a yakuza-like image of Shiraitodai Sumeragi with her deep voice and probably powerful mahjong skills as second-in-command, Awai as the more skillful youngster who will eventually succeed the great boss Teru


+ ...... Uh-oh. I thought Sumeragi=Sumire. I apologize for the confusion

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by custardpie

+ ...... Uh-oh. I thought Sumeragi=Sumire. I apologize for the confusion

Well, let's just say that the yakuza image isn't that far off from how I am actually like. However, I do have a lighter voice than Sumire, and I would be the kaichou.

Oh, and strangely enough, I don't play mahjong

[The Green One]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

Haha. I think some of the fanbase are taking Toki's predicament way too seriously. At the moment, what I think we're witnessing is the awakening of a mahjong god. Seriously, if Toki manages to get a handle on this "three turns ahead" power, then in the future nothing short of monsters on Teru's level will be even able to touch her.

A good rest is all that Toki needs.

I don't think fainting, for however briefly, during a match is part of being a picture of health, or finding mahjong tiles heavy, panting and wheezing, or being unable to stop her hand and arm from shaking. Not to mention being shown repeatedly during the series that she's in poor health.

Sure it could turn out that all she needs is a good long rest to recover from this, but it doesn't change the fact that her action are being portrayed as very dangerous to her health.

You know what they say, a candle flickers most brilliantly.....just before going out.

[Sol Falling]

Originally Posted by custardpie

Since Shiraitodai switched player positions this year, it's probably Teru's first time playing in the vanguard position. The only information we have as to how she did as vanguard is the West Tokyo prefectural match. Since Awai finished that match, and Shiraitodai's other members furthered Teru's lead, not only did Teru not finish off any of the players, but she also left some room/points for the other Shiraitodai members to further.

What I mean is that in spite of everything, Toki/Kirame/Kuro seem to be doing worse against Teru than the West Tokyo prefectural vanguards. Since Kirame, who isn't even among the top five, was placed as vanguard in fear of a school going down to zero, Shindouji seems to actually fear that possibility. But since none of the West Tokyo schools faced that fate, I wonder if some of the West Tokyo schools are stronger than the semifinalists.

This is even more puzzling since some of the information we've been given indicates that Toki/Kirame/Kuro are actually lucky in some respects.

1. Teru as first dealer in first hanchan. One of the announcers said that "this was a waste". Teru is showing only 3/4 of her power here.

2. Kuro gathering all the doras, making it easier to read Teru's hands and more difficult for Teru to strike higher-valued hands.

Yet they seem to be doing worse than the West Tokyo people. Here are some possible reasons:

1. Kirame doesn't go under zero, but in terms of pure mahjong skills she is worse than other vanguards, who are usually aces. Kirame isn't even among the top five of Shindouji.

2. Kuro is psychologically numb and cannot do much.

3. Toki lost her ability to "see" for a while. But this isn't a reason for the players as a whole to do worse - Toki used "double" as well after all.

Anyhow, in the end they may do better than the West Tokyo prefectural schools - it's kind of apparent that Kuro will have a great mama flashback and come back with a giant dora-laden hand or something. (If not....) Still, it's kind of odd that we're in the semi-finals and yet they're fearing something that hasn't happened in the prefecturals. Also, the way the episodes are proceeding, there is still the possibility that the match will end early, leaving some episodes for closure. This will mean that we won't get to see Awai in the semi-finals.

Although Sumeragi's suggestion is a possibility, I do think I want to emphasize the significance of the first two explanations you suggested up there. While Toki is can undoubtedly be said to be nationals-level Ace material, fully living up to her placement in the Vanguard position, I think both Kirame and Kuro are far below the level of opponents who should individually be expected to stand any chance at stopping Teru. If all three of the other prefectural finalists for West Tokyo did follow the standard strategy and send out their true Aces for the vanguard battle, then I do think it could be reasonably expected that they fared better than our current group has.

edit:

Originally Posted by The Green One

I don't think fainting, for however briefly, during a match is part of being a picture of health, or finding mahjong tiles heavy, panting and wheezing, or being unable to stop her hand and arm from shaking. Not to mention being shown repeatedly during the series that she's in poor health.

Sure it could turn out that all she needs is a good long rest to recover from this, but it doesn't change the fact that her action are being portrayed as very dangerous to her health.

You know what they say, a candle flickers most brilliantly.....just before going out.

I think it's true that Toki is pushing herself harder than she ever has before, but as far as fainting she mentioned having already done that several times at home simply practising her ability. The fact that Toki used to faint immediately even attempting a two-turns-ahead lookahead, but managed to use it successfully in this match without doing so, suggests to me that Toki's body is getting acclimated to the toll of using her ability. If Toki was able to recover by herself after fainting during her practices just by resting at home, then provided that she does not push herself too much further after her single use of triple sight in the last round of this battle, I think (hope) she will come out okay.

[The Green One]

Well Kirame is put there for the express purpose of surviving Teru, since enduring curbstomp battles successfully is her talent, she successfully did it in the previous round to survive Teru so her team could get 2nd. Plus the flashback today mentions that every time Shindouji put their Ace first in the past they ended up losing in the end.

But yeah I agree Kuro is out of her league.

[Grand Phoenix]

OK, so I've finally got myself caught up in preparation for next week's final TV airing episode and I have to say...if I could, I'd plunge my hands through the computer screen and strangle the ever-living fuck out of Kuro. It doesn't matter if she's hoarding dora and making it difficult for Teru to score higher hands, she hasn't done SQUAT since the match started. At least Toki's risking life and limb (read: eyesight) putting a stopper to her winning streaks and Kirame's being an awesome bro for trying to keep everyone from hitting zero. WAKE UP KURO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE DRAGON LORD. WOMAN UP AND BEAT DOWN DEATHWING--I MEAN TERU. Then you can get an awesome title like "Kuro the Dragonslayer" or "Kuro, Destroyer's End".

The way I see things happening, Kuro's gonna pull a Big Damn Heroes moment that'll push Achiga into the second place spot. Toki's far too gone to do any more after that Triple and Kirame's taking the damage like the tank she is. All we're missing is a healer :P

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by The Green One

I don't think fainting, for however briefly, during a match is part of being a picture of health, or finding mahjong tiles heavy, panting and wheezing, or being unable to stop her hand and arm from shaking. Not to mention being shown repeatedly during the series that she's in poor health.

THIS. Just look at her at the end of the episode, she isn't just weak, she looks utterly wrecked, even Kuro could tell something was wrong there. And even if she just passes out for a while, you think her wife, or the team who has been shown to truly care for her is going to put her through that hell again? Even Sera was getting pissed, and as I said before, Ryuuka should punch anyone who even suggests the idea, any other reaction would go against everything we've seen of Senriyama up to this point.

@Grandphoenix
There are four rounds left, Kuro's actions don't have to be Achiga's sole reason to win, in fact, at this point, the best she can strive for is joining the "put a stop to Teru's rampage" club to not be the only useless player in the table, and really, no one can strive to something better against Teru. We're paying more attention to Toki because she's been trying her hardest and is risiking a lot in doing so. And Kirame is a total bro. Kuro needs something like that, and apparently, it's going to be the mom card.

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

Oh, and strangely enough, I don't play mahjong

You need moar "tanoshii" in your life.

[XGeneral2000]

Originally Posted by ultimatemegax

I really doubt that happened. I think it's laziness in uniform design by Studio Gokumi. Saki/Nodoka/Yuuki were in Nagano during middle school. Toki and Ryuuka would have had to move from there to North Osaka for that to be true. Even Nodoka, who moved from Nara to Nagano, didn't move that far.

Map of Nationals schools and prefectures (Senriyama is 26, Kiyosumi is 33):

Images

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Yeah, I thought of that shortly after I posted that. It's also a pretty basic uniform (and the colors are a bit off), so as you said, it may just have been some laziness in the hopes no one would care too much. Although that would have been a pretty amusing twist

And I agree with everyone who's been saying that this is probably the end of Toki's (and subsequently Senriyama's) run this year at Nationals. I mean, she's probably not going to straight up die, but considering that she can barely pick up tiles at this point (and she hasn't even used Triple Accel yet), I'd be surprised if she'll even be able to play a normal game for a while, and even if she wanted to, her teammates are sure as hell aren't going to let her try it again in the finals. Toki will probably set up a dora bomb win for Kuro with her 3-turns-ahead and put her in second. And as much as I want to see them advance, Senriyama will probably hand the reins to Achiga and cheer them on in the finals. After all, the teammates are more important than the victory, right? It'll also set up a nice parallel for Senriyama's flight back, where Toki will look out the window, see the lights as Sera did, and decide that it wasn't so bad after all (well, assuming she's not emergency airlifted out in a coma after the semifinals )

[Grand Phoenix]

@Requiem-x
Then Kuro-mama better hurry down the Heaven-to-Earth staircase and enact some form of divine intervention. Kuro's doing a damn good job at being a redshirt.

If I had to pull together a five-man dungeon group, this is how it'd go: Kirame can be my main tank anytime because she's just that bro and will give everyone a 5% buff in attack power and stamina. Toki can be one of my top DPS as long as she refrains from using Triple Sight; put her next to Ryuuka and all party members get a 10% buff in strength and armor just by being in the vicinity of her wife's rocking bewbs LOL!

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by Grand Phoenix

@Requiem-x
Then Kuro-mama better hurry down the Heaven-to-Earth staircase and enact some form of divine intervention. Kuro's doing a damn good job at being a redshirt.

If I had to pull together a five-man dungeon group, this is how it'd go: Kirame can be my main tank anytime because she's just that bro and will give everyone a 5% buff in attack power and stamina. Toki can be one of my top DPS as long as she refrains from using Triple Sight; put her next to Ryuuka and all party members get a 10% buff in strength and armor just by being in the vicinity of her wife's rocking bewbs LOL!

She will, don't worry, what I'm concerned with is how Kuro could find out the right moment to make her move (This thread already has mentioned the "what could she do" many times so I won't ask). Toki herself said she's i despair and she never eve got a clue that Kirame and Toki have been working together to stop Teru, so how could she notice? Will her mom be the trigger? If so, how?

I only see three ladies in that party, who are the other two? Ako for speed and Shizu for attack power seem like logical choices xD

[Grand Phoenix]

Let's see, if we go with this set-up (Toki as DPS, Kirame as tank, Ryuuka has healer)...who would be able to get even with Teru? Maybe Funa'Q as a Frost/Fire mage and Ako as straight-up melee - probably a paladin or monk.

As a ?? level boss, I see Teru as someone who builds up rage or - this is a stretch here - runic power, as she starts off with low-value hands and scores higher with each consecutive win. I can assume she would come with a shield that needs to be zerged before she can be aggroed and tank 'n' spanked before the next phase commences.

[Triple_R]

Awesome episode.

Toki/Miss Marvelous are doing just enough - winning just enough hands - to keep it interesting and dramatically intense for me. I was majorly relieved when Toki/Miss Marvelous teamed up to have Toki win a hand before the OP rolled. Then, of course, it was all Teru the rest of the episode, but that's fine.

I want to thank everybody for not spoiling me on Toki winning a hand to start this episode - Doing so would have answered my complaints after last episode, but it would have also made it far less emotionally cathartic to watch, of course.


Overall, I think this match has been very well-handled - Teru is indeed coming across as the monstrous Gilgamesh of Mahjong, but Toki and Miss Marvelous are also coming across as excellent "never say die" underdogs who will do everything they can to avoid a worst-case scenario. I wouldn't want many other matches to feature this level of dominance, but for this match, it works appropriately marvelously well.

The flashback bits, and the Saki/Nodoka/Tacos bits, were timed perfectly, and really added a lot to the episode (and to Toki and Miss Marvelous' characters). The overall flow and pacing of the Teru-Time Match could not be any better. Saki's extreme discomfort at the thought of seeing her sister in person was very raw and palpable, and it went so well with the overall Teru-focus of this match. They couldn't have done a better job of building up Teru as the Main Antagonist of the entire narrative. And getting to see Hisa and friends chat about Teru was like great gravy on top. It was excellent to finally see Hisa get a speaking role in this, lol.

This is probably my favorite Saki episode since Episode 19 of Season 1.

10/10

[Sumeragi]

For all you Ryuuka fans:

[Myssa Rei]

Imbedded videos makes my office browser scream in agony.

I love the additions by the studio staff (all the appearances in this episode by the S1 characters like Hisa and Mako), as it strengthens the idea that there's much more at stake here than the titular Achiga team somehow surviving Gil, I mean, Teru and advancing to their goal (of restablishing yuri relations with Nodoka again, Saki be damned ). This match doesn't exist in a vacuum, and the things happening here actually have a bearing on the main series as well.

As Hisa puts it succinctly, what will Kiyosumi do when it's their turn at the table (aside from setting Yuuki aside as a sacrifice, and hope to Haruhi that Teru picks on Kuro again)?

[Requiem-x]

You know, with all the comparison between achiga and fate, I can't help but wonder, what if in the end Toki passes out just after the match and Teru doesn't even turn around after leaving the table?

Can you imagine that? Teru showing less respect for an opponent that has given her all than Gil himself did for Rider? I know it's kind of an unfair comparison given all the amount of RESPECT Gil showed there but still, it would be quite something to see.

By the way, in case someone doesn't know yet, the anime has oficially caught up with the manga. We're all in the same boat now, brothers.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

You know, with all the comparison between achiga and fate, I can't help but wonder, what if in the end Toki passes out just after the match and Teru doesn't even turn around after leaving the table?

Can you imagine that?

I honestly think there's a very good chance of that happening.

It would cement Teru as a "love-to-hate" main antagonist. It would also seem in-character for her, given how economically and non-emotionally she goes about things (never saying a single word more than what is necessary; keeping a total poker face at all times).


And I really do think that Toki will probably faint at the end of the match. If so, hopefully her friends will rush to her side to help her back up, and get her some medical attention.

I just hope that we don't see Toki taken away on a stretcher. That would be a bit lolzy.

[Myssa Rei]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I just hope that we don't see Toki taken away on a stretcher. That would be a bit lolzy.

Now that would be an image, and if it happens it'd be eminently photoshoppable. Just add a stoic Teru looking on..

"Have you woken up from your endless dream?"

Quick, someone do a trace of the anime image of Teru standing over the slaughter, and Fate-ify it!

[XGeneral2000]

Originally Posted by Myssa Rei

As Hisa puts it succinctly, what will Kiyosumi do when it's their turn at the table (aside from setting Yuuki aside as a sacrifice, and hope to Haruhi that Teru picks on Kuro again)?

Kiyosumi really should change their order and send out someone with better defense as Vanguard against Teru. Yuuki might win the first hand (that Teru usually passes up), but she's likely easy pickings later since she doesn't have the best analysis skills (or mental stamina), particularly as the match goes on (and Teru will almost certainly end up being last dealer again). Nodoka or Mako would probably be better, since they're much more stable, resilient players. But judging from the ending of Saki S1, Yuuki is almost certainly going to get fed to the lioness. Maybe she can smuggle in a suitcase of tacos under that cape or something.

And this episode did leave out one little thing from the manga, but we'll see that right at the beginning of next week.