(L+CR) Gakusen Toshi Asterisk (The Asterisk War)[Seasons 1 & 2]

[KnightShade]

Originally Posted by Shlugo

Are people really this bothered that Ayato isn't the strongest one around right from the start? I'm sure it just means he'll get a power-up or ten in the future.

i'm glad , it emphasizes that power alone wont be enough to win duels.

[zztop]

Full version of Asterisk's ending:
https://vimeo.com/143539372

One of the classiest-sounding EDs this season?

And the visuals are beautiful as always.

[KnightShade]

Originally Posted by zztop

Full version of Asterisk's ending:
https://vimeo.com/143539372

One of the classiest-sounding EDs this season?

And the visuals are beautiful as always.

best ED of the season IMO

[Phantomlurker]

And kirin finally arrived. If find her natural a bit to much in the high pitch but her battle voice nailed perfectly. Garradsworth rep being too young is a weird translation mistake, even without knowing japanese. Dirk, I don't know wether to hate you or love you but that voice fits you very well. And for ayato holding back or being weak, remember that silas was just cannon fodder, even less than a puppet while people like kirin are the real deal. Ayato is op true, but the top of the top are even more op.

[whsie]

Originally Posted by kidstandout

but all that's a world of a way different from saying he held back.

and there is a difference from a handicap and running what you bring. ayato fought kirin entirely of his own attributes. how he matches up against kirin is a disadvantage but not an artificial one from an outside source forced upon him. he was fully aware of his limits and the sword he was using but excepted them, he even had a chance to back out of the duel but excepted it. it was his fault for jumping into a fight blind and not knowing what he was going up against. any disadvantage due to servesta or his meteor arts is entirely nothing but an excuse the minute he agree's to the duel. and excuses =/= valid reasons.

one can argue what ifs till they turn blue, but a clean loss is a clean loss.

No one is saying that it's not a clean loss. I emphasized as much when I bolded "Kirin won." However, that's like saying Larry Holmes beat Muhammad Ali. In the history books, it's a clean win by Larry Holmes. In the history books, it'll be a W for Larry Holmes and a L for Muhammad Ali. Once Muhammad stepped into the ring, his physical decline and age were no excuses for the results. However, let's be clear, that was a match between a 29 year Hall of Fame boxer in his prime vs a end of the line, old, and slow 38 year legend. What did that match really tell us about their relative abilities? Nothing.

In that same manner, the W clearly goes to Kirin and the L goes to Ayato, but the W/L does not represent an accurate measurement of their relative ability next to each other. There's no question that once you agree to the duel and "step into the ring" so to speak, excuses are thrown out. However, you would be ignorant if you ignored the circumstances and simply bought the end result as a accurate measurement of their abilities.

[Benigmatica]

Episode 5:
Wow, Koichiro Toudou treated his niece Kirin harshly, despite being Rank 1 in Seidoukan Academy!

Meanwhile, Ernesta Kuhne and Camilla Pareto are very suspicious after proving their innocence in exchange for collaborating with Seidoukan.

[KnightShade]

Originally Posted by whsie

No one is saying that it's not a clean loss. I emphasized as much when I bolded "Kirin won." However, that's like saying Larry Holmes beat Muhammad Ali. In the history books, it's a clean win by Larry Holmes. In the history books, it'll be a W for Larry Holmes and a L for Muhammad Ali. Once Muhammad stepped into the ring, his physical decline and age were no excuses for the results. However, let's be clear, that was a match between a 29 year Hall of Fame boxer in his prime vs a end of the line, old, and slow 38 year legend. What did that match really tell us about their relative abilities? Nothing.

In that same manner, the W clearly goes to Kirin and the L goes to Ayato, but the W/L does not represent an accurate measurement of their relative ability next to each other. There's no question that once you agree to the duel and "step into the ring" so to speak, excuses are thrown out. However, you would be ignorant if you ignored the circumstances and simply bought the end result as a accurate measurement of their abilities.

maybe you weren't saying that but others surely were. and while i get the point of your example, the circumstances of ayato's defeat weren't that of an aged fighter, but one who simply failed to use prep time.

Spoiler:

which will be emphasized in the rematch

kirin being a number 1 emphasizes how in gakusen raw power alone isn't the be all, end all as you also require strategy as well. it's not enough to be strong but you also have to skilled and resiliant

Spoiler:

while ayato has a higher potential for power than kirin, she is head and shoulders the better swordsman

[Phantomlurker]

I forgot to mention it before but props to the animators for the footwork focus. It usually gets neglected despite being so important for a appropiate of the fights but even since the first ep they took good care of it.

[EroKing]

NSFW

Warning: Not safe to view at work or school!

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[Marina2]

It’s good thing that Kirin(number 1) is not showed to have much flashy/OP ablity and weapon but relied more on her technique and skill. It also show that Ayato can’t just over-powered every opponent to win with out any skill even in his full power mode.

[Arya]

^ I thought the fight has been kept on that level for some reasons, but that even Kirin had some flashy moves. Not that I care, I liked the fight more exactly because it was flashy-moves-free. There were some good details in it instead of random flashy spoken/chant attacks.

Originally Posted by Phantomlurker

I forgot to mention it before but props to the animators for the footwork focus. It usually gets neglected despite being so important for a appropiate of the fights but even since the first ep they took good care of it.

Yep, I was wondering if it's thanks to these details that I'm enjoying the fights as I do when usually they are just there for me. During Kirin fight I also noted they focused on the sword position. I was well animated all around.
Oh, they did it also when Ayato and Kirin first met.
Generally they have been very careful. I didn't mentioned it, but they did it also with Ayato and Julis hands in the previous episode when she put her hand on his face and so on.

[Pen3]

Stay away from Kirin folks, she is only 13 years old.

[RDNexus]

And, certainly, some well-developed 13 years old... In all the right places, as it seems
But... Yep... Definitely Jailbait material. Folks, please, behave...

[KLGChaos]

So, Ayato charges into a duel and loses, basically giving Kirin's uncle the right to beat the crap out of her whenever he wants. Great job, hero. Hopefully you do better next time and don't underestimate your opponent. And maybe cut the uncle down along the way.

[Incest Emblem]

I'm not a fan of the power limiter type restriction placed on the protagonist for tension, but this episode makes me cautiously optimistic.

The optimism comes from the fact that Ayato's failure appears to result from his initial underestimation of Kirin and the later panic--rather than simply because he overheated--, and this issue is identified early in the series rather than delayed until the tournament. This is a much better way of using the limiter than simply having him race against the clock to overheat.

The caution comes from 2 sources: 1. I'm not sure where the series would take the power limiter once Ayato masters budgeting his power--I am rather hoping that the series simply does away with the limiter. 2. The series seems to not stray far from comfortable territory, merely adding some of its own elements. For example, it is good that the series did not fall into the trap of having Ayato use physical force at the onset when helping Julis confront MacFail, but that is exactly what happened when he went to help Kirin against her uncle this episode.

On a more lighthearted tangent:
Let's make a betting pool on who loli childhood friend's partner will be:
1. MacFail, so they can properly lose to powerful opponents to warn Ayato of the upcoming challenge

2. sword loli, because fast frontline loli+powerful backline loli is the way to go

3. Ayato, because he'll need his rotating harem of partners

4. forever alone, obviously, since she's an osananajimi.

Images

-_-

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[kk2extreme]

This show loves loli...

[Seihai]

Originally Posted by Incest Emblem

Images

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Hm... good point. It's either Fan Xing Lu (CH) or Hanseiro (JP), I think? And afaik JP usually pronounce Chinese names the way they are supposed to be, so it should be Fan Xing Lu. However I know for a fact that JP people kinda suck at pronouncing the xing so shin isn't too far off I believe. Still a mistake of course but errors like that are common nowadays... sadly.

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by xrick

And, certainly, some well-developed 13 years old... In all the right places, as it seems
But... Yep... Definitely Jailbait material. Folks, please, behave...

I blame the show for all this .

Regardless, not a bad character. Definitely curious how this powerhouse is getting bullied around. I get that it's tough to outright defy family, but when they are jerks the temptation should be pretty high.

[Shlugo]

It would be funny if Saya and Lester became a team. Talk about height difference. Also, they can serve as measuring stick for strong opponents that Ayato and Julis would have to face later.

For example, it is good that the series did not fall into the trap of having Ayato use physical force at the onset when helping Julis confront MacFail, but that is exactly what happened when he went to help Kirin against her uncle this episode.

Well, that's because back then he was trying to protect Lester from Julis, not the other way around.

[NWJY]

Originally Posted by Pen3

Stay away from Kirin folks, she is only 13 years old.

Dont care she cute and adorable make me want to spoil her......

The anime emphasis on her two big weapon on her chest alot

Huh i feel that Kirin sword is abit different????