Nanoha - Q&A

[Romanticide]

Originally Posted by Nanya01

For any release outside of Japan?

Sadly, yes.

I wish Rightstuf would pick up the series. Or NIS. I'd like to have a physical copy.

[Nanya01]

Originally Posted by Romanticide

I wish Rightstuf would pick up the series. Or NIS. I'd like to have a physical copy.

Funimation sold Nanoha through Rightstuf.

Even Ebay doesn't have a copy of the first two seasons. Sorry. At least not reasonably priced.

[Tiresias]

Is there any special meaning to the word "Strikers" here?

[Rising Dragon]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

Is there any special meaning to the word "Strikers" here?

A "Striker" is a term to refer to a different kind of excellent mage, similar to an "Ace". Fate explains it in Episode 9 as thus:

Originally Posted by Fate T. Harlaown

You're aware that high-level mages with excellent combat skills are referred to as Aces, right? But do you know of another term used to refer to an excellent mage? If that person is present, it's possible to get through any difficult situation. It's possible to overcome even the most intense situation. With that kind of reliance, one is called by this name: Striker.

During StrikerS, Nanoha confides in Fate that she feels that the four forwards should all be able to become first-class Strikers, so the season title refers to them.

[Tiresias]

What's the difference between the two?

[Rising Dragon]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

What's the difference between the two?

An Ace appears to be a high-ranking mage with excellent combat skills. A Striker appears to be a mage who can get the job done no matter how difficult the mission is.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

An Ace appears to be a high-ranking mage with excellent combat skills. A Striker appears to be a mage who can get the job done no matter how difficult the mission is.

...so an Ace that failed the job even once doesn't count as a Striker?

[Rising Dragon]

I guess not...?

[Tiresias]

So...after Tea went into slump over not being able to reach Ace-level, Nanoha comforted her by telling her to instead aim to become a Striker...which is an even higher level?

Huh?

[Rising Dragon]

Fate's the one who explained it to the Forwards, and only did so after Nanoha and Teana had that talk at the water's edge. That said, Fate implies that a Striker doesn't need superior magic or being "special" to fulfill the role of Striker. Or at least that's the implication that I got out of it.

Regardless, it isn't really brought up again in the series proper after that.

[Koveras Alvane]

Aces = Nanoha, Fate, Hayate
Strikers = Subaru, Teana, Caro, Erio

There isn't really much more to it in the canon...

[Nanya01]

Originally Posted by Koveras Alvane

Aces = Nanoha, Fate, Hayate
Strikers = Subaru, Teana, Caro, Erio

There isn't really much more to it in the canon...

Except that Subaru's now known as the Silver Ace.

[Amaterasu1963]

The way i understood it is that an ACE has exceptional power and skill and offense and defense and utility. In other words they are better than you in every way. A Striker is mostly about skill and determination. As long as they are alive they will keep trying until they find a way to win. So you don't have to be superwoman you just have to be tough and determined.

[Lhklan]

Question: How fast does the Eclipse Virus undo the Magilink?

[Nanya01]

Originally Posted by Lhklan

Question: How fast does the Eclipse Virus undo the Magilink?

Depends on the attack.

For example, Signum and Agito's fireballs were beaten easily by being cut in half (commonly seen in other anime where similar attacks fizzle if they're cut in half by a sword or hand)

However, when Hayate decided to use Blaster System and create a giant flying iceberg, Cypha couldn't break it up fast enough to stop it as Hayate could keep putting it back together.

[Lhklan]

Nanya-sensei, what about a Forced Transporter?

[Akiyoshi]

In Heimdall's case, the probalem seems to be about Hayate's magic only revolved around making a very real and physical Mountain Sized iceberg. The magic was just being used to gather the prime materials (water in this case) and alter it quickly to make the iceberg as also keeping the thing from falling appart under it's own mass. Cypha's cancelling abilities seems to work directly on contact with the spell (cue instant cancellation of Agito's direct fireball attack as also instant nullyfication of Signum's shields, barrier and knight clothing upon contact with her reacted Divider), Hayate's magic was working on a more abstract sense at the moment and a such Cypha was unable to directly cancel the spell but in exchange was very capable of slicing the magically formed Iceberg with relative ease (considering Cypha and her weapons are both human-sized). Too bad for her that Hayate goes all hot blood and used Blaster-3 to enhace her magic enough to keep recasting the ice faster than Cypha destroys it xD ....too good for them Curren just decided to swoop into battle just at that exact moment xD

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

What's the difference between the two?

Aces have insane natural talent, StrikerS get stuff done with hard work.

[Nanya01]

Originally Posted by Lhklan

Nanya-sensei, what about a Forced Transporter?

If you mean forced teleportation?

That's hard to tell. I'd say, that if it went off before they could react, they'd be warped wherever, but the Eclipse might just have passive nullification abilities.

It's hard to tell, we've yet (as far as I know) seen the Hucks get hit with magic when they weren't prepared for it.

[Akiyoshi]

Also the fact Agito managed to defend Signum from Tohma's Eclipse powered attacks, still the chapter was a bit sketchy and hasn't shown exactly how the little unison device achieved such a feat. Now that Cypha has started the explanation about the uses for Eclipse energies we probably could get a clue about how that worked it.

I'll go with the theory that, just like Hayate, Agito focused on natural effects manipulated by magic instead of made by magic itself. Cypha was able to cut instantly her magic-fueled fire but she can manipulate heat and combustion as way to create explosions. Even if the Hucks can cancel the flare, they'll probably be unable to stop the kinetic force.