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Old 2013-06-21, 14:32   Link #3581
Requiem-x
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Serperior View Post


Remember that Usuzan only caught up to Rinkai from the Vice-Captain and above. Their first three players are average. That being said, I feel pity for Naruka this match. She's like Kuro + Kirame combined.
Except Kirame took it like a boss and played an active role in stopping Teru. She made being out of your league and being a meat shield look awesome.

From the vice-captain match, you say? Maybe Usuzan does have something in common with Shindouji after all. A special duo with the catholic school boost... can Ritz really do better than Himeko and Mairu?
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Old 2013-06-21, 22:10   Link #3582
The Green One
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Yukki actually has more in common with Kirame, she keeps getting smacked around game after game, never ending an important match on top, always seeming to end up in third place or worse, but she keeps coming back and fighting harder.

Well the Vanguard match was a bit disappointing, but at least we're moving on.
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Old 2013-06-21, 23:27   Link #3583
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I think all the matches we've seen so far with Yukki has been preparing her to take down or at least provide some sort of challenge for Teru. The massive point difference which Teru gained in the Side A semifinals won't happen in the finals.

Yukki's match with Jun has taught her to remain calm when the flow of the game has been disturbed. The match with Jindai gave her an opportunity to experience playing against a "Monster" other thank Saki.

Now with this Vanguard battle over we have seen how Yukki has transformed into someone who can actually take on Teru. With Kuro hoarding the dora tiles, it takes Teru a much longer time to increase the value of her hands after each consecutive win. It becomes even much harder with a newly improved Yukki who goes for super quick wins in her dominant East Round.
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Old 2013-06-22, 04:51   Link #3584
teja208
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Originally Posted by Requiem-x View Post
Except Kirame took it like a boss and played an active role in stopping Teru. She made being out of your league and being a meat shield look awesome.
THIS, and remember that Subara is the one who came up with the idea of joining forces with Toki in the first place, and I doubt Naruka is capable of formulating such a plan if she face off against Teru.

Yes, I know that Uzusan kept their stronger players at the back, but I still questioned why putting someone like Naruka at the Vanguard, the position favored by many aces and monsters e.g. at least Suzu can explode. Let alone Teru, I'm afraid that she doesn't possess any skill sets, wit, or mentality to face any national level monster and top-ranked school's aces.

OTOH, this is Uzusan's first debut in the national so it can be forgiven that they may not possess the intel like other teams, and from amateur's perspective vanguard seems least stressful since they get to played first.

Can't wait to see next chapter. I'm looking forward to see who will Rinkai sent out next. Anyone want to made a guess?
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Old 2013-06-23, 02:21   Link #3585
darkchez11
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hmm... just wondering when does teru start to play in competitions? I never read about her joining or winning the middle school national championship like nodoka. She just appeared a couple of years and won the whole thing like what fujita said.

If she just started in high school, why now? I wonder what's her reason. And I have an impression that somehow she's looking for stronger opponents to fight, like she's testing herself to be stronger or for something.
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Old 2013-06-23, 05:39   Link #3586
tjalorak
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Since I was reviewing some of the chapters anyway... I'd completely forgotten about the revelation in 62. So, there's a world junior championship coming up and Fujita's been looking at some possible selections. Something to look forward to after nationals?

Ch. 57:
Kubo - "Fukuji won the individual match. Surely she'll become the main member."
...
Fujita - "Whatever. I don't want to think. ... Let's stop deciding the members for now. I'd like to have competition between four schools at the boarding house. ... Then we mix the members. For individual matches, go with Nanpo-san and Chikumahigashi's Munesue."

Ch. 62
Fujita: Yes... I want you to gather the four schools for a training camp.
Hisa: Why don't you do it yourself, Yasuko? Do you have any reason for wanting the event to look like an ordinary training camp, to show that a professional mahjong player like you isn't related with this? *Is this for the national selection for the world junior championship?* Or for the national mahjong tournament...?
Fujita: Uh... *sweatdrop*
Hisa: So you want special players who are rarely successful in being selected... Am I on the list?
Fujita: Dunno.
Hisa: Whatever, I don't care.
Fujita: Huh?
Hisa: Oh, nothing.
Fujita: Please watch the way you speak to me at the training camp. I still have my pride as a professional player, y'know.
Hisa: Hmm. I thought you had already lost your pride.
Fujita: Shut up.
Hisa: *I will do so even without your request.*
Fujita: Please, I am depending on you.

Hisa, watching the game with Maho: I'm sorry, Yasuko. I don't have any interest in the world level. The only thing I really care about for now is the... National Tournament. I really don't care about Yasuko's objectives. To me, this training camp is Kiyosumi's. I'll lessen the anxieties we'll have heading into the nationals!
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Old 2013-06-23, 08:42   Link #3587
kazzuya13
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To bad Saki wasn't qualified for the inter high individual tournament.
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Old 2013-06-23, 08:59   Link #3588
tjalorak
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She is. The Nagano individual qualifiers for the Inter-High Individual Tournament were Mihoko, Nodoka, and Saki.
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Old 2013-06-23, 09:07   Link #3589
kazzuya13
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Originally Posted by tjalorak View Post
She is. The Nagano individual qualifiers for the Inter-High Individual Tournament were Mihoko, Nodoka, and Saki.
I thought only the very best can participate in the interhigh meaning only those who are able to be 1st in their prefecture.
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Old 2013-06-23, 09:20   Link #3590
Myssa Rei
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kazzuya13 View Post
I thought only the very best can participate in the interhigh meaning only those who are able to be 1st in their prefecture.
Nope, it's the top three in the prefecture.
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Old 2013-07-01, 00:47   Link #3591
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so 113 is officially out. I feel bad for Naruka and Yuuki to have to face that. Nice appearance by the side A people as well. Next chapter is soon and with it info on the new spinoff. I can't wait.
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Old 2013-07-01, 06:26   Link #3592
tjalorak
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Comment I read the other day: "Shiraitodai is Kazekoshi 2.0."

My first thought: Nooooo... Nooooo... !!

My second thought: Their ace captain is Vanguard and a strong individuals player (Champion). Their second best, high points earner plays the Captain round. They are thought to be a powerhouse at this level.

... A year / round ago, they get knocked the eff off the pedestal by a team that seems to have come out of nowhere.

If Usuzan goes through, Shiraitodai is Kazekoshi, Achiga is Ryuumonbuchi, Usuzan is Tsuruga, and Kiyosumi is themselves!?

My third thought: ... Doesn't this make Awai the butt monkey of the final round? ... Ahehe. Um, wouldn't that be so sad, Awai? (Complete with tears and more tears edition over letting the team down.)

Re: Ch. 113

Spoiler:
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Last edited by tjalorak; 2013-07-01 at 10:54.
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Old 2013-07-01, 12:36   Link #3593
The Green One
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Funny thing about Shiratodai. This is hardly the first tournament or official match this team has participated in this year and records show they had dominated in all their other matches. Yet they have one screwup and most of their members struggle during one game in one round and all their credibility among the fandom is instantly and permanently gone.

We will NEVER let them hear the end of this and this is apparently the only thing we will remember about them. Apparently the only thing we like to see more than a star succeed is to watch a star fall into the mud of failure and be disgraced.
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Old 2013-07-01, 13:00   Link #3594
teja208
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I think it's has more to do with Achiga and the way they beat Shiraitodai. There shouldn't be any lost of Shiraitodai credibility if it's Kiyosumi or Rinkai that happened to beat them first.
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Old 2013-07-01, 22:12   Link #3595
tjalorak
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More... disappointment. We'll only remember this match because this is the match we actually *see* them play, and the Inter-High is, by far, the biggest tournament of the year for high school students.

That's not to say that they won't redeem themselves in the final, but having so much talk about how 'invincible' they were and then... that performance? Where they're *losing* going into the last hand and barely squeak by into 2nd place by a couple hundred points? Skin of the teeth and all. That's not a very dominant performance, and for champions with that pedigree, dominance in high profile games is expected.

At the end of the day, yeah, the champion doesn't get 'days off' because teams are watching and will aim for them in matches. Seems ruthless but that's the same in every sport. They're the target - and if they falter, plenty of teams ready to pounce.

Anyway, it seems like spring tournament was the debut of their three new players so no one knew how to handle them yet. Once teams started studying their records, it's been easy enough to pinpoint their weaknesses. (Being able to tell Sumire's tell is still crazy.)

I suppose that's one benefit to not being a high-profile school from the spring tournament. A fair number of teams, Kiyosumi included, flew under the radar for the most part and have only a few records on their play style.
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Old 2013-07-01, 23:17   Link #3596
The Green One
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Ah well, these stories wouldn't be what they are without the fans placing unreasonable expectations on characters and then complaining when they don't see things happen the exact way they want them to happen.
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Old 2013-07-02, 00:38   Link #3597
XGeneral2000
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Originally Posted by The Green One View Post
Ah well, these stories wouldn't be what they are without the fans placing unreasonable expectations on characters and then complaining when they don't see things happen the exact way they want them to happen.
Well...yes and no. Shiraitodai was sort of hyped to be an unstoppable mahjong powerhouse, having won the last two inter-high tournaments. tjalorak raises a good point about "champions" in any competitive sport - they are always expected to perform to their standards. True, even the best players make mistakes. But Shiraitodai's underwhelming second place finish was not just one member having an off day, it was seemingly everyone but Teru, who was the only player that actually saw a net point gain during her match (well, Takami's match arguably went according to plan). And it's not just that Shiraitodai lost, but it's the manner in which they lost. Again, aside from Teru (and arguably Takami), all of their players were soundly defeated, their abilities firmly countered. They were not beaten due to luck, or because the other school used clever tactics and plans - they were simply outplayed by seemingly better players. Considering their legacy, it's not that surprising people were disappointed.

Of course, the hype surrounding Shiraitodai is also a little shaky. Technically, Teru is the reason Shiraitodai is famous at all, so it's actually not strange that she would be the only one who dominated her match. As some people have pointed out, I think Shiraitodai was actually playing up to par, and that had this been the 69th or 70th InterHigh tournament, that level of playing would have been enough. Rather, I suspect that the opposition was just a lot stiffer than they're used to, and their over-reliance on Teru is now showing. This realization is most likely not lost on Shiraitodai themselves, so we shouldn't write them off just yet. I think we'll be in for a surprise in the finals.

There is somewhat of an anomaly in Awai, who was separately hyped as one of the OP "monster" first-year players, but I actually liked her match (and I know I'm in the minority when I say that). I think she appropriately stomped her opponents for the first 3/4 of the game. Sure, it wasn't the adrenaline-packed comeback victory of the Nagano prefectural finals, but I think it fit the mood well. If Kiyosumi is the school of miracles and demons, Achiga is the school of balance and effort. The way Shizuno won fit that theme well - rather than pull out some amazingly broken superpower, she leveled the playing field. If anything, I was disappointed that Ryuuka wasn't as flashy as I hoped she would be. The Toki thing was honestly kind of lame, and didn't showcase her own abilities at all. I wanted to see the skills that earned her the highest average point gain in her region, not "Toki, 7-day Trial Edition."

In other news, despite Yuuki being my least favorite Kiyosumi (biased, I just don't really like Kugimiya Rie and the archetype she plays), I can't help but feel bad for her. Since she's always used as a sort of sacrificial damage-control player against everyone else's aces, she never really gets a chance in the spotlight. And since the finals is going to pit her against none other than final-boss Teru, I don't know she'll have a chance to shine in that round either. I really hope Mako get a good feature in this next match, because she suffers from the same problem (I mean, her last match was pretty much off-screened even though she had the largest point gain from Kiyosumi that round). I think her photographic memory is one of the more creative abilities in the Sakiverse, and I'd like to see it in action more often.
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Old 2013-07-02, 02:05   Link #3598
tjalorak
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Originally Posted by XGeneral2000 View Post
Well...yes and no. Shiraitodai was sort of hyped to be an unstoppable mahjong powerhouse, having won the last two inter-high tournaments. tjalorak raises a good point about "champions" in any competitive sport - they are always expected to perform to their standards.
I was thinking about whether to say something like:

Expected: Olympique Lyonnais women's team (2x treble winners - Coupe de France, division 1 feminine, and UEFA Women's Champions League Champion)
Got: PSG women's team losing to St. Etienne in the Coupe de France semis

Quote:
True, even the best players make mistakes. But Shiraitodai's underwhelming second place finish was not just one member having an off day, it was seemingly everyone but Teru, who was the only player that actually saw a net point gain during her match (well, Takami's match arguably went according to plan). And it's not just that Shiraitodai lost, but it's the manner in which they lost. Again, aside from Teru (and arguably Takami), all of their players were soundly defeated, their abilities firmly countered. They were not beaten due to luck, or because the other school used clever tactics and plans - they were simply outplayed by seemingly better players. Considering their legacy, it's not that surprising people were disappointed.
I will say: I seriously expected better basic mahjong play from Shiraitodai in general as opposed to complete ability dependance from the three newcomers. That seems like a rather glaring weakness... and one that I'm surprised their coach or officers didn't train out of them. Even Yuuki's improved somewhat in backfilling in her basic skills from prefecturals to now.

People like Saki, Koromo, or Teru -- I think they'd be 'ace' quality even without their abilities. The abilities let them achieve 'miracles,' but they're pretty competent even without them.

Quote:
Of course, the hype surrounding Shiraitodai is also a little shaky. Technically, Teru is the reason Shiraitodai is famous at all, so it's actually not strange that she would be the only one who dominated her match. As some people have pointed out, I think Shiraitodai was actually playing up to par, and that had this been the 69th or 70th InterHigh tournament, that level of playing would have been enough. Rather, I suspect that the opposition was just a lot stiffer than they're used to, and their over-reliance on Teru is now showing. This realization is most likely not lost on Shiraitodai themselves, so we shouldn't write them off just yet. I think we'll be in for a surprise in the finals.
I should hope so!

Actually, speaking of the competition being stiffer than normal, that probably goes back to a combination of the sudden change in competition rules that seems to be trying to draw out 'special' (abilities) or 'extraordinarily lucky' (monsters) players and several darkhorse schools out of nowhere (Achiga, Kiyosumi, Usuzan, Shindouji). Huh. And Shiraitodai is probably weaker than in previous years... Certainly, their new players have weaknesses that have been easily identified by certain teams and easily targeted.

I suspect less hanchans means that the badass normals, unless they're extremely flexible and intelligent and quick in their reactions (i.e. Satoha), get less time to react to new, crazy abilities going off at their table or new targeting attempts and thus get overwhelmed. That's why we're seeing reactions and counter-reactions of teams between tournament rounds as opposed to between hanchans in a given match. I also suspect that players like Ryuuka or Nodoka who are consistent in their technical skill would, on average, gain respectable amount of points in longer matches, esp. since it does seem like some ability users have inconsistent skills or are stubborn to the point of stupidity.

Quote:
If anything, I was disappointed that Ryuuka wasn't as flashy as I hoped she would be. The Toki thing was honestly kind of lame, and didn't showcase her own abilities at all. I wanted to see the skills that earned her the highest average point gain in her region, not "Toki, 7-day Trial Edition."
Yeah... Give her this (OP) power!

Ryuuka: Dragon Lord

Passive: Danger Sense. Can feel when a tile that can be discarded is 'dangerous' (i.e. someone can ron on it).

Passive: Dragon Flight. Flies above attempts to hinder or control her. Abilities that others try to impose on her do not affect player.
-- Example: Prevents no tenpai hell, Awai's delay, Shizu's mountain road, Sae's power block, *maybe* Teru's demon mirror. Does not prevent: Momoko's discard fading, Saki's kans, Awai's double riichi, Kuro's dora drawing, Toki's future sight, Himeko's key, etc. Note: only works for player in question.

Basic Active: Dragon Commander. Tends to draw dragon tiles (white, red, green).
-- Tends to draw one type faster depending on seat: white - west, red - south, green - north. East -- all equally. (Corresponding with Four Legendary Creatures and their colors.)
Style: Tends to go for yakuhai, shousangen, daisangen. Can also add on pon-type and honor-type yaku.

[Monster Active: Tenryu. Daisangen tenhou / chihou.
-- Preconditions: Win on two hands in one hanchan - one on a sanbaiman and the other on the 2nd draw (not sure whether to limit even more and declare must be a double riichi ippatsu).
-- Next turn will be a daisangen tenhou / chihou (depending on seat obviously).
-- Resets after Tenryu goes off or the hanchan ends.]

Quote:
In other news, despite Yuuki being my least favorite Kiyosumi (biased, I just don't really like Kugimiya Rie and the archetype she plays), I can't help but feel bad for her. Since she's always used as a sort of sacrificial damage-control player against everyone else's aces, she never really gets a chance in the spotlight.
Seems like most teams are throwing sacrificial lambs into the vanguard round. Rinkai, of course, doesn't have a choice on where to place their Ace given team make up. Still, poor Yuuki.

Quote:
And since the finals is going to pit her against none other than final-boss Teru, I don't know she'll have a chance to shine in that round either. I really hope Mako get a good feature in this next match, because she suffers from the same problem (I mean, her last match was pretty much off-screened even though she had the largest point gain from Kiyosumi that round). I think her photographic memory is one of the more creative abilities in the Sakiverse, and I'd like to see it in action more often.
I really like the name given for it by Hisa: SPINDLE TERRITORY. It just sounds awesome. It's too bad that given her lack of screentime, it's hard to project her current level and possible future level. Although, given her ability and her intelligence, wouldn't she a hard opponent to face the second time around? I hope we can see if it's easier for her to face Himematsu's 2nd player now that she's gotten Himematsu's style into her 'river.'
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Old 2013-07-03, 23:55   Link #3599
night_sentinel
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We interrupt this conversation to bring you breaking news. Leaks are out!

Spoiler for Latest chapter:



EDIT : More leaked picture
Spoiler for ...:

Last edited by night_sentinel; 2013-07-04 at 00:10.
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Old 2013-07-04, 00:11   Link #3600
Requiem-x
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Ah, someone beat me to it. Oh well, there's plenty more spoilers to go around, even if text only.

Spoiler for Spoilers:
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