(L+CR) Shirogane no Ishi Argevollen

[MisaoFan]

Spoiler for Episode 2:

Unlike the first episode, the next one struggled to keep my attention throughout the 24 minutes. It still does have cute artwork and nice giant robot battles, but I found the MC to be dull despite being a competent pilot. I kinda liked that how the way he can pilot Argevollen makes sense but it doesn't really improve his character much. Jamie is still a weak female lead, it makes the secondary cast look like elaborate characters. The positive thing I can give about this anime so far is the total lack of nudity fanservice in spite of the studio and the main cast isn't comprised of generic highschool students being better than anyone else, not to mention it actually does well enough to transitionate between the scenes. Episode three looks like it might be the turning point of the show after all, so unusual considering most 2-cour shows usually have it around midway in the first half of episodes.

[Mr Nr]

The 2nd episode I reckon was bit better then the first one. I'm still curious where this show is heading. The mechs are still a tad bit cgi for me still but I reckon I'll get used to it as the anime progress. I do like that the Argevollen needs to be moved without thinking. Feel it. Though on a side note did she really had to run to him to tell him that or was the story demanding that to add pressure. I do like the music in this really ramps up the tension. Mechs fighting is always a plus for me. I'm hoping this goes into more about the war and given we got 24 episodes I should hope so. Also the opening was not bad but I reckon I prefer the ending but that might just be me though.

[Jagger]

So first episode, kid magically finds a high tech mech. Second episode, turns out the kid is the only one who can pilot it now. Totally didn't see that coming.

I've seen these tropes lots of times before but in this anime they're just
obvious and jarring. Even the mech looks like it's been plucked out of another anime
and dumped in there, the design doesn't look like something that would fit with that
world's level of technology.

[ID555]

Ah I want to like this so much, old school mechs and jungles and isolated military units are the best...

[ChampDream]

Better than first episode, still the MC is kinda dull, need to work in that. The only character that I find interesting is the captain.

[Irenesharda]

Ugh, when you find the enemy soldiers to be exceedingly more interesting than your main characters, then you're doing something wrong. This series is so boring. Even the OP and ED are bland. Tokimune is among the worst mecha MCs I've seen, and Jaime is so annoying with her civilian crap. The supporting characters are all blend together. Even the Captain is boring to me.

I'm giving this one more episode, but I'm nowhere near impressed with this series so far.

[Dop]

Well, at least they made some kind of effort to explain why they don't just take the argevollen off the raw recruit who can't drive a mech properly and give it to someone more skilled.
Not sure it makes sense (after all, how would you test it in the factory if only the first person to drive it can use it thereafter?) but at least it's an attempt at a reason.

I'll give it one more episode, but so far not convinced. Doesn't seem to have that spark.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Dop

Well, at least they made some kind of effort to explain why they don't just take the argevollen off the raw recruit who can't drive a mech properly and give it to someone more skilled.
Not sure it makes sense (after all, how would you test it in the factory if only the first person to drive it can use it thereafter?) but at least it's an attempt at a reason.

I'll give it one more episode, but so far not convinced. Doesn't seem to have that spark.

Ugh, most mecha series actually do give a reason. For Valvrave it was that it was linked to that particular pilot's blood. For SEED, it was that the pilot had revamped the OS to such an advanced degree that only he could now figure it out. Even recently, for Captain Earth, it was that the livluster chose him to be the pilot. They usually give a reason. It's just a tired plot device trope at this point that the pilot is the only one who can use the super mech to save the day.

[ReddyRedWolf]

I get a Battletech feel with the setting and Mechs revolutionary different from others in the setting.

[Pesti13nce]

I really wanna like this show, i mean mech shows? Hell i got into watch anime back during the old Gundam shows in the 90's. But this one... oy.. This captain seems heartless to an annoying degree. I wonder if he is the new recruits biological father or something that is going to come with a twist later on or something. Also this new recruit sucks.. he's terrible like i would probably not save him if a bus were outta control and heading towards him and I COULD save him and neither of us gets hurt.. he's just got to much i dunno if angst is the right word but he's all bitchy. The only one i like so far is Jamie who is kinda funny when she makes fun of him. I'll keep at it for another ep since it might turn out better now that he "kinda" knows how to pilot the mecha.0

[AntonKutovoi]

Second episode was a little better, but still boring. Main candidate for a drop. Even Momokyun Sword is more interesting than this.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Irenesharda

Ugh, most mecha series actually do give a reason. For Valvrave it was that it was linked to that particular pilot's blood.

I think any student could pilot any Valvrave. They just had to renounce humanity.

For SEED, it was that the pilot had revamped the OS to such an advanced degree that only he could now figure it out.

Not really. Any Coordinator could have, he just happened to be the only one around. (And he actually worked on making it more user-friendly for the normals.)

Even recently, for Captain Earth, it was that the livluster chose him to be the pilot. They usually give a reason. It's just a tired plot device trope at this point that the pilot is the only one who can use the super mech to save the day.

In FMP it was the exact same reason. The Arbalest imprinted on whoever piloted it first.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I think any student could pilot any Valvrave. They just had to renounce humanity.

Not really. Any Coordinator could have, he just happened to be the only one around. (And he actually worked on making it more user-friendly for the normals.)


In FMP it was the exact same reason. The Arbalest imprinted on whoever piloted it first.

I still remember in the first episode of SEED was that they asked La Flaga to pilot the Strike, but La Flaga said that Kira had messed with the OS to such a degree that only a Coordinator could pilot it. With Kira being the only Coordinator with the Archangel for most of the series, this basically was what let him follow the "only the main character can pilot the special mech" trope.

For Valvrave, you had to be a Magius (real or artificial) for it to work, since Haruto and later the other pilots were the only ones (that we knew about till the end) that's what they used to make that trope work there.

My point was that most of the time, at least in the beginning, they do give some reason why the MC has to be the one to pilot the special mech. It's a pretty common thing and not just limited to Argevollen.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Irenesharda

I still remember in the first episode of SEED was that they asked La Flaga to pilot the Strike, but La Flaga said that Kira had messed with the OS to such a degree that only a Coordinator could pilot it. With Kira being the only Coordinator with the Archangel for most of the series, this basically was what let him follow the "only the main character can pilot the special mech" trope.

The setting of Seed was that all normals (even Mu) sucked at piloting MS. Kira could have put the old settings back and Mu still wouldn't have been nearly as good.

For Valvrave, you had to be a Magius (real or artificial) for it to work, since Haruto and later the other pilots were the only ones (that we knew about till the end) that's what they used to make that trope work there.

What did we know? Any student who ever tried, succeeded.

[LostSome]

I don`t know if I like this or not...
The MC and crew are not doing much to me...
Or the other end, I somehow find the enemy forces surprisingly likeable, especially their commander who seem like a wise and compettant leader who cares about his men.

The part where said commander talked about that the unit that attacked the convoy was not part of the invasion force(don`t remember name...) is making me curious. Will watch at least another episode to see where this is going.

[Wandering Soul]

This second episode was only slightly better than the first but the show still isn't really grasping my attention. So far it is probably the least interesting show I am watching. The MC still hasn't done much to stand out but at least he was wiling to take responsibility for disobeying orders.

They better give a good reason why only the first person can pilot it. I highly doubt any actual military force would design it that way since if an enemy solider took the mech then even if they recover it they can no longer use it. What happens if the original pilot dies then is the mech unusable?

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

The setting of Seed was that all normals (even Mu) sucked at piloting MS. Kira could have put the old settings back and Mu still wouldn't have been nearly as good.


What did we know? Any student who ever tried, succeeded.

My main point was that Argevollen isn't the only series to every give some kind of explanation as to why the MC was the only one who could pilot the main mech. Even if those explanations were flimsy, or disproven by the end, they did actually try to give one.

Originally Posted by LostSome

I don`t know if I like this or not...
The MC and crew are not doing much to me...
Or the other end, I somehow find the enemy forces surprisingly likeable, especially their commander who seem like a wise and compettant leader who cares about his men.

The part where said commander talked about that the unit that attacked the convoy was not part of the invasion force(don`t remember name...) is making me curious. Will watch at least another episode to see where this is going.

I had the exact same feelings as well. I actually was more interested in the enemy soldiers and their teams and their commander than anything that was going on with our supposed main and supporting characters in this series. They just seemed like real characters than anything we got with the MC and his team. Most of that team doesn't even talk! The captain is so stoic he's boring. The only thing he ever says is "We're leaving". And his assistant is so cliche, I swear a version of her is in every mech series ever.

[DarkWarrior]

As a huge mecha fan, I feel like this series is going to be a struggle for me. I can't stand the main character but he obviously has a lot of growing to do. Will I able to be tolerate him until he finally does? Hopefully so. Besides the annoying MC, the world setting is kind of interesting so it's barely watchable for me right now. I really hope things get more exciting quickly, but I'm not holding my breath.

[DevilHighDxD]

The MC beat Haruto Tokishima in turn of plainness, while it not bad it also not good either, it's exceedingly bland and average. I'll... Give it more episode!

[Benigmatica]

Something, I think Tokimune needs a slap in the face to man up. Looking at him puking after the first battle, then struggling to move Argevollen fluidly, is a bad sign for him.