(L) Simoun

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Yui from Okinawa

I wonder if it was much like that for pilots in the RAF and Luftwaffe in 1939, before the actual shooting began.

For the RAF, perhaps, but the Luftwaffe pilots were hardened combat veterans who'd been fighting since the Spanish Civil War at that point. There might be a parallel between the Luftwaffe and the Argentum dragonfly pilots, though....

[Drytchnath]

Is it just me or did it seem that the "men" shown in the first episode still had female voices? Also, with all the choosing gender stuff, coupled with animes tendency to whip up androgynous looking characters-im confused as hell at times wether some of the older characters are female or not!

Granted i only watched the 1st episode, and deleted about 15 minutes into it. Just not my kind of show i guess.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I made a page with pictures, names and seiyuus of as many of the characters as I could figure out. Based on the official site and the Japanese wiki.

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I made a page with pictures, names and seiyuus of as many of the characters as I could figure out. Based on the official site and the Japanese wiki.

Thank you so much! If you don't mind, I'll go ahead and update the Wikipedia article to reflect that information.

[Futaba-chan]

Simoun
Episode 1: "Broken Wings"

I sat down and wrote this up to sort out the details of what was going on; if I've gotten anything wrong, please correct me! I expect that later synopses will have more gaps in them unless the fansubs catch up to the series soon....

Spoiler:

The episode is narrated by an "enemy" pilot from the industrialized nation of Argentum. Argentum has a large fleet of rigid airships,
which carry 48 propeller-driven "dragonfly" fighters each. Argentum has sent its fleet across the ocean, in spite of lightning hazards and
range limits, in order to attack the nation of Simulacrum.

Simulacrum possesses highly advanced fighter aircraft known as "Simoun." Simoun are two-seat airships powered by a "helical motor"
technology leftover from an older, more advanced civilization. Argentum wants to steal a Simoun in order to reverse engineer its
technology.

The Argentine fleet launches its fighters as it crosses the mountains at the border of Simulacrum, and is immediately attacked by a "corps"
of five Simoun. The Argentine pilots react with superstitious fear, but fight back.

Spoiler:

Meanwhile, at the capital of Simulacrum, a group of VIPs has gathered to watch Corps Tempest (Simulacrum's most highly-rated Simoun corps) depart on a routine patrol. The Arcus Prima, Simulacrum's flying Simoun carrier, hangs in the sky overhead as Corps Tempest prepares to depart from an air base in the capital citadel. Neville, the "Sybilla Aurea" (most senior pilot), complains to her two aides about all the fuss that the VIPs are making as she walks out to the flight line past a crowd of adoring cadets. Amuria, her partner and "sagitta" (rear-seat pilot, navigator, and weapons officer) greets her with the traditional kiss that Simoun crews share before departure, then adds a more passionate one of her own.

The rest of Corps Tempest also share in the traditional kiss, and each pair then kisses a large green gem mounted between the cockpits on
each Simoun, comprising the Simoun's main weapon system. The gem begins to shine with a bright green glow in response to each kiss.
The crews close their cockpit hatches and lift off for their patrols, flying past the observation dome full of VIPs.

In the dome, Guragief, the commander of the Simoun forces, explains to the assembled VIPs that the Simoun are capable of creating a nearly infinite variety of "Ri Maajon" forms out of a few basic shapes, but that the meanings to most of them have been lost in the mists of
time. Nevertheless, the Simoun Sibylla (the priestess/pilots who fly the Simoun) are working to rediscover as many forms as possible.

Two important-looking men (possibly Neville's and Rodoraemon's fathers?) express satisfaction in the progress that Rodoraemon has made in her flight training lately, and a third expresses confidence in the flight skills of the Sibylla Aurea. An important-looking woman, addressed as "Kyushuu-sama", laments that so many girls must be taken into the ranks of the Simoun Sibylla, and that war has still come despite the prayers of Simulacrum's clergy and leading families. The first male dignitary replies that the Sibylla are carrying out God's will, and that by demonstrating the power of the Tempus Spatium (Simulacrum's deity, and the mystic force behind the Simoun's main weaponry), they'll be able to deter any future aggression.

Spoiler:

Corps Tempest flies off on its patrol mission. Neville tells Amuria that her father specifically requested Corps Tempest's presence at the
inspection to put the Simoun force's best face forward to the VIPs. Amuria is not surprised -- after all, Corps Tempest is the very best.
Neville is uncomfortable taking credit for the Sibylla's activities, or comparing Corps Tempest to the other corps, as their activities are
intended as a prayer and offering to the Tempus Spatium, and not for personal glory. Amuria has a different agenda: she is interested in
the power that the Simoun represent. Neville can't understand why.

Before a lovers' quarrel can develop over Neville and Amuria's diverging agendas, Parietta, the second most senior pilot in Corps
Tempest, flies alongside Neville and Amuria's Simoun, and points out the sound of distant aircraft. Corps Tempest dives below the cloud deck to investigate.

Spoiler:

To their horror, they encounter a crippled Simoun, the last survivor of Corps Cup's initial encounter with the Argentine air fleet. The sagitta is dead, and the auriga (front-seat pilot) is barely conscious. Neville fires a grappling cable to the crippled Simoun that allows her to communicate with it (radio is a technology that has been lost). The dying auriga tells Neville that the entire corps has been wiped out, and that Corps Tempest is Simulacrum's last hope. She begs Neville to hurry to the battle and use the Ri Maajon rituals that Guragief taught them.

As they fly off to intercept the attacking fleet, the Sibylla of Corps Tempest wrestle with the emotional impact of the destruction of Corps Cup. Neville is shocked that even a single Simoun was shot down, as she firmly believes that the Simoun are invincible because the Sibylla
enact God's will. Amuria is more pragmatic: she has always expected the Simoun to be committed to battle someday. Rodoraemon is alarmed that an enemy force has seen a Simoun and lived to tell about it.

Kaimu takes comfort from the fact that she's flying with Paraietta -- if she has to die, she's fine with it if Parietta is there with her.
Parietta is stoic, and replies that she has better things to do than dying. She also takes a moment to reprimand Kaimu for referring to Neville in yobisute (no honorific) without Neville's permission when Kaimu inquires if looking after Neville is one of Parietta's "more
important things." Kaimu fires back that Parietta obviously must have permission to.

Aboard Floe and Alti's Simoun, Floe remarks to Alti that she's heard that Argentum uses lighter-than-air ships. Alti, like Neville, can't
believe that a Simoun could possibly be shot down. She believes that as soon as the enemy forces see their "beautiful butterfly" Simoun,
they'll run in fear.

As Corps Tempest approaches the border, Amuria brings up an old argument that she and Neville had been having: she suggests that they
attempt the Emerald Ri Maajon (an extremely powerful attack) in the upcoming battle. According to legend, the Simoun Sibylla of old who
succeeded at creating the Emerald Ri Maajon were taken into the heavens to serve at the side of the Tempus Spatium, and Amuria wants
to gain that level of power. Neville replies that the Sibylla haven't finished analyzing all of the old forms yet, and that it's too soon to try it. Their argument is interrupted by their arrival at the border.

Spoiler:

A swarm of Argentine dragonfly fighters struggle to carry away the wreckage of a downed Simoun (whose crew is dead), as other fighters
fly top cover. As the narrator watches in horror, Corps Tempest arrives to interrupt the Argentine salvage efforts, and battle is joined. The narrator is determined to complete his or her mission -- if Argentum can get its hands on a Simoun, it will allow their nation to grow stronger.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Spoiler:

The battle begins. Swarms of dragonflies attack Corps Tempest, who respond by performing the "Falcon Ri Maajon" maneuver: all six Simoun
in the corps fly in a specific pattern that causes the glowing green jewel between the cockpits to inscribe an enormous glowing glyph in the sky. When the pattern is complete, the glyph expands into a beam of destructive energy that destroys entire squadrons of enemy fighters at once.

Only two dragonfly fighters survive the Ri Maajon attack, one of which is flown by the narrator. They flee toward the main body of the fleet, pursued by Corps Tempest. Eri has worked herself up into a fury at the enemy over the invasion. Neville is stoic but determined. The narrator explains that no one understands why the Ri Maajon works, but that Argentum's technology could be significantly improved if they could capture it. The Simoun have a reputation of as "devils" -- but the narrator doesn't believe in devils or hell. To him, the Simoun are just machines like his dragonfly, to be shot out of the sky.

The two fleeing dragonflies fly over a ridge where a second Corps Cup Simoun has crashed... and behind it is the entire main body of the
Argentine fleet: at least six carrier zeppelins, with nearly 300 fighters at least. Eri is shocked by the enemy's numbers, but Floe
isn't impressed. She immediately launches another Ri Maajon attack which destroys several attacking dragonflies.

Corps Tempest then begins a more complex Ri Maajon attack in which all six Simoun climb toward the clouds, weaving an intricate interlocking pattern of glyphs while climbing away from the attacking aircraft with their superior climb rate. The Argentine forces fall
for it, nearly the entire attacking force follows the Simoun directly up the path of the Ri Maajon pattern.

Just as the Simoun are about to destroy the entire attacking force, however, their Ri Maajon gems begin to run out of power. The Ri
Maajon fails, and one of Corps Tempest's Simoun is destroyed by enemy gunfire, killing both crew members. Heavily outnumbered and unable to produce the Ri Maajon effect, Corps Tempest faces the prospect of the same fate as Corps Cup.

Spoiler:

As a last resort, Amuria brings up her Emerald Ri Maajon suggestion again. Neville is hesitant, but Amuria convinces her with a wildly
overblown speech about the need to grow stronger because annoying little people worthy of their scorn are trying to steal their wings.
The two open their cockpits, turn to one another, and share a kiss, oblivious to the approach of the enemy squadrons. Neville is finally
convinced: if the two reach the side of the Tempus Spatium through the Emerald Ri Maajon, they can be free from the fighting there. The Ri Maajon gem glows brighter, refreshed by Neville and Amuria's kiss.

With speed sufficient to generate a powerful bow wave, Neville and Amuria climb through the clouds, pursued by most of the Argentine
fighter force. In the blue sky above, they inscribe a spherical pattern far more intricate than the other Ri Maajon used in the battle. A dark hole opens in the sky inside the sphere, and all of the dragonflies nearby are sucked toward it like children's bath toys toward a drain.

At the critical moment, disaster strikes. The fighter piloted by the narrator reaches Neville and Amuria's Simoun, and Neville and the
narrator confront each other face to face for an instant. Amuria warns Neville not to look in the enemy's eyes: doing so, and seeing
the enemy as another person, makes it difficult or impossible to kill them. It is too late. Neville's concentration is broken, and her
Simoun spins out of control. The intricate pattern that Neville and Amuria were tracing collapses.

The collapsing pattern causes a detonation that resembles a nuclear explosion, which the other Sibylla interpret as the anger of the
Tempus Spatium. The fast and maneuverable Simoun are able to flee, but the entire Argentine air fleet is caught in the explosion and
destroyed, including the narrator's fighter. The narrator's dying thought is to wonder whether all that talk about the Simoun carrying out divine will might not have something to it after all.

Four of Corps Tempest's surviving Simoun escape the blast unharmed. Neville and Amuria's Simoun, however, is crippled by the explosion.
The upper part of the cockpit fuselage is a twisted wreck, and the entire Sagitta cockpit is gone -- and Amuria with it. Neville screams
in horror at the loss of her beloved partner.

Spoiler:

Some time later, a single-seat training Simoun flies in to land aboard the Arcus Prima, piloted by a mysterious cloaked figure.

Below decks, two Simoun Sibylla knock at the door to Neville's quarters, but Neville isn't answering. Parietta is sitting on the stairs nearby, and tells the two to go away. The two explain that they're planning to leave the Simoun forces in order to go to the Spring and choose a sex. (On Daikuuriku, everyone is born female, and chooses a sex at age 17. Going to the Spring to choose a sex disqualifies one from being a Simoun Sibylla.) One explains that she plans to become a man "to be as gallant as Parietta," but Parietta tells her to keep her plans to herself, and dismisses the two.

Kaimu appears, and asks Parietta whether she plans to sit and guard Neville's door all day. Parietta is frustrated that she can't do anything more to help her friend in her moment of deepest sadness, other than feel sad herself.

Spoiler:

In another part of the ship, Floe encounters a young girl wandering around in the Sibylla quarters. Mistaking her for a cadet, she orders the girl to leave, and drags her to the bridge when she refuses.

On the bridge, Guragief is conferring with Anubituf, the captain. Corps Tempest had three fatalities in the battle, two more left to go to the Spring, and Neville is badly demoralized by the loss of her beloved pair. It will take some time for the corps to regain its elite status.

When Floe drags the young girl in to report that she was found wandering in the Sibylla quarters, Guragief explains that even though Sibylla Limone, the young girl, is unusually young for a Sibylla, an exception has been made, and she's now a full-fledged member of Corps Tempest.

Anubituf is hesitant about the wisdom of taking such a young girl into the ranks of the Sibylla, but Guragief replies that it is necessary for the good of the Simoun. One other replacement Sibylla is also expected, but she is of normal age.

At that moment, the aforementioned pilot lands her training Simoun on Arcus Prima's port flight deck. Neither Rodoraemon nor Wapourif (a maintenance technician) recognize her, but she runs to the hangar and expresses her delight at finally seeing a real Simoun. Guragief wanders into the hanger at that point, accompanied by Eri, to welcome Sibylla Aaeru aboard and reprimand her for being late. Aaeru turns out to be an enthusiastic blonde girl with her hair tied in odango.

Spoiler:

Guragief summons Corps Tempest to the briefing room to dispatch them on another mission. Neville and Parietta are absent, and the rest of the corps is badly demoralized. Alti and Rodoraemon are afraid to go into battle again, and Eri wonders if using the Ri Maajon in battle is justifiable after the anger that the Tempus Spatium showed in the late battle.

All the Sibylla are demoralized -- except Aaeru. She bursts from the briefing room by herself and runs to her training aircraft. Floe wonders if Aaeru has even been initiated as a priestess yet.

Meanwhile, Neville has suited up with a practice flying suit, and dives into the Mage Pool for some Ri Maajon pattern practice, to take her mind off her depression. As Neville plummets through the pool, Aaeru runs to her training aircraft and takes off. Floe and Rodoraemon wonder what she's thinking -- a training Simoun isn't equipped to perform the Ri Maajon. Aaeru doesn't care. She vows to go and fight anyway, while the rest stay behind and pray.

END OF EPISODE

[Benio]

Great synopsis. Thank you Futaba-chan.

[Futaba-chan]

Simoun
Episode 02: "The Blue Spring"

The fansubs for the second episode aren't out yet, so I've had to glean this from watching the raw. My Japanese isn't quite up to catching everything, although I've managed to surprise myself... but there are big gaps in my comprehension. Can anyone help?

Spoiler:

The episode begins directly on the heels of the ending of episode 1.
Aaeru has just taken off in her single-seat training Simoun to
intercept an incoming wave of Argentine fighters, and Neville has just
entered the Mage Pool for some Ri Maajon practice.

The "enemy attack" is actually a reconaissance mission: four dragonfly
fighters with drop tanks are shadowing the Arcus Prima and
taking photographs. As soon as they spot Aaeru, they drop their tanks
and accelerate to meet her. Aaeru returns fire with a machine gun,
and shouts a challenge at the attacking fighters, saying that now
she's going to [help me out here?].

Back aboard Arcus Prima, Wapourif and the Sibylla from Corps
Tempest are watching the battle. Wapourif comments that Aaeru is an
idiot for flying out to meet the enemy in a training Simoun that
can't access the Tempus Spatium or perform the Ri Maajon.

Meanwhile, at the Mage Pool, a group of cadets watches Neville
practice. One comments on how beautiful Neville looks, which prompts
Eri to walk over to them and tell them to take a good look at Neville:
she's just practicing, but she's taken a severe blow to her heart, and
this may be the last chance that the cadets have to see her. As Eri
peers into the pool at Neville, she recognizes the Ri Maajon that
Neville is practicing: it's the Emerald Ri Maajon from the recent
battle.

Outside the ship, Aaeru rams one of the attacking fighters with her
training Simoun, which is undamaged. She wonders whether her flying
is making her look like a real Simoun Sibylla. She shoves the
wreckage of the first fighter that she rammed into a second fighter,
which spins out of control and collides with a third.

Anubituf is impressed with Aaeru's flying, and asks Guragief where he
found her. She came from Chigane, which Anubituf finds unbelievable.
He remarks that in any event, the little girl looks like she
understands the [help?] of battle very well.

As Aaeru rams and destroys the final Argentine fighter, its explosion
attracts Neville's attention as she exits the pool. She looks down at
the smoke trails from the battle, and realizes that the unidentified
Simoun pilot (who she hasn't met yet) wasn't just dogfighting -- she
was tracing out the pattern of the Emerald Ri Maajon!

Spoiler:

Aaeru lands her practice Simoun on the port flight deck, pats her ship
fondly, and is promptly confronted by an angry Parietta. She asks if
Paraietta is really from Corps Tempest, and starts to boast about how
she singlehandedly defeated the enemy attack.

Parietta cuts her off, demanding to know what Aaeru thought she was
doing attempting the Emerald Ri Maajon, and how she thought Neville
would feel if she saw it. Aaeru is confused. She has no idea who
Neville is, and had no idea that she was doing Ri Maajon at
all.Parietta replies that when a Simoun Sibylla flies, it's a prayer,
and that she's tired of Aaeru's rudeness. She stalks off in a huff.

The other Sibylla of Corps Tempest gather around Aaeru, and Aaeru asks
them who Neville is. Rodoraemon replies that she's the Regina
(squadron leader) of Corps Tempest. Aaeru is excited at this -- she's
heard of the famous Sibylla Aurea, and wants to become her pair.
Rodoraemon is shocked (after all, Neville just lost her longtime
partner, even though Rodoraemon doesn't have time to say this), which
confuses Aaeru. After all, Neville is supposed to be the #1 Sibylla,
right? [Limone says something, but what?] [And then Floe comments
that circumstances are different?]

Floe is particularly impressed by Aaeru, and forwardly tells her that
she likes her, and wants to pair up with her. Aaeru brushes her off,
demanding to know where Neville is.

Spoiler:

Back at the pool, the gaggle of cadets help Neville out of the pool,
and she begins to remove her pool flight suit. Eri silently dismisses
the cadets, and helps Neville herself. She comments that seeing
Neville practice brings back old memories -- even when they were
cadets, Neville was never afraid of anything.

Neville asks if Eri is leaving the ship. She replies that she is --
her seventeenth birthday is coming up, and so she's going to go to the
Spring to choose her sex. She has one final request: she's afraid of
going to the Spring, and wants Neville to come with her. Neville
agrees. [and adds something else?]

Aaeru runs through the port hangar, loudly shouting for Neville, with
Rodoraemon and Floe trailing behind. Rodoraemon asks Aaeru (with a
pained expression) to please stop using yobisute to refer to
Neville. Floe adds that here, they're Corps Tempest's [what?]. Aaeru
is unmoved, and runs through the cafeteria, central core, and other
ship's compartments shouting for Neville, eventually winding up at the
forward observation deck, which Aaeru immediately takes a liking to.
[Floe repeats her statement about Corps Tempest's something-or-other
as they pass through the core; is that a reference to quarters?]

Spoiler:

Below decks, Parietta corners Neville as she leaves her quarters, as
an assortment of cadets look on. Neville explains to her friend that
she's going to accompany Eri to the Spring because she doesn't have a
pair for the flight. She adds that while she's there, she may as well
make her own pilgrimmage to the Spring, which shocks Parietta. At
that point, Aaeru bursts in and shouts at Neville not to do it -- the
Tempus Spatium can only be invoked by someone who hasn't chosen to be
a man or a woman yet. Parietta responds that it's none of Aaeru's
business.

Neville hasn't met Aaeru yet, and asks who she is. Aaeru introduces
herself, and adds that she's the Corps Tempest Sibylla who's going to
be Neville's new pair, which makes Rodoraemon cringe at Aaeru's
presumption. She wants to know why Neville would want to go to the
spring just now, knowing that it would prevent the two of them from
becoming a pair. Kaimu wanders in at this point and comments that the
two of them never were going to. [I think?]

Neville answers that her seventeenth birthday is not far off, and so
she's going to go. Parietta begs her to reconsider [I can't decipher
the precise words she uses -- help? Something about needing Neville
because so much of the corps is new, perhaps?], but Neville is
determined. She has one request for Parietta: win. She leaves for
the flight deck as Aaeru and Parietta watch in shock.

Spoiler:

The remaining members of Corps Tempest gather in Guragief's office.
Guragief explains to them that [I really have trouble understanding
what is discussed in this scene, and it clearly contains some
important exposition. Could someone please enlighten me? At one
point, it sounds like Guragief is warning the Sibylla that they need
to have a strong wish in mind when they go to the Spring, and that he
concludes by talking about needing to start to send them into battle,
and possibly either warning them about the fate of Corps Cup or
telling them that they'll need to pick up the slack left by Cup's
absence? I really am completely lost here... yoroshiku o-negai
shimasu.]

Aaeru disagrees with Guragief. Because Corps Tempest is going to need
to fight, the Sibylla shouldn't go to the spring and make themselves
unavailable. She herself is going to follow Neville to the spring [to
try to talk her out of going in?], but it's different for the rest of
the Sibylla and they shouldn't.

Rodoraemon and Kaimu reply [with some point or other that I can't
decipher, but which makes Aaeru concede a point]. Aaeru asks the
other Sibylla to refrain from going to the Spring in the mean time.
Alti asks Kaimu if she had been planning to go, but Kaimu turns her
head away and says nothing.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

[Yui from Okinawa]

Your episode summary is good translate!

Some of spell-miss I look, But thers is no matter because of character name katakana "translate unique problem " to English spell.

Totally good summary to Simoun episode 1 and 2!

Thanks Futaba-chan....


-P.S.-
Hudle-name " Futaba-chan " is Trans-sexal comedy "Futaba-Kun change" ?
The Guy, Mr.Aro Hiroshi 's gender comic is my favorite and more "Mormo 1/10" (G.T.S soft Ecchi-fetisism ?)
but comical and serious story.

[Yui from Okinawa]

The name (It was an infant name, and was a woman it or a girl name) before 17 years old was guessed from the Act. and re-name rule to make it added "F" sound that was the change of one's name rule when sex was specified again,match the ending of a word to the sound, and use oppositely.

･Gragief (Guragiefu)
" f " sound is removed as it is if it guesses from the above-mentioned the re-name rule.
→- Gragiea or Gragea

･Anubituf
The "tu" sound is added by the use syllable because the sound is unnatural though it is Anubit (Anubitu-) when "f "sound is first removed guessing from the above-mentioned re-name rule and thinking that the middle syllable used it is natural. Therefore, it is a basic sound of the feminine noun, and when looking for the appropriate one of " a" sound or " e" sound and the" lly" sound
→- Anubia/Anubie

･Halconf (Halconfu)
If " f " sound is first removed guessing from the above-mentioned rule, it becomes Halcon (Halcon-). The shape before the middle syllable uses it here is applied respectively by the female vowel (" a " sound," e" sound, and lly sound) and it looks for the appropriate one.
→- Halconna or Halcorie (Halcolli)

･Waporrif
The female vowel (”a” sound, ”e ”sound, and　” lly” sound) is applied respectively to make sure and it looks for the appropriate one though it passes Waporri even as it is by the female name when f sound is first removed guessing from the above-mentioned re-name rule.
→It is all the thought shape of Waporria, Waporrie, and Waporri < LLY type > besides Wapolly

The item is added every time the new man character thereafter appears.

[Futaba-chan]

I'm still having trouble comprehending a lot of the dialogue, particularly discussions aboard ship involving Floe and her accent. I suspect that I'm missing something important, so I'd be grateful if anyone in the know can fill in the missing details.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Spoiler:

On the flight deck, two Simoun prepare to depart: one full-fledged
two-seater Simoun and Aaeru's training aircraft. Eri is to fly the
one-seater, and let Aaeru and Neville fly together on the real
Simoun. Eri is scandalized that Aaeru is planning to make Neville fly
in the sagitta position, but Neville cuts her off. Aeru reiterates
for one last time that she wants Neville to be her pair... and tells
her that she wants to show her how good she is as an auriga. Neville
nods her head in agreement, and the two aircraft depart.

In the air, Aaeru is over the moon with happiness -- it's her first
time flying a real Simoun. Neville is shocked to learn this, as Aaeru
flies like an experienced veteran. As they fly to shore, Aaeru and
Neville talk about the war [and many details escape me -- help?], and
Aaeru repeats her assertion that the Sibylla shouldn't go to the
Spring until after the war. [Quite a bit more went on in this
conversation, including Aaeru mentioning that something or other was
none of her business, and Neville had a flashback to the aftermath of
the explosion -- can anyone shed any light on this?]

The two Simoun land at the citadel air base, and Neville and Eri head
off to the Spring. As they walk away from the Simoun for possibly the
last time, Eri comments that it was very rude of Aaeru to make Neville
fly as a sagitta -- after all, Neville is the best auriga of all.
Neville agrees.

Spoiler:

Back on the Arcus Prima, Floe asks the other Sibylla if anyone
is going to turn seventeen any time soon, other than Parietta. Alti
points out that Kaimu will be seventeen next month. Rodoraemon,
holding an enormous stuffed animal close to her, also quietly raises
her hand.

Floe wonders which way everyone is going to go now [meaning at the
Spring?]. Alti speculates that Parietta will probably choose to be a
man when she goes to the Spring [for Neville's sake?]. Parietta
demurs, and says [that everyone makes their own choice? that she
doesn't know what Neville will do? that it's her own business? help!].

Spoiler:

Neville and Eri take a train from the citadel to the Spring. The
train is powered by a helical motor, and is divided into at least two
classes. The lower class compartment is crowded, but Neville and Eri
have the First Class compartment to themselves.

Neville asks Eri which choice she plans to make at the Spring. Eri is
hesitant. She's always been female, and she's always thought that she
wanted to be female, but lately, she's been imagining what it might be
like if she chose to be a man, and what sort of career she might
pursue. [Is that right? Is she linking career choice with
gender... and what does that say about Simulacran society if she is?]

Before Neville can reply, the two are interrupted by the conductor.
The passengers in the lower class compartment have heard that there
are Simoun Sibylla on board, and are asking for the Sibylla to bless
them. Neville complies, and the grateful believers beg her to protect
them.

Neville flashes back to her first day as a Sibylla after being
promoted from the cadet corps. Amuria was waiting for her on the
flight deck at the citadel, and greeted her with a passionate kiss at
their first meeting, predicting many fun times ahead for the pair.
Neville gapes at the grateful passengers, awash in memories... and
thoughts of the parallels between Amuria and Aaeru.

Spoiler:

The townspeople make way for Eri and Neville as they walk from the
train station to the Spring, and stop to stare at their heroines. The
Spring is located in a cave behind a waterfall, and the words of the
common people begging Neville to protect them echo in Neville's mind
as she and Eri enter the Spring. They change into pilgrim's robes,
and make their way to an enormous flooded underground grotto, filled
with the ancient ruins of a temple to Tempus Spatium, and lit through
a large hole in the ceiling.

Eri is in a panic. She doesn't know whether she wants to be a man or
a woman, and the time for her choice has arrived. Neville tells her
not to worry.

On an island at the center of the Spring, the high priestess Onashia
is waiting for Eri and Neville. Eri addresses her, stating that her
seventeenth birthday is upon her and that it's time for her to make
her choice. Onashia replies that the Spring is a prayer. [Tells her
to enter the Spring and pray?]

Eri removes her robe and wades along a stone causeway into the
spring. As she wades to the deepest point along the causeway, she is
still in a panic, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, the magic of the
Spring activates, rewriting Eri's DNA, and Onashia explains that the
Tempus Spatium has given her a new life. [deshou?]

Eri and Neville leave the Spring numb with shock. Eri, now male, says
that from now on, she'll be known as Erif (the -f at the end of a name
indicates masculinity). Neville, equally stunned, congratulates her,
not having entered the Spring herself. Erif, who still looks just as
feminine as ever (becoming male happens slowly over time) says that
only his voice [?] has changed, and that he can never go back to being
little again. He won't change again. Neville agrees: nothing will
change. At this, Erif breaks down and collapse to the ground, crying
inconsolably.

[Wow. What an incredibly powerful scene.]

Spoiler:

Back aboard Arcus Prima, Wapourif is chatting with Floe and
Paraietta when Rodoraemon walks in. [And I have no idea what
Rodoraemon and Floe say to each other at this point. Tasukette!]
Limone looks on quietly and snacks on jelly-filled butter cookies.

As the sun sets behind the citadel, Neville returns to the flight deck
to find Aaeru waiting for her just as Amuria did all those years ago.
A Simoun, it turns out, won't fly unless two Sibylla collaborate... or
so Aaeru explains her continued presence. Without saying a word,
Neville walks up to Aaeru and kisses her hungrily. The two then
silently kiss the Ri Maajon gem to activate the Simoun.

Aaeru asks Neville how things went at the Spring... and is promptly
asked to drop the matter. Neville asks Aaeru to climb high into the
sky. Aaeru asks if they shouldn't return to the ship. Neville
repeats her request, and Aaeru eagerly zooms their Simoun high into
the sky as the sun sets over Arcus Prima far below.

END OF EPISODE

Again, I say... wow.

[Futaba-chan]

(Sorry for replying to such an old post, but I'm just getting myself caught up with episodes 2 and 3 from the raws; the series is too exciting to wait for the fansubs to come out.)

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

The character design is extremely effective, and the good voice acting helps it make the characters real. The emotions make sense and are well portrayed.

I had some concerns about the dialogue seeming wooden and overblown in the first episode, but episode 2 just completely blew me away.

The contrast between the CG and the washy backgrounds is very artistic.

I find it rather distracting, actually, and I wish they would stick with a consistent colour palette: either vibrant and well-saturated like the CGI, the sky, and the Sibylla flight suits, or consistently in a watercolour style. I'd vote for the former; the overall artistic design is just gorgeous, and I find myself wondering what scenes like the citadel and the spring would look like done in a sharp, well-saturated style like a Ghibli film.

The music is outstanding, almost a character on its own, with a very artistic effect on the whole piece.

I think that the series music is extremely well done, both the instrumental pieces and Utsukushii Kereba Sore de Ii. Inori no Uta I'm less wild about, but it's growing on me. And I just love the practice of completing the musical phrase that's already playing over the going-to-commercial eyecatch, and using the coming-back-from-commercial eyecatch to establish the muscial theme and mood for the following scene.

And the story and setting are real science fiction, carrying us into a really different world.

I've squeed about this before, but I was willing to overlook what seemed like wooden characterization in episode 1 because the series seemed to be doing such a good job of being a "literature of ideas" as SF is frequently referred to. I'm thrilled that later episodes are proving that it isn't an either-or choice. I'm also thrilled that they're telling good stories with their grand ideas, and stories that serve their worldbuilding well. In particular,

Spoiler for episode 2:

I'm thrilled to see believable and well-thought-out consequences to the "choose your gender at 17" conceit, with characters having to wrestle with their choice of gender, and in some cases, choosing badly. I hope the other big piece of the world -- the nature of the Ri Maajon, and whether it's a magic-versus-science series or whether the Ri Maajon is magic from Sufficiently Advanced Techology -- is as well handled.

I really hope we see more of

Spoiler for episode 2:

Erif, and that the consequences of his (non-)choice are examined in greater detail. And did I mishear, or were the way that gender roles affect career choices a part of Erif's hesitation about which gender to choose? If there are strongly-circumscribed gender roles in Simulacran society, that seems like a really interesting and slightly counterintuitive result, and I hope they spend some time examining that.

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Yui from Okinawa

Hudle-name " Futaba-chan " is Trans-sexal comedy "Futaba-Kun change" ?

Yep. That was one of the first manga series that I read when I first discovered anime and manga, and it's stuck with me ever since.

[Yui from Okinawa]

Aaeru/Arel figure proto-Sculpturee has exhibition in Tokyo Anime festival...
Anime version color and face, but propotion is similar to the Comic version.

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Yui from Okinawa

Aaeru/Arel figure proto-Sculpturee has exhibition in Tokyo Anime festival...
Anime version color and face, but propotion is similar to the Comic version.

Is anyone selling those winged pendants that the Sibylla wear?

[AisuruMirai]

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

I didn't know her by name, either -- I'm not a big Inu-Yasha fan, I've only played the North American versions of the Metal Gear Solid games, and I've never seen any of the other titles that she's worked on.

Actually, I had no idea that Kuwashima Houko was in Inuyasha. I've only seen a few eps in English. What MrProphet said about her is exactly right. Few seiyuu are as versatile.

Off Topic:
Like Kaoru Chujo, I'm fairly new to anime as well (maybe 2.5 years), but since the beginning I've kept track of voices that recur in different anime I've seen, keeping a list of seiyuu & their roles on my hard drive ("seiyuu.doc"). It's been a long time since I've updated it, so I'm less familiar w/ newer actors.

では、
アイスル未来

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Futaba-chan

...I had some concerns about the dialogue seeming wooden and overblown in the first episode, but episode 2 just completely blew me away...I find it [the watercolor backgrounds] rather distracting, actually, and I wish they would stick with a consistent colour palette: either vibrant and well-saturated like the CGI, the sky, and the Sibylla flight suits, or consistently in a watercolour style. I'd vote for the former; the overall artistic design is just gorgeous, and I find myself wondering what scenes like the citadel and the spring would look like done in a sharp, well-saturated style like a Ghibli film....

Great summaries in your other posts. Reading them was like rewatching.

I didn't find the dialog wooden, even at the beginning. I think the situation is just so bizarre that the dialogue does seem overblown until you really enter their world. It's like the scene in episode one with grand 18th-century-style music under Neviril being escorted to the Simoun. That was probably the point when a lot of people who were unwilling/unable to enter the world laughed, made derogatory comments, and turned off. But for me it was grand and thrilling, like a royal procession, as the producers intended. Even moreso now when I watch it again.

Spoiler for ep1:

And Neviril's overconfidence now almost makes me cry, knowing what happened later.

As for the palettes, I get your point, but I take the opposite view. I think they help give the show its special feeling. I would be horrified to see anything that brought the look closer to something plastic and mainstream like Mai-HiME, for example. Even a real Ghibli look would be too hard. I think the washie look gives a feeling of spaciousness that a consistently sharp, bright look might constrain. I think the temple pool scene was more atmospheric than it would have been if everything was sharper and more defined. And the watercolor-look art is just beautiful in itself.

In any case, I think the Ghibli look is expensive to do, and even the Mai-HiME look I think would be more expensive than doing it the way they have, though I'm no expert in animation. The anime might not even get made if it cost much more, since I don't imagine this could have been predicted to be much of a money-maker, compared to more mainstream shows aimed at a somewhat younger and more male audience.

Just my thoughts.

[Futaba-chan]

http://www.gurdjieff.org/
http://www.hawaiianflowers.biz/
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/BR/4/Aruti.html or http://www.altinz.co.nz/
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/UG/95/Amuria.html
http://www.limone.com/ or http://www.fallingrain.com/world/MZ/6/Rimone.html
http://www.dooyoo.de/archiv-sport/morinas-igoris/
"Parietta" leads to a nude photo site.
I couldn't find anything for "Rodoraemon" or "Anubituf".
"Neville" and "Eri" or "Eli" are common names.

[Yui from Okinawa]

Renewal point ,April 24 (mon. ) 2006-
1:　Add " Science level" in the Sky Land planet article at "Q&A and consideration page!"
2:　The source , MANGA-version "Simoun" serialized anthology manga magazine "Yuri-Hime"
of the full name of Arel is added to"Q&A and consideration page!"

Science level

The science level of the entire sky land doesn't have another who sees the structure etc. of the flight machine in the airship in country of Algentum country and country and judges it now.

"Airship"'s having gone out of use to begin with in our star system : though it begins to think of glory period (A.D.1914-1937) of the " Zeppelin style" airship said in our star system if it thinks as it is by seeing the design of compound machine (common name "Bamboo dragonfly. ") fighter of the airship, the airship, the rotor-craft, and the wing side aircraft that becomes a mother ship from air.

The problem of the economy that comes from the expensiveness of inert gas (Helium) of the expectation that is the substitute of mass transportation, a rapid transit, a connectivity (The airport can be constructed in a place near not along the sea and the remote place but the city part), and a furthermore dangerous hydrogen gas cannot be solved but it demands because of high more than danger the gas explosion and the static electricity explosion. The accident of "The Hindenburg Disaster " is only the start.

Even the wing side aircraft (aerodyne said by the concept of our world) is a category of the propeller aeroplane and the biplane though a cultural difference with our star system is thought of course ..no appearance on the screen.. It is thought it is in the situation not used easily enough. whether the wing side aircraft cannot be used at the same time because of a heavenly body influence, gravity, and other natural elements (unknown material that doesn't exist in the star system of us of the Ether or Traper etc.) such as an atmospheric composition and the double sun , All of the human race are born as the woman (girl), it is demanded from the site side of physical physical strength in biological circumstances that do the rediscount application of the character by 17 years old, and sterns are guessed to this as hugely as star human races though the internal combustion engine seems to be also still inefficient ..might not have being able development...
It spared it in the heavy industry, and therefore, physical strength might not be needed for the development manufacturing too much on the site compared with gradual of development, and power be spared to light industries and the electronic science industry.

In Epiode 2, at least because the image where the buoyant compound aircraft of the distance scout type in Algentum nation (The A.K.A. hundle-common name: "Bamboo dragonfly. ") obviously installed the infrared camera was discovered, we are interesting, and this device that "John Logie Baird "of Britain. (The mechanical-"Televisor"inventer) invented in the latter half of 1920's is interesting and it is interesting in Algentum of the sky land the greatest (Shimurarclm Imperial princess nation) that the remark food has been put to practical use with the military aircraft in the star system.

The material how the technology concerning the public welfare spreads in　general is a no bur and a photoengraving and an electronic technology material .... in this level for the public welfare the technology.
If the above-mentioned situation is synthesized, is the science level of the sky land whole (advanced country)1920 star's?It is thought that there is a level 1930's.


Science level of Shimurarclm Imperial princess nation


In Shimuraclm Imperial Princess nation in that forms advanced religious nation, is separated the power of Tempspatium by other countries including
The shrine maiden system based on the above-mentioned circumstances of the sky land whole by the mountain range and the sea, and is physically and thoroughly to Csari, it can be guessed that the science accomplished original development.
Anyway at first, why the original of helical Mortoris is excavated only with Shimuraclm is imaginable that thisoriginal analysis was early though is a mystery it.

Helical Mortoris is used for the locomotive in Episode 2, and the organization of Shimire Shimoun is surmisable and when it has advanced technological, analytical power, it is surmisable in the deterioration copy of original helical Mortoris to be able to make the reproduction though the operation principle doesn't understand conceptual this year either not doing. and small , a resolution investigation thorough because of worship to the temp-spatium god.
The existence of the excellent liberal arts course scholar who can decipher an ancient word and an ancient character cannot be missed at the same time.

The technology of mass production that uses a standard allowance after a star Industrial Revolution and the union production standard and the error margin cannot be achieved on the other hand according to above-mentioned, religious restriction and their cultural preference and difference in outlook.

These technologies are produced, and moreover, there is a speculation that it wants to conceal Shimuraclm , too and Shimoun and Shimire Shimoun are produced with the production plant from which the vicinity of the temple is limited in the condition similar to the manual industry.

It is thought only that the enemy plane was detected by the method of equaling to our early-warning radar no matter how in view of the description that starts Shimoun to the interception detecting the enemy plane in Algentum nation by one story, it thinks. This is not except presuming that Jade-Ball (green emerald) to equip presumption with Shimoun has the display function of some search functions and tracks.

A technology that is generally more excellent than our star system is judged the helical motor that excavates it cannot judge the overall science power by an original religious culture's respect's where the science develops there, and though it has. However, it is certain with the science and technology and the culture that far exceeds a general level of the sky land by excavating an over technology.

[Yui from Okinawa]

In Episode 3,　Aaeru said
"Ah, it's a custom when in charge "chor" (=Wings or Corps ) at midnight. won't you?."

Paraietta said:
"We were dismissed the mid-night duty in this emergency. "

It understands the imposition from the remark of the above-mentioned at mid-night-time assumed to be necessary of the skill & capability the flight duty at midnight original Chor-Tempest, this article add "Q&A and consideration page!"

[Futaba-chan]

Originally Posted by Yui from Okinawa

In Episode 3,　Aaeru said
"Ah, it's a custom when in charge "chor" (=Wings or Corps ) at midnight. won't you?."

Paraietta said:
"We were dismissed the mid-night duty in this emergency. "

I'm still puzzling my way through Episode 3; is this the excuse that Aaeru offers when Parietta reprimands her for being late to the Corps Tempest meeting in the morning?