Apologies all. I still haven't had time to watch last week's Escaflowne, nor will I be able to make this week's liveblog. Or, probably, next week's. The first week in February is looking good, though.
How to participate in the liveblog chat:
Option 1: Whenever you watch the episode, comment on this post as you watch with whatever responses you feel like posting!
Option 2: Go to http://webchat.freenode.net/. Enter a nickname, then for the Channels field enter ##rabbitcube, and finally fill in the Captcha and hit Connect! We'll be watching Vision of Escaflowne and commenting there starting at 2:00 p.m. EST. We will then be watching Sailor Moon Crystal at 2:30.
[10:56] <@Sylocat> Okay... get ready, I guess
ReplyDelete[10:57] <@Sylocat> *sigh* dad said he'd be here at 5 'til
[10:58] == mere_oblivion [-] has joined ##rabbitcube
[10:58] <@Sylocat> Ah, speaking of
[10:58] <mere_oblivion> Hey here hi there ho there
[10:58] <@Sylocat> Little hi, little low, little hey, little ho, &c.
[10:58] <Arrlaari> You are THREE minutes late and your son is very disappionted in you
[10:58] <@Sylocat> Oh you
[10:59] <@Sylocat> Okay, everyone got it cued up?
[10:59] <Arrlaari> Yes
[10:59] <mere_oblivion> "After all, am I a man or a mouse?" "Is that a trick question?"
[10:59] <mere_oblivion> Yowza
[10:59] <mere_oblivion> Three minutes late is an improvement fr me.
[11:00] <@Sylocat> Clickity click
[11:00] <@Sylocat> This opening, it's wonderful
[11:00] <@Sylocat> (in case we haven't talked about that enough)
[11:01] <@Sylocat> "Was it all just a dream? Or a vision?"
[11:01] <@Sylocat> "Another side to Allen," that's putting it mildly
[11:02] <@Sylocat> Speaking of dreams
[11:02] <Arrlaari> Let's have a weird dream to remind us that Allen looks like her crush from earth
[11:02] <@Sylocat> I'd forgotten about this sequence
[11:03] <mere_oblivion> Me too--but then I've forgotten most of it, thankfully.
[11:03] <@Sylocat> Poor Hitomi
[11:03] <@Sylocat> Ah, the Tower card
[11:03] <@Sylocat> Uh, Hitomi, that's clearly Van...
[11:03] <@Sylocat> What are they roasting on those sticks?
[11:04] <@Sylocat> MERLE...
[11:04] <@Sylocat> Ah, they're giant bugs
[11:04] <mere_oblivion> What else?!
[11:04] <@Sylocat> Merle...
[11:04] <@Sylocat> She really IS a cat, she's stealing everything and gnawing on it
[11:05] <mere_oblivion> And passing judgment on everyone eelse.
[11:05] <@Sylocat> (for the longest time, I thought "gnaw" was spelled "knaw." I don't know what that has to do with anything, but oh well)
[11:05] <mere_oblivion> I gnow what you mean.
[11:05] <@Sylocat> For a moment there, I thought Folken was going to show up
[11:06] <@Sylocat> Van lost his parents, and as such has almost completed his prereq for Shonen Hero-dom
[11:06] <@Sylocat> Awww
[11:07] <mere_oblivion> really, are all such Heroes spose be orphans?
[11:07] <@Sylocat> It's a fantasy anime, of course he is
[11:07] <mere_oblivion> "Come with us?" Where else could she go?
[11:08] <@Sylocat> That does seem an odd suggestion
[11:08] <Arrlaari> "I may need your help someday" Or every day
[11:08] <@Sylocat> Yeah, she's already saved his neck at least three times
[11:08] <Arrlaari> You can't get through two episodes without her averting your death
[11:08] <@Sylocat> Ah, those floating fortresses
[11:08] <@Sylocat> I'd forgotten how different they all look from one another
[11:09] <@Sylocat> Allen's in jail?
[11:09] <mere_oblivion> That threw me for a loop, too.
[11:10] <@Sylocat> Yeesh, there's a ton of them
[11:10] <Arrlaari> So he's letting Zaibach hit that duchy because they had something to do with Marlene dying, I guess.
[11:10] <@Sylocat> I think Marlene was married off to their duke
[11:10] <Arrlaari> I guess this guy work for Zaibach
[11:10] <@Sylocat> Ah, I'd forgot that most Energists are mined from the ground rather than gotten from dragon hearts
[11:10] <Arrlaari> You can tell because he's a jerk to messengers
[11:11] <@Sylocat> No, no she doesn't have her father's permission
Delete[11:11] <@Sylocat> Oh, THAT trick
[11:12] <@Sylocat> Ah... well, they ARE from dragon hearts, just from ones that died naturally
[11:12] <mere_oblivion> "The last six women who did this were just trying to escape."
[11:12] <@Sylocat> Ahahah... Space Mutiny
[11:12] <@Sylocat> "Hide there?" Did they not see Escaflowne land?
[11:13] <@Sylocat> Ah, "Prince Chid, his own grandson." Marlene WAS married to Freid's duke
[11:13] <Arrlaari> They took Escaflowne for a dragon, and not a dragon robot
[11:13] <Arrlaari> because they apparently weren't informed
[11:13] <@Sylocat> (of course, that doesn't mean Freid DIDN'T have anything to do with Marlene dying)
[11:13] <@Sylocat> Ah, I'd forgotten what Mole Man was up to
[11:14] <Arrlaari> That was kind of a patronizing thing to do
[11:14] <@Sylocat> Well, yes... Chivalry™, and all that
[11:14] <@Sylocat> But at least the show seems aware of that
[11:15] <@Sylocat> Eww
[11:15] <@Sylocat> That stuff that leaks out when the Zaibach guymelefs get broken apart
[11:15] <@Sylocat> (I mean, it's just the liquid metal from those extendable claws, but still)
[11:16] <mere_oblivion> It is a tad disgusting.
[11:16] <@Sylocat> Whoa... headbutt
[11:16] <@Sylocat> A transformer Guymelef? That's awesome
[11:17] <@Sylocat> Come on, Merle, save the day
[11:17] <@Sylocat> He's a Parselmouth!
[11:18] <@Sylocat> Wait, is she going to bite Hitomi, or squeeze her?
[11:18] <mere_oblivion> Ha!
[11:18] <@Sylocat> Ahah... a cell phone!
[11:18] <@Sylocat> Ah... that answers that
[11:18] <@Sylocat> Stymied by modern tech
[11:18] <@Sylocat> WHOA!
[11:18] <mere_oblivion> Technology keeps saving the day
[11:18] <@Sylocat> Van is good!
[11:19] <@Sylocat> And that was convenient
[11:19] <@Sylocat> I do like that the fight scenes don't last too long... it gives time for character development
[11:19] <@Sylocat> Whoa... what's this going to do...
[11:19] <mere_oblivion> Perhaps one more result of cutting down to 26 eps?
[11:19] <@Sylocat> Whoa
[11:20] <@Sylocat> Is this the Warring Triad from FFVI or something?
[11:20] <Arrlaari> Well, that's the mining operation sabotaged
[11:20] <@Sylocat> "I see you managed to get your shirt off."
[11:20] <Arrlaari> I was going to say, what was he planning to do
[11:21] <@Sylocat> Wait... was that a dream too?
[11:21] <@Sylocat> No, they're in that canyon
[11:21] <Arrlaari> ????
[11:21] <Arrlaari> How does she get service on another planet?
[11:21] <@Sylocat> Aww, Amano
[11:21] <@Sylocat> Magic
[11:21] <mere_oblivion> Now, now, can't ask too many logical questions!
[11:21] <@Sylocat> And of course, that's where we leave off
[11:21] <mere_oblivion> Excellent ending.
[11:22] <@Sylocat> (I just realized that "Allen" did save her after all, since Allen corresponds to Amano)
[11:22] <Arrlaari> You might be spoiling something there
[11:22] <mere_oblivion> Ahh. Well spotted!
[11:22] <Arrlaari> Like, I don't know how literally that works
[11:22] <@Sylocat> Nah, it's not a spoiler... he just sort of "represents" Amano, they're not really the same guy
[11:23] <mere_oblivion> It's a fine distinction but an important one.
[11:23] <@Sylocat> (of course, my saying THAT much might be a spoiler in itself)
[11:24] <mere_oblivion> I don't think it is, but as I've said there's so much I don't remember.
[11:25] <Arrlaari> So I think Vaan didn't kill that dude after he killed that dude's pet snake, which would make two Zaibach asshole officers who have an exaggurated grudge against him
Delete[11:25] <Arrlaari> but I guess it's possible snake guy died when the dig site collapsed
[11:25] <Arrlaari> He had the design to appear in more than one episode though
[11:25] <mere_oblivion> He did indeed.
[11:26] == Sylocat_ [-] has joined ##rabbitcube
[11:26] <Sylocat_> Apologies, my internet picks the worst times to crap out
[11:26] <Sylocat_> What was the last message of mine that everyone actually got?
[11:26] <mere_oblivion> "(of course, my saying that much might be a spoiler in itself")
[11:27] <Sylocat_> Ah, good... at least it let me know when my messages were no longer going through
[11:27] <Sylocat_> Anyway... any final thoughts?
[11:27] == Sylocat [-] has quit [Ping timeout: 246 seconds]
[11:28] <Arrlaari> I think it was a bit of a jerk move for Allen to not let the princess come with him
[11:28] <Sylocat_> Yeah... fortunately, she didn't listen
[11:28] <Arrlaari> And like, she's probably going to track him down anyway
[11:28] <Arrlaari> So he's just making a big hassle for her
[11:28] <Sylocat_> (I like that this show actually calls Allen out when he's being a "Chivalrous™" jerkwad)
[11:29] <mere_oblivion> Yes, very "you're just the little lady." But she won't give into that.
[11:29] <Arrlaari> I suspect the show is not going to correct this character flaw of Allen's because it's Chivalry and therefore not a problem
[11:29] <Sylocat_> Well, as has been demonstrated at least twice now, it IS a problem
[11:30] <mere_oblivion> Again, I'm glad to say I can't recall if he overcomes it or not.
[11:30] <Sylocat_> Like, Van was only saved because Hitomi ignored Allen's instructions and barged into the Floating Fortress anyway
[11:30] <mere_oblivion> Good point.
[11:31] <mere_oblivion> In most ways, Allen has much farther to go than Van.
[11:31] <mere_oblivion> Even though he's a much better fighter when they first meet.
[11:32] <Sylocat_> Yep...
[11:32] <mere_oblivion> So . . . till next week . . . ?
[11:33] <Sylocat_> Indeed... we're about to start the next SMC liveblog shortly, but I haven't gotten you up to speed on that one
[11:34] <mere_oblivion> Probly for the best, given how much we have to accomplish over here. But do tell me about it when next we meet (tomorrow?)
[11:34] <Arrlaari> Well, Hitomi was willing to slap Vaan in his jerk face and yell at him
[11:34] <Arrlaari> Nobody does that to Allen, yet
[11:34] <mere_oblivion> Right!
[11:35] <Sylocat_> I think Hitomi did slap Allen at some point during Episode 5, but it was more of a playful I-told-you-so slap... I'd have to watch it again though
[11:42] <Sylocat_> Okay then... click
ReplyDelete[11:42] <Sylocat_> Ooh, the crystal flower
[11:42] <Arrlaari> Oh she'll give you that power
[11:43] <Arrlaari> The activated silver crystal looks like an onion that's been prepared in a certain way
[11:43] <Sylocat_> Well, that was an overelaborate speech
[11:43] <Arrlaari> I forget what it's called, but they cut it open so that it looks like it's blooming and fry it.
[11:43] <Sylocat_> It does kind of... like an artichoke
[11:43] <Sylocat_> as well
[11:44] <Sylocat_> Her "By the power of" speech is done, right?
[11:45] <Arrlaari> That's an interesting translation for the title
[11:45] <Sylocat_> Oh jeez, there's MORE of it?
[11:45] <Arrlaari> Was Mamoru doing the Conan babe pose just now?
[11:45] <Sylocat_> Ah... it's done
[11:45] <Sylocat_> Heheh... I hope so
[11:46] <Sylocat_> Their magic pens aren't being blown away by the wind
[11:46] <Arrlaari> Oh, there's four dots on the gubbin on that sword
[11:46] <Arrlaari> One for each of the planetary guardians, I guess
[11:46] <Sylocat_> Luna's okay... because of course they weren't going to kill the kitten
[11:47] <Sylocat_> Okay, we get it, the hearts of all their friends are magically with them, &c.
[11:48] <Arrlaari> *praying cat.gif*
[11:48] <Sylocat_> Paper Mario lampshaded that
[11:48] <Sylocat_> "craving for?" Queen Metalia can't grammar
[11:48] <Sylocat_> (and yes, it's just a subtitle thing, I know)
[11:49] <Sylocat_> That was entirely too easy
[11:49] <Arrlaari> Metallia has spent a lot of time narrating what was happening to her during the past couple of episodes
[11:49] <Sylocat_> Wait, that ornament in her bow just shattered?
[11:49] <Sylocat_> Is that, like, her Soul Gem or something?
[11:49] <Sylocat_> Did it overload?
[11:49] <Sylocat_> Wait, who is THAT?
[11:49] <Sylocat_> Who was that with the black wavy hair?
[11:49] <Arrlaari> I actually don't recognize that
[11:49] <Sylocat_> Was that LUNA? Luna had a human form?
[11:49] <Arrlaari> Was that supposed to be a Luna gijinka?
[11:50] <Sylocat_> That's weird
[11:50] <Sylocat_> Whoa, the Moon Kingdom is getting rebuilt?
[11:50] <Sylocat_> Or is this just a vision?
[11:50] <Arrlaari> Was it a dream? Or a vision?
[11:50] <Sylocat_> ahahah... good point
[11:51] <Arrlaari> He's doing that thing he does
[11:51] <Sylocat_> Eeyup
[11:52] <Sylocat_> Wait, he can do that?
[11:53] <Sylocat_> Was it established that he could do this?
[11:53] <Arrlaari> Not before now
[11:53] <Arrlaari> but he is the Prince of Earth
[11:53] <Sylocat_> I mean, it's not like it's something that's actually useful in battle, but...
[11:53] <Arrlaari> so basically Sailor Earth
[11:53] <Sylocat_> Oh come on, just pray and get your powers back
[11:53] <Sylocat_> "Moon stick?" That's the technical term?
[11:54] <Arrlaari> They aren't even translating it, Luna is saying Moon Stick
[11:54] <Sylocat_> Ah, in katakana?
[11:54] <Sylocat_> I didn't hear that
[11:54] <Arrlaari> The actress' pronounciation is reasonably good, actually
[11:55] <Arrlaari> Actually, Usagi just did "Moon Castle" pretty well, and there's an L in that.
[11:55] <Arrlaari> "You're the new Queen of this empty kingdom on the moon"
[11:55] <Sylocat_> Yeah, it would seem a little weird to rule over an empty realm
[11:56] <Sylocat_> We're barely halfway through the episode. Does the next season's villain get introduced now?
[11:56] <Arrlaari> New gear!
Delete[11:56] <Sylocat_> Ah, a new toy line!
[11:57] <Sylocat_> Was the Crystal that small before?
[11:57] <Sylocat_> Ooh, I like the new transformation sequence
[11:58] <Sylocat_> Is the new costume the same?
[11:58] <Sylocat_> I don't remember those three hair-claw things beneath the baubles
[11:58] <Arrlaari> Yeah I think that's the one new thing
[11:59] <Arrlaari> This show respects the fact that the healer is the most important member of the RPG party
[11:59] <Sylocat_> Yes, yes it does
[11:59] <Sylocat_> Aww
[12:00] <Sylocat_> And they all get their powers back too, I assume
[12:00] <Arrlaari> They are not leaving a lot of time for the Petite Etrangere
[12:01] <Sylocat_> Well, presumably the new season's villain will arrive at the very end for a cliffhanger
[12:02] <Sylocat_> I always did wonder when magical girls found time to do their homework
[12:02] <Arrlaari> In the old anime the sailor scouts had a study group. I wonder if we'll see that.
[12:02] <Sylocat_> Oh jeez, tell me the Rock Knights aren't back too
[12:02] <Sylocat_> Whew... fortunately that was just the new villain
[12:03] <Sylocat_> The handkerchief, I'd forgotten that
[12:03] <Sylocat_> Wha?
[12:03] <Sylocat_> Oh jeez
[12:04] <Sylocat_> It's HER
[12:04] <Sylocat_> I'd forgotten about her
[12:04] <Sylocat_> She's in the manga too
[12:04] <Sylocat_> AHAHAH... she has a gun
[12:04] <Sylocat_> Is she wearing lipstick?
[12:05] <Arrlaari> Real talk: She is the reason I stopped watching the dub of the old anime
[12:05] <Sylocat_> I still haven't seen the sub of the old anime
[12:06] <Arrlaari> When I watched the fansubs I mooched off my sister, I got to the specific episode where she made me quit and it was as bad as I remembered
[12:06] <Sylocat_> Yeesh
[12:06] <Arrlaari> What I didn't remember is that it was just that one episode
[12:07] <Sylocat_> Well... that's fortunate
[12:08] <Sylocat_> Okay, we're in for quite a ride this coming season
[12:09] <Arrlaari> Anyway, if Froborr was here I'd tell him to go and watch the last three episodes of the first season
[12:09] <Sylocat_> The first season of the original anime?
[12:10] <Arrlaari> Yeah
[12:10] <Arrlaari> Or the whole thing but there's 46 episodes so he probably doesn't have that kind of time