Retsgip’s Anime Blog

Darkshaunz Materializes

Score: 8.7/10 (Finally, Nina talks)

At last, the new Zwei installation has been subbed. The raw has been out for almost a week, and I was worried that with [Doremi] subs on vacation, the OVA would never get the Arinko-chan loving that it so deserved. Not to fear, our comrades over at [Static-Subs] have done a magnificent job and you can choose your flavour of .avi or .mkv (Go to Tosho now). The animation, sound and character designs are all well-executed as usual, and I am left wanting this to be a new series for the Mai-Franchise. I enjoyed this installment much more than the second one, as I felt there was more of a push to uncover the mysterious medusa-shock occurring across the Otome-verse. Let’s go.

Zs just make everything Cooller.

SOLT and Pepper

The Wind country has officially started SOLT, or Strategic Otome Limitation Talks, as the anime prescribes. Basically, all the big guns from all the major countries sit down and talk about why they don’t want their Hawt-Ubersuit Bodyguards to be nerfed. The one thing which caught my eye about the meeting was that one of the them was wearing what looked like a KKK garb. Now, I know this was probrably another coincidental happening in terms of costume design, for all I know, he comes from a country where all their faces look like Tentacle Monsters or something. This is also a bit strange, with the core of Otome system corrupted to the point that it’s become a Mushroom or Moss plantation, they only have a handful of surrogate cores left. For now, the direction of the talks seemed to be heading towards the direction that, “Hey lets fix the fact that our babes are getting their asses kicked”. Rightfully so.

“Before we start the discussion…”

“…I’d like to comment that some of us here, dress like fucktards, that is all”

Rest and Relaxation - Relevant to my interests

Lets face it, all work and no play is not a good way to approach life, as they say. For the valiant Otome crew, who have to fight to save the world and the local neighbourhood kitty, it was time to take off their suits to don another kind. Not surprisingly, all the Otome ladies looked simply delicious in their bathing suits, and it seems that Arika has “stacked on” since we followed her journeys prior to becoming an Otome. There’s some stack in the rack and definitely some junk in the trunk, if you know what I mean. As usual, we have Akane trying to break her nano-machines with her man, who by the way, has a lock around his crotch (poor guy). I mean we’ve all heard about “Getting kicked in the balls”, but how about “Getting your balls LOCKED!?”, not too pleasant. In the meantime, Shiho and her other Drill-hair counterpart get into some kind of catfight. It’s never pretty when a Spin-freak and a Bondage queen engage in Mortal Kombat. It’s hot, yet kind of Do not Want in a way too.

I typed this entry with both hands…Honest.

Screw the plot, I have T & A!

Cockblocked just got a whole new meaning.

Arika attempts to make a break from all of the action, and Maya casually takes off her top to illustrate that attempting to escape will only please the guys (and gals) among the audience. Well hey, I am not complaining, but it seems that one event would not be enough. Ain, one of the older Otomes amongst the group, is feeling a bit out of it, because she obviously started with some heavy shit instead of easing herself into the drinks. To the audiences’ delight (well, mine mostly), she effectively grabs Arika and then smothers our girl aboard her boobtacular chest. I guess this is what you call Otome-bonding, its really quite a touching and heart-warming (pants warming too) sight. As the alcohol makes its journey to her cognitive systems, Ain proceeds to strip everyone’s tops and the whole thing just makes me want to stop the vlc media player for a couple of minutes so I can get my breath back. This whole scene didn’t move the story at all, but then again, it’s Otome in swimsuits.

Oh, Drillhair-chan, tie me up! tie me up!

I need a new change of pants.

Can it be Nina time Nao?

I’ve always been a big fan of Nina and Natsuki in the Mai-Franchise, regular readers of mine probrably figured out the pattern of anime heroines I seem to support by now. Its good to see Nina and the sexilicious spider-woman Nao Zhang (of course). However, the two of them are definitely not enjoying the beautiful and warm climate of the heated pool, quite the extreme opposite unfortunately. The two have decided to take a trip to the Mai-Hime campus (or Ancient ruins as they call it) in search of “Treasure”, but the real reason they are there is because Nina suspects the root of the whole “Lol mah Otomez are Stoned, guys, gg!” resides within the Ancient Ruins. Like all true gangstas, Nao tags the Ancient Ruins as her own territory, and does a pretty good job of it too, though I doubt anyone would challenge her gang there. Only thing is, that spray can must have some mean anti-freeze in it for the paint to stay nice and wet like that.

**NAO WUZ HERE. RESPECKT.**

Nina! and she actually says shit this episode.

Back in SOLT territory, things don’t seem to be going so sweetly (har har), Natsuki rings up the research department to check on the Stoned Otomes only to be told that whilst there are life signs eminating from the statues, nothing else is happening (thanks for the update). Natsuki also wonders about Midori and her Power Rangers, and apparently they are heading in search of the Black Valley for answers (I hope they didn’t bring that KKK dude in the meeting along with them). Back to the Freezing Cold Place of Death now (it sounds more exciting that way), Nina reflects upon reading her Father’s (now her lover, Sergay) Diary and the events leading up to it. However, I enjoyed the Indiana Jones references a lot.

For the last time Harry. I refuse to say “Waaazaaap”

I got a bit choked up here, its all so emotional. I mean, Oh God Erstin is hot Fap Fap Fap.

“Drop them Jones, They will be found, not you!” - Generic Traps 101

In this installment of Zwei, one of the saving graces of this episode was actually not the gratuitious swimming suit scene (I loved it though), but the Indy references. You see, Indiana Jones is kind of like a childhood hero for me, he goes around ancient ruins looking for Adventure, Action and Treasure. He’s also a cunning and rattish kind of bad guy, socking it to the Nazis and Evil merchant lords on every occassion. He also has a wicked sick leather hat and a mean whip which does everything a whip can be imagined to do. Here, Nao and Nina adopt that role briefly and it was just a pleasure to see that all the corny cliche’d dungeon traps which have become the mainstay of all Ancient-Ruin-Experiences come to life in the Otome-verse. Good show!

“The Whip” - Indy’s weapon of choice against motherfuckin’ snakes, Nazis and ugly bad guys

“The Pit Trap” - Indy falls into a Pit Trap full of Snakes

“The Spike Traps” - Indy and the Temple of Doom

“The Arrow Trap” - More Lara Croft than Indy, but then again, Lara Croft is kind of She-Indy

“The Slippery Slope Trap” - Another cliche’d dungeon trap

Understandably, it was a small part, yet it made a big difference. It was all executed in a way so expected and cheesy, that it was done so well. Even Nao says, “Its so cheesy, I am going to cry”, which I believe is a producer’s term called “Hanging a lantern over it”, basically stating that they intended for us to know that the events were going to happen regardless.

Jokes aside, Serious time Nao

I’m probrably going to abuse that “Nao” pun for a while, because it’s all so convenient and relevant to this Zwei episode. Nao and Nina finally reach what was Mai-Hime’s school campus gathering place where Natsuki had her “Kitten” revealed for going commando in the series (ahh Memories), yeah its kind of obvious where my mind is when talking about this franchise (actually, with all other titles). This place is guarded by a crazy clothed slaved with creepy glowing eyes, it kind of looks like White-clothed Hime-Pokemon which Shiho used in the Hime series and of course the Number one Otome (a.k.a Crazy Medusa Lady) is there to greet the budding Archaeologists into a Baptism of Fire. Before things become psycho, Nina manages to grab a book about Neptune (important plot prop ahoy!) and then Nao does her Materialization. Oh God, Nao is hot, so very hot.

Eyes….getting….blurry…..

Satan Guide my “Rooster”

Indianao Jones, amirite?

After a crotch-creaming materialization sequance, its time that the Action quota of this episode was fulfilled, and it was done in a pretty good burst I might add. Medusa-Otome makes a mad dash towards Nao, but Nao uses her Lazer-spindels to throw her out of sequence. Regardless, the Freaky slave makes an attack run on her, also failing. Nao’s just too badass, and after a couple of blows, she gets bored and effectively pins the Slave to the wall and uses a combination of Lazer power and Angry cat slashes at it. With the combined fury of both Spider and Catwoman, the Slave exploded in glorious energy. With the Slave gone, I thought the fight would sway in the direction of Nao, but this was not the case, after launching web line at the Medusa, she gets impaled by a red lazer beam. This reminded me of Frieza’s thin energy beam which nearly killed Vegeta on Namek, and I cringed in pain for Nao when thinking of this. Poor Nina was left helpless on the ground, as she could not activate her robe anymore, looking at her mentor get stoned (in a Bad, very Bad way).

Not even those new Clarins anti-aging creams can help you now, Freaky bitch.

Her body is like Poetry.

By Poetry, I mean sad and dying Poetry.

Noooo!!!! *Obi Wan goes Berserk on Maul*

Don’t worry, if I know the Mai-series, Vengeance will be served best, bloody and wrathful. Nao’s stoning would not go unpunished, and Nina’s retributive and horrified eyes are symbolic of that, the Student will avenge the Teacher. But for now, she’s in deep shit because she does not know how to use the Force (and does not have a Lightsabre), and needs to get the fuck out of there before Medusa-Otome kills/stones her or the whole joint falls on her pretty little face. Hey, remember that book about Neptune that she happened to find before the fight broke out? Yeah, it saves her from complete destruction by lifting her up and thrusting her into what looked like a Portal or Gateway before the arch around it collapsed into rubble.

I always did say she was Hard-Headed.

Ten bucks says she goes Gear 2//Bankai//SSJ2//Rasengan next installment.

Meanwhile, around Otome-world, something strange is happening. That is, large metallic flowers have erupted all around the major cities and installations. I assume they are kind of Death-seed counters, if they bloom or if their roots suck up enough of the world’s life-force (a’la Life Tree in one of the DBZ movies), then they are all going to have to start writing their wills. It’s also obvious that the Seed like pod in the Old Mai-Hime academy is the main core of all their troubles, and it seems to be drawing life-energy from several locations. Once again, that particularly place is of major plot importance in the Mai-franchise, if you recall, Mashiro was locked in an icy prison in a similar glow in the first series. They seriously need to blow that Ancient Ruin up, its causing nothing but big problems.

Valentine’s Day Marketing at its proverbial worst.

Quick! Everyone line up for the foreshadowing camera shot!

To be Continued…

Mashiro and little Jawa-Girl (Star Wars reference, again), are spotted fishing for their supper. As Mashiro goes through a bit of sorrowful melancholy, she is alerted to what looks like a pretty big catch. The Jawa-Girl is not wrong, it was a majorly big catch for sure. She caught not a boot, not a boat or a sunken X-Wing, but she caught an entire building. They can’t eat that for dinner, but it’s bound to be interesting when she attends one of those, “I caught one THIS big” Angler meetings. Guess who they find inside the prize catch? The true Prize, Nina Wang and the now Super-important plot prop, the Book of Neptune.

This can only mean one thing. Moar Nina next episode.

Overall, great episode and it’s just one of those things where you are left eagerly waiting for the next series of events. Plenty of in-house Mai-references and out of franchise references keep me guessing and feeling wave after wave of sweet memories. The series has always made it a point never to take itself too seriously, but the balance of bittersweet moments are logical and relevant, so they never leave a SOLTy sensation in your tongue (don’t kill me for that pun). Otome Zwei keeps adding a new layer of events and developments to silence the critical views sometimes passed down upon what really is a Fun monster-bashing adventure. Join us next time as we find out who gets stoned and if Nina’s nano-machines are actually still intact (Sergay, you rascal you).

Somebody call Samuel L. Jackson

Cheers,

Darkshaunz

PS: Bleach anime fillers already? What the fuck is going on?

PPS: Uni Exams in a couple of weeks guys (groan), so I might be out of it for a bit.