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Rating: 9/10

Impressions:

I definitely wasn’t expecting Lockon to die, but it’s for good effect that he did. I’m not being a heartless person, but his death gives the show that much more substance, something which I fully endorse. This show really does just continue on with the same battle-after-battle pattern, but at least they throw in different variables each time to diversify things and make the show more interesting as a whole. There’s still no real mindbender twist in the plot or anything of the nature, but perhaps they can pull something out of their sleeves before the season is over. One thing’s for sure though; Gundam 00 has been more than just a pleasant ride.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Rating: 8/10

Impressions:

An excellently executed in my opinion—I love the first OP insert during the climax of the episode. I said I didn’t like the song as an OP, which holds true, but when used as an accompanying piece to such a battle scene, the effect is glamorous. It definitely hypes the entire ordeal up by a lot. They also placed a nice Shana-almost-confessing scene in the midst of things, which almost makes it seem like the season doesn’t need any further development between the two (which would suck, but it works I admit). However, I have a feeling this is just the calm before the storm in terms of the relationship between Shana and Yuuji.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Rating: 8.5/10

Impressions:

Finally, Setsuna gets the spotlight (though unfortunately not through his own prowess, but some function in the Gundams). It’s quite surprising that the Trinity siblings have been wiped out almost completely so shortly, as I had expected them to play a larger part in the overall plot. With the turn of events now, it doesn’t look like Nena is going to be representing the Thrones anymore, and I can see her either dying in an act of revenge, or siding with Setsuna and becoming more or less ‘good’. We’ll have to see though, and I wonder how this first season is going to end (obviously, it has to be pretty big).

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Rating: 8/10

Impressions:

Haha, it almost seems like KyoAni is ‘forcing’ Nagisa and Tomoya together, with all the references to their love for each other, but it’s a nice and welcome change from Air and Kanon. I really hope they actually get somewhere before the end of things, and not have anything TOO sappy, like confessing to each other and embracing or something. Anyway though, I wonder if the other world sequences are merely just part of Nagisa’s play, or if there’s some supernatural elements to it. Although ridiculous, maybe something like, the little robot is Tomoya from some other dimension, or something like that.

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Popularity: 6% [?]

Rating: 7.2/10

Impressions:

The problem with Shakugan no Shana fights is that they only thing they dare include is variety, and nothing that really impresses. In the end, we only get to see the two sides exchange blows, in various different fashions, but all in all that’s quite boring if you ask me. Ah well, I don’t watch Shakugan no Shana for the fighting anyway. The more important thing, IMO, is the story and relational development (which, by the way, isn’t getting anywhere. It’s not like Shana and Yuuji are gonna get together before the end of this anyway…) I wonder if the author had dare kill off an important character like Wilhelmina…probably not.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Rating: 7.2/10

Impressions:

With the inclusion of the Thrones, the story really should have started to harden, though at the moment, it’s actually weakening. It’s becoming progressively like a fight-rest-fight relationship that will only succeed in pleasing those hardcore mecha fans. Until now, we’ve only really seen a lasting war between CB and the rest of the world, and even the three worldly powers haven’t done anything really interesting. Unfortunately, if things don’t improve, I’m going to end up thinking that Gundam 00 is another anime that started with huge potential, but ended up wasting it.

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Popularity: 6% [?]

Rating: 7.5/10

Impressions:

With the tear jerking end of episode 18, it seems that Clannad has finally moved into its final arc—Nagisa. And because of this, I think it’s safe to say that the mysterious girl with the robot is Nagisa (while I’m guessing that the robot has some strong relation to the current Tomoya). I tend to always like particular characters more during their specific arc, as more attention is usually placed on them, and in every arc, the starring girl will always undergo some kind of change, which thankfully are changes that I usually like. In other words, Nagisa finally does seem like a suitable match for Tomoya now, but only because it’s her arc. =]

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Popularity: 6% [?]

Rating: 7/10

Impressions:

Sorry for the late post, I’ve been really busy with homework lately so I haven’t had a chance to sit down properly and blog. This episodes gives us some well needed Yuuji development, as ever since he started training to be able to fight against Tomogara, his change in demeanour has been quite obvious. For now, his resolve seems quite pure, but I’m not sure about whether that will last or not. The actual plot of this particular episode seems a bit stupid to me, especially how the sense of danger is hardly existent at all. It may just be me used to more serious and pressuring violence though.

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Popularity: 5% [?]