Jormungand

[TheBladeChild]

gg subs

http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=303848

[Kraco]

Quite similar to Black Lagoon in many ways, especially the good ways. Though I'd expect the main character, the kid, to have reverse development compared to Rock's.

But really, you don't waste words, do you, TheBladeChild?

[Buffalobiian]

Morishima-senpai Koko threw me off a bit there. I totally expected her to be a an Integra, Alphard or Gin character from the promotional pictures.

Not entirely sure why upgrading a country's air-force would trigger war and such. Seems better than letting someone else have it.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 02 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=305944)

[Lucifus]

Crazy, but entertaining.

[Kraco]

I feel like this show hasn't yet started seriously enough to judge it one way or another. We have only got some character development but that's it.

[kanavazk]

I'm going to be watching this to see how it compares to the manga. The music is kind of ridiculous... (at first I thought gg was trolling but whaaat?! Really? Don't really like that opening; I've Sound is hit and miss for me.) I didn't think Itou Shizuka would fit Koko but it's working. Also concerned about whether the more serious parts later on will be handled well.

From the above it sounds like I'm not liking this very much but I'm actually enjoying it so far. I just like to complain a lot.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 04 03 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=308327)

[Ryllharu]

Buff seems to be posting from the future, so I'll discuss episode 3.


They mentioned that everyone of the team has a screw loose somewhere, and Koko certainly does. It's kind of hard to differentiate her from the insane no-pan assassin during this episode. Koko starts smiling insanely when the possibility for her to die goes up. No-pan Chinatsu seems the most happy when she's not only killing things, but also under fire. Plus they both find Jonah adorable.

It's interesting that Koko's peculiar preference for peril disturbs Jonah. It contrasted nicely with the fact that Jonah rushes into danger "child-soldier" style to protect her. Lehm's speech denouncing that was a good one too. Koko doesn't rush into danger, but she loves being in it. Jonah hates arms dealers, but will gladly die to protect one.

It's awe-inspiring that Koko builds such loyalty from her crew despite being so childish and naive. She so smart, but at the same time, somewhat of an airhead.

The bad news for me this episode is that if Valmet is shot in the leg, we might not be seeing her in action for a while until she recovers enough.

[Kraco]

I will drop this show, if the action continues this badly directed. They shoot as much as in A-Team, but only some idiot cops get hit (I thought this city was supposed to have great law enforcement - that's what Koko said, but if what we saw is great, I won't even dare to imagine what a bad one would look like), plus Valmet, of course. Now, why did she get hit when nobody else (that matters) did, it's a question of a thousand dollars. Both Jonah and the shark teeth assassin should be full of bullets after Jonah's rush, but mysteriously neither hit anything. Lehm should have been able to kill both the assassins, since Chinatsu was very late to react with the shield, but for all his preaching about skills and wits, Lehm apparently shoots with his eyes closed or something.

I don't remember when I last time saw a firefight this bad in anime. It ruined the whole ep.

[Ryllharu]

I don't remember when I last time saw a firefight this bad in anime.
When you watched Black Lagoon? It's pretty much the same, even the rather episodic format.

[Kraco]

Somehow this was worse than Black Lagoon. It's true Black Lagoon also saw as much shooting as A-Team, but somehow the people still behaved in a more sensible manner in it, and it was oft much more about superhumans. They didn't stand in the middle of the street for a long time without getting hit, at least, like Shark teeth and No underwear in this episode. The police sniper team was also bloody ridiculously written: What kind of a sniper just waits there in plain view?

I can't ignore stuff like this. That's my weakness.

[TheBladeChild]

Quite similar to Black Lagoon in many ways, especially the good ways. Though I'd expect the main character, the kid, to have reverse development compared to Rock's.

But really, you don't waste words, do you, TheBladeChild?

Hehe too tired to waste words, being in the military is tiring =P

[Buffalobiian]

While I still enjoy this show, I'm with Kraco on this one. The shoot-out was pretty crappy if they wanted to make it believable at all. Shark Teeth could hit the police snipers but not Jonah...

I could deal with No-Pan blocking the bullets despite the lag because it was actually animation lag vs reaction lag.. but everything else.. :S

They made a point about Koko having a crazy smile this episode.. but I've always found that everybody has a crazy, creepy smile. Some just more than others.

Valmet surprised me by still managing to be hot despite all the musculature.

[shinta|hikari]

The action was crap, but I really like this show. I watch it more for the characters than the action.

[animus]

The action was crap, but I really like this show. I watch it more for the characters than the action.

This basically sums up how I felt while reading the manga as well.


edit: I usually don't mind Engrish in songs, but the Engrish in the OP is so bad it makes me chuckle every time I hear it.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 04 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=310523)

[Ryllharu]

Ridiculous car crash to keep them from getting turned into swiss cheese aside (as clever as it was), I was appeased by the fact that the guy was sniped very casually just by walking out into the open. Jonah still should have gotten hit last episode, but they qualified the big difference between spray-n-pray and a well-aimed single shot.

I'm still amused that Koko was not surprised at the crazy kung-fu matrix bullet dodge flip-turn, or even concerned that Chinatsu is hunting her, but focused on the fact that she wasn't wearing any panties. Who was the insane one again?

Cute that Koko has more influence than the CIA. She's got her own contacts, and not solely thanks to her last name. Her political/business savvy has me in awe.

I'm really disappointed they censored out Koko's answer about why she sells weapons. I'm getting tired of that cliché narrative "technique."

[shinta|hikari]

We will find out about that answer in the last episode, probably.

[Buffalobiian]

Who was the insane one again?

Lehm.

He was sniping. In an upright position. While smoking. Without a bi-pod. At night. With heavy winds. Further than 900m away.

And hit.

He's insane.

[Kraco]

Cute that Koko has more influence than the CIA. She's got her own contacts, and not solely thanks to her last name. Her political/business savvy has me in awe.

Despite how civilized and shiny that city looked on the surface, it must have been in some banana republic, after all. So, the power balance between the CIA and arms dealers would be ambiguous.

This show keeps degrading in my eyes, but I guess I'll watch one more episode. The sniping action wasn't bad in this ep.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 05 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=312711)

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 06 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=314543)

[shinta|hikari]

I like how even if the rest of the team are monsters, Johann is able to excel in his own way.

So wait, Koko is actually much older than she looks?

[Buffalobiian]

I like how even if the rest of the team are monsters, Johann is able to excel in his own way.


Yeah. It's good that he's not at all the "fresh disciple" character who ends up learning everybody's tricks, just the youngest, least experienced of the group who benefits from all the tips offered to him, yet able to bring something of his own to the table.



So wait, Koko is actually much older than she looks?

She's as old as his brother I think. I vaguely remember them saying that the pair were twins or something, and his brother looked around... 22? Koko's more like 16.

Karen's hot. And has good taste for underwear. Quite probably unrealistically hot when you consider how well she fights - Valmet would still be how pretty you can expect a pro military chick to be (one who can match up against men in strength and speed).

Still, Karen is now my new favourite chick here as far as appearances go, even if she's kinda cold. Valmet will still keep me with her bursts of Koko-happiness overall.

PS: for those who may not be familiar, shaojiang translates to principal. Putting the pieces together, Chang is (or was) the leader of some sort of systematic martial training academy and was the guy who half of Valmet's vision in his prime. Karen appears to be his best (or perhaps only surviving) student.

Or just his hottest.

[Ryllharu]

I watch this show for Valmet. She's so adorable and vicious.

The way she was toying with Jonah while teaching him brightened my day. Almost as much as Koko throwing a shitfit over the pirates. Valmet could have "stabbed" him with the knife while he was in mid-air, but instead she just caught him on one arm, displaying exactly how much of an opening it makes. She's well muscled, which is a rarity in series like this. Her appearance and physical conditioning actually match her capability.

Karen doesn't even come close to Valmet. She's right back into Combat-Anime Fantasy land.

[shinta|hikari]

I sense a fan fight coming on...

[Ryllharu]

Don't bring a gun to a knife-fight.

[gg] Jormugand - 07 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=316746)

-------------------------





♥ Valmet ♥
Good god she was awesome this episode. I really expected more out of Karen, but once Valmet closed into melee range, it really was all over. Pistols are good and all, but once combatants are in that close, it's really a toss-up, and Valmet is obviously a master of the knife. More impressive than the combat was that she was so rational about being talked down by Lehm. Sure, she's obsessed with finding out about who killed her squad, but she's not willing to let the mission get compromised for her personal vendetta.
And then the airport scene...just because.

I do expect to see Karen again, especially since she just got humiliated the same was Valmet once did. Not sure how the outcome would be any different. She'd have to prevent Valmet from closing in on her or her men.

Koko and Chocolade were funny too. A drunk Koko is indeed a dangerous thing, because she's so unpredictable. I'm kinda floored that she got Scarecrow to help her out. Major airhead CIA contractor + drunKoko = fun times indeed.

[Buffalobiian]

♥ Valmet ♥
Good god she was awesome this episode. I really expected more out of Karen, but once Valmet closed into melee range, it really was all over. Pistols are good and all, but once combatants are in that close, it's really a toss-up, and Valmet is obviously a master of the knife. More impressive than the combat was that she was so rational about being talked down by Lehm. Sure, she's obsessed with finding out about who killed her squad, but she's not willing to let the mission get compromised for her personal vendetta.
And then the airport scene...just because.

I do expect to see Karen again, especially since she just got humiliated the same was Valmet once did. Not sure how the outcome would be any different. She'd have to prevent Valmet from closing in on her or her men.

Yeah. Valmet was just that much stronger. I don't think it was an issue of pistols vs knife, since Valmet got her pistol disarmed with a kick.. meaning that Karen wasn't exactly useless in melee range neither. Karen's build is unrealistic for her abilities as we said last time, but in the same way it's pretty impossible for Valmet to have flown backwards past Karen, only for her to come flying in again to grab her arm and cut it up. I'll call it a draw in the realism department.

Bayonett pistols make it easier flick between shooting and cutting, but it really reduces your ability to make powerful trusts or cuts with your wrists aligned like that.

While I wouldn't mind seeing Karen again, I think an OL skirt and blazer suits her better. I wasn't particularly fond of her yelling and grunting during fights.

Chocolade's a funny ditz with the surprising common sense.

[shinta|hikari]

Karen was distracted, making the gap between the leap back and the rush forward that Valmet did to cut her leg seem much shorter than it was.

[Buffalobiian]

Karen was distracted, making the gap between the leap back and the rush forward that Valmet did to cut her leg seem much shorter than it was.

No, I understood that. I'm talking about how Valmet went flying on her back (which should mean she lands on her back and has to get up again), Karen fires some blind spots behind her (because she didn't have enough time to turn around, that's how quick it was), then Valmet dashes in behind Karen, grabs her left arm, tells her she's about to cut it, and cuts it.

It's that dash that I was describing. Karen's shocked and distracted state (reflecting how she couldn't reload) and subsequently got her legs cut was fine.

[shinta|hikari]

Oh that was indeed pretty imba. She was dodging (all the) bullets too, to Karen's surprise.

[Buffalobiian]

[VNS]_Kawada_Mami_-_Jormungand_OP_-_Borderland_[FLAC] (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=318415)
川田まみ - Borderland(320K MP3 RAR)(2012.05.30) (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=318151)

So couldn't tell it was Kawada Mami when I watched the OPs during the eps.

[Ryllharu]

That's because her English is almost as bad as MELL's (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=creator&creatorid=9).

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 08 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=318636)

[Ryllharu]

Two things I really liked about this episode:

(a) Chocolade.
(b) Koko almost got wrecked by a fairly laid back retired actress.

I really hope this season (or the next) ends with Scarecrow getting demoted and Chocolade becoming his commanding officer. She's got enough sense in her air-filled head to know that the US and HCLI don't have to be enemies. With a little intel and a little legwork thanks to her own connections, both Koko's business and the US industrial base can make a ton of money. Scarecrow takes the whole thing so personally, that he can't see the advantages of using Koko to aid in the CIA's plans. Chocolade is still an airhead, but at least she appears to have some pragmatism underneath it.

I really liked the retired actress arms-dealer. Glad she (and her business) survived for another round. She was probably Koko's toughest opponent, because she knew how to wheel and deal. She cornered Koko very effectively, enough to actually upset Koko (giving the audience some great reaction shots to look at), and not just have her throw a fake hissy fit while she unveils her trap. Koko had to hole up in a hotel room and send her troops out for fresh recon just to work out a plan. The old lady was a bit naive in terms of the backstabbing lethal force Koko and other arms dealers know they have to use, but she manipulated leaders like no other character we've seen (not even Koko is that smooth) and could tell time after time that Koko was lying. She's a dangerous foe.

I would have respected her even more if she actually did have some snipers to take out that corporation's low-class ones, but at the same time, I kinda appreciate that she's nearly as effective as Koko just using persuasion, careful planning, and personal connections.

[Buffalobiian]

I can see where Scarecrow is coming from, though it depends on whether he's taking the law enforcement route (and thereby arms dealers need to be prosecuted), or whether he's being all CIA and just looking out for America's interests, in which case hooking up with HCLI isn't out of the question.

Chocolade's the more enjoyable agent, but it feels like Koko could totally take advantage of her should she want to. Or maybe not ( something like "Ehhh? That doesn't sound like a very good idea Koko-chan.." might do her airheaded genius justice.)

I like how she's slightly chubby but still great looking.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 09 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=320575)

[shinta|hikari]

Dumbass doctor, but thanks to him we get to see some deaths. I hope the death flagged guy actually dies.

[Buffalobiian]

The Knife Collection was right. Koko really was even better a few years back.

lol at Lutz checking out his sister along with everyone else.

edit: went back and checked... all of Tojo, Lutz and R have called Valmet "Anego" at one stage. Damn confusion.

[Archangel]

Dat Velmet.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 10 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=322602)

----------------------





















gotta love watching Koko's business dealings.

[Ryllharu]

Yeah, I like how so long as her opponent is civil, Koko is civil. When threatened with force, Koko responds brutally. When the former-actress nearly had her cornered, Koko played by the rules and out-maneuvered her, and even kept outsiders from interfering (and she used non-lethal force).

But when the "dragon" started throwing tantrums and attempted to force his way into Koko's sovereign territory, and interrupting her deal...she ruthlessly had his men hunted down while she casually sat on the tarmac. She didn't even give him the dignity of death in combat, she sold his ass for additional profit to the US (and probably ultimately The Hague).

I also love how she plays Schokolade against Scarecrow, always favoring Schokolade because she is nicer to her.


Lastly, the animation on the flares in the wingtip vortices (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/C17-Vortex.JPG) was great.
(another real example (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:C-17_6.jpg))
(edit: even better! Found a prop one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:C-130_Hercules_10.jpg).)

[Buffalobiian]

I also love how she plays Schokolade against Scarecrow, always favoring Schokolade because she is nicer to her.


Even better for me was how Shokolade showed once again she trumps Scarecrow in common sense by taking the deal (damn Scarecrow ended up taking it from her :< ). Koko is lucky she had her there though, since I don't think she would have wanted to get rid of him herself under the HCLI banner, or let him loose so he can bite her in the ass next time. Anyonw would have gone in if she sacrificed the bounty with it, but that's not very Koko-like.

Arguably my favourite part (due to simplicity) was how Valmet defends Koko (albeit politely) even against the likes of Lehm.

[Archangel]

So is that an actual thing? A cannon that shoots metal arrows? That's cool!

[Buffalobiian]

So is that an actual thing? A cannon that shoots metal arrows? That's cool!

Sure seems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flechette#Bulk_and_artillery_use) like it. (http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/flechette.html)

It's clearly anti-personnel, and current warfare doesn't set you up against a battalion of enemies lined up like they used to.

[Archangel]

Duuuuuuude...

[Buffalobiian]

Duuuuuuude...

What do you mean?

[Archangel]

It's like... woah... blew my mind braw...

[Xelbair]

MLRS systems can bombard an area with missiles carrying flechette - it means death to everything from 50-80km range in 1km^2 area(circular). Just one missile truck can do this.

[Ryllharu]

Yeah, they're nasty as shit.

That's why I appreciated that the scene cut to black, so you could just imagine what happened. And for those who didn't know what flechettes were...they cut to an absolutely silent sunset field...filled with flechettes.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 11 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=324411)

[shinta|hikari]

I hope someone in Koko's team dies. It is too unbelievable that they all survive each and every time.

I do find it hard to believe that Lehm was so easily knocked out. I hope they show what actually transpired in this episode next time.

I am looking forward to the new pair's adventures in the next episode.

Koko was absolutely awesome when she blew that punk's face away. She is ruthless even when she does the killing herself.

[Buffalobiian]

I do find it hard to believe that Lehm was so easily knocked out. I hope they show what actually transpired in this episode next time.

Same. If there was someone undefeatable (in a general sense) on their team, it would have been him. The entire opposing team had night-vision on though..

Take-home-lesson: keep a flashlight on you. Always. It will increase your visibility when the lights go out AND blind the hell out of anybody with NV.

Before I learned that Jonah left the group for Koko's sake, I thought he "upgraded" his tastes. :p

[shinta|hikari]

Koko is max. There is no upgrade available.

Lehm could sense killing intent in the previous episodes. How can a bit of darkness and some bumbling oaf with garden tools knock him out?

[Buffalobiian]

The very fact that the guy walks around killing people with mere garden tools makes me reserve my opinion about how much of a "bumbling oaf" he really is...

He's likely not intelligent, but his prowess may more than make up for it.

[Ryllharu]

The huge dude flew through the window on a rappelling line. If Lehm was standing in front of the window, he'd get dazed, then the big dude smashed him into the wall.

The scary part is for how crazy this team of assassins seems to be, they are showing amazing restraint if they run off after killing Ugo and not taking the opportunity to take Lehm out as well, since he's one of the most dangerous next to Valmet. If they really commit to the one-by-one plan, they're trouble indeed.

(And bolt cutters are not garden tools, Buff. It's the same weapon that the big guy in Pumpkin Scissors used to the same effectiveness.)

Koko doesn't seem to like drugs very much. She didn't even try to get them to pay her properly, she just had them slaughtered. That's the first time we've ever seen her kill by her own hand, and I can't say that's all due to her being unsettled about her big sister figure leaving. Koko's on edge, but the cold brutality of doing her own killing isn't something we've seen her capable of before.

The dropkick to her guys in the doorway...that's the Koko we know.

Totally knew the "old" Chinese guy was the exactly the person Valmet was looking for, don't know why they felt they need to tell us. Karen was obviously his student, not some separate guy.

[Buffalobiian]

(And bolt cutters are not garden tools, Buff. It's the same weapon that the big guy in Pumpkin Scissors used to the same effectiveness.)

Hmm.. I thought they were just branch cutters, like this:
http://www.rbsm.me.uk/images%5Clisam%5Cbranch%20cutter%20standard.jpg

I think Chang's backstory was necessary because we've only seen his past self in Valmet's flashbacks. The rest of the crew wouldn't have put the pieces together without some investigation.

[Archangel]

Velmet will have that shit hanging over her head forever if one of them dies while she's not there.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 12 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=326399)

[Inazuma]

This anime feels under appreciated. I watched it - all 12 episode and the season preview.
Everyone ! Get this now.

And yes the Season 2 Preview is here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0qofZjpp-6A

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 13 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=360652) (aka Perfect Order episode 01)

[Inazuma]

Thank you Buff it was nearly as good as sex with chocolate Scarlett J

[Ryllharu]

I'm glad Karen found a new home, though in the long run, she might have been better off if Valmet had killed her. If Koko is loco, Dr. Minami is the physical manifestation of lunacy.

Loving Hex as the new villain. In the OP, I thought she was the no-panties Chinatsu somehow returned to life, but a crazy CIA agent that even Koko won't mess with if given the option to run is even better. I wonder if Koko will be able to leverage Schokolade and Scarecrow against her. Of course, the fact that she's voiced by Hisakawa Aya (Sailor Mercury!) only makes her that much creepier. I'm frankly surprised she didn't kill the guy she was seducing anyway, despite him being part of the operation to mess with Koko, one that Hex was deliberately left out of the loop on by the CIA.

I enjoyed the discussion that since Koko last lost a member of her "family," replaced by the mole R (and apparently another mole too), she hasn't shown her real personality to anyone. Lehm and Valmet are probably the only two who know what the real Koko is like. The worst part is you never really know how much Koko knows. Who knows if she already knows she has traitors, because she never shows even her "family" what she is really like. It could just be an old mental scar and defense mechanism, but if Koko was that dumb to leave moles in her core team for this long, she would have been assassinated long ago by one of her more overt enemies, like Hex.

Also happy to see the old movie star turned arms dealer Amalia made an appearance. I really liked her character, since she competes with Koko on a business and charismatic level, not one with deathtraps and militant force. Koko is refined enough to respond in kind, so the woman makes for a unorthodox opponent. The kind that can't be foiled that easily because she knows victories are in backroom deals as much as they are on battlefields, places Koko doesn't hold as much of an edge on.

On the other hand, the new OP sucks compared to the old one. I was hoping for a new Kawada Mami song. We got another Yanagi Nagi ED song, but all we get is this bland mess for an OP.

[Buffalobiian]

Spin is easy to shake information from. I would think it's wise of Hex not to kill him so she continues to have inside information on the project.

Too bad he didn't continue their meeting, but I can't blame him. If I was in his shoes, I would probably be scared limp in Hex's presence too.

We got the feeling that Dr Miami was wacky last season, but I didn't quite get the feeling she was this insane until this episode. I'd say the reflective glasses and cigarette (along with the all-powerful smile) does the trick - Integra-fashion.

[Inazuma]

I never was a big fan of this series OP but Time to attack was brilliant and in the middle of the episode I actually heard french rap music in the background as the rocket launched.
I'm liking Jormungand's OST quite a lot.

[Ryllharu]

We got the feeling that Dr Miami was wacky last season, but I didn't quite get the feeling she was this insane until this episode. I'd say the reflective glasses and cigarette (along with the all-powerful smile) does the trick - Integra-fashion.I thought it was pretty easy to assume she wasn't quite sane last season. One stops being "quirky and eccentric" when random trips to look at butterflies or this or that are usually in warzones, but not as an excuse to do something else like sell weapons, the doctor legitimately is only interested in the butterflies or seashells.

[Xelbair]

Plan with GPS assistance system is total mess. DGPS(differential GPS) systems exist and they are widely used in transportation(EU has EGNOS, US has WAAS(better system, engos is total mess)) - they calculate offset of code gps measurements on sites, then satellite broadcasts the offset along with age of it. This sent offset is just approximation for very large area.
also - there are more than 24 GPS satelites - it is just minimum number of them for system to operate.

remember - GPS system uses one sided communication - you are not sending anything to satellites.


Science - ruining good fiction since its inception.

[shinta|hikari]

So they plan on screwing with Jonah to get to Koko. I hope he does not prove to be too much of a liability. Koko did not add him there for cosmetic or emotional purposes. He has to hold his own weight even if, or rather even more so when he becomes a target to damage his employer.

Does Koko only show her fake personality even to Jonah? What would be the point? He is more loyal than a dog and is as innocent as a baby compared to the others.

[Buffalobiian]

So they plan on screwing with Jonah to get to Koko. I hope he does not prove to be too much of a liability. Koko did not add him there for cosmetic or emotional purposes. He has to hold his own weight even if, or rather even more so when he becomes a target to damage his employer.

Does Koko only show her fake personality even to Jonah? What would be the point? He is more loyal than a dog and is as innocent as a baby compared to the others.

I would guess that she does it just out of completeness's sake. The OP suggests that Valmet, Lehm, Wiley and the dead guy (along with Chiqueta) may be the ones who she showed her true self around until the dead guy died.

It's easier to put an iron wall around yourself entirely, than to remember to be selective about who and where you can expose your true nature (and get caught in the process). It's also more convincing, since you can say that your personality simply changed.

[shinta|hikari]

But it is also stifling. There is a limit on how much one can fake their personality. I was hoping that Jonah would at least be Koko's oasis, if nothing else.

[Ryllharu]

Valmet and Lehm are the ones that Koko can be sure will never betray her, and probably only Valmet for sure. She can trust Jonah the least, first because he is the newest, and second because she knows he hates weapons and especially arms dealers (her own brother in particular). She likes him, and genuinely seems to want to convince him that arms dealers aren't inherently bad, but trust him? I don't think so.

R was right, once Koko finds a traitor (any traitor), she'll kill them without giving them a chance to even say their final words. Actually, Valmet would probably do the killing, but the point stands.

edit:
Remember the little spat in the Balkans with the artillery and the plane? Or the drug dealers? Don't fuck with her business, try to intimidate her, try to change the terms of the deal after the fact, or force her to pick a side in a conflict. She's there to deal, and that's it. She doesn't play sides unless it gets everyone a better deal and makes HCLI more money. She'll help whoever is paying, she doesn't betray those who pay her, and she only takes money.

Interfere, and she takes off her jester's mask and makes sure it won't be a problem in the future. Nobody on her team is safe if they decide to cross her. It was clear from that episode and this one that she learned these lessons the hard way. No one gets to see her weaknesses anymore.

Even the CIA is a pain in her ass one week, and her happy customer the next. Make it a personal issue, and she'll call the next agent who won't have such qualms. That's why she doesn't like Hex, and why the CIA doesn't want Hex going near Koko.

[shinta|hikari]

Jonah betraying Koko is pretty much impossible at this point, and Koko probably knows that. I think rather than a lack of trust, Koko is afraid of showing her true self to Jonah because he may be disappointed or begin to dislike her due to what he sees. That is the usual reason for creating masks anyway, to protect yourself.

[Ryllharu]

I wouldn't be so quick to say that. Jonah is still young, prone to feelings instead of reason. Koko could always end up doing something that could make him hate her as much as he hates her brother. Unlikely, yes, but impossible, no. As cold and as rational as he tends to act, we've seen him explode a few times already.

Koko is unpredictable, and there is a lot more to the plan with the satellites that she and Dr. Minami have been working on than they are letting on. Something that has an awful lot of people curious and nervous. Something the two of them are keeping to themselves, not telling anyone else, in HCLI or even her core team.

[shinta|hikari]

I think it is precisely his emotional side that will prevent him from betraying Koko. He is already too attached to her.

If he does ever start to hate Koko due to something she did, I don't think he will just stab her in the back. He will probably tell her about it then just leave the group. He will simply stop traveling with the arms dealer.

[Archangel]

>Dat Hex

My dick was diamonds

[Buffalobiian]

>Dat Hex

My dick was diamonds

That's because you weren't Spin.

[Archangel]

Episode 14:

Shit is about to get incredibly real, and I'm really quite curious to see how this will all go down.

If R reveals his treachery but in doing so saves Jonah , will Koko forgive him? Maybe just fire him and sever all ties? Or will she kill him outright?

Hex still doing great things for my penis, i hope she makes it through this all alive.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 14 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=363360)


------------------------------





If Karen was said to be the "unrealisticly built" paramilitary chick from last season, then Hex has to be the one for this season. I completely don't mind at all, but just saying that the way they're making her out to be such a good Spec Op candidate, her build should be something closer to Valmet's.

[shinta|hikari]

Depends on their fighting style really. Huge muscles can slow you down and reduce flexibility, so it has its ups and downs. Hex also uses her body to get information as seen in the previous episode. More slender types are preferable in such scenarios.

Koko really is a softie inside. The death of one subordinate has affected her so much. The betrayal and the possible death of another might be enough to "kill" her, just like Hex plans. I am genuinely hoping it is Jonah (and his rapid growth under the tutelage of the others) who foils this plot.

[Archangel]

Depends on their fighting style really. Huge muscles can slow you down and reduce flexibility, so it has its ups and downs. Hex also uses her body to get information as seen in the previous episode. More slender types are preferable in such scenarios.
Disclaimer: This is anime logic, there's little truth to it in the real world.

[Buffalobiian]

[HorribleSubs] Jormungand - 15 [360p].mkv (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=366404)

Quick-fix if you can't wait. (I couldn't)
added: gg - Episode 15 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=366622)

[ASL]_Kurosaki_Maon_-_Jormungand_Perfect_Order_OP_-_UNDER_SHAFT_[MP3]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=365510)
[ASL]_Kurosaki_Maon_-_Jormungand_Perfect_Order_OP_-_UNDER_SHAFT_[FLAC]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=365509)

[shinta|hikari]

Disclaimer: This is anime logic, there's little truth to it in the real world.

Really? I thought this was true in RL. Gymnasts and sprinters have slimmer and sleeker bodies after all. I am not talking about tone, but muscle size. The heavier you are, the slower you generally are. I don't usually see acrobats with body builder bodies. I am just going by logic and conjecture, so please enlighten me if I am mistaken.

[Buffalobiian]

Really? I thought this was true in RL. Gymnasts and sprinters have slimmer and sleeker bodies after all.7


Sprinters, compared to long-distance runners, generally have a more developed upper body due to the need for upper body balance. Their long distance counterparts have less bulk due to the requirement for endurance over maximum output.

I've seen a snippet of this Muay Thai drama where they reveal that doing excessive bicep curls would limit the explosiveness of your punches, but that may only be slightly more credible than anime.

[shinta|hikari]

It's like how heavyweight fighters seem a lot slower than featherweight fighters. Of course there is a huge gap in power and strength (hence the weight divisions) but give the faster guy a knife then that gets negated, which is why I mentioned a difference in fighting styles.

[Inazuma]

Episode 15 : Is poetry - and it also made Jormungand my n°1 series of the year.
Go watch it, prefer high quality, because it's shiny.

[Archangel]

Noooooooo~! Hex! ;_;

Fuck you Renato, you suck.

[Ryllharu]

"Oh my god. Carpet bombing." - Ryllharu, watching that scene.

hu huu hu. ~♥~Koko~♥~

Not only that, but Koko made the CIA shit their pants doing it. That means that she can launch a B-52, have it bomb a target, and land it without the US knowing. That's huge. Tracking an individual with her satellite array is even scarier. I had thought it was somewhere in the Alps, but Hex got all the way to some bolthole in Iraq before Koko decided to strike.

R was right and Hex was wrong. Attacking her was what actually turned Koko into a monster. She's not going to hesitate now after nearly losing Jonah and costing her R. She was willing to forgive him, even though everyone had been convinced that she'd kill any spies she found. That's how much Koko loves the members of her pseudo-family.

[Archangel]

I don't know... i think she hangs on to them because they're what's keeping her sane. Her capacity for evil is unmatched, she doesn't seem to have a conscious for anything that happens outside her own inner circle.

I think Hex knew what was to come, the monster is growing everyday and eventually not even her makeshift family will stop her from doing something unthinkable.

Personally i love Koko, her character is awesome, but she's too dangerous. It's all a game to her.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 15 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=366622)

It really sucked that I accidentally spoiled myself into knowing R would die and Koko would bomb someone. (read, known and tried to forget since around the second-last episode of last season)

This episode would probably have had more of an emotional impact if I didn't do that... but anyway, that was cool. It annoyed me that Hex didn't die from R's shot when it looked like they had the same trajectory.

[shinta|hikari]

I bet the carpet bombing cost Koko some points. It is probably something like one of the four aces up her sleeve, and she was forced to use it for vengeance.

The scene where Koko was telling R that she was going to keep his betrayal a secret reminded me of the young Koko fearing for her life. I am not sure how much of it was concern for R at that point. Of course, when he actually confirmed that he will save her no matter what, the balance tilted towards the latter,

[Archangel]

This part was weirdly well animated. Like... extra frames or something.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4162/1351199178039.gif

[Buffalobiian]

The scene where Koko was telling R that she was going to keep his betrayal a secret reminded me of the young Koko fearing for her life. I am not sure how much of it was concern for R at that point. Of course, when he actually confirmed that he will save her no matter what, the balance tilted towards the latter,

I saw the fear there as well.. but I thought it was the fear of losing their relationship. Instead of having to confront the fact that R's a spy and how she would have to deal with him, she would rather ignore it and pretend it never happened.

[Belial]

wow, a great and emotional episode and quite with a few twists to boot

things can only get crazier from here and that is a good thing :)

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 16 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=368730)

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 17 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=371315)

[Archangel]

Miss :3 didn't last very long did she? The whole thing felt like another introductory episode though, very boring.

[Buffalobiian]

Miss :3 didn't last very long did she? The whole thing felt like another introductory episode though, very boring.

Not at all, though I have to say it's good that people are dying. I don't exactly need many more female characters to get attached to either, so eyecandy's fine.

[shinta|hikari]

I wonder who is superior, Koko's obsessed lesbian or Kasper's detached psycho.

[Archangel]

In terms of battle prowess or bust size?

[shinta|hikari]

Why not compare both separately, then together?

[Buffalobiian]

I haven't got the ep on me to check bust size, but I'd say Chiquita beats Valmet. Overall she seems to have more experience and fights a bit more tactically. Assuming she uses her sidearm without losing proficiency with her knife means she's got an advantage over Valmet.

I'd say what Valmet is to Chiquita is like what Lutz is to Lehm, but with a much closer gap. I'd prbably say Valmet is the faster if you're talking about raw speed.

[Ryllharu]

Lehm is a precision sniper, Valmet is a CQC specialist, while Chiquita is a blitzkrieger. Chiquita is more well rounded in terms of combat ability than anyone on Koko's squad, which is largely the difference in their two bodyguard squads.

Kasper's is a much smaller, focused group of extremely skilled operatives, while Koko's is built up of specialists and redundancies. Her group is obviously up to no good when seen by the authorities especially with Valmet's build and Jonah (and Wilee when they are in Asia, but that's Kasper's territory), while Kasper's generates a lot less attention. On the other hand, Koko's force is a lot more capable at larger actions or wiping out the opposition, while Kasper's can only make assassination strikes or leave the area.

Each has their benefits, but the interesting thing is what it says about the two siblings. Kasper exudes confidence, casualness, a slight air of untouchability, but aloofness and even a little overconfidence. Koko ends up giving off her insecurity (big group and many backups), her hidden loneliness (big surrogate family), but a good eye for talent.

If you want to talk Chiquita versus Valmet, Valmet is slightly larger in the chest, but she's larger overall, so it makes them look smaller. In terms of combat ability, I would say that Valmet could kill Chiquita if she got in close, but Chiquita would never let her get there. That's because Valmet really is that good with her specialty. Chiquita used similar tactics here that Valmet used against Karen, but it wasn't as fluid (at least what they have shown us of her attacks). Chiquita doesn't seem the type to ever take risks and assesses her foes quickly. She wouldn't let Valmet get there, nor would she be shaken by Valmet's closing dashes, the kind that Valmet destroys people with, and even led to the moderately-experienced CQC Karen's undoing.

edit: I should have been clearer in stating that Koko's insecurities are about losing anyone. She values the lives of her big squad family more than her own, though she is afraid about losing her own life, as we saw in the recent episodes and Hex's attack. The backups are less for her safety, and more for the safety of the other squad members.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 18 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=373906)

[Buffalobiian]

[ASL]_Yanagi_Nagi_-_Jormungand_Perfect_Order_ED_-_Laterality_[FLAC]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=373986)
[ASL]_Yanagi_Nagi_-_Jormungand_Perfect_Order_ED_-_Laterality_[MP3]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=373987)

---------------------------------------------











Well that was ... pointless?

[Inazuma]

You expect a new villain - you get backstorry for a support character.
Nevertheless it was good enough.

[Ryllharu]

Well that was ... pointless?

I wouldn't say it was pointless. Hino had them playing to his tune the entire time. Even when they thought they could finish them off, he sneaks in his daughter right in front of them. No matter if Koko wanted to kill him or not, she couldn't. Not murder a girl's father in front of Jonah. She'd lose him, her safety net, and go berserk. They can't finish him off, and they didn't lose anyone, so there's no reason to fight. His organization got destroyed as part of their own wish, so Kasper is happy that he's got his business back.

This is the first time we've seen Koko and Kasper get strategically outmatched so severely. He took away their will to fight.

[Buffalobiian]

You expect a new villain - you get backstorry for a support character.
Nevertheless it was good enough.


I meant the SR squad's fight, not the arc.

I get that Hino let his squad do it because they wanted to, I just don't see why they wanted to. Did they hate Tojo that much that they purposefully picked a fight with HCLI in order to have a chance to take him out? I would have thought that for someone to be part of the SR squad for years doing all the dirty work, they'd have to be patriots like Hex.

[Ryllharu]

I took the reasoning to be that they were a covert assassination squad...who had spent the last several years just selling guns and pretending to be business people, not fighting at all. From the flashbacks, most of them were monsters, particularly that woman.

Tojo and Hino were probably the only two who didn't prefer fighting.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 19 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=376155)

[Ryllharu]

That was a really enjoyable episode. Especially the punchline before the credits/OP. The non-flashback parts of the episode were a nice jab at the bored asshole PMCs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_Worldwide#Litigation_over_actions_in_Ir aq) in Iraq.

Not that animation is always consistent, but this episode made it clear that Chiquita is bigger than Valmet (that hoodie at 14:07 :3). What I really want to know now though, is why Chiquita used to work for Koko, and switched to Kasper.

[Buffalobiian]

That was a really enjoyable episode. Especially the punchline before the credits/OP. The non-flashback parts of the episode were a nice jab at the bored asshole PMCs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_Worldwide#Litigation_over_actions_in_Ir aq) in Iraq.

Not that animation is always consistent, but this episode made it clear that Chiquita is bigger than Valmet (that hoodie at 14:07 :3). What I really want to know now though, is why Chiquita used to work for Koko, and switched to Kasper.

Yep, brilliant Wiley episode. The entire flashback just made the entire thing all the crazier. (Hai! Mushimushi? xD)

As for Chiquita, I think we all assumed that Koko debutted after Kasper. Was it ever expressly stated that he was trading first? It's unlikely, but possible.

Otherwise, a possible explanation would be that Koko debuted when her dad retired from the scene, so he gave her his bodyguards (Kasper debutted before and has his own already). Chiquita and Lehm divorced (again) and she requested a transfer.

[Inazuma]

Magnifique ! Bravo !

I tend to just hate flashbacks because they are just an easy way to get a character some depth without the trouble of weaving his story in the main plot but Jormungand got it right.

I really hope for a second season now.

[Archangel]

You mean third.

I like how they're exploring the crew's past, i just hope this isn't all one huge death flag. The action was much less painful than last episode as well.

[Inazuma]

GG Jormungand Episode 20 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=378476)

The superweapon's true specifications are released.
Do not miss this Cia, boobs, brawling and intrigue guaranteed.

[Ryllharu]

I love how Mrs. Trohovski can read Koko better than anyone else. She hasn't shown up or interacted with Koko since their last dispute (where Koko had to work double-overtime to beat her), but the moment they meet up, Trohovski presses Koko about her bigger, secret plans for the satellite network...and wants in at any cost.

The only other people who even realize that she and the doctor are up to something big is Jonah and Bookman (and him only because Koko used it to overkill Hex). The rest of Koko's detail might suspect, but they don't seem to care.

She should not be underestimated. I'd like to think that Trohovski is Koko's true rival (or would be if she merges with HCLI). Her ability to read other people is unparalleled, and it's natural to her.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 21 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=380658)

[Inazuma]

Jormungand 22 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=382648)

Brace yourselves - Ninjas everywhere !

Edit : Oh my ...

[shinta|hikari]

I really cannot blame Jonah for pointing his thing at Koko in those two instances this episode.

[Xelbair]

When I've heard the number of people who would die due to activation of Jormungand the first thing that I've thought was "only this much?"...

[Inazuma]

Go watch the last episode.
You can find the second OST here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPxbU68jxSU&list=PLrlK5kfmgPaGc1cL-0kbcOLITCmYqj7jj&index=1

[Buffalobiian]

Asenshi - Episode 24 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=387544)


------------------------------








That was alright. It was by no means an "Everything-I-liked-about-Jormungand" summary, but it did well enough to conclude the ride.

[Archangel]

Waiting on gg, no spoilers please.

[Buffalobiian]

Waiting on gg, no spoilers please.

Not technically a "spoiler" since a sub's come out (subs are decent, audio is more bass-boomy than usual), but I'm in no hurry to discuss it.

[Archangel]

I know, that's why i said please.

If there were no subs out i'd just report y'all motherfuckers and be done with it :/

[Inazuma]

I like the ost more than the last episode.
Closure yes, but It lacked that Jormungandish feel as Buff may have implied.

[Archangel]

What a bland as fuck ending.

[Inazuma]

Happy we didn't spoil ?

There was nothing to spoil really but this series really lacked a climatic event. R's death was more poignant than this.

[Buffalobiian]

I thought it was kind of weird that the whole world (those that figured out Koko's plan to varying degrees, which is to say - those who mattered) simply waited for Koko to press the button for 2 years. Certainly there'd be someone who didn't want this new world and tried to stop her.

Am I to suppose that the Jorrmungand-backup was an unnecessary of the plan?

[Yukimura]

I thought it was a rather unimpactful ending as well, but I did appreciate that wrapped it up with both a sense of closure and a sense of an unpredictable future. Something like a final climactic gun battle with Hex or the CIA or some other group trying to kill Koko probably wouldn't have provided any sense closure since once it was over they'd just go back to doing the same old thing in the same old world they were in at the beginning. At least with the ending we got we can take away that the world Koko and Co had their adventures in ended once she pushed the button and we're left to speculate on what will become of the world and characters we got to know in the post Jormungand world.

@Buff: I don't think they hinted at this enough but the impression I got/choose to buy into was that barely anyone on earth besides the few people we know about had any idea what Koko was up to. It did strain credulity a bit that no one put together what the disappearance/abduction of Dr. Baburin and Rabbitfoot might mean but very few people knew that Rabbitfoot was at GitMo, and then broken out, maybe the same holds true for Baburin. Bookman knew and admitted he wanted to see that other world, as for the other CIA guy Koko probably scared him silent with her demonstration of how easily she could have taken him away from his family.

[DarthEnderX]

Finally got around to watching this.

Really liked it up until they got to the point where they explained what "the plan" was, which was incredibly stupid for all the reasons that Caspar straight up states in the final episode.

It didn't help matters much that, as was mentioned, there was pretty much no action beyond that point either.

But yeah, up until that point, it was like a great 22 episode series.

[Buffalobiian]

Really liked it up until they got to the point where they explained what "the plan" was, which was incredibly stupid for all the reasons that Caspar straight up states in the final episode.

Remind me, what were those reasons again?

[DarthEnderX]

Remind me, what were those reasons again?Well, her plan basically boils down to "I'm going to end all war by getting rid of flight."

Which A. Completely ignores the fact that war has existed since long before people could fly. As Caspar said, if they can't fight with planes, they'll fight with ships, if they can't fight with ships, they'll use tanks, no tanks, then swords, etc.

And B. Her plan really only prevents computer aided flight. Jormungand is a supercomputer that hacks other computers. So you can still fly as long as you don't use a computer to do it. Last time I checked, we managed to nuke two of Japan's cities during WW2 without a plane with a computer on it.

Her plan also seems to be based around this philosophy that people will look up at birds in the sky, realize they can't fly anymore and somehow feel shamed into not having war with each other anymore. Which is a gross misunderstanding of how people work. People didn't look at birds and feel shame, they looked at birds and felt envy, that's how we GOT flying in the first place. Unless Jormungand takes place on some kind of bizzarro earth where people are completely different.

[Archangel]

Not as cut and dry as you make it seem Darth, it's not just how modern technology isn't available to them, it's how it's STILL available for Koko. Guided missiles alone would make her invincible with no suitable counter anymore.

She didn't just start Jormungand and then stood still, her plan was having her own squad be the deterrent against the rest of the world.

Your point A is still valid though, but you're clearly underestimating the power of an all knowing artificial brain.

[DarthEnderX]

Not as cut and dry as you make it seem Darth, it's not just how modern technology isn't available to them, it's how it's STILL available for Koko. Guided missiles alone would make her invincible with no suitable counter anymore.Well, okay. At that point she's basically Light from Death Note then, and I no longer have any affection for the character.

God complex. Deus Ex Machina(only, supercomputer instead of magic notepad). Going to try and force the world to be better by just killing anyone that resists.

What's super hypocritical about her though is how she says that the people she hates most are soldiers that just blindly obey without questioning their order or thinking for themselves, and that's basically what her entire squad is made up of. You have a couple characters who seem like the MIGHT actually think for themselves, but eventually even they just suddenly go "eh, whatever! I'll just follow Koko!"



She didn't just start Jormungand and then stood still, her plan was having her own squad be the deterrent against the rest of the world.Well that's just silly. No amount of informational advantage is going to allow one squad to overcome the entire world.


I did really like the portrayal of the Seal Team in the series. They spend the whole series building Koko's team up as these unrealistic badasses, and then the Seal Team comes along and they're basically these spectral demons that they can't do anything against. And even with Koko cheating the system the best they could do is get away.