Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid

[Kraco]

http://i.imgur.com/vitM2D3.jpg

Nanoha Vivid gets an anime! (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-08-14/magical-girl-lyrical-nanoha-vivid-manga-gets-tv-anime/.77638) Maybe it was only a matter of time before a new Nanoha anime appears, aside from the movies, but there was always the danger it would be that boring and uninspired Force instead of Vivid. However, now the worrying is over. It's going to be Vivio's time in the spotlight!

[Buffalobiian]

All motivation to catch up on the Vivid manga is now dropped. I cry that Fate gets less and less screen-time per new series, but I'll take what I get.

[Ryllharu]

What Buff?

Fate has all the best cameos in Vivid, because of what kind of mother she is (as shown in StrikerS).

[Buffalobiian]

What Buff?

Fate has all the best cameos in Vivid, because of what kind of mother she is (as shown in StrikerS).

I haven't gotten too far in the manga, so I'm glad that you think I'm wrong.

[shinta|hikari]

Is there a lot of loli service in this? I don't mean crass blatant stuff. Something delivered with finesse is preferable.

[MasterOfMoogles]

It is basically a bunch of little kids doing a fighting tournament with magical powers. I don't know if I'd really call that "service". It shouldn't be that far from the rest of the Nanoha series.

The problem I have with both Vivid and Force is that I don't really care all that much for the new characters.
Like, robots 1-12? I can't even remember their names or what they look like.

I'll watch it because I like the high energy magical battles that are in the Nanoha-verse, but I feel like following Nanoha/Fate after A's would be a million times more interesting instead of Vivio and her random friends.

[Ryllharu]

Vivid corrects a lot of issues with the rapid introduction of the Numbers in StrikerS. It's easy to remember their names by the way, they're Italian numbers (with only Undici and Dodici getting stylized to Wendi and Deed respectively).

At the end of StrikerS in the epilogue, Subaru and Ginga's father adopts a few of them, with others going to the church. The minor hints at their personalities from StrikerS get expanded on. As a reminder for what they showed in StrikerS: Cinque being serious but just, Wendi being a playful spaz, Nove being the closest to Subaru's personality but rougher around the edges and had a chip on her shoulder, and Deici being caring and kind-hearted, Deed being just kinda weird, Sein being a prankster, etc.

A lot of the newer characters from Vivid itself are kind of forgettable in my opinion. Only a few get developed properly at all. It's more about seeing the slew of characters tossed in from StrikerS finally getting their due.

For shinta's question...I'd say not really. Nothing different from the original Nanoha in terms of fanservice really. Barrier jackets get tattered, but never to the point of exploding clothing. Nanoha has never been that sort of franchise. A beach episode is probably guaranteed though.

[Kraco]

I agree. This is 90% combat (training) and 10% friends and family. If there's service, it's mixed in the there somewhere, in not overly large quantities and especially not blatantly. In fact I can only recall a single longer fanservice heavy scene. After all, this is not a harem series or anything like that. Actually, like always, I wish there were a guy or a few in there somewhere, but apparently in the Nanoha world the ratio of born mages must favour female 9:1 (that's actually a perfect setting for a harem, but it seems like none ever happen in Nanoha).

I have always had trouble telling some of the combat cyborgs (including Subaru) apart, but it should be considerably easier in the anime with colours and voice actors. The same goes for some of the other characters. There are a helluva lot of them, after all. Necessarily, considering a lot of the story is about a lengthy fighting tournament.

[Buffalobiian]

http://i.imgur.com/rvvinGE.jpg

Alternative title: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ViVid, 魔法少女リリカルなのはViVid

Genres: magic

Synopsis: Set four years after StrikerS, Nanoha finally has time to get off her feet. Now explore the Nanoha world in Vivio Takamichi's shoes and her device, Sacred Heart. -MAL

Links: ANN (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=16298), MAL (http://myanimelist.net/anime/25939/Mahou_Shoujo_Lyrical_Nanoha_ViVid), Official (http://nanoha-vivid.tv/)

Download: FFF - Episode 01 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=674346)

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I had to look up to check Nanoha's VA. It was weird hearing Vivio being more mature. At least Fate sounded exactly the same.

Animation took a little getting used to but I think I can handle it. The manga's cuter and more detailed (the latter is expected, but it doesn't feel more "dirty" as a trade off. It's just as clean).

Narrative-wise I have to say this is pretty meh. It's following the manga and is certainly a sequel for fans of the series thus far. Adding in the Ancient Belkan war is a step in the right direction.

[Kraco]

Episode 2 - FFF


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I wonder why Nana Mizuki can't have melodic songs. She's a splendid singer, but I personally couldn't care less about the OP.

The art took a bit of getting used to. It's kind of cheap and simplistic. Hopefully that means the majority of the budget is reserved for the main fights that really matter. Not that the simple art could have rendered Fate any less super sexy. As expected, the colours and voices really make it easier to remember who is who.

The pace is so slow that it gives me an impression this must continue for two cours.

[Buffalobiian]

The art took a bit of getting used to. It's kind of cheap and simplistic. Hopefully that means the majority of the budget is reserved for the main fights that really matter. Not that the simple art could have rendered Fate any less super sexy.

*nods* *nods*

I could complain about the art, but at the same time I feel grateful for this adaptation. It's really thrown at us Lyrical Nanoha fans so I'll take what I can get.

[shinta|hikari]

Art can get horrible at times, but episode two looked better than episode one.

I hate Vivio's voice. When she's a kid, it just sounds annoying grating. It sounded familiar (so was the irritation) so I googled it and it turns out she was Michiru's (Grisaia's) VA. No wonder. I just wish she could've used a different voice from Michiru because that character was designed to sound annoying and idiotic.

[Ryllharu]

Mizuhashi Kaori was Vivio (and Sein...and Yuuno...) first! Also Zefiris from Scrapped Princess, Ai from ARIA, Rosetta from Kaleido Star, and Mami from Madoka.

Michiru (and Elina from Queen's Blade) came last! Therefore they do not count.

She doesn't have much range. The majority of her roles sound the same.

[shinta|hikari]

Doesn't change the fact that she sounds annoying in Vivio's kid form.

[Kraco]

Doesn't change the fact that she sounds annoying in Vivio's kid form.

I didn't think so during Strikers with the limited lines she had, but it's kind of jarring to listen to her as the main character. But I can cope with it. Surprisingly enough I can accept even Einhart's voice, which I expected to have troubles with for the duration of the whole show.

[Ryllharu]

I don't mind Vivio's at all, but Einhart still sounds too old for me. It almost works in her adult mode, but I just don't think Noto Mamiko's gentle sister voice works with girls Vivio or Einhart's age.

[Buffalobiian]

I have more trouble with Vivio's voice than Einhart's. Einhart's always been a (outwardly) colder, more serious type which I don't have a problem with. Vivio needs to be cuter and more immature like Nanoha's. Right now that underlying maturity of her voice clashes with the cuteness and dialogue. It's almost as if she's patronising Nanoha/Fate.

[shinta|hikari]

It's almost as if she's patronising Nanoha/Fate.

So this was the odd annoyance I felt when she speaks to her guardians.

[Kraco]

It's almost as if she's patronising Nanoha/Fate.

The White Devil aside, Fate needs a bit of patronising. She's far too gentle, cute, and delicate for her own good.

[Ryllharu]

Spare the Zamber Form, spoil the child.

[Buffalobiian]

Anon - Episode 03 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=679943), 04 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=682757)

[Kraco]

These are nice eps to watch. Einhart's reactions to Vivio's huge extended magical family and their escapades are no doubt some of the best things in this series. More is yet to come, naturally. I'm glad they are saving some of the budget specifically for the action sequences even if it makes the general looks kind of bland. No matter what, it's jolly to see this animated and voiced (and in colour) after the manga.

Lutecia was funny. A peculiar personality you hardly saw in Strikers.

[Ryllharu]

anon - 05 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=685774), 06 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=688670)


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What I really like about ViVid is that everyone gets a particularly distinct style and it's well thought out and developed. Nicely showcased in these episodes. Even the Vivid or original side characters, Corona and Rio, have something to really stand out with.

StrikerS is fun, but it always boiled down to Lutecia and Caro are the same, Subaru and Nove are the same, random staff or magic rifle mages. Even now, they draw the distinctions out further. Nove focuses much more heavily on kicks, and it is shown through with her pupils. Caro is more distinctly support and defense while Lutecia is more of a battle coordinator and more offensively structured. They emphasized in eps 6 that Teana's magic is slower, but hits much "sharper," something touched on in StrikerS, but not shown quite as spectacularly as now.

This ties nicely through to the main cast. Corona is a summoner, and her device is hand crafted by Lutecia, the franchise's only other summoner. But her style is unique to Lu's, with her forming golems from her surroundings rather than warping in bugs. Being a Strike Arts practitioner, she also has some hand to hand capabilities and some significant endurance on her own, a weakness that Lutecia had in Strikers.

Rio, probably my favorite of the new characters, doesn't even fall into the Strike Arts bucket. She practices it to hang out with Vivio and Corona, but her kung fu style Strike Arts is very flashy and fun to watch. Lightning flash...fiery explosion! The lol fang she has doesn't hurt either.

On the other side of it all, you have Einhart. She's not even really good at external magic (can she even use it at all?) but as we saw when Vivio finally started using her own sparkles, Einhart is so overwhelmingly powerful at Belkan Strike Arts that she can actually counter magic. Only minor instruction let Einhart figure out the signature move of one of the best modern Strike Arts practitioners (Nakajima Quint).

Last but not least, you have Vivio, who finally starts showing off her real specialty. Vivio isn't that overpowering at magic now that the Cradle is gone, and she's definitely not up to Einhart's level of CQC. But she certainly has more range than Einhart, which helps her distract her opponent. It almost seems unfair that Vivio wasn't allowed to use magic blasts in her previous fights with Einhart, because it makes them much more even. Still, Vivio's true skill is in Counters. She blasts, closes in, sometimes gets hit back, but she always manages to get one last alarmingly powerful hit in. Einhart's barrier jacket was damaged by just one of Vivio's grazing counterhits, comparable to one of Nanoha's blasts. It's an interesting specialty, one that isn't really flashy or necessarily even evident until after an exchange of blows. Judging from her reaction when her jacket exploded after the fact, Einhart felt that one too.

Can't wait for episode 7 for the conclusion to this bout.

[Kraco]

Corona is a summoner, and her device is hand crafted by Lutecia, the franchise's only other summoner. But her style is unique to Lu's, with her forming golems from her surroundings rather than warping in bugs.

Caro is a summoner as well. A dragon summoner, no less. Now she's even an Einhart summoner!


On the other side of it all, you have Einhart. She's not even really good at external magic (can she even use it at all?) but as we saw when Vivio finally started using her own sparkles, Einhart is so overwhelmingly powerful at Belkan Strike Arts that she can actually counter magic. Only minor instruction let Einhart figure out the signature move of one of the best modern Strike Arts practitioners (Nakajima Quint).

To be honest, I always thought Einhart is far too strong considering she has always been alone, apart from assaulting people in the streets. How do you become so strong if you haven't got any other practice but a punching bag? She apparently has far more complete memories than any of the other descendants, but that ought to go only so far.


Can't wait for episode 7 for the conclusion to this bout.

This battle was what I most wanted to see animated. Too bad Hayate's gang wasn't present. Then it would have really rocked.

[Ryllharu]

Caro isn't really a summoner, other than of Einharts. Fried is the only thing she ever brings, and he's with her all the time in tiny form. It's not really the same as Lu or Corona, who bring or create all sorts of different things. If Lutecia could only summon Garryu, then Caro's abilities would be comparable.

I always assumed that Einhart gets a vision of a fight or battle, remembers the technique used, and tries it out herself in her home gym. The way she described it earlier, it isn't so much that Einhart gets some snippets of memories in dreams. She's actually plagued and cursed by them. She has such vivid memories of her ancestor's lives, emotional states and all, as if she had photographic memory and lived these events herself. It's more that in split seconds, she recalls when her past self used a technique against so and so, and uses it in her present.

She's exceptionally calm in battle, like it's all stuff she's done before and going through the motions. That's why she was so surprised by the Unchain Knuckle. She used a new and novel technique for the first time ever.

Each of the three Belkan "rulers" are different. Ixpellia actually is the same person (I'm still hoping that gets animated some day), Einhart has near perfect memories, and poor Vivio is just a clone. In some ways, Vivio is the most free. Now that the Cradle is gone, she's no longer trapped by her legacy.

[Kraco]

Caro isn't really a summoner, other than of Einharts. Fried is the only thing she ever brings, and he's with her all the time in tiny form. It's not really the same as Lu or Corona, who bring or create all sorts of different things. If Lutecia could only summon Garryu, then Caro's abilities would be comparable.

Garyu seems to be with Lutecia all the time as well. Caro can also summon the humongous Voltaire if she wants to crush a town or two. She's a proper summoner, alright, but since she's a dragon summoner, I guess in practice it seems like she doesn't summon as often as those summoners who specialise in summoning lesser things. At least she can use other kinds of magic to make her more useful in the mean time, as dragon summoning doesn't seem good for every day use.

[Kraco]

Episode 7 - anon



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Lutecia has something in her that makes it more understandable how she could side with the bad guys in Strikers. While there are self-confident and battle thirsty characters left and right in this story, their boasting is typically in a good sportsmanship spirit. Lutecia, however, does exhibit certain kind of arrogance in my opinion, in addition to the very obvious need to show off. One very good specific scene to demonstrate the wicked streak in her personality was how she, when talking to Einhart, made it sound like Hayate was her personal contact and thus she ought to be the one to introduce Hayate to Einhart. Right.

[Ryllharu]

Lutecia's prideful boasting is a part of her new personality that I vastly prefer to her morose, suffering, largely silent old one.

What a difference results with being reunited with her mother. They were largely imprisoned on that frontier planet with only the StrikerS crews to keep them company as part of Lutecia's parole.

Makes me wonder about Einhart's family and what happened to her parents.

Rehabilitation was a big part of redeeming Scagletti's gang following their arrests, and it seems to have worked wonders for the Nakajima siblings and Lutecia. The Numbers girls at the church...not so much. The twins are still bizarre as hell and dubiously socialized, and Sein of course is still up to no good.

[Kraco]

Episode 8 - anon



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As expected, the tournaments fights are jolly to watch animated, even if it was only a couple of meaningless early ones in this episode. Einhart got another nervous dose of the highly formal ancient Belkan atmosphere of the legendary Yagami household...

[Ryllharu]

I lost it when Einhart was starting to spar with Micaiah and Teo jumped on her shoulder all fierce and meowed.

I don't feel that they really did the opening fights justice. Vivio's was okay, but the manga gave a much stronger impression of Miura's absurd strength. They also cut a part earlier where Miura hits a training dummy on the beach and it basically exploded.

The Chantez sparring scene was wonderful though. I also loved the detail of her device returning to keychain form when she draws a circle between the two tonfa.

That it is immediately followed by remarkably-out-of-place tortoise shell bondage from Deed is just a bonus. What the hell is that church teaching those four (numbers girls plus Chantez)? It's like the Church from Black Lagoon.

[Kraco]

That it is immediately followed by remarkably-out-of-place tortoise shell bondage from Deed is just a bonus. What the hell is that church teaching those four (numbers girls plus Chantez)? It's like the Church from Black Lagoon.

What's the purpose of the church anyway? It always seemed to me they were dedicated only to the ancient Belkan legacy, including training fierce fighters and aiding national security. So, yeah, I think it's pretty close to the Church of Violence, only it's working for the good guys.