Manga: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid

[Kraco]

Well, as it is, I have read very little manga online so my above evaluation was very hasty and based solely on the chapter 13. The other streamed manga I've read is from Mangastream (Soul Eater) and it's a lot better than this dismayingly small, dirty, and compression artefact filled Vivid. Although to be fair it could be totally the uploader's fault and Mangafox could be innocent. No clue.

Hmm... Now that I had a look at chapter 12 on my HD, I have to admit it's certainly not fully chapter 13's own fault. But nevertheless, the lack of quality does annoy me.

[Kraco]

A new group, ViVid Translations, scanlated chapter 17 and promises to release also 13-15. And keep translating in the future.

[Buffalobiian]

Haha, Einhart's reaction to Hayate was the most apt. From her attire, I thought the line "You're on holiday" was referring to her.

[Kraco]

That scene was certainly the best of this chapter. Poor Einhart never knows what to expect from all the goofy but absurdly strong magical girls (and one boy) forming Vivio's extended family.

[Ryllharu]

I finally managed to get all caught up, but one thing still nags me from the conclusion of the first group combat round.

When did Teana learn (or even have the capacity for) Starlight Breaker? I had thought from StrikerS that Teana was highly skilled at refining and manipulating her mana, but had a low capacity, and suffered greatly from stamina issues. While it's true that Starlight Breaker pulls in residual magical energies, it still puts an immense strain on its caster.

I'm glad that Einhart is getting a device like Vivio's, but if it is a true Belkan one, I wonder if it will be as smart as Reinforce and Agito, who are both Unison Devices themselves. It's especially fitting that the Haou is getting a device handcrafted by the Queen of the Night Sky.

As for Vivio, I really hope she starts learning a few advanced techniques like Einhart has in her arsenal. Her special skill right now happens to be Counter, which from the mock-battle, entails taking a hard hit from her opponent before hitting them with a simple counter. She needs more special skills, Einhart is starting to steal the series! Subaru/Nove need to teach her more slick moves in addition to their version of the Divine Buster.

[Kraco]

It could be true that Einhart is starting to steal the series but on the other hand, at least Vivio is very much her own girl these days. Einhart seems to have lost much of what she would have otherwise been, being so obsessed with (overwritten by) Haou's desires and memories. So, even if Vivio isn't as strong as she otherwise could have been, I deem her much luckier regardless, as she's still plenty strong and moreover has had the opportunity to develop as she wanted under Nanoha. She's Vivio Takamachi much more than Einhart is Einhart Stratos.

[Ryllharu]

Chapter 19 is out now from Vivid Translations.

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Did Shante actually slash Vivio, or did Vivio and Kris visualize the outcome and avoid the blow before Shante even followed through? That wasn't very clear from their conversation afterward, not to mention the lack of blood on Vivio's clothes.

It seems that Vivio was already aware of her weaknesses when it comes to close combat. She knows that she can't hold up to mages with real weapon-style devices when she is only barefisted. Shante and Deed mentioned that she no longer has her armor, but Kris has thus far managed a quite decent facsimile of the armor. Vivio may like Strike Arts the best, but she has quite a number of skills in her disposal that another close combat only mage like Einhart doesn't. Vivio is a lot more like Lio (fire/lightning combo skills). Deed and Shante are probably right about where Vivio should be on a field since she can't take enough damage to be a Forward like Nove, Subaru or Einhart.

I wonder what kind of "full potential" Vivio and Kris could be achieving. Was this statement in part because Shante only knows of Vivio's Strike Arts? It seems Nove is going to have her focus on her counters, where Vivio's buster attacks would be very effective. She's like Subaru, but doesn't need to use cartridges. Perhaps Vivio will end up like an Excellion-style Nanoha with some Fate skills mixed in based around Nove/Subaru attacks.

As for Einhart...I smiled at the device that matches Vivio's in terms of styling, but I was sort of expecting something more traditional like Lio and Corona were expecting. The look on Nove and Cinque's faces was priceless.

[Buffalobiian]

Did Shante actually slash Vivio, or did Vivio and Kris visualize the outcome and avoid the blow before Shante even followed through? That wasn't very clear from their conversation afterward, not to mention the lack of blood on Vivio's clothes.

That's my take on it after giving it some thought. Shante said Vivio saw it or something. (I was shocked after seeing that slash scene too). I guess this plays back to that whole "parallel processing" thing, whatever that means. Besides not being able to take much damage anymore after losing her armour, I think what Shante was getting at was that Vivio by nature has the processing ability akin to a "sixth sense". While her brain can keep up with all this, her body couldn't though, which would also explain why "it's not suited to defence and offence" despite its obvious advantage.

Rear Guard and Wing stand back from the battle a bit, where Vivio would be able to digest the entire battle and provide the most apt support or move when needed.

Still, parallel processing? That doesn't really give us much to work with until they expand on it more.

I wonder what kind of "full potential" Vivio and Kris could be achieving. Was this statement in part because Shante only knows of Vivio's Strike Arts? It seems Nove is going to have her focus on her counters, where Vivio's buster attacks would be very effective.

Counters make sense from all this "parallel processing" idea. I thought Nove was trying to polish up Vivio's technique so she could counter properly after she sees through an attack.

And Chapter 19.5 is also out. Man, and to think I even hated Vita at one point...

[Ryllharu]

I think what Shante was getting at was that Vivio by nature has the processing ability akin to a "sixth sense". While her brain can keep up with all this, her body couldn't though, which would also explain why "it's not suited to defence and offence" despite its obvious advantage.
...
Counters make sense from all this "parallel processing" idea. I thought Nove was trying to polish up Vivio's technique so she could counter properly after she sees through an attack.

This reasoning makes perfect sense. I agree with it fully.

They've been hyping up the strength of Vivio's countering ability, and her magic attacks are very fast (almost instant Divine Buster). If that is the way Kris is meant to be used, providing a pre-cog effect for Vivio, then it could put her on an equal level with the rivals.

Vivio is aware of some of her weaknesses, Nove understands the strength of her counters, Deed and Shante are aware of her device's true strengths. It isn't in Shante's best interest to share that, but it sure is in Deed's.

[Kraco]

With how goofy Hayate was made in this particular manga, I wasn't overly surprised Einhart's device was also a stuffed animal. Can't say it wouldn't have disappointed me, though. She will probably have it reshaped in a few years...

Parallel processing seems like a skill you'd need most when fighting multiple opponents or an opponent very different from yourself (to try to formulate suitable responses to unknown attacks/defenses). Vivio should have major potential is magic, despite the fact she wants to stick to martial arts at the moment, so it should serve her well. Although in a sports match having some martial arts skills is likely extremely important if only to buy time.