iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia (episodes 1 ~ 24)
Short summary : Haruka, a girl from the countryside, moves to Tokyo because of an audition for becoming an idol, but she has in fact been chosen for defending Earth from falling meteors by piloting a giant mecha.
The only similarity between this anime and the game I talked about before is the name.
I still don’t get the point of making an anime based on a game if half of the characters actually don’t share the design and/or personality of their former self (duh Azusa and Yayoi >_> ), well except of course for blatant commercial aspect thanks to the iM@S franchise.
Even more incomprehensible when a idol raising/dating-sim game is transformed into a shitty mecha anime. Yeah, I said it earlier, I hate mecha animes, so I’d have rather seen a typical harem comedy show.
But well, I couldn’t not watch it, since it was somewhat related to a game I’m interested in, I had to give it a watch. Moreover, Iori and Yukiho are respectively dubbed by the seiyuu of Tomari and Yasuna from Kashimashi, Yukari Tamura and Yui Horie (Tomari is one of my fav manga/anime characters ever, and Yui Horie is my favorite seiyuu).
And… ok I must admit that even if I really disliked this show at first, I grew some sympathy for it. When there isn’t all that mecha crap, it’s in my opinion a decent show. Mostly when the episodes are centered on Iori or Yukiho. The mecha lovers actually think that these character-centered episodes are boring, but really, I think they are the best episodes of the show (fuck the purists, anyway).
Again, it’s because of some specific characters that I started to watch a show, and that I’m still watching it. Yeah, I don’t need more reason, having at least a character I like is enough for sticking with an anime. And Iori and Yukiho are the main reason I’m watching this show. Iori is a lovely boyish and tsundere character, and Yukiho is a gentle girl with a hidden comical side.
Episode 5 was a nice Yukiho-centered episode, which ended with this great Haruka x Yukiho scene. Yuri even makes shitty mecha anime being better.
So basically, Haruka and her robot are in love with each others. LOL mecha animes…
But I kinda like the idea of Haruka keeping everythings secret from her friend Yayoi, and that this very one is thinking that Haruka got a boyfriend when she’s speaking of her mecha.
Haruka has to flash her mecha for making it more obedient… and the mecha is actually recording the whole scene, lol. Well all the girl x mecha love crap is so ridiculous that you may find it eventually funny.
Episode 10 was an awesome Iori-centered episode. She reminds me so much of Tomari, and not only because they share the same seiyuu. I so liked this scene, when she run hiding herself without any words to let her joy explode, so cute.
Her forehead shines during action scenes, and that’s awesome.
Episode 11. What is the best way to prevent someone from dying by cold ? The japanese method : skinship. (classic)
The Iori from the flashbacks looked like the Iori from the game.
OMG Kamina reincarnated into Iori.
My favorite episode so far was the 20th, which was love and tears.
It starts with what is surely the best scene of the show, the grand reunion between the twins Ami & Mami, after that Mami was being “trapped” and put into coma for 7 years into her mecha, which wanted to cure her while she was in a close-to-death state after a serious injury.
Then, it turned in a Nanaka 6/17 kind of way, which was nice.
Half of episode 20, Haruka broke after that Yukiho betrayed her and joined the enemy, and started to act creepy (and Iori is still great).
… before turning into a totally cute (without these stupid ribbons) hikikomori (end of ep 20 and most of ep 21). After that the ep was Chihaya and Azusa-san centered, respectively about their mecha love and adopted father love (duh).
Joseph is the funniest character of the show.
Episode 24… Azusa died in a pretty fucked way, Haruka confessed her love to her mecha, and Chihaya is deh new Sephiroth… but I must confess that I’m looking forward to the final fight between Haruka and Yukiho.
:beer: