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Dec 1, 2010
:::INTRO
Fast-forwarding ten years after A's, our little heroines are all grown up.
PrimeSonic once again, here with the final part in my review of the Nanoha trilogy: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS.
Does the final chapter in the Nanoha trilogy live up to the hype? Well let's take a look.
:::STORY
Say goodbye to Japan, and Earth for that matter, as the entire story takes place on Mid-childa, home to the Time and Space Administration Bureau's main branch.
All the supporting characters from the previous seasons that had nothing to do with magic or the Bureau are pretty much gone.
Four years after the conclusion of A's, the girls have risen
...
through the ranks, reaching the goals they set for themselves long ago.
At present, Hayate is leading a newly created section and, with the help of her friends, she's realizing her dream of being able fight for the people caught up in the Lost Logia cases.
In a general perspective, the story has two main focuses.
One would be the new recruits and their training with Nanoha while the other deals with quite possibly the first central antagonist the trilogy has ever seen.
:::NEW CHARACTERS
StrikerS gives us lots and lots of new characters as well as properly introduce a few that made only minor appearances so far.
To add to that, in this season it seems like almost everyone and their mother has a back story to tell.
So to keep things short, I'll just mention the more important characters in this review.
:Subaru Nakajima
Four years earlier, Nanoha rescued Subaru from an intense fire.
Ever since, Subaru has been determined to become strong like Nanoha so one day she can be the one to save a life in danger.
When she's not in combat, she can be the most childish of the recruits, and that's saying a lot considering she's probably the oldest.
There's also a bit of a secret to Subaru, but I won't spoil it here.
:Teana Lanstar
Of the four recruits Teana is by far the one that takes things the most seriously.
Initially she feels out of place, feeling like the only normal person surrounded by a bunch of elites and aces.
It's actually because of Teana that we end up finding out more about what happened to Nanoha in the years since she joined the Bureau.
She's reluctantly been friends with Subaru since they both enlisted with the Bureau and has had to put up with her ever since.
:Caro Ru Lushe
Even though she's the youngest of the four, Caro's support magic and dragon summoning are a big help for the team.
Her back story and inner conflict get resolved before anyone else's as it doesn't take her long to master her dragon summoning to protect her friends.
:Erio Mondial
The only lead male protagonist we'll be seeing, and it so happens that Erio is really just two months older than Caro.
He's very protective of Caro on the battlefield and has all makings of a modern knight. He has his own story which links him to Fate in a way, but I won't spoil it here.
:Vivio
About half-way into the series we meet Vivio. Very early we discover she's another child created through Project F, an artificial mage born in the same way as Fate.
This girl is made of concentrated cuteness, I swear.
She's the subject of much heartbreak, and it should be said, she's also the subject of blatant controversial fanservice.
You see, Vivio has two mommies. Uhm...wat?
:::ABOUT THE ANIME
StrikerS was the long awaited sequel that generated a lot of hype and even more expectations. Because of this, it got very mixed reactions when it first aired. It made plenty of changes to that way it presented the story while still trying to feel the way a Nanoha series should.
Some fans loved it, others only liked it, and others gave up on the series by the 4th episode and said they hated it.
One thing that becomes clear right off the bat is that Nanoha and rest of the main heroes from the previous seasons are now sharing the spotlight with a lot of new characters.
That's not to say we don't spend time with them, but for the first half of the series they are clearly acting more like supporting characters than protagonists.
One of the issues that brought up so many mixed reviews was how StikerS has more dialogue and side-stories than it does action scenes.
In the first half of the series, much more time is spent on the recruits and their training than actual missions or the returning heroes.
That being said, the plot is also far more complex and mature than before, taking everything from the previous seasons and placing it on an even larger scale.
There's plenty of time spent on character development for the four recruits, most of it given to Subaru and Teana, and probably even more than Nanoha and Fate had throughout both previous seasons.
I have to admit: I wasn't crazy about there being four new protagonists all at once, and it certainly wasn't a packaged deal like is was with the knights were in the last season; but after a while they did grow on me.
Looking at the lighter side of StrikerS, there's still a few funny and embarrassing moments to be had.
As far as the fanservice goes, it mostly comes from the transformation sequences. Don't expect much more than that.
Speaking of transformation sequences,the ones in StrikerS are much like they were in A's.
They don't come often, but when they do, you will know it.
It's kinda funny how the older girls all get elaborate and lengthy transformation sequences while Erio's and Caro's are done in half the time.
Not to mention that Erio goes instantly from his uniform to his barrier jacket without having to strip down first. Yeah, you can draw your own conclusions from that.
As far as action scenes go, they're relatively few and far between this time.
Still, they make the final battle in A's seem small in comparison.
Overall, the combat sequences are much more intense than they were before.
Expect to see e good deal of blood in later episodes.
:::CONCLUSION
StrikerS was certainly going to make or break the Nanoha series.
It gets off to a slow start, but after watching it in full, I can definitely say it was worth enduring the long dialogue scenes.
It's hard to put into words, but in a way, after watching StrikerS, A's just seems small, much in the same way A's made the first season seem small.
Even with all the changes in style, once you get into it, StrikerS doesn't make you feel like you're watching a completely different series.
Most of the themes are are taken directly from the previous seasons and even ten years later, Nanoha, Fate, and everyone else have remained largely unchanged.
I'm giving StikerS an above average 8 out of 10.
Personally I liked it, but some people might get bored with it before it gets to the good stuff.
I can't say it was excellent all around, but the ending was just amazing and certainly more intense than the ending for A's was.
Again I stress, to really appreciate the characters in StrikerS, having watched the first two seasons is a must.
To wrap things up: if you're a Nanoha fan, then you owe it to yourself to give StrikerS a try.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 1, 2010
:::INTRO
It was a small wish: to have a good sequel to a great first season.
PrimeSonic here, bringing you my review of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's.
I'm assuming you've watched the first season by now and I'll keep the spoilers for A's down to a minimum. So, on with the review.
Nanoha A's takes place six months after the conclusion of the first season.
The plot of Nanoha A's is driven forward by the Wolkenritter, or Cloud Knights, and their mission to complete the Book of Darkness.
To do this, they have to steal magical power from a mage's linker core, the source of a mage's power, which in
...
turn fills the book's blank pages.
In the very first episode, Nanoha is attacked by one of the knights of the Book of Darkness. Fate, Yuuno, and the Arthra's crew come to her rescue but it's soon clear that Nanoha and Fate, being the strongest mages the Arthra has, are still devastatingly outclassed by the Cloud Knights.
Using magical cartridges in their magical devices to gain mayor power boosts, the knights prove themselves practically unbeatable opponents until our heroins get upgrades for their own devices.
Like the previous season, the anime doesn't take long before it tells the other side of the story and we learn exactly why the knights are trying to complete the Book of Darkness at all cost.
:::NEW CHARACTERS
Nanoha A's introduces us to a few new characters as well as having everyone from the previous season return.
:Hayate Yagami
The first character we see on screen: Hayate is deeply involved with the knights but doesn't know that they're working to complete the Book of Darkness.
Up until the arrival of the knights, she was living alone after her parents died in an accident.
Her distant uncle sends her money to support her so she can live comfortably.
She's really just a normal girl for the most part if you discount the wheelchair.
As we get to know her a little better, we see that she doesn't like making others worry about her and will try her hardest to always act like she's okay even if she's not.
:Vita
The smallest but possibly most powerful of the Cloud Knights: Vita is hot tempered and unforgiving, though we eventually find out that she's still just child at heart and has quite a soft spot for her current master.
She's generally single-minded and has a strength of will that rivals, or even surpasses, anyone else you'll meet in the series.
:Signum
The leader of the Cloud Knights: Signum may be calm and soft spoken, but that doesn't make her any less dangerous in battle.
She can very polite, even during combat, and has a subtle pride about being a knight and being able to top any opponent one-on-one.
:Shamal
The support and healing specialist of the knights: Shamal is nurturing and protective of Hayate as well as the rest of her allies.
Being the most sensitive of the knights, she ends up taking the most motherly role within the group.
Since she never enters combat directly or alone, she ends up being the one to spend the most time with Hayate, accompanying her on most of her outings.
:Zafira
The guardian beast of the Cloud Knights: Zafira proves himself as a tough rival for Arf even without using a magical device.
Of the four, he's given the least screen time, probably because he doesn't seem as emotionally involved as the rest of the knights.
His mindset is pretty straightforward: he does what he has to do regardless of whether it's right or wrong.
Everyone from the first season is back in A's, and while some characters are pushed further into the background, others take more important and story altering roles.
This time around, Arisa and Suzuka have a profound impact on the unfolding events of the plot.
There are a few new characters that make appearances, like Hayate's doctor and a few more Bureau members whose contributions will have a dramatic impact on the story later on.
:::ABOUT THE ANIME
Overall, Nanoha A's made big improvements to most of the elements from the first season.
The animation in general is simply of a much higher quality and the action sequences were greatly improved.
The drama is a bit more expansive than it was before, as we see exactly what drove the knights to start their mission and how the little heroins are standing firm to face them.
This time around, there's also a bit of added mystery to the plot, revolving around the Book of Darkness and those who want to see it completed.
It also seems like there's less blatant fanservice in comparison to the first, though there is still enough for those expecting it.
In regards to the animation, the first season had transformation sequences come pretty often, at least early on.
In Nanoha A's this changes completely as Nanoha gets two and Fate only one in the entire span of the 13 episodes.
In a way, this means there's less filler and more actual content which is a plus as far as I can see. Still though, these would-be stock animation scenes are still very impressive to look at.
This time around, the Time and Space Administration Bureau plays a critically important role right from the very beginning.
We're also given a bit back story that explains Crono's connection to the Book of Darkness. And we spend plenty more time with Amy and get to briefly meet other figures of the Arthra's crew.
:::My THOUGHTS
Nanoha A's is an anime I can watch over and over.
Perhaps it's just my tastes, but there was nothing I didn't like about this series.
There were no outstanding flaws in either the plot development or animation, and just about everything was as it should be.
This series truly departs from what you usually expect from a magical girl anime.
From the way magic itself is presented to the way the heroes are organized, everything is given its own unique twist to fit the style and scale of the series.
Without a doubt, Nanoha A's is the series that cemented my love for the franchise for years to come.
It presents fast paced action, an engaging story, and characters you quickly come to love and admire.
Basically, everything that could have been done better in the first season was improved in A's.
:::CONCLUSION
I give this series an outstanding 9 out of 10.
The only reason A's doesn't get a perfect score is because it's a sequel.
To get the most out of A's, watching the first season is unavoidable.
To sum it up: if you liked Lyrical Nanoha then you'll definitely love Lyrical Nanoha A's.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 1, 2010
:::INTRO
Hello all, this is PrimeSonic, here to bring you my review one of my all time favorite anime series: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.
Lyrical Nanoha starts off like an overly generic mahou shoujo anime.
We have a magical mentor figure in animal form who gives magical powers to a seemingly ordinary elementary school girl to help him recover a bunch of dangerous magical items that threaten to cause chaos and destruction if left unchecked.
This would be Yuuno who asks Nanoha to help him recover the Jewel Seeds and gives her the Raising Heart, an intelligent magical device that holds her staff and armor.
For the first three
...
episodes the plot remains this generic with little to distinguish it from other magical girl anime... and then the plot twists begin.
We're presented to a rival magical girl who's also collecting the Jewel Seeds for reasons unknown at first.
Nothing too unique yet until we find out about halfway into the series that the battle for the Jewel Seeds has caught the eye of what can only be described as an inter-dimensional military police force.
This was when I realized that this wasn't your typical mahou shoujo.
Lyrical Nanoha presents itself as a simple, if somewhat generic, magical girl anime at first, but when you actually get into it, it turns out to be a unique and character-driven story that will both break and warm your heart.
:::MAIN CHARACTERS
:Nanoha Takamachi
Most of this series revolves around Nanoha and the hunt for the Jewel Seeds.
She never rejected the magical powers or ever cried about wanting to live a normal life. Rather, she fully accepted magic and the new paths it opened to her.
As the series progresses we find out that this little third grader has a lot of guts and a whole lot of heart, putting herself in danger to keep others safe. She continues the hunt not out of obligation, but out of her own will to do what she must to see her city safe.
This is not your fledgling magical girl.
After her chance encounter with Yuuno we find that she's actually a very talented mage. Immediately displaying impressive amounts of magical powers.
Early enough you'll see this little girl shooting energy blasts comparable to Dragonball Z characters.
:Fate Testarossa
Fate is originally presented as the dark magical girl rival.
After her introduction we're slowly revealed her side of the story.
Without spoiling too much, let's say due to a complex family situation, Fate is determined to recover the Jewel Seeds herself and must strike down anyone who gets in her way.
As a mage, she's stronger and more experienced than Nanoha, practically walking through her in their first battle.
As far as her personality goes, this is a girl who has every reason in the world to go completely emo and yet she maintains a strong will and determination, never running away and always facing things head on.
She's very soft spoken most of the time, never one to mince words. She's also loyal almost to a fault as we see her struggle with her tragic past and confront it towards the end of the series.
:::SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
:Yuuno Scrya
Being as important to the plot as he is, Yuuno definitely takes the back seat of a
supporting character early on.
For the most part he stays in his animal form: a ferret, having first gone into it to recover from some serious wounds after battling a creature created by a Jewel Seed.
He's pretty smart and knows a good deal of support magic. We also find out early on that it was his archeological team that discovered the Jewel Seeds.
All-in-all, he remains loyal to his new friend to the end, willing to do what he must to help Nanoha just as she helped him.
He's no older than Nanoha and doesn't handle the show's fanservice too well.
:Suzuka Tsukimura and Arisa Bannings
Suzuka and Arisa are Nanoha's classmates and best friends.These two are more important than they seem at first.
They're the ones that first notice that Nanoha is going through something important, as Nanoha has less free time to spend with them as starts looking a bit down as the plot with Fate unfolds.
Arisa is the big hot head of the two while Suzuka maintains a quiet, if somewhat shy, profile, which, again, keeps Nanoha as the straight man of the group.
They both also happen to be obscenely rich but aren't snobs about it, though they do sometimes ride home from school in a limo.
There are plenty more supporting characters, but unless you plan on watching Triangle Heart: Sweet Songs Forever, they aren't worth discussing in length.
::: GOOD THINGS
Personally, when I first started watching this series I was expecting a generic magical girl anime with perhaps a cliche ending with the capturing of the last Jewel Seeds. I was wrong about that. Around half-way through the series I started receiving one surprise after another.
My first surprise was finding out that the target audience wasn't exactly the young girls that most anime of the genre aim for. Rather, this show was aired primarily with shounen and seinen audiences in mind, which isn't all that surprising when you consider what the studio was originally making before they got to Lyrical Nanoha.
Another unique aspect of the show I really liked was the magical devices. They're presented as being form of technology with artificial intelligence.
In fact, throughout the whole trilogy, magic is seen as the pinnacle of technology.
The devices themselves speak in engrish, making for a few unintentionally funny moments.
The ending to Lyrical Nanoha was quite possibly one of the most genuinely heartwarming endings to an anime I've seen thus far, exemplifying friendship in a powerful form.
:: BAD THINGS
For being as great as it is, Lyrical Nanoha wasn't beyond some of the trademark
transgressions of the mahou shoujol genre.
For example, there are several stock animation sequences that are repeated throughout the series, such as the transformation scene and a few signature moves. They're brief but sometimes feel like animated filler.
Fortunately, they don't overdo it and nearly stop using them entirely by the second half of the series.
It presented a bit of a plot hole at one point, when we're told of an important conversation but don't get to actually hear what was said. To explain it without spoiling too much, Nanoha keeping her magical powers secret is not a major element to the plot. These moments are glossed over as the story keeps focus on the more exceptional events rather than the ordinary ones.
:::CONCLUSION
This is the anime that threw me into the full fledged obsession I'm in now.
It started out as just a spin-off for Triangle Heart, taking the young little Nanoha and turning her into a magical girl for who knows what reason.
With two sequels released, turns out that Triangle Heart is now known more for its spin-off than for itself.
Compared to the sequels that came after it, Lyrical Nanoha is almost lacking in quality, though this is a must see starting point for anyone who wants to get into the Nanoha saga.
I give this series an well deserved 8 out of 10. The story kept me hooked, the characters were impossible not to love, and the action scenes were just plain fun to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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