This is probably the 2nd most popular screencap in the collection I have built up over the last year. You honestly don't want to know #1

The 5th edition of this series takes us to the recent past, where some series are currently airing. Fortunately, nothing I did not drop is currently airing, so I won’t have to make any changes to the format here. The best way I can think of this summer is that is wasn’t a terrible summer, nor was it absolutely fantastic.

On the OVA front there was the matter of the Minami-ke OVA which had a Valentine’s Day theme if I remember right. Maybe the animation not being horrible makes it a little less memorable. I’m masochistic in that way. There was also the part where Hosaka did his Hosaka thing, but convinced Chiaki to eat carrots. I don’t see how anyone can hate carrots to be honest, but I digress.

There was also the Akane-iro Somaru Saka OVA which can pretty much be summarized by the screencap I placed at the top of this post.

Taishou Yakyuu Musume did pretty much what any piece of sports fiction does these days, except without a training montage in the middle. A bunch of girls who are terrible at baseball eventually become good enough to take on a rival school at their own game. Plus, the series opens with a musical introduction to Taishou-era Tokyo.

CANAAN took the concept of combining different groups of people in Shanghai who come together and become part of a multi-national conspiracy. The parts where people had mysterious powers were probably underused, and the main characters were either horribly annoying or lacked personality in the slightest. At least the villains were interesting.

Princess Lover! had me wondering why something was made where the motivation for the villain is so ridiculous I was laughing when I got to it. I also have to say despite Arima’s difficult life before the series begins, he has it far, far too easy throughout the series.

Sora no Manimani serves as a somewhat educational series, at least when it comes to constellations and winter survival strategies of all things. Overall, it was a pretty fun series to watch though some of the relationships remain unresolved. Also, there’s the small matter of Roma’s inexplicable hook up in the end.

Then there’s the second season of Spice & Wolf. I can say at times the second season did a good job of beautifully shooting me to tears at points, it pretty much put in a shift as setup for a third season. I still can’t make sense of the fact they attempted to put in a credit spread. Will the 3rd season, when they do make it throw in collateralized debt obligations for good measure.

Highlights from Shows Unseen or Unfinished

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is just sitting there waiting for me to finish the last two episodes. Maybe if I stopped writing these posts I would have time. Personally I would put this just a bit off the first season in quality so 3rd best overall of the 4 incarnations. Bakemonogatari is still running technically, but it has spawned some brilliant analysis of fandom. Element Hunters has the worst concept I have seen from anything that doesn’t show up on the channel that shall not be named. While Kanamemo makes yuri antics seem like a normal part of the workplace.

Part 4 of this series moves us to a mere 2.5 years ago. While I haven’t actually checked, this season marked a high point in number of series produced, anecdotally at least. This season for me was defined by my earliest exposures to inexplicable hatred toward mediocre series, the inability for me to finish off other series and perhaps 2 of the best examples of social commentary I have seen in anime.

In one of the early season openers, and despite the fact it did not actually air on TV, Keitai Shoujo presented a small social experiment on a fan base (provided they could actually be bothered to vote). The premise was basically five stereotypical one-dimensional characters do stuff with their phones while doing absolutely nothing extraordinary. The fans in the end chose the girl who communicated as little as possible but I think there’s a good chance it was rigged anyway in retrospect.

Hayate the Combat Butler opened with one of my favorite single episodes in my years of watching this stuff. Pure class warfare jokes at their finest with Hayate refusing to describe bad people as they really were. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to keep that up 52 episodes in a row, so from there it became slowly about parodies, and more parodies. At least it’s better than the parody crap that comes out of Hollywood most of these days.

In a similar manner Oh! Edo Rocket also contributed heavily in breaking the 4th wall and in social commentary of its own. The series does a great job in making characters who do bad things sympathetic, while also keeping things fresh. While it is about as historically accurate as Strike Witches that’s not necessarily a bad thing for me here. However, it suffers from that great weakness of period shows in that almost no one would watch them or buy either.

Sola could probably be accused of trying far, far too hard. After watching this I thought it was a mediocre series but nothing worth writing home about. It tried to do something interesting with a male lead who didn’t actually exist and 2 female leads who really had no depth, and an ending that was terrible in saving the wrong character. However, I came across a few opinions which dared to call it the worst thing ever made. Do people really get so emotionally attached to something like this? Was this show so popular that it created a backlash? About a couple hours later I had moved on. So has everyone else I presume.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS is another example of a three part series where the quality varies. The first season is good, the second excellent, the third I would rather not recall from memory. They got a surprising amount of miles out of the series from the beginning I would say.

Finally I conclude this section with another comedy series that I think some people may have heard of in Lucky Star (note I can’t be bothered to put the star in the middle there). Speaking of backlash, I know this had plenty, to the point where the director was sacked inside a month of this starting. Yes, there are lots of problems in the strike rate of some of the jokes, but I think as a comedy this worked pretty well. I should also add I liked the long running joke in the first episode, which probably means my opinion at this point means nought.

Highlights from Shows Unseen (or Unfinished)

With a name of a series like Murder Princess, I don’t know how that gets such low ratings. I don’t even think I have to look at a plot synopsis for that since it seems to be in the title. Gurren Lagann was great from what I have seen. Maybe I should finally get around to watching that part after the time jump. Fears of a drop in quality are preventing me from continuing. Am I wrong?

Seto no Hanayome looks like something I would actually like as yet another slice-of-life comedy. I need to make the time surely. All I know about Claymore is that it has a rather surreal ending that made a bunch of people upset. Finally, Lovely Complex was a bunch of emotional fun, but maybe the high concept was lost on me eventually.

Fourth wall? What fourth wall?

Part 3 of this 40 part series takes a trip back a little over 3 years from yesterday’s post. The best way I can think of summarizing it is the season of sequels. There were a number of shows in their second season, or would go on to have multiple seasons made…eventually. Again, I could have chosen better over the years and that will come up in my unseen section at the end.

Perhaps the most best known series to begin in this season was Mobile Suit Gundam Seed. It also happens to be the first and only series in the franchise I have managed to watch as it aired. Yet, the problem lies in the 3 thoughts that immediately came to mind when I looked at when this series aired. Those being Kira’s seemingly out of place with scene Flay before a battle (or did I imagine that?), Tolle’s severed head emerging from an explosion and the island episode which was so shamelessly ripped off by Code Geass. I can hardly remember the plot!

Perhaps more memorably for me at least was the second season of Mahoromatic. To be fair, I probably wouldn’t have cared so much if the series was only 11 episodes of thinly-veiled fanservice shifting into an increasingly desperate piece of drama. The final episode had to have the traditional GAINAX ending though. Turning a generally light-hearted comedy anime into dystopian action is one thing. Changing the protagonist from an innocent boy dealing tragic circumstances into a cynical bounty hunter who believes in nothing is another thing all together. Though it probably went down badly with it audience, I at least admire the audacity to try something like that.

Getbackers would be a show I would be unlikely to finish now, but I best remember it as a show of 2 halfs. Episodic episodes at the start of each concluding with a series of battles in the same location. Maybe it was the fact that I think there was 1 female character worth anything, and there was also someone who would probably be called a “trap” (I hate that word with a passion by the way). But mostly there’s not much to remember for me there.

The third season of Galaxy Angel introduced some new characters in an attempt to spice up the classic episodic plots driven entirely by the plot crutch of lost technology. Needless to say, it is my least favorite of the 4 seasons. It was all the more disappointing coming after the short, but brilliant 2nd season.

Gravion, was one of many attempts throughout the years to try to bring back nostalgia-infused mecha back to popularity. Relying on one-dimensional stereotypes of characters in the mecha is a staple and while it earned a second season, I couldn’t be bothered to watch that.

Finally, I wrap things up by remembering Onegai Teacher OVA. Sure, it’s mostly a throwaway episode devoted to getting the two main characters together in the end by mainly involuntary means. However, the constant breaking of the 4th wall was really enjoyable for me.

Plot Highlights from Shows Unseen

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is one of those series I shockingly haven’t seen to this point. Now it’s more about availability of time more than anything. The music is good at least. Piano probably has no appeal with me at all, so the slice-of-life/music genre is probably all the better for me having not watched it. And I wrap up with a show nearly everyone knows about and could be the first series that is brought to mind when I say it is shounen loaded with tons of filler (nothing wrong with that by the way) in Naruto.

Evidently this scene was controversial to some people, Matsumaru is clearly within the "1/2 + 7" rule. Oh, it was something else wasn't it?

Fortunately, I never said anything about these posts being in any sort of chronological order. Yesterday’s post aside, the next 38 of these are in random order culminating with the current season on New Year’s Eve. The second post marks the beginning of the second half of the decade. While there are signs here of what was to come in what got green-lighted, my tendency to miss quality while dropping everything in sight probably began about this time.

I’m going to get this little recollection going with Itsudatte My Santa, a 2-part OVA released in December 2005, but for the sake of continuity I’m including it with this season. While it served as my own personal introduction to Hirano Aya, I didn’t realize it until a couple of years after the fact. Perhaps I wanted to purge this from my memory after all. The 2 parts can pretty much be considered the same story, but set at different times of the year (1 on Christmas Eve, 2 in the middle of summer) and there are a couple extra characters in the 2nd episode. That said, it would probably have been better if this hadn’t been made, but what do I know?

Also starting before the new year was the School Rumble OVA, which doesn’t really do much plotwise, but serves more as a time filler between the 2 seasons. The first is a pretty standard onsen episode with the second set in prehistoric times with relationships staying the same. Apart from maybe the non-verbal interaction between Harima and Eri in the first episode, there isn’t that much that stands out for me.

In the TV realm there was Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora, which had the advantage of being a mere six episodes long. It also had a desperate feel for a love story involving hepatitis and heart conditions which doesn’t come off as a cliche as much as a last gasp trip to Australia would.

REC gave me a little preview of the rage that comes with having an “impure” female lead. I didn’t have a problem with it, but some others did. Though perhaps in a couple of ways it reminds me too much of parts of my own life…save the interesting events and trips…and the seiyuu girlfriend.

Plot Highlights From Shows Unseen

Magikano does the old suppressed-male-lead-surrounded-by-women-who-use-magic angle and likely does it about as well as I use hyphens. Amaenaide yo!! Katsu!! is the followup to a wildly unsuccessful Buddist-themed harem series. Kage kara Mamoru! features wish fulfillment through its generally lazy, but part-time ninja lead character. Ergo Proxy is that seemingly rare example of post-apocalyptic anime done right, though it seems to be completely impenetrable for lots of people.

Now I think I may be forgetting one more important one…ok, there’s Fate/stay Night as well. However, I’m not going to say anything on Type Moon stuff without seeing it first.

Steel Angel Kurumi in one line shows it's high concept ideas.

Decade retrospectives are inherently difficult things to write. Trying to cram 10 years worth of developments into a small amount of space, then revisions and other edits eventually means that over 90% gets left out. Controversy reigns over real information and all that. However, I can always go back and do four or five versions of “I Love Noughties Anime.” I’d probably need guest writers for that. Anyway, time to get this started.

Boogiepop Phantom is a bit of a surreal experience or something along the lines of throwing Serial Experiments Lain and Baccano together and seeing what happens. Atmosphere plays almost as big a role in this as any character or event, without being the entirety of the series (like a certain cult manga). My first experience with this was a dub on a television network that no longer exists, and it wasn’t the beginning of the series either. This led to it playing out like a series of unrelated plots that looked like they had nothing in common, or some sort of art house movie with no mainstream appeal. Only when I got around to watching it from the beginning did it make sense.

As a different experience all together, and perhaps ahead of its time in some respects, the Steel Angel Kurumi OVA was released. Building on the main series, the OVA focuses less on the harem lead Nakahito, and instead on the Steel Angels. While the first three episodes can basically be passed off as episodic nothingness that really adds nothing in value, the final one sees audience projection as the main theme. The episode culminates with a head-to-head competition between main girl and completely overpowered Kurumi against normal human shotacon spy Koganei. With suspense-of-belief gone in the latter even outlasting every other Steel Angel competitor, it plays out in ridiculous circumstances where she wins, then she doesn’t. Being a harem anime and all, it ultimately means nothing as there are no true winners in harem anime.

Plot Highlights of Those Still Unseen

In the realm of what I haven’t seen, Candidate for Goddess, combines the staples of young pilots and mecha. Now that I think about it you don’t see that much anymore. Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran features a sake loving samurai…who happens to be a woman, and it also happens to have a foreigner who thinks of Japan in stereotypes (some tropes will never die). While one of the later releases of that season Miami Guns looks as though it continues in the Mad Bull 34 tradition in its portrayal of crime in America. But it probably has a little appeal to those who like the niche genre of women and guns.

This Imperial officer should have known that only Julian can be a hero in the Phezzan Corridor.

The 47th episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes takes us back to Julian’s struggles to get back to Yang’s side. At the same time, Reinhard insists to his subordinates that he be the one to lead the final battle. On the Allied side, Bucock and his advisers come to an agreement that they will eventually have to take on the invading Imperial forces, but that the timing will be key.

The episode begins with Reinhard receiving Reuenthal’s report on the capture of Iserlohn. Reinhard is impressed that his admiral does not claim any more credit than he deserves for Yang fleeing the fortress safely. Hilde says that Yang must be hoping to take on Reinhard directly, but Reinhard says that the Alliance could fall before he gets there.

Elsewhere on Phezzan, Julian is about to go check out what is happening in the city, but Mashengo tells him not to carry his gun as it would be suspicious. As he heads back with some food, Reinhard’s procession heads through the city. Then, he reaches for his gun only to remember he doesn’t have it, before remembering that Yang once told him that terrorism or occultism have never changed history in constructive ways. Julian spots Oberstein in one car and Reinhard in another before Marinesk interrupts his gawking.

Marinesk asks him how he feels after seeing Reinhard for the first time. Julian says he feels overmatches, but Mariensk is quick to point out the disadvantages that Reinhard has had throughout his life, and the very fact he could owe his career to his sister being sold to the Kaiser. Julian though, points out that Reinhard than he at this point in their lives. Mariensk says that Julian has been successful in his own way before pointing out that Yang was just a normal student at Julian’s age, so he is actually ahead of him. Julian stops Marinesk at this point, and says that although he appreciates Marinesk’s attempts to raise his spirits, this discussion is having the opposite effect because of who he is being compared to. Marinesk says he was just trying to make the point that heroes come from all kinds of backgrounds, but he drops the matter.

Mariensk then moves on to why he needed to talk to Julian. He says that they have to go pick up another one of his customers for the transport to get them off Phezzan, and that Julian alone would not be enough to pay for the trip. Julian asks who it is, and Marinesk tells him that it is a priest from Earth who he thinks might be a bishop for the Terraist cult.

Reinhard, meanwhile, is having a conversation with Hilde as they make their way toward the space port. They both know that Yang needs to kill Reinhard on the battlefield, but Hilde questions why he still feels the need to head into battle himself. He says that he has to fight his own battles and that makes him different from the nobles he fought and defeated. She still advises him to return to Odin and leave the invasion to Reuenthal and Mittermeyer who will deliver victory eventually. Reinhard, though, says that it is his desire to fight. She thinks to herself that for Reinhard fighting is living, and moving him away from battle would be like caging a predatory bird.

Back in the city, Marinesk and Julian pick up Degsby from the rat-infested apartment Kesselink had him living in. While Bittenfeld’s and Fahrenheit’s fleets arrive on Phezzan to deliver Boltik, who will administer over the planet, before heading off for Alliance space shortly after.

At the Drakur bar, Cary Willock expresses his outrage that a traitor like Boltik gets to rule over them. Another patron says he is a true Phezzani in his willingness to sell the entire nation at the right price, but Willock says that it isn’t fun being considered a commodity. While the patron points out that the Empire is becoming more democratic and that Phezzan has representation in government, Willock says that is not the point. He says that it is more about self-determination, and Boltik is just riding on the Empire’s wagon. They all begin to wonder what has happened to Rubinsky and why he is sitting back and doing nothing.

Rubinsky is in fact hiding out with Dominique Saint-Pierre in an undisclosed location. He comments that while she’s a good singer and dancer, she’s a terrible actor. She says his son was convinces, but he responds by saying he just saw his own delusions in her. She goes on to warn him that she did not willingly submit to having Kesselink killed, but he says that it was because she profited more from betraying him. The conversation continues to focus on Kesselink. Rubinsky says he would have supported him fully if he went into the arts or some other field, but he was too much like himself. He goes on to say he doesn’t want to stand by the Terraists for much longer and for his own good as Dominique pities him.

The next day, Julian and Mashengo head up the Space Elevator on Phezzan with Marinesk to meet the rest of the passengers. Marinesk points out that by keeping ships out of the atmosphere, it improves both the environment and the economy. Before the board, Marinesk tells all the passengers that they are going under the cover of going to an Imperial system. As they head toward the Beryoska, Marinesk discloses that he disclosed that some of his passengers would be trying to head to Alliance territory, but that would be a routine thing to say. Julian asks Mashengo for his opinion, and he says they are better off leaving it to the person with experience in these matters. Julian then remembers another conversation he once had with Yang who said it was best to leave things that can’t be done on one’s own to those who are willing to do them.

Once on board, Marinesk introduces Julian to Willock, who says that he is impressed by Julian and will do anything he can to get them to Heinessen before disparaging the small ship they are on. Marinesk takes offense, but Willock says it is good they are helping the Alliance. He believes even if the Allied government falls, the combination of Phezzan’s economy and the remaining military force of the Alliance could take on the Empire. He asks Julian what he thinks, and Julian says he appreciates the thoughts, but he shouldn’t think of the Alliance as dead since Yang is still alive. As they leave the port, Julian comments on how he saw lots of things on Phezzan, but ultimately was powerless to do anything.

The second half of the episode begins with a meeting between Reinhard and the other admirals involved in the invasion. Mittermeyer believes the Holbit system is as far as the Alliance can let them advance unopposed, and their Phezzani sources say the nearest inhabited planet is Rantemario which will likely be where the battle takes place. Reinhard agrees with the assessment and says the Alliance will have to fight soon because the people will demand some action is taken and they will reply with their two-headed snake tactic. Reinhard insists on taking the front, but Müller objects using similar logic to Hilde and says Reinhard should stay near the rear. Reinhard points out that there is no front or rear in there array, and that the primary front will be the middle where Mittermeyer’s forces will be located. Mittermeyer expresses some concern, but Reinhard says that he has no intention of staying where it is safe. Reinhard gives out assignments for the battle at Rantemario then leaves. Mittermeyer comments after that Reinhard thinks like a fighter and only seeks the meaning of life through winning battles.

As Reinhard heads through a corridor he is stopped by a young boy who reminds Reinhard of a young Kircheis. The boy asks Reinhard if he can win and therefore unite the universe. Reinhard asks for his name, which is Emil von Secla. Reinhard almost apologizes to Emil by saying there may be no enemies left for him in the future. Reinhard then goes on to say that he wants Emil to go home and tell his family that his words inspired him to victory at Rantemario.

On the Allied flagship Rio Grande, Bucock talks to his men about Imperial movements through the Holbit system. He lists the planets they would pass through on their way to Heinessen, but says that Rantemario is essentially their last line of defense. Trung Yu-Chang builds on that thought and says there are plenty of doubts within the country since every patrol and defensive ship in the Alliance is part of this operation. It might spread fear that they will only try to protect the capitol and abandon the rest of the Allied planets. Bucock says that the outlying planets have permission to surrender when attacked, but some planets may take advantage of the situation and secede from the Alliance outright and become neutral while being under Imperial rule.

To prevent that from happening, Bucock says they have to fight a battle and win. Carlsen has doubts of his own and says the difference in forces will be too large. Bucock says that if Amlitzer hadn’t happened they would be fine since just 2 years ago they were fighting the Empire as equals, but they’ve been relying too much on Yang for years. Mouton asks for an update on Iserlohn, and Trung tells him that Yang abandoned it 2 weeks earlier. Trung says that it will take time for Yang to evacuate civilians to safe planets, but they should be able to meet at Rantemario in the middle of February in just over 2 weeks time. Trung then says that despite what was said earlier about the timing of the battle, they need to wait as long as possible to engage the Empire. They need to start the battle in the time between Yang joining up with them and Reuenthal’s fleet joining with the Empire’s forces. There are still fears that there could be an attack on Heinessen while the battle is occurring, but Bucock says many civilians have been evacuated from there.

Back on the Beryoska, Julian and Mashengo express their concerns over the health of Degsby, who has been coughing up blood when not drinking or doing drugs. Marinesk says he can only tell the doctor, but Degsby hasn’t responded to anyone else on the ship. Julian also has concerns that the Empire might start checking civilian ships, but Marinesk doubts Boltik would do anything to anger Phezzan’s merchants. He goes on to say that it is physically impossible to check every ship, and doing so would lead to revolt and sabotage.

Willock interrupts their conversation as he receives information that Boltik has hired Phezzani to work with Imperial patrol ships. He tells Julian and Mashengo that Viola has been arrested by one of these ships. Julian then remembers another thing Yang said, which was that collaborators from an occupied power are more meticulous in simple tasks than those from the occupying power. An Imperial ship soon approaches, and Marinesk says they will have to give up here. However, Julian has an idea based on how Yang took Iserlohn.

The Beryoska sends a message to the destroyer saying they have captured two Alliance officers who threatened to blow up their ship with explosives that turned out to be fake. They now want to turn them over and continue on their journey. They come aboard and the Imperial officer jokes about how desperate the Alliance must be to be depending on kids like Julian. The restraints are quickly released on Julian and Mashengo and they quickly take control of the ship.

Julian and company have to continue their journey on the Imperial destroyer, but they are destroying the Beryoska as cover. After that is done, Willock wonders what they should do about their prisoners, as he especially wants to hurt the Phezzani traitor. Julian says they will release them when they get to Alliance space, but Willock says they should just kill them if they will do that. Julian, though, will not accept that as an option. Marinesk interrupts their conversation to say that he would like to take ownership of the destroyer since his ship was destroyed and the the new ship has plenty of cargo room.

The episode ends as the Imperial fleet is just six days away from Rantemario.

Thoughts: There was no OP or ED in this episode, and the rushed narration showed that a lot. However, I think there were probably a couple of scenes that were unnecessary and the quality of the episode suffers for that…It looks like the battle is about to start soon, and the Alliance putting their forces in one location seems like a tactical error waiting to happen.

When you blow up 500 of Alex Cazellnu's ships, you would have that same expression.

The 46th episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes focuses exclusively on events at Iserlohn. Yang is forced to abandon the fortress he seized two years earlier, but everyone knows that he has to make that call. Reuenthal, meanwhile, begins to be caught in a battle between what he should do and his own ambitions.

The episode begins with a dream Reuenthal has while sleeping on the bridge of his flagship. His father says that he never should have been born as police take pictures of the body of his mother after she had been poisoned. Reuenthal then says that he indeed never should have been born, but since he was born he may as well. Unfortunately, his thought is cut off by Bergengrün who wakes him up to tell him Lutz and Lennenkampt want to meet with him. Reuenthal asks him if he said anything while he was asleep, and Bergengrün answers no.

On Iserlohn, Yang tells his commanders that he wants to abandon the fortress. Murai immediately begins questioning the decision, and Yang tells him that occupying the fortress no longer makes sense since the Empire has invaded through Phezzan their fleet would have no impact on the war if they stayed. Murai asks Yang if they could stay at Iserlohn and defend it hoping to get a peace treaty out of it, but Yang says that the Empire would just demand it back as part of the terms of the treaty, so it would make no sense to continue defending it. Murai continues to question Yang saying that it would have a psychological effect on the men if Yang was seen to be fleeing Iserlohn, Yang admits that is possible, but he sees it as something outside of his control. Schenkopp steps in and sides with Murai and says they should wait until the government begs for Yang to come back and protect them, only then would they realize how valuable Yang is. Yang responds by saying that it would be far too late and they would lose their chance at winning. Schenkopp is surprised that Yang thinks they can win, but Yang says that even though they are at a tremendous disadvantage, they still have one minute chance at success. Schenkopp asks what that is, and Yang says that Reinhard isn’t married.

On Phezzan, Reinhard is pleased that Mittermeyer encountered no resistance when entering Alliance space. He then asks for an update on Iserlohn, and he is told that the latest information has the two sides at a stalemate. Reinhard, though, is confident that Yang is preparing to abandon Iserlohn at this very moment. Reinhard is asked if he is sure Yang will abandon the base because he could be executed upon his return, but Reinhard says if Yang is executed, who would lead the Yang fleet. Reinhard says that is the only way the Alliance could win, and they wouldn’t punish Yang for abandoning the base if they did win. He is asked about that only way the Alliance could win, and Reinhard says that it is simply his death on the battlefield.

Back on Iserlohn, Yang talks to Schenkopp alone. Yang says that Schenkopp held back in the meeting earlier. Schenkopp says that he wanted to say that there is a possibility if things took a turn for the worse, the cowards in government may abandon the people and flee to Iserlohn. Schenkopp says if this happens, they should be punished for ignoring their obligation to protect the people they should be serving. He says they could arrest them and hand them over to Reinhard, or better yet just execute them. After that, Yang could become the ruler of a new Republic of Iserlohn. Yang says he approaches political power like sewage, it is something that is necessary, but should not be sought out. Schenkopp says that many do not approach it because they want to, and he points out that Yang did not want to join the military because he wanted to. Yang ignores that last comment and says that dictatorship does not always come from military lineage, and if it did result he wants out. Schenkopp responds by saying that the people are responsible for changing a corrupt dictatorship.

Finally, Schenkopp asks Yang if he knows the answer to a question he has had since he fled the Empire 30 years ago. How do you solve the paradox of a majority of citizens desiring a dictatorship over a democracy? Yang says no one can answer that question. He goes on to say that fire still exists many years after it was discovered, and in the few thousand years since democracy has existed it is still too soon to judge. Yang says there’s no sense arguing over tomorrow’s breakfast when tonight’s dinner hasn’t even been prepared yet. Schenkopp continues the analogy and says they are returning their hosts’ ingredients before they have even been prepared. Yang says that they are just returning it because they no longer need it. Schenkopp asks what happens if they need it again, and Yang says they will just take Iserlohn back. Schenkopp says that borrowing fortresses isn’t that easy, much like borrowing someone’s wife. Yang says if they ask they will just be turned down, so Schenkopp says they need to trick them. Yang responds by saying that they are going up against Reuenthal, so it should be a good challenge.

Meanwhile, Reuenthal is meeting with Lennenkampt and Lutz about strategy against Yang. He points out that if the fortress could be taken by force it would have changed hands several times, but only Yang has succeeded in taking it. Lennenkampt still refuses to think that Yang would abandon the fortress because he would be accuses of desertion and because it would go against being a warrior. Reuenthal states that Yang knows that staying at Iserlohn would have no impact on the war, so he would have to leave. Lennenkampt, though, argues that by staying at Iserlohn he could protect his reputation as an officer. Reuenthal says Yang would stay if he were like Lennenkampt. Lutz interjects and says he would like to attack too, but says they should follow Reuenthal’s orders. Reuenthal apologizes for being too blunt, but says that there is no point sacrificing men for something they could get for free by waiting. Lutz asks if they should just surround the fortress, but Reuenthal says that would just buy time for them, so they come to an agreement to launch low risk attacks on Iserlohn.

One such attack begins, and Poplan complains about having to work when he shouldn’t have to. Yang decides after a while to send Attenborough out to chase the enemy away, but to not pursue beyond the range of the Thor Hammer. Cazellnu begins complaining to Yang about the enemy interfering with their ability to calculate what they will need to escape and the effect it is having on the health of the soldiers. Yang just tells him he sent a fleet out to deal with it. Cazellnu then receives word that a group of civilians is complaining about the situation, so he says Yang will just have to deal with that too. Yang comes across the group of them in a corridor and tells them that they are trying their hardest to get everyone to the capital. The civilians are excited to be participating in another El Facil.

Back in his office, Yang grumbles about the fact no one can guarantee him everything will be fine. He then bemoans the fact that Reuenthal seems to know exactly what they are about to do and it making things harder on him to escape. Outside, Attenborough stands firm in not allowing anyone to advance out of the range of the fortress. However, he still wants to ask Yang if they can advance. He calls in to Yang and says that since morale is high, they should be allowed to advance. Yang flatly rejects the idea though. Attenborough asks again, but again the answer is no.

Back on the ship, Poplan says when this is all over he wants to create a pilot’s union to prevent pilots from being overworked. Ivan Konev responds by saying he thought Poplan only wanted to chase women when he got back. Attenborough walks into Yang’s office asking the same question again, but Frederica coughs which Attenborough picks out as a signal. He then asks Yang to go ahead with a plan he says will be sure to win. Attenborough then leaves happy and Yang tells Frederica that they have enough problems as it is. She then apologizes.

Reuenthal receives information that ships have been spotted leaving Iserlohn. He asks Bergengrün what he thinks about the situation, and he thinks the ships are likely VIPs and other non-military personnel leaving the fortress. However, because Yang is commanding it all there are doubts among the two as to what the ships contain. Emil von Reckendorf interrupts their conversation to say Lennenkampt decided to pursue the ships fleeing Iserlohn. Reuenthal doesn’t have a problem with it, though Bergengrün is hesitant to allow Lennenkampt do something he could boast about. Reuenthal says that if Lennenkampt succeeds it means Yang has lost his powers, but he will just wait it out and hope for the best from him.

Lennenkampt launches his attack by planning to cut off the escape and attacking from behind with Klapstein’s fleet. When the move begins, Iserlohn’s turrets begin firing on Klapstein’s ships which begin taking heavy damage. At this point, Reuenthal decides he has to intervene. Lennenkampt’s fleet continues pursuit and eventually he decides to go after the transport ships. The transport ships, though were traps and rigged to explode. Lennenkampt’s fleet takes heavy damage and Reuenthal is forced to send Lutz’s fleet in to help. Lennenkampt calls Reuenthal’s ship and apologizes for taking heavy damage, but Reuenthal says it was helpful because they no what Yang is planning on doing.

Reuenthal explains to Bergengrün that the attack was designed to discourage pursuit when they decided to abandon Iserlohn. Bergengün asks if they should prepare to pursue, but Reuenthal says there’s no need since they can just take Iserlohn at no cost. Bergengrün is still concerned about letting Yang go, but Reuenthal says that his force alone shouldn’t have to deal with Yang alone. Also, he says that there is a saying that says that there would be no need for hunters if there were no wild animals, so they avoid hunting all of them. Bergengrün then warns Reuenthal that statements like that could be punished if they were interpreted in the wrong way.

Back on Iserlohn, Yang complains about the name of the operation to Cazellnu as not being creative enough. Cazellnu says that evacuating over 5 million people presents enough to worry about and blowing up 500 transport ships in the last skirmish did not help matters. Attenborough walks toward Yang, but after hearing Cazellnu, he retreats quickly. Cazellnu says they are being forced to transport civilians on battleships.

On the Ulysses, they recieve word they are transporting 600 babies and their mothers. An officer yells out that they are lucky because women are most beautiful after giving birth, but another man expresses worries over the sheer amount of babies.

Back on Iserlohn, Yang tells Frederica that they are planting bombs around the fortress that are there just to hide the bigger trap they have hidden. They are designed to be found quickly enough to drop their guard after finding them. Yang then says that there is a possibility that their trap won’t be successful or if they will ever need to use Iserlohn again. Frederica, though, is sure that they will need to return because it is the true home of Yang’s fleet.

Yang’s fleet departs and Reuenthal tells his men not to pursue. Lennenkampt asks if Reuenthal is sure they shouldn’t, and Reuenthal says nothing good would come out of it. Lennenkampt accepts the decision, which Reuenthal puts down to his earlier defeat. Reuenthal then tells Bergengrün that after the fortress is secure to chase after Yang, but not to engage with his fleet. Lutz calls in to say that they should be worried about bombs being hidden on Iserlohn and they should send in an explosives team first, which Reuenthal agrees they should.

A few minutes later, Yang and his men watch Iserlohn in the hope that the bombs do not go off. Frederica completes the countdown and there is no explosion. Yang is relieved, while on Iserlohn the bombs expert explains to Reuenthal that if it were five minutes later they would never have disarmed the bombs in time. Reuenthal believes that there is something else hidden in the fortress, but he says it doesn’t matter since it would not be his responsibility and that Yang may not actually get another chance. Yang tells Reckendorf to send the message to Odin that Iserlohn has been captured.

As the Schenkopp and Poplan pay their respects to Iserlohn, the new occupying force has to deal with the matter of a soldier who misappropriated resources from the Alliance. Reuenthal put him through a rapid trial and decided to execute the man himself. The man’s last words accuse the current Admirals and High Admirals of war crimes that have been ignored because they’ve won. He says his crimes are tiny in comparison and that the world is not fair as a result. He goes on to call Reinhard a devil who is intent on taking the country for himself. Reuenthal asks the man why he doesn’t go on and take the country himself before shooting him. As Reuenthal walks away, he asks himself why he doesn’t take over the country.

Thoughts: Since Reuenthal now obviously has designs on taking Reinhard’s job at some point in the future, he is obviously going to have to wait for a chance to do so. Reinhard’s death on the battlefield would be one possibility, but as there are still 64 episodes to go I don’t see that happening…The last part of the episode seems to continue the trend of disproportionate punishment on the Imperial side, someone steals some money and they die while letting millions die for strategic purposes gets rewarded.

Burned out? Not so much as completely devoid of ideas.

One year ago today I started this little project in writing having really no idea what I wanted to focus on and perhaps mainly as a way to kill time since I did not have anything to do the next day. With almost half of my posts in the past year devoted to Legend of the Galactic Heroes, as great as that is, I still think things haven’t quite gone to plan. Since I have a tendency to perhaps overreact to anything new in the most negative way possible (see my Worst Spring Ever posts from the first week of April), I though I would reflect on how this fall compares in the short term compares to last year.

Firmly proving that I don't actually have to finish a show to get a reference

Last fall had tons of quality in shows that I did not actually manage to finish. While I could go on about insanely melodramatic school dramas, cheapening reset endings, post-apocalyptic settings that do little more than provide atmosphere, the worst case of DVD-pushing censorship ever seen or finding someone who cannot tolerate any character named Hime, I can only go off the fact that is all hearsay. So what the hell was I watching last year you probably aren’t asking?

Eight minutes of a couple of characters eating cakes can be entertaining.

My slice of life series last year was Hyakko, while it lacked in plenty of areas the attempts at comedy were usually short lived never lasting more than a few minutes. A solid if unspectacular series basically. This year, Seitokai no Ichizon has been my attempt to fill that little niche. To say it is going pretty badly is an understatement. Episode 5 in particular felt like it was draining away my life force as I kept watching. Why haven’t I dropped this yet?

Advantage: 2008

I think this OVA was probably one of the better things I've watched this year.

For my fan-service-heavy-but-weak-in-plot needs I watched Akane-iro Somaru Saka. While the implied potential incest angle could be questionable in taste, it wasn’t full blown like Koi Kaze. I can remember watching a few of the episodes in the middle where my interest would never be maintained. The series that probably fits closest to this now is Sora no Otoshimono. While I would say the plot is pretty much paper thin from what I’ve seen. The level of fan service can would probably be a bit less that I expected, but I have to give some credit for the strange mix of continuity and episodic elements.

Advantage: Push

2008: The Year When Lengthy Mid-Battle Exposition Became Acceptable

As my direct comparisons are going to fall apart rather quickly I think I’ll just have to do this one at a time. Toaru Majutsu no Index, would not be something I would have classified as a guilty pleasure necessarily. It took me a while to go back to this after the first half of the series, but the quality of certain arcs was pretty poor while others were good. Take episode 17 as an example, trying to rush in character development for Kanzaki in the middle of a battle just made the episode a gigantic shambles in the space of a couple of minutes. The Accelerator arc on the other hand worked for me because it kept things simple. Bad guy gets what’s coming to him and Touma gets the girl…sort of.

Trying to compare that to Kämpfer would be silly, but some of the same lessons can be applied. While it would be hard to call anything in this gender-bender combat fighting series excellent, it does do well in recognizing how absurd it is from the constant disregard it shows for the fourth wall. Unfortunately, I don’t see how they can keep it simple for as long as even 12 episodes.

This kind of attention to detail had me forgetting what they were arguing about in the first place

About this time last year I was trying to catch up on episode of Kannagi. For the effort of a disgraced director trying comedy again it was alright. Such was this show’s influence on me that I have forgotten if there was actually a plot developing toward the end of the series. I get that it is popular, but I don’t really know why.

Contrasting with that is Madhouse’s latest effort with the Aoi Bungaku series of short stories. While I’ve only seen the first 3 episodes which cover just the “No Longer Human” story, it is good to see modern sensibilities applied to classic stories. I also wasn’t expecting much in the way of social commentary, but I’ve been impressed by what I have seen so far.

If ChäoS;HEAd had worked it's way back to this ending, I probably would have had immense respect for it

Last of the fall 2008 series was ChäoS;HEAd; which gets some credit like all things that try as hard as they can to run into a hard brick wall. While there is something that could be said about the quality of writing that gets several girls attracted to a hikikomori, it’s all just a delusion anyway. How I wish the ending would have been a lot more negative.

For the rest of this fall’s shows I’m sticking with, there’s the shoujo/yuri combination of Kimi ni Todoke and Sasameki Koto that I’m shocked to be watching and enjoying. While the former seems to be well-packaged and quick to avoid cliche writing, I worry about the ability of the series to generate conflict beyond a certain point. The latter is probably the best directed series airing at the moment, while I’ve been largely impressed with the music direction in the dramatic moments.

Finally, there’s Trapeze or Kūchū Buranko or whatever it is called. I can’t really pass judgement on this without seeing the complete work. Well, maybe if I took some mind-compromising substance I could.

Overall I would say 2008 wins this comparison at the moment. I can probably revisit this in my end-of-year post when I’ve probably gotten my current shows trimmed to a similar number as last year.

The way I see it Hosinger is continuing the series' fine tradition of combining strategy meetings with heavy consumption of alcohol.

The 45th episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes focuses largely on the reaction to the news from Phezzan on Heinessen, and what the Alliance government plans to do about it. While there is disappointment at the public statements coming from the government, behind-the-scenes, the government and military seem to finally getting their acts together.

The episode begins with Reinhard gazing at the night sky from a suite on Phezzan. He has never seen many of the stars, yet he only sees them as objects to be conquered in the future. Seconds later, the new year begins and the assembled Imperial officers toast to the new year. Another officer, Turneisen calls for a toast to the final year of the Alliance and Reinhard raises his glass to that.

Mittermeyer and Müller are observing this interaction, and the former notes that Müller apart the younger officers like Turneisen have a tendency to show off. Müller puts that down to the widespread view that the war is coming to an end. Mittermeyer moves the conversation onto the upcoming invasion, and he believes the Allied force will be led by Bucock a man he says has more experience than the two of them plus Reuenthal and Bittenfeld combined.

Reinhard interrupts their conversation and begins to ask Mittermeyer about his tactics for the invasion since the Allied forces will in all likelihood act like a cornered rat. Mittermeyer says that if the Allied force were large enough, they could meet them at the exit from the Phezzan Corridor. However, he doesn’t think this will be the case and instead the Alliance will try to draw them deep into their territory and stress the Imperial supply lines in a move similar to Amlitzer 3 years earlier. Mittermeyer does see opportunity to win when the Alliance does make their move though by splitting their forces. Müller agrees and thinks that if the Alliance cannot resist the urge to fight, they can turn the situation into a war of attrition they will almost certainly come out on top. Reinhard comments that would be a rather boring conclusion and hopes the Alliance can maintain some order.

Hilde is also in attendance at the party, and Turneisen says to her that future historians will envy the position she is in. Hilde thinks that Turneisen was in Reinhard’s class when the two were younger, but thinks that he may be too obsessed with Reinhard. As the clock turns to 2:00, Mittermeyer tells Reinhard that his men are about to depart, and Reinhard says they will meet again on Heinessen if all works out to plan.

Turneisen talks to another officer Sombart about positions under Reinhard. Since Mittermeyer and Reuenthal are each commanding the two combat theaters, their influence will only continue to grow. Turneisen understands that it is because they have a history of success that they get more opportunities. Sombart says that under the old system success did not guarantee advancement, so this is an improvement. Turneisen says that even two years ago, Mittermeyer wouldn’t have been a force in the military because of his background. Sombart then refers to Müller, who at 29 has not had the level of success, and the only way he could have advanced must have been in the confusion of war. The two then agree that since the war is coming to an end that there are almost no more opportunities for advancement.

As the party appears to be dying down, Reinhard has a seat and begins to nod off thinking about Kircheis. He is awoken by Hilde, and he confides a feeling of uncertainty about the times. He has no doubt that he will win the war, but he doesn’t know what will happen after that. He can’t think of a world where he does not have an enemy to fight. He quickly regains his composure and says the war hasn’t been decided yet, as he sees Mittermeyer’s fleet launching from the window. He then thinks about all of the soldiers who have won battles but have been ignored by history because they lost their final one. He says that he cannot be one of them and hasn’t been able to live his own life for some time.

On Heinessen, the High Council received word that Phezzan had been conquered and they set out an agenda to make sure it was not reported on. Unfortunately for them, word spread quickly through merchants fleeing Phezzan. Outside the High Council building, a group of journalists has assembled because the public has been left in the dark about the Alliance’s response. The Press Secretary arrives and reads out a short statement that the High Council has responsibility for this event. Needless to say, that does nothing to calm the crowd down.

In a press truck outside, a monitor shows William Odets’ outrage at the fact that the people seem to not be cooperating with the government. One of the men journalists comes in and tells the other man in the truck that Truniht was not in attendance at the High Council meeting. Truniht is nothing more than a demagogue politician it seems, but the Council now seems to be run by Secretary of Defense Islands. One of them wonders what the second string politician can do apart from getting rebates on military equipment.

At the High Council meeting, Islands is trying to get a consensus on whether they fight to the death or not. He asks if anyone is for immediate surrender, and none of the ministers are. Then he asks if they fight until every citizen is dead or if they should fight to gain a better position in negotiations over a peace treaty. Again, there seems to be little response from the other ministers.

At military HQ, Islands arrives and asks Bucock for military cooperation to fight for better positioning on a peace treaty. Bucock gladly agrees on those terms. As Islands leaves, he says he finally has clarity on what he is supposed to be doing, but he says it is probably much too late. Bucock comments that it is good to finally have a Defense Minister who is motivated to work. The situation has progressed to the point where he adjutant wishes the coup would have succeeded because the defense would have been much stronger. Bucock strongly objects and says it would not have been worth it to turn the Alliance into a dictatorship to compete with the Empire’s dictatorship. He says it is much better to allow the Alliance to die as a democracy than to live on as a dictatorship. He then also says that a nation that cannot protect its people or its founding principles has no reason to exist, and Bucock says his job is to do both. Bucock then gets up to leave to go see Dawson, the head of the Military Council, because Bucock cannot be trusted to make decisions on his own.

At the Alliance’s Strategic Planning Centre, Bucock dictates to Dawson what his plans are for what is left of the Alliances forces. All that remains is the 1st Fleet, now commanded by Paeta, apart from Yang’s forces at Iserlohn. They decide to create a 14th and 15th fleet out of 20,000 ships from around the Alliance to be led by Lionel Mouton and Ralph Carlsen.

At the Legitimate Imperial Government headquarters, a debate has turned personal. Carnap says that protecting the Kaiser is now much harder without Phezzan to help them, while a drunk Hosinger says everyone is more concerned about their own safety because they opposed Reinhard. Remscheid is not happy at the outburst and says Hosinger is embarrassing his name with what he is saying, but Hosinger responds by saying he doesn’t have a name to embarrass in the first place, so he can say what everyone else cannot. So he proposes giving up the Kaiser to Reinhard. The statement shocks everyone else, especially Radbruch who questions Hosinger’s pride as a nobleman and calls him a disgrace.

Outside the meeting, Lansburg and Schumacher asks Schneider where Merkatz is. They are disappointed to hear he is in the meeting and the two say they will return later. Lansburg vows that he will sacrifice his life for the Kaiser, and leaves a message to Merkatz asking if there is anything he can do. Schumacher asks Schneider for information on Phezzan as he is worried about what will happen to the rest of the men he left behind there since they were part of the Lippstadt Alliance.

Back at the Strategic Planning Centre, Bucock receives word of Ozman suffering an aneurysm. Mouton says it must be because he was overworked. Bucock then calls for a man who served under Ozman, Trung Yu-Chang, known for being a second generation baker.

Trung arrives a little late carrying a bag of sandwiches made with day-old bread. He comments that steaming the bread taste OK if it is a little stale, which has Carlsen shaking his head. Bucock starts the meeting by telling them they have already decided what to do for the most part. They will draw the invasion fleet in and attack from behind once their supply lines are stretched, which will damage them to the point where they are forced to withdraw. Trung then asks if they could just recall Yang back from Iserlohn since his knowledge and fleet are important to the Alliance and the current situation is one he likens to putting fresh bread in the refrigerator. The rest of the men are shocked by the idea, but Trung continues. He says that since the enemy is coming from Phezzan, Iserlohn is basically worthless. Paeta says that Yang is still fighting the enemy at Iserlohn, so recalling him isn’t so easy, but Trung says Yang will manage it somehow. The situation may even turn to one where the Alliance is destroyed but Iserlohn survives, and even if they do get a peace treaty, the Empire will demand Iserlohn back as part of the terms. The Alliance doesn’t have the resources to waste Yang protecting Iserlohn. Bucock asks Trung if they should tell Yang to abandon Iserlohn then. Trung says they do not have to be so specific, and that they should just tell him the General Staff Office will take responsibility so he should do what he thinks is best. Trung thinks Yang will abandon Iserlohn in response.

At Phezzan’s embassy on Heinessen, Pletweri is busy taking stock certificates and shredding documents deep into the night. He is interrupted by Boris Konev who is uncertain as to whether he has a job in the aftermath of Phezzan’s conquest. He cannot leave himself to abandon a sinking ship as a sailor. He says that he has been unable to get information from Phezzan and asks Pletweri to use his military connections to get some news. Pletweri says his hands are too full to deal with Konev’s optimistic request, and he asks for some help gathering papers to flee. Konev then wonders how things are going for his old ship, then he says the only way he can get back to Phezzan is for the Alliance to lose. Then he says he hopes Yang doesn’t do anything stupid.

At Iserlohn, Frederica informs Yang of the order he has received from Heinessen. He reads over Bucock’s instructions and expresses relief that he has a commander who is reasonable. He reads off the order to Frederica and she says that it must mean that he has free rein to do whatever he has to do. Yang jokes back that it must mean Bucock is making him work harder than his salary justifies.

Back at the military headquarters, Bucock receives word that he has been promoted, and asks if it is their way of saying not to come back alive. His conversation is interrupted by the news that the adjutant Captain Fyhen has died of a heart attack. Bucock goes ahead and names the man who informed him of the death, Soun Soulzzcuaritter, as the new adjutant.

At the Legitimate Imperial Government headquarters, Remscheid walks in on Merkatz sitting alone. He asks what happened to the other ministers, and Merkatz simply shakes his head.

The episode ends with the three Allied fleets departing from Heinessen and Bucock’s arrival on the Rio Grande flagship, while Mittermeyer’s fleet breaks through the Phezzan Corridor and meets no opposition.

Thoughts: My question from last week about Reinhard not knowing what to do after the war remains unresolved, but here he seemed to acknowledge it was a problem…With Yang now being free to do whatever he wants, does that mean he is going to manage to save the day for everyone. Also, how exactly is he going to manage to get away from Reuenthal. It isn’t as though he is going to just let him waltz back into Allied space unopposed.

Mittermeyer is about to make a few men experience the full wrath of "The Gale Wolf."

The 44th episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes takes place almost entirely on Phezzan. This episode features an assassination attempt and further insight into the independent spirit that has guided Phezzan throughout its century of autonomy with the usual Julian heroics thrown in at the same time.

The episode begins with what had been the general consensus of Mittermeyer’s actions to this point. He was guiding his fleet to Iserlohn to assist Reuenthal in finally defeating Yang. However, the uninformed front line men had not been told the true stated destination and were wondering why they seemed to be heading further and further off track. They are unwilling to say anything until Mittermeyer finally reveals that they are heading to the Phezzan Corridor. Mittermeyer says that is only the first part of their mission. They will be using Phezzan as a base to attack the rebels who dare to call themselves the Free Planets Alliance. He says that beating the Alliance will not be easy because it is a vast area and they have at least one outstanding commander, but controlling the Phezzan Corridor should give them a tremendous advantage. The soldiers seem motivated after his speech as he orders them toward Phezzan.

On an observation platform above Phezzan a shift change is about to take place. While the men seem more concerned about what they will be doing later that evening, Mittermeyer’s fleet comes out of warp. While they try to contact the fleet to convince them to stop, they all realize that it is in fact an Imperial invasion. As futility sets in, they contact Rubinsky’s office and wonder why no one knew that Phezzan’s situation had come to this point.

On the surface, civilians begin to panic as Imperial ships come into view. At his residence, Rubinsky expresses his surprise that Reinhard would have come this far this quickly. Boltik has been bought off, and both he and Rubinsky agree that he would be supported by the Imperial Government to run Phezzan, though he lacks the talent to do the job effectively.

Kesselink begins to talk to Rubinsky in the past tense. Rubinsky would be the shortest-serving ruler of Phezzan, and his age is effectively over. Rubinsky is not so sure about that, but Kesselink says that he like Boltik is tired of actors dominating the stage when they have clearly lost the right to be there. Rubinsky sees that opinion as a badge of honor that he can be harder to manage than Boltik. Kesselink laughs that off and pulls out a handgun from his jacket. Rubinsky calmly dismisses Kesselink by saying that while he was showing ambition in looking for an opportunity to take him down, he was naive in thinking this was the right time to do so. He also begins to talk down to Kesselink by calling him by his first name. Kesselink insists he can overthrow Boltik at anytime, but Rubinsky, his father, is the one standing in the way. Rubinsky again calls Kesselink by his first name, which make the latter extremely angry, but Rubinsky says he can because he is Kesselink’s father.

As Kesselink begins to formulate a response to that, two guards break through a wall behind him and Kesselink is mortally wounded. Rubinsky stands over Kesselink and tells him he was naive and knew exactly why he came to his house on this evening. He asks him why he thought Dominique San Piel was an ally. Kesselink curses her while Rubinsky continues to say that if Kesselink were less like himself he probably would have handed him control in time. Kesselink responds by saying he thought Rubinsky would never hand him anything and he was forced to try to steal it. With his last words he vows to leave his father with nothing.

His son now dead, Rubinsky’s security detail asks what they should do now. Rubinsky says Truniht was able to go into hiding during the Alliance’s coup and that he should now do something similar.

As Julian and Mashengo try to make their way back to the Alliance High Commissioner’s office, Mittermeyer gives his men a list of targets to secure for the purpose of gathering important information for the invasion of Imperial space. Mittermeyer also stresses that he will not tolerate any actions that would reflect badly on the Empire, and the punishment would be execution via firing squad after a short hearing.

Julian and Mashengo arrive at the office and immediately seem like the only ones willing to do anything. Julian asks for the computers to be wiped and Henslow only agrees after Julian is willing to take responsibility for it. In response, Julian jokes that they could always leave the computers as they are and hope the Imperial forces will be lenient. Henslow’s eyes light up before Julian says he will do it.

Throughout the capital, the Imperial ground forces get to work. They start at Rubinsky’s office and find nothing. Back at the Imperial High Commissioner’s office, Julian and Mashengo return to find Henslow sitting alone with every other official having abandoned their post. Julian reluctantly tells Henslow to grab some money and change clothes and prepare to escape. He then asks Mashengo to help him assemble an automatic rifle firing device.

The ground forces get to Rubinsky’s residence and only find Kesselink’s body. They arrive at the High Commissioner’s office to find themselves fired upon by Julian’s device. Glaeser responds in kind by firing into the second floor window, he then realizes something is up when there is no return fire. He orders men into the building and they find nothing in there but empty computers. In the confusion, Julian, Henslow and Mashengo managed to get away from the building unnoticed. Julian tells the Commissioner that they have to find an independent merchant willing to send them out of Phezzan and Julian back to where he belongs, alongside Yang.

In the days that followed, Mittermeyer proved himself an able administrator. Few changes were made that were noticed amongst the ordinary citizenry. The economy was kept as is and Mittermeyer put in a regime to prevent rapid price changes to protect against Phezzan’s notoriously predatory merchants. Mittermeyer is also out to prove what he said about defending the reputation of the Empire with a public execution.

A few men had raped a civilian woman, then stole all of her belongings, and the men involved would now be paying with their lives, while Mittermeyer wishes he could pull the trigger himself. The head of their company appealed for leniency, but Mittermeyer will have none of it.

Meanwhile, Julian takes his two companions to meet Mariensk, an independent merchant and business officer who is willing to find them a ship for the right price. Mariensk is quick to point out that there isn’t much separation between the two of them. His captain, Boris Konev, and Yang were childhood friends. Unfortunately, Boris Konev is on Heinessen, but Mariensk does no another talented pilot willing to take the job because a contract is the most sacred thing for Phezzani. Mariensk asks Julian to provide payment, which Julian provides in cash from Henslow. Mariensk leaves to get the pilot, but Henslow asks if his money is worth the trust he seems to have in the merchant. Mashengo also warns Julian that he may have to kill Mariensk or the pilot if they are betrayed. Julian says he is ready to do anything to return to Yang’s side.

At St. Theresa’s Square, the public execution is being set up. Two soldiers talk behind Mittermeyer’s back about the admiral’s past. Before he joined Reinhard’s side, Mittermeyer had executed a noble-born soldier who killed a civilian to rob them. While correct under military law, Mittermeyer’s common background had the nobility outraged to the point where he was thrown in prison and nearly murdered. Reuenthal then sought help from Reinhard. The proceedings quickly get underway. The prisoners are fired upon and killed. The public in attendance can’t help but applaud at what they have seen.

Müller arrives on Phezzan and is greeted by Mittermeyer. The two go for a ride and talk about how easily the occupation seems to be going. However, Mittermeyer remains worried because the people seem to have accepted the current situation, but there must be some who resent it. In addition, they let Rubinsky escape, and he could be capable of organizing a resistance.

In the restaurant “Drakur,” Cary Willock expresses his resentment at the present state of Phezzan. The government did not do a very good job in gathering intelligence on Odin and because they could become officials in the Imperial government. Willock believes that the three powers will all disappear with Reinhard becoming the Kaiser of the entire universe. Willock gets up and tells the bar patrons that they are all free people who do not need a Kaiser to unite behind. An old man in the corner begins to speak about states not having the right to continue existing. Willock adds that although Phezzan may disappear temporarily, that they will bring it back by building a nation for free independent traders.

Mariensk enters the room and claps at Willock’s speech. Willock asks why he is there, and Mariensk tells him he has a job. Willock instantly accepts without hearing the details. Willock says he would accept a job from the devil if it meant not rotting in dying Phezzan.

Reinhard arrives on Phezzan flanked by Hilde and Oberstein. The assembled crowd begins chanting their love for their Kaiser. Reinhard comments that they are impatient, but he waves to the crowd anyway.

Later, Mittermeyer briefs Reinhard on the situation. Rubinsky and Henslow remain at large and they did not get any information from the Alliance High Commissioner’s office. Reinhard seems content and says there is no need for Mittermeyer to apologize. He then says he could care less about Henslow and they can get data from the Navigation Office. Rubinsky, though, remains a concern for Reinhard. Hilde says that Rubinsky has accepted defeat, but he anticipates Boltik won’t be up to the job of controlling Phezzan, and he can then turn up to take control back. Reinhard is still bothered by something else. He believes Rubinsky and Boltik know something, but aren’t telling them and Reinhard can’t put his finger on it.

Reinhard arrives at the Navigation Office’s main computer room and goes in alone. He loads the map of Allied space with its sites of older battles. He then looks down at his picture of Kircheis and tells his dead friend that they are on their way to gaining control of the universe.

Thoughts: It looks like the Phezzan invasion went pretty easily and the Alliance should be next on the agenda…I’m beginning to wonder what Reinhard will do after all of this is over. The whole ruling thing seems to be something he delegates, but without enemies will he be able to function?