No Game No Life - ep04

The game continues from where they left off from last time with the turned queen converting an enemy knight. The going from here Sora has sown the seeds of revolt in the enemy faction. This is useful because the elf magic is only make white piece turn black. Now that the revolt has begun the black piece that turn white have now turn to red. That with the inclusion of this third faction that immune to Kurami's greatest spell Sora can win by doing nothing since this internal struggle will destroy the black king. This happen when the mad king forces his army to fight who were once their friends and allies. That once everything is finished Kurami breaks down when she fails because everything she did to receive an alliance with the Elfs is now meaningless and she still can't believe they won with any magic assistance.

Then it appears that it's a simple matter of crowning them but there is a problem since the adviser believes that there can only be one king so that they both can't be ruler. This leads to Sora and Shiro having to duel it out over the right to become King since they want to be king for their own reasons. However after many thousands of games later it is realize that they can both be ruler that there is nothing in Tet's laws that state it can only be one person. Then with this resolved they go about crown both of them.

Then once it is done, they try to avoid the work by having Stepth do it all in their stead. However when brings up the fact that there are rumors going around that the council is making backdoor deals with the others races. Kuuhaku deals with quickly by using the power of the pledge to assure their loyalty where they all force to lose if they want to remain in their position. Then they get into improving the quality of life of the people by dealing with matters of state using knowledge from their world. Thing for this arc are coming to a close with Kuuhaku making an announcement to the people on the state of the world and how they fallen this low. This is summed up by stating that Humanity is the strongest because it is the weakest. This is a prelude to Tet arrival with Sora declaring War on the other nation and alluding to the fact that the first ones to challenge them is going to be the Flugel a race of angles that prize knowledge over everything else.

This gets us to the return of Tet and the siblings future goal which is allow Tet to have his rematch. Although there special condition to challenge Tet since it would be over the right to be god. This means that they are going to have to beat to other fifteen race to allow Tet to have his rematch since that is the reason he brought them into this world because he had no desire to save Inamity from it's dire situation. That at the rate things are going it seems like this series will have to be at least 2-season long if not longer. The interesting question is what will the next game be.

Nobunaga the Fool - ep16

Now that Nobunaga has rescued Jeanne, the issue become how do they rejoin the others on Azuchi. While this is happening everyone is running around in circles, first you have Nobunaga doubling back on the path they have been traveling when some of their pursuers pass by them in the cave. This leads them back to Doreme since this is the place that he figure will be the least likely that they will search. Then you have Caesar and Hideyoshi deploying to delay the advance of Cesare forces. The shortly after they depart the ley lines shift which cause them to be drawn in an unknown direction. Which leads them back to Doreme where it just so happens to be where Nobunaga and Jeanne are.

While at the same time the ground where Doreme once stood collapse revealing a sight to Da Vinci that was believe lost. The temple that he see revealed is know by the western name of Pillars of Hercules but it is know as the Ladder of Heaven in Asia. That it is through this that they will return to the eastern star. This is when Mitsuhide goes out to join up with Nobunaga and bring him back. Then as they are preparing for the return the call is given for Caesar and Hideyoshi to return. Although things get complicated with Machiavelli pursuing Jeanne because she is obsessed with the idea that by Killing Jeanne she will be choose by the heaven to replace her. This forces Mitsuhide to break off from Nobunaga so that he can position himself so that he can kill her. Mitsuhide hits but fails to kill her but it gives Nobunaga time to return to Azuchi just as it is about to leave. Unfortunately Mitsuhide fail to make it back and Caesar is force to stay behind as well since he went after Mitsuhide. The question is how will they make it back. There is also the issue of the awaken of this temple has now linked both stars fates together, but it also means that the east is going to provide temporary stability to the west until it start to be afflicted as well.

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - ep04

In the aftermath of Tatsuya's clash with Kirihara we see Tatsuya giving his report on what happen and his explanation on why he didn't act soon. Then once this meeting comes Tatsuya meets up with his friends that were waiting for him with his sister. This leads into an explanation on what he did to resolve the situation. That it seems disspelling magic is not something that everyone can do, that normally to do it you would need something special like an antinite which is a rare mineral that is only available to the military. However he discover a way to simulate the waves that antinite by using the interference that is cause when you use two CAD together. It doesn't null all magic that the antinite is capable of doing but it block is able to prevent the usage of only one of the branches of magic. Although this is a perfect skill for Tatsuya combine with his ability the read magic. This also gets into why he hasn't publish this technique because it is imperfect since there is no counter. This is a problem since there isn't a single aspect of life that magic isn't used in this includes national defense.

This leads into second half of the episode which focus in on a growing threat the Anti-magic organization Blanche. They highlight this threat by having Tatsuya being attack while doing his duties as a member of the moral committee. This is emphasized more with Mibu wishing to talk to him and have him join the Kendo club. Since he see this act as more sinister since he believes that there is more to it than that. It seem that he was right since the Kendo club has united with the other non-magic club to face this unfair treatment. Although it is clear to Tatsuya that Mibu wants him as not as a new member for the Kendo club but to further strength her cause against the school. However it is also clear that she hasn't completely thought this through since she has no idea what she is going to do after she conveys her message to the school.

This issue is brought up later when Mari accuses Tatsuya of verbal abusing Mibu, which sets Miyuki off in a fit of jealousy. Then after calming his sister down he explains the situation with Mibu and it seems that Moral committee has gain some animosity from the students. Which leads to Tatsuya bring up the issue of Blanche which is suppose to be secrets since the government is trying to keep things quiet about them. That it seem like they are the ones that are behind this and also are potential being widening the divide between course one and two students. Tatsuya is of the mind that if they aren't dealt with directly then the prejudiced in the school will never end only suppress. That the only way to fix thing is to confront them directly. Then with this reveal things return to the issue of Mibu on what Tatsuya is going to do about her, the only thing he could say is that it depends on her answer that she give when the next they meet.

Date A Live II - ep03

It is interesting to see to roles reversed that Shido is now the one being pursued. Although things become more difficult for Shido when the twin receive some coaching. Before it was safer for Shido when they didn't know what to do but that change when Kaguya was advised by Touka and Yuzuru was by Origami. It is made worse because they always try to out do each other in everything, which is not a good thing since he is still trying to recover from his dive into the ocean from last time. However some order has been restored with Reine's help, but the key problem is how will Shido be able to save them both.

This leads to Shido distancing himself from Touka until she approach him because he seems worried. This causing him to tell her about everything that been going on between him and the twins as well as the latest development. That the reason they choose this contest was that they were convenience that the other would be chosen and they desire to save their sister even if it means that they themselves can't be saved. This also reveals why their was never a conclusion in their contest because as long as the battle continues the can remain together. Then things take a turn for the worst when the twin overhear Shido confiding in Touka, this leads them into abandoning the contest a solving things with one final battle. Then on top of this Adeptus 1 has grown tired of Okamine incompetence has decide to act particular after they catch sight of the Fraxinus. The question is what role will the new enemy play in resolving the twins conflict, but one things clear next we will be in for one big battle with everything coming to a head.

No Game No Life - ep03

It was a bit unexpected for Sora to just directly challenge Kurami for the kingship of Elkia. Last time in seem like the dress was going to play a part. That Sora was going to trick Kurami like he did Steph by deceiving her on the terms of the game being for the dress while in reality it was for the Kingship. However things end up taking a more direct route with them holding the crowning ceremony like a wedding which allows anyone present to object the crown and challenge them for the right to be kinged. Although because Sora is the challenger he doesn't get to pick the rules of the game, but before anything gets started he call Kurami out on her cheating.

This cause a lot of problems because she cheated by receiving aid of an elf. This seems to implies that Kurami will only be a puppet ruler that with her crowning for all purpose the true owners will be the elfs, that is likely that the Inamity will be degrade to second class citizen in their own country. Although with exposing the elf for what she has done Sora has prevent her direct interference but doesn't mean that she isn't going to try a cheat by magic again. Which is exactly what Kurami does when she prepares her game of chess by having the elf cast an enchantment on her king piece.

However before the game began Kurami tries to get Sora to concede defeat by pleading with him to see reason that this is the only why to save the Inamity. That they have no way of fighting the other race so their only hope is to receive the protection from one of them. Although there is nothing for Sora to loss even if he is defeated other than rights to the crown but there is everything to gain for winning. On top of that there is also the issue that Sora and Shiro have never lost at anything.

Things become interesting when they get down to the game itself being played out on a massive chess board with human size pieces. Shiro takes command of the game at first until it is reveal that the chess piece have will of their own which means that will not sacrifice themselves for victory which is the very bases of chess. Although Sora takes over when he see the true nature of the game it is only chess in appearance but in reality it is more of an RTS where you are moving groups of soldiers and his first steps to victory is rallying his troops. Then he follows this up by ignoring the rule of turns since it has voided the rules of chess. Things turn against him when Kurami starts cheating again by using her king to give her pieces the ability to convert the enemy pieces. However Sora turn this against her by converting her queen when it was about to kill his king. Now with the queen converted any black piece that attack her will be turned white. Then in the end Sora will have converted every piece but the king by refusing to fight. The question is can you cause a checkmate when there is only a king left, it might be possible since a king without an army isn't a king and there is also the fact that it was never chess to began with. This doesn't mean that thing are over yet because Kurami could try and find another way to cheat. Although it was very interesting seeing how they perverted the game of chess it will be interesting to see if they continue this trend.

Nobunaga the Fool - ep15

Now with Jeanne captured it drives Nobunaga to travel to the western star. While Nobunaga is rushing to Jeanne's aid it seems that Cesare has his own plans for Jeanne. That Cesare goal is to get Jeanne to denounce Nobunaga as the savor and recommit her allegiance to Arther. It seems that Cesare doesn't care if this is true are not just the effect it would have on their people believe more emphatically in Arther. Although she is unwilling to lie to herself, to just save herself because it is doubtful that Cesare isn't going to just kill her after he get what he wants. Then in time Machiavelli come in with a different tactic after seeing Cesare fail.

Machiavelli uses psychological torture of physical torture by bring back to her home town in Doreme. That by bring her back home and having her see how the people views have worsened in her absents with drive Jeanne to change her mind. The this leads Machiavelli to suggest there is one way to save herself by marrying Arther, that if she was his wife then they won't dare say such things about her. Then with this attempt failing it will lead to Machiavelli deciding to burn her alive, and claiming that Jeanne vision have passed on to her.

Although this plan fall apart with Nobunaga's arrival, where the first part of his attack is by causing a fog to set in with Himiko using the Shinki of earth. Then with the fog they can deal with most of the defenders while Nobunaga goes in person to save Jeanne. Although is seem that Cesare was expecting something like this to happen that is why he set a bombs around town to destroy Nobunaga when he arrives, and if Machiavelli dies as well then it was just an unfortunate accident. Once Nobunaga saves Jeanne she tries to save the town people by using her shinki and with her single act the reassess their treatment of Jeanne. This cause them to act as a human shield for Jeanne and Nobunaga as they make their escape, although the citizen of Doreme die not at the hands of the enemy but by the effects of western dragon since the planet is dying. However it is unclear if Machiavelli made it out alive.

Mahouka - ep03

Now with Tatsuya's victory they go into explaining how he obtain his impossible victory against Hattori. The first point is that since magic is focus on a location instead of being project from the caster, then this means that if you remain on the move then you are immune to magic since it can't catch up to you. This is where he ninjajutsu training is a benefit to him because he can remain on the move and only need to stop momentarily or not at all to cast magic. Then for the most part this voids is slow cast time. The other things is his CAD is design with the loop cast system that allow him to load the spell once instead of having to reload each time he wants to cast it as is the norm.

Then once the explanation is done Hattori apologize for his shortsightedness, but with this Tatsuya has no more room to escape his appointment to the Moral Committee so he accepts his fate. The rest of the episode focus on Tatsuya's integration into the Moral Committee as well as his first day on the job. That coincides with beginning of club recruitment, that it turns out this is a troubling time for the Moral Committee because it has been coined “the battle to acquire the freshman”. That it doesn't take long to see why it received this name when Erika is almost striped naked in public with people fighting over her to join. Then things get more out of had when two clubs began to fight over who has right to use the floor or demonstrations. This leads to a dual between Mibu and Kirihara, but things become problematic when Kirihara is dissatisfied with the results and cast a spell on his shiai to turn it into a real sword. This forces Tatsuya to get involved revealing another one of his secret skill the ability to void magic, this gain him some unwanted attention from the Blooms on Kirihara side as well as the scheming eyes of Tsukasa the captain of Mibu's club.

Date A Live II - ep02

Now that the brief introduction is over with, things return to Shido pursuit of the spirits. Although things are going to be more complicated with a third parties involvement. This third party is called DEM industries that they seem to be responsible for switching Shido's school trip from Okinawa to Arubi. Along with this they have sent their own insider under the guise of a school photographer name Ms. Okamine. This seems to implies that if they are going to be a continuous threat then this season is going to confined to this school trip. However what interesting is that they have the same technology that Fraxinus has but the question is what is their goal That it seems that currently they have their eyes set on kidnapping Touka, which make it question how well this will go with Shido's bond with her.

Although there is not a lot of focus on this new threat other than announcing it. Where the larger focus is place is the introduction of the next spirit which made an appearance in the OVA. Things are complicated with this spirit is because Shido is focus to deal with twins. It appears that Kaguya and Yuzuru use to be one spirit called Yamai but somehow it body got split in two creating Kaguya and Yuzuru. That they desire to become whole but the destruction of the previous self creating two separate identities the question become which of them is going to be sacrifice for this goal. That to present they have had 99 competition to decide who become Yamai. The result what 49 draws and 25 win to each so everything comes down to this final competition that the victor is the one best suited to become Yamai.

That in the end Shido get caught in the middle by being to one that the final competition revolve around. Since which ever of the twins successful seduces Shido is declared the winnner, that they will abide by what ever decision that he makes. Although there is a problem to this competition since Shido will not want either one to die, which leads to the question of why is there a need for them to become whole again. However it seems that this competition isn't going to come to a conclusion anytime soon since both are incompetant at seduction so Shido has time to figure out a way to save both. Although it seem that he is going to have a lot of mishaps along the way.

No Game No Life - ep01&02

The premise of the two NEET sibling abandoned their world for a different one is interesting. The reason is it applies toward the modern structure of society. Currently in society it is greatly motivate by it's desire to be entertained more so than any other moment in history. This is why a large portion of societies economy is structure around the production of television, movies, video-games, books, and music. That the mass seek a form of escapism and this is manifested in the entertainment industry and the sibling recognize this that is why when the provide a chance the leave their world they take.

Now with their arrival in this new world where everything is decide by games the sibling are very much at home. Things real get started when Sora scams the woman out of all the she owns with a single hand in poker. This illustrates to point of the world is not fairness but the 10 commandments that the world is founded on. If Tet wants overall fairness he would have had it illegal to cheat like all the other crimes, instead you are only punish with an automatic loss if you are caught. This seems to be the theme of the world everyone cheats the most successful just aren't caught. Then through seeing how honest and straight forward Stephanie is he feels for her because he know that her opponent is cheating. This leads him to warn her about it, which would have allow her to win by calling her on it but she does nothing about it.

This sets up the second half of the introduction with Stephanie confronting Sora about what he said even-though it's clear what the outcome was. This leads to Sora provoking Steph into playing a game with him since you can use game to solve disputes. That use the game of rock-paper-scissors to show her why she lost and to prove to her that just because it is a game there is no assurance that it is going to be fair. This proven when he says that he won't choose paper that in the end she choose scissor which can only win against the on thing he can't pick but she choose it because of his stare cause her to doubt herself. That Sora show her how naïve she is by making it clear what he wanted if he won it just that she assume he wanted a place to stay since he is new to this world.

That what he ask from her is for her to fall in love with him. Although this results in Shiro belittling him on his choice and should of said for her to become his property instead. However that wouldn't have been as funny as seeing Steph trying to prevent herself from falling for Sora. It is also very telling on how absolute the rule set forth by Tet are. Then from her we learn a lot more about the world how there are 16 race and Humanity is the lowest because they have no affinity for magic. This is also why they are in the worst position in this world because the other races use it to cheat, while they can't even tell if it is being use are not. That things are even worse because the kingdom of Elkia is Humanities last territory, that this also express the importance of yesterdays game. However it seems that Sora believes that everything would be over as soon as the next king is crowned. That this leads us into Sora next goal in this world is to become king. The question is how will he be able to carry this out since the direct approach is the worst tactic to use in this world.

Nobunaga the Fool - ep14

Now with Ichihime being married off and with the growing tension with the west things are going to start taking a dark turn. Although to transition into this the first half of the episode largely focus in on the interaction between Ichihime and Caesar. It is natural that she would be spiteful of Caesar since he did kill her father, and she only did it out of a sense of duty. However Caesar doesn't want to physical possess her but what Ichihime to be his loving wife. Which leads him slowly winning her over but it seem like he has a long road ahead of him, but this relationship is going to be key to Nobunaga's survival later on.

The assault by the west is started by Charlemange and Hannibal. That before they begin their assault they combine their Shinki's power to create more favorable conditions to better suit their Shinki's elements. Since Hannibal uses the power of water and Charlemange uses wind combine they create a field of ice. This allow them not to just freeze the lake to create a home field advantage but also allows for taking of hostages. That the first on to fall victim to their power of ice is Hideyasu when they completely encase it in ice. The second are his people, but the expected that he would just surrender his Shinki once his people lives were threatened.

Thought they didn't expect that he was prepare to throw away his peoples lives. Then when Nobunaga was about to strike back with fire against their ice. Jeanne gets in Nobunaga's way and with her bleeding heart she sacrifice her Shinki for their freedom. However she gets her wish but not in the way she intended, since they were freed of this moral coil. That with this betrayal Jeanne pass her shinki to Nobunaga before she is captured by Hannibal. However Nobunaga intents to save Jeanne but is force to stop because Hannibal threatened her life. Then Charlemange capitalizes on Nobunaga's weakness.

When everything looks hopeless Caesar helps Nobunaga because of Ichihime. That Caesar was hesitant to help Nobunaga because it would mean point his sword at King Arthur. However he change his mind when he was give an ultimatum by Ichihime to choose between his service to his lord or his wife. That in the end he choose love over duty, but in the end if both die before they can make it back his betrayal will never be known. Then things are made worse with the appearance of Uesugi Kenshin tear the enemy apart. This results in Charlemagne sacrificing his life to send Hannibal back into space, However ironical she is kill by on of the members of the round. Now the question is how will Nobunaga act now that they have captured Jeanne.