Fafner: Exodus

[Destiny_Gundam]

They've always had the hots for Maya since season one. It's just that yaoi bait sells better.

[Henyo]

They've always had the hots for Maya since season one. It's just that yaoi bait sells better.

So true. makes one wonder if the Fafner staff has many BL fans. i remember a similar thing happening to another anime: Wolf's rain.(Tsume and Toboe) another thing to wonder is if the BL in Fafner is done subconsciously like in Wolf's rain.

going back to the episode, i found the camp transfer sequence...kinda off...

[Soma Taozi]

going back to the episode, i found the camp transfer sequence...kinda off...

I found that stuff fine, great even. It moved the story along and considering how the series is nearing the end, it is good they are bringing everyone together again, wrapping up the Exodus story-line and showing us the results of such dire circumstances. We have been moving with these people since episode 11, we have seen how terrible life is and how everyone is being pushed to their limit, we don't need to dwell on it more. They wrapped it up in a montage/monologue and are now giving us its finale.

In fact, according to that Map, even the Mir fragments from around the world are gathering together. So we have the UN, Mir Fragments, and Island Team+its allies all going after the new incoming Mir from space. I predict during this time General Burns is going to make his move and finally get rid of that Old Hag and maybe have the UN finally do something good for a change.

Spoiler

And goodbye Walter. Upon rewatching the first episode extended addition, I realized that Walter was the one questioning the orders to nuke Hawaii. Never even noticed him before. And it was interesting how when we meet Walter he is questioning bombing their own forces, and his arc ends with him bombing his own forces willingly with his fenrir. Just a little something I picked up...

On another note, did Kazuki just lose an ARM?!

[Destiny_Gundam]

So true. makes one wonder if the Fafner staff has many BL fans. i remember a similar thing happening to another anime: Wolf's rain.(Tsume and Toboe) another thing to wonder is if the BL in Fafner is done subconsciously like in Wolf's rain.

In Fafner it's more deliberate, I think. There's been tons of time between installments for the creators to see that it has a sizable yaoi following and decide to appeal more to that audience.

[Dark Duel]

Spoiler

And goodbye Walter. Upon rewatching the first episode extended addition, I realized that Walter was the one questioning the orders to nuke Hawaii. Never even noticed him before. And it was interesting how when we meet Walter he is questioning bombing their own forces, and his arc ends with him bombing his own forces willingly with his fenrir. Just a little something I picked up...

On another note, did Kazuki just lose an ARM?!

Spoiler

I personally don't consider Dustin and his merry band of murdering douchebags to be anything other than that, so from where I'm standing they were the enemy just as much as the Festum, the only difference being that they were human, at least biologically speaking. That being said, Walter's sacrifice kind of makes me sad, especially given how long he survived.

The development with Jonathan is interesting as well, though it was creepy as all hell when that thing started coming out of his friggin' arm. Guess that answers the question of why we hadn't seen that freaky thing in a while.

And yes, Kazuki just lost an arm.

So apparently, the old hag and her flunkies did exactly what I thought they would - they used the core of the Fafner they stole to try and recreate a Salvatore model. Guess they didn't learn their lesson from what happened to the last one they created(Nicht)

And it looks like Misao's back. I honestly should have been expecting it, but I didn't. Still, should be very interesting to see what happens next.

[Amion]

I really enjoyed this episode. The only off part was that the music was nowhere near as well compiled in this episode as it should have been.

Also: I now believe firmly that this episode should have come right after the Leviathan type attacks the Island. That would give us at least one episode to take a "break" while they build the Einherjars, and keep things fresh, while also forcing us to wait with baited breath to see if that bird was the last we'd ever hear of our friends on Tatsumiyajima.

Instead we got two full episodes more of that battle, and it really just doesn't work as nicely for it. Oh well.

And yay, I knew he'd be returning soon as well! So now all the players have gathered... Only question is who that puppet is they're talking about. Could it be...a Kazuki clone?

[Amion]

So... no reaction to the events of last episode? No gasps of shock? No pitchforks aimed at Bartland's ghost and Gallop, or are there too many of those for it to make a difference at this point?

[Henyo]

the first thing i'll comment about is this:

next time you make a big entrance Misao, put SOME CLOTHES ON!

XD really. even a loin cloth will do. don't add more BL fuel to an already sailing high ship!

on a more serious note. FESTUM SHOCK!!! anyone expected/ predicted what happened to Mitsuhiro?
i certainly didn't. just thought he was a a human who just happened to be Maya's half brother.

[Amion]

I think we should have suspected from the beginning Mitsuhiro was the leak. After all, he was blonde, just like the little boy. If I'm not mistaken he's the one who tells it to get lost on the elevator during its first appearance, to. Moreover, he confides in Maya that he always felt like "Father" was just forcing him to be a guinea pig most of the time. We should have expected something. I believe Destiny was the one who called that he was the leak.

As for the Prometheus Lab. *Shakes head* I can't believe the Human Army could be so stupid. Gallop is truly insane if she believes what she's been doing has been all nice and safe. Looks like soon she'll get her just deserts. Very bitter deserts they will be, with much salt.

I can't express how happy I am Maya is getting a Salvator. The triangle is complete. The three pilots who got the most attention in the original series and the ending theme now have a common element: they're the Salvator pilots, or intended to be. Only question is whether Maya really will get it or Mitsuhiro. I'm hoping she does, but it looks like we're in for another villainous Salvator model. To be frank I'm not happy. We've had too much of Nicht being the big bad, and it really doesn't replace the insidious threat the Azazels have thus far posed.

[Destiny_Gundam]

I believe Destiny was the one who called that he was the leak.

Awhile back he had a dream about Aviator attacking before anyone knew about it. That was a pretty big tell.

It's probably better that Jonathan takes the new Fafner. Of the main power trio Maya has always been the grounded one. While Kazuki and Soushi run off in their god mechs Maya's relative normalcy keeps them tethered to reality. Putting Maya at the same power level as them probably means it won't end well for any of them.

[Amion]

Unless Raiben is one big, overowered sniper rifle with assimilated scope.

[LightningCount]

Finished Ep.21...

First impression-wise, I found the misdirection of Argo Team being "wiped out" to be annoying, and I found the early stuff with Walter and Akira, and then Maya, Kazuki, Akira, and Soushi to be a little crammed in there. But by the middle of the episode, things stabilized, and the last act was some of the most epic stuff in a while.

Walter's sacrifice was all right and all, but I want to see more of the Argo Team. It was just getting good. There should be at least two of them left with Dustin and his right-hand woman. That choreography of the aforementioned woman pilot chasing Maya with her weapon out front was brilliant.

I think the montage worked very well overall, much like it did in the Season 2 opener. Like Amion said, maybe they could have broken up the previous island fight to give more balanced pacing/storytelling, but I'm thinking I can forgive all that with what they're building into here.

By "puppet" I assumed it was either Johnathan or a reanimated Hirito. I think there could have been one more scene setting this up, though. Ai and Johnathan's early cryptic talk in this episode seemed to come out of left field.

Never thought I'd be happy to see Misao back, but that is a nice development. I like seeing the "red" Festum again. I really liked the "winter" aesthetic put into all of this, too.

At this point, as we near the conclusion, I want a really passionate, showy conclusion for Dustin, etc. Other than that, I need a General Burns wrap-up, one final epic battle, and a dynamic twist with the appearance of the new Mir. That's my must-have wishlist, I think.

[Destiny_Gundam]

Damn, Maya is a killin' machine!

Raison's pilot turned out exactly as I suspected.

[Soma Taozi]

Yeah Maya doesn't need a God mech...her skills are such that she can make due without a Salvator Model. And I appreciate someone who gets by solely on skill, without the special powers.

Spoiler

Seriously, the way she just cleaned house on Dustin's team was amazing this episode, but now it begs the question, what is Billy going to do now?

Oh and poor Jonathan...seriously...can he just get a break?

[LightningCount]

Finished Ep.22...

Wow! Amazing episode w/ amazing animation! The choreography of Keith and Sui in action was was gorgeous! It feels like we're seeing a lot of new stuff late in the game that I would have liked to have had a few more glimpses of earlier, but I think they might just pull it all off.

And, for the record, I'm Team Soushi x Maya...assuming an obligatory pairing is required in this storyline.

I just noticed...we never see Yukie Kariya in any of the flashback openings, which have a lot of past characters from the original series.

[Dark Duel]

No, we don't. And that's perfectly fine with me, personally.
By the way, I'm also Team SoushixMaya, but that's mainly because I ship KazukixCanon
Anyway, I finally got caught up on the show this morning, and I don't have a lot to say, really.

Spoiler

I was very, very glad to see Dustin finally get his long-deserved death. The only real downside is that first I expect Billy is gonna have some problems with that, and second Dustin's sadistic b[CENSORED] sidekick is, unfortunately, still among the living.

The entire weird development with Jonathan aside, Mark Raison is just about the stupidest-looking thing I've seen in quite some time. Regardless of the fact that Fafner designs especially on the NUNS side have apparently varied quite a bit recently, Raison almost doesn't look like a Fafner at all. And frankly, compared to its two predecessors, it looks especially ridiculous IMO.
But regardless, the whole thing's giving me a strong sense of déjà-vu. On the other hand, there are enough differences from what happened the last time the NUNS tried the same thing that it doesn't bother me too much.

That said, I am exceedingly curious to see what happens in the next few episodes and how they're going to wrap up the series.

[Destiny_Gundam]

I just noticed...we never see Yukie Kariya in any of the flashback openings, which have a lot of past characters from the original series.

I'm pretty sure that's her standing there with Yumiko and Michio.

[Amion]

I just noticed...we never see Yukie Kariya in any of the flashback openings, which have a lot of past characters from the original series.

I'm pretty sure that's her standing there with Yumiko and Michio.

Just not before the Hottie genes kicked in.

[LightningCount]

All right, well, I'm still one episode behind, but I'm curious about a few things...

Was Gallop saying Ai was dead when she talked about "her remains." Or was that some kind of subtitle error and/or weirdness in the story (like when they said all the Argos were wiped out and then they reappeared at the end of the same episode to capture Maya).

There was a scene in either Ep.21 or 22, and I can't seem to find it a third time to check, but it appeared like a Fafner with the same look and weapon as Johnathan's was flying all over the place, shooting things, and then it gets destroyed by, as I recall, a red Festum. Was that just a random enemy Human Army machine, or was that some kind of error? It confused me.

Also, anyone find it curious how D Island's Core talks about how it's not the same as the old one, yet it wants to behave like it's Soushi's sister now? And this after being "friends"with Seri. For all the talk about how it's different, it sure seems like it wants to relive the old Core's life.

Still trying to figure out the multiple Alvis' thing. I'm sure the next episode will clear it up, but I wonder if this speaks to what Amion asked about from the original series, and if they retconned supporting materials about other man-made islands.

[Destiny_Gundam]

Was Gallop saying Ai was dead when she talked about "her remains." Or was that some kind of subtitle error and/or weirdness in the story (like when they said all the Argos were wiped out and then they reappeared at the end of the same episode to capture Maya).

Subtitle error. She was talking about Hiroto.