Shiroi Hane's Anime Blog

This is the first episode Gotoh's done key animation for since episode 1, and the first he's been personally involved in since episode 9. It has also suddenly occured to me that バジル, who I've been calling Virgil, is more likely to be Basil. Now whenever I see him I'll think of John Cleese and a certain puppet.

The burning planet is casting a red glow on everything around. Our trio teleport on board the Mistral which has just warped in (quite how Ascoeur calculated the relative positions and velocities in order to not only get them on board the ship but in their seats I.. will just ignore). G-society's fleet gives them a good pummelling, which Di-air and TAMA are typically enjoying. Suddenly the blue beam spam is interrupted by yellow beam spam from another direction - looks like the cavalry has arrived.

Having passed the blockage ahead of them are three ships - Saphir's recognisable red one, a grey one for Torch/Shade and a gold one for Geacht'er. The more I listen to the timpanis in the accompaniment, the more I think of.. Thunderbirds? Something Gerry Anderson I'm sure. Saphir is looking more than a little psychotic right now. Not quite "Uso da!" level, but getting there. Her ship packs a mean punch and carries MIRVs. Once reconfigured however the Mistral has a mean punch of its own and a turbo boost. Oh, and more MIRVs. It is also very manoeuvrable and can fire perpendicularly. Well that explains the piloting skill - there's no-one at the controls.

They teleport onto Geacht'er's ship where he is there to greet them. Basil calls to complain about the whole end of the world thing. We've seen these flashbacks already. Geacht'er is about to give Q-feuille the flower when the Sigerum interrupts. Hiver and Sommer gate in. It would look cool were it not for Hiver's awful outfit. Sommer strikes a cool pose and chucks his little Black Box case. Geacht'er stops time - but Q-feuille is still moving (albeit slowly) towards Ascoeur. Geacht'er chucks his flower but just before it hits her finger touches Ascoeur's.. cancelling out his power and with all three holding hands, turns it back on him. Sommer's case flips open producing a shield which encases him.

Hiver tells them to teleport back to Elde Meteor to stop the explosion. No, just Q-feuille is left there, Ascoeur is now atop Mistral and seems to be drawing power from it the same way Éclair did at the end of the original series. Now they suddenly find themselves together in a pink mist - with Éclair and Lumière. The conversation starts something like:
"Pokkyun!"
"Pokkyun?"
"Don't worry, she's always like that".
They are now spread out at the four corners of the earth, all producing black/white balls. This time the monochrome melange evaporates leaving the planet wrapped in a blue glow. All four participants are now pooped. There's something wrong with the image of people panting in open space. Geacht'er is suddenly no longer confined - his ship is no longer there either, having been an illusion. Elde Meteror's warp gates all activate. The computer will only respond to her or Geacht'er but she's to tired to teleport back. Letuchaia and Pauk lead Tweedledee and Tweedledum to the main computer while Rubis and Di-air remain looking after Q-feuille.

Elde Meteor warps out, taking the whole flipping planet with it, along with Mistral and Ascoeur can only watch over the comm as Q-feuille is menaced by Geacht'er. Di-air tries to shield her with her body but it is Rubis who saves them from Saphir's attack - taking an icicle to the stomach for her efforts. Saphir drives it even deeper into her partner before freezing her. Torch is dismayed to see partners fighting each other. TAMA powers up and wraps himself around Di-air just before he too is frozen. They all arrive at Aineias. Mistral bursts through the hull into the room and Ascoeur leaps out..
.
Next episode: Together Forever (いつまでも一緒 Itsumademo Issho)

Links:

Massive fleet of ships warps out at Azulantia. The Siegerum is there also. A battle breaks out between G-society and whoever's army Hiver and Sommer have brought with them.

Back on Elde Meteor, Q-feuille is now back to normal but Ascoeur has worn herself out. Geacht'er gives her a glowy grope. Q-feuille tries to freeze him unsuccessful (after almost calling him her brother automatically). He, however, has no problem freezing her. After everyone else departs, Rubis hangs behind and goes over to where Di-air is still hiding in TAMA's coils, tells her to save Q-feuille, then takes out the security cameras in the area on her way out. It is a strain to awaken her powers again, but once she gets a good glow going she floats up to Q-feuille's lips and gives her the extra power she needs to break free. Di-air produces a chocolate box from.. somehere... and Q-feuille uses one to produce her nanomist outfit (making a mockery of the changing room scene in episode 4...).

As Ascoeur wakes up she feels that Q-feuille is allright, and find herself strapped in a device which is connected to the four warp gates. It seems Letuchaia has been told that what they are after is a ball of E-IV energy, but not about the whole end of life as we know it thing. It seems like everyone was in on it apart from her, even Pauk. She begs Ascoeur to escape and save her Grandmother.

Torch, Shade and Geacht'er leave on a couple of ships, and Rubis arrives, whispering to Ascoeur that Di-air is OK. Letuchaia is just obediently sitting at her console now. Q-feuille and Di-air arrive. Letuchaia and Pauk attack first, but Q-feuille freezes herself preventing any damage. Saphir runs her right through with an ice spear - I'm not sure exactly how she escaped it (an after image?). Tweedledum and Tweedledee arrive through on of Hiver's gates, followed closely by A-ou and Un-ou. Saphir is a little peeved, but Tweedledee is ready for her this time. A-ou managed to redirect one of her stalagmites so it pierces her. When Rubis tried to run to her she calls her a traitor, slices her cheek open and runs away.

Tweedledee tries to shut the system down, but it requires a physical key. I.. think somehow the key is Ascoeur as she is is from the Rosenblum family? Or something? Anyway, the countdown stops at 3 seconds. Except the timer is a fake. The space unlocks itself, revealing the planet as well as Eclair and Lumiere, with a magical glowing maniac looking on.

Next episode: Unending feelings (とまらない想い Tomaranai Omoi)

Links:
KIDDY GiRL-AND #22 -- Loyalty Issues (Tenka Seiha)
KIDDY GiRL-AND - 18, 19 (Random Curiosity)

So, where were we.. oh yes, Ascoer and Di-air have just gone aboard Elde Meteor and been met by Geacht'er and Q-feuille. Suddenly, an earthquake - all four of the warp gates built into the complex active, and I'm guessing this whole immense structure is just about to go on a little trip. Yup - the whole thing warps out, leaving Mistral behind. We've finally caught back up with the main story - they're heading for the frozen space.

Ascoeur tries to prompt Q-feuille's memories of Trixie and Troisienne but Geacht'er intervenes. Ascoeur teleports them away to evade Q-feuille attack but doesnt get far due to a teleport barrier. Lynx-form TAMA saves them from falling but now all the Shadow Worker teams arrive. Q-feuille freezes Ascoeur with her Perseus Aegis, completely this time. Just as Geacht'er is about to steal a kiss from his immobile sister (which is all kinds of wrong), Di-air goes super saiyan again, releasing her. The Shadow Workers go on the offensive so Ascoeur escapes - taking Q-feuille with her - but she can't have gone far.

Q-feuille tries again to freeze Ascoeur and is again stopped by Di-air, who is starting to look rather tired. Q-fi has realised that it is Ascoeur not her who is really Geacht'er sister, and Ascoeur earns a slap by denying it. Di-air again intervenes but she's used her power one to many times and falls asleep. Ever protective TAMA steals a kiss and coils himself around her like a snake. Geacht'er turns up, still playing kiss catch. Q-feuille, still playing the dutiful sister, traps Ascoeur again but she somehow manages to break free and teleports away once again (with Di-air and TAMA) - but they are right on her heels and the chibis snare her with their Crazy Crackers. Ascoeur breaks into tears, struggling against her bonds to reach for Q-feuille who finds herself crying also. Even Letuchaia is affected by the scene and both her and Pauk release their hold on her.

I found the eyecatches amusing this week,

Elde Meteor warps in by the ball of timey wimey stuff, destroying the observation platform in the process. Hiver and Zommer are on their way in the Siegerum. Geacht'er finally has his prey in his arms and plants one on her. Her memories start returning - of her parents on Elde Meteor. Alfried is not with them. They send her off on a ship. Someone takes her to a cell, now wearing those ugly clothes. Alfried is already there and they don't recognise each other but when asks for her name he knows who she is; she realises who he is when she see's his birthmark so she has either heard of him but never met him, or they haven't seen each other for a very long time. Wherever they are, he is being tortured daily. He's also gone a little loopy as he almost throttles her. Then she kisses him and they react blowing a big hole in the station they are on. Rubble falls on her and while he's trying to dig for her, she's unconsciously teleported herself into an escape capsule. Think she is dead he screams, and time stops around him. Ascoeur's capsule lands on Nietos.

Back in the present.. Geacht'er is about to kiss her again when Q-feuille attacks them without thinking about it. However, they no longer have need for their puppet so Saphir and Shade let loose on her. Ascoeur saves her from being impaled on an ice stalagmite and they (finally?) kiss - causing a much warmer reaction than with her brother. He stops time again but their powers override it, throwing Saphir back and breaking Q-feuille's little controller and.. wow the yuri shippers will enjoy this one, having been disappointed by only one bit of mouth-to-mouth in the original series.

Next episode: Time Begins to Flow (流れ始める時間 Nagare Hajimeru Jikan) - there's an obvious meaning to this, although there's no glimpses of anyone familiar in the preview (other than some legs I assume belong to Hiver stepping through one of her portals).
Storyboards by Isamu Imakake and for the third week in a row, no other staff announced.

In other news:

Art and other details for the fourth DVD is now up on the official site:

http://www.kiddygirl-and.com/dvdgoods/dvd_case04.html

Links:

KIDDY GiRL-AND #21 -- Automoronic Asphyxiation (Tenka Seiha)

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/shirobane/KiddyGirlAndNovel1

While it is billed as having illustrations by both Hidefumi Kimura and and Megumi Kadonosono, only the cover, mini poster (a reprint from last July's Newtype) and character page are by Megumi; the rest of the B&W illustrations are all clearly by Kimura. It looks to be an amalgam of both the manga and the TV series as it has the men in black from the manga, and scenes that are taken straight from the anime. It looks like the story ends at the episode 16 of the anime, with the capture of Q-feuille.

In an inversion of the usual trope is is Pauk who get's tentacle graped when the Ahoge Beam mecha goes beserk and, since her knight is otherwise occupied, it is Ascoeur who comes to Letuchaia's rescue. They may have cross pollinated most of the characters, but the anime and manga are still running along completely different plotlines.

We now know the names of the episode director (Tomoaki Ohta) and animation director (Kanetoshi Kamimoto).

Pauk and Letuchaia are going to visit their grandmother in the hospital and Q-feuille tags along too. Elde Meteor really is an impressive place: this section has a massive clocktower, skyscrapers, european-style buildings (although in places it looks the animators got tired of playing Sim CIty and just dropped a bunch of buildings into a random messy pile) including what looks like a church, and tall skyway roads snaking around everywhere. Q-feuille thinks it odd that she doesn't recognise the place despite living there all her life, but doesn't dwell on it.

When they arrive at the (immense, glass-fronted) hospital the same girl Letuchaia a flower received a flower from in an earlier episode comes running to meet her, wearing ugly puffy shorts. She believes she was cured just by talking to Letuchaia and we learn the reason for Pauk's devotion - she once saved his life with a blood transfusion. The girl calls Q-feuille Geacht'er's new sister princess which she queries but Letty brushes over. The doctor/nurse team also mentions Geacht'er's new sister without realising she is just around the corner causing some consternation. While she's trying to decide whether Letuchaia could be her little sister her butterfly circlet activates and she repeats robotically that Geacht'er is her only sibling. Letuchaia has reached her limit and bursts out that while she isn't Geacht'er's sister Q-feuille isn't either. While Letty breaks down in tears Q-feuille remembers what Ascoeur had said during their fight but the device activates again and Torch appears to catch her as she falls and whisks her away.

Q-feuille dreams about Di-air and Ascoeur but the butterfly drives them away and the last thing she sees before waking is Geacht'er making a scary face.

Oh goodness, Dr.Moro is still running with the hotdog theme.

At some point they've added Di-air's name to the sign about their dorm. Di-air is wearing TAMA like a cap. Ascoeur is picking up on resonance from Q-feuille. Di-air immediately packs all Q-feuille's belongings into a massive knapsack, including Troisienne's Sakura Stick - but can't lift it. She settles on just the stick. They meet Hiver and Sommer in the corridor, and they basically tell them to go ahead, as Hiver's not in charge any more anyway and announces they will be acting now themselves to do something about the frozen space while Ascoeur is drawing everyone's attention, before vanishing through the floor (I'm probably alone in this but can't help thinking Rentaghost - "don't go into the cellar!").

Mi nourouse should not be allowed anywhere near a bunnysuit. Some consolation would be Ascoeur and Di-air in the same, but they're in their regular outfits. Good grief - s/he's got a football-sized tail.

I seriously don't think Ascoeur and Di-air should be let out anywhere on their own, let alone piloting a spaceship. They've brought along Q-feuille's stuff anyway. They warp straight to Elde Meteor and are immediately intercepted by the fleet, but Ascoeur charges straight in anyway so it is just as well the Mistral has such good shields since there are beams flying everywhere. It can also take out the enemy ships without breaking a sweat but there are a lot of them. Missiles are more of a problem though. In a rare display of intelligent tactics Ascoeur leaves Mistral to distract the fleet while she, Di-air and Typhon drift towards Elde Meteor in a large chunk of debris (now where's Boba Fett..)

As soon as they break cover the fixed defenses start targetting them, which is something of a problem when you're flying in open space on the back of a robot - actually, it looks like they are just trying to clear the hazardous debris but a direct hit sends Di-air flying off into space, Ascoeur grabs her and teleports them to relative safety while Typhon flies off - hopefully not to get broken again since they've only just got the damned thing fixed. I guess like Dalek landing craft there's an unguarded service hatch on top as they get inside with no problems.

Ascoeur has a flashback to herself as a child being led along as stark corridor with a bunch of adults wearing black. Out on the streets bells start rining (looking at the clock tower up close it is clearly a copy of Big Ben) and there's an evacuation announcement. The bells trigger more flashbacks - it seems that Ascoeur definitely has memories of having been here before. She was led through crowded streets by people who look like they're dressed for a funeral or something, there's a man's face on a big nanomist screen but at the wrong angle to make out clearly, and finally herself and Alfried in a featureless grey cell-like room with no furniture other than a bunkbed and wearing nondescript grey hospital-like clothes.

Ascoeur's head starts hurting again. She has to react quickly to block a handful of exploding coins as Q-feuille arrives - she's been sensing the resonance also. Geacht'er appears to welcome her as Liselotte but she declares herself to be Q-feuille's partner, Ascoeur.

Next ep: Restored memories (蘇る記憶 Yomigaeru Kioku) - more flashbacks.
Storyboards by Jun'ichi Satou (the series' sound director), other roles like last week still TBD.

Links:

KIDDY GiRL-AND #20 -- Nothing to See Here... (Tenka Seiha)

OK, first of all the Limited Edition version of the first DVD had arrived:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/shirobane/KIDDYGiRLANDDVDCase01LE

There is no new OP for the DVDs, at least nor on the first volume.
Compared to the original series it really is lackluster - you just get a slipcover, postcard versions of the four eyecatches and a 12-page "Contacty File" booklet which, while in colour, isn't a patch on Kiddy Grade's Continuity Files (especially since you got a 6-page colour inlay as well, along with cards and bookmarks). I'd happily trade the slipcover for Kiddy Grade's reversible covers with unique art as well. They haven't even included the art from the regular edition DVD either and it doesn't look like we can expect and of that really special stuff like mini figures, cell phone holster, posters, calendar etc. In the original solicitation there were to be mini pencil boards also, but they removed this from the listings without me noticing.

Audio is stereo LPCM at 1.5Mbps. Video is usually around 6-7Mbps. No subs naturally.

The PiP chibi adventures are still there at the end of the second episode but no sponsorship image, but they have included the whole thing in fullscreen on the second DVD along with dialogue.

Other than the TV spots (including the "male" versions) there's a clean version of both of the regular EDs (without the chibis).
Other than the footage from the first Animate store event the only other extra on this disc (which is common to both LE and RE) is a copyright warning read in-character by Ascoeur over screencaps. The menu is a static list of chapter points with the extras playing off a single button.

Second disc has the extended "Pumpkin Pudding" segment. Followed by a "visual soundtrack" which might explain why there's still been no OST solicited this far - it is 13 minutes of isolated score playing over stills with the track names and comments from composer Noriyasu Agematsu. Following this is the silly "Sound Only" audio drama taken from the net radio show. The remaining extra is the one that I couldn't understand on the solicitations - the Sendai round of the "Kiddy Girl-and Cup", a go-kart race between Shiraishi, the two Aya's, Producer Atsushi Ito (伊藤P) and his assistants Makoto Chiba (チバ) and Satoshi Yamazaki (ザッキー).

Other updates since last roundup:

The official site has a page for the 3rd (Dia) and 4th (Belle, Alisa and Mi nourose):

http://www.kiddygirl-and.com/dvdgoods/100219.html

Details as before, but with larger artwork.

There's also a page for the 3rd DVD:

http://www.kiddygirl-and.com/dvdgoods/dvd_case03.html

Which confirms the Di-air artwork posted on Ami-Ami earlier.

The final update to the official site is a report with photographs from the final stop on the Touch and Go! Delivery tour in Yokohama:

http://www.kiddygirl-and.com/special/100224.html

Of note is the Aya's in the information desk uniforms, Gouda's Sakura Stick and Shiraishi cosplaying as himself playing himself complete with ukelele.

I've found listings for a Kiddy Girl-and book:

http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/lnovel/bk_detail.php?pcd=200909000471
http://www.yesasia.com/global/1022235461-0-0-0-en/info.html
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4044286043/

It is volume one of what appears to be a light novel series written and illustrated by Hidefumi Kimura, illustrated by Megumi Kadonosono and published under Kadokawa's Sneaker Bunko label. The first volume is entitled "Legacy Lilttle Lady" (L³) and is due out on either the 1st march, 19th March or the 27th February depending who you believe. A6-sized and with 318 pages, priced at 650 yen.

ISBN-10: 4044286043
ISBN-13: 978-4044286040

--edit--

Official site now has a page for this:

http://www.kiddygirl-and.com/dvdgoods/100227-2.html

Confirms the release date as the 1st March.

CDjapan/Neowing have listings for yet more character CDs:

Volume 7:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=LACM-4706
http://www.neowing.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=LACM-4706
Featuring Letuchaia (Hiromi Konno) and Pauk (Megumi Matsumoto)

Volume 8:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=LACM-4707
http://www.neowing.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=LACM-4707
Featuring Hiver (Kaori Mizuhashi) and Sommer (Itsuki Takizawa)

--edit--

Just spotted a settei collection book that has been solicited by Animaxis:

http://www.animaxis.com/en/shop/product.asp?sku=156236-00

Due to release in April at 1,575 yen, 72 A4 B&W pages.

The website stated, and currently still states, that Seiki Sugaware would be directing this episode but according to the on-screen credits it was directed by Daisuke Tsukishi. Hopefully there will be an update on the website to explain this.. This has since been corrected on the site.

So starting out just before where we left off last time.. Q-feuille is facing off against the GTO security force. She is now using exploding coins ( perhaps they are chocolate money ^^) and she wipes them out in one go. Ascoeur arrives after hearing the explosion and is surprised but glad to see her (once again completely misreading the situation). She only notices Torch and Shade when they move to intercept her and Di-air. When Q-feuille tries to remember the name Ascoeur the butterfly circlet Geacht'er gave her flashes briefly and she snaps back, announcing herself as G-society's princess here to right the wrongs of the GTO. Ascoeur comes to the conclusion that she just one of Torch and Shade's illusions. An illusion with punipuni cheeks. A slap and a handful of coins helps her realise her mistake.

The next time Q-feuille attacks Ascoeur creates a barrier.. however Q-feuille had frozen some of the coins, releasing them once Ascoeur let the barrier down so she has to quickly teleport away with Di-air before they explode. Q-feuille then "teleports" to her using Geacht'er's time stopping technique and gives her a cheek squeezing in return. Ascoeur retreats but Q-feuille comes after her. Hiver is watching from her office when she receives a call from Virgil*. The GTO is to be disbanded and all functions transferred to G-society, although they are willing to take her on as a Shadow Worker.

Q-feuille has enough of playing tag and tries to freeze Ascoeur who uses her ability to knock her back. When Q-feuille retaliates Ascoeur hesitates and is trapped. When Q-feuille sees her struggling she starts crying without knowing why but her circlet activates again and she presses on with her attack. Shade is happy to let them kill each other, but Torch reminds him of their orders to protect them both. Before they can step in however, Di-air suddenly starts glowing (flinging TAMA away in the process). She releases Ascoeur with a glance and when Q-feuille tries freezing her easily deflects it without even lifting a finger. When Q-feuille tries her bombs instead Di-air uses her own power against her to freeze them, then uses Ascoeur's power to throw them back while crying herself. Seeing what they are up against, Torch and Shade collect Q-feuille and retreat, while Di-air collapses (and TAMA comes bouncing back).

Hiver arives with Sommer and.. wow, we're only half way; I was all ready for the end credits.

Back at base, Geacht'er tells Q-feuille that he wants Ascoeur alive. Torch and Shade report on Di-air's powers and that they know of only one other with that ability - Eclipse. It can't be her since she died and could not be resurrected, but her powers could have been transferred. Torch does not like the idea of setting partners against each other - and now it is flashback time to their GCPO days. Shade is injured and on the run for trumped up charges. Torch locates him easily due to the resonance between their powers.

A bunch of soldiers with big mecha show up behind them and Torch was ready to surrender when their commander shoots him in the back, under orders form the director. Then shoots him three more times when he tries to use his ability. It seems they had good reason to defect...Their illusions are useless on the mecha, but Shade tricks the soldiers into taking them out for them. It seems the director had sent them on assassination missions for his own purposes and Shade found out. I'm guessing this is where.. I spoke too soon, Geacht'er has arrived. White rose/red rose - who does he think he is, Morpheus?

Di-air is placed in a hospital bed, but she is just asleep. She has been sharing her power with them, but cannot control it herself and use it all at once. She has inherited Eclipse's powers but not her memories so it still just a little girl. And now she is suddenly in her own bed. Mi nourose, Belle and Alisa knock on the door and Hiver disappears through the floor. Di-air wakes up and they vow to get Q-feuille back.

Next ep: The real me (ほんとうの私 Hontou no Watashi), featuring Mahou Shoujo Di-air.
Storyboards by Yukio Nishimoto, other staff TBA.

* The seiyuu who voiced Virgil, Daisuke Gouri, died of apparent suicide in January and has been replaced by Ryuuzaburou Ootomo.

Links:
KIDDY GiRL-AND #19 -- Super Loli III (Tenka Seiha)
Kiddy Girl-and is just ?_? (The Fool)
KIDDY GiRL-AND - 16, 17 (Random Curiosity)