-Shokugeki no Soma, Ep18
Attack of the giant booties!

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-ARIA the Avvenire, Ep01
I'm finding myself reluctant to write the review of the first of three new ARIA episodes.  Not because I don't want to, but because of how much I love the series.  Watching this special episode, particularly after years of thinking I'd never get to spend more time with these characters, was an intensely personal experience.  Don't worry, I will do it, I'm just trying to figure out how to make it feel right without gushing.

If you're a fan of ARIA, you should have watched it by now.  If you've never seen the franchise, this is a good time to start watching.  If you're NOT a fan of ARIA... well... um...

I welcome all sorts of people to The Pond.  Some of my best friends don't like Azumanga Daioh, for example.  I'd like to think I'm open-minded enough that I could get along with someone who doesn't like calm, peaceful stories about female gondolieri on Mars. 

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What's more dangerous than a bunch of dark elves armed with longbows?

-GATE, Ep 17
Dark elves armed with IHI Aerospace Panzerfaust 3-IT anti-tank rockets!!! 

And what's more dangerous than dark elves armed wiht IHI Aerospace Panzerfaust 3-IT anti-tank rockets?

Humans flying the F-4EJ-Kai using AIM-9M or -9P Sidewinder heatseeking missiles against dragons, that's what! 

And what's more dangerous than humans flying the F-4EJ-Kai using AIM-9M or -9P Sidewinder heatseeking missiles against dragons?

Humans using a battery of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Type 75 155mm self-propelled howitzers against grounded dragons, that's what!

I'll tell you, I was just giggling with amusement during the final battle in this episode of Gate.  It was great!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 11:59 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 Actually, all that stuff was just preparatory. What finally iced those last two dragons was TOWs fired by Cobra attack helicopters.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at February 07, 2016 04:51 AM (+rSRq)

2 I adore GATE. Part fantasy story, part JSDF recruitment poster.

Posted by: GreyDuck at February 07, 2016 10:18 AM (rKFiU)

3 I think the old D&D rules did say that all elves got a bonus on all ranged weapons... so I guess that counts.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at February 07, 2016 08:41 PM (ZJVQ5)

4 Steven, yes true, but I felt that was the TOWs were a deescalation from the munitions buildup shown.  I mean, after pummeling the targets with a battery of six inch guns, they should have gone with... I dunno... laser-guided bombs or something.

Posted by: Wonderduck at February 07, 2016 09:18 PM (KiM/Y)

5 I think the TOWs were the only thing they had which could outright kill one of the dragons.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at February 08, 2016 12:04 AM (+rSRq)

6 I submit that an artillery barrage aimed by a trained spotter causes more damage than a pair of TOW missiles, but it may be that the tandem warhead was needed to get through the scales.

Doubtful, though, as the dragons were clearly hurt by the Sidewinders, and those use an expanding continuous-rod warhead, not armor piercing.

Posted by: Wonderduck at February 08, 2016 06:10 PM (KiM/Y)

7 I love reading discussions of the effect of real-world weapons systems on dragons.  I remember Steven doing this topic on his old blog around the time Reign of Fire came out.

Posted by: flatdarkmars at February 08, 2016 07:23 PM (wgzE6)

8 Dragons vs. WW2 aircraft carriers.  Make it happen!

Posted by: flatdarkmars at February 08, 2016 08:15 PM (wgzE6)

9 There isn't any ocean on the other side of the gate. All we see is rivers.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at February 09, 2016 12:59 AM (+rSRq)

10 Also, how the hell would you get a CV through the gate? (I'm still trying to figure out they got the 4-engine cargo plane in there that dropped supplies to Itami.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at February 09, 2016 01:03 AM (+rSRq)

11 There isn't any ocean on the other side of the gate.

Plenty of ocean on this side of the gate... who's to say that Hardy (or whatever) can't open another one near Okinawa in 1942?

I'm still trying to figure out they got the 4-engine cargo plane in there...

In pieces.  Take the wings and the tail off and maybe it'll squeak through.

Posted by: Wonderduck at February 09, 2016 01:22 AM (KiM/Y)

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