The Ubiquitous What Are You Watching Thread?

Monday previewed K-ON! with the Freshman Reception episode. Ritsu has a weird taste when it comes to titling songs: "My Love Is A Stapler"
Yui is excited that younger sis Ui is going to be attending the same school so wants to make sure she
tries out for the Light Music Club. And then the scene where they all find out, except poor Mio, that
they'll be in the same class. I mean haven't we all felt like Mio when we're in a new class/school/town
and don't know anybody.
I really enjoyed it except right where Azusa(?) comes in to join the club everything started to go
wonky. It lasted for only a minute or so but afterwards I checked to make sure it wasn't the machine and the disc. Turned out there was a bit of a scratch on the disc but it was still playable.
I checked the other two discs and disc 1 had the same thing but to a lesser extent and disc 3
didn't.
I already contacted Rightstuf about it.
Though since the rest of the disc...from what I saw...played perfectly I don't think this is anything
to worry about at the moment. As I told Rightstuf I would contact them once I began watching
if I find any more problems.
I don't see any reason to replace it just for one part of one scene in one episode.

Tuesday episode 15 of SuzukaStuck in Hiroshima and without much money Yamato decides to call home and tells Suzuka his dad can lend him the money to give to her so she can stay at a hotel
overnight while he goes home.
But when Yamato's dad comes he poo poos the idea and invites Suzuka to spend the night with the family calling his son an idiot for even suggesting she stay at a hotel.
Yamato's family is very nice to Suzuka with his sister even lending her clothes to wear.
Yamato talks to Honoka on the phone and tells her that they'll be back in the morning. This makes
Suzuka jealous again and she asks if they can stay one more night so they can see the fireflies.
The next night Yamato takes her where the fireflies are supposed to be but they don't see any
for awhile. Then he shows her a bellflower and puts the lightning bug he finds in it and shows her
how he would ask the girl he likes out.
He is surprised when she seriously responds with a "Yes!" but later to hide her true feelings make
like she was joking..

Wed. episode 17 of Akame Ga Kill and the most shocking ending since Scheele was killed by
Seryu. This episode showed a bit more of Chelsea's background and also gave Korume amd Akame's
backstory. It also revealed that Korume's 'sweets' were more than snacks for her.
AFAIG with Chelsea the shocking part was not how she died but what the empire did to her afterwards by putting her head on the pike in the public square as a warning.
Bols also dies in the episode,which was too bad since we never get to see his face and he seemed to be overall a nice guy (yeah as Chelsea points out he did participate in a lot of evil as a member of the Empire which is why he had to die).
I loved the flashback scene showing the Jaegers eating together as it showed that Esdeath wanted them to be a family like Night Raid.

The Akakill minisode was Lubbock trying to convince the others that a lame haunted house
was really scary,but no one was convinced...

Th. episode 19 of NOIR Mirielle and Kirika learn about the only copy of the book that
has clues to NOIR is hidden in Austria but when they arrive at the location the old man who
owned it tells them his private library with everything in it was burnt.
They search it anyway and are met by Chloe who recites a part of the book. As she does they're attacked.
After Mirielle is struck down in hand to hand fighting she watched unnerved as Kirika and
Chloe keep attacking without regard to their own safety.
Afterwards Chloe and Kirika start to repeat the litany at the beginning of NOIR but Mirielle
calls out Kirika's name before they get to the end and she looks around stunned.

Looks like next week we finally start to get to the truth behind Kirika.

Friday episode 10 of AD Police after a near disaster Kenji is temporarily relieved of duty.
He runs into Kyoko and asks depressed how anyone can tell the difference between what's real and what's fake. She plays two notes on her violin one really good and one really bad and challenges him
to see if he can make out which was the fake one.
Then she eases his depression by playing for him.
At that moment a call comes in that Liam as been spotted at the airport and Kenji rushes off.
Liam threatens the AD Police but also says he doesn't want to harm anyone but that he's under
Mason's orders.
Before the plane can take off Kenji shoots out the electronics system.
A Genom exrc arrives to take charge of the situation and it turns out to be Saotomi.
She kisses Hans and tells him she really does love him...

Saturday episode 3 of xxxHOLIC Himiwari comes to Yuko to solve a problem that a friend of hers told her about. Girls at her friend's school have gotten involved in a game called "Angel"
but as a result they believe the school has become haunted.
Yuko sends Watanuki with Doumeki to check it out (even though 1. Watanuki can't stand Doumeki and 2. Doumeki can't sense spirits.) When they enter the schoolyard Watanuki smells something really rancid and notices a spirit surrounding the school.
Heading toward the roof Watanuki sees three girls crying (but Doumeki can't any only hears
Watanuki talking to himself a sign that the girls are actually spirits).
Before Yuko can warm him Watanuki tries to help the girls only to find it a trap(fortunately Doumeki
is able to help him before he falls to the ground). Then the snake spirit that was engulfing the school attacks the other one and eats it up. With Yuko's help Watanuki is able to destroy the snake spirit.

Comment: Not only do Watanuki and Yuko wear copies of Chi's ears from Chobits but
Yuko's two assistants read from Chi's book A City With No-One In It in this episode.

Sunday episode 15 of Kiddy Grade ok I was wrong about the ending of episode 14, those weren't clones but Eclair and Lumiere. I think the clothes and shades drew me off. Anyways
they attack GOTT HQ but Chief Eclipse is expecting it and has the remaining ES members on stand by.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum chase Eclair(giving oppurtunity for a lot more Eclair fanservice! )
But she is able to evade or counter just about everything they throw at her. This prompts Tweedledee to state that Eclair has regained her memories of being the strongest member of the
ES.
Lumiere in the meantime is being chased by Viola and her partner and gets passed them only to
find the finish line covered by Darver and Alv.
Eclair makes it through to Lumiere and finds the injured Lumiere only be confronted by Alv.
In the end though they arrive at Chief Eclipse's office thus fulfilling their destinies one more time.
Eclair raises her side arm and tells Chief Eclipse:" I am no longer anyone's puppet!" and shoots.
The blast sends Chief Eclipse out of the office.
On the ground Tweedledum states that: "So, this is the end."
to which his sister,Tweedledee replies: "No, it's the beginning of a new chapter."

Monday watched the live action Aeon Flux movie.

Tuesday episode 16 of Suzuka, it appears that the news of Yamato kissing Honoka has spread.
Suzuka is still feeling pissed at Yamato's behavior. Later at night because Ayano's gone Yamato decides to go to a convenience store and buy some bento for dinner but Honoka shows up with groceries and fixes him dinner.
He decides the time is ripe to go further and tosses her on the bed and tries to make out, but she
runs out.
Next day at practice she doesn't show up.
Yamato goes to her family shrine to apologize.

Wed. episode 18 of Akame Ga Kill Night Raid reached its destination and splits up.
Tatsumi and Mine are teamed up to scout one part of the city. Mine complains that they can't do any
shopping on this mission to which Tatsumi reminds her of the last time she combined shopping with scouting!
Akame is alone outside of the city when she is confronted by one of Minister Honest's Demons who turns out to be an old acquaitance from assissin school. They fight and he seems to get the upper hand but she allows him to grab her sword. He mocks her but the sword reacts and she tells him
that it has rejected him. After he dies she tells him he was fortunate that he hadn't committed any
serious sins.
Lubbock is supposed to meet their contact but finds her being attacked by another of the Demons.
He steps in and intervenes but a second Demon arrives and it's a one on two battle.It looks like they have the upper hand,but Lubbock tells them he actually succeeded in what he wanted to do since the spy was able to escape. He then uses his Imperial Arms as a spear to act like a lance and
manages to kill the male demon. The female (which he flirts which...natch...) uses her ability to melt his defense shield but he has another trick up his sleeve as he has been using it to send knives around to attack her in the rear. In the end he apologies to her dead body because she was so cute looking.
Tatsumi and Mine make it to the rendezvous area and meet up with the leader of the religion.
He thinks they're a couple because of the way they argue! ....
Next week it looks like Mine finally gets her revenge on Saryu for Scheele's death!
(Also can't wait to see the reaction of Saryu when she realizes Tatsumi is in fact Night Raid...)

Th. episode 20 of NOIR. Mirielle and Kirika are trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
At the same time a Soldats council is meeting and they decide that Altena has gone to far because she wants to revive a ceremony that will make her the new High Priestess of Les Soldats. Some how
this involves Chloe and Kirika becoming the True Noir.
After re-telling the beginnings of Les Soldats to Chloe Altena sends her off again the next day to
finalize Kirika's induction. Meanwhile the council members decide to send out their deadly Knights of
Paris to deal with Mirielle and Kirika.
That night they are attacked and barely fend off their attackers.
Afterwards Chloe arrives and congraduates them on overcoming their latest obstacle.
She then asks Kirika to give her her gun.
Kirika does so in an hypnotic trance and before Mirielle can do anything, Chloe shoots Kirika point blank.
Kirika begins to fall but her memories appear to be unlocked as she remembers shooting Mirielle's
family as a young child...

Friday episode 11 of AD Police Liam manages to escape capture but the squad forces him down over a floating nuclear plant. Hans decides to go into the central control room after him hitting
Kenji over the head so he won't follow.
He's barely able to stop Liam who has already started a melt down. But during the fight Liam changes into a full fledge Boomer.
Hans is able to stop the melt down before it gets critical.
Later he asks Kenji when he knew he was a Boomer,to which Kenji tells him what Kyoko had said.
Meanwhile Mason is lying in an operating room looking weak and dying when a crate is rolled in.
Upon opening it a canister is revealed with a man who looks like Hans...

Saturday episode 4 of xxxHOLIC Yuko takes Watanuki to a fortuneteller. It's a rather nice
house and the maid serves them tea while they wait. The fortuneteller is a young attractive woman
who thinks Mokona is a cute plushie doll.
After giving some vague readings Yuko thanks her and they leave.
She tells Watanuki they went there so he would know the difference between a real and a fake
fortuneteller, but when he objects she couldn't have been a fake,Yuko tells him about the method
of cold reading she was using.
She takes a handkerchief and it turns into a butterfly.
They follow it until it lands near a non-descript house. A old woman tells Yuko she was waiting for them and remarks about Mokona that makes it happy.
In the house she has Watanuki tell about himself as a device traces the form of a butterfly.
Yuko asks about the weather and the older woman says it's going to rain but after that get
better.
Watanuki comes away from the expierence astonished...

Sunday episode 16 of Kiddy Grade the first part of the episode deal with before
the series actually begins. It shows Eclair recovering from some sort of facial surgery and not
knowing who or what anything is. Lumiere takes her in hand and helps her. The second half deals with Armblaster's report to his superior about the events that lead up to episode 15. It's revealed that after the "death" of Eclipse a new chief was named and it turns out it was Eclair!
Twelve new ES members have been chosen as well.
Later the superior sends a copy of Chevalier...

Comments:1) I put death in quotes when talking about Eclipse since as you know she is quite alive and well by the series end. So either Eclipse faked her death or recordings that Armblaster claim weren't tampered with were in fact.
2) I think in either case by the end of episode 14 or earlier Eclair and Lumiere may have been secretly working with Chief Eclipse. The events of Episode 15 may have been a charade for the benefit of any spies.
3) While they aren't shown it's quite certain the new recruits are in fact the Lumiere and Eclair
clones just by the look of their legs!
4)Finally interesting isn't it that it's ECLAIR of all people who was made the new chief...wither Chevalier worked behind the scenes to make it happen or Eclipse pulled strings.
Again a sign that she's playing a rather deep endgame against her bosses among the Noblesse.

Azumanga Daioh! on Monday. I saw the mini-movie dubbed and then episode 24 raw. Episode 24
centered around Yaamamaaya's return.

Tuesday episode 17 of Suzuka. One day after practice as Honoka and Yamato are walking home they come across an ad for the J'Pop Idol Nana's latest hit solo. As they talk it turns out that Yamato as never heard of her before. They go to a coffee shop to talk and Honoka calls a friend ,who she says wants to meet him.
The friend turns out to be Nana herself!
But because everyone in the coffee shop is gawking at them she suggests they go somewhere more private.
It ends up to be a karaoke palace.
As they talk Honoka gets embarrassed and leaves giving Nana a chance to tell Yamato how they became friends. It turns out she was beginning her rise to stardom in Jr.High,so everyone treated her
with kid gloves.
One day she got so frustrated she was going to light up in front of a shrine but the shrine priestess scolded her not knowing who she was and they got into an argument. Of course the priestess was
Honoka and because she treated Nana like any other person they became fast friends.
She encourages Yamato to sing and at the same time Suzuka and Miki are walking down the hall.
Miki says it sounds like Yamato but Suzuka says he only knows songs about baseball.
Then they see him through the open door with Nana and Suzuka gets irate because she thinks he's two timing poor Honoka!
When they find out the truth she apologizes. By now Honoka is back and they are invited to join in.
At one point both Suzuka and Yamato pick the same song.
Later Nana and Yamato walk Honoka home.
Nana says she will take a taxi, but as she and Yamato leave she scolds him because he is trying too hard to be a perfect boyfriend but knows next to nothing about Honoka!...

Wed. watched episode 19 of Akame ga Kill. Yeppers, the episode that has been long anticipated since Seryu killed Scheele. And so Mine finally gets her revenge. I think the problem with Seryu (aside from being psychotic) is that she talks too much. She starts to gloat about killing Scheele and feeding
Chelsea's dead body to Koro,and that's enough to fuel all the ammo Mine needed to take her down,
or as she tells Seryu: "Pumpkin is fueled by intense emotions..."
In other words Seryu bragging about what she did to both Scheele and Chelsea simply pissed Mine off to the extant that she went nuclear on her.
In a sense I'm glad it wasn't Tatsumi who had to take down Seryu since I really don't think he could have had what it takes to take down someone he could have considered a friend. Actually I think it's rather tough on Tatsumi to take down any of the Jaegers since he spent enough time with them to get to know them.
I think he would have an especial problem with fighting Wave since the two of them seemed to have become close in Tatsumi's short time with the Jaegers.
But that's just my opinion.

Th. episode 21 of NOIR With Kirika's memories finally revived it's revealed by Chloe why Mirielle's family was ordered eliminated by Soldats: they were supposed to have handed her over to them when she was born but refused to do so.
It's interesting also in Kirika's memories that not were she and Mirielle involved but also Chloe,
as we see a young Chloe looking from behind a door as Kirika shoots Mirielle's parents.
So it looks like the three of them were connected from the very outset.
Later after Kirika survives an ambush in a cemetery she begs Mirielle to kill her then and there.
Mirielle refuses and says the next time they meet she'll do it...

Also watched the Kotono Misthuishi and Aya Hisakawa interviews. The latter was interesting in that
apparently she and Houko Kawashima had become friends during the filming. She also mentioned
how unusual it was that most of the production staff and all four main characters were women.

Friday episode 12 of AD Police, Hans is revealed to be a Boomer and dies fighting the Genom
Crop. Chairman. Everyone including Kyoko and Saotomi show up for his funeral.

Saturday episode 5 of xxxHolic Watanuki meets a fox spirit who runs a food cart. Later he and
Monoka play a letter game when returning the empties to chase away the spirits.

Sunday episode 17 of Kiddy Grade "Will The Real Eclair and Lumiere Please Stand Up?" should be the name of this episode since throughout it various red herrings as to which is the real pair.
The ones we think were them turn out to be Alv and Dverger.

P.S. the real Eclair and Lumiere are the ones on the airbike...right?

UFO Princess Valkyrie on Monday night. The girls go out to rescue Takuto from the Valkyrie
Ghost. This was a pretty tender and melancholic one as little Val was pretty low after Valkyire Ghost
took him away.
Also watched the Chorus music video.

Tuesday episode 18 of Suzuka. Yamato tries really hard in this one to be a good boyfriend for
Honoka and get her a present. He even has Suzuka help her pick one out. Then Saotomi blabs the whole thing to Honoka about the present so she's not surprised. But she tells Yamato about knowing and the idiot of course has to hurt her feelings by going into detail about how he and Suzuka got
it for her. And that was after Suzuka gave him the lecture about not saying too much!
And so next episode is aptly called: Break up.

Also I noticed when looking at the end credits that Colleen Clickenbeard plays Saotomi in the dub.
Figures!

Wed. watched episode 20 of Akame ga Kill RIP Lubbock never going to get his wish now of being
Najenda's boyfriend. This also shows that while Seyru may be a little psycho, she's nothing in comparison to PM Honest and his son Syaru. I mean those two are pure evil. Seryu on the other
was suffering from a warped sense of justice ala Light in Death Note.
The episode ends with Tatsumi in prison and Esdeath volunteering to "torture" him (meaning she's
gonna do anything it takes to save him.)
btw: I've begun to like the Jaegers as much as I like Night Raid...too bad they're on opposites sides.

Th. episode 22 of NOIRKirika begins her journey to the manor. She arrives at the Soldats village that guards the entrance way. However the other faction has sent in men to take out the village and capture her. She gets out in time,but everyone she has met is killed or wounded in the
battle.
So the final arc has begun...

Friday episode 5 of Bubblegum Crisis, this is the one featuring the female Boomers who escape the space station and Priss befriends one of the survivors. Sad part was they only wanted to
be able to be treated as human.

Saturday episode 6 of xxxHolic, this was centered around a client of Yuko's who can't stop
her obsession with the internet. Yuko forcefully breaks her of the habit, for the time being.

Sunday episode 18 of Kiddy Grade, so the two masked girls were Eclair and Lumiere.
"I'm Eclaire. Hi! there!"
"I'm Lumiere."
"We're your originals."
The Eclair Clone tried to keep from falling back under the command of Alv/Eclair throughout the
episode.

So...when the switch took place it must've been right before "Eclair" (i.e. Alv/Eclair) shot Chief
Eclipse through the window which would explain why she did it.
I'm still wondering when they're going to reveal Chief Eclipse alive and well( I also still think that
Eclair and Lumiere have been working for her secretly... )

Monday watched episode 9 of Chobits raw. Chi goes shopping and buys some porn magazines for Hideki, while she's in the book store she finds a copy of A City With No-one and gets that
as well. Later on Hideki learns of the urban myth about Chobits and wonders if Chi could be one.

Tuesday episode 19 of Suzuka to be short and blunt about it Yamato pisses off nearly all the female characters that appear in this episode with the exceptions of Nana and his Aunt Ayano and
cousin Miho!...though Megumi seemed to be pissed off on men in general (tbh she was drunk at the time).
Honoka and Yamato break up but she calms down enough to accept his gift.
Suzuka is pissed because he hurt Honoka's feelings; Saotome gives him a bit of a lecture on why
he's such an idiot. In all a bad time for Yamato girlwise.

Wed. episode 21 of Akame ga Kill, Esdeath tries to make Tatsumi repent but he's adamant even after she says he doesn't have to give away where his friends are hiding. Then Night Raid arrives and
Budo vs. Mine while Akame goes after Incursio's sword for Tatsumi.
Esdeath battles Najenda and Susano.
Akame manages to find Incursio and releases Tatsumi just in time to save Mine from falling after she defeats General Budo.
Back at the Jaegers HQ Wave wonders why Esdeath wants to kill Tatsumi if she loves him.
Korume,still recovering, explains that it's the same reason why she wants to kill her older sister:
"Because I love her."
The rest of Night Raid retreat leaving Susano to cover for them as he finishes his battle with
Esdeath. She compliments him by saying he doesn't fight like a Imperial Arms but like a Warrior
before she kills him.
The Akakill minisode had Tatsumi finding Akame wearing a crane costume and helping her; later as he talks with Lubbock a knock on the door but instead of the crane it's Esdeath!

Th. episode 23 of NOIR as Kirika finally makes it to the Manor, Mirielle gets an offer she easily refuses even though it comes with an explicit threat from the Soldats. She realizes they have put her in a bind: if she accepts and carries out their request to kill Altena they'll kill her afterwards;
if she rejects they'll kill her anyway.
In the end she decides to go to the Manor any way, but for her own reasons.
Her contact with the Soldats then says he will provide her with the necessary information on how to get there.

Friday episode 6 of Bubblegum Crisis and the Knight Sabers are framed for a series of
heists.

Saturday episode 7 of xxxHolic Yuko helps a water sprite.

Sunday episode 19 of Kiddy Grade Chief Eclipse returns and Alv and Dverger get their
comeuppance!

hmmm....sooo...the reason behind the clones was basically Alv and Dverger needed their combined
powers to keep their impersonations of Eclair and Lumiere going...

Monday watched Love Hina raw. Naru learns that being an idol isn't all that it's cracked up to be as she is hauled from place to place by her eager new manager. In the mean time Keitaro is getting jealous of all the attention she's getting and the fact that he know longer gets to see her all the time at the Hinata Apartments.
Naru decides at last to run away from the music business and disguises herself so she and Keitaro can go out together; but when she's discovered missing poor Shinubo and Motoko are drafted as her
replacements as: "Sword and Flower".
Eventually Naru loses her job and every one is happy again!
Oh!...yeah a couple of patented Naru's Fist o' Fury scenes!

Tuesday episode 20 of Suzuka Honoka is still down because of the break up with Yamato and doesn't report to the track team the next day.Instead she has a long talk with Nana about it.
In the meantime everyone is pissed at Yamato because he broke up with her which means of course no manager!
The talk with Nana does some good because Honoka returns to work the next day and is even
friendly with Yamato again.
Suzuka tells Miki that Yamato was an idiot to hurt Honoka's feelings the way he did.
Miki decides to talk to Yamato and cons him into treating her to dinner after practice.
On the walk home after eating Yamato confesses he's been feeling miserable ever since the break up.Miki tries to cheer him up and then says he ought to treat her to desert on the way home,but he
protests he already treated her to dinner...

Wed. episode 22 of Akame ga Kill The sisters finally have their battle to the death. Before
though they meet at the ruins of their old orphanage to talk over old times, just like any other pair of sisters who haven't seen each other for a long time.
Kurome attacks with her 'dolls' and Akame has a hard time defending. Then one of the monsters attacks and the girls have to team up to defeat it. They agree it's like old times but go back to
trying to kill each other again.
Then Wave interferes with it because he doesn't want to see Kurome injured any more; but
Tatsumi intervenes and Wave is pissed because he doesn't want to battle him.
But Tatsumi explains to him that the whole thing is about emotions and stuff and even Kurome
is surprised.
In the end Akame defeats Kurome and Wave carries off her injured body, barely alive.
Akame complains that Tatsumi was ordered not to come; but he reminds her he was allowed to
look after an injured team mate.
At that she collapses on to his chest and weeps openly for the first time.
The Agakill/b] minisode was an interview with Kurome and Akame...

Note: this is the first time when we actually see Akame being overly emotional,usually she's even
icier than Esdeath.

Th. episode 24 of [b]NOIR, With the arrival of Kirika at the Manor the preparations for the final
Ritual begin. She and Chloe are pitted in a number of duels while Altena sees to her guests.
Altena reveals to Kirika that when she was little she spent some time at the Manor; Chloe even
tells her that at one point they were roommates.
Kirika is still pissed at Mirielle for not killing her and when Chloe mentions her coming, Kirika
rejects the idea.
The Councilors with Altena state that every thing should go according to plan and their agenda of
restoring the old Soldats shouldn't have any problems: unless there is some sudden interference!
And interference is on it's way in the form of The Corsican Sapling aka MIRIELLE!

Note: By this point it should be obvious that Altena must be insane.

Friday episode 7 of Bubblegum Crisis an American pop singer arrives in Tokyo for a
concert tour but in reality she has a hidden agenda---find the man who was responsible for her
sister's death and bring him to justice.
The Knights Saber wind up getting involved.

Saturday episode 8 of xxxHOLIC a student teacher visits Yuko in the midst of spring cleaning her
warehouse and takes an object even though Yuko warns her not to open it. It turns out to be a fabled cursed Monkey's Paw. Everything the woman wishes for comes true, but with a deadly cost!

Sunday episode 20 of Kiddy Grade Lumiere has a reaction to her new body and is comatose.
During this period we see the origins of Eclair and Lumiere before the GOTT or ES or even Eclipse.
They were two street urchins trying to survive in a war torn world.

Notes: 1) Lumiere is really pissed when she finds out that Eclair used all the "grape juice" she had
saved for a special occasion in order to revive her.
2) The origin montage would have made for a pretty interesting series in and of itself,especially their first encounter with Eclipse: "So the Quant's a woman!" (Eclair on their
first encounter.)
3) This episode suggests the two may actually be even older than supposed.

Sent in my order for School Live! today.

Monday watched Record of Lodoss War Parn's group is in a race with Ashram's to see who can reach the Dragon Scepter first. Ashram wins and is about to grab the scepter when it is taken from him.
Parn and Ashram's groups end up in a fight. Back at camp the dragon starts to attack but is drawn off by the Scepter.
The cavern everyone is in starts to fall apart; Priotess tries to protect Ashram and they both
end up falling into the chasm.
Parn, Deedlit and company barely make it out.
Note: Deedlit is played by Toma Yumi. I knew she was in Tenchi but forgot which one she played (Tokimi).She's also Urd in Ah!My Goddess.

Tuesday episode 21 of Suzuka and so down to the home stretch which is apropo about a series that centers around track and field!
Suzuka is still pissed at Yamato for lying to her and won't talk to him.
This draws his concentration off and other members of the track team are pissed because he keeps dropping the baton in relay practice.
Mikki decides to help him after school with some more private practicing. After taking a break for
juice he admits he's upset about lying to Suzuka. Mikki tells him not to worry she'll speak to her.
Later when Yamato sees Suzuka walking home he tries to apologize but she just walks past.
He decides to do his laundry and Miho lectures him for taking his time; he thinks that she sounds too much like her mother.
At the laundry mat he meets Suzuka doing her own laundry. They sit together at the table reading
and not talking.Finally he offers her some food but she won't take it.
She tells him she wants him to go out; but he won't.
Finally she admits she's embarrassed by the fact she has her underwear in the laundry and doesn't
want to have him see it!
She also finally takes some of the snacks and they're able to talk a bit.
Later at home Yamato gets a call from Suzuka making up and he's so ecstatic that his below stairs neighbors yell at him to shut up!

Note: Not sure if it was Saotome and Megumi but I think it was.

Episode 23 of Akame ga Kill on Wed. night. The fight for the Capitol has begun.
While Najenda leads part of the Revolutionary Army,Tatsumi,Akame and Leone are sent into the palace
to find and kill their last target:Minister Honest.
Leone goes up against Run who tells her that he knows the Empire is corrupt but wanted to see if he could reform it from the inside.
Wave comes down from the hills.
Honest tells the Emperor it's time to use the Imperial Family's Imperial Arms, a huge mecha!
Wave and Tatsumi combine to try to bring the Emperor down.Wave states that he fights to help
protect the helpless but that the Emperor and Honest haven't been doing it.Instead they've only
been helping the rich and powerful.
Run and Leone join forces to protect the people from the falling debris.
Akame has finished fighting the rest of the Imperial Guard and joins them just as Tatsumi collapses
into her arms.
Esdeath arrives and says:"Tatsumi's dead."
Next week the finale and the epic battle(finally)between Akame and Esdeath.
The Akakillepisode had the rest of the cast appear and carry Tatsumi off with a bewildered
Akame looking on.

Th.episode 25 of NOIR with Mirielle finally making it to the manner,Kirika and Chloe (in the middle of preparations dor the final ritual)are shocked to see her. Kirika says she doesn't belong
and a running battle starts between the two of them.It goes all around the ruins into Mirielle
uses the pocket watch to lure Kirika out. Just as the two are in a standoff the music from the watch starts to play and Kirika returns to her true self.
It also brings back one final memory: Mirielle's mother begging Kirika just before she kills her to protect Mirielle.
The partners reunited is not a happy sight for Chloe who turns on both of them.
She attacks Mirielle saying she's spoiled everything; Kirika pleas with her to join them but she won't
listen.
Finally in order to protect Mirielle she is forced to kill Chloe.
In the Manor Altena sees a candle on a candle holder she's holding go out.
Mirielle tells Kirika that their job isn't over yet.
Next the finale and NOIR vs. Altena.

I also watched the NOR:The Unsoled Story pretty hilarious as it's done with sock puppets.
The target was Chris Patton and Chloe ends up stabbing Hilary Haag in the throat!
Of course from that point on she can't talk since Hilary Haag was her VA as Altena points out.

Friday finished what I have of Bubblegum Crisis OVAs with episode 8.
Nene winds up babysitting the Chief's niece not knowing that the girl is a wannabe photojournalist.
The girl is obsessed with discovering the true identities of the Knight Sabers; but when a picture
may expose Nene as one, things start to get out of control.
And then a terrorist using Boomers takes over AD Police HQ and Nene has to risk revealing her link to the Knight Sabers to save the girl...

Saturday episode 9 of xxxHOLIC a new client has a problem that Yuko and Watanuki have seen before but from a different cause. Watanuki and Doumeki follow her around town to discover
that she has several boyfriends. But she shows a different character to each one. Finally at a
theme park she is forced to face up to her behavior when all of the boyfriends show up.
Later when Watanuki questions Yuko about whether or not he has a soulmate out there she
teasingly says it's "Doumeki!"

Sunday episode 21 of Kiddy Grade the Deucalion is in its final preparations. Tweedledee and
Tweedledum are sent to bring the champagne for the occasion.
The Council votes Chevalier off as financial officer. Alv and Drvger arrive at his office to get a key
he holds but he refuses them.
Alv is frustrated because he's not there in person.
Lumiere and Eclair encounter Mercerdi and she encourages them to see Chief Eclipse who shows them what has been going on behind the scenes.
Chevalier hijacks the Deucalion...

Monday night I watched the Speed Racer movie. It wasn't as bad as some of the reviews that panned it would have you believe. John Goodman was especially great as Pops.The double twist toward the end: Racer X wasn't Rex Racer and then it's revealed he really was was a nice touch.
It does go rather fast once you get used to some of the more surreal aspects of the movie.

Tuesday episode 22 of Suzuka starts with Yamato still brooding on whether or not he should try to confess to Suzuka again. Fortunately he doesn't have the time to brood as it's time for his first race in the district meet.
He wins the race but gets chided for putting to much into it, as it will end up eating up his stamina for the semi-finals and the relay,which are yet to come.
The Captain and one of the others talk about Kazuki and how he would have been Captain if he had lived.They also talk about his relationship to Suzuka.
Yamato decides to be more like Kazuki and asks Suzuka for technical advice on his running but then tells her he should ask someone else since she's a high jumper and not a runner.
She's surprised by his sudden seriousness...

Wed. Akame ga Kill episode 24, finale. Esdeath and Akame go at it. This is the fight
that the series has been building up to and finally we get to see it.
Honest tries to escape but Leone stops him and bashes him to a literal pulp whilst he shoots her.
The Emperor shows he has a lot more sense than Honest and surrenders; when he knows he's
going to be executed he takes it pretty calmly and admits to Najenda that he has to pay for his
sins. He also asks that his be the last blood shed,which Najenda guarentees.
Later Run and Wave wonder if Esdeath is still chasing after Tatsumi in the after life.

Thoughts: Najenda must've worked behind the scenes to get Wave his new government appointment
as I can't think of any other way a former member of the Jaegers could get a job in the new
Revolutionary Government.
The dialogue between Wave and Run was really fun about how Esdeath was still of chasing Tatsumi and him still running away from her!
Leone is the last Night Raid member to die. But it comes after she kills Honest and in a more
quiet and dignified manner.
The Akakill minisode had all the main characters at a wrap party.
Esdeath complains because she winds up sitting with Najenda instead of Tatsumi!
Oh...and the finale shows how much more honorable and honest the kid Emperor could be without
Honest using him as his puppet. Too bad as he seems to have finally learned his lesson.

Th. episode 26 and finale of NOIR Kirika and Mirielle fight their way through the estate to the
Manor. There they do some more fighting to reach Altena.When they get to her they're shocked to
learn that she had already considered their action as part of the final test to become the True Noir.
But they reject what she has to say and chase her down into the depths of the Manor where they
come across her standing in front of an altar that will be where the final ritual begins.
She talks too much and Mirielle attacks but is shot by Altena.
Altena tempts Kirika to make a choice but she won't instead protects Mirielle and then surprises
Altena by leaping on to her.
They both fall into the pit.Mirielle grabs Kirika by the hand while Altena falls into the fire.
Later they come out greeted by the Soldats.
They walk off.
Mirielle:"Let's go have some tea."

Thoughts: So Altena had everything thought out including the possibility of Mirielle and Kirika
ending up as the True Noir.
It ends with the broken watch and the sound of gunfire.
Pretty good start for the Girls With Guns Trilogy.

Next week start Pilot Candidate and Celestial Method

Friday started my re-watch of Utakata episode 1. Ichika and her friends are assigned to
clean the old building next to the school. Ichika is scared when she sees another girl looking back at her in the old mirror she's cleaning.
Later,after they are celebrating the start of Summer break she realizes she left her phone behind.
When she gets back to the building she finds it but it's on the other side of the mirror! the girl in the mirror returns and promises to give it back to her, if Ichika will do a favor for her.
She agrees and the girl introduces herself as Manatsu.
Manatsu gives back the phone to Ichika who notices the charms that Sei and Kai had given her
have changed.
Then her outfit changes and there is a giant outside.
Manatsu introduces him as Sola, the Sun Djinn and reveals that Ichika now has the ability to see
the world as the Djinn do.
Later she gives Ichika a notebook claiming that she has to keep a record of her expierences for the
Summer for her. Ichika says she's just being lazy.
Manatsu comes home with Ichika who introduces her as a pen pal who wants to stay the Summer.
Her parents agree. Later as Ichika sleeps Manatsu gets up and kisses her forehead saying:
"I'm sorry I lied to you."

Saturday episode 10 of xxxHOLIC Watanuki is bummed because Himiwari is going to be gone during the Summer. Yuko suggests a group date with Doumeki,but Watanuki goes ballistic.
Doumeki agrees to the use of his family's shrine for the setting. Yuko suggests ghost stories.
They set up candles around the perimeter of the room and Himiwari goes first: her story involves
a man who accidentally kills his wife in a fit of anger. He tries to avoid telling his son but his son
doesn't act like anything is wrong and reveals that he can see his mother standing by his father.
Doumeki goes next: his story is one his grandfather told him about a student who rented a room but found out it was haunted.
Finally it's Watanuki's turn instead of a made up story he relates something that happened to him in elementary school.
One day at the corner where four streets met he saw a strange man walking past with an umberella.
The sight scared him and he ran into he came to a similiar intersection and the same man appeared.
He finally ran scared all the way home.
Yuko comments about the Japanese superstition of four crossroads being the way to the land of the dead.
Then there is a noise and the corpse in the next room begins to stir and tries to break in.
It tries to attack Watanuki but Yuko orders Doumeki to use his bow and he shoots a spiritual
arrow that kills it.
Later Yuko reveals that all three of them have something special about them but wont tell Watanuki
what's so special about Himiwari.

Sunday episode 22 of Kiddy Grade Chevalier hijacks the Deucalion and uses it to reveal the
Nouvelesse Conspiracy to the rest of the Galaxy' population. There is also a flashback revealing
the connection between him and Eclair (she was his nanny 50 years ago when he was an infant
and young boy).
Alv and Dverger burst in to take over the ship,Alv shoots both Dverger and Chevalier even though she knows Dverger is her own mother!.
Yeah...Alv's a real selfish bitch when it comes down to it.
Eclair and Lumiere arrive to arrest Chevalier,but he assures them that he would have welcomed them
aboard. Alv attacks using the ship's defense mechanism (now that she's been absorbed into the ship
itself she can use it as her own body)...

Monday watched Trigun it was the episode where Vash takes on two Gung-Ho guns at the same time. Later Meryl and Millie learn they are taken off the case.

Tuesday episode 23 of Suzuka. Yamato becomes more focused on beating Arima at the meet
and begins practicing harder. Suzuka warns him of the danger of over preparing and falling into
old habits. Meanwhile Honoka as an heart to heart talk about wanting to confess to Yamato again
with Nana.

Also yesterday got my copy of School Live!