Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - generic discussion thread (NO SPOILERS)

[BW95]

The teacher wasn't that busty.

[Kikimaru]

Next episode, the real action will begin. I can't wait for it...

[anonfr]

Originally Posted by BW95

The teacher wasn't that busty.

Thank you, someone got my expectations up, now they're leveled. Time to go watch an episode~

Edit: Watched it. Does anyone else get the feeling that the teacher's animation is out of place? She just looks different.

I agree about the loli voice making her awkward.

[Flower]

Well, just finished the ep, and I have to say that the overall result for me is starting to mirror other adaptations of an immensely popular and rather extensive body of source material.... That is, I am beginning to become very interested to see how it is adapted: things like "Oho, they did this, eh? That's interesting." and "They cut out this but later emphasized it there." and "I didn't know that was like that."

In other words, I am beginning to become very interested to watch the minds of those doing the adaptation and what they chose and did not choose - a sort of expectation of 1=1 is no longer anywhere near in the picture in terms of immediate comparing. And I am just as interested to see what things they choose to adapt and what things they do not choose, what to spell out and what not to.

Hmm. I am having a hard time expressing myself here. Still, overall I think they are doing a fine job, and ep 4 was no exception for me. ^^

[BW95]

Originally Posted by Flower

Well, just finished the ep, and I have to say that the overall result for me is starting to mirror other adaptations of an immensely popular and rather extensive body of source material.... That is, I am beginning to become very interested to see how it is adapted: things like "Oho, they did this, eh? That's interesting." and "They cut out this but later emphasized it there." and "I didn't know that was like that."

In other words, I am beginning to become very interested to watch the minds of those doing the adaptation and what they chose and did not choose - a sort of expectation of 1=1 is no longer anywhere near in the picture in terms of immediate comparing. And I am just as interested to see what things they choose to adapt and what things they do not choose, what to spell out and what not to.

Hmm. I am having a hard time expressing myself here. Still, overall I think they are doing a fine job, and ep 4 was no exception for me. ^^

I agree. On another note, breaking news! Our siblings are Yotsuba! They changed the ending to a sentimental one, but it was definitely an improvement.

[MCAL]

It looks like they really slowed down this episode. Though the exposition felt more natural than the first three episode.

[Wandering Soul]

This episode's pacing was real slow but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It gave us some info dump and a nice moment at the end. Although I do wonder why they choose some of the translation that they do. For example how is Mari saying verbual abuse considered unlady like? Really wonder why the chose to say it that way.

[Faerie]

I liked that they used the slot normally used for the ending to actually put in a little more of the actual story. That was nice, shows should do that more often- especially when the ending isn't so catchy or interesting that you want to listen to it. It's just a wasted minute and a half, most of the time.

As for the episode itself, I don't have much positive to say... I found it oddly irritating for some reason. The animation was stiff and awkward in places (particularly visible in Miyuki's gestures towards the end of the episode. It looked wooden, a bit out of proportion and unnatural, jerky almost). I'm not normally someone who notices awkward animation, but this stood out to me.
The teacher, also, didn't fit. She looked out of place, and given that supposedly there's a high standard of modesty in dress, it was awkward as heck. Yes, the teacher of all people decided to have her huge boobs hanging out and wear a mini skirt, just so we could squeeze in some really out of place fanservice. Awkward.
Miyuki's jelliness is just annoying now, especially if it happens every couple of seconds. We get it. She's purrrrrrrfect and super powerful and the pwettiest and she wuvs her oniisama. Yawn.
Tatsuya is also starting to grate. I'm starting to see where the Gary Stu accusations come from now.
Edit: as others have said, I also find the characters very forced and artificial.

Some interesting stuff was hinted at- the info dump portion of the episode was good, but overall this was very slow and tedious for me. Definitely the worst episode so far. Here's hoping that we're done with setting the scene now and can dive into the good parts.

[The Green One]

About the counselor's outfit. The counselor was doing a psychological evaluation on Tatsuya, hence the questioning. She deliberately wore an obviously provocative outfit, especially for this society's conservative dressing, as a method to distract and lower the mental guard of her subject to be able to extract information more easily. Tatsuya's comment about her outfit was his way of telling her "I know what you're doing and I'm not falling for it." which is why she reacted like she did.

Edit: Ah, I was ninjaed.

[Anh_Minh]

I feel the correlation between "feels the situation is unfair and wants change in the way low level magicians and non-magicians are treated" and "terrorist manipulated by a foreign power" is less strong in the anime than in the novel. Which is good, because I really didn't like that bit.

[ReaperxKingx]

Originally Posted by BW95

The teacher wasn't that busty.

??? I guess when it comes to anime standards, its not. All things considering, each of those breasts are scaled up to size of her head?

[Death Usagi]

Tatsuya just seems to attract all the ladies

But he only belongs to Miyuki and her alone! (Or else we'd see an Ayase Mk. II)

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by The Green One

About the counselor's outfit. The counselor was doing a psychological evaluation on Tatsuya, hence the questioning. She deliberately wore an obviously provocative outfit, especially for this society's conservative dressing, as a method to distract and lower the mental guard of her subject to be able to extract information more easily. Tatsuya's comment about her outfit was his way of telling her "I know what you're doing and I'm not falling for it." which is why she reacted like she did.

That scene could have been done better. What you mentioned was obvious in the LN. No complaints on the episode otherwise.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I thought ep4 was wonderful. Rich in characterization and rich in setting up hints for future developments. But for me, it is the siblings who make the show. Tatsuya may be one of my favorite MCs ever. I love his even temper and enormous but not infinite strength. And I love his sensitivity and intelligence: both purely intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence. And Miyuki is, of course, a goddess, with her enormous power, devotion, humility and emotionality.

Their friends and associates must feel as if they are living with a pair of leopards, stalking around, whipping their tails, occasionally revealing their dangerous power. When Tatsuya puts his hand on Miyuki's head, I feel her feelings: calm and safe and loved and full of pleasure. He keeps saying their mutual signs of affection are a joke, but they definitely are not. The sense I get, however, is that this love is higher and deeper than anything like simple romance or incest. We'll see how they and their relationship evolve.

[XFire]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I feel the correlation between "feels the situation is unfair and wants change in the way low level magicians and non-magicians are treated" and "terrorist manipulated by a foreign power" is less strong in the anime than in the novel. Which is good, because I really didn't like that bit.

Actually, that was the only part that made the whole thing make sense to me. I mean, the "discrimination" here is based on how much someone can do. It's like complaining that students who get sports scholarships are treated differently. They are, because of what is expected of them. It's a ridiculous argument in the first place.

[The Green One]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

That scene could have been done better. What you mentioned was obvious in the LN. No complaints on the episode otherwise.

All the components to explain the scene are in the scene itself, they just may be a bit subtle. My explanation is just to clarify for those who may not of understood on the first viewing. I feel the scene was done well enough in an anime's more limited medium.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by XFire

Actually, that was the only part that made the whole thing make sense to me. I mean, the "discrimination" here is based on how much someone can do. It's like complaining that students who get sports scholarships are treated differently. They are, because of what is expected of them. It's a ridiculous argument in the first place.

It depends. It's one thing to say "the ones who can do more, get paid more". It's another to, say, condone Morikawa's behavior. Or other, more subtle forms of discrimination, like the uniforms, which serve no true purpose.

Note that Mibu didn't protest the fact that Course 2 students didn't get teachers (even though the argument that those who struggle are the ones who need guidance could be made).

Even if they're wrong, even if, like everyone, they're mostly concerned with themselves and their own problems, the "downtrodden" can still have real grievances. They're not all manipulated terrorists.

[Random Wanderer]

WTF, not only does the guy get off with effectively a slap on the wrist, but the entire club gets away completely free with attacking a member of the Discipline Committee simply because they've decided that the rules don't have to apply to them? And they did it right in the middle of a festival intended to showcase the school? What the hell sort of example does that set? The whole damn club needs to be suspended until such point that they can prove that they have the self discipline to justify being members.

Actually, that was the only part that made the whole thing make sense to me. I mean, the "discrimination" here is based on how much someone can do. It's like complaining that students who get sports scholarships are treated differently. They are, because of what is expected of them. It's a ridiculous argument in the first place.

So the people who are put in better positions are qualified for better positions. I'd like to point out that guy in the kenjutsu club, who seems to think being in said better position justifies murdering someone in a lower position, as if people in lower positions aren't even human. That is a far more serious issue than the matter of who gets what job.

[The Green One]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

WTF, not only does the guy get off with effectively a slap on the wrist, but the entire club gets away completely free with attacking a member of the Discipline Committee simply because they've decided that the rules don't have to apply to them? And they did it right in the middle of a festival intended to showcase the school? What the hell sort of example does that set? The whole damn club needs to be suspended until such point that they can prove that they have the self discipline to justify being members.



So the people who are put in better positions are qualified for better positions. I'd like to point out that guy in the kenjutsu club, who seems to think being in said better position justifies murdering someone in a lower position, as if people in lower positions aren't even human. That is a far more s erious issue than the matter of who gets what job.

The disciplinary committee does not go out looking to hand out punishments. They're here to keep the peace in the school and stop abuse of magic. Kirihara activated magic that's capable of causing lethal damage which is what prompted Tatusya to intervene instead of continuing to watch the initially non lethal and non magical altercation. If Tatsuya felt the need to call a stretcher for Kirihara after disabling him, I'd say he suffered significant damage, perhaps even a broken bone. That's hardly getting off easy.

If Kirihara had actually managed to wound Mibu or potentially worse he would be no doubt facing expulsion. If he has any shred of reason at all this is no doubt obvious to him after he calmed down after being apprehended. No doubt the school staff and the student council/disciplinary committee made this quite clear when they questioned him in the infirmary. Even a suspension could have serious repercussions to his future career. No doubt he had this clearly spelled out to him as well.

If the lesson is still clearly learned through the threat of potential punishment after receiving a no doubt VERY stern warning, then the point is still gotten across to Kirihara without needing to potentially destroy his career and Mibu was able to get away without actual injury and Tatsuya completed his job successfully.

Now how Mibu and Kirihara end up going forward from this incident remains to be seen, but I don't think the absence of official punishment doesn't mean that there was no punishment at all.

As for the other club members who attacked Tatsuya, he didn't take any of them in as they only physically attacked him which he didn't even fight back against but just evaded their strikes. When he was questioned if "Did anyone else use magic?" he mentally flashed back to when he disrupted the spells of attacking members as he intentionally bent the rules and chose not to reveal this. Loophole abuse calling magic casting that was interrupted and dispelled not actual use of magic. Which is just my interpretation from watching the scene. Tatsuya choose this course of action himself and it does not necessarily reflect the committee's rules on this.

[Kakurin]

After the action of the last episode we get a slow-paced one this time, with a big chunk of info dump. Tatsuya and Miyuki trolling the others was pretty funny and all in all I have to say I think it's enjoyable how Tatsuya is practically able of talking anybody into a situation with the same expression. No matter whether it's Mibu or Mayumi. Loved Erika, Mayumi or Mari's reactions in those situations.

I was slightly surprised that the directors made no effort to hide the fact that the Egalite guy who tried to attack Tatsuya was the kendo club's president. On the other hand, it would have been clear like that anyway with the way he has been portrayed in his few appearances. As some others have said, the voice of Ono-sense was kind of unfitting, at least that's what I think. Sounded too soft and almost loli-like for her appearance and role.

Last but not least, so Tatsuya and Miyuki are of the Yotsuba clan? Explains their situation, as well as Miyuki's incredible power. The question now is why are they trying to conceal their identity. A call-out goes to garbage for noticing the Shiba name connection with Four Leaves. Good job. Yotsuba in kanji is indeed written as 四葉.

Originally Posted by garbage

well we got a mysterious genius unknown engineer at Four leaves Technology named Taurus Silver....
Tatsuya Shiba.... hmm coincidence? and yeah that high tech set up in his room...

also their family name Shiba is written in kanji as 司波
but Shiba can also be written

SHI = し = 四 > kanji for Four
BA = ば = 葉 > kanji for leaves

FLT anyone?.. Hmm maybe just over thinking things.. ahehe