July 2nd, Newsletter 172

Lucky Star
Mai-Otome
Darker Than Black
Black Cat
Fate/Stay Night
Murder Princess

Luck Star 13- With the New Yar having come and gone, the girls are now discussing what they did over New Year’s, including the types of food they had… and it turns out Kagami loves rice balls, but they don’t help out one’s figure. Also, fast-forward a month, and the girls are now discussing Valentine’s Day, including the tradition of giving chocolate (as Konata’s imagination goes wild with various scenarios for Kagami). A discussion on the upcoming tests for the future leads the girls to wonder what they’ll all become, especially with what will happen when it comes to Konata, considering her ways… and things finish off with Konata going to the store with the insane clerks, still trying to get her to buy something… and failing yet again.

Mai-Otome 19- Mashiro ends up being brought to the Aswald village, after being saved from a creature in the desert. She soon meets Arika, who has also been in the village. After catching up a bit, Mashiro then goes back to thinking about the dark truth, of just how hated she really was. We also see that Arika is rather popular among the villagers. Meanwhile, Nina is still serving under Nagi, and the smug bastard has complete control over all of Garderobe and Windbloom city, using the pretense of protecting the Otomes since they can’t use their own power. Another truth about the Otomes is learned: that the only way to produce the gemstones that the Otome use is to use the body of the original Otome herself. And on top of that, with this knowledge, Nagi’s henchmen John Smith has developed the technology to create Otome gems, which Nagi immediately orders Nina to give to all the students… but Sergay steps in, saying he’ll take the job instead. Back in the Aswald village, we learn of the curse that its residents have: due to a scientific disaster, all residents are plagued by a currently incurable disease; the leader of the rogues states she’s only 17, but the truth may be that it’s due to the technology that keeps her alive that she’s only ‘17’, and they continue to seek a cure, never knowing when the technology keeping them alive will fail.

Darker than Black 12- A team from PANDORA is sent into the gate, and all members of the team are attacked and killed by a Contractor… and it doesn’t seem to be coincidence that Nick is the only one who survived the encounter, something which Hei’s contact is concerned about. Especially when she later goes to Nick’s room, and finds him missing. Nick, in the meanwhile, has gone out, but security (as well as Hei) follows him out. Nick goes to a set of lockers where he’s confronted, but when security attempts to retrieve the item Nick was after… he makes his own move. Leave it to Hei to now come in, and the two quickly go into a battle against each other, as Nick flees with the Meteor Shard, Hei in pursuit. With both at a standstill, the shard kicks in, and Hei ends up seeing a girl (his sister), and Nick is able to get the upper hand. However, the shard goes further, and time gets rewound for Nick, and he seems to take off in a shuttle with his sister to the stars. When all clears, only Hei is left, Yin’s specter nearby. Afterwards, Hei meets the man who was always behind the scenes, and he says that all is complete, that Hei can leave, while his contact will have nothing done to her.

Black Cat 9- This time, the gang is on a sweep for another Taoist called Gianza… and two of Creed’s gang are also on the hunt for him. In fact, Train ends up running into one of them, Kyoko… and though she was going to take care of the pests around her, Train takes care of it instead, and Kyoko instantly falls for him… though Train keeps her from getting too close. They go their separate ways, and Kyoko’s partner scolds her for being absent, as they have their own mission to take care of. Said mission involves meeting some contacts of Gianza’s… though they’re just after an item the two are carrying, which one of the goons immediately drinks. However, this drink ends up killing said goon, and then Kyoko and her partner eliminate the other two. Meanwhile, Sven has come up with a plan to lure out Gianza- dress Train up as a woman for bait. However, Sven ends up being the one to put the dress on… and not only that, but the bait doesn’t work, as Kyoko is actually the first to run into Gianza. Of course, Train once again rescues her (and she gets a little overdramatic), and then Train and Eve end up taking on Gianza, and they seem to KO him. Until Sven arrives on scene… and since Gianza seems to have a grudge against him, round 2 begins, and Gianza is much more difficult this time, until Sven tells Train to aim where he put an old injury, and by using a burst bullet, Gianza’s out for good. Kyoko’s partner arrives, and Gianza is now begging for more of the Tao power… but ends up rotting away first. At this point, Kyoko’s partner officially introduces himself as Charden, and that he’s with Creed and what their ultimate goal is.

Fate/Stay Night 22- Rin is searching for Shirou, who’s nowhere to be found, and asks Saber for his whereabouts… and things only get worse when they realize Shirou’s at the church. Not only that, but it’s been discovered that Lancer seems to have a master different form the one he started the War with. Saber immediately heads to the church, where she runs into none other than Lancer himself. They do battle, but midway through, Kirie arrives with Shirou, and makes an offer: to summon the Grail for them. Shirou, though badly injured, after realizing a few things, refuses the offer, and drags himself over to Saber. Kirie once again makes the offer, but after hearing Shirou’s words (and learning that the Grail needs one more sacrifice), she too refuses. At this point, we learn more of the dark truth from 10 years ago: as Kirie and Shirou’s father faced each other in the final battle, it was Kirie who touched the Grail and caused the massive fire to occur. On top of that, the Grail is nothing but a weapon of destruction. And just as that is told, Gilgamesh arrives on scene to eliminate Shirou and saber… but Lancer, in an unexpected move, betrays Kirie so he can fight Gilgamesh himself, even if he will lose, allowing Shirou and saber to escape. One more thing is revealed: that Shirou’s father, after the destruction, ended up finding Shirou, who was dying. To make up for his mistake in the Grail War, he uses the sheath of Excalibur to keep Shirou alive (and this was what ultimately allowed Shirou to summon Saber). And the final resolution is that Saber will destroy the Grail.

Murder Princess 3- Falis and Milano/Alita (I finally remember their names!) end up getting into a quarrel over an item Falis accidently breaks, and Falis quickly leaves for going on goblin extermination. However, the scientist takes this opportunity to go and capture Milano, and news which Falis’s henchmen quickly relay to her when she’s done with the goblins. The scientist (and his dolls) want information that she possesses, and are willing to beat it out of her if necessary. Falis is getting their as fast as she can, but the scientist’s goons are being a literal roadblock. However, one of her companions tells her to go ahead and they’ll take care of their current pests. Milano, meanwhile, has taken some damage when Falis arrives… and then problem number two comes up: that if she wants Milano to live, Falis must drop her weapon and not fight against that huge monster of the scientist’s which proceeds to beat the crap out of Falis. Falis’s companions too seem to have their hands full with the beasts, and just as things are looking bleak, a mysterious person armed with a sword arrives from nowhere and takes care of the beast, also freeing Falis and Milano, and they quickly reunite. The swordsman tells them to flee and he’ll take care of everything else. We see a large explosion as the two girls escape, and then the swordsman himself is seen to come from the wreckage as well… and he turns out to be Milano/Alita’s brother, Prince Kaito.

Rollcall:
Jeff
Nick
Erin
Tom
Andy
Dave