Meeting Date: 6/10/2018
Disclaimer: The Herald Anime Club discusses shows as they’re airing. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!
Samantha Ferreira: Hi everyone, and welcome to the Herald Anime Club! I’m Samantha Ferreira, and I’m joined by L.B. Bryant this week
L.B. Bryant: Hello!
Samantha Ferreira: Tonight, we’re back to GGO for yet another round of Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online. This week’s episode: “With regards to Madlax”
L.B. Bryant: hehehe
Samantha Ferreira: Seriously, that first segment with Pito had to be my favorite “action set to music” bits since Madlax episode 1.
L.B. Bryant: Pito was pretty damn amazing what with LITERALLY blowing people’s heads off
L.B. Bryant: I’m glad that this game takes place in a virtual world otherwise that would’ve been pretty gruesome
Samantha Ferreira: It was already gruesome without the gore!
L.B. Bryant: Fair enough heh
Samantha Ferreira: But that’s what made it great. I kind of loved how ruthless she was. It was basically just a bullet ballet, and I had this big stupid smile on my face the whole time
L.B. Bryant: I am super curious who the masked soldiers on her team are.
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise. Seems like a waste to have them be just a bunch of randos
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, I agree.
Samantha Ferreira: Still, I can understand, here. Keep Pito and M in the spotlight.
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, that makes sense though I still want them to have some kind of larger impact on the story as a whole.
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise.
Samantha Ferreira: That said, we finally got to see just how damn dangerous Pito really is.
L.B. Bryant: She and LLENN are competing for who can be the most ruthless in SJ
Samantha Ferreira: I dunno. I think they have some real competition after Fuka’s bludgeoning
L.B. Bryant: hehe never mess with a fae carrying a “broadsword”
Samantha Ferreira: Hehe. I’m kind of loving this “I don’t need this shit” approach to the creepers.
L.B. Bryant: Speaking of, I kind of love that they inserted creepers into the game just for the sake of having them completely decimated.
L.B. Bryant: That was poetic justice right there.
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise. I’m loving how much fun they’re having just destroying them
Samantha Ferreira: Even that one at the end of the episode. “Give the word and I’ll blow his head off”
L.B. Bryant: hehe yeah
Samantha Ferreira: On that note, I kind of love how LLENN basically mugged another player
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, there was no ‘basically’ about that. That was straight up armed robbery lol
Samantha Ferreira: lol – good point.
L.B. Bryant: At least the player got a peck on the cheek before being killed in action? lol
Samantha Ferreira: lol – true.
Samantha Ferreira: Speaking of, the entire stadium segment was also just amazing
Samantha Ferreira: I was really impressed with how strong the choreography was this episode
L.B. Bryant: I’m a little disappointed that we haven’t seen much of the high school girls but I suppose we’ll see them next episode :)
Samantha Ferreira: Yeah… they’re clearly going to be “penultimate boss” material
Samantha Ferreira: While Pito squares off against her former comrade
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, the showdown between them and Pito is going to be awesome
L.B. Bryant: At least I hope they survive long enough for that.
Samantha Ferreira: It really is. Seeing what Pito was able to do with that heavy rifle was a pretty amazing portent of what’s to come.
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, blowing people in half (AFTER blowing people’s heads clean off) was pretty wicked.
L.B. Bryant: Plus I liked the callback to the original SAO
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise. That little bit about Sinon was a fun easter egg
L.B. Bryant: The one (and I use that word loosely) thing that surprised me about this episode was how fast it passed by. It felt like I was only five minutes into the episode when the ED credits started.
Samantha Ferreira: It really did!
Samantha Ferreira: They really paced this one well
L.B. Bryant: It just flew past in a blaze of fire and fun :)
Samantha Ferreira: It did! I was expecting to be at mid-episode after the big grenade smoke assault in the stadium
Samantha Ferreira: Meanwhile, the comedy, while a bit morbid, just worked. I adored how Pito just toyed with those two survivors
Samantha Ferreira: She was just pure snark through it all
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, that was fun
Samantha Ferreira: That said, what would you say was the highight this week?
L.B. Bryant: Hmmm
L.B. Bryant: Tough call but I think I’m going to go with Fuka braining that creeper who wanted to molest her corpse.
L.B. Bryant: Pito and LLENN both had great moments but that part made me laugh.
Samantha Ferreira: That was great… both brutal and hilarious
L.B. Bryant: Predictions for the next episode?
Samantha Ferreira: I’m still going to say that big sequence where Pito went on her rampage comes out on top for me. I am a sucker for a good sequence where the action and music come together to create that raw adrenaline
Samantha Ferreira: Hm.
Samantha Ferreira: next episode will be… Episode 10?
L.B. Bryant: Yeah
Samantha Ferreira: Given that this is a 12-episode series, I’d wager that we’ll see a big showdown against our “not-quite-final” foes, before we hit an episode of build-up for the finale
Samantha Ferreira: Likely another focus on spectacle, with some great setpieces
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, that sounds about right.
Samantha Ferreira: Your thoughts?
L.B. Bryant: I really want to see the next episode focus on Pito’s team taking on the high school girls before we get to the final battle between her team and LLENN’s team.
Samantha Ferreira: That would be pretty amazing
L.B. Bryant: Yeah I think it would make for an exciting final chapter.
Samantha Ferreira: Agreed. Whatever the case, though, we’re in for a good time
L.B. Bryant: Absolutely. There are very few ways that this series can screw up the ending and I predict that they are going to avoid most of those pitfalls with ease.
Samantha Ferreira: Indeed.
Samantha Ferreira: Granted, now we jinxed the thing.
L.B. Bryant: lol yeah probably
Samantha Ferreira: Anyway, I think that’s all the time we have this week. ’til next time, remember: Never ever start a fight with a fae wielding a broadsword
L.B. Bryant: hehe night everyone!
Samantha Ferreira: Good night, everybody!
