Meeting Date: 4/11/2020
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, and I’m here with Anthony and L.B.
L.B. Bryant: Heyo
Anthony Simpson: Evening
Samantha Ferreira: Tonight, we’re heading back to the Great Imperial Theater for Sakura Wars (2019) the Animation, Episode 2: “The case of the hilariously bad disguise”
L.B. Bryant: I’m already starting to wonder if maybe they are trying to introduce too many villain type characters too quickly.
Samantha Ferreira: I’ll be avoiding spoilers there, but… I don’t think you have much to worry about. :>
L.B. Bryant: I realize that White Cape isn’t a villain but this is the third character in two episodes which is antagonizing the heroes so yeah, it seems a bit much for early on.
Anthony Simpson: I have to agree with L.B on this one.
L.B. Bryant: Technically fourth character actually because I forgot about the black masked character with the claws.
I’m not going to count the demons that they fought at the end of episode 1 as villains since they were just monster of the week fodder.
Samantha Ferreira: I’m going to go on a limb and say that we’re realistically looking at two real villains, excluding the obvious Kouma
The Moscow Revue was killed by the winged kouma in the first episode, remember – so these newcomers in the aerial fortress are likely robotic dupes, one of which is Black Mantle
This would mean that we have the winged Kouma and the Moscow Revue members Valery and Layla, with White Mantle/Hakushu being a painfully obvious smokescreen
L.B. Bryant: I am curious to know what she’s doing with the kids she’s “kidnapping”
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise… especially when the papers don’t have any record of it.
Anthony Simpson: I would like to know as well.
Samantha Ferreira: I’m also kind of wondering how the Flower Division will react when they finally clue in.
Anthony Simpson: I’m wondering as well how they will react
Samantha Ferreira: Hatsuho, especially. She’s pretty much hell-bent on taking White Mantle down
On that note, this episode, we finally got our formal introduction to the cast.
L.B. Bryant: That’s another thing that I’m glad was held off until episode 2. It would’ve been boring to get that info dump right off the bat in the premiere.
Samantha Ferreira: Agreed.
Anthony Simpson: That would have made for first episode that would not have been good.
Samantha Ferreira: I rather liked how they handled it, too. Just fast and breezy, showing off each character’s quirks pretty quickly.
Whether it was Kaoru yelling at Sakura for late expense reports or Ohba saying she can get anything, “whether it’s TP or a battleship”
L.B. Bryant: I giggled at the battleship line.
Anthony Simpson: I chuckled at that line as well.
Samantha Ferreira: Truly, she is a woman who knows these current trying times.
Samantha Ferreira: One thing I found interesting was the reveal that Hatsuho and Sakura are childhood friends.
L.B. Bryant: I think I missed that bit, at least I don’t remember it. That’s interesting though.
Samantha Ferreira: It was said in passing at one point, and it caught my attention because that was never brought up during the course of the game.
L.B. Bryant: Ah, okies.
Samantha Ferreira: Kind of one of those “weird character facts” things, hehe
L.B. Bryant: At least they did it in the middle of the episode instead of during the next episode previews like Tiger and Bunny did :)
Samantha Ferreira: Haha, God those were frustrating. One last question, really… what are your thoughts on the Moscow Combat Revue swooping in last-second before the credits?
L.B. Bryant: I’m holding off on having an opinion on that until next episode lol
Anthony Simpson: Well their ship badass I will say that much
Samantha Ferreira: I can’t deny that, lol
Any final thoughts this week?
L.B. Bryant: I know I said this last week but two things:
1) The new theme song arrangement is still bad ass.
2) I’m still working on getting used to those lifeless eyes on the characters.
Samantha Ferreira: I love the updated theme song. Even though I’ve heard it enough to know it inside and out by this point, it’s still catchy and fun to listen to.
L.B. Bryant: lol indeed
Other than that, nothing from me.
Anthony Simpson: Nothing from me
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise… and that’s all the time we have this week. Til next time, remember: Always submit your receipts on time, lest you incur the wrath of a surprisingly threatening accountant voiced by Yui Ishikawa.
Have a great night!
Anthony Simpson: Good night
L.B. Bryant: Laters
