For most of the first half of the show it has been nothing less then a soup of character movement. The answers and motion was only vaguely resembling momentum and at it’s apex it was yet to shine with anything but characterization. But that has come to pass and the last few episodes see my modest hopes at my door.

Quick Briefing

The story thus far has advanced slowly but steadily in a continuous loop. Episode after episode we would get answers and the stage for the next question. There was little to be seen, but the character development was steady, and their story acting solid.

The fist half ends as 12 where one of the last biscuits in the training—soup draws to a close. ~

12. “Goodbye, Obama”

It’s the second in the War–Elize mini-series. From the start we get the latest on the Elize Eika front, current score is in Eika’s favor, as Elize, baring the weight of her promise from last episode is bound to respect and follow Eika’s orders.
Well, “respect”, is perhaps saying too much.

The peace of war in the EE conflict is followed by bread crumbs of information on current world status and military readiness. And now Karen finally steps forth in the spotlight. This is still a big old soup episode, and not yet the last. Events are still as predictable as possibly can be, almost like a mathematically correct sometimes. Like something like this: Nullify yesterday’s events, which in our case would be war: EE; shortly after pick character not previously picked -Karen’s a good choice- and start conversation with it’s co-character (you can tell who’s the co-character as they’re always polar opposites), follow next step bellow…

more…

It’s still training season and the girls are hard at work practicing in the early morning. This time they’re using imaginary WORMs. I guess the production team is getting cheap. All is going well, and their starting to work with ought verbal indicators. Later, they get briefed on their new deployment base at sea and things move on…

At the Port next door, power puff girl Elise has arrived. She’s a lot younger then the other girls, or it may just be her height. As the three are still in practice an unknown pops up on the radar. It’s Elise, on her European SD. She shows off in front of the girls, but Eika, reminded of her fight with the “temporary replacement” won’t stand it and rallying Otoha and Karen corner her. Elise is less then impressed and throws a sly remark how it takes the three of them to capture her, the one.

Some time later the inevitable bash-Togo meeting comes. Eika is mad, Karen is sad and Otoha… she’s just clueless and over exited as always. At the hanger the truck with Elise’s heavy luggage arrives, but Elise is nowhere to be seen. Togo and the truck’s driver go to search for her.

Meanwhile,
On the other side of the base the girls are eating, partially worried about the 4th pilot, Elise. As they talk, the little devil pops in and like the good neighbor she is immediately challenges Eika to a duel. Eika agrees to a fight in the simulator… superman changeover fallows. But the fight is pointless as none of them can really win anything good from it…

Next: “Bye Bye”, Karen’s time to face Darth SG Elise.

The girls are still hard at work practicing their Delta Lock, this time on big round WORM looking decoys.

Each night a member of the team has to go on watch and scout the base for intruders. And this particular night it’s Nanaes turn. As she heads to the hanger, she spots a glimmering light floating around Zero, she screams and flees in terror, eventually bumping into Eika in one of the bases hallway.

The next day, or better said night, Nanae with Eika and co. head to the hanger. They find Ryohei… Several excuses and embarrassing moments pass and they just leave concluding that this was just Ryohei’s fault. A few days go by and it’s Ichijo’s turn to go on watch. She’s bumps into Togo and he goes along with her. As they enter the hanger they split up to cover more ground, as she checks the SDs Ichijo points her light at Zero and a ghostly figure of a familiar boy is standing on top. ~

Next: “The fourth Sky Girl”

Following the recent onsen episode the series proceeds as expected with the first of the action episodes. The execution of the onsen episode was particularly special compared to other series and this episode has a nice flow to it as well.

The episode follows the girls as they try to fight off a WORM threatening a very important oil refinery along the coast. Their objective is to annihilate it using their signature move: Delta Lock

But all is not going too well as Karen facing the real thing freezes in the midst of battle and needs to be carried back to base. Since their move requires all of them in sync it all now rests on Karen shoulders and weather she can recover in time from her physical injuries and mental weakness…

Next: “Ghost Base”

Was expecting your average etchii humor, but this one was really special.

Totally contrary to common perception the onsen episode was more about the onsen and less about the hot springs. This little episode followed the little action from the previews one and completed the transition (I hope) to the action part of the series. The girls travel to a hot spring, they (particularly Otoha) think the commanding staff is doing them a favor but the truth is this will be the last time they’ll get anything even resembling free time.

A little coincidence here and there and they manage to grab everybody, except Nanae, who had some business to do. I was suspicious at first, but she indeed had some boring tech maintenance task to do.

When they arrive at the onsen, part of which is a total dump, they find they pretty much have to serve themselves. Remember the broken buildings in the previous episode, yup, that’s where they are.

But back to the transition part. This episode is basically when Togo accidentally spills the beans and the girls find out about the big bad WORMs and how they are the anti worm force. Otoha is less then enthusiastic, to say the least, but thankfully they resolve this little issue by the end of the episode. Knowing Otoha is block-head and since she showed some resolve I know she won’t go back to coward mode (again), but I know they’ll bring this plot twist or whatever you want call it, will come back somehow; I call it twist since I was expecting anyone but Otoha, even Karen is ok with it apparently.

Next episode is called “Delta Lock”.
My bet is they bring the little blond warrior into the picture.