Simoun – 19 – OMG Mamiina!

This episode was so incredibly sneaky. Mamiina is screaming, along with the other priestesses, you hear gunfire and the screen freezes. It’s a typical cliff-hanger. The episode was nice, the developments were okay. Until it seems that that was everything BUT the cliff-hanger, and the scenes which followed totally blew me away! That was SO awesome!

In any case, the episode starts as a standard Simoun episode. It’s centred around one character this time: Mamiina. She’s grown so much, ever since she showed up for the first time. In any case, during the previous episode, both Aaeru and Yun were thinking the same thing, and they went after the others in their Simoun, despite all orders. It’s something you really expect them to do, especially from Aaeru. ^_^

This also places the problem with the government officials in the back, an focuses on what’s really important again: the characters. That really is the thing Simoun’s good at: it’s immensely huge cast of extremely well developed characters. That’s what makes this anime work.

Meanwhile, the others have reached the Messis, and it seems that the two remaining members of the Chor Riboru will be replacing Limone and Doninüra: Vyüra and an unnamed Sybilla. Vyüra is also someone who’s changed a whole lot. She gets surprised when she learns that Aaeru and Yun are gone. Wauf then gives the Chor Tempest a chance to rest. We then switch to the dormitories, in which Mamiina sits on her own. Rödoreamon then enters, wondering why she’s taking so long. As Mamiina’s braids are starting to get loose, Rödoreamon offers to redo them. This only shows how close the two of them have become, despite their incredibly different personalities.

We then switch to a meeting between Wauf and the Chor Tempest, in order to come up with a strategy. Vyüra and her unnamed companion will be guarding the rear of the Messis, and be in charge of the communication relays, while the Chor Tempest will handle the offensive part. Aruti then says something which upsets Furoe a bit (one of the few times she talks) Paraietta joins in and Mamiina needs to calm them a bit. They also mentions the fact that everyone ate from the same pot, something only she and Rödoreamon can understand, seeing that she put some mice on the menu. ^_^

Later, the mission has started. The Simoun will be divided into two teams: Neviriru, Mamiina, Furoe and Aruti and Paraietta, Kaimu, Morinasu and Rödoreamon. Both teams are searching the skies. Meanwhile, Vyüra wonders why the Chor Tempest was used for this mission. Wauf answers with something Dominüra used to say: because the headquarters understand nothing. Looking at the previous episode, I agree with her as well.

Furoe, meanwhile, gets a bit agitated when Neviriru wants to talk to Mamiina a bit alone. About the fact that she’s changed. I think that Furoe’s the only one whom Aruti actually talks to. It’s very interesting, maybe this gets used later on in the series. Then the two Simoun run into the airbase. Neviriru gives orders to examinate the thing very carefully, as patrols might be lurking.

Paraietta, meanwhile, continues to act spaced-out, and people have to ask her twice in order to get a reply. Yun and Aaeru have meanwhile caught up with the Messis, and they immediately advance to the front lines. Wauf also gives the Messis the order to go full speed. I guess he was waiting for the two of them before he wanted to take action. ^_^

Meanwhile, Neviriru and the others have been spotted, and waves of patrols emerge from the air platform, including the stolen Simoun from episode 17, the two which managed to escape. Aaeru and Yun meanwhile have passed Paraietta and the others and head for the other group. Neviriru, does her utter best in order to defeat the enemies, though the enemy Simoun prove to be tricky to defeat with just Ri Maajons. But then again, this is logical. The Simoun are the only crafts which have total freedom in the air. The other airplanes have to obey rules, which makes them predictable, which in turn makes them quite easy targets for Ri Maajons.

Neviriru then tells Furoe and Aruti to escape, while she distracts the enemies. In the end, they get hit by one of the flying planes, and they manage to crash on the air platform. Mamiina is okay, though Neviriru is unconscious. The enemy Simoun are the soonest to be near them, and they approach Mamiina, and point their guns at her.

A very nice plot twist follows when it appears that the priests are actually good guys! They do view the Sybilla as the persons highest to Tempus Patium. In the end, they do seem to have acknowledged that Tempus Patiem and their god remain the same. They also claim to be different from the people from the Archipelago, and that they wish to help Mamiina and Neviriru. The latter recognizes no lies in their words, so the former agrees. Sortof. 🙂

Mamiina then activates the Simoun again, along with one of the Priests, and they take off. The priests jump off, though Mamiina then realizes that the Priests will be executed if they remain. She then cuts off one of her breads, says farewell to Neviriru and jumps on the platform, along with the priests. Meanwhile, the forces of the Archipelago come rushing in. Mamiina then screams with all of the others the infamous word: “Aaeru”.

And when you think things are already amazing, just wait till the next scenes, in which the other Sybilla discover that Mamiina has been shut! Especially Aaeru and Rödoreamon have it hard. Wauf meanwhile arrives, and blasts the air platform down with the Messis. He works really well as a captain. He really earned that job. ^_^

Mamiina immediately gets taken to intensive care, while Rödoreamon and Aaeru can’t take it anymore. Neviriru, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found. Then the Messis retreats and the episode ends.

And what an episode it was! I’m SO glad that the focus on the characters didn’t disappeared along with Dominüra and Limone! I was a bit worried, as things seemed to have been settled down. But this episode proved that I had nothing to worry about. I can’t wait for even more awesomeness from Simoun.

I’m also wondering what’ll happen to the Priests from Plumbum. They obviously had their reasons to fight against the Simoun, and Angurasu showed that they aren’t afraid to blow down an airship from Simulacrum. Did Angurasu actually agree with their views?

Memorable Moment: Aaeru, after seeing Mamiina.