This week had the highest death count thus far! Will your favorite magical girl die or live by the end of this episode?
(Spoilers in this review)
(It’s also stupidly long)
The episode opens by showing us the chaotic scene resulting from Calamity’s Mary’s…tantrum, basically. She’s angry that Ripple wasn’t afraid of her when they first met so she’s hated Ripple’s guts ever since.
We also get to see how Sister Nana is coping. Lots of substance abuse, from the looks of it. Pills and booze shouldn’t be mixed!
Then the scene jumps back to the chaos after the OP. Ripple can’t idly stand by and watch CM kill innocents and ruin the pavement, so she drops down high from the sky to give CM the showdown she asked for.
The fight between CM and Ripple was something else. I thought it would be some boring “she throws shurikens and she shoots gun” nonsense, but the show didn’t disappoint. The two really went at it at close-quarters. CM knew how to grapple! And Ripple basically throws CM with her thighs. Hell if I know what that move is called. Unfortunately, Ripple accidentally steps on a land mine and is basically becomes a sitting duck against CM. If she lifts her leg, then boom.
And you know what? I finally realized why CM bought that magical bag that can hold an infinite amount of stuff. That’s where she’s storing all her guns and grenades. While Ripple pulls out a decent amount of kunais and shurikens, it’s all small stuff that she probably has on her person.
CM, on the other hand, is pulling out sniper rifles and bayonets out of seemingly nowhere thanks to her magical bag. It’s pretty late for me to notice this, but I just wanted to get it out, haha.
Thankfully Top Speed bails her out of the resulting explosions! Yet even after she calls Ripple out for acting recklessly, Ripple is determined to return since CM is willing to continue rampaging until she kills Ripple. Then Ripple gives a touching speech about how even she may not act like the ideal magical girl, she’s still a magical girl who won’t turn away people in need. That wins Top Speed over, who turns the broom around.
And then the eyecatches swoop in. I’ve been wondering what they would show now that every magical girl has been featured, but they’ve opted for quotes said by the characters in the previous episode as well as in this episode. I’m not against it.
The two managed to stop CM’s deadly bullets by showering a huge amount of broken glass from high up in the sky. I had to rewatch that scene to realize the shards functioned as little shields for Ripple and TS. And then Ripple ended the fight with her perfect accuracy.
Ripple and TS then celebrate over defeating the menace. Team “Good Girls Who Are Rough Around the Edges” wins! If I were to quantify the difference between them and Team B&W (that would be Snow White and Hardgore Alice), it would be that both Top Speed and Ripple are willing to get their hands dirty if need be. Snow White might be the ideal magical girl, but it kind of holds her back. More on that later.
Alas, the victory is short-lived. The girl involved with most of the deaths in this series broke my heart. I guess the other two were too distracted to notice her.
So we finally get to see Swim Swim fight one-on-one and boy, is her ability strong. While Ripple demonstrates superior agility, Ripple can just phase through attacks. It’s like she just turns herself into water. This was very unexpected (for me, at least).
Swim Swim scampers off shortly, leaving Ripple to check up on Top Speed. It seems like our suspicions were correct!
This is around when I paused the episode and backtracked back to episode 8. Sure enough, the camera was clever enough to never give us a body shot of Tsubame from the front.
Meanwhile, Team B&W runs into Minael (and Tama). Incoming rant about SW in the captions.
Well, I guess I’m just not a big fan of Snow White. She’s a good girl, but she’s too naive. I want to like her, though, as with Tama. Oh, well. Anyways, I was a bit dumbfounded at how SW let her guard down around one of the Peaky Angel twins. Especially when she had a run-in earlier with them. I myself was caught off guard by how Minael can throw herself as a weapon, though.
What I haven’t touched upon is Snow White’s ability. I’m pretty sure the previous episodes had her sitting in place in order to use her ability, but now she’s running around and doing things while it’s active. Maybe it’s a passive ability that requires for her to concentrate? Wait, doesn’t that go against the very definition of a passive ability? Never mind.
At any rate, her telepathic ability catches Tama trying to sneak up on her with the invisibility cloak. Silly Tama! Minael berates her and takes the cloak from her, claiming she’ll put it to better use than Tama. She then proceeds to fall to the floor and turns invisible. Big plays!
I can hear the readers now: “That’s only two deaths! I thought you said this episode had the highest death count so far!” Well, Alane the prophet nailed this one, folks.
And then Fav makes his announcements in the chatroom as usual. Winterprison, Yunael, Calamity Mary, Top Speed are out. With that, the remaining magical girls are down to seven. Snow White, Hardgore Alice, Ripple, Cranberry, Minael, Tama, and Swim Swim are the ones that are left. Yay! The elimination rounds are over now, right?
I doubt that’s the real reason. At any rate, Ripple doesn’t take the new announcement well and throws the device across the room. I wonder if she bothered to take CM’s magical bag.
The last scene shows Swim Swim and Tama discussing battle strats. They have to eliminate three more magical girls, after all! Swim Swim reasons that SW would be hard to sneak up on due to her ability (I don’t think the other girls know about the exact details about SW’s ability, however). The fact that Hardgore Alice is always with her makes it even harder, she reasons. And while Swim Swim was untouched during her scuffle with Ripple, she believes that Swim Swim’s agility could prove problematic.
Swim Swim’s reasoning about choosing Cranberry makes sense to a degree – she thinks that Cranberry must be weak since she rarely shows herself. However, we know that’s totally false. Cranberry is probably happy to obliege since I’m sure she’s still angry at the three girls for kill-stealing Winterprison. They also plan using the magical pills before fighting Cranberry. If it works out, then they’ll do the same thing before fighting Ripple. Maybe we’ll finally see what those pills do!
The episode ends with Minael bursting into the hideout (which still looks like a mess after their fight with Winterprison, I must add) and claiming she found an easy target for them to murder. My guess? She’s going to tell them to aim for Snow White. If she did turn herself into a rabbit plushie, then she might have saw where SW lives if Hardgore Alice saw SW to her house. As such, she might think targetting SW while she’s asleep will work out.
But if that’s what happened, then how did she escape from HG Alice? She hangs onto the plushie at all times. Hmmm. Well, it’s just a shot in the dark. I’ve been making too many safe guesses in my blog posts for Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku. Let’s cut loose a little, yeah?!
While we’re at it, I bet Snow White, Hardgore Alice, and Ripple are among the last remaining magical girls. SW and Ripple are basically shoe-ins, in my opinion, since they’ve been prominent in the show (and in the opening) throughout most of the series. Hardgore Alice seems impossible to kill, so there’s that.
As much as I want to like Tama, she’s done basically nothing this entire series. Maybe she’ll backstab Swim Swim when she realizes that Swim Swim never thinks of helping others besides their group. Wouldn’t it be ironic if not only one, but two of the surviving girls are weak non-combatants? I say ironic since Cranberry and Fav had a brief discussion about this in episode 6.
Now that I think about it, this doesn’t sound good for the magical girls. Fav has already shown that he can and will move goal posts without batting an eyelash (does he even have those). Yay, we’re down to eight magical girls! But now you have to bring the total number down to four! Good job on reaching four! Now the magic number is 2. And now it’s one.
ANYWAYS, that’s too much digging from me. I ain’t Tama, after all.
Next week’s episode is titled, “Sudden Battle Chances Up!” I guess none of the girls are lying low after this crazy week, huh? See you next week!
The Lily Garden 
I’m inclined to agree with you about the scenes where Snow White is supposed to be stressed. If you weren’t here to fill me on specific scenes, I would have never realized important details were left out (SW didn’t shower for days, etc). Too bad that stuff was left out ;__;
Nahh I doubt it’ll disappoint! I’m glad to hear the author improved as he wrote more and more, though. They all sound good in their own ways! I find it to be an interesting world, too, yay! I’m glad you’re enjoying watching the anime and rereading the novels. I’m still really looking forward to reading the novels once the anime is done!
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Haha, I am a fan of Snow White. She is effectively useless in a battle royale, but she wasn’t sitting around and doing nothing either. She is afraid and Her way of dealing with the situations (thinking of LP) make her depressed. Despite all of that she still goes out and help at the first sign of screams. I don’t think it was healthy for her to hear all the screams and dying thoughts though. Minael situation wasn’t in the LN, I mean there wasn’t a fight or attack at all since Alice instantly recognized her as a foe, if this happened I think it would been better if she showed up dragging a random wounded human to trick SW. I guess they want to show how desperate snow has gotten to deny that this situation was caused by a magical girl after seeing all the death and bloods flying around.
CM vs Ripple goes a bit differently too, Ripple after checking Mary shooting down any things she saw, she threw a large glass window. Mary shoot it down only to realize that the hundreds glass shards were still coming for her. I don’t think Top Speed charge is that tame too.
Currently There is 7 girls left, and their general thoughts.
Swin Swin (need to survive with her followers, the best way is….) Tama (A dog) Minael (Insane.)
Snow White (Stop killing!) Alice (????)
Ripple (Target Swin Swin)
Cranberry (No Winterprison, boring)
I don’t think there is any need to be said that the killing aren’t gonna stop, there isn’t anyone like Weiss left.
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Fair enough. She does have her good point and at least she saving the helpless. Meanwhile Tama is failing hard. You’re probably right about how hearing the screams and panicked thoughts probably weren’t good for SW. I was going to say something about Mao from Code Geass and how his telepathic ability drew him nuts in my review, but I think it would have been a bit of a tangent, haha.
Mmm you’re bringing up good points. That could have worked out. I guess they really do want to highlight SW’s innocence and denial with that little bit.
Oh, that would make a lot more sense. I was wondering where the glass shards came from. Like how was Ripple holding onto so much of that stuff?? The studio probably have stuck to the original material here. Top Speed’s charge was more intense in the novel? That’s what I like to hear.
I think you’ve summed up how the girls are currently pretty well. I’m actually hoping for Ripple and SW to team up (and HG Alice I guess since she’s so devoted to SW).
I just wonder how fair Fav will go. Maybe until there’s just one left? That’ll be rough.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing your valuable insight as usual, Nanaya! I can’t wait for next week!
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Yeah, but it make her look too naive. She still tried to greet her normally in the LN, but Alice stopped it making snow to properly look at the angel and like that all her hope that she was coming to helped was dashed. Of course in the background “screams, moans, and wails of pains” which she heard in both normally and mind reading, got louder and louder as things exploded. Snow should come off as completely fatigued and tired in those scenes, she wasn’t happy at all.
Wow, Mao from CG huh, at least snow’s mind reading is conditional, otherwise she’d be toasted.
Top Speed actually pierce through all the obstacles without any effort and was really really fast. She end up in 10 km distance after the first charge.
Anime combat scenes are fine, just that they lack tiredness, scratches, bruises, they look a bit too clean in this episode and episode 5. The novels has a sort of realness in combat, it generally followed very little of action tropes, dramatic deaths are rare, just look at Top Speed this episode.
At least they did manage to show Swin Swin can’t fight at all, she don’t even know how to use that weapon, haha.
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Yeah. Maybe I would like Snow White more if she behaved more like she was in the original material. Her stopping to think after Alice stops her would have much better to see.
Good point. I think she looked a bit too happy during these scenes. I guess the studio didn’t want to show more of distressed Alice. Her power is rather limited, but at least it keeps her sane.
Wow, would have loved to see Top Speed charge in like that.
You’re definitely right about the fight scenes. The novels really do sound great to read.
I guess Swim Swim needs her ability to level the playing field haha. I need to rewatch the fight. She just kind of stood there, if I recall correctly.
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I don’t think Lerche has done Snow’s stressful parts any justice really. So I am worried for next episode. Still a better adaption than many other LNs though.
I don’t really want to hype up novels too much in case you got disappointed haha, Unmarked certainly isn’t anything amazing apart from being a good intro, author was just starting out after all. There were a lot of flaws on that one. At least he keep getting better. Restart make me interested with its twists. Limited completely sold me. Jokers has three of my favorite characters. Aces was very hyped with all the shadowed characters. This had a very interesting world, for me at least, and I love reading the Episodes and rereading the main arcs. I hope you will have fun reading it.
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This ep was so riveting to watch. I really loved that action sequence that took up most of the ep! BUT I WAS SO SAD ;_; I liked Top Speed & Ripple, but I didn’t know how much till they were working together. Man, I am really missing Top Speed right now :c. My heart was elated, and then deflated within 3 seconds or some other really short time lol. Swim Swim whyyyy (and also, why is she so powerful O_O–her ability might be worse than Alice, though you could probably evaporate her to bits?). I am glad CM is out of the picture.
Agree on SW and Tama. This is no time to be naive/inactive/blindly trusting anymore! Especially SW. It’s a shame because I’ve really been hoping to see more out of them too, and I was sorta hoping SW would suddenly be all like, *super crazy powerful mode triggered because really, even though I haven’t been doing much I AM the protagonist* or something like that. Glad to see her power is getting triggered by the girls being in distress, but she should hopefully keep Alice real close unless she has BOSS TRANSFORMATION MODE still forthcoming.
I’m a little sad about the new rules. It’s not so surprising at this point, I guess. Thanks, Fav. Though your look at ep. 6 does say otherwise! If I had to choose between non-combatants, I’d say go Tama! It’s time to dig yourself out of this awful situation. Otherwise, Cranberry is always master? Maybe?
Ugh, typing the above about Tama reminds me you keep making digging puns with her. I guess I’m just making a dig at your jokes, though.
Thanks for the mention. I got lucky this time, unlike someone here who says he’s making safe guesses that are actually very reasonable deductions based on not so much information. This is just one instance against many of your predictions that have come to pass already–including the reveal about Top Speed this ep.
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It really was! It was enthralling to me, too. I was really, really sad. I didn’t really get misty-eyed last episode, but I was actually crying this time. The show was a roller coaster this time. They were a lowkey great team!
Swim Swim is just convinced this is the best way to survive, I guess. I think her ability is really strong one on one, but she has to know where and when an attack is coming. It’s still strong, though. We have girls who can’t die and girls who swim through attacks and floors on one side and we have girls who can hear the thoughts of the distressed and girls who dig holes on the other side…
Good riddance to CM! No tears shed for her at all.
That would have been nice, but her ability just isn’t combat orientated. It sure makes her a good magical girl who served people in need, but that’s not exactly the highest priority these days. I doubt a secret up boss mode is in store for her, but she is decently agile, so she can flee! Her stats aren’t bad overall, but her combat ability is 1….
I was surprised and saddened, too, but I guess it makes sense. Episode 6 also had Cab mention that that the purposefully chose a social mobile game to screen for candidates/this time/. Makes you wonder where all the other magical girls that were previously selected went.
I want to say Tama, too, but she’s just there. Please do something, Tama…Holy crap, Tama’s stats are actually terrible! Good luck, Tama!
Cranberry could probably easily survive, but I hope she doesn’t. Maybe they team up and take her down.
Nahhh you’ve done a much better job making digging jokes as a hole. Mine are pittiful, like Tama. They should be ditched.
You’re very welcome. But nah this instance was great. Alane the prophet. Alanphet? Hmmm I will have to sleep on it. And thanks. It’s just fun to sit there and think about stuff like that, haha. This time I went super out there since it’s fun to live a little!
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I still get teary thinking about it :c /rolls around
Uwah, too many powers @_@
Combat ability of 1? Uh oh. T_T sigh. Every week I just feel sad for those kids. Win by default, SW and Tama T_T. Somehow not satisfying for bloodlust but good for “good guys win at the end”?
I feel that this is the prototype of some really big project. I think she said something about Phase 1 too. Maybe the lack of magical power is related to uh, poor planning? Bureaucracy? Fav does excel at deskwork. Is what we’re seeing of him just an avatar, too?
;D i see what you did there
Teehee. I have been called many names *meditates* *floats* /takethatmagicalgirls!
This is true. It’s time to live AND FEEL ALIVE!!!
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Poor Top Speed’s husband. ;__;
She’s bad at combat, but she can survive with her wits and agility! Go Snow White! Tama better do something to earn that spot! We still haven’t seen her real form, huh?
I definitely think it’s just phase one of a bigger project, too…help, I’m seeing this whole series as a giant hazing test for a frat house now. The people who are left in the running are the ones who don’t have alcoholic poisoning!
Oh, good point. Maybe he transforms…into a mascot…and looks differently compared to how he usually is. He still remains so mysterious.
Haha shucks you saw right through me.
Whoooa you must be the hovering magical girl we’ve been hearing about. You hover over eBay auctions with your mouse only to bid too late, you hover over your distracted co-workers to see if you can scare them, and you hover in the air because there’s more leg room up there! What a genius!
I feel dead right now, though. I don’t want to go back to work….but I gotta pay the bills somehow. Oh, well.
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Tama will be one of those quiet folks who are baddd business
oh my goodness. xD mgrp as a giant hazing + robo wars instigated by SW = SUPER AWESOME
lol maybe Fav will just invert his colors or something 😛
lol tis true. *throws off cloak* i am teh hoverer–you’ve found me out!!
get some more sleep!
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I hope so. But how bad can a girl who loves grannies be? I’m worried she’ll remain ineffectual until the very end haha.
SUPER AWESOME yeaaaah. What a twist!
Well that would be anti-climatic but it would also be a little jarring. Maybe he starts saying Nop instead of Pon, too.
The mighty hoverer hath arrived?! I wasn’t ready for this!!
I wish I could but I had to give a ride to someone. Well, I’m just terrible at saying no. And so I got home pretty late yet I insisted on watching the shows I usually watch on Monday. Oh, well~
How’s work been? You haven’t slapped Super Chitose yet right? That’s what I’m calling your coworker by the way. The one that grinds your gears yet isn’t lovable like Chitose.
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There are still a few eps left! I have faith in Tama! I think!
oh no, idk how I can handle Fav saying nop instead of pon xD
Buahaha! I always come when you least expect it!!
Oops. I’ve fallen prey to that, too. It’s time to say no, you’re tired! And you want to watch shows.
No, no slapping yet. c: I unfortunately may have repercussions and will not be shielded by liebster-shielding. Lately they’re trying to be a lotttt nicer to me but it’s really weird and doesn’t seem right
but at least they’re trying. Other than that work is boring :c my project is stalled.
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Don’t disappoint us, Tama-tan!
That’ll be a terrible sight and sound to behold x___x
Do you know the FOE song? That could be your theme song except F-O-E could be replaced by A-LA-NE. You’re just like a ninja, popping in unexpected!
Mmm. I usually turn him down but since he had a friend visiting from another state I just sucked it up. Not next time, though! After all, I need to watch my shows on Mondayyy.
Aw, that’s too bad. Well, at least she is trying? I’m sure it’s weird for you, but hopefully she only has good intentions.
Boring? Project is stalled?? That’s terrible ;__;
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Haha, sorry, I took a break yesterday cuz I am an addict. I don’t know the FOE song, unfortunately! I will check it out.
I hope so too! Fingers crossed.
I knowww ;_; I am sadddddd. (This is why I became an addict!)
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Don’t sweat ittt
An addict? Oh no!
Yeah its the one by IOSYS. I think it’s pretty great.
Fingers will be crossed for so long and so hard that I won’t be able to use chopsticks ever again. C’mon Tama!
Nooo you can’t be sad ;___;
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Joking on that last part but ughhh ;_; I am working through it 8___8 I made a step of progress the last few days
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Okay good. Keep your chin up! ;__;
Work sounds really slow. That’s unfortunate. At least it’s Friday!
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I will check out your song x) and yush, Friday!!
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“It’s like she just turns herself into water. This was very unexpected (for me, at least).”
Don’t worry, I’m right there with you. I always thought Swim Swim could just dive and swim through stuff. Being able to actually become water (and control which parts are water at that) was surprising to me too.
On a separate note, I really feel like Snow got the short end of the power stick. Alice straight up can’t die and it doesn’t look like Swim Swim is any easier to kill either. Poor Snow can only listen to people’s thoughts.
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Phew, it wasn’t just me. Maybe she’s been hiding this ability! I guess this is where vague descriptions allow for creative applications…is what I want to say but it just feels so abrupt.
Snow White has to probably concentrate if she wants to reap its benefits, too. If it’s on all the time, she wouldn’t be an innocent goody two shoes after she walked by a couple of horny teenage boys ayyy. Her ability being like that keeps her sane, but it also makes her prone to surprise attacks if she’s down her guard. She’s basically the weakest magical girl left, yeah.
According to imgur.com/1lLk5gX, she’s pretty agile, tho– wait, I forgot that her ability only works on people who are experiencing distress. That’s why Tama, who wanted to help out people but was told by Swim Swim to take out magical lolis, was detected by SW. If she’s up against someone who kills without remorse, aka Cranberry, she’s so doomed.
SW got shafted!
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Good points
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