Newtype/Animage/Animedia stuff from the usual place (updating as I go through it):

Newtype Summaries:

Episode 14: The Song is Heard

Taking the Innovators’/’s fierce attack, while heavily damaged, Ptolemy 2 just barely manages to descend to Earth. Knowing that his mothership is in trouble, Setsuna turns to help, but Ali appears there. 

Episode 15: The Resistance’s Victory Cry

Ptolemy cruises along while receiving aid from Katheron. But they encounter pursuing Federation forces, Ptolemy is in trouble. In order to improve their tactical situation, 00’s fighting capacity was necessary, but Setsuna hasn’t returned yet. Ptolemy 2 fights a one-sided defensive battle. In the middle of the fray they receive news that a coup d’etat has broken out in the Federation.

Episode 16: Prelude to Tragedy

The A-LAWS withdraw. Setsuna obtains information about the coup from Katharon and changes 00’s course toward Africa. However, there, in a ready stance and a new unit, once again Mister Bushido’s figure appears.

Episode 17: Inside the Scattered Light
 While cruising along with repairs incomplete, Ptolemy 2 rejoins with Setsuna. 
In order to break the deadlock in the war, “he,” who stood up with a broken body, speaks to Saji. (It uses an explicit pronoun in that second sentence, I’m not 100% why unless it’s just meant to be emphatic.)

 

I’ll do the rest tomorrow. I’ve got a little bit more done but my brain’s fried and I’m bored. Oh yeah, but Animedia did mention Marina singing like a fact in one of it’s features. So… MARINA SINGS ON SUNDAY, BRACE FOR IMPACT. 

Animage:

This month’s Animage featured a supplemental 00 character book.
The contents include a spot about the four Meisters, an interview with Michinori Chibi, an Innovator symposium and “00 News”

{then the blogger mentions stuff about the illustrations, skipping because we’ll see it when scans come out–though s/he does make a note about it being odd that in that one spread with Regene and Ribbons and Setsuna and Tieria, Regene has one eye covered}

Selections that interested the blogger from a feature titled “Each of the Meisters’ Determination”

Setsuna: 
Influence phrase: “….Why….[do] I fight…..”

- Setsuna feels considerably indebted/obligated to Saji and Louise. 
- Lockon’s dying wish once again allows Setsuna to stand up. 
- Whatever the true intentions of the plan, (Setsuna) doesn’t want peace for the sake of the plan, but for the sake of those who are living right now. In other words, he’s starting to understand Marina and co.’s feelings, but if that [feeling?] isn’t dulled by his determination it’s good, but….

Tieria:
Influence phrase: “I AM human!” {D’AWWWW}

- The truth he learned from Regene shook his raison d’etre to the core. But, supported by his CB comrades’ words, he declares Regene and co. a “new distortion.” As long as they* exist, Tieria can exist as a “human.”
- Tieria’s determination to be hostile toward the Innovators is thanks to the late Lockon. 
- It’s not clear whether Tieria was seriously influenced by humans in the last 4 years. But, precisely because of that “you’re quite human” [comment], he rejects the Innovators merciless way of doing things. Something that doesn’t understand humans should not lead humans. 

{*his CB comrades}

Allelujah
Influence phrase: “Thank you… For giving someone like me… life….”

- Will I really be able to protect Marie?
- Maybe she (Souma) will appear at some point.
- In addition to protecting [people], Allelujah will be able to grow a great deal. 

Lyle:
Influence phrase: “[Staying] true to my name, I’ll snipe it!”

- Neil’s reason for fighting was “my family’s revenge.” Lyle knows about that, and laughs with a feeling of self depreciation. [Unlike] his brother, for whom even above changing the world his personal grudge took precedence, [Lyle] never brooded over things like that. He regained his respect for his brother in that moment. 
- CB’s members superimpose Neil’s image on Lyle, but for Lyle he [felt] constrained by such high expectations.
- Moreso than CB, he’s intoxicated with a sense of belonging to Katharon. (? I’m really not that confident about this line)

{Next chunk is an interview with Michinori Chiba, the character designer. Finally the mystery of Tieria’s cleavage is solved–also I think I’m gonna start skipping around in the interview since he’s talking about stuff in the first season in the next chunk and just not so interesting stuff (in terms of spoilers/whatever). I’ll go back to it later:}

Chiba’s interview is loaded with spoilers. Just the places that caught my attention:
- The creation of Tieria’s crossdressing outfit was readily apparent in Chiba’s character chart drawings. It was an open-chested design from the beginning, but that seemed like a bad idea for a variety of [reasons], so I added a thin layer to cover the chest. And from there, the shadow of cleavage was added (by the main staff) under/on the thin fabric….
Moreover, although it appeared that way in the preview for episode 7, it was erased after that. (lol)
- Wang along with Louise from now on will be developed into much larger roles. 
- I drew Sergei’s meditative pose in S2 ep 7. {I dunno exactly} Although it was Marie’s episode, we saw things from the other side [too] and for Sergei it was an episode where he settled on his resolve. {and I’m not sure what to make of the last sentence}

{paraphrasing some of this because I’m lazy}

- Mizushima wanted the world leaders to resemble real world leaders.
- Setsuna is hard to draw but because it’s difficult it’s worth doing. Because Setsuna’s facial expressions are so delicate/subtle, you have to draw it just right, I think. 
Setsuna’s a character who’s undergone through all sorts of incredible experiences, but I want to draw Setsuna’s feelings as much as possible.
- He was responsible for drawing Setsuna’s first smile in S1 ep 19 and he was very careful with how it was handled in S2 ep 7 where he smiled again.
- When doing 4-years-later designs there were a few characters who didn’t change like Tieria. But since his change during that time was internal, the main point was facial expressions.

SKIPPING TO THE INNOVATOR SYMPOSIUM:

In the Innovator symposium, the “newcommer” Sougetsu was… (lol)

Sougetsu (Ribbons), Okiayu (Bring), Saiga (Revive), Kawasho (Hilling) talk. Just the parts that caught my attention.

- Ribbons appearance is child-like and [like] a little devil, but the contents are super-bad (lol) 
Only, for the sake of mankind’s future he accepts and continues Aeolia’s intentions, and he is very serious/dilligent about fulfilling his mission.
For that purpose, as a diehard [follower] he uses any means necessary. (so, everything in print keeps saying that Ribbons is a hardcore Aeolia fanboy, but he acts like he fucking hates him, what’s with that?)
- Ribbons* unintentionally let emotion [seep] into his performance, but the sound director advised him to “please play around [with it].” Since Ribbons’ heart is always composed (Sougetsu)

{*the way this is phrased it makes me thing the blogger wrote “Ribbons” where s/he meant Sougetsu/Furuya–er, on second thought I don’t really know what’s going on with this, I don’t have the full text or a scan to go off but maybe the VAs are speaking in character?}

- [I] heard Revive is a relatively obedient child. But comparatively he’s more emotional and makes more expressions. 
- Since Revive acts differently toward Ribbons every time, his real intentions are difficult to discern.
- While the Innovators all understand that they’re just “pawns,” some parts are moving (Saiga)

- Hilling is the kind of child that thinks she’s cute, and [I] heard from Mizushima that she’s the girliest of the Innovators. 
- I think Hilling is always by Ribbons’ side. (Kawasho)

- When Ribbons was performing:
- As a fellow Innovator so to speak, I stole Kamiya-senpai’s performance. And then, he shouted “Are you trying to steal my role!” (lol) 
(Sougetsu) {lol, I can’t get enough of this stupid “newcommer” joke with Sougetsu}

Sougetsu’s profile even lists Ribbons as his debut role (lol).

00 Impressions:
Including the Innovators, everyone acts as if they believe that their actions are for humanity’s sake. But because people can’t see into each other’s hearts their efforts are fruitless. The truth is, I wonder if [these things called] Innovators aren’t the ideal form of humanity. (Sougetsu)

Who’s your favorite character (aside from the one you play)?

Saiga: Patrick
Sougetsu: Patrick’s the most popular in the studio.
Kawasho: Klaus
Okiayu: Kati 

Out of the MSs that’ve appeared so far, which is your favorite?
- As weapons the Fangs are fascinating. 
If Ribbons got the chance to pilot an MS, I hope it’d have a weapon like that. (Sougetsu)

Message to the readers:
- There will be a new character, a new mech, a new development, and many peaks [the day] after 1/10. {you couldn’t just say the 11th?} Please don’t leave me behind (lol)
(Okiayu)

Newtype

P32-33 has a feature titled “The Deep Dark Abyss” in which Saji and Louise’s VAs talk about their characters. 

{skipping for now, I’ll go back to it later, because Saji and Louise are boring}

{something about a photo of a Bushido Setsubun set? I dunno}

The supplement is about Allelujah and Tieria and includes interviews with each’s VA. 

In Tieria’s side, regarding the “Tieria” in the capsule in the OP it’s [written?*] “is it really Tieria himself?”

{* dunno what あおり means here, sorry, just guessing}

The fortune-telling-based-on-the-way-one’s-name-is-read-or-written* for “Tieria Erde” is not good, a name change is recommended.

{*er, there’s not a good term for this in English as far as I know}

Just the bits that caught my attention from Kamiya’s interview:

Did supporting the organization for four years change [Tieria]?
Tieria couldn’t change, [but] now he’s adapted to his position.

Neil had a big influence?
It’s not that he wants to be like Neil, but he depends on him. 

His relationship with the Meisters:
He has a truly mutual and authentic relationship with Setsuna and Allelujah. 
His relationship with Lyle is still not one of mutual trust. 

{Skipping Allelujah’s section because I find him insufferably boring especially the stuff they usually write about him in the magazines, I’ll go back and do it later so no bitching about my just translating what I feel like–the only thing that caught my eye when skimming his section was from his VA’s interview where he said something about the staff keeping Allelujah’s fate under wraps and he then speculates about what if Al dies, and yadda yadda}

{The next little bit is another one page what-if thing with the Meisters. This time they’re in a band. Setsuna’s the vocalist, Lockon’s on guitar, Allelujah on drums and Tieira plays keyboard, and Saji is bass–next month is about the female crew}

 

 

Animedia’s next up.