12.07.04
Meeting Reports for Nov. 7 and Nov. 21
Hi Everyone,
Our meeting for Nov. 7 was one of our “and now for something completely different” meetings. Mark became very ill and was unable to attend, but his wife was kind enough to bring us a few tapes from his collection so that the meeting could continue. We chose Bubblegum Crisis (the original, not the more recent version) and got to the exciting climax of Ep.1, about 45 minutes in, when the Library’s VCR decided it couldn’t take the tension anymore and promptly lost its picture. WE still had sound, but it isn’t much fun without a picture, so after testing the problem with other tapes, we sadly shut down our shows for the day, but continued to talk and trade manga through the rest of the meeting time.
Thankfully, our technical problems didn’t persist through the next meeting on Nov. 21. Back in the small meeting room, we crammed ourselves around the TV and, while waiting for our tape (Mark was on a business trip) we started watching Ep.2 of Bubblegum Crisis for about 3 minutes. Finally, Mrs. Bradford came through for us again with our scheduled episodes of Naruto, Hikaru no Go, Scrapped Princess and Galaxy Angel. (DUe to a slight mix-up with the tape, the episode of Fullmetal Alchemist was the second part of a 2-part episode instead of the first part, so we skipped the episode rather than break continuity). Everything went very well, overall. Also briefly discussed was the series to replace Scrapped Princess, which is on its second-to-last episode. Thanks!
Episode summaries below:
Naruto:
The first part of the ninja exams continues as the last of 10 questions is announced. Beforehand, however, each team must make a seemingly impossible choice: if they choose to leave now and not take the last question, they will automatically fail, but still be eligable to take the exam next time. If they choose to take the question, if any one member fails to answer correctly, all three are disqualified; the one who answered incorrectly is permanently disqualified from the exam and will never become a full-fledged ninja. Some of the teams panic and refuse to take the final question; while Sasuke and Sakura are fairly confident in their skills, they worry for Naruto and almost decide to quit in order to save Naruto’s dream of becoming the greatest of ninja. Naruto raises his hand, seemingly to quit himself, but then challenges the instructor and announces his determination to succeed in his usual bold-to-the-point-of-idiocy manner. Of course, all this is just a test to see how the candidates will react under pressure, and all of the candidates who stay pass the exam automatically. Part two of the exam is another matter, as the candidates line up to enter the “Forest of Death”…
Hikaru no Go: Hikaru, Isumi, and Waya are still visiting Go parlors to try to improve their skills, and while heading to their newest destination, they stop at a convenience store, where Hikaru almost gets into an argument with a sullen kid who bumps an item off the shelf. The new Go parlor turns out to be largely frequented by Koreans, well-known (by everybody except Hikaru, apparently) for their Go-playing skills. The sullen kid turns out to be the nephew of the Go parlor’s owner and the Korean equivalent of an Insei. After an argument does break out, Hikaru and the kid challenge each other to a game of Go and the hotly contested game begins…
Scrapped Princess: The idyll is over as the royal forces begin their attack on the forest where Pacifica and friends are hiding, but a message also arrives…from Pacifica’s twin brother Forcis, who wishes to meet her just once before the final battle. Braving the destruction around them, they meet inside a temple. There is a brief, touching conversation between the prince and his long-lost sister. As they embrace for the first, and last time, Forcis draws his sword and stabs Pacifica, then himself. As their friends and family run to their aid, the temple is attacked and starts to collapse. The “Apostles of God” are destroying the countryside as well, and Shannon goes to battle them one last time, leaving the dying princess in Raquel’s care…
Galaxy Angel: The Angel Unit has been disbanded, and a new Unit is making a name for themselves by capturing many forms of Lost Technology. Can the girls be convinced to get back together to save Commander Wolcott from forcible retirement, and the world from a watery menace?