12.24.04
Report on December 19 meeting
Had about ten folks show up this time! The results of the new series voting were clear: Bleach is the new series. (Samurai Champloo was second.) So, today’s scheduled episodes were Naruto #28, Full Metal Alchemist #12, Hikaru no Go #37, Bleach #1, and Galaxy Angel III #3-4. I tossed in Panda-Z #12 and Sweet Valerian #4.
The next meeting would have been the day after New Year’s, so we’re postponing it until the following weekend: January 9.
Episode summaries follow.
Naruto #28: The Second Exam heats up, as Sasuke fights the fake Naruto and drives him off. The real Naruto reappears, and Sasuke proposes a long, complicated password so nobody else can be impersonated. Suddenly a big explosion and gust of wind separates the team. Sakura approaches Sasuke, and gives the correct password. Next Naruto appears, and also gives the right password — so Sasuke attacks him, knowing that the real Naruto would never have remembered it. This fake turns out to be a creepy long-tongued ninja, who rattles Sakura and Sasuke with visions of their own deaths. Meanwhile, Naruto is attacked and swallowed by a huge snake. Naruto can’t escape, until he uses Kage Bunshin to burst the snake from within. Just as the creepy ninja attacks Sakura and Sasuke, Naruto shows up and says, “Sorry, I forgot the password.”
Full Metal Alchemist #12: Ed and Al are confronting the imposters when the guards arrive, so they flee through the window. The false Ed heals Fletcher with the red stone. Magwar arrives and orders the false Ed to use “that method”; when he refuses, Magwar uses the red stone in a kind of lantern to create ropes that trap the brothers. Magwar reveals that he knows they aren’t the real Elric brothers, but the sons of Nash Tringham. Meanwhile, Ed and Al learn about Tringham from Vercio; Tringham discovered the red water but gave up researching it when he discovered it made the townspeople sick. Magwar speaks to the imprisoned Tringham brothers, revealing that “that method” involves giving the red water to pregnant women, which Nash Tringham had refused to do. Magwar tries to recruit the real Elric brothers, and Ed says that he wants to punish the fakes. Ed talks to the fakes but then sets them free, and tells Magwar he won’t help a murderer. Magwar flees to the underground source of the red water; there is a fight and the cavern collapses. Ed traps the flowing red water with a rock dam, and Fletcher uses alchemy to get the trees to absorb the red water and leach out the poison. Ed and Al return home with a basket of Vercio’s lemons, promising to visit again someday.
Panda-Z #12: MooGyuu gets home… almost.
Hikaru no Go #37: Hikaru is a bit nervous on the first day of the pro exam finals, but is able to stand up to Tsubaki. Sai notices that Hikaru’s attitude has improved. The games begin. At lunch, Hikaru’s opponent accuses Waya and Isumi of being stupid for helping Hikaru right before the exam — they’re all rivals now. Hikaru wins his first game… and then his second, and his third… After the sixth match, only Hikaru, Isumi, Ochi, and Waya are undefeated. Ochi is getting tutoring from pros at his grandfather’s house; his goal is to pass the pro exam with straight wins. His grandfather suggests bringing in Touya 2dan, since he had the top exam score last year. Meanwhile, Touya is startled to see that Hikaru is 6 and 0; at first he wants to decline the tutoring invitation, but when he hears that the student is an Insei, he accepts.
Sweet Valerian #4: The birth of Relaxation Team Valerian!
Bleach #1: We meet Kurosaki Ichigo, a high school boy, as he beats up some punks who knocked over flowers that were placed for a dead girl. He tells the girl’s ghost, “Hurry up and go to heaven.” Ever since he can remember, he’s seen and spoken to spirits, perhaps because his family runs the town clinic where people are saved, or not saved, from death. Next morning there’s an explosion at a nearby train station; Ichigo investigates and sees a huge spirit creature chasing the ghost girl. An older girl dressed in black appears and defeats the creature with a sword, then walks off. Later, as Ichigo is wondering who she was, she walks in through his window. She’s surprised he can see her, and tells him she’s a shinigami (death god) from “Soul Society” who has come to vanquish evil spirits (called “Hollows”) and send good ones (called “pluses”) to Soul Society. She binds Ichigo with magic. Just then Ichigo hears a “powerful voice”, and his sister Yuzu appears and begs him to save his other sister, Karin. The shinigami investigates and Ichigo follows, then breaks the magical binding and attacks the Hollow that is holding Karin. The shinigami speculates that Ichigo’s spirit power was released when he touched the ghost girl, attracting these Hollows; to save his family, Ichigo must become a shinigami as well. He thrusts her sword through his heart and is infused with her power, which he uses to defeat the Hollow.
Galaxy Angel III #3: Milfeulle is late for a meeting to determine the future of the Galaxy Angels, leading to… complications. #4: Simulation training for Kokomo and Maribu. [Note: the translations in this episode were really bad. I may try a different version I have for these earlier episodes of Season 3, but for later episodes, I don’t have that option…]