Anime Review: Busou Shinki Episode 3

I got reviewed the episode 2 yesterday. Episode 3 is on the way. And the episode 4 will air this midnight! Time is running out. So, this is the review of the 3rd episode, titled “激突！バトルトライク (Gekitotsu! Batoru Toraiku; Clash! Battle Trike)”.

(WARNING! SPOILER CONTENT INCLUDED! OPEN AT YOUR OWN RISK!)

(Mini-HD encode by AnimeOut, fansub by Commie)

Before I tell the story, this episode starts with a scene of a lovely morning life of Rihito's Shinki.

 LOL, "Armored Angels". By the way, Konami is also quite famous with their baseball games, Pro Yakyuu Spirits and Power Pro Yakyuu

Ann writing her diary

 LOL at Hina's reaction

 Lene put a little more "charm" to Rihito's tea. Well, that's not little, that's a lot.....

 I don't know why they make it sparkling

 Ann's diary. And prove that her name is Ann, not Arn

Look at Lene's expression. She's cute, isn't she?

 

So, this episode is about Clara's attempt to capture the Shinki thief, which currently is famous among the local news, with her asking an offer to Ann, Hina, Ines, and Lene to cooperate with her. Ann, Ines, and Lene not interested and straightly refuse the offer. But, Hina think it will be interesting and gladly accept Clara's offer.

  

The Shinki enjoy watching last year's Shinki Tournament highlight

She ignore it. LOL

They also ignore it. LOL

They like to ignore her, don't they?

She just talk big.

Is the wooden clapper like that really that loud?

STRARF LEE!!!!

Note: Those are just figures/toys

Again, those are just figures/toys

*crack

And Rihito just found a lot of Shinki parts strayed at the park.

Wow! A sword from Battle Masters Mk.2 patch!

Thanks to Pocchii, they caught on their own trap.

Suspicious person spotted!

"Love Machine" LOL

Comparing those expressions makes me laugh somehow. LOL

"Another suspicious person is come."

Then, they finally find and confirmed the thief. Now, it's time for them to capture it.

He know their existence!

 

Ann then got a call for Rihito. He's now in the police station because he found lots of Shinki parts in the park on the way back and the police officer thinks that he is the thief.

 Back to the shop.....

 "Oh sh*t!"

 Shinki meal box?

Nope. It's a box of Shinki.

 

Ann, Ines, and Lene shock with the fact their master now in the police station and they also don't believe that he is the thief. They now need to save their master and proof the officer wrong by joining with Hina and Clara.

In the time Hina and Clara want to capture the thief, they then facing Ach and Yda. Both of them are activated by the thief.

 "I'll finish you in 5 seconds! And this will be your graveyard!"

 And she just beaten under 5 seconds and make her own graveyard. Poor Clara.....

 Now, 2 vs 1.....

 Bring it on!

Ann, Ines, and Lene finally found the thief. And then they split the task with Ines and Lene chasing the thief while Ann helping Hina.

 A sudden pull back maneuver, much like a horizontal version of stall counter.

 It is dangerous, but sometimes effective.

 Ann finally use her LS9 Laser Sword! Yeah!

 All wheel stand-still burnout!? How's that possible!?

 Wicked little monster! Just a small thing can make such a big ground smoke.

 Wooh! Rafale (a kind of wave rider when Arnval using its Special Rail Action, Gran Neule)!

 Wow! Hina breaks Yda's sword.

With the truth finally uncovered and the thief also confirmed captured, Ach and Yda then go for a journey to find their kind-like master by themselves.

I'll be baaaack! *sparkle

 

Rihito finally back home. And he also surprised that it turns out the one who “planned” to find the thief is Hina. As a return, Rihito say thanks to Hina and repaint the bruise that she got from the earlier battle.

They jealous with Hina. Well, it's obvious, isn't it?

 

Episode ends. How is it? We have a very intense battle halfway. Now, here are my impressions:

Poor Clara.... LOL

It seems that Clara is pretty much a rejected character here. Well, in the series, Eukrante is actually a that kind of character. So it's kinda usual for her to have a role like that. Poor you. And also, she seems pretty much weak compared to the others, even though she is very strong willed.

Busou Shinki World Tournament? So Shinki is now really that famous

I'm not misheard that. It clearly says “Busou Shinki World Tournament (武装神姫世界大会; Busou Shinki Sekai Taikai)”! Well, in the game, they are so many foreign characters actually, which means that Shinki is already known internationally. But, it surprise me that thing also applied here. So Shinki really is that famous (even though I know that already thanks to Busou Shinki international community forum, “Busou Shinki World”). Usually, if the franchise only famous in Japan or just focused in Japan, then either the manga or anime will say “All-Japan Championship (全日選手権; Zen-Nihon Senshuken)” or “National Tournament (全国大会; Zenkoku Taikai)”. So yeah, good thing.

"YEAH!!!" - Shinki Shop spotted!

We finally manage to see a Shinki Shop in this episode! So it's not a bugging thing anymore. But, starting with a theft incident is somehow funny at some point.

Ann refusal technique: Misinterpret words!

It's been a while to see some misinterpret jokes. After several times rad it in the manga (Hayate The Combat Buttler and K-On! had one) and quite a long time saw in the anime (Lucky Star had one if I'm not wrong), now I finally see it again. Ann misinterpret between “battle” with “bathhouse” really is funny and very unrelated indeed. Both spelled the same “sentou”, but both using different kanjis. Battle is using “戦闘”, while bathhouse is using “銭湯”. And all of that just for refusing Clara's offer. Nice idea.

"NAAAH!!!" - Shinki bathing again!?

I just found it awkward to see a kind of ecchi scene with a Shinki. Really. And I already state it in the previous episode review. So once again, is that really necessary?

"YEAH!!!" - STRARF LEE!!! WUUAAACHAAAUUUWW!!!!

It seems that Konami or Busou Shinki anime staffs or either 8Bit Studio like Bruce Lee so much that they even making Hina replicating his nunchuck technique with a wooden clappers in this episode. Not just his movements, but also his shouts as well! Well, since Strarf is a serious fighter, she's also mastered all kinds of weapons. So, it's kinda usual for her, doesn't it? Even Clara says, “That's not how to use it.” LOL

"YEAH!!!" - Great Battle! Good job 8Bit!

With Clara easily beaten and both Ach and Yda becoming a cooperative partner, making Hina must to fight them both at the same time. Thus the mock battle starts. And crews from 8Bit really did a great effort on it. The battle looks amazing especially the ground battle ones. The intense feel of the battle really feels like it. It's even better than Infinite Stratos, the one also animated by them.

So IS-esque

Since the director of this anime is the same as Infinite Stratos, so the ideas are pretty much comes from him. Previously, we already seen the armor and weapon instant summon. Now, we see the Shinki's HUD. That are pretty much stuffs from Infinite Stratos. Are they really want to make it different from the original and make a new generation of Shinki?

"YEAH!!!" - Hina and Yda, the true swordsman

Those two really are the star of the episode. The battle of those two really is amazing. Both of them using sword and we often to see the sword bending actions in this episode. Their techniques also great. Hina can avoid Yda's attacks and so Yda too can avoid Hina's attacks. They are truly like a sword master.

Different Shinki packaging, meaning the setting is different to the origin

In Moon Angel OVA, the packaging of the Shinki are using the one in real life; a quite big carton box. That means that the Moon Angel OVA's setting is the same as the original, or basically following the originality. While this anime, the packaging is different. It's like a plastic meal box with a holographic display on the box cover. That's only for one Shinki and doesn't even have a place to store the armaments. So again, are they really want to make it different from the original and make a new generation of Shinki?

Pocchii and Tamamii, a running gag?

In this episode, both of them are really like a running gag. Their roles doesn't even take a long time unlike in previous episode. And their roles also ends in misery and there's also a part where Hina notice their misery, making even look more like a running gag. So, are they really important characters?

So, great episode! Great battle! They really put a great effort in this episode. Forget about Shinki bathing. Forget about Shinki odd naked design. Forget about the thief. The battle sure rules the episode! I really like it.

Next Episode, Shinki racing. Eh? Racing? Hmm... I think know where they get the idea from. You know, besides the baseball games I mention before, Konami also quite famous with their racing games. They have a racing simulation, Enthusia Professional Racing, an arcade racer, Road Fighters, and more. And there's also a racing game that Busou Shinki has a cameo appearance on it. What is it? Here's the clue.

(Images credits to Konami Computer Entertainment)

So, you know what game is that? I'll give you the answer in the next episode review. So, see you then.