Trafalgar shonichi
Let's get this out of the way first.
The first time I cried was when Tomochin and Mayu-chan were doing ridiculous dancing antics. I cried because I didn't think this show would make me laugh. I cried from love.
The second time I had tears in my eyes was at the third or fourth Yuuhi x Sumika love scene. I'm just so tired of being jealous of her, but I can't seem to let it go.
And you know what, if there are people out there who think Asuka's voice was annoying, then by god I maintain my right to the opinion that Sumika's singing and general "musumeyaku" intonation makes me want to jam my fingers in my ears.
I can't forgive her for being in my troupe, because she doesn't get better. :\
The third time... I spontaneously burst into tears at Kuracchi's dance solo. It just hit me, I mean, I've been so focused on Alice-chan and no one else but I suddenly felt stricken by the thought of Kuracchi leaving too.
I didn't cry again after that. Not even when Alice-chan sang in a sad lovers' quartet with Micchan, Sumika and Yuuhi.
What I think of the show in general:
It's actually not a bad show.
It's not an AMAZING show, but tolerably decent.
And boy, those British Navy uniforms are hot ;D
Unfortunately there's only one big sea battle, though. It's nothing like El Halcon. It kiiiind of starts with a battle only not really, and there's a scene they clearly threw in just to portray Yuuhi getting a flesh arm wound, and then the big dramatic ending.
Mostly the naval officers just talk and do things on land. ;P
It's a good mix of Nelson-side vs. Napoleon-side, I guess? And I would say it's a good mix of love vs. war but I HATE THE LOVE SCENES.
There are seriously like five. And one was this really bogus bit where the royal family is fleeing Naples -- Micchan & Sumika are with them and so Yuuhi helps out, then somehow Sumika falls behind, Yuuhi goes to find her and THEY "HIDE" IN PLAIN SIGHT on a deserted street AND TALK ABOUT THEIR TRAGIC PASTS.
I just stopped watching the Yuuhi-and-Sumika-only scenes after that.
Actually my big problem with this show is that everyone is so selfish.
Micchan is selfish and soulless and essentially buys the marriage to Sumika. But I was impressed with Micchan for being that much of a cold-hearted bastard -- better than Renault, in my opinion. ;)
Tomu is selfish because DUH, IT'S NAPOLEON I mean he was trying to conquer Europe and all. He pretty much takes Josephine for granted, and the Giuseppina affair is only implied, but yeah.
Yuuhi is selfish AND STUPID. Nelson is so out of touch with what he wants from life that he a) has to ask his aide what he's fighting for (Tomochin correctly answers "my country and my loved ones!" SILLY YOU, HORATIO :P) and b) lets himself get carried away with the first unhappily married woman who bats her eyelashes at him.
Sumika is @#$%&#@% A HOMEWRECKER. Continuing to throw herself on Nelson even after learning he has a family. Ignoring the fact that SHE'S MARRIED TOO. And just-- just-- the way she does it is so-- asdfghjkl. So childish. D:<
Okay, ready for the big surprise?
ALICE-CHAN IS THE ONLY ONE WHO IS NOT SELFISH.
She takes care of Nelson's father despite knowing her husband is off being a philandering jerk (this is true to history, actually). And she doesn't try to turn her son against Nelson OR let him blame himself for the arm wound thing (Josiah thinks it's his fault). She doesn't choose to divorce Nelson, she is PROACTIVE (and okay, guilt-trips Nelson a little by bringing his father along) at least in that she goes out proudly to meet her husband and the woman who came between them.
SHE IS ACTUALLY NOT THAT MEAN AT ALL it's so typical of these stories to try to make the other woman look bad but SUMIKA IS THE OTHER WOMAN. Even when Alice-chan was being cross and haughty, all I saw was a wife WELL within her rights to be cross with her HUSBAND.
And actually, as I said, an unselfish and pitiable person.
Really brief (only not, lol) other-people rundown.
DAI-CHAN AND HER BERUBARA HAIR IT IS AMAZING.
KACHA AS "RETURN OF THE KISS TO THE FLAMES GYPSY" SERVANT. SHE WEARS TANI'S COSTUME (which, ahem, Saitou-sensei ALREADY reused on Yukari hello). She's one of those dumb servant types who can't read good and is all chipper and wants to learn how to fight! But in the end, takes a bullet 5 minutes before Yuuhi dies. >.>;;; Yay random death scene?
TOMOCHIN as the really tall aide dude who in one scene has to make really lame excuses for Philandering!Yuuhi... AND ALSO, THE BIT WITH MAYU-CHAN. It's like, you're supposed to be watching Yuuhi and Sumika have their first dance but you're distracted by TALL, TALL TOMOCHIN dancing with TINY, TINY MAYU-CHAN and Tomochin's being all *awkward leaning down* and Mayu-chan's being all *DESPERATELY HOPPING UP TRYING TO GRAB HER HAND* it was so cute and I laughed and cried from love and will probably have to watch them every single time.
Even though in the same scene is Ten-chan who is apparently POPULAR WITH THE LADIES because first she dances with Re-re and then Sakihana Riho is all "hey there! *shove*" AND JUST APPOINTS HERSELF TEN-CHAN'S NEW PARTNER.
Riho-chan, I officially love you <3333
Ten-chan is also EVIL GLARING POLITICAL DUDE when they oust FormerLeader!BonBon (who is hot). Koumai also gets some Glaring Dude in Black time. Oh but back to Ten-chan, she plays cards with MONCHI and J-ko and someone else until SUMIKA comes and ruins their card game. D:
Monchi is also Wary French Soldier who holds Desperate-to-See-Napoleon!Chii-chan at bay all coolly with her gun 8D
Chii-chan is, in fact, a man named Aurelie (wtf Saitou-sensei) who wants his revenge on Nelson for his brother having been killed in a battle. He's a musketeer / marksman-type-person? Mmm, Chii-chan lusting for revenge >:D Guess who takes out Yuuhi AND then gets a cool dying bit of her own >:D
Mii-chan is Napoleon's brother who goes around helping with things, smirking evilly and saying "oui!" ;P
All three 88ths also get some random background action, not at the same time but I guess in free spaces whenever they don't have scenes for a while. I remember Mii-chan was Random Townsperson Welcoming the Conquering Hero, and Dai-chan (and Kai-chan?) were French Politicians Kicking Out BonBon.
Ousted!BonBon eventually returns as a British Navy dude lol.
Kai-chan, Masako and Tomoe are also much-beloved navy dudes. XD <3
Ummmm musumeyaku! Ecchan and Tara-chan LOVE as the "wicked stepsister" types, only they actually are Napoleon's sisters haha. But they hate Josephine (Itsumine-san <3) and are all catty at her X3
Seiko is once again a pointless almost-love-interest to Tomu. Okay, so she's not pointless when she sings opera with TamaTama, Kyanon-chan and J-ko. That was cool.
Ummmm Sakurako and Eri-chan are very pretty pretty maidservants to different rich households.
And Re-re. Following in the footsteps of her twin sister, she is turning into a little sunbeam. It's her sweetest child role yet. I can't even describe it, she is just too precious for words... And will always be the one I watch in those ending scenes. <3
Before I forget, Susshii-san, Ayumi-san, Aoi-san, TamaTama, Chiya-neesan etc are all awesome love love love my upperclassmen.
Okay. Now. THAT AIZUKI HIKARU. Why didn't they give HER the shinko lead?! She's way more prominent than Riku (who is just French Soldier #3 except for the opening scene where she gets lines) and like CAN ACT GOOD AND STUFF. I wouldn't be bothered by Ai-ai jumping over Monchi, I think. Riku bugs me because I see less "talent" and more "she looks like Tonami, let's push her!" *eyeroll* BUT YES, AI-AI. I approve of you being Alice-chan's big tall son. X3
Basically covered everyone? Oh no, there's also Sattsun who gets to say a few lines looking all Important and doing Dignitary Stuff or whatever XD And Juma-chu is the other French Soldier with Lines at the very beginning.
Kuu-chan, who never gets any love, was Alice-chan's servant.
And a shoutout because I hearts her, French Soldier Ouka <3333 Is hot <33333
OH but UNCREDITED (at least on the website), Rian, Airi and Suzuka Maya are Tama & Ayumi-san's other kids (along with Ebi-chan <3) who show up in a couple of scenes being tiny and cute. Big Scary and Tall Tomochin made one of them cry XD (I missed what happened, but maybe Rian ran into her and fell over? XDDD)
I suspect that as the run goes on I'm going to devolve into Underclassmen Antics stories again.
For now, have some pictures -- Daily Sports, Sanspo -- which are a tantalizing preview to the revue as well.
REVUE.
NEW POST TIME.
The first time I cried was when Tomochin and Mayu-chan were doing ridiculous dancing antics. I cried because I didn't think this show would make me laugh. I cried from love.
The second time I had tears in my eyes was at the third or fourth Yuuhi x Sumika love scene. I'm just so tired of being jealous of her, but I can't seem to let it go.
And you know what, if there are people out there who think Asuka's voice was annoying, then by god I maintain my right to the opinion that Sumika's singing and general "musumeyaku" intonation makes me want to jam my fingers in my ears.
I can't forgive her for being in my troupe, because she doesn't get better. :\
The third time... I spontaneously burst into tears at Kuracchi's dance solo. It just hit me, I mean, I've been so focused on Alice-chan and no one else but I suddenly felt stricken by the thought of Kuracchi leaving too.
I didn't cry again after that. Not even when Alice-chan sang in a sad lovers' quartet with Micchan, Sumika and Yuuhi.
What I think of the show in general:
It's actually not a bad show.
It's not an AMAZING show, but tolerably decent.
And boy, those British Navy uniforms are hot ;D
Unfortunately there's only one big sea battle, though. It's nothing like El Halcon. It kiiiind of starts with a battle only not really, and there's a scene they clearly threw in just to portray Yuuhi getting a flesh arm wound, and then the big dramatic ending.
Mostly the naval officers just talk and do things on land. ;P
It's a good mix of Nelson-side vs. Napoleon-side, I guess? And I would say it's a good mix of love vs. war but I HATE THE LOVE SCENES.
There are seriously like five. And one was this really bogus bit where the royal family is fleeing Naples -- Micchan & Sumika are with them and so Yuuhi helps out, then somehow Sumika falls behind, Yuuhi goes to find her and THEY "HIDE" IN PLAIN SIGHT on a deserted street AND TALK ABOUT THEIR TRAGIC PASTS.
I just stopped watching the Yuuhi-and-Sumika-only scenes after that.
Actually my big problem with this show is that everyone is so selfish.
Micchan is selfish and soulless and essentially buys the marriage to Sumika. But I was impressed with Micchan for being that much of a cold-hearted bastard -- better than Renault, in my opinion. ;)
Tomu is selfish because DUH, IT'S NAPOLEON I mean he was trying to conquer Europe and all. He pretty much takes Josephine for granted, and the Giuseppina affair is only implied, but yeah.
Yuuhi is selfish AND STUPID. Nelson is so out of touch with what he wants from life that he a) has to ask his aide what he's fighting for (Tomochin correctly answers "my country and my loved ones!" SILLY YOU, HORATIO :P) and b) lets himself get carried away with the first unhappily married woman who bats her eyelashes at him.
Sumika is @#$%&#@% A HOMEWRECKER. Continuing to throw herself on Nelson even after learning he has a family. Ignoring the fact that SHE'S MARRIED TOO. And just-- just-- the way she does it is so-- asdfghjkl. So childish. D:<
Okay, ready for the big surprise?
ALICE-CHAN IS THE ONLY ONE WHO IS NOT SELFISH.
She takes care of Nelson's father despite knowing her husband is off being a philandering jerk (this is true to history, actually). And she doesn't try to turn her son against Nelson OR let him blame himself for the arm wound thing (Josiah thinks it's his fault). She doesn't choose to divorce Nelson, she is PROACTIVE (and okay, guilt-trips Nelson a little by bringing his father along) at least in that she goes out proudly to meet her husband and the woman who came between them.
SHE IS ACTUALLY NOT THAT MEAN AT ALL it's so typical of these stories to try to make the other woman look bad but SUMIKA IS THE OTHER WOMAN. Even when Alice-chan was being cross and haughty, all I saw was a wife WELL within her rights to be cross with her HUSBAND.
And actually, as I said, an unselfish and pitiable person.
Really brief (only not, lol) other-people rundown.
DAI-CHAN AND HER BERUBARA HAIR IT IS AMAZING.
KACHA AS "RETURN OF THE KISS TO THE FLAMES GYPSY" SERVANT. SHE WEARS TANI'S COSTUME (which, ahem, Saitou-sensei ALREADY reused on Yukari hello). She's one of those dumb servant types who can't read good and is all chipper and wants to learn how to fight! But in the end, takes a bullet 5 minutes before Yuuhi dies. >.>;;; Yay random death scene?
TOMOCHIN as the really tall aide dude who in one scene has to make really lame excuses for Philandering!Yuuhi... AND ALSO, THE BIT WITH MAYU-CHAN. It's like, you're supposed to be watching Yuuhi and Sumika have their first dance but you're distracted by TALL, TALL TOMOCHIN dancing with TINY, TINY MAYU-CHAN and Tomochin's being all *awkward leaning down* and Mayu-chan's being all *DESPERATELY HOPPING UP TRYING TO GRAB HER HAND* it was so cute and I laughed and cried from love and will probably have to watch them every single time.
Even though in the same scene is Ten-chan who is apparently POPULAR WITH THE LADIES because first she dances with Re-re and then Sakihana Riho is all "hey there! *shove*" AND JUST APPOINTS HERSELF TEN-CHAN'S NEW PARTNER.
Riho-chan, I officially love you <3333
Ten-chan is also EVIL GLARING POLITICAL DUDE when they oust FormerLeader!BonBon (who is hot). Koumai also gets some Glaring Dude in Black time. Oh but back to Ten-chan, she plays cards with MONCHI and J-ko and someone else until SUMIKA comes and ruins their card game. D:
Monchi is also Wary French Soldier who holds Desperate-to-See-Napoleon!Chii-chan at bay all coolly with her gun 8D
Chii-chan is, in fact, a man named Aurelie (wtf Saitou-sensei) who wants his revenge on Nelson for his brother having been killed in a battle. He's a musketeer / marksman-type-person? Mmm, Chii-chan lusting for revenge >:D Guess who takes out Yuuhi AND then gets a cool dying bit of her own >:D
Mii-chan is Napoleon's brother who goes around helping with things, smirking evilly and saying "oui!" ;P
All three 88ths also get some random background action, not at the same time but I guess in free spaces whenever they don't have scenes for a while. I remember Mii-chan was Random Townsperson Welcoming the Conquering Hero, and Dai-chan (and Kai-chan?) were French Politicians Kicking Out BonBon.
Ousted!BonBon eventually returns as a British Navy dude lol.
Kai-chan, Masako and Tomoe are also much-beloved navy dudes. XD <3
Ummmm musumeyaku! Ecchan and Tara-chan LOVE as the "wicked stepsister" types, only they actually are Napoleon's sisters haha. But they hate Josephine (Itsumine-san <3) and are all catty at her X3
Seiko is once again a pointless almost-love-interest to Tomu. Okay, so she's not pointless when she sings opera with TamaTama, Kyanon-chan and J-ko. That was cool.
Ummmm Sakurako and Eri-chan are very pretty pretty maidservants to different rich households.
And Re-re. Following in the footsteps of her twin sister, she is turning into a little sunbeam. It's her sweetest child role yet. I can't even describe it, she is just too precious for words... And will always be the one I watch in those ending scenes. <3
Before I forget, Susshii-san, Ayumi-san, Aoi-san, TamaTama, Chiya-neesan etc are all awesome love love love my upperclassmen.
Okay. Now. THAT AIZUKI HIKARU. Why didn't they give HER the shinko lead?! She's way more prominent than Riku (who is just French Soldier #3 except for the opening scene where she gets lines) and like CAN ACT GOOD AND STUFF. I wouldn't be bothered by Ai-ai jumping over Monchi, I think. Riku bugs me because I see less "talent" and more "she looks like Tonami, let's push her!" *eyeroll* BUT YES, AI-AI. I approve of you being Alice-chan's big tall son. X3
Basically covered everyone? Oh no, there's also Sattsun who gets to say a few lines looking all Important and doing Dignitary Stuff or whatever XD And Juma-chu is the other French Soldier with Lines at the very beginning.
Kuu-chan, who never gets any love, was Alice-chan's servant.
And a shoutout because I hearts her, French Soldier Ouka <3333 Is hot <33333
OH but UNCREDITED (at least on the website), Rian, Airi and Suzuka Maya are Tama & Ayumi-san's other kids (along with Ebi-chan <3) who show up in a couple of scenes being tiny and cute. Big Scary and Tall Tomochin made one of them cry XD (I missed what happened, but maybe Rian ran into her and fell over? XDDD)
I suspect that as the run goes on I'm going to devolve into Underclassmen Antics stories again.
For now, have some pictures -- Daily Sports, Sanspo -- which are a tantalizing preview to the revue as well.
REVUE.
NEW POST TIME.