I wanted to see Figure 17 since AX 2003, I think. But undoubtedly the decision solidified after I saw Jeff Lawson's coverage. I thought that I'd debate it when done, but in the event, maybe not. I'm just going to throw raw notes on the page.
| 01 | OP ok I guess. Shows "soul mirror". Different personalities. |
| 01 | Very interesting BGM |
| 01 | Animation has made a step forward, but F17 is still pretty good. |
| 01 | Game-style BGM [I started getting bored with it quickly -- ed] |
| 01 | Concentration of thoughts on the hand makes no sense, but oh well. |
| 01 | Preview -- Hikaru's difference is not just a feature, but a very important feature. |
| 02 | Hikaru can sleep? She also has to eat. |
| -- If she's made out of a metal, then how exactly does she digest organics? [This was discussed at Bugfox -- ed] | |
| 02 | "To give you an idea how far... Anyway, they are very far apart." [ROFL at D.D. -- ed] |
| 02 | Hikaru is seen by Tsubasa's dad. Fun times. [At first Author thought she was gourging on sour cream, but on second thought it might have been ice-cream. -- ed] |
| 02 | DD's hair. [Crest of the Stars, man. -- ed] |
| 02 | Hikaru starts pretending to be Tsubasa and eats cheese bread. |
| 02 | Lip-eating is kawaii. |
| 02 | Hikaru wears a tail. |
| 02 | Mind control is so lame. |
| 03 | Not sure if I like the OP |
| Weirderst premise | |
| 03 | This time Sakura gets in on the same bus stop. |
| 03 | Niiice, Hikaru gets carried away with her shared memory (Sho's health) |
| 03 | The game is called Port Ball. |
| 03 | Tsubasa is really tranquilized during the whole school day. |
| 03 | 2 points for a catch by the goal. |
| 03 | ED starts nicely and then the oddly squeaking vocal cuts in. |
| 04 | 親子(おやこ) "parent and child" |
| 両親(りょうしん) | |
| Starting with v.2 they pack 2 episodes per DVD. Pure crime? Very long VOBs but the quality is not all that striking. 3GB VOB. [Episodes are DOUBLE LENGTH, or about 38 minutes including preview. A normal anime episode is about 24 minutes with preview. -- ed] | |
| 04 | Hokkaido is Siberia |
| 06 | Hikaru is wounded. There must be poison. |
| 07 | Lots of burden on the Hikaru's AI |
| 07 | Hikaru is Cardboard Tube Samurai |
| 07 | Total foreshadowing by Sho the scriptwriter (playwright). |
| 08 | Ten-ten, because Tenmaru's younger sister... Huh. |
| 08 | They sure play the nature card to the utmost. |
| Shinji is a freaking freeloader. | |
| Lake Hono. | |
| 09 | New music for the balloon. [This means that the BGM was really repetitive, with only "nature", "battle", and "other". Additional tunes started to appear later. -- ed] |
| Sho was the first to speak to Tsubasa when she moved from Tokyo? Hmm. | |
| まくなりました passed away | |
| Deceptive start of ED is really something else. [Already noted in ep.03, but pissed me off every time. -- ed] | |
| 10 | The ... (bold boy) noticed, but didn't go beyond admonishement. |
| Interesting that Sho's mother knew about the handkerchief | |
| Weird Japanese fascination with "making memories". | |
| 10 | Anti-ganbatte revolt of Tsubasa |
| 11 | Parents reply to letters in Sho's stead. What an odd ritual. |
| The brush-cleaning gadget. SUGOI. [When Author went to school, he had to wash the erasing cloth, which always stank. -- ed] | |
| 11 | "Hagiwara-kun" translated as "Kenta" (when "saving" Hikaru from Aoyama). |
| 12 | OP grows on me. ED is still gay but it does too. |
| 12 | はんちょう group leader |
| 12 | Hukaru pulled the hand unintentionally, it seems. [Actually, wrong. She did it on purpose. -- ed] |
| 12 | Even Kenta noticed. |
| 12 | Tsubasa is super slow, but she added 2 and 2 at last. Took her 10 episodes! |
| 12 | So, is there a certain link? If Tsubasa gets more energetic, Hikaru recovers? |
| 13 | Nice cellphone, works on a spaceship. [Seen in ep.26 of Stellvia as well. -- ed] |
| 13 | reverse [meaning that it's Tsubasa's turn to protect Hikaru -- ed] |
| 13 | Another theme is how Tsubasa grows to depend on herself. |
| 13 | Mind control is a lame move |
| 13 | Tsubasa got Ordeena's bird |
| xx | Correct story size and pace, no filler. |