Monday, August 25, 2008

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Block C

Block C is the block that starts all of the heavily contested matchups of this year's SaiMoe, culminating in the "Group of Death" in Block E. This block features early favorites like Amu Hinamori, Vita, Kagami Hiiragi, Kyou Fujibayashi, Shion Sonozaki and Louise De La Valliere. There are also many upset characters lurking about, such as the ARIA water fairies who will be double teaming Louise, as well as Yuno, Kana Minami, Kafuka Fuura, Sakuya Aizawa, and Rin Itoshiki. To put it simply - this is obviously one of the hardest brackets to predict in the SaiMoe tournament.


[[C01]] 8/27
<<夏みかん@ぽてまよ>>(Natsu Mikan@Potemayo)
<<ヴィータ@魔法少女リリカルなのはStrikerS>>(Vita@Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS)
<<穂波・高瀬・アンブラー@レンタルマギカ>>(Honami Takase Ambler@Rental Magica)

This is practically a shoe-horn for Vita this year, who at least this time doesn't have to run into Nanoha this year in her early bracket. Or any other fellow cast member for that matter. Which means, this may mark the first time Vita may get eliminated by a non-Nanoha series character.

[[C02]] 8/28
<<日奈森あむ(日奈森亜夢)@しゅごキャラ!>>(Hinamori Amu@Shugo Chara!)
<<野上葵@絶対可憐チルドレン>>(Nogami Aoi@Zettai Karen Children)
<<糸色倫@さよなら絶望先生>>(Itoshiki Rin@Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)

This battle is really between Rin Itoshiki and Amu Hinamori. Rin is the underdog here, with a severe lack of screentime going against a character in Amu who is a everyday (and main heroine) character on her show - in a classic form that has produced cute eleven year old magical girl winners like Sakura Kinamoto (2001) and Nanoha Takamachi (2005). Amu is the clear favorite in this group, but we'll see how much fight Rin puts up.

[[C03]] 8/29
<<持田雛子@Myself;Yourself>>(Mochida Hinako@Myself;Yourself)
<<チアキ@シゴフミ>>(Chiaki@Shigofumi)
<<愛沢咲夜@ハヤテのごとく!>>(Aizawa Sakuya@Hayate no Gotoku!)

In a battle of side characters, the "onee-chan" Sakuya Aizawa has the advantage here with being in a more well known and longer lasting series. Hinako Mochida is to not be overlooked here though - she's a loli tsundere that had 2 episodes of screentime in her series. (It was a 13 episode series, btw.)

[[C04]] 8/30
<<内田ユカ@みなみけ シリーズ>>(Uchida Yuka@Minami-ke)
<<向坂環@ToHeart2 シリーズ>>(Kousaka Tamaki@ToHeart2)
<<東聡莉@バンブーブレード>>(Azuma Satori@Bamboo Blade)

Tamaki has the early advantage, being that the series has been long out for quite some time compared to the other two. That may also hurt her also, but I wouldn't think they're be a lot of H-doujin's of her if she wasn't popular. It wouldn't surprise me though if one of the other two manage a upset.

[[C05]] 8/27
<<黒羽まなみ@レンタルマギカ>>(Kuroha Manami@Rental Magica)
<<白雪みぞれ@ロザリオとバンパイア>>(Shirayuki Mizore@Rosario+Vampire)
<<犹守望@かのこん>>(Ezomori Nozomu@Kanokon)

Going with the Rie Kugimiya-voiced Mizore here. This group is probably the only group that is very weak in this bracket.

[[C06]] 8/28
<<園崎詩音@ひぐらしのなく頃に解>>(Sonozaki Shion@Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai)
<<古河早苗@CLANNAD>>(Furukawa Sanae@Clannad)
<<柊かがみ@らき☆すた>>(Hiiragi Kagami@Lucky☆Star)

This group will be a brawl. We may see split KyoAni votes here, but the favorite (and by not much) is Kagami, who is seeking revenge this year from last year's epic bout with Rena Ryuugi (where it was thought she won by 300 votes, and after fake vote elimination, lost by 200 votes.) She'll be looking for revenge early versus Rena's fellow castmate, Shion Sonozaki. Kagami will be looking to eliminate the second half of the Sonozaki sisters in the first round, with Mion already going down to heavy favorite Fate Tessarossa in Block A. Sanae here is just Kanon-fodder, sadly.

[[C07]] 8/29
<<乱崎凶華(キョウキァ=エアエリアエア)@狂乱家族日記>>(Midarezaki Kyouka@Kyouran Kazoku Nikki)
<<朝倉音姫@D.C.II 〜ダ・カーポII〜>>(Asakura Otome@D.C.II)
<<カーヤ@ドルアーガの塔 〜the Aegis of URUK〜>>(Kaaya@The Tower of Druaga ~the Aegis of URUK~)

At first glance, this group may be fairly weak. But Otome has some fans, and Kaaya (EVEILBACKSTABBERPRIEST) should have a fairly sizable fanbase as well. While the winner is not expected to advance after this round, there might be a upset character lurking here.

[[C08]] 8/30
<<鷹野三四(田無美代子)@ひぐらしのなく頃に解>>(Takano Miyo/Tanashi Miyoko@Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai)
<<天子@コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ R2>>(Tenshi@Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2)
<<藤林杏@CLANNAD>>(Fujibayashi Kyou@Clannad)

With Ryou passing on to the next round, it'll be surprising if Kyou doesn't advance as well. Takano is felt to be too old to be a good moe character. Tenshi is a unknown to me, but a non-factor regardless.

[[C09]] 8/27
<<ルイズ・フランソワーズ・ル・ブラン・ド・ラ・ヴァリエール@ゼロの使い魔 〜双月の騎士〜>>(Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière@Zero no Tsukaima ~Futatsuki no Kishi~)
<<アリシア・フローレンス@ARIA シリーズ>>(Alicia Florence@ARIA the Origination)
<<晃・E・フェラーリ@ARIA シリーズ>>(Akira E. Ferrari@ARIA the Origination)

Louise has a very strong showing last year, reaching the quarterfinals until she ran into eventual champion, Rika Furude. In the process, she eliminated Suigintou, the doll who eliminated Fate Tessarossa early in last year's SaiMoe. Unlike last year where she had a fairly weak field against her, this year is a strong field for her - starting with this group. Both Undines are popular, especially now that ARIA is off the air and not expected to make any returns anytime soon, if ever. Split vote should help Louise here, but Louise fans have to turn out, and it's possible they may not - and let either Akira or Alicia (more likely Alicia) through, who are strong characters in their own rights.

[[C10]] 8/28
<<虹原いんく(ぱすてるインク)@もえたん>>(Nijihara Ink/Pastel Ink@Moetan)
<<皇神楽耶@コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ R2>>(Sumeragi Kaguya@Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2)
<<風浦可符香(P・N)@さよなら絶望先生>>(Fuura Kafuka@Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)

Kafuka has the moe advantage here, being a fairly cute Yandere character. We see more of her dere side then we do the Yan, but the Yan is pretty scary when it's shown in brief segments. I don't expect too much competition for her here, and to advance to the next round.

[[C11]] 8/29
<<乱崎千花(姫宮千子)@狂乱家族日記>>(Midarezaki Chika@Kyouran Kazoku Nikki)
<<織部麻緒衣@Myself;Yourself>>(Oribe Aoi@Myself;Yourself)
<<ゆの@ひだまりスケッチ 特別編>>(Yuno@Hidamari Sketch)

Yuno is the overwhelming favorite in this group, being that she got up to the group finals before getting omochikaeri'ed by Rena Ryuugi in last year's Block D. Aoi Oribe is a character to not entirely look over though. Okay, look over her now - stupidannoyingsuperspeedvoicelollollolahahahahahaha.

[[C12]] 8/30
<<エリーゼ・フォン・ディートリッヒ@スカイガールズ>>(Elise von Dietrich@Sky Girls)
<<岩崎みなみ@らき☆すた>>(Iwasaki Minami@Lucky☆Star)
<<南夏奈@みなみけ シリーズ>>(Minami Kana@Minami-ke)

Kana should advance here against weaker characters. With her older sister advancing, I would be surprised if cat faced Kana doesn't either. Her chief threat in this group should be from Elise.


That's it for Block C predictions. See you with Block D.

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