So, like all otaku, I did my duty. I climbed Mount Kunlun to pay homage to Haruhi and vote in the International Saimoe League 2009 Aquamarine Period — Round 5 elections. I am a blogger of Anime Diet, moritheil, making an obvious reference.
While this isn’t the original Saimoe we all love to gripe about, ISML is vastly simplified. This directly benefits the participants in that it does not feel like working a second job. The staff have also gone to extra lengths to be inclusive of international crowds and their submissions – some might argue too inclusive. See this for Touhou-related drama.
Without further ado, the votes. If I don’t bother listing an opponent it means that the candidate I voted for was a “must win” and thus comparatively the other entry was not worth mentioning. Of course if two “must wins” go head to head, rather than shut down in a fit of logical error, I’ll list both.
Nagato Yuki vs. Chii – Yuki.
Izumi Konata vs. Katagiri Yuhi – you have to feel sorry for Yuhi at being paired with Konata. I will be astonished if Konata does not steamroll to the finals. She is, after all, everyone’s waifu.
Ryugu Rena vs. Vita – Close, but I’ll go with the yandere over the tsundere here. Rena it is.
Misaka Mikoto vs. Suigintou – Let us go with the dark-winged angel.
Index vs. Tsukasa – While shredding your irreplaceable clothes as a way of making a point shows character that I approve of, the dark masters of Kyoto Animation have crafted their Lucky Star moe too well. Tsukasa.
Yagami Hayate vs. Sanzen’in Nagi – Well, I’d better vote for a MSLN character sooner or later, and the whole “dark girl turned good” is near and dear to my heart.
Minoriiiiiin! – Minorin.
Aisaka Taiga – TAIGA!
Kagami vs. Sunohara Mei – Once again, KyoAni devours my ballot.
Kallen vs. Furude Rika – Hmm. I am amused that this is the Tehran area. The thing is Kallen doesn’t really feel moe to me. She’s fiercely competent and dedicated to her war, and it’s cute that she can be embarrassed easily by certain things, but . . . moe is not among the first terms that come to mind (of course I’m sure that there are doujin out there that would change this, but I haven’t read them.) Furude Rika is alternately the creepy little girl who wants onii-tama to save her from certain death, and the vexed, pissed off one who jumps from one reality to another and still doesn’t get what she wants. I . . . honestly don’t really think I can vote for either of them as moe.
Misuzu vs. Tomoyo – We’ll go with Tomoyo.
Saber vs. Akarai – Saber!
Ami vs. Nanoha – Oh good grief. I never liked Ami initially, which was deliberate on the part of the author, as she embodies the spoiled rich girl we all love to hate. However, she’s not just a spoiled rich girl, as is made abundantly clear later. So despite the fact that months ago I would never have seen myself voting this way, Ami.
Sakura vs. Osaka – OSAKAAAA! Why are you holding a kniiiiiife?
Tosaka Rin – Rin fan legions, unite!
Maria vs. Patchouli Knowledge – Banzai Gensyoko!
Hinamori Amu vs. Mai – Going with Amu here. Yes, she is a greatly simplified girl, almost to the point of caricature, but there is something endearing about that awkward simplicity.
Ayu vs. Nayuki – Hey, you know what would be fantastic? Let’s put two characters from the same show up against each other! Either way, the show loses! (I know that this was just a result of the seeding. I’m being petty. Leave me to my quibbing.) Despite the enduring nature of uguu-power, I’m going to lean towards Nayuki, both for the tragic nature of her situation and because of certain personality quirks.
Ryogi Shiki vs. Nagisa – Hmm, two very tragic characters. Let’s go with the satsujin ojou-sama.
Shamemaru vs. Louise Valiere – Look, Shamemaru is dancing over there! Okay, no, actually I must admit Louise is more moe, though I would not want anything to do with her as a friend, lover, classmate, or acquaintance: she takes tsun-tsun to terrifying new proportions with her whip and crop, and endangers those around her with random explosions to boot.
Nagi vs. Holo – I actually have no strong impressions of either of these.
Kyo vs. Reimu – EYASSA nanimokamo wo wasurete sawagou yo!
Kotomi vs. Shinku – Sadness vs. the will to fight. I guess this goes to Shinku.
Shana – Urusai urusai urusai!
Scarlet vs. Fuko – Hmmm.
Fate – Feitoism!
Suiseiseki vs. Illya – Murderous inhuman little girls are scary desu! Also: desu desu desu.
C.C. vs. Alice Carroll – I guess we’ll go with this iteration of “girl in a container.”
Hinagiku vs. Tamaki – Tama-chan! Use only 50% of your power! No wait . . .
Chiba Kirino vs. Sawatari Makoto – This one goes to the genki girl.
Mikuru vs. Haruhi – Once again, two stars of the same series matched up against one another. Is it more moe to do the bullying, or more moe to be bullied? It is the latter, and Mikuru gets the vote.
That about wraps it up! By now, of course, the merciless progression of elimination matches is such that actual votes have been tallied all the way through Round 6. There have been some surprising results (Yuki and Tsukasa both lost! Is this the beginning of the end for KyoAni?!) and some not-so-surprising results (Shana has won repeatedly – this cannot be called news.) Round 7 has yet to start.
Let the flames begin.
Good choice for Ryogi Shiki against… err… Nagisa Furukawa? hehehe.
🙂
although there are some characters I’m not familiar with.