Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha

Not directly related to Nanoha, but probably relevant to this thread's interests. I saw a book described as "magical girl science fiction" online and immediately checked to see if my library had a copy. They do! So I reserved it. The book is All the Birds in the Sky, by Charlie Jane Anders. Will read and report back.

So going back to where we left off at device regulations and treatment in the Nanoha-verse

So, lets recap on what we know so far.

First, Devices are ubiquitous in the Nanoha-verse, or at the very least, in Mid-Childa. Everybody uses them, much like cellphones and the Internet is here in the real world. There also exist device building manuals and parts readily available to people, as evidenced by Subaru and Teana being able to fashion their own devices from scratch before the TSAB gave them their own, much superior devices.

Now the problems pointed out are as follows: a) Why is the TSAB allowing civilians to own devices that can be used as weapons and b) what kind of regulatory measures (if there are any) are being enforced.

Lets look back to the first season, specifically when Nanoha and Yuuno met the TSAB for the first time. When Chrono asked Nanoha to board the Athra, he simply asks her to disarm her device/barrier jacket, and that's it. And that's when his introduction is to stop Nanoha and Fate from fighting. This gives one an idea of how devices are treated by the same law enforcement organization that monitors and searches for dangerous artifacts (some of which are devices themselves like the Book of Darkness/Tome of the Night Sky). If there were stricter rules concerning device regulations, the first thing Chrono would've done is confiscate Raising Heart and sent Nanoha to the brig for using an unregistered device. Heck, after they capture Fate, they leave her in the same room as Bardiche, despite pegging Fate as a dangerous element.

Here's what I think, the reason the TSAB can afford to allow civilian mages to have devices is that sealing spells exist. If a mage ever goes rogue, they only need to subdue this mage, then forcefully take away his device's functions. Heck, Gil Graham's solution to the B.o.D was to seal it by instant freezing, One of the reasons it wouldn't work is that there are people that would unseal it anyway.

Now, as mentioned above, while sealing spells exist, there are only a few people who know it, and from what I've read so far, these people work in jobs that require sealing magic (Yuuno and Thoma are archaeologists, Nanoha and co. are in the military). Also, in the case of Yuuno and Thoma, devices are needed to perform sealing magic, evidenced by the fact that Yuuno was unable to seal jewel seeds without Raising Heart, Thoma needed Steed to unlock a magically sealed door, and only Hayate was able to seal Fabia's device after Vivio and the others defeat her. In short, sealing magic is implied to be something that ordinary people cannot learn.

So generally speaking, the TSAB can afford to allow civilians to carry devices is because they have measures of stopping people who would use devices for evil purposes. Also, with regards to the question of what kind of government would allow such things, I'd say it's the kind of government who chose to outlaw all manner of mass based weaponry because unlike magic, mass-based weaponry has only one setting which is lethal.

Where does it say that civilians are able to construct their own devices?

Both Subaru and Teana have relatives in the military (parents and brother respectively), so they do have a theoretical access to better stuff. I somehow really doubt that freely-available components are tuned for combat.

Then again, ViViD shows us that teenagers are allowed to carry devices that - among other things - allows them to cast breaker and eraser class spells, both of which are potentially-lethal without (or even with) proper protections in place — Sieg's higher-tier magic can punch right through whatever spells are used to keep the tournament combatants safe.

Perhaps the reason TSAB allows all mages to keep their devices is because most of the population is mages, and have at least some training in using magic? Such a community can protect itself for a few minutes until the police/military arrive.

edited 2nd Jul '16 3:45:15 AM by NHunter

I'm allowed to carry a knife, which can easily be used to kill someone. Is that much different?

Well,.. you knife can't level a city block.

And, at least where I live, carrying melee weapons [1] is illegal for civilians. Technically, a big stationary knife is such a weapon, though usually the police will overlook it.

[1] knives are considered to be melee weapons if their have retractable blades or blades that can be separated from the handle or if their blade is more than 90 mm long.

Funny story, I had a friend who managed to get away with going through airport security with a knife. Thing is, that was back when I was a scout, and she kind of forgot she was wearing one and was really supposed to put it in her backpack going into the luggage.

My guess would be that they're aware of what kind of problems can be caused by those, how likely it is, and how likely it is someone who would want to cause trouble can get their hands on those things even if they weren't allowed. On the other side, you have the right to self defence and other practical reasons to carry those.

There are a lot of considerations for what would and wouldn't be legal, much of which depends on the culture it takes place in. Overall, it's a fairly forgiving culture the way I've seen it, so random people carrying those doesn't seem out of place to me.

Or you could just go Bellisario on it. It's really a device for having cute girls befriending each other with giant lasers.

edited 2nd Jul '16 5:22:42 AM by AnotherDuck

The entirety of Vivid is about civilians fighting in a magical tournament. Where else do you think they get their devices? For a more specific example, Lutecia, technically a criminal under probation, was able to make one for Corona. If somebody of her status can have access to device building manuals and materials, why is it so hard to believe that ordinary people can make their own devices?

True, but you forget that Teana's brother (and only living relative that time) died when she was young, way before she joined the TSAB. In Subaru's case, while her father wholeheartedly supports her decision to become a member of the TSAB, anything that can be considered material support would be nepotism. Also, Ginga, who has been in the TSAB longer than Subaru, doesn't even get her own Device until she joins Riot Force 6. Finally, both Subaru and Teana have opted to make customized devices during their academy days (hence the reason why they were paired with each other). Teana's gun even jams during their first training session with Nanoha, and Subaru's roller blades need constant maintenance. You can't really say that those are "better stuff",

Also Subaru and Tea didn't build their devices until they were already cadets, or after graduation. I forget which.

Well, Bourne Trilogy already established that to kill people, all you need is a little imagination and a lot of ruthlesness. Pretty sure lifestyle magazine wasn't included in any weapon control laws, even in most draconian fascist regime.

Vivid Strike anime announced.

Coming October.

Tweets is casting notes: 1, 2

EDIT: Also, unlike previous Nanoha seasons, Yui Ogura and Minase Inori's doing the OP and ED respectively.

edited 7th Jul '16 7:38:14 PM by arahman56

Vivd Strike news translated

This appears to be something entirely original?

Wow Vivio is not going to be the lead in a vivid anime? Lol.

&

This is all apparently related to Yukari Tamura leaving her previous company. This kind of sets off a domino effect that complicates everything related to the Nanoha franchise, and now there's apparently an effort to make sure Nanoha herself gets taken out her own series.

If that be the case, then they should just contact Minami Hokuto, who voiced Nanoha in Triangle Heart 3, to reprise her role then.

We're basically in a situation where we have a spinoff of a spinoff of a spinoff of a spinoff. WE MUST GO DEEPER.

But yeah, it's sad to see the Nanoha franchise fall victim to industry politicking.

I'm not sure what to make of all this.

Yeah, this is definitely... interesting. Bunch of mixed messages. The title would suggest "Vivid season two", but it's not actually confirmed as such. Plus, the girl on the website is very Einhart-ish (complete with her device), but also clearly isn't Einhart (brown hair?). I don't recognize her as anyone from the Vivid manga, either, so I have no idea who the hell she's supposed to be. The cast list includes a bunch of new characters, too, so who knows?

Definitely looking forward to hearing more about this.

edited 8th Jul '16 5:56:15 AM by NativeJovian

Yeah, that cat-thing looks like Asteion, but the girl looks like Nanoha in Einhard-ish clothes to me. Hm... Reboot of s1 with Belkan-style Nanoha? That might actually be fun, even if all will miss big pink beams of friendship.

The big thing is the writer of the original 3 series/2 movies and Dog Days is writing this one and its Seven Arcs doing the animation instead of A-1.

Who the heck is this Einhart wannabe?

Also, I agree that Seven Arcs now animating this is better. A1 was good, but, kinda off, at the same time.

Here's the funny thing about all of this: Seven Arcs seem to be trying its best to delete Nanoha's existence from her own franchise in the wake of Yukari Tamura's messy resignation from KING records... And yet the official Japanese news release still references the previous series (Strikers, As, etc.) with Lyrical Nanoha.

Take note, there's very little details on the actual series, so who knows, it might just be the Torchwood of the Nanoha franchise.

I guess this means there is less chance we'll get to see an animé adaptation of Force, or the 3rd Movie.

I guess, the second half of true ViViD is also unlikely now.

edited 10th Jul '16 2:50:51 AM by NHunter

Reflection has been dead in Development Hell for a long time.