History Anime / Simoun

The Woman-Nation, Third Movement: Engineering and Preservation of a New Species (Track 5)\

%%* OdangoHair: Aer.

%%* ConspicuousCG

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: [[spoiler:Amuria dies]], Aer arrives in Chor Tempest as a replacement, [[spoiler:and Neviril suffers a ''massive'' HeroicBSOD.]]

* GenkiGirl: Aer.

* KiAttacks: Or EnergyWeapons, or a mix of the two.

[[quoteright:319:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/simoun.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:319:"I came here to fight."]]

When the industrialized nation of Argentum decides that it needs to invade Simulacrum to acquire the secret of the Simoun, [[CaptainObvious war breaks out]], drawing the Simoun pilots into a lopsided battle. Because the war is raging, the Simoun pilots are granted an exemption from going to the spring for as long as they're willing to keep flying. One such pilot in particular vows to stay with her squadron until she [[MyKungFuIsStrongerThanYours becomes the ultimate]] Simoun pilot, and badgers her squadron-mates to do the same...

%%* TheAce:
%%** The Sibyllae as a whole [[spoiler:at first]].
%%** Neviril, until [[spoiler:Amuria dies]].
* AchillesInHisTent: Early on Neviril, later Dominura

* AlmostDeadGuy: Flying an almost dead Simoun.
* AlphaBitch: Mamina is a subversion. She acts like this at first (before her following CharacterDevelopment) despite the fact she's not rich, but poor.
%%* AnyoneCanDie

* BloodKnight: Aer to borderline SociopatheticHero levels, at several points ''she's laughing'' when she's engaging an enemey recon patrol. The most terrifying aspect is unlike all the others, ''she fully understands that's she's killing people, and she still loves it''. PlayedForDrama, as she's so enthralled by war, it's practically the only thing she understands, which causes major friction between her and Nerevil.

%%* BrokenAce: Neviril.
%%* BrokenBird:
%%** Neviril.
%%** Dominura.

%%* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Unlucky Paraietta.

%%* DeadStarWalking: [[spoiler:Amuria.]]
%%* DistantFinale

%%* YuriGenre

* FanService:

** Dominura. [[PajamaCladHero In her nightgown.]] With [[MessyHair bed-head.]] This stuff writes itself.

* GirlPowered: The two female pilots must kiss each other and then the Simoun in order to [[{{Pun}} turn it on.]]

%%* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: [[spoiler:Anglas]].

%%* {{Odango}}: Aer.
%%* TheOjou: Roatreamon.

%%* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Paraietta.

* BittersweetEnding: Definitely more sweet than bitter, especially given the [[spoiler:Plumbish authorities]]' HeelFaceTurn, but it's the [[WhoWantsToLiveForever little things]], you know?

%%** At the end, [[spoiler:the entire nation of Plumbum]].
%%* HeelFaithTurn: [[spoiler:The Plumbish government]].

* WeHaveReserves: The enemies of Simulacrum have thousands, perhaps ''millions'', more planes than there are Simouns, but even in such lopsided battles they will still suffer ''massive'' casualties. Their only viable option in the war is to keep replacing their slaughtered soldiers with fresh fodder as they slowly grind down the Simoun, which exist only in very limited numbers.

* JapanesePronouns: Yun refers to herself as ''ore'', which is a practically non-existant case in a woman.

* TheAce:
** The Sibyllae as a whole [[spoiler:at first]].
** Neviril, until [[spoiler:Amuria dies]].

* BittersweetEnding: Definitely more sweet than bitter, especially given the [[spoiler: Plumbish authorities' HeelFaceTurn]], but it's [[TheMourningAfter the]] [[WhoWantsToLiveForever little]] [[GrowingUpSucks things]], you know?

* {{Bokukko}}: Yun, who actually says the much more masculine "ore" instead of "boku".

* BrokenBird: Neviril, Dominura.

* TheAce: The Sibyllae as a whole [[spoiler: at first]].
** Neviril, until [[spoiler: Amuria dies]].

* AlienLunch: Episode 10.

* AnyoneCanDie

* AppliedPhlebotinum

* BabiesEverAfter: [[spoiler: Morinas and Wapourif have a child together, and Morinas is visibly pregnant with number 2 during the final episode. Wauf also has a fairly young kid in that same episode.]]

* BrokenAce: Neviril.

* CallingYourAttacks
* CatchAFallingStar
* CharacterDevelopment

* ChristmasCake: Dominura.
** Shockingly not, as her [[http://simoun.tv/characters/09.html official profile]] lists her age as 19 years old. Talk about YoungerThanTheyLook. Still, in the context of the Simoun universe, she qualifies, as she still has yet to choose a gender.

* TheComicallySerious: Yun.
* ConspicuousCG
* ConstructedWorld

* DeadStarWalking: [[spoiler:Amuria.]]
* DistantFinale

* DuringTheWar
* {{Expy}}: Onasia is one of Ayesha, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, from Creator/HRiderHaggard's adventure novels.
** Aer bears a striking resemblance to [[Franchise/SailorMoon a certain]] MagicalGirl.

* FanService: Kiss-powered airships, several kinds of skintight outfits.
** Dominura. [[PajamaCladHero In her nightgown.]] [[RuleOfThree With]] [[MessyHair bed-head.]] This stuff writes itself.

* FatBastard: The Defense Minister.

* FunctionalMagic

* GenderBender

* HeelFaceTurn: Mamina; and, at the end, [[spoiler:the entire nation of Plumbum]].
* HeelFaithTurn: [[spoiler:The Plumbish government]].
* HeroicBSOD: Neviril after the events of the first episode.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Mamina]].
* HeroOfAnotherStory: Vura.
* HesBack: Neviril.

* HumanAliens

* ImmigrantPatriotism: [[spoiler:Dominura.]]
* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy
* ImportantHaircut: Roatreamon, Mamina.
* ImpossiblyCoolClothes
* IndustrializedEvil: Subverted.
* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode

* JigsawPuzzlePlot

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Mamina]], among others.

* LensFlare

* LostTechnology
* LoveDodecahedron

* {{Miko}}: Most of the cast.
* MildlyMilitary
* MindScrew

* TheMole: More than one of them.

* MrFixit: Wapourif.

* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:Amuria]].

* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: [[spoiler:Anglas]].
* NuclearWeaponsTaboo

* {{Odango}}: Aer.
* TheOjou: Roatreamon.
* OneeSama: Neviril

* OutrunTheFireball

* PillarOfLight

** [[spoiler: When Aer and Neviril goes back in time, they are seen descending from one.]]

* RedemptionEqualsDeath

* SayMyName: AA! E! RU!
* ShrinesAndTemples
* ShowerOfAngst: A few times.

* SlowMotionPassBy

* TheSquad

* SuckingInLines: the Emerald Ri Maajon.

* ThereIsOnlyOneBed: [[spoiler:Rimone and Dominura in the past]].

* TimeAbyss: [[spoiler:Onasia]].
* TimeTravel
* TokenEvilTeammate: Mamina pre-CharacterDevelopment.

* TrueCompanions
* {{Twincest}}

* UnderdogsNeverLose: [[spoiler: Inverted. The enemy nations eventually manage to defeat the Simouns]].
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Paraietta.

* WaveMotionGun

* WhamEpisode: episode 8, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 26.
* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue

* WrenchWench: Morinas.
* YaoiGuys: [[spoiler: Guragief and Anubituf.]]
* YuriGenre

* CrossdressingVoices: All-female voice cast means that the male characters sound like husky-voiced women.

* HugeSchoolgirl: Paraietta, despite being around the same age as the rest of the Sybillae (barring [[TokenMiniMoe Rimone]]) can stand almost eye-to-eye with [[ChristmasCake Dominura]].
* HopelessWar: The series starts with the protagonists' nation easily fending off all comers through superior AppliedPhlebotinum... and then the neighbors start catching up.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In spades. Aaeru/Aeru/Aer/Aelle, Rodoreamon/Lodreamon/Roatreamon, Angulas/Anguras/Angurasu, and more... It doesn't help that the fansubs kept most of the names in katakana and didn't bother to romanize them properly..
* SpoilerOpening

* AlphaBitch: Mamiina is a subversion. She acts like this at first (before her following CharacterDevelopment) despite the fact she's not rich, but poor.

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler:Aeru, Neviril, Dominura, and Rimone in one sense; Onasia and possibly (eventually) Yun in another; Mamiina and possibly Anglas in a third]].

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Guragief, as demonstrated in the penultimate episode when he [[spoiler:knocks out a Plumbish soldier who was trying to prevent Aaeru and Neviril from escaping]]. Lampshaded by Anubituf.

** Mamiina goes from the TokenEvilTeammate to a MessianicArchetype.
** Rodoreamon goes from an ExtremeDoormat to TheHighQueen.

* CoversAlwaysLie: [[http://cdn3a.dvdempire.org/products/78/1613578h.jpg The front cover]] of the North American DVD release featured Neveril and Aeru sort of... hugging? Dancing? Playing patty-cake? Whatever they are doing they are close together and naked, but somehow their embrace has no sexual overtones at all, so the whole thing just looks weird. Also, there is not a single Simoun visible on the front cover, back cover, or spine. The series is '''named''' ''Simoun'' and the machines are nowhere to be found. Without already knowing the background to the series there is no way to determine even what ''genre'' the show is, first guess would probably go to MagicalGirl or an {{Ecchi}} series.

* TheDitz: Floe, with a bit of {{Jerkass}} too. Aaeru also has her moments.
* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnFemale: Ho-lee cow. ''Four out of five'' of the canon girl couples involve either rape, statutory rape, or aggressive, unwanted pursuit of the the object of one's affections. [[spoiler: Poor Neviril is subjected to this by ''four different people'']]. And while their actions ''are'' shown to be horrible and wrong in most cases, they also never face any kind of retribution and are generally EasilyForgiven. Now compare that to the fact that men are discouraged from so much as ''talking'' to the priestess for fear of "sullying" them. Even poor Wapourif, [[spoiler: who can't even have a consensual relationship with Morinas until she turns into a "real" girl for being an inherent corrupter of her purity]].

* EveryoneIsBi: Subverted and justified.
* {{Expy}}: Onashia is one of Ayesha, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, from Creator/HRiderHaggard's adventure novels.
** Aaeru bears a striking resemblance to [[Franchise/SailorMoon a certain]] MagicalGirl.

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: [[spoiler:Amuria dies]], Aaeru arrives in Chor Tempest as a replacement, [[spoiler:and Neviril suffers a ''massive'' HeroicBSOD.]]

* HamAndCheese: Mamiina is this ''in-universe'', even after her CharacterDevelopment away from being the TokenEvilTeammate.
* HeelFaceTurn: Mamiina; and, at the end, [[spoiler:the entire nation of Plumbum]].

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Mamiina]].
* HeroOfAnotherStory: Vyura.

* ImportantHaircut: Rodoreamon, Mamiina.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Mamiina]], among others.

* MeaningfulName: Dominura, who isn't ''that'' kind of dominatrix, but only just.

* {{Meganekko}}: Kaimu.
* MercyKill: [[spoiler: The Plumbum priestesses to Mamiina]] and [[spoiler:Yun to Onashia:]]

* MoralityKitchenSink: This is the show that gives us [[GoodShepherd Yun]], [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Mamiina]], [[AntiHero Paraietta]], [[TragicVillain the nations of Argentum]] [[AntiVillain and Plumbum]], and the Defence Minister of Simulacrum.
* TheMourningAfter: Neviril with regards to Amuria; [[spoiler:Rodoreamon with regards to Mamiina]].
* MrExposition: Guragief in episode 2, Wapourif in episode 3, Onashia and Kyuushuu-sama in episode 21.

* MysteriousParent: Actually, a mysterious grandparent: Aaeru's grandfather.

* NotIfTheyEnjoyedItRationalization: Taken advantage of in a state of duress? Shown to be horrified during the act? Having lingering trauma afterwards? Want your assaulter to quit her constant creepy come-ons and just ''leave you the hell alone''? No no, [[spoiler: Kaimu, you actually ''wanted'' to have sex with your sister]]; [[FridgeLogic ten seconds of footage showing you into it at least a little says so.]]
** Actually, after Aeru questions her account of things, we see more of the event in question, including [[spoiler: Kaimu ''pulling'' Alty down to her.]]

* {{Odango}}: Aaeru.
* TheOjou: Rodoreamon.

* OnlyOneName: Namely in the anime. In the manga, Aaeru and Rodoreamon get last names, but even then they're the only ones.
* OutDamnedSpot: Kaimu during her ShowerOfAngst in Episode 12.

* RashomonStyle: Episode 12 in regards to [[spoiler:the sexual encounter between Kaimu and Alti]]. Each of them claims that the other initiated the act.

** The Spring has these shining down, particularly [[NaturalSpotlight onto]] Onashia, making it look as magical as it is.
** [[spoiler: When Aeru and Neviril goes back in time, they are seen decsending from one.]]

* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: Rodoreamon and Mamiina are a textbook case. (Of course, as is common with the trope, many fans [[LesYay have their own interpretation]].)

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In spades. Aaeru/Aeru/Aer/Aelle, Rodoreamon/Lodreamon/Roatreamon, Angulas/Anguras/Angurasu, and more... It doesn't help that the official spellings, which were insisted upon by the Japanese owners, don't seem to fit how the names are actually pronounced.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: Stockings and exposed garter belts... worn by ''fighter pilots''. Luckily their cockpits are heated, during the fight in the blizzard at episode 5 Alti says "It must be pretty cold out there", but still...

* SuicideAttack: Under the guise of a peace conference, a Kyuukkoku priestess commits a suicide attack with something like an explosive belt to destory the Simouns.

* TokenEvilTeammate: Mamiina pre-CharacterDevelopment.

* TwistedKneeCollapse: Mamiina, at the end of episode 7.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: A great part of the series deals with the growing romance between Neviril and Aaeru. [[spoiler: They do.]]

* TenMinuteRetirement: Subversion. Three characters actually stay retired, and one is shell shocked into inactivity for several episodes after coming back.

* TheSquad

* MercyKill: [[spoiler:Yun to Onashia:]]

* ThanksForTheMammary: Subverted--it's not played for laughs. After Wapourif deconstructs a Simoun and Dominura [[GoMadFromTheRevelation sees whatever she does within it and goes nuts]] , Wapourif has a crisis of faith, leading to this little exchange between him and [[ShipTease Morinas]]. After regretting "touching something so holy", Morinas does this to him and storms off in a huff. [[spoiler:[[ItGetsBetter They make up later]].]]

[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann No relation to anyone named "Simon" with his name pronounced "See-MOAN".]] Also no relation to the antihero protagonist of ''Literature/ElFilibusterismo'', although that is his name (yes, including the U).

* ArcWords: ''Shin Tenchi e no Tobira''

A serial manga of this series has been released in ''YuriHime'', with a slightly altered storyline.

In the world of Daikuuriku, everyone is born female, and [[GenderBender chooses which sex they wish to become]] at age 17 with a trip to a magical spring. In this world, the peaceful theocracy of Simulacrum is guarded by magical flying machines called "Simoun", which can only be piloted by young girls who haven't chosen a sex yet. The Simoun can activate a [[FunctionalMagic magical power]] known as "Ri Maajon" (by inscribing enormous magical glyphs in the sky) that can [[WaveMotionGun destroy large numbers of enemy aircraft at once]].

[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann No relation to anyone named "Simon" with his name pronounced "See-MOAN".]] Also no relation to the antihero protagonist of ''Literature/ElFilibusterismo'', although that is his name.

[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann No relation to anyone named "Simon" with his name pronounced "See-MOAN".]]