Date a Live

You know, I can't help but think Westcott's only interesting in Volume 19 due to him becoming the Second Spirit of Origin, which allows him to wield three Demon Kings: Athiel, Qemetiel, and Belial, making him godlike. Also, he dies for good.

Date A Live Season 3 to premiere January 2019, produced by J.C. Staff.

Between the Kono Suba movie (also premiering in 2019) and the To Aru 'verse, one can only hope J.C. Staff aren't stretching themselves too thin.

And on the video game adaptation front, Compile Heart's also developing a new game for Date A Live. (Still waiting for PC ports of Rinne Utopia and Ars Install, though...)

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Oct 23rd 2018 at 9:54:03 PM

Yes! The lack of official novel translations sucks but season three of the anime is a good thing. Best girl Tohka will be on our screens again.

I just realized something after re-reading that article again:

Before getting to the arc where Origami is turned into a Spirit, the anime-only watchers (myself included) will have to slog through Natsumi's arc first. I do hope that J.C. Staff manages to make that arc interesting as a warm-up for Origami's arc. Also, it'll be a while before (best girl) Kurumi reappears.

I'm suprised there was no discussion here of the two OVAs (one post season 1, one a side story that could take place almost anytime in season 2)

the first OVA is a pair of dates, one with Origami, trying to chase her off, but even the most outrageous suggestions by Mission Control (wear a school swimsuit and dog costume, and walk around like a dog!) Origami complies with. She's happy to do *anything* Shido asks. The second half is a date with a depressed Touka.

The other OVA is a date with Kurumi during Tanabana, with no mission control help (Shido is initially going to meet with Kotori, Touka, and Yoshino for the Tanabana festival when Kurumi "borrows" him).

Edited by ScrewySqrl on Nov 14th 2018 at 11:25:55 AM

The previous page did have a post on the season 2 OVA (a.k.a.: "Kurumi Star Festival").

Speaking of which (and somewhat off-topic), I was instantly reminded of that episode after arriving at Kansai International Airport during Tanabata on the first day of my Japan trip (July 7). I even wrote a wish on a tanzaku related to this series—and it's safe to say that wish has come true. Now I only hope season 3 does well.

Back on topic, the first OVA was hilarious (Origami's kinky AF), the second one was bittersweet—and at the same time it's also my favorite episode (besides the introduction of Kurumi back in season 1).

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Nov 22nd 2018 at 1:19:21 AM

And double post...

So apparently, the first episode of Date A Live III was streamed on Nico Nico Douga (based on the raw video watermark of the fansub source). Whether the episode was leaked or was a deliberate advanced airing remains to be seen.

Production-related impressions (spoilered in case of leak):

• If it was leaked...hoo-boy... (Another OreImogate incoming?) If it was an advanced airing, well... Perhaps it's also because of the low-resolution video source, but the episode had noticeable dips in quality (read: it looked rushed) just to meet the deadline for an advanced airing on NND. In any case, I do hope that the actual airing of episode 1 on January 11 turns out to be better than the version seen on NND, so I'm waiting to see if another source I frequent will get the HD version from the January 11 AT-X airing. (Then again, the studio's probably gonna fix the off-model moments for Blu-Ray/DVD instead, because of course.)

Story-related impressions (spoiler tags mandatory):

• Episode quality aside, the first episode wastes no time getting into Natsumi's arc and it assumes the viewer already watched the first two seasons and perhaps the movie. (Or read the light novels and/or played the previous visual novels by Compile Heart.) However, I'll have to wait for the verdict of those who read the corresponding light novels on whether J.C. Staff rushed through some content on the first episode.
• Also, upon looking at the promotional poster again, I noticed Origami is actually in her Astral Dress... Didn't notice that at first since the Only Six Faces nature of the promo poster (which made me question whether J.C. Staff could pull it off) stood out more. That being said, YEET! Origami arc confirmed!

Probably the best prayer for the show at this point:

"Please don't be the next High School Dx D BorN... Or Infinite Stratos 2..."

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Jan 9th 2019 at 9:03:35 PM

Episode one is out. The show still holds up as well as it always did. I'm calling it now: Natsumi isn't actually pretending to be anyone and her claim as such is a trick.

Episode 02:

Thank goodness the animation quality improved in this episode. Also, that Spoiler Opening... Also also, why the heck is Rinne Sonogami in the opening credits? IIRC, didn't she disappear during her True End? Does this mean she'll have a role to play in Origami's arc?

Man, that was one brutal board meeting...

Natsumi more dangerous than Kurumi? Hahahahahaha! (*deep breath*) HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Nice to see some of the characters show some hidden depths as Shido goes on a date with the first four of Natsumi's 12 targets.

• Tohka becoming more self-conscious about eating too much thanks to something she watched on TV. (It's OK to eat lots, Tohka. You're a growing girl after all. Plus your high metabolism via Spirit power usage should burn through all those calories you take in.)
• Yoshino being interested in trick-or-treating. (To the LN readers: Is Natsumi's arc set during Halloween?)
• Poor Tonomachi, not even a second of screentime for his "not a date" with Shido...
• Also, Yuzuru opening her heart a little more to Shido. It's fitting that she gets the most screentime as she's the first one to disappear.

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Feb 18th 2019 at 11:55:13 PM

Y'know, if Natsumi's disguised herself as that girl who keeps saying things are gross and never says anything else, Shido will never figure it out in a million years.

But really I think Kotori's the prime suspect. As they said, Natsumi has to somewhere where she can watch how this all unfolds, and Kotori's the only one who gets that kind of insider view. Though that is, of course, assuming that she really is one of the twelve people whose pictures they got.

Episode 03:

• Damn, Origami! Can't wait for your arc to begin, can you?
• Kaguya definitely rocking that outfit (and those bowling strikes).
• Did the original LN skip some of Shido's dates with the minor/supporting characters? I can't help but sense J.C. Staff pulling an Index III with DAL III... (Despite the Cold Open—without the opening song—they gave for this episode.)
• Hello, Elliot. Also, shame that Karen Nora Mathers didn't sound like she was voiced by Yōko Hikasa.
• And there it is, the reveal of Natsumi's true form. "FBI should be knocking on this door any minute now..."

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Jan 27th 2019 at 1:14:12 AM

Huh. I honestly expected her not to be hiding at all so the fact that she was hiding as Yoshinon was a legit surprise.

Episode 04, where Shido takes care of a bunch of loli Spirits... (*loud knocking*) "FBI! OPEN UP!" (*breaching explosions, gunfire*)

• Also, Origami apparently making a Deal with the Devil—the "devil" in this case being Isaac's right-hand woman, Ellen. Guess we're finally gonna see one of those Sephira Crystals.
• Had a laugh at Natsumi being the first to call Shido a pervert for crossdressing. That aside, Natsumi does look cuter after that makeover.

And damnit, why do I still have this uneasy feeling there's stuff from the light novel that was cut out? Any LN readers out there?

Episode 05:

• Colony drops, colony drops everywhere...
• Natsumi disguising herself as Kotori (and acting WAY out of character), and then disguising herself as...a lollipop?
• (*After pulling a Big Damn Heroes moment*) Yes Natsumi, you ARE cute...and worth a headpat! Because any more than that and the "you-know-who" will be knocking on the door. BTW, with Natsumi's powers sealed, does that mean she can no longer transform into her adult disguise?
• That stinger... Though no sign of Origami getting the Sephira Crystal yet.
• I seriously hope this was the bottleneck episode, considering the amount of still frames in some of the scenes.
• After seeing Kotori command the Fraxinus and ordering to fire the Mystletainn, I now want to hear Ayana Taketatsu say, "Prepare the Shock Cannon! (*Beat*) I'm not a space battleship!"^{gratuitous romanized JP} "Shihou, Shock Cannon jumbi! (*Beat*) Uchuu senkan ja arimasen!"—in her Yamato voice.

"Oooh baby, a triple!"

Episode 06:

• That Bedmate Reveal... So Natsumi can still transform into her adult form despite having her Spirit powers sealed? I... Uh... Guh... (*confused sirens*) Also, wait a tic... Wasn't that scene supposed to be one of the funny moments from the light novel? Why does it feel...different?
• So the Origami arc officially begins, but I still can't shake off the feeling that some details from the light novels were skipped in the anime. Also, so much for Origami's Character Development for the past two seasons... I guess those nightmares of that fateful day, swearing revenge on the Spirits and that deal with DEM were enough to reset even that.
• Amazing that despite faceplanting on the pavement from a failed glomp, Miku's face is still pristine.
• Damn, that Goetia moves like a funnel.
• I wonder who's gonna rescue Shido from the situation he's in? Fingers crossed it's gonna be Kurumi, though the light novel readers might say otherwise.

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Feb 18th 2019 at 11:56:36 PM

Episode 07:

Putting aside all those corner-cutting Off-Model scenes, the moments I've been waiting for ever since the announcement of Season 3 have finally arrived:

• Origami making another "deal", this time with the mysterious "Phantom" and receiving a Sephira Crystal. (So that's what it looks like... Although, do the Sephira Crystals differ for every Spirit?)
• Continuing from the above, Origami transforming into a Spirit thanks to the Sephira Crystal.
• And in The Stinger... Kurumi "Tick-Tock" Tokisaki is back, baby!

Other comments:

• So it was Yoshino and Natsumi who show up to rescue Shido.
• Had a chuckle at "Tama-chan-sensei's" Unusually Uninteresting Sight of Tohka in her Astral Dress.

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Feb 23rd 2019 at 2:31:00 AM

I know the anime hasn't gotten yet to Volume 19, but what do you think of the TV Tropes I added up about Ellen?

• Ain't Too Proud to Beg: When Westcott is dying in Volume 19, she begged Elliot to save him, even going so far to switch her loyalties to him if he does.
  Ellen: Please! Elliot! Ike! Help Ike. Can't you do that? I will do anything! I'll listen to whatever you say! Please!
• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: As shown in Volume 19, she has no problem with Karen being at her side when they mourned for Westcott.
• Entitled Bastard: Expects Elliot to save Westcott from dying in Volume 19, despite all the atrocities she committed under the latter's name.

I haven't seen any other light novel readers here who can confirm, so I can't verify the accuracy of that.

Episode 08:

And here we go...

• Ah, "Portrait"... It feels so good to hear that music again.
• Origami disappearing into light particles as she travels back in time? Oh jeez, that almost reminds me of Avengers: Infinity War—yes, THAT scene. I'm kinda pissed since a Redditor at the Date A Live subreddit pointed out the difference from the light novel version.

• I can hear the switch in voice changer for Phantom...from a lower pitch to a higher one. (*resists temptation to spoil more*) But speaking of spoilers...
• Well, I've already been spoiled about Origami actually being the Spirit that killed her own parents (and said realization causing her to go Inverse), so what I'm looking forward to is how Shido (with some time-travel help from best Spirit Kurumi) will Set Right What Once Went Wrong. Speaking of Kurumi, I also hope to see her past self from five years ago (as seen with this figure) in animated form. (And I hope the encounter will be as funny as the light novel version.)

Episode 09:

• I knew Kurumi would be key to help Shido bring back Origami and change the timeline for the better, but I honestly didn't expect (or perhaps I did, but didn't realize how) Past!Kurumi to help as well. (T'was good to have Future!Kurumi convince her past self.) Also, I hope Yod Bet's effect kicked in before Shido got vaporized... I doubt even Kotori/Efreet's healing powers would help him recover from that. That being said, those Off-Model moments and animation continuity errors though... And of all the scenes they could botch up, it had to be that spoilered scene. (*"Be Careful What You Wish For" intensifies*)
• So that's why Rinne Sonogami was in the opening and ending... Based on what I read from the trope page, I thought she would return after her true end in the game (heck, they even got Kana Hanazawa to reprise her role), but nope, it was just Phantom disguising herself as Rinne.
• Speaking of Phantom, I see that the anime answered the question I had back in episode 7: "Do the Sephira Crystals differ for [each] Spirit?" Yes, yes they do. With Origami's being a crystal full of white light, Kotori's Sephira Crystal turns out to have a fiery, lava-like hue. Though the new question now is... "Why did Kotori willingly accept a Sephira Crystal from Phantom?" (And does that subplot get picked up in later chapters of the light novel, or did the light novel version of Kotori's arc already cover that in detail?)

So I read some news about the upcoming Date A Live: Rio Reincarnation visual novel and went to the Steam page...

And it turns out it's gonna include PC ports of Rinne Utopia and Ars Install?!

Noice.

Off-topic edit/PS: Still getting that "Server not found" error whenever I surf here and only get a few minutes of uptime. Someone please tell me why that's happening.

Edited by IncognitoNinja on Jun 10th 2019 at 2:12:27 AM

I've made a page for Date A Live: Spirit Pledge, which will be out in the USA soon.

Now Spirit Pledge is out.

Necroing for season 4 episode 9, i.e. the beginning of Kurumi Wants to be Confessed to (so she can devour Shido’s powers). Probably the arc 90% of the fanbase have been waiting for.

Also: Muku is adorable and her lock/unlock powers are neat.

Episode 11: Kurumi drops her backstory.

Episode 12: And now Kurumi has laid all her cards on the table. If falling in love is defeat, then she already lost a long time ago. Also now we can add her to the group of self-sacrificing time-loopers.

Reine being an enemy (?) feels kind of out of left field but I fully admit I haven't been paying attention that past couple of seasons.