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ローゼンメイデン 
December 16, 2005 | 
28 Comments
Once again this series continues to impress me. In this episode, we get to see some character development, a light comedy, some interesting fight scenes, and an unfortunate tragedy. I always feel that I don't waste my time watching each episode because there is always something interesting within the episode itself. Having said that, I can't help but wonder if the writers will be able to end the series with only 3 episodes left to go. Speaking of episodes, the next episode, Tomoe, won't actually be screened until the 12th of January next year. I think TBS has other program running during the Christmas period. Having said that, if all goes well, I will have a nice present for Rozen Maiden fans next week. If that doesn't work, I'll just post an alternate present but either way, I'll try to come up with something.
The episode itself begins with Souseiseki travelling through the dream world and along the way she gets to meet Suigintou. The two then stops in front of a door, which opens on its own to reveal Barasuishou sitting on top of a chair. Barasuishou tells the two that Father is pleased that the two have come. Souseiseki, however, quickly tells Barasuishou that she doesn't want the doll to misunderstand her. She intends on fighting Alice Game on her own and does not plan to cooperate with either Barasuishou or Shinku and the others. Souseiseki then quickly leaves after making her point. Upon hearing this, Suigintou tells herself that she's certain that she will choose that as well because she wants all of the Rosa Mystica for herself. Strangely Barasuishou does not show any emotion on her face while all of this happens. I really was hoping that she will show an evil smirk.
Meanwhile, Suiseiseki finds out from the Souseiseki's master that Souseiseki hasn't returned for a while so she has no choice but to lie to the poor old man that Souseiseki will be back soon. After she left the guy, however, Suiseiseki can't help but being upset because Suiseiseki always wants to be with her twin all of these times but now she wonders if Souseiseki does not feel the same. At the same time, Shinku is in the middle of telling Jun that the entire situation can't be helped because Souseiseki has her own mind. Shinku's seemingly flippant attitude angers Jun a little bit until he realises that Shinku actually has a sad look on her face while saying those words. Everyone is quite sad about this especially when Suiseiseki returns home looking as if she hasn't got any life in her. In an attempt to cheer up the dolls, Jun and Nori decide to turn on the television.
They immediately stumble upon a program featuring a group of people enjoying some Nagashi Somen, aka Flowing Noodle. This gives Nori the idea to do similar thing for lunch. Jun at first protest the idea until Shinku gives him a signal suggesting that the idea may cheer Suiseiseki up. Jun immediately changes his mind and even willingly made the device to facilitate the event. He, however, can't help but being a bit pissed off when HinaIchigo and Canaria try to put Cookies and Tamagoyaki into the stream. Despite this, Suiseiseki still looks depressed until Shinku tells her that Souseiseki is not the only one who cares about her, referring to everyone's attempt to cheer her up. Upon hearing this, Suiseiseki tries her best to look happy in front of everyone else. Unfortunately, after everyone goes to sleep that night, Shinku gets a visitation from Suigintou in her dream.
This time, however, Suigintou does not say anything. Instead she simply does a curtsy in front of Shinku before grabbing Shinku's teacup and pours its content into the floor. The tea immediately changes Shinku's dream world into a duochrome-coloured world. When Shinku looks back into Suigintou's eyes, the other doll's eye has turned psychotic looking. Shinku then wakes up from her nightmare only to find that outside the window, the real world has changed its colour into duochrome as well. When Suiseiseki and HinaIchigo wake up as well and the three fly across the city to investigate the situation. Shinku believes that they are actually inside the N-Field. Suiseiseki, however, finds it strange that they can just fly out of the window and find themselves in an N-Field immediately. Upon hearing this, Shinku realises that the only one is capable of doing this is none other than Suigintou.
True enough, they quickly find Suigintou standing on top of a building with Barasuishou. Shinku quickly asks what the two have in mind because she has no desire to fight either one. Suigintou, however, refuses to take "No" for an answer and begins to attack the three. Strangely, Suigintou attacks can't even touch Shinku whatsoever even though she doesn't produce a kekkai (protection shield). Suigintou is surprised to see this so Shinku tells Suigintou that she has no wish to fight. She's not going to blame Suigintou for wanting to do so but she certainly has no intention of returning Suigintou's challenge. Upon hearing this Barasuishou steps forward and tells Shinku that in that case, she will give something to Shinku and begins to attack Shinku with her crystals. Strangely, this time Shinku has to protect herself with a kekkai, which is quickly destroyed by the crystals upon impact.
Shinku has no choice but to run away so the others won't get hurt. Unfortunately HinaIchigo decides to follow her and Barasuishou is also hot on her tail. This leaves Suiseiseki and Suigintou alone. Suigintou wonders if Suiseiseki will willingly give her Rosa Mystica to her. When Suiseiseki refuses, Suigintou begins to attack the other doll with her feathers. The attack, however, is foiled by Souseiseki in the nick of time. Suiseiseki is glad to see Souseiseki but unfortunately her twin only tells Suiseiseki not to interfere because this is her fight. Because of this, Souseiseki and Suigintou are off to fight one another over the night sky. In the middle of the fight, Suigintou asks Souseiseki what she's looking for by participating in the game. Souseiseki curtly tells the other doll that she simply wants to fulfil Father's wish. Suigintou, however, informs Souseiseki that she's going to destroy the other doll's confidence.
Eventually, Suigintou's attack manages to send Souseiseki flying down to the ground. Much to Suigintou's surprise, however, she is suddenly attacked by tree branches. On the ground, Suiseiseki is seen trying to pull Souseiseki away from the battle. Elsewhere, Shinku and HinaIchigo are hunted relentlessly by Barasuishou and her crystals. On their way evading Barasuishou, they almost stumble into Suiseiseki and Souseiseki. Unfortunately, Barasuishou sends some crystals down their way to ensure that the four don't reunite again. Suiseiseki eventually manages to drag Souseiseki to hide behind a trash can so she can tell her twin that her scissors are meant to protect others' heart and not to hurt them. This seems to momentarily snaps some sense back in Souseiseki but before the two can agree on anything, they are attacked once more by Suigintou. Suiseiseki tries to protect Souseiseki by asking Suigintou to stop the fight.
Suigintou, however, points out that this is the wish of her twin sister. True enough, Souseiseki confirms that she intends on continuing the fight and orders Suiseiseki to step aside. Upon hearing this, Suiseiseki cries and tells her twin that all she wants is to live with her twin and that she doesn't want to become Alice. But if Souseiseki is dead, then Suiseiseki won't have a desire to live either. Unfortunately even after this, Souseiseki tells her twin that she can't return and proceeds to push Suiseiseki aside. She then tells her twin that if Suiseiseki interferes, she's the one who's going to destroy her, forcing Suiseiseki to draw her watering can to protect herself. Souseiseki then continues to fiercely attacking Suigintou but eventually she is defeated by Suigintou. Souseiseki then plunges downwards and after bidding goodbye to Suiseiseki, her body floats up again and on top of her body, some kind of a rose surrounded by its roots and thorns appears. The dolls immediately recognise it as Rosa Mystica.
Impression:
God, that was depressing. I really want to put all of the blame on Suigintou for causing this incident but I can't because she was right when she said that this is Souseiseki's wish. Suigintou could have attacked the twins when Suiseiseki tries to convince Souseiseki not to fight anymore but she chose to wait. So when Souseiseki ignores Suiseiseki's plea, I mostly blame her ambition for getting her into this situation. Well, there is Barasuishou as well but I'll get into her character later. I was also quite surprised to find out that the real Rosa Mystica is actually not the ring that the dolls wear, but rather something that I think resembles their heart/soul. I assume once that is taken out of a doll, that doll will turn into a normal doll that can't move or talk. Anyway, it is actually Suiseiseki that I feel sorry for because it's always the one that is left behind who feels the worst about the death of a close one.
Moving on to a less depressing topic, I find it surprising that Suigintou is unable to attack Shinku even though Shinku doesn't raise her protection shield. Maybe the only way to nullify Alice Game is if the dolls have no intention to fight the other dolls like Shinku. But in that case, how on Earth did Barasuishou managed to attack Shinku so easily? Is it because she's a special doll designed to ensure that Alice Game moves forward and therefore she can override whatever original 'contract' written into Alice Game? Having said that, she doesn't seem to want to kill Shinku either because she could have easily eliminated both Shinku and HinaIchigo when both of them were transfixed by Souseiseki vs. Suigintou's battle. Instead, she chose to incapacitate the two so they can't stop the on-going battle. But then again maybe she's just saving the two so she can fight the two herself. I won't be surprised if this is the case since Barasuishou seems to love battle.
One thing that I also notice about Barasuishou is that she is very good at the whole 'divide and conquer' strategy. As noted in this episode, she tries her best to separate Shinku from the others so that Shinku's feel-good, peace-to-all mentality doesn't affect the other dolls. This is particularly obvious when she creates crystals to block Shinku and HinaIchigo from meeting up with Suiseiseki and Souseiseki. Anyway, there is just one thing about this episode that I'm disappointed with: the slight regression in Suigintou's characterisation. Of course I still remember the fact that she is now in the game for Megu's sake but her psychotic expressions and insane laughter did make me wonder if she starts to lose it again. Last but not least, I must commend Jun and Nori for actively trying to cheer up the doll during their difficult times. It's especially nice to see Jun being nothing but kind and helpful towards the dolls ever since he overcame his own problem.
(I'm getting a little bit nervous 'coz this is the first time i try to post a comment with my poor English here.^ ^)
I don't want to blame Suigintou for the event in this episode (ok I must admit Suigintou is my favorite doll in the series). Do not forget the whole thing was stirred and plotted by Barasuishou back in the previous episode. The scenarist did put some time in telling us why Souseiseki wanna fight against other dolls (thought i still cannot accept the reason 'coz it made Souseiseki look so stubborn). But in the case of Suigintou the scenarist didn't put enough time in describing why Suigintou has such a strong desire to fight for Megu. Thus this episode makes us wonder why Suigintou suddenly turns back to her old self. Even someone like me who likes Suigintou very much feels terribly sorry for the twins this time (especially for Suiseiseki). Let's hope Suiseiseki can have the Rosa Mystica instead of Suigintou (Sorry my Gin-Sama~~). And It seems that Shinku's words back in the 6th episode doesn't influence Suigintou at all. To me it just makes no sense.
Now I hope the series can be ended in a "Good" ending, whether it is a "Happy" ending or not. However I don't think the writers are able to explain everything well with just 3 episode left to go(and with still 6 dolls to fight for the Alice Game).
When I see Barasuishou sitting on the large chair, firstly I think about Cossette and secondly I think about the final enemy in a computer game...
I still think that Barasuishou and Suigontou is a strange pair (Although they have similar heights)
About Suigintou cannot attack Shinku...I think it's because she does not actually want to destroy her in the attack but just want to cheer her up to fight. At the same time, Shinku trusted Suigintou that she won't hurt her in this way. This can explain why Shinku drew up a barrier to protect herself , because she did not trust Barasuishou for her coldness...
Barasuishou really loves battle anyway..but I have never thought that she would pair up with other dolls...
The scene of Shinku's dream is a nice one.
The most depressing part...A 3 weeks pause for Rozen Maiden!!
In the preview, it seems Hina will be the next one....
Roza Mystica == Linker Core
>Fencedude
Alright I know you are fond of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's, actually I enjoy that too.XD
A point to add to help defending Suigintou* I admit I am fans of Suigintou..* She has to stand straight in order to fight against the dolls and get Rosa Mystica, actually she is no longer as harsh as the past. Or else she would just make more intense attack to Shinku and she won't give time to the sisters.
Suigintou was just trying to goad Shinku into fighting her, and she knows about Shinku a lot. For Suigintou, It's not fun fighting someone who won't fight back.
Barasuishou, however, just wants to get on with the killkillkilling.
The current Suigintou's motives are simple really. She loves Megu a lot more than the other dolls, in fact, she hates some of them. To birds with one stone.
I really hope that the show will be an 24 ep season. I know it won't be though :( Garten I really hope that the Rozen Maiden present that you have for us works!
Souseiseki actualy just commited suicide. she had no chance to win and somehow just wanted to give her rosa mystica to someone.
well, somebody must be sacrificed to show us how rosa mystica looks like. Suigintou should use it on Megu somehow, I wonder what will happen, how that thing can work on human beings.
noone else want to fight now, so either Hinaicigo will be bucthered next or Suiseiseki will try to "revenge" I suppose Suigintou do not have reason to fight anymore since she mostly wanted to cure Megu. As I undertand Suigintou was angry on everyone and wanted to prove that she is the best even if incomplete.
But I realy dont understand how Suigintou was fixed, why Rosa mystica did not apeared when she was totaly destroyed. If that was not real alice game then why Suigintou even started that useless battle since she wouldnt get rosa mytica either.
Big mistery is Barasuishou motives, she is incomplete and realy less perfect than any other doll and does not have any feelings, like some robot wih incredible power
I wish anime creators had some more brains to make all story more or less logical, or this is some trick to force viewers to read manga.
From now everything must be very intense to fit into 3 episodes, I wonder why it became usual practice to squeze everything into 2 last episodes.
I see that quite many animes have quite stupid endings, typicaly main hero dies or disappear, and then returns back in some unlogical way.
it is very possible that this one will also be no exception, since first series already exploited stupid ending method when all rozen maidens disappear with no reason, and then reappear from nowhere.
As expected that this episode is going to turn out to be a tragic, but I believe Souseiseki might be able to return to be a "living doll" towards the end of the series. Jun could be the one who brought her back to life just like what he did to the clown doll in Season 1. I believe Suigintou is participating in the battle for Megu's sake. Her worried and concerned expression for Megu in the last episode has showed that she is no longer the old Gin-sama who know. She cares for her medium and wants her to survive, thus she believed what Barasuishou said abt Megu will live if she has Rosa Mystica. I didn't have the chance to watch this episode & can some1 pls tell me what was shown in the preview? There was mentions abt Hina being the next doll losing in the battle :(
The preview..It shows Tomoe with tears and Hina talking in a very mechanical way(Just like Shinku has just start to move..a not very smooth action) with tears...
Eep! My roommate's not here so I can't leech off of her and watch the new episode ^^;; but from what I've read so far on different sites it's hard to say how this season will end. I don't think Jun can "fix" Sousei Seki since her rosa mystica, her very essence, is gone. This is not the same as fixing Shinku in the first season since she still had her rosa mystica and it was more of a physical repair job rather than installing another soul into the doll.
Poor Hina, I hope she's not going to be next but the preview certainly seens to hint that she'll be the next one down. What will happen after that?
Damn those 4channers. they weren't lying. I really am going to miss SouseiSeki as I don't think Jun will be able to bring her back. Once one looses their Rosa Mystica, I think it's the end.
Suiseiseki is going to rip Suigintou a new one because like Patton said, "When shells are hitting all around you and you wipe the dirt off your face and realize that instead of dirt it's the blood and guts of what once was your best friend beside you, you'll know what to do!"
Assuming the prize goes to the victor, Megu will live, but what will happen if Suigintou loses later on?
Irregardless about the body count I can't help but wonder what will happen after Alice is created? So you have a pretty doll, bravo. What next? Today the doll shop, tommorow the world?
Still the ending is still in the air since there are only three eps left to wrap it up. It better be good, though Hina is headed for kindling.
my guess so far is that...
Barashuishou is using suigintou to destroy the other dolls one by one so as to make it easier for herself to win the game, her intention might not be clear at this point, but i really do think she wants to be "ALICE" and to prove that she too (her eyepatch) isn't a piece of junk.
My fondness for Souseiseki after watching this episode has downgraded dramatically. To most people risking her life like that might have been seen as bravery, but to me i saw it as the easy way out, something i didn't expect something Souseiseki would stooped so low to.
The preview looked good, it does seem like we'll have to prepare ourselves for another heart felt episode, but it makes for a better anime right? *looks for her box of kleenex*
You meant suicide by cops?
Yeah poor Sou is crazy but I guess all the dolls are program to want to become Alice, like humans are program by their genes to procreate. Sou is too stubburn though, just like in the 1st season but I guess we can't blame her cuz we are not Rozen maiden ourselves.
yea, so anyways i'm happy Souseiseki is gone. I disliked her as she had a bland personality. Somehow it appears that there will be an all out battle I can see it being Shinku and Suiseiseki vs Barasuishou and Suigintou
I mean it does look like the episode was a foreshadow on the double 2 vs 1, considering Souseiseki is eliminated and someone like me is hoping Hinaichigo will be elminated (hasn't had any real role since like epsiodes 3 -5 season 1). Besides it would have a real contrast in motive considering one would be out of force, revenge, death ( ? ), and ( ? ). But perhaphs i'm completely wrong and have jumped to conclusions as wellh
Wasn't the old man Souseiseki's Medium? Because it can clearly be seen, when Suiseiseki visits him, that he isn't wearing any rings on his fingers.
Could Sousekseki have taken back her Roza Mystica ring from him to prevent him from being drained during combat? If so, was she expecting to loose from the beginning?
I doubt it...Maybe they forgot to draw it on xD
Same goes for this screen shot i took...Jun isn't wearing the ring either...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/Azenith/wheresthering.jpg
The ring is on Jun's left hand (2nd last finger). Not his right hand. If you watched Episode 8 when he was holding on to a bottle while watching Enju-sensei was preparing to make a doll, u'll notice it.
I think Shinku didn't have to put up her shiled because she knew Suigintou was not attacking. Suigintou was tossing out the feathers as warning shots to try and provoke the other dolls in crying, hiding, or attacking. IE, just to piss them off. Shinku called her bluff and stood her ground.
Barasuishou, however, was clearly not bluffing and Shinku had to shield herself accordingly.
What I find odd is the seeming imbalance of combat ability in the dolls. All of them have that little ghosty wisp and a method of attack, but Barsuishou and Suigintou seem almost invincible. Shinku and Souseiseki can fight, but not as well, Suiseiseki can fight defencivly, and Hina-Ichigo and Canaria seem just worthless in combat.
Can these differnces be just in thier mentaility (Hina-Ichigo clearly doesn't want to fight or think about it, compared to Barasuishou or Suigintou), or are thier combat weapons so very imbalanced?
Hinaichigo was actually pretty strong in 1st season but she didn't want to kill her medium so she gave up. But this is not RTS or MMORPG, balancing characters will make the fight last too long XD. The golden rule of fighting anime is that the more imbalance the fight the better when the main character somehow pull off a victory out of his or her posterior end XD
Don't underestimate Kanaria either. She proved in Episode 7 that she also has some very strong wind-based attacks that was able to give the Seki sisters and Hina some trouble.
BTW...where was Kanaria during the battle? Kinda weird that she wasn't fighting with the other dolls. Or maybe she was too scared to fight...
It seems to me that Barasuishou is just going along what was shown to the dolls in an earlier episode...they are mearly puppets in a play, and Bara is there to pull the strings, for what purpose, that remains to be seen. She is clearly able to manipulate the other dolls by preying on their weaknesses and then steps back to watch the play unfold, only stepping in to guide the players into their roles. doesnt seem like they had planned on the dolls thinking for themselves, refusing to fight. coexsisting, so they need to be guided back to their original purpose the "alice game"
Next episode does look interesting though. Hina powering down. perhaps because shinku can no longer afford to share the power she and Suiseiseki are receiving from Jun, and since she has matured in a sense, maybe she can once again return to Tome and not repeat the mistakes of the past, we live and learn. just have to wait and see... the week just seems to get longer when u wait for a new episode.
I agree that Barasuishou is pulling strings from behind by manipulating other dolls using their weaknesses. I heard that Episode 10 will air on 12 Jan 06 coz of the festive holidays & I'm looking forward to how Barasuishou's plans will be backfired if the remaining dolls ganged up against her. Meanwhile, enjoy your X'mas & New Year ^_^
"The ring is on Jun's left hand (2nd last finger). Not his right hand. If you watched Episode 8 when he was holding on to a bottle while watching Enju-sensei was preparing to make a doll, u'll notice it."
@ Middy
If you check on the link i posted you can see that Jun doesn't have the ring on either hand.
@ Zeni
The picture was really dark and I could only see Jun's right hand when he was sleeping. I'll re-watch the episode again when I'm done with my tests.
I don't think any of the doll's get Souseiseki's Rosa Mystica. I think Laplace will appear out of nowhere and take it. After all, Laplace was the one who had Meimei.
And why does everybody think that Souseiseki is suicidal? It's not like she wanted to have her Rosa Mystica taken. I think that in this season Souseiseki was the most devoted to "Father". Did any of you call Suigintou "suicidal" because she wanted to become "Alice" in the previous season?And she doesn't attack Suiseiseki, she just did that to make sure Suiseiseki wouldn't grab her and hold her back again. And since when did Souseiseki "risk her life"? She wanted to win from the begining til the end. The reason she told Suiseiseki to take her Rosa Mystica was because she wanted her favorite sister, her twin, to become "Alice" because she couldn't anymore. The "since I can't win I want you to win" theory.
And even if Suigintou does get Rempicka I highly doubt it will heal Megu.
Nooo, Souseiseki T_T... Why she'd to die ;_;... Why not hinaichigo XD~? Aaa well, maybe, for now on, all the dolls will die uh ;_;...
Regarding the 'suicidal' theory: Souseiseki must have realised she didn't have a chance against Barasuishou, considering how little she did against her the last time they met. The same goes for Suigintou; even with Suiseiseki, she couldn't do much more than delay her at the end of the last series...
Souseiseki's always seemed very devoted to duty to me, and I can see how that could drive her into a battle she knows she can't win. After all, whoever is lost, they're one step closer to an Alice.
;_;
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