Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha

[Uldihaa]

Item 1: Those silly fukus/dresses/costumes are actually a form of magic-based armor.
Nanoha: Yeah, we call them barrier jackets. They generate a protective field that absorbs kinetic energy, and also provide decent protection against magic-based attacks. They make getting blasted through walls hurt a lot less, too.

And they actually explain that! It's stated right from the beginning that the 'outfit' is protective armor whose appearance is based on what the caster wants it to look like.

Item 3: The bad guys never attack during a transformation sequence out of professional courtesy.
Nanoha: If that's the case, then Vita doesn't have much in the way of professional courtesy. The devices actually generate a powerful protective field that is nearly impossible to penetrate. It also ensures that the girl in question doesn't give the world a free show by obscuring her form during transformation, reducing it to a vague silhouette for everyone outside the field.

And the fact that the shift is actually almost instant, as shown a few times; just a flash of light and glowing clothes, then there they are in their Barrier Jackets.

Not so much as the Book of Darkness's 'Photon Lancer Genocide Shift'.

Oooooh...I had forgotten about that one! That's one that seems to be the type that would...er...encourage you to make sure your will is up to date

Those two are experiencing an S-rank case of 'requited but unspoken-of love'. It's sooooo obvious that the producers have been 'shipping them almost since episode four. The only other real candidate is Yuuno, and he kinda fades into the background as the series progresses, leaving Fate as Nanoha's only potential partner. Toss Vivio into the mix and you've got yourself a wonderful little family of three. Go, lesbians!

Ah! Thought so, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't just my fondness for shoujo-ai influencing the way I saw things . And Yuuno doesn't just fade away, he's pretty much forgotten except in the episodes that he actually appears in. Nanoha doesn't even talk about him except in those episodes as well. Rather odd, when you think about it. Add in the fact that, despite being Captains and commanding officers, they not only share quarters but a bed as well. Yeah, there is way more than friendship going on here!

[Comartemis]

Add in the fact that, despite being Captains and commanding officers, they not only share quarters but a bed as well. Yeah, there is way more than friendship going on here!

*snigger*

[Uldihaa]

Hahaha! That's awesome! And Fate really is the wife to Nanoha. Nanoha has certain qualities and mannerisms that one expects to see in a husband/father, while Fate has the more wife/mother aspects. Best seen when Vivio trips and falls on her face.

And that bed is just gigantic! It makes one wonder just why they need such a large bed... Oh, my!

[LiliandraNadiar]

I still giggle when ever I watch episode two of StrikerS and see Nanoha, Fate and Hayate waking up in the same bad in 'varied states of undress'. Of course even then, the connection between Nanoha and Fate struck me as obvious, but I'm a tad biased. :p

As for getting the series' on DvD, I got season one and two from DiscountAnimeDvD (I think, at work right now so I can't fully look for a link) Of course, I also got torrents of all three seasons though one and two were pulled. (Someone's apparently licened it for NA release.. *squeee!*)

[Uldihaa]

I still giggle when ever I watch episode two of StrikerS and see Nanoha, Fate and Hayate waking up in the same bad in 'varied states of undress'. Of course even then, the connection between Nanoha and Fate struck me as obvious, but I'm a tad biased. :p

As for getting the series' on DvD, I got season one and two from DiscountAnimeDvD (I think, at work right now so I can't fully look for a link) Of course, I also got torrents of all three seasons though one and two were pulled. (Someone's apparently licened it for NA release.. *squeee!*)

Yeah, Geneon....the company that announced that it was no longer going to be distributing anime. I believe they released the last volumes of anime they are going to either last month or in November. They have the rights to Nanoha and Nanoha A's, but it really is up in the air as to what they will do with it. My hope is that they'll sell it to FUNimation or ADV, but there isn't any info either way. We can only hope that they won't hold on to it until it dies of old age!

And yeah, that scene of them waking up, in the same bed, was...interesting . The fact that none of them even mentions any dating of guys what-so-ever seems to hint that their relationship is rather...close...

[bissek]

From Anime News Network:

Corey Fischer of Ocean Productions said that dubbing of Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage will be completed with the same voice actors, although distribution "is out of Ocean's hands." Similarly, subtitling work is reportedly still proceeding for "the first two seasons of Nanoha, and the first season of Zero no Tsukaima."

[Comartemis]

And yeah, that scene of them waking up, in the same bed, was...interesting Wink . The fact that none of them even mentions any dating of guys what-so-ever seems to hint that their relationship is rather...close...

Oddly enough, I can't see Hayate getting in on Nanoha's and Fate's relationship. I see her more as a sort of Tomoyo figure (minus the unrequited love bit), hanging around in the background and nudging the two towards each other whenever she can (Think of the role she plays a few times in "Through Troubled Waters"). Her relationship with the Knights seems to be exclusively platonic in nature, but you never know...

[Uldihaa]

Corey Fischer of Ocean Productions said that dubbing of Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage will be completed with the same voice actors, although distribution "is out of Ocean's hands." Similarly, subtitling work is reportedly still proceeding for "the first two seasons of Nanoha, and the first season of Zero no Tsukaima."

Well, that's at least a little good news... but it still drops the ball right back into Geneon's lap. It also brings up a question: Is dubbing/subbing paid for all at once, or over time? If the first, then it doesn't really matter that Ocean is continuing to work at it, since they would just be finishing work they had already been payed to do. If the later, then there might be some hope that, even if Geneon has no plans to distribute anime themselves, they might have plans to sub-contract distribution to someone else; since a deal exactly like that, with ADV, fell through what will ultimately happen is still very much in the air.

[Not-Going-to-Tell]

Yay! Finally a topic for this great series!

What first attracted you to it?

Mostly it was the fact that even though I was going through my first major bout of mech-ism and was seeing pretty much nothing but 'Mecha! Mecha!', somepeople on the forums I was on pointed out the Nanoha series for being mech-like in attacks. Then on 4-chan I saw a picture of Nanoha and the Weissritter swapping weapons... It all happened from there.

In your opinion, what sets this series apart from other magical girl series?

Firepower. That's probably the simple answer. The long answer is good characters, story and pacing, the idea of technomancy, and a magical girl police force. Of course, seeing as how Nanoha was originally supposed to weild a Chibi-Usa style weapon, Fate was no-where to be found, and Chrono was the bad guy from 'the land of drams' who stole people's dreams, we can only sing our praises for what it's become.

What did you think of the characters, both 'heroes' and 'villians'?

Once again, firepower. As a chan-er, it was lolis and large chests. And it was well developed, the characters actually tended to act how someone that age would or would not.

And admit it, when you first saw Bardiche's Zamber form, the first thought that went through your head was "Bankai!"

Actually, it was 'Waga na wa Fate! Fate Teterossa! Aku wo Tatsu Tsurugi Nari! CHESSSTTOOOOOO!!!!' And shortly afterwards 'Waga Bardiche ni... Tatenu mono nashi!' Later, after seeing Thrudgermir's finisher in OGs though, it became 'The Blade that Mows Down The Stars'. Also, Vita and Subaru were both GGG inspired, while Signum is almost Literally Lamia with pink hair and a new wardrobe.

[Comartemis]

Of course, seeing as how Nanoha was originally supposed to weild a Chibi-Usa style weapon, Fate was no-where to be found, and Chrono was the bad guy from 'the land of drams' who stole people's dreams, we can only sing our praises for what it's become.

'Supposed to' nothing. That's what she originally was in Triangle Heart. Odd how many hentai games are being made into awesome shows these days, eh?

Actually, it was 'Waga na wa Fate! Fate Teterossa! Aku wo Tatsu Tsurugi Nari! CHESSSTTOOOOOO!!!!' And shortly afterwards 'Waga Bardiche ni... Tatenu mono nashi!' Later, after seeing Thrudgermir's finisher in OGs though, it became 'The Blade that Mows Down The Stars'. Also, Vita and Subaru were both GGG inspired, while Signum is almost Literally Lamia with pink hair and a new wardrobe.

Having absolutely no idea what you are talking about, I feel compelled to ask... what are you talking about, NGtT?

[Pale Wolf]

Lamia Loveless, from Super Robot Wars.

Nanoha's character designer is a fan

[Not-Going-to-Tell]

Argg! I forgot to say! I also got involved in the Nanoha series because of hearing how even rainbows were straighter than Fate and Subaru.

...Excuse me for being a hot-blooded male.

And Wolf nailed it right on. I have a pic in the pis thread which shows Signum in Lamia's clothes. And yes, they were that tight on Lamia as well.

[Comartemis]

Argg! I forgot to say! I also got involved in the Nanoha series because of hearing how even rainbows were straighter than Fate and Subaru.

...Excuse me for being a hot-blooded male.

Eh, there are worse reasons for getting into a series. I bought my first Chobits manga (waaaay back when) because of the one scene of Chi naked right after her activation. This would be all the way back in junior high, when I was first discovering the joys of hentai right under my parents' noses.

And it was well developed, the characters actually tended to act how someone that age would or would not.

Actually, Nanoha and the other characters struck me as being unusually mature for preteens. I think that's part of their appeal; if Nanoha was like Usagi and Yuuno had to all but force her to help him, we wouldn't have liked her nearly as much as we do. As it is, the one time she was somewhat lax in her efforts to claim the Jewel Seed in episode 3 had disastrous consequences for Uminari City, and the knowledge that it was her fault was an incredible burden for her to bear.

Likewise, Precia's attention has forced Fate to grow up faster than she would have otherwise, and Hayate has lived on her own for most of her life, so she's been forced to take care of herself for the most part. Notice that she seems to do all the cooking, even after Signum and the gang show up.

[Knight of L-sama]

And yeah, that scene of them waking up, in the same bed, was...interesting . The fact that none of them even mentions any dating of guys what-so-ever seems to hint that their relationship is rather...close...

Not really. That had just completed a fairly gruelling rescue mission and were all looking for the most convinent place to crash for the night (as seen by the fact that all three of them are still partly dressed) and Hayate's bed just happened to be the best place. Why Hayate needs a bed the can quite comfortably sleep three people side by side is another question.

Not to say that that Nanoha and Fate aren't a couple (they are IMNSHO), just that the scene in question is, save for some mild fanservice, innocent.

I originally got into Nanoha on the reccomendations of a couple of friends. I was sceptical at first (and cringing at the transformation sequences*) but was persuaded to stay the course until Fate showed up. Even ignoring the oodles subtext she and Nanoha had great character interaction and that was when the battles got truly awesome as well. By then I was pretty muched hooked.

*(For the record, was much happier with the transformation sequences come StrikerS)

[Akuma-sama]

Oh ho, a Nanoha thread.

What first attracted you to it?

Well, I don't quite remember what made me download it at first... I think it was the release of A's, but... oh well, moot point. The animation quality of the first episode drew me in (including that spastic moment, you know what I mean), then Nanoha using Diving Buster for the first time hooked me ("...whoa. Now that's a magical girl."), then the character development of Fate, Arf and Nanoha, combined with the final Fate VS Nanoha fight made me a raging fan of it.

Then I started watching A's.

...yeah, so it escalated from there.

It's also one of the rare few series where the characters are openly lesbians (or at least hinted to be with a 20 megaton cluebat) without it being constantly rubbed into our faces or being the center of the plot ("hurr hurr, we have lesbianz, hurr hurr", looking at you, Blue Drop).
And yes, I am certain they are, even if I didn't make them a couple in my fic. Because a Fate pining after Nanoha is the cutest (and because Nanoha is a hopeless workaholic and has all the social skills of a brick... albeit one with a befriending cannon).