Princess Nine

This felt like the culmination of everything that the series stood for; breaking streotypes, the power of love, teamwork, and belief in oneself. Almost all the members of cast got to show how much they improved in the duration of the series. It may not have ended the way viewers might like or expect, but I think it served its purpose of sending a message. They definitely earned my respect as much the audience in the attendance. Anyways, in terms of production value, they went all out on this one, the animations were smooth for its time, the art was great as well as the soundtrack. Yet the character development is definitely the most memorable part of this anime. It leaned on it much more than any other animes of its kind. So if you really want a refreshing take on the genre, you will love this one. Even me, who isn't a fan nor knowledgeable about this sport, had a great time as a viewer. Highly recommended.

With all that has happened, you can't really expect anything but total mental breakdown for at least the top players of the team. Morale is crashing badly and it's having a domino effect on every member of the group. They are raising the tension up considerably, this is gearing up for the finale after all. And if this is any indication, then the conclusion of this battle would be the most thrilling moments ever in this show. Expectations are quite high right now since the anime has been consitently good thus far, hoping it ends in a memorable note.

And in this climactic last episodes, we are presented with final hurdle towards victory: heartbreak. And it's not even intentional, but the effect will probably cut way deep into the heart of the one who experienced it. And this all happened when the team is at its strongest, this cannot possibly bode well. The penultimate chapter of the series is teasing one of the best showdowns yet, hoping it delivers in its promises and more.

Now we see the effects of those emotional moments in the previous episodes. One is clearly distracted by the experience, the other gained more confidence. In any case, this a great didplay of the group's prowess in the game, most of them really improved and it helped them achieve the desired outcome. Now there is a tease that probably play in the climax of the series that may excite long time viewers. This final stretch is one exciting ride all the way.

It just gets weirder by the second, but we've gotten this far so no complaints. The episode is clearly trying to address a serious issue that teenagers commonly experience, but the resolution is largely metaphorical in the real world sense. Anyways, we're back to the competition, and this would look like a massive challenge for our team. Now it's time to see whether those trainings actually mattered for once. This would be an interesting sight.

As expected it got stranger and really grim all of a sudden. Never knew this seemingly eccentric plot device have a history this macabre. Yet still it's not even the worst part, our rivalry is getting more hostile by the second, almost to the point that one of them can be described as the antagonist of the story. This is one of the darkest moments in the series by far. But understandably we're close to the end so they're firing on all cylinders. Let's see if this ever gets resolved for the team's sake.

And now here we are with the inevitable fallout in those love confessions. Understandably for one who dedicated their lives for someone else's affection, this has got to hurt. The worse part is that it is affecting performance in the game, not a good sign. The drama is building up nicely in this episode although what happened in the end was weird. Yet knowing that this series have gone to such strange places before I am not even surprised by this development. Let's just keep an eye on where the story goes for now.

So finally, people are actually confessing their romantic feelings for one another, that took a while. Most of these were heavily implied from previous episodes, maybe recent events convince them that time is precious and every moment they waste is a moment they can't get back? Anyways, for better or for worse, these seem to motivate some characters, while for others, it fuels their competitive spirit even further. How will these affect the tight bond they established a few chapters ago? Let's tune in and find out.

This was sort of a breather episode after all that really tense moments from the previous one. Well, initially the focus was on the struggles of the team when the issues they are facing are causing some difficulties, but in some surprising twist, it managed to turn itself around. Now that the group's vigor is renewed, time to get back to business. That'll be the first test of their newly formed bond, hope it delivers as intended.

This is probably the darkest episode of the show yet, never really thought they it can get this far. At the same time however, it's also quite touching to see how the team bonded through this tragedy, and this moment may have actually helped reverse this misfortune after all. This goes especially for that one individual who took tremendous effort to get a friend back. So this pretty much solidify their group into something more, can't wait to see how this new camaraderie plays into the story.

When you thought things would get better in this soul-searching episode, well it did. But I guess we still need to pull the rug just in case we need more drama. It's weird to see this series turn so ominous. Hope it leads to nothing short of epiphany about the value of life or something, or you know, deeper connection between potential love interests. That's what I see coming, but who knows? Anything can happen at this rate.

Halfway through the series and we have another crisis in our hands. And it has far more repercussions than anyone can hope to imagine. The morale of the team, particularly the main protagonist, takes centerstage this time, highlighting how important it is in order to keep a good momentum going. Unfortunately, the drama might not be going away for a while, especially since it hits too close to home. Hopefully, they can find a way out of this at the coming chapters, it would be a nice catalyst for more character development.

I would say, that is by far the best episode of the show yet. They put a lot of effort in making this particular game epic. From the animations, the music, and the character development, even if you are not a fan of the sport, this episode will still probably give you the chills. I also really like the emphasis on teamwork, everyone really pitched in to gain some advantage that paid off in the end. An impressive display, but this is only the start. How would they fare against other teams on the way to the top? Only one way to find out.

Ok, so I know this series doesn't do as much fanservice, but this one was really hilarious. What's more impressive was that it was the team's initial strategy and it actually did stuff. Obviously, it will eventually run it's course and our casts need to rely on their own skills to win, but that tactic was admittedly clever and amusing. I guess you can call it the calm before the storm? Next episode requires our heroes to go all out, a little bit too late I think, but let's see how they can get themselves out of this fickle.

This your standard training arc, but it also gave the spotlight to one of our more interesting character. The theme is about confidence, but it was centered around the lacking part. It really shows how detrimental it is for the group to play unmotivated. Luckily, that particular player got som assistance from the unlikeliest of places. We got some few more mysteries about past events, how they relevant to recent events remain unknown. So the real game starts next episode, consider what we have seen so far, this is goinh to be one thrilling battle.