Well, it’s true that I’ve dropped off the written scene of ISML for a long time, and that I’ve probably got many things to apologize for. For drifting away from the denizens of #ISML, for having to nuke my sub-blog Saimoe is very serious! from orbit (due to some really bad database infections), for not getting Shiori that one more win she needed to make it into the relegation tournament… humans are always filled with regrets.

Still, that’s not to say, for the silence and the sorrow, that I’ve fallen out of my somewhat romantic affair with the moe tournaments of today; although my return to college resulted in an unceremonious block on J-Saimoe voting (the infamous proxy issues), I still followed the results of it and ISML on a daily basis, having many days made upon seeing who had triumphed and who has fallen, in the latest battle of moe, popularity, and occasionally, image-board engineering.

Well, how else would you explain such an event as surprising as the seeming moe kingpin Mio Akiyama getting trashed by the BOSS Kana Minami, an upset of enough magnitude that it caused my co-writer kevo to have to eat several feet in backpedaling? (I had to immortalize it now that SIVS is sunk.) Certainly, it is amusing imagining the Minami sisters as some sort of assassins, who only rise to prominence as they drop big-name targets (as in Haruka’s upset of Rika Furude in 2008), only to fade into the background in the next round, as if they had never recieved such a vote surge.

And this is the sort of thing, this is the sort of imagination, that makes moe tournaments probably what they are today, so centric to people like me. We imagine the roles our favorite girls play, the battles they fight, as we face off against each other, feel the passion as we campaign for a girl in seven locations across the internet, and do little dances when we wake up and find that Taiga has put an exclamation point on the sinking of the seemingly invincible ships that were Saki and K-ON, capturing two out of three moe championships in one year.

That’s Saimoe, isn’t it? The the strangest courtship dance the world has seen.

(image: sakurato tsuguhi)
It’s some sort of ‘constructive warfare’. True, the girls go to direct combat, but when most people are speaking in positives and superlatives about their girl rather than trashing their enemy with hatred and venom, it’s a curious sort of battle. A strange politics, where you have some people voting on purely tactical means, others on purely emotional means – many positive, yet a few negative – and so you never really are sure whether a girl wins because she is more moe, more popular, less hated, or just because she’s an easier punching bag for Kyou to take out with the trash in the next round.

I suppose, you say, the same could go for real politics, except here, the candidates never do the speaking. Only the fans speak for the girls here. There’s no one impassioned speech that you’ll see someone deliver, that will win them a thousand votes. Saimoe competitions are small-scale enough that there’s probably not one source with enough reach to tip the balance more than a few votes each way, given that ‘moe’ is such a subjective thing that it’s hard to make an argument that will change the minds of the committed – at best, you can only convince the apathetic to vote.

But still, of course, the people write, and write, and campaign, and campaign, until their word-count-to-vote ratio is something in the thousands (if not infinite), because they know that there’s that possibility, just maybe that Ushio and Ritsu will tie and that any vote they convince people to make could be the deciding one, and how could they let their character slide into the black, unforgiving abyss that is J-Saimoe elimination –

And that’s when you know Saimoe’s got you.

(image: nyama)

It’s when you’re just finishing up a 1000-word blog post after writing a few hundred-word posts for four different forums, posting a link to Facebook and Twitter, and dropping lines in three IRC channels (one which contains people who could go over and punch you in the face in real life), and you realize that this is just one match and you still have to campaign and make sure Minori wins EIGHT more.

It’s when you refresh the ISML home page and see that Taiga’s bid for a triple crown just got violently ended, that instead of ragequitting, you mentally put a little memorial picture of Taiga on the wall (right next to the ones for Nagisa, Minori, and Shiori), put on your Nagato fanboy cap, and head back into the crowd to raise some love for your next-highest favorite. And after Nagato loses, you set all guns to Hinagiku, all the while trying to drum up votes for relegation favorite Reimu on the side. There’s no time for mourning, there’s voting to be done and battles to be won.

Yeah, it’s when you know that Saimoe has that strange appeal that every sport should have had – maybe does have – that it’s got you.

And that’s what Saimoe’s really about, right? Not just the girls, but the passion. That forging, that resolidfying of the connection between you and some abstract personality with some eyes and a funny hair color. It all sounds horrendously escapist, but it’s rather interesting, in that you get to learn a bit about your tastes, your beliefs, and your passions; nothing says ’self-exploratory’ like ‘1500-word essay on why people should vote for Shiori’. Since if you don’t come up with some good reasons why you believe that Shiori is one of the most inspiring characters ever to walk the 2D Earth, you’re going to be writing for a long time.

You could say, more precisely, that Saimoe is what you make it. Together, it’s what the fans make it.

(image: nyanta)
It’s the same as more ‘real’ sports. Some people just check in, browse the scores, muse about how their ‘home team’ (favorite girl, perhaps, here) won, and move on. Others buy all the team gear, get the season pass, go to every game, being the loudest one in the crowd. Sometimes, you have those in between, who tune in for only the exciting parts of the season, or just discuss it around the water cooler.

And so, I can probably imagine that I’m painting myself as someone who’s dressed in a Kanon uniform in some snow-filled stadium somewhere, hugging my plushies and chanting team chants. Whatever those may be. Maybe that’s true. Maybe that’s not. But certainly I wouldn’t have made that analogy if I hadn’t thought about Saimoe as I gazed down the barrel either the last or the second-to-last match of the Saimoe season, in ISML’s Revelation of the Heavenly Tiara.

And I wouldn’t have had been able to put out another 1200 words on how at least I believe that Saimoe has been a positive experience, if I hadn’t put myself into it, lose myself in it, waste my time in it.
I wouldn’t be able to explore my own heart and, just maybe, touch those of others if I hadn’t put to press so many words for Shiori, Chinami, Minori, and everyone else.
And maybe I wouldn’t have met some of the people I did, if I never decided to get into ISML in the first place.

Who knows. It’s not in a human’s ability to look into the past and see what would have happened if they did something different. It’s only their job to keep moving on into the future.

And so, after the curtains close and either Hinagiku or Shana is crowned, I’ll be waiting outside the gates of the ISML battlegrounds with a truck of vanilla ice cream, waiting, for when the first flowers of spring have begun to bloom, and the procession of passion begins again.

-CCY

(image: hane riu)
(Incidentally, here’s some curious numbers from my vote-tracking program, about who were the top 16 girls I voted for the most in ISML’s regular season:
54 Misaka Shiori
53 Furukawa Nagisa
52 Furude Hany?
52 Ichinose Kotomi
49 Furude Rika
49 Kinomoto Sakura
47 Mizunashi Akari
47 Patchouli Knowledge
46 Kawazoe Tamaki
45 Kamio Misuzu
45 Kasuga “?saka” Ayumu
43 Alice Carroll
43 Ry?g? Rena
41 Chii
40 Aisaka Taiga
37 Nagato Yuki
The bottom numbers are omitted as they show more of a lack of knowledge more than a particular dislike for most characters.)

http://www.internationalsaimoe.com/voting/
Vote Yuuko.

And if you’re not convinced, read to the end of this post. It’s not even 800 words. It’s short, and filled with passion, and if you aren’t filled with enthusiasm too by the end of this, you can have your money back.

I think, if I can take part in one miracle before in International Saimoe League, I can help form another – but this one isn’t for me.

Don’t get me wrong – Yuuko is undoubtedly a fine choice as a moe character. A beautiful character design, an elegant and kindly demeanor, and above all, true characterization. Yuuko, like all ef girls, symbolizes a sort of transcending of the standard moeblob personality of a visual novel girl, to someone who can truly move one’s heart.

Well, maybe I overdramatize a little bit, but I like Yuuko. And I love ef. Absolutely adore it, every little bit of it, from its pretentious-esque art style to its emotion-wreaking characters to the way that it just ties everything together in a grand way in the end.

It’s just something that I feel that you won’t experience very often if ever again – maybe it’s just me but that unique style of ef really made it rise above and beyond. It invoked a passion in me (one that I need to get working on a review post sometime), and I want you to pass on that passion as well.

Sure, maybe a stage like ISML is a small stage, maybe it’s not the stage you were imagining of, but as I was telling my friend, it’s the little victories that count.

ef has been fairly strongly-represented in the preliminaries in ISML, but none of its girls have really fared well in the competition. This might be because often times, fans of ef split their votes between the three girls present – and quite understandably.

But in this last round, a time of desperation for the ef hardcore, I ask you to unite not under the name a girl but under the banner of an anime. Time after time again, if the ef fans had banded behind one girl instead of dividing amongst the three, the vote totals would have easily been enough to push Yuuko, Chihiro, or Miyako through.

Now, I ask for your hand and your vote too. Maybe you’re a Chihiro fan first, or a Miyako supporter – I understand you. I voted Chihiro in previous rounds as well.

But with just one spot left, and at least a dozen companions already allied behind Yuuko, to me, what’s more important than which girl it is, is the support for an outstanding anime full of outstanding characters – and more than that, for the burning passion each and every one of you feels in your hearts.

I swore to myself to push for Yuuko this round, as hard as I did for Shiori, not just out of an attraction to her or ef, but also because my friend was afflicted with a sort of pessimism, that convinced him that the matter was hopeless.

He didn’t want to try campaigning for Yuuko, too afraid of giving it all for a passion, only to fall short. He’s worried about being hurt.

I say to hell with that. I want to prove that you can change the world.

Maybe some say that that is an ambition too grand, that that is too much optimism. But on a small stage like this, where battles are decided by mere dozens of votes, I think that one man – no, one group – can change everything.

This vote isn’t just for Yuuko or for ef, but for the mindset of Manabi Straight and Gurren Lagann. The going straight ahead and piercing the heavens, the kicking reason to the curb. The unbridled enthusiasm and positive energy that, you believe me or not, makes it sunnier outside.

Yuuko says it best herself:
“Because someday you’ll make it.

If something happens, it’s all right.

If you hold out your hands, someone will be there for you.

We will be able to share our warmth.

Just don’t ever give up. On the end of that long road, happiness will be waiting for you.

And then one day, I hope you’ll notice, that on that path you’ve walked, there is a lot of happiness.

Don’t forget, you’re not alone.”

We are not alone either. We hold our hands out to you, asking for just a minute of your time to click a simple checkbox next to “Yuuko Amamiya”. You submit a vote, but more than that, a message. That we together can reach the end of that road.

That Yuuko can make it. That we can make it.

That it’s not worth the effort to give up and distance yourself from feeling. That it’s OK to let passion run away with your life, because then, you’re living.

I’m living right now. Are you?

http://www.internationalsaimoe.com/voting/

-CCY
(Leave a comment to show your support, even if it’s just a few words. Thanks for your time!)

At the rate things are going, I don’t think I can have pretenses any more.

Maybe you’ve read my previous post trying to hype Shiori Misaka of Kanon for ISML 2009. I’ve decided to do all I can to help her for one round, and anything I do, I want to do with my whole heart.

And my heart isn’t satisfied yet with the response I’ve gotten, so if you’re tired of my fanboy posts yet, please just bear with me for another 8 hours.

But yeah, if you’re here, you like Kanon. And if you like Kanon, you probably don’t hate Shiori. And if you don’t hate Shiori, you can probably click that link at the top of the page to the International Saimoe League voting arena to help give Shiori a little boost in her chances to meet up with all the other Key characters you probably know and love (if you’re here).

It’s a piece of cake, really. Click the button next to Shiori, pick three other characters, and then you can move on with your day. And you’ll have helped someone who’s gone a bit too crazy for the last 16 hours.

Here’s that imagedump from yesterday, in case you forgot:

Thanks again,
CCY

(P.S. Don’t vote again if you’ve already voted. :P)

And moe competitions can get you put into a straightjacket and thrown into the corner of an isolated white room with no windows.

Well, if you’ve been following me recently, or searching Google with exceptional accuracy, you may have found that I’ve been following the events of International Saimoe League, which is basically like J-Saimoe (which is basically the moe internet version of March Madness (which is basically a effing huge basketball tournament (which is a series of games played by a large number of teams, where only those who win – OK, you get the point))).

Except for the fact that ISML is in English, has a taste for the dramatic like I do, runs for probably about 10 months out of the year, and as such is inherently appealing for those who like a little friendly competition over their favorite characters.

Well, ‘favorite characters’ is a bit of a misnomer, as any devout follower of a moe tournament will tell you, quite aptly, that a moe tournament is not about popularity or favoritism, but yes, moe.

How odd. But for me at least, moe and favoritism overlap a fair deal, especially in the context of this competition, where there are very few characters that fall into the subset of ‘characters I like a lot but do not consider moe’ (for example: a lot of the ef cast).

What does not appear to overlap, is my taste and other people’s tastes.

The preliminaries are going on in ISML right now, and we’ve reached round 5 of 7, with just 11 characters left to join the other 53 in the main competition.

It’s probably one of the more dramatic times of the competition, just like the end of the season before March Madness, as everyone fights for one of those final shots in the Big Dance.

I mean, after all, in the main ISML competition, each character’s guaranteed 63 matches. It’s harder to gauge the flow of the tournament as a whole; who’s doing good, who’s doing bad. But in the preliminaries, it’s much more urgent.

With three matches left, that’s three shots to get in. Each time, the character with the highest vote-count in each of four divisions gets in while the other 6 or 7 get left out, so it’s direct competition. If you lose here, that’s it. There is no brushing yourself off and trying to rally like in the marathon regular season.

Which is why I’m here today, to orz or genuflect or whatever and say -

Citizens Readers, lend me your votes.

You may think that with three rounds left, there’s still a lot of time for [your beloved character here], but let’s face it: if you didn’t have the votes in the last four rounds, they’re not going to appear now. There are already too many powerhouses for an underdog to make a serious comeback …

… unless you make a miracle happen.

And who else would be more perfect for a miracle than Shiori Misaka?

For some reason, she just hasn’t been as popular as the other Kanon – nay, the other Key girls. Just look at the numbers so far:

All four core Clannad girls (Tomoyo / Nagisa / Kyou / Kotomi) pre-qualified for ISML.
Misuzu from AIR pulled off a win earlier in the preliminaries.
And all four other Kanon girls are in as well, three pre-qualified (Ayu / Mai / Nayuki), with Makoto smashing the competition in preliminaries.

But there’s still one missing. Don’t you think that’s an injustice?

But don’t take it on a level of unfairness. I don’t want to make you cast a vote you don’t believe in, just in the name of ‘parity’. I’m not about gaming the system. If I wanted to do that, I’d just grab 50 IPs and cast the votes myself. Or I’d offer my friends a dollar each to vote.

I want to prove that together, we can create a miracle legitimately. So I want to really convince you, that Shiori is worth your vote. I want to do this honestly.

Take it on a character level.

You like ice cream, right? Everyone likes ice cream. Shiori likes vanilla ice cream. She likes it so damn much she eats it in the snow while she has a cold.

That’s devotion. You know devotion, right? You have a character in anime, someone you think is really moe or gar or awesome or whatever. Or maybe you just have an anime as a whole whose story or morals you live your life by. There’s something you’re really passionate about, that you’re willing to defend, one way or another, to the end of the earth. You know devotion. Shiori knows devotion. Shiori knows you. She understands devotion. She understands you.

Isn’t that worth something?

And I didn’t even have to go into all the character spoilers and plot developments and all the wonderfully beautiful fountain scenes and everything that really makes Shiori more than that too.

You like moe, right? What could be better than a little-sister type like Shiori? A little shy, a little lonely, looking for someone strong to be like…

OK, fine, I understand, you hate moe. You’re tired of braindead, monosyllabic-phrase-uttering airheads who wouldn’t know how to breathe unless they were told to by some generic-looking guy. Well, great news for you.

Shiori is a damn respectable genius as well. A genius, I tell you. She’s not like those other moe characters you’re thinking of.

She’s poetic. Says some really deep and meaningful quotes. She wants to be strong on her own too. She’s not going to follow you around forever. She’s trying really hard to be mature. She’s a thinker. Try matching wits with her sometime.

See? Look. Best of both worlds. You want a little moe with your strong, realistic female character? Want some strength to your moe stereotype? You got it. Shiori is like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of anime girls. You gonna tell me you don’t like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

So, see? Shiori’s perfect. Wonderful girl. Beautiful outfit, too.

But the public, everyone else who couldn’t tell Naruto from the Simpsons, see, they don’t think Shiori’s much. She’s not cute enough. Too old. Maybe they forgot she existed because her arc was only three episodes long. Probably busy worshipping whatever rubbish they call ‘harem’ these days. Aki-can or something. They wouldn’t know the golden days of the harem if it wore angel wings and crashed into them.

Emotion. Moe characters reinforced with strength. That’s what I’m talking about.

And that’s why I’m asking you to do something simple. Give Shiori just a bit of your time. Can’t hurt you. Can only help her. Will only take a minute.

Here’s what you do:

You click this link to the International Saimoe League voting arena, where all the action goes down.

And you see Shiori there, in Group C? That familiar smiling face? Click that little button there. Make her light up.

Those other groups? I don’t care who you want to vote for. I’m not going to say ‘you can only vote Shiori’ or anything. You got another girl you love? Someone else you respect? Be my guest. I understand. Not like Shiori’s the only moe one out there. Go ahead and make Haruka Nogizaka, or Osaka, or Yuno or whoever makes you happy.

All I ask is that you give Shiori that little boost she needs to make the big time. She deserves the attention. The popularity. At least, the equality with the other girls she’s friends with. They’re waiting for her. Don’t let her down.

See, I know you’re a good person. You give enough of your time to read this blog, after all. I thank you for that. Whether you’re a devoted reader, or maybe just a passerby who saw the title, or maybe a blogger yourself. You let me have my silly little rant, you let me express my passion.

We have something in common; we’re here because we love anime, and love the characters in it.

And if I’ve learned one thing from anime, it’s that the future won’t change (at least with these voting patterns) unless we change it with our own hands.

And so, I just want to see if I – if we – can achieve this small little miracle, a little personal victory on the battleground of crazed fandom warfare. To prove that we can bond together and do something, no matter how inconsequential (whether it be in terms of ’she probably won’t do that well in the main tournament’ or ‘c’mon, it’s just a silly contest with fake characters’), is something that holds meaning. To me, and to you.

I know I can count on you for this.

So please. Just one vote.

-CCY

As you remember, I was more than non-trivially fervent about J-Saimoe this past fall, and with the kicking into gear of the International Saimoe League over the last few weeks with their preliminary rounds, I’ve got Write a Lot of Overanalytical Stuff Over Mostly Useless Popularity (But Really Moe, Not Poularity) Contests fever all over again.

So much, in fact, that I figure bi-daily coverage of Saimoe-related substance would sort of overwhelm my normal, lethargic (but energy-filled when it counts) blog-posting schedule.

I thought what I’d do was, I’d pretend I’m one of those Saimoe-blogger people.

So today I bring you Saimoe is very serious! (the Japanese is failing my blog for some reason), my side-blog devoted to Saimoe, ISML, and whatever other moe event coverage, complete with results, analysis, and crazed fanboy raving. Whether you’re into moe contest, want to learn, or are just really bored and need something new by me to read, it’s your source.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of non-forum places to talk about these kinds of things, so I figure I’ll try to become a leader in this category. At least for now. So give it some love, just as if it were this blog.

Until then, I’ve just published my third post there, so I feel like I deserve to pass out for a bit.

-CCY

Over a dozen people have fought for the heart of America’s people in grueling match after match, slowly being pared down to just two who will fight to take home the crown of SaiAmerica 2008 … er … president.

You may not think they are the best choices, but in the end a choice still has to be made, and this time it’s between:

John McCain
R Bracket Champion
(def. Huckabee and Romney 1575-278-271)

-VS-

Barack Obama
D Bracket Champion
(def. Clinton and Edwards 2201-1896-6)

Perhaps not as close a final as ones we’ve seen in recent memory, but it’s easily one that could flip either way depending on how the crowd votes.

Obama has arguably been the stronger contender over the last few matches, rallying huge fan support to defeat Clinton in a high-stakes, huge-vote-total match. By comparison, McCain has had a relatively quiet time, which could work for or against him.

The McCain fanbase is relatively unified, as the appeal of ‘old white guy’ has been strong as it typically is every SaiAmerica, but it’s quickly being sapped by Obama’s character point of ‘change’, which many detractors are quickly labeling as false and pandering.

Nevertheless, the fanbase is eating up ‘change’ and it has proven to be one of the powerhouses of this tournament, dominating other traits such as ‘mavericky’ or ‘woman’.

However, this popularity comes at a price, though, and Obama has certainly earned many enemies. Aside from the trolls who are quick to call him ‘pandering’ or ‘black’, his stunningly close victory over Clinton in the semi-finals is likely to earn him some hate votes in the finals from the crowd who banked on ‘feminist’ appeal.

Still, the raw numbers are looking good in favor of Obama, whose more mainstream appeal should indicate a victory. However, the strategic and hate votes here will probably come into play quite strongly and leave McCain the door for an upset.

In addition, there are likely to be many votes of no confidence as well, cast for characters not in the running per se, as a sign of disgust with the final two contenders; whether the amount of these will become greater than the difference, anyone can guess.

We’ve seen many upsets so far, for example the SaiAmerica twice removed, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see another one in a tournament like this with such a wide, varied fanbase participating.

In any case, I can only hope the vote totals will be higher than that of previous matches, so please, take some time out and vote. It’s a simple process, and while you do have to wait a bit to cast your vote and the process is mildly inconvenient, it’s a very important match.

After all, it’s not a simple matter of moe or death, as my parody-esque coverage may hint. If you live in America, this is one of the most important decisions you’ll make this year, and even the reality-detached (occasionally) otakusphere knows it.

This isn’t a popularity tournament. This is the leader of a powerhouse of the real world (for better or worse, so don’t accuse me of bias, please). So please, vote. I don’t mind if you use your vote for McCain, or Obama, or some third party candidate – all that matters is that you use it. It’s your right – exercise it. Express yourself.

And also, on a sidenote, please, be respectful. Obama and McCain are both people. They are not trying to destroy the world as we know it. Stop arguing like they are such. We’re trying to find the best choice, not the less-worse one.

Also, Kagami won SaiMoe 2008. Not who I would have chosen, but I’m not the mainstream otaku in SaiMoe. Ah well.

-CCY

(Well, at least there’s no fake votes in the real world…)

I think I’ve finally found the perfect analogy for SaiMoe [2008] and that is that of a casino, featuring lots of gambling, not of the ear-cutting variety, but of the conventional monetary kind.

The fact is, gambling is logistically dumb. If you go to a casino more likely than not you’re going to be slowly but surely robbed blind; you chase after that chance of beating the odds, but in the end it’s not in your favor, and you’ve wasted a lot of your time just to lose a lot of your money.

Similarly, many fans will probably find themselves, emotionally and moe-wise, quite bankrupt as we near the exciting conclusion of SaiMoe. As we’ve rolled the dice and doubled down again and again on the Hayate and Nanoha votes, the votes seemed to just be rolling in like water in the first few rounds.

But eventually the luck runs out, you get a bit too cocky, and disaster strikes. You play a little clumsily with your Higurashi cards and get overturned by Minami-ke pulling an ace on the river. You go all in on Noe, a strong but not powerful girl, and get wiped by pocket Hinagiku.

The fact is, although you may be a Clannad fan and breaking the bank, the odds are that during SaiMoe, at one point or another you’re going to get cleaned out and end up begging for fare to catch the bus back to Neo-Venezia.

You can play the innocent games, just you vs. the numbers, or you can go against each other in a fierce person vs. person duel. But you, will probably lose, whether that loss is physical or emotional.

So, why gamble? Why SaiMoe?

It’s one of those enigmas of the human – or rather here, the otaku – mind, which you just can’t explain. There’s something about the aura that draws you in. The energy as everyone funnels their spirit towards the same goal, and here, only one person’s striking it rich.

You know you’re probably going to lose and you don’t care, because you’re finally living. You’re putting yourself on the line for what you love and the world can be damned if you get struck down.

And there’s always that hope. For every hundred losers, there’s got to be a winner. There’s always that chance – that little shot of overturning the odds – that you can grasp at, that little miracle you can make happen.

It’s stupid. But it’s worth it.

And so, all I can say for the SaiMoe quarterfinals is … place your bets. It may not be the brightest nor the most intellectually sound competition, and it can certainly get sleazy at times, but there’s something about putting your heart out there that makes it worthwhile.

So as I pray, Unlimited Moe Works:

Quarter-Final Matchups:
Kagami Hiiragi (Lucky Star)
vs. Tomoyo Sakagami (Clannad)
Show ▼

Nagisa Furukawa (Clannad)
vs. Tamaki Kawazoe (Bamboo Blade)
Show ▼

Fuuko Ibuki (Clannad)
vs. Tsukasa Hiiragi (Lucky Star)
Show ▼

Hinagiku Katsura (Hayate the Combat Butler)
vs. Kirino Chiba (Bamboo Blade)
Show ▼

Odds to Win:
Kagami – 4 to 1
Show ▼

Fuuko – 6 to 1
Show ▼

Hinagiku – 7 to 1
Show ▼

Nagisa – 8 to 1
Show ▼

Tamaki – 8 to 1
Show ▼

Kirino – 12 to 1
Show ▼

Tsukasa – 12 to 1
Show ▼

Tomoyo – 16 to 1
Show ▼

The odds may seem spread, but the chances are limitless in the tournament of dreams. Certainly, although the odds seemed stacked, a revolution can still occur. And only by your participation, can you make it happen. Let’s keep the spirit of Saimoe going strong in these twilight hours of the 2008 tournament…

-CCY

(Do you feel lucky … punk?)

Nagi vs. Tsukasa.

Nagi vs. Tsukasa.

Nagi vs. Tsukasa.

The last match in Round 3 is the first major challenge for two beacons of moe for two shows that have shown exceptional support for their top characters. Who will emerge victor, and how hard will the world shake with the battle of these two and their fanbase!?

But coming back to that in a bit, we’ve got to check in on a pile of pink-and-purple-toned girls…

G3-1 Results:
Show ▼

H3-2 Results:
Show ▼

Next:
G3-2: Nagi (Hayate) vs. Tsukasa (Lucky Star)
Show ▼

H3-1: Noe (true tears) vs. Suzu (Nagasarete Airantou)
Show ▼

-CCY

(Note: Help me make some entertaining images for SaiMoe Round 4! I’m looking for some close-up profile shots of all the 16 finalists, in addition to some short descriptions of their unique traits or events (i.e. For Fuuko, “Starfish Girl”, “Juicebox Inhaler”, “Who?”, etc). Please post them in the comments or whatever. Thanks!)

Can I still dramatize Minami-ke? I can still dramatize Minami-ke.

The third round has been a rough mix of incredible blowouts and intense battles; we’ve seen all four Clannad girls annihilate the competition in varying amounts. We’ve seen Nanoha and Shana go toe-to-toe for 23 hours in one of the most consistently close matches of the tournament. And, we’ve seen the near-entire collapse of the Minami-ke juggernaut.

But hope is not lost – there were those in similar despair in similar odds. Hidamari Sketch fans, already ambushed in the second round, got wiped in their first match in the third round, and it was left to Miyako to stand strong against Rena, one of the most powerful Higurashi forces.

And she did … so maybe there was hope for Chiaki after all, against Bamboo Blade’s legendary Tamaki.

E3-2 Results:
Show ▼

F3-1 Results:
Show ▼

Next:
G3-1: Akari (Aria) vs. Chihiro (ef)
Show ▼

H3-2: Hinagiku (Hayate) vs. Eika (Sky Girls)
Show ▼

-CCY

(Note: Help me make some entertaining images for SaiMoe Round 4! I’m looking for some close-up profile shots of all the 16 finalists, in addition to some short descriptions of their unique traits or events (i.e. For Fuuko, “Starfish Girl”, “Juicebox Inhaler”, “Who?”, etc). Please post them in the comments or whatever. Thanks!)

Things are looking bad for the Minami-ke ticket that could seemingly do no wrong one round ago. Now, faced with hate votes, strategic votes, and worst of all, Key characters (and I only use worst in the ‘garners ridiculous amount of votes’ sense), two of their girls got crushed pretty roughly, and it’s down to their last girl, Chiaki, to turn the tables.

But enough about them, things may not seem right in heaven after two other heated battles yesterday.

OK, one heated battle, and one Nanoha rampage with sola fans crying in the corner. (’Scuse me, got some dust in my eye).

But as for that heated battle, it doesn’t get much bigger-name (KeyAni, this tournament’s driving force, excluded) than Nanoha versus Shana, not just the anime but the characters themself. At least one of them is getting driven out this time around and either way it’s not going to be pretty…

E3-1 Results:
Show ▼

Although, speaking of outnumbering…

F3-2 Results:
Show ▼

Next:
E3-2: Tamaki (Bamboo Blade) vs. Chiaki (Minami-ke)
Show ▼

F3-1: Nagisa (Clannad) vs. Yousei (First Grade Challenge)
Show ▼

-CCY