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Best Duo Tournament: RESULTS.


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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
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Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16941
PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:59 pm Reply with quote
murph76 wrote:
Key wrote:
The number has definitely decreased and it seems like the Guide I've been putting together has had a lot to do with that.


I for one really appreciate your efforts on the guide. It has helped me avoid many random votes.

-Murph


I agree the guide is helpful. I've seen at least part of 90-95% of the shows the duos come from but it is nice to have the guide for those I have only seen a few episodes of in case I don't know much on the duo at hand.
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NocturnalUX



Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 448
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 5:41 pm Reply with quote
I just changed my vote for D13, psycho 101 convinced me that the Getbackers' duo was stronger.

Oh and I really appreciate the guide. It keeps me from making guesses completely in the dark and for a new fan such as myself it is extremely helpful.
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
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PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2008 8:05 pm Reply with quote
Well, I'm back from the con and ready to vote, so here goes an attempt to not do random/coin-flip voting. Unfortunately, I only know 19 of the 32 duos this time around, so some speculative voting is inevitable.

Group D-1
Aoi Sakuraba & Kaoru Hanabishi from Ai Yori Aoshi
Minoru Shiraishi & Akira Kogami from Lucky Star
Obviously this is one of those iconic, "seeded" pairs. Aoi is a bit idealized in the Yamato Nadeshiko image, but it's rare to see a love that pure in real life or even in anime. Plus, I know how the story winds up, having read the manga.

Group D-2
Akito Hayama & Sana Kurata from Kodomo no Omocha
William Jones & Emma from Victorian Romance Emma
I don't doubt that Emma is a quality series, but the relationship involved seems like something out of Jane Austen. The Akito/Sana pairing, otoh, feels much more original as I can't think of anything like it in other series or media. They go from bitter enemies to friends to (elementary-school-appropriate) lovers, and in time depend on each other and team up to tackle problems that other characters face. And you see a lot more out of these two if you manage to watch the unreleased second half of the series.

Group D-3
Roy Mustang & Maes Hughes from Fullmetal Alchemist
Shadow Girls from Revolutionary Girl Utena
I'm gonna buck the trend here, damnit. Many people use "togetherness time" as a criterion in voting, and these two are together for 100% of their screentime. They are a key part of the allegory/fairytale nature of Revolutionary Girl Utena, and the show wouldn't be the same without them. And as they guide says, they are constantly coming up with bizarre acts that do connect to the episode at hand. Plus, they were one of the first truly "weird" elements I ever encountered in anime back in 2003. No disrespect to Roy and Maes here -- they're worthy, but I can't let them win uncontested. I don't expect the Shadow Girls to win out, but if you're voting at random or "because FMA is what I know," do look into Utena and these Shadow Girls.

Group D-4
Misuzu Kamio & Yukito Kunisaki from Air
Yuuko Ichihara & Kimihiro Watanuki from xxxHolic
Really, Misuzu and Haruko were the most compelling AIR duo in my book, but in the absence of knowledge about xxxHolic, I'll go with Misuzu and Yukito. They're one of the better "ad hoc friendships" out there, and Yukito does go to great lengths for Misuzu's sake, such as spoiler[trying to distance himself to avoid triggering her curse, and turning into a crow when Plan A fails.] Plus, the movie gives an alternate perspective on their relationship to better realize their potential.

Group D-5
Yusuke Urameshi & Keiko Yukimura from Yu Yu Hakusho
Arika Yumemiya & Sergey Wang from Mai Otome
I don't know about this YYH duo beyond what I read in the guide, but I have to concur with the criticism of Arika & Sergey. They're not a bad duo per sé, it's just that spoiler[it felt as though their romantic closeness was a plot device to trigger conflict between Arika and Nina.]

Group D-6
Lina Inverse & Gourry Gabriev from Slayers
Nana “Hachiko” Komatsu & Nana Ozaki from Nana
Lacking in-depth knowledge about NANA, I have to go with the oldschool fantasy duo. They're always good for a laugh, battle teamwork, and even some under-the-surface affection.

Group D-7
Madoka Ayukawa & Kyosuke Kasuga from Kimagure Orange Road
Shana & Yuji Sakai from Shakugan no Shana
As much as I like the RieKugimiyaMoeTsundereZettaiRyouiki awesomeness that is Shana, I have to agree with what others have said about the pairing being a bit forced and artificial/fan-pandering. On the other hand, Madoka and Kyousuke are one of the iconic couples of anime romantic comedy. They had an epic story arc spanning 48 episodes, 8 OVAs, and two movies that finally led to a good resolution, after much laughter and tears. Otoh, I hear that even the second season of Shakugan no Shana doesn't quite wrap things up. And despite what the guide says, M&K are not a one-sided "crush" relationship. Although Madoka isn't head over heels for Kyousuke at first, she does come to like him over the course of the series, slowly, surely, and believably.

Group D-8
San & Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke
Eiri Yuki & Shuichi Shindou from Gravitation
It's been ages since I've seen Princess Mononoke (watched it on VHS long before my 2003 "official" entry into anime fandom), but something about the Eiri and Shuichi pairing rubbed me the wrong way. Not because it was a same-sex pairing, but I just can't put my finger on it. Maybe the manga would've presented them better. Refreshing my memory from the guide, San and Ashitaka have societal divides to overcome and a lot at stake for the fate of the world, so I don't have any problem voting for them.

Group D-9
Jim Hawking & Gene Starwind from Outlaw Star
Sailor Moon & Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon
Tough choice, Jim and Gene are great as pseudo-siblings (sometimes with reversed roles) and action partners. But, the Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask saga spans so much more in terms of time and obstacles overcome, that I'll give it the slight edge thanks to Sailor Moon being one of my first anime series.

Group D-10
J & Daisuke Aurora from Heat Guy J
Rihoko “Rico” & Masane Amaha from Witchblade
Haven't seen Heat Guy J and I'm not terribly interested in Witchblade, but I'll take Psycho and Key's word for it and vote for Rico and Masane because they're a rare parent-child team.

Group D-11
Hikaru Ichijo & Misa Hayase from Macross
Yomiko Readman & Nancy Makuhari from Read or Die
Yomiko and Nancy are okay, but most of the hype for them comes from the "ROD TV sux, ROD OVA rulz" crowd, whom I find annoying. So based on the guide, Hikaru and Misa are an acceptable choice.

Group D-12
Kimihiro Watanuki & Shizuka Doumeki from xxxHolic
Kaoru Kamiya & Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin
Haven't seen much of either series, but I've read enough random spoilers that I can put some confidence in Kaoru and Kenshin as a tragic romantic pair.

Group D-13
Kagura Tennouzu & Tatsumi Saiga from Speed Grapher
Ginji Amano & Ban Mido from GetBackers
Not terribly interested in either series, but I kind of like the story setup of the Speed Grapher duo, as outlined in the guide and reviews I've read.

Group D-14
Jose & Henrietta from Gunslinger Girl
Saya Otonashi & Haji from Blood+
Really, any of the twisted and borderline creepy duos in Gunslinger Girl are fascinating enough to beat a lot of competition. Jose and Henrietta are one of the best, for IIRC their relationship isn't too close or too distant for what they are (young girl and young adult male carrying out assassinations) -- I hope I'm remembering right, but I remember those two as being open, friendly, and supportive of one another.
Never did see Blood+, and seriously, "Otonashi" [silent / no sound] is such a cliched name these days, as seen in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

Group D-15
Yukino Miyazawa & Souichiro Arima from His & Her Circumstances (Kare Kano)
Li Syaoran & Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura
Tough choice between popular couples in shows that I liked. But I have to give it to the couple with the more complex and mature relationship, as opposed to CCS where much of the romantic tension is predicated on Sakura being clueless. Sure, it's cute, but this isn't the Kawaii Tournament. Although Yukino and Souichiro didn't get a complete story arc in the poorly-ended anime, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that the manga furthers the story.

***Sidenote: You'll notice, frentymon, that I edited the bracket post to include "His and Her Circumstances" in the title because some might not be familiar with the Japanese nickname for the series. Seems odd to do a nickname for this series and not "Hagaren" for Fullmetal Alchemist. For the sake of consistency, please use English titles or include both in the future.
***

Group D-16
Miroku & Sango from Inu-Yasha
Kyon & Haruhi Suzumiya from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
I'm not familiar with Inuyasha, and while the description in the guide of Miroku and Sango was cute, it's not enough to overcome the MOHS duo whose interactions drove the series and were largely responsible for the show's massive popularity. At least that's one of the big reasons I liked it.
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Randall Miyashiro



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
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Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park
PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 4:40 am Reply with quote
Zalis, I think we agree on 13 of the 16 pairs with one of them differences being the Shadow Girls.

Zalis116 wrote:
. On the other hand, Madoka and Kyousuke are one of the iconic couples of anime romantic comedy. They had an epic story arc spanning 48 episodes, 8 OVAs, and two movies that finally led to a good resolution, after much laughter and tears. Otoh, I hear that even the second season of Shakugan no Shana doesn't quite wrap things up. And despite what the guide says, M&K are not a one-sided "crush" relationship. Although Madoka isn't head over heels for Kyousuke at first, she does come to like him over the course of the series, slowly, surely, and believably.


Thanks for the additional input. I really was hoping that someone else would have been able to do a guide entry for this pair since I haven't watched Orange Road since the 80s and only drew from what still stands out in my memory. One other thing is Madoka comes across as a tough girl (more so in the beginning of the series) and really doesn't have many friends, but is able to open up a bit to Kyosuke. My favorite episodes from Shana are the flashback episodes without Yuji. Yuji feels a bit too much like the token nerdy character that the audience can relate with. He just comes across as a generic lead compared to Shana.
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
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Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 1:29 pm Reply with quote
I thought about submitting a guide entry for KOR, but I couldn't think of a good description. And I only saw the series in late 2006/early 2007 Embarassed

EDIT: Round D Comment: Wow, almost no squeaker matches that round, as compared to the hotly contested battles in group C. The only one within 5 votes was the Gunslinger Girl/Blood+ matchup that was settled by one vote. My vote, in fact Evil or Very Mad


Last edited by Zalis116 on Wed May 21, 2008 12:38 am; edited 1 time in total
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Key
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Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 11:04 pm Reply with quote
Since I probably won't still be up when the new round is posted, the guide for the surviving Group A duos can be found here:

Group A Duos

And remember the Golden Voting Rule for Group A: when in doubt, vote for Jinto & Lafiel. Wink
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frentymon
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Posts: 2362
Location: San Francisco
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 12:17 am Reply with quote
Round 1 Group D is now closed. Please check the index link to Group D to check out the results.
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frentymon
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005
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Location: San Francisco
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 12:28 am Reply with quote
Round 2 Group A is now closed.

Everything you might need is on the front page. I've not changed the pictures so that I might not spend endless hours this time around (and since pictures are much less of a factor with the introduction of the guide, I found it less necessary anyway).

Have fun!

Group A-17

Belldandy & Keiichi Morisato from Ah! My Goddess
vs.
Tsubasa & Hikaru from Figure 17

Winner: Keiichi & Belldandy
Score: 19-15

Group A-18

Nicholas D. Wolfwood & Vash the Stampede from Trigun
vs.
Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey

Winner: Kino & Hermes
Score: 22-12

Group A-19

Rosette Christopher & Chrono from Chrono Crusade
vs.
Lelouch Lamperouge & CC from Code Geass

Winner: Rosette & Chrono
Score: 29-5

Group A-20

Renji Asou & Chihiro Shindou from ef - a tale of memories
vs.
Utena & Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena

Winner: Renji & Chihiro
Score: 18-16

Group A-21

Ash & Pikachu from Pokemon
vs.
Tomo Takino & Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara from Azumanga Daioh

Winner: Tomo & Yomi
Score: 18-16

Group A-22

Robin & Amon from Witch Hunter Robin
vs.
Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada from Honey and Clover

Winner: Mayama & Ayu
Score: 21-13

Group A-23

Horo & Craft Lawrence from Spice and Wolf
vs.
Shuji & Chise from Saikano

TIE: Horo & Lawrence and Shuji & Chise
Score: 17-17

Group A-24

Van Fanel & Hitomi Kanzaki from Vision of Escaflowne
vs.
Jinto Lin & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars

Winner: Jinto & Lafiel
Score: 27-7


Last edited by frentymon on Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:34 am; edited 2 times in total
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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5633
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 12:37 am Reply with quote
Group A-17

Belldandy & Keiichi Morisato from Ah! My Goddess
vs.
Tsubasa & Hikaru from Figure 17

Hmmm, from what others have said Tsubasa & Hikaru
Vote Change: Possible

Group A-18

Nicholas D. Wolfwood & Vash the Stampede from Trigun
vs.
Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey

Again from what others have said Wolfwood & Vash
Vote change: Possible

Group A-19

Rosette Christopher & Chrono from Chrono Crusade
vs.
Lelouch Lamperouge & CC from Code Geass

I know exactly who I want! Rosette & Chrono
Vote Change: Not bloodly likely

Group A-20

Renji Asou & Chihiro Shindou from ef - a tale of memories
vs.
Utena & Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena

Not hard here either - Utena & Anthy
Vote Change: See Group A19

Group A-21

Ash & Pikachu from Pokemon
vs.
Tomo Takino & Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara from Azumanga Daioh

I vote for Ash & Pikachu last time but I can't do it this time. My vote goes to Yomi & Tomo
Vote Change: Low

Group A-22

Robin & Amon from Witch Hunter Robin
vs.
Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada from Honey and Clover

Staying with the pair that I like better - Robin & Amon
Vote Change: Low

Group A-23

Horo & Craft Lawrence from Spice and Wolf
vs.
Shuji & Chise from Saikano

I'm going tragic here - Shuji & Chise
Vote Change: Possible

Group A-24

Van Fanel & Hitomi Kanzaki from Vision of Escaflowne
vs.
Jinto Lin & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars

I know that Key laid down the law but I have to disregard that order: Van & Hitomi
Vote Change: Low
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ccdx



Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 312
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 1:15 am Reply with quote
The new brackets with the Round 1 Group D results has been posted at: http://home.comcast.net/~unirizer2/

I worked pretty late tonight so I plan to update the mini-game scores sometime tomorrow, stay tuned...

Enjoy.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
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Posts: 16941
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 2:42 am Reply with quote
Group A-17

Belldandy & Keiichi Morisato from Ah! My Goddess
Reason: As stated before this is one of anime's iconic duos here. Their love is simply legendary. Plus despite what some people think Belldandy does not play the role of doormat all the time. Watch the movie spoiler[(where their love was strong enough for them to walk through a judgment gate that had rejected all other couples before it) ]or read the current manga releases and you'll see her assert herself a lot more. Simply put as before their love and friendship is deeper and stronger then almost any other duos in the tournament. Certainly the stronger in this match up.

Group A-18

Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey
Reason: While I like Vash and Wolfwood their friendship simply doesn't match the bond and connection between Kino and Hermes. It's like comparing good friends to childhood friends. Kino and Hermes share the deeper connection and I like them more as characters individually. They deserve to move on to the next round.

Group A-19

Rosette Christopher & Chrono from Chrono Crusade
Reason: Another example where the other duo simply doesn't stack up to who they're up against. I mean seriously, how do you compare to a duo where one spoiler[sacrifices her future and life essence every time she uses the other member in an attempt to make things better for others?] Plus how they spoiler[died together in each others arms in the anime ]was just a tear jerker moment of epic proportions. They easily deserve to move on to the next round.

Group A-20

Utena & Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena
Reason: I think Utena and Anthy are the stronger duo here and their friendship is deeper and stronger. I also have to give support to a true old classic. So they get my vote.

Group A-21

Tomo Takino & Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara from Azumanga Daioh

Reason: I voted for Ash and Pikachu in round one but not here. Yomi and Tomo have been friends since childhood and their personalities are different but compliment each other well. Plus Ash and Pikachu don't communicate with each other really. Pikachu still simply does what Ash wants for the most part and simply battles other pokemon. There's not a lot of what I would deem personal interaction there. So I think the zany childhood friends should win this match and move on. Ash and Pikachu may be Iconic in a sense but it still feels too one sided for me in terms of interaction. I see Yomi and Tomo as a true duo so they get my vote.

Group A-22

Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada from Honey and Clover
Reason: I simply don't see Amon and Robin as a duo and they should not have won the last round honestly. He's aloof and cold to her through almost all of the series and they don't work very closely together as a duo. The show was great but as a duo those two together fall short IMHO. I don't think they deserve to move on and that Takumi and Ayumi are easily the stronger duo in this match up.

Group A-23

Shuji & Chise from Saikano
Reason: While they may have barely made it to round 2 they should easily win this round. I mean Claes and Lavie are a stronger duo then Horo and Lawrence and they lost to Chise and Shuji themselves. They are cute but they cannot compare to the epic connections and bonds between Chise and Shuji. They have been through far more then Horo and Lawrence and should move on to the next round.

Group A-24

Jinto & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars
Reason: Jinto and Lafiel have a deep friendship and both would easily sacrifice themselves for others. From the start they have been supportive of each other and honestly Crest/Banner is more centered around them and their interactions then anything else. They are a stronger duo then Van and Hitomi and while I hate to see them go they should not win this match. They simply are out classed.
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Randall Miyashiro



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2451
Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 6:02 am Reply with quote
Keeping it short this time around.

Group A-17

Belldandy & Keiichi Morisato from Ah! My Goddess
vs.
Tsubasa & Hikaru from Figure 17

Voting for Tsubasa and Hikaru. Figure 17's focus on these two both at school, at home and fighting aliens really showed us many facets of their relationship. There is something unique about this relationship especially compared to AMG.

Group A-18

Nicholas D. Wolfwood & Vash the Stampede from Trigun
vs.
Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey

Voting for Hermes and Kino. I'm still a bit hurt that the Trigun pair stomped on the Maison duo. I'm still convinced this was due to the series familiarity with people here since I was hoping Kyoko and Godai would make it further than round one. Once again I'm voting for the very unique relationship presented in Kino's and still am not convinced that the Trigun relationship is really a solid one, although I do like the Trigun girls.

Group A-19

Rosette Christopher & Chrono from Chrono Crusade
vs.
Lelouch Lamperouge & CC from Code Geass

Voting for Rosette and Chrono once again based off the amazing last episode. Still waiting for Code Geass to be released on R1 but it will be hard to convince me to vote against the Chrono pair.

Group A-20

Renji Asou & Chihiro Shindou from ef - a tale of memories
vs.
Utena & Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena

Voting for Utena & Anthy. Although Anthy annoys me I do think Utena is cool (I remember someone else had the opposite problem) and they definitely have a very unique relationship.

Group A-21

Ash & Pikachu from Pokemon
vs.
Tomo Takino & Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara from Azumanga Daioh

Voting for Tomo and Yomi. I love the eye catch with Tomo wearing Yomi's glasses. I'm also still a bit sad that the Armitage couple (one of the few happily married with a kid couples here) lost to the Pokemon couple.

Group A-22

Robin & Amon from Witch Hunter Robin
vs.
Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada from Honey and Clover

Going to vote for Robin & Amon. I might change this since I keep hearing things about Honey and Clover which I keep hoping Viz will release.

Group A-23

Horo & Craft Lawrence from Spice and Wolf
vs.
Shuji & Chise from Saikano

Voting for Shuji and Chise. Here is another unique relationship[p that is heartfelt.

Group A-24

Van Fanel & Hitomi Kanzaki from Vision of Escaflowne
vs.
Jinto Lin & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars

Voting for Jinto and Lafiel which is my favorite pair from this batch. I actually like both couples but will have to go with the epic relationship from the Crest/Banner series.
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guet



Joined: 17 Jan 2008
Posts: 492
Location: Sparta
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 7:29 am Reply with quote
Group A-17

Belldandy & Keiichi Morisato from Ah! My Goddess
vs.
Tsubasa & Hikaru from Figure 17

Voting for: Belldandy & Keiichi Morisato from Ah! My Goddess

Reason: Stonger pair.

Vote change:Low

Group A-18

Nicholas D. Wolfwood & Vash the Stampede from Trigun
vs.
Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey

Voting for: Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey

Reason: Comments mostly.

Vote change: Low

Group A-19

Rosette Christopher & Chrono from Chrono Crusade
vs.
Lelouch Lamperouge & CC from Code Geass

Voting for: Rosette Christopher & Chrono from Chrono Crusade

Reason: A fan of both shows, I don't see the bond between CC and Lulu near as strong as the pair from Chrono Crusade.

Vote change: None



Group A-20

Renji Asou & Chihiro Shindou from ef - a tale of memories
vs.
Utena & Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena

Voting for: Renji Asou & Chihiro Shindou from ef - a tale of memories

Reason: Having watched the show since the first round. I can whole-heartedly agree with those that campaigned for this duo in the first round. This pair should go very far.

Vote change: None

Group A-21

Ash & Pikachu from Pokemon
vs.
Tomo Takino & Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara from Azumanga Daioh

Voting for: Tomo Takino & Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara from Azumanga Daioh

Reason: Neither pair should have made it out of the first round in my opinion. But this is the better pick. I at least enjoyed their interactions in Azumanga.

Vote change: None

Group A-22

Robin & Amon from Witch Hunter Robin
vs.
Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada from Honey and Clover

Voting for: Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada from Honey and Clover

Reason: I agree that Robin and Amon are a questionable pair, so going with my gut and voting honey and clover.

Vote change: Low

Group A-23

Horo & Craft Lawrence from Spice and Wolf
vs.
Shuji & Chise from Saikano

Voting for:Horo & Craft Lawrence from Spice and Wolf

Reason: I am so glad that such a new show with such limited exposure made it to the second round. Horo and Craft have some of the best interactions ever in my opinion. I doubt they clear round two, but I am more than happy to offer them my vote.

Vote change: None

Group A-24

Van Fanel & Hitomi Kanzaki from Vision of Escaflowne
vs.
Jinto Lin & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars

Voting for: Van Fanel & Hitomi Kanzaki from Vision of Escaflowne

Reason: Sorry Key, I believe that Jinto and Lafiel are a strong pair. But Van/Hitomi was probably my first anime romance.

Vote change: Low
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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 8:09 am Reply with quote
Group A-17

Voting for: Tsubasa & Hikaru
Reasons: The Goddess duo, while having a strong relationship, does put me off with Belldandy, Goddess of Housewives. If she was a little less of the supposed "ideal woman" I would like the series a lot more. I haven't seen much of Figure 17, but these two have a very interesting relationship and all and all seemed closer as well.


Group A-18

Voting for: Nicholas D. Wolfwood & Vash the Stampede
Reasons: Same as last time I voted for them: they are a lot of fun, and they contrast each other quite well. They might not have the deepest bond in the world, but that actually works in their favour because it makes them play off each other that much better.


Group A-19

Voting for: Rosette Christopher & Chrono
Reasons: I still don't think much of Lelouch and CC as a duo. They work together but still never really seem to have much of a bond to me. IMHO, they would never do anything together if one didn't offer the other some sort of advantage/tool/whatever. Plus the summary in the guide about Rosette & Chrono makes it look like they are a very strong duo in their own right.

Group A-20

Voting for: Renji Asou & Chihiro Shindou
Reasons: I'm going to have to go with what I figured was more popular in pre-noms, because the guide didn't sway me one way or the other. And I figure a series that had a decent number of people who wanted to support it had to be pretty good.


Group A-21

Voting for: Ash & Pikachu
Reasons: Against a strong duo, I probably wouldn't vote this way. But I still say that I don't really see anyone in Azumanga being a "duo" per say, because the show is so based on a group dynamic.


Group A-22

Voting for: Takumi Mayama & Ayumi Yamada
Reasons: The problem with the entire cast of Witch Hunter Robin was I never came to care about them. Not a single one. Which of course means that I likewise did not care about the duo of Robin and Amon, where as Takumi and Ayumi helped me to start caring about the Honey & Clover story, even though slice-of-life usually bores me.

Group A-23

Voting for: Shuji & Chise from Saikano
Reasons: This series is one that I really want to read/watch, and as I believe I said before, the main reason for this is because of the Shuji & Chise relationship. I'm a sucker for tragedy.

Group A-24

Voting for: Jinto Lin & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars
Reasons: Because Key said so.




Okay, okay, I have other reasons too. As much as I do love them, Van & Hitomi are not the strongest of pairs. It takes them so long to even really understand each other and then they spoiler[don't even bother to kiss at the end, despite having forced the fans to sit through Hitomi and Allan's kiss in Golden Rule of Love]. So yeah, I'll go along with Jinto and Lafiel because they sound much stronger in every aspect.

But I still love Van & Hitomi Smile
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Mylene



Joined: 07 Feb 2006
Posts: 2792
Location: Indiana
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 8:32 am Reply with quote
Group A-17
Belldandy and Keiichi from Ah! My Goddess

Not just an easy choice, but while I'm enjoying Figure 17 thus far, I'm going to have to go with the classic choice here.

Group A-18
Hermes & Kino from Kino's Journey

Ouch, two tough ones in a row. However, no matter how much I like Vash and Wolfwood, to me their partnership just isn't as automatic and consistent as that between Kino and her bike.

Group A-19
Rosette & Chrono from Chrono Crusade

Mainly going with the flow here for the time being. I'll look through the guide to double-check my decision later though.

Group A-20
Utena & Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena

While I'm sure Renji and Chihiro are a very strong pair, there's no way I could consider them competition for Utena and Anthy. The sacrifices both make (or at attempt to make in the case of Anthy's spoiler[attempted suicide to keep Utena for dueling for her] in the last episode or so) for one another, and the slowly building bond throughout the series make this a pair that should make it to the Final Four. I don't necessarily think they will (I thought Haruka and Michiru had a much better chance, given they're nearly as strong as Utena & Anthy), but I think the strength of their relationship makes them Final Four worthy at least.

Group A-21
Ash & Pikachu from Pokemon

While I don't necessarily like voting for this pair (I've never seen any of Pokemon), I can't help but think they must be a much stronger pairing than Tomo and Yomi. Those two are friends, but then again, so are Sakaki and Chiyo, and I don't see them in this competition. Really, I think Yukari and Nyamo are the only remotely worthy pair from AzuDai, so I'm going against what's familiar this round.

Group A-22
Robin & Amon from Witch Hunter Robin

I haven't seen Witch Hunter Robin, and I know I've heard that they aren't that strong of a pair, but I cannot in good conscious vote for a pair that involves two people infatuated with other people, one of which is an incredibly creepy stalker (in my opinion). They're friends, and not even friends I consider all that close, aside from her pining for him. It's entirely too bad of a dynamic for me to consider voting for.

Group A-23
Shuji & Chise from Saikano

While not familiar with either pair, I'm going to go with the one I find somewhat more compelling.

Group A-24
Jinto & Lafiel from Crest of the Stars

I still don't remember them coming off as a particularly close or compelling couple, but as I haven't seen Escaflowne yet, I guess I'll go with these two.
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