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Simoun (anime)
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese anime
television series that was broadcast in Japan in 2006. It ran for 26 weekly episodes from 3 April to 25 September.
A manga
adaptation was published in three issues of Comic Yuri Hime
. The manga shared the same characters and setting as the anime, but presented a different storyline. A second manga was serialised in Megami Magazine
, with a radically different setting and a comic rather than serious and dramatic tone. There is also a two-volume light novel
adaptation, which unlike the manga has a storyline close to that of the anime.
In May 2007, Simoun was licensed for release in North America by Media Blasters
.
At the start of the series, the theocratic nation of has a monopoly on technology left over from the fallen ancient civilization, which it uses to power aircraft
and trains. The industrialized nation of , located on an archipelago across the ocean from Simulacrum, wishes to steal the helical motor technology in order to further their own technological advancement and imperialist ambitions. Argentum possesses technology similar to that of industrialized nations in the 1920s or 1930s, including mass-produced
lighter-than-air rigid zeppelins
and heavier-than-air propeller-driven biplane
fighter aircraft
, and as the series begins, it is preparing to attack Simulacrum with a fleet of fighter-carrying airships. Other neighbouring countries, such as the , also have hostile relations with Simulacrum due to religious differences or faltering economies.
Simulacrum is defended by advanced airships known as "Simoun." A Simoun is a two-seater aircraft
propelled by two helical motors, based on technology left over from the fallen ancient civilization. The exact operation of the helical motor is not well understood by Simulacran technicians, but one of the two rotors apparently controls the Simoun's position in space, and the other affects the flow of time. According to their religion, two priestesses descended from heaven and explained to the people how to operate the Simouns, after they were found in excavations or had just been abandoned. These same priestesses are credited for teaching the people anew about Tempus Spatium and renewing the faith and religion. A Simoun requires two crew members to fly. The two crew members have separate cockpits, each with its own independent flight controls and instrumentation. The crew member in the forward cockpit, known as the auriga
, actually flies the Simoun, while the crew member in the aft cockpit, known as the sagitta
, acts as a navigator and controls the Simoun's weapons and other accessories (however, at times in the series it seems the sagitta affects the flying of the craft as well. In episode 5, the Simoun flown by Morinas and Aer flies off-course during the Bell Ri Mājon. The fault is attributed to Morinas, even though she is the sagitta. Simulacrum also possesses one- and two-seater training aircraft similar to the Simoun, known as , which are based on a less-advanced design with one somewhat simpler helical motor.
Simulacrum's religion is centered on the worship of a spiritual force known as . Tempus Spatium is depicted in Simulacran iconography
by winged pillars or goddesses. One of the most important centers of worship of Tempus Spatium is "the Spring", an underground grotto
containing a ruined temple to the Tempus Spatium. Simulacran girls make a pilgrimage to the Spring when they turn seventeen; entering the Spring in a particular ritual context with a firm intention in mind causes the pilgrim to make a final selection of their permanent sex. Through a mechanism which is not fully understood (the Simulacrans believe it to be the power of the Tempus Spatium), the individual's DNA is rewritten to confirm or reverse their gender.
The Simoun are crewed by priestesses called (plural; singular Sibylla). Each Simoun Sibylla is a girl who has not chosen a permanent sex yet; doing so permanently disqualifies one from serving as a Sibylla. Some Sibyllae have delayed their choice of gender past the age of 17; due to the war, they are granted special dispensation to do this. The Sibyllae understand their use of the Simoun to be sacred to Tempus Spatium; a form of elaborate prayer. The main weapon of the Simoun is a large glowing green gem, (the "Simoun Gem") positioned between the cockpits, which produces an effect known as when the Simoun is flown in the correct pattern. The Simoun Gem is activated before takeoff when the two Sibyllae kiss it after kissing each other.
The Sibyllae believe that inscribing enormous glyphs in the sky using the Simoun Gem invokes the power of Tempus Spatium to produce powerful magical effects. Different Ri Mājon glyphs can be combined to produce a nearly infinite variety of effects, but most of the lore surrounding the language of the Ri Mājon has been lost over time. As the series begins, the Simoun Sibyllae are working to try to rediscover this ancient knowledge. Different Ri Mājons have different effects and functions. There are combat Ri Mājons, diplomatic Ri Mājons, funeral Ri Mājons, and so forth. Ri Mājons differ widely in the number of craft required to complete them, and in the time and skill needed to successfully inscribe them.
Sibyllae are organized into "choirs" of twelve priestesses. A choir at full strength operates six Simoun, which is sufficient to allow them to inscribe the most complex known Ri Mājon patterns in the sky. Simoun choirs take the title (Greek for "choir"), and a name derived from Latin
or a language very similar to it. "Chor" is a homonym for "corps
", and the resulting double religious and military meaning may or may not be intentional. A Simoun choir is led by a senior Sibylla known as the . The most senior Sibylla in the entire Simoun fleet is known as the . A group of one or more choirs is commanded by a , who is an adult religious official who has chosen a permanent sex, and therefore is unable to operate a Simoun himself.
The series focuses on one particular Simoun choir, , which has a reputation as an elite unit. Chor Tempest is one of three choirs based on a large airship, the , which functions as a flying aircraft carrier
.
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Neviril and Amuria appear to be on the verge of successfully completing the Emerald Ri Mājon when disaster strikes. Their Simoun has a head-on encounter with an Argentine dragonfly fighter. Neviril sees the enemy pilot inside his cockpit and meets his gaze, which forces her to see the attacking enemy forces as people rather than machines. She loses the will to kill them, and her resulting moment of hesitation causes the Ri Mājon to fail. The failure of the Emerald Ri Mājon causes an explosion similar to the detonation of a nuclear weapon
. The remaining Simouns of Chor Tempest escape the blast, but the entire attacking fleet is annihilated, and Neviril's Simoun is crippled. The upper fuselage is a twisted wreck, and the sagitta cockpit is missing entirely and Amuria with it.
Three Sibyllae from Chor Tempest were killed in the initial battle. After the battle, three more announce their intent to leave the ranks of the Sibyllae and go to the Spring to choose a permanent sex. The remaining Sibyllae are all too demoralized to act as an effective fighting force, especially Neviril, who cannot even bring herself to leave her stateroom on the Arcus Prima. The only bright spot for Chor Tempest at this time is the arrival of two promising new recruits: Sibylla Aer, an excellent pilot with unshakeable morale, and Sibylla Limone, a child prodigy who was recently made the youngest Sibylla ever. Aer immediately decides to try to form a pair with Neviril, but Neviril is still grieving for Amuria. Neviril follows one of the three departing Sibyllae to the Spring out of friendship, and nearly enters it herself.
Over the following weeks, Argentum continues its harassment of Simulacrum by sending fighter probes, conducting a powerful but inaccurate long-range bombardment intended to bring down the Arcus Prima, and sending agents into Simulacran territory to attempt to ambush and steal a Simoun. A second front to the war opens when Plumbum launches a mechanized invasion of Simulacrum over their shared mountainous border. Chor Tempest slowly tries to regain its confidence during this period, adding two new recruits: the flirty Sibylla Morinas and the mysterious and politically well-connected Sibylla Dominūra. Dominūra, the eldest of all the Simoun Sibyllae, is brought in to try to revive Chor Tempest, and she takes an immediate interest in Limone. Aer persists in her attempts to get Neviril to pair with her, but Neviril remains mired in severe depression
, and lets Chor Tempest drift as she wallows in her grief. Aer and Limone, with Dominūra flying sagitta for Limone, defeat the Plumbish armoured attack, leading the Plumbish government to sue for peace.
As the Arcus Prima heads for international waters
to serve as the site of the peace conference between Plumbum and Simulacrum, Neviril's father Halconf interferes to try to jar his daughter out of her hikikomori
phase. He orders two Sibyllae, Mamina and Yun, to join Chor Tempest to bring it to full strength, and on the strength of Mamina's service record, assigns her to be Neviril's new roommate and pair. Neviril, who is beginning to show signs of warming to Aer, rejects Mamina, and in reaction, Mamina attacks Aer. This shocking breach of conduct leads to the announcement that Chor Tempest will disband after the conclusion of the peace conference.
Relieved of its duties, Chor Tempest is assigned to play host to one of Plumbum's priestesses during the peace conference. The foreign priestess, Angulas, gets along well with the girls of the Simoun choir, but turns out to be a suicide bomber. She destroys two thirds of the Arcus Primas Simoun wing and cripples the carrier itself. The bombing jars Neviril out of her funk. She agrees to pair with Aer, and leads Chor Tempest to save the Arcus Prima from certain destruction at the hands of a Plumbish battleship
.
Now safe, Arcus Prima is brought into drydock at the Grand Temple. Neviril and Guragief travel to the chambers of the High Council of Simulacrum to try to defend Chor Tempest against Halconf's attempt to disband it. Neviril makes an impassioned speech before the council that offends many council members in its reference to the conflict as a "war", and in Neviril's refusal to blindly follow "the will of God" as Angulas did. Onasia, however, intervenes on Neviril's behalf, as does Sibylla Vura from the rival Chor Rubor. Vura and Neviril return from the Council chambers just as the remaining members of Chor Tempest are performing a funeral Ri Mājon in memory of the victims of the suicide bombing and right as Argentum launches a cruise missile
attack against the Grand Temple. Chor Tempest easily destroys the missiles with the Iron Ri Mājon, and celebrates the news that the choir is not to be disbanded after all.
That evening, Chor Tempest learns that Sibylla Dominūra has found the choir a new ship to fly from while Arcus Prima is in drydock. Dominūra, it turns out, had secretly attended the hearing as well, and had met with a secret faction of officials opposed to Halconf's administration. Dominūra's faction was able to bring the old converted freight airship Messis out of retirement and refit her in the fashion of a World War II escort carrier. Conditions aboard the Messis are considerably more spartan than on the converted luxury liner Arcus Prima, much to the displeasure of the Sibyllae. Over the following weeks, Messis operates in a considerably more aggressive posture than Arcus Prima did, sparring with enemy patrols, participating in an airmobile assault
with a unit of infantry
, and intercepting an Argentine base ship.
Messis active prosecution of the war is not matched by those in charge back at headquarters, however. Despite the discovery of a new class of heavy fighter based aboard the base ship and the possibility of an alliance between Plumbum and Argentum, Messis and Chor Tempest receive orders to passively monitor the base ship's activities rather than attacking. Dominūra takes matters into her own hands, ordering Aer and Neviril to sortie to intercept the base and conduct an armed reconnaissance
of it. She also orders Wapōrif to dismantle one of the hitherto sacrosanct
Simoun to learn the secret of how they work. Wapōrif is shocked at this violation of one of Simulacrum's strongest taboo
s, but eventually accedes. His faith
is shaken when he sees nothing obviously magical or divine inside the Simoun's helical motors; they appear to be mere machines to him. Dominūra, however, is able to see something inside that Wapōrif (who, being male, has already gone to the Spring) cannot—something profoundly shocking. She has to be helped away, screaming, from the flight deck.
The enemy, meanwhile, is far from idle. A series of feints by enemy fighters manages to draw out four of Chor Tempest's six Simoun from the Messis in a futile attempt at a decisive engagement. Limone manages to rouse Dominūra from her shock, but with only those two and Aer and Paraietta left to defend Messis, the enemy springs their trap. A large force of the new heavy fighters launches an alpha strike
against the Messis during a thunderstorm. Only a quick decision by Wauf, its captain, to hide the ship, and the two remaining Simoun, on the ground in a forest behind a cliff from the enemy's approach vector, saves the ship from destruction. When the weather clears, the enemy reappears to resume their attack, and the two Simoun are compelled to intercept them to prevent them from discovering the Messis.
Although both Simouns manage to destroy a portion of the attacking force, the enemy has adopted new tactics that disperse their aircraft to make them less vulnerable to the Ri Mājon effect. The two Simouns destroy a portion of the enemy fighter wave, but are pursued so closely by the surviving fighters that they are unable to complete further Ri Mājons. Wauf orders the Messis to exit its position of concealment, thereby drawing the enemy fighter attack onto his own ship to buy the Sibyllae some time. In a desperate response, Limone and Dominūra perform the Emerald Ri Mājon and succeed. Their Simoun vanishes without a trace in a flash of light as the rest of the choir—including the four missing Simouns, who happen to appear just in time to see it—look on in horror. Unlike in the first battle, however, the Emerald Ri Mājon has no effect on the attacking aircraft or the outcome of the battle, but the day is saved when Arcus Prima, now fully repaired and operational, conveniently appears to drive away the remaining attackers.
Back aboard the Arcus Prima, three government representatives (including Halconf) meet with the remaining members of the choir to discuss their next objective: to secure Simulacrum's holiest site, the Ruins, before the allied forces can steal Simoun-grade helical motors from it. They arrive to find three unidentified Simouns, of a different design to the Simoun that the Simulacran choirs use, exiting from the Ruins' main entrance. In the ensuing air battle, Chor Tempest manage to shoot down one of the stolen craft, but the other two escape unharmed.
During the battle, Aer and Neviril discover that Aer's music box, though closed and deactivated, plays its song around the entrance to the Ruins. Instead of joining the dogfight, they land to investigate... and discover the Spring inside, and Onasia. After the fight, the remaining members of the choir land, and discover another of the ancient Simoun inside the Ruins. Inside it, they find Angulas' dead body sitting in the auriga seat. The Simulacran religious authorities interpret this to mean that Tempus Spatium had forgiven Angulas, and they bury her with full honors. Mamina and Aer are excluded from the funeral due to their social class
.
After the funeral, Aer and Neviril discuss what they saw at the Ruins. Aer reveals that her grandfather told her stories about a "door to another world" that the Simoun could open. She speculates that Angulas may have traveled to the ancient Simoun through that other world during the explosion. They compare this to Onasia's statements that she is "everywhere and nowhere" and that the Spring exists outside normal reality, and conclude that what's true for Angulas and Onasia may also be true for Dominūra and Limone—who therefore could be alive somewhere. Neviril swears Aer to secrecy about their discussion, and the two agree to keep it a secret.
Realizing that the Simouns seen at the Ruins were most likely piloted by Plumbish priestesses, the Simulacran Defence Minister orders Chor Tempest to locate and destroy the airborne supply base that Messis had discovered, using the Messis as their base. Aer and Yun are ordered to stay behind, with Mamina taking Aer's place as Neviril's pair. They ignore their orders and follow along in Chor Tempest's wake anyway. Neviril splits her patrol in half, taking Alty and Floe with her, and assigning a different sector to the other two Simouns.
When Neviril's flight locates the allied base ship, the two ancient Simouns that had escaped the dogfight at the ruins sortie to met them, along with a large number of Argentine heavy fighters. The two Simulacran Simouns destroy a number of opposing fighters, but the weight of numbers is too great, especially when combined with the presence of hostile Simouns. Completely defensive and unable to break out of evasive maneuvers long enough to execute a Ri Mājon, Neviril orders Alty and Floe to break off and summon reinforcements. She and Mamina barely evade a Ri Mājon attack by the enemy Simouns, but are promptly hit by gunfire from an Argentine fighter, and crash on the flight deck of the base ship. Neviril is incapacitated in the crash.
The two ancient Simouns land next to Mamina and Neviril's crippled craft, and the four Plumbish priestesses who were piloting them emerge, wielding pistols. They explain that they hold the Simoun Sibyllae in great reverence, and regret having to fight them. They try to help Neviril and Mamina escape. Instead, Mamina sacrifices herself to save the foreign priestesses, who would have been executed as traitors for helping them escape. The rest of Chor Tempest arrives with the Messis and scatters the allied troops on the base ship's flight deck, but it is too late—Mamina had been shot through the heart by one of the priestesses to avoid the dishonor of being killed by the Argentine soldiers.
Roatreamon is disconsolate. She and Mamina had become extremely close in the weeks leading up to Mamina's final battle. To add insult to injury, the class-conscious Defence Ministry authorities promptly pack Mamiina's body off to her hometown rather than giving her the sort of elaborate funeral that Angulas received. And on the way, the Simile carrying her body is shot down by the two Plumbish Simoun.
The authorities give Chor Tempest little time to grieve. Aer, Neviril, and (at her request) Yun are delegated to accompany Onasia and several other religious officials to the Ruins, aboard the Messis. At the Ruins, the sibyllae are told the secret of the Emerald Ri Mājon: it allows the Simoun to travel in time. Chor Dextra was formed for that purpose, and used the Ruins as its training ground. In a last-ditch effort to save the rapidly-failing Simulacran war effort, the chief priestess of the Grand Temple orders Aer and Neviril to reactivate Chor Dextra and perform the Emerald Ri Mājon to prevent the war from occurring in the first place.
With the secret of the Emerald Ri Mājon revealed, we are finally shown what happened to Limone and Dominūra. They landed in the far past, in the aftermath of a destructive war and a long period of lean economic times. Humanity had forgotten the secrets of the Simoun and the ways of their faith. The ancient Simoun found at the Ruins sit idle by the edge of the town where the two land, reduced to mere playthings for children. As the two are summoned to explain themselves to the townspeople, Dominūra explains to Limone what she saw in the helical motors that upset her so much: she saw herself landing in this very town, explaining to the townspeople about the Emerald Ri Mājon, and thereby causing the entire war and all of the ensuing suffering. She asks Limone for advice, and Limone explains that if there had not been Simouns, she never would have met Chor Tempest or Dominūra. This admission overcomes Dominūra's reservations, and history unfolds exactly as Dominūra and Limone remember it.
The departure of Aer, Neviril, and Yun to the Ruins leaves Chor Tempest dangerously understrength, even when reinforced by Vura, who joins the choir to replace Mamina. Before the Messis can return, a black Simoun from the Arcus Niger crash lands on Arcus Prima's flight deck, with the news that the Niger has been destroyed by the alliance. Hard on its heels are not two but five Plumbish Simouns. The rump Chor Tempest gamely sorties to intercept them, only to see the Plumbish choir promptly disengage rather than destroy the sibyllae and the Arcus Prima. Arcus Prima returns to the Grand Temple in company with the Messis. Shortly after they arrive, the alliance launches an all-out attack on the Grand Temple itself. Chor Tempest sorties to intercept the assault. They manage to destroy several waves of incoming cruise missiles. Without the ability to do the Iron Ri Mājon, however, they are unable to intercept them all, and the surviving missiles detonate throughout the temple and surrounding city. Once again, the Plumbish Simouns refuse to engage in direct combat against the Sibyllae.
Despite Chor Tempest's partial success, the Simulacran authorities realize that the war is lost, and sue for peace. The allied peace terms include Plumbish and Argentine occupation troops aboard the Arcus Prima and the disbandment of Chor Tempest. Halconf is forced to resign his office as a result of the defeat. The Grand Temple's chief priestess pulls Neviril aside to urge her to take either Aer or Paraietta and perform the Emerald Ri Mājon to undo the war, and is promptly arrested by Argentine troops.
While the final peace agreement is being imposed, Yun takes a Simile and flies off to the Spring to talk to Onasia. Onasia confesses to having been a member of Chor Dextra, the last survivor, and to having committed some "sin" because she tried to avoid making her gender choice. Specifically, she has never chosen a sex, in an attempt to remain an "eternal maiden" -- just like the Simoun. She removes one of her gloves to reveal glowing bluish skin beneath, which sheds a trail of gold sparkles similar to a Simoun's Ri Mājon trail. Being the keeper of the Spring, Onasia explains, is her punishment, and she has not been able to touch or hold anyone since. Yun, after briefly flying back to the Arcus Prima to discuss the matter with Rodoreamon, takes pity on Onasia. She returns to the Spring to embrace Onasia and offers her forgiveness. This breaks the spell, and Onasia dissolves in a shower of golden sparks. Yun takes up Onasia's office as the new keeper of the Spring.
The remaining sibyllae of Chor Tempest are promptly packed off to the Spring at the insistence of the allied forces. Aer and Neviril ask for more time, and stay behind, during which time they make up from a personal squabble and form a deep pair bond. Their other seven choir-mates catch the next train to the Spring and are shocked to find Yun standing in Onasia's place. Hand in hand, the seven wade into the Spring to make their respective gender choices, supported emotionally by Yun.
When the seven ex-Sibyllae return to the Arcus Prima to say their goodbyes, the allied occupation forces are alarmed to learn that two Simulacran sibyllae remain who have not gone to the Spring. Aer and Neviril are promptly arrested and thrown in the ship's brig, to be taken to the Spring under close guard. Their former choirmates unsuccessfully try to break them out. Anubituf and Guragief have better luck. They conspire with the Plumbish priestesses who have relieved Chor Tempest of their duties, and manage to gather everyone by the Māju pool to say their farewells to Neviril and Aer as they go to the Spring. All at once, the Plumbish priestesses overpower the allied guards, and two more fly a Simoun up through the Māju pool to turn over to Aer and Neviril for their journey to "another world." The pair say their farewells and fly off into the sunset. The Plumbish authorities send a choir of Simouns to intercept Aer and Neviril, but instead of attacking, they perform the Ri Mājon of the Morning Calm in a friendly gesture of farewell. Aer and Neviril perform the Emerald Ri Mājon, and a peaceful white light appears at its center in place of the howling vortex from the other attempts. The two vanish in a flash of light.
Back in the past, a pair of new Simoun Sibyllae that Limone has trained are finally ready to attempt the Emerald Ri Mājon. Dominūra is bedridden with some sort of illness, much to Limone's dismay. The success of the Emerald Ri Mājon by Limone's protegées reawakens a desire in Limone to fly again. When another of the new Sibyllae pulls her aside to ask her to pair with her, Limone turns her down. Dominūra is Limone's pair, she explains, and she will have no other. At that moment, a Simulacran-style Simoun appears in the sky via the Emerald Ri Mājon and vanishes. "Aer!" exclaims Limone. "Is that someone's name?" asks the Sibylla that Limone turned down. "It's... the ultimate form of love," replies Limone. "Yes, the ultimate love," says Dominūra, up from her bed and fully dressed. "To what sky shall we fly next?" she asks. Dominūra and Limone embrace, and walk happily off to their Simoun to attempt the Emerald Ri Mājon again. As they walk off, the disappointed Sibylla notices sparkly gold flakes in Dominūra's wake. Yun calls out Dominūra's name as she peers into the Spring, years later.
Years pass. Plumbum and Argentum have a falling out, and a cold war
develops between them. Paraietta manages an orphanage
, funded by Roatreamon's family business. Alty and Kaim reconcile, and move back in with their parents. Guragief and Anubituf stay together. Morinas and Wapōrif marry and have several children. Wauf remains as the captain of the Messis, which reverts to being a freighter
again in peacetime. Eliph and Morinas join the Messis crew, and as they load cargo one day, Morinas briefly catches sight of Aer and Neviril's Simoun as it fades in and out of reality. Vuraf and Floef are drafted by opposite sides for the coming war, and Vuraf comes to visit Floef on his farm by the shore of the lake where the wreck of the Arcus Prima has settled. The two part with a wish that they never meet on the battlefield, and as the sun sets, Floef catches sight of an ancient V-tailed Simoun as it appears in the sky.
In the red glow of the sunset, a record player starts up in the deserted ballroom of the wrecked Arcus Prima. Neviril and Aer dance happily in each other's arms. As they dance, the ballroom is transformed back into its old self, until the pair vanish.
. The tankōbon adds a new eight-page side story titled Intermission.
A comedy version was serialised in Megami Magazine
. It appeared in five monthly installments from volume 75 (August 2006) to volume 79 (December 2006). This version is basically a spoof that bears minimal resemblance to the anime, whereas the Comic Yuri Hime version was similar to the anime in tone (if not in content).
s has been published by Megami Library. They are written by Junko Okazaki and feature illustrations by Asako Nishida. The storyline is similar to that of the anime, although not identical.
adventure/simulation game titled has been released by Marvelous Entertainment. The game comes in both limited and standard editions. It was initially scheduled for release in November 2006, but was delayed to 21 June 2007.
of Neviril and Aer was created under license by . The kit was sold in limited quantities at Wonder Festival
on 20 August 2006.
The same studio also produced kits of Morinas and Limone, which were sold at Wonder Festival on 25 February 2007.
Although no official Simoun models have been released, a garage kit
of 1/48 scale Simulacrum's Simoun was created under license by . He manufactured Aer's Simile Simoun 1/48 Odonata was created under license by .
and ALC Publishing, named Simoun "Best Yuri of 2006", speaking highly of its soundtrack, artwork, and story. On the negative side, she reprimanded the character designs
, especially Neviril's, comparing her to "a sex toy blow up doll". Similarly, Mark Thomas of Anime on DVD called Neviril's design "unreal", lacking the "natural feel" of other characters but has justified it with the "goddess-like" role she plays in the series. Anime News Network has also noted Neviril's "true charisma" after she comes out of her "crippling funk" by episode eight.
Friedman praised the Media Blasters release for having a mostly very good translation, for leaving in the honorific
s (although no explanation was given for the honorifics on the disc). Friedman criticized the Media Blasters release for having strange names, which were insisted upon by the Japanese owners and for having no insert pictures.
Anime News Network
praised the story for not having to rely on its yuri content and for being a creative mecha
series that provides food for thought. Its tone is different from other teen pilot series, as it is "never grim". The characters are also noted as being more than "one-note cookie cutter portrayals". The use of penciled still shots remaining on the screen for some time was criticized. The series' resolution was perceived as partially satisfactory, as some elements were "bitter".
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series that was broadcast in Japan in 2006. It ran for 26 weekly episodes from 3 April to 25 September.
A manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation was published in three issues of Comic Yuri Hime
Yuri Hime
is a quarterly manga anthology magazine published in Japan by Ichijinsha. The first volume was published in July 2005. It is the successor to Yuri Shimai and features manga with the same yuri themes. Comic Yuri Hime was financially dependent upon Monthly Comic Zero Sum, but from 2008 on the...
. The manga shared the same characters and setting as the anime, but presented a different storyline. A second manga was serialised in Megami Magazine
Megami Magazine
is a Japanese monthly magazine which focuses on bishōjo characters from anime and Japanese computer and console games. It is known for having many posters, pinups and large pictures among the articles. Digital Manga Publishing released compilations of what it determined to be the best of the...
, with a radically different setting and a comic rather than serious and dramatic tone. There is also a two-volume light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
adaptation, which unlike the manga has a storyline close to that of the anime.
In May 2007, Simoun was licensed for release in North America by Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
.
Setting
Simoun takes place on the planet ("great sky land" or "heaven's shore"). Daikūriku is an Earth-like planet in a binary star system populated by humanoids who resemble humans, but are all born female and develop as girls until age 17, when they choose a permanent sex. At some point in Daikūriku's past, a more technologically advanced culture flourished, but it has since crumbled, and much of its technology has been lost.At the start of the series, the theocratic nation of has a monopoly on technology left over from the fallen ancient civilization, which it uses to power aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and trains. The industrialized nation of , located on an archipelago across the ocean from Simulacrum, wishes to steal the helical motor technology in order to further their own technological advancement and imperialist ambitions. Argentum possesses technology similar to that of industrialized nations in the 1920s or 1930s, including mass-produced
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
lighter-than-air rigid zeppelins
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
and heavier-than-air propeller-driven biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, and as the series begins, it is preparing to attack Simulacrum with a fleet of fighter-carrying airships. Other neighbouring countries, such as the , also have hostile relations with Simulacrum due to religious differences or faltering economies.
Simulacrum is defended by advanced airships known as "Simoun." A Simoun is a two-seater aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
propelled by two helical motors, based on technology left over from the fallen ancient civilization. The exact operation of the helical motor is not well understood by Simulacran technicians, but one of the two rotors apparently controls the Simoun's position in space, and the other affects the flow of time. According to their religion, two priestesses descended from heaven and explained to the people how to operate the Simouns, after they were found in excavations or had just been abandoned. These same priestesses are credited for teaching the people anew about Tempus Spatium and renewing the faith and religion. A Simoun requires two crew members to fly. The two crew members have separate cockpits, each with its own independent flight controls and instrumentation. The crew member in the forward cockpit, known as the auriga
Auriga (constellation)
Auriga is a constellation in the northern sky. Its name is Latin for 'charioteer' and its stars form a shape that has been associated with the pointed helmet of a charioteer. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains among the 88 modern...
, actually flies the Simoun, while the crew member in the aft cockpit, known as the sagitta
Sagitta
Sagitta is a constellation. Its name is Latin for "arrow", and it should not be confused with the larger constellation Sagittarius, the archer. Although ancient, it is insignificant, for it has no star brighter than the 4th magnitude and is the third smallest of all constellations...
, acts as a navigator and controls the Simoun's weapons and other accessories (however, at times in the series it seems the sagitta affects the flying of the craft as well. In episode 5, the Simoun flown by Morinas and Aer flies off-course during the Bell Ri Mājon. The fault is attributed to Morinas, even though she is the sagitta. Simulacrum also possesses one- and two-seater training aircraft similar to the Simoun, known as , which are based on a less-advanced design with one somewhat simpler helical motor.
Simulacrum's religion is centered on the worship of a spiritual force known as . Tempus Spatium is depicted in Simulacran iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
by winged pillars or goddesses. One of the most important centers of worship of Tempus Spatium is "the Spring", an underground grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
containing a ruined temple to the Tempus Spatium. Simulacran girls make a pilgrimage to the Spring when they turn seventeen; entering the Spring in a particular ritual context with a firm intention in mind causes the pilgrim to make a final selection of their permanent sex. Through a mechanism which is not fully understood (the Simulacrans believe it to be the power of the Tempus Spatium), the individual's DNA is rewritten to confirm or reverse their gender.
The Simoun are crewed by priestesses called (plural; singular Sibylla). Each Simoun Sibylla is a girl who has not chosen a permanent sex yet; doing so permanently disqualifies one from serving as a Sibylla. Some Sibyllae have delayed their choice of gender past the age of 17; due to the war, they are granted special dispensation to do this. The Sibyllae understand their use of the Simoun to be sacred to Tempus Spatium; a form of elaborate prayer. The main weapon of the Simoun is a large glowing green gem, (the "Simoun Gem") positioned between the cockpits, which produces an effect known as when the Simoun is flown in the correct pattern. The Simoun Gem is activated before takeoff when the two Sibyllae kiss it after kissing each other.
The Sibyllae believe that inscribing enormous glyphs in the sky using the Simoun Gem invokes the power of Tempus Spatium to produce powerful magical effects. Different Ri Mājon glyphs can be combined to produce a nearly infinite variety of effects, but most of the lore surrounding the language of the Ri Mājon has been lost over time. As the series begins, the Simoun Sibyllae are working to try to rediscover this ancient knowledge. Different Ri Mājons have different effects and functions. There are combat Ri Mājons, diplomatic Ri Mājons, funeral Ri Mājons, and so forth. Ri Mājons differ widely in the number of craft required to complete them, and in the time and skill needed to successfully inscribe them.
Sibyllae are organized into "choirs" of twelve priestesses. A choir at full strength operates six Simoun, which is sufficient to allow them to inscribe the most complex known Ri Mājon patterns in the sky. Simoun choirs take the title (Greek for "choir"), and a name derived from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
or a language very similar to it. "Chor" is a homonym for "corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
", and the resulting double religious and military meaning may or may not be intentional. A Simoun choir is led by a senior Sibylla known as the . The most senior Sibylla in the entire Simoun fleet is known as the . A group of one or more choirs is commanded by a , who is an adult religious official who has chosen a permanent sex, and therefore is unable to operate a Simoun himself.
The series focuses on one particular Simoun choir, , which has a reputation as an elite unit. Chor Tempest is one of three choirs based on a large airship, the , which functions as a flying aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
.
Characters
:- Aer is a brash young sibylla who joins Chor Tempest as one of three replacements for combat losses in the first battle against Argentum. She immediately takes a liking to Neviril, and pushes to become Neviril's new Pair after Amuria is lost. Aer fits the stereotype of the fighter pilot, and has little patience for the sibyllae's role as priestesses. She volunteered for combat after serving as a cadet on the southern front, and possesses an outstanding flying ability. Normally, she flies auriga, whether it's with Neviril or other sybillae. Her name means "divine love" in the language of the neighboring mountain nation of Plumbum.
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- Alty is Floe's pair, and wears her hair in a chin-length bobBob cutA "bob cut" is a short haircut for women in which the hair is typically cut straight around the head at about jaw-level, often with a fringe at the front.-The beginning:...
parted in the middle. She harbors a "sister complex" toward her older sister, Kaim. She flies auriga, paired with Floe.
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- Amuria was Neviril's Sagitta until the first battle against Argentum. She was a very determined sibylla, keenly interested in the Simoun as instruments of power. She and Neviril had been a pair, and romantically partnered, ever since Neviril first joined Chor Tempest. Amuria was lost when she and Neviril attempted the Emerald Ri Mājon (an extremely difficult and powerful Ri Mājon maneuver, which was Amuria's idea to try) in the first combat action against Argentum.
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- Dominūra is the eldest of all Sibylla. She is connected to ruling circles in Simulacrum, and was the only survivor of the destruction of Chor Dextra after that choir attempted to perform the Emerald Ri Mājon. She joins Chor Tempest at Guragief's request, to try to sort out Limone and the rest of the choir, and from there on she flies as a sagitta, paired with Limone. She has mysterious political connections to a faction within the Simulacran administration. While initially rejected by her pair, she eventually forms a deep bond of affection with Limone.
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- Erī turns 17 shortly after the start of the series, and goes to the Spring under the temple of Tempus Spatium. Because she has not made up her mind as to which sex she prefers to be, she is assigned to be male. He then changes his name to "Eliph", as the terminal -f sound signifies masculinity in the Simulacran culture.
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- Floe is an energetic orange-haired sibylla. She flies sagitta with Alty. She is very forward with her feelings, and is not shy about expressing them, much to the chagrin of the stricter sybillae, such as Paraietta.
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- Kaim is a diffident sibylla with large round glasses, who flies sagitta aboard Paraietta's Simoun. She is Alty's older sister, though she harbors a great hostility towards Alty as a result of their having had sexual relationsIncestIncest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
in the past. Although she can be very nice, she is also alert and easily roused. She harbors an unrequited love for Paraietta.
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- Mamina is a skillful but haughty sibylla, formerly assigned to Chor Ignis aboard the Arcus Niger, who joins Chor Tempest at Halconf's request. Her parents were servants to Roatreamon's family. Despite her humble origins, she was promoted to Sibylla rank when she volunteered for combat duty when other Sibyllae refused. Her hobby is cooking, and she also enjoys cleaning and other domestic chores.
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- Morinas is another of the replacement Sibylla who joins Chor Tempest after the first battle of the war. She pursues Neviril for a time when she first joins the choir, but eventually gives up. She has a keen interest in understanding how the helical motors that power the Simoun work, and is a compulsive flirt. She and Wapōrif develop a romantic attraction. At the end of the series, she and Waporif had a child. She is pregnant with their second child.
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- Neviril is the Sibylla Aurea, and the Regina of Chor Tempest. She has a reputation for being the best Auriga in the entire Simoun fleet, and is the object of admiration of both the other Sibyllae and the cadets aboard Arcus Prima. She is so revered that junior Sibyllae are reprimanded for addressing her without an honorific even in her absence. She is the daughter of Halconf, the chief administrator of Simulacrum's government. She and Amuria were very close, and she is devastated by the loss of her beloved partner.
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- Paraietta is second-in-command of Chor Tempest, and a respected Sibylla. She flies as an auriga, paired with Kaim. She has a stern, masculine manner, and joined Corps Tempest because she is Neviril's childhood friend. She remains very loyal to Neviril.
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- Limone is an extremely young sibylla assigned to Chor Tempest as a replacement for the losses from the first battle. She was promoted to the rank of sibylla at an unusually early age due to her flying ability and sharp intellect. She is very fond of sweets, and can frequently be seen snacking on some treat or other. While truly a genius sybilla, due to her young age, Limone lacks combat experience and, plagued by an incident occurred due to her past confidence, is initially prone to frighten out. This changes after she is encouraged by Aer and then paired with Dominūra.
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- Roatreamon is a gentle, feminine Sibylla from an important family. Everyone addresses her as ojō-sama, be it for respect or in a joking manner, but treats her with a degree of deference and softness. She flies with Elly until Elly leaves to go to the Spring, and has a deep knowledge of sibylla traditions. As children, she and Mamina met, but were divided by the class difference between them.
:
- Mamina's sagitta before the two join Chor Tempest. She speaks very bluntly, refers to herself using masculine pronounsGender differences in spoken JapaneseThe Japanese language is unusual among major languages in the high degree to which the speech of women collectively differs from that of men. Differences in the ways that girls and boys use language have been detected in children as young as three years old ....
, and hates war. She is devoutly religious, sincerely committed to the cause of peace, and loves to read. She holds herself aloof from the rest of Chor Tempest, and is often quiet and no-nonsense with the other sybillae.
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- Angulas is a priestess of the deity "Animus" from the neighbouring country of Plumbum. When Plumbum and Simulacrum hold a peace conference, she is seconded to Chor Tempest for a time on the theory that Animus and the Tempus Spatium are the same deity.
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- Anubituf is the captain of the Arcus Prima. He is a responsible, determined warrior and a wise commander. He and Guragief were Sibyllae together before they went to the Spring, and the two have remained close ever since.
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- Guragief is the overall commander (or "Dux") of the Simoun forces aboard Arcus Prima, which consist of Chor Tempest, Chor Rubor, and Chor Caput. He is responsible for personnel decisions, and dispatches the Simoun fleet on their missions. He is very empathetic, and cares deeply about the Sibyllae in his care.
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- Halconf is the father of Neviril and the Vice-Chair of Simulacrum's High Council, second only to Onasia. He is a former Sibylla, and takes a keen interest in Chor Tempest and in Neviril's career.
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- Onasia is the High Priestess of the Tempus Spatium, and presides over the gender selection ceremony at the Spring. As head of Simulacrum's High Council, she serves as head of state and has lived for many generations.
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- Vura is the Regina of Chor Rubor, and is assigned to be Aer's roommate aboard Arcus Prima. She develops a rivalry with Chor Tempest at first, but grows to respect them.
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- Wapōrif is a maintenance technician for the Simoun aboard the Arcus Prima. He went to the Spring under the temple of Tempus Spatium two years before the beginning of the series, and chose to become male. He had a crush on Floe, but did not become close because she was a Sibylla. Once he got over her, Floe told him to say they were lovers. Wapōrif is devoutly religious, and develops a close relationship with Morinas. Due to the gender change taking a certain amount of time to complete he initially appears female.
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- Wauf is the captain of the old-timer patrol-ship Messis. He went to the Spring under the temple of Tempus Spatium long ago, and looks like a middle-age man. He has brilliant skill and knowledge of tactics, and cares for his new passengers, the Simoun Sybillae of Chor Tempest. He believes that, in spite of their apparent deaths while performing the Emerald Ri Mājon, that Dominūra and Limone are still alive.
Summary
As the series opens, Argentum sends a large fleet of airships to attack Simulacrum, in order to steal the helical motor technology found in the Simoun. Fifteen or more carrier airships participate in the attack, yielding a total force of hundreds of "dragonfly" fighters. The invasion fleet is intercepted by two Simoun choirs on routine patrol: and Chor Tempest. Simulacran doctrine holds that any potential enemy will flee in terror at the first sight of a Simoun, yet the Argentine air fleet manages to completely wipe out Chor Caput. Chor Tempest is able to destroy large number of enemy fighters with its own Ri Mājon power before being lured into an encounter with the entire Argentine fleet. They attempt to destroy the whole fleet with a powerful maneuver known as the , but the Argentine fighters are so numerous that they wind up erasing the Ri Mājon trails. One of the choir's Simoun is destroyed by enemy gunfire, and the remainder are left unable to execute a Ri Mājon effect sufficient to repel the enemy attack. In desperation, Neviril and her partner Amuria attempt an extremely powerful but extremely dangerous maneuver, the , in a last-ditch attempt to salvage the situation.Neviril and Amuria appear to be on the verge of successfully completing the Emerald Ri Mājon when disaster strikes. Their Simoun has a head-on encounter with an Argentine dragonfly fighter. Neviril sees the enemy pilot inside his cockpit and meets his gaze, which forces her to see the attacking enemy forces as people rather than machines. She loses the will to kill them, and her resulting moment of hesitation causes the Ri Mājon to fail. The failure of the Emerald Ri Mājon causes an explosion similar to the detonation of a nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
. The remaining Simouns of Chor Tempest escape the blast, but the entire attacking fleet is annihilated, and Neviril's Simoun is crippled. The upper fuselage is a twisted wreck, and the sagitta cockpit is missing entirely and Amuria with it.
Three Sibyllae from Chor Tempest were killed in the initial battle. After the battle, three more announce their intent to leave the ranks of the Sibyllae and go to the Spring to choose a permanent sex. The remaining Sibyllae are all too demoralized to act as an effective fighting force, especially Neviril, who cannot even bring herself to leave her stateroom on the Arcus Prima. The only bright spot for Chor Tempest at this time is the arrival of two promising new recruits: Sibylla Aer, an excellent pilot with unshakeable morale, and Sibylla Limone, a child prodigy who was recently made the youngest Sibylla ever. Aer immediately decides to try to form a pair with Neviril, but Neviril is still grieving for Amuria. Neviril follows one of the three departing Sibyllae to the Spring out of friendship, and nearly enters it herself.
Over the following weeks, Argentum continues its harassment of Simulacrum by sending fighter probes, conducting a powerful but inaccurate long-range bombardment intended to bring down the Arcus Prima, and sending agents into Simulacran territory to attempt to ambush and steal a Simoun. A second front to the war opens when Plumbum launches a mechanized invasion of Simulacrum over their shared mountainous border. Chor Tempest slowly tries to regain its confidence during this period, adding two new recruits: the flirty Sibylla Morinas and the mysterious and politically well-connected Sibylla Dominūra. Dominūra, the eldest of all the Simoun Sibyllae, is brought in to try to revive Chor Tempest, and she takes an immediate interest in Limone. Aer persists in her attempts to get Neviril to pair with her, but Neviril remains mired in severe depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
, and lets Chor Tempest drift as she wallows in her grief. Aer and Limone, with Dominūra flying sagitta for Limone, defeat the Plumbish armoured attack, leading the Plumbish government to sue for peace.
As the Arcus Prima heads for international waters
International waters
The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems , and wetlands.Oceans,...
to serve as the site of the peace conference between Plumbum and Simulacrum, Neviril's father Halconf interferes to try to jar his daughter out of her hikikomori
Hikikomori
is a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive people who have chosen to withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement because of various personal and social factors in their lives...
phase. He orders two Sibyllae, Mamina and Yun, to join Chor Tempest to bring it to full strength, and on the strength of Mamina's service record, assigns her to be Neviril's new roommate and pair. Neviril, who is beginning to show signs of warming to Aer, rejects Mamina, and in reaction, Mamina attacks Aer. This shocking breach of conduct leads to the announcement that Chor Tempest will disband after the conclusion of the peace conference.
Relieved of its duties, Chor Tempest is assigned to play host to one of Plumbum's priestesses during the peace conference. The foreign priestess, Angulas, gets along well with the girls of the Simoun choir, but turns out to be a suicide bomber. She destroys two thirds of the Arcus Primas Simoun wing and cripples the carrier itself. The bombing jars Neviril out of her funk. She agrees to pair with Aer, and leads Chor Tempest to save the Arcus Prima from certain destruction at the hands of a Plumbish battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
.
Now safe, Arcus Prima is brought into drydock at the Grand Temple. Neviril and Guragief travel to the chambers of the High Council of Simulacrum to try to defend Chor Tempest against Halconf's attempt to disband it. Neviril makes an impassioned speech before the council that offends many council members in its reference to the conflict as a "war", and in Neviril's refusal to blindly follow "the will of God" as Angulas did. Onasia, however, intervenes on Neviril's behalf, as does Sibylla Vura from the rival Chor Rubor. Vura and Neviril return from the Council chambers just as the remaining members of Chor Tempest are performing a funeral Ri Mājon in memory of the victims of the suicide bombing and right as Argentum launches a cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
attack against the Grand Temple. Chor Tempest easily destroys the missiles with the Iron Ri Mājon, and celebrates the news that the choir is not to be disbanded after all.
That evening, Chor Tempest learns that Sibylla Dominūra has found the choir a new ship to fly from while Arcus Prima is in drydock. Dominūra, it turns out, had secretly attended the hearing as well, and had met with a secret faction of officials opposed to Halconf's administration. Dominūra's faction was able to bring the old converted freight airship Messis out of retirement and refit her in the fashion of a World War II escort carrier. Conditions aboard the Messis are considerably more spartan than on the converted luxury liner Arcus Prima, much to the displeasure of the Sibyllae. Over the following weeks, Messis operates in a considerably more aggressive posture than Arcus Prima did, sparring with enemy patrols, participating in an airmobile assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
with a unit of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, and intercepting an Argentine base ship.
Messis active prosecution of the war is not matched by those in charge back at headquarters, however. Despite the discovery of a new class of heavy fighter based aboard the base ship and the possibility of an alliance between Plumbum and Argentum, Messis and Chor Tempest receive orders to passively monitor the base ship's activities rather than attacking. Dominūra takes matters into her own hands, ordering Aer and Neviril to sortie to intercept the base and conduct an armed reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
of it. She also orders Wapōrif to dismantle one of the hitherto sacrosanct
Sacrosanct
Sacrosanctity was a right of tribunes in Ancient Rome not to be harmed physically. Plebeians took an oath to regard anyone who laid hands on a tribune as an outlaw liable to be killed without penalty...
Simoun to learn the secret of how they work. Wapōrif is shocked at this violation of one of Simulacrum's strongest taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
s, but eventually accedes. His faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
is shaken when he sees nothing obviously magical or divine inside the Simoun's helical motors; they appear to be mere machines to him. Dominūra, however, is able to see something inside that Wapōrif (who, being male, has already gone to the Spring) cannot—something profoundly shocking. She has to be helped away, screaming, from the flight deck.
The enemy, meanwhile, is far from idle. A series of feints by enemy fighters manages to draw out four of Chor Tempest's six Simoun from the Messis in a futile attempt at a decisive engagement. Limone manages to rouse Dominūra from her shock, but with only those two and Aer and Paraietta left to defend Messis, the enemy springs their trap. A large force of the new heavy fighters launches an alpha strike
Alpha strike
Alpha strike may refer to:* Alpha strike , when an alpha particle enters and causes damage to the data contained in a computer processor.* Alpha strike , a massive all-out attack launched near the beginning of a tabletop wargame....
against the Messis during a thunderstorm. Only a quick decision by Wauf, its captain, to hide the ship, and the two remaining Simoun, on the ground in a forest behind a cliff from the enemy's approach vector, saves the ship from destruction. When the weather clears, the enemy reappears to resume their attack, and the two Simoun are compelled to intercept them to prevent them from discovering the Messis.
Although both Simouns manage to destroy a portion of the attacking force, the enemy has adopted new tactics that disperse their aircraft to make them less vulnerable to the Ri Mājon effect. The two Simouns destroy a portion of the enemy fighter wave, but are pursued so closely by the surviving fighters that they are unable to complete further Ri Mājons. Wauf orders the Messis to exit its position of concealment, thereby drawing the enemy fighter attack onto his own ship to buy the Sibyllae some time. In a desperate response, Limone and Dominūra perform the Emerald Ri Mājon and succeed. Their Simoun vanishes without a trace in a flash of light as the rest of the choir—including the four missing Simouns, who happen to appear just in time to see it—look on in horror. Unlike in the first battle, however, the Emerald Ri Mājon has no effect on the attacking aircraft or the outcome of the battle, but the day is saved when Arcus Prima, now fully repaired and operational, conveniently appears to drive away the remaining attackers.
Back aboard the Arcus Prima, three government representatives (including Halconf) meet with the remaining members of the choir to discuss their next objective: to secure Simulacrum's holiest site, the Ruins, before the allied forces can steal Simoun-grade helical motors from it. They arrive to find three unidentified Simouns, of a different design to the Simoun that the Simulacran choirs use, exiting from the Ruins' main entrance. In the ensuing air battle, Chor Tempest manage to shoot down one of the stolen craft, but the other two escape unharmed.
During the battle, Aer and Neviril discover that Aer's music box, though closed and deactivated, plays its song around the entrance to the Ruins. Instead of joining the dogfight, they land to investigate... and discover the Spring inside, and Onasia. After the fight, the remaining members of the choir land, and discover another of the ancient Simoun inside the Ruins. Inside it, they find Angulas' dead body sitting in the auriga seat. The Simulacran religious authorities interpret this to mean that Tempus Spatium had forgiven Angulas, and they bury her with full honors. Mamina and Aer are excluded from the funeral due to their social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
.
After the funeral, Aer and Neviril discuss what they saw at the Ruins. Aer reveals that her grandfather told her stories about a "door to another world" that the Simoun could open. She speculates that Angulas may have traveled to the ancient Simoun through that other world during the explosion. They compare this to Onasia's statements that she is "everywhere and nowhere" and that the Spring exists outside normal reality, and conclude that what's true for Angulas and Onasia may also be true for Dominūra and Limone—who therefore could be alive somewhere. Neviril swears Aer to secrecy about their discussion, and the two agree to keep it a secret.
Realizing that the Simouns seen at the Ruins were most likely piloted by Plumbish priestesses, the Simulacran Defence Minister orders Chor Tempest to locate and destroy the airborne supply base that Messis had discovered, using the Messis as their base. Aer and Yun are ordered to stay behind, with Mamina taking Aer's place as Neviril's pair. They ignore their orders and follow along in Chor Tempest's wake anyway. Neviril splits her patrol in half, taking Alty and Floe with her, and assigning a different sector to the other two Simouns.
When Neviril's flight locates the allied base ship, the two ancient Simouns that had escaped the dogfight at the ruins sortie to met them, along with a large number of Argentine heavy fighters. The two Simulacran Simouns destroy a number of opposing fighters, but the weight of numbers is too great, especially when combined with the presence of hostile Simouns. Completely defensive and unable to break out of evasive maneuvers long enough to execute a Ri Mājon, Neviril orders Alty and Floe to break off and summon reinforcements. She and Mamina barely evade a Ri Mājon attack by the enemy Simouns, but are promptly hit by gunfire from an Argentine fighter, and crash on the flight deck of the base ship. Neviril is incapacitated in the crash.
The two ancient Simouns land next to Mamina and Neviril's crippled craft, and the four Plumbish priestesses who were piloting them emerge, wielding pistols. They explain that they hold the Simoun Sibyllae in great reverence, and regret having to fight them. They try to help Neviril and Mamina escape. Instead, Mamina sacrifices herself to save the foreign priestesses, who would have been executed as traitors for helping them escape. The rest of Chor Tempest arrives with the Messis and scatters the allied troops on the base ship's flight deck, but it is too late—Mamina had been shot through the heart by one of the priestesses to avoid the dishonor of being killed by the Argentine soldiers.
Roatreamon is disconsolate. She and Mamina had become extremely close in the weeks leading up to Mamina's final battle. To add insult to injury, the class-conscious Defence Ministry authorities promptly pack Mamiina's body off to her hometown rather than giving her the sort of elaborate funeral that Angulas received. And on the way, the Simile carrying her body is shot down by the two Plumbish Simoun.
The authorities give Chor Tempest little time to grieve. Aer, Neviril, and (at her request) Yun are delegated to accompany Onasia and several other religious officials to the Ruins, aboard the Messis. At the Ruins, the sibyllae are told the secret of the Emerald Ri Mājon: it allows the Simoun to travel in time. Chor Dextra was formed for that purpose, and used the Ruins as its training ground. In a last-ditch effort to save the rapidly-failing Simulacran war effort, the chief priestess of the Grand Temple orders Aer and Neviril to reactivate Chor Dextra and perform the Emerald Ri Mājon to prevent the war from occurring in the first place.
With the secret of the Emerald Ri Mājon revealed, we are finally shown what happened to Limone and Dominūra. They landed in the far past, in the aftermath of a destructive war and a long period of lean economic times. Humanity had forgotten the secrets of the Simoun and the ways of their faith. The ancient Simoun found at the Ruins sit idle by the edge of the town where the two land, reduced to mere playthings for children. As the two are summoned to explain themselves to the townspeople, Dominūra explains to Limone what she saw in the helical motors that upset her so much: she saw herself landing in this very town, explaining to the townspeople about the Emerald Ri Mājon, and thereby causing the entire war and all of the ensuing suffering. She asks Limone for advice, and Limone explains that if there had not been Simouns, she never would have met Chor Tempest or Dominūra. This admission overcomes Dominūra's reservations, and history unfolds exactly as Dominūra and Limone remember it.
The departure of Aer, Neviril, and Yun to the Ruins leaves Chor Tempest dangerously understrength, even when reinforced by Vura, who joins the choir to replace Mamina. Before the Messis can return, a black Simoun from the Arcus Niger crash lands on Arcus Prima's flight deck, with the news that the Niger has been destroyed by the alliance. Hard on its heels are not two but five Plumbish Simouns. The rump Chor Tempest gamely sorties to intercept them, only to see the Plumbish choir promptly disengage rather than destroy the sibyllae and the Arcus Prima. Arcus Prima returns to the Grand Temple in company with the Messis. Shortly after they arrive, the alliance launches an all-out attack on the Grand Temple itself. Chor Tempest sorties to intercept the assault. They manage to destroy several waves of incoming cruise missiles. Without the ability to do the Iron Ri Mājon, however, they are unable to intercept them all, and the surviving missiles detonate throughout the temple and surrounding city. Once again, the Plumbish Simouns refuse to engage in direct combat against the Sibyllae.
Despite Chor Tempest's partial success, the Simulacran authorities realize that the war is lost, and sue for peace. The allied peace terms include Plumbish and Argentine occupation troops aboard the Arcus Prima and the disbandment of Chor Tempest. Halconf is forced to resign his office as a result of the defeat. The Grand Temple's chief priestess pulls Neviril aside to urge her to take either Aer or Paraietta and perform the Emerald Ri Mājon to undo the war, and is promptly arrested by Argentine troops.
While the final peace agreement is being imposed, Yun takes a Simile and flies off to the Spring to talk to Onasia. Onasia confesses to having been a member of Chor Dextra, the last survivor, and to having committed some "sin" because she tried to avoid making her gender choice. Specifically, she has never chosen a sex, in an attempt to remain an "eternal maiden" -- just like the Simoun. She removes one of her gloves to reveal glowing bluish skin beneath, which sheds a trail of gold sparkles similar to a Simoun's Ri Mājon trail. Being the keeper of the Spring, Onasia explains, is her punishment, and she has not been able to touch or hold anyone since. Yun, after briefly flying back to the Arcus Prima to discuss the matter with Rodoreamon, takes pity on Onasia. She returns to the Spring to embrace Onasia and offers her forgiveness. This breaks the spell, and Onasia dissolves in a shower of golden sparks. Yun takes up Onasia's office as the new keeper of the Spring.
The remaining sibyllae of Chor Tempest are promptly packed off to the Spring at the insistence of the allied forces. Aer and Neviril ask for more time, and stay behind, during which time they make up from a personal squabble and form a deep pair bond. Their other seven choir-mates catch the next train to the Spring and are shocked to find Yun standing in Onasia's place. Hand in hand, the seven wade into the Spring to make their respective gender choices, supported emotionally by Yun.
When the seven ex-Sibyllae return to the Arcus Prima to say their goodbyes, the allied occupation forces are alarmed to learn that two Simulacran sibyllae remain who have not gone to the Spring. Aer and Neviril are promptly arrested and thrown in the ship's brig, to be taken to the Spring under close guard. Their former choirmates unsuccessfully try to break them out. Anubituf and Guragief have better luck. They conspire with the Plumbish priestesses who have relieved Chor Tempest of their duties, and manage to gather everyone by the Māju pool to say their farewells to Neviril and Aer as they go to the Spring. All at once, the Plumbish priestesses overpower the allied guards, and two more fly a Simoun up through the Māju pool to turn over to Aer and Neviril for their journey to "another world." The pair say their farewells and fly off into the sunset. The Plumbish authorities send a choir of Simouns to intercept Aer and Neviril, but instead of attacking, they perform the Ri Mājon of the Morning Calm in a friendly gesture of farewell. Aer and Neviril perform the Emerald Ri Mājon, and a peaceful white light appears at its center in place of the howling vortex from the other attempts. The two vanish in a flash of light.
Back in the past, a pair of new Simoun Sibyllae that Limone has trained are finally ready to attempt the Emerald Ri Mājon. Dominūra is bedridden with some sort of illness, much to Limone's dismay. The success of the Emerald Ri Mājon by Limone's protegées reawakens a desire in Limone to fly again. When another of the new Sibyllae pulls her aside to ask her to pair with her, Limone turns her down. Dominūra is Limone's pair, she explains, and she will have no other. At that moment, a Simulacran-style Simoun appears in the sky via the Emerald Ri Mājon and vanishes. "Aer!" exclaims Limone. "Is that someone's name?" asks the Sibylla that Limone turned down. "It's... the ultimate form of love," replies Limone. "Yes, the ultimate love," says Dominūra, up from her bed and fully dressed. "To what sky shall we fly next?" she asks. Dominūra and Limone embrace, and walk happily off to their Simoun to attempt the Emerald Ri Mājon again. As they walk off, the disappointed Sibylla notices sparkly gold flakes in Dominūra's wake. Yun calls out Dominūra's name as she peers into the Spring, years later.
Years pass. Plumbum and Argentum have a falling out, and a cold war
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
develops between them. Paraietta manages an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, funded by Roatreamon's family business. Alty and Kaim reconcile, and move back in with their parents. Guragief and Anubituf stay together. Morinas and Wapōrif marry and have several children. Wauf remains as the captain of the Messis, which reverts to being a freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
again in peacetime. Eliph and Morinas join the Messis crew, and as they load cargo one day, Morinas briefly catches sight of Aer and Neviril's Simoun as it fades in and out of reality. Vuraf and Floef are drafted by opposite sides for the coming war, and Vuraf comes to visit Floef on his farm by the shore of the lake where the wreck of the Arcus Prima has settled. The two part with a wish that they never meet on the battlefield, and as the sun sets, Floef catches sight of an ancient V-tailed Simoun as it appears in the sky.
In the red glow of the sunset, a record player starts up in the deserted ballroom of the wrecked Arcus Prima. Neviril and Aer dance happily in each other's arms. As they dance, the ballroom is transformed back into its old self, until the pair vanish.
Manga
A drama version simply titled Simoun was serialized in Comic Yuri Hime volumes 3–5 (January, April and July 2006). Serialization has ceased, and the manga has been republished as a single tankōbonTankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
. The tankōbon adds a new eight-page side story titled Intermission.
A comedy version was serialised in Megami Magazine
Megami Magazine
is a Japanese monthly magazine which focuses on bishōjo characters from anime and Japanese computer and console games. It is known for having many posters, pinups and large pictures among the articles. Digital Manga Publishing released compilations of what it determined to be the best of the...
. It appeared in five monthly installments from volume 75 (August 2006) to volume 79 (December 2006). This version is basically a spoof that bears minimal resemblance to the anime, whereas the Comic Yuri Hime version was similar to the anime in tone (if not in content).
Light novels
A two-volume series of light novelLight novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s has been published by Megami Library. They are written by Junko Okazaki and feature illustrations by Asako Nishida. The storyline is similar to that of the anime, although not identical.
Games
A PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
adventure/simulation game titled has been released by Marvelous Entertainment. The game comes in both limited and standard editions. It was initially scheduled for release in November 2006, but was delayed to 21 June 2007.
Merchandise
Although no official figures have been released, a garage kitGarage kit
A garage kit or resin kit is an assembly scale model kit most commonly cast in polyurethane resin. They are often figures portraying humans or other living creatures. In Japan, kits often depict anime characters, and in the United States depictions of movie monsters are common...
of Neviril and Aer was created under license by . The kit was sold in limited quantities at Wonder Festival
Wonder Festival
The Tokyo , or for short, is a bi-annual event to display and sell "garage kits", which are sculptures that usually replicate anime and game characters, but also popular mecha/sci-fi characters and creatures. These models are extremely detail oriented, and many of these sculptures appear in very...
on 20 August 2006.
The same studio also produced kits of Morinas and Limone, which were sold at Wonder Festival on 25 February 2007.
Although no official Simoun models have been released, a garage kit
Garage kit
A garage kit or resin kit is an assembly scale model kit most commonly cast in polyurethane resin. They are often figures portraying humans or other living creatures. In Japan, kits often depict anime characters, and in the United States depictions of movie monsters are common...
of 1/48 scale Simulacrum's Simoun was created under license by . He manufactured Aer's Simile Simoun 1/48 Odonata was created under license by .
Reception
Erica Friedman, the president of YuriconYuricon
Yuricon is an anime convention geared toward fans of yuri anime and manga. The first Yuricon event was held in 2003 in Newark, New Jersey with about 200 attending, although Yuricon has existed as an online entity since 2000. The event was organized by Yuricon, LLC., which continues to run...
and ALC Publishing, named Simoun "Best Yuri of 2006", speaking highly of its soundtrack, artwork, and story. On the negative side, she reprimanded the character designs
Model sheet
In animation, a model sheet, also known as a character board, character sheet, character study or simply a study, is a document used to help standardize the appearance, poses, and gestures of an animated character...
, especially Neviril's, comparing her to "a sex toy blow up doll". Similarly, Mark Thomas of Anime on DVD called Neviril's design "unreal", lacking the "natural feel" of other characters but has justified it with the "goddess-like" role she plays in the series. Anime News Network has also noted Neviril's "true charisma" after she comes out of her "crippling funk" by episode eight.
Friedman praised the Media Blasters release for having a mostly very good translation, for leaving in the honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
s (although no explanation was given for the honorifics on the disc). Friedman criticized the Media Blasters release for having strange names, which were insisted upon by the Japanese owners and for having no insert pictures.
Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
praised the story for not having to rely on its yuri content and for being a creative mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
series that provides food for thought. Its tone is different from other teen pilot series, as it is "never grim". The characters are also noted as being more than "one-note cookie cutter portrayals". The use of penciled still shots remaining on the screen for some time was criticized. The series' resolution was perceived as partially satisfactory, as some elements were "bitter".