Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry: Chivalry of a Failed Knight - A Tale of Worst One

http://i.imgur.com/VPVaTvS.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=bMIarTOSN7o

Plot Summary: Magic Knights are modern magic-users who fight with weapons converted from their souls. Ikki Kurogane goes to a school for these Magic Knights, but he is the "Failed Knight" or "Worst One" who is failing because he has no magical skills. However, one day, he is challenged to a duel by Stella, a foreign princess and the "Number One" student. In this duel, "the loser must be obedient for life."
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ency...e.php?id=17062


Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry: Chivalry of a Failed Knight episode 1 by Horriblesubs:
http://nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=740402

And another manga that I've been readin that got animated this season. Guess this really needs to compete with Asterisk since it's pretty much the same setting.

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Originally Posted by NeoCybercoin

And another manga that I've been readin that got animated this season. Guess this really needs to compete with Asterisk since it's pretty much the same setting.

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Or just watch both?

Edit: I'm 4 minutes in, and you wouldn't know how accurate you are on your statement. Scene by scene there's a strong parallel with Asterisk, and I'm just 4 minutes in.

You guys are underestimating how generic generic LNs are. Believe me, I've read these two and many more.

EDIT: Just watched it.

This was adapted poorly. They made it fit the stereotypes far more than it needed to. Stella could've been a lot more mature, and Ikki could've been less of a dork. Even the action scenes felt half-assed. This was lazy work that decided to cater to the masses.

Reading the description this sounded exactly the same as Asterisk, with the fatal exception that the MC is apparently a loser in this one. I don't care if he has some special destiny as a shounen hero, but getting below average academic scores means one is either a loser or Black Star, and there ain't any black stars in a story that sounds as stupid as this one.

I'll stick to Asterisk, especially since I can derive from Shinta's post this has even been adapted poorly to boot. A couple of seasons ago I watched a few of generic shounen with nearly identical settings (actually quite similar to this), and till the end of the season I couldn't remember which name belonged to which title. I don't particularly want to repeat the experience.

I really hope there's going to be some unique features to tell these shows apart.
I'm going to get my magical high school battle shows with red haired main heroines confused.

I also really hate the "He's the worst, but actually the best" trope.

I am planning of watching both because why not. I'm already reading both of the manga's.

Here's episode 2:
http://nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=742990








Well... Yuri-chan, completely awesome character I thought.

Hate the sudden harem, but expected... lots of time wasted in echiness. Nothing else worth mentioning, didn't think much of this second episode.

Don't wanna spoil, but harem is the one thing you don't have to worry about in this series.

Episode 3:
http://nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=745847

At least the best episode so far, doesn't mean much, but there's that at least.

Episode 4:

Good fight. I like the fact that the harem is combo broken so early in the story.

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Originally Posted by shinta|hikari

Episode 4:

Good fight. I like the fact that the harem is combo broken so early in the story.

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At least so far, but yeah.

Overall a pretty enjoyable episode and a good fight to watch. These last two episodes have been considerably better than the first two episodes, so we're going in the right direction for the most part. I'll keep watching without much reservations for now.

The fight wasn't without its problems. It's hard to understand why the dude was simply standing still. Perhaps his initial plan didn't work anymore, but if his mentality is really so weak that when plan A fails, he simply decides to give up and die, it's no good. He'll never be as good as the grandpa. It was made even more stupid by the fact that once he picked himself up, he could immediately and one-sidedly end the fight using his old technique. It means he could have done it any time. Or at least after the first or second hit. In fact he could have probably avoided the second hit already, partially if not fully if he had wanted. His willpower is sorely lacking.

It's jolly good he went forward and confessed. Much, much better than going down the generic harem route.

Confessing in front of a stadium of people was probably the only think I like about Stella so far. She really could've been done less tropey.

Didn't watch 4 yet but I was pleasantly suprised by the fight in episode 3. It was way over the top, but it happened to look pretty cool, even it it was somewhat ridiculous (wall walking + leap of faith etc.):D

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Originally Posted by Kraco

It was made even more stupid by the fact that once he picked himself up, he could immediately and one-sidedly end the fight using his old technique. It means he could have done it any time. Or at least after the first or second hit. In fact he could have probably avoided the second hit already, partially if not fully if he had wanted.

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It was implied during his mental epiphany that it was the beating he took that allowed him to read the enemy's mind to that extent (as nonsensical as that is). He couldn't have done it from the start.

He really should've used his Ittou Shura even before (or as soon as he could after) the battle started and beat the guy before he could disappear, but they excused that because of his nerves, which is uncool but sorta makes sense because of his background.

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Originally Posted by shinta|hikari

It was implied during his mental epiphany that it was the beating he took that allowed him to read the enemy's mind to that extent (as nonsensical as that is). He couldn't have done it from the start.

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This is where I disagree. That's why I said one or two hit at max should have been all he needed. The problem was that he didn't activate his ultimate technique. He just stood there waiting to get hit and die. I have no doubt if he had activated his trademark power, he could have learned what he needed without nearly dying. If you think I'm wrong, then he will die very soon as he wouldn't stand a chance against serious opponents. However, since I bet the MC doesn't die, it will prove I'm right. This was all, or almost all, due to his inexperience, lack of imagination, and lack of willpower.

I think it was because he had a surefire plan of being able to detect the arrows. After that he panicked and couldn't get in the right mindset without Stella's support. I mean even if he had used Itto Shura during his panic I am not sure if it would have worked. Yes it raised everything to the max but if his mind was still in disarray it would have only added to the stress.

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Originally Posted by Kraco

This is where I disagree. That's why I said one or two hit at max should have been all he needed. The problem was that he didn't activate his ultimate technique.

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Ittou Shura has nothing to do with his Blade Steal ability. He was using it just fine before he activated Ittou Shura against Stella. It was explicitly stated that he sees through an opponent's sword technique by reading it as he fights, and Perfect Vision is an even more advanced version of that (explicitly said by loli announcer).

Ikki said in his thought monologue that he needed to remember every move his opponent had done so far, and even the opponent's words and voice throughout the fight. That move is impossible to do without having enough data to do the prediction/deduction.

The ability itself is absurd (as the Hunter said, it's a cheat), but it is even more absurd if it took him only 1-2 blows to understand everything that the opponent thinks/will think/will do. Just to be clear, he didn't sense anything. He predicted everything, even the super move the enemy did (fucking ridiculous).

EDIT:
Just to be clear in case you are misunderstanding me, I'm not denying that he is inexperienced and has an easily shaken mind (I mean, c'mon, that was the whole point of that episode). There are also a number of ways he could've won with his skill set that did not involve him nearly dying, one of which I mentioned in my previous post.

What I am saying is that his Perfect Vision skill requires enough data to work. He didn't plan for it to turn out that way. It was a lucky accident (aka plot armor) that he survived long enough, even getting shot in the vitals, to gather enough info to predict everything The Hunter will do from then on. Everything he said before turning the fight around points to this.

I'm not denying what you say. But his special skill would allow him to avoid taking crippling damage (or damage that should be crippling, but he's apparently like a terminator who can ignore wounds when it suits him). So, he could learn what he needs to learn, and learn it faster, without getting himself into a half dead state. This opponent was a boastful loser, no matter how you look at him, but the later ones down the lane shouldn't be. Moreover, unlike Stella, the later serious opponents should already know his powers beforehand. He can't fricking afford getting himself nearly killed before he tries to attack with the limited time he has. Even this dude could have killed him while he was lying on the ground. Granted, he could have ended this fight before it really began, but that's another story.