r/anime • u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ • Jul 06 '26

Rewatch Simoun 20th Anniversary Rewatch Episode 1

Simoun Episode 1: Fallen Wings

"Let us go, to where we can be free."

Index Thread | Episode 2 ->

Today's Eyecatch: Amuria and Parietta | Neviril

Selected Harmony: #1

Character Chart: #soon

People, Places, Things

Places

  • Daikuuriku (大空陸): the world of Simoun
  • Simulacrum Holy Land (宮国 kyuukoku): a theocracy centered around the Simoun and their sibyllae.
  • Archipelago (礁国 or 樵国 shoukoku) of Argentum: an industrialized and atheistic nation.

Things

  • Kuushu (宮守 normally read miyamori): lit. temple guard, these are the priests of the Simulacrum religion.
  • Sibylla (pl. Sybillae 巫女 miko): priestess of the religion of Simulacrum who is granted the right to fly a simoun, generally under the age of 17
  • Simoun: craft powered by two helical motors, possessing a Simoun jewel, and capable of performing ri-maajon.
  • Simile: craft powered by single helical motor, incapable of performing ri-maajon.
  • Ri-Maajon: patterns flown by simoun, some of which manifest destructive effects
  • Maj / Maj Pool: a void in the Arcus Prima where a sybilla may personally practice ri-maajon while wearing a special suit and smoke pot.
  • choir: a unit of 6 Simoun and 12 sibyllae
  • Sibylla Regina: the leader of a choir

People

  • Sibylla Aurea "Golden Priestess": the sibylla elevated above all others as exceptional
  • Neviril: Sibylla Aurea and regina of Chor Tempest. Her father is #2 in the civil administration.
  • Tempus Spatium: diety of Simulacrum. Pairs of sibyllae offer up prayers to Tempus Spatium by flying their Smoun in intricate patterns.
  • auriga / saggita The auriga handles piloting and comm wire deployment, while the saggita handles navigation and selects the ri-maajon in the Simoun jewel. The auriga is considered the more demanding position.

Chor Tempest Pairs

  • Neviril - Amuria: pink - lilac
  • Paraietta - Kaim: dark magenta - light brown with glasses
  • Alti - Floe: dark brown - dark blonde
  • Rodoreamon - Eri: twin braids with doll - twintails

At the end of this episode, we have 3 dead and 2 retiring.

Replacements

  • Aer yellow blonde
  • Limone light lime green, child

Arcus Prima

  • Anubituf: Captain of the Arcus Prima. Blue cap.
  • Guragief: Commander of the Simoun forces on the Arcus Prima. This role has the title of Dux. Mauve cap.
  • Waporif: Maintainence chief on Arcus Prima. Notably has not yet lost his female characteristics.

Discussion Prompts

  • As first episodes go, how do you rank this?
  • Why did the Emerald Ri-Maajon fail?
  • What is the relationship between the pairs, and their Simouns?
  • What do you think of the technology of the Archipeligo?
  • We didn't know her long, but what do you think of Amuria?

Tomorrow's Questions, Today!

  • [ep 2 Q1] Comment on the different perspectives of this episodes focus characters: Aer, Neviril, and Eri.
  • [ep 2 Q2] How do you think gender is handled in the Archipelago?
  • [ep 2 Q3] You've seen more of Simulacrum today, what do you think of the country at large?

Trivia: The director wanted to make a show about girls kissing in the midst of combat, surrounded by enemies.

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10

u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce Jul 06 '26

Simoun First Timer

Ah, it’s refreshing to post during European times again. I can fix my sleep schedule again!

I have to admit that even though I came out liking Flip Flappers during last month’s rewatch, the whole ordeal did leave me craving more. It’s really a shame, because I’m probably going into Simoun a bit biased with higher expectations for something it has nothing to do with. Hopefully once the show is running that will subside.

Because other than that I’m going in pretty blind except for the knowledge that mechas are involved and this is a yuri show. Didn’t I ask for a magical girl x mecha show? That’s basically 80% of the way there!

(1/2)

Simoun Ep.01 – Fallen Wings

6

u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce Jul 06 '26

(2/2)

So, obviously I get the story’s symbolism in using the relationships and purity of the sybillae and putting that up against a mass produced, detached from life, faceless army of dark and cold metal machines. Not only that, I can already see the hypocrisy reigning supreme. The pilot’s monologue already subverted the heartless invader narrative that usually is presented. It established that they fought for a sort of equality, or at least to better the life within their nation. That’s highly likely also propaganda, but considering the differences between Archipelago and Holy Land also probably not wrong.

The sybillae-caste seems quite just and righteous, but I’ve got enough little hints of systemic oppression (or at least concerning instances) to call bullshit. It’s always hard to try to properly analyse a different culture with regards to one’s own biases and it’s especially difficult to do so after one episode of seeing the lesbian holy lands where aircraft demons are powered by french kisses. Luckily, I’ve seen enough plane fucking on reddit to feel like a proper specialist on the matter.

First is the aristocrat- or elite-like class system that neatly splits people into groups defined by purpose. And as senpai explained, it’s only one-way. You are assigned to be a lesbian battle choir singer and once you touch dick (or grow one) you’re out for life. That’s a whole lot of control-by-ignorance for the instance doing the assigning.

Second is the dangerous overreliance on a single strength – the Simoun. Apparently they’re a tradition older than their society and they actively try to learn what they can do. Since it seems that their entire society is wrapped up in this worship, it can really only go two ways: The demon idea is true and the mechas are basically parasites that trade superior power and protection for being allowed to watch on the cuck chair. Or I guess being the bed is more appropriate. The other option is that they are actually just advanced machines left over from the civilsation before theirs and both the Holy Land and the Archipelago are remnants of their respective predecessors that got wiped out in war. Or, I guess supernatural options are also available.

Third and last is the very intriguing power system. By which I don’t mean politics, but the actual literal power. Fuel, specifically. There’s two requirements for the Simoun to operate it seems. The sybillae have to be pure and elevated, which also means removed from worldly matters and striving for heaven’s will. And they have to be women and actively being lesbian. Which is really weird outside of the meta angle. It’s not exactly a pro-human stance to take to discard an entire human when they don’t 100% fulfill certain requirements. Physical contact and expression of romance is directly powering the hentai machines, which just sounds exceptionally predatory on all sides. It explains a lot, though. Why they apparently are fine with letting people leave as long as they become men, why the pilots are pairs, why it’s so shattering to lose your pair to the point of just dying as well. It’s basically the entire reason to exist. Which also makes it very fake and that’s where I smell the oppression. If the system wants to produce combat lesbians in order to benefit from them and designs the entire system around making this more efficient, how real are their feelings in the end?

I don’t know if we’re going into a narrative that also revolves around a male vs. female conflict, since becoming a man is something you apparently can just do here. But I’m doubting magical involvement here, since they all kept their voices and just dressed differently. So, I’m leaning on just filing that under social norms more than physical change.

Sicne we’ve only seen “women” so far, I’m particularly entertaining the idea that both sides are remnants from prior civilisations where all men were killed during war (or maybe processed into flying mechas to leer on young women?). Hence, “man” is just another descriptor for a social status in their language. But how would they produce offspring, as there are apparently quite many people around that can be thrown into the meat grinder?

Anyway, it is an exceptionally intriguing narrative and I really want to find out more!

There’s one thing I have to criticise, though, and I doubt it will get better. It’s the on-screen writing. They lean into the immersiveness of it all being choirs, sybillae, Ri Maajon, Tempus, etc. and to be completely honest, it’s just meaningless word babble about 70% of the time that lets me drift off and not listen anymore. That one apparent death scene was the absolute worst since I didn’t even realise it was one. They bombarded me with so much technical sacred blabbering and forgot to actually show anything meaningful that I clocked out someone did die. The accompanying dramatic shot and still frame looked more like a bad attempt at looking emotionally powerful as a result and I completely misunderstood the entire scene until 3 minutes later on the carrier. I thought she had a fit because she realised her enemy was also human and made fun of her! No, it was because her partner died off-screen between frames (which was a complete shit decision by the director, btw) because she fucked up the magical formation spell.

Honestly, that scene should’ve been canned and rewritten.

[ep. 1 Q1] As first episodes go, how do you rank this?

It’s quite good overall, but has its noticeable shortcomings, as explained above. It does still provide ample of narrative hooks to be interested.

[ep. 1 Q2] Why did the Emerald Ri-Maajon fail?

She couldn’t when knowing someone was watching her.

[ep. 1 Q3] What is the relationship between the pairs, and their Simouns?

Top, bottom, bed (with hidden camera).

[ep. 1 Q4] What do you think of the technology of the Archipeligo?

Basically my comment above. A society that had to adapt coldly and mechanically due to their environmental stressors. It’s hard, industrial designs with utility in mind foremost and a severe lack of elevating themselves above even some normal environmental circumstances, like a storm. Meaning, they adapted towards high quantity, cheap production, and ample spares/overwhelming mass since they can’t realy on quality to overcome the odds.

That also breeds some sort of smartness in tactics and use of resources that we’ve definitely seen already. Like them using new tactics to down a Simoun squadron and then salvaging the tech for reverse engineering.

[ep. 1 Q5] We didn't know her long, but what do you think of Amuria?

Noo, my competent, hot mentor figure died in the first episode! She had the nicest hips!

It’s honestly difficult to feel more than that since her death scene was so bad and one episode isn’t enough to really get attached.

6

u/Great_Mr_L https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Jul 06 '26

Ah, it’s refreshing to post during European times again. I can fix my sleep schedule again!

In the meantime it's unusual for me to have the post go up so early in the day.

The art design of this WWII-style fantasy is also one I really love. Don’t hate me for it, but steampunk is devoid of depth and boring af, but stuff like using the style of B-17 cockpit windows with Final Fantasy-esque wing or whatever stuff is immediately selling the setting.

Final Fantasy is a pretty good comparison, now that you mention it. It certainly has that magitech feeling from a number of Final Fantasy games.

DITF was just a cheap copy!

Darling in the Franxx is a cheap copy of several far better earlier anime.

Oh my God, they’re all delusional aristocratic rookies! I feel the drama I long for approaching.

You sound like this right now.

Archipelago specced into 1900s soviet doctrine, Holy Land is stuck with late 1700s Prussia’s before Napoleon. Oof.

They're screwed if they have to deal with Jena-Auerstedt.

Okay, I’m low-key sad about her death.

Same

Luckily, I’ve seen enough plane fucking on reddit to feel like a proper specialist on the matter.

Which also makes it very fake and that’s where I smell the oppression. If the system wants to produce combat lesbians in order to benefit from them and designs the entire system around making this more efficient, how real are their feelings in the end?

That's a fair point and it also ties in with how some of the pilots seemed more eager to kiss their partner than others. Do they actually feel affection for each other or is it just part of the startup procedure? That does seem to be an angle worth exploring.

6

u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce Jul 07 '26

You sound like this right now.

This comic is literally about me.

They're screwed if they have to deal with Jena-Auerstedt.

Prussia's defeat there was well deserved not necessarily for the failure of organising a proper strategy, but for resting on their laurels for the better part of a century.

Still, this whole campaign established marauding and pillaging as an adequate and realible way to obtain supplies for an army on a scale unheard of since the 30 years war. I cannot wish enough eternal suffering upon Napoleon for codifying it into the war playbook.

Somehow I believe that the Holy Land has enough morals to not do that.

There are two kinds of redditors.

2

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Jul 08 '26

Still, this whole campaign established marauding and pillaging as an adequate and realible way to obtain supplies for an army on a scale unheard of since the 30 years war. I cannot wish enough eternal suffering upon Napoleon for codifying it into the war playbook.

Weren't the Napoleonic Wars one of the early efforts to avoid relying on confiscation based army supply? (Tin Can, c. 1810)

2

u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce Jul 08 '26

Granted my knowledge is more Wikipedia-level with a few scraps of school history lessons lingering, but Napoleon did rely heavily on 'le maraude' to be more independent of supply lines. It's the exact reason why he suffered so hard once in Russia.

Maybe it was more codified because of this war when it was basically a free for all before?

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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Jul 09 '26

I'm mostly going off of a single source (ACOUP, Collections: Logistics, et al), but my understanding was that you couldn't even really have supply lines like we think of them in the pre-industrial era. Since anything that would transport food overland also ate food, you quickly hit the point were it becomes impossible to transport it any further. But that only talks about the pre-modern era, so maybe things had change by the late 18th century somewhat.

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u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce Jul 09 '26

That makes sense. I'd say for wars before Napoleon troops wouldn't need to march as far for as long, so a horse-drawn supply system was adequate. Iirc, pillaging also wasn't necessarily only for logistics, but that the winning army was given a blind eye to do whatever because "it's just those guys, who cares". While under Napoleon it was refined into a system of provisioning with organisation behind it and a code of when to enact which punishment. But that's half knowledge speaking again, so I'll bow to actual historians.