Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS Episode 08
魔法少女リリカルなのはStrikerS（ストライカーズ）Ep. 08

SPOILER Summary: In the aftermath of the battle with members of the team picking up the pieces of the destroyed Gadgets, Nanoha takes Tia aside for a little talk. Since Vita has already chastised Tia, Nanoha has no intention of doing so, but she does have some concerns over Tia’s trying too hard, so much so that she’s trying to do it all rather than rely on her team. After the talk, Nanoha returns to find Fate and Yuuno talking and recalling their past dealings with the Jewel Seeds. Fate finds an excuse to leave them alone together and joins Caro and Elio.

Late in the afternoon, Fate and Nanoha dismiss the rookies to get some rest. However, Tia is determined to get more training to get better. Vita learns from Nanoha and Fate the story of what happened to Tia’s mage brother, who was killed in action and blamed for his failures (Subaru telling the same story to Elio and Caro). It is evening when Sgt. Vice comes up to where Tia is, trying to offer some advice. However, Tia is only interested in her training. When Tia comes home, she tells Subaru she’ll be getting up early in the morning and apologizing. The following morning, Subaru has to get the exhausted Tia up and Tia reluctantly accepts the idea of extra training with Subaru. They devise a dangerous battle plan for the simulated battle that Nanoha is training the team for. Subaru knows their plan will get them scolded, but if they win, it will be worth it. Besides, Nanoha is a kind person.

On the day of the mock battle, Tia and Subaru (the Stars team) are up to fight Nanoha. Vita has Caro and Elio up nearby to observe the fight, where they are joined by Fate, who mentions how much time Nanoha puts into the training routine. The fight starts with Tia sending a barrage at Nanoha, who flees from it, only to be met by Subaru. However, Nanoha is able to knock Subaru off her feet, telling her that such a dangerous maneuver isn’t good. Nanoha becomes aware of the missing Tia, and finds herself targeted. Subaru comes right at Nanoha and attacks at close range. The Tia in the distance was an illusion and the real one comes in for a melee attack on Nanoha.

Realizing Tia and Subaru haven’t taken her training to heart, a very disappointed Nanoha decides to unleash upon the girls, stopping each of them in their tracks with one hand each. She expresses her disappointment to both girls, which causes them both to become horrified. Frustrated, Tia disengages from Nanoha to use a ranged attack. Subaru tries to help, but finds Nanoha has magically bound her, and tells her to watch. Nanoha blasts Tia hard before Tia can get her attack off. While Tia is still reeling from the attack, to Subaru’s horror, Nanoha attacks again, knocking Tia off one of Subaru’s platforms unconscious. Subaru, though bound, gets over to Tia, where she then looks back with angry tears at Nanoha.

Thoughts: I really liked this episode, not because of the Tia angst, but because it felt real to me. Nanoha’s disappointment in Tia and Subaru, whom she had such faith in that she gave them a 2nd chance to get their B-rank so they could join the 6th Mobile Division, really came through. I remember Vita wondering if Nanoha had been too easy on the rookies in training and in the mock battle, Nanoha not only schooled Tia and Subaru, she was harsher than Vita ever was, only without Nanoha even raising her voice. Subaru had been so sure that the plan she and Tia had come up with to defeat Nanoha might get them scolded, but overcoming Nanoha would trump that. Besides, Nanoha was so kind in Subaru’s eyes. Nanoha is a kind-hearted person, but Tia and Subaru had to be taught a lesson, even if it hurt Nanoha to do so. Nanoha isn’t the Training Officer for nothing.

So while I know training stuff can bore people, the training stuff I’ve seen to date has not bored me and today’s episode was a real payoff for me.

The other moment that stood out for me was Nanoha’s reunion with her former companion, Yuuno. There was always that hint of romance between the two in the first two Nanoha series and that is touched on again here with both Nanoha and Yuuno blushing a bit after Fate leaves them for a made up reason. The focus of this series seems more on the newbies rather than Fate, Nanoha, and Hayate so I’m not sure if we’ll get any advancement in their relationship.

Thus far, despite a few weaknesses, I’m rather enjoying StikerS.