ISML 2010: K-ON!, CLANNAD, Fate/Stay Night and Railgun big winners in Preliminaries

ISML 2010: K-ON!, CLANNAD, Fate/Stay Night and Railgun big winners in Preliminaries


February 4, 2010

The action continued with the second of five match days in the first phase of the 2010 International Saimoe League Preliminaries. Play began in Groups 10-14 while Groups 1-5 began their second round of this phase. Mio Akiyama, Mikoto Misaka, Nagisa Furukawa, Saber and Kotomi Ichinose were among the winners in their respective matches.

Misaka, known in Academy City as "The Railgun" for her lethal attack that combines a simple coin with a heavy dose of electrical energy, made it clear that she wants to return to the field of 50 after a lackluster 2009 campaign. She wasted no time in dismantling Momoko Toyoko and Noe Isurugi in Group 14 contest that was over before it began. Misaka garnered 1,731 votes, while TOuyoko and Isurugi got 478 and 431, respectively.

"2009, to put it quite frankly, left a bitter taste in my mouth," Misaka said after the contest. "I want to return to the ISML and make it clear that want to wash it away from the first match to the last."

Akiyama and Ichinose are set for a clash of epic proportions that could be seen as a preview of the regular season. They were huge winners in their respective Group 1 matches. Akiyama thrashed Mai Kawasumi and Yui Kotegawa with reckless abandon. She earned 1,691 votes, while Kawasumi and Kotegawa earned 726 and 467 votes, respectively.
Ichinose, meanwhile, had an easy time dismissing Natsuru Seno and Felli LOss. Ichinose earned 1686 votes, while Seno and Loss earned 571 and 431 votes.
"Kotomi is a competent opponent, and one of the best in this group," Akiyama said. "I have great amount of respect for her. However, I know that of all the others in this group, I have the best chance of defeating her."
"Mio is no pushover," Ichinose said after her contest. "But let's see what happens."

Saber showed no signs of slowing down her momentum for her first contest in Group 5. She finished first in her match ahead of Ritsu Tainaka and Nagi. Saber earned 1,611 votes, Tainaka earned 861 and Nagi earned 451.
Furukawa had an easier time putting away Ayu Tsukimiya and Ranka Lee. She earned 1,616 votes while Tsukimiya finished second with 601 votes and Lee 394.
"Saber is always fearsome from start to finish," Furukawa said. "It seems that with every battle she becomes stronger and more determined to win. I love that Brit."
"While I appreciate the compliment from Nagisa," Saber said after her match, "I have my eyes set on the big prize at the end of this season. I take this campaign one match at a time, concentrating on each opponent as I go along."

In Group 10, Isumi Saginomiya established herself as the opponent to beat. The 2chan Anime Saimoe quarterfinalist from 2009 defeated both Kobato Hanato and Evangeline A.K. McDowell. Saginomiya earned 1,206 votes, Hanato finished second with 858 and McDowell was third with 706.
A close contest awaited Minatsu Shiina as she took on a well-seasoned veteran of the moe competition circuit in Sakura Kinomoto. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle, defeating the Clow card wielder 1,201-1,040. Shinobu Oshino finished third with 599 votes. Also in Group 10, Yakumo Tsukamoto gave hope for a surprise appearance from School Rumble, finishing first in her match with 1,034 votes. Ai Haibara was second with 777 votes and Kana Ikeda was third with 645.

Suiseiseki, a prior champion of the 2006 Anizone Best Moe and 2chan Anime Saimoe tournaments, never missed a beat in defeating Sakuya Aizawa 1,084-929 in Group 11. Haruka Nogizaka was third in the match with 785 votes. Another veteran of the circuit, Rika Furude, was all business against Index L. Prohibitorum and Tsubasa Hanekawa. Furude finished first in her match with 1,233 votes, Prohibitorum garnered 912 to finish second, and Hanekawa was a distant third with 627 votes.
"I never get enough of this," Furude was quoted as saying after the contest. "It's all old hat. But it's fun. And that's the important thing in the ISML."
Utau Hoshina was looking to ride on the coattails on Amu Hinamori's 2009 campaign. Flying the flag for Shugo Chara!, she won a close contest with Moka Akashiya 939-918, while AKari Mizunashi finished third with 648.

Ami Kawashima, another holdover from the 2009 season, had a tough contest with Chizuru Akaba in her big to join Taiga Aisaka in the field of 50. She escaped, winning her Group 12 contest 1,097-1,060, while Izumi Segawa was third with 611 votes.
Kuroko Shirai also was a winner in Group 12, defeating Yuuki Kataoka and Alice Carroll. The teleporter known for her rather unhealthy/highly publicized relationship with Misaka finished first with 1,093 votes. Carroll was second with 774 votes, while Kataoka garnered 687 to finish third. Finally in Group 12, Hanyuu Furude disposed of Hinamori and Makoto Sawatari with 1,113 votes. Sawatari was second with 821 votes while Hinamori garned 788 to finish third.

In Group 13, Shinku and Nayuki Minase were locked in a very close battle. In the end, the Pure Ruby prevailed 1,034-1,005 while Saki Miyanaga finished third with 694 votes. Ruiko Saten opened her ISML campaign with a 1,153-1025 decision over Yuko Amamiya. Sheryl Nome finished third in her match with 411 votes.
"I may be a Level 0, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to compete in battles like this," Saten said after the contest. "As a matter of fact, this may suit me. And the best part is...no Level Upper needed!"
Finally in Group 13, Mion Sonozaki skated past Kana Minami and Teletha Testarossa. Sonozaki garnered 1,050 votes to finish first, while Minami and Testarossa finished with 813 and 745 votes.

Kana's younger sister, Chiaki, was more fortunate. The futility for Umineko no Naku KOro Ni continued with a victory over Ange Ushiromiya and Shiori Misaka of Kanon. Chiaki tallied 1,145 votes, Shiori 838 and Ange 615.
Illyasviel von Einzbern also made a commitment to return to the ISML with a convincing victory over Yuuhi Katagiri and Rei Ayanami. Von Einzbern finished with 1,279 votes while Katagiri and Ayanami earned 735 and 661 votes, respectively.

Despite the victories, Chiaki and Illya admitted that they were facing a roadblock in Mikoto.
"She is a huge electrical fence that stands in my path," Von Einzbern was quoted as saying. "I don't even Berserker can crush her without getting dismantled. She may not even get a scratch. We'll just have to hope for a miracle."
"Mikoto isn't messing around," noted Chiaki. "She may have a terrible taste when it comes to swimsuits and has a complex for khaki shorts and grade school outfits, but when she fights, only the best in the league can stop her."
In another Group 1 contest, Shiki Ryogi got on the winning path with a 1,022-971 victory over Kazari Uiharu. Yuno was third with 538 votes.

Hitagi Senjougahara and Nagi Sanzen'in established themselves as the competitors to beat in Group 2. Flying the flag for Bakemonogatari, Senjougahara routed Eri Sawachika and Misuzu Kamio with 1,302 votes. Kamio was third with 797 votes, while Sawachika managed just 665.
Sanzen'in took out Ryou Fujibayashi and Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere in her match with 1,151 votes. Fujibayashi, the younger sister of automatic qualifier Kyou, was second with 897 votes while De La Valliere was third with 830 votes.
Tsumugi Kotobuki got her first ISML victory with a 1,237-828 annihilation of Asuka Langley Shikinami. Winry Rockbell was third with 703 votes.

In Group 3, Mafuyu made it a sweep for the Shiina sisters with an easy 1,513-758 drubbing of Sayuri Kurata. Hina-Ichigo was third with 420 votes. Shizuku Sango was the beacon of hope for the Kampfer team again, slashing past HIsa Takei and Lambdadelta. Sango earned 1057 votes, Takei 724 and Lambdadelta 600.
Maria didn't waste any time putting away Misuzu Kasukabe and Shion Sonozaki in her Group 3 contest. She finished first with 1,354 votes, while Sonozaki and Kasukabe earned 794 and 610 votes.

It was an easier outing for Group 4 favorite Kurimu Sakurano. She blew past Fredrica Bernkastel 1,436-827. Niche was a distant third with 288 votes. Tsukasa Hiiragi kept her dream to be reunited with older sister Kagami alive with a 1,260-1,105 victory over Rena Ryuuguu. Lisa was left in the dust with 401 votes to finish third.
Alice, meanwhile, cut it close with Chihiro Shindou in her match. Nonetheless, she prevailed 954-847 while Akari Kirishima was third with 627.

Finally, Suigintou's campaign sems to be in tatters after losing 994-988 to Chii. Yin was third with 739 votes. This upset could be a sign that the tide is turning against Rozen Maiden. However, it's early in the phase, and things can change.

Voting continues in Phase I of the 2010 International Saimoe League Prelims with Match Day 3. Fans can vote at internationalsaimoe.com for more information.