ISML 2010: Toradora!, CLANNAD, Railgun, Rozen, Higurashi and Seitokai roll in Prelims

ISML 2010: Toradora!, CLANNAD, Railgun, Rozen, Higurashi and Seitokai roll in Prelims

February 5, 2010

On World Nutella Day, Toradora!, CLANNAD and To Aru Kagaku No Railgun were among the victors in Match Day 3 of Phase I in the 2010 International Saimoe League Preliminaries. Also coming back strong were the Rozen Maiden Alice Dolls of Shinku and Suiseiseki, as well as the girls from Seitokai no Ichizon and HIgurashi no Naku Koro Ni.

Mikoto Misaka, the Railgun, blasted Chiaki Minami and Yuuhi Katagiri without much difficulty. Mikoto earned 1,840 votes in her Group 14 contest while Chiaki garnered 869 and Yuuhi 647. "There is still a lot of work to be done," Misaka said after her contest, "but I am confident that when I face Illya[sviel von Einzbern], and she goes down, I'm back, baby!"

She wasn't the only one from Academy City holding it down. Kuroko Shirai took out Amu Hinamori and Izumi Segawa in her Group 12 match. Shirai got 1,367 votesm while HInamori and Segawa got 989 and 924, respectively. Ruiko Saten was similarly triumphant in her Group 13 battle with Nayuki Minase, winning 1,289-1,187. Kana Minami was a distant third with 707 votes.

"Onee-sama [Mikoto Misaka] already has experience competing in a league like this," Shirai said afterwards. "I want to show her I can do the same, and that I can beat her, too. Onee-sama~~~~, I'm on my wa~~~y! <3"
"It does feel good to be in the driver's seat," Saten said afterwards, "but I need to win a few more to be sure that I am going to qualify for the ISML. I have yet to face Shinku, and that match with her will tell me if I am going to do well or if I am not going to."

Ami Kawashima and Minori Kushieda were successful in their respective battles. Kushieda bounced back from her Group 6 defeat with a 1,426-1,355 victory over Konjiki no Yami (Golden Darkness). Yoko Littner was third with 624 votes. Kawashima kept her clean sheet with a 1,473-1,255 decision over Hanyuu Furude in Group 12. Alice Carroll was third with 552 votes.

Shinku defeated Yuuko Amamiya 1,387-1,015 in Group 13. Teletha Testarossa was third with 778 votes. Suiseiseki disposed of Index LIbrorum Prohibitorum 1,333-1,198 in her Group 11 match. Moka Akashiya was third with 824 votes.

CLANNAD's Fuuko Ibuki and Mei Sunohara were flawless in their victories. Ibuki defeated Ai Enma quite easily in Group 7, 1,771-1,164. Eruruu was a distant third with 456 votes. Sunohara made Nymph initial victory a complete aberration with a 1,558-970 rout. Mizore Shirayuki was third with 775 votes.

Seitokai no Ichizon's Chizuru Akaba bounced back from her setback in Group 12 with a 1,485-969 annihilation of Makoto Sawatari. Yuuki Kataoka was third with 656 votes. Minatsu Shiina prevailed over Isumi Saginomiya in Group 10, 1,355-1,250. Yakumo Tsukamoto was third with 629 votes.
"I'm not going to have any false senses of security after getting to the top of the ladder," said Shiina afterwards. "I make it clear that I will win at all costs to be in the big dance. And that's when the fun begins."
"She said it, not me," quoted Akaba in response to Shiina's statement.

Those who thought Konata Izumi was out of sight and out of mind had better think twice about that statement. Izumi thrashed Matsuri Shihou 1,944-907, while Mayoi Hachikuji was third with 576 votes.
"Two words: Too easy," Izumi said afterwards. I'd rather see me match up with C.C. and Nanoha Takamachi rather than this farce of a mismatch.
Indeed, Nanoha and C.C. are on a collision course. C.C. routed Maria Ushiromiya and Setsuna Sakurazaki in emphatic fashion. The glamour girl of Code Geass earned 1,844, while Maria took 768 votes and Setsuna garnered 747.
Takamachi blasted Mikan Yuuki and Kaede Mizuno in her Group 9 contest. Takamachi took 1,507, Yuuki 935 and Mizuno 698.

In Group 6, Holo swallowed up Tomoyo Daidouji and Souseiseki without much difficulty. Holo took home 1,829 votes, Souseiseki 928 and Daidouji 749. Ikaros edged Tsuruya in Group 6 by the score of 1,311-1,265/ Kotome Kirishima was third with 682 votes.

In Group 7, Nadeko Sengoku emerged as the possible second contender from Bakemonogatari. Sengoku finished first in her match with 1,678 votes, while Hayate Yagami and Miyako MIyamura earned 878 and 707 votes, respectively. Ui Hirasawa's dream of joining her older sister Yui in the regular season continued with a 1,735-919 steamrolling on Suo Pavlichenko. Akane Kirishima was third with 598 votes. Both Sengoku and Hirasawa were optimistic about their chances of beating Ibuki.
"Obviously, you never want to underestimate an opponent like Fuuko-chan," Sengoku said. "I do believe that I can beat her, though."
"Fuuko hasn't faced the likes of me or Nadeko yet," Hirasawa said after her win, "so I would guess that she would be in for a big surprise. Stay tuned."

In Group 8, Koromo Amae's run for the field of 50 continued with a 1,304-934 victory over Sawako Kuronuma.  Kirino Chiba was third with 703 votes. Ayumu Nishizawa crushed Yomi Isayama 1,550-916 in her Group 8 contest. Beatrice was third with 767 votes.

Group 10 was a field day for CLAMP. Sakura Kinomoto tore down Evangeline A.K. McDowell 1,426-983 with Ai Haibara garnering 826 votes to finish third. Kobato Hanato bottled up Shinobu Oshino 1,587-932. Kana Ikeda was a distant third with 450 votes.

Utau Hoshina cut it close with Haruka Nogizaka in Group 11, but still won, 1,174-1,119. Tsubasa Hanekawa was third with 864 votes. Rika Furude also kept her run for a third-straight ISML regular season appearance intact with a 1,573-1,148 win over Sakuya Aizawa. Akari Mizunashi was third with 610 votes.

In Group 13, Mion Sonozaki took the wind out of Saki Miyanaga 1,397-1,027. Sheryl Nome was a distant third with 498 votes. Von Einzbern had an easy 1,725-796 victory over Shiori Misaka. Momoko Touyoko was third with 615 votes. And Rei Ayanami scored a surprise 1,074-967 victory over Ange Ushiromiya, continuing the futility for the Umineko no Naku Koro Ni franchise. Noe Isurugi was third with 898 votes.

Voting in the 2010 International Saimoe League preliminaries continues on February 7, 2010. Fans can vote online at internationalsaimoe.com.