ISML 2011: Topaz for Tenshi!

ISML 2011: Topaz for Tenshi!
Kanade Tachibana also takes top spot in overall standings

By JR Salazar (Bongaboi)
June 4, 2011

Yuzuru Otonashi was in tears when he told Kanade Tachibana, a.k.a. "Tenshi" the news that she had won the 2011 International Saimoe League Topaz Necklace over Azusa Nakano with 2,977 votes.

"The love of my life can be an emotional guy if he wants to be, and tonight was his night to be," Tachibana said at a victory rally in Tokyo. "He is proud of me, and I am proud of all of you for your support during these last several days. I dedicate this victory to my friends, to my voters, and to Yuzuru. We will never be apart again."

Yuri Nakamura and Yui expressed their congratulations.

"I think she is a wonderful person," Nakamura said. "After we came to terms with her a while back, Tenshi has made this tournament hers. I think she might go all the way. Nobody could touch her."

"Kanade-chan is one of the best, and tonight, she proved to everyone why she deserves the radiance of the sun!" Yui exclaimed, to the roar of the crowd.

Yui and her band, Girls Dead Monster, performed a set of songs, before Tachibana joined in for a few numbers, culminating with a stirring piano solo of "My Soul, Your Beats".

Tachibana earned a whopping 29.105 in the Necklace Score Calculation. That was three times that of the nearest competitor, Nakano, who only managed 9.686.

"Fly on with super power lightning, baby child," TK said with a grin.

"She has put the competition on notice," Hinata remarked. "Enough said."

Back at Sakuragaoka High School, there were hugs of consolation as Nakano conceded the race via mobile phone.

"I was coming up against an unstoppable force," Nakano said with a faint smile. "Congratulations to Tenshi. This was her Topaz, and no one else's."

Nakano earned 1,604 votes to close out a disappointing Topaz campaign. Shana was third with 1,382 votes and finished fourth in the calculation with 6.756 points. Yuki Nagato was fourth in the voting with 1,329 votes and was third in the calculation with 8.407 points. Ruri Gokou was fourth in the voting with 1,191 votes but finished fifth in the calculation with 4.795 points. Taiga Aisaka was sixth in the voting with 1,030 votes and finished last in the calculation with 4.443 points. Eucliwood Hellscythe was last in the voting with 920 votes but finished fifth in the calculation with 5.291 points.

Sakura Kinomoto edged Chii in the battle for the Topaz Earrings 2,142-1,893.

"Winning this bracelet is something that I treasure because as a contestant in the regular season in the past I didn't win anything major," Sakura said at a press conference. "Now I have the closure I need. Now I can say that I did win something meaningful. And these look good on me too."

Misuzu Kamio was this with 1,486 votes, Lucy was fourth with 1,385 votes, Ai Enma was fifth with 1,243 votes, Hikari Yagami was sixth with 1,209 votes and Naru Narusegawa held up the rear with 1,075 votes.

Three other exhibitions took place on Topaz Match Day 8. In the first exhibition, Fuuko Ibuki defeated Kanata Izumi 3,010-2,643. Yuyuko Saigyouji of Touhou Project was third with 1,844, Mayoi Hachikuji was fourth with 1,272 votes, Sayo Aisaka was fifth with 794 votes, Momoko Touyoko was sixth with 621 votes and Sayoko Arashiyama was last with 249 votes.

In the second exhibition, Tomoyo Daidouji defeated Ruri Hoshino 2,972-2,293. Shinobu Maehara was third with 1,940 votes, Misato Katsura gi was fourth with 1,596 votes, Yukino Miyazawa was fifth with 929 votes, Urumi Kanzaki was sixth with 568 votes and Noriko Takaya was last with 135 votes.

In the third exhibition, Kotori Shirakawa defeated Aruru 2,195-1,896. Kagome Higurashi was third with 1,786 votes, Belldandy was fourth with 1,500 votes, Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga was fifth with 1,253 votes, Tohru Honda was sixth with 999 votes and Alicia Florence was last with 804 votes.

Up next in the International Saimoe League is the Amethyst Necklace Phase, representing the spirit of the moon. Match Day 1 is scheduled for Sunday, June 12, 2011. Be sure to vote for your favorite characters online at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.

And as always, you can keep up to date on the latest news from the ISML at bongaboi.deviantart.com and the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue (bedlamba.blogspot.com).

2011 INTERNATIONAL SAIMOE LEAGUE
Top 16 after Topaz Necklace Phase
As of June 4, 2011

1. Kanade Tachibana (TOP)
2. Mikoto Misaka (AQ)
3. Shana
4. Azusa Nakano
5. Yuki Nagato
6. Mio Akiyama (C)
7. Eucliwood Hellscythe
8. Ruri Gokou
9. Charlotte Dunois
10. Yui
11. Taiga Aisaka
12. Yuri Nakamura
13. Hinagiku Katsura
14. Nadeko Sengoku
15. Haruhi Suzumiya
16. Saber

KEY:
AM = ISML Aquamarine Necklace Champion
TOP = ISML Topaz Necklace Champion
AM = ISML Amethyst Necklace Champion
SAP = ISML Saaphire Necklace Champion
EM = ISML Emerald Necklace Champion
RUB = ISML Ruby Necklace Champion
DIA = ISML Diamond Necklace Champion
C = Defending International Saimoe League Champion