ISML 2014: Asuna wins Emerald Necklace

ISML 2014: Asuna wins Emerald Necklace
Date A Live divide give Yuuki the prize, Yui claims Anklet

By Jo-Ryan Salazar
The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
July 25, 2014

When Asuna Yuuki heard the news that she won the 2014 International Saimoe League Emerald Necklace, she high-fived the embraced her husband, Kazuto Kirigaya, and their designated daughter Yui, who also won the Emerald Anklet. Yuuki finished with with 1705 votes for a score calculation of 139.552.

"It's a great victory, what more can I say?" said Yuuki at her press conference in Tokyo. "No, I think it's an honor to be dominant in this competition because I have something the fans around the world like. So I want to thank my supporters for pushing me and Yui over the top. This victory is for them. I also want to thank Kirito, for being the wonderful foundation in my life. I owe a lot to him, more than anything."

Mashiro Shiina won 1326 votes for a score calculation of 122.749. "Tough defeat, but being in a division like the Stella, I was going to be at a disavantage because of people like Mikoto [Misaka], Ruri [Gokou] and Kanade [Tachibana]," Shiina said. "I will simply take the loss and move on."

Kotori Itsuka only won 934 votes and finished third in the necklace score calculation at 111.951. "The Topaz is our last chance to make an impact," Itsuka admitted at a press conference in Tokyo. "I think the popularity of me, Yoshino and Kurumi [Tokisaki] made it difficult for any of us to win a necklace this year."

Tokisaki, who won 1398 votes for a score calculation of 102.206, echoed those sentiments. "We'll be hard-pressed to win the Topaz because Mashiro has yet to win a necklace and she may as well come in as the favorite to take that," Tokisaki said. "We just can't get over the hump in this league."

Yoshino had only 648 votes but finished fifth in the score calculation with 101.173. "I don't get this competition," said Yoshino through her interpreter, Yoshinon. "How do any of us from Date A Live still come up empty when it comes to these necklaces? We seem to be overlooked at will by these voters. They must have some agenda against us."

Taiga Aisaka, an already accomplished veteran of the league, did not sense any agenda. Aisaka had 875 votes for a score of 94.683. "This has to be frustrating for Date A Live but the power level among the top three is so diluted that a clear-cut favorite can't be determined," Aisaka said. "There are other options out there like Asuna and Mashiro. It becomes easier for the voters. They want their vote to matter. I know. I've been there."

Azusa Nakano was last, scoring 789 votes for a necklace score calculation of 87.183. "Obviously I was going to come in as an underdog in this match but it's nice to know that I'm still relevant in this competition," Nakano said. "But the new faces are holding their own, so the balance of power is cyclical. Soon, I won't be in this competition anymore. It's important that I enjoy my time here while I still can."

Yui won the Emerald Anklet with 1294 votes. Konjiki no Yami was second with 1106 votes, Origami Tobiichi was third with 1021 votes, Sena Kashiwazaki had 913 votes, Charlotte Dunois won 811 votes, Gaqua du Lot Herminium won 697 votes and Touka Takanashi held up the rear with 696 votes.

"I'm happy that I won something!" exclaimed Yui at the press conference with Yuuki. "I don't think I will win anything else this year, so I will accept this prize as a reward for all the hard work I've done this season, even though I might not be in the postseason picture."

In the first of two other exhibitions, Eco was first with 1466 votes. Hitsugi Kirigaya was second with 1142 votes, Escha Mailer was third with 1003 votes, Akane Mahougasawa won 918 votes, Suzu Nekoyama won 839 votes, Yuzuki Kurebayashi won 658 votes and Miyuki Nanase was last with 419 votes.

In the second exhibition, Aria Holmes Kanzaki won 1324 votes. Takane Enomoto was second with 1277 votes, Ai Shindow was third with 1123 votes, Cthugha won 981 votes, You Kasukabe won 960 vores, Frey won 853 votes and Kotori Takatori held up the rear with 675 votes.

TOP 16, Nova Division

1. Kotori Itsuka

2. Yoshino

3. Kurumi Tokisaki

4. Kuroyukihime (RUB)

5. Asuna Yuuki (EM)

6. Rikka Takanashi

7. Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi

8. Eru Chitanda

9. Nanami Aoyama

10. Tohka Yatogami

11. Shinka Nibutani

12. Kurousagi

13. Azusa Azuki

14. Yukino Yukinoshita

15. Yaya

16. Momo Velia Deviluke

TOP 16, Stella Division

1. Mikoto Misaka (AQ)

2. Kanade Tachibana (AM)

3. Ruri Gokou (C)

4. Mashiro Shiina

5. Taiga Aisaka

6. Ayase Aragaki

7. Eucliwood Hellscythe

8. Shana

9. Azusa Nakano

10. Mio Akiyama

11. Yui-nyan

12/ Inori Yuzuriha

13. Kobato Hasegawa

14. Yuri Nakamura

15. Saber

16. Konjiki no Yami

Match Day 1 of the 2014 International Saimoe League Topaz Period is scheduled for August 3, 2014. Vote for your favorite candidates at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate. And keep it right here on InternationalSaimoe.com for continuing coverage of the world's premier anime character competition...the International Saimoe League!