ISML 2019: Yukino Yukinoshita Wins Amethyst Necklace

ISML 2019: Yukino Yukinoshita Wins Amethyst Necklace
Sakuta Azusagawa Pulls Off Major Upset, Wins Amethyst Pendant

By Jo-Ryan Salazar
The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
September 15, 2019

A reliable third choice at 7-1, Yukino Yukinoshita defeated Asuna Yuuki 8563-7690 to win the 2019 International Saimoe League Amethyst Necklace and give Yuuki the position of Challenger of Record for the Sapphire Necklace. Schwi Dola was third with 5097 votes, Kurumi Tokisaki was fourth with 4097 votes, Mashiro Shiina was fifth with 3273 votes, Kurisu Makise was sixth with 2823 votes, favorite Sagiri Izumi turned in a horror showing with 2180 votes to finish seventh and Mai Sakurajima once against finished last with 1720. The Sakurajima/Azusagawa camp is suspecting that the last place finish is on purpose, meaning that possibility of winning the Diamond Necklace is a distinct possibility, however, Sakurajima and Sakuta Azusagawa have denied this.

Speaking of Azusagawa, in the Upset of the Round, Mai's husband may have been a 30-1 dark horse, but he scalped Levi Ackerman 7103-6845 to win the Amethyst Pendant. Archer was third with 4417 votes, Yuuta Togashi was fourth with 3337 votes, Willem Kmetsch was fifth with 2723 votes, Taki Tachibana was sixth with 2439 votes, Touma Kamijou was seventh with 2149 votes and Eugeo was last with 1851 votes. Kaguya Shinomiya's form from the Winter seasonal held in an easy 13096-4534 rout of Fumino Furuhashi. Shinomiya is on track to be named the next Speaker of the Saimoe Diet, following Violet Evergarden.

In the Female Division, advancing to the Sapphire Period via with Wild Card were Taiga Aisaka (76511.3), Eriri Spencer Sawamura 75481.4), Sakura Kinomoto (69400.9), Sora Kasugano (71549.7), Mirai Kuriyama (68793.1) and Mitsuha Miyamizu (76425.6). In the Male Division, Shidou Itsuka (56171.6), Katsuki Bakugou (56136.2), Karma Akabane (54471.6), Joutarou Kuujou (52997.3), Sorata Kanda (61589) and Neutrophil (55832.4) survive and advance.

Finally, a series of doubles exhibitions took place. Karen Tendou and Mafuyu Shiina hammered Aguri and Kurimu Sakurano 7447-4768, Satoshi Fukube and Mayaka Ibara pounded Youhei and Mei Sunohara 8911-6430, Souta Mochizuki and Akari Hayasaka defeated Yuu Setoguchi and Natsuki Enomoto 5689-4418, Aoi Miyamori and Nayuta Kani prevailed over Aoba Suzukaze and Kaoruko Moeta 7757-6745, Kotori Kanbe and Shiroha Naruse thumped Tamaki Kousaka and Eruruu 8837-3653, Charlotte Dunois and Charlotte Belew eased past Houki Shinonono and Yaya 7041-6043, and Iori Minase and Kotori Minami drilled Azusa Miura and Umi Sonoda 8072-5103.

Match Day 1 of the 2019 International Saimoe League Sapphire Period is scheduled for September 18, 2019. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate. And keep it right here on The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue for continuing coverage of the 2019 International Saimoe League, the world's premier anime character competition.