ISML 2022: Can Mikoto Misaka Finally Get The Monkey Off Her Back?

ISML 2022: Can Mikoto Misaka Finally Get The Monkey Off Her Back?

By Jo-Ryan Salazar

The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue

22 January 2023

One more necklace and pendant were to be decided on Match Day 4 of the 2022 International Saimoe League Elimination Period. Rikka Takanashi took the necklace, defeating Rem 5144-5137 in the closest race of the round. Mikoto Misaka was third with 4035 votes, Yukino Yukinoshita was fourth with 2305 votes, Violet Evergarden was fifth with 1783 votes, Elaina was sixth with 1325 votes, Mai Sakurajima was seventh with 1048 votes and Eru Chitanda was last with 766 votes.

Yuuta Togashi completed a Chuunibyou sweep, defeating Hachiman Hikigaya 4702-4431 for the pendant. Conan Edogawa was third with 3153 votes, Accelerator was fourth with 2620 votes, Houtarou Oreki was fifth with 1957 votes, Sakuta Azusagawa was sixth with 1430 votes, Kazuto Kirigaya was seventh with 1139 votes and Yuu Otosaka was last with 847 votes.

In the Female Division, Misaka continued her march with a 7773-5982 win over Takanashi. Evergarden will be her Winners' Bracket opponent after defeating Elaina 7392-4945. In classification, Rem prevailed over Yukinoshita 6061-6021 and Sakurajima defeated Chitanda 6695-5040. In the Male Division Winners' Bracket Oreki defeated Hikigaya 502-5462 and Togashi routed Otosaka 7470-4161. In classification, Azusagawa pounded Edogawa 7259-5294 and Kirigaya accelerated past Accelerator 5675-5377.

Over in Seasonal play, Hitori Gotou routed Akari Watanabe 8825-1763, Itsuki Nakano cut down Denji 6974-3149, Ichika Nakano knocked down Amiya 6468-3321, Ikuyo Kita thumped Shigei Kageyama 7694-2145, Yor Forger cruised past Shinnosuke Nohara 7300-3405, Ran Mouri crushed Aki Hayakawa 6693-4512, Nijika Ijichi destroyed Hana Uzaki 6848-2842, Anya Forger hammered Yousuke Shibazaki 7843-2440 and Megumin exploded past Makima 5265-4298.

In Couples play, Gilbert Bougainvillea and Violet Evergarden defeated Kuroko Shirai and Mikoto Misaka 6387-5879, Mai Sakurajima and Sakuta Azusagawa romped past Yuu Otosaka and Nao Tomori 6729-5156, Hachiman Hikigaya and Yukino Yukinoshita drubbed Touma Kamijou and Mikoto Misaka 7044-4938 and Yuuta Togashi and Rikka Takanashi rocked Saya and Elaina 8348-4381. 

In Female Division consolation, Tamako Kitashirakawa (57228.6) and Kuroko Shirai (59645.1) advanced in one bracket, while Nao Tomori won a four-way race with 66688.6 points. In another consolation group, Itsuki Nakano (5500), Anya Forger (5258), Rio Futaba (4910), and Yor Forger (5084) advanced. In Male Division consolation, Taki Tachibana won the four-way with 49384.6 points, In another bracket, Saika Totsuka (42042.3) and Tomoya Okazaki (42171.9) advanced and in the third, Kyojurou Rengoku (38934.1) and Nasa Yuzaki (37403.5) advanced.

Finally, a series of exhibition matches took place. Mio Akiyama boomed past Marin Kitagawa 5896-5198, Sagiri Izumi slammed Chika Fujiwara 5713-4848, Kuruko Shirai took down Takina Inoue 6566-4287, Kaguya Shinomiya stormed past Nino Nakano 5775-5154, Tamako Kitashirakawa pounded Emilia 5665-5411 and Megumi Katou rocked Yui Hirasawa 5413-5370.

Genshin Impact's saimoe soft power even extends to the animals, as Taroumaru defeated his counterpart from Gakkou Gurashi 4201-3562. In other exhibition play, Yusa Kurobane defeated Nodoka Toyohama 4532-4111, Mayuri Shiina shook Kayo Hinazuki 4995-2333, Kyouko Kirigiri slashed past Victorique de Blois 4386-2748, Keke Tang mowed down Zhong Lanzhu 5954-2068, Azuka Langley Souryuu delivered the Upset of the Round, a 4666-3881 statement win over Nanami Aoyama, Haruhi Suzumiya showed she still had it after dismissing Yuki Nagato 5198-2367, Reina Kousaka eased past Chtholly Nota Seniorius 5222-3296, Sakuta Kinomoto whipped past Kirino Kousaka 4301-4042, Kurisu Makise won a 4153-4130 barnburner over Kumiko Oumae and Miko Iino eased past Madoka Kaname 4886-3954.

Match Day 5 of the 2022 International Saimoe League Eliminations Period is scheduled for 24 January 2023. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.