ISML 2014: Mashiro Shiina wins Topaz Necklace
Saber claims Topaz Earrings
By Jo-Ryan Salazar
The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
August 22, 2014
If this was the 2channel Anime Saimoe Tournament, Mashiro Shiina would not be given a second look. But this is the 2014 International Saimoe League, and on the final match day of the regular season, Topaz Match Day 8, she won the Topaz necklace over Shana with a score calculation of 137.579 despite losing the Necklace Match 1708-1771.
"It was all in the numbers, and I just needed to keep it close so that even if I lost, I still prevailed," said Shiina, who, ironically, won nearly every region despite losing by 63 votes. "I salute the voters who gave me the nod today. They're all wonderful people and they have great taste. And I also want to thank Sorata for being a wonderful husband. I love him to death. His faith in me is tremendous, and I wouldn't have won this necklace without his support."
Shana finished with a score calculation of 137.409 and was crushed when she heard the news. "I thought that my victory was going to be enough," Shana said, munching on her 200th melon pan of the season. "I may go down as the best ISML contestant not to win a necklace. Completely crushed."
Rikka Takanashi was third, securing 1173 votes, a huge majority coming from the People's Republic of China, for a score of 114.841. "I don't think I got the support I needed to stand much of a chance this go around," said Takanashi. "But this is why you play the game, and I'm looking forward to the postseason."
Eucliwood Hellscythe was fourth with 824 votes for a score of 107.738. "This was going to be tough to have to deal with Mashiro not winning a necklace," said Hellscythe through her interpreter, Ayumi Aikawa. "So congratulations to her. I do have a chance at winning something in the Division Finals, so I will concentrate on that."
Kotori Itsuka was fifth with a score of 97.422 after winning 673 votes. "I don't think Date A Live is a show that's going to be well-received around the world," said Itsuka. "I think I've diluted the support along with Yoshino, Tohka, Origami and Kurumi that it's going to be impossible for us to win anything next year as well. We'll just have to hope for something in the Division Finals."
Yoshino was sixth with a score of 94.540 after winning 483 votes. "I'm going to put it quite nicely," said Yoshino through her interpreter Yoshinon. "Us Date A Live girls are not going to win anything this year. The voters have singled us out and they're gonna come after us. We're gonna be left in the dust, and we're just gonna have to accept it."
Kurousagi was last, winning 526 votes for a score of 70.484. "It was good to actually compete for a necklace, even though I really didn't stand much of chance," Kurousagi said. "But at the end of the day, what matters is that I'm now in the Division Finals, the business end of the season. Let's see what happens."
Saber won the Topaz Earrings after winning 1311 votes. Yukino Yukinoshita was second with 987 votes, Yaya was third with 939 votes, Shinobu Oshino was fourth with 935 votes, KObato Hasegawa was fifth with 826 votes, Mikan Yuuki was sixth with 754 votes and Suguha Kirigaya was last with 701 votes.
"This has been a tough ISML for me because the talent tends to get better and better and better," Saber said. "I now come into the Division Finals having won something and now I don't have anything to lose. I plan to lay everyone out on the field next match."
In the first of two other exhibitions, Mafuyu Origfushi won 935 votes to finish first. Yune Amagiri won 917 votes, Komomo Hisakaki won 790 votes, Kana Suzuki won 756 votes, Sora Minazuki won 705 votes, Retia Adolf won 574 votes and Kirari Shiino was last with 344 votes.
Tifa Lockhart won the other exhibition with 1233 votes, beating out Lightning, who won 1009 votes. Aerith Gainsborough won 730 votes, Yuna won 717 votes, Rinoa Heartilly won 346 votes, Garnet Til Alexandros XVII won 338 votes and Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca was last with 231 votes.
TOP 16, Nova Division
1. Kotori Itsuka
2. Yoshino
3. Kurumi Tokisaki
4. Asuna Yuuki (EM)
5. Kuroyukihime (RUB)
6. Rikka Takanashi
7. Eru Chitanda
8. Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi
9. Tohka Yatogami
10. Nanami Aoyama
11. Kurousagi
12. Shinka Nibutani
13. Azusa Azuki
14. Yaya
15. Yukino Yukinoshita
16. Momo Velia Deviluke
TOP 16, Stella Division
1. Mikoto Misaka (AQ)
2. Kanade Tachibana (AM)
3. Mashiro Shiina (TOP)
4. Ruri Gokou (C)
5. Taiga Aisaka
6. Eucliwood Hellscythe
7. Ayase Aragaki
8. Shana
9. Azusa Nakano
10. Mio Akiyama
11. Inori Yuzuriha
12. Yui-nyan
13. Kobato Hasegawa
14. Yuri Nakamura
15. Saber
16. Haruhi Suzumiya
Day 1 of the 2014 International Saimoe League Division Finals is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014. Vote for your favorite candidates at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate. And keep it right here on the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue for continuing coverage of the world's premier anime character competition, the International Saimoe League!
