Trying to Beat Tempus Spatium at Izumi Pool, And Miscellany.

First, some housekeeping items:

• Before I move on entirely in many ways, here’s a YouTube clip of Ayako Kawasumi’s performance during her panel, at least for a couple questions. You might want to watch your volume a bit. Also the local Baltimore paper has an Otakon aftermath piece you might want to check out, especially those of you who are interested in the, ahem, crossplays. Check out the video/pictures on the right side of the website.
• As my vacation time winds down I’ll definitely be blogging less–maybe back to my 3-times-a-week schedule, if I can help it.
• Watch Simoun. Or not.

I was googling and surfing and reading opinions about Simoun here and there today–Simoun is totally on my mind–but one thing that struck me is just how the various Simoun Sibyllae eventually will have to go to the Spring. It made an impact when I realized we could start a pool on this.

If this is any help, here’s a chart to keep you afloat with names and relationships. Keeping ourselves to Chor Tempest (as of episode 19, anyways. And by the way, if you have suggestions and/or corrections for that chart please let me know). I know I need it…

Aeru – 3 to 1. I think it’s just hard to imagine her taking a role that’s gender female; in as much as I think in the end, archetype character design rules would have her more in line with “indifferent” so Onashia could play the Wheel of Gender-Morality game with Aeru. The tomboy speaking pattern would suggest as much at the least.

Yun – 10 to 1. If her speaking pattern, again, is clue for anything, she talks like a very odd … guy. However I think her personality, once stripped of its gender context, is very much also a masculine stance. In some ways being a girl actually seems more befitting Yun’s behavior, so I think it’s just more fun if Yun ends up male. Ultimately, however, I don’t think it’ll make a difference like how it made a difference for Erif.

Dominura – 3 to 1. I can’t imagine exactly how Dominura could be a man, but the only possible way that I can tell is tied with how gender roles are cut within the Simulacrum Theocracy itself. If it is going to be locked up in the way that only men gets the top jobs, then Dominura would gladly make the sacrifice, knowing that it probably won’t make a difference. However, I don’t know if this is truly the case…even if there are some signs of it.

Floe – 1 to 10. She said so as much.

Lodoreamon & Mamiina – Even. I think Lodoreamon is going to be the big surprise for us. In as much as I think her personality and Mamiina’s personality are a match, their social position and upbringings are fairly drastic. As a result I think Mamiina is probably going to stay a girl and Lodoreamon a guy, or vice versa. It depends on which considers play a bigger role in this gender bending mess.

Alti – 2 to 1. Believe it or not, even if she’s having that Guld Bowman moment with Caimu, Alti is a very perceptive person when it comes to those who she cares for. And those who are really easy to read :) Probably a man, given how Alti is a dolt to those closest to her. I don’t think she’s stupid enough to bank the decision on Caimu though.

Caimu – 2 to 1. I think she is tied with Paraietta and depends on how that plays out, she would either be a man or woman depending on Onashia, or depending on Paraietta’s wishes. Given that I think by the end it’s more likely that Caimu gets enough of Paraietta (although in a positive way), there are just more alternatives for Caimu to turn into a man than not.

Rimone – 5 to 1. It’s hard to tell so early in her development, but at this rate I don’t think Rimone is going to care for her gender. In that way she’s like Dominura; she just want to take care of the business she’s here to take care of. Even more so, she has less attachment with her feminine side, I presume, than Dominura?

Morinas – Even. She’s also hard to tell, partly because we just haven’t gotten really deep into her development. Given that she does have that “fangirl vibe” she could easily turn out either way. But if her attachment to Simouns are of any meaning she probably would fall for Wapourif or replace Wapourif.

Paraietta – 7 to 1. Paraietta is already the most manly Sybilla in Chor Tempest, with maybe exception to Yun. The question is how she will play it out with Neviril? Presuming even if that factors into her decision, it’s way more unlikely that she goes male and Nev goes female. All other combinations leads to a male Paraietta.

Neviril – 2 to 1. Ultimately Neviril has been slowly going back and forth on the personality scale throughout the series, and while her design and her mannerism screams female, one strong factor remains: her status. In fact, as long as she continues to take her lead role amongst the Chors and kick ass and chew gum all at once, she’ll no doubt turn male by the end of it all. There’s still a wildcard factor in regards to Aeru, but that’s more likely to push her towards the female end.

Now that’s done, it’s time for some qualifiers and disclaimers. First of all, these conjectures are most likely going to miss completely in that the show isn’t likely to try to wrap up every one of them–either out of time constraints or poetic license. In some ways all I am doing here is to explore how gender and gender roles play in the coming-of-age themes in Simoun. It’s also a futile exercise in seeing how much realism Simoun adhere to, when it comes to constructing characters and constructing its universe. It is all very fascinating once you include factors as the characters’ upbringings, social status, and outlook in terms of their roles in life and social injustices they may have encountered. Choice over gender is a powerful thing…