Finally had a chance to sit down and really watch the episode, as opposed to skimming it. The fanservice was a bit silly, but overall it was still fun. Some thoughts on characters...
Altlene is definitely toning down the desu's a bit. THe running gag of her cosplay fetish is cute, and not to over the top. Like to see where she's getting all the material from, though. Is Master buying it all for her or is she making it out of leftover bits? Still playing the part of the blonde, clumsy ditz of the Shinki world too. Hopefully she actually gets to fight and show she's not just sewing. Still think it's a shame she's not more musically inclined onsidering who her VA is. She's hasnt really dont MUCH in the series, actually thinking about it.
Altines gets official confirmation to being Altlene's little sister, although they (the fansubs at least) mention she's just configured that way. Was it her Master who did that, or a factory setting? Wondering if her being Strarf's victim for casual displays of repressed violence is going to be her running gag. Not really a tsundere like I really thought, at least not to her owner, but she's defitely showing some tsun properties to the rest of the group. Loved the bit with her and Altlene fantasying about master's praise.
Arnval is the good girl, as ever. Someone wrote she seemed like the big sister of the entire group, and you can see that here. Rather surprised she was the octopus' primary victim considering Altlene's bigger assets. Was expecting a bit more of a connection between Strarf and Arnval considering they have the same maker.
Strarf is cute in her kuudere way. You can see that she wants her owner to praise her fighting skills, but she's got an owner who isnt much into fighting. She definitely wishes this was a Shonen anime, I bet. She's beginning to thatw a bit already, though. I bet she'll be drinking tea with them in a few episodes.
Others: Mao is in this one, nano da! So is Howling! Whoohoo! Howling is best doggy!! *cough* Anyways, beginning to look like they're setting a pattern of two new Shinkis an ep, matched pairs. Hopefully it isnt just a blink and you missed it cameo for most of them. Howling and Mao didnt really get much time to exploit their showing today. Ach and YDda for next week, so I'm sure that'll make some people happy.
Over Thinking It: So it looks like the visualisers are more then just holograms. Either Shinkis are programmed really well to incorporate the displays, or thhey're really reaching into superscience for this. Interesting questions about power consumption there. Why use it for Shinkis and not more wide spread use? Issues with escalating power? Exponential draw, maybe? If you need massiv power for bigger arenas, that'd explain why shinki centers are still around.
Looks like registration of a shinki is still similar to Rondo's system, although without the verbal 'wake up' cues from the Shinki itself.
Thank's to Arnval, we know Shinkis have a way to 'taste' food, in a fashion. Whether it's actual taste or just a chemical analysis system that is a rough approximation is the real question. Still doesnt answer whether Shinkis properly 'eat' the stuff, as in digest it and process it for fuel. The notes on Shinki Jelly we've had before notes it's mostly additives, rather then something they need to digest to function. They're battery driven after all.