As the first day of the Emerald Season begins, we are presented with a fiery match from the camp of the "Queen of Tsundere," Kugumiya Rie. Aisaka Taiga, better known by her nickname, the "Palmtop Tiger," is a force to be reckoned with. She might be small, but she has a wild side to her like a tiger. Though there are rumours that she also has a softer, gentler side to her, like a house cat. How true it is, no one really knows. On the other hand, the same could be said for Shana. Feared by her enemies and guided by the god of fire, the "Flame-haired Burning-eyed Hunter" will stop at nothing to eradicate her foes. But according to some sightings, she isn't always a killing machine, for her girly side sometimes comes out. Now plunged in the battlefield, both with swords in hand, to whom will the Goddess of Victory smile upon: the "Ferocious Beast" or the "Hot-headed Hotshot"?

The battlefield that is ISML has a wonderful match in store for us today! If I were to call this bout, I would call it the "Battle of the Princesses," for both of them have a royal aura surrounding them. In the red corner, we have Kashiwazaki Sena. She is the smartest girl in her class, excels in athletics and is also the daughter of the director of the prestigious school she studies in. Though, like any other, she has a weakness, and that is that she does not have any friends. And now we go to the blue corner, where we have Kuroyukihime, also known as "Black Snow Princess." Possessing both beauty and intelligence, she is dubbed the most beautiful girl in her school. But then again, she has an Achilles heel, for she is constantly trying to run away from her dark past. Now facing each other, to whom will your votes go?

Some people say that if you shoot for the moon and miss, you would at least land among the stars. But what if one cannot accomplish even the first part? Outer space may be a realm of darkness and mystery, but for some people, the outer realm holds more than just stars. There lies a wish, the desire to actually be one with space, a world where they believe they can act as themselves and pursue their dreams without having things weigh them down. The stars are their friends; the outer limits, their playground. Their desire to become something bigger than they already are knows no bounds. Yet here they are, pinned on Earth, unable to bear the pain and suffering of their past. Between becoming a failure to her mother's expectations and believing that no one, not even her mother, is willing to open up and understand her pursuit of her goals, these girls simply cannot hold on any longer and ran away from their pain. But the first step to becoming true to oneself lies in overcoming their weaknesses. They must take their first step, for the rest after that will be history...

The thirst for justice and truth is what burns in the eyes of these two combatants. All Akemi Homura wanted was to save her friend from a tragic fate that would eventually befall her. To do so, Homura traveled back in time endlessly in search for a means to rescue her from her plight. At the same time, she vowed to defeat the one who had caused this horrid fate to her dear companion. Araragi Karen's search for the truth knows no bounds. If something goes awry, or if evil lurks in the background, Karen will jump on the case and make sure good triumphs. Although there were times when her morale was shattered, she continued to get back up on her feet and fight for what she deemed was right. Which of these two competitors will deliver the final blow when all is said and done?

These two probably have not realized that the world seemingly revolves around them, whether they do it intentionally or not. An unstoppable force once she sets a plan in motion, Haruhi will not take "No" for an answer whenever she comes up with a grandiose scheme. If things do not go as planned or as she pleases, she will make sure to have the events straightened properly. Yet it is those moments when she gives someone a hand that makes Haruhi realize that maybe there's more to life than having things done in a certain manner. Hirasawa Yui is one large package of unpredictability; once you take your eyes off of her, you’ll be unable to guess where she is or what she might be doing. Living life in the clouds, Yui follows her instincts and goes wherever the wind blows, be it the clubroom, or in an area filled with sweets. But when it comes to cheering her friends up or making sure there is a happy ending, Yui gives her all to make it as successful as possible. What will happen once these two collide with one another?

The second round of the Emerald Period brings these two girls face to face. They are quite similar to each other: both are very shy and quiet, and both of them possess extraordinary powers. Nagato Yuki may look like an ordinary student who loves reading books, but the truth is that she is an alien. She has the ability to change the outcome of current events like a baseball match, or hack into someone's computer without breaking a sweat. Tachibana Kanade is the same. She is a model top student, and the student council president. Unknown to her peers, she has many abilities such as skills to make her hand a dangerous weapon and create clones of herself. Well the question now stands: who will you vote for this time around?

To say they have the power to change the world is an understatement. To say they have a will strong enough to have even fate wrapped around their fingers is closer to the truth. A desire to see things through to the end, not leaving anything behind, is what runs in their blood. People can hate her and point their weapons at her, but Tachibana Kanade will bear and accept whatever happens. As long as she is able to help those lost souls move on, she will do anything she can to set them free from their plight. For too long has Shana fought battles meant to protect the peace of the world, a place where she can call others her true friends. She wanted to be closer to him, to understand him more, to let him know her every thought. When the call for help emerges, Misaka Mikoto will be the first to jump to the scene. A spark is all that is needed to light up her emotions to defeat the one who caused harm to the innocent and her friends. Gokō Ruri may not be the easiest person to approach, but upon learning about her, she’s the greatest ally one can have. To see her friend's interests and desires bear fruit, she will go through many extremes if it means obtaining the right result. Will it be the team of Kanade and Shana or Mikoto and Ruri that decides how this match should truly end?

2011년 국사모의 4강 진출자인 카나데, 샤나, 미코토, 쿠로네코가 이번 대진에서 2 vs 2 대결로 다시 모이게 되었다. 카나데와 샤나, 이 둘은 국사모의 역사에서 사람들에게 경악할 만한 기록을 가지고 있는 국사모에서 가장 악명 높은 캐러들이다. 카나데는 역대 최초이자 현재 유일의 국사모 정규시즌 100연승자이며, 샤나는 역대 최초의 국사모 정규시즌 200승자이자, 현재 유일의 6 목걸이 소유자이다. 이 둘에 대하여, 올해 2분기 최강의 캐러 2명, 미코토와 쿠로네코가 도전장을 내밀었다. 국사모의 전설들의 위엄을 보여줄 것인가, 아니면 2분기 신작의 패권 장악을 보여줄 것인가?

Both girls never regret protecting their loved ones, even if it means sacrifice their own lives. Their causes were noble, standing strong before powerful adversaries without even flinching to fulfill what they were supposed to do. Roromiya Karuta and Yui are just some ordinary girls who wished to live ordinary lives. They were once tormented but never cowered in fear. In return for fulfilling their duties, their wishes were finally granted. Yui and Karuta sat down beside me and I listened to them slowly recount their stories. Ever since the burdens on their shoulders were relieved, they were much happier. All they are left with are happy days ahead, which they look forward to sharing with their treasured ones. Karuta, munching on some chips and sharing them with Yui, told me that the both of them weren’t expecting any rewards at all. I patted their heads and told them to not look back and to instead spend the remaining time happily with their loved ones. With that, the conversation came to a close as they bade me farewell with smiles I’ll never forget.

Who would have thought that behind the eye patch and the smile hid something sad? Who would have thought that both girls were misunderstood and sabotaged? Misaki Mei and Chitanda Eru were the two unfortunate ones who experienced terrible deeds. Mei was betrayed by her classmates as they shunned and spread rumors about how she was cursed. Her existence was blatantly ignored but she never once whined about it. Despite this, she never once held any grudges and even extended her help when her classmates were in danger; all she desired was to be seen as a friend, and not a fiend. Eru is a happy-go-lucky girl whose curiosity is rivaled by none. She went on a mission to understand what happened to the former Classics Club as she also tried to recollect memories about her uncle. Through the journey, she unearthed many shocking revelations, and in the process, she was sabotaged during a cooking competition—which she managed to overcome with the help of her friends. The power of friendship shows that it can overcome anything. To whom will you befriend to make her life better?

How can these two little girls hold burdens far bigger than their bodies can contain? Last Order is not only the administrator of the entire Misaka Network, but also the last line of defense in case someone attempts to make the clones go berserk. As such, it is not often that many people have tried to kidnap her in order to obtain such a power in their hands. Yet that does not stop her from acting like an innocent kid and wishing to learn more about life outside of a laboratory. The failures from the Fourth Holy Grail War has left Illyasviel von Einzbern confined in a castle of intense and rigorous training in the mage arts. She was meant to win by any means necessary; coming home empty-handed was not an option. This lifestyle has given her a cold outlook in life where things needed satisfactory results in order to have meaning. What these two girls need is a guardian who is willing to stand next to her and share her burden. Which of them will have her troubles finally lifted?

As girls who come from prestigious lines of magicians, these two cannot be any more different. Tōsaka Rin strives for perfection and the admiration of her peers. Serious about becoming the strongest mage in the Holy Grail War, Rin tries to find as much time as she can to hone her abilities and make herself stronger. While Rin appears to be the ideal girl that every person should befriend, she can be quite stubborn about having things go her way and has high standards for many things. Louise Vallière was always considered a "zero" due to her inability to cast even the simplest of spells. Louise makes up for her lack of success with her pride, believing there will come a time when all will admire her one day for her amazing skills. Although she is easily angered, Louise practices magic everyday in hopes of gaining the proper recognition she deserves. Magical spells will fly as these two girls collide. Who will remain standing after all is said and done?

With a bitter upset from bottom-tier character Sky Raker, the time has arrived for the ancient vampire to realise the crisis she is in. Despite looking good as one of the possible characters to crush at the end of the Amethyst Period, the consecutive nine defeats starting from Ruby have pushed Shinobu away from the Nova Top 16 borderline. But with the airing of Monogatari Series: Second Season, there is still a chance for her if only she has what it takes to grab it. Matched against her, Kirigaya Suguha is not someone easy to defeat. Despite being the weakest tier-two character at the moment, the outgoing Sylph warrior is nevertheless five ranks ahead of Shinobu in the current overall standings. Maybe she can no longer pull out the strength she once had back in the far past Preliminary Phase, but Suguha’s Sword Art Online leader, Asuna, and her recent necklace win have encouraged fans. With eleven matches left in the Regular Season, this is another fight for the entrance to the Postseason.

While the world treated one nicely, it mistreated the other. On the fortunate side we have Chitanda Eru, who not only was born into a well-to-do family, she was also well brought up and had friends that stuck by her no matter how much trouble she got into. As she stepped into the world and went on a journey to recollect her memories about her uncle—who mysteriously disappeared when she was young—she unearthed many shocking revelations. Despite that, she was fortunate to have friends to help her overcome them. Tōwa Erio, on the other hand, was not as blessed. Having been born into a single parent family, not only was she neglected due to her mother’s busy schedule, she was even left to fend for herself when she got into trouble. She had no one to seek comfort in, and hence never learned how to deal with people. Things got worse until one day she disappeared—only to reappear half a year later. Ever since, she started withdrawing from everyone, including her mother. It wasn't until her cousin came into her life that she began to come out of her futon and step into the light. Will you give your sympathy to Erio? Or will you get wrapped up in the next mystery with Eru?

To protect something, one must do everything in one's power to hold it together at any cost. For Honma Meiko, seeing her friends walk their separate paths when they were once together caused her to take action and rekindle their precious bond. Despite her invisibility, Memna tried her hardest to have those close to her remember what it was like for them to be friends as they were in the past. It might have been difficult since no one was able to see her struggle bear fruit, but Menma held on to the idea that she could restore all their precious time as a group. Upon leaving her family, Takanashi Tōka became her sister's new guardian as a means of coping with the dark past they shared. Tōka spent much of her daily time watching her sister from afar, monitoring her actions to see she did not get too full of herself. Although Tōka rarely comes home to check on her sister's condition, she worries about her health and actions towards her peers. Will one of them be able to retain those that they hold dear as strongly as they can?

Hey, can I ask you something? How do you tell someone you love him? I'm not confident in myself, so I usually wait until he approaches me with the subject first. But every time I see him, it gives me the courage to do things that I never even dreamed I'd do. Whenever I'm around him, I am able to speak my mind and relax because of how kind he is. That's why I'll wait until he properly states what he thinks of me. What I would like to do is tell him bluntly that I'm head-over-heels with him, but also immediately state all the things I don't like about him. However, if there's one thing that I will never joke about, it's that, if the opportunity arose, I would gladly die for him. Because he once cured me from my curse, something that I believe happened for a reason, I can accept everything as is and move on with my life. He changed my views of the world, and I'll happily repay the favor. I see that there's something we have to protect. Because of it, I cannot let you go any further. Stand aside; let me through...

The concept of friendship is something that they continuously try to understand, yet they never get the results they want. Coming from another country, Nōmi Kudryavka had difficulty fitting in due to her outward appearance and poor first impressions. But Kud continues to put on a smile and study intensely in hopes of finding the right place. It is only when she realizes those she has been around with are her closest companions does she reveal her true smile. When dealing with a situation, Shirakiin Ririchiyo puts up a strong front in hopes of turning it to her advantage. Sometimes when she takes things a bit too far, she seeks reconciliation and tries to figure out ways to make the other feel better. All she has to do is be honest with herself and tell people exactly what she feels, but it’s a lot easier said than done in her case. Who will be able to see things through to the end in this match?

Two highly ambitious girls will square off to see who the best competitor is. It's hard for Kirino to find someone to talk to about her problems and even her closest of friends looks down on her hobbies. Upon opening up to people whom she would not think twice about meeting again, Kirino learns that it's okay to rely on others once in a while to have your problems solved. The new bonds created give her even more reason to try her hardest at her future goals and endeavors. It's difficult for someone like Shana to settle down and relax when all she learned was to fight and defend herself whenever there was a disruption. Staying in a place longer than she imagined, Shana learned what it is like to protect someone as well as act like a girl her age. The memorable times with her friends gives her even more reason to point her blade against evil. Which fiery spirit will overcome the other when the dust settles?

Both are nice until you step on their toes. Both can be menacing when angered. Make no mistake, while one is a yandere, the other is a tsundere, and both of them have had great success in this tourney. On the yandere side we have Aragaki Ayase, a nice lady who succeeds in whatever she does. From her career to her studies, she has been doing well—but she has her fair share of problems, too. Her anger can be triggered by anything that threatens the person she’s obsessed with, which can prove rather fatal. As long as one doesn’t tread over the line, she can be a nice girl to interact with. Aisaka Taiga, the tsundere, is rather short-tempered as she blows up easily. Although she isn’t as unpredictable as Ayase, her small stature packs a punch and everyone carefully avoids her wrath. But like Ayase, she can be very loving towards the people she loves and is protective of her loved ones. While Taiga may have more difficulties expressing her feelings, both of them do try their best in correcting their undesirable behavior. Whose effort will be acknowledged?

Our next two challengers would have been okay with just getting the opportunity to settle an inter-series rivalry in their first Regular Season appearance. As of Emerald 7, both still have a chance to be the first challenger from To LOVE-Ru to reach the ISML Postseason. Yūki Mikan has rarely complained about taking care of all the household chores and looking after her older brother in their parents' absence. Even with other obligations like school and extra chores left behind by her new guests, she still has time to chat with a new friend from another planet. Momo Belia Deviluke may be the daughter of a king and have her own responsibilities, but she is more interested in planning new and embarrassing ideas for fun, even if family and friends are included in her plans. Despite her hidden agendas, she will help her closest friends and protect them from harm. Momo has managed to avoid suspicion so far, but she can’t avoid Mikan, especially when her older brother is included in Momo‘s plans. Will we see a friendly match for bragging rights, or will it be a heated rivalry in the battle for the Postseason?

Their worlds are much farther apart than the imaginings of the average girl. A genius painter sits in a studio once filled with great artists, now barren due to her great abilities. Flying to another country did her no good, as those who saw her abilities feared comparing themselves to her. Nevertheless, she waits for someone to speak with and to hold their hand out to her—not because she is highly talented, but because she is a friend who needs a bit of help communicating thoughts and feelings. The school idol is surrounded by many people who admire her beauty and intelligence, yet she feels she deserves none of the praise. Beneath the calm manner lie secrets and deeds that she is not proud of and would fix if given the opportunity to turn back time. What she really needs is a pat on the back and a reminder that she need not shoulder all the burdens by herself. These far-off girls are probably much closer than one might expect them to be. Maybe opening up to them can reveal possibilities that neither Shiina Mashiro nor Kuroyukihime can imagine...

Five years ago at the birth of ISML, they took on the challenge of Regular Season along with 62 other contestants. Since then, time has shown them how it could be crueler to one than to another. Furukawa Nagisa was never once strong enough for the Postseason, unlike her two other CLANNAD friends, but her die-hard supporters stood by her side for all those years, keeping her up when many other characters who were once stronger fell short and retired. Coming 4th in the final league of ISML 2008, Konata's strength has been falling every year, along with two other Lucky ☆ Star characters losing their ability to advance into the Regular Season with her. Who would have thought back then that one day she could be winless in the Regular Season? Five times they have met each other, with two wins for Konata and three for Nagisa. Both no longer young as they used to be, as new blood comes in to replace the weakened old ones, this might be the last time they meet each other. Can Konata even out the result between the two and stay away from loss, or will Nagisa claim the one last win?

Hey there, Nadeko, describe to us the person you like:
“He is an older brother of my friend, and I've liked him for years, but I'm too shy to tell him directly. When we were younger, he kindly fixed my bike. We met again when we were older and he saved me from a terrible curse. All I could do was play games with him in hopes that it would attract his attention. One thing I'm sure of is that he is a very important person in my life and I'll give him all my affection.”

What about you, Kirino?:
“The most important bit is that I don't like him! I only started asking for help after he discovered my secret, and before I knew it, I began to depend on him more and more. He takes unexpected actions that often solve my problems whenever I can’t cope—naturally, one should be grateful, so it's not like I would actually like him for that. He can go out with the girl he likes, although I don't like the thought of him having a girlfriend. But if there is one thing I really don't like about him, it’s that I really, really don't like to see him cry.”

For one to hold the Emerald Necklace, one must learn to mature both spiritually and mentally. Accepting reality as it is was another way of Takanashi Rikka believing that she must give up her eighth-grade syndrome. Little did she know that she did not need to give up all of that, for that was what made her unique. Most of the time, Misaka Mikoto does things alone, shouldering any kind of burden if she believes herself the reason for the cause. When she realizes that her friends are willing to do anything to relieve her troubles, Mikoto finds a new reason to stand up to her adversaries. Whenever there is a problem, Shiina Mashiro usually believes she is the cause due to misunderstandings. Talking to others about her worries was what allowed her to trust in the power of her bonds with her friends. Aragaki Ayase had trouble accepting the fact that her friend's hobby was something that she did not like. Upon talking to her, she accepted her friend for who she was and tried to become accustomed to the world she lived in. Hasegawa Kobato had trouble making friends due to her shy nature, even though she was popular. Attending the club her brother went to allowed her to be more outgoing and true to herself as a person. Shana's cold nature stemmed from a lack of interaction with people around her age. Arriving to Earth allowed her to learn several things and customs, including what it meant to be a friend and a girl in love. Kuroyukihime mostly decides things for herself, regardless of what may happen to her physically and virtually. Learning that she was never alone granted her the strength to accept her past and move forward to create her own path. Like a bud rising into a tall tree, who of the seven will be able to grow and reach to the top to grab the necklace?

The best part about living life to the fullest is when one overcomes her toughest burden. For Louise Vallière, getting acknowledged as a full-fledged wizard was difficult, as everyone believed that she was doomed to fail. Upon realizing the usefulness of her hidden abilities, Louise became more confident in herself not only as a fighter but also as a girl. Araragi Karen never once doubted the power of justice until stumbling upon a crisis she could not handle herself. The failure of swaying someone only made her heart beat stronger with a new resolve to fight in a different manner. Shirakiin Ririchiyo has had trouble trying to communicate her true feelings to other people. When she does so, she realizes just how important it is for one to truly connect their hearts with each other. Last Order's smile and happy-go-lucky nature hide the fact that she can be treated as one of the most dangerous objects in the world. While Last Order knows the power that she has, she still continues to live life to its fullest. Everyone feared Misaki Mei and treated her as an outsider, but she did not mind. Instead, she used this treatment as an opportunity to find someone who would listen to her and understand her interpretations. Iwasawa Masami has had a tough life of living with an unstable family. From listening to music, Masami found a way to channel her worries into song in hopes that people would be moved by her story. Accepting the world as it is is difficult for someone like Tōwa Erio, who is considered a social recluse. But Erio tries hard to become a regular member of society, even if the road is paved with thorns. Which of these girls will be able to turn her inner strength into a sure victory?