G-00, episode 4 & 5
May. 23rd, 2008 11:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
timepiececlockEpisode 4
Well, this is getting a bit more interesting now. The show is working to address the inherent fallacies of the plot, which is good but would have been better if you began from a logical plot right from the start. Not that those often happen in Gundam shows. However, the show's basic idea of total pacifism doesn't address those instances when conflict is necessary, such as cases of extreme oppression of one group by another.
So far Marina, the princess/queen, seems like a wet blanket version of Relena from GW. Which is really too bad, because the best thing about Relena was her assertiveness and drive. Passive she wasn't.
Heero Setsuna's waking nightmare of violence was telling, and we've already seen that he's not as self-controlled as the other pilots. Looks like he's suffering a permanent case of PTSD. I'm disappointed that they made his character come from a fictional Middle Eastern nation but still made his character so ethno-centric Japanese. In name, in appearance, even in "silent warrior samurai" style characterization. At least with GW's Quatre there was an attempt to bring multicultural approach, even if it was dated and somewhat racist portrayal. At least there was an effort, and even thouh they made him blond, we got a plausible explanation for why.
This show has made a big deal about geopolitical divides, but so far there's not even been a paltry attempt to acknowledge ethnic or nationality differences in the groups. Most of the characters are white or anime "idealized" white, and the few with darker skin tones are random, with no correlation between color and nationality. Typical for anime, but I would have liked to see more thought put into it for a show where national politics are the center of the plot.
Speaking of plot... four episodes now and we hardly know anything about any of the characters except the college kid Saji and the scar-faced military officer. There's so many names and faces, but we're reduced to memorizing by hair color & pairings because none of the characters have exhibited unique personalities beyond their jobs. I was okay for the first few episodes, but if we don't start getting some characterization soon, I'm going to lose interest.
On another note, why is a highly-funded, tightly organized terrorist group like CB taking mission orders from some teenager? That makes no sense, no matter how you spin it. Even the pig-tailed girl holds the money, there's no reason for her to be dictating the direct actions of CB.
Episode 5
Ah, something interesting is happening!
What, a man will fall screaming to the floor holding his head, and no one will call the authorities? The man could be having an aneurysm or a stroke! He could have just minutes to live.
If I followed this correctly, the enhanced-human pilot accidentally opened a telepathic link to gundam pilot Allelujah (Oh, anime writers and your myserious ideas of English naming!) and then they argued for a bit, and she panicked and blindly attacked the space station. Then someone ELSE also contacted Allelujah mentally, and that triggered some memories then spurred him into action.
Although we still didn't learn much about the characters on the know-them-as-a-person level (which is what I require from good shows), we do now know that both Allelujah and Sora the enhanced pilot have psychic abilities, and someone else out there does as well. Allelujah might have already known this, it looks like. We also learned that he puts the value of human life over that of his mission's secrecy, which is contradictory in true Gundam style.
So far I don't sympathize with these pilots or CB much because they're so *aware* of what they're doing, the responsibility of it. Unlike GW, where the boys were essentially brainwashed and much younger than this cast (even younger than Setsuna), and had to discover their won culpability and responsibility in events as the show went along, the pilots and all of the members of CB are going at their terrorism with eyes wide open and a definite plan. With the except of Setsuna they all appear to be free-thinking adults who agreed to this venture. While that is interesting because it means they are aware and in control of events, it also makes them less sympathetic at this point. They're mass-murdering terrorists, and their plan seems short sighted even if it has a noble end-goal. Yes, the ends can justify the means, but only if you don't forsake or forget the present circumstances which those means affect .
Well, this is getting a bit more interesting now. The show is working to address the inherent fallacies of the plot, which is good but would have been better if you began from a logical plot right from the start. Not that those often happen in Gundam shows. However, the show's basic idea of total pacifism doesn't address those instances when conflict is necessary, such as cases of extreme oppression of one group by another.
So far Marina, the princess/queen, seems like a wet blanket version of Relena from GW. Which is really too bad, because the best thing about Relena was her assertiveness and drive. Passive she wasn't.
This show has made a big deal about geopolitical divides, but so far there's not even been a paltry attempt to acknowledge ethnic or nationality differences in the groups. Most of the characters are white or anime "idealized" white, and the few with darker skin tones are random, with no correlation between color and nationality. Typical for anime, but I would have liked to see more thought put into it for a show where national politics are the center of the plot.
Speaking of plot... four episodes now and we hardly know anything about any of the characters except the college kid Saji and the scar-faced military officer. There's so many names and faces, but we're reduced to memorizing by hair color & pairings because none of the characters have exhibited unique personalities beyond their jobs. I was okay for the first few episodes, but if we don't start getting some characterization soon, I'm going to lose interest.
On another note, why is a highly-funded, tightly organized terrorist group like CB taking mission orders from some teenager? That makes no sense, no matter how you spin it. Even the pig-tailed girl holds the money, there's no reason for her to be dictating the direct actions of CB.
Episode 5
Ah, something interesting is happening!
What, a man will fall screaming to the floor holding his head, and no one will call the authorities? The man could be having an aneurysm or a stroke! He could have just minutes to live.
If I followed this correctly, the enhanced-human pilot accidentally opened a telepathic link to gundam pilot Allelujah (Oh, anime writers and your myserious ideas of English naming!) and then they argued for a bit, and she panicked and blindly attacked the space station. Then someone ELSE also contacted Allelujah mentally, and that triggered some memories then spurred him into action.
Although we still didn't learn much about the characters on the know-them-as-a-person level (which is what I require from good shows), we do now know that both Allelujah and Sora the enhanced pilot have psychic abilities, and someone else out there does as well. Allelujah might have already known this, it looks like. We also learned that he puts the value of human life over that of his mission's secrecy, which is contradictory in true Gundam style.
So far I don't sympathize with these pilots or CB much because they're so *aware* of what they're doing, the responsibility of it. Unlike GW, where the boys were essentially brainwashed and much younger than this cast (even younger than Setsuna), and had to discover their won culpability and responsibility in events as the show went along, the pilots and all of the members of CB are going at their terrorism with eyes wide open and a definite plan. With the except of Setsuna they all appear to be free-thinking adults who agreed to this venture. While that is interesting because it means they are aware and in control of events, it also makes them less sympathetic at this point. They're mass-murdering terrorists, and their plan seems short sighted even if it has a noble end-goal. Yes, the ends can justify the means, but only if you don't forsake or forget the present circumstances which those means affect .
