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07-13-2020, 07:23 PM | #41 |
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Episode 12: The Machine That Dreams
No gif for this one either unless requested. ... ... Okay, I should probably just get this out of the way here. Despite how much I love this show, this is the one, singular episode that I come really, Really close to disliking. And there's a couple things someone could gripe about with it, but for me it mostly boils down to one major factor that we'll get to later on. First off though I do wanna point out; What is the title even referring to? Like, with no context you'd assume Jiro, or heck, based on the opening scene, maybe even Saburo, but there's really not much evidence to support either, unless something just went way over my head. Feel free to fill me in if there is. What is our opening scene? Well, it's actually rather interesting. We open to Hakaider getting operated on; Having what appears to a blood transfusion between him and Kohmyoji. More than likely it's keep both the Doctor's' body and brain functioning. What I like most about this scene and the scene that follows though is that all throughout them, Saburo has a look of utter disdain. He looks, to put it in OOO terms, unsatisfied with his life as a whole. He even ends up telling Gill to shove it when the Professor tries to remind him that he's a robot and thus, should just do everything Gill says down to the latter. This of course means that what little trust Gill had in Hakaider has now run out. Looks like we'll finally get to see what the deal is with that Gamera Robot we've been seeing throughout the show? Back with the main group, it's established that they've constructed a secret hideout underground, and everyone begins to prepare for the raid on the DARK Hideout. This is in turn followed up with a great scene of Jiro actually rejecting getting his Gemini Circuit fixed; Fearing that fixing it would in turn erase who he's grown to be. He instead wants to celebrate all that he's learned, feel every emotion, and grow into his own person in his own way. ... ... And this is immediately ruined by what I consider the absolute worst scene in the entire show. Let's just get right into it: ...Yeah, they have sex. There's so many things wrong with this I just... UGH. Okay firstly, did Kohmyoji seriously build Jiro with a functioning robo-dick? Because that's the implication. This further implies that ALL of his humanoid creations have this, which is all kinds of gross that I don't even wanna think about. And furthermore, where the heck does it go when they transform? All the other physical features can be attributed to synthetic skin, but this?? Next, Mitsuko is for all intents and purposes Jiro's' sister. Yes, I get that their relationship growing into something more than platonic was foreshadowed, and blood-related or not, they're still both Kohmyoji's' children. Heck, Masaru even calls Jiro his brother, so just.... Lastly, the story so did not need this. Ignoring everything else, having this cap off Jiro's' speech about wanting a fulfilling life full of love for those he cares for implies that no life nor love is truly fulfilled without sex. And that. Is. Garbage! Platonic love is a thing! Hell, it's arguably far more important than lust is! This entire sequence comes across as incredibly shallow(and gross). Which hurts twice as much considering this has been a story all about introspection and deeper meaning concepts. Is it just me? Is there something I'm missing? MOVING ON. We get to the climactic showdown between the two brothers, and it certainly pays off. The fight itself is cool, and we're back to the overall message of being mentally fulfilled, with Jiro calling Saburo out on how, despite how Saburo claims to be, he's only been lying to himself this entire time. Again I love the contrast between these two. Hakaider solves all of his problems with violence. Destroying the Gamera-Bot, threatening to kill Mitsuko, and when things aren't going his way, attempting to shoot himself the same way Mitsuko's' mother did. Meanwhile, Kikaider, sure, he defends himself, but in the end what ends up putting Hakaider down isn't an Electro End to the face or anything like that, but words. Words that he knows he can't deny and so he lashes out instead. I really loved the entire way this last bit played out. And that's that. Despite my issue with the midpoint, that in no way killed my love of the show, and there was still alot to like about this episode. But, lemme know what you all thought. And if you think I'm overreacting, don't be afraid to let me know. Cause trust me, I can take it.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 07-17-2020 at 11:56 PM.. |
07-14-2020, 05:07 PM | #42 |
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First of all, the title is definitely referring to Jiro. It's not about literal dreams you have while sleeping, in case I even need to point that out. The episode emphasizes at several points that Jiro moves of his own volition, be that through rejecting the idea of having his Gemini fixed, or asking Saburou if he's satisfied with being a puppet. Jirou has things he wishes to protect. A life he believes is worth living. A future he desires. He is the machine that dreams. It's really that simple. Second, and this is the big one: Mitsuko really was just fixing his arm! Honest! I know there's the very suspicious facial expressions and drops of sweat on Mitsuko's face staring at shirtless Jirou, but the whole point of the scene is clearly to evoke that kind of imagery, with the symbolism that this is a very intimate night for them, without actually outright having them love each other that way. The whole scene is very very specific about what it actually shows so that you can interpret it however you want. An easy example of this is how the only articles of clothing we explicitly see removed from Jirou are his jacket and shirt, the sleeves of which would obviously be in the way of the operation, which we also know happened, because the thing that ends the scene is Jirou examining his left hand. Heck, even in that screenshot you used, the fact that it's in silhouette makes it ambiguous exactly where Mitsuko is in that room and what exactly she's doing. The scene threw me for a loop at first, too, but thinking on it, I thought it was pretty clever and a remarkably tasteful alternative to something more explicit. I thought the whole episode was fantastic myself. The central conflict between Kikaider and Hakaider was great, and having Jirou resolve the situation by essentially just deciding to be the bigger man and walk away, I thought that was perfect. Like, of course the way to beat Hakaider is to refuse to destroy him. Genius stuff. Mitsuko casually throwing out that she taught herself robotics also totally cemented for me what a great character she is, alongside everything you've been saying about her active decision-making, and healthy emotional introspection that lets her actually work on her flaws as a person. I feel stupid asking this, but is most of this stuff pulled right out of the manga too? I'd legitimately be dumbfounded to find out that's the case, because if it is, either the women's liberation movement was getting s*** done in the early 70's, or Ishinomori was WAY ahead of the curve. It would've so, so easy to write a version of this story where the female lead is mostly there to pine after the hunky robot man, but this show makes their relationship so mutual and genuine. It's a really great love story! I can understand why you'd be so upset about anything you feel undercuts its execution.
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07-14-2020, 06:16 PM | #43 |
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Thank you very much for that response. No, really!
Thinking on it, I definitely took the word "dreams" way too literally here. In retrospect, the scene of Jiro talking about wanting to stay who he is does lay it all out. You explaining the Repair scene also does help soften the blow a bit, but I still do feel it was imagery that really should not have been used in the first place, you know? Heck, just a few stills of Mitsuko on-screen fixing his arm with Jiro looking on with appreciation would've been enough. Including the sex imagery just raises all kinds of red flags. For me atleast. I also took a quick skim through the manga again to make sure I wasn't misremembering anything(and man, I really should read it in full again, it's been like ten years), and I gotta say... Very minor spoilers ahead. And I'm sorry, but the Mitsuko of the manga and the Mitsuko of the anime are two almost entirely different characters. There are a few details that are the same, but I think the trio of writers that handled the anime realized that keeping her as the mostly damsel in distress that she is in the manga wouldn't've boded well with an at the time modern audience. And it most certainly wouldn't've gone over well to anyone watching nowadays, I assume. Heck, without getting too into it, Mitsuko isn't even the one who repairs Jiro in the original manga. And as such there's no "sex scene" either. Infact, unless I'm just not remembering it, there's basically no romance at all to speak of in the manga, and that's something I really would've preferred, to be honest. To go on a small side-tangent, one aspect of alot of stories that I dislike, which I even still see today, is the idea that, because they're a man and a woman, the main hero and heroine must become romantically involved. Speaking solely for myself here, I very rarely see just a man and a woman be friends in stories, and I give major props to the few I've seen that do(Folklore, to give a video game example). But yeah, thanks for the awesome reply Fish! It legit helped!
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07-14-2020, 06:31 PM | #44 |
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Quote:
Quote:
To go on a small side-tangent, one aspect of alot of stories that I dislike, which I even still see today, is the idea that, because they're a man and a woman, the main hero and heroine must become romantically involved. Speaking solely for myself here, I very rarely see just a man and a woman be friends in stories, and I give major props to the few I've seen that do(Folklore, to give a video game example).
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07-14-2020, 07:54 PM | #45 |
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Episode 13: The End of the Dream
This is not the end. I can't tell you what I mean just yet, but trust me when I say this story isn't over. We open to what appears to be Hakaider having for all intents and purposes killed Jiro. He even talks in Saburo's' voice. He takes Kikaider's' still body to the DARK headquarters. Haha, just kidding. Kohmyoji is now in full control of Hakaider's' body. Even if it's not in the ideal way, Mitsuko has been reunited with her father! It's here the plan is fully laid out. Kohmyoji will sneak Kikaider in and disable the security. Mitsuko and Hattori will then come in to save the Doctor's' body. I like that both Mistuko and Hattori both refuse to leave everything to the two robots. They have stakes in this too, and refuse to stand by and let the the people they care about do this alone. Once inside, Kohmyoji has a talk with his son. I love this scene. The Doctor apologizes to Jiro, saying that giving Jiro a conscience has only brought him suffering. Jiro counters the idea, saying that even if the Gemini did bring him sorrow, it's also what allowed him to truly feel alive. He thanks his father for giving him the life he has, and wouldn't have it any other way. Regardless, Kohmyoji has his own plans. Wanting to make amends for aiding Professor Gill, he resides in trying to finish this himself, with every intent of dying as penance. I love his brief showdown with Gill too. The line "You and I will die here together!" Sent chills down my spine the first time I heard it, and it's a great line today. Uunnnfortunately, Gill is called a Professor for a reason. Robots can be backed up, and made into armies. And this includes Hakaider. What ensues is an absolute slaughter; first Kohmyoji, then Hakaider. And then Kikaider gets mad. Remember what happens when Kikaider gets mad? Damn. We don't see the ensuing battle itself, but Kikaider standing amongst a giant pile of his own brothers, with not even a scratch on him? Speaks volumes. It's afterward that Jiro confronts the man himself. In classic Hero vs Big Bad fashion, the two talk ideologies before getting directly confrontational with eachother. In another great moment, Gill attempts to disable Kikaider with his flute, only for Kikaider to deliver another great line: "I've grown up Gill. See? I can learn and mature just like people!" And really, isn't that what a big part of this story is all about? That said, Kikaider isn't the only one who hears Gill's' flute. I like that the only thing keeping Kikaider from outright killing Gill is his memories. It shows he gained one of the very things he wanted; Life experience. And not only that, but it shows that yes, he does infact, have a conscience. In every sense of the word. It's here that we get what is, to me, one of the best and most shocking moments in the whole show. We learned who exactly heard and responded to Gill's' flute. And this robot has no such qualms about killing Gill. While it's made clear that this is Saburo and not Kohmyoji, I like that it's left open to interpretation on why exactly he goes after and finishes Gill off. Revenge? Regret? A simple malfunction due to the flute? You decide! In the end it's a pyrrhic victory. Gill and Hakaider are both gone, but in the end, Gill does seem to right about one thing; Kikaider will never become human, and as long as he goes on, he will continue to suffer and be rejected by society at large. Gill knows how to cut deep. During the aftermath, Jiro has disappeared, but Mitsuko is faithful that he'll return one day. And our final shot is of Jiro walking into the distance, a look of regret and despair plain across his face. ... But this won't be the last we see of him! Android Kikaider has a sequel OVA called "Kikaider-01" which actually serves as a direct sequel and adapts even more parts of the manga, rather than being based off of the Kikaider-01 Toku that aired in the 60s. Infact, the OVA works so well as a continuation of the TV anime that when it came to the US broadcast, the four episodes of Kikaider-01 are treated as episodes 14, 15, 16, and 17, rather than its own separate thing. And really, I wouldn't have it any other way. So stay tuned for that! Now, since it was kinda brought up earlier, and I never found a super good time to bring it up, I wanna briefly talk about the trio of writers that handled The Animation: Akemi Omode, Shinsuke Onishi, and Masashi Sogo. Having now analyzed each episode and the styles they bring, I think I get why each one handled the episodes they did. What episodes are they? Here's a list: Omode: 1, 5, 9, 12, and 13. That's "Lonely Puppet," "City of Rain," "Friends," "The Machine That Dreams," and "The End of the Dream." In other words, the episodes that have a very defined three-act structure, and also the ones that have to do with the bonds between people. Or atleast moreso than the other episodes. Onishi: 2, 4, 7, and 11. That's "Mad Machine," "Mirror," "Afterglow of Regret," and "The Destroyer." These are the episodes that are the most action packed, as well as ones that have the most to do with Jiro reflecting on himself and his true nature. Speaking of which? The final count on the "Mad Machine" line? Technically, 7 times across 4 episodes.. But only if you include both the recap episode and flashbacks. If you don't count the recap episode(which you shouldn't) it goes down to 6, and if you don't include flashbacks, it reduces down to twice across two episodes. That is hardly "every single episode." So SUCK IT, people who probably don't even remember this show anymore! Lastly, Sogo: 3, 6, and 10. "Stray Sheep," "Negative Fragments," and "Frozen Bonds." These are the episodes that rely on dialogue the most, and even though Sogo had the least amount of episodes, I think it's safe to say he was every bit as important. Tune in tomorrow for Episode 14!
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Last edited by DreamSword; 07-18-2020 at 12:01 AM.. |
07-14-2020, 08:25 PM | #46 |
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Once inside, Kohmyoji has a talk with his son. I love this scene. The Doctor apologizes to Jiro, saying that giving Jiro a conscience has only brought him suffering. Jiro counters the idea, saying that even if the Gemini did bring him sorrow, it's also what allowed him to truly feel alive. He thanks his father for giving him the life he has, and wouldn't have it any other way.
A lot to think about in this episode! That breakdown of who wrote what episodes is super interesting, by the way. Having watched the show, it's immediately clear in retrospect which ones are by who, because the styles are quite distinct. I have to wonder how conscious a decision that was or not.
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07-15-2020, 06:05 PM | #47 |
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Quote:
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07-15-2020, 07:27 PM | #48 |
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Episode 14: Jiro Meets Ichiro With a title as direct as that, you know we're in for something interesting. There is a LOT to unpack this episode, and not in the typical way either. Expect alot of screenshots. We open to a giant claydoll laying waste to an unknown city. I always knew Kamen Rider W was a giant ripoff of Kikaider. I mean, just look at HeatTrigger! CLEARLY a giant ripoff! The mecha doll however goes haywire and explodes, with a shadowy figure proclaiming they need to capture a boy named Akira. Don't let the slower-paced and somewhat artsy opening fool you though, because we're thrown directly into a scene that's ACTION-PACKED! First off, that's not Mitsuko and Masaru. That's Rieko and Akira. This episode taking place some time after the previous one, Jiro seems to have met and begun protecting the both of them. As you might also tell from the above screenshot, Jiro seems to have made some upgrades to the Side Machine. This includes that giant blade which makes no sense but is awesome, a smokescreen that disable robots, and the ability to have it remote follow Jiro wherever he goes with a tap of his belt. This whole sequence is friggen awesome. Being an OVA, you can tell that they really wanted to flex the bigger budget they got. The animation is smooth, choreography is great, and you know what just assume I say that about every action scene in these next few episodes going forward. During one of the few times this episode lets its characters rest, Rieko drops a rather big bombshell; Gill had a son, and that son is Akira. All the reason for the new and mysterious SHADOW organization to wanna kidnap him. It's then that they're attacked by a horde of giant enemy crabs, and Kikaider proceeds to attack their weakpoints for massive damage. Were you craving a Rider Kick? Because this is the closest you're gonna get. Afterward, Jiro's' senses something in a nearby temple(literally, his internal sensors go off about something specific), so he decides to check it out. Inside is a big statue. And inside that statue is... Another Kikaider? This is Kikaider-01(zero-one... why does that sound familiar?), AKA Ichiro. He's voiced by Derek Stephen Prince, who is no stranger to voicing cocky guys are in way over their heads. Most notably for me is Impmon from Digimon Tamers, another of my favorite anime. It's quickly revealed that Kikaider-01 is a prototype of Kikaider, designed to protect Jiro should he ever awaken. He has a programmed personality(which is all too apparent), but no true Gemini Circuit to speak of. I find it interesting(and really funny) that Kohmyoji designed a battle-hungry and uppity teenage robot and then proceeded to name it after his first son. In terms of design, one quick looks tells you that Ichiro is in every way a prototype. More bits of glass cover his framework, the "01" on his belt, and most prominently, his red and blue are inverted from Kikaider. He even has guns! I'M ONTO YOU W! Once the action starts again, it's also made very clear about a big difference between Jiro and Ichiro. Just like with Saburo, I love how Ichiro serves as a foil to Jiro. Whereas Jiro has learned to value lives and strives to be the best he can be as a person. Ichiro? His only concern is himself and his younger brother. It's a great twist; Having the younger brother be the one with more life experience, and that will only get highlighted more in the coming episodes. Oh and before I forget, here's Ichiro's' transformation sequence. https://i.imgur.com/iKPxcjz.gifv I also really had to screencap Kikaider-01 getting punched in the head, because it made me laugh out loud. The last bombshell of the episode comes in the form of... Hakaider. Who is somehow not only still alive, but has a Red, Blue, and Silver Hakaider teaming along with him! The group proves to be too much for the Kikaider Brothers, causing them to flee. WHEW that was alot. This episode really kicks things into turbo speed with the action, pacing, and plot twists. Buckle up guys, because from here on we're in for a wild ride.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 07-31-2020 at 06:12 PM.. |
07-16-2020, 12:34 PM | #49 |
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Episode 15: Beautiful Enemy We open to what is presumably the leader of SHADOW asking for intel on the two Kikaiders. The main thing to take away here is that while Hakaider is back, SHADOW seemingly has nothing to do with it, and it's implied that Hakaider has been getting in the way of their plans as well. Later on, we learn that Ichiro is solar powered, which makes sense considering his status as a prototype. And further cementing his lack of life experience and also his personality opposite of Jiro, we have a scene I rather like. Jiro points out how he's learned to appreciate the beauty of nature over time, while Ichiro dismisses it all as things that simply are and nothing to really think too deeply about. Rieko also points out that while the sun might bring beauty for some, for her and Akira it's done nothing but bring them dread, due to them being on the run for what seems to be a long time. Also showing their opposing stances on things, Ichiro makes it clear he prefers to not think to much, and even seems to see the Gemini Circuit as more a burden than anything. Reinforcing what he's learned to far, Jiro disagrees, and tells Ichiro that he needs to be less selfish and more considerate towards the well being of others and their feelings. After Ichiro splits from the group for some alone time, a strange woman appears. She's been spying on the group for awhile now(as briefly seen in the previous episode), and decides that now would be the best time to transform and roll out. I wonder if whoever built her had a thing for hearts? This is Bijinder("Bijin" meaning Beauty or Beautful), and the only thing I'll say about her in terms of her design is that I do like how she still incorporates the red and blue of the Kikaiders, just a bit more of a subtle way. And before you ask, yes, she has chest lazers. Bijinder is voiced by Wendee Lee, who like Steven Blum, has been in ALOT over the years. Most will likely know her as Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop, but I'll always first and foremost think of her as Twilight Suzuka from Outlaw Star, another of my all-time favorites. The ensuing fight scene shows that she's more than capable of taking on our heroes, and I think this is the first time I'd ever seen butterflies used in the form of spying, attacking, and capturing, all at the same time. Salvation only coming in the form of Rieko, who seems to have a sort of mysterious connection with Bijinder. Weird! When night falls, we get a great scene of Jiro having a private talk with Rieko. Rieko hoping that one day Akira can grow to have a fulfilling life, and Jiro using himself as an example to try and reassure her. Afterall, he's grown to have a good many memories himself, and he cherishes every one of them too. We also learn that Ichiro plays the trumpet! It makes me wonder if either Kohmyoji or his son had a thing for instruments or even just music in general, considering both of his robot sons were made with instruments strapped to their backs. (Side Note: The trumpet is actually my favorite instrument, so Ichrio wins this round, sorry Jiro.) Unfortunately, as a good a tune as Ichiro plays, it's also what leads enemies right to where the group is hiding. The Hakaider Squad is back, and we learn what the deal is. Gill is alive, somehow managing to transplant his own brain into a Hakaider body. The implication being that he was saved by one or perhaps even all three of his most trusted subordinates, who went on to turn themselves into Red, Blue, and Silver. A well animated fight scene later, Kikaider still proves to be too dangerous to the Squad, and so they come together to form Voltron--I mean, uh, wait, what was it called? Gattaider? Dakkader? Gikkaider? I seriously could not make out what they were saying when they combined together... They become this! And in the interest of fairness, it too has lazer nipples! This makes me think though. I suppose, given the color symmetry, that the yellow highlights on Hakaider are actually meant to be gold. Which I mean hey, works for me, I totally love black and gold as a color scheme. Look no further than the Armored Black Ranger and Amazing Mighty Kuuga for great examples of that. It's here that we get to see what Kikaider-01's' finisher is, the Sunrise Beam! Which makes me think, I guess that'd technically make Jiro "Kikaider-02" and Saburo "Kikaider-03" right? Gill manages to get away, but on the upside of things, Ichiro seems to be coming around to Jiro's' way of thinking, and Rieko and Akira are safe for another day. Ichiro does raise one good point though; The group is gonna need some more help, because the way things are going, they won't last much longer. Overall, this episode gave more time to breathe than the previous one, and I felt it found a good balance between action and character building. Very cool.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 07-31-2020 at 06:16 PM.. |
07-16-2020, 06:34 PM | #50 |
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One thing that's massively jumping out at me about the OVA halfway through is the music. It's by Kaoru Wada, rather than bringing back Akira Mitake from the series proper, and there is a pronounced difference in style.
The unique moody vibe is largely gone in favor of something much more traditionally theatrical, and while I'm finding the old phrase "absence makes the heart grow fonder" to have a lot of truth behind it, I also don't think the change is a bad thing. It matches the more even tone of the overall story, which places so much emphasis on the growth Jirou has had, and the semblance of inner peace he's managed to find in his identity. Oh, and 01's Japanese VA is one Shoutarou Morikubo, who was also the voice actor for Mega Man X at the time. You know, that other sequel to a series about a super fighting robot created by a good scientist to oppose the maniacal ambitions of an evil scientist and his army of evil robots? There's no way any of this was an accident, was there? And on a really minor note, I can't hear anyone say 01's name without immediately having Kamen Rider Zero-One's BGM pop into my head, and it's driving me crazy... that we still don't have a soundtrack for that show!
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