Forum - View topicAldnoah.Zero (TV) (both seasons).
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Tuor_of_Gondolin
 Posts: 3524 Location: Bellevue, WA |
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DuskyPredator,
I'm guessing the matter-destroying plating (or whatever it is -- it seems to simply erase any matter that comes into contact with it) is really heavy, which necessitated a bulky, (relatively) cumbersome frame. |
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ChibiKangaroo
 Posts: 2941 |
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I am in general agreement. Episode 2 advanced the story, but as others have mentioned, the advancement was essentially "Martians obliterate all humans, with style of course." There wasn't anything particularly thrilling about that for me as I've seen it countless times in other anime. Whether or not we think the humans should have been surprised with the god-like technology of the Vers didn't matter so much to me because, as a viewer, this is not new. The extended chase scene with the kids in the armored transport was probably the only legitimately dramatic part of the episode. It gave some actual excitement since you could imagine their fear while running from the wacky Vers guy. However, I thought the spoiler[death of that one cadet was incredibly corny]. It was just one of those pointless "feelz" moments that is thrown in to attempt some emotional effect, but it didn't impact me whatsoever. I can't even remember that guy's name. I also agree that the stoicness of the MC is a bit overdone. When they have to show him in a chef's apron just casually cooking himself a meal while the world is ending, then I think they are seeming a bit desperate to make him look "badass." |
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Knoepfchen
 Posts: 698 |
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That was great. Subtlety is not going to play a major part in this show, obviously, but that's fine with me. Lots of Attack on Titan memories popping up with the use of music and spoiler[everyone being wiped out like insects just by being trampled or squashed.]
We now not only have an Earthling on the Martian side, spoiler[reluctant to kill other humans and pretty much destined for becoming a hero for humankind or a tragic death along the way, we also have the daughter of the Martian assassins and the princess on the human side (not implying they are going to fight on their side, but interacting with the enemy, which is obviously going to influence them in some way.) The daughter might be influenced by daddy's views on things, humans being unworthy or so, but she's also likely to want to take revenge. The princess' wish was for contacting her people asap and letting them know she's okay, presumably so they they won't go blow up more stuff and lives than necessary. Which they did, big time. We already know her as a pacifist, then there's the OP, all very promising.] I'm sure there's going to be lots of betrayal and side changing to come. Now, as for the humans being toast, I agree. I can't see this going down the way where the MC will find the secret uber mecha just-happening-to-be-parked-under-the-school-and-waiting-for-him to save mankind. (Please?) They way the MC spoiler[took charge in soldier like fashion unfitting his age training (as far as we've seen), declaring how they will become decoys in order for others to escape, was interesting. His emotional detachment might come in handy, being able to calculate and plot when placed in the most horrifying situations.] Would be an interesting change to the hot blooded "kill 'em all, no regrets" hero these kinds of shows usually tend to favor. But why are the Martians so cartoonishly evil in a show taking itself very seriously and showing us what's at stake by smashing lots of people to bits? Everything from their design to their lines to Sakurai's hilariously over the top performance of Trillram feels strangely odd in this grim setting. Cruhteo seems to possess some sort if racist integrity for spoiler[not being involved in the plot to kill the princess] (at least that's how it seemed last episode), but maybe that's just Hayami's voice indicating dignity where none is to be found. Still, why the comic book villains? |
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meiam
Posts: 3447 |
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Dunno what you guys are talking about I literally can't think of any way this episode could have been better following the first one. Maybe it's just cause at this point my bar for mech anime is rock bottom, but it was still all I could ask for, mech action and no emo/hero MC, all is good. The human getting roflstomped prepare the stage and sets the stakes, you get a good idea of the enemy power, plus all the mech were fairly different. The whole armor that destroy anything it touch is something I don't recall ever seeing. spoiler[The death of the other school kid was done quickly enough, there wasn't a "MC screaming at the top of his lung to the sky or anything", I mean the episode was done less than a minute after he was dead and the MC had already moved on.] I rather like that the MC is super stoic, if only cause it means were not getting any emo moment and he's actually gasp, taking action on his own volition and coming up with a plan on his own. Sure apparently for character to do that they have to be emotionless piece of meat, but I'll take that if it avoid having another Renton (or for the ultimate example, Edge from Star Ocean 4). The bad guys being cartoonish evil could be tone down a bit, but it clash well with there overpowered nature. There view is wrong, but there's nothing that can be done about it cause there the powerful one, so there view triumph. So long as the show doesn't go for a long moral episode, where they chalk up the defeat of the Ver to there lack of moral, I think it'll work quite nicely. As long as it doesn't pull a Gargantua on me, I think I'll quite enjoy this series. Oh and I just realize, the princess meeting with the MC mean we might get a gundam seed moment where she give a super mech to the main character… I really hope that doesn't happen. |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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I really wish the villains weren't so villainy. Making them all into keeeraaaaazeeee sociopaths destroying the precious little Nihonjins doesn't make for any kind of compelling drama. It may have really only been Thrillingham for now, but it's supposed to be indicative that his actions are condoned. I wish this show could have a little bit more in the way of nuance and fleshing things out for both sides, we're already familiar with Earf, so why not learn more about Vers? That's what CotS could have had more of when discussing the United Mankind. I supposed that's something to do with having to force a show and story out with so few episodes and not having the breathing room of LoGH and it's 110.
spoiler[With that special invincible armor, what plot contrivance will they create to make them vulnerable? Going after the soles of the feet? As long as those special mecha have the required power to run their shields, there's literally nothing that can be done to them.]
The last thing I see him as is a badass. I believe he may be somewhere along the ol' autism spectrum. |
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LordByron227
Posts: 158 |
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As much as Zac hates people making WW2 parallels to anime, I find this particular theory interesting at least.
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Gewürtztraminer
 Posts: 1028 Location: Texas - Its like whole other country. |
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The whole premise is absurd.
Any war between someone at the top of a gravity well vs someone at the bottom is over before it starts. Kinetic energy is ruthless. I can rain absolute destruction on you expending the energy of a rubber band (if my calculations are correct). Invasion? Ground forces? Totally unneeded except for story. Every human could be eliminated from orbit with virtually no ill environmental effects. As predicted, Princess knew the score, and will activate or find the super Gunda... I mean generic mech that allows humanity to fight back. |
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L'Imperatore
 Posts: 936 |
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Also do not discount the possibility of this Terran-turned-Vers boy defecting to his good ol' home, taking one or two of that nigh-invincible mechs with him
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FenixFiesta
Posts: 2581 |
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The point of conquest is to rule over people, even if the Martians could exterminate the current earth populous that isn't an efficient use of a potentially subjugated populous. |
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Tuor_of_Gondolin
Posts: 3524 Location: Bellevue, WA |
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I completely agree with you about what being on the top of a gravity well means. However, the above citation I disagree with. There *would* be environmental effects -- severe ones. There may not be any radiation generated, but there would certainly be a nuclear winter effect from the dust thrown up by all those impacts, not to mention all of the chemicals that would be released and the changes to the lands. Maybe their Aldnoah tech can counter some of that, but it wouldn't be something easy to do. Terrans are all over the globe, so impacts would also have to be all over the globe. And any recovery would require planetary-level restoration. |
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ChibiKangaroo
Posts: 2941 |
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I think my criticisms are probably coming from my bar being very low for mech anime as well, and I feel like this show is reinforcing that low bar. This show isn't doing anything significantly different than the vast majority of mech anime I've already seen. There's rarely much innovation in the mech anime genre. That's why I complained a bit about the massive destruction without any kind of new approach. It's all just a set-up for a group of Japanese high school kids to find a super mech and fight back against the invading force. I do agree with those who have been saying that they think spoiler[the princess will provide some key to that. It seems like the most straightforward reason to have her currently with them.] I am expecting this show is going to be mostly "by the numbers." They might throw in a few more random sudden deaths just so Urobuchi can collect his paycheck and put another feather in his cap before he moves on to the next thing.
Yea I don't like the crybaby emo MC either they are extremely annoying, but super stoic is just an extreme opposite so that doesn't help me much. I like the type of MC that we saw in Captain Earth. He's strong of will but also has emotions like a real person. He's ready to fight even though he's not sure of whether he will succeed. This seems more like a real person who has prepared himself for the grim realities of war, not just someone trying to act cool for some audience. |
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Spotlesseden
Posts: 3514 Location: earth |
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Real kids will cry and complain all days in those situation.
This MC is not real, he is as claim as hell. It looks like he doesn't even care about anything. |
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meiam
Posts: 3447 |
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Well ultimately I don't want a kid for MC in mech show, but as we all know the fourth law of thermodynamic state that if there's ever a mech show without a high school teenager for MC the universe will spontaneously combust (I'm exaggerating, but sometime it really seems like that's what producer believe), I'll take a completely unbelievable kid, I'd rather find the main character unbelievable than annoying. Captain earth was kinda the opposite of what I usually think of mech show, I really liked the main character and most of the good guys (the mysterious girl wasn't interesting) but the bad guys were absolutely uninteresting (combined that with rare and boring fight scene and fairly stupid plot, I ended up dropping it before the half point). Usually it's the opposite, I can't stand the good guys but rather like the bad guys. |
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Galap
Moderator
 Posts: 2354 |
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Great episode! I really like the futility and effort themes here, and the general progression of events. Reminds me a little of the story of Halo.
About the Earthers not being prepared: I think they were really trying their best, and just couldn't do better. The martians are thousands of years beyond the Earthers. They probably can't even make the tools to make the tools to make something on par with the martian weaponry. And to do that, they'd need to know something about what it even was, too. As a native of 2014 who works in the physical sciences, I must say that I have absolutely no idea what that machine is physically doing to revoke bullets and obstacles. (Though contrary to some others, to me it looks like it's annihilating the matter it intersects with, rather than phasing through it. Evidenced by certain moments of animation, and how Inaho had the van brake to cut off the legs of the mech and lighten the load of the truch). There's no starting point, no way to even begin to formulate a best strategy of figuring it out. It's certianly not impossible, but I'm pretty sure the whole process would take a hell of a lot longer than 15 years. I actually really like the main character. He's certainly not nearly as stoic as everyone says. It's more that time is short in those situations and he knows he has to be direct and calm or else people will die. And just because he's calm about things in his speech and actions IN NO WAY means that he doesn't care!!!!. Quite the contrary: I think that his friend's death was a pretty big factor in him deciding to take the mecha from the school and be decoys, and he certainly mourned the guy's death. Last edited by Galap on Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24129 |
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Ah yes, my favorite anime construct: "Hmm, as a soldier I can see my weaponry is having absolutely no effect on the enemy, but you know what? I'm just gonna keep on firing ineffectively anyway despite the evidence of my eyes. It's simply the anime thing to do."
It's a good thing I don't really require logic or plausibility to enjoy a show. |
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