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EP. REVIEW: Plastic Memories


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whiskeyii



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 2266
PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 10:38 pm Reply with quote
Hyro_10 wrote:
Why does isla need to eat? Isn't she an android? She blushes too? Does she have to use the bathroom, I mean the food has to go somewhere? Are they actually suggesting that it's normal for people to have sex with Giftias?


If I had to guess, I'd wager eating, drinking, and other bodily functions are included to aid humans in seeing Giftia as people. Within the world, it's probably more of a marketing ploy than anything logical or plot-related.

As for the relationship, I can't say it's working for me, even as a fellow asexual. I don't need sexless, or even sex-filled, relationships to get behind them, but I do need depth. And right now, I feel like Isla and Tsukasa have more of a puppy love right now, rather than a deep, far-reaching relationship based on mutual love and trust.

Part of that probably comes from the sheer quickness of their developing relationship, but I think it's just the show's uneven pacing overall that hampers it. It takes away from the gravitas of the reality these two are facing. And the (usually) tonally jarring co-workers aren't helping things.
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Chipp12



Joined: 30 Mar 2012
Posts: 323
PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 3:10 am Reply with quote
Wow there are some people here who are still seeing Giftias as a robots? I think it's much easier to think about them as a clones or an artificial humans that have a small lifespan - something like that.
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Brand



Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 1028
PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:27 pm Reply with quote
This is turning out to be the most disappointing show of the season for me (hell the most disappointing thing I've watched in a while). It isn't even a bad show, it just doesn't seem to be the show I was promised. There is all this cool sci-fi set up and we get a generic anime romance?

Like why even have all the sci-fi set up in the first place? If they wanted to tell a story about young people being in love but one of them is dying they could do a set up like "The fault in Our Stars."

So, yeah not a bad show but certainly one I would watch normally. I feel a bit deceived by it.
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Godaistudios



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2075
Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment)
PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:01 am Reply with quote
Welcome to Episode 11, a. k. a. OVA 1 - after the way episode 10 ended, this feels more like an add on.
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Nyaomix



Joined: 13 Apr 2015
Posts: 127
PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:24 pm Reply with quote
This episode felt less horrible than some. I didn`t feel like I just lost half an hour this time, but still it wasn`t worth watching to me. Almost done so just watching the rest at this point.

How does this base humor about having Relationship problems resonate with asexual people? I`ve dated many and they`ve been very happy to do a lot of touching. Asexual doesn`t mean non-physical.

This episode made me hope for the interruptions of the horrible side characters. The main couple have stopped doing anything. They now are a budget saver as every second they feel alone the still frame flowery background comes. I have never stopped enjoying time with someone because I moved the Relationship forward. Way to waste your short time together geniuses.
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Lemonchest



Joined: 18 Mar 2015
Posts: 1771
PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 5:06 pm Reply with quote
Pygmalion film reference reminds me that I haven't seen My Fair Lady in ages. I should do that.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11529
PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 5:07 pm Reply with quote
Episode 12
Quote:
The second worst thing that could happen is Tsukasa starting up a relationship with the next person to inhabit Isla's Giftia body.

Since Tsukasa is the one to sign the retrieval form, and not the company (just who "owns" Isla, anyway?), I guess the question is if he even gave the ok to recycle her body.

Too bad the movie apparently didn't include a kissing scene (which seems unrealistic, given what we were shown of it), since that might've given Isla the push she needs to get beyond hand-holding and lap-pillow.
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Hameyadea



Joined: 23 Jun 2014
Posts: 3679
PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 5:22 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
Too bad the movie apparently didn't include a kissing scene (which seems unrealistic, given what we were shown of it), since that might've given Isla the push she needs to get beyond hand-holding and lap-pillow.


What I took from the scene where they both sat on the bench after watching the movie was that the movie did had a kissing scene (at least, Isla's reactions indicated so), and being the anime ideal of "pure-heartness and lacking libido" that they are, I think that (in-universe) reenacting the lap-pillow scene from the movie was a logical move on their part. I, as a viewer, found that moment to be cute, but somewhat redundant, because the show has already established the type of relationship they are seeking (or capable of handling, mentally). But if I take all their characterization up to that point into consideration, and think of the in-universe behaviour they've exhibited thus far, it is more logical for them to "inch their way forward", rather than "spearhead a direct charge", as it were.

What I do find disappointing is that the show either baited viewers into thinking it'll be more about the malfunctioning of the Giftias who are at the end of their operational time, or that the show dipped its toes into the subject, and backed away when it realized that they might be off the charted maps, but having the show switch from "this how we handle those who aren't usable to society" to "I have a terminal [pun intended] disease and I was to create a happy memory" as a bit of a let-down.

I wouldn't mind having another Eve no Jikan-esque IP.
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Robeltharion



Joined: 19 Apr 2015
Posts: 9
PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 9:25 pm Reply with quote
So the anxiety for the fibal episode begins, i'm dying on Saturday.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18356
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 2:48 am Reply with quote
Hameyadea wrote:
What I do find disappointing is that the show either baited viewers into thinking it'll be more about the malfunctioning of the Giftias who are at the end of their operational time, or that the show dipped its toes into the subject, and backed away when it realized that they might be off the charted maps, but having the show switch from "this how we handle those who aren't usable to society" to "I have a terminal [pun intended] disease and I was to create a happy memory" as a bit of a let-down.

I've seen this kind of comment come up a lot concerning this series, but I don't think it ever actually switched modes; the mode we saw in episode 12 is the mode that the series has been on since the beginning. It was always heading exactly towards the point where it is now, though I will readily admit that it could have muddled around less in doing so. Probably a whole episode's worth of content could be trimmed from the season without hurting it.

Even if I could have done with a bit less tsundere behavior, I nonetheless was very satisfied with how ep 12 handled everything. It's acknowledging the reality of what's coming without being grim about it or obsessing over it, and seeing Isla be so happy as the end approaches, compared to what she was before, is very heart-warming to me. I even found the end of the episode to be just a tinge emotional, so I'm going to be sure to have the tissue handy for the final ep.
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residentgrigo



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 2534
Location: Germany
PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:04 am Reply with quote
The scene in the cinema and the follow up in the park were well done as the show is really good with cranking out quality out of nowhere and the rest was just me staring at the screen while going though my email... Ending prediction:
We had an entire episode (that now proved a filler) which showed us that reset androids end up the same person in the end and Isla´s weeks long love will be so deeply ingrain in her very being by now that she will remember her Romeo within moments of opening her eyes. I may be wrong but i am willing to put money on the table that robo-chan 100% isn´t dying. Or they could pull a Chuck season 5. Only few (including me) like that ending but it was earned over 5 years.

My biggest grievance with the anime is that it is neither good nor can i call it a train wreck so my final score is a "so-so" and i only watched on as the balancing act between 1/3 greatness, 1/3 trash and 1/3 sleep inducing Girlfriend of Steel clone No.X (can these stop now?) was rather interesting from a script writing perspective. I will lastly prefer to treat the first 2 episodes as a failed pilot comparatively to Fox´s Virtuality as i am incapable of recommending the whole ride with so many quality version of this very tail on the market. I even watched the 2 new GitS episodes on the same day as the one´s for PM and the difference in quality or my enjoyment were night and day. The anime isn´t a "bad" product but i can´t giving a show point for wasting my time either. "This is turning out to be the most disappointing show of the season" from Brand is spot on.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18356
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:12 am Reply with quote
No, the "most disappointing show of the season" honor goes to the second half of F/SN Unlimited Blade Works, and I've talked to several people who concur on this.
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Hameyadea



Joined: 23 Jun 2014
Posts: 3679
PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:16 am Reply with quote
Key wrote:
No, the "most disappointing show of the season" honor goes to the second half of F/SN Unlimited Blade Works, and I've talked to several people who concur on this.


Really? I like both of those shows, despite Plastic Memories' unwillingness to explore further the theme of life's end. I think that Gunslinger Stratos: The Animation was my Spring Season's let-down.
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Hyro_10



Joined: 17 May 2015
Posts: 80
PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 2:53 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:
No, the "most disappointing show of the season" honor goes to the second half of F/SN Unlimited Blade Works, and I've talked to several people who concur on this.


I don't think it's wise to bring up fate. Not with some of the fans it has.

Can't say I agree with residentgrigo. I think they'll have her forget, recycle her body and Tsukasa will be content with "falling in love" all over again.

As for the episode, I thought it was fine even though it bored me, it didn't do anything wrong.

Well I'm at least interested to see how they end this.
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residentgrigo



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 2534
Location: Germany
PostPosted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:20 am Reply with quote
Wow.We got the Chuck ending Rolling Eyes but the fade to black came earlier so the writers didn´t need to commit on anything (no ring but it is her hand)...
This is not how a drama is supposed to work but we are talking about a show that could never commit on a clear narrative. I will admit that the last episode itself wasn't bad (B-) if one accepts that it was the definition of emotional manipulation but it once again proved that the anime shouldn't have been a romance. The scene in the bath or some in the park had a dynamic that i would expect form adopted siblings and the kiss goodbye felt as just that. Having an anime where two characters of opposite gender don´t romantically fall in love with each other would have made the show further unique and they knew each other for a time that wouldn´t have been realistic to even train in Tsukasa but we are talking about a Sci-fi show that still hasn´t managed to explain it´s world rules to me and i watched every second. The emotion that PM leaves me overall is irritation and I found it further fascinating that the crew got letters and not a video recording or that they couldn't have phoned them (it´s their last chance) but the less of them an episode features the better it is anyway. What i am left with is a series with a strong opening, 2 very good leads (great VA´s too), signs of recovery in the middle, audiovisual directing that did the job well (for god and bad) and an ending with no epilogue that was better then the anime had any right to have so i wonder what happened. Is this a good movie/OVA that butchered apart by an ill fitting format? It has to be. Grade: C
I am wiling to pick up the team´s next project but i will drop it the second they go of course.
I am off to try out AMC´s Humans and more importantly the original show Äkta människor and i am not sure that i will remember most of PM in even a month.
(I greatly dislike the original Eroge for FSN so i watched zero seconds of that one.)
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