Forum - View topicREVIEW: Ergo Proxy DVD 5
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child of Lilith
 Posts: 137 Location: Egg of Lilith ( the black moon) |
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I hate to have to agree with your review of this volume but your right. They are really over doing it with theses dream episodes. After the high mark set by the previous volume, this one felt rather boring. I hope they can pull it together for the final volume, but after this last one I’m begging to worry a little. This show started of really strong but they used up to many episodes just seemingly wandering around. I would hate this show to end as yet another anime with lots of potential that comes to nothing in the end.
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daedelus
 Posts: 743 Location: Texas City, TX (ajd: 6/11/05) |
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Well, for better or worse, I'm hooked on this show. I will admit, after the stellar episode 16, these four episodes did seem a bit lacking. It is expected, though because every subsequent episode can't be "The best episode ever". There has to be a best episode(in everyones own opinion) and so all others won't be quite as good. Maybe I'm just to forgiving?
I had a better reaction to episode 20. It wasn't until about halfway through that I reallized something fishy was going on. Some particularly jarring elements for me was spoiler[poor Pino being locked away in Re-l's basement so she won't be discovered and, because she's infected, being destroyed; and the part where Ergo Proxy wants to kill Re-l for betraying him.] My mind was reeling there for a moment wondering what in the world happened to get them to that point. Needless to say, the final outcome had me quite relieved. I have no idea how this series is going to end, but I'm going to hold on to my optimism. In any case, sometimes it's not about the destination, but the journey itself. For me, it's been a fantastic journey. 
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DClark
 Posts: 110 |
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I have to say that Pino is just plain adorable, plus she has some good lines. I couldn't help but laugh at a simple line in episode 18 where Vincent is getting a headache and Re-l says "Take your time. Nobody is asking you to push yourself right now" only to have Pino look at the two and say "Come on, let's go!".
The younger Re-l may be integral to the main plot, but I think considering they allowed Re-l back in the city after leaving (which Raul mentioned had never happened before, though I suspect it was because of who her grandfather is) creating another Re-l would be the next logical step after the 'assassination' which allowed Re-l to leave on her journey to find Vincent. I think the only fault I can find with Ergo Proxy is that it's starting to enjoy dropping a character into a situation at the start of an episode and going from there. I don't mind the slower pacing of the series though, very reminiscent of Witch Hunter Robin's pacing. In reality, Ergo Proxy seems to be a 12-13 episode series fleshed out with some very good and unique 'monster of the week' episodes (Pino's 'Eternal Smile' episode for example, and I actually liked the game show episode), a few excellent character development episodes (with episode 16 earning a spot among the best single episode for any anime series; it just hit all the right notes for its characters and the situation they were in), as well as a bit of foot-dragging. The basic plot of Romdo and Mosk, autoreivs and the cogito virus, Re-l and her grandfather, and why cities need a Proxy could have been told in much less time, but I'm glad they're not rushing through it. Ironically, this fault is what what kept me from finding Speed Grapher an excellent series. I thought 'the monster of the week' and travelling episodes dragged Speed Grapher down, but for Ergo Proxy these mainly filler episodes seem to elevate the show into a better experience. |
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I love the slow and reflective nature of Ergo Proxy. It reminds me of both Wolf's Rain and GITS SAC which Dai Sato wrote for. I love the barren scraps of humanity struggling to survive in a dying world setting of the series as well. Mood and atmosphere is where this series really excels. I'm still a big (no pun intended) Dai Sato fan, and have been enjoying both Ergo and Eureka 7 so far.
The DVD cover doesn't seem to look as good on this scan as it does on the included pencil board. |
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Perception
Posts: 1 |
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I hate that review... makes me cry not to see ergo proxy get full A... episode 20 is just a psicological beauty, an intelectual masterpiece... ahh!!!!! maybe I will see the show for the forth time.... too bad people get bored, this show will become a classic, some day, its already for me....
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JKNGP
Company Representative
Posts: 11 |
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Key,
It's spelled "Dai Sato" & "Jonathan Klein" . But at least you didn't spell my first name with a "q" in it like my most recent airline ticket did
Otherwise, thank you for your kind words and constructive views & criticism. And thank you to everybody else who has taken the time to watch the show and give their thoughts (sub or dub). Regards, JK |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18458 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Thanks for pointing it out. These have been corrected. |
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Trivial
 Posts: 58 Location: Ottawa, ON |
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I love Ergo Proxy, so what if the male lead is dull, his personality is appropriate for his character and Pino is more than serviceable as a light character in an otherwise hoplessly bleak world. Each episode, is visually interesting and distinguishes itself from other monster of the week shows.
If each episode is great by itself and put together makes for an interesting watch than I'd definetely give the plot a higher rating. It's been months since I last watched Ergo Proxy, but even today nearly every episode standouts clearly in my mind. I can't say that about any other anime that I've watched save for possibly gunslinger girl. This series needs to be judged by the 'sum of its parts' much more than the characters and the slow plot. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18458 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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But you're missing the point of the review; I did judge it by the sum of its parts, and that's where it came up lacking. The parts are fine, but they do not combine to make a satisfactory whole. Sato seems to be better at writing individual pieces than an overall cohesive plot. Gunslinger Girl could get away with that kind of approach because it wasn't really trying to tell an overarching story. This one is, and that's where the series is at its weakest. |
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DClark
Posts: 110 |
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I personally don't have any problem with the overall ratings of the series so far, aside from I would have probably rated the 5th DVD a "B+" and the 3rd DVD a "B" (the overall sub/dub ratings of the disks from 1 to 5 have been B+, A-, B+, B+, and B). If it keeps up the overall quality in the 6th disk, I can easily see myself rating the series as "Excellent" in the User Ratings.
I'm probably a bit more forgiving of this disk because it's setting things up for the final disk, and because I didn't mind episode 19 and 20's placement; Episode 19 was Pino's and episode 20 was Re-l's. I didn't really consider Pino's episode a 'dream' though; I considered it more of a visual conversation between Pino and a proxy using Pino's wireless connection. |
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Randall Miyashiro
Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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Keep in mind, as I often point out Theron doesn't give out many As. Most of my favorite shows tend to get a B grade with many that I really enjoy receiving a C grade. I suppose I'm not as picky as him. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18458 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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I personally feel that A grades - and especially A+ grades - get overused in letter grade systems for reviews, in part because people tend to give any title they really enjoyed an A grade regardless of whether or not it's actually that good. (Of course, that won't matter to those people who don't bother to differentiate between quality and entertainment value.) For me to give a title an A grade it has to do more than just entertain me; it has to truly impress me, too. Titles that do one but not the other usually get a grade in the B range from me. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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As someone who can judge Ergo Proxy entirely by the sum of its parts, and also currently re-watching it, I can safely state that in the end it is lost potential. EP has turned into one of those series that seems better on paper and impresses you the first time around because of the mystery, but going through the series again reveals a lot of its flaws. Really, this is something that could've been done in thirteen episodes, along with less time spent on misdirection and psycho-babble that serves little to no purpose (no plot twists, no ultimate thematic importance, et cetera). I loved disc four, especially episode sixteen, both times around. I'm a lot less impressed now, though, with disc five, and the direction that the series takes in its final three episodes, which, while thematically consistent, isn't satisfying in its conclusions (the final episode is amusingly titled "Deus Ex Machina"). I chalked up the general lukewarm reaction to the series when it was fansubbed last year as the series not being presented how the audience wanted it to be, but now I'm skeptical of even that. Really, I'm not sure anymore if I'm going to keep this after I watch the final volume. Fantastic English dub, a story that doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator, and some occasional moments of brilliance (the aforementioned fourth disc) are the only real incentives for me to keep this. |
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