Forum - View topicPandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn (TV).
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn (TV) Genres: Science Fiction, Comedy Themes: Plot Summary: In an age when large-scale natural disasters frequently happen all over the world, when cyborgs and autonomous robots are beginning to appear on the market in technologically advanced nations, and major world powers compete for technology and resources, the divide between rich and poor grows and the future for the poor looks bleak. In this transitional stage, everyone wanders around in a self-indulgent daze and the way out isn't clear… This is the story of how two cybernetically enhanced girls meet. ---------------------------------- Episode 1: Well it has some fan service but more tame than I had thought. Actually it has more comedy with the action with some sci-fi stuff and experimentation. Haven't seen the movie before but since this is the TV series, I expect that it will expand on the story. The artwork is quite light so might have to get used to the backgrounds though. |
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ookamigirl
 Posts: 2274 Location: Croatia |
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So much enthusiasm in this anime ^^
Looks like fun.. for now. Endless supply of girls too. Not a guy in sight LOL It sure is amusing ^^ Had pretty low expectations, but must admit I'm pleasantly surprised. Will give it one more episode before I decide. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 1
I kind of liked this, and it fits exactly in what I like to refer to as the Dusky type of show, that is one I really like but will probably get panned by others for various reasons. Strangely I was having the thought the other day, if we see the return of say something like Ushio to Tora as retro, a show that might have just be like what was normal at the time but now is so against everything else that now it feels refreshing. Could we have the return of those silly trashy early moe anime and then call that retro? I chased the thought away as that sort of thing would be too mocked for an anime studio to try it. But this looks like exactly that. It feels like it comes right from the time period of Chobits and Excel Saga, the same goofy format, but with some aspects of modern quality. Honestly I think that is awesome. For some reason it makes me think of Blessing of the Campanella, a breezy anime that is kind of stupid, but I think that there is a charm to it. Robot girl, which has a ditzy yet high energy character that is still a little different to the Yui Hirasawas, blatantly dated fetish outfits, light yuri, small and stoic catgirl, crazy big boobed scientist who is obviously bad news but mostly harmless, and touches of some darkness with what would lead to a full body prosthesis. To some it is uninspired, but to me this actually feels in knowing full well where its pitfalls are and is just having fun despite that. I could just have a story about a girl who ended up with a prosthetic body betrayed in its appearance by small details. I could have just mostly harmless small yuri like elements similar to Neptunia. And although I was worried about the sudden action and magical girl thing (although it is science), the mad scientist and ridiculous aspect that I think feels a little similar to Gonna be the Twin-Tail!! has also got me a little interested. Pull it apart all you want, I think that this is the sort of thing I like |
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SpacemanHardy
Posts: 2511 |
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This show is pretty much the Ghost in the Shell / Excel Saga crossover I never realized I needed in my life until now.
I'm already calling the big yellow thinktanks with bunny ears "Notchikomas". 
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ookamigirl
Posts: 2274 Location: Croatia |
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#2
Cheerful girls dealing with a serious situation in a funny way. With some mecha & fan service. It's amusing.. at times. Claring is the cutest. Still... skipping this after all. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 2
Yep, I am in love with this show. I find it so good. Even all the parts that are kind of dated make me love it more, it must be what people love when they enjoy something for being retro. How the characters deform or little touches like how the pattern on her skirt and tie stays unchanged when she moves. Silly fetish dressed group too, like them being sent in unreasonably as distractions with weapons like rocket launchers, bazookas, machine guns, and throwing swords. Them being comically hurt and then forgotten a scene later, or Nene getting upset about a mere scratch on Clarion. Its beautiful. The wire needlessly wrapping around Clarion's leg and the egotistical statues. And I am kind of just as interested in the other stuff too like the technology and robots. Are we actually sure Clarion is a cyborg and not an android? At the very least she seems to be on the line in how she could be "sold". Yeah some emotional impact that the scientist may have sacrificed herself, but she is probably alive and was probably getting everyone else take the fall. How long till I can make a "I never asked for this" joke? Well I just made it. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 3
Seems pretty much confirmed that Clarion is an android and not just a cyborg. Kind of funny that Nene knew that she was in a simulation the entire time and took the entire thing as just time to play a game. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 4
I still really like this. Every time I think that maybe I won't, it pulls off something that makes me smile. Like how Nene applied for school, but with the technology level it was done via a mirror that could double as computer/conference device, and her school is online based. I myself actually attend university online, and I think that this was a neat sort of thing for the show. I liked the quick little thing with Buer being put somewhere safe which was a literally safe with prison like scratches with the word "light" on it, and a little note saying "Buer's room, a nice continuation of the buried joke earlier. Also, them turning into a cook mode that prevents them from being identified despite no outward appearance of how that would work, felt like a nice call back to old magical girl thing like Sailor Moon, and it did not bring attention to it. Clarion looked humorously more like a horror character though. There is something I find really charming about this show, there are some dark jokes here in there but there is also that I would say gets looked down as naïve. And there is little moments you find some deeper information, like Nene mentioning a past where she had an illness and an accident, or the odd people having something against androids. Oh, and a bit of "retro" gaming. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 5
We are starting to touch on the real topics of humans, robots and cyborgs. The episode started with Nene and Clarion waking up and getting cleaned (having a shower), but was really interesting was how the scene was portrayed. What might normally be light playful music to this scene of them shower instead there is an odd dissonance to the music. It has a much different tone as we have a full look that a shower for them involves covering up sensitive areas (plugs), We don't see any nipples, but this seems really to be case that their robotic bodies look human but they are not human. They spray themselves with some sort of canned foam, something for cleaning a prosthetic body, and the then water spray is not typical of a shower for a human. The episode includes Nene doing a street performance with their super cyber ability, but it does not make her happy. The problem was not whether it made others happier or if it was moving towards her goal enough, but that this was not her own ability, she was borrowing a power from Clarion. After wondering if it was right to use someone else's power Clarion tells Nene that achieving something big requires the abilities of many people, that everything Nene had right now was something given to her with her new body. We meet an old lady who praises Nene for the performance, but it is not she could just do some great performance, it is that Nene cab control her prosthetic limbs well, and it eased her heart as she struggling with her own limbs. Nene is given a piece of candy, Nene does not know how to act about this, and it seems that although not focused on yet, Nene does not eat with her robotic body, but the thought matters to her. Overall these scenes kind of imply a further level of humanity going from this new cyberization. The reporter is upset, always in a bad situation, but her woes are specifically on her losing hobs to "robots", and that she has been told to do better in her career she should get cyberized. Essentially the reporter is told she has to throw a bit of her own humanity to go further in the current climate. And then the island is hit by a network disturbance, for all the conveniences the technology gives their lives, their society kind of grinds to a halt with problems to it. And individuals come out to steal robots, essentially taking advantage of this new system. What kind of saves the day for the rest of the episode is a mix of what the more advanced technology open to Nene has, and the good intentions of herself and a man called Robert. I kind of feel it is a bit intentional that the man they meet who looks actually quite human has a name somewhat similar to "robot", and apparently he is a product of society meant to help people, a police officer. Nene sees his kind actions and good intentions as a great example of aiming for world peace. These is interestingly played with in a final scene where we find him reporting to the shady guy who gets special privileges from the police, something out of Robert's hands that he has to work with/for, and it is clear the world peace that man talks about is not the same thing Nene meant. We also specifically got people interested in the "full cyborg" part of Nene, that they are curious that she is such an example, as if the example others have is not the more human looking type that Nene is. The show plays itself as kind of goofy, but there is an undercurrent that looks at humans and technology. I could not say where but have heard before but we might call people already as part cyborg, many of us have a strong connection often with computers as an extension of how we express ourselves, and smartphones are an important part of us that losing it or internet can really make it feel like we are missing a part of ourselves. I think that in particular is something you could connect to this episode. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 6
I have commented on each episode already, I think I will continue to do so, even if I am the only one doing so, and even if it is to say that there is actually stuff going on in this show. I was caught a little off guard by the beginning of the episode, the reporter had a new job on TV. At least I think it is TV, but in general this show likes to take things to the future and the video was all holograms without the need of a physical television device, so TV might not even be the correct word. Anyway, the joke was that she was on a kids show, that she is just one of those young adults playing a younger character with a lame mascot, and police officer part of their topic has the role of "the adult of the week". The joke is played on that the reporter is far too aware that the power of the island's police force is apparently in response to actual dangers, and a good amount of the protection they provide is just for the self interests of the people funding them. The reporter finishes off by self promoting herself too much and I guess getting fired, but it was a neat form of world building after what we saw last week, and kind of played with the tone of the show of being all colourful and possibly childish, but there is some depth if you really are listening. And also foreshadowing to what happens later in the episode. The episode gave me what I had been wanting from the OP, that little girl that we see has a prosthetic leg, the reason being that it felt like she would be important to this topic humanity mixed with technology. Amy has apparently lost her leg and has a rather striking replacement, it would be kind of a big deal. The episode is actually largely about how she is actually in for getting a new one, one probably more fitting. Yet Amy is actually more concerned about not getting in trouble from her pet accidentally following her and getting lost, and about her new dress that she wants to show off to the doctor and with the new leg she gets. It kind of showed that despite the situation that Amy is an amputee, something that would probably greatly affect her today, she actually still just a normal little girl, the technology does not alienate her from being human but allows her to just be what she is. Not sure if it was meant to be connected, but the episode also has several mentions of petroids, that would be android pets. A few characters mention it like such a thing is pretty normal, we actually did get a look of a robot dog last episode too with also how one could be an important companion. Digital or artificial pets and companions are totally a relevant issue for the modern, and the idea of normalcy is an interesting topic. Although not entirely confirmed, it is something connected to the possibility of Clarion being an android while Nene is a cyborg. On normalcy there was also how apparently the tests and adjustments Nene were receiving were to adjust her strength to something more normal. "Normal is good", but Nene is also not so fazed at being a bit abnormal, with a response to not wanting to be called a gorilla girl was that she thinks gorillas are cute, although she has not seen an actual one. Random dialogue, or little peeks that Nene is a person curious and interested in things she does not know about. Also a bit of comments on BUER, he is kind of growing onto me. I am quite fond of the running gag where he ends up in small dark places where he then expresses maybe even traumatic levels of unhappiness in them. The middle leg being an obvious symbolism of a penis are a little annoying and on the crass side. But I must admit that I thought it a bit fun when he was a little naughty in talking about a tower in tropics, which had Nene in the ED mentioning that she wants to see such a tower, much to Clarion's dismay. The ED scenes of Clarion and Nene speaking are usually worth a bit of a chuckle with Clarion playing a straight man to Nene. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 7
The whole android thing was more on topic this episode with Nene and Clarion taking on the robot thieves. Nene gets kidnapped and Clarion has to go after her. Specifically we got mention of how there are supposed limitations on androids that Clarion does not follow. We see a range of robots too that fit right into the style of the time period this show kind of takes some inspiration from, which includes wearing things like school uniforms and tennis outfit. You probably could be excused to think it was fanservice like, but there is a certain degree of out of date to it all that just adds to the scene. Like a chicken wearing sunglasses. Don't mess with Nene or Clarion, because the other will do something tough. Also somewhat of mentions Nene's body, that she actually needs repairs to it for build up of damage, regardless of it being sturdy. Also a somewhat technical explanation of why her transformation is referred to as active camouflage. |
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Alan45
 Village Elder Posts: 10030 Location: Virginia |
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DuskyPredator wrote:
Back in the first episode when Clarion was introduced Uzal said that she was the "same" as Nene. That is a full body cyborg instead of an android. This may explain why she doesn't have those limits. This doesn't explain why she was able to transfer "ownership" to Nene. Clarion may not be either but rather something in-between. Of course, it is obvious that Uzel was completely willing to use illegal programs and hardware so more surprises may be forthcoming. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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It could have been that she considers Clarion more than a simple android with her intelligence, where Clarion exhibit personal likes and dislikes separate from orders, and able to break the rules set by robotics enough that she is close to a person. Well in truth the show has usually said that Clarion is a full body cyborg. Although you do have times like how Uzal was surprised by Nene being a person who could control her prosthetic body, Clarion does seem to have programed restrictions to some extent on her as well as a need to follow orders, and unlike Nene Clarion does not sleep. Or it is better to say that she is human with some of her human traits than reveal she made an illegal AI. |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10030 Location: Virginia |
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Uzal did not say that full body cyborgs were unknown, just that they were very rare which is why she was surprised. Less so when she found out who her aunt was. I keep wondering about the tags in Nene's hair, they seem to have a display on them. Clarion's lack of sleep is interesting if she is fully human.
It is possible that Clarion has an organic but not human brain. The ears may be a clue. Perhaps the latest incarnation of All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku. We will just have to wait and see, it is a fun ride so far. |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4158 |
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Hey now, that's copyright infringement; I already made that joke when discussing the first episode's dub... And that's as far as I made it with this show; It's the same basic problem as with Ghost in the Shell, they want to split the difference between full body cyborgs and androids, written by the human POV, so we know it's all fair, that a bit of brain powering the thing is better than an AI interface. Not just better, but also "matters more". This is a point that Bubblegum Crisis 2040 raised, developed, discussed and put to bed with a "There's not much of a difference after awhile. Go figure." No, this franchise continues to continue flogging that unpowered electronic horse. Yay. But an inhuman organic brain in control of a "cyborg body" is still better than any AI in control of a... "cyborg body"? I wouldn't expect any less from this author. "Any more"? Well, ok, that too. |
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