IT’S TIME. Aw shit yeah, I get to talk about Gatchaman again. This show was always one of the most fun and rewarding to cover weekly, and it’s certainly looking like season two will live up to that legacy – we’re already sharply interrogating all the conclusions and ideals of the first season, shifting Hajime’s role and prodding Rui’s ideals and generally making a mess of the idea that creating a Better World will be in any way convenient or simple. Shit’s tough! People are complicated, society’s a mess, you can’t just force people to be good. Rui’s getting the worst of it so far, but I don’t think this season will be easy for any of our heroes, and it’s already covered a tremendous amount of ground. BIRD, GO!
You can check out my review over at ANN, or my episode three notes below!
Gelsadra and Tsubasa appear on the talk show
“These are everyone’s feelings”
“I would’ve been embarrassed if it hadn’t gone over well”
“A great wind will save the flame of life”
“I think there are people who’ll be encouraged if they see a hero!” Tsubasa’s so wonderfully hero-traditional
Hajime introduces Katze as a member of the team
Sugane’s really chilled out since S1
“Why would pacifists do such horrible things?” Greater good, Sugane
Jou: “In the end, humanity wasn’t ready for the CROWDS ability”
Rui believes these are just growing pains, Jou thinks they’re much more dangerous
“You’re welcome to believe in evolution, but what if society collapses before then?”
And Rui was pushed to give everyone CROWDS, against his own wishes
“You’re being idealistic.” “What’s the point of a world without ideals”
Tsubasa’s response is just “I want to be a hero who can protect everyone,” which Joe sees as the more realistic perspective
Hajime consulting with Katze on what kind of person the VAPE leader is. So here it is, Hajime actively engaging with the dark side of humanity
Hajime definitely has more snark now
“Their organization is almost organized like a military. The blue CROWDS are disorganized, they don’t stand a chance.” Of course. Because this isn’t about power, it’s about leading people towards desired action
Nice fight scene with everyone. Their designs are so great
Suzuki Rizumu is the VAPE dude, right
“Are you going to avert your eyes again from the lives that were lost, and continue to only preach the utility of CROWDS?” We’re once again facing a question that can’t really be answered. May as well be the internet itself
And Rui goes to fight Suzuki himself, once again demonstrating that he’s still the person who thinks he can save the world himself
“I’m holding fast to my hope! I want to believe in everyone!”
Rui offers his NOTE, putting his ideals on the line. Suzuki stabs it
A man screaming on television, asking someone to do something, as nothing happens
“If we don’t go now, what good are we?”
Man gatchaman sure is getting interesting. Its usual overtly positivism really make me wonder how it’ll end. If the world will really manage to be updated (and how they’ll manage to sell us this possibility) or if they’ll regulate or just give up on the crowds which would be a big change of mood.
Two first episode were a bit all over the place for me but the third one had a better structure imo.
Yeah, I agree that this third one was much more structurally sound than the first two. I hope it keeps up this level of focus going forward.
Two things that I think form one thing:
+ the titlecard clearly reads “in sight”, two words, and
+ the newsmedia were pervasive in ep1, even dominant: people-in-anime don’t usually spend that much time watching TV or listening to the radio.
The reactions of the others to Rui’s fight were pretty interresting. Not reacting and watching Rui being stabbed repeatedly was considered the “right” thing (or more precisely the best thing to do in this given situation) while Tsubasa’s actions were put on a morally wrong light.
Milio’s reaction on the TV reflects the situation of all the viewers, but it is just a gut reaction.
(The standard Shounen Hero being associated so closely to violence is interrestng in itself, considering Rui’s views)
Obviously, VAPE can’t be defeated by punching his members really hard. It would only proves Suzuki’s ideas right.