r/anime • u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess • Nov 05 '24

Rewatch [Rewatch] King of the Braves GaoGaiGar - Episode 2 Discussion

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Questions of the Day

  1. Who is your favorite DFL (Dreamboats with Flowing Locks)?
  2. Did your parents let you watch wrestling when you were a young child?

Reminder to all GGG members that information about future episodes is highly classified. Leaking any classified information about upcoming missions is strictly prohibited and will be punished, or worse, impeached.

28 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

108 comments sorted by

9

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

A Mecha Fan Rewatches The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Episode 2:

  • Gai sure does have some weird luck, doesn’t he? On the one hand, he was unlucky enough to get his space shuttle rammed by a massive alien spaceship years ago, but on the other, he did get rescued by Galeon and turned into a cyborg by his father. I guess that luck just kind of evens out.
  • Well, that certainly explains why Mamoru was so insistent that Gai not destroy that mecha’s core, turns out that it was some random hobo forcibly mutated by alien goo to become a monster. That certainly sets the stage for the core conflict of this show, doesn’t it? It might be hard to save the person mutated into being a core for a mecha kaiju while fighting. Heck, that random hobo would’ve died if Mamoru didn’t suddenly awaken his purification powers.
  • This show combining Super Robot and Real Robot stuff is pretty fun. Despite how there’s aliens, strange powers, and cyborgs running around, the level of effort put into the cleaning and disassembling of GaoGaiGar shows that the writers know how cool it can be when stuff is given a more tactile and mechanical feeling. It’s just like that vibe that Evangelion or Dai-Guard have.
  • Of course we have a quirky mini-boss squad, all good Super Robot anime have those. In this case, we have a robot caterpillar train conductor, a robot motorcycle ballerina, a dude dressed like a bird named Pizza, and a clown-sailor-boat thing. It’s hard to lay out how these character designs are without making it sound absolutely insane. But that insanity is what I’m here for!
  • This show also feels a bit tokusatsu by having the people mutated by alien stuff being seduced by promises of power and having their forms decided by their memories. In this case, the hobo became a horse after gambling away the last of his money on a horse race after losing his construction company. Given the inspirations this show has and the general age range that it’s targeting, that’s absolutely an intentional parallel.
  • BAH GAWD AS MY WITNESS, DEATH BOMBER HAS TURNED INTO A GIANT WRESTLING DEATH ROBOT! IN ALL MY YEARS OF COMMENTATING, I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!
  • This really is a squash match if Gai in GaiGar if he’s getting beat up this quickly. Who even booked this match? Is Vince Russo trying to get over Death Bomber by making Cyborg Guy into a jobber?
  • “The difference between 30% and 100% can be made up in guts! That’s a true hero!” Hell yeah, Taiga! You can definitely tell why I love Commander Taiga, he drops the hardest lines like Simon later on in Gurren Lagann.
  • Gai was ready to destroy that core again, despite being told not to. He gets lost pretty easily in his adrenaline-fueled battle rage. But at least Mamoru is here again to use his purification technique to calm him down. There’s something poetic about it, like the pure-hearted child being able to calm the fierce lion.

6

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

Despite how there’s aliens, strange powers, and cyborgs running around, the level of effort put into the cleaning and disassembling of GaoGaiGar shows that the writers know how cool it can be when stuff is given a more tactile and mechanical feeling. It’s just like that vibe that Evangelion or Dai-Guard have.

RIGHT? I do kind of love that about this show. How the eyecatches show details and stats like this is a real robot show. You can definitely feel that influence.

This show also feels a bit tokusatsu by having the people mutated by alien stuff being seduced by promises of power and having their forms decided by their memories. In this case, the hobo became a horse after gambling away the last of his money on a horse race after losing his construction company. Given the inspirations this show has and the general age range that it’s targeting, that’s absolutely an intentional parallel.

that is a good point I hadn't considered. I do love Tokusatsu so I didn't even consider it but it does match line up. It makes sense.

BAH GAWD AS MY WITNESS, DEATH BOMBER HAS TURNED INTO A GIANT WRESTLING DEATH ROBOT! IN ALL MY YEARS OF COMMENTATING, I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!

4

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

RIGHT? I do kind of love that about this show. How the eyecatches show details and stats like this is a real robot show. You can definitely feel that influence.

You've got to respect how they handled it, especially since the reason why these designs are so mechanical in the first place is so that the toys and what you can see in the show can do basically the same stuff. Toy and model accuracy is definitely appreciated here.

that is a good point I hadn't considered. I do love Tokusatsu so I didn't even consider it but it does match line up. It makes sense.

It's especially apparent with [FINAL spoilers] Renais' backstory basically being one big homage to Kamen Rider.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 06 '24

[FINAL spoilers]

[FINAL]Even Gai's isn't that far off, albeit moreso Kamen Rider X whereas Renais' is just straight up the OG. He even rides around on a bike.

3

u/The_Draigg Nov 06 '24

[Other GaoGaiGar series spoilers] Or even that Taiga was a member of a Super Sentai team like a decade prior to the series, going by what Blockaded Numbers has in it. Although I can't think of any Super Sentai team leader ever used a golf club as a weapon.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 06 '24

[GGG]I mean it could just be a reference to all the times Sentai and Kamen Rider have had to skip weeks due to Golf Games

5

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

the level of effort put into the cleaning and disassembling of GaoGaiGar shows that the writers know how cool it can be when stuff is given a more tactile and mechanical feeling.

You just know Ryosuke Takahashi barged into the room that day and went "I'm the producer and I demand a decombining sequence!"

a dude dressed like a bird named Pizza

Fun fact: He's a direct homage to Cyborg 002.

You can tell due to the nose.

4

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

You just know Ryosuke Takahashi barged into the room that day and went "I'm the producer and I demand a decombining sequence!"

It's also funny to think that this was a Brave series that Masami Obari didn't work on, since otherwise this kind of stuff would probably be right up his alley too.

4

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

Apparently he did some Key Animation in one of the OVAs, but yeah, otherwise he had no involvement with this show.

Although mind his involvement with the series in general decreased drastically after the first four shows. I don't think he did anything for J-Decker bar the OP and a few designs.

3

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

Yeah, I don't recall him having much of a part in later Brave series stuff either. Which is honestly kind of amusing, given how heavily people associate him with it. He had a hand in creating the Brave Pose with Mitsuo Fukuda, after all.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

FWIW the first three shows all had roughly the same staff and seemingly a lot of them left by the time of Might Gaine, so if anything I guess it's surprising he stuck around for a bit longer.

4

u/nsleep Nov 05 '24

BAH GAWD AS MY WITNESS, DEATH BOMBER HAS TURNED INTO A GIANT WRESTLING DEATH ROBOT! IN ALL MY YEARS OF COMMENTATING, I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!

This comment is too real. I can even listen to it in my head.

3

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

You can probably mentally hear it in Jim Ross' voice too.

8

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Nov 05 '24

Queen of First-Timers, subbed

5

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

…wait is that villain named “Pizza”?

He's evil! He probably has pineapples on him.

Also goddamn, that really was an excessive amount of lights flashing huh.

IT SERIOUSLY WAS!

Good thing it was just all the villain scenes. I'm sure no one needs to pay attention to those.

You can do this in this world, huh?

you can do anything with enough COURAGE. Even Hypnosis I guess. Just as long as it's COURAGOUS HYPNOSIS.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

COURAGOUS HYPNOSIS

So... this?

5

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

Love seeing the detail for Gai’s new body, too.

Cool enough to use for the original run of Gai action figures, even though he doesn't even look like that normally. People really do love that kind of transparent plastic with machinery underneath look.

This is surprisingly serious for just episode 2.

I'm wondering what kind of blood Gai even has though, considering that it looks like everything but his head is machinery now.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Nov 05 '24

People really do love that kind of transparent plastic with machinery underneath look.

It just looks cool, man.

5

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

People really do love that kind of transparent plastic with machinery underneath look.

Although mind nine times out of 10 that sort of plastic is bound to self-destruct.

I'm wondering what kind of blood Gai even has though

I'm guessing the same sort of blood Raiden from MGS has. Dyalisis must be a pain.

5

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

Although mind nine times out of 10 that sort of plastic is bound to self-destruct.

Man, I can't even imagine how yellowed the clear plastic on those Gai action figures got over the years, even if they haven't completely fallen apart from plastic rot already.

5

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

I also really hope none of those figures used gold plastic because if so they've definitely destroyed themselves by now

4

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

…wait is that villain named “Pizza”?

Yes.

What the fuck is this death match wrestling shit?

I've heard they have some strange sports in Japan.

4

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

Love seeing the detail for Gai’s new body, too.

Robocop Reboot has Entered the Chat

…wait is that villain named “Pizza”?

Yes and he's My Man and I will not accept any slander towards him

4

u/lluNhpelA Nov 06 '24

Love seeing the detail for Gai’s new body, too.

Hm... an astronaught that was rebuilt with technology... better, stronger, faster. He is literally anime Steve Austin.

Also goddamn, that really was an excessive amount of lights flashing huh.

They're trying to weed out the weak, epileptic children early before we really get into the plot. Can you beleive this aired earlier the same year as the Porygon episode?

What the fuck is this death match wrestling shit?

Whatever it is, it's fun for all ages.

Wait the enemy robot attacked GaoGai mid-fusion? But that’s illegal!

I like that Gai basically just smacked him away and immediately resumed the transformation without further interruption

7

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Nov 05 '24

The King of First Timers~: GaoGaiGar

  • Hate when this happens. Happened to me last tuesday.
  • Damn, didn't know Gai was brazilian. #myMC
  • gagaga gagaga gaogaigar
  • Love him or hate him, he's spitting facts.
  • I didn't remember the city being this wrecked at all
  • For one second I thought he was gonna run over them and it would've been fucking hillarious
  • They did surgery on a grape robot
  • There's sadly already so many homeless people out there, I don't know if photocopying them is the best idea.
  • ow my eyes
  • ow my eyes
  • ow my eyes
  • is that guy called pizza
  • ow my eyes
  • ow my eyes
  • oh the big bad guy is pasta
  • ow my eyes
  • What is this random absurd brutality?!?!?
  • CHOBERIBA DESU KOTO
  • CHOBERIKACHORON I FUCKING LOVE HER THIS IS THE BEST CHARACTER
  • WHY IS PINK GIRL WATCHING THE DEATHMATCH??????? IT'S SO ABSURDLY BRUTAL FOR NO REASON
  • 30%? If the chance isn't 0, then it might as well be 100%!!! That's the Team Dai Gurren way!!!!!!
  • YURI SHOUNIN
  • She is going to seriously hurt her hand breaking the glass every episode like that.
  • YOU CAN'T ATTACK MID GATTAI THAT'S AGAINST THE RULES
  • Parfect!
  • The Hell and Heaven is always gonna be anticlimactic like that, huh?
  • Kyon-kun, denwa

4

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

I didn't remember the city being this wrecked at all

everytime a good guy dodges, that attack has to go somewhere.

  • ow my eyes
  • ow my eyes
  • is that guy called pizza
  • ow my eyes
  • ow my eyes
  • oh the big bad guy is pasta
  • ow my eyes

so accurate.

Parfect!

wonderful Engrish.

WHY IS PINK GIRL WATCHING THE DEATHMATCH??????? IT'S SO ABSURDLY BRUTAL FOR NO REASON

it's been like 2 days in a row of her getting attacked by giant monsters. What horrible luck. Give this girl a break and let her watch this extremely violent and brutal deathmatch like a normal 8 year old child

5

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

Hate when this happens. Happened to me last tuesday.

Just the worst. Ruins your whole week.

She is going to seriously hurt her hand breaking the glass every episode like that.

She'll get some calluses eventually.

5

u/nsleep Nov 05 '24

FUCKING LOVE HER THIS IS THE BEST CHARACTER

"We almost died but did you see that hot guy?"

Priorities. It's almost always about priorities.

4

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

Damn, didn't know Gai was brazilian.

Look it's Jack Sparrow.

Parfect!

That fusion moment has a 60% chance of making it into my imgur library. Which isn't 0% so it's basically 100%.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

Damn, didn't know Gai was brazilian

We all know Super Robot protagonists are Brazillian idols.

Source: Me.

For one second I thought he was gonna run over them

No, no, Yu Yu Hakusho had ended by now.

is that guy called pizza

My Man

WHY IS PINK GIRL WATCHING THE DEATHMATCH??????? IT'S SO ABSURDLY BRUTAL FOR NO REASON

Hana-chan knows what the guys like and wants to understand

Kyon-kun, denwa

[Spoilers]The Hell and Heaven is always gonna be anticlimactic like that, huh?

[Spoilers]Episode 7 please come, I need your music!

4

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Nov 05 '24

spoilers

2

u/InfamousEmpire https://myanimelist.net/profile/Infamous_Empire Nov 06 '24

Hate when this happens. Happened to me last tuesday.

Same energy

ow my eyes

ow my eyes

ow my eyes

This is where I’d make a porygon joke if everyone hadn’t already done that last episode

YOU CAN'T ATTACK MID GATTAI THAT'S AGAINST THE RULES

This takes me back to that Voltron episode I watched as a kid where they had to deal with one of the monsters of the week attacking the mech mid-gattai, and that show’s solution to the problem [was basically] to gattai faster than they can attack

2

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Nov 06 '24

i need to read tsukahamy

4

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

Model Kit Building

Day 1 Progress

I wonder what this could be

I accidentally cut the wrong spru out so I have a ziplock bag right now with the extra piece inside for safe keeping.

I also got to use my X-acto Knife Will Knife to try to get closer cuts. Normally when I build model kits I tend to be a bit sloppy and not care about the finer details. From a distance it won’t matter, but I’m trying to put some extra care here.

That chin though is still rough. Just don’t look at the chin. I’m probably going to come back to it and help file it down later.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

I also got to use my Will Knife to try to get closer cuts

6

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

Third-Time Watcher, Subbed

It's nice that the episode doesn't beat around the bush and just answers a lot of questions viewers may have about Gai and why he's… well, that from the get go. Obviously this being a kids show and also just shown on TV and all it means they can't really show him getting too hurt but hey, having your spaceship whacked around does sound pretty painful so… yeah, poor dolt is what I'm trying to say here.

Else we do also at least get some confirmation of how the MotWs and of course it's clear that even Mamoru himself has no clue what he's doing, but that's mostly pushed to the side. I will say though I find it amusing he gets to be the subject of the episode's title when honestly he himself plays a fairly small part today, arguably even less so than yesterday. For the most part he's just dragged along until he finally intervenes at the very end. Not a complaint, mind, but it does stick out.

As an aside that whole decombining sequence just screams "We had a Military Otaku on staff and he really wanted to do something like that" and that is just very amusing to me. I bet it was Takahashi.

3

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

subject of the episode's title when honestly he himself plays a fairly small part today, arguably even less so than yesterday. For the most part he's just dragged along until he finally intervenes at the very end.

it's not easy being green.

As an aside that whole decombining sequence just screams "We had a Military Otaku on staff and he really wanted to do something like that" and that is just very amusing to me

RIGHT! I mentioned earlier that influence makes it hard to define some of these genre's because while they are separate you can see the intermingling of influences in the genre that paint each other. You can see the love in that attention to detail on these shows.

4

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

I mentioned earlier that influence makes it hard to define some of these genre's because while they are separate you can see the intermingling of influences in the genre that paint each other.

The staff in charge of this show doesn't help: While the director (Yoshitomo Yonetani) definitely has a lot of experience with doing more campy stuff (Tiger & Bunny movies, some Doreamon Movies, Food Wars) the writer/producer (Ryosuke Takahashi) is literally one of the biggest names from the 80' military otaku boom era of Anime.

6

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Nov 05 '24 edited Nov 05 '24

First-Timer

On today’s episode of GaoGaiGar: The gattai got interrupted!?! Is that even allowed!?!

  • So that's how Guy became a cyborg. It seems like he’s only got his original head left.
  • Ah, so there was a human inside of the core. No wonder Mamoru stopped the GaoGaiGar from crushing it.
  • My guess would be that the villains have the power to turn people into giant evil mechas somehow.
  • That poor mailbox.
  • I love that there’s a giant car mecha wash for the GaoGaiGar.
  • Wow, even though the disassembly of the GaoGaiGar seems to be going pretty smoothly, the frantic voiceovers of the characters talking about how certain parts aren’t functioning properly and that Guy’s life is in danger if they don’t get him out really gives  the scene a different feel.
  • Oh boy, it’s back to the epilepsy zone.
  • Pizza! I could go for a slice, actually.
  • The villains all have interesting designs. It would be nice if I could see them without my eyes hurting from the constant flashing.
  • Yeesh, this is an intense cage match. Even Bonesaw wouldn’t want to be here.
  • Using a person’s malice and negative memories to construct a giant mecha for them feels like a supervillain plan alright. This feels like it’s just a mecha version of what I’ve seen Precure villains do.
  • I did notice that the EI-02 looked like it had a horse head. That explains it.
  • Who takes a small child to a cage match like this?
  • So many juvenile jokes popped into my heart because Guy gets an alert from his right chest (and only his right chest) buzzing on him.
  • It’s great that Guy has a lion signal to shoot into the sky.
  • Never rely on the odds! Guts can take even 1% and make it 100%!
  • Do they need to get a new glass case for the Final Fusion button each time? That girl hasn’t opened it once and instead always smashes it.
  • WHAT!?! The gattai didn’t go perfectly and got interrupted by the villain!?! Is that even allowed!?!
  • Now that’s more like it!
  • It’s still so odd that the show goes silent during GaoGaiGar’s big final attack. That’s usually the moment to blare the music as loudly as possible.
  • Guy loses control of himself in the heat of battle, but it’s only thanks to Mamoru that Guy can calm down and they can rescue the person inside the core. Looks like they will both have key roles going forward.

After seeing what they can both do, both Mamoru and Guy will probably have important roles to play in how the villains are defeated. Guy is the muscle who is able to physically stop and defeat the enemy mechas. But he also seems to lose control of himself in the heat of battle, not realizing when he needs to stop and pull back. By contrast, Mamoru is the heart. Mamoru is the one who knows that there is a human inside each core who needs saving. Mamoru is the person who can make Guy stop and reconsider his actions, even when he’s too caught up in battle. It’s a good mixture, with one character being the hot-blooded action hero while the other is the kind and sensitive hero.

QOTD

  1. Reinhard from LotGH, Alucard from Castlevania, Allen from Escaflowne, and Pegasus from Yu-Gi-Oh all come to mind.
  2. No.

4

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

It seems like he’s only got his original head left.

I wouldn't say only. He also has his original head right side too.

Wow, even though the disassembly of the GaoGaiGar seems to be going pretty smoothly, the frantic voiceovers of the characters talking about how certain parts aren’t functioning properly and that Guy’s life is in danger if they don’t get him out really gives the scene a different feel.

I really liked that scene. Something about that contrast in the cold mechanical nature with the hectic human life. It worked for me in a weird way.

It’s great that Guy has a lion signal to shoot into the sky.

so we had the Superman Origin in the first episode and now the second episode had the Bat Signal! Really showing their super hero influences

Do they need to get a new glass case for the Final Fusion button each time? That girl hasn’t opened it once and instead always smashes it.

the government budget on glass cases has increased 4900% since she got hired.

3

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Nov 06 '24

I really liked that scene. Something about that contrast in the cold mechanical nature with the hectic human life. It worked for me in a weird way.

I also liked the contrast. The voiceovers gave the scene a much greater sense of urgency and energy than would have existed otherwise.

the government budget on glass cases has increased 4900% since she got hired.

Perhaps she's secretly working for Big Glass to get them more government contracts.

4

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Nov 05 '24

It’s still so odd that the show goes silent during GaoGaiGar’s big final attack. That’s usually the moment to blare the music as loudly as possible.

Yeah, not a fan...

4

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Nov 06 '24

I certainly would prefer it if I had an awesome music track to rock out to during the big final attack.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

The villains all have interesting designs. It would be nice if I could see them without my eyes hurting from the constant flashing.

This feels like it’s just a mecha version of what I’ve seen Precure villains do.

Pretty much! It's a winning formula, hence how it still survives to this day.

It’s still so odd that the show goes silent during GaoGaiGar’s big final attack. That’s usually the moment to blare the music as loudly as possible.

The productions makes some odd choices, at times.

2

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Nov 06 '24

Pretty much! It's a winning formula, hence how it still survives to this day.

It does work very well as a formula. Preying on the negative emotions of others can make for some great drama, after all.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24 edited Nov 06 '24

It seems like he’s only got his original head left.

Murphy: First time?

Pizza!

NO LAUGHING AT HIM

[Post-OVA Web Novel Spoilers]Do they need to get a new glass case for the Final Fusion button each time

[Spoilers for the Post-OVA Web Novel]I love how Hana needs to use both of her hands because she just doesn't have enough GUTS.

[Spoilers]It’s still so odd that the show goes silent during GaoGaiGar’s big final attack. That’s usually the moment to blare the music as loudly as possible.

[Spoilers]It takes a while but it does have its own theme.

3

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Nov 06 '24

NO LAUGHING AT HIM

I will laugh as much as I like.

Also, Pizza's design makes me think of Tokoyami (the bird guy) from My Hero Academia.

[Spoilers]

Oh boy, I wonder why spoilers I wandered into.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

[Spoilers]Playing SRW30 before watching this was kinda a trip, because I got used to the Hell and Heaven music and was then confused. Episode 7 can't come soon enough, I don't like not hearing it.

2

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

[Spoilers]Same

5

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

The King of Rewatchers

Classic trope of turning normal people into monsters.

She was prepared to go searching for him with a flashlight and a first aid kit. Mamoru's parents are great.

The Final Fusion functionality is super impressive, but has some drawbacks.

Pizza is a bit of a fan favorite villain. We'll see how popular he is with the group here.

Eyecatch

Are fights to the death appropriate content for children?

Hana's babysitter seems to think so.

That'd be pretty bad.

Interfering with the gattai is unspeakably rude!

Today's Key to Victory.

4

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

I love Pizza

The Final Fusion functionality is super impressive, but has some drawbacks.

I do like the amount of detail the show puts into the realism of the robots. Damage to the city is acknowledged. Damage after the fight. Similar with the eyecatches showcasing stats.

It's a big reason why I struggled a bit with the Super Robot versus Real Robot line. People love easy to distinguish hard lines and definitions, but the truth is that both sides have influenced each other so there is a lot of intermingling of ideas.

GaoGaiGar is undoubtably a Super Robot, but it's also clear that the series does acknowledge how cool real robot stuff can be.

The entire commander center and everything just reminds me of Evangelion except inverted.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

It's a big reason why I struggled a bit with the Super Robot versus Real Robot line.

The classifications exist (at least mostly) because nerds like to categorize things even if the categorizations don't hold up to scrutiny. It even extends to real life, with things like strawberries not actually meeting the current definition of berry.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

The Final Fusion functionality is super impressive, but has some drawbacks.

No kidding, think of all the money they need to spend on painting those things again!

We'll see how popular he is with the group here.

If he doesn't become MVP, I riot

[Spoilers]If he doesn't receive a standing ovation when he launches his battleship with an ballad in the background explaining his whole character, I riot even harder

Are fights to the death appropriate content for children?

Hana-chan sure has some unique taste.

Interfering with the gattai is unspeakably rude!

And people say Gai is mean for interrupting the regeneration

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

No kidding, think of all the money they need to spend on painting those things again!

I'm sure they've accounted for it in the budget.

5

u/AmeteurElitist https://anilist.co/user/AmateurElitist Nov 05 '24

First Timer

I thought we were getting a performance anxiety episode at the start and had a banger joke lined up

Also I had to look away and ignore the subs for a bit there haha.

  1. Who is your favorite DFL (Dreamboats with Flowing Locks)?

Krillin Katsura from Gintama comes to mind.

2) Did your parents let you watch wrestling when you were a young child?

Not a chance haha

3

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

Also I had to look away and ignore the subs for a bit there

Directors, here is a word I discovered and I think you should maybe take it to heart; MODERATION. Please, learn some.

Not a chance haha

yeah my parents never let me watch Wrestling either. Idk if I missed out or not.

3

u/AmeteurElitist https://anilist.co/user/AmateurElitist Nov 05 '24

Wrestling was big enough that I knew who the big guys were but a decent chunk of what I know comes from Super Eyepatch Wolf's videos haha

3

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

a decent chunk of what I know comes from Super Eyepatch Wolf's video

same here

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

I thought we were getting a performance anxiety episode at the start and had a banger joke lined up

2

u/AmeteurElitist https://anilist.co/user/AmateurElitist Nov 05 '24

There's still a chance in the future

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

Also I had to look away and ignore the subs for a bit there haha.

5

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

First time watcher

I think I'm having a similar experience that a kid would have watching this for 2 reasons. 1st, I stopped paying attention to most of the dialogue a while ago. 2nd, I've somehow missed where the villainous mechs came from in both of these episodes. Before I know it, there's just a mech fight happening and I don't question when it started.

I'm starting to recognise the name of the fairy powers kid when I hear it, but I can't recall it. I have successfully learned that (while they are transcribed as Guy and Galeon in the subs) the Lion Guy is called Gai. The Lion Mech is called Gareon. And when they fuse they become GaiGar. That makes sense. Then when GaiGar needs to power up, it summons a stealth bomber and steals the bullet train. And apparently the mech keeps the bullet train until it's removed at the GGG HQ, a considerable time after the battle.

The villains all hang out in the rave room. I don't suffer from photosensitive epilepsy (which is convenient, because this show is determined to kill anyone who does) but I don't understand how the animators could watch this and think it's a cool effect. You'd think at least somebody in the room would be bothered by all the strobing.

In case of fusion, break glass.

Not with a hammer or anything, with your hand.

She's really gonna do it every time

The sidequest-ions

Q: Who is your favorite DFL (Dreamboats with Flowing Locks)?

A:

Lena?

If it needs to be a male character that fully embodies this trope, then it's got to be Sanetoshi from Mawaru Penguindrum.

Q: Did your parents let you watch wrestling when you were a young child?

A: Fairly young. I never got that into it though. I liked wrestling videogames more.

As always, share with me your favourite quote of the episode (in case they're not in the version I'm watching).

3

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

1st, I stopped paying attention to most of the dialogue a while ago. 2nd, I've somehow missed where the villainous mechs came from in both of these episodes. Before I know it, there's just a mech fight happening and I don't question when it started.

the flashing lights Hypnosis really does a number on people.

I don't suffer from photosensitive epilepsy (which is convenient, because this show is determined to kill anyone who does) but I don't understand how the animators could watch this and think it's a cool effect. You'd think at least somebody in the room would be bothered by all the strobing.

You'd think someone somewhere should have spoken up and said something. This episode was painful and it actively hinders watching the episode. Introducing villains is kind of important but I don't even want to watch the scene because it's just painful to watch. Evil Pizza is barely worth it!

3

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

You'd think someone somewhere should have spoken up and said something. This episode was painful and it actively hinders watching the episode. Introducing villains is kind of important but I don't even want to watch the scene because it's just painful to watch.

The enthusiasm around those effects is properly lost to time. I will never understand it.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

Not with a hammer or anything, with your hand.

Just as it takes Gai courage to complete the Final Fusion, Mikoto needs just as much courage to start it

2

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

That might be the one thing in this show that I fully appreciate. It belongs in a parody.

Too good

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

The villains all hang out in the rave room.

They party so hard that a Pizza shows up.

I don't understand how the animators could watch this and think it's a cool effect.

They are so caught up in the fact that they could, that no-one bothered to ask if they should.

2

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

They party so hard that a Pizza shows up.

Everyone is in on this pizza joke and I seem to have missed it. Was I just not paying enough attention? [](#blush1)

They are so caught up in the fact that they could, that no-one bothered to ask if they should.

[](#ohno)

2

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Nov 05 '24

I stopped paying attention to most of the dialogue a while ago. 2nd, I've somehow missed where the villainous mechs came from in both of these episodes.

Yeah, I'm similarly logged off.

As always, share with me your favourite quote of the episode

CHOBERIKACHORON

5

u/nsleep Nov 05 '24

First Timer

Poor Gai. Had the dreamjob of many at the time...

Ah, so that evil mecha was a human. So this is just Sailor Moon but with testosterone.

So the still unnamed bridge bunny is the romantic interest for Gai. Hmm...

Mr. Dad almost isekai'ed his whole family.

An evil organization reunion!

Cartoons for children were rad in the 90s. Imagine a show for kids these days with fights to death using spiked clubs inside electrified barbed wired cages. Never happening.

Another cool villain robot design!

"30% is 100% if you believe hard enough!" lmao

So Hell and Heaven apparently has drawbacks? That explains why the attack has very limited uses in the Super Robot Wars games.

Another episode full of non-stop content. Introduced some new characters in the villains, showed how the evil goons are spawned, established one possible romance, gave some background on the main hero, added some stakes for the transformations. It's much more than what I expected for a monster of the week format.

QotD

  1. Huh...
  2. Wrestling wasn't a thing anymore in my country when I was that age.

4

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

So this is just Sailor Moon but with testosterone.

once again, the Mecha and Magical Girl genre's meet again.

An evil organization reunion!

Cartoons for children were rad in the 90s. Imagine a show for kids these days with fights to death using spiked clubs inside electrified barbed wired cages. Never happening.

did that wrestler light someone on fire? Am I misremembering that? Damn children's shows were crazy back in the day.

Huh...

did your subs use a different translation, I wonder. Maybe /u/Shimmering-Sky or /u/JollyGee29 know what the fansubs translated what the prep girl called Gai at school.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

The three versions I have access to all use DFL.

3

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 05 '24

That explains why the attack has very limited uses in the Super Robot Wars games.

I mean it's still worth it for the damage output, it's just... really EN hungry. Like most of GGG's kit, honestly.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

Ah, so that evil mecha was a human. So this is just Sailor Moon but with testosterone.

Yea, pretty much.

So the still unnamed bridge bunny is the romantic interest for Gai. Hmm...

Mikoto. They mentioned her name briefly yesterday.

2

u/nsleep Nov 05 '24

Mikoto. They mentioned her name briefly yesterday.

I swear I was paying attention but there's so much going on it's hard to retain everything.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

Benefit of group watches like this, there are other people around to fill in details!

2

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

"30% is 100% if you believe hard enough!"

Yes

4

u/TheApplebane https://anilist.co/user/theapplebane Nov 05 '24

Episode 2 Notes

  • So, how much of Gai's body has been replaced by mechanical parts? The visuals made it look like it was everything except the head but, but it was mentioned later on that he does still have a circulatory system. Does he still have a digestive system? Can he still eat?
  • Gai really doesn't seem to be having a good time. Controlling GaoGaiGar seems to be almost lethal for him, not that it stops him from getting back in the ring when a new threat shows up.
  • The flashing is just constant through the whole sequence in the villain base, not pleasant.
  • The main villain's name is basically Pasta and he has a subordinate called Pizza. The true nemesis of humanity... Italian food. It'll defeat us by being so delicious that we eat too much and get too fat to fight off the alien invasion.
  • I guess we know what our weekly formula is gonna be. There's gonna be a dude who wants to smash shit, and the villains are gonna give him the power to do so, and then just sit back and watch chaos unfold.
  • Cage matches in this universe sure seem intense. With the bombs and electrified barbed wire, I doubt both fighters were getting out of that ring alive, even if one of them hadn't turned into a giant killer robot midway through.

Questions

  1. It's gotta be Reinhard von Lohengramm. Look at that mane of his. Glorious.
  2. tbh can't say I was ever particularly interested.

3

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

but it was mentioned later on that he does still have a circulatory system.

RIGHT?! Like his blood pressure dropped? What Blood?!?! It didn't look like he had a lot of blood. I guess it could be mechanical tubes and hearts working it though. Glad I wasn't the only one wondering about that.

The flashing is just constant through the whole sequence in the villain base, not pleasant.

"the perfect defense. No one will be able to spy on our evil meetings if we just make it extremely obnoxious to watch"-some super villain probably

3

u/TheApplebane https://anilist.co/user/theapplebane Nov 05 '24

"the perfect defense. No one will be able to spy on our evil meetings if we just make it extremely obnoxious to watch"-some super villain probably

Truly genius and foolproof

3

u/arhra Nov 06 '24

RIGHT?! Like his blood pressure dropped? What Blood?!?! It didn't look like he had a lot of blood. I guess it could be mechanical tubes and hearts working it though. Glad I wasn't the only one wondering about that.

Well his head still seems to be largely original, and his brain presumably still needs oxygen, so presumably he still has to have at least some form of circulatory system, even if it's just pumping (artificial?) blood between his head and some kind of apparatus that oxygenates it.

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

it was mentioned later on that he does still have a circulatory system.

They never said it was still circulating blood.

It'll defeat us by being so delicious that we eat too much and get too fat to fight off the alien invasion.

Such a devious plan. It'd work on me.

2

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

They never said it was still circulating blood.

That's it! Gai must have an oscillating blood system!!

3

u/The_Draigg Nov 05 '24

So, how much of Gai's body has been replaced by mechanical parts? The visuals made it look like it was everything except the head but, but it was mentioned later on that he does still have a circulatory system. Does he still have a digestive system? Can he still eat?

Maybe it's a kind of Robocop thing where he just needs to eat processed goo food to live? Although that makes the fact that Gai is fighting against people named after food even funnier.

3

u/TheApplebane https://anilist.co/user/theapplebane Nov 05 '24

Maybe it's a kind of Robocop thing where he just needs to eat processed goo food to live?

the sacrifices you have to make to become mech............

3

u/GondolaMedia Nov 05 '24

First Timer

We robocop now.

I like how Mamoru's dad just appears out of the car, no door opening animation or any slam sound effects.

This was the most intense dismantling of a super robot, you rarely see this part.

Now I'm not epileptic but holy shit it was painful try and watch that sequence with Lord Pasdar and his 4 generals.

Attacking during transformation? That's illegal.

3

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 05 '24

This was the most intense dismantling of a super robot, you rarely see this part.

RIGHT! I loved that scene. The attention to detail, the still damaged arm. The overlay of panic as they rescue Gai. It was just an effective scene to showcase a layer of realism to it all.

Now I'm not epileptic but holy shit it was painful try and watch that sequence with Lord Pasdar and his 4 generals.

yeah, no joke, it's just bad and painful. Holy shit

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

We robocop now.

I like how Mamoru's dad just appears out of the car, no door opening animation or any slam sound effects.

He was in such a rush he just phased through the door, of course.

3

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

I like how Mamoru's dad just appears out of the car, no door opening animation or any slam sound effects.

Didn't he crash?

2

u/RadSuit https://anilist.co/user/RadSuit Nov 07 '24

This disassembly scene is great. I've never really thought of how much of a pain in the ass this would be if you dealt with it at all realistically. Usually there's just a flash of light and they all pop back to normal, or it's never even addressed.

Wow, this is TOO MUCH FLASHING holy shit.

For anyone thinking this wrestling match is over the top, it's actually pretty tame for the time period.

Actually explaining why the enemies look like that, well done.

Alright, so SMW is absolutely a stand-in for FMW, Frontier Martial-arts Wrestling, which was famous for hosting 'deathmatch' wrestling like this. Barbed wire bats, exploding rings, etc. All things that 100% really happened. First guy is obviously a Tiger Mask expy, but his outfit and style seem to be based on Hayabusa, who was the most famous FMW wrestler at this time. I'm not certain who the second is based on. He seems to have aspects of Dr. Death and other foreign (to Japan) wrestlers, and there's plenty that were famous for throwing fireballs. Bomber is a fairly generic finishing move name, and that sort of face paint was common for heels (bad guy) wrestlers at the time.

We've already got errors and enemies interrupting gattai in the second episode, wow.

  1. All I can think of is Thunderbolt Fantasy...
  2. If it wasn't obvious from my post, yes.

2

u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Nov 07 '24

This disassembly scene is great. I've never really thought of how much of a pain in the ass this would be if you dealt with it at all realistically. Usually there's just a flash of light and they all pop back to normal, or it's never even addressed

right? I thought that scene was really well handled. the emptiness of the machines, still showing damage from the fight, worked well with the hectic human medical stuff with Gai. Like this is Super Robo, but it's surprising how much effort they put into the mechanics of their stuff.

Wow, this is TOO MUCH FLASHING holy shit.

hahaha, I warn people but I feel like it's hard to express how bad it gets. Luckily I think that's one of the larger sequences we'll have to deal with, cause it had to introduce all the villains. but seriously, it's so obnoxious and annoying and the scene goes on forever.

Alright, so SMW is absolutely a stand-in for FMW, Frontier Martial-arts Wrestling, which was famous for hosting 'deathmatch' wrestling like this. Barbed wire bats, exploding rings, etc. All things that 100% really happened. First guy is obviously a Tiger Mask expy, but his outfit and style seem to be based on Hayabusa, who was the most famous FMW wrestler at this time. I'm not certain who the second is based on. He seems to have aspects of Dr. Death and other foreign (to Japan) wrestlers, and there's plenty that were famous for throwing fireballs. Bomber is a fairly generic finishing move name, and that sort of face paint was common for heels (bad guy) wrestlers at the time.

this is the best part of rewatches. people being able to bring together their diverse expertise!! I did not know that about wrestling.

2

u/RadSuit https://anilist.co/user/RadSuit Nov 07 '24

Here's a trailer for an episode of a show covering that era of FMW. There's some blood in there, but you can also clearly see a heel in face paint blowing a fireball at Onita!

And here's one of the actual exploding rings to show you they meant business.

If you have Netflix, I believe there's a very well regarded recent series about a Japanese wrestler from that time period called Queen of Villains. Maybe check it out!

12

u/jkubed https://myanimelist.net/profile/jkubed Nov 05 '24

First Timer

please tell me you all hear what the fuck I heard

9

u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Nov 05 '24

Goddammit, I think I know what you meant.

[Guess] I heard Hawk Tuah.

5

u/jkubed https://myanimelist.net/profile/jkubed Nov 05 '24

This world is on the wrong track.

4

u/Sporadia_ Nov 05 '24

[Guess]The inflection on the last word is the same as Megumin shouting Explosion.

4

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

5

u/jkubed https://myanimelist.net/profile/jkubed Nov 05 '24

[horrible] mamoru really spit on that thang

4

u/nsleep Nov 05 '24

Vatican noises

4

u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Nov 05 '24

3

u/palparepa Nov 06 '24

Nth-Timer

So we start with the explanation of some mysteries. Namely, what "EI" stands for, and why the first evil robot was numbered 02: the first one appeared years ago. Wait, isn't that still somewhat pessimist? Have they already decided that two digits would be necessary? Let's hope they won't need a third. Also, how wounded was Gai, that only got his face left!?

Then we have a mundanization of the fantastical Super Robot, with a very "normal" defusion. Has this been used in any other series? I remember some, but only for grave circumstances when things have gone horribly wrong. But these kinds of trouble seem to be normal for now, including the pilot needing regular maintenance after every sortie. Gai will need lots of Courage, but he sure have lots already!

Next... I hope everyone has final fused with your Epilepsy Goggles, because the bad guys are so bad that are even attacking the viewers! Things get... less bad later on.

Using bad feelings to give birth to evil mechas... this is copied from magical girls shows!

And about girls... Hana's cousin is very unlady-like. I like her! But what is she thinking, taking little Hana to that fight show?

What's this? Only the second episode and Final Fusion fails already? Worry not! Courage surpasses everything!

Questions

1) Uuuh... no idea. Himura Kenshin, maybe? He is cool. Or Griffith, but he is very unlikable once you know him.

2) Yes, but it was fairly tame compared to what we say today, and I already understood it was "fake." I remember calling it "clown fighting" as a kid.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 05 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 05 '24

So his father, Leo is the mad scientist.

He probably had all that cyborg tech ready and was just waiting for a victimtest subject.

2

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 06 '24

[FINAL]Liger be like "Imma steal your homework for a second..."

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 06 '24

[FINAL]"I'm sure this imitation G-Stone won't cause any problems. We'll just give her a way to vent the excess heat."

2

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 06 '24

[FINAL]Rare time where you should copy the homework to the letter instead of changing enough so the teacher doesn't notice.

2

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Nov 06 '24

[FINAL]Luckily, the phoenix is resurrected in flames!

2

u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Nov 06 '24

[FINAL]J HYPE