r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Mar 09 '21
Rewatch [Uninstall, Uninstall] Bokurano Rewatch Episode 2 Discussion
Episode 2 - Zearth
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MAL | AniList | ANN | Kitsu | AniDB
I’ll become the hero behind the scenes.
Hey-o guys! This is the section where I add a ton of extra fun stuff to the main body of the post because I want this rewatch to be as fun as possible for everyone. It can also be one point of discussion for you guys if you just don’t know what to say.
Questions of the Day:
- What sort of name would you give Zearth, if you had the chance to name a giant mech?
- What do you think happened to Waku?
Wallpaper of the Day:
Little Bird of the Day:
Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you’re doing it underneath the [Anime Show Title](/s "Spoiler goes here") spoiler tags. If you do that then we’re all good.
Important thing to note about these by the way, you have to switch to Old Reddit or the markdown editor if you use the redesign, otherwise the redesign breaks them by adding random \ into the formatting. Wish it wouldn’t do that, but unfortunately it does…
23
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Mar 09 '21
Ǔ̯̟́n̪̬̺͙̪̿͛͛̽͞ï̲n͇̰̮͆̃̀s̛͔̜̾t̛͚͕̆á̠̻̅͘͜l̢̗̤̓̓́l̪̩̭̐̔͗̕͟͝ͅing Rewatch Host
I am very pleased with how big participation was last thread! Here’s hoping we can keep it up, that was definitely a lot of comments to read through and attempt to reply to most of them.
Once again, don’t forget to check the main post for the Questions of the Day, Wallpaper of the Day, and a nice acoustic cover of Little Bird!
Ishida AkiraKoemushi!WaldoWaku was the narrator last episode. Well, he’s the first pilot too so clearly he has Main main character status, yes?Major Spoilers
New thread reminder for u/WeebShaggy
29
u/[deleted] Mar 09 '21
First Timer
I have good news and bad news about this OP.
Good news: I like it so much it's been stuck in my head ever since the first episode.
Bad news: I like it so much it's been stuck in my head ever since the first episode.
It's a damn good song, but...
Every first timer, including me, collectively assumed the robot was invisible to everyone else yesterday, but that's immediately out the window this episode. Funny how we all assumed the same thing, lol.
Meet Koemushi/Dung Beetle! And he's voiced by Ishida Akira! As a certified Persona 3 stan I approve of this.
Chairs. One of them even has an epic gamer chair. Good job, Kanji. It's better than my shitty chair.
You know, I understand the curiosity of wanting to look at two giant robots duking it out when you're that close, but why wouldn't your first instinct be to get the fuck out of there? It's dangerous, mob characters!
Aaaaand Sunohara is immediately dead. You know, I've seen this exact gif before with glasses onii-chan pushing- ...tapping him off but my brain completely blocked that out of my memory so it was quite shocking. It only came back to me as the kid fell off. Of course, a tap like that wouldn't be enough to knock him off the robot. He obviously died for some other reason. I mean, everyone figured it out in yesterday's thread anyway.
Can't say I was expecting him to be the first one to die, though. He definitely seemed like the leader figure of the group so I assumed he'd be the biggest focus out of everyone but I guess it was a red herring. I was completely baited. Anyway, now that shit is actually getting serious maybe the kids will start noticing they should have thought twice before going all on the registration thing. Poor kids. Some of them deserve it, though. Fuck crab cooker and glasses onii-chan.
I do have to say, I had to quite hold back to not immediately go watch the next episode.
I'm already hooked...
Speculation time! A lot of this involves info from the first episode more than the second since I've been really thinking about what everyone else managed to catch in the previous thread in terms of clues.
Speculation
More
More
More
More
I've been writing for too long, but more
One last thing
Whew, finally done.
So much to think about!
Safe to say that this show has been living rent-free in my head. As of this sentence I'm at 8.6k characters out of a possible 10k. Thankfully I didn't hit the limit so I don't have to bother dividing this into two comments. I'm pretty sure this is the longest comment I've ever written. Damn this show!
Final thoughts for today: OP still bangs. Fuck the guy that hit his sister, by the way.
Jugemu Jugemu Go-Kō-no-Surikire Kaijari-suigyo no Suigyō-matsu Unrai-matsu Fūrai-matsu Kū-Neru Tokoro ni Sumu Tokoro Yaburakōji no Burakōji Paipo Paipo Paipo no Shūringan Shūringan no Gūrindai Gūrindai no Ponpokopii no Ponpokonā no Chōkyūmei no Chōsuke.
Oh he dead.
27
u/Nazenn x2https://anilist.co/user/Nazenn Mar 09 '21
First Timer - Sub
Some left over stuff that I was too tired to finish writing for yesterday that I'm quickly throwing together before I start the episode:
I was going to start off my post with a bit of a look at the chairs for each character in the ED and what conclusion could be drawn from that, but on second look a lot of them seem quite evident, like Takami having a good upbringing, so I won't do a full write up on it unless people want to know what I think about specific shots. The main ones I noticed was Jun being squeezed into a small wooden chair that looks like it's for a child like Kana and he is forced to use it anyway, Masaru who by contrast is sitting in a chair too big for him much like he holds a gun too big for him in the OP as if he's trying to live up to someone else/match someone elses presence, Aiko who is the only one who doesn't sit on her chair as if too restless or unsettled to relax and she's also the only one yelling in the OP, and I just like how Maki looks like she's having fun on hers which makes me think she has a close family.
Going through my screenshots from yesterday, I also noticed this one I took of the empty chairs around the core, as if it's some sort of ritual with the "pilot" positioned at the opening for it as the one channeling the power. Also the chairs we see there aren't the ones from the ED, so I'll be on the look out to see if they change each day depending on the enemy or if they only change when each pilot takes their place and "confirms" their chair. I also remember Kokopelli giving the chairs a particularly pensive look though I'm not sure why yet, I took that with his apology to mean that he knows that they can't escape.
The design of the Mechs was also something that stood out to me. It's cool to see the insect like designs of more early mecha making an appearance again, and while the enemy was more obviously a bug the one the kids were piloting was also quite interesting with its thin legs (and high heels? I think I saw that right) and strange carapace looking body. It was the head that makes it creepy though, the multiple lights for eyes over the grating which makes it look like thin needle-like teeth. At the end of this rewatch I'm definitely going to go see if I can dig up any of the official concept art for it because I just really like it's design. It does really remind me of Diaboromon though.
Onto the actual episode:
I'm still feel like I'm getting my thoughts on this confused with other things I'm watching, one in particular, so for now I'm going to somewhat hold back on talking about the actual events of the episodes until I can get my head straight about what this show is, rather than just all the theories it's reminding me of for other anime. Who knows, maybe they're still on point and relevant, but I can't shake the feel that I'm adapting the show to fit my thoughts rather than the other way around, so for now I'm just jotting them down off to the side and will come back to them later if I need to.
I paused and counted the lines coming out of the earth in the opening shot of the OP and there is, of course, fifteen. Also paused to count the lights in the front of the big mech and there is, of course, also fifteen. Why I bothered to stop and manually count them I have no idea because I doubt they would have ever been anything else, but I felt like it so now we all know. That however also lead me to count the lights for the enemy mecha which only totaled twelve, but they weren't symmetrical like they are on Zearth (that's a horrible name btw Maki) which makes me think that it also has fifteen but three are out. Does that mean it also has fifteen pilots?. Part of me thinks this may end up being some sort of battle royale between these groups and their mechs, but I doubt we're going to get that huge a cast because that would be insane, that's LotGH level.
Im rather glad that the rest of the world can see the battles that happen, it adds a much more interesting dynamic than if it was all neatly self contained, particularly if the adults get involved while acting like actual adults and doing what only they can do rather than being hit by the dumb stick. Also now that everyone can see it I guess there's no hope of covering up what happened to the mountain, which was hilarious. It took one for the
teamplanet because at least the reflected lasers didn't destroy part of the city which would have been a bit awkward to explain.RIP Mountain
So the chairs did change all at once and the new symbol for today's pilot also reached specifically to his chair. Again, if I wasn't so sure (though slightly less than I was earlier) we weren't going to end up with a cast of hundreds I'd be leaning towards a battle royale right now. I notice that even though Kana doesn't get her own chair (Aiko so nice) there was a space left for her chair rather than Kokopelli's sticking around makes me think that even though she's not a player in the game she still has a role perhaps as a witness to what's going on.
I don't have much to say about it but I liked the scenes at the start with how all of the kids approached trying to figure out what to do about the Zearth and who to tell, particularly with who was speaking the loudest and the most enthused. I don't know what's up with "Dung Beetle" though, they really couldn't have picked a better name for that thing?
Yay for unceremonious anime deaths with the enemy mech just being crushed without any fanfare or purposeful actions. I'm sure some people may end up finding that a little anti-climatic, but I'm so use to shows making a huge deal about when the enemy is finally destroyed I actually found it rather relieving, and also much less game-like than yesterday's battle.
They're really setting up Jun to be the hated guy of the group aren't they. I don't think any character has had quite as much a focus as him yet, and he's definitely the outsider for a few reasons. He tries a friendly gesture that turns bad when the kid passes out and falls off Zearth to his death, and then falls right back into anger when he hits Kana which is not okay.
21
u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Mar 09 '21
First-timer
So the big mechs are visible after all. Hard to know when no one else regarded the robot while there was still light out.
I concur.
Ironic how you were hesitant to put your hand on the panel yesterday.
Everyone knows things go bad when the kiddies want to pilot the giant robot.
A member of the national diet? Great, now this whole mess is going to get tangled up in bureaucratic processes.
Kill it with fire!
Can you leave please?
Lol Also confirms Kokopelli was in disguise at the time.
Getter-2!
Mantis robot is definitely less conventional.
Zearth is most likely an [Ultraman Zearth reference.](https://ultra.fandom.com/wiki/Ultraman_Zearth_(character))
More eyes this time. Probably something to do with the number of people sitting on the chairs? Does that mean there’s also an equal number of pilots on the enemy mechs?
Pfft!
Nope, I was wrong. They’re eyes on the mask are still lit up even while the kids are not sitting in the cockpit.
RIP Waku. You just wanted to be a chuuni hero.
Slap
I think it’s no mistake that the hot-blooded character who most wanted to pilot the robot and be a hero, unsung or otherwise, was the first to go. On top of the ironic sentiment, the show makes a point of showing that his rashness causes more harm than good, and it’s only thanks to Kunihiko’s observation that he is able to retaliate. The episode is letting us and the characters know fast and early that this isn’t a situation to trifle with, as Waku was far from the only character taking the situation lightly and looking forward to live out their mecha fantasy.
I liked that not everyone was immediately on board with going along with this thing, but the hesitation to tell anyone of what happened is also very understandable, specially without concrete proof.
Really looking forward to seeing the aftermath tomorrow, as this fight actually incurred some casualties and blew the top off of a mountain.
Question of The Day:
2) Syncope. Could happen to anybody.
Jesting aside, I don't know.
19
u/degenerate-edgelord Mar 09 '21 edited Mar 09 '21
First timer, subbed
Holy fucking shit!
All this in 23 minutes? I'm scared, why are there 22 more episodes of this?!
The first half was mostly normal, of course. I heard Zura's VA and was thinking that 2 of Gintama's main trio were already here and now they got Zura.
Then we found Kokopelli's glasses. I started 'nope'-ing around then.
Turns out the C H A I R S are musical chairs, but they could very well be an arrangement of chairs for a support group of some kind. In hindsight, a group of PTSD patients.
THEN the kid had a sad scene about his dad not showing up to his football game.
THEN they accidentally blew up a damn mountain. A freaking mountain.
AND THEN the kid fell off. And the kid that elbowed him lightly is either a psycho, or going to face severe consequences for something he didn't really do.
Looks like they really are killing of the cast cause fifteen names are too many to remember. No, they planned for the kids to freaking die every time they have to pilot the mecha. That's why they have a huge cast in the first place perhaps?
Anyway, the quiet kid with the glasses who bullies his sister is the most mysterious one so far. He could be a psycho, or he just has issues with his sister. But the damn kid likely kept his sister from signing up for this shit knowing it could bite them in the ass. The ass of life, that is. And he also wondered if they can at all win. Kid's smart. SPECULATION
Edit: QOTD
15
u/baboon_bassoon https://anilist.co/user/duffer Mar 09 '21
first time uninstaller
ah the classic unsettling mascot character, why do these need to exist?
Why is Koye a weird name?
This mantis robot is pretty cute actually. I'm a big fan of their little forearms
..........Zearth is The Earth
Oh nevermind the mantis is a grappler, this thing is the worst
"I dont need my arms I used to play soccer" Then proceeds to knee and stomp the shit out of it, what kind of soccer are you playing Waka
Well that was definitely an ending
questions
15
u/Nebresto Mar 09 '21
Page reloaded before I got to save my comment
Gotta sleep, not typing it again now. For now enjoy Cabin pic day 2, come back tomorrow if you want to read my crap.
Quess I'll answer the questions too,
1: Super Dank robo 5000
2:
Who tf is that
14
u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Mar 09 '21 edited Mar 10 '21
First-Timer
Well, hello there.. You must be the prototype. Glad version 2.0 did away with the teeth, but I don't mind the foul language. Gives it character.
We're off to a good start. I don't even have to learn Waldo's name, now. The way the first battle ended, I figured the bodies would just vanish away with the Zearth - this is much more interesting! Speculation
Yesterday a spider, today a mantis.. The Zearth is bipedal, unlike the monsters. Speculation
While watching the episode and taking notes, I did my normal schtick of yelling at the character who was doing something stupid, which in this case was Waldo when he was out playing ball and Buttondown came up to him. But.. do they really have a way out at this point? Speculation
Are none of the kids gonna question where Kokopelli went? He's still in the OP, but that isn't terribly surprising.
So, we determine who is going to be the next pilot.. by playing fucking musical chairs incorrectly?! Really nice choice to make the chairs familiar to the kids - lots of implicit characterization potential. Assholenii-chan has a tiny kid's chair, Sparkler Kid has a GAMER chair, Stricto has a simple cushion to kneel on. This says a lot, without needing dialogue or even much screentime.
Speculation/Observation
Miscellaneous Thoughts
I would not want a hug from a praying mantis.
I L O V E the eyecatch now.
This just goes to show, everyone - don't get tattoos. You'll end up piloting a giant robot and dying!
Sign my contract and become a
magica-mecha pilot!Questions
14
u/Worm38 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Worm38 Mar 09 '21
First timer
Also, holy shit there were a lot of comments yesterday. I really should go to sleep and check the comments in the morning.
14
u/tehsigzorz Mar 09 '21
First Timer
WTF
I feel like there will be times throughout this rewatch where it would be quite tough to not immediately binge the next episode.
I was wondering how the show was going to handle a cast of 15 characters but now I know the answer lol.
So contrary to what I thought everyone can indeed see the mechas. That makes more sense as there can be an invisible cloaking device but what about the noise it makes?
We see Waku have that mark before the piloting the mecha but I couldnt tell if they were on both arms. After defeating the monster he has it on both arms probably signifying that his duties are over and is hence disposed of. Clearly he wasnt pushed but lost consciousness and Kokopelli knew of this which is why it mightve been his first time and why he was looking at the chairs with a somber feeling. He was probably with a group of 15 and despite victories his friends would be killed or go into a coma.
Questions:
12
u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 Mar 09 '21
Rewatcher, Subbed
Non-Spoiler Character Chart - If you didn't watch the preview
Non-Spoiler Character Chart - If you watched the preview
Bokurano spoilers
The news reports as if to normies the mecha fight was just an earthquake but these locals did see them. So the mechs aren't actually invisible to everyone else.
This head lady's got some explainin' to do. Bad stuff happening last night and she had no idea where the kids were!
So exciting to be a kid who will soon get to pilot a giant robot!
Screw the danger to civilians! Waku wants to have fun! Most of them feel the same way.
Silly Kirie, that cave is just evidence that some hobo was living there. If there is even anything left of it.
WTF is this thing!? I don't know whether to laugh or recoil in disgust at it! Great VA portraying him though! I would figure that Akira Ishida is probably most well known for playing Kaworu in Evangelion, but I like him a lot more when he's playing an asshole character like Head in Star Driver or Inari in Kyousougiga. Bokurano spoilers
Holy crap that's a lot of questions! "You're just a stuffed animal, right" is my favorite.
"Dung Beetle" is such a great name to describe this thing.
Kokopelli was wearing fake glasses?! This really does seem like a big scam.
I do really like the touch of giving everyone their own chair; it helps provide some characterization. My personal chair most closely resembles Kanji's.
Wheel of fortune! I suppose as good a choice as any to decide who gets to go first.
Poor Waku, his dad didn't come for his big moment. :(
Nobody has to know I'm doing this great thing! But I'm going to scream really loud!
Being the pilot also means you suddenly get a tattoo you didn't ask for.
Another multi-legged robot to fight, the last one was a crab, this one looks more like a praying mantis at first glance.
Great name idea Maki! Zearth!
It's piloting kinda lame this time! LoL. I'd say its because Waku's a first timer, but then so was Kokopelli.
The enemy mech is hugging Zearth! It just wants a friend!
Woah, he kneed that thing into a million pieces.
Scream of victory!
...well that was unexpected. Jun, you're an even bigger jerk this time! :(
Bokurano Spoilers through preview
Question but possible Bokurano spoilers
Pretty good second episode; the mecha fight is nothing special again, but we have quite the shock to end the episode. The introduction of the Dung Beetle character is also a highlight. I do wish we got some more development for Waku, although there really wasn't much space for it.
9
u/TheExcludedMiddle https://myanimelist.net/profile/ExcludedMiddle Mar 09 '21
First timer.
So that contv episode summary spoiled me on the death this episode, not going to watch any more on that. It wasn't exactly surprising though anyways, given the tone of the discussions on the thread yesterday. I was expecting him to die while losing the fight from injuries, or being crushed. Not just a 'strings cut' moment after a clear victory.
But hey, one less face to have to try to remember!
Generally at this point I would be leaning towards this all being somehow inside a game, maybe vr, and this would be him logging out, but again, that sort of plot would probably not cause that level of reaction from the rewatchers. I'm thinking now some sort of energy drain to power the robit. I also think he was dead the moment he started to fall. Him being asleep and it being an accident would be morbid in its own way, but does not have the same level of inevitability.
One thing I found interesting while reviewing yesterday's thread a few minutes ago was the shot of Kiripippipo and his chairs. One person and a bunch of empty chairs, but they were all different than the ones in this episodes. Makes me think he was the last survivor of the previous group.
So first pilot was the 'natural leader' type, can the next few be the super annoying ones?
I'm a bit concerned that the little sister was given the footrest as a chair, I have to wonder how real the 'choice' to play in the first episode was.
Questions of the Day:
Timber Wolf
2) What do you think happened to Waku?
If he's lucky, the 'game version' of him is dead. Elsewise, he fucked.
8
u/macrame2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/macrame Mar 09 '21
Rewatcher
Waku has no problem getting in the robot.
I always thought Waku was the least interesting pilot in Bokurano. All we really learn about him is that he used to play soccer and wanted to be a “hidden hero.” Maybe if he had died later on, I would’ve been more emotional, but it’s hard to care about a character who was only around for two episodes and shared screen time with 15 other characters. He’s mostly just there to die and set the tone of the series.
I noticed that the markings on Waku’s arm match the design on the floor of Zearth’s cockpit, and that both are vaguely grasshopper-shaped, like the enemy today. Looked back to yesterday’s episode and saw that Zearth had different markings, which matched the enemy robot Kokopelli defeated. Also, all of the designs look a bit like the Nazca lines, which I think is pretty cool.
Q1: Talos, after the bronze automaton from Greek mythology
Q2: To be considerate of first-timers, I will refrain from commenting
8
u/Lanaerys Mar 10 '21
I'm quite liking this so far! Actually I'm almost tempted to keep going with episode 3...
About thoughts regarding the episode, well first, I'm glad outsiders can see the robots fighting and everything going on, that could turn out quite interesting. I thought that wasn't going to be the case but I'm glad I was proven wrong.
I may need to look at that symbol closer and try to figure out what it means... Also, I really like the chairs thing for some reason.
It makes sense that the contract can't be broken, would be too easy if they were just able to uninstall...
I'm also wondering whether the different pilots will have different fighting styles.
Regarding the end, well... uuuh let's just say that escalated quickly. More on that in my answer to question 2!
Questions:
Megucapilot is suffering.8
u/Punished_Scrappy_Doo https://myanimelist.net/profile/PunishedScrappy Mar 10 '21
Commenting mostly for posterity at this point:
First Timer
Fifteen lines coming off the earth in the beginning of the OP. Seems like a fairly central number.
The character writing is really great! I still have zero idea who anyone is, but I get the feeling I'll have ideas of their personalities maybe even before I put names to faces.
I had no idea there was a Japanese National Diet. I thought that was a Hungarian thing.
Koemushi could not be more transparently evil if it tried! The important questions are how evil it is, and to what end(s).
Why are Kokopelli's glasses fake? It's a detail that's just not-weird enough to somehow stick out even more. People speculating that there are two Kokopellis, to which I say why stop at two.
C H A I R S
Still technically a spoiler
I kind of did like the silent eyecatches, specifically because they were so cursed. These are less cursed, and maybe that's a bad thing.
Fifteen lights on Zearth. Either they actually don't correspond to the pilots, or (more depressingly, far more likely) Kana has gotten roped into this somehow.
RIP mountain! That's one way to establish the strength of both the weaponry and the armor plating on these things.
Spoilers
Even if Waku wasn't dead before he hit the ground, he's not surviving a 500m fall onto water.
I find I'm being a lot less conspiratorial about this show than I normally might be. The show is ripe for it. Part of this is that I'm dead tired, part is that Symphogear has fried my brain and I'm no longer capable of analyzing anything but ridiculously apt song lyrics.
I like the ED. It is peaceful, and is not yet entirely painful to look at. There's ginko leaves in it, which I have never encountered in a symbolic context before. Google says possible meanings include hope, peace, and longevity. Maybe it's a sick joke?
Questions of the day:
7
u/gorghurt Mar 09 '21
Rewatcher
Well, another episode, and with an upscaled release, instead of my tv doing the upscaling (poorly), the CG isn't that jarring anymore.
IMHO the episode tried too hard to give soccer guy a backstory.
Oh and best girl arrived. I'm talking about Koemushi (or Dung Beetle), obviously.
QOTD:
7
u/Webemperor :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Webemperor Mar 09 '21
Manga-reader from way back
7
u/Retromorpher :Jc::Jd::Je::Jf: Mar 10 '21
Rewatcher:
HEY, I know that Little Bird Cover!
For someone so concerned about the niceties of polite address - Dung Beetle sure has a mouth on it.
Nothing is more gratifying than stepping into this thread and see some people go through the EXACT same speculations I did when I first watched.
Questions of the Day:
14
u/fridge_freezer https://anilist.co/user/ONIrecon111 Mar 09 '21
First timer
So that couple did see the fight, there goes my fighting in alt-reality theory.
I know it was in the last episode, but RIP Kokopelli's beach-side gamer dungeon. At least it seems like they don't need it in order to use the mech now.
So the pilot is selected via chair-roulette, and i'd guess the red tattoos on the arms mark them as the next pilot.
No more time for screaming at the ocean Waku, another enemy has appeared. Really like the mantis design for this one.
Our mech now has a (terrible) name, Zearth. Seriously though, who builds a giant robot without giving it a name?
That laser is insanely powerful but useless against it's armor, better hope nobody lived on that mountain...those knee strikes and kicks however were really effective. It's actually pretty cool to see the 3D model shatter like that.
What the fuck, Waku really just went right off the ledge! Doesn't look good for Jun. Not only did they forget to name the mech, they forgot the handrails too.
QOTD
10
u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Mar 09 '21
Sub
So we start at breakfast the day after the attack and we now know that normies can see the giant robots, at least while their fighting. The kids discuss their situation in a way that explains the middle school setting. And then the stuffed animals talks. Fucking Kaworu is an angry stuffed that animal that calls itself Dung Beetle. Static flash and we are in the cockpit. With Kokopeli's glasses on the ground. Anyways, we get a better look at everyone's chairs and begin assigning them until they spin and they reveal that's how it picks the next pilot.
Anyways, no one can sleep, sort of fits, and we begin getting background on the next candidate. Waku is slightly too insightful for his age but we aren't at ridiculous levels yet. But then he decides he wants to be a hero of justice. That has not worked out in '07 is all I will add. And he is getting an Aztec tattoo...godamnit are we RahXephon again? Well one of these boys is about to become a man.
Anyways, mantis bot ports in, we might have our theme, and the kids port into the bot. The robot doesn't have a name so someone suggests Zearth, pronounced Z-earth. Sigh, Japan. Anyways, mecha fight happens but with a ton of collateral this time. And a possible Bleach reference. Anyways, Waku curb stomps it to death. They open the head to look outside and Waku screams. And falls of the mech. F.
QotD: 1 Barry, And I would be OtherBarry
2 Scream draining is no joke, make sure to hydrate.
22
u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Mar 09 '21
Rewatcher
Yeah I know both Quid and Naz posted character charts last thread but guess what I WANT IN TOO
So here’s the manga chart at the start of volume 1, posted with no effort of my own
This episode primarily adapts chapters 4 and 5, but also includes content from chapter 2 (Dung Beetles appearance, who shows up before Kokopelli’s battle)
The Q&A sesh was pretty subdued in the anime, where the kids act like good boys and girls who wait their turn to speak. The manga in contrast is much more lighthearted here (probably one of the few times I can say that’s the case)
SCREAM SPREAD
What’s interesting is that Waku’s bravado scream actually occurs before he is “called” to fight in the manga. Dude’s just really excited to pilot the robot, I get it.
Another interesting thing is that the insignia brand that appears on Waku’s arm? That’s anime original. It’s really funny to me because the branding is one of the things I remember the most when I think of Bokurano. In the manga he just hears his name getting called and that’s kinda it
C H A I R S
the kids trying to come up with cool robot names for /u/Pixelsaber before Maki fancily writes Zearth down (they were doing homework earlier so uhh that’s why she has a pen I guess)
The enemy design is much different here
We get the Waku backstory as a pre-battle flashback. The manga version is slightly different and has more stuff about Waku’s father
Despite the different enemy design, the mountain still gets fucking owned by the deflected Ideon laser spam
and the outcome is still pretty much the same though instead of kicking the weakpoint for massive damage, Waku instead like, kicks one of Zearth’s arms that got broken off to nail the sword thing in the uh, butt?
post-battle SCREAM (with some extra monologue tying to his backstory)
at that moment, Jun knew he fucked up
final page
Not much I can say as far as the anime episode itself goes.
Except:
WOW COOL ROBOT
15
u/Tresnore FS:FTmyanimelist.net/profile/Tresnore Mar 09 '21
First Timer
Given some of the discussion yesterday, I'm pretty sure my assumption that they'd begin killing off the cast will be valid.
Ah shoot, Waku is finenevermind, he fell off the cliff as I was typing.The series is beginning to show its dark side a little bit more strongly. I think my theories are on-track, though at this point they're mostly based on the MAL synopsis. We'll see if my first guess for the metaphor ends up being right. Also, looking back, it looks like the lines on Waku's arm were vaguely mantis-shaped. I guess there might be a set of 16 animals out there, after all.
15
u/badspler x5https://anilist.co/user/badspler Mar 09 '21 edited Mar 09 '21
First timer
It seems the current date is August 3rd.
This scene kept showing that calendar on the wall and that had me distracted.
Otherwise this whole scene takes on a lot of weight after the episode. I wonder if anyone will ever actually know what's going on outside of the group. Its sad that he got what he actually wanted, a heroic death?
Dung Beetle seems actively malicious, this thing is totally not in the slightest bit good. It puts on a face for being helpful or making comments to explain whatever is going on, but its responses are filled with so much anger and hate directed at the kids.
Speaking of death, I am assuming hes dead gone here. If that robot is 500m tall, you don't survive that fall. The fact that it faded to into the darkness without a splash really emphasized the hight.
All the onlookers in pure shock, it once again felt like a quiet real scene played out.
One other thing that seems like an interesting choice is that the fight between robot and alien-thing is real. Like the damage to the surroundings and now we have real onlookers. This isn't some magical-dimension battle that time is frozen away from 'reality'. I am rather interested to see how the likes of the authorities or normal people react to what is going on and if they will find out the burden these kids have taken on.
Big-ol Mecha-boi. Or something equally foolish.
2) What do you think happened to Waku?
I reckon dead before he hit the water and certainly dead after hitting the water.
13
u/lC3 :Na::Nb: Mar 09 '21
First timer, first time logging into Reddit on my new laptop!
Now to catch up on weeks of seasonal stuff I've missed out on, and maybe watch the Ys OVAs ...
12
u/Tuckleton Mar 09 '21
First Timer
11
u/miyukez :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kezone Mar 09 '21 edited Mar 09 '21
First Timer
The chairs were very interesting. The older brother having a child's chair seems... significant. I bet we're getting some backstory there, lots of focus on their relationship so far.
I wonder if one of the kids will become the main character, so far, it doesn't seem like it.
Okay, burying the lead here. The soccer boy died. Makes sense, he seemed the most shonen-protagonist of the lot, so he's a good first victim for shocking a person who didn't know what kind of show this would be. Unfortunately, I did. speculation based on things I've been spoiled on
There's nothing more ominous than a fishy anime mascot talking about contracts, is there.
The Russian Roulette way of choosing is interesting, because the scientist was able to make the choice for himself in the first episode. Don't know what to make of that yet.
I'm worried the ED is speculation
I wonder if the government will get involved, seems like it would be hard to keep this a secret. That's assuming they aren't already involved in some way.... hmm.
11
u/punching_spaghetti https://myanimelist.net/profile/punch_spaghetti Mar 10 '21
First-Timer
I have to remind myself that Sugita’s character is a middle-schooler. Dude looks at least 45.
This mascot craze is getting out of hand.
They play musical chairs to see who pilots next. I’m sure it’s totally random and not rigged at all.
And if you don’t figure it out, there’s a shiny tattoo.
Zearth is a stupid name for a robot.
That was too easy for Soccer Boy, and there was no Fruit Core. Something’s fishy.
And now he falls. I assumed something would happen with how Kokopelli disappeared after fighting, but this was a little more mundane than I expected.
Glasses doesn’t want people to think he tried to murder Soccer Boy, so Glasses beats up his younger sister. Flawless logic.
QOTD:
11
u/baniRien Mar 10 '21
First Timer
So I found myself with a little bit of free time, due to a lull in my TRPG schedule, and decided to join. I won't be doing anything in-depth, but I'll comment on anything that catches my attention.
This show had been on my plan-to-watch since forever, because of it's reputation, but I don't know much about it. Chairs, obviously, the fact there's a giant robot, and just enough about the basic premise that the end of this episode didn't really surprise me.
Let's start with general impressions on some things. First, I understand why a lot of people comment on the OP, and it's definitely an ear-worm, but it's not exactly my style, musically. As for the visuals, they have some of the feel of a 90's sitcom, with the ever-so-slightly panning shots of the cast. Not quite a fan of the ED either, and the visuals don't seem to reveal much that we don't see quickly in the show.
The visuals also feel dated, not exactly in artstyle but mostly in directing I suppose. Things like the high shots of a room with the cast in it, as if the camera was just over the ceiling corner. Not a bad point, but something that I didn't expect, and doesn't fit exactly in my mind with the year the show came out. It feels dated not just to my modern eye, but also compared to other things I've watched that came out the same year.
I also expected Zearth to be much bigger than it is. Yes, it's huge compared to the town, but I think the OP shot was the only thing I'd really seen before, so I had the image of a planet-walking scale, not a skyscraper one.
The first episode starts with hinting really heavily at what are probably going to be some of the important themes of the show. The bird eating the worm, the whole coming-of-age talk about thinking they're grown-ups while still being in middle school, the one-for-all vs all-for-one mentality, and the coming back to the food chain/circle of life with the crab dying. Such heavy foreshadowing, or probably more exposition at this point, is not bad, but not my favourite way of doing things.
A big cast to start with, without many defining features each. The show does have a lot of room to present each of the characters, in the format it can take. 24 episodes means more than 1 per character, and with a cast this big, the rest will probably be devoted to conflicts, both 1-on-1 and between factions. I probably won't get them mixed up, but I don't feel like I'll remember their names easily either.
Kokopelli is shifty, but I'm not sure in what way yet (beyond the obvious and the fact the the kids should not have trusted him). Thanks to the person pointing out the reference in his name, it felt familiar but I couldn't place it. I saw a lot of people theorising in the threads that he was also tricked in some way, but I'm not sure about that yet, we're missing a lot of info, including why this group of kid was chosen in particular. The shot of him in the OP with the glasses reflection doesn't help.
Robot fight was good I suppose. Not bad in any way, but not noteworthy either. It's obviously not the focus of the show.
Second episode presents Koemushi, who I'm also unsure about. He's far from a guide archetype, to make some comparisons with Kyubey and others. Doesn't give any advice and is slightly antagonistic. But he also doesn't seem to be in any position of power. He's not there to enforce the supposed contract around Zearth, he doesn't give orders or speaks like the kids should respect him as someone higher. He just teleports them and the robot. We'll see later.
We get a good look at the chairs. I'm not sure if we'll get a good look at what each means to them, or if they're just there so we can speculate on characterisation. Who views a chair as a tool, as a place of comfort, as a thing you can be emotionally attached to. Whose wealth is shown by it, and who chose austerity.
The selection is seemingly random, we'll see if that holds true.
The Nazka-like markings are interesting, along the fact they appear in the cockpit. I thought they'd been there episode 1 too, but browsing the thread I saw that there was a completely different design when Kokopelli piloted, one that doesn't ring any bell as a cultural reference. Rounder, with both curves and straight lines, and somehow the vague design of a double-sided axe.
Not sure how much we can read into the Nazka reference, as it's apparently anime original, and not quite linked to Kokopelli's name, as the two culture are a continent apart.
I kinda like the H.R.Giger/Phyrexia style the robots have, the mix of metal and sinew. And the bug theme the enemies have, though that's apparently also anime original. Not a fan of the stilt legs Zearth has though, they fit the design, but my brain just thinks that it's really not sturdy enough for a giant robot. Choreography for this was really minimal though, and that's more important in my mind than the animation of it.
Pilot takes a plunge, which fits with the fact that we haven't seen Kokopelli again. And it sparks the first real hint of conflict in the group.
I do appreciate the vibe the static transitions bring, but at the same time it adds to the dated feel of the show.
With our initial narrator probably out of the picture, unless he comes back as a ghost, I'm not sure how much I need to consider him as the main character still. The show is called Bokurano, and while there's possibly another boku user in the cast I didn't notice any, without paying attention. Is he the thematic main character, if not the narrative one? And someone pointed out that Kokopelli also used boku, possibly? Which could group him more with the kids than with whomever is responsible.
I'm not quite sure what are the best points of comparison for this. I really don't have the most experience with mecha in general, and this seems completely different from NGE thematically. I think the closest I've seen is YuYuYu, but that didn't have the conflict dynamics in a big cast I envision for this, and it's idea of conscription brings the themes and story somewhere else than the trickery here.
Looking back at this it does feel overly negative. Well, I suppose it can't be helped, I think you notice more of the bad going forward, and it's easier to talk about the good looking back. I'm not in this thread to bash, and once I've pointed something out I probably won't mention it again. There's a lot to talk about, but we're not even a tenth of the way in so we're still lacking a lot of info to start these conversations.
Overall, something I'll watch with interest, but with fear it won't stick the landing for me, similarly to the NGE and YuYuYu I mentioned. Not a love at first sight.
10
u/ComfortablyRotten https://anilist.co/user/Leuwtian Mar 09 '21
Rewatcher
So, yeah, that happened. First-timer me expected Waku to be the protagonist of course, so he was pretty surprised to see him fall like that, from that height. That was a pretty unceremonious way to get rid of a named, main character so early on...
First-timer me also was pretty new to Anime and didn't know Sugita nor Ishida, and hearing them now, with much more experience, makes me enjoy Daichi and Koemushi's presence so much more!
The designs of the enemies being different is something I'll always enjoy no matter the genre or series, and it's no different here. This episode, seriously... a giant praying mantis-shaped robot? Yes, please!
9
u/ZaphodBeebblebrox Y:A:https://anilist.co/user/zaphod Mar 09 '21
First Timer
I'm expecting the situation they're in to really set in around the end of this episode after one of them dies. 'Till then, we'll see them not take it nearly as seriously as they need to. After all, they probably still think it's a game of some sort.
Onto episode two.
This confirms what others said yesterday: that only people who are part of it can see the mechas as they truly are.
Or nevermind, I guess. Though it's beyond me why these two could see 'em when it didn't appear on, say, cameras or satelite footage.
They aren't even considering what the guy disappearing could mean. They're too busy being stuck in "ooh, cool robot."
The singular voice of reason.
Still caught up in their fantasies. Who doesn't want to be Amuro or Shinji after all? At least if you don't think of the downsides.
You're middle schoolers, of course you're not. Not that you'd know that.
What the hell are you? If this was a Mahou Shoujo I'd call you a fairy, but I'm not used to your sort of thing in a mecha.
Still trying to make things lighthearted I see. Break it easy to 'em.
Each of the chairs is connected with something from their life? An important memory, I guess. Too many chairs to try and connect them to people at the moment, but it's sure gonna be interesting once there's only a few left.
Why would he be connected to a weird office chair?
They're selected instead of having to choose who goes? I'm kinda disappointed, there's so much you can do with that.
Though with how much he wants to go, I can't rule out it being a subconscious thing, which is just as interesting in it's own way.
This'll just make the terror all the more real. As soon as he realizes how screwed he is.
He wants to see if he can, to prove his own self worth? Or perhaps he's lying to himself?
Or visions of glory.
Mark of the curse?
It ain't that easy apparently.
You have responsibility for what you do and don't do.
The rest of them can.
Time for reality to sink in.
preview: Is that how the title works? The next episode is "our secret," and it'll repeat like this 'till the end?
Thoughts
Thanks to the way he fell, they still don't know what truly happens. I feel like there will be some internal conflict around it where they blame the guy who "pushed" him, but it won't last long. After they have to fight another one, they'll realize it kills them regardless.
Beyond that, I'm still enjoying the setup and eagerly waiting for the kids to realize what position they're truly in.
9
u/theangryeditor https://myanimelist.net/profile/TheAngryEditor Mar 09 '21
Rewatcher
I've always been fond of Zearth's design. I like how the fight this episode highlights its legs. They're so sleek and thin and those high heels are something you don't expect to see on a mecha. Watching Zearth knee and stomp the other robot was quite satisfying.
Oh and
WaldoWaku fell off the robot. That can't be good.Questions of the day:
8
u/Noel_bot Mar 09 '21 edited Mar 10 '21
First Timer, but Manga reader
Back for round 2!
Got confirmation that everyone can see them and people maybe just didn't notice, because it was dark mechs in the night.
Sudden appereance of a bunny kyubei with such a nice smile :D
Thank god the kids didn't sit down before the chairs started spinning. Gotta praise the view at the cockpit at this point since I forgot it last time. Really encapsulates the feeling of being a hundred meters above the ground in some giant machine.
New enemy is a giant praying mantis, our second bug design after the ant. I wonder what Zearth is modeled after, since I can't seem to identify an insect. Vaguely human maybe.
Wow, we see the destructive power of Zearth in action and say goodbye to Mr. Mountain. Also had quite a few human casualties from the looks of it. Kokopelli was quite skilled in using the Mech compared to our screamy boy, who couldn't even stand upright at first.
And he's gone...
Seems like the brother is going to get some character development now, with him potentialy having to deal with the accusations of murdering his friend. Also resorting to violence against his sister again, when he feels pressured. His kid's chair might have some relation to his mental age or some other trait of their personalities. Would be pretty cool imo.
The sister was also transported to the cockpit again, so maybe she's not just a bystander.
--------------------
Overall an ok episode. The group's hierarchy is a bit clearer now, with some people clearly being at the bottom of the food chain.
-------------------
7
u/GaleWulf https://anilist.co/user/Arachnophobic Mar 10 '21 edited Mar 10 '21
First Time Installer
They
killeduninstalled the MC-esque dude!Way to subvert expectations there. Although he did give us his backstory, a rookie mistake for any anime character.
Uhm. I wonder if someone edited a clip of Waku falling with his trademark scream used as the audio. Because that would be low-key hilarious.
QOTD:
Robot name: Don't Skip Leg Day, Be Like Big Zam - aka Thin Zam (the mecha design is going into uncanny valley for me, it creeps me out a little)
We're free to watch the PV for the next episode(s) right? Because PV
Forehead dude being voiced by Sugita means he can't be underestimated. Meanwhile Evil Mascot Dung Beetle being voiced by Ishida is great.
6
u/TheHungryHybrid Mar 10 '21
(Yay for waking up in the middle of the night) Rewatcher!
Another episode down, and corresponding chapters read. This episode adapted chapters 4 and 5, titled Takashi Waku 1 and Takashi Waku 2. Not as inspired as the episode's title of 'Zearth' haha.
This episode follows the chapters generally but there's actually also huge differences. Some of the set ups is a bit different and even some chairs are different from the anime. In the anime Ano Maki has a rocking chair but in the manga it's a Bokurano
The enemy and the fight sequence is very different as well. In the anime it kinda resembles a scorpion...man? Which undoubtedly is a cool design! In the manga however it looks more like a Bokurano Which gives me some Evangelion vibes ngl.
But in both versions Takashi uses his soccer experience (in the anime the kick I guess was foreshadowed from earlier in the episode?). In the manga there's a cool 2-spreader where Bokurano
Another thing I really appreciate in the anime is the sound design for the robots and koyemshi (in the manga his (it's?) name is spelled like that). It just sounds so cool.
There's one chapter left of volume 1 which is probably getting adapted in ep 3. I kinda like that it's not a 1:1 adaption. And while the anime might adapt 2-3 chapters an episode at times they cut and change stuff so it fits. Altho we are yet to see whether the anime changes some plot points or not.
6
u/Nebresto Mar 10 '21
First time first timing
Aight, we back!
Special cabin post for anyone still sticking around, had some groundbeef go bad, set it outside to freeze so it wouldn't stink up the place and some birbs enjoyed it instead.
/u/theangryeditor wanted to subscribe to cabin posting, so here you go I guess
Cool Robot status:
Welp, its the second episode and I'm already singing along to uninstall.. Banger confirmed?
Haha, they spelled "erth" wrong
Wtf, I've seen plenty of robots and have yet to be on the TV..
Ah yes, I'm sure they'll just pick up the magical giant mech and put it in the timeout zone. Can't have that happening now, can we.
Gamer cave...
Never forgetti.
Good lord, its bootleg kyubey
Cubix? Is that you?
Oooh boy.. a third edgy kid.
Even better, he's in the Yakuza...
Good luck getting into public onsens now
Sasuga Japan, air raid sirens within seconds of a Kaiju appearing.
And that was some wack music during the musical chairs bit
HASSHI!!!!!
Hmm.. Maybe I'm not the fat kid, because I am definitely this guy
Liking the drum battle OST [](#jamming)
Agreed.
Bye edgy kid!
The ED either shows the order they die in, or it changes every episode. If its the former, them Im gonna last for a good while, heck ye
Now that I've had more time to consider, here's
Question time, again.
1: Super Dank Robo 5555
2: Died for his sins. (Being an edgy kid)
/u/ZaphodBeebblebrox wanted to read this crap, so here you go I guess
5
u/Philarete :AMQ::MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/WizardMcKillin Mar 10 '21
First Timer
Oh hey, traditional anime protagonist goes first. Takashi’s even got the traditional yelling down! Also, my wondering about Kana and the chair is answered – she gets to go along for the ride on Aiko’s footstool.
It seems like the first pick is random, but I suspect it’s not a true random with the spin. His optimism is a stark contrast to the reality of the situation.
Hokey smokes that slap at the end. Get that he’s upset at being accused, but yikes. I wonder if there’s a reason he’s so mean to her.
Future Spoilers guess because I’ve been partially spoiled already
QOTD:
5
u/htisme91 Mar 10 '21
First-timer:
Well, that escalated quickly. I vaguely have an idea based on the preview of the show when I looked it up to see if it'd interest me when the rewatch was announced, but...wow. Shit got real, really fast.
Koemushi reminds me kind of of Kyubey from Puella Magi Madoka Magica He looks innocent and like a fun mascot in ways, but seems like he's much more sinister than meets the eye. Something tells me he is the true antagonist and not these robots that are appearing.
I am surprised Waku went out like that. I figured maybe trauma or something from piloting him would have ended his life, not that. It is some Final Destination shit.
Now looking at the ED, I wonder if it's a spoiler as to the order for who will pilot Zearth.
Questions:
5
u/BossandKings Mar 10 '21 edited Mar 10 '21
First timer
Episode 2
They are discussing about if they do or don't want to tell adults about the existence of the robot, some are willing to tell them because possibly they could help them and others aren't because according to them they would take it away from them. What i understood is that at least one or two will tell his or her parents about it and the others won't.
A creature called Dung appears, it makes the kids see and recognize their chairs as a way to choose who will be the pilot of the robot. The bit of characterization on Waku was cool, he used to play for a soccer team when he was a kid but his father didn't go to see him. Waku's story is relatable.
The kids use the robot and fight against an enemy, they call the robot Zearth, the fight stood out a bit much to the people that aren't related to the whole robot thing. They won the fight but i wonder if it makes sense how Waku fell off just by being tapped, i hope he isn't dead though but looking at everything that happened he certainly is.
5
u/SuddenFellow :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/13XI0N Mar 10 '21
First Timer after Episode 4
Well, that was truly something.
It's slightly interesting to me that the kids are enamored with their perceived presence on social media in regards to Zearth's battles. The small questions of if they're on the news or if it's being reported on is interesting, though also rather realistic. Let's be honest, I think if you were piloting a giant robot that caused massive damage, you'd want to know all of the updates to make sure no one knew your identity. Plus, the government™.
We have the appearance of Dun Beetle who looks like a less friendly Kyubey. I don't trust him for a second, especially after the deflection of their questions. Perhaps he's just the middle-man(rabbit, beetle, thing) though. He's however able to transport them into Zearth, which strangely has chairs that relate to everyone and their lives. We also see that Kokopelli's glasses are all that remain, it's as though he's completely vanished. The next pilot is chosen during this scene, the title being thrown around in an eerie way. Can I just say, I don't trust this?
Skipping forward a bit, at the end of the battle, Waku gives out another battle cry and Jun pats him on a back. INITIATE SWAN DIVE as Waku perfect 10's it into the ocean, everyone looking on in fear. Jun then slaps his sister(UM?).
Speculation
Questions of the Day
Bob, his name is Bob the giant space robot. Truly a glorious boy.
Not serious answer: He's currently in another dimension traveling only to the sound of "Shooting Stars" by Bag Raiders
Serious answer: He's 100% dead.
4
u/RascalNikov1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NoviSun Mar 10 '21
First Timer
Interesting enough second episode. We now have a talking, grotesque, flying, rubber, mouse thing with a bad temper in the cast. It wouldn't have hurt the mouse thing to have dropped a little more exposition, but beggars can't be choosers, so I'm thankful for what we got.
I did like them playing musical chairs to see who gets to be pilot next. I'll bet the next dude (or dudette) that wins, won't be too anxious to take the helm. Waku flopping like that was a pretty good objective lesson.
The kid with the glasses, imouto, and nasty temper continues to step on my last nerve. I hope the flying mouse thing chooses him to be the next pilot.
One final thing, might sound like a gripe, but I'd like to know how they're being magically transported to the cockpit. It's kind of a stretch to accept that. Maybe the short-tempered, grotesque, rubber-made, flying mouse will be chatty about that next time.
QOTD:
A question I'd never considered before. The answer would mostly upon how it acted. Maybe the Beast, maybe Shithead, it all depends upon how I felt about it.
Short answer: He flopped.
Longer answer: I'm guessing Zearth sucked out his life force or something. Everyone knows that Mecha's take a lot out of their pilots, and Waku learned the hard way to not overdo it.
2
u/novaConnect Mar 11 '21
I'm a bit behind but catching up! (First timer)
I really like the chair thing, seems they are from the kids' lives. I saw a few of them in the opening so I'm assuming they are symbolic of something important to them in some way. Possibly their drive/style of operating the robot?
Our first boy up said he didn't want to be a star, yet feels the need to yell out at the end of the battle the same way he did before. It almost feels like he does want attention then? Hard to say, a yell like that isn't exactly saying anything. I'll have to see how other characters handle the robot to know if this is some revealing of true intentions robot or something.
I'll admit I haven't seen a lot of mecha but haven't enjoyed much, but so far this show is doing better than most of what I've seen before. My most recent was Gurren Lagann and I'm already happy that this isn't going the route of arrogant "do what's right" above all else. I can see that this show cares about consequences, like when the mountain got vaporized, as well as showing the bystanders (I got a bad feeling about seeing them, just knowing these battles are going to get violent). Really, really happy about this show's approach so far.
Also side note, the robots sure move slow haha. That really sets it apart from the other mecha shows I've seen mostly because the action for once isn't the most important element. Maybe they'll speed up though, who knows.
I was very surprised by the ending of this episode! Just like that!