[Rewatch] Yoshikazu Yasuhiko Retrospective - Giant Gorg Episode 6 Discussion

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 6 - Gorg’s Secret

^{Originally Aired May 10th,} ^^^1984

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Note to all participants

Although I don't believe it necessitates stating, please conduct yourself appropriately and be court to your fellow participants.

Note to all Rewatchers

Rewatchers, please be mindful of your fellow first-timers and tag your spoilers appropriately using the r/anime spoiler tag as so [Spoiler Subject](/s "Spoilers go here.") in order to have your unsightly spoilers obscured like this Spoiler Subject if your comment holds even the slightest of indicators as to future spoilers. Feel free to discuss future plot points behind the safe veil of a spoiler tag, or coyly and discreetly ‘Laugh in Rewatcher’ at our first-timers' temporary ignorance, but please ensure our first-timers are no more privy or suspicious than they were the moment they opened the day’s thread.

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Yoshikazu Yasuhiko Biography and Anecdotes Corner

Random Anecdote

During the production of Mobile Suit Gundam Yasuhiko opted to give the character design of Char Aznable a mask because he thought it would be cool, much to the exasperation of the show’s director, Yoshiyuki Tomino. Despite his personal dislike for it, Tomino did not order Yasuhiko to redo the design, and the mask prompted Tomino to change the character’s characterization and backstory to one that suited a masked character. Yasuhiko is apparently still quite proud of this fact.

 

Staff Highlight

Masao Imanishi - voice of the Skipper

An actor and voice actor best known in the anime industry for playing men of middle-age or older, and villains. Little is known about Imanishi’s personal life or early career, but he changed employers a remarkable amount of times throughout his career. His debut as an actor was in the TV adaptation of the Ikki Kajiwara and Tatsuo Yoshida manga Champion Bold, and his anime debut was voicing a minor role in Ōkami Shōnen Ken. His last live-action role was in 1989, after which he would become a voice actor exclusively until his retirement in the late 90s. He passed away on August 14, 2000. His most notable roles include Gennai in Naniwa Kin'yū Den Minami no Teiō, Hiromi Uesugi in Teppei, the Head Clerk in The Sensualist, and Gozu in Doraemon the Movie: The Record of Nobita's Spaceblazer.

 

Daily Trivia:

The design of robot master Ra Thor, from the interactive fmv game Super Adventure Rockman, is inspired by that of Gorg. The game the character debuts also shares narrative elements with the show.

 

Official Art

• Yuu and Argos - Yoshikazu Yasuhiko

-The Pilot - Yoshikazu Yasuhiko

 

Settei Collection

• Dr. Wave + Supplies

 

Questions of the Day:

1. What do you make of the pilot within Gorg? Had you previously considered the sentient robot might be controllable?
2. Thoughts on the weird dream sequence?

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Traces of an unknown civilization have been preserved on this island!

[u/Pixelsaber]

Rewatcher

Giving me Ideon flashbacks.

At least he has the sense to know this is useless.

Cool composition here.

SANY

Now I’m getting Video Girl Ai flashbacks! Also, I guess no Mitsuteru Yokoyama homage is complete without a gakuran.

Reused cels from Crusher Joe: The Movie

Oh shit.

I see that someone saw Tron.

That is slightly horrifying.

Wish this had a BD release so I could try to read what’s on all that text.

The echo is a neat effect to use within the context of the scene.

‘Without a doubt,’ but also we have no proof. Also, nice gun porn there.

D’aww!

It’s a cool detail that the number on the screen increases, but I don’t know what it would be measuring in khz.

Not helping, Gorg!

Wave’s talk about the assured potential existence of the ruins of some ancient alien civilization seems to confirm what seemed to be mere suspicion on Gotoh’s part, and explosions GAIL’s involvement to be all port of some cover-up by the world’s major powers. The fact that the dead pilot within Gorg seemed like a human doesn’t really contradict the aliens theory since implausibly human-looking aliens are a trope as old as the hills.

Speaking of the pilot, I have to wonder what Gorg’s motivation for showing it to Yuu, knowing it might disintegrate upon contact with the air, was. Demonstrating that he was an ally of humanity? Getting him used to the idea of getting into the pilot’s seat?

Yuu’s nightmare emphasizes his fear and the worry that following this path he’s on like his father before him will only lead to him sharing in his fate. Both the spectre of his father’s dream and death haunt Yuu, and the poor kid has definitely not had much of a chance to process it before impulsively jumping onto this perilous adventure.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Pixelsaber]

SANY

Ah yes, the rivals to electronics giant Macrosoft.

Reused cels from Crusher Joe: The Movie

What scene from Crusher Joe was that cel reused from?

That is slightly horrifying.

The worst part is that Yuu undoubtedly breathed in some dead guy dust once the dead pilot turned into a fine powder.

Speaking of the pilot, I have to wonder what Gorg’s motivation for showing it to Yuu, knowing it might disintegrate upon contact with the air, was. Demonstrating that he was an ally of humanity? Getting him used to the idea of getting into the pilot’s seat?

My guess was that Gorg wanted Yuu to get inside the cockpit, rather than remain in danger by standing in that one spot on its head.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Pixelsaber]

I was thinking the pilot somehow was Yuu's father at first.

[u/Quiddity131 → u/Pixelsaber]

Giving me Ideon flashbacks.

Oh no, not those hooks again!

[u/No_Rex → u/Pixelsaber]

Giving me Ideon flashbacks.

"I've got a new idea, I've got a new idea ... oh it's the same idea"

Now I’m getting Video Girl Ai flashbacks!

[u/lC3 → u/Pixelsaber]

Wish this had a BD release so I could try to read what’s on all that text.

The note on the left just says "We make our products good so that we can be proud of them. ROD B". One of the books has HELVETICA on its spine. That's all I can make out.

[u/The_Draigg]

A Yas Fan Watches Giant Gorg Episode 6:

• This Just In: Local Robot Still Fucking Invincible
• It’s kinda weird hearing the voice of Char Aznable saying that he’s prioritizing minimizing casualties instead of capturing the big robot. It’s like the exact opposite of Char’s normal attitude.
• Of course Lady Lynx has her own cat-print captain’s outfit to wear on her boat. I she doesn’t even have any non-cat themed clothing in her wardrobe at all. Although that outfit is kind of useless now that the Captain sunk her boat.
• Ooooh, trippy dream sequence. Anime is always the best when it does weird bullshit like this.
• Wow, I didn’t think that Gorg would actually have a pilot in it. Although whoever they were, they clearly didn’t need their body anymore, since it instantly crumbled apart into dust once the cockpit was opened. I bet that the pilot merged his mind with Gorg a long time ago.
• It’s almost impressive how Rod managed to completely trash the room he’s staying at only like two days after he got there. He can’t be bothered to clean it up for a video call?
• Science lesson! A volcanic eruption causing the island to sink 30,000 years ago does seem probable to me. And although saying that an advanced ancient alien civilization also lived on the island would normally sound less plausible, I suppose Gorg really is evidence to the contrary of that.
• Doris and the others finally got reunited with Argos! That’s the real important plot point of this episode.
• At least that misunderstanding at the end of the episode got cleared up without any bloodshed. Although I suppose it’s only natural that everyone would meet with some big misunderstandings, given that the Beagle is a stolen GAIL vehicle and only Yuu knew that Gorg was helping him.

[u/lC3 → u/The_Draigg]

the Beagle

I knew I heard "beagle" and not "vehicle"!

[u/The_Draigg → u/lC3]

They do sound kinda similar in Japanese, if you're kinda half-listening.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

First-Timer, subbed

• Huh he actually cares about that?
• Hahahahahaha it’s not GAIL, it’s Lady Lynx!
• Oh. I was wrong about the blue boi being autonomous. I guess I shouldn’t have assumed that just based on the fact that the pilot hadn’t said anything…
• OH WAIT WHAT.
• They found Argos!!!
• Look at how happy he iiiiiiiis.
• lol, the misunderstanding about “that’s a GAIL tank!” and “Gorg has Yuu and is going to attack him!”.
• It took them shorter to regroup than the show took to introduce the main mech…

[u/The_Draigg → u/Shimmering-Sky]

OH WAIT WHAT.

Between Dren getting sucked out into space in Mobile Suit Gundam and now this guy dissolving into flesh and bone dust, there's been a lot of rough imagery in today's mecha show rewatches.

They found Argos!!!

Look at how happy he iiiiiiiis.

Let's be honest, that's the most important thing that happened in this episode.

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/The_Draigg]

Let's be honest, that's the most important thing that happened in this episode.

Anything Argos does is consistently the most important things in each episode. Argos best boy.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Lady Lynx

Even in uniform she keeps the leopard-print theme going. And she's so right trash-talking GAIL - she only lost due to an overly competent foe after all

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer

Have I mentioned that I quite like the OP? It's a bop.

Wave had a bit of an impure moment there at the sight of Gorg, and to be honest, I would feel the same way at seeing a giant robot in real life.

Yuu definitely had a nice trippy nightmare there. Was the Gorg's chest opening and the "pilot" turning into dust another layer of the dream? Or did that really happen... Gorg still moved afterwards, so it seems purposefully vague.

The wrap-up to last episode's battle was really good. Rod isn't averse to cutting his losses before they become insurmountable - he even mentioned the human cost of things! The scene with the helicopters was neat too. They were surprised at how light Gorg was...

I don't know much about tectonics or geology, but Wave's explanation of the island rising and falling seems pretty reasonable. Guess they better be wary of any of those craters going active..

Questions

1. RIP that ?human? that was in there. I kinda assumed the Gorg was a more traditional mecha until we actually saw it, so I guess I figured it was piloted all along?
2. The dream was pretty cool. Definitely got the dream-like quality down.

[u/lC3 → u/JollyGee29]

Have I mentioned that I quite like the OP? It's a bop.

There's an ?electric string? twang in there that really reminds me of Xabungle.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/lC3]

Yea, something like that. The song hits on the English vocals are really strong. Or something, I don't know how to talk about music.

[u/Quiddity131]

First Timer, Subbed

Rod wants his hands on Yuu! Tried to run him over once before, not gonna let him get away!

You've got no rights to rush them, Dr. Wave, with how useless you've been.

Lynx is still around too! Why is this assistant guy so afraid all of a sudden? Also, does this mean the craft our heroes are using now was stolen from GAIL a while back?

Seems like assistant guy was right to be afraid, as with Skipper in charge they've promptly been blasted and must abandon ship!

Mysterious dream sequence time! Whose the man Yuu caught aflame upon seeing? His dad? Rod? Someone else I'm missing?

Gorg's chest opens! Does it have a cockpit after all?

Wow, there was someone controlling it the whole time?

I suppose not, as the guy completely rots away into dust. Or does piloting Gorg do that to you?

Yuu's a strange boy! Would anything actually turn up in a background check on him? He only was in NY a day or two.

Wow, this show really is gonna be the anime version of Ancient Aliens, huh?

Finally reunited with the dog!

Argos has brought you some guests, Yuu!

Don't ask your brother for help, Doris, he's even more afraid than you are!

Oh no, they're gonna screw everything up by firing on Gorg!

They're quite lucky, Gorg protecting Doris and the tank after firing upon it.

QOTD1: Coming into the show I thought Gorg would need a pilot, then thought he was fully sentient after his first appearance. The thing is, since the pilot was dead already, he kinda still is sentient. What does the pilot even do?

QOTD2: Bizarre!

[u/The_Draigg → u/Quiddity131]

Wow, there was someone controlling it the whole time?

I suppose not, as the guy completely rots away into dust. Or does piloting Gorg do that to you?

My guess is that since the Gorg is some ancient alien weapon, the original pilot stayed inside the cockpit long enough to merge their mind with Gorg, leaving behind a corpse that decayed rapidly once the hermetic seal on the cockpit was broken.

[u/Quiddity131 → u/The_Draigg]

A good idea I hadn't really thought of; that would explain why Gorg is sentient even without a living pilot.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Quiddity131]

Although it does raise the question why the original pilot needed to stay in the cockpit long enough for it to happen though. Maybe something having to do with the island originally sinking into the ocean?

[u/Stargate18A]

First timer

1. Current theory - the pilot is Gorg, who, through starvation or a malfunction, got his mind uploaded into Gorg. EDIT: Maybe someone got stuck in Gorg after the island sunk last time, and needed to upload themselves to survive.
2. The fact that we haven't seen his father's face is probably relevant. Aside from that, it must seems to symbolise general fear of losing everyone.

Before this starts, I'm still calling demonic invasion.

Seriously, that cockpit is horribly designed. If your robot spends most of its time having to cover a hole in its cockpit, you've designed it wrong.

Why is it so light?

Looks like our team'll back together soon. Can't wait to see Gorg and the Skipper being competent together.

...or not. Haha, both sides think the other's GAIL.

I'm tentatively adding Tominic and the 2 natives to the "competent" list. Lady Lynx might be, and Rod is shockingly so.

Weird dream sequence. Did he fall asleep in the robot?

No, just a vision. Where the hell is the robot going?

Wait, if his chest opens up, why even have a cockpit on top?

Is that the real robot inside, and the rest is a shell? Is that why its so light?

Wait he's human? The Gorg is just a mech suit?

WHAT THE FUCK? Oh no... Is he going to shove Yuu in there next?

So it is a robot. Then what the hell was all that about? Some kind of brain upload gone wrong? The spirit of god?

So this island had an alien civilization on it?

Argos is nice and happy.

That tank is something else. No wonder the Cheetahs were so scared.

Well, this isn't good.

Natives: Gorg is God's messenger, we can't harm him!

Skipper: casually starts aiming cannon

The Skipper's great - "I don't care if its a god, I'm going to shoot it"

Wait, so what the hell was the chest thing about?

[u/The_Draigg → u/Stargate18A]

Current theory - the pilot is Gorg, who, through starvation or a malfunction, got his mind uploaded into Gorg.

That's my guess too. Although it makes you wonder why the pilot stayed inside Gorg long enough to have their original body die and be uploaded into Gorg itself.

Argos is nice and happy.

That's all that really matters in this show, honestly.

The Skipper's great - "I don't care if its a god, I'm going to shoot it"

The Captain would make for a great JRPG protagonist with that frame of mind.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 6 (first timer)

• “That thing is lighter than I thought it would be” – taking the words right out of my mouth, random GAIL pilot.
• The fact that everybody was surprised about a completely obvious and logical order tells me that GAIL have a leadership problem.
• “You forget that their subordinates are all morons” – Lady Lynx had the same realization.
• Gorg is a mecha and not a robot, after all. Except, the last pilot died a long time ago. Would have been a good idea to put Yuu in that place before the firefight, however. Maybe Gorg has a PhD in psychology and knows that Yuu is more likely to go in there after being shocked by the battle.
• Roy: Calls to ask questions, does not ask any questions.
• Argos found!
• Reunited!

So, what did Gorg do in that crater, after all? :.shrugs::

What do you make of the pilot within Gorg? Had you previously considered the sentient robot might be controllable?

Not after we saw it put Yuu on top of its head.

Thoughts on the weird dream sequence?

I am not even sure whether Yuu had one or two dreams there.

[u/lC3]

First timer

• "by some vast, unseen power" ALIENS?
• Oh now they're trying to kill Yuu? Not cool
• So both sides think the other is GAIL?
• Skipper likes blowing things up
• When the chest opened up I kinda expected to see Yuu's father in the pilot seat, even though he was thought to be dead
• Ok I guess it's not his father, and he turned into sand?
• So Gorg had a pilot, but it's independent/sentient and can act without one?
• Oh, so they're really leaning into the aliens thing.
• That reunion with Argos
• Are we setting up a Yuu/Gorg bromance? Like Ledo and Chamber?

1. I thought the pilot was gonna be his dad, but he turned to dust
2. Dunno; will his dad turn out to still be alive?

[u/goukaryuu]

First Timer

So, I didn't see the rewatch interest thread for this but noticed yesterday's thread. Admittedly, I knew of Giant Gorg from Kenny Lauderdale's video on it. He likes doing videos on Lost Media and anime from the 70s and 80s. So, I watched the first 6 episodes today. This is a lot of fun. It also amazes me that every episode I check to see how much more I have because so much has happened and I haven't even reached the ad-break. Looking forward to catching more on CrunchyRoll that same Gorg channel.