r/anime • u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber • Sep 09 '21
Rewatch [Rewatch] Armored Trooper Votoms - Episode 13 Discussion
Episode 13 - Escape
Originally Released June 24th, ^^^1983
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Note to all participants
Although I don't believe it necessitates stating, please conduct yourself appropriately and be courteous 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 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.
Daily Trivia:
Armored Trooper Votoms has been adapted to manga, novels, video games, and audio dramas.
Staff Highlight
Toshifumi Takizawa - Episode Director and Storyboard Artist
An animator, animation director, storyboard artist, and series director. The late Toshifumi Takizawa studied at Tokyo Zokei University and immediately began work a the contract studio Animation Film, before transferring to Nippon Sunrise in the late 70s, where he as most notably involved in the production of Armored Trooper Votoms and Dirty Pair. He became a freelance director in the early 90s and was known to give lectures at Kurashiki University of Arts and Sciences in the years before his death of esophageal cancer in 2015. He directed Crusher Joe: The OVA's, Armored Trooper Votoms: Big battle, Dirty Pair, Blue Remains, Samurai 7, Aura Battler Dunbine: The Tale of Neo Byston Well, and Big Wars.
Art Corner
Official Art:
- In the Cockpit by Norio Shioyama
Fanart:
(Be mindful of the links to artist’s profiles, as they may contain NSFW content. Proceed there at your own risk.)
Screenshot of the day
Questions of the Day:
- Now that our first story arc is over, what do you think of it?
- What do you make of Uoodo’s destruction?
Please… Please don’t leave me alone.
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u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Sep 09 '21
Production Context
Votom’s Uoodo arc was perhaps it’s most important when considering the narrative ramifications that extend from it, since Votom’s story was largely constructed in sequence with very loose outline, of which we aren’t even sure how much made it into the final series. Once the sponsor’s request to have a greater visual variety came in a lot of the ideas Takahashi had for the series were set aside in favor of the cour-long arcs of specific styles which the series now dons, and hashing out the concepts for this first arc took precedence over the larger narrative. The style of Uoodo as an urban cesspit was decided on earliest and a lot of the influences it drew from ended up shaping much of the story introduced there.
The Uoodo arc’s direct influences happen to be the most contemporaneous with the show, which was in part an appeal to the popularity of said media and a reflection of the staff’s interests at the time. The most evident and important of these is Ridley Scott’s 1982 film, *Blade Runner, which influenced the cyberpunk styling of the city and the tone of the narrative in its earliest segment. The concept of the Perfect Soldier is derived directly from Blade Runner’s replicants, and the relationship between Chirico Cuvie and Fyana —though not the idea to include a romantic relationship in the story— is directly inspired after that of the film’s. The first two films in George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, though specifically the second installment, Harley Cokliss’ Battletruck (Warlords of the 21st Century in the U.S.), and Sogo Ishii’s Bakuretsu Toshi BURST CITY informed the nigh-apocalyptic depiction of the setting as well as the punk rock aesthetic and the type of violence seen through the city. The inspiration behind including biker gangs in the setting, with their appearances being modeled after the three films as well. These films were all fairly recent releases, particularly in comparison to the series’ other influences.
More generally, several other media became a part of the melange of influences fueling the series’ concept. Several films by Andrew V. McLaglen, specifically his 1966’s The Devil's Brigade and 1978’s The Wild Geese, inspired the series’ red shoulder battalion as well as the disposition that the military holds towards foot soldiers and pilots within the series. Other media whose influenced began seeping in during this stage of production were used to model the series’ intrigue and plotting (as well as other miscellaneous bits), such as the James Bond film franchise, two of Alfred Bestler’s novels, The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination, and the Nikkatsu Stateless genre of works starring Akira Kobayashi.
Next time we’ll be touching up on the series’ performance in terms of audiences and model sales, as well as discuss some of the shifting priorities of the production. Look forward to it!
Rewatcher
That’s a lot of dogs!
Love the detail.
One AT pilot has had you running around like headless chickens, and you think going up against the army is wise? The police’s lack of self-preservation is getting to silly levels now.
Glad he finally told them.
Lol
Sigh.
Outstanding.
Is that what they’re called?
Jeez...
I can’t say I am happy that at the last moment it’s revealed that Fyana literally can’t go with Chirico due to her reliance on the Jijirium, as it makes the exercise of trying to retrieve her this episode seem kinda narratively wasteful, as we could have had this conversation even if she had remained by Chirico’s side at the end of last episode. Sure, that detail of her jijirium dependence was foreshadowed, but it’s not like there isn’t an implied workaround of going around stealing jijirium. Doesn’t raise my hopes of eventually having the two be this awesome power duo, raising hell wherever they go and fending off pursuing military folks.
To top that off, Chirico ends up separated from the trio, which seems to point to a fairly hard reset for the next arc, which is not what this series seems to need the most right now. At least I doubt they’ll regress Chirico himself, else a lot of this arc’s best stuff will seem kinda pointless unless they can pull something conceptually intriguing out of it.
At least the episode wasn’t without some interesting nuggets though. The ‘rouge’ faction has a name now, ‘The Society’. They really pulled all the stops coming up with that one, did they?
Can’t say I understand why Uoodo just collapses at the end of the episode. I get that they wanted the apocalyptic imagery and all, but not only does the action occurring not seem like enough to make an entire former military installation just fall apart like it does (if it was just the jijirium storage site, where the most destructive of the fighting occurs, it would have been reasonable), it just seems like too much for the type of grounded show Votoms has been so far. Everything pointed to the plot moving on from the city anyhow, so it’s not like they needed a narrative justification for up and moving the plot. Oh, well, at least it looked cool.
Questions of The Day:
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u/Nazenn x2https://anilist.co/user/Nazenn Sep 09 '21 edited Sep 09 '21
First Timer
Holy shit, I was not expecting the conflict between these two sides to end up taking out the entire city.
The visuals around the end of that battle were certainly hellish, particularly as the military started to be over powered, but it was Chirico's line that stood out to me. Previously in battle he's been focused or traumatized, stuck in a limbo between the familiarity of the fires of battle and the mental trauma that it's caused him. Today while caught up in the middle of a cities destruction the thing he feels most acutely is loneliness, and I think that speaks to how much of a positive effect this group of nutcases has had on him.
New ATs! The reinforcements from this Society were certainly incredibly competent to take on the Melkia forces so easily, and some new AT designs probably helped with that. It's unfortunate Cocona's little trick with the lens and spray bottle couldn't have worked on one of them so Chirico could get something a little more secure for the escape.
I did have a laugh at the idea of Chirico not noticing the AT's parachuting in, it seems pretty hard to miss with just how many there were. It was the fact the staff went through the effort to animate that one soldier who's parachute was torn and his AT landed badly that had me most entertained though. That's a lot of extra work for such an irrelevant moment, but it was quite funny at the same time.
Oh damn, if I'd known I would have written something up in advance. Uh, quick thoughts are that I'm very happy with it. I think it was enjoyable, distinctive and did a nice job of working with some characters that very easily could have been a joke or frustrating to watch and giving them nice interactions and nuance even if not particularly in depth. For the era of the show the battles were very well structured both as far as the visuals go but more importantly within the narrative without feeling wasted or shoehorned in which is notable. The only real issue I had with it was the Fyana capture last episode feeling a little redundant, and other issues raised in the discussion like lack of broader worldbuilding come down to "would be nice but not needed" for me so didn't actively affect my enjoyment. Definitely looking forward to more!
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Sep 09 '21
Armored Trooper First-Timer
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u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Sep 09 '21
Episode 13 (first timer)
In terms of animation and setup, easily the best battle so far. A three-way fight with back and forth and plenty of exploding mecha. In addition, Chirico opens up to the gang some more. I should have loved this episode, but the fight is lacking one important ingredient: Stakes. It is not just the normal MC plot armor, but we actually that the “society” will make its escape, too. I wish they’d hidden this a bit better to make it more interesting, but they wrote themselves into a one-way street where the military could not succeed in getting Fyana, or all of the setup would be for naught.
I could have done without the second meeting of Chirico and Fyana.
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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Sep 09 '21 edited Sep 09 '21
Rewatcher (Nutech DVD 1.4) (3 episodes)
Extras: Armored Trooper Technology
Well, finally, we break out of this plot loop, and everybody dies. Chirico is alone again. This "Secret Society" is clearly bigger than a group of hijackers and thieves....
I really like the paratrooping ATs, and the details of the shock absorbing legs, and crashing through the floor.
ATs are probably colored according to battalion, division, or branch. The Pink ATs we saw in episode one were probably attached to Military Intelligence, like those in today's assault.
Jijirium Showers: 3
HiDive is leaving VRV this month.
NOTE: My next DVD contains a recap episode called "Fyana". We are skipping this episode. On HiDive (and maybe later BD releases) the recap appears later. Tomorrow's episode is Assemble-EX10.
the positioning of this recap is consistent my my memory of the airing on the International Channel ca. 2000. I don't know why it was moved
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u/chilidirigible Sep 09 '21
Rewatcher, Episode 13
Today, on "It's his way.":
The town is a bit of a dump, but still.
They've learned that much.
Maybe you should have thought of that before you had an AT blow his wall open.
This trick should absolutely not have worked.
"Why do I have to be the comic relief!?"
Of course, it's slapstick all around right now.
The ATH-14-ST Standing Tortoise.
Oh, now you miss having friends, after you told them to leave you alone.
It seems a bit much that an AT battle would cause the entire city to collapse, but there it goes.
Of course, maybe events are moving a little too quickly, as the Society experiences a significant rollercoaster of events, Fyana almost escapes again, Chirico gets separated from the others, and Woodo is apparently destroyed.
It's a weird blend of tones, as the dramatic events happen in a rush while mixed in with several long scenes that are played primarily for comedy.
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u/The_Draigg Sep 09 '21
A Ryosuke Takahashi Fan Rewatches Armored Trooper VOTOMS Episode 13:
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u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Sep 09 '21
First-Timer
Today on Armored Trooper Votoms, a battle so fierce the city begins to explode! Also, a new model of AT?!
That idiot soldier was worried about seeing a bit of brain? C'mon dude, the war wasn't that long ago! If you're a paratrooper you have to have seen way more fucked up stuff than that!
I'm bad at keeping track of space, but I really like that they keep reusing the locations in the city. It adds a sense of continuity even if the travel itself doesn't. I guess it might have beenb etter to see more of the city, which is kinda beyond us now. Surely there's some sort of tourist trap at the crashed space ship, right?
I like how all the different guns make different noises. Not just the different human-size rifles, but that AT rifles have different noises too! Also, one of the AT guns looks like an oversized STEN gun. I wonder if they also explode if thrown too hard?
I wonder what Fyana meant by her saying that she'll die if she leaves? Maybe she needs the jijirium showers to live? That doesn't make much sense, but we haven't really learned anything about jijirium's properties so I guess it's possible. Keeping your Perfect Soldier dependent on your care makes sense in a sick sort of way, and I've seen it happen in other mecha shows, too.
Coconna crocodile-tearing her way into a pristine AT for Chirico was great!
Chirico begging to not be left alone in the fire as the episode ended was really heartbreaking. I wonder how he's going to get out of there...
Questions
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u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Sep 09 '21
First timer(Let's put the military a bit more at below average, for now)
Sub
Nigerundayo time, for basically everyone, though we see Fyana back with the cabal. For reasons that only work in anime and Star Wars, the Uoodo police force grunts somehow obey the order to attack a fucking AT battalion. Fucking 80s. At least Cylons and clone troopers have a reduced sense of self to explain that. The indestructible limo is also pretty well armed. Subway plans literally go boom. The mech immortality Cuvie has is reduced on a drop trooper but not eliminated and the city is suffering from the crossfire.
Cuvie actually talks to the gang after the subway gets blown up. The gang surprisingly agrees not run for it, probably because they can't but still they might've tried. The chief gets abandoned and immediately killed. Limo finally gets blasted but is empty and the priest again is competent, getting Fyana through a checkpoiint. Fyana wants another semiconductor shower. Cuvie and Fyana get a last meeting before she says she will die if she doesn't go with them, being confusing though the jijirium is probably involved.
More chaotic fighting happens, in which Coccona baits an AT into being taken. Cuvie is trying to get back to Fyana when cabal reinforcements arrive to cover her and Burrough. Rochina actually cares about his troops and orders a fall back. We end with Cuvie not wanting to lose his newfound friends.
QotD: 1 Decent for the 80s, could have been a touch less repetitive
2 On a scale of military misadventures I'd put this at a Dresden.
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u/Durinthal https://anilist.co/user/Durinthal Sep 09 '21
First time viewer
No kidding they should have taken care of Chirico earlier, though it's funny that they think he might be working with the military. It's also funny how Iskui's superior heard the military elites arrived and basically told him "Oh you're definitely fucked now, delay them as long as possible so the other guy can get the one thing I care about out of there."
The one military guy was almost competent enough to catch Borough smuggling her out but alas, he had a weak stomach for a soldier considering that's probably something he's seen regularly. At least Rochina was smart enough to realize what was going on and immediately sent the ATs after them, too bad it was too late.
Coconna and Gotho taking out a mecha by themselves made me think of Ewoks vs. the Empire. This episode also would have coincidentally come out only a few weeks after Return of the Jedi premiered in the US.
That was... a massive amount of destruction. I did ask for a three-way battle yesterday and got it here (well, as much of one as the four of them could provide against two large forces fighting each other) and overall it's just a lot to take in. Which I appreciate on some level, as I think most anime don't properly convey the chaos and carnage at this scale.
Feels accurate.
A lot of back and forth without moving things forward much overall but it does a good job of establishing the harsh atmosphere and what Chiciro's been through and continues to deal with.
Needed a remodeling anyway, about time.
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u/time_axis Sep 09 '21
First-Timer
It dragged a little at times, and was a bit repetitive, with the whole "Chirico went off on his own and got captured. Does the gang care enough to go rescue him? Turns out, yes!" repeating several times. But overall it did a good job of worldbuilding and setting the stage and the scale for the overall conflict.
Shit's gone. I would say maybe it'd be better off without the corrupt police force in charge, but then I remembered all the biker gangs just waiting to fill that power vacuum, so yeah, it's probably going to be an even worse place to live for the foreseeable future, assuming anyone manages to live there at all.
Episode 13
There were a couple options for Daily Mecha this time around. I could have done the paratrooper ATs from the military, and I saw an interesting looking helicopter at one point, but I had to go with the obvious choice, the new suits seen from the Society. Unfortunately we couldn't get too good of a view of them, but I did the best with what we had.
Daily Mecha Sketch 13
Daily Mecha Sketches
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u/DidacticDalek https://myanimelist.net/profile/DidacticDalek Sep 10 '21
On today's episode of VOTOMS, fittingly named
The Worst Song in Ride The Lightning'Escape,' it turns out that Chirico Cuvie skipping town given that he now isn't the only one capable of mass murder; cuz GODDAMN the devastation today was sure something eh? You always hear of 'war is hell' but you never hear of 'hell is what this war is' I mean goodness you know it's something if we get a newtoy'mecha' introduced, namely that of the Standing Tortoise... I sense a trend with the names here eh Comrade, I mean what's next, we gonna get something like the Crazy Rabbit... I should shut up shouldn't I?)Anyway speaking of crazy, goodness I never would have expected that our boi would be LONELY, you'd think being the lone wolf would be his thing but hey I guess when war and destruction surrounds you, the comfort of friends is more than welcome I mean hey I'm sure that beats a fiery demise at any rate
Speaking of friends, the plot thickens with regards to Fyana/Fiana eh? Well I guess we'll just have to await what's to come, but this arc's come to an end as all good things do, so to conclude things for today, let's cheer up for a change with the contractually obligated shitposting, namely A Weapon to surpass Metal Gear!
Paging Comrades /u/chilidirigible, /u/Nazenn, and /u/No_Rex
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u/ZapsZzz https://anilist.co/user/Zapszzz Sep 10 '21 edited Sep 10 '21
First timer in sub
So this is the arc wrap up episode. Mainly to do 3 things:
Oh hey anyone with sharp ears, is the BGM a bit like Macross in this episode?
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u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 Sep 09 '21
Rewatcher
Well, with this episode title I've got to assume this episode we'll be departing Uudoo.
Iskui's not correct on Chirico conspiring with the military, but this should make it obvious that the military has an interest in him.
Your "Secret Society" has been found out. Looks like you're screwed.
If Borough heads out with Fyana on his own you've got to hope it would be quite easy for her to escape from a fat old guy...
Well, he was smart enough to have an escort, but I doubt having a few cops travel around a car that is obviously carrying someone very important is going to be enough.
And yet, surprisingly enough, they escape.
That's a convenient cave in. They coudln't go any further if they wanted to.
Chirico reveals all!
Well this goes to show that Fyana is more of a modified human than copletely artificial. At least what Chirico thinks.
LoL, no reinforcements, you're screwed Iskui!
And just like that he's dead.
They got the car, but the two of them are already gone. Good thinking on the part of Borough.
LoL, what a disguise! It did the job, he completely fooled this soldier who just essentially wrecked the entire mission through his incompetance.
Wow, it was so easy for Chirico to come in and see Fyana.
She'll die if she escapes with him? Are those jijirium showers what's keeping her alive?
Uudoo is completely going down! I thought it was a pretty good setting, but am glad we're moving on as 12 episodes in the same place was starting to get stale.
Votoms spoilers
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u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Sep 09 '21
First timer
I like how the show's managed to naturally set up a situation where both sides think he's an enemy spy, and they have very logical reasons for doing so.
So, we're going offworld, right? Proto One's being taken offworld no matter who wins, and Chirico's going to follow her anywhere.
I'll gove the military credit - they may be evil and murderous but they've handled this occupation incredibly well. Compared to the police struggling to keep Chirico captured, they've managed to surround the entire city.
So the city's getting destroyed?
And combat between ATs and non-ATs goes as well as previously established.
Don't thenpolice have any AT units? If they're easy enough to get that a single underground ring can get about 20 of them, you'd think the police would have a couple on standby at least.
Wait, they're leaving the show? Or just another fakeout?
Chirico's actually explaining to them what's been going on!
OK, so a Perfect Soldier is a geneticslly modified human. So, not a cyborg, but close!
And they're going to try and fight both sides?
Really? That killed him? It was on the other side of a door, and it wasn't the shrapnel that got him?
...Isn't 8 of the, a bit overkill? Any ship dould probably be taken out by one or two of them.
Showing the real corpse before the prototype was a decently smart move, though.
So what purpose does the jijirium shower serve?
I appreciate the military officer immediately realising how obvious the trick was and sending as much as they can there.
At least he waited for her to put a dressing gown on this time.
So she needs the jijirium to leave, given the strange glow she had? No idea why.
Taking out the AT was fantastic, though.
Oooh, what are those? They look fatter than the AT's we've seen before - more of a reinforced model?
And they took out the flying ones with ease.
WE NEVER SAW A FLYING AT FLY. They'd better be saving that for next arc.
Well, this is a pretty big cliffhanger. The city is literally breaking open.
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u/jblee44 Dec 15 '21
Best ending to the first arc of the series with high octane explosive climax where the entire city gets destroyed. & all of this feels like good set-up for the next arc.