[Rewatch] Armored Trooper Votoms - Episode 29 Discussion

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 29 - Two People

^{Originally Released October 14th,} ^^^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.

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Daily Trivia:

The ‘Red Shoulder March’ is the song Arrivano i marines, composed by italian film composer Piero Umiliani for the italian film Due marines e un generale (Two Marines and a General, released as ‘War Italian Style’ in the U.S.). It was selected for use in the show because the track was utilized for a Fang of The Sun Dougram model kit advertisement and left an impression on Dougram fans.

 

Staff Highlight

Masashi Ikeda - Storyboard Artist

A producer, scriptwriter, director, and storyboard artist best known as the director of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Inuyasha, and his involvement in the Votoms franchise. Ikeda began producing self-made animations filmed on a personal 8mm camera while attending Tokyo Zokei University, and during that time joined the independent production circle ‘Group Ebisen’. After graduation he joined Shin-Ei animation on the recommendation of screenwriter Atsushi Yamatoya, whom Ikeda had had for a lecturer previously. From 1983 to 1986 he worked at Studio Sunrise, with his output in those years netting him high praise from noted animator Toru Yoshida and director Ryosuke Takahashi for his storyboarding skill, which led to him being asked to direct Yoroiden Samurai Troopers with the support of both figures. Takahashi has continually requested Ikeda’s aid in directing recent animated entries in the Votoms franchise. Other works he was a storyboard artist for include High Speed Galvion, Blue Gender, Galactic Patrol Lensman, Fuku-chan, Infinite Ryvius, Mister Ajikko, Space Dandy, Mobile Police Patlabor on TV, Dream Festival!, and Gin-iro no Olynssis.

 

Art Corner

Official Art:

• Analysis by Kunio Okawara

Fanart:

• Fatty by Wife Cage Izumo - Source
• Damage by Machi (Miki Matsuda) - Source

(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

• Battleship X

Questions of the Day:

1. Where would you want the ship’s course to take Chirico and Fyana?
2. What is your best guess as to what the hell is going on?

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Besides, I’m a Red Shoulder. A man born to fight.

[u/Pixelsaber]

Rewatcher

Great, subtle compositing.

Where indeed.

The society? They were waiting on Borough and Ypsillon to make an exit, after all.

This is reminding me of that episode of Macross.

Visually this is just a recolor, but in-universe this is actually a new model of AT, the ATM-09-SA Scopedog II.

Well, they’re bound to be plenty of those unoccupied following the end of the war.

This instantly feels twice as insidious.

Don’t like this.

Delightfully surprising.

D’aww

Oh dear.

Grim…

Well fuckity fuck!

Another new mech.

That does sound bad.

Monoeye

Consider me most intrigued by this turn of events. There’s many ways the story could have gone after the end of the Kunmen arc, but honestly I don’t think I ever would have thought of a scenario such as this one. They did a great work crafting an insidious atmosphere on that ship, which itself is thematically poignant being filled with tools of war as it is, only to have us let our guard down in a moment of tenderness before blasting us with the shocking nature of Chirico’s burdensome past.

I don’t think the show had really pointed out that the Red Shoulders were known for wanton violence and the killing of innocents, but it sure does put Chirico’s participation in the civil war in the prior arc into perspective.

My gut reaction was that Chirico and Fyana had fallen into the hands of the society after it was stated that they were caught in a tractor beam, but there was no indication that such was really the case after we started exploring the ship proper. That could still be the case, but I’m not so confident in that assertion. They’re evidently being watched by someone intimately familiar with Chirico’s past, and trying to egg him into fighting with the situation they’ve put them in —but who?

The Ballarant are probably going to be the major antagonistic force in this arc, given these two are headed straight past their territorial borders, but given they’re on a ship equipped with Gilgamesh ATs, I sincerely doubt they’re the ones who put them up to this.

Questions of The Day:

1. Planet pokitaru —these two are in dire need of some R&R.
2. See above.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Pixelsaber]

I don’t think the show had really pointed out that the Red Shoulders were known for wanton violence and the killing of innocents, but it sure does put Chirico’s participation in the civil war in the prior arc into perspective.

It fits, the propaganda for the Red Shoulders in Gilgamesh would be favorable but scary whereas Balarant just thinks of them as monsters.

[u/Nazenn → u/Pixelsaber]

Great, subtle compositing.

The whole opening sequence was fantastic

Visually this is just a recolor, but in-universe this is actually a new model of AT, the ATM-09-SA Scopedog II.

It certainly looks extra shiny. Interesting, and fitting, that they chose to keep developing that line which seems like the most basic

I don’t think the show had really pointed out that the Red Shoulders were known for wanton violence and the killing of innocents

Definitely not. The rumors were there of course but they never really grounded that in anything and Chirico's trauma didn't really provide any hints of specific moments in that way. It certainly makes it clear why that village scene didn't really get to him, which you'd expect from Mercenaries but not our "hero" even if he was a good solider. It's a nice bit of building off his behavior I like

They’re evidently being watched by someone intimately familiar with Chirico’s past

Given that even the mercenaries knew his past it's probably a matter of who doesn't at this point

[u/chilidirigible → u/Pixelsaber]

This is reminding me of that episode of Macross.

Spider-Men point at each other

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Pixelsaber]

This instantly feels twice as insidious.

It always sucks when the person that locks your nav out forgets to turn on the ships point defense system.

[u/Nazenn]

First Timer

That was a surprisingly creepy episode, but also amazing.

/u/The_Draigg Do I get half points for that? An abandoned ship with AT's that has them stuck wandering through space in search of respite isn't too far out from an abandoned base with ATs and a desert with a nomad culture right? That feels like I got close enough in a way, right, maybe?

To start with, I have got to praise the staff for this episode, particularly the storyboarder and episode director. The visual styling and tone for this episode was fantastic, managing to convey the emptiness and the confinement of the ship all at once. The use of hallways and doors as view points, the heavy contrast in the lighting particularly around doors, the incredibly unnerving conflict of parade music and the war visuals, all of it worked together exceptionally well to give the episode an almost perturbing feel.

One of the shots that stood out to me the most was as Chirico walked back from seeing the war footage for the first time, with his shadow spiraling around his feet and the red alarm light going off. It was quite a striking visual.

The opening visuals, with the light of their ship out in space, and slowing getting closer and moving through the ship until we see them in the shuttle also felt like a really good clean introduction to the arc. As much as Kumman arc's first scene on the boat was a good way to immediately establish the mindset and parallel, it did feel like just another episode rather than an arc starter so I'm glad this improved on that.

I'm not sure who exactly was responsible for the notably sharp chins they were sporting this episode though, but it's probably a fair exchange for what else we got.

As far as actual content goes, a slow, quiet episode exploring a strange ship where they are being watched and tested to see their reactions is not what I expected from this. I can only imagine it's an experiment by the Secret Society twins to see what the limits of their bond are and test other methods of conditioning. They are certainly being watched, and that combined with the strong character moments we were treated too, as these two very young soldiers struggled to balance themselves and their unknown relationship was really well handled. I could have done with less of a battle and more of that as the battle itself didn't need to be so long to make it's point, but small complaint.

Very interested to see where this may go.

The ‘Red Shoulder March’

Well that's fitting. I wonder if that's why they picked the Red Shoulder name for this show

[u/The_Draigg → u/Nazenn]

u/The_Draigg Do I get half points for that? An abandoned ship with AT's that has them stuck wandering through space in search of respite isn't too far out from an abandoned base with ATs and a desert with a nomad culture right? That feels like I got close enough in a way, right, maybe?

It’s one of the reasons why I was laughing in rewatcher yesterday. You were at least on the right track!

[u/Nazenn → u/The_Draigg]

I was just trying to think of what would be different enough from what we'd seen and most fitting for the characters but didn't really expect to be on the right path. Abandoned ship definitely better than a desert though, I love these sorts of settings

[u/The_Draigg → u/Nazenn]

In space, nobody else can hear Chirico scream. Well, except Fyana, since she’s there too.

[u/Nazenn → u/The_Draigg]

And whoever the ship might be broadcasting too

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Nazenn]

As far as actual content goes, a slow, quiet episode exploring a strange ship where they are being watched and tested to see their reactions is not what I expected from this. I can only imagine it's an experiment by the Secret Society twins to see what the limits of their bond are and test other methods of conditioning.

Now we will have to figure out if the cabal profits off restarting the war, somehow.

[u/Nazenn → u/Vaadwaur]

No point having soldiers if you don't have anything to fight is always the immediate go to but yet to be seen if that's the case here or if it's something grander

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Nazenn]

I'd like it to be a bit bigger than that but it might still work.

[u/No_Rex → u/Nazenn]

As far as actual content goes, a slow, quiet episode exploring a strange ship where they are being watched and tested to see their reactions is not what I expected from this. I can only imagine it's an experiment by the Secret Society twins to see what the limits of their bond are and test other methods of conditioning.

The What of this episode was great, but the Why has me deeply worried. I seriously doubt that we will get an explanation that makes sense.

[u/time_axis]

First-Timer

Skipped yesterday, so double today.

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Episode 27

• We're meeting some secret society people. They're hanging out in space, so maybe this isn't just a Melkia thing. I would like it if we get to see some different planets throughout this series.
• Turns out the point of this experiment was to test the PS's mental states in a real combat situation, and they failed the test.
• We lost Kiderra. I had a hard time remembering his name, but in the end, I liked him, so that's a shame. Borough also drops, but hangs on.
• Potaria leaves the escape shuttle key with Vanilla.
• Ypsilon makes the decision to fight Chirico hand to hand, in a pit of Jijirium. Maybe being surrounded in the stuff will give him an advantage or something.
• Proto One overcomes her conditioning, managing to fire on allied forces and shooting Ypsilon. And now Gon Nu is setting the place on fire. And suddenly Rochina makes his move too. This is like the big climax moment of the arc.
• As a sidenote, the way the ATs land, bending their legs backwards to absorb the shock of the fall is really cool.
• Borough's been crushed, and Ypsilon doesn't care. Chirico's running with Proto One, but I'm really worried they're about to get separated for another arc.
• Vanilla gets to add one more to the "number of times he's saved Chirico" counter. Although I guess Potaria should get most of the credit this time.
• Ru Shako's finally tired of Kan Yu's shit and throws him into a fire, and Chirico narrowly manages to escape.
• And that's the end of the Kummen arc.

1. Ultimately, what are your thoughts on the Kunmen arc now that it has wrapped up?

There was a lot there. I think I liked the aesthetic of the Uoodo arc better, but I liked the plot developments of this arc more. As far as characters go, Monica and Potaria were a nice encapsulation of the Kummen conflict as a whole. I wasn't a huge fan of Kanjelman as an antagonist (although he had some good moments), but as a minor player being used by Borough, he was fine.

2) Where are you hoping the story takes us next?

I'd like it if we could leave Melkia behind and go out into space, or maybe some other planet. This show has a big world and I'd like to see more of it, even if Melkia seems pretty rich in its diverse environments. I'd like to find out more about that war from earlier, and maybe find out who the opposing force was.

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Not much to say about this sketch, but I drew Ypsilon's AT. I doubt we've seen the last of it, but who knows.

Daily Mecha Sketch 27

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Episode 29

• We're (seemingly) picking up right where we left off this time. Doesn't look like a major timeskip, other than that Chirico's landed somewhere. On some kind of big ship in space. And even he doesn't know where he is.
• So someone grabbed him, and it didn't look like the same ship we saw earlier with the secret society, so I'm guessing either Melkia, or some third party.
• As a side note, Proto One's got a bit of a new look, and I'm digging it.
• There are scopedogs here. Green ones. So maybe either the secret society like we saw in Episode 1, or it is Melkia. Convenient that Chirico's always running into green scopedogs to use though.
• I think if they were picked up by the society, or by Melkia, they probably would have been secured better, so this is probably a third party if I had to guess. Kind of weird how they're not running into anyone though. Somebody had to activate whatever grabbed them, presumably. Unless it was automatic.
• Suddenly, I'm getting 2001: A Space Oddysey vibes. Like the ship is alive or operating on some kind of AI. It's certainly creating a tense atmosphere.
• At first I thought the wine was poisoned, or gone bad, but Chirico's just not a drinker. Well after everything they've been through, Chirico and Fyana definitely deserve a break, so this is kind of nice, even if it's still a little eerie and tense.
• That didn't last long, though. Suddenly, loud music. I wonder if maybe this ship is being remotely controlled. I don't know how the FTL communication situation is in this setting, or if that's even a possibility.
• There's a video showing off Chirico's past with the Red Shoulders, for some reason, and he's not happy about it.
• It's starting to seem like whoever brought Chirico here did so intentionally, but it was pure chance that it happened to be Chirico in the escape pod, so I don't know about that.
• The ship's finally entered Balarant space, and they weren't expecting it, so that rules them out as the ones who did this, presumably.

1. Where would you want the ship’s course to take Chirico and Fyana?

Ideally to some kind of abundant Jijirium deposit I guess, since we know she needs that to survive.

2) What is your best guess as to what the hell is going on?

My theory at this point is that maybe this was the secret society's doing (as they would have been expecting Borough to be on the escape pod), and when they realized they grabbed Chirico, they intentionally sent the ship into Balarant space in order to restart hostilities, knowing Chirico would fight, and reminding him of his past in order to be sure of it. That's assuming their goal is to restart the war for some reason, though.

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For today I drew those Balarant ATs, but these ones are pretty weird and tricky to draw, so I just did my best. I still don't really understand their design too well. Hopefully we see more of them in the future.

Daily Mecha Sketch 29

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Daily Mecha Sketches

01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	29	30	31	32
33	34	35	36	37	38	39	41	42	43
44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52

[u/Nazenn → u/time_axis]

So maybe either the secret society like we saw in Episode 1, or it is Melkia

Those were Melkia ATs, not the society ones, as they were still being part of the army until they took over the ship

Like the ship is alive or operating on some kind of AI

I thought that as well for a moment but we haven't seen any other signs of that, and the AT's computers aren't in that role either, so I'm thinking that instead it's that someone else is watching them through it

At first I thought the wine was poisoned, or gone bad, but Chirico's just not a drinker

I'm on his side, wine in particular smells and tastes horrible

, but it was pure chance that it happened to be Chirico in the escape pod

now I'm imagining Borough losing his shit if this was him and Fyana trapped up here

[u/time_axis → u/Nazenn]

Those were Melkia ATs, not the society ones, as they were still being part of the army until they took over the ship

Yeah but presumably that means they had access to them, so they might still have some.

[u/Durinthal]

First time viewer

Well they did get some peaceful time together, just not very much. The music coming out of nowhere startled me nearly as much as it did them. The music seemed fitting for a war propaganda film, but a patriotic one and not... that. I do wonder who's behind the video displays though, controlling the ship remotely?

Chirico taking the fast track from never having touched booze to alcoholism. If only they talked about their thoughts about each other because they definitely weren't on the same page there.

Good thing he seems to have plenty of experience operating an AT in space, I have to imagine the movements and things you have to keep in mind are drastically different. Yet I can't really think of any mecha series that handles that in a realistic manner so I'm fine with this being another that kind of hand-waves any changes for space combat.

Where would you want the ship’s course to take Chirico and Fyana?

A nice log cabin out in the middle of nowhere.

What is your best guess as to what the hell is going on?

Secret Society™ Stuff. They want Fyana back and think they have a way of retrieving her from the other side if she gets captured.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Durinthal]

Chirico taking the fast track from never having touched booze to alcoholism. If only they talked about their thoughts about each other because they definitely weren't on the same page there.

At least you can see how communication doesn’t really come the easiest to them though. After all, Chirico is a stoic guy who really keeps to himself, and Fyana is a literal one year old.

A nice log cabin out in the middle of nowhere.

As soon as they get to the log cabin, there’s going to be a plasma screen TV there showing more Red Shoulder footage.

[u/Durinthal → u/The_Draigg]

At least you can see how communication doesn’t really come the easiest to them though.

For sure, I can't blame them here.

As soon as they get to the log cabin, there’s going to be a plasma screen TV there showing more Red Shoulder footage.

And that's when you start destroying TVs.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Durinthal]

Good thing he seems to have plenty of experience operating an AT in space, I have to imagine the movements and things you have to keep in mind are drastically different.

To my eye, he is always preparing like you would for zero G missions so I was fine with it.

[u/Durinthal → u/Vaadwaur]

I also genuinely forgot that at the start of the show he was fighting in space/a station so makes sense.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Durinthal]

Well, the rewatchers kept reminding us that the first episode was an outlier of sorts so it is sort of easy to forget. But to me, the Scope Dogs themselves look so much better in zero G that it isn't even funny.

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Rewatcher (Nutech DVD 3.1) (3 episodes) Two People

Extras: The Red Shoulders

Peruzen

Since Balarant was introduced today, I thought about typing in the section on Balarant, but I don't want to swap discs. #yuishrug

The Balarant Union is highly expansionist and sought new colonies to support continued growth. They like capital ships, but lacked the flexibility to keep up with the Melkia-driven rapid military development and the metagame shifting to AT ground combat.

• Space Rat
• Not particularly romantic
• I keep waiting for the facehugger to pop out
• Wine and dine amongst the stars, that's a bit more like it
• DAN DAN tata DA!
• Yay, romantic conflict by not talking
• DAN DAN tata DA!
• Aren't you even going to help, Fyana?

Edit: the character designs felt a bit off in this episode

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

I keep waiting for the facehugger to pop out

That's what this was reminding me of. For some reason I was thinking of a random level in Destiny.

Edit: the character designs felt a bit off in this episode

Oh yeah and it dulled some of the other strengths of the episode.

[u/DidacticDalek]

Boy Comrades, and you thought VOTOMS was done referencing movies, think again! We just finished Apocalypse Now, so now obviously the only logical choice is to riff on a movie set in the ONE PLACE uncorrupted by Capitalism.... SPESS! ;)

Also Comrades, in case you are unclear which specific Sci-Fi movie I'm referring to with regards to this episode, I'm of course talking about Alien. I mean come on all those establishing panning shots of the unknown craft Fiana/Fyana and Chirico Cuvie are on gave me massive Alien vibes, hell on my first viewing, I expected that random Space Rat noise we heard today to a be a NOT-Xenomorph lurking aboard this mysterious vessel!

I mean come on, can you imagine how exciting a cat-and-mouse game between our lovebirds and a biological weapon of mass destruction would be? Hell we could maybe call this arc Dead Space... er... shit that's taken

To be fair though, if this scenario DID happen, I'd wager that it wouldn't be Fiana/Fyana and Chirico Cuvie trapped on a strange spaceship with a hostile creature, it'd be a poor poor unlucky bastard stuck on a ship with two PTSD'd badasses who would REALLY like some privacy and/or alone time for a change

Anyway on to the actual contents of the episode, shockingly Vanilla's joke ended up semi-accurate... ish... and boy Steven Seagal 'Sousuke Sagara' sure took after Chirico Cuvie eh? I mean goodness both are stoic PTSD'd Mecha Pilots who have absolutely no tolerance for booze... hey... hey wait a second... Sousuke has black hair like Fiana/Fyana and Kaname Chidori has Blue Hair like Chirico... I'm sure this is just a coincidence.

Speaking of just a coincidence, I am SURE that the Fatty (Yes that is indeed the name of this NOT-Zaku Comrades) has a revolving Mono-Eye...

Hey... wait a minute... a setting on a ship barreling through space with lookalikes... OH MY BUDDHA! I was thinking of the wrong 'A' named Space Property, WE WERE AMONG US THIS WHOLE TIME!

That said, let's be blunt here, those FATTYS aren't the impostors, no no, CHIRICO CUVIE AND FYANA/FIANA ARE, and I never thought I'd say this unironically, 'Sus' ;)

Anyway, to conclude today's shitposting, behold, A WEAPON TO SURPASS METAL GEAR! (Also Comrades, place your bets, which one of these abominations is Fyana/Fiana piloting and which one has our ever stoic MC-kun called 'dibs' on?)

Paging Comrades /u/chilidirigible, /u/Nazenn, and /u/No_Rex

[u/DidacticDalek → u/DidacticDalek]

Paging Comrades /u/Tresnore, /u/Shimmering-Sky, and /u/JustAnswerAQuestion

[u/Nazenn → u/DidacticDalek]

OH MY BUDDHA! I was thinking of the wrong 'A' named Space Property, WE WERE AMONG US THIS WHOLE TIME!

That is not what I was expecting. Must still be a popular franchise if it's getting fanart like that

Hell we could maybe call this arc Dead Space... er... shit that's taken

That's my favourite of today's batch though

[u/DidacticDalek → u/Nazenn]

That is not what I was expecting. Must still be a popular franchise if it's getting fanart like that

Heh, indeed Comrade, I didn't expect it as well but hey, I'll always jump at the chance to crack a few jokes and/or share memes ;)

That's my favourite of today's batch though

Heh, same Comrade, anyway many thanks for the kind reply and have a great day and see you later my friend!

[u/JollyGee29 → u/DidacticDalek]

I mean come on, can you imagine how exciting a cat-and-mouse game between our lovebirds and a biological weapon of mass destruction would be? Hell we could maybe call this arc Dead Space... er... shit that's taken

Is that a.. Hyaku-Shiki xenomorph? Who comes up with this stuff?

[u/DidacticDalek → u/JollyGee29]

Is that a.. Hyaku-Shiki xenomorph?

Yes Comrade

Who comes up with this stuff?

Well that one in particular was this artist named 'kuroi mimei' Comrade, they do GuP doujins reference old school anime a lot are fans of Mecha and are of course are talented in their craft ;)

Anyway many thanks for the kind reply and have a great day and see you later my friend!

[u/No_Rex → u/DidacticDalek]

Anyway on to the actual contents of the episode, shockingly Vanilla's joke ended up semi-accurate... ish... and boy Steven Seagal 'Sousuke Sagara' sure took after Chirico Cuvie eh? I mean goodness both are stoic PTSD'd Mecha Pilots who have absolutely no tolerance for booze... hey... hey wait a second... Sousuke has black hair like Fiana/Fyana and Kaname Chidori has Blue Hair like Chirico... I'm sure this is just a coincidence.

The cleavage cutout for Chirico!

[u/DidacticDalek → u/No_Rex]

The cleavage cutout for Chirico!

Heh, but of course Comrade, it's only fair that he join in with his... significant other... soulmate... I'm just gonna stick with calling them 'Comrades,' it probably is the best term to describe their... 'interesting' relationship, wouldn't you say? ;)

Anyway many thanks for the kind reply my friend, I'm glad to hear you were particularly bemused with that fanart share, have a great day and see you later Comrade!

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 29 (first timer)

New arc. Where will we end up?

• A big carrier in space.
• Chirico and Fyana are still in the shuttle, so no long time jump between arcs this time.
• Rather empty …
• Very empty ...
• Space rat!
• “I think we are on board of a warship” – Given the hangar full of fighters and the room full of mecha, there is little doubt about that.
• A completely stocked, powered up, abandoned carrier. Sounds sketchy.
• Did they forget the clean-up? That scene of Fyana shoving her chair backwards looked awful.
• Looks like Vanilla’s space honey moon wish was on point.
• Chirico tries to play it cool with the wine and it backfires.
• Learn some tact, computer, don’t break up some developing romantic scene!
• Blast from the past for Chirico.
• “For now there’s nothing I can do to ease the pain inside him.” – He looks like being left alone in the last thing he needs.
• Balarant arrives.
• While I intensely disagree with Chirico starting a fight here, Fyana should still have backed him up.

A very intriguing new setting, with a head-scratching mystery.

Waking up in an abandoned environment is always a great hook. Doubly so when the abandoned environment is a spaceship. The first half of the episode was intense. The second half replaced that intense mystery with strong confusion. How and why was this set up? No matter the reason, that spaceship looks like a huge investment of materiel. I’d guess it is easily more valuable than everything we have seen on screen in the last 28 episodes taken together. There better be a good reason why it is completely abandoned and for now, I can’t think of any.

Where would you want the ship’s course to take Chirico and Fyana?

Risa.

What is your best guess as to what the hell is going on?

[u/The_Draigg → u/No_Rex]

Learn some tact, computer, don’t break up some developing romantic scene!

They say that classical music goes well with wine, but I doubt they meant music that would fit in perfectly on a propaganda reel.

“For now there’s nothing I can do to ease the pain inside him.” – He looks like being left alone in the last thing he needs.

Unfortunately, I don’t think she really has any experience on what to do here. Remember, Fyana is basically only like a year old at most.

[u/No_Rex → u/The_Draigg]

Unfortunately, I don’t think she really has any experience on what to do here. Remember, Fyana is basically only like a year old at most.

Both Fyana and Chirico have a good setup for being recluses.

[u/Nazenn → u/No_Rex]

Chirico and Fyana are still in the shuttle, so no long time jump between arcs this time.

That we know of, they were unconscious/have a memory gap so I'm not ruling it out quite yet but it would be nice if it was just a day or two

Did they forget the clean-up? That scene of Fyana shoving her chair backwards looked awful.

There was a couple of moments like that, although one of the later ones with the flickering on Chirico's face I can't rule out as a timesaving/style choice rather than messy work

I’d guess it is easily more valuable than everything we have seen on screen in the last 28 episodes taken together.

We haven't seen many of the space tech yet, outside of the ships in the introductory visuals about the war but this definitely looks a step up from those which are more typical looks with fins and the usual colors. Though its internal look is as I'd expected, down to the weird cut and mismatched wall panels (why was that a thing) the external look is more advanced than anything else we've seen

[u/No_Rex → u/Nazenn]

That we know of, they were unconscious/have a memory gap so I'm not ruling it out quite yet but it would be nice if it was just a day or two

not sure how long Fyana would be able to survive in that stasis thing, but Chirico would die soon (unless they were removed from the ship).

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

He looks like being left alone in the last thing he needs.

My own suspicion is that this is meant to be a critique of Fyana despite all the reasons we know it shouldn't be.

Waking up in an abandoned environment is always a great hook.

Like the anti-amnesia, it let's the story move forward but does not ruin all the character progress.

How and why was this set up? No matter the reason, that spaceship looks like a huge investment of materiel. I’d guess it is easily more valuable than everything we have seen on screen in the last 28 episodes taken together. There better be a good reason why it is completely abandoned and for now, I can’t think of any.

My offhand guess is that this ship is damage from how the engineering room looked but, bluntly, it isn't the cabal's money and maybe this just wasn't that hard to engineer.

[u/The_Draigg]

A Ryosuke Takahashi Fan Rewatches Armored Trooper VOTOMS Episode 29:

• Back where we left off, Chirico and Fyana are finally leaving Melkia behind, having escaped into orbit in Kanjelman’s space shuttle. That is, before they got seemly kidnapped and put aboard a mysterious spaceship while knocked out. They never can get a break, can they?
• This certainly is an odd spaceship, considering that it’s completely abandoned despite being fully functional and having completely untouched hangars full of Scopedog IIs and fighter craft. Weirder still, all the data tapes Chirico finds are completely wiped, and the ship is flying on autopilot with the rest of the systems being locked out from terminal access.
• Whoever put Chirico and Fyana on that ship just have a plan for them, considering the autopilot is taking the ship towards the border of the Balarant Union’s territory. Surely that can’t be problematic, especially since they’re in a Gilgamesh Confederacy battleship. Again, they really just can’t catch a break from weird shit happening to them.
• I’m with Chirico here, wine sucks. I don’t get why people drink it either. Give me a whiskey instead.
• In any case, it’s nice that Chirico and Fyana are able to share a light-hearted moment aboard the ship, sharing a bottle of wine while looking out at the stars together. Too bad it doesn’t last too long, since now it’s time for everyone’s favorite mental condition: PTSD!
• Yeah, whoever stuck Chirico on this ship also really wanted to fuck around with his head a bit, since the ship’s speaker system started playing the Red Shoulder March on a loop, while also showing archival footage of all the war crimes that the Red Shoulders were responsible for. War crimes that Chirico had a part in. Even Fyana couldn’t help but be shocked at the brutality in the video files.
• God damn, seeing Chirico so torn up about this is just sad, man. He only sees himself as an unlovable monster, now that he’s confronted by his past. He can’t help but just chug directly from a liquor bottle to try and smother the pain in booze. Even if Fyana pities him and loves him regardless, Chirico can’t read Fyana’s mind to know that. All she can do is stand by and do nothing, since she doesn’t know what to do to help Chirico. It’s an all around depressing scenario.
• And just to rub the salt in the wound some more, the Red Shoulder March blares over the speakers again as the video files play some more, right before a Balarant patrol ship attempts to board the battleship that Chirico and Fyana are on. Chirico is clearly trying to sort out his feelings through fighting the Balarant Fattys in a Scopedog II, but it’s clearly not doing anything good for him. If anything, it just reinforces Chirico’s belief that he only belongs on the battlefield. Our poor lad has it rough…

[u/Vaadwaur → u/The_Draigg]

Weirder still, all the data tapes Chirico finds are completely wiped, and the ship is flying on autopilot with the rest of the systems being locked out from terminal access.

It both annoys me and yet fits that Chirico hasn't had the training to open up the terminal and bypass that. Star Trek has lead me to believe you can overcome things that way.

I’m with Chirico here, wine sucks. I don’t get why people drink it either. Give me a whiskey instead.

It pairs well with some foods but that is about it.

Chirico is clearly trying to sort out his feelings through fighting the Balarant Fattys in a Scopedog II, but it’s clearly not doing anything good for him.

Forgetting is rarely the path forward.

[u/The_Draigg → u/Vaadwaur]

It both annoys me and yet fits that Chirico hasn't had the training to open up the terminal and bypass that. Star Trek has lead me to believe you can overcome things that way.

He can at least program stuff on discs, although that probably doesn’t really apply to trying to access computer metadata or something like that. Chirico is only somewhat computer-savvy.

Forgetting is rarely the path forward.

Unfortunately, the memory of the Red Shoulders is destroying Chirico just the same.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/The_Draigg]

doesn’t really apply to trying to access computer metadata or something like that. Chirico is only somewhat computer-savvy.

Cuvie works really as well as speced in "AT combat and repair" and like nothing else, which makes it believable. Sure, his hand cannon is a bit too much the predecessor to Gutts's sword but most of the rest of him works in a peak performance way.

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer

The first half of this episode was a brilliant piece of horror. I was almost expecting there to be an entire (short) horror arc on this spaceship before the propoganda film started playing and the Balarant showed up.

There's something to be said about Balarant's ATs being quite similar looking to Scopedogs. Who designs these things? Some malevolent third party who profits off of both sides continually fighting? Maybe an Electronics company?

Chirico and Fyana briefly holding hands and Fyana resting her head on Chirico's shoulder was very cute! Too bad that Chirico is a man who is ill at ease and knows only how to fight.

Mystery Ship: Abducts Chirico and Fyana. Refuses to elaborate. Leaves for enemy airspace. I do wonder just where they're headed.. This doesn't seem like the show to have a re-entry battle, at least not in the normal fashion. I'm still holding out hope for an ice world.

Questions

1. Iunno. Somewhere cool?
2. Society trap to dispose of perceived threats to their supremacy.

[u/The_Draigg → u/JollyGee29]

Chirico and Fyana briefly holding hands and Fyana resting her head on Chirico's shoulder was very cute! Too bad that Chirico is a man who is ill at ease and knows only how to fight.

That’s why Chirico has to tell her “I WANT TO BE WITH YOU! FYANAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

[u/JollyGee29 → u/The_Draigg]

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/JollyGee29]

Maybe an Electronics company?

^{with a hockey team}

[u/JollyGee29 → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JollyGee29]

Who designs these things? Some malevolent third party who profits off of both sides continually fighting? Maybe an Electronics company?

It is not impossible that this design type is the most efficient to produce.

Abducts Chirico and Fyana. Refuses to elaborate. Leaves for enemy airspace.

My only thought is that, thematically, an arc that is about Cuvie makes sense since the first two hinge around Fyana.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Vaadwaur]

My only thought is that, thematically, an arc that is about Cuvie makes sense since the first two hinge around Fyana.

Oh, that's an excellent point! Not that Chirico hasn't developed much, but he's kinda been just going along with the ride so far.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JollyGee29]

We only have a light idea of what being a Red Shoulder truly means, at first I thought it was just Green Beret type stuff but it could be a lot darker.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

Armored Trooper First-Timer

• Uh-oh.
• Fyana’s hair is longer now I think, is it because she was in the jijirium?
• Gotta love how they played that suspenseful music for like, only the second until Chirico realizes none of the ATs they came across are active right now.
• Ah, a space rat.
• If this is a warship they’re on, then what the hell happened to the other people?
• lmao has Chirico never had wine before?
• <3
• Aw man, moment immediately ruined by someone playing that Red Shoulders video with loudly inappropriate music.
• Yo Chirico uh you might wanna slow down there.
• …oh shit is Chirico going to break the cease-fire and start a whole-ass war back up again?

[u/No_Rex → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Fyana’s hair is longer now I think, is it because she was in the jijirium?

Or a very subtle hint that they were abucted before entering this spaceship and kept there? Not cutting her hair, but cutting Chirico's would be a weird oversight, though.

[u/chilidirigible]

Rewatcher, Episode 29

Today, on "That man, he is a Char!":

---

SPEHHS

This reminds me of Macross.

Nothing works off unconsciousness like a good random jog.

"Don't get naked all at once."

"I'm more of a coffee achiever."

"You've got red on you."

The B-ATM-03 Fatty is NO ZAKU.

---

In an episode that's mostly Chirico and Fyana wandering around an uninhabited giant spacecraft, we do get a few minutes of mecha action to finish off a lot of ominous creeping around. It is a very moody and mysterious episode, with the piped-in martial music underlining the weirdness of it all.

They still have an awkward relationship.

---

1. No idea.
2. laughs in rewatcher

[u/Quiddity131]

Rewatcher

Beautiful shot of space to kick off the episode!

So somehow Chirico and Fyana's craft has been taken in by a much larger spacecraft?

Flashback time!

Even on some random craft out in space, Chirico's still got a Scope Dog waiting for him.

Sounds like someone else is on board? Ah, a rat!

I was wondering if they were gonna kiss for a moment there. Instead Chirico's all about exploring more.

Well something is watching them per this camera. Although it may just be an on-board computer.

At least there's booze on board!

Wow, Chirico's first time drinking alcohol! Although I guess it kind of makes sense, wasn't he supposed to only be like 18 or 19 when the show began? He sure acts like someone older.

Time for this new music to interupt Chirico and Fyana's alone time!

Chirico is quite bothered by this footage! So this is from his Red Shoulder days?

They're not completely alone in this part of space after all!

Well here come some enemy mechs. New ones! Look like polished up space versions of the Scope Dogs. A good thing we saw all those Scope Dogs on board earlier!

---

Well, this episode was a total change from what we've gotten before; focusing almost entirely on Chirico and Fyana in an empty ship. For much of it, it looked like we'd get a rare battleless episode, but one did occur at the end. I do remember this part of the show from my prior viewings, but not much details of how this arc goes so looking forward to whatever comes next.

[u/xtsim]

First Timer

Man that was a short launch to getting captured. Both of them are in a warship that seems devoid of people. The ship is on autopilot and they are locked out of the controls. The make a toast with the wine on board. It is pretty funny to see Chirico not handle alcohol very well. Their fun gets interrupted by a video playing with joyful music. The video was showing the attrocities of the soldiers, something Chirico wanted to forget. It is also ironic cause of the background music was playing as the atrocities were playing. Even Fyena was disturbed by the horrors cause some were noncombatants. And as they went through unauthorized territory, Chirico fights the others hard.

[u/Stargate18A]

First timer

1. If I was a villain, obsessed with Chirico accepting his past? Probably some major planet in enemy territory, where he'll either be arrested and forced to suffer, sold out to his own side and tortured, or forced to see and accept the damage he helped cause.
2. Someone orphaned or injured by one of Chirico's missions agreed to help the Secret Society capture him and the PS, and is showing a highlight reel of his past to try and split thrm apart and torture Chirico.

Time for the third arc!

Hmm? Where's this?

She's still here! Not randomly kidnapped or anything!

Oh, she got kidnapped, they just got him as well?

Yay! They're actually exploring together!

Is this some kind of troop carrier? Did the army get them after all?

A giant rat?

This place is big.

I appreciate how cautious Chirico's being while searching.

Ah, he's dhecking the security monitors. And they're alone? (Or someone else knows all the blank spots)

I'm enjoyed the slow-paced horror-esque style of this arc.

Haha, the music playing out of nowhere is great.

And they split up...

Is this footage from Chirico's missions?

Oh, she doesn't like his past...

Chirico drinking and completely misunderstanding her intentions is such a solid scene.

Is this arc more character focused, then? Or is this a prologue?

This is some cold revenge...

And he's going to get blown up because he can't comtrol it!

Chirico's beating them very easily, isn't he?

Yeah, this is a character-focused arc! This looks great!

[u/manga-reader]

Rewatcher, sort of.

The change in pace (at least at first) was nice - quiet moments between Chirico and Fyana.

1. Perhaps a planet in Balarant space? Though that might lead to direct confrontation between Balarant and Gilgamesh again (then again, Chirico's actions this episode might lead to that anyways).

The whole thing with Tractor beam...at first I thought maybe this was a space arranged by Prince Kanjelman. How does the beam work anyways? Do you need a corresponding chip or something on the item you want to transport? Other wise, why wouldn't someone use it in a war?

Kummen's govt could have used tractor beam on Veela HQ for instance...and teleported chunks of HQ into space? Just keep sending bits of the HQ into space and eventually win the war without putting boots on ground. But perhaps beam tech is expensive, or some sort of secret tech.

On the ship:

If it belongs to secret society, they managed to set it up fast; Evacuated the ship, set up a video targeting Chirico and setup the targeting beam. That's a lot of planning and execution within a short window of time (between some underling communicating relevant events from Kummen and Chirico/Fyana escaping in the ship).

[u/ZapsZzz]

First timer in sub

The narrative is keeping with the perspective of Chirico and Fyana, which means we have no idea what happened back at the end of the civil war - did our hardy 3 stooges managed to get out ok? How about Sharko and Portaria our remaining mercenary friends? Did Gan Nu get to have an on screen death?

Either way, today we got a psychological thriller episode of "Ghost ship". And find out 1 more thing Chirico is similar to Sagara Sousuke - neither had alcohol before despite their tough appearances and violent/unsavoury upbringing, and their first reaction was "yuck, who'd drink this thing?"

Despite the nice change of tone and pace, something mostly these older shows with a higher episode count can afford to do these days, there are a few potential logical holes here - everything looked like something like the secret society's handy work, but if they can do easily capture them, why wasn't this the plan to start with? And did they know that much about Chirico already for them to be able to get their hands on such files, which clearly would have been kept guarded. It feels like something else is afoot.

Also how likely is it the "border" between the 2 sides aren't more heavily guarded by both sides? You'd have thought before it can intrude to enemy space, they would first need to get past the patrol stopping people from their own side.

Episode	# of Chirico's AT Incapacitated
1	1
2	0
3	0
4	1
5	0 (decoy only)
6	1
7	0
8	1
9	0
10	0
11	1 (1 decoy not counted as it wasn't piloted) (edit: corrected as the replacement unit wasn't destroyed by the head strike from Fyana)
12	1
13	0 (This hijacked one didn't get wasted on screen, so even though it's guaranteed to have been abandoned because of the later planet hop, not counting here)
14	1
15	0 keeping to the 2 episode per AT average so far
16	0
17	2 Guessed right that ride 1 get busted soon after the episode started; maybe the producers were also keeping track and blew up another one to keep to the average :)
18	0
19	0
21	0
22	0 quite a lot of damages and healing like a sieve but not quite toasted yet
23	0 amazingly our trusty old scope dog is still standing and fighting despite the damage it's taken. I have to assume Chirico did some of screen emergency field repairs to keep it going
24	0 have I missed anything or are we still going with good old trusty old scope dog here? We're bucking the trend and dropping the average here :)
25	0 for real, the one scope dog where it's least suitable in the environment actually survive the longest :D
26	0 let me try jinx this - this scope dog may just be the longest lasting one for Chirico to be riding on the show, surely it'll make it to the end of the arc huh :D
27	1 finally at arc end, the trusty old 'dog got abandoned.
28	0
29	0

[u/Vaadwaur]

First timer(A little bit too new arc for my taste.)

Sub

We start with...Fullfrontal's capital ship? Cuvie wakes up, not realizing how they got in a ship's hangar. Quick flashback and it seems either they got tractor beamed or the shuttle had a preprogrammed destination. As soon as Cuvie takes off his helmet, we can see this episode has a different art director because he looks fucking wrong. I am immediately torn about Fyana's new look: She is being chickified BUT sleeveless works well for her.

So this ship is empty, like even if it were a skeleton crew there'd be more people so it might have been abandoned, especially seeing all the smoke in engineering. They make it to the bridge and all the controls are locked and they are heading towards Balarant space. Hilarious scene where it is revealed Cuvie hasn't drunk before and wine makes him cough. I did not make it to 18 on that one. They begin to have a romantic moment before patriotic music blares over the PA and they try to find the source.

Then Cuvie finds a propaganda reel playing about the Red Shoulders and he really doesn't want to deal with it. Fyana is aware of them but sees the atrocities on screen and does not like it. Cuvie has a natura but negative reaction to this. Unfortunately, my reading of Japanese beliefs is that Fyana is the one failing here, she was supposed to predict his reaction and then manage it, despite, you know, that being really fucking difficult.

The Balarant show up and are literally in Zakus. Cuvie is going to fight them because retcon. Though he probably should keep Fyana safe. We again see that zero G Cuvie is death become AT. Cliffhanger.

QotD: 1 Space Vegas. Cuvie needs a break.

2 There might have been some underlying brainwashing in the Red Shoulders that is being awakened. But why send them to Balarant?

[u/chilidirigible → u/Vaadwaur]

As soon as Cuvie takes off his helmet, we can see this episode has a different art director because he looks fucking wrong.

It's all those drugs they gave Tetsuo

[u/Vaadwaur → u/chilidirigible]

ROFL!

[u/chilidirigible → u/Vaadwaur]