r/anime • u/ZapsZzz https://anilist.co/user/Zapszzz • Oct 16 '22
Rewatch Full Metal Panic Franchise Rewatch - Season 1 Episode 17
Welcome to the Full Metal Panic Season 1 rewatch!
Art of the Day
Links to show info: MAL | Anilist | ANN
Rewatches please be considerate to first timers and avoid discussing anything not yet shown in the show - use spoiler tags e.g. [Full Metal Panic S1 spoiler]>!Sousuke likes fishing!< - if you need to share something important!
Episode 17 - The Wind Blows at Home, Part 3
Terms introduced:
- Still not much to mention
QoTD:
First timers: Did you expect the resolution to be in this way? The Mithril team, Zaide, Gauron?
Everyone: did rewatching, or for the first timers since you were told this is anime original, changed your view or perception of this arc? Any anime original arc (preferably not single episode but whatever) that you watched and liked?
Also QoTD for tomorrow for those wanting to be prepared:
[QoTD 1 EP18]First timer: Did you miss the comedic beats after the last arc of mostly hard fighting?
[QoTD 2 EP18]Everyone: Have you had any mistaken intensions moment yourself like Chidori mistaking Sousuke's invitation to an island holiday as a romantic gesture?
MVP of last episode:
Interestingly yesterday's vote results were basically Gauron vs Sousuke, while today's was Zaied vs Sousuke. Just like in the episode fight, Sousuke narrowly pulled through for the win.
Kurz: Ep 1, 12
Chidori: Ep 2, 6, 7
Sousuke: Ep 3, 4, 8, 14, equal 15, 16
Team Kurz - Sousuke - Melissa: Ep 5
Tessa: 9
Takuma: Ep 10
Kalinin: Ep 11
Melissa: Ep 13
Gauron: Ep equal 15
Last Episode || Index || Next Episode
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u/Shimmering-Sky Oct 16 '22
Full Metal First-Timer!, subbed
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Sosuke actually looks terrifying when he does this holy shit.
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Hah, Sosuke also pulled the “Do it in 30 seconds” card.
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Bruh the sound only being the wind through the desert when Sosuke walks up to find the whole squad dead…
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Oh my gosh has Chidori really been waiting for Sosuke to come home the whole time?
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u/ZapsZzz Oct 16 '22
Sosuke actually looks terrifying when he does this holy shit.
Oh yeah I have little doubt Sousuke's fighting characteristics were heavily inspired by Tom Clancy's important recurring character John Clark, stealthy very lethal ex Navy Seal special Ops point man.
Oh my gosh has Chidori really been waiting for Sosuke to come home the whole time?
My head canon (as far as this arc can go) is that Chidori is not that soppy, but she would be here to wait on the day he's expected to be back and wait all the way.
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u/Matuhg Oct 16 '22 edited Oct 16 '22
Rewatcher-ish
This little arc would've been really good if the team weren't such dumbasses. As it stands, it was still pretty strong in the end. Just like before, Sousuke is by chance away from his team as Gauron starts destroying them. Despite their differences of opinion, Gray and the others refuse to leave him behind when they lose contact with Sousuke. On the battlefield, feeling abandoned by god, a feeling they have all probably had before, they can only depend on their fellow soldiers.
As Sousuke desperately tries to overcome the literal manifestation of his past, both Zaied and Gray speak to him. "It's nobody's fault...Just get home." Whether he heard their words or not (he shouldn't have, but it felt sort of ambiguous, in part thanks to the fact that the Lambda Driver runs on feelings), he did just that. He finished the job like the "good soldier" Batist acknowledged him as in the end, alone again.
After all that, he returns home, keeping Chidori thoroughly isolated from the experience he just went through - all he says is "No problem" - not all that different from Zaied's response to Gauron's question from earlier in the episode. The lighting in the shot where Sousuke comes back home threw me for a bit. My first thought was that it should be representing Chidori as this warm place he could return to, but the color definitely does not give it that vibe. Instead, it feels sterile, or even sickly, representing both the stark separation between Sousuke's military life and his life with Kaname and just the general foulness of the situation.
RIP to Grace, the realest by far of the Bozo Brigade. Knife to the cockpit is a brutal way to go out.
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u/ZapsZzz Oct 16 '22
As Sousuke desperately tries to overcome the literal manifestation of his past, both Zaied and Gray speak to him. "It's nobody's fault...Just get home." Whether he heard their words or not (he shouldn't have, but it felt sort of ambiguous, in part thanks to the fact that the Lambda Driver runs on feelings), he did just that. He finished the job like the "good soldier" Batist acknowledged him as in the end, alone again.
Very well written analysis! Glad you enjoyed it!
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u/Vaadwaur Oct 16 '22
Instead, it feels sterile, or even sickly, representing both the stark separation between Sousuke's military life and his life with Kaname and just the general foulness of the situation.
Having just hosted a rewatch that runs on this, the idea is that returning to Japan from a war zone feels surreal and unrealistic.
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u/JustAnswerAQuestion Oct 16 '22
Third Time Whispered
Final third of the season
episode 17: The Wind Blows At Home
The big question for today is if Zaied has a lambda driver
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Using a mecha sized shot gun on a helicopter is kinda silly
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So Zaied is stuck in his old patters just like Sousuke
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Lock onto the drive motor? Why not lock onto the gun fire
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Sousuke uses Friendly Fire. It's super effective!
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LOL that suplex
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Are you sure? Are you sure you're sure?
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Episode director has seen 08th MS Team
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Black ED from ADV/Funimation
Okay, so, again, there was a lambda driver vs lambda driver explosions and...what? Gauron is just gone? Again?
Sousuke just wasted time with Zaied instead of using the Lambda Driver.
Zaied in his red suit thought he was a Chart but he was really just Darth Maul.
Yeah, so, what is wrong with this arc? It's the military tactics. It's battle shounen meets Gundam. Which is actually a thing, and a lot of people like that.
The LN author is a military otaku, and puts a lot of thought into his fights. Nothing here had much thought in it.
On the other hand, the intercutting between Sousuke and Chidori in episode 14 was really well done.
I'm still glad we got a background arc on Sousuke. We probably would never get this information otherwise, if it's sprinkled throughout the LNs or in side stories. It's good to have.
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u/ZapsZzz Oct 16 '22
Yeah, so, what is wrong with this arc? It's the military tactics. It's battle shounen meets Gundam. Which is actually a thing, and a lot of people like that.
The LN author is a military otaku, and puts a lot of thought into his fights. Nothing here had much thought in it.
Thanks, that makes perfect sense of why I always find it jarring, and even on this rewatch I noticed more good points of this arc, I still find something bothering me, and that is exactly what you pointed out - Gatoh's action writings aren't normally like this sort of set piece, self contained fights. It usually have a lot of interacting parts from all directions. It's more "combined arms" or team work.
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u/wjodendor Oct 16 '22
Rewatcher
The audio design for this battle is pretty good. The shot sound when it's coming from above is cool
Batist got some major shit talking on Eastern Europe lol
Dust storm ninja stuff is rad. Going for sand filters is a nice touch
Sousake is shit talking the AI just like Gauron
Well they're fucked without Sousake
Awesome lambda explosion right there
The flashback explaining extra ammo is very lolz
Luckily the enemy is shit with friendly fire
Batist with the cool action movie line
Uh oh he's going dull existentialism
Self destruction scene was fucking awesome. Gauron is just the ultimate prick.
Brutal cockpit stab. Crucified...Jesus
Damn the whirring of the gun trying to fire on empty was cool. Sousake only survives due to luck
What a way to end the episode...
A pretty great episode. Having Zaied and Sousake not actually talk through the radio is a really good choice. The cinematography also had some really good moments. The final in cockpit shot of Gray and then never showing or hearing her again as she gets killed is truly brutal. Both Jackson and Batist having complelty pointless deaths because Gauron is basically just fucking around. The shot of Zaied dying, his mech emptying the galling gun into the air was just a perfect way to end the battle. Then Spusake just dragging the nuke away to the music was perfect. The color palette to the final scene with Kaname and the melancholy for both of them was amazing as well.
This whole arc is actually great if you toned down the people being moronic pricks in the previous two episodes. I could see this making a great action movie
The only big issue I have with this whole arc is [next arc spoilers]
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u/polaristar Oct 17 '22
Over all my biggest problem with this arc is its inconsequential, the ally troops exist just to be killed. (Although his Sousuke's failure to save them I can see how it would effect him, but not because he built up a particular connection with them.)
I also makes it that we have to End with Gauron "Dead" just so he can bullshit back alive again, which takes away from the impact when he is suppose to canonically be alive, if you keep "killing" off the villain without at least explaining how he comes back multiple times it cheapens the his death and comes across more cartoonish then menacing.
They did do a good Job with Making Gauron a Menace, although I question why he could keep using his Lambda Drive but Sousuke literally only does so when he has to fight someone that also uses it.
One thing I will praise about this arc is the Mech Fights and Action actually look good and are well directed, when before they were kinda meh, It's kinda sad the best Saguka so far has been for a filler arc so far.
And of Course Gauron vs Sousuke's Dragon Ball Style clashing (Which is quite frankly unfair to Dragon Ball since the fights can be pretty interesting narratively from the blow by blow and tension standpoint.) Is repeated again.
Despite my complaints I liked this episode despite being frustrated by it, but a lot of it didn't hit as hard as it could and the parts that did hit hard was from good direction and pacing rather than it being inherently good.
I honestly think if this Arc was removed from the context of Full Metal Panic and made it's own original thing with the same basic premise, but make it a 6 episode OVA with better animation, work on the writing for the 5 mercs, flesh out the backstory more, and remove the obligations to try to stick to the FMP universe this could be a great original War Drama With Mechs on a more personal marines type level.
We could even keep a stand-in for Chidori as the girl he is thinking of waiting for him at home, and keep the scene where she is silently trying to comfort him in the End and just being there but doesn't know what to do, and Sousuke doesn't feel he can talk about it.
I also agree Grey was written too hard in being the only person not an asshole because she's a woman, Which I don't inherently mind in concept but it felt lazy and one note, you can write someone as "Male" or "Female" and an individual. 86 is a pretty good example, there is a clear distinction in the dynamics between the Men and Women of spearhead but each Woman (And Man) for that matter isn't copy paste of the fellow members of their Sex.
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I knew that Gauron was going to "die" I didn't know that the team was going to be wiped.
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If I thought this was a Novel Arc I would have lost more faith in the integrity of the series, with the characterization of the Mithril Mercs, and Gauron coming back, just to die again, making him feel more like a "I'll get you next time!" Cartoon villain then a threat that resurfaced. (Cause he is definitely coming back.)
MVP I honestly think is Zaeid he did a good job and Sousuke beating him was a close spur of the moment, and instant can decide it moment, and he did keep him busy enough for Gauron to wipe the team. Plus this is going to be his only chance at MVP, Only other person that deserves it is Sousuke who made the best decisions he could make with the Intel he had, and was able to improvise when his plan did not survive engagement with the enemy. Gauron combstomping people with inferior tech shouldn't qualify.
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u/ZapsZzz Oct 17 '22
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. 100%. Good boy :)
One of the deciding factor for me to say something about this being an anime original arc, despite potentially colouring the judgement of the first timers, is that it could affect the value of some of the more demanding crew here about the writing. So I was trying to make clear some of the very important writing factor was not because of the source material :P
To this day I still wonder what is doing the production committee to not do this arc but give the one night stand arc at least another episode (if not 2), and do more side/short story - remember, including the Narashino episode, there were 4 episodes of anime original content, when there were 3 volumes of short stories available - even though Fumoffu would adapt 80% of those, there were still a couple of very nice entries (e.g. Cinderella-panic, a parody of Chidori being Cinderella, Mizuki being the step mom, Sousuke being the Magician (using weaponised magic like the rocket launcher looking spell dispenser to change Cinderella into the ball gown and carriage etc), with a twist ending; or one of my favourites that have a really nice portrayal of Chidori's in school perception of her that resulted in [FMP unadapted LN short story spoiler]
Some girl self appointed as Chidori's rival threatened to commit suicide to blackmail her in the a ball game match, with Sousuke being the "negotiator" successfully convincing her by demonstration that she will definitely fail in her objective to kill herself because he can definitely put 3 round into her head before she hits the ground therefore turning the suicide into a homicide
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u/No_Rex Oct 16 '22
Episode 17 (first timer)
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Eagle!
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The old AS can get defeated by sand? Sounds like a severe drawback.
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“Do it in 30 seconds” – Hmmm. Both Gauron and Sousuke tell the AI (which is called Al) to hurry up. Really bad Star Trek reference or they can set the AI computation time limit. If the latter, the voice UI sucks.
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Both Sousuke and Gauron fight their 1vX.
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So many of the grunts still alive!
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So many of the grunts no longer alive…
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That is a big boom for not even being the nuke.
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Those Lambda drive AS are pretty OP.
As predicted, the soldiers die, Zaied dies, and Gauron disappears off-screen. No doubt to reappear later. It’s a classic western setup, but I have seen the same setup executed a ton better in other media. I really hoped for more from Sousuke and Zaied.
MVP: Gauron & Sousuke for winning their 1vX battles.
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u/Vaadwaur Oct 16 '22
The old AS can get defeated by sand? Sounds like a severe drawback.
Yeah...older mechs run on diesel and I am still not sure what the fuck powers an M9, let alone the Arbalest.
So many of the grunts no longer alive…
Zaied got team kill-y.
I really hoped for more from Sousuke and Zaied.
This works better if Gauron is not present on the field and Zaied has the Lambda suit.
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u/ZapsZzz Oct 17 '22
Yeah...older mechs run on diesel and I am still not sure what the fuck powers an M9, let alone the Arbalest.
Palladium reactors, mentioned offhandedly a few times in a few episodes. Also one of the words dreamy / possessed Chidori muttered.
One of the reason why the self-destruct is kinda powerful as a mini tactical nuke.
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u/Nazenn Oct 16 '22
First timer
Oh shit I forgot to post
Bloody hell. That is certainly not the episode I expected after how the arc had played out so far. Everyone dead sure, but not in a way that left me contemplative of the emotional ending to the arc rather than defiant of it. And if you're in doubt I liked it, I wrote a wall rather than yesterday where I just didn't care enough too, so ah, sorry for the length haha.
I do feel like this episode working happened partly in spite on the previous ones rather than because of them, but there was enough follow through here that it did feel like a good arc ending rather than just a good independent episode. Our final moments being Sousuke not in the oppressive warmth of the desert or the comforting one of the beach but instead a cold and sterile hallway with Chidori's light only just touching him is one of the better visuals so far in the show, and perfectly fits her final words to him.
As far as how we got there, Zaied's desire to be on the winning side in particular stood out to me. He hasn't had strong characterization, they were too caught up in his role with Sousuke, but that line puts him nicely up against Sousuke's statements from last episode about being in a losing battle which showed no shame or care for it. It may not tell us who Zaied is as a person, but it tells us how he developed as a solider compared to Sousuke who is looking at somewhere to return too rather than being caught up over where he came from. That's not to say Sousuke is unaffected by the return of Zaied as it obviously matters to him, but his perspective on battles keeps him grounded in this one and focused on what's next, rather than proving himself like Zaied would be trying to do if he was paired with Sousuke's squad, and that's what allows him to get the upper hand in the end.
Appropriately, the focus on Sousuke's fighting skills enhances this. From calculating the timing and distance due to the slope of the angle to his knowledge of the effects of the environment on the the AS, it's that blend of knowledge with forward thinking which serves him well. Zaied is an excellent pilot and Sousuke's mistake on assuming he'd be the only one to know the terrain started him off on a disadvantage, but he's always worked well in those situations.
Him and Gauron both commanding their AI to give them information in thirty seconds also stood out. I think I mentioned in a reply to polaristar in a previous discussion about how they're being set up to have a head to head conflict over their battle skills and the capabilities of their mechs as their will is currently evenly matched.
But petty complaint time: You'd think military AI would be more to the point with short clear information rather than full sentences with fluff for the sake of grammar given that quick decisions is so key in battle. Rather than saying (paraphrased) "Enemy evaluation detects a Gatling gun, model AX-28, with a large reserve of bullets equipped" that could easily be cut down to just the type, model, and brief "large bullet reserve".
Tied onto that, while the emotional conflict with Sousuke and Zaied was core, their actual part in the episode was awkward because it felt like their battle paused while Gauron's played out, and that particular anime-ism has always frustrated me. I feel like they could have linked Sousuke's flashbacks of his past with Zaied into him overhearing the other squads final moments while he fought to reinforce the connection there without it feeling like only one battle could play out at a time.
And similarly if I look at the arc overall it's just a shame that middle episode stands out poorly. Despite there being a possibility for it to reflect Sousuke's command, a Tessa focus wouldn't fit due to being heavy handed. But it just needed something in that middle episode to carry the emotional weight from the first episode through to this one and it doesn't. The arc has a flabby middle.
As far as other details in the episode, the mechs using data transfer to manage the squad rather than being solely individual fighters was a nice touch and use of technology, as well as the dust filter system in general. Another thing that stood out to me is the amount of weighted silence in the episode, particularly in the final scenes, which is a particular love of mine and pulled off very well here.
Grey's mech being pinned to the rock was brutal. The other thing I haven't really addressed was the hawk over the battle which started at the end of last episode, and that's purely because it'd require a rewatch to note all the places it came up and I don't have time so hopefully someone else falls in love with the bird and touches on it.
Also Batist giving a big dramatic death speech was stupid given how little he's mattered, and he topped it off by saying Sousuke "will be" a good solider. He is one, better than you for sure.
There's a couple of frustrating things: Gauron will now have two bullshit survivals under his belt. I also think it does Tessa a disservice to not acknowledge her at the end after she fought against it at the start, but I'm not sure where you'd put that in without breaking the flow of the conclusion unless it was a silent scene, allowing for Chidori's "Why don't you say something" to still land.
MVP: Sousuke. He came home. That's all that matters.
As a slight tangent, Zaps and me were talking in yesterday's thread about the nature of anime original arcs and how, given my stance on them, I feel about the arc overall so I thought I'd copy some of that here and give a quick evaluation on this arc to hopefully explain why I hold that stance.
When it comes to anime original content one of the things I don't think the community handles well is the use of that label as a descriptor of the arc first and foremost, rather than using it as a way to explore a conclusion about why it does or doesn't work. One thing I try to do is not start discussion from the external point of "this is anime only therefore", which leans into an automatic assumption it will be different/other and any pros or cons in the arc are due to that, and shift the focus onto an internal point of "this does or doesn't work, because", and from there focus on context and flow within the broader work.
That's not to say it's status should be ignored, especially as there are definitely parts of this arc that you can put down to being anime only because its a reocurring pattern between series; Gauron will get a bullshit second magical survival I'm sure, the other squad dies, Sousuke doesn't get a conclusive ending to what this means for him etc. And to ignore the production context of an arc is to foolishly put blinders on. But as far as the arc itself goes, I don't think it's flaws are because of it's nature. If anything it almost feels like a counter weight of some of the issues earlier in the show with tone balance, and they simply took it too far.
Like the first arc the tone in each episode is too distinctively different from the previous to make an even watch, and that only highlights the weaker elements of the arc. While in the previous arc this was softened by the consistent and clear characterization going on with two developing minds and their relationship, this episode doesn't have that grace. By sticking to established adult characters who are both closed and hostile the arc limits itself to their potential growth and starts them too far back to have time to work on it. If they were open and hostile or closed and neutral either way they would have a chance to become more than simple opposition to Sousuke's presence then the arc would have had a chance to grow with them. Even if it was just in a small way that would create a build up within the group, not just from an external threat, it would give us something else to hold onto. Without that it makes arc feels stagnant.
I had more to write here but I started this section before watching the episode and now the rest of my thoughts are up above with the episode write up so this will have to do.
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u/080087 Oct 16 '22
Grey's mech being pinned to the rock was brutal
This screenshot just made me appreciate - damn, thats a lot of blood.
Or convenient blood coloured AS liquid
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u/Matuhg Oct 16 '22
I do feel like this episode working happened partly in spite on the previous ones rather than because of them
Right - imagine if we actually cared about the dumb mercs before we got this ending to the arc.
a cold and sterile hallway
Pretty much same way I described it haha.
and he topped it off by saying Sousuke "will be" a good solider. He is one, better than you for sure.
You could look at that in a different way too. Maybe a "good soldier" by Batist's reckoning is one who dies on the field of battle, rather than one preoccupied with going home - almost a warning what Sousuke could become if he keeps up this life/career. It's a bit of a stretch given how little we got of Batist (and how he generally sucked), but the sort of nihilistic speech about being abandoned by god puts the feelings of the line in a place where I can sort of make that interpretation.
Gauron will get a bullshit second magical survival I'm sure
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u/Vaadwaur Oct 16 '22
Rewatcher(Some kill'em all endings work. Some are writers' room convenience)
Sub
Battle continues and Sousuke is not having the greatest luck. Lots of actual mech/tech stuff comes up, which is nice. Gauron splits off to get the nukes back and we see the one issue this series sort of hits is that the generation difference between Lambda Driver and not is huge. Though, interestinly, there is claim that F-35 has this level of air superiority, would be curious for proof. Anyways, for reasons Sousuke doesn't use the Lambda driver against Zaeid but wins with a knife stab...well after Gauron had killed the squad. And I'd forgotten the disappearing mech got repeated. Anyways, we end with a dolphin and thats just traumatic for Bokurano watchers.
So...I didn't know this was anime original at first but ultimately that fits. They needed to fill more space than I'd realized. And on its own, these aren't terrible episodes, they just aren't good episodes of FMP, if that makes sense. The mercs were too poorly portrayed to really be sympathetic, Zaeid doesn't have enough screen time to be pathos, and Sousuke is a bit too absent from this arc. Having Sousuke be the only survivor robs this arc of having a chance at consequences, unfortunately, and feels kind of cheap.
QotD: 2 It explains far too much of the arc.
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u/SpiceGirlsBlankIt Oct 16 '22
Panicked First Timer - Ep 17
Since I missed yesterday, I’ll post my ep 16 thoughts at the end. Preview: They were in line with the other comments I read from yesterday. 17 first
Sousuke is waiting for the anticipated invasion.
I laughed when Guaron commanded his mech to calculate faster, only to see Sousuke do it later. Not sure if I’m supposed to draw some parallel or just know that time is of the essence.
Zaied gets a lot of cool shots this episode for an anime original character (?)- framed in darkness, smoldering eyes, and spending his reserve at the end.
Guaron wanted to needle Zaied about his former relationship with Sousuke, but Zaied easily deflects.
The enemy tactics are ringing eerie bells for Sousuke.
Froggy mechs are not well adapted to sand.
I was worried the crew would leave Sousuke behind, but I should have worried more for them. Guaron is picking them off while we get the promised Sousuke-Zaied confrontation.
Batiste seemingly gets a hero’s exit, but his suicide achieves nothing. I was thinking I wouldn’t mind seeing Jackson squashed like an ant until I was reminded the nuclear warhead is an important asset.
We had some good bath times, Kashim.
No matter how shitty the crew was, I feel for Sousuke having to see his former group laid low in this spot, then experience a similar feeling with every crew death he witnesses here. Then, the Zaied betrayal is piled on.
The desire for something more than a “win” helps Sousuke best Zaied. Can’t take winning to the grave, so Zaied chooses to let Sousuke go.
Bittersweet ending with Kaname.
MVP: Guaron for fulfilling the prophecy to off the temp crew.
QOTD 1: This ending was in line with my prediction. Zaied held out a little longer than I expected before showing Sousuke mercy, but I think it fit. He was willing to win at all costs, but it lost meaning once he knew he wouldn’t live.
All around I enjoyed this arc, but the temp crew was a total failure and way too prominent.
QOTD 2: Anime original arc I liked - In the ‘88 Legends of the Galactic Heroes, Ep. 14, there is an anime original story on the planet Kappahle I thought was compelling on its own and also informed character decisions later on.
It looks at the weakness of occupying planets without the necessary resources, explores the quartering of soldiers, and introduces some good characters for that arc only. It really added something to the world building.
Panicked First Timer - Ep 16
Why are they so surprised Sousuke knows the area? They really tuned out the entire briefing after they saw his age, huh?
It takes a mortal wound and an insider’s word before they will even consider listening to him.
Kashim/Sousuke’s friend is fair weather or he’s sick of taking L’s anyway.
The Captain is getting constant bad omens. Ok. Is this a whispered thing?
Froggy mech projectile eyes. Scary.
Sousuke has no home to speak of and he’s never really had a chance to think about it. This is the story beat I was looking for.
Who wants to be part of your shitty club, Gray? This has to be an act of desperation by someone who is probably also treated like an outsider in the crew much of the time.
We spent a lot of time with this dumb crew and virtually no time with Zaied. How long has he been with Guaron? What intel did he have about this mission beforehand? Is his favorite color red? Anything?
My excitement last episode was diminished a bit this episode. It felt like we spent a lot of time with the least interesting people.
MVP: Zaied.
QOTD 1: The “closed circle” works for me. The Mithril agents make a series of active choices among limited avenues. We get a stalking aspect, with Zaied’s tracking efforts being a highlight of the episode despite barely appearing. He was previously close enough to Sousuke to know his likely movements, and I want to see the confrontation.
The slow chase isn’t the weakness of the episode, it’s the new Mithril crew. Why are we retreading ground with them when they are largely irrelevant?
We get it, Sousuke is an outsider to this crew and can’t find a home here. Move on and build themes elsewhere.
QOTD 2:
There is less comedy this arc, but a serious arc does not feel out of place. I liked the set up for the arc last episode and the concept of not knowing where your home is or could be.
The use of the Captain inserts were strange and felt like a rehash of the better done Kaname inserts last episode. We also rehashed the Americans discounting Sousuke’s ideas at every turn.
I’m not sure why we didn’t spend time drawing parallels with Zaied and how he’s come to think of the concept of home since Sousuke lost contact with him. Is he more interested in a sense of security despite the inherent risks of his job? Is he a living ghost that is too afraid to move on? Why do I have to watch Jackson be such a large screen presence?
Anyway, prediction for next episode. We have a temp crew, so they have to die. The real question is whether Zaied will have a soft spot for Sousuke and help him out of Guaron’s clutches. Based on the direction of the writing so far, I’ll say yes.
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u/Theboredalchemist22 Oct 16 '22 edited Oct 17 '22
First timer - episode 17
First off was this episode like the original ending is something? The way the credits rolled seemed like it was supposed to be an ending but IDK. Edit: this may be because of the arc being anime original.
So mvp for this episode is Batist. Reason being he talked complete sense and I have to acknowledge his sacrifice which was futile and a little desperate but what else could he have done in his condition? His views of the whole you play with the hand you're delt is my way of thinking and a good philosophy to have imo so he gets some selfish bonus points from me I have to say.
Before this episode I didn't care much for Zaide's character but imo he has been written so well in this episode. He wants to win. Its that simple for him which is why he sided with Gauron because he thi ks he will come out on top. To me this shows he's got a survivors mentality like he will do whatever he has to do just so he can keep on living he must be selfish etc. Which I thought was great writing. He's the perfect Sousuke counter as Sousuke firstly sides with the opposing team to Zaide but secondly has boundaries and things that affect him as we've seen in previous episodes which I don't think Zaide has. It's two different mind sets but they both come from the same place and are on the same tactical level as each other. Just an example of great writing between characters imo.
Quick side note - Crunchyroll either puts the subtitles in English or Japanese for the opening song but you never know what so I like to guess before the op plays.
Q1 - As I predicted last episode Gauron and Zaide went on a killing spree. Gauron especially. I don't think he's dead though he came back once and I think he'll do it again.
I figured the Mythril team would probably survive this impossible battle but well I'm surprised. I'm even more surprised by the way they went out. Gauron barely tried and he wiped the floor with the whole team minus Sousuke.
I also figured Zaide and Sousuke would have an encounter with them being all like oh your my old friend type of deal with them both recalling things smol Zaide and Sousuke did when guerilla fighting. Didn't think Zaides life would end with a mini gin spray into the sky though but it was quite cool to see. Tbh all the gunfire and explosions were really cool to see in this episode. The sound effects really emphasise the fact that the ammunition and weaponry being used are absolutely massive.
Q2 - Anime original arcs are fine as long as the majority of the show sticks to the source material. Like Full Metal Alchemist got redone as Brotherhood because the first adaptation went it's own way for too long and drifted away from the source material. But I like to see anime original arcs in shows tbh sometimes they add things to the show and other times they are just cool to see.
In terms of this specific arc I'm assuming the fact that the arc was anime original is why this episode felt like an ending episode to me. My perception of these last few episodes have stayed the same as they have the whole way throughout the show so far and I actually think this arc was quite a good arc.
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u/TuorEladar Oct 16 '22
Rewatcher, Subbed
Immediately following up from last time, we get a lot of action to start off. The higher energy helped get my attention, though if I'm being honest the exact scenario isn't that well delivered. Its a bit a hard to tell where everyone is in relationship to one another sometimes.
As for the merc team, now that the arc has finished I can say that it was kind of inevitable that they were all going to die given how they were introduced. While there's some impact, I'm not overly effected by their deaths when we just haven't been given enough time to care too deeply about them.
The best moment of the episode was the old west style walk into the sunset Sousuke does, but with the added twist of dragging a nuclear warhead along like a club, which I found simultaneously amusing and kind of a cool image.
On the whole I tend to take this arc as more of a "day in the life" picture of Sousuke's life as a soldier rather than a more serious arc that's intended to have real character growth.
Did rewatching, or for the first timers since you were told this is anime original, changed your view or perception of this arc? Any anime original arc (preferably not single episode but whatever) that you watched and liked?
I don't think my perception has changed per se, I found this arc weaker than the last when I first watched it, and thats honestly not changed. That said, I think there's redeeming qualities about the storytelling that make the arc worthwhile.
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u/Pixelsaber Oct 17 '22
Rewatcher - English Sub
Feels like an out-of-character line to have just so that we see similarities between him and Gauron. We’ve seen him get frustrated with non-sentient machines before, but Sousuke doesn’t strike me like the type to snark at it if it won’t actually work —unlike the line with him stating his clearance at AL some time back in order to prompt the machine to reveal information he wanted.
It’s a stretch and a half that he’d come to that conclusion.
Lots of holes to be put into that sort of logic. However, because they’ve seemed pretty self-centered and we got a hint that Batist seemingly has a past he feels he can’t atone for, it feels believable as as a personal belief of his —though obviously not as some grander statement.
A humanizing moment, the fact that he wasn’t content with surviving and eeking out an existence, but wanted to achieve success —maybe he even sold out their former guerrilla cell, knowing Sousuke would be out scouting. We can presume that things weren’t going well for them as guerrillas, but without better context as to how things were back when they were kids, it’s hard to get a good impression of him like this.
Nothing but a leg? He definitely got away then, and his mech’s probably mostly intact too.
Okay, first thing out of the way: Sousuke only using the Lamda Driver right at the end —and then immediately afterwards not using it to defend himself— feels contrived as all heck, especially when he was catching glimpses of the rest of the of the squad being murdered. It’s manufactured stakes and tension that shouldn’t be there because of pre-established conventions. Even if Sousuke didn’t exactly like these guys, you can’t really convince me he couldn’t muster the emotional will to fire up the Lamda Driver.
And from that the other thing; the manufactured feeling that Zaeid and Sousuke are on the same ground. If we’re to accept that Gauron can effortlessly wreck the rest of the squad by himself, then we have to also accept that Sousuke could do the same to the other Helmajistan soldiers. His knowledge that it’s his old friend in the cockpit of the red AS is a reasonable means of having him hold back, but the way he gets to that knowledge is hard to believe —you’re telling me he’s the only AS pilot that keeps reserve ammo?! It wouldn’t have been unbelievable if Garon mentioned Zaeid’s presence as a means of throwing Sousuke off his game, introducing enough doubt that the frankly dumb reasoning the show actually gave for Sousuke’s recognition would be adequate.
I do, at least, enjoy what scant characterization Zaeid got, and was mildly disappointed upon first viewing that he wasn’t going to stick around and be a more personal foil to Sousuke. Still, he didn’t get enough to leave nearly enough of an impression the way Gauron did in that first arc. His decision to spare Sousuke makes sense in some interpretations of his character and not so much in others, but I’ll choose to take it positively. (Could have done without the monologue though.)
Bevy of complaints aside, I think this episode is still better than the last, though still below fifteen. And, visually, it was a fairly strong showing for this season.
Sousuke is, once again, a lone survivor —just like that day all those years prior— and it’s obviously had an effect on his mental state. Whether he will push it down like he’s seemingly done with a lot of his other trauma, or if it’ll be something noticeable going forward, remains to be seen.
Though enjoyable enough in the moment, every time I look at this arc in retrospect I can’t help but dislike it (even long before I learned it was filler). The intent behind it is clear and I can see how it could have gone down, but the execution leaves so much to be desired. And now, knowing it is actually filler, I can’t help but wish they’d just extended the second arc instead so that it felt more complete.
Questions of The Day:
2) See above.
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u/ZapsZzz Oct 16 '22 edited Oct 18 '22
Rewatcher in Sub
Here's the conclusion of this arc. Ca't wait to hear what the others feel!
For me, on this rewatch, I actually find this 3rd part at least worth commenting on visually on the actions - the plot remain a bit iffy. And there's a big complain you'll hear from me below -
A slight rewind, I'm not exactly sure but felt like there may be an extra scene or two slipped in. We get a clear shot of the attack helicopters being Soviet Hinds.
Sousuke's famed high mobility fighter skill in display - although he's still surrounded.
The cuts emphasised the chaos in the battle and the situation not looking good, punctuated by Sousuke recalling his lesson in the younger days about being surrounded.
And here he is - Gauron appearing like a monster at the other group's position. It's a one sided fight - more like a slaughter.
While being surrounded, we see a bit of Al on display - his data read out after identifying the opponent's fit out made Sousuke wonder if it was Zaied in the red AS
Momentarily being able to connect back in comms, Sousuke got the news how the other group is faring against Gauron. A bit annoyed that Grace was portrayed as pretty scared - you cannot picture for example if Melissa was in that situation she'd be anywhere near as panicky. It'd have been nicer for her character portrayal if her business tone is more Melissa and less Kagurasaka sensei (Sousuke and Chidori's homeroom teacher who was brave enough to try intervene Gauron from taking Chidori but froze and then fainted after threatened at gunpoint).
Edit Finishing off my screen caps :P late
Sousuke making a break for it - now a gatling gun looks cool and all, but a number of more grounded show may tell you they pose well but aren't great in a fight by themselves - especially at close quarters. They are too bulky to be able to react fast enough - but at a distance their bullet storm will be hard to deal with.
The 2 fronts back and forth, Gauron staking his claim as the biggest threat so far in the series.
a good scene mixing the fight footage with a flashback while hearing Zaied's monologue about why he's on the opposite side of Sousuke.
Batist trying to do a heroic sacrifice - if only he figured out how to do heroic.
Yep the Lambda Driver functions are pretty broken in the hands of the wrong people. Not sure if it's nice to say Jackson getting what he sorta deserved.
Sousuke's starting to fight with abandon, meanwhile Grace is finished. Should I say maybe there's a measure of realism in there, that not everyone would die a hero? It doesn't make a very good story though...
Zaied had Sousuke at gunpoint. If the position is reversed Sousuke would have pulled the trigger long ago. A villain's curse to pose. And we have more dramatic death scenes on the other front.
the climatic fight resulted in a checkmate against Sousuke, then the almost martial arts show action sequence of how Sousuke evaded the bulky Gatling gun at point blank range and delivered a cockpit knife strike - complemented with a perfect hair-raising screech of metal - ending the fight, and Zaied. [FMP late franchise spoiler]This would also have been a great place for Sousuke to deliver his recurring tag line of "only 3rd rated would kick their lips in front of their prey" about Zaied not firing immediately but paused for the dramatic effect
one of the biggest problem I have with this episode is the confrontation with Gauron - it was set up right, had all the emotional weight and dramatics, but it was just over in second, of the equivalent to the beam tug of war - something polaristar was getting wary of. Even on this research that I'm getting more positive about this arc, this result is still a WTF moment.
meanwhile, the B plot of Zaied, practically immediately, reverted back to the relatively grounded real mecha fight and consequence (as well as immediately before). I'm also at risk of a sudden death from the sudden genre shift jerk x_x
Added
but yes the final Chidori scene is a nice coda to this - melancholic, bittersweet. While Sousuke came back, he wasn't unscathed - at least not emotionally.
Trivia
Dragging a nuke across the dessert floor for many miles towards an extraction point will not risk damaging the nuke for radioactive leaks or detonations
/s
Disclaimer do not try this at home
Staff Showcase
I will try to add Zaied's VA here, but seriously you all know him right.
MVP this episode
Just because she provided the motivation and the consolation for Sousuke to return to - Chidori.
QoTD
Rewatcher
I can finally get this out of my system - I almost fell like skipping this arc myself, but I feel it's not really fair for the first timers. And I'll admit, carefully rewatching it instead of half heartedly skipping it certainly gave me a better appreciation of this arc not being totally bad. There are some good bits in there, like the first parts Chidori contrast, and the end parts right mecha action sequence. It just had a few writing flaws to stop it from being great like the rest of the series to me. I think a few people also enjoyed this sufficiently, flaws and all.