First Impressions / Robotics;Notes

「フラグが達成されました」 (Furagu ga Tassei Saremashita)
“The Flag Has Been Set”

Who is Kimijima Kou and how does he know so much? This is probably the primary question I have for this show now that he seems to be connected to everyone and hold the secrets behind everything. While Kou is smart to leave behind a series of reports, I can’t help but feel so bad for Kai that has to go through all these hoops to get to them. Not only that, but the tasks at hand seem to be so trivial and random (stacking rocks and observing a cave?) so I can’t help but feel that these tasks are meant to just discourage someone from hunting the reports down. I found it odd that Kou left the observations up to Airi though… it doesn’t seem like the most reliable way to leave a trail of reports since not anyone can see Airi to begin with.

One person that I completely set on the back burner though was Mizuka. Not only can she communicate and talk to Airi, but she also seems to know who Kimijima Kou is. How many people can say that? And why isn’t Kai prying her for more information? I would eat a dozen of the passion fruit buns if it meant learning more about Kimijima Kou and where he came from. The problem with that is, even Mizuka seems to lack information. Her leg seems to be a production by Exoskeleton though and probably an early prototype created by Misa.

Speaking of Exoskeleton… we finally begin to see a relationship between the end of the world, the sun and the Kimijima Reports. I was skeptical as to how Exoskeleton and Misa played a role in this end-of-the-world phenomena. (Speaking of which – we’ve all survived Doom’s Day! Congrats!)
Rather than aiming to destroy the world population, I was actually foolish enough to believe that they were researching for something worthwhile. There are still no details as to how the corporations plan to execute this plan of mass destruction, but I’m beginning to think that maybe Misa is playing a double agent? She’s probably trying to stop Exoskeleton from within! Or at least, that’s what I’m hoping. And where does the GunPro-2 come into the picture? It’s still hard for me to judge what JAXA plans to do.

Up until now, I’ve always had a hard time understanding Kona. Her character just never stood out as someone too spectacular, even with her ingenious ability to program a game. I was thankful that this episode focused on her journey to find the next Kimijima Report; although I still think she’s a bit weird, I’m also amazed at her devotion to finding her mother and how it’s all connected to the players of Kill Ballad. I got the shivers when the music started playing and we find out that not only are the top players dead, but this is somehow related to Kona’s mother (and possibly Kimijima Kou’s murder). One revelation after another in this episode because it doesn’t stop there… the last episode of Gunvarrel also happened to be the plan that the Committee of 300 had to destroy the world. It traumatizes Aki and I don’t blame her for breaking down. What kind of childhood anime would showcase such a dark ending? Even if it’s the truth, I see no reason to broadcast that in a popular anime for children. My last question would probably be this – who murdered the cast of Gunvarrel, Kona’s mother, Kimijima Kou and the top leaders of Kill Ballad? They all seem to know the truth behind the Committee of 300 and that’s the only connection that I can decipher, even with this week’s episode.

Edit: The next episode of Robotics;Notes will air on January 8th, 2013. I’ll see you all in the new year!

Full-length images: Lots of Kona this episode and Kai.

40 Comments

  2. @ cherrie: Were you hiding in a cave this weekend(or just busy with the festivities)?

    It’s rather amusing of the tasks that a person has to go through get the reports in this show when compared to some other entirely different series, since the most difficult thing so far would be to get your hands on a alpha copy of the virtual reality software to see Airi …

    …oh, gg Gunvarrel series (any chance of the second half of that episode?)…

    info600
    Reply

  3. The truth is that Yoshiyuki Tomino still lives in their era as a cyborg and secretly directed Gunvarel.
    Jokes asides, It’s true the requirements to unlock the reports are pretty weird. For the 2nd report, they all had something to do with games, so I thought it would be so only a gamer like Kai could clear them, but the ones in this episode were only stressful, boring and nothing else.
    The end of this episode pretty much explained why I always say Aki likes Gunvarel way too much for her own good. It was like a God for her. She broke down way too much after seeing the bad end. I hope she’ll get over it.
    What if Kimijima Kou knew Misa nee, Mizuka, but also Kona’s mother. He was such a player. That would explain how his doomsday scenario ended up in Gunvarel. That’s the possibilities I can think of now.
    Just saying, the end of the episode didn’t even shock me half as much as Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future episode 38’s end.

    Rockmanshii
    Reply

  5. SHIT JUST GOT REAL!!! this episode reminded me of Steins;Gate as in it builds up slow and then just EXPLODES all in your face and you get so excited you want to see more, also after this episode im Kai x Frau all the way <3 it felt like they where in a date all alone together at the beach =3

    tom
    Reply

  6. Right now Frau is really becoming my favorite girl of this show. She is so great and funny. Imagine if she and supah hacka Daru reunite…

    Also, it seems Robotics;Notes is starting to become serious. This episode gave me too many S;G Vibes.

    Linkark
    Reply

  10. Last week I said that the episode lacked spice but boy, this week I was almost overwhelmed with new questions!! I especially want to know what Gunvarrel and Exoskeleton and Misa has to do with it all.

    HURRY UP NEXT WEEK!!!

    Jolly
    Reply

  11. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we’ve reached a point where the Rounders stormed into the Future Gadget lab and do away with Mayushi. No wait… I got the wrong anime here.

    I truly like where the show’s heading. From here on its full steam ahead I think. With the mention of robotic wars, super solar flares and decimation of the populace, shit’s gonna get thrown all over the place.

    Now I wonder who’d bring “balance” (lack of a better word) in this world line. Ali or Kai? And I’m shipping for a Kai x Aki pairing!

    And when would the Super Hacker appear?

    c2710
    Reply

  12. My FACE while watching Robotics;Notes! XD

    @Cherrie

    I’m quite shocked about your lack of interest with Frau. But to each his/her own, I guess. But for me Frau is such an awesome female, she is the most memorable character for me in this series. I think that she would definitely click with Konata Izumi once they meet, wish I could see them interact. Look, they even have the same fashion sense — Frau and here is Konata! XD

    I was surprised by that Gunvarrel episode that leaked, it doesn’t seem to follow the series’ theme, it’s so dark and depressing especially for those who waited a long time to see the ending like Aki.

    Excited for next episode. Also, WE NEED MOAR FRAU!!!

    Just Passing By
    Reply

    2. I guess I just never saw the hype surrounding her character… She’s a little too “out there” for me… And I can relate a lot better to someone like Aki. Not that Kona doesn’t bring a great new dimension to the show though. She’s very interesting in her own right and her past is also the one I’m most anxious to hear about (besides Kou).

      Cherrie
      Reply

  13. No Aki don’t be depressed, its only four minutes of footage, its clearly just a premonition and the rest of the episode will be Gunvarrel defying all odds and beating all the its enemies in the name of love and courage! Right? RIGHT!?

    All things considered I think Aki is taking it pretty well. If that kind of ending happened to GaoGaiGar, I would be crying out for blood then hunt the anime staff with torches and pitchforks.

    Looks like the plot is finally starting to get interesting. We now have dead internet players, a conspiracy involving dead Super Robot anime staff, and the apparent end of the world. I can’t wait to see how these connect together, I’m hoping the payoff will be as good as Steins;Gate.

    Also I loved the random S;G reference. Yes Frau hacking into SERN is impossible. Only a SUPAA HACKA can break into it, but where could we ever find such a person?

    fragb85
    Reply

  17. Not only that, but the tasks at hand seem to be so trivial and random (stacking rocks and observing a cave?) so I can’t help but feel that these tasks are meant to just discourage someone from hunting the reports down. I found it odd that Kou left the observations up to Airi though… it doesn’t seem like the most reliable way to leave a trail of reports since not anyone can see Airi to begin with.

    I’m pretty sure it’s simply so no one could find the reports by accident. Moreover, even if they did have the flags, they wouldn’t bother with them, considering it to be just a prank. Basically, it’s there to protect the reports from 300.

    SingerOfW
    Reply

  18. My guess re the dead gamers is that they’re testing Robot piloting AI

    Exoskeletons job is clearly to help produce the robotic workers that will support the surviving population (invariably hand picked by “300”) post “the event” Misa hardly gains anything by sabotaging Exoskeletons efforts and would be far better off finding a way of going public with the information that the sun is going to toast a large part of the Earths atmosphere. So I doubt she’s a double agent of any sort.

    The last episode of the in show anime is odd though, it seems a weird way of getting the story out into the public :/

    Matt_D
    Reply

  19. Robotics;Notes has been gaining a lot of momentum with the recent episodes. Really looking forward to how this will all play out. I love all the nods to Steins;Gate, such as the Upa masks at the festival a couple episodes back. Although I sometimes forget that this is also within the same universe as Chaos;Head. I forget, what was the significance of the quote, “Sono me, dare no me?”

    thankonomics
    Reply

  21. I was really surprised about Gunvarrel. I knew there was something funny up going on when an anime ahd it’s last episode canceled: Marcos canceled Voltes V in our country to prevent the idea of a revolution(didn’t help though LOL XD), and there was that japanese girl who murdered his dad with an axe and LO! School days last episode got canceled. Puella Magi Madoka Magica got cancelled because of earthquakes just so it can air on Good Friday(hence “She died for your sins! All hail Goddess Madoka”)

    So yeah, robots shot to the sun so the bad guy and the world gets burned to hell is the kind that gets cancelled…

    TheMoondoggie
    Reply

  22. Committee of 300 doesn’t want to kill everyone or destroy earth, rather they want to control it, but since controlling billions of people is impossible they made that plan of theirs to reduce the population to a number they can control, i guess that was explained in great detail in a previous episode.

    Also, i think the final ep of Gunvarrel was canceled not becasue it is dark or disturbing (or doesn’t fit with the show) but becasue Kona’s mother IMO was trying to hide a warning message into the episode before broadcasting it (she probably came in contact with Kimijima or his reports before working on the final episode somehow, and believed them), that’s why the animation team got killed and Kona’s mom got missing becasue the Committee of 300 wouldn’t want their plan leaked even if it was hidden inside an anime (Kona’s mom probably came to the island to look for Kimijima or the rest of his reports).

    And is it me or didn’t Kona sound so cute when she started saying “Kimijima report, plz” XD

    HunterWulf
    Reply

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