「金と選挙と学園祭」 (Money, Elections and School Festivals)
“Kimu to Senkyo to Gakuensai”

Permit me to divert our usual weekly discussion with a rant. Look: I understand that translation is a tricky business. I know that simulcasting has a busy schedule. I have no problem with you translating Celsius to Fahrenheit for the sake of your main American audience. But if you only do half a job, that’s worse than doing nothing. Consistency is all we ask.

Also, I thought I heard her say 38.3 degrees. In which case, shouldn’t that be 100.94 in Fahrenheit? Eh, whatever. Where were we? Not nitpicking? Right.

As the season gets colder on Mars and the A-TEC kids start hanging blazers over their winter uniforms, it’s time for Classroom Crisis‘s take on the school festival episode, a staple of anime set in high schools. Which is, all of them. All of them. This being Classroom Crisis it’s to be expected that they wouldn’t be playing this entirely straight, even ignoring the fact that one of the classes participating are literal rocket scientists. Remember that bottle rocket they were playing with back in episode 05? Turns out, they had bigger plans. I can’t help but wonder how the rest of the school feels about being always shown up by the nerds. It’s like at the science fair, where all the kids are trying to feel happy about their baking soda volcano, except for that one little twerp whose father is an engineer, there’s no way an eight-year-old even knows what a circuit board is, no I’m not bitter.

The topic that Classroom Crisis decides to meld with its school festival is, curiously enough, politics. That’s… new, I guess. Politics is probably not the most interesting subject for everyone, by which I mean anyone, but these days one can’t really have a good conspiracy without the government being involved, and we’ve had hints already that they were. It’s nothing particularly astounding, though; Kirishina is supporting the incumbent government, who are in turn giving them some kind of kickback, big business is in bed with their regulators; institutional corruption, basically. That doesn’t even count as news on a slow day. What we don’t know, and what is arguably the driving question of this story, is what kind of shady thing Kirishina needs the government to overlook on their behalf. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Kirishina needs to appeal to the government at all; I actually assumed that they basically ran the place and political leaders were merely puppets. I suppose the world of Classroom Crisis hasn’t gone full cyberpunk dystopia yet (for which I’m half relieved and half disappointed). It explains why Nagisa’s brother is so irritable all the time. He’s being under pressure from many sides. I almost feel sorry for the man. Almost.

Of course, the rest of A-TEC remain blissfully unaware of all the machinations that are swirling around them, even as they allow the opposition to go around with their pork barrel and make their stump speeches on their lawn. They represent, after all, the purer vision of achievement and fulfillment (even if that achievement is ultimately just an expensive catapult). These are the two worlds that Nagisa finds himself torn between: the schemes surrounding his brothers and the climb to the top of the corporate ladder, or simple camaraderie at the bottom of the totem pole. Ultimately, this episode, his schoolkid spirit is the first thing to be ditched.

It should be expected that Nagisa wouldn’t go completely soft, especially as his brothers’ plans seem to be starting to unravel and he can smell the blood in the water. We’ll likely see that angle develop come into play again towards the end of the series. For now, as always, more pieces of the plot fall into place. Nagisa continues to be oblique regarding Iris, but it’s more or less confirmed that their families are connected. Still not sure how Iris’s past is going to tie into the Kirishina conspiracy, but I’m sure they’ll come together at some point; Nagisa holds the cards in both hands. With the politicians also entering the fray, I believe that (switching metaphors) all the pieces are on the board now. The moves to the endgame should come into view shortly.

Full-length images: 08.

 

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14 Comments

  1. Man, I really enjoyed Classroom Crisis this episode. Politics in real world sure aren’t the number 1 most exciting topic for me, but politics in fiction are a lot more interesting (probably since there’s always conspiracy, backstabbing, mystery and suspense in these series) but either way, I really enjoyed watching this episode, mixing the classic school festival that like Passerby said, is a staple in school life anime, with politics. I feel Classroom Crisis just keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait for the next episode 🙂

    PS. I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed it say 100 something degrees and then show 36 Celsius degrees. Had to make sure I go back to check if I was going crazy.

    Trap Master
    1. It’s likely that
      Show Spoiler ▼

      Pancakes
  2. https://randomc.net/image/Classroom%20Crisis/Classroom%20Crisis%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2017.jpg

    An Rescue Pod. So, they already had an Accident and the only way to save them was to use the Escape Pod. Fleeing? Avoiding get killed?

    But then there is still, in how she survived this crash on this Meteoroid she is drifting. Well, someone found here, so her Suit was still intact. I do not thing they pull here the “Mass Effect 3” revive the Hero, trick on us

    WorldwideDepp
    1. I don’t know if we will actually see any real focus on the race. I think it’s something that is more likely to be featured in an epilogue of sorts. The main focus right now is the power play between the brothers and how Iris will come into play.

      As for Mizuki and A Tech, I think they will come in towards the latter half of the series. The next episode’s title is “Joyless Victory” so I guess we can infer that Nagisa actually does succeed in his plans and comes into control of Kirishima corp. But as with most revenge driven protagonists, finds that being at the top with no further goal nor allies makes for a hollow and lonely place

      Juan
  3. The main writer of the series is Fumiaki Maruto, who is the original script writer of White Album 2, the game, and the main writer of the anime version as well. White Album 2 might be the last game for him to get involved, since he moved onto the light novel field as an author of Saekano. Again he did the main writer of the anime version. So you could say he moved onto the anime field as well.
    I think he is a very talented writer. This series has really picked it up despite of rather slow start. I love this show.
    Oh by the way, if you haven’t already heard it yet, I would tell you the 2nd season of Saekano, the anime version, got confirmed in the last May. Probably it will be the new year season or the next spring but that’s not got announced yet. But it’s coming back nonetheless, sooner or later.

    Saburau
    1. Well, how i see that (secret)?

      Nagisa, is a half-blood. This is no secret anymore. He is from both Family’s bloodline. But right now the 2nd Bloodline has no power. So current he is low scum blood, because he is a “Bastard”

      But, if we really speculate that Iris is the true hair of this (right now) powerless Bloodline, then it would not turn her magically back into Power.

      And here come Nagisa into play.

      He is protecting Iris with the Help of Angelina. He did not know Iris existens, until the failed Rescue attemp in Episode 1. Because he thinked she died. They hide here for her own Protection, or she would not have a happy life until now. But why they find her now? It is not that she was hiding all the Years. No, easier. She came into the Age where “Kids” became Adults. In my Words, where she is allowed to be an CEO of an Important Empire (yes, i am overdoing it). She is now a thread.

      So Nagisa, fight for her and for his own future.

      For her:
      To allow her to live in peace she know. Without knowing her horrible past (Escape Pod, Meteoroid crash, Seeing her Grandfather dying). Perhaps when she regain her memories back (She is slowly get them), she will only be a Straw-pupped of the other Side. Or Angelina would be her Guardian and work together with Nagisa to lead the Empire

      for him:
      He has both Bloodlines running within him. So he is the best Suited Men of the Bloodlines. But it is not set in Stone that the oldest Brother know all of this. Sure he could have asked behind the middle age Brothers action. But perhaps this action of the middle age one, was there to push his older brother from the CEO Throne. But. nah. Episode 7 last Minutes, show us that he is somehow aware what his middle age brother is doing behind his back.
      Nagisa want what it is rightful claim. But alone Bloodlines do not make an CEO. It is their Skills and Power that hold him on the Top. It is not India, where the luck to been born into the right Family is your Life

      Puh, long writing…

      If you want to read more about me, i am also active on reddit, under the same name

      WorldwideDepp
  4. yeah, it is nothing wrong to create an 2nd Shinji (Fate/Stay Night) asshole, so that nearly everyone want to Punch his face. But please, if you build up this 2nd Shinji, then give him the punishment. Not an Sister that forgive him all, that could work in Anime Universe. But not in the Peoples minds watching it

    WorldwideDepp
    1. Yeah, it does feel like anime tends to be far too forgiving to a number of bad/evil people, even if they really deserve it. Sure, you can be sympathetic to some because they have some sort of sob story, traumatic event, etc., but a that alone should not excuse them for all of their bad/evil actions they’ve done ever since that time because they’re (usually) still making their own choices and chose to do the bad/evil thing.

      Case in point – Sasuke from Naruto. You can sympathize with him because of the Uchiha Massacre and Itachi screwing with his mind (he did NOT brainwash him however. Torture, but not brainwash), but he still had plenty of choices afterwards.

      He chose to be the lone wolf a-hole, he chose to betray Konoha for one of its worst criminals for the sake of easy power, he chose to almost kill his supposed “best friend” who tried to stop him (only reason Naruto didn’t die or get crippled several times was because of being a Jinchuriki), he chose to betray that criminal and try to kill him, he chose to join Akatsuki and wanting to destroy Konoha thus causing an international incident and then trying to murder the village leaders, he chose to still try to kill Naruto to prove his “revolution” method was right, all of it being his choices.

      And what happens to him after all is said and done? He gets pardoned for it all. Just like that. Not even anything as little as probation. He just walks away scot-free and never is made to take responsibility for any of his actions.

      HalfDemonInuyasha

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