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「魔法少女アカリちゃん」 (Mahou Shoujo Akari-chan)
“Magical Girl Akari-chan”
Author’s Note: I’m pinch-hitting for Zephretiti on CE for the next two weeks – he’l be back for game 11.
If you’re looking for Ogone energy in Tokyo, Shinjuku (Kabuki-cho specifically) is probably as good a place as any…
If only science could put Captain Earth and Sidonia no Kishi together, like human and gauna – combining their best elements into one super-being. Well – maybe not a super-being – but a super-freaky one anyway. I don’t know what that result would look like but it would surely be interesting at the very least. The strengths seem to complement the other’s weaknesses awfully well, and I suppose it’s just that much more of a reminder that shows that manage to get everything right are an extreme rarity.
I like Sidonia no Kishi most of the time, and I like Captain Earth most of the time too – though in the latter case that’s in the face of a pretty stiff headwind in terms of English-language viewer opinion. An episode like this one is a good example of both the charms of CE and its limitations. Akari Yomatsuri is a pretty shameless character – stick a cute girl in micro-shorts and belly blouses and pump her full of tech wizardry and otaku slang and it’s going to pretty hard to completely whiff with anime audiences in this day and age. But she’s a lot of fun regardless, and while I find her less interesting than the more distinctive and edgy examples of the trope (Frau Kojiro springs to mind) she does bring a lot of energy and humor to the episodes that strongly feature her. Like this one.
I’m also finding that I like Captain Earth better when it’s set in Tokyo than Tanegashima. The familiar urban settings are somehow a more interesting backdrop for the unfolding battle-of-wits between the humans and Planetary Gears – a battle which, so far, is pretty close to a draw. Globe manages to stymie the PG every time they try to activate a Kill T. Gang on Earth, but it’s the aliens who are driving the action. They’re always a step ahead, for example, when it comes to getting to the Designer Children – and in this case that means Ai (Yamamoto Nozomi) a popular idol riddled by insecurities who’s just been "outed" as having come from a harsh background (in the upside-down, depraved world of idol fandom, I suppose this too would be an unforgivable crime).
You’d think, especially with Akari’s mahou shoujo script kiddie skills, that Globe would be doing everything they could to get to the Designer Children before the Planetary Gears do – after all, that’s really nipping the Kill T. Gang issue in the bud. But there’s no evidence that they were looking for either Ai or Zin, or at least that they had any idea of where they might be (even if Pitz’s warnings were a clue). The other interesting element about Ai and Zin is that both – though in quite different ways – seem much happier once their ego blocks are activated. Of all the DCs we’ve met so far Teppei is the oddball in that respect.
Teppei’s developing role in the story is that of not having a role in the story. Since he became a Muggle he really hasn’t had much to do, but it’s a positive that the story is acknowledging this, and it’s certainly going to come to a head soon (maybe next week). Meanwhile the spine of this ep surrounds Moco and Amara’s kidnapping of Akari right off the streets of Shinjuku in broad daylight (violent crime is exceedingly rare here, but Tokyoites are legendary for not interfering when they see it happening). It’s a very sound stratagem on their part, though not especially sound thinking on the part of Globe to let someone who’s both a great asset and who knows way too many of their secrets roam about unprotected (and I don’t really blame Teppei – if anything he should have been under firm orders to guard her at all times). The plan is simple – take Akari’s first kiss. And if there’s time, use her to kibosh Globe’s defense systems so they can’t interfere in Aiatar’s (that would actually make a more interesting idol name) coming out party.
I quite liked the way this battle played out, with Daichi pretty much forced to MacGyver a solution on his own and Akari outwitting Amara and Moco. The nature of Akari’s talent is such that you have to let her hook up to use it, but in doing so you’re taking a big gamble that she’ll do something bigger than what she’s ordered to do. Her solution is a good one – "Let me go or these humans and their pheromones are dead!" That showed both nerve and tactical wit on her part, but in the larger scheme of things it amounts to pretty much one more standoff between these two sides, and I suspect that’s going to be the state of affairs for quite a while yet.
Preview
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“Her solution is a good one – “Let me go or these humans and their pheromones are dead!” That showed both nerve and tactical wit on her part, but in the larger scheme of things it amounts to pretty much one more standoff between these two sides, and I suspect that’s going to be the state of affairs for quite a while yet.”
“The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it” – Frank Herbert’s Dune
I got the chills man, so easy to happen, even in real world.
She did well, nuclear deterrence is the only reliable form of peace.
I dont know, I really enjoy Captain Earth and I have been looking forward to it since the first trailers arived, but I feel like it’s missing something. It’s like it lacks a sense of what kind of show it wants to be. I feel like it’s not the show that I thought it would be and that the series is going in a different direction and style then what initially attracted me to it. Still I’m along for the ride and as always I will be till the end.
I get where you coming from. It’s a show that has it all but it seems to be a little predictable. I’m sure however that by the end we are going to change our tune.
The show just kind of lacks direction and a central theme or core idea is basically what it comes down to.
It’s definitely not what I’d call “bad.”
But its also not something I look forward to watching all the time, especially right now for me (busy with school / social life), so I just dropped it. Maybe i’ll come around to it someday…
Kinda like Star Driver?
Star Driver had consistent spectacle. Captain Earth has… poster girls.
As much as I enjoyed Akari owning the aliens, I couldn’t resist but to think that they could’ve just shot her/grab her laptop and be done with it, not only Globe would lose an important person, they’d also save the Earth from being nuked. Sounds like a win-win situation to me…
Yeah I thought so too, but I thinkwe misinterpreted her. She had probably already set in motion the nuking. The threat would be that she would not undo the hack unless she were to be released. So shooting her would mean they would kill the only one that could undo the nuking.
Well, my first thought was, being the stakes so high as for all humans to be wiped out completely why didn’t she negotiated even better conditions? Like stop the confrontations, start the public negotiations, etc. Don’t you think there wouldn’t be found enough friks who is happy to share their libido power with aliens? :))
IIRc, what she said to them was that she already activated the launching sequence but would not stop it unless they let her go with her laptop. So shooting the laptop and her would just mean that a Nuclear Holocaust becomes unavoidable.
She’d already said she’d activated it and she’d only deactivate it if they released her. If they shot her or broke her laptop the missiles would be launched.
you forgot to post an image of the yuri kiss for this episode! its what made this episode the best one yet!
https://randomc.net/image/Captain%20Earth/Captain%20Earth%20-%2009%20-%2008.jpg Akari is one the baddest mahou shoujo of all time, she’s one of the prettiest, good lookinest mahou shoujos that I’ve ever seen!
Double Navel Forte from Hana & Akari!!
Megami:http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=5136393&postcount=673
Nyantype:http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=5136809&postcount=678
@Enzo: So have the aliens completely destroyed the human personalities, or is it a mix of the human personality with the more dominant alien personality?
It is most definitely a mix of the two personalities. If both Zin and Ai’s human personalities were destroyed then they would not bother saying things such as “I can hold anything in my hand now” for Zin or Ai’s rhyming game. They are just more twisted now that they got back their original memories and such.
I agree with Enzo here – why don’t Globe ever try to get the other Designer Children on their side? Given that their awakening as a Kilt-Gang would not mean they are enemies (Teppei proves this statement) then it is plausible for them to join humanity’s side.
If they got to them and offer them joy as human beings (like how Daichi did for Teppei) then there is a chance they will be confused when they become Kilt-Gangs. The confusion is a result of the clash between the two personalities. Imagine that you have amnesia, you personality after you lost your memories is just as real as the one before you lost them. It makes it easier to persuade them if they even bother trying.
Heck, they could have captured Zin last episode, but they did not. This is the problem I have with Captain Earth as a series, but I guess the writers really want to make all DC except Teppei/Albion antagonists. A possible plot twist is Teppei as the final boss against Daichi.
Honestly, I do not know what kind of direction are they taking with this anime. Baku is getting introduced next, then finally the last two DC. If they do one each episode then by episode 12 all the Kilt-Gangs will be in action. What will they do with the remaining 13 episode then? Just endless fighting? I’m very curious as to where the plot goes.
Simple: Globe doesn’t know who the designer children are. That makes it impossible to get to them first.
Bad news: the idol girl is now arrogant and evil.（｀ー´）
Good news: she has no more self-confidence issues, leaving her free to cut new albums, gain more fans, and end all life on Earth as we know it!(｀∀´)Ψ
Yeah, I’m definitely going with mix. Some of the human personality is definitely still in there.
Kiltgang are the true humans!
One issue that this episode brings up is just how much information do the designer children have? They have been able to find the the Captain Earth crew easily EVERY SINGLE TIME they go off on their own. It doesn’t really make sense. If they made a competent plan they could easily take them out. They’ve been using some lame brain guerrilla tactics which is the only reason they have been failing every episode. At this point they are more of joke than bringers of the end of the world imo. When you have a villain continuously fail it really makes the threat they represent lessen over time. These idiots really should have at least been WATCHING what Akari was doing on her computer. It’s no wonder she was easily able to outwit them since they weren’t even paying attention to what she was doing.
This is why I think it’s ridiculous that they haven’t really addressed the issue that the kids in the Captain Earth crew don’t really know what they are doing. They are still kids. And you are sending them on these very important missions when they have no idea how to go about it. I just can’t comprehend it and it really needs to be brought up considering they are basically allowing the designer children to build their group up by failing to find them.
That said though I did kind of like seeing the more serious side of Akari in this episode. She handled the situation very well and it gives a bit more depth to her character. I also like that the show is acknowledging how useless Teppai feels now. He seems to be the only character in the show that suffers from insecurities which is why I still find him to be the only “human” character in this show. Hana really hasn’t done much besides be the object of occasional fanservice and communicate to a plot device future telling squirrel that works when it wants too. Daichi………..yeah he’s still the same.
Overall I would like to see them develop these characters a bit more like they did with Akari somewhat this episode. So far it feels like everyone is just going through the motions. The Designer Children attempt something and fail. It’s getting rather boring. I know that mecha shows usually suffer from “bad guy of the week” but this show is starting to be rather mundane about it.
Amarok and Malkin have pretty much fallen to the “villain of the week” pattern if these last two episodes were any indication, with the preview seeming to indicate that the next one also becomes a Kiltgang (though seems to succeed this time). I was actually hoping it’d be more of an alternating pattern, like Ai becoming good this episode since Zin became bad before, and just back and forth to split things up a bit. The way things are going, each new person is going to be a Kiltgang and thus a “villain of the week” with a different Machine Goodfellow.
It’s almost like Power Rangers in a sense.
I always thought it was that Puck machine feeding the fashionista kids intel on the Captain Earth Crew. If it’s not that, they’re somehow psychic or conveniently in the right right place at the right time lol.
I was guessing she was gonna take 99% of the orbital impactors offline, then turn the last one back towards Earth and fire one straight at Ai and threaten to aim another one at their own location if she wasn’t released.
The threat of nuclear holocaust stemming from the combined explosion of every nuclear warhead on Earth commanded by a 17 yr old girl with a laptop is another method. I hadn’t thought of that one. Touché.
I have made a grieve mistake offering her a contract….
Akari ain’t no one to f with
The magical girl gained a major lead on the angel this weak in terms of heroine power through being pure unadulterated awesome. What will Hana do to bridge the gap?
This week. I do know how to spell, really.
Captain Earth is slipping into a monster of the week format.
It’s a format a show like this should have followed a long time ago IMO.
Well, I think it’s safe to say that the Magical Girl definitely wins this round against the Angel, lol. Akari just went full Nanoha on us. All we need is her “befriending” the Kiltgangs and she’ll be set.
Designer children can destroy the world…But why bother looking for them before they activate their machine goodfellow (MGs)? I know they need multiple episodes to create a series, but this seems lazy.
And the alien plot to kidnap Globe’s, arguably, greatest asset is to let her connect to the internet and get away? Apparently the Kiltgand have been waiting millenium not for orgone energy but because they’re f&cking ignorant. They know precisely how dangerous this girl is, hacking MGs, and they thought the best course of action was to let her use her only weapon: A PC. The logic…it is sound…………….
Might Morphin Power Rangers was more exciting than this show. /le sigh
This show is becoming a freaking cartoon.
Well, i can not deny it. This Episode plot follow the same as with the “Casino” Guy. And looks like the next one, will be the same
Globe know that something will happen, but dont know where exactly. The Guys find him, of not knowing that he is the one. Team Rocket will then find him, and give him the Kiss. The Guy will go all Kiltgang. Globe kids cam to save the world again
as i said, right now the show is running in circles on the spot
Hmm, the very first episode of this anime had that “something” which captivated me a lot and planted a lot of expectations about the series, but sadly the recent episode releases are becoming very predictable and, I don’t know, it just feels “mehh” with these recent episodes.
🙁
This episode made me mad. You mention that Teppei should have had orders. But it goes deeper than that. Akari shouldn’t be a moron. It would be one thing if the kidnap plot had just happened when she was walking around, or they looked away or something. But by hanging a lampshade on her flagrant idiocy in deciding to wander the area (which they knew had enemies, that’s why they were there) alone, it just made her look stupid.
Even the nuke thing didn’t make up for it for me, because she had to THREATEN THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUMAN RACE in order to make up for her own stupidity.
It doesn’t really matter in the long run, I still enjoy the show, but that was bad writing. There’s a hundred ways you can write a kidnapping, but having them just blatantly ignore the danger and wander a known danger zone alone is among the worst.
The thing is that it’s very real, in that sense. From the way she spoke, she’s been to Shinjuku dozens or hundreds of times. She knows her way around very well, and it literally feels like home to her. The idea that someone would attack her there feels ridiculous, because she’s always been safe there. This is very common. People don’t look out for kidnappers or other criminals in places that they “know” are safe, even if they normally have reasons to be cautious.
A girl who turned into a super hacker (the best in the universe no less) because her parents weren’t home has the means to nuke the whole planet into oblivion. Here goes my suspension of disbelief. Also their organization is building whole operations on some hints a pokemon gave them, no question asked. Sigh.
Good to see others are sharing the same opinions about this show. I am feeling more and more let down the more I watch these episodes. It is feeling very predictable. I also wish they would just stop and explain the designer children more in depth. I guess I need to go back to the beginning to figure out the deal with these ‘designer children’. I do not understand where they come from. Are we ‘growing’ them? I don’t get it
Why do we keep fighting in space too? It looks coo- but why are we out there? So many questions and no answers.
Oh btw, I did enjoy this episode though. I like Akari and it was to see an episode focus on her. I agree with this writeup, there is a lot of good things but there is some bad things too