Posted by OP2 Sequence
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OP2: 「GATE Ⅱ ～世界を超えて～」(GATE II: Sekai wo Koete) by Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets
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“The Banquet Begins”A Crude Return: GATE returns like it’s never been gone, with a set-up episode for the Flaming Dragon Arc and its battles to come. It was voted the most anticipated anime by RandomC readers, and it’s not hard to see why. There’s broad appeal to GATE that manages to catch a lot of people in its net. I mentioned in my impressions post for the first cour that I felt it was ‘undeniably anime’, meaning that I can’t imagine this existing in any other medium. Of course, it comes from a web novel, has a light novel, and a manga adaptation – but those all come under the same group, I suppose. While the politics can be prevalent and the war scenes aplenty, there’s enough silliness and typical anime tropes that stops me from taking this entirely seriously. Which I’d consider a good thing. Since I know how popular this is, I’ll try to be as positive as possible (which is easy enough because the episode was rather good overall), but there is one part to this episode that I didn’t like. In fact, I hated it. And that would be the rape scene between Pina’s brother, Zolzal, and his bunny sextoy, Tyuule. Within the first 3 minutes we’re subjected to rather a violent sex scene (at least it’s behind the curtains) as we listen to Tyuule’s screams and bear witness to Zolzal’s arrogance. I get that this scene exists to make us hate Zolzal off the bat, but that doesn’t mean I liked it being there in the first place. I see enough sexual violence in Game of Thrones to do me a lifetime, so seeing it in GATE, while not entirely surprising, wasn’t the best way to start off this second cour. It left a sour aftertaste, even as a write this. Thankfully, there was enough good parts to even the episode out in the end. Well-Paced, Effective Set-up: While we’re jumping back into the world beyond the gate, we’re not jumping back into the action just yet – and I appreciate that. I like that this was pretty much all set-up for what’s to come. We know this cour will cover the ‘Flaming Dragon Arc’, which sounds self-explanatory, but without a dragon in this episode (unless I missed it) it’s hard to predict what’s coming next (other than the obvious). What we did get, however, was an opportunity to see plenty of the cast either in their element or taking one for the team. We learned more about the inhabitants of this world, and have an idea of who we should be rooting for, and who we should be hating. The scenes involving the natives to this land were the best parts of the episode for me. Whether it was just conversations between side characters (who will be important this cour, going by the new OP), or getting some more insight into the world they inhabit; like us being shown the dirtier parts of the capital. The conversation between Misery, the self-confessed whore, and Kurokawa, the new examiner, was perhaps my favourite. It was fanservicey, for sure, but the little details like the STD prevention and then bringing the group of girls at the end made it more impactful than I would have otherwise believed. And while it’s good to get these side characters fleshing out this world and preparing for what’s to come (no doubt involving a flaming dragon), it’s a shame that we never got to see much of the three main girls. I’m sure Rory fans won’t be too thrilled about that – thankfully I don’t consider myself a Rory fan, so it didn’t bother me that much. Overview – What’s Next?: You can imagine this working as a continuous 24 episode show, as this return doesn’t feel much like a return – just another episode. While it got off to a sour start, I found myself enjoying the spotlight with the lesser characters and getting to know more about the inhabitants of this world. I don’t care much for the human side of things, but I was content with what we got this time around. I don’t know how things are going to turn out after this earthquake, but hopefully there isn’t another Zolzal bedroom scene. I don’t think we need to see anymore of that. ED2 Sequence
ED2: 「TBA」 by Tuka (Kanemoto Hisako), Lelei (Touyama Nao), Rory (Taneda Risa) Preview
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I was pretty disappointed that you guys didn’t cover GATE weekly since it was fairly popular and there’s lots to discuss. I hope someone will pick it up this season.
You don’t understand the mindset of bloggers here yet, you see instead of covering a great show like Gate they would rather cover garbage like Active Raid and Musaigen no Phantom World, because…. well, i guess they try to be unique or something, anyway don’t expect them to cover good shows, they do whatever and no what people wish see.
Unfortunately no one felt passionate enough about it to blog it weekly. That could change this season, but there’s no guarantee either way.
@Dwarg: As for those other shows you mentioned, neither are being blogged just yet. If you read our Schedule post then you’d know we’re actually covering the first episode of (almost) every show this season before deciding our blogging picks in the 2nd-3rd week.
Samu, I have to say, I respect that you’re level-headed and calm enough to respond to people like Dwarg. People have to remember, you guys blog certain shows because you want to talk about it and its interesting, not because you guys are trying to be unique.
if you read my post again it’s says nowhere “they will blog Active raid or Phantom world for sure instead of Gate”
I find it ludicrous that you still try to justify your statement. The bloggers here don’t just pick stuff because they want to be unique and stuff. Potential, fun factor and preconceived notions also come into account. Examples being comet lucifer and shirobako, the former being utterly a disastrous attempt at a show and the latter being AOTY material. Comet had a pretty interesting first episode which makes you think “hey, I think this is good I want to talk to people about it” while shirobako was the “this is soothing and informative to watch so I’ll keep watching it” show. Which of the two would you think would you want to share?
If you knew about the source of Gate, it was pretty leftist in its view and most people thought it would retain it and it would have probably resulted in racist and dark discussions which no sane blogger would want to start.
@Justpassingby: Wait a minute. GATE “leftist”? Huh? More like right-wing nationalistic. However, I agree with your general point on two fronts. First, while there are shows which I may want blogged but are not blogged on RC and vice versa, I think the MOST important thing is for bloggers to BLOG SHOWS THEY WANT TO BLOG. Period. ‘Tis not fun to blog (or even watch) something you don’t want to blog (or watch), and this is an unpaid hobby for RC staff. Second, yeah, depending upon what and how the anime portrays things, there’s certainly a strong potential for discussion to go off tangent.
@Justpassingby
Gate is not leftist, although one might be able to make an argument for it being Leninist (that is a significant stretch though). The series is right by definition, it’s nationalistic (thus the racism claims), emphasizes military strength, self-defense, and (from what I can tell) idealizes autarky. Gate’s romantic view of Japan’s military is mostly the big tell, however.
As for RC’s blogging, the writers have always blogged what interested them. This site is a hobby, not a job. There’s always shows which ideally should have been blogged, but haven’t been, whether due to interest or time; it’s one of the big unknowns of each season and the reason for RC’s change in blogging. Still plenty of places elsewhere to discuss those shows if they intrigue you that much.
Yeah, I don’t buy GATE being leftist at all. Anything that could indicate that is probably just the anime watering down the source material, for better or worse.
I feel like part of the reason this wasn’t covered was the fear the comments would only be about the politics, or at least that’s what the first episode review devolved into. The show is best when it doesn’t go into it that realm so much and just sticks with the interactions between the natives and humans, and focuses on the characters.
@Justpassingby: Gate is pure right wing material. Do you even know the difference between left wing and right wing parties?
Anyway, there were two posts about gate before and everything came down to the disdain bloggers and commenter felt when America (and others) were played like fool by Japanese Army before and Rory soon after in the onsen episode. So the anime was deemed shit or just not realistic at all and laughed off like that. Well, I fail to understand how an anime about a fairy tales like this could be realistic, but the point is different: After historical examples like Spanish conquest of America or Perry’s black ships incident (which somebody mentioned before), this anime is about “what if” we found ourselves in another situation where there are two highly unevenly mached forces on the field? Would we crush the weak civilization and take all of the gold like Spanish did or would’ve do it in a little more civilized and modern fashion? This was the core meaning of Gate and nobody tried to flesh it out before.
I really wanted to make a Gate of Babylon joke for last episode but I won’t find an appropriate episode review to put the comment into… Such a bummer.
Anyway…
Whoops, well wrong term used there. Yeah it is watered down right-wing natoinalist. Honest mistake, sorry.
Im so looking forward to the next episode #beatdown
Let’s be sure to avoid spoiling the non-manga readers; I read the manga so I am excited about the next two episode. I am glad we get to see this anime in Randomc but I seriously hope it won’t be censored, the next two episodes are crucial.
On the personal note
https://randomc.net/image/GATE/GATE%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2007.jpg
gee, it’s only episode one and I already see one guy that seriously need be destroyed like the many evil dudes shown in anime.
https://randomc.net/image/CODE%20GEASS/CODE%20GEASS%20R2%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2025.jpg
“That sounds like something barbarians would do.”
From our perspective, you people are the barbarian for many reasons. It’s rather humane to use hostages, especially since they aren’t being sold as slaves like how the Romans treat prisoners of war.
https://randomc.net/image/GATE/GATE%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2020.jpg
I often times wonder how is that Pina is related to these people.
https://randomc.net/image/GATE/GATE%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
That poor bunny girl T_T Zorzal is officially worse than Gilgamesh, at least that guy had plenty of redeemable qualities, especially when he was a kid.
https://randomc.net/image/GATE/GATE%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2014.jpg
YES FEAR THE POWER OF MODERN WEAPONRY YOU PRIMITIVE MONGRELS!!!!!! This is getting better and better.
Piña had the great fortune to be the unfavorite, and as a result wasn’t really raised with the same morals as the rest of her family. That ended up working out quite well, as her morality, while not identical, is much more compatible with the JSDF’s than her family’s.
@Wanderer
Kinda wonder if she turned out this way because she was the unfavorite, or she was the unfavorite because her personality didn’t mesh with the others. Something like gender roles could also play a part, since even women of royalty would probably be expected to be docile and subservient.
@SK
Pina is the daughter of a concubine. She’s dead last in the line of succession. Normally, someone at her position is only useful for political marriage. She decided to be a knight because she understood that fact.
*manga spoiler warning*
Show Spoiler ▼
This should be fun if the anime ever goes past the dragon arc.
@info600
Well, you can’t blame her. I read the manga and it’s Zorzal’s fault.
BTW, Samu, I am assuming your “The Banquet Begins” is a reference from fate/zero which is fitting if we consider the code names the JSDF are using XD.
You dont even know Gilgamesh , he wasnt evil , he was a fool! A fool king who fail to realise that the most precious treasure in the world isnt Gate of babylon but Saber all along
Pina was lucky to meet Itami in Italica and witness otherworldly warfare at the bandits expenses and was smart enough not to try and test it out directly herself.
Others like the Emperor and the princes did not have the same luck and intelligence.
I can’t freaking wait for next episode. Anyone who’s seen the trailer for this second season knows what’s coming. And it will be glorious.
Misery the eaglewoman-whore wonders why none of the SDF men visit her, not comprehending the STD report sitting on the desk behind Kurokawa. Oh yeah, I can just remember the briefing those soldiers probably got after arrival “in-country”. And one of the newest trade items the SDF brings to the capital is…condoms? What’s what kept the population from exploding in England and the USA during the Industrial Revolution. Or, at least kept it down some. (The medical company in Iraq handed those out for free in a big bowl on the desk by the front door. In different colors.)
The Emperor’s son has just as much arrogance as his father, it turns out. Only, his selfish needs are more – personal.
It’ll be very interesting to see the earthquake-ready Japanese helping with post-earthquake Capital citizens.
Looking forward to this season, although I might save them up to binge watch later. Totally agreed on the rape scene though. It’s sort of like “torture porn” for me. I’m sure there’s a market for it, but I’m not it. I find it distasteful, and it really turns me off enjoying the show. You can have brutality and reference such things without going over the top, or having it be in the first freaking scene.
That’s part of what my issue was with Cross Ange last year. I utterly despised it for the wanton brutality the characters visited upon each other. The only thing that got me through those first 3 episodes was seeing terrible people do horrible things to each other…like watching a trainwreck (though at least it was an interesting watch).
I eventually warmed to the show, but it was an uphill battle. I already went into Gate with established anticipation, so I’m certain I’ll give it some leeway. In regards to GoT, I stopped b/c it got to be too much doom and gloom (sometimes rendering some events pointless even). At least I can marathon the show and get it over with relatively quickly. But yeah…it’s just my approach to the escapism of such things, I suppose.
My main objection to the rape scene is in how braindead and cliched is.
“D’uh, rape is bad, m’kay? Let’s show how good the heroes are by kicking rapist ass…”
There is not much to think. There are stupid evil people like this IRL.
There is no discussion that you throw then in jail. Challenge my brain some more.
And do it with something that has not been used a million times over.
Except that that rape scene is a plot point here. The bunny girl is actually a plot device that will move the story in the capital side & that rape scene is required for her characterization.
As long as we aren’t treated to more teenage-level geopolitical romanticism, this season should be as good as the first, at least for the military porn. Gate functions best when it forgets to be serious and fully embraces its premise–clash of technologies. Give me more stuff like the senators desperate to acquire carbines or the inability of the Empire’s sex workers to provide for JGSDF personnel and I shall be a happy camper.
As an aside too the mortar scene is misleading. The senator’s vision seemed to imply mortars can level a town; that isn’t true. Mortars are anti-infantry first and foremost, they lack the punch needed to eradicate large structures. Those 81mm mortars will struggle to blow apart bricks/stone without a direct hit for example.
I think the mortar scene is more to show how little they understand the technology. He sees an explosion at an impressive distance and assumes on his own that it can do more than it really can, thus he is demoralized and his imagination gets the better of him. A good example of shock-and-awe doing its job well.
To me, the anime over-dramatized the noble’s imagination/vision/whatnot for… reasons. Not sure if it’s to emphasize the other side’s lack of understanding weapons technology as Aex suggests because I would think that would be painfully obvious already. Perhaps done to make it really clear how amazed/in awe the ignorant locals are of the JSDFs military might.
Don’t know if it deviated form it’s source (LN) or not, but in the manga after the mortar demonstration, that one noble asked “J-just how far can that thing fire?” to which Itami replies about 3 leagues (4.8km). Of course this causes consternation among the nobles who comment “S-so far…” “Not even magic!” “The entire battlefield would easily be in reach.” (which is an astute observation)
It’s obvious to the audience how screwed the Empire is, but I think they keep repeating scenes like this to emphasis how unfamiliar the higher-ups in the Empire are with the concept. Even with crippling causalties they still have the emperor saying they’ll never lose because they’ve really never lost, so I don’t mind scenes like this every time another character’s eyes are opened.
@Aex: You have a point, and this isn’t a huge deal IMO. Still, I do think the manga version is better. First, we already got plenty of character revelation (“OMG, they have these fantastic weapons”) with the assault rifle demonstration. No need to go with an over-the-top “revelation”. Point is clearly made from the nobles perspective already with the way the manga plays out. As for the emperor’s views, keep in mind that not every noble shares the emperor’s views. That’s why you have a peace faction in the first place. Even before the battle of Alnus, some in the senate had concern and doubt.
I like the manga version better because at least it gives some of the nobles depth beyond simply “shock and awe”. Again, there’s already plenty of that, and like I wrote, I liked the astute (IMO) observation about mortar fire able to reach the entire battlefield. Small detail, but it gives at least a little bit of intellect and military understanding beyond the same ‘ol “OMG, we’re so screwed. The JSDF is so awesome”.
Yeah, I do agree it’s over-the-top, but it never really bothers me for a kinda strange reason: it’s Itami doing the shocking. I know it isn’t really him, he’s just following orders, but it still helps that it’s his boots on the scene and that insted of pushing the “we can wreck you” angle he’ll go with how many lives not fighting will save. Kinda the same, but still not.
That and I pretty much ignore the propaganda as usual military chest-pounding.
Yeah I had that thought too after I posted, it’s probably the more correct way to look at it, although emphasizing the mortars specifically like that rubs my knowledge the wrong way 😛
The better way to handle it would be as you describe daikama, using character interaction rather than the “foreshadowing” visions. The scene with the senators begging for Itami to share/sell the carbines is a perfect example. If the writers had did the same thing with the mortars it would have got the message across without making JGSDF light mortars appear more powerful than conventional 155mm artillery. Pedantic nitpick all things considered.
Pancakes: I get nit-picky on the military stuff as well so no worries on my end. 😀 As for the rest, agree. Feel like I’m beating a dead horse, but manga version is better. Not sure how popular it is, but Ushio to Tora is getting the kind of adaptation I wish GATE was getting (assuming it was based off the manga).
Ugh. Zorzal. Guy is the most disgusting, arrogant, self-righteous, spoiled asshole you could imagine. I… don’t think we’ll see another rape scene with him directly involved, but Show Spoiler ▼
so there will probably be at least a bit more unpleasantness.
I was surprise this gained a second season. I mean from the get go, this is a Earth rapes and curb stomp fantasy world. Kind of leave very little room for development and progress. Some people like that and there nothing wrong with that, but yeah, I mean all of their weapons can destroy anything in this fantasy world.
No one can stand against them.
I guess the interaction could be nice if they portrayed the character well, but I found nothing that stood out to me at all.
also don’t feel sorry for the bunny woman. she is not as innocent as you think she is.
She’s pretty much broken, yeah, but that’s his fault, too, so I put most of the craziness on Zorzal.
@Aex & L002: Agree. Root of the problem is Zorzal. She’s not the most tragic character, but I would consider her a tragic character.
Well you can’t blame her. If I can name another character, similar to her, it would be Lucy (elfen lied), try to give sympathy for tragic characters.
It’s funny you mention missing our three female leads, Samu, because that’s a part of these earlier segments that I like. They aren’t there because they have somewhere else to be (aka their jobs at the base), instead of cooking up some reason for them to always be attached to Itami as a way of showing they’re important , but then just stand around. There’s no reason he would’ve brought them, either. I like them, but this is a better, more realistic dynamic than what a lot of other shows go with, and another way of showing the girls are their own characters, not just add-ons to Itami.
Right now is Pina-Kuri-Kuro time, and not being haremettes doesn’t make them any less fun! XD Kuri-chan, next episode will be glorious!!
Eh, from my standpoint pretty much the same as the first season. Short version = anime’s not bad, arguably above par (especially considering some resent shows I watched), but still noticeably inferior to the manga to a frustrating extent at times. I’m sure I’ll take some flak for that, but such is the case. :< Honestly, this is a bittersweet watch for me.
Trying to put on my "anime-only" viewer hat, this episode definitely had faster pacing than Season 1 IMO, and at times seemed a bit choppy. Factoring in the manga, definitely so. For the most part it was fine, but there were some things cut/altered which I definitely noticed (including one good joke when the prostitutes were discussing the lack of business from the JSDF (cut scene)). Interesting that the anime made the JSDF cleaner when it came to taking down Bessara and dealings with the underworld. That's not necessarily good or bad, but I do wonder if that is an indicator for some future events.
Perhaps it was necessary to streamline things this episode, but assuming LN goes the same as the manga, it would have been nice to at least keep the established friendship between Misery (TL!? Mizari in manga) and Kurokawa. I liked that and I thought it added quite a bit to both the scene and Kurokawa's character. Might not have needed more than 1-2 minutes extra to keep that. :<
At any rate, adaptation approach seems almost, if not exactly, the same as 1st cour which is good news for those who liked the first cour. If you liked the first cour, I'd be shocked if you didn't like the second. In fact, my guess is you'll like the second cour even more. Flame Dragon arc on the whole is a good one, and mostly revolves around Itami & Co. Have no fear, the 3+ female leads will play a significant role in things going forward.
Having felt that frustration for other shows, I’ve managed to hold off from reading the manga at least until the end of this season. That way I can just enjoy watching and go read it afterwards.
As far as the birdlady’s name, Mizari is a direct transliteration of what was said, though Misery might be the intended/official translation. Gotta be honest, though; if that’s her real name, that’s fine, but if that’s her prostitute name, then it ain’t the most appealing one in the world.
@SK: Thanks. Is what it is. Not like I’m going to hold off on a manga/LN I fined interesting simply because it might get an adaptation down the road. On the plus side, GATE’s not a bad show. I’ve watched (and often dropped) worse “adaptations” of series I like. Anyway, if you like the anime, I think you’ll like the manga (FYI – definitely NSFW). You may prefer some the anime character designs as well. At the rate things are going, the anime should almost catch up with the manga (assuming it doesn’t go beyond the flame dragon arc).
Appreciate the info on the translation. Personally, Mizari >>> Misery. Misery reminds me of some comic book antagonist, and yeah, LOL, probably not the best name given her profession. Maybe she has a niche with the “M Type” crowd. 😉
welp first 3 minutes reminds us of game of thrones. hopefully won’t have to see that kind of scene again in GATE, i’ve seen enough in GoT to become sick of it.
I think a lot of people grew sick of the sexual violence in Game of Thrones, especially in S5. The Ramsay/Sansa scene was the tipping point for many, even if it didn’t show as much on-screen, it was enough to turn off a lot of viewers – me included (I’ll still be watching mind you, but what they did to Sansa last season was truly awful).
Even worse since it never happened in the books. HBO being HBO I guess.
More Rory, and less rape please. Thanks, Gate.
this was an Key scene, to show us how Evil he is
Well, they certainly managed to do that.
While I still have a lot to like about this anime, some of the undercurrents still are very disturbing, especially if they prompt commentaries like “Yeah, wipe out all those primitives”, which we got at least one of above.
It is this kind of simplistic jingoism which enabled and still enables Europe and the United States (or maybe more topical, enabled imperial Japan) to wipe out and exterminate populations with their superior technology and feel good about themselves. We should be better by now than having such loathsome feelings stoked by a simple entertainment show (with some undeniable propagandistic undertones), but apparently not. Sad.
I’m glad they didn’t shy away from the scene, even if it is ugly.
I guess we can say, that this season…
(•_•)
( •_•)
>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)
started off with a bang.
YEEEAAAH
The ending is like a recruitment promotion.
“If you join the military, you will be able to train with these beautiful ladies! So join now!”
And then after joining and finding out that reality is far from what’s being advertised:
“‘Join the JSDF,’ they said. ‘You’ll meet beautiful ladies,’ they said…”
Anyway…
– Yes, I know it was a brief scene for the fan-favorite, halberd-wielding, goth-loli goddess of death…but speaking as a Rory fan, I didn’t mind much. After all, this is just the first episode of the second season and they’re probably saving her up for more awesome scenes later on. Also, military uniform Rory did “raise my flag” at full mast (if you know what I mean–on two levels).
– And speaking of referencing Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, oh boy… This scene reminded me of
MackyMcGillis Fareed andAkatsukiAlmiria’s relationship… (OK, so the GATE manga/light novel did that first way before Gundam: IBO was made, but for the anime watchers who somehow watch every offering every season…Ambassador Sugawara and Sherry’s budding relationship does look familiar.)– Eh, I’ve seen more than enough of that in hentai… Or SanCom. Textbook way of establishing a character as a jacka**, though. And if they are brave enough to adapt a certain spoiler-ish scene from the manga, you’ll see how big of a jacka** he is.
– I liked that little montage about one of the JSDF members being stationed in Kobe during the Great Hanshin earthquake and recognizing that animals have a sixth sense in predicting earthquakes. (A sense that the “little bit beastly” characters of the show have kept, apparently.)
cant wait for next episode
Show Spoiler ▼
And also
Show Spoiler ▼
Show Spoiler ▼
For the people complaining about the rape scene… This anime has war AND it’s set in a medieval enviroment. Rape and porverty (that we’re also starting to see now) are “natural” things in these two enviroments, so don’t complain about it when you see something like this.
By the way, expect some nasty torture scenes in the near. They also had a lot of the in the Middle Age and in wars. Since they start to show some realism in this, I hope thet go all the way.
Lucky i stopped reading the manga before this here all started. i just skipped this Arc here, and are still enjoying the Manga after this here. So i hope i did not spoiled myself
Please enjoy me GATE-o san. i really look forward to this
To any who find the opening scene a bit much, stay far away from the manga. And on that note don’t feel sympathy for Tyuule. She’s playing her own “game of thrones”
To everyone that are talking about Tyuule above: Either stop or thumb in the spoiler tags please.
~~~~~~~~
Welp, as if the last episode was aired two weeks ago (like Heavy Object). At least they were open about it when they cut off at episode 12 half a year ago…
And CQB beatdown incoming! *fistpumps*
Yep, multiple people have brought up the Tyuule situation, but please keep that in the spoiler tags. As she was only introduced this episode we know nothing about her other than that one scene, so heavily hinting that you don’t feel sympathy for her is rather spoilerific.
Agree, that kinda pissed me off, but nothing I can do about it anymore.
Maybe add a warning in next week’s episode post no to hint any unknown character backgrounds (if you guys decide to blog it). Thanks.
I agree, the best stuff is the interactions with the natives, and I enjoyed last season when they went to Japan and showed the natives interacting there. More of that is what I look forward to,
The whole unfortunate business with Zolzal is just way over the top for me (whenever he was on screen too), coming off really poorly written. I hope to see less of his character, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Also needs more Rory Mercury. And Magician girl. Tuka’s good too.
https://randomc.net/image/GATE/GATE%20-%2013%20-%20Large%2034.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/GATE/GATE%20-%20ED2%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
@Samu: The graphical violence in the anime is toned down a lot. I suggest you to read the manga and spoil yourself a thing or two. It would be beneficial if you wanted to blog this.
We have a twisted image of the special zone as it’s a kind of paradise of sorts because graphical violence is toned down a lot. But, in reality Special Zone is at Empire’s, bandits and natural disaster’s mercy, without the Empire giving a shit about it in the first place. Just crude as medieval life could get. Sure not a fairy tale at all.
On the other hand the empire is clearly inspired of the Roman Empire and not only because of the clothes. They live of an aggressive expansionist politics toward their neighbour nations just like Romans did. It’s a given they don’t know exactly how to put up with Japan, and Japan doesn’t know how exactly to deal with them, and this point is expressed repeatedly during the anime. It’s a 2000 years gap in civilization, after all. Notice the fuss about the monetary conditions for the pace treaty when Sugiwara explains and Pina lost it and fainted.
Anyway, There shouldn’t be any more plot about other Earth Nations disturbing in this arc. So no stupid comments about politics and stuff. There’s only Zorzal and the Dragon, the latter of which is very very good. So, if you wanted to start blogging, it’s fairly safe to start now.
Also they couldn’t omit the scene with the bunny girl cause there’s a sub-plot regarding her. Take all of the scene as a crude introduction with the next villain Zorzal.
Needs more Rory
I actually tried to think that Tyuule was merely beaten and nothing worse, but when Zorzal stepped out, I couldn’t deny it anymore. 🙁
Although the first season already had a lot of death, I still considered the series more on the harmless and cute side than it actually seems to be. What a rude awakening.
Wanted to look up Zorzal and Tyuule’s seiyuus, got spoiled on the Gate wiki. 🙁
Tyuule’s seiyuu is Koshimizu Ami (my guess was right), though Zorzal is voiced by Konishi Katsuyuki (Gurren Lagann’s Kamina) instead of Seki Tomikazu (Fate’s Gilgamesh). Considering that Itami is voiced by Archer’s seiyuu (Suwabe Junichi), it would have been funny seing both Fate seiyuu’s fighting against each other again in other roles. Well, it wouldn’t surprise if they already did that in other series. Appreciated if you guys know any others.
Whoa…I was surprised that they actually showed ‘that’ scene with bunny girl…I thought that they would censored it a bit.
Overall, it was an okay start.
Next episode seems to be more interesting…- that Kuribayashi 🙂
PS. I failed to understand why people compare Zorzal to Gilgamesh…
ep 15:
GATE is just doing fine. Do not worry, it is still your Anime your like. even if this Episode here was more talk, but a talk to find himself to find the resolve.. Well outside forces had an hand here, too. But it was in the end his decision to help her
also, they know how to play the Rory Sexy Card well, she had only seconds. But these seconds was enough