First Impressions / Re:CREATORS

「軒下のモンスター We cannot decide where we go but you can.」 (Nokishita no Monsutaa)
“The Monster Under the Eaves We cannot decide where we go but you can.”

For all the threats of an imminent recap or special episode, it seems Re:Creators decided we could put that off in favour of a little denouement after a wild last week. Probably will irritate a few given the show’s foray into dialogue heavy narrative once again, but to Re:Creators’ benefit the overall picture just became clearer, especially in regards to Souta and Setsuna. Our self-described narrator might still be a dweeb, but he’s certainly getting a hold of himself.

I’ve always held out hope that Souta would mentally improve over time, and it looks like such thoughts were not misplaced. Revealing the truth to everyone is a big first step for Souta, getting him out of his self-defeating spiral of depression and into a more constructive “what can I do?” mindset. This is needed development because it removes one of Re:Creators’ more prominent thorns and opens up additional story options. Until now Souta has largely held down serious story progression, his depressive regret needing attention alongside Altair’s presence and the weekly Magane shenanigans. Getting rid of that allows Re:Creators to instead focus on Souta’s role and how he can assist with defeating Altair—in effect tying Souta in properly with the current plot objective. This is not to say Souta’s mental wrangling was wrongly handled—that is up to personal opinion—but not deliberately dragging it out for several episodes is quite satisfying and keeps the show on track.

The real key moving forward, however, will be what Souta’s role becomes because the convenient option—Souta somehow revising Altair—just went off the table. While we still lack half the story behind Setsuna’s (or Yuna’s) death, Souta shockingly never had a role in Altair’s creation—no art, no character profile, nothing. Although we likely will learn the full story next episode, the current backstory suggests Altair is a caricature, Setsuna’s personal, stylized finger to the world. Since Setsuna probably poured every ounce of her anguish and suffering into Altair, it’s not hard imagining Altair acquiring similar loathing and detestation not only of the real world, but of fellow created worlds—those were the source of Setsuna’s grief after all. In a way Altair became Setsuna’s revenge upon the world much like Celestia was Takashi’s proof he actually lived. Conversely, Altair is also the price Souta paid for abandoning Setsuna at her most vulnerable. Re:Creators’ premise therefore is not so much stopping Altair’s plan, but Souta atoning for his treatment of Setsuna by taking away the need for Altair to go through with it. How the dweeb could actually talk down Altair is anyone’s guess—if it’s even a legitimate option—but it’s where all current signs are pointing to at the moment. Just have to wait and see what additional information next episode brings.

With Souta’s and Altair’s function increasingly becoming clear, the only other unknown left is our fiend friend Magane. If I’m right on Souta being required to stop Altair, Miss Crazy’s function as final boss doesn’t appear all that farfetched, particularly if Altair—as evidenced last week—is the only real means of stopping Magane. Could a Magane imbued with multiple stolen character powers be the true enemy? No bloody idea, but considering some new characters are confirmed upcoming, you can at least bet on things getting crazy(er). Re:Creators may be halfway through, but the real action has yet to begin.

41 Comments

    1. She is just way too emo can’t think properly I guess. Say Setsuna and she will scream.

      I also seriously wonder how no one in the show has realised the magnitude of the fact the crowd acceptance = reality for the creations. I’m pretty sure the changes can stick they just need to literally write more cannon plot and get all the schools to “encourage” every student to watch, blog, re-tweet, discuss.

      a2222222222
      Reply

      1. While it may work for 98% of the creations, it doesn’t explain Altair. Remember Altair’s story was in some random link on a blog, and perhaps most of the readers hated it. I believe when Setsuna died her “lifeforce” transferred to Altair, or Setsuna put so much care and love into it it brought Altair to life. I think the theorries will be expounded upon as the series progresses.

        sailor80
        Reply

    2. Villains are less reliable and think only of them selfs and often will decide that they should be in charge. And a lot of villains will destroy the world no way I want to rule not destroy. And the villains that only want to destroy will often be way less sane or manageable. I agree with Altar’s idea of trying to trick hero’s into her plans as heroes are way more reliable and self-sacrificing. Unfortunately for Altar she lacked the skills to explain things.

      RedRocket
      Reply

    3. It’s been hinted at before, but everyone Altair has brought over so far has been limited, probably to those characters Setsuna knew a lot about. She loves Celestia for example (given her comments on Souta’s art), not hard imagining the rest were similar. Plus Altair wants to tear reality apart, even a bunch of heroes could do that simply through existing and using their powers.

      The interesting bit for me is the “villain” selection Altair made. I’m increasingly suspecting the likes of Blitz and Magane were the main inspiration in Altair’s final design, and might be why Blitz in particular follows her so closely.

      Pancakes
      Reply

      1. Good point. For once, I must admit that the series foreshadowed this properly: in episode 3 Selesia claims she’s more resistant than a normal human and that she can recover faster. She also complained to her author that he had made her go through a lot. On the other hand, during their first battle, Mamika is horrified by the effects of such violence and says that “usually there’s no blood”. It all implies that Mamika wasn’t built to sustain that kind of injuries.

        Mistic
        Reply

      2. Chalk it up to plot convenience as well. Someone had to die to get things moving, might as well be the cutie for the added shock value. Plus Celestia has importance in being the only good guy (so far) who can stand toe to toe with Alice–eliminating her makes keeping Meteora alive harder.

        Pancakes
        Reply

    5. well i think it’s about time really, after mamika getting stabbed, she cast explosion and then flying across the city for i don’t know how many minute has passed…while selesia getting immediate treatment.

      maou
      Reply

    7. I thought there was a very good chance that Mamika would have lived if she had gone to nearest police box or medical team. And now we know the creations can recover faster. And the fact that Mamika did not do what a modern person would do if injured bugged me a bit. The fact that Mamika comes from a place somewhat like the modern world means knowledge of medical help should be there. But I remembered I have not noticed any magical girl going for official help before unless it was part of her organization, I am not a major consumer of magical girl fictions though just a few shows.

      RedRocket
      Reply

    1. It was conical and I don’t think it went all the way through. Seems about the right size also is realistically survivable given people in the real world have survived getting impaled by similar sized poles and other large metal objects (Obviously don’t try that chances are you will die most of the time). Insides are squishy and a conical lance just makes moving organs out of the way even easier. I seriously wonder though how do they react to drugs/alcohol if their bodies are magically faster at recovery that would make it hard to put them under or get drunk.

      a2222222222
      Reply

      1. I seriously wonder though how do they react to drugs/alcohol if their bodies are magically faster at recovery that would make it hard to put them under or get drunk.

        In this episode, Rui claims that it doesn’t matter how much he eats, he never gets fat. It could be an exaggeration, but I suspect he’s not boasting and that he’s indeed incapable of getting fat. Perhaps he’s immune to alcohol and drugs too?

        Mistic
        Reply

      2. @Mistic: No, he is definitely not immune. As a matter of fact, some juices and cakes will also get him drunk.

        The reason he doesn’t get fat is that MCs eating a lot and never getting fat is an extremely common trope in Japanese fiction (and if you are a girl, all calories go to your boobs), but many stories like getting their characters drunk so tropes where characters getting drunk from stupidest things is common.

        Lord Nayrael
        Reply

  4. Theory Time: Setsuna didn’t commit suicide for the slander, she did because she stood helpless and watched her boyfriend get killed.

    Setsuna was harassed by one of the staff she worked for and all of the advances were molestation and seduction which lead to an attempted rape. Sota did came but was killed in the process while Setsuna escaped. Setsuna stood away enough to witness the staff member dragging Sota’s corpse.

    Setsuna created the new Sota to cope with her loss but eventually she couldn’t stand to be with a copy of her love and decided to end her own life to be with him.

    GKoh
    Reply

  5. Probably will irritate a few given the show’s foray into dialogue heavy narrative once again

    I, for one, welcome the dialogues here, for they felt more natural and necessary. Not a Mr. or Mrs. Exposition infodumping the characters and the audience for plot convenience, but moments that flesh out the people in the show.

    -Selesia and Matsubara (best dad) have at last a moment for them, and them alone. And he acknowledges the limitations of her world (no stories, that must be boring) and that he’s guilty of the suffering she went through.

    -Rui Kanoya takes Souta for a trip in his giant robot to cheer him up. Seriously, those two hadn’t even interacted with each other until now. In the span of a couple of minutes we learn more about Rui as a person than in all the previous episodes put together.

    And when we turn back to exposition, it’s not Meteora talking and talking (although she tried), but Souta revealing his personal, unique experiences using flashbacks. Showing, not just telling. Using foreshadowing for episodes to build-up the hype for the reveal instead of introducing new information without warning. Progress!

    With Souta’s and Altair’s function increasingly becoming clear, the only other unknown left is our fiend friend Magane. If I’m right on Souta being required to stop Altair, Miss Crazy’s function as final boss doesn’t appear all that farfetched, particularly if Altair—as evidenced last week—is the only real means of stopping Magane.

    I’d like to see that. Re:Creators seems to repeat a certain villain dichotomy from other settings: there’s a villain who is very, very powerful, but is mostly a physical menace, and there’s another villain who is (or starts) far less powerful yet uses wits, manipulation and chaos to climb to the top. Interestingly, who wins depends a lot on the writer… or the route.

    Mistic
    Reply

    1. Definitely agreed, it’s a serious improvement on what we have received so far. Really seems like the first few episodes were just an inconvenient fluke, even if they shouldn’t have happened like that. Now here’s hoping it continues like this, especially in regards to Altair’s and Magane’s development.

      Pancakes
      Reply

  8. Interview with the creators:
    – The Selesia-Matsubara relationship is considered a “unique” take on a father-daughter relationship.
    – Hiroe Rei says Setsuna’s the main heroine of the anime. He wrote the scene where Souta and Setsuna meet at an Akihabara net cafe.
    – Hiroe says he’d like speaking to Revy (of Black Lagoon) if he could ever meet his creation.

    Interview with Rui’s VA, Amamiya Sora:
    -She’d originally auditioned for Magane and Alicetaria, but got chosen to voice Rui instead.
    Rui’s the first time she’s voiced a male character.
    -She mentions the importance of food and eating in the series, because most of them haven’t experienced it for real (Note how they mention their sense of taste is stronger in the real world).
    –She’s confirmed new creations are incoming for Part 2.

    zztop
    Reply

    1. Hiroe Rei says Setsuna’s the main heroine of the anime. He wrote the scene where Souta and Setsuna meet at an Akihabara net cafe.

      This is interesting, for Setsuna is dead. We still have to see how she created Altair, and it’s true that the importance of her role in the plot can’t be overstated, but how can she be the main heroine when every other female character has more screentime and agency than her?

      Unless that wild theory that Altair is Setsuna is true, in which case all bets are off.

      Mistic
      Reply

      2. It definitely supports the idea at least. Plus given Altair’s radically different abilities, it’s not all that impossible. Have to explain away Altair not realizing she is Setsuna, but that’s easy enough.

        @RedRocket

        The suicide did happen, that much is clear. The great unknown is what immediately happened afterwards.

        Pancakes
        Reply

  11. Setsuna even less than Souta so far is the main character. As I have said before Souta has not been the main character in the story as a whole. Only the first episode and this one did Souta have any main character status as one who drives the plot. I have not seen any way for Souta to become the main as there is no logical reason for the group to make him the leader or for him to drive the plot in combat. But of course, the second half could change this.

    RedRocket
    Reply

  12. I found it interesting the differences in changed outlook that Kanoya has compared to Aliceteria’s when they find out and think through the implications of their worlds being stories.

    Aliceteria had been fighting to save her people with hopes that her efforts would put a stop to the deaths and suffering. Then she found out that all those deaths and suffering were purposely manufactured to entertain the “gods”. In the face of a deterministic universe (her world’s story) Alice now views her efforts as futile.

    Kanoya, on the other hand, had been angry at the responsibilities being forced upon him in his world. But once he found out his world was a story, he accepted his role. He figured out that, though he may face hardships, the “gods/writers” had designed his world to be saved by him. That meant that the gods would never place upon him more than he can handle.

    Monimonika
    Reply

  13. Finally got to watch both eps (PC had to get upgraded and installed new windows :P). Seeing Altair can summon another gigas machina, wouldn’t she be able to resummon a Mamika that is under her control?

    Devastator001
    Reply

  14. Oh well into the dialogueland we go again… At least we goet some spectacular mecha flying. And Ikari Shinji expy of all persons to talk some confidence into Souta!
    One possible way for this to end somehow well would be Souta getting Altair to accept him as her substitute Creator and creating story/world for her, and im memoriam to Setsuna…
    I dont really know if Magane or Altair is biggest threat now, but there is distinct posibility for them to come to blows eventually. Wouldn’t mind watch this from safe distance…
    And I want to know more about Blitz and his true motivation. And how the Alice will either complete her fall or find a way to reconcile with our world defenders…

    ewok40k
    Reply

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