Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama
Well the way out of the character design choice being unappealing for me lies in whether this show actually does turn out to be a superflat piece, which seems like it may actually be a possibility with all the focus on Japan's decay in this shows continuity over the years and how Saki sees the White House as symbolic of the centre of the world. Not to mention how both Akira and Saki appear have been born in the last year of the Showa era, which is seen as the big cultural gap and the last tie Japan had to the old imperial ways in certain circles. It's like they are teetering on the edge between the old ways of Japanese nationalistic pride and the new ways of deference to American will and it even comes through in some of the actions they take in the first episode and their passive aggressive ways out of being chased by the cops.
We'll see, but so far it isn't clear if Saki's fetishized yet distorted character design (lolifying a 22 year old, and having her display both idealized/submissive/childish and measured/sensible/mature traits)is meant to be a parody of her being caught in Japanese cultural limbo or if the cards just sort of fell that way and it's moe pandering to get otaku to watch the show.
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1. I'm betraying my ignorance, but I don't understand the thing about superflat, which I thought was a style of animation.
2. I think you're right that they are saying something with the birthdates of Saki and others in the show, but I'm still not sure what. By the way, I think the
old way is deference to America, and the
new way is nationalistic pride, but we'll see how this show plays that aspect.
3. Your explanation of the charades as catering to an audience (you use the expression "moe pandering") is reasonable, and probably part of the truth. But it is also true, as I posted earlier (and others have just posted), that Umino Chika -- a woman who writes manga considered josei -- has a tendency to draw some female characters this way. I feel it as showing the female side of the contradiction between child and adult
from the inside: one doesn't quite feel capable, but one can still take bold action in the adult world, especially to follow one's desires. Remember that this show is in the Noitamina timeslot, which has a high female viewership.
I find the tension in the contrast between the voice and character design on the one hand and Saki's boldness on the other to be one of the attractions of this show. I see it less as parody than as psychological reality. There are lots of male characters -- Morita and Akira for two -- who show similar contradictions in other ways.
And thanks to Kazu-kun for the spoilered explanation. I was wondering what the significance of that car was.