[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

IMO neither is the case. As for whether it's serious or not, that's been a "problem" since the first TV series - it's a matter of acquired taste specially because most people simply can't decide whether it takes itself seriously or not. It's not a parody but it's too silly for actual, epic drama, and in my experience most people don't know how they should approach it. Me, I've always thought that Aquarion (at least the Genesis TV) was basically about doing a serious show with its tongue very firmly in the cheek, if that makes sense.

I know what you're saying there. Very cheesy/over-the-top at times but also presents its narrative seriously.

But by deconstruction vs. sincere, I didn't mean non-serious vs. serious. Either way, it's "half-way" serious. It's just... is it a show that deconstructs its genre a bit, or it is a show that plays it straight but just messes it up a lot?

People keep using the word "deconstruction" in connection with Evol, but I don't get why.

I'll get to what I mean here in my reply to GoldenLand. I have a more concrete idea for it now.

As for Alisia, I agree with GenjiChan above - people are just latching onto one aspect and don't even try to see the big picture.

The thing with Alisia is that Amata has forgiven her, and she's presented in this episode in a generally positive light, so the clear implication is that we viewers are meant to forgive her as well. In fact, we're probably supposed to feel deeply moved and stuff when Amata witnesses his parents die with their spirits sending him a final, poignant farewell (with heavy "Amata is the Chosen One" vibes to it, imo).

The problem is that the specific details of how Alicia left Amata don't look that great, and aren't exactly easy to forgive (and Amata forgave them easily, it seems).

I can totally accept Alisia deciding to go to Altair to try to save her lover's world. But to head off the way she did, seemingly without explaining anything to Amata (no notes left behind, for example) or without even seeing to it that the poor kid will be properly cared for while she's gone, is just crazy, imo.

Originally Posted by miketyson

Triple R: I've been saying for a few weeks now it's probably something like what you're calling the deconstruction, with the note that they've seemingly been afraid to go too far on that -- probably to keep it from being unwatchable -- but thereby diluting it, much to its detriment.

That could very well be it. I kind of hope so, really.

Although, on the positive side, if this anime is playing everything straight, it becomes one of the perfect shows to do Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged style. Unintentional self-parody is the ripest of comedy fodder, lol.

Originally Posted by GoldenLand

I'm conflicted about this episode.

What I liked:

I pretty much agreed with all your positives. Good list.

I wondered if this ep was trying to show that single-minded devotion is a really bad thing.

That's much of what I mean by this show possibly being a deconstruction (but one that's playing it too cute/coy).

What is the show deconstructing? Well, amongst other things, it may be deconstructing idealized conceptions of romantic love (i.e. romantic love as a "single-minded devotion" where your lover gets put first, last, and always; everything else becoming totally unimportant).

Just look at all the problems romantic love has caused in this show (for this list, "smd" stands for "single-minded devotion"):

Alisia's smd/love for Izumo resulted in Amata being abandoned.
Mykage/Touma's smd/love for Apolonius has made him the villain he is today.
Kagura's smd/love for Mikono has caused loads of death and destruction.
Zessica's smd/love for Amata has clearly caused her much more harm than good.
Amata's smd/love for Mikono has led to lots of pointless clashes with Kagura, and has also worsened Zessica's situation.
Andy's smd/love for MIX(Y) means he keeps recklessly endangering his friends/allies in half-baked attempts to rescue MIX(Y).

When you think about it, the characters that have been the most helpful in solving problems have been the one's least consumed by love (i.e. Shrade, Cayenne, etc...). The characters that have caused the most problems are those consumed by love. ...Maybe Fudo had the right idea in banning love.

But unless my eyes deceive me, that obsessive "Go for the one you love and to hell with everything else! Be like us!" theme was presented as positive, and as something Amata should aspire to attain.

Right. So if it is a deconstruction, it's being too coy/cute about it, imo.

But if it is a deconstruction, we'll know that soon, as it would almost certainly mean a bad end for Amata (and lots of other characters besides). If Amata gets his happy end with Mikono, I don't see any way this show can be perceived as a deconstruction.