(L) Soukou no Strain (Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry)

[Guido]

Last Waltz

What a beautiful ending to conclude such an immersive, enthralling, and insight sci-fi drama.

The use of long pauses and silence, coupled with cinematographic shots made me to feel very personally Sara's loss and painful tears at the conclusion of the climax.

I do also like to commend the use of the soundtrack for the set up, the last battle, and the epilogue. The animators treated us first with the string-guitar rendition to Last Waltz, and then with the jukebox rendition of the same song, it was very enchanting.
However, I also disagree with the choice of music they inserted when the reparations on the RAMDASS were made. I felt that particular music track did not fit with the scene or went off timing. It is the kind of music that plays when a leader of hero(ine) makes long speech of encouragement for the crew or once victory is achieved.

Anyways, this episode was a solid finish to tie all loose knots around the story of Sara, Emily, and Ralph. Everything else about the everlasting war among Union and Deague is out of consequence, and I do not mind of all.
The theme of the plot was for Sara to recover back her desire for friendship, to care for another person, to struggle against any let downs to reunite with Ralph again and bring him back home.

Spoiler:

Sara and Ralph did fulfill their part of that promise to each other, although the outcome was already settled with a bittersweet tone.

They could not say to each other that they were forgiven, but during that pause of deep silence hearing Ralph calling Sara with a tender whisper and with those caring eyes, that very moment my heart melted and wished he shouldn't had died.

That scene alone was the climax and theme of the entire show. It was so emotionally involving and powerful, that I cried for both siblings and the sad mood was heightened while the song for Last Waltz was playing.

They also toned down the impact of Ralph's death in order to heighten the mourn and sorrow on the audience by not showing his physical death on screen. Instead, they chose to display the Gloire burning once it entered the planet's atmosphere, desintegrating into pieces while shielding the RAMDASS from damage.

This is an allegory to mean that figuratively Ralph became a shooting star. Once he return to his gentle self that Sara knew, he died to become part of Sara's memories.

As his last will, Ralph trusted Emily's care to Sara understanding that Sara will become an even better and gentleR elder sibling to Emily than he did for Sara.

I think that Ralph's death implies a double meaning of sacrifice. On Sara's part to prevent anymore needless deaths she resolved to sacrifice his brother while on Ralph's part he resolved to sacrifice himself as a means to apologize and to bring together forever both Sara and the Emilys.

Given my restricted knowledge of spoken Japanese, Sara's last lines meant that she was no longer alone because she has friends whom she can trust, she has both Emily that have become her new family, and she has now the memories of Ralph living within her.

Spoiler for For the ending sequence:

None of us from the beginning of the show could had imagined and realized that we were spoiled all along by the ending, though the TV ending was actually an incompleted version from the full closure.

However, several of us at this thread were theorizing that some way or another both Sara and the Emily will end on the same planet that is featured in the TV ending.

I really love the colors, rendering, and lighting they employed to animate and bring to life the sky, the sea, and the beach landscape, creating a surreal fantasy on the planet.

I can say with proud that Strain was everything that I liked drama, personal introspectives, action, sci-fi mecha content, and a believable quasi-tragic heroine and tragic, redeemed antagonist.

[Kaioshin Sama]

My biggest objection by the end is how Ralph's philsophy made about as much sense as what they did with Zechs when he joins White Fang and declares war on the Earth. In fact there's a lot of similiarities between the way they dealt with Ralph in this show and how Zechs evolved in Gundam Wing in that the characters were never really given any reason for their changes of heart. Other than that, most of the plotlines that needed to be tied up were. I'd actually have to say that Ralph is the weakest and mostly poorly written character in recent memory for me, topped only by the main cast of Gundam Seed Destiny when combined together as a whole. When there are side characters who are better written than the main antagonist (Lottie, Emily, The Mechanics), you know you have a problem. Luckily it just managed to hold together by a thread in the end on the Strength of Sara and her friends.

[LionsMane]

I really enjoyed the end and even though it was somewhat predictable I though it was all tied together very nicely. I absolutely loved the art and the music which complimented the show well. Voice acting was good too.

I think the series hit a few themes I generally enjoy but even so Souko no Strain really suprised me in the end.

I loved it---at least an 8.5 on the ten scale from me.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

My biggest objection by the end is how Ralph's philsophy made about as much sense as what they did with Zechs when he joins White Fang and declares war on the Earth. In fact there's a lot of similiarities between the way they dealt with Ralph in this show and how Zechs evolved in Gundam Wing in that the characters were never really given any reason for their changes of heart. Other than that, most of the plotlines that needed to be tied up were. I'd actually have to say that Ralph is the weakest and mostly poorly written character in recent memory for me, topped only by the main cast of Gundam Seed Destiny when combined together as a whole. When there are side characters who are better written than the main antagonist (Lottie, Emily, The Mechanics), you know you have a problem. Luckily it just managed to hold together by a thread in the end on the Strength of Sara and her friends.

Actually Zechs had a reason and it was given. His so call change of heart happen when he used the zero system to figure out a way to end the wars. His goal in joing White Fang was to make war so terrible that no one would want to go to war again.

As for Ralph, he became derange when the other Emily fused with him giving him first hand experience of what happened to the Emilys.

[Guido]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

My biggest objection by the end is how Ralph's philsophy made about as much sense as what they did with Zechs when he joins White Fang and declares war on the Earth. In fact there's a lot of similiarities between the way they dealt with Ralph in this show and how Zechs evolved in Gundam Wing in that the characters were never really given any reason for their changes of heart. Other than that, most of the plotlines that needed to be tied up were. I'd actually have to say that Ralph is the weakest and mostly poorly written character in recent memory for me, topped only by the main cast of Gundam Seed Destiny when combined together as a whole. When there are side characters who are better written than the main antagonist (Lottie, Emily, The Mechanics), you know you have a problem. Luckily it just managed to hold together by a thread in the end on the Strength of Sara and her friends.

In my opinion, Ralph's descent to madness was both misguided and miscarried. He went on taking hasty assumptions and brash decisions, but obviosly if anyone experienced what Ralph went through from the Emily that in itself would be enough to lose your mind or breaking down.

His motivations were not let's say properly handled, "I ended hating my own species, because I saw and felt for myself what they did to a group of harmless, alien girls in order to turn them all into raw materials to develop better technology to kill themselves."

I know it is cheesy, but I personally think Ralph's drive to change to the dark side was reasonable and believable, way better in comparison to how Kokushou's descent was handled in the Jinki:Extend anime, -"I hate the world, and I want to destroy it because my best friend and mentor stole the woman, who I have a crushed on, away from me."

Seriously, that latter's excuse was the corniest, campiest, and most worn out to factor the course of Kokushous' actions.

[Shinji103]

Personally, I actually found Ralph's "bad guy-ization" to be believeable considering the circumstances.

Originally Posted by Guido

I know it is cheesy, but I personally think Ralph's drive to change to the dark side was reasonable and believable, way better in comparison to how Kokushou's descent was handled in the Jinki:Extend anime, -"I hate the world, and I want to destroy it because my best friend and mentor stole the woman, who I have a crushed on, away from me."

Seriously, that latter's excuse was the corniest, campiest, and most worn out to factor the course of Kokushous' actions.

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH, you just reminded me of one of, if not the, biggest reasons the J:E anime failed to animate the manga properly. >.>

EDIT: Guido, you must be a god of fortune or something. Right after you remind me of one of the most horrible points of the J:E anime, I go to take a look at Tsunashima's diary page....and he has reported that he has received more than 10 mails offering to pick up the J:E manga! Yes, this rant edit is off-topic, but I just couldn't help but mention that because of the fitting-ness of it.

(geez, I'm so wound up now )

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH, you just reminded me of one of, if not the, biggest reasons the J:E anime failed to animate the manga properly. >.>

(geez, I'm so wound up now )

There There....There There.

[Deathkillz]

Originally Posted by Guido

In my opinion, Ralph's descent to madness was both misguided and miscarried. He went on taking hasty assumptions and brash decisions, but obviosly if anyone experienced what Ralph went through from the Emily that in itself would be enough to lose your mind or breaking down.

exactally basically the girl that he saved has mind hax into ralph's head and shattered his soul into tiny tiny pieces ~ brainwashing?

[Guppy]

Well, what a ride.

Spoiler for ep. 13:

I thought Soukou no Strain ended very well. Like the rest of the series, it's not revolutionary or groundbreaking - just very nicely focused and executed.

I'm glad they decided not to kill anybody else off just to make a point. This final episode belonged to Sara and Ralph, and that's what we got. Simple, effective closure. The little touches were great to see, from Jesse's gentle smile and Lavinia's blown kiss as the catapult elevated into position for the last launch all the way through to Sara's soft sobs as she came down from her furious emotional high to confront the reality that she had, unavoidably, killed her beloved brother.

However long it's been for the others at the end, it's good to see some things don't change - a mere hundred years clearly isn't anywhere near long enough for Lavinia to get over Sara.

And am I the only one who thinks it's a shame that Jessie gave up her trademark hairstyle? The new one looks fine and all, but somehow it's just... not... Jessie.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

exactally basically the girl that he saved has mind hax into ralph's head and shattered his soul into tiny tiny pieces ~ brainwashing?

Damn loli's! Taking down perfectly good men with their brainwashing and manipulative ways.

[physics223]

I hope I understand Japanese. Being in my state, so far, however, I simply have to wait. :'(

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

exactally basically the girl that he saved has mind hax into ralph's head and shattered his soul into tiny tiny pieces ~ brainwashing?

Loli brainwashing has been around forever we just keep falling for the cuteness and getting our minds wiped. Not this time no i will swear i will remember what that little girl did to Ralph.

Its been a long time since i agreed with a character who has turned to the darkside. Im not saying what Ralph has done is completely right. But all the people he has killed have been military personal if iv not mistaken. I sympathize with him, i dont know what actions i would have taken if i found out the truth as he did. Being a human the race that tortured and used these being as experiments he feels responsible cant hate the guy for that. When i saw him cough up blood in episode 11 I instantly thought that the cause of his illness was the result of the last alien opening her gate. Im sure the human body was not made for that type of travel it must have inflicted bodily harm on him which would go right along with the mental

[Guppy]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

But all the people he has killed have been military personal if iv not mistaken.

It's true that signing up to be a soldier means that you've accepted the risk of death. But that doesn't automatically make it okay for someone to kill you.

If Ralph was, say, gunning for the researchers who'd dissected doll-Emily or the top brass who gave the order, so that the aliens could live in peace, then that would be one thing. If the Union military opposed him and he had to kill some of them, he could at least attempt to justify that in the name of his cause. But it's clear by the end that what he would like is to inflict collective punishment on the entire human species for the suffering of the Emilies, which occurred generations ago. To answer one atrocity with another is morally indefensible, even more so when you're taking revenge not on those who committed the original wrong, but on their children and grandchildren.

I do feel sympathy for Ralph, but not for his viewpoint. Sara had the right idea. Sometimes there's nothing else you can do.

[neverlife]

It is war what du you expext ? rules? If I am not mistaken if so much as one soldieer is in a city you can go ahead an nuke the city. And what about the lowering of the enemy moral by a little terror bombing hmm I think all out war means no rules!!

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by neverlife

It is war what du you expext ? rules? If I am not mistaken if so much as one soldieer is in a city you can go ahead an nuke the city.

Errrr.......I am quite certain that human beings are not so stupid as to see any gain in nuking a city with one enemy soldier in it....and that's not even considering the insane public backlash of doing using a nuke to take out a city with one soldier in it....the guys who use the nuke would either be incredibly stupid or just plain evil, literally.

And yes there are, to a certain extent, rules of war.

[Flame-X]

umm hello? what about that lost pendant?

[ccardoso]

I don't understand why the main focus of the interesting in Emilies is their capability to communicate immediately no matter where they are and not the warp gate itself.
I mean that thing is able to connect two points in the universe no matter how far they are: it's teletrasportation, which is more important than instant communication by far...

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Clamp-X

umm hello? what about that lost pendant?

Gone.

Spoiler for ep 13:

Never found. Ralph had a similar one that he lost near the end, too, like he had already lost (in the explosion of the Deague ship) the rolled-up paper Sara had given him when he left so long ago. I wonder what that paper was? In any case, these are all symbols of connections between them being lost. I think.

[Tiberium Wolf]

Originally Posted by ccardoso

I don't understand why the main focus of the interesting in Emilies is their capability to communicate immediately no matter where they are and not the warp gate itself.
I mean that thing is able to connect two points in the universe no matter how far they are: it's teletrasportation, which is more important than instant communication by far...

I dont think anyone besides the ppl Sarah told about it knows about the warp gate. I suppose the research ppl in that asteroid all died when that warp gate opened for the alien ship.

[neverlife]

So the show ended. I still think the Union Bastards got of too ligthly. You dont just start expermenting on people by youself, there have to be a framework and a willingnes to do it. What I mean is that it could not have been taken place whitout somebody higher up approval. You dont do it unless you are Nazi bastards and/or about to loose a war.
It is interesting to note that they have not won the war, even thought they received at huge tech boost ( the strains) it suggests that the Deauge was winning anyway. the nearest thing that comes to mind is the Nazi-germany in WW2 they developed Jets, missiles, helicopters, and tanks that was years ahead of anyone else, but they stille did not have the ressourses to win.