(L) Mardock Scramble Film Trilogy

[Reckoner]

I hope the second movie delves a bit more into the world and character development than the last one that pretty much clumsily fell over the finish line in its ending stretch in a march into senseless gore and action. Definitely enjoyed the first half of the film more than the second half.

[Kazu-kun]

Great movie, but way too short (64 minutes). That's like half the first one IIRC.

[SQA]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Great movie, but way too short (64 minutes). That's like half the first one IIRC.

It's 3 parts. 3rd movie out in Japanese theaters soon.

[TinyRedLeaf]

My first impression (or more accurately, my second impression, since I watched the movie nearly a year ago at Anime Festival Asia) is that it's basically a faithful reproduction of the source material (which shouldn't be surprising as the author himself was responsible for the screenplay). As for why it is so short, well, that is inevitable, as a major chunk of the second novel was made up of lengthy conversations, particularly the debate between Professor Faceman and Boiled Dimsdale. That section alone would have been dreary to animate. It's unfortunate, because it was a fairly powerful exchange of ideas, of purposeful living versus nihilism. I'll get around to putting up an extract if I have the time.

That aside, the showdown between Balot and Bell Wing works a lot better in animation than in prose. (Bell Wing is an amazing character, by the way.)

Some things you can animate, other things you can't. That's the key reason I'm always leery of fans' rabid need for "faithful" adaptations.

I suppose the one thing that is somewhat lost in the screenplay is Balot's gradual but perceptible emotional development. In this chapter, Balot transforms from a metaphorical foetus (hence "Balot") into someone taking active responsibility for her actions. The symbolic idea is that she has hatched from her shell (both metaphorical and emotional) and is now on her way to becoming an adult.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by SQA

It's 3 parts. 3rd movie out in Japanese theaters soon.

Yeah, but my point is that the firt part was a lot longer than this one.

[Haak]

Episode 2.

FLYING SHARKS!!!!

The way Bell Wing and Balot played off one another was really good. I enjoyed that a lot.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Great movie, but way too short (64 minutes). That's like half the first one IIRC.

Nah the runtime of the first movie was 69 minutes.

I liked what I saw,the scene where Balot visits Oeufcoque at the begining really hit me but it really wasn't until we started getting into the casino part that I started to really enjoy the movie.

Still this was a pretty low key affair,I'm hoping for more action in the next movie.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Better than the first movie for sure. The first movie kinda derailed off into pointless gore in the second half and had that killer of a cliffhanger.

This movie had a bit of that at the start, but the main crux of this second movie was at the Casino. Good to have Balut and Oeufcoque back again. Seriously these two are a awesome duo and is what make this triology. Loved the intellectual debate between Balot and Bell Wing whilst giving us glorious eye candy in the form of Roulette. Seriously where the f*** did GoHands come from and where did they get the money to do this? I'm seriously going to be watching "K" next season because of the visuals.

Anyways, despite nothing "epic" happening I appreciate the buildup since it was fantastic. I'll give it a solid 8/10. Can't wait for the final movie.

[Cosmic Eagle]

I swear...the third film could be the most beautifully made anime this year...

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

I swear...the third film could be the most beautifully made anime this year...

The only anime that was more impressive than this visually in recent times is Redline. And maaaybe Hoshi Wo ou Kodomo.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

My first impression (or more accurately, my second impression, since I watched the movie nearly a year ago at Anime Festival Asia) is that it's basically a faithful reproduction of the source material (which shouldn't be surprising as the author himself was responsible for the screenplay). As for why it is so short, well, that is inevitable, as a major chunk of the second novel was made up of lengthy conversations, particularly the debate between Professor Faceman and Boiled Dimsdale. That section alone would have been dreary to animate. It's unfortunate, because it was a fairly powerful exchange of ideas, of purposeful living versus nihilism. I'll get around to putting up an extract if I have the time.

That aside, the showdown between Balot and Bell Wing works a lot better in animation than in prose. (Bell Wing is an amazing character, by the way.)

Some things you can animate, other things you can't. That's the key reason I'm always leery of fans' rabid need for "faithful" adaptations.

I suppose the one thing that is somewhat lost in the screenplay is Balot's gradual but perceptible emotional development. In this chapter, Balot transforms from a metaphorical foetus (hence "Balot") into someone taking active responsibility for her actions. The symbolic idea is that she has hatched from her shell (both metaphorical and emotional) and is now on her way to becoming an adult.

Just wondering....do you read Mardock Fragments?

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Just wondering....do you read Mardock Fragments?

Nope. Never heard of it until you mentioned it. Has it been translated into English?

Here's some trivia that inevitably got lost in the film adaptation:

• Oeufcoque left Paradise when he acquired "intimations of his mortality". A mouse apparently keeps growing until it is literally crushed by its own mass. Oeufcoque is a genetically altered mouse, but he retains his natural metabolism. His constantly growing mass is a metaphor for his growing knowledge.
• According to Dr Easter, Oeufcoque is currently the size of a pillow. Oeufcoque is apparently capable of spread his mass across multiple dimensions. That's why he is "semi-immortal". Unless an opponent finds some way to literally destroy Oeufcoque's body matter in all dimensions at the same time, the hardy mouse just wouldn't die. He'd still be crushed eventually by his own mass, though.
• Although it's never mentioned, but I suppose the above explains how Oeufcoque generates ammunition whenever he "turns" into a firearm. He literally shoots fragments of his accumulated mass.
• The metallic fibres used to create Balot's new skin were first tried out on Boiled. They're grafted into his master hand. That means Boiled is able, like Balot, to snarc electrical gadgets, but only to a very limited extent. It's not just because the technology was still experimental when it was implanted in Boiled, but also because Boiled does not possess Balot's level of aptitude and affinity with the fibres.

[Cosmic Eagle]

No. It's being sold in Kino under the Hayakawa section. It's a short story collection.

[gopackgo]

wow this is the second best animation i have ever seen in an anime behind Redline of course

[Cosmic Eagle]

And so Mardock Third Exhaust has been out for sometime now in Japan...

Anyone seen yet by any chance?

[TinyRedLeaf]

In the latest case of science imitating art:

Stanford scientists create self-healing plastic skin

Palo Alto (Nov 15, 2012): Researchers in California have developed a synthetic version of skin that is flexible, electrically conductive, and self-healing.

The scientists published their findings in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

There has been a small boom in the last decade in the development of epidermal electronics, thin and flexible circuits that can be attached to skin or provide skin-like touch sensitivity to prosthetic limbs.

The new material is made with a polymer, a plastic-like material, that has atoms of nickel embedded inside. The polymer gives the skin its self-healing ability, because the polymer's molecules are able to connect to one another again after the polymer is cut. It is also slightly flexible — a bit stiffer than saltwater taffy.

Meanwhile, the nickel atoms infuse the skin with a sense of touch because they are able to conduct electricity. When someone presses or twists the skin, it changes the distance between the nickel atoms and alters the electricity flow between the atoms. In the future, a computer program could interpret that altered electrical flow as touches.

The new skin is sensitive enough to detect the pressure of a handshake, said the first author of the paper, Mr Benjamin Tee, a doctorate student of the Bao Research Group at Stanford University.

SCITECHDAILY, LIVESCIENCE

Yup, that's Balot's skin they're developing. Pretty neat.

[cuzsal]

cant find any news on the Bluray for part 3

[Cosmic Eagle]

I'd say by May latest perhaps...

[Ingram]

Finally!?!?

Early news on #3... WTK posts to a few forums, but his post on AoDVD/Mania has preliminary info showing a 25 Sept. release. ¥8925 for the BD.

Not much else known at this point, apparently.

[Cosmic Eagle]

My god, that is...very very long wait...