(L) Innocent Venus

[Skane]

Originally Posted by sevenheaven7

who is the main character between the two man?Jin or the other?

Judging from the OP, both Jin and Jo are main characters, along with Sana.

[Blizzer]

Ep2 was entertaining
we got to see phantom in action and the vice-leader
theres gonna be a lot of blood when they cross paths with Jo and Jin
tho Jo and Jin cud never lose

I thought the hyper hurricanes were just a reason to make it post-apocalyptic but the hyper hurricanes may tie in with the story.
If I had to make a guess about the hurricanes:
Im thinking military weapon's expirement maybe involving Sana
then it goes wrong and they get the hyper hurricanes.

[uruchai]

hmm...

some parts, the middle in particular, were quite slow and a bit dragging. but it's understandable because it's only the 2nd ep. I love the OP/ED sequence and I think both songs complement the series.

I'm mostly interested in Jo's character simply because I love the silent, deadly guys in anime Jin, on the other hand, seems like the good-guy-next-door as evident of how Sana is comfortable around him than with Jo.

it's too early for me to proclaim my love for this show but I think it'll be one of those series I will hang on to even if the plot gets too dramatic, gloomy and dragging. anyway, it's only 12/13 eps, right?

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by uruchai

Jin, on the other hand, seems like the good-guy-next-door as evident of how Sana is comfortable around him than with Jo.

Well, he seems to be a good-guy-next-door type, but that mask he wears in the opening suggests otherwise. Also there's an interview with the director on the official site in which he says

Spoiler:

Jin may look balanced but he's actually far from it, and that he's very envious and jealous of Jou, for some reason. (And the director says there's, ahem, one more thing he may feel toward Jou... err, apparently there's more to Jin than it seems... )

Btw yes, the series will be 12 episodes.

[Necroticism]

Originally Posted by Orchunter226

Those guys who stormed the party were so odd. At first I thought they were there to kill some leader, or were rebels or something. But it turns out they were there to thwart that rebels plan and protect that guy. Was quite odd how they did it, but whatever it worked out for them.

Spoiler:

Yep. The scene with the weird guy smelling gunpowder and finding the last terrorist was really good and unexpected.

What impressed me the most about this first episode were those great action scenes: fast, dynamic, good animations, great direction. And a lot of blood on top of it! they'll probably drop the pace in the next episodes, but it's alright as long as they keep this quality level.
About the story, so far it seems just a bunch of cliches with well drawn but little interesting charachters, I hope to see some better plot ideas in episode 2. Downloading right now...

[uruchai]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

Well, he seems to be a good-guy-next-door type, but that mask he wears in the opening suggests otherwise. Also there's an interview with the director on the official site in which he says

Spoiler:

Jin may look balanced but he's actually far from it, and that he's very envious and jealous of Jou, for some reason. (And the director says there's, ahem, one more thing he may feel toward Jou... err, apparently there's more to Jin than it seems... )

Btw yes, the series will be 12 episodes.

hmm... that makes a lot of sense. usually, one should be quite wary of people like Jin. behind that kind-looking face might reside a very aggressive and wild persona. at least with the likes of Jo, we know he's silent but deadly.

I should check that official site more often; though it wouldnt make a difference because I dont understand/read Japanese

[Skane]

Originally Posted by Necroticism

Spoiler:

Yep. The scene with the weird guy smelling gunpowder and finding the last terrorist was really good and unexpected.

Actually, I am under the impression that-

Spoiler for Episode 01:

- he accidentally killed a civilian. I am judging this based on the post-mission dialogue between the squad leader and the card-guy, where the squad leader lectures him about the need to differentiate between terrorists and civilians.

It is not too hard to believe that the man was a civilian, as Derringers( the pop-out gun he had) are not quite a terrorist's weapon of choice.

As for Jin, so far he is making a good impression on me. I would not be surprised if he becomes an antagonist, but I hope he does not become a full-fledged villian, because that would make me sad, and probably Sana too.

Cheers.

[Skane]

Originally Posted by uruchai

hmm... that makes a lot of sense. usually, one should be quite wary of people like Jin. behind that kind-looking face might reside a very aggressive and wild persona. at least with the likes of Jo, we know he's silent but deadly.

I should check that official site more often; though it wouldnt make a difference because I dont understand/read Japanese

Jin already has an aggressive and wild persona. He was the white mecha in the first episode, packing the heavy artillery piece( rapid-fire AP shells and missile launcher).

Understandably, it can be hard to tell them apart, since that action scene was so bloody dark, but if you observe carefully, the mechas have different symbols as well on their left shoulder-blade( their left, not ours').

Jo uses the black mecha, which seems to be more melee oriented.

As a matter of fact... if you were to keep count of on-screen explosions and body deaths, Jin killed more than Jo in the first episode. That part when a soldier got impaled by a mecha on the monitor screen? That mecha was piloted by Jin.

The missile shot that splattered four soldiers? Jin.
The three IFVs that went boom? Jin.
The multiple HWarriors that got shot? Jin.

To mangle a phrase...

"Phear the silent ones."

[Snark]
Maybe Jo was crying after that battle because Jin owned him in terms of frags.
[/Snark]

Cheers.

[Orchunter226]

I bet Jin always beats Jo in Halo, too.

The pirates seem odd. And the Captain looks like he is really into the role, maybe to the point where he is a little TOO into the role. But we'll see :P.

[MetalAlchemist17]

I've only watched 2 so far, but I still don't know how they'll tie everything up in only 12-13 episodes.

[Guido]

I rewatched episode two, and I'm certain to have made a mistake.

Spoiler:

I got confused about the figure on white armor from Sana's memory, and after giving a scrutinous observation to the face I'm certain to be Jin.

So that memory dates back when Sana had her first contact with Jin.

The episode gives a fair share of analysis about Jin, and I conclude this for myself because of his understanding on what the government and military are covering up and addressing his distaste toward them.

Spoiler:

My rundown interpretation goes like this:

- Jin would likely came from a family of Revenus who pass themselves as Logos in order to attain a better standard of living.

- He grew up a privileged life and developing his genius to further progress in his career.

- He made his way into the military attaining a favorable position on the eyes of the top echelions. It would not be surprising for me to learn later on in the series that Jin has deep ties with Leni.
At the time he was employed as a military dog and scientist, he should have had harvested a multitude of relationships including one with Leni.

- Later, Jin started to get distrustful of military management to handle affairs among Logos and Revenus. The top echelions opressing Revenues rights for habitation, citizenship, food, supplies, and civil registries.

- Jin must had seen or find something that the military wanted to keep secret at death of any witnesses. From that point on he's marked a targeted man and breaks all ties with the government, the military, and his former life.

I speculate that at the last stage of his military years Jin must have met Jo and started a bitter enmity among them, which later an unexpected event would have made them both allies and mutually trusting comrades.

From Sana's memory, Jin likely might have met Sana at that time and later took her in as his protegé or foster child.

[kuromitsu]

I liked the pirates. For one moment I was like "uh, is this still the same anime?" But I really like the captain and his costume. He seems like he's having fun being a pirate.

I think it's pretty obvious by now that Gora was right, Jin and Jou are both ex-military and they're on the run because they stole the mecha and kidnapped Sana (though that may have been only Jin, since she first meets Jou in the first episode). Both guys are a little too good at fighting and using weapons and even those apparently super-powerful mecha. (By the way, the symbols on the mechas' shoulder are Jin and Jou's names. I wonder why they felt the need to "sign" their mecha...)

Originally Posted by Guido

My rundown interpretation goes like this:

Well, Jin's character info on the official site says

Spoiler:

that he actually comes from an influential Logos family, but when his politician father suddenly died (was killed, I suppose), he enlisted into PHANTOM. There he met Jou and became friends with him - from the radio drama it seems he won the antisocial Jou over with his skills with weapons (apparently second only to Jou himself) and his friendly personality. He requested to be partnered up with Jou and they've been partners ever since. I wonder why he would be jealous of Jou... I guess we'll find out.

[Guido]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

I liked the pirates. For one moment I was like "uh, is this still the same anime?" But I really like the captain and his costume. He seems like he's having fun being a pirate.

I think it's pretty obvious by now that Gora was right, Jin and Jou are both ex-military and they're on the run because they stole the mecha and kidnapped Sana (though that may have been only Jin, since she first meets Jou in the first episode). Both guys are a little too good at fighting and using weapons and even those apparently super-powerful mecha. (By the way, the symbols on the mechas' shoulder are Jin and Jou's names. I wonder why they felt the need to "sign" their mecha...)

The captain feels to me as if he's a character coming from ONE PIECE. The flamboyant red color of his pirate cowl and hat toppled with his white hakama give me that impression.
But Jin and Jo weren't the only ones with secrets. Gora cynically admits he's with the pirates, then gives away their position.

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

Well, Jin's character info on the official site says

Spoiler:

that he actually comes from an influential Logos family, but when his politician father suddenly died (was killed, I suppose), he enlisted into PHANTOM. There he met Jou and became friends with him - from the radio drama it seems he won the antisocial Jou over with his skills with weapons (apparently second only to Jou himself) and his friendly personality. He requested to be partnered up with Jou and they've been partners ever since. I wonder why he would be jealous of Jou... I guess we'll find out.

It sucks not to be able to read or understand written Japanese (kanji, hiragana, katakana).

Well, maybe he and Jo know too well the 4 members of Phantom's anti-terrorism squad.
And for his father getting killed, it could be possible he was an activist for rights of Revenues or planned to address a confidential matter to the public masses, which made the high bureaucratic chiefs at the top not so happy about it.

[ReSnake]

Just saw the 2nd episode,it was average + I hope they'll get rid of Gora sooner or later 'cuz I can't stand that kid....

[Guido]

The episode establishes the exact circumstances when Jin and Sana met, and like kuromitsu addressed to me, Jin and Jo were former members of the Phantom Anti-Terrorism squad but betrayed their organization.

Spoiler:

From Sana's memory
It happend a few months prior to the start of the main storyline.

A Phantom squad hijacked a first class passenger plane transporting Sana.

Three Phantoms-- Jin, Jo, and unknown one-- managed to infiltrate and kill the escorts. Jin turned against his comrade, the guy wearing the blue Light-Warrior armor, killing him.
Then, delicately approached a traumatized Sana, telling her he came to save her.

Present
Lenny Vikro fills to Maximas Drake, her commander, with pictures taken from the ambush at the underground station (See episode 1) reporting the sighting of Jin Tsurasawa, who they refer to as traitor, and the black Heavy-Warrior.
Drake suspects that Jo must be accompanying Jin along with Venus, so make preparations.

On orders, Lenny dispatches the Phantom Anti-Terrorism Squad to locate the traitor Jin as most likely Venus is in his care. The operation turns to search-destroy the traitors-and safely secure Venus.

I'm predicting those four are going to make mince meat out of most of the pirate force. The pirate boss is a likeable character to me; he's got charisma and a carefree demeanor, but he's quick on his wits and nailed it right that Jin's a former Phantom.

The musical scores encompasses well with the surroundings and nicely fits into the ruin landscapes and doomsday environment.
At some times is depressing, lonely, and grieving, then changes to madness whenever a battle ensues.

I just feel nothing shocking at the brutality of the gore and bloodshed spawned with the massacres. The slaughtering is depicted off-puting, desintesized, matter-of-factly not hinting at any feelings of remorse and regret.
For example, Jo in his Heavy Warrior mowing down to the hordes of Light Warrior soldiers as if were vermin.

Just like some of you I also dislike Gora.

Spoiler:

However, it was just priceless funny that Jo in his Heavy Warrior held him up as a rag doll, flinging from the motion and then throws up.

For Light-Warrior and Heavy Warrior.
The former refers to the cybernetic suits Phantom soldiers wear and enhance their physical abilities.

The latter refers to the mecha that Jo and Jin pilot. They aren't robots but mobile suits, and IMO they stand up to 13-14 ft. in height.

[kuromitsu]

There was also an interesting part that showed the military

Spoiler:

trying to customize a mecha like Jin and Jou's (called Gladiators). It appears that though these mecha are extremely powerful, ordinary soldiers can't use them, only "those monsters in Phantom" which makes me think Phantom soldiers undergo some kind of modification that makes them tougher. The military is worried that Phantom may gain too much power, and so they try to customize the Gladiators for their own needs, without much success.

Anyway, as for what happened to Sana, it seems to me that the plane they were on belonged to the government/military (military government?) and Phantom, who also want Sana for themselves, tried to kidnap her, but Jin kidnapped her for himself. I wonder why she's so important - I'm sure even Jin has plans with her. (That said, I find their relationship really sweet so far. )

I also really like the music and how it's used - sometimes it even has a Kanno-ish feel. And despite the often rather bad CG I really like the technology - it has a touch of reality that's quite rare in anime.

But my favorite part of this episode all involved the captain of the pirate ship, Kouji. I'm sure that he has a serious agenda, but at the same time there's just something about this guy that suggests that he's not taking himself entirely seriously and that he's having fun running around playing pirate. (Also, he's not a good cosplayer - he's wearing his kimono the wrong way, as Sana points out. )

[i0td]

Originally Posted by ReSnake

+ I hope they'll get rid of Gora sooner or later 'cuz I can't stand that kid....

I was annoyed by him since the first episode. His character is not serious enough relative to the rest of the series. Simply put, Gora just doesn't fit. ...but then again after going over the closeup on the pirate ship at the end, I can see the resemblance between Gora and his fellow pirates.

[ReSnake]

Originally Posted by i0td

I was annoyed by him since the first episode. His character is not serious enough relative to the rest of the series. Simply put, Gora just doesn't fit. ...but then again after going over the closeup on the pirate ship at the end, I can see the resemblance between Gora and his fellow pirates.

I just hope they leave Gora with his pirates or just kill him because as you've already said : he doesn't fit with the gang...

[kuromitsu]

Well, apparently his fellow pirates don't want him either... xD

[Zelda1]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

Well, apparently his fellow pirates don't want him either... xD

Shows they've got some sense at least...