Bokurano - Mohiro Kitoh-san's latest manga series

[tsurumaru]

Hmm what are the alien's "Core" exactly? Strange how they are the same no matter how different the alien, some universal part, a power source, a major organ? Or perhaps its something more disturbing like a cockpit.................

[tsurumaru]

Originally Posted by tsurumaru

Hmm what are the alien's "Core" exactly? Strange how they are the same no matter how different the alien, some universal part, a power source, a major organ? Or perhaps its something more disturbing like a cockpit.................

Capture the flag anyone?

(Whoops replied instead of editing DOH!)

[Briareos]

Originally Posted by TronDD

Spoiler for Chapter 7:

So it costs them their lives to defeat the aliens. What's their incentive for fighting? So far they went straight into the fight, since they didn't know the cost. I don't think the aliens have ever targeted innocent people. What would happen if they just hide from it? I guess the conflict will be over how long they can sit and watch the alien do whatever before they decide it's worth dying to stop it.

Spoiler:

There are a lot of possibilities. A darker idea is that the alien threats are simply targeting Zearth, and only attacking because earth has this new super weapon. (That would truly be a horrific twist at the end of the story.)

The psychology of the battles will certainly be different now. Before, the children (partially) thought this whole thing was a game. Now, they not only understand that their actions are saving the world (true or not), but they're also aware that being called to defeat one of these alien monstrosities will cost them their lives. Some of the children may attempt to run from fate, but people do react differently if they know they are going to die.

The unique thing about this "giant robot" story is that every pilot's life is taken (at least I don't think it's been done this way before), which means that the meat of the story will be what happens to these kids psychologically.

Originally Posted by tsurumaru

Hmm what are the alien's "Core" exactly? Strange how they are the same no matter how different the alien, some universal part, a power source, a major organ? Or perhaps its something more disturbing like a cockpit.................

Maybe one of the children will peel it open instead of crushing it, and we'll see the contents.

Spoiler:

Since Zearth was designed by a human scientist who is not from Earth, we can't rule out the possibility that the "monsters" are being piloted by other humans.

EDIT: Some things I missed before -- The fact that...

Spoiler:

...Kokopelli is presumably dead. His last words being his attempt at saying "I'm sorry" to the children. Although I note that Kokopelli and Dung Beetle both react with the same phrase when the kids balk at their names. Also of note is the set of chairs that surround Kokopelli when he is fighting in Zearth. He looks at all of them before he (presumably) dies. They may be the chairs of an original set of pilots, of which Kokopelli is the last. In chapter 6 a girl looks at Takashi Waku's empty chair with the same somber expression that was on Kokopelli's face during his final moments.

I wonder if he was planning on piloting Zearth as an example from the beginning? Only 14 of the children 'signed' the contract, and Kokopelli said that 15 monsters would attack the Earth. He did say that 14 pilots should do.

I'm still turning over the riddle of the few tidbits we 'know' about the 'game'. According to Kokopelli, it is a game. Dung leads us to believe that it is a potentially dangerous game, and that it should not be thought of as a dream. Each time Zearth is operated, the pilot's life is taken. All pilots are simply pawns in the game. Defeating these monsters will save (most of) the population of the Earth.

So, at this point I'm leaning towards the belief that this is some sort of a game (or contest) from the point of view of the person or people responsible for releasing the monsters. If that's the case, the Kokopelli wasn't lying, but rather holding back information. Dung Beetle (whom Kokopelli says should not be trusted) told Kokopelli not to tell the children too much or they might be spooked, but then later berates Kokopelli for leaving out the important "pilot's life is taken" detail. Perhaps this will all turn out to be some sort of virtual reality experience, but I don't think that's the case.

If I had to guess what Dung Beetle is, I'd say he was an amoral imprint of Kokopelli's personality sustained by a computer.

[Spyre]

I find it interesting that the "attacking" monsters have yet to attack anything other than the Zearth robot. Who says they're actually invaders? I mean, the Zearth is always there first and the monster always comes next... I think theres definately more than just "save the world" to this.

I keep thinking of Ender's Game when I read Bokurano...

[Briareos]

Originally Posted by Spyre

I find it interesting that the "attacking" monsters have yet to attack anything other than the Zearth robot. Who says they're actually invaders? I mean, the Zearth is always there first and the monster always comes next... I think theres definately more than just "save the world" to this.

I keep thinking of Ender's Game when I read Bokurano...

I totally agree. I feel like the 'conflict' is partly because of misunderstanding and partly due to lack of information. There's a definite paralell to Ender's Game in that it could all be...

Spoiler:

...essentially a misunderstanding.

[petr]

I keep thinking that all robots are being piloted by ppl...and that this game is just to amuse some big bad evil alien...dunno maybe the "Core" is a cockpit where other ppl sit?

[TronDD]

I'm gonna go with the core = cockpit theory and the pilots = other people theory.

I don't think the other aliens are attacking Earth because they have Zearth, though. But I still don't have any other guess. There has to be a reason Earth is the planet being attacked. If it was some game put on for the ammusement of some higher alien, I'd think they'd have them fight on the various planets of people they have forced into the "game".

We still don't have any indication of what the attacking alien would do if it wins. Will it destroy the Earth? Why doesn't it ever try that instead of focusing on Zearth right away?

[stpehen]

Minor update: Bokurano volume 1 has been ordered for scanning... Our plan is to make the HQ release well worth downloading again by the time it's ready.

The issue with Chapter 8 is out and the chapter itself should be edited soon.

[TronDD]

Awesome, been waiting for another chapter.

[Briareos]

Thank you for all the hard work, time and money spent on this project.

[JLG]

Yo. IRC-ignorant boob here.

I somehow successfully downloaded chapters 1 through 5 from the links provided previously, but now I'm stuck. The link to 6 doesn't work and I don't understand the conversation concerning those problems. And when I downloaded 7, my computer "can't" open it. Won't say anything else.

There's a world of things about this whole business I don't know, and it's hurtin'. Can anyone help me out? Sorry to be a pest.

[tsurumaru]

Originally Posted by JLG

Yo. IRC-ignorant boob here.

I somehow successfully downloaded chapters 1 through 5 from the links provided previously, but now I'm stuck. The link to 6 doesn't work and I don't understand the conversation concerning those problems. And when I downloaded 7, my computer "can't" open it. Won't say anything else.

There's a world of things about this whole business I don't know, and it's hurtin'. Can anyone help me out? Sorry to be a pest.

I'll see if I can sort something out for you JLG, bear with me . BTW Chapter 8's translation is up, Mangascreener appear to be having problems with their FTP at the mo' but hopefully the scanslated chapter should be available soon.

[TronDD]

Chapter 8 is out. I found it on the pnyxtr bot in the channel.

Torrent here for you lazy folks.

I batched up chapters 1-7 and 8 is seperate.

[tsurumaru]

Originally Posted by TronDD

Chapter 8 is out. I found it on the pnyxtr bot in the channel.

Torrent here for you lazy folks.

I batched up chapters 1-7 and 8 is seperate.

Thanks TronDD

Damn Kitoh's good at pulling the heart strings, I really feel for Daiichi, also only guys have been summoned so far.........I'm guessing a girl will be called next........

[TronDD]

Whew, I thought I was the only Bokurano reader left.

Spoiler:

Chapter 8 answered a few questions I had. We know what'll happen if they choose not to fight. Or we know what the kids are told will happen, anyway.

THey laid it right out: either you win the fight and die, or the world is destroyed and you die. Sounds like a fun "game."

I think it'll be interesting to see a girl have to pilot it.

[stpehen]

The 10th installment begins a new character's chapter.

Spoiler for their identity:

It's Mako Nakarai, the fussy and idealistic pony-tailed girl.

[Rion]

Yay... I already wondered why there are so many girls among the 15, but no one called yet.

Chapter 9 was good, like always *g*

[tsurumaru]

Originally Posted by Rion

Yay... I already wondered why there are so many girls among the 15, but no one called yet.

Chapter 9 was good, like always *g*

Yep as Rion says Chapter 9 now available to DL from IRC.

Its so sad!!!

Spoiler:

Poor Futaba and Santa, I think I understand the choice that he made, that without knowing they will never know that he died and thus hope will linger on, however its ironic that as the most dependable one his fate echoes that of his father's.........

Ultimately this manga seems to focus on how different people cope with impending death and the sacrifices that people are capable of...........

I still cant help wishing I could shout "Cheer up you fatalistic fool!" to Kitoh-san, yet however much his own ideology conflicts with my own I still cant fault his storytelling.......

[tsurumaru]

Bumping because the regulars don't seem to have noticed chapter 9's release.

Gomen Gomen.

[TronDD]

I liked the way chapters 8 and 9 told this sub story. Really focused on the human side. Not as much robot fighting (I can do without too much of that).

I'm kinda reminded of the way Wings of Vendemiaire was written. Seperate stories with some connections. This has the same feel. Multiple stories where the robot is the connecting plotline. More connection here than in Wings, but a more definite seperation between subplots than Narutaru.