(L) Shangri-La

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

Oh and I would like to say, dammn, Ryoko changes outfits fast! Her wardrobe rivals Momoko's in terms of size too.

I've been keeping count, and believe me, Momoko has changed wardrobe a hell of a lot more then Ryoko.

[klare]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

I've been keeping count, and believe me, Momoko has changed wardrobe a hell of a lot more then Ryoko.

u have special taste

just watched eps 13 to 16 in one shot!

and wow 13 and 14 have some Last Exile feel, but after that back to the normal Shangri-La way

i feel Kuniko is too harsh on asking her grandma to leave...

[npal]

Ep 16 was a bit wtf O_o It doesn't seem to want to pull any punches.

[wandering-dreamer]

Originally Posted by klare

i feel Kuniko is too harsh on asking her grandma to leave...

Same here, I have a feeling that her granny would answer a lot more questions now that Kuniko has found out about her connection to Atlas. It just seems like a silly thing to do, Momoko even said that the creation of Atlas was a good thing, if this doesn't bite Kuniko in the butt I will be annoyed.

[npal]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

*snip*, if this doesn't bite Kuniko in the butt *snip*

Ah... the images...

[KiryuuKazumanosuke]

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i feel Kuniko is too harsh on asking her grandma to leave...

Yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense, especially since I can construct a half-dozen perfectly plausible scenarios for why the first leader of Atlas would be running a dedicated resistance group (She feels the construction delays are artificial, and that the process is being slowed down out of apathy or greed, for instance. Or maybe she's not down with the human sacrifice thing. Maybe she an Talshian had a falling-out and she left out of spite. Maybe she was punted out by Ryoko in a coup. Etc. etc.)

My guess? Lousy writing. There's some part of the story as to why Nagiko left that's a plot reveal, and if Kuniko knew it now it would mess up the way the author laid things out in his head; or her presence in Duomo/Near Kuniko would mess something up. So he has Kuniko throw a fit and kick her out for no real reason. I'll freely admit this is just a guess, though.

What I want to know is why Momoko spoils Kuniko so bad. ("You just tried to commit suicide and take me with you? That's just fine!") I've got two guesses here: one is that she knows Kuniko's gonna have to die or end up like Mi-Ko at some point, and wants her to enjoy her life up until then, and two, she realizes how badly Kuniko is being manipulated and used by everybody around her, and wants to be the one person who just lets her do what she wants.

Be curious to see what the people who like the show think, though.

[wandering-dreamer]

Originally Posted by KiryuuKazumanosuke

Yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense, especially since I can construct a half-dozen perfectly plausible scenarios for why the first leader of Atlas would be running a dedicated resistance group (She feels the construction delays are artificial, and that the process is being slowed down out of apathy or greed, for instance. Or maybe she's not down with the human sacrifice thing. Maybe she an Talshian had a falling-out and she left out of spite. Maybe she was punted out by Ryoko in a coup. Etc. etc.)

I thought it was just another case of irrational teenaged behavior so it's a moot point as to whether it's bad writing or something else.

[thundrakkon]

Kuniko bannishing her grandma made absolutely no sense, with no rhyme or reason to it. If anything has a plausible explanation for it, I would love to hear it. If anything, asking her grandmother for reasons and explanations make a lot more sense, before bannishing the grandma for... umm... her former affiliations to an enemy entity that she now strongly opposes to.

If it is an emotional reason, then emotionally, most people would want to know why, not umm... let's not find out why and continue to be in the dark about why I am so angry.

Anyway, no Karin this episode. Does anyone know what the Digma project is about, and does Karin have any affiliations to it, besides the fact that she looks like Kuniko and Mukini?

[KiryuuKazumanosuke]

Anyway, no Karin this episode. Does anyone know what the Digma project is about, and does Karin have any affiliations to it, besides the fact that she looks like Kuniko and Mukini?

Digma is the identification that Ryoko and her cohorts use to refer to the "Chosen Ones" who will "inherit Atlas". What this means at this point is still pretty vague. Karin's relationship to them is also unknown at this point.

[thundrakkon]

Originally Posted by KiryuuKazumanosuke

Digma is the identification that Ryoko and her cohorts use to refer to the "Chosen Ones" who will "inherit Atlas". What this means at this point is still pretty vague. Karin's relationship to them is also unknown at this point.

Thanks. Although, now it gets a little confusing. Ryoko antagonizes Kuniko, almost wants to kill Mukini this episode, and does not care about Kunihito, since he is #3. If they are to inherit Atlas, then why the heck do you almost alienate them?

Maybe Ryoko wants to kill them and take things for herself?

[iczelion74]

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

Kuniko bannishing her grandma made absolutely no sense, with no rhyme or reason to it. If anything has a plausible explanation for it, I would love to hear it.

The best I can think of its that she banished her "back" to Atlas. Since Atlas is the good life, Kuniko wanted her grandmother to go there but knew she never would of her own free will. So shes using this excuse to force her to go back. In this sense Kuniko is freeing her from her burdens and responsibilities in Doumo, to live a free life in Atlas. That's the best I can think of at least.

Anyway, no Karin this episode. Does anyone know what the Digma project is about, and does Karin have any affiliations to it, besides the fact that she looks like Kuniko and Mukini?

Several episodes ago Karin was shown to be included in the same computer file as all the Digmas, so I think shes definitely related somehow. It seems the Digmas are the true successors to atlas.

[KiryuuKazumanosuke]

The best I can think of its that she banished her "back" to Atlas. Since Atlas is the good life, Kuniko wanted her grandmother to go there but knew she never would of her own free will. So shes using this excuse to force her to go back. In this sense Kuniko is freeing her from her burdens and responsibilities in Doumo, to live a free life in Atlas. That's the best I can think of at least.

There's absolutely nothing in the anime to support this theory. I'm sticking with "lousy writing". When a character behaves in a way no human would ever, ever behave, then it's lousy writing.

[npal]

Originally Posted by KiryuuKazumanosuke

There's absolutely nothing in the anime to support this theory. I'm sticking with "lousy writing". When a character behaves in a way no human would ever, ever behave, then it's lousy writing.

You can also call it being too young, too inexperienced, too emo. Kuniko hardly ever makes informed decisions when her emotions are concerned, she's a character who errs. I wouldn't call it lousy writing. I expect Shangri-la to at least leave me content, if not impressed, so I'll wait and see what happens.

[iczelion74]

Originally Posted by npal

You can also call it being too young, too inexperienced, too emo. Kuniko hardly ever makes informed decisions when her emotions are concerned, she's a character who errs. I wouldn't call it lousy writing. I expect Shangri-la to at least leave me content, if not impressed, so I'll wait and see what happens.

I think it may actually show her being mature and decisive for once, even cold in a military sense. To the people of Doumo this information would obviously be quite devastating. Lets look at Takehiko for example. When he found out the truth about Houjo he left Metal Age, went rouge and is now ready to assassinate Kuniko. Houjo's betrayal is obviously not a small thing to Metal age and the people of Doumo.

Imagine if you will, if you have been fighting against the Nazi's for years upon years and then you find out your leader helped Hitler found the 3rd Reich. This would be devastating news. Kuniko has just made a very tough decision to sacrifice one person for the greater good of Metal Age and Doumo. That's actually the sign of an mature well trained, but cold, military leader.

[npal]

Originally Posted by iczelion74

I think it may actually show her being mature and decisive for once, even cold in a military sense. To the people of Doumo this information would obviously be quite devastating. Lets look at Takehiko for example. When he found out the truth about Houjo he left Metal Age, went rouge and is now ready to assassinate Kuniko. Houjo's betrayal is obviously not a small thing to Metal age and the people of Doumo.

Imagine if you will, if you have been fighting against the Nazi's for years upon years and then you find out your leader helped Hitler found the 3rd Reich. This would be devastating news. Kuniko has just made a very tough decision to sacrifice one person for the greater good of Metal Age and Doumo. That's actually the sign of an mature well trained, but cold, military leader.

Still doesn't make much sense. A person converted with knowledge about how thing work on the other side is valuable. You either risk betrayal in hopes of knowledge, concealing the sensitive info or send him away. Based on how much Kuniko does NOT know, the better decision was not the one she took and she seems to have taken it on the fly, which discredits it even more. It's generally a sound decision but in this case it wasn't the best one. Kuniko doesn't have the commodity to be left without info at this point.

[wandering-dreamer]

I think that npal and iczellion both have good points from the opposing view points. On the one hand, it would be better if granny stuck around so people could learn more about Atlas from her. On the other hand, people are emotional and emotional people are dangerous. All of Dumo could be thrown into a panic and destroy itself at this news. Actually, maybe whoever showed Kuniko that image hoped for the destruction of Dumo and Metal Age, which appears to be the biggest resistance group and threat to Atlas.

[BBOvenGuy]

Kuniko banishing granny makes perfect sense to me. When the news gets out that granny used to be in charge of Atlas, it will create doubt and fear among the people of Metal Age. Kuniko needs to show the people that she puts them first, even above her own family. Otherwise, she won't be able to lead them.

And I think granny understood that too, which is why she left so willingly.

[Bordix]

Spoiler for 17:

As much as I enjoyed Karin's frustrations and the wanted signage, My only problem with the episode is Kusanagi's popping out of nowhere, then suddenly disappearing after wards, and Atlas lax way in handling the AAA's

[KiryuuKazumanosuke]

Not to defend a stupid show, but I can kinda buy this. (Atlas not keeping a closer eye on the AAAs). Ryoko herself is a huge believer in "destiny", to the point that she'll point a gun to her own head and pull the trigger. Somebody like that is probably going to figure that the chosen one, whichever one it turns out to be, is gonna survive to the point of being chosen, since that's what's destined to happen. From her perspective, the chosen one is invincible, since they can't die until they've been chosen, so why should she do anything?

[drobertbaker]

KARIN IN SUNGLASSES! Moe Moe - Kyuuuuun!
She was my favorite before. Now I am in love!


Instead of being a helpless fugitive on the run, Karin is back on top. Due to her business acumen, she did buy Akhiba after all, in her own name. Take note kids, that's called diversification. So Karin's back in business.

We finally saw Karin's lips while teddy Purin was talking. HER LIPS WERE NOT MOVING.

When she's talking about the triple A kids, what does she mean "It's bait to make the commoners think they can come up to Atlas."?

Without human sacrifices Atlas will oscillate and collapse. Takehiko's sister was sacrificed to Lord Hiruko. Now that he discovered that, he is determined to destroy Atlas in revenge. Atlas requires that all three digma survive, so Takehiko tries to kill Kuniko to destroy Atlas. Takehiko was the Atlas guardian of Digma 2. Sayoko is assigned to Mikuni. Who is assigned to Kunihito?

More mass death this week, even Mikuni got another one.

"I don't know what I believe anymore."

"Recruiting servitors especially honest ones."

I really enjoyed the art this week. It seemed better than usual, some wonderful face shots. I believe that Kuniko even had extra pink overtones in her eyes.

But the queen is My Girl: