(L) RDG : Red Data Girl (Viewers waiting for HDTV broadcast)

[relentlessflame]

RDG : Red Data Girl has an unusual broadcast schedule where the show is first shown as an online low-quality web stream, and then airs on regular broadcast TV a few weeks later. A number of viewers have requested to have a please to discuss and speculate about the show without being spoiled about the contents of the episodes aired on the web in advance.

This is an experimental approach that is only being considered for this one case at this time. We recognize that there may be other shows that may also benefit from this arrangement, but we would first like to see how this goes before committing to splitting threads again. (Generally speaking, the staff prefer not to split threads, unless the show gets a sub-forum.)

Anyway, this thread is for discussing anime episodes based on the TV airing schedule, ignoring the pre-airing. For the general RDG thread, please click here. This means that this thread will be roughly two-three weeks behind the other thread, assuming people are watching episodes as they air. If you fall behind on the airing and are not watching "in real time", you are encouraged to use the other thread. After the airing is complete, please note that the two threads may be merged.

SPECIAL RULES/NOTES: Please DO NOT cross-post between the two threads. You may post in both threads, but please make your posts appropriate for the thread in question. Do not post in this thread to link to posts in the other thread. Do not post general information/images in this thread (as it could spoil content that has not yet been shown in the TV airing).

DO NOT POST ANY HINTS OR SPOILERS ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN FUTURE EPISODES IF YOU WATCHED THE PRE-AIRING WEB STREAMS. (If you've already seen the web-streaming episodes, you probably shouldn't post here at all.) As usual, all hints about future content based on source material are forbidden.

[blakstealth]

I wonder who that entity was that assumed direct control over Izumiko. At first, I thought it was Izumiko's mother that entered, but that would've been impossible lol. Also, that Wamiya guy's pretty sketchy. I'm getting weird vibes from him. :0

[DragoonKain3]

I frigging love you relentless, because basically what I did in the other thread was "post n'run"... meaning I'd post my views on the current HDTV episode, but I never read ANY of the posts for fear of being spoiled.

To be honest though? I honestly think we'd get much discussion here, as the original one really didn't have a breakneck speed of posting. But hey, can't hurt to try, and there's a first time for everything.

Originally Posted by blakstealth

I wonder who that entity was that assumed direct control over Izumiko. At first, I thought it was Izumiko's mother that entered, but that would've been impossible lol. Also, that Wamiya guy's pretty sketchy. I'm getting weird vibes from him. :0

Oh Wamiya is like the anti-Miyuki. Whereas Miyuki is all about being mean to Izumiko but is there to protect her in the end, I think Wamiya is all about being nice to Miyuki but he might be the boss of the shadowy figures. XD

[Dop]

Fantastic! Thank you very much relentlessflame, this is a brilliant idea!

I'd watched the first three episodes in low res. as a taster to see if I liked it enough, but then I'd decided to be patient and wait for the HD version of the episodes.

With Seitokai no Ichizon Lv 2 it wasn't a problem reading the regular thread as it's not a story intensive show.

This show is going to be about the story, and so I think being able to discuss HD episodes without being spoiled about episodes not due in HD for weeks is a good thing.

Hopefully as an experiment this will work out!

Anyway, as I said before in the other thread, given the effect Izumiko can have on computers and mobiles, I was surprised they let her on a 'plane and expecting something to go Horribly Wrong at any moment.

Izumiko is going to be the 'last vessel' for whatever it was that possessed her.
Will that be bad for her or for the entity concerned.

[Kanon]

Awesome! It's a bit of a shame to split the community, but there was no way for us to discuss the show in the previous thread.

Originally Posted by blakstealth

I wonder who that entity was that assumed direct control over Izumiko. At first, I thought it was Izumiko's mother that entered, but that would've been impossible lol. Also, that Wamiya guy's pretty sketchy. I'm getting weird vibes from him. :0

I assumed the one who possessed her was a shinto god(dess), though I have no idea which. What she said about Izumiko being her final vessel was very intriguing. I'm delighted the series seems to intend to focus mainly on the supernatural element. I wasn't sure how relevant it would be after watching the first episode. As I said in the other thread, I find that more interesting that then character drama at the moment. Izumiko and Miyuki are not very entertaining to watch.

I agree Wamiya is suspicious as hell. I can't help but think he's involved with one of the groups targeting Izumiko even if he didn't go to Tokyo himself (that alone is odd... he was the only one who stayed behind).

Originally Posted by Dop

Anyway, as I said before in the other thread, given the effect Izumiko can have on computers and mobiles, I was surprised they let her on a 'plane and expecting something to go Horribly Wrong at any moment.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Triple_R]

I'm very glad this thread was created, so thanks to the moderating staff for it. Yes, without a thread like this, it's very doubtful I'd be discussing this show on a week-to-week basis.


As for Episode 2, the show has a great skill at creating a very tense and unpredictable atmosphere. That made Episode 2 a very engaging watch.

My views on the characters are mixed. I love the interpersonal character dynamics. In other words, there's good chemistry between the characters. The personality conflicts between them feel very raw and charged and believable. It adds a lot to the work.

On the other hand, I'm not terribly fond of either of the main characters yet. While I feel sorry for Izumiko, her near-constant displays of frailty, uncertainty, and frankly whininess does hinder her overall likability to me. I hope eventually she starts showing a little more strength.

Miyuki reminds me of many a Gundam ace pilot - He's kinda cool in some ways, but he has this really bratty attitude. Much like I do with Izumiko, I do sympathize with him, but I also hope his personality grows a bit in the episodes to come. I'd say the kid needs a Bright-Slap except getting thrown off a freakin' cliff ought to have been more than enough itself.


In any event, I look forward to Episode 3, good quality version.

[DragoonKain3]

Originally Posted by Dop

Anyway, as I said before in the other thread, given the effect Izumiko can have on computers and mobiles, I was surprised they let her on a 'plane and expecting something to go Horribly Wrong at any moment.

Well, she had no problems with the chopper in eps 1, nor do those big testing equipment at the lab were unaffected. Maybe her powers disrupt small devices, but as it gets bigger it becomes more resistant? Or if she doesn't actively use it (ie. shes not the one flying the plane), the device is fine? I dunno.

[blakstealth]

Originally Posted by Dop

Anyway, as I said before in the other thread, given the effect Izumiko can have on computers and mobiles, I was surprised they let her on a 'plane and expecting something to go Horribly Wrong at any moment.

I guess you can say the same when she boarded the helicopter with Yukimasa in the first ep lol. Luckily, she hasn't blown up that or that commercial plane.

[Julio C]

Now I don't have to be spoiled by accident if I stay here.

[greensoulreaper]

I was hoping for a thread like this for Date A Live, but this is good too.

[FlareKnight]

I was also a bit worried with Izumiko getting on that plane. She was fine on the chopper, but you'd expect to be more cautious with that many people's lives potentially in jeopardy. Maybe there is a scale issue and she has to interact particularly closely to the device she is shorting out.

Interesting development at the end with Izumiko getting apparently possessed. Now Miyuki is really left in a troubling position there. Can leave and get the heck away from his demonic father, but would leave a girl they are apparently willing to hand over to some incorporeal deity. I'd bet at this point he wishes he was a worse person than he is and could just take up that offer.

[Cytrus]

I gave up on discussing RDG knowing every other post would be spoiling stuff ahead, so thank you for this thread.

As for the Izumiko vs plane topic, we know her powers affect cell phones, but not traditional phones, so maybe her hijack is targeted specifically at modern data processing devices? She should be fine aboard a plane as long as you keep her safely away from the pikot's cabin. (But yeah, I was afraid that we'd get a crash annihilating half the cast from the get go there...)

[musouka]

One of the things I found most interesting about episode two was noticing that Izumiko's friends have cute nicknames for one another, but not for her.

This, to me, speaks of a more "acquaintance"-level relationship between them than what first appears. Izumiko is isolated even in school, amongst her peers. It makes me wonder just why she's so determined to continue on to the local high school if her ties aren't that strong. She's just completely terrified of Tokyo to that extent? She really wants to stick it to her dad in a rather passive-aggressive way?

The second episode also had a lot of interesting things to note about Miyuki. He's really just as lost and confused as Izumiko is, but his way of trying to cope with being confused is to get angry, while Izumiko's is to get scared. He honestly didn't know what Izumiko was, why she was so special, or even what his "job" really entailed. The first episode makes it seem like he's powerful, but he's really not. (I'm also curious as to why Izumiko saw his dad as a shadowy figure at first.)

Lastly, damn, that Wamiya kid is sort of creepy...

[Haak]

There is definitely something off about Wamiya, and it's not just the way the show likes to put him in shade.

I'm really glad that they decided to focus on the supernatural stuff since it really is quite engaging. The creepy atmosphere when Miyuki and Izumiko were running away was very well done.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by musouka

One of the things I found most interesting about episode two was noticing that Izumiko's friends have cute nicknames for one another, but not for her.

I agree.

My impression is that Izumiko's friends (those two girls) are nice to her more out of basic altruism/pity than out of any genuine fondness for Izumiko. They feel sorry for her, and so they care about her, and want her time at school to at least be tolerable.

In other words, I think everybody at Izumiko's school views her as a bit of a weirdo - It's just that for some this means she's a good target for bullying, for some this means she's somebody to avoid, and for some this mean she's deserving of concern and sympathy.

This, to me, speaks of a more "acquaintance"-level relationship between them than what first appears. Izumiko is isolated even in school, amongst her peers. It makes me wonder just why she's so determined to continue on to the local high school if her ties aren't that strong.

At least those two girls do in fact stand up for her, and basically help ensure that she's not the victim of frequent bullying. If Izumiko goes to another school, she might not even have "defenders" there. Izumiko's school situation is far from desirable, but at least its "safer" than it could be. Given that Izumiko strikes me as the complete opposite of a risk-taker, I'm not surprised that she'd choose the bleak school she knows over chancing a different one.

[musouka]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

At least those two girls do in fact stand up for her, and basically help ensure that she's not the victim of frequent bullying. If Izumiko goes to another school, she might not even have "defenders" there. Izumiko's school situation is far from desirable, but at least its "safer" than it could be. Given that Izumiko strikes me as the complete opposite of a risk-taker, I'm not surprised that she'd choose the bleak school she knows over chancing a different one.

That's a very good point, and one that muddies the waters in an interesting way. It's admirable that Izumiko found the strength to stand up to what her father wants for her, but her actual reasoning might be less pure. She says she "wants to change", but, if what you say is true, then all she's doing is fighting to keep her life the same and stay in the same "safe" cocoon she's always lived in.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by musouka

That's a very good point, and one that muddies the waters in an interesting way. It's admirable that Izumiko found the strength to stand up to what her father wants for her, but her actual reasoning might be less pure. She says she "wants to change", but, if what you say is true, then all she's doing is fighting to keep her life the same and stay in the same "safe" cocoon she's always lived in.

Thank you.

To be fair, Izumiko isn't a complete coward, or she wouldn't have cut her hair like she did (it's pretty clear she knew how that would bother some of her family members).

I think that Izumiko wants the life of a normal, modern high school Japanese girl. But I don't think that her aims run any higher or more detailed/specific than that, at least not yet. Beyond this, she still wants to "play it safe".

[Cytrus]

The two girls seemed genuinely friendly to me, and we've seen them stick around Izumiko consistently throughout the two episodes, not just a scene or two, so I think it's more than pity/sympathy. If their relationship with Izumiko isn't as deep as with each other, might it not in part be due to Izumiko not opening up to them and having little opportunity to interact with them outside of school?

[blewin]

episode 2 just makes this series darker! a side I didn't expected. Well, that's good though as it adds more suspense and mysterious. Though how one little girl can be desired by the entire world is a bit beyond me....

[TimeSkip]

Originally Posted by blewin

episode 2 just makes this series darker! a side I didn't expected. Well, that's good though as it adds more suspense and mysterious. Though how one little girl can be desired by the entire world is a bit beyond me....

Izumiko is the medium for some sort of god. I guess this god gives prophecies which help people in power make decisions or profit.

A god >>>>> a fortune teller