[wissenschaft]

@EroKing thanks for filling this thread will awesome fanart. I got my new avatar from one of your posts. Wow, I haven't changed avatars since Madoka Magica. Thats about 7 years ago. You'll always be in my heart, Mami. Well. As much as a fictional girl can be. lol

So I couldn't help myself and caught up with the anime with subs. The more I watch this show the more I realize that despite all the crazy anime tropes involved, in the background is a very dark dystopian future. A somewhat subtle reflection of what its liked to live under a totalitarian regime. The kids in this show live in a futuristic north korea. Watching these kids is like watching interviews from escapees from north korea. Its disturbing how thoroughly their society is brainwashed. Literally, even their thoughts and memories are policed, rewritten and controlled. Its like watching a North Korean family that thinks this is just how life is, alls right in the world. Really puts a chill down your spine. Its even worst too since these are kids and the audience knows more about whats going on, even through guessing, than the kids.

Nine alpha's speech about how humanity had been perfected by removing useless stuff like gender and emotion was especially disturbing. Without any of that, are we really human anymore? Now we know APE's goal is pretty standard since Eva. Get rid of their bodies and ascend to some higher state of being. But without our biology, which is where our gender and emotions come from, are we really human anymore? As Ikuno pointed out, as terrible as unrequited love can be, stripping yourself of gender or painful emotions would eliminate what makes you who you are. Suffering (and overcoming it) is a natural part of being a human. Are we really human anymore without suffering? Wouldn't some mythical utopia that removes all suffering also strip us of our humanity?

Furthermore, its quite horrid that APE denys humans the ability to reproduce. Talk about violating the most basic human right anyone has. The scene with Kokoro crying in Mitsuru arms, asking why aren't they allowed to have children was pretty heartbreaking.

Some great character moments as well. Ichigo consoling Ikuno, recognizing her own suffering in her teammate. They may never be lovers but that must be a big weight off Ikuno shoulders. Learning to get over over a hopeless crush is part of growing up. Futoshi wanting to be priest for the wedding. He might not be quite over his crush but he wanted to give his blessing the couple regardless. That was quite sweet. Mitsuru finally being able to drop his tough guy act, become friends with Hiro again and find love only to have his memories altered is just cruel emotional roller coaster. damn this show. Death Flags with signs the childern are aging. Miku's hair gaining a bit of grey. Oh god. Somebody tell me this anime isn't headed for a Tomino ending? I'm going to both heartbroken and pissed off if it does. Whether I can accept it depends on how well written it is but for theres still hope for a happy ending.

Finally Zero Two, wow. Watch this show has shown so many different aspects of this girl. She really does steal the show. The early episodes show her prideful, distant, filled with confidence that bleed into arrogant, and a disdain for human life. Mid way through the show shes let into squad 13 and starts to open up some. But she still doesn't understand what it means to socialize with humans. She butts heads with squad 13 as stands part with Hiro for the most part. She then starts to change into more a monster which changes her mood deeply. She becomes cold and distant even to Hiro. She still doesn't quite trust him to tell him how she feels and what she fears. This is all resolved quite neatly with episode 15.

Now, we see an entirely different side of Zero Two, like shes a different girl entirely. She cheerful, playful, gets along with and makes friends with the other girls in the squad. Its like she finally is a human girl. She finally able to sit down with Hiro and tell him what shes wanted to say to him back when she was a little demon girl that couldn't speak. Indecently, this is also a death flag. lol

God, how many death flags does this show go through?

Edit: Oh yeah, Nana and Hachi got some development at last. As many guessed, both of them were former pilots that went through re-indoctrination. What interesting is that while Hachi claims to have no emotion, he still feels an urge to comfort the childern and yet knows he can't. Or not as well as Nana could. It was quite sad to see Nana cureled up in her pirision cell. I hope she gets out. This whole reveal was clearly meant to parrarel with what happens with Kokoro and Mitsuru.

Anyway, in short, I think this show has a lot more depth than most people give it credit for.