2009-02-10, 16:44 | Link #1261 | |
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Actually, I think Crusader gives way too much credit to Kawamori + gang regarding Ranka's character development and their "social commentary". I'm of the position that the production team simply screwed up by boxing themselves in with a loli moe-blob character in a fairly mature storyline environment and then dropping the ball by not developing said character sufficiently enough. You can only shake your head in wonderment at how much screen time was devoted to Ranka throughout the show and how the scriptwriters squandered it leaving us with a stagnant character. |
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2009-02-10, 16:54 | Link #1262 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Age: 48
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It would be pretty ironic if Kawamori and crew didnīt even intend it and would still manage to produce such an impressive result. In this case Iīd have more ammunition for my case that we have gotten a Sheryl X Alto ending, because if Kawamori can screw up such an important character arc as Rankas, it is pretty clear that he easily could have screwed up his wonderful polygamic triangle dream ending, too.
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2009-02-10, 17:54 | Link #1263 |
Mad Scientist #0000
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Just rewached some scene at ep 20...tough she didn't speak Ranka was worried about Nanase when she got injured...It was not a simple daze of terror she hesitated and tought about how to help her...perhaps it's an anime(tough an exellent one) so the character's facial expressions maybe misleading but i think that's the case.
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2009-02-10, 18:10 | Link #1264 | |
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She didnīt call out her name, Luca did. She didnīt say one word about her. When she was pulled away from the scene by Alto, all she could think about was how warm Altos hand was and about Brera. And she did not mention Nanase by name even one more time. During the whole four episodes left after ep 21. If that isnīt a complete failure of empathy, then I donīt know what else constitutes it.
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2009-02-10, 18:20 | Link #1265 | |
Alto x Ranka :)
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: New York City
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2009-02-10, 18:29 | Link #1266 | |
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Actually, I just remembered that she left a letter for Nanase before leaving. So that exonerates her a bit, although I would have expected a bit more for her best friend over the next four episodes. Oh, well... I guess when they let go Nanases voice actor, she kinda fell off the board for the creators of the series, too. Still not the best portrayal of best friends for Rankas side. Although from Nanases side it was maybe a bit unhealthily yuri.
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2009-02-10, 18:54 | Link #1267 | |
Catholic = Cat addiction?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: MURICA!!
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Then I think of Ruri Hoshino of Nadesico. She been through a lot more shit than Ranka probably ever will, but she coped with it because she knew hardship and reality won't go away just because you ignore them! - Tak
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2009-02-10, 18:57 | Link #1268 | |
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Yeah, yeah, loli, moe, etc. ... but she never had the "ZOMG, SAVE ME!" type of uselessness Ranka never got rid of. Permanent damsel in distress was not her type of character.
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2009-02-10, 19:13 | Link #1269 | |
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One of the great ironies of Frontier is that Nanase was suppose to be Ranka's best friend and her greatest supporter. In truth, Nanase actions are overshadowed by those of GARby, Alto, and Beara. As a support charcter, Nanase failed to bring depth to Ranka's character by association and most definintly made no contributions to Ranka's growth and development. The irony of it all is that Sheryl ends up being Ranka's most significant supporter and is one of the two catalysts that forces Ranka's growth. Nanase's only significant role in Frontier was to become a vegetable which caused our little shota Luca to grow into something of a man. Other than that Nanase really served no purpose in Frontier. |
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2009-02-10, 19:32 | Link #1271 |
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Gah, I hated Nanase. In fact, I disliked her way more than Ranka. I was very glad she became a vegetable for those last couple of episodes. I can't blame Ranka for forgetting her. lol.
Though in all seriousness I do think people are being a bit harsh with Ranka as far as the Nanase thing goes.
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2009-02-10, 19:43 | Link #1272 |
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I don' t think that Ranka has forgotten her but more her memories of her past and her gaga emotions for Alto are planned to overshade the last episodes. The evidence that she still entrusts to Nanase is the letter she left behind.
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2009-02-10, 19:46 | Link #1273 | |
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As far as being harsh on Ranka... if this had been an isolated incident, I could also go with her being in shock, etc. But the problem we got with that, is that this was only one sympton of a larger pattern of callous behaviour on part of Ranka. In her myopic focus on Alto, she tossed aside her adoptive brother, Nanase, Sheryl, and the people of Frontier who were counting on her. When Ranka didnīt got what she wanted, her inability to overcome her hurt feelings resulted in thousands of deaths. And when the time came to (wo)man up to what had happened and at least try to bring some solace to the survivors of the Vajra attack, she chose to run away as far as possible from it. Not to forget that she actually tried to get Alto to run off with her, weakening Frontiers defense even further, knowing fully well that Brera already was waiting to help her. And let us not fail to acknowledge that a confession at knife point isnīt exactly the height of romance. Some people will say that she was only a teenager, how could she be expected to cope with all this pressure, etc. Well, laa dee da, teenager, shmeenager. Alto, Sheryl, Luca and Michael are more or less one year older than her, they cope perfectly fine. This excuse therefore is dismissed and lacks merit.
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2009-02-10, 19:55 | Link #1275 | |
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At this point I can only shake my head that we are all viewing characters from an adult view not accepting all different types of teenage / childs behaviors.
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2009-02-10, 20:02 | Link #1276 | |
Catholic = Cat addiction?
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I see uncooperative teenagers on a daily basis, I don't feel like enduring the existence another one in a fictional show that I love. - Tak
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2009-02-10, 20:03 | Link #1277 | |
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The crucial difference, though, is that the SMS crew went off on a fact-finding mission to collect information on Grace and her plans. They had a plan beyond "I will bring Ai-kun back on a complete suicide mission, in the hopes that my singing will pacify the Vajra enough to not kill me". Iīm not saying that the plan of the SMS crew was super-good, but much better than Rankas.
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2009-02-10, 20:32 | Link #1278 | |||
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- Unravel her past which came up through the situations with the Vajra while singing in front of them - "Hope" to end war between human and vajra in her own way as she has the power to influence them If you want to have a quote which is more important than reason one moreover reason two. That she brings Ai kun back is a best decision as she already has a connection to the Vajra homeplanet.
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2009-02-10, 20:33 | Link #1279 | |
Alto x Ranka :)
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: New York City
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To be honest, I don't see how you can blame Ranka for not being able to overcome her emotions. After Sheryl slapped her, Ranka tried to get a hold of herself and did try to tame the Vajra, but how can you blame her for the song having the opposite affect? Seriously, you know that emotions wouldn't be emotions if we could control them. Emotions are based off reactions to situations, so Ranka was unable to tame the Vajra because of the emotions she felt at that moment. For example, when you get angry what do you do? You either go blow off some steam or you wait to calm down, well Ranka had no time to calm herself down and was swayed by the present situation. It's not like she intended to anger the Vajra. Ranka's running away is the result of fear because she had no idea what her singing would do this time around, she sings and then another hoard of Vajra come attacking Frontier. She was afraid of her own power, hence her phrase of "Why me?" Another thing that should be cleared up is that Ranka did not know that Brera would show up, or why would Brera ask her "What is it you desire?" (somewhere along those lines.) Brera was proven to be a stalker and he's constantly stalking Ranka to protect her if need be, and that's why he showed up. Oh but Brera was already in the VF when Ranka confessed so it wasn't at knife point Ranka's character isn't the greatest and I agree it could have been portrayed a hell of a lot better but it's not as bad as some make it out to be. |
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2009-02-10, 20:37 | Link #1280 |
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Dex-kun, the point magnus and the other are arguing is they they defend the point that Ranka could have reduced the casualties because she has the power and therefore the responsibilities for the complete fleet. A point which I really don't share as she is not "mature" enough to that time of the series. But this is where I am talking against walls here.
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