Whoa, WTF…
Here I thought I had this series figured out, and then it comes with this episode. Looking back, there were indeed a lot of signs foreshadowing that the Selecao system had something supernatural about it, but for someone to be sprouting wings and defy the laws of gravity… I didn’t see that coming. Especially so soon, even though the dog with wings was pretty much an obvious hint for this. This episode seriously added tons of intrigue to the series, and really: I am SO looking forward to that upcoming movie.
That Mr Outisde… I really don’t know what this guy was thinking. It’s of course one thing to pick out individuals that didn’t turn out to be fit for the task of saving the world, but making a mass murderer a Selecao? What the hell was he smoking?! As it turns out, she cuts off the Johnnies of the hopeless men in society because she has some deep-seeded grudge against males for some sort of reason.
And really, the Saki Running scene really has to be the best animated scene of the season so far. Her movement is really life-like, and for once no corners are cut in a running-scene at all. And I must say that the creators have really succeeded making Saki a part of the storyline, and making her important for Akira even though she has nothing to do with the Selecao. The kidnapped guy didn’t even turn out to be Oosugi, it was just one misunderstanding. Though that does beg the question how the guy got Oosugi’s bag and where the real Oosugi ended up. My guess is that his bag got stolen and he had no way to get back home.
It’s also interesting that Number 11 is really planning to defy the system. What seemed like an absolute truth at first may turn out to be rather vague; either that or she really believes Akira to be the supporter and that made her confident enough to just ditch her cell phone. But really: she knows Number one. If she does, then why didn’t she know that he was the supporter? I mean, if she calls him on a regular basis, she must have expected something, no?
I also wonder, the number 20000 just keeps returning, doesn’t it? With your given budget, you can kill 20000 people, Akira chose 20000 NEETs to send to Dubai, Number 11 has cut off 20000 Johnnies by now. I wonder if it’s another sort of foreshadowing, or whether it’s simply a nice coincidence that the creators wanted to insert.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
Some of the best animation this season, and really an episode where things start coming together.
Its not supernatural, though it is absurd, just look at the cellphone for your explanation as to what transpired ^^
Watch a subbed version. There’s an explanation behind the wings.
Also, the 20,000 cut-off Johnnies thing is pure in-canon internet speculation. It’s highly likely the internet/masses simply associated the disappearance of 20,000 people in Japan to the murders.
Pay attention to the phone! The lift, wings, and flight was an illusion (you know, like David Copperfield stuff). So nothing supernatural there.
Illusion – BS – it’s still bad writing. The writers of this show are going the same route that the writers of Paranoia Agent went, and that means BS piled upon BS.
@David: I know right T_T Juiz is simply too absurd, while I think episode 2 already highlighted that it goes to new extremes with this episode. I don’t know I like this show since its not too slice of life that its boring, rather its like that of Kurenai its a slice of life of a very interesting life, however… Juiz is just too much of an out-and-out fantasy that doesn’t necessarily jive that well with a show that as you praised, and I think is a valid praise, for being meticulous with everyday modern detail of our time that leave the show well grounded. Juiz though… well I think it does detract from the show when it goes to these types of stunts.
On a sidenote psgels erm… are you sure you wanna stick with the supernatural theory, since its kinda jumping the gun on that one XD.
Personally, I like this. The entire concept of Juiz is likely a highly advanced AI that’s integrated into the government’s infrastructure. The fact that it seemed to have power beyond Japan implies that it’s an international organization (the story probably takes place in Japan for research ease?), I’m wondering if the ultimate goal is to attempt to blur the lines of sovereignty, if they haven’t already (remember that the story started in a different country, there has to be meaning in that, or not). Hard to say at this point, though.
As far as the special effects go, could be worse. It’s certainly no Dragon Ball Z. As far as the speed that Juiz works: data manipulation is child’s play if the access is given, and as far as their money goes, if the world that future represents is based off of ours at all, it might be part of the information game, all smoke and mirrors (maybe like the recent stunt).
Also, it might just be me, but I do not believe that number 11 (Kuroha) left her phone behind.
If you noticed, Akira’s theme is orange, her theme is purple. Each number can view the purchases of all other Selecao.
She complained about the price in the elevator, she bought the hotel back from him, and commented wondering where the extra (nearly 200 million) went.
At the end his phone was viewing her purchase history, as to why that was open on her history, it was probably the last thing his phone had visible, since they were actively watching one another’s actions.
Also, it’s strange, can their phones have two calls at once, or is Juiz a special function of the phone? Saki was listening to his call, and as he knocked through the door he was talking to Juiz, but Saki’s phone was still connected.
I don’t think the issue is the concept of the AI integration ALA Big Brother, like so many paranoia thrillers, what does prove somewhat distasteful is how certain tasks are carried out in such an absurd manner (like this case).
Anyways at least with this episode Saki is getting segued into the game, at first she was quite detached so when the story came to focus on her and Akira it usually excluded the game. On a side note with the focus on Shiratori I can’t help but wonder how the other Selecao are. I wonder if there will be a focus on another Selecao after Shiratori.
LOL Her running surprised me how good it was too!!!!
BTW the ending song looks intriguing…why was those “missile” pencils reaping the paper?…Sounds like another missile attack to japan.
@Julian
Take a look at the Japanese logo–“Higashi” has a missile hidden within too. I’d only assume that Careless Monday and another missile attack are going to be a part of it.
you know how kuroha used an “illusion” device to grow her wings and fly?
what if she used that illusion device to change osugi’s face to another man and just say that it’s not him so they’d stop chasing after her?
it’d be TOO MUCH of a coincidence that the rapist had the SAME bag and just HAPPENED to be stolen by the johnny killer, when in previous episodes it was clear that kuroha and oosugi made contact. and it’d be TOO MUCH of a coincidence that the rapist uploaded the photos to the SAME WEBSITE that osugi used with pictures of all of osugi’s stuff. That’d be too much of a coincidence between ‘the rapist’ and osugi.
lawl… am i making any sense lol…
not really
if it really was ohusgi he wouldve texted his friends. the whole ‘too embarassed thing’ is lame and dumb.
and the illusion kinda makes sense..i mean you could hear a helicopter carrying them away and its not entirely implausible that there was an invisibly thin cord holding them onto the copter. i mean, it did cost quite a bit of cash, so it makes sense that its realistic. but i can’t think of a way in which she could replicate ohsugi’s face with something else. the rapist story also fits in with her whole being raped as a child thing.
The wing stuff, illusion or not, it was so amazing *_*
I love this episode, it’s so awesome! *_*
Am I the only thinks that no one really cared about Oosugi? I mean, yeah, they wanted to find him and all that jazz, but that’s it. Even Saki cared more about Akira than her friend? For me it seemed that she only (conveniently) remembered about Oosugi when the Johnny killer lifted the supposed victim. Fuck, she didn’t even react when they thought he might get killed.
I raged. And I’ll rage again. Nice guys never have a chance, right?
Who knows, what if that guy was Ohsugi and not some random rapist? I mean, she pulled off that illusion of the wings – who’s to say that she didn’t change his face in the illusion she paid for as well? I’m not sure but it’s plausible.
Am I the only one that was shock that Akira was about to kiss and show that psycho women his “johnny love” before he passed out? after he just freely gave a kiss to cheer up Saki in the previous epidsoe?
I think that from the beginning victim was Oosugi, but after Akira fell unconscious she could switch Ohsugi with other man and prepare for magic show.
The wings were just illusion, I actually believed they were real! Great episode indeed!
Too much stuff left to be answered, too many Seleção haven’t appeared yet… Season 2 with movie as recap of the first half? It’s Production I.G., they did this to Ghost in the Shell: SAC.
Akira is the man. How could you not show her some good lovin’? For the sake of any future innocent Johnnys she may take.
And with regards to Dave’s comment that this may go to the madness of Paranoia Agent, I doubt that. Even so, arent both this and Paranoia Agent better productions than 90% of the merch-selling cookie cutter anime of the past 4 years.
Excuse me as I must go back to the Bebop again *whistles Andy-style*