I really must say, that despite the rocky start Shangri-La is quite possibly turning into one of my favourite series this season. If it wasn’t for the likes of Phantom and Konnichiwa Anne, I’d be sure of it. As messy as the beginning episodes were, as solidly everything is coming together at the moment. It just shows how series can completely change for the better as they go on.
I think what sets this show apart is that for this season, it has managed to find the best combination between a complex multi-layered and epic plot, great aesthetics and audio and a very varied and coloured cast of characters, and yet it doesn’t drag or go too fast. I really hope that this can continue on in its second half. It relies a bit too much on coincidences at times, but it’s really nothing serious to get in the way of what’s really important. It’s not necessarily the best at one front, it may have some rough edges, but when combining everything together the picture really makes for a top-notch series.
This episode again had lots of revelations. Indeed, Mikuni is not unique: Kunihito and Kuniko posses the same power that she does. This is why Ryouko was so interested in her, and why she had Kunihito’s personal data blocked (it’s also a nice touch that all three of them have “Kuni” in their names). I’m really going to wonder what kind of impact that’s going to have on Mikuni: she obviously of the three of them is the easiest to manipulate, but there has to be another reason as to why Ryouko is so interested in Kuniko: if she can already read Atlas through Mikuni, then why does she need all three of them?
This episode also marks the end of Sayoko, as she gets arrested from trying to hack in the Atlas server in order to try and find out this information. This means that Miiko is going to have to take care of Mikuni. And speaking of Miiko, it’s great to see how far she’s already developed: now that she doesn’t have Momoko anymore and instead is going to be the one who needs to protect, she’s proven to be a really strong and dependant character, and ended up saving Momoko that way.
For Kuniko, it’s also good to see that she didn’t choose to become the leader of the Metal-age just to save Momoko, but instead because she really doesn’t agree with Atlas’ principles. She even says in this episode that the mission that they’re going to undertake has the priority above saving Momoko (but of course, it never gets to the point for them to save her because she already escaped on her own).
Oh, and Karin was downright adorable in this episode. Especially when she ran into Kuniko, who recognized her from the time she accidentally hacked into Karin’s server. Seeing her shopping and walking around in a bear-suit was just awesome.
And on a side-note: it’s interesting how the names of Atlas are all related to Greek mythology: we have Atlas as the main organization, Zeus as their main server, then there’s Medusa as their oracle. The names don’t really relate to the stories that their mythological figures had, but then again, I don’t think that such an obvious level of symbolism is needed anyway.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Lots of stuff happened again in this building-up episode.
i severely hate ryoko and her spineless ervants. i hope she gets killed off soon, same to her se
Just seen the episode, and I freakin’ love it xD
if she can already read Atlas through Mikuni, then why does she need all three of them?
=== maybe has something to do with errr . . .whatever she’s plotting, all three should be complete. okayz, that was a vague idea . .
I admire Kuniko for making such a tough decision that has nothing to do with emo-ness xD
I really like the mythological references *_*
Some plot conjecture follows:
Well, the three known Digmas are:
Mikuni (Digma-1) – The Moon
Kuniko (Digma-2) – The Sun
Kunihito (Digma-3) – The Land
I’m guessing Karin is also one of the Digmas, possibly Digma-4 (The Sky?), although we haven’t seen her ceremonial dagger yet. She has visions of the first prototype Digma (Digma-0), who claims to be her and all the Digmas came from the Atlas facility so I’m guessing all the Digmas are from some special bloodlines needed for some mystical ceremony. Karin may be an Atlas generated clone, a later version of Digma-0.
Well..food for thought anyway.
I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Sayoko …
Glad to see someone else suspecting Karin to be a Digma. Now if we only knew what a Digma actually is. ^_^;;
Complex multi-layered plot?
I’m sorry in what way is this complex or multi-layered?
On one hand we have a completely erroneous Carbon trading system, then we have the Digmas, then Atlas. There are no side stories or multiple elements or anything. This isn’t even playing out on a global scale, epic indeed!? in reality we’re still stuck in Tokyo or DouDou or Akihabara.
Ryouko doesn’t have a clear agenda
Atlas doesn’t have a clear agenda what exactly is its purpose?
Kuniko doesn’t have a clear agenda
Digma’s don’t seem to care or know who the F they are. What grand design are we heading to? Not even a clue there.
The world they inhabit is as plausible and fleshed out as cardboard cutout.
It also doesn’t bode well the fact that 12 episodes in nothing really seems to be happening.
“Despite the rocky start”
This show never left a rocky start, its mired in its own pomposity its become a piece of modern art with no meaning. Utterly worthless.
Regarding the Greek mythology names, ever think the reason why they’re not related to their namesakes in because the writers have no clue about Greek Mythology.
As for the episode what was the point of eliminating the survivors? Let me show you how evil Ryouko is? meh.
Surely you’d have to eliminate the hospital staff etc etc etc. Pointless.
As we only know of two small settlements, what does it matter if they’re resettled anyway or not? (‘.w.’)
The BLASE decision to take over Atlas, no recon or anything, no gravity of the situation – its all about not letting someone get away with saying a couple of words. Even looking for weapons is degraded to the act for shopping for otaku trinkets.
Although maybe we’d get some real action albeit the cheap manner in which it will be used as a vehicle to propel the story forward.
Kuniko what a great inspirational leader, what exactly were her qualifications again? Oh yes because the writers say so.
Anyone else notice the PEDOBEAR reference at 14:50?
http://www.pedobear.org/2.html
30 million hours to “hack” Zeus, what 3,500 years better worry then LMAO
– * for crapfest.