Coming back to Melbourne from Singapore after a 3 week break can be a little disorientating. After all, Singapore seems familiar but new. My core remains there with parents, relatives and long-standing friends for decades, and yet I don’t know the place well because I am, in theory, a visitor. My residence now points to an obscure little room in a South Eastern suburb in Victoria, where I am expiring day after day by myself with some friends and no relatives in the country.
It’s strange.
Anyway, being away from the people and noise means I can now turn my attention back to A.NI.ME. And that means a belated check on what titles to choose for the current season. I remember briefly what caught my fancy after reading the helpful synopsis from Random Curiosity, but it doesn’t mean I can recollect effortlessly. Sigh. The perils of aging.
So, since last season had been an orgasmic feast of titles, I have quietly chosen 2 series to follow this time. And in an unprecedented gesture of faith, I downloaded 4 of their episodes respectively in one swift movement. Yes, most of us prefer to hmm and haww after one episode. “Should we give it more time? Maybe the 2nd episode will rock? Can’t stand the illustration!” etc etc. Well, I decided I’d regret after the 4th.
And regret I didn’t! That’s a relief, hey?
Fractale (フラクタル)
The character designs initially spelt boring to me. It’s not in a bad way, it just felt bland. Well, only for the first few seconds really, truly. I forgot about it as I was already eager to find out about the world that Clain (a variation of Cain, not?) lived in. You just knew the introduction was all about showing us the current social structure that Clain’s world was in, and how it would be a big FAIL. Doppels as your parents are not cool. Perhaps to some, yes. At my age and for my parents? Well, no thanks. Flawed as my parents are, I think they’re best in the flesh. It may not be a bad idea to be handled ‘pocket money’ from some big ass govt in the sky though. Hmmm, food for thought.
Loved the technology illustration and the crispness of it all. I’m easily impressed with fancy lights and effects. Enjoyed how Clain just effortlessly switched platforms and moved things with his fingers, so Minority Report-ish. I don’t need anything more original, I’m happy with that concept already! In some way, I’m hoping I can live to see such technology commercialized for the man on the street, and in another way, I’m already mourning for the dearth of all things simple, manual and rustic.
You probably think I’ll be great friends with Clain, yes? Him with his obsession with antiques (which are probably the products of our current era). No, I’m not a crazed fan like him, but I think on some level, all of us feel an affinity to something of the past. Why not? We all have our histories, ne?
Phryne (such names must drive these seiyuus mad, really) is our token enigmatic character. She seems to be the key to everything propping the world up in Fractale, and yet is shown as a betrayer to that world and its super welfare-friendly system. Did you guys see how cool that music app was at the caravan park? Anyway, she will be someone to look out for.
Nessa is one of those characters who is bubbly, cheery, and will most likely hold a vast amount of outbursts which will surprise the viewers, well, especially Clain. We all see that coming, yes? He’ll take her for granted until he gets a taste of his own medicine, haha. I’m curious as to what powers she is hiding under her miko attire. It’ll probably be breathtaking and spectacular when she unleashes her true self/potential. Please don’t self-destruct though. I’m getting tragic flashbacks from Xenosaga.
Clain. Well, our boy is the protagonist in this show right? Although his insistence on being hostile towards the Lost Millennium may look childish and unreasonable, remember that he IS only a boy. Unless you’ve been through truly difficult circumstances (failing a test or harvesting a pimple before a ball does NOT count), I guess it’s only polite that we reserve all our initial comments towards his attitude problem. I mean, he hasn’t really lost a limb from living with the doppels of his parents, who incidentally are listening to the weaknesses of their flesh and happily letting go of troublesome things like, oh I don’t know, responsibility? Life still goes on there in Fractale world, until you question … THE MATRIX.
Oops, wrong show.
I can, on some level, empathize with Clain. We never really know what’s better for us until we taste it. Some people seem to be borned with an insatiable appetite for adventure, change and risk. I’m not one of those guys, and I don’t think that necessarily makes me inferior. I know it’s awesome in anime world to be ‘chosen’ to do things – be paired with a dragon/warrior/priestess/etc and set off to carve your name in legacy, but in reality, I don’t think I’m arsed to do it. I don’t want to run around and I don’t want to give up all my material possessions. Sure, I’d suffered a horrifying accident, struggled to survive in a huge dramatic way and lived to tell the tale, but it doesn’t translate to me relinquishing my humanity, shaving my hair and enrolling into a nunnery.
What am I on about? Oh boy.
I felt an initial irk towards Clain when he was going on and on about the seemingly nice people in the Lost Millennium, but again, who can probably guarantee that they won’t feel this way initially? You had a pretty ok life until it got all screwed up and then you witnessed people being murdered before you. Nothing makes sense anymore, and that’s pretty frightening.
Phryne intrigues me because she is still being kept out of the viewers’ radar. What is she thinking of? Who is Nessa really? How integral is Phryne’s existence to the system in Fractale? It seems like without her, everything will crumble. And when did she begin to harbour thoughts of rebellion against the system which seemingly needed her? All very appetizing questions which will keep me watching, most probably until the end.
GOSICK -ゴシック-
In all honesty, the title should earn a medal of some sort, shouldn’t it? Go Sick. Even in Singlish, we don’t put these 2 words together. Maybe it means something in a language somewhere, so I’ll just drop the subject.
I had no intention to watch this when I was perusing this season’s selections some time back. I have no interest in loli culture, and it’s as simple as that really. Just doesn’t pique my curiousity, doesn’t whet my appetite, doesn’t do anything to me. But when I read the overall impressions on Random Curiosity after the 4th episode was released, I had to reel in my initial thoughts and pondered about it for a while.
Conclusion: Well then, why not? ‘No interest’ does not translate into hate, right?
And guess what, I like it! Yes, as forewarned, it’s predictable and doesn’t really spring in much surprises. The designs are pleasant – nothing refreshing or totally knock-you-off-your-socks-kind. They’re nice to look at, and for lolis, they usually look like that, so I have no further comments. This loli is a super mature one solving the most gruesome crimes, and she is also a wagamama hime who screams and kicks Kujo whenever she wants to (and actually isn’t annoying when she does that … how did that happen!??). Of course, who can forget the most important component – she has a secret history! *gasp* Folks, we have the formula to a cliché story, and yet GOSICK is still attractive to me!
I reckon it’s the mystery-solving aspect that has really gotten me hooked. I like how Victorique (not Victorikaaaa!) solves these crimes with such a keen eye and a straight-laced face. Yes, on that loli face. Loli face with a Holmes pipe, mind you. What an interesting contradiction. Also, the component of tying crimes to well-believed ghost stories, myths and urban tales are things which we do hear about in real life too. The human aspect of fear, making mistakes, the emotions of revenge and love are all true and living. It propels people to do things which they cannot imagine. I feel sorry for Victorique since she must have lived her life estranged from people, reading their faces and body languages meticulously like books. And well, I guess thankfully, she meets Kujo early in her life, so she won’t turn out to be as dysfunctional as she could be, haha!
I’ll be following the pair’s antics with much glee, and hopefully they’ll depart from the formula of ‘Kujo-Victorique-Avril’ dynamics because that would be … a little disappointing, although not lethal. For some reason, doesn’t that remind you of Hayate no Gotoku … anyone?
Ah yes, how can I forget? I love that ED by Komine Lisa – Resuscitated Hope. What an apt name for the nature of this series. I enjoy most of the songs she’d lent her voice to, and this one is of no exception. There’s something nice about the music, especially in the beginning when it has a grand feel to it, something like James Bond. And the melody isn’t all too predictable, which always makes me listen twice. And that’s a good thing. I’m definitely keeping a Sauron eye for the release of this single.
