Suisei no Gargantia [翠星のガルガンティア]

[Vii]

In the distant future a young boy, Ledo, is raised in space knowing nothing but war, until he comes to Earth, a planet whose surface is nearly covered in water, where he witness the sea for the first time.

On the vast seas with an aquamarine glow, people form huge fleets and live a humble, but happy life. Ledo is the only foreigner in this world with foreign customs and language, but he's not alone.

What can he do to make a living here? What should he live for now? His days on this verdurous planet will make him face those questions.

(Synopsis from ANN)

Original Concept: Kazuya Murata and Gen Urobuchi
Director: Kazuya Murata
Series Composition: Gen Urobuchi
Script: Gen Urobuchi + others
Animation: Production IG
*The ANN link also has a bunch of character info and creator quotes so check it out if you're interested*

(I have no idea how to write a discussion thread)

Ｒｅａｄｙ, Ｓｅｔ, Ｄｉｓｃｕｓｓ!

[blkmage]

This is a vast improvement over Psycho-Pass because of the inclusion of SPOILER: Highlight text to read: moe.
Top sources of SPOILER: Highlight text to read: moe in this show so far: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: 1. Chamber, 2. Ledo

[KazeShiki]

Urobuchi Gen's newest work that isn't actually written by Urobuchi Gen!

My favorite of the season, though ep3 was a little dumb. Honestly, it seems like this will work best as SoL so I hope they don't go back to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: space flower tentacles.

[DarkNozomi]

It's really good, but he needs to fight in his suit more.

[goldenspines]

I like this show. I thought it was going to be boring, but it's actually surprising me in a lot of ways.

Though, I'm curious to see how they handle the whole over powered mech (Chamber~) story-wise, since, like, there is no enemy that can stand in his way (unless they are going to pull the whole "Oh, but there are pirates/bad guys who actually have the technology to fight Chamber but haven't been able to get to space yet even." which would be lame unless they did it just right, but whatever).
Will Ledo try to find a way back to where he came from? Will he achieve contact? Will he ever learn to speak their language? (though, I like Chamber's translating, but the little "arigatou" at the end was pretty adorable).

Anyway, still watching and looking forward to each episode.

[Vii]

"Surrender. Surrender. Surrender. Surrender. Surrender."
Chamber so funny. Bonus points for being voiced by Kyon.

I'm thinking that a way back to the Alliance will eventually to present itself to Ledo, but by then he'll have become somewhat attached to Gargantia and want to stay.
I'm also interested in that ocarina-thing Ledo's making. How will it fit into the plot? 0w0

This is probably my favorite show this season, though Shingeki no Kyojin is a close second.

[DarkNozomi]

Though, I'm curious to see how they handle the whole over powered mech (Chamber~) story-wise, since, like, there is no enemy that can stand in his way (unless they are going to pull the whole "Oh, but there are pirates/bad guys who actually have the technology to fight Chamber but haven't been able to get to space yet even." which would be lame unless they did it just right, but whatever).

Noooo I think it's so much cooler when he's way stronger than everyone else... at least, it makes for a better plot. I find that the whole "I'm super-underpowered but somehow keep winning" theme to be way, way overdone. So much more fun when the good guys are the boss.

[GeneD]

"Surrender. Surrender. Surrender. Surrender. Surrender."
Chamber so funny. Bonus points for being voiced by Kyon.

I did not know that, definitely bonus points.

This is probably my favorite show this season, though Shingeki no Kyojin is a close second.

Same, although I am experiencing that irrational thing where you're hesitant to watch/like a show for fear they'll ruin it.

Noooo I think it's so much cooler when he's way stronger than everyone else... at least, it makes for a better plot. I find that the whole "I'm super-underpowered but somehow keep winning" theme to be way, way overdone. So much more fun when the good guys are the boss.

Especially when there's a legitimate reason why and not just because the writer said so.

[blkmage]

This setup can lead to some conflicts with very interesting dynamics, it's just that none of those will have to do with fighting.

[Vii]

Episode 4:

Bebel is a pretty intelligent kid.

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Ledo had a little brother ;_; SO MOE.
I have this bad feeling that something is going to happen to Bebel, like his illness gets worse or he's taken by pirates.

I really liked the collecting rain sequence.

[MangaRocks!]

*insert previous thoughts about the first three ep.'s from the Spring thread here*

Anyway , episode 4:

So much good character stuff here. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I like the fact that they're really taking the time to show how truly bizarre Ledo finds all of this, and how much effort it's going to take for him to understand their way of life. His interactions with Bebel were great, too. And that tiny little flashback/suppressed memory gave some neat insights, as well-- between that memory and Ledo not knowing what a family is, it seems to hint that the soldiers are some sort of clones; and the memory also explained where he got the flute thing from. (Poor kids. )

[blkmage]

The antigrav messing the stacks up was a nice touch.

[DarkNozomi]

Not a single thing happened all episode *cries*

Why doesn't Chamber just fly out of the atmosphere and get his bearings that way? I can't imagine it would be too difficult for him.

[AngelicTotoro]

Just finished episode 4.
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: this might actually be my favorite episode so far, but then again, I still really love episode 2. And we do have 8 episodes left, so...
I hope the show stays with this sort of slice of life vibe it's going with right now, I really like it. I mean I'm sure we'll get some more action with Chamber here and there, but if it stayed like this, with just the characters living out each day and Ledo discovering how they live, I would be a happy panda. (with maaaybe a little romance between Amy and Ledo, just sayin'. )

[spark300c]

I hope they do not have much fan service in it. already the evil queen is dress in inappropriate clothes.

[Vii]

Girls. The one thing Chamber will never understand.

[blkmage]

swimming anime, or ledo and chamber being adorable

[MangaRocks!]

This episode...

[DarkNozomi]

No fighting at all... what's the fun in having an advanced battle suit if you can't use it??

Still, I like the quality of the animation that this studio makes. It's quite colorful.

[blkmage]

they did use chamber though SPOILER: Highlight text to read: for grilling delicious meats (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞

Slightly unrelated: I don't remember if it's been mentioned, but Urobuchi talked about the show and its themes and apparently it's a metaphor for people who are graduating and entering the real world. I suggest watching the latest episode (or maybe all of the episodes) again through that lens.

[GeneD]

No fighting at all... what's the fun in having an advanced battle suit if you can't use it??

I thought that was kind of the point of the episode.

Slightly unrelated: I don't remember if it's been mentioned, but Urobuchi talked about the show and its themes and apparently it's a metaphor for people who are graduating and entering the real world. I suggest watching the latest episode (or maybe all of the episodes) again through that lens.

And apparently also the point of the whole show.

Personally I do hope they stick to the more slice of life stuff.

[spark300c]

Why doesn't Chamber just fly out of the atmosphere and get his bearings that way? I can't imagine it would be too difficult for him.

agreed. I guess since it fighter unit that need a ship to take it place to place. even if he figure where it was chamber has no warp drive as far as we know.

[DarkNozomi]

Okay, I do love this series and all, but I feel it's time to quote the great Anton Chekhov:

If in the first act you have hung a futuristic mecha on the wall, then in the following ones it should be fired repeatedly. Otherwise don't put it there.

I just think that showing us a futuristic machine caliber (that could put a Gundam to shame) and not letting it constantly destroy things is cruel and unusual punishment... But there's still 8 episodes left, so havoc may yet be wreaked ^_^

[Vii]

A lot of smiling Ledo this episode.

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: And theeeeen his alien killing instincts kick back in. How's he gonna mess it up this time, I wonder.

[MangaRocks!]

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ...How's he gonna mess it up this time, I wonder.

^ SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Probably by destroying the treasure in the process, LOL.

Anyway, yeah, this was yet another great episode. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Ledo finally finding something he can do, getting to see that Chamber apparently doesn't really control his power all that well if he has no pilot (hence why there's actually a need for one), more beautiful visuals, and finally the reveal of Hideauze on Earth (which I'd been fully expecting).

Can't wait for next week!

[Vii]

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the reveal of Hideauze on Earth (which I'd been fully expecting).

I was under the impression that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: it was just a large squid/octopus/some sort of cephalopod, and the reason Chamber thought it was a Hideauze is because they'll be revealed to be descended from octopodes or the like (how they got shells, I dunno. Octopus/snail crossbreeding? XD)

It also seemed to be running away at the end, which makes me think it isn't an enemy.

Just speculating. ┐(￣ー￣)┌

[DarkNozomi]

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the reveal of Hideauze on Earth (which I'd been fully expecting).

I was under the impression that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: it was just a large squid/octopus/some sort of cephalopod, and the reason Chamber thought it was a Hideauze is because they'll be revealed to be descended from octopodes or the like (how they got shells, I dunno. Octopus/snail crossbreeding? XD)

It also seemed to be running away at the end, which makes me think it isn't an enemy.

Just speculating. ┐(￣ー￣)┌

Ledo makes hasty assumptions, Chamber not so much...

[Vii]

Angry Ledo is angry.

So ultimately the Whale-Squid and Hideaze are closely related, but not the same. Maybe. I dunno. Whatever.

I'd have a more thoughts, but the episode this week was greatly overshadowed by Attack on Titan's.

[MangaRocks!]

^ Actually, Chamber said that they're indeed identical species-- it's just that the Earth ones are adapted very slightly for water.

Also-- and this is a completely wild piece of conjecture here that just came to me while I was watching-- wouldn't it be a great twist if SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the whole black hole/wormhole deal also made Ledo slip through *time* as well as space, and he's the one who actually started the war? As I said, complete and total speculation, but you have to admit that it's possible (especially when you consider who is writing this particular series, LOL ). In fact, both past *and* future time-travel is theoretically possible, and either could be used here, so Urobuchi-sensei could also go with a traveled-to-the-future route as well. Whether any of that ends up coming true or not, though, I have a far more substantiated feeling that since the Earth Hideauze are the same species as the space ones, and the Earth ones don't do anything at all unless they're attacked first, that means it was the humans who started the whole war anyway (Ledo or not).

[GeneD]

I wonder about this every time it's mentioned and then forget to ask, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: why does he keep wanting to triangulate his position/coordinates? If he knows he's on Earth, shouldn't he also know at least his rough relative position in the solar system/galaxy? Or is it the case that Earth is mostly a myth to the Alliance and they have almost no info on it?

MangaRocks, interesting theory. If he is in the past and the cause of the war, but doesn't start it because he's growing to be a better person or whatnot, there's going to be a paradox that'll need to be resolved somehow. Also, if a war is started, I don't see how the humans could actually survive due to the sheer number of Whale-Squids, or reach their "future" level of technology, even using Chamber as a blue-print.