May22
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet – 07
Red is determined to hug the hell out of every giant whalesquid he finds!
 On a whim, I started Fairy Tail this weekend. 8 eps later, I just had to drop the damn thing, cause that animation was crap. And no, I’m not gonna read the manga… anyways, indeed, we’re here to talk about a difference of opinion between Red and the Gargantia fleet. |
 Sad but true Jrow you are probably better off without Fairy tail! I wish it was better, but anyway welcome back listeners to more Gargantia here on Metanorn! I am really excited to find out more about the whalesquid that was mentioned last time, but I just want something to happen besides random moments of fanservice…this time Sumairii joins us on our mini talk! |
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:51 — 21.2MB)
Extra Gargantia fun
Whalesquid-“LET ME GO YOU KRACKEN FOOL! De geso!”
Angry Amy is kind of cute <3
I support this so damn much.
Amy x Red cause moe heart attacks.
EXTRA SERVICE
Preview
Great ending artwork
More hnnnggg attacks next week?
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
JRow,you’re missing out on the FT manga is all I’m saying.😀My take on the whole whalesquid issue that the Gargantians see whalesquids as creatures both to be held in awe and to live with in peaceful coexistence, like a noble beast. And yeah, I agree that Red’s not to blame for its appearance – he’s only been on Earth for a few months and the whalesquid’s existence has been so that sailors have long had it in their superstitious beliefs.
I think that while it’s the same species he’s been fighting, the ones on Earth are probably just the “non-lethal unless provoked” type, while the ones in space are evolved to be more aggressive. (In fact the ones in space could also have been peaceful once, but provoked by human attacks. Still, how did they get to space…?) Still, Red’s going to hunt them down because no one’s given him a good explanation and because this is the very thing he’s been raised to do. It’s sad that the whalesquids not hurting them after Fairlock’s move didn’t make him question his belief though. Maybe we’ll see more introspection on that next episode.
And with the Amy x Red thing, they really took several steps back. It’s made way sadder that Red’s not only leaving Gargantia to fulfill his mission in life, he’s also literally taking Gargantia’s defenses with him, breaking up the once united community. I suppose this is how the pirates are coming back into the story again (if they still are). Hope the situation doesn’t get too pear-shaped.
As for Fairlock’s heart attack, we kinda saw this one coming from when he was talking about Ridget being his successor and with his checkup earlier in the ep. I just didn’t think it would be so soon. I hope he doesn’t die, at least not right away. This is a good opportunity for us to see Ridget’s character develop though. Also, the Pinion-Flange-Red alliance is bound to go haywire (their individual goals isn’t the best combo in the long run), but I think we can trust Pinion to side with Red after a while. He’s been shown to be fond of Red in his own way.
In any case, I for one am glad that the futuristic island slice-of-life thing that Gargantia had for a while is at an end. This is the first time in weeks that I’m truly looking forward to the next episode.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I think Pinion is as fond of Red as he is any meal-ticket.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 154 comments
Sounds about right. I really was kind of hoping Red would have a mind of his own. As a soldier I know his duty is to kill the enemy no matter what, but I had hoped that after he found out they actually lived on Earth that he would question if they were primitive or non-aggressive and then observe them to see if they are a threat. His first response to them is definitely understandable, but to outright declare war on all of them is a little much. I suppose it is possible (or more than likely) that Red has been so trained to see them as an enemy and a threat that he feels he has to kill every single one to keep the fleet safe….Still overreacting in my opinion though.
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
I did actually read the first 30-some chapters of the manga before the anime had been announced. I put the manga down around that time just in anticipation of it becoming an anime in the future, but also, as the One Piece nutjob that I am, I just found Fairy Tail to be derivative enough of OP to go, “I don’t think I need to watch the same show twice.”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Well, this show got serious in hurry. To serious, like over reactionary.
But, I do like the highlight to change in the status quo. That always makes for drama; whether or not it’s going to be good remains to be seen. But with the set up in this episode, from Red’s derpiness (I think the writers misunderstood his character, he should be far more patient after seeing the pod pass under without incident), to the hamfisted heart attack set up.
But they’ve been painting in rather broad swathes the entire show, I shouldn’t be surprised.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
He’s too battle hardened by the Alliance to consider any kind of patience which is something I think a soldier should value as his greatest weapon. And that gives a reputation for being rash. Had he been more patient in regarding how to deal with the pirates, that mass retaliation would have been avoided and would have been nothing but a minor incident.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Realistically, he is tied by orders to a chain of command. I would imagine his training does include what to do in isolation, but I cannot imagine that he doesn’t receive additional trainging in level headed threat assessment. The guy is going off half cocked, assuming that two points making a straight line is a pattern.
But then, this is the sort of broad swathes I was referencing..
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Honestly I think both sides are right and wrong in this, but I have to side mostly with Red. He’s a soldier and has always known that. All this was was an impromptu shore leave really, and in the end he knows its his duty. He’s not the type to go AWOL. He realizes everyday that his fellow soldiers, his fellow humans are dying up there. And he scolds the Gargantians for not even taking the time to understand, nor to even care about their brethren who are dying at the hands of the “sacred” squid.
Also, the Gargantians are place the squid Hideauze as “sacred” because they fear them. And when they literally have to power down the entire fleet in order to hide from them, they are sticking their head in the sand, just as they have been doing this entire series, not wanting to change, to break the status quo, or upset the “balance”. Gargantians know how to survive but not how to live.
I think that Red’s statement about Gargantia not being developed enough yet to be a clue, and that if they ever try to advance, they will incur the Hideauze’s wrath. Red has fought these things for 16 years, he has the foremost knowledge of them than anyone on Earth. After some clever small clues in the first episode and this one, we find out that the Hideauze consume energy, which is why the commander had all the power turned off as to not attract them. I have a suspicion that they began as a human experiment that happened centuries ago in order to help with an energy crisis, and it went violently out of control.
However, as they feed on energy, that means that Gargantia is on borrowed time. If they ever advance to a more advanced power source, or if they ever accidentally leave the power on while the Hideauze is nearby, they will attack them. For the Hideauze to consume energy would be death for the Galactic Alliance. Unlike the ships of Gargantia, spaceships and space colonies can’t turn off all their power. They would not only be sitting ducks, but they depend on life support and other things to live. There is no way they can live side by side with the Hideauze if the Hideauze are going to attack them simply to consume their energy.
Depending on how the people of Earth are able to separate themselves and the squid and the squid don’t go and start flying like their brethren, the Earthers might might be able to co-exist with them. This is however impossible for the GA, who have no choice but to get rid of these things.
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
Don’t worry Jrow I read the FT manga for 100 or so chapters and stopped.I feel like, all of a sudden, Urobuchi got a bit more control in the plot and wanted to quickly do something… It felt out of place. I was happy to see something happen but I wish it had led up to something like this a bit more in the earlier episodes.
Red is back in soldier mode. He sticks with the response that works in space, forgetting that things are slightly different on Earth. It was bound to happen again. No matter how acclimated he gets, he is still a soldier at heart. Oh well, Red, that’s who you are. I just sighed when Chamber reported that the whalesquid are the Hideauze, I just knew that would pull Red back into fighting no matter what. I guess Amy’s hugs aren’t good enough.
But despite all the stress, the Pinion/Flange group separating did not feel out of place at all. I saw it as a youth rebellion sort of thing- Pinion wants to go further and further while the adults (and the youth who are either slightly older, have some power, or stick with the current leadership aka Ridget and maybe Bellows) do not want to go further and would rather see the same things going on, keeping things calm. Flange is in the defense side of things, and probably wants an excuse to go further too, so going with Pinion works. People are bound to get restless when life seems to be rather calm, repetitive, ect. with no adventure.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Don’t humans and chimpanzees share over 99% of their DNA? And bonobos and chimps even more. Yet a few 10ths of a % can make quite a difference. Walesquid may look like Hideauze and share over 99% of the same DNA, but they may bear the same relationship as bonobos do to chimps, that is they look practically identical but are much less aggressive and attack only when attacked.
I have no problem with Red acting as he was trained to act from birth. He was raised a soldier in a society engaged in a war where the loser will be exterminated. Of course he’s going to think the whalesquid are Hideauze lying low for now because the local Hideauze don’t see Gargantia and the other fleets as a threat at present and they have other plans afoot.
That said and given what I said in my first paragraph, I still think it possible the whalesquid are very closely related to the Hideauze but are not Hideauze and not a threat to anyone who doesn’t attack them or intrude upon their territory. Which means Pinion’s plan may stir up the war between whalesquid and humans Red thinks is only a matter of time.
I have to agree that Fairlock’s heart attack came at a very convenient time plotwise, but I suppose the same would be true no matter when it came. Time for Ridget to step up and try to hold together as much of the fleet as she can, although it may be tough to do as an untested leader no matter how much people may have been used to taking orders from her. After all, her authority so far actually came from Fairlock. Now it has to come from her.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I was going to mention the DNA thing as well. I think the staff is going for the perceived notion of shared DNA rather than the specific science. This is for the sake of both the main character and the audience. Close enough for him, close enough for a general understanding (which if my country’s perception science is anything…then no understanding at all).
But something like this is what I wanted to see; some intel gathering on Red’s side, other than GAR ENEMY
HUGKILL. Will that happen when the Red/Pinion/Flange team departs. I’m hoping….And for Ridget, being younger and untested is actually something of a bonus, drama wise. She is free to think outside the box, and come up with a compromise. This might work for Pinion and Flange, but it’s going to require a bit more umph to convince Red.
Amy has umph.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t think this is a 99% match. I think it’s probably 100% certain that they are the same species. But just as the humans have different values and behaviors between the Earthers and the Galactic Alliance, it’s fully possible that the Hideauze have different values between their earthbound and spaceborne groups. I think we need to posit that they are intelligent beings also, not just the equivalent of space bugs that are non-sentient. And indeed their show of strength certainly would indicate to me that they are both sentient and close in intelligence to the humans. They wanted to send a message, but not escalate anything unless they were forced.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…I put myself into the “mystery” mode when watching and thinking about it, so I didn’t give it the thought. But you’ve found a good direction. A damn good one, in fact. It jibes with the values of the show very well.
I owe you a pint…
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
I was thinking along the same lines. I feel like the Galactic Alliance (or some member of it) might have provoked the Hideauze in some way and that resulted to an extreme retaliation, and the whalesquid situation might escalate to the same height. That could be where the main drama of the rest of the series be drawn from, actually.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I would say that since the genetics of the two Hideauze groups completely match, that means that they have to be of the same species, which would be different for close relatives such as humans and chimps who are of the same family but not the same genus or species. So the whalesquid have to be of the same species as the space ones. However, like humans, despite being of the same species, we come in all different shapes and sizes.
However, I do find it interesting that all the Hideauze resemble earth sea creature to an extent, or at least mutated ones. The whalesquid looked like no squid I’ve ever seen, given its multiple eyes, mammalian mouth, bioluminescence, and appendage fins.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Things have certainly taken a 180 turn. Goodbye peaceful based lifestyle.
I’m a little peeved on Ledo basing everything solely on his point of view. The guy is a foreigner from space, he doesn’t know how things work on Earth, so who is he to decide what should and what should not be? His misguided notions are going to ruin the peace Gargantia has been trying to maintain which was pretty much the same scenario when the pirates were involved. The population forgave him for the pirates, that’s a first strike against him but most of them are going to shun him for this.
The way the people fear and despair over the whalesquids, you’d swear they’re the sea version of Titans.
The whalesquid and Hideauze sharing similar genetics is purely coincidental. They may look alike but it doesn’t mean they’re composed the same exact way. One species lives in space and the other survives underwater and I doubt it’s farfetched to say the Hideauze are genetically modified compared to the whalesquid because the latter doesn’t react unless provoked and if it is, it surely has something to do with humans. Whatever humans set out to do always manages to bite them in the rear.
Pinion is the one person I surely know is going to bring hell on Gargantia for his selfish motives. He rubs me the wrong way because he continually tries to get rid of people he doesn’t like and when it’s convenient enough for him, he doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of the same person especially when things can’t be done himself and Ledo who’s so focused on his perspectives will be too oblivious to notice. Since everyone in this plan for their own reasons, you can bet when the situation gets hot, it’s going to be “every man for himself”.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I think Flange may have a bit more ethics under his collar than that….just a gut feeling. Pinion, however, is going to be a character we love to hate…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s a statement that goes without saying. I never liked Pinion since he was always trying to get rid of Ledo and control Chamber for his selfish reasons. I see no problem if he gets himself killed during his little fool’s errand.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
I would beg to disagree. We’ve already seen that Pinion is more sincere in actions than in words – the beach party to cheer Red up was his idea but he didn’t advertise it like that himself, and the real reason he wants to go after the whalesquids was wrangled out of him in the conversation with Bellows, but only after he starts getting angry (which is a bad reason, but a better one than just out of pure greed). There’s good in him yet.
Can’t say much about Flange (he’s hardly talked), but the fact he’s willing to leave Gargantia and all those innocent people defenseless just for world heritage rubs me thoroughly the wrong way.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Sure, the whalesquids and the Hideauze aren’t going to be exactly the same. One lives in a positive pressure environment while the other in a negative pressure environment. But as skylion says above, I don’t think the exact details are the point.
Maybe the whalesquids or even the Hideauze will really turn out to be misunderstood, but I personally am not a big fan of such a cliche development. It would be much more interesting to see how the humans on Gargantia have to react if things do go sour with the whalesquids.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t think it needs to be ‘misunderstood’ like “They just attacked us because we attacked them all those centuries ago and it just escalated from there”. That gets back into a crappy Star Trek plot like I was complaining about a few weeks ago. But I do think there is definitely something to learn from the Earth philosophy of avoiding each other for mutual prosperity.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
It can’t be coincidental that two groups of organisms from two completely separate sides of the galaxy share the same genome. The odds of that are infinitesimally small. It’s far, far more likely that they share a point of origin which happens to be Earth, just as the humans in the Galactic Alliance, no matter how they have adapted to space, share the same genome as the humans of Earth.
Saying their genetics match means that they are composed the same way, but their physical structures differ because as Chamber said, the Hideauze on Earth adapted to Earth’s seas, while the ones in space adapted the vacuum of space. Just as humans on Earth adapted to where their ancestors settled, and we ended up with different physical and behavioral features.
I think they are both probably genetically modified, as both appear to be mutated and both follow and likely consume energy as a food source. However, I’m not entirely sure if they “don’t attack unless provoked” as Bellows says, or if it’s as Red says, “they aren’t developed enough to even garner that much attention”.