Plastic Memories – 02
How much trouble is Isla in this week?
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We are heading deeper into the story, and I think the show might be showing a few cracks here and there…. |
I don’t want to cause trouble
A new character brings new troubles
This week our episode starts with some handy inter-office clues and queues. First we learn that SAI has 29 Retrival Departments worldwide, and our group works for the No. 1: Main Office branch. That might seem like one of the first cracks in some of the wider stories background. Next up is the introduction of Yasutaka who, like Kazuki is a ten year vet of the company. He brings with him, a large amount of absenteeism chalked up to paid vacations and leaves, but are more than likely escapes from work to engage in his full time lothorial work. He’s also brimming with plot and speculation. Don’t know if I like him yet…
It’s business as usual for this team…
It doesn’t take us long to get to the head of the trail. It’s no big secret that Isla is not at the best of operative efficiency. She’s nervous on the job, and and we see another work-order messed up due to that factor. The story does manage to pull it off with all moe aplomb, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Isla is being Isla to the office, and that has, so far been an ill-defined place. Everyone around her, except for Tsukasa, has her pigeon-holed into one role, and it doesn’t seem the kindest place to be.
I’m starting to get a liking for Michuru, and that’s because her character has started to divulge her character more, and is leaving the angry Nibutani Shinka mode behind for a bit. She’s also an interesting lead-in for a few characterizations that are happening on screen. She plainly hides from Yusataka, and has a great deal of respect for Kazuki, as both a person and a teacher. Michuru is not one to hide strong negative emotions, so seeing how this plays out tells me something about the older character’s pasts. How much trust can we put in what Yusataka has to say? And how far has Kazuki fallen from her ideal, if she had an ideal in the first place? “Giftia have souls and so do their owners”, Kazuki says, and Michuru listens. Zack looks like he’s aloof to it. That asks more about “tearing apart memories” than it answers…
We learn a great deal more about Isla’s all around condition this episode. All of it begs more questions; both about her as a character and the background in general. Giftia do not forget. This was something I suspected last episode. But they do degrade. We know this from the nine year and three month life-span. What we didn’t know is that there was no room to upgrade, or get them out of that slump. Going back to the office, everyone seems to know this in some way, but Tsukasa. I like that bit about him being a “by the manual” guy. But he has to make his own manual up. Something about how this department doesn’t seem to have a real classroom or training exercise program. Just toss em out into the field.
So we all know that Tsukasa was looking at the tablet right?
I appreciate, and feel a great deal of empathy for her. She has to know how long she has, and she has to live that to the fullest. She’s going to hit a wall if she isn’t careful. Which makes it that much more tragic. Show ▼
A few more memories…
In Plastic Memories we have the emotional story and the science fiction story. So far, the sci-fi has taken a back seat, and I feel the main story is going to suffer for it. Everything about the Giftia is built to maximize the drama, and everything about Tsukasa is built in the exact same manner; from him getting the job, to being thrown in the deep end. I don’t know if this episode is meant to build on the drama, and the show is waiting for the right time to spring a more streamlined science fiction background, or if all of it is set in stone….and then the drama just blunders it’s way in. At the outset I like both pieces, so I’m hoping the writing gets them both working a melody…
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
The reveal this week left me stunned! Why didn’t they warm him? Oh I know why CAUSE PLOT, but after the first episode I figured things would get sad really fast and to my surprise this week didn’t have that key moment of OH MY GOD NOOOOOOOO! I guess that was a good change of pace or was it? I completely agree with you Skylion those “moments” really need to be more impact.
Honestly they should just go with the two episode arc treatment for each Giftia so we can establish a bond and actually feel something not this forced emotional stuff which kills these kinds of “feel” anime series.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The show is heavily over written. But damn, it still has some heart to it…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I can’t say I’ve taken a liking to Yasutaka. Since his introduction in this one episode, all I can think of him is someone who throws his weight around and sticks his nose where he shouldn’t. Those like that are generally irritating so it’s poor first impression.
Everyone’s lack of support aside, Isla’s biggest problem in my opinion is lack of faith in herself. That’s what’s dragging her down so I think Tsukasa is on the right path creating a manual to help her out.
The ending was the troubling part when Yasutaka elaborated how time Isla has left. 2000 hours is nearly 84 days, so that amounts to just under three months.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yeah, three months is about how long the Spring season will last. Like I say above, it’s heavy on that stuff.
Yasutaka kinda has that, he’ll change to someone better on a dime, feeling.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The show’s a little wonky regarding Isla and other Giftia. Do the other Giftia really have a years-long constant decline? I don’t really think so, because they’ve said a few times that they do the retrieval before that becomes an issue. So why is Isla declining for years?
And maybe they’ll explain separately her personality issues. Again, those don’t seem like something from a decline, they, and the errors, seem like something more.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
It feels like they are trying to build up episode by episode to get a reveal:drama ratio going. Two in and it feels a bit unnatural…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Got around to watching this episode. The reveal at the end had me scratching my head. It was tossed in out of left field and lost most of its impact. Reminds me of the other day when someone said “Some worker died in an accident. Parking will be difficult”. Ok… wait, what?
I’m curious how the other 28 offices do their job, considering that they apparently don’t take the owner’s feelings into consideration. Steamroll their way in, and arrest the Giftia?
I agree with you Skylion, the show is going a different route than I had expected. I was thinking it was going to be sci-fi heavy with some other things tossed in, but it ended up down-playing the sci-fi aspects a lot. I’m a little disappointed, although this show isn’t bad by any means. It’s like I ordered soup and got salad instead.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
For me it’s like I know I ordered ramen, but I got udon instead. Small difference in some cases, big difference in noodles.
So far this is a show that services manipulation of the viewer above all else. In that regard, in retrospect, the reveal of this episode fit’s in like a puzzle piece. But it’s the reveal of the big picture that counts.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
I guess I’m wondering how they’re going to play it out… will it be made known to Tsukasa early on, or just the audience and everyone else? Guess it would have more impact if it was revealed near the end after he gets all nice and cozy with her… BAM. Enjoy them noodles.