First Impressions – Classroom ☆ Crisis
So, where would you go?
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Woooooooooo! Time for my First Impressions post on Classroom Crisis, and boy am I excited to see this because of a few things, like cute character designs by Kanzaki Hiro; even though I hate Oreimo with a passion, but I can admit he has some unique designs. But the setting is on Mars which means space travel will be somewhat involved at some point right? I also hope that this series can stick to scifi elements without kicking it to the curb like a certain series from the last season *cough* Plastic Memories *cough* |
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We’ve come around to an anime original, and that means flying by the seat of our respective pants. There is no manga or light novel (or even a video game) to fall back on. So we have no preconceived notions about where this is gonna go. But even with that in mind, I feel we are off to a pretty good start. So lets, get into it shall we? |
Fk Ya We’re in Space Yoooooooooo!
Hey, skylion? Can you see your house from here?!
Foshizzel: I seem to be really attracted to space settings lately going back to Captain Earth, Aldnoah.Zero, Houkago no Pleiades,and now Classroom Crisis! First off, the vibe I got from this first episode was that it might be heavily focused on the technological side of things. But they did mix in a few playful elements with the characters and add in a somewhat-political-ish-story to spice things up. Personally I was completely lost with that side of the plot because my mind was more interested in the tech side of things.
…a boy and his X-2….
I also can’t help thinking this has a bit of Gundam 00 thrown in thanks to the same engines that we saw on the X-2 which reminds me of those GN Drives from Gundam 00, hell they even share the same particle animation when they zip around on screen! Maybe Kaito Sera helped develop those engines for both series? I am kidding of course; however since the characters of Classroom Crisis live in space maybe we will see more Gundam-ish colonies?
FK YA! Spaceship!
Oh and they did mention that there are other planets in our solar system that have been colonized or Parraterraformed? I wonder if we will see any of those areas or are we just going to be stuck on Mars for the entire season? I guess it doesn’t really matter because I think we are going to follow the tech club as they rebuild the X-2 or will things shift to something else? I know Nagisa Kiryuu said he was downsizing the Advanced Technological Development Department since they are blowing through money like crazy. WOW Iris Shirasaki was so damn reckless in this episode; so yeah if anyone is to blame for their money problems it’s totally her. I know they are going to rebuild the X-2 anyway.
Slightly or major – which is it?
Best Character at the wheel!
skylion: Well first we start of with some interesting juxtapositions. First we get a tense Kirishina Corporation boardroom scene mixed in with a typical schoolgirl going about her typical start of a school day. I feel that right off that tells us that no matter where we are going, that these two plot elements are going to be in the mix; if the spread of the first episode is anything to go by.
All in all the situation was pretty tight. It did a pretty good job setting up how tense and political (which is very corporate) things are no matter how far we advance in technology and in our solar system. I’m reminded of Joss Whedon’s take on his own Firefly series. To paraphrase, “We keep going further out, but we always bring our problems with us”.
It’s funnier if you imagine the characters in reversed situations…
But it looks like Kirishina pretty much has it wrapped up in Fourth Tokyo the Martian Parraterraformed Japanese colony. The school system, from it’s academics to it’s vocational practices, are placed in the corporate tier. I don’t hesitate to think they have a heavy investment in the rest of the colony. Which looks great, by the way. I was expecting massive terraforming to the point of Aria levels. I’ll get a bit more into the science of the science fiction later on…
But in getting back to the corporate trouble; pay your workers like you depend on them, man! It seems almost anti-climatic that they only demanded lost wages on the contract. Take into account the deadline choice. It shows how desperate they were, as the mining colony, Coldwood, looked pretty horrible. The deadline was the important thing.It was basically saying, “Get over here now and take a look at what you are responsible for”. In going back to the boardroom scene, it feels like a forgone conclusion. It makes me wonder how they took Nagisa Kiryuu hostage in the first place.
I guess it can’t all be utopia….
That’s a plot element they are holding close to the vest. But no matter what the Kiryuu’s are playing this by a hard line. Kirishina has both a president and vice-president in the corporate structure with that family name, and it looks like they have plans within plans. So why would they not consider the life of a relative important? I can understand why they wanted to keep the kidnapping incident on the quite side? But not going all in, all the way for a family member? What game are they playing?
I was wanting to see some good old Tywin Lannister mounts an army to save his sons moments. Since that didn’t even happen, it makes me wonder what angle Nagisa was playing from the start. Are we looking at games being played against each other? What hangs in the balance, and how does that effect the rest of our story…Nagisa can’t use that business card for everything can he?
Just your average space weirdos
Yay! We gonna save the day!
Mixed in with all this space-faring trouble is the exploits of the A-TEC gang (Advance Technological Development Department- Educational Development Class). I guess you cannot have school life show with out a quirky club, right? Since Iris fully admits to the class being full of weirdos, we can expect more than a few odds and ends, along with some very gifted and determined high school students.
And more than the corporate hijinks, this this what I am wanting. No matter how much the overall plot has to rear it’s head, I very much want the bulk of the show devoted to seeing these characters have fun getting down to business in space. Even if they have to start over again from square one. I want to see resourcefulness and brash, crazy antics from these guys. They did it once for the X-2, they can do it again!
Calm down guys, it’s only money….
I love how personally many of them take the shape of the X-2 in it’s maiden flight (going so far as to lament the severe loss of money with every bump, bruise, scrape, and ejected piece of equipment, a handy plot point for later). This is what I want my high school club to be. If it ain’t fighting demons, it has to build it’s own space ship! Or…have tea and sometimes play light music…
But it’s a club that is playing things fast and loose that is obvious. They have little control during the meetings, and the advisor barely thinks he is old enough to lead them. Then you add in Isla’s Iris’s impetuous nature reminding us that action can sometimes win? the day. Good thing that Nagisa came along and gave them the boot later on, eh? The big mission seemed doomed from the start, but hey, to rise high, you have to start off low. Yeah, Fosh, she just shreds that money…..
Yep, guys looks like a real dick…
That was definitly a great first episode! It set up the world nicely and it gave a good introduction to the characters, like Iris who is the typical Rei Ayanami type who speaks through her actions instead of her words. But I hope she doesn’t become the typical “disobeys-orders-and-gets-no-punishment” cause…anime. That and I guess the obvious high school setting will keep this series from turning into an OMG-militarized-war-story, a least I hope things don’t go down that road. Or would it make things more interesting? I suppose they could do some story lines where the planets go to wars because of supplies?
Besides Iris, the other character I liked was Mizuki Sera. Since she is voiced by Ari Ozawa, who I just absolutely love hearing lately! Yeah I know she is in a lot of summer series; however I don’t think she will be doing a lot besides nagging her brother, or being worried about Iris doing something crazy again? Then again, I hope I am completely wrong about her character and maybe she will be important to the overall plot. Now I can’t wait to see the next episode because I am hooked so far.
All in all this is everything I was looking forward to. Lay-Duce has done a great job of introducing us to the sweep and the scope they intend to explore; plenty of room out there! With some high corporate intrigue going headlong into that school life idealism and the quirky can-do attitudes, I think they are set to tell a great original story. If I have a complaint, it is that the production was rushed at one point. Iris was way to quick to get into action in the X-2. It was just one and done with a briefcase of money in tow. Lots of dots were missing in that picture.
As for the science fiction? Well, it’s not 100% accurate that is for sure. Yeah, we can ask how they colonized the gas giants, and we can even wonder where that asteroid thicket that Isla Iris so narrowly navigated came from; in order… I dunno, I didn’t do it, and perhaps the same place that Mar’s satellites, Phobos and Deimos came from. But this show is coming out on the much softer side of the Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness; as of the first episode I’m giving it a tentative 3 or 4. It’s not trying to go for the real science. Instead it couches itself in the inspiration and coolness factor; much like my aforementioned Firefly. But even with that in mind, I am totally game for some great space opera like adventure, and it looks like they’ve got the brass to make that happen.
For right now, my eyes are on that and the soon-to-be-great characters of Iris and Nagisa. She is a great, break out style character that has some potential (do not go down the Inahoe route Lay-Duce!). She is the cool blue to Mizuki’s nearly red. Kaito seems like a lovable putz, and I cannot wait to see Nagis kick him and the rest of A-TEC into shape; from Bad News to Kicking Ass. They might be on the way to being downsized, but they aint’ out yet….
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: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Korriban.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
nerdddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
jk <4
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Okay then, then Koros Major. >_>
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Uh, that’s our solar system Di Gi. You should know that Korriban is in a galaxy far far away…..
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
This isn’t Star Wars, you know.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Dromond Kaas!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Our solar system is kinda boring. Unless we hurtle Jupiter into Saturn and see whether it starts stellar fusion!
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Ya know? I just now realized that they spelled Saturn, “Saturnus”?
But I guess I would go to (and no, Korriban isn’t an option) Venus or Uranus. I want to really see how they were people live on those.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Respectively? I’m Melting! and Damn It’s Windy! Both would be exclaiming “That is a lot of methane!”
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*launches into Sol3* 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Retry again:
*launches Iapetus into Sol3.*
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
For whatever reason, I felt annoyed at the story throughout this first episode. Starting right from the beginning: “These guys took a hostage because we, the giant company at the center of the solar system, didn’t pay them their wages, [what turns out to be a piddling amount ] 750 million dollars.” I mean, what kind of penny-ante Scrooge McDuck-ing is that? And from there, the jumps in logic, the question-begging, the planning / lack of planning chasm. And it felt like they were handwaving / papering over the whole thing with Excitement! and Action! I was glad when Kiryu showed up to shut them down (even though I know he won’t) because now the show might go somewhere interesting. I did like Yuna, actually, the poor girl stuck trying to be the voice of even the barest hint of sanity.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
It was a mad dash to the end, that is for sure. I’m hoping they get some of that stuff out of their system this episode….
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I honestly felt the exact same as you. The whole beginning was just. Really company? I know you want to show this company as being “all about the money and all”, but come one! Isn’t it better business sense to actually pay your workers? No one will come and work for you if they know you skip off on paying them. And I guess there are no unions in the future? (Which I know isn’t true since they specifically bring up unions in the beginning with the engineer/teacher guy.)And then there was the kids and Iris and their sensei…if it wasn’t for the awesomeness that is Nagisa Kiryu, I might have just passed this one up.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Sometimes first episodes need more time than the 22 or so minutes they have to unpack all the stuff they need. But then, if they wouldn’t shove so much into one box?
But as for not paying workers? This may actually be a future problem they are looking at. If that mine is getting close to running dry, and who wants to say that it is, as investors would run away.
Kirishina was playing a balancing act. One that left the miners in a huge lurch. Which still makes me wonder why Nagisa was there to begin with as they wouldn’t have attempted a desperate kidnapping unless they knew they had a somewhat valuable captive.
But yeah, the rest was pretty darned rushed? They did bring up the mistake of missing payment in the boardroom, and that got put aside quickly.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Note Greece has a Martian colony too. Looks like they survived the referendum in this timeline!!ヽ(‘ ∇‘ )ノ**
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…it’s a corporate future, someone could have bought the license to the name and got exclusive naming rights? Also, I wonder if Greece calls the planet Ares or something like that? I can’t believe I forgot to listen in and see if the Japanese language track calls it Kasei….
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
>_> <_<
They call it…
Vers.
*runs fast*
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
*takes X-2 and a few hundred nukes and sends it flying remotely kamikaze style, straight into the planet*
“To victorrrry!”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Geez, that was the name of the ancient civilization they discovered…
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 105 comments
I wasn’t as impressed visually with the show as I hoped to be. There is a fun feeling of “we can build anything we want” throught this episode which is nice. This show definitely needs the three episode test for me before I make any conclusive judgements. Characters were fun in that unoriginal way, but also boring in an unoriginal way
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m not even gonna try to pick at this one…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I don’t even know that is supposed to be interpreted.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Character designs are by Kanzaki Hiro, who illustrated My Little Sister Can’t be This Cute/Oreimo.
Note that Nagisa looks like a stricter Kyosuke
with no Kirino to rile him up.POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…that’s about the only real sticker outer as far as character design goes, that I noticed…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The difference in hairstyles and the especially repulsive “holier than thou” attitude hinders me from seeing that.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hmm… interesting. Had I not watched the PV a few days ago, I’d have dismissed this as an anime not worth my time and given it an immediate pass based on its genre tags and synopsis. Misleading, but not by much.
Colonies on Mars, eh? So the humans in this universe succeeded where the humans in Terra Formars failed. I wonder how many centuries it took to get everything done.
An OK episode, I guess. As I was halfheartedly watching, I can’t build much of an opinion. So for now, the three episode test is in effect. Expectations are slim to none at the moment.
What put me off was the lack of authority in the classroom. Mainly the teacher’s immature, wishy-washy attitude. Instead, the students seem more like teachers. They even reprimand his personality traits. Not to mention his lack of responsibility in not telling sooner the reason his path for the rescue mission had a no-fly zone was because it was an asteroid belt. So it tempts one to question his usefulness there aside from being a mechanic.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The lack of focus in the classroom is the issue here. Despite that they built an advanced spacecraft. Think of what they could do if they actually had focus. As for the the flight path? Iris jumped the gun! Kaito had it figured out and she was just all, “Nope, I got this”. I like this crazy little crew.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The other thing I wondered is “Does Creative Commons get annoyed when someone rips off their logo?”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
….ah they’re a bunch of coplylefters….
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Nagisa Kiryu is the best. I was really getting L-elf vibes when he was captured in that folding chair, yet he was in complete control of the situation. When he was fiddling behind his back, I seriously though he was going to do the same “use a screw to destroy your enemies” that L-elf pulled off so awesomely.
However, his scene at the end was even more awesome. Just like his father and brother, he sees everything as dollar signs, including his own life. I really wonder what kind of life he must have lived with that kind of family ethic. I wonder how his time with the A-TEC group is going to change him? Though they definitely need to learn some discipline in their spending. Destroying a $15 billion dollar ship like that wasn’t smart.
As for the rest of the crew, they do seem to be an odd collection of kids though I’ll be interested in seeing more of them. I didn’t care for Iris, I’m not a fan of dead-pan characters (I’m looking at you, Inaho.), but like the teacher and his sister, and my favorites are the three tech boys that handle all the computer stuff. They were funny.
I didn’t expect to be interested in this show, but I’ll stick with it for a while and see where it goes.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Each of them must be a genius/expert in their own respective fields and being at such a high level at early ages probably had them somewhat alienated from society, therefore their eccentric personalities. Even Iris said if it’s transferring to their class, the transfer student must be a weirdo. Amusing that they’re self-aware.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The Kiryuu family does look like they see everything as an invest-able resource; someone will pay handsomely for Gradma’s Kidney? Deal, but let’s make sure we come out on the better end of the equation. It’s said that you should invest other people’s money for your own benefit, but yeah, but they put a little brother on the line.
I’m liking the A-TEC crew just as much as you are. It’s true my stand out is Iris, but I can’t wait to see if they develop the rest beyond a couple of notes here and there. That would add some depth to the story…
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
Mars is overrated. I want to see a series on Venus.
And I don’t see America in the flags shown there but I see Canada, UK and of course glorious Nippon. Maybe they went for the bigger planets instead.
And so far, I’m not entirely bought by the opening episode. This doesn’t seem like Maruto’s work at all. Maybe stepping out of his usual romance genre doesn’t work for him. It’s only the beginning I guess so let’s give it a go.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Terra Formars, Aldnoah.Zero. Yeah, a “Mars as a frequent anime space location” list is beginning to build. I’m pretty sure there anime using the same location I’ve missed.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…they only gave us the one side of the planet…the one with Mexico and Jamaica too! So I guess the Big Dogs have it better on the other side?
I congratulate any writer that can step out of what is expected of them. Maruto’s work on both Saenai Heroine and White Album 2 was rich and had great character development. Aside from a few rushed pieces in this first episode, it was fine work.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Jamaica’s not on there? Though, considering the countries that they did pick, I don’t really think any actual thought went into it. I really think they went into a book and chose a bunch of random flags….as long as those flags didn’t belong to any of the big ones, like America, China, Russia, UK, or Australia.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
It really is. It’s the planet the closest and most similar to Earth that can possibly support life, so everybody picks it.
I want an unusual choice this time, like Jupiter or Neptune with their violent storms, or Uranus with the fact that it spins on its side, or Mercury that can be half extreme heat and half extreme cold. Let’s do something exotic.
Actually I don’t see any of what Japan would consider the “big” nations, other than itself, Germany, and France.
Notice there is no USA, no UK, no Australia, no China. None of its competition?
I think you maybe on to something, in that maybe they took over other whole planets in the system?
The countries that are there on Mars with them include Columbia, Belgium, Turkey, France, San Marino, Germany, Iceland, Finland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Switzerland, Greece, Mexico, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Palau, Singapore, Argentina, Benin, Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Canada, and can somebody tell me how the heck Texas got an entire colony to itself on Mars?
Perhaps that’s it, the United States had each individual state plant colonies on other planets, therefore extending its range? 😛
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I honestly don’t know if national power or borders will play much into the overall plot. This seems like a very picky point to go over in many regards. Besides, it was a corporation that was in full swing this episode, perhaps that is the end all be all of what needs t be said regarding influence. Perhaps.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Oh, they probably won’t touch anything like that in the show, though they are still showing different flags, which suggests their are separate nations here and Japan didn’t just meld into a united Earth or something.
And I think if the company took over everything, they would probably have their own symbol as the flag everywhere like in Wall-E. They’re probably more like Lexcorp. They own quite a bit, but they haven’t taken over. And we don’t know what kind of influence they have outside of Japan’s areas either.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…why would a corp do that? It’s nice to have comfy country to manipulate…
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Well, only 4 or 5 of those random countries they picked would be a “comfy” enough country for that large of an operation. And a company with that much ego that they put their name on everything, would be perfectly fine taking over the whole planet and putting it into their name.
Also, you have to admit, the other missing big countries are actually made even more obvious by their absence. Maybe they knew they wouldn’t work well with such a company?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…at this point, I’m just going to let random flags be random…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m sorry that I had to delete a specific comment. I’m all for a good bit of random humor, but that specific comment was a bit to on the edge. Please remember that we have an international community, and that some jokes may not be seen as such. Thank you.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…and jumping Jiminey! They place the show on Freeeeekin’ Mars! Holy crap, there is nothing more you can say about the place I guess. Everyone get on the flying horses! The wishes are going fast and cheap!
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
If I understand right from the summary, it will be slice of life romance comedy with a sci-fi angle, so I don’t think it’s too far from his wheelhouse.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…far enough…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Mars is at least somewhat believable. Heck, I’d believe Mercury (see Kim Stanley Robinson’s 2312) over Venus (although the same book had colonies on Venus as well, I think). Heating things up is much easier than taking heat away.
And not having a US flag: I always put that kind of thing down to Japanese stubbornness / inferiority complex. Just a petty thumb in the eye.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I’d opt for the Asteroid Belt, specifically Ceres. If it has as much water ice as they think you’ve not only got water to drink and grow crops you’ve got oxygen to breath and oxygen and hydrogen for rocket fuel. If you have fusion drive for your ships Ceres probably also has He3 and you could use that hydrogen for reaction mass.
And you don’t have a big gravity well to climb out of when you want to go somewhere else. Plus, the other asteroids would provide an immense source of resources for use and many would be closer to hand than if you lived on Mars.
You wouldn’t have to live on Ceres itself. You could build an O’Neil colony orbiting it so you’d have whatever gravity you wanted. That far out from the Sun radiation would be less of a problem, but the colony’s structure and the soil for growing crops would provide any shielding necessary.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Ah, give the man a prize! But what is really cool is that we still have more to learn once we start getting out there; as of now it’s all conjecture. But in the context of the show? I guess at least a small part of the fun, and fuss, will be what they have “discovered”.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Oh, I forgot about the deuterium that would be mixed in with the regular hydrogen. Another valuable resource for fusion energy.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Spammy.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Pluto. It’s still a planet in my books.
It’s ok Pluto-chan, I’m still on your side!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…it’s doesn’t matter if you call Pluto a planet, or a Kuiper Belt Object…it’s still an interesting place!
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
lol,
“start calling Pluto an asteroid, and it starts acting like one”
Pluto, did you become VR1? Nooooo!!!
POWUH: iLurker with 2 comments
I support you too Pluto-chan! Next thing you know if you call Pluto an asteroid is that she’ll hurtle straight into Sol 3. Just like an asteroid. 😛
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I fully support the IAU and the re-definition. It still doesn’t diminish a thing about Pluto…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I also support the IAU and the re-definition. Being the first Kuiper Belt object discovered is better than being the ninth planet. Besides, when you add in its moons it looks like a pretty interesting place. And I’m sure the pictures we’ll get in a few days will show it to be a VERY INTERESTING place.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
New Horizons, indeed….
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Pluto will indeed be an interesting planet.