Gatchaman Crowds Insight – 07
Aww, you made him cry…
 |
Well folks, it looks like OC’s Notebook has been mired in jetlag. So that means I get to GATCHA one more time as we get to see a rather bloated form of government explode into weirdness…. |
Hajime: “This just ain’t my scene, man…”
As we see in the cold open, changing times are doing just that. First we have OD being replaced by the rookie DD on the boob tube, who just has to be more Gelsadra friendly that OD might turn out to be. Then we have the impending collapse of the CROWDS underway. That element of this series has been lacking to a great degree, so I am feeling something of a comeback for it.
Despite the lack of public support it looks like a few people out there on the network do miss the good old days when they could actively help people; along with a few that found it interesting but embarrassing at the same time. While letting all that sink in we go to Pai Pai and his future Gel-lu-lu fan club. Hajime, as we can see, is not pleased by the current goings on, as our old pals the MESS are towing the new line. Sounds like a perfect recipe for counter-revolution? Let’s see…
The Scarlet Angel will, in time, transform…
I would say Liberté, égalité, fraternité, but the colours are all backwards…
Well, it looks like JJ just has to be the Cryptic Sue, doesn’t he? This was after a few more tiny developments. First, we have Rui expressing concern over the lack of CROWDS, how big a mistake he feels he might have made in releasing it, and Jou levels with him that it might have been too early to give that much power to that many people. That all fads or trends fade after awhile, and the true meaning gets lost. To me, at least, that says quite a bit about Gel’s new form of government as well. And things aren’t boding well for that guy either.
You know, there’s symbolism, and then there’s just beating you over the head…
It’s a hard life, being the leader of a free people, I guess. You come from an alien species that doesn’t sleep, and you have a tendency to eat your fill of your food of choice getting more rotund, still eating more and more…until…well, it explodes out of you. That sounds like one hell of a strange lifestyle. Or, is it a life cycle? What a strange thing to be a Cult of Personality…
I mean Gel has been a person in an alien suit, as far as most people observe. He’s red to the point of not being funny anymore, a little out there, and can read feelings, but hey, everyone has their quirks, right? But, he is an alien, something that BK is quick to not only point out, but berate the Gatchamen, especially Hajime, for missing that all along. Something that brings Pai Pai’s involvement under scrutiny. This goes along with BK’s own terrible abject fear of Gel. What would someone like BK be that afraid of? Something that he couldn’t control, same as the rest of us, really.
I wonder why, “You’re lucky your prime minister is an alien” made her cranky?
Berg-Katze loves to control people, and bring out the worst in them, he twists motivations. As we saw last series, he withers up and weakens when he doesn’t get this. So, is Gelsadra something that is without his own motivation? BK points out that he is famous across the galaxy, but famous for what exactly? And famous to BK? Is that a different regard than a normal human would hold for being famous? Sounds like something we would call infamy. Things aren’t adding up as we would expect. So perhaps, Gelsadra is a part of something larger, the first phase of a cycle, a caterpillar going from cocoon to moth..something that will, in time, transform….
…and gentle beasts will appear. Their names are many
“Let Sadra Handle it”
Our Hearts as One. E pluribus Unum. From Many, One. The strongest and underlying principle of a democratic republic. We all create that one will. Nice goal, and something to strive for, and it’s the striving that counts. As we see in a few of the pics I posted about, everyone is so anxious for change. They are on it so much, they are being downright confrontational. Fearing perhaps what they can’t control? Would we rather let one person handle it? I mean, my country is in the throws of deciding who the next “leader of the free world” is going to be. I reach an international audience….doesn’t that phrase sound insulting and preposterous? Jou said that maybe CROWDS came to early, and as Suzuki says, moving the talks along, that he is nothing more than an ape, programmed by instinct. What does that say about the many?
…and what can it say about transformation? Tsubasa is in the midst of that, whether she likes it or not. She does rather live in a mindset, that I for one, absolutely dislike. It’s an understandable one, and it’s not used as a feckless gamble that a lot of talking head style pundits like to employ. “I’m just a simple person, so I don’t understand much. But I do know one thing” In that delivery it’s a rather valueless, and pretentious authoritarian appeal to the heart. For Tsubasa it’s part of who she is as a young person, especially one who has a grandfather that has lost something due to conflict. She understands that, but she doesn’t understand why we, as people, have to disagree. I found this to be a very ironic scene. The Gatchamen are bright, bombastic, archetypes of heroism, but here, they ring as individuals that, as Sugane points out, not doing it for popular opinion, and are held in reserve.
Well, I do rather go on there, so I’ll cut this short. They are really packing things tight on the road to the finale. Lots of stuff could happen, from Red and Blue Crowds, to perhaps heroes coming out of places we didn’t expect them. But then, we got those funky little gremlin thinges that came out of people feelings. What they heck are they all about? I guess we shall see how that develops next time.
Best of luck handling these guys OC! Thanks for letting me fill in. Flappycat is outta here!
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 Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Seeing those redwhiteblue things brings to mind one thing:
Donald Trump. Which for better or worse is luckily not in this show.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
“To Break Wind” is not in this show, and that is a good thing…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hey! Never speak of the name Tronald Dump!!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Or they can be thought of as some strange barbershop mascot. 😉
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Tsubasa is like the stupid version of Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer. Unfrozen Caveman Sycophant, or something. “I do not understand your modern things, but I think he’s looking just great!” The whole show is beating you over the head, not just the snakey symbolism.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I was soooo trying to keep Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer out of this…But that’s what I get for not spelling out Glenn Beck…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
“I do not understand your modern things. When the cell phone chirps with a notification of a new vote, I fear the demons inside of it. But I do know that this Gelsadra will make the right decision for everyone.”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
::groans::
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Seriously, Tsubasa’s naïveté is becoming tedious. The girl has no real grasp of why people won’t come together as one: too many individual differences, some insurmountable. And the people are no better for basically handing off their free will simply because it’s convenient not to think for themselves. Right now, they’re no better than sheep.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Tsubasa’s naïveté is no different than anyone else’s, or at least she has it, and so do lots of people. And overcoming differences? You need to recognize that the exist in the first place, and she refuses to believe that differences are essential.
In the story, I think people still have agency, but they are quick to give away political power; which can happen if you have a leader of a Cult of Personality like Gelsadra has become.
But yeah, the story is playing these things real heavy…
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
Ok, that was kinda creepy, with Gel-chan pregnant… ish… And the bubbles contaminating bubbles and creating creepy french dolls out of nowhere.
Man, Tsubasa is getting simply annoying. It’s like she doesn’t even want to think about anything.
The third option was the dumbest thing Gel-chan ever did. How 99% of the people voting in an option that means “I dunno” means that the people’s hearts are getting closer? It’s not only bad for the people getting lazy about thinking for themselves, this third option wouldn’t even help Gel-chan get to her goal either as people are just shutting in whatever they think instead of thinking the same thing.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I think the writing is trying to set Tsubasa up as, not someone that does no thinking, but someone that let’s their ideology do the thinking for them. It boils down to the same thing, but the angle is different.
Yeah, it’s an I dunno option. Which I think the rest of the story is going to explain how that came to be, and how it effects Gel in a way he didn’t expect. The creepy french dolls are not what he wanted…maybe?
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I could hardly think that Tsubasa has an actual ideology. She’s just going along with whatever she instinctively thinks is right without putting too much thought in it.
Probably not. I mean, I don’t think Gel-chan is exactly bad, but his methods and his powers could result in bad things… Like a global orange liquid pool, or something like that.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Well, we’re heading towards the disaster we all knew was coming when Gel was elected prime minister with Tsubasa as his lead cheerleader. Looks like Hajime has decided, “Enough of this shit!” and she’s about to take action. It’ll be interesting to see the rolls the other Gatchamen play in the coming confrontation. Some may remain ambivalent at first about taking sides, just as they’re ambivalent now about what Gel and Tsubasa are doing, but I’m sure before the end they’ll all be on the same page. That’s what teams are about and the Gatchamen are a team.
I’ll give Tsubasa a pass on her behavior. She’s young and idealistic with a strong opinion on how things should be. Add that to the facts that she’s not too bright and that she comes from a rural area and has probably not been exposed much to differing opinions and her wanting everyone to think the same is more understandable. She’s had little exposure to differing opinions and so far all she’s knows about them is that they can lead to conflict and war. She has no experience or feel for how differing opinions can be a source of strength and how the interplay between them can lead to a society’s advancement. Just a guess, but I think before the end of the show she’ll come to realize this and then she’ll be a Gatchaman for real and help fix the problem she’s helped make.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…all I can add is a big ol’ YEP.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I’ll take that as a sign he took the words right out of your mouth.
But honestly, idealism can be a real grating thing to deal with if the person doesn’t accept some form of reality. It’s ridiculous and childish to believe everything will go one’s way. Sometimes, you have to be prepared for some sort of disappointment along the line. It gives experience and helps one to learn.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
But Tsubasa hasn’t had enough experience out in the wider world to realize that idealism isn’t enough, that it has to be tempered with what is possible. Nor does she realize that sticking to an absolute ideal is rarely for the best. All this has to do with the fact that she’s still a high school girl with very limited life experience. But I’m sure she’s about to get an education in reality real soon and it’s going to leave her sadder but wiser.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
You can’t have the cake and eat it.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
This goes along with BK’s own terrible abject fear of Gel.
Remember, Berg preys on the individual’s deepest, darkest desires and fears and turns it against them. Gel, however, has seemingly no individual sense of self or desire, believing and doing whatever the majority believe in so long as it brings total social unity.
Therefore, Berg has no leverage he can use against Gel, and is powerless to prey upon him. In short, Gel is the anti-Berg.
Also to note Paiman’s the only one supporting the total unity agenda, if only because Earth will get taken off the alien watchlist.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Of course I remember, I wrote about this stuff right up there ^^^^^
They’ve been a bit weak tea with Pai’s involvement in all this. Pai vouches for Gel when she first arrives, but says so in a rather throw a way matter of fact manner. Seems like they want to play Pai both ways. Like he knew what could happen…the alien watchlist (something I didn’t mention) being a huge plotpoint for future episodes. Wonder what Pai has to gain? And can Pai play dumb if all of it goes pear-shaped….
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Well, that was an interesting episode. Every time I saw all those people do the sign and say Gel’s name, I just remembered a not so distant past where people of a country raised their hands in salute to each other and said “heil!”
Gel really means well, but he’s basically becoming a dictator without realizing it. I’m reminded of the line from Star Wars that said that the way democracy died was with thunderous applause.
However, from Berg-katze’s reveal, Gel has done this on many other planets, and somehow hasn’t learned? There is more to this than they think.
And I wonder how long it will take them to realize what/who the “gentle beasts with many names” are?
So, now that Tsubasa is an idiot and Gel has led the country into a gentle tyranny, and he’s released these things, I’m wondering what will happen now. Will Tsubasa learn her lesson like Rui did and go against Gel?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
We have met the enemy and it is our own complacency.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…or you could just tune in to C-Span. “This is how liberty dies…with dull mediocrity”
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
…I’m kinda late for this but…
I fell a little pity for that Little Miss err…Mister Positivity (Gelsandra) Seem like it (not he or she but it ) can’t “unite” the human race after all that it perceives,
Human Race are like Apes…Indeed!