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Kiddy Grade
Yeah, it's that show that I used to entry-pimp a lot. Though lately The iDOLM@STER and then Element Hunters have kinda filled that role.
IJBM: Kiddy Grade has a number of great story premises, and has a very emotionally rich plot, but also has lots of flaws. Further IJBM that it's hard to find someone to talk to about this show who actually knows it and thus won't be spoiled by my talking about it.
Then again, I'm not sure how many people actually care enough about not having this show spoiled for them.
IJA(muses)M: I kinda disagreed with, and thereafter completely ignored, the main gist of the plot. I actually didn't figure it out until a while after I finished watching the show, and then it dawned on me what was happening and suddenly several more pieces of the show made sense. But yeah, I kinda completely ignored it and subsconsiously substituted my own canon.
Comments
I loved this show, I even own the DVDs.
The first time I ever saw it I caught it in the middle of the first time the English dub aired in South Africa (Around the episode where Lumiere and Eclaire re-appear and fight their dopplegangers) and even though I didn't really know what was happening I watched every other episode in the series. Since the anime channel around here didn't have many licences (And is now dead) they showed it all year and I just continued watching it over and over.
It's not perfect, but it's one of my favorite anime anyway.
^ Oh, sweet. How are the DVDs? Been thinking of getting them, though I'd have to mail-order them.
And since you'll know what I'm talking about:
So the overall plot arc of Eclipse and Chevalier pulling a xanatos gambit to cause Éclair to regain her memories and rebel against the Nouvlesse is the plot that I basically ignored. It's kinda odd, and its dramatic pacing kinda sucked, so I didn't even notice it at first.
On the other hand, I saw the series as three separate subplots--the championing the oppressed arc (which peaks in episode 11), the self-redemption/self-rediscovery/revival arc (episodes 16 through 20), and then the Deucalion arc (episodes 21 through 24).
After finishing the series, the three became even more separate. While all three subplots feature very intense and memorable moments, it turned out that the first seemed most fitting for my fix fic idea, which was born from my feeling that the show was really great but didn't quite end right.
And end with lots of mixed impressions it definitely did. The Particle ability was deus-ex-machina as all hell, as well as things like the prototype La Muses. And then there were all those questions in the back of my head wondering just how all these main characters could have gotten away with so many completely, blatantly illegal shenanigans. And it's never clear exactly what most of the ES members' powers even do. Some are obvious, such as Éclair's super strength and speed, but others, such as Pfeilspitze's "Inside", are just...what? (I think that one isn't even mentioned in the show itself.)
My favorite episodes are probably 11, 16, 20, and 24.
And the soundtrack is pretty amazing too. From touching tracks like the piano version of Future ("Promising Future") to the lullaby "Hoshizora no Yurikago" to action tracks like "Accidental Image" and drama tracks like Anger, there's a very rich array of emotions represented in this soundtrack.
Curiously, in retrospect, one of my complaints about Kiddy Grade is the same as my primary complaint about Mai-HiME--that the story seems to just string together events without much consideration for setting sensibility/consistency. However, it seems the differences were that (1) KG is filled with drama, and has very little comedy (while MH has lots of comedy), and (2) KG successfully made me care about the main protagonists and empathize with them through their struggles. So it basically left me feeling I'd watched not a coherent story but a set of myths about Éclair and Lumière, especially Éclair.
An AMV of this show with the song "God is a Girl" probably helped.
The DVDs are awesome, I'd pre-ordered them so they came with the artbook (SA tends to get weird stuff like that, and yes, it was in Japanese.)
I think I got that subplot after my third watching of the series, it was so subtle that I thought the memories had just come about randomly.
Hmm... I think I'd seen the first two as one arc because the themes were very similar and those two really meshed together well, but after some thought I did notice that they were more separate than they seemed. The Deucalion arc is the most obvious stand out since the feel of the series changes when it starts.
The ending was fine but I felt like it focused too much on Chevalier and Eclaire, it made Lumiere's paticle a bit more jarring (Despite the obvious) since she was out of focus for most of it. The other GOTT members also lacked focus (Aside from the Tweeds and Alv/Divergr) I mean, Sinistra and Dextera have a good amount of screentime but don't do anything aside from be yaoi fangirl bait.
As for favoraite episodes? 12-15, 17-19, 21 and 24.
Speaking of the soundtrack, the English DVDs had Lumiere and Eclaire's voice actresses sing both themes and I think I actually prefer Future in English.
I've only seen a single episode of Mai-HiME but I didn't like it very much, but I think that is an accurate description of Kiddy Grade. The episodic faire in the beginning is pretty fun to watch and when it gets plot heavy it's fun and intriguing to watch. I'd have prefferred if Lumiere had gotten a bit more screentime but in the end it's a very enjoyable experience.
The character designs for this show look kind of weird. I'm not really sure how to feel about them. If I can get over that aspect of it, then I might give this show a shot, maybe.
...wait...
>Gonzo
welp, nevermind.
Wait, shit, nevermind again. I just found out that I want to watch another Gonzo anime, so I can't use the studio as a reason to not watch Kiddy Grade, I guess.
I think the artsyle is kind of Gonzo basic, I saw it in Chrno Crusade, Burst Angel and SoltyRei (Maybe even a bit in OZMA).
> Speaking of the soundtrack, the English DVDs had Lumiere and Eclaire's voice actresses sing both themes and I think I actually prefer Future in English.
Oh really?
That's really, really awesome.
And yes, I do prefer Future in English. The high organ stops are less blaring in that version, which I think better suits the subdued feel of the song.
Is it the full-length song? Did they translate the second verse?
Future is a really, really pretty song. And I really like how they feature the main characters walking to the pace of the music. It really reinforces the idea that, even if they're not quite sure sometimes about whether what they're doing is the right way to go with things or exactly how the future will turn out or what they can and cannot do, they still keep on going, keep on moving, keep on walking forward, keep on fighting for their ideals. Especially Éclair, who is the more idealistic of the duo.
True, the first two arcs are both more like mystery drama arcs, while the last arc is more of an epic drama arc.
I wonder whether Sinistra and Dextera have as their ability those red and blue lasers. It's gotta be more than that. And yeah, they just kinda stand around not doing much.
There just is so little setting detail in some cases--such as why the original ES members (why do they even call them "ES members"? wouldn't a term like "ES agents" be better?) are all so varied but Alv and Dvergr could just produce a bunch of Éclair and Lumière clones...yet those clones also strangely lacked G-class powers or something...whut...whatever.
I really do want to figure out what Pfeilspitze's ability is. Does it have to do with computers? Disguises? Communications? What?
It's not the full length song, just the version used as the ED.
I think Sinistra and Dextera are limited to the lasers, but maybe the lasers have some sort of special capabilities (Or they just have the worst C-class ability ever). I think ES means something like Enemies of the Shadow-something, so yes it would make sense to for it to be Agents and not Members.
Pfeilspitze's ability is probably somewhere in the character bibles that only got released in Japan, but maybe if I search the internet enough I'll find it...
I wish they'd at least dubbed the last movie into English, despite being a rehash of the series I feel like the third movie is somewhat different in tone to the series and is a fun alternate take (And not just because it's a compressed adaptation).
The first two are dubbed but not the third? That would be odd since basically the entire anime consumer-base in western countries are interested in complete series.
Sinistra and Dextera are considered quite powerful S-class agents, so I would think they have more tricks up their very long and high-end sleeves. They do have that one-dimensional blade thing that they can do with their ship, but I don't think ship capabilities should count for their own personal ranking.
Or it's possible that C and S classes are indicators of seniority. That said, they ARE good enough to fend off six pairs of É&C clones long enough to escape.
Pfeilspitze's ability's name is "Inside". Within the main series (I haven't seen the movies), she does the following:
* serves as Mercredi, Eclipse's secretary
* episode 5: appears after the arrest the criminals in the brainwashing/child-smuggling ring, to survey the situation and report to Eclipse
* episode 16: appears with Armbrust after he delivers his report on Éclair
* hugs Armbrust on a rooftop
* listens in on Armbrust's conversation with Eclipse
* unexpectedly appears inside new GOTT HQ, without going through the front door
* copilots a ship with Armbrust
...got any guesses?
And why is Lumi weak to a slightly modified fire sprinkler in ep 15? I don't get it.
Oh, and based on at least one scene near the end of episode 18 and one scene during the "training battle" in episode 17, it seems that Dextera and Sinistra also have a teleportation or at least a super speed ability.
Also, I just revisited and remembered that ep 17 has a reference to ep 11, specifically to the theme of resistance against oppression that Éclair represents.
Another possible clue about Pfeilspitze's ability, from episode 21:
English dub:
Armbrust: "Yes, I understand you've given the siblings [Tweedledee and Tweedledum] the all-important task of carrying the champagne for tomorrow's launching ceremony."
Eclipse: "That's right. Those two will serve as my eyes."
Armbrust: "Then does that make me your ears? Information is a valuable commodity."
*scene cuts to outside GOTT HQ, panning to then focusing on Pfeilspitze in the rain, holding an umbrella, listening in on the conversation*
Eclipse: "In which case, I believe I've already paid you more than enough, thanks to your partner."
Armbrust: "Nothing gets by you, does it?"
English translation of original Japanese:
Armbrust: "You sent the brother and sister out, right? Charged with the all-important role of carrying the champagne to the launching ceremony?"
Eclipse: "Yes. Those two are my eyes."
Armbrust: "Then, does that make me your ears? The price of my information is quite high."
Eclipse: "And here I thought that, by means of your partner, I had paid you plenty."
Armbrust: "I'm just no match for you, huh?"
Clearly, she's also (like Armbrust) a spy or otherwise involved in information services. Seems that she infiltrated something, probably GU communications, to get information Eclipse wanted. Alternatively, she passed information from Eclipse onto someone else. The question is what ability she has. It probably has to do with infiltration, especially since it's called "Inside".
And I don't think that Pfeilspitze would be paid just to ferry information to Éclair and Lumière (as she did later that episode), because it would be easy enough for Eclipse to do that herself.
Also, I'm realizing more and more that the plot backbone of this series consists of xanatos gambits piled on top of xanatos gambits with a side serving of xanatos speed chess.
No, none of them are dubbed. I just meant that if they dubbed any it should have been the third. Just some wishful thinking. Speaking of wishful thinking, there are like four light novels that still haven't been translated. Not even by fans, Yen Press should really pick them up...
Inside is probably some kind of Teleportation+Disguise+Heightened-Senses ability (All have to do with infiltration). Since Sinistra and Dextera have teleportation as well, it might be that Teleportation itself is a C-class ability and any additional power bumps someone up to S-class? I don't think we can take them beating the clones as an extra ability, that's more to do with their stamina.
Well, at least it's not anywhere near bad with the gambits and speed chess, unlike series like Bleach and Kingdom Hearts which forget that in the end the story must be understandble.
@Lumiere's sudden weakness: Maybe she was still reeling from losing La Muse and Donnerschlag.
No, Lumi was fine even as she dealt with Viola and Cesario.
Here's Alv's line about it: "I know it's not too 'elegant', but you have to admit...a few modifications, and even a simple extinguisher can be quite effective." / "It may be a primitive extinguisher, but with a little tampering, it is effective enough."
She put something into the water, or otherwise did something to the sprinkler.
As for ability naming, there just doesn't seem to be any consistent way they're done. For example, Éclair's super strength and speed, as well as concussion blasts, are simply called "Power", for example, while there are separate terms for "Absorb" and "Reflect".
As for Pfeilspitze, in my fix-fic plans, she has the ability to disguise herself perfectly as anyone else. She's also a computer hacker, apart from her supernatural ability.
Hmm... that seems about right.
Eclair's "Power" doesn't seem a stretch from the other names. The concept is she's got the same abilities as normal human beings but with a significant boost (powered up), while "Absorb" and "Reflect" are inherently different concepts.
That sounds cool, when is this fix fic going to be written?
...uh...um...
I still mostly have no idea, but slightly less no idea than before.
http://itjustbugsme.com/forums/discussion/10747/god-is-a-girl-project
-gets out reading cap-