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Blood-
Bargain Hunter
Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23770
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:59 am
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@ Haruhi Toy - that may be true, but given Ange's temperament, I don't see things going well for him if he tried to avail himself of those other options.
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mangamuscle
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 2658
Location: Mexico
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:15 pm
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[quote="Rogueywon"]
... it shows the monetised and capitalist society in Arzenal as superior to the Star Trek-style socialism-of-plenty in the mana-world and it's big on "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps rather than begging for help".
Oh, I would say just the opposite. Aura is a representation of oil (trapped deep on earth and the basis of the modern world) and clearly shows humans oblivious to the danger of what will they do if they lose access to it.
Meanwhile, the winners are the dragoons, which make it their own task to clean earth and live in harmony with it.
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Rogueywon
Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 251
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:23 pm
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[quote="mangamuscle"]
Rogueywon wrote: |
... it shows the monetised and capitalist society in Arzenal as superior to the Star Trek-style socialism-of-plenty in the mana-world and it's big on "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps rather than begging for help".
Oh, I would say just the opposite. Aura is a representation of oil (trapped deep on earth and the basis of the modern world) and clearly shows humans oblivious to the danger of what will they do if they lose access to it.
Meanwhile, the winners are the dragoons, which make it their own task to clean earth and live in harmony with it. |
I wasn't talking about environmentalism (which isn't per se a strict left-right issue, though modern politics often makes it one). It's more about the philosophical underpinnings of conservatism and socialism.
One thing undeniable about this show is that it has a complete absence of charity. The Norma don't help each other out financially (Ange makes one offer - she's an outsider - but it's rejected). Ange feels no duty to the people of Mitsurugi after they turn on her. The virtuous characters in this show are the ones who help themselves. It's the weak characters who ask for (or demand) help. Sylvia's sin was to take the easy path of making herself helpless, until Ange's tough love cured it (which seems to have given her at least a vaguely hopeful ending). The Mitsurugi citizens in episode 23 beg Ange for help while at the same time blaming her for their ills.
I wonder if this is actually at the heart of why this show is so divisive (possibly more so than the sexual content). It's unusual for an anime to have strong political underpinnings. When they do, it often defaults into a very soft-left leaning... a kind of vague "everybody should help each other out" philosophy. Cross Ange, on the other hand, is a celebration of red-in-tooth-and-claw self interest. And issues of political philosophy like this tend to be deeply embedded in post people, whether they realise it or not.
Good god. Ange is Dagny Taggart. Ayn Rand would be proud.
And yes, I'm aware how silly I'm getting.
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Vaisaga
Joined: 07 Oct 2011
Posts: 13227
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:27 pm
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Blood- wrote: | @ Haruhi Toy - that may be true, but given Ange's temperament, I don't see things going well for him if he tried to avail himself of those other options. |
Tusk is Ange's knight. He'd never betray her in the first place.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter
Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:36 pm
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Not to mention that somehow her supple thighs are constantly clamped around his head, which would severely restrict his freedom to cavort. One would think.
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mangamuscle
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 2658
Location: Mexico
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:37 pm
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Rogueywon wrote: | Good god. Ange is Dagny Taggart. Ayn Rand would be proud.
And yes, I'm aware how silly I'm getting. |
I would have to disagree again. Ange helps and protects her own (fiercely), which is the Norma (which clearly defend one another) and Tusk (wonder what was of the rest of the ancient people). It just happens that this time around the bad guys are not monsters born out of the feverish minds of mankind, but humans like you and me (who have access to technology and live quite a blissful life thanks to it).
Blood- wrote: | Not to mention that somehow her supple thighs ... |
If only Ange had Mikasa's abs and Chun Li's thighs *goes to fantasy land, excuse the drooling*
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Rogueywon
Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 251
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:55 pm
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mangamuscle wrote: | I would have to disagree again. Ange helps and protects her own (fiercely), which is the Norma (which clearly defend one another) and Tusk (wonder what was of the rest of the ancient people). It just happens that this time around the bad guys are not monsters born out of the feverish minds of mankind, but humans like you and me (who have access to technology and live quite a blissful life thanks to it). |
She does protect her own, but again, it's fiercely conditional - Ange cares for people based on their value to her.
Ok, it's late on a Sunday, I've just had some screwed up phone conversations and I'm drunk. So I'm going to take the Atlas Shrugged silliness a step further.
If Ange is Dagny Taggart, then Momoka is Eddie Willers - the loyal, capable but not-too-bright subordinate. Momoka knows her place. She knows she isn't exceptional and that her role in life is to support the exceptional person. And the show approves of that. At least Momoka gets a happy ending in this show; poor old Eddie gets completely screwed over in Atlas Shrugged. I just used spoiler tags for Atlas Shrugged. Is that like doing Vader is Luke's father?
Tusk is probably Hank Reardon. Though at least this show doesn't go in for Ayn Rand's sexual politics. Because dear god that stuff is disturbing. But the point with Tusk is that he loves Ange because she's strong and she loves him back because he's strong. This is not unconditional love. She doesn't decide he's cute and go "squeeeeee!".
That would probably make Sylvia into James Taggart (the protagonist's no-good sibling who has a last minute repentance).
I think I've just written the silliest post in ANN history. Do I get a prize?
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mangamuscle
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 2658
Location: Mexico
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:07 pm
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I have not read Shrugged Atlas nor seen the movie, so the only thing I can say is...
Rogueywon wrote: | But the point with Tusk is that he loves Ange because she's strong and she loves him back because he's strong. |
No, she loves him because Tusk accepts and supports her 100%. How many Tuxedo masks wannabe's have gone to slumberland when attempting to save their princes (who had to save herself AND his crotch zooming prince)? If anything Tusk became invincible after Ange pooped his cherry and then gave him her panties for bonus invincibility (like dude, I survived a c4 explosion at point blank, your toothpick and pellets are making me laugh).
Last edited by mangamuscle on Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Yttrbio
Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 3652
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:07 pm
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Blood- wrote: | Not to mention that somehow her supple thighs are constantly clamped around his head, which would severely restrict his freedom to cavort. One would think. |
Sure, if you have no imagination.
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Cptn_Taylor
Joined: 08 Nov 2013
Posts: 925
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:25 pm
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Tusk's crotch landings are reminiscent of Kekko Kamen exploits.
And once again nothing is new. Go Nagai did this kind of fanservice over 40 years ago.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter
Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23770
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:37 pm
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I appreciate fan service that hews closely to the classics. Very respectful.
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Ingraman
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 1077
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:58 pm
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Blood- wrote: |
Episode 25 (Finale)
favorite part of the finale? One, last epic naked vage mash into Tusk's lucky face. |
You were watching the far-too-common Tusk/Ange stuff in the foreground, and not the reactions of Hilda in the background?
Rogueywon wrote: | Lots of fun little touches. I adore the angry/sarcastic/exasperated gestures Hilda's making in the background when Ange and Tusk are re-united on Vilkiss. |
Yeah, watching Hilda give a thumbs down gesture (and several others, along with her appearing to rant) was definitely a highlight. ^^
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter
Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23770
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:29 pm
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I'm definitely going to go back and check out the Hilda reactions - I certainly did not notice the first time around.
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Vaisaga
Joined: 07 Oct 2011
Posts: 13227
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:01 pm
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She also switches to acting innocent when Ange turns her way.
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Cptn_Taylor
Joined: 08 Nov 2013
Posts: 925
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:45 pm
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Vaisaga wrote: | She also switches to acting innocent when Ange turns her way. |
One of highpoints of this final episode.
Her reaction was just so humane. It ringed true.
Poor Hilda, she's stuck between loving Ange from afar and at the same time being happy for her.
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