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Some people seem to be forgetting that no one on this side of the Gate really knows what the Gate is. For all they know, it could suddenly vanish tomorrow, or it could actually be rather fragile and break if a stray bullet hit it, if someone tried to invade Ginza. The Japanese could also blow it up when invaded.

Would you be willing to start a possible World War III for this? Especially when you don't even know if there is any natural resources on the other side, and the only way in is the rather narrow Gate, which would restrict the amount of resources you can export through it.

This 8th episode is quite good and funny in its own way: is not funny where it want to be (although this applies to the previous eps.), like the reaction of the military girl to the revelation that Itami is a badass.

Hameyadea wrote:

This episode demonstrated that the axe Rory Mercury is carrying is quite heavy; at the end of the Battle of Italica (episode #6), Itami Yōji ran while carrying Rory who still held her axe. Super strength Itami.

Perhaps that's not the way magic works. Maybe the weight is not transferable to a second carrier. (??)

Hameyadea wrote:

Also, don't take this show's politics so seriously; the show certainly doesn't Laughing

As Harold Zoid said "People, people please, just because its a dramatic scene doesn't mean you can't do a little comedy in the background."

BassKuroi wrote:

Perhaps that's not the way magic works. Maybe the weight is not transferable to a second carrier. (??)

So basically, it's Thor's ~~Hammer~~ Axe?

DRosencraft wrote:

As we have learned all too well over the years, it's one thing to bomb a country to dirt. It's another to occupy one. Iraq had a fraction of the financial and military resources of Japan, not to mention population. Yet no one has been able to bring that country under control after years and years of war. Even if China or the US wanted to steal the use of the Gate from Japan, how long could they reasonably hold it?

Although I agree with you on the rest, this is not a good analogy at all. Unlike Japan, Iraq was a country where the existing power (Hussein's government) was suppressing volatile sectarian rifts which are centuries old. Much of its population was also still rooted in clan/tribal structures, which also made Iraq far less united as a country than it appeared to be. (Remember, it was the League of Nations which defined its borders, not anything of the inhabitants' own doing, and that often lead to internal strife.) Neither is the case with Japan, which aside from the Bakumatsu/Imperial power struggles in the mid-to-late 1800s has been solidly unified for centuries. Hence a collapse of the centralized government of Japan wouldn't necessarily create an Iraq-like situation.

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The portrayal of the female Diet member (who is the only one who speaks or is even animated) can be looked at two ways: as evidence of how little regard the original writer holds for politicians.

It's actually evidence of how little regard the original author holds for left-wing politicians in Japan. The opposing Diet politician was basically a straw man (or woman) written by Yanai Takumi to justify his beliefs on Japanese military expansion and nationalism, and against left-wing downsizing.
In the manga version, the jab is even more obvious since she is drawn to resemble politician Murata Renho, of the left-wing Democratic Party of Japan.

Despite how interesting the story is on its own merits, the author’s political axe is still very pervasive (despite the attempts to blunt it).

DRosencraft wrote:

We aren't seeing the daily back and forward of the political regimes, but 3 months is not nearly enough time to settle a matter this large, potentially involving that many countries, over what is a matter of Japans sovereign territorial rights. Wherever the gate is or might lead, the fact is, it's on Japan's soil. Meaning use of that gate requires occupation of Japan's soil. Unless Japan says it's okay to occupy the territory of their largest city, which i doubt any nation is apt to willingly do, you will have to force them, either militarily or otherwise.

There is some historical precedent, sort of: the Turkish Straits and (more recently) the Berlin Corridor. Even if the world recognized sovereign states on the other side, Japan would be given extremely wide latitude to control access to/from the Gate. The best others might hope for is guaranteed access by civilians of any nationality, but even that is probably too optimistic, considering that it is smack-dab in Tokyo, which constrains the space for infrastructure to administer access.

As for the land on the other side, Japan would probably most realistically annex it under the principle of terra nullius, should it apply (indeed, the SDF would be officially on a mission to establish whether or not terra nullius applies). Countries might complain, but there's no realistic option for anyone but Japan to occupy territory, and possession is 9/10 of the law, as the saying goes.

The most you'd see would be sharp diplomatic rebukes, but no one is going to attempt to resolve the dispute by military force. There's too much risk to accidentally destroying the Gate, and the US has generally maintained that its treaties cover even disputed territory whose ownership the US does not take a position on.

EDIT: It's also worth noting that Japan was attacked first by people on the other side of the Gate, and they thus have a very strong claim to invoke Article 51 (the right to self-defense in face of armed attack).

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I find Rory being allowed to carry her ax into the Diet chamber, even while wrapped up, to strain credibility to the breaking point, since it is quite obviously a weapon

Considering the other two can cast spells, I'm not sure what good disarming Rory would have done for the Diet's safety.

I imagine the official logic, however, is that it is an important religious symbol of Rory's office and of great significance to her. There's a good chance there's real precedent one way or the other on this due to things such as the kirpan carried by some Sikhs. I did a very quick search and didn't find anything. Maybe I'll try digging more later.

HelloBucket wrote:

I imagine the official logic, however, is that it is an important religious symbol of Rory's office and of great significance to her. There's a good chance there's real precedent one way or the other on this due to things such as the kirpan carried by some Sikhs. I did a very quick search and didn't find anything. Maybe I'll try digging more later.

In 1974, PLO leader Yasser Arafat made a speech at the U.N. General Assembly while wearing his olive-colored garb, a Keffiyeh and a holster, which may or may not had a gun in it

5) Arafat brings a gun to the UN (1974) wrote:

[...] But his appearance became most memorable for coming to the podium sporting a gun belt and holster (though it is said he removed the gun beforehand) and brandishing an olive branch saying [...]

So there is a real-world precedent, and I think I also read that Fidel Castro brought a weapon of sorts (a grenade or a handgun) to a public speech outside of Cuba, but I can't find any sources for that.

I can't say that I find ridiculous politician lady any more obnoxious or strawmanish than, say, the corporate leader with an evil plot sitting in a darkened room, which is just as much an ideologically-motivated caricature. It just happens to be a more popular one.

so these are the big 3 ? interesting...

just curious if they are watching it dubbed or subbed?

i watched the part with Rory 3-4 times-- it was funny

HelloBucket wrote:

I imagine the official logic, however, is that it is an important religious symbol of Rory's office and of great significance to her. There's a good chance there's real precedent one way or the other on this due to things such as the kirpan carried by some Sikhs. I did a very quick search and didn't find anything. Maybe I'll try digging more later.

That's the reasoning the manga had behind Rory carrying her halberd into Japan. Kuribayashi was lecturing her about why she had to keep the halberd covered up while over in Japan due to weapons laws before they crossed over. Kuri wanted her to leave it behind, but since the halberd is considered a holy relic of Emroy and effectively Rory's staff of office as his apostle, she's not going to do that.

Yttrbio wrote:

I can't say that I find ridiculous politician lady any more obnoxious or strawmanish than, say, the corporate leader with an evil plot sitting in a darkened room, which is just as much an ideologically-motivated caricature. It just happens to be a more popular one.

The biggest problem I have with her is that she's supposed to be a caricature of a real person, and she seems to get attacked in all sorts of right-wing Japanese media for her anti-JSDF stance whenever an author needs to pull out a obstructionist strawman politician that's against military action.

Yttrbio wrote:

I can't say that I find ridiculous politician lady any more obnoxious or strawmanish than, say, the corporate leader with an evil plot sitting in a darkened room, which is just as much an ideologically-motivated caricature. It just happens to be a more popular one.

well this is the same lady in the manga.. since they toned gate down to shounen level

quite a few of the female characters were turned into their teenage form

this particular female character looks 20 years younger.. probably the youngest femal diet member (if any..) Rolling Eyes

Ep. 8 gave us the confirmation that the country that wanted to move half it's population is China, I have no idea how Theron could think it was North Korea since it was so clear in ep. 4.

ANN needs to put a little more attention to detail when doing a review.

ebv2406 wrote:

Ep. 8 gave us the confirmation that the country that wanted to move half it's population is China, I have no idea how Theron could think it was North Korea since it was so clear in ep. 4.

Based on this episode, yes, it's now abundantly clear that I made an incorrect supposition back in episode 4. I said that I would admit it if I was definitively proven wrong based on anime content, so here is that admission.

Based on episode 4, it was only supposition. There was nothing "so clear" about it.

^
There was no smoking gun evidence in episode four, but it was clear if one joined the dots. I've never read any of the source material or heard any spoilers and even I instantly knew it was China that was being referenced.

However, whether a country (that hasn't even threatened to play any proper role in the show) was North Korea or China is one of the stupidest arguments - seriously - that a discussion thread has had to endure on the ANN forums. So let us all move on.

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