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Alien Nine (special).




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nobahn
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:07 pm Reply with quote


Alien Nine (special)

Genres: horror, psychological, science fiction
Themes: alien, school

Plot Summary: Otani Yuri, much to her disgust, has been elected by her class for alien fighting duty. Together with Tonime Kasumi, who joined the alien fighter simply for the sake of doing so, and Kawamura Kumi, who became an alien fighter to avoid the responsibility of yet another year of class presidency, she must defend her school from periodic alien attacks. Introspection, fear, anxiety and friendship await Yuri as she is forced to stare life itself in the mouth in her chaotic coming of age.
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So I've seen it, and my reaction to the ending is somewhere between "what the hell?" and "WTF?!" Those scenes shown during the final credits roll are really in "WTF?!" territory and make me really want to read the manga for clarification. (although Jason Thompson argues that that the manga is devoid of its own meaning and that the best interpretation is that the manga is really about spoiler[female puberty])

Here is a review of the manga by Zac Bertschy and here is a review of the anime by Justin Sevakis.


Last edited by nobahn on Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:57 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Alan45
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010
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Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:47 am Reply with quote
@nobahn
Alien 9 seriously creeped me out and not in a good way. I gave away both the manga and anime versions a long time ago and have no intention of ever revisiting them.

In most horror stories, you are up against something seriously evil. However in this the evil lies in the absolute routine life as normal aspect. Right at the beginning the MC is elected to this task against her wishes just because she not popular.

I don't see how this can be a reference to spoiler[female puberty. While it involves involuntary possibly distressing changes to the body, only three girls in the whole class are elected to be involved.] Justin's reference to possible sexual abuse is more likely.
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Galap
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Joined: 07 Apr 2012
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:39 pm Reply with quote
I've been aware of this and interested in it basically since I've been into anime, but I've never gotten around to watching it. Maybe I will soon....
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Spastic Minnow
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Joined: 02 May 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:43 pm Reply with quote
I definitely see the puberty analogy more than sexual abuse. It's symbolic after all, not literal, so it's not like all of the girls in the school need to participate. The episode with the boys being taken over reinforces the puberty comparisons for me. Three boys lose all interest in their normal hobbies and develop one track minds in pursuit of the MC. Although the final attack of the boys is, shall we say, overboard, I see it more as analogous of them losing control than some sort of avatars of abuse.
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Gewürtztraminer



Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 1028
Location: Texas - Its like whole other country.
PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:02 pm Reply with quote
As I finished up the series, I was watching the final montage....

I did a double take and I think I said out loud, "What the.. Did I just see what I think I did".

Backed up the Dvd and yes I did in fact see what I thought I did.

Had to read the manga that came in the CPM bundle, and it continued a little further, but then ended as well.

I think the anime is well worth watching, even if uncomfortable.
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Alan45
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:37 pm Reply with quote
I suspect it would be really easy to over think this show. As I remember it was a male artist writing about little girls and scary monsters/events. I doubt it has any deeper meaning.
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nobahn
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:35 pm Reply with quote
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