Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Parallel World Pharmacy
|
Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
WatcherZer
Posts: 272 |
|
|||
|
Im not sure jumping straight to Titanium Dioxide based cosmetics is really practical, its only been mass produced since the 80's as it requires heating certain ores to 900 degrees, a temperature it was difficult to reliably produce before modern electrical and gas furnaces.
|
||||
|
||||
|
blahmoomoo
Posts: 459 |
|
|||
I wonder how the other businesses are going to obtain their raw materials. If it's from Farma himself, you'd think the story would establish that. But even if he somehow had enough time during the day to make and sell various raw materials (probably not?), he would still be holding a monopoly of sorts that the queen is trying to avoid (even if he has no malicious intent). So, I agree that this part of the plot doesn't make sense to me. It was a bit of a bother for me with the TB plot too, since the complex molecule was originally from a special kind of bacteria that produces it. So in order to produce that molecule independently from Farma, he would need to establish the whole school of microbiology and create a new industry to research bacteria. Though, since there has been no mention that TB can now be widely cured, I assume nothing has happened yet, so this hasn't crossed the line to become unrealistic. |
||||
|
||||
|
Minos_Kurumada
Posts: 998 |
|
|||
Yeah...I definitely have a problem with this, I like my competent characters but everybody is just too young, specially Chloe, the fact that a 9 years old victorian maid made a survey that complicated... dunno, just feels off. I also concur on others comments on the series moving too frictionless, this is a general problem with these shows where the main character tries to use modern era logic to fix the past. In reality if you try to implement liberal economics while use the government to regulate it then you get disasters like South America, nothing but countries full of oligarchs that use the government as a shield against competitors. A victorian era country would get decimated if you tried the same. |
||||
|
||||
Yuvelir
 Posts: 1543 |
|
|||
|
So frictionless it was outright slippery. It was almost hilarious how the second he started selling those cosmetics he developed within a week all of his problems were negated so hard they becae bonuses. Not to mention the branch shop and the maternity leave stuff, that was quite the blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment with how quickly and smoothly it went.
This show has some surface similarities with Honzuki, but not the same charm. Part of it comes from how grounded and thoughtful the latter was. Briefly or extensively, easily or with difficulty, all apparent problems and impossibilities for Myne's inventions were addressed; whereas this show just chooses to gloss over them, they introduced the creation power as an excuse but never realized it doesn't quite apply to mass production. |
||||
|
||||
Spike Terra
 Subscriber Posts: 358 Location: Maryland |
|
|||
Yeah that type of solution can only really be accomplished by capital "M" magic either by an avatar like Farma or a family that specialized in fire or lightning magic. Honestly, I think Parallel World Pharmacy addressing this topic but I wish it had spent a longer amount of time overcoming this issue. Like I would have liked to have spent a little more time with Chloe, where we see her recruit the team of Pharmaceutists that make up the cosmetics branch of the pharmacy. Then again, there is only so much you can do with the time you are allotted in terms of animation. On the positive side, I'm super happy that Lotte gets to do stuff. Most shows would just have her be a cute mascot but no she is a full blown member of team and her survey idea was freaking genius. Lastly, James I think you chose the best screenshot for this episode. 5 out of 5 stars |
||||
|
||||
Covnam
 Posts: 3644 |
|
|||
|
Not sure how it is in Japan, but that seemed less like a pharmacy and more like a full clinic, but at least he made good use of the floor space
Funny to see cosmetics being used to bolster a shop in another isekai show, though it does make sense. Maybe I wasn't focused enough at the end of the episode, but I'm not quite sure why he was happy that the Queen wanted him to raise prices. I understand that if the prices are too low other business will fold, but doesn't that mean that commoners will be priced out which was Farma's whole goal? Those "disguises" were a great bit 
@Gina Szanboti It seemed to me that Farma didn't make a skin whitener that changes your actual skin tone, just a non-toxic makeup to give a lighter color |
||||
|
||||
|
everydaygamer
|
|
|||
The point is to be competitive. Since Farma can make everything he needs he could sell at a price noone else possibly could. It can still be affordable but without destroying the entire market. |
||||
|
Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11331 |
|
|||
Whether it reduces or it covers melanin isn't the issue for me. It's the "white skin is best skin" attitude that's a problem, and one that's too complex for this anime to adequately address. |
||||
|
||||
|
Yuvelir
Posts: 1543 |
|
|||
You can't really hold medieval people to the skin tone standards of the 2020's, specially when their preference for white skin isn't about racism but about classism. Even nowadays you won't see that much people that really will give a shit abiut others wanting their skin to be darker or lighter. I think it was more of a glaring issue that her "beloved" was enough of an asshole to reject her because she "isn't white enough". That's a red flag if I've ever seen one. |
||||
|
||||
Cryten
 Posts: 987 |
|
|||
|
Also the show did go out of its way to show that the lady in question would not accept praise of her being beautiful as she was. She was caught in the desire for a man clearly not worthy of her. It almost feels like there was a story there in the background that we didn't get to participate in given her changed outlook at the end as a champion of lady workers.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11331 |
|
|||
Depends on where you live, I guess. Skin whiteners are a multi-billion dollar industry across Asia and Africa, and it is a huge issue there with medical, economic, social and political repercussions. But again, my main issue is not holding [the characters] to modern American standards, but with the anime tackling a serious issue it didn't really have the chops or desire to explore. |
||||
|
||||
|
Thesarum
Posts: 401 |
|
|||
I think they're from a different kingdom too? So the crashing of the manure cart into a royally-sanctioned pharmacy and the abduction of a royal pharmacist is actually a massive international incident. I guess Farma might use that to get out of things, rather than go all OP-Isekai protagonist on them. That or the Queen (Empress?) will show up, look awesome, and kick some asses (politically). I'd certainly go for more Queen Liz screentime. I think the reveal of Farma's powers to Lotte, was well done too in the grounded but ultimately gentle manner of the show. Farma expected the sort of reaction he got from Ellen, Lotte felt shame at not putting herself on the line, miscommunication achieved. And then resolved by some honest communication. A deeper bond is the result. |
||||
|
||||
|
GhostD
Posts: 999 |
|
|||
I suggest not jumping to conclusions that the clergymen were the ones who did it. Like Farma said, overhasty action may lead to false charges.
Empress. This is an empire not a kingdom. Just clarifying |
||||
|
||||
|
Thesarum
Posts: 401 |
|
|||
Thanks. She's inconsistently referred to as "Queen Elizabeth" in some places so I wasn't totally sure. |
||||
|
||||
|
GhostD
Posts: 999 |
|
|||
I know so I understand that some might get confused but even the English dub addresses her as Empress and their country as an empire. |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group