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EP. REVIEW: Kaina of the Great Snow Sea


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Hiroki not Takuya



Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Posts: 2501
PostPosted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:06 pm Reply with quote
RenimLS wrote:
Hiroki not Takuya wrote:
..Also, also, why didn't the canopy dwellers have parachutes?? Would have made the trip down a lot easier and lower gravity would have made that almost completely safe....
...Well with the large predatory bugs flying around, would probably make using a parachute a one-way ticket to becoming an easy bug snack....
kotomikun wrote:
..I'd assume due to some combination of: they didn't think there was anything interesting down there (and certainly not humans), they didn't have a way to get back up....
I just thought that people living in a tree miles-high would want to have some sort of safety in case the wind blew them off a branch or they lost their footing or grip. From the looks, if you didn't grab something right then, you'd plummet to certain death and it would have come in handy for this story. IRL, suspension bridges have safety lines that worker harnesses hook onto. The point of how one gets back up also begs the question that if they have a pocket laser to make rope-holds, why wouldn't they use a larger version to make hand-holds or maybe have a rope system to pull themselves back up? Hanging around for centuries, it seems someone might have thought of something. Not the author apparently...

Also, Ep5 solidifies that despite my and the reviewer's musings on the nature of the "snow sea" none of it can be physical so we "just have to go with it". Boats float but bodies and wood chips have zero buoyancy or motion drag. Also, the solid models for the sea creatures have so little detail and are actually made from elementary solid objects in the program so by comparison to the human characters, it takes me out of the immersion (pun intended). Loved Ririha's bold-faced lie, had me yelling "gurl, gurl, stop that, no one's ever going to believe that!" Smile
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kotomikun



Joined: 06 May 2013
Posts: 1205
PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2023 1:54 am Reply with quote
Hiroki not Takuya wrote:
The point of how one gets back up also begs the question that if they have a pocket laser to make rope-holds, why wouldn't they use a larger version to make hand-holds or maybe have a rope system to pull themselves back up?

The laser device is almost certainly lost technology from whatever civilization made all those signs (ours, probably), since they only seem to have one of them and don't show any understanding of how it works. Harnesses, nets, ladders, etc. might make sense, but they apparently have very limited materials for making things like that--they don't even have the resources to build structures, forcing them to live in tree tunnels, and even when the last able-bodied person is climbing down the tree to never return, they can only give him a couple relatively short ropes.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 1:42 am Reply with quote
6-7 Pro-tip, kids. When you're hiding in a box and then leave the box, close the lid so it's not obvious the box is now empty. Also, how did that soldier carrying the back end of his box (i.e., facing forward) fail to see them sneaking along the wall right in front of him?
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Thesarum



Joined: 25 Mar 2022
Posts: 391
PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:01 pm Reply with quote
I'm still having fun with this despite its slightly stiff character animation and rote plotting. The world remains intriguing, and often beautiful.

I like that Valghia has a believable motive for being what it is, rather than it just being cartoon evil warmongering state "just because". (The Admiral so far still seems to be a bit that though).

Kinda hilarious that Kaina knows all about the massive tree but didn't really think about it until now. He's a nice kid, but really needs to focus.

The Black Armor is going to defect, or a least turn a blind eye to our heroes at some point isn't she? Her sympathy for Ririha has been painted with a wheelbarrow.
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Hiroki not Takuya



Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Posts: 2501
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 12:32 am Reply with quote
Ep7- Something that strikes me more seeing the plight of the Valghians is what keeps them from rebelling and joining forces with the rest of humanity in trying to counter the universal existential environmental threat? Why is the only solution that occurs "take thier water for ourselves" and why wouldn't any sane person realize that is non-productive? I'm sure the writer is trying to make that very point, likely in reference to how supposed "global warming" is being handled, but I find it hard to believe a situation like that portrayed would actually occur. Also, why is the water being depleted? Is this world not a closed system? Like I observed earlier, I guess we just have to accept it... Confused
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10960
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 12:45 am Reply with quote
I'm glad our protagonists finally have an endgoal in sight with the Great Spire Tree and a further reason to end the war after seeing how messed up Valghia is and how the citizens are as much a victim of the nation and what it's become as Valghia's enemies. Ririha definitely seemed aware that the Valghians deserve better than this.

I love Kaina and Ririha's teamwork without even needing to speak a single word to each other. Quite romantic!

The admirals' beast sounds like a Final Boss if ever I've heard one.

I like how they've slowly developed Amelothee's backstory and situation to where you can piece it together without needing it 100% spelled out for you.
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Hiroki not Takuya



Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Posts: 2501
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:44 am Reply with quote
Pro Tip #2- When you stick out because you aren't wearing the same clothes as everyone else and you want to stay incognito, get the local's clothes from somewhere and put them on. It's literally the first thing that characters do in any story of this sort and is just common sense. Apparently not shared by the author...

Now, how did they get by in that crowd for the execution without someone yelling "the invaders are right here"? Also, they seem to have mighty small countries there. Valghia looks like it has a population of maybe 200 and Atland seems similar by area...Don't get me wrong, I still like this show, but there is a lot to overlook to enjoy it and it could have been done much better with some minor tweaks to the writing...
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One-Eye



Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Posts: 2260
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 10:10 pm Reply with quote
Review wrote:
Overall, however, the series continues to be defined by the conflict between its captivating setting and snooze-inducing plotting. The narrative runs on happenstance more than determination, and the cast is too anemic to inspire despite that.

This, so much. After these last two episodes its beginning to get harder to watch this show. Nihei has always been better with his backgrounds and world in his stories than characters or dialogue. He really needs somebody to translate his work into an anime format, this feels like fully unfiltered Nihei. Several characters seem to suffer from the too stupid to live bug. The Prince wondering out loud in a crowd of unfriendlies why they think the little girl is the Princess when his sister is standing right next to him (face palm). Kaina's constant startle reflex reaction to practically everything going on (huh?). The weird way that the story seems to be constructed to drag everything out. I mean did you love that whole thing on the ship? Redshirt goon #1 says hey they escaped on the boat! Let's tell the general. Redshirt goon #2 in same area then proceeds to check the crates to make sure they are not hiding there and to create tension, then he's told that the search is called off. What? A much shorter and better way would have been for him to be checking the crates and then cut to the guy saying they escaped on the boat, which would have stopped goon #2. But no instead a weird drawn out way of doing it. Even the whole sneaking onto the ship felt awkward and clunky in the telling. Oh, no they are going to be caught! Snore...

Then there's the weird cuts, Princess is on the bridge alone, next cut she's surrounded! They didn't bother to animate the soldiers moving towards her. Then the Prince holding the little string on the lower bridge (don't know how it doesn't break or just cut into his hands) and then he's on the lower levels pulling them up with help. How did he get all the way down there quickly enough that they don't run out of air and not manage to get the string caught on something while managing to keep it taut? Its kind of messy how the show unnecessarily drags its feet in parts and in others it just cuts away/forward and skips intermediate steps in the narrative.
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WatcherZer



Joined: 29 Dec 2016
Posts: 266
PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 10:24 am Reply with quote
I was initially puzzled by the sauna too but then I realised rather than a luxury a sauna and towel scrub uses less water than a bath or shower. This may well be their primary way of providing hygiene rather than a luxury.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10960
PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 10:57 am Reply with quote
Figures the dad is happy his kids are back but still won't listen to Ririha. Though, yeah, Valghia probably wouldn't make peace with that commander in charge.

What reminded me most of Sidonia was Kaina's newfound popularity with women knowing how lucky Tanikaze tended to be with girls. But I think they're doing a good job of developing Kaina and Ririha's budding romance.

Was that a Mecha among Valghia's forces at the end?
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WatcherZer



Joined: 29 Dec 2016
Posts: 266
PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 1:13 pm Reply with quote
Theres been a mecha in the intro since the start. I suspect rather he has just tamed some leviathan as they seemed to be luring it with meat.
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Hiroki not Takuya



Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Posts: 2501
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 10:28 am Reply with quote
And now we have a Giant Fighting Robot, the silliest concept in anime and why does it not sink to the bottom of this sea?? 'Cuzz anime...

Like the rafts that "go" when you put an oar into the water and not move it but shifting it slightly like a lever stops it...huh?
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10960
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 10:56 am Reply with quote
So they need to take down a mecha and they need a ship...I feel like their only chance is for Amelothee to switch sides, but I wonder if that would require them doing some damage to the Architect.
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Thesarum



Joined: 25 Mar 2022
Posts: 391
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:42 pm Reply with quote
Hiroki not Takuya wrote:
And now we have a Giant Fighting Robot, the silliest concept in anime and why does it not sink to the bottom of this sea?? 'Cuzz anime...

Like the rafts that "go" when you put an oar into the water and not move it but shifting it slightly like a lever stops it...huh?


It's not a oar, it's one of those "snowfoil" sticks, which apparently generate some sort of thrust rather than buoyancy. Angling it therefore angles the thrust generated, resulting in motion in the opposite direction. Centering the lever is in effect a neutral position that generates only upwards thrust. I'm not sure there's a cohesive theory of physics for this world exactly (and there are quite a lot of problems with the practicality of this mechanism when there's only a single stick as with the raft), but it's not the case that there's no attempt at all to provide some sort of mechanism.

Though it is odd that the propulsion of the Valghian ships looks like it works completely differently, though I guess that could be just a question of poor presentation.

Why exactly the "ocean trench" requires a bigger engine to cross also isn't clear, though I guess the idea is that the sea there is somehow less dense, so you need a more powerful upward thrust to stay "afloat"?

The admiral just gets more of a cartoon villain each week, which I guess is a bit disappointing. He's got a big mech and he's power crazed and just likes the opportunity to smash stuff with it... but still, it'd be good for his character to have a dimension other than "murderous maniac". What's he even fighting for? Because apparently it's not Valghia. Was he once? What made him into this?

Interesting that the big mech looks nothing like the thing in the into. The "mech" in the intro has always looked a lot like the admiral himself. And now we know why - that's exactly what it is. It is the admiral. In his mech-controlling hat. It doesn't look like that thing was the original control interface, so presumably he's patched it together himself from the parts of the original. The fact he's used a skull as the base is entirely about his own tastes.

Amelothee's defection has been telegraphed since pretty much the first time we met her, but it's not clear how we get all the pieces into place to make that happen now and still have time to resolve anything. So the answer is presumably that we're not going to... someone is going to stab the admiral while he's wearing his stupid hat, and we're going to secure a ship. Maybe Amelothee will defect. That's presumably the most we can expect.
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Hiroki not Takuya



Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Posts: 2501
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 11:17 pm Reply with quote
Thesarum wrote:
Hiroki not Takuya wrote:
And now we have a Giant Fighting Robot... the rafts that "go" when you put an oar into the water...
It's not a oar, it's one of those "snowfoil" sticks, which apparently generate some sort of thrust rather than buoyancy. Angling it therefore angles the thrust generated, resulting in motion in the opposite direction. Centering the lever is in effect a neutral position that generates only upwards thrust. I'm not sure there's a cohesive theory of physics for this world exactly...
Thanks, I rewatched and it is as you say. Also, I'd guess that skull the Admiral is using was found in the cockpit and is why he uses it. Likely from the owner/pilot and since the skull is not from a human they may get to aliens before the end. There is that Hikari creature after all (an alien ghost?)...
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