Concrete Revolutio

Episode 7

It's October of 1967 in the world of Concrete Revolutio, and there's a new superhuman on the scene: Earth-chan. Although "superhuman" is a strange classification for her, since she's actually a robot. Earth-chan is a robot programmed as an eternal do-gooder, with a strongly formed sense of right and wrong. Whether or not a robot can really judge these things is one of the major themes of this episode of Concrete Revolutio.

There are several different storylines going on here, so I'll take them one by one: Earth-chan is extremely popular. She exists purely to help people, since she's programmed to know when people are crying out for help and responds immediately. Whatever side Earth-chan takes is the one people at large will take; she even played a major role in the Japanese citizenry's opposition to using kaiju in war by siding with the protesters. The Superhuman Bureau is eager to recruit her now that Japan is planning to join the Defense Force of Earth, fighting aliens with kaiju like Machine Ultima. The Superhuman Bureau must support the government's decision as part of the Health and Welfare Ministry, but its members know there will be protests. If they can get Earth-chan on their side, she can defang the opposition, so Kikko is enlisted to do this.

Their plan starts by recruiting a new character with an obviously symbolic name: Judas. He used to be a mook in a group of superhuman villains called the Diamond Eaters, who basically committed petty robberies. Judas called out for Earth-chan to help him and promised to go straight in the aftermath, but he betrayed that promise when it turned out that the Diamond Eaters were the only ones who valued him. He changed his tune once again when the Superhuman Bureau offered him a chance to report on the criminals, but he still felt conflicted, and it's clear that Earth-chan is treating him with suspicion. Judas has his own reservations about the Superhuman Bureau and ultimately joins the protesters in the final conflict.

Concrete Revolutio has an interesting attitude toward student protesters, especially in comparison to Young Black Jack, the other 1960s-set anime I'm reviewing this season. Young Black Jack has a much more negative view of student activism. Concrete Revolutio appears to at first, but it does show protesters as well-meaning and effective, albeit as gullible as the rest of the population. I hold out hope because Jiro, our hero, eventually turns against the Superhuman Bureau—and the Bureau itself engages in some shady activity (like with the kaiju in previous weeks) in the name of protecting the establishment. Since he turns against the Bureau, I'm guessing Jiro might have realized the protesters were (at least partly) right after all. After all, it's revealed that Judas is part of Jiro's future team in 1972. I could be wrong of course, but there are still so many puzzle pieces left to fill that the story could go just about anywhere. We have the outline for Concrete Revolutio, but not much has been colored in just yet.

There's also another less clear conflict: Emi's suspicious of Kikko's attachment to Jiro. Ullr, the nesting doll creature that lives in Kikko's chest, (anime!) is perfectly fine with betraying her confidence to other characters in the Bureau. Earth-chan ends up distrusting her when another superhuman from the "Strange Power Risk Management Office" warns her that Kikko is a witch. Kikko's sympathies seem pretty straightforward, but the fact that no one else trusts her could prove interesting for the upcoming conflict. Unlike with Fuurouta, we haven't seen exactly where she stands once Jiro leaves the Bureau. Kikko clearly has a big heart, as demonstrated by how she's able to reach out to Earth-chan in a way no one else in the Superhuman Bureau can. Where Kikko's heart takes her is anyone's guess, making her an unknown entity going forward.

For all the time it spends on Kikko, Jiro, and the Superhuman Bureau's negotiations, this episode of Concrete Revolutio gives us a better sense of the world at large in the "Shinka" era. In the middle of the episode, Jiro, Kikko, and Earth-chan find themselves in a "Free Zone," a bar where superhumans can freely discuss their situations without fear of government reprisal. We see all sorts of early-anime superheroes there: blocky cartoon animals (who express worry about being used in war), Astro Boy-style spacemen, and many others. This also gives us a quick glance at the range of opinions these characters might have about the Superhuman Bureau. Surprise: not all of them are happy or even take a strong stance at all. It lends perspective to how Jiro might change his mind and recruit allies in future years. The episode also focuses more attention on the show's landscape than previous ones, showing off its unique art aesthetic. It's a good one for putting everything in perspective.

"Perspective" is actually part of the episode's message. Black-and-white conceptions of good and evil only go so far. You have to carefully evaluate each situation. It doesn't come down harshly on Earth-chan's worldview though; after all, she's a robot who can only do so much to question her programming. Moreover, her ethics are based on caring for others, so it's hard to criticize if she occasionally gives too much compassion to the wrong person. The bigger issue stands with why flesh-and-blood humans keep putting so much faith in the moral decisions of one lonely little robot.

Though the 1967 segment ends with her floating innocently in Earth's orbit, dreaming after eating Kikko's candies, the 1972 flash-forward suggests a more sinister end. Jiro and Judas come across an incapacitated Earth-chan in a pod, and Judas vows to resuscitate her. Do the people of Japan finally turn on Earth-chan when she makes a decision they don't like? Does her creator just decide to retire her? What is the measure of a robotic life? These are the sorts of questions that Concrete Revolutio poses.

I hope we start to get some answers soon. The glimpses of Future Jiro and his crusade against his former allies are tantalizing, but I'm getting tired of just a taste. I'd like an episode that explains his change of heart in greater detail, not just another intriguing coda. The two storylines keep inching closer together, and I'm worried we'll have to wait until the end for them to finally connect. While that road has certainly been fun, colorful, and fascinating, I'm getting impatient for the destination. Just show us the connective tissue already!

Rating: A-

Concrete Revolutio is currently streaming on Funimation.

Rose is a music Ph.D. student who loves overanalyzing anime soundtracks. Follow her on her media blog Rose's Turn, and on Twitter.