My, my. To think we’d be alive for the moment when Smeagol became a focal point for an anime in discussing isolation and desire. How lucky can you get?
I liked this episode a whole lot more than the last one and I’m pretty sure it all comes down to how well you can relate to the subject material, which isn’t actually all that surprising. I can identify with seclusion much more than with body/eating disorders, just from my own personal experiences. I’ve also started to really get a kick out of the μ song that comes on at the climax of each episode. The lyrics have been targeted for the specific issue we happen to be dealing with and it just adds a lot more to the scene. It’s just good music.
While I don’t doubt there will be more violent, action centered episodes in the future, based on the blond lady surrounded by Digiheads, the fact that they’re showing that there are alternative solutions to overcoming personal setbacks is notable and appreciated. Sometimes, just offering to talk or eat lunch together can be enough of a starting point for change. I don’t buy into the whole ‘Smeagol was just lonely’ bit they tried to use, but the message came out loud and clear which is the important thing. Honestly, hearing a Lord of the Rings reference to any degree is just a nice bonus.
They got everyone together a lot quicker than I thought they would. They even went through the trouble of skipping the explanation of the mobius system and the reactions to it, flashing forward to everyone accepting it as truth. In an anime attempting to cover so much ground, it’s definitely a good sign for time management. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve watched a show that has insisted on repeating information over and over again despite very obvious time limits.
I’ve had to do this in the past too, but I’m starting to enjoy the show more now that I feel like I finally understand where it’s coming from. It was unclear to me from the first few episodes whether or not this was supposed to be sci-fi, psychological, comedy, action, etc. Now that I have my expectations aligned, I’m starting to take more pleasure in watching the new episodes. Like I mentioned before, I think being empathetic to the particular episodes content is crucial in the viewing. Considering this show seems to be a shout out to mental health in general, empathy is probably a pretty important concept in general. Being so familiar with Suzuna’s trauma in this episode has made me reconsider not liking the last episode. Due to not connecting with it, I kind of wrote it off. Now, I like to think that empathizing could be a key feature of this series. And they say you never learn anything useful from watching TV. Pfft.
Because of the general nature of the show, it’s hard to know how much time has passed since Shougo has been ‘awakened’, but how the hell do him and Aria not have a plan for how to escape? Aria even says she’s 1/2 of the system (or used to be, most of her power is gone now). You’d think she’d have some way of communicating with μ. And μ is so dense, saying she doesn’t understand why they don’t like it here! Gosh, I don’t know. Being chased around by former friends turned monsters, finding out my world is only half built, and having my reality crumble around me seems like a great way to spend a weekend…
I know she’s being manipulated by the musicians, but this seems like something a small sit down and chat session could clear up pretty darn quick!
Also, I’m aware it’s kind of cheesy, but I like the idea of channeling the negative feelings they have accumulated to create ways to fight through a feeling of catharsis. Aria said Shikishima wasn’t ready yet, but I’m hoping they’ll all get their own versions of personified catharsis soon. Assuming each character gets their own episode, there are still 3 or 4 episodes to go and then maybe escaping from mobius will become the main plot. I know this all has been more or less laid out in the game that this show is based on, but I’ve never played it. So, everything here is new to me and I’m super interested in seeing how far the show takes it in the coming weeks.
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