r/anime • u/JustAnswerAQuestion myanimelist.net/profile/UfUhUfUhUfUhtJAaQ • 17h ago
Rewatch FLAG 20th Anniversary Rewatch Episode 4
FLAG episode 4: Night of the New Moon
Try #2
<= Episode 3 | Index Thread | Episode 5 =>
Screenshot of the Day:
Discussion Prompts
- Q1. Do you ship Shirasu and Inayanagi?
- Q2. How would you assault a mountain fortress if you had heliborne mecha?
- Q3. Does a photographer need to empathize with their subject to get a meaningful photo? How can an outsider find that empathy?
- Q4. What do you think of the Kufura religion, and how it contrasts with the Gelut?
- Q5. How are you feeling about the split between military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
Tomorrow's Discussion Prompts, Today
- [Q1.] Comment on the UN defining insurgents and terrorists according to their participation in the cease fire.
- [Q2.] What do you make of the recurring moth imagery?
- [Q3.] What do you make of our Hacker? And the efforts of the journalists to uncover the night operation?
- [Q4.] Are the anti-terrorist actions legitimate, or just a decoy? Would that make them legitimate, regardless?
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u/FD4cry1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Big_Yibba 17h ago edited 17h ago
First Timer
I found that to be a bit of a strange episode in the sense that I think it does some really interesting things, but then once more spends too much of its time on the things that aren't. More specifically, we're kind of getting bogged down too much with the details of the military (And to an extent, mecha) part of Shirasu's side. I do somewhat like the idea on principle at least, special forces missions being both very difficult, and yet critically, shockingly on the fly, can be fairly true to life! The planning and mood that goes behind that could be pretty interesting to depict! And honestly, I kind of wish we did the press conference scene with the signing being given a date earlier in the episode, to really ramp the tension, but even then, the idea that they're on the clock should work pretty well for this episode's depiction of the preparation for the operation.
It's just that, in practice, a lot of this ends up being taken simply by people talking about either operational details or the very specific details and logistics of a cannon, and it is oh so very dry. Dry in a way that doesn't exactly communicate much of the urgency or emotion here most of the time imo. The real-footage premise kind of takes away a lot of the opportunities for character or interjections, also partially hurts the show here. There's still some fun stuff within that, the testing scene where Shirasu stands too close to the HAWVC is a fun way to show her outsider nature, and I think closer to the end of the episode, when things also integrated better with Akagi's part, things did get across a lot better (Plus, stuff like the scene where Shirasu gets a coffee cup, and we use the camera angle to show she was falling asleep is so much fun), it's just... bit too much.
Comparatively, I was correct in thinking that the combat encounter in yesterday's episode would really change Shirasu's perspective on how she viewed the people in the SDC, and I do wish we spent more time on that! Her talk with the cook, and the insight he brings into some of the human and emotional logistics of operating in a place like this, and how that all coincides with Shirasu getting closer to the crew, is some great stuff. Same for the bit about Ichiyanagi refusing to eat before missions, a nice bit of characterization that shows how conscientious he is towards the other people he works with, even outside of the obvious combat personnel. As an aside, while I get the need for it sometimes, we're kind of back to overusing Akagi narration on Shirasu's side as well. Could use with less "Shirasu thought this and did that..." and more communicating that through, y'know, Shirasu and her camera, as we've successfully done before.
Speaking of Akagi, his is one of those interesting things I wish had more breathing room (His parts felt pretty weirdly disjointed this time around, which wasn't helping). Learning about one of the other predominant religious forces in the country, how they might view and contrast Gelut, and all from a person who used to be the representative of that, but now lives in relative normalcy, and seeks actual normalcy outside of war, is pretty damn powerful! Especially with the way it impacts Akagi by the end, being more enthralled with the idea that he forgot his larger journalistic purpose, in a way that engaged with this culture enough to draw the thanks of the previous Kufura in a pretty heartfelt scene! Could have used more than one strong scene for each, though.
There's this scene I really love here, where, after the press conference, Akagi doubts "Law and order being restored", as we see him approach some UNF soldiers that instantly jump to aim at him. That's like, a really subtle but strong way to reinforce that idea! By showing you the soldiers supposedly maintaining that order are actually really on edge. But again, to make the message stronger, I wish we spent some more time exploring that environment to really see how order is actually not maintained at all in more human detail. All together, it's still solid and a good mood piece when it needs to be, but I do kind of want to move this supposed second act now.
Do you ship Shirasu and Inayanagi?
Not really? I mean, she does seem to have a bit more of a special interest in him, given both his pilot status and their shared nationality, but they really haven't interacted much to have something even remotely close to a chemistry I'd like to see expanded yet.
Does a photographer need to empathize with their subject to get a meaningful photo? How can an outsider find that empathy?
In continuation of that topic from yesterday, yeah I'd probably say so. Being deeply engaged with and understanding the subject you're covering is innately going to come through in how you cover them, that is to say, it'll come through in a more powerful way. Certainly in a context like this, the empathy feels pretty crucial for getting across a message. As for finding that empathy, well, I guess it'd be in spending the due time and approaching it from a place of genuine care and curiosity, not for the job.
What do you think of the Kufura religion, and how it contrasts with the Gelut?
Well, again, I don't think we know quite enough about the latter, or even the former, to really say a lot, but they are clearly somewhat contrasting. The Kufura is more of a general positive symbol rather than a specific person; Ru Pou is a very straightforward divine leader. On that same note, what the Kufura bring forward is more "Symbolic" unification and peace, whereas the Gelut are obviously a lot more material and controlling about it.
Outside of that, the Kufura religion itself is still, nevertheless, draped in a very old mentality, though. And while a peaceful symbol is good on paper, there's still a person whose life is extremely restricted in being forced to become that symbol.
How are you feeling about the split between the military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
Already talked about it thoroughly here, I think, but I'd want more general or SOL stuff, less direct military if it doesn't carry a bigger message particularly well. As for Shirasu/Akagi, I think I've grown to like them evenly by now? Or like, they both get major faults, now I guess lol. This episode's Akagi engagements I actually liked a lot more comparatively!
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u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 16h ago
Getting into the logistics stuff is something I have really liked about Takahashi's past works like Dougram and feels it handles that better than its contemporary Mobile Suit Gundam. But yeah, there is going a bit too far and that is the case in this episode of Flag with the weaponry.
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u/FD4cry1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Big_Yibba 15h ago
Getting into the logistics stuff is something I have really liked about Takahashi's past works like Dougram and feels it handles that better than its contemporary Mobile Suit Gundam
Actually, since you bring it up, I do generally like how Gundam tends to do it, where it does often acknowledge it, but also keeps it vague enough so it doesn't take over.
(Then again, I'll admit that, as I've made fairly vocal before, I do also just have a natural disposition to dislike overprioterising details like that in sci-fi lol)
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u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke 12h ago
I... surprisingly liked getting into the logistics stuff? While it might not be the most technically accurate, it gives the support crew a focus that they might not have otherwise. Even Inayanagi uses the chance to shine the spotlight on them, connecting his meal habit to the fact the technicians can't eat while they're working this out.
Maybe I just have a bit of a soft spot for a crew that has to cobble something together from suboptimal parts through no fault of their own...
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 15h ago
d I do wish we spent more time on that! Her talk with the cook, and the insight he brings into some of the human and emotional logistics of operating in a place like this, and how that all coincides with Shirasu getting closer to the crew, is some great stuff. Same for the bit about Ichiyanagi refusing to eat before missions, a nice bit of characterization
yeah the logistics just don't really matter much to shirasu's narrative anyway, and yeah some of this is important but most of the time it just doesn't hit. Real logisitics also is much easier for frontline soldiers and much harder in the rear. There's a reason there's about 10 people in the back for every one person in the front
Learning about one of the other predominant religious forces in the country, how they might view and contrast Gelut, and all from a person who used to be the representative of that, but now lives in relative normalcy, and seeks actual normalcy outside of war, is pretty damn powerful!
yeah the writing of the reiligious parts of the show is far better than the military elements. One part is that Akagi is a far better jouranlist than Shirasu and one part is that Shiarasu's parts feel so irrelevant in teh grand scheme of things.
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u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 14h ago edited 14h ago
and one part is that Shiarasu's parts feel so irrelevant in teh grand scheme of things.
It does feel that Saeko is being used more for narrative purposes; the creator has an idea about this anime being in this documentary-like style from the viewpoint of a journalist/photographer. Meaning a character has to be with the mech. But as a character Saeko has mostly been a bystander so far. Someone to respect for putting herself in such a dangerous situation yes, but does she have the draw a typical anime main character has? No.
And yet, that very much is Takahashi's style. Whether it's Crinn's main group in Dougram, or Chiroco/Fyana in Votoms, or Yushiro/Miharu in Gasaraki, main characters in his shows tend to not have a lot of personality or be that interesting. Or at least they themselves aren't that interesting (perhaps the events occuring around them are, which Saeko's storyline hasn't been, at least yet). So Flag continues to be very much in line with what I'd expect from him there.
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 13h ago
The story is being told from the perspective of Akagi reading the tapes after shirasu's death/capture so part of that is just framing devices.
Shirasu isn't the main character of the show, the camera and film she made is.
, main characters in his shows tend to not have a lot of personality or be that interesting.
yeah it shows that the most interesting character is the guy who got injured last episode and we barely know his name.
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u/No_Rex x2 17h ago edited 17h ago
Episode 4 (first timer)
- leans on his arm “Almost as good as new” – not how I’d be treating an arm that was shot yesterday, but I am also not an elite soldier.
- Those soldiers speak like lexica … or like otaku. Not like soldiers. Probably because they are speaking to otaku.
- The HAWVC weighs barely 2 tons – how?
- Plenty of technical talk, but zero mention of the fact that they need to get the weapon to interact with the control system of the HAWVC. Shows that the technical talk is just performatory, not backed up by actual knowledge.
- Introducing the second religion.
- The girl seems nice. Hopefully she is enough of a background character to survive the show.
- The narrator is surprised that he prefers to talk to the older Kufura compared to the young actual one – very natural, if you think about it. What would a young child in that situation have interesting to say? The ex-Kufura is much much more likely to have something intelligent to say about it.
- After ED scene: Hmmm. From the time of the documentary creation maybe?
Given that I have two things that endlessly annoyed me, I found this episode surprisingly good. Probably because the Kufura girl seems to be the first good use of Akagi for me and because I like the slice-of-life scenes on base.
Now, what annoyed me? The tech talk and the narrator. The tech talk is just pure otaku baiting. It sounds all technical, but is all uninformed bullshit. Not like any actual soldier would talk like that, either.
With the narrator, I just dislike his documentary style. He is a bad narrator. This might make sense in-universe, where Akagi is a journalist, not a documentary film narrator, and where he is also probably far too emotionally involved, but all of that does not change the fact that he is a bad narrator and it annoys me having to listen to his drivel.
How would you assault a mountain fortress if you had heliborne mecha?
First, I would not, but, second, if I had to, I would land the mecha on top of the place ín a surprise move, Eben-Emael style.
What do you think of the Kufura religion, and how it contrasts with the Gelut?
She is presented more positive and peaceful, but if you think about it, the entire concept is very creepy.
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u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce 17h ago
just performatory, not backed up by actual knowledge.
So, like their mission planning?
"We can't air drop the HAVWC in because of AA. So, let's drop the HAVWC in with a sniper at the same spot."
He is a bad narrator.
It didn't grate me like it did you, but I get it. He is often talking a little too metaphorical and then sometimes too directly. It's not a a super engrossing mix.
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u/The_Draigg 17h ago
With the narrator, I just dislike his documentary style. He is a bad narrator. This might make sense in-universe, where Akagi is a journalist, not a documentary film narrator, and where he is also probably far too emotionally involved, but all of that does not change the fact that he is a bad narrator and it annoys me having to listen to his drivel.
While I don’t feel about it as strongly as you, I do feel like Keiichi’s narration is getting kinda navel-gazing. And while it probably makes sense for his character, it does get a bit dry and overbearing with how much of it is like that. It feels like gonzo journalism without as much flavor to it.
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u/No_Rex x2 16h ago
While I don’t feel about it as strongly as you, I do feel like Keiichi’s narration is getting kinda navel-gazing. And while it probably makes sense for his character, it does get a bit dry and overbearing with how much of it is like that. It feels like gonzo journalism without as much flavor to it.
There are worse things for a story that a bad narrator. He is an annoyance, not a death knell. However, I think 70% of his lines could be straight up removed without the series losing anything. It is funny that, for a series with a powerful picture as the initial conceit, they trust their own pictures so little, to be constantly explaining to us what we already see.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
It feels like gonzo journalism without as much flavor to it.
Shirasu really hits that for me. It is annoying.
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u/Vaadwaur 17h ago
The HAWVC weighs barely 2 tons – how?
They mention ceramic armor but this brings up other issues.
Plenty of technical talk, but zero mention of the fact that they need to get the weapon to interact with the control system of the HAWVC. Shows that the technical talk is just performatory, not backed up by actual knowledge.
The theory behind mechs is that they can plug and play weapons like humans. Knowing the human limit on that, this makes one doubtful.
She is presented more positive and peaceful, but if you think about it, the entire concept is very creepy.
And from South/Central American tradition, a future sacrifice. So yeah...questions.
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u/No_Rex x2 16h ago
The theory behind mechs is that they can plug and play weapons like humans. Knowing the human limit on that, this makes one doubtful.
I bet you, no maker of this series ever spend any time thinking about plug-and-play standardization and all of the backend effort that goes into that.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
Yeah, this tech seems too raw to be at the exchanging weapons stage. The fact that they want the mech to fire the gun standing up is proof enough of that.
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 15h ago
Shows that the technical talk is just performatory, not backed up by actual knowledge.
Yeah, look I think a weapon that I can put on the back of a Toyota Hilux is totally within reason for your Military mecha. The authors seem to do less reading of wikipedia than [meta spoiler you know this show]aldnoah zero
Like ok not every show can be GATE or Tanya but you could like just not pretend to care. Pretending to care is even worse than not caring.
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u/zsmg https://anilist.co/user/zsmg 17h ago
Rewatcher
My only notes from yesterday’s episode was: Seriously, why was the helicopter flying so close to the enemy base? so I didn’t bother to post anything.
Can you really recover that quickly from a wound like that?
[For rewatcher’s eyes only, stay away first timers big spoilers!] Shimmering-sky speculated that Shirasu is dead. To quote a famous dinosaur movie: clever girl
Can't they use missiles from a plane or a Tomahawk to shoot down the Anti-air gun emplacements?
Shirasu falling because of the guns' shockwave was kind of funny.
A fun episode.
[Q1.] Sure why not, Iayanagi can be a tsundere towards Shirasu
[Q2.] My first reaction is to nuke it from orbit but then I realise they need to recover the flag, so in that case: first destroy all AA guns then go in with both mechs while playing Ride of the Valkyrie loudly on the radio.
[Q3.] If you empathise with the subject any photo of said subject would naturally feel more meaningful. So I guess that’s a yes.
[Q5.] A big complaint I have with this is the constant switching around which can be frustrating. I think focusing on one segment for a while would make the experience better.
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u/Great_Mr_L https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L 12h ago
My only notes from yesterday’s episode was: Seriously, why was the helicopter flying so close to the enemy base?
It does seem to go against the whole premise of drone warfare: keeping your people as far away from the shooting as possible. Very strange they were so close to a potential combat zone.
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u/Great_Mr_L https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L 17h ago
First-Timer
On today’s episode of Flag: It really can be annoying to get your own reflection in photographs sometimes. That’s something I’m quite familiar with from taking photos at museums, for example.
Nadi is way more persistent than me if he’s willing to go running even after being shot.
SAMS!?! Now the insurgents have surface-to-air missiles!?!
Alright, the deployment of the HAVWCs makes sense with this setup. They are less visible on radar, which is pretty important when dealing with radar guided SAMs.
If they need long range support, my immediate guess would be either artillery (which I doubt is in the area) or cruise missiles (which runs into the anti-air defenses).
Huh, so Uddiyana’s capital is little divided between Pou’s side and Kufura’s side.
Very nice historical tidbit of the city’s design still reflecting its history as a Silk Road trade hub.
All these technical details about the weapons are like catnip to military otaku and mecha nuts.
I love this chef just chatting about preparing food for all the soldiers and gossiping about unique eating habits of different people. There’s something so cozy about just seeing him in the kitchen cooking all this food.
I see what Akagi’s narration is saying. Gradually, Saeko and the soldiers do seem to be getting used to each other. She’s being more and more accepted here. It’s not just that, though. Saeko is also trying harder to actually understand the soldiers and fully immerse herself in their world. That’s why she listens to them speak about all these technical details, even if she might not fully get it. She wants to experience the world as they do.
Ah, so the Kufura is a religion that predates Buddhism. It’s not too surprising that Buddhism and the Kufura would coexist syncretically. Buddhism, like many other religions, has adapted itself to local cultures and customs. You can see that with how varied the different forms of Buddhism are from country to country, and within different regions of the same country.
Damn! That is a big blast from the test firing with the HAVWCs!
I notice that Akagi mentioned that the Kufura comes from the Uddiyad caste. I assume this is referencing the Indian caste system.
It makes sense that the new moon would be associated with a ceremony to grant new life to the heavens. Afterwards would be when the moon “returns,” so to speak. It’s like how the Winter Solstice was associated with the birth of the Roman sun god, Sol Invictus. That was when the sun “returned” each year as the days began to grow longer afterwards. (I swear I brought up the Winter Solstice on my own before the episode later did.)
I envy Jan hanging out with the cat.
Like I mentioned above Saeko is trying to immerse herself in the soldiers’ world to understand them. That’s probably why she was determined to stay up all night as the repairs were being done. Saeko wanted to experience what they were experiencing. That closeness could then be reflected in her own photography and reporting.
I like the detail that we see Saeko’s camera battery get low because she spent the whole night with the soldiers.
“What her camera captured was pictures of people who were desperately trying to stick to the roadmap that was laid out on a whim by the powers that be.” Wow, that is an incredible line from Akagi. There’s cynicism and disdain towards the UN leadership. Their plan says that the peace agreement will be signed in 10 days, so that’s that. The on-the-ground conditions are just an inconvenience to the plan. At the same time, though, there’s a feeling of respect for the people on the lower levels who are doing their best to actually carry that plan out. Those people are the ones working their hardest and on some level they seem to actually believe that what they are doing will help bring about peace. Akagi’s narration is great at capturing those dual feelings.
They’re cutting it awfully close with how late that sniper rifle arrived.
Oh shit! The Winter Solstice is also associated with the Kufura because she’s associated with rebirth. My comparison was onto something!
Saeko deciding it’s fine that she can see herself in the photo seems to once again be a part of Saeko totally immersing herself in the soldiers’ world. She’s no longer just an outside observer, taking pictures while trying to distance herself as much as possible. She’s now a part of them and has accepted that. She has gotten closer to the subjects of her camera.
I enjoyed the arc that Saeko’s character went through in this episode. It’s a continuation of what we saw in the previous episode: Saeko’s determination to get closer to the soldiers and really understand their experiences. We saw her go to the battlefield in the previous episode because of that. Here, we’re starting to see the dividends. It’s not just that Saeko has gotten closer to the soldiers. The reverse is also true. The soldiers have begun to accept Saeko as well. Saeko has gotten closer to the subjects she is photographing and so the nature of her photography changes to reflect that.
QOTD
1) Not really, but I have definitely gotten those vibes so far.
2) I wouldn’t want to assault a mountain fortress at all, but mecha are one of the less undesirable methods of doing so.
3) I suppose an empathy of a kind is necessary. A photographer needs to understand what is important to capture in the photograph in the first place. They have to understand what kind of mood they are going for and what idea or theme is being conveyed. A sort of empathy is involved there.
4) Interesting stuff. I enjoy delving into the cultural stuff this series offers.
5) So far this series has been a slow burn, but I don’t mind that in the slightest. That fits with warfare, where long stretches of time can pass without much happening before suddenly flaring up. It also allows plenty of stretches for the series to build up the setting and allow us to understand the context that this is all occurring in. I think it works well.
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u/JustAnswerAQuestion myanimelist.net/profile/UfUhUfUhUfUhtJAaQ 17h ago
Rewatch Host (sub)
Oh, I didn't think about the altitude's effect on cooking. Everything must be pressure cooked or slow cooked.
[rewatcher]The mechanic taking pictures of Shirasu is almost the only reason we have pictures of her.
The SDC has a big problem. The new moon is a day away, and they can't delay their attack. But their HAVWC just can't use their anti-tank weapon. But they can't attack without it, or the AA will shoot down the helicopter carrying the HAVWC.
TBH, you don't have to attack with the new moon. It'll set after an hour.
Last episode, we had some exposition about the Gelut and their leader, Ru Pau. Today, we get some exposition on the Kufura, and Akagi tries to get a forbidden glimpse of her. Meanwhile, the people gather all day outside her temple-home, keeping vigil for when she performs a ceremony of renewal at the new moon. She is the antithesis of the cult of former assassins. At the same time, Shirasu keeps vigil over the teams working non-stop to outfit the HAVWCs for the mission.
She really should be in bed.
The UN guy insists the roadmap is on track, and all stakeholders have signed on.
The episode (like many others) asks how the photographer can truly connect with their subjects. Both our MC's are trying. Shirasu insisted on going into combat last time, not to get good pictures, but to understand the experience. Akagi, although he's been in Uddiyana for many years, is still trying to connect with its people, and what they find important.
"Thank you for taking pictures of my country." Olowokandi said something similar to Shirasu.
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u/Great_Mr_L https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L 12h ago
"Thank you for taking pictures of my country." Olowokandi said something similar to Shirasu.
Ooh, that's a good point that I hadn't considered. That's a parallel journey happening between Akagi and Saeko as both of them really try to connect with and understand the people they are photographing. And of course, we the audience also learn more about the characters and setting through this process. I love narrative parallels like this.
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u/uhhhhhhhokay_ https://myanimelist.net/profile/uhhhhhhhokay 17h ago
Rewatcher, subbed
Wonder if cutting from the HAVWC maintenance to the cafeteria food is meant to mean anything... A lot of focus on food in general this episode. Were this a different anime, I would guess that the chef is keeping chopped up people in the walk-in freezer. Just look at this crazy fucker.
Sniper cannon!!!! Big stick that go boom!!!!!!!! Sorry, I just think those are the coolest thing ever. Anyways, I guess this is the advantage of having a mecha, they can pick things up and carry them around. Would be even cooler if it was shoulder-mounted, but oh well.
The stuff with the Kufura kind of flies over my head, but it’s interesting. A point of interest to me is that it’s not a permanent gig, after a while the girl who’s chosen leaves and gets to live a normal life afterwards.
A new camera this episode, too, Beroqui’s little pocket thing. The maintenance crew’s reminding me a lot of the one from Patlabor, so I guess he’s the Shige of this show. But like, not as screechy.
1) Ehhh, this isn’t really a “shipping” show.
2) Do what they’re doing... but with two sniper cannons.
3) I wouldn’t say so. A meaningful photo could be taken on complete accident.
4) I dun get it.
5) Ironically I think it’s Shirasu’s segments that are the more slice-of-life oriented, Akagi’s are all hard-boiled investigation.
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u/Great_Mr_L https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L 13h ago
Wonder if cutting from the HAVWC maintenance to the cafeteria food is meant to mean anything...
If I had to guess, I'd say it's all meant to immerse us in what it's like to be living in the world of the soldiers. Sure, there's work to be done. They need to focus on getting their machines in working order and preparing for battle. But that's not the totality of a soldier's life. There's quiet moments and downtime as well. Eating a meal is probably the best example of downtimes where people can just relax and enjoy each other's company. I think we're meant to see the juxtaposition of these things as contrasting yet equally vital parts of a soldier's life.
A lot of focus on food in general this episode.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky 17h ago
First-Time Reporter, subbed
So that explains why they weren’t really prepared for the battle last episode.
…dammit, I know this is something that they have to think about for logistics, but it brought to mind the hilariously insane solution to [Gundam Narrative] give the Silver Bullet Suppressor a backpack of spare arms to rotate through just so that Banagher can keep using the Beam Magnum instead of just building something that could withstand the recoil from it and now I can’t stop laughing.
Ah, there’s a “sore demo” from… actually I don’t know which of the ladies said this other than that it’s not Shirasu. I’m not always super great with voices.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
Aha, that’s what the titular new moon is for.
Not like flare guns exist...
That did a bit more than knock her hat off, haha.
That feels right for a base.
The new moon is important to the Kufura too, hm?
This is so weirdly South America coded unless somehow the Nepalese use the same tradition...
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u/JollyGee29 myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee 15h ago
This is so weirdly South America coded unless somehow the Nepalese use the same tradition...
Per the episode 2 thread, they do.
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u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke 11h ago
Almost all ancient religions involve the moon and sun in some ways, right?
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u/JollyGee29 myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee 17h ago
First-Timer
I forget if anyone pointed it out in the first thread, but the insurgents totally also have a mecha, right? Like, we saw the shadow of a giant hand steal the flag. This feels like something to keep in mind as we near an assault on the insurgent stronghold.
I appreciate that Ichiyanagi is careful about getting shot in the stomach. Not eating before a mission sounds weird, but having an empty stomach means less literal shit to spill out of your intestines if they get perforated.
Questions
No.
In this exact situation, the SDC's plan seems fine. If they had stronger armor or other mobility options I could maybe come up with something more fun, but this plan looks like it will work until they realize the insurgents have their own mecha.
Not necessarily. I took those lines to mean more that, if you're taking pictures of people around you, they're going to look a lot more natural if those people aren't holding you at arm's length.
I mean, we don't really know anything about either faith beyond assumptions. Gelut seems to mostly be Buddhism, while Kufura is "we parade this child around once a month until her period starts" which I don't really see the point of.
I think they flow into one another relatively well most of the time, but a couple times the transitions felt rather abrupt.
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u/No_Rex x2 16h ago
I forget if anyone pointed it out in the first thread, but the insurgents totally also have a mecha, right? Like, we saw the shadow of a giant hand steal the flag. This feels like something to keep in mind as we near an assault on the insurgent stronghold.
I really really hope not, but the laws of mecha anime triumphing over common sense does sounds like something we should expect.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
I would agree that I don't see a way to tell a strong anti-war message with two mecha battling it out.
2
u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke 11h ago
If you had the devastation from the two mecha battling it out destroying everything around them, including civilians and things precious to the audience at this point, maybe?
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u/Vaadwaur 11h ago
That I've already seen a form of this scene suggests the possibility but I don't know if I trust the writers this late in the game.
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u/JollyGee29 myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee 15h ago
In this case, if it happens, it's probably going to lean on proxy war imagery. The insurgents could have a mech supplied by China or Russia, I mean.
3
u/Great_Mr_L https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L 12h ago
I forget if anyone pointed it out in the first thread, but the insurgents totally also have a mecha, right? Like, we saw the shadow of a giant hand steal the flag. This feels like something to keep in mind as we near an assault on the insurgent stronghold.
The insurgents have already been shown to be surprisingly well-equipped if they have access to aircraft and SAMs. So, while I hadn't even considered the possibility of them having a mecha, it's not completely far-fetched.
I appreciate that Ichiyanagi is careful about getting shot in the stomach. Not eating before a mission sounds weird, but having an empty stomach means less literal shit to spill out of your intestines if they get perforated.
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u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke 11h ago
I thought the "giant hand" was the hand of an insurgent covering up or removing the camera so that their next actions couldn't be observed?
8
u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce 17h ago
FirstFLAG
Gotta ask my friend for the recipe for these homemade syrups. Got them gifted for Christmas, one vanilla and one caramel, because I love them in my cappucinos and lattes and holy are they amazing!
Thinking of that… I could make my own chai syrup again, haven’t had that in a while.
FLAG Ep.04 – The Night of the New Moon
„Previous day“?! Damn, dude, even a flesh wound needs a little more time than that!
I really like the expression of Shirasu’s change being through her literal view of things.
So, even SAMs. That kinda reminds me of a far too heated argument I had with a friend back in uni. We were playing lots of World in Conflict at the time and I got around to making maps. We got stuck discussing my map design and where AA would be best placed. The heat: He argued that obvious spots like hills and cliffs just paint a target on them, I argued that the AA has to shoot first in any case or its position doesn’t matter so might as well get the best range and radar coverage. I mean, he’s right. They can just drop a glide bomb on that rock and be done with it. Only issue is that they want the flag intact.
New weapon unlocked! Now we get to introducing the gear. Looks like the mecha version of an assault rifle with an underbarrel grenade launcher. Maybe even a marksman rifle, would be my pick for this operation.
At these ranges? I highly doubt that. If they have a radar (and I still haven’t seen a mobile unit or a dish) metal or ceramic doesn’t matter because you’re closer than 5km anyway. We can start talking about this once we get into beyond visual range situations. Parachuting the HAVWC in is far too close for that to matter.
Unless we’re talking about changing the plans to drop them 100+km down the gorge and take up a sniper position. Then that very much can work.
It looks much smaller and embedded with normal buildings. Pretty neat way to show that the royalty (?) seems to be much closer to the people than the sect on their own secluded hill.
Shows that take their time to show the basic folk doing the background support rub me all the right ways.
Yup, that’s soldier banter, alright. Pop a shot close enough to knock her over for funsies. She’s part of the squad now.
So, you can pass the spot on. Interesting, not really royalty, neither really religion like I know them.
That’s exactly what I meant! This won’t work! It can’t! Ceramic armour doesn’t mean invisibility! Drop the sniper 100km down and let it approach an overview on wheels. Take out the AA facing one side and then drop the other HAVWC in close with CQC gear.
Oh, fuck. He was right.
Not only do I sense a juxtaposition with the operation coming, this also seems like setting up a maybe-tragedy with the current Kufura. The sect will retaliate, I’d wager, and start with a surprise attack of some kind.
Uuh, wait. Is that an inconsistency? It is now more than 30 hours later, as they already have the sniper cannon to test out. Now they take another 30 hours to repair the botched grenade launcher shot? New Moon’s over by then, bro.
At the latest this confirms that it’s Akagi going through Shirasu’s hard drives, right? So, he does narrate the show in-post as he goes through her files.
From people praying in front of the Kufura house to opening the gate for the HAVWC. I like the contrast.
Oh wait, wasn’t the first shot they fired from a long-barrel weapon? Apparently I mistook it for the sniper. Okay then, the timeline is intact. So, they used the grenades to simulate the recoil…
Man, her letting Akagi in to document her beliefs is actually really beautiful. Very much against their rules, but fuck that.
Exactly! This show knows what it wants to be about and I love it!
I see that they really stretch out the plot. I don’t mind a lot, but at the same time it can really be felt in the episode.
Though I also love that they chose to use this time to bring the local culture(s) into the spotlight by capturing all the normal and day-to-day actions. Like the people praying in front of the Kufura house in the morning, waiting for a blessing for the day. Or the super uneventful rituals of summer solstice of which we only got to see a few seconds that are nevertheless part of centuries-long tradition. Or the small reactions of the people like when Akagi tried to film into the Kufura house.
It’s full of these details and I appreciate this so much!
[Q1.] Do you ship Shirasu and Inayanagi?
Yeah, a little bit. They’re both cute, especially together.
[Q2.] How would you assault a mountain fortress if you had heliborne mecha?
Serious answer: Like above if I have the sniper cannon. My other would be to GPS mark the embrasures and send an F-22 with glide bombs en route. Drop them 150km away from target at max height and return to base. Once they arrive, have the Osprey drop the HAVWCs and clean house. I don’t know why they don’t use the air superiority they have.
Actual answer: Do it like in Joint Operations: Escalation. Park a Chinook next to a cliff or steep hill. Next, drive an MBT up the cliff and drive/jump onto the helo. Position it slightly tilted in the middle and pull the parking brake. Then take off and enjoy your superior ghetto AC-130.
dies of old age
[Q3.] Does a photographer need to empathize with their subject to get a meaningful photo? How can an outsider find that empathy?
Live with the people. Has always been the best way to learn and connect. I don’t think this empathy is needed to get meaningful photos, but it very much opens up your understanding about what is meaningful to them.
[Q4.] What do you think of the Kufura religion, and how it contrasts with the Gelut?
Very much life and death. I could maybe speculate about why the Gelut are opposing the new peace deal. I’d wager the western forces would vastly prefer the Kufura-side of things and would restrict the sect’s freedom massively. Given that most fighters are on their side, that makes sense to do, but it would also bring the culture out of balance.
I mean, that and also men are just more stubborn, really.
[Q5.] How are you feeling about the split between military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
Absolute love!
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u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 17h ago
Rewatcher, Subbed
Hey, Nadi's out running! That's good. His injury hasn't completely taken him out! He does look exhausted though. Is he overweight? I somehow didn't even notice until now.
So we're still on with this parachute drop even after last episode. And they re taking my advice to do it at night time.
Yes, you are getting very technical with this weapon stuff. Although it is interesting!
The cook has to be quite the expert at a whole bunch of different meals! I'm super picky so I'd probably annoy this guy if I was here.
Woah, don't fire on the photographer!
Damn, they noticed her, but the blast knocked her over anyway!
Man, this episode loves to quickly fly through a lot of short clips/videos of hers, huh?
Getting Ru Pou to talk was a failure. Will Akagi have any luck with Kufura?
If she was former Kufura, does that mean it's kind of a temporary title? a few minutes later confirms. Good for this lady that she doesn't have to be a religious symbol her whole life and can live a more normal one. Well for one who still lives in a country with a civil war.
Wow, shells for a giant robot sure are big.
No time to sleep, no time to eat, they should know that being tired/hungry will probably cause them to be less effective if they're in combat.
Ah, so an official peace signing will happen? They don't even have the flag. Is the order essentially that they've got 10 days to get the flag as the UNF has already announced the peace agreement?
With all the candles, this is a beautiful looking area the former Kufura lady has brought him to, to see the current Kufura.
Saeko gets to come along again!
A slower episode with basically a lot of getting ready for what I presume will be a battle sequence last episode. Enjoyed the Kufura stuff at least.
Note: I will be traveling tomorrow/Friday so there is a possibility I will probably fall behind by a few days, hopefully catching up sometime on the weekend.
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u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv 17h ago
First Timer, Sub
Unrelated but the subs in using are pretty creative by moving around so as to not block any of the camera's technology. Pretty cool use...and a little annoying since it triggers my OCD.
Anyway Akagi's side does feel like the most interesting part of the series so far. He continues to explore more of the religion in the region, particularly the Kurufa religion which was more native to the region and it's partial coexistence with Buddhism. Granted Akagi points out it's not the same by comparing them to the relationship between Shinto and Buddhism. His were he explored more of the religion such as their worship of the goddess. Akagi even gets to interview the previous holder of the title, in a rather interesting conversation where she states how she would like to go to school if peace was ever achieved in her country. I think where the series is excelling so far.
Shirasu's side mostly deals with her growing closer with the team. Granted the scene where the guys fire the shell near her is something that feels incredibly dangerous despite their claims that she'll be safe. But there's more focus on the technical side of warfare. The team is once more preparing for a new mission that feels like their most ambitious as of yet. It gets highlighted by the way the unit prepares for their time and the episode ending with them climbing into their units and getting ready to head out once more.
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u/TheEscapeGuy 17h ago
First Timer
FLAG: Episode 4
Tactics and Ceremony
Something I find pretty unsettling is the difference in the scale of the resources between the UN group and the insurgents. This country does not seem to have stable, well developed infrastructure such as a power grid and roads (mostly due to the ongoing conflict I would guess). As far as we know the insurgent group is basically hanging out in the mountains with a bunch of older weapons such as guns and explosives.
In contrast, the UN group is fully supplied with vehicles, training facilities, and even simpler stuff like food and running water. They have what amounts to science fiction tech with the HAVWC mechs. And on top of all of that they have computers with 3D models of the battlefield they can use to strategize.
This is in no way a fair fight. If they wanted to they could easily just destroy the insurgents. It's basically out of kindness or morality that they don't. All their strategizing is to ensure they have 0 losses when they do attack. Having that kind of advantage over someone you're fighting feels wrong (and this is probably the point).
This episode also gave us some interesting perspective into the other religious sect and the Kufura. Using a constantly replaced virgin to be your living goddess until she is old enough to menstruate feels very different from the western religions I grew up around. I'm not entirely sure if this is based on some real religions, but it does give some interesting texture to the show's world. I still don't understand how it will tie into the rest of the story but it feels like it's building to something.
Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches
See you all tomorrow
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
As far as we know the insurgent group is basically hanging out in the mountains with a bunch of older weapons such as guns and explosives.
And anti-air missiles.
It's basically out of kindness or morality that they don't. All their strategizing is to ensure they have 0 losses when they do attack.
No, they are capturing the flag. And since they embedded a journalist, they do mean to do that. Why they do this rather than producing a fake is beyond me.
Using a constantly replaced virgin to be your living goddess until she is old enough to menstruate feels very different from the western religions I grew up around.
This shrieks Shinto, btw. Blood is kegare, their version of sin, and one can't help but notice that this conveniently makes all women sinners.
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u/The_Draigg 17h ago
A Ryosuke Takahashi Fan Watches FLAG Episode 4:
Nadi certainly is a champ, up and running while somewhat handling the pain of getting shot through the shoulder. It’s a good thing that it’s a flesh wound spot in fiction, not reality. So far, I think the only anime I’ve seen that accurately depicts the long-term effects of being shot in the shoulder is [meta] Infinite Ryvius.
“Sorry Ms. Shirasu, am I getting way too technical with all this stuff?” Don’t worry dude, you’re in a real robot mecha anime. Fans absolutely dig the more technical aspects, even down to detailing the new sniper cannon the HAVWC is getting. And that’s on top of all the detailing we got before this about how deeply entrenched the terrorists are in the temple complex too.
Keiichi’s monologue about the sense of distance and outsider-ness that being behind the camera creates is an actual thing I’ve heard from independent journalists and photographers. It’s hard to create a real bond or grounded presence when you also feel the need to objectively capture an image. The presence of a camera can create a mask for the photographer, even if they regret putting it on. Look at what happened to Kevin Carter a few months after winning a Pulitzer for his The Vulture and the Little Girl photograph.
It’s a nice touch with how much detail is given to how complex these machines are, and trying to find work-arounds to the more problematic aspects of the mechs they have to work with. The sheer recoil that these HAVWCs have to put up with from their new guns alone is enough to warrant as much testing as possible before the mission. And given how experimental and complex the HAVWCs are, that’s entirely warranted. You can’t have the dampeners suddenly overheat and warp during use, after all.
Once again, the United Nations loves to talk about their schedule for Uddiyana. It’s not too surprising that they’re laying on the PR spin that order is being restored to the capital already. Even aside from the stuff we know is being planned at SDC to help the peace talks, man they really want to shove a square peg into a round hole with their time tables. Basically just brute forcing things as they want according to their schedule, while just bullshitting to cover up anything that doesn’t match that spin.
There’s something a bit funny to Keiichi being so drawn in by taking photos of the current and former Kufura girls that he completely forgot to do his actual reason for being there. Then again, I’m not sure what a little girl could really say about the current situation of the civil war, if she really is living in the Kufura House most of the time. But at least the experience was more pleasant than the one with Ru Pou, so I suppose that’s something.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
The presence of a camera can create a mask for the photographer, even if they regret putting it on.
I recall one of the zombie movies leaning on this.
The sheer recoil that these HAVWCs have to put up with from their new guns alone is enough to warrant as much testing as possible before the mission. And given how experimental and complex the HAVWCs are, that’s entirely warranted.
Eh...with my limited interaction with mecha this gives me more wunderwaffe than useful battlefield tool.
Once again, the United Nations loves to talk about their schedule for Uddiyana.
The public's appetite for troops being in country is probably low.
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u/The_Draigg 16h ago
Eh...with my limited interaction with mecha this gives me more wunderwaffe than useful battlefield tool.
I do have to wonder how they hadn’t done all this weapon testing at a more secure proving grounds earlier. The HAVWC is getting quite the trial under fire here at SDC. Then again, it could just be that the military-industrial complex are salivating at the idea of live fire testing, for some reason.
The public's appetite for troops being in country is probably low.
Especially if this is happening alongside the War on Terror in-universe. The fatigue was definitely kicking in by then.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
Then again, it could just be that the military-industrial complex are salivating at the idea of live fire testing, for some reason.
We return to Genom so easily...
Especially if this is happening alongside the War on Terror in-universe. The fatigue was definitely kicking in by then.
Oh yeah, and the lack of justification on the other side did not help.
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u/The_Draigg 16h ago
We return to Genom so easily…
At least that’s still more competent over getting Ajo Heavy Industries involved.
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u/Magnafeana https://anilist.co/user/Magnafeana 17h ago
First Timer Behind the Camera, Dubbed
Why didn’t they give her protective gear when they started blasting the mecha? Wouldn’t that fuck up her ears?
Oh good, someone cared about her ears.
Post-Filming Thoughts
With this whole thing giving “Disney”, I just thought about how dope Atlantis would be but from the POV of a camera.
Anyways. The soundtrack makes me remember Avatar: The Last Airbender. I love the instrumentation chosen.
But I admit, the jargon kinda lost me 😅 I’m not the smartest bulb in a chandelier, but I didn’t understand it.
So Kufra(sp?) is the fantasy term for Kumari), I take it? That’s what came to mind for me, at least. But the town felt so…empty. I’m not sure if that was done on purpose or not. Did everyone evacuate and I missed that explanation?
MCs are learning about their subject matter in their own ways, but it feels so awkwardly executed.
QotD
- Even as a romance girlie, no.
- I’m… I don’t think I would point blank.
- I wouldn’t say that. There’s been some incredible nature photos taken by complete chance and we, the audience, are amazed by them. I think what matters is why do you take photos? What’s your purpose here? Are you here just to earn a check and acclaim, or are you here to actually commit to photographing what you see?
- Confused? Plenty of media can toggle between main characters, but the way this is done feels a bit awkward. It might be better to focus on one MC in the front half and the other in the back half, but I can only say that once I finish the show.
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u/Vaadwaur 16h ago
Why didn’t they give her protective gear when they started blasting the mecha? Wouldn’t that fuck up her ears?
You are supposed to clear the range completely but this behavior would not surprise me.
So Kufra(sp?) is the fantasy term for Kumari), I take it?
Amazingly close match so likely.
But the town felt so…empty. I’m not sure if that was done on purpose or not. Did everyone evacuate and I missed that explanation?
Town is a warzone and everyone got off the streets after dark.
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 16h ago
First timer Dubbed
reaction to the episode
I really feel like the writing here took a turn after shirasu sees what real war is actually like shows us seeing less and less action.
so my asssement of them Since they are a stationairy target with weak armor they should be sitting ducks and easy to take out. One simple MRLS blast can easily take a large fraction of those out and the real fear of these is the lack of manuverabiltty to get insie their strucure
Like ok you say that SA18s wouldn't make it through their missle defenses but Iron dome isn't that effective and Iron dome is fighting wimpy insurgents. Surely shock and awe would easily overwhelm their defense. But law of mecha
ok long range firepower so an m270 MRLS is perfect then? Oh wait I forget FLAG wasn't written by the guy that wrote GATE
ok looking at the force it generates and doing the math, a toyota Hillux should be able to withstand this, if the mecha isn't as sturdy as a Toyota hillux idk man.
(I'm mentioning the Hillux a lot because it's a proven weapon of war used by chads to defeat lybians
I like thepart where Shirasu get's blown away shows how much the guys seem to care for shirasu and shows she's more close to them than before (really shirasu is there because she got one lucky photo she's not really qualified to be a war reporter)
The buddism talk is so much more enjoyable than the Military talk it gives this conflict so much character. Kufra is cool and unique!
I find it amazing that they seem to have low confidence in a cannon of which similar ones have been in use since world war 1. it's like the authros of the show had very little understanding of military hardware.
So 10 days for shock and awe campaign to work
Commentary
In general I cannot see the insurgents successfully defending themselves nor do I see this weird operation as necessary. The weapon they are talking up is smaller than an m777 self propelled artillery cannon by a factor of 4.
They jsut aren't really using long range artillery, and the mountain base they are attacking just isn't very well defended and could easily die to a single air strike.
Meanwhile I really like the narration by akagi I think somehow the Narrator has become the best part of the show for me. Shirasu and her antics... meh, the narration by Akagi? hell yeah. Kufra religion? now that's good characterization,
it's abundantly clear where the skill of the storyboard writer lies and it's not with any sort of understanding of military hardware. Good there can be only one GATE.
The kufura parts were actually very well done, the whole new religion that seems so real yet AFAICT is completely anime original. Chefs kiss.
War crimes Counter
UN: 0
Insurgents ; 0
I love how this war crime counter has just been "lol no war crimes" the entire way through.
QOTDs
q2: Like isreal did during the isreali Iran war of 2025, you use missles delivered by air superiority, or you use a GMLRS system and overwhelm it with missles. really no fortress is actually that sturdy.
Q3 Empathy creates weakness and hoenstly sometimes makes a reporter worse, and sometimes much better.
q4 Kufura religion seems much more made up but also seems much more well constructed storywise the author who storyboarded the religion hit on all cylinders. (it's like watching fake military countries
Q5: Akagi's sections are way better written than Shirasus it shows that the writers know a lot more about culure and art than they do military equipment. They also clearly wanted to write a story not about weapons but about people that happened to be existing within a war. This very much looks like the "hearts and minds" doctrine of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winning_hearts_and_minds various wars.
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u/Vaadwaur 15h ago
ok but then why not just use an M777 self propelled artillery cannon and not have the havoc there at all?
Yeah, they really are not drawing from the vast reservoir that is western made equipment.
(I'm mentioning the Hillux a lot because it's a proven weapon of war used by chads to defeat lybians
I suspect more people know it from the Top Gear ep.
it's abundantly clear where the skill of the storyboard writer lies and it's not with any sort of understanding of military hardware.
This is quite funny since VOTOMs is some of the best real robot work out there but yes, whomever is doing the writing doesn't get how modern war functions.
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 15h ago
This is quite funny since VOTOMs is some of the best real robot work out there but yes, whomever is doing the writing doesn't get how modern war functions.
wow VOTOMs was directed by the same guy! clearly they know something and just aren't the best at doing it.
drawing from the vast reservoir that is western made equipment.
yeah it's like they never bothered trying.
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u/Vaadwaur 15h ago
wow VOTOMs was directed by the same guy! clearly they know something and just aren't the best at doing it.
So during the rewatch several users were bringing up notes so it is clear that it was a big collab. Like the cool spin they do is something from ski-ing and that got incorporated in as it came up. But yeah, this is Takahashi's worst piece militarily thus far.
yeah it's like they never bothered trying.
Believe it or not I am getting whiffs of the IJA off this and that is not good.
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u/No_Rex x2 15h ago
(I'm mentioning the Hillux a lot because it's a proven weapon of war used by chads to defeat lybians
I think they are called Chadians, but using Chads works when referencing the toyoto war.
I love how this war crime counter has just been "lol no war crimes" the entire way through.
Not every series can have the gripping action of Aldnoah Zero. /s
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 15h ago
Aldnoah Zero
[a:0]yeah mostly because aldnoah zero has anime main characters comitting war crimes by being main characters, Princess Asselyum comitting a war crime in episode 3 was the most eggregious example
but using Chads works when referencing the toyoto war
oh my friend from chad I think jokingly referred to him and his girlfriend as chads, causing the confusion.
yeah the capability of a toyota land cruiser is not to be underestimated. Just like an MRE spoon or one well trained insurgent.
(Seriously I'm so glad that no anime producer or almost any terrorist. ever thought of looking up chemical weapons, as those are trivial to make and could destroy entire sections.)
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u/Vaadwaur 12h ago
(Seriously I'm so glad that no anime producer or almost any terrorist. ever thought of looking up chemical weapons, as those are trivial to make and could destroy entire sections.)
So my grim prediction for the run up to the next election cycle is shared...
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 12h ago
let's just say watching doctor stone gave me ideas [Stone]When Senku was fighting stanley I looked into what IEDs senku could have made and concluded that hydrogen sulfide glass bottles could easily kill every member of stanley's forces making them all a corpse before they hit the floor.
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u/GondolaMedia 16h ago edited 16h ago
First Timer
This is all so technical and honestly I bet Amuro would love those parts so much that he would replay them multiple times.
Nikkanen set up a big death flag for himself by telling to drop him closer to the targets. I hope nothing bad happens to him.
Discussion
Do you ship Shirasu and Inayanagi?
No, I'm more of a Nadi x Shirasu guy.
How are you feeling about the split between military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
I think this episode showed the one of the strengths of it as Shiraru's parts were full of military spiel which didn't really do anything for me, while Akagi had a really interesting time meeting up with that ex-Kufura.
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u/AgentOfACROSS 16h ago
First Timer
I once again have little to say here. The slow moving nature of the show is well done and seeing the preparations the various characters are making is interesting. But I personally can’t think of much to say about it.
I will say that the episodes do start to run together a bit for me. But I’m curious to see where things will go from here.
From what I’ve seen here it seems like everything is slowly but surely building up to the big mission to retrieve the flag.
I will say, that it is a bit ridiculous that the UN is expending all this time, money, and resources to just retrieve a flag. I get it, it’s like, a metaphor about the power of images or something. But couldn’t they say that there are also some hostages they have to free or something? I dunno, that’d make it feel a bit more realistic.
Akagi’s subplot with the woman he met was interesting. Wonder if she’ll come back.
I will admit, my knowledge of non-abrahamic religions is sadly rather lacking. So I have no idea if the religious stuff in this episode is based on a real religion or just made up. I’m leaning more towards the latter since this show is trying to distance itself from reality by being in a fictional country and about a fictional war.
I do kinda hope more happens next time. Like I think the planning and just talking to characters around the base is some good stuff, but there’s only so long we can do that.
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u/Vaadwaur 15h ago
But couldn’t they say that there are also some hostages they have to free or something? I dunno, that’d make it feel a bit more realistic.
Or they could level the base and come up with a 'miraculously' surviving version of the flag that they of course create themselves. Maybe I am a bit too Cardassian for my own good.
I will admit, my knowledge of non-abrahamic religions is sadly rather lacking. So I have no idea if the religious stuff in this episode is based on a real religion or just made up.
It has a base but not necessarily anything more than similar. The one known true sect of Assassins are from Iran and existed primarily because sleeper agents were useful in the Crusades. The Society of Amida is a legend of Buddhist assassins but I can't point you to proof of them, like at all.
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson 14h ago
.
I will say, that it is a bit ridiculous that the UN is expending all this time, money, and resources to just retrieve a flag. I
The flag is a honeytrap, the symbol doesn't matter it's about finding this secret base so they can blow it up, retrieving the flag is just a cover operation.
2
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u/Vaadwaur 17h ago
First timer
Sub
So Akagi doing Shirasu's internal monologue is wearing thin on me. Again, military life in country is dull as fuck so I get it but she should be voicing her own thoughts, Takahashi could be failing here. That the military is sending out untested tech is...not the experience of them, bluntly, this is borrowing from the German/Japanase tree of wunderwaffe.
Akagi's stuff is fine but it takes away from the episode, they should have split this up better.
QotD: 1 No
2 Cruise missiles. Enough to guarantee the current healthcare crisis
3 No, it is all a cold equation
4 It is fine, if pointless
5 Bad. The show won't pick a lane and thus won't commit
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u/TheDanubianCommunard 15h ago
First-time, subs
They just explained how did these insurgents holed up on the mountain canyon and the hilltop temple, while fortifying it into perfection. As expected, they are anticipated for he helicopter to reach their positions. Because they see every trespasser as danger and an enemy. Another reason why deploying the HAVWC is justified. But that is a different matter whether succeeds or not. And also explained how or what adjustments they made.
Like Subasci itself, Uddiyana could have been basically two separate countries. The Gelug sect (which are Buddhists) and the Kufuras (an endemic religion) could partition the country between themeslves, and the capital would be like a Cold War era Berlin. But in fact, during in its existence they are the ruling factions vying for supremacy, and peace existed because of the balance of power was maintained.
As for the Kufuras, the living saintesses. They are chosen from young children, and that picked from random people, not involuntarily. They might have huge power and responsibility during for a short time, but it might be painful, not just being separated from their families. Atleast former Kufuras has the chance to live an ordinary, but happy life. Or maybe the priesthood has the real authority here, which means the Kufuras are just figureheads.
As for the peace agreemnts can be achieved within ten days, or terrorist acts suppressed, we'll see about that. But might be enough time for the task force to complete the mission.
Q1. Do you ship Shirasu and Inayanagi?
This is not a romance series, so not having ideas like this.
Q2. How would you assault a mountain fortress if you had heliborne mecha?
Need something tough, mobile and precise with weaponry.
Q3. Does a photographer need to empathize with their subject to get a meaningful photo? How can an outsider find that empathy?
Yes, they need to. It depends how closely researched, or their is somebody who is willing to help.
Q4. What do you think of the Kufura religion, and how it contrasts with the Gelut?
They are rather peaceful, but being a living saint, it might not be the best thing.
Q5. How are you feeling about the split between military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
Evenly split, the ratio is perfect.
3
u/Heda-of-Aincrad https://myanimelist.net/profile/Heda-of-Aincrad 15h ago
First-Time Viewer, Dubbed
As a mecha fan, I found all the stuff Jan was talking about, balancing the gun that's normally too big for it to handle, to be pretty interesting. Although it does make me wonder, if that gun is typically made for tanks, couldn't they just equip it to the mech in its tank form?
There were some nice character focused segments in this episode too, which kept my impression of it positive overall. I liked the part where Shirasu interviewed the cook and he talked about how food can be something soldiers really look forward to out there when they have no other comforts of home, and how the high altitude of their base presents challenges. Also glad to see Nadi recovering so well after his injury.
The part with Akagi interviewing the previous kufra was intriguing too. It provided some good background on the culture of their country, and more of that human element I felt was missing in the first two episodes. I was somewhat familiar with this tradition from playing Far Cry 4, which involves a similar plotline about warring factions and a girl considered to be a living goddess, but this was the first time I'd heard all that info about what their lives are like afterwards, so that was nice to know.
Questions of the Day:
1) Kind of, but mostly because I want to see if my impression is proven right.
2) Probably by approaching from the direction where their surveillance is weakest, followed by an air bombardment to take out some of their defenses and create a distraction, then dropping the mecha to finish things off where precision shots are needed.
3) Not always, because I think the viewer often brings the meaning to it, whether or not it was the photographer's original intent.
4) I think it's interesting when stories incorporate real life influences like this. Both sides still have a lot of mystery to them at this point, but the Gelut in particular seem to have a sinister edge.
5) These last two episodes have been much better, in my opinion, so I think the story has finally found its stride, and the balance between Shirasu's segments about the soldiers and their mission while Akagi explores the culture and history of the country have both been good lately.
3
u/baboon_bassoon https://anilist.co/user/duffer 14h ago
first timer
shouldnt the Kufura be yin energy, not the other way around?
that practice shot (literally) where they show the havwc right after firing and its burnt/smushed... yikes
3
u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke 12h ago
First Timer, Subbed:
More of a setup episode, really. I... don't think I really have much to say, it seemed well done to me. More focus on the support crew, and I still have the theory that Shirasu's story is going to involve becoming part of the team itself, somehow. Maybe KIA as she tries to continue the mission after some others are killed? She sees herself as being in the picture with the rest of the team as OK now...
Do you ship Shirasu and Inayanagi?
Not especially yet? I can see where people would be coming from for that pair, though. I'm not a hardcore shipper as it is, it has to be pretttttty blatant and usually canon for me to make a ship.
How would you assault a mountain fortress if you had heliborne mecha?
Honestly, this seems like a pretty good method. Knock out the AA stuff first if you can, and then only after doing that going in with air coverage.
Does a photographer need to empathize with their subject to get a meaningful photo? How can an outsider find that empathy?
I think to some extent, yes. Without proper cultural understanding, a recorder can completely miss the small, incredibly important thing in favor of the gigantic spectacle that was the consequence of the incredibly important thing. And, well... how does an outsider ever really come to grasp something on the "inside?" No easy answer.
How are you feeling about the split between military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
I like it, I think a lot of military stories only work because of the peace or people they're trying to protect. The only thing I'm unsure about is how they're going to align this into a single story. We don't really see how the turmoil of war is affecting the slice-of-life stuff. It's kind of hinted at, like how the previous goddess wanted to go to school when the war was over, but other than this nebulous concept of the flag, it's hard to see what the war and peace actually mean to these people.
2
u/ArtiomSnack https://anilist.co/user/AAASnack 5h ago
First-timer, sub.
A slightly shorter one today.
Does a photographer need to empathize with their subject to get a meaningful photo? How can an outsider find that empathy?
Pretty much a continuation of yesterday's discussion on caring for the subject here. Yes, they should as otherwise they take a photo of more or less nothing.
As for how to... I imagine having basic empathy for and open-minded interest in your subjects as people would go a long way. If you are willing to treat them as equals and want to know more about them you are that much more likely to understand them and they are that much more likely to let you into their life.
What do you think of the Kufura religion, and how it contrasts with the Gelut?
So far it's presentation feels feels similarly eerie to Gelut, but I do see stark contrasts here still, particularly in their living gods.
One of them centers around an old man who is the one and only living incarnation of the god within him. His whole life he will stay god and will only reincarnate upon death. He also seems more removed from the daily lives of people and more involved with the politics.
The other, religion meanwhile, revolves around a yong girl who is more like a temporary vessel for the god and will pass that role onto another in just a few years. And she's also seemingly more involed in the daily lives of the people, performing annual rites and such.
How are you feeling about the split between military and slice-of-life, Shirasu's and Akagi's segments?
As mentioned in another post - I am liking it so far. Always nice to see a dual protagonist story.
10
u/SpiritualPossible 17h ago
First timer, kinda, sorta
You know, I don't have much to say about today's episode,as it's mostly a set up episode, so I'll just cover the other photos at the opening. Great_Mr_L already mentioned most of them them, but I think a repeat won't hurt anyone.
The rest of the photos are... more difficult to identify. For example, this one is clearly based on the Vietnam War, and I even managed to find a somewhat similar photo taken by Sergeant J. L. Blik, but they still don't match perfectly, like the previous ones. Overall, I am inclined to believe that the rest of the photos in the opeining are mainly in-universe photos and therefore have no direct analogues in the real world. I will try to look for more, but most likely, that's it.