And we’re back to episodic content, being done with the essays until the time comes for my Gatchaman Crowds Insight editorial, on the 29th. But now, back to episodic content. Starting with the Director’s Cut ending, which was always intended to be the original ending of the show. Though I love the series so much, I hadn’t actually watched it until concluding my rewatch, so I was quite excited to finally watch it, as the first three letters of the notes might convey.
Return to the Gatchaman Crowds Project page.
Thoughts and Notes:
1) All About the Game:
Saving the world? Pssh, it’s all about points! Gamification, man!
OMG. Time to watch this for the first time. The original ending, and perhaps extended even more since they had some more time to work on it. My first new Gatchaman Crowds content since the show aired!
Ah, right, first half is the content I’ve watched. The full episode in its proper order, ok.
“Reika”, when mayor is clearly saying “Rui-kun”.
And now Joe’s line isn’t translated?
That weather-vane, a peacock following Hajime.
Right, Galax is gaming the people too.
But yes, they are doing it for the points, hm.
“They learned how to play,” because games and fun make the world go around, gamification, and a way to relate across species.
“Anyway, I’m glad to have met you,” what people always say to shounen protagonists, and Hajime does have that aspect, of making everyone her friends, because just like shounen heroes, she believes in them and tries to understand them.
2) The Confrontation:
“Ew, people are being nice to one another!”
Berg Katze isn’t opposed to people having fun, so long they’re being destructive, or at least, that their fun impedes others’. He’s fine with competitions, when they’re dominance, and the losers build up their resentment. But this competition is for a communal goal, even though people still try to lead themselves. It’s an uneasy tension, but it’s resolving the wrong way as far as he’s concerned.
Turning Crowds into Notes, from whence they’ve originally come. Hajime and her scissors, she’s creating Notes, she’s now taken up JJ’s position. She is a god. Also, a tool for communication, but will she give them back?
Ah, and back the souls go. Though shouldn’t just harming them lightly not have done so? Or perhaps it gave the option for this, a re-do. But will these people get Crowds again?
“I hope I can keep thinking that way,” and cherishing memories. She’s preparing to die. Ready for Berg Katze to take over her, or her soul to be tarnished by his constant jibes.
Well, after the recap, we all know how important she is to them. Which should be obvious. So of course they worry.
Silly Paiman, the troll is never truly gone. He is the darkness within us all.
Berg Katze is a sore loser, he’s waiting for a chance for a rematch, and he plans to win. He found a planet which is ready to blow up, so he’ll get there.
3) Connecting to One’s Inner Troll:
The troll shies away from light. Hajime’s light.
“She was the only one who treated him as an equal, after all.” That shounen hero Hajime.
A signature? A cold remnant? She gives him what he really wants, an immediate connection moment.
The melancholic music, and the build-up, now she’s done with the final Crowds-soul. But we know she turned out alright, from the original ending.
“Let’s step on the gas, newer-newbie!” :D And a “date”, with the whole world as an audience, a public trial and acceptance of Katze? Or she’s worried. Or all of the above.
And Rui accepts his place as part of a hierarchy, even if it’s not really. He accepts his place in this group of friends.
Discussing the kid’s punishment with him, Hajime really is like a parent. That’s what makes up a hero, that they do what they must, while not doing more than that, and they think it over.
Of course, “You’re me, you’re all of us.” So his anger is self-hatred, and he is their own self-hatred.
The troll who wants attention, but fears he’ll actually be seen. Hajime is his polar opposite in how she takes her own and others’ masks off, while the troll gives others masks, and hides behind them. He’s us who’s afraid to share. He’s us who wants to be seen.
“So, which one of you is Berg Katze? Well, if we’re all Berg Katze, then Berg Katze is each and every one of you.”
And in kissing Berg Katze, she’s kissing everyone. Everyone he kissed, and everyone he didn’t. He used an act of intimacy to invade people, to hide in their lives, but what about his?
Oh, she reduced him to his naked soul. She unmanned him, and now she’s taking him back into her. How oedipal.
Also, the crowd of watchers disappeared. Were they all literally Berg Katze? I’m not sure, but the voyeur aspect, that was him in them. Like MESS. Very NGE-like. And also, when she kissed him, he became the other Gatchaman, who also seem not-present. She’s taking in the world, she’s taking in everyone, after kissing everyone.
And here are the people, shocked over being kissed.
LOL those choking sounds, as Sugane can’t let her go.
4) Living Happily Ever After In an Imperfect World:
Right, people like being listened to, or at least the appearance of it. Sugayama wins them over with that.
It’s not easy being a superhero while also trying to study, or work, or anything.
Umeda, bowing to the sign of the establishment, and recognizing he had a debt to pay to society.
And the future believes in forgiveness. And daddy is still daddy, even if he’s done wrong.
Upvotes, like reddit, without downvotes.
Right, “up” stands for “Update”. Of course!
You know what always stood out to me about Hajime’s room? It’s so bright. But you can tell it’s all artificial lighting, without a sun. Excepting her, of course.
Is this ED different? It feels like that, somewhat.
This episode sure was trippy at parts, but man, am I happy it existed.
Geekorner-Geekulture. 