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UC's problem ultimately boils down to that Zeon, the side representing the colonized and anti-imperialist factions of humanity, was already delibrately set up to be the villain, with them being the first to initate the all infamous colony drop (as well as the Zabis taking over and establishing a monarchy via plot device). This basically gives all credence and fuel to the idea of the Federation being the lesser evil and justifies the status quo continuing as is. Its almost like atrocity propaganda. It doesn't matter how many legitimate grievances Zeon/Spacenoids have, they are all irrelevant in light of them having done Operation British, the Feddies are the ones who win in the end, and various other conclusions. This is ultimately not surprising considering Japan's place in the US alliance system, because the while the creators of Gundam fundamentally see plenty of issues with Pax America, they are generally unwilling to see or realize a world where that gets upended because of the privildged position within that peace (see something like Patlabor 2 for a more direct critique but also wishywashy answer ala Gundam). If Zeon is Imperial Japan, the Federation is post WWII Japan. FWIW, Hathaway's Flash attempts to resolve this contradiction by getting rid of the 'excuse of Zeon' and actively engage with the questions of resistance against colonialism, though it still has a somewhat wishywashy (but better) answer that Hathaway's actions fundamentally drive the impetus for action to finally topple the Federation, now that it no longer has excuses for its violence.
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Mar 1, 2024 11:55
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 21:38 |
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The Lord Inquisitor's Prologue (Erasmus' previous concept and only released material of his fan film) literally ends in a 4-5 min scene of the Inquisition confronting some corrupt noble and having the Interrogator torment him for discomfortingly long period before just shooting him. Its a scene that's supposed to give all the catharsis of shooting a 'correct' target. I agree, I don't really think these guys can actually handle the subtlety of things. At most I expect a very wishy washy take on things that's probably going to be disappointing.
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Mar 27, 2024 05:35
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Onmi posted:That's a whole lot of words for "We introduced dumb bullshit in this story to justify dumb bullshit in this story that affects the entire timeline." Well, the biggest complaint about Unicorn/Narrative is that it doesn't actually change anyhing on the grander scale and canon is still barrelling towards Hathaway's Flash/Crossbone/Victory despite its retroactive addition, so what are you complaining about? The betrayal of the promise of the Federation, which the removed clause really represents, is in itself a pretty good plot point among the weird decisions made in both the novel and anime. Why is it 'dumb bullshit'? Iriscoral fucked around with this message at 08:47 on Mar 27, 2024 |
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Mar 27, 2024 08:41
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To cut to the heart of the matter; ultimately Unicorn's revisionist tendencies don't really annoy me (speaking as a Southeast Asian guy who has all the beef to have with Japanese revisionism) because at the fundamental end of the day the OVA (which I care about, seeing that I will never be able to read a Japanese-only novel) despite its sympathic protrayals ultimately rejects it as a possible solution. Syam Vist and Minevra as stakeholders both reject Zeonism despite whatever Full Frontal sprouts because they very well understand that not only has it been discredited by the actions of the Principality and its successor movements, but its also a reactionary movement (at that period of time, for no one remembers nor cares about Zeon Zum Deikun by that point) that doesn't actually overturn the existing system of oppression that exists. And aside from Zimmerman's and Marida's attitudes as foot soldiers for the Sleeves/Neo Zeon movements, its not unfair to understand why they would believe in such an ideology. In the real world, the key justification of the Japanese Empire's actions did indeed come from them rising to prominence in the age of imperialism, and thus insisting that amongst other reasons, they would present an alternative imperialism that would actually protect and uplift the rights of the oppressed and the colonized. Of course, like the Principality, the Japanese Empire ultimately betrayed that promise, with their countless masscres of many different populations (particularly the Chinese) and their failure to actually do anything different from the other European powers. We don't have to forgive them for that; until the Yasukuni Shrine is toppled and the ideology is truly gone from the public conciousness there can't nor won't be a full reconciliation. However, you can't just dismiss ideology. It might be dead, but it has its grips, particularly when its believers never truly die. Just like the LDP is just the remnants of the Japanese Empire's aristocrats who the US left alone, Zeon keeps staying around because they are too useful a boogeyman for the Federation's ruling class to leave alone, and that light - however false it is - keeps drawing in the disenfranchised and the lost. Unicorn's strength is that it actually grapples with the question before completing its rejection of the Zeonic ideology it outright, and thus this is why Zeonism ultimately fades away from the Earth Sphere and most of the timeline past that point via settling the question. Its actually a better way to write it as compared to just black-and-whiting the conflict. Where Unicorn gets silly is in how it doesn't settle the bigger question, i.e. the question of the Federation. Trusting in the possibility inside human hearts and just leaving it at that, alongside embracing the childlike naivety of reconcilatiom doesn't actually solve the material problem (or create the conditions of solving the problem) that is the Federation's grip on the Earth Sphere and the ongoing exploitation, which is why I kinda haven't watched Narrative because I think its going to be just as wishywashy in that department. Iriscoral fucked around with this message at 06:09 on Mar 28, 2024 |
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Mar 28, 2024 05:54
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ninjewtsu posted:unicorn's greatest sin is that what was inside the box could have been something cool, but instead it was something stupid I agree, as much as I'm fine with it (the essence matters more than the form) the clause would have made much sense if it was about the autonomy of the colonies, or suffrage, or a more direct promise or system. Instead its just a really vague thing that may not even have some sort of actual substance. The idea of the Newtype myth really kinda hurts UC at times. ninjewtsu posted:i'll be honest i watched narrative and i don't really remember what happens in it from a broader timeline view at all ...please don't tell me they didn't just make an entire movie to sell a gold plated Perfectability. (the Narrative A-Packs are kinda cool though)
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Mar 28, 2024 06:18
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chiasaur11 posted:Open the box, and all that was left in it was, of course, a little sliver of hope. (And now I realize just how on-the-nose that was). Banagher and Mineva rejected the cynical realpolitik of the major players, and were rewarded by both by rejecting a fear that would have bound them all their lives, and in finding that the Federation has something good in it at the founding, not just something rotten. gimme the GOD drat candy posted:it wasn't hope at all, though. it was a silly historical curiosity with no power. That there was indeed hope to be found, and yet that hope is ultimately useless - a silly historical curios to quote the above poster. But that's a fault less of the work itself and again, of the media apparatus and material realities that it was built upon. As I was talking about a few weeks ago, ultimately that this is Unicorn's answer is just emblematic of the modern Japanese landscape. As much as they are aware that the future is uncertain and not looking good, that systematic changes must happen, they are unable or unwilling to address it in the moment, instead insisting on the need to adhere to false peace and hopes, or legal technicalities and concepts, and thrusting the 'future' and its responsibilities into the untrained hands of youth. One can see this in Cardeas/Syam Vist passing their respective torches to Banagher/Minevra when you contrast with the world at large. The children are trusted with ideas and concepts of renewal hope, but aside from the barest of goodwill, there isn't the transfer of material resources or concepts of aid, just good words and a pat on the back. The kids don't even get a giant robot to try to fix the world with. And because of that Unicorn is flawed. How can you trust in the beast of possibility when there exists no tools you can bring it to life? Iriscoral fucked around with this message at 07:13 on Mar 28, 2024 |
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Mar 28, 2024 07:08
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 21:38 |
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the movie already provides the high, you just get drunk off the insanity it keeps pumping into itself
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Apr 10, 2024 06:01
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