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GARGANTIA #6 - - Watch & Learn
Oh, the irony. I’m finding that slice-of-life shows are just as much a
challenge to do episode-by-episode's on, even when they involve high
tech space suits. (Then again, that’s probably the same lesson I learned
with SPACE BROTHERS). When you take ongoing, life-or-death conflict out of
a show, it’s simply tougher to sink your teeth into anything, speculation wise - - even
if you are enjoying everything you’re watching.
GARGANTIA has a couple shoes hanging over its head, sure. Will the
pirates return for some bloody reprisals? Will Ledo be yanked back into the war
against the space squid? Still, my gut’s telling me that, in the long
view, the only real points of tension here will be over this boy opening up
about his feelings to Amy; and then his decision to stay on this barge or leave it. Surely, that will pack plenty of emotional oomph, but it still isn't something you can posit too many theories about.
With that in mind, I’d now like to address the related topic of T&A
(being that which otaku insist on calling ‘fan service’) since some of you lunatics were having some fun over me finally
enjoying an obligatory beach party episode last time. Amy and her girlfriends ran
around in bikinis for most of that episode, and they belly dance for a good
portion of this one, too. Is it gratuitous?
Well, putting aside any notion that their dresses are simply just appropriate in
a tropical setting, I don’t think it’s gratuitous in the way that a lot of anime's T&A is
because it’s never handled like some attention-grabbing special effect. There are no tight, slo-mo close-ups tracing Amy’s dangerous curves,
there are no upskirt shots on her crotch, there’s no running gag about Ledo
popping a boner when he’s around her (which is what nosebleeds are really about,
alright?) and, shock of shocks, Amy actually has the proportions of a real
human being. She isn’t some grotesque
caricature with a pair of water balloons strapped to her chest.
This isn’t a
fine line of difference, here. It’s a number of ‘stylistic choices’ that have been
tastefully avoided, and I really wish more shows would have such tact.
I’m not looking to start a deep discussion here, but we can have a
talk. Do you concur?
Watch this episode, “Festival" here and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.
About the Author
 | Tom Pinchuk’s a writer and personality with a large number of comics, videos and features like this to his credit. Visit his website - - tompinchuk.com - - and follow his Twitter: @tompinchuk |
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