AoD Review: Planetes Vol. #4

[maehara]

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The more I watch of Planetes, the harder it is to write about it without sounding like a gushing fanboy. A lot of that is because the series gives you reasons to care about the characters & what happens to them, good or bad. As well as giving Hachimaki / Tanabe fans something to cheer about, this volume continues to develop the minor characters and throws a few obstacles into the live of some others, and the end result is another hugely enjoyable release.

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Full Review (http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/4952.php).

[Damo]

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maehara said:
The more I watch of Planetes, the harder it is to write about it without sounding like a gushing fanboy. A lot of that is because the series gives you reasons to care about the characters & what happens to them, good or bad. As well as giving Hachimaki / Tanabe fans something to cheer about, this volume continues to develop the minor characters and throws a few obstacles into the live of some others, and the end result is another hugely enjoyable release.

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Funny I'm the exact opposite the more I see of PlanetES the more it's getting on my nerves. And mainly for the reasons you've sited for praise.

[Njr Scrawl]

I think with Planetes you have to like the whole more than any of its parts.

I keep thinking Nadesico comparisons, but more serious /images/graemlins/stunned1.gif , though any number of Nadesico characters were more fun. The girl is closest to Megumi perhaps. Oh for Akito instead of Hachimaki - either language!

[ic14]

Yeah this was another good volume of Planetes.

Has anyone else noticed that the opening changes very slightly every few episodes?

[shokoti]

I'm so glad you are liking Planetes (I'm sure I told you that you would way back when we got the 1st disc), because it's one of my favourites. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

The manga really won me over a couple of years ago when I read it, and although I have yet to see the last two discs (want to marathon the last 8 episodes), it's IMO a great example of how to do a manga adaptation just right. It's an awesome series, so rich in characterisation and a great plot, I can't help but gush over it either. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[Damo]

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shokoti said:
so rich in characterisation and a great plot,

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Plot, what plot?
This is PlanetES you're talking about, right?

[shokoti]

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Damo said:
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shokoti said:
so rich in characterisation and a great plot,

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Plot, what plot?
This is PlanetES you're talking about, right?

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No, I'm talking about Planetes. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

But there's a great story in there, you just have to know where to look for it. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[maehara]

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shokoti said:
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Damo said:
Plot, what plot?
This is PlanetES you're talking about, right?

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No, I'm talking about Planetes. /images/graemlins/wink.gif
But there's a great story in there, you just have to know where to look for it. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

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Î*ΛΑÎ?ΗΤΕΣ. Don't argue. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif
As for plot... If you're looking for a single, over-arching plot in the style of say ROD or Tokyo Underground, then Damo's right, there isn't one - but there are a number of little story threads weaving through the series that it keeps coming back to and that hold the whole thing together, and personally I like the way they're used.

There's no show that's capable of pleasing everyone 100%, though.

[Njr Scrawl]

Usual rites-of-passage stories for girlie & the quick tempered guy.
Also their section trying to get recognition for its importance in the greater scheme of things - and why its needed.

Anyone think there is too much slapstick/comedey? That the show should be more serious?

[shokoti]

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maehara said:
but there are a number of little story threads weaving through the series that it keeps coming back to and that hold the whole thing together, and personally I like the way they're used.


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Exactly, the Von Braun story (started on disc 4) is where a lot of things from earlier start to come together, and you see a lot of why the characters are the way they are, etc. Or at least you did in the manga, and I have high hopes for the anime in that regard.

[shokoti]

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Wrath of the Njr said:
Anyone think there is too much slapstick/comedey? That the show should be more serious?

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Personally I think it gets the balance right. Plenty of drama with some good comedy. But then, I should probably stop posting since I am clearly biased. Planetes is awesome. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[ic14]

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Wrath of the Njr said:
Anyone think there is too much slapstick/comedey? That the show should be more serious?

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Its like FMA imo - They both have the right mix

[Njr Scrawl]

For a serious story about a generally serious situation, there seems to be a little too much clowning - which takes away from the "docu-soap" style combined with real life issues. Might work better for live action, such as M*A*S*H, which uses the balance so well, as an example.

The best balance of serious & light I've found is in Banner of the Stars, for a "space opera" story.

[Damo]

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shokoti said:
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Wrath of the Njr said:
Anyone think there is too much slapstick/comedey? That the show should be more serious?

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Personally I think it gets the balance right. Plenty of drama with some good comedy. But then, I should probably stop posting since I am clearly biased. Planetes is awesome. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

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haha, /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif I sit on onme side of the fence Shokoti is on the other.
I disssagree, PlanetES has far too much sit-com/slapstick to it, given the one of the main selling points of all the technology aspects and the realism displayed, Bandai R1 going as far as to get some extras from NASA, I was expecting something a lot more serious and technically minded, all the sit-comness just gets in the way of a good "real" space drama.

[maehara]

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Wrath of the Njr said:
For a serious story about a generally serious situation, there seems to be a little too much clowning

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I think it would be very dry without the clowning - although I can see where it could be seen as being overplayed a little in places (eg the space ninja & Fee's search for a smoking place, although I enjoyed both stories as the comic relief they were). A lot of what's dealt with is quite heavy going, so added humour is a good thing.

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The best balance of serious & light I've found is in Banner of the Stars, for a "space opera" story.

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Very different kettle o' fish there, as Banner is on a much grander scale altogether - and the Lafiel / Jinto relationship takes playing with the audience to a whole new level. But my three-word review for the Crest / Banner series would be "Best series ever." /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[Njr Scrawl]

Another series - perhaps more appropriate for comparison - with good/slightly better balance - would be Patlabor.

Don't get me wrong, I like Planetes (just ordered a 2nd vol.1 as the first was scratched ruining ep.1), & Fee is my favourite female so far, but its got Nadesico character OTT-ness. That's fine for Nadesico, being a part-spoof, but Planetes is straight drama. Dammit ZZ Gundam was more serious!

[shokoti]

If you're looking for something with a serious docu-soap style, you should probably try Starship Operators if you're not already. That does it very well and is light on the comedy, hevay on drama.

[Njr Scrawl]

Getting SO already, but having watched Planetes vol.2 I've now fallen in love with the series. The Nono episode did it for me (strange, its always a single episode that makes a show go green) /images/graemlins/happy.gif

I like its Japanese people & slight Russian space age flavour. Be interested to know more of why the latter is, rether than (say) US/NASA.

Maybe by 2175 humanity will have reached how Planetes is. That is if the loonies on Earth now & in the future have not turned us into a radioactive slag heap or as badly off as in ST:First Contact.

[maehara]

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Wrath of the Njr said:
The Nono episode did it for me (strange, its always a single episode that makes a show go green) /images/graemlins/happy.gif

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Nono's a star. /images/graemlins/happy.gif There's one little scene towards the end of that episode - where she's just gone outside and is throwing moondust at Hachi & the scene changes to show her playing ona beach on earth - that I found really moving because you know it's something that she'll probably never be able to experience. It's scenes like that, where the show just plays with your emotions, that make Planetes so good.

[Damo]

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maehara said:
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Wrath of the Njr said:
The Nono episode did it for me (strange, its always a single episode that makes a show go green) /images/graemlins/happy.gif

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Nono's a star. /images/graemlins/happy.gif There's one little scene towards the end of that episode - where she's just gone outside and is throwing moondust at Hachi & the scene changes to show her playing ona beach on earth - that I found really moving because you know it's something that she'll probably never be able to experience. It's scenes like that, where the show just plays with your emotions, that make Planetes so good.

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Evan I'll admit that was a nice episodes - a shining beakon in a sea of mediocrity

[Njr Scrawl]

Is it this volume that Hachi gets aroused? /images/graemlins/wink.gif