well now *ep 5 spoilers*

[marshall_banana]

that was a bit of a turn up for the books huh?

i have to admit to not being too keen on gunparade march to begin with, but after seeing episode 5, i have to admit to developing a big liking for the show; im watching it through Sakura Wars eyes now it's not that i'm morbid or anything, but i thought it was incredibly well done, and it does feel like a real loss in the series narrative. i thought it was clever that when the names of lost personnel were read out, you were constantly waiting for mibuya's name, only to be left waiting longer. and unlike i was expecting, her name was not the last in the list as it grew longer (which i was worrying the writers would have used as a technique to make her name stand out more and thus [supposedly] increase the emotion in the scene), but (thankfully) her name was just one of many that faded off into the distance as people went about their lives.

to be honest, i thought it was brilliant, and i think im going to enjoy seeing the rest

but that cat is still monstrous.

[phanax]

liike I said last night, it's their secret weapon, they load it into a cannon and they fire it at the enemy (whatever their name is)

but it's true it was very well done, the bit where the doctor just gently shakes his head made it all so clear

tactfully and tastefully done

[marshall_banana]

phanax said:

tactfully and tastefully done

very. one of the most tactful deaths i've seen in an anime series and exceptionally poignant. i liked how in the following episode, people hadn't just moved on to the next event; they all had their little reminders of her presence.

[Indefinite Description]

one of the most tactful deaths

Somehow, that looks strange in isolation.

[marshall_banana]

yeah, but you know what i mean; a lot of deaths in anime are so overdone as to ruin their intended effect. i thought with mibuya's, there was a definite "will she make it?" feel; there was real hope created with having her reach the hospital at all.

you only know for sure that she isn't going to make it, when she takes off her mask, and the doctor allows it. i thought it was really sad

[phanax]

I actually found myself uncomfortable watching it, I didn't like how it was making me feel, the series started out relatively safe and then this happened, though I didn't care much for the character the death really got me

as for tactfull, well it wasn't too crass, it didn't use any-kind of sledgehammer approach, it treated death with the respect it deserves, not merely a shock tactic

[marshall_banana]

yeah, completely. to be honest, she was the character that i warmed to first. the love triangle that you (or I at any rate) thought was going to develop between her, hayami and shibamura was completely torn apart.

[TFP]

phanax said:

I actually found myself uncomfortable watching it, I didn't like how it was making me feel, the series started out relatively safe and then this happened, though I didn't care much for the character the death really got me

When you say realtively safe, do you mean the takeover of the rest of the palnets by the aliens, or the horrific deaths of an entire military team, including the 6 year old boy and his nurse?

Just goes to show it's worse when it's someone you know..

[marshall_banana]

exactly; that's what i assumed the point of everyone else having their name read out by the newsreader in the way they showed it. we feel bad because of mibuya's death, but that same day, there were countless other people who we have absolutely no knowledge of whatsoever going through exactly the same thing.

[phanax]

OK the beggining was dark, but after that it seemed relatively calm, almost light hearted on occasion, you almost forget these characters are risking their lives in battle, it really brought it home to me