DTB REVIEW CREW: Episodes 3 and 4
EPISODE 3: A NEW STAR SHINES IN THE DAWN SKY (PART 1)
• Tahara’s flower - the only remnants of life in a space littered with human remains. Beautiful on its own and glowing (literally). Not only that, but it releases seeds, produces life right before his very eyes. Symbol of hope (before we even know what it can do).
• Misuzu, so far, seems to have a more fun personality in the dub than in Japanese. At least regarding what she says… Plus - she totally dogs on China right in front of him lol. With the dub, they take a more political route: “I’ve heard in some countries…” vs. “Don’t people from your country eat anything with legs?” lololololol.
• “Golden Bat” vs. “Pack of lights.”
• This is kind of aside, but one of the things I’ve thought was cool about Japanese culture (at least as it’s presented in anime, anyway) is the way they instill a sense of honor through the school system. You know, you represent your school by your uniform, and anything you do while wearing it is the school’s business, so to speak. Just kind of cool to think about it that way - not a lot of kids (people even) have anyone or anything to be accountable to anymore. This is in reference to Mai’s getting caught “burning trash.”
• In Japanese, the (I’m assuming) principal says that it’s fortunate that whomever caught her contacted the school instead of the police, whereas in the dub the principal says she’s lucky that the school contacted her father instead of the police. Kind of switches up who’s involved in what way…
• It’s pretty safe to say, I’m sure, that Hei jolted the power system at the amusement park. I have to wonder though, since he never leaves her side, how he does it. Though really, I think the point is for us to be like Mai, to be swept up in the magic instead of concerned about the technicalities. It’s just a beautiful sight for a brief moment (and then the alarm goes off and security chases them out).
• Crappy animation: when they’re panting after having fled the park - what the hell is Mai even doing? Lol
• “A whimsical patissier’s parfait with fresh fruit and choux chocolate, rice dumplings and almonds!”
“One jumbo parfait with fresh fruit, whip cream, chocolate, and almonds. Oh yeah, and extra sprinkles.”
Her dessert sounds much yummier in Japanese! (I hate sprinkles :P)
• Mai finds out he’s from China - in Japanese, she compliments him: “Your Japanese is great!” In English, she insults him: “That explains the way you dress.” Welp. And anyway, a button up shirt and jeans is kind of universal, isn’t it?
• Pretty sure the two “bad guys” come to fetch Mai shoot at her even before she reaches the construction site. How is that smart? Much harder to ransom her if she’s dead…
• Immediate after Mai shows her special secret (that sounds dirty, haha) we get to find out why it’s so important. Like two minutes in between. We never see it before; it’s like they wait until it’s important for us to know it exists to then hurry up and get the point across.
EPISODE 4: A NEW STAR SHINES IN THE DAWN SKY (PART 2)
• After the conversation between Luco and the Meyer and Hilton guy, I must say that Luco isn’t quite the “I-kill-because-it’s-the-rational-course” sort so much as he kind of seems to enjoy it. Not that we don’t encounter other Contractors like that (Wei, for example).
• So “Japanese man” vs. “former PANDORA researcher” - kind of a big difference. Especially as they’re in Japan - that’s the vaguest description of a person you could come up with in that country. (I believe this quote is from Meyer and Hilton guy to Luco…)
• The deaths of Yuka and her father are so tragic!! Mai sets her own friend on fire (not on purpose, I know) and then has to watch them burn alive… That scene is one of serious emotional upheaval for me. Lots of people die in this series but this case is personal.
• Tahara’s monologue again reignites my confusion as to what percentage of the population is expected to know about the existence of Contractors. He’s talking to Li like he ought to have some concept of their existence and how they’re perceived by others, and it’s clearly fine in this case for his alias to know about them. But in other instances, Li has to lie about or hide his knowledge of Contractors, and then we encounter laymen (like Gai) who know nothing. Even though Li apparently doesn’t need to hide his knowledge of Contractors in this scene, he’s portraying himself as a common man - he took on a job at an ordinary factory… I just feel confused. But I guess the idea that the concept is a jumbled mess is pretty much the point.
• So, to clarify, was Mai already a Contractor who then, as a result of her abilities being suppressed by the seed’s power, morphed into a moratorium (ignoring for a brief moment that she does get a Contract at the end)? That’s what Tahara meant in his monologue right? She wasn’t ALWAYS a moratorium, but that he made it worse trying to “cure” her.
• Powerful words in the Japanese script: “You just gave up on her.” It justifies Tahara’s dramatic response (seizing Li by his jacket) but also… it’s a sharp blow. Tahara took his failed research, ran away and hid - or at least, that’s the interpretation we’re provided with. Honestly, I can’t think of what else I’d have done for her except love her more (express love more).
• As much as I love the Reaper’s mask - it gets ruined in pretty much every episode. Why does he even bother? lol
• Mai’s emotional rejection of her father. I won’t say that she can’t actually recognize him, but her emotional rejection seems to manifest itself outwardly, as if she really cannot recognize him physically because internally he is not the father she loves and remembers. Deep stuff.
• “I guess you should have listened to your buddy” vs. “That smile doesn’t suit you.” Win for Japanese, the latter line is perfect!
• Funny, the way the Meyer and Hilton guy (what is his name, do we know?) grovels for his life and assigns all responsibility to Luco. “Sure, I’m in charge but I didn’t ACTUALLY kill him.” - Rational choice…for a human, that is ;)
• I swear (and now I can’t find it so maybe I made it up) that a song in Prometheus (that terrible, terrible Alien prequel) was actually Mai’s song from DTB. The string version, not her singing. Ugh, I’m so mad, it’s liked I dreamed it though!! Did anybody else see the movie? I tried to find the song on youtube and I was nearly traumatized by my inability to find it!!
• Tahara’s flower - the only remnants of life in a space littered with human remains. Beautiful on its own and glowing (literally). Not only that, but it releases seeds, produces life right before his very eyes. Symbol of hope (before we even know what it can do).
• Misuzu, so far, seems to have a more fun personality in the dub than in Japanese. At least regarding what she says… Plus - she totally dogs on China right in front of him lol. With the dub, they take a more political route: “I’ve heard in some countries…” vs. “Don’t people from your country eat anything with legs?” lololololol.
• “Golden Bat” vs. “Pack of lights.”
• This is kind of aside, but one of the things I’ve thought was cool about Japanese culture (at least as it’s presented in anime, anyway) is the way they instill a sense of honor through the school system. You know, you represent your school by your uniform, and anything you do while wearing it is the school’s business, so to speak. Just kind of cool to think about it that way - not a lot of kids (people even) have anyone or anything to be accountable to anymore. This is in reference to Mai’s getting caught “burning trash.”
• In Japanese, the (I’m assuming) principal says that it’s fortunate that whomever caught her contacted the school instead of the police, whereas in the dub the principal says she’s lucky that the school contacted her father instead of the police. Kind of switches up who’s involved in what way…
• It’s pretty safe to say, I’m sure, that Hei jolted the power system at the amusement park. I have to wonder though, since he never leaves her side, how he does it. Though really, I think the point is for us to be like Mai, to be swept up in the magic instead of concerned about the technicalities. It’s just a beautiful sight for a brief moment (and then the alarm goes off and security chases them out).
• Crappy animation: when they’re panting after having fled the park - what the hell is Mai even doing? Lol
• “A whimsical patissier’s parfait with fresh fruit and choux chocolate, rice dumplings and almonds!”
“One jumbo parfait with fresh fruit, whip cream, chocolate, and almonds. Oh yeah, and extra sprinkles.”
Her dessert sounds much yummier in Japanese! (I hate sprinkles :P)
• Mai finds out he’s from China - in Japanese, she compliments him: “Your Japanese is great!” In English, she insults him: “That explains the way you dress.” Welp. And anyway, a button up shirt and jeans is kind of universal, isn’t it?
• Pretty sure the two “bad guys” come to fetch Mai shoot at her even before she reaches the construction site. How is that smart? Much harder to ransom her if she’s dead…
• Immediate after Mai shows her special secret (that sounds dirty, haha) we get to find out why it’s so important. Like two minutes in between. We never see it before; it’s like they wait until it’s important for us to know it exists to then hurry up and get the point across.
EPISODE 4: A NEW STAR SHINES IN THE DAWN SKY (PART 2)
• After the conversation between Luco and the Meyer and Hilton guy, I must say that Luco isn’t quite the “I-kill-because-it’s-the-rational-course” sort so much as he kind of seems to enjoy it. Not that we don’t encounter other Contractors like that (Wei, for example).
• So “Japanese man” vs. “former PANDORA researcher” - kind of a big difference. Especially as they’re in Japan - that’s the vaguest description of a person you could come up with in that country. (I believe this quote is from Meyer and Hilton guy to Luco…)
• The deaths of Yuka and her father are so tragic!! Mai sets her own friend on fire (not on purpose, I know) and then has to watch them burn alive… That scene is one of serious emotional upheaval for me. Lots of people die in this series but this case is personal.
• Tahara’s monologue again reignites my confusion as to what percentage of the population is expected to know about the existence of Contractors. He’s talking to Li like he ought to have some concept of their existence and how they’re perceived by others, and it’s clearly fine in this case for his alias to know about them. But in other instances, Li has to lie about or hide his knowledge of Contractors, and then we encounter laymen (like Gai) who know nothing. Even though Li apparently doesn’t need to hide his knowledge of Contractors in this scene, he’s portraying himself as a common man - he took on a job at an ordinary factory… I just feel confused. But I guess the idea that the concept is a jumbled mess is pretty much the point.
• So, to clarify, was Mai already a Contractor who then, as a result of her abilities being suppressed by the seed’s power, morphed into a moratorium (ignoring for a brief moment that she does get a Contract at the end)? That’s what Tahara meant in his monologue right? She wasn’t ALWAYS a moratorium, but that he made it worse trying to “cure” her.
• Powerful words in the Japanese script: “You just gave up on her.” It justifies Tahara’s dramatic response (seizing Li by his jacket) but also… it’s a sharp blow. Tahara took his failed research, ran away and hid - or at least, that’s the interpretation we’re provided with. Honestly, I can’t think of what else I’d have done for her except love her more (express love more).
• As much as I love the Reaper’s mask - it gets ruined in pretty much every episode. Why does he even bother? lol
• Mai’s emotional rejection of her father. I won’t say that she can’t actually recognize him, but her emotional rejection seems to manifest itself outwardly, as if she really cannot recognize him physically because internally he is not the father she loves and remembers. Deep stuff.
• “I guess you should have listened to your buddy” vs. “That smile doesn’t suit you.” Win for Japanese, the latter line is perfect!
• Funny, the way the Meyer and Hilton guy (what is his name, do we know?) grovels for his life and assigns all responsibility to Luco. “Sure, I’m in charge but I didn’t ACTUALLY kill him.” - Rational choice…for a human, that is ;)
• I swear (and now I can’t find it so maybe I made it up) that a song in Prometheus (that terrible, terrible Alien prequel) was actually Mai’s song from DTB. The string version, not her singing. Ugh, I’m so mad, it’s liked I dreamed it though!! Did anybody else see the movie? I tried to find the song on youtube and I was nearly traumatized by my inability to find it!!