MovieChat Forums > Ima, soko ni iru boku (1999) Discussion > The first ~8 episodes were pretty terrib...

The first ~8 episodes were pretty terrible.

posted 16 years ago by mousewiz
12 replies | jump to latest

The first 8 episodes had me wondering why this series is rated so high over here... they felt like I was watching Sesame Street covering serious topics.

The ending was rather predictable, and asked questions that have been asked many times before... but at least they were tougher questions, and even though the events were predictable (seriously, if I'd written the final episode off of my predictions at around ep 10, almost the EXACT same things would've happened) it still seemed well done.

Too bad the first episodes were so blah =/

[–] bladeseed 16 years ago

It was terrible for you because you were expecting video-game graphics. But most for most people the artwork was simply superb and superbly simple. The sesame street reference is absurd since Sesame Street isn't even an animation series and it's targeted at toddlers. Trying to tie in themes between the two is rubbish and you're better off making a comparison between NTHT and Dawson's Creek :)

I'm sorry you weren't happy with the storyline. You obviously think the director should have hired you as the script writer. LOL.

BTW if you're looking for a show that raises tough questions, watch Fox News. If you're looking for a show that is unpredictable, watch Naruto Fillers. They'll surely keep you on your toes... fool

[–] jperez01 16 years ago

I admit I caught myself blinking in surprise as well when I first read that person's message, but I shouldn't be surprised either. You get such a diversity of people on these message boards that you're bound to come upon swimmers that struggle against the rip tide; now, sometimes that reinvigorates the discussion with a fresh perspective... and sometimes it's a case where I think it's best to humor a guy out of sheer politeness.

[–] mousewiz 16 years ago

>> was terrible for you because you were expecting video-game graphics.
My top 3, in order:
Lain - it has better animation than NTHT, but it's not exactly on the cutting edge.
Kino no Tabi - the animation is a bit cleaner, but they're rather similar in style
GitS - Well, I guess you've got me there, GitS is rather pretty

>>The sesame street reference is absurd since Sesame Street isn't even an animation series and it's targeted at toddlers.

That's kind of the point: NTHT, especially the first ~8 episodes, felt like the approach one might take to attempting to explain the significance of rape, war, torture, and slavery to a toddler. Why? Because it's showing these things and their significance, and we're all quite aware of it already. Just like we're all aware that C is for Cookie. It's uncessary. That's not to say it's something that should never be done, but try to make the story mildly interesting or original when you do it... Clockwork Orange comes to mind. This is just another war story. The story isn't helped by the rather blah protaganist... the mildly naive thing works in Planetes, not in this. Probably because Planetes did a better job of having the girl's background set up WHY she was so insistent that love can make the world go round. Here it's more because he's still just a little kid, part of why I compare it to Sesame Street.

>>I'm sorry you weren't happy with the storyline. You obviously think the director should have hired you as the script writer. LOL.

No, that clearly wouldn't have helped.
As mentioned, if I'd been writing it it would've gone exactly the same way scene for scene, which, as hinted at, didn't strike me as a good thing. I said the ending seemed well done, but that doesn't make predictability to that extent good.

I bet you're one of the people who thinks Thin Red Line is one of the greatest films ever made too =/

[–] webmaster-1892 16 years ago

I believe you have misinterpreted this show. While the subjects brought up in the show are things we know exist, it's not the point of interest. The whole reason media like series and movies exist is to tell stories. This is a story of what happened to these characters and how they coped with these rather unusual circumstances.

And that you did not care for the main character is another thing in itself. The main character is a canvas if you will. It is through his childlike innocent point of view that we see the things that are happening. While we see aid commercials and documentaries about war and famine, we rarely get to experience them through the eyes of a child and even less to hear what he or she has to say about it. And the show is an indirect peek into the lives of child soldiers. Not an amateur cameraman filming a child loading an AK-47. But the story of how they live their lives and why they fight.

I am also a huge admirer of your top 3 anime. GitS is in fact my favorite movie of all time, anime or not. While those anime have clear pictures of what they want to present, NTHT presents it's points through a perspective that a lot of people are unfamiliar with. And the fact that the show looks and sounds like it was made in the 80's only furthers some people opinion that it's a childrens show, when in fact it is not.

There is an aspect that draws me into a show or movie more than anything else. Good story telling and direction. Very very few shows or movies have these qualities and NTHT just happens to be one that does. In fact, the very first episode is one of my favorits. That might surprise you, but my praise is not solely reserved shows that deal with subjects but also good story telling and direction, and the first episode is very well directed and presents the main character in a very good way since we grow very sympathetic to him. We see that he is a good kid and then we feel these strong emotions when we see the things that happen to him.

As far as I can see you are a strong admirer of shows that present original and unique ideas about life, virtual life and artificial intelligence and especially sci-fi. I also greatly enjoy those themes, but I also strongly respect and enjoy reality as it is now. And having that presented in unique ways is very entertaining to me and many others. You won't see these perspectives tht are presented in NTHT on the news. The fact that you did not like A Clockwork Orange only enforces my preliminary presumption about you and your taste. A Clockwork Orange just happens to be another one of my all time favorite movies. Stanley Kubrick has an element in all of his movies that are not present in your minds set; The Human Factor. That's why you like GitS, Lain, and dislike NTHT and A Clockwork Orange. I am not trying to offend you in any way, nor are my thoughts of you negative in any way. These are simply my first impressions of you and how I interpret your post. You simply don't have a taste for movies with the human factor. I could be very wrong, I mean I am limited to the small information provided in a short post.

[–] mousewiz 16 years ago

I believe you have misinterpreted this show. While the subjects brought up in the show are things we know exist, it's not the point of interest. The whole reason media like series and movies exist is to tell stories.

Stories tend to consist of plot, characters, and theme.
I found the plot to be rather predictable. I found the main character to be rather unbelievable, static, and annoying. I found the theme to be somewhat cliche.

I do get what you're saying there... Contact I think is a great example of this. I'd consider the central point of the story to be the character development, but at the same time I see so many people focused on either the plot or the theme, and while I appreciate both those aspects in the movie, it's still development of the characters and their eventual role reversals that I'd consider the "point" of the show.

The thing is, if the theme is secondary to the plot/characters, that doesn't mean I'd enjoy the story any more another time through. I found the plot entirely predictable, and did not relate at all to or like the main character.

And that you did not care for the main character is another thing in itself.

I think the main source of my dislike for the main character comes from the fact that I don't relate to him in any way.
I'm too old to imagine how I would have acted in that situation.
I'm too young to have children who's actions I could imagine in that situation.
There's other ways in which one could typically relate to a character, I'm not going to list them all, but suffice to say none of them really apply to me.

On top of not relating to him...if I met someone with his attitude in some other situation (such as work, for example), I'd probably just plain dislike said person. Child or not. You probably haven't seen Cannibal the Musical, but on the off chance you have, that kid reminds me of the "let's build a snowman" guy who ends up being the first one murdered&eaten, for good reason.

As far as I can see you are a strong admirer of shows that present original and unique ideas about life, virtual life and artificial intelligence and especially sci-fi.

This is a perfectly fair and accurate assessment.

The fact that you did not like A Clockwork Orange

However I think you misinterpreted what I wrote there... I most definitely love A Clockwork Orange. The plot, the themes, and the characters. What I meant to say is that A Clockwork Orange presents the themes relating to both facism and violence in a fairly unique setting and manor. NTHT presents different themes, but they're still related to facism and violence (hence the comparison), in a war setting that most people are fairly accustomed to, and that setting contributes greatly to my general boredom with the plot.

You simply don't have a taste for movies with the human factor. I could be very wrong, I mean I am limited to the small information provided in a short post.

I do believe you're wrong here. I definitely prefer the philosophy or psychology themed pieces of fiction, but I can think of plenty that have a strong human factor. Infact, if I were to extend my anime list to top 5, Planetes would be there 4th or 5th... the plot/setting is entirely seperate from NTHT, but the characters, who are the driving force, have a LOT of similarities with those in NTHT, and one of the themes is also shared. I'd list more, but that could turn into a VERY long list ^^

[–] Lodeken 12 years ago

I have to agree with you regarding the character part of the anime; especially Shu and LalaRu which are the supposed main characters of the show. However, on hindsight now, I realised that perhaps we're mistaken...

In fact, if you think about it, Shu is a sort of "decoy-protagonist", a device to lead us into this insane world where a tyrannical dictator ruled, at the same time served as a sort of invariable juxtaposition for us to see how the world has descended into madness (like why wld anyone fight for King Hamado, and the atrocities he commits). While Lala Ru is like a plot device of sorts to pull Shu into the whole setting, a sort of catalyst for events to unfold and bring closure at the end.

In truth, I think the main story is that of those around, like Sara, Nabuca, Boo, Sis, and all the other extras which peppered the show, and it is here where NTHT truly shines... Well, just my two cents worth.

P.S. And I agree, Planetes is a superior film to this in many ways :) esp. the aspect on it being more character driven.. I'm interested to know which are your top 5 anime, well, if you're willing to share :)

[–] mousewiz 12 years ago

>> P.S. And I agree, Planetes is a superior film to this in many ways :) esp. the aspect on it being more character driven.. I'm interested to know which are your top 5 anime, well, if you're willing to share :)

Well, I've listed 4 of my top 5 already in Kino, Lain, GitS, and Planetes. If I had to fill it out with a fifth it'd be a tough call between:

Welcome to the NHK!
Mushishi
Cowboy Bebop
Higurashi

The other four are just kind of unquestionably there. Choosing between these four probably comes down to how I define the selection criteria. At this moment I'd probably put Mushishi up there as it's one that I can watch with my girlfriend. If I was single it'd be NHK, if I had my memory wiped of the second series it'd be Higurashi (not that the second series was bad, but it kind of eliminates the mystery that made the first one so good), and if I was feeling nostalgic it'd be Cowboy Bebop.

If I included movies Grave of the Fireflies and Paprika would also be contenders, but that kind of starts to be mixing mediums, and if I do TOO much of that the whole list kind of turns into:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Life, the Universe and Everything
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Mostly Harmless

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=32504872

[–] covenant12 16 years ago

The whole series was amazing. Wish you had enjoyed it as much as I did.

[–] CaZSuede-2 14 years ago

I found that most of the series was fairly blah. I get the point of the bleak future where insane kings use children to have their wars, but I found the whole story arc to be light.

Shu got on my nerves as did the lifeless LaLa Ru. The only character I liked was Sara, who was haunted by what happened to her.

[–] TheVicarious 13 years ago

I just finished watching this series and I must say I found it to be very good and entertaining throughout and still not be too predictable. I mean sure, you most definetly knew sort of the basic of how it would end but its the same with many movies and animes, including might I add, A clockwork Orange. What I think is important is to say that just beacuse something is predictable does not mean it is bad. What I found to be unpredictable was the fate of a few characters simply beacuse it's is kind of "taboo" at this point (the people that have seen it knows what I'm talking about).

One who knows nothing, can understand...nothing.

[–] Tplj1919 13 years ago

The first episode I admit I found really silly and thought it was gonna be average at best. That was only because he fell so far during the kidnapping and didn't even injure himself at the time. But in a way I believe what they did was used as a form of relief to slowly prepare you for the brutality in this series.

(SPOILERS possible)
This is by far the most well written series I've seen in this genre. I know what you mean by predicted such as Sara and her child, and a soldier boys sacrifice, etc. But the way these predicted ideas came together went much different then what I expected. I still rate it 10 out of 10. No series has given me the impact this series has.

[–] balisier_boy 12 years ago

Not even gonna read your post or any of the others. You've got bad taste. If you couldn't appreciate this series, your artistic comprehension is sorely lacking.