Pumpkin Scissors - 02
Posted on October 11th, 2006 by retsgip - 325 Views
Rating: 8.5/10
Pumpkin Scissors episodes seem to be following the same episode style of anime’s like Trigun or Chrono Crusade. We’ll probably see a lot of minor bosses on the way as they make their way to some ultimate goal. In this case, that ultimate goal is peace. It’s going to take a lot to repair this corrupt post-apocalyptic world, and I’m sure Alice and her subordinates will manage somehow.
Forgive me if the pictures don’t load, something must be wrong.
Although this episode didn’t have the same shock value as the first episode, I still enjoyed it nearly as much. Already, I’m finding Pumpkin Scissors to be better than a bunch of the garbage I was watching last season (Strawberry Panic and .hack//roots to name two). Hell, it’s even better than some of the non-garbage I was watching.
We get a little bit of information this episode that I think is important to note in case anyone missed it. First, we get a rather detailed speculation as to what Panda-kun’s lantern is and what it does. Here’s how Eclipse translated the scene:
“I’ve heard of this story among tank soldiers. If you see foot soldiers carrying a blue steel lantern, don’t think they are your allies. But you must not turn them into enemies, either. That lantern is a reactor that will light up the bearer’s soul.” (00:15:06 - 00:15:19)
Finally a better description and it’s pretty much what Darkshaunz and I speculated after watching the first episode. I’m still not sure how the lantern gives him the ability to take uber damage, but lets say it “just does” for now. They probably won’t tell us the whole truth behind Panda-kun for quite some time, and we’ll probably have to learn about him slowly throughout the series.
The second piece of important information, is Alice’s real identity. Her name is Alice L. Malvin, the third daughter of a one of the Thirteen Appointed Families. We don’t really know how important that is, except that she’s a noble (brownie points to those who guessed it, I didn’t). Surprise!? Kinda, not really. I can definitely see it in her now, but it doesn’t change the fact that she’s still an amazing character. I also enjoyed her spastic anxiousness while she was waiting for Panda-kun, and then her overly dramatic heroic strike(level 5) to her stack of papers. I love her attitude, it drives me crazy…in my pants.
One thing I’ve noticed about this anime, is it’s ability to tackle inner strife or small moral issues. Panda-kun is going through a hard time right now as he tries to figure out where he belongs. He doesn’t really know if what he’s doing is helping or if he can even make a difference, but Alice gives him some advice, which I think is beautiful:
Panda-kun: I don’t mind bearing these injuries from combat, but if the world isn’t going to change…
Alice: The world?! You can actually see that far when you’re that tall? You’re no different than the Viscount then.
Shortly after…
Alice: *taps* Don’t look too far ahead, just look at what’s in front of you, it’ll be there…the meaning of our battle.
Also, there was a nice little moral to this episode, which was basically to stand up for what you believe in despite how scared you may be. The maids were able to overcome their fear due to Alice’s words and they stood up for themselves and decided to live a better life despite what hardships they might have to endure without the Viscount’s money.
Panda-kun x Alice is slowly evolving. Alice risked her life to try and save him from falling and from getting crushed by the tank. Did she jump because he was her subordinate, or is it something more? That we don’t know yet. Unfortunately, she didn’t help (surprising since she’s been so useful up to this point) and Panda-kun ended up saving her instead by sacrificing some ribs and/or some skin on his back. No big deal for the gentle giant.
I’m still impressed by this anime and it’s attention to detail, but they can’t carry the series with just looks and a few good characters. They need good enemies as well. I want to see them do some “important” fighting soon because if they’re fighting smallfries every episode, I think people will lose interest. Even with their apparent lack of a major enemy, I still think this anime is meeting my expectations.
I believe with this post, I’m officially a Pumpkin Scissors fanboy. Grats me.
-Retsgip
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The explanation for the lantern sounds more like a myth.
“That lantern is a reactor that will light up the bearer’s soul.”
This might not be literal. It might just be an ordinary lantern…
Also, about Orland taking serious damage; I don’t think he got hit directly any of the times he was shot at. There was a lot of smoke so Viscount probably thought he hit him but didn’t. I don’t see Pumpkin Scissors as such an unrealistic anime where they put in a character who can survive direct tank shots.
@ Rets: Rets, great wrapup of the episode. I enjoyed it, I believe they are just easing us into the fighting dynamics and telling us what SS.III PS company’s main goal and objective is. They will start grilling some Rogue Imperial Remnants soon, I am sure of it.
Also…told ya! I knew she carried an air of dignity around her, she’s a princess. But a Goddamn Ninja-Commando-Commander Princess, she’s awesome, and I can see a Chidori-esque charm about her too. I would love to see more about her past etc.
Much agreed @ your statement regarding pacing (eg: Chrono Crusade). Its a 26 episode season assumed, so they need to pace it slowly in terms of bad guys. Boss number three should be someone decent to watch.
@ Danny: Hmm, thats a thought Danny…
Retsgip and I speculated that the lantern is a sort of power unit. The Blue Glow is common in Radioactive Isotopes of Radium (though not in such intensity). In the OP, we see Panda-kun tied to some wires like a lab experiment object…so he could be the “Wolverine” of the series, a sole survivor of a terminator-like troop engineered as Tank countermeasures. Its not probrable that he is using it as portable nuclear reactor or anything, but it probrably feeds him into a killing frenzy when activated.
I dont see realism as an issue in Pumpkin Scissors, the tank shots were poorly executed at best. But tank shells dont kill infantry via direct hits, the concussive shock from the impact blast and the shrapnel do. Tanks only score kills via direct hits when shooting other Tanks. Also, Panda-kun is a freaking badass piece of work, Tanks can’t touch him. He is the Juggernaut.
I love her attitude, it drives me crazy…in my pants.>
entirely!! I enjoyed the unravelling details which were revealled about the main characters. It definitely feels like a boss-stage series, but that’s not bad. Alice jumping, well, I didn’t get that. It seemed pretty ridiculous, but she probably thought she was going to help. Realistically, I have no clue how Orland is able to fight tanks, its a mystery.
Ill keep watching
ok, so tanks dont kill via direct shots, so does that mean it’s quite possible for people to survive being hit like that from such a close distance?
and even if tanks dont kill infantry directly and rely on the aftershock, I saw plenty of shots impacting around orland and not killing him. Oh well, i guess he is probably just some specially engineered anti-tank weapon or whatever…
@Danny
Yeap. You are absolutely right.
Orland (Panda-kun) is obviously not your average corporal. This is just one of the better staying features of the anime, we just have to know more about his past and why he is what he is…a BADASS A-T Trooper from the Depths of Hell.
@RyanA
Yeah, Alice was definitely a pleasure to watch this episode. But I really want to see her actually kick some more Ass (well she did, verbally). She needs to pull more awesome ninja shit on people like she did on the guy in the tank last episode.
Wow, we got a fuckin discussion up in here. Lets see..
@Danny: Yeah, I didn’t explain myself well enough I think. His lantern is most likely a radioactive piece of equipment, how that affects his body i have no clue. As for taking uber damage, I’m sure he didn’t get hit directly by any of the things, but just being in the general area of a blast like that is danger. He DID take damage after all. Also, I think there are sooome unrealistic parts of the anime, but they’re very very subtle, and thats what makes it great.
@darkshaunz: Yeah yeah, fucker. You guessed it. You beat me this time, but never again!
@Ryan A: Indeed ryan. That’s the whole point. She thought she could save him by catching him. It’s the thought that counts really. Alice has been so usefull up until this point that I’m just brushing it off with a minor misjudgement in the heat of battle. She’s still hot ;p
I agree that the show needs better enemies. And yeah, Alice is something else. Here she is, with guns pointed at her head and she cheerfully says “See, Even commoners can point a gun at a noble”. And she looked cute getting cheesed off at Oland being late.
yeah, good scene. Pretty good quotes in the episode and some memoriable scenes. Definately cute when she was tapping her foot and twitching waiting for him ;p She’s probably pretty insecure in reality, but tries to be strong for others. We’ll see in the upcoming episodes i guess.