Michael is Low on Hit Points
In the theatre of the absurd, Soul Eater 47 fails where Gurren Lagann succeeded
- Posted March 9th, 2009 at 1:16 PM ET
- Subjects Soul Eater, Gurren Lagann
- Tags short editorial
- Image sources
1- Nia [unknown]
2- Dai-Gurren kayak [unknown]
3- walking the Death City [unknown] - Video searches
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Anime can border on the ridiculous sometimes. But it's not the level of ridiculousness that matters, but how it is handled. Going beyond normal mecha-design convention and kicking physics to the curb, Gurren Lagann is ridiculously awesome. Soul Eater episode 47, however, is ridiculously bad. Comparing the two can show us why.
Filled to the brim and exploding with gar, Gurren Lagann is always an electric experience. Whatever it does, it does it all out. For example, the mechs are designed with large faces on their stomachs. As soon as those very faces start talking shit, it suddenly works. The way they're animated and the raw emotion that they convey (courtesy of their pilots) gets the viewer quickly past the ridiculousness of it all.
In episode 12, we are given one of the most preposterous mecha-related scenarios I have ever seen. A walking base -- the Dai-Gurren -- is given a kayak paddle and fins for its feet so that it may cross a sea. Our suspension of disbelief has been built up by this point in the story, and the whole scene actually makes sense.
It fits, and the way that the now-swimming base is incorporated into the action allows the viewer to enjoy the insanity. Also of note here, is that the Dai-Gurren "kayak" is largely a stylistic point. Plot-wise it allows the cast to get from point A to point B on the other side of the sea. But overall, that's a minor and largely superficial plot point.
Now let's take a look at Soul Eater episode 47. Shinigami's soul being routed to Death City is a major, game-changing plot point. He's out of the final battle because of it. Enter Brew, the Demonic Tool whose very existence up until now has been serious business. The viewer has been made to question the very institution Shinigami built because of this plot element.
Now Brew has become active. It's ability, it's raison d'etre... to grant the desires of its user. It's not exactly the most creative of powers. But how Shinigami uses it is a bit creative, if not ridiculous. Instead of freeing himself from the clutches of Death City, he decides to free Death City from the clutches of the earth. The city is now an ungainly walking robot.
This is not the same simple background element like in Gurren Lagann. This bit of silliness is a massive plot point. It is the culmination of the Brew mystery arc. It is the solution to reuniting Shinigami and Asura for the final battle. And for all those viewers expecting something intellectual to push the story further, they get this instead.
Finally, the presentation kills the scene. As I said with Gurren Lagann, the emotion and the action always backed up the visuals. The rule of cool is in full swing. Back to Soul Eater, many a major character are literally hanging their heads in shame at this development. They can't believe how stupid this all is. They can't believe this is actually happening. And thanks to that, neither can I.
1 Gargron
I found the SE scene not that bad. I mean, this anime was already eccentric from the beginning, why should a walking castle be something else then? I lol'ed.
2 ghostlightning
The Kayak and Fins upgrade is a high-point for me in the TTGL experience.
Gargon above implies that both anime are eccentric, and by extension 'absurd.' Though absurd elements in such a literary tradition are mostly indicative of the absurdity external to the subject text (i.e. Waiting for Godot), but I can appreciate the labeling you do here (even though I haven't seen Soul Eater).
TTGL is furthest from the theatre of the absurd tradition, because the... SPOILER WARNING (in case the spoiler tags don't work for whatever reason)
Anti-Spirals, who have engineered existence to the point of absurdity and pointlessness - are externalized 'enemies' that have to be, and are defeated.
Their defeat means the meaning of life, in this case evolution, prevails. Life is NOT absurd.
...END OF SPOILERS...
But your exploration of this subject is focused on the stylistic elements, and I agree that the kayak is internally consistent with the absurd 'physics' of TTGL and does inspire willing suspension of disbelief.
3 IKnight
Giant robot cities are all right in their place (tipping my hat to Ghostlightning here, the Macross franchise is probably their place - I still can't get over how the original Macross has aircraft carriers for arms). I haven't been watching Soul Eater, but I've got the impression that their place isn't there.
I'm struggling to come up with an anime I've seen which might be called absurd in the 'theatre of the absurd' sense. I'm probably struggling because I don't watch enough off-the-wall stuff . . . I'm tempted to nominate School Days, except stuff happened in its plot and I heard that some people cared about the ending.
Re Michael is LoHP
@ Gargon
I certainly can't argue against Soul Eater being eccentric from the get go. I think, though, that there is a place for comedy and a place for proper drama. For instance, I loved Excalibur's reappearance in episode 46. Yet both his presence and antics are extremely minor plot points. This goofy walking city, however, is the culmination of the plot into the final battle.
In other words, you can color in some humor, but the outline ought to be a bit less ridiculous at this critical point in the story. I'm sure there are people out there that found this light-hearted climactic scene funny. But I'm sure there's also people who found School Rumble's light-hearted pie end funny. That's not the way most wanted it all to go down though.
Unfortunately, the pathetic lack of votes in my poll mean that I can't answer how most wanted to see Soul Eater 47 go down.
@ ghostlightning
I kind of figured the "theatre of the absurd" term would work here, even if I'm dealing with absurdity within the narrative structure. I would have easily suspended my disbelief if the walking Death City had occurred at a different point in time, or had less to do with the actual plot. But this was a huge plot point culminating in silliness.
I love the point you make on Gurren Lagann about the anti-spirals, which is a really interesting way to look at things. I'd love to hear your take on Soul Eater 47, if you ever get around to that series.
On an off-topic note, did the spoiler tags give you any sort of trouble? I'm trying to troubleshoot here, since it sounds like you meant to use them, and for some reason it didn't work?
@ IKnight
I feel that a giant robot city could actually work in Soul Eater, just not here. The style fits the anime, but the substance doesn't fit the mood of the plot. As a means of wrapping up the story, it comes off as face-palm inducing.
I haven't seen School Days, so I can't comment there. But I do know the ending. Heck, I think anyone who follows any anime blogs knows the ending by now.
4 Omisyth
Granted, Soul Eater 47 was really out there, but the absurity of it all made me enjoy the scene that much more. I'm not saying that I wouldn't have liked to see a better presentation of Shinigami's wish, but the fact that all of the characters were hanging their heads in shame is the type of fourth wall comedy that I love. It works because we've seen previous examples of ridiculousness (albeit not this ridiculous) previously in the show with the Excalibur episodes.
Re Michael is LoHP
@ Omisyth
I think that if this would have occurred at any other point in Soul Eater's story, I would have found it hilarious too. I love the Excalibur episodes. It's just that this was the climax. The 4th ED seemed to promise an epic final confrontation, with everyone looking suitably serious -- and mentally and physically spent. Plus, Brew has been a pretty serious story element so far. It's not really the style that let me down; it's the lack of substance.
But of course, to each his own. It's good that some people enjoyed it!