GATE: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri

[Kraco]

All the good WW2-movies make me feel that what I´m seeing makes sense. I don´t care about "absolute realism", I care about it making sense what I´m being shown. GATE doesn´t make sense a lot of the time.

What military matters? Maybe military matters like sending troops and material fighting a dangerous fire dragon. You can be the greatest hero of all, but that still won´t let you decide something like that.

I'm beginning to feel like you haven't seen all the episodes from the beginning till the end. There's nothing here that wouldn't make sense in the comedically nationalistic way it's supposed to make sense. What wouldn't, considering the incredibly simple way this show is proceeding?

Sending the troops to fight the dragon isn't a military matter until a permission has been granted. Just like the American military can't attack terrorist camps in some foreign country unless the politicians allow it (in a broad or specific manner, I don't know how they decide such stuff). When it's a political matter, things are muddy. Itami already has the attention of the political machinery because he was a hero when the fantasy world troops first attacked Tokyo, and he again did stuff in the other world by rescuing the refugees. Afterwards he was there when they saved the city, and again brought the imperial princess to Tokyo, which launched the peace talks. Even the opposition party asked him why he couldn't save more of the refugees. So, if he was there organizing the dragon removal mission, things could go smoother with the political deciders.

[MasterOfMoogles]

Given what we know about his character, you really have some kind of problem believing Itami might actually just go fight the dragon anyways?
The complaints you have about things making no sense just seem totally ridiculous to me. Like, are we even watching the same show?

[Ryllharu]

Complaints aside, there were two interesting things that happened in this episode after the midpoint.

- The first and obvious one is that the person Yao has to convince is Itami at all. She doesn't have to use money or seduction. She just has to tell Tuka. Once she learned what happened to Yao's village, she's going to be bothering Itami non-stop to have them help.

- The second and by far more interesting one was the bunny girl. She's a spy for the locals, but for what nation? Perfect spy by the way, a bunnygirl with super hearing, complaining that she doesn't know enough Japanese yet while listening to commanders from all the way down the stairs. It wasn't clear whether she works for the Empire or, if Yao is lucky, the nation beyond the Empire that Yao's village is in.

Japan has started spreading the translation books everywhere, they're giving them away for free to people who work at their PX or similar businesses connected to the Japanese economy/military. So what happens when some of those get "lost" and moved around? Other nations are certainly aware what happened to the Empire by now. That's why Pina is so determined to strive for real peace and not just the level playing field using the JSDF that her father went for.

I don't know if the JSDF is prepared for the influx of spies from the Empire and other nations.

As nationalistic as this is, there are some nice parallels to the US Occupation of Japan just in the last two episodes. Cities getting built up around the bases, the JSDF soldiers getting drunk at local bars and crime rapidly building with the only police force being the JSDF MPs and a few hired locals. The JSDF is pretty cocky that the locals don't understand what they're saying while they talk about all manner of things, while the locals are quick learners.

Perhaps this isn't as disgustingly nationalistic as it appears, and I'm starting to doubt that it is a parody either. It's starting to feel much more like a proper satire.

edit:
It's also quite timely as Japan just authorized to have the JSDF fight overseas when Japan itself isn't being attacked, amid massive protests and actual fights in the National Diet. As Edort below just reiterated, this shift adds a bit of a different take to this series.

Are the JSDF the heroes in this show, are they the villains, were the US villains in 1945 when they were doing the "right thing"? All the parallels to the real world just got a lot more interesting.

[Edort4]

Didnt like this episode. I really dont care about the dark-elf or her tribe. Her character is to generic and lacking. Childish and flower powered view of the world even when a savage beast is shredding her compatriots.

Itami being able of finding yet another "hole" in the orders/commands/politics seems to be the next episode. That is getting old fast.

Now I put my tinfoil hat on and say:

Japan has just recently approved the law that makes their army not a defense force anymore. This show gives pretty nationalistic vibes, chosen by destiny nation, its good to invade others if its to prevent unconfirmed future attacks, if its for "good/noble/altruistic" reasons is acceptable to send troops into other ppls lands and "help/free" their "abandoned" citizens, etc.

Its 1931 all over again for Japan.

[MFauli]

Oh, and btw: If a hot girl is the strongest remaining member of the dark elves can, they´re pretty much fucked anyway lol

[shinta|hikari]

In anime, hotness and less clothes = moar powah and higher defense.

[David75]

I didn't mention real life japanese diet events because I didn't want politics to enter the discussion.It's very strange having a fiction and real events mixing so well and so synchronized.
My paranoid side would think it's some kind of organized propaganda....

If the subject gets too strong here, it might be better to create another thread. We'll see when it is time.

[KrayZ33]

I wonder how this show, or the story in general, will end
Could end like the Iraq War.

attack on own soil -> invasion -> not much of a resistance -> occupation -> exploit natural ressources -> they'll eventually leave -> huge power gap -> civil war
glorious nippon army made it possible.

[Kraco]

I wonder how this show, or the story in general, will end
Could end like the Iraq War.

attack on own soil -> invasion -> not much of a resistance -> occupation -> exploit natural ressources -> they'll eventually leave -> huge power gap -> civil war
glorious nippon army made it possible.

That wouldn't really make such a difference. Old times were short periods of peace between long wars, generally. In Europe there was even one called a 30 years war. Rulers come and go, one is not much different than another. The bigger impact will be technological and scientific.

[KrayZ33]

So, not so long until the 2nd cour starts (9th January or something?)

I wonder whether it will be as dark as the LN/Manga. At what time did this show air in Japan again? Was it age restricted, if that's a thing over there?

Kinda hyped anyway as I enjoyed the first alot.

[Buffalobiian]

I thought most anime aired late anyway regardless of age restrictions. Censoring is more of a broadcast station thing.

[MasterOfMoogles]

No spoilers, but I just watched the promo video for season 2 (which has a lot of spoilers), and it looks like they'll be keeping roughly the level of ratings as they have been.

Season 1 definitely tried to keep it tame even in the first episode - not showing people being eaten by dragons onscreen, having the MC kill the one dude offscreen, etc.
I expect more of the same.

[KrayZ33]

I guess you are most likely right, just skipped through some episodes again and I remembered them being more "brutal", not as much as the manga but well, at least some gore, but it's pretty calm overall.

edit: since I don't want to raise any kind of expectations or something, let's just say I wonder how they will introduce certain characters and explain their motivations and whether they are impactful enough or lack something etc.

[Buffalobiian]

edit: since I don't want to raise any kind of expectations or something, let's just say I wonder how they will introduce certain characters and explain their motivations and whether they are impactful enough or lack something etc.

That's being hilariously vague.

[shinta|hikari]

Hilarious being the operative root word.

[KrayZ33]

Because you guys always act as if you just got cancer whenever something slips someones tongue
Everything is a spoiler after all.

[shinta|hikari]

Everything is a spoiler after all.

Whatever you wrote sure isn't.

[Kraco]

S2 Episode 1 - NotHorribleSubs

(HS itself decided to troll leachers and released some random episode of a totally different anime under the title of Gate. But at least it wasn't gay porn like back in the day.)

- - - - -- -- -





The poor dark elf is still desperately trying to find Itami, who is impressing senators all the way in the capital, wearing funny clothes. I guess we will get to the dark elf nation eventually, though, although I do wonder if it's going to be politically connected to something else. The abused warrior bunny likely will also play a further role, hopefully in getting rid of the scumbag prince. All in all I don't mind at all the diplomatic and political stuff here as it certainly creates another layer of realism.

Considering the ending of the ep, the very timely earthquake could serve either side equally. There's not a whole lot the Japanese could do against it, and especially the team in the capital would be badly outnumbered if things got really chaotic.

[MFauli]

Was grinning all over my face, haha. Didnt expect season 2 to start with a hot hentai scene, featuring a hot bunny-girl being forced into sex I wonder if they´ll paint the prince as some pure evil bastard; it´d be more fun if he was bad in certain ,good in other areas of his persona. After all, this is a different world where royalty DOES have this sort of power over common folks. Should the SDF try to intervene in this sort of stuff, it´d lead to a GIGANTIC debate over morales and such. And it´d be weird and shitty tbh if the people of this fantasy world just accepted the "greater morales" of Japan/our world.

Of course, I instantly had to think of the prince as a luckier version of the guy that kidnapped Asuna in SAO. Still, I hope this prince won´t be such a 2-dimensional character. Him being the princess´ brother certainly complicates things, should Itami ever try to act against him.

Another sex-related matter: So ... are angel-people just ... people who happen to have angel wings?! That was truly weird. Despite having animal girls all over the place, angel people is something alltogether differently. Going by the clichee, angel people should be very elegant, royal-by-nature folk. So I hope we get more insight into those. Also: What exactly was that angel whore´s solution to unwanted pregnancy prior to getting the pill from the SDF? lol

People not knowing what an earthquake is weird, too. Seems too convenient for the SDF to show off their rescuing efforts.

Oh, and SCREW that "sexual diseases report". :| I want relationships between soldiers and cute animal girls happen!!1

[shinta|hikari]

Angel people? Aren't they bird people?