RD Sennou Chosa$hitsu Weekly rant

larch · Post by **larch** » 02 May 2008, 13:10

About:

RD Senno Chosa$hitsu is an Anime TV series, created by Production I.G and Masamune Shirow. Real Drive is produced in collaboration with Japan’s largest commercial broadcaster Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV), and premiered in Japan on NTV on the 8th of April 2008.

Story:

2061 AD. Fifty years have passed since mankind developed the Network society. It was anticipated that this new infrastructure would realize a utopia where people connected with each other at the level of consciousness. However, new social problems such as personal data leaks and proliferation of manipulated information began to surface. Nevertheless, people still relied on the Network to exchange information, and proved unable to opt to abandon it. In due course, a new Network realm with more effective security measures was developed. This was called Meta Real Network, usually abbreviated as “the Metal.”

The Metal accommodated personal memory data within protected virtual stand-alone organic cyber enclaves called bubble shells and eventually pervaded the everyday lives of people. However, people gradually learned to release and explore their instincts within the secure environment of the Metal.

The unleashed instincts pushed each individual’s consciousness to drown in the sea of information and to be exposed to the pressures of desire. Meanwhile, norms and regulations continued to bind their real world lives. Thus, strange friction between the two worlds began to manifest themselves as aberrations beyond the bounds of the imaginable. Experts who challenged the deep sea of the Metal to investigate and decipher such aberrations were called cyber divers.

First Impressions:

Someone mentioned this show to me some time back, when we had a discussion about the lack luster Anime shows of 2008 and I decided to give this a try. And since its the new collaboration between Studio I.G and Masamune Shirow the same people who brought us the top notch Ghost In the Shell: Standalone Complex how could I resist. As you can see from the screenshots I have taken the animation level of the show is in the same class of that used in every other Production I.G Anime, she screenshots just don’t do it any justice.

The story seems to take place in the same universe as the Ghost in The Shell: Standalone Complex series. With androids and humans with cyber brains living next to each other, they are all interconnected by the Meta Real Network, usually abbreviated as “the Metal”. It is still a bit early to tell in what direction the story is going to go, since only 2 episodes has been released so far. But if the first episode is anything to go by then we are in for one hell of a good show. I will definitely keep my eye on this show.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MuSalDWI8A

Official Website: http://www.ntv.co.jp/RD/

http://larcho.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/ ... pressions/

edited abit there - site was thinking the name is a swearword.. and blanked it -Anthropoid

larch · Post by **larch** » 04 May 2008, 01:28

Okay just watched episode 2 and all I can say is O-M-G, the way they combined the CG in the show adds to the flow of the series. And the story is now in full swing although there are still some un-answered mysteries but it is still early days.

Rayne · Post by **Rayne** » 06 May 2008, 22:15

This is weird, I don't exactly like it. Kurenai and Toshokan Sensou left a far better impression one me after watching the first three episodes.

I shall keep this one in mind though, will see what's said at a later stage.

larch · Post by **larch** » 06 May 2008, 22:43

Rayne wrote:This is weird, I don't exactly like it. Kurenai and Toshokan Sensou left a far better impression one me after watching the first three episodes.

I shall keep this one in mind though, will see what's said at a later stage.

LOL! you cant compare these shows different Anime and different genre. And as far as I am concerned anything with production Production I.G and Masamune Shirow will be good.

But having said that if you don't want to put on your heavy thinking cap then this show isn't for you.

Rayne · Post by **Rayne** » 06 May 2008, 23:08

Larch, read what I said again, I did not compare anything. I said from what I'm watching, this one nowhere near impressed me. There's quite a diffirence, pay attention. I've not been watching anime since last week either.

And by saying so I'm not shooting down this show. I'm, like you, stating my opinion, in which it's not God's gift to anime and most certainly not the best of the current crop.

If it turns out to be really good then great, one more show for me to watch. But if it doesn't, well then that's just fine too because there's quite enough keeping me busy already.

And lastly save the sarcasm, there's nothing complex about this show, at all.

larch · Post by **larch** » 06 May 2008, 23:21

I thought you knew that Toshokan Sensou was produced by Studio I.G hence I said you comparing it. I should have stated it better.

It was a general statement as people have been complaining they could not follow the plot like with Ghosthound. And you seriously took my comment wrong no need to bite my head off.

Rayne · Post by **Rayne** » 06 May 2008, 23:33

I see, no worries and no harm meant, I like your news briefs.

Well Ghost Hound's a bit above me too, I think I mentioned before I paused a lot during the show to follow the notes, but that's another topic.

larch · Post by **larch** » 09 May 2008, 00:30

I am really starting to enjoy RD Senno ****** after watching the first 4 episodes that has currently aired in Japan so far, I am now totally hooked on it and I cant wait for the next episode to air. The show has picked up some serious momentum and pace since episode one and I am hoping that it keeps it that way for the rest of the show.

Episode 4 we see Haru and Minamo take on there first mission as EISF members, the mission to save someones consciousness from the virtual reality world know as “The Metal”. I wont go into the details to much as it contains potential spoilers for the rest of the series.

This episode also dished out one of the best “LOL” moments in the show so far:

Nice save and follow through there Souta-sama quick way to use that cyber brain of yours. We also get to see the first real action sequences of the show during the last 15 minutes of episode 4, were Souta and Holon kicks some serious bad guy bottom.

http://larcho.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/rd-senno-******-revisited/

http://larcho.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/ ... revisited/

larch · Post by **larch** » 29 May 2008, 21:31

Loved episode 5 the hand to hand combat scenes really remind me of Ghost In the Shell and we got to see the first epic "live or death" fight in the show.

larch · Post by **larch** » 15 Jun 2008, 23:52

Episode 5 of starts off RD Sennou ****** with Minamo looking for a special pair of sunglasses called ” Sous-Marin”, which she wants to give to Haru. Apparently they were all the rage 50 years ago. But now they have become collectors items and even the knockoffs are fetching a high price, as she is about to find out.

Minamo finally finds a pair of Sous-Marin’s at a local antique store, but she almost chokes on her food when she sees the price on them, 500 000 yen for a pair of Sous-Marin’s which isn’t even the real deal. But according to some the knockoffs are better than the real deal hence the price.

Meanwhile back at Haru’s office Souta is looking for Minamo, but he runs into Holon. (Haru’s personal android.) So being the proud man he is, and being annoyed at the fact that she has beaten him on several occasions during there fight he “calls her out”. With the intension of fighting her again I guess.

And of course both parties got the wrong idea. While Souta was thinking of fighting Holon again so he can get back his bruised ego. Holon was thinking that Souta was making a sexual advance towards her, which see seemed glad to except in a very not so hot way. I found this pretty amusing as it shows that both of them, don’t seem to know much about relationships and the opposite sex. LOL!

We cut to Minamo as she walks happily out of the antique store, seems she managed to get a discount from the store owner on the Sous-Marin’s she was looking for. As she walks back home she runs into an android, this android has a striking resemblance to a popular real metal fighter called “Iron Swartz”.

For some reason he is attacking people at random, and during one of these attacks he looses his pair of Sous-Marin’s. And of course he runs into Minamo who is sporting the exact same pair of Sous-Marin’s.

Now of course being a rouge android and all, he tries to procure Minamo’s pair of sunglasses. But all his attempts to take it from her fails, as it seems she is able to dodge every attack he launches at her. And this so no mean feat as Iron Swartz is one of the best metal real fighters. Is there more to Minamo than meets the eye. ? And of course a chase ensues as Iron Swartz tries to take the Sous-Marin’s from Minamo.

And of course Iron Swartz fails at chasing Minamo down. But he follow her to a local metal real fighting club, and it just so happens that Holon and Souta are there discussing her “hobby” as a real metal fighter in the very club she ran into. And of course hour heroes jump in to save Minamo, unfortunately Holon as no match for Iron Swartz and is K.O’d in a matter of seconds.

This is when Souta steps in to help Minamo and Holon, using his skill as a martial artist and swallowing his pride as a man he take a hit from Iron Swartz as to avoid the follow up killer blow. Which enables Souta to wipe the floor with Iron Swartz.

So in the end it seems that this was not the real Iron Swartz. But rather a imposter who copied Iron Swartz’s fighting data from the metal real fighting clubs onto a custom created android, which of course went berserk. Episode 5 of Sennou ******, entitled “Item” was a really entertaining episode and huge step up from the previous ones. The potential that I knew this show had all along is really starting to show now. I’m really starting to like the characters, and the animation is improving with each episode. Consider me finally hooked!

http://larcho.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/ ... ******/