Pumpkin Scissors

[silan]

You gotta love the Japanese and their fascination with English phrases that sound cool but to English speakers make no sense whatsoever. Pumpkin scissors? What?!

But moving past the title....

Is anybody else going to watch this?

The first episode didn't seem anything extraordinary yet, but it does have number of interesting elements that I kind of want to see followed up. The dichotomy between the gentle Piro-eyed Oland and the eerie will-o'-the-wisp-lit Oland is the biggest one right now.

The series has some nice-looking animation, although the CGI stuck out a bit too much for my taste. For some reason, this series has the same feeling as FMA for me; maybe it's the animation style or the military focus....

Anyway, this has potential. What does everyone else think?

[loner]

Hmm, this show does have quite a bit of potential indeed. Especially the main character, an Incredible Hulk-like figure that is not seen often in anime. Save for some FMA comparisons, there is a lot of room for innovation for this show. Hopefully Gonzo don't waste the potential and go for the run-of-the-mill.

[NausicaaBoy]

haha the lead girl is cute (alice) - anyway interesting concept

Did anyone else hate the animation of tank? looked like they had cut a picture of one out and stuck it in lol
Oland is also an unusual character but I really like him its a creepy concept as well

im going to keep watching and see where it goes! when do you think eppie 2 will be up?

[KiraraKim]

im going to keep watching and see where it goes! when do you think eppie 2 will be up?

I am pretty sure the show airs on Mondays. When a sub will be out is a different story.

[NausicaaBoy]

its already sub on ******* lol you mean dub? is everyone just watching it on ******* btw?

[Sae]

I am pretty sure the show airs on Mondays. When a sub will be out is a different story.

If it airs on Mondays and is at least a little popular, then you might be lucky enough to have it up by Wendsday-Friday. Yet we probably shouldn't be talking about getting subbs when its not released in america. More talkie about the show! Sound very interesting! I shall indeed at least check it out! ^-^

Sae-chan

[NausicaaBoy]

ok suddenly I feel like a noob...wth? Its sub(titeled) .lol how ru watching it?

[KiraraKim]

its already sub on you tube lol you mean dub? is everyone just watching it on youtube btw?


Actually I was talking about the second episode since that is what you asked about. ;)

[Apolyion]

I'm gonna be following this, it looks pretty interesting.

[Sae]

its already sub on ******* lol you mean dub? is everyone just watching it on ******* btw?

apparentally it's bad to talk about where you get it from cuz last time I did I got into trouble with a mod. so i'm just tellin you so you dont get into trouble as well.

Sae-chan

[Erigion]

Yea, less talk about where to get it and more talk about the series.

[silan]

Please don't get my precious thread killed.

Yes, Oland is an interesting character with ample room for growth and development. I can't really say the same for Alice, since - while she's entertaining - she's not really that much of a break from the typical hot-headed female military type.... although she is bubbly.

[A-R@D]

Anyone else get the feeling that Alice is a blend of Riza Hawkeye and Winry from FMA? The show definatley seems to be catering to FMA fans who liked those two characters. That being said, I really enjoyed FMA and this looks to be cut from the same cloth, So I will keep watching it for now.

[Apolyion]

Honestly, thus far the only real similarity I can see between this show and FMA is in parts of the art style - notably the military uniforms and to a degree, character designs. FMA was very different in composition otherwise... and while Alice might look similar to Winry and Riza, she really doesn't act anything like either of them.

[Datsun]

I didn't really make the FMA connection initially, but just thinking about the lack of certain techology and how the military looks, there are similarities, but it's way too early to say anything for certain.

edit: At first I was intrigued thinking "how the hell do they make these scissors? Do they just use pumpkins or are some other materials necessary...", but then it just happened to be a name of some organisation which was a little disappointing. Overall, I felt it was simply an ok starting, but could have potential to be better.

[Ojisan]

Wow, ******* Hosts Full Licensed Series!!!

[KiraraKim]

Actually the show gives me more of a Full Metal Panic vibe than a Fullmetal Alchemist vibe.

[soundchazer]

I don't know... unless they get into a subplot regarding the guy from the 901-ATT, I just see this one being a "mission of the week" type. The only similarity I see with FMP is the fact that he is a little dense and there may be a romantic element brewing between the characters, but that's it.

It has potential, but for some reason I believe it won't be anything special.

[NausicaaBoy]

mm sorry and thanks for the heads up.
I'm with sounchazer unless there is a greater unerlying plot - this will just be another run of the mill "mission of the week" - as she so adequetly put. However- Weve only seen one episode; this small "mission" was the first episode and was a decent way to introduce the characters and their strengths etc.

Im going to reserve judgment until eppie 2 or 3

p.s. does alice not remind you of parn at all - she could get seriously annoying

[Grasshopper]

I really enjoyed the first episode. The anti-tank trooper idea is cool and Alice is a pretty likeable character. I don't like how Randel is a clumsy yet powerful character though. I'll definitely continue watching though.

[silan]

Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of lumbering clumsy hero types... but that shift from slow quiet guy to killer is fascinating.

[NausicaaBoy]

clumby I think not...mayb around alice - the begginings of a "cute" love plot... but that tank action was far from clumsy

anyway I agree sweet shift...and the idea of anti tank troopers is really cool...kinda makes the neck hairs stand up like alice's...great big lumbering sillhouettes capable of destroying tanks....*erie*

[NausicaaBoy]

OK - episode 2:

Seems like this might be a mission of the week series after all. This episode was pretty week. I still like the concept of the 901-ATT. However, this episode lacked something.

Ill give it 2 more eppies to pick up

P

[Apolyion]

Well... many series start slowly, but two episodes featuring anti-tank fights in a row is kind of pushing my suspension of disbelief. I find it hard to believe that the army would just leave operable tanks laying around even under the post-war circumstances described in the show.

Hopefully something will pick up in the next few episodes, since if it's not going to be at least a 26 episode series, it doesn't have much time to waste on "tank of the week" intro episodes.

Alice doesn't annoy me yet. She's a little over the top in terms of aggression... but she doesn't have the complete lack of competence and intelligence that Parn, to use your example, did. To wit, she can inspire others with her courage and is capable of forming and executing a decent plan, so she's not helpless or hopeless. She's reckless and easily angered, but those are hardly uncommon characteristics in anime characters.

[NausicaaBoy]

agreed well...2 more for me ill cross my fingers

[silan]

Well... many series start slowly, but two episodes featuring anti-tank fights in a row is kind of pushing my suspension of disbelief.
Well....... what do you expect? He's an ex-ATT. There's really no point to his character's existence in this anime if there aren't tanks to take down, because any other threats can be handled by the others.

Expect tanks, tanks, and more tanks.

[Apolyion]

Well....... what do you expect? He's an ex-ATT. There's really no point to his character's existence in this anime if there aren't tanks to take down, because any other threats can be handled by the others.

Expect tanks, tanks, and more tanks.

Just because he's an ex-ATT doesn't mean the show has to have tanks for him. They could do something deep and worthwhile in terms of drama, and focus on his adjusting to a tank-blasting-free lifestyle, developing relationships with the rest of the cast, and integrating into a more normal society.

And that's what he seems to want, too. He definitely doesn't seem to like fighting, and it'd be a much better use of the whole "war relief" concept if they actually did "war relief" and not "SWAT-style policing" under a different name.

[NausicaaBoy]

Anyone else watching 2night?

[Apolyion]

Episode 3 was good in a lot of little ways, and gave us some good character background and development for Alice... but episode 4, which I just finished watching, opened the door to a potentially awesome intrigue-based plot about the tank auto-loader and the "Invisible 9" military units.

I'm waiting for episode 5 with a tingly feel of anticipation now.

[silan]

Episode 3 was alright. Alice is only 18? Meaning... she was only 15 when she was commissioned? That seems to be pushing it just a bit..........

But as Apolyion said, ep 4 was the best one so far. We've got underlying plot up the wazoo, scientific experiments, suspicions of other characters being aroused, the expectation of an explanation of the "Invisible 9" series.... among other events.

And I have to say that the sequence in which Oland takes out the armored car was "Holy crap"-inducing. In that moment, I revelled in the creepiness that is Gespenst Jager-Oland (heck, it's why I stuck with this show so far), but I also sympathized with Machs' feelings. Oland is definitely one interesting character.

I'm looking forward to 5.

[NausicaaBoy]

Im back on this one after ep 3 - looks like it might be worth watching after all.

[Apolyion]

Ep 5 was mixed IMO. It maintained the conspiracy plots and advanced them a little, but didn't bring them fully to the forefront, instead going about half-and-half with main plot and episodic plot. I was hoping it would have focused more on the intrigue/main plot, and kept up that intense feel and brisk pace that we saw in episode 4.

I was really disappointed that Machs and Oreld seemed to give up their investigations at the end of the episode on their own. While I don't think they could have gone on for long distrusting Oland, I do think it was a missed opportunity for Alice to show some leadership to make the unit cohesive. Ie, it'd have been better if Alice had played a role in getting everybody to trust each other and work together well.

Edit - oh I have to add: I never thought in a million years taht I would say this, but after so many anime series have used oversized breasts jokes and fanservice (frequently having characters whose sole existence is to be a running breast joke), the use of an "oversized penis" joke actually seemed creative and funny.

[Apolyion]

Well it seems Pumpkin Scissors is over now at episode 24. Was I the only one who followed it through to the end? Overall... it was unsatisfying. I felt it switched between being very interesting with the secret maneuvers and plotting we glimpse in the shadows, and being very mundane with episodicness, too many episodes that do nothing to advance the plot, and a weak conclusion.

The intrigues never come out of the shadows... the foundation for a great story is laid in very solid manner and good detail over the 24 episode season... but then that story will not be told unless there are more seasons to the show, and at this pace - a 24 episode introduction - it could be many seasons more before a real climax and resolution is reached. There's no confrontation between the protagonists and antagonists at all.

Overall it just feels unsatisfying. There's an enormous wealth of intrigue and plot here to use in storytelling, and definitely no need for episodic fillers. The main plot could have filled 36 episodes easily with no filler, and been a great show. Now all I can do is hope there is a second season that will actually tell the story I was expecting this season to.

[Sorrow-kun]

I've seen every ep except the last, which I plan on watching later today. And, yeah, the show did suck by its end. The problem with the show is that there just wasn't anywhere near enough manga written when it started, and it fell into all the traps of a show trying to be loyal to a manga that's only into the intermediate stages of it's plot. The result: a shitload of non-manga filler that doesn't advance the plot and isn't entertaining, a mystery that's only asked questions and revealed no answers, and a cast of characters that have only shown their initial traits and personal dilemmas, and are only in their first few stages of development and no where near resolved or overcoming their flaws.

Gonzo just should have waited until their was actually a decent amount of manga written before trying to animate it. A second season may fix a lot of the problems in the story left at the first season (although it doesn't change the fact that the first season is riddled with flaws), but I wouldn't bet on them making a second season, since I don't think it has the popularity to warrant it.

[Apolyion]

That's what stands out to me about the show... that it is just an introduction. I'm glad I'm not the only one who watched it or came to that conclusion. And even though season 1 is such a disappointment I still want to see more because the amount of potential the plot has is enormous in my opinion.

Season 1 had just enough plot-related episodes to keep me watching and interested despite the filler one-off episodes. But with no resolution to the plot forthcoming - I agree that a season 2 probably won't happen - watching the show was tantamount to a waste of time.

[LadyYuina]

My brother's watching it. I should ask him for a brief summary, and whether he thinks I'd like it or not since he knows my tastes for anime (although I'm pretty open to most genres). :XD: