SSSS.Gridman

This episode specifically said that she's a god who created this world because she couldn't handle 'the world of the gods' (i.e., real life), and her speech about kaiju shows she's fleeing because she couldn't emotionally handle it and is guilting out about hurting people in it (assuming that she did actually hurt people and isn't catastrophising like depressed people tend to). It also confirms that places outside the city only exist when Akane wants them to. The last episode also framed this world as a dream she needs to wake up from. I'm not sure how any of this suggests that she's the unreal one.

Edited by Iaculus on Dec 9th 2018 at 12:46:20 PM

Most of that is just the Alliance guessing and making conjectures based on very limited data. They frankly have no idea what they're talking about. The only one with a clear picture is Alexi and some of what he said to Akane makes no sense if she's a human. Like, he told her that "real humans don't sleep", a statement so preposterous that it doesn't even qualify as a lite, unless told to someone who's not a human and never met one.

There's also the fact that Anit's eyes which are "those of a person" are contrasted with Akane's which... well he doesn't finish that sentence but it's easy to see where he's going.

Really, it seems to me that they're setting up the big twist being that it's Akane who's not a real human, instead of everyone else.

So you didn't find it a funny coincidence that (a) 'humans' and 'kaiju' were categories Akane herself created, and that (b) her definition of 'kaiju' sounds suspiciously like how a depressed person would describe themselves? And why in God's name are we trusting what Alexis says to Akane about what 'real humans' do? Besides, can't you think of another reason why the creations of a depressed, self-hating god might become more human as they disassociate from her?

This show is built around a really obvious metaphor, and you're twisting it into knots trying to find another reading.

Gentlemen, you're both right.

...how?

In order for the idea that Akane needs therapy to work, she has to be inhumane enough to perform any of her actions so far.

That's stretching it a bit, isn't it? There are several reasons she might need the therapy sim, if that's even the right theory. Plus, I'm pretty sure Shlugo is referring to the more literal meaning of Akane not being human. since Iaculus is talking about the theory that the other characters are computer programs, and Shlugo proposed that it would be the opposite of that.

I was backing Shlugo up there as well. Akane think more like a Kaiju than a human being the longer the show goes on, eventually getting to the point that she's willing to destroying everything in her way without care for anyone else.

In her current state, being let out into the real world would make her irredeemable. Staying in the simulation means helping her is plausible.

Edited by VeryMelon on Dec 9th 2018 at 11:48:25 AM

It's undeniable that Akane is thinking more like a Kaiju as time goes by, but from a literal point of view, I agree with Iaculus on that point: she's human. She starts as human, and though her mind has deteriorated to the point of being kaiju-like in thought, that's a product of her depression and other issues, but it still doesn't make her a kaiju in and of itself. Being inhumane in thought doesn't make one a monster autiomatically, just very, very damaged.

I do agree she should stay in the simulation, though. Leaving helps no one at this moment. But then, we've seen no hint of the world outside being any better or worse for her, or even real at all. These are all theories lacking a very big puzzle piece that the show hasn't given us yet.

Edited by TheLovecraftian on Dec 9th 2018 at 2:55:22 PM

Late but gotta chime in my thoughts on Episode 10:

Interesting that Anti pull of an Heel–Face Turn which is actually pretty nice to see and it seems that they fought against Akane's heart which is an One-Eyed Kaiju. Speaking of Akane... Damn that ending though, think she went way step too far considered she stabbed Yuuta in the chest and in pettiness, she destroyed the kaiju system that she created. There's no way of coming back regarding her redemption. But even then, I think you guys bought an interesting points regarding Akane's psychology @Lovecraftian @Iaculus Although this is the same guy who wants Akane didn't get redeemed so yeah...

To be honest, I'm not sure where I stand in regards to redeeming Akane at this point. I've always enjoyed Akane for the Comedic Sociopathy of her character, being the cute, giggly villain who thinks making giant monsters to kill people for small offenses is an appropriate response. But since the current developments make her The Heavy at best and a proper Big Bad at worst (I mean, she's got tons of development, while Alexis is little more than Ominous Alien-Looking Bad Guy #7; he could be the big bad, but it would be a little bit of an asspull) and we only have two episodes left, I struggle to see a way to redeem Akane without making it feel too rushed. And while the show has gone to great lengths to show Akane is a mentally damaged girl in need of help, I don't feel it's laid the narrative groundwork for a redemption proper, especially with this decision to stab Yuuta. So I'm really uncertain where I stand regarding her being redeemed or not.

I think it's worth reiterating, though, that it is Akane deciding what is a kaiju and what is a human. Thinking of your own mindset as inhuman (and presenting it as such within your fantasy-world) doesn't necessarily make it so. More often, it just means you really hate yourself.

@The Lovecraftian I know how it feels *pat* *pat*... Lets just say that Akane... Is an interesting case for me IMO but itll depend on the last 2 episodes

You really need to stop putting all your posts in spoiler texts after it's no longer needed.

Edited by VeryMelon on Dec 9th 2018 at 1:16:44 PM

Why do we think the show is thematically about depression? I'm interested in hearing that since a lot of Akane's behaviour feels resonant.

Because Akane exhibits so many of the symptoms (lack of motivation, lack of empathy, intense anger and self-loathing, casually self-destructive behaviour), which is particularly significant because she is responsible for the shape of the entire setting, and because this show draws a lot of inspiration from Neon Genesis Evangelion (a show which the director of this one was a junior animator on), which was also very much about depression.

I see. That makes a lot of sense.

I really, really hope the series doesn't end poorly. I haven't been this into an anime in forever.

Yeah. Considering I've come to believe that the entire point of Evangelion is Shinji is wrong no matter what choice he makes and will wreck the lives of everyone around him regardless of his intentions, I'd rather it didn't follow that series too closely.

Though I've still never really watched Eva. Caught bits and pieces, and seen a few discussions, but still I know enough to know shit goes pear shaped with Shinji very often.

That's not the kind of ending I would expect from Trigger, so I don't think they'll go that way.

Although since they can't really go to space this time, who knows what they're going to do.

Akane grows seven stories tall and fights Alexis in space.

Wait wrong Trigger show.

I mean, the whole thing about Shinji is that he's (a) a self-sabotaging mess, and (b) almost entirely without a functional support network. It's basically about a severely depressed person's abusive dad ignoring the doctor's note he's waving around and putting him in charge of a nuclear reactor so he can make mad bank off the insurance payout.

His other major tragedy is that he attributes his worth to what he does rather than who he is, which means he crashes hard when he fails and is willing to madly pursue success even when all signs are that it's a terrible idea (Rebuild 3.0 is all about this). His redemption comes from being immersed in humanity as a whole after being stuck in an isolated, depopulated city with a small group of people who are too broken and/or reprehensible to help him (Gendo is basically his Alexis, callously weaponising his disorder to achieve his own dubious goals), and from learning to see value in himself for being himself. That's the biggest thing that the Gridman team can give Akane - showing her that there are people outside in the real world who care about her and want her back, without her having to make them do it in some fantasy even she doesn't entirely believe in.

I'll just point out Fran XX isn't a a pure Trigger show, but an A-1 one, Trigger just helped.

Edited by Vavrick on Dec 9th 2018 at 11:08:06 AM

With the Tim Curry impression, I wouldn’t be surprised if this ended in the one place not corrupted by capitalism.

I'd say the only way to fix this mess is for Yuta to just hug the poor girl but that might give off a bad message so iunno.

There's also w/e the fuck has been going on with whatever Rikka knows that the others don't that's been going on since episode one in regards to w/e her relationship with Yuta was.

Honestly really the only real way of fixing this is probably to reveal that Akane and Rikka are one in the same outside of the simulation.

Looking back, I noticed Akane couldn't see Gridman on the screen when she was on the store, huh.