I watched this during the middle of the Covid-19 lockdown(which really couldn't be more appropriate) and let me say, this show stays with you.
As apocalyptic and nigh-hopeless the series can be, the journey keeps you on the edge of your seat as you follow these characters to an uncertain fate. The one that embodies this aspect the most is Shu. In a world of nihilistic despair, his plucky attitude and courageous determination gives you a guy you can root for. While admittedly he's not the most interesting hero, there's still something engaging about one kid who refuses to give up, no matter how the world wants him to. It's why Spider-Man is so endearing after all. On the inverse of this is the evil Hamdo, and i'm not sure how to talk about him. He's the depraved ruler of a genocidal empire, so he should be as terrifying as that implies...but really his character is all over the place. Hamdo toes the line between " disturbing madman" and "unhinged offspring of Adolf Hinkel and Ren. The man does not know subtlety and most attempts to make him disturbed and depraved come off as unintentionally hilarious for how over the top his character is. Every other line is him ranting like a five year old("Look at those losers crawling on all fours!") or making grandiose speeches like a Jo Jo villain. It leads to some Mood Whiplash as we go from the dark life of Child Soldiers, to this guy jumping around and giggling like a naughty kid in a candy store. Of course that might be deliberate. I find it interesting how both Shu and Hamdo are essentially lost in their own ideal visions of the world, even as everyone else is losing themselves in the dark reality.Sara's arc is both the most poignant and problematic. After escaping life as a Sex Slave, she disappears for a while and is on the verge of suicide from her unwanted pregnancy. Shu uses said baby to convince her not to give up(although it's clear he was desperate to save his friend) and the message ends up being weirdly pro-life, especially when Sara decides to stay to mother the baby and the other children. I'm not one to talk about this issue in depth but the handling of such a topic comes off as a bit insensitive.
The others round out nicely. Lala-Ru is an interesting if vague embodiment of earth's disappointment, and the child soldiers are compelling and voiced with great intensity. There's something amusing about watching Mewtwo and Electro at each other's throats. Elamba is out to kill Hamdo to end his reign, but he ends up being your standard "vengeful rebel who goes to far and is bad" which is a trope that keepspersistingeventoday and doesn't do a favor for legit activism.
Not perfect, but certainly worth discussing.
An engaging if admittedly flawed series
I watched this during the middle of the Covid-19 lockdown(which really couldn't be more appropriate) and let me say, this show stays with you. As apocalyptic and nigh-hopeless the series can be, the journey keeps you on the edge of your seat as you follow these characters to an uncertain fate. The one that embodies this aspect the most is Shu. In a world of nihilistic despair, his plucky attitude and courageous determination gives you a guy you can root for. While admittedly he's not the most interesting hero, there's still something engaging about one kid who refuses to give up, no matter how the world wants him to. It's why Spider-Man is so endearing after all. On the inverse of this is the evil Hamdo, and i'm not sure how to talk about him. He's the depraved ruler of a genocidal empire, so he should be as terrifying as that implies...but really his character is all over the place. Hamdo toes the line between " disturbing madman" and "unhinged offspring of Adolf Hinkel and Ren. The man does not know subtlety and most attempts to make him disturbed and depraved come off as unintentionally hilarious for how over the top his character is. Every other line is him ranting like a five year old("Look at those losers crawling on all fours!") or making grandiose speeches like a Jo Jo villain. It leads to some Mood Whiplash as we go from the dark life of Child Soldiers, to this guy jumping around and giggling like a naughty kid in a candy store. Of course that might be deliberate. I find it interesting how both Shu and Hamdo are essentially lost in their own ideal visions of the world, even as everyone else is losing themselves in the dark reality.Sara's arc is both the most poignant and problematic. After escaping life as a Sex Slave, she disappears for a while and is on the verge of suicide from her unwanted pregnancy. Shu uses said baby to convince her not to give up(although it's clear he was desperate to save his friend) and the message ends up being weirdly pro-life, especially when Sara decides to stay to mother the baby and the other children. I'm not one to talk about this issue in depth but the handling of such a topic comes off as a bit insensitive. The others round out nicely. Lala-Ru is an interesting if vague embodiment of earth's disappointment, and the child soldiers are compelling and voiced with great intensity. There's something amusing about watching Mewtwo and Electro at each other's throats. Elamba is out to kill Hamdo to end his reign, but he ends up being your standard "vengeful rebel who goes to far and is bad" which is a trope that keeps persisting even today and doesn't do a favor for legit activism. Not perfect, but certainly worth discussing.