I have better things to do under a hot August day than this?
I’d just have left it on the Stock Exchange, except I hate those things that requires me to use a bug-me-not account, as to not going to bother with it at all. Furthermore I think his post merits commenting, so instead of working on the damn long blogging series or preparing to get my house in order before Otakon, let’s see what I can spare.
1. The truth is that Coyote Ragtime Show is pretty decent, yet it manages to take a very mainstream subject matter and turn it on its head for the sake of a particular group of people that has a perchant for this sort of shows. It’s not another Cowboy Bebop, that’s for sure. It isn’t even Samurai Champloo, although I think people who enjoys Coyote Ragtime Show will no doubt like both of them. It is the forging of a genre identity in the sense that UFOTable managed to take something essential to all those shows, and make a twist out of it. The result is that the new identity is only going to be appealing to those who liked those essential elements.
2. Badassery. Those of you who saw Futakoi Alternative may recall Niidaime’s father. He, really, is what Mister is. I agree that until Mister actually dishes out some whopping it would remain hard, for some people, to believe this old dude is capable of it. But a badass is a badass not because he can do badassery things–it’s because that’s who he is. I think this point is only strengthened by Franca’s relationship with Mister (and her father to some extent), in comparison with Rentarou and his. Just how much does badassery get in the way of a healthy relationship? In other words, to Rentarou, his father isn’t a badass; nor is to Franca, Mister. Yet Rentarou’s father is a total badass to everyone else. The difference here is that Rentarou’s dad is not a part of the viewer’s experience, OTOH here we’re looking at the “real side” of Mister along with Franca.
3. Obfuscated focus. We started the Coyote adventure with Angelica and Chelsea. They are wonderful characters by all means. But ultimately they are important only from a plot device perspective. Given how the audience are being told the story from the perspective of the Coyote crew, we already have that inside view. Maybe the narrative may pan out back to Angelica like how the show has been doing it so far once we get to another mysterious junction where Mister alone holds all the cards, but even then the rest of the Coyote crew have no clue what’s going on. Which is to say, what role will Angelica and Chelsea play? There really isn’t much left for them to do. The narrative, however, will pan back and forth–what are we to do? It lacks focus.
4. Popularity. Yes I’m fully aware people who like that kind of show are probably watching it already, thx gg. That’s that. But more people can watch and enjoy Simoun. Seriously. ;)
