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Thread: Let's Watch: Oban Star Racers
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2011-06-10, 05:47 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2011
Let's Watch: Oban Star Racers
Greetings, Playground! (Really) longtime lurker, first-time poster, and I'm either ambitious or a little crazy because I'm starting off with my new project - a Let's Watch of Oban Star Racers.
As someone who's a fan of anime and western animation in an animesque vein such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, I’ve been meaning to check out Oban Star Racers for awhile now. If you’re not familiar with it, the show’s a French/Japanese production created by Savin Yeatman-Eiffel that spent roughly nine years in production to ensure that it was the best it could possibly be.
Young Eva Wei hasn't heard from her father, race manager Don Wei. After finally escaping her boarding school the reunion doesn't go as planned either when he apparently doesn't recognize her. Shortly afterwards Don is asked to manage the Earth team for the Great Race of Oban, an intergalactic racing competition hosted by a mysterious being known as the Avatar. Stowing away with her father's team as a mechanic under the alias "Molly", Eva is determined to prove herself and gain her father's recognition.
It is known, at least among those who’ve seen it, for its high-quality animation, kid-friendly but still highly sophisticated storyline, and all-around attention to detail, which makes it sound a lot like Avatar in my mind. And if there’s one thing we need, it’s more western animation in that vein.
With that in mind, and because I’m looking to brush up my writing and analytical skills, I’ll be watching the show for the first time and cataloging my reactions and impressions here. It’ll be done following the format of just about every other watch/rewatch on the ‘net, summarizing each episode and then posting my thoughts. The episodes will be done two at a time because that’s generally how I watch stuff like this and will update every few days, depending on how quickly I can do the write-ups. I’m completely new to the whole “Let’s Watch” format, so I have no idea how analytical or amusing this’ll be, but we’ve all got to start somewhere. Encouragement and constructive feedback are welcome. Also, I’ll be watching the DVD versions, in English, for those interested in such details.
So here goes nothing. Hope you enjoy it. Commentary for episodes 1 and 2 will be once I finish editing it.Last edited by Morech; 2011-06-11 at 09:47 AM.
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2011-06-10, 07:49 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
Re: Let's Watch: Oban Star Racers
Without further ado, here's Episode 1.
Episode 1: A Fresh Start
According to our introductory prologue, humanity invents sub-light technology sometime around 2050 – now taking bets on how off this particular prediction of interstellar travel will be – and proceeded to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and regret it (and does that astronaut look a bit like Don Wei to anyone else?). In 2057 the aliens known as the Crog launch a treacherous surprise attack on Earth, but given the apparent lack of non-aggression treaties or history of peaceful cooperation I fail to see where the “treacherous” part comes in, or why anyone was surprised that an alien race that kinda look like Black Orcs launched an unprovoked attack. Nevertheless, it looks like good old-fashioned human spirit and determination wins the day. Peace has reigned ever since. Until now…
Next we meet our heroine, Eva Wei, who’s living at a crummy boarding school and all bummed out because her dad didn’t call her. On her birthday. Again. Ouch. But it’s okay, according to our optimistic heroine; he’s just, you know, too busy to call. Yeah, she doesn’t buy that either. Sorry, but I’m gonna have to go with “your dad sucks.” She then finds out she has a package at the front desk, but while it’s not from her dad, it’s still that part she ordered and clearly isn’t supposed to have, judging by the obviously sympathetic clerk. Turns out it’s a part for her hover-bike (rocket seat, but whatever), and she’s gonna use it to blow this joint and reunite with her dad. After taking off a teacher tries to stop her – by standing in her path and holding out his arms, so she just flies over him (Incompetent Adult Count: 1). Narrowly avoiding police pursuit and making it to the city, Eva tries to get into her father’s company, Wei Racing, by telling the security guard she’s Don Wei’s daughter, but he doesn’t believe her. So she flies over the crossbar, ruffling his newspaper but otherwise provoking no reaction (Incompetent Adult Count: 2). In the hangar she runs into dear old dad, who not only doesn’t recognize her but mistakes her for a boy at first. Ouch. Yeah, he’s not giving us a good first impression so far. She tries to tell him she’s his daughter, but he doesn’t her hear on account of a malfunctioning engine, and then the head mechanic calls to tell Don he can’t make it to work, because his wife just had twins. What a slacker. While Don’s busy chewing him out for his skewed priorities, Eva nonchalantly walks up to the busted engine and fixes it, by pulling out one tiny little part, which three presumably trained mechanics right there weren’t able to figure out (Incompetent Adult Count: 5). This prompts Don to hire her on the spot. I wish I could get a job that easily. He then asks her what her name is, but on account of his earlier reaction she decides it might not be the best time to tell the truth, and after some hesitation, with no one questioning why it takes her so long to remember her freakin’ name, she says it’s Molly, after a poster on one of the boxes. Nobody notices that either. Or asks for a surname, for that matter. Then everything is interrupted by the arrival of a limo bearing a flag whose U.N. feel clearly marks it as the Earth Coalition mentioned in the prologue. It seems the President of Earth wants to talk to Don.
In private, the President tells Don Wei the shocking truth about the war with the Crogs twenty-five years ago. As the Crog ships were massing for a final assault, a mysterious being called the Avatar – who kind of looks like Cthulhu cosplaying as a Chinese philosopher – appeared before the governing council of Earth and informed them that in spite of humanity’s insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe, we have been selected to participate in an event called the Great Race of Oban, and promptly disappears again. Then, in a two-hundred-years-prior prelude to the Battle of the Line, the Crogs completely retreat! Not wanting the public to know that they were saved by an eldritch abomination on his way to an SFF convention, the councillors agree to take credit for the Crogs’ defeat and forget about the race. But now the Avatar has returned (there was a delay; something about being trapped in a giant ball of ice), the deadline to enter the race is about to expire, the peace truce with it, and Don Wei has thirteen hours to put together a team on whom the fate of the Earth rests. Since he just hired a teenage girl on the spot after she performed one simple engine repair, clearly his judge of talent is impeccable.
So Don puts together his crack racing team. First is our fanservice for the ladies and pilot, tattooed champion of the Minor Leagues Rick Thunderbolt, who seems to have a history with Don. Next is trigger-happy military cadet Jordan Wilde (his trigger-finger sure is). Then Don proves principles are no match for sufficient quantities of cash when he buys an apparently unsafe prototype from an elderly mechanic, then reinforces it by hiring his assistants, Koji and Stan. On the night before they leave Molly (since that’s the name she’s using now, I might as well do the same from here on out) eavesdrops on Don telling Rick and Jordan that they will not be going to Oban directly but competing in one of the three qualifying races on another planet first. He spots Molly, but before anyone can do anything a Crog smashes its way into the compound, and the guards’ lasers do nothing (no idea how resistant Crog armour is, so they’re spared the Count, for now). Don quickly gathers the team together and races towards the Avatar’s ship, but our Black Orc friend commandeers a car and gives chase, as does Molly on her hover-bike, determined not to be left behind this time. Jordan tries to stop the Crog, and is all “No Crogs allowed!” Speciesist. But his shots don’t even phase the Crog, and Don gets Rick to stop his trailer so that the Crog crashes into it, which doesn’t work either, but Black Orc’s attempt to come in through the roof is foiled by the timely intervention of Molly. Racing against time, the group makes it to the Avatar’s waiting ship in time and are beamed up.
Commentary
Not much to comment on so far since this is only the first episode, but at least we learn something about a few of our main characters and have a few enticing details to ponder over. Also, should I try and make these summaries shorter, because that was pretty fun to write but took forever.
Life seems to suck for Eva/Molly so far, what with a neglectful dad and being stuck in boarding school, but fortunately for us she isn’t the type to only mope about it; or blame anyone too much for that matter – even if all this time, she still calls him “Dad”, for one. She seems to be convinced there’s a reason for her dad’s long silence even if she doesn’t like it, and she’ll be damned if anyone’s gonna stop her from seeing him again. Fortunately for her, she’s driven enough, and gutsy enough, to follow through with it and not worry too much about the consequences (between her truancy meriting police pursuit, and essentially breaking onto private property, she could have easily been in serious trouble by now), nor will she be fazed by her look-what-the-cat-dragged-in reception. This does have the potential to be as much a problem as an asset, however – after all, she is willing to break or ignore the rules in the pursuit of her goals. Don Wei, meanwhile, has much less going for him so far. What we’ve seen up to this point is a rude, over-bearing businessman, but clearly one who knows his racing else the Earth Coalition wouldn’t have trusted him with so important a responsibility. Still, his response to the President shows he has some understanding of that, and giving Rick and Jordan a chance to back out shows he’s not a complete tyrant. And even without those hints if this series is as good as I’ve heard it is I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before we find out the reasons why he’s the way (no pun intended) he is. Also, I find it hard to believe he didn’t hear Molly when she yelled “Dad” right before they left the compound, so he probably won’t remain ignorant as to her identity for long. Hopefully there’ll be more to talk about regarding some of the other characters soon.
Not much in the way of plot so far, but some questions have been raised and some hints provided. What sort of being is the Avatar (besides the incarnation of all Four Elements, charged with keeping balance in the world), and just what is the Great Race of Oban? Since Oban is located at the center of the Milky Way, I’m sure neither are anything special, but only time will tell. And given our apparent insignificance, why were we chosen to participate in the Race at all? Did the Avatar draw our name out of a hat, or is there something else at work? Furthermore, what is the “ultimate prize” he mentioned? Also, the Crog sure didn’t wait once the truce ended to come after Earth again, and they seem determined on Earth not competing in the race. Whatever’s going on, I doubt their attack on Earth happened just because they like to smash things.
Episode 2 should be up tomorrow morning
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2011-06-11, 09:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
Re: Let's Watch: Oban Star Racers
Not all at once now, guys! Anyways, here's Episode 2.
Episode 2: Hostilities Start
With that ominous title, the Avatar’s ship prepares to land as everyone regains consciousness. Looking around, Don discovers Molly and is less than thrilled to see her. Again. He ought to do something about that Charisma penalty. She tries to tell him who she is again, but is interrupted by everyone else. She then tries to make it sound like she was just thinking about the job at hand by stowing away, but Don continues to chew her out, which Rick doesn’t seem too thrilled about, until an abrupt halt signals that they’ve arrived. Don gives everyone a rousing speech about their important mission as Earth’s representatives as without further ado they disembark at Mos Eisley spaceport – I mean on Alwas – for the qualifying race. Koji and Stan are fascinated by all the alien lifeforms but Jordan seems to subscribe to the military’s “Go exciting places. Meet interesting people. Then kill them” slogan. Don grumbles about the apparent lack of a welcoming committee until Molly points out Yoda’s pale cousin standing at the foot of the truck, who introduces himself as Satis, servant of the Avatar, and kindly informs them that they are the last team to arrive and that they’d almost given up on them entirely. At least he puts the noun before the verb when he speaks. After further expressing his faith in them by confusing their truck for their race-ship, Satis takes them to their hangar and informs them they should get ready now since they won’t have much time after the opening ceremonies.
With little time to spare, the team sets about testing their podracer. The laser turret works fine as Jordan jokingly points it at an unamused Molly, but while testing the reactors a leak is discovered, and Stan informs them they lost some engine liquid. Remembering that she saw a parts shop on the way, Molly hops on to her rocket-seat and hurries off to make herself useful. As she leaves Rick and his allergy to shirts wonder if Don brought her along as part of some sneaky plan to have a backup pilot. At which point Molly narrowly avoids a collision. Don denies it, saying he has issues with female pilots, the chauvinist. But Rick is still convinced she has “a little something.” The protagonist, have a latent talent for the focus of the show? After apparently stealing the engine fluid from the shop (seriously, she just jumps out of the shop with the fluid in hand and startles those two aliens who were looking in apprehensively; it at least looks suspicious), she heads back to the hangar to find that no one’s there. Except the alien who’s seen lurking inside, but that’s probably nothing. After her repeated expressions of annoyance fail to yield results she storms off in a huff to the stadium for the opening ceremonies. After accidentally stumbling into various aliens she meets our Exotic Love Interest, Prince Aikka. When it comes to boys, Molly aims big. The meeting is cut short as Aikka leaves at the behest of his father and Jordan rudely calls out from where the others are sitting and tells Molly to get her butt over there. At least Koji and Stan are appreciative of her getting the replacement engine fluid. The opening ceremonies and the Avatar makes his dramatic entrance as storm clouds gather overhead to announce the beginning of the race and detail the rules. The ninety-six teams will compete until only three are left, and any means can be used to achieve victory, so long as you don’t try to kill the other contestant. The Crog in the crowd looks less than pleased for some reason. The first race then begins, Nourasia versus, well, it really doesn’t matter, since the competitor for the former turns out the Prince Aikka, who magics up an arrow and sends his opponent crashing, giving them an honourable bow as the dust settles. I predict many Oriental motifs for the Nourasians. Also, they’re allied with the Crogs, according to a displeased Jordan. That’s not gonna lead to any confrontations, I’m sure.
Finding herself to be superfluous in the hangar, Molly wanders off and ends up eavesdropping on a conversation between Rick and Don. Further hints about their past work relationship are dropped as we find out Don fired Rick three years ago; but fortunately, Rick isn’t one to let hard feelings get in the way of a challenge and he reassures a stressed out Don he’ll do the job he was asked to do. Don leaves without noticing Molly, but Rick does and reassures her that at first Don treated him like dirt as well. She just needs to hang in there and things will work out.
The second match of the race begins, with Earth as one of the competitors, and we learn that using the podracer to ram the other contestant is a bad idea, so we’re in for lots of collisions shoortly. All seems to be going well at first, apart from the liberal amount of ramming that occurs, and Jordan’s a little too eager to be shooting at “alien scum.” Molly has some sort of premonition/flashback involving an explosion, and goes to the control room to see if anything is wrong, but everything seems to be fine and she heads for a high vantage point to see the end of the race. Just then there’s a surge in the coolant system, and as the podracer explodes Molly has another flashback. In it a much younger Eva can’t see the race in progress and a pre-stiff Don lifts her up onto his shoulders, only to witness a stealth-fighter shaped racer cause an Earth-looking one to crash, which brings her back to the present where the same thing has just happened. Don is seen freaking out as an injured Rick is carried away on a stretcher, but the latter’s all “Rick Thunderbolt. Didn’t come to lose. In the first race.” And falls unconscious.
Commentary
Apparently, I suck at brevity.
Jordan obviously has issues with aliens, since he’s happiest when he has a gun pointed at them, and I’m guessing he joined the military for the chance to do just that. As for why, I’m gonna go out on a limb and predict that it all has something to do with the Crog War. Also, so far he’s mostly acted like a jerk to Molly – clear signs that there isn’t a Molly/Jordan/Aikka love triangle brewing.
Rick, meanwhile, seems to be the opposite of Don. He’s clearly confident in his abilities, but not so cocky that he doesn’t have time for the little guy (or girl), and seems to rely on observation and intuition when judging another person’s talents – all he has to go on is that Molly seems to be having fun whenever she’s riding a hover-bike but it’s enough to convince him there’s potential to be had here. I’m guessing she reminds him of himself when he was younger.
It seems Don wasn’t always so uptight; also, he doesn’t like female pilots. Since one of the pilots in the crash during the flashback was a woman, I’m sure there’s no connection between the two.
Whatever else is going on, it’s clear somebody doesn’t want the Earth team to succeed. Not sure if it’s the Crog or someone else, and it’s too early to tell if the former are the type to resort to a more subtle approach if a direct one doesn’t work. Since winning a race is allowed by any means short of killing your opponent, I get the feeling someone is going to keep getting creative trying to eliminate the Earth team.