As much as I’m enjoying the slow unfold of details in Shangri-la, the attempts at humor bug me way more than its issues in plot and pacing. Anime directors love sudden inserts of humor in dramatic scenes and I’m usually down with it, I mean these shows are supposed to be amusing, but the humor in Shangri-la makes Kuniko and Metal Age less credible. So after feeling the weight of a prison full of dead comrades, Kuniko becomes leader of Metal Age and declares they will assault Atlas. Kuniko’s battle plan is a crayon drawing. It just feels like a letdown to see Kuniko be so carefree with other peoples’ lives knowing what she saw at the prison. And like, is everyone in Metal Age stupid? They’re going to risk their lives and spend millions of dollars for Kuniko’s crayon plan? The same people who had written her off earlier in the episode? If Atlas can’t deal with these morons, what does it say about Atlas? *Shrug* (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
I’ve wondered since the beginning of Shangri-la why Metal Age wants Kuniko to lead? They tell you she’s a leader, but don’t show you why. Her grandma says so isn’t a good enough reason. Normally, I let that slide, but the pacing gives me way too much time to wonder about it. Also, since the show drops pieces for you to to pick up and see how they fit, it exposes second thoughts, which creates a disharmony with the image of Kuniko as a leader, where other wacky leader types could just get away with wack no problem.
At least Karin is interesting, or have I just fallen for the pandering? A hikkikimori loli who lives her life and has power on the Internets walks into Akihabara in cosplay (as a bear no less), points to it, and decides she wants to buy all of it. What’s not to find amusing with this? Jokes aside, Karin has turned out to be the most interesting character in Shangri-la. She’s really the character who remains unharmed by the misfired humor.
The humor isn’t all bad, as I generally like it whenever they actually go to Akihabara, and his caused me to laugh a few times, just it’s careless about the impact it has on Kuniko with the type of story they’re telling.
I actually enjoy most of the humor in this series. I mean, I was watching each ep waiting to see some weird remark. It didn’t feel like the jokes were crudely inserted to places they shouldn’t be, ie when Kuniko returns to the jail to save the girls, they didn’t put any jokes and stuff in there. I mean, they generally are successful with putting jokes where they’re supposed to, e.g. Momoko may be a prisoner but we all know Momoko is Momoko so she’d pull all that stuff even in that crappy position.
About Kuniko, everyone seems to love Kuniko, even if people might have been a bit split regarding Metal Age. That, and that grandma seems to have some sort of mysterious aura of “don’t question my will”. It probably has something to do with the whole underlying supernatural element. In the end, Kuniko is still Kuniko. She’ll draw crayon plans and then totally kick Atlas’ ass, cause she’s Kuniko. People possibly know that she may seem carefree and all that, but when she has to deliver, she delivers awesomeness :p
I enjoy it too. Just sometimes I start thinking about it.
One of the things I look for in each episode is a Momoko costume change. It’s always kind of funny to see what’s next. It’s kind of funny that Momoko changes clothes so often when nobody else does, except for Ryoko. That scene where Momoko tells Kuniko that the outfit for the rest of her life is a school uniform with a really short skirt made me laugh.
Nagiko used to be a magical girl, so maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise she’s so well respected.
Seriously, I suspect heightened charisma to be one of Kuniko’s superpowers.
Now it makes sense. Metal Age are moetaku. That’s why Momoko told Kuniko she should wear the super short skirt outfit for powah.
The heightened charisma likely explains it, since people like that can get away with everything. Just strange to me that I’ve not felt it.