[Let's Watch!] Kaiba: what is memory?

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

[SIZE="4"]What is this?[/SIZE] Kaiba is a twelve episode 2008 television anime created by Studio Madhouse and directed by Masaaki Yuasa.

[SIZE="4"]Okay, whatever. What is Kaiba about?[/SIZE] Memory.

Memory has become something that can be stored as data, which can be moved from person to person, or illegally altered. The Rich have become richer, the Poor have become poorer, and the lower classes are now forced to sell their good memories to survive, causing their existences to be miserable. There is no Order or Society.

Kaiba is a man who wakes up with no memories or possessions barring a locket containing a picture of a girl. Holding onto this locket, he sets off and travels the stars, seeing this broken universe.

[SIZE="4"]Why should I watch it? Isn't that just like Ghost in the Shell? Why don't I go watch that instead?[/SIZE]
If you haven't been looking at the pretty pictures in this thread, the artwork and animation for Kaiba is both fantastic and unique. Yuasa took what he was working on in Mind Game and Kemonozume and has now perfected it to look absolutely stunning. Yuasa also takes a very interesting approach to storytelling, and Kaiba has a much different tone than Oshii's approach to the subject. Also, if you have seen The Tatami Galaxy, this is by the same director despite the very different character designs.

Recently I had a discussion on ambition. If you value ambition and originality in anime, this show is worth a watch.

[SIZE="4"]Okay, cool. Where can I get this?[/SIZE]
Kaiba is unlicensed, so it is up to you own conscience to watch it or not.

[SIZE="4"]When will we be doing this[/SIZE]
We will beginning next week on Mondays. This may change if a) I do not have time on Mondays because of soccer games or if by next Monday we don't have many interested people.

Spoilers will be unmarked, and if you have already seen the show, please still participate in the thread. The goal is to foster good discussion and expand people's anime viewing and range of titles they've seen.

never forget

[ich1990]

Recently I had a discussion on ambition. If you value ambition and originality in anime, this show is worth a watch.

I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I? Consider me signed up.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I've never heard of Kaiba but the premise intrigues me. The character design looks odd but original.

Okay, I've now watched the first episode. I didn't like the character designs at all, overly simplistic and too toddler-shaped for my liking (and it clashes with the apparent seriousness of the series). The animation looks simple but the backgrounds are imaginative and well-done. Maybe I just don't know what I'm talking about. There really is nothing here to ground the viewer. It's trippy as anything. At this stage I don't know whether I like it or don't like it. Loving the premise, disliking the character design.

[Cognitive Gear]

I've been meaning to watch this for far too long, so I'll likely be in. As long as I remember, anyways.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Episode 2:
There are some weird sexual references (not explict, not even close but very, very odd). The series is starting to make more sense and become more interesting. Actually the first 10 seconds of this episode helped me a great deal.

Episode 3:
I found this to be surprisingly moving. The character designs are grown on me, at least the more major character ones are (I'm still not a fan of the minor/background character designs). The designs are something like a mash-up of Pope-Eye, very old Disney, 60's surrealist art eg. The Yellow Submarine all with a Japanese feel. I'm warming to the series. It's certainly interesting and original.

Episode 4:
A love story of sorts - both romantic and family-related.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I guess I was not clear enough on the schedule. We will be watching one episode starting next Monday and one episode every Monday after that. The goal is to foster discussion as we analyze each episode and speculate for the future episodes, as if we were all watching this together. Essentially, we're taking the approach to this like we did for the [Let's Watch!]'s that were still airing. I figured that since one day would not be sufficient time we would shoot for the Monday after that.

Though, if there is enough people interested in it, we could add a second day of the week to watch another episode.

[goldenspines]

It's hard to set watching schedules on already aired series. Everyone (myself included) just gets too excited to see what will happen next.

That being said, I've seen quite a bit of outside art from this series and its elements have intrigued me.
I shall also sign myself up for this.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Sorry, Mr. Hat'N'Clogs. I've never participated in a Let's Watch before so I didn't know what it involved. Count me in! Thanks

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

It's fine, like I said, I should have been more clear on how it works in the opening post.

[blkmage]

I like this show, it is very good, more people should watch it.

[TheBigSpeigs]

I'm in! The art style looks extremely interesting.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Don't be fooled; the art style is much more simple than shown in the above pictures. It's still a great series (so far).

I just discovered that Kaiba was released in Australia in late June.
The series is locked to Region 4 though so you'll have to have a region-free DVD player or region-free software eg.DVD43 on your computer to be able to play it on computers overseas.

Here's the link to buy it:
http://www.sirenvisual.com.au/Product/402.php

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

So guys, its started. Did you remember?

Anyways, that was an extremely impressive first episode. I was initially a little skeptical about how it would look when Kaiba and Popo talked a little at first I wasn't too fond of the mouth animation, though like Kemonozume that grew on me too, but what really blew me away was the scene when the bird snatched Kaiba and ran through the city. The entire thing looks incredibly impressive and I can definitely see this being "refined Kemonozume" rather than proto-Tatami.

As far as plot goes, I'm really interested. The entire part where they're in the village was really interesting and did a good job showing the various ways this technology has shaped the world. When the villagers were talking about scrapping the boy's brother I assumed they were just messing around but then it turns out they were dead serious, which really helped set the tone even more than the oppressive upper classes. The part where the girl played by Miyuki Sawashiro reveals she was in the body of animals was interesting, and I think it's done an excellent job with the idea of memory so far.

Also Popo is a total jerk, but he's played by Romi Paku so I can't help but love him already.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Wow.

I was totally blown away by that episode. It's been a long time since I have not been able to look away from an anime. Usually, even with some of my favorite shows, I can pause, write an email, check a forum, etc. Kaiba would not let me take my eyes off of what was happening on-screen.

I do like the fact that we are just thrown into the world, no explanation, no narration. It reminded me of a Tomino show, particularly Zeta Gundam, in that way. You just feel like there's so much you want to learn about and know about concerning the Kaiba universe. It seems to be teeming with mysteries and possibilities. We will be discovering it all along with Warp, I suppose.

The music was hypnotic and beautiful as well.

I do hope that, along with memory, the show touches on the importance of a particular body to go along with a particular mind. Too often I think the body is either over-glorified or completely devalued, yet I believe it is central to our being, our identity and our personhood. Maybe the lady with the "bright future" will illuminate these and other similar concepts.

Can hardly wait for next week.

[Ante Bellum]

So. I actually watched it about four and a half hours ago and didn't check the thread until now, but I can say that I wasn't disappointed. It's unlike anything I've seen before and I'm really excited to see where it goes (and maybe get some definite explanation for that nonlethal chest hole).
I guess I don't have much to say right now. I do plan on staying with it, though.
Is it bad that I immediately thought of a dachora when I saw the bird in the beginning? Ah well.

[blkmage]

One of the great things about Kaiba is how alien everything is, something that the art style really helps. In most science fiction, we're introduced to a world that is futuristic but recognizable. If you were suddenly transplanted into Gundam or Star Wars or The Matrix, your life would be in much greater danger, but you could probably figure things out and survive.

Not only does everything look completely wacky, but the rules are completely different too. Here, people are their memories, while bodies are commodities. Big brother's useless? Just sell his body, it's not like he does anything useful with it! Family's running low on money? Let's just transplant ourselves into a machine and share that and get bodies again once we're on solid financial footing!

It's also interesting how this changes society's attitudes towards life and death. A person is alive as long as their memories are intact. Obviously, that's not very helpful if you don't have a body, but not having a body seems to be more of an inconvenience than anything else. But notice the terminology they use. People don't die or get killed: they're deleted.

This transience of identity between bodies points to a pretty big problem for Warp. The only lead on who he is is the picture of the girl in the locket. However, there is no guarantee that body contains who he's looking for, or anyone, for that matter.

[goldenspines]

I need to post sooner so everyone doesn't take what I wanted to say. D:

Episode 1 and overall first impressions.

The Art: This is and will always be the first thing I noticed and judge a series on; how well it uses its art. I felt like I was thrown into a Suessical world (from the penguin snake crawling by and onward). The art is fun, twisted and (excuse me for my lack of vocabulary) "plushy". But, it's also a bit foggy and wispy in some places.
Just the first minute of mainly silence and just visuals gives you a good idea of the setting and feel of the show. As Warp wakes up, you are introduced to the world as he is. The artwork executes this introduction well, as does the music.
The character designs are very simple and one could say "cartoony". I can imagine this would be a bit off putting for a lot of people (see: Reasons people don't like One Piece). Despite this, each one is so unique and recognizable. I tend to prefer very visually recognizable characters since I'm very bad with names.
So far, creativity rules all in this show.

The Story: The "main character loses his memories" plot has been used a lot, but that fact should not dismiss it when it's used well. Thus far, this premise has been used beautifully in Kaiba; even incorporating the character design. I mean, we are told that Warp has lost his memories, but he also has a freaking hole in his chest! No other character has that (thus far).
The pacing of the story is a bit odd, so far. I assume that they were trying to just introduce main characters in the first episode and settle into a good pace by the second or third episode. I am okay with this. Situations and people are kind of shoved on you, but they are like that for Warp as well. It gives the first episode a firm foundation.
Blkmage already mentioned what I wanted to say about the introduced structure of society. It's a bit shocking in a way; to see bodies and minds (eggs) treated so differently. Also, I am a bit curious how the "head hunters" (shark machine things and the like) tie into all of this. Are they simply hunting bodies? Who hired them?

Overview: I like Kaiba. I'm not sure if I'm completely in love with it yet, but it well deserves a continued watch.

/long-winded post is long

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

It's also interesting how this changes society's attitudes towards life and death. A person is alive as long as their memories are intact. Obviously, that's not very helpful if you don't have a body, but not having a body seems to be more of an inconvenience than anything else. But notice the terminology they use. People don't die or get killed: they're deleted.

The idea that people are immortal until their memories are gone was actually one of the things I latched on to the most, and I don't know why I failed to mention it. I think the idea that someone is dead only when the memories are gone is a very interesting one that I hope is further explored in the show.

Also, as mentioned, I wouldn't dismiss having a protagonist without memories in a show about memory.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Initally, the first episode almost turned me off the series. It was just too weird, too early on and with little explanation (most of all there was nothing to ground the series in the familiar so it was quite exhausting to watch). A large part of that also involved my dislike for the extremely simple character designs, they seemed at odd with the confusing and serious nature of the piece. Thankfully, I was fascinated enough by the premise and world to continue. I loved the strange otherworldly backgrounds and how Memory was a key theme. Kaiba is an odd and very unique anime series, certainly like nothing I've seen before.

[ich1990]

Wow.

From the fantastic opening to the mellow ending I was completely taken in. Between the techno laced music, the fast and fluid actions scenes, and the completely unusual surroundings I had so much to look at and listen to that I didn't even notice that the episode was flying right past me.

I think I will leave it at that right now.

[TheBigSpeigs]

It's kinda like Dr Suess in anime form, very nice. I thought that character interactions were done well and believable in this universe. The show doesn't have to go out of its way or even over the top to make you understand how things work..you just kinda listen to what the character have to say. And that's all in the FIRST episode. Definitely looking forward to episode 2.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Did anyone get an early anime but decidedly Moebius (the French graphic artist) feel from the background designs? Not to mention, the bird creature brings to mind the flightless birds from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

The first episode definitely had different "gears" as far as pacing was concerned. At times, we'd have several minutes in which the camera didn't move. I'm thinking specifically of when the kid was looking for his brother among the memory modules. There was also the rotating wheel of disembodied family members. The camera gives us a lengthy still shot of the wheel turning and each of the faces talking. The entire bit set in the village(? cave?) seemed to be shot in first gear or so. Contrast this with Warp getting swept up by the bird (? chocobo?) or getting onto the plane, which moved at fourth gear or higher. The switching, shifting pace felt very natural though, and I didn't find it off-putting at all. The fluidity of the pace facilitated opportunities to soak up the alien elements of the world but also emphasized the sinister, the sense of danger, VERY well.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

A large part of that also involved my dislike for the extremely simple character designs, they seemed at odd with the confusing and serious nature of the piece.

Like blkmage was saying, Kaiba is set in a world where everything is completely foreign to us, so I don't see how abstract character designs would be out of place. This is a world where everything is fundamentally different from what you know. Most of those bodies are probably manufactured as cheap ones that the lower classes can afford. They also don't clash with the setting, while I imagine, say, Masashi Ando's would.

[seaglass27]

This is 2011, so I guess I'm way too late for the "Let's Watch" thingamajig. Too bad too because it sounds very interesting. I guess I'll just have to watch it all by my lonely self...

[goldenspines]

This is 2011, so I guess I'm way too late for the "Let's Watch" thingamajig. Too bad too because it sounds very interesting. I guess I'll just have to watch it all by my lonely self...

Actually, check the post date of the beginning of the thread. Mr. Hat'n'Clogs made this Let's Watch fairly recently. Despite Kaiba being an older series, we are still watching it like we would a weekly release (every Monday, a new episode).

We are currently only on episode 1 (episode 2 will be watched this Monday). So, feel free to jump in.

[seaglass27]

Oh, awesome! Goldenspines, you rock! What site are you guys watching it on?

BTW, the reason I thought it was an old post was because I mistook his join date for the post date. Well, now that I've had my moment of stupidity for the day I know that the rest of it will be better. Yay!

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Just look up 'Kaiba' on Google. Then stream the video because downloading it is illegal.

[seaglass27]

Okay, thank you very much!

A rose for goldenspines and Warrior 4 Jesus: -<-<@