We like to project ourselves onto this man usually named Joe and imagine what it would be like to be swept from the monotonous orbit of our lives to be transported to a world where we could be the goddamn hero that saves the universe from a giant dragon or something. But sooner, or maybe later, we need to put down the book, or turn off the game, or close the laptop, and return to face the day, and make peace with the fact this existence, that while will might never contain dragons, or fairies, or aliens, still has plenty of things that are extraordinary in their own right. Huh. Maybe I should have saved this paragraph for a review of Haruhi or Durarara. Oh well, maybe next time.
Regardless, hello, people of "The Wired", my name is Quan, and welcome to a new First Impression of Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, or as we would say in English: Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl. Now then, let's get started.
Tying together that introduction with this plot summary, I got the impression from our main character: Niwa Makoto, that he is yet another person that is ready for his dull life to change. Fresh off a disappointing and boring first year of highschool, Niwa moves in with his aunt while his parents are off in a foreign country for what I can only assume is tending to a rampaging plot device, since after two episodes, we still don't know what the hell is up with them. Anyway, upon arriving in a new city, Niwa picks up that this city is a little bit different than others in Japan: it has the nickname "The City of Aliens" because it apparently has the most UFO sightings per captia than any other city in Japan. But that's not where the weirdness ends. Taken back to her house by his already eccentric aunt, Niwa finds a girl wrapped completely in a futon on the doorstep that absolutely nobody is acknowledging, Apparently, this strange girl is his cousin(that for some reason Niwa has never heard been mentioned by any of his family members), and he's going to be living with her for the next two years, much to his dismay yet amusement. But it's not long before he discovers the shocking truth. His cousin: Touwa Erio, is an alien... or at least that is what she would have others believe. See, the truth is, nobody really knows where Erio went for a huge part of last year, as she disappeared without a trace; found floating in the sea one day with no apparent memory of the last half-year, and it's uncertain whether she is telling the truth, or if this is an extreme case of chuunibyou, or if she was strongly influenced by the culture of the city once she emerged from her amnesia. And since he has apparently nothing better to do, Niwa intends to find out the truth behind her disappearance, before her attempts to prove she is an alien by any means possible gets someone else or herself hurt.
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| Touwa Erio: The self proclaimed alien. |
Ground Control isn't the type of show I probably would have payed attention to usually. Don't get me wrong, I think the premise is interesting, but judging from its average reputation and a harem sub-plot I can just smell coming from around the corner, it's just not something I would have typically picked up when I have other things to watch(namely Shirobako, which is freakin' amazing thus far, thanks for asking, but that's for another day). I only probably ended up watching the show because it is a Studio Shaft production, and even if Shaft are the reason we have such excellent things like Bakemonogatari or Madoka Magica, it's usually not a good thing if the sole reason I watch a show is because of the animation studio. Though with that said, Ground Control has more than surpassed my expectations thus far.
I don't see it turning into anything special down the line, but the show has managed to keep a relaxed yet intriguing feel throughout these first two episodes, a tonality pushed forward by a casual OST that does its work making you feel comfortable watching the show despite all its little quirks. Ground Control seems content to take its time moving the character pieces into place, a lesson that a lot more anime should honestly learn; not rushing your story and building up to events are both crucial to making events feel more impactful, something Ground Control has already done well with the reveal of Erio's backstory at the end of episode 2, probably the high-point of the anime thus far.
But at the same time, I can't help but be discouraged going into the rest of the story. Maybe this is just me being pessimistic, but the anime gives of an air of superficiality that I just can't shake off as I watch it. The show reminds me of something unique and cool battered down by things that an unimaginative corporation forces it to change because they think that it wouldn't work any other way, the assumption being that something outside-the-box or different can't survive without being changed up with the cliches that have been passed down through the medium. Slight ecchi elements are already creeping in, typical of Shaft, and I can't help feel that the actual "story" is going to go nowhere, and instead drift around in circles of slice-of-life regularities until it's time to end the show and go home. I hope I'm wrong about Ground Control, I really hope I do, because I can't stress how pleasantly surprising this would be to make it onto my recommendations list. But at the same time, I don't think I am. Goodbye for now guys.
Liked the First Impression? Click here for a First Impression of Mawaru Penguindrum.
Or for an anime review, click here for a review of A Certain Scientific Railgun.
What will I be watching this upcoming summer season? Click here.
Find Me At:
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| https://hummingbird.me/users/Quan |
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| https://twitter.com/QuanReviews |
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| Email Me At: quanqreviews@gmail.com |
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