500WL - Rideback (Anime)
500 words long (500WL), because you’re in a hurry, and I can’t articulate my opinions and thoughts completely
Rideback is set in the future after GGP took over as superpower. It shows the life of Rin Ogata in her first year of University and her newly joined club about Rideback.
Highlights of the stories are:
- GGP’s dictatorship approach after it gains power.
- And more importantly, Rin Ogata’s search for something else in life after she loses her one only stage.
The anime started with showing Rin Ogata initial interaction with Rideback while she tries to figure out what Rideback means to her. As the story unfolds, it slowly reveals that she is unable to meet her own expectation in ballet, especially because she keeps comparing it with her amazing mum, and she is unsure where her stage is (what life means to her).
From her, I am unable to figure out initially what she is trying to do or feel and I wonder whether is it intentional (does Rin feels the same way) or is it because the execution was lacking. As time passes more emotions/explanation are revealed, but I feel that the revelation should seek to enhance/support the initial emotion/expression instead of to show what it supposed to be initially.
At the last part whereby she “dances” for her friend Suzuri Uchida, I seriously thought that that was the highlight of the show. And totally agree with Suzuri when she told Haruki Hishida that she would rather see Rin dance on the stage than see her on a Rideback. That conversation with Haruki Hishida and what he said after is what I thought was one of the main points of the show1.
On the plot of GGP and the terrorists or about its dictatorship, not much meat is given though much could be done. However it is intentionally shown the cruelty or lack of consideration for human life in ways such as rolling out your new toy (white ridebacker) to “play” with human. For Rin Ogata’s situation, I think it is crazy that if you “flew” in to save someone, you will be prosecuted as terrorist. Even the media in the show could tell you that she is not one. That speaks a lot and it shows a gap either in the GGP/GGF or Romanov Kallenbach. I find the coincidence2 hard to accept and painfully obvious.
However, I congratulate the anime because hardly am I able to finish a whole series in 1 to 2 seating. Execution/pacing was one of the better ones as both points are weave together even with obvious issues. With this, I will end this review with my favourite picture from this show.
Oh how gracefully she(it) reach out, with the purpose in live is to intertwine the lights.
