This series has spent the last two episodes building up a lot of important plot points, including the revelation that losing in the Financial District can change this world’s reality. However, the real interesting plot point from the past two episodes has been the expanded explanation regarding the activities of the Guild. While it certainly seems possible for Mikuni to control the financial district and save Japan’s economy at the same time on paper, in practice it seems as though it is only a matter time before his house of cards come tumbling down.
Mysu is still great, but the animation quality really took a dive this episode.
The whole concept of winning only by a small margin for the greater good certainly is does bring to mind the specter of Communism. Opinions on Communism aside, most people are generally happy as long as their piece of the pie isn’t affected, and that seems to be the case at the moment with the Guild members in the Financial District. Further, by entering the Guild, entres are entering into an agreement that reduces their risk of going bankrupt, though the rewards are also tempered (though that is something real financial analysts theoretically strive for).
Unfortunately, it seems like the status quo cannot be maintained, since, if I remembering correctly, the size of a Financial District is based on the strength of country’s economy. At this point, it seems like one of two things could lead one world to “destroy” the other. First, the whole basis of Mikuni’s plan is to get as many people to get join the Guild as possible and then control it. Assuming that Mikuni eventually does gain control over most of Japan’s Financial District, what would happen if Japan’s economy suddenly collapsed. It would seem that the amount of resources available to the members of the Guild would then decrease, and Mikuni would no longer be able to assure everyone of their security. This lack of faith in the future of the Guild, and more importantly the strength of the Financial District, would likely set off a chain reaction in which everybody started working for themselves.
Yeah... about this scene.
However, the more likely scenario is that someone in the Financial District, and likely in the Guild, is going to get a bit too greedy. Five episodes in, and I don’t really know what to make of Mikuni. I mean, on face, he seems like a good guy saving Japan and all, but where does he get all that money if everyone is only winning by only slim margins. There were some hints in this episode that there are some sort of membership dues or fees to belong to the Guild, but I get the feeling that Mikuni is only using a large swath of the Guild for his own personal gain. Now should he be found out, or some other person screw over the system, Mikuni’s source of funds that have been propping Japan up would disappear, and the aforementioned scenario would likely play out.
Regardless, I don’t think we know enough about the Financial District to make any concrete predictions for sure, and as always, my predictions are just something to mull over. At any rate, this show certainly does provide for some interesting social commentary. Obviously, people’s pasts being erased as well as their impact on the real world certainly makes you think about Japan’s lost generation (God, I watch so much anime that I know about their economic past in this much detail makes me sick). I’d hope that the show stays on this track with its observations on Japan’s finance and the economic shenanigans of much of the world, instead of becoming too preachy, which I fear that it might.
“assuming that Mikuni eventually does gain control over most of Japan’s Financial District, what would happen if Japan’s economy suddenly collapsed”
= if Japan’s economy collapses, wouldn’t that be because of Mikuni since he’s controlling it?
I suppose that would only be a problem if Mikuni skrews up, or if it collapses before Mikuni gains control on it.
Ah well, maybe I thought wrong.
“However, the more likely scenario is that someone in the Financial District, and likely in the Guild, is going to get a bit too greedy.”
= That would totally not be a surprise, I believe. Mikuni himself says that he loves money, and the information broker (which I think is definitely part of the guild) gets excited when he receives cash from the information he sells.
“this show certainly does provide for some interesting social commentary………. I’d hope that the show stays on this track with its observations on Japan’s finance and the economic shenanigans of much of the world, instead of becoming too preachy, which I fear that it might. ”
= I think so as well. I hope it stays that way too… and really wish it won’t get preachy x_x though I can’t imagine that as of now, hehe.
Combining your first two comments. What if someone discovered that Mikuni was doing something egregious behind the scenes (just feels to me like Mikuni is evil, though nothing in the show so far presents any concrete evidence to that effect), Yoga for example, and decided that Mikuni needed to be stopped. But then this person finds out that Mikuni is also the one saving Japan. That could create quite the moral dilemma in which Mikuni needs to be defeated, but if he is, then Japan would suffer.
Suffice to say, Mikuni can’t lose or it looks like Japan is screwed. I think the key will be if Mikuni has let other members of the Guild know of his Japan saving ways, or if he is keeping that secret. Because if he is keeping something virtuous a secret, then he is likely lying about his more shady dealings as well.
For me the most important question is not about the districts secrets and posibble plot lines (they will reaveal them self sooner or later) … more importantly,
Why does Mikun’s asset eats money. Is the m-money so tasty? Could it be that assets can eat everything. Cute Mashu eats ramen, the other asset eats money… so i was thinking, could an asset eat a chair or a table for example?
And in the ”Yea…about this scene” moment, could she eat trought the card?
I was rofl-ing when i thought about an cactuss eating asset…
ok, now my mind realy went south form the story .^_^.
Sorry, i just have werid thoughts…
in reality we could combine the eating aspect with the second set of thoughts you had, into one overarching comment theme.
But seriously, I don’t have any idea what the eating of money means or stands for, but it does seem like they are placing some importance on those scenes.
Mikuni definitely seems like he’s hiding something. Knowing my anime characters, he’s most likely using this gambit to attract support, before crashing down hard on the economy and effectively running the country without any competition.
Though on the other hand, he seems to value keeping the future going steady more than monopolizing the Financial District, at least as far as priorities go. Both are intertwined in his grand plan, but the former takes precedence over the latter. With the past two episodes elaborating further the nature of the Financial District, it definitely gave this one room to really flex its writing muscle. I’m hoping that it continues like it is, building to an ultimately satisfying conclusion.
Though I must say, at this point I find it hard who to root for, and that’s my one problem with it. It says something when my one gripe with a series is as minuscule as that.
I think its hard to know who to root for because we don’t know what everyone’s motives are, like you said. And the IMF is apparently full of creeps, too. That said, I can’t get myself to root for Yoga, as he doesn’t have any reason for fighting and he is on the verge of becoming too ambivalent for his own good. Right now, even though I think hes probably a bad guy (though with no real proof), I have to say I am rooting for Mikuni as he knows what he wants, even though we don’t.