Imagine getting into an F1 vehicle made by the top manufacturer as the best driver. Then you get on the interstate highway going at a top speed of a Honda civic. In essence that’s why this show is. It has all the garnishes and dressing of a more profound story. War, Trauma, Genocide, Duty, and Responsibility. But no revelation of life’s meaning to show for it.
The story it does say isn’t very subtle. Repeating dying words, conflict about the morality of genocide, middle school discussions of nihilism, characters that suppress negative emotions exclusively, and empty moral conflict as child soldiers. All these plot elements and settings get an emotional response without answering the real questions. Tell me what does this story really say? That genocide as a military tactic is bad, and you should fight to the death for people trying to execute you in the hopes of a deus ex machina, to repress all negative emotions to overcome trauma. Nope, This is fundamentally a story about self-discovery and moving past familial death. A simpler focused story would have told it better. It just wouldn’t have felt important without child soldiers and genocide. Maybe it was to counter way the moe scenes and the mechs.
A shame because almost all aspects of production are impressive. Most definitely the editing fact that it establishes communication between two different scenes without constant cutting. It was almost as though they were sitting beside each other. Sad it’s in service for something so juvenile. As I predicted in my half-asleep pre-completion rant this was a light novel. I am never watching a Light Novel adaptation after this. This as a whole reflects badly on the anime community as they are so willing to accept this into their cannon as among the greats. I can't say it's bad cause it's really not just too disappointing for me. Go read Maus if you want a mature and raw examination of genocide and choice.
