Plastic Memories

[shinta|hikari]

1743

Synposis:

After failing his college entrance exams, 18-year-old Tsukasa Mizugaki is offered a position at the renowned SAI Corporation due to his father's connections. SAI Corporation is known for its production and management of androids that possess human emotions called "Giftia." Tsukasa's position is in the Terminal Service Department where their main job is to recover Giftias that are close to their expiration—it is a graveyard department in every sense. To make matters worse, Tsukasa is ordered to work with Isla, a female Giftia who was never given any responsibility other than serving tea to her co-workers.
(Source: Aniplex USA)

Anyone else watching this? I love drama and tragedy, so I am enjoying this a lot. This reminds me of Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso only with a Chobits twist and more moe. The uniforms also provide nice wakiness, but they don't take advantage of it like Shigatsu or Hibike UFO.

[Kraco]

Since you made a thread for this, I dug up my self-deleted post from the early impressions thread.

Spoilers up to the ep #8.

I'm still watching Plastic Memories, but I think the only reason is Isla's cuteness. I guess there's some Type B blood in my veins in that sense. Otherwise it has miserably written characters and the plot is as stupid as SAO's. Basically the characters and their characterisation only exist to serve really simple and naive, not to mention exceedingly transparent, plot elements, which the episodes present one by one. It's almost painful, like in the episode 8 where the MC is wondering if anything of an android's personality might remain after the OS reinstallation and refitting - and, voila, we suddenly get a new character, an android, who just happens to be a side character's old friend, or was, because she was recently reset. Even of the Goddess of Convenience couldn't have thought of a more convenient coincidence.

The setting is getting more stupid by every episode. The androids suddenly turn into a super human killing machines if their expiration deadline is exceeded by mere hours (whoever designed that feature must be sitting a life sentence in a prison). Apparently the normal procedure by the android manufacturing company is to bully the owners of the androids into signing the release document, and the one retrieval section that actually tries to make sure the owners aren't left hating the company is considered a liability by the company brass. I admit we have Apple in the real world, so a company which despises its customers isn't exactly unrealistic, but the fact it works in reality doesn't mean it works in fiction, where the absurdity is underlined.

So, yeah, Isla is the only thing keeping me watching this. The rest is shit. I guess I have a thing for silver haired anime girls with suppressed emotions.

[shinta|hikari]

Yeah, I figured you would think that. You don't like drama, after all. "Coincidence" and "Convenience" are required for that to happen. You know, like how a random girl student showed up at Kousei's lap just when he needed it, or when a random upperclassman confessed to Tsubaki just when she needed to realize her feelings. It's that kind of genre.

This story is good at tugging at the heartstrings. If you're not the type who looks for that, this will indeed seem like a pretty empty show.

Isla exceeds individuality, however.

[Kraco]

Your examples aren't that good. They weren't even coincidences as such. In this show the basic formula is that a really obvious theme is brought up, usually using Tsukasa's super hyper uber ignorance as an excuse (it's amazing he didn't even google the basics before applying for a job or afterwards, talk about a stupid individual and the rotten fruits of nepotism), and then a case involving it appears out of nowhere the next moment. Like I said in my previous post already, even the basic setting of this show has some Mount Fuji sized logical flaws, which certainly don't help.

Isla is the only worthy thing here. Fortunately she's plenty, as tragic as she is.

[shinta|hikari]

How can those not be coincidences? They are blantant coincidences. Not everyone gets a random piano student (who happens to be the rivals sister!) nor gets confessed to by an upperclassman. And those happened with perfect timing too. And everyone seems to be at Kousei's first recital!

That's just what drama is. Stupidity and nonsensical secrecy is also part of the genre, like how the lie in Shigatsu could've been explained from the beginning, or how ridiculous it was for Kousei's mother to keep her motives secret from her child. It's unfair to judge this show differently. The execution was just so much better in Shigatsu, but the core believability of everything is not so different.

Now I'll try to explain a bit about those logical flaws you mentioned.

1) Tsukasa is an idiot. Done.
2) Giftias need to be recovered. Their section is endangering human lives by taking extra time to retrieve Giftias. Of course they're a liability. Companies are also concerned with money, and spending extra time to do the same thing other sections do is just bad performance.
3) Danger to humanity -
It wasn't designed to be like that. It's a side effect that they can't fix, and an accepted one. Why is it accepted? Because it shouldn't really happen unless the human owner abuses (does not return it in time) the Giftia. Like any tool, it depends on the user. A gun, a knife, or even a pen can be just as dangerous when not used properly. This links back to item number 2. Dallying when retreiving Giftias is a no-no, thus their section sucks in the eyes of the brass.

Another reason why this risk is accepted is because Giftias are just that awesome. See Isla.

[Kraco]

Sure. Except that in Shigatsu the coincidence was like getting 4/7 correct in a lotto, whereas in this show it's like getting 6/7.

2) A: "Sign the paper, bitch, or I'll break your goddam bones!" vs B: "Madam, we are here respectfully to notify your giftia is nearing the end of his life span..." From which company would you purchase your next android, huh? The company should be losing customers majorly with the Option A being their standard procedure.

3) No, it just makes no sense. Period. They are machines. If they know so precisely how long a giftia will last, put a timer in there that will just shut the thing down when the very final time limit comes. Naturally they would be retrieved a bit earlier (following Option B).

Not every giftia is Isla, so it's a moot point. There's only one Isla!

[shinta|hikari]

Sure. Except that in Shigatsu the coincidence was like getting 4/7 correct in a lotto, whereas in this show it's like getting 6/7.

2) A: "Sign the paper, bitch, or I'll break your goddam bones!" vs B: "Madam, we are here respectfully to notify your giftia is nearing the end of his life span..." From which company would you purchase your next android, huh? The company should be losing customers majorly with the Option A being their standard procedure.

3) No, it just makes no sense. Period. They are machines. If they know so precisely how long a giftia will last, put a timer in there that will just shut the thing down when the very final time limit comes. Naturally they would be retrieved a bit earlier (following Option B).

Not every giftia is Isla, so it's a moot point. There's only one Isla!

Doesn't change the fact that its built on unbelievable coincidences. Lottery is lottery, not blackjack.

2) Huh? When did the other teams do anything like that? Even the Giftia with the erased memory wasn't like that. I know you're exaggerating, but you shouldn't in this case because we are discussing the manner of collection. Exaggerating the manner makes your statement inaccurate.

The main difference is how lax their section is. They actually try to do things way beyond the call of duty, like cooking and eating with the clients. That isn't good practice anywhere, even in reality. They are good people and I like their method, but the bosses won't because they are bosses.

3) This I agree with. It is the main ask of this series. You have to accept the fact that they simply cannot do that. Why? Who knows. If they actually bothered to explain, it would've been much better IMO.

Seriously though, Giftias are awesome. They are far beyond any mass produced anime AI (Time of Eve, Chobits) in terms of personality. The application is also astounding because they even feel love. Depending on how many of them actually do go berserk (and it is suggested that not many do, with only 2 examples, 1 because of a crime, in the show so far out of how many cases they handled throughout the years), it is a risk worth taking.

[Kraco]

Yeah, you are right this section is doing a lot of unnecessary stuff. I'm not too sure how much of it was during work hours and how much during their free time, especially what comes to the little brat. However, like Andie herself said, the standard protocol is to rip apart people's memories (even if not their bones). She didn't give a shit about the owner girl being left a crying mess. They even have that paramilitary force at their disposal. That doesn't sound like good customer service and even below the pitiful level Asian companies are infamously known for.

[shinta|hikari]

Good customer service is relative. If every other company (wait, are there other companies? I don't remember if their corporation has practical monopoly) does the same thing, people learn to live with it.

[Kraco]

Who knows, this show isn't so wholesome it would make it clear. I'd say there's no way such an obviously multibillion business could be a monopoly, but I reckon the artificial soul could be an exceedingly well patented thing. So, all competitors' offerings might be far more robotic in behavior even if they looked just as good. It still doesn't change the fact they will lose customers. If they are treated like dirt, fewer people will get a second giftia. Those things must cost as much as a really good car anyway, so it's not a small matter.

[shinta|hikari]

That depends. With no alternative, I'd get a Giftia like Isla again and again even if I am treated like dirt once every 9 years.

[MFauli]

My biggest gripe with this series is the very core system applied to the Giftia "usage". It just sounds like a sadistic psychopath´s masterplan: Hand out human-like machines to lonely people, have them grow close to each other ... then, BAMM!, force them apart because of a freaking nine year life span! Wtf!?
Even if there is a real material corrosion cause for that (and neither have they explained anything like that, yet, nor would it make it much better anyways), it´d still be fucking evil. To top it off, people have to watch as their loved one is being put to sleep. l o l

I´m very much looking forward to what´s going to happen once Isla reaches her expiration date. Surely, Tsukasa´s love for her will save her :P


I guess I have a thing for silver haired anime girls with suppressed emotions.

*iunderstandyoubro*

[shinta|hikari]

My biggest gripe with this series is the very core system applied to the Giftia "usage". It just sounds like a sadistic psychopath´s masterplan: Hand out human-like machines to lonely people, have them grow close to each other ... then, BAMM!, force them apart because of a freaking nine year life span! Wtf!?
Even if there is a real material corrosion cause for that (and neither have they explained anything like that, yet, nor would it make it much better anyways), it´d still be fucking evil. To top it off, people have to watch as their loved one is being put to sleep. l o l

Uh, by your analysis, pet shops and vets are evil.

Now before you say that pets aren't people, neither are Giftias, and some humans do treat their pets like family.

[MFauli]

Uh, by your analysis, pet shops and vets are evil.

Now before you say that pets aren't people, neither are Giftias, and some humans do treat their pets like family.

Pets have a natural life-span that is normal and well-known. Giftias have a 9 year life-span, because ... BECAUSE!

[shinta|hikari]

Because of plot and drama, not really sadistic schemes.

I'm pretty sure the owners know the 9 year limit when they get a Giftia. Tsukasa is just a freaking idiot. He's a nice guy though. I'd have punched the tsundere-senpai and raped the drunkard-senpai ages ago.

[David75]

Nice point about a time limit safety device. With their technical know-how, it's not difficult to implant a reliable small device that activates just before the deadline and does the same thing the Giftia erase gun does. Then they can use the more elaborate and funeral like procedure they have, and still have a proper fail safe for difficult cases. But you lack some fear, needed for drama I guess.

it sure feels a little dumb there's no fail safe, after we learn giftia's have been around for at least 20 years, since the old lady had had a different personality in the same Giftia multiple times already.

I know that show is flawed on multiple levels, but it makes for an easy late evening watch after a hard working day.

[Kraco]

If I recall correctly, the life span comes from the artificial soul (the symptoms certainly look like it). Maybe the giftia have an organic or semi-organic brain? It might be the company simply hasn't been able to make the cells last longer, or, which might be even more plausible, the life span is artificially restricted to boost sales (that would be kept a secret, naturally). It seems to me lots of buyers are really happy with their purchase. So, they would buy another one. At least if the retrieval team doesn't piss them off too majorly. If a giftia lasts as long as the buyer, it would severely limit sales. Those things can't be too cheap, so they wouldn't be selling like ice cream on a sunny day anyway.

[MFauli]

Another point of criticism: So is it legal to purchase Giftias for sex slaves or not? Judging from most of the cases, they´re simply there to accompany lonely people. But then we had the one recent case where a girl was in love and a relationship with a male Giftia. Makes me wonder if there is a huge market for perverts out there, or if the author didn´t put that much thought into it when he presented the Giftia-Human couple.

[shinta|hikari]

Obviously legal. How would anyone know what you do with Giftias? They even have to erase the memories in front of the owner to secure privacy.

[Kraco]

Ignoring the fact it makes no sense to kidnap a giftia already going bad, it's obvious the criminal gang doing that to the brat's onee-chan was going to sell her as a sex slave. What else would they have done with an illegal giftia? Some human hunting weirdos would be the other alternative, but that's honestly a hobby best left for dystopian series. This show is closer to utopia with Isla.

[shinta|hikari]

A Giftia going bad only needs its memory reformatted and swapped with a new one. The hardware is perfectly good.

[Kraco]

Episode 10 - HS




- - - - - -




Damn, she was stubborn, but it's finally over. In fact the show could end right here, because we all know how it's really going to end. But I guess I can watch that as well. I have nothing against tragedies that don't possess a bitter aftertaste.

Even the mafia couldn't resist Isla's cuteness, as expected.

[shinta|hikari]

That is like one of the weirdest offices I have ever seen. It's worse than a high school class room when it comes to hosting embarrassing drama.

Now they have less than a month left. They should spend every night of it having sex. Giftias can't get pregnant anyway.

[MasterOfMoogles]

The only way I see this show ending is:
Tearful goodbye when Isla gets retrieved.
Get a new Giftia that looks exactly like Isla but doesn't have her memories to be MC's new partner.
End on a short cut that gives some hint that maybe she does remember, even though there is no way she does.

[shinta|hikari]

I want Isla to be completely gone. Otherwise, everything the show built up to becomes pointless. It would be even better if the new Giftia that looks like Isla shows utter disregard of the dude, but he doesn't care either because he knows she's not the same person. He shouldn't shy away from making new bonds and keep being the nice guy that he is. That shows his growth as a person and as a spotter, giving meaning to Isla's life outside of just memories.

He can get together with tsundere girl after grieving for a while. She wants him, and he doesn't seem to hate her. It just so happened he was already in love with Isla from the very beginning and never gave her a chance.

[Kraco]

The new giftia would have a totally different personality and identity, I reckon. It wouldn't realistically work. Not to mention it would be exceptionally unfair for the giftia when Tsukasa would be wishing for her to be someone else, as if the new personality was inferior. If the section boss has any wits, he will make absolutely sure the reset ex-Isla doesn't come back.

Maybe the tsundere girl will snatch Tsukasa. She seems to be interested in him.

[Buffalobiian]

This show is weird. During the first few episodes it was as if Giftias (Isla) suffered a slight gradual decline for a few years before they finally need retrieval. At that point I thought this show would be about living with dementia. I had quite high hope for that at that stage.

The whole overwork thing is strange since Giftias get mechanically maintained and aren't mentally able to forget things. You'd think 3 years of haitus would be enough to set her back. Anyway, by episode 10 it was clear that Isla gradually gets better symptomatically and we're mostly in it for a few things:

1) Isla's cuteness
2) romantic tension between the main leads
3) drama about making vs not making memories given a limited lifespan

The artwork lacks contrast. Colours are pale, despite being bright overall.

I'm not sure if we had time, but a lot of the side characters seem wasted. We could have explored many more different retrieval/Giftia dynamics by checking out other personalities. Eru's comedy relief is welcome, but Minako (that's the tsundere girl right?) was really overbearing at times. It wasn't always fun to watch.

In the end, I feel like the author changed directions partway through and missed a big opportunity to take the declining, demented family member pathway. It could have been novel.

[Kraco]

In the end, I feel like the author changed directions partway through and missed a big opportunity to take the declining, demented family member pathway. It could have been novel.

Uh... No. Taking care of a demented family member is one of the greatest burdens an individual can be afraid of in normal developed societies. You think people would be willing to buy expensive androids that invariably develop a dementia? This show is stretching the matter already so thin with the giftia suddenly turning into killing machines that there's absolutely no need for further drawbacks.

[Buffalobiian]

This dementia idea came about as soon as Isla was introduced as being clumsy, before they introduced the violent nature of Wanderers. The opportunity was presented before the berserk killing idea. I'm talking about ep 1 or 2 departure.

Like someone said above, we buy pets. So what if they get sick. So what if that's "natural" and these are robots?

[Kraco]

Like someone said above, we buy pets. So what if they get sick. So what if that's "natural" and these are robots?

If you were given a choice between a pet that will get sick and decrepit as it ages or a pet that's like a Numenorean that lives long and ages gracefully and then just suddenly dies, I reckon most would choose the latter. You don't actually want your pet to be sick. These giftia are robots, even if they have an (artificial) soul, and are precisely as the engineering team has designed and built them. We all agree that Isla is super cute, and that's partially because of her dojikko nature. It's not a moe factor for nothing.

[Buffalobiian]

What you're saying is that the customers have a choice between a Giftia that suddenly drops dead, and a Giftia that dies slowly.

What I initially talked about (and you quoted) was that the author had a choice of writing Giftias with slow degeneration, as opposed to writing them for a sudden one. I think that people would be willing to buy either.

[Kraco]

Of course the author had any choice available, but let's not forget two things: The giftia life span is short as it is, so it's best not to waste much of it, and on the other hand the plot isn't exactly this show's forte.

[MasterOfMoogles]

Okay, after the latest episode, I have a slight revision for my expected ending. The diary almost certainly will be involved.

The last scene will probably be the new Giftia picking up the diary and going through it.

[Buffalobiian]

But how should a Giftia physically hope to recover lost memory when the brain is essentially new? That sounds like magic, hocus pocus area to me.

The heart wrenching goodbye scenes better not disappoint.

[MasterOfMoogles]

They shouldn't be able to.
That doesn't stop them from ending the show on a scene that makes it look like it worked though.

[shinta|hikari]

I hope something tragic happens before their goodbye, like Tsukasa dying in front of Isla in the hands of a berserk Giftia.

[David75]

I hope something tragic happens before their goodbye, like Tsukasa dying in front of Isla in the hands of a berserk Giftia.
I do not think that anime is in the right category for such an ending.It could also be Isla going bersek for 5 minutes and when she comes back to senses, understands she just killed him.
I guess these ideas are coming only because of the poor writing. But it repains a nice soothing watch, even though we know it will end in a mildly sad way.

[shinta|hikari]

No, it has nothing to do with poor writing. I just love tragedy.

[Kraco]

How would a giftia retrieval office giftia be allowed to expire to the berserk state? That would go beyond the poor writing this series is known for.

To be honest after the level of writing this show has displayed, I'm not too optimistic about a really impactful tragedy ending, but who knows. There's still a chance it could pull it off. Everything's good as long as it doesn't go for some bullshit ending.

[Buffalobiian]

How would a giftia retrieval office giftia be allowed to expire to the berserk state?

Because keeping a Giftia from expiring isn't completely under the office's control. We say "owner", but if this is medically comparable that person would be the "next of kin". In Isla's case, it would be Tsukasa.

[Kraco]

The office is full of people, Tsukasa and Isla included, whose priority is to never let a giftia expire. I don't think they are going to break that duty and tradition starting with one of their own. Tsukasa has said many times he understands the situation and he also knows the reality from very personal experience from the work. So, it's impossible. Unless Isla is lost to some dungeon and she can't get out or be found in time...

[Buffalobiian]

Isla getting lost is highly possible :p

[David75]

I would not like the show to tell us Isla is a prototype with specific memory elements that make her imune to the berserk mode.I doubt they would even try, since they clearly showed us how she's constantly losing efficiency in her standard tests.
But who,knows for sure ?

[shinta|hikari]

A tragic ending fits this series. A happy one would be nonsensical considering what we know so far and would negate the message the story is trying to deliver from the very beginning.

[Kraco]

Even the simplest tragic end would be sort of happy at the same time because Tsukasa already rescued Isla from her chosen robotic no (happy) memories route. So, she gets to experience all kinds of nice things before the end. In other words, she actually lives before dying now.

[shinta|hikari]

Which is why I want a true tragic ending, where even that small happiness is crushed to pieces.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 12 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=703273)


-----------------------------







The newly-wed lives of Isla and Tsukasa. :3



A tragic ending fits this series. A happy one would be nonsensical considering what we know so far and would negate the message the story is trying to deliver from the very beginning.

I don't know what this message is, but please don't listen to this guy. Deliver the bittersweet ending that this is going to be without pulling any bullshit tragedy.

[shinta|hikari]

I don't know what this message is, but please don't listen to this guy. Deliver the bittersweet ending that this is going to be without pulling any bullshit tragedy.

The title is plastic memories. It's about the value of experiences, even if it is accumulated with so-called artificial beings. I was joking about the random tragic end, but this series deserves a proper heart-wrenching ending. A happy end is easily forgotten, but there is nothing more memorable than a well-executed tragedy reality.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g310/shinta617/PlasticMemories-Episode12-Omake-5_zpskacccida.gif

[Kraco]

As much as I have called the story poor, I doubt there's any chance of a Hollywood end, for sure. We are already seeing Tsukasa's expression darkening as the day is drawing nearer. He's a poor excuse for a man, although I can understand the theoretical question he asked in this episode, without really meaning it. It's pretty hard to agree to the loss of a loved one on an emotional level even if he logically accepts it. He should hurry up and show her the rest of the boy-girl relationship stuff, though. It's a pity if a lap pillow is all she'll ever see before she's terminated.

The show has got somewhat better towards the end. Isla isn't anymore the only thing making this worth watching.

[Kraco]

Episode 13 Final - HS



- - - - --



Shinta didn't get his gruesome ending, but I got the kind of rather vanilla ending I hoped to see. It felt genuinely sad and nothing foolish marred it, which means it worked perfectly. It was even rather beautiful. I couldn't help but feel a slight agitation that Tsukasa would still say or try something stupid, but he did manage to honour and respect Isla's last moments, fortunately. I especially liked how Isla sort of forced Tsukasa to do the deactivation like she did. That lifted much burden from him with the strict time limit (since he didn't need to be the one to initiate it), and it's pretty romantic her boyfriend was the one to do it. Last but not least it's good the unnecessary scene after the credits didn't show the newcomer's face. Though I suppose it did show he got back onto his feet just like Isla promised.

This was no Shigatsu, yes, but all in all it worked decently, even with the weak eps and plots. Isla was cute, that can't be denied.

[shinta|hikari]

Kidding aside, I actually sort of called this:


I want Isla to be completely gone. Otherwise, everything the show built up to becomes pointless. It would be even better if the new Giftia that looks like Isla shows utter disregard of the dude, but he doesn't care either because he knows she's not the same person. He shouldn't shy away from making new bonds and keep being the nice guy that he is. That shows his growth as a person and as a spotter, giving meaning to Isla's life outside of just memories.

We didn't see what the new Giftia looked like, but that was even better. It further proved how Tsukasa matured as a person because of his romance with Isla.

[Buffalobiian]

I teared up. That's the best sign you can get. Well done.

[MasterOfMoogles]

Man, I'm shocked they didn't do something stupid with the diary.

Overall, this show was okay. It did some things right, and others pretty poorly.
I'm satisfied with the ending, at least.

[Buffalobiian]

Something stupid? Like what?

edit: like this?

http://i.imgur.com/EIXCkU3.jpg

[MasterOfMoogles]

Something like have the new Giftia sit down and read her diary, or something.

[MFauli]

just saw the last episode. ugh. guess im in the minority of those that WANTED a more tragic, dramatic ending.

It just feels too unrealistic. If I KNEW that my gf was about to die, I´d do ANYTHING to prevent that from happening.

Given the options, I´d have expected one of three endings:

- Tsukasa exploring the very nature of Gitftias and trying to find a way to unlock the lifespan-limiter (the most reasonable route)
- Tsukasa refusing to let Isla be deactivated and taking the risk of what might happen after her regular lifespan. Could have led to unraveling new information about Giftias. (the most practicable route)
- Tsukasa committing suicide (the darkest route)

All in all, this anime felt like a waste of my time. It had no real high points and the very concept of growing close to people that will inevitably die a few years later is so flawed that I could never accept it.

[shinta|hikari]

Options 1 and 2 aren't really dramatic (more hopeful, really), and 3 is unlikely based on his personality. I could've used more drama, but it has to be realistic.

If this were a longer story, Tsukasa could have broken after Isla died, and a narrative of how he gets back up again could've followed.

[Kraco]

Every year millions of people all over the world must learn to live with the fact their loved one will die soon, even if they don't know the exact date, just a doctor's estimate. I would say 0% of those people suddenly embark on a successful shounen-esque adventure to find a cure for cancer, another disease, or some permanent, congenital defect current medicine can't deal with. This series was clearly meant to be a realistic depiction in that way. The dude just had to deal with Isla dying, just like one would in RL. There were so many stupid irregularities in this story, which I have already listed earlier, that you simply have to accept that as a setting, the very core purpose of the plot.

Your Option 1 would have been the traditional Hollywood unrealistic ending, but your Option 2 would have been spitting on Isla's face. It takes a special kind of cruelty to disregard everything your loved one stands for and selfishly do whatever you want with her fate. You have to realise Isla was working for that agency her whole life, doing exactly what was done to her in the end, all the way to the whispered, symphatetic last words. The one thing Isla never wanted to see was a Giftia going berserk after the deadline and attacking their important persons. You think she would have then wanted that fate upon herself? You think she would have wanted to be the special exemption after retrieving so many Giftia from their grieving owners? I think not.

[MFauli]

Option 1 is different from trying to cure someone from a regular incurable disease. The show failed to address any details on the Giftia technology, so it´s reasonable to think there there might be an opportunity to do something. They´re highly evolved machines, robots, androids, artificially created by humans, so there should be more control over their well-being than over that of the biological human body´s.

As for option 2, yeah, you´re absolutely right. But it still would have been more interesting to watch, and also more realistic. It´s totally different to cope with a regular death, be it via accident or of age, compared to a Giftia who looks absolutely fine and only has to die because some engineer made it that way. It´s unfathomably more difficult to accept. However, you´re wrong when you´re assuming this version´s Tsukasa would have simply sent a deadly Isla out into the wild. I´d expect a scenario where he keeps her locked up in a safe room. He´d then have a crazy relationship with a mad-gone robot girl, growing more fucked up with every day. There´s two routes from here: Either he discovers that Giftias actually go back to normal after some time passes, something that either hadn´t been tested before or was kept secret for unknown reasons, OR he´d eventually get to understand that his beloved Isla is long gone, that what he did to her was wrong, very wrong, and that he has to undo his wrong by finally accepting reality. Followed by some self-imposed punishment, like spending the rest of his life to better the Giftias´ situation. Maybe even becoming an engineer himself. Whatever.

The point is, all of that would have been more exciting to watch. What we got was some super vanilla pseudo-happy ending without any high or low points. It could be questioned why this anime even exists haha.

[shinta|hikari]

Putting aside the fact that he won't, he can't do any of that because his coworkers will catch him.

The becoming an engineer thing you mentioned has been done before: Mahoromatic.
The Disney somehow she retains her identity path has also been done: Chobits.
The crazy relationship with a crazy being in a safe room: Sidonia.

[MFauli]

Because something has been done, it cannot be done again???

[shinta|hikari]

What I'm saying is, if you want that kind of thing, watch those shows. Plastic Memories is fine as it is and ended quite differently from the usual anime style. You're barking up the wrong tree.

[MFauli]

What I'm saying is, if you want that kind of thing, watch those shows. Plastic Memories is fine as it is and ended quite differently from the usual anime style. You're barking up the wrong tree.

But I watched those shows 15 years ago. I don´t think it is wrong to have the same basic plot happen more than once in 15 years. Not to mention that presentation is the most important part, so even if you have 10 anime with the very same story, you can have 10 completely different experiences.

[shinta|hikari]

Talk about missing the point.

From the very start, it was obvious what kind of show this is, which is romantic comedy/drama/slice of life. You're expectations are quite baseless. It's like complaining about K-ON not going into School Days territory.

[MFauli]

You´re being intentionally obtuse. Nobody knew what kind of show School Days was before it actually aired, which is why it had such an impact on its audience - nobody saw it coming. Similiarly, I disagree that it "was obvious what kind of show" Plastic Memories was. Quite the opposite, I´d say it was to be expected that the drama keeps rising towards its finale ... but that never happened.

When I go into K-On, I expect a dumb girls group-anime. When I go into an anime about concsious androids that only get to live a couple of years, I expect ... more. You´re free to have your own expectations, but don´t call others´ "wrong".

[shinta|hikari]

I didn't say you can't have wrong expectations, but your expectations did turn out wrong. Insane twists do happen, but there's this thing called probability.

And did you just recently learn the word obtuse or something?

[Kraco]

Option 1 is different from trying to cure someone from a regular incurable disease. The show failed to address any details on the Giftia technology, so it´s reasonable to think there there might be an opportunity to do something. They´re highly evolved machines, robots, androids, artificially created by humans, so there should be more control over their well-being than over that of the biological human body´s.

That's why I said a few times the story had some huge weaknesses and plot holes. I mean, who on Earth would create a legal and financial nightmare for their company by releasing to the public civilian market a domestic android that pretty much instantly turns into a super human killing machine when the expiration date hits? Nobody, because the company would be sued to hell, assuming the country's officials somehow allowed such a deranged thing to be released in the first place. That's like a car that would automatically explode after a set number of kilometers/miles were driven. Instead of, like, not starting anymore or something.

So, when you have stuff like that, you just have to accept certain things - or drop the show. That's why there's nothing that could be done about the expiring Giftia. That's it. Like you can't do anything about an expiring human if it's terminal. Naturally there are a bunch of anime about dying humans as well, like the recent Shigatsu, to name one.


The point is, all of that would have been more exciting to watch. What we got was some super vanilla pseudo-happy ending without any high or low points. It could be questioned why this anime even exists haha.

It exists so that not every show would be the same. In my opinion, on which I agree with Shinta, this was established as such a show from early on. We had those typical (somewhat) Japanese company employees who are just cogs in a big machine, not the more regular world saving heroes (like school kids or mecha pilots). In addition, they were working for the product end of life department, which means we were seeing the same stuff happen time after time, only for some third persons. Under such circustances it's natural progress it will all finish with that continuous theme happening to the main character.

[Buffalobiian]

So the world invents artificial intelligence. The problem with emulating human memory is that it needs to be continuously written on, re-written on, and accessed at the same time. That's a bunch of read/writes and stresses the material out like crazy. In fact, they had to invent a very special material just for this application. It works, but it only lasts 9 years or some shit. Once it hits the failure point, the material becomes unreliable. Memories and functions are no longer intact. The androids suffer from symptoms similar to psychosis. When that happens, they get put down like a dog with rabies.

Despite this weakness, these androids sell like hot cakes. That's because AI has no real alternative, and people want an AI.

We publish this very special memory problem in the manual very explicitly to warn them beforehand. We call it Fatigue of Plastic Memory

[David75]

But we forgot to put some failsafes, like an auto-poweroff 1 hour (or day) before the very well named deadline

[MasterOfMoogles]

When this show started, I really wanted there to be some deeper plot and exploration into what the Giftias are and how they're being used after they're retrieved.
The whole "We have to deactivate them in front of the owner for 'data security' reasons" thing seemed very sketchy. Pressing this one button deletes all of your private data. We promise it does...

But it became pretty clear that this show didn't want to explore anything like that. It was just using the androids as an easy way to force dealing with death. Which is fine, and interesting to some degree, as most media doesn't really explore this. But I didn't find it too particularly interesting.

As a tech person, this show drove me a little nuts in some regards. Aside from all of the nonsense with how the Giftia's run out of time and go berserk (after 2^13 * 10 hours? Like, what kind of number is that?), the thing that bugged me most was the transparent monitors. Like, really? Nobody would want to use one of those!

[Buffalobiian]

Due to certain ethics laws in place to protect sentient beings, we can't put kill-switches in place like that. Sorry for your inconvenience.

http://i.imgur.com/aMdEGNj.jpg