Plastic Memories

[shinta|hikari]

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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.