Tonight's Big O and the "sleeker = better" fallacy

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-08-31 11:41pm

Tonight's Big O had me falling out of my chair laughing.

Old comic-relief villain Beck and his incompetent cronies bust out of jail and somehow hook up with a Japanese robotics firm. Using their "superior Japanese technology" they build this ridiculous Power Rangers or Voltron style mecha that's formed when three smaller vehicles combine. There's an absurdly drawn out split-screen sequence of the combining and everything.

Once the evil robot is finally ready, Beck derides the Big O (with it's visible bolts and piston arms) as being "archaic." Then his robot pulls out a giant crescent-shaped blade and begins flipping it around "menacingly" while Beck rambles on about punishing Roger with with the "mysteries of the Orient."

Then Big O opens up with one of it's arm-mounted autocannons and blows the whole thing apart, ending the "battle" on the first attack. I almost died laughing.

Between that and Beck & co.'s absurd Pokemon-ish antics, the whole episode was one big parody of conventional anime.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-09-01 02:37am

Figures I miss that ep.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-09-01 03:47am

It was great...

I love R. Dorthy....

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-01 08:50am

As for the "sleeker = better" fallacy, isn't it a brainbug as much as it's merely a fallacy?? 'Sometimes it seems like it's getting worse over the years.

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2003-09-01 11:00am

Simon H.Johansen wrote:As for the "sleeker = better" fallacy, isn't it a brainbug as much as it's merely a fallacy?? 'Sometimes it seems like it's getting worse over the years.

Actually it is. It was an oft-used tactic in the ST vs. SW debates, with ST begin called more technilogically advanced because of their touchscreens, while Star Wars still used levers, buttons, and switches (gasp)

And I thought that episode was hilarious

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-01 11:11am

Singular Quartet wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:As for the "sleeker = better" fallacy, isn't it a brainbug as much as it's merely a fallacy?? 'Sometimes it seems like it's getting worse over the years.
Actually it is. It was an oft-used tactic in the ST vs. SW debates, with ST begin called more technilogically advanced because of their touchscreens, while Star Wars still used levers, buttons, and switches (gasp)

Of course, the trekkies can in this case be debated with their own series - after all, nobody would argue that a Borg Cube is less advanced than a Starfleet battleship...

Utsanomiko · Post by **Utsanomiko** » 2003-09-01 11:55am

Didn't have a chance to watch it.

But by the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like they put much favor on the brainbug, considering the 'sleeker' mech gots its shiny ass handed to it. Sounds more like over-confidence and last-ditch gloating on the part of the poor sap with the weaker machine.

Now if the fancier mech had actually won, then they'd be using the 'sleeker=better' brainbug.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-09-01 11:56am

Darth Utsanomiko wrote:Didn't have a chance to watch it.

But by the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like they put much favor on the brainbug, considering the 'sleeker' mech gots its shiny ass handed to it. Sounds more like over-confidence and last-ditch gloating on the part of the poor sap with the weaker machine.

Now if the fancier mech had actually won, then they'd be using the 'sleeker=better' brainbug.

They mean it's an open mocking of the brainbug.

Utsanomiko · Post by **Utsanomiko** » 2003-09-01 12:12pm

SirNitram wrote: They mean it's an open mocking of the brainbug.

Yeah, I probably should have picked that up. Damn mornings...

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-09-01 12:42pm

I liked the Jailbreak scene.. "I don'wanna be a lightning rod!" "Shut up, do you wanna get outta jail or what?!"

The lightning hits the whole tower, and for the rest of the show Beck and his cronies have huge Afros that stick out beyond their shoulders.

The fake Mount Fuji in the background of the battle, the cherry trees and flower gardens in the foreground, with Dorothy standing and watching the two robots stand off... SirNitram and I were dying laughing at all the pokes at 'classic anime'.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-09-01 08:21pm

Plus the one-shot battle was a total "Indiana Jones shooting the swordsman" moment.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-09-01 09:32pm

LadyTevar wrote: The fake Mount Fuji in the background of the battle, the cherry trees and flower gardens in the foreground, with Dorothy standing and watching the two robots stand off... SirNitram and I were dying laughing at all the pokes at 'classic anime'.

Don't forget the "upside-down-reflection-in-the-water" bit.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-09-01 11:17pm

It inspires a VS thread in my head...

'Shining Gundam!'

'Big O, SHOWTIME!'

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-09-01 11:29pm

SirNitram wrote:It inspires a VS thread in my head...

'Shining Gundam!'

'Big O, SHOWTIME!'

Piston-arms own all!

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-09-01 11:45pm

Oh, PS-

In the old "Dorothy vs Data" thread we listed some of Dorothy's more impressive feats of strength, agility, etc. and came to the conclusion that Data was screwed. Note that in this most recent episode, she held the combined weight of two grown men and a bicycle over her head with one arm, and then THREW them across the room.

I wonder how much ass she could kick if she really tried.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-09-01 11:48pm

well she weighs 200 kg...

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-09-01 11:48pm

GrandAdmiralPrawn wrote:Oh, PS-

In the old "Dorothy vs Data" thread we listed some of Dorothy's more impressive feats of strength, agility, etc. and came to the conclusion that Data was screwed. Note that in this most recent episode, she held the combined weight of two grown men and a bicycle over her head with one arm, and then THREW them across the room.

I wonder how much ass she could kick if she really tried.

Did you also notice that there was no motor on that bike? She was PEDALLING so fast the cops were rushing to keep up.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-09-02 12:17am

I am more impressed that she lifted the bike one handed as it had to be made for her, just to support her own mass (we know her weight is in excess of 200kg (500pounds), we know that she was peddling said bike in excess of 90kph, and the torque did not bend the frame. based on those two facts it had to be one fucking TOUGH & heavy bike!!

Obviously since she didn't pop the tires when she jumped the curb, although it did do noticable damage to a sewer cover, the tires had to be solid polymere as standard rubber with air at that speed would have resulted in a certain blow out, and solid rubber would have burned off at her speed/surface area.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-09-02 01:47am

Before the season ends, I really want to see Dorothy just kick the shit out of someone. Better yet, multiple someones.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-09-02 10:02am

SirNitram wrote:It inspires a VS thread in my head...

'Shining Gundam!'

'Big O, SHOWTIME!'

Isn't Big O, like, at least twice the size of a Gundam?

Better use God Gundam, then.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-09-02 08:28pm

Ok but the "Cat fight" between the female leads would be more one sided.....

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-09-02 09:25pm

Angel slaps Dorothy and it sounds like she slapped a mailbox. Dorothy slaps back, and Angel goes down like she's been clocked by Mike Tyson.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2003-09-02 09:59pm

GrandAdmiralPrawn wrote:Angel slaps Dorothy and it sounds like she slapped a mailbox. Dorothy slaps back, and Angel goes down like she's been clocked by Mike Tyson.

Dorothy break her neck.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-09-02 10:06pm

That would be contrary to her programming...she could easilly...

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2003-09-03 02:00am

hmmm unless Dorothy decides to strip Angel and use an "attachment " on her......