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EPISODE 72: THE LAKE SCENE
The lake scene on Earth in ep72 has rightfully caused infinite discussions between fans during 25 years (Gerdha's note: my analysis was written in 2003), and it is moreover the reason behind the first gracious soap bubble 1 polluted in this Forum a long time ago
. After all, this is the introduction scene of the “good” characters in the episode, so it is somehow crucial. My personal opinion is that this particular scene has the purpose to let us understand the psychological situation of the “earthling” characters – and particularly Daisuke - before the storm named Rubina arrives to upset their lives. Very few words and an incredible list of visual hints and symbols are what the Authors give to the viewers in this scene. As I remarked more than once in various posts, visual aspects are strategic in a cartoon: if a scene appears on the screen, if a visual hint is gifted to the viewer, it must have a meaning 2. Especially in an episode like ep72.
At the end of ep71, Daisuke finds himself without a childhood friend, but definitely cured from the poisoning injury. An incredible, unexpected event, that, surely, starts a complete reassessment process on him from a psychological point of view, and it leads him to reconsider all his life and his priorities. Now that he has a whole new life potentially available ahead of him, he can think to his own goals with a different perspective. As ep72 is clearly located after some months respect to ep71, it’s very likely that Daisuke’s spirit has undertaken the reassessment process from a while and he has already reached some conclusions.
The first lake scene seems to confirm this idea. Daisuke is playing guitar, while his sister is jumping in the lake, and he observes smiling a file of ants walking on a branch.
My personal interpretation of this scene (which must have a particular meaning, otherwise it would have not been designed) is that Daisuke is happily reflecting (see the smile on his face: he does not change expression, even when Maria Grace is passing in front of him: Joe7's note)
about the fact that, just as those ants are walking in ordered file, he has succeeded in finally putting in order all the issues and problems of his personal life, which is going on now in a certain direction, without any obstacles: he is young, healthy and… yes, now he can plan a loving future with Hikaru. The black shadow of death has disappeared, and, even if the war has still to finish and he can be killed in a battle, anyway, he knows that, provided he survives to the fights, he can have a future. I think that the ants are the symbol of his life: from a psychological point of view, Daisuke has spent the whole last year 3 (ep30 is dated April 1976) with only one goal: surviving to his injury, in order to survive to the next battle, while, instead, after ep71, he has found himself in the need to identify further perspectives for spending his life. It’s likely that it was not easy for him to cope with this new reassessment process, and that he had some difficulties from a psychological point of view. The prince had to change in a farmer, four years before, and then he had to become a fighter: now, what could the fighter become? I think that the image of the ants, and, particularly, the fact that Daisuke looks at them smiling means that he has found the answer, and he has put in order his ideas and feelings, and he can see better his own life-direction. Yes, that lake is so similar to the one where he probably decided the sort of his planet with a certain speech to Rubina, but… that was the past, a past that cannot return, and he must concentrate now on his future without regrets. 
Well, it could seem I am digressing: this analysis should be dedicated to Hikaru, so why am I wasting time with Daisuke? Sorry, I could not avoid this part, because to understand ep72 and, consequently, Hikaru’s behaviour there, it is necessary to understand Daisuke too. If really ep72 is located in the Grendizer timeline a couple of months after ep71, we should suppose that Daisuke discussed his future with Hikaru “out of screen”. Considering the level of communication they had in ep70 (about the King of Fleed and Daisuke's confidence with Hikaru, Joe7's note), I find unlikely that he never talked with her about his feelings in the psychological reassessment process. But I think that also Maria Grace and Koji have been influenced by the situation. Particularly Maria Grace, who, in the latest episodes, has shown a terrible anguish, and, instead, at the lake she is a happy teen, like if the renovated perspective of life for her brother has gifted her of a positive stamina. Yeah, she talks about Fleed with Daisuke, but, for the first time, they both have a peaceful expression recalling their homeland, like if they both knew that a changed perspective for this crucial topic has recently born.
It’s true, Daisuke is Duke Fleed, he knows that survivors from his native planet are still alive and that, if he defeats Vega, he should reprise his role of king. Before ep71, he could not think about this scenario, due to the death sentence from the injury, but now everything has changed. Yet, he is a king without a land as Planet Fleed is unfortunately destroyed; even if he would likes to return there, he must find a different solution in order to give a new chance to fleedians. So... he could stay on Earth and possibly gather here his population. I think this was his original plan: to remain on Earth together with Hikaru and govern his population from his adoptive homeland. I believe also that he discussed this topic with her, and she agreed with him. Because, otherwise, it would be hard to find a proper explanation to the scene soon following in ep72.
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1 soap bubble: In the "judicial terms" of Gerdha's forum, it is a hint from which a very wide discussion begins.
2 "it must have a meaning": I would like to point out here, as I did many times at the French forum, the extreme importance of this point. An anime is not only a creative work, but it is also a business, subject to normal economic laws. The production of any cartoon is expensive, it takes time and resources in terms of men and means. In Ufo Robot Grendizer, even the best production teams available on the market worked, so, each frame would have certainly had a significant unit cost. From the point of view of Dynamic and Toei, no picture could be wasted, because, for the two production houses, it would mean a loss of money (this is one of the reasons why some scenes in the anime were recycled in various episodes). But those same frames were also the vehicle for the Authors to express their art, and they could not afford to waste any of them either. Verifying what is drawn in the anime, therefore, takes on a strategic importance in an analysis of Grendizer in general, and, especially, as far as the "crucial" episodes are concerned. Ep72 has employed the best production team, which will certainly not have worked for free, so it is legitimate to assume that it was a very expensive episode to produce. Therefore, I think it is correct to assume that no scene in ep72 is the result of the case, or of mistakes, or superficiality, but, on the contrary, it has been carefully selected from the production team, chosen and designed with well-defined goals.
3 "Daisuke has spent the whole last year": Ep30, in which his wound appeared for the first time, is dated April 1976; this episode (ep72) is dated February 1977, although its temporal representation, as mentioned earlier, is a few months later.
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 16:56
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EPISODE 72: THE COMING OF HIKARU
Hikaru and Koji arrive at the lake and he comments joking about the fact that they seem to have a dreamy expression.
Maria Grace answers that they were talking about Planet Fleed. Hikaru turns, looking at Daisuke, who is sitting facing the lake, and he simply nods without a word.
At this point, while Koji and Maria Grace are looking at her, and Daisuke, instead, is still playing his guitar, Hikaru builds a bamboo boat saying:
Hikaru: It’s your homeland, would you have nostalgia for it?
While Daisuke closes his eyes continuing playing, she kneels on the lake shore, letting the grass boat flowing in the water and, looking down, she closes her eyes too.
Thanks to Jerome and my stepsister, we know what the meaning of the grass boat is (note by Gerdha: this topic had been discussed in the French forum a few weeks earlier). It’s a reference to a typical Japanese traditional gesture for recalling deaths (equivalent to the western tradition of bringing crisantems on graves). Maria Grace and Daisuke were talking about Fleed, so the explanation to Hikaru’s gesture is, in my opinion, that she wants to give an homage to the dead population of his man’s native planet. She closes her eyes in a silent prayer for all the innocents killed by Vega there, and Daisuke does the same, as he knows the meaning of what Hikaru has done. According to my Japanese relative, it is a Buddhist tradition in Japan that - usually at the beginning of August - Japanese families carry bamboo boats to the river, placing them on a lit candle and they let it flow in the stream to the sea, in memory of their own dead peoples; since the last postwar period, this ritual has also taken on a special remembrance of the victims of the atomic attacks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In various episodes of Ufo Robot Grendizer, there are explicit references to the fact that both Umon and the Makiba family (Hikaru's family) are very related to Japanese cultural traditions, so you can safely assume that they have regularly performed this traditional gesture, even though the event is not shown in any episode. It is legitimate to assume that Daisuke, at the time of ep72, was aware of this recurrence and it is therefore normal for him to understand the meaning of Hikaru's gesture. Please, also note the particular appearance of the bamboo boat built by Hikaru, which reminds exactly of a candle transported by the boat itself, confirming the reference to the scene in the traditional gesture and its interpretive context.
I find this scene terribly emotional, wonderful, exceptional. An incredible script, which, without words but through little visual references, is able to let understand those viewers who would like to scratch the surface what is going on from a psychological perspective in the characters. In fact, in my opinion, Hikaru’s behaviour is the proof that her link with Daisuke is so profound that she feels confident in doing an homage to “his” deaths (which in a Japanese perspective is a “familiar” thing); maybe she feels even them as “her” deaths too now, particularly if he has decided to stay on Earth with her forever.
See how perfect is ep72 script, from a narrative point of view. The image of a praying Hikaru fades in the image of a red-haired girl who is observing a Japan map at the Moon Base.
This is not TTOTC 1 (), but I find the director’s choice of switching the image from Hikaru to Rubina really powerful. The girl from the countryside versus the princess: usually this is what Grendizer fandom think ep72 is about. Well, I disagree. The contrast between the two female figures is not about their roles, but on their personalities. A generous girl versus a selfish one;
a girl who has spent months aside a sick guy, trying to support and comfort him, versus another one who does not even ask “How are you?”, when she meets him again after 8 years;
a girl who would be available to take care of the people of another planet in the name of love for her man, versus another one who betrays her father and her own population because she wants her charming prince to believe her. 
Should I go on with the list? How it’s possible to believe that a man like Daisuke Umon could be in love with a woman like Rubina is totally beyond me.
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1 TTOTC: The Trial of The Century. It was a sort of role-playing game, in which a trial was performed on the characters. Gerdha had the role of Prosecution, Agnès was the Defense Counsel, the Judge was Jerome, the Jury were Suzi and all the other members of the forum who wanted to comment on the various posts.
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 19:28. -
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EPISODE 72: THE SCENE AT THE BALCONY
Later, the Research Centre balcony hosts a scene which I consider one of the best scene of the whole anime, and one of the greatest example of the tricky use of visual aspects. If you would like to follow my advice and you switch off the TV volume, you will see the following scene happening. Daisuke is alone at the balcony looking at the sunset with a serious expression.
He is so concentrated in his reflections that he does not realise the arrival of Koji, Maria Grace and Hikaru.
They are all worried, but Hikaru, in particular, is extremely serious.
Koji puts a thumb on his mouth, asking for, silence and he approaches Daisuke, exchanging some words with him.
Maria Grace turns, looking at Hikaru, then she reaches her brother - while Hikaru remains standing few steps behind - and she adds some words.
Without moving his sight from the sky, Daisuke replies something that makes his sister turning again to Hikaru with a worried expression, then she replies to Daisuke for a moment.
Koji is shown angry, and Daisuke lowers his eyes and he turns back to return to the Centre, keeping his eyesight to the floor;
he nearly runs into Hikaru and he stops for a fraction of second beside her (it’s really a very short moment), so she is surprised.
When Daisuke has nearly reached the balcony door, Koji runs ahead of him and, holding his shoulders, he tells something to his friend, who, anyway, continues to look at the floor.
Then, something happens that makes everybody turning and rushing soon in the control room, where Rubina’s Spacer is shown in a monitor.
After some moments, Daisuke looks at left and right, with a worried expression, then he rushes out of the control room.
This is what happens at the balcony scene, whatever dialogue – but, particularly, intonations – could have been added in the various editions (anyway, they are all more or less consistent here). (Gerdha note: at that time, in the French forum, we were referring only to FV, IVHD and VA 1; in fact, the translation of OV 2 was not yet available) I think that the “silent game” can prove two basic things. First, Daisuke is all but happy after his meeting with Rubina (Joe7's note: you can even see this watching how he plods, looking down, after speaking to Maria Grace), and he has so many issues floating in his mind, so that he does not realise the arrival of the other members of the Team. Secondly, Koji, but mostly Maria Grace, are clearly worried for Hikaru: the visual hints are not disputable on this point. The big question is: did Hikaru know about Daisuke’s past engagement with Rubina? Maria Grace should have known about it, as her reaction (looking at Hikaru) when her brother confesses the identity (“She was Rubina”) of the enemy he met at the flowered grass is clearly designed (“What? – she turns to Hikaru, then she looks again to Daisuke – the Vega princess?”).
It is an important question, because the balcony scene is crucial to understand ep72. Well, I believe that yes, Hikaru knew about Daisuke’s past engagement, otherwise there would have been no reason for her to worry in anticipation. Okay, Koji saw Daisuke talking with a red-haired girl at the grass, so what? If Hikaru did not know anything about the past engagement, why should she has to be worried when she arrives at the balcony? Koji and Maria Grace act during the whole scene as they are protecting Hikaru; to be more precise, I have the main impression that they approach Daisuke on her behalf. Looking at the visual aspects, we see Koji first stopping Hikaru and Maria Grace, then approaching Daisuke,
then Maria Grace looking at Hikaru, then reaching her brother.
Probably I have a lack of fantasy, but I cannot find an alternative valid explanation to this scene, taking into consideration all those visual evidences. It is Hikaru who would like to know who was that girl at the grass, but she has not the courage to ask him directly. Considering her personality throughout the previous 71 episodes, I believe that only a terrible doubt about the possible comeback in Duke Fleed’s life of his official girlfriend in Fleed could have let her act in that unusual way. She had no fear in meeting Naida, but the possible comeback of Rubina is a complete different story for her. Why? Because Hikaru knows that only his high sense of duty could be able to tear Daisuke apart from her. Nothing else could succeed. And that something strange and really serious is going on is proved by Daisuke’ unusual attitude: he is clearly in trouble, but this time he does not want to share his reflections with Hikaru and he prefers to stay alone. A real bad sign for Hikaru, who, for the first time in the whole anime, is scared.
If that girl (Koji could see her briefly without the helmet at the grass, and those long red hairs were for sure a visible particular even from his Spacer)
was really Rubina, what did she want? These are the questions (the identity of the enemy and the topic of the discussion) Hikaru would like to pose to Daisuke, lacking the courage, so Koji and Maria Grace offer to question him on her behalf (it is clear, from the balcony scene, that the trio has discussed the situation previously, as they act as they have agreed a sort of “action plan”).
I find Koji and Maria Grace's attitude amusing; and it is another indirect confirmation that Hikaru had a special deep role in Daisuke’ life: otherwise, Maria Grace’s behaviour at the balcony would be inexplicable.
By the way, Koji knows nothing about the engagement (otherwise, his speeches (“You had to capture her!”), both at the balcony and in the bedroom, would have no sense), but both Maria Grace and Hikaru were aware of it. 
Probably, the Fleedian princess did not know details, though I think Daisuke told her something about it - but asking her to keep the information as a secret - between ep70 and ep71, while he was fearing to die very soon for the worsening of the poisoning injury, in order to try to relieve his sister, who was desperate for lacking memories about Fleed. Instead, in my opinion, Hikaru knew very well the background story of the engagement. Analysing the visual aspects of the scene, it seems to me that she is not surprised at all – like Alcor instead - from the news that Daisuke met the Princess of Vega, which is really strange.
If she ignored the engagement, her reaction should have been similar to Koji’s, while, instead, Hikaru is only surprised for Daisuke’s behaviour, when he nearly runs into her and he has not the courage to look at her.
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1 FV: French Version; IVHD: Italian Version Historical Dubbing; AV: Arab Version
2 OV: Original Version
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 19:29. -
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EPISODE 72: RUBINA'S DEATH
I believe that, at this point of the episode – during the night, when they are all gone at Umon’s house to sleep (interesting choice actually) -
Hikaru knows that Duke Fleed has met his former official girlfriend, the Princess of Vega, that they have talked together for a while, that the conversation has totally upset Daisuke and that, for sure, he holds a terrible secret, which is struggling him, but, for some reasons, he don't want to share it with anybody, and especially with her. Hikaru suspects that this secret is somehow linked to her, considering Daisuke’s behaviour both at the balcony and in the control room.
They all had a meeting with him in the evening, but Daisuke refused to explain any detail about his first encounter with Rubina, so Umon, anyway, suggested him not going to the second meeting with the princess (it’s what is implied in Koji’s speech in the bedroom).
Hikaru really cannot understand what is going on: what secret news could have Rubina told to Daisuke to let him be so upset? Why has he decided to handle a critical situation alone, without asking for support from her or at least from Umon? It’s true, Daisuke has always been a very reserved, but sincere person: instead of telling a lie, he prefers to remain in silence, so Hikau can be sure that, when he feels ready, he will tell the truth. But, in that moment, while the night falls, the fact that the second question Koji and Maria Grace have asked at the balcony has remained unanswered (“What did you speak about?”) is struggling her, and, for sure, she is not able to sleep. So, when Koji knocks at her bedroom door to inform her that Daisuke has decided to go to a second meeting with Rubina, despite all contrary advises, he finds probably her awakened (just as Maria Grace), and they can rush immediately to the Centre. Grendizer flies over their heads, so Hikaru knows that somehow her questions are going to be answered anyway soon.
And she is right. The night is slowly fading in the daylight, when Hikaru, seeing Duke Fleed near Rubina, but mostly listening to their conversation, suddenly realises what incredible secret has been struggling Daisuke in the last 12 hours: Planet Fleed has come back to life, the princess of Vega has asked him to return with her on his native planet, which inevitably means that she asked him to merry her, and… he thought to accept the proposal 1.
Hikaru does not know any detail, but the overall situation is perfectly clear for her. Daisuke would have been available to wed the daughter of the man who killed his parents, family and friends, who destroyed his own planet and enslaved his population, in order to save Hikaru and all the earthlings. This is why Daisuke refused to talk with everybody about the conversation with Rubina and he could not look at Hikaru at the balcony: his conscience was fighting between his sense of duty and his desire to continue to live his life, just as he supposed few hours ago. He has not even told his sister about Planet Fleed coming back to life, while it’s obvious from Rubina’s words that he knew already the information, but how could he communicate such a happy news when he still had to decide what to do with his own life? Well, it’s clear that Rubina is going to die soon anyway, so why should Hikaru worry for the situation?
Once the Irritating Princess is died, the wedding issue would fly away for good. Yet, Hikaru turns back with a painful expression on her face, holding herself to Marine Spacer.
This is another scene that has caused infinite discussions between fans for a quarter of century: what is its meaning? It’s located exactly while Duke Fleed is telling to Rubina that she should not die and they will go back to Fleed together (the big differences between the various editions are in the dubbing intonation, not about the content of the speech). Given the contest of the situation, I believe that Hikaru’s pain is related to her pity for both the Princess of Vega and Daisuke: she is nearly to die, and he is clearly starting to be overcome by his old guiltiness feelings 2.
A terrible tragedy is going on in front of Hikaru’s eyes: she has understood that Daisuke would have been available to sacrifice himself, in order to save millions of people around the universe, and now he is facing the failure of his plan and the possible consequent war recrudescence. Hikaru knows him so well, she is aware that feeling guilty for the death of innocents is the only thing that is able to destroy Daisuke’s spirit: she has already seen in ep25 what that sentiment can do to him. (Joe7's note: the first two images here below were took from ep25; the other two images from ep72)
If you notice, whatever intonation Duke Fleed’s international dubbers has used in that point, anyway Daisuke’s words show that he was being overcome by his irrational part: how could he suppose to come back to Fleed with Rubina, as she was clearly close to die? She knows herself this fact clearly better than him, as all her answers assume her to be dead.
Hikaru is suffering for Daisuke, not for herself. Yes, Daisuke would have been available to marry Rubina, but, of course, the generous Hikaru would have agreed with him, as his decision would have been taken for a good purpose. In my opinion, her pain, displayed in this scene, is not mostly referred to the possible perspective to lose him (of course, this is an added factor, but not the main one) but for seeing him suffering. I believe this is the correct interpretation of Hikaru’s behaviour at Rubina’s death scene, considering also what happens in eps 73-74.
Overcoming his guiltiness feelings for good has closed Duke Fleed’s personal journey, and, in a way, the main storyline of Ufo Robot Grendizer. But the war is not finished yet, and now a new ant called Planet Fleed is walking but in disordered file on the branch (Gerdha note: this is a metaphor). Daisuke Umon needs now to reassess his own life and his priorities once more. And all the other characters, and particularly Hikaru Makiba, will need to undertake the same process together with him, for what their respective lives are concerned.
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1 As far as Rubina has asked Duke Fleed to marry her, please remember that, in this analysis of 2003, I am referring to the content of Italian Version Historical Dubbing. In any case, even if, later, I found out that dialogues of Original Japanese Version pose the question in a bit different terms (see Naida and Rubina analysis), compared to the psychological analysis of Hikaru, the difference does not affect the arguments I have here, which would still be valid.
2 In this analysis, I have not dealt with this issue, since this is a dossier dedicated to Hikaru. In various discussions on the French forum, and in the TTOTC 3, I developed in detail my concept base for which - in accordance with poetics of Go Nagai, who mainly explores the dark sides of the human soul - the deep sense of the whole story of Ufo Robot Grendizer is made up of Duke Fleed's inner journey to overcome his guilt towards the destruction of the Planet Fleed, which he is believed to be responsible; the motive is to be found in various episodes scattered throughout the episodes, and in particular in ep25 and ep72. I consider ep72 as the true final episode of the anime, because, exactly at the end of that episode, Duke Fleed completes his process of elaboration and release: the final scene of ep72 is eloquent about it.
3 TTOTC: The Trial of The Century. It was a sort of role-playing game, in which a trial was performed on the characters. Gerdha had the role of Prosecution, Agnès was the Defense Counsel, the Judge was Jerome, the Jury were Suzi and all the other members of the forum who wanted to comment on the various posts.
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 21:54. -
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HIKARU MAKIBA: THE FINAL EPISODES (EPS 73-74)
I am not going to rant about the final of Grendizer, but I think we can all agree that, at least, it is strangely managed. Such a long and complicated story ends in 46 minutes with a plot development which can be defined, to be generous, very quick. I won’t bother you with my theory on what happened backstage: the Roman Album does not comment on the matter, so I don’t own any sure production note to elaborate. Anyway, even if I personally dislike the way the Authors managed the probable issues they had from a production perspective, the fact is that Ufo Robot Grendizer ends with these eps 73-74, so, of course, they are the only possible basis for a character analysis.
EPISODE 73
Ep73 is a particular episode from what its staff is concerned. The only “usual” name credited is scriptwriter Tatsuo Tamura – who is entitled to both the final eps – while all the other staff members are unknown people, who are entitled only to this particular episode. This is very strange and an unique case in the whole anime. As an explanation, I would say that, probably, ep72 (Rubina's episode) required the effort of a larger team than the usual, and, given the tight production schedule of the anime, ep73 started its development while ep72 was still progressing, so a “second line” team was asked to take care of ep73. It’s only a personal hypothesis, of course, but I don’t find another explanation to the fact that a “sudden unknown team” has been appointed to work to the second-to-last episode. Anyway, even if the production of ep72 could have required a longer time than the usual schedule, Tamura knew its plot, at least the points about Planet Fleed coming back to life and Rubina, who, while she was dying, communicating the location of the Moon Base. After all, it is what he basically needed to develop his script. Once again, a fundamental question raises up: when ep73 is located in the Grendizer timeline? This question is important, not only for a possible discussion about “technical” details (which is out of the scope of this post) but, mainly, referring to the psychological situation of the characters. I personally tend to believe that ep73 is placed not very far from ep72 – a month at maximum. It’s summer, and we see King Vega desperate for Rubina’s death, but Gandal complaining for his lack of initiative, so the usual “weekly” timeline has to be excluded in my opinion, anyway without thinking to an excessive delay respect to the events of ep72.
How long should have Umon take to equip the spy-satellite? I am not a technician, but I suppose that, with Daisuke’ help, he could have succeeded in around one month.
I have done this premises, in order to better evaluate the new personal priorities reassessment process Daisuke has to undertake, after getting the news of Planet Fleed coming back to life. As a matter of fact, in ep73 he seems to have started the process, but he seems still confused (so confirming the possible timeline I talked about).
At least, he seems not considering the idea to return to his native planet as his first priority: here his basic goal is to end the war as soon as possible. He is extremely worried for the possible desperate reaction of King Vega to the death of Rubina, and the perspective to return to his newborn planet and reprising his royal role there appears to be far away from his mind. I would say that he has put his personal life aside in this moment, and all his spirit is concentrated in avoiding the destruction of Earth.
After all, even without his wedding with Rubina, Planet Fleed could potentially be still a matter of a sort of diplomatic exchange, but Daisuke knows very well that King Vega is not available to any sort of agreement with him. This time, peace can be sadly reached only through an act of war, without alternatives. The only questionmark is related to the best strategic choice between waiting for vegan attack or acting in anticipation.
Once again, I am talking about Daisuke, because Hikaru’s involvement in this episode is strictly connected to him. The scene of their (potential) goodbye is really moving, and visual aspects are again helpful to try to understand what’s going on between them. Hikaru arrives at the grass near the farm, where Daisuke is reflecting about his decision to attack the Moon Base alone, without waiting for Cosmo Special being finished, and she is surprised to find him there, as he should have known that the moment of the scheduled reconnaissance flight has arrived.
We could suppose that he has switched off his radio-clock, otherwise Hikaru would have not needed to go by jeep in search of him (she is already dressed for driving the Marine Spacer, so it means that the Grendizer Team could not find him anywhere, even just before leaving). Daisuke is surprised too, as he didn’t realised that the time for starting the reconnaissance – so the moment of saying goodbye probably for good to Earth and maybe to life – was already approaching. He runs shortly with Hikaru to the jeep, but, suddenly, he asks her something unexpected:
Daisuke: Listen, Hikaru, let’s go back to the Centre riding horses.
She stops surprised.
Hikaru: Eh? Riding horses?
Daisuke repeats his proposal with a smile:
Daisuke: Yes, it’s such a long time we don’t do it.
Hikaru is delighted
Hikaru: All right.
They ride happily their horses for a while (see the smiles on their faces) and Hikaru turns to him, gladly:
Hikaru: You know, it was a good idea. I feel different now.
Daisuke’s reply is a total surprise for Grendizer audience:
Daisuke: Yes... and... do you know you are very much nicer this way?
Also Hikaru is astonished: despite their mutual love, their deep link and affection, their planned future together, never before he has told her such a compliment (he could have told her others, but not this one), so she stops her horse.
Hikaru: Eh? What did you say, Daisuke?
Daisuke tries to hold his horse, which is nervous, but, anyway, he looks at her smiling:
Daisuke: Well, I say you are beautiful as a horse rider, I like you more this way than with your fighting uniform. Throw it away when it won’t be necessary to fight anymore. I hope the day when you could be free and happy again will come soon.
Hikaru is amused for his speech, and she smiles, thinking probably to the fact that, despite all the issues of the war and those troubling his personal life, he still cares for her as a woman: he is still in love for her. Then, they continue the ride up to the Centre.
Well, I find this “goodbye scenes” as underestimated. Despite all the criticism I could do to this script from various perspectives, I find interesting the fact that Daisuke would have liked to go destroying the Moon Base without greeting anybody at the Centre, but, instead, he decides for that horse riding with Hikaru. He goes to the farm to see for the last time Danbei and Goro (with whom he has another wonderful speech about peace, a real “testament” for the anime),
but his original plan was to leave Earth in silence. He does not greet in a special way his sister: apart giving her the royal medal,
he does not say a word to Koji, he even goes out the hangar without Umon noticing him.
Only Hikaru deserved a “special treatment”, his real goodbye to Earth (riding a horse – his favourite occupation before Vega arrival) is done only with her and for her.
But Hikaru does not understand his plan, and this could seem strange, considering how much deeply she knows him. Actually, nobody understands Daisuke’s intentions, including Umon (without talking about Maria Grace, who should have asked herself why he gives her the royal medal, dammit). As a matter of fact, Koji is able to have that insight about Daisuke’s real aim, because he already knew the meaning of the medal, and he saw it at Maria Grace’s neck, otherwise he too would have not suspected anything.
Well, this is not a Daisuke character analysis, so I won’t bore you with my explanation of his psychology in ep73; anyway, for what Hikaru is concerned, she could not suspect anything about his intentions: he cooperated to build Cosmo Special, he has reassured her about their planned future together, otherwise she would not be so happy and relaxed during the riding (eheh, I cannot resist to a little TTOTC 1 reference, LOL), he did not allow himself any little reference to his goal. Without having a crystal ball, really for Hikaru would have been impossible to think to a possible one-way mission intention in Daisuke. A lovestory is a matter of trust, amongst the other thing: for sure Hikaru never broke this rule, it’s Daisuke who both in ep72 and 73 does not respect it with his silence. But Daisuke’ personality would be really an interesting topic to be analysed...
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1 TTOTC: TTOTC (The Trial of The Century) was a sort of role-playing game, in which a trial was performed on the characters. Gerdha had the role of Prosecution, Agnès was the Defense Counsel, the Judge was Jerome, the Jury were Suzi and all the other members of the forum who wanted to comment on the various posts.
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 22:32. -
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EPISODE 74
I firmly believe that the production story of the final episode is still to be told. It’s really impossible that such an important episode could have been treated this way by Katsuta and Nagai, considering also that Tatsuo Tamura is a very good scriptwriter and his latest effort, before the final episode, has been ep71 (Morus' episode), an exceptional episode from a script point of view. The problem I personally have with ep74 is not the overall plot in itself, but the way it’s been developed. There are some fabulous ideas in the script (Gandal/Lady Gandal’s fight, King Vega wanting to destroy Earth, after all the efforts to conquer it refusing any possible alternative option, the inauguration of Cosmo Special, …) but they are not closely examined, and instead they are “launched” in a sort of “race against the time” of ideas, which is, somewhat, inexplicable from a pure storytelling point of view and it can only mean, in my opinion, that there have been a big package of production problems behind the curtain. Without talking about the final decision of Daisuke and Maria Grace to return to Fleed alone, which would not be such a problem, if only the script left somebody say, at the greetings scene, a small sentence about the reason why Koji and Hikaru remain on Earth and if theirs is or not a permanent decision.
I don’t say that it’s not possible to find an explanation to this strange final (I will try soon), but this does not change the fact that the issue is, at least, bad managed from a narrative perspective, and, considering what Ufo Robot Grendizer has been up to the final episodes, it’s out of question for me that what we see on the screen is the result of infinite compromises and of a decision taken at the very last minute, without having enough time to develop properly the final version of the script. By the way, ep74 has been a big issue also for Japanese audience: in fact, according to the Roman Album, soon after its airing, Dynamic was invaded by letters of Grendizer fans wondering about the meaning of the final. The company official answer (reported by Roman Album) 1 is that Duke Fleed and his sister had to rebuilt their planet, but not alone, as fleedian survivors would have surely gather from the space to their native planet for this purpose*. In that official statement (which, from the tone, seems to me even a bit embarrassed), there is no mention about Koji and Hikaru though, confirming my opinion that the plot of the final was not properly devised and it was a last-minute decision to satisfy some requirement imposed by somebody. Anyway, bad or good, this is the only ep74 I have, so I must analyse it, whatever sentiments I can feel watching once again that...crap.
Well, usually a final should be a sort of testament of the story. Is it so, also in case of ep74, for what Hikaru is concerned? Urgh, it’s difficult talking about psychological analysis in such an episode, where everything happens with such a hurry. Anyway, there are still some flashes in the night to enlighten Hikaru’s personality. First, there is the scene in the Research Centre control room, where everybody discuss about Lady Gandal’s proposal to let her live peacefully on Earth, if she kills King Vega. Koji and Maria Grace don’t believe her words and they suppose it is a trap;
Koji asks for Hikaru’s opinion, but, before she answers, he runs out of the room, together with Maria Grace.
Daisuke and Hikaru remain alone, and, only in that moment, she refers to him her opinion: Hikaru thinks Lady Gandal told the truth, she wants really to save herself.
Ah, Hikaru, despite all the tentatives to destroy your character, you are still the great strong rational girl we get to know, and still you are the only person Daisuke can trust. Yes, you have guessed correctly, Lady Gandal told the truth. And Daisuke accepts in fact your opinion, as he does not do anything, until the big vegan spacecraft appears in the sky.
Secondly, I like to underline what happens in the Japanese version of ep74, once the big cigar-like spacecraft of King Vega has finally exploded in the space 2. Everybody cries for joy, and Koji, Hikaru and Maria Grace appeal Daisuke. But each of them call him with a different name: Koji calls him “Duku”, Maria Grace refers to him as “Oniisan” (elder brother),
while only Hikaru appeals him as “Daisuke-san”.
During the whole anime, Hikaru is the only character in the Grendizer Team who constantly uses his adoptive name, Daisuke3, in reference to him, or calling him directly. She only refers once to Daisuke as “Duku Furido” (Duke Fleed): when she first meets Naida in the medical room, but it’s absolutely logical.
From this point of view, the Authors have developed her personality with constant coherency, even through “bad times” (so to speak…): Hikaru told Daisuke in ep23 he would have always been Daisuke Umon for her, and she has kept her promise.
Hikaru has always loved Daisuke for his personality, she has never let any external factor influencing her opinion about him as a person. Ufo Robot Grendizer is a wonderful anime, and displays one of the greatest love stories of all. No charming princes and girls from the countryside: here there are only a man and a woman who love each other and fight against destiny to keep alive their feelings, despite everything.
That’s why I personally find extremely annoying the lack of details in the greetings scene. The fact that Duke Fleed and his sister decide to leave Earth for returning to Fleed in order to help their population in rebuilding their native planet should not be a problem: after all, it is more than logical.
But, from a storytelling perspective, it is a real “narrative crime” that the viewers find themselves switched suddenly from the aerospace to that flowered grass, without a word about the internal processes who brought the characters there. We don’t see anything about Daisuke taking his decision, the hard discussions between the two couples about what to do (it’s clear from Maria Grace’s words that she and Koji had a terrible argument on the topic, and it’s unthinkable that Daisuke and Hikaru had no conscience struggle on the matter too),
the fleedians communicating their final decision to Umon, Danbei and Goro, the preparations for the leaving,… must I go on? Moreover, contrary to the major opinion, I believe that the greetings scene takes place a while after the death of King Vega. It’s difficult to understand from the scene design if it’s located at the end of the summer (so few weeks after the final battle against Vega) or the following spring (so some months later). My personal impression, given the kind of flowers which are emphasised when Mizar is greeting Grendizer, is that we are facing an early spring ambient.
I tend to think that the timeline of the anime has become, in its final scene, once again aligned with the TV broadcast (airing date of ep74 is 27th February 1977) but… one year later. Anyway, it’s not big deal. What’s important really is in fact how the characters act in the greeting scene, which is to me the last little matrioska still left to be opened.
Despite the crappy narrative approach to that climax point of the story, in my opinion, the script succeeds anyway in using a tricky storytelling for the last time. Even in the final scenes, the visual aspects are telling us more than what the dialogues are referring. Face it: Hikaru should have a broken heart seeing Daisuke leaving, but she is the only one who does not cry.
She is moved, a soft “Daisuke” escapes from her mouth, she cries for a moment with Goro, but, after, she stops crying:
while Goro and Danbei cry with big tears and Maria Grace and Koji cry too later, Hikaru and Daisuke, plus Umon, don’t share a tear.
I have always found this hint very strange, but, if it could be understandable for Umon considering his personality, if Hikaru would be in that moment an abandoned woman facing her man leaving for good, I suppose she would have been designed as very angry or totally desperate. A similar situation does not allow to a normal human being a “soft” emotional approach, which is instead the impression I get from the images passing on the screen. It cannot be a mistake, because she is constantly designed that way for the whole scene. Moreover, Hikaru is moved (not angry), but she is the only character who does not greet Daisuke and Matria Grace. Everybody say in a way or another "goodbye", unless her. This is totally strange, in my opinion, and I refuse to believe it’s a mistake of the script.
There must be a reason behind her strange behaviour, and my theory is that, despite the suffering for the moment, Hikaru and Daisuke know that they are going to meet together again. Cosmo Special was built exactly for the purpose to allow the earthlings to travel in the deep space, and Koji was supposed to accompany Maria Grace to her native planet (ep73),
Tamura is the scriptwriter of both eps 73-74: the story was meant to end with the Grendizer Team leaving together for Planet Fleed, there can be no doubt on this. The fact that, very likely, production problems (probably related to Koji 4) forced the Authors to change the final does not mean that a little hint of their real intentions was kept as a perpetual reminder of the original plan. Hikaru cannot leave Earth now, as Goro is too young to take care of the farm and Danbei is too old to take care of it alone, so she needs some time to find a possible solution which could guarantee a safe future to her family (finding a new trusted farmer or selling joint ownership of the farm to a neighbourhood, or something similar).
But Daisuke cannot postpone his return to Fleed, as he must be there, when his population will start coming back to the native planet, so he is forced to leave without further delays. Hikaru understands the situation, and let him go soon.
Koji could not leave now too, because Grendizer can host only two persons, and if he took now Cosmo Special to follow Maria-Grace, then Hikaru could not reach Fleed later. The reason behind Maria Grace and Koji’s argument is, for me, the fact that Maria Grace refused the possible alternative to stay on Earth with him and to reach Fleed later with him and Hikaru.
But there is no doubt in my heart that Hikaru and Koji will join Daisuke and Maria Grace on Planet Fleed (together with Umon, why not?) as soon as a convenient solution for the Makiba farm is identified. But Ufo Robot Grendizer is not intended to finish with the greetings at the grass. Before the robot disappears in the light of newborn Planet Fleed, we see for the last time Duke Fleed’s face.
And this last image of the main character of the story shows him moved recalling Hikaru Makiba. Yes, also Goro appears in his memory, but it is another trick to divert the attention of Japanese boys from the situation.
Duke Fleed’s trembling eyes for commotion thinking to Hikaru are his last image in the anime, and I thank wholeheartedly the Authors for this precious gift.
I couldn’t really hope for more for reminding me and all the viewers that Ufo Robot Grendizer is a long file of beautiful matrioske, and that Hikaru Makiba is maybe the greatest of all: an incredible, wonderful, unforgettable character who is still waiting to be recognised as the most revolutionary female figure in Japanese robotic animes of the ‘70s.
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1 "The company official answer (reported by Roman Album)": this is an adaptation of Dynamic's answer and not a translation of the text.
2 "...has finally exploded in the space": At the time of writing the final part of this analysis, I was already in possession of OV (Original Version), but not of the translations of its dubbing.
3 "Daisuke" obviously in OV, Original Version.
4 "production problems (probably related to Koji)": After, I completely expressed my point in other posts on the French forum: Dynamic and Toei could not afford to "lose" Koji Kabuto, if they wanted to make a new Mazinger series.
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 23:11. -
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HIKARU MAKIBA: A MARGINAL NOTE
Gerdha was trying to insert a coin in the coffee machine distributor in the Court corridor. That damn machine had already eaten a couple of her coins, without giving back what it was entitled to produce, and the level of disappointment of the Prosecutor was increasing second by second. She absolutely needed a coffee (does anybody know an Italian who does not need a coffee at mid afternoon in a working day?).
“It doesn’t work from some hours, but nobody has still hung an advise on the matter”
A female voice made her turn: Attorney Agnes was looking at her giggling.
“Nice news, thanks. It’s a pity, I am really tired and I would need really a coffee… oh well, nevermind.”
Gerdha sighs, then moved to return to her office. After a couple of seconds of silence, she heard Agnes’ voice once again:
“It has been difficult, isn’t it?”
Gerdha stopped and turned at her in surprise.
“What are you talking about?”
“I read your MM1 about Hikaru. I suppose you’ve spent a lot of time on it, right?
Gerdha laughed.
“Ah, Agnes, I ask for a 5th Amendment application! I refuse to answer in order to not be accused! Anyway… yes, it has been difficult. A real challenge. Or to be precise, a total craziness. Trying to expose personal ideas, but keeping the focus on the main topic and taking also in considerations production notes… Uh, I even suffered of a “writer’s block” at a certain point … It has been really a crazy experience! But you know, a proud member of TCT2 could not do anything else than a total craziness, don’t you think?”
Agnes smiled.
“Ah, that’s true, that’s true… well, you have finally answered my old first soap bubble3, thanks”
Gerdha became serious.
“Agnes, how could I ever forget that soap bubble? Everything started there, for me. I mean, the big challenge on myself. In a way, that old post from you has changed my mind 4. So I owed you an answer...even if with nearly one year of delay. I only had to find the courage…”
“And the Roman Album too”5 added Agnes. Gerdha laughed.
“Oh, yes, ahah! Anyway, don’t worry, what I have written in my MM about Hikaru Makiba could not be used in TTOTC 6 so… our challenge there is still alive. I hope to see the Defence Attorney and all the Court around soon on the matter…”
Agnes looked at Gerdha with an enigmatic expression.
“Well, who knows…” 7
They both smiled once again as a greeting, then they went back to their own offices. Gerdha took a paper and wrote an advice for the coffee machine: “Out of order”. She looked at the paper and thought:
“Well, I should hang it to my computer instead...no, I am telling lies to myself. It has been a difficult challenge, but I enjoyed very much anyway. That’s what it counts, after all. I only hope that my friends in the forum has enjoyed the reading too, and they would like to share their comments with me, whatever they could be, even sending me to hell once for all. After all it would be time, eheh”
Gerdha come out her office and hung the advise paper to the broken machine. But now she was going to face a new very important commitment in her agenda: she needed absolutely to find somewhere a coffee, and she feared it could have been maybe a more difficult task than writing that craziness about Hikaru Makiba. Gerdha sighed but then started to giggle to herself.
“Well, I love challenges...” 8
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1 MM: Monstrogoth Message: It was the friendly nickname, in the French forum, that had been assigned to the long analysis messages that were posted there, in particular by me, Agnès, Jerome and Suzi.
2 TCT: The Crazy Team. It was the friendly nickname that, in the French forum, had attributed to me, Agnès, Jerome and Suzi.
3 "soap bubble": Agnès wrote the first soap bubble (hint from which a wide discussion developed) on the French forum in November 2002, about the lake scene in episode 72, asking for my opinion on the meaning of the scene. Given the diversity between FV (French Dubbing) and IVHD (Italian Version Historical Dubbing); it was the first forum discussion on ep72, and, from there, a series of posts that generated the idea of the TTOTC.
4 "that old post from you has changed my mind": At that time, I was not really inclined to get me involved much in the forum.
5 "And the Roman Album, too", added Agnes": It was Agnès taking the initiative to buy for me the Roman Album on Ebay.
6 "what I have written in my MM about Hikaru Makiba could not be used in TTOTC" In fact, the TTOTC was based only on visual data, not on dialogues. The TTOTC (The Trial of The Century) was a sort of role-playing game, in which a trial was performed on the characters. Gerdha had the role of Prosecution, Agnès was the Defense Counsel, the Judge was Jerome, the Jury were Suzi and all the other members of the forum who wanted to comment on the various posts.
7 "Well, who knows..." When I published the analysis on Hikaru, the TTOTC was suspended and I didn't know if and when it would be taken again.
8 “Well, I love challenges…” It is a reference to a conversation on the French forum between me and Agnès at the time of the first soap bubbles.
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And with that, we have completed the service on Hikaru and Daisuke, of which I thank a lot Gerdha for her help in explaining her work.HELLO EVERYONE!
Edited by joe 7 - 24/11/2019, 23:31.
DAISUKE AND HIKARU: AN ANALYSIS BY GERDHA |
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