CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

I did find a thread on this movie from back in 2004, but I thought that was kinda old so I'd create a new one. I just rewatched the movie (I watched it for the first time on Monday). This time I got a better handle on the plot but I've still got a bunch of questions. I thought some of you who have seen it could maybe help me out.

Note - this contains big spoilers!

Q1 - After Fuse and Kei were at the rooftop circus and she helped the little boy who fell, Fuse had a dream of sorts. I didn't totally understand it. What did the wolves represent? Did they symbolize Fuse's part in the Wolf Brigade, his inner "beast"? Was it some sort of representation of the conflict between the Fuse that wanted human relationships and the detatched, Wolf Brigade Fuse? The idea that if he got close to someone, he would hurt them?

Q2 - I guess the girl and the wolf in the book that Kei gave to Fuse represent Kei and Fuse respectively? Perhaps the parallel was that the girl was being tricked by the wolf in the story, and Kei was also being tricked in a way by Fuse. She didn't realize his true identity until near the end.

Q3 - At the shooting range, why did Henmi warn Fuse that someone was watching him? Was Henmi referring to a possible connection to the Wolf Brigade or was he trying to appear on Fuse's side and referring to Public Security?

Q4 - What exactly was the point of Fuse and the other Wolf Brigade people wiping our Henmi and his team in the sewers? Was this to somehow damage the appearance of Public Security? Wouldn't the investigation into the murders of the Public Security people implicate the Special Unit and make them look bad instead?

Q5 - Kei was referred to as the Special Unit's "ace card". Was this because she knew about Public Security's plot to bring down the Special Unit?

Q6 - Did Fuse actually shoot Kei in the end, or did the other guy in the little shack do it? It looked like Fuse's gun was smoking when Kei fell down. I really hated the ending but it is fitting and I do believe that happy endings just don't suit some stories. It was very emotional - Fuse showed almost no emotion whatsoever until that point.

Anyway, a very good movie. I didn't really enjoy it (too brooding and grim to be "entertainment"), but I thought it was superbly thought-provoking and moving. If any of you could help me understand it a little better, that would be awesome. Thanks!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've seen it. It is one of my favorite anime-movies out there, as the characters feel and seem incredibly realistic.

I can't answer your questions off the bat, as it's been a long time since I've seen it. But for the most part, your answers to your questions seem right.

As for Q6, I saw that Fuse shot her, as he let out a despairing cry right before firing.

Mr. SmartyPants wrote:As for Q6, I saw that Fuse shot her, as he let out a despairing cry right before firing.

The first time I watched it I thought the other guy fired, but the second time I did think Fuse did it. I just kinda figured his outburst was the conflict between his loyalty to Wolf Brigade and his care for Kei. I'd agree with you, though. Thanks for your reply.

*Spoilers!*

A1- Yeah, he felt that if he got too close to her that she would eventually get hurt... or killed.

A2- The entire film was sort of based off of the true story of lil' red ridin' hood.

A3- I'm not sure. It's been a while since I last saw the film.

A4- They actually may have been getting rid of some bad seeds, don'tcha know? Didn't Adolf Hitler do that a lot? After all, this film IS an alternate history, where Germany took over Japan.

A5- That may have been it. As I said, it's been a while since I last saw the film.

A6- If the Walther P08 in Fuse's hand wasn't smoking, then it would've been the other guy in the shack that shot Kei. Either way, she would've died in that area within that particular moment, since she knew too much.

Looks like I'll have to check the movie out from my library again. I usually tend to remember things like that, but only for so long, and I tend to be able to understand political thrillers such as this one.

Thanks for the thoughts.

chikin_d00d89 wrote:A4- They actually may have been getting rid of some bad seeds, don'tcha know? Didn't Adolf Hitler do that a lot? After all, this film IS an alternate history, where Germany took over Japan.

You have a point there. I guess I wasn't watching it in that light so much. The fact that Germany took over Japan was never explicitly stated, but perhaps that is explained in greater details in the manga (which I believe it is based off of?).

chikin_d00d89 wrote:A6- If the Walther P08 in Fuse's hand wasn't smoking, then it would've been the other guy in the shack that shot Kei. Either way, she would've died in that area within that particular moment, since she knew too much.

When I watched the second time, I did think Fuse's gun was smoking. So I think he did it. Now Fuse's "employer" (his trainer / leader) did offer him a choice of sorts - he could run off with Kei and together begin a new life. Do you think Fuse would have actually been allowed to do that? Of couse I hoped he would, but I understand that not all movies can have that kind of ending. I thought the ending was consistent, howbeit, really sad.

I did the review of Jin-Roh about two and a half years ago it's a fantastic movie. Every time I watch it I completely forget I'm watching animated characters. Though I will admit it has been at least a year and a half since watching it last.

When I watched the second time, I did think Fuse's gun was smoking. So I think he did it. Now Fuse's "employer" (his trainer / leader) did offer him a choice of sorts - he could run off with Kei and together begin a new life. Do you think Fuse would have actually been allowed to do that? Of couse I hoped he would, but I understand that not all movies can have that kind of ending. I thought the ending was consistent, howbeit, really sad.

To answer that question Fuse really didn't have much of a choice. The reason that guy from the Wolf Brigade was watching him to make sure he killed Kei was because he was going to kill them both if Kuze did not go through with it.

A2- The entire film was sort of based off of the true story of lil' red ridin' hood.

Little Red Riding Hood is a folktale that has no basis in fact or real events. Not many talking wolves that trick girls into eating their own grandmothers in true stories.

About your fourth question and a few others I've been meaning to watch it again and I will find out those answers.

Yojimbo wrote:I did the review of Jin-Roh about two and a half years ago it's a fantastic movie.

I appreciate the review. I used it to determine if I'd rent the movie or not. I probably wouldn't have rented it if there weren't a review here on CAA.

Yojimbo wrote:To answer that question Fuse really didn't have much of a choice. The reason that guy from the Wolf Brigade was watching him to make sure he killed Kei was because he was going to kill them both if Kuze did not go through with it.

That makes sense. That guy though of his men as beasts - they were to be loyal or, I suppose, put down. Though I somehow don't think Fuse killed Kei because he feared his own life. I think he did it because of his loyalty and realization that it was just the way things had to be.

Yojimbo wrote:About your fourth question and a few others I've been meaning to watch it again and I will find out those answers.

Cool - thanks.