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beesgav · 2 days ago

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This is a very disorganized little ramble/analysis but it's really interesting to me how the '79 series introduces Natalie and Mayumi, two one-off characters who are ostensibly very similar (prior love interests for the character they're associated with who initially seem to want to rekindle some kind of connection, but events throughout the story push that connection to an irreversible turning point), but have practically opposite perspectives on the same issue- their respective character's status as a cyborg.

Specifically, Natalie (and the rest of the gang) reject Jet after he refuses to help Georgie, but he chooses not to reveal that it's because as a cyborg he physically can't. He's willing to let these relationships that mean a lot to him be destroyed because he'd rather that than get these people involved.

Mayumi, on the other hand, seeks out Joe's help because he's a cyborg, something that Joe himself doesn't realize she has known for a while, and it's her revealing that knowledge that pushes him to his breaking point. He thought she was relying on him because she trusted Joe, when in actuality she was relying on his strength.

Natalie was counting on Jet to behave like a human would, which he can't. Mayumi values Joe because she sees him as a machine, which he doesn't want. In both episodes there's a clash of irreconcilable differences which ultimately drive them apart from these people and remind them of how non-human they are despite their personal desires; Jet was prevented from helping his friend because he's a cyborg, and Joe was only sought after for help because he's a cyborg. Both of their human desires are overshadowed by their intrinsic physical state as non-humans. The conflict is caused in part by them acting human/as if nothing had changed- if they had both been forward with the facts of what they are, these specific conflicts would not have happened. Obviously, other things would have undoubtedly stemmed from that, but that's less important than the fact that the reason they didn't say anything was because because they didn't want to acknowledge how much things had changed.

In both cases, both cyborgs were hoping that reconnecting with this aspect of their lives outside of Being A Cyborg would work- either in Jet returning to his old gang out of anger at the team, or Joe trusting and wishing to help this person who he really cares about. Both ultimately are snapped back from this illusion of normalcy by the reality of what they are, and how they can never really go back and have normal "human" lives.

The tone of the endings differ, but fundamentally they reinforce the same core lesson - the only people they- and the rest of the team- can be fully open to are each other. It helps set the stage before the full reveal of Black Ghost's return as Neo Black Ghost, but man is it bleak. Which I suppose is only in-character for this franchise.

#i do agree with the notion that jet should have just said he had a fucked up blood condition because technically its not even a lie #the blood condition is just ''none in there''#i dont know how joe could have averted his though sorry man #i also totally forgot there's a natalie in the 2001 series as well #who serves to remind francoise of what shes lost... huh #cyborg 009 #009 #joe shimamura #002 #jet link #not art #the thesis of Cyborg 009 is 'man it would suck to be a cyborg'#this turned out longer than I meant it to oops

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kimsuyeon · 2 months ago

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