#Been watching this show since episode 1 released last April and I am more invested than ever!!

[scribblespirit]

PSA that every Pokemon fan should watch Pokemon Horizons, I love this anime sososososo SO much!!!!!! 🥹

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JACOBIN FICTION CONVENTION MEETING 1: La Seine no Hoshi (1975)

1. Introduction

Well, dear reader, here it is. My first ever official review. And, as promised, this is one of the pieces of Frev media that you have likely never heard of before.

So, without further ado, sit down, relax, grab drinks and snacks and allow me to tell you about an anime called “La Seine no Hoshi” (The Star of the Seine).

“La Seine no Hoshi” is a children’s anime series made by Studio Sunrise. It consists of 39 episodes and was originally broadcast in Japan from April 4th to December 26th of 1975.

Unlike its more famous contemporary, a manga called “Rose of Versailles” that had begun being released in 1972 and is considered a classic to this day, “La Seine no Hoshi” has stayed relatively obscure both in the world of anime and among other Frev pop culture.

Personally, the only reason why I found out about its existence was the fact that I actively seek out everything Frev-related and I just happened to stumble upon the title on an anime forum several years ago.

So far, the anime has been dubbed into Italian, French, German and Korean but there is no English or even Spanish dub so, unfortunately, people who do not speak fluent Japanese or any other aforementioned language are out of luck ( if anyone decides to make a fandub of the series, call me). That being said, the series is readily available in dubs and the original version on YouTube, which is where I ended up watching it. The French dub calls the anime “La Tulipe Noire” (The Black Tulip), which could be an homage to the movie with the same name that takes place in the same time period.

Unfortunately, while I do speak Japanese well enough to maintain a basic conversation and interact with people in casual daily situations, I’m far from fluent in the language so the version I watched was the French dub, seeing as I am majoring in French.

So, with all of this info in mind, let’s find out what the story is about and proceed to the actual review.

2. The Summary

(Note: Names of the characters in the French dub and the original version differ so I will use names from the former since that’s what I watched)

The story of “La Seine no Hoshi” revolves around a 15-year old girl called Mathilde Pasquier - a daughter of two Parisian florists who helps her parents run their flower shop and has a generally happy life.

But things begin to change when Comte de Vaudreuil, an elderly Parisian noble to whom Mathilde delivers flowers in the second episode, takes her under his wing and starts teaching her fencing for an unknown reason and generally seems to know more about her than he lets on.

Little does Mathilde know, those fencing lessons will end up coming in handy sooner than she expected. When her parents are killed by corrupt nobles, the girl teams up with Comte de Vaudreuil’s son, François, to fight against corruption as heroes of the people, all while the revolution keeps drawing near day by day and tensions in the city are at an all time high.

This is the gist of the story, dear readers, so with that out of the way, here’s the actual review:

3. The Story

Honestly, I kind of like the plot. It has a certain charm to it, like an old swashbuckling novel, of which I’ve read a lot as a kid.

The narrative of a “hero of the common folk” has been a staple in literature for centuries so some might consider the premise to be unoriginal, but I personally like this narrative more than “champion of the rich” (Looking at you, Scarlet Pimpernel) because, historically, it really was a difficult time for commoners and when times are hard people tend to need such heroes the most.

People need hope, so it’s no surprise that Mathilde and François (who already moonlights as a folk hero, The Black Tulip) become living legends thanks to their escapades.

Interestingly enough, the series also subverts a common trope of a hero seeking revenge for the death of his family. Mathilde is deeply affected by the death of her parents but she doesn’t actively seek revenge. Instead, this tragedy makes the fight and the upcoming revolution a personal matter to her and motivates her to fight corruption because she is not the only person who ended up on its receiving end.

The pacing is generally pretty good but I do wish there were less filler episodes and more of the overarching story that’s dedicated to the secret that Comte de Vaudreuil and Mathilde’s parents seem to be hiding from her and maybe it would be better if the secret in question was revealed to the audience a bit later than episode 7 or so.

However, revealing the twist early on is still an interesting narrative choice because then the main question is not what the secret itself is but rather when and how Mathilde will find out and how she will react, not to mention how it will affect the story.

That being said, even the filler episodes do drive home the point that a hero like Mathilde is needed, that nobles are generally corrupt and that something needs to change. Plus, those episodes were still enjoyable and entertaining enough for me to keep watching, which is good because usually I don’t like filler episodes much and it’s pretty easy to make them too boring.

Unfortunately, the show is affected by the common trope of the characters not growing up but I don’t usually mind that much. It also has the cliché of heroes being unrecognizable in costumes and masks, but that’s a bit of a staple in the superhero stories even today so it’s not that bothersome.

4. The Characters

It was admittedly pretty rare for a children’s show to have characters who were fleshed out enough to seem realistic and flawed, but I think this series gives its characters more development than most shows for kids did at the time.

I especially like Mathilde as a character. Sure, at first glance she seems like a typical Nice Pretty Ordinary Girl ™️ but that was a part of the appeal for me.

I am a strong believer in that a character does not need to be a blank slate or a troubled jerk to be interesting and Mathilde is neither of the above. She is essentially an ordinary girl with her own life, family, friends, personality and dreams and, unfortunately, all of that is taken away from her when her parents are killed.

Her initial reluctance to participate in the revolution is also pretty realistic as she is still trying to live her own life in peace and she made a promise to her parents to stay safe so there’s that too.

I really like the fact that the show did not give her magic powers and that she was not immediately good at fencing. François does remark that her fencing is not bad for a beginner but in those same episodes she is clearly shown making mistakes and it takes her time to upgrade from essentially François’s assistant in the heroic shenanigans to a teammate he can rely on and sees as an equal. Heck, later there’s a moment when Mathilde saves François, which is a nice tidbit of her development.

Mathilde also doesn’t have any romantic subplots, which is really rare for a female lead.

She has a childhood friend, Florent, but the two are not close romantically and they even begin to drift apart somewhat once Florent becomes invested in the revolution. François de Vaudreuil does not qualify for a love interest either - his father does take Mathilde in and adopts her after her parents are killed so François is more of an older brother than anything else.

Now, I’m not saying that romance is necessarily a bad thing but I do think that not having them is refreshing than shoehorning a romance into a story that’s not even about it. Plus most kids don’t care that much for romance to begin with so I’d say that the show only benefits from the creative decision of not setting Mathilde up with anyone.

Another interesting narrative choice I’d like to point out is the nearly complete absence of historical characters, like the revolutionaries. They do not make an appearance at all, save for Saint-Just’s cameo in one of the last episodes and, fortunately, he doesn’t get demonized. Instead, the revolutionary ideas are represented by Florent, who even joins the Jacobin Club during the story and is the one who tries to get Mathilde to become a revolutionary. Other real people, like young Napoleon and Mozart, do appear but they are also cameo characters, which does not count.

Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI are exceptions to the rule.

(Spoiler alert!)

Marie-Antoinette is portrayed as kind of spoiled and out of touch. Her spending habits get touched on too but she is not a malicious person at heart. She is simply flawed. She becomes especially important to the story later on when Mathilde finds out the secret that has been hidden from her for her entire life.

As it turns out, Marie- Antoinette, the same queen Mathilde hated so much, is the girl’s older half-sister and Mathilde is an illegitimate daughter of the Austrian king and an opera singer, given to a childless couple of florists to be raised in secret so that her identity can be protected.

The way Marie-Antoinette and Mathilde are related and their further interactions end up providing an interesting inner conflict for Mathilde as now she needs to reconcile this relationship with her sister and her hatred for the corruption filling Versailles.

The characters are not actively glorified or demonized for the most part and each side has a fair share of sympathetic characters but the anime doesn’t shy away from showing the dark sides of the revolution either, unlike some other shows that tackle history (*cough* Liberty’s Kids comes to mind *cough*).

All in all, pretty interesting characters and the way they develop is quite realistic too, even if they could’ve been more fleshed out in my opinion.

5. The Voice Acting

Pretty solid. No real complaints here. I’d say that the dub actors did a good job.

6. The Setting

I really like the pastel and simple color scheme of Paris and its contrast with the brighter palette of Versailles. It really drives home the contrast between these two worlds.

The character designs are pretty realistic, simple and pleasant to watch. No eyesores like neon colors and overly cutesy anime girls with giant tiddies here and that’s a big plus in my book.

7. The Conclusion

Like I said, the show is not available in English and those who are able to watch it might find it a bit cliché but, while it’s definitely not perfect. I actually quite like it for its interesting concept, fairly realistic characters and a complex view of the French Revolution. I can definitely recommend this show, if only to see what it’s all about.

Some people might find this show too childish and idealistic, but I’m not one of them.

I’m almost 21 but I still enjoy cartoons and I’m fairly idealistic because cynicism and nihilism do not equal maturity and, if not for the “silly” idealism, Frev itself wouldn’t happen so I think shows like that are necessary too, even if it’s just for escapism.

If you’re interested and want to check it out, more power to you.

Anyway, thank you for attending the first ever official meeting of the Jacobin Fiction Convention. Second meeting is coming soon so stay tuned for updates.

Have a good day, Citizens! I love you!

- Citizen Green Pixel

[agl03]

Why do you think FS is getting married in the 100th when their last interaction was Jemma being uncomfortable with Fitz's change in personality after the framework? Wouldn't you prefer them to work through their issues first?

Hi Anon,

I started out this season very careful when it came to Fitzsimmons.  Last season was rough on me as a shipper and in this role I have in the fandom where I field a lot of asks.  And I didn’t want a repeat of last season.  In that I was and still am very cautious with my predictions and theories.  

Hints for the 100th started popping up towards the end of hiatus and I have been gathering information since then.  It wasn’t until the engagement came in 6 that I really felt the wedding was really possible in the 100th (it’s been on my list all along but it got legs in 6), and even now I’m not sure how that will look.  

Here are the facts that have me leaning towards a Fitzsimmons Wedding in the 100th. 

Marriage was originally set up in Self Control which was written with Mo and directed by Jed.   Robo Fitz could have gone any number of directions in that conversation with Jemma but Jed purposely had it be planting the marriage seed.  He knew where they wanted things to go, especially when I see Seasons 4 and 5 as one massive interconnected story arc.

Back in April of last year EW had a Spoiler Room Tid Bit:   Even though it was LMD Fitz who brought up marriage, will the couple still discuss that on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? — MatthewThat all depends on if and when they actually get out of the Framework, but basically yes. “He was expressing real emotion,” EP Jed Whedon says. “It could happen. If they ever get back together, that’s something that could happen in their future.

Jed/Mo/Jeff the EP’s, showrunners, know exactly where this is all going wrote the 100th as well.  

In November Jed and MO gave and interview to SPX Magazine and when asked about the 100th.  The goal will be the recognition of our own mythology we’ve developed over the past five seasons.  When we first started, people were hoping, or expecting us, it to be something that was directly tied to the movies.  I feel like over the course of the years, we’ve solidly created our own world, with our own characters that have merit.  If anything, the story for our 100th will definitely be a way of celebrating that.While Jeph said:   “Look, this is not going to come as a surprise to anyone that’s ever seen a 100th episode, that there will be a significant event. That’s all I can tell you. They gotta get home from space!”

Clark and Chloe’s TV Guide Interview.  

Clark’s Interview with Screenrant:  “Some big things. A very big thing,” in the 100th episode. Gregg went on to offer a hint at how fans will react to that “big thing” in the show’s milestone episode: “A very big thing that has been hinted at in my episode that will – if you’re like me, it will destroy any long term fans of the show.”

I’ve watched that episode a number of times and the really big things that happened in that Episode was Flint got his powers and Fitzsimmons got engaged.  Flint isn’t back on earth so for me that leaves the engagement turning into a wedding.  

Comicbook.com Article with quotes from Jeph and Clark:  

“Look, this is not going to come as a surprise to anyone that’s ever seen a 100th episode, that there will be a significant event,” Loeb said. That’s all I can tell you. They gotta get home from space!”

Agents of SHIELD star Clark Gregg teased that the episode will live up to fans’ expectations.“Fans who hope that a 100th episode will contain something that will be a cataclysmic event or a gigantically resonate event for their feels after 100 episodes will not be disappointed,“ Gregg said.

Both of them speak specifically to an event, and I take the event as an actual function kind of event.

Henry and Natalia’s interview with CBR:

“For me, it was still shocking. I have to say it was a little shocking,” Simmons recalled. “Little bit, little bit. Look, you’ve got to come strong on the 100th episode, and they did. They really delivered. I’ll put it that way. The writers, they delivered on the 100th episode in terms of anybody who has invested time in the show — even if for one season, whatever it may be — the 100th episode is a payoff for many people.”

“What happens in the 100th episode…? I’m just kidding! Something really special happens in that episode, so I think for me it was more than ‘aw, oh my god!’ It was more like ‘awww’ endearing and happy that the audience is going to get that moment,” Cordova-Buckley added.

One of the other big things that will come out of the 100th will be the terms of Coulson’s deal.  But I think that is the bad feels they are all warning us about.  Us and the team learning of Coulson’s situation and I believe that his time is running out, that this could be his last mission kind of thing is going to hurt like no tomorrow.  And that doesn’t match up with what Henry and Natalia said.  IE Coulson dying isn’t awww endearing or a big payoff for fans.

Clark to EW:  “Fans who hope that a 100th episode will contain something that will be a cataclysmic event or a gigantically resonate event for their feels after 100 episodes will not be disappointed,” Gregg said.

There is the word event again, but I also think that this speaks to both good and bad kinds of feels.  

Jed and Mo TV Line 2/27:  Tancharoen teased, “It’s definitely an emotional game changer.”“I think that nothing will be the same after [Episode 100],” Whedon echoed, “so that I guess is the definition of a game changer.”

What is happening with Coulson and the team learning his fate absolutely changes things and will shake the dynamic of the team a bit.  However this works for a married FItzsimmons too as it ups the stakes for them personally and changes their dynamic with the team as well.  

Iain’s 100th Red Carpet Interview

The way his eyes got wide when she asked about the wedding.  He was surprised when she seemed to talk about it as fact as its the thing they are hiding.  The cast and crew are given talking points of what they can and can’t say.  The orders on the Fitzsimmons Wedding are deflect or the standard “we’ll have to wait and see”

Out of everyone one the cast the two that are the most coy when it comes to a Fitzsimmons wedding are Lil and Iain themselves.  

EW Spoiler Room 3/1:  Okay, so the way everyone was describing the 100th episode has even me worried about our fearless leader. EP Jed Whedon said the landmark hour is an “emotional episode and it was emotional making it.” But Clark Gregg himself says there is also some hope during the 100th, though he wouldn’t reveal if it has to do with him. “There’s been a big scary dagger of fate hanging over Coulson’s head all season and we’re going to find out the nature of that and what it means going forward,” Gregg says, referencing the deal with Ghost Rider. “That in itself would be enough drama for a 100th episode, but on top of that, we have an incredible device the writers have come up with where some characters from the past will appear. There is also a moment that many of us have waited a long time for. I won’t say what ‘ship it has to do with, but somebody’s ‘ship is going to reach a shore.”

I know there has been some debate as to which ship Clark was referring I’ve touched on in a few metas why I think its Fitzsimmons.  

Natalia’s BTS IG Story:  In it Iain clearly has a ring on.  And by my best guess this was about when they would have been filming 16, so the wedding takes place between 12-16.  

Playing my own devils advocate, yes this could be for another flashback/forward scene.  

Story wise I feel this is a good place for it.  They aren’t wasting anymore time nor are they willing to risk being separated again if they can help it.  It offers a bit of hope in a bleak/stressful situation.   As I said above it raises the stakes for Fitzsimmons even more since they are now fighting for their future together, that dream of growing old together.  I also feel that if they are having them get married it plays a part in the story still to come, possibly as early as 14 based on the synopsis.  

I’ve did a couple of metas following 5.10 and “the reaction” HERE and HERE.   Two long metas short, Jemma didn’t see a change in Fitz’s personality, she was taken back by the how.  

I absolutely agree that they need to address both of their trauma that from the Framework, but I also know that the writers don’t always have the time to go into the detail the fans would like.  Married or no FItzsimmons still have the trauma and its not going to change them wanting to get married.  Jemma never wavered in her faith of him in the Framework and she’s not going to start now.  But in the end the story has to move along, there is limited time and the writers only address what they absolutely have too to move the story along.

 I FULLY ADMIT I could be wrong, I have missed before, I’ve gone down with the ship on big misses (AKA “Fitz isn’t an LMD” last season), so i will as always caution to manage expectations.  I’m making the choice to allow myself to get excited about it based on my interpretation of what is out there in interviews and teases, but if it doesn’t happen I won’t be upset either.  Whatever this big “event’ is will be great.   And no matter what I think something awesome will happen with Fitzsimmons in the 100th.  Aside from that I want to know the terms of Coulson’s Deal, how Davis is on two press releases, if my Hydra theory is right, more information on the other monoliths, more Deke hints, old faces returning, and overall more pieces of the puzzle.