Charlotte - Episode 13 "Memories to Come"

Key Discussion
#37

Going to write this post before reading the others as to have a fresh set of of thoughts.

I generally liked Charlotte all the way through and liked the idea they had, but it seemed poorly executed.

This episode was sort of the solidifying factor to that belief. Having Yuu’s entire global adventure packed into a single episode felt very rushed and awkward, as well as the supposed romance with Nao. On top of that, the global adventure wasn’t as thrilling as I’d hoped. Just a few bumps here and there. I can summarize episode 13 the same way I could summarize the whole series; Good idea, poorly executed, felt rushed. Normally at the end of a visual novel or anime, the word “fin” invokes a lot of emotion from me, but this time around I was just thinking, “Oh? Thats the end? Okay.”

The series as a whole was pretty mediocre but I didn’t hate it. Might be worth a marathon’d rewatch at some point in the near future.

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#38

The absolute worst part of this show was that this track never showed up T^T: http://puu.sh/kpCUh/f3e8016720.mp3

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#39

Goddamn, ever since I heard that in the PV for the anime I’ve been waiting to hear that track actually used. Extremely disappointed that it wasn’t, since it’s so beautiful.

Edit: There’s a review on MAL which pretty much sums up my feelings from episode 13, and by extension, Charlotte as a whole. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RpwYMTnBp69zp7MSMQ70t2M9Hf1LFbwFpvTwrXeE3XE/edit

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#40

Since it appears to be peaceful enough here for the moment, I guess I’ll just post a few thoughts while it’s all alright.

I felt it was lacking. Not in how it made sense or conveyed the show’s message, it did and was entirely satisfying in that regard - but in terms of execution it was quite weak. I remember saying (not on here) that they should at least have made this episode a one-hour special, and I still stand with that. Watching it, you feel they had to throw in the whole of Yu’s adventure despite it clearly being too long for the usual anime episode format, and it resulted in his supposed struggle feeling weak, because he navigates between distinct parts of it all in a matter of minutes, which makes the whole of it feel as if it were brushed aside. It felt rushed, and weak as a result. Another consequence of that is the final scene, which comes about so abruptly I barely knew what to say when it started.

The more global problem is that quite frankly I feel Maeda went for the “easy” ending, one where his characters aren’t hurt too much - the problem being that I expected a much greater sense of sacrifice and struggle from Yu’s adventure, and although it was partly because of what I said above, I wonder if any length could have fixed that entirely. That makes me really frustrated.

I feel especially frustrated because all in all, it’s a show with amazing ideas, and to me it was mere inches away from being a truly amazing work. That is to say, a better ending, or alternatively more episodes, from being quite a masterful anime.

Now as for how I rank Charlotte, I’ll still put it as my favorite anime of the summer if only for what an interesting and meaningful series it was, despite the ending being of unfortunately questionable quality and, I’ll say it, one of the show’s worse episodes in my opinion, if only based on what one could have rightfully expected from Charlotte’s finale after all that build-up. And while that might sound upsetting to some, I rank it way above Angel Beats!, aka the anime which never should’ve been one - at least Charlotte is fit to be an animation. (and also because Yu & Nao are amazing and I never felt as strongly toward any AB! character).

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#41

I think this is the best way to put what made the show weird. I liked it, I really did, and I hope that people will or will come to appreciate this as a good story- Because I think it is. It’s very nice. With all of its good pieces, there are other parts that are hopelessly underdeveloped. I have more thoughts as to what I think happened here but I’ll save them for another time.

While this may rank quite low (possibly the bottom) of my views of Key works, that doesn’t by any means mean it’s ‘bad’ to me, it’d be bad in relative terms. I think this is still a good anime but… Predisposition toward where it’s coming from, that isn’t by any means unwarranted, is an inevitable thing that will almost assuredly be its grave for eternity.

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#42

I don’t think the execution was that weak throughout the series though, in that regard this episode might be the worst knowing it was the ending (episode 3&4 can pass since they’re early ones, it’s not quite as crucial to pull it all off at that point in time). And yeah, too many parts were underdeveloped… way too many. In the end so many questions were left in the air (Nao’s brother? anyone?).

Maybe it’s just me, but its shortness made it a really dense series, and I absolutely didn’t mind that for the most part - except for the fact that quite a few elements were left behind in the process. But as for what it did tell and the way it told it… I just didn’t find it any bad, except in that last episode of course.

I just hope Maeda gives up on the idea of a 13-episode animation… pretty sure at this rate he’ll never manage.

And yeah, of course Charlotte is going to rank low among any Key fan - and I have to say it’s not pleasing, because “worst” or “2nd worst” sounds bad, even though it actually isn’t. But relatively to other Key works, then it’s sure to be low, even for me, and I can say that all in all I loved it. (That’s what’s so hard about being a Key fan - you have to put even great stuff at the bottom of your list!).

For all its flaws, Charlotte will forever remain underrated, for reasons I can only understand, as upsetting as I find it. I hope it gets more love one day though, because it definitely deserves it.

#43

“lel, this guys ability portfolio is literally Michael Jackson’s wikipedia page with his name replaced with “AAAAAAAAAAA””

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Good job PA works

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#44

I think showing exactly that was the point of this scene. Because the power of courage is the one ability that was saved for last. It was the ability which made the job done. That this ability is the one Yuu plundered last shows that it was not necessary to plunder it before. He didn’t need it.

He didn’t need it because he already had the courage to complete this task. The anime has spent 12 episodes for Yuu to develop this courage. Showing this ability as the last one he plunders makes a point out of him not having needed it.

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#45

I agree in that he didn’t need it, but the existence of such a power, as I said, spits in the face of those who have worked hard for that courage.

The series, as a whole, didn’t need that ability, and I cannot for the love of me figure out the point of stressing out the fact that “Courage is the last ability” for anything other than to make things cheesy.

#46

Pepe that doesn’t make any sense. The courage power isn’t in any way taking away from anyone else with genuine courage. It’s word-for-wording a major aspect of the shows message.

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#47

It doesn’t because of a simple reason: These powers are a disease. The series makes a point out of that being the case. That those abilities make the world worse not better. That’s why Yuu has to plunder them in the first place. People don’t and should not need those powers. They should not have this artificial courage. That’s what the anime, that’s what this scene tells us.

Yuu even said to her: “You have far enough courage on your own.” And she has, even after he plundered her ability she still protects him for a few seconds, with fear in her eyes.

This scene doesn’t demean courage, it’s the complete opposite. It shows that the courage developed by ourselves is of far more worth than a superpower which gives it.

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#48

I dunno about that, sure he had the courage to finish it, but dude got BROKE.
Maybe with an infinite amount of courage he could have kept his shit together.

#49

Or do as he did and stupidly walk away from an armed person and almost get himself killed.

The idea is that not only is courage part of the disease because it makes us weaker or is fake- It should be genuine- but it also makes people do really stupid shit.

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#50

Eh, he already broke by then, didn’t seem to register that normals were a thing at that point.

#51

It doesn’t take away from any of the characters, that’s true; heck it really doesn’t affect the story in any way whatsoever. But deciding to use that as an ability cheapens the value of courage: I see courage as something people should gain on their own, and the fact that it is one of the multiple abilities makes it something that can be shrugged off as something that might help with a little bit of magic. I felt demeaned, as a viewer, to say the least.

We can agree in that courage developed by ourselves has more worth than the ability itself; the problem is, the existence of this ability cheapens courage as a whole. It relegates a beautifully human concept into a disease. The mere possibility of having courage become something on a level of being obtainable without taking the necessary steps for it demeans its value and the people who have worked hard for it.

Which is why I am ticked off at the very existence of this power. It doesn’t matter what kind of character obtained it, and what was done with it, but it’s whole existence simply insults me.

At the very least, the character they used to show this power was somebody who could stand up to true courage after losing it. I would agree that that characterization is very good; just that the series would have fared better for me on a personal level without the existence of that power.

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#52

He would have got broke anyway. The main probem lwhich destroyed his psyche was direct damage to the brain because he had thousands and thousands of abilities. Being afraid of the task was also a problem for sure, but it was not what broke his mind. His brain simply couldn’t keep up.

#53

It exists to empower true courage, it’s literally speaking to everything you’re saying about the human trait. From my perspective you should love it, I’m so confused lmao. The ability is labeled as a disease just like how being really charismatic doesn’t make someone a good person as someone mindless may view it, because that person could easily be full of shit.

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#54

I guess I get your point, but isn’t it the process that gets you to your courage what actually makes it worth something? That if you only have the courage, but not the experience that was necessary to achieve it, all that it will do is make you run into situations which will basically kill you, like this girl?

This girl might have had courage as her superpower, but isn’t it a fact that without the hard work all she had was something that kills her?

#55

I think it’s because, on a personal level, it’s something that I already hold as a fact. I don’t need a story to come in and tell that to my face. Having it as an ability only solidifies its portrayal of this fake courage for the sake of reiterating that fact. That would be an explanation as to why I hate it, despite you thinking that I should love it.

I only used the word “disease” as a response to @Velunari’s portrayal of it. My personal wording would be “instantly-obtained ability” to highlight what I am trying to say.

That’s not exactly how I view courage, though… If she did die, it wouldn’t be her courage that killed her; even genuine courage would have put her in the same situation. It takes courage to put your life on the line for others, and while commendable, going in there without a plan for failure speaks not of one’s own courage, but of their lack of ability in foreseeing situations.

#56

I can’t help but think of how this episode would have been better if paced out to an entire series. It was very dense with good scenes that would have been better if they could have been expanded on.

The first few episodes could have expanded on Yuu tearing apart that first syndicate, gaining the power to find other power users, and could have dealt with just how monumental the task was. Because Yuu just kept getting more and more powerful, the initial country would have been the hardest, and you could have devoted quite a few episodes to that. Really, this is the section that you could stretch out as long as you want, developing the characters in the region, the plot of the area and everything else. Unlike later arcs, Yuu doesn’t yet have they power to blaze through this country, so he actually has to deal with the region’s risks (2-6 episodes)

Getting the ability to find carriers and incubate them was also pretty monumental, because it allowed him to deal with the future as well. You could have easily devoted an episode to that scene. (1 episode)

The healing ability definitely left Yuu with two big moral quandaries. Perhaps he could see the girl healing the villagers, and maybe she would have some injury to herself that she didn’t heal, leading Yuu to believe that it couldn’t apply to yourself. He could fight with the morality of stealing the ability from her, and eventually decide that he had to. After that, he could realize that she just chose not to use the ability on herself (that would be a cool revelation) and then he suddenly has to deal with the possibility of healing his eye. (1 episode)

The buildup of voices in his head is something that could be foreshadowed for a while, and those scenes with collapse and him losing control in his sleep could really push the show in a new direction for the second half. By this point, he’d already be so powerful that the task would seem doable, but now the psychological aspect is catching up to him. That arc could develop towards the Arizona scene, where Yuu still can’t remember himself fully, but still finds resolve because of those memories buried deep within. (3 episodes)

Here we would see Yuu at the height of his power and resolve. He has all of these abilities, and can only remember his mission, not even himself. We could have that same short montage of Yuu teleporting around, saving the ability users from the scientists, etc. This is where we throw in the last wrench of his plans: his abilities are starting to go away. Now he’s been on the journey for over a year, and his powers are fading. Moreover, his plunder ability is showing a weakness, the more powers he takes the shorter he keeps them. Now he’s rapidly powering down, and his mission is not yet complete. Soon he reaches the last country, and fights against time to incubate the remaining carriers. With those taken care of, we see him lose the powers he gained at the beginning of the journey. He has to track down the last handful without the aid of his map, and we see him relying on the abilities of the student council to get the job done. We end with that scene of the random guy; Yuu still has one more power user to find, only plunder left to use, and his end is at hand. The girl comes to save Yuu, and he completes his mission. He’s completely lost recognition of the world and considers his journey to be at an end. But as he gets shot by the assassin, he faintly remembers a promise he made, a promise to come back home…Cue epilogue.(2 episodes)

That would have been a pretty intense and full series, but instead we got it all in 24 minutes. I can’t say I’m surprised, but I do feel like it’s a bit of a missed opportunity. The ending we got was satisfying, but I can’t help wondering at what might have been. It would have been a lot like (REWRITE SPOILER)the Terra arc in rewrite. A long solitary journey.

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