Episode 4 “Video Killed the Radio Star” [from the same name as the Buggles song]

Production Details

Episode Director: Tsuyoshi Tobita [Episode Director on A.I.C.O. -Incarnation- Episodes 3, 8 and 12 / Episode Director on Accel World Episodes 6, 9, 14, and 21 / Episode Director on The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan Episodes 2, 10, and 16 / Episode Director on Girlish Number Episodes 2 and 8 / Episode Director on Kaguya-sama: Love is War Episodes 5 and 10 (Also the Unit Director on its Opening Sequence) / Storyboard on Log Horizon Episode 13 (Also Episode Director on Episodes 5, 13, and 22) / Episode Director on Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia) Episode 12 (Also the Unit Director on its First Ending Sequence) / Episode Director on Noragami Episodes 6 and 12 / Episode Director on Noragami Aragoto Episodes 1, 6, and 13 / Episode Director on Grancrest Senki (The Record of Grancrest War) Episodes 2, 5, 12 and 13 / Episode Director on Sword Art Online Alicization Episode 1 / Episode Director on Wotakoi Episodes 3 and 10]

Script: Kimiko Ueno [Script on Gokyodai Monogatari film / Series Composition and Script on Kuromajyo-san ga Toru!! / Screenplay on Little Witch Academia Episodes 3, 7, 8, 14, 16, and 22 / Script on Mysterious Joker Episodes 2,4,7,10,12 / Script on The Royal Tutor film and series’ episodes 1,2,5,6, 11, and 12 / Script on Space Dandy Episodes 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 20, and 23 / Script on Space Patrol Luluco Episodes 8 and 10 / Script on Zumomo to Nupepe Series]

Storyboard: Tensai Okamura [Storyboard on Zetsuen no Tempest (Blast of Tempest) Second Ending Sequence / Director, Storyboard  on Ao no Exorcist (Blue Exorcist) First Opening and First Ending Sequences + Episodes 1, 2, 6, 18, 20, and 25 / Storyboard on Cowboy Bebop Episodes 6, 7, 12, 13, 15, 22, and 24 / Original Creator, Director, Series Composition, Script on Darker Than Black entire series + OVAs and manga / Storyboard on Uchoten Kazoku (My Eccentric Family) Episodes 4 and 9 / Storyboard on Darling in the FranXX Episode 8 / Storyboard on Emma: A Victorian Romance Episode 2 / Key Animation on Ghost in the Shell (1995 film) / Storyboard on Guilty Crown Episode 20 / Storyboard on Hanasaku Iroha Episodes 5 and 7 / Storyboard on Iroduku: The World in Colors Episodes 8 and 13 / Animation Director and Key Animation on Jiku Boken Numamonjaa OAV / Director and Storyboard on Kuromukuro (the storyboard on first opening sequence + Episodes 1, 2, 4, 11, 18, and 26) also Key Animation on Episode 26 / Director and Storyboard on Medabots / Animation work on My Neighbor Totoro film / Episode Director and Storyboard on Neon Genesis Evangelion Episode 13 / Key Animation on Ninja Scroll film / Storyboard on Ouran Highschool Host Club Episode 3 / Director on Project Earth Blue SOS and Storyboards for Episodes 1, 3, and 6 / Episode Director on Episode 1 / Storyboard on RD Senno Chosashitsu (Real Drive) Episode 25 / Storyboard on Samurai Champloo Episode 23 / Director on Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins) / Director on Wolf’s Rain (and its OAV) (also Storyboard on Episodes 1-3, 7, 11, and 12]

Chief Animation Director: Naoyuki Konno (Character Designer and Chief Animation Director on Concrete L / Key Animator on Episodes 1, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 18-20, 22, 24-26 on Cowboy Bebop / Character Designer and Chief Animation Director on Hisone to Masotan / Planning on GANGSTA / Key Animator on Kaiji Opening Sequence]

Animation Directors:

• Manabu Nii [Key Animation on Aikatsu Friends! Opening Sequences / Key Animation on Aria the Natural Episode 7 / Sub Character Design and Chief Animation Director on Bakuon!! Episodes 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 / Animation Director on Yagate Kimi ni Naru (Bloom Into You) Episode 6 / Key Animation on Deadman Wonderland Episode 9 / Animation Director on Garakowa film / Key Animation @ MANGLOBE Studio on GLASSLIP Episode 10 / Ke Animation on March Comes in Like a Lion Episode 8 / Key Animation on Tsuritama Episode 8 / Animation Director on The World God Only Knows Season 2 Opening Sequence and Episodes 1, 7, and 12]
• Hideko Sato [Key Animation on 91 Days Episode 8 / Animation Director Assistant on Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia) Episode 35 / Key Animation on Kekkai Sensen (Blood Blockade Battlefront) Episodes 8 and 12 / Animation Director on Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju Episode 7 / In-Between Animation on Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu film / 2nd Key Animation on Kizumonogatari Part 3: Reiketsu film / 2nd Key Animation on Tokyo Ghoul Episodes 4 and 5 / Key Animation on Tokyo Ghoul:re Opening Sequence and Episode 8]

This is the kind of episode that tells us to keep watching this show. It has everything! Zombies, a music video, a dance sequence, a cameo from Space Dandy characters (QT, Honey, and the other Boobies’ waitress Candy)  and lots of other references! For the show itself, it looks incredibly amazing because it shows us how this world is much like our own when it comes to social media and how to generate attention through the net.

Having the plan with Ertegun not working out–the girls and Gus decide that a music video could be a way for them to garner attention to their music. Glad to see that the ending song finally lands a spot in this series’ story, as it’s featured in the repertoire of these girls’ songs! As far as the girls go with music I find it very neat how Roddy and Gus have impacted their lives as musicians. At first, the girls wanted to play music just for themselves and last time we got to see that they want a song that will take the world by storm. In other words, they want to become famous. Sharing the same intentions as Roddy and Gus.

This entire episode is a commentary on our way of life today–from ” in real life” relationships and how we use new media to create connections with others through the means of social networking and viral distribution. I think it would be a really cool thing to do if the creators implemented the use of a QR code in an upcoming episode that offered a download for a song they’re writing. It would certainly hit a mark.

So the group purchases a robot named IDEA to direct their DIY music video. I really like how we have this wide range of ideas for the video between Carole, Gus, and Roddy and Tuesday. Gus wants a video straight out of a Marvel film, Carole wants Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Roddy being the nerd that he is with his robots and tech equipment all through his apartment wants a music video akin to A-ha (more specifically the music video for “Take on Me”, All Tuesday wants is a cool video with a slight reference to Kevin Costner’s film “The Bodyguard”. A charm of this episode is that we have this robot combining all these referential ideas all a bit too easily. How situationally ironic this is. The entire show has been A.I. and robots doing the jobs that humans do and here we have a robot (an AI director named IDEA) relaxing watching an anime of another robot (QT from Space Dandy) relaxing. What makes this really funny is that both robots (Idea and QT) share the same voice actress. A self-proclaimed director, that drinks beer, takes a bath while drinking beer, watches anime (awesome that it turns out to be Space Dandy) and bullies Giggy (Carole’s pet robot owl). On top of that is where Roddy becomes the butt of the jokes during video production. Have to love Ertegun’s reaction at the end! As far as Ertegun goes, we have to wonder what his relationship with Roddy really is. He shoes affection towards him–he doesn’t want him falling into a trap whether it’s with Carole and Tuesday or not.  This factor works for the show’s benefits as it adds more layers to this futuristic world we’ve been presented with. Especially a world that closes its doors to human performers and showcases A.I. as the real creative geniuses behind all entertainment.

When it comes to a show like this you have to learn a little bit more about the characters to get a great story. Shinichiro Watanabe did this same thing with Space Dandy and all his other works before it. Deliver somewhat episodic content and subtlely toss in small details about the main cast. This episode, in particular, uses Gus and his connections within the industry to help these girls become stars. In order to fulfill all these unreasonable requests from director IDEA, Gus turns to his ex-wife Marie for help. Their chemistry is real. A well-grounded relationship with her ex. We don’t have to spend a few episodes seeing her character grow.  While she can receive further character development one thing is quite clear: she already has the life she wants. Without even showing us a single scene while they were married we can already tell that they had their ups and downs, but with time have gotten over it and have become closer than they ever have before.  She wants the best for him and he shares the same sentiments. I really like how the creators didn’t shove down the fact that she’s getting remarried until much later on in the episode. She’s bisexual and they establish this very naturally. It isn’t until we see the girls out shopping and getting makeovers that this is the case. She has this large change in her life, discovering who she is and finding happiness with a woman, who turns out to be hair and makeup stylist Anne.  It is out of her respect for Gus now more than ever that she chooses to help these girls with their music video. The scenes in this episode with Gus and Marie are about the best this show has so far. Very authentic especially with its production. Light jazz score and casually warm color choice, and extremely detailed bar backdrop.

As for the final music video production, it is wonderfully hilarious! Filled with lots of references from Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video to The Breakfast Club to Marvel, Money for Nothing music video, and there are a few in there I recognize but can’t quite figure out what they’re from. Carole & Tuesday is effortlessly hilarious and we can really see that with the countless ways they made the music video look amateurish. Tons of rough cuts–bad transitions and unfinished CG (not to mention their instruments are made out of cardboard) plus the framing is entirely off the wall where random people show up on camera (by accident) front and center.  They get scammed by an alcoholic robot (IDEA) into making the worst (best) ripoff music video. The video gives a good look at how songs might be produced by A.I.. We haven’t really heard much aside from Ertegun’s music but from what I gather from this video the music might be done in a similar style. If this is the case this would be a fascinating method to explore this theme.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 10/10

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