Cyborg 009 "Awakening" Talkback (Spoilers)

[William C. Maune]

Do you wish you had acceleration powers? Season Two of the latest remake of the groundbreaking Cyborg 009 series continues tonight. This is the official Talkback thread for the Cyborg 009 episode "Awakening" airing on Cartoon Network June 26th at 1:30 AM (12:30 Central). Hop in your submarine and comment on this episode!

Previously on Cyborg 009, landmarks around the world were being destroyed as alien visitors crashed down to Earth. These mostly mute and peaceful being are on the run from a powerful, and colorful, invading force. While the little visitors have amazing powers, they cannot use them to fight without sacrificing themselves. Can the Cyborg team save the aliens and the Earth before more lives are lost? Tune in to find out.

Spoilers: If the episode has already aired on Cartoon Network you do not need to worry about using spoiler tags. If you must comment on episodes that have not yet aired on Cartoon Network you will need to use spoiler tags due to the number of people who have not seen the rest of the series. Thank you!

For more information you can attempt to check out the official Japenese, Cyborg Soldier 009 Web Site (http://www.009.tv/).

[Rabi~en~Rose]

Jet is going a little overboard :( he shouldn't be soooo mean to those little guys :( 007's speech about crossing dimensons was funny and unexpected until it was so quickly over :sweat: and his turning into a sofa to catch 003 and then making a face at her was silly! light power light power!

[RedBoot]

Those kids went from total pansies at the start of the ep to really freaking creepy by the end.

Seriously, they're probably going to go hit up a convenience store before they head back home.

[Rabi~en~Rose]

I just knew it wouldn't end so sweetly :( those alien kids don't look so nice anymore but I hope they will be ok

[Juu-kuchi]

This episode (my first) screamed mundane throughout it tonight. That and the acting seemed all too wooden now, and the aliens sounded lame. I think they also tamed the dialogue a bit because this felt like an episode where the speech was like such.

I did like the nice twist in the end where they were given hope to fight, but yet it seems that they may become what they were trying to defend themselves from.

[raykremer]

Aw, crap, I forgot to watch. That's it, this is going up on the row of Post-it notes under my computer monitor.

[Sketch]

Man this show is deep... it's just like Kikaider. Not a suprise... being they were both created by the same guy.

Why must every end so bitter sweet? ... such is life I guess.

I guess that's why this show isn't on durring the day... it's like an Adult Swim anime. All these depressing things happening all the time. I wonder if WS saw a bit of this and thought "maybe this will be a bit happier later on"... if that's the case... my best guess is they are wrong.

Another thing that makes it like an Adult Swim is that it's all too easy to fall asleep when you watch it. (DUSK doesn't seem to have that problem, at least for me) I guess AS needs to pick up some less boring animes... yeah that could probably help the ratings but it's a shame that the mature ones are the ones that are boring and the more teen oriented ones are the ones that hold people's attention better.

That being said... I'm glad this isn't on Adult Swim because adults aren't the only ones who should understand the issues brought up in Cyborg 009.

And I've gotta say it was really ominous when the aliens turned their ship into one that looked like their enemies'. It made me think that maybe their enemies' were really rouges of their own kind and the robots were only the guards... I think I'm reading too deeply into this.

Sheesh, this is one of those shows that you can long discussions about over tea or coffee...

[lostrune]

1. Cyborg "ballerina" 003 to Cyborg "shapeshifter" 007: "Is that a coin under the couch pillow, or are you just glad to catch me?" :anime:

2. The aliens are probably talking in stilted English because they don't normally speak, much less speak Earthener. :shrug:

3. It's alive! They've created a monster! :eek:
Didn't the alien kids just kill the crew of that enemy ship? :sad:

4. When the alien kids transformed their ship to look like the enemy's, it reinforced the feeling that the kids have transformed into their own worst enemy. Wouldn't it be cliche if their enemy turns out to be their own kind too? :o

[William C. Maune]

I actually liked this episode, but I was surprised by the depressing ending to the episode. It was an interesting conflict between protecting peaceful ways, yet still defending yourself and the lines to be careful about crossing. While 002's message of care and understanding got through to the aliens, they didn't actually listen too well in the end. I began to suspect that something was up when they went after the alien ship, even though it was already fleeing. However, I don't know what was more unsettling, the way the aliens were acting at the end of the episode or that 003 was the only one who seemed to truly understand what was going on.

I'm with Redboot, any gas stations along the way home better watch out for those guys.

[Sketch]

Stepping on the flower was some ominious for-shadowing...

I don't think that's the last we'll see of them.

And I really think it was rogues of their own kind that were their "enemies"

[William C. Maune]

I guess that's why this show isn't on durring the day... it's like an Adult Swim anime...

I think one of things I like best about this show is that while it is indeed a kids show, it is so much deeper than the typical kids show. Some of the stuff in here really makes you think.

[William C. Maune]

Stepping on the flower was some ominious for-shadowing...

I'd definitely agree. I think that was a more powerful scene than even the spaceship transforming at the end. The incident with the flower was just so simple that it really stuck in the mind.

[Sketch]

Technically being an organic life-form... stepping on it should probably hurt them. Yet there were no signs of that. Perhaps the ones who told them never to attack other creatures did not say it because it would truely hurt them physically but instead it would hurt them mentally and cause them to become cold and ruthless.

Man this show is deep. I'm still thinking about it at 3AM...

I gotta go to bed... I've got work tommorow.

[William C. Maune]

I gotta go to bed... I've got work tommorow.

Sleep is for the weak! I've been at work since midnight and between my jobs I'll be working until 4 PM. Back on topic, I like your theory about the destruction not actually affecting them physically, but mentally instead. It really fits the episode well.

[anime_guru]

I am sorry to all of the .hack dusk fans, but as for keeping interest, this episode does it to a T. Who knew that 002 had to deal with that? I guess the personal feelings were used for quite the bit of motivation. But the ending was what really drew me in-the stepping of the flower by pal, that in itself was a very artistic gesture showing that the aliens leave knowing new emotions.

similar to the artistic tones of kikaider, this show delivers those well. I hope that this alien ark is continued. This was thoroughly impressive, at least to me...
and I couldn't go to sleep after watching that aweful street fighter anime, so this episode peeked my interest.
9/10

[Duke]

The energy balls lost all its luster this episode.

So David Umasky finally gets a real role instead of covering for Joshua Seth...

I wouldn't mind having a ship like theirs, though...

[GWOtaku]

To be honest, I disagree with the 003's conclusion, i.e. the conclusion the episode tries to leave us with.

Okay...these aliens refuse to stand up for themselves. Unless they do they will be oppressed, ruled over, deprived of freedom. This was reality and 002 stated it over and over again--no one disagreed with the point, only the means by which he was trying to get it across.

By the time everything is done the aliens become more aggressive, and are therefore able to beat off the invaders--the emotion of love or something close to it served as a catalyst for awakening their power, as it was explained in the episode. 003 reflects that this outcome could be a tragedy, since the aliens now have to deal with all the feelings humans do--with love comes feelings of suffering, anger, and so on. This combined with the crushed flower and the morphing of their ship into the enemy ship is supposed to communicate that they've lost some of their innocence and/or are in danger of becoming like their occupiers, and that therefore the entire adventure was a tragedy.

I beg to differ. Yes, now the aliens are subject to a wide array with emotions--just like humans. And you know what, like humans they at least have the free will to decide for themselves how they will live, instead of being dictated to by any oppressor. Are we to believe suppression is preferable to the "pain" of emotions and the supposedly terrifying prospect of self-determination?

I don't.

Lets ask 003's question: did the cyborgs do the right thing? I say that they did. Is it possible the aliens will sink ever lower? Yes. Its also possible that they won't. But the critical point is that whatever path they take, they are choosing it for themselves. Their destiny will be determined by the strength of their character, as it should be. Where that will take them depends on one's own opinion and how much one wants to read into things. Some people may argue that their development of a self-defense mechanism is the first step in aggressive tendencies, whereas others (like me) will say that it doesn't have to mean that at all.

But the cyborgs are not to be faulted for enabling the aliens to have free choice. If the cyborgs couldn't protect the aliens for them, nor can they baby them to make sure they don't screw up. Their free will is their own and what they do with it is up to them alone, and they alone will be accountable for how they continue to live.

At least they have the choice to make, thanks to the Cyborgs.

003 is wrong.

[Obi]

Well that was.....strange.



Certainly different from season 1. Still good though.

[trunkschan90]

Can't be any stranger than Kenshin's voice coming out of that little alien O_o
The crushing flower and the ship morphing into the enemy's ship kind of freaked me out a bit cuz I thought that using their powers would convert them into the enemy they're fighting

[Crinos]

I personally thought it was a great episode, except for one thing.

WE NEVER SAW THE INVADERS!

I mean, they travel to their homeworld, and the most we see? more flying jawbreakers, some robot guards, and a flying trilobyte.

I would have liked to see these guys in person at least once.

Ah well, good episode regardless, though 002 is a real ham.

[Master Moron]

I personally thought it was a great episode, except for one thing.

WE NEVER SAW THE INVADERS!

I mean, they travel to their homeworld, and the most we see? more flying jawbreakers, some robot guards, and a flying trilobyte.

I would have liked to see these guys in person at least once.

Ah well, good episode regardless, though 002 is a real ham.

Well, the general consensus seems to be that the alien invaders were in fact, themselves, or rather, members of their own species.

You know, I agree that stepping on a flower was supposed to be foreshadowing, but if you think about it, it's kind of silly. I mean, grass is alive too but we don't expect them to be concerned about stepping on grass. And bacteria are living organisms too so technically brushing your teeth is an act of murder. I just don't see stepping on a flower as that bad.

[DSRGirl]

You know, I agree that stepping on a flower was supposed to be foreshadowing, but if you think about it, it's kind of silly. I mean, grass is alive too but we don't expect them to be concerned about stepping on grass. And bacteria are living organisms too so technically brushing your teeth is an act of murder. I just don't see stepping on a flower as that bad.
I believe the Japanese use the flower as some sort of sybolism for nature and beauty, and crushing it is a sign of turning away from that beauty. I know a flower is an important tool for trying to get a message through in anime. I've seen it before (on Digimon, Season 2 for example).

As for the episode itself, very good. Always good to see others get into the action besides 009. And here the star was 002, getting the aliens to use they're powers to save themselves and crush the evil spike ships. Why do I have a feeling that someone just programmed a lie into them about if they killed they would be killed, and now that they can use they're powers fully, they don't need to worry about what they're programming says or not. I agree with GWOtaku though: Just because they have the power and crushed the flower dosen't mean they're evil. Or that what the Cyborgs did was wrong. Everyone is entitled to they're own opinion. Who are we to judge what is right and what is wrong if it's dosen't involve us at all?

[True Noir]

What was the "Awakenings" episode number? I forgot to watch.

[G1Ravage]

What was the "Awakenings" episode number? I forgot to watch.
I would guess it was 28.

[Sampo]

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/wizardgrey/images/Cyborg%20009/SM1.jpghttp://home.hawaii.rr.com/wizardgrey/images/Cyborg%20009/SM2.jpg




The 00 Cyborgs decide to help out their alien friends and head off to the Alien's world to combat the enemy. 002 reveals his a part of his childhood as begs the aliens to stand up for themselves and not become like those children living off the streets.

Not much else to add to this thread. Although I also like the ending, that was a nice ominus tone when the aliens crushed that flower and transformed their ship. Also we get to see the reason why 002 was so harsh on these little guys.

It is nice to see these episodes center less around 009 and more on the other Cyborgs. 002 looks like he did the right thing, I guess :sweat:

Screen caps from this episode can be found here with Ads. (http://www.angelfire.com/anime5/sampo/Cyborg%20009.htm)

[Dabura]

Sampo is right there really isn't anything more to add other than what others have said already, but I liked this episode. And I agree that the 'enemy' was other members of their race. I don't doubt that the next time the 00 crew see them, that they haven't joined the enemy in the destruction of everything.

[Duke]

Can't be any stranger than Kenshin's voice coming out of that little alien O_o
Was it Richard Hayworth? Sounded like David Usmasky (Veemon/Impmon/Demidevimon in Digimon, Keitaro in Love Hina, 009 in 2 episodes) to me. They both have similar voices though.

[PaQ]

An interesting episode of Cyborg 009. A bit of a bittersweet ending, but definitely a more entertaining episode than the episode before. We get to see why 002 was so hard on the aliens, and that the emotion they react to is love. While the others are going to free the prisoners, the aliens have their powers awakened and proceed to obliterate the enemy at a devastating rate, everyone is saved and we see 003 notice that the aliens have lost their gentle way and wonders if what they did was indeed the best thing in the long run.

A good episode, great for debate. It seems that they didn't seem to get all of 002's message, and seemed to have lost their peaceful and kind ways. Stepping on the flower showed that they didn't have the same regard for not killing as they did before, and I think the scariest thing was them changing the shape of their ship to the look of the enemy's ship. Makes you wonder just what the enemies looked like in the first place, especially since the aliens were able to defeat them easily.. Makes you think that they were of the same species perhaps. Definitely a bittersweet ending.

I give "Awakening" a B+.

[LightAngel]

Wow, what a way to end this episode! I didn't think I was so concerned about the characters, until the ending unnerved me a bit.I guess a show like this can't acually end on a positive note...

[True Noir]

I would guess it was 28.
Arigatou!

[purplehairedwonder]

I've got to say, that was a really good episode. It didn't seem as good until the end with the flower. That small thing really made me go back and re-examine the episode, which made it more powerful.

"The Awakening" gets a solid A.

[bigddan11]

Do you know the first thing that popped into my imnd after the end of this episode? I thought the little kid aliens were sent to see just what Earth's defense was like in hopes of them invading and taking over. They only found one group that could contend, and that was the Cyborg's. Then the little alien kids pretended to destroy unmanned vessels so the cyborgs would think they and Earth were safe.

This could just be the sci-fi fan in me, but that was what I first thought.

[lostrune]

This could just be the sci-fi fan in me, but that was what I first thought.

Kinda like the wise man said: When aliens come to Earth greeting "We come in peace," they're not. :D

[Nateised]

CYBORG009 is my fav anime show :) ed edd n eddy is my fav show of all time but cyborg009 is da best anime show! so dont mock it

[GWOtaku]

Geez, am I the only one who disagreed with the show and thought the Cyborgs did the right thing? Not sure whether I should be surprised or disturbed....

[William C. Maune]

Geez, am I the only one who disagreed with the show and thought the Cyborgs did the right thing? Not sure whether I should be surprised or disturbed....

I thought they generally did the right thing, but they got carried away (or perhaps they didn't do enough). The aliens did need to learn how to defend themselves, but they also needed to learn that defending themselves did not mean they had to give up their old ways.