Pumpkin Scissors

Melancoholic · Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:26 am Post subject: Pumpkin Scissors

Anime Source Synopsis and Reviews

The Tom Clancy "two random words put together to form a title" award has to go to this series. I mean, Pumpkin Scissors? What on earth is that?

The first episode was pretty good in my view. It's definitely an interesting setting. Does anyone else know anything about this series, like whether it comes from a manga?

sakib · Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 6:16 pm Post subject:

u have a synopsis for this series cause it has an interesting enough title but i want to judge for my self if it can deliver
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Melancoholic · Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:09 pm Post subject:

Synopsis, synopsis... Okay! *takes deep breath*

A long war between two factions, the Empire and the Frost Republic(!), comes to a close with an odd ceasefire (nicknamed Thin Ice treaty) the soldiers return to their country and rebuilding gets underway. The third section of the information bureau (known as Pumpkin Scissors - don't ask me why!) is tasked with the recovery. Three years later, it still hasn't succeeded as famine, plague and returned soldiers turning into bandits keep messing things up. They keep on trying though, even though they're bogged down in paperwork and the general populace don't seem to have any faith in them any more.

Episode 1 follows the members of Pumpkin Scissors trying (and failing) to deal with some of these soldiers turned bandits. It goes badly until this massive guy turns up. He's a former soldier himself and ends up helping the members of Pumpkin Scissors, but there seems to be a more sinister background to his former soldiering ways. He carries an eerie blue lantern and a large pistol and certainly isn't scared of tanks...

The art and character designs in the show are quite interesting. It's kind of a mixture of european first and second world war era clothing and technology. It feels a bit like steam punk, but it isn't... Razz

Eclipse are subbing it, which is a plus. It should mean we'll be getting subs every week the day after the episode airs and the translation will be solid, too.

Disruptor0001 · Heimin (Commoner) Joined: Jun 19, 2005 Posts: 65

If anyone knows anything about European history, the story seems quite similar to Germany right after World War I, with the unexpected signing of the peace treaty with the Entente and the subsequent decade or so after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The clothing drawn in this anime seems like what the germans wore during WWII also.

It doesn't matter though since i find this anime quite interesting so I'm sticking on to this one.

sakib · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:48 am Post subject:

well i dont know a lot about WWII clothing but they do look like german uniforms from the war though a bit modified but its an anime on post war confusion and i havent really seen or heard about another series like that so this gets point on originality
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ZGMF-00X · Ronin Samurai Joined: Dec 26, 2004 Posts: 761

Episode 1 delivers quite well. The pacing seems just about right, and just like any anime with a character with a mysterious past, they kept it well-veiled in mystery, letting out just enough to know that 'he's a dangerous man, and a powerful one at that.'

First time seeing such a huge male lead here, in terms of size. It does smell a little like Germany, but note that they still have the Emperor. Perhaps the references might be clearer if
Somehow, the Emperor isn't an Emperor anymore, by means of assassination, death from sickness or abdication, of which the last one might mean a rather obvious reference from WW I's Germany.
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Melancoholic · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 3:58 pm Post subject:

Germany did used to be called the 'Holy Roman Empire'. And it's a bit worrying that the armed forces are called the SS (if I've got that right, that is). Not sure who this 'Frost Republic' is supposed to represent though... Unless it's literally the other nations combined (france, england, america, etc.). Then again, we haven't seen anything of the former opposition to the empire, so it's probably too early to judge.

I was impressed by the way this episode didn't pull any punches. It's easy for the production of an anime like this to become a bit, well, sterile. But it feels grubbily authentic, they weren't afraid to show blood, and they were happy to tackle issues like chemical and psychological warfare. Hopefully that will continue for the rest of the series.

Yuun · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:15 pm Post subject:

OMG~!! FRANKENSTEIN~!!!

As much as I find the title amusing and a walking frankenstein with handgun accompany with a brawl and careless Lieutenant. I suppose I'll giv this series another few try. Is after all production from GONZO...
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PolyGuru · Gokenin Samurai Joined: Oct 11, 2004 Posts: 1049

Lol, frankenstein with handgun. That's a new way to look at him.

I hope they move away from the tank of the week format soon. Otherwise this has so far been a good show.

Melancoholic · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:09 pm Post subject:

How dumb am I? Frost Republic is so obviously supposed to be Russia...

Adrenaline15 · Heimin (Commoner) Joined: Sep 26, 2005 Posts: 58

so er let me guess..this cease fire thingy is supposed to act as the Nazi-Soviet pact? (forgive me for using the word Nazi). The only 2 things that i can think of when soviet union did not fight germany was during WW1 and WW2 when germany wanted to expand towards eastern europe, but this isnt a history lesson so ...

anyways, this anime is great, even thought there is only 4 episodes currently released but still the attraction is really strong. the only thing i hope is that this anime wont become another FMA that rattle on and on about human worth and other random human rights things(the story is inclining towards that aspect tho)
i will definitely recommend this anime to people. the only badpoint right now is that the rate of releasing episodes is too slow!! cant wait for more.

Melancoholic · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:28 am Post subject:

I'm finding the release rate fine.

There's some good stuff going on as of episode four. Internal conflict within Pumpkin Scissors looks a possibility, as does more hostility towards them from outside the organisation.

Should be interesting. I'm Looking forward to it.

Raiden · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:52 am Post subject:

WOW...this anime...i am sooo gonna follow it till it is finished. the "Anti-Tank Troopers" codename really made it interesting due to it's unique ability to face a tank.

kinda reminds me of Metal SLUG's "Tank Busters" which the team's specialty.

I watched episode 1-4 today!
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PolyGuru · Gokenin Samurai Joined: Oct 11, 2004 Posts: 1049

Starting to feel like there will be a showdown between the shadow goverment vs. Alice's "I will perotect", hopefully it will translate to a good story and good action scenes.

Machs might be a much more important character now, as it looks like he will be moving the story along at some points with his investigation into the ATT-901.

Melancoholic · Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 1:37 pm Post subject:

Okay, episode five. Comedy! That persistent nurse with her jar for... well a certain substance, was hilarious. Especially when it wasn't big enough! I wasn't expecting that kind of innuendo in this show.

I still want to know what the name is all about. I mean, a pumpkin and some scissors are pretty disparate items and, even symbolically, they don't seem to have any relation to the army... I hope they'll explain the title at some point. And I hope it's a good explanation, too.