Gatchaman Crowds Insight Episode 5: Halo Effect

This episode was entirely on the elections and also a lesson on human psychology. This show always made me think, but the point they were trying to get across was pretty obvious and the title of this episode was appropriately named.

The Halo Effect. The Halo Effect is our impression of a person and how that can influence our feelings of that person and their characteristic traits. Such an example can be with a person’s appearance. If we think they’re attractive, then that can make us think that that person is also kind, smart, and reliable. We would think that without even fully knowing the person. Vice versa, if the person looks sloppy then we perceive them as dumb, lazy and the like. This was the entire theme of the episode, and the strategy Joe gave Gelsadra and Tsubasa to favor everyone in the election. Gelsadra was barely getting any votes in the polls, but he did this. He went around the city, speaking with people and telling jokes with Tsubasa. He also was there to help people, such as helping an old woman with her groceries. He went up to a mother with her crying baby and reassured her that she was not a bother. Being this close and personal with the people really helped him out in the end which easily garnered his win in the end. But probably the most important thing in Gel’s campaign was this: He had used his “gerurururu~” power and listened to everyone’s thoughts and came to this conclusion: If he were to win, he’ll abolish the CROWDS. That’s what the people want, and that’s what he’ll do.

Joe helped out with Gel’s campaign, even though originally he was working with Sugayama. But Joe is also against CROWDS, and he wants to continue his mission for world peace. He’s actually not too happy with Gel’s campaign, as people are only voting for Gel because of the halo effect, not because of their individual minds. But if that’s what’s going to get CROWDS taken away, then that’s what he’ll have to do.

What Rizumu said made perfect sense. People will just go with the flow. They’ll follow with what’s more favorable and what people are into. I think anyone can think up a moment just like this that they’ve experienced, where it’s just political situations or whatnot. This is what he meant when he called the people “apes”. They don’t think for themselves. And I do have to worry about Gelsadra…he really may be dangerous. Gel cares for the people and he does what the people want. He reads their minds and takes the majority of their thoughts and acts on them. He read that people didn’t want CROWDS, and that’s what he’s going to do (with extreme opposition from Rui). After that, then what? My guess is that Gel will just keep reading people’s thoughts and go from there. But when you think about it then, who’s going to be running the country: Gelsadra or the people?