Gatchaman Crowds Insight Episode 9: Opt-out

When the scarlet conductor changes his melody,

the people will lose their own colors,

and bear their fangs in err at the colorless wind

Gerurururuhfkdsjfbhkjsdbgfkdsjfbgkj SHUT. UP. JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP I AM SO SICK OF HEARING THAT EVERY WEEK, WITH THAT STUPID TWO-FINGERS ON HEAD THING. I HATE THIS SO MUCH.

Gelsadra is terrifying and so are the Kuu-sama, and it isn’t until now that Tsubasa (and Pai Pai) realize that. Lovely Hajime was able to figure out the riddle, which I don’t think was too far from what I had guessed last week. I said “the many voices” part just had to be the peoples’ thoughts. Hajime summed it up with one word: atmosphere. The Kuu-sama are the atmosphere. And no not the sky kind of atmosphere. The social atmosphere. What the mood is among a group of people. The Kuu-sama follow the thoughts of the majority of the people and act upon them. When someone who thinks differently disturbs that peace, they’re taken out. Meaning, they’re literally being eaten. Many reports of these attacks have surfaced and been shown on TV. At first, people didn’t think they were real. But after awhile people knew the Kuu-sama could really eat people, and the scary thing is…they think it’s okay. They really have no problem with it. If people don’t follow what the majority wants, they agree that they should be disposed of. So for example with what we saw this episode: a group of teenage girls decide they want to go to karaoke, but one of the girls wants to study. They’re three girls. Two want to karaoke, and the remaining one wants to study. Since the majority wants karaoke, it’s either karaoke or get eaten. So the studious girl immediately changes her mind, in fear of not wanting to get eaten. She has to put down what she wants to do and comply with the majority.

Or something even more simple, where I was about to freak out because these are children. The daughter of that one guy from season one. There’s four of them. Three want to play with the ball, but Mana wants to draw. The Kuu-sama approach her and are ready to swallow her up when her father barges in and takes her away. THANK GOD.

So here’s the thing. Tsubasa sees these news stories and she’s terrified and heartbroken. Of course she thinks this is all wrong, but Gelsadra doesn’t. He thinks it’s fine! He knows people are being eaten but he says it’s for the best if they want everyone to become one. Tsubasa is at a loss now, because the world peace she wanted was different than what Gel wanted. She later comes across Hajime who tells her that she should return home and talk with Yuru-jii about what to do next. Hajime also hands back Tsubasa her Note.

And suddenly the Gatchaman are the enemies now. The people are against them because they’re all against Gel and the Kuu-sama. Paiman announces on the Gatchannel that the Kuu-sama are dangerous. He also goes out to try and capture Gel, to which the people grouped there for the meeting revolted and attacked him. A group of people even wanted to raid their homes. Joe goes out to defeat Gel as he feels responsible for everything that’s happened. Even though he seems weak and gentle, Gel is actually a strong opponent. If Sugane hadn’t come in the last second, I think Joe would have been in critical condition. Maybe even killed. And again, that just shows how far Gel is willing to go for peace. Unfortunately Sugane was the one that took the big hit and they had to retreat.

X goes to Rizumu to make him talk to Rui, to try and snap him out of his delusional trance. And it just saddens me to see Rui like that. Hopefully he snaps out of it soon.

In the end, JJ sends the team the new prophecy, to which they don’t understand. From what I can guess right now, the people are going to revolt. Hajime was able to figure it out again but never tells the team the answer, only says that they need to protect Gel. Which I thought was way weird because like a minute ago they were talking about fighting him. Things are going horribly now and I know it’s just going to get worse from here on out. I don’t know what it’ll take for Gel to realize that what’s happening is wrong.

Also, the people that have been eaten. So are they gone forever or is there a way to extract them from the Kuu-sama that ate them? I hope so.