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Author Topic: Short end of the stick...  (Read 4144 times)
Lord God Jinnai
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« on: September 04, 2003, 01:56:58 pm »

We all know that the Earthers became gifted with cool special powers when they traveled to El-Hazard. Fujisawa got super strength, Makoto got a machine-interface ability, and Jinnai recieved Bugrom-specific Babel Fish. These three's special abilities have come in handy numerous times, and have basically allowed them to advance themselves in the strange new world they find themselves in.

Unfortunately for poor Nanami, her powers seem to be about as useful to her as viagra to a dead man. While all the others have constant excuses to use their powers, the Phantom Tribe's disappearance has left her powers all but useless. Aside from her "super-cooking" ability, she has absolutely no way to further herself in the world.

I don't know about you guys, but if I were Nanami, I'd be really pissed off at drawing the short end of the stick.
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« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2003, 02:44:04 pm »

Yeah, Nanami got a raw deal in the OAVs. 'course, her Wanderers counterpart didn't fare much better - her ability to talk to Bugrom is pretty useless, too, except for its occasional usefulness in sowing seeds of dissention in her brother's otherwise unquestioningly loyal troops, or toppling his carefully constructed empire down around his ears...

But how often is THAT gonna happen?

Anyway, Nanami gets by by being insufferably cute. That might not sound like much, but she seems to be doing all right, aside from suffering from acute sexual frustration over Makoto. *Shrugs*

*At about this point, Wanderers Nanami knocks on the front door of the Bugrom Hive*

Nanami: Candygram!
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MrWhat
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« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2003, 10:19:02 pm »

If I were Nanami... that'd be really weird.  But kinda kewl, I guess  |D

No, no... If I were Nanami, I wouldn't be that upset about my less-useful power-- I'd be much more upset about this.  
« Last Edit: September 04, 2003, 10:30:32 pm by mrwhat » Logged
Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)
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« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2003, 10:55:07 pm »

Good indirect point, MrWhat.  :P

Of course, I'm going to play the "groan" card by reminding us all that Hayashi only meant for the original OAV to happen and all that other stuff were just unexpected surprises.  ;)
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Fujisawa4654
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« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2003, 11:34:16 pm »

Ugh, yes that's true but jeesh... It's all part of the COMEDY in it! Jeeze...

BTW, Ugh=*groan*, correct?... bleh!
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« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2003, 08:26:07 pm »

I can't agree that Nanami got the short end of the stick with her OVA power. It's saved lives twice, and it saved the balance of power in Roshtaria from tipping into Phantom Tribe hands. Did we all forget about these little details?  -_-

Although her power is only useful when the Phantom Tribe is about, this power has proved useful on more than one occasion. And of course, essential. The story of El Hazard couldn't havce moved very far with Makoto dead.
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mark_engels
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« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2003, 10:05:37 am »

Quote
If I were Nanami... that'd be really weird.  But kinda kewl, I guess  |D

No, no... If I were Nanami, I wouldn't be that upset about my less-useful power-- I'd be much more upset about this.  


http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1330506

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=4563&chapter=6

Shameless plug I know, yet I felt it somewhat pertinent to the topic at hand.  By our reckoning, Nanami's ability endowed upon her special empathy toward the Tribe.  We've tried to portray her as becoming quite well adjusted after she'd met her own soulmate.

But as you see from both series, Nanami is still Nanami.  ;)

--me

Mark Engels

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« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2003, 11:11:36 pm »

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I can't agree that Nanami got the short end of the stick with her OVA power. It's saved lives twice, and it saved the balance of power in Roshtaria from tipping into Phantom Tribe hands. Did we all forget about these little details?  -_-

Although her power is only useful when the Phantom Tribe is about, this power has proved useful on more than one occasion. And of course, essential. The story of El Hazard couldn't havce moved very far with Makoto dead.

Hey, the same could be said for all of them - even Jinnai, to a degree. All four of them had a hand in saving the world. The difference is, now that the world is saved, all of their abilities are still useful - except for Nanami's. Jinnai still needs to rap with his buggy homies, Makoto can use his ability to assist in his efforts to recover Ifurita (as well as for general research), and Mr. Fujisawa's strength has A Thousand and One Household Uses. But Nanami's power might as well not exist, unless the Phantom Tribe makes a comeback.

This is not to say that she can't get by, or that she's a poor character, or anything like that. But that is not what this debate is about. Her ability, of the four we've seen, is the most specific, and therefore inflexible, of them. So, yeah, I think she got the short end of the stick. It's like the difference between being handed a wrench when you need to tighten a bolt, and being handed a toolbox and a lifetime of construction education and experience all at once. The first is useful at the moment and possibly in the future if you come across more loose bolts, while the latter has potentially endless uses both now, and later on.

Actually, Jinnai's ability would be pretty lame, too, if it wasn't for the fact that he constantly tries to remain around Bugrom. ^^;

Personally, I think they missed out on a big opportunity in OAV2 to make Nanami's ability more worthwhile. When they came across the holographic mountain where Ifurita 2 and Yuba were hiding, they should have allowed Nanami to see right through it, thereby implying that her vision can pierce any kind of illusion. Instead, we can now be pretty sure that her ability is Phantom Tribe illusion specific. Oh, well.
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« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2003, 11:20:20 pm »

Quote
Personally, I think they missed out on a big opportunity in OAV2 to make Nanami's ability more worthwhile. When they came across the holographic mountain where Ifurita 2 and Yuba were hiding, they should have allowed Nanami to see right through it, thereby implying that her vision can pierce any kind of illusion. Instead, we can now be pretty sure that her ability is Phantom Tribe illusion specific. Oh, well.


The radio drama did actually follow through on that idea.  A shame OAV2 wasn't matched better to it.
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theravenisdead
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« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2003, 12:31:12 am »

Then again, the fact that her ability has become rarely useful also has an advantage.

Given that she is the only human able to see through phantom tribe illusions, if the phantom tribe were to try another plot against the alliance, she would be more or less be used by the alliance as a tool for them to overcome the disadvantage the illusions inflict on their armies. Whether she liked it or not of course.

Now that the phantom tribe seems to be more or less inactive, she can count her blessings that she has the freedom to do as she wishes, not having to worry about the alliance calling upon her to use her powers during a battle, or worse.

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Lord God Jinnai
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« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2003, 01:25:23 am »

Well, she can always run to dear older brother to protect her from those mean ol' Alliance dunderheads.

Don't worry, Nanami! Big Bro forgives ya!

*goes off to prepare Nanami's dungeo...errr, "Guest Suite"*
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theravenisdead
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« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2003, 03:48:17 am »

Ahhh, but whos to say you wouldn't do the same thing when confronted by the phantom tribe? Hm? HM?  ;D ::)
« Last Edit: September 07, 2003, 03:49:43 am by theravenisdead » Logged
Lord God Jinnai
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« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2003, 05:55:46 am »

Shhhh! Ix-nay on the ister betrayal-say!  >:(
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