Épisode # 72 : "La princesse amoureuse"

Bonjour

J'ouvre ce sujet afin que Duke Fleed puisse poster les images dont j'ai fait la demande. N'étant pas du tout une bonne critique, je laisse le soin à nos admins d'éditer ce message pour y apporter leur propre critique sur l'épisode en question.

EDIT (par Kimi) : Suite à la demande d'Aramis, voilà la critique de l'épisode.

Scénario : 5/5
Si les ami(e)s et ennemis d'Actarus surgis du passé sont nombreux (Janus, Aphélie ou Pollux pour ne citer que les plus importants), les scénaristes vont cette fois encore plus loin en introduisant la propre fille du Grand Stratéguerre. Celui-ci, qui chérit visiblement sa fille, ne démord pas de son objectif : conquérir la Terre par tous les moyens. Il n'a pas oublié cependant les sentiments unissant Végalia à Actarus et estime que cela constitue un obstacle à son projet. C'est la raison pour laquelle il s'engage à "donner" (il n'y a pas d'autre mot) sa propre fille à Horos si celui-ci parvient à redresser la situation. Horos prend d'ailleurs sa tâche très à coeur mais ne récolte que l'indifférence de Végalia et les moqueries de Minos. Il se rattrape cependant en perturbant à deux reprises les retrouvailles d'Actarus et de Végalia. Sa seconde intervention, diabolique, se retourne cependant contre lui. S'il réussit à prendre Actarus au piège dans un premier temps, il se retrouvera bien vite en difficulté et causera la perte de Végalia avant de subir le même sort, abattu par Alcor.

Intérêt : 5/5
Guéri de sa blessure au bras par Pollux dans l'épisode précédent, Actarus peut désormais envisager son avenir avec plus de sérénité alors qu'il se savait condamné à plus ou moins long terme. Néanmoins, ce détail passe au second plan puisque la présence de Végalia (qui illumine littéralement cet épisode) apporte son lot de révélations puisqu'elle apprend à Actarus lors de leurs retrouvailles que la planète Euphor est en train de revivre. Déjà abordé au début de l'épisode par une discussion entre le Grand Stratéguerre et Horos, la suite de l'épisode nous apprend également que Végalia et Actarus auraient peut-être pu (du ?) se marier. Ce projet ne verra cependant jamais le jour.

Les scènes marquantes sont naturellement nombreuses : les retrouvailles entre Actarus et Végalia, le sacrifice de celle-ci pour sauver le prince d'Euphor, la mort de Végalia dans les bras de ce dernier, la mort d'Horos abattu par Alcor et surtout la course éfrénnée d'Actarus dans un champ de fleurs avec les larmes aux yeux, incapable de masquer sa tristesse après avoir perdu Végalia une nouvelle fois. Note maximale, bien entendu.

Graphisme: 5/5
Pour ce dernier épisode signé du maître Shingo Araki, la qualité graphique est une fois de plus au rendez-vous. A l'exception d'un détail (les ailes de la soucoupe porteuse sont souvent sous-dimensionnées par rapport aux autres illustrateurs de la série mais ça n'est pas systématique), la note maximale s'impose.

Le personnage du jour : 5/5
Comme l'a précisé Anterak08 un peu plus bas, le terme "bestiole du jour" ne s'applique pas ici : en effet, seule la soucoupe amirale d'Horos apparait dans l'épisode. Il semble (mais je peux me tromper) qu'il s'agit du deuxième modèle du genre, le premier ayant été endommagé et/ou détruit dans l'épisode #69 "Tel père, tel fils".

Le principal protagoniste est donc Végalia. A l'instar d'Aphélie ou de Phénicia, elle est non seulement très jolie (intéressant contraste notamment entre sa chevelure rouge, ses yeux bleus et son teint très pâle) mais aussi très intéressante sur le plan psychologique dans la mesure où elle est à la fois douce et sensible, mais aussi colérique et déterminée comme le montrent l'accrochage verbal qui l'oppose à son père en début d'épisode et le moment où elle menace de tuer Horos avec son arme s'il ne s'écarte pas de son chemin. Par certains côtés, elle est ce que son père n'est pas.

On pourrait dire énormément de choses au sujet de ce personnage et je doute qu'une petite critique comme celle-ci suffise à en faire le tour. Je pense qu'il serait intéressant d'ouvrir directement un sujet la concernant. Que ceux qui souhaitent aborder ce sujet n'hésitent pas à se lancer !

Et vous, vous en pensez quoi de cet épisode ?

Désolé de ne pas faire des lignes de 5, mais ça a été une galère pour les recoller comme il faut. Entre la prévisualisation et le post une fois terminé, la disposition des images change completement. Et vu le rand nombre, ça me prenrait encoe un temps fou.

Merci beaucoup Duke fleed !

pour cet épisode en ce qui concerne la créature du jour vegalia ( il n'y a pas de golgoth)elle vaut bien 5/5

La critique de l'épisode est postée. Se reporter au premier post.

Merci Kimi !

Pour ma part, c'est un épisode que j'ai particulièrement aimé, la fin avec la mort de Végalia, la réaction d'Actarus qui prend vraiment au coeur tellement c'est poignant.

kimi_san a écrit:

La critique de l'épisode est postée. Se reporter au premier post.

j'ai bien lu

vegalia est une des femmes les mieux dessinée du dessin-animé. Sa beauté m'a toujours impressionnée, son père est très laid.
Elle a en plus une personnalité intéressante : elle est obstinée (elle en démord pas de faire la paix), froide (avec horos, son père), chaleureuse avec actarus, téméraire et prompt au sacrifice quand elle fait tout pour ne pas qu'actarus meurt.
Cet épisode mérite amplement les notes mises.
Je suis d'accord avec les commentaires.

A l'instar de tous les épisodes où intervient le Maître Shingo Araki (peut-on décemment ne pas l'appeler ainsi ?), tous les personnages sont graphiquement très réussis et Végalia n'échappe pas à la règle.

Il est vrai qu'il n'y a aucun point commun entre elle et son père (l'aspect graphique étant le plus flagrant) et il aurait été intéressant également de voir une illustration de sa mère à ce sujet, comme nous l'avons eu avec Actarus dans l'épisode #32 "La reine fantôme" (ce dernier point est cependant à prendre au conditionnel dans la mesure où la V.F. présente Astrida comme sa mère alors que cela semble ne pas être le cas dans la V.O.).

Les rapports qu'elle entretient avec son père sont à mon sens très intéressants également : elle ne le montre pas, mais elle semble apprécier son père même si elle est fortement en désaccord avec sa façon de voir les choses (il n'y a qu'à voir leurs conversations pour s'en rendre compte). L'attitude du Grand Stratéguerre à son égard est double : il semble aimer sincèrement sa fille mais cet amour s'arrête dès lors qu'il contrarie ses projets, comme en témoigne sa volonté "d'offrir" (comme un objet) sa fille à un Horos qui n'en demandait visiblement pas tant.

Un autre thème qu'on peut aborder réside dans ses relations avec Actarus : là encore, les avis divergent parmi les fans : il y a ceux qui pensent que Végalia a sincèrement aimé Actarus et qu'elle l'aime encore aujourd'hui (je reconnais faire partie de ce groupe) et ceux qui pensent qu'elle n'a pas forcément agi par amour, mais par calcul en voulant se "servir" d'Actarus pour réaliser ses ambitions personnelles.

Pour en débattre, nous pouvons, comme je l'ai précédemment proposé, ouvrir un sujet dans la rubrique "Route 7", à ce sujet.

Ton analyse (comme toujours) est bonne
Je pense ausssi que vegalia aime sincèrement actarus et ne se sert pas de lui.
Les rapports entre elle et actarus seraient intéressants à développer, je vais mettre un sujet la-dessus rubrique route 7.

Je suis en train de revoir cet épisode et, au début, Vénusia met une feuille (de bambou ?) dans l'eau, comme un petit bateau. J'ai lu quelque part que c'était en rapport avec le culte des morts mais je ne suis pas sûre...Pourriez-vous m'éclairer ?

Citation :

Pourriez-vous m'éclairer ?

C'est drôle que tu le dise de cette manière parce que voici ce que j'ai trouvé. Lors d'une fête en l'honneur des morts, à la fin des festivité, on guide les âmes pour les éloigner de la maison en construisant de petits bateaux de papier avec des lanternes dessus, des Tōrō nagashi.


Voici ma source:



http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-Bon


Alors si les auteurs ont mit ce bateau éphémère dans les mains de Vénusia, c'était peut-être pour symboliser la séparation prochaine de nos amis?   

Merci ! Effectivement, l'idée de l'éclairage prend tout son sens avec cette histoire de lanterne. Elle pressent la séparation Pauvre Vénusia...A moins que ce ne soit -puisque, à ce moment, personne ne sait qu'Euphor revit- pour rendre hommage aux morts d'Euphor...

Peut-être... Elle parle de "ne pas oublier votre planète" ou quelque chose du genre à ce moment... En VF en tout cas. je ne sais pas si c'est la même chose en VO...

Je ne connaissais pas du tout cette coutume !

Vénusia dit (en VF)

Citation :

"Votre planète natale ?  Je suppose que vous aimeriez bien la revoir"

   i like this ep so much and the end is very sad   

Pour ces petits bateaux, il y a eu une chouette analyse de la part de Gerda en rapport à Vénusia

http://goldorak.les-forums.com/topic/15/hikaru-makiba-a-character-analysis-repost/

je vous mets ici le texte pour l'ép 72. C'est en anglais et c'est long. en Gras la partie sur les bateaux de papier.

Citation :

EPISODE 72

Well, I know that ep72 should be a matter of TTOTC… but… well, how could I leave this incredible episode outside an Hikaru Makiba analysis? I rely on the Court to decide if what I am going to express in this chapter could be used in our funny trial too ^_^ Anyway, for what the Prosecution is concerned, even if I love TTOTC game to all extent )), I consider giving justice to Venusia as a more important goal for me than “winning” the trial :-))))) Sometime life requires to make hard choices… ^_^

First point in any ep72 analysis, whatever aspect one would like to discuss, is to take into consideration its design team. Like for ep25 and ep63, the main roles are assigned to the trio Katsumata-Araki-Mashima (the three episodes differ only in the scenarists, which are different in each of them). I would like in particular to underline the coincidence of the same design team for ep25 and ep72, whose correlation is to me one of the keys to understand the deep meaning of the latter; connecting ep25 to the Fleedian Trilogy is in fact what could help us in giving a proper sense to all the incredible happenings we must face in ep72.



I have already told that I consider this episode as the real end of Ufo Robot Grendizer, as it closes what I believe to be the real main plot and deep meaning of the anime: the personal journey of Duke Fleed to overcome his guiltiness feelings. But I believe this is not enough. His personal journey has up to now involved also Hikaru Makiba, and ep72 is in a way the final celebration of their lovestory. I told in TTOTC that Rubina is only the beautiful dress of the most complicated matrioska of all in Grendizer, and the more I watch ep72 the more I am convinced of my opinion. Connecting the visual evidences to some deductions referred to the narrative arc of the anime, it should become enough easy to discover what is hidden in ep72, also for what Venusia and her relationship with Actarus is concerned.



Apparently, Hikaru is the great absent from ep72. Just as in ep25 (see the coincidence…), she appears in few scenes, and her voice resonates only two times in 23 minutes (two little sentences: one at the lake scene and one while on the jeep). So, apparently, her typical low-profile implemented by the Authors after Maria-Grace’s arrival is here even more remarked than the usual, and adding this impression to Rubina’s massive presence it could seem that the episode cuts definitely any connection between Venusia and Actarus. Instead I believe that ep72 represents the maximum expression of the “Grendizer masquerade” and that Hikaru Makiba has somehow – just as in ep25 – an important role in the story. There are some “strange” scenes in ep72 involving Venusia which have caused big discussions between fans during the years; well, I think that finding the right “key lecture” of ep72 can enable fans in finding a proper explanation also to those “little mysteries”.



Funnily, I have elaborated my theory on ep72 only last year, when I watched it for a casualty with the TV volume switched off. To my big surprise, I discovered that what it mostly counts in ep72 is not what it’s said in it, but instead what it’s NOT told there. I mean, this episode lacks at least a proper explicit introduction (the original ending credits of ep71 could be interesting for TTOTC, but they don’t give added value here).



What’s happened between ep71 and ep72? Because, watching ep72, it’s clear that the timeline of the story has undertaken a big change and doesn’t follow anymore the parallel flow with the airing time, which has been up to that moment one of the features of the anime. Ep71 get broadcasted in Japan on 6th February 1977, and in fact for what we can see in the episode its scenario is consistent with a late winter ambient. Instead, one week later (13th February 1977), the scenarist applies a late spring (if not even early summer) ambient for ep72. It’s impossible that this aspect is an accident or a mistake, so we should think that really ep72 is located in the Grendizer timeline at a certain distance from ep71 (2-3 months if not more). Or, we can suppose that ep72 starts really a short time after ep71, and Rubina takes some months to cover the distance between Planet Fleed and the Moon Base (I personally find it very likely, as she is driving a simple spacer and not a spacecraft). At first, this delayed timeline could seem to have anyway no importance after all: Rubina is a character linked to flowers, so this could be the reason behind the choice of the scenarist. Instead, I believe that this moving of the scheduling of the Grendizer story has a deep meaning and is crucial to understand ep72 happenings.



The lake scene on Earth in ep72 has rightfully caused infinite discussions between fans during 25 years, and is moreover the reason behind the first gracious soap bubble polluted in this Forum a long time ago )). After all, this is the introduction scene of the “goods” characters in the episode, so it’s somehow crucial. My personal opinion is that this particular scene has the purpose to let us understand the psychological situation of the “earthling” characters – and particularly Daisuke - before the storm named Rubina arrives to upset their lives. Very few words and an incredible list of visual hints and symbols are what the Authors give to the viewers in this scene. As I remarked more than once in various posts, visual aspects are strategic in a cartoon: if a scene appears on the screen, if a visual hint is gifted to the viewer, it must have a meaning. Especially in an episode like ep72.



At the end of ep71, Actarus finds himself without a childhood friend but definitely cured from the poisoning injury. An incredible unexpected event, that surely starts a complete reassessment process on him from a psychological point of view, and lead him to reconsider all his life and his priorities. Now that he has a whole new life potentially available ahead of him, he can think to his own goals with a different perspective. As ep72 is clearly located after some months respect to ep71, it’s very likely that Actarus’ spirit has undertaken the reassessment process from a while and he has already reached some conclusions.



The first lake scene seems to confirm this idea. Actarus is playing guitar while his sister is jumping in the lake water, and observes smiling a file of ants walking on a branch. My personal interpretation of this scene (which must have a particular meaning, otherwise it would have not been designed) is that Actarus is happily reflecting - see the smile on his face - about the fact that, just as those ants walking in ordered file, he has succeeded in finally putting in order all the issues and problems of his personal life, which is going on now in a certain direction without no more obstacles: he is young, healthy and… yes, now he can plan a loving future with Venusia. The black shadow of death has disappeared, and even if the war has still to finish and he can be killed in a battle, anyway he knows that, provided he survives to the fights, he can have a future. The ants are for me the symbol of his life: from a psychological point of view, Daisuke has spent the whole last year (ep30 is dated April 1976) with only one goal: surviving to his injury in order to survive to the next battle, while instead after ep71 he has found himself in the need to identify further perspectives for spending his life. It’s likely that it was not easy for him to cope with this new reassessment process, and that he had some difficulties from a psychological point of view. The prince had to change in a farmer four years before and then had to become a fighter: now what could the fighter become? I think that the image of the ants and particularly the fact that Actarus looks at them smiling means that he has found the answer, and has put in order ideas and feelings and can see better his own life direction. Yes, that lake is so similar to the one where he probably decided the sort of his planet with a certain speech to Rubina, but… that was the past, a past that cannot return, and he must concentrate now on his future without regrets.



Well, it could seem I am digressing, this analysis should be dedicated to Hikaru so why am I wasting time with Daisuke? Sorry, I could not avoid this part because to understand ep72 and consequently Venusia’s behaviours there it is necessary to understand Actarus too. If really ep72 is located in the Grendizer timeline a couple of months after ep71, we should suppose that Actarus discussed his future with Venusia “out of screen”. Considering the level of communication they had in ep70, I find unlikely that he never talked with her about his feelings in the psychological reassessment process. But I think that also Phenicia and Alcor have been influenced by the situation. Particularly Maria-Grace, who in the latest episodes shown a terrible anguish, and instead at the lake is a happy teen, like if the renovated perspective of life for her brother has gifted her of a positive stamina. Yeah, she talks about Fleed with Daisuke, but for the first time they both have a peaceful expression recalling their homeland, like if they both know that a changed perspective for what this crucial topic is concerned has recently born. It’s true, Daisuke is Duke Fleed, he knows that survivors from his native planet are still alive and that, if he defeats Vega, he should reprise his role of king. Before ep71 he could not think about this scenario due to the death sentence from the injury, but now everything has changed. Yet he is a king without a land as Planet Fleed is unfortunately destroyed; even if he likes to return there, he must find a different solution in order to give a new chance to fleedians. So... he could stay on Earth and possibly gather here his population. I think this was his original plan: to remain on Earth together with Venusia and govern his population from his adoptive homeland. I believe also that he discussed this topic with her, and she agreed with him. Because otherwise it would be hard to find a proper explanation to the scene soon following in ep72.



Hikaru and Koji arrives at the lake and he comments joking about the fact that they seem to have a dreamy expression. Maria-Grace answers that they were talking about Planet Fleed. Hikaru turns to look to Daisuke, who is sitting facing the lake and simply nods without a word. At this point, while Alcor and Phenicia are looking at her and Actarus instead is still playing guitar, Venusia builds a bamboo boat saying “It’s your homeland, would you have nostalgia for it?” While Actarus closes his eyes continuing playing, she kneels on the lake shore letting the grass boat flowing in the water and looking down she closes her eyes too.



Thanks to Jerome and my stepsister, we know what the meaning of the grass boat is. It’s a reference to a typical Japanese traditional gesture for recalling deaths (equivalent to the western tradition of bringing crisantems on graves). Maria-Grace and Daisuke were talking about Fleed, so the explanation to Hikaru’s gesture is in my opinion that she wants to give an homage to the dead population of his man’s native planet. She closes her eyes in a silent prayer for all the innocents killed by Vega there, and Actarus does the same as he knows the meaning of what Venusia has done. I find this scene terribly emotional, wonderful, exceptional. An incredible script, that without words but through little visual references is able to let understand those viewers who would like to scratch the surface what is going on from a psychological perspective in the characters. Because in my opinion Venusia’s behaviour is the proof that her link with Actarus is so profound that she feels confident in doing an homage to “his” deaths (which in a Japanese perspective is a “familiar” thing); maybe she feels even them as “her” deaths too now, particularly if he has decided to stay on Earth with her forever.



See how perfect is ep72 script from a narrative point of view. The image of a praying Hikaru fades in the image of a red-haired girl who is observing a Japan map at the Moon Base. This is not TTOTC (^_^), but I find the director’s choice of switching the image from Venusia to Rubina really powerful. The girl from the countryside versus the princess: usually this is what Grendizer fandom think ep72 is about. Well, I disagree. The contrast between the two female figures is not about their roles but on their personalities. A generous girl versus a selfish one, a girl who has spent months aside a sick guy trying to support and comfort him versus another one who does not even ask “how are you?” when she meets him again after 8 years, a girl who would be available to take care of the people of another planet in the name of love for her man versus another one who betray her father and her own population because she wants her charming prince to believe her. Should I go on with the list? How it’s possible to believe that a man like Daisuke Umon could be in love with a woman like Rubina is totally beyond me.



Later, the Research Centre balcony hosts what I consider one of the best scene of the whole anime, and one of the greatest example of the tricky use of visual aspects. If you would like to follow my advice and you switch off the TV volume, you will see the following scene happening. Daisuke is alone at the balcony looking at the sunset with a serious expression. He is so concentrated in his reflections that does not realise the arrival of Koji, Maria-Grace and Hikaru. They are all worried, but Venusia in particular is extremely serious. Alcor put a thumb on his mouth asking for silence and approaches Actarus exchanging some words with him. Phenicia turns to look at Venusia, then reaches her brother - while Hikaru remains standing few steps behind - and adds some words. Without moving his sight from the sky, Daisuke replies something that makes his sister turning again to Venusia with a worried expression, then she replies to Actarus for a moment. Koji is shown angry, and Daisuke lowers his eyes and turns back to return to the Centre keeping his eyesight to the floor; he nearly runs into Hikaru and stops for a fraction of second beside her (it’s really a very short moment) so she is surprised. When Actarus has nearly reached the balcony door, Alcor runs ahead of him and holding his shoulders he tells something to his friend, who anyway continues to look at the floor. Then something happens that makes everybody turning and rushing soon in the control room, where Rubina’s spacer is shown in a monitor. After some moments, Daisuke looks left and right with a worried expression then rushes out of the control room. This is what happens at the balcony scene, whatever dialogue – but particularly intonations – could have been added in the various editions (anyway, they are all more or less consistent here).



I think that the “silent game” can prove two basic things. First, Daisuke is all but happy after his meeting with Rubina, and has so many issues floating in his mind to not realise the arrival of the other members of the Team. Secondly, Koji but mostly Maria-Grace are clearly worried for Hikaru, the visual hints are not disputable on this point.



The big question is: did Venusia know about Actarus’ past engagement with Vegalia? Phenicia should have known about it as her reaction (looking at Venusia) when her brother confesses the identity (“She was Rubina”) of the enemy he met at the flowered grass is clearly designed (“What? – she turns to Venusia then looks again to Actarus – the princess of Vega?”) It’s an important question, because the balcony scene is crucial to understand ep72. Well, I believe that yes, Hikaru knew about Daisuke’s past engagement, otherwise there would have been no reason for her to worry in anticipation. Okay, Alcor saw Actarus talking with a red-haired girl at the grass, so what? If Venusia did not know anything about the past engagement, why should she has to be worried when she arrives at the balcony? Alcor and Phenicia act during the whole scene as they are protecting Venusia; to be more precise, I have the main impression that they approach Actarus on her behalf. Looking at the visual aspects, we see Koji first stopping Hikaru and Maria-Grace then approaching Daisuke, then Phenicia looking at Venusia then reaching her brother. Probably I have a lack of fantasy, but I cannot find an alternative valid explanation to this scene taking into consideration all those visual evidences. It’s Hikaru who would like to know who was that girl at the grass, but she has not the courage to ask him directly. Considering her personality throughout the previous 71 episodes, I believe that only a terrible doubt about the possible comeback in Duke Fleed’s life of his official girlfriend in Fleed could have let her act in that unusual way. She had no fear in meeting Naida, but the possible comeback of Rubina is a complete different story for her. Why? Because Hikaru knows that only his high sense of duty could be able to tear Daisuke apart from her. Nothing else could succeed. And that something strange and really serious is going on is proved by Actarus’ unusual attitude: he is clearly in trouble but this time he does not want to share his reflections with Venusia and prefers to stay alone. A real bad sign for Hikaru, who for the first time in the whole anime is scared. If that girl (Alcor could see her briefly without the helmet at the grass, and those long red hairs were for sure a visible particular even from his spacer) was really Rubina, what did she want? These are the questions (the identity of the enemy and the topic of the discussion) Hikaru would like to pose to Daisuke lacking the courage, so Koji and Maria-Grace offer to question him on her behalf (it’s clear from the balcony scene that the trio has discussed the situation previously as they act as they have agreed a sort of “action plan”). I find this attitude from Alcor and Phenicia amusing and another indirect confirmation that Venusia had a special deep role in Actarus’ life, otherwise Maria-Grace’s behaviour at the balcony would be inexplicable.



By the way, Koji does not know about the engagement (otherwise his speeches both at the balcony and in the bedroom would have no sense), but both Maria-Grace and Hikaru were aware of it. Probably the fleedian princess did not know details though; I think Daisuke told her something about it - but asking her to keep the information as a secret - between ep70 and ep71, while he was fearing to die very soon for the worsening of the poisoning injury, in order to try to relieve that sister who was desperate for lacking memories about Fleed. Instead, in my opinion Venusia knew very well the background story of the engagement. Analysing the visual aspects of the scene, it seems to me that she is not surprised at all – like Alcor instead - from the news that Actarus met the Princess of Vega, which is really strange. If she ignored the engagement, her reaction should have been similar to Alcor’s, while instead Venusia is only surprised for Actarus’ behaviour when he nearly runs into her and has not the courage to look at her.



I believe that, at this point of the episode – during the night, when they are all gone at Umon’s house to sleep (interesting choice actually) - Venusia knows that Duke Fleed has met his former official girlfriend the Princess of Vega, that they have talked together for a while, that the conversation has totally upset Actarus and that for sure he holds a terrible secret which is struggling him but that for some reasons he does not want to share with anybody and especially with her. Hikaru suspects that this secret is somehow linked to her, considering Daisuke’s behaviour both at the balcony and in the control room. They all had a meeting with him in the evening, but Actarus refused to explain any detail about his first encounter with Rubina, so Procton anyway suggested him to not go to the second meeting with the princess (it’s what is implied in Alcor’s speech in the bedroom). Hikaru really cannot understand what’s going on: what secret news could have Rubina told to Daisuke to let him be so upset? Why has he decided to handle a critical situation alone, without asking for support from her or at least from Umon? It’s true, Actarus has always been a very reserved but sincere person: instead of telling a lie he prefers to remain in silence, so Venusia can be sure that when he feels ready he will tell the truth. But in that moment, while the night falls, the fact that the second question Alcor and Phenicia have asked at the balcony has remained unanswered is struggling her and for sure she is not able to sleep.



So when Koji knocks at her bedroom door to inform Hikaru that Daisuke has decided to go to a second meeting with Rubina despite all contrary advises, he finds probably her awakened (just as Maria-Grace) and they can rush immediately to the Centre. Grendizer flies over their heads so Venusia knows that somehow her questions are going to be answered anyway soon.



And she is right. The night is slowly fading in the daylight when Hikaru, seeing Duke Fleed near Rubina but mostly listening to their conversation, suddenly realises what incredible secret has been struggling Daisuke in the last 12 hours: Planet Fleed has come back to life, the princess of Vega has asked him to return with her on his native planet, which inevitably means that she asked him to merry her, and… he thought to accept the proposal. Venusia does not know any detail, but the overall situation is perfectly clear for her. Daisuke would have been available to wed the daughter of the man who killed is parents, family and friends, who destroyed his own planet and enslaved his population in order to save Hikaru and all the earthlings. This is why Actarus refused to talk with everybody about the conversation with Rubina and could not look at Venusia at the balcony: his conscience was fighting between his sense of duty and his desire to continue to live his life just as he supposed few hours ago. He has not even told his sister about Planet Fleed coming back to life, while it’s obvious from Rubina’s words that he knew already the information, but how could he communicate such a happy news when he still had to decide what to do with his own life?



Well, it’s clear that Rubina is going to die soon anyway, so why should Venusia worry for the situation? Once the Irritating Princess is died, the wedding issue would fly away for good. Yet, Hikaru turns back with a painful expression on her face holding herself to Marine Spacer. This is another scene that has caused infinite discussions between fans for a quarter of century: what’s its meaning? It’s located exactly while Duke Fleed is telling to Rubina that she should not die and they will go back to Fleed together (the big differences between the various editions are in the dubbing intonation, not about the content of the speech). Given the contest of the situation, I believe that Hikaru’s pain is related to her pity for both the Princess of Vega and Daisuke: she is nearly to die and he is clearly starting to be overcome by his old guiltiness feelings. A terrible tragedy is going on in front of Venusia’s eyes: she has understood that Actarus would have been available to sacrifice himself in order to save millions of people around the universe, and now he is facing the failure of his plan and the possible consequent war recrudescence. Hikaru knows him so well, she is aware that feeling guilty for the death of innocents is the only thing that is able to destroy Daisuke’s spirit, she has already seen in ep25 what that sentiment can do to him. (if you notice, whatever intonation Duke Fleed’s international dubbers has used in that point, anyway Actarus’ words show that he was being overcome by his irrational part: how could he suppose to come back to Fleed with Rubina as she was clearly close to die? She knows herself this fact clearly better than him, as all her answers assume her to be dead). Venusia is suffering for Actarus, not for herself. Yes, Daisuke would have been available to merry Rubina, but of course the generous Hikaru would have agreed with him as his decision would have been taken for a good purpose; in my opinion her pain displayed in this scene is not mostly referred to the possible perspective to lose him (of course this is an added factor, but not the main one) but for seeing him suffering.



I believe this is the correct interpretation of Venusia’s behaviour at Rubina’s death scene considering also what happens in eps 73-74. Overcoming his guiltiness feelings for good has closed Duke Fleed’s personal journey, and in a way the main storyline of Ufo Robot Grendizer. But the war is not finished yet, and now a new ant called Planet Fleed is walking but in disordered file on the branch. Daisuke Umon needs now to reassess his own life and his priorities once more. And all the other characters, and particularly Hikaru Makiba, will need to undertake the same process together with him for what their respective lives are concerned.

Merci Homnorak, c'est vraiment un bel hommage.   

dommage que je ne lise pas l'anglais

attends, je te le traduis

Ayé, c'est fait

Il s'agit d'une référence à une coutume japonaise traditionnelle qui consiste à se souvenir des morts (comme, en Occident, la tradition qui consiste à déposer des chrysanthèmes sur les tombes). Phénicia et Actarus étaient en train de parler d'Euphor. Dans cette perspective, l'explication, du geste de Vénusia -d'après moi- est qu'elle veut rendre hommage aux défunts de la planète d'où vient l'homme qu'elle aime. Elle ferme les yeux dans une prière silencieuse en hommage aux innocentes victimes de Véga sur cette planète, et Actarus fait de même puisqu'il comprend le sens du geste de Vénusia. Je trouve que cette scène est très touchante, merveilleuse, exceptionnelle. C'est un scénario incroyable, parce que, sans un seul mot mais par de petites touches visuelles, il permet de faire comprendre aux spectateurs qui souhaiteraient creuser plus avant, ce qui se passe d'un point de vue psychologique entre les personnages.
En effet, selon moi, l'attitude de Vénusia constitue la preuve que son lien avec Actarus est si profond qu'elle en devient capable de rendre hommage à "ses" morts à lui (ce qui, si on se place dans la perspective culturelle du Japon, l'inclut dans sa famille). Sans doute en vient-elle à les considérer comme "ses morts à elle", particulièrement dans le cas où Actarus déciderait de rester à jamais sur Terre avec elle.

A préciser aussi que pour cet épisode, Gerda conseille de regarder les images sans le son afin de mieux se focaliser sur les expressions car une expression dessinée dans un DA n'est pas un hasard.
Je ne l'ai pas encore fait, mais dans le sens contraire, écouter le son sans les images donne une dimension différente des intonations des personnages et me permet de mieux comprendre ce qu'ils veulent exprimer.

merci beaucoup venusia    

Je t'en prie (en plus j'aime bien la trad, je suis en plein de dedans parce qu'on fait un spectacle de chansons français-anglais avec les élèves, donc pour faire un programme à remettre aux parents, je suis en train de traduire les chansons en anglais, c'est un exercice que j'apprécie bcp )

C'est une très belle scène, je trouve, très forte. Et dans cet épisode si "noir", elle est la bienvenue

Merci pour la traduction, Vénusia !     

Je trouve que dans cette scène, la voix de Vénusia est très émue quand elle parle à ses amis.