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Title (English) Platonic Chain

Title (Japanese) Platonic Chain

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Fantasy Novel

Notes There are 24 short episodes and a prologue, each about 6 mins. long - however half the running time consists of opening and closing sequences and credits.
It's adapted from a novel, which is often a recipe for a more than usually interesting anime (see also Maria-Sama ga Miteru, Juuni Kokuki).
The production makes extensive use of computer-processed imagery.

Classification -

Synopsis In a slightly future Tokyo, girls communicate with advanced mobile phones linked to computers. They can do stuff like tracking down past footage from CCTV cameras, make their own live broadcasts, contact people with similar interests, interact with websites and so forth.

Review A fascinating series in which the characters do really advanced and socially disruptive stuff with mobile camera-phones linked to computers. Not the least worrying is the idea that archived CCTV footage could be accessed and searched for images of past meetings, and that an archive of communication records could give a complete map of a person's movements. The main plot idea is that a secret database exists containing information about every citizen - and it has been made accessible to those in the know by an unknown female hacker.
It's refreshing to see a SF series featuring up-to-the minute technology. Too much SF, and SF anime, features ideas that were old hat half a century ago - take your typical space opera for instance.
I showed a friend some episodes of Platonic Chain. He thought that overall it was very good, but rated the scene where the 14-year old grl cuts herself on camera as the most disturbing scene he had ever seen in an anime. I found that scene quite disturbing too on first viewing. (Not that we thought the scene shouldn't be there - alas many adolescents "self-harm" for real.)
The idea of automatically contacting phone users with similar interests (which appears in the anime) isn't (I'm told) fantasy so much as something that is already being trialled on Japanese streets!
The characters have the distinctive CG 'look' that can be seen in the clip, which you may or may not like, and the movements are quite jerky.
We were irritated by the repeated material on the DVDR and I soon yielded to pleas to use the fast-forward on the eyecatches, explanations, opening credits, closing credits etc etc, and found that skipping these speeded up the viewing considerably. Has anyone thought of making a "movie edition" of the Platonic Chain episodes which contains the action ONLY? It would enhance enjoyment of this series considerably, and I think it would be quite short!

Credits Creator: Kouji Watanabe (novel)
Character designer: Okazaki Takeshi

Episodes 24

Release

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 2002 October 5 -

Production

Broadcaster TV Tokyo

Animation ACiD Films

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	Platonic Chain
Title (Japanese)	Platonic Chain
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes	There are 24 short episodes and a prologue, each about 6 mins. long - however half the running time consists of opening and closing sequences and credits. It's adapted from a novel, which is often a recipe for a more than usually interesting anime (see also Maria-Sama ga Miteru, Juuni Kokuki). The production makes extensive use of computer-processed imagery.
Classification	-
Synopsis	In a slightly future Tokyo, girls communicate with advanced mobile phones linked to computers. They can do stuff like tracking down past footage from CCTV cameras, make their own live broadcasts, contact people with similar interests, interact with websites and so forth.
Review	A fascinating series in which the characters do really advanced and socially disruptive stuff with mobile camera-phones linked to computers. Not the least worrying is the idea that archived CCTV footage could be accessed and searched for images of past meetings, and that an archive of communication records could give a complete map of a person's movements. The main plot idea is that a secret database exists containing information about every citizen - and it has been made accessible to those in the know by an unknown female hacker. It's refreshing to see a SF series featuring up-to-the minute technology. Too much SF, and SF anime, features ideas that were old hat half a century ago - take your typical space opera for instance. I showed a friend some episodes of Platonic Chain. He thought that overall it was very good, but rated the scene where the 14-year old grl cuts herself on camera as the most disturbing scene he had ever seen in an anime. I found that scene quite disturbing too on first viewing. (Not that we thought the scene shouldn't be there - alas many adolescents "self-harm" for real.) The idea of automatically contacting phone users with similar interests (which appears in the anime) isn't (I'm told) fantasy so much as something that is already being trialled on Japanese streets! The characters have the distinctive CG 'look' that can be seen in the clip, which you may or may not like, and the movements are quite jerky. We were irritated by the repeated material on the DVDR and I soon yielded to pleas to use the fast-forward on the eyecatches, explanations, opening credits, closing credits etc etc, and found that skipping these speeded up the viewing considerably. Has anyone thought of making a "movie edition" of the Platonic Chain episodes which contains the action ONLY? It would enhance enjoyment of this series considerably, and I think it would be quite short!
Credits	Creator: Kouji Watanabe (novel) Character designer: Okazaki Takeshi
Episodes	24
Release
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	2002 October 5 -
Production
Broadcaster	TV Tokyo
Animation	ACiD Films
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.