The climax felt rushed, didn't it

[Dr. Jerk]

So yesterday I had watched a bit of episodes 48, 49 and 50 of the 2003 series, subs actually. And I'm sure you probably know, I was just as about impressed as pretty much anyone else of its climax of the wars between humans and robots finally coming to end and...

...Just like that. Almost without any sort of cool down, it just seemingly abruptly ends.

I'm really not quite sure how to describe it myself, but there was something about the last three episodes that almost felt rushed, as if the entire team behind it absolutely had to keep it at 50 as the maximum. Don't get me wrong, episodes 49 and 50 were absolutely beautiful and reminded me why I am such a diehard fan of Tenma's and Atom's father/creator-son/creation bond. But it also felt like it was missing some things, maybe missing that 'cool down' that I mentioned before.

It mostly felt like there should have been an episode between 48 and 49 to provide more of that cool down. Not to mention that Lamp could have been a little smarter and done something else. But then again, that's probably just my opinion. I also admit that I've only ever seen 1-3 and 48-50, so I guess I skipped out a ton of stuff that could have mattered otherwise. But regardless it felt almost rushed to me.

I still really enjoyed it though, it did make me crave more, heh. So, does anyone else agree?

[Astro Forever]

I haven't watched these episodes in quite some time, so the details are blurry. I don't remember feeling that way, but perhaps if I watched the series again I could see where you are coming from. On the other side, that story arc started back at episode 45 (Night Before the Revolution); perhaps watching from only episode 48 can have a different impact in one's perception. It starts with a stupid incident involving one robot, and then things keep escalating. As a viewer, I felt things had gone too far (that almost goes without saying, because I assume this was the goal), so it is not that bad when it ends.

I thoroughly enjoy the parts involving Tenma throughout the series. There are episodes I can totally do without, those I find only "cute", those in which I don't see much depth. To me, Tenma's inner turmoil and deep sadness, which he tries to hide, make him a deep character and I can't help it, I have a soft spot for him. This is why I chose this signature; even though he isn't at his best in my animation , I totally love that character.

I would have liked to see what would have happened to him in episode 51, 52 or 53, but I suppose it wouldn't have been too exciting for a series.

[Dr. Jerk]

Eh, I suppose at least a couple more filler episodes after 50 could have worked, even if Tenma never appeared in any of them. It just felt rushed in-general, and left several things unanswered... at least from my views and memory.

[Astro Forever]

Could you give an example of a question left unanswered?

You may be right, I don't remember... perhaps I could watch those before going to bed in the next few days, like I used to a few years ago!

[Dr. Jerk]

I could probably think of more if I were to refresh my memory and watch the rest, but the following just really stick a sore thumb.

-Are those robots really going to be okay in space, and where the fudge are they hoping to go? That's probably not quite it, but there was something off about their sudden departure.

-How is life in Metro City and in other places of the world going to differ now that the robot rights are in place, will it truly end happily like everyone hoped it would? Now if you were to go by Tezuka's own philosophy, no it wouldn't because you cannot stop racism whatsoever, but I mean, has it all changed for the canon of the 2003 series? We'll never know.

And,

-Was the Ministry of Science totally destroyed? Is Tenma's imprisonment truly permanent like many fans theorize? In fact, the room Tenma was in hardly looked like a jail cell at all. So forth...

All of which are things we'll never know, unfortunately.

[Astro Forever]

-How is life in Metro City and in other places of the world going to differ now that the robot rights are in place, will it truly end happily like everyone hoped it would? Now if you were to go by Tezuka's own philosophy, no it wouldn't because you cannot stop racism whatsoever, but I mean, has it all changed for the canon of the 2003 series? We'll never know.

That alone could have lasted for many more episodes, in my opinion. It could have made an interesting sequel!

-Was the Ministry of Science totally destroyed? Is Tenma's imprisonment truly permanent like many fans theorize? In fact, the room Tenma was in hardly looked like a jail cell at all. So forth...

I think I had assumed back then that he may have been in a mental hospital or something like that.

[Dr. Jerk]

Mental hospital does actually make sense, and kinda puts me at ease with that thought. Although given the stuff that Tenma had done, and that the officers were apparently after him, it still wouldn't surprise me if he was arrested.

[Astro Forever]

Mental hospital does actually make sense, and kinda puts me at ease with that thought. Although given the stuff that Tenma had done, and that the officers were apparently after him, it still wouldn't surprise me if he was arrested.

I'm sure he was arrested, but maybe put in a mental hospital (if that is where he was) for an evaluation of his mental state so a judge decide whether he could stand a trial, and if so, later on, what kind of punishment was appropriate, such as jail and/or psychiatric treatment.

[F-Man]

-Are those robots really going to be okay in space, and where the fudge are they hoping to go? That's probably not quite it, but there was something off about their sudden departure.

Agreed. It came out of nowhere. Just made me think "They're going to another planet only NOW?"

How is life in Metro City and in other places of the world going to differ now that the robot rights are in place, will it truly end happily like everyone hoped it would? Now if you were to go by Tezuka's own philosophy, no it wouldn't because you cannot stop racism whatsoever, but I mean, has it all changed for the canon of the 2003 series? We'll never know.

Well, Astro's final line is something about the new robot legislation being only the beginning of a bigger dream, so I guess he meant that they still haven't achieved world piece yet, and there is still a way to go.

Lamp's conclusion was also very disappointing to me. He should have had a reunion with "Friend" or his robot issues somewhat fixed in some way. Instead it's like they just remembered they needed to finish his story arc and so threw him in the episode out of nowhere to attack Astro and stupidly go to prison.

[Dr. Jerk]

Well, Astro's final line is something about the new robot legislation being only the beginning of a bigger dream, so I guess he meant that they still haven't achieved world piece yet, and there is still a way to go.

Hm, I don't remember seeing that at all.