Godzillas marching to Netflix dominance Screenshot: NetflixGodzilla Singular Point has made its way onto Netflix, unleashing all the fury of a thousand nuclear breathing attacks. This opens the door to a thrilling adventure of epic proportions. Did the adventure live up to the Jet Jaguar-filled expectations? Or was the King of Monsters ready to abdicate his reign? These are the things we loved and what we didn't.AdvertisementWe loved...Screenshot: NetflixJet JaguarGodzilla is in Singular Points title. But the hero of this show is without a doubt Otaki Factorys anti-kaiju mecha, Jet Jaguar. (turned sentient, huge-sized robot by the finale), Jet Jaguar, thanks to an upgrade from Yuns AI mid-season, embarks on a journey to self-discovery. Its heroic sacrifice is just as compelling as any other human character in the series. It is a beloved character. You feel for it and you cheer when it saves the day. Jet Jaguar is a legend.Screenshot: NetflixIt was a love letter to Kaiju and not just GodzillaFans might be disappointed by how small Godzilla actually is in Singular Point. The 13-episode season's halfway mark is when Godzilla makes his presence felt. But even then, a lot of Godzilla's presence is hidden in the background until the final episodes.AdvertisementHowever, the Big G deserves his due. The shows use of his iconic theme as Godzilla, which utterly and hauntingly decimates Tokyo with a series beam attacks, is not only better than anything Godzilla Vs Kong did but also one of the most memorable moments of television you will see this year. Singular Point shines and amplifies the monstrous threat by allowing all kinds of classic k-aiju to take over, from Rodan to Anguirus to Kumonga, Salunga (the latter which draws elements from Gabara), to do so. This choice not only allows for an additional cinematic history to the story, but also creates a feeling of escalation throughout the show. As humanity's curiosity grows as Rodan appear, it becomes utterly fearful, and things quickly become unknowable, and dread-laden.Screenshot: NetflixAdvertisementThe mix of CG animation and 2D animationDespite 3D animation being more popular in anime, there will always be some fans who are irked when you mention that a show has CG work. Singular Point is no exception. However, the combination of 3DCG animation and 2D animation in Singular Point is more of an art form than an action shorthand. Singular Point is a lot like Triggers' approach in the hit anime tokusatsu sister series, SSSS.Gridman, and SSSS.Dynazenon. It almost exclusively uses 3DCG animationwork by Studio Orange hereto animate Jet Jaguar and its k aiju. This makes them feel less natural, but in a positive way. They read more like people wearing suits. They are able to capture the feeling of live-action Tokusatsu productions, as well as their special effects, and translate that into this medium. Additionally, they can use CG to transcend the limitations of a monster portrayed in live-action.AdvertisementIt provides a fascinating contrast with the largely 2D world around them and the human characters. It is not intentionally offended, as some 3DCGs can.Screenshot: NetflixAdvertisementThe Dedication to Weird ScienceSingular Point is almost to its fault (well, we'll get to that later), more a show about strange theoretical science than giant monsters. The show's fascination with temporal physics is a key thread throughout its narrative arc. Its blend of advanced scienceimagined through a near-future 2030 setting where public technology looks largely the same, but advanced AI, powerful supracomputers and other wild technologies can be in the hand of governments and independent shadow organisationswith elements folklore, myth, and human history creates a fascinating vibe for this series.AdvertisementThis isn't a common occurrence in k.aiju material. The idea that these creatures are part of our planets past and a reaction against the way that human civilization has developed off the back of exploiting that history, but Godzilla Singular Points embraces it instead of the simple option of a giant beasts attack! narrative leads Godzilla Singular Points to some mind-blowing moments of cleverness that elevate the show when it needs.Screenshot: NetflixAdvertisementThe Post-Credits TeaseHow can you make a satisfyingly finished story feel instantaneously open? The hubris of a scientist who decides to create Mechagodzilla is evident.AdvertisementSingular Point's final moments reveal that Michiyuki, the theoretical scientist at heart of the season's temporal mysteries, has been working secretly to create his own Godzilla. He is using technology from SHIVA to build a mechanical frame around bones of an inert kaiju skeleton. Mechagodzilla's inclusion raises interesting questions about the future of the show, given the apparent end of King of the Monsters and his antagonistic nature in the first season.We didn't love...Screenshot: NetflixAdvertisementThat the Dedication To Weird Science was a Little Too DedicatedOk, the weirdness of Singular Points is fascinating. It brings out the kind of strangeness that you would want in a monster movie. It's also quite a bit. Singular Points' narrative is dominated by textually smart people repeating false buzzwords such as Orthagonal Diagonalizer over and over again. Or talking about how impossible temporal Physics theories are both impossible and must work because it is required.AdvertisementIt's either in-person conversations or shots of quickly scrolling mobile phones screens. Yun, Mei and AI companion Pelops II text back and forth as their characters, Yun and Mei, chat with each other while simultaneously narrating the conversation. (The original Japanese dub has English subtitles and is incredibly difficult to understand at times as the katakana, kanji, and dialogue scream across the screen as you listen to the dialogue.) A lot of the footage is extremely dry and it. It's boring to watch, frustratingly complex and unsatisfyingly dense at the worst.Screenshot: NetflixAdvertisementThe Disconnect between its ProtagonistsIt doesn't help that Yun, Mei and their colleagues at Otaki Factory spend most of their time apart. They work on different investigations into the Red Dust phenomenon, which is causing the rise in k aiju around the globe. Yun and his Otaki Factory colleagues focus on the Kaiju by enhancing Jet Jaguar to Japan's unlikely anti-k.aiju weapon. Mei, on the other hand, is traveling the world with theoretical scientists and SHIVA agents exploring the temporal mysteries of the strange dust that k aiju such as Godzilla make as they arrive at human shores. You never feel that they are connected until the end, even though Yuns AI program splits them into Pelops II and Yuns OS. This is later uploaded to create Jet Jaguars synthetic personality.AdvertisementThis makes their emotional arcs feel very lonely, and when it comes time for them finally to reunite, it feels strangely unearned. It's possible that they will make a connection in future seasons, but it feels frustrating for now.Screenshot: NetflixAdvertisementThe Dodgy PacingIt is not helped that Singular point is slow-burning. It works sometimes in its favor. The buildup of the threat from Rodans appearance to small flocks to large numbers of monsters and beasts all over the world, and becoming more aggressive, is impressive. It can be frustrating to watch the first half of Singular Points. This is because our heroes go off on separate investigative tangents, repeating information over-and-over until they find a story that moves forward.AdvertisementThe show gets better as it builds towards its explosive finale, but the transition between the first half and the second feels more like an abrupt escalation than the smooth buildup.Are you curious about where our RSS feed went. The new one can be found here.
