Series nitpicks and inconsistencies

[AR-99]

Post nitpicks and inconsistencies that you've noticed in either series as well as Another Stories/Gunnm Gaiden and Ashen Victor that you haven't found an answer to or weren't later answered later in the story. If you found the answer to something that is mentioned, say so!

I can think of one:

-How did Ido register as a hunter-warrior if he had to have had the ID code stamp burned into his neuroglia? Did the deckmen stamp it on his brain bio-chip and say nothing?

[Snailygoat]

Well I think since the machines are working more for Salem than the Scrapyard so they would just not say anything when he's getting his "brain" tattooed.
For one thing I noticed is not so much as an inconsistency but more of a "so where did that idea go to?" kind of thing. In The Last Order were Nova is running through her new body introduction and says "Think of your favorite colour. See your skin changed didn't it." And since that we have never seen her use this body function. Did he just forget about that idea completely?

[Gatekpr]

The color change thing was simply a way to show her that she can change her body's structure on the molecular level, a trait she has used multiple times. Her plasma usage against Sachumodo/Tzykrow/damn-near-everyone, Damascus blades against Vilma, total body reconstruction after resurrecting from the material of Tunguska, plasma soliton against Toji, total body reconstruction after being ripped apart by Toji, etc.

[O.P.]

-How did Ido register as a hunter-warrior if he had to have had the ID code stamp burned into his neuroglia? Did the deckmen stamp it on his brain bio-chip and say nothing?

Jot it down to "artistic freedom". Yukito hadn't thought about brain chips yet.

[Dream]

Not sure about inconsistencies and all, but during Yugo's arc, we learned that Zalem regularly orders a whole human body worth f body parts to Vector. Brain included. This idea really went nowhere. Maybe a possible attempt to introduce Nova earlier?

[brus]

-How did Ido register as a hunter-warrior if he had to have had the ID code stamp burned into his neuroglia? Did the deckmen stamp it on his brain bio-chip and say nothing?

And since Ido is not a cyborg, he can be identified in any of those other ways

[moooV]

Wow. Someone has started this discussion about mismatches. I was lazy to start mine, so I'll just add my questions here.

Ok, let's go (I can't open the manga, so I'll write what I remember):

1) Have you noticed that Makaku's size is messed up seriously?
- Alita is about half of Ido's height
- Ido kills a guy, who was cutting dog heads off - they are about the same size
- Alita meets Makaku for the first time and leaves her hand in his eye - the eye is about the same size as she is, and Makaku's head is giant
- Makaku comes to Kinuba with arms and legs of the killed guy on him, and with an arm in the eye

Now take a look at the mismatch: his head and arm in the eye have shrinked to the guy's body scale.

2) Why do they all have a sweat on their foreheads, when they are shocked or excited?
I understand that it's a drawing trick to show someone's state, but when a guy (like Zekka or Toji) with a clearly metallic forehead has a sweat on it, it looks very weird.

3) What's that thing on one of Sechs's eyes?
I can understand that he could lose an eye when he was a tuned unit and had a patch for it, but having it also on a doll and on his new body later is just strange.

How can he fight without one eye and with no depth perception at all?

4) Why does Alita eat?

I understand, that in HFV she was a cyborg and had to get some chemical elements for the brain (but in the extra stories Ido has refused to install a glucose cartridge into her). I understand that in the first ten volumes of LO she thought that she's a cyborg and ate sometimes (like chocolate in LO1), but it started looking extremely strange when she was eating and drinking (a burrito and then a cocktail) after she has discovered she's a robot. What for? She does not have any organics!

By the way, notice, that Sechs and rabbits have never been seen eating - they know they're androids and don't have any need for that.

5) And I wanted to write about slow motion, but I'll write it later.

[Dream]

4) Why does Alita eat?

I understand, that in HFV she was a cyborg and had to get some chemical elements for the brain (but in the extra stories Ido has refused to install a glucose cartridge into her). I understand that in the first ten volumes of LO she thought that she's a cyborg and ate sometimes (like chocolate in LO1), but it started looking extremely strange when she was eating and drinking (a burrito and then a cocktail) after she has discovered she's a robot. What for? She does not have any organics!

By the way, notice, that Sechs and rabbits have never been seen eating - they know they're androids and don't have any need for that.

The imaginos is shown to be more or less a replica of an organic body, with nano machines instead of cells (look at the body in chapter one. intestine and other organs are shown). It adapts its appearance and functionality to the owner's inner perception of itself. Meaning that the more human Gally feels like, the more human-like her robot metabolism work. (There are also chances the imaginos cells need external energy supplies, too, at least up to the point Gally get the wormhole link.). Gally probably still has memories of enjoying the taste of food, meaning the body provides the functionality to make her able to enjoy eating. It's mostly about Gally's will. she eats because she wants too. Imaginos is basically the anti-Nietsche body (as makaku quoted, "we are slave of our bodies" or something, and the imaginos clearly does the opposite)

As for the clones, well, because it's not show doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Zekka drinks beer, and his body tech is close to Zech's. Imo it's more of a matter of relevance to the plot than anything else.

[AR-99]

And since Ido is not a cyborg, he can be identified in any of those other ways

The caveat though is that he could become a cyborg later on and easily bypass these other ways. The brain stamp is a consistent means across the board of identifying anybody and as the deckman that does the registrations operates the brain stamper, likely everyone regardless of what degree they are cyberized is registered this way. I keep thinking that when Ido sliced open his head to see for himself, he found his brain bio-chip stamped with his hunter ID.

This leads me to another thing: I'm not an expert on anatomy, but when Nova and Bigott slice open their heads to expose the bio-chips, it seems that there's a lot less bleeding going on than would be for a "normal" human head. Their heads only seem to bleed when sliced open, but then the bleeding coagulates or stops, especially when Nova replaces the top of his head. Neither of them seems to be in serious pain either. Perhaps this is something unique to the Tiphareans after they have their brains replaced?

For one thing I noticed is not so much as an inconsistency but more of a "so where did that idea go to?" kind of thing. In The Last Order were Nova is running through her new body introduction and says "Think of your favorite colour. See your skin changed didn't it." And since that we have never seen her use this body function. Did he just forget about that idea completely?

The manga is B&W but the color illustrations of Alita that Kishiro did for the covers (http://jajatom.moo.jp/E-top/frame.html in the gallery) after the Tiphares arc do show her in different body colors, especially if you look at her forearms. And there is also the default silver. A more recent example is in the Comic Natalie post announcing the debut of Last Order in Evening (http://natalie.mu/comic/news/46600): the cover illustration depicts her body as being red, but the foldout poster shows it as being blue. So it could be that this function is being used, but because the manga isn't in color we aren't readily seeing it.

[moooV]

It's mostly about Gally's will. she eats because she wants too.
...
As for the clones, well, because it's not show doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Zekka drinks beer, and his body tech is close to Zech's. Imo it's more of a matter of relevance to the plot than anything else.

Like Bender - "I smoke and drink, because it makes me look cool".

Spoiler:

[Gatekpr]

1) Have you noticed that Makaku's size is messed up seriously?
- Alita is about half of Ido's height
- Ido kills a guy, who was cutting dog heads off - they are about the same size
- Alita meets Makaku for the first time and leaves her hand in his eye - the eye is about the same size as she is, and Makaku's head is giant
- Makaku comes to Kinuba with arms and legs of the killed guy on him, and with an arm in the eye

Now take a look at the mismatch: his head and arm in the eye have shrinked to the guy's body scale.

If you look closely, you can see that the head is actually massive and dwarfs the arms and legs that Makaku is borrowing.

2) Why do they all have a sweat on their foreheads, when they are shocked or excited?
I understand that it's a drawing trick to show someone's state, but when a guy (like Zekka or Toji) with a clearly metallic forehead has a sweat on it, it looks very weird.

It comes with the art style. It expresses emotion in what would otherwise be rather emotionless bodies.

3) What's that thing on one of Sechs's eyes?
I can understand that he could lose an eye when he was a tuned unit and had a patch for it, but having it also on a doll and on his new body later is just strange.

How can he fight without one eye and with no depth perception at all?

Maybe it's not a patch. It has a slit going through it, so perhaps it's a different kind of visual organ.

4) Why does Alita eat?

I understand, that in HFV she was a cyborg and had to get some chemical elements for the brain (but in the extra stories Ido has refused to install a glucose cartridge into her). I understand that in the first ten volumes of LO she thought that she's a cyborg and ate sometimes (like chocolate in LO1), but it started looking extremely strange when she was eating and drinking (a burrito and then a cocktail) after she has discovered she's a robot. What for? She does not have any organics!

By the way, notice, that Sechs and rabbits have never been seen eating - they know they're androids and don't have any need for that.

She is human because she believes it to be so. Necessity has little to do with it.

[Dream]

It's mostly about Gally's will. she eats because she wants too.
...
As for the clones, well, because it's not show doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Zekka drinks beer, and his body tech is close to Zech's. Imo it's more of a matter of relevance to the plot than anything else.

Like Bender - "I smoke and drink, because it makes me look cool".

Spoiler:

benderXGally = OTP?
She always stroke me as a woman with bad taste in men after all.

[moooV]

benderXGally = OTP?
She always stroke me as a woman with bad taste in men after all.

I didn't get it at all.

[Abaddon]

benderXGally = OTP?
She always stroke me as a woman with bad taste in men after all.

I didn't get it at all.

OTP... do the math

[moooV]

I've simply meant a joke, and nothing else:

1) Alita has no necessity in eating, because she is a robot now, but eats, because she wants to.
2) Bender has no necessity in smoking and drinking, because he is a robot, but does it, because it makes him look cool.

[Sergio Nova]

1) Have you noticed that Makaku's size is messed up seriously?

Finally someone asks a question that makes sense. An entire arm in the eye is really too much. The worst of all is that I have read that in English and Portuguese about six times and had never noticed that. What a shame.

2) Why do they all have a sweat on their foreheads, when they are shocked or excited?

Well, I have seen Alita, Toji and Olympe crying. How can they?

3) What's that thing on one of Sechs's eyes?

What are you talking about? I will have to check that also.

4) Why does Alita eat?

I would accept that she has a human-like brain and that some actions are instinctively programmed (I just hope kamugin and spacey will not disturb me with senseless theories this time). Eating makes her feel more human - even because she is supposed to have the sense of taste. Imagine if you could not eat or drink in social meetings. According to Ido, she would even be able to shit. (And, no! She is NOT a robot. I thought we had already debated that!!)

But I have another question: where does she take energy from? I have never seen her, before or now, recharging batteries. Don't tell me regular meals are enough, for God's sake.

By the way, notice, that Sechs and rabbits have never been seen eating - they know they're androids and don't have any need for that.

They have never been shown eating/drinking. That does not mean they don't do that.

[Sergio Nova]

As for the clones, well, because it's not show doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Zekka drinks beer, and his body tech is close to Zech's. Imo it's more of a matter of relevance to the plot than anything else.

Just now I have noticed your comment, but, yes, your explanation is perfect, nothing less.

[AR-99]

This may not really answer the "Why does Alita eat ?" question, but instead expands it to why would any cyborg eat:



Makaku is another example, as he eats brains to get the endorphins. Maybe Nova engineered his body to process the nutrients?

[kamugin]

This leads me to another thing: I'm not an expert on anatomy, but when Nova and Bigott slice open their heads to expose the bio-chips, it seems that there's a lot less bleeding going on than would be for a "normal" human head. Their heads only seem to bleed when sliced open, but then the bleeding coagulates or stops, especially when Nova replaces the top of his head. Neither of them seems to be in serious pain either. Perhaps this is something unique to the Tiphareans after they have their brains replaced?

Did you forget that Nova and his minions (and Ido after he falls in Nova's hands) all had restoring nanomachines inside their bodies? When Nova shows to Alita the remains of Ido, killed by Zapan, and Alita, blided by despair and pain, slices Nova's and Eelay's* throats, their wounds heal just a few seconds later. Nova was able to bring Ido back to life, as he promised to Alita, but he also drove Ido into madness. Alita truly did a pact with the Devil. But back to the subject, chief Biggot also sawed his own skull wit little damage (physical damage, not the mental damage that drove him into madness). We can suppose that all the Tiphareans have similar restoring nanomachines inside their bodies, machines able to heal somewhat extense damages, but not able to perform an entire body restoration like Nova's improved nanomachines.


*Sorry if I wrote Eelay's name wrongly, Im just lazy to search the book and see if it is correct (I use Viz names, since I read the whole HFV in their version).

[Abaddon]

By the way, notice, that Sechs and rabbits have never been seen eating - they know they're androids and don't have any need for that.

They have never been shown eating/drinking. That does not mean they don't do that.

Actually Sechs is showed eating before the Guntroll confrontation, and "mini" Sechs drinking

Spoiler:

By the way, nobody notices that Sechs name actually is Xechs?

[Sergio Nova]

By the way, nobody notices that Sechs name actually is Xechs?

That was already debated here. The thunds have their names in German (Sechs, Elf, Zwölf).
1. S, in German, has the phonetic value of Z.
2. X (when initial), in English, has the phonetic value of Z.

Conclusion: Kishiro made a salad.
Actually, if I were going to right anything with so many references to languages I don't dominate (in BAA there are references to English, German, French and Russian - to say the least, and Kishiro insists he speaks only Japanese) I would have people to check and correct the collection of problems that would certainly arise.

[kamugin]

I would accept that she has a human-like brain and that some actions are instinctively programmed (I just hope kamugin and spacey will not disturb me with senseless theories this time). Eating makes her feel more human - even because she is supposed to have the sense of taste. Imagine if you could not eat or drink in social meetings. According to Ido, she would even be able to shit. (And, no! She is NOT a robot. I thought we had already debated that!!)

But I have another question: where does she take energy from? I have never seen her, before or now, recharging batteries. Don't tell me regular meals are enough, for God's sake.

By the way, notice, that Sechs and rabbits have never been seen eating - they know they're androids and don't have any need for that.

They have never been shown eating/drinking. That does not mean they don't do that.

Você me chamou, aqui estou!*
You really love me, don't you?

To your deception, this time I agree with you almost entirely, but let me perfect it with my own thoughts: the "early" Alita eats because her human parts need the proteins, glucose, etc. Her complete android form in GLO needs to eat because she "feels" more human by doing that, like you, Sergio, wrote.

Regarding the machine part of their bodies, the old cyborgs in Scrapyard were charged by common electricity like Hugo's cyborg body was charged by Ido before he was able to move. The advaced cyborgs (or androids) that use the Imaginos body or the Fizziroy body, I suppose they are supplied by some kind of nuclear battery cell, because that's the only way to explain the powerful strikes they perform. You must remember that, when facing Tunguska and later Mbadi and his troops, Sechs said his batteries were running low.

Also I have my own questions:
_Remembering Hugo, he was a spinal column robber. It was because the columns couldn't be replaced by synthetic parts, so they were valuable. However it never was shown that Alita, in HFV, had a human backbone, only the brain.

_The hypothesis (by Mbadi) that Anomaly (a fan favourite character here) was an emissary sent by some intelligent lifeform that may be evolved from the Mercury nanomachine ocean was very interesting. I hope Yukito retake it again in the near future.

*"You have called me, so here I am!". This is a quote taken form an old cartoon that I can't remember the name. Was it perhaps The Underdog? Or was it El Chapulín Colorado TV series?

[kamugin]

By the way, nobody notices that Sechs name actually is Xechs?

Yukito was just lazy to do a little Google research before naming the characters (or the ones who romanized that panel). The German numerals names can be found here by example.

[Cailon]

Nice tpoic!

Reading moooV's thread about names, I just thought that maybe "Xechs" is some kind of a stage name, a deliberate estrangement of the word "Sechs", with AR-6 trying to emancipate himself from having just a number as his name. (Like the brainless bunnies who don't care about being just a clone).
I mean the german word Sechs is not that hard to master.^^ Also notice how Kishiro even included the umlaut in "Zwölf" or like he actually named - what we called "Genome Kingdom" - in french: "Royaume de Genome": (vol. 13, page 36)

Spoiler:

So YK does care about names - although admittedly in rare instances he failes in the romanization.
Speaking of the editor wanting "to do it better/to know it better" than the author himself, long story short: Maybe Sechs' actual name is indeed "Xechs".

[Dream]

I always assumed "xechs" was a variation made to distinguish "Sechs", aka the first girl body and the little doll, with the male body, who isn't really the real zechs, and more some sort of fancy robot piloted by the doll. Also could there be some pun there, with Xechs->X-ecks->ecks-ecks->XX / ex-X ?
dunno. it has potential for something like that