What are we watching: Planetes

What’s it about: In 2075, space travel is no longer just a dream, but an everyday reality for mankind. Advancements in science and technology have led to the colonization of the moon, the commercialization of outer space, and the formation of large space corporations. Ai Tanabe, an upbeat woman whose interests lie in the cosmos, joins Technora Corporation as a member of their Debris Section, a department dedicated to the removal of dangerous space junk between the orbits of the Earth and Moon.

However, Ai soon discovers how unappreciated her job is. As the laughingstock of Technora, the Debris Section is severely understaffed, poorly funded, and is forced to use a dilapidated spaceship nicknamed the "Toy Box" for debris retrieval. Undeterred, Ai perseveres and gradually becomes acquainted with the strange personalities that make up the Debris Section's staff, such as the bumbling but good-natured chief clerk Philippe Myers; the mysterious and tight-lipped temp worker Edelgard Rivera; and the hotheaded and passionate Hachirouta Hoshino, who longs for a spaceship to call his own.

Planetes is an unconventional sci-fi series that portrays the vastness of space as a backdrop for the personal lives of ordinary people—people who may have been born on Earth, but whose hopes and dreams lie amongst the stars.

Studio: Sunrise

Director: Taniguchi, Gorou

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DakRYsUIiIE

Where can I watch it: https://twist.moe/a/planetes/1 , https://thepiratebay.org/description.php?id=10060322

Spoilers beyond the current episode are :haram: . Please use the spoiler tag if you would like to discuss past the current episode. Everything in this episode and before are fair game.

  • notthenameiwant [he/him]M
    ·
    4 years ago

    I don’t think the “wine 'em and dine 'em” is all that egregious or an implicit plea for Edel to prostitute herself. For the entire show Lavie has always been a loud coward for whom no low was too low. So I think his reaction here is perfectly in line with his character

    I mean, his character knows about it, so the only other conclusion would be some hostess work, which doesn't really feel like it works in context. Maybe I'm just being too fatalistic here. Either way, he's kind of apt for a manager.

      • notthenameiwant [he/him]M
        ·
        4 years ago

        Out right saying "hey fuck for money" might be too beyond the pale for this show without a few layers of implication. Anime has always shied away from sex outside of something explicitly selling you things like ecchi.

          • notthenameiwant [he/him]M
            ·
            4 years ago

            I think my point was that sex work was always portrayed as it's own thing and always negative so far in this show. This is the first time that a character has specifically mentioned it in the context of a "potentially-necessary evil".

    • joshuaism [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I'm fairly certain that it was just a set up for the punchilne brushoff Edel game him. "I'm just a temp worker" has been a running joke through the series and is absolutely the correct take. Edel's struggle as a contract worker is completely unrelated to the trouble facing half section.

      You are not wrong that he was asking for some hostess style work from her but I'd say it would end at attentive care and flattery towards their new superior (pouring drinks, laughing at jokes, pretending you could actually appreciate their mentorship and advice). This would be typical office drinking party behavior according to Japanese office dramas. Highly gendered too, just like Lavie's obligation is to make an ass of himself which he pulls off well here.