A Discussion of the Influences and Archetypes in Scrapped Princess
Introduction
High fantasy, American western and Sci-Fi - what do these three genres have in common? Behold, Scrapped Princess!
At first glance, one could very easily mistake Scrapped Princess for another typical comic adventure escapade. While the first episodes do paint a mediocre picture of re-hashed devices, there is something more complex going on underneath. The beauty of Scrapped Princess is in its ability to blend several genres into something unique. The same can be said of its characters. Each main character is, when examined closely, a synthesis of multiple archetypes. For example, Shannon Cassul is both a Guardian character, as well as a leading role "Chosen One" type character. The characters in Scrapped Princess possess a depth rarely seen among such a broad cast.
Likewise, the artistic influences present in Scrapped Princess are an unusual combination. While I believe the Fantasy elements are present for any to perceive, the American Western undertones may be a little harder to distinguish. In addition, some may have trouble reconciling the more intricate Sci-Fi elements of the shows later episodes to the securely fashioned Fantasy elements of the beginning,
Let's begin at the beginning: the opening theme! Don't take this for granted - the opening theme says a great deal about the essence of the show. Of particular interest here are both the music as well as the clips the directors have chosen. As for the music; one must ask, is this similar to, or different from the generally upbeat and techno/punk-ish themes of many current popular anime. It's different, right? The music is much slower and more laid back. It's more of a wholesome, uplifting song, than one meant to excite you and raise your pulse.
In conjunction with the music, take a look at the clips being played. There are two important things to notice here: first, the type of clip being shown, and, secondly, the frequency of clips (how fast are they changing?). Now, are the images action shots, or character portraits? Hmm...character portraits seem to dominate the opening song. In addition, the rate of clips is very slow...it takes over 30 seconds just to get through the 3 main characters. Consider your typical anime of the day: fast, upbeat music and an assault of, mainly, action clips. Scrapped Princess, however, chooses a much more relaxed approach to introducing itself. While there are certainly moments of intense action in the series, the directors have chosen not to bring that into focus in the opening song.
Why?
Simply put, Scrapped Princess is, at its core, a show about character development and interaction; this is where the Western elements are validated. Much of the character development in standard Fantasy and Sci-fi fare are overshadowed by the lure of the action segments. Scrapped Princess, however, asserts itself most strongly as a work dedicated to strong character development and a deep discussion of morals, some of which may force you to ask some quite unsettling questions.
For example, ask yourself, "If I was the weapon that was going to destroy the world...would I be better off dead?". Welcome to Episode 1. Episode 2 finds Pacifica asking her brother to be the one to kill her, if things should come to that. Clearly, the writers are trying to convey to us the significance of these questions, both for our own intellectual debate, as well as the catalyst for character development. Some series may take entire seasons to ask questions such as these. The fact that Scrapped Princess digs so deeply into morality in the first episode is worth noting. However, unlike a typical Folk-themed morality play, there are no definitive answers to be found in Scrapped Princess. Those decisions are left to you, the viewer.
Much like the artistic influences, the characters themselves are often complex combinations of several archetypes. This forces us to examine certain characters from a number of angles, and provides greater insight into their personalities and motivations. For example, Shannon is clearly a Guardian archetype. By “Guardian”, I mean that the safety of a person or object, in this case Pacifica, has been entrusted to him. He is a supremely competent warrior, and so it will take an overwhelming enemy to challenge him. However, Shannon also plays the role of the main character at times. When he is acting as Zefiris’s D-Knight, Shannon in a way usurps the leading role from Pacifica. Since Shannon is the only one who can battle the Peacemakers, he shares Pacifica’s “Chosen One/Only Hope” archetype. Another good example of a strong character synthesis can be found in one of my favorite’s, Leo. At first glance, some may dismiss Leo as the comic relief and promptly ignore him thereafter. However, upon closer inspection, Leo proves to be quite an interesting character. While he may be naïve and impulsive, the emotional struggle he is forced to endure upon discovering that Pacifica, his betrothed(?!), is the Scrapped Princess, is powerful and moving.
The amount of depth to be found in Scrapped Princess is formidable, and may come as something of a surprise to those who haven’t given it much serious thought. With a superficial analysis, it would be easy to pass this up as a stereotypical fantasy/sc-fi anime, and perhaps a poorly integrated one at that. However, I feel that there is actually quite a bit more going on beneath the surface of this work.
Next time - Part 1!
In-depth Analysis of Discs 1/2
