Series Information
Nadesico's opening credits.
Kidou Senkan Nadesico certanly is a strange anime. Here, we will examine the depth of the show's production and humor, and whatever fits inbetween. Nadesico is a much deeper show than one can percieve with the plain anime eye.
Humor
Gekiganger
Akito is a young teenager, obsessed with an anime, Gekiganger, about large robots that defend the earth from the 'Dark String Universe', which is probably some sort of evil universe destined to take over our own universe. While it seems somewhat normal here in America to be an all out Otaku, the Japanese seem to find the prospect of 30 year old people watching cartoons a little disturbing. It also mocks a few other things, such as Mobile Suit Gundam and Dai-Guard. The aspect of big robots saving the Earth is usually aimed towards a male audience. It would seem that Gekigandom is spreading over the Nadesico.
Jiro Yamada, who shares a room is an Astevalis pilot who brings Akito back into being obsessed with Gekiganger. In fact, Jiro Yamada is so obsessed with Gekiganger (or Mecha-Type anime) that he decides his name isin't 'cool' enough, and refuses to be refferred to as Jiro Yamada, but instead makes his 'soul's' name, Gai Daigoji, something a little more 'cool' sounding for a mecha-piloting hero. Gai and Akito's room is filled with Gekiganger-anything. Compare to Americans who collect Videos, Models, Stickers, Manga's, Games, and Art Books from their favorite anime. Or, you could also compare to the fact that Gekiganger is Gai's life it seems, as he screeches out Gekiganger moves during battle in his Astevalis, using a Physical Distortion Field attack to pull off moves similar to Gekiganger. ('Gekigan Flare', or Gai's custom move, 'Gai Super Upper/Gai Super Napalm').
'Gai' and Akito watch a tragic Gekiganger episode together, while Yurika stares at them confusedly.
If you've had a friend that pulled you into the anime craze by letting you borrow tapes, or simply by forcing you to watch it, then you'll be very familiar with this reference. Gai constantly orders Akito to do things related to Gai's obsession. (Such as Gai ordering Akito to scream 'Cross Crash' during a serious battle), or lets Akito watch/read his collection of anime because he hasn't seen it. There's an obvious comparison to Nadesico's mockery of everything that is anime. Because of Gai, the Gekigangerness within Akito has been revived, making him a hardcore otaku. (Spending all funds/time/effort on finishing an anime collection or watching anime).
It wasn't long before Akito began to be just as bad as Gai was, much like how you let a friend borrow anime, and you influence them to be 'true' to it's existence by letting them borrow all of it, or simply showing off what you have. Gekiganger pokes fun at all of those obsessions, and genres in anime. (Remeber Tekkaman Blade when they'd scream every attack before it happened?)
Goat Hory once asked Gai, "Why do they have to scream out the attack names? Is it voice-activated?" And Gai replies by basically saying that they do it to get into the 'feel' of the action, then proceeded to talk about poor children which didn't exist. Goat Hory's question would be that of the typical anti-anime persona. (Why do they have to do that all the time?) And of course, you have the group of people watching from the background thinking, (What's so special about a japanese cartoon, anyway? or, Why do I have to sit through this?)
Akito and Gai watch Gekigange excitedly in the Nadesico's kitchen, while Seiya and Haruka groan in dispute. Mr.Hory tries to understand anime.
To sum it up, Gekiganger is basically a mock of the big 'mecha' boom of anime genres, mainly Gundam. It also points out both sides of the anime perspective. Those who do anything to watch it, those who do anything to get away from it, and those who don't do such a good job seeing the excitement in it.
Magical Girl Princess Lychee
This wasn't shown quite as often in Nadesico, but it's a sure deal that it's a big joke just as Gekiganger is. First of all, it mocks the big anime genre with girls who transform into short skirts and gain magical powers, or who fight for love, etc. The Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or Magic Knight Rayearth type shows. It's not too clear on what's going on in the show, but the main character is probably a girl, who's secret identity is 'Magical Girl Princess Lychee' (Compare to Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon) She too carries around a magical wand with the ability to destroy an opponent with magical powers, though she dosen't seem to have fellow warriors to assist her.
Note that shows like this are aimed at a female audience. Akito or Gai probably haven't even heard of this show at all. The only two times it was shown was once on a television, and once accidentally by Ruri, who was looking for information. Another poke at anime fans, as she instantly ordered the computer not to refer to anime for her answers in life.
Similarities (Opinions and Rumors)
When people see Nadesico, the first thing that pops into the anime fan's mind is it's similarities to popular mecha anime such as Shin Seiki Evangelion (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Mobile Suit Gundam, and Macross.
The comparison to Mobile Suit Gundam and Macross is the fact that they are concentrated on a single battleship, which is the leading force in some type of war, with an awkward crew, with an 'ultimate cannon' attack. The similarities to Evangelion is the fact that pilots seem to have 'tight suits' that fit to the pilot's form, and then a type of special cockpit interface system, the IFS. Or, a special type of shielding, the Distortion Field.
Compare Akito's Astevalis face plate to the type of face plates in Gundam. Compare Akito's cockpit system to Evangelion, then notice how they are different at the same time.
And then there's the common remark that Nadesico is 'trying to be' Gundam, Macross, or Evangelion, or even all of them at once. Rumors have went flying about that the creators of Nadesico were Evangelion fans. Who knows? Maybe they were, but that they've created here is something that is very unique, in both drama and humor.
Fandom Amongst Characters
Every anime series had one particular character that is favored amongst the fans. Gundam's Amuro Ray, Evangelion's Ayanami Rei, Macross' Rick Hunter, Slayers' Lina Inverse or Zelgadis..Those are just a few examples of the particular ones fans seem to drool over.
Nadesico has a big hit character as well. --The seemingly dull, thoughtful type, which provides humor with her straight-forward nature. Even people who haven't even seen Nadesico notice the 11 year old genius Ruri Hoshino, famed for calling almost everyone in sight 'baka', or (A mentally insulting statement, such as 'stupid', or 'fool'..Recently being translated more and more as 'jerk'.)
Nadesico's operator, Ruri Hoshino, who controls the ship manually using a special IFS.
Anime fans who have seen a wide variety of anime might have noticed that mecha genre shows tend to have the seemingly dull, or awkwardly-natured small girl character to inform when there's some sort of trouble approaching, or seem to have a wider knowledge of what's going on than the rest of the characters do. Compare to Shin Seiki Evangelion's Rei Ayanami, Betterman's small pink-haired girl who's name I can't remeber right now. They all have their heart-wrenching pasts, which has a reasonable impact on the way they communicate with other people.