gen:Lock - General Discussion

[Lantern7]

From Wikipedia:

Quote

Gen:Lock (stylized as gen:LOCK) is an animated web series created by Gray Haddock and produced by Rooster Teeth. It is set in a dystopian future Earth where an international coalition known as The Polity fights a hostile, autocratic invading force known as The Union. The show follows the gen:LOCK program and its members, who participate in the development and testing of an experimental technology which allows for individuals with unique mental make ups to have their minds uploaded to giant suits of mecha armor

Basically, it's kids uploading their minds into giant war machines, as opposed to piloting them. And Michael B. Jordan is the lead guy . . . a soldier who was blown to shit two years prior, and now exists as a hologram while his effed-up body floats in a tank.

If you really need a selling point: the quirky scientist behind the "gen:Lock" process is voiced by David Tennant, and he speaks in a Scottish accent. I know that does something for a lot of you reading this. And he plays "quirky scientist" as well as "demon," "time-traveling alien" and "old, rich-as-hell duck."

Anyway, the first season of gen:Lock is currently airing on Toonami, and it's pretty good.

Edited August 23, 2019 by Lantern7

[Sandman87]

21 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

If you really need a selling point: the quirky scientist behind the "gen:Lock" process is voiced by David Tennant, and he speaks in a Scottish accent. I know that does something for a lot of you reading this. And he plays "quirky scientist" as well as "demon," "time-traveling alien" and "old, rich-as-hell duck."

You forgot "evil telekinetic alien overlord."

[Sandman87]

"The bad guys attacked our ability to play internet games! Those bastards!"

Cammie gets her head ripped off by a new enemy mecha with four arms. Unfortunately it isn't fatal. Ah well, maybe next time.

Loved the running gags of the globe rolling across the battlefield and Kazu preferring to bash things.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Sandman87

[TigerLily20]

The animation for this is...different....I'm still not use to it, and I'm trying to get a feel for it, the whole Ghost in the shell/voltron mixture (or at least to me it feels that way),

So my question is, they can feel pain when they get hit/heads ripped off?? They didn't seem to flinch when they are being riddled by bullets, which I guess armor, but she seems to react to being decapitated....which I guess makes sense, just thinking why put her through the pain if she doesn't have to feel it? I don't know maybe I am overthinking it lol.....

[Sandman87]

9 hours ago, TigerLily20 said:

The animation for this is...different....I'm still not use to it

3D with motion capture, then processed to give it a rotoscoped look. Kind of reminds me of the video game that David Duchovny did voice work for, Bad Day L.A.

The characters and dialog remind me of one of Will Smith's action movies.

9 hours ago, TigerLily20 said:

So my question is, they can feel pain when they get hit/heads ripped off?? They didn't seem to flinch when they are being riddled by bullets, which I guess armor, but she seems to react to being decapitated....which I guess makes sense, just thinking why put her through the pain if she doesn't have to feel it? I don't know maybe I am overthinking it lol.....

The scientist dude probably figures that pain is an important source of information which lets you know how badly you're damaged.

[Lantern7]

I'm thinking that the mechs' heads aren't vital, in the sense that there wouldn't be a pilot in there . .  .which is one of the pluses of gen:Lock. Cammie patching her POV through another person and seeing "herself" decapitated was funny.

I like Cammie. Maybe it's the accent. Maybe it's the weird pet she has. Maybe it's because her online VR avatar isn't human. Yeah, she's ten pounds of quirk in a seven-pound bag, but she's relatable to me.

On 8/23/2019 at 9:49 PM, Sandman87 said:

You forgot "evil telekinetic alien overlord."

For anyone reading . . . Final Space is a lot deeper in its second season. It's like Turner/Time-Warner/Whatever grows cartoons like that all the time (see also: The Venture Bros., Rick and Morty). Tennant isn't really recognizable in that role

Edited August 28, 2019 by Lantern7

[TigerLily20]

Thanks, I will probably give this another go since it's on right before Dr. Stone and sometimes I just don't feel like changing the channels, if I can get through the weird animation of Gankutsuou I can get through this, just been awhile lol. 

[lathspel]

I’m really enjoying this show - it just got a lot deeper (almost Philip K. Dick) now that we know our protagonist is a backup.

Maybe the Union mech’s behavior is what you get if you don’t re-download to a human brain periodically.  (At times it’s animated size relative to Polity Chase varied, but whatever.)

So can Chase even download now that the ESU lab is destroyed?  Along with basically every other character from the show, including Tennant :/ .  That felt like an end-of-season-one move; to the point that I’m surprised there’s a “next time on gen:Lock” teaser.  

[Sandman87]

On 9/11/2019 at 7:21 PM, lathspel said:

I’m really enjoying this show - it just got a lot deeper (almost Philip K. Dick) now that we know our protagonist is a backup.

I've been contemplating this, and have come to a realization: None of the characters who are doing the gen:Lock thing with the suits are the originals. The originals are all dead. When the minds are uploaded, they're copied to the suits, and then erased from their bodies. And then it gets done again in reverse later, making a new copy and erasing the old one. It's the same deal as the process that occurs when you move a computer file from one disk drive to another - the computer makes a copy at the new location, then erases the original.

It's similar to the argument about the way that functional teleportation would work; you get killed, but a copy gets made over there somewhere.

So in a nutshell, being a gen:Lock pilot means that you'll die, but a spiffy identical copy of you will get to inhabit your body.

[Lantern7]

Apparently, DC Comics has a digital gen:Lock comics, and it will be seeing print as a seven-issue miniseries that debuts in November, along with RWBY. Here's the solicitation:
 

Quote

gen:LOCK #1

written by COLLIN KELLY and JACKSON LANZING

art by CARLO BARBERI and WALDEN WONG

cover by DAN MORA

card stock variant cover by JIM LEE

Earth is at war! The villainous Union has been steadily taking over more and more of the planet after initiating the Global Culture War. In an effort to stand its ground against the Union, the Polity turns to Dr. Weller and his team of five individuals who are “gen:Lock compatible,” which allows them to transfer their minds to mech suits known as Holons! Spinning out of the first season of the hit Rooster Teeth animated series, gen:Lock follows Julian Chase and his team as they pick up the pieces of their lives after the death of Dr. Weller, leading them into a high-octane adventure in one of the Polity’s last free countries, Japan!

ON SALE 11.06.19

$3.99 US |1 OF 7 |32 PAGES

CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $4.99

FC|DC DIGITAL FIRST

And that's how I was spoiled on Dr. Weller's death Ah well. I just figured you'd be interested. Oh, and this came up on Toonami tonight:

Man, David Tennant is something else, isn't he?

[lathspel]

The Polity must be desperate to deploy war fighters based on an open network protocol.  Wait, didn’t we just have an ep about the Union taking down the main network hub in Chicago?

I’m sorry to see this season come to an end.  It was surprisingly watchable. 

[lathspel]

Good finale, very cyber-Voltron somehow.  Was Nemesis hinting that there are a lot more of him out there?

Not a surprise that Chase ended up where he did.  I’m curious if you have a funeral for his mortal remains, or what.

Somewhat surprised that the Anvil survived but I’m not asking too many questions. 

[Lantern7]

Trailer for the second season, streaming on HBO Max next week.

 

[AnimeMania]

[AnimeMania]

gen:LOCK S02.E01: When the Leaves Began to Turn

As the Union’s Holon army nears the Polity’s final stronghold, Chase preps his team for what could be gen:LOCK’s last stand.

Premiere Date: November 5, 2021 with new episodes appearing weekly.

[AnimeMania]

gen:LOCK S02.E02:  The First Strike

In 2068, the war between the Union and the Polity begins with a shocking strike on a major stronghold. As Yaz joins the resistance movement, Chase confronts a shocking truth.

Premiere Date: November 11, 2021 with new episodes appearing every Thursday.

[AnimeMania]

gen:LOCK S02.E03:  Buried Pain Grows Poison Trees

While General Marin orders a much-needed reprieve, Chase considers the complex implications of his discovery, and Miranda angles for a promotion. Then, a figure from the Polity’s past emerges from the shadows.

Premiere Date: November 18, 2021

[AnimeMania]

gen:LOCK S02.E04: Together. Together.

As the battle to reclaim the Anvil approaches, Cammie clashes with her teammates, while Val bonds with Kazu. Later, Chase uncovers a dark truth.

Premiere Date: November 25, 2021

[AnimeMania]

gen:LOCK S02.E05: The Grand Guignol

General Marin’s ruthless tactics come into question while the gen:LOCK team mourns one of their own. Later, Cammie’s search for answers leads her to Babylon.

Premiere Date: December 2, 2021

[Stardancer Supreme]

I just binged the latest episodes.  I have thoughts and questions.

The main one is: Is anyone else still watching this show? 

[AnimeMania]

gen:LOCK S02.E06: The Third Way

As the gen:LOCK team prepares for their raid on RTASA, Miranda hatches a plan to appeal to Chase’s emotions, while General Marin confronts the Polity’s latest plot.

Premiere Date: December 9, 2021

[AnimeMania]

S02.E07: Twilight

As Miranda and Chase head to New York to face off against the Twilight, Cammie and Caliban near a breakthrough that could help Henry crack gen:LOCK’s code.

S02.E08: Touch What's in Front of You

As the Twilight ravages New York, Chase and the members of gen:LOCK face a fatal decision that could finally seal humanity’s fate.