Nine Sisters

Thoughts

Thoughts and musings about Avalon from site contributors and myself…

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As I mentioned on the main page, it was 2002 when I first saw Avalon. It immediately fired my interest and imagination, and I wanted to know more (not least where I could buy the DVD!).

This proved more complicated than normal since Avalon has not had a Hollywood release as yet (although Miramax have bought the rights). So far Avalon’s fame is almost entirely based on showing at film festivals such as Cannes. Even though I saw it at the Cambridge film festival this wasn’t its premiere in the UK – the Sci-Fi Channel’s London film festival showed it first. In December 2003 Miramax finally released a US Region 1 version, complete with English dub. Click on My comments on the new Miramax Region 1 DVD to jump to my thoughts on that disc.

In October 2004 the UK Region 2 edition of the DVD was released by BlueLight (part of the CanalPlus group). It’s far from being a definitive version, so have a careful look at the DVD versions page to see which version is best for you.

NEW! Click here to see comments about the accuracy of the subtitle translation. Eventually I hope to have comments about the whole soundtrack here.

That’s what inspired me to set up these pages – I’d like to save the next person who’s entranced by the movie having to do as much digging and research as I had to do to track it down.

Why does the film do so much for me?

That’s not an easy one, but I think I revel in the questions that it poses, and the whole lack of certainty it encourages. When the film ends the temptation is to stay there, watching the credits (and absorbing the stirring music) trying to think things through. That’s my kind of film – I like to have to think a bit, or be presented with questions.

The rest of this page discusses the various questions that the film raises and leaves for the viewer to ponder. By its very nature this is spoiler material. If you don’t want to read it click here!.

The notes discuss the various questions and anomalies of the film in chronological order. It is NOT a detailed review… there are plenty of those elsewhere on the web. This is more for the person who’s seen the film and is beginning to peel the layers of the onion that represents the questions this film raises and leaves the viewer to ponder. Section headings follow the chapter points on the Memorial Box movie DVD (though I think the other editions share the same chapter points). Since the dialogue of the film is in Polish and the original text in Japanese there’s some question of accuracy of translation. The Anime Cartoon edition of the DVD scores particularly badly here – I’ve noted one of its worst errors in the commentary below. My reference in writing this commentary has been the English subtitling on the Memorial Box DVD, though the subtitling of the single disc DVD is very similar. Section titles are my own unless drawn from a film reference.

1. City 13

(This is never identified as such in the movie, but the title comes from the name of the CD track which I consider can be taken as authoritative). Major points here… a heavy sepia cast so we are definitely in VR (as well as other VR effects like the fragmentation on death and 2D explosions). Ash has her silver streak of hair. Bishop is observing, but in combat gear and not wearing a clerical collar at this point. When the helicopter is destroyed ‘Misson Complete’ is superimposed, and then we are into the titles, followed by ‘Log Off’ as Ash leaves the VR battlefield.

2. Heading home

After the titles we see Ash in a VR helmet, still experiencing the tail end of the experience. The Game Master tells her that she only needs two or three more completed missions to advance. She is currently a Level 11 fighter with 94 missions completed, 32 failed and 17 reset (aborted). Although we see Ash’s “character data” several times more in the film it doesn’t change – continuity error or deliberate? Another thing to think about.

When Ash leaves the Avalon terminal (or ‘branch’ as the subtitles call it) she passes several people, none of whom move at all, and only a dog turns to follow her progress. While this could mean she’s still in VR, another meaning would be that we see this from her perspective where she has no time for real people but does have a love of dogs (as evidenced by her own). Note also that the sky is totally still – something that is a theme of the movie. Hinting at unreality? Or just hinting at disconnection from reality? Once Ash gets home we both hear and see her dog as she pets it. Indeed, this is one of the few times that we see pleasure in Ash’s otherwise mundane life. While the dog tucks into a prepared meal of meat and rice Ash snacks on dog biscuits. (That the Chrupku are dog biscuits is not apparent in the film, but comes from one of the photos in the ‘Making of’ book.)

3. Bishop, and earning a living

Ash enters the terminal and sees someone doing a much more classy version of the City 13 helicopter destruction than she did; she managed 10 minutes, this was in under 4. After the destruction the soldier turns to the audience and crosses his fingers. It is the same person who had been watching Ash before. Ash tries to get information about him, but finds little beyond his character class (Bishop) and level (13). Here we enter one of the language problems… the character classes are inspired by D&D and mostly match – Fighter, Thief, Mage… however the character class called Bishop in the movie would more normally be Cleric or Priest. However it gets more confused… while the film uses Bishop as a character class, it also uses it as name – we never find out the name of the person watching Ash; he’s always just referred to as Bishop or ‘a bishop’. There’s probably a nuance that’s been lost in the translation.

This is where the Anime Cartoon translation misleads the viewer. There’s a sequence that goes ‘Just like Ash…’ ‘He’s faster, and surer’ (referring to Bishop). The AC subtitles get this totally wrong, saying it’s Ash that’s superior. They also refer to reset as restart, and other confusing errors.

The next few minutes of the film show Ash in a bewildering sequence of scenes, compressing her life into a few minutes as she spends her life around playing the game. The full sequence is: riding home on the tram; shooting inside Avalon; swiping her Avalon card; leaving the terminal; inside Avalon; at her home; collecting her winnings; inside Avalon; on the tram; stroking her dog at home; an empty VR chair; her dog; trying to buy some meat; the VR chair; in a battle; getting off the tram; typing at her keyboard; passing room 3 in the terminal; seeing a statue as the tram passes; in the VR chair; on the tram; walking to a terminal room; a tank in a battle scene; coming out of room 7 at the terminal; her Avalon card; her character status (unchanged); inside Avalon; taking off the helmet; walking out of the terminal; buying the meat; on the tram; a broken statue; walking home; the VR chair. In all, at least seven Avalon sessions, probably many more.

One anomaly here is that her character data hasn’t changed; not even the time spent in the game. I don’t know whether that’s a continuity error or intentional. Chances are that the filmmakers didn’t expect a viewer to pause the DVD and check the character sheet each time it’s shown 🙂

4. A break in the rountine – Stunner

Ash leaves Avalon, much as before, but this time Stunner is waiting on the steps for her. They go to lunch, and it’s here that Ash finds that Murphy is now Unreturned. Although most food in the film is coloured to emphasise its importance it’s notable that the rather uninspiring mince slop in this scene isn’t. Stunner tells Ash about Murphy which continues as a voiceover as…

5. Ash visits the hospital

The hospital sequence raises many questions. First there’s the slow motion of all the doctors and nurses, indicating some sort of disconnection with their reality. More significant still is the appearence of the little girl – the ghost – just as she is described by Stunner. What’s she doing there? Is she there, or is Ash in VR or imagining it? The ghost’s colouration is important; note that it’s the same sepia used for the VDUs and VR sequences. The ghost is VR for sure, but why’s she at the hospital? Although whole movie scripts often rely on improbable coincidences, Avalon is too thoroughly thought out for this, and there’s a significance to seeing the ghost at this point…

Ash sees Murphy and this triggers a flashback memory. She comes out from it in the hospital grounds (we last saw her walking through the ward until she found Murphy), and she is being watched again by Bishop, this time wearing a clerical collar, but still using a rifle sight. Bishop walks away through the wheelchairs of the vegetables that represent the Unreturned. Significant? Probably.

6. Searching for the hidden level

Ash is at home, and starts searching for references to a special level beyond Class A where it’s impossible to ‘reset’ to get out of the game. Her dog is seen again in this scene. Most of the results of her search are barred (blocked by the authorities, or defunct groups?) but one result stands out – ‘Nine Sisters’. She makes contact and they tell her to meet them at Ruins C66.

Ash goes to the Avalon terminal ready to meet them. When she talks to the Game Master, we get a clear shot of him wearing a clerical collar too, hinting that in some way the clerics do run the game. Before entering the game Ash discusses the nine sisters with the game master. While the game master knows the legend of the nine sisters, Ash counters with the legend of Odin who was given a gold ring, immortality, eternal youth, but also made to wear a crown of oblivion that makes him forget about his homeland and the world outside. Just as Ash says this, she dons her own crown of oblivion…

7. Ruins C66

Ash has the white streak in her hair once again. She is met by Jill of the Nine Sisters, and then Murphy of Nine Sisters, their leader. However as seven more soldiers materialise it’s revealed as an ambush. However Ash is “rescued” by one of the time-lags she was warned about as a combat helicopter suddenly appears and starts firing. Ash prepares to counter-attack but another time-lag means that the missiles are upon her before she can react. She does however manage to call ‘reset’.

8. What is real?

This is one of the most confusing segments of the whole movie. Ash travels home from Avalon. Once again she passes a group of people who are immobile, with only a dog that moves, following her movement. She gets home, and we hear her dog approaching. She bolts the door, and we still hear the dog. She then moves to her kitchen area and begins to prepare a meal for the dog. Again, we hear the dog snuffling around. Ash then prepares a meal better than most people eat for her dog, the colouration of the food emphasising its significance. Yet when Ash puts down the dog bowl there’s no sign of the dog anymore. Confused Ash looks outside, and hears the sound of a helicopter overhead (cf City 13). Her face also has a yellowish tint at this point – a suggestion of VR and real life becoming confused and intermingled?

There is no logical explanation for where the dog has gone. That we heard it probably means that Ash heard it, but it wasn’t really there. So where did it go? There’s no answer to that, and my best theories are that it either died of neglect (unlikely) or that we are shifting through multiple levels of VR rather than the black and white of inside or outside of Avalon. Either way this, like the girl at the hospital, is one of the questions this film leaves the viewer to think about.

9. Seeking answers

Ash is in a bookstore buying books about Arthurian legend – pursuing her research about the Nine Sisters. We see her look at a red covered book with black inner and outer flyleaves, but we don’t see whether there is text on any of the pages. She buys several books, and finds Stunner waiting for her on the steps to the bookstore. Somehow, Stunner convinces Ash to go for breakfast, though in fact it turns into Ash buying breakfast for Stunner whilst she has a tea/coffee. Stunner tells her more about the Special A level; that it needs a ghost, and the ghost only appears when a bishop who has completed level A and is above level 12 is present. Ash doesn’t miss the fact that this matches the bishop she saw ace her helipcopter destruction in the City 13 mission.

Why does the film major on Stunner gorging himself on a true-colour breakfast? Perhaps the coluration is showing the value of food again, but I also wonder if there’s some sort of transference from the messy eating habits of her dog to Stunner.

10. Seek and ye shall find

Ash is drying her hair after being caught in the rain when there are two distinctive knocks at her door. She uses her computer to see who is at the door – Bishop – and instictively reaches to her right hip where her handgun would be – except of course it’s not there. The exchange as she opens the door to Bishop is significant – ‘How did you find me?’ ‘Seek and ye shall find’ suggesting that her quest has got his attention. Bishop looks at a different book to the one we see at the shop; this is black with a red spine, and has wholly blank pages.

It seems that Ash had already made up her mind and wants to form a group/party with Bishop. Even Bishop seems a little surprised at her readiness.

The book is the big poser here. Are all the books blank? Where they ever otherwise? Have we slipped a VR level between their purchase and this point?

Bishop tells Ash to meet at Flak Tower 22 at midnight.

11. Midnight

The terminal manager wants to shut down the terminal but Ash explains that she’s going to meet someone who can take her to Class SA. At first the terminal manager denies such a thing exists, but then qualifies her statement by saying that a level that you cannot reset from is no longer a game; implying that it does exist after all. When the terminal manager asks why Ash wants to go there she says that Murphy is there.

Why is this a motivation? Some summaries of the story suggest that Ash is on an emotional quest to free her lover, but I find that at odds with the cold hard Ash that we see. Alternately it might be envy. However it does seem to have been the sight of Murphy as an Unreturned that’s driving her, either through some loyalty as a past member of Wizard or something more.

Unlike other times, Ash dons the VR helmet and sees the GM inside it on this occasion. Until now he’s only been seen on the large screen in each room. The GM says that he’d rather Ash didn’t go to SA, but won’t intervene. Once in she locates Bishop who explains that he works for the game, keeping balance in its missions. He’s not a creator of the game, but works within it. He holds out the possibility of Ash joining this group.

Since Stunner turns up to join the party, and Ash didn’t seem to be expecting it, this adds credence to the theory that Stunner was being used by Bishop to both prime and watch Ash.

12. Ruins D99

Everything seems quiet until a Citadel – a mighty battle tank – appears. However, Bishop knows it’s vulnerable to attack from its rear and sends Ash there. As Ash is moving into position we see various digital “noise” effects around her movement. These are quite different to the shadowy blurred movement in the City 13 sequence, though I’m not sure what is being hinted at here.

Ash destroys the citadel using a mortar gained from one of the opponents she shot. With the destruction of the Citadel ‘Mission Complete’ is shown. Stunner shoots the ghost but is shot by a couple of surviving opponents. As he ‘dies’ he tells Ash how to enter the special level – shoot the ghost as she leaves a wall.

The odd thing here is how much Stunner knows. Maybe as a Thief he’s just good at manipulating information, but that’s more of a cleric/bishop’s territory. With Stunner gone Bishop encourages Ash to pursue the Ghost.

13. Class Real

Ash manages to shoot the ghost and passes through the gate. The VR surroundings fade to black, and are replaced by swirling data patterns all around. Ash’s body then segments, to be replaced by more numbers. Is this Ash being assimilated into Avalon? That’s certainly the way the visuals look.

We next see Ash in her own room, but the room now has a VR chair. As she takes off the helmet her computer monitor is showing ‘Welcome to Class Real’. With the helmet off the surroundings are notably brighter than before. Curious, she opens the shutters and finds the window bricked in.

Bishop appears on the monitor and explains that she has only one thing to do – finish off the Unreturned (singular or plural?). There are neutrals operating under free will who must not be harmed, and no time limit. The only exit is completion (ie no reset allowed). Bishop then adds ‘If you get back you can be one of us.’

A thought provoking exchange occurs when Bishop asks Ash if she has any questions. She asks ‘Why did you send me here?’ and he replies ‘Surely the answer to that lies within you’ . Two simple lines, but opening up a lot of questions. Has her life, her room, her existence become Avalon? And then there’s the poster for the concert with picture of the dog…

14. On a mission

This sequence needs careful watching. Ash was in her room. She opens a door and comes out of one of the VR rooms into the corridor of the terminal. The digits can’t be read, but could be 09 – the same room she was assigned before. At this point she is barefoot, with a handbag that will later hold the gun. There is no silver streak in her hair.

Between leaving the Avalon terminal and travelling through the full colour world she gains high-heels and a ring on the left third finger (cf Odin earlier). As she tries to find out more about the performance of Avalon she doesn’t seem to notice a dog like hers watch her from a passing car. She has also gained earrings at some point. The first clear shot of the ring is on the train, but I think there’s a glint from it as she’s walking away from the column with the adverts for the performance.

The train journey is notably different. There is eye contact with other passengers, and whilst still aloof, she seems more part of the whole here.

15. Murphy

As the interval bell rings, the crowd thins and Ash sees Murphy (who doesn’t wear a ring). Ash asks Murphy if he did this just to be a vegetable in a hospital bed, but Murphy defends the reality of Class Real – ‘Reality is nothing but an obsession that takes hold of us – why shouldn’t I make this my reality?’ As they continue to debate the reality Murphy says that when one of them dies, and the body doesn’t vanish, the other will know (this is real).

Ash shoots first, but as Murphy falls he drops ammunition from his left hand. Was his gun not loaded? Probably. So, if he was so convinced about the reality, why was he ready to be shot?

As Murphy dies he says ‘Don’t let appearances fool you. This is the world where you belong’. A comment on Ash’s willingness to kill?

However, Murphy’s assertions that this is real are disproved when his body vanishes in the customary effect – how much of what Murphy said can be believed? Probably none of it.

Another question raised here is just what happened to Murphy. His body isn’t connected to Avalon any more, Presumably he just failed Class Real because he couldn’t bring himself to kill. It goes further still though. What would have happened if Ash were shot? Although outside a VR helmet she’s inside Class Real.. At this point her body is still in the Avalon terminal and could be returned to, or would she become an Unreturned; if she hasn’t already? How long does a body have to be hooked into Avalon for it to be judged ‘Unreturned’?

Thomas Kessler has been looking carefully at the Ghost and the dogs in the film (yes, the one in the poster is not Ash’s pet, though the one in the car does look like hers). When the Ghost smiles and lowers her head Thomas is convinced that there’s a deliberate parallel to the appearence of the dog in terms of light and shadow. Take a look at these pages and see what you think. Knowing Oshii’s fondness for dogs I think Thomas is onto something here. Of course this then raises questions about why the symbolism is made. Perhaps Ash’s one true anchor to any reality lies in her dog, and she now sees the Ghost as a replacement (in which case we can probably assume Ash definitely doesn’t come out of Avalon).

16 Log In

(Again the title is from the CD soundtrack; the name of the closing titles). Ash reloads her clip with Murphy’s ammo and walks to the concert hall. Applause is still audible as she opens the doors, but the hall is deserted as she looks in. Deserted that is apart from the ghost. Ash approaches, gun at ready, and the ghost smiles. Between Ash and the Ghost’s smile we see a brief flash of one of the statues seen in the film, but this time unbroken… I’m sure that holds the key, but I haven’t fathomed it yet.

What happens then… does Ash shoot and end the level? Is that even the right resolution in Class Real? Shooting Murphy didn’t bring up a ‘Mission Complete’ message. The movie doesn’t answer these questions – we see ‘Welcome to Avalon’ and then the end credits roll. Has Ash gained her entry to the team that manage the game? Has she become an Unreturned in the process?

As you can see from the above, Avalon raises many more questions than it answers. It also deserves to be watched many times to see the sort of detail above. If you have ideas about any of these please email me so that I can add other perspectives and ideas to this commentary.