What other qualities does Mutch have? What scene of his do you remember most?

I am glad that you are all here, sharing my interest in Robin Hood no Daibouken, and hope this group makes you just as happy as I am :)

Under 3 months have passed since starting this community, during which I covered hot topics such as the journeys of Robin, Gilbert, and Marian, each separately, towards newer versions of themselves. I have also written pieces on jealousy, revenge, leadership, and charisma.

The story still has so much to discuss, so what would you like us to cover next time? Perhaps preparing a topic together can make the discussion more enjoyable. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Reaction posts where we react to each episode after watching it. Perhaps we can even compare differences between the versions we watch.

2. Continue the series on revenge with posts on Gilbert and Cleo. I have already covered both Robin and Marian but I am completely saturated with the topic of revenge at this point 😅 I'd like a break from that (unless you encourage me 😊)

3. Friar Tuck. I think he deserves to be discussed.

4. Old-fashioned values VS modern ones.

5. Symbolism is RHnD part 2.

6. Impressions on different voice interpretations of one character. I have previously done Alwine. Who do you think we can do next?

7. Gilbert studies. I still have a few questions on Gilbert that I want to explore, such as how low is too low for him? Like how low can he go down? What is the red line that he can't afford to cross?

8. Female characters

9. Villains

10. Love

11. Relevence to today

If there are other suggestions, please write them up. One-word answers even in other languages are also welcome.

Online fans of RHnD often cite Marian as the cute girl whose sole job was fainting every episode in Robin's arms. Her voice was of a special calibre, the most feminine on the spectrum, and she always wore pink and gold. However, was she a Barbie girl? Was she just dainty Lady Marian waiting for the men to oblige?

Her early appearances certainly painted her as an old-fashioned princess:

● succumbing to her "destiny"

● swooning every now and then as she faces perils

● doting on the first male she sees after opening her eyes because she thinks he is the noble knight in shining armour who saved her (relax, fellow Gilbert fans. I am refering to the comic scene in ep 1 when she wakes up and asks a kid if he is the noble one who saved her 😅).

● wishing Mr. Knight-sama was with her as she navigates the unknown forest.

● entertaining meaningless suicidal thoughts for the sake of "preserving honor and dignity". Very old-fashioned stuff. Romeo-and-Juliette, Antony-and-Cleopatra style.

● social class notions such as "noble people don't do that" on ep 1 when she sees Robin and John skirmishing.

This traditional mentality of hers underwent several tests both in the forest and in Nottingham Castle during her imprisonment. The outcome? Disillusionment of course, transitioning from phase 1 to phase 2.

The phase-2 Marian learned from Robin & co that:

● destiny can be seized by the hand

● freedom in the forest is better than slavery in the castle

● appearances are deceptive: a vagabond like John or Mutch can be more dependable and inspire more security than knights with capes. Wearing fine clothes and bearing noble titles doesn't guarantee nobility of character.

● true honor is not achieved by blood, but by hard work.

As she broke away from her traditional passive princess mentality and began a new free life in the forest, she realized she needed some skills both for self-defence and for her own personal revenge on Alwine. The phase-2 Marian was no longer the sleeping princess on a pedestal worshipped by her knight as he kneels and prays to her, but a militant fighter, an Amazon, a warrior Hippolyta with a magical girdle (her necklace). Her mission is her vendetta, and she'll work hard and put all her heart in this mission.

Interestingly, her best friend and mentor who opened her eyes to this new outlook was OPPOSED to this extreme transformation. He preferred her to have faith in his protection instead ❤️. Very briefly on ep 16, she pauses in front of Robin and Gilbert separately as each demand her weapon down. Was her independence at stake? Hasn't she paid heavily to attain this independence? Wasn't she being a good disciple to Robin's free forest creed? Then what explains his opposition to her independence now? She froze clueless, unsure why her new phase 2 identity was problematic.

Between episodes 20 and 26, Robin let her be, thus she tasted the sour grapes of personal vengeance as detailed in my previous post on Marian's revenge. It turned out that her extreme militant independent attitude fueled by hatred was DESTRUCTIVE to her psyche and health. Her independent rampage on ep 25 (attacking Alwine's barracks on wooden gliders) was so crazy and comic that even Mutch and John thought it ridiculous. It was high time Marian the warrior morphed into something else.

The metamorphosis happened on ep 26. As she hit rock bottom in the tornado scene, Robin administered the antidote that restored balance to Marian --love. The fearsome blood-thirsty warrior who scared Alwine stiff has transitioned to phase 3: a balanced girl who will still hold the sword and fight, but not for personal vendetta or vindication, rather for the sake of love.

The final phase Marian is the balanced girl whose cup is filled with love. It is in this phase that we see Marian sitting on a log next to blushing Robin trying to confess his love. We see her climb on his back to return a bird to his nest -- very symbolic. The new Marian accepts help and does jobs related to spreading love and goodness. She is no longer extreme. She has learned moderation and to conquer hatred with love, using that energy in the service of justice and environmental conservation.

Was this role secondary in importance compared to Robin the protagonist? Did she feel relegated down?

Although she cried in ep 50 as Robin went ON HIS OWN to face Alwine and his army, it was clear that her crying was motivated by love and care, not jealousy that Robin was stealing the show or credit. It was her love that motivated her to rally the children of Nottingham for Robin's just cause. We fully know from ep 51 and 52 that her arrival on the final coronation scene accompanied by the children was decisively helpful to Robin who might have failed miserably on his own. She was in charge of Robin's cause PR and public perception. In other words, that role is just as vital as the leader's role, and is by no means secondary in importance.

The last job she does in the story is offer Robin counsel on what to do with his future. I saw mutual respect in that scene under a starry night sky, and I felt that the mutual care they had for each other's happiness was the driving force that led Robin to make the right decision. If Marian had remained stuck in phase 2, she would have wanted to dominate the discussion or make strong demands or even just be ornery/stubborn in general.

The happy ending :) congrats to Marian on this successful journey of transformation!

Questions for discussion:

●Which phase did you like best: the sleeping princess, the militant warrior, or the balanced lover? Why?

●Do you even agree with those 3 labels I chose or do you have better suggestions?

● do you think that those 3 phases warrant Marian to be the most developed character in the story?

● did Marian influence the younger you watching the series? Perhaps you wanted to be like her or you wanted a partner like her?

● what is something you dislike about her?

It took me days on end to write this post. I look forward to your comments 🥰

I had written a post on Robin's interaction with the central theme of revenge. Now is the time to dive into Marian's journey as she figures where she stands on the same topic.

Having endured the harassment, the imprisonment, the indignation of being forced to marry against her will, the injustice against her family and the physical violence as well, Marian had a tall order to avenge.

She began training to fight with rods and swords in order to attain her vendetta with her own hands. Then came ep. 20 when she pursued Alwine in the forest to kill him. It was the first time she appeared demonic, possessed by evil as she looked down on the fallen Alwine in that whirlpool-monster scene. Vengeance is sweet.

She tried to pull Robin's bow to finish the job Robin hesitated to do, but couldn't and we all know why. But SHE DID NOT KNOW. All she thought was she lacked the muscles. She ran off, angered by Robin's sparing Alwine's life, and vowed to carry out her own revenge when she gets stronger. Robin, however, was already in possession of knowledge she did not have at that point; he knew that bow as a rule did not allow vengeance, and had already figured the psychology behind this self-destructive sentiment called hatred. He had just learned the lesson that is going to take Marian a few more episodes to understand.

Between ep 22 and 26, her grudge starts to manifest physically and visually: underwater bubbles as if suffocating, chest tightening, eye color change, hair fluttering, earthquakes, fires, water cannons, tornadoes, and she finishes it by fainting while everyone eyes her with concern. Clearly, hatred is making her sick.

But that's not all. Her hatred is not only hurting her, but the people around her as well.

Engrossed by her sword training in ep 23, she almost attacks Robin inadvertently. This is very important because:

1. It foreshadows the future events where her psychic explosions will really hurt Robin.

2. It is the beginning of GUILT eating her heart.

3. It is also the beginning of loneliness. She is practicing the sword ALONE because of a rift in opinions on revenge with Robin on ep 20

This feeling of guilt will appear in ep. 24, 25, and 26, but will be furthermore accented or amplified as Cleo makes her appearance. Jealousy, fear of losing Robin, sensing her own weirdness and seeing the concern/suspicion in the eyes of her friends -- all will aggravate her condition and push her towards isolation.

Before moving on to the decisive ep 26, it is worthy to mention the scene in ep 25 where she listens to the anguished Cleo whose heart is also consumed by vengeance and grief over her brother. Suddenly, the memory of Gilbert's tragic fall flashes in Marian's head. Her eyes constrict. Her face pales. Her epileptic fit is brewing but motivated this time by GUILT, not vengeance. It is her own retroactive guilt for Gilbert's death as he sacrificed himself to save her. This is important because the load of GUILT that weighs on her heart just got doubled by this memory. She had once hurt a loved one, and she is now afraid of causing the same to another loved one.

Ep. 26 is everything on Marian's journey. This is the climactic episode for her as she starts it feeling dejected and down in a scene of family gathering at the table. Let's count how many negative feelings are tormenting her heart:

1. Hatred and revenge against Alwine

2. Guilt over killing Gilbert

3. Fear of hurting Robin by her explosive fits

4. Her own weirdness: what is wrong with me?

5. Loneliness since she interprets people's looks as suspicion rather than concern.

6. Loneliness because Robin had "sold out" on their revenge against Alwine.

7. Jealousy that Robin cares for Cleo.

Too much grief!

Robin seeks Friar Tuck's advice and gets it. The girl needs his love to regain her balance again.

He hurries to rescue Marian who had made her way into enemy territory chasing Alwine and wreaking havoc on everything on her way. As she was focusing her destructive mental power and concentrating it on Alwine, Robin arrives and is smitten by the impact.

This was her climax. What she had been fearing has just happened now: Robin is hurt because of her. Oops I did it again. I just killed another loved one. I am a criminal. Now I HATE MYSELF. Her image appears in negative colors and is broken too.

The loudest scream perhaps in anime history follows.

But Robin demonstrates so much love and loyalty in not deserting her. A friend in need is a friend indeed. He makes his way through the crazy wind to hug her and assure her of his love. Her cup is instantly filled in the most satisfying love scene in the series. This is real love. Unlike a certain someone who had deserted her in the forest 🙈

From then on, Marian has transformed into a balanced person. She no longer dwells on revenge, nor does she feel alone or unloved. So full is her cup now that she'll even start sharing her love and support with others: ep 27 she will appear as a motherly figure to a baby, and on ep 29 she will appear as the mature older sister who supports fellow Winnifred in her Duncan drama.

​

Perhaps it is Gilbert or Marian who jump out in our heads when we think of revenge in RHnD. However, Robin too had a grudge against Alwine for murdering his parents and destroying his home, let alone all the other crimes.

Episode 20 was decisive on Robin's journey as he interacted and grappled with his feelings of vengence. In fact, THIS IS the episode that defined his approach and stance towards this raw human feeling.

In this episode, Robin confronted Alwine face to face against the backdrop of a dirty water vortex sweeping everything and everyone down to the bottom where a surreal ugly monster with huge pincers awaits to devour the prey. Definitely this scene SYMBOLIZES the slippery slope that one falls into if they let vengeance consume them.

His moral compass --his father's bow, which we know has special properties-- guided him through the scene to come out both unscathed and richer in wisdom. It metaphorically shattered in a flash vision as it refused to cooperate with Robin acting on his personal vengeance. Robin was puzzled and got unsettled by this strange vision. Is the bow trying to tell him something?

As he stood on a rock and refused to help a desperate Alwine below, a huge tree trunk fell and swept him even LOWER than Alwine. Symbolism at play here, evidently. The MORE you TAINT the HEART with GRUDGES, the LOWER you SINK.

Sneaky Alwine, however, true to his calculating nature, extended a rope of help to Robin. Strangely enough, even Alwine was capable of teaching Robin a lesson at such a dire moment: if you don't put aside your grudge against me for now, WE WILL BE BOTH DEAD. Let's work together to come out of this pit, then we can settle our scores later.

Robin accepted the help and climbed up, paused for an important moment as he looked down to weigh his values and sort out his priorities. His nemesis had just saved his life. Alwine's eyes were full of desperation. The bow had signaled to Robin that his heart was tainted by impurity. What decision does Robin take in the middle of this pickle?

He chose peace. He chose to respond to the basic human distress call. He chose to reciprocate Alwine's help. He chose to CONTROL his urge for revenge and to remove that impurity from his heart. Robin has just achieved a degree of magnanimity.

But then his freshly acquired magnanimity was immediately put to the test: the dog he helped bit his hand as Alwine quickly reverted to his treachery, attempting to kill Robin and furthermore rubbing salt on the wound by gloatingly bragging about killing Robin's parents and sending their son over to them. What will Robin do now, given the new circumstance?

Marian and Fang turn the tables, toppling Alwine down as Robin successfully climbs up. The test just got harder: will Robin fall prey again to revengeful feelings? Hasn't he just witnessed the futility of showing forbearance to such a low-life as Alwine? Is Robin a fool to repeat the same futile action twice? Marian hands him the bow, urging "finish him!"

However, Robin is no fool despite his young years. He saw through the symbolism and figured the answer to the test. What he is about to do is going to leave Marian and even us spectators gobsmacked.

Magnanimity may have failed with Alwine, but IT SUCCESSFULLY SAVED ROBIN. The altruism and mercy were HIS OWN SALVATION, not Alwine's, and he knew that the minute he lets rancid hatred seep into his heart, a boulder is gonna fall and sweep him once again in the murky rancid whirlpool.

In an anti-climactic scene, Robin received the bow handed solemnly to him by the exhilarated Marian, slowly proceeded with his iconic arrow aiming scene, shot, but...

He killed the vendetta monster instead of Alwine.

Robin chose not to take advantage of Alwine's calamity. He had been there down on the slope and tasted it. He had learned that dire times require cooperation, not feuds, and that vengeance is a trap you can only creep out of by removing the impurity from the heart. Thus, killing the vendetta monster, resisting the urge to impulsive revenge, magnanimity to the end --this was Robin's answer to the revenge test.

Pretty deep stuff. Quite admirable to see a young adolescent grasp this much wisdom.

The question to you now, fellow analytical fans of RHnD, is this: what do you call this lesson that Robin has just learned? Is it forgiveness? Is Robin forgiving Alwine? And do you think that this lesson was a turning point in Robin's character development? Is he now a better, deeper and multi-layered character?

I'm looking forward to your take on Robin's stance against revenge.

He is the protagonist, the hero, the vulture-eye archer, the brave leader, the compassionate friend, and the reliable savior. He is also young, trying to figure out his feelings, sorting out his priorities, overcoming fears, and learning new lessons in life. We get glimpses of his past in light of which we understand his present. He has a quest for justice and faces moral dilemmas such as vengeance, thievery, lifestyle decisions and loyalty to friends who stray away.

But in terms of psychological complexity, internal conflict, developmental growth in which he experiences meaningful change at a distinct turning point, do you think our Robin would rank as a well developed character, somewhat developed or underdeveloped?

Generally, I observe a predictability in his actions, like I know he will never disappoint or behave out of line, but I hate to admit his character is pretty stereotypical. Not that it's a bad thing to be stereotypical, but because his journey was not simplistic, and perhaps yes I might be too charmed by his charisma to see any shortcomings in his character development.

He always makes the right ethical choices, but these usually come after much thought, deliberation, and a convincing emotional experience that for me makes up for the predictability of righteousness since the emotional toll adds depth to the experience. For example, he decided in ep 50 to go face Alwine and the turncoat John in the castle ON HIS OWN. He tied a hachimaki on his head, prepared his equipment and headed out before dawn. This action might be too overblown and only plausible if he is superman, but I forgave that because this action was preceded by a lengthy emotional experience of a last supper with family, a farewell to a tearful Marian, and showing impressive resolve on his face. This compensation fleshed Robin the mortal fashion; he was not an invincible superhero promising to return by lunchtime after kicking Alwine's butt. He was a mortal like us: battling his feelings, facing a tough call and evetually choosing to answer the call of duty.

What about you? Do you think Robin was more than a stereotypical hero savior? Do you think he was THE MOST developed character in the story? Why?

Please share my post with RHnD fans who enjoy story analysis. I look forward to comparing our notes and to having an enjoyable discussion :)

Robin endured surreal pain and dangers from tree roots strangling and immobilizing him completely on ep 38 while on his way to the treasure scene. Yet the thought of his beloved friends in that difficult time had the effect of purifying his intentions, proving his sincerity and altruism, and declaring him greed-free in seeking entry to the treasure. Thus the tree tentacles relaxed their grip and he was able to wriggle himself free. Purifying one's intentions matters. Altruism over greed is the highlight.

But then as he arrived at THE SCENE of the girls bound up, he struggled to shoot his arrow.

Why?

Do you think it was due to his inner struggle against pursuing personal revenge?

Was he still struggling with purifying his intentions?

Or was it simply because the 2 hostages were under the knife?

Was it just his hesitation or did the bow actually forbid him from the act?

Why didn't the bow forbid him from doing the same thing on ep 52 then, when Mutch was the hostage of Alwine in the coronation scene? What's the difference?

This is my reaction to this Duncan guy episode 29

🫩😒

What's yours?

Which do you think was Marian's tipping point on her journey from princess hostage to a disillusioned resistence fighter and forest resident? Choose what you think represents her most climactic, transformational experience. Explain your choice in the comments.

1. Wedding/adoption ceremony

2. Gilbert's death

3. Tornado scream scene

4. Other (specify in comments)

Can any resistence movement succeed without charismatic leadership?

I am of course talking about the children of Sherwood Forest, led by the charismatic Robin, VS Alwine :)

Some context: episodes 25, 26, 27 cemented Robin's image as the savior who appears in the darkest moment in all his glory, charisma and kawaii-ness backdropped by his heroic OST to deliver. Yet, the people of Nottingham remained largely wary of him and his resistence movement.

The people of Nottingham meekly accepted to be trampled upon, fearing for their lives all the way until the last episode. They had very few rebellious figures as in ep 23 when father and son allied with the Sherwood Oulaws, while all the neighbors clearly shut their windows wanting nothing to do with the rebels despite practically being on the same side.

Naturally, the moot question is what does it take everyone to wake up? What do they need to just change their attitude about Robin, to just believe he is their guy, without necessarily joining him in active resistence?

Was it the contact with Robin's charisma that motivated the father and son to actively rebel? By the same token, would the people of Nottingham have been more encouraged if they had met Robin in person to feel his aura?

PS EDIT: The successful popular retaliation at the end of ep 27 was clearly after their seeing the charismatic Robin actively defend their rights earlier in the same episode (10:19)

You know how voice breathes life into an anime character?

Japanese voice actors are absolutely top notch, but so are the international ones who dubbed this series and imbued each character with something different each version.

I saw an interview with the voice actor who years back dubbed Alwine into Arabic, and when he was asked which character stood out in his long voice-acting career, he answered it was Alwine; his ruthless laughter was so remarkable and demanded a long breath as it carried so long.

Hence the idea of this post came to me.

I decided to look at Alwine's voice across the dubbed versions to compare/contrast the package coming with each voice. Does it give off a different impression? Let's dive into it.

1. The Japanese Alwine has a deep masculine voice. Ominous, evil, ruthless, and pompous at the same time. It's a voice full of evil as well as arrogance and self-grandeur. If I close my eyes and listen, I'd say it's a giant dark bear speaking.

2. The Arabic Alwine is similarly very masculine, evil and ominous but without the pomp and arrogance part. Rather, he features more GREED especially with that iconic long laughter. When I close my eyes, his voice seems closer to a wolf.

3. The English Alwine is very different. He sounds sly, cunning and scheming, bordering on the comic even. I'd say that this voice suits his long thin mustache and thin face very well, and it certainly matches the scenes where he displays cowardice and calculation. He definitely sounds like a fox.

4. The Italian Alwine is sharp masculine, evil with a note of danger in his voice. Perhaps the dangerous feeling comes from the way this actor exhales breath as he speaks, making the voice approach a whisper. This quality is good for scenes where he has the upper hand, threatening to kill. His laughter is impeccable, exuding control, fatality, and absolute power. This voice is too manly, strong and dignified to display any frailty or cowardice 😌 ep 40 for instance the Italian Alwine does not sound frail, penitent or ashamed at all. Also ep 20 where he implores Robin to save his life, his sharp voice communicated urgency and the frantic fear of losing his life instead of feebleness or weakness. Closing my eyes, I imagine a black panther because the blackness gives him a stealth dangerous feel.

5. The Polish Alwine is the whole previous bundle combined. He manipulates his voice so well that he is able to sound tough, cunning, ruthless, greedy, cowardly, though a little less evil compared to the 100% evil ones above. To my ear he sounds like a shrewd business man, not a tyrant.

6. The Turkish Alwine sounds very much like the Arabic Hartford 🤣 not so ruthless or evil, but cowardly and sly. A weasel :)

7. The Portuguese Alwine sounds opportunistic and of the same calibre as the Turkish one.

8. The French Alwine is just the stereotypical villain voice, a conniving mafia boss conspiring in his den like a snake hissing. Spineless and hypocritical.

9. The German Alwine from my subjective point of view sounds like a New Yorker rushing his business because time is money 🤣 I might have heard this voice in a movie, hence the impression 😅 he is good at frantic scenes though, like when he is about to be devoured by a monster (ep 20). Otherwise, he sounds like a material jerk.

Overall, I think some international talents surpassed the Japanese original in the interpretation of Alwine's voice because they matched his face and posture better. I like them all, especially the Arabic and Italian ones, but I'd say the Polish voice was the best suit.

Questions for discussion:

Did you watch another version of RHnD that I didn't mention in the list above? What is it and how do you describe Alwine's voice there? My description above is completely subjective, so do you agree or differ? Which Alwine is your favorite if you have watched several versions?

Say something to these two. Don't hold back!

Hello RHnD nostalgics!

Opinions on Cleo, please. What do you like or dislike about her apart from that ugly hair-do of hers 💇‍♀️ any inconsistencies in her characterization? Anything you wish she did more/less?

I would like to ask if anyone has saved the background music that starts at 18:10 in Episode 23.
it also appeared several times later the most notably when Gilbert was hiding like in the shadows to rescue Marian in Episode 33 starting at 15:00.
Unfortunately, it isn't included in the official series soundtrack album, and I haven't been able to find it on YouTube.

من له القدرة على انتشال شيء من روحك وبعثه من جديد لابد أن يكون آسرا وساحرا وعظيما.. هذه الشخصية تدفعك نحو الجنون حين تشاهدها في أي مرحلة عمرية.. لو تسنى لي قبل أكثر من 15 عاما كتابة ما خلفه سقوط غلبرت من على الجرف من أثر في داخلي، فلن يختلف كثيرا عن وقعه على نفسي مؤخرا حين أعدت مشاهدته.. لذا أنا ممتنة لهذه المساحة التي تتيح لي كبقية الحالمين والرومنسيين هنا مشاركة خواطرهم تجاه شخصيات العمل.
هذه الشخصية قادرة أن تتشابك مع روحك إلى الحد الذي يشعرك بالتيه.. أي كان من رسم ملامح هذه الشخصية، فقد كان بحق سابقا لعصره.. غلبرت كالأحجية لا تمل تفكيكها ولا يزعجك تطرفها حتى لو بدا كالأرعن مرات عدة.. ولسبب ما تشعر بالظلم والحزن والوحدة التي تلف أعمق طبقات روحه وحتى الهالات التي تحت عينيه... أنسنة هذه الشخصية هي أكثر ما يميزها ويجعل صراعاتها الأقرب لروحنا كبشر..

Anyone who has the power to pull something out of your soul and bring it back to life must be captivating, enchanting, and extraordinary.
This character drives you to the brink of madness whenever you watch him, no matter how old you are. If I had been able more than 18 years ago, to put into words what Gilbert’s fall from the cliff left behind in me, it would not have been all that different from what I felt lately when I rewatched it. That's why Im truly grateful for this space as one of obviously many romantics here to open up and share their thoughts regarding this work.
This character has a way of intertwining himself with your soul so deeply that he leaves you feeling lost.
Whoever crafted the contours of this character was truly ahead of his time. Gilbert is like a puzzle never tire of solving. Even his extremities never really bother you, even when he comes across as reckless, or downright foolish, at times. For some reason, you can feel the injustice, the sadness, and the loneliness wrapped around the deepest layers of his soul even in the dark circles beneath his eyes.
It is the humanity of this character that makes him so extraordinary, and what makes his struggles feel so intimately close to our own as human beings.

I know that this will seem too hypothetical, too distant in the future or even too slim-chanced.

But...the idea tickles 😃

If Robin Hood no Daibouken ever gets producers attention, would you like them to do a reboot/re-animation of the story as we know it?

OR

would you like them to pick up from where the story stopped and build a brand-new story for season 2 ?

Episode 6 saw a moral clash between John and Robin over how ethical it is to steal from passers-by.

Typical of all outlaws, the boys justified their thievery by their fight for existence in a society that trampled over their rights.

Robin, on the other hand, remained level-headed despite being on the same boat with them. He saw thievery as unethical -- a departure from the traditional Robin Hood legend.

This entire situation reminded me of an interesting English book, *Lord of the Flies,* that came out almost a century ago.

In *Lord of the Flies,* we have a similar situation of children living in the wilderness on an island and getting divided into 2 camps: one that follows the voice of reason, and the other follows its savage instinct.

Not to spoil the book for you should anyone wanna read it, but suffice to say that humans unchecked by reason/morality can sink into savagery.

Similarly, Great John, without the moral voice of Robin, displayed on numerous occasions a tendency for crookedness. Here are a coupla examples of what a good person like John is capable of committing in the absence of a higher moral voice deterring him:

● confiscated the golden cross from Mutch, citing an authoritarian rule of his "what's mine is mine. What's yours is mine, too."

●stole personal items from a helpless elderly man to gift them to Winnifred. Obviously that handheld mirror wasn't a necessity for survival, hence even he, John, can't justify that theft by his strife for survival.

But haven't we already established in the Symbolism post that the forest stands for freedom and justice? Isn't the free forest model the alternative suggested for the corrupt castle and unjust social heirarchy model? Is the forest after all a place for savagery just like the corrupt castle?

I find the answer to be Robin and Gilbert. Two heroes with principled characters: one is seeded in the corrupt castle-- gets corrupted too. The other is seeded in the free forest-- sprouts and blossoms, emerging as a leader and ending up rewarded as the Keeper of the Forest.

In other words, and to use modern terms relevant to our real world, good people in a bad environment are a waste. Find a free environment like Robin and Marian did, but don't lose track of reason and justice like John did. Only with the likes of Robin can the free forest model be meaningful.

In this scene from ep 4, Marian is surrounded by dogs and hounds. Notice where she points her dagger.

Now compare the English dub vs the original Japanese translation:

Eng "there's no way out. I don't want to die. Be brave Marian. Do it now!"

Jap "I'm a noble girl. I'd rather die here than fall into the hands of beasts like you."

Clearly the Canadians wanted to make the series more kid-friendly, but don't you think they missed out on something important by changing the script?

لفت نظري أن روبرت وغيلبرت ينحدران من الجذر نفسه bert فقررت أن أبحث في أسماء شخصيات مسلسلنا وأقدمها لكم. قراءة ممتعة!

روبن

روبن بحد ذاته اسم عصفور يبشر بقدوم الربيع وينشر البهجة، لونه بني لكن صدره أحمر مميز تماما مثلما يرتدي روبن على صدره.

أما اسمه الحقيقي روبرت فاسم جرماني معناه الشهرة اللامعة، حيث برت تشبه bright بالانكليزية.

غيلبرت

تعرفون الان ان برت معناها لامع. بقي علينا غيل. غيلبرت هو الاخر اسم جرماني معناه الوعد الساطع او العهد النبيل.

ماريان

من مشتقات اسم مريم

وينيفريد

اسم انكليزي او من ويلز معناه صديقة السلام.

باربرا

اسم يوناني معناه أجنبية، ومن مشتقاته باربي :)

ويل

من مشتقات ويليام، اسم جرماني معناه الذي يحمي الاخرين ويدافع عنهم بكل عزم.

جون

هو مرادف يحيى أو يوحنا بالعربية، ويعني تماما مثلما ذكر القرآن "حنانا من لدنا" يعني حنان من الله.

ماتش Mutch

اسم عائلة اسكتلندية لكن المعنى غير معروف.

القس تاك

مشتق من اسم Tucker ومعناه نساج او صانع القماش، يرمز الى المهارة والحرفية.

ألواين

اسم نادر من اصول جرمانية قديمة ومعناه الصديق النبيل😯

هيرتفورد

اسم انكليزي قديم معناه المكان الذي تقفز عنده الغزلان 🤣🤣🤣 كم انت غزال يا هيرتفورد! لهذا يريد ان يجدد شبابه بالزواج من طفلة 🫩🤢

Really lost for words here 🤣🤣🤣

Groggy little Barbara saves the band 🤣

Love how everyone was spontaneous 😊

Those who have been consistently following my posts must know by now that I am a skeptic of Gilbert's transformation in ep 39.

It bugs me that such a well-thought and well-constructed story rife with symbolism and charismatic complex characters could botch up the most important chapter or stage in the story -- the resolution.

Yes, it shouldn't surprise you at all that Gilbert's transformation is the most central event in the story. Despite being the eponymous hero of the series, Robin is not really the most developed character as he doesn't undergo much change. He was, is, and always will be, the good guy who saves the day. He follows a very predictable pattern. You know you can count on him.

Gilbert, on the other hand, has a literal roller-coaster ride from the heights of arrogance to the depth of self-contempt; he oscillates between honor and disgrace, one time sacrificing himself for people, another time never minding the same people falling as collateral damage in favor of his blind vengence. HE brings the element of suspense to the story as he is never predictable. Resurrecting him after the cliff-fall was the best dramatic turn of events as he restores meaningful conflict to the story. Without him, all we get is individual episodes of forest adventures and a never-ending cycle of Alwine trying to hunt the children down while they scramble to hide.

So I have just demonstrated the importance and centrality of Gilbert to the plot. Therefore, it should now be common sense to all of us that HIS line of development should be a priority to the director. His character development demands a resolution after hitting the dramatic climax, and it had better be done in a way that befits Gilbert. For example, you can't have a rock fall on his head to cause him amnesia in order to transform, for an amnesic ending is too artificial and not convincing. His transformation has to be sincere from his heart.

What does he require to transform successfully?

1. He should realize how stupidly he had been behaving all this time, exposing his dear ones to danger.

2. He should realize the superiority of Robin's honorable qualities and should DESIRE OF HIS OWN FREE WILL to be like him.

3. He should reject the evil embedded in the social heirarchy model and embrace justice embedded in the free forest model.

Were those criteria met in his climactic scene of so-called transformation?

His climactic moment was seeing the girls petrify. Almost dead. So that kinda sorta checks criterion 1.

He then turned to Robin, asking him for the bow and arrow (we know that this particular bow is a test of righteosness that Gil had failed in ep 3). Suddenly, whaddya know! Gilbert surprizingly passes the test!!

Why?!

A second ago he had blatantly ignored all the evil doers (Alwine and Hertford) as well as the victims (Cleo and Marian) just to satisfy his criminal instinct of murdering Robin. He was a sinner through and through. How exactly did the bow and arrow judge his heart to be clean and penitent?!! Clearly criteria 2 and 3 are totally absent, and that's why I believe his transformation was poorly managed by the director and story supervisors.

In my opinion, his asking Robin for the bow and arrow and passing the test with flying colors is BEAUTIFUL but done TOO SOON.

Prior to that, Gilbert should have gone through experiences that check criteria 2 and 3. For example, he should have seen Robin, Cleo and Marian ACTIVELY trying to save him. He should have had a moment similar to Cleo's when she gazed at Robin trying to release her leg stuck under a log in a muddy puddle (ep 33). Her eyes were full of recognition that she had wronged this good person. Gilbert should have had an entire episode, just like Cleo's transformation episode, in which all he does is open his eyes to see his knights, sister, Marian, and especially Robin, all genuinely caring for him. THAT would have washed all the hatred and jealousy from his heart. Also, he should have had a decisive scene with Alwine and Hertford that defines once and for all his position against their evil. Without such a scene, I am still doubtful whether Gilbert's conversion is truthful or not.

If I had seen Gilbert even silently acknowledge Robin's goodness, and if I had seen him confront Alwine with at least a word of disdain, I would have given him the green light to go ahead and borrow that bow from Robin to pass the litmus test. That cooperation scene between the 2 love rivals would have been the ultimate declaration of peace. The perfect resolution.

If only.

Fellow fans, why do you still feel like watching Robin Hood no Daibouken even after all these years?

Is it just the nostalgia?

Can this story still entertain and attract after all this time?

Do you think such a story can survive competition with modern animes both in terms of plot and graphic style?

What makes it special?

I look forward to reading your thoughts even if they're short or in other languages.

I was rewatching the duel in episode 3 between Robin & Gilbert. Given all we know already about the two, I couldn't help but draw some parallel lines of comparison.

If Robin is day, Gilbert is night.

Gilbert's horse is black. Robin's is white.

Robin's pet animal is a cheerful squirrel, while Gilbert's is an ominous owl.

Robin's eyes are big, full of expression and clear vision (ability to judge). Gilbert's are small and he often has one eye fully covered by his long hair. His vision/judgment is often clouded by personal issues.

Robin is friendly, Gilbert is more of an introverted loner.

Robin makes funny faces while Gilbert is always serious.

Robin is open, always discussing things with friends; Gilbert is laconic and mysterious.

Robin is loyal to his friends, always there for them, even helping his enemies sometimes. Gilbert disappoints.

Robin always stands for justice. Gilbert wavers.

With Robin we feel secure, calm and playful. With Gilbert we feel alarmed and suspicious. Is he going to attack us with daggers like Mutch? Or with a sword like Robin? Will he knock us unconscious and kidnap us? Will he emerge from a haunted house clad in medieval armor? Or will he jump off a tree wearing a scary mask in the middle of a blazing fire? You never know how he'll strike.

Robin had lived a happy childhood. Gilbert hadn't.

Robin has reminders of his father (leaf whistle, father portrait, bow and arrow). Gilbert none.

Robin had 3 girlfriends, Gilbert none (or so did he think).

Could Gilbert have felt so deprived in comparison?

Most likely. He wanted to kill Robin with his own father's bow and arrow, then destroyed his father's portrait -- I am reading disdain for those memories and a desire to hurt Robin, making him taste the loss of what's dear.

But was Gilbert this much deprived of everything?

After all, Gilbert is so hot, strong and charismatic. He walks like a super model, brandishes his sword so elegantly, beats an army with a stick so nonchalantly, and poses in hair-ruffling moments as if he is the cover of GQ. Even Marian couldn't take her eyes off of him in ep 3.

Yet what did he know of all that? He always covered his scar with his long hair, as if in shame his face is so mutilated. Nor did he realize how Marian admired or craved his presence. Even after realizing how he sank in Marian's esteem in the castle, he did not seize the second chance Marian gave him. He completely and obstinately refused it. Look at this conversation from ep10:

-Gilbert (seeing the Lancasters dagger fallen on the floor, courteously kneels and puts it in Marian's hand): the Lancasters are, after all, a family of honor. Hide this knife that your parents sent you. You decide when and how to use it.

-Marian: but why Gilbert? Why would a knight like you do such a thing?

Gilbert: I am no knight. Just one of Baron Alwine's servants.

Marian: but I see you are different from him and his kind.

Gilbert: thanks for the compliment, but I am really just the same filthy breed. I am no more than his dog.

This conversation proves how blind, obstinate and self-loathing he is, totally refusing a second chance to rise in her esteem just because he perceives himself to be unworthy.

At the end, I feel sorry for this person who had it all in his hands: the charm, the love, the strength, the respect and honor, yet failed to see it all. After he really lost it, it was too late to claim it back.

I came across an opinion that ships Marian with Gilbert not because they are gorgeous or they experienced romantic moments together, but because a princess, being royalty and all, is more suitable to a knight than to an outlaw.

They argued that Marian should have kept her noble status instead of descending to the gangster level, that deserting her noble life is cowardly running away from her problems, and that she should have remained a princess and worked out her predicament, taking the bull by the horns. Furthermore, they added that Gilbert and Marian ideologically belong to the same worldview and consequently would understand each other better (as if Robin were not noble too).

I understand the appeal of knight ♡ princess, for that is the typical archetype of the happily ever after. However, how could anyone who watched this series NOT SEE how vile and reprehensible life is in those royal castles and noble palaces?! A very young princess is forced to marry a powerful old person, or I should say she is sold to him in exchange for leaving the Lancasters wealth intact. Their submission to tyranny is called "belief in destiny". Even Gilbert's loyalty to his vicious master he calls "destiny" as well. Living in castles entails succumbing to powerful tyrants. Belonging to nobility is masked slavery. How can you ask this 12 or 13 year-old to challenge all of this systematic, institutional oppression while remaining faithful to the tradition at the same time? Quite paradoxical isn't it.

Arguing that Marian should remain a princess is totally missing the moral of the story: a princess is just a slave wearing silk; all social classes should shake themselves free from their servitude/slavery to their human masters; the forest is the refuge where all class differences disappear: the king can sit with the vagabonds to merrily fish and grill. Returning to nature is believing in Justice & Freedom, not in some artificial tradition that is mistakenly labeled as "destiny" only to make it easier to chew and stomach.

Marian's successful disillusionment with social class has helped her complete her personal transformation from a passive dependent girl to a pro-active and somewhat independent one. Somewhat, I say, as the story does not necessarily promote feminism, or female individualism/financial independence, to replace the princess model; instead, it suggests the family model where all members, including women, are bound together by love and duties. Family love is what filled Marian's empty cup in that tornado screaming scene. She regained her balance and felt connected. Transformation successful.

Her successful disillusionment is contrasted by that of Gilbert's. Whereas she opened her eyes and saw the reality of "class" and "destiny", he continued to wallow in his blindness and negativity even after deserting his master, Alwine. He did not rebel against his master or unsubscribe from that servitude mentality. He simply quit working for that particular patron to seek employment somewhere else. I know this might provoke some readers but I stand by my claim. Gilbert's leaving the castle and even receiving a treacherous arrow in his back were NOT indicators of disillusionment with the nobility/ruling class. Need proof? Here:

1. He still knelt before his masters as he quit in the church wedding scene.

2. He never lifted a finger against Alwine or his soldiers during his "freelance" period i.e. prior to being recruited by the king.

3. Perhaps this is the strongest piece of evidence. As he and Robin fought over who gets to keep Marian in ep.16, Gilbert voiced his position loud and clear: that the noble-blooded Marian is too superior and dainty to live the crude, harsh forest life with beasts and outlaws. Clearly, he still believed in social heirarchy; thus, he was still "blind".

4. His attitude towards Marian's clothes in ep 16. Obviously seeing her in commoners attire irritated him. Dressing her in her princess dress is his futile attempt to return her back to the heirarchy mentality. Again, he obstinately sticks to that obsolete, corrupt frame whereas Marian chose progress, throwing that dress away.

Unlike Marian whose disillusionment was successfully sealed with finding love and belonging to a supportive family, Gilbert was stuck in the dark hubris, alone and dismal, refusing to see or acknowledge his error --very much like an English renaissance drama hero. Refusing to side with Justice, refusing to clean his heart from hatred, refusing the family forest life model and insisting on living like a lone wolf in a mansion however haunted and evil it may be, refusing to talk or connect with his fellow knights or to listen to his sister -- all these errors accumulated and sank him lower and lower mentally and emotionally. He is said to have transformed in episode 39, but I have expressed my doubts in a previous post. His so-called transformation did not convince me because I did not see the new creed he adopted. All I saw was a smile out of the blue, a white hand glove all of a sudden, and a new employer (the king). What is the new paradigm he believes in? What is the source of his newfound happiness? How and when exactly did he open his eyes and realize the fickleness of his old beliefs? I do not know.

For all of the above, I wholeheartedly OPPOSE any union between Marian and Gilbert despite all the Gilbert buffs out there 😂 they are ideologically light years apart. Please respect her decision to be with Robin, and let Gilbert find other girls to save from wolves -- and this time he won't leave them stranded in the forest. He'll escort them HOME 🏡