Compiler


(Compiler Characters)

Contents


Introduction

I'm still quite sketchy on the plot of this show, having only seen one OAV. Most of the meta plot, I've acquired from reading manga translations and the information in the rec.arts.manga primer Apparently Compiler and Assembler are two beings from the cybernetic realm who come to Earth to play a game of create and destroy with the Earthlings: Compiler destroys and Assembler creates. Anyhow, they end up living with Toshi and Nachi, who are brothers.

I found the character designs quite similar to Silent Mobius, which after looking up some information on the series is hardly surprising, as Compiler was created by the same person, Asamiya Kia, aka Kikuchi Michitaka. (According to <stevenr@hooked.net>, it's not actually a pseudonym, but both work at Studio Tron and are good friends. In any case, they have very similar styles and seem to be involved in a lot of projects together.) Given some of the scenes in the opening animation, I expected a bit more action, but the first OAV is pretty uneventful, though the animation is good overall. The music is pretty low-key throughout, but is nice -- the opening and closing themes are a bit more upbeat.

Chuck Douglas has been doing translations of the manga.


Dramatis Personae

Compiler (Matsui Naoko)
Compiler is a very well built woman, who appears to be in her mid-twenties to thirties. She has long, thick, wavy dark brown hair which hangs down below her waist, and favours low necklines. She also has a bit of a temper, and tends to get upset and break things or hit people without too much provocation. She's interested in Nachi, but is too proud to show it due to his womanizing.

Assembler (Mizutani Yuko)
Assembler is thin, but not waifish, and appears a few years younger than Compiler. She has long silver hair, though not as long as Compiler's, and tends to dress more conservatively. She is usually a friendly, happy person, and is interested in Toshi, but is too modest to do much about it. She appears to spend most of her time while Toshi is at school watching soaps on TV.

Toshi (?)
Toshi is the younger of the two brothers, and is still in school. He's pretty popular with women, but is mostly interested in Assembler, though again, is too modest to do much about it. He is slim, and a bit shorter than his older brother, with darker hair.

Nachi (Yamadera Kouichi)
Nachi is a dedicated womanizer. Most nights he goes out, gets drunk, and seduces someone with the following line:

Your beauty today is the image of perfection.
Your long and beautiful hair charms me;
Those luscious lips seduce me;
And your eyes tell me that you are in love with me.

He seems to be pretty successful with these, but never remembers a single thing the next day. He looks like your typical anime charmer, with light brown hair. Apparently he works for a video game company, but is regularly late for work with his nightly escapades.


Story Synopses

OAV 1: Chapter Yin

The story opens late one evening in downtown (Tokyo?). Nachi is busy with his usual seduction routine, as Compiler walks by. He calls out to her and brings over his conquest of the evening for a short hello. His parting suggestion to her is that she should smile more often, or no man will ever want her.

The next morning, Toshi is telling Nachi off for being out so late and his womanizing, while Compiler sleeps in. Assembler comes to breakfast looking quite sleepy, and spends the day watching soaps while Toshi goes to school.

When Toshi gets home from school, Assembler tells him that Nachi called to say he will be working late and won't be home for supper. Assembler doesn't feel like cooking, or eating instant food either, so Toshi suggests going out for supper. Assembler is happy to be going out to party (while Toshi glumly mumbles something about a tight budget), and takes off to change and get Compiler. Compiler is unenthusiastic though, so they go without her. Once they've left, Compiler realizes she's hungry, and looks around the house for something to eat, but there's nothing good around. It starts raining as she leaves to find some supper, so she grabs an umbrella.

Meanwhile, Nachi is at his computer, trying to get some work done that he missed due to sleeping in. He quickly gives up though, and heads out on the town, leaving a note that he's going on a trip. Compiler runs into him in the park while he's working on seducing another woman. He crashes and burns this time, so instead takes Compiler to a bar for a drink. At the bar, Nachi tries his seduction line on Compiler, and she almost succumbs to it, until the last line, which snaps her back to reality, and she slaps him. She leaves, so he turns to a nearby table of women to try again.

Next morning, Toshi and Assembler are having miso and rice for breakfast. Compiler comes in, but claims she isn't hungry and just grabs a can of coffee. Assembler wonders what's wrong with her, but Toshi has no idea. Nachi finally arrives home, after being out all night, and Compiler ignores him completely. Assembler explains she's been acting wierd since yesterday. Nachi claims to remember nothing of the night before after they got to the bar, then he heads to bed and tells Toshi to call work and say he has a cold.

Later, Assembler is back watching the soaps again. Compiler comes in sits down with her. Assembler asks if anything happened with Nachi the night before, but Compiler says no. Then the phone rings, so Assembler goes to answer it. It's Okabe-san calling for Nachi: apparently his conquest of the Saturday before. He can't remember much of it though, so is busy bluffing. Compiler goes to her room to brood, but Assembler comes in and gets the truth from her that Nachi tried to seduce her last night. The doorbell rings and Assembler goes to answer it: it's Nachi's conquest from last night. Assembler invites her in to sit down until Nachi is off the phone.

Toshi arrives home early from school because he was worried about Compiler. Assembler explains to him about the girl waiting in the living room, and he gets mad and hangs up the phone on Nachi. Nachi claims never to have met her before. Toshi explains to her that Nachi completely forgets everything he does when he's had a few drinks. The girl bursts into tears, while Assembler tells Nachi what scum he is. Compiler surprises all of them by yelling at them to grow up then storming out. Nachi takes off after her, but she's too far ahead and he loses her.

Compiler spends the afternoon wandering around town, and takes a break for a drink in a cafe while it rains some more. Nachi spends the afternoon looking around town for her, and gets soaked in the process. He finally finds her in a mall, and she's obviously happy to see that he came after her, and chides him for getting soaked. He then tells her that he didn't realize she cared so much, so from now on, when he seduces someone it will only be for fun, and he'll be sure to tell the girl that. Compiler slaps him and takes off up an escalator, hurling insults back at him. Nachi mutters something about what a difficult woman she is and hurries after her again.


Other Network Resources

Serpent's Compiler Page
A nicely laid out review, synopsis, MP2 sound clips, and video clips.
Anonymous FTP
SUNET (ne venice) doesn't have a lot, but there are translations for a few of the manga and some images from the anime.
USENET newsgroups


Credits

Any comments, corrections, and especially additions to the above information will be gratefully accepted, and credited appropriately.


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Compiler
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Brian Edmonds <brian@gweep.ca> February 21, 1998
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