Hey Anon 🙂 Nah, as some sort of personal rule, I don’t hate stuff in relation with fiction. I just don’t see the point.
Of course, there are characters I like less than others and some I don’t like at all, but in general they’re the truly unreedemable kind, like Kelvin or anyone involved with the twins’ trauma in ch135, as far as Kuroshitsuji is concerned.
I also am not that fond of characters that are a little uni-dimensional, but I’d say that’s more in relation to the ‘trope effect’ of some parts of Sensei’s writing with some secondary characters: like Phipps (too perfect, pretty boring), Randall (too angry, at least voice it out man), the ex-P4/now S4 (except Violet, he’s got some depth) and maybe a few others I don’t have in mind right now.
As for characters I love, that’s pretty much everyone else, although I obviously play favorite with some of them: the Phantomhive family & associates are pretty much 80% of why I love this series so much, to be honest.
So our!Ciel, Lizzie, Tanaka, Frances, Edward, Vincent, the Undertaker, Claudia, Alexis, Dee, Lau & Ran-Mao, Soma, Sieglinde, the servants, Agni, Seb, Rachel, I like all of them. 😀
The twin is kinda a question mark tho’ because I haven’t seen enough of him yet to consider if I like to despise him as a villain or if I’m pretty meh about him too (even if I’m aware I may be influenced by the fact I never was fond of the 2CT). The possible twist of the RCMT is one I find very enjoyable though, so I’m pretty sure it’s going to end up being the former possibility.
I hope it answers your question Anon, have a nice weekend! :))
I cannot talk much for Goblin Slayer as I have not read/seen it yet, but I think I can talk for Berserk:
You only see those rape scenes on certain occasions. They usually appear as a motif of sexual perversion (Eclipse, heretic’s Cave at tower of conviction, Qliphot, that one kushan Daka factory using human pregnant women) in a doomsday kind of scenario. And it’s mostly done to give the story a push forward, scarring and traumatizing the characters and giving them a motivation or drive.
There surely are some personal reasons why Miura chose this way of story-telling and kept it through most of
the story (but I don’t want to dig into this and I hope he is all well if not I’ll spam him with lovely fan letters and good vibes)
It’s reason why Guts went on his 2 year apostle killing spree:
I also think the things that happened to Farnese while she was taken hostage by Guts, the things she witnessed at Tower of Conviction and Qliphot all together enabled Farnese to become a witch in the first place:
The “Daka Factory” made Silat question whether it is a good idea to follow a a king that lies beyond their understanding (one who resorts to using pregnant women to create hell spawn, I might add):
And later on Silat already makes this point very clear when asked to join the neo band of the hawk:
It’s a (prettyy fucked up) narrative tool, so to say. But also very effective because firstly, it is so shocking and secondly, the timing of these events fit into the overall narrative and development of each character.
Thank you for writing this.
I understand that people are upset with the rape scenes and find them questionable. But at the same time, as questionable as it is, Berserk wouldn’t be the same story without it (and I know this is going to be a controversial thing to say).
Yes, using rape to shock and upset the audience can be a bit of a cheap trick, but that’s kind of the point, to shock and upset both the audience and the characters. Femto/Griffith is considered as villanous as he is because he’s a rapist, as much as people complain that it objectifies Casca*, people wouldn’t hate him as much without it.
Honestly, reading through Berserk every single character who is a rapist has also been depicted as FUCKING EVIL (Wyald, Femto, the trolls, Ganishka, etc.) so it’s not like Miura is glorifying such actions. You could argue until the cows come home about wether or not rape should be depicted and even used as part of some character’s characterization, but IMO at the end of the day Berserk has been mature rated from the start, if you can’t handle sexual content then perhaps you shouldn’t read it.
(* – that’s not to say it isn’t a valid complaint)
Some other works literature, movies or games would only include explicit
scenes merely for shock value or PR (I’ve heard people saying that
Goblin Slayer does just that, but what can I say!)
Berserk has explicit and triggering content, but it makes it meaningful in the way the story is told. E.g. lets just point out how Guts was abused by Donovan and therefore WILL mercilessly beat up or kill anyone crossing his path who dares touching the weak (Though I also have to point out he is not actively pursuing that goal).
This experience of his is used as motivation that is showing throughout the manga in a very strong and effective way. It gives him a depth and also ambiguity – because he is not actively pursuing as goal – that not many protagonists have, at least those I’ve seen/read about.
I mean when the PROTAGONIST literally saves women from rape ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS (Casca/Adon, Casca/Farnese/Women from Enoch in Trollcave) it’s really really unlikely that the author endorses rape in any kind of way. (But I like that he also puts a reminder to not become the very thing you are fighting against *cough* winter journey *cough*)
While I understand people being upset about Berserk’s upsetting imagery (I was too when i first read the explicit parts), I think it’s art to write these things and give them a proper meaning and symbolism; it makes Berserk the masterpiece that it is.
This is so very important.
I’m sorry if what I’m about to say sounds kinda unrelated to this discussion @bscully, but Berserk has a real notoriety in the manga world and honestly, I thank Sensei for steadily going with the upsetting imagery in spite of this!
(under the cut, because possibly slightly out of topic)
Anyone who likes manga has at least heard of the series and generally of the Eclipse, since it’s the most shocking/horrible part (I have had dozens of discussions that turned out like this) and, because it’s shocking but also because Berserk was often referred to as a masterpiece, more than a few manga fans went to read the Eclipse without the context of the previous 12 volumes.
Well, guess what? Obviously these guys came out disappointed and full of the criticisms you were talking about above (”this is disgusting”, “glorifying rape”, “couldn’t he have drawn/done this with more taste?”, etc).
But that’s the thing, context matters in every series and even more in Berserk, which is why as you said so well, “Berserk has explicit and triggering content, but it makes it meaningful in the way the story is told“ and that shows through all the examples you mentioned.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but if I go read a love confession between two characters I barely know/haven’t followed the story of, the emotional affect is 100% lost on me compared to if I’ve been following their dynamic for a few or a lot of volumes.
Same for lovemaking/sex scenes being taken in or out of context, with or without knowing the characters and all that they went through before finally reaching that point with each other (for example, that’s how you can establish a real comparison between the Griffith/Charlotte and Guts/Casca sex scenes in the same volume => again, something Sensei made on purpose, without a doubt; whereas the two scenes just probably resonate similarly if you check them without knowing the context or the characters).
And so, if this is how it works for beautiful and emotional moments, why shouldn’t it also work for absolutely horrifying and shocking parts like the Eclipse (but also Guts’ chidhood, the lost children arc, Qliphoth, Wyald, Ganishka, etc)?
So yes, Miura-sensei goes with upsetting imagery often in Berserk, it’s been a thing since the beginning although (as Anon pointed out) it’s hardly ever the same tone several times in a row. That fact is why the series doesn’t have to be for everyone and there is no issue with saying one wouldn’t enjoy it. However, for the ones who go check the worst scenes regardless, without the whole context, and who obviously get the wrong idea, seriously what’s the point?
It took me two years to start Berserk between the first time it was recommended to me and when I actually gave it a try, because first thing I did was to go to google image to check and I immediately closed the browser because “what the hell?! too violent!” => that’s missing the context.
Now it’s one of the best series (amidst manga, comics, novels, books, everything) I have ever read and honestly I’m glad circumstances made me give it another chance.
Miura-sensei knows what he is doing: it doesn’t have to be for everyone, but honestly, criticism is only legitimate with context.
Hi there Anon! Yup, I watched the Gangsta. anime and I’m keeping up with the manga on a regular basis (the chapters are released monthly, but Kohske-sensei has a few health-related issues so we don’t always get content). Here’s my tag for it.
I’m personally really fond of it, but it is Seinen (i.e targeting adult demographics) and addressing hardcore themes like prostitution, drugs, mafia and civil war, so beware the many trigger warnings because it doesn’t have to be for everyone.
I can’t speak of your personal tolerance to such subjects though, so you’ll have to read a summary and give it a try to see if that’s something you may want to watch/read or not, knowing that the anime covers most of the content from ch1 to ch28 in one cour. Here’s also a “why you should read” post for more info.
I won’t lie, it can be a very disheartening series, in the sense that getting attached to the characters is unavoidable and, considering the themes, most of them (if not all) aren’t treated kindly. In terms of body count within the cast, I think comparing it to Shingeki no Kyojin should give you a good idea.
As for anime vs manga: I prefer the manga because it’s the original content and the art is really good, but the anime does a good job of giving life to this series through the great cast of voice actors (the two main guys are voiced by Suwabe Junichi-san and Tsuda Kenjiro-san who are personal faves of mine and they really work well with the characters).
If you’re not sure about enjoying the series after all that I said, I’d recommend the anime more, to check how you feel. If it turns out that you’re liking it though, then I’d recommend moving onto the manga.
Hey Anon! I watched the anime a few years ago and I’m in the process of rereading the manga from the beginning (currently I’m on ch139, I will catch up soon :D), so yup, I can definitely confirm that the anime follows the manga!
The anime covers ch1 to ch47 actually (with 24 episodes), but I will just say this one thing: it’s only my opinion, but I had a harder time with the anime’s pace than with the manga’s.
I remember being rather bored with the anime at first, because its first third is very slow-paced: don’t get me wrong, the content is the same as in the manga, but somehow the pace is different. I can’t be sure why, maybe it’s because the episodes always tried to stop at appropriate cliffhanger-y moments and so it kinda disrupted the pace of the first 8 episodes?
Anyway, that’s why I’d recommend reading the manga over watching the anime if you don’t have a preference, because I didn’t have the same pacing problem with the manga when I started rereading.
Besides, the anime in itself doesn’t bring much more besides the music score, while the manga’s art style is quite superb and the story flows nicely + the gags are funnier somehow (probably because it’s harder to convey them the same way when animated).
That being said, if you are interested in giving AnY a try and don’t want to read the manga, then by all means give a chance to the anime because it’s exactly the same story and still a good work of animation overall.
I may not have had the patience to catch up with the series regularly before but I will from now on, because it’s truly a good and interesting series, so whatever you choose between manga and anime, don’t hesitate to give it a go indeed!
I hope it answers your question, Anon! Have a nice weekend!
Hey Anon! Yes, I have both read the novels (original content) and watched the anime because I absolutely love this series. :)) Here’s my tag for it.
Generally when a series is a popular, it’s for a good reason and Durarara isn’t an exception. So personally, I would truly recommend it for anyone who’s after novelty (it’s really one of a kind) and who doesn’t mind when the series appears too intricately twisted for a simple summary.
The complex part of it isn’t the plot, but rather the characters: Narita-sensei doesn’t write your conventional or typical characters and that’s why this series is so good. The main plot line, so to say, would be “a story of twisted love” and if you decide to watch or read this series, then you’ll find out that “love” can take on a lot of meanings.
As with every series though, the best way to know if you might come to enjoy it would be to try it by yourself: I’d say… if you don’t find it interesting, not even a little bit, after the first four episodes then maybe it’s not for you, knowing that it only gets better the more you watch.
I’m positive that the first episode will leave you confused and the second maybe even more so. By the third you may appreciate some characters and aspects of this series though and the real test of whether or not you find the show interesting would be episode 4.
That’s my initial experience with it. It’s hard to provide a simple and spoiler-free summary though so I’ll just say that I came upon Durarara as I was searching for a series simply about a town and its inhabitants’ daily routine, which is exactly what Durarara is about… until you met the main villain (no worries though, he shows up fast).
So basically if you’re looking for a cool show, with mysterious elements and a cast full of complex characters & incredible dynamics, then Narita-sensei is your man (all of his novel series are like that).
I hope it helps a little? Sorry if not. :3 Have a nice day Anon!
Hi Anon! And nope, it was one of my best friends irl (see, I always love getting rec from people), two years or so before I ended up starting it.
He was really into it and was sure I’d love it too, but casually looking up for a summary or just opening up google image back then didn’t convince me. I found it way too violent on first glance and thought that I wanted something with more plot material than blood and monsters everywhere.
How wrong was I, eh? xD
Then time passed by, at some point I read this interview of Isayama-sensei (the author of Shingeki no Kyojin) that said that he got inspired by Berserk’s heroine (Casca) for Mikasa, so I though ‘huh interesting’ because I love Mikasa and looked for a summary again.
And then, a few months later, circumstances made it that I ended up living through a pretty horrible week so I needed a very strong distraction and, thinking back about the summary I had read for Berserk, I thought this could be it. Voilà.
The part with the Eclipse made me put the story on hold for a few hours tbh, but then again, I was such an emotional wreck because of the horrible week I was living through that I still kept reading because I needed to focus on something else.
The longest stop I did while reading the series was after meeting the trolls (vol 23/24). Couldn’t handle that part of the story on the first try (and the funniest thing is that my best friend’s girlfriend had the exact same problem when she too read the series). xD Then I did another stop after the arc in Vritannis (vol30~), mostly because I was busy, so overall it took me like 4 months to read through the whole series the first time.
Here’s my little history with the series Berserk, I hope it answers your question! Have a nice day Anon. :))
Hi Anon! Well, the cast is huge, but sure, I do have characters I like more than others! It was hard to choose, but in no particular order (warning: spoilers everywhere)…
Ryuugamine Mikado
Because he started as a seemingly good and innocent kiddo…
before he lost his shit in a similar
manner
to Anakin Skywalker or Yagami Light (it’s the fallen angel trope: he went completely extreme to protect his ideals).
It used to be a subject of debate but in my opinion he lost it way more than Kida and, as Aoba once wondered, no this isn’t entirely due to Izaya or Aoba himself trying to mess with/use him. Rather it’s because he was bored of the ordinary way before the series had even started.
After all, that’s the main reason why he created the Dollars and why he moved to Ikebukuro, so his downfall isn’t that surprising after he met Celty and got to witness how powerful what he had created turned out to be (regarding the whole situation with Namie, Seiji and Mika).
That’s what makes a MC interesting though, so I’m not complaining. 🙂
Spoiler alert if you don’t read the novels Anon, but I also like how his arc and Anri’s end: it’s a shared conclusion that is expanded on in the SH novels. Mikado was bored of the ordinary, which was the basis of his character arc, but now he will never have the chance to go back to an entirely normal life anymore. I find that very fitting. ^^
Celty Sturluson
The other MC! And actually I wonder if there is anyone who dislikes her? Personally I found her incredible and that from the very moment of her introduction. It’s the only Dullahan I ever met in fiction so that makes her pretty unique, haha!
I also love the irony that she was more human & gentle than humans themselves and that she ended up falling in love with one of the most selfish humans ever. That being said, DRRR is literally “a story of twisted love” so I hope she gets to live long and happy years with Shinra. 🙂
Karisawa Erika
Because she’s an adorable Otaku and cosplay fan. I love how cheerful she always is, how she’s such a great friend and support to anyone who needs her.
I also love her VA (Tagaki Ayahi-san) and the fact that some other VAs of the series
(Mikado’s, Anri’s and Aoba’s iirc? or maybe Izaya’s and Shizuo’s?)
actually mentioned her character as a favorite for all the manga/anime references she’s constantly making. xDD
Finally she’s a great singer, many characters think so, and I don’t know why but I find this little trivia fact very enjoyable.
Orihara Mairu & Kururi
Count as 1 character even if there are two of them, just like it was explained in the novels. :))
I just… love how they’re very similar to Izaya in almost all of his good sides (that is: well informed, creative, cunning, dangerous, capable to protect themselves if they’re together) but they share none of why he’s a villain.
As such it’s amazing that they get along with Shizuo, Eijirou, Namie and Aoba, to name a few, when these characters absolutely can’t stand Izaya.
Also the irony that they’re big big fans of ‘Hanejima Yuuhei’ when Izaya and Shizuo hate each other? Pretty funny. 😀
Heiwajima Shizuo
So many feels for this character, because he is such a good guy yet he has a terrible view of himself because of his huge physical strength and anger issues, but also mostly because Izaya is constantly trying to pass him off as a monster.
It’s kinda why the Shizaya ship is a NOTP for me (despite really enjoying it when I was younger): Shizuo truly deserves the peace he wants as well as to learn to live with himself, instead of constantly being involved in schemes just because Izaya has a complex with him (I’m with Simon on this).
So anyway, he’s a great guy, he saved the situation so many times and he almost always sees through Izaya’s plans, so all the more reasons to love him.
Vorona
Amazing growth and character development + she is partially the reason Izaya vanished from the city (for now at least) while also making sure Shizuo wouldn’t become a murderer and, as much as I love Izaya’s character, that was fair and what needed to happen.
So I’m grateful to her and I hope she’ll eventually come back just like she wanted. :))
Akabayashi Mizuki
Someone once made a post about all the reasons Akabayashi is True Love My Yakuza and I’ll add just one: his VA, Yamaguchi Kappei-san (also L in Death Note) because damn, it’s a delight to listen to him speaking.
There is nothing to understand, he’s just incredible and I’m grateful to him for all that he did for both Anri and Mikado.
Kadota Kyohei
An old fashioned hero type of character, but isn’t that why we like him?
He saved the situation so many times, he’s got clear limits in what he will or won’t do, so he’s pretty amazing and I just love the whole ‘I’m no leader’ when he has the most loyal gang out of anyone in the series. xD
I’m also pretty happy about the fact that he’s a friend to Shizuo while not being a pawn to Izaya and someone who Celty and Shinra are happy to invite for hotpot, all at the same time. That just speaks of how great he is.
Rokujo Chikage
Warning: he’s my son. ❤
A ladies man (not a womanizer) but only in the most respectful way you can imagine: yes, he has something like 100 girlfriends because he’s constantly flirting with every girl he sees, but they’re all aware of this fact and okay about it (and about sharing dates with each other), so no judging.
Also he’s a student, has a part time job, is the leader of a bousouzouku gang called Toramaru in Saitama and yet he still finds the time to come to Ikebukuro to help characters he met just this one time. xDD
So he’s a pretty chivalrous guy, even towards guys (he takes his debts quite seriously), and that’s why he’s a fave!
Orihara Izaya
Well, DRRR wouldn’t be the series it is without Izaya so of course I love him, despite how joyful I am whenever he’s punched, stabbed or thrown around violently, because each time he deserves it. xD
In fact, he’s probably one of the most complex villains I ever read about and this is really emphasized by the way Kamiya Hiroshi-san voices him. Tbh I think DRRR in general stands out as a series, because
the main focus is the cast, not the plot, and all the VAs did their job quite amazingly (a big reason why, even tho’ the anime’s s2 didn’t cover the story as well as s1, I still enjoy it greatly).
But anyway: Izaya’s an ass. He knows that, everyone knows that and either hates him or rolls their eyes. When it comes to understanding him though, I think reading the novels or listening to what Shinra has to say on the subject is the most important.
Too many times Izaya was called a sociopath and I used to make this mistake too, but that’s just not who he is at all. That’s why I tend to think that the way Shinra described him and his love of humans to Manami in the last novel of the series is a direct consequence of his parents not really being around.
It’s actually hard to explain without quoting the discussion itself, so I’ll leave it at that for this post, but I do blame the absence of the Orihara parents regarding the way their 3 kids turned out to be.
I love them like that though and I love even more when Izaya himself shows a hint of weakness/annoyance about certain topics (Shinra, his complex with Shizuo, his sisters, his dislike of Saika, Tsukumoya, etc), so I wouldn’t even want their parents to try and make amends for not being around.
Anyway, I just don’t think it’s possible to enjoy DRRR as a series if you hold a real dislike for Izaya’s character, if just because it’s obvious that he’s going to be a pain in the back of most of the cast from very early on + we get to see his POV almost everytime something happens.
I find Narita-sensei is one of the best when it comes to writing complex and very unique characters, so Izaya is definitely enjoyable to read about!
Special mention: Kida, Anri, Simon, Akane, Shinra, Tom, Ruri, Kasuka, Saki, Yumasaki and Togusa. Oh and Shiki, idk why but I like him too. xD
As with every series, it’s actually way easier and quicker to list characters I don’t like, especially in DRRR because they’re all characters that aren’t really put under a good light by Narita-sensei himself, but I hope this answers your question.
As always sorry for rambling and have a nice weekend Anon!
I consider a theory to be something that is coming 100% from within the universe of the series that you’re talking about. In comparison, a meta can be written using both the universe of a series but also what you believe to be an author’s (or the reader’s own) external influences.
A theory is… trying to foresee a plot twist or character development while quoting the series itself. A meta will rather be to do the same thing but while also focusing on how the author was possibly influenced in their writing or what the symbolism they used might be hinting towards.
The thing is, I am extraordinarily shitty at the latter because I have 0 knowledge compared to a lot of great blogs, so I absolutely love reading meta but I can’t say I am writing them when I just enjoy catching on unanswered plot points and trying to imagine future developments by only reading the series.
I think that overtime “meta” became the general term to be used in fandoms (hence your question), but
since
I can’t say that my blog is on the same level as others who really make a lot of educated guesses by analyzing how an author writes their story, personally I’d rather not use it for my own posts. :))
Sorry if this sounds too self-conscious somehow. xD I never liked comparison in good or bad, so I’d rather do my own thing in order to feel less left out in some fandoms from time to time. :))
I hope it answers your question, have a nice weekend Anon!
You know what they say Anon, nothing is ever perfect. :)) That being said, overall I have enough of different fandoms to survive the episodic bad sides of some others and it’s never 100% horrible, so frankly I always managed.
In fact that’s totally the perk of being a multifandom blog, although I’m making this hard for anyone who doesn’t want to/can’t use the blacklist extension (and I apologize for that <3).
Anyway, I think a general rule should be never to forget that people can have bad days, just like fandoms can have bad moments of crisis, so everyone can actually have some fandom experiences that are less fun than most.
The worst is when it taints your personal opinion of a character or a story’s arc and I think that’s always what we should strive to fight against as a community, but easier said than done obviously. x)
Thanks for passing by and reading Anon. :)) Please have a nice weekend!
Aww, thanks Anon! ❤ I’m really happy that I love it so much too, haha, especially considering how I can rant about the awkward pacing at times. :3
I don’t know if I have just one fave manga tho’… Probably not, if just because I also am fond of Berserk with everything I have and I have less criticism to make. Not that criticism has to be a bad thing though.
In fact, Kuroshitsuji has a lot of potential as a story in my opinion, which is 50% of why I love it so much. The other 50% is related to how in love I am with most of the characters and dynamics between them. So, to say that I have the highest expectations for Kuro more than for any other manga I ever read would be an understatement, but I can’t help it. :3
Sensei has currently everything in hand to make Kuro a really incredible series on many aspects, which is what I’m hoping she’ll make happen, even if I’m kinda on the fence sometimes because the pacing isn’t the best, to the point that I’m constantly fearing plot convenience and too many clichés (which is what I dislike the most in storytelling).
So far, looking back on it, Yana-sensei hardly disappointed though. I mean, I can’t say that I was fond of every plot twist along the way, but if I’m still here and still willing to discuss it, it’s because she managed to pull it off somehow!
The problem is that in Sensei’s writing, every time you get an answer, you get 5 more questions and, frankly I don’t mind, it’s actually very exciting, but I’m just hoping that eventually we’ll really get the full picture without any plot hole. 🙂
TL;DR I don’t think I have just one favorite manga, but Kuroshitsuji really does hold a special place in my heart for its own unique reasons, just like the other series I like to blog about.
The revenge theme is common to a lot of series I follow(ed), but the charm of Kuroshitsuji for me is the constant mystery and Sensei’s foreshadowing her developments, which makes it all fun to guess about, without mentioning the amazing characters.
It’s not perfect, I do think the writing and pacing are a bit too slow and some characters definitely need more focus or development, but even after 6 years, I’m still hoping Sensei will deliver all that she possibly hinted about!
midnight-in-town 