Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Neonivek]

I sometimes wish that the authors of works like ZnT, with promising ideas but poor execution, would come back to their creations later in life and rewrite them with more skill.

Not possible in this case because Noboru Yamaguchi died while still writing the LNs. And it's not so much a matter of ability as intent; it's pretty clear what he wanted to do with the series. :|

Exactly one year + a week ago to be precise.

Wait are you saying that Noboru Yamaguchi is a writer with the ability to create well thought out and interesting worlds, characters, and ideas... but actually just likes making schlock instead?

That is actually quite interesting.

[Flying Dice]

I sometimes wish that the authors of works like ZnT, with promising ideas but poor execution, would come back to their creations later in life and rewrite them with more skill.

Not possible in this case because Noboru Yamaguchi died while still writing the LNs. And it's not so much a matter of ability as intent; it's pretty clear what he wanted to do with the series. :|

Exactly one year + a week ago to be precise.

Wait are you saying that Noboru Yamaguchi is a writer with the ability to create well thought out and interesting worlds, characters, and ideas... but actually just likes making schlock instead?

That is actually quite interesting.

It's honestly more plausible than... what? He just randomly wrote whatever popped into his head, and it all came out to stuff consistent with a harem comedy?

As for the abuse, my take on it was that it was supposed to demonstrate progression in their relationship--Louise was raised in an incredibly strict household which exacerbated her existing tsun tendencies, and Saito is pretty obviously supposed to be pissing her off intentionally (because it can't be physically possible for someone to be stupid enough to not put together cause and effect after the Nth time he leers at a girl and gets smacked down for it). In other words, it's supposed to be relatively lighthearted S&M play that helps them work towards realizing their feelings towards each other.

Whiiiich is where the question of authorial competence comes up, at least going with my reading of it. There are enough traces there that I think my argument holds water (see: they seem to always end up with Saito on the floor and Louise straddling him; Saito keeps doing things that set Louise off even though he must realize what he's doing; it's being depicted as funny and sort of sweet instead of as brutal abuse), but he does a terrible job of conveying his intent. It's "show-don't-tell" taken too far, almost, because we're given the author's intended view of the situation without any idea of why we're supposed to be laughing or d'awwing instead of cringing.

Of course that does nothing for the fanservice. Which is, incidentally, one reason why the anime isn't really worth watching past the first or second season, unless you're literally just in it for the male gaze camera.

[Neonivek]

and Saito is pretty obviously supposed to be pissing her off intentionally

You jumped into second season of the anime where it was clear the author actually was concerned with how unlikable he made the female protagonist and actually changed quite a bit of Saito's personality in order to make him more "at fault" to justify her actions. (My theory is that he had yet to go through puberty and started it between season 1-2... He is 12 right?)

But honestly by then a LOT is done to make both Louise's abuse "less serious" and making sure something comedically interrupts anything that is.

Which, honestly sort of made me like it less... because it came off as the author going: "Ohh look he actually liked the abuse so it was just kinky the entire time". At least the first season even though it hinted that the abuse was "soo kinky" it at least treated the abuse like abuse and didn't try to justify it to the extent where other characters actually acknowledged how lousy she treats him.

As well Louise doesn't improve all that much anyway... or at all... In fact she never really improves other then just not thinking Saito like dirt. She will still treat him like dirt, grind him into dirt, and deprive him of any sort of self-fulfillment as well as attempt to control who he is allowed to speak to, who he can be friends with, and even whether or not he is allowed to seek a relationship with anyone else (because they aren't technically "On"). Sure there are times she gives in, but she either reverses it or only does so out of depression.

Louise has a great excuse for acting abusive... the problem is that the anime treats it like she is showering Saito with passionate and hilarious kisses.

If anything the second season is worse because SURE Saito "deserves" it... By having a life outside of Louise. "How DARE you like someone who looks exactly like me but treats you well! I WILL KILL YOU!"

I hear a lot of people mention how Belle in beauty and the beast clearly has Stolkholm syndrome and I usually dismiss it because she turns around after he pretty much has given up on really holding her and treats her right, as well the fact that she never defends his bad behavior or accepts it. Familiar Zero? I have a hard time believing it wasn't Stockholm syndrome because he admits he loves her WAY before she does anything deserving of anything but hatred towards her.

[Flying Dice]

Uh, dude. That's why I said that it didn't work. That's the difference between the intended effect and the actual effect.

[Neonivek]

Uh, dude. That's why I said that it didn't work. That's the difference between the intended effect and the actual effect.

Ahh ok. (Just reread what you said a few more times... Ahh now I get what you said)

My theory though on Saito's season 1-2 personality change is that he started going through puberty.

It is never stated but honestly it would explain his calm cool attitude in the first season and his "horndog" personality change the 2nd season.

[Flying Dice]

IIRC he was 17 at the start of the story, and Louise was 16.

There are a couple other factors which play more of a role in the LNs; he's less of a horndog, for one, and more attention is paid to the fact that the familiar runes are basically mindraping him into not wanting to leave.

[Neonivek]

IIRC he was 17 at the start of the story, and Louise was 16.

There are a couple other factors which play more of a role in the LNs; he's less of a horndog, for one, and more attention is paid to the fact that the familiar runes are basically mindraping him into not wanting to leave.

So basically this was all a bastardization created by the anime.

[Tack]

I never saw it as 'liked', but just more 'he can take it'.

She's abusive, but he's hard as nails.
So therefore it's ok.

[Neonivek]

I never saw it as 'liked', but just more 'he can take it'.

She's abusive, but he's hard as nails.
So therefore it's ok.

Later on he gets caught in probably the WORST abuse she throws at him... The scene makes it more clear he is supposed to "like it" and that this is actually just "Kinky fun".

It is still handled dreadfully.

[Flying Dice]

IIRC he was 17 at the start of the story, and Louise was 16.

There are a couple other factors which play more of a role in the LNs; he's less of a horndog, for one, and more attention is paid to the fact that the familiar runes are basically mindraping him into not wanting to leave.

So basically this was all a bastardization created by the anime.

Yep. To my recollection, the LNs also treated the abuse/S&M play slightly more seriously. Problems still abound, but in general they're less severe, even if a lot of it is, as you said, handled quite poorly. Not least because the interaction between the familiar contract and Void basically turns into a Deus ex Machina plot device used to completely negate the effect of one of the biggest climactic moments in the series and adding powers (or harem members) as the plot demands.

[Tack]

Also high school of the dead was awesome terrible.

Watch it with friends, beer and chips and mock the ever-loving crap out of it.
If you have issues with beer, chips or obtaining friends, YMMV.

[Knit tie]

I will still forever remember Louise as the crazy murdermachine Earth Scorpion wrote, not as the unlikable "mistress" Mr. Yamaguchi created.

[Chaoswizkid]

I will still forever remember Louise as the crazy murdermachine Earth Scorpion wrote, not as the unlikable "mistress" Mr. Yamaguchi created.

In which fic? AGSItV (which should be getting two more books) or Overlady? Or both?

[Knit tie]

I will still forever remember Louise as the crazy murdermachine Earth Scorpion wrote, not as the unlikable "mistress" Mr. Yamaguchi created.

In which fic? AGSItV (which should be getting two more books) or Overlady? Or both?

AGSItV, where she actually gets to be competent.

[majikero]

"The World God Only Knows" is ending. 

One more chapter to go and for once, God cannot see the ending.