49 replies to this topic

[AbnormallyNormal]

I like the introduction of new characters, but I feel the cast has gotten too large and the screen time shared between too many characters, I don't really get a feel that any of them are 'special' or maybe a majority just don't capture my interest as much as they used to. :< It's just my personal opinion though.

Yes I think the older characters will keep recurring though so don't fret

[Fancy Sauce]

After reading all the comments I, for the most part, agree with what @Death2boredom has said.  It may be difficult to convey much character development at this point within the given arc.  This is a reason that the pacing may feel so slow but in actuality a lot is being covered though my blight with this arc isn't the pacing, but the fact that things are repeated unnecessarily.  On the part of the pacing I can't help but compare what is happening in this arc to what is happening in the current One Piece arc.  To all my fellow One Piece fans you probably know what I'm talking about, but for the sake of those who are not particularly fond of the series let me explain.  The story has always been centered on the Straw Hat crew, and beside the introduction of villains and supporting cast members, it has been entirely seen as though the main character development is seen within the crew.  Though at times some exterior parties have minor or significant character development.  In the current arc however a large quantity of new characters were introduced and the distribution of screen time was, IMO, painful to read through at times because I found them to be quite unimportant and bland.  All this leads up to the point i'm trying to bring across.

 

SIU has always had a rather larger cast than the norm when it comes to shounen, even dating back to S1.  He has been able to portray character development between a consistently growing cast in an effective and efficient way.  If you go back and read S1 thoroughly, you see that each character, or pairs in some cases (Anak and Androssi for example), were given almost an entire chapter to develop.  This formula however cannot be implemented here because too many things are occurring at once.  This is just an assumption on my part but, it seems that SIU is covering the various fights simultaneously to show character strength as this is still for the most part a Shounen.  Going back to what I previously said about One Piece, this seemed to be exactly what Eiichiro Oda did.

 

In short its simple, some characters can't have development within certain situations because their personality does not always fit for development within those situations.  It is best to have no character development in my opinion than to have sloppy character development.

 

Now with the whole death thing.  Its hard to say that the cast can continue growing as it is without a few of them either a) dying or not continuing for x reasons.  However I don't agree with too constant of a dismissal of characters.  Think of it this way, if you watch an anime/read a manga wherein characters constantly die it begins to lose its impact; while an anime/manga where characters never die feels a bit too safe.  The best way to pull off disposing of a character must leave the Audience saying "WTF!!! WHY!!!"  Take death note for example, lots of people died and many of us were like "Meh."  L dies and, well for me at least, I lost my head for a second or two trying to understand how it happened.  That is what good writing does, it makes you 'enjoy' even what should be a sad moment.  This is what I think SIU needs to work on.  Also where he chooses to place them is of an issue too, I'm growing a bit tired of the cliffhangers.  They have become a bit old when we see them too often.  I would much rather petty characters, like Ho and Nia, die in the early or middle portions of the chapter.  Maybe one of the main cast, depending on who it is, are worth a cliffhanger.  But the way I see it its highly subjective.

Edited by Fancy Sauce, 01 March 2015 - 07:25 AM.

[Fairy King Harlequin]

It's the point no one dies, everyone has the protagonist plot armor.  All this bragging how dangerous the tower is and we have one death each season so far.  I don't care for red-shirts to die because that's the only thing that seems to happen.  Either every character is extremely lucky or the tower isn't that dangerous.

[Sangios]

It's the point no one dies, everyone has the protagonist plot armor.  All this bragging how dangerous the tower is and we have one death each season so far.  I don't care for red-shirts to die because that's the only thing that seems to happen.  Either every character is extremely lucky or the tower isn't that dangerous.

I can't disagree with this. I mean, I don't want to see every character get slaughtered, but some of the main cast needs to die. I vote for Prince and maybe Miseng, depending on how things go now.

[Fairy King Harlequin]

I can't disagree with this. I mean, I don't want to see every character get slaughtered, but some of the main cast needs to die. I vote for Prince and maybe Miseng, depending on how things go now.

Not some, most the main cast need to die.  Pretty soon will have +75 characters and will be switching to different characters like a soap-opera.

[Sangios]

Not some, most the main cast need to die.  Pretty soon will have +75 characters and will be switching to different characters like a soap-opera.

Lol which ones would you want to keep around then, if it were up to you?

[Fairy King Harlequin]

Lol which ones would you want to keep around then, if it were up to you?

Everyone besides Baam and Rachel.  I want to be on edge knowing a character can die each chapter.  I said it many times before, TOG has become Disney.

[AbnormallyNormal]

Everyone besides Baam and Rachel.  I want to be on edge knowing a character can die each chapter.  I said it many times before, TOG has become Disney.

Agreed. If Androssi died that would be pretty awesome from a "heightening tension" perspective.

 

Koon probably has insane plot armor he is up there with Baam/Rachel probably. Rak obviously could die but he is comic relief so why bother. 

 

I think also Le-Ro-ro should die probably, to help motivate Baam and make him less in awe of his former mentors

[BehindTheLighT]

 

I think also Le-Ro-ro should die probably, to help motivate Baam and make him less in awe of his former mentors

 

i would really like to see Quant reaction.

[AbnormallyNormal]

i would really like to see Quant reaction.

I have to admit though I kind of enjoy the buddy-buddy friendship between Leroro and Quant... it's kind of cool so I guess I don't want either of them to die really. They're both just like pretty decent long-term characters actually and it will be cool when Baam eventually no longer is "below" them at all