Comments on: IO, and a harem protagonist like no other http://pontif.us/2010/01/30/io-and-a-harem-protagonist-like-no-other/ Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:46:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Pontifus http://pontif.us/2010/01/30/io-and-a-harem-protagonist-like-no-other/comment-page-1/#comment-1281 Pontifus Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:54:47 +0000 http://pontif.us/?p=1648#comment-1281 I'm always happy to point people toward my lesser-known and often bizarre manga finds. "Extreme" is a good word for the characters. But somehow, even when it's especially over the top (which I don't recall being too frequently), the manga convinces you to buy into what it's doing anyway. The problem with the whale plot, I think, is that it was a kind of open-ended catchall mystery; it could've been used to justify just about anything, if the writer needed it to. I'm actually okay with the general vagueness of it, as the writer wasn't heavy-handed about using it to explain away every minor complication. But perhaps this turned it into a complication in its own right. Though it sort of caught me off-guard when the manga canonized the literary reference I'd been making in jest since the whale's first appearance. Stole my damn joke :p I’m always happy to point people toward my lesser-known and often bizarre manga finds.

“Extreme” is a good word for the characters. But somehow, even when it’s especially over the top (which I don’t recall being too frequently), the manga convinces you to buy into what it’s doing anyway.

The problem with the whale plot, I think, is that it was a kind of open-ended catchall mystery; it could’ve been used to justify just about anything, if the writer needed it to. I’m actually okay with the general vagueness of it, as the writer wasn’t heavy-handed about using it to explain away every minor complication. But perhaps this turned it into a complication in its own right.

Though it sort of caught me off-guard when the manga canonized the literary reference I’d been making in jest since the whale’s first appearance. Stole my damn joke :p

]]> By: Proven http://pontif.us/2010/01/30/io-and-a-harem-protagonist-like-no-other/comment-page-1/#comment-1275 Proven Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:46:21 +0000 http://pontif.us/?p=1648#comment-1275 Thanks for this recommendation. My cousin and I ended up reading it and both really enjoyed it. My biggest gripe would be the plot around the whales was too vague, but I think it's because the author was near to writing themselves into never ending plot holes. The one thing about the series that stood out was how extreme a number of the characters became, both in past and in the present. Mio actually became my favorite character just because of her extreme yet confident moves, but everyone resorted to such terrible or forceful tactics throughout. The parallels between the past and present was eerie, like parent like child, but the ending ended up being about the characters trying to break the cycle started by their parents. All of that together made it a really great read, so thank you. Thanks for this recommendation. My cousin and I ended up reading it and both really enjoyed it. My biggest gripe would be the plot around the whales was too vague, but I think it’s because the author was near to writing themselves into never ending plot holes. The one thing about the series that stood out was how extreme a number of the characters became, both in past and in the present. Mio actually became my favorite character just because of her extreme yet confident moves, but everyone resorted to such terrible or forceful tactics throughout. The parallels between the past and present was eerie, like parent like child, but the ending ended up being about the characters trying to break the cycle started by their parents. All of that together made it a really great read, so thank you.

]]> By: Pontifus http://pontif.us/2010/01/30/io-and-a-harem-protagonist-like-no-other/comment-page-1/#comment-1148 Pontifus Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:14:06 +0000 http://pontif.us/?p=1648#comment-1148 I'm not really thinking of behaviors into traits here so much as the idea of a "trait" as something with both good and bad consequences (or something that inspires both "good" and "bad" behaviors). Trait is the slash in the middle of virtue/flaw, as I've used it here. I’m not really thinking of behaviors into traits here so much as the idea of a “trait” as something with both good and bad consequences (or something that inspires both “good” and “bad” behaviors). Trait is the slash in the middle of virtue/flaw, as I’ve used it here.

]]> By: ghostlightning http://pontif.us/2010/01/30/io-and-a-harem-protagonist-like-no-other/comment-page-1/#comment-1144 ghostlightning Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:16:15 +0000 http://pontif.us/?p=1648#comment-1144 Fine, am sold. I'm intrigued by the line that turns behaviors into traits, the way you described it. It's still kind of fuzzy to me. Fine, am sold.

I’m intrigued by the line that turns behaviors into traits, the way you described it. It’s still kind of fuzzy to me.

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