@Purple:
It's just that Shimabukuro does actually keep up a guise of a setup and a plot going, so it's kinda part of the final product? Like if this were Bo-bobo we wouldn't nail it hard for keeping an inconsistent storyline. Especially when it comes to world building and having these mysterious evil forces at work, having proper buildup is what makes the fights satisfying. It's the same way with Fairy Tail in that people could say, "oh but everything looks cool and that's what really matters!" but the plot and the direction it takes actually plays a significant, if somewhat smaller than the usual manga, role in things such as perceived threat of the villains, the direness of the situation, etc. and having something like Komatsu whippin out his food luck breaks that suspension of belief and brings us out of the spell it set up.
I don't really see why we can't legitimately criticize things we find could be worked better when we give really high praise for it does really right like the intro to the gourmet world.
First, I want to say that Fairy Tail doesn't even really look cool, that's just a common misconception that people use when they try to wrap their head around the idea how it can be popular, the visuals in Toriko are genuinely good, fun to look at, well drawn, spectacular when needed, it does that, so let's not compare people who are lenient on Toriko to that
and I basically agree with you, after all, it's Shima who tries to tell a story and make us emotionally click with his characters…
It's just that when something is obviously not good in that department, It's just sad to see people focus on it that much
Like, I could do that too, but I decided for myself that the enjoyment I get out of this is more focused on "giant blue demon man punches horse from hell" instead of "was this really a good way to resolve the situation?"
I mean, I'm not a Toriko die-hard fan, but there are plenty of us who find that primitive quality to it somewhat endearing
I guess what I'm getting at isn't really about writing quality, but more with what expectation you start reading or watching something. Toriko, with its muscle man who can grow twice their size when needed has always appealed to me because of that. Sure I recognized Shima trying to set up emotional moments, explaining character motivations and building up villains - but it was just always so laughable to me (just because of what it always was) that could never reach a point where I wanted to criticize it - I always remember Elg and how wretchedly stupid that whole "I am ugly" thing was in order to get emotionally something out of us, so that's why I almost exclusively draw my entertainment for this series from the art and over-the-top nature. I'm not looking forward the final confrontation of, let's say Midora and Jirou, I'm looking forward to what sort menacing face shot he'll create while they glare at each other, because I just enjoy it that much. It's like with Tommy; a lot of people think he's been build up well (I kinda agree) but even if that wasn't the case, Shima did such a good job at how creepy he looked visuals alone. Even though I recognize the first, the second one, for this sort of series, is already enough for me
Sure, If you wanna be rough with me, you could lay it out as simple stupidity, but is that so bad? As much as you have a point with Toriko being eligible for any sort of criticism, I don't think the lenient view folks like me, Baldulf or Chicken have it that out there either
because, in the end, I'm pretty sure that we are overall enjoying this "reading" experience more than you guys? Unless the satisfaction you get out a well-planned execution and sensible story telling is that much more effective than my primitive enjoyment I get from seeing something silly or creepy well-drawn.
Man, when I watched Transformers with my friends this is just what they must have felt like, except that GCI just doesn't do it for me, as opposed to Shimas drawing style
Edit: of course, it could be over-the top and silly and still be a good story, but with Toriko, I kinda doubt that's a possibility. Or maybe I'm just being snobby, I have a hard time in general respecting comics the same way I admire a really good book, because the premise of super men having powers based on idiotic pseudo-scientific possibilities (radioactive spider bites man, man becomes spider) kinda makes this impossible by default, since the absurd nature of something like that always makes me think of it as something "lesser" (not low, just compared with really good stories)
I think it's that reason why I'm always more lenient on all comics, be it One Piece, Magi or even Bleach
of course, craps still crap, that can't be really argued. Sorry if my view on that might offend someone, just to explain were I'm coming from with this
And I do not mean to invalidate the whole craft and industry, stuff like Berserk, Vagabond or Strongest Man Kurosawa I too highly respect, it's just when it comes to toriko…