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    Kimetsu no Yaiba

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    • Zeorn
      Zeorn
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      Nah, the anime was a work of art and after watching it I read the manga like most people. Honestly, the character depth isn't One Piece level but I guess that is a high bar to set (and my personal preference), the fights are cool but the whole system of breathing and forms vs. random demon powers was not the best in my opinion. I didn't like the breath system but seeing their attacks animated with water, lightning, etc…was awesome. Again this just might be my personal preference for more complex systems or access to wide ranges of powers like Hunter X Hunter, One Piece, or even Bleach. Maybe the author couldn't give swords unique powers or make things more complex because then they'd just be accused of copying Bleach or something like that because they both use swords.

      Demons, on the other hand, have blood techniques that can be completely random and all the upper moons have silly ways to not die from getting their heads chopped off which did seem Bleach-esque to me. But, no swords.

      I'm not trying to trash this manga or anything, but whereas I'd put the anime in my "Top Anime" category and probably recommend it to people who don't watch anime, I never felt the same fervor for the manga. Of course, part of that might also be that I binge-read the manga to the final arc.

      All in all, I would have liked more character depth and a more complex/varied fighting system for the Demon Slayers.

      Oh, but in terms of comedic relief type character Zenitsu Agatsuma should be the prototype of how it is done right. Love Zenitsu. Inosuke is pretty awesome too, but putting him in the same manga as Zenitsu just means he'll be number 2. Also, Inosuke needs interaction with Tanjiro to really shine, without Tanjiro he just isn't the same.

      Avatar Artist: Aapo Niemi

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      • Shiebs
        Shiebs @pariston_hill
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        @pariston_hill:

        It's a mix: solid character writing and development, organic an interesting character interactions, a basic power system given a good and creative visual representation; setting, lore and principles (such and family and one duty) that resonate well with japanese audiences, a finally a stellar animation given by an underdog studio.
        I think is hard to dissociate one from another, UFO Table will be forever be bound to a higher expectation of quality on other projects that can either make or break them.

        I'm personally not a huge fan of the manga. I recognize why it's liked and can respect it, but it's just not my thing, not a knock on it, sometimes something just doesn't click with you, ya know

        For example, I hate Frank Sinatra's music, But I know he's an amazing musician with immense talent, it's just not my thing

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        • pariston_hill
          pariston_hill @Shiebs
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          @Shiebs:

          I'm personally not a huge fan of the manga. I recognize why it's liked and can respect it, but it's just not my thing, not a knock on it, sometimes something just doesn't click with you, ya know

          For example, I hate Frank Sinatra's music, But I know he's an amazing musician with immense talent, it's just not my thing

          Can agree on that.
          Do I like the manga? Yes.
          Would i recommend it to others? Yes.
          Would i call it a masterpiece or an absolute must amongst mangas? Nope.
          Would I have the physical volumes to pass down to my future children? Meh.

          Sinatra falls on the same thing, I like his voice, has some emblematic tunes, but he doesn’t click right with me, not a fan of him but I still respect him. But prefer Louie Prima and Cab Calloway over him any given Sunday.

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          • Chrior
            Chrior @Kdom
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            @Kdom:

            I hope she will try something new and not go the Spinoff easy way. The second title after a big hit is always the hardest so I'm hoping for a 'Siver Spoon' rather than 'Samurai 8' scenario

            Oof, that's an amazing comparison. I truly wish for the same. Something different that offers a new and pleasant experience, rather than a botched attempt to recreate the same success.

            –- Update From New Post Merge ---

            @Shiebs:

            I know I’m gonna get a lot of shit for saying this but…. I think it has more to do with the insanely awesome quality of the animation than the actual manga itself, if it was just some other average anime I don’t think it would ever have become this big a phenomenon

            This is absolutely true. Just compare the manga sales before the anime run finished to afterwards. I've never seen an effect like this. There is always a bump for any series with the anime, but this scale was just absurd!

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            • Kdom
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              The insane sales are due to the fact that its success had an exponential retroactive effect. You see that all the time on big success.
              The anime is only responsible for starting the process.
              After all it did not even reached what I suppose people consider the best part of the story

              As for me, I'm very happy with this title. I will not judge the entire serie by its final arc since that would be a bit unfair given all the pleasure it gave me during the 23 volumes.
              Also the series which manage to have a final good villain are so few, especially in manga
              Just this last chapter was really great in term of feelings. One Piece may be superior in term of plot but Oda should relearn how to make people feel emotions.

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                @Shiebs:

                I know I’m gonna get a lot of shit for saying this but…. I think it has more to do with the insanely awesome quality of the animation than the actual manga itself, if it was just some other average anime I don’t think it would ever have become this big a phenomenon

                I don't get why this would even be a hot take to say.

                @Zeorn:

                Oh, but in terms of comedic relief type character Zenitsu Agatsuma should be the prototype of how it is done right. Love Zenitsu. Inosuke is pretty awesome too, but putting him in the same manga as Zenitsu just means he'll be number 2.

                This is literally the first I've ever heard of Zenitsu being comic relief done right. It's not like he's never gotten a chuckle out of me, but he's insanely annoying most of the time. If it weren't for his badass breathing style, I wouldn't think very highly of him. As for comparing him to Inosuke, these last few chapters have a done a great job of illustrating why he's a much better character in general.

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                • redon
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                  Annabel Espada, from Norma Editorial (Kimetsu no Yaiba spanish publisher) "confirms" Kimetsu no Yaiba will end in May (04:22 in the video).

                  Someone asks them "How did you accept the news about Kimetsu no Yaiba will reach its climax in May?". She replies that Shueisha informed them about it 6 weeks ago, becouse Shueisha informs them about endings, hiatus, long chapters… with time. Norma Editorial does weekly spanish chapters of its series in MangaPlus so they need all the information Shueisha can send them to coordinate their work in the office.

                  She adds they didn't surprise about the news for the direction of last chapters, but they were surprised that Shueisha or mangaka didn't want to do another arc.

                  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mugiwara_23

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                  • Chrior
                    Chrior @Kdom
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                    @Kdom:

                    One Piece may be superior in term of plot but Oda should relearn how to make people feel emotions.

                    Sorry, what? Emotions have been one of the strongest points in OP. Since I can remember. It's a series that often sends really strong messages, makes you connect pretty well with certain characters and delivers strong emotional punches all the time. You can complain about overbloating story arcs, which leads to skipping stuff, especially fights. You can say that some fights do not deliver as good as they should in terms of choreography. You can complain about lack of protagonist group focus (SHs minus Luffy). About lack of character progression in the long term. About cutting corners here and there and overuse of specific powers as plot devices or Deux ex machina. By the way, most of these faults are related to one another in Oda's style since the timeskip. But emotions? Really? This one I heavily disagree.

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                    • Kdom
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                      it's just that I don't feel as much of them as before the timeskip. Oden flashback was Ok but the ones before were forced heavy drama that did nothing to me. Chopper flashback is much more sincere than Law's one for example. Sanji in Walk cake island was also unnecessary extra drama. It feels really artificial and does nothing to me whereas every time I read Merry's death or Robin on the tower it is as strong as the first time I read it

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                      • pariston_hill
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                        There's another.
                        KnY will end in chapter 205, 24 pages and a colour one

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                        • pariston_hill
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                          60M volumes sold, I think Croc-sensei will enter the 100M club this year.

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                          • HeartOfDarkness
                            HeartOfDarkness @Kdom
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                            @Kdom:

                            One Piece may be superior in term of plot but Oda should relearn how to make people feel emotions.

                            I felt more emotion for Ryunosuke "death" than I felt for anything in anime/manga of this series.

                            To say that Oda, the fucking master of drama, isn't capable of evoking emotions and THEN claiming that this series does it better is just outrageous.

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                              @HeartOfDarkness:

                              I felt more emotion for Ryunosuke "death" than I felt for anything in anime/manga of this series.

                              To say that Oda, the fucking master of drama, isn't capable of evoking emotions and THEN claiming that this series does it better is probably the single most ridiculous thing you have said.

                              And considering your track record, that is impressive.

                              You can make your point without belittling others. However much or how often you may disagree with kdom's opinion, that doesn't merit calling it a track record of ridiculousness. Stop baiting.

                              ![](https://scontent.flas1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25498196_10155717412051343_9025410345413307488_n.j pg)![](https://scontent.flas1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25498196_10155717412051343_9025410345413307488_n.j pg?oh=4670e1d94ec9f74747dbcc981bb8a774&oe=5AB15A1B)

                              Like the Avatar? / Like the Miis?

                              Dragalia Lost ID: 97617932505

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                              • HeartOfDarkness
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                                Yea, that was my fault. Fixed it.

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                                • Kdom
                                  Kdom @HeartOfDarkness
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                                  @HeartOfDarkness:

                                  Yea, that was my fault. Fixed it.

                                  I cried river when reading Kimetsu but I didn't felt anything in recent One Piece drama. I explained it already.
                                  This is clearly Oda changing his writing style since I had no such issues with pre time skip arc.
                                  You may be outraged but my guts have spoken and I trust them more than someone which clearly does not share my taste at all in what good things are

                                  –- Update From New Post Merge ---

                                  And look at this new oricon figures
                                  There are 100 000 new japaneses who disagree with you

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                                  • HeartOfDarkness
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                                    Minions made more money then Blade Runner 2049 in the box office.

                                    I guess, Blade Runner 2049 is just a weaker movie then Minions, am i right?

                                    Like if you want to stand by your "opinion" then stand by it. Don't bring up numbers like they mean anything. It seriously makes you look like someone who can't utter a single thought without having to bring up numbers as an lazy excuse to even entertain the idea that you yourself brought up.

                                    KNY making money or selling is like Call of Duty making money, Transformers making money, Fast and Furious making money, any Marvel flick making money etc….

                                    I always found it cute that you seem to compare KNY awful lot but seem to have little to no clue about what you are saying beyond some surface level enjoyment. Like One Piece and KNY aren't even functioning on a similar level. The narrative scope of One Piece is FAR FAR greater than anything KNY has ever done. KNY, on a conceptual level, is a basic shonen story that took over 200 chapters to tell its basic story. Which also doesn't help that the series seems rushed and yet also dragged out. Rushed because the writer doesn't seem to want to establish any of the characters and just use gimmicks and typical shonen comedy as a way to drive interactions between characters. And dragged out because the writer does not have the capability of holding the reader's attention if there isn't flashy and long action scenes. And gore. Nothing demonstrates this then the first arc of the series where the main character, his family, his relationships etc... are basically shown in the fastest way possible while nothing is really established or given time to "breath" to allow the readers to really care. But fights? Boy, they are given shit ton of time. Which is a pretty popular technique used by writers in order to skip doing any heavy-lifting as far as characters and story are concerned.

                                    But feel free to tell me , someone who does not read every garbage shonen series, what exactly does KNY accompolish or offer? What is it about the series that makes it stand out whether world-building-wise(even though there is absolutely little to no world-building in this series), characterization-wise, or storytelling wise? Let's see how far you get (that is, if you don't pull "MUH OPINIONS" or "MUH FEELINGS").

                                    I trust them more than someone which clearly does not share my taste at all in what good things are

                                    …....No, I do not share your opinion when even you yourself can't exactly say what is so "good" about it beyond consistently bringing up numbers and "opinion" as some sort of an statement.

                                    I'm guessing you are struggling with the idea of KNY being extremely mediocre since you have read good stories so therefore you reading KNY proves that it's good or at least that's how I see it because I have never really seen someone wank their own "taste" as a way to measure how "good" certain series are.

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                                    • pariston_hill
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                                      Are we gonna start an argument about what is objective good art over a subjective opinion of a member?
                                      Yikes, what fun.

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                                      • Satsuki
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                                        Different strokes for different folks, let's leave it at that people.

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                                        • PatTraverse
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                                          I do agree that using sales as a testament of quality is and has always been dumb. Good things are popular and sometimes they are not. The same applies to mediocre stuff.

                                          Would i recommend this series? The answer is yes but i wouldn't sell it as the best thing since sliced bread. Just something that is enjoyable to pass the time.

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                                          • pariston_hill
                                            pariston_hill @PatTraverse
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                                            @PatTraverse:

                                            Would i recommend this series? The answer is yes but i wouldn't sell it as the best thing since sliced bread. Just something that is enjoyable to pass the time.

                                            It's basically my opinion on the previous page.
                                            So, by the end of the japanses fiscal year, will Croc-sensei become the 19th mangaka to reach 100M in volume sales?

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                                            • Kdom
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                                              So is Animal Crossing making money deserved ?
                                              There are ton of blockbusters making money indeed but do all of them are top of the sales during one full year or are they forgotten shortly after they are out, I wonder. Anyway…

                                              Why should feelings be disregarded as it was something out of scope to discuss the quality of of an artistic object ? Isn't the catharsis a thing that was searched since the begining of art ? When you look at a painting, do you dissect its colours, its techniques before the emotions it provides you ?

                                              One Piece scope and story cannot be compared to Kimetsu ones but that was not my point to begin with. If Oda is almost never able to make me feel sadness since the time skip, am I not allowed to raise the issue just because he is still a genious in mastering his monstruous plot ?
                                              At least with One Piece we can expect to see the end of the serie countrary to a lot of series with those complex world buildings you like so much but which remain in catatonic hiatus phases

                                              When I'm starting a new serie, those are this feelings which makes the first bond. Then how the author manage to keep me interested in reading his story. This was never an issue with Kimetsu, between the great alchemy in the cast of characters, the balance of action, comedy, emotion.
                                              I also like the authors narrative and arts. Having a fast paced scenario was really refreshing so I don't consider it a negative aspect
                                              Kimetsu gave me all that and that's why I consider it good. Dressrosa arc was boring and is a pain to read (even on a reread, I just did it) and the fact that it had Luffy's float as a purpose in the grand scheme of One Piece plot doesn't change anything and that is why I consider it bad. So I don't care how superior is One Piece in term of plot and world building. It was a nightmare to read during 2 years and you can bring me how many authoritative arguments on how an idiot I am and how clever you are as you want to, I don't care anymore

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                                              • TLC
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                                                It's personally hard for me to feel emotion in KnY when half the flashbacks, especially in the final arc, are of characters right before or even after death. I believe this was something Bleach was criticized for back in the day. A lot of the time, I thought you know if you just shifted this flashback just a few chapters earlier so I can actually get invested in the fate of the character….? Not to mention the big walking wet fart of a villian that was Muzan.

                                                Something else that doesn't help is how all the big emotional backstories are all so...same-y. Always connected to family and familial bonds. Tanjiro wants to save and protect his sister, Inosuke is sad the mom he never knew died saving him, Lower Sixth wanted a family, Upper Sixth siblings wanted to protect each other, Upper Third is sad he couldn't protect his family, Upper First is jealous of his superior brother, the Wind Hashira wanted to protect his brother, Genya wanted to protect his brother, the Insect Hashira wanted revenge for her dead sister, Kanae wanted revenge for the death of her adopted sister (get it, it's like poetry it rhymes)!. I think the most interesting backstories in the series are Zenitsu's whose desire is living up to the expectations of his master (basically a father figure but I'll give the series this because there is legitimate desire to progress their fighting style) and Upper Second whose all like lol i don't give a fuck about family, I'm just gonna start a crazy cult and eat these dumb humans. At least those felt different.

                                                Compare this to the vast range of different stories in One Piece that delve into a variety of themes and character arcs. From wanting to be the best swordsman in honor of the memory of their dead best friend to wanting to find the source of all history to satisfy her academic curiosity as well as justify everything her people stood for to wanting to build the best ship in the world to prove the crafting techniques of his beloved master to wanting to fulfill a fifty year old promise to reunite with an old friend and being the last survivor of a crew capable of doing so to wanting to find a mythical ocean filled with all the world's fish which is a representation of the character's desire to finally have an ambition he could call his own to...god am I still on the straw hats?

                                                That's not even delving into the wide range of side characters like a fallen noble driven insane by losing everything to the point of committing patricide wanting revenge on the world that spat on him to a maniacal racist that experienced the worst of humanity and used it to fuel his unjustified desire to hurt the weak to a maniacal racist who never experienced any form of racism except second hand hatred from other people fueling an unjustified desire to lash out against the world and oppress the weak (tying into the theme of protecting your children from spreading the hatred of the previous generation) to two best friends, separated by a world of culture just wanting to show a sign to each other that they're still alive, a desire that spanned centuries to be fulfilled by their descendants who not only to regain their ancestral home but want to fulfill the wishes of their long dead ancestors to a man who dresses as a baby as a coping mechanism for the death of his wife and infant son to a boat that only wishes to reach the end of the long journey and the tragedy of it being incapable of doing so to a toy solider trying his best to protect a country that forgot him including his own daughter and not even being able to feel the warmth leaving the body of his dead wife to yes a tiny dragon drawing that wanted to reach the top of a hill and tried really, really hard and the joy and tragedy that followed in accomplishing its sole purpose to live.

                                                This is such a massive range in scope, theming and storytelling from all over the series. And it's not just a simple matter of time or Oda having more characters to work with. Oda is a master at crafting emotional gut punches surprising you when the tiniest details are revealed at the right time to have a much greater significance to the context of the character and expertly using these details to give a great symbolic flourish to cap off the characters' story arcs.

                                                KnY author Gotoge clearly doesn't really have the talent or the ambition to accomplish as much and he/she doesn't really need to, KnY is a much simpler, lower key series based on more knee-jerk in the moment emotions and it's fine that if that's what you're more into. But claiming that Oda is only good at writing big worlds and plotting and not at writing emotional stories based purely on your own gut feeling and disregarding the effort and craft he puts into those emotional scenes seems pretty disingenuous and insulting to me. Sure art is subjective but the technique that goes into making that art is not.

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                                                • pariston_hill
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                                                  https://mangaplus.shueisha.co.jp/viewer/1006549

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                                                  • auem
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                                                    So, we skip generations to modern days…didn't expect to go that way.

                                                    “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.”

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                                                    • killerbee1000
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                                                      What a nice, peaceful chapter. I appreciate this.

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                                                      • Smiley
                                                        Smiley @auem
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                                                        Can someone refresh my memory of the time period?
                                                        Also cute chapter.

                                                        I want to believe too big guy3ds code friend:0404-6254-1866

                                                        new "new"3ds code friend:0791-4253-7110 (monster hunter)

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                                                        • Cyclone_Baroness
                                                          Cyclone_Baroness @Smiley
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                                                          @Smiley:

                                                          Can someone refresh my memory of the time period?
                                                          Also cute chapter.

                                                          Uhh. Possibly around 1870s? That's when trains made an appearance so I'm just guessing.

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                                                          • pariston_hill
                                                            pariston_hill @Cyclone_Baroness
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                                                            @Cyclone_Baroness:

                                                            Uhh. Possibly around 1870s? That's when trains made an appearance so I'm just guessing.

                                                            Taisho period. Post WWI.

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                                                            • Kurloz
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                                                              Spoilers for last chapter have been leaked

                                                              ! https://tieba.baidu.com/p/6672683226?pn=1

                                                              Not even Naruto resorted to time travel

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                                                              • Chrior
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                                                                Kimetsu no Yaiba 2020 here we go. Slaying ghoulsdemons in modern Tokyo.

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                                                                • zeltrax225
                                                                  zeltrax225 @Chrior
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                                                                  Kimetsu wins in terms of making fights suspenseful and being down to earth.
                                                                  People might forget because of the last arc but most if not all of the fights have readers on the edge because our MC have always stayed the underdog and you'll never know whether any good guy will die.
                                                                  This is something akin to D Gray Man(early days)and Claymore. The similarity here is that the antagonists is so overwhelmingly powerful and the characters are grounded both in personality and their abilities.
                                                                  You hardly ever see asspulls from the likes of Bleach or Naruto.
                                                                  The only one that asspull is the demons with their 'im actually two person" for instance crap.
                                                                  No nakama or sentimental feelings leading to a powerup but flashbacks and emotional triggers are used in conjunction with the protagonist hard work + effort at overcoming the challenges.
                                                                  That is the heart of the Kimetsu fights that One Piece is not able to do.

                                                                  People bashing on KnY failing in comparison to OP is unable to acknowledge this
                                                                  Everytime a good guy or Tanjirou gets hurt in a fight, it always felt like a serious cut, a danger and risk for them to the readers.
                                                                  You feel the demon slayers desperation.
                                                                  No single character is able to confidently solo an upper demon at any point, if you ever did noticed.
                                                                  Hesitation and fear of death against them while at the same time wrecking their brains to deliver just one more cut.
                                                                  Compared this to the confidence of other good guys in your general shounen manga and you can see why this series stands out.
                                                                  Need I mention that most of the fights were a cooperative team effort?
                                                                  This is why the series is grounded. It established and follow it's own rule throughout: the demons are fucking scary and you feel that in every fight.

                                                                  And every time he is able to relate or empathize to his enemies, the rawness of the emotions lingers.
                                                                  That is good characterization and sincerity at place.
                                                                  Of course a lot of it has to do with family, why must the author go out of her way to diverse her writing and build a universe when that was never her fucking point?
                                                                  All good stories have a message the author is trying to convey, that is why FMA was so successful because it didn't waste time and got to the point.
                                                                  KnY author don't need to give a shit about world building when she don't want to, her story has been told well without it.
                                                                  Apply the proper standards to the proper narrative. Don't use the standard for measuring LoTR to something like KnY.

                                                                  Odyssey and Macbeth are vastly different but let's dissect the fight scenes and analyze them just so we can compare them to a certain standard set by no one ever.

                                                                  Yes a lot of popular things are dumb.
                                                                  But calling KnY hurrdurr million sales but meh average actually means downplaying the general Japanese manga group intelligence.
                                                                  I'm sure that makes you feel really smart and a literature gourmet but please don't forget that this are the same people that allow Hxh to still rake in sales, Shingeki to soar and OP to remain the no 1.
                                                                  Oh and to abandon the shit out of Bleach and Shokugeki when they sucked ass.

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                                                                  • pariston_hill
                                                                    pariston_hill @Kurloz
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                                                                    @Kurloz:

                                                                    Spoilers for last chapter have been leaked

                                                                    ! https://tieba.baidu.com/p/6672683226?pn=1

                                                                    ! Well, nothing surprising. I'm betting the demon is Yushiro.

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                                                                    • Cyclone_Baroness
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                                                                      Hm. Well I would argue that KnY did have friendship powerups. Rather memory triggered power ups. Mostly from Tanjiro and Nezuko. And at least once from Zenitsu. And then a couple pillars towards the end. But yes agree with the rest lol

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                                                                      • Robby
                                                                        Robby @zeltrax225
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                                                                        @zeltrax225:

                                                                        People might forget because of the last arc but most if not all of the fights have readers on the edge because our MC have always stayed the underdog and you'll never know whether any good guy will die.
                                                                        This is something akin to D Gray Man(early days)and Claymore. The similarity here is that the antagonists is so overwhelmingly powerful and the characters are grounded both in personality and their abilities.
                                                                        You hardly ever see asspulls from the likes of Bleach or Naruto.

                                                                        That's almost purely because the series is ending when it is. If it kept going power creep and the need to make each new enemy stronger than the last would eventually get it there. Powers would get more outlandish and main characters would become more invincible as they became more merchandisable.

                                                                        It's probably for the best the series was basically ending when the anime started.

                                                                        But for a Dragonball comparison, it's stopping when Goku fought Piccollo, rather than when Goku fought Frieza. It just didn't have time to scale to usual SHonen levels of crazy.

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                                                                        • zeltrax225
                                                                          zeltrax225 @Robby
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                                                                          I would argue that a lot of the friendship and memories power ups wasn't especially useful and only helped in propelling their efforts instead of being a decisive blow.
                                                                          The last arc had a lot of sacrificial deaths and a small amount of nakama power and even then they weren't definite.
                                                                          Personally, I felt like the Muzan fight could be handled better but I still didn't think of it bad.

                                                                          And I agreed, the increased breathing where they are able to see and dissect the anatomy and organs through the eyes felt like it was tiptoeing towards Dragon ball z kind of powerups.
                                                                          But the author didn't have the intention to continue the story and that seems to be the pinnacle of her power system so I feel like it's only a fair complain if she did go any further.
                                                                          She did show signs of it and I feel that it's only fair considering it is the last arc and adding something new to the good guys arsenal is a normal climatic tool to use in shounen storytelling.

                                                                          The only complaints I do have is how Tamayo was so essential in Muzan's death and was seemingly introduced so early in the story but without much screentime or development.
                                                                          Seeing how she was center to the defeat of Muzan and her pseudo demon science was utilized, the spotlight should be shown on her a bit more so that it didn't felt so sudden.

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                                                                          • TLC
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                                                                            Speaking of underutilized, anyone else think the author totally dropped the ball with Nezuko? The whole point of the series was the dynamic between her and Tanjiro working together to overcome their obstacles yet she ended up being absolutely worthless in the final arc with her sole contribution to bring back Tanjiro at the end. So she was basically relegated to plot device mcguffin until the very end where she used the power of crying to wake up Tanjiro from his demonic possession. This is a far cry from what I was expecting from her when she soloed half of Upper Six. And please, no one tell me "Well it's not the story the author wanted to tell!", the author could have told any story she damn well pleased yet she told the one where one of the coleads ended up doing nothing but sitting on her ass for the final battle.

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                                                                            • pariston_hill
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                                                                              I think that battle Nezuko was accidental and pet McGuffin was the original idea.

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                                                                              • Chrior
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                                                                                That I totally agree with. I spent the whole Muzan fight waiting for the moment Nezuko would come back and actually be useful. Or when Muzan would swallow her to become invincible or something and Tanjiro would have to save Nezuko from Muzan's cell mass blobness or whatever. I think it's just part of the disappointment with Muzan's final fight as a whole. The only thing I really enjoyed about it was the fact that it was absolutely a team effort. From most of the surviving characters of the series, all going against the big boss and doing whatever they could, as little as it was. That kind of desperate effort to just try to make it until morning came. That was cool. But everything else about the fight fell flat to me. From Nezuko being absent until she was required for the sentimental moment. To Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke still feeling completely out of their league in the final boss fight (which is another complaint I have about the series; it seems too short for its own good, just going from fighting guy number 3 to guy number 2, and so on in quick succession, not allowing the characters to grow and change). To Muzan's fighting style being so boring and unappealing.

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                                                                                  The author has the story they want to tell, sure, and there are examples of them ending when they want it regularly enough even with a fairly short run (Assassin Classroom comes to mind… and Death Note being an example of them NOT ending when they wanted because it was too short) but I do have to wonder if the anime had hit a year earlier and rocketed it to megahit instead of light success.... would the final arc have been started so soon or would there have been a couple more years of futzing about first?

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                                                                                  • Sengokusgoat
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                                                                                    Honestly having a couple more arcs before the final one might have actually benefited the story. A lot of stuff in this one felt rushed.

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                                                                                      I'm not sure how true this is, but I've heard that the author has deal with certain family issues, and had to hurry through the latter chapters as a result. If that's the case, I can't really get mad at any of my minor nitpicks.

                                                                                      Originally Posted by MrBits

                                                                                      Place your bets. Is [AlphaMale/AlphaBro, an obvious ban evader] going to get banned again today, tomorrow, or in a week?

                                                                                      Originally Posted by AlphaBro

                                                                                      okay let's bet . Would love to see your losing face next week !

                                                                                      An actual bet and conversation on the Chapter 905 thread, literally an hour before he got banned again.

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                                                                                      • HeartOfDarkness
                                                                                        HeartOfDarkness @zeltrax225
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                                                                                        @zeltrax225:

                                                                                        People bashing on KnY failing in comparison to OP is unable to acknowledge this
                                                                                        Everytime a good guy or Tanjirou gets hurt in a fight, it always felt like a serious cut, a danger and risk for them to the readers.

                                                                                        Maybe you did or some other reader did but nah, I can't say I ever felt it mainly because I already know something called being a main protag and narrative , you know the very reason for the series existent.

                                                                                        Even Berserk, a series known for its utter violent and no-character-is-safe-type approach doesn't kill the main protag off because then the story, and the reason for the entire series to exist, would be gone. I mean, I care about what happens to Guts and how he gets outta the situations but I can't say the same for the cardboard cutouts of KNY.

                                                                                        Characters surviving in most-stories is pretty predictable. Not the "why" or "how". That is the most interesting part. KNY doesn't particularly surprise or have an impact in that regard because it uses the shonen checklist. I can't really say any arc or situation put me in that level of mindset because I couldn't care less about the characters dying or surviving. It was as inconsequential as it can get. If you want to sit there and pretend that this is your first ever fictional story where you didn't understand the very definition of main protag or the reason why the story exists then you can do so. I personally can't nor I understand the point you were trying to make here aside from stretching the quality of the series.

                                                                                        I don't have to question the survival of the character each chapter or need deaths in order for the series to be good. Any writer can make the situations themselves interesting without having to rely on artificial-intensity and "OMG WILL THEY SURVIVE" cliche plot-device. Luffy during his first fight with Crocodile loses, and for the first time in the entire series up to that point, Luffy doesn't beat someone in one-go. The way that entire scene is executed and the way it fundamentally marks Luffy's first big lost is one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series. Nobody was ever under the impression that Luffy died and yet the impact of the lost is there. I haven't seen or felt like that during my viewing/reading of KNY. Because that requires the cast to be….well anything beyond the empty caricatures.

                                                                                        No single character is able to confidently solo an upper demon at any point, if you ever did noticed.

                                                                                        ….So?

                                                                                        Hesitation and fear of death against them while at the same time wrecking their brains to deliver just one more cut.

                                                                                        …..So?

                                                                                        Compared this to the confidence of other good guys in your general shounen manga and you can see why this series stands out.

                                                                                        …..................How?

                                                                                        I'm guessing you are trying to argue that the characters react in a realistic manner so it's different and good? Even though I don't really understand how is it anything good when it doesn't accompolish much and ends up feeling like every other shonen fighting scenario? Seems like the vagueness when it comes to the praise of the series is actually a trend and not an exclusive thing.

                                                                                        And how is that different compare to Reborn, Nurarihyon's Grandson or any other shonen series that features a non-confidence main protag?

                                                                                        Need I mention that most of the fights were a cooperative team effort?

                                                                                        …....So?

                                                                                        Like what is even the point of this?

                                                                                        the demons are fucking scary and you feel that in every fight.

                                                                                        It felt repetitive and tedious more than anything.

                                                                                        But Ok, i guess?

                                                                                        And going back to the original point here; strong cast of characters are needed for this to work. It sounds good on paper, not so much in terms of execution.

                                                                                        This is why the series is grounded.

                                                                                        Akame Ga Kill and Gantz are pretty grounded.

                                                                                        And they are pretty shit.

                                                                                        Being grounded doesn't really make it good. Any writer can throw gore, "realism" and bleakness in order to "appear" grounded but not many series can do it well. Subtlety, approach and execution are a thing. Yes, KNY has more gore than your normal shonen and yet the scenarios as well as the results doesn't really change. So what exactly is the point of the groundedness?

                                                                                        Nothing is more apparent for this point than the opening of the series where the entire "bleakness" as well as the death of MC's family is used as a basic point to drive the series. That entire scenario relies on characters being strong in order for it to work. And it failed. So much of the opening is presented in a "wiki" type format where it quickly shows a scene with the MC, his family, their "bonds", some interactions before they are killed off.

                                                                                        This is like Berserk but instead of actually establishing/exploring/conveying the characters, you simply get few pages of the band together and then eclipse happens. Just shock, gore and blood everywhere.

                                                                                        That is good characterization

                                                                                        Good characterization does not exist in the series.

                                                                                        Certainly not for Tanjiro.

                                                                                        KnY author don't need to give a shit about world building when she don't want to, her story has been told well without it.

                                                                                        Given that the story is very character-driven, having a decent cast of characters is as relevant as it can get. The story's basic foundation are the characters. It needs strong characters for the entire premise to work. It doesn't need world-building or anything. It tells the basic story in the most mediocre way possible.

                                                                                        And before the obligatory "many people cared so it worked" gets thrown around, let me remind that people also cared about FT despite its utter garbage writing. How many people react or like is based on their personal preference and enjoy-ability. But the actual craft can be measured and talked about.

                                                                                        Just like how people find "Paranomoral Activity" to be a scary movie despite the actual craft being lazy, cheap and generally shit.

                                                                                        Apply the proper standards to the proper narrative. Don't use the standard for measuring LoTR to something like KnY.

                                                                                        That was the point.

                                                                                        No one is really comparing One Piece and KNY seriously. It was a response to Kdom because he was comparing the two since he cried and One Piece didn't make him cry so therefore KNY better.

                                                                                        One Piece and KNY aren't in the same league.

                                                                                        KNY writer is struggling to tell the absolute basic story that it set for itself. Oda, on the other hand, is struggling with the series that has only gotten more and more complex of the over years while also avoiding the story from becoming Naruto and being filled with plot-holes.

                                                                                        You can like one or the other. But trying to say that one is better because it makes you warm and fuzzy and the other doesn't while ignoring the actual craft? Yea, no.

                                                                                        I'm sure that makes you feel really smart and a literature gourmet but please don't forget that this are the same people that allow Hxh to still rake in sales, Shingeki to soar and OP to remain the no 1.
                                                                                        Oh and to abandon the shit out of Bleach and Shokugeki when they sucked ass.

                                                                                        Because numbers show the quality or the taste and not people buying shit because they like it or find it appealing or just read it to past the time?

                                                                                        What is even the point of this post? Numbers have always reflected appeal and mainstream interest more than anything.

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                                                                                          Blissed @HeartOfDarkness
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                                                                                          @TLC:

                                                                                          Speaking of underutilized, anyone else think the author totally dropped the ball with Nezuko? The whole point of the series was the dynamic between her and Tanjiro working together to overcome their obstacles yet she ended up being absolutely worthless in the final arc with her sole contribution to bring back Tanjiro at the end. So she was basically relegated to plot device mcguffin until the very end where she used the power of crying to wake up Tanjiro from his demonic possession. This is a far cry from what I was expecting from her when she soloed half of Upper Six. And please, no one tell me "Well it's not the story the author wanted to tell!", the author could have told any story she damn well pleased yet she told the one where one of the coleads ended up doing nothing but sitting on her ass for the final battle.

                                                                                          Easily my biggest disappointment with the series. She was such a badass in previous arcs, then she gets virtually no screentime this arc, much less any action.

                                                                                          Who would've thought that her becoming a human so early (thought it would happen at the very end) would've ended up being such a massive mistake?

                                                                                          @Sengokusgoat:

                                                                                          Honestly having a couple more arcs before the final one might have actually benefited the story. A lot of stuff in this one felt rushed.

                                                                                          Pretty much. Hell, even just something as simple as giving proper buildup to Inosuke and Zenitsu's big fights would've went a long way in actually making it feel impactful.

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                                                                                          • zeltrax225
                                                                                            zeltrax225 @HeartOfDarkness
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                                                                                            About Nezuko: yeah, I got nothing.

                                                                                            Not particularly upset that she was underutilised but it didn't make sense to make her powerful or a threat to Muzan when we consider that the rule is demons have to feed to grow stronger.

                                                                                            She sleeps most of the time, doesn't train and the series focus on the slayer corps so making her a strong contributor in terms of battle prowess would lead to people calling it a bs powerup.

                                                                                            maybe that's reason why she was left out or underutilized for fear of backlash.
                                                                                            Also if Muzan survives and the demon corps get wiped, I think Nezuko will be key for humanity but going down that route of thought will just spiral into me trying to overjustify myself.

                                                                                            Of course she could contribute in other ways but I..can't think of any off my head that's crucial enough a role for her to play.

                                                                                            If it started off as an elric brother kind of dynamic, I would be largely dissatisfied with how she is dealt.

                                                                                            @HeartOfDarkness:

                                                                                            …....So?

                                                                                            I kind of stopped reading when you said Akame and GANTZ were grounded series and had to turn away for a while.

                                                                                            Then after reading and still felt confused.I feel like what I've said has just gone over you and I'm not sure if you're baiting anot or you weren't able to see where I am coming from?

                                                                                            I thought the point of my post was rather clear.I have no disagreement with what you presented about Luffy but I'm not exactly sure calling KnY the shounen checklist is the way to go.
                                                                                            That'll be more like Fairy Tail.

                                                                                            Also I'm not saying One Piece is worse than Kimetsu. There's no way in terms of writing and storytelling ability is Kimetsu better than One Piece.
                                                                                            I'm just saying KnY have something that OP lacks and does a certain aspect better than OP.
                                                                                            You cant really compare the two of them correctly because one is a road of a ton of branching paths and stories and the other is a more straightforward road.
                                                                                            I can go on and on why they differ and how KnY succeeds in areas that OP fails or is not able to do as well but there's not much of a point.

                                                                                            Oda's intended message for Op need not be a 20 year series but he thoroughly enjoyed building his universe, characters and the many stories interweave together. His story allows for that. Luffy end goal is to a pirate king, sure but his very being embodies adventure. It doesn't matter if he gets there in 10,20,30 years because he himself enjoys the ride.
                                                                                            That's why we don't go what the fuck when he is on Skypiea and questioning why isn't this kid just heading straight on to his goal and messing around.
                                                                                            KnY, on the other hand is MORE GROUNDED because it has and was always demons Vs humans and no need for branching routes. It was always a quest of a older brother on a journey to save his younger sister. Just like, for instance, you don't have more than necessary chapters on the Xing Empire in FMA because it is not needed.

                                                                                            So am I saying if Oda were to write a straightforward story like KnY and make One Piece a straightforward and purposeful narrative he would lose to Gotouge? Hell no.

                                                                                            But he might not be able to pull off the suspense necessary for such a series to work. He might not be able to do backstories that have such strong familial root in them nor might he be able to handle a protag like Tanjirou that is so closely link to an author that has strong belief in familial values in her heart.

                                                                                            I don't get the craft thing. I like to believe that storytellers aren't robots that have to meet set parameters to be successful.
                                                                                            It's kind of the reason that authors are more inclined towards being known as artists than uh I don't know, engineers?

                                                                                            I mean sure there are universal standards like a good direction and characters with depth for all genres but beyond that I say not everyone needs to build a universe or have the capacity to write for hundreds of characters to uh as you mentioned "master of the craft".

                                                                                            Basically different folks different strokes and I spent way too much time defending KnY. Who cares, hate it love it. I'll never doubt my love for this series and I loved it for years before that anime came up.

                                                                                            Also what happened to the formatting on mobile.

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                                                                                            • HeartOfDarkness
                                                                                              HeartOfDarkness @zeltrax225
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                                                                                              Eh, you were demonstrating how the fights in KNY are much more grounded due to characters getting hurt and the readers being able to feel that.

                                                                                              My point was about how there are series that applied similar nature of "grounded" on the entire series but failed because the execution was never really good. Just like how it is over here. The entire scenario only works when the series is able to be consistent as well as explore it properly.

                                                                                              What is the difference between KNY and One Piece fights if both of them end up exactly the same? Yea, you can say one is more grounded but the question still remains; if the grounded nature does not really pose any sort of consequence for MC then what is the point exactly?

                                                                                              I don't get the craft thing. I like to believe that storytellers aren't robots that have to meet set parameters to be successful.

                                                                                              I don't believe in the whole "this is the rules of storytelling and this is how it must be" type thing.

                                                                                              My favorite director/creator/writer is Hideo Kojima, someone who is known for having questionable writing with many considering him to be a hack something I can somewhat agree with and yet I absolutely love his work and contribution.

                                                                                              Writers can express or convey their own stories however they want. Some succeed, some don't.

                                                                                              But I don't really think KNY is doing anything new, or important or the way you are trying to make it sound like over here. As someone who has read decent amount of shonen series and could not give a single fuck about majority of modern shonen series, I have yet to see anything in KNY that remotely goes beyond the tropes.

                                                                                              That is what I look for when reading something. What is the point of going through 200+ of something that is already like every other series out there? What does it offer me that other's already haven't before? Entertainment?

                                                                                              So I ask; what does this series offer that others haven't and how does it do that? I think it's a fair question if you want to say that KNY stands out.

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                                                                                                Hisoga @HeartOfDarkness
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                                                                                                @HeartOfDarkness:

                                                                                                Maybe you did or some other reader did but nah, I can't say I ever felt it mainly because I already know something called being a main protag and narrative , you know the very reason for the series existent.

                                                                                                Even Berserk, a series known for its utter violent and no-character-is-safe-type approach doesn't kill the main protag off because then the story, and the reason for the entire series to exist, would be gone. I mean, I care about what happens to Guts and how he gets outta the situations but I can't say the same for the cardboard cutouts of KNY.

                                                                                                Characters surviving in most-stories is pretty predictable. Not the "why" or "how". That is the most interesting part. KNY doesn't particularly surprise or have an impact in that regard because it uses the shonen checklist. I can't really say any arc or situation put me in that level of mindset because I couldn't care less about the characters dying or surviving. It was as inconsequential as it can get. If you want to sit there and pretend that this is your first ever fictional story where you didn't understand the very definition of main protag or the reason why the story exists then you can do so. I personally can't nor I understand the point you were trying to make here aside from stretching the quality of the series.

                                                                                                I don't have to question the survival of the character each chapter or need deaths in order for the series to be good. Any writer can make the situations themselves interesting without having to rely on artificial-intensity and "OMG WILL THEY SURVIVE" cliche plot-device. Luffy during his first fight with Crocodile loses, and for the first time in the entire series up to that point, Luffy doesn't beat someone in one-go. The way that entire scene is executed and the way it fundamentally marks Luffy's first big lost is one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series. Nobody was ever under the impression that Luffy died and yet the impact of the lost is there. I haven't seen or felt like that during my viewing/reading of KNY. Because that requires the cast to be….well anything beyond the empty caricatures.

                                                                                                ....So?

                                                                                                .....So?

                                                                                                .....................How?

                                                                                                I'm guessing you are trying to argue that the characters react in a realistic manner so it's different and good? Even though I don't really understand how is it anything good when it doesn't accompolish much and ends up feeling like every other shonen fighting scenario? Seems like the vagueness when it comes to the praise of the series is actually a trend and not an exclusive thing.

                                                                                                And how is that different compare to Reborn, Nurarihyon's Grandson or any other shonen series that features a non-confidence main protag?

                                                                                                .......So?

                                                                                                Like what is even the point of this?

                                                                                                It felt repetitive and tedious more than anything.

                                                                                                But Ok, i guess?

                                                                                                And going back to the original point here; strong cast of characters are needed for this to work. It sounds good on paper, not so much in terms of execution.

                                                                                                Akame Ga Kill and Gantz are pretty grounded.

                                                                                                And they are pretty shit.

                                                                                                Being grounded doesn't really make it good. Any writer can throw gore, "realism" and bleakness in order to "appear" grounded but not many series can do it well. Subtlety, approach and execution are a thing. Yes, KNY has more gore than your normal shonen and yet the scenarios as well as the results doesn't really change. So what exactly is the point of the groundedness?

                                                                                                Nothing is more apparent for this point than the opening of the series where the entire "bleakness" as well as the death of MC's family is used as a basic point to drive the series. That entire scenario relies on characters being strong in order for it to work. And it failed. So much of the opening is presented in a "wiki" type format where it quickly shows a scene with the MC, his family, their "bonds", some interactions before they are killed off.

                                                                                                This is like Berserk but instead of actually establishing/exploring/conveying the characters, you simply get few pages of the band together and then eclipse happens. Just shock, gore and blood everywhere.

                                                                                                Good characterization does not exist in the series.

                                                                                                Certainly not for Tanjiro.

                                                                                                Given that the story is very character-driven, having a decent cast of characters is as relevant as it can get. The story's basic foundation are the characters. It needs strong characters for the entire premise to work. It doesn't need world-building or anything. It tells the basic story in the most mediocre way possible.

                                                                                                And before the obligatory "many people cared so it worked" gets thrown around, let me remind that people also cared about FT despite its utter garbage writing. How many people react or like is based on their personal preference and enjoy-ability. But the actual craft can be measured and talked about.

                                                                                                Just like how people find "Paranomoral Activity" to be a scary movie despite the actual craft being lazy, cheap and generally shit.

                                                                                                That was the point.

                                                                                                No one is really comparing One Piece and KNY seriously. It was a response to Kdom because he was comparing the two since he cried and One Piece didn't make him cry so therefore KNY better.

                                                                                                One Piece and KNY aren't in the same league.

                                                                                                KNY writer is struggling to tell the absolute basic story that it set for itself. Oda, on the other hand, is struggling with the series that has only gotten more and more complex of the over years while also avoiding the story from becoming Naruto and being filled with plot-holes.

                                                                                                You can like one or the other. But trying to say that one is better because it makes you warm and fuzzy and the other doesn't while ignoring the actual craft? Yea, no.

                                                                                                Because numbers show the quality or the taste and not people buying shit because they like it or find it appealing or just read it to past the time?

                                                                                                What is even the point of this post? Numbers have always reflected appeal and mainstream interest more than anything.

                                                                                                Thank you and agreed with most points.
                                                                                                Reading this also reminded me of Apforums many years ago.
                                                                                                People can talk and discuss manga, anime, movie and games.
                                                                                                I miss the old days.

                                                                                                I am surprise TLC didnt rant so much about KnY 😁
                                                                                                I only watch the anime and in my mind I always feel like if kny exist some years ago, during Naruto, Bleach era, there might be so much discussions about it.
                                                                                                I guess thats the different between back then and now. the world of social media had changed how people thinking. Back then people rely on forums and threads to voice their opinions while nowadays everybody have their own social media place where they are the one who control evrything. In the end everybody just feel like their opinion as fact.:sad:

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                                                                                                • pariston_hill
                                                                                                  pariston_hill
                                                                                                  last edited by
                                                                                                  pariston_hill
                                                                                                  spiral
                                                                                                  pariston_hill
                                                                                                  spiral

                                                                                                  ! Two ships sailed. No Urokodai's face, Yushiro still lives with the MVP cat and Blue Spider Lilly appears.

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                                                                                                  • auem
                                                                                                    auem
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                                                                                                    auem
                                                                                                    spiral
                                                                                                    auem
                                                                                                    spiral

                                                                                                    So, it ended?! Or are we getting a new series in a different era?

                                                                                                    “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.”

                                                                                                    Robby 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                                                                    • Robby
                                                                                                      Robby @auem
                                                                                                      @auem last edited by
                                                                                                      Robby
                                                                                                      spiral
                                                                                                      Robby
                                                                                                      spiral

                                                                                                      @auem:

                                                                                                      So, it ended?! Or are we getting a new series in a different era?

                                                                                                      It ended, but its blowout success thanks to the anime means it'll almost certainly get some sort of spinoff, even if the creator isn't doing a new manga.

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                                                                                                      • pariston_hill
                                                                                                        pariston_hill
                                                                                                        last edited by
                                                                                                        pariston_hill
                                                                                                        spiral
                                                                                                        pariston_hill
                                                                                                        spiral

                                                                                                        I think Rengoku spin-off was announced. Same way the Giyu gaiden.

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