Mr Poltroon

\o

I saw your recommendations last time and I greatly appreciate them. However, this particular one seemed to have a style such that I decided to leave it be. That said, given what you are describing now I simply cannot ignore it, I see. Not a fan of dark stuff, generally, but I'll see what I think of it.

Liked it a whole lot.

I'd like to hear about stories that surpass the original premise, that original "hook" that is meant to attract one into the story. Many stories manage start with very enticing and unique premises, but sometimes they are such that if the premise gets resolved, the story has no future. Consider, for instance, the harem genre. Most stories in this genre have the hook of providing enticing scenes and drama with a group of characters, each attracting a given amount of fans, and then dragging this along as the story is built. Because the diverse array of characters attracts different fans, it is in the story's interest to never resolve this initial premise in any way, instead maintaining it and, for example, making the story a different genre that just happens to have harem. In most cases, if the harem gets resolved, the story will die with it, not progressing much beyond that point. One example I recall hearing about is a story about a girl who is super cold and mean to a boy, but she has the ability to become imperceptible to others, so she often activates it and expresses her affection in this way. Little does she know, he is actually the only one capable of perceiving her in these instances. So he's well aware of her affections, but he tries to keep it a secret because nobody is supposed to notice her when she's imperceptible. My feeble mind sees no way this story can continue once the initial premise is surpassed, but if it could, I feel it would be fantastic. I believe that stories that can resolve their initial premise and then still progress beyond it for a reasonable length are the absolute best. Here's a few examples: (Depending on what you consider spoilers, looking at this list given the topic of the thread may inherently be a spoiler. I will list the name of the story and then, in spoilers, explain why and how. The 'why and how' may be considered spoilers depending on tolerance, so please only open them if you do not mind that.) Does anybody know of more examples?

NukiTashi 's a relatively known name, isn't it? Or is it just my circles that know about it? (It won some award or other, right?)

Here's a little update on that topic, @Dreamysyu. As of episode 5, I am actually of the opinion that the anime is better. Whereas the strength of the Light Novels is in entering a character's head outside of Catarina, the anime finds way of making a lot of this content into events that actually take place in Catarina's presence. From what I'm seeing, it involves giving roles to characters that previously didn't have any in a given part, which is great. Better still is the fact that it's not like it doesn't dive into backstory when it wants to, so it's the best of both worlds, in my opinion. Also seeing the characters being cute is fantastic. My initial reservations regarding the pace of the first few episodes (there were no transitions between scenes!) ended up being because they were trying to reach the school phase within the three episodes, so they cut transitions rather than rush the scenes they covered. A few scenes were rushed, but it's calmed down since.

Making*Lovers, since some of the heroines are adults and they may drink depending on the occasion. I'm thinking of Saki specifically.

Uh, yes they are. As much as anybody else. They translate titles into English and that's that. Not much else really matters, despite what loud vocal minorities might claim. Somebody having problems with translations has always been common and underpayment is supposedly getting better but Mangagamer is terrible in that area and for that they deserve all the flak. That all said, as long as they put out titles people who want translated VNs will get them, regardless of the company. Some boycotters exist, but not really a majority and given the piracy levels I'm not sure how much overlap there is between the "boycotters" and the pirates. From the Japanese side they're well placed with headquarters in Japan and, considering the Japanese side often is unaware of the quality of translations (Hello SakuraGame), Mangagamer likely does not have problems landing deals on that front. So, all in all, I'm not sure I understood what you're trying to say. As long as they have money and they continue to want to translate titles, they will do so.

I hope I'm not conflating her with anybody else, but if you take Saki to the arcade doesn't she show she's actually pretty good at arcade shooters? Not a defining aspect of her character by any means, though.

I have every intention of watching some of the anime when I have time, so I'll get back to you on that. Here's an answer in spoilers, so I can force you to try and not click it:

My opinion on the first couple of novels: Let me preface by saying that the best thing about the story, its wholesomeness, also results in a lot of repetitiveness. Bakarina's inner thoughts are as simple as she is, obviously, so they're always the same things and the same misunderstandings. Her motivations are always the same and she always interprets everyone's actions from her own perspective, meaning, as far as inner thoughts go, every situation is the same in her head. Secondly, the interactions between the other characters are also repetitive and always the same. I think these aspects can be exponentially better in the anime, but I haven't actually watched it to confirm. It feels like these running gags will flow better in something more fast-paced and with complementary animation. Then there is the story. The events that occur. I don't see any reason why the anime would be particularly worse in that respect. It should have more than enough time to depict the events, because I, at least, didn't feel there were many of them outside of all the running gags and Bakarina being a baka. The only thing the novel might have over the anime, but again I have not seen it, are the scenes where the novel gets into a character's head The wholesomest of things. I'm not sure how they'd do this in the anime.

Right. About this. What does 'canon' mean here? Because I know there are chapters that are not canon in the sense that they don't fit with the setting and tone. But are there chapters that would fit with the setting and tone but simply aren't canon because they represent and alternative scenario or were made after the original story concluded?

Could you confirm that your link is indeed working? It seems to lead nowhere to me. @Seraphim88

^These are most of the VN sellers. If you search a name you should come across their stores or be redirected to steam.

These are the ones I remember watching, but I don't think they're particularly obscure, and are more likely just the opposite. Irresponsible Captain Tylor -> https://myanimelist.net/anime/569/Musekinin_Kanchou_Tylor Crest of the Stars (this barely meets the cut-off point) -> https://myanimelist.net/anime/290/Seikai_no_Monshou Slayers -> https://myanimelist.net/anime/534/Slayers

Yes-ish. Not really a direct one.

Gosh I wish I had that kind of time

Spoilers in the loosest sense, because I haven't actually played the game or know its contents. Still wouldn't recommend you read them if you haven't played it or know some specific things about it like I happened to learn.

I have added spoiler tags to the thread. Please be mindful of spoilers when talking about a title that literally just released! (Incidentally, for people who reply to spoilers, you can put the contents of the quote inside a spoiler tag yourselves, if you feel it necessary.)

This statement obviously interests me. I keep jumping back and forward on whether to play this, and pure love is certainly attractive to me. That said... Here's a spoiler question to which I would recommend answering in spoilers:

Any particular reason why you become uninterested in reading a VN when it is suggested you do not use a walkthrough? Actually curious, here.

Huh. That's surprising. Though I love hearing your opinions on things, I know we're not aligned in many preferences, such as action scenes. Interesting.

@Dreamysyu Of what you've read I read Arifureta up till 8 or 9 (can't be bothered to check which). I have a question for you, though. Do you think you'd be at all interested in Crest of the Stars? I know I sure loved its anime. Arifureta was actually really enjoyable when I was reading it. I have my problems with it, mostly in regard to the fact that I don't really like action scenes, meaning there are large portions of text I can't help but hope they end. There's also several things that happened and I sort of wish did not, but alas. There are just as many that did happen and I did want to happen. There are many things in the novels which are in direct opposition to my viewpoints and preferences. Elaboration below: So yeah. As my sole companion on the train in many months past (not now with the Covid-19 situation), I actually had many thoughts on this series. I really like it, if nothing else for making me think things of my own volition, I guess. I don't particularly like novels that are made to make me think. I prefer to find lightweight stories that I can think about if I want to. I'm actually looking forward to the J-Novel Club's otome stories, but I don't want to start anything with just one or two volumes, so I'm holding off. I'm sure there'll be some I really enjoy. Anything otome tends to be pretty good, in my experience. I like all sorts from the hardworking and successful heroines with supportive love interests to the weaklings with mean sadistic love interests (and all smut stories that entails). I just need something to actually occur rather than being endlessly teased... So, aside from Arifureta, what did I read? Well... Uh... How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord (10-ish volumes). So, I do not think it is a surprise to anyone that watched the anime that this was intended to be the trashiest trash to ever trash. However, I enjoyed it greatly! The reason I finally decided to actually read this is because of how many memories of enjoying the anime I had. The main thing that always stuck in my mind was the girls showing the desire for intimacy with the protagonist and it actually happening. They spend nights together and hug each other a lot in the story, which I love greatly. The other thing that I like is, as ever, and overpowered protagonist that is recognised as such. He's actually nowhere near as overpowered as I'd have liked during some points of the story, but it's fine. Now, most instances of what I refer to as "intimacy" is the novel trying to pretend there are sex scenes in there. Because it can't actually do that with describing them, it describes equivalent things, within which a lot of contact and hugging and lying together that I just absolutely love. I'm somewhere in an odd spectrum where I like sex except the sex part or something? Cuddles for the win! This makes me love this story for displaying intimacy and bonding between the characters, that for sure love one another. As such, for the characters and for the overpoweredness, this was an extremely pleasant read. My final question is: This story seems like a really low bar to set. It seems like supremely generic male power fantasy, so why is it that I have so much difficulty finding other stories like it? It seems to me most lack the actual intimacy and consequent bonding of the characters. Like, love triangles/harems with loads of innuendo or trying to get into bed with the protagonist sure exist, but... Not like this? At least, not any officially translated Light Novels I know of. Am I... missing something? So that's it for what I read, if I'm not forgetting something. I've probably started something(s) that I wasn't in the mood for at the time and will likely try to get my money's worth some other day.

They have to be unbedded (that is, a link to the image one has to click to see the image. The image must not be visible unless you click the link.) and properly tagged, in spoilers. Loli images are also contentious and should not be posted where possible. Edit: Oh, no risk after all.