Forum - View topicThe Spring 2024 Anime Preview Guide
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The Scream Man
 Posts: 179 Location: Sydney, Australia |
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My journey today:
"Tadaima, Okairi: WHat a cute sounding show! The description sounds ok, Maybe I'll give it a ... hmm whats Omegaverse? A couple of the reviews have mentioned it now. " *2 minute google* Oh HELL NO! |
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LiteralGrill
 Posts: 13 |
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I don't think people are ready for Omegaverse to potentially become the next isekai. Or at least something to rival it. An extremely hungry fanbase that heavily supports authors? Gaining original popularity through fic sites and light novels? Suddenly getting lots of live action, anime, and manga adaptations? Licensed a lot in the US recently too?
The popularity of Omegaverse stories in Japan and its spreading influence across Asia has heavily influenced fights for queer rights and discussions of bad patriarchal dynamics in society. I'm not kidding either, you can find discussions about this in Queer Transfigurations: Boys Love Media in Asia if you are serious about learning more. It's not my thing, I don't really read it and only know the basics of how said universe works, but I bet folks are about to get a whole lot more familiar with the genre... |
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LegionWrex
 Posts: 21 Location: Canada |
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Not going to lie, I wasn't expecting Tadaima, Okaeri to be Omegaverse going in, so that was a pretty big shocker. I have zero feelings about A/B/O stuff other then "damn people are kinky" which is totally fine in my books, and outside of Lindsay Ellis' fantastic video on the subject I know very little about the subculture at large. I think some people aren't going to be able to get over it being omegaverse which is a shame cause I thought this was super sweet and well done. Love to see a positive same-sex parenting couple, and I like how it actually has a thematic bone to it as well. Wasn't really expecting to like this as much as I did considering I am decidedly NOT it's demo but that hasn't stopped me from liking shows in the past and it won't now.
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LegionWrex
Posts: 21 Location: Canada |
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I come back to find my initial Mushoku Tensei thoughts caused a bit of a stir. Oops.
The only thing I'll add is that while I like the show a lot and I think reductions about it being a character study or not is pointless (it absolutely is btw) I also do agree with some of the critiques being laid out by others in regards whether or not said study actually works or not. I think it's a fascinating show in that regard, where the highs are unbelievably high but the lows are just insanely low and impossible to recommend. It's hard to get out my entire thoughts on the series cause their extremely complicated but I think a lot of the critiques of the series DO have merit even as a fan of the series. |
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Nev999
Posts: 147 |
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James, I assure you a lot of omegaverse does involve sexy werewolves (or "wolf shifters" rather). I'm having to read one via my students as a writing professor, and they do indeed turn into wolves, very horny wolves. With questionable consent.
Speaking of! Love it when we explore the ground breaking trauma of men who assault and abuse every woman around them and face zero consequences for that! Take that, toxic masculinity, we are truly exploring the delicate vulnerability of the male psyche. The trauma their victims would realistically have? Nah, doesn't matter. |
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Daerian
 Posts: 222 |
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Fully agree, and then show seems to remove some things that actually are rather important for that character study. In second season I was surprised how easily it came to him to agree with buying a person... and then found from discussions that indeed, he was extremely not ok with it in original novel, but found himself unable to go against social consensus. This is very important for Rudeus character and I have no idea why it was removed. |
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JennLegacy
Posts: 108 |
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As a casual omegaverse reader, I promise you, this is the main conflict of like 90% of them. Can totally see why this would be confusing/annoying to omegaverse newbies. I remember having a hard time taking them seriously very early on for the same reason. |
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Daerian
Posts: 222 |
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I think you are speaking to me about Mushoku Tensei? If yes, first, there are consequences. Even in that toxic environment Rudeus has faced some consequences already. Second, the show is framed from Rudeus perspective, he is unreliable narrator and piece of human excrement, it's rather obvious he won't notice. Personally I still remember to that point his reaction to his (even bigger piece of human excrement) uncle, who was abusing his household workers - Rudeus was in awe. But it was pretty clear we, as viewers, are not supposed to agree with it being cool and fun. There was a lot of cinematic language showing us that it was not ok and was abuse of power and hurting people. We were supposed to be grossed out by it - and by Rudeus reaction to it. The show does not condone or agree with that abuse - but at the same time, showing it is important to let us know more about that social environment Rudeus is growing in, how the failure of parental figures around him continues and how enabling, toxic environment around him shapes him. I'm pretty sure that as writing professor you know that there are no wrong interpretation of media in academia, as long as interpretation doesn't literally go against established facts in the medium and you can argue for your interpretation. I don't see how my interpretation of the story as journey of trauma victim to better himself, while still facing his two lifetimes of trauma, failure of three sets of parental figures to show him how be good person and toxic, enabling environment goes against facts of the story, so I consider it viable. Again, to repeat myself, I'm not trying to make Mushoku Tensei into some great exploration of trauma that anyone must watch. And again, being grossed out by protagonist and not wanting to follow that story because of him is perfectly understandable reaction. I'm grossed out by him, I would be surprised if someone wasn't. We are supposed to be. |
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ATastySub
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 671 |
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The author literally made a public post stating that Rudy had no problem with slavery, and that his previous travels with someone who was against it had no bearing on his later decisions. He bought a slave because it was easy for him and didn’t feel bad about it all nor does the story expect you to find anything wrong with his action of doing so. Sure would be nice if the made up version people keep insisting exists actually matched anything the narrative actually says or does, but sadly it does not. And it’s very funny that you keep complaining about being condescended to while continuously condescending others as just not getting what MT is doing because of their personal gripes with the protaganist, when the criticisms the show has received are entirely to do with the actual framing and messaging of the show that you keep having to make details up to ignore. |
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Ryuu14
Posts: 17 |
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While I agree with most of the things you said, I have to correct you on this point. Neither in the original web novel nor in the light novel did Rudy show any conflicting feelings about buying a slave. He was surprised that slave trade was so common that it became a key part of the economy in the northern territories of the Central continent, but that's basically it. He neither opposed the practice of buying slaves nor did he even doubt it. One could argue that his response might've been different if it hadn't been Fitz who suggested buying a slave, since Rudeus held a lot of respect for "him" but that's just speculation. |
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Mami-kouga
Posts: 208 |
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To clarify from my end, I wasn't disputing Mushoku as a character study. As a whole the story definitely does breakdown a lot of different characters mentalities good and bad and that was part of what I had fun with analysing in season one in particular. My initial comment was just out of not being that convinced particularly regarding the whole ED ""arc"" because past the depressed magician portion it functioned as more of a comedic bit that felt weirdly degrading about several members of its female cast for the sake of humour than am actual character study. I sometimes feel people give too much grace to some of the more off putting stuff Rudeus does as part of a grander point when the story itself tends to just brush over it in ways that Rudeus doesn't have to suffer from ultimately (e.g. the whole kidnapping of beast girls shenanigans). Contrary to what some might think my critique isn't born out of a distaste for the main character, I can analyse Rudeus good and bad points just fine within the context of what the narrative has to say. I just think the way the actual story handles things especially in season 2 is bad. |
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Velorien
Posts: 107 |
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Could you give more detail on this? To my mind, the tiny amount of consequences Rudeus faces to his consistently toxic behaviour is a distinctive feature of the narrative. (Off the top of my head, he faces exclusively positive consequences for kidnapping and molesting a pair of schoolgirls.)
I fundamentally disagree with this assertion. Certainly, Mushoku Tensei is meant, by the author, to be a journey of redemption/growing up for Rudeus. You could call that its programme from the outset, established by the declaration that gives the series its subtitle: this time, Rudeus is going to take his life seriously. That Rudeus's first great moment of character growth is overcoming his socially-induced agoraphobia shows us clearly what this means to Mushoku Tensei. Specifically, it means growth from a vile, self-centred hikikomori who skipped his parents' funeral in favour of homemade porn of his niece to a healthy, functioning member of society with friends, family, and a meaningful place in the world--something the series portrays successfully. But it means that exclusively. However much you may want to point the finger at toxic influences in Rudeus's past and present lives, the fact is that the narrative doesn't have a problem with his fantasies about abusing children, his embracing slavery, or any of the other things critics like myself repeatedly call out. You can tell what Mushoku Tensei does and doesn't care about by tracking what lessons Rudeus learns and what consequences he suffers from his character flaws. For the most part, the things that gross at least Western viewers out about him are not to be found on either list. |
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Daerian
Posts: 222 |
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Thank you for telling me that, I was then mislead. |
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The Anime Binge-Watcher
 Posts: 96 |
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God, it's gonna be such a good show for band girls. Jellyfish, Girls Band Cry, Hibike S3... my music-loving heart is very satisfied.
As for everything else I'm excited for, Wind Breaker's premiere kicked ass, so I'm hoping this finally breaks the delinquent anime curse and gives us an actual good example of the form. Not sure if new Spice and Wolf will match up to the original, but I won't complain about it at least reminding me how good this story is. Tonari no Youkai-san wasn't on my radar until the preview guide, and I'm glad y'all gushed enough about it to make me check it out, cause that was a POWERFUL first episode. Also excited for Go Go Loser Ranger for a new take on tokusatsu with a lot of potential for greatness. And then... there's Mushoku Tensei. Really I should just drop this piece of crap and move on, but at this point, I almost feel obligated. If nothing else, at least SOMEONE has to keep up with this show who can recognize how bad it is as a counterpoint to all the praise it gets. That's a sacrifice worth making. |
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Daerian
Posts: 222 |
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To be honest, for me overcoming a lot of his gross tendencies would be something required for this mission statement and I think he was on correct way for some of these. However, I have now learned something that will require for me rethinking some things with medium, specifically in context of:
I mean, I had big problems with that and I was told that specifically embracing slavery part is problem with adaptation and was showed much differently in original. I just learned it is not the case here, so I need to rethink some things. Sorry that I'm not going to address it because of that.
I think these are extremely important thou. Here we must agree to disagree.
Wait, is this canonically stated in the novels? Because it wasn't mentioned anywhere in anime what this was. Thank you for addressing me seriously and without prejudice. |
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