Forum - View topicES is just not as good as Mars
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GATSU
Posts: 15690 |
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If Mars is the hard-ass punk with a chewy nougat center, Eternal Sabbath is its annoying older brother and/or abusive father who don't want the troubled youth to do better than either of them. Sure, based on its content, ES can be considered more "mature" than Mars; but it doesn't have that same sense of experience or depth of the first manga. It's true that Soryo is going for a completely different genre which does not necessarily require as much realism as Mars. But ES does require more urgency and connection with the characters than Mars; and unfortunately, it fails in that area. For example, you don't find out the important details about Mine, the female lead and scientist, until later in the series when it becomes convenient to the story, rather than to the reader. Her romantic involvement with Shuro-the human-like test subject with ESP-is also forced, as is the violence committed by his deranged "brother", Isaac. Essentially blank slates who make blank slates out of other humans, Shuro and Isaac are literally babes in the wilderness when it comes to understanding human society. Sakaki, the scientist who was involved with the experiment, has no motivation in life, other than to kill the both of them.
Now, these one-dimensional characters could still be effective, if: 1)You see all the characters doing and reacting to more activities which expand their personalities beyond philosophical or scientific analyses; 2)The author had the espers do more than just make humans their servants; and 3) There was more build-up between dramatic scenes. Unfortunately, what we get is mostly predictable and gratuitous violent moments meant to shock, but which end up coming off manipulative. I.E. you'd never really care about so-and-so until they bought it next or unless they've been through some traumatic moments. Those kinds of elements worked in Mars, because you already cared about the characters! Here, they're just tacked on to elicit sympathy. I'm not a big fan of the similarly-themed Death Note, either, but I will say that it works better, because the situations are given more thought, and because it doesn't try to limit its premise to feel-good b-movie trappings like ES. C+, but only for being ballsy, not for being good. |
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Pityless/Envy
 Posts: 101 |
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So you're basing ES almost entirely on a previous work of the manga-ka?
Frankly, that's extremely biased. Eternal Sabbath was wholly enjoyable without extensive character development. And besides, you shouldn't even be comparing the two, as they're in completely different genres. |
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marie-antoinette
 Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
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I think it's a more than fair comparison, even if they are two different genres. While admittedly some differences are to be expected, they aren't so extreme that you can't say one is better than the other.
All and all, I can't really say I disagree with GATSU on any particular point. I especially agree that the Shuro/Mine relationship feels forced and fairly unsatisfying as far as relationships go (though there are some redeeming moments). I do like the psychological aspect better in ES though, because in Mars it had a tendency to verge on the melodramatic. ES also has an...older feel, for lack of a better term, simply because the characters are older and there isn't any high school drama. To sum it up, while I do like ES, I don't love it the same way I love Mars and likely if it wasn't by Fuyumi Soryo I wouldn't be reading it. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15690 |
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If Del Rey can use Mars as their basis for selling it, then I can compare it with Mars, too. And ES is only enjoyable if you are ok with cliched b-movies.
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hack_benjamin22
Posts: 136 |
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I, frankly, am of a different opinion. I have thoroughly enjoyed ES, though I've not yet read the last two books, and I've enjoyed it as much if not more than Mars.
I think it's fair to compare the two works as they are by the same author, but take them for what they are. Mars is a sprawling romance - ES is not. Mars being the story it is/was lent itself very well to some serious character development and exploration. But, I don't think that the characters in ES were one dimensional at all. I had no problem connecting with the characters or believing their actions. I found the Mine/Shuro romance to be quite satisfying and at moments sweet. I found the scientific analasies that overlayed much of the story to be slightly overbearing at times, but they in and of themselves are much of the character development and are therefore necessary. To me ES is at heart a science fiction story. It is one of the most human and believable science fiction manga I've read to date. Perhaps I've a different viewpoint as I look at it through my science fiction lenses. Am I the only one who liked the series so much? |
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Elisian
Posts: 74 |
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After reading all of Mars, as well as all of ES, I must admit I was completely offended by the lack of character depth. Seriously, didn't feel it at all, which is sad. The plot was so promising, too:(
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GATSU
Posts: 15690 |
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Elisian: Which one offended you? ES or Mars?
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