Forum - View topicREVIEW: Alice in the Country of Hearts: My Fanatic Rabbit GN 2
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Cutiebunny
 Posts: 1767 |
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Considering how often the rapey element appears in many reverse harem stories, obviously I'm not the only one who finds the fantasy appealing. The manga is obviously aimed at more mature readers who understand that it's all fantasy involving made up characters with made up issues, and will not incorporate said actions/opinions into their life. And as the rape element (and the token heroine's response to said advance) is a common theme in most reverse harem stories, it's one of those "take-it-or-leave-it" elements. If the concept bothers the reader to the point of absolute disgust over the series, it's probably best that they stay away from the genre as a whole.
I find these stories entertaining and get a charge out of making commentary while reading/viewing them...or am I the only one who MST3K'd the last episode of the recent UtaPri anime series? I mean, "love pulse"? ...jeez. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 2656 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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I love MSTing this stuff too - you are not alone.
 (And between "love pulse" and the naked spinning, I had a blast.)
As for the rape stuff...well, it is a legit form of the romance fantasy in general, so as a student of the genre, I recognize it. While I don't like it, I do understand that others do. What bothered me more in this case was the way that she blamed herself for his actions. In any event, I feel that I should mention its existence in a story when I'm writing a review, since it is a difficult topic, whether intended as romantic fantasy or otherwise. I don't know that the existence of rape fantasy should steer people away from the reverse harem genre all together, though. I mean, it doesn't happen in every series, be they anime or manga. UtaPri didn't have it, and while the guys in Wonderland are pushy, this is the first major incident of this nature I can recall. (Am I blocking stuff out?) Then again, La Corda d'Oro does have that fantasy played out with one of the characters, as does good ol' Amnesia, so perhaps you're right. I'm still sort of baffled that I like reverse harem in the first place. 
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Cutiebunny
Posts: 1767 |
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Hot, naked, made-up bishies all promising to do whatever you want them to do? Really, what's not to like here?
Wasn't there a rapey element in UtaPri with Satsuki (Natsuki's alterego)? I seem to recall him trying to claim Haruka in the first season. I haven't played the UtaPri PSP games due to the language barrier, but I could easily see Natsuki's route going that way as well. It's similar to the Hakuouki franchise - In the anime, Kazama goes after Chizuru because of the demon aspect, but it's toned down in comparison to the video games where, unless you take his route, he's more or less hellbent on making a football team of demon offspring. And, as in the UtaPri franchise, Chirzuru does blame herself and her demon blood for making this happen. Kinda like the chick from Amnesia does with guy that wears orange. (sigh) Yeah, you know it's a crummy series if you can't recall a main character's name a season after it aired. I think all of the male characters in the Alice in the Country of... each have some dark trait; Peter's a stalker, the Twins have no problem keepin' it all in the family, etc. That just seems to be part and parcel of the franchise, and I'm sure that each character appeals to fans that enjoy that particular fantasy. But considering that the original text featured some dark themes, I'd expect nothing less of a franchise whose primary elements are based on this story. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
Posts: 2656 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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By...by god, you're right! What's not to love?
To be perfectly honest, I must have decided I wouldn't like reverse harems back in my days of "I just declared my major, I'm an intellectual snob," which, I am pleased to say, lasted all of twenty-four hours, or thereabouts. 
Anyway, I didn't know that about Hakuoki since I haven't played the game yet (waiting for my sister to beat the last storyline she has left), but now that you've mentioned it, it does seem to be the norm to have a "rapey one" in the mix. (I'd spaced on that bit from UtaPri.) It makes sense, given that part of the goal is to have enough different guy types to appeal to every viewer/reader/player. Personally, I always go for the Nice Guy or the Funny Guy in these stories, the two inevitably spurned by the heroine in favor of the Broody Guy in the anime or manga adaptations. I guess I could look at it as they're left for me...
You're right that all of the guys have...issues...in QuinRose's Alice stories. It does make sense with many interpretations of Carroll's original text, although I've always favored the theory that the novel is a combination of Victorian pop culture jokes and in-jokes/references between Carroll and the Liddell girls. My sister has played the games on her PSP, and she felt Elliot was the most physically forceful of the bunch. Since the games were in Japanese, that's probably open to debate. In any event, I've been thinking about it, and it really is the self-blame aspect of the moment in this book that bothered me the most. I certainly am not someone who likes the rape fantasy, but that's just me and my tastes. I don't like when girls (or any victims) blame themselves for male predation. It's a big issue with me, and I have no doubt it stems from my own personal experiences along with the way I was raised. To each her own, right? Maybe that explains why the Nice Guy turned into the Rapey Guy in Amnesia - for those people who wanted to see the two types combined. |
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14889 |
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Nah, Nice Guy probably just realized that, regardless of what gals say beforehand, when it comes right down to it and push comes to shove, gals go for the Exciting Guy even if it's Bad Exciting.
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wyntre_rose
 Posts: 111 |
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I found Alice's justifying Elliot's almost rape problematic, too, personally.
Also, Elliot's problem with Julius brought up something troubling that was unique to him. spoiler[He was angry with Julius because he was going to re-make his dead friend's clock...but he has absolutely no problem in killing other people wantonly. So it seems like he's the one that is most aware of how horrible it is to lose somebody, and yet he's still a cold-blooded killer. A far cry from the others, who simply see people as a tool filling a role, easily replaced by another tool, no matter who, so long as the role is filled. ] But maybe I'm over thinking things? In any case, so far Boris has been the only one I haven't had any major problems with. Blood is a creep, I'm not a fond of the incest kink for the Twins, Elliot's just a mess...I am looking forward to Julius, and possibly even Peter, though it will depend on how they handle that one... |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
Posts: 2656 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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The same thought occurred to me, though I couldn't figure out how to mention it in the review without it being a major spoiler. It certainly does explain why he's been the most forceful with Alice, physically speaking - he is, on a different level, somewhat broken.
I agree with your assessments of the guys thus far, plus as someone who co-habitates with five cats, I can write off some of his touchier moments as his feline side. Personally I'm rooting for Peter (I suspect Joker is his story based on the cover of volume 2 as it sits in my review pile), simply because he appears to be the only one who really knows her and, on some level, cares for her in a more personal way. I'm interested to read both Julius' story (on pre-order) and Ace's (in the pile) - Julius seems like he might not be as creepy as the others and Ace I just can't quite get a handle on. |
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phia_one
Posts: 1661 Location: Pennsylvania |
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I kind of take issue with this statement since on the Yen Press site they have it rated T. It's media like this that teenage girls can get access to that can make some of them think that rape as romance is okay and healthy in real life. I personally don't find it triggering, but there are many people that do so I'm happy that it was pointed out in the review. I think that Yen Press should give some warning as well.
I think Julius would be the exception and that's why I like him the most. |
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Cutiebunny
Posts: 1767 |
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So the literature that's consider "required reading" in junior high and high schools across the country is any less colorful? Romeo & Juliet is required reading by most US states in the 9th grade. That particular text deals with two families at war with each other who decide that the best way to solve their differences is to fight. And let's not forget R & J, who, instead of looking into alternate ways to stay together, end up killing themselves out of desperation. Does this text encourage teens to solve their problems through violence and, to a certain extent, martyrdom, any more than Alice in the Country of... encourages women who are victims of rape to blame themselves? No. Those reading these texts understand that it is a story, and that problems that many teens may feel are "new" are really just a rehash of the same issues that have plagued mankind for decades. When I was a teen, I wanted adults to stop treating us as if our psyche was so fragile that it would crumble if presented something "unsuitable". I think most teens are a lot stronger than you may give them credit, and I stand by Yen Press's rating. Would I have read this manga as a 14 year old? No, but that's because I was more interested in reading the classics in the hope of using them for all those AP tests. As for Julius, I don't recall him having his own Alice in the Country of.. saga yet, but I would not be surprised if he turned out to be the most perverse of them all. I suspect he's the one who has everyone wrapped around his finger, and is literally the Game Master. Everyone has something 'wrong' with them in this world, and the fact that Julius has escaped for so long without some sort of issue makes me think that there's a lot more to him than has been touched upon. |
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RestLessone
 Posts: 1426 Location: New York |
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It's not really a saga, but there is a single volume called The Clockmaker's Story that Seven Seas is releasing in August. |
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phia_one
Posts: 1661 Location: Pennsylvania |
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You completely missed the point of my post. How does Romeo and Juliet have anything to do with this discussion? You know from the start that their 'romance' is doomed and it clearly shows that both of them were immature. If anything, that text is a poster child for "This is not how a romance should work". Where did I say that all teenagers are mentally fragile? I said that some of them have the possibility of thinking that it's okay and healthy. Look at what the [i]Twilight[i] series did to some girls expectations on how a romance should work. Our society likes to stress that a girl really can't feel complete without having a boyfriend which can lead to unhealthy relationships.[/b] |
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Cutiebunny
Posts: 1767 |
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You've made the assumption that many teenagers shouldn't read Alice in the Country of.. due to its mature themes, but yet you're not taking into account that they are already required to read a lot of literature with mature themes simply because that's part of the curriculum. Assuming that everyone knows the basic plot of Romeo & Juliet, what about other mature themed books such as To Kill a Mockingbird that are also required high school reading? Do teens read these books and then try to incorporate the values presented in the book into their own personal views? No, they don't. The majority of teens that read books such as these are able to distinguish that the story presented is one that was indicative of the its respective era, and hopefully can distinguish between what was considered an acceptable practice during that era and how it doesn't fit in this era.
So all teens should suffer because a handful of their peers can't process and distinguish between what is fantasy and reality? If children and teens are so impressionable and unable to see the distinction between 'fantasy' and 'reality', then let's throw out every Disney movie featuring princesses, because surely every girl is going to believe that her Prince Charming is out there and she, too, can be a princess one day as well. I see [i] Twilight as no more damaging to a teen than Cinderella, Snow White and every other Disney Princess tale there is. All of these present women as (largely) helpless waifes who need a man to rescue them from their predictament. All of them present women, even if they have no royal blood, as having the ability to become a princess. None of these values are morals I would want my child to have, and would hope that I, as a parent, would have instilled more sense in them than to have this warped view of thinking. Utlimately, if you are under the age of 18, it's the parent's responsibility to determine if their teen is mature enough to handle the themes presented in the manga, or any book, film, etc. for that matter. If their child is not mature enough to distinguish between the fantasy presented in the story and what is acceptable in reality, they probably shouldn't be reading this, or most other required reading materials. |
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phia_one
Posts: 1661 Location: Pennsylvania |
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@Cutiebunny
And you're still missing my point. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RAPE AS ROMANCE, THE OTHER TEXTS YOU MENTIONED ARE IRRELAVENT TO THIS DISCUSSION. And frankly, you're really grasping at straws using Disney movies none of which use the rape as romance trope. You're ignoring my point that Yen Press hasn't put adequate warning on the book that there is rape. Parents can't really decide when they don't know what material is in the book! I know what's required reading in high schools. Quit treating me like I'm ignorant and actually respond to what I'm saying. |
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