Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Skeleton Knight in Another World
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Covnam
 Posts: 3854 |
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I thought it was a good 2nd episode. Not amazing, but not bad either.
If Arc's look in the game was due to spoiler[a skin instead of a race choice], then maybe that's why he can do things like eat and be hungry? (not sure if that's a spoiler...)
Yeah, Ponta using those absurdly large video game pauldrons to ride on is a great use of them lol |
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MFrontier
Posts: 14258 |
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This seems like it's setting up to be a fairly fun and enjoyable RPG Isekai romp, though I feel like it'll really settle into its own once we properly meet the female lead.
Things got pretty explicit in the first episode but I'm glad nothing happened to Maca and her family and it was a fairly wholesome second episode. Tomoaki Maeno is really selling Arc's character. He has a laugh that would do Skeletor proud. Ponta is adorable. |
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Cryten
 Posts: 1163 |
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I am conflicted. It sounds like a fun show but I do not want to watch rape. Especially if it is not mitigated by the character doing everything he can to prevent it.
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DRosencraft
Posts: 675 |
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Yeah, much of Ep 1 seemed entirely unnecessary. Aside the the dumb rape plot device that was clearly thrown in just to get shock value, not to mention the horrible way the chose to handle it, much of the rest of the first episode goes through the paces of table setting over the course of 20+ minutes that many other isekai have more recently seen fit to relegate to brief mention via monologue or narration, or at least more artfully sprinkle throughout a number of episodes.
Episode 2 is better, but still feels like it's "uneven". I think, however, that unevenness is deliberate and a consequence of the MC's personality. He still isn't adjusted to the fact that he's OP in this world right now, so he still acts super cautious and slow, seeming in fact to lack common sense. He isn't the typical pervy or lazy or power mad MCs we get w/ these isekais. He knows he's been isekai'd but not how. He didn't hate his past world, but doesn't seem to miss it either. So for the moment he seems more like a fantasy character lacking a background story just enjoying being a freshly minted adventurer learning everything. Personally, as isekai MCs go, he's probably one of my favorites so far since they story isn't going out of its way to make him an absolute moron or some dark chuuni edgelord. They seem to want him to be a decent character you'll like, not force reasons for you to feel he's greasy and terrible and you gotta spend every other scene explaining away why "he's not that bad". |
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5959 Location: Virginia, United States |
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That is not solely the anime's fault. They were faithful to the light novel. The prologue to the light novel is from the POV of the young ladies. While the first chapter was Arc's arrival on the world and his POV from there. Can't wait to get to the meat of the first arc, and see what everyone thinks. |
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2267 |
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Yeah, pretty much this. It comes down to how its presented and its purpose, if its just for shock value or even worse titillation then that's annoying and even gross. It really did feel unnecessary. I think there are other ways to convey that this world can be dark and has its dangers. The second episode was ok-ish? I'm willing to give the show another episode, because first episode complaints aside it seems like it may have the potential to be fun. However, its going to have to kick it into gear and find that funny bone some more if its going to hold my attention. |
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SilverTalon01
Posts: 2419 |
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But he did do everything in his power to prevent it. He stopped them before they could rape her, and he sliced them in half so they aren't going to be able to try that again. How much more preventing can you ask for exactly? |
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Thesarum
 SubscriberPosts: 545 |
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The rape scene is disappointing. It's longer than it needs to be, shown in unnecessary detail, with more dialog than is required. And shown twice on top of that. It's tonally out of step with the rest of the show. It could have been 5 seconds long. Some screams and the backs of a bunch of goons from a distance before Arc shows up and stops things. Even better, it could have been something else entirely - a highway robbery is still a serious enough crime to get across all the points being made (which I think are primarily "Arc is a good but cautious guy not yet aware of his strength") It just speaks to the studio and the writers not treating rape as the incredibly serious and sensitive issue that is is. It's just an inconsequential shorthand for "bad guys doing a bad thing" and so we're not particularly conflicted when Arc straight up cleaves them in two. Which, admittedly and unfortunately, is pretty much a standard trope in anime. But.. to loop back around to "it's tonally out of step with the rest of the show". It really is. The rest of the two episodes are "Arc is a likeable doof who is pretty pleased to be a super-powered skeleton but is naturally cautious and is working hard to fit in". I'd suggest making full use of the +10s button to skip right though. You'll really not be missing out on anything worthwhile. |
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Cryten
Posts: 1163 |
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Yeah, I just wonder if a show that uses rape as an introductory shock tactic isnt gonna hoist other horrendous things on me randomly. But thanks for your take on it, reading about how detailed and into the scene the show is is rather off putting.
As for your question @SilverTalon Well basicly the review descriptions and other like Thesarum have state how talked about how the scene was depicted (twice) with much detail and the reviews also talk about how the MC was struggling with risking himself to help them. I find rape abhorrent, among the most destructive acts that can be visited on a person. A hero trying to protect people from it can make it slightly less worse but hearing his hesitation takes that away just leaving the scene. I dont begrudge his desire to protect himself over others but it does nothing to help the conflictedness I experience. Horrible moments vs a fun time. What a bad mix. I dont suppose you could provide time stamps to avoid the content? That would be cool. |
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Seagloom
Posts: 298 |
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Honestly, you shouldn't bother picking this up for your own good. While not every arc in this series (*groan*) has scenes like the first episode, there will be at least two more instances of characters being threatened with rape. There will also be a worse scene where spoiler[Arc and company free pregnant slaves who were implied to have been raped repeatedly over a period of months, if not longer.] Despite how jovial and even wholesome Arc can be, the actual world is much darker than his perspective usually suggests. It is actually worse than Goblin Slayer in that it doesn't end at a singular event to set the tone, or imply it without description as in that series's LNs. It happens less as Skeletal Knight goes on, but I can't imagine how taxing it would be to watch while constantly wondering when the other shoe will drop. It's a shame because while it is a fun story often enough, it's impossible to recommend without a list of trigger warnings. Last edited by Seagloom on Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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SilverTalon01
Posts: 2419 |
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I don't think the two are contradictory at all. If he had run out there recklessly and gotten killed, the two would have been guaranteed to be raped. Intervening and failing isn't just a risk to Arc. It is a risk to the two women as well because nobody else is there to help. As other have said, there is, for at least the episodes we have right now, an ongoing theme of Arc not knowing how strong he is. In hindsight from our pov, Arc's plan didn't matter. He could have just walked up and killed them all. However, he didn't know that so he instead came up with the plan to take the rapists by surprise. Again, Arc getting killed trying to help doesn't help anyone and guarantees that the two women he prevented from getting raped would have been raped. You're penalizing Arc as a character for coming up with a higher success rate approach that does in fact prevent the rape. |
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DRosencraft
Posts: 675 |
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If that's true, it's a shame. I don't understand why some writers feel the need to beat audiences over the head with the most viscerally repugnant content they can imagine, especially when they know they're not going to address it in any meaningful way, let alone give it the treatment it deserves. And before someone tries to go there, yes, this applies to gore as well. Spending time to detail the process of someone getting bisected or dismembered or beheaded adds nothing to the story, demonstrates nothing, and shines no light on anything in any sense other than trying to out-shock the last shocking event you think people saw. Generally it seems like over the last 10-15 years you have a number of series saying, "well, we can't think of any more shockingly graphic death scenes, I guess we'll shock people with sexual assaults instead." I'll stop ranting now. I might keep going with the series a while to see how things play out. I assumed the Ep1 situation was a one and done deal, but my hopes for the series have been diminished. |
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TarsTarkas
Posts: 5959 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Yes, this world is far darker. But just because the world has lots of evil in it, doesn't mean the people that live within it must disallow happiness from their lives to maintain a 'tone'.
Are we really saying that Arc and company are not allowed to lead happy and enjoyable lives, despite the evil they fight in their lives. I can see maintaining a tone in children's entertainment, but this is anime. I have no problem with anyone complaining about the rape scene. We all watch anime for different reasons, and some scenes are too much for some. Personally, I think the mix of darker and lighter scenes is more realistic to real life. One day you can be partying with friends, the next day one of them dies from a DUI. And yes. there is even more evil and nastier stuff going on. spoiler[nothing is implied, it simply exists. the elves and demi-humans are being enslaved for labor, sexual slavery, and breeding children for magic ability. For the last two items, that is through rape. ] The anime has been faithful to the light novel considering these scenes. Which bodes well for those of us that want a faithful adaptation. But if the current content bothers you, I don't recommend watching anymore. Future scenes could be just as bad, and you will know exactly what is going on. |
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Seagloom
Posts: 298 |
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On the whole, you will get way more of Arc being Arc than scenes of rape or gore. Just know there will be more of that unless they decided to tone things down in adaptation. (Doesn't seem like it. :p) Skeletal Knight does avoid some of the usual isekai pitfalls and has more of an old school fantasy vibe if you can ignore the shlock. That said, it doesn't hold a candle to the likes of The Executioner and Her Way of Life or Ascendance of a Bookworm. |
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Thesarum
Subscriber Posts: 545 |
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Well that's a shame.
Sexual violence exists in the world, and it's absolutely legitimate to talk about it in fiction. But it should never be casually thrown around like it's some sort of narrative spice that can be sprinkled on to lend your story some "darkness" with a side order of titillation. I've not read the LN, so I've no idea how well it'll be handled here, but I'm not hugely optimistic. Either way, it's not really what I was looking for from this show.
https://www.hidive.com/tv/the-executioner-and-her-way-of-life |
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