Mahou Shoujo × Haiboku Saiban - Vol. 3 Ch. 12 - Case 4 Oribe Yahiro Part 5

[dOmOlz]

Ultimately this whole story is just a vehicle for depicting the author's/artist's fetishes, but I'm just asking for a bit of internal consistency in the world.

I hope we see a femboy

 

[UdenEmpati]

I hope we see a femboy

Given Aoi was a boy before she was MG'd, I think that's as close as we can get - "Magical Girl" seems to be very biology-exclusionary in that regard, so "femboy" would at best be a non-MG character.

Though I guess an "imposter MG" that was put on trial before being discovered to be a fake (not a real MG) could be an angle, or something.

 

[DeadToReal]

It would be nice if one of Aoi-kun's old friends appeared - you know, the stereotypical shonen protagonist - and created some friction with Yuuri. As well all know, love-docecawhatevers work really well. And question Aoi-kun's sexuality (there seems to be no doubt regarding Yuuri's sexuality)

That is probably going to happen in the next volume. Unless Aoi-kun was one of those people that didn't have any friends or even talk to people, he should have at least one person that he was friendly with in his old school. Heck, his old friends might even be fapping to videos of him fighting Dark Harassment. You can be damn sure there are plenty of enhanced close-ups of Aoi-kun jumping in the air with legs spread wide open. I can even imagine those old friends being introduced as being a chikan and grabbing Aoi-kun's ass on a train.

 

[DeadToReal]

It's not overt, but so far of the girls we've seen most chose to become Magical Girls due to their unfair circumstances.

• Aoi was goaded into becoming one by the Unicorn in order to save someone's life.
• Miko comes from a long line of Exorcists it's possible she was pressured to do so.
• Yahiro is an orphan who needed the money to take care of her brother.

The author does not paint a picture of fairness for these girls.

• The only one that we see goaded was Aoi. And it wasn't like the Unicorn actually lied to Aoi, either. The Unicorn is simply like Kyubey, in that Aoi simply wasn't told the full consequences of him geting his powers.
• While it is possible that Miko was pressured into becoming a magical girl, it is just as possible that she simply wanted to join that proud linage of her ancestors. We simply do not know.
• Yahiro's dad is still alive, and Yahiro could've gotten a regular job that most other students get. This still takes place in Japan, so they should be entitled to some welfare to keep them from starving and being homeless. Yahiro chose to become a magical girl because she wanted more money to make her brother happy.

The magical girl defeat trial is totaly unfair, although you can make an argument that letting magical girls basically get away with anything, from killing people to destroying entire block, as long as they're fighting monsters, is a justifiable tradeoff. Being defeated essentially mean all the collateral death and destruction were essentially for nothing.

But I'm still not convinced that most of these girls were presured into becoming magical girls. There has not been enough magical girls shown and we simply do not know enough about the background of the magical girls we've seen to know for use.

 

[Anothis]

I just lost it at the crow mask guy that draw tits at speed

That's the author's self insert... just as an FYI. They've used it in... previous works.

 

[runedKnight]

• The only one that we see goaded was Aoi. And it wasn't like the Unicorn actually lied to Aoi, either. The Unicorn is simply like Kyubey, in that Aoi simply wasn't told the full consequences of him geting his powers.
• While it is possible that Miko was pressured into becoming a magical girl, it is just as possible that she simply wanted to join that proud linage of her ancestors. We simply do not know.
• Yahiro's dad is still alive, and Yahiro could've gotten a regular job that most other students get. This still takes place in Japan, so they should be entitled to some welfare to keep them from starving and being homeless. Yahiro chose to become a magical girl because she wanted more money to make her brother happy.

The magical girl defeat trial is totaly unfair, although you can make an argument that letting magical girls basically get away with anything, from killing people to destroying entire block, as long as they're fighting monsters, is a justifiable tradeoff. Being defeated essentially mean all the collateral death and destruction were essentially for nothing.

But I'm still not convinced that most of these girls were presured into becoming magical girls. There has not been enough magical girls shown and we simply do not know enough about the background of the magical girls we've seen to know for use.

Agreed it's mostly conjecture still, however it does fit to a degree. As for Yahiro, while her dad is still alive he seems to be in no situation to act as a parent leaving the children functionally alone.
One thing that comes to mind is that these girls are not adults and that when offered the chance to live an extraordinary lifestyle good judgement may not always be present, though this may seem strange to think about in a society that on one hand worships magical girls and on the other is willing to put them through hell at the first sign of failure.

All in all, as the reader we have the knowledge that becoming a magical girl is not a choice to make lightly, but with only Aoi's case being shown in full I simply wonder if the candidates are chosen mostly on the chances that they will accept the offer.
The "monsters" themselves are involved in creating magical girls after all.

The trials can seem "sane" and "fair" if you consider the girls as "Soldiers" and defeat as "Desertion" with the court then becoming a "Military Tribunal" but this presupposes a lot that is not yet shown in the story or shown clearly. The court is still an antagonistic entity to magical girls either way.

 

[DeadToReal]

Agreed it's mostly conjecture still, however it does fit to a degree. As for Yahiro, while her dad is still alive he seems to be in no situation to act as a parent leaving the children functionally alone.
One thing that comes to mind is that these girls are not adults and that when offered the chance to live an extraordinary lifestyle good judgement may not always be present, though this may seem strange to think about in a society that on one hand worships magical girls and on the other is willing to put them through hell at the first sign of failure.

All in all, as the reader we have the knowledge that becoming a magical girl is not a choice to make lightly, but with only Aoi's case being shown in full I simply wonder if the candidates are chosen mostly on the chances that they will accept the offer.
The "monsters" themselves are involved in creating magical girls after all.

The trials can seem "sane" and "fair" if you consider the girls as "Soldiers" and defeat as "Desertion" with the court then becoming a "Military Tribunal" but this presupposes a lot that is not yet shown in the story or shown clearly. The court is still an antagonistic entity to magical girls either way.

I think magical girls in this setting are basically Hollywood celebrities. They get to live their dreams of having powers and fight evil, while being rich and famous for it. But celebrities have to pay a huge price for those riches and fame. And even knowing about the price, they still want to become a celebrity. It's only after actually experiencing everything that some come to regret becoming a celebrity.

I think it's the same for girls who become magical girls. They know that it's not going to be an easy job, but they still want to become one because it's a dream job for them. I mean, you are basically a superstar that people idolize and make huge money saving the world. That's pretty hard to say no, even as an adult.

I completely agree the court is antagonistic towards the magical girls. Those girls basically have no second chances, once they're defeated. The only way out for them is by being lucky enough, to have a lawyer smart enough, to find some loophole to get them out on a technicality.

But the twisted logic for the trials is like how taking hostages is not a reason for giving up. What Lemon said was true: Giving up from taking hostages would set a bad precedent. It would mean that all monsters have to do to get away with it, are monsters taking hostages every time a magical girl shows up.

The same logic can be applied toward the defeat trials. For some reason, the only ones that can defeat monsters are the magical girls. This makes them symbols of hope for the people as they are the only ones capable of defeating monsters. Just like an army being obliterated destroys morale for everyone, a magical girl defeated in humiliating ways destroys morale for everyone in that world. And if being defeated didn't have consequences, they can simply run away when they feel like they're about to be defeated. But that, or course, means other innocent people have to suffer because they aren't being protected. The trials give magical girls an incentive to give it their all to protect everyone by defeating evil.

And yes, that's some messed up reasoning for the defeat trials, but that world is completely messed up to begin with. Which means, it makes perfect sense with the logic of that world.

 

[runedKnight]

I think magical girls in this setting are basically Hollywood celebrities. They get to live their dreams of having powers and fight evil, while being rich and famous for it. But celebrities have to pay a huge price for those riches and fame. And even knowing about the price, they still want to become a celebrity. It's only after actually experiencing everything that some come to regret becoming a celebrity.

I think it's the same for girls who become magical girls. They know that it's not going to be an easy job, but they still want to become one because it's a dream job for them. I mean, you are basically a superstar that people idolize and make huge money saving the world. That's pretty hard to say no, even as an adult.

I completely agree the court is antagonistic towards the magical girls. Those girls basically have no second chances, once they're defeated. The only way out for them is by being lucky enough, to have a lawyer smart enough, to find some loophole to get them out on a technicality.

But the twisted logic for the trials is like how taking hostages is not a reason for giving up. What Lemon said was true: Giving up from taking hostages would set a bad precedent. It would mean that all monsters have to do to get away with it, are monsters taking hostages every time a magical girl shows up.

The same logic can be applied toward the defeat trials. For some reason, the only ones that can defeat monsters are the magical girls. This makes them symbols of hope for the people as they are the only ones capable of defeating monsters. Just like an army being obliterated destroys morale for everyone, a magical girl defeated in humiliating ways destroys morale for everyone in that world. And if being defeated didn't have consequences, they can simply run away when they feel like they're about to be defeated. But that, or course, means other innocent people have to suffer because they aren't being protected. The trials give magical girls an incentive to give it their all to protect everyone by defeating evil.

And yes, that's some messed up reasoning for the defeat trials, but that world is completely messed up to begin with. Which means, it makes perfect sense with the logic of that world.

Tooka from the first case fits that description, Miko on the other hand for all her pedigree and powerful magic was virtually unknown. We'll probably get a better idea once more magical girls show up.

But one thing that comes to mind is that there are girls that work directly for the state like that samurai girl from the end of chapter 1. Wouldn't be surprised if there are other preferable position that open up once you become a magical girl, fame might not be the only incentive.

 

[DeadToReal]

Tooka from the first case fits that description, Miko on the other hand for all her pedigree and powerful magic was virtually unknown. We'll probably get a better idea once more magical girls show up.

But one thing that comes to mind is that there are girls that work directly for the state like that samurai girl from the end of chapter 1. Wouldn't be surprised if there are other preferable position that open up once you become a magical girl, fame might not be the only incentive.

It seems Miko really didn't want to become a celebrity at all. I don't blame her. Just like Yahiro used a mask to hide her identity to remain a normal girl, all the problems with becoming a celebrity really aren't worth it for most people. Miko could be just like her. Someone who fight monsters not for fame, but because they want to help people.

I remember at the end of chapter 1 there was mention of "Otherworldly Deserted Village". Those state sponsored magical girls could be seen as part of a magical girl army, fighting to take back territory lost to monsters. That could be another incentive.

 

[cralwihng]

If they shot Aoi, would he have gotten his body back? This has become the main plot hook for me

 

[Iosif]

I just lost it at the crow mask guy that draw tits at speed

That guy never misses with his drawings.

 

[DLRevan]

I think magical girls in this setting are basically Hollywood celebrities. They get to live their dreams of having powers and fight evil, while being rich and famous for it. But celebrities have to pay a huge price for those riches and fame. And even knowing about the price, they still want to become a celebrity. It's only after actually experiencing everything that some come to regret becoming a celebrity.

Funny you mention this, I was thinking that if such a system existed today with special rules for people with a certain amount of fame and riches, the masses would be totally behind it. There is a significant degree of a culture of "tearing down power" in today's world regardless of fairness and justice.

Which is not to say I am commenting on how this is a realistic system, but rather how twisted our world has gotten. Perhaps that is the reason so many commenters here seem to want to take this court system so seriously and actually address it with what they feel is some degree of logic. Nobody disagrees that it's mostly nonsensical, but there are enough elements that people can relate to.

As far as I'm concerned it's a deliberate sham trial system that exists to protect magical girl reputations in-universe, and a massive joke about classic hentai stereotype scenarios and endings where nothing else has to make sense.