Akuyuu no Ore ga Ponkotsu Kishi wo Miterarenai n da ga, Dou Sewa wo Yakya Ii?～ Madome Gaiden～ - Vol. 2 Ch. 13 - An Overbearing Love Is a Royal Pain, …

[popinloopy]

Thank you for the chapter!

 

[D00T]

you know, i think i might be the only one who likes the main characters AND the side characters

 

[danvolodar]

These stupid teens have made up already.

 

[danvolodar]

Zagan as Character is like, a slight improvement to the typical shounen, slave buying, Isekai MC. He has all the qualities that make the narrative try to explain to you how buying a wife is totally legitimate.

You seem to put an awful lot of emphasis on Zagan paying for Nephie, but seeing as he never seriously intended to keep her as a slave, it is very easy to excuse - think of it as paying a ransom.

 

[JasonDS64]

Is it strange that I love these two more than og couple ?

These two are why I follow the series.

 

[Hikineet]

Thanks for the chapter.

 

[RobinMedea]

You seem to put an awful lot of emphasis on Zagan paying for Nephie, but seeing as he never seriously intended to keep her as a slave, it is very easy to excuse - think of it as paying a ransom.

first paragraph, I acknowledge that
"Zagan as Character is like, a slight improvement to the typical shounen, slave buying, Isekai MC. He has all the qualities that make the narrative try to explain to you how buying a wife is totally legitimate. With the benefit that he actually freed his wife (god I still cringe at the scene where she put that fucking collar on again, girl plz-), so no biggie there."

just to quote myself here.

I just think it's annoying that the narrative introduces this concept of him buying a person, just to sorta backtrack on it. Like it can't decide if it wants to lean into the "Every mage lives in a fucked up society were experiments and slavery are normal" or "Mages are falsely prosecuted by the church, Zagan who is just chilling by himself most of the time being a prime example"

because the concept itself could have been an absolute banger, if done right.

What we got was Zagan buying her and then their sorta akward fluffy cohabition starts, while she still wears the god damned collar (no I will not get over that narrative decision).

Nephie during the entire time is perfectly cute, docile and an uwu baby with tragic past.
While Zagan is his akward-self who still is kinda in the mindset of "The evil mage".

And thats what kinda pisses me off.

If you introduced a relationship built entirely on the concept that one person was brought as a slave and the imbalance of power that comes with it.
Then that aspect needs to have the given weight to it.

A good example that comes to mind is "The Ancient Magus Bride" that handles this darker aspect of their relationship wonderfully. While not everly dark but still serious when talking about these topics.

Tbh, like 80% of my problems I have with this narrative can be solves by making Nephie more angry about her circumstances.

 

[P_TuSangLui]

You better protect her smile like the one on page 30, Barbaros.

Also, smile back to her while you are at it!

 

[ElZavier]

Yeah, idk why most side couple are usually more interesting than the main couple in most series, like them here.

 

[nonmore]

Rachel, You and me are the same

 

[nonmore]

Yeah, idk why most side couple are usually more interesting than the main couple in most series, like them here.

Second Couple are usually more interesting to follow in any modern literature, not only manga, like even if you watch drama, the 2nd couple is more fun to watch. Its usually because the supporting characters didnt really follow the pattern/tropes that the main characters follow. Those pattern usually are very common & can wear the audiences off. Also for main characters the audiences see everything about them so they feel they already know anything about them, meanwhile the supporting characters give more surprise for the audiences.

 

[Chiiyuu]

I feel so blessed right now, for years I’ve been THE shipper of side characters, or what could have been from all the series I’ve been reading/watching. To have something solely focusing on one of the many side couples (from all series) that I ship, it’s something I never thought I deserve

 

[Rhin]

I told you that chastell would kickass even without guarding anyways. And all in time for mud tea.

 

[danvolodar]

A good example that comes to mind is "The Ancient Magus Bride" that handles this darker aspect of their relationship wonderfully. While not everly dark but still serious when talking about these topics.

That's kinda the whole point: Zagan's relationship with Nephie does not have a darker aspect. At no point throughout the story does he behave toward her as a master toward his slave. This is what makes the whole thing palatable: not the fact that he formally sets her free after buying her, but the fact that he never treats her as property to begin with.
That's also the reason she treats the collar as jewelry and a symbol of devotion, not a reflection of an extremely one-sided power relationship and symbol of years of mistreatment and abuse. Although tbh I cringed at that bit, too.

 

[MrSergio]

Rachel, You and me are the same

That was basically my comment when I finished typesetting this chapter lmao

 

[RobinMedea]

That's kinda the whole point: Zagan's relationship with Nephie does not have a darker aspect. At no point throughout the story does he behave toward her as a master toward his slave. This is what makes the whole thing palatable: not the fact that he formally sets her free after buying her, but the fact that he never treats her as property to begin with.
That's also the reason she treats the collar as jewelry and a symbol of devotion, not a reflection of an extremely one-sided power relationship and symbol of years of mistreatment and abuse. Although tbh I cringed at that bit, too.

And that's what I'm critizing.
Zagan and Nephie feel more like better written versions of typical Isekai protagonists than people that really inhabit the world they live. Almost every story beat, every action conforms to modern (japan) ethnics in a platable way for the viewer.

At this point I think it's important to say that to me the story is still a decent 6 oder 7 out of 10.
I don't hate the story otherwise I wouldn't spent so much time trying to explain where the other 3 or 4 points are.

I just think Nephie and Zagan would make much more interesting characters if Nephie with the slave trainig (read abuse) she went through, was more distrustful or even angry at Zagan. Even subconciously would do. I jzst want her to be less platable and more hurt

Which would be more interesting because it would make Zagan continously saying the wrong thing much more impactful. Since actual "consequences" for would exist.

Imagine the scene where Nephie decided to stay at with Zagan, but in the context that up until that point her feeling for him were much more unclear to her. Feeling kinship because of their tragic past, feeling distrust for all the wrong words he said and loving the kind action he takes.

And then have her see freedom, see that she could just live in the town, or go far away.
Just for her to reject it, because she realises that she want to built a live with Zagan, understand him more etc.

It's pretty much what happend in the novel but characer wise just slightly to the right.

Also i'm glad that we agree on the collar thing being stupid.
Especially because it couldn't be that hard to just shrink the collar to ring size, or make two new rings out of it.

 

[danvolodar]

At this point I think it's important to say that to me the story is still a decent 6 oder 7 out of 10.
I don't hate the story otherwise I wouldn't spent so much time trying to explain where the other 3 or 4 points are.

For me, their personalities being kinda stereotypical, and particularly Zagan's character arc being essentially non-existent, is enough to rate the manga "okay, but not great". It delivers what it sets out to do: adventure of reasonably sympathetic characters. It's not psychological, it doesn't aim to revolutionize the genre, it's just entertainment - solid 6 or 7, yeah.

I just think Nephie and Zagan would make much more interesting characters if Nephie with the slave trainig (read abuse) she went through, was more distrustful or even angry at Zagan. Even subconciously would do. I jzst want her to be less platable and more hurt. Which would be more interesting because it would make Zagan continously saying the wrong thing much more impactful. Since actual "consequences" for would exist.

And continuing from the previous point, the manga is not about dealing with trauma of enslavement. I do not think it's fair to blame it for not succeeding at what it never attempted to achieve.
If you will, it's primarily about adventures of the body, not adventures of the spirit.

 

[RobinMedea]

For me, their personalities being kinda stereotypical, and particularly Zagan's character arc being essentially non-existent, is enough to rate the manga "okay, but not great". It delivers what it sets out to do: adventure of reasonably sympathetic characters. It's not psychological, it doesn't aim to revolutionize the genre, it's just entertainment - solid 6 or 7, yeah.

And continuing from the previous point, the manga is not about dealing with trauma of enslavement. I do not think it's fair to blame it for not succeeding at what it never attempted to achieve.
If you will, it's primarily about adventures of the body, not adventures of the spirit.

I mean yeah, the plot is definitly the focus. But saying that Nephies and Zagans trauma isn't relevant tot he plot, just because it isn't the main main focus is (in my opinion) the wrong way to go about it.

Nephies and Zagans past play a huge role in the plot, it's literally what kicked off the narrative.
Zagan lived an unfullfilled life, all alone. He didn't even know that the food he was eating was considered animal feed. He has huge troubles socialising despite some of the attempts we have seen him do (mainly when he saved people from bandits apparently). Most people hate him beause he's a mage.

Then he sees Nephie and for the first time he wants the company of another in a way he can't just brush off. So he impulse buys her and tries his best to find a way to free her.

On Nephies side this is literally the first time she has been shown kindness. She is so broken down that she just accepts her role as slave and is content to just die or worse things. That is until Zagan shows her kindness. When her world gets expanded more and more.

That is literally the premise of the first few chapters.
And it's what I want the narrative to lean into more.

To make Nephie maybe a bit more paranoid, or angry or or or

To use these emotions to highlight why it's Zagan she wants to stay with even if she's freed. Because he understands all the "ugly" emotions she's afraid of.

To make the slave part a genuine obstacle in their relationship and eventually the first stone in the foundation of their relationship.


I think by just leaning into these parts that already exist, the first part especially, could have been much more impactful.
The way it is, the plot just feels slightly off kilter. Like it barely missed the mark it was trying to hit.

 

[danvolodar]

I mean yeah, the plot is definitly the focus. But saying that Nephies and Zagans trauma isn't relevant tot he plot, just because it isn't the main main focus is (in my opinion) the wrong way to go about it.

Their trauma is not even explored in the series, to begin with. Zagan's a blank state protagonist who is oh-so-misunderstood - an easy void for any teen reader to identify with, this self-identification played on when his powers go past a simple power trip fantasy and far into what is now called "Gary Stu" territory.

Nephie is also remarkably devoid of agency and personality - she's shy and timid, a mirror for the protagonist to reflect off rather than a character in and by herself. She doesn't have fits of hysteria or rage/guilt cycles, she doesn't have crippling phobias, for all we know she has no issues sleeping at night or getting out of the bed due to depression - all in all, the kind of traumatic childhood she was subjected to, same as being captured and sold as a slave, seem not to have reflected on her at all.

Again, this is all for a reason - because the story is about Zagan casting cool magic, one-upping evil Demon Lords and gathering a colourful gang, not about what the realistic consequences can be of a society working as described. Even their love plotline with Nephie, while ostensibly a titular part of the story, is very much on the back burner.

I guess my point burns down to "this is that kind of a story, and it is what it is - if you want deep psychologism, it's not like there aren't mangas exploring that".

 

[RobinMedea]

Their trauma is not even explored in the series, to begin with. Zagan's a blank state protagonist who is oh-so-misunderstood - an easy void for any teen reader to identify with, this self-identification played on when his powers go past a simple power trip fantasy and far into what is now called "Gary Stu" territory.

Nephie is also remarkably devoid of agency and personality - she's shy and timid, a mirror for the protagonist to reflect off rather than a character in and by herself. She doesn't have fits of hysteria or rage/guilt cycles, she doesn't have crippling phobias, for all we know she has no issues sleeping at night or getting out of the bed due to depression - all in all, the kind of traumatic childhood she was subjected to, same as being captured and sold as a slave, seem not to have reflected on her at all.

Again, this is all for a reason - because the story is about Zagan casting cool magic, one-upping evil Demon Lords and gathering a colourful gang, not about what the realistic consequences can be of a society working as described. Even their love plotline with Nephie, while ostensibly a titular part of the story, is very much on the back burner.

I guess my point burns down to "this is that kind of a story, and it is what it is - if you want deep psychologism, it's not like there aren't mangas exploring that".

I mean i agree with your points, these were my issues to begin with.

Though I still think that the bare bones of the trauma the characters went through to be an actual part of the narrative (albeit a non important one to my chagrin).

A this point this feels more like arguing over little things. Especially given that we agree on like what 80 to 90 percent of things?