Shibou Yuugi de Meshi wo Kuu. - Vol. 4 Ch. 21

[MangaDex]

 

[Dranzer86]

Interesting outcome to say the least

 

[Chaosrunewiz]

Thanks for the chapter!

 

[DarkArsel]

The manga and the anime are approaching this series very very differently (anime also just finished this arc). Haven't read the source so I can't say which is more loyal to the original. The manga is approaching the series as a seinen death game, meanwhile the anime is like a fever dream.....much more quiet, much more subdued.

 

[PokutoHokuto]

Incredible, the long curly hair bitch apologized in the end.
Oh, it was all on the surface she wants blood and revenge

 

[ktensei]

The manga and the anime are approaching this series very very differently (anime also just finished this arc). Haven't read the source so I can't say which is more loyal to the original. The manga is approaching the series as a seinen death game, meanwhile the anime is like a fever dream.....much more quiet, much more subdued.

The manga follows the novels more closely arc-wise (game 9 before game 10, while the anime shows game 10 first), though both the manga and anime hae taken liberties with adding additional depth and details onto the original story. The writing style of the novels is blunt and to the point, which the manga draws upon for more of a straight forward, character-driven death game feel. But the writing is also wonderfully sparse at times, forcing you to fill in the gaps in your head, which the anime interprets with the "fever dream" atmosphere.

Honestly, as someone who's a big fan of the novels, I think both adaptations are doing stellar -- even if they are going in different tonal directions. I will say I'm especially impressed by the anime's creative direction, though, because it really emphasizes the strange and otherworldly nature to the whole background and setup of the organization behind the death games. Which I don't think all readers fully understood at first glance. The decision to have the girls's faces be unrecognizable unless the camera directly focuses on them is one I especially love.

To me, the manga brings you in as someone who can really emphasize with the players while the anime (at least at first) brings you into the story via the lens of an audience member watching these death games within the world itself.

 

[SuperOniichan]

The manga follows the novels more closely arc-wise (game 9 before game 10), though both the manga and anime hae taken liberties with adding additional depth and details onto the original story. The writing style of the novels is blunt and to the point, which I think the manga draws upon for more of a straight forward, character-driven death game feel. But the writing is also wonderfully sparse at times, forcing you to fill in the gaps in your head, which I think the anime interprets with the "fever dream" atmosphere.

Honestly, as someone who's a big fan of the novels, I think both adaptations are doing stellar -- even if they are going in different tonal directions. I will say I'm especially impressed by the anime's creative direction, though, because it really emphasizes the strange and otherworldly nature to the whole background and setup of the organization behind the death games which isn't always fully understood at first glance. The decision to have the girls's faces be unrecognizable unless the camera directly focuses on them is one I especially love.

To me, the manga brings you in as someone who can really emphasize with the players while the anime (at least at first) brings you into the story via the lens of an audience member watching these death games within the world itself.

If I understand you correctly, the anime isn't exactly word for word faithful to LN either, but mostly complements it rather than rewriting things?

 

[Lightbrand]

Did I miss Yuki making to the door?

 

[Ylliv]

Did I miss Yuki making to the door?

They never showed it in the first place but if you read the story it was heavily implied that she was both alive and made it to the door

 

[Ylliv]

I really did think that opportunist was gonna die, it came close but I was really convinced, chie's death really took me by surprise

 

[ktensei]

If I understand you correctly, the anime isn't exactly word for word faithful to LN either, but mostly complements it rather than rewriting things?

Yes! So far (episode 4), they have made some adjustments (timeline, small details) and additions (mostly fleshing out other character's backgrounds and adding scenes that really show how televised these games are), but all of the changes have been very complementary.

 

[MagnaDrake]

If I understand you correctly, the anime isn't exactly word for word faithful to LN either, but mostly complements it rather than rewriting things?

They also switched the game order. EP2 immediately starts with this game instead of the bunny hunting one, which in retrospect makes more sense storytelling pacing wise.

 

[SuperOniichan]

Yes! So far (episode 4), they have made some adjustments (timeline) and additions (mostly fleshing out other character's backgrounds and adding scenes that really show how televised these games are), but all of the changes have been very complementary.

I haven't watched the anime yet, but the brief glimpses I've seen of it have surprised me somewhat, as I expected a less grotesque and abstract visual style. It's as if the anime portrays it in a more "fairytale" or psychologically atmospheric way.

They also switched the game order. EP2 immediately starts with this game instead of the bunny hunting one, which in retrospect makes more sense storytelling pacing wise.

I'm not particularly picky about such changes, but I don't really like it when anime or manga rewrite things. If an anime is simply playing with the storytelling style or expanding on things that the author already had in mind, I don't mind.

 

[MagnaDrake]

To me, the manga brings you in as someone who can really emphasize with the players while the anime (at least at first) brings you into the story via the lens of an audience member watching these death games within the world itself.

Spot on. Watching the anime makes you feel like youre a random watcher of the actual death game, especially with the really, REALLY distant/wide shots they use a lot. Feels like an avant garde indie movie of some sort.

Though personally because of that I appreciate the manga more because it's able to adapt/show how dynamic and expressive the characters are when they're up close.

 

[MagnaDrake]

I'm not particularly picky about such changes, but I don't really like it when anime or manga rewrite things. If an anime is simply playing with the storytelling style or expanding on things that the author already had in mind, I don't mind.

At least between game 9 and 10 they are self-contained, uh, games, so the anime switching them around doesn't feel a big of a change narrative wise.

I do feel that this is a decision from the anime directors to put the high-octane action arcs in the middle-late episodes to generate tension and hype. Putting the battle royale too early might set false expectations to casual watchers.

 

[SuperOniichan]

At least between game 9 and 10 they are self-contained, uh, games, so the anime switching them around doesn't feel a big of a change narrative wise.

I do feel that this is a decision from the anime directors to put the high-octane action arcs in the middle-late episodes to generate tension and hype. Putting the battle royale too early might set false expectations to casual watchers.

If I hadn't read the manga and didn't know the context, then after only watching the anime I might have thought that this was a typical dark fantasy anime with suffering cute girls in a urban fantasy setting.

 

[ktensei]

I do feel that this is a decision from the anime directors to put the high-octane action arcs in the middle-late episodes to generate tension and hype. Putting the battle royale too early might set false expectations to casual watchers.

Same here. At first, I was confused because game 9 expands upon Yuki's motives and goals, but then I realized they probably want to extend her mysterious image as it suits the atmosphere they're going for. They're likely going to drop her background and history in smaller chunks.

 

[Jayforces]

After experiencing both adaptation to the LN, I think I like the manga version of this series more compared to the anime. It feels more fun and it makes Yuki feel more expressive and more...human I guess...? The anime feels like it's taking itself a bit too seriously. I'm not saying it's bad but removing Chie's breakdown and banging on the door before dying, seemingly getting rid of anything too fanservicey, and overall....making things more...safe (I guess is the word...?) just lessens my personal experience. They even changed Mishiro's cute and goofy driver to some bland nobody. It just feels so unnecessary. I haven't read the LN so maybe the anime's just adapting more accurately to it and the manga's taking more liberties to be more fun but that's just a guess.