blackaeronaut Wrote:Honestly, I actually don't have a problem with the reactions from the girls for the most part. Motoko's treated maybe a tad harshly (by the narrative) but I can't quite call it bashing, especially in light of how obvious most bash fics are. Basically the one thing the fic is pretty good about is providing enough background to explain _why_ the girls act as they do, unacceptable or not. With that said, the characters are a bit more sympathetic.WengFook Wrote:I can't remember where I read this but someone once said that a mistake a lot of fanfic writers make is taking the funny slapstick comedy out of a series but leave the physical abuse in, which makes for a very bad read since all the characters are going off cues and reactions that are no longer appropriate for the story :SWell, I dunno about this one. Yeah, a lot of the slapstick has gone *poof* but the author has left in reasons for why it's not funny. The treatment of sexual harassment in Japan is a joke, and it figures heavily into the psychological issues of Naru, Motoko, and Kanako in this story. It's really not surprising, but they've only began to really address the issue in recent years.
Also, some of the wish fulfillment we see... well... Guess what, folks? In Japan, if you are one of the few surviving males in one of these old samurai families, the matriarchal figure *will* instruct you to get your dumb ass out there and make some babies. Married or not, it doesn't matter because they'll be adopted regardless (especially when given the *very* generous terms Granny Hina gave those two). Besides, this is keeping in-character with the plot of a harem anime. After all, it isn't really a harem if you don't have more than one woman vying for your attention (preferably at least three).
Also, given the case of our two favorite police girls... I can see it. Yeah, the setting's a bit goofy, but even that aside these two girls would be hard-pressed to find an interested Japanese guy in the real world. Seriously. Tough, strong, likes firearms... and the maraschino cherry on top? They're over 25 years old. Yes, that's right folks. The Christmas Cake Effect* is a very real thing (and probably a contributing factor to declining birth rates). Don't believe me? Check out an international dating site sometime. Most of your Japanese females will be at least 26 (with the younger ones just being either curious or savvy).
*Christmas Cake Effect - for those that don't know about this oddball of J-culture... a woman over the age of 25 and still single is seen as undesirable and men tend to avoid these 'older' women. They're called Christmas Cakes because it's like those fruit cakes during the Christmas season... nobody wants any after the 25th.
The issue I have is some of the peripheral stuff. I understand that the YUA might indeed have issues with finding a male partner in Japan. My problem isn't that, my issue is that they're in the fic in the first place. Simply put, the two characters are there pretty much _just_ to provide this version of Keitaro with what amounts to average American guy's dream women. In terms of the overarching story, aside from some amusing asides, they don't strike me as adding much. Nor for that matter does the flashbacks to Keitaro's moments of awesomeness - those could have easily been revealed in conversation rather than zomg amazing combat flashbacks.
Let me put it this way, the fic's beginning led me to believe I'd see LH resolved via a confident mature Keitaro. I got combat god samurai Keitaro(who is at least competent in everything else) instead.