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Toonami |Aug/Sep16| NUDE GIRLS!

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Does Soul Eater manga actually have loose ends or is this a case of needy fans requiring a descriptive canonical explanation for absolutely every small thing and don't know how to deal with a small amount of interpretive wiggle-room.

Aside from Maka's mother, not really. That's not something that needed clarification either.
 

Seda

Member
Apologies for the snark but sometimes how fictional worlds like to absolutely exhaust all possible worldbuilding and character histories gets a little old (especially common in JRPGs). Sometimes it's refreshing to have some 'mysteries' stay mysteries. I'm speaking on ignorance on the part of Soul Eater, and can't say I know what I'm talking about there.

That's one thing I liked about the Suikoden series. In several of the games (2 and 3 especially but really all of them) you hear a handful of tidbits about various nations and histories of the world. One key example is the Harmonia Empire, which is brought up in several places, but is ultimately never fully explored. And it doesn't really need to be, you see/hear enough about them - the parts that are essential to understand the direct narrative, but the entity remains partially an unknown. Further, the games often mention 27 True Runes that hold raw power but the games only detail around 18 of them in total in the series. There are also more fantastic elements that haven't been fully fleshed out, like Leknaat's full history or her relationship with Zerase. There's enough there that the player is aware that some of these narrative elements exist without having to be spoonfed all the details about everything. It makes it feel like the story on display is just a small part of a larger world. Feels designed/focused and not pro forma.
 

zulux21

Member
So how long until Soul Eater Not hits Toonami so we can get the prequel we've all wanted?

it will never get on toonami.
first it's a piece of crap.
but second, if they wanted to bring that genre to toonami I figure they would bring k-on instead.
 
Time for Soul Eater Not gif?

Time for Soul Eater Not gif.

giphy.gif
 
That's one thing I liked about the Suikoden series. In several of the games (2 and 3 especially but really all of them) you hear a handful of tidbits about various nations and histories of the world. One key example is the Harmonia Empire, which is brought up in several places, but is ultimately never fully explored. And it doesn't really need to be, you see/hear enough about them - the parts that are essential to understand the direct narrative, but the entity remains partially an unknown. Further, the games often mention 27 True Runes that hold raw power but the games only detail around 18 of them in total in the series. There are also more fantastic elements that haven't been fully fleshed out, like Leknaat's full history or her relationship with Zerase. There's enough there that the player is aware that some of these narrative elements exist without having to be spoonfed all the details about everything. It makes it feel like the story on display is just a small part of a larger world. Feels designed/focused and not pro forma.

See I feel like this is a bad example of your argument since it's clear they were building towards the Harmonia game when Konami did Konami shit and that's why we never saw the story reach its ultimate conclusion. The latter half of the suikoden series is clearly a case of executive meddling same with the issues about Apollo Justice where plot lines were dropped not because the answers weren't in the cards but because executive meddling along with a writer change took the story in a different direction.
 

Seda

Member
See I feel like this is a bad example of your argument since it's clear they were building towards the Harmonia game when Konami did Konami shit and that's why we never saw the story reach its ultimate conclusion. The latter half of the suikoden series is clearly a case of executive meddling same with the issues about Apollo Justice where plot lines were dropped not because the answers weren't in the cards but because executive meddling along with a writer change took the story in a different direction.

I agree that it leaves window open for expansion but I don't see it necessary missing gap that was never filled. Suikoden V is great btw and doesn't have too much to do with the rest of the series, other than Georg Prime and Killey.

(Suikoden Tierkries is also pretty good considering it has nothing to do with anything else and the VA is bad.)
 

Zonic

Gives all the fucks
I should pick up Suikoden 2 on PSN one of these days, especially with how many times it goes on sale, but then I remember how many other RPGs are in my backlog.
 

Seda

Member
I was honestly a little disappointed in Luca after seeing him pop up everywhere as a touted villain. The appeal is obvious though.

I don't usually play games for story but S2 is a bit of an exception - or at least I enjoyed the game, and its storytelling is definitely its largest strength. It hits on a personal level that many narratives fail to do. This stillshot alone gets me a little emotional.



I also adore S2's opening credits. Gives backstory to the characters without saying a word in less than 2 minutes. Music and spritework help. (the timing of when these credits appear is also well done)
 
I agree that it leaves window open for expansion but I don't see it necessary missing gap that was never filled. Suikoden V is great btw and doesn't have too much to do with the rest of the series, other than Georg Prime and Killey.

(Suikoden Tierkries is also pretty good considering it has nothing to do with anything else and the VA is bad.)

Suikoden feels like an unfinished series because it is, suikoden 3 teases where the plot goes next and we'll never get that game that we know they wanted to make. It may not have been some massive cliff hanger like "the truth of everything lies at the core of harmonia" but the game very much how s1 and s2 teased s2 and s3 carried that tradition and was even more open about it. Suikoden 4 was a double punch to the gut since it was terrible and it had basically nothing to do with the rest of the series. Harmonia was built up across both suikoden 2 and 3 and other regions impacted by Harmonia were teased in 3, the fact we'll never see these regions or how they're connected to the ongoing suikoden world crushes me its probably why I didn't muscle through s4 or skip to tactics/5/tiekries despite hearing how great they collectively are. I know s5 does do a bit more to tie back into the saga with characters from s1 appearing and some minor hints at what would happen in s1, and s4 does have a ted playable, but that doesn't compare to how smart and clever the world building was in the original trilogy. Maybe you don't feel it was necessary, but I do. After all the shitty things harmonia has been hinted at doing or has done in the first 3 games not getting a chance to go there and see the complex political scenario and help to fix it is a huge disappointment.
 

Seda

Member
Suikoden feels like an unfinished series because it is, suikoden 3 teases where the plot goes next and we'll never get that game that we know they wanted to make. It may not have been some massive cliff hanger like "the truth of everything lies at the core of harmonia" but the game very much how s1 and s2 teased s2 and s3 carried that tradition and was even more open about it. Suikoden 4 was a double punch to the gut since it was terrible and it had basically nothing to do with the rest of the series. Harmonia was built up across both suikoden 2 and 3 and other regions impacted by Harmonia were teased in 3, the fact we'll never see these regions or how they're connected to the ongoing suikoden world crushes me its probably why I didn't muscle through s4 or skip to tactics/5/tiekries despite hearing how great they collectively are. I know s5 does do a bit more to tie back into the saga with characters from s1 appearing and some minor hints at what would happen in s1, and s4 does have a ted playable, but that doesn't compare to how smart and clever the world building was in the original trilogy. Maybe you don't feel it was necessary, but I do. After all the shitty things harmonia has been hinted at doing or has done in the first 3 games not getting a chance to go there and see the complex political scenario and help to fix it is a huge disappointment.

Nothing you say is incorrect. I guess I find satisfaction with it though. I feel we see enough of Harmonia in S3, especially with
Luc's whole backstory
that tell the necessary story in that game.

Even with characters like Yuber, whose, well, existence is certainly not really explained ... I feel like it doesn't have to be. Perhaps I'm just nuts, but I think I probably appreciate it more that his mystery is left at just that. I don't need some detailed rationalization why he can do the things he does.

There's a small tease with
Leknaat
at the very end, but it's not something I feel will be incomplete if it's never touched on again.
 
Nothing you say is incorrect. I guess I find satisfaction with it though. I feel we see enough of Harmonia in S3, especially with
Luc's whole backstory
that tell the necessary story in that game.

Even with characters like Yuber, whose, well, existence is certainly not really explained ... I feel like it doesn't have to be. Perhaps I'm just nuts, but I think I probably appreciate it more that his mystery is left at just that. I don't need some detailed rationalization why he can do the things he does.

There's a small tease with
Leknaat
at the very end, but it's not something I feel will be incomplete if it's never touched on again.

I mean above you mentioned story isn't a primary thing for you which is fine, but it's a big deal for me. For a series with a dumpster fire plot like danganronpa I'm okay with plot lines being dropped or glossed over, but in a franchise like Suikoden which had extremely strong writing not being able to see the whole picture feels unsatisfactory. Imagine if the Harry Potter franchise ended after the 3rd book. We don't need to see more years of Harry in school, learn the full truth behind Voldemort, or have voldemort be fully revived so that he and Harry could have a true final showdown, but the series is more complete by having those elements.

I also don't innheriently hate the idea of suikoden 4 and 5 going back in the timeline to fill out other parts of the world and lore build before the much bigger story that would have taken place in Harmonia (like how trails sc hints at us going to erebonia next but it didn't happen till 4 games later). At the end of the day I can't blame the suikoden team since we now know that the transition into last gen was when Konami went off the deep end and slowly pruned all their talent into being a pachinko company. Speaking of Konami I feel the metal gear solid series is a far better example of your point Seda, many of the games attempt to fill in gaps to "change everything" and outside of mgs3 none of them really added to the lore in a meaningful way and just further convoluted the mess. Kingdom Hearts as well where at this point even the writer himself has no idea what he's writing anymore.
 

Seda

Member
I'm going to regret this:

Suikoden
2>5>Tier>1>3>Tac>4

Wild Arms
3>5>XF>1>ACF>4>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2
 

Man God

Non-Canon Member
I never got past 3 in either series, but did play XF and the two Suikoden spinoffs.

Basically I didn't play a ton of PS2 JRPGS. I played the FF games, The .hack series, KH, SMT 3. Never got around to a bunch of PS1 sequels to franchises I did play, nor many of the Shadow Hearts tier games.
 

Seda

Member
I feel like the thread has been better(?)/quieter with 'weekday' stuff recently. One reason why post counts are lower.
 

Man God

Non-Canon Member
I feel like the thread has been better(?)/quieter with 'weekday' stuff recently. One reason why post counts are lower.

I've been busy!

I mean, yes, on topic.

I have noticed a lack of OG Naruto knowledge lately when we get to Shit Pudding, like people not recognizing Manda, so I guess it's good timing that I'm going to get back to reviewing Naruto starting Wednesday. Get them knowledges up. I only have...80 or so to cover.
 

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Dammit.

I fall asleep and miss at least half of One Piece every single week.

Almost always during the commercial break.
 

Man God

Non-Canon Member
I'm barely in here weekdays
man god doesn't post gifs as much
tusr left us as far as I can tell

RLqc1Oq.gif


Dammit.

I fall asleep and miss at least half of One Piece every single week.

Almost always during the commercial break.


Happened to me for about two months straight during that Naruto Filler. Kept pissing me off. I couldn't sleep through Naruto, noooo, but One Piece comes on and I'd miss at least ten minutes.
 

Soulflarz

Banned
Some of the regulars from the past have moved to greater pastures. That or they're busy, I dunno.

-tusr hates us
or just got platinum mad
-I died for a long time (I'm rarely in here)
-Man gods gone
-bass is out
-sedas bros been out forever

I missing any key person who dropped? Jarate and lazybones aren't banned atm.
 

zulux21

Member
Dammit.

I fall asleep and miss at least half of One Piece every single week.

Almost always during the commercial break.

if you want to catch up it is available on the funimation site for streaming (for a monthly/yearly fee)

not only are the episodes airing on toonami already on there, episodes through like the next 4 arcs are lol.
 
I'm going to regret this:

Suikoden
2>5>Tier>1>3>Tac>4

Wild Arms
3>5>XF>1>ACF>4>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2

I mean I don't think anyone who frequents here has completed all of these franchises minus you so I'm not sure how you'll regret this.

Fwiw

Suikoden 2 > 3 > 1 >>>>>>>>>> 4

Wild Arms 1..... I'll get back to this eventually

I really don't do much weekday posting.

So you're saying the quality has improved since you don't post here much during the weekdays? :p
 
i miss mightynine

I miss you too. (I got a post in this week during OPM!)

I got a promotion at work, moved, and it's been crazy busy now almost two months since. And what's really annoying is that I sit down on Saturday night to watch the shows and I just fall right asleep and end up watching 'em on Sunday morning.

(Don't get old kids!)

(But buy a comfy couch that's nice to fall asleep on!)
 
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