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Coolest Character Tournament - Post-Mortem


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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2011 7:22 am Reply with quote
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote:
I find it funny how people talk of Guts' reputation, yet in the first clip used, when he should have a reputation in series, he doesn't.


I can't speak for everyone but when I talk about reputation, I mean among anime fans, not within the series itself, since I've never seen Beserk.
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P€|\||§_|\/|ast@



Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 3498
Location: IN your nightmares
PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2011 12:38 pm Reply with quote
Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo
Pick: Mugen - I've supported Guts all through this tournament but when it comes to two high-rollers of cool like this, Mugen gets my vote. I agree somewhat to the failures and negatives pointed out about Guts but when it comes down to it, he's a very strong guy who is trying his best to enact justice. He doesn't have the best tact and it takes more than brute strength to be a leader and that is what he fails at. Mugen on the other hand never really gets into that situation and such expectations are never made of him. Perhaps because he has a much more acute awareness of his place and avoids those situations. That in itself is cool and that is why he rarely loses his cool.

Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke[/quote]
Pick: Balsa - if people recall my little bit of drama surrounding Lady Eboshi, it should be pretty obvious who I'm going to vote for. Plain and simple, I detest Eboshi. But to be fair and give credit to Balsa I think saving someone's life with huge risk to your own ranks pretty highly as something cool. And I think she did it for pure reasons, without thought of future repercussions of greedy self gain or recognition. That is possibly the best kind of cool there is.
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Dorcas_Aurelia



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5344
Location: Philly
PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2011 3:53 pm Reply with quote
marie-antoinette wrote:
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote:
I find it funny how people talk of Guts' reputation, yet in the first clip used, when he should have a reputation in series, he doesn't.


I can't speak for everyone but when I talk about reputation, I mean among anime fans, not within the series itself, since I've never seen Beserk.

I'm aware of this, which is why I said funny and not ironic. The thing is, for all that happened during the show, he should still have a reputation in series, and yet somehow doesn't really.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18252
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 12:06 am Reply with quote
Mine's only the 11th vote, eh? Disappointing given the scale of the matches, but it does seem like more than a third of the voting has shifted to Mondays lately.

Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo

One of anime's ultimate tank-type bad-asses vs. one of anime's slickest acrobatic fighters. While Guts has some flaws that have been discussed at length by others, I don't feel that they are necessarily any deeper than those of Mugen, who has style points take a big hit in my book on strength of character.

Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke

This is a difficult choice, as both are strong women but not necessarily what I would consider epitomes of cool. Still, as these clips show, both are well-capable of keeping their cool despite great danger, adversity, and even serious injury and both are capable fighters. Both accomplish great deeds and earn the respect of those around them; even their enemies give them a certain grudging admiration. Eboshi does get one of the coolest lines in all of anime in this clip ("Now watch closely, everyone. I'm going to show you how to kill a god..."), but I have to give a very slight edge to Balsa here because her merits are a little broader and better-developed and she has the benefit of her anime's incomparable fight scenes.
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The Naked Beast



Joined: 26 Jun 2006
Posts: 1028
Location: A Blue Planet
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 3:15 pm Reply with quote
Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo

Though his upbringing may have been a bit traumatizing, he eventually rediscovers some good in his adult years. As short as it may have been, he still fights against those who would threaten his "friends."

My vote goes to: Guts.

Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke

Her bravery, courage, and selfless actions make her one of the best female lead characters I have seen in anime. What makes her stand out even more is her setting herself apart in a male-dominated feudal Japan with her reputation and skills.

My vote goes to: Balsa.
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Spastic Minnow
Bargain Hunter
Exempt from Grammar Rules


Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 4620
Location: Gainesville, FL
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 5:37 pm Reply with quote
Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo

VOTING FOR: Mugen
The break-dancing, though gimmicky, is cool, his attitude, is cool. Is Guts a bigger bad-ass than Mugen? Probably, but Mugen can still kick some bad-ass ass and again, with that hip-hop break-dancing style that you just don't see- maybe becasue it's gimmicky and unnatural, but it looks great.
I considered the arguments for Guts and they are good ones, but I just cannot vote for a show and character I had such a negative reaction to. I've seen the end (middle?) result and his early self, I didn't like either so it's too hard for me to consider that the middle can somehow convince me, even with impressive bad-assery clips such as these. Even in a bad-ass bracket- general coolness has to account for something to me- Mugen wins on that count as well.

Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke

VOTING FOR: Balsa

Give Eboshi a series and maybe, maybe, she could be as cool as Balsa. They're both determined characters that protect those in her charge. I think the main reason to choose Balsa over Eboshi is how much further Balsa will take her convictions, how much harder it would be for her to break her principles and as the "tiger" episode with her nemesis character shows, if she is forced to break her principles it really means something.
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ccdx



Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 312
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:19 pm Reply with quote
Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo

I tend to agree with others that say Guts has too many flaws. Guts is a very serious badass no doubt. Perhaps the greatest badass. But in the end he's not much more. His feats are cool, somewhat, but all he really does is swing his giant sword around overpowering anyone who gets in his way. He doesn't even necessarily choose who he kills. He's ordered by Griffith most of the time. Mugen is both cool and a badass. Much more prolific in the cool department, but an excellent badass when necessary. My vote goes to him.

Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke

No contest, Balsa is a way better choice. As some have said, if we could have more information about Eboshi, like if she had her own series, then maybe she could win this fight. There's just too little information about Eboshi's true nature for her to move any further in the tournament.
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nightjuan



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 1473
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 9:30 pm Reply with quote
Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo

Voting for: Guts

While I'm not the biggest fan of Guts, all in all, I've also never been convinced by the argument that a character's tragic nature counts as a flaw in terms of coolness, particularly when even in this case the show itself indicates he's still running around and being a badass long after what was his greatest defeat. Mugen's alright but he's nowhere near Guts as far as being a badass is concerned, especially when we take into consideration the differences between their respective feats, and I'm not particularly inclined to favor him just based on having a far more agreeable personality either.

Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke

Voting for: Balsa

I guess it's a bit ironic but not entirely surprising to see a few arguments against Lady Eboshi show up right now, including one or two I've previously referenced or mentioned myself, despite having agreed to support her for the majority of the contest. Which, quite frankly, was fairly well deserved. Lady Eboshi certainly has her strong points, including her defiant attitude and a worthy presence. In addition, most of her opponents -though certainly not all in my humble opinion- weren't good enough to present any real challenge. But she's up against Balsa this time, someone with significantly more character development, very impressive fighting skills and little to no obvious instances of weakness. While in terms of character type alone I'd be slightly inclined to support Lady Eboshi on paper, she's honestly less fleshed out thanks to format limitations and thus I believe her coolness has reached its upper limit.
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Dorcas_Aurelia



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5344
Location: Philly
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 9:54 pm Reply with quote
Mugen has an agreeable personality? I could've sworn his philosophy was: screw you, I'm gonna do things my way.
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nightjuan



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 1473
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 9:57 pm Reply with quote
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote:
Mugen has an agreeable personality? I could've sworn his philosophy was: screw you, I'm gonna do things my way.


From the viewer's perspective and when compared to someone like Guts...I'd say Mugen is more agreeable, though I have to admit it's probably not the best term to describe him in general. Still, I think it's fair enough in the context of this match.

I should also specify I didn't mean Mugen "agrees" with people, which wasn't the point, but that he's "pleasing to the mind or senses especially as according well with one's tastes or needs" as per the dictionary definition.
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Ggultra2764
Subscriber



Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3907
Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 10:59 pm Reply with quote
Hurry in here to make last minute votes. Twisted Evil

Group A Final: Guts (Berserk)
Mugen has a more colorful personality and both are characters known for having crappy upbringings and surviving on their own. But I have to give the slight edge to Guts for being able to hold his own against demons.

Group B Final: Balsa (Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit)
A toughie to choose from since both are strong willed, independent warrior women who have dealt with both man and the supernatural, as well as defying different elements of the worlds they belong in. Considering Balsa's adventure brought with her more risks that she was able to overcome, I'll be giving the edge to her for this match.
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farichada



Joined: 04 Feb 2009
Posts: 303
Location: Wisconsin, USA
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 10:59 pm Reply with quote
Last minute voting lulz. Been away for such a long time for no good reason at all. I guess I grow tired of the internets.

Group A Final
Guts, Berserk
vs.
Mugen, Samurai Champloo

Voting for: Both 1/2 point Each

Mugen clearly doesn't care, and it make me not want to care about his character. Sure his fighting moves are cool, but he comes more as a goofy, miserable loser than anything cool. Guts is tragicly cool, and I think he is much more respectable. Sure, he's not the deepest character, but he has badassery to down to an art. I also think he works hard for what he believes in, which hardly could be said for Mugen. I never knew why characters with such an apathetic and lazy demeanor are considered cool. And behind this laziness there is little humble charm or genius like the case may be with Yang. Mugen does have more raw style points and Guts is played as a fool. Mugen is also more colorful and memorable so I call this a tie. I was going to vote for Guts to tie it up but someone had to ruin things. Lol changed it back with 5 seconds to spare.


Group B Final
Balsa, Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit
vs.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke

Voting for: Eboshi

Voting for Eboshi because she's clearly the underdog for being less fleshed out, but I believe her cool to screen time ratio is much greater than the overly naive and self-righteous Balsa. Don't get me wrong, she's cool in a middle age woman type of way, but she struck more as idealist and a role model than a cool and stylish person. Better pick than Mugen because at least the attitude is in the right place. Balsa has the edge is badassery but Eboshi never was that type of character.


Also if you invalidate my vote that's fine by me I just wanted the first match to be tied. -________- Also there's nowhere in the rules where it says I can't vote for both; the rule only forces me to vote in all matches. Smile
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18252
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 11:16 pm Reply with quote
Round 5: Groups A and B Finals are now closed.

I had everything set up and ready to go, but noooo, two jokers had to slip in their votes at literally the last minute. Rolling Eyes I decided to count farichada's unconventional vote because including it or not ultimately didn't affect the outcome. Let's not do that again, though. Thus, with 17 votes in:

Group A: Guts and Mugen tie 8.5-8.5.

Group B: Balsa annihilates Lady Eboshi, 14-3.

So yeah, once again we're looking at a Final Five instead of a Final Four. This has been a remarkably frequent occurrence, too. . .

Next round should be up momentarily.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18252
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 11:19 pm Reply with quote
Round 5: Groups C and D Finals are now closed.

Results can be found here.

No weak candidates left here! We have four heavy-hitters doing battle in these two groups to decide who will join Guts, Mugen, and Balsa in the Final Four. And let’s not see a tie this time, okay?

Group C Final
The Count, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
vs.
Akira Tokizawa Eden of the East

Group D Final
Spike Spiegel, Cowboy Bebop
vs.
Motoko Kusanagi, Ghost in the Shell franchise


Last edited by Key on Tue May 17, 2011 11:58 am; edited 1 time in total
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farichada



Joined: 04 Feb 2009
Posts: 303
Location: Wisconsin, USA
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 11:19 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:


5. Anyone who is a registered forum member in good standing (i.e. you aren’t currently banned) is allowed to vote, regardless of whether or not you’ve participated in any previous round or group. However, you must vote for all match-ups in a particular week or none of your votes will be counted.




Your own rules imply it's okay, but I suppose I will play nice and avoid this kind of shenanigans in the future. However,I will vote in the last minute again. Twisted Evil I should of ended up a lawyer with this kind of logic. I really don't know how I ended up in my sort of profession that I did other than some connections. I think my personality is kind of the opposite of the norm though. Sad
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