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EP. REVIEW: Wolf Girl & Black Prince


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rosebrook11



Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Posts: 1181
PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:21 pm Reply with quote
Great review! I don't think I enjoyed the show as much as you did, (a lot of Kyouya's lines rubbed me the wrong way) but on a whole I've found it to be really well paced.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:53 am Reply with quote
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(Although if there's a "tragic" backstory involved that somehow tries to excuse his behavior, I'll be let down.) ... The series has the potential for backing off the abusive relationship angle and shifting into a consensual S&M relationship, which would be interesting to see.

Lol, I've already said that the only way I can watch this is to imagine that it's a budding D/s relationship and Erika is just in denial right now about her deepest desires. Very Happy

But I don't know how you could have watched episode 3 without noticing the tragic backstory already being sketched out. I guess prepare to be let down?

So, knowing that's a given, what I'm more intersted in is why Erika is so desperately needy that she would put up with this (ok, finding a kindred dom for her submissive self is reason enough, but I honestly don't think that's what the series has in mind). She's going to need her own tragic backstory to explain her behavior. It's not like she has no friends at all (I almost cheered out loud when Sanda finally called her out on that point this episode, even though she was very low key about it - and she also hinted at recognizing the submissive in Erika. Wink ).
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Tanteikingdomkey



Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 2345
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:26 am Reply with quote
I only watched episode 2 All I can say is dear lord girl you are a textbook case of Stockholm syndrome in the making. And I am having an insanely hard time trying to figure out what the positive aspect of this series is supposed to be. I mean it is not cross ange bad but in it's own way I think it worse actually.

I fully understand that fiction is a good place to explore different things and things that are not necessarily healthy. However that does imply that there is something to find by exploring them. At this point there is nothing worth exploring in this series. The guy makes the male lead in 50 shades of gray look good and that is saying something!
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amcnulty



Joined: 29 Aug 2014
Posts: 48
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:45 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
But I don't know how you could have watched episode 3 without noticing the tragic backstory already being sketched out. I guess prepare to be let down?


Yeah, I think you're right... Darn! But spoiler[ I'm hoping it sticks to losing his mom (to death? divorce?) and not also something like his dad hates him, too. Although even that could be true since we haven't seen them interact.]

Quote:
So, knowing that's a given, what I'm more intersted in is why Erika is so desperately needy that she would put up with this (ok, finding a kindred dom for her submissive self is reason enough, but I honestly don't think that's what the series has in mind).


Who knows. Is her friendship with those two girls who don't even like her worth all of this? No. And I agree, the likelihood of this being a "this is a safe S&M" thing is low. I think I'm hoping for too much at this point!

...And I also do NOT think Kyoya is anywhere near Christian Grey-levels of dom (especially unless this show turns NC-17), but I can see why people would see the connection. (I'm really surprised he didn't contact her over the summer, though! Christian Grey definitely WOULD. He doesn't let his girlfriend even go to the bathroom without signing a contract or something.) Also, I admittedly have not actually read 50 Shades, but from what I've heard. Different strokes for different folks.
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Raneth



Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 271
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:42 pm Reply with quote
You've given me hope that this could be like an anime Gone Girl--a screwed up relationship between two people who want to manipulate each other for their own ends.

I would be so happy if that were the case, and not just another shoujo romance that starts with a screwed up male MC who is then "redeemed."
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amcnulty



Joined: 29 Aug 2014
Posts: 48
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:24 pm Reply with quote
Raneth wrote:
You've given me hope that this could be like an anime Gone Girl--a screwed up relationship between two people who want to manipulate each other for their own ends.

I would be so happy if that were the case, and not just another shoujo romance that starts with a screwed up male MC who is then "redeemed."


That's what I'm hoping for, but Erika and Kyoya are nowhere near the level of Amy and Nick... Don't be shocked if it winds up more the typical shojo after all.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:06 pm Reply with quote
amcnulty wrote:
Yeah, I think you're right... Darn! But spoiler[ I'm hoping it sticks to losing his mom (to death? divorce?) and not also something like his dad hates him, too. Although even that could be true since we haven't seen them interact.]

Well, even if it's not as extreme as spoiler["hates him," there are clearly abandonment issues that have been festering for years - one reason he values the loyalty of dogs who will not abandon him...except by dying. Oy, I fear there's going to be more to that story as well.]

amcnulty wrote:
And I agree, the likelihood of this being a "this is a safe S&M" thing is low. I think I'm hoping for too much at this point!

Well, just so I don't feel like I've crushed your hopes entirely, don't forget that they've already dropped in the D/s angle right out in the open, with Erika happily copping to having done bondage and Kyouya hopping right on board with that lie. Followed later by the kicker at the end of Ep. 2, and Sanda getting in those bits about "abandonment play," and "maybe he's tamed your heart" in this ep. So maybe hope is not entirely in vain after all. Wink

Seriously, they'll probably continue to tease that angle, but be too cowardly to actually go there. If they keep it up, it'll at least be fun to pick out the references until they have to commit to whatever they're really going for.
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manapear



Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 1524
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:50 pm Reply with quote
Nice review~. I was pretty sketch of the show just by the name and watching the PV, I wanted to be put-off but I was amused. I also appreciate the more fair and nuanced look at not just the series but genre and tropes than the other reviews of the first ep. It bugged me how down on the genre they were and kind of condescending, but this takes a better look and assessment at things.

I don't know if I'll really get around to watching the show, but I want to. As long as it doesn't try to give him a tragic backstory, I indeed can handle it. It's definitely the weakest point of these stories where they try and "justify" abusive behavior. (Which is why I liked AoHaru so much; Kou wasn't really abusive and at least he wasn't really singling people out in his treatment on top of having better emotional and background development.)

Looking forward to a review of the next few eps~.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:47 pm Reply with quote
Well, at least Takeru didn't name each of his beloved abs. Very Happy

Quote:
it doesn't...present the false narrative that a good woman can turn a jerk into a nice guy.

You don't think it's heading there? oO I'm also afraid Takeru will become a corner of the triangle, but it would be truly refreshing if they remained mutual friends.

Heh, Sanda outright called her a masochist this ep. Wink
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:48 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:

You don't think it's heading there? oO I'm also afraid Takeru will become a corner of the triangle, but it would be truly refreshing if they remained mutual friends.


I'm curious; Why would that be refreshing? This is fiction, not real life we're talking about here so characters are there for a reason.

There are two conditions for the "opposite sex friend" situation to occur, in fiction: 1 Homosexuality and 2 Prior or new commitments and even then, there's always a slim chance where the author needs something to happen...

This type of "trope" thinking is almost as bad as One True Paring which has also reared its ugly head here {The "not a love option" male friend would be refreshing but the OTP not happening is unthinkable? Speaking fictionally, that's a really one sided argument in favor of undesired originality}. These are some of the reasons I love the shounen romance Ichigo 100% which toys with both of these tropes {"Ha, take that, True Love!"} as well as others to its contested conclusion.

I'm still looking for its true shoujo equivalent where the obvious takes a backseat to, well, hormones. {That metaphor turned out weirder than I thought it would}
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Tanteikingdomkey



Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 2345
PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:44 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
Well, at least Takeru didn't name each of his beloved abs. Very Happy

Quote:
it doesn't...present the false narrative that a good woman can turn a jerk into a nice guy.

You don't think it's heading there? oO I'm also afraid Takeru will become a corner of the triangle, but it would be truly refreshing if they remained mutual friends.

Heh, Sanda outright called her a masochist this ep. Wink

spoiler[Not only does the series explain away why he is such a sadistic ass but it also turns the series into another one of those very generic shojo romances complete with holiday themed dance but also has her taming the bad boy and bringing him to heel] SO YAY someone is going to be in a lot of pain watching this series.
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SquadmemberRitsu



Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1391
PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 3:20 pm Reply with quote
Wait, are you saying there's going to be a Christmas episode? If so then count me as excited for that.

This show isn't quite as good as My Little Monster which aired exactly two years ago (Seriously, I miss that show so much and would literally figuratively kill for a Season 2 and/or a western release) but it's an above average shoujo romance with a good sense of humour and it's doing a pretty good job of filling that whole in my heart.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 8:52 pm Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:
Gina Szanboti wrote:
You don't think it's heading there? oO I'm also afraid Takeru will become a corner of the triangle, but it would be truly refreshing if they remained mutual friends.

I'm curious; Why would that be refreshing? This is fiction, not real life we're talking about here so characters are there for a reason.

Because it would be nice to not have all the drama of a triangle we already pretty much know the outcome of. And there are more possible reasons to have him as a friend than the 2 you mentioned. I enjoyed their scheming together against Kyou, and he'd be a different kind of sounding board for her than Sanda is, which could also be interesting. Without trying, they might actually make Kyou jealous, and it would be refreshing for that to be genuinely unfounded, instead of him just seeing something the two of them hadn't yet realized.

Tanteikingdomkey, thanks so much for that unmarked manga spoiler. No point in even speculating anymore, so I'll just take my leave now.
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grooven



Joined: 16 Aug 2006
Posts: 1424
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:50 pm Reply with quote
The more I want the show the more I dislike him and wonder why the main girl feels anything for him. There seem to be plenty of other side male characters that are better than him. It's a bit of a downer that she doesn't go for the other guys instead and end up with one of them too.
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puppy1843e



Joined: 06 Feb 2011
Posts: 101
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:23 pm Reply with quote
grooven wrote:
The more I want the show the more I dislike him and wonder why the main girl feels anything for him. There seem to be plenty of other side male characters that are better than him. It's a bit of a downer that she doesn't go for the other guys instead and end up with one of them too.


I'm completely caught up on the manga and he's still horrible. I like Erika, she reminds me of Hikari from Special A (dense but still sweet and hardworking), but Kyouya is just horrible. He supposedly likes her and yet he treats her like absolute dirt. spoiler[ Oh and his "backstory" doesn't justify it at all. I can recall only 2 times in about 40 something chapters he's showed her true affection.]
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