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EP. REVIEW: The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent


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Princess_Irene
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Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2599
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 6:07 am Reply with quote
Lord Vaultman wrote:
This may have been mentioned earlier but is anyone else noticing that the sub translations seem pretty further off than the usual sub translation?


I meant to say something in the review, but spaced out - the subs are very nearly quoting the novel translations a lot of the time (except the "ser" thing, which I hate). I just reread the second novel, and "escort" is the word used in the book's translations, for example. (I assumed it was used because it's a more old-fashioned word for "date," in keeping with the way Salutania is being presented.) I've seen a couple of other shows do this - Ronja the Robber's Daughter is almost word-for-word the first English translation of the novel - but it does stand out more here.
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Sketchor



Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 74
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 7:43 am Reply with quote
This show really makes my Tuesdays. I've started collecting the manga as well.

I feel it goes a bit far to say she's selectively dense or has regressed since earlier in the story.

I think Sei just isn't great with social interaction and also forgets about things she isn't focused on at the time, sort of a tunnel vision. She has always been a bit flustered by the handsome men doting on her, especially General Hawke. Her prior life may not have prepared her for the kinds of social interactions she's been having since she was summoned. I suppose it's not the best writing that she starts acting more like a love-struck teenager when Hawke is around but plenty of adults can act that way as well.

However, I will admit that Sei not realizing Elizabeth was the Marquis' daughter does seem like some selective density. I do think it's entirely reasonable that her focus on training and the lessons as well as her lack of interactions with Liz as of late could explain why she didn't think of Liz . She was able to recollect Liz's family name and the situation that Liz asked Sei to help with when prompted but it was probably not at the front of her mind until they started chatting over tea.

No doubt Sei has a lot on her mind lately and she's preparing to take on more responsibility. Sei told Yuri that she expects to help out on missions in the future as the Saint or otherwise even though she'd rather not disrupt her comfortable life. And she's showing concern for Aira and I hope those two can finally talk soon.
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andramus



Joined: 19 Apr 2020
Posts: 162
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2021 3:13 pm Reply with quote
I don't know how much of this to blame on the source material but I got mad when I saw Sei being squeezed into that corset. Mad at Sei that is. For not putting her foot down and saying "No way in hell am I wearing that!" Or at least mad that her character wasn't written that way.

I get her character is meant to be a saint and not the kind to ever ask for anything for herself but there are limits. I respect the fact that when you are a stranger in a strange land there is virtue in learning and showing respect for the local customs. However Sei didn't ask to be there, she was essentially abducted and then asked to be the saviour of the people who abducted her. It wouldn't hurt for Sei to assert herself just a little IMHO.

Just imagine Sei had been transported to a fantasy world where she was expected to wear bikini armour. Would she have gone along with it then so as not to give offense? I'm almost inclined to think she might.
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
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PostPosted: Sat May 15, 2021 9:34 pm Reply with quote
Hmm, I don't think the corset is a big deal. Corsets are still worn today for functional reasons in addition to or without regard to, appearance reasons. The exaggerated way they put her in one is also more of a tropey movie version way to do it as opposed to how it's really done.

It's also not unusual to wear more formal (and many would say uncomfortable) clothing for important events and gatherings (or practicing for such occasions).

I get what you're going for with the comparison andramus, but I would say that wearing more formal clothing then you're used to is something people most people would be willing to do, as opposed to much less clothing.
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Cryten



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
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PostPosted: Sat May 15, 2021 9:55 pm Reply with quote
And its not like Sei is known for pushing herself to the point of pain to do her duties right? The episode past we have already seen people worried about Sei's health. And I heard that part of the missed content of novel one was about how Sei on arrival had a far more gaunt appearance because of over working on her office job. One of the reasons she was dismissed on sight by Kyle.

However I do think that use of a corset to force a belly and waist shape at the cost of squeezing your organs and bones is nasty. Used in moderation it can be fashionable but it was often a device of harmful body modification.
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andramus



Joined: 19 Apr 2020
Posts: 162
PostPosted: Sat May 15, 2021 10:51 pm Reply with quote
On reflection I think my language in my previous comment came on a bit too strong. I wasn't mad so much as annoyed that I felt like Sei was being pressured to wear what looked like incredibly uncomfortable clothing. Clothing that she would never be expected to wear in her former life.

We all grow up with invisible - as well as overt and visible - pressure on us to dress and look a certain way especially in formal settings. Women in particular cop the brunt of it. Growing up male I never had to deal with that pressure in any significant way but I've always hated restrictive clothing and dressed as loosely as possible whenever possible. A particular bugbear of mine is ties because I don't like the feeling of having something around my neck.

So in a lot of ways I'm just an outsider looking in but I've always been glad that I've never had to wear high heels or corsets and annoyed when I see depictions of female characters seemingly being forced/required to wear that sort of attire. If they actively want to wear these things and feel like they look good in them or enjoy the positive attention they get that's one thing. When it's more like a mandatory dress code it bugs me.

There's a weekly anime podcast I listen to where one week they were talking about Log Horizon and That Time I Re-incarnated as a Slime. One of the podcasters complained that they were annoyed with Rimuru and the Adventurers in Log Horizon's perceived passivity and trying to appease the local inhabitants of their respective worlds. They felt like the characters were so OP they could just ride roughshod over the inhabitants and didn't need to spend so much effort trying to appease them.

I didn't really agree with that sentiment at the time but in Sei's case - the way she depicted in the anime at least - she is a little bit too passive for my liking. I just recently watched Snow White with the Red Hair which feels a little bit similar to this anime and so far I prefer Shirayuki's character to Sei's because Shirayuki it just that little bit more assertive.
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Alan45
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010
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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 7:46 am Reply with quote
@andramus

I think you miss the point here. Sei is being dressed up like that as part of her classes to learn to fit into the upper class society she finds herself associating with. She is taking these classes at her request. It would be sort of silly to ask for training and then refuse to cooperate. Sei's reaction shows that the corset is uncomfortable to put on. But then so is a lot of clothing in history. Some times a degree of discomfort is the price of fitting in. This is especially true of the upper/ruling classes who always seem to adopt uncomfortable clothing.

When we first saw Sei in episode 1, she was wearing a woman's business suit. I'd bet that if we had seen her co-workers that the men all would have been wearing ties. She understands the concept of dressing appropriately for the circumstances.
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andramus



Joined: 19 Apr 2020
Posts: 162
PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 2:09 pm Reply with quote
Alan45 wrote:
@andramus

She is taking these classes at her request.


Well that makes a big difference. I missed the bit where she requested it. I will say that I was always fine with Sei learning things like court etiquette and how to dance. Different cultures have different manners and it's good sense to learn those things in order to avoid offending others or at least to avoid doing so intentionally.

All that said haven't their always been trendsetters when it comes to fashion? If Sei had shown up at a dance dressed differently then as the Saint she probably would kick off a new fashion trend.

I felt like the outfit Sei wore when she first appeared before the King in court looked much more comfortable than the corset that seemed like her organs were being rearranged by.
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Alan45
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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 7:00 pm Reply with quote
Sei is trying to make a place for herself in the world she now inhabits. She wants to fit in, not stand out. To refuse their customs would be self defeating. One of her main objections to being the Saint is the attention it brings. Refusing to conform to local clothing culture would not help her. Keep in mind that Sei comes from a culture that does not look on standing out favorably.
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andramus



Joined: 19 Apr 2020
Posts: 162
PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 5:14 am Reply with quote
Alan45 wrote:
Sei is trying to make a place for herself in the world she now inhabits. She wants to fit in, not stand out. To refuse their customs would be self defeating. One of her main objections to being the Saint is the attention it brings. Refusing to conform to local clothing culture would not help her. Keep in mind that Sei comes from a culture that does not look on standing out favorably.


Yeah, I've realized I made the mistake of projecting how I would want to handle a situation like that if it was it was me onto the character instead of allowing that character to be their own person.

The thing is I probably wouldn't be much more assertive than Sei is it's just that I would like to be. From what I've read around the internet the general consensus seems to be that isekai protagonists are usually self-insert characters. However I think there's a caveat in that we want the self-insert to be the idealized version of ourselves rather than who we would actually be in that situation.
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Cryten



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 978
PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 6:36 am Reply with quote
Its allright, sometimes we really get into a story and get annoyed at characters not behaving how we want. You should of seen the arguments in the reincarnated as a slime thread when Rimuru threatened to and then went ahead and killed 20,000 soldiers one sidedly. A bunch including myself where hoping he would consider the moral implications of sacrificing enemy combatants for his own gain. The fact is we do project our own desires on characters. It can take a few moments to accept characters as different to our ideal version of them.
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Cryten



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 978
PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2021 6:13 pm Reply with quote
Its a very Japanese story to have someone cursed by sticking out too much. For others to act on your behalf in a bad way because you do not know how to fit in.

A lot of context for Aira and Kyle learned today and I am very glad for it. Interestingly Kyle seems to be setting up for a civil war even before he knew of his mistake. The way he is framing his retainers as people loyal to him and their duty to the point of death smacks of a ruler mindset controlling his pieces. And it all reinforces that Kyle, while less dense then previously shown, is still heavily biased and controlling thus making him unlikeable to those who notice.

I think Aira might be a little too sympathetic with those around her.
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Yttrbio
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Joined: 09 Jun 2011
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PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2021 7:47 pm Reply with quote
Cryten wrote:
The way he is framing his retainers as people loyal to him and their duty to the point of death smacks of a ruler mindset controlling his pieces.
His framing is specifically that it's the duty of him and his retainers because they are nobles (and, presumably, not of Aira)
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Cryten



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
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PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2021 7:50 pm Reply with quote
Yes but he frames it to say that his loyalty is that to him as his chosen future Prime Minister. He is not just encouraging duty of nobles but loyalty unto death.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2021 7:52 pm Reply with quote
It felt to me like Aira was being bullied, in a rather passive aggressive way at least. Those girls went out of their way to separate her from a potential friend, after confronting her about hogging Kyle's time (shades of the typical "prince" fan club girls, even though they framed it as being about his fiancée). They don't seem to realize she's supposed to be the Saint? Or they just don't care? I dunno.

I think Damian might be falling for her...

Little Brother seems nice.

Since it's so common in isekai, I guess I hadn't thought about it much until seeing the contrast here, but Sei doesn't seem to have anyone back home that she misses or wants to return to. I imagine that in the end, if Aira still wants to go home, Sei can probably send her back.

Again, it was weird that Aira noticed Sei's "black" hair, when most of the girls in this episode have the same shades of brown as Aira and Sei. Sei's might be a #hex or two darker than everyone else's, but it's still brown. Razz
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