Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Seirei Gensouki - Spirit Chronicles
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Melicans
Posts: 620 Location: Canada |
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I very much agree on this week's review regarding Sayo. Unfortunately, this is again down to cut material. In volume 3 we spend a lot more of those two years with her and we can see her love growing for him over that time. It is much more meaningful in the novels.
I'm not as optimistic as Rebecca in the amount left to adapt though; this episode covered the rest of volume 3 and part of volume four. Based on the intro and outro, we have three episodes to cover a volume and a half, and it is VERY meaty stuff. It will be a real struggle and I don't see it being a positive end. Finishing at volume 4 would have been much smarter. And can I just say that, though a minor character overall, Shin's growth is one of the best I have seen in any episode. He doesn't rage and stay an ass to the MC, he doesn't cause multiple problems that he later needs saving from or cause any disaster from his jealousy. He may not like Rio, but he has gone from not standing him to become able to put any enmity aside for the sake of his sister. Despite his dislike, he acknowledges Rio's talents and still respects him.
This leads again back to cut content. Minor spoilers because it is for something like 12 volumes later, but spoilers nonetheless: spoiler[His father's friend/mother's retainers who he met in last episode pledge their loyalty to him and wish to accompany him back. Rio declines because he can fly to the Spirit Folk village in a few days, and a few days more to return to Beltrum. On foot it would take minimum two years, including at least one year in dangerous explored wilderness with creatures like the wyverns. Rio considered it too dangerous for Komomo, who would obviously go with her parents, let alone any others.] This conversation was cut, but it leads into what we DO see in the episode which is Sayo being asked if she is willing to go despite the danger and difficulty. spoiler[This is because despite Rio's refusal, they still consider him their lord as his mother's son. In their minds, staying behind isn't even an option. So they follow after him regardless, determined to follow him all the way to Beltrum on foot. Sayo, Shin, and a couple of other noncombatants go with them. And in those 15 volumes or so later on, it turns out to be quite a good thing that they did because they multiple lives of people he cares about, most of whom will not be introduced in this adaptation.]
Glad that it wasn't just me who thought so! |
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Cryten
 Posts: 987 |
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Those kind of details you mention in your spoilers would at least give the show more of a sense that others are acting as characters of their own even if its in service to the main character. Its a sin that I lob at Slime, and to a lesser extent realist hero, as well: that too many people seem to only act on the main character behest. Like they dont have their own decisions and considerations in life.
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sadoldguy
Posts: 68 |
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I see where they are going with this super rushed adaptation but it is basically spoiler city. spoiler[ Rio's childhood friend Celia saves Rio's soul in the beginning of the story so Rio saves Celia from being forced to be married to his torturer Charles Arbor. Then Haruto's childhood friend Mii-chan shows up in Rio's world. So mirrors. Just be glad that you are missing Takatrash.]
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Melicans
Posts: 620 Location: Canada |
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With the speed they will need to go through what is left, I'm expecting spoiler[the three to appear and be rescued at the end of episode 10], with spoiler[introductions and explanations at the beginning of 11 leading to Rio hearing about the marriage at the end of that episode, and his abduction/rescue of her capping off the series in the final episode.] |
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sadoldguy
Posts: 68 |
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Yet another spoiler from the light novels: spoiler[ the Arbor family has basically overthrown the government of the Kingdom of Beltrum by cooperating with an apparent Big Bad, the Proxia Empire (name a bit on the nose). The Arbor family's power did not come from actual accomplishments but by treachery: the senior Arbor tricked the previous king in his dementia into making himself head of the King's Guard and hiring all of the useless 3rd, 4th, etc sons as part of it in exchange for bribes. The son, Charles Arbor, has used the Arbor family's position to completely eliminate any noble families with people with more talent than him. Forcing Celia Claire to marry Charles consolidates the neutral families under the Arbor faction. Without her childhood friend's Rio and Aria by her side, she falls into despair and does not fight the terrible marriage; it takes Rio far more effort to convince her to follow her heart than to actually fight off the entire Beltrum army. ]
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Melicans
Posts: 620 Location: Canada |
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Looks like I got the order of events slightly mixed up in my prediction (hey, it's been a while since I read the novels)!
spoiler[Celia indeed has no choice and is being forced to marry him, though I won't spoil why. In the five years since Rio left Beltram the kingdom has fallen to the point it is almost collapsed]. Celia is well aware of who Charles is and she knows that he is the one who tortured Rio, but she really doesn't have any choice in the matter. In terms of noble women's rights around marriage, there really aren't any. With the exception of spoiler[Liselotte], everyone marries who they are told to for the benefit of their factions; even Christina and Flora don't have any choices. (spoiler[Liselotte is the sole exception because after regaining her memories as Rikka she made a deal with her father - a very high-ranking noble - that if she finished her studies within a certain time and made a successful business she would be free to choose her own marriage partner, not wanting archaic noble engagements to tie her down from loving freely. Her father agreed thinking it wouldn't actually happen, but the success of the Rikka Guild is so great that even the king of her kingdom abides by her father's agreement, fearing that ostracizing her could cause their economy to plunge. This becomes a major plot point around volume 15-17]). When it comes to Aisha's personality, it's pretty much down to the speed they're adapting it. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 2607 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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I feel like that's at the root of most of this series' problems. It's a shame - I'd almost have preferred a "read the novels, kids" version that covered fewer books but with more fidelity. |
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Melicans
Posts: 620 Location: Canada |
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In my mind volume 4 was always the logical stopping point for the anime. I understand them wanting to push into volume 5 because Celia is such an important character, and it reconnects the series to the beginning; without that aspect it could well seem more disjointed. But in terms of what you describe volume 4 should have been where they end, and is where I always thought it would run to. At least they haven't tried to compress an entire volume into a single episode like Date A Live 3 did. In a lot of respects it is a shame. I'm still (somehow) enjoying the series, but the novels really hooked me. I'd bought the first volume but not read it for over a year. Then I was bored and decided to finally read it. By the end of that day I'd read the first seven volumes and bought the rest. Not to say that would be the case for everyone, but the series really did grab me to that extent. I liked that it didn't fall into typical isekai traps and it felt fresh. Still does with the later volumes. |
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Cryten
Posts: 987 |
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People keep saying that but, at least for the anime, Im not sure what isekai traps it doesnt fall into. Certainly seems to fall into the harem gathering, over powered protagonist of supreme competence traps. There was some interesting stuff in the first arc with him having to bear the derision of the upper castes and being made into a scape goat. But the personality he showed as Rio seemed to get sand blasted off himself after he left. Though I am prepared for most of that being a consequence of having no time to develop anything meaningful with The Rushing, |
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andramus
 Posts: 165 |
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Whilst this isekai has some of the same pitfalls of many others of it's ilk ie. OP protagonist with a harem of sorts I've found myself much more engaged with the story and the protagonist than many of it's brethren.
It has a couple of things going for it that for me set it apart. I think this might be the first reincarnated isekai protagonist who identifies more strongly with their present life than their past one that I've come across. When Rio awakened to his past life memories as Haruto I feel like it gave him a bit more perspective and added level-headedness but he chose to hold onto his identity and the things that mattered to him as Rio. Most of the reincarnated isekai protagonists I'm familiar with from anime know about their past lives from birth. The two exceptions are Katarina and Myne. In the case of Myne it's pretty much been stated that the original Myne died and her body was taken over by another soul. In Katarina's case she seemed to have a change of personality after bumping her head and awakening her past life memories. Katarina never seems to have any kind of conflict about her identity nor much in the way of regrets about the past life she left behind. So comparing Myne and Katarina to Rio feels a bit like apples and oranges. Another thing I think this series has going for it is related to the fact the protagonist identifies so strongly with his current life and that is his drive to learn more about himself and his family history. It's not that other isekai protagonists lack motivation but so much of what drives them is tied to their previous lives. Rio's motivations are almost exclusively tied to his present life. This series is intriguing enough to me that I plan to read the novels when it ends. I've actually been a bit disappointed that Rebecca hasn't found as much merit in this series as I have but I wonder if I'm grading it on a curve by comparing it to other isekai of it's ilk. One thing I think was a trifle unfair about this most recent review was Rebecca's disappointment with the revelation of the spirit that was sleeping in Rio. Mainly because I thought it was almost certain that was going to be the case. I think Rebecca misinterpeted Rio's identity conflict early on as something it wasn't and ran with it. Every time Rebecca speculated that Haruto was a separate entity to Rio over the last few weeks I've thought to myself that she was on the wrong track and I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. This might be unfair of me but I worry that the disappointment over the story not turning out the way Rebecca wanted/hoped affected her grade/opinion of the episode. The main reason that would bother me is because I think there was a lot of strong circumstantial evidence from early on that the spirit in Rio was the girl it turned out to be and not Haruto. I never thought Haruto and Rio were separate entities and a few weeks ago when Latifa confided to Rio that she was reincarnated he told her he was as well. If the story had done something to raise hopes or expectations that it would turn out a certain way and then dashed those hopes it would be reasonable to be let down and downgrade the episode as a result. I don't think that was the case in this instance. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2607 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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Totally fair interpretation of my review - I can see where I gave that impression. I was disappointed by that revelation (and you're right, I was misinterpreting earlier information), but I gave the episode a low grade because I didn't think it did much, if anything, to actively develop the story and Aishia as a character beyond the bare minimum rather than because I was upset by being wrong. After all, I'm often wrong - no one to blame but myself for that! 
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andramus
Posts: 165 |
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I was worried that I was misinterpreting your review and being unfair on you so I'm glad you weren't offended by my previous comment. I find it hard to express different points of view or to disagree with someone in a way that doesn't come across as a personal attack/criticism. I'm always striving to find the correct language but my comments often end up overly wordy as a result. I don't know if the anime will put you off doing so but I would be interested to read your reviews of the light novels. Particularly the novels that were covered by this series for the sake of comparison. My main criticisms of the series are that Rio is a little too OP and the harem elements. I think the gifts he got in the Forest of Spirits village are really what pushed him over the edge in terms of being OP for me. Whilst he struggled early on in his life at the village stage it felt like he had everything fall into his lap. It would be one thing if he was just a really powerful fighter who might be one of the strongest in the world but everything else is a little too convenient for him now. As far as the harem elements go I've never been as bothered by them as some people. In principle I don't find the concept of an individual who has multiple people sexually/romantically attracted to them unrealistic. As I've been exposed to more series with harem protagonists my biggest problem is that the harem members are often underdeveloped and are defined almost entirely in terms of their relationship to the protagonist. An additional problem I have is that most harem's feel "unearned". Typically the protagonist rescues the harem member and treats them nicely/decently and it's instant love/infatuation. I realised recently that something I appreciate about the harem elements in Re:Zero is that Subaru "earns" his harem by forming and developing what feel like much more genuine relationships. It also helps that despite his flaws I think Subaru has a lot of personality and charisma. Not long ago I was thinking that there was something about Subaru's charisma that reminded me of David Tennant's Doctor from Doctor Who. At the time and probably even now you could say David Tennant had a harem of fans who idolised him and fantasised about being with him romantically. Some of them at least might have even been willing to share him so long as they got a seat at the table. Ironically Subaru became infatuated with Emilia for much the same reasons harem members usually fall in love with their protagonists. Emilia saved his life and treated him with kindness. It also helped that she was incredibly beautiful. |
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Cryten
Posts: 987 |
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I think many people are not so much bothered by harems so much as they find them trite. An overdone indulgence that works when your younger or before you experience the element again and again. When you are younger you connect with that desire of finding all the ladies attractive (or men for the female views in reverse harems), later you start wanting characters to be more then just a clean face and interesting clothing designs. And infusing characters with more real personality begs the question why would so many people not want to move their relationships forward and try and remove rivals who are too pushy. Why would they faithfully wait months and years for a person offering no serious prospects for them, why do they not consider other parts of their life. What I am saying is its easier to accept as wish fulfilment where personality doesnt matter. But once you want the characters to start having lives the idea breaks down.
And that is the other half, even as wish fulfilment it spoils the story when the rewards dont feel connected to a characters efforts, struggle or circumstances. And I dont mean circumstances where he's a buff hero lets just give him all the eligible females of the village as tribute. To be honest this series is only a minor offender. Its wish fulfilment in that he is making girls swoon every location he visits but it doesnt seem that impractical. But assigning him a bunch of attendants at the elf and beastmen village as recompense for them protecting their borders over zealously felt contrived. Especially with the lack of detail outside of their admiration for Rio they have. And then when he starts getting girls making moon eyes at him as soon as he arrives (Japanese village) that makes my own eyes roll. |
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Gina Szanboti
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That part actually strikes me as fairly realistic. It's not a stretch to imagine the village girls being interested in the handsome, eligible bachelor who just dropped in on them. It's that "new kid on the block" cachet at work. What's unbelievable is how they're all ready to throw everything away just to stay by his side, even if he's friend-zoned them all. |
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Melicans
Posts: 620 Location: Canada |
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A totally fair point of view, and one I can't really disagree with for this adaptation. It may be because I am a fan of the novels (I certainly cannot claim I do not have a bias), but I really do think this is because of the speed of adaptation. Absolutely the novels skirts typical isekai/harem traps by a thin margin but it is the fast pace of the anime that causes it to fall in entirely; I would argue the manga has the same issues as the anime (if not worse in some cases) so that really isn't a good alternative way to go through the series. By racing through plot point to plot point, it skips almost all of the development of characters to reach the checkpoints. Thus Rio comes across as bland, Aisha seems to have no personality, Stewart is an asshole just because, Christina is a snob, Dominic is a drunk, and the beast girls are bland. And none of this is the case in the novels.
Rebecca did review volume 1 almost three years ago, but I would be interested in seeing her revisit it and later volumes after this series too. I'm interested in how her view of volume 1 will have changed, and how volumes 2 onwards would affect her overall impression of the series as a whole (no pressure Rebecca, we know you're busy!). |
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