Re: megami ML matome okuri


to megami@ML.usagi.org
from Les Jenkins <casotaku@earthlink.net>
subject Re: megami ML matome okuri
date Sat, 02 May 1998 10:09:32 -0400

Kevin Barth wrote:

> I have thought about that possibility before.  It presents an interesting
> slant on the "is Kami-sama Bell-san's father" question.  Please consider -
> would any woman, divine or otherwise, accept this sort of meddling from her
> supervisor?

I'd imagine that would depend on whether or not her supervisor happened to be God.

Some might argue that God can do whatever the hell he pleases, pun intended.

> I find it intrinsically dissatisfying to say that a relationship is "fated"
> to succeed.

I don't necessarily think that Bell and Kei's relationship is "fated" to succeed,

but at the same time I've seen little to imply that it's in danger of failing. Each

trial they've gone through so far has only furthered their feelings for each other.

When their are signs of the relationship faltering then I'll begin to worry.

>  By making this assumption we can enjoy the steps taken toward
> the ultimate conclusion, but we lose the enjoyment of uncertainty of that
> conclusion.  For example: around episode 48 of Maison Ikkoku, we are just
> beginning to realize that the Kyoko/Godai relationship is "fated" to
> succeed, and that Shun really doesn't have a chance.  How does this affect
> how we view the characters?  Well for one thing, we may start to get really
> annoyed at Godai when he leads on Kozue, and/or Kyoko when she leads on
> Shun.  Since the outcome is no longer in doubt, their actions are less
> acceptable and less enjoyable.  If, however, we do not believe that the
> relationship is fated, and view these same actions from a more objective
> standpoint, they are enjoyable and add to the story.

The above is all highly subjective and dependent on the individual and how
perceptive they may happen to be. Assuming for a moment that most readers outside

of Japan don't have knowledge of how Maison Ikkoku ends (which most do) whether or

not they'd be able to tell by episode 48 that Godai and Kyoko are fated will depend

on each individual's perceptiveness. Even if one is able to tell, that doesn't
necessarily diminish the enjoyment of the other remaining episodes. Humans are
funny creatures and will often deny things about themselves that are obvious to
others. One of my past relationships started off in a similar manner to the story

in MI (which is part of why I relate to it so well). The two of us went round and

round in circles for months refusing to admit to ourselves that we were developing

feelings for each other. We drove our friends, to whom it was painfully obvious, up

the wall. Eventually we did realize and made it official, but what takes place in

MI happens all the time in real life. Does that diminish how enjoyable the story
is? Depends on how easily annoyed you are I'd imagine.

> Similarly, if K1 and Bell are "fated" to succeed in their relationship, a
> lot of the plot of the manga loses much of its power.  What the secondary
> characters do becomes more and more unimportant, because we KNOW that in the
> end K1 and Bell are going to wind up arm in arm.

Based on the outcome of several of the major stories in the manga so far I'd have

to say it's hard to imagine how they COULDN'T end up arm in arm. This is part of
why I thought the story over volumes 4 & 5 of the OAV series was so great. There
was a real chance there for awhile that circumstances beyond their control were
about to seperate them. Mara couldn't have planned a better way to break them up
and it was only through the actions of Urd and Skuld that they got lucky enough to

stay together. Belldandy was perfectly willing to accept her fate as she appeared

to feel she had no choice in the matter. Had the secondary characters not acted,
they would have been seperated.

> In short, you may be right, and Bell and K1 may be headed for an eternity of
> bliss together.  But I don't want to know about it if it's true, because it
> would take away a certain aspect of uncertainty that makes the series for me.

Appearances at the moment would almost seem to guarantee it, but Fujishima still
has lots of stories to tell and he may decide to embark on a series that really
brings their future into question. I know I'd love to see such a story. :-)

Les

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Les Jenkins is The Casual Otaku       (http://casualotaku.dreamhost.com/)
To email me remove the words NOSPAM from my address.        Atheist #1085



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