FantasticMrMac

FantasticMrMac

Writer (socially acceptable schizorphrenic) and reader. Graduate of Stevenson University with a Bachelors of Arts in English language and Literature. Native son of Baltimore.

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Latest Articles

Latest Topics

3

Relationship Between Heroes and Villains

Analyse the dynamic between heroes and villains and how those interactions carry the story or if they’re bad, how they are a detriment to the plot.

  • I think that this would need to be narrowed in a bit, just because we can't consider every hero/villain pair in anime at once. A good direction to go here might be to either focus in on a small number of series (maybe even just one) and analyze the relationships there, or to break the types of hero/villain relationships into larger archetypes/categories, find some solid examples in anime that emulate each of those classifications, and use them to help define each category by example. – crpreble 8 years ago
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  • Great idea, but it would be nice if you provide some instances of where this dynamic exists. How did you come about this topic? Was there a particular work that you read that inspired this thread of thought. One of my favorite relationships to examine is that of God and Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost. The reason being, who is to say who is the true hero? The definition of a hero is one who falls, and then rises. Satan is the epitome of this as he is cast from Heaven to the depths of hell, only to visit the earthly realm and entice Eve to sample the fruit from the tree of knowledge, thus leading to the implementation of original sin, and the fall of mankind. Some of the most interesting hero/villain relationships to explore are the ones where the distinction between the two are less defined. – danielle577 8 years ago
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  • This could be a series of articles about different universes and/or different types of relationships. I feel that this could be interesting in terms of, say, the different Batman villains. But that would be a different article than talking about the relationship between Aizen and Ichigo in Bleach or Darren Cross and Scott Lang in Ant Man. – nsiegel 8 years ago
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  • Well there has to be a theme like any story. You have a good guy and bad guy and within those personas there underlies a story who overall contributes as to a balance of the main storyline as a whole. – richardperez 8 years ago
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  • This is interesting, I would take the dynamic between heroes and villains from such a broad scale to just focusing on a few characters, like Thor and Loki, because they are also enemies but have a familial relationship. – emilyinmannyc 8 years ago
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  • This is a great topic, but needs to be more specific. Maybe draw similarities between a couple villain and hero characters and evaluate the patterns of how the relationship dynamic effects the plot and other characters, etc. – Morgan R. Muller 8 years ago
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No-Kill Rule: Idealism vs Pragmatism

There are many heroes that adhere to a strict "no-killing" rule and there are several heroes that absolutely don’t. For instance, Batman and The Midnighter. Analyse which approach makes more sense from an idealistic standpoint as well as a pragmatic standpoint.

  • This is a fascinating concept, but terrifyingly broad. Maybe you could pick two specific heroes to contrast? Batman versus pretty much anyone else? I have Trigun on the brain because I just finished it, but a contrast between Trigun and Wolfwood would be interesting, especially because they are both mitigated versions of other's more extreme philosophies (Ren and Knives, to some extent). Also, the show definitely seemed to priviledge Vash's perspective, but, as the viewer, I'm still not sold that he's right, even in his fictional universe. – thekellyfornian 8 years ago
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  • I think adding the "Yes-Kill" rule to a character adds the ability to really flesh out a character. Most characters who kill are not unaffected. Usually they deal with moral issues and regret. A character with a "No Kill" rule, would not have these issues and therefore it'd be harder to flesh out the character and make them feel real to readers. Not to say it doesn't work, it just evokes a much different type of connection. – Tatijana 8 years ago
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  • I think it's interesting some of the greatest characters for DC do not kill and the best character, in my opinion, for Marvel, The Punisher, does. A lot. I find that interesting because typically one associates DC comics with a grittier feel and Marvel with a brighter tone. Maybe an examination of each universe and the prevailing philosophies of the leading heroes? – Bo 8 years ago
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  • I think examining the moral question--examining those situations when it is justifiable to kill for the sake of the common good--would be of great importance here. For instance, despite his no-kill stance, would it be better for Batman, in some instances, to kill in order to prevent more harm (e.g., should he kill the Joker)? – Luthien 8 years ago
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  • It's all about personal philosophy...Are you asking about what would make a character who doesn't kill kill someone? To protect those they love... Or they will always find another way. -Rurouni Kenshin -Aang ,Last Airbender It is a very heroic and philosophical ideal, but can be perceived as a weakness. – Candice Evenson 8 years ago
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Latest Comments

FantasticMrMac

Personal views aside, this a very well-written article and the points are very valid. Diversity is a thing desired in every medium and there’s no better way to get it than for someone to step up and create it.

Sexuality in American Superhero Comics
FantasticMrMac

Total War games always get me interested in the historical basis for them.

How the 'Total War' Series Remolds Our Perception of History
FantasticMrMac

I agree that Gohan is easily the most mishandled character in Z, though it’s the fans in Japan who are to blame. Gohan was supposed to lead the series after the Frieza saga as well as Cell, but EVERYONE wanted Goku to live so Toriyama bent to their wishes. It’s a shame.

He could have been a star.

Top Ten Misused Dragon Ball Characters
FantasticMrMac

Though Frank Miller has gone from a sensational writer to essentially a parody and husk of what he used to be, I am looking forward to Dark Knight III, if only because I love Batman and I love the original TDKR.

Frank Miller really took Batman from the blue, gray and yellow to that classic grey and black, big bat. Honestly, I can’t wait to get back into that world.

Frank Miller's Return To Batman Comics
FantasticMrMac

Of all the representations of love in Naruto, the ones that strike a cord with me the most is the Uchiha aspect of love. The fact that loss of love is the trigger for the Sharingan really made sense in the context of the world. Interesting read.

Love in Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto
FantasticMrMac

Great article. Mass Effect is one of my favorite video game series. I thoroughly enjoyed being Renegade Shepard when it suited me and Paragon. It’s a beautiful system of choice that definitely has a way of shaping the story and your interactions with the other characters in the story.

Awesome job.

The Role of Choice in the Mass Effect Universe