Day 24 - Favorite anime hero or heroine

[sara_tanaquil]

Now see, this question is just impossible. Seriously, I'm supposed to be able to pick just one? So, rather than agonize over which hero/heroine of which favorite series we've already discussed to death deserves this honor, I will seize this opportunity to squee about my NEW favorite hero. As of, like, five days ago.

Day 24 - Favorite anime hero or heroine



I tried to read a chapter or two of the manga once a long time ago, and somehow didn't get into it. Who was it who said I should make sure to keep watching up through episode 40 or so if it didn't grab me right away? You guys, it took three episodes. Max. To get from "OK, the art is kind of weird, but the characters are cute, and this Zoro guy seems pretty cool" to "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE ARE ONLY 500 EPISODES, GIVE ME THE NEXT ONE I'M IN WITHDRAWAL RIGHT NOW."

I am currently at episode 39 (in the middle of the Arlong story arc). That number should probably have increased by another ten or so by tomorrow.

The Usopp establishing story was <3, and the Zoro backstory was !;_;, and the Sanji backstory was !!!!!T_T, and the Nami backstory is $*&%#T_T;_;T_T!!!!. Exactly which one of those was the one I was supposed to get addicted by? Because seriously, I can't tell, they were/are all freaking kickass.

Anyway, I love all the characters, and it's entirely possible I might end up with another favorite, but right now I just adore Luffy. I don't even want to slash him with anyone. He's adorable. So happy and bouncy one minute, and totally deadpan when everyone else is freaking out the next, and then there are those rare moments when someone messes with his nakama and he gets PISSED. His Japanese voice actor is made of perfect (they all are, really, but especially his).

This show even makes me love the shounen formula again. I don't think I've watched a true shounen fight show since Rurouni Kenshin. "Don't tell me... it's the XXXXX technique! NO ONE CAN SURVIVE THAT!" I had forgotten its totally absurd charm.

If you are the approximately one other person on my flist who hasn't discovered this series yet, it's streaming on Funimation/Hulu. For a limited time, all the episodes are available -- it's not really clear to me how many will be available once the celebration of episode #500 is over, but whatever. Run, don't walk, etc.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to watch another couple of episodes before bed. I'm sure I can fit in at least one after breakfast, and another over lunch hour.

[And I have no doubt at all that I have much yet to learn, but please, I am entirely One Piece spoiler free at the moment! So, NO SPOILERS past episode 40! Remember that span tags don't work in the comments.]

Comments

[wednesday-10-00.livejournal.com]

I don't remember much about Usopp, either (something about a girl? and a bunch of kids with vegetable names? and that's when they get Merry?), but Zoro had the girlfriend friend who was a girl who fell down the stairs and died. Which...I always thought was a little ridiculous, honestly.

[sara-tanaquil.livejournal.com]

Usopp's story isn't as dramatic as the others, I just love him as a character. The rich girl has the 19th-century wasting illness that turns out to be plain old depression and he tells her stories to cheer her up until they discover the caretaker is evil. (And yeah, his fake kid pirate gang all had vegetable names, I don't know what that was all about.) And they get Merry from the nice butler who inexplicably has sheep hair.

The death-by-stairs IS pretty ridiculous, but I get a little misty whenever they flash back on him swearing he'll become even stronger so he can carry her share (how do you even translate that "bun" thing? that never seems to come across properly in translation...). It's more bittersweet than tragic/romantic, I guess.

Also, agreed on episode 37. Though it had me long before that.

[manga-crow.livejournal.com]

Also, Usopp has his parents' story, which is that his father is a pirate who left, and his mother died right after, so he grew up an orphan.

"I'll get so strong that my name will reach the heavens" - that's definitely a misty-time quote for me

[collarnojutsu.livejournal.com]

Yes, this was what I was trying to remember - which I sort of ended up doing anyway and just posted, lol -I had not remembered about his mother, though. Thanks.

[collarnojutsu.livejournal.com]

Whoops, sorry, I didn't see your reply since it wasn't to me, and I basically just repeated what you explained (hah.. I spam your comments, sorry, and also thanks for the refresher.) I still don't remember the circumstances around the Zoro & girl though, just that there was one. Eh, whatevs. I might actually watch a few eps tonight for the fun of it since I'm in pirate phase today I guess, though I really should clean the kitchen instead. ;)

I think I actually stopped at episode 50, but I'm sure I read well past that in the manga, though I've gotten confused as to what is sort of filler and what is not, and between the two I'm pretty thoroughly confused as to the timeline of the story as I know it. >_>;;

[collarnojutsu.livejournal.com]

something about a girl? ... but Zoro had the girlfriend friend

I was thinking more along the lines of Usopp's father which I sort of figured out myself. He left them to join the pirate gang that Luffy idolizes. (This is what I had forgotten, I think.) I believe you're referring to Kaya, the sickly girl int he mansion right? He used to tell her stories from outside the window, I think... It's her (or maybe rather her weird sheepy-butler that gives them the merry, so yeah?)

Ditto Zoro - wasn't it also like his sword master though? Or maybe it was just that they trained together and she always beat him but then she died? I dunno, it's more that I couldn't really recall WHY it came up and/or the significance of his joining up. (Although: I have also since reminded myself he was a pirate bounty hunter; didn't Luffy and that stupid kid free him from the Navy or something? Isn't that why he joined Luffy?)

[wednesday-10-00.livejournal.com]

He left them to join the pirate gang that Luffy idolizes.

Oh! I totally forgot about that.

Or maybe it was just that they trained together and she always beat him but then she died?

Yes.

WHY it came up

Because every member of Luffy's crew must have a tragic past! IT'S THE LAW.

1. Meet new crewmember
2. TRAGIC FLASHBACK
3. ???
4. PROFIT

only Nami cares about step 4

didn't Luffy and that stupid kid free him from the Navy or something? Isn't that why he joined Luffy?

That sounds right, yes.

[collarnojutsu.livejournal.com]

IT'S THE LAW.

Haha, I know the formula! I meant I didn't remember why - maybe I should have said how? - it even came up. Like, did someone show up, etc? (I'm just wondering out loud at this point, no worries - I guess it doesn't much matter now that I remember the basics.) I literally do not remember entire storylines at this point, guhhh. It was a miracle I remembered the part about Luffy freeing him from the Navy... God, am I a bad fangirl?

[wednesday-10-00.livejournal.com]

I knew what you meant. But sometimes, there's just a random flashback. It doesn't need to be triggered by anything. (I'm honestly not sure, in this case, whether there was a trigger or not.)

am I a bad fangirl?

Honestly, there's only so much fannish information one person should be expected to keep in their head. If OP was your FAVORITE SERIES EVER OMG and you didn't know this, I might think you were a bad fangirl, but as it's a series that you read/watched and liked years ago but fell behind on, not particularly.

TBH, my memories of certain parts of it are pretty vague, and I would like to go back and reread it, but it's so dang long I never seem to have time. (Maybe in July, when I'm not planning on ordering any manga...)

[collarnojutsu.livejournal.com]

(Maybe in July, when I'm not planning on ordering any manga...)

HAH! You'll be too busy watching anime! :P

Yeah, I know you're right. I have to forgive myself. I think I just feel special guilt over forgetting about Zoro because of how much discussion he generated when Shayla & I started the series. I should really remember those sorts of things! ;)

[wednesday-10-00.livejournal.com]

You'll be too busy watching anime!

To be honest, I think it depends more on how soon I get the Durarara novels and/or how fast I read them. >.>